I’d like to share about a couple of books I’ve read recently…

All of the Above – by Shelley Pearsall

This book was enthusiastically recommended by Kim Ford, a middle school librarian who constantly motivates me to read more.  I jump at every opportunity to hear Mrs. Ford talk about the books she’s read.  (Check out the Kim’s List page on her blog!)  When she said that she’d like to have every student in her school read this book, I knew I had to read it.

This book, based on a true story, is set in a middle school in a poor, inner-city neighborhood.  Despite low expectations (The math teacher writes “I never really expected any of my students to show up – and I didn’t have a plan when they did.”), a handful of students accomplish something incredible together and learn about themselves in the process.  The book is written from each character’s point of view so the reader gains insight into each one’s life and motivations.  Although the story is not without setbacks, it is uplifting and inspirational.  If you spend your time in a middle school, as a student or a teacher, I think you’ll like it.

The Geography of Bliss – by Eric Weiner (pronounced whiner)

I think that even though people are always texting “lol” to each other, it’s rare to actually laugh out loud when reading something by yourself.  Some might even call it odd.  For that reason, I won’t recommend reading this book in a public place.  Despite efforts to control myself, I laughed right out loud while reading it in a hotel lobby, at Starbucks, and in a waiting room.

The humor isn’t even the best part of the book, in my opinion.  The author travels all around the world, looking for the happiest (and, in one case, the unhappiest) countries.  Reading it is like taking your own trip around the world.  Weiner delves into what makes different places unique: the people, the culture, the “feel” of each country.  I didn’t come away from this book with the “universal secret to happiness” (spoiler alert: there isn’t one), but it nudged me to think more about what makes me happy.  It’s a great read.  It’s also written for an adult audience so I wouldn’t recommend this for our middle schools.

Keep reading and keep learning.