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!