A Top Ten Tuesday post is probably the last thing I should be publishing today, considering how behind I am on reviewing books.  But, yeah.  I just couldn't resist today's topic since it's a freebie.  Yay!

My friend messaged me a bookish question on Facebook yesterday and I thought a Top Ten list would be the perfect way to answer her query.  She will be starting her first year of teaching this Fall.  As she's trying to collect books for her classroom library, she asked which titles I would recommend stocking for her upcoming 6th graders.  This is a little tricky as kids this age want to read more mature books, but (in my opinion, anyway) they're not necessarily ready for hard-core YA novels yet.  In fact, there's been a bit of a brouhaha at my kids' elementary school about the recent availability of teen books in the library.  So, in thinking of volumes for a 6th grade classroom, I tried to come up with stories that are exciting/complex enough to hold an older reader's attention, while still being appropriate, especially for a school library.  Be sure to let me know whether you agree or disagree with my choices and what additional books you would suggest to my friend.  I'm sure she'd appreciate as much feedback as possible.

Before we get to that, though, why don't you join in the Top Ten Tuesday fun?  It's super easy.  Just go on over to The Broke and the Bookish, read the easy-peasy instructions, and jump on the bandwagon.  It's a good time, I promise.

Now, on to my list.  First of all, I would make sure I stocked lots of great classic lit, like The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, The Diary of Anne Frank, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the Anne of Green Gables books by L.M. Montgomery, etc.  

Assuming I already had those on hand, these are the Top Ten Books/Series I Would Buy for a Sixth Grade Classroom Library:


1.  Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling—Most kids discover the wonders of Harry Potter long before sixth grade.  If they haven't, they need to.  This is also a series that kids (and adults!) love to re-read, so the more copies of the books a school has, the better.


2.  The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins—Although these books are pretty violent and grim, it's a YA series that definitely appeals to middle grade readers.  While it doesn't provide the most uplifting reading in the world, the series features books with tight prose, lots of action, and thought-provoking moral questions.


3.  The Percy Jackson series (and spin-offs) by Rick Riordan—These books are popular with readers of all ages.  Sixth graders love them as much as fourth graders do.  Also, watch for Riordan's new series based on Norse mythology—the first book will be coming out in October, I believe.


4.  The Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer—Although this is a YA series, it's squeaky clean.  It's also got memorable characters, vivid writing, plenty of action/adventure, and a sci fi twist that makes it stand out from the crowd.  Sure, the books are "re-booted" fairy tales, but there's plenty for both girls and boys to love about this series.


5.  The Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz—When my son was in 5th and 6th grade, these books were his absolute favorite.  Alex Rider is sort of a young James Bond.  I haven't read any of the novels, but they're very popular at my kids' elementary school and come highly recommended by my son.


6.  The Maze Runner series by James Dashner—Like #5, these books will appeal to reluctant readers, especially those of the male variety.  With dystopian elements, a mystery, and lots of action/adventure, this series is another really popular one.


7.  The Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter—I don't know how much literary merit these books have, but who cares?  They're clever, upbeat, and tons of fun.  My 13-year-old daughter and I both adore this series.

8.  The Unwind series and, really, anything by Neal Shusterman—If you read this blog on any kind of a regular basis, you already now that I'm a huge Shusterman fangirl.  His books are complex, imaginative, and thought-provoking.  I love the Unwind series best of all, but I also really recommend his Skinjacker series.

9.  Anything by Margaret Peterson Haddix—Haddix is another author who will appeal to reluctant readers.  Most of her novels are short, quick reads that still manage to be suspenseful, exciting, and thought-provoking.  Every 6th grade library needs a little Haddix in it.


10.  The Al Capone books by Gennifer Choldenko—I adore this trilogy about families living on Alcatraz Island during the time it housed a working prison (and a very famous inmate).  It's a fascinating historical series that is unique, interesting and full of heart.  I love it.

I could seriously go on and on about this subject!  So, what do you think of my choices?  Which books/series would you buy/not buy for a 6th grade classroom?  I'd love to hear your answers and I know my friend would, too.

Happy TTT!

So, I wasn't planning to participate in Top Ten Tuesday this week because I already posted a review today, plus this week's TTT topic is, well, tough.  Some of the topics inspire dozens of answers to pop into my head, others just ... don't.  Still, I didn't want to miss out on the fun, so I just twisted the prompt to suit my needs a little better.  If you want to liven up your Tuesday a little, click on over to The Broke and the Bookish to get the skinny on how to participate.  It's easy!  It's fun!  It will give you clear skin and firm thighs!  Well, maybe not that last bit ...

Anyway, this week's topic is: Top Ten Characters You'd Like to Check In With.  Since I could only think of ones I figured would be on everyone's lists (Scout Finch, Scarlett O'Hara, etc.), I decided to focus my list on characters whom I can check in with, but whom I've been neglecting of late.


1.  "Bloody" Jacky Faber (Bloody Jack series by L.A. Meyer)—You've heard me rave on and on about how much I love Jacky.  She's a fantastic, larger-than-life heroine who makes me laugh.  As much as I adore her, though, I've only read half of the books in the series.  I need to pick up My Bonny Light Horseman soon and see what crazy adventure Jacky's on this time!


2.  Amelia Peabody (Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters)—Amelia Peabody is more understated than Jacky Faber, but she's also a heroine who has great adventures.  Her shocking actions/demeanor make me laugh.  I haven't read a Peabody mystery in some time and might have to re-start the series so I can remember who's who and what's what.  Or, I might just start where I left off (Book 5?  Book 6?).


3.  Percy Jackson (Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan)—Percy Jackson is one of my kids' favorite heroes.  I enjoyed The Lightning Thief, but never moved on with the series.  I think I need to drop back in and see what the young demi-god is up to these days.


4.  Peter, Susan, Edmond, and Lucy Pevensie (The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis)—I loved The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe when I read it in elementary school.  Why I never read the rest of the series, I really don't know.  I've regretted it ever since and should really finish it up.  I have at least two sets of the books on my shelf, so I have no excuses ...  




5.  Mel, Jack, Preacher & Co. (Virgin River series by Robyn Carr); Hank Cooper & Co. (Thunder Point series by Robyn Carr)—I love Carr's romance novels with their small-town settings and big-hearted people.  I've read over half of the former series, but only the first of the latter.  I've got some catching up to do, for sure!


6.  Hannah Swensen (Hannah Swensen series by Joanne Fluke)—Yes, I realize these are the silliest murder mysteries in the history of murder mysteries.  I blame my friend Tara for turning me on to them.  She's right, though, they're useful when you want to read a light, easy mystery that won't turn your stomach or tax your brain.  Also, there are the recipes.  So, yeah, I definitely need to pop back into this series to see what's going down with the cookie baker turned amateur sleuth.


7.  Cammie Morgan & Co. (Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter)—I love this outlandish, warm-hearted series.  It's just fun.  The girls always have something crazy going on, so visiting them is a guaranteed good time.  I need to start Number Three, Don't Judge a Girl By Her Cover, soon.


8.  Don Tillman & Rosie Jarman (Rosie series by Graeme Simsion)—The Rosie Project made me laugh out loud (many times) and root for this unlikely pair.  I'm curious to see what happens to them next.  Good thing I'm already on the library's waiting list for The Rosie Effect.


9.  Odd Thomas (Odd series by Dean Koontz)—Although I was not happy with the ending of Odd Thomas, the first installment in this popular series, I enjoyed the book.  Considering what happened to poor Odd in the first novel, I definitely need to check in with him and see if he's okay.


10.  Ruth Galloway (Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths)—Okay, so I just barely left this English archaeologist, but I'm ready for another visit to the salt marshes she loves so much.  Especially since the first novel ends not in a cliffhanger, but in an intriguing twist.  I definitely want to see where it leads!

So, there you have it.  I'm obviously horrendous at completing series.  The worst thing is, I feel like I've left all these characters hanging, like they've just been suspended in time until I open their books and release them.  When will I stop neglecting these poor story people?  Hopefully soon.  Which fictional characters have you been ignoring?  Which are you still wondering about?  Who would you like to catch up with?  I'd love to see your TTT list.

Happy reading!

*All book images from Barnes & Noble

I usually don't review movies on this blog, but it just so happens that I watched three book-to-movie adaptations over the weekend. Before you think I'm just plain lazy (I did skip a woman's retreat thing-y because I needed to "get ready for school to start"), I got some school shopping done as well. Plus, my husband's aunt invited 3/4 of my kids over for a sleepover - the hubs and I had to take advantage of that by having a night "in" together. There's also the fact that two of the movies have been sitting here for several months, so it was time, you know?

Percy Jackson, star of Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief, has had a tough life. First, his father abandoned him and his mother when he was just a baby. Then, his mother married Gabe Ugliano, whose surname just about says it all.

At least, his mother dotes on him. Still, Percy just can't seem to stay out of trouble; He's been kicked out of six schools in as many years. Now, he's at Yancy Academy, which would actually be enjoyable if it weren't for two things: dyslexia, and the fact that nothing seems to go right when he's around

Now, he's headed home for the summer and things seem to be going from bad to worse. He and his mom set out for Montauk, where a hurricane has them running for their lives. Only the hurricane isn't really the problem - it's the minotaur that's got Percy terrified. Yep, you read that right - a minotaur, as in the bull-man monster from Greek myths. I know they're not supposed to exist, but in Percy's world they do, because (as he soon discovers) he is a half-blood, as in half-god, half-mortal.

After narrowly escaping the minotaur's grasp, Percy finds himself at Camp Half-Blood. Here, he finally learns the truth about his parentage (some truth anyway), his dyslexia (his brain is pre-wired for ancient Greek, not English), and the reason bad luck always seems to be only a step behind him (monsters have been following him, of course). Still, this is the worst bad luck he's had. Explanation? Easy. Hades (God of the Underworld) and Zeus believe that Percy has stolen two magical objects - Zeus' lightning bolt and Hades' war helmet. The thefts have the gods threatening war, a prospect that would not be good for anyone.

The only solution seems to be for Percy to take up a quest to find the true thief, recover the stolen items, and return them to their rightful owners. Despite the oracle's warnings, he selects two companions and embarks on the quest. What ensues is a harrowing trip across the U.S., which will take the trio to the River Styx and beyond. On their way, they encounter a group of monsters that seem to have stepped right out of a textbook on Greek mythology. When all is said and done, the thief is not who they thought it was, but someone much, much closer. In fact, it's someone Percy would call a friend.

The Lightning Thief offers a wonderful romp through a fantastical world of larger-than-life characters, from the powerful Zeus to a modern-day Medusa. The plot twists and turns, cleverly using mythological elements to keep the story racing along. Probably the most engaging thing about this book is Percy, our bumbling, misunderstood hero. He's likeable, human (well, kind of) and completely sympathetic. His voice is so authentic you almost believe his story is real. Although the story's a little predictable (you will spot the camp traitor a mile away), it's an irresistibly fun read. I'm heading right out to find the sequel.

Grade: A