It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
Sharing Picture Books, Early Readers, Middle Grade Books, and Young Adult Books for All Ages!
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly blog hop co-hosted by Unleashing Readers and Teach Mentor Texts which focuses on sharing books marketed for children and young adults. 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.
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!
Tuesday: Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas by Jeanne Walker Harvey, Illustrated by Loveis Wise
Tuesday: Breaking Through the Clouds: The Sometimes Turbulent Life of Meteorologist Joanne Simpson by Sandra Nickel, Illustrated by Helena Pérez García
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!
Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas Author: Jeanne Walker Harvey
Illustrator: Loveis Wise
Published February 22, 2022 by HarperCollins
Summary: Celebrate the life-changing power of art in this inspiring and stunningly illustrated picture book biography of American artist Alma Thomas.
Meet an incredible woman who broke down barriers throughout her whole life and is now known as one of the most preeminent painters of the 20th century. Told from the point of view of young Alma Thomas, readers can follow along as she grows into her discovery of the life-changing power of art.
As a child in Georgia, Alma Thomas loved to spend time outside, soaking up the colors around her. And her parents filled their home with color and creativity despite the racial injustices they faced. After the family moved to Washington DC, Alma shared her passion for art by teaching children. When she was almost seventy years old, she focused on her own artwork, inspired by nature and space travel.
In this celebration of art and the power of imagination, Jeanne Walker Harvey and Loveis Wise tell the incredible true story of Alma Thomas, the first Black woman to have a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum in New York City and to have her work chosen for the White House collection. With her bold and vibrant abstract paintings, Alma set the world ablaze with color.
Ablaze with Color includes extensive backmatter with photos, an author’s and illustrator’s note, a timeline, and a list of sources and resources, which will be a great tool for parents, educators, and librarians. Perfect for Women’s History Month and Black History Month units.
Praise:
* “This charming biography…is a must for art and biography shelves.” — Booklist (STARRED review)
* “Superb picture-book biography… Harvey’s poetic text is imagistic and deftly paced; Wise’s digital artwork is boldly, fittingly colorful.” — Horn Book (STARRED review)
* “An inspiring introduction for artists and appreciators” — School Library Journal (STARRED review)
About the Creators:
Jeanne Walker Harvey has had many jobs, ranging from working as a roller coaster ride operator to an attorney for high-tech companies to a writer of magazine articles to a teacher of Language Arts and writing workshops at a public middle school. She has also been a longtime docent at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Just like Alma Thomas, Jeanne believes that art brings us joy. Her other picture books include Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines and My Hands Sing the Blues: Romare Bearden’s Childhood Journey. Jeanne studied literature and psychology at Stanford University. She lives in Northern California. Visit her online at www.jeanneharvey.com.
Loveis Wise is a nonbinary illustrator and designer from Washington, DC, now based in Los Angeles. They have collaborated and imagined with clients such as the New Yorker, the New York Times, HarperCollins, Google, Disney Hyperion, and Adobe, to name a few. Their work often speaks to themes of joy, mindfulness, and liberation. For more information visit: loveiswise.com.
Review:I am a sucker for amazing picture book biographies, anything celebrating women, and any book sharing the love of art, so this book has my heart. Alma Thomas is a phenomenal artist, and I didn’t know about her life until reading Ablaze with Color. I am so glad that Jeanne Walker Harvey told us Alma’s story, and her narrative is so lyrical and beautifully written. Combined with Wise’s vibrant and Thomas-inspired artwork, the book packs into it not only the story of Thomas as an artist, but also her story of resilience against the inequity and racism she faced on her way to becoming a world-renowned artist and the first Black woman to be hung in the White House. A stellar book!
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
Sharing Picture Books, Early Readers, Middle Grade Books, and Young Adult Books for All Ages!
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly blog hop co-hosted by Unleashing Readers and Teach Mentor Texts which focuses on sharing books marketed for children and young adults. 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.
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.
My oldest son and I finished Stamped (For Kids) by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi, Adapted by Sonja Cherry-Paul. This is such an important book, and I am glad for a version that is accessible to my son. It offered so many great conversations.
Yuyi Morales is easily one of the most talented authors/illustrators of picture books, and this book did not disappoint! If you haven’t read Bright Star yet, I highly recommend it. Review coming this Thursday!
Ricki
Kellee recommended I listen to Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green. So far, I love it!
I also have a book in every room in my house that I am reading, so I will try to highlight them all on different weeks to share the love!
Tuesday: Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas by Jeanne Walker Harvey, Illustrated by Loveis Wise
Thursday: Bright Star by Yuyi Morales
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!
Wingbearer Author: Marjorie Liu
Illustrator: Teny Issakhanian
Published March 1, 2022 by Quill Tree Books
Summary: A young girl must stop a threat to her magical world in this epic graphic novel from New York Times bestselling author Marjorie Liu and remarkable debut illustrator Teny Issakhanian.
Zuli is extraordinary–she just doesn’t realize it yet. Raised by mystical bird spirits in the branches of the Great Tree, she’s never ventured beyond this safe haven. She’s never had to. Until now.
When a sinister force threatens the life-giving magic of the tree, Zuli, along with her guardian owl, Frowly, must get to the root of it. So begins an adventure bigger than anything Zuli could’ve ever imagined–one that will bring her, along with some newfound friends, face-to-face with an ancient dragon, the so-called Witch-Queen, and most surprisingly of all: her true identity.
This captivating middle grade graphic novel, the first of a series, is perfect for fans of the Amulet books and the Wings of Fire series.
Praise:
“Liu crafts a compelling, brave, and joyful protagonist in Zuli. [An] epic fantasy adventure with a classic feel.” –Publishers Weekly(starred review)
“Deeply expressive. [Issakhanian’s] use of lush, vibrant colors gives each scene an ethereal glow.” –Booklist
“This fantasy graphic novel hits all the right notes of excitement, danger, and cool magical elements in one short volume.” -Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“Wingbearer is one of the best graphic novels I have read this year. Whether you are a kid or an adult, there is a story (and a message) that will pull at your heart strings and make you want more. I can’t wait for the next volume to see how the rest of the adventure unfolds!” –Impulse Gamer
“Wingbearer by Marjorie M. Liu is a diverse story that emphasizes friendship, loyalty, conservation, spirituality, family, and the past with how it shapes the present and ultimately the future. These characters are sweet, naive, sassy, brassy and full of themselves. There is magic, adventure, and a journey that is as familiar as it is fresh. The story is cozy as we know these people from other stories, but there are fresh eyes, experiences, and influences.” –Cannonball Read
About the Creators:
Marjorie Liu is the New York Times bestselling author of the Monstress series, illustrated by Sana Takeda. She also writes for Marvel Comics, including Black Widow, X-23, and Astonishing X-Men. Marjorie teaches comic book writing at MIT, and divides her time between Boston, Massachusetts, and Tokyo, Japan.
Teny Issakhanian is an Armenian American illustrator, building worlds and stories as a storyboard artist and visual development artist in the entertainment industry. She has worked on a multitude of shows at animation studios including Walt Disney Animation Studios, DreamWorks Animation Television, Disney Television Animation, and the Jim Henson Company. Teny graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, and the ArtCenter College of Design. She is based in Los Angeles.
Review:What a fantastical adventure! This new mythology is a great foundation for a new series. Zuli and Frowly make a wonderful pair to take us on this adventure with Zuli’s free spirit and Frowly’s grumpiness and hesitation they make a perfect duo! Then they meet other characters with traits that compliment theirs.
The colorful and movie-like illustrations move the action along and help suck the reader into the story. The setting is beautiful, and I adore the cast of creatures that Zuli meets along the way. Note to readers though: There is a cliffhanger which will make you craving the next book!
Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This book will definitely find fans of fantasy and graphic novel readers through school, classroom, and public libraries!
Discussion Questions:
Why is Frowly the perfect companion for Zuli?
What character along the way that Zuli meets do you think moved the plot along the most?
What mythical creature do you hope will be in the next book of the series?
Did you see the big reveal coming? Were there any clues along the way?
Flagged Passages:
Read This If You Love: Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi, 5 Worlds by Mark Siegel, and other fantastical graphic novels
Recommended For:
**Thank you to Spark Point Studios for a copy for review!**
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
Sharing Picture Books, Early Readers, Middle Grade Books, and Young Adult Books for All Ages!
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly blog hop co-hosted by Unleashing Readers and Teach Mentor Texts which focuses on sharing books marketed for children and young adults. 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.
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.
Stuntboy by Jason Reynolds, Illustrated by Raúl the Third: I listened to this book a while ago, and I never marked it as read (oops!), so I am happy to share it today. I love this new addition to the world of funny illustrated novels. AND it was a Schneider Family Book Award honor! Although I missed the illustrations, I do recommend the audiobook.
The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet by John Green: This was a compilation of John Green’s podcast of the same name, and it was exactly what I needed. I love how John Green writes and narrates, so it already had that going for it. I also love learning while reading, and this book did that as well. I highly recommend it to all who want to be entertained but also learn more about this wild world we live in.
Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life by Rachel Renée Russell: I finally read a Dork Diary book! I had a student ask me why I read all the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books and not Dork Diaries, and I did not have an answer, so I grabbed the first one, and I can definitely see why they are loved. They are so accurate when it comes to middle school, funny when appropriate, and the illustrations are great also. I will definitely read the next one.
I finished Meg-John Barker and Jules Scheele’s Queer: A Graphic History. I read this last month and forgot to post about it, and I just reread it because we are using it in a book group. This is a very accessible text and it a great primer for people interested in understanding queer theory.
Kellee
Reading to Review tomorrow: Wingbearer by Marjorie Liu, illustrated by Teny Issakhanian
Listening to: Calypso by David Sedaris
Ricki
I just downloaded this book because I saw Kellee liked it a lot! I abandoned an audiobook that I was listening to that was making me fall asleep every night. I am excited to start this new one!
Tuesday: Wingbearer by Marjorie Liu, Illustrated by Teny Issakhanian
Thursday: This is (Not) Enough by Anna Kang, Illustrated by Christopher Weyant
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!
“Why are we learning about maps in English class? (and other just questions)”
I know that I’m the minority here, but in my humble opinion, civilization as we know it began its final descent when swarms of satellites filled the sky and GPS replaced the paper maps that used to fill our glove compartments. In my teaching days, I was mildly concerned when more and more of my students (high school freshmen) were unable to tell time on the analog clock on my classroom wall. But when I realized that many of them had no idea of how to read a map, I was absolutely horrified. What would happen, I asked, if the power went out, or the satellites crashed, or hackers changed all of the street names?
I’ve been accused of being a bit of a Luddite, but that’s not really it. It’s not that I fear technology, it’s just that I love maps. And literary maps—usually found printed on a book’s endpapers—well, those are the best. Whether it’s Milo on the road from Dictionopolis to Digitopolis, or Frodo and Sam crossing the Dead Marshes, the voyage of the Goblin in We Didn’t Mean to Go to Sea, or David Balfour wandering across Scotland in Kidnapped, there’s not much that I enjoy more than tracing characters’ paths across a map found in a favorite novel.
One of my favorite parts of writing The Swallowtail Legacy 1: Wreck at Ada’s Reef was drawing and redrawing the map of Swallowtail Island. The bookstarts off with the protagonist and her family arriving by ferry at the island, which is in western Lake Erie. It’s fictional, a composite of some islands that I’ve gotten to know over the years: Put-in-Bay, Mackinac, Nantucket, Carleton, Harker’s, and more. For instance, I’ve always loved the “no cars” aspect of Mackinac Island, so I made that part of Swallowtail (although golf carts are allowed).
The map of the island grew out of necessity; as I was writing, I needed to be able to see the buoy at Ada’s Reef where the fatal accident occurred so long ago. And when Lark and Pip ride their bikes out to Rabbit Ear Point at night to see if the light on the buoy is visible from Dinah Purdy’s porch (possibly a key piece of evidence in the case), I want readers to follow along on the map, to see the buoy for themselves, in a sense. I don’t have an Excel spreadsheet full of data to prove it, but I firmly believe that the kind of kid who does refer to the map is going to remember more details.
If you choose a book for a classroom read that has a map, I suggest creating a bulletin-board-size copy of the map (The easiest way to do it is to project it onto a big sheet of paper and trace it; get students to help transfer the details that you want to include.) Whenever I taught The Fellowship of the Ring, I had a big version of the map on a bulletin board and used different colored push pins to mark the progress of the members of the Fellowship—much more effective than having students trying to figure out where they were on the four part map that’s included in the book.
As an English teacher, one of my goals was to help my students be more careful readers. (I’m hardly alone here; there are more strategies for close reading than there are teachers, I think.) My own experience tells me that even kids who are good readers don’t always read very carefully. The classic short story, Richard Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game,” which appears in lot of high school English textbooks (and is now in the public domain) provides the basis for one of my favorite assignments: draw a map of Shiptrap Island that shows where all of the key plot events occur. (A caveat: I’m not the only teacher to think of this, and student-created maps of the island can be found online.) The assignment works best as an in-class group project, with each group having to justify their decisions using the text for support.
Other times, when students were writing narrative essays about their neighborhood (inspired by Charles Dickens’s “sketches” of London life), they had to include a hand drawn map of their neighborhood with key locations from the essay indicated and captioned. It’s a great opportunity for artistic students, and those with an eye for detail, to shine, and, as an added bonus, the visual aids made grading the papers loads more interesting for me!
Published February 15, 2022 by Pixel + Ink
About the Book: In a time not long after the fifth extinction event, Edgar Award-nominated author Michael D. Beil came of age on the shores of Pymatuning Lake, where the ducks walk on the fish. (Look it up. Seriously.) He is the author of the Red Blazer Girls series, Summer at Forsaken Lake, Lantern Sam and the Blue Streak Bandits, and Agents of the Glass: A New Recruit. For reasons that can’t be disclosed until September 28, 2041, he now lives somewhere in Portugal with his wife and their two white cats, Bruno and Maisie. He still gets carsick if he has to ride in the back seat for long and feels a little guilty that he doesn’t keep a journal. For more on the author and his books, visit him online atMichaelDBeil.com.
About the Author: In a time not long after the fifth extinction event, Edgar Award-nominated author Michael D. Beil came of age on the shores of Pymatuning Lake, where the ducks walk on the fish. (Look it up. Seriously.) He is the author of the Red Blazer Girls series, Summer at Forsaken Lake, Lantern Sam and the Blue Streak Bandits, and Agents of the Glass: A New Recruit. For reasons that can’t be disclosed until September 28, 2041, he now lives somewhere in Portugal with his wife and their two white cats, Bruno and Maisie. He still gets carsick if he has to ride in the back seat for long and feels a little guilty that he doesn’t keep a journal. For more on the author and his books, visit him online atMichaelDBeil.com.
Just Harriet Author: Elana K. Arnold
Illustrator: Dung Ho
Published February 1st, 2022 by Walden Pond Press
Summary: From the award-winning author of A Boy Called Bat comes a new young middle grade series in the tradition of Ramona and Clementine, starring an unforgettable girl named Harriet.
There are a few things you should know about Harriet Wermer:
– She just finished third grade.
– She has a perfect cat named Matzo Ball.
– She doesn’t always tell the truth.
– She is very happy to be spending summer vacation away from home and her mom and dad and all the wonderful things she had been planning all year.
Okay, maybe that last one isn’t entirely the truth.
Of course, there’s nothing Harriet doesn’t like about Marble Island, the small island off the coast of California where her nanu runs a cozy little bed and breakfast. And nobody doesn’t love Moneypenny, Nanu’s old basset hound. But Harriet doesn’t like the fact that Dad made this decision without even asking her.
When Harriet arrives on Marble Island, however, she discovers that it’s full of surprises, and even a mystery. One that seems to involve her Dad, back when he was a young boy living on Marble Island. One that Harriet is absolutely going to solve.
And that’s the truth.
Praise:
“An engaging series opener about the power of truth to moor and free even the sulkiest of souls.” -Kirkus Reviews
“This series opener is a winner.” Publishers Weekly
“A gentle, slow-moving summer adventure that’s big on character growth.” -School Library Journal
An appealing chapter book for young readers.” -Booklist
About the Author: Elana K. Arnold is the author of critically acclaimed and award-winning young adult novels and children’s books, including the Printz Honor winner Damsel and the National Book Award finalist What Girls Are Made Of. Several of her books are Junior Library Guild selections and have appeared on many best book lists, including the Amelia Bloomer Project, a catalog of feminist titles for young readers. Elana teaches in Hamline University’s MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults program and lives in Southern California with her family and menagerie of pets. You can visit her online at www.elanakarnold.com.
Review:When I first read the Bat books by Elana K. Arnold, I was so happy with the new edition to the reading ladder between early chapter books and solid middle grade, and Just Harriet fits solidly in there as well. Harriet is going to be loved the way that Ramona was loved by readers of the past (like me!). She is a bit sassy, super smart, quick witted, and full of curiosity. And her supporting cast of characters fill the background with joy -from her grandma, Nanu, to the owners of the ice cream parlor, Hans & Gretchen. Then add in the very special setting of Marble Island, and you have a special book that is going to find a bunch of happy readers! I can’t wait for more Harriet in the future.
Teachers’ Tools for Navigation and Discussion Questions: Walden Pond Press has a Chapter-By-Chapter Guiding Questions and Discussion Points guide available!
Flagged Passages:
Read This If You Love: Ramona Quimby by Beverly Cleary, Bat series by Elana K. Arnold, Aven Green series by Dusti Bowling, Bink and Gollie series by Kate DiCamillo
Recommended For:
**Thank you to Walden Pond Press for providing a copy for review!**
and
“An engaging series opener about the power of truth to moor and free even the sulkiest of souls.” -Kirkus Reviews
