Winter Reading Plan

As I'm preparing for break, I'm most excited about having time to snuggle up with some good books.  While I'm always reading at least one book for pleasure, breaks are my time to get some serious reading done.  As inspired by Donalyn Miller, I have set the goal of reading six books during winter break.  My students don't necessarily believe I can do it, but I'm excited to come back from break and prove them wrong! 

In my classroom, we are always giving book recommendations and the students love suggesting books that I should read.  I think they secretly like telling me what to read, as they know I 99% of the time read their suggestions.  With that being said, three of the six books I'm going to read come from student recommendations.

I have a group of students that have been devouring the Cirque Du Freak series.  At the beginning of the school year, I ordered the first four books in the series and I don't think the first book has made it to our bookshelf yet as it's been passed from person to person (even students from other classes have borrowed this book.  I actually have to go to the library to get a copy of this book, as my copy is loaned out right now. 


I started this book at the beginning of the school year and then a group of boys wanted to read it with their literature circle, so they borrowed my copy.  And once they finished with it, The Maze Runner made its way to the bottom of my "Need to Read Pile."  Two boys claim that it is better than The Hunger Games; I'm a little doubtful, but perhaps the twist at the end will suck me in.

I'm pretty excited to read the next adventure in Emily the Strange's life.  I read the first book during Thanksgiving and I really enjoyed the sarcasm and wit of the story.  This book wasn't so much a recommendation, but my students asked me to get the second book in the series, so I thought I would read it before I passed it along to them.

Recently we had some mice scurrying around the classroom and they reminded me of one of my favorite reads, The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo.  Unfortunately, (I'm an animal lover) the mice were disposed of (even more horribly, my students watched the last mouse run right onto the sticky trap).  After that experience, I was looking for a good ole' fashioned mouse story.  I stumbled upon A Nest for Celeste by Henry Cole and I'm hoping it will be a heartwarming mouse story equal to that of DiCamillo's. 

During Thanksgiving break, I read Laurie Halse Anderson's books Fever and Chains.  This book, Forge, is the sequel to Chains and is told through Curzon's story.  I've recently been reading a lot of young adult historical fiction and I forgot how much I love it.  I'm hoping I can pull some sections out to share during my upcoming social studies American Revolution unit. 

This book was recommended to me by a colleague.  I've read and thoroughly enjoyed Jeanette Walls' Glass Castle and I'm hoping Half Broke Horses is comparable. 

By sharing my book goal with my students, many of my students have become excited to see how much they can read during break.  I've spent this week conferencing with students to hear (and guide them) on their reading plans for break.  It's a good feeling to know that my students are becoming real readers.  I had a few students that thought a comic book would last them two weeks, but I brought them to their senses.  As you are preparing for winter break, take a few minutes and let your kiddos know what you're reading and help them prepare for their winter break reading.  

Please feel free to share your recommendations in the comment box.  I'm always on the lookout for new, or newly discovered, books!