Thanks Jen and Kellee for hosting this weekly event at Teach Mentor Texts!
So, I have not been reading many books lately. Lots of online reading in little snippets. I've been busy finishing up my ebook project for Choice Literacy so I try not to get too caught up in many books--otherwise I won't do the writing I need to do. But I did fit in a bit this week.
I read and LOVED NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morgenstern. What an amazing adult novel. It was recommended by Jen and I am so glad I read it. I was worried at first, that it would be like WATER FOR ELEPHANTS which is not a favorite of mine. But it wasn't. This is a story of a circus--of magic, of love, of loss and of life. It is an amazing story-the characters will stay with me and I love the way the book is crafted. I'm not usually about setting but the setting in this book matters and I think it will live with me like no other setting has. Brilliant.
I also read lots online. A few pieces stand out for me. One of my favorite reads this week was a post by Kylene Beers. In the post, "How Cancer Helped Me Find my Superficial Self" she shares a recent keynote she gave at a breast cancer awareness luncheon. A powerful piece by an amazing woman. One I've shared with everyone I've talked to since I read it.
Another was a post by Jen at TEACH MENTOR TEXTS called WONDER REMINDS US THAT KINDNESS MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND. If you missed it, it is a must-read. I so wanted to attend the R.J. Palacio event at Anderson's this weekend but just couldn't fit it in. So glad so many of my friends posted all about it. Sounds like it was a great day.
I've also been reading lots on the Boston Marathon which even I find amusing. I follow lots of running blogs these days and just like the Newbery Awards for reading teachers, the Boston Marathon is the topic of conversation on many of these blogs this week. The race is today but with the predicted heat, the organizers are sending out lots of warnings to runners. I feel badly for people who have worked so hard for this--the weather is definitely a little bit unexpected. I loved this article about the technology piece of the Boston Marathon and I love that you can follow runners with their bib number. So fascinating how much technology has changed everything. I also enjoyed reading a little bit about fashion tips for the marathon. I also like this post about the day before the Boston Marathon by a mom/runner I follow. This mom has 12 kids--ages 3 to 16 and she is running the Boston Marathon. Amazing, really :-)
I also thought this article on the Common Core was interesting and worth reading (from EdWeek).
And of course I read my regular blogs and tweets. Heard about lots of new books, authors, etc.
What a nice mix of reading you have going on! I too really enjoyed Jen's post about her experience with R.J. Palacio, very moving. I will check out that article from EdWeek, thanks!
ReplyDeleteLove your reading this week. So are you inspired to ever run a Marathon? There is no part of me that has ever wanted to run that far. I thought about a half marathon at some point but can't really even imagine running 13 miles. :)
ReplyDeleteHah! No marathon for me:-) I will be thrilled if I can actually run a whole 5K anytime soon. Maybe a 10K but I never want to run more than an hourish at a time. I do love that I feel like I know a lot of people from blogs and twitter who are running the marathon today. Kind of fun!
ReplyDeleteI love how you shared all the variety of your reading--even the blogs! Thanks for sharing! --Lorna (@notforlunch)
ReplyDeleteJen's post on Wonder was amazing - the power of literature in practice!
ReplyDeleteYou are just too cool. Love all of the links. Can't wait to read THE NIGHT CIRCUS.
ReplyDeleteI really want to read The Night Circus- I am waiting for the audio book from my library. I've only heard good things about it.
ReplyDeleteAlso, you are so right about Jen's post this week- it was so moving! As moving as the book.
Thank you for all of the links :)
Happy reading this week!
Ah! Everyone is so kind about my Wonder post. I don't even feel like I could bring Michelle to life in my writing. She's great. I talked to her mom today and they are all still reeling from the excitement and loving all the support from everyone.
ReplyDeleteOne of my oldest friends ran the Boston a few years ago. It is a hard marathon. I've done Chicago, which is one of the easier marathons, and it's still hard. It was an awesome experience that I would totally do again if I had the time to be able to train. It is such an awesome feeling of accomplishment and there are so many people who do it. I believe anyone can do it if they set their minds to it. Just take it little by little. I read The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer - it's a great read even if you aren't training for a marathon. Lots of good ideas. :)
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/98248.The_Non_Runner_s_Marathon_Trainer
I'm glad you liked Night Circus! I freak myself out when I get too excited about a book rec and then worry that the person will loathe it. I think it's beautiful. :)
I did not realize The Night Circus was an adult novel; it sort of sounds like a children's book. Since I'm always on the hunt for good adult reads, I have already added this to my TBR list. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteNight Circus was amazing! I am so excited for the movie!
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