It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 2/5/24

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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!

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Tuesday: Drawing Deena by Hena Khan

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Traveling the Globe with the City Spies” by James Ponti, Author of City Spies: Mission Manhattan

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

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Kellee

It’s my week off! You can learn more about any of the books I’ve been reading by checking out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

This week, I read The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. I absolutely loved this book. It is one that I will always remember. The main character can change past regrets and see where her life would be if she chose differently. The book made me very self-reflective.

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Tuesday: The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo

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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!

 Signature andRickiSig

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 1/29/24

Share

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!

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Tuesday: Educators’ Guide for Nothing Interesting Ever Happens to Ethan Fairmont by Nick Brooks

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

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Kellee

Well… my week did not exactly go as planned. I got to go on an amazing field trip with T on Thursday, but this field trip also came with a predicament: I fell at the fort in St. Augustine and now have a bad high ankle sprain (which means it is the ligament that attaches my ankle to my leg that is sprained and with the pop I felt, we’re pretty sure I partially tore it). That has led to my weekend being full of resting and medication, so I just didn’t get around to doing my It’s Monday post–I am so sorry! I’ll see you in two weeks!

You can learn more about any of the books I’ve been reading by checking out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

See you next week!

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Tuesday: Drawing Deena by Hena Khan

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Traveling the Globe with the City Spies” by James Ponti, Author of City Spies: Mission Manhattan

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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!

 Signature andRickiSig

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 1/22/24

Share

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!

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Tuesday: Educator’s Guide to Love Radio by Ebony LaDelle

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

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Kellee

This is my week off, but I’ll be back next week! 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

I am so excited to see which books are honored tomorrow in the ALA Youth Media Awards!

Adult

I finished Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride. I really loved this book and find myself recommending it often. The writing is beautiful, and I liked learning a bit more about a moment in history.

Young Adult

I reread Courage to Dream a third time to prepare it for the college and high school students. It stands up to the rereading, and I am still glad we chose this book.

I also read four new picture books, but I am going to record those next time because I can’t remember the titles of two of them, and they are in my office!

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Ricki

  • Reading: Everything We Never Had by Randy Ribay
  • Listening: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson

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Tuesday: Educators’ Guide for Nothing Interesting Ever Happens to Ethan Fairmont by Nick Brooks

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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!

 Signature andRickiSig

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 1/15/24

Share

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!

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Tuesday: Kellee’s 2023 Reading Round Up: Statistics, Favorite Reads, #mustreadin2023 End-of-Year Check In, & 2024 Reading Goals

Sunday: Guest Author Post: “Ways to get Middle-Grade Students Excited About Reading” by Sherry Ellis, Author of Bubba and Squirt’s City of Bones

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

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Kellee

Middle Grade

 

  • Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George: I can see why this book was recommended to me! In this book, the castle is not only the setting but also a main character which is unlike any book I’ve ever read. I loved how the author truly made the castle a main character–it is so magical! That, along with the suspenseful story about Celie’s parent’s disappearance and the subsequent coup, makes this book a joy to read!
  • Curveball by Pablo Cartaya, Illustrated by Miguel Díaz Rivas: After Elena hurts her knee, she has to look at what she actually enjoys versus obligations and because of this reflection she finds herself having a truly unexpected summer. Through this fun story, lessons are learned about friendship and imagination and all done in a way that is a quick and fun read with colorful illustrations.
  • Tryouts by Sarah Sax: The second book in the Brinkley Yearbook series once again tells a story about figuring out your place. I loved that this book brought to light the sexism behind girls not being allowed to play baseball and does it while also sharing Al’s story of fitting in.
  • Meesh the Bad Demon: The Secret of the Fang by Michelle Lam: Book two of Meesh the Bad Demon starts right where the first left off and finds Meesh once again needing to help save the world. I am a huge fan of Lam’s whimsical illustrations and her fantastical world is a fun one to revisit.
  • We Are Big Time by Hena Khan, Illustrated by Safiya Zerrougui: This book was one of my favorite reads of 2023 (though it doesn’t come out until 2024). It was written after Hena Khan heard about an all-Muslim girls basketball team and interviewed some of the members. This true story inspired her to bring this book to life, and I am so glad! I loved the characters, the story, and the theme–it is such a well done book.
  • Puzzled: A Memoir About Growing Up with OCD by Pan Cooke: OCD is often used as a joke and is completely misunderstood. I am a big fan of this forthcoming graphic novel because it truly puts what OCD truly is into the spotlight. The figurative use of puzzles throughout is so clever as well–I think many readers will like both the story and learning about Pan’s life.
  • Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans: This book had always been explained to me as a teen secret agent book, but it is so much more than that–it is about teen superhero secret agents! I was enthralled so quickly, and I read book 1, 2, & 3 of this series, and I think I will definitely read more of the series as each book ends on the worst cliffhanger!!

Young Adult

 

  • Flight 171 by Amy Christine Parker: This book was so different than what I thought! I assumed it was going to be a plane crash or hijack or something realistic, but OH MY GOODNESS it is about demons and death and lies and is full of suspense! I couldn’t put it down!
  • The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes: I cannot imagine having to lying about myself all the time. Yamilet is living that lie and although she is sick of it, she doesn’t know how her truth fits into her life. This is the story of her figuring that out.
  • Simone Breaks All the Rules by Debbie Rigaud: Simone has always had rules, but it is senior year, and she wants to finally be able to be her own person. Taking on this quest leads to a journey of self-realization filled with drama.
  • Queer Ducks (And Other Animals) by Eliot Schrefer: What a fascinating read! And I loved the format with a mix of informational nonfiction, interviews, and comic; it made the book even more fun to read. Just so well done!
  • They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman: Full of gossip, cattiness, suspense, and mystery! (Although, the more I read about prep schools in YA books, the more I wonder how much is embellished versus how much is truly different at prep schools than public schools.)

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 is my week off–see you next week!

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Kellee

 

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Tuesday: Educators’ Guide for Love Radio by Ebony LaDelle

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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!

 Signature andRickiSig

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 1/8/24

Share

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!

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We were on winter break the last couple of weeks, and we are happy to be back!

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Ricki

I read a lot of books over break, but I am going to focus on the most recent titles that I read!

I just read (for the second time) the new book by Neal Shusterman and Andrés Vera Martínez, Courage to Dream: Tales of Hope in the Holocaust. It is a graphic fantasy that features five stories connected to the Holocaust. I was really hesitant to read this book at first—there were a lot of ways that I perceived it could go wrong. But it is very carefully conceived and very thought-provoking.

Eagle Drums by Nasuġraq Rainey Hopson is absolutely stunning. It tells a traditional story in a way that will captivate young people. I absolutely loved it.

Lei and the Fire Goddess by Malia Maunakea is a fantastically exciting adventure story that brought me so much joy. This is a great middle grade book for your collection!

Hope in the Valley is a quiet middle grade book that offers a careful treatment of themes of grief, friendship, and growing up. The writing is beautiful, and I loved thinking about how this book would work well for place-based learning.

Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley is sure to capture the hearts of readers of all ages. I was glad to see that my library had multiple copies of this book because it is well-written and a powerful mystery that belongs in every classroom and library.

Jen Ferguson is one of my favorite authors. I was really taken by her first book, and this novel, Those Pink Mountain Nights did not disappoint! I love how her books are set in food shops (this one is in a pizza shop and the last was in an ice cream shop). Both this book and her last have a mystery component and offer very relatable characters. I’ll read anything that Jen Ferguson writes—she is extremely talented.

I adored Dawn Quigley’s latest installment in the Jo Jo Makoons series: Snow Day. Jo Jo is such an endearing character. My kids love reading these books, and I love reading the books with them! I’ve been gifting these books to elementary school teachers—they are perfect for classrooms!

Molly Horton Booth, Stephanie Kate Strohm, and Jamie Green are a fantastic authors-illustrator team. I love how they re-envision the Shakespeare stories in ways that are relatable to kids. I find the characters to be very charming, and the books beautifully balance fun and serious content matter.

Sherri Winston has my heart. After reading Shark Teeth, I was constantly recommending it to other teachers. I really appreciated the ways in which Winston incorporated mentors in the text, and the main character felt like a real girl to me. I was so sad when the book ended because I couldn’t hang out with her more! This is a middle grade book, but I think high school students would also really appreciate reading it.

Several people were raving about the Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros, so I read Fourth Wing and Iron Flame. I enjoyed the series and felt like they were really fun and engaging. I can see why they’ve developed a bit of a cult following.

Kellee

This is my week off, but I’ll be back next week with a reading roundup! You can learn more about any of the books I’ve been reading by checking out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

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Currently reading:

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

Gone Wolf by Amber McBride

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Tuesday: Kellee’s 2023 Reading Round Up: Statistics, Favorite Reads, #mustreadin2023 End-of-Year Check In, & 2024 Reading Goals

Sunday: Guest Author Post: “Ways to get Middle-Grade Students Excited About Reading” by Sherry Ellis, Author of Bubba and Squirt’s City of Bones

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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!

 Signature andRickiSig

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 1/1/24

Share

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!

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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!

 Signature andRickiSig

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 12/25/23

Share

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!

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Tuesday: New & Updated Gail Gibbons books: Galaxies, Galaxies! and The Planets

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

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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!

 Signature andRickiSig