One of my New Year's resolutions was to always be reading a book for pleasure in 2018. While I haven't quite upheld that resolution--okay, let's be honest, I haven't even come close-- I have read some good ones over the past few months you may want to add to your summer reading list.
The Residence by Kate Andersen Bower
This book came highly recommended by one of my English Department friends, and rightly so. Bower, an accomplished journalist and staffer for CBS News, has compiled the touching stories of the men and women who worked tirelessly in the White House from the days of Kennedy through Obama. I will warn you, if you're like me, you'll be crying by page three. I enjoyed learning some White House secrets, including LBJ's obsession with the perfect shower. With my thick, curly hair, I can totally appreciate LBJ's demand for good water pressure, but he took it to a hilarious extreme. While I wish the book had been arranged chronologically, it did make me think about things I never even considered, like the fact they have to get new mattresses for every new first family. I guess I thought the White House was like a hotel where the mattresses stay for years and years. I have Bower's second book, First Wives, at the top of my own summer reading list.
Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate
Both heartbreaking and heartwarming, this book tells the story of a group of siblings placed (and I use that term loosely) in the "protection" of the Tennessee Children's Home Society. Going back and forth in time and location, it's part mystery, part romance, and part family saga that spans generations. The disturbing part of reading this was knowing that the Tennessee Children's Home Society's orphanage actually existed in the early 1900s, helping the real-life Georgia Tann carry out black market adoptions. I didn't cry by page 3 with this one, but you'd better believe I was crying by the end.
When We Were Worthy by Marybeth Whalen
If you know me, you know I love Melanie Shankle. She recommended this book in the fall, so I knew I needed to check it out. I love books where the characters take turns narrating the chapters so that all of the parts and pieces fit together like a puzzle. This particular novel follows a group of citizens in Worthy, GA, after the death of three popular cheerleaders. As the teenagers and adults tell their stories, the truth about the accident and those involved begins to come out. This was definitely a page turner, and I even stayed late at school one Friday afternoon to finish it. I didn't have time to get side tracked with school pick up and dinner prep! I can definitely see this making its way to the big screen.
The Lying Game by Ruth Ware
This is by the same author who wrote The Woman in Cabin 10, which I've never actually read but have heard great things about. The Lying Game tells the story of four women who became friends at boarding school. Unlike the carefree days Blair, Jo, Natalie, and Tootie spent at Eastland, life at Salten was a littler darker for Fatima, Thea, Isa, and Kate, and now their school secrets have come back to haunt them. The story is full of twists and turns, lies and intrigue, and just when I thought I had everything figured out, it switched gears and surprised me. If you're a fan of Paula Hawkins' books, this one's for you.
Help, Thanks, Wow by Anne Lamott
After reading and enjoying Lamott's book Bird By Bird in the fall, I knew I wanted to read more of her work. While Bird By Bird revolves around Lamott's advice on writing and life, Help, Thanks, Wow focuses on the idea that we really only need three types of prayer. I think I wrote down at least one quote for every two pages I read, so basically, I rewrote the text into my own spiral notebook. Good thing it's only 102 pages long! The book is full of humor and wisdom that packs a punch. My favorite quote is when she shares the old riddle: "What's the difference between you and God? God never thinks he's you." Lamott's insight continues to be that powerful throughout as she offers advice on both prayer and living a life full of gratitude.
Summer reading isn't just fun for me, it's fun for the boys too. We have more time to go to the library, and since we can be a little more lenient with bedtimes, we can read more at night. Here are a few of the boys' favorites. Some are classics, while others are new additions to our home library.
Green Eggs and Ham/What Pet Should I Get by Dr. Seuss
I will admit, I never liked Green Eggs and Ham growing up. I didn't like it in a box, with a fox, or anywhere else, and I never really planned on reading it to the boys until Jackson brought it home from Rock Hill. I decided if I had to read it, I might as well make it fun, so I dropped a beat and added some crazy facial expressions, and the more the boys laughed, the more I liked the book. The first time Alex he heard me read it, he asked if I liked in in the Bronx because he said I sounded like a wanna-be rapper. I will admit, I may have listened to this recording of Ludacris reading Llama Llama Red Pajama one too many times. It just goes to show you that your attitude can make or break a read aloud.
Our other favorite Dr. Seuss book is the lesser known What Pet Should I Get. The best thing about this book is that it leaves the reader hanging, since you don't know which pet the main characters get from the pet store. The cliffhanger opens the door for creative conversations with kids about their predictions and guesses. If you're a teacher, I think it would be a great springboard for a class writing project with students writing the end of the book or even writing about the types of pets they would get. (See, Mom, I told you I would use my Masters in Literacy one day.)
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
Jackson's good friend Ms. James gave him this book for his birthday a few years ago, and at the time, I thought he was probably too young for it to hold his interest, mainly because it's a long story without full-color illustrations. Boy, was I wrong. This was an instant hit with both of the boys, who never get tired of naming and counting all of the ducks. Quack is our favorite because he can never quite keep up with his brothers and sisters, and it always looks like he might be getting into trouble. Every time we read the story, I start planning our family vacation to Boston. Pair the book with a gift card to Duck Donuts as a present and everybody wins.
There's a Giraffe in My Soup by Ross Burach
I knew when I saw this recommended in Parents magazine I had to order it because giraffes are number one at our house. This one is more picture book than story, but it definitely brings the amusement as a waiter continues to deliver animals to his customer's table. Animal puns and bright illustrations add to the silliness. Like Green Eggs and Ham, the more you get into the personality of the waiter, the more fun it is to read.
Dino Sports Series by Lisa Wheeler
If you know a child who loves dinosaurs and/or sports, these books are the perfect combination. Jackson first came home from school with Dino-Wrestling, and we've been hooked ever since. The rhyme is always on point, and you'll learn a ton of dinosaur names. Every time we finish reading one, the boys flip to the back and point to the ones we haven't read yet. It makes my heart happy for them to beg for a trip to the library to get the next in the series. Reminds me of my days with The Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley High.
Elephant and Piggie Books by Mo Willems
Alex and Reeves both agreed that these are their favorite books. They feature an elephant named Gerald, and his friend Piggie. The duo always elicit plenty of laughs from the boys, and I'll be honest, I think they're pretty funny too. The books feature a lot of dialogue, inspiring Alex to use a wide variety of voices, again leading to plenty of giggles. Also, because the books aren't really text-heavy, they are a great choice for beginning readers to read on their own.
Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
This book has been my favorite ever since I can remember. It tells the story of Alice, a little girl who wants to travel to faraway places and then settle down and live by the sea. Sounds like the perfect life to me! Her grandfather tells her she can do those things, but she must also do something to make the world a more beautiful place. As Alice lives the life she's imagined, she comes to realize making the world better isn't as difficult as she once thought. The illustrations are beautiful in and of themselves, and the grandfather's challenge is one we should all take to heart. Imagine how much better the world would be if we all tried in our own little ways to make it more beautiful.
There you have it, a few of my suggestions for readers young and old. Hopefully, this summer I'll have more time to get my New Year's resolution back on track. I have a few ideas for my summer reading list, but I would love to hear your recommendations. Leave your favorites in the comments below. Happy reading!
Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate
If you know me, you know I love Melanie Shankle. She recommended this book in the fall, so I knew I needed to check it out. I love books where the characters take turns narrating the chapters so that all of the parts and pieces fit together like a puzzle. This particular novel follows a group of citizens in Worthy, GA, after the death of three popular cheerleaders. As the teenagers and adults tell their stories, the truth about the accident and those involved begins to come out. This was definitely a page turner, and I even stayed late at school one Friday afternoon to finish it. I didn't have time to get side tracked with school pick up and dinner prep! I can definitely see this making its way to the big screen.
I will admit, I never liked Green Eggs and Ham growing up. I didn't like it in a box, with a fox, or anywhere else, and I never really planned on reading it to the boys until Jackson brought it home from Rock Hill. I decided if I had to read it, I might as well make it fun, so I dropped a beat and added some crazy facial expressions, and the more the boys laughed, the more I liked the book. The first time Alex he heard me read it, he asked if I liked in in the Bronx because he said I sounded like a wanna-be rapper. I will admit, I may have listened to this recording of Ludacris reading Llama Llama Red Pajama one too many times. It just goes to show you that your attitude can make or break a read aloud.
Jackson's good friend Ms. James gave him this book for his birthday a few years ago, and at the time, I thought he was probably too young for it to hold his interest, mainly because it's a long story without full-color illustrations. Boy, was I wrong. This was an instant hit with both of the boys, who never get tired of naming and counting all of the ducks. Quack is our favorite because he can never quite keep up with his brothers and sisters, and it always looks like he might be getting into trouble. Every time we read the story, I start planning our family vacation to Boston. Pair the book with a gift card to Duck Donuts as a present and everybody wins.
There's a Giraffe in My Soup by Ross Burach
If you know a child who loves dinosaurs and/or sports, these books are the perfect combination. Jackson first came home from school with Dino-Wrestling, and we've been hooked ever since. The rhyme is always on point, and you'll learn a ton of dinosaur names. Every time we finish reading one, the boys flip to the back and point to the ones we haven't read yet. It makes my heart happy for them to beg for a trip to the library to get the next in the series. Reminds me of my days with The Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley High.
Elephant and Piggie Books by Mo Willems