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 Books We Almost Put Down

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

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: I read two really good books this week! First, The Living by Matt de la Pena. WOW! This book scared the kajeebees out of me! It actually affected my dreams. You know a book is good when it enters into your subconscious. Ricki already reviewed it here if you want to check it out, and I plan on reviewing it in the future. I also read Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina. I first learned about this book when Meg’s blog post “Author Uninvited” went viral on Twitter. I promised myself that I would read the book, and I am glad I did. It is an important book. It can be paired with Jumped by Rita Williams-Garcia, Trino’s Choice by Diane Gonzales Bertrand, Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, Each Kindness by Jaqueline Woodson, and many more to discuss the impact bullying has on a person.

Trent and I read some great books this week:

• Little Oink and Little Hoot by Amy Krouse Rosenthal (Some very well done reverse psychology board books with some mighty adorable main characters.)
• Little Monsters by Jan Pienkowski (A fun pop-up book about different monsters.)
• Cat Says Meow: and other animalopoeia by Michael Arndt (Loved the onomatopoeias in this one, and especially how the author intertwined the animals’ noises into his illustrations of the animal.)
• You are my Baby: Ocean by Lorena Siminovich (This will be one of the books that will be a lot more fun when Trent can help match up the babies to the mommies.)
• Hug by Jez Alborough (Beautifully illustrated almost wordless story of a chimpanzee trying to find the right person to hug.)
• It’s Time to Sleep, My Love by Eric Metaxas (A very lyric bedtime board book.)

Ricki: This week, I finished The Here and Now by Ann Brashares. I loved the first half of this time traveling tale and particularly enjoyed the hints of dystopian fiction. I became a bit disengaged in the second half of the story, and I can’t quite put my finger on why that was. Overall, I recommend the book, and if you enjoyed All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill, I think you will like this one, as well. It is very different from  The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants! I also finished Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck. I have learned so much from this great nonfiction work. My brother just flew to Montana, and I blurted out, “John Steinbeck says it is the most beautiful state!” I appreciated learning about the tidbits of America.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: I plan on starting The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson today, and it is one that I’ve wanted to read since NCTE 2012 so I am excited. Trent and I plan on read the final Rosenthal book from the Little series, Little Pea, but then who knows. I also still have a pile of picture books I want to read (with or without Trent :D).

Ricki: I am halfway through Dr. Bird’s Advice for Sad Poets by Evan Roskos. I am not surprised that it was a finalist for the Morris Award. It reminds me a lot of several other phenomenal YA books (It’s Kind of a Funny Story, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and Everybody Sees the Ants, to name a few). Henry and I just got our library reserve copy of Stuck by Oliver Jeffers. We are excited to read that. Lastly, I am starting a PD text: Reading for their Life: (Re)Building the Textual Lineages of African American Adolescent Males by Alfred W. Tatum. I will let you know how it is!

Upcoming Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Top Ten Books About Friendship

 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’d Frame As Pieces of Art

Wednesday: Guest Post from Mathangi Subramanian, author of Bullying “Top Ten YA Books About Bullying”

Thursday: Guest post by Michele Weber Hurwitz, Author of The Summer I Saved the World in 65 Days “Why Characters Who Lose Their Way Win My Heart”

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

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: Have you all read the Eleanor series by Julie Sternberg (Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie, etc.)? I just finished the third one, Like Carrot Juice on a Cupcake, and I love the series more and more with each one. I really think the voice is getting stronger and stronger. I look forward to reviewing this one for you. I also read Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg. This book is SO funny yet very deep. Also, a teacher in a  story always helps me love a book.

Trent read:

• Forever by Emma Dodd (One of my favorite “I love you forever” books, so I reread it with Trent on Mother’s day.)
• Dinosaur Kisses by David Ezra Stein (This looked like a cute mother’s day book as well though it ended up being more funny than sweet.)
• Dino-Baby by Mark Sperring (Just stuck with the dinosaur theme on Mother’s day.)
• Creature Colors and Creature Numbers by Andrew Zuckerman (Love the focus on numbers and colors in nature.)
• Snuggle Puppy! by Sandra Boynton (There has to be an audio of this as a song–is there?! I just love Sandra Boynton!)
• Hug Time by Patrick McDonell (My husband really likes Mutts so I knew he had to read this one to Trent and MAN is it a good one.)
• Bedtime for Chickies by Janee Trasler (Will be a staple at bedtime I’m sure.)
• The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton (See, love Sandra Boynton. These are all from the library though, so I really need to buy some.)

Ricki: This week, I finished listening to Paperboy by Vince Vawter. It is a beautiful book and will join my list of favorite middle grade titles. I know most people have read it, but if you haven’t, I can’t recommend it highly enough. I learned a lot about stuttering, and I fell in love with the story, which is semi-autobiographical. I also finished reading a sweet book called Annika Riz, Math Whiz by Claudia Mills. After reading Annika’s story, I wanted to get my hand on the first book in the Franklin School Friends series. I’d recommend it for grades 2-4. We will be hosting a giveaway for both books on May 22nd, so stop by if you would like to win the first two books in the series!

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: I don’t know what this week holds. I still have Dan Santat books, which I want to read with Trent. I also have some nonfiction picture books to read for future Wednesday posts. As for novels, I’m not sure as I just finished Openly Straight and haven’t picked my next book, so we’ll just have to see what I pick tonight to read.

Ricki: I am having a difficult time focusing on one book. Last week, I was reading eight. I think I am reading at least eleven right now. I should stick with one, but I just love the variety. Rather than repeat last week’s post with the several books I am reading, I will say that I am loving Ann Brashares’ The Here and Now. It reminds me a lot of Cristin Terrill’s All Our Yesterdays. 

Upcoming Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Top Ten Books We Almost Put Down

 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 If You Like Superheroes/Reality TV

Thursday: Ricki’s Bookish Bucket List

Friday: Kellee’s Bookish Bucket List

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

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: I read two very good, but every different, books this week. First I finished In The Shadow of Blackbirds which is quite a unique book. It takes place in 1918 during World War I and the Spanish Flu epidemic and has a twist of supernatural. And so suspenseful! I also finished Serafina’s Promise which transports you to Haiti during the floods and really bad earthquake. Ann E. Burg’s verse is so descriptive that it makes the setting and characters jump off the page.

Trent continued his picture books reading as well and read some great ones this week:

• Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton (I am remembering how much I love Sandra Boynton, and I am enjoying every single one of her books that we read.)
• Koala Lou by Mem Fox (Every time I said “Koala Lou, I DO love you.” Trent smiled. It melted my heart!)
• Peek-A-Zoo by Nina Laden
• All In A Day by Cynthia Rylant (I really loved the lyrical aspect of this one and the message. One of my favorites we’ve read this far.)
• Sleepy Bears by Mem Fox (I love how each bear had a different dream. Another great message in a wonderful picture book.)
• Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney (A classic! Just as good as when I read it when I used to babysit.)
• If I Was a Penguin… by Anne Wilkinson (On Jim’s birthday he chose what to read Trent, and they reread this cute book.)

Ricki: I received a wonderful box of ARCs from Penguin this week. I was sucked in by the cover of The Merciless by Danielle Vega. “Forgive us, Father, for we have sinned,” and “For mature audiences only.” I dug right into that one. My son fell asleep in the car seat in the back of my car, so I started reading it in the front seat of the car (in my garage). I was done by the next morning. (Don’t worry, we left the garage.) It was a great horror book that sucked me in!

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: I started Openly Straight last night and am already liking the voice. I’m sure I’m going to love it. Trent plans on making a dent on his library pile that includes more Sandra Boynton, Dan Santat, Mem Fox, and other picture books we can’t wait to read.

Ricki: I am currently reading eight books right now. I just can’t get enough variety, I suppose. I just started Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck. It came highly recommended. I am also listening to Paperboy on CD, and I am reading a fantastic book for early elementary schoolers called Annika Riz, Math Whiz by Claudia Mills. It is a very fun, short chapter book. I am also still reading some of the others I posted in my last Monday post.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Top Ten Books We’d Frame As Pieces of Art

Wednesday: Guest Post from Mathangi Subramanian, author of Bullying

Thursday: Guest post by Michele Weber Hurwitz, Author of The Summer I Saved the World in 65 Days

 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 Characters Who Are Smart

Wednesday: Thrive Blog Tour and Author Guest Post

Friday: Tracy Holczer, author of The Secret Hum of a Daisy, Guest Post

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

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: A pretty good reading week here at the Moye house. I was able to finish both Rose Under Fire and P.S. Be Eleven. They are very different books, but both so good. I am still reeling about Rose. It was almost perfection. P.S. Be Eleven was a great follow up to One Crazy Summer.

Trent and I read 7 picture books again this week (though there were a couple #bookaday hiccups which we had to remedy by reading 2 books in a day):

• Happy Easter, Mouse! by Laura Joffe Numeroff (Trent received this in his Easter basket from his grandparents. Just as cute as all the other Mouse stories.)
• Time for Bed by Mem Fox (Mem Fox writes books as if they are songs. Beautiful.)
• My Very First Book of Shapes by Eric Carle (This book is bilingual and interactive. It’ll be a fun way to learn shapes and Spanish when Trent gets older.)
• Jabberwocky by Jennifer Adams (We read this on Poem in your Pocket Day and also in honor of National Poetry Month. I love the Baby Lit adaptations!)
• Moo, Baa, La La La by Sandra Boynton (I remember reading this when I was a kid now that I’ve reread it. Sandra Boynton is SO MUCH FUN!)
• Llama Llama Zippity Zoom by Anna Dewdney (With all of the Llama Llama talk, I had to get the board book from the library, and we really enjoyed it. A simple text, but one that is fun and a child could easily memorize.)
• How to Cheer Up Dad by Fred Koehler (My parents know Fred from Lakeland, and they got us a signed copy for Jim and Trent. They read it together this week, and it is such a perfect father/son read.)

Ricki: It is the last week of school, and with all of the term papers, my reading has suffered! I’ve been reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe to Henry every night, but we haven’t finished yet. He tends to fall asleep, and I don’t want him to miss any of it. For Easter, we read There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Chick by Lucille Colandro (very fun!). And for school, I finished Culturally Responsive Teaching by Geneva Gay. I highly, highly recommend this book to teachers. It taught me so much about the learning styles of students of all different cultures. I am in awe of Geneva Gay’s intelligence and thoughtfulness. I plan to blog about it soon (after I finish my paper and have thought it through).

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: I am going to start In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters tonight and hope to finish it this week then I’ll start Brother, Brother by Clay Carmichael. My goal is to finish them both this week although I am starting work again today, so we’ll see how reading goes this week. Trent will continue his #bookaday though his dad may read some with him without me since he is home with him during the day now. I know I do want to read Trent’s other Easter books this week: All in a Day by Cynthia Rylant and Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney.

Ricki: Baby Henry and I reserved two books from other libraries: Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great by Bob Shea and And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson. I have always wanted to read both of these, and I think Henry will enjoy them. I am done with PD books for my doctoral degree this semester (phew!), but I may get a head start in a few weeks. For now, I am going to finish the rest of Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira. I have been working on it for a few weeks, but now that school is coming to a close, I am going to devour the rest. 🙂

Upcoming Week’s Posts

  

Tuesday: Top Ten Books If You Like Superheroes/Reality TV

Thursday: Ricki’s Bookish Bucket List

Friday: Kellee’s Bookish Bucket List

 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 Bookish Things We’d Like to Own

Friday: Amulet Graphic Novels: Teaching Guide

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

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: I love Rose Under Fire. This week has been quite busy, and I have not been able to finish it yet; however, I am so enjoying it. I wish I was reading it right now! I am also reading an e-book called Coyote Summer by J.S. Kapchinske which I am also really liking. I knew nothing about it, and it is quite surprisingly a good book.

Also, we visited Barnes and Noble on Saturday, and I decided to partake in a couple of picture books I’ve been wanting to read: Pigeon Needs a Bath by Mo Willems and Warning: Do Not Open This Book! by Adam Lehrhaupt. Um, I definitely need to own both of these books. I was laughing in the middle of the store. So good.

Trent and I continued our picture #bookaday and read some really great ones this week:

• Global Babies by Global Fund for Children (A great introduction to diversity!)
• Little You by Richard Van Campt (A beautiful poem and a loving message. I also liked the style of illustrations.)
• A Bedtime for Chester Raccoon by Audrey Penn (A Kissing Hand tale that is just as sweet.)
• Owen and Mzee: Best Friends by Isabella Hatkoff (I LOVE Owen and Mzee, and I am so glad there is a board book version of their story.)
• Me Hungry! by Jeremy Tankard (This was the surprise of the week. It cracked me up! Told from the POV of a caveboy, it is quite funny.)
• The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter (On Easter. Classic.)
• Little White Rabbit by Kevin Henkes (I just adore everything Kevin Henkes writes.)

Ricki: This week, I finished the professional development text, The Shame of the Nation by Jonathan Kozol. It made me look at schooling in an entirely different light. For example: Why is it that schools named after MLK Jr. are filled with black students? Wasn’t MLK Jr.’s message about integration? This is just one of the many questions the Kozol poses. I am still pondering some of the ideas that Kozol presents.

Henry and I enjoyed some great picture books this week. My two favorites were: Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen and Noodle by Munro Leaf. These two will be going on Henry’s wish list. The other books we read were: Wild About Books by Judy Sierra, Never Play Music Right Next to the Zoo by John Lithgow, On Our Way Home by Sebastien Braun, Love is a Handful of Honey by Giles Andreae, Heart in the Pocket by Laurence Bourguigon, Go Dog Go by P.D. Eastman, and Sometimes I Forget You’re a Robot by Sam Brown.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: I am going to finish Rose Under Fire and begin (and hopefully finish!) P.S. Be Eleven. I’ll also continue Coyote Summer. This is my last week of maternity leave, so I am going to cherish it by spending as much time as I can with my son and reading.

Ricki: I am still reading Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira, and I just started the professional development text, Culturally Responsive Teaching by Geneva Gay. Henry and I are still reading our graphic novel book of classic fairy tales called Fairy Tale Comics, which is edited by Chris Duffy, and we are also still reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

   

Tuesday: Top Ten Characters Who Are Smart

Wednesday: Thrive Blog Tour and Author Guest Post

Friday: Tracy Holczer, author of The Secret Hum of a Daisy, 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 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

  

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Most Unique Books We’ve Read

Wednesday: Favorite Nonfiction Picture Books About Strong Women in History

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

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: This week I read All our Yesterdays by Cristen Terrill–SO GOOD! I found myself reading when I should have been doing just about anything else, but it was just so suspenseful! Ricki has already reviewed it, and I will post my review in May. It is a must-read, in my opinion.  While nursing this week (well, not nursing, but during the 20 minutes after nursing when I have to keep Trent upright), I also finished Teen Idol Terror by Paul Plunkett, a fun mystery that I’ll review in the future, and Thrive by Meenoo Rami, an education book that we’ll have the blog tour stop in a couple of weeks.

Trent and I continued our #bookaday and read some great picture books:

• No Two Alike by Keith Baker (This will be a good way to show Trent snow and also how unique everything is, and I really liked the rhyming.)
• Spot the Dot by David A. Carter (A super fun interactive book that will be great for teaching colors and having fun while doing it.)
• Daddy Wrong Legs by Nina Laden (Trent is going to love this book when he is able to flip through the book mixing and matching the legs and heads. Some of them are quite hilarious.)
• The Biggest Kiss by Joanna Walsh (Love this cover! A cute book that will be a good Valentine’s Day read.)
• Chickia Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. (I haven’t read this book in a long time, but it is as fun and rhythmic as I remember.)
• Disney’s Peter Pan and Lady and the Tramp (Final two books in the Disney Bedtime Stories tower. I really enjoyed the Lady and the Tramp adaptation–very cute.)

Ricki: Like Kellee, I also read Thrive by Meenoo Rami this week. This is a fantastic book for beginning teachers, and I can’t wait to use it in my classes.  I also read several picture books to Henry. One of our favorite books was The Fox in the Library by Lorenz Pauli. (We are biased because we love any books about books.) I will be reviewing it next week. We also loved a recommendation by Carrie in her children’s book post (bit.ly/1fOCOdu): Hug by Jez Alborough. There is something magical about animals hugging each other. We also enjoyed the classics, The Napping House by Audrey Wood and Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman, a newer book called Hello, My Name is Ruby by Philip C. Stead (great for bird-lovers), and The Dead Family Diaz by P.J. Bracegirdle (fantastic for teaching about The Day of the Dead).  If you are looking for an adult book, my husband just finished The Strain by Guillermo del Toro. It is a new, adult, horror book. He enjoyed it, and he is a tough critic. 

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: I am going to start (should have started already!) Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein. It is going to be interesting to see how it connects to Code Name Verity. I also plan on starting another e-book, probably Coyote Summer by J.P. Kapchinske, to read after nursing. E-books are much easier to read with one hand than hard/paper books. Trent and I will continue our #bookaday, of course, but I never know what is in our plans 🙂

Ricki: I am currently reading Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira. I am almost finished with the professional development book, The Shame of the Nation by Jonathan Kozol. Henry and I are also almost finished with our graphic novel book of classic fairy tales called Fairy Tale Comics, which is edited by Chris Duffy.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Top Ten Bookish Things We’d Like to Own

Friday: Amulet Graphic Novels: Teaching Guide

 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

 

 

Top Ten Tuesday: “Gateway” Books/Authors in Our Reading Journey

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

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: This week I finished Wild Awake by Hilary Smith. It was an interesting journey of watching a character’s life run out of her control. I was a big fan of the way the author wrote the story because if helped you feel the chaos that was happening in Kiri’s life. A very impressive debut novel.

Trent’s picture book #bookaday continued, and we actually doubled up on a couple of days. This week, we read:

• Disney Bedtime Stories Board Books: 101 Dalmatians, The Jungle Book, Lion King, Dumbo, Lilo & Stitch, and Pinocchio (These stories are all touch and go. Some are so sweet, especially Dumbo, 101 Dalmatians, and Lilo & Stitch. We have 2 more left that we plan to finish this week.)
• Listened to Go Dog Go, Are You My Mother?, and The Best Nest by P.D. Eastman on You Tube (These videos are perfect for the 20 minutes Trent and I have to spend upright after nursing. I’m sure we will listen to them over and over.)
• Baseball Is… by Louise Borden (Friday was the Cubs home opener, and we celebrated by having a baseball filled day! Thank you to Michele Knott for recommending this beautiful book to me.)
• Black on White by Tana Hoban (I learned about Tana Hoban’s books at the Mommy-Baby Tea that I go to. Since babies’ eyesight is not mature yet, the contrast in these wordless books keeps their attention, and it worked great for Trent. I made a little story for each picture to make it a little more interesting for me.)

Ricki: This week, I read a lot of great books. I am going to divide them up by category to make it easier to read.

Professional Development: I finished Life in Schools by Peter McLaren. It was good, but it wasn’t my favorite PD text. I felt like many of the ideas were contained in several other texts I have read recently. That said, I agree with the ideas he puts forth about the hegemony that exists in schools.

YA/Middle Grade: I read We Were Liars by e. lockhart. It was incredible. If you are looking for a good YA book, this one will blow you away. It has strong literary merit and is haunting. I get the shivers thinking about how powerful it is. I also finished Aphrodite by George O’Connor. I love how he re-imagines Greek mythology in graphic novel form!

Children’s Books: We pounded through our library books this week. Henry and I have a new tradition. We read a book downstairs before we go upstairs for his last feeding, so he and I enjoy double the reading time. My favorite from this week was The Boy Who Loved Words by Roni Shotter.  It highlights the magic of collecting words. I also loved Jane Yolen’s How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You?. The other books we read and enjoyed together were: Robie Harris’ When Lions Roar, Mark Moulton’s Change the World Before Bedtime, Mem Fox’s Koala Lou, Chris Allsburg’s The Stranger, and Taro Miura’s The Tiny King.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: I have already started All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill, and I am intrigued by the premise already. At only 30 pages in, I am excited to keep reading it. And, of course, Trent and I are going to continue our #bookaday. We’ll first finish the Disney board books then move to Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and other books Aly kindly sent us.

Ricki: My next PD book is Jonathan Kozol’s The Shame of the Nation. I have always wanted to read this one, so I am looking forward to learning a lot from it. I just started the young adult book, Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira. I pre-ordered it because I heard such good things about it. Henry and I are reading Fairy Tale Comics (edited by Chris Duffy). It retells seventeen fairy tales in graphic novel form. He love the bright colors, and I enjoy how each fairy tale is short, so I can keep his attention!

Upcoming Week’s Posts

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Most Unique Books We’ve Read

Wednesday: Favorite Nonfiction Picture Books About Strong Women in History

 So, what are you reading?

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