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.

CONGRATULATIONS
Amanda S.
FOR WINNING A COPY OF BUSY BUILDERS, BUSY WEEK!

Interested in being a Cybils judge? Visit the Call for Judges Post!!!! 

Last Week’s Posts

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

   

Tuesday: Back to School Picture Books

Wednesday: Pirasaurs! by Josh Funk

Thursday: #MustReadin2016 Fall Update

Friday: Risking Exposure by Jeanne Moran

Sunday: Author Guest Post! by Martellus Bennett, Author of Hey A.J., It’s Saturday

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

Olivia Decoded is the second book in the Olivia Twisted series, and I read it in one sitting! I am so glad that we get to take part in the blog tour for the book–look forward my review later this month!

Insignia is the first faculty book club choice of the year, and it is also one of our Sunshine State Books. It is a pretty epic story that takes place during World War III that is taking place in space!

This book was a pretty great premise, and it kept me reading and reading. And man! The ending was so good, but definitely a cliffhanger that made me grab the sequel right away!

I can definitely tell why this book inspired Ricki to want to look more into the erasures of identity in literature which is the topic of our NCTE presentation.

Trent finally wants to read Elephant and Piggie books! I love them, and I am so glad that he is finally interested in them. I bought 9 of them, and I hope to get them all! My favorite memory from this week was reading We Are In a Book and when Piggie says BANANA and laughs, Trent LOST IT!

Ricki

It turns out preparing for a new baby (25 days left!) and moving your toddler to a new room take up a lot of time. I am sorry I am falling behind a bit!

I finished Shooting Kabul by N. H. Senzai. This is a wonderful, wonderful book. I plan to use it in a future research project, and I am really looking forward to seeing how students respond to it. There are so many things to discuss with regards to this book, so it is a great classroom text.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

Like I said above, I picked up the sequel of All Fall Down as soon as I was done! I am so excited to listen to the sequel!

I was so thankful to get approved for some graphic novels from Netgalley, so I plan on reading them. Then I am going to either pick up something for review or for NCTE/ALAN. We’ll see where the week goes!

Ricki 

It is a another week that I haven’t made progress in John Howard Griffin’s Black Like Me, and it is most certainly NOT because it isn’t an excellent text. I am hoping to read and finish it this week.

I read another big chunk of Jo Knowles’ See You at Harry’s last night, and I still love it. With my giant baby in my belly (yes, he is giant, apparently), I can’t help but be really exhausted at the end of each night. I know I would be done with this book if it weren’t for the baby. It is excellent.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Top Ten Board Books According to our Toddlers

Wednesday: Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel

Thursday: Blog Tour and Review: Race Car Dreams by Sharon Chriscoe

Friday: Emma G. Loves Boyz: A True Love Journal Volume One by Taro Meyer

Sunday: Author Guest Post!

 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 Books that Have Been on our TBR Shelf Since Before we Started Blogging

Wednesday: National Geographic’s Real or Fake

Thursday: Dear Dragon by Josh Funk

Friday: Blog Tour with Author Guest Post, Review, and Giveaway!: Busy Builders, Busy Week! by Jean Reidy
**Giveaway open until Thursday!**

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “Courting the Reluctant Writer” by Michele Bacon, Author of Life Before

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

A fun A-Z book focused around wacky science fair experiments and real science. I’ll be reviewing this one because it is a great buy for the classroom.

Wow. I am a huge fan of Jeffers’ work, and this one is one of his best. It is a book that readers will love because it is a love letter to books and reading and imagination and childhood and art and life. I look forward to reading this one to my students and reviewing it.

This is a new favorite graphic novel, and I cannot wait to read the sequel! The setting is perfect–I love the premise that surrounds the Nameless City. I’m also fascinated by the two main characters–two opposites that should be enemies but instead work together.

I love Andrea Beaty’s other two books in this series, so I am so happy to finally get to read Iggy’s story. I love Beaty’s focus on intelligence, creativity, and individuality.

Ricki

It’s been a busy week in my house between attending doctors’ appointments, preparing to teach for the Fall semester (which starts today!), and attending a bunch of events to gear my son up for pre-k. I definitely feel nine months pregnant because I can’t seem to keep my eyes open to read at night. I am in the midst of three incredible books which I share in my next section below. 🙂

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

Ricki and I, with our other NCTE presentation member, Wendy, are working on finishing our NCTE presentation on Erasing Identities before my dear friend goes on maternity leave, so More Happy Than Not jumped to the top of my need-to-read list because it is the anchor text for our presentation. What a fascinating premise. We look forward to sharing our presentation to you in November.

I’m still listening to All Fall Down which has gotten to a point where I don’t want to get out of my car or talk to anyone on the phone because that means I have to stop listening. I really like how different this book is (though I don’t like how the cover makes it seem more generic than it is).

After More Happy Than Not, I have to decide if I’m going to read something for the blog or something for NCTE/ALAN. We’ll see next week!

Ricki 

I haven’t made progress in this book this week, but I am really looking forward to getting back to it. John Howard Griffin’s Black Like Me is referenced often, and I know it used to be required reading in schools in the 60s. I am halfway through and really enjoy it.

I am also a bit more than halfway through Jo Knowles’ See You at Harry’s, and I love it. Last week, many of you shared that I better buy some tissues. I am prepared! I am very glad I put this on my #mustreadin2016 list!

I started Shooting Kabul by N. H. Senzai last night. MY GOODNESS. I could not put it down. At one o’clock in the morning, my husband rolled over and said, “It is so bright in here!” So I decided to be a good wife and turn out the light. I will definitely be finished with this book by next week.

 

Upcoming Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Back to School Picture Books

Wednesday: Pirasaurs! by Josh Funk

Thursday: #MustReadin2016 Fall Update

Friday: Risking Exposure by Jeanne Moran

Sunday: Author Guest Post

 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: Top Ten Tuesday: Diverse Books I Wish More People Would Read to Build Understanding and Empathy

Wednesday: National Geographic’s 125 Wacky Roadside Attractions

Thursday: Selfies in the Wild by C.L. Murphy

Friday: The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles by Michelle Cuevas

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “How an Author Deals with Not Writing Something New” by Jordan Elizabeth, Author of The Escape from Witchwood Hollow

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

This was a much better week for me. I think part of it was that the kids are there, so I feel like all of the work has a purpose. Also, I must be getting used to my schedule because I’m finding time to read.

The new Jedi Academy book is a great addition to the series. Though it is a companion and done by a different author (Jarrett Krosoczka vs. Jeffrey Brown) the feeling and humor of the original series is there yet it still has its own personality. This book will definitely not last long on the shelves!

I then read a very special present I received from a very special author. Oh guys, Pirasaurs! is as good as you think it’ll be. If you don’t have an opinion, check out our preview post, and you’ll predict that it is good–and it is! Preorder this one! (Review closer to its publication date.)

Upside Down Magic: Stick and Stones by the brilliant E. Lockhart, Lauren Myracle, and Sarah Mlynowski is just as good as the first and will leave you excited for a third. I love this cast of characters, and I couldn’t help already talking about this one in class because I think it has such middle school relevance.

The Curse of the Were-Hyena by Bruce Hale is the first in a new series that takes place in a town where monsters run amok. The premise reminds me a bit of Bailey School Kids, but these are for a bit older kids, so they’ll make a perfect ladder up. (Review coming soon!)

Fantastic Beasts is worth reading just for the intro and Harry’s notes inside. I actually found the rest of it (classifications of all the magical creatures) a bit dry (it is supposed to be a textbook…), but the intro and Harry’s notes add a bit of fun.

I never know what to recommend to my graphic novel readers after they’ve read all of the Amulet series and all of Doug TenNapel’s books. This is it. HiLo is a book that so many of my kids are going to love. It is going to be passed around just like their other favorite GNs are.

Ricki

My heart feels full after reading Josh Funk’s Pirasaurs! I knew it would be fantastic (as all of his work is), but this exceeded even my highest expectations. This book is going to be an absolute favorite amongst kids. After I finished reading it to my toddler, he said, “AGAIN, PLEASE!” I can’t wait to review this book next week. In case you missed it, you can see our preview post for this great text! Like Kellee, I highly recommend pre-ordering this book!

Continuing with my project to read more Muslim/Islamic literature, I finished I Love I Hate I Miss My Sister by Amélie Sarn. This is a short book that hit me very hard. It begins with the death of the narrator’s sister, who was a year younger than her. The sisters are high schoolers living in France and share very different religious values. I won’t say more, but the story sent me reeling.

I simply adored this book (Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm). I know many of my fellow bloggers have raved about it, and I can see why. It is set in the mid-1970s, and the illustrations and dialogue are very, very funny, despite the heavy plot line that lingers in the background. This is a great text for classrooms. I am very happy it was on my #mustreadin2016 list!

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

In my quest to read all of our SSYRA 6-8 books (our state reading list), I began listening to All Fall Down by Ally Carter. So far, I am still in the expedition, but I like Grace’s voice and guts, so I have a feeling I am going to like it.

I plan on reading some graphic novels this week because I have them in my house, and I want to get them into students’ hands, but I also plan on reading Wishapick: Tickety Boo and the Black Trunk which looks like The Spiderwick Chronicles (I’ll let you know!).

I also keep promising my friend that I’ll read Story Thieves, so I plan on picking it up before I move on to start reading my books for my NCTE and ALAN presentations and panels.

Ricki 

I always see John Howard Griffin’s Black Like Me referenced, and I know it used to be required reading in schools in the 60s. I am reading it right now and finding it to be very, very interesting.

I am halfway through Jo Knowles’ See You at Harry’s, and I love it. I am very glad I put this on my #mustreadin2016 list! I can see why everyone raved about it!

Upcoming Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Ten Books that Have Been on our TBR Shelf Since Before we Started Blogging

Wednesday: National Geographic’s Real or Fake

Thursday: Dear Dragon by Josh Funk

Friday: Blog Tour with Author Guest Post, Review, and Giveaway!: Busy Builders, Busy Week!by Jean Reidy

Sunday: Author Guest Post

 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**

 

 

Monday PM: Special Announcement!: All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely Wins the 2016 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award | Finalists: All the Bright Places by Jennifer Nevin, Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman, Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Pérez, and Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin

Tuesday: What a Beautiful Morning by Arthur A. Levine

Wednesday: Picture Books 10 for 10: Ten Must-Have Picture Books for the Secondary Classroom

Thursday: The Memory of Things by Gae Polisner

Friday: Still a Work in Progress by Jo Knowles

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “The Pressure to Rhyme” by Tammi Sauer, Author of Mary Had a Little Glam

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

Well, this week back has been… a week. The kids start on Monday, so I know that will remind me why I go through all of this stress, but right now it seems excessive. I preface with this because, well, I didn’t finish anything this week. I’ll share below what I am reading.

Ricki

I absolutely loved Kids of Appetite by David Arnold and look forward to writing the full review. As I said in a previous post, it is a bit like The Outsiders, but the crew is older. Also, it has some mystery to it. This one comes out in September, and I suspect we will be hearing about it a lot. I think it will be a favorite for readers.

I absolutely loved Knockout Games by G. Neri. I put it on my #mustreadin2016 list because I never got around to reading it. I never knew what the knockout games were until I read this book, and I feel like I was in the dark. Someone that I knew was a victim of the knockout game, and this made me want to learn more about it. G. Neri’s writing is very engaging—I felt physically ill when I listened to some of the sections. I listened to the audio, which I recommend, but I also think this would be great to read in print form, too.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

Now that I am back at school, I can listen to audiobooks on a regular basis now–yay! The first one I chose was Upside Down Magic: Sticks and Stones because I loved the first audiobook, and I’ve been waiting to listen to the second. I’m almost done, and I find it as thought-provoking yet funny as the first.

When I read The Cursed Child, I realized I hadn’t read a lot of Rowling’s other stories like Fantastic Beasts, Quidditch, and her Pottermore writing, so I decided I need to fix that. I only haven’t finished this because of time because if I had the time, I would have devoured this humorous Rowling text.

After I finish Fantastic Beasts and before I move onto Quidditch, I am going to read Bruce Hale’s newest in preparation for a future review. I love Hale’s work, so I am sure I’ll enjoy this one.

Ricki 

I have been focusing some future research on Muslim/Islamic literature, and I Love I Hate I Miss My Sister by Amélie Sarn will be my fifth book that I read to prepare for the research. So far, I really enjoy it. It’s about two sisters living in France who share very different religious values. We learn from the very beginning that one of the sisters is dead. I’ll be finished with this one next week because it is short, and I am deeply engaged!

Upcoming Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday: Diverse Books I Wish More People Would Read to Build Understanding and Empathy

Wednesday: National Geographic’s 125 Wacky Roadside Attractions

Thursday: Selfies in the Wild by C.L. Murphy

Friday: The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles by Michelle Cuevas

Sunday: Author Guest Post

 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.

CONGRATULATIONS,
MICHELE,
for winning a copy of Coyote Moon!!!

Last Week’s Posts

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

   

Tuesday: Ten Books We’d Buy Right This Second If Someone Handed Us A Fully Loaded Gift Card

Wednesday: Student Survey: Are Classroom Libraries Beneficial?

Thursday:  Pirasaurs Attack Tour!: Preview of Pirasuars by Josh Funk

Friday: Top Checked Out Books by Kellee’s Middle School Readers (2015-2016)

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: An interview by Anna Olswanger, the author of Greenhorn, with Tom Whitus, the director who adapted her book to film

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

As promised last week, I couldn’t resist reading the new Harry Potter book.

I didn’t know what to expect from The Cursed Child, but I hoped to be swept back into Harry’s world, and I was not disappointed. Although reading a screenplay is so different from reading a novel, by the end of the first Act, I was all in and couldn’t stop reading. I love that the play explores the character’s weaknesses and love and friendship. I love that the play is accessible for those who may not have read the other books. I love that I could go visit Hogwarts again. I love that Scorpius is such a wonderful person. I love that the story is still about goodness and strength and hope.

The Marvels by Brian Selznick was my Big Book of Summer (hosted by Sue at Book by Book). Brian Selznick is brilliant at what he does. He has perfected the ability to intertwine the magic of wordless picture books with prose. Each of Selznick’s books that have mixed wordless pictures with prose have been set up differently (Hugo Cabret used pictures to enhance the story, Wonderstruck told one story in words and one in pictures), and Marvels was no different. The first 400 pages of the book are a tragic story of a world famous family of actors starting in the 1700s. We are then transported to the 1990s and meet Joseph who has run away to try to find a place where he is accepted. About halfway through Joseph’s story you learn how the words and pictures connect, but it isn’t until the end until each story is concluded. Beautiful!

I love taking Trent to the library and letting him pick out his own books to bring home and read. These were his choices from the last time that we went. We’ve had them for a few weeks, and he has been browsing them and reading them to himself, but this week we sat down and read them all together. I love how engaged he gets with books (well, the ones he likes) now. He asks so many questions! In I’m Not Sleepy by Jonathan Allen he was trying to distinguish between the owls and the woodpecker then between the mom owl and the dad owl. In Hello, World! he said every translation of “Hello!” that I said. Emma by Paola Opal and One Sheep, Blue Sheep by Thom Whiley were a lot of counting and colors. And Time to Build by Kate Riggs took the longest because he was so interested in every tool it talked about as well as what a tree house was.

We also got some new books! Trent definitely is the happiest when playing with cars, trucks, or trains (or talking about them or reading about them), so we got some new books that he loves as much as I hoped he would. First were two train books. Trainbots Miranda Paul was introduced to me at ALA, and I knew he would love it. We read this at the ENT on Thursday. Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo by Kevin Lewis was inspired by Chelsea Clinton. I not only love the story she told about it, but I also knew Trent would love to read it and make the train noises. We also got two truck books. How to Track a Truck by Jason Carter Eaton became an instant favorite. It is about tracking a truck to become your pet. It is so clever, and I love the illustrations by John Rocco. With Any Luck I’ll Drive a Truck by David Friend is a truck fans dream! These two books are must haves if you have (a) vehicle-obsessed kid(s) like mine.

Ricki

It’s a good thing you have Kellee this week! I spent the week transcribing my interviews for my dissertation. I am really excited that I am almost done with this stage. I’ve spent over 100 hours transcribing this summer, so my head is full of good information that I am excited to report about multicultural young adult literature. 🙂 I did make some progress on several of the books I am reading, but I didn’t finish any!

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

It preplanning at school, so I am not sure how much I am going to get read, but I will start listening to audiobooks on the way to work again. I am not sure what one I am going to start with.

I do hope to at least finish Jedi Academy: A New Class by Jarrett J. Krosoczka because I’ve started it and am loving it so far (though it made me realize that I only read #1 of the original Jeffrey Brown series!). I just recently watched the newest Star Wars movie, so everything is fresh in my mind 🙂

Ricki 

My GOODNESS this book (Knockout Games) is good. I started listening to it on audio. I am about 3/4 of the way through, and I am hooked. This is my first G. Neri book, and it won’t be my last.

I am savoring Kids of Appetite by David Arnold. It is such a fabulously written book. I am really looking forward to writing a full review.

Henry and I made it halfway through The Tale of Desperaux by Kate DiCamillo. I think I may have hit a roadblock with him because he wants more pictures. He promises me that we can read more tonight, but 2.5-year-olds aren’t exactly consistent. Cross your fingers for me.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

Monday PM: Special Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Announcement!

Tuesday: What a Beautiful Morning by Arthur A. Levine

Wednesday: Picture Books 10 for 10: Ten Must-Have Picture Books for the Secondary Classroom

Thursday: The Memory of Things by Gae Polisner

Friday: Still a Work in Progress by Jo Knowles

Sunday: Author Guest Post

 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.

CONGRATULATIONS,
KATIE,
for winning the Journey prize pack!!!

Last Week’s Posts

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

   

Tuesday: Ten Things Books Have Made Us Want To Learn More About

Wednesday: Blog Tour with Review and Giveaway!: Coyote Moon by Maria Gianferrari

GIVEAWAY open until tomorrow!

Thursday: The Dino Files: A Mysterious Egg by Stacy McAnulty

Friday: Bea Garcia: My Life in Pictures by Deborah Zemke

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “Jackie Robinson Overcomes” by Geoff Griffen, Author of Brooklyn Bat Boy

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

Well, I made up for my amazing reading week while I was on vacation by being a reading bum this week. While I still read every day, I did not finish many. I think part of the issue was I read a book with a parent’s death then I started another one with another parent’s death, and I just couldn’t get into it. I finally decided to put it aside, and I will pick it up again later. The book is tremendously beautiful, but I just can’t deal with the mourning again.

Truth or Dare by Barbara Dee  begins with us learning that Lia’s mother has recently passed away and that change along with trying to find her identity in middle school are really really making Lia struggle with finding where she fits in. I look forward to reviewing this one because I think it’ll have many middle school fans.

Rutabaga The Adventure Chef: Feasts of Fury is the book I picked up to help me get out of the bit of a slump that I mentioned above. I love Rutabaga, and I love how he uses his cooking to get out of so many odd situations.

Ricki

I had a longer drive and was able to finish The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten. This is a wonderful book, and I am excited to use it in an upcoming NCTE presentation. The themes are richly realized, and the characterization is beautifully done.

Henry really enjoyed Let’s Play by Hervé Tullet. After we finished, he shouted, “Again!” and we had to flip to the front cover and read it again. Hervé Tullet’s creativity is beyond my comprehension. He is so clever! I enjoy his first book the most, but this one will certainly be a favorite in my house!

Welp, this week, we officially read every Frog and Toad story in these series books. We read one story at each naptime and one story at each bedtime. I am nervous for tomorrow’s nap. When Henry finds out we are out of Frog and Toad stories and may have to repeat one, he is going to be an unhappy camper.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

The last week of summer!!! 🙁
I, of course, would love to read a billion books, but I also have things to do to get ready for the new year. I’m sad that my reading until 2am in the morning time is ending until my next break, but I am also excited to start a new year with my students!

After Ratabaga, I started another fun graphic novel: Razzle Dazzle Unicorn by Dana Simpson. If you follow UR, you know that I love this series!

So, I have so many decisions to make about what to read this week! Do I dive into the new Harry Potter or do I read more of my #mustread books that I brought home with me this summer?! I don’t know!!! Trent and I went to the release party for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. I haven’t been able to start it yet, and I think I am going to have it jump over all my TBR and be the next book I pick up!

Ricki 

I am halfway through David Arnold’s Kids of Appetite. This book comes out in September and going to be a real hit—especially with those who love The Outsiders. I look forward to sharing more about this book.

I just started listening to Knockout Games by G. Neri, and it makes me sick to my stomach. The action is very well-written, and I can’t stop listening!

Upcoming Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Ten Books We’d Buy Right This Second If Someone Handed Us A Fully Loaded Gift Card

Wednesday: Student Survey: Are Classroom Libraries Beneficial?

Thursday:  Pirasaurs Attack Tour!: Preview of Pirasuars by Josh Funk

Friday: Top Checked Out Books by Kellee’s Middle School Readers (2015-2016)

Sunday: Author Guest Post!

 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 Books Set Outside the United States

Wednesday: National Geographic Kids Ocean Animals: Who’s Who in the Deep Blue by Johnna Rizzo

Thursday: My Friend Maggie by Hannah E. Harrison

Friday: Review and Giveaway!: Journey Trilogy by Aaron Backer

GIVEAWAY open until Thursday!!

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “Teaching Was a Lot More Than Following a Lesson Plan” by P. E. Yudkoff, Author of Packing Evil

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

I have had a reading-tastic two weeks! One of the things I love the most about vacations are the amount of reading time I get!

On the plane to DC, I was able to read these three chapter books, and I am looking forward to reviewing them this week 🙂

   

Once I was in DC, while Jim was at his conference, I went to Kramerbooks & Afterwords which is not only a very lovely independent book store, but it is a bar and restaurant as well. While there, I chatted with patrons and workers and read the above picture books. All ones that I had been looking forward to reading for a while. All of them were so good!

I loved to finally read the sequels of Red and The Day the Crayons Quit. They were both very different than the first ones. Almost more fun than philosophical, but both are definitely 5 star reads.

The Book with no Pictures and This is not a Picture Book would be perfect read aloud and discussion companions.

Both Flora and the Peacocks and The Night Gardener are so visually beautiful! While Thunder Boy, Jr. is so thought provoking.

Adam Rubin is quickly becoming a favorite silly picture book author, and Robo-Sauce and Secret Pizza Party are just as much fun as Dragons Love Tacos. Super Jumbo is another fun one to add to the list! All three have good messages also.

Finally, I had the guts to pick up The Thank You Book. The final Elephant & Piggie book. I am so sad that E&P are over. They are perfect picture books, and the finale was the perfect final book for them.

I also was able to read these 4 books while there. These were four very different books, but all good in their own right:

Jo Knowles’s Still a Work in Progress is a perfect addition to middle grade realistic fiction! I will definitely be reviewing this one further for you all.

Both Where are You Going Baby Lincoln? may be my favorite Deckawoo Drive books. Baby Lincoln has been a secondary character who hasn’t yet been able to share her voice; however, DiCamillo changes that with this book when she finally stands up to Eugenia and goes on a journey. A Necessary Journey.

Juana & Lucas is a early chapter book that takes place in Columbia and is a wonderful diverse addition.

Emma G Loves Boyz is going to be loved in my classroom library. It is a book written for my boy-obsessed middle school girls.

On the plane from DC to Orlando then the 10 hour drive to Baton Rouge (to visit my parents), I finished these four books. Wow. I don’t know if I could find four different books to read in less than 24 hours:

Lucy & Andy Neanderthal is an interesting new graphic novel by Jeffrey Brown, the author of Jedi Academy. It is a mix of humorous Neanderthal adventures with scientific facts about Neanderthals.

Risking Exposure is one that I cannot wait to review and share more about. It is an interesting and different look at Hitler Youth.

The Pirate Pig is another fun early chapter book with a, as the title suggests, a pirate pig. Julie, the pig, can find treasure and is in danger of being kidnapped by those that want to take advantage of her.

Through the Woods is a weirdly, creepy, odd yet beautiful horror, short story graphic novel anthology. Fans of Scary Stories will enjoy these.

   

While we were in Baton Rouge, we couldn’t bring all of Trent’s books (and for some reason he has not wanted to read the ones he did decide to bring), so thankfully iPads have some really great book apps. Trent loves The Monster at the End of this Book and Another Monster at the End of This Book apps (they are interactive and Grover/Grover & Elmo read to you) and the Disney book apes (Storytime & Story Central).

In Baton Rouge, I had a lot less time to read as we were quite busy and Trent was clinging to me like a marsupial (that is what I get for going away fro 5 days), so I only finished The Summer I Saved the World…in 65 Days is our faculty book club’s second summer selection, and it is a perfect summer read! I love the message of good winning in the end! This book will be a great read for middle schoolers, especially those trying to fit in or deciding how to proceed as a teenager.

Ricki

My husband is preparing the house for the new baby this week (bolting furniture, painting, etc.). So I am whisking the toddler away with relatives and won’t have internet access this Sunday or Monday. I hope to have some good updates for you!

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

I brought a huge bag of books with me to Baton Rouge to read, and since I didn’t get to any of them, I am going to choose one from there.

I did start Be Light Like a Bird which is a book of grief. I hope it gets happier or at least has some closure because it is super sad and a mess right now.

Ricki 

On a positive note, Henry and I have reached Chapter Six of The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo. I am in utter disbelief that he is allowing me to read a chapter book to him each night and am crossing my fingers that we can make it until the end! I’d appreciate any suggestions of similar chapter books (a couple of pictures here and there and consistently short, 4-5 page chapters). I would love to keep the chapter book trend going after we finish this one! I am hoping for a book that isn’t an early/easy reader but is similar to The Tale of Despereaux.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Ten Things Books Have Made Us Want To Learn More About

Wednesday: Blog Tour with Review and Giveaway!: Coyote Moon by Maria Gianferrari

Thursday: The Dino Files: A Mysterious Egg by Stacy McAnulty

Friday: Bea Garcia: My Life in Pictures by Deborah Zemke

Sunday: Author Guest Post!

 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