Sunday, February 23, 2014

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

 Jen Vincent at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee Moye and Ricki Ginsburg at Unleashing Readers cohost It's Monday! What are You Reading weekly on their blogs.   To see what others are reading and recommending each Monday, or to participate, be sure to head over to these blogs. 

I feel like I may be letting some of my primary friends down this week, because my reading life was consumed by higher level chapter books. I promise to pay attention to picture books next week! I read three chapter books, but I am only going to write about one in this post, because it was so far and away the most compelling book I have read since Counting By 7's.

I have Tara Smith to thank for the amazing recommendation of Laurie Halse Anderson's The Impossible Knife of Memory and I spent more time than I really had reading this book over the weekend. I loved Hayley, the main character who narrates with honesty, reflection, and humor and I already miss the other endearing characters who became her friends, even despite her efforts to sometimes prevent that from happening. I have three high-schoolers in my house and I can't wait for them to read it, although I won't be putting it into the hands of my sixth-grader for a while--there are many references to drugs, alcohol, and violence that I think are best left to the high-schoolers. That being said, the messages about friendship, family complications, financial hardships, and the struggles of our veterans are woven beautifully into this incredibly engaging story. 

Happy Reading!




10 comments:

  1. Thanks for the recommendation Melanie. I have a high school daughter at home who will love this book.

    Tammy

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  2. I am so happy to read such a positive reaction about this title - it sits at the top of my TBR pile. Couldn't leap into it this week as I am finishing reports and believed I wouldn't be able to put it down!

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  3. So glad you read this, Melanie! I just passed this book along to an 8th. grader whose uncle is suffering from PTSD. I didn't know about this uncle until she saw the book on my desk and asked what it was about. Well, my book talk unleashed quite a torrent, and now she is reading it. Aren't books marvelous?!

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  4. It's on my stack, Melanie, so maybe it's next after Fangirl. Thanks for the good shout out for this book.

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  5. I have heard so many things about this book, but I just can't seem to read much past middle grade since I teach 4th grade. It may have to pool-time summer book!

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  6. Hello there Melanie, this sounds like a book that would be perfect for our War and Poetry theme later in the year. Will definitely look for this one. Have a great reading week!

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