Summer Reads

I love to read.  I always have.  As a kid, I loved long road trips because it meant new books and lots of reading time.  As a teacher and a mama, it's so hard to find time to read for pleasure anymore.  Most of my reading these days are children's picture books and teacher blog posts!  I've found though that I have much more time to read for fun and for me in the summer.  So when my friend Molly told me about this fantastic link up, I got super excited!

Here are some of the titles I'm hoping to read this summer!

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (Am I the only one left who hasn't read this yet?)

Looking for some FANTASTIC reads?  Here are some of my top choices.

She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb (really anything he has written is amazing!)

Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Room by Emma Donoghue

What is on your book list this summer?

Leave a comment below or link up with Molly over at

  Lucky to be in First

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The Reading Game Review and a Giveaway!

A few months ago, some of my bloggy friends attended the EdExpo in Atlanta.  They all came back raving about many of the new products they were able to preview.  One of the items on their Top 10 list was The Reading Game.  You can imagine my excitement when I was contacted by the company, asking me if I’d like to try it out in my own classroom.  I couldn’t wait to check out what everyone had been talking about!

I am always looking for ways to engage my Kindergarteners with learning sight words and becoming fluent readers.  The Reading Game does just that!  It’s great for pairs of students, small groups, or one on one with the teacher or parent tutor.

There are 6 books in the complete game.  Each book has a set of cards that introduces 30 words, 5 new words at a time.  We worked with the first book in the series, Skunk.

The game begins with a memory card game to work on the first 5 words (10 cards).

Once the student has mastered the first 2 sets, there is a picture flashcard to practice sentences containing the new words.

After the student has mastered the 30 words in the set, there is a matching book to read that reinforces those 30 words.   My kinders feel so proud that they are able to read these books because they have just learned all of the words they need through playing games! 

After your students have completed all six sets and books, they will have mastered 180 new words!

Each book in the series contains words from the previous levels, which is great for reinforcement and practice.  And the game meets so many Common Core Standards!

The game is great for beginning readers but also for struggling readers.  The books are engaging and funny and not dull like some emergent readers can be.

You can find out more about this system on The Reading Game’s website.  It can also be purchased here on Amazon.  But wait!  If you order books through Scholastic Book Club, you can also get The Reading Game with your points!  It is available here in the Scholastic Classroom Bonus Catalog.

The great people at The Reading Game have offered me a copy as a giveaway to one of my wonderful followers!  If you’d like to win a copy, please enter using the rafflecopter below!

Congratulations, Jennifer K!  Please check your email!

a Rafflecopter giveaway * I received this product in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are my own.

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