It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 1/27/25

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
For readers of all ages

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly blog hop we host which focuses on sharing what we’re reading. This Kid Lit version of IMWAYR focuses primarily on books marketed for kids and teens, but books for readers of all ages are shared. We love this community and how it offers opportunities to share and recommend books with each other.

The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. The Kid Lit IMWAYR was co-created by Kellee & Jen at Teach Mentor Texts.

We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up below, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs.

Happy reading!

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Tuesday: Firelight Apprentice by Bree Paulsen

Thursday: Sofia’s YA Book Nook: How to Survive Your Murder by Danielle Valentine

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Back Matter Can Be the Beginning” by Charlotte Gunnufson, Author of Dream Submarine

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

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Kellee

I took today off from IMWAYR because I went to a wedding this weekend and sadly didn’t have time to write up my post, but you can learn more about any of the books I’ve been reading by checking out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

This is my week off; see you next week!

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Tuesday: Kaya of the Ocean by Gloria Huang

Thursday: Henry’s Books: Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea

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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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Author Guest Post: “Back Matter Can Be the Beginning” by Charlotte Gunnufson, Author of Dream Submarine

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“Back Matter Can Be the Beginning”

Back matter is found at the end of a book, but it can be the beginning of a new interest, an invitation to explore and learn more. For young readers, back matter can be the jumping off point for a dive deep into a fascinating topic.

For teachers, back matter can be a terrific resource. Educators can use the bonus material at the back of a book to:

  • Engage students in a new topic. The story pulls them in; the back matter piques their interest.
  • Enrich students’ understanding and appreciation by extending their knowledge and revealing the depth and breadth of a subject.
  • Encourage curiosity, exploration and independent learning—hallmarks of an effective education!
  • Enjoy! Lots of kids (and adults) love facts and enjoy fortifying their brain with interesting information.

There’s a boom in back matter, and children’s picture books are a big part of this exciting phenomenon. Picture book back matter is visual, accessible and even entertaining. Here are some of the ways it’s presented:

  • Fun facts: additional information that educates, entertains and encourages curiosity
  • Activities and experiments: hands-on fun to further understanding
  • Key concepts: tricky ideas are distilled to reinforce learning
  • Glossary: valuable vocabulary
  • Maps: a little geography lesson that shows location or the scope of a journey
  • Timeline: often illustrated to enhance comprehension and retention
  • Primary sources: photographs, letters, newspaper clippings and more
  • Diagrams: pictures are worth a thousand words!
  • Charts and graphs: visual representations to deepen understanding
  • Author’s note: delves into the author’s research journey and writing process
  • Illustrator’s note: explains the artist’s research and how the art was created
  • Bibliography: shows that a book has been properly researched
  • Further reading: future reading!

Activity: Dive Deep into Back Matter

  1. Ask students what they know about back matter.
  2. Share a picture book that offers a bit of back matter.
  3. Prepare students for a visit to the library: they’re on a mission to find more back matter!
  4. Collaborate with the school librarian, and visit the library with students perusing the picture book section, both fiction and nonfiction.
  5. Invite students to share their discoveries.
  6. Make a list of the different types of back matter.
  7. Dig in! What do different types of back matter show? What types of back matter work best for given books? And what exactly is a bibliography?

Option: Older students can graduate to longer books.

Extension: The next time students embark on a writing assignment, ask them to include one or more types of back matter that are well suited to their topic. Invite them to share their work.

Importantly, students can use these investigative skills now, next year, in high school, college, the workplace and—bonus!—their lives.

But wait, there’s more! After diving into a picture book’s back matter, check out the author’s website. Authors are often immersed in research, and like teachers, they’re eager to share what they’ve learned.

Dream Submarine
Author: Charlotte Gunnufson
Illustrator: Cleonique Hilsaca
Published June 11, 2024 by Candlewick Press

About the Book: Climb aboard the cozy Dream Submarine for a nighttime journey through the world’s oceans! Encounter disappearing fish and dozing whales. Watch large fish get their fins and faces cleaned by tiny wrasse. See red moki settling in caves and parrotfish snoozing in slime sleeping bags. Dive deep and discover bioluminescent creatures lighting up like fireflies. Rise to the surface relaxed and ready to learn more! This beautifully illustrated book includes seven pages of back matter: a map of the world showing the Dream Submarine’s voyage, fascinating facts about each animal, and a diagram of the ocean zones.

“An exploration of the oceans yields stunning discoveries…A delightful voyage well worth taking.” Kirkus Reviews

About the Author: Charlotte Gunnufson is a former teacher who loves connecting with kids at schools and libraries. She knows teaching is a tough job! Educators will find beneficial back matter in her books and teacher resources along with free, fun stuff for students on her website, booksbycharlotte.com. Two STEM books from Disney Planet Possible, Hard Hat Hank (2025) and Eight, Nine, Tengineers (2026), feature pages of kid-friendly facts and hands-on activities. Charlotte is also the author of School Spirits (Atheneum, 2026), Halloween Hustle, Prince and Pirate and a soon-to-be-announced STEM story.

Thank you, Charlotte, for pointing out the importance of back matter–it is always such an asset!

Sofia’s YA Book Nook: How to Survive Your Murder by Danielle Valentine

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Sofia is a 13-year-old brilliant reader who aspires to be a book reviewer. Since she was 8 years old, on select weeks, Sofia shares her favorite books with other young people her age! She is one of the most well-read youth that we know, so she is highly qualified for this role!


 

Dear readers,

Let me present to you, How to Survive Your Murder by Danielle Valentine! This is a thrilling novel with elements of mystery, horror and sci-fi. It takes us with main character Alice as she relives the horrifying night her sister was murdered. This was quite a page turner and I loved it! Valentine also recently released a new book, Two Sides to Every Murder, which I will definitely be reading in the near future!

Goodreads Summary

Alice Lawrence is the sole witness in her sister’s murder trial. And in the year since Claire’s death, Alice’s life has completely fallen apart. Her parents have gotten divorced, she’s moved into an apartment that smells like bologna, and she is being forced to face her sister’s killer and a courtroom full of people who doubt what she saw in the corn maze a year prior. Claire was an all-American girl, beautiful and bubbly, and a theater star. Alice was a nerd who dreamed of becoming a forensic pathologist and would rather stay at home to watch her favorite horror movies than party. Despite their differences, they were bonded by sisterhood and were each other’s best friends. Until Claire was taken away from her. On the first day of the murder trial, as Alice prepares to give her testimony, she is knocked out by a Sidney Prescott look-alike in the courthouse bathroom. When she wakes up, it is Halloween night a year earlier, the same day Claire was murdered. Alice has until midnight to save her sister and find the real killer before he claims another victim.

My Thoughts

Wow, was this book good! It definitely kept me on the edge of my seat! I usually don’t like to read books that have too much horror but this was great! I found the plot to be very exciting and complex, which I enjoyed. This book made me feel like I was fully immersed in the story, even jumping in my seat a little during the scarier scenes! I am so happy I stumbled upon this in the “New Books” section of my local library! It intrigued me because of the title (yes, that is usually how I decide what books I want to check out) and I’m so glad I got it. The ending was more of a cliffhanger, leaving me with questions but I like that in a book. Overall, this was a gripping novel that left me guessing until the very end. Happy reading!

On Amazon How to Survive Your Murder is recommended for ages 14+ and I agree with this. Some things to be warned about are murder, some descriptive scenes and horror.

**Thanks so much, Sofia!**

The Firelight Apprentice by Bree Paulsen

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The Firelight Apprentice
Author: Bree Paulsen
Published October 29th, 2024 by Quill Tree Books

Summary: The bestselling author-illustrator of Garlic and the Vampire, Bree Paulsen, brings her fantastical storytelling and warm, sparkling artwork to this story that celebrates the bond between sisters.

In a city powered by magic and still recovering from a bloody war, Ada is concerned about her younger sister Safi’s developing powers. She understands that Safi could learn how to control her magic under the apprenticeship of a king’s magician. But with the memories of war still fresh, Ada is conflicted by this prospect—despite her knowing that she can’t keep Safi safely at home with the threat of deadly, power-thieving liches prowling the kingdom.

When a traveling group of magicians comes to the city to perform, they immediately recognize Safi’s talents and offer to take her on as an apprentice. Safi is thrilled about her new adventure—even if that means leaving behind Ada and their sickly father. And Ada is right to worry about her sister, for there may be monsters hiding behind friendly faces…

About the Author: Bree Paulsenis a SoCal writer and illustrator who loves spooky monsters, fashion history, and all things autumnal. After graduating from the Laguna College of Art and Design with a BFA in animation, she freelanced on a few independent animation and illustration projects before tuning her focus toward comics. She started her webcomic, Patrik the Vampire, in 2013 and self-publishes its printed volumes. Her first middle grade graphic novel, Garlic and the Vampire, received a starred review from The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, which called it “folkloric…a down comforter of a graphic novel.” Garlic’s adventures continue in Garlic and the Witch.

Review: This graphic novel, on the surface, is about magic, but if you dig deeper, it is about the impact of war, hidden evils, balancing passion & family, and figuring out how to fit within the world.

The author does a wonderful job of spreading the narrative out between the two sisters so that the reader is aware of all aspects of what is going on. And since the sisters are so very different, it is interesting to experience the switch between the two. Also, though I predicted the twist at the end of the book, I think readers are going to be surprised! I also was impressed with how the author dealt with some tough themes, especially loss and anxiety, in such a developmentally relevant way.

I am hoping this story is a beginning of stories within this world because I want to know more about so much that happened in the past and how our characters move on into the future.

Educators’ Tools for Navigation: This graphic novel will be a huge hit with middle grade readers–it will be an asset to any school, classroom, or home library.

Discussion Questions: 

  • How does the author use color within the graphic novel?
  • Why did Ada and her father choose to send Safi away?
  • Who was destroying Ada’s letters?
  • Was there any signs of who the antagonist was before it was revealed?
  • If you were a magician, what magic would you like to learn how to do?
  • Would you rather there be a sequel or a prequel of this book?
  • How does Safi’s notice of Elba change his life?

Flagged Spreads: 

 

Read This If You Love: Cat’s Cradle series by Jo Rioux, Anzu and the Realm of Darkness by Mai K. Nguyen, Meesh and the Bad Demon series by Michelle Lam, Plain Jane and the Mermaid by Vera Brosgol, The Moth Keeper by Kay O’Neill

Recommended For: 

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**Thank you to Harper Collins Children’s Books for providing a copy for review!**

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 1/20/25

Share

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
For readers of all ages

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly blog hop we host which focuses on sharing what we’re reading. This Kid Lit version of IMWAYR focuses primarily on books marketed for kids and teens, but books for readers of all ages are shared. We love this community and how it offers opportunities to share and recommend books with each other.

The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. The Kid Lit IMWAYR was co-created by Kellee & Jen at Teach Mentor Texts.

We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up below, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs.

Happy reading!

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Tuesday: Kellee’s 2024 Reading Recap and Stats

Sunday: “Friendship in Schools” by Arleen McCarthy, Author of My Friend John

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

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Kellee

It’s my week off! You can always learn more about any of the books I’ve been reading by checking out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

Picture Books

The Cafe at the Edge of the Woods by Mikey Please is a quirky book that my son loved! It is an very odd but very fun!

I adored I Want to Read All the Books by Debbie Ridpath Ohi. I love any books about reading in mass quantities, and this one really celebrates reading! Teachers might read this one before a library trip!

Middle Grade

My son’s Battle of the Books’ team was assigned to read Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea, so I read it with him. He absolutely loved it. I believe he may even review it for the blog next week!

A friend recommended Ahimsa by Supriya Kelkar. It’s a stunning book about civil rights in India. I especially appreciated that it tackled tough topics like–how can we cause harm when we are working toward equity and justice.

I love, love, loved Mexikid by Pedro Martín and will be using it next semester when I teach about critical theory—particularly social class.

Noodle & Bao by Shaina Lu is a great graphic novel that invites readers to consider tradition and innovation!

Young Adult

I read Tasha Spillett and Natasha Donovan’s Surviving the City books I and III. I appreciated the symbolism within the text along with the ways they shared very real issues of murdered and missing Indigenous girls and women, racist monuments, and Indian boarding schools. These graphic novels are short (about 60 pages) and well worth the read. I need to get my hands on volume II!

A friend recommended Ordinary Hazards by Nikki Grimes. I had been meaning to read this memoir, and it is beautifully written and utterly heartbreaking. Nikki demonstrates such incredible strength.

I loved Brownstone by Samuel Teer and Mar Julia. This graphic novel is about a girl who goes to help her father renovate brownstones, but she doesn’t speak Spanish. There are so many complex themes explored in this book. I loved it.

A friend and colleague is hosting a book discussion of Self-Made Boys by Anna-Marie McLemore, so I reread it to join the conversation this week. I love this book so much—it is a powerful retelling of The Great Gatsby.

A student recommended Northranger by Rey Terciero and Bre Indigo. It’s about a gay teen who goes with his step-father to work on a rural ranch. I liked this book a lot and felt like the setting and characterization were extremely well done.

I was blown away by The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky by Josh Galarza. It explores eating disorders in boys. We need more books like this one. The writing is absolutely stunning.

I was so excited to read Unbecoming by Seema Yasmin after the author spoke at the ALAN Workshop. This is a book that shares the harms that can come to women if we ban abortion.

Adult

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon is going to be my favorite adult read of the year (I can confidently say this in January). It is a creative nonfiction about the true story of a midwife in the 1700s. I highly recommend this book!

Lula Den’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller was popping up on a lot of folks’ best books of the year lists, so I snagged it to read. It’s about a little library of banned books—but the irony is that the books have been swapped and are in dust jackets of old-fashioned texts. So people take books out of the library thinking they are going to read “wholesome” texts, but they end up reading banned books. The little library is in Lula Dean’s front yard, and she is the central censor in the town.

My book club loved Liz Moore’s The God of the Woods. I enjoyed it, but I listened, and I think it is a book that would have been more enjoyable in print. It took me a long time to understand which characters were which. I liked it, but my book club loved it so much.

Adult Romance

     

I separated my recent romance obsession out from the other adult books to set them apart. I’ve been enjoying reading about love.

Hellen Hoang’s The Kiss Quotient is about an autistic woman who hires an escort to teach her about romance. It’s really sweet and very spicy.

Beth O’Leary’s The Flat Share is about a woman who shares a flat with a man, but they work opposite hours, so they won’t meet.

Sarah Adams’ The Off Limits Rule is about a man who is interested in his best friend’s sister. My kids bought me this one for the holidays!

I fell into Ali Hazelwood’s books. I love her nerdy academic romances! The Love Hypothesis and Love Theoretically are both fantastic.

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Ricki

Currently Reading: A World Worth Saving by Kyle Lukoff

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Tuesday: The Firelight Apprentice by Bree Paulsen

Thursday: Sofia’s YA Book Nook: How to Survive Your Murder by Danielle Valentine

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Back Matter Can Be the Beginning” by Charlotte Gunnufson, Author of Dream Submarine

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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!

 Signature andRickiSig

Author Guest Post: “Friendship in Schools” by Arleen McCarthy, Author of My Friend John

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“Friendship in Schools”

When we think of the word “friend,” we think of so many different people. We think of friends we grew up with, friends we went to college with, friends we know through our children, and friends we work with. But are they all really “friends?”

When I was younger, I would use this word a lot, but the older I get, the more selective I am with it. I think life teaches you that. 

But what if we learned what a friend is early on? What if we learned this valuable definition in elementary school? Would we be different as adults? Would our world be better?

I believe the answer is yes. We may not have a lot of friends, but I bet we would have good ones.

In my book, MY FRIEND JOHN, I wanted to easily convey to young readers that friends make you feel good. Friends make you feel safe. There are no judgments with friends, no whispers of envy, no passive aggressive comments–just advice, listening, acceptance, laughter, warm hugs, and a lot of love. This is what I know for sure, and this is so valuable to know as a child.

But how often have children and adults been hurt by their friends? If we, as humans “felt” our way through friendships, our friend list might decrease but the value of it would increase and we’d be much happier in the long-run.

In MY FRIEND JOHN, a young boy named John, who has Tourette Syndrome, starts at a new school. As he faces bullying, his new friend, Bella, stands up for him and educates herself and others on neurodiversity. 

When I think of Bella, I think about the kind of person she is: She did not judge her new classmate. Instead, she embraced a new student because she was kind, and even though he appeared very different from her, she wanted to be his friend. 

This was exactly what John needed. This is what we all need in life, especially children and especially children with disabilities. If more children were like Bella, our world would be a better place. John’s experience at his new school would not have been as pleasant if Bella had not taken the time to stand up for him. But the transformative power of human connection causes us to feel empowered and resilient.

How many times as an adult have you heard someone make fun of someone else? How many times have you seen people leave mean comments on social media posts? How many times have you heard gossiping? Why is this acceptable behavior? Where did we learn this from?

Life can be so hard at times, and we all need genuine friends to get us through it. I believe if children realize the true meaning of friendship and its connection to kindness, they would be able to make better choices.

When I think of my own experiences as a child and the moments I felt left out, it felt awful. I remember one time while I was in high school, I was walking home from the bus stop with a friend. I asked her if she wanted to do something that night as it was a Friday. She said she had already made plans with another friend, and they were going to a party. Why didn’t she just invite me? I never understood it. I remember feeling so sad. It felt terrible not to be included. 

And yet, Monday morning, I continued to be her friend.

Why do children and adults accept this behavior from their “friends?”

We all need human connection. We all need love. And we need to have this message conveyed to children, so they have the knowledge and understanding to make better choices when it comes to choosing friends. 

I feel this is especially important for our children with disabilities. We need more people to see past a disability. We need more people embracing diversity. We need more people like Bella.

Life is hard even without a disability…imagine living with one…imagine being a child living with one. 

But now just imagine being at a party where there were people with and without disabilities. Everyone is laughing and everyone is having fun. Everyone feels safe and everyone feels happy. Everyone is included.

I want to be at that kind of party.

What is a friend? A friend is someone who makes you feel good. A friend is someone who makes you feel safe.

Published November 8th, 2024 by Austin Macauley Publishers

About the Book: Meet John, a remarkable new student at The Huckleberry School. John’s life takes a heartwarming turn when he befriends a sweet little girl named Bella. Everything seems to be going smoothly for him, until a challenging situation resurfaces, shaking the foundations of his world. 

In My Friend John, we are invited to witness a touching journey which explores not only the essence of friendship but also the profound qualities of kindness and leadership. This poignant tale serves as a powerful reminder of the resilience within us all and the transformative power of genuine connection.

About the Author: Arleen McCarthy teaches at a public school in New York City and has always been passionate about making the world a better place. She grew up with two brothers with special needs and saw first-hand the struggles they endured while they were in school. Arleen, her husband, and their dog live in New York and divide their time between Manhattan and Westchester.

Thank you, Arleen, for this look and lesson about friendships in schools!

Kellee’s 2024 Reading Recap & Stats

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And just for fun: here is Trent’s 2024 Year in Books!


Here are my five star reads from 2024 (in order of date read)!

Picture Books

Middle Grade

Young Adult


Happy reading in 2025, friends!!!
To see all the books I’m reading, visit my READ Goodreads shelf and feel free to follow 📖💙

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