so finished the BOB list books this week – huge relief – of course, what i read isn’t necessarily going to make the list (all of them can’t in the first place – second, my tastes aren’t the tastes of the committee members) but…

“moon over manifest” – finished it – liked it – could tell why newberry honored it – best book of last year though??? mmm…

“the shadow project” – sort of a spy thriller – got really strange in parts – the book starts as a “sprint to the finish” race to save people, then it shifts to a “oooh, there’s a whole back story we need to learn about for, oh, about 100 pages” and then back to the race to the finish – sort of three books in one – but none of them that good

“how lamar’s bad prank won a bubba-sized trophy” – pretty decent read – best part of the book is that it’s a different voice for the kids that will read BOB – most of YA lit authors are white females – or males – a different voice introduces different characters – different things to think about – it’s not a book that BOB kids would pick so i’m pressing to get it on “the list”

“fever crumb” – i really liked this book but i don’t want it, ironically enough, on “the list” – future dystopia type book – so in that vein, similar to “hunger games” – and the central character is female, and she’s strong – best part of the book is that there are really tough choices that have to be made in the book – and most of the characters aren’t completely good – or completely evil – it’s the sort of book you could actually discuss with someone – so i’m hoping to have kids read it outside of BOB (i don’t like it with BOB just b/c i thought some of the issues were too weighty for sixth graders)

“drive” – not a YA book – as my reward for finishing “the list,” i went back to reading what i like – i got a business book to relate to education – to make me a better teacher – and “drive” was wonderful – best part, i learned how to make some cool things on the internet for my class – we’ll definitely be using it in the classroom this year

“odds and ends” – that’s not a title, but having finished “the list” plus one, i’ve been trying to break a bit – so i’m just reading on the old testament (it’s really long – i’m reading psalms and i kings right now) and my weekly magazines – i got a freebie on the nook yesterday that i’ll probably try next

hope your week is a great one – happy 4th

mafeld