Dear Rick Roden,

Dear Rick Roden,
    These books are awesome. As a teacher, sometimes I come across boring children's lit with sad plots and unlikeable characters. Then I find smart books with good characters and a plot I can enjoy. The Percy Jackson books are smart, enjoyable, with great characters and teach Greek Mythology in a way that you don't realize you are learning. I couldn't ask for more.
    I had this student when I taught 6th grade, will call her H. H was the kind of student you only get once in a career. She was sweet, smart, kind, bright and soaked up her education like a sponge. She was genuinely interested in writing and went at it with an enthusiasm and zest that made you excited as a teacher. I had many good students, some great students but only two as gifted as she. One day she confessed to me that when she was in trouble, her parents took away her books. I had noticed that like many of the other girls she was carrying Breaking Dawn with her where ever she went. This was not something unusual but the fact that she was carrying it with her for a few months was. She read quickly and it was unlike her to linger over a book. When I asked how she liked the book, she told me, "I love it. This is my seventh time reading it." Now, as an educator I am thrilled to hear a love of reading, but isn't there only so much Bella and Edward love making one can take? I told her that was great, but why didn't she read something else before her eight turn. She asked for a suggestion and a few other of my students had raved about Lightning Thief. When I told her that, she asked if I had read it because she wanted someone to talk to about it, so I told her I would read it too. At first I expected it to be just another teen lit but then I couldn't put it down. It was fast paced with a complex story and had me guessing which mythological creature would be next. I finished the first story before H did and we raved about it when she finished. She was off to the library for the next and I was off to target to "add to my classroom library" of course. Eventually we both finished the series and got another student enchanted with it as well. It was a fun mini book club that overall helped each girl with their writing as well. Fantasy always spices up writing, in my opinion.
   I feel this series is on par with the Harry Potter series but I don't think it gets enough respect. I saw the movie and was pleasantly surprised. From the trailers, I didn't think it would do the book justice, but on the contrary it was smart and funny and followed a good chunk of the story. I don't know what happened then. Was it bad advertising or a missed age group? When I moved to fourth grade, I read the first few chapters out loud. The students enjoyed it a lot and a few even went to get the book from the library themselves. I'm not sure why it hasn't the fan base of the boy wizard. I hope that eventually as the new Lost Heroes series grows so will it's fan base and the interest of others. There are so many qualities that kids can relate to and adults who remember what it was like to be in that awkward middle school age.
    After I read this story, I wish I could have gone with Percy, Annabeth and Grover on their adventures. To me that is a great fiction story and one that I will continue to pass on to my students. And when the next Lost Hero book comes out in October, I know I will just have to make a run to Target to add to my classroom library.

Sincerely,
KT


Percy Jackson and the Olympians Paperback Boxed Set (Books 1-3)
The Heroes of Olympus, Book One: The Lost Hero 

Dear Stephenie Meyer,

Dear Stephenie Meyer,
        I may not be a twihard. I may not be a twimom or a twilady (?) or a member of Team Edward or Team Jacob. I am none of these things, but I do thank you for your books. I thank you for getting tweens and teens to read. Thank you for reminding people that a good book and a good story is what reading is actually about.
      When I found out I was going to be teaching middle school, I figured I should start reading the series. I knew that the middle school students LOVED these books and if I wanted to understand them, I should start taking an interest in what they liked. I was pleasantly surprised. I knew the basic story but expected middle school sap that no one in their right mind could stomach. It was a great story with very good story telling techniques. For me, the best part was being pulled back to that time in my life. I remember being in high school. I remember the first love and those feelings. When you would see them, what it was like to know they felt that way too. It was nice to remember a more innocent time. True, it does have a little clingyness, a little you and me only vibe, a little I am your life and no one else matters, but I understand the why. I understand the idea of having the world revolve around one person, but like a good old person in the story, I think they are a little young to feel that way. It makes me understand that I am not a high schooler.
      I read the rest of the books soon after. New Moon was done before I taught middle school and Eclipse and Breaking Dawn in the middle of the school year. I couldn't put Breaking Dawn down. A Christmas present, I was done before New Years and can reread it all the time. It is one of my favorite books lately. And I was right when it came to my students. One student alone read Breaking Dawn 7 times in a row. They were obsessed. Prime for love and relationships, these poor girls have no options with these middle school boys. Middle school boys don't have a clue. So they turned inward to these stories. As they wrote my creative writing stories, their inner desire to be Bella permeated every line. Some were basic rip offs with vampires and werewolves. Some loved and used the idea of being the new girl in school that the ungettable boy fell in love with. And reading these made me sorta sad. What will happen to these impressible girls? Will they be forever waiting for their own Edward or Jacob? Will no one be good enough? Will they settle for some loser guy who breaks their hearts and forever destroys their innocence? Will reality ever be good enough for these girls?
   It's been nearly a year since I taught sixth grade and I see these same girls. They don't seem to be as single minded but I'm not as close to them as I once was. Maybe they are counting the days til Breaking Dawn and carrying the books every where they go. But I see them holding hands with boys, laughing and I guess Edward and Jacob are gone. But that's the best thing about books. There will be a new generation and they will read the books and they will fall in love too. I just hope it works out for everyone in the end.

Sincerely,
KT


Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga, Book 4)