Reflection
Dr. Seuss books were the start of my love for reading, especially reading for fun. For as long as I can remember, I have always loved Dr. Seuss books. At first, I needed a lot of help from my parents or older sister. Being able to finally read the books on my own to my family was such an important thing to me as a child. The books were easy to read due to all of the rhyming words. They were always fun and silly with a lot of pictures that came along. Fast forward 15 years, now I am reading these books to my students and get to see their love for them grow each time.
Girl Online by Zoe Sugg was the first novel I read for fun, besides children’s stories. I always loved school but unfortunately, as I grew older my love for reading for fun faded. I never had a huge love for reading as a hobby anymore. I found this book from an online influencer when I was in high school. I remember starting the book and not being able to put it down. This had never happened to me before. I was the type of student to finish summer reading the day before the first day of school. This was such a major turnpoint in finding a love for reading again.
Heaven is for Real by Lynn Vincent and Todd Burpo was one of the most important books I have read still to this day. I have grown up in a religious family and have attended a religious school my whole life, up until college. Of course in school we read scriptures, bible verses, etc. but I never read personal stories about people and their faith. This story was very moving to me as a reader. This book brought me closer to my faith and brought me a new understanding to it as well. It encouraged me to become a better Christian.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas is a book I would recommend to anyone. The story is so touching and powerful. It is an eye-opening story into the world of a young, black woman’s life. I have never endured racism and this story is told by a young girl who struggles with racism and other struggles that not everyone has to deal with. It was interesting to read from a different perspective This was the first story that I can remember, actually crying over. It was a school reading but I can remember wanting to read past the pages due that day. I always wanted to keep reading.
Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper is the most recent reading that has stuck out to me the most. My mom works at a school for students with special needs. I would go to different events and fundraisers for these children and adults. I have always had a special place in my heart for those with cerebral palsy, down syndrome, etc. because I grew up not knowing anything different but that they are just like the rest of us. Being able to read from the perspective of someone with cerebral palsy was extremely moving. I gained a huge amount of respect for their parents and teachers as well.
The premise of The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas is: What happens when someone witnesses the killing of an innocent person? The controlling idea of The Hate U Give is using your voice to fight and speak up against those who wrongfully kill innocent people, and those who defend them, will bring justice to those who deserve it. The counter idea is that remaining silent will lead to the injustice of the death of an innocent person.
Inventory
Chronological List:
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? By Bill Martin Jr.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar By Eric Carle
Dr. Seuss Book Series By Dr. Suess
The Berenstain Bears Series By Jan, Mike, and Stan Beresentain
Magic Tree House Series Mary Pope Osborne
Junie B. Jones Series By Barbara Park
Arthur Book Series By Marc Brown
Little Golden Book Series By Various Authors
A Bad Case of Stripes By David Shannon
Dork Diaries Series By Rachel Renee Russell
James and the Giant Peach By Roald Dahl
The Giver By Lois Lowry
The Book Thief By Markus Zusak
The Alchemist By Paulo Coelho
The Boy and the Striped Pyjamas By John Boyne
Hiroshima By John Heresy
Romeo and Juliet By William Shakespeare
The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne
Moby Dick By Herman Melville
The Crucible By Arthur Miller
The Handmaid’s Tale By Margaret Atwood
Gertrude and Claudius By John Updike
The Loved One By Evelyn Waugh
The Awakening By Kate Chopin
Hard Times By Charles Dickens
Jane Eyre By Charlotte Bronte
Pride and Prejudice By Jane Austen
Beloved by Toni Morrison
The House on Mango Street By Sandra Cisneros
Heaven is for Real By Lynn Vincent and Todd Burpo
Girl Online By Zoe Sugg
Looking for Alaska By John Green
Everything, Everything By Nicola Yoon
The Hate U Give By Angie Thomas
Out of My Mind By Sharon M. Draper
The Skin I’m In By Sharon G. Flake
George By Alex Gino
Fish in a Tree By Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Genre List:
Children’s Literature/Fiction (Mimetic)
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? By Bill Martin Jr.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar By Eric Carle
Dr. Seuss Book Series By Dr. Suess
The Berenstain Bears Series By Jan, Mike, and Stan Beresentain
Magic Tree House Series Mary Pope Osborne
Junie B. Jones Series By Barbara Park
Arthur Book Series By Marc Brown
Little Golden Book Series By Various Authors
A Bad Case of Stripes By David Shannon
Dork Diaries Series By Rachel Renee Russell
James and the Giant Peach By Roald Dahl
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas By John Boyne
Science Fiction (Thematic)
The Giver By Lois Lowry
The Handmaid’s Tale By Margaret Atwood
Young Adult Fiction (Mimetic)
The Book Thief By Markus Zusak
Moby Dick By Herman Melville
The Loved One By Evellyn Waugh
The House on Mango Street By Sandra Cisneros
Girl Online By Zoe Sugg
Looking for Alaska By John Green
Everything, Everything By Nicola Yoon
The Hate U Give By Angie Thomas
Fantasy Fiction (Thematic)
The Alchemist By Paulo Coelho
Non-fiction (Thematic)
Hiroshima By John Hersey
Tragedy (Thematic)
Romeo and Juliet By William Shakespeare
The Crucible By Arthur Miller
Romantic Novel (Thematic)
The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne
Pride and Prejudice By Jane Austen
Historical Fiction (Thematic)
Gertrude and Claudius By John Updike
Novel (Thematic)
The Awakening By Kate Chopin
Hard Times By Charles Dickens
Jane Eyre By Charlotte Bronte
Beloved By Toni Morrison
Christian Literature (Mimetic)
Heaven is For Real By Lynn Vincent and Todd Burpo
Fiction (Thematic)
Out of My Mind By Sharon M. Draper
The Skin I’m In By Sharon G. Flake
George By Alex Gino
Fish In a Tree By Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Read the Room 