Hi there Hokies, Dottie here! 

I've been trying to figure out how to spend more of my time lately since the weather turned so rainy. After much thinking, I finally figured out what I'm going to spend more time doing– READING! I have set a goal for myself to read 20 books this summer. Everyone should set goals for themselves, and I think this is the perfect way to set goals as well as expand my knowledge. I have always loved reading, but I haven't always had enough time to do so. Reading isn't only beneficial for adults, it is also important for children. With kids ending school early and some kids not knowing whether they will return to school in the fall, reading is the perfect way to keep their minds going. 

Dr. Kelly Passek must have been thinking the same thing when she worked towards having children books delivered by drone in Christiansburg. Montgomery County Public Schools has partnered with Wing, a drone delivery company, to deliver books to children who live in the company's service area. Students can select from over 150,000 titles and have books delivered to their front yard for free.

After being inspired by Dr. Kelly Passek, I decided to create a list of adult and children's books that are currently trending to inspire you to read too! Hope you enjoy and click on the picture of the book to take you to a link for purchasing!

Books for Adults

1. Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens 

“A painfully beautiful first novel that is at once a murder mystery, a coming-of-age narrative and a celebration of nature....Owens here surveys the desolate marshlands of the North Carolina coast through the eyes of an abandoned child. And in her isolation that child makes us open our own eyes to the secret wonders—and dangers—of her private world.”—The New York Times Book Review

2. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng 

“Written with deep empathy and vivid characters who feel true to life, Little Fires Everywhere is a captivating, insightful examination of motherhood, identity, family, privilege, perfectionism, obsession, and the secrets about ourselves we try to hide.” —Buzzfeed 

3. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell 

"If you were the first of your friends to read Girl On The Train, and have read Gone Girl more times than you can remember, then here is your summer read. A thriller about a 15-year-old girl who has vanished and a mother who won’t give up hope. A perfect Pimm’s companion." -The Sun (UK)

4. 28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand

―Elisabeth Egan, New York Times Book Review

5. The Girl Who Lived by Christopher Greyson

"The plot turns come fast and furious... Sharp characters enmeshed in a mystery that, particularly in its final lap, is a gleefully dizzy ride." -- Kirkus Reviews

Books for Children

1. Pete the Cat: Pete the Cat's World Tour by James Dean

2. There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Rose! by Lucille Colandro 

3. If You Give a Dog a Donut by Laura Joffe Numeroff 

4. Pete the Cat: Pete at the Beach by James Dean 

5. Frindle by Andrew Clements