Summer Reading

I’m not out
of school yet (two more weeks to go), but since my seniors are gone and my
other classes are winding down, I couldn’t resist starting my summer reading!  I’ve ordered a stack of books from Amazon and
intend to put them on my classroom library shelf next school year.  Best of all, these books are just for my
enjoyment, and I don’t have to think too hard (AP English Literature books can
be intense) or plan lessons for them!

Here are two
in my stack:

1.  The Silver Star by Jeannette Walls

I loved Walls’s
The Glass Castle and Half Broke Horses, which were both non-fiction. In fact, I
convinced my media center specialist to order The Glass Castle to use in
literature circles and just had a group of students finish reading it.  They told me they really enjoyed it and some
plan to read Half Broke Horses.

Now, I’m
excited to read her first fiction novel, The Silver Star. According to reviews,
it’s about two sisters who survive the abandonment of their mother.  It promises to be a story about overcoming
hardships and the power of love. 

2.  The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

After a recommendation
from a colleague, I have read at least five of Hannah’s books.  Two of my favorites are Night Road and Winter
Garden.  In February, The Nightingale was
released and I’ve splurged on the hardcover! 

Alternating
between present and past, Winter Garden is in many ways a historical fiction novel,
recalling one character’s survival during the Siege of Leningrad.  Hannah’s newest book appears to be another
historical fiction story.  This book,
like The Silver Star, is also about two sisters; this time the story is set in
France during WWII. 

Hmmm, I just
realized that both books are about sisters.  It must mean I’m ready for a summer road trip to visit my own sister who
lives in Georgia!

Me & My Sis

What books
do you plan to read this summer?  I’ve
got more on my list than these, and I’m open to even more suggestions.  Please post your summer reading selections in
the comments below and check-out other books of summer in the link-up hosted by Julie Faulkner.