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

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

   

Tuesday: Ten New-to-Me Authors I Read for the First Time in 2016

Wednesday: Mean Machines: Supercars (Mean Machine Series) by Kane Miller Books

Thursday: Hundred Percent by Karen Romano Young

Friday: Be Light Like a Bird by Monika Schröder

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “This is Useful for Teachers” by Mark Geatches, Author of Tamar and PJ: One Giant Adventure

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

I did a book path (similar to a book pass but the kids move) of all my new books for the classroom library (from NCTE/ALAN and a book order), and these were three that I wanted to read before students checked them out and they did not get returned until the end of the year. All three books were quite good! The 3rd HiLo may just be my favorite because we’re really starting to get into HiLo’s story, Dog Man is such a ridiculous premise but also so funny, and Double Down shows me that the last couple of Diary of a Wimpy Kid books weren’t a fluke and Greg is actually growing up some.

Wishapick by M.M. Allen is a fun introduction to the world of fantasy novels and will also be perfect to give to fans of the Spiderwick Chronicles.

I also finally had the pleasure to read Some Writer! by Melissa Sweet this week. I can definitely see why there is so much hype around this book. I loved Sweet’s picture book biographies but this one goes to a whole new level. Brilliantly crafted, illustrated, and written!

Ricki

I am excited that I just submitted a manuscript for publication. I worked on it all week, so I was more productive with my writing than my reading. I’ve also been reading excerpts from textbooks to try to decide which books to use next semester with my pre-service teachers. I will share more about these later. 🙂

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

I have some lofty December goals! First, I want to finish my #mustreadin2016 titles, and I have four more: Enchanted Air by Margarita Engle, Hook’s Revenge: The Pirate Code, Mexican Whiteboy by Matt de la Peña, and The Nest by Kenneth Oppel (though I may only read 3 of them; I keep trying to read The Nest, and it is just too creepy for me).

I also want to try to read some of our Mock Newbery titles in preparation for our voting on January 19th (the 2016 Youth Media Award announcements will take place on Monday, Jan. 23, at 8 a.m. ET).

Ricki

I am just about finished with The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon, and it is incredible. I can’t wait to share more about it!

I am about to start For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood…And the Rest of Y’all Too: Reality Pedagogy and Urban Education by Christopher Emdin. This book is very relevant to my work, so I am very excited to read and learn from it.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Top Books We Want to Read That We Heard About at NCTE/ALAN

Wednesday: On the Construction Site by Carron Brown

Thursday: The Secret Side of Empty by Maria E. Andreu

Friday: Noodles’ and Albie’s Birthday Surprise by Eric Bennett

 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: Kellee’s 2016 NCTE and ALAN Experience

Thursday: Ricki’s 2016 NCTE and ALAN Experience

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

I did finish Hundred Percent by Karen Romano Young which is a book I have mixed feelings about. I’ll share on Thursday.

Loving vs. Virginia by Patricia Hruby Powell is a one sitting book. I loved going on the journey with the Lovings, and the book truly gave me hope in this tumultuous times for civil rights. I book talked this for my classes, and they are all really interested in it as well. My students this year are very politically and socially minded.

Be Light Like a Bird by Monika Schröder has a death very early on in the book, and the way that the mother dealt with the grief made this book very hard for me to read when I first started it in July. It was really affecting me, so I put it down for a while. Then this weekend, after reading Augusta Scattergood’s review of it on her IMWAYR post, I picked it back up, and this time I must have been in a better mind space for it, and I found it a thought-provoking and heartfelt book.

 Ricki

I’ve been writing, writing, writing this week! I’m trying to finish a few different manuscripts about young adult literature, and we had some deadlines for The ALAN Review. I didn’t finish any books, but everything I’m doing is connected to reading! I’m excited to hear what you all read this week!

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

I don’t know! My plan had been to read HiLo 3 this weekend since I got it at NCTE, but I sadly left it at work.

I think I am going to read some of the nonfiction and picture books I have sitting around to read/review 🙂

Ricki

I’ve listened to half of The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon, and I love it! It is a remarkable book that offers many opportunities for classroom discussion!

I am still really enjoying Gem and Dixie by Sara Zarr. It is a great story about the dynamic between sisters, and I suspect there is much more to come.

 

Upcoming Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Ten New-to-Me Authors I Read for the First Time in 2016

Wednesday: Mean Machines: Supercars by Kane Miller Books

Thursday: Hundred Percent by Karen Romano Young

Friday: Be Light Like a Bird by Monika Schröder

 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

We took last week off for the ALAN workshop and to spend time with our family. Hope you all had a wonderful holiday!

 Last Two Week’s Journeys

Kellee

Anyone who has gone to a conference knows that they go from sun up to sun down and doesn’t leave much time for extracurriculars such as reading; however, I did get a couple in since our last IMWAYR post.

The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle by Janet Fox is a perfect combination of Frankenstein and Hansel and Gretel historically placed during WWII with a Gothic fiction feel. I loved listening to it, and I cannot wait to discuss it with my Mock Newbery Book Club.

The Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas really feeds into my love for true crime, and I can tell that Kara Thomas is a fan of true crime as well! I was lucky enough to eat dinner with Kara, and we discussed Serial and Making a Murderer and we offered recommendations to each other. I knew that this was going to be the first book I read after the conference.

Ricki

I am glad to be back!

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

Because of Kara Thomas reopening my need for true crime podcasts and documentaries, so I am going to take an audio book break and listen to some podcasts (and watch some Netflix documentaries).

I began reading Hundred Percent by Karen Romano Young which is a quite mature look at sixth grade with a protagonist who is trying to find her place.

Ricki

I’ve listened to half of The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon, and I love it! I look forward to sharing more with you soon. I like how this book is much more political than Everything, Everything. They are so different, which shows Yoon’s great talent.

I am really enjoying Gem and Dixie by Sara Zarr. I’m only about 50 pages into it, and I can’t wait to read more! It is a great story about the dynamic between sisters.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

Tuesday: Kellee’s 2016 NCTE and ALAN Experience

Thursday: Ricki’s 2016 NCTE and ALAN Experience

 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: Favorite Movies When I was a Teenager

Wednesday: Oh, Ick!: 114 Science Experiments Guaranteed to Gross You Out! by Joy Masoff

Thursday: Just Imagine by Nick Sharratt

Friday: Teaching Guide for Red’s Planet by Eddie Pittman

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “How Kids Can Stop Thinking and Make Better Life Choices” by Roger Ziegler, Author of Hannah Grace and the Dragon Codex

Kellee & Ricki

We are currently attending the ALAN (Assembly on Literature for Adolescents) workshop at the NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English) conference then will be spending some time with our families. Hope all of our American friends have a good Thanksgiving and break!

We will be back  next Monday! 🙂

 

 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.

Ricki

Ricki is currently away on maternity leave! She has lined up reviews for the time she is away. While spending time with the newest member of her family, she is also working hard on completing her dissertation and is trying to focus her time accordingly. Ricki is looking forward to returning to share books with you all! Happy reading!

Last Week’s Posts

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

   

Tuesday: Ten Books I’ve Added to my TBR Recently

Wednesday: Strange, Unusual, Gross, & Cool Animals by Charles Ghigna

Thursday: The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart

Friday: Mini Museum Series by Home Grown Books

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “How can Fiction Help us Cope with our World?” by Katelyn Detweiler, Author of Transcendent

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

I cannot believe the NCTE conference is this week! You should definitely follow the #NCTE16 and #ALAN16 hashtags on social media if you aren’t able to attend!

The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy is a super odd, creepy retelling of Hansel & Gretel that reminds me a bit of Dahl’s The Witches. I overall enjoyed it (though there were some really messed up parts!), and kids are going to eat it up (pun intended).

Trent also has a new favorite book which I had to include because I already have it memorized after buying it less than a week ago. Dear Zoo not only is about animals, it has flaps and has a fun premise.

I

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

I am about halfway through Every Hidden Thing, the last book I need to read for ALAN, and I just love how Oppel writes. The verdict is still out on the book, but the premise is very unique (as are all of his books!).

I’m also still listening to The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle and am sad that I am going to have a chunk of time that I probably won’t listen to it. I may have to bring the physical book home and read it because I must know what is going to happen.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Favorite Movies When I was a Teenager

Wednesday: Oh, Ick!: 114 Science Experiments Guaranteed to Gross You Out! by Joy Masoff

Thursday: Just Imagine by Nick Sharratt

Friday: Teaching Guide for Red’s Planet by Eddie Pittman

 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.

Ricki

Ricki is currently away on maternity leave! She has lined up reviews for the time she is away. While spending time with the newest member of her family, she is also working hard on completing her dissertation and is trying to focus her time accordingly. Ricki is looking forward to returning to share books with you all! Happy reading!

Last Week’s Posts

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

   

Tuesday: Ten Books to Read if Your Book Club Likes Romance

Wednesday: Around America to Win the Vote by Mara Rockliff

Thursday: The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten

Friday: Musnet: The Mouse of Monet by K. Kickly

Sunday: Blog Tour with Author Guest Post and Giveaway!: Ornaments of Love by Sharlin Craig

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

 Some Kind of Happiness by Claire Legrand is a special book. You will love Finley, and the book will make you not want to put it down because you have to know how everything comes together. Highly recommended!

I can definitely tell why Counting Thyme is on many people’s Mock Newbery list, including ours, because Melanie Conklin did a brilliant job of telling a story that is not often told: the story of a child with a terminally-ill sibling. And that story is told in conjunction of Thyme dealing with the move and new school as well as a really grumpy neighbor. But all of these stories intertwine to build an amazing story of Thyme figuring out all that she is and can be.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

After I finished listening to Counting Thyme, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to listen to, so I decided to go with something completely different. I am only 1 hour into Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle, and it is VERY different than Counting Thyme. It is historical and creepy and we’ll see! Looking forward to seeing where it goes.

 

I hope to read both of these this week! I have book club on Friday with Sinister Sweetness and Every Hidden Thing is my final read for ALAN.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Ten Books I’ve Added to my TBR Recently

Wednesday: Strange, Unusual, Gross, & Cool Animals by Charles Ghigna

Thursday: The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart

Friday: Mini Museum Series by Home Grown Books

 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.

Ricki

Ricki is currently away on maternity leave! She has lined up reviews for the time she is away. While spending time with the newest member of her family, she is also working hard on completing her dissertation and is trying to focus her time accordingly. Ricki is looking forward to returning to share books with you all! Happy reading!

Last Week’s Posts

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

  

Tuesday: Ten Scary Books I Recommend to Jumpy People

Wednesday: Who Wins?: 100 Historical Figures Go Head-to-Head and You Decide the Winner! by Clay Swartz

Thursday: The Water Princess by Susan Verde

Friday: #TrueFriends with Kirby Larson, Augusta Scattergood, Barbara O’Connor, and Susan Hill Long

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “How History Revealed the Environmental Story Behind D is for Dudley” by Ron Chandler, Author of D is for Dudley & Other Nature Tales

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

As most of you know, I am a pretty big Chicago Cubs fan, so that means that I’ve been a little preoccupied!

 

On the few days the Cubs had off, I did read The Tapper Twins Go To War (With Each Other) by Geoff Rodkey, and I have to admit that I liked it so much! I loved the multi-formats within the text, the first person interview style, the inclusion of illustrations and photographs, and the voice of the characters.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

I am still listening to and reading the same books I mentioned last week. I really think I’ll be able to finish both this week.

 

When I finish Counting Thyme, I have no idea what I am going to listen to, but I will try to find a book on our Mock Newbery List.

After Some Kind of Happiness, I have one more book (by Kenneth Oppel!) to read for ALAN, and I need to read our next Faculty Book Club title.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Ten Books to Read if Your Book Club Likes Romance

Wednesday: Around America to Win the Vote by Mara Rockliff

Thursday: The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten

Friday: Musnet: The Mouse of Monet by K. Kickly

 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