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Okay, I know none of us have the time for this, but... Even when I'm swamped with work, I have to find a way to escape. My favorite escape comes from finding a great young adult book to drown myself in. This week, I didn't mean to find the book. I'm way too busy to read for pleasure. Rick, my boyfriend, was ordering books on Amazon for his Masters' program, and this one kept popping up. I broke down and ordered it, and I am so thankful I did.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is an incredibly beautiful piece of writing. It tells the story of Liesel, a young foster girl who grows up in Hitler-era Germany. This is the first book I've read that came from the German perspective of WWII. It was well-done and eye-opening. More than that, though, is the colorful, poetic language. Did I mention that the story is narrated by Death himself? Amazing book! Take a break and read it!
Kris,
ReplyDeleteZusak's The Book Thief sounds incredible, especially the narrator! I did some research this summer (you may already know this), and the National Library Association has its own page and research regarding the top young adult literature as voted by our young adults. The URL is www.ala.org/yalsa/
As you are an "avid read," let me know which books you highly recommend. Unfortunately, except during SRI, I have little time for "escape" reading right now.
Thanks,
Stephanie Dyer
I have read it and passed it along to a few teachers who were doing things with that theme. I am just like you. I need my reading fix. I am sure that with your classroom blogs that you will see that some of your students will be just like you. What a great way to discuss books. Having a blogging book club would be a great addition to your class. The students might contribute more this way. Sometimes I find young adult fiction much better than many bestseller for adults. The books I buy (I love book orders from Scholastic) get used during my presentions. Don't forget that you can also include using picture books for your older kids as they develop thier writing skills. Sometimes this is the best way to show them how to write fiction.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips, guys. I love using picture books to teach themes and literary elements, too. It's funny- the kids groan, but everyone loves being read to. It's so comforting. Some of my favorite picture book authors- Cynthia Rylant, Madonna, Paul Fleischman...
ReplyDeleteokay I'll read it.
ReplyDelete