This summer while I was in Charleston I had the pleasure of hearing the RockNRoll Chorus, a group of high school singers from all different cities in New Jersey. These teenagers audition and practice to prepare for a summer of weekly performances and a three week tour of several different cities from Chicago to Orlando and up the coast back to NJ.
When you first hear the RockNRoll Chorus you look around for the orchestra and then you realize that all the sounds are coming from their voices. This is an acapella chorus, but you would think that there are some hidden instruments accompanying their performances. Their music is delightful. Of course, I am rather biased about the group since my niece sings with the chorus. She’s the one on the right in the picture on this blog. Tell me what you think--listen to one of their performances on this YouTube video.
So, I know you are wondering what all this has to do with reading.
The singers in the RockNRoll Chorus are high school students. They sing in the chorus because they love performing and all summer long they sing at different events. But, they still have summer reading to complete before the start of the new school year. In between performances, traveling to different cities and numerous practice sessions, they still need to complete their summer reading. My niece was just finishing up one of her required books. I imagine several others had packed their summer reads—-even if they only got to the first chapter. Face it --summer reading is required. Just get it done. Maybe next summer you can give your teacher some good suggestions for other titles.
Here’s a review of one of the books I read this summer.
Hero by Mike Lupica
Fourteen year old, Zack’s dad (his hero) is killed in a plane crash when he was returning home from a trip. His Dad was the special advisor to the President, but Zack he really didn’t know what he did when he traveled. Zack doesn’t believe that his father death is an accident. On a hunch, he visits the crash site –an empty field at the end of Long Island in New York. While he is alone looking at the place his father plane went down he is surprised when an older man appears and tells Zach that he knew his dad and he has been waiting for him. Not long after his visit from the old man, Zach discovers he has superpowers. Then the “bads” come and try to attack him and that’s when Zack realizes there was a lot he didn’t know about his dad.
Lupica’s Hero is very different from his other novels that read like sports commentaries. This is a fast pace, action, adventure thriller. And yes, he does throw in some sports innuendos, but not nearly as much as in the past. Definitely look for a sequel to this one.
Book Ratings
L=1, V=2, S=1
Recommended Grades 4-8th
L= Language, V=Violence, S=Sexual Content
1= None or very little
2=Moderate
3-Excessive
Book Cover Pictures from Barnes & Noble
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