More reading recommendations...

Consider this: Reading is LIFE WORK, not homework.

Also: Submit a post for McNally Jackson's young adult tumblr

Places to find more book recommendations:

• School Library Journal's Best Adult Books for Teens

• Parade Magazine: YA Authors Recommend favorite new YA novels

• Bookriot: If you like Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, try these next

• NPR's Must Reads for 9-14 year olds: what have you read? Do you agree?

• The Nerdy Book Club's 2013 finalists (these teachers are my kindred spirits & I highly recommend anything they recommend!

• New York Times Best Young Adult of 2013

• You can find other lists to explore here.  

Want to get lost in a book? Need reading recommendations?

I started making this list in June and then (sadly) forgot to post it.  However, it is still just as valuable as the December break approaches--and for building excitement and energy around a reading life:

If you are interesting, my opinion about break reading & summer reading, explained best by The Atlantic (the short version: GET LOST IN BOOKS YOU WANT TO READ!)

Mashable's list of 23 Books for Your Perfect Young Adult Summer Reading List

Book Riot's Feminist Young Adult Literature (some with mature content)

The Washington Post's List of 10 new Coming of Age books

Not excited about reading in general? This list promises that the books mentioned fly off the shelves!

Love novels in verse? Check out this list!

All kinds of award winners

A great flow-chart from Book Riot for all genres of YA that helps answer "what do I read next?"

The Nerdy Book Club blog has some amazing lists and resources, which is where I pulled my latest reads, Reality Boy and Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock.

Happy reading!

Amazing Writing in the 116 Blogosphere! All Star Mentors!

I was inspired by so many writers in classes 803, 806, and 812!

You should check them out, too, and strive to be one of our next All-Star Mentors:

Sophia's writing is thought provoking and passionate! I look forward to each post and have been loving her writing challenge work!

Zarrin is another writer who makes me think more deeply.  I really appreciate the way she looks at the world!

This post from Maeve was one of the most thought-provoking I've read all year!

I loved how Julia looked at multiple texts to think about how women and girls are portrayed in the media!