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Hitler's Daughter
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Percy Jackson
Milk and Honey
The Da Vinci Code
A Handmaid's Tale

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I think this project reopened my eyes to the fun of reading. It made me realize that I need to practice what I preach, and that it can be enjoyable, too. Since high school, I have really only thought of reading as a chore, but when I get to pick the book, I don't hate it. Although it is not one of my favorite ways to pass the time, I see the benefits again. In terms of the goals I set, I don't think it really affected my progress. I did do what I wanted, but it wasn't because I set a goal and tried to follow it. I find that my goals I set tend to get lost during the journey. When it came to tracking it, it took the fun away from reading. When I have to focus on outside things, it takes away the experience of just reading for enjoyment. I start to think of it as work and that I can't just skip it if I don't feel like it. While choosing these books, I didn't have any sort of technique. The books just came to me, and once my last book was done, I was relieved because I didn't have any other ones set up next. That is one of my least favorite parts about reading; I hate investing so much time and emotion into a book just for it to end and move on to another book that will do the same thing to me. It seems like an endless cycle. The reason I choose to watch TV shows is because of that; if I am going to fall in love with a story, I want it to last me a long time. Overall, I liked this project a lot. It was time consuming, but it didn't feel like work.

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Reader- I want to read more. I tend to watch a lot of TV or movies because it is easier, but the emotional investment of a book is different from that of a movie. I would really like to take time to read for pleasure, but it is so easy to make excuses. My next goal is to try to read a book a month. I know things get really busy during the school year, but I am sure there will be some times that I can work towards achieving this goal.

Teacher- Explain the importance of reading. I need to help my students learn that, but also do it myself so that they see that I am not just all talk. As a teacher, I need to read  books about multiple things. Book binges are okay, but show my students that it is also okay to like a variety of book genres.

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The Phantom Tollbooth
Bailey's Estes Park Excitement
A Dog's Life!
At My Door
Bad Decisions
Nikki and Deja: Wedding Drama
The Book of Storms
How Could You Do this to Me, Mum?
Camp Club Girls and the Mystery at Discovery Lake
The Battle of Darcy Lane
To Have and to Hold
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Middle School, the Worst Years of My Life

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My reading goal for this semester is to get better at keeping up with my books and not forgetting to read them. I struggle with staying interested in books, and part of me thinks that it is because I drag it on for so long. I don’t have too much time to read for pleasure with school, work, and other daily things, but I would really like to read a whole book through, and ideally, not feel like it is a chore. Also, reading makes me really tired, so that may be another reason I don’t do well with reading assignments. I am hoping that by squeezing these books in together it will help me stay engaged in a book and not feel like it is okay to put them off. I have never been an avid reader, and I don’t have much desire to be one either, but I think it would be nice if I started reading more than I am now, which is nothing. If it weren’t for school, I do not think that I would read anything, which I know sounds terrible. I would like this project to spark at least a little love for reading

In order to reach my goal, I am going to try to get my five chapter books done as soon as possible instead of stretching them out for the whole semester. I am currently reading The Phantom Tollbooth, and my goal is to have that done by Friday, October 6th. After that, I will start a new book of my choosing, which I would like to take no more than one week to finish, especially since it will be over fall break. I’ve realized in the past three weeks how long it takes me to get through my books, and there is no way I will finish my books by the deadline if I keep up this pace. I would like to finish one whole book over Thanksgiving for sure, maybe even two. Other than those two breaks, I will give myself two weeks per book.

Throughout this semester, I was able to stick to my goal. I read frequently, even if it was just for a little bit. It took me a few weeks to finish my first book, but after that I really got rolling on the rest of the books. Although I am a slow reader, the books were so good that I didn't mind reading for a while. It took me 2-5 days to finish each one after the first one finally ended. I definitely found the type of books that I like through this project which inspired me to read more.

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By Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Published By- Dial Books
Genre- Historical Fiction
Pages- 385

Why I Chose This Book: I chose this book because the first one was so good. I wanted to read more about Ada and her story.

My Response: This book was just as good as the first one. I love how Ada really transformed from her skeptical self in the first book to a girl who could finally trust Susan. I cried multiple times throughout, and I loved how the last sentence tied in with the first one. However, I am a little upset about the book skipping a year to get to the end of the war, because now I am not sure if there is going to be another book. Bradley is an amazing writer, and I would love to look into some of her other books when I get the chance.

Summary: Still in the middle of World War II, Ada, Susan, and Jamie Smith are forced to find a new home after a bomb was dropped on theirs. They move into a small house on the Thornton's property and the war seems to cause a Ada's whole world to change. After being forced out of their house, Lady Thornton and daughter Maggie move in with the Smiths. A tight house causes conflicts, but also new relationships

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By Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Published By- Dial Books
Genre- Historical Fiction
Pages- 316

Why I Chose This Book: I was recommended this book by a few different people, and promised I would read it. Although I wasn't excited to start it, once I did, I couldn't put it down.

My Response: I was recommended this book, and wasn't sure I was going to like it. After 10 pages of reading, I realized I actually loved it! World War II is my favorite thing to learn about, at I fell in love with Ada's story immediately. It was beautifully written and is now my favorite book.

Summary: Living in London during the second World War, Ada struggles to free herself from her abusive mother. With some extra baggage; her brother Jamie and her clubfoot, she gets on a train headed to the country with many other school children. Ada and Jamie are sent to live with Susan Smith until London is safe again. She learns how to live life in the country, and realizes there is a lot more to life than the bedroom she was forced to stay in for the first 10 years of her life.

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By Claudia Mills
Published By- Square Fish
Genre- Fiction
Pages- 231

Why I Chose This Book: I didn't chose this book as much as it was assigned to me in another class. It was such an interesting book, however, that I wanted to use it for this class, too.

My Response: I had to read this book for another class, and I was surprised that the reading level is 6th grade. Some parts are super cheesy while other parts use language that are not appropriate for the classroom. Overall, the plot of the book was pretty interesting, but I was more interested in the love story between Sierra and Luke. This book made me realize I miss reading the sappy books of authors like Nicholas Sparks.

Summary: After accidentally bringing her mother's lunch to school with her, honor student Sierra realizes it contains a pairing knife. She turns it in immediately, but this doesn't stop the zero tolerance rule of bringing weapons to school stop her from getting expelled. She spends a week in in-school suspension with troublemaker Luke Bishop, waiting for her expulsion trial. Little does she know, Luke may be a better person than she thought, and the line between right and wrong is not so clear.

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By Lisa Papademetriou
Published By- Scholastic Inc.
Genre- Fiction
Pages- 229

Why I Chose This Book: I chose this book solely because the cover had cupcakes on it. I have learned through this that that is not the best way to chose a book because I didn't really like it.

My Response: I thought it was a cute story and it was interesting that there are cupcake recipes in between chapters. After reading The War That Saved My Life, however, I felt like the writing was simple and cheesy, but I had to remind myself that it was written for children.

Summary: Hayley is a middle school student, struggling with the divorce of her parents, her mother's unemployment and her crush on an older boy. To get away from all of this, she works in her grandmother's bakery. After bringing a batch with her to school, a parent worries about the nutritional effects of these treats and attempts to ban them. Hayley must now fight this new battle at the same time as her crush falls for her best friend.

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By Norton Juster
Published By- Yearling
Genre- Fantasy Fiction
Pages- 256

Why I Chose This Book: I read this book when I was younger and really liked it. I chose this book because I remembered how many puns there were, and I wanted to see if I would catch ones that I didn't when I was younger.

My Response: I haven't read this book since the fifth grade. It is amazing to me how many things went over my head before and how many things I get now. It is filled with puns and humorous language. I remembered getting bored at some parts when I was 10, and those were the same parts I got bored with at age 20.

Summary: Milo is a little boy who is absolutely bored with the world. He comes home one day to a tollbooth in his room, and decides to take the adventure. He gets transported into another world and meets interesting characters along the way. With their help, he has to bring back peace between Dictionopolis and Dictionopolis.