The January blahs are settling in and taking root. The twinkling Christmas lights have been packed up. Your jeans are tighter than in October and you insist on blaming the drier. The next holiday is Valentine's Day and you don't have the heart, or social life, to fully embrace it. It is easy to say, "Welcome winter blahs! I have been expecting you." And then be in a bad mood until April when you see your first robin and finally snap out of it.
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I am a BIG fan of Reading Rainbow. If you enjoy being read to, check out Levar Burton reading The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963. It is such a treat!
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It takes strength to avoid being the grouch no one sits by at staff meetings. This year, I am taking steps to plunge through the winter months without gaining 8 extra pounds and spending my evenings swaddled in a musty quilt. My first step is going to involve reading more Young Adult (YA) literature. Many YA books are short, magical, thought provoking, and you will probably learn something new before you flip to the final page. If you are drawing a blank on books titles, I have some suggestions.
The Candy Bomber, by Michael O. Tunnell (A SHORT memoir - peppered with period photographs)
Here is your chance to finally understand the beginning of the Cold War and the Berlin Airlift. (I took a class on the Cold War in High School and can say I consistently snoozed through the semester. I had no idea what was going on. The teacher made a risky move of assuming his students understood The Cold War before signing up for the class.) You will meet Michael and learn how he "bombs" the children of East Berlin with chocolates tied to hankie parachutes. Yes, things were complicated back then, but fortunately the hysteria surrounding white sugar hadn't started. My son recommended this book to me and said I would have a renewed sense of hope after reading the final page. He was right.
The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate (MAGICAL)
This was my favorite book of 2016. My Starbucks friend, Kristen, bought me the collector's edition for Christmas. It is oversized and filled with colored illustrations. Normally I avoid books with talking animals and dogs on the cover, but Ivan (the gorilla narrator) is funny, observant, and has true grit. Find out how Ivan saves his young elephant friend, Ruby. This gem is based on a true story.
The Serpent King, by Jeff Zentner (THOUGHT PROVOKING)
Zentner, a musician turned writer, gives voice to three seniors (Dill, Travis, and Lydia) living in a small town in Tennessee. They are unlikely friends with difficult pasts. (Well, not Lydia. She is the Molly Ringwald of the book.) The Serpent King got me thinking about my High School dreams, which led me to think about dreams and aspiration of my friends, students, and kids. If you have watched The Breakfast Club more than once, then this book is for you. Note: This book is most appropriate for 9th grade and up. It contains no talking animals.
LEARN SOMETHING
I love learning while reading, it compels me to read more. Googling to find out more is just part of reading YA books. Here are two of my favorites books that I read every year with my students. I could go so far as to say, these books were life changing.
Small Steps, by Peg Kehret (A Memoir about polio.)
A Long Walk to Water, by Linda Sue Park (The Lost Boys of Sudan)
What books are helping you beat the winter blahs? Any life changing books I should get my hands on? Happy reading.
Prairie Eydie
