Winter Break 2017 #BookADay Challenge

I had two wonderful weeks off for Winter Break, so I challenged myself to read 14 books (one for each day)! Here is how I did on my challenge. I provided links to Amazon so you could read summaries or purchase a copy.

1. The Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

I chose this book because it is a dystopian novel that has been on the New York Times Bestseller List. This book would be for more mature readers because of violence and some graphic details. The age range on Amazon has it as 12 and up and grades 7-12. Common Sense Media has more details on why it is rated as it is (their rating is at 11 years and up).  Overall, I really enjoyed this book and hope to read the rest of the series. I gave it 5 stars.

2. Took: A Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn

This book has been around my classroom a few times and is written by a popular author amongst my students, so I decided to try it out. I am not a huge fan of scary books, but I did enjoy this with it’s suspenseful and mysterious plot and good characters. It was not drawn out like some mysteries and I liked that. I gave this book 5 stars.

3. Frazzled: Everyday Disasters and Impending Doom by Booki Vivat

I definitely chose this book because of it’s cover and hilarious title. How many of us adults look back on our middle school years as an unbelievable and crazy experience? I know I did. I was so awkward, paranoid, and uncomfortable. I also had some of my greatest moments with some great friends. This book brought all of those memories back and had me rolling! I gave this book 5 stars.

4. Mighty Jack by Ben Hatke

Ben Hatke wrote a great adaptation to the Jack and the Beanstalk tale. I loved this graphic novel with it’s awesome illustrations. It was a great adventure and I look forward to the rest of the series. I gave this book 5 stars.

5. Lost in a Book by Jennifer Donnelly

I chose this book for one reason, it was a tale as old as time…Beauty and the Beast! I loved the spin with the story and gave this book 4 stars. It was a fun read.

6. All the Answers by Kate Messner

I chose this book because several of my students had read it and I had read Messner previously and enjoyed her writing style. This story had a fun plot about a magic pencil, but what really hooked me was how much I connected to Ava! I mean, a paranoid and anxious girl who questions and worries over everything? That is me! I gave this book 5 stars.

7. The Truth About Stacey by Raina Telgemeier

This is the second book in the Babysitter’s Club graphic novel editions. They are super fun to read and it brought back memories of reading these books when I was growing up. I gave this book 4 stars.

8. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Okay. I do not know where to start. This is probably going to be the best book I had read this year. It tore me apart. It was amazing and powerful and emotional and just awesome. I loved the illustrations by Jim Kay (the same who illustrated the Harry Potter editions) and thought they spoke louder than words. I highly recommend this book! I gave it 5 stars.

9. Ban This Book by Alan Gratz

I love Alan Gratz. He knows how to write a book that you cannot put down. This book was hilarious and had me turning pages as fast as I could read them! I loved that it was a book about books as well and that it was about standing up for what you believe in. It had a great list of books that students should read as well. I gave this book 5 stars.

10. The Worst Class Trip Ever by Dave Berry

I chose this book after hearing a review on a podcast. I also needed a mystery book for my 40 book challenge. I enjoyed the plot, the adventure, and the mystery. The characters were hilarious and Berry has a funny writing style. I did give it a 3 out of 5 because I just was not sold on the book. I did not find myself racing to find out what would happen next. I did want to know, but it just wasn’t as mind blowing. It was tough to follow A Monster Calls though…that book would be hard to beat.

11. Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier

I love reading Raina’s graphic novels and this one might be my favorite of hers that I’ve read. I loved the Dias De Los Muertos, the focus on family, and the diversity of the book. The illustrations were amazing and the creativity was spot on. I couldn’t put this book down and highly recommend.

12. The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibuishi

I really enjoyed this fantasy graphic novel. The illustrations were unique and the characters were very interesting. The book broke my heart right from the start, so I definitely kept reading and plan to read more of this series.

13. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

I am surprised I haven’t read the DOWK books since they are very popular with my students. I enjoyed the humor and could see why my students enjoy them. I may or may not read more of the series.

14. The Doublecross by Jackson Pearce

I chose this book because the author came to Springfield (I did not get to meet him but one of my students did) and some of my students have read this book. I also loved the cover and the story grabbed me in. I would recommend this book to those who like spy books and mysteries.

I read some pretty amazing books over break and am ready to share the with my students! My favorites were A Monster Calls and Ban This Book.

Have you read any of these books? Share your thoughts below!