Comments

• Mrs. Maier

  I LOVE historical fiction! My first experience with this was in reading Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink. Living in Michigan, I loved vacationing up north with my family, and the character in these books, Caddie, actually got to live in the woods! She was daring, played with boys, and even befriended the Indians. I think that reading historical fiction draws me into the story more because the details around the story, including the setting and other characters, are real and I'm already familiar with some of the facts - so I get "hooked" right away. A more recent series that I read along with my daughter Leah when she was an OSL student is by Ann Rinaldi. Her characters lived in the early days of our country and knew people like Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. The other GREAT thing about historical fiction is that, most of the time, the characters and their families demonstrate faith in God, attending church and living their faith in a way that i can relate to easily. (One more: I read Christy by Catherine Marshall when I was in 7th or 8th grade....I stayed up until 2 am one school night and read by the nightlight in the corner of my room because I couldn't put it down!)

  9/27/2008 2:20:43 PM
• Ms. Dunbar

  I liked a lot of books as a child including fiction and non fiction, but I always had favorite authors no matter what they wrote I always enjoyed it. Some of my favorites was the Sideways Stories from Wayside School series by Louis Sachar as well as all Mildred D. Taylor (Role of Thunder Hear My Cry)and Roald Dahl's (BFG)books. I also liked to read Natinal Geographic Magazines and the Worldd Atlas. i would imagine myself going to all the foreign lands exploring their culture and learning new languages:-)

  9/27/2008 4:48:38 PM
• Mrs. Olsen

  I was like Mrs. Greve. I read everything. I too read the Little House books and Nancy Drew. In Fourth Grade I discovered Janette Oke and still enjoy rereading her books today. The one series though that I always saved my money for was the Sweet Valley High books. They were books that came out every month and were about two twins who went to a California High School. I remember faithfully checking the book store each week to see if a new one had come out!

  9/27/2008 8:08:48 PM
• Bitsy Griffin

  Hi, My name is Mrs. Griffin and I am a friend of Mrs. Greves in North Carolina! I love to read too. My favorite books are fiction. I love a good mystery and I really love FANTASY fiction. If the two can be mixed together that's even better.
  
  I think my favorite books of all time are the Lord of the Ring books. I would follow those characters anywhere and pick them back up again every couple of years to revisit them.
  
  As an adult, two of my favorite authors have been Tom Clancy and John Grisham - both mystery/suspense writers. Clancy writes about the government and Grisham writes about the courthouse and law.

  9/28/2008 8:09:52 AM
• Sharon Schroeder

  Hi, I am Austin's mom and I love reading a variety of books. I enjoy reading motivational and leadership books. I recently read "7 Habits of Highly Effective People,"
  
  When I was a young girl, I loved reading the Nancy Drew series and books by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

  9/28/2008 10:20:06 AM
• Mr. Landskroener

  The series I love to read as an a adult is the Jan Karon's books about the town of Mitford, NC. It follows the life of a single Episcopal priest named Father Tim and introduces us to the people of his parish who remind me of the people from the church I grew up in.
  
  When I was in middle school I loved to read The best Christmas Pageant Ever was my all time favorite and I also love a book called Treasure in the Oatmeal Box. I loved it as a kid but love it even more as a dad. I also love to read historic fiction such as Johnny Tremain, and Across Five Aprils.

  9/28/2008 10:50:55 AM
• Mrs. Horak

  Hi Mrs. Greve and 6th Graders! Thanks for asking me about my favoite story. My most favorite book ever is "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott. I've read that story at least 50 times! I love the setting. The Victorian Age is so romantic and I loved all the sisters. They were so strong and independent. (I have 4 sisters and we are strong women, too!) I once read the whole book in one night having to hide under a blanket with a flashlight til about 2:30 a.m.
  
  Recently I've been reading books by Nicholas Sparks - who wrote "The Walk to Remember" and "The Notebook." Both were made into movies...which I've never watched!
  
  The best thing I LOVE about reading is how it can take you to other places and times...and as you read, you learn about others and yourself.
  
  Did you know I collect childrens literature? I write to an author and did a masters project on Jan Brett. Do you know her? I love her illustrations. She once wrote a book for Concordia Publishing House!

  9/28/2008 12:10:22 PM
• Mrs. Thorp

  I like to read now, but when I was in sixth grade I was not a voracious reader at all. I remember reading a Trixie Beldon book and the Bobsey Twins, but that is about all. I guess I was not as blessed as you all are to have a teacher who loves to read and wants her students to do so also. So if you are like me and reading is not a priority, keep reading and someday you will be glad you did.

  9/28/2008 1:57:42 PM
• Mrs. Viges

  Hi there! Do you miss me?? Ha ha It must be that all of us adults all read the same books as kids! I, too, read Little House books, Nancy Drew, etc. More recently I have read most of the Janette Oke books and I absolutely have to read each series IN ORDER! I'm like that I also would read and reread and reread the same books over and over! I would read at night in my basement bedroom and no one would know I had the light on way past my bedtime! Shhh don't tell my mom! It's fun to discover a series or author you enjoy and then drive the librarian crazy trying to find the next book to read! Have fun!

  9/28/2008 2:20:20 PM
• Mrs. Fisher

  What a terrific question to think about and savor! Mrs. Greve asked me if I wanted to participate in your blog and, of course, I said "yes" because I love talking about books.
  
  I probably read more in upper elementary and middle school than I have before or since. It is a time in your life when reading is important. You learn a lot....about yourself, and about the world.
  
  Mysteries were very popular with me when I was your age. I am sure I read every single Nancy Drew book ever written, and there was another series about Judy Bolton that I could not put down.
  
  Two books that I read in middle school were "A White Bird Flying," and "A Lantern in Her Hand." They were written by Bess Streeter Aldrich, and they are, to this day, among my favorite books. They are about life in an earlier time and they are fascinating. They are still in print; you might want to try one of them.
  
  My mother told me about "Anne of Green Gables" when I was in sixth grade. It had been her favorite book as a kid and she wanted me to read it. Well, I did....and I'm still rereading it today. What a fabulous story it is! Three years ago I visited Anne's home on Prince Edward Island in Canada. It was one of the most exciting times I've ever had. Imagine wanting to see the home of a book character you read about so many years ago! Anne was my best friend then, and, I think she still might be today.
  
  I could go on and on about books because they are such an important part of my life. When I look back to the time I was a kid, reading is the activity I remember most. My mom and i used to discuss them and she would tell me how she felt when she had read them when she was my age. This is one of my best memories.
  
  I still read all the time; I never get tired of it. Starting a new book is like having a party! I can't wait to get into it and see what develops with these characters. I like to read books by the same author just like i did when I was reading Nancy Drew and the others. Right now, my favorite authors are Ann Patchett and Carol Shields. I have read almost every book they've written. I wonder what author I will start on next!

  9/28/2008 2:37:04 PM
• Troy Becker

  I recall reading Treasure Island, a book about the Titanic (A night to remember?), Brian’s Song, I am third (another football book by Gale Sayers), and Lord of the flies. Lord of the flies and A night to remember were for school. At first I thought they would be dumb books to read, but I did find them very interesting and the class discussion was great. It helped me understand more why the author wrote the way he did and why it made me think the way I did when I read the story.

  9/28/2008 3:03:52 PM
• Mrs. Hurlbut

  I look forward to reading the responses! How I have loved to read! I loved to read series of books. My favorite would be the Nancy Drew mysteries. I wanted them so much that I would write down several titles on my birthday or Christmas wish list. These were usually a good bet as my mother and aunt loved my reading. I also read Trixie Belden and the Hardy Boys books. I had a special shelf in my bedroom closet where I kept all of my books. I numbered each book in the front cover. Friends could "check out" a book of mine to borrow from my "library." I also loved to borrow their books and we took good care of them. This was an early clue that I was meant to be a teacher.
  
  I kept my Nancy Drew books, and my daughter enjoyed reading them while she was growing up. The covers on my books would be very old-fashioned compared to what they sell now. The writing and words would also be very outdated. I remember the words "roadster" and "coupe" in mentioning a car. Despite the parts that were dated, my daughter still preferred to read my old copies rather than the updated versions she could check out at the library. My books are hard covered, and the libraries were paperback. Now my daughter is getting married in less than two weeks and she is 25, but she still wants to borrow my carton of Nancy Drew books to reread.

  9/28/2008 4:45:10 PM
• Mrs. Hurlbut

  I forgot one thought! I love to collect quotataions. One is:
  
  Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

  9/28/2008 4:46:50 PM
• Mrs Novel

  Hello. I'm posting to you from England and, like Mrs Greve, I love books and reading. I recognise some of the books she talks about, but others must be essentially American. I also loved the Louisa May Alcott series and have introduced my own children to those.
  
  We have a famous English author called Enid Blyton. She wrote adventure stories about small groups of children who solved mysteries and had meetings in garden sheds and tree houses. You might have come across her, but, if you are very advanced readers, you might find her a little young for you.
  
  Hmmm, who would I recommend for you now? Oh yes, Anthony Horowitz! He writes the Alex Rider books. Alex is a teenager who seems like an ordinary schoolboy, but is actually a spy. He uses all sorts of gadgets supplied by MI6 and is trained by the SAS. There are six books in the series now, each a little darker than the others, and they are smash hits, especially with boys. The first one has been made into a film, although I thought the book was better ;o)
  
  As a child, I loved the Narnia Chronicles. Has anyone read those? My favourite (English spelling there) was "Prince Caspian". It's just about to be released here as a film and my whole family will be going to see that. My son, who is 13, is a voracious reader, and we have animated conversations about the meaning of sections of those books. It is lovely to have someone else in the family as keen on reading as me. He does a funny thing that I used to do too. He reads so much that he sometimes comes across words that he has never heard pronounced so he doesn't know what they sound like. He can work out what theses words mean from their context though and so he uses them in his own conversation, but pronounces them in a strange way. It makes us all laugh! Once we explain the right we to say the word, he has no problem and never forgets, but it brings back funny memories from my own childhood. Do any of you do the same thing?
  
  I loved reading "The Hobbit", but struggled with "The Lord of The Rings" trilogy because of all the names. Perhaps you need to really like fantasy books to enjoy that one :o)
  
  I loved all the children's classics like "The Wind in the Willows" and "The Secret Garden", "To Kill a Mocking Bird" and "The Diary of Ann Frank", "A Little Princess" and "Tom's Midnight Graden". I could go on and on and you probably think I am doing that!
  
  One of my very favourites, as a child, was "Heidi", because I wanted to be that independent little girl who lived in the mountains with her grandfather and ran free with Peter, the goatherd. I had two brothers and was a bit of a tomboy. Perhaps that is why we love certain books when we are young, because there are charcaters inside them that we would like to be.
  
  Well, I STILL read all the time and have just finished "The Tenderness of Wolves" by Stef Penney. It starts with a murder and a disappearance and there are several stories that weave in and out of each other. It's probably a bit complicated for you now, but it's one to look out for when you're grown up. Thanks for letting me post here and I look forward to reading some of your posts soon. Keep reading :o)

  9/28/2008 4:52:04 PM
• Kristine Fink

  The author I remember reading the most was Judy Blume. I particularly liked "Blubber." I also liked the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew mysteries. I have once again starting reading quite a bit and my favorite author today is Jodi Picoult.

  9/28/2008 6:55:37 PM
• Mrs. Greve's daughter-in-law, Mrs. Greve

  My love for reading started when I was a little kid. I always had a bed time, but I didn't need to turn out the lights if I was reading. At first, I just held the book in front of my face so that I could experience each and every precious minute past nine o'clock. I felt a sense of excitement as if I was stealing prized minutes that I was not really entitled to have. As time went on, I decided that just sitting in front of a book was pretty boring so I chose to actually read. I should have stopped sitting and started reading a lot earlier! I had been missing out.
  My favorite books are too numerous to list. In middle school I enjoyed works by Judy Blume, Katherine Paterson, and Louis Lowry. “The Cay” by Taylor and “My Brother Sam is Dead,” by Collier stick out as particular favorites. One year, my dad and I both read “Little Women” so that we could talk about it together. When the movie came out we went to see it and discussed the similarities and differences between the mediums over dinner.
  As an adult, I still love to read. I usually read memoirs, historical fiction, or biographies. In my classroom, I love to share adolescent literature with my students. We are currently reading “Number the Stars” by Lois Lowry, “Crash” by Jerry Spinelli and we are about to begin “Among the Hidden” by Margaret Haddix. These are books that I have read a couple of times, but I still get swept away in the excitement as I share them with my students.
  I am always looking for those books that take your breath away. I’m sure you know the type of books that I am talking about. That’s where you guys come in. I am hoping that I will get some ideas from you of great books that I may share with my students. Thank you in advance. Happy reading! :-)

  9/28/2008 10:29:32 PM
• Mr. Black

  Where to start.....so many books....so little time!
  
  When I was in 6th grade, I'm sure I read almost exclusively about baseball. Today, I usually have several books going at one time. I still read a lot of baseball history, but I also have a U.S. History book going, a biography, as well as something that is fiction.
  
  One thing which I've found to be important for 6th graders is that it is good to stretch yourself beyond the genre of your choice. If you like fiction, then try reading a biography of someone you admire. If you enjoy mysteries, then look at some other non-fiction forms. My guess is that you will find a wider variety of literature to enjoy.

  9/28/2008 11:53:16 PM
• Luann from FL

  I love to read. I don't know when it started, but I remember riding my bike to the library when I was in grade school. It was a long way and it was hard to carry the books back home. (I guess I should have brought a bag with me!!) I do remember reading the entire Hardy Boys series in grade school. My Mom had bought about 15 of the books at a garage sale for $1.00. (I still have these books.) I passed them around to my friends and we would make up mysteries, while being one of the Hardy Boys. I still enjoy a good mystery. Over the years I've read Agatha Christie, Jan Karon and Eugenia Price's trilogies of historical fiction. I now belong to a free site (www.dearreader.com) that sends you the first few pages of a different book each week. Through this site I've found many new authors that I would not have read.

  9/29/2008 6:30:48 AM
• Ms. Twork

  When I was in middle school, I was not a very avid reader. If I had to read, it was in the general fiction genre. I do recall reading a great deal of classics rather than new fiction. The genre I did not enjoy was science fiction. Now as an adult, I enjoy reading historical fiction and mysteries - particularly those that involve quilting! Can you believe they have entire series of mysteries based on quilts? Keep reading - it's a great use of the gifts God has given to you!

  9/29/2008 7:03:59 AM
• Jennifer Glenn

  I have to admit that I did not do a lot of reading as a child. Neither of my parents were 'enjoyment readers' and therefore it was not something passed on to me as a child. Now that I have discovered the joy of reading, I read all the time! I remember reading "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "James and the Giant Peach". They were both excellent books!!

  9/29/2008 9:31:09 AM
• Rich Cohrs

  One of my all-time favorite books is Jonathan Livingston Seagull, written by Richard Bach. This book captures my spirit of adventure and independence. I just finished The Pilgrim's Progress from This World to That Which Is to Come by John Bunyan for the second time. I am always inspired by this great work.
  
  When I was in midle school, I especially was inspired by Toby Tyler by James Otis Kaler. It gave me my “wings” tp become the person I am today.
  
  I have found that it isn’t always the book that is important, but it is the act of reading that expands your mind, your horizons and opens your future. The book I read every day is the Bible. I pray you do to.
  

  9/29/2008 10:15:25 AM
• Coach Walter

  Books are incredible. They can take you to so many different times and places . My favorite series growing up was the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. I read the first book in the series when I was at OSL and liked it so much I asked my mom and dad to get me the rest of the books for Christmas. I read all 7 books over Christmas break.

  9/29/2008 11:02:27 AM
• paula fehrenbach

  I was and still am a voracious reader so I did a LOT of reading. The book that had the most profound effect on me when I read it in 6th grade was To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. It is still one of my very favorite books and I read it once every 10 years in the aniversery month I originally read it. Sadly it was the only book Harper Lee ever published even though it won the much coveted Pulizer Prize. After reading it I became very interested in the civil rights movement and read lots about it. I remember really being amazed by the story in Black Like Me in which a white reporter darkens his skin and goes undercover to report on what it's like to live as a black man in the 1950's south.
  
  I also discovered science fiction that year (on my older brothers book shelf) and read lots of books about colonizing on other planets. Nothing like battling space monsters and traveling to distant planets from the comfort of you own bedroom.

  9/29/2008 11:16:34 AM
• Pastor Rob Appold

  Mrs. Greve,
  Here are some books I have read that have made an impact on me
  
  1) Bible - pretty self evident
  
  2) 7 Habits of Highly Effective people - a book I thought I could have written myself but put into practice the character I want to be about
  
  3) The Transmogrification of Roscoe Wizzle - A book I read at my local school to 4-5 grade kids, very fun!
  
  4) Team of Rivals - The political Genius of Abraham Lincoln. Helped me understand the times of Lincoln and his way of dealing with his cabinet.
  
  5) Flags of our Fathers - the book, did not see the movie, but deeply impressed me of the bravery of my parents generation and the devistation of the Battle of Iwo Jima, and the hero's all of these soldiers are!! This book made me a better citizen.
  
  Thanks for reminding me that reading is a great privilege.
  
  Peace & Power in Christ,
  Pastor Rob
  

  9/29/2008 2:39:37 PM
• Nancy from Illinois

  I love picture books. They are very short and easy to read but usually have wonderful pictures or illustrations that go along with and tell as much about the story as the words do. I think my favorite author/illustrator is Jan Brett. The pages of her books are crammed with drawings in beautiful bright colors. I am amazed that every time I look at one of her books I see something that I hadn't before. A lot of her stories are based upon folk lore such as The Mitten. Grahame Baese is another author/illustrator that I enjoy. The pictures in his Anamalia are amazing. I find that the every picture book, no matter how large or small; no matter how much text is used have a good story or message to be remembered. "Kids" from 1-100 can enjoy and learn from picture books.

  9/29/2008 3:54:33 PM
• Mrs. Zehnder

  Oh, how much I've enjoyed reading books throughout my life! In middle school my favorite book was " Heidi." Another was "King Arthur and the Knights of the Roundtable. Today I enjoy reading historical fiction, books about how other Christians have faced life's challenges, and how-to books on the topics of cooking and gardening. I wish you all happy reading!

  9/29/2008 4:03:43 PM
• Jordan (Student of Mrs. Greve)

  Mom,
  Wow I never knew you read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or James and the Giant Peach! Did you like them? If you had the chance would you read them again?
  
  I have read them and I know that they have changed them a little bit. Did they change the way of the story at all?
  
  My favorite book would have to be The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. I like it because it has a mix of a lot of different genres. So no matter what you like, there is always something for you.
  
  

  9/30/2008 9:58:45 AM
• Kaitlyn

  I love to read mystery books, such as Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys. My favorite is Nancy Drew. My aunt has the whole collection. She lets me borrow them to read. For people who love adventure I would recommend Nancy Drew. Carolyn Keene is a great mystery writer and there are others to. I also love fantasy, such as mermaids, castles and princesses. For people who love to daydream and play fantasy I say they should read books about their favorite fantasy character.

  9/30/2008 10:03:25 AM
• Dolan

  My favorite genre is horror. Even though my favorite series is “The Indian in the Cupboard.” It is a rocking series. It is about a kid named Omri who has a magic cupboard and key. His favorite toy is named Little Bear. It has been turned to a grate movie.

  9/30/2008 10:06:04 AM
• Lydia

  My favorite genres are mystery, adventure, animal, historical fiction, humor, autobiography, and biography.
  The “Redwall” series by Brian Jacques because he uses vivid verbs and words I have to look up.
  I love the autobiographies by Roald Dahl. “Boy: Tales of Childhood”. He writes about funny and boyish things like putting rats in candy jars. “Going Solo” is about when he was a World War 2.
  
  

  9/30/2008 10:09:02 AM
• Jaquez

  My favorite genre of books is realistic fiction because I like my books to be somewhat real just, not non-fiction because those are boring in my opinion. My favorite book is the
  “Watsons Go To Birmingham, 1963” by Christopher Paul Curtis . This is a really funny book but the meaning of the book is family and friendship. Christopher Paul Curtis is my favorite author.
  
  

  9/30/2008 10:09:03 AM
• isaac

  My favorite genre of books is humor. My favorite book series is A Diary of a Wimpy Kid. I recommend the books to anyone that likes humorous books. There is also a second book called Roderick’s Rules, which I am still reading. The author of the book is Jeff Kinney I think that every one that likes humorous books will love this book

  9/30/2008 10:09:59 AM
• Crimmson

  My favorite genres are horror and adventure. My favorite book series is Goosebumps. By R.L.Stine. He is a great suspense writer. I love all his books. They are so interesting and sometimes scary.
  Another book I like is The Concert, Lunch Money, The Report Card, and my favorite is the Janitors Boy. All by Andrew Clements, my favorite author. I’ve read plenty books, most of them my mom recommended them to me. I am very glad because they are all good.
  
  

  9/30/2008 10:11:20 AM
• Anna

  I’m Anna and I love to read. Although I have to admit I don’t always read in my free time. My favorite genres of books include: Science Fiction, Mystery and Horror. My favorite books are: “Eragon” and “Eldest”. The author is Christopher Paolini. I’ve read “Eragon” and “Eldest”. I really want to read “Brisngr”. For all of you who wrote about liking “Nancy Drew” and “Hardy Boys”, I also love them to. My favorite “Nancy Drew” book is: “The Secret of the Golden Pavilion” # 36.My favorite “Hardy Boys” book is: “The Mark on the Door” # 13. I totally recommend “Eragon” and “Eldest” to all of you who are fond of Science Fiction. One of the books I just recently read is: “Dragonsong”. That is a nice fantasy book. If any of you ever want to read a fantasy book, try “Dragonsong”.

  9/30/2008 10:13:03 AM
• Hannah

  I am not really fond of books- but I do really like Horror books! Some include “The Third Eye”; “Demon in my View”; “The Kidnapping of Christine Lattimore”; and I am going to start “Devils Footsteps”! I loved the Historical Fiction books “Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry” and one of my all time favorites “Number The Stars”! I would also recommend “The Series of Unfortunate Events” because it is easy to read. I love to read a really good book and have my cousin lay in bed and tell them that story in a version of my own, relating it to me and them. That way after telling the whole story they are hopefully are asleep, so I can have the computer/TV to myself all night! But usually my plan backfires and they want a sequel after sequels. So we are up late telling stories over and over. I guess I just need to be less interesting!
  Kristine, (mom) what was your favorite Hardy Boys? Which Nancy Drew did you like (old or new)?
  
  

  9/30/2008 10:14:23 AM
• Godfrey

  My favorite series of books is the Hardy Boys because I am a fan of mystery books. I don’t really like to read but when it comes to the Hardy Boys I will read it. Ill have to say my favorite book of the Hardy boys is the Twisted Claw.
  The Twisted Claw is my favorite book because is has lots of action, sneaking, disquising and fighting witch the Twisted Claw had all my favorite things and the book was kind of funny is some parts of the book
  
  

  9/30/2008 10:15:13 AM
• Olivia

  Hello fellow book-lovers! My name is Olivia and my favorite genre of books is fantasy, but it varies every so often. I completely LOVE to read, but I’m waaaay too innocent to try the “staying-up-late-to-read-with-a-flashlight” trick. My favorite authors are John Flanagan, Christopher Paolini, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Tamara Pierce, but I guarantee I’ll have more by next month I like all of these books because they are filled with suspension, magic, and justice. I definitely would recommend these wonderful books to anyone. I find myself snuggled in bed reading for hours (but not at night.) I love it that books can really take you places. That’s why I love reading so much.

  9/30/2008 10:17:55 AM
• Austin

  I enjoy reading the Deltora series of books by author Emily Rodda. I would recommend the books to anyone who likes monsters, magic, and suspense.
  
  Mrs. Zehnder
  
  I love historical fiction. I enjoy books about the Revolutionary War, World War 2, Civil War and so on. The book I’m reading now is called” Snow Treasure”. It is a book that’s set in World War 2. I haven’t really got in to it but it pretty cool. During inside break I read a book that is about the Revolutionary War also “ Shows maps”.
  
  

  9/30/2008 10:22:46 AM
• Mrs. Fisher

  I stopped by the blog today and was excited to see so many new posts! I got even more excited as I read through them because so many books that I love were mentioned. Several mentioned "Little Women" which I adored. Not long ago I visited the house where Louisa Mae Alcott wrote that book. It is in Concord, Massachusetts. We saw the desk where she actually sat to do her writing. Whew...that was really thrilling. She is buried in Concord, too, and I saw her grave.
  
  I also saw mentioned "The Watsons Go to Birmingham" I read that with my granddaughter, Shelby, who is in the seventh grade, too. We've read a lot of books together. I wonder if any of you read "Every Little Bird that Sings" by Deborah Wiles? We treasure that book. Wiles was here last year and we went to see her. She told us about her life and autographed the book. She also wrote "Love, Ruby Lavender" which was wonderful. She has won many awards for her books.
  
  Mrs. Greve's daughter-in-law mentioned "The Cay" as one of her favorites. The author of that book lived in my small California town all his life. He died last year and everyone here felt very sad because he was a wonderful friend to all the school children.
  
  Isn't it fun that we all make such wonderful connections because of books? I feel like i have new friends now because we have shared and loved some of the same books! I'm writing down some of your favorites to tell my granddaughter about.
  
  I didn't mention before that I am a friend of Mrs. Greve's. I am a teacher, too, and I live in Laguna Beach, CA. We are right on the ocean about halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Last year I met many of Mrs. Greve's students because she invited me to post on their blog, too. And, now, I'm meeting another whole group!
  
  Mrs. Fisher
  
  
  

  9/30/2008 1:26:55 PM
• Bruce Braun

  My favorite book is "Flags of Our Fathers" because I love history. This book is fascinating because it deals with both the home front and Iwo Jima during WWII. It contains a very unknown factual look at a very historic moment in our nation's history.

  9/30/2008 2:54:24 PM
• Mrs. Walker

  Thank you for asking me to be a part of your blogging experience. There are 2 children's books that I have enjoyed reading, but I wasn't a child when I read them. I'm afraid I wasn't much of a reader until after high school. In college I took a Children's Literature class and that's when I read Charlotte's Web. I was carried away by that book. It was filled with such emotion, love, sadness and joy. I guess a lot like life itself.
  The second book is one that many of my former students will recognize: Number the Star. It's setting is in a time in history that I became interested in during high school, and the study of world history. One of the aspects of the book that I like is that it is told by Annemarie. We see the world through the eyes of a 10 year old, and that allows for some very intense emotion to be shown. As I write this I guess I'm very partial to books that stir emotion within me.
  Best wishes on your blogging and reading. Enjoy your 6th grade year. Blessings to you all!

  9/30/2008 5:53:30 PM
• Mrs. Krause

  During the summer between 5th and 6th grade, I vividly remember my mother telling my 6th grade teacher that I wasn't an avid reader like she was when she was young. That one comment changed my life. I decided to 'become an avid reader' that summer. I read everything from Nancy Drew, Trixie Beldon,and Judy Bolton, to every Louisa May Alcott book I could get my hands on. My favorite outing was going to the big public library which was a former mansion! The look of the building was beautiful, but the smell of the books was intoxicating and the joy reading brought to my life was unmatched. I continue to love to read. One of my favorite authors now is Karen Kingsbury, but I know any book Mrs. Greve passes my way is a winner! The book I read most faithfully is the BIBLE. I've read it from cover to cover two times and am working on the third.

  10/1/2008 11:37:22 AM
• M

  I don't remember a specific author or series of books I read as a younger person. I was so busy living life and making my own memories and inventing my own adventures. Others during my youth read series like the Bobbsey Twins. (spelling?) I did not have much of a reading ethic then. As an adult, I collected and read all the Agatha Christie books. I like mysteries with descriptive language. My favorite book, the last read, was The Last Lecture or The Final Lecture by Randy Pausch. I saw his lecture on television and then read the book. He was an amazing man, blessed with many talents...not the least of which was his ability to learn and change and live life with a wisdom that things are not as important as relationships. One especially quirky story that touched my heart was his telling of his experience with his niece and nephew and his new car, a new VW cabriolet convertible. His sister kept instructing her children to be careful in Uncle Randy's new car. Randy heard her cautions to the children and when they were getting into the car, Randy took his coke and poured it onto the back seat right in front of them. He showed them how to put things into perspective. I would suggest this book for your older students. Randy was a creative genius who worked in the field of computers and put child-like creativity into all he did.
  
  My all time favorite book is the Bible. I keep going back to it and, as life unfolds, I seek God's wisdom in the Word to comfort and guide me. I know that kids in a Lutheran School may think they get enough "preaching," but through life, the experiences, I hope the Bible serves as a touchstone to remember and revisit.
  
  I am a long time Lutheran teacher who attended a Lutheran elementary school from grades 5-8, a Lutheran high school and a Lutheran Graduate school after another undergraduate college. I have taught at least 30 years and I think I still have a childlike perspective of living life joyfully. I teach second grade, but have taught children birth through grade three and I have taught college students, as well. I have also worked with intergenerational groups, joining senior citizens with preschoolers for activities such as field trips and swimming and seniors working as volunteer aides in our classroom.
  
  Mrs. Greve was my daughter's teacher for three years.

  10/10/2008 4:43:30 PM
• Paige

  My favorite author is Janette Oak. The series she writes that is my favorite is the "Love Comes Softly" series. I highly recommend you read it. My favorite book is the second book of that series, "Love's Long Journey" for the simple reason that I got my confirmation verse from it. ( Isaiah 41:10) This book seems to be mainly about my favorite character of the series, Missie, also. These books have made a real impact on my life...in a good way, not to mention the movies were fantastic. The movies followed the books really well. The actors did a real fine job of becoming their character, too.
  Well that's from me so have fun and keep reading.

  10/14/2008 5:18:34 PM