When I read something or hear something or see something that I love
I TALK ABOUT IT ALL OF THE TIME!
It’s true. I talk about it to my family. I talk about it to my friends. I talk about it to my class. Heck, I even talk about it to perfect strangers.
So, what am I talking about right now?
READY PLAYER ONE I read this book last year and let me tell you I went gaga over it. Ask anyone, it’s true! I’m not a ‘gamer’ but my kids loved video games and my students love video games and, let’s face it, I played a little Space Invaders in my day so this book grabbed me. The VR world in the story grabbed me (I have always loved the vision of Science Fiction). The whole 80’s schtick in the book grabbed me. And the STORY grabbed me. Then I found out it was going to be a movie, it was already in the works, and Spielberg was doing it!!! Ok, I’m just a little excited.
So read, or listen to (that’s what I did, great listen!) the book, you have 21 days left until the movie comes out on March 29th.
THE DAILY This podcast from the New York Times has helped me fill in the gaps on so many topics that are in the news today. It’s about a 20 – 25 minute show hosted by Michael Barbaro. With the help of the NYT reporters you get an in-depth background on the stories as they grab your attention in the news. This background information is supplemented by excellent stories and interviews from the then and the now. My favorite moments are when Michael Barbaro hits on the main ideas of what is being discussed as a strategy for comprehension, just like we teach our nonfiction readers to do! Listening to The Daily has led me to many other really good podcasts like Lexicon Valley (all about our language), The Daily Show Ears Edition (Trevor Noah), The Way I Heard It (short stories with a twist), Tell Me Something I Don’t Know (game show format full of amazing stuff) and The Gist. If you haven’t yet, try a podcast on for size!
AUDIOBOOKS I was born with a book in my hand, literally, hahaha. But last year I began listening to books in my car on my long (20 minutes) commute to work. Wow, it changed my reading life! First of all I doubled the amount of books I could consume. Second of all it has helped me read more nonfiction (what used to be my least favorite genre). Third of all I’m learning to pay attention differently when I read anything! I find myself not only listening when I drive now but I grab reading minutes when taking walks and when on the elliptical at the gym. I got my mom listening to books as well and as she put it, “I read the book more carefully, the whole book.” I thought about that and realized what she means. Because the book is read at a single speed (you can listen faster), you are actually reading the entire book rather than skimming through parts you may have deemed ‘less important or less interesting’ or just falling asleep during parts because, well, just because you’re tired! You can’t fall asleep when you are driving!
So now that I have talked your ear off about things I have read, seen, or heard that I love I hope it inspires you to try something new or share out something you love. It’s a big world of great stuff out there, all you need is someone to guide you once in a while to something new!
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