Hello everyone. I hope all is well with you! Since I’ve been writing some pretty heavy blog posts lately, I thought I’d talk about something a little bit lighter today and that is the Scholastic 20 for 20 reading challenge.
Photo credit: Ed Yourdon via Visualhunt.com / CC BY-NC-SA
That’s right. I’m going to read for twenty minutes a day right along with my kids. I just did a post a few weeks ago about how improving literacy starts at home. You can read the post by clicking here if you’re interested. https://lisaorchard.wordpress.com/2016/02/21/improving-literacy-starts-at-home/
I’m going to use this time to bond with my kids. They’re growing up so fast! Sniff. I’m treasuring these moments with them, and I hope I’m creating good memories for them. My youngest is turning into quite a reader, too.
My son has gotten into the Percy Jackson series. Thank you Rick Riordan for creating that series. I know now my son is becoming a life-long reader. Now to get my oldest on board and I’ll have accomplished my goal. :)
Did you know reading for pleasure improves critical thinking? Critical thinking is on the decline in the US as a result of the increase in video game usage. According to this article,
http://library.poly.edu/news/2009/03/03/develop-your-critical-thinking-skills-read
Studies show that reading develops imagination, induction, reflection, and critical thinking as well as vocabulary. So if you’d like to join me in the 20 for 20 reading challenge, please do. I’ve listed the books below that my sons’ are reading along with the book I’m reading. What are you reading? Do you have any books you’d recommend?
Here’s the book I’m reading right now. It was written by a friend of mine. :)
When Katherine Dennard is selected to become a “Creation Specialist” in Sector 4, the opportunity sounds like a dream come true. But Kate soon discovers the darker side of her profession – the disposal of fetal organs and destruction of human life. It makes sense, really. In a society where disease and malformations don’t exist, human perfection demands that no genetic “mutants” be allowed to live. For Sector 4, “survival of the fittest” is not just a theory – it’s The Institute’s main mission.
When Kate discovers that The Institute is using her DNA to create new life, her work gets personal. In order to save her unviable son, she’ll have to trust Micah and his band of underground Natural Born Rebels. The problem is, if The Institute discovers her betrayal, the next body being disposed of could be hers.
“This is a powerful story about the meaning and value of life–we don’t have enough of those.” ~ Terry Trueman, Printz Honor author, Stuck in Neutral
And now fiction becomes fact: BBC News: UK scientists are seeking permission to genetically modify human embryos …
Here’s what my oldest is reading. Isn’t this the sweetest?
This book opens in a small town in Michigan where Sarah Cole and her sister Lacey are now living with their Aunt and Uncle. Still reeling from the fact her parents have disappeared, Sarah starts the school year with her new friend Jackie Jenkins. When Sarah learns the school has been bombed, she’s filled with dread. Uncle Walt is a teacher, and he was in the school when the bomb exploded. Taking matters into her own hands, Sarah decides to search for him. The rest of the Super Spies are right behind her. When a fireman chases them away from the school, Sarah becomes suspicious. She decides to investigate. The FBI arrives on the scene. Sarah realizes this bombing could have even bigger implications. Searching for the bombers, Sarah is introduced to the world of terrorism. She fears that the bombing and her parents’ disappearance are connected and terrorists are involved. To make matters worse, the bombers are determined to finish the job. Can the Super Spies find the bombers before it’s too late?
Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can’t seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse-Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him.
