Chatboards
Classifieds
Lessons
Jobs
Book Talk: Teachers List Favorite Reads
By Teachers.Net Community
A stop by the Book Talk chatboard revealed some intriguing recommendations for reading…during vacation or any time! Teachers are sharing their favorite reads; we hope you’ll post about the books you think others would enjoy. (Updated on June 12 with additional recommendations from the Retired Teachers Chatboard.)
Also, after reading these 3 pages of book recommendations, look here for the latest additions from July 2011!
Rainwater by Sandra Brown
I would like to recommend for both fun reading and even student summer reading the novel “Rainwater” by Sandra Brown. She is typically a romance, mystery, or noir type author, but his one was different. It is almost a novella so that is why I think students would like it for the summer. It is also modern and an very easy read. Yes, there is sex in it, but nothing graphic. (Don’t tell the students that. They’ll read if they think sex is in the novel. The novel revolves around a single mother running a boarding house during the depression. The government has just past an act to purchase cattle from farmers who can no longer keep their cattle fed. There is a little violence in it, but nothing bad. This novel is good for the American literature/history classes for the historic significance, women’s studies for the strong female character, and a discussion of autism and even cancer could be brought up into the class. Unfortunately it won’t be available for paperback until 2011, but you could still be reading and developing your own opinion.
Decker Detective Mystery Series
I’ve just started reading Faye Kellerman’s detective series about Detective Decker and his wife Rina and their daughters set in California. I have read two of her mystery books out of order and just purchased three at a used book store. I like them, not to dark, not to light, just right. A lot of love in the family coupled with the detective and his police work.
The Help
I just finished reading this book and really loved it on several levels. I’m already wondering who will be cast in the various roles for the movie. Surely there will be a
movie.
City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass. They are all good reads and I would highly recommend them. I bought them all at the same time and read through them before the
week was out. If you liked Twilight, Blue Bloods, and Marked series, then you will also like Rachel Caine’s Morganville Vampire series–the latest one just released. I am in my 40s but loved all of these books–we have a book club for teachers at my school. Tricia
If you like Sue Grafton and J. Evanovich, here is one I just discovered: The Spellman Files by Lutz So far there are 3 books – they are easy reads and fun.
I just finished Westley the Owl which was SO interesting, well written. Tells the story of a biologist who adopts a barn owl only 2 weeks old and lives with it for 19 years! Also finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society…great book!
The Sweetness at The Bottom of the Pie….great read! Moves fast; didn’t want to put it down, and am looking forward to the next.
The Girl in The Glass….very good and interesting.
Glimpses of a time not that long ago, and of carnival life
from different perspective.
I want to read The Help and The Last Chinese Chef.
Just finished Still Life by Joy Fielding. It’s a thriller with an interesting twist–a woman is in a coma, and she can hear
conversation, including that fact that she is in danger. But, of course, she can do nothing about it.
From the “3 Good Books I’ve Read” thread:
The Long Walk Home by Will North
Snow Flower and The Secret Fan
Double Cross by James Patterson
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Piccoult
The Last Promise by Richard Paul Evans
I would recommend the first two without reservation. I would
leave the third for a day you don’t want to have to think -
just lay on the beach and read – it’s fluff!
Skinny Dip – Carl Hiaasen
Bel Canto – Ann Patchett
ps – I also loved Snow Flower and The Secret Fan
Livesey: Eva Moves the Furniture (not too long, story of a
woman’s life, including ghosts)
Hicks: Widow of the South (historical Civil War fiction)
Flock: Emma and Me (childhood tale with a twist)
The Choice by Nicholas Sparks
Something Blue by Emily Giffin
The Wal-Mart by Charles Fishman
The Kite Runner
Water for Elephants
The Things They Carried
Loved The Kite Runner. I think I enjoyed A Thousand Splendid
Suns (same author as the Kite Runner) even more though.
Water for Elephants was also very good.
I just finished The Glass Castle (in one weekend – I couldn’t
put it down!) It’s a memoir by Jeanette Walls. Fascinating.
My current favorite “look for” authors at the library are Jodi
Picoult and Harlan Coben. I’ve only read a few books by each
so far, but am looking forward to reading more.
All time favorites:
