"I can't take it home. I'll read the whole thing!"

As a teacher, hearing this about the book we are currently reading in class, is a dream. Although I read aloud to my students, I allow them to take their book home and read on if they wish. This will only allow them to enjoy and understand the story better. My only rule is that they cannot ruin it for anyone else.

My secondary two students are reading S.E. Hinton's "The Outsiders." Even my most reluctant readers get excited about extra time at the end of a period so they can read. Today, one boy read a chapter while others were working silently, and I watched him as he read through the novel's climax. His jaw dropped.

"What the heck, Miss!" he broke the silence is class. "How can so much happen in just one chapter. I have to take a break. This is too much." He put the book down momentarily and then picked it up again to reread the same chapter.

"I didn't think a book could be this good."

My job here is done!

In my secondary three class, we are reading "Every Day" by David Levithan (On my Top Ten list) We've read about 70 pages so far, and reading a book to a class has never been so easy. When a student asked if she could bring her book home to continue reading, my answer was obvious. Her friend stated, "No way. If I bring it home over the weekend, I'll finish it. I want it to last. I don't want it to go by fast." Again, this is from a girl who does not read on her own. She has stated before that she doesn't like reading. I think she's crossing over.

My job here is done!