Aaaaaah - vacation reading time

I am off traveling for the last few weeks of summer break, and one of the things I love most about my long weeks of travel is the time I have to read. Today I spent half the day reading, and it was fabulous! The book I've been reading is one I think middle school students would love. It's called The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony. He's not the best writer ever, and in fact he even had a co-author, but his stories of the game reserve he runs in South Africa were fascinating and fun to read, so I didn't care so much about the writing itself. There's kind of a wait on this book at the Multnomah County library, but they do have it. If you're an animal lover - of elephants or any other type - I recommend you give this book a go! Enjoy the last few weeks of summer, and be sure to get your summer reading done, too. There are all kinds of things to discover in a book!

How is summer reading coming along?

Well, it's about one month to go until your SIZZLING SUMMER READING should be finished and your assignment ready to turn in.  How's that coming?  Hopefully you finished your two books long ago and have read several more in the meantime. But in case you're a little behind on that, now would be the time to step up your game and get ready, get set, get reading!

In case you've forgotten what your school requires, click HERE to find all the guidelines.

If you've accidentally lost your assignment, you can click HERE to get a new one.

Your teachers are counting on your to have done some reading and completed that assignment when you get back, so please be sure to be ready.

Remember...

Why do we even have to read during the summer?  
Reason 1: Kids who don't read during summer lose skills.  
Reason 2: When everyone does something together, it creates community.
Reason 3: Reading is fun and a life-long skill.

Multnomah County Summer Reading!

I hope you've been tracking all your summer reading on your Multnomah County Summer Reading game card and turning in your card periodically for prizes.

If you've lost your card you can just go into any branch and tell them you go to the Gresham Barlow schools and they'll be able to get you all fixed up!

I think the free Timbers game just happened or is coming right up, right?  What prizes have you won so far? Anyone going to have a free t-shirt by the end?  I have mine!   Leave a note in the comments!

Author Jack Gantos!

Wow, got to meet another great writer-- Jack Gantos while in New York City!  Check out his books if you haven't already!

Happy Independence Day

Today we focus on America and celebrate all the glories of the United States, and America is, without question, a great country.  But if you asked people from other countries  around the world what the greatest country is, they're like to answer with the name of THEIR very own country, just like we do.  Can we ALL have the best country?  I think so, and I like to learn about other peoples' countries and cultures through books.

If you'd like to learn more about other cultures and countries in your reading this summer, here is a great list of fiction books compiled by author Mitali Perkins that you might want to explore.  She has several books of her own, too.  You can find those listed HERE.

Enjoy, and Happy Independence Day!

Yippee - We're getting some prizes!

Hey, I got great news yesterday.  The Stephen and Melinda Gates Foundation (and the real Gates Foundation, too) is supporting our program with a grant to purchase some incentives - certificates, pencils and bookmarks.  So there will be some prizes to give out in the fall!  Yahoo, and a huge thanks to DonorsChoose.org and The Gates Foundation!!

A summer adventure - If you had to choose

If you had to choose a summer adventure with the characters from a book - a Summer Sizzler, another book you're reading now, or just  a book you've loved, who would your adventure be with?  Would you like to tag along with the BFG as he blew night dreams into bedroom windows?  Roam the Texas hill country with Travis and Old Yeller, or hang out in the neighborhood with Bryce and Juli?  Would you want to climb Mt. Everest with Peak Marcello, investigate with Alex Rider, or go to spy school with Cammie Morgan?  Would you like to enter Narnia with Edmund and troops or save Redwall with Matthias?

There are so many adventures to escape into and characters to go with, but I'm thinking I'd pick one that was set on a beach and involved a lot of lying on the beach reading.  Maybe I'll hang out with Auden from Along for the Ride.  And you?  Leave a note in the comments!