IMWAYR

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme started by Sheila at Book Journeys and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. 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!

Kellee and Jen, of Teach Mentor Texts, 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

Teaching Tuesday: Most Talked About Books in our Classrooms Right Now

Wednesday: George the Hero Hound by Jeffrey Ebbler

Thursday: I Walk with Vanessa by Kerascoët

Friday: The Life and Times of Birdie Mae Hayes: The Gift by Jeri Anne Agee

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

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

This week is the Florida Future Problem Solvers State Competition, and I have twenty-five students competing! Fingers crossed for them! It started Sunday night, so I just ran out of time to do my IMWAYR post—my apologies!!! I’ll catch you all up next week.

 Ricki

My sons and I read these three F&Gs: Dreaming of You by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, Blue Grass Boy: The Story of Bill Monroe, Father of Bluegrass Music by Barb Rosenstock, and Look Out! It’s a Dragon by Jenny Lambert. The first is a quiet book that imagines what animals might be dreaming. The second is a nonfiction picture book about Bill Monroe, who is largely considered the father of blue grass music. The third is about a dragon who wants to be considered a nice dragon, so he can live with the local animals.

I REREAD American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang. I am excited to share this one with students. It’s generated some great conversations with other classes in the past. I am curious what my current students will think about it.

It wasn’t a crazy reading week for me because I worked on submitting a manuscript for publication, but I am almost done with several books that I am looking forward to sharing.

This Week’s Expeditions

Ricki

Instead of being good and finishing one of the several books I have in progress, I cracked the cover of Thornhill by Pam Smy. This nontraditional book is capturing my attention. It’s very spooky. I think I am trying to recreate my experience of reading Mary’s Monster by Lita Judge. That book blew me away.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

  

Teaching Tuesday: Teaching Tuesday: Teaching My Son to Read (by Ricki) Part II

Wednesday: Bat and the Waiting Game by Elana K. Arnold

Thursday: Guest Review: Miles Away From You by A. B. Rutledge

Friday: Moon by Alison Oliver

 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!

  and

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme started by Sheila at Book Journeys and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. 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!

Kellee and Jen, of Teach Mentor Texts, 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

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

Teaching Tuesday: My Classroom After Parkland

Wednesday: Sylvia Rose and the Cherry Tree by Sandy Shapiro Hurt

Wednesday: My School’s Solidarity with Parkland

Thursday: Adventures in Science: Human Body by Courtney Acampora

Friday: My Rotten Stepbrother Ruined Cinderella by Jerry Mahoney

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

Spring Break is upon us!!! And as I write this on Sunday, I have already taken advantage of some extra time to read!

• Sugar by Jewell Parker Rhodes: This book was recommended to me by one of my 7th graders, and I am so sorry it took me so long to read it. Sugar is such a wonderful protagonist, and I loved the racial themes shared in this middle grade book, specifically the highlight on Chinese workers in the south as this is a gap in taught history because I had no idea about it. The student and I had a great conversation about it, and when I shared it was a companion to Ninth Ward as they both take place in Louisiana, she took that home for Spring Break.
• The Runaway King by Jennifer Nielsen: I know that some people said they didn’t like the sequels as much as The False Prince, but I enjoyed the second book as much as the first though it is a bit different. The secret is out, so now it is all about adventure, treachery, and bravery!
• Open Mic: Riffs on Life Between Cultures in Ten Voices edited by Mitali Perkins: Our March Skype visit is Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich and our May Skype is Mitali Perkins, so Open Mic is being read by almost all of my students in the book club, so I picked this one up first, specifically because those kids who have finished it already ADORED it. I am so in love this this short story collection! I love the short insight into different lives; it truly builds empathy and understanding!

I had a pile of graphic novels that I was so excited to tackle! It is always awesome when I get the time to read some extra than just what I need to read.

• Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang: Wow. Everyone, you hear that? WOW! This is a beautiful book, both inside and out. Jen Wang’s dressmaker designs are phenomenal, and her story of the two characters who stole my heart is perfectly paced and has amazing secondary characters. I recommend this to all of you.
• Secondhand Heroes series by Justin LaRocca Hansen: I had one of my students read one of the Secondhand Heroes books and was so mad that I didn’t have all three–now I do, and I can’t wait to have him read them so we can talk about them! I also plan on reviewing these closer to the 3rd’s publication date.
• Monsters Beware by Rafael Rosado and Jorge Aguirre: Claudette is such a kick butt main character! And I think this may be my favorite of her stories. And I will say, I think this may be the final one; if it is, it is a perfect end.
• Scarlett Hart: Monster Hunter by Marcus Sedgwick and Thomas Taylor: Another kick butt female main character. Scarlett’s story reminded me of a combination of Batman and The Monstrumologist. I do want MORE though. So many questions are unanswered, and I hope that the author/illustrator duo are planning more.
• Peter & Ernesto: A Tale of Two Sloths by Graham Annable: Who doesn’t love sloths?!?!? And Peter & Ernesto are two special sloths. Peter is completely content at home, but Ernesto knows there is a big world to see. When Ernesto leaves to go adventure, Peter must fight his fears to go make sure his friend is okay.

 

• Yellow Kayak by Nina Laden and Melissa Castrillón: Trent is so lucky to receive Powell’s Books’ BOOX (book box) each month. This month included Yellow Kayak, and I was so happy to see Nina Laden’s name as we loved her Peek-A books when Trent was an infant. Yellow Kayak is beautiful! The illustrations are all inclusive and so detailed and dreamy. The story is poetic and meaningful. A wonderful read.
• Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James: I am so glad that I finally got my hand on Crown! I can definitely tell why it won so many accolades at ALAMW as it is quite perfect in its illustration and word combination and mood-setting swagger poetry. Perfect.
• Owl at Home by Arnold Lobel: On our way to school, Trent and I listen to audiobooks, and we’ve recently discovered the Read-to-Me books on Hoopla through our library. Trent’s newest find is Owl at Home which is less picture book and more early chapter book. Trent loves Owl and thinks he is hilarious. It has been a multi-read, and I’m sure it’ll continue.

 Ricki

My son and I finished the first book in the Secondhand Heroes series by Justin LaRocca Hansen. He imagines that he and his brother are the heroes and loves reading it.

I’ve read the graphic novel Mr. Wolf’s Class by Aron Nels Steinke three times this week. The first two times were with both of my sons on my lap. The third time was with my 17-month-old. They are both obsessed with this book. It’s in our playroom, and they choose it over their toys.

I REREAD All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven. This book gets me every single time. I am looking forward to teaching it tomorrow and talking about adolescents and mental health.

Wow. This new release is going to captivate readers. Mary’s Monster by Lita Judge. It’s a nonfiction account of Mary Shelley’s life. I had no idea that she was a 16-year-old pregnant runaway when she write Frankenstein. This woman was a genius.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

I hope to get a lot of reading done this week! I’m still listening to the 3rd book in The Ascendance Trilogy though I don’t know how much listening I’ll do since I am not driving to and from work. I plan on reading Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich’s other two titles: Eight Grade Superzero and Two Naomis. And after that, I don’t know what I’ll jump into.

 Ricki

I hope to finish listening to The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore this week. My commute is very short, which cuts down on my listening time. I am really enjoying this one, though.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

Teaching Tuesday: Most Talked About Books in our Classrooms Right Now

Wednesday: George the Hero Hound by Jeffrey Ebbler

Thursday: I Walk with Vanessa by Kerascoët

Friday: The Life and Times of Birdie Mae Hayes: The Gift by Jeri Anne Agee

 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!

  and

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme started by Sheila at Book Journeys and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. 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!

Kellee and Jen, of Teach Mentor Texts, 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

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

 

Tuesday: Gateway Books for Kids Who Say They Don’t Like to Read

Wednesday: When Paul Met Artie by G. Neri

Thursday: Astronaut Annie by Suzanne Slade

Friday: Granted by John David Anderson

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

I cannot wait to share this book with you on Friday. I’m so glad that I was introduced to this series.

 Ricki

The Word Collector by Peter H. Reynolds is a standout. Lovers of words will adore this book. I had a great discussion with my son about collections. I love the idea of collecting words, and I think I’ll start this with him when he is a little bit older.

Dance, Dance, Dance! by Ethan Long would make an enjoyable read-aloud. It’s very silly! I Am Famous by Tara Luebbe and Becky Cattie is a fun book about a girl who believes she is famous. I can think of several adorable divas that I know who will love this book. What Happens Next by Susan Hughes is a book about how to react to bullying. I would recommend this title for upper elementary schoolers. It is stylistically very interesting (but was much too mature for my four-year-old!). Terrific Tongues by Maria Gianferrari was not what I expected! It features all of the crazy, neat things that different animals can do with their tongues.

I loved Speak: The Graphic Novel by Laurie Halse Anderson and Emily Carroll. Emily beautifully captures the original version of the book. This graphic novel version has many similarities with the prose version, yet it feels different. Even though I knew the story, it hit me hard. I love and will cherish both versions.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

 

• I am still listening to The Runaway King, and although it is different than the first one, I am really enjoying Jaron’s story! I know I am loving my audiobook when I find myself wanting to listen instead of talking to anyone.
• I am so excited to read the Secondhand Heroes series! I own the first one and students love it and most have read the second from our school library, but I have the third to read also. And I may even be more excited to bring them all into the classroom when I am done!
• The Prince and the Dressmaker is a graphic novel that I’ve been so excited to read!
• Sugar by Jewell Parker-Rhodes was recommended to me from a student at the very beginning of the year, and she even lent me her book; however, I feel so bad that I forgot about it! I hope to read it this week.

 Ricki

I’ve been reading several books simultaneously. It’s been great, but I think I’ll be focusing on finishing this one this week. 🙂

Upcoming Week’s Posts

Tuesday: Teaching After Parkland

Wednesday: Sylvia Rose and the Cherry Tree by Sandy Shapiro Hurt

Thursday: Adventures in Science: Human Body by Courtney Acampora

Friday: My Rotten Stepbrother Ruined Cinderella by Jerry Mahoney

 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!

  and

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme started by Sheila at Book Journeys and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. 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!

Kellee and Jen, of Teach Mentor Texts, 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

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

 

Tuesday: Teaching My Son to Read (by Ricki)

Wednesday: Leaf Litter Critters by Leslie Bulion

Thursday: Dr. E’s Super Stellar Solar System by Bethany Ehlmann with Jennifer Swanson

Friday: Blog Tour with Review and Giveaway!: The Backup Bunny by Abigail Rayner
Giveaway only open until tomorrow!

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

 

• I love everything by Eliot Schrefer! He is just so detailed in his voices and settings which just adds so much to his stories. Mez’s Magic is different than anything else he has done, and it is going to be a wonderful addition to the reading lives of students who love animal adventure fantasies.
• Fresh Ink edited by Lamar Giles was created in partnership with We Need Diverse Books and includes 13 authors sharing a short story (well, 10 stories, 1 comic, and 1 play). These authors include some of my favorites including Jason Reynolds, Walter Dean Myers, Nicola Yoon, Sharon Flake, Gene Luen Yang, and Malinda Lo as well as new to me authors who I can’t wait to read more from. This is a MUST GET everyone. I promise you–you and your students are going to love it!
• THE FALSE PRINCE IS AMAZING!!! I couldn’t stop texting Michele while reading it because it is so twisty and turny, and there were parts I didn’t see coming which just shocked me! So. Good!
• I look forward to sharing Granted on Friday 🙂

 Ricki

I am really excited to share these picture books, which will be published later this year.

I Walk with Vanessa by Kerascoeet is going to be a favorite this year. It’s absolutely stunning. I’ll be making space in the calendar to write a full review of this one. This is a great book to teach bullying. I would pair it with Jacqueline Woodson’s Each Kindness. I feel lucky to have this one in bound form, and I gifted my F&G to a friend who teaches literacy to future teachers. I love this book.

Wordy Birdy by Tammi Sauer is a fun book to teach listening skills.

Fruit Bowl by Mark Hoffman is full of puns, and adults will have just as much fun reading this as the kids will.

Night Out is a quiet almost-wordless picture book that reminded me a bit of Alice and Wonderland. The artwork is absolutely beautiful.

Grumpy Monkey by Suzanne Lang is very funny. I will be buying a bound copy of this one. I love that it teaches that it is okay to be grumpy sometimes!

How To Be a Lion by Ed Vere is a useful book for teaching about asking questions. I love the friendship that develops in this book and the lion’s determination to be different.

I also REREAD Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan. I am looking forward to teaching it tomorrow!

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

As soon as I was done with The False Prince, I started this one. I hope it is as good as the first!

 Ricki

I am halfway through Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish by Pablo Cartaya, and I love it. I don’t tend to love middle grade books. It’s my flaw. I am finding that I am thinking about this story a lot when I am not reading it. Once I get my work done tonight, I suspect I’ll be finishing it. 😉

Upcoming Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Gateway Books for Kids Who Say They Don’t Like to Read

Wednesday: When Paul Met Artie by G. Neri

Thursday: Astronaut Annie by Suzanne Slade

Friday: Granted by John David Anderson

 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!

  and

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme started by Sheila at Book Journeys and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. 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!

Kellee and Jen, of Teach Mentor Texts, 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

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

Tuesday: Ten of Trent’s Favorite Books as of His Fourth Birthday

Wednesday: Girl Running: Bobbi Gibb and the Boston Marathon by Annette Bay Pimental

Thursday: Tough Tug by Margaret Read MacDonald

Friday: They Didn’t Teach THIS in Worm School by Simone Lia

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “Let Me Tell You a Secret” by Barb Rosenstock, Author of many nonfiction texts including her newest, The Secret Kingdom

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

I feel like Ricki and I are taking turns with IMWAYR–I’m taking a 3 day weekend from all, but I’ll be back next week! 🙂

 Ricki

I’ve returned! Thanks for your patience with me while I attended ALA Midwinter and hosted my sister for an extended weekend. I have many books to share, and I am likely forgetting several.

Picture Books

Tough Tug by Margaret Read MacDonald is a great book for kids who love boats. The Man Who Kept His Heart in a Bucket by Sonia Levitin is a strange but highly entertaining book that reminded me of an old Italian folk tale. Black Beauty by Sharon Lerner is absolutely lovely. My younger son loves horses, and we’ve read this one a few dozen times this week. Bear and Hare Snow by Emily Gravett is a simple story that is great for beginning readers.

Rabbit Moon by Jean Kim has lovely illustrations. Truck Full of Ducks by Ross Burach is very funny, and my son loves it! When Pigs Fly by James Burks is coming out tomorrow. It is a delightful story that reminds kids to use their imaginations. Saffron Ice Cream by Rashin is fantastic. It’s about a young girl who comes from Iran to the United States. She is adjusting to her new life and realizing some parts of her new life will be very different, culturally. This one comes out in May.

Upper Elementary/Middle Grade 

 Dr. E’s Super Stellar Solar System by Bethany Ehlmann with Jennifer Swanson is wild. I learned so much by reading this book. One thing I learned—I know so much less about space than I realized. My son is much too young for this book, but he loved looking at the pictures while I summarized what was on the pages. This text jam-packed with fascinating information and neat photographs.

Refugee by Alan Gratz. I listened to this book. I cried and cried throughout the book. It is absolutely stunning. If you haven’t read this one, I recommend it highly. Whew.

Young Adult (Rereads)

I REREAD two of my favorite books to teach them in my Adolescents’ Literature class. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys and Tree Girl by Ben Mikaelsen. Both are heartbreaking stories about the devastating effects of genocide and the endurance of two strong women.

This Week’s Expeditions

Ricki

I am reading If I Ever Get Out of Here by Eric Gansworth (among several other books). It’s very, very good, and I’ve enjoyed it. I am looking forward to reading his new book, and I felt like I needed to read this one first.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Teaching My Son to Read (by Ricki)

Wednesday: Leaf Litter Critters by Leslie Bulion

Thursday: Dr. E’s Super Stellar Solar System by Bethany Ehlmann with Jennifer Swanson

Friday: Blog Tour!: The Backup Bunny by Abigail Rayner

 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!

  and

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme started by Sheila at Book Journeys and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. 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!

Kellee and Jen, of Teach Mentor Texts, 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

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

 

Tuesday: Books with a Love Story that We’ve Recently Read and Enjoyed

Wednesday: Heroes of Black History by Time Kids

Thursday: Love, Mama by Jeanette Bradley

Friday: Kellee’s Classes’ Mock Caldecott Experience

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

Wow. Count Olaf is terrible! My student says to not give up, so I am moving on, but I am having a really hard time with all of the horrible things that are happening to these children. A table of my students who have read it and I had an interesting conversation about perspective: theirs vs. a mother’s/teacher’s.

 Ricki

Hi, all! I am away for the next two weeks and unable to post. I was at ALA Midwinter this past Sunday and Monday, and my sister is visiting from NYC this weekend through Wednesday. I look forward to catching you all next Monday!

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

 

• I am ready to make an official statement about something: I read books much more and much quicker when they are e-books, and I still comprehend them as well, and I like it! *gasp!* I had Mez’s Magic as a hardcover at home all week, and I just didn’t have a ton of time to read at home; however, I bought the ebook Saturday, and I have read more in 24 hours than I had all week. My phone is just everywhere with me, and I can easily read in bed, so it is just so much more efficient for me. That being said, I am loving Mez’s Magic, and I cannot wait to finish it now that I am chugging along. I had hoped to read one more Schrefer book before our Skype on Friday, but I don’t think that’ll happen, sadly.
• I am moving onto Series of Unfortunate Events #2. I’m trusting my kids… We’ll see. So far the adults in the book aren’t failing the kids as much as in the first.
• I have so much to choose after this. We’ll see!

Upcoming Week’s Posts

Tuesday: Ten of Trent’s Favorite Books as of His Fourth Birthday

Wednesday: Girl Running: Bobbi Gibb and the Boston Marathon by Annette Bay Pimental

Thursday: Tough Tug by Margaret Read MacDonald

Friday: They Didn’t Teach THIS in Worm School by Simone Lia

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “Let Me Tell You a Secret” by Barb Rosenstock, Author of many nonfiction texts including her newest, The Secret Kingdom

 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!

  and

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme started by Sheila at Book Journeys and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. 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!

Kellee and Jen, of Teach Mentor Texts, 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

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

  

Tuesday: Books That Have Been on our TBR List the Longest

Wednesday: History’s Mysteries by Kitson Jazynka

Friday: SuperPowers! by M.H. Clark

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “Art in Stories” by Nancy K. Lodge, Author of Mona Lisa’s Ghost (Lucy Nightingale #2)

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

 

• Eliot Schrefer! I had no idea! I am sure you all know how much I love his Ape Quartet’s first three books and overall am just a huge fan of Eliot as a person and author. When I first read Endangered, I went and looked up his past books and saw that they were quite different than the new direction of his books, and I just never got around to reading them; however, Eliot is my book club’s February author, and one of my girls chose to buy The Deadly Sister and read it, so I made sure to also to allow for us to chat about it. Wow! What a dark, twisted story!
• Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz lived up to all of the recommendations I’ve gotten for it. It is hard to talk about it with positive adjectives just because of the truly devastating story that Gratz shares with his readers. Jack Gruener’s story which is unbelievable yet was six years of his life. I highly recommend this novel (and I’ve already passed it onto a student!).

• I found out a couple of years ago that Ferdinand was one of my husband’s favorite books when he was younger, and I tried to read it with Trent, but he had no interest. However, this week he chose it as one of his bedtime books, and he loved it! When we got done, he asked if it was the same as the movie, and I had a surprisingly deep conversation about the differences between the book and movie with my almost four-year-old.
• Hoopla, through my public library, has so many audiobooks to chose from for kids; however, many of them are commercial like Disney or Nick, so I’ve been trying to listen, in the car, to the ones with Trent that aren’t brand name. I downloaded The Little Shop of Monsters on Monday, and Trent became obsessed. We’ve probably listened to it twelve times. Since he liked it, I also got the book from my public library, so now he can follow along.
• Recently, Trent has switched from wanting to be a zoologist to wanting to be an astronaut. Part of this new love is a focus on our space books including Oh No, Astro! and Earth! which Trent really loved. I am so impressed with how these authors combined humor, narrative, and information.
  • Trent also recently got a “Moon in Your Room,” and I would highly recommend it to anyone with a young kid. Each day we look up what phase the moon is in, and we set it up to match (if you have an Apple Watch, you can look at it on there!). It then is a nightlight, but turns off after 30 minutes.

Ricki

Hi, all! I am away for the next two weeks and unable to post. I’ll be at ALA Midwinter this Sunday and Monday, and my sister is visiting from NYC the following weekend for the long weekend. I look forward to catching you all soon!

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

• I have started the Series of Unfortunate Events since I finished all of the Whatever After books that are out, and it is a series that ALL of my fourth period class who has read it said I have to. So far so Bad just like the title says.
• I have two more Eliot Schrefer books I hope to read this week. I’ve started Mez’s Magic, and I love Mez’s voice! I’m assuming The School of Dangerous Girls will be super different and super good.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Books with a Love Story that We’ve Recently Read and Enjoyed

Wednesday: Heroes of Black History by Time Kids

Thursday: Love, Mama by Jeanette Bradley

Friday: Kellee’s Classes’ Mock Caldecott Experience (and her reactions to the ALA Youth Media Awards)

 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!

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