What are you currently reading?

In the last post I wrote, I specifically said I would be reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I am reading this book and I am happy to announce I am currently at page...27! Woo, I've got far. book before your kids.

However, I have had to, yet again, read a book for work. As you are aware I work in a school as a primary school teacher. I am an NQT (Newly Qualified Teacher) and as anyone will understand you need to read the book before you start teaching from it.

So this is where you will find that I have been reading Dead Man's Cove at the same time. If any of you follow my Instagram you will see I have been posting more recently about Dead Man's Cove. Our topic this term at school is about the beach and the coast. Specifically, how the coast is changing. We will be looking at a range of different coasts and beaches in the UK and Europe as this leads up to our next topic of Euro 2016 (one for the sportier kids). So as a Key Stage we decided to read Dead Man's Cove by Lauren St John. The main character is Laura, an orphan who has spent her entire 11 years of life in children's home and foster homes. Now she has finally found a family member to live with, to look after her, to care for her, in the shape of her estranged uncle. Laura is loving her new found freedom and sense of individuality, but there is a range of questions running through her head. Why can't she go to Dead Man's Cove? Why won't anyone tell her the real reason? Why does Tariq refuse to talk or interact with anyone?

The book was written in 2010 and was voted The Blue Peter Book of the Year in 2011. The school I work in is based in a seaside town. We are fortunate enough to live and work very close to the beach. The children often spend their evenings and weekends on the beach and have stories to tell me upon returning to school. We hope this book will excite them and develop their imaginations about where they live and the possibilities down by the beach.

Although I am currently reading a book for school, this does not by any stretch of the imagination mean I have forgotten about The Book Thief, I have received a number of positive reviews about this book so far from friends and colleagues who have read the story,

I look forward to continuing to read it and I am already deeply interested and engrossed in Dead Man's Cove. I can only hope the children at school will be as interested as the rest of us.

We have recently completed Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl as our English book in lessons. The majority of the children had seen the new film and kept trying to tell each other how it finished or what happened next. The children thoroughly enjoyed the book and were completely engrossed throughout. We were able to achieve a range of learning opportunities from the book. Including, visiting a real chocolate factory in York, making their own chocolate bars and writing our own alternative endings for the journey down the chocolate river.

Unfortunately, I did not get a finished photo of the amazing board the children created. I hope to make the next display, along with the help of my amazing teaching assistant, even bigger and better.

I want to know what books you have currently been reading. What books do you keep picking up and putting back down again? What would you recommend? Is there anything you want to read but "haven't got time for" - believe me, you have. Please let me know...Steph xx