IMWAYR

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!

Tuesday: Discussion Guide for The Lilies by Quinn Diacon-Furtado

Thursday: Sofia’s Kids’ Corner: They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

Friday: Student Voices: Favorite Characters from Dhivya R., Hajirah Q., & Omayma H., 7th grade, and Azuri, 8th grade

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Guide Them like Lighthouses to the Shores of Success” by Preston Norton, Author of The House on Yeet Street

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

Kellee

Today is my day off from IMWAYR, but you can learn more about any of the books I’ve been reading by checking out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

Middle Grade

I am so excited to share the Race to the Truth series book Exclusion and the Chinese American Story by Sarah-Soonling Blackburn this Thursday!

I adored Wagnificent: The Adventures of Thunder and Sage by Bethanie Murguia and will be reviewing it in a couple of weeks!

Adult

I have been wanting to read Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano for a long time. When I saw it on the bestseller shelves at Barnes & Noble, I snagged it. This book felt like an epic story in the way that it spanned decades. The sisterhood bond in the book took my breath away. It’s unforgettable.

I don’t ever read the backs of books or the book summaries. If a publisher or friend recommends a book or I like the author, I just start reading. I thought this book was going to be young adult because it was by Nicola Yoon, but it is her debut adult novel. It is sort of like The Stepford Wives meets Get Out. I felt extremely uncomfortable reading this book, and I think it will give readers a lot to talk about. There were portions that felt anti-Black, but when I was reading these sections, I felt like Yoon did this very intentionally to make her point. I think this comes across in a way that feels incredibly painful to read. I am looking forward to unpacking this book with a colleague in the next week to hear her thoughts. I need to think through this one, and I must admit that I am still thinking through this and need more time to process the book’s purpose.

Ricki

Reading in Print: The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

Listening on Audio: The Color of a Lie by Kim Johnson.

Tuesday: Alterations by Ray Xu

Thursday: Exclusion and the Chinese American Story by Sarah-Soonling Blackburn

Friday: Student Voices: Author Reflections from Susana N., 7th grader, and Meghan K. & Ricardo D., 8th graders

Sunday: Author Interview: Q&A with Rhonda Roumani and Nadia Roumani, Authors of Insha’Allah, No, Maybe So

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!

  and

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!

Tuesday: Else B. in the Sea: The Woman Who Painted the Wonders of the Deep by Jeanne Walker Harvey, Illustrated by Melodie Stacey

Friday: Student Voices: Favorites and Recommendations from Zunaira S., Anja K., Caeden S., and Alena K., 8th graders

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “The Plant Rescuer and Following Dad’s Footsteps” by Matthew Rivera, Author of The Plant Rescuer

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

Kellee

Picture Book

• The Magical Science of Feelings: Train Your Amazing Brain to Quiet Anger, Soothe Sadness, Calm Worry, and Share Joy by Jen Daily, Illustrated by Gwen Millward: This was a perfect book to read on the day that I saw Inside Out 2. The movie shows how complex emotions are which segues perfectly to this book. It does a brilliant job making emotions accessible and easy to discuss for children. For each emotion, it describes what is happening in the body to make the emotion, has the reader reflect on the emotion, and has activities that help with the feeling. This is a perfect book for homes and for schools–it truly is about the magic and science of feelings.

Middle Grade

• Super Pancake and Super Pancake & the Mini Muffin Mayhem by Megan Wagner Lloyd, Illustrated by Abhi Alwar: This series has the perfect mix of superheroes, humor, and every day challenges which makes it a perfect graphic novel for elementary readers–they’re going to love the action of Peggy fighting the villain, the silliness and adorableness of all the characters, the humor of the jokes, and will connect with the school and family conflict.
• Onyx & Beyond by Amber McBride: Amber McBride is back and is gracing us with a very different book than her readers are used to, but do not fret, it is just as brilliant as her other work. Readers will connect. and/or empathize with Onyx’s drastic life changes and the pressure and responsibility he feels. This historical fiction novel-in-verse is so multi-layered and beautifully written. (Out 10/1/24!)
• Mountain of Fire: The Eruption and Survivors of Mount St. Helens by Rebecca E.F. Barone: If you didn’t know, I am a secret volcano nerd. I took a geology class during my master’s degree, and it sucked me in, making me a bit obsessed with volcanoes, specifically Mt. St. Helens, which I was able to visit in 2005, so you may guess that I devoured this book. Barone does a brilliant job turning this historical event into a narrative that students will delve into and not want to put down until they are finished.
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid: No Brainer by Jeff Kinney: Another win from Jeff Kinney. Diary of a Wimpy Kid readers are surely going to enjoy this one, too. This one specifically was enjoyable from an educators point of view because of how he took on issues of school systems.
• Dog Man: The Scarlet Shedder by Dav Pilkey: Like the other Dog Man books, the newest is just as goofy and silly as the others while also throwing in some lessons such as a discussion on AI.
• Sunny Makes Her Case by Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm: I love the Sunny books, and readers will love this newest installment that looks at finding your place and academics vs. athletics within schools.

Young Adult

• The Island by Natasha Preston: What a roller coaster! The cover pretty much covers the plot and the feeling of the book: Spooky theme part, darkness, and a bit of hope. I read this book so quickly but ended up furious; I now understand why many have a love-hate relationship with Natasha Preston, but it isn’t going to keep me from reading another of her books.
• A Queen’s Game by Katharine McGee: Although the cover looks just like McGeen’s American Royals series, it is a very different type of book–this one is based in history in the Victorian era and is completely inspired by true events. Told in alternating points of view, readers get to see three royals looking for love and all of the drama and scandal during this venture. Readers will be thrown into the ballrooms of England and not want to take a breath until the end, though I will say that I am already excited for book two! (Out 10/1/24!)
• Win Lose Kill Die by Cynthia Murphy: WHOA! This murder mystery was mind blowing and kept me (and the characters) on my toes the entire time! And I DID NOT see anything coming. This will not be the last Murphy book I read because I was quite impressed.
• The Champions by Kara Thomas: The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas was one of the first young adult thrillers I read and loved, so I am so excited that a companion is coming out which will hopefully lead even more readers to The Cheerleaders as well. The Champions is very different than its companion though they both take on super tough topics within their pages. The Champions takes place in the same town as its companion, but it is years later and this time we are seeing the story of the town’s champion football team from the eyes of a student reporter who is extracting information that will change everything.  (Out 8/27/24!)
• Break to You by Neal Shusterman, Debra Young, and Michelle Knowlden: Every time I think Neal Shusterman cannot surprise me any more, he puts out a new book that is so unlike anything else he has written. This time we get a love story between teens getting through sentences at a juvenile detention center–so many risks for love! The book is as well written as you would assume for a book with Shusterman’s name on it, and this time it includes poetry! (Out 7/2/24!)

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

It is my week off; see you next week!

Kellee

• Reading: Frankly in Love by David Yoon
• Listening (slowly because there isn’t a lot of driving during the summer): You Are Here: Connecting Flights edited by Ellen Oh

Tuesday: Discussion Guide for The Lilies by Quinn Diacon-Furtado

Thursday: Sofia’s Kids’ Corner: They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

Friday: Student Voices: Favorite Characters from Dhivya R., Hajirah Q., & Omayma H., 7th grade, and Azuri, 8th grade

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Guide Them like Lighthouses to the Shores of Success” by Preston Norton, Author of The House on Yeet Street

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!

  and

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!

Tuesday: Educators’ Guide for Lila Greer, Teacher of the Year by Andrea Beaty, Illustrated by David Roberts

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Peer Tutoring, Musical and Otherwise” by Caroline Palmer, Author of Camp Prodigy

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

Kellee

It’s my week off! 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, I finished the third book in the Court of Thorns and Roses series. I think I’ll take a break before I continue forward, but I’ve enjoyed the series! I don’t typically like high fantasy, but I’ve really enjoyed the way Sarah J. Maas worldbuilds.

My oldest son and I have been racing each other to finish The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. He was extremely hesitant to read a fantasy, but he felt very connected to the main character, Percy, so he gave it a try. He was reading for hours at a time! I hadn’t read this book in over a decade, so I enjoyed rereading it!

Ricki

I just snagged a bunch of new ARCs from my office, and I plan to get started on those this weekend!

Tuesday: Else B. in the Sea: The Woman Who Painted the Wonders of the Deep by Jeanne Walker Harvey, Illustrated by Melodie Stacey

Friday: Student Voices: Favorites During the 2023-24 School Year from Zunaira S., Anja K., Caeden S., and Alena K., 8th graders

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “The Plant Rescuer and Following Dad’s Footsteps” by Matthew Rivera, Author of The Plant Rescuer

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!

  and

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!

 

Tuesday: The Dinosaur in the Garden by Deb Pilutti

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Creativity, Collaboration, and Cookies” by Tracy Badua and Alechia Dow, Author of The Cookie Crumbles

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

Kellee

Middle Grade

• Black Lives: Great Minds of Science by Tonya Bolden, Illustrated by David Wilkerson: This new series is going to be a must buy for any nonfiction-loving reader and any library. Bolden does an amazing job focusing on a variety of scientists in all sorts of fields to show the wide range of contributions to science by Black scientists. I look forward to the next book in this series.
• Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas: I can definitely see why this is one of Trent’s favorite books he read last year. Bree is a lovable character that anyone will connect with and the story is one that sucks you in and makes you want to keep reading. AND it also touches on the racism surrounding pools in America, multi-generational friendships, and stereotypes within a school environment.
• Mexikid by Pedro Martín: This critically acclaimed graphic memoir is one that so many graphic novel loving readers are going to gravitate to. My favorite part may be how the graphic novel is creatively crafted with a variety of variations of storytelling styles (if you have read it, you understand what I mean!).
• Hoops by Matt Tavares: I love how Matt Tavares took this idea for a picture book and realized it needed more and created his first graphic novel. While not exactly nonfiction, it was highly inspired by a true story of a female basketball team the first year schools were required to offer equal opportunities in sports; I loved how the history was taught flawlessly within the story. Readers will definitely connect to the characters in this book and be rooting for them until the very last page!
• Frankie & Bug by Gayle Forman: Gayle Forman’s debut middle grade book is about so much more than it seems to be at first glance. Although it is about Bug’s summer being not what she wants it to be as her brother grows from friend to BIG brother, but it is so much more. It is about found families, identity, hate, love, allyship, friendship, survival, and is a snapshot of the late 1980s. I did not expect for it to be as deep as it was when I started, but the book ended up being more than I could have even guessed.
• The Riverman by Aaron Starmer: A past student of mine (now in 10th grade) contacted me to tell me he had found a book that had become his favorite book every, so I knew I had to read it since I never had. Although this book may not be for me, he loved the complicated friendships, mysterious disappearances, emotional impact, untraditional story, and the highlight on creativity. He went on and read the sequels in less than a weekend; that is the best recommendation that a book can receive.

Young Adult

• Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives it Changed by Dashka Slater: Whoa. So much to unpack in this book, from the lack of regret for blatant racism, the mishandling of the situation by all adults, the long term effects of racism, and the consequences of this one terrible social media account. Whoa. Highly recommended.
• As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh: This book is SO WELL WRITTEN! I gasped, I cried sad tears, I cried happy tears, I sat numbly, I texted a friend who has read the book to exclaim… the emotions are a roller coaster ride, which makes sense as it takes place during the Syrian revolution and has the reader immersed in the setting. Another whoa and high recommendation.
• Louder than Hunger by John Schu: This novel-in-verse explores anorexia, mental health, and residential treatment facilities with true honesty, which is exactly what I knew John Schu would bring to us. The book is well written, keeps the reader reading, and has so much truth in it. I am so proud of John for telling this story and for writing this fantastic book; I cannot wait to congratulate him next time I see him.
• Spy x Family Vol. 11 by Tatsuya Endo: In Volume 11, it is all about Anya as her bus is high jacked on the way to a field trip. Full of action and telepathy, volume 11 was another great Spy Family book.

Picture Books

• Dragon Post, Beast Feast, and Santa Post by Emma Yarlett: Emma Yarlett was one of Trent’s favorite picture book creators, so we were very happy to be able to introduce my nephew to her books with these three. The stories were a hit because they are silly and fun, but the letters/cards really pushed them over the edge to being a new favorite for my nephew.

I also read two picture books from Penguin Young Readers which will be perfect for Pride Month!

• The Broken Heart by Aaron Chan, Illustrated by Josiane Vlitos: This is a fantastic picture book to look at healing emotional grief, which may be hard for a child to not understand that you can’t just put a band aid on some broken things. It is also all about empathy, which I think is the most important thing that kids need to read about so they can understand it better to build their own. I also loved the dynamic between the siblings as we too often do not get to see loving relationships between siblings as far apart in age as Stephanie and Cody.
• Family is Family by Melissa Marr, Illustrated by Marcos Almada Rivero: What a cute story about different family make ups and how they are all families!! The story and important theme are paired illustrations are just so colorful and eye catching which lends itself to being loved by so many readers.

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.

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With the books listed above, I have officially finished my #mustreadin2024 list as my goal was to finish the 2024 Project Lit lists for middle grade and young adult, and I DID IT!!!

Ricki

This is my week off; see you next week!

Kellee

• Reading: The Island by Natasha Preston
• Listening: You Are Here: Connecting Flights edited by Ellen Oh
  • (Though listening is harder for me during the summer as I do not have my commute to listen, so this one may take a bit)

Tuesday: Educators’ Guide for Lila Greer, Teacher of the Year by Andrea Beaty, Illustrated by David Roberts

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Peer Tutoring, Musical and Otherwise” by Caroline Palmer, Author of Camp Prodigy

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!

  and

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!

Tuesday: The Incredible Octopus: Meet the Eight-Armed Wonder of the Sea by Erin Spencer

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “The Soil Science in Jackie’s Garden” by Peggy Thomas, Author of The Soil in Jackie’s Garden

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

Kellee

This is my week off–see you 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 hope you all are having a good Memorial Day. Unfortunately, I am unable to blog this week, so I’ll catch you in two weeks!

 

Tuesday: The Dinosaur in the Garden by Deb Pilutti

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Creativity, Collaboration, and Cookies” by Tracy Badua and Alechia Dow, Author of The Cookie Crumbles

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!

  and

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!

Thursday: Sofia’s Kids’ Corner: Lying in the Deep by Diana Urban

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Let Kids Read Below Their Reading Levels” by Adrian So, Fourteen-Year Old Author of The Groundworld Heroes

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

Kellee

Young Adult

• Man Made Monsters by Andrea L. Rogers, Illustrated by Jeff Edwards: This book is very much outside of my comfort zone as I am not a fan of horror, and this one starts off with a bang (the first story is a doozy!), but I am so thankful that Ricki told me to not give up because she was right that in the end, I would enjoy the beautifully crafted book that Rogers created. She did a phenomenal job of writing such a wide variety of monster stories that transcend time from the 1800s to the future, and she layers these stories with truths about racism, systemic oppression, sexism, and other violences that are in the real world.
• The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas: High fantasy is also a genre I enter into tentatively, but I am so glad I jumped right into this one because this became one of my favorite reads so far this year. The way I described it to my students is that it is an older and more diverse version of The Hunger Games combined with Percy Jackson. I listened to this one, and I didn’t want to leave my car because I wanted to know what happened next to Teo, our protagonist and underdog in the Sunbearer Trials. And now I have to wait until SEPTEMBER for the next book in the duology!
• Medusa: The Girl Behind the Myth by Jessie Burton, Illustrated by Olivia Lomenech Gill: I read this book in less than 24 hours because it was so brilliant. The way Burton kept (most of) the myth as it has been told over time but also touches on such important themes such as sexual assault, stereotyping, and misogyny. I am so impressed with how this book was crafted and loved how she decided to do this retelling. Just wow.

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!

Kellee

• Reading: As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh
• Listening: Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives it Changed by Dashka Slater

• Tuesday: The Incredible Octopus: Meet the Eight-Armed Wonder of the Sea by Erin Spencer
• Sunday: Author Guest Post: “The Soil Science in Jackie’s Garden” by Peggy Thomas, Author of The Soil in Jackie’s Garden

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!

  and

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!

Thursday: Sofia’s Kids’ Corner: The Evers: Forever Twelve by Stacy McAnulty

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

Kellee

This is my week off! 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 finished This is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay. I liked it a lot, and it reminded me of stories I overheard in the hospital as a child of a physician and nurse. You hear a lot when you are spinning in a chair at a nurse’s station

Ricki

I just started Ferris by Kate DiCamillo!

Thursday: Sofia’s Kids’ Corner: Lying in the Deep by Diana Urban

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Let Kids Read Below Their Reading Levels” by Adrian So, Fourteen-Year Old Author of The Groundworld Heroes

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!

  and