It all starts in the library....: 4/15/13 It's Monday! What are you reading?

I am pushing myself to read more middle grade books to help me be a better book pusher. In an effort to meet my reading goals, I applied to serve on our South Carolina Junior Book Award committee. (I just received my acceptance email today! Yea!) I hope that joining the committee will help me stay on track with my reading goals, as well as participating in this 'It's Monday! What are you reading?' meme. We shall see :)

My reading goal for the next several weeks is to read all twenty of of the 2013-2014 SCJBA nominee books before we go on summer break. Last week I read the following books:

"Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart" by Candace Fleming. I am pleasantly surprised to find myself enjoying more and more nonfiction books. This book kept my attention with its alternating chapters between details about Amelia's life & career and the heartbreaking search for her during her final flight. I look forward to promoting this book.

I finished listening to Carl Hiaasen's audiobook "Chomp" last week. I enjoyed the humor and reality TV show plot. I kept thinking about my favorite survivalist Cody Lundin from the television show "Dual Survivor." I know in my heart Cody is nothing like Derek Badger.

I booktalked "Hidden" by Helen Frost to a member of our school book club the following morning after I finished reading it. The student checked it out on the spot and came back the next day raving about the book. I like reading novels written in verse. I hope to get more students to try out this genre by booktalking this quick and engaging read.

I finished listening to the audiobook version of "Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading" by Tommy Greenwald. All of our library copies are checked out right now. I look forward to hear what our students think about this title.

Last week, I read the following picture books to my six year old son: