Favorite?
How many times has someone asked you some version of the following question:
“What’s your favorite...?”
Favorite color? Favorite movie? Favorite song? Favorite food?
No matter how many times I’m asked the “favorite” question, I never feel ready to respond. I love purple, but blue and orange are pretty great too. I couldn’t possibly live without avocados...or chocolate...or pumpkin muffins...or really all the delicious food (except mayonnaise, I hate mayonnaise).
Perhaps the question I dread the most is: “What’s your favorite book?” I read all kinds of books and I love each one for different reasons. A book can be great because it’s a thrilling story, teaches me something new, is beautifully written, or has characters that feel like friends.
I refuse to choose a favorite! Which is why I never ask students to choose a favorite book either. Instead, on the 2019 Embark Supply List we ask students to bring in “1 copy of a book you really enjoyed, which will be added to the Embark library.”
My selection is Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan, which centers around a 12 year old girl named Willow. While the story begins on a tragic note (Willow’s parents both die in a car crash) her quirky way of looking at the world and resilient spirit won me over. In the end, Willow’s tragedy brings together five unique and lovely people (a therapist, a cab driver, the owner of a nail salon, and two teenage siblings) and they help each other to see the beauty and joy in everyday life.
But, just because I really can’t choose, here are three other books I’ve really enjoyed this summer: Peak by Roland Smith, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, and Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer.
What book(s) have you enjoyed recently?