Salmon Doubts by Adam Sacks

I am a firm believer that you are never to old for a picture book or a graphic novel, and this book is a perfect example of why. This is a graphic novel which tells the journey of a school of salmon who make their way to the ocean. The characters in the story are, of course, salmon who experience stresses of many young adults. (following the crowd, finding a mate, rejection, challenges, peer pressure) This story is comical and would work perfect for any language and or science class. Teaching the life cycle with this book would be something the kids would never forget. :) Grade: B+

Eat, Pray, Love

I would highly recommend this book to any young woman who is going through a transitional period in their lives. Any woman who is trying to find herself or doesn't really know what she wants out of life. For me, this book validated why it is okay to be independent. The story follows a middle aged woman through a rough time in her life. She takes a break from the world and tries to find herself through the pleasures of food, religion, and friendships. She learns to love herself and realizes she has the power to do whatever she wants and be who she needs to be for herself and no one else. I think high school girls might benefit from this book, but I would say it is a little mature for middle school kids. This is definitely an AHA! book. It gets an A.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

A timeless story that follows two siblings through childhood adventures during a time when racial segregation was a normal occurrence. Scout and Jem learn a lot about the ugly side of their town and important things in life. Boo Radley haunts their thoughts, but may not be as scary as they thought. This book will warm your heart, make you laugh, cry, and keep you on the edge of your seat at times. I give this book an A+.

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

This is a wonderful book. It is the first book in a series of four. This book touches on themes of love, loyalty, respect, friendship, and value. It is a fast pace read with action, adventure, and romance. This is not your typical corny vampire book. (I'm not about vampires, but I loved this book) It is very well written and entertaining for everyone from 12 year olds to 40 somethings :) males and females alike. It is about a high school girl who leaves her sunny home of Phoenix to move in with her father in Forks, Washington. She meets Edward and her life changes forever. This book gets an A.

Touch Upon The World

The future is in the eyes of my students. They will be running the world when I am old and decrepit. What can I do to touch upon the world in a positive way? This is my attempt. I am a firm believer that reading opens the doors of opportunity for everyone. One of my goals in this life is to impact the leaders of our future and try to make them understanding, compassionate, competent, fair, and educated people. I would like to welcome you to my attempt at achieving this goal. I think the key to getting children to read is a matter of finding the right book. I have read numerous books in my life. The stories are all in my heart, but the titles and authors have taken a leave of absence from my head. Here you will find a treasure box of books which have impacted me and may very well impact others in this world. Learning is a social process so I would love help in achieving my goal. Please add books which have touched you and feel free to comment on existing books.