Ricki – Page 13 – Unleashing Readers

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 7/31/23

July 31, 2023 by Ricki

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: The Fire, The Water, and the Maudie McGinn by Sally J. Pla

Thursday: Cat Jokes vs. Dog Jokes: Cat Jokes Told by Dogs, an Epic Comedy Battle by David Lewman, Illustrated by John McNamee

Friday: Student Voices: Book Recommendations from Kellee’s Students

Sunday: Author Guest Post by Hasan Namir, Author of Banana Dream

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

Kellee

It’s my week off! I will see you next week! To learn more about any books I’m reading, check out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

This is my second time reading Healer of the Water Monster by Brian Young. I love this book tremendously. The characters feel so real to me, and they are navigating life experiences that feel very relatable for me. I particularly love Brian Young’s author’s note at the end of the book. He does a wonderful job discussing the background of the text along with some of the creative decisions that he made. If you haven’t read this one, I highly recommend it (and its sequel!).

I am excited to share more about this fun activity book on Thursday! Paperfold Wild Animals: 10 Amazing Punch-Out-and-Fold Paper Creatures by Megan Montague Cash.

Ricki

I am listening to Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (It’s amazing!). And I am rereading Man Made Monsters by Andrea L. Rogers. This book is so spooky!

Tuesday: Worldwide Crush by Kristin Nilsen

Thursday: Paperfold Wild Animals: 10 Amazing Punch-Out-and-Fold Paper Creatures by Megan Montague Cash

Friday: Student Voices: Sharing Webtoons, Mangas, and Graphic Novels by Emma Y. & Jorge G., 8th graders, and Bibi C., 6th grader

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Where Story Ideas Come From & Why Personal Narrative Writing Works Best for Me” by Charlotte Offsay, Author of Challah Day!

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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Cat Jokes vs. Dog Jokes: A Read-From-Both-Sides Comic Book by David Lewman, Illustrated by John McNamee

July 27, 2023 by Ricki

Cat Jokes vs. Dog Jokes: A Read-From-Both-Sides Comic Book
Author: David Lewman
Illustrator: John McNamee
Published: June 20, 2023 by Workman Publishing

Summary: In this silly, comic-style joke collection for kids, one side is packed with cartoons of dog jokes told by cats, and the other side stuffed with cat jokes told by dogs—for more than 200 jokes in all!

There are few rivalries across history that are quite as formidable as CATS vs. DOGS. In this fully illustrated joke book, they go head-to-head—with a twist or two that may give you…paws. Presented in tête-bêche format (read-from-both-sides), the first half of the book consists of cat jokes told by a recurring cast of dogs—What do you call an insect in a cat’s bathroom? A litterbug! But, flip the book over to start from the other side, and it becomes a book of dog jokes told by What’s the difference between kibble and a heavy mist? One is dog food, and the other is fog, dude! In the middle spread, the casts of cartoon dogs and cats come together for a midbook finale of, believe it or not, shared giggles, snorts, and guffaws. The comic-book-style illustrations throughout offer added layers of humor, funny visuals, and wisecracking characters who don’t just tell the jokes, but comment on and react to them, too.

Review: This book has been the center of our household, and although I always donate the books I receive for review to the local schools—it is going to take a lot of effort to pry this out of my kids’ hands! Not a day has gone by in the last several weeks that I haven’t heard a dog or a cat joke. My kids love the rivalry between the dog and the cat in this book. I asked my first grader which jokes were the funniest, and he said, “The cat jokes!” I was shocked because he loves dogs and asked him why he liked the cat jokes more. He replied, “Because the dog is telling the cat jokes, and he is so funny!” I recommend this book for classrooms—it will pull in all kinds of readers, and they won’t even realize the great vocabulary that they are gaining!

Teaching Tools for Navigation: I would use this book as a way to inspire conversations about writing for humor. Students could also create their own tête-bêche (read-from-both-sides) books!

Discussion Questions:

Which jokes really resonated with you? What type of humor did they use?
Do you think the dog or the cat is funnier? What kinds of humor do each of them use?
What other funny jokes do you know?

Flagged Passage:

Read This If You Love: Humor; Jokes, Animals

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Ivanka at Workman for sending a copy of this book for an honest review!**

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 7/17/23

July 22, 2023July 17, 2023 by Ricki

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
Sharing Picture Books, Early Readers, Middle Grade Books, and Young Adult Books for All Ages!

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.

Happy reading!

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Middle Graders are Unpredictable–and the Characters we Create for Them Should be, too!” by Linda B. Davis, Author of Food Fight

Kellee

It’s my week off, but I will see you next week! To see what I’ve been reading, check out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

Picture Books

My kids and I were excited to read Simon and the Better Bone by Corey R. Tabor. It’s a cute pup story about a dog who mistakes his reflection for another dog. We also really enjoyed The Digger and the Butterfly by Joseph Kuefler. This is a sweet story for vehicle lovers, especially, but I think everyone will enjoy its charm. We also enjoyed Spark, Shine, Glow!: What a Light Show by Lola M. Shaefer, Illustrated by James Yang. This one is great for teaching STEM concepts in the classroom!

Middle Grade

I am a sucker for Hansel and Gretel stories, so I wasn’t surprised that I really enjoyed Neil Gaiman and Lorenzo Mattotti’s version. I liked that Gaiman drew from Mattotti’s existing artwork. This one is dark, but it was nice to read an extended version of the story that felt true, in many ways, to the original.

My three kids have been sucked into Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, and they loved The Bad Beginning. We had to (immediately) check out book two, of course.

Adult

I loved Barbara Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead. It’s very well-written, and the characters felt so real to me. I was really sad when this book ended because I didn’t want to let the characters go.

Ricki

I am listening to Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt and rereading Healer of the Water Monster by Brian Young for a manuscript that I’m writing!

Tuesday: Rivka’s Presents, by Laurie Wallmark, Illustrated by Adelina Lirius

Friday: Students’ Voices: Book Recommendations from Kellee’s Students

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Unpacking the Layers of Meaning Hidden within a Picture Book” by Carin Berger, Author of In the Night Garden

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 6/19/23

June 19, 2023June 19, 2023 by Ricki

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
Sharing Picture Books, Early Readers, Middle Grade Books, and Young Adult Books for All Ages!

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.

Happy reading!

Tuesday: Educators’ Guide for A Match Made in Mehendi by Nandini Bajpai

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Notice What You Feel” by Christie Matheson, Author of Select

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

Kellee

Hi! It is my week off. To learn more about what I’ve been reading, check out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

Hi, all! I am running a teachers of color program for the next two weeks, so I will return with more book recommendations in two weeks!

Tuesday: Peaceful Me and Angry Me by Sandra V. Feder and Rahele Jomepour Bell

Friday: Student Voices: “The Issue with Banning Books” from Toby B., 8th Grader

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “What is it Like to be a Dog?” by Dr. John Bradshaw, Author of A First Guide to Dogs: Understanding Your Very Best Friend

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 6/5/23

June 5, 2023June 5, 2023 by Ricki

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
Sharing Picture Books, Early Readers, Middle Grade Books, and Young Adult Books for All Ages!

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.

Happy reading!

Tuesday: Teacher Guide for Fox + Chick: The Quiet Boat Ride and Other Stories by Serio Ruzzier

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Using Fiction to Tell Your Truth” by Kaz Windness, Author of Bitsy Bat, School Star

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

Kellee

I am off this week! See you next week for my update! To learn more about the books I’m reading, check out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

This week, I finished Invisible by Christina Diaz Gonzalez and Gabriela Epstein. I sat down and read it in one sitting. It’s beautifully written and illustrated and does an amazing job making the characters feel very real.

Ricki

There was a lot going on this week for me, so I am still continuing the books below!

Reading: Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

Listening to: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Reading with my kids: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket

Tuesday: Discussion Guide for Merci Suárez Plays it Cool by Merci Suarez

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Big Ideas: Ways of Making Abstract Concepts More Tangible for Students” by Laura Wippell, Author of Feeling Hopeful

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 5/22/23

May 27, 2023May 22, 2023 by Ricki

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
Sharing Picture Books, Early Readers, Middle Grade Books, and Young Adult Books for All Ages!

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.

Happy reading!

Tuesday: Review and Educators’ Guide: The Witch of Woodland by Laurel Snyder

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

Kellee

It’s my week off! To learn more about my reading, check out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

I love Stacy McAnulty’s books, and this was no exception. Pluto! Not a Planet? Not a Problem! is absolutely adorable and filled with incredible facts and information about Pluto and the solar system.

Invader from Mars: The Truth about Babies by Peggy Robbins Janousky is a new and fun take on the picture book sibling story. It made me laugh out loud!

Ricki

I am in adult book world for the moment.

I am reading in print Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin.

I’m listening to Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver.

Tuesday: What About Philosophy? An Illustrated Q&A Book for Kids by Guénaēlle Boulet and Anne-Sophie Chilard, Illustrated by Pascal Lemaître

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Building Empathy” by Kim Taylor, Author of A Flag for Juneteenth

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 5/8/23

May 8, 2023 by Ricki

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
Sharing Picture Books, Early Readers, Middle Grade Books, and Young Adult Books for All Ages!

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.

Happy reading!

Tuesday: The Witness Trees by Ryan G. Van Cleave, Illustrated by Dðm Dðm

Sunday: “Small Things Lead to Social Emotional Learning” by Marsha Diane Arnold, Author of One Small Thing

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

Kellee

It’s my off week, so I’ll catch you next week!

To learn more about any books I’ve finished, check out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

Things got unimaginably hectic this week, work-wise. The last week of the semester has my head spinning! I read 90 pages of the book I’ve posted below, but I didn’t finish anything!

I’ve read Gabrielle Zevin’s YAL and adult novels, and this one, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, is beautiful. I am only halfway through, but I am loving every page.

Tuesday: Greatest Kid In the World by John David Anderson

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