Reading Doors

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

My Summer Reading List Challenge 2016

As with most things this summer, my summer reading list (and posting about it) has gotten away from me. This year, as I did last year, I asked my 4th grade students at the end of the year to give me book title suggestions for my summer reading list, promising that I would read each one and at least the first book if it was a series. The only exception to this promise is if I've already read the book recently, about the last 5 years or so. They took up the challenge with gusto! Below is the list they gave me:
The very extensive list includes (those in red I've already completed this summer):

  • Garden of the Purple Dragon
  • Where the Red Fern Grows
  • Katie John
  • The White Giraffe
  • America's Funny But True History
  • Camp Rock 2: Final Jam
  • Life of Pi
  • Sugar
  • Lego Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu
  • Toes
  • Half Magic
  • Star Darlings
  • 39 Clues
  • Little House on the Prairie
  • Ruby Lee and Me
  • Marley
  • The Cupcake Queen
  • The Light in the Forest
  • Fortune Falls
  • Pie
  • The Hunger Games
  • Roller Girl
  • Thimble Summer
  • Shadow of the Dragon: Kira
  • World War II Book 2: Dead in the Water
  • Pegasus
  • Mutation
  • Five Little Peppers series
  • Frostborn (Thrones & Bones)
  • Evermore
  • The Lost Track of Time
  • Beholding Bee
  • Crimebiters! series
  • Haunted Houses
  • A Night Divided
  • Seekers: The Quest Begins
  • Dog Diaries series
  • Colorado Sam (written by a student's grandfather)
  • The Twelve Dancing Princesses
  • The Puppy Place
  • Lincoln's Grave Robbers
  • Silver Pony Ranch
  • Dragon Keeper
  • Tombquest series
  • Spirit Animals
WOW!! What a list! They have challenged me to read about 21 more books this summer than the students last year did.

And of course, I always have a huge stack of my own that I have set aside for summer, including several professional development books. (below left)

This summer has gotten away from me and I've spent far more time travelling than is typical, so I even have a stack I've been saving that I know will have to wait until the school year, or much more likely, until next summer. (above right)

Well, with half the summer gone I have only gotten through about 45% of the books I want to read, and less than 20% of the books I've been challenged to read. It is time for me to buckle down and make a greater effort to read the books my students have recommended. I do not want to let them down, and have spent too much time reading the books I had in my own stack. Hopefully I will do better the remainder of the summer. If I promised my students that I'd read it, then I will keep that promise!

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