Favorite Summer Reads

It's hard to believe we are nearing the end of summer vacation!  We adopted a new puppy at the beginning of the summer from the animal shelter.  Daisy has been keeping us very busy but there is always time for reading! 

I've read SO many good books this summer.  I can't wait to introduce a few of my favorites to our students this fall!  Here are some of them:

Other Words For Home by Jasmine Warga

As violence threatens her home in Syria, Jade and her mother are sent to live in the United States.  Jade is worried about her father and brother left back home and has a difficult time adjusting to her new life.  After she makes an unlikely new friend, and decides to follow her heart and try out for the school play, things start to turn around but will the United States ever feel like home?  This novel in verse shows us what it's like for many immigrants trying to adjust to a new place and would be a great read aloud!

Allies by Alan Gratz (releases October 15, 2019)

Alan Gratz is one of my favorite authors and I really enjoyed his newest historical fiction book, Allies. This book takes place on D-Day and follows several teens/young adults from different counties as they fight in different missions to help the Allies win. The characters are memorable and I love how their stories are all woven together. Alan Gratz is a masterful storyteller!

I received an ARC of Allies from the Scholastic Reading Summit (thanks, Scholastic!) and can't wait to order copies for our library when it is released in October! 

Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly

What is beauty?  I love Isabelle's strength and courage in this interesting, magical story told from the "ugly" stepsister's point of view.  This is a book about the importance of staying true to yourself that our junior high students will love! 

The Pigeon HAS to Go to School! by Mo Willems

The latest Pigeon book came out this summer and it's the PERFECT read aloud for the beginning of the school year.  Why does Pigeon have to go to school?  What if he doesn't like it or what if his teacher doesn't like him?  Mo Willems uses his perfect humor to help students who might be a little worried about starting school.  I loved the ending!!

How to Read a Book by Kwame Alexander and Melissa Sweet

Two of my favorite author/illustrators teamed up to create this book and it's another great one for the beginning of the school year!  This book has beautiful pictures and language and would be a perfect mentor text for word choice.

What exciting books have you read this summer?