Teen Read Week and Giveaway

Picture courtesy of ALA.

I became a teacher because I love books. I love the feel of them in my hands, the way they smell, and the fact that I get to live a thousand different lives within their pages. I love that they make me think, make me cry, make me laugh so hard my stomach hurts. I love the truths they reveal and the lies they tell. I became a teacher because I want to encourage others to love them too.

It’s always surprising to me to discover students who live in literature-free homes. I grew up surrounded by books – I read my parents’ books, borrowed from friends, and collected my own. I remember one Christmas I was most excited about receiving The Hounds of the Morrigan. I remember another Christmas where I spent the entire break reading Gone with the Wind. But I have students who don’t have a single book in their house, who’ve never seen a parent read, who can’t understand the draw of books.

When a student tells me they don’t like to read, I tell them they just haven’t met the right book yet.

And that’s my goal in life – to introduce my students to the right books, to help them find their literature soul-mates.

In order to do that, student must have access to books. Often the idea of going to a bookstore to buy a book is a completely foreign concept to them. It’s why classroom libraries, school libraries, and public libraries are so important.

I keep books in my classroom library and help the school librarian choose high-interest reads. The public librarian in charge of YA now comes to our school a few times a month so students can check books out. It’s so important to have books readily available for kids. Everything else is at their fingertips these days – books should be too.

So in honor of Teen Read Week, I’m donating several copies of RECLAIMED to school libraries. I would love for you to do the same – donate to school or public libraries, give to a teacher to keep in her classroom, leave it at a coffee shop with a note. Let’s put books in the hands of teens.

I’m giving away a $100 gift card to the bookstore of your choice. When you buy RECLAIMED this week, enter the rafflecopter and email your receipt to shcpreorder@gmail.com. If you choose to donate one, please let me know that. (I’ll be doing a post on how many books were donated during Teen Read Week.) In addition to the gift card, I will be giving away a thirty minute Skype chat with me. If you win, you are welcome to chat with me about the book, about writing, about knitting, whatever. Or, in honor of Teen Read Week, you can donate the chat to the school or library of your choice.

The giveaway runs through Sunday. I would love it if you would spread the word. The more books we can get in the hands of teens, the better.

When you give a book, you give so much more.

CONGRATS TO THE GIVEAWAY WINNERS! NICHOLE WON THE $100 GIFT CARD, AND TIFFANY WON THE SKYPE CHAT.  Thanks to everyone who participated!

a Rafflecopter giveaway