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Childhood Reading
I don't remember being read to as a child. I know it's crazy but I can remember the first time I was able to sound out a word - it was a menu at an Italian restaurant. My favorite books growing up were a set of three big fairy tale picture books. They had beautiful pictures on glossy paper. Each book contained two stories - with both the front and back of the book being the front for each story - pretty foggy description, I know. I have been looking for those books for years! -
Independent Reading
My mom had books sent every month. I couldn't wait to open the box and take my treasure to my bedroom. There I would close the door and read for hours. My genre of choice - fiction. One of my favorite books during this time was "The Goose That Was a Watchdog". I was MEZMORIZED! This assignment got me thinking, when I went back to make sure I remembered the title correctly, I found the book on Amazon. Just looking at the cover brings back fond memories. -
Young Adult - Junior High Years
In junior high, I gravitated to books for two main reasons. First I wanted to read something that I thought my mother would not approve of and second, I loved books filled with teen angst. There are three that really stick out for me, "Go Ask Alice" B. Sparks, "Jay's Journal" R. Jay and "Forever" by Judy Blume. This was the first book I read that dealt with teen relationships. There are a lot of book covers for this book, but I found the one that I read - this so shows my age! -
Young Adult - High School Part I
There are several reasons that I didn't read as much in high school as I did when I was younger: I was more social, I was mobile (had a car) and I had to read for class. The later actually introduced me to my favorite book of all time "To Kill a Mockingbird". I think I love it so much because it was the first book for school that I really "got". I loved the story and understood the characters' motivations. My cats today are named Atticus and Scout. -
Young Adult - High School Part II
In high school, every now and then I would pick up some romance novel that my mom was reading - but they didn't really do it for me. During that time I gravitated to darker, more tragic novels. I devoured all five of the Flowers in the Attic books by V.C. Andrews. -
Early Adulthood
When I first got married, I read everything I could by Dean Koontz. I loved the mysteries and good dogs. My favorite thing about Koontz is that good always triumphed over evil - the way it should be. I remember working my way through all of his mysteries and getting stressed as I was running out. I'm not so much of a fan of his Sci-Fi novels, but would even read one today in a pinch. I was NEVER disappointed when I read his work. -
Adult Reading
I moved on from Dean Koontz - because he can't write as fast as I read, to James Patterson. His books seem to grip you immediately and pull you into suspense. I liked most of the books that I read of his, even though a few didn't have my perfect, happy ending. They were always entertaining. I have noticed that he has several co-authors and there was one that I actually didn't finish reading - "The Postcard Killers", I felt that it was too different from his "voice" and didn't ring true. -
Current Reading
I am currently devouring anything I can by Jana Deleon. I have gone through her Miss Fortune series, which are cozy mysteries with an undercover CIA agent, and full of fearless, mischievous, mystery solving old broads. She also has a darker series whose main character is a private investigator with a mysterious past. I have one book to go for each series and am already getting stressed over what I will read next. Luckily, I think my LS classes will keep me busy. I also LOVE Janet Evanovich. -
A Little More About Me
As always, I read whenever I can and where ever I can and I share this fact with my students. When I come across a book that I think will grab their attention, I book talk it and go to YouTube to try to find a book trailer to show them. I also read to my students during homeroom as well as play audio books for them. Anything I can do to get them hooked - even if it is just one student at a time. I got the audio book for Monster by Walter Dean Myers and my kiddos LOVED it.
