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: Top Ten Bookish/Blog Goals/Resolutions for 2014

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

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: This week I focused on reading two middle grade novels I’d been wanting to read ever since I’d heard of them and a pile of picture books I had. I am so glad that I read A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd and Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt. These books are brilliant. I can see why everyone is raving about them:

• Snicker of Magic is a quiet, special books that just goes straight to your heart when you read it. I loved so many of Natalie Lloyd’s words I actually pulled out tabs to mark pages for reminders and sharing. The book is marked like crazy! Beautiful writing. 
• I adored Fish in a Tree so much! I think it means even more to me being an intensive reading teacher/reading coach. Ally is so many students that I have had over the years that just needed a teacher to take the time; Mr. Daniels is the teacher that I hope I am, that I wish I could be, that I want all teachers to be, and that I want to be friends with; Ally’s journey is one that I hope I inspire my students to have; Keisha is the friend I wish I’d had; Albert is so many student in our schools that are just a bit different thus leading to a life of sorrows; Shay shows that meanness often is because of meanness; Travis shows that it is never too late to change a kid’s life. So many special characters and such a special story. Once again, Lynda Mullaly Hunt made me cry. Well done!

For picture books, I read so many good ones: The Right Word by Jennifer Fisher Bryant, Happy Birthday, Madame Chapeau by Andrea Beaty, The Very Inappropriate Word by Jim Tobin, Come On, Rain! by Karen Hesse, The Girl Who Hear Colors by Marie Harris, The Cat, the Dog, Little Red, the Exploding Eggs, the Wolf, and Grandma by Diane Fox, April & Esme: Tooth Fairies by Bob Graham, Miss Brooks Loves Books! by Barbara Bottner, Birds by Kevin Henkes, Found by Salina Yoon, I’m My Own Dog by David Ezra Stein, Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin, Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker, When Otis Courted Mama by Kathi Appelt, Emmanuel’s Dream by Laurie Ann Thompson, and Once Upon an Alphabet by Oliver Jeffers. Not a bad one in the bunch! Some of these even ended up on my Best Reads of 2015 list! I’ll be reviewing many of these in the future.

Ricki: I read some excellent books this week! I loved The Carnival at Bray by Jessie Ann Foley. It is a 2015 Morris Finalist and well-deserving of this honor. The setting and raw emotion of this book really hit me hard. I struggled to pick up another book because I couldn’t bear to leave the emotions I felt from this one. I particularly loved the parental dynamics.  I also very much enjoyed Shadow Hero by Gene Luen Yang. This book felt very teachable to me, and it will serve well for discussions of race, stereotypes, and heroism.

Henry and I dove into the picture books this week. We enjoyed Uni the Unicorn by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. It is a book that is very much marketed for girls, but I will read it to Henry because I refuse to give in to gender expectations. I love e.e. cummings’ I Carry Your Heart with Me, so I loved sharing the picture book with Henry. The art by Mati Rose McDonough is simply stunning. Henry also learned about Alzheimer’s Disease in Forget Me Not by Nancy Van Laan. This is a quiet, important book that is a great resource for teachers. We thought Earth Space Moon Base by Ben Joel Price was an okay book–enjoyable for those who like reading about space.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: Back to school…. That means less reading 🙁 I am starting Gabi, A Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero and hope to finish it (one of my #mustreadin2015). Like Ricki said below, we will share our lists on Wednesday!

Ricki: I am excited to read How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon. It is one of my books on my #mustread2015 list! Kellee and I are excited to share these lists on Wednesday. 🙂

Upcoming Week’s Posts

  

Tuesday: Top Ten Most Anticipated Debut Novels of 2015

Wednesday: #MustReadIn2015

Thursday: Blog Tour, Book Trailer, and Author’s Guest Post!: When Otis Courted Mama by Kathi Appelt

Friday: Books Trent Got For Christmas

 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 Wouldn’t Mind Santa Bringing Henry and Trent This Year
You can see ADORABLE photos of both boys on our Wednesday and Thursday post.

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

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: I have been trying very hard to read a #bookaday during the winter break. I have been semi-successful which has resulted in some good reading (though as I was typing I realized that 4 out of the 5 novels were compilations!):

• One for the Murphys is such a tremendous book–ended in an ugly cry! If you were like me and haven’t read it yet, move it up your pile.
• Explorer: Hidden Doors is another great compilation put together by Kazu Kibuishi. I love seeing all of the different stories revolving around one theme.
• Fairy Tale Comics: Classic Tales Told by Extraordinary Cartoonists was another pretty good compilation, but this time it was all fairy tales. I love that they included many different styles of cartoonists and fairy tales.
• Strong Female Protagonist is a graphic novel of the popular web comic. If you haven’t read it, you can check it out online or buy the GN when it comes out.
• Big Nate’s Greatest Hits is a comic compilation of Big Nate. His books are always quite funny. I really like Nate (so much more than Greg!), and his stories crack me up.
• Sophie Scott Goes South is a nonfiction book but with a fiction protagonist (if that makes sense). I loved how the book taught about Antarctica and science while also making it an adventure.

Ricki: This week, I finished All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven, and I was completely blown away by this book. I did some rearranging of the calendar, and my full review will be this Thursday. It was one of those books I needed to share with others as soon as possible. It is reminiscent of some great YA texts, but yet, it is very different. I also finished the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone audio book. I liked it, but as I said in the past weeks, I didn’t fall in love with it. I completely understand why others enjoy it, but it didn’t have the depth I had hoped for. Please don’t be offended if you love this book! Henry and I also enjoyed The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli. It made us giggle.

 This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: I started A Snicker of Magic on Sunday, and I will definitely finish it. My parents have been here, so it has been harder to read instead of spending time with them; however, they leave today, so I will have a bit more reading time this week. After Snicker, I plan on reading Counting by 7s, Fish in a Tree, All the Bright Places, and Gabi, a Girl in Pieces. Hopefully I can read all of them during break. I also have a HUGE picture book pile that I need to make a dent in.

Ricki: A friend has been urging me to listen to East of Eden by John Steinbeck. I am a huge Steinbeck fan, so I am excited. I am not sure how I feel about the TWENTY-TWO CDs, though! I also just started The Carnival at Bray by Jessie Ann Foley, a 2015 Morris Finalist.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Top Ten Bookish/Blog Goals/Resolutions for 2014

 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 to
MICHELLE E.
for winning a copy of the complete set of the Wolf Chronicles–Prompis of the Wolves, Secrets of the Wolves, and Spirit of the Wolves

Last Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Ricki’s Top Ten Books Read in 2014

Wednesday: Blog Tour! Catch that Cookie by Hallie Durand

Thursday: Our Last Minute Book Gift Recommendations

Friday: Holiday Blog Hop! Mira’s Diary series by Marissa Moss

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

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: Yay, break!!! I am on day 3, and I have already read a #bookaday! I hope I am able to keep it up! First, I finished The Complete Persepolis by Marjan Satrapi. It was an INTENSE book, and it took me a while to finish it; however, I am happy that I read it. Since break started, I have finished The Shadow Hero by Gene Luen Yang, a graphic novel that began with a lesser known comic hero called the Green Turtle and turned into quite an awesome adventure. Next, I read Leroy Ninker Saddles Up by Kate DiCamillo. It reconfirmed for me that Kate is a phenomenal author. Her way with descriptive language and voice is one of the best in the business. Next, I read The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale which is an exceptional new addition to girl power in early readers.  Trent and I did a lot of rereading this week including Santa Goes Everywhere, Fifteen Animals, My Heart is Like a Zoo, and Waddle!

Ricki: Henry has decided, at age one, that naps are for babies, so my reading list is shorter than I would like it to be. I finished a beautiful book, Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah by Laurie Ann Thompson and Sean Qualls. This is a fantastic book about Emmanuel’s resilience over his disability. He is an icon in Africa (and across the world), and it is a great nonfiction text for students. I also read two informational nonfiction texts by High Noon Books. They were Robots by Allison Lassieur and We Made It by Lisa Benjamin. Middle grade students who are interested in engineering and robotics will enjoy these.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: I still have my huge TBR pile for winter break that I am still delving into. I am going to start with Fairy Tale Comics and Explorer: The Hidden Doors, but then the rest of the books in the pile are longer, so although I am still going to try to do a #bookaday, it may be more like a book every couple of days 🙂 Trent and I have a few Christmas themed books to read, including A Christmas Wish for Corduroy and Santa!: A Scanimation Picture Book.

Ricki: I have one CD left of the first Harry Potter book. My husband drove today, and I fell asleep while listening to it. This parallels the time I fell asleep watching the movie. I actually think it is entertaining, but for some reason, it makes me sleepy. I am so glad I decided to listen to the book (and I am extremely impressed by the audiobook reader, Jim Dale), but to Kellee’s dismay, I won’t be listening to more Harry Potter books beyond this first one. The only characters I enjoy are Hermione and Hagrid, and all of the characters seem to fall a bit flat for me. I know a lot of you will disagree with, but I am just being honest! I respect the collective love for this book, but it just isn’t for me. You know which characters don’t fall flat for me? The characters in All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven. I haven’t finished it just yet, but it is simply fantastic.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Top Ten Books We Wouldn’t Mind Santa Bringing Henry and Trent This Year

 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 New-to-Us Authors We Read in 2014

Author Guest Post and Blog Hop!: “How Research Transformed The Wolf Chronicles” by Dorothy Hearst, Author of The Wolf Chronicles

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

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: I cannot wait for break because these last couple of weeks have seemed so hectic! I have mostly read picture books and haven’t really been able to just sit and read. I hope to end the year with a high note during break though because I plan to fill it with read! I am still reading Persepolis but WILL finish it this week. I did have a chance to read a wordless graphic novel Fish Fish Fish by Lee Nordling which kids will definitely love. Trent and I read some books that are perfect for this time of year: Santa Goes Everywhere! by Brian Biggs, Catch That Cookie! by Hallie Durand, and The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. The Polar Express took a couple of days, but it was such a joy to read it with me. I actually have a silver bell, so when Santa gave the silver bell to the boy, I gave one to Trent and now have a super cute and special photo.

Ricki: Uh oh. Please don’t judge me, but I didn’t finish any of my books this week. This is a consequence of the fact that I am reading six books and listening to three more.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: One more week of school until I can read a lot more. I am going to finish Persepolis. That’s my plan right now. And, of course, reading with Trent.

Ricki: Like many readers, I have a list of books that I never got to. Get ready and hang onto your chair… I have never read Harry Potter. I fell asleep during the movies, so I never had interest in reading the series. I am listening to the audiobook in my car right now.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Ricki’s Top Ten Books Read in 2014

Thursday: Our Last Minute Book Gift Recommendations

 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: Ricki’s NCTE/ALAN Reflection

Wednesday: Kellee’s NCTE/ALAN Reflection

Thursday: Ricki’s Top Books from NCTE/ALAN

Friday: Kellee’s Top Books from NCTE/ALAN

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

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: I did not read very much this week, and I have no excuse. Each night I just found myself booked, and then it was bedtime. I read a few pages of The Complete Persepolis and A Boy and a Jaguar by Alan Rabinowitz (BRILLIANT), but that’s all. I am having a bit of trouble just keeping up with everything right now, so unfortunately reading is getting pushed aside. I need to fix that because I feel like my mind is missing something.

Trent and I did continue to read though because that is a favorite time of day for me. We read Fifteen Animals by Sandra Boyton for the first time, and it made me laugh out loud when we read it the first time. We also read Boynton’s Barnyard Dance. If you have never heard the songs that go with some of Boynton’s books, you are missing out. Check them out! I love them, and we periodically listen to them as we read along. Trent also sat attentively for the entire Ivan: The Remarkable True Story by Katherine Applegate which is SUCH a compliment.

Ricki: This week, I read and enjoyed Arcady’s Goal by Eugene Yelchin (author of Breaking Stalin’s Nose). This beautifully illustrated novel is about an 12-year old orphan whose parents are “enemies of the people” during WWII Soviet Russia. He has a passion for soccer and wants to play for the Red Army. I liked how it crosses genres and can be considered historical fiction and sports fiction. This is one of those books that teachers love because it is very literary and also engaging. I was hooked from the first page and couldn’t put it down.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: I am going to finish The Complete Persepolis, so I can start in on my pile of books that I should have read already including Counting by 7s, A Snicker of Magic, and One for the Murphys and books I cannot wait to read including Fish in a Tree, All the Bright Places, Paper Cowboy, and Read Between the Lines. If nothing else, break is soon, and I cannot wait to read, read, read!

Ricki: I am halfway through Jennifer Niven’s All the Bright Places, and I am savoring it. So far–wow, wow, wow. I love it.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Top Ten New-to-Us Authors We Read in 2014

Friday: Author Guest Post from Dorothy Heart, Author of Wolf Chronicles series

 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 H.
for winning a copy of A Snowman’s Story

Last Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Top Ten Books On Our Winter TBR

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

Trent and Henry met at NCTE!

 Last (2) Weeks’ Journeys

Kellee: Wow! What a whirlwind! We left for DC on the 21st, and it has been nonstop since then. Ironically, because I was at NCTE/ALAN (a conference focused around reading), I was not able to read as much as I usually do. I was able to finish a few titles. First I finished Mira’s Diary: Bombs over London by Marissa Moss (and was able to talk to her about it at NCTE). I love these books! A great mix of sci-fi and historical fiction. I also finished a couple of graphic novels: The Silver Six by AJ Lieberman which is a great dystopian middle grade GN that somehow flew under my radar & Nnewts by Doug TenNapel which is his new GN coming out in January, 2015 (and my students will be so excited I got it!). Lastly, I read two picture books: Chu’s Day by Neil Gaiman which actually made me laugh outloud in the middle of a store & Outlaw Pete by Bruce Springsteen which was a beautiful adaptation of Bruce’s song (not for little kids!).

With Trent, we brought along some of our favorite board books and revisited them while on our trip. Mostly we reread Personal Penguin by Sandra Boynton, If I Were a Penguin by Anne Wilkinson, and The Pigeon Has Feelings, Too! by Mo Willems. Trent also received a gift from the kind Kim McCollum-Clark of My Heart is Like a Zoo by Michael Hall which we have read a couple times already. Love the clever illustrations and kind message.

Ricki: The past two weeks have been nonstop for me, too. I was at NCTE/ALAN for five days, then I was at my in-laws’ house for two days for Turkey Day, and then I spent three days preparing my son’s first birthday party. I will share the Goodnight Moon-themed party pictures in an upcoming post! Henry and I have read a lot of new picture books like, My Yellow Balloon by Tiffany Papageorge and several great Sandra Boynton board books. This week is my last week of classes (both as a teacher and as a student), and then I am able to do a lot more free-reading.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: I started The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi over the weekend, and I am about half way done. I then have a couple piles of books: one YA and one PBs from the library. I hope to make a dent in the PB one (including The Very Inappropriate Word, Sophie Scott Goes South, A Boy and Jaguar, The Girl Who Hears Colors, & The Cat, the Dog, Little Red, the Exploding Eggs, the Wolf, and Grandma). Also maybe I’ll start The Paper Cowboy by Kristin Levine or Absolutely Truly by Heather Vogel Frederick. OH! And I have 2 graphic novels to read: The Shadow Hero by Gene Luen Yang and Sonny Liew & Fairy Tale Comics edited by Chris Duffy. Hopefully with life back to normal, I’ll be able to get some reading down 🙂

Ricki: I sent home many, many new YA books and ARCs from NCTE/ALAN, so it is time to get started!  The first book I started reading was All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven because it is getting rave reviews. So far, I absolutely love it.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

Tuesday: Ricki’s NCTE/ALAN Reflection

Wednesday: Kellee’s NCTE/ALAN Reflection

Thursday: Ricki’s Top Books from NCTE/ALAN

Friday: Kellee’s Top Books from NCTE/ALAN

 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 Topics We’d Like to See More in Picture Books

Thursday: Henry and Ricki’s favorite PB 6-12 months

Friday: Trent and Kellee’s favorite PBs 6-9 months

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

Kellee & Ricki: We are currently absorbing the awesomeness of the ALAN workshop in Washington, D.C. We will update you on our reading last week and this upcoming week next Monday. Have a very happy Thanksgiving!

Upcoming Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Top Ten Books On Our Winter TBR

 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