IMWAYR

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

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. 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!

Jen Vincent, of Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee 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

  

Tuesday: Last Ten Books We Bought For Our Boys

Thursday: A variety of alternatives to the traditional classroom discussion

Sunday: “Reaching Reluctant Readers with Action and Suspense” by Jake Bible, Author of Phantom Limbs!, Scarescapes Book 1

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

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: This week I read Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley in preparation for my Twitter book chat on Thursday (#MirandusChat). I am excited to talk about this book. Ricki and I are both reviewing the book on the 30th, so I’ll share my thoughts then. I also read Trashed  by Derf Backderf which is a fictionalized account of being a garbageman filled with information about the state of trash in the world. Although very different than My Friend Dahmer, Derf still finds truth in situations that others do not.

In addition to these novels, I read four fiction picture books (see Upcoming Week’s Posts), I am Lucille Ball by Brad Metzer (I’ll be reviewing it in a couple of weeks), and four new-to-us board books from the library with Trent. His favorite that we read was How Fast Can You Go? by Kate Riggs and Millie Goes for a Drive by Peter Curry because they both have things he knows and can point out: cat, dog, bird, bubbles, train, car, plane, etc. He also was gifted a book about fire engines by D.K. Publishing which has four wheels on it, so he can push it around–win, win! It’s a toy and a book. He is enthralled! I love seeing him so excited. And as always, we are still reading our old favorites, but it is nice to have new books that he is also enjoying.

Ricki: This week, I’ve read about thirty journal articles, so I fell behind on my pleasure reading. I’ve been working on my dissertation proposal, which is quite time-consuming. I’ve also read half of Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee. I know it’s controversial, but I fall on the side that I have to trust the independent investigators and their work and not assume an elderly person is senile. I do understand both sides of the argument and fully respect the opinions of those who elect not to read it. I had to think long and hard about my choice, and I admit it may not be the right one! 

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: I am so excited to read Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm this week! I am so looking forward to it! Although I would read it no matter what, I am also reading it in preparation for my NCTE presentation with Jenni (and 4 other amazing female authors: Kristen Kittscher, Kim Baker, Caroline Carlson, and Heidi Schultz) on how humor is for everyone. I am also going to finish Reading Workshop 2.0 by Frank Serafini in preparation for my August #rwworkshop book chat on the text.

Ricki: I will finish Lee’s book and hope to finish two textbooks I am reading. I also hope to finish Cold War on Maple Street by Gayle Rosengren. So far, I am really enjoying it.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

  

Tuesday: Ten (+ Two) Books That Celebrate LGBTQ Characters

Thursday: Civil Rights Text Set/Reading Ladder

Friday: Kellee’s Recently Read Picture Books: Penguin Young Reader Group

 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 hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. 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!

Jen Vincent, of Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee 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

 
 

Tuesday: Top Ten Dystopian Books We’ve Ever Read

Wednesday: Big Book Summer Challenge: Revolution by Deborah Wiles & East of Eden by John Steinbeck

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Be Careful or You Might Learn Something…” by Linda Fausnet, Author of The Joyville Sweat Sox

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

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: After my horrible reading week 2 weeks ago, I made sure that I read this week. I think what I have found that works the best for me is having books to read on my phone. I always have my phone on me, and I can read it the dark. Two very big pluses in my new mom world. So, this week I ended up reading five graphic novels and four board books. Phew! My brain feels much better!

The four board books are ones that Trent picked out while we were at the library story time (I will say that although I love my job, I love taking Trent to the library every Friday! Wish I could do it all year.), and so far they are all a hit which means I may need to buy them: Llama Llama Hippity Hop by Anna Dewdney, Planes Go by Steve Light, Countasaurus by Megan Bryant, and Chicka Chicka ABC by Bill Martin, Jr.

The graphic novels I read were:

• Phoebe and her Unicorn and Unicorn on a Roll by Dana Simpson: I love Phoebe and her unicorn. Let me count the ways!
  1) Phoebe is a smart, strong, unique little girl. She doesn’t allow bullies to make her rethink who she is, and she is just so quirky.
  2) Heavenly Nostrils is the epitome of unicorn perfection. She is beautiful, knows she is beautiful, and will tell you she is beautiful. She cracks me up.
  3) I love this pair! This reminds me of a Calvin/Hobbes, Mal/Chad, Salem Hyde/Whammy relationship. They are just so perfect for each other.
  4) I want Phoebe and Big Nate to meet. I think they’d be awesome friends.
  5) Dana Simpson does what I heard Frank Cammuso talk about that he does with his Salem Hyde books: Each page is a part of a whole story, but is also a comic strip within itself. Each page has a punch line or a theme. Love this! Makes reading so much fun.

  I loved book #2 so much that as soon as I finished, I went and got #1 from my library. You will not regret picking up this GN 🙂 Also, this would be a great graphic novel to pair with Uni the Unicorn by Amy Krouse Rosenthal that I read a couple of weeks ago.

• Fable Comics edited by Chris Duffy: I really enjoy Duffy’s anthologies. I love reading these compilations because I learn about new graphic novelists/comics, see their style, and all while reading stories. Also, what a fun and accessible way to share fables (and fairy tales in the first anthology). I love seeing the different artists’ work and seeing a new version of old stories.
  P.S. My favorite were O’Connor’s!
• The Misadventures of Salem Hyde #3: Cookie Catastrophe by Frank Cammuso: While working on a presentation for ABRAMS, I realized I’d never read the 3rd Salem Hyde book (I am not sure how this one slipped through my fingers), so I picked it up this week. Like always, Salem is a firecracker who always has everything work out in the end. Big Foot was definitely the star of this one though.
• Honor Girl by Maggie Thrash: This was such a lovely look at first love and sexual identity. I am definitely going to review this one on a Wednesday.

Ricki: This week, I read all of the recent manuscripts submitted to The ALAN Review. I have also been reading a lot of methodology books for my phenomenological study. Henry *allowed* me to break out a new book I found in our collection. It is called Zoom! Zoom! Sounds of Things That Go in the City by Robert Burleigh. I loved the illustrations and Henry loved shouting, “Car!” as he pointed to the vehicles, but I found the rhyme to be a bit clunky. Because it features cars, I suspect we will be reading it night after night. His current favorite book is Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker. I’m sure you know it, but do you know it by heart? My husband does.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: In preparation for our July 23rd Twitter book club meeting (#MirandusChat), I am reading Circus Mirandus. I just started, but I already love the language. I’ve also received some amazing picture books recently that I cannot wait to read. Also, Trent will definitely be reading some more of the board books that we picked up from the library. Can’t wait to see which ones he gravitates towards.

Ricki: I am very excited to join Kellee on that Circus Mirandus chat. I’ve read the book, and as I said last week, it is phenomenal! I will be reading Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee this week. I’m a bit nervous, and I still have mixed feelings about reading it. It seems that all of the research is showing that she really did want this book released, but I am not sure if I should trust this—given senility. What do you think about it?

Upcoming Week’s Posts

  

Tuesday: Last Ten Books We Bought For Our Boys

Thursday: Stop by for a variety of alternatives to the traditional classroom discussion

Sunday: “Reaching Reluctant Readers with Action and Suspense” by Jake Bible, Author of Phantom Limbs!, Scarescapes Book 1

 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 hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. 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!

Jen Vincent, of Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee 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

 

Tuesday: Top Ten Books We’ve Read So Far In 2015

Wednesday: Kellee and Ricki’s #MustReadin2015 Summer Update

Friday: From Kellee’s (Huge) Library Pile Part Seven

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

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: This is not going to be a very exciting update folks. We’re going through some really rough sleeping stuff over here with Trent, so I have been going to bed much earlier knowing that I will be woken up over and over again all night (if you are friends with me on Facebook, I am sure you’ve seen the updates!). I have read hardly anything at all this week! Stinks because I really love summer for all the reading time!! Here’s hoping this week is better!

Ricki: This week, I finished the wonderful, fantastic Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley. What a treat! Last week, I compared it to another favorite, A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd. I enjoyed every second of that book. Usually, I give my books away after I read them, but I am hanging onto this one. It is going to be an epic bedtime read for my son when he is a bit older. I also read Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine. This is a heart-wrenching picture book about Henry “Box” Brown, who escaped slavery in the Underground Railroad.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: Who knows! I may switch to something shorter just to feel successful. I also am listening to a book, but have not been driving much, so I may find a shorter audiobook to feel successful there too. I’ll let you know how it goes next week!

Ricki: I am continuing to truck along with my philosophy book from the early 1900s. I’d like to tackle more books on my #mustreadin2015 list, but I am also intrigued by the new book, The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes. This is why I get behind on my must read list!

Upcoming Week’s Posts

 
 

Tuesday: Top Ten Dystopian Books We’ve Ever Read

Wednesday: Big Book Summer Challenge: Revolution by Deborah Wiles & East of Eden by John Steinbeck

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Be Careful or You Might Learn Something…” by Linda Fausnet, Author of The Joyville Sweat Sox

 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 hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. 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!

Jen Vincent, of Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee 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,

Betsy

for winning a copy of The Vanishing Island by Barry Wolverton

Last Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Happy 5th Anniversary to the Top Ten Tuesday Meme!: Our Top Ten Tuesday Topics

Wednesday: Two Year Blogiversary!!!!: Ricki and Kellee Check-In

Thursday: Ricki’s Favorite Pairings of YA Books with Classics

Friday: Top Checked Out Books by Kellee’s Middle School Readers

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

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: This week has been filled with reading! I apologize for the long update, but I want to share them all!

I finished three special novels.

• Promise of Shadows by Justina Ireland: An action-packed, mythology-based YA novel that keeps you on your toes. What an adventure!
• Diamond Boy by Michael Williams: I loved Williams’s Now is the Time for Running, so I was so happy to see that he had written a companion and that it explained one of the interesting secondary characters from Running. I was blown away by the characterization within this book. Although the plot is what propelled the story, the characters in this book are what made it. I also love the thinking that this book would cause. This book is at the same time easy to connect with, but also so completely different than anything most of the readers will have experienced. Quite unique.
• And We Stay by Jenny Hubbard: An award-winning book that deals with some really tough subjects. I love the mix of Emily Dickson as our protagonist, Emily Beam, deals with two very tough, life changing incidences.

I also read a ton of picture books. I was thinking of only sharing the ones I enjoyed the most, but I loved them all!

• Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry: Although the text is super cute, teaches a great lesson, and has some very quirky, puny moments; however, it is the illustrations that really push it past other cute picture books. Very much worth a read.
• Red: A Crayon’s Story by Michael Hall: I. Loved. This. Book. I wanted to hug our crayon. I think this book could start some really smart conversations and actually would be a really good companion to books like Fish in a Tree because it looks at how the expectations of others doesn’t always fit in what a person can do and will do.
  This is a special book.
• Uni the Unicorn by Amy Krouse Rosenthal: I am a sucker when it comes to books about imagining. I love the twist that this is from a unicorns point of view and that there is a girl out there just for her. I also really adored the Disney-esque illustrations–would make a great movie!
• Stormy Night by Salina Yoon: Living in Florida means that we have pretty bad storms about 4-6 months of the year. I love how Yoon had the little bear become the “strong one” during the storm to help him forget about what he is afraid of. Like always, Yoon’s illustrations are just so wonderful–I love how they completely cover the page and are so colorful.
• The Hueys in None the Number: A Counting Adventure by Oliver Jeffers: Leave it to Oliver Jeffers to make a counting book unique, funny, and just a little bit weird. Trent and I both really liked this one–I see it being in our reading rotation.
• Daddy, Papa, and Me by Leslea Newman: The perfect book to read on the day of the SCOTUS decision! I love how Newman introduces LBGT families in such a nonchalant way (because they are just a family!!!!).
• Happy Hippo, Angry Duck by Sandra Boynton: We love Sandra Boynton, but this one is definitely for kids a bit older than Trent. We will revisit when he is older. Trent did love yelling QUACK whenever he saw the angry duck.
• Peek-a-Who? by Nina Laden: Trent loves Peek-a-Zoo, so it is no surprise that he liked this one too. They are fun books that hide an illustration then it is revealed when you turn the page.

Between Thursday and Friday, I will be reviewing five more that I read this week as well!

Ricki: My head has been in so many books this week! I finished four excellent picture books. Little Tree by Loren Long is most certainly going to be popular. Long is the author of the Otis series. I loved the quiet nature of this timeless book. In honor of the SCOTUS decision, I read Heather Has Two Mommies by Lesléa Newman. Candlewick has a new version of this classic, and I loved the illustrations! I also read Space Boy and His Dog by Dian Curtis Regan. This would be a great book to kick off excitement about a unit on space, and most schools teach this topic! The last book I read was a English/Spanish translation: Sofi and the Magic, Musical Mural/Sofi y el Magico Mural Musical by Raquel M. Ortiz. This is a great book to highlight the Spanish language, art, and imagination.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: Tonight, I just started Lies We Tell Ourselves which I plan on finishing by Tuesday. After that, I am going to grab something from my #mustreadin2015 list or my Summer TBR list.

Ricki: I am just about finished with Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley. I am obsessed with this book. It reminds me of how I felt after reading A Snicker of Magic. I am reading Circus Mirandus as I do my fitbit steps, and it seems to inspire me to walk juuust a bit farther each night. 😉  For grad school, I am reading Ideas by Edmund Husserl. It is a philosophical text that was written in 1917 and translated in 1931. As you can imagine, it is riveting. But it is actually quite interesting to read this founding thinker’s ideas (Ha! do you see what I did there?).

Upcoming Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Top Ten Books We’ve Read So Far In 2015

Friday: From Kellee’s (Huge) Library Pile Part Seven

 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 hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. 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!

Jen Vincent, of Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee 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, 

Jill the OWL

for winning a copy of The Disappearance of Emily H. by Barrie Summy

CONGRATULATIONS,

Dawn G. 

for winning a copy of My Dog is the Best by Laurie Ann Thompson

Last Week’s Posts

   

Tuesday: Top Ten Books On My TBR For Summer 2015

Friday: Blog Tour with Review, Author Guest Post, and Giveaway!: The Vanishing Island by Barry Wolverton
Giveaway open until Thursday!

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “The Joy of Sharing Literature in A Classroom” by Miriam Spitzer Franklin, Author of Extraordinary

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

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: I had a pretty good reading week. My son was sick for 3 days, so it really hindered a lot of my normal reading time; however, I was still able to finish three novels. First, I finished Revolution. It is brilliant. I will say the length is a bit daunting, but the way that Wiles crafts those 500 pages  is amazing. I also finished a mythology-based, action-packed YA novel called Promise of Shadows by Justina Ireland. Very cool novel that is full of adventure! Finally, I finished listening to X by Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon, and I now can understand all of the love it is getting. Quite a interesting, thought-provoking look at Malcolm X’s younger life.

In addition to these and reading Sandra Boynton with Trent, I did introduce him to Down by the Bay by Raffi. I love that this song that I listened to when I was a kid has a board book! It was so much fun to sing it to him.

Ricki: This week, I finished Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan. Oh, how I loved this book. The characterization and voice are incredible. This book was one of the (slightly) older publications on my #mustreadin2015 list. I shouldn’t have missed it when it first came out in 2013! I highly recommend it to anyone else who hasn’t read it. 

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: I just started reading Diamond Boy by Michael Williams which is novel set in the diamond fields of Southern Africa by the author of Now is the Time of Running (which I loved). After it, I plan on getting to Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley and And We Stay by Jenny Hubbard.

I am going to take a break from audiobooks to listen to the newest episodes of the podcast Undisclosed, but when I start listening to audiobooks again, I plan on picking one of the Audiobook Sync books.

Ricki: I am trapped in dissertation reading. I am reading Ideas by Husserl, and I have fallen asleep each time I’ve picked it up. It was written in 1917 and translated in 1931. I like philosophy, but it is quite dense!

Upcoming Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Happy 5th Anniversary to the Top Ten Tuesday Meme!: Our Top Ten Tuesday Topics

Wednesday: Two Year Blogiversary: Ricki and Kellee Check-In

Thursday: Ricki’s Favorite Pairings of YA Books with Classics

Friday: Top Checked Out Books by Kellee’s Middle School Struggling Readers

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!

As part of our two year blogiversary celebration, we wanted to expand our resources here on Unleashing Readers! In our Navigating Literary Elements section of our page, we share books we feel can be used as mentor texts/exemplar texts when teaching different literary elements. In addition to updating the original Setting, Characterization, and Language pages, we have now added Voice and Conflict pages! Please check them out, and we hope you find them useful!

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 hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. 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!

Jen Vincent, of Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee 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 

Emily M. 

for winning a copy of Cast Off by Eve Yohalem

CONGRATULATIONS 

Amanda T. 

for winning a copy of The Dungeoneers by John David Anderson!

Last Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Top Ten Most Anticipated Releases For the Rest of 2015

Thursday: Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway!: The Disappearance of Emily H. by Barrie Summy

Giveaway open until Thursday!

Friday: Blog Tour, Review, Author & Illustrator Interview, and Giveaway!: My Dog is the Best by Laurie Ann Thompson

Giveaway open until Thursday!

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

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: I had a pretty good week! Although I didn’t get to read a book a day as I’d like, I did read every day and finished two novels, a graphic novel, a picture book, and a new board book.

The two novels I read are both must reads! Glory O’Brien’s History of the Future by A.S. King is just another brilliant novel by King. This book is just an explosion of thought-provoking commentary mixed with humor, feminism, romance, depression, and a touch of magic. I also finished The Categorical Universe of Candice Phee by Barry Jonsberg. I do not know how I missed this book! Jonsberg has given us another book that will help readers build empathy for students around them that may be a bit different.

The graphic novel I read was Secret Coders by Gene Luen Yang and Mike Holmes which is the first book in a series that so far is good, but… Holy cliffhanger, Batman! I love the cross-curricular aspects of this graphic novel and that smart kids are the star of the book. I did feel like this book was an introduction to the series and that this series is really going to pick up with book 2. This one is an introduction and the adventure/mystery is just starting.

The picture book I read was Flight of the Honey Bee by Raymond Huber which we’re reviewing for you on Wednesday.

Trent and I read a new, silly board book this week. The Hiccupotamus by Aaron Zenz is full of nonsense rhymes while telling thestory of a hippo whose hiccups are causing problems.

Ricki: Happy Birthday, Kellee! I love you more than you know, my friend. 

Well, my poor father fell down the stairs and broke his leg, so I have been helping him get around. This means a lot of lifting and not a lot of reading. I am thankful he is okay, so I am not sorry my priorities had to shift a bit this week. I did finish listening to Dodger by Terry Pratchett. To be honest, I wasn’t blown away. I enjoyed listening to it, but I didn’t find it to be incredibly unique or interesting.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: The reason why I was not able to finish more novels (I finished Glory O’Brien on Monday and Candice Phee on Tuesday) is because Revolution by Deborah Wiles has stalled me a bit. This is a me problem, not a book problem. It is just so big which makes it not a travel or bed book. That really eliminates a good chunk of my reading time, so I have found myself on social media instead of reading a bit more while reading this book. I hope to have finished it by the time this posts (I’m writing this on Saturday because I am going out Sunday to celebrate my birthday which is Monday/today! Yay!), but I don’t know if that is realistic.

I am also listening to X by Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon. I am about 70% of the way through, and I listen to it whenever I can. It is fascinating! I look forward to Ricki’s review on Thursday.

After Revolution, I’m going to stick with reading about civil rights by reading Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley. Then I’ll switch it up to mythology with Promise of Shadows by Justina Ireland then blood diamonds with Diamond Boy by Michael Williams. Hopefully I get more novels read this week. I do have a training on Tuesday, but next to that, I should be able to focus on reading and blogging this week.

Ricki: I can’t decide which AudioBookSync free summer read to listen to next. There are so many great choices! Which is your favorite? While I have you here, I want to pick your brains because you are incredible teachers: Does anyone have any suggestions for creative discussion formats to use in the middle/high school classroom? I am looking to try something new in my Methods class next week. They are future secondary teachers (of all subject areas). We’ve done Jigsaws, Fishbowls, Give One Get One, Four Corners (Agree/Disagree), and Post-It Notes (on Discussion Questions posted on the Walls). Please feel free to share in the comments. (And if you’d like, I can gather your ideas and create a blog post describing each of these in more detail.)

Upcoming Week’s Posts

   

Tuesday: Top Ten Books On My TBR For Summer 2015

Friday: Blog Tour, Review, Book Trailer, and Giveaway!: The Vanishing Island by Barry Wolverton

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “The Joy of Sharing Literature in A Classroom” by Miriam Spitzer Franklin, Author of Extraordinary

 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 hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. 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!

Jen Vincent, of Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee 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 

LINDA B. 
AMANDA S.
JANA E. 

for winning a copy of Eden West by Pete Hautman!!!

Last Week’s Post

 

 

Tuesday: Top Ten Books I’d Love To See As A Movie or TV Show

Thursday: Blog Tour, Giveaway, and Author Guest Post!: Cast Off by Eve Yohalem

Giveaway open until Wednesday!!

Friday: Blog Tour, Author Guest Post, Giveaway, Book Trailer, and Review!: The Dungeoneers by John David Anderson

Giveaway open until Friday!!

Sunday: Author Guest Post by Melissa Hurst, Author of The Edge of Forever

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

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: I wasn’t able to read very much during the week because my last week of school was CRAZY, but I tried to make up for it this weekend. I did finish listening to The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates #2: The Terror of the Southlands by Caroline Carlson during my commutes, and it was just as wonderful as the first one! Highly recommended! This weekend I was able to finish the novels The Disappearance of Emily H. by Barrie Summy (check out my review on Thursday) and The Vanishing Island by Barry Wolverton (check out my review next week). Very different books, but both kept me on the edge of my seat. I also finished Llama Llama Sand and Sun by Anna Dewdney with Trent (he is all about touch and feel books right now as well as books that are small so he can carry them around with him), My Dog is the Best by Laurie Ann Thompson (see our review on Friday), Faraway Friends by Russ Cox (see my review on Wednesday), and Little Robot by Ben Hatke. Hatke does such an amazing job with such little words. He is able to really impact the reader without saying more than a word. I love that the protagonist is such a unique, strong, little girl and that she is so innovative. Great theme of friendship and determination.

Ricki: I was bad this week. I started too many books and finished none. I don’t know why I do this to myself. It makes me look like a bad reader! My favorite is Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan. You all weren’t kidding. It is wonderful! I keep laughing out loud because Willow is quite the character! 

One of my dissertation committee members send me three books that I must read this summer before I write my proposal. They all concern phenomenological research. In very vague terms, I plan to research the ways secondary English teachers use multicultural young adult literature in the classroom. Therefore, I have to read a lot of books about how to conduct phenomenological research! It sounds boring, but the books are quite interesting thus far.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: SUMMER IS HERE!!! That means I will get to read more than I did when school was in! Yay! I am still doing a good amount professional development over the summer (a week long online class on assessment, a three week long online class on building a rigorous unit of instruction using the Marzano Instructional Model, a one day coaching foundations course, a one day common formative assessments course, two days end-of-course assessment writing, and possibly another two week long online course that is the extension of the first Marzano course) and I have two secret projects I have to finish by the beginning of July, so we will see if I am able to keep up with #bookaday (or equivalent number of books to equal a book a day). I’m going to try, but not going to make myself feel bad if I can’t.

In my “to read this week” pile, I plan on getting to at least Glory O’Brien by A.S. King, Revolution by Deborah Wiles, and Promise of Shadows by Justina Ireland. I also have a lot of picture books I want to read sitting by the couch. I planned to start listening to X this week, but I have instead gotten sucked into Undisclosed a podcast about Adnan Syed, the topic of the podcast Serial. Oops.

Ricki: Please see the above books. I should probably finish those before I make big plans for others. No promises I won’t start another, though. 😉

Upcoming Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Top Ten Most Anticipated Releases For the Rest of 2015

Thursday: Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway!: The Disappearance of Emily H. by Barrie Summy

Friday: Blog Tour, Review, Author & Illustrator Interview, and Giveaway!: My Dog is the Best by Laurie Ann Thompson

 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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