So at my house we're heading back to school next week. For the first time in 19 years I will not be going back into the classroom as a teacher. For the next three years I will be an Instructional Coach working with teachers as they set goals for their teaching. I'm super excited, but I also know I'll miss the classroom and the students. Plus I'll miss being able
to talk about books with them!!
Anyway - because of back-to-school time I thought it would be fun to share some of our school reading memories and have a giveaway with them! I thought I'd share some of the books I remember be hooked on while I was in school plus a few of my favorite ones to teach. If you want to know more about the book, click on the title, and it will take you to its Goodreads page.
Oh the Memories!
There are a few books/authors I remember being hooked on in school.
Danielle Steele
My friends and I were completely hooked on her books. I read ALL of them! They were romancey, and I guess at 17 that was important to me! I haven't read one since high school!
Anything in the Horror Genre
I've shared in the past that I loved John Saul growing up. The gorier the better! I did try rereading one of his books. Couldn't do it. I guess I can't do gore as much as I once did!
Oh goodness did I love these in junior high. I do think partially it was because they were set in different time periods. The one on Titanic (Nicole) was my favorite!!! I also loved the one where the main character becomes a movie star (Roxanne). I did reread one of these. Oh goodness!
Sweet Valley High Series
This is probably one of the first series I really remember getting in to. I waited every month for the new one to come out. Loved them! They were pretty and popular and had great lives. A girl from North Dakota was jealous. Again I tried to reread one. No! No! No! :)
For School Reading
These are some of the books I was assigned to read when I was in school
Romeo and Juliet
Of course we read this. I was the geek (proudly!) that LOVED reading Shakespeare. Hence being an English teacher now!
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
This was the biggest deal to read in high school. You heard about it from the upper class men for year before actually reading it. They talked about how gross it was with the rats in the meat etc. It was even challenged by a parent once! What do I remember about it?? Nothing really. I should reread it.......
Hated it!!! Enough said.
What I Assign My Students
The Outsiders by S.E. HintonI've taught it for 18 years! Still love it. Will always love it.
Witness by Karen Hesse
This was a new one for me. I started using it with my 8th graders two years ago. They like it. It makes them think more than any other book we read. Very well done!
Boy: Tale of Childhood by Roald Dahl
I use this one with my 5th graders, and they love it! Many of them of read a bunch of Dahl books, so they love seeing how people from his real life seemed to influence his writing. It's amazing to me how much they really love this book.
I used this for the first time last year. WOW! The kids liked it, but they were also saddened by it. It's such a strong story about friendship and discrimination. Read it if you haven't!
I use a ton more, but that's one from each grade level!
Now the Giveaway!
I will giveaway your choice of two options.
1. Two books from the ones above
OR
OR
2. $20 to spend at The Book Depository
Fill out the Rafflecopter
Must be 13
Must be a US resident for the books but INTERNATIONAL for Book Depository.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
I am thinking we might be of the same era---I also read the Sunfire Romances, Sweet Valley High and the Danielle Steel books in high school. Did you read The Girls of Canby Hall? I loved them!
ReplyDeleteI cringe to remember just how much I loved Sweet Valley High. I was even a member of the club! :O I also read too much from Christopher Pike back then.
ReplyDeleteI remember 1984 by George Orwell... that book was so great when I read it the first time :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance!
It says you must be a US resident but the book depository ships for free internationally so would it be okay if I enter if I'm from Australia?
ReplyDeleteThe least favourite book I got set in school was Lord of the Flies, it was the only book for school I didn't finish!
Yes! I meant to change that!!
DeleteI remember I read a lot different kinds of books. Now, I enjoy reading YA, Sci-Fi and dystopias.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to win GC to TBD! :)
I am older than you. My kids read some of the Sweet Valley books. In high school, I discovered John Steinbeck and read all of his novels. I also fell in love with Edna Ferber's and Daphne du Maurier's books. I do love Gary D. Schmidt's books but haven't read Lizzie Bright and the Buck Minister Boy, so that is going onto my TBR list right now. Thanks for a chance to win!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite book i've read when i was in highschool were Esperanza Rising and Eragon. These were the very first books i've read.
ReplyDelete