The content of this blog consists primarily of my experiences as a teacher of middle school English Language Learners (ELL's) in an academically underperforming school in western Massachusetts. Older posts include reflections on my work as a reading teacher of teen males in a secure juvenile justice facility. I teach where I think it matters most. I work with kids who come from nothing to help them see that they can be something. It hurts, but I love it.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Summer Reads 2009
I'm teaching summer school this year, for the first time in a while. So this means that, in July and August, I'll have less time for that thing called Reading For Pleasure in the setting like the one above. But dooooon't you worry, I'll manage to get my feet in the sand, avec bathing suit, beach chair, boogie board and book bag. Topping my list of what to toss in the tote? The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. It's a tome that's caught my eye primarily because it was so effusively recommended by one of my favorite authors, Wally Lamb.
Mr. Lamb writes, "I savored Garth Stein’s The Art of Racing in the Rain for many reasons: a dog who speaks, the thrill of competitive racing, a heart-tugging storyline, and--best of all--the fact that it is a meditation on humility and hope in the face of despair. Since finishing this engagingly unique novel, I’ve found myself staring at my own dog, thinking, Hmm, I wonder ..."
Sounds good enough for me, Wally. My personal reading aside, I continue to look for good reads for my students, to build up my classroom library but also to deepen the wells of their literary worlds and experience. Clearly, they won't be chillin' on the beach under an umbrella this summer, but that doesn't mean they should also be deprived of access to the lighter, fun reads of the season. So, gentle reader, I ask you: what's on your summer read list? Please share your recommendations for teens, adults, & kids here. Thanks!
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