Summer Reading: A Joy or a Drag?

Summer is the perfect time to pick up a book and get lost in it. There's the luxury of time, the beach, or a comfy porch chair to whisk you away into a fantasy land or let you get up close and personal with a memorable character.

Here's my first question: if you read a book from the school's summer reading list, did you end up pleased with the selection and the experience? If not, why?

Second question: if you read books of your choice, which one(s) resonated with you and why? Perhaps there is a book or two you would suggest for next summer's reading list?

Summer of the "Breaking Dawn"

Last summer brought the final installment in the Harry Potter series and forced readers to say goodbye to favorite characters. Summer 2008 finds readers entranced by the conclusion of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga. Breaking Dawn finds Bella torn between two worlds. What is your take on the concluding volume? Is there a "happily ever after" for Bella and Edward? How do you envision it? What makes the books in the Twilight Saga so compelling for you? Which book was your favorite and why?

AI Big Read: Time for Pleasure Reading

Over the Holiday break, we hope that you had time to read something just for the fun of it. Not for school, not for an assignment. You can probably earn some extra credit for this from one or more of your teachers.
Just reply to let us know about the books you've been reading. What proved to be a memorable aspect of the book? Would you recommend them to others? Why or why not? Just add some thoughts about the book and/or the author to get a conversation going.