Summer Reading : : 2

Recently Finished:

• The Magician's Nephew by C. S. Lewis (solo)
  
• A Walk in Wolf Wood by Mary Stewart-- from my childhood, a favorite fantasy book! (with fourth grader)
  
• The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller (solo)
  
• Teaching with Intention by Debbie Miller (solo)
• Planting a Rainbow Garden by Lois Ehlert (first grader solo and together)
  
• Muncha, Muncha, Muncha by Candace Fleming and G. Brian Karas (first grader solo and together)
• Henry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant and Suçie Stevenson (first grader solo)

It is probably impossible to record every book that my children are reading because they pick up books sometimes when I'm not around-- especially the first grader. But, I will try to give a representation of some of what he is reading. And, the fourth grader reads magazines like American Girl Magazine and Highlights a lot during the day. . . reading? For sure.

What should I read next? On my list:

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Franweiler by E. L. Konigsburg
Readicide: How Schools Are Killing Reading and What You Can Do About It by Kelly Gallagher

Blog Highlight

I also spend a lot of time reading professional blogs and websites. Librarians and teachers may be taking over the blogosphere (only to be out-done by crafters and politicos). Here is a link to Donalyn Miller's blog, author of The Book Whisperer, that I recently read and loved. Her post about understanding and meeting the needs of gifted readers was particularly helpful to me in understanding my own daughter this summer.

My daughter told me, looking me straight in the face, that she hates reading. There could not have been a sharper way to wound this librarian's heart! Miller's article, however, was just what I needed to remind me that that my daughter needed some encouragement to find some high-interest books of her choice. After spending the last 9 weeks of school drilling and killing for the MCT2 tests and a year dissecting a reading textbook, she had experienced what I think may be readicide (from Kelly Gallagher).

Given that my daughter has devoured the Harry Potter series three times, I've encouraged her to look at different fantasy series. Miller recommends fantasy as a genre that gifted readers often find enticing. I think it may be working! We'll see if she is eager to pick-up and continue reading Inkheart when she gets back from camp tomorrow.

Now, back to my next Amazon.com order. . .