It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 8/11

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? –From Picture Books to YA is a weekly meme started by Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee at Unleashing Readers. This is a chance for bloggers to recap their week of reading and share their plans for the next reading adventures they will take. Visit the host blogs for a list of great blogs participating in this meme and a whole bunch of titles to add to your to-read lists.

I started this week with meetings to write our school improvement plan.  All day Monday and Tuesday, I had a mix of training and time to work with my school team on our plan.  This took away a lot of the time I would usually have had for reading.  Also, I got sick again.  Round 2 of Diverticulitis is now under control with another antibiotic, but while I was sick I spent lots of time watching television instead of reading.  I hope all this getting sick will be out of my system so that I can be healthy as we start the school year.  Suffice it to say I didn’t do much reading this week.

Books I Finished This Week:

En el tiempo de las mariposas (In The Time of the Butterflies) by Julia Alvarez is a fabulous book.  I was fascinated by the story of the Mirabal sisters in a country led by the dictator Trujillo.  I do not know much about the history of the Dominican Republic and it was really interesting to get this small fictional glimpse into that time period. 
Gulp! by Mary Roach is a fun non-fiction book that explores different aspects of digestion and eating.  I laughed out loud multiple times because of the author’s hilarious play on words and sarcastic voice.  There were quite a few parts of the book in which someone with a weaker stomach might be quite grossed out, but I was fascinated by the curious questions this author explored.  I am definitely ready to find her other books and to learn about other science from this fun author.  

Books I am Currently Reading:

I am still reading Bird by Bird and Escaping into the Open.  I am also still listening to The Clockwork Princess.  I just started reading Mindsets in the Classroom and Independent Study.  I am in school planning mode already and so I am also re-reading excerpts from multiple books and articles on Choice Literacy as I make decisions about how to plan for fourth grade.  

What’s Next?

I have Absolutely Almost along with a bunch of picture books in my library bag that I will get to this week.  I also want to read some of the I Survived books.  I will probably also start Spook by Mary Roach or In A Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson. I know I will also continue reading articles and excerpts from some of the professional books I have as I continue to plan my procedures and first lessons.  
What are you reading this week? Do you have any recommendations for me?  I would love to hear from you in the comments! 

Author: Andrea

I am an instructional technology coach in a middle school in Milwaukee, WI. I have been teaching for over 20 years in many grade levels ranging from first through eighth grade. I am a lifelong book nerd.

4 thoughts on “It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 8/11”

  1. I hope you are feeling much better. I've enjoyed Mary Roach's columns in magazines. GULP sounds like a fun read. I (and my middle school students) loved the I SURVIVED series. I couldn't keep enough copies on my shelves. Good luck as you start your school year.

  2. Sorry you've been sick this week! Hope you're feeling much better soon. I'll have to look for the I Survived series–don't know that one but I'm trying to hook my older son on reading with series, that perennial hook for reluctant readers! In the Time of Butterflies is a superb novel–beautifully written and very interesting. Your review reminded me that I still have a couple of Alvarez novels I want to read someday. I also still haven't read any Mary Roach books! My library has a couple on audio so might go that route since once school starts for me, I've got a 60-mile (one way) commute. Lots of time to listen to books!

  3. Hi there Andrea, I own a few of Alvarez novels (not this title that you have here), and I am looking forward to reading them soon. It's the first time I'm hearing of Gulp – sounds like a lot of fun! Hehe. Hope you feel better soon and have a great reading week!

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