Many of us have just gotten the newest Harry Potter book. Some of us have already finished it and others have yet to begin. (I’ve only read the first five chapters even though I got the book at midnight!) I’m sure we will all be eager to discuss it but just to be sure nothing is ruined for anyone else, I will not post anyone’s comments until after I have finished the book and then will only post those that don’t give anything away. When we return to school, we can have a special “Discuss it” time when you can talk about anything in the book! That way, no one reads or hears something that they weren’t ready to know! READ ON!!

Ok, I have a three year old daughter so I read a lot of picture books. The same picture books, over and over and over. We have two picture books featuring the character Fancy Nancy. What I have realized this summer, as my daughter uses words like ecstatic and parfait and surprises her grandparents, is that these books are really good for stretching your vocabulary. If you don’t already know what those 2 words mean, run to the library and read the book! Most picture book authors use great words in their books. There might only be 2 or 3 good vocabulary stretchers in each picture book but that’s 2 more words that you will know when you are in school next year! Has anyone read a book this summer that helped them learn a new word? Tell me your new words! I love words! Anyone who comes back with a new word and can tell me what it means in August will find a surprise waiting for them

I have only 2 more Bluebonnet Book nominees to read for this year. I recently finished The Earth Dragon Awakes. This historical fiction book is a good story that leaves you in suspense a few times but what’s really cool is that a lot of the story really happened. If you read the author’s end notes or epilogue (I don’t have the book in front of me so I don’t know what he called it), the author tells you which events really happened even though they happened to someone else. The whole story takes place in the great San Francisco Earthquake. Certainly an event that I don’t wish to experience for real! So, if you’re tired of made up stories and are waiting for Harry Potter, run to the library and  try this book. It’s not very long and you’ll experience an earthquake safely!