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TAL: Summer Reading

My goal is to read as much as I can during the summer.  Young adult literature is my focus, but I have a plan.  As of today, I've read 32 books which is admirable (IMHO).  My goal is to read three or four YA books for each adult (?) I read.

Act One:  Blog
For each YA book I read, I blog about it on the school's book blog.  It follows a format which makes it easy to post.  For each book I read, I try to write something positive even if I think the book is dumb.  After all, middle school boys have a different sense of humor than I do.  Sometimes I wonder if it's reaching the audience (VVM middle school students) and being helpful to young readers, but it's also good for me to try to find something positive in each book I read.

Act Two:  My Favorite YA Books of the Summer (So Far)
I've really struggled this year with some of the YA books I've chosen to read, but three books stand out as amazing.

1) Bird by Crystal Chan  Although I really don't think there are boy books and girl books, I do think this is a girl book.  Maybe that's not fair.  It's a book for the sensitive.  This book was beautiful.  I loved the characters, and I loved the sentiment.  Part of me felt a sense of spirituality as I read it.  Jewel views the world differently than others around her.  In fact each character in this book grows as the story is told.  This is one of the few books I would read again.  It's also a book I would recommend for adults as well as young adults.  Maybe I'd even recommend it to adults before I'd recommend it to young adults.

2) Are You Experienced?  by Jordan Sonnenblick
I learned a lot about Woodstock and the musicians as I read this book.  This book is a powerful book about Vietnam, Woodstock, Drugs, and Music.  How can anyone not want to read this book?  It will take a special middle school student to appreciate this book, but it was an emotional and informational read.

3) The Crossover by Alexander Kwame
As I'm posting, I realize all three books I like have an emotional aspect.  Maybe I appreciate characters with feeling.  This was a book about family and basketball written in verse.  It's as much about family relationships as it is basketball.  Reluctant readers will appreciate the ease the story can be read since it's in poem form.

Act Three:  You MUST Read!
The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander  Someone (KC?) shared the Black Lives Matter Reading List.  One book on the list is a book I've had on my list.  I reserved the ebook from the library and it came today.  Although I've only read two chapters, I think EVERYONE should read this book.  As I read, I keep wanting to highlight everything and then remember it's a library book.  This is a book I may need to buy.  Go check it out or buy it now!  It's not necessarily an easy read, but it's a must read.

Comments

KC said…
I have read it. It's really that good.

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