Taken from a painting of Kapiti Island at Sunset.
by Sonia Savage.

Monday, January 7, 2013

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?


It is Monday and again I am joining in the meme over at Mentor Texts.
Hop on over and join in over at the Mentor Text Blog. Just click on the picture 
                                                 
This week I read The Recruit, by British writer Robert Muchamore,  the first in the Cherub series, which was first published in about 2005.  I read this because I noticed a few of my boys were into this series.  They have now left my class and I wondered was this a series to push for boy readers coming into my class this year?

Simple answer, yes. It has action, adventure and spy missions.  I would label it in the 'easy' reading sphere in terms of reading ability needed.  A little like the Anthony Horowitz series, which is similar 'easy' reading.  It will hook in boys. There are a lot more in the series, with a second related series.

I would love to know of any similar 'easy' reading that is totally engrossing for girls. Surprisingly enough, I have a few girls I really need to 'hook in' to reading.

These holidays I seem to be reading books recommended by my students.  Having read a few posts this week about putting on your door what you are reading, I am looking forward to putting up on my classroom door what I read in the holidays and who recommended me to read them.

So this week I will be reading Guitar Highway Rose by Brigid Lowry, a New Zealand born author. This book is recommended to me by Simone, who is a very wide ranging reader, who is total nerd when it comes to reading! And I might add a talented musician, artist and writer!

13 comments:

  1. Fun! I love to read what my students recommend. They get a huge kick out of telling me about a book that I haven't read yet. Of course, sometimes you get a book like the first Pendragon that I just couldn't finish. The kids love the series, so there must be something to it.

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    1. Indeed. As someone on this meme once pointed out to me the students also get a kick out of reading a book we didn't like or couldn't finish. So all not lost!

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  2. My boys ADORE Muchamore, but the British condone a lot more violence and bad language in their middle grade books than we do. I've been just looking away because the books have hooked some of my really reluctant readers!

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    1. Yes I did notice it, here and there, but I felt it wasn't too bad. Just didn't like some of the violence I have to admit.

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  3. I need to read this series. For girls, how about The Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter? Or Paranormalcy by Kiersten White or the Dead Is...series by Marlene Perez.

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  4. Hi there Kathryn. I'm glad that you mentioned Anthony Horowitz. I have five books from his series that are lying unloved in my bookshelves - it reminded me that I need to get to them soon. It's great to see a new series that boys enjoy. Thanks for sharing this. Hope you have a great reading week!

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    1. Thanks Myra, I am afraid I am pretty guilty of just reading the first one in the series to see what they are like, with some exceptions where I just have to read on!

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  5. I don't know what kind of books you are looking for for girls, but how about the class Anne of Green Gables books? There is one book, but it isn't a series that has a strong female character that I've used that is a dystopian, but middle grade novel. It's titled The Girl Who Owned The City. I like it a lot, shows problem solving as well as some violence, but also avoidance of violence for better outcomes. Thanks for your ideas too. I haven't heard of The Recruit-will look it up.

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  6. Sorry, I meant 'classic' Anne of Green Gables.

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  7. Hi Kathryn,
    I haven't heard of this series, and I'm thinking that my son might love it! Thanks for the suggestion. He's been reluctant to read lately and the Recruit seems right up his alley.
    I feel like there are so many series for girls, and I did have a 6th grade student who was hooked by the Pretty Little Liars books. They are teen-aged mystery books. I have not read them myself, and I believe they have some bad language and lots of "mean girl" stuff in them, but maybe that is the appeal??

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