What to Read Wednesday--On Tuesday

I spend my days pouring over books, book reviews and book lists.  Sometimes titles and covers seem to blur together and it feels like I will never be able to keep them all straight.  Other times there are books that I seem to see everywhere.  They pop up on everyone's list, on different blogs and, ultimately, end up on my shelf.  This is a list of my holiday "must reads" that have moved to the top of my pile:

       
  

            

I'm sooo excited!
Happy reading.  Happy Holidays.  Happy New Year!

Ms. Anderson

What to Read Wednesday

Weeping cannot bring relief for some kinds of

Heartbreak.

Even friendship may
Not soothe the pain.

And now only a

Monster can show young Connor how to cope.

One story, two stories, three-- 

Now you must tell one back to me.

Strengthen your heart and

Take a deep breath

Each moment should be 

Relished.

Capture this time in your heart

And know you will carry her

Love always. 

Letting go will
Set you both free.

This book was perfect.  Well done. Mr. Ness.
K

What to Read Wednesday

I will never forget the first time I saw the images from The Mysteries of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg.  I was co-teaching at the time and I walked into the reading classroom to find these beautiful over-sized prints posted along the chalkboard.  The students filed in as usual, set down, and Ms. Snyder began to read from her copy of the book.  A hush fell over the room.  It was magical.  After she finished with the introductory letter the students got to move from station to station and examine each of the images.  Their task?  To craft their own story inspired by the Burdick drawings.  An assignment that I imagine has been repeated throughout the country in classroom after classroom over the past 17 years.  



I can also remember when I saw the marketing ad for The Chronicles of Harris Burdick.  Honestly, it felt a bit like Christmas morning (I may have even jumped up and down in my seat).  Finally, a gift to teachers and readers everywhere whose imaginations were sparked by those original fourteen drawings.  Fourteen stories by fourteen different authors--all inspired by the haunting images I fell in love with 15 years ago.  I could hardly wait to purchase a copy for the library.  And now that it's here, I can hardly wait to pour over each page and lose myself in someone else's magical world.