Six Books I Want to Read in 2016

It's that time of year when people start making resolutions or goals for the coming year. Many of these are quickly dropped or fall to the wayside, usually because the goal was too outlandish or not specific enough. I try not to set too many goals, but I almost always make a goal to read more books or to read more consistently each year.

With that in mind, here is a list of books that I intend to read in 2016. Most of these have been out for some time and I'm sure there will be other books that come out in the coming year, but these are books that have piqued my interest.

• The Survivor by Kyle Mills. One of my favorite characters is Mitch Rapp. He is an intelligence agent for the government, but not exactly liked by everyone because of his choice of tactics. The books are crazy exciting. Mitch Rapp was created by Vince Flynn, but, sadly, Mr. Flynn lost his battle with cancer a few years ago. Kyle Mills was selected to continue the story and I am interested to see how he does.
• The Wright Brothers by David McCullough. I am currently reading this book and it is very interesting. I'm not much of a history reader, but I do enjoy a great story and Mr. McCullough is an excellent storyteller.
• The Big Short by Michael Lewis. I got interested in this book because the movie looks fascinating. This is the third book by Mr. Lewis, who writes nonfiction, to be turned into a movie.
• The Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll. This book has received many comparisons to Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train, both books that I read and found intriguing. I may not be the target demographic, but, as I said above, I am a sucker for a really good story.
• Nightmares! by Jason Segel. I was surprised to find out that this book was written by Jason Segel, the guy from "How I Met Your Mother" and "The Muppets." Is there nothing this guy can't do? Anyway, my son read it and he absolutely loved it. I also did a book commercial for it at my school and it was one of the top selling items at the school's book fair. I've heard nothing but really good things. There is also a sequel called Nightmares!: The Sleepwalker Tonic that I'm certain will end up on this list as well.
• Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow. I know almost nothing about this book. It was first published in 2004, but has recently become popular because there is a Broadway musical called Hamilton! based on the book. My brother started to read it and it made me want to read it too. By the way, the music from the musical is pretty good as well.

These are just a few of the books that I hope to read in 2016. Do you have plans to read any books this year? If so, what books are on your list? Have you read any of the books listed above? Please leave your thoughts in the comments below.

By the way, each of the books listed above is linked to Amazon.com. When you purchase a book from Amazon.com using the links above, I receive a small commission, which goes to help me pay off my student loans. Just thought you would want to know.

My Three Favorite Things - My Favorite Read Alouds

Even though I am a math/science teacher, I still love to read books to my students. Most of the time, I read books to my students that are related to a math concept or something associated with our current science unit. For example, when we were working through a unit on time, I read Game Time by Stuart Murphy.

However, sometimes I just like to read stories my students just because I love to read and I love to share my favorite stories with them. For this month's Favorite Things list, I want to share three of my favorite read alouds.

1. The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka. Jon Scieszka is a genius. I really can't think of another word to describe him. My first exposure to the writings of Mr. Scieszka was during my freshman speech class in college. My professor read the story of "The Stinky Cheese Man" and I was hooked. Each year, I read the same story to my students and it is always a highlight of the school year. If you are unfamiliar with the story, it is the adventures of a man made of stinky cheese. Sound familiar? This story, however, ends in a rather unique way. Give it a try. I promise you will love it. You can also try The True Story of the Three Little Pigs.
   
   
2. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. I have read this book at least 4 times and I am still discovering new elements of the story. For those of you who may not know the story, it is the tale of Miranda, a girl growing up in 1970s New York City and dealing with what it means to be a teenager. Add to this the homeless guy who lives on the corner, the peculiar boy from her school who punched her best friend for no apparent reason, and some rather strange notes that appear to be coming from the future and you have just a taste of the story When You Reach Me. This is seriously one of the most beautiful stories I have ever read. My students are on the edge of their seats the entire time we read the story and it is very difficult for me not to cry when we reach the climax of the story and the mystery is solved. I know exactly what is going to happen and I get choked up anyway. When you read it (see what I did there?), you will not be the least bit surprised that it was awarded the Newbery Award. If you like this book, Mrs. Stead's other novel, Liar and Spy is just as good. My wife and I listened to both books on our drive home from Disney Word a few years back.
   
   
3. Weslandia by Paul Fleischman. Weslandia is the story of a boy named Wesley who doesn't quite fit in with the rest of the people in his town, including his own parents. To solve this problem, Wesley creates his own civilization, including his own food, clothing, games, and written language. The civilization, called Weslandia, becomes quite popular and Wesley become the town hero.
   

   At the end of each year, after we have finished our state testing, our grade level does a project based on this book. The students are tasked with creating a civilization from scratch. They create a language, describe the foods, design the flag and government, and even describe the climate. It is a great review of all of the concepts taught throughout the school year. I am always amazed at the incredible projects that are produced by my students. If you are interested in finding out more about this project, called "My New Civilization," it can be purchased from my Teachers Pay Teachers Store.

So, there you go, three of my favorite read alouds. I actually put together a longer list, so if you are interested, you can read "My Seven Favorite Read Aloud Books." What are your favorite books to read aloud to your students? Please leave your favorites in the comments below.

This post was part of the monthly Favorite Things link up, hosted by The Teaching Trio. Please check out what some other great teachers are sharing this month.

My Seven Favorite Books Growing Up

Growing up I read a lot. Some of my favorite memories were going to the library with my dad, rushing home after school to go to the Bookmobile on Thursday afternoons, and reading by the air vent on cold afternoons. As a teacher, I want to instill that same love of reading in my students today.

Here is a list of my favorite books from when I was growing up. Most of these I read multiple times.

• Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
• Chicken Trek by Stephen Manes
• Something Under the Bed is Drooling by Bill Watterson
• The Great Brain at the Academy by John D. Fitzgerald
• Tales from Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb
• Jelly Belly by Robert Kimmel Smith
• This Can't Be Happening at MacDonald Hall! by Gordon Korman

What are you favorite books from when you were growing up?

My Seven Favorite Read Aloud Books

One of the great joys of being a teacher is getting to read aloud to my students. They look forward to hearing me read every day and even ask for me to do it quite often. I love to try to spice up the story by adding voices and stopping to add some additional information to what I've just read.

Everyone has their favorite read-aloud books. Here is a list of the books that I try to read to my students each year. Sometimes I make it through the whole list; other years I only make it through a couple of them.

• The Best School Year Ever by Barbara Robinson. The Herdman clan is one of the craziest group of kids you will ever meet and the excitement they bring to their school will keep you and your students laughing all the way to the end.
• Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar. These stories are short and hysterically funny. When I read, I like to change the names of the characters to students in my class. This seems to make them enjoy the stories even more.
• The Wish Giver by Bill Brittain. This is a collection of three stories all tied together around the meeting with a strange little man at the church bazaar. It is best to remember to be careful what you wish for, especially when those wishes can be taken literally.
• No Talking by Andrew Clements. The boys and the girls don't get along, so they start a competition to see who can go the longest without talking. Lessons are learned. This is a great book.
• Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary. Even though the main character is a little girl in kindergarten, my third graders easily relate to what Ramona goes through. After listening to the book, many of my students will continue on to read the rest of the series.
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. Not a lot needs to be said about this book. The students love the crazy adventures of Charlie Bucket and Grandpa Joe in Willie Wonka's whacked-out factory.
• Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren. The adventures of Pippi and her friends keep the students enthralled, especially with the fact that Pippi can pick up a horse and has a chest of gold. This is one of my favorites to read out loud.

What books do you read to your students? Do they have any books that get requested year after year?

My Seven Favorite Newbery Award Winners

Every year a book is given the Newbery Award for Children's Literature.  It is supposed to be for the most distinguished contribution to children's literature.  Some years the choice is excellent and other years many people are scratching their heads trying to figure out why a particular book was chosen.

I've tried to read a number of the Newbery Award winners and some I've like and others I have not liked as much.  A few (The Giver, for example) I just downright hated.  But I guess everyone is entitled to their opinions and the Newbery Award is not without its controversies.

Here is my list of my seven favorite Newbery Award winners. These are in no particular order.

• When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

. This book is a mystery and science fiction novel rolled together. It is about a young girl in the 1970s who is having to deal with the loss of her best friend. No, he didn't die. A lot of mysterious things happen and there is a need to suspend disbelief, but this is one of my favorite books. My wife and I listened to it on our drive home from Disney World this summer. If you like it, you may also want to check out Liar & Spy, also by Rebecca Stead. This woman can write.

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

. This is a great story about a mouse and other inhabitants of a castle, including a very nasty rat. It is full of adventure and is a lot of fun to read. If you can, try to find an audiobook version. The one I listened to had great narration and really made the story come to life.

A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck

. This is a collection of stories about a young girl who visit her grandmother. Grandma Dowdel is one of the funniest characters in all of literature. A Year Down Yonder is the sequel to A Long Way From Chicago, also a truly hilarious book.

Holes by Louis Sachar

. The story of Stanley Yelnats, who gets sent to a juvenile work camp for stealing a pair of shoes. He is required to dig holes to build character, but it turns out that the warden isn't telling the whole truth. This story was also made into a really great movie.

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

. This was the Newbery Award winner the year I was born, which may explain my connection to it. This story is a really complicated mystery, but it was a lot of fun to read.

Johnny Tremain by Esther Hoskins

. I think this was my first introduction to historical literature. This book is an exciting look at life for a young man during the beginnings of the American Revolution.

Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski

. This is the story of a Birdie and her family in Florida, trying to make a go at a strawberry farm. She is excited to pick the berries, but not everyone is excited to have them around. Those are my favorite Newbery Award winners. Do you agree with my selections? What titles are your favorites?

Seven Days of Seven Book Lists, Each Containing Seven (or more) Books

Because I only have seven days until my summer vacation is over, I thought I might end the summer with a series of lists. The lists are about books. I love to read. I love to collect books. Some of my favorite places are bookstores. I remember...wait, I'm getting off topic.
For the next seven days, I will be making a list of seven books that are special to me in some way. They might be useful in your classroom (some more than others), but all of these books have touched me or been a part of my life in some way. A good book is like a friend. You are never the same after having had it in your life and sometimes you have that "friend" in your life for many, many years.
Here are the lists that I will be sharing with you over the next seven days. All of the books will be linked to Amazon.com, so if you see one that you like, you can easily pick it up.

1. My Seven Favorite Newbery Award Winners
2. My Seven Favorite Read Alouds
3. My Seven Favorite Books Growing Up
4. My Seven Favorite Classic Novels
5. My Seven Favorite Series I Read as a Kid
6. My Seven Favorite Series to Read (and that all kids should be reading)
7. My Seven Favorite Books As An Adult

I hope that the books that I list will strike a chord with you and that you can add some books to the lists as well.