Will You Face Struggling, Reluctant Readers Again In Your Classroom?

I grew up as a struggling, reluctant reader myself. This year, you might want to do what this teacher did concerning books her students were excited to read. She writes:

Dear Teacher,

   My name is Sandra Stiles. I am a middle school Language Arts teacher in Bradenton, Florida. I have always had a passion for reading. That passion doesn’t always transfer to your own children. My daughter was a struggling reader. It took another teacher to introduce her to an author whose books she devoured.  

    I am here to tell you about that author who has my students reading and fighting over his books.  Max Elliot Anderson has been one of my favorite authors for several years. Not only do I love his books, but my students love them as well.  I have three classes of students who have a remedial reading class, then they come to me for Language Arts.  

     When I did my first book pass with my students I made sure to have one of Max’s books in each pile to introduce them to his books. Both boys and girls love his books. Almost all of his books are not only filled with adventure, but also mystery. 

     One of my lowest readers has made it a goal to read all of Max’s books I have on my shelves. He has read eight books so far. The really cool part is that he started talking to some of the girls in the class. Now he has them reading them, too.

     Max has two major series, “The Sam Cooper” series and “The Accidental Adventures” series.  Both of these have characters that all kids - boys and girls alike - will love. There are also several standalone titles.

     I can’t say enough about his books.  I highly recommend them to classrooms everywhere.

Sandra Stiles - NBCT - ELA teacher/Dept. Chair

These books are readily available on this Amazon Author’s Page

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B002BLP3EE 

Wildfire Smoke

Air "quality," due to the smoke from #wildfires, is very poor today in Northern Illinois. This picture shows houses just across our street.

Best Dog Ever

I’ve been informed my story, Blitz's Epic Journey, will be included in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Best Dog Ever which goes on sale at retailers August 18, 2026.

This true story comes from back when I was just a kid and our prized, purebred Boxer was stolen. Missing for many months, and then finding his way home, it’s an incredible story every dog lover will love and appreciate.

Just One More of Spring's Many, Marvelous Miracles

 This year, we had the opportunity to observe something too many of us take for granted. We first noticed it with the arrival of a pair of robins just outside out living room window.

It began with the intricate design of a beautifully engineered nest.

At first it appeared as if the birds had abandoned the project because we didn't see them for several days. But later, I raised my camera up above the nest and took this picture.

After that, the birds took turns constantly sitting on the nest until...

It was at this time the parents became extremely vigilant and protective of their nest.

It wasn't long before they fed their young constantly. Which is why the little ones soon looked like they were about ready to leave the nest.

The next thing I knew was when one of the babies stared at me, through the window, as if to ask, "What're YOU lookin' at?"

Finally they were on their own to discover a bright new world.

What a miracle of creation!

Amazon Author's Page Adventures & Mysteries for kids: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B002BLP3EE 

With 2 of my own granddaughters now teenagers, this book becomes more important every day!

REVIEW:  Tracy’s Choices by Max Elliot Anderson is a powerful, sobering nonfiction account (sometimes described with semi-autobiographical or journal-like elements) that follows the real-life story of Tracy Eichman, the first person in Illinois convicted and imprisoned for knowingly attempting to transmit HIV/AIDS. 

The book traces Tracy’s path from a seemingly ordinary middle-class upbringing in Rockford, Illinois, through a series of increasingly destructive choices. It begins with early alcohol use, escalates to peer-pressured drug experimentation in high school (marijuana, pills, then harder substances like heroin and cocaine), leads to dropping out of school, street life as a prostitute to fund her addiction, involvement with a biker gang, repeated arrests, abuse, and eventually the devastating impact of AIDS. 

Anderson doesn’t sensationalize the story for shock value. Instead, he presents it straightforwardly and factually, interspersing details of Tracy’s experiences with broader information on the realities of addiction, risky behaviors, and their consequences. The narrative highlights how small, seemingly harmless decisions compound over time, leading to profound personal and physical destruction. It’s a stark warning rather than entertainment. 

A turning point comes through her arrest by Lt. Jim Mays, a Christian officer whose compassion and faith play a key role in Tracy’s conversion. She finds redemption, forgiveness, and purpose in her later years—reaching out to warn other young people—despite the irreversible toll of her earlier choices and health struggles. The Governor eventually grants her a pardon so she can return home, and the story underscores themes of grace, responsibility (“You are Responsible for You”), and the possibility of transformation even amid tragedy. 

Strengths

• Relevance and Impact: This is essential reading for teens and young adults. It directly confronts drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, and their life-altering (or life-ending) effects without preachiness. The Christian message of redemption emerges naturally from Tracy’s encounter with faith and community support.
• Honesty: Reviewers note it pulls no punches on the grim realities (addiction’s grip, health decline from AIDS, trauma) while keeping language and descriptions appropriate—clean, factual, and suitable for its target audience. 
• Purpose-Driven: Anderson, primarily known for clean middle-grade adventures and mysteries aimed at reluctant readers (especially boys), steps into heavier territory here to equip young people with foresight before critical life choices solidify. 

Overall Recommendation

4 out of 5 stars. Tracy’s Choices is a convicting, compassionate, and ultimately hopeful book. It’s not light reading, but that’s precisely its strength. In an era when some downplay the risks of substance use or casual sex, Tracy’s unfiltered story serves as a compelling cautionary tale. Parents, youth leaders, educators, and teens themselves would benefit from it. It drives home that while bad influences exist, personal responsibility and the offer of redemption remain central. Highly recommended for its intended audience as a tool for wise decision-making.

Amazon Link:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/0938447173 

Use AI to search for authors or books for your children

Have you used AI to search for authors or books for your children? My favorite is Grok, but there are several available. Even Google has an AI option connected to their normal search bar. Simply type in - Tell me about author Max Elliot Anderson - and see what happens.

Back Yard Surprise

Here’s a little nature story for your Monday afternoon. We have a tree in our back yard that surprises me every spring when it comes back to life. That’s because rodents are all the time going inside the trunk, which is all rotted out, and scratching more of it out. We had a wind storm and rain earlier, so I went out to pick up sticks from our other trees. I noticed a clump of leave in the trunk of this one, put my gloved hand in there, and something gray jumped a little, kind of like you would do if you were poked unexpectedly. Turns out there’s a squirrel nest in there, that grey blob is the mother, and soon, if not already, there will be a litter of babies in there, too.

That grey blob is the mother squirrel