Dear Ashley,

Dear Ashley,
In late June, I was reviewing the books on the 7th grade summer reading list when I came across Suzanne Collin's Hunger Games. Unfortunately, this book was not on the summer reading list. The 7th graders should be so lucky! The book caught my attention because everyone who reviewed it wrote glowingly about it. I decided to buy a copy with the hope that Seamus might want to read it once his mandatory summer reading was done. You and I talked about so many books when you were at St. Francis. Your voracity and love for reading impressed me so much! It was hard for me (a 39 year old adult) to keep up with the books you devoured on a weekly basis. I have wracked my brain trying to remember if you mentioned this book in passing. I think you did and I wish I had read it along with you so we could have talked about the many facets of this engrossing series. I am positive we would have discussed it during many lunch hours. I wonder which male character you like better: Peeta or Gale? Im leaning towards Peeta but I havent totally made up my mind yet. Again, I wish I could discuss it with you! I wonder if you admire the strong, female lead Katniss? Personally, there are some things I really like about her and others that I find characteristically teen-like and annoying. It would be so interesting to talk about these topics with you - you being a young 12 year old and me a woman well past her teenage years.

This summer I breezed through The Hunger Games and its sequel Catching Fire. Today, the third and last installment in the series comes out: Mockingjay. As soon as the boys and I can get showered and dressed (hopefully that will be in the next hour,) we're heading out to Barnes and Noble to buy that book. I cant wait to sit back and read it all day! Ahhhhhhhhhhh! I feel like Ive been waiting all summer for this book. In fact, I have! It kind of blows my mind that I can be so entertained by a YA book. Do you think the books/writers are getting better with time? I dont remember the books I read as an adolescent and teen being this compelling. Then again, I never read much when I was younger. Perhaps I never gave this genre enough credit.

I wonder if you're bugging your mom to get this book today, Ashely. I like to think you are. :)

I miss you and hope you are settling into your new home well.

Love,
Mrs. McGarvey

(Note: Ashley is a girl who used to be in Seamus' 5th and 6th grade class. She was a prolific reader and we would often talk about books when she would work her service hours in the nurse's office with me. Ashely and her family moved away this summer and I miss the opportunity to talk to her about good YA books. Im hopoing "Dear Ashley" will allow me that same outlet in her absence.)