I Love Chocolate Cake!

I Love Chocolate Cake!

What is your chocolate cake of books?  Today mine is The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley.

I wasn't always the avid reader and children's and young adult book lover I am.  I have fond memories of my mom sitting with my four siblings and myself piled on a twin bed listening to her read James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the annual Christmas holiday story printed in our local newspaper where we couldn't wait to hear the next day's chapter.  I had some favorite books growing up, but I never heard my mother say to me, "Why are you reading that book again," or "That book isn't on your teacher's reading list."  I don't remember my teachers telling me I could read certain books either. 

I am an avid reader of the Nerdy Book Club  and the post earlier this week really begs me to share the Nerdy Book Club Post: Chocolate Cake by Julie Falatko. I love the analogy of picky eaters to that of picky book selectors. We work so hard to teach students to read, but developing a "love" for reading is through our excitement for reading!  I see it when I book talk books or share book trailers.  I love to hear when students cannot wait to get their hands on a book I've shared.  Let's get students to discover their chocolate cake of books, not their broccoli of books.