I’m starting to feel a touch of blue in and around getting ready for next year.  Next week I’ll get my class list.  I’ll send out letters to 3E 2017-2018.  You’ll be getting your letters too.  It’s exciting to think of a new school year, but … I still read with you in mind.  All summer long I’ve been finding books that made me think of all of you.  Some great new series and some stand alone books that I think you’d all be interested in.  This week I’ve read the new Stick Dog and I wonder if Gavin and Zack have read that.  I found a new-to-me series called Misty Inn and I think Samantha will really like that.  Charise Mericle Harper (author of the Just Grace books) has a new series about a cooking show competition.  I think Gabby, Julie and Mackenzie will like that.  I think Max and Sully will like Jack and the Geniuses at the Bottom of the World.  I know you’ll all find your own way to terrific for you books – but if you ever need a suggestion or want to borrow something, please stop by.  I’d love to keep sharing books with you from our classroom or on the blog!  Let me know what you’re reading too!  I love new suggestions. ♥

Here’s some of what I’ve been reading this week.  I discovered the Misty Inn series this week.  I found it through a review of the 7th book in the series, Teacher’s Pet.  I thought it sounded interesting, so I purchased books 5, 6 and 7 at the bookstore.  I read them in backwards order and think they’re great – so needless to say, I’ll be getting books 1-4 soon.  In book 7 school has just started again, and Willa’s first assignment is to  make a how-to presentation to her class.  It is supposed to share something important to Willa so the class will get to know her better.  There are lots of things Willa could teach people how to do, but it’s challenging to come up with a topic that shares something important too.  As you read, you discover that Willa’s family has recently moved from Chicago to Chincoteague.  Her family has a new inn and her dad, a chef, runs a restaurant there.  The inn is called Misty Inn in honor of Marguerite Henry’s book, Misty of Chincoteague .  Family, horses, food and the inn are all important to Willa – finally she creating and cooking with her dad for her how-to topic.  Cooking only happens when you can get all the right ingredients… You’ll have to read Teacher’s Pet to find out how Willa’s presentation goes.  If you have an interest in horses or just like to read about family and friends similar to you, make sure to check this series out.  Willa, her brother Sam and friends, Sarah, Lena and Chipper are fun to spend time with.

It’s October and Stick Dog and his pals are hungry again.  I bet you can imagine some of the things the friends do in Stick Dog Craves Candy.  At first they’re frightened of the witches, but on closer observation they discover that this might be a pretty amazing night.  Of course Karen get’s distracted, PooPoo offers to slam into a tree, Stripes comes up with an outrageous plan and Mutt shakes out all the tools he can.  In the end, there are several ways that Stick Dog helps his friends to an incredible stash.  Nothing new, but fun all the same.  If you’re a Stick Dog fan, make sure to check this new addition out.

Light, Camera, COOK is the first book in the Next Junior Chef series.  In it four kids meet for the first elimination round of the competition.  There’s Rea, who’s learned to cook with her grandmother, Oliver, who’ taken lessons with some to the best chefs in the world, Tate, who’s an inventor who love to mix tastes and cuisines and Caroline, who’s been around great food all her life in her family’s bistro.  At the end of the week, one of the kids will be asked to leave.  It’s pretty interesting to read about the story behind the tv drama and to read about how these very different chefs can root for and support each other even when they know they may be left behind.  I can’t wait to read the next (I’m guessing) three books in the series to find out who wins the competition, but also to discover what the four kids do with all they learn along the way.

What have you been reading this summer?  Do you have any suggestions for me?  Please share them in a comment.  Happy reading – so many books…