October Book Recap

As I've mentioned before, I teach 8th grade language arts by day!

We are working on a 40 Book Challenge this year. 

Students are challenged to read approximately a book a week. 

Like every teacher should do, I'm participating in the challenge as well!

Below are the books that I read last month. 

Most of them are young adult books since that's who I work with on a daily basis. 

Two of them were phenomenal, one was nearly appalling at the content and language used (it definitely didn't make the cut for my classroom library, one was adventurous, and the final one I read for about the 10th time!

Shockpoint

Talk about adventure! This book was recommended to me by my colleague. I was looking for a mystery or high adventure story to read as a class read aloud. 

This book did not disappoint!

Cassie is supposedly abducted from her own home, but what she finds out is that her stepdad strategically setup her abduction, saying she had crystal meth in her room. Previously, at home she had found out that her stepdad was treating depressed teens who ended up committing suicide. She is taken to a boot camp in Mexico where she has to try to fight for her life, a way out of the camp and someone to believe her that her stepdad had let three kids kill themselves. 

Article 5

 Ember is a regular high school girl, who unfortunately watches her mom get arrested for not complying to Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. The Bill of Rights have been removed and replaced with the Moral Statutes. Ember is ready to fight back, but when she discovers that the person arresting her mother is the only boy she has ever liked, she's stuck. Follow this adventure of Ember trying to relocate her mother after their separation!

Girl, Stolen

This book is written by the same author as book #1. I would rate it as a better adventure story. 

This is the next read aloud book that I will be sharing with my class.

Cheyenne is waiting for her stepmom in the car of a drugstore, when someone hops in and starts pulling away. Suddenly, they notice Cheyenne, but it's too late. Cheyenne is taken on a wild ride with someone that she doesn't know and can't even see, as Cheyenne is blind. Unfortunately, her guide dog is at home and she's stuck with her kidnapper until he finds out that who her father is...

Suicide Notes From Beautiful Girls

I saw this book while wandering the bookshelf at Target.

It said it was a young adult book, and I found the title quite intriguing, so I ordered it. 

Sometimes if I know about a book, I will put it on my bookshelf without reading it.

This book I was sure of, so I decided to read it myself.

Thank goodness!

This book was good at first, but then it headed south.

The language and content were just plain odd. 

I would never put this in my classroom library and am so glad I decided to read it first. 

Delia is supposedly murdered, but once her old best friend June begins following the story, she finds out there was more than a "murder." June is taken on a secret adventure to learn about the real story behind Delia's disappearance.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

For the past five years I've read this book in every one of my classes. So, in all actuality this is probably my 15th or more time of reading it. 

Bruno is required to move with his German family to Out-With, away from his friends and the life he used to know. He doesn't understand where his family has moved or why he doesn't have friends. Bruno sets out to explore, which is banned at Out-With and finds exactly what he was looking for..a friend. Bruno's life is turned around as he finally has someone to share his time with.. that is until he begins exploring beyond Out-With.

We go to Washington D.C. at the end of the first 9-weeks. One of the options for the students to visit is the Holocaust museum. The students always enjoy it more when they know something about the Holocaust, so this book is always a good precursor. 

Sneak Peek for next month:

The Magnolia Story 

This book is delightfully awesome.

Come back next month to hear more about Chip and Jo! :)