DEAR time

I am a big proponent of our school's daily silent, sustained reading program, DEAR. Sometimes to the chagrin of my 4th hour class.

Here's the thing, the single most powerful thing that anyone can do to get smarter and improve their prospects in life is to read.

If you think you hate reading, it's probably because it's not easy. But the good news is, the more you do it, the easier you get at it. The easier it gets, the more you're likely to do it. It's an upward spiral. The more you read, the better you get at reading. The better you get at it, the more you'll enjoy it. The more you enjoy it, the more you'll want to do it- and so on.

Bottom line is that students can learn more, expand their vocabulary and improve their performance in all their classes at school just by reading on their own. So find something that you'll enjoy reading. It can be fiction or non-fiction. It can even be a comic book. The more you read, the more you'll learn. Your learning is in your own hands, not your teachers.


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Here are some websites to help you get more into books and reading.


Scholastic's "Bookprints"
http://youarewhatyouread.scholastic.com
At Scholastic, we believe that literacy is the pathway to success and to realizing a complete life. Books play an important role in shaping who we are and who we will become. You Are What You Read provides a unique opportunity for readers all over the world to connect with each other through their shared “Bookprints,” as we celebrate the books that bind us together and make us who we are today. View famous people's bookprints, or share your own.

Goodreads the largest social network for readers in the world. We have more than 4,100,000 members who have added more than 110,000,000 books to their shelves. A place for casual readers and bona-fide bookworms alike, Goodreads members recommend books, compare what they are reading, keep track of what they've read and would like to read, form book clubs and much more. 


PaperbackSwap  an online used book swapping club. Post the books you're willing to swap with other member, earn credits when you mail your used books to other readers. Request books you'd like, use your credits to order books that other members will send you for FREE!


National D.E.A.R. Day? (April 12)
D.E.A.R. stands for Drop Everything and Read. National D.E.A.R. Day is a special reading celebration to remind and encourage families to make reading together on a daily basis a family priority.





Mr. Mallory's Picks


Cannery Row


5 of 5 stars






This is a funny yet warm story of a bunch of hobos in Monterey California who decide they want to throw a party for their friend Doc Ricketts, a marine biologist. They get him to hire them to collect frogs for his lab and use the money he p...


tagged:
all-time-favorites and dear-recommendations


1984


5 of 5 stars








Wow. This was good. The last time I read this book, I think it was 1984.

At that time, I saw it merely as some weird science fiction thing that fortunately hadn't come true. Of course, my English teacher at the time tried to help...


tagged:
all-time-favorites, dear-recommendations, and sci-fi


The Catcher in the Rye


4 of 5 stars






Be warned, this book has pretty much nothing to do with baseball. I still don’t know what it has to do with the title at all. It’s probably just as well, I mean the title doesn’t make any sense anyway. Catchers don’t stand around in the rye...


tagged:
dear-recommendations


Fahrenheit 451


5 of 5 stars






Wow, this book is scary. It was written back in 1953 but it feels like it's happening today. This book follows Guy Montag, a fireman, only in the future, firemen don't put out fires, they start them. This book sucks you in so that you feel ...


tagged:
all-time-favorites, dear-recommendations, and sci-fi


To Kill a Mockingbird


5 of 5 stars






Marvelous. It's not just about race, it's about growing up, about age, gender, disability, religion, economic class, social and familial status, ignorance and intellect, fear and trust. It's about discovering how often your assumptions and ...


tagged:
all-time-favorites, dear-recommendations, and must-reads-for-democrats


Strength to Love


5 of 5 stars







tagged:
all-time-favorites, christian, dear-recommendations, and progressive


Mash: A Novel About Three Army Doctors


4 of 5 stars







tagged:
all-time-favorites and dear-recommendations


Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream


4 of 5 stars






I first read this when I was in high school. I don't think anyone REALLY knows for sure if HST's surreal and hilarious "gonzo" style is a phenomenal talent for fiction, the result of his alleged drug abuse, or some combination of ...


tagged:
dear-recommendations and humor


The Princess Bride


5 of 5 stars






As a matter of fact this is the book that was the basis for the cult-classic 80's movie starring pro-wrestling legend, Andre the Giant. It's full of great action, romance, suspense, and great catch phrases.

INCONCEIVABLE!
You k...


tagged:
all-time-favorites and dear-recommendations


The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy


4 of 5 stars







tagged:
dear-recommendations and sci-fi





goodreads.com