Summer Reading...and Areas that I don't Know much about

My summer reading list (above)

I'm speculating about this from a teacher's point of view as well as that of an author. Cause even if I have twenty students asking every day for sports books, I'm not capable of turning around and churning out a sports books. The thought...actually is pretty funny. Very funny. Extremely funny.

As I've said before, one of the most rewarding parts of my job is getting kids enthusiastic about books. (And for that I owe a big thanks to Suzanne Collins, because the Hunger Games has been a huge success as a classroom book). But besides picking out the books I'm going to force all the children to read together (the word children, I use loosely for 15 and 16 year olds---in other words, I'm getting old). I also love finding the right books for them to read independently.

And for that I spend a lot of time circulating as they peruse the shelves of the library.

One thing I know/believe is that the kids who are constant readers (and who buy books) know what they want. But I still recommend more and more books for them. These guys read a lot.

Categories I get asked for and Don't Know what to recommend

Sports Books- Even as an anti-sportite, I LOVE Chris Crutcher's Books, but the ones I'm familiar with are somewhat dated. There's Bleachers by John Grisham, but once they've read those, what else is there...why aren't more sports books? What should I be giving these (usually boys) students who ask for Sports books?

Horror- this is one I need for my new Speculative Fiction class. Not paranormal, (though the paranormal genre is great for getting kids to read, yay paranormal!) but true scary Horror. This summer I've got The Devouring and the Monstrumologist, and Poison on my reading list. What else should I get?

I'm particularly interested in Gothic YA right now. Cause that's what I'm writing.

Mystery- students are always saying they like to read mystery...and the thing is that mystery like romance is a aspect that is present in most books, but is there a mystery genre for YA?

These are some areas I want to learn more about... and read more of...this summer.

For the fall semester I'll be starting out with two Sophomore English classes and the Speculative Fiction class. Lots of fun research and reading for me to do.

100 Book Challenge!

So, I'm taking the 100 book challenge and trying to read 100 books this year. Considering I read a lot more in the summer, I'm right on target/above target, so yay!

These are in no particular order, not even the order of how I read them!

1. Need

2. Crank

3. The Child Thief

4. Impossible

5. City of Glass

6. Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes (reread)

7. Cracked Up to Be

8. Handcuffs :) (with a class even though I swore I never would)

9. Peeps

10. Burning Your Boats (reread)

11. Skin Deep (reread)

12. Glass

13. The Dead Tossed Waves

14. The Ask and the Answer

15. The Hunger Games (with 4 classes)

16. Speak (also with 4 classes)

17. Shiver

18. Leviathan

19. Will Grayson, Will Grayson

20. The Road

21. The Tale of Halcyon Crane

22. Peeps

23. The Maze Runner

24. Catching Fire

25. The Giver (reread with Creative Writing)

I'd like to read so many books over the summer that I can take the rereads and class books off and still do 100 books. I think I can do it. I can read a book every few days in the summer, and my to read pile is insane and exciting.