It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
For readers of all ages
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly blog hop we host which focuses on sharing what we’re reading. This Kid Lit version of IMWAYR focuses primarily on books marketed for kids and teens, but books for readers of all ages are shared. We love this community and how it offers opportunities to share and recommend books with each other.
The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. The Kid Lit IMWAYR was co-created by Kellee & Jen at Teach Mentor Texts.
We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up below, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs.
Happy reading!
**Click on any picture/link to view the post**
Kellee
Middle Grade
- Unicorn Crossing, Unicorn for a Day, and Unicorn of Many Hats by Dana Simpson: Phoebe and her Unicorn books are just such a pleasure to read! They are funny and sweet, and I just can only find joy when reading them. I’m excited for the new one (Unicorn for a Day) to be out soon!
- Super Boba Cafe by Nidhi Chanani: Chanani’s graphic novel is unlike any other I have ever read! What starts as a sweet story about a granddaughter visiting her grandmother for the summer, turns into something so unexpected; I think most readers will be quite surprised by the turn of events!
- Continental Drifter by Kathy Macleod: Many readers will connect with the author in this memoir about trying to figure out where exactly she fits in. Kathy has connections to two different places, two different races, and struggles with fitting in either place or with either race. So many have this same experience and will find connections with Kathy! And it is told in a way that any middle schooler will connect with, even if they’re not exactly dealing with the same situation as Kathy.
- Above the Trenches by Nathan Hale: I am so excited about a new Hazardous Tales book, so I was honored that I got to read it early! This newest book brings us back to World War I, but this time it is looking at how flight changed the war and the pilots that were part of the first military in the air. Told with gruesome truth mixed with the hangman’s humor, Nathan Hale does it again.
Young Adult
- Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang, Illustrated by LeUyen Pham: The title promises a love story, and the one the reader is given is just so heartwarming! Both characters are flawed but you cannot help rooting for them to figure out how to be together because it is obviously the right thing and they need each other.
- Demon Slayer Vol. 7 and Vol. 8 by Koyoharu Gotouge: It is always an adventure with Tanjiro as he travels with the Demon Corps, and these two volumes didn’t disappoint as they were filled with an epic battle though also filled with a very sad loss.
- Call Me Iggy by Jorge Aguirre, Illustrated by Rafael Rosado: I loved this graphic novel about connecting present life with the history of one’s family and how that all affects identity. It also looked at how one event and one person can change the trajectory of your life!
- The Infinity Particle by Wendy Xu: This graphic novel was an unexpectedly intense and deep sci-fi story about what makes someone (something?) deserve autonomy as well as what makes someone human. The story was entertaining yet moving, and it kept me reading as I rooted for Clem and Kye to figure out their future. As we begin to jump into the world of AI in our contemporary world, the questions asked in this book are ones that will need to be answered in the future.
- The Lunar Chronicles #2: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer: The Lunar Chronicles continue being quite epic! I cannot tell you much about this one because it is the sequel to Cinder and I don’t want to spoil it, but I will tell you that more characters are added which gives Cinder quite the entourage to help her on her adventure.
Picture Books
- The Light Within You by Namita Moolani Mehra, Illustrated by Kamala M. Nair: The starred review from Publishers Weekly really summarizes the beautify of this book: ★“Nair’s jewel-toned illustrations, sprinkled with dots of light, reinforce the text’s essential themes and its core bond between two family members who share a special connection and light each other up.” This beautiful picture book both takes us on Diya’s celebration of Diwali but also her journey to come to terms with her new home. Her wise grandmother is a beacon of light, just like so much of this book. Readers will definitely feel lit up from the inside after finishing this book.
- Ganesha’s Great Race by Sanjay Patel, Illustrated by Emily Haynes: A retelling of a famous Hindu story which invites readers to get to know the Hindu gods of the story and embrace the message found within the book. The fun race between siblings with a sweet theme and colorful illustrations all lend themselves to a book that readers will have such a fun time reading.
- I Want 100 Dogs by Stacy McAnulty, Illustrated by Claire Keane: This book is a great look at realistic expectations as well as becoming a pet owner. McAnulty does a great job of keeping humor in this story while also teaching the reader about making realistic expectations, especially when it comes to pets, and the colorful, cartoonesque illustrations bring the silliness and sweetness to life.
- 10 Cats by Emily Gravett: I am a sucker for books about cats, and the cats in this one are just so cute! The art is realistic and all the cats have such great personalities. Also, this book is more than just a simple counting book, as it seems at first glance. Gravett does a wonderful job adding subtle complexity through her artwork which will lead to the book being interactive, almost like a spot-the-difference and seek-and-find book. Through the illustrations, Gravett also adds in a lesson in secondary and primary colors!
To learn more about any of these books, click on any title/image to go to the book’s Goodreads page or check out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.
Ricki
This week isn’t my week for an IMWAYR post; I’ll see you next week!
Kellee
- Reading: The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming (Adapted for Young Adults) by David Wallace-Wells
- Listening: Lunar Chronicles #3: Cress by Marissa Meyer
- Listening with Trent: Consider the Octopus by Nora Raleigh Baskin & Gae Polisner
Tuesday: Frankie and Friends: Breaking News by Christine Platt, Illustrated by Alea Marley
Sunday: Author Guest Post: “No Easy Answers: Using A Twist of Magic to Make a Tough Topic Accessible” by Jessica Vitalis, Author of Coyote Queen
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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Every one sounds good, Kellee. You’ve really intrigued me about Super Boba Cafe. Thanks for so many! Have a good week starting October!
There are so many fabulous sounding books on your list today. I had forgotten about the Phoebe and her Unicorn books, but I’m positive my granddaughter will love them, and even be able to read them on her own!
I clicked on the The Uninhabitable Earth link and ended up reading an article by David Wallace-Wells in the New York Magazine. It’s not anything new, but having it all put together like that makes me even more anxious about my children and grandchildren’s future than I already was – and I was anxious! I’ll be looking forward to reading your review of this one.
I’m intrigued with The Infinity Particle. And I can’t wait to read Above the Trenches. Have a great reading week.