Teacher Jen Losing the Weight

I love to read. 

I read to escape the current time and enter a world that I am the observer, the fly on the wall. 

I read to “know” other characters and feel their hope, love, hurt, and anger. 

I read to provide myself relaxation and “me” time.

I read to enjoy a good story and come across some not so good ones too, but I still finish them.

I like to smell of new books.

I like cracking the spine on books that haven’t been read by another person.

I like talking about books to others.

I like reading without stopping, devouring a book in a day or two.

Now I’m fully aware that not everyone likes to read in the manner that I do—some use it to fall asleep, some take months to read one book, others will only read something that comes from someone highly recommended, while still others (and statistics prove it) don’t read at all.  On a daily basis I encourage my students to find that special book that will be interesting and will hook them into reading.  I had that experience when I was in about third grade.  I clearly remember reading (and loving) the Fudge series by Judy Blume.  I love it—I was hooked!  My dad is a reader and I have watched him devour books in the same manner that I do—he can’t be bothered if he is in the last 100 pages of any book. 

Through the years there are other books that stand out of the thousands I’ve read as the best books ever (The Outsiders, Roll of Thunder Hear my Cry, Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, Lust for Life, In Country, Iron Man, Good in Bed).  I truly find my “place” in historical fiction if you can’t tell from that list and my level of “excitement” differs from someone who reads Steven King and murder mysteries.  I want to delve into characters—not into a mystery or fantasy land.  I don’t particularly care for science fiction or fantasy, although throughout the years, I have read the “must reads” in these categories.

I have to say that I read more so-so books than I do stellar; each book has it’s own good and bad, exiting and boring, ups and downs.  It is hard to quantify which books to send to my sister (a reader just like dad and I) and which ones I’d take to school to put on the shelf for my students.  I thought I’d take a stab at it though.  Welcome to Jenni’s mini-book review page.

1(lowest) to 5(highest)