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
Tuesday: Top Ten Books We’d Give To Readers Who Have Never Read Historical Fiction
**Click on any picture/link to view the post**
Last Week’s Journeys
Kellee: This week I read brown girl dreaming, and I loved it. See our review last Thursday. I then completely switched gears and read the newest Captain Underpants–Captain Underpants and the Tyrannical Retaliation of the Turbo Toilet 2000 which, although it has a HORRIBLE cliffhanger, was just as funny as the others. I then read Bird and Squirrel on Ice by James Burks, and I just think they are such a funny duo–reminds me of Abbott and Costello. I also was able to read The Angry Little Puffin by Timothy Young (hilarious!!!) and Bug on a Bike by Chris Monroe (reminds me of Richard Scarry). Finally, when waiting for a doctor’s appointment on Friday, I read A Timeline History of the Thirteen Colonies which was a nice concise view of the start of America with very informative timelines.
With Trent, we read 11 picture books this week filled with farm animals, zoo animals, and Sesame Street. Oliver Jeffers’s Up and Down was probably my favorite, but it was not as good as Lost and Found. Elmo is Red, Cookie is Blue!, a Sesame Street beginner reader, had a nice rhythm and opposites lesson.
Ricki: I had a very productive week! I finished brown girl dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson and enjoyed joining forces with Kellee to review this beautiful book in verse. I also finished Gabrielle Zevin’s The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry. This is a book that is written for readers. I loved the cerebral bookstore setting and the depth of characters. It is marketed as an adult book, but I think teens would enjoy it, too. Lastly, I finished The Boy on the Wooden Box by Leon Leyson. This is a phenomenal memoir that depicts Leon’s experiences as one of Schindler’s Children. While I could most see it in a middle school classroom, readers of all ages will love it.
This Week’s Expeditions
Kellee: This week I am reading a manuscript for one of my friends. I am very excited and honored to be reading it! Trent and I have some more Oliver Jeffers books we may read. I also got a HUGE delivery of books from the library that I’ve been requesting during IMWAYR, so we may delve into those as well.
Ricki: This week, I plan to complete Just Call my Name by Holly Goldberg Sloan. I am liking it even more than the first book, I’ll Be There. I am also hoping to finish the textbook, Young Adult Literature in the 21st Century by Pam B. Cole. I enjoy all of the background it has provided about the field of YAL. Henry and I are headed to the library tomorrow, so we are excited to find some new treasures.
Upcoming Week’s Posts
Tuesday: Top Ten Books We’re Not Sure We Want to Read
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!
So happy you liked A.J. Fikry and The Boy On The Wooden Box, Ricki. I loved both, of course for very different reasons… And Kellee, I was able to read The Angry Little Puffin, too-what a funny book! Have a good week, both of you!
They were both phenomenal reads, but like you said, for very different reasons! Happy reading this week!
I loved that the Puffin book was humorous and educational 🙂
Both of your book excitement is apparent especially on this post. I may need to call it a night with the internet and pick up my ARC of brown girl dreaming!
Earl, I am looking forward to hearing what you think about it!
Um, yes! Go read! 🙂 Looking forward to hearing what you think 🙂
Looking forward to the arrival of my copy of Brown Girl Dreaming. I love Jacqueline Woodson! Your huge delivery of books sounds absolutely delightful, Kellee. I am planning to make lots of requests today from my new #pb10for10 TBR list! Hoping the library will have many of the titles so I can spare my credit cards! Ricki, I was impressed by that YAL textbook. For a textbook, it has a strong voice, lots of interesting material, and so many nice features from YA authors. Also, I think I’d better check to see which Oliver Jeffers books we haven’t read yet, because Kellee’s comments are making me think he’s written more than I realized!
Elisabeth, I agree with you. My favorite parts about the book are all of the YA author voices. I have used short excerpts of the text in my text (in the past, some sections have been available online), but I have never read the book in its entirety. I am really enjoying it!
Oliver Jeffers is such a unique picture book author–I love some of his books while others are just a bit weird, but overall, I am so impressed with his work!
I love Jacqueline Woodson (and even got to attend a conference she spoke at). I will be requesting Brown Girl Dreaming from our library. I can’t wait to read it.
I have seen her speak, as well. She is an incredible woman. I was blown away by her speech. She has quite a way with words. 🙂
Right there with you both. She is so articulate, intelligent, and leaves a huge impact.
I loved your Brown Girl Dreaming reviews! I CANNOT wait to read this book!
Ricki, I read AJ Fikry this week too – I just loved all the nerdy, reading references!
Kellee, thanks for the Bird and Squirrel reminder, I wanted to check out the first book, but forgot about it!
Have a great week!
Thank you for the compliment about our reviews! AJ Fikry is a book filled with nerdy delight, isn’t it? Happy reading this week!
Bird and Squirrel is going to make you laugh out loud. It is a great duo–ladder off of Elephant and Piggie 🙂
Isn’t AJ Fikry amazing??? I think it needs to win an honorary Nerdy award this year even though it’s not kid lit. That book is everything we are about in novel form.
I am so anxious to read Brown Girl Dreaming. Everyone who has read it seems to love it.
Beth, I was thinking it would be a great choice for an Alex award! I agree that it is a perfect selection for a Nerdy award, too. 🙂
I am feeling like you, but about AJ Fikry. I guess I need to read it 🙂
Of all of the books mentioned, I am most looking forward to brown girl dreaming. It seems I have been waiting for it forever. 🙂
It will be out soon!! And you will just love it 🙂
Crystal, it is almost out! I can’t wait to hear what you think of it! I love hearing your thoughts. 🙂
I love how you both use the library so much with your little guys – my children and I lived at the library and we still go regularly! Isn’t The Boy on the Wooden Box an intense read? But so important and very well done. Love Jeffers! Stuck is always a favourite in my room and The Incredible Book Eating Boy! Also love This Moose Belongs to Me.
I am loving the library more now than ever before. I can’t wait to go and hang out there with him through the years.
We’re going to read Stuck this week! I don’t have the other two, but I have a couple others including some Huey books.
Carrie, it is a very intense read. I never saw Schindler’s List, but my husband I talked about renting it, now that I finished the book. It is very well done.
Looking forward to seeing your thoughts on Wringer, I’ve heard a bit of buzz about it! 🙂
You would really like it Kristen (based on what I’ve seen you enjoy)! You should pick it up if you can 🙂
I’ve read so many wonderful things about brown girl dreaming. Sounds exactly like my kind of book. Great to see your book journeys with your little ones, and lovely to see And Tango Makes Three here – it needs more love.
Huh, haven’t read I’ll be there or sequel… tbr list! Must remember to read ARC of Captain Underpants before it disappears! Happy reading to both of you. Can’t wait to read brown girl dreaming myself! 🙂