My goal when I began 2012 was to read 1000 books. As of 3:19 P.M on April 22, I have read 545. I’d say that I’m off to a pretty good start. I decided to reflect on my reading and write a little bit about 20 books that stand out.
Tuesday: 5 Great Pre 2012 Reads
Wednesday: 5 Great Re-Reads
Thursday: 5 Great 2012 Reads (Picture Books/Graphic Novels)
Friday: 5 Great 2012 Reads (Middle Grade Novels and Chapter Books)
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The Strange Case of Origami Yoda
Tom Angleberger
I keep re-reading and re-listening to this book. I cry each time. During my most recent rereading, I cried in a totally new spot. If you are an audio book fan I strongly recommend this book on audio. The 5 narrators totally knock this book out of the park.
Charlotte’s Web
By: E.B. White
I think Charlotte’s Web may be the best elementary age novel ever written. Rereading it helped me to realize that this book truly is amazing and timeless. A 2012 book that I will blog about at the end of the week reminds me a lot of Charlotte’s Web.
The Library
By: Sarah Stewart
Pictures By: David Small
The Library is an easy book to love. After meeting Sarah and David at a children’s literature breakfast, I fell in love with this book all over again. This probably sounds dumb, but seeing how cute of a couple they are, made me love this book even more.
The Ox Cart Man
By: Donald Hall
Illustrated By: Barbara Cooney
I just love the cleverness of The Ox Cart Man. As I write this, I realize that I’ve never read this book to students. That makes no sense. I need to read and discuss this book with kids. I’ll have to fix this soon.
Hound Dog True
By: Linda Urban
I feel blessed that I was able to share Hound Dog True with my students as a read aloud after holiday break. Each time I re-read Hound Dog True I appreciate it more. Sometimes when I re-read, I start to find things I don’t like about books that I loved the first reading. With Hound Dog True, each time I read it, I realize that I didn’t love it enough in the previous reading.
Check back tomorrow to see some of my favorite picture books and graphic novels of 2012 (so far).
Linda Baie
April 25, 2012 at 12:04 am
Thanks Colby, & all great books. I read The Story of Charlotte’s Web last year-truly tells some of the background-beautifull
Colby Sharp
April 25, 2012 at 6:33 am
I must check out The Story of Charlotte’s Web. Thanks:)
The Styling Librarian
April 25, 2012 at 3:02 am
Thanks! I hadn’t thought about listening to the audiobook of The Strange Case of Origami Yoda which is something that I’ve wanted to reread again!
Colby Sharp
April 25, 2012 at 6:33 am
Listen to it you must.
Katherine Sokolowski (@katsok)
April 25, 2012 at 7:32 am
Learned some new things here today – I need to listen to The Strange Case of Origami Yoda. I love the book already and have read it several times. I’ve never read The Library or The Ox Cart Man – need to remedy that.
I love Charlotte’s Web and Hound Dog True as well. Both perfect books.
Shannon Clark
April 25, 2012 at 11:45 am
I have GOT to read The Strange Case of Origami Yoda. One of my 6th grade boys swears by it, and I see that other people love it, too.
Shannon
http://www.extremereadingandwriting.wordpress.com