It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 5/12/14

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It’s also a great chance to see what others are reading right now…you just might discover the next “must-read” book!

Jen Vincent, of Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee decided to give It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit – join us! We love this meme and think you will, too.

We encourage everyone who participates to support the blogging community by visiting at least three of the other book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

Last Week’s Posts

top ten tuesday bullying SUMMER final cover image (2) beginning

Tuesday: Top Ten Books We’d Frame As Pieces of Art

Wednesday: Guest Post from Mathangi Subramanian, author of Bullying “Top Ten YA Books About Bullying”

Thursday: Guest post by Michele Weber Hurwitz, Author of The Summer I Saved the World in 65 Days “Why Characters Who Lose Their Way Win My Heart”

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: Have you all read the Eleanor series by Julie Sternberg (Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie, etc.)? I just finished the third one, Like Carrot Juice on a Cupcake, and I love the series more and more with each one. I really think the voice is getting stronger and stronger. I look forward to reviewing this one for you. I also read Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg. This book is SO funny yet very deep. Also, a teacher in a  story always helps me love a book.

Trent read:

  • Forever by Emma Dodd (One of my favorite “I love you forever” books, so I reread it with Trent on Mother’s day.)
  • Dinosaur Kisses by David Ezra Stein (This looked like a cute mother’s day book as well though it ended up being more funny than sweet.)
  • Dino-Baby by Mark Sperring (Just stuck with the dinosaur theme on Mother’s day.)
  • Creature Colors and Creature Numbers by Andrew Zuckerman (Love the focus on numbers and colors in nature.)
  • Snuggle Puppy! by Sandra Boynton (There has to be an audio of this as a song–is there?! I just love Sandra Boynton!)
  • Hug Time by Patrick McDonell (My husband really likes Mutts so I knew he had to read this one to Trent and MAN is it a good one.)
  • Bedtime for Chickies by Janee Trasler (Will be a staple at bedtime I’m sure.)
  • The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton (See, love Sandra Boynton. These are all from the library though, so I really need to buy some.)

Ricki: This week, I finished listening to Paperboy by Vince Vawter. It is a beautiful book and will join my list of favorite middle grade titles. I know most people have read it, but if you haven’t, I can’t recommend it highly enough. I learned a lot about stuttering, and I fell in love with the story, which is semi-autobiographical. I also finished reading a sweet book called Annika Riz, Math Whiz by Claudia Mills. After reading Annika’s story, I wanted to get my hand on the first book in the Franklin School Friends series. I’d recommend it for grades 2-4. We will be hosting a giveaway for both books on May 22nd, so stop by if you would like to win the first two books in the series!

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: I don’t know what this week holds. I still have Dan Santat books, which I want to read with Trent. I also have some nonfiction picture books to read for future Wednesday posts. As for novels, I’m not sure as I just finished Openly Straight and haven’t picked my next book, so we’ll just have to see what I pick tonight to read.

Ricki: I am having a difficult time focusing on one book. Last week, I was reading eight. I think I am reading at least eleven right now. I should stick with one, but I just love the variety. Rather than repeat last week’s post with the several books I am reading, I will say that I am loving Ann Brashares’ The Here and Now. It reminds me a lot of Cristin Terrill’s All Our Yesterdays

Upcoming Week’s Posts

top ten tuesday baseball love letters to the dead yesterdays

Tuesday: Top Ten Books We Almost Put Down

 So, what are you reading?

Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on at least 3 other blogs. If you tweet about your Monday post, tag the tweet with #IMWAYR!

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24 thoughts on “It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 5/12/14”

  1. Boynton books and The Paperboy are ones I should try and read. I can’t wait to read your thoughts on Baseball Is… which I enjoyed even though I’m not a sports fan.

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  2. I’ve only read the first two books of the Eleanor series, but I have the third book on my list. Openly Straight was one of my favorites last year. I loved the voice. Paperboy was a great book too. You all have had some excellent books in your hands. 🙂

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    • Thanks, Crystal! It has been a great week of reading. I am hoping this upcoming week proves as fruitful! I hope you have a great week, too!

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    • The 3rd one is great–you will really like it. Eleanor is very much finding her voice. Openly Straight also had a great voice. It cracked me up many times. And I agree about Paperboy–some great books across the board this week 🙂

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  3. I need to find Bedtime for Chickies, have some baby shower gifts to buy, & this sounds delightful, Kellee. I loved Paperboy, too, Ricki. I now would like to talk with a student who has read it, wondering what they thought? Have a good week both of you. Hope you had a wonderful mothers’ day!

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    • Linda,
      I was wondering the same thing about Paperboy! Holly posted above that her students loved it. I am not surprised. It is very accessible, even though it is set a few decades ago. Enjoy your week, too!

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    • It would be a great baby shower gift! Fun rhyming 🙂
      I agree that I would love to hear what a student thinks of Paperboy. I’ve not talked to any kids who have read it yet.

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  4. I loved Kelsey Green, Reading Queen and can’t wait to get my hands on the second Franklin School book. I just read the new Eleanor book too–very strong work. Definitely one of my favorite series. Just finished Openly Straight last week too–I loved the voice. I really appreciate a funny book that also manages to be deep and important! I haven’t read Paperboy yet but just got it from library last week. I am loving middle grade right now! Had to laugh, Ricki, at your comment about reading 11 books right now. I think I’m reading about 10. I need to settle and focus and finish!

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    • Elisabeth,

      We are one in the same! I am glad that other enjoy the Franklin School books as much as I do. They are so delightful, aren’t they? Keep me posted about what you think about Paperboy. I really enjoyed it. 🙂 Enjoy your week!

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    • I’m glad that novels in verse are finding their way into early middle grade and the Eleanor books are so well done.
      I think an author has a special talent if he is able to take an important topic like Konigsberg did and make it funny without downgrading the importance.

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  5. Kellee – I have not read the Eleanor series, but it sounds like I should! Love seeing Trent’s list. 🙂 Ricki – I had a couple students write their response letters lately about Paperboy, and they love it too! It was one of my favs of 2013, but wasn’t sure if students would like it as much as I did. I’m so happy they did!

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    • Holly,
      That makes me so pleased! I wondered what kids’ responses to the text would be. It has so many wonderful life lessons and is a great pick! I hope you have a great week!

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  6. My sons used to love hearing the Going To Bed Book at bedtime! Ricki – I don’t know how you can read so many books at once. I can only handle one at a time, although I did manage to squeeze a graphic novel in between the cracks this week.

    BTW, I have merged my 2 book blogs into one (hopefully that will make things easier on me!), so all of the content I used to post at Great Books for Kids and Teens will now by at Book By Book, though GBfKaT will still be there with all of its archived reviews.

    Enjoy your books this week –

    Sue

    Book By
    Book


    Book by Book is now on Facebook!

    Reply
    • I was stunned when I saw “Book by Book.” I LOVE the new name! As long as I don’t spend too much time away from a book, it doesn’t get confusing. I just make sure I pick books that are very different from each other. If I am reading two romances, for example, that can get confusing. It is a little bit like keeping track of several TV shows for me. I know it seems crazy. It used to be hard, but I am getting better at it!

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    • Love the new title as well!
      I’m with you Sue, I cannot read many titles at once! I usually have two going on (either an audiobook/book or an ebook/book) and rarely three (audiobook/ebook/book), but even then I feel overwhelmed. My favorite is reading one book 🙂

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  7. I too love Hug Time. I also love South, McDonell’s wordless treasure. Such a beautiful book. Ricki – I think PaperBoy features up there with my favourite MG titles too. I read it about a year ago and am still recommending it frequently.

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    • Once again, you are a wealth of knowledge. Seeing if my library has South 🙂
      I loved Paperboy as well–it’s voice was so well done, and I love the choices the author made when writing.

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  8. Paperboy is on my summer list. I’m going to try and tackle some Newberys this summer, some new, some old! Can’t wait to see the Franklin School Friends post, haven’t read any of those books. I loved all 3 Eleanor books. Such a perfect voice for that age reader! The illustrator lives in my hometown 🙂 Have a great week, girls!

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