SRT Update

There are now more books to add to my Spring Reading Thing list. A reminder to myself: my list is growing faster than I have the ability to get through each one. Especially since I'm stuck on one book that I tell myself I should like but am not convinced. My goal is to have it finished today, so that I may start on one that will be more enjoyable. The challenge ends June 20th, and I'm hoping I'll get most of my reading done in those three weeks after school is out. Right now, end of the year responsibilities, parties, events, and exerting all of my energy in keeping my kids roped in for these last few days is eating up all of my time and draining my battery. Plus, in lieu of summer shorts and bathing suits, I've given up soda and sweets and that makes me no happy ray of sunshine.

Back to my initial statement before I got lost in rant... I went to Barnes and Noble last night and picked up some books that are not on the list. My choices were based on the following: Is there a copy of this somewhere at school that I can borrow (or acquire)? Is this title more than likely available at the public library? Does this book fit into a unit of study I will teach next year? Is it appropriate for the age range of my students? Have I read enough about it from the blogosphere and Goodreads that there is an 80% chance I won't be disappointed? Is it available in paperback?

I had about eight books cradled in my arms until my husband found me and gave a worried look. Alright, it had gotten a little out of hand. So I went through my pile again and decided on the following:

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

Looking for Alaska by John Green

All three of these books are listed for grades 9 and up. (I'll be teaching 5th and 6th next year.) The Holocaust isn't taught until 7th grade. And Looking for Alaska ties into no units that I can think of right now. However, these have been laying idle on my To-Read list for some time and I really couldn't bear putting them back on the shelves from which they came. If I'm to become a true bibliovore, I need to read books for myself as much as I read books for my students, and that is how I sleep at night.