Summertime! What are you reading?

[Barbara Jansen]

I just posted this on the new blog, but decided that it had a wider appeal and I love to get good book ideas.

Two weeks into summer and I am finally over a 7 day bout with a vicious virus. Deep into teaching at UT, I am reading mainly for class. But awaiting me on my nighstand is Special topics in calamity physics by Marisha Pessl. It is laden with metaphors and similies and lit references, but is a fairly engaging summer read. See review at Amazon. Other titles hoping to be elevated from bedtime reading are: How we are hungry by Dave Eggers, A thousand splendid suns by Khaled Hosseini, and The people of paper by Salvador Plascencia. Oh yes, and my toothbrushing read, which will take me awhile to finish since I only read it 2 minutes a night!: The know-it-all by AJ Jacobs. What are you reading?

[Karen Cunningham]

Speaking as an elementary librarian...all the Bluebonnets! (I've read 11 out of the 20 so far.) For personal pleasure reading, I don't want anything I have to think too heavily about...I just finished grad school in May and have not read anything of purely my own choosing in over 2 1/2 years. So far I've read Paula Deen's autobiography, a biography of Laura Bush, a memoir called The Fireman's Wife (because I am one), a Nora Roberts trilogy (the one about the elements, although the Key trilogy is my favorite), James Patterson's newest Women's Murder Club (6th Target?), Angels and Demons, and an inspirational romance called Texas Brides.

Next week the new Janet Evanovich book comes out, I am about to start Chicken Boy (off the Bluebonnet list), and I still need to read The Higher Power of Lucky and Twilight.

Whew...I'm tired just typing all that!

[Barbara Jansen]

Wow! You ARE getting in some reading! It made me tired just reading all that!

[Teresa Price]

I am reading Bluebonnets too. It really is my first chance to just sit and read. Yesterday I read The Ghost's Grave, Who Stole Halloween, The Blue Ghost and On the Road. It was pretty heavy on ghosts for sure. In my community, some parents will be unhappy with their children reading about ghosts, but they will be very popular with the students. I am now reading Fire Girl.

[Sue Mueller]

Being an elementary librarian, I hardly ever read adult books, but I'm recovering from surgery and have picked up some Christian fiction. I've really enjoyed Francine River's trilogy beginning with A voice in the Wind. I've also enjoyed the O'Malley series starting with the Negotiator. I'll read the Bluebonnet books in August. Yes, I agree, heavy on ghosts, but the kids will love the stuff. What a minute, maybe they will read!!!

[Denise Kornegay]

I LOVE the O'Malley series! I read them a few years ago and shared the series with all of my friends. Many of them got hooked and couldn't stop with just one book. In fact, I got the series for my high school library and they're checked out regularly.

[Pam Shellenberger]

I am with Karen, graduate school keeps me from reading what I want! I have managed to read a few Bluebonnets, my favorite so far has been Bella at Midnight. I am also enjoying Naked Reading by Teri Lesesne.

I haven't read the last two Janet Evanovich books, so let me know if it is worth it (meaning is Ranger in them alot? -wink)

I had intended on reading Harry Potter 6 once more before the seventh arrives at my door, but I don't see that happening...

[Shonda Brisco]

Well, I just accepted a position as the District Librarian for Peaster ISD (which is very close to my home...thank goodness, no more "Nascar training exercises" on Interstate 20 to Arlington every day!)....which will give me the "opportunity" to engage myself into reading ALL of the Texas booklists (Bluebonnets, Lone Stars, and Tayshas!!). I had already started on the Bluebonnets and (to be honest) got caught up with the Lone Star titles and pulled several to read for "fun" before I interviewed for the position at Peaster....now, I'll be reading (and listening) to everything in order to be up-to-speed on what is happening! (But it's fun!) My recent addiction is listening to the books via my Audible account which has allowed me to download the books to my iPod and listen as I drive to different places this summer. It helps to knock out a book or two during those long road trips---I usually have the print copy, so I read it when I'm stuck without the iPod.

Aside from the "kid books"...I usually don't read adult titles. Instead, I'm reading professional titles or journals to get ideas, stay up on the latest topics, or learn more about a program or idea that I want to implement. I blame my MLIS program for training my brain to only read professional materials when I have free time....and if you think that my choice in "free reading" is odd, you should see my personal / professional collection of books!! I recently visited a branch library that had a great outreach program in educational programs for librarians. I almost died when I scanned the shelves and realized that every book on their shelves was also in my personal collection....don't tell my husband!! I don't even want to know how much I've spent on this stuff!

[Kathleen Reeves]

I'm moving up to middle school next year after my first year as a librarian in an elementary school. I'm also trying to make my way through the Bluebonnets and Lone Star books for an incentive reading program next year. I just finished Twilight last night. In fact, I began it at 9:30 and I couldn't go to sleep until I finished it at 2:30 in the morning It was great! I can see why the middle school girls are ga-ga over it. The third book in the series is coming out Aug. 7. I'm thinking about seeing if the girls want to read it as our first book club choice.

[Leesa Cole]

I have been reading the Bluebonnets and Lone Stars all summer but I did sneak Harry Potter 7 in as well as book 1 of Aidan's series "An Assembly Such as This". I'm reading this last book to get me in the correct frame of mind to fully enjoy the new movie "Becoming Jane". Oh, and I began the summer with "Uglies" so that I could say that I had read it.