This past week I read:
Cinder by Marissa Meyer. It's the first book in the Lunar Chronicles.
I loved it! 5 stars. My upper grade girls are going to love this one. As you can tell from the title, it's another retelling of Cinderella, but with a totally different twist. Cinder is a cyborg! The futuristic setting, fighting the plague, and of course the evil Lunar queen will appeal to my 7th and 8th grade girls. (Kirsten told me to hurry so she could read it first!)
Genius Files: You Only Die Twice by Dan Gutman
This one will be enjoyed by my middle students. I had the first Genius Files and the students have been after me to get more. Love it when that happens! Unfortunately, the downfalls of a small school - small budget. I have to plan purchases carefully. Hopefully hubby won't pay to close attention to the Amazon purchases for the past month. I sort of sneaked a few books in for my students with the Christmas shopping! As for the genius files, a cute thriller for my middle grades. In case you haven't read one - Pepsi and Coke McDonald are two teenagers enlisted in the genius files. They are traveling across the country in an RV with their parents. Of course there is someone trying to kill them... The villain in this one surprised me. 3 stars.
Finally, I read Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Oh my gosh! If you haven't read this one DO SO! I thought about using it as a read-aloud, but I don't know if I can without crying. (Of course the kids laugh when I cry!) It was the most powerful book I've read this year. Maybe even tops Ivan, which I also greatly enjoyed!!! I loved the different perspectives of the kids in the story. Made me feel really proud to be a middle school teacher by the way the students handled the bulling issue. SOMETIMES, not always, it is important to let the students work it out. We're not going to be there for them when they become adults. 5 stars!!! LOVED THIS ONE.
In between basketball and school, this week I'm going to try to read Crossed, Matched, and Reached by Allyson Braithwaite Condie. My 8th girls are running out of books to read. Can't have that!!!
Keep Reading!
I just love The Genius Files! My kids have had a great time reading the three books. I just adore Wonder. It is one of my all time favorites. It is one that I had to buy for my personal bookshelf. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWonder is on my reading list, hopefully for this week. Lots of wonderful books! I loved Cinder and need to read Scarlet (just ordered it), and I know my 5th grade students love Gutman's books.
ReplyDeleteThe Monster Report
I loved Wonder a lot as well. I think its a bit to old to read to my grade 3's, but I have put it in the hands of all my upper elementary colleagues.
ReplyDeleteI have read both Genius Files and Wonder to my class as read alouds. Wonder is by far one of the most powerful books I've read aloud too. It topped my first choices of Someone Named Eva and Out of my Mind.
ReplyDeleteAlison
Rockin' and Lovin' Learnin'
Rockin' and Lovin' Learnin'
The Condie books are a fun read. Definitely worth a middle school collection purchase with all the HG fans. You of course have all of Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls and Heist Society books as well, right?
ReplyDeleteI actually read Ivan and Wonder in a row February of ... 2012. Dumb luck of the draw with a hard copy and then a Netgalley arc. Cried like a baby and I never cry at books!
I really liked Cinder and plan to read the next in the series this year. I was quite surprised with how much I enjoyed it. So excited to read Scarlett soon. Do you think you will read the entire series?
ReplyDeleteIf I can get them for my library, oh yes!
DeleteI LOVED Cinder, read Scarlet, and am ready for Cress. Can't wait for it to come out. Isn't Wonder the best book ever?! It makes an incredible read aloud!
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