Books 16 & 17 - Bad Kitty: Kitty vs. Uncle Murray & Bad Kitty: Happy Birthday, Bad Kitty

Books 16 & 17: Bad Kitty: Kitty vs. Uncle Murray & Bad Kitty: Happy Birthday, Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel

A coworker of mine told me about how her kids were eating up this series. It's more aimed at elementary school students, but since I love kitties and have THREE of my own BAD kitties at home, I thought I'd give them a shot. They are seriously funny books, and if you have cats of your own, you will definitely be able to relate to the experiences in this book! I'll offer it to my students anyway - I'm happy just to see them reading! Maybe I'll read some of it aloud in class this week, too!

Bad Kitty vs. Uncle Murray
(click here to purchase)

Happy Birthday, Bad Kitty
(click here to purchase)

HERE'S MY OWN VERY BAD KITTY!

Book 15 - Go Ask Alice

Book 15: Go Ask Alice (author Anonymous)

Go Ask Alice
(click here to purchase)

I've always wanted to get my hand on this book, and now I finally have. I read it this afternoon, and I'm left feeling extremely saddened by this true account of one teenager's experience with drugs and addiction. Being familiar with the very scary world of addiction, it touched somewhat close to home in regards to knowing people who struggle with addiction in my own life.

I teach two sections of literacy with struggling readers. Half the battle of this class is simply getting these kid to read. I invite them to read anything, including websites (though I'm firm on allowing them to read Facebook and games they try to play during class time). I've spent many, many hours this past year trying to find low-level, high-interest book for my students, and after sifting through hundreds of books, I'm proud to say that my classroom library is really becoming something great. I've seen my students read more and more as the weeks pass, which is excellent; however, we are midway through April, and school is ending soon. I'm afraid my students are going to fall out of reading over the summer and have to start their progress all over again in August. But to hell with it - while I have them, we spend a TON of time reading now, and that's all that matters.

I'm going to talk about this book in class tomorrow, and I'm fairly certain that this book will be hard to keep on my shelf - YAY!

Book 14 - The Bully Book

Book 14: The Bully Book by Eric Kahn Gale

This is a good book for Middle Schoolers. The reason I didn't finish it is because I cannot read things
that have to do with bullying. However, I think male students, especially reluctant readers, will find this book very interesting.

This book is also on the 2014 Illinois Reads list. Each year, Illinois chooses six novels from Illinois authors per age/grade brackets which they encourage readers to check out. This is to promote literacy in Illinois. Click here to check out their site.




The Bully Book
(click here to purchase)

"What is The Bully Book? Part mystery, part tragedy, part comedy. Originally self-published as an ebook by a member of Team Starkid, The Bully Book is now available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook editions. The paperback includes a Q&A with the author.
Eric Haskins, the new sixth-grade bully target, is searching for answers. And unlike many of us who experienced something awful growing up, he finds them. Though they may not be what he expected.
When the author was eleven, he was bullied. This book is loosely based on incidents that happened to him in sixth grade.
The Bully Book is a Top Ten Indie Next List pick of 2013, and Publishers Weekly called The Bully Book a 'gripping debut novel.'" [Amazon.com]

Book 13 - The Death of Bees

Book 13: The Death of Bees by Lisa O'Donnell

The Death of Bees
(click here to purchase)

I began reading this book, and initially, I loved it. But about halfway through, I decided to put the slow or retarded or psycho in the novel, with the most clarity and intelligence. Overall, the book did nothing for me, and I've learned very recently, through a struggle, that if a book doesn't fit, put it down and try another one.
book down. This book is told through the eyes of three of the novel's main characters. It is also a stream of consciousness sort. What irked me was that the older man was (partly) a sex offender. The older sister was a promiscuous waste. But most importantly, the middle school-aged younger sister spoke clearly, correctly, and, even though she's described as

"A riveting, brilliantly written debut novel, The Death of Bees is a coming-of-age story in which two young sisters attempt to hold the world at bay after the mysterious death of their parents.
Marnie and Nelly, left on their own in Glasgow's Hazlehurst housing estate, attempt to avoid suspicion until Marnie can become a legal guardian for her younger sister.
Written with fierce sympathy and beautiful precision, and told in alternating voices, The Death of Bees by Lisa O’Donnell is an enchanting, grimly comic tale of lost souls who, unable to answer for themselves, can answer only for each other."

But who am I? It may just be the one book for you. I would give it a shot :)

Book 11 - The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

This is a great novel for teens who just love the supernatural, depression, and feeling sorry for themselves, hehe. It's the story of a girl who has a terrible accident - people die, she ends up discovering a big secret about herself, and there's a phony love story in it (with a boy who has a British accent!).




The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
(click here to purchase)

"Mara Dyer doesn’t think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love.

She’s wrong." [GoodReads.com]

Book 10 - The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

Book 10: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

When I attended the IRC conference, someone told me that I had to read this novel. It's a sweet little tale.

The Storied Life of AJ Fikry
(click here to purchase)

         "On the faded Island Books sign hanging over the porch of the Victorian cottage is the motto "No Man Is an Island; Every Book Is a World." A. J. Fikry, the irascible owner, is about to discover just what that truly means.
          A. J. Fikry's life is not at all what he expected it to be. His wife has died, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. Slowly but surely, he is isolating himself from all the people of Alice Island-from Lambiase, the well-intentioned police officer who's always felt kindly toward Fikry; from Ismay, his sister-in-law who is hell-bent on saving him from his dreary self; from Amelia, the lovely and idealistic (if eccentric) Knightley Press sales rep who keeps on taking the ferry over to Alice Island, refusing to be deterred by A.J.'s bad attitude. Even the books in his store have stopped holding pleasure for him. These days, A.J. can only see them as a sign of a world that is changing too rapidly.
          And then a mysterious package appears at the bookstore. It's a small package, but large in weight. It's that unexpected arrival that gives A. J. Fikry the opportunity to make his life over, the ability to see everything anew. It doesn't take long for the locals to notice the change overcoming A.J.; or for that determined sales rep, Amelia, to see her curmudgeonly client in a new light; or for the wisdom of all those books to become again the lifeblood of A.J.'s world; or for everything to twist again into a version of his life that he didn't see coming. As surprising as it is moving, The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry is an unforgettable tale of transformation and second chances, an irresistible affirmation of why we read, and why we love." [GoodReads.com]