Independent Reading List

Lizzie’s Independent Reading List:
“Monster”- Walter Dean Myers
“Send me Down a Miracle”- Han Nolan
“Perfect”- Natasha Friend AND “Lush” – Natasha Friend
“Crooked”- Laura and Tom McNeal
“Go Ask Alice”- Anonymous
“Whale Talk”- Chris Crutcher
“Thirteen Reasons Why”- Jay Asher
“If I stay”- Forman Gayle
“Hoot”- Carl Hiaasen

-Multiple books are Award Winners
-I am reading two books by Natasha Friend
-The book that is a stretch for me is “Crooked”- it is a book I have had for so long and want to read but no longer looks like a book that I would, at this point in time, pick out (it seems like a stretch because of interest and topic choice) – However “Thirteen Reasons Why” seems to be a hard book to get through because of the topic, not something I generally like to read about

Other Options:
“The Summer I turned Pretty”- Jenny Han
“Coraline”- Neil Gaiman (“Stardust”)
“Uglies”- Scott Westerfield
“A series of unfortunate events”- Lemony Snicket
“The Princess Plot”- Kirsten Boie
“The Chocolate War”- Robert Cormier
“Stoner and Spaz”
“The Book Thief”
“Flawless”- Sara Shepard
“The Curious Incident of the dog in the night-time”- Mark Haddon
“Bunker 10”- J.A. Henderson
C.S. Lewis books


Narrative:
The most important aspect of independent reading is enjoyment. So often, and in my opinion, too often, students and adults are forced to read things that are too long, too dull, too tedious, or simply horrible. Sometimes by chance, when people, myself included, have to read certain materials it happens that we may “end up” enjoying them. However, majority of the time, reading for a particular purpose other than just random reading, is not looked at with much enthusiasm (unless you’re an English Teacher). I want to put the fun back into reading and for me, this independent reading is doing just that very thing. I hope to be able to read books that have sat on my shelf for 4 years or more. I want to be able to explore what I “think” I like and what I never thought I would. I am hopeful that I will build a great and expansive reading list not only for me but for my future students of the books that not only I will read but books that my classmates will read. I would love to continue book talks in class to be able to find new books to read either later on for my personal reading or for more independent reading for class. I think that creating a class book list is a great idea, on a wiki or blogging to each other about our books. I love being able to share with others and hear what amazing books and thoughts they have to offer.