What are you reading?? And a freebie!

I'm a sucker for a good book... drama, chick-lit, witty memoirs, fantasy, adolescent/young adult that I'm slightly embarrassed to read in public...

Apparently, I'm a sucker for a good linky party, too... And, since this one doubles as a contest where I win BOOKS, the moment I saw it I had to do it. :)

Head on over to The Clutter-Free Classroom and link up! Or don't... because then I have a better chance at winning the $15 gift certificate for Amazon.com and a copy of The End of Molasses Classes by Ron Clark. jk! :)

I like to buy my books, because I'm sort of a book abuser... I read outside quite often over the summer, and I like to snack when I read, too. Since I reread most of my books, I often find food stains and bugs from leaving a book outside at the campground. Sometimes it makes me feel a little gross, but it usually just makes me reminisce about the last time I turned the pages. :) 

Anyway... here's what I'm planning on reading this summer:

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling (it's one of my all time favorite books and I can't go a year without rereading it)

2. Bergdorf Blondes by Plum Sykes (another one of my favorite summer reads of the comedy/chick-lit genre... it's a little on the raunchy side at times, but I love it anyway)

3. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

4. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

5. The Debutante by Kathleen Tessaro (I just started reading this, but haven't really had time to get into it so now it's a summer book.)

6. The CAFE Book

7. Queen of Babble Gets Hitched by Meg Cabot

8. The Leader in Me by Stephen Covey

9. Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire

10. Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin

Some books I recommend:

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Cold Tangerines by Shauna Niequist

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

Bitter is the New Black by Jen Lancaster

Queen of Babble in the Big City by Meg Cabot

Remember Me by Sophie Kinsella

Can you Keep a Secret by Sophie Kinsella

... and basically anything Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

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I love reading. Doing it, teaching it, talking about it... I love everything from the feel of the pages, to the smell of the binding. I love the way the characters can feel like life-long friends. I love the way they toy with my emotions... whether I'm laughing aloud or sobbing. I love that I zone-in so deeply that Justin has to call my name multiple times in order for me to reply with, "Huh?"

If the one thing I can do for my students is to instill a love of reading, then I think I've succeeded. Something I like to do in the classroom to give kids an opportunity to read books of their choice, and encourage their friends to read something they thought was totally awesome, is a book talk. Click on the link below to check out a better explanation of the way I use them, as well as download the how-to & example book talk posters to hang in the classroom. Enjoy! :)

Click here ---> Book Talks Freebie!!