It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!
It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme started by Sheila at Book Journeys and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. 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!
Kellee and Jen, of Teach Mentor Texts, 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
**Click on any picture/link to view the post**
Tuesday: Ten Audiobooks We Love
Thursday: Truth or Dare by Barbara Dee
Friday: Blog Tour with Review and Giveaway!: Olivia Decoded by Vivi Barnes
Last Week’s Journeys
Kellee
First, I want to apologize for not being good about visiting your blogs or even commenting here at UR. School has been quite busy, and I have not had much free time outside of keeping up with what I need to do already, and now my family is coming to visit for a couple of different weekends,. I know this is not an excuse, but it is a reason. Please know that I appreciate every single one of you that take part in IMWAYR, and I will get back to commenting better soon!
First, I read these five picture books (four nonfiction), and I loved them all so much that I will definitely be reviewing them (and two of them are already scheduled for this week!).
Musnet is a graphic novel about a mouse that is searching for a home only to find one in Monet’s house. I love the premise (mix of history, fantasy, and art!).
I reviewed Blood Brother this week. If you missed it, please go read about this important book!
Oh man, guys! This book ends with as much of a cliffhanger, if not more of one, than the first book! And now I have to wait until 2017 to read the third! This will be a tough wait!
I finished Brendan Kiely’s newest YA book also. Love is a language that is spoken in so many different ways. Kiely’s book is a love poem to forever love, first love, family love, questioning love, love of music, love of words, and the struggle of love. Beautiful and touching and will fill your heart. I cannot wait to talk to Brendan about this one at ALAN.
Ricki
It took me a few weeks, but I just finished Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin. It is a short nonfiction text that you could read in one sitting, but I felt it was important to read it slowly to take in the magnitude of the text. I know many folks read this book in high school, and it was standard required reading in the 1970s-ish, so I wanted to be sure to read it. In case you aren’t familiar with the premise, John Howard Griffin was a man who decided to take medicine to turn his skin darker. He wanted to see what life was like as a Black man in the South. The book is his journal, recounting his experiences. I learned so much from the book, and I was disappointed that while much as changed, so much has not changed. Griffin’s comments still connect to incidents today. I loved the book and would recommend it highly.
I devoured Written in the Stars by Aisha Saeed. Once I started it, I simply couldn’t put it down. This is a phenomenal book that explores arranged and forced marriages. The topic reminded me a bit of Sold by Patricia McCormick, but the two books are very different in their own ways. I highly recommend this book, as it gave me a glimpse into a world that I know little about.
This Week’s Expeditions
Kellee
After finishing See How They Run, I decided to give Echo another chance. The last time I tried to listen to it, I just couldn’t get into it, but this time I think the prior knowledge of the first 45 minutes or so allowed me to understand it and get more into it. I am now getting quite into it, and I love the production.
I also am going to read Honestly Ben which is the sequel to Openly Straight. Openly Straight was an Walden Honor the year I was chair, so I loved Rafe’s story! It will be quite interesting to go back into his world but have it narrated by Ben.
Ricki
This is my last IMWAYR for a little while. I am going to be taking eight weeks for maternity leave. While I won’t be resting (I am going to focus my work on my dissertation), I will still continue to read. I plan to return with a lot of great books to share. I will be sure to share the best of the best! I will miss you all and wish you a wonderful eight weeks!
Upcoming Week’s Posts
Tuesday: Books on Ricki’s Fall TBR List
Wednesday: Antsy Ansel: Ansel Adams, A Life in Nature by Cindy Jenson-Elliott
Thursday: Kids of Appetite by David Arnold
Friday: Blog Tour with Giveaway and Review!: Pug Meets Pig by Sue Lowell Gallion
Sunday: Author Guest Post!
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!
It’s okay, Kellee. I know you’re busy! I still need to read Around America, and would love to get to some of the others you mentioned. My stacks are huge! Best wishes, Ricki for a lovely, although busy, leave, and happy baby! I haven’t read Black Like Me in a few years, sorry to hear it’s still relevant! Ugh!
I look forward to your thoughts, Linda! I will chat with you soon, despite the leave! 🙂
I’m curious about Pug and Pig but I’m worried it’ll be too cute for my taste. Have a great and relaxing leave with your family!
I am interested to hear what you think about it! And thank you! I am not sure if it will be relaxing, but it will be a new adventure!
Best of luck, Ricki, enjoy your well-deserved break!
Thank you so much, Jane!
Everything does seem to be getting very busy these days!
Ricki, can’t wait to hear that the little bundle is here! I’m sure Henry will share all of his books 🙂
I am really excited! I am hoping to have two lovers of books. With all of the reading Henry and I do, I am thinking that he is learning our love while still in the womb!
Kellee, How did I miss that Ally Carter has a new series? I wonder if my daughter has discovered it? She’s the one who first introduced me to the Gallagher Girls! Enjoy your family and reading, and thank you for supporting this community of readers by hosting every week, even when you’re swamped.
Rikki,enjoy your eight weeks with the new baby. I hope you are able to get some sleep and work on your dissertation in.
Thank you very much, friend!
Kellee, I finally put a hold on Tiny Creatures after reading your comments today. I’ve been struggling with See How They Run and am glad to read your thoughts today. I hate cliffhangers so I think I will use this as an excuse to abandon it. (probably anything you said would have been used as an excuse) I am really looking forward to Blood Brother.
Ricki, I think I read Black Like Me way back in the day when I was going to university in the 1970’s. You will be missed but a new baby is such an exciting time (and a lot of work) Good Luck!
Thanks so much, Cheriee! 🙂
Glad you’re finally getting into ECHO, Kellee. I can’t imagine NOT listening to that book on audio. The music that accompanies it makes it a way better listening experience than reading experience, IMO.
It’s on my audio list, too!
Hi Ricki, Enjoy the much-deserved break and have fun with your reading and your writing.
Kellee, loving the look of Antsy Ansel! 🙂