Did Little Andy really write this?

I'm pretty sure the answer is no, I looked into this somewhat, and I know how that meniacal mind works. Anyway, it is his birthday and I'll use this as a reminder to tell you to so send him some books! It is the deep south so try and stay away from books about witchcraft and evolution (like Animorphs).

p.s. I read through the amazon book list. Is it safe to conclude that Andy has some black students in his class?

Dear Friends, Family, & (a few) Enemies

Hi and Happy Labor Day! I hope this email finds you well and I apologize if contact with me has been difficult or nonexistent in the past couple months, but I've been incredibly busy setting up for this year and beginning to teach. Speaking of which....

As you probably know, I'm teaching 9th grade English in Southeast Arkansas. Everyday this is incredibly exciting, especially seeing these kids increase their skills as readers and seeing the potential for more and more growth throughout the year. These students have enormous potential as readers, but, sadly, many of them are far behind where they need to be in high school. Past negative experiences with literacy still hinder some of my students' ability to move forward. Many have yet to find lasting joy in reading. While my classroom library houses some classics and general fiction books (most of which were generously donated by friends and family this summer), it remains somewhat sparse in terms of the material that will really engage struggling readers.

One of the difficulties with struggling high-school readers is the gap between the books that would interest them and the books that they can read right now. In the hopes of adding to and diversifying my classroom collection, I've created an Amazon Wish List with some classics but also a number of attention-grabbing, teen-centered pieces. Please feel free to browse http://amzn.com/w/1HT0DIMIGJS9G and donate to our classroom library if you would like and are able.

I hope that this Wish List is just the beginning of our classroom library. If there is a book that really got you interested in reading--that is, if there was a book that you (as a Middle School student, a High School student, a college student, or a person who reads books) really enjoyed, that really made you want to read more, that changed your life in some way (and there probably is), I bet it will have the same effect on one of my students. It would be an amazing thing to share that book with a young reader (especially a struggling one). So if there is a book not on that Wish List that you think one of my students would enjoy, he or she would be so grateful to have access to that as well.

(Also, as you may know, my birthday is approaching [10/1] and a book or two for my classroom library would be such an awesome birthday gift to receive!)

Thank you, so very much, for anything you can give. My students will benefit because of you, and I cannot thank you enough.

Best wishes,
Andy

P.S. If you received this e-mail, that means I'd love to hear from you (whether or not you choose to send a book my way!). Please write or call sometime to let me know how you've been doing!