Quarterly Blog
1. - For One More Day, 2
This book was not challenging at all. It was a very short book and very easy to read. I understood it very well; there weren’t many words I did not know.
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, 4
This book was also not very challenging. After reading the first 6 books I was familiar with the Harry Potter books and the language and writing style. Even though it was long, I found it was easy to get through and read.
- The Perfect Storm, 8
This book was pretty challenging for me. It had some vocabulary that I did not know (mostly fishing terms). The story was a little hard to follow and the author included a lot of fishing history and weather stories that I found irrelevant. If the author had not written about these things, it would have been a much easier book to read.
2. I think I am the type of reader that prefers fiction over non-fiction. I find that non-fiction is generally more interesting and fun to read than true stories. This quarter I have stuck mostly with non-fiction with the exception of the Perfect Storm. Usually I try to stick to fiction and fantasy, but during the second quarter I plan to explore other book genres. I always make my book selections based on the blurb on the back cover. If it seems like an interesting book from the blurb then it is worth reading to me. I will read a few pages of the book to make sure the language is not too hard for me to read but if the book is at my reading level than I will pick it to read.
3. When I am reading my independent reading book I find that I am making predictions and inferences about what is currently happening in the book. Sometimes when I am reading a book, I will realize whether a prediction I made earlier was correct or incorrect.
4. I try my best to read every day for at least 20 minutes and I do choose my books very carefully.
5. I would give myself a B+ for my independent reading grade. I have read 3 books this quarter, I usually read outside of school, I maintain my blog and I always have my book on Friday.
6. In a review of this book, the reviewer states that the reader will be fascinated by the lessons in meteorology and detailed ethnography of modern fishermen. For me, this was boring and not fascinating at all. If you were a guy that is interested in weather and fishing and the ocean this book would be perfect for you. But if you are not, this book could be a little bit boring in some parts. The reviewer also says what makes this book so compelling is the human drama that plays out. I agree that the suspense makes this a very good book. It makes you want to figure out what is going to happen next.
7. - I plan to explore the class library more often to make my book selections. This will help me find better books that I will be most likely to enjoy.
- I plan to read even more this quarter. I want to read every night for 20 minutes. I did not maintain this habit very well in the first quarter. This way I can stay on pace for independent reading.
- I plan to become a more active reader by making connections and continuing to make predictions and inferences. This will help me better understand what I am reading.
