It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 4/7/25

by
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!

Bold_line

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

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

Bold_line

Kellee

Here is what I’ve read since March 10th:

Middle Grade

Young Adult

  • Dead Girls Can’t Tell Secrets by Chelsea Ichaso: When Piper jumps from “Suicide Point,” her sister, Savannah, at first blames herself, but after finding a strange note in her sister’s locker, she begins to notice that something isn’t right with the whole situation. Savannah then inserts herself into Piper’s old life in hopes of finding out the truth, and man, the truth is more twisted than you’ll even guess–the book was hard to put down, full of twists, and quite surprising.
  • All Better Now by Neal Shusterman: Neal Shusterman does it again. His concepts are always so brilliant. This one is about a COVID-esque type illness that leads to pure contentment if you survive. But is contentment really the best for humans? That is one of the questions that Shusterman asks as we follow characters who are on very different sides of the coin: someone who wants to spread the illness to everyone and someone who is willing to anything to stop it. Another 5 stars for Shusterman!
  • She’s Gone by David Bell: Hunter wakes up in the hospital after homecoming to learn that he has been in an accident and his girlfriend, Chloe, disappeared from the car. Hunter doesn’t remember the night at all, but everyone suspects that he killed Chloe; however, Hunter knows that he would never do that. This leads to a deadly investigation that leads to the surprising truth. (I do need to make one note that this author did have a side story of my least favorite trope which makes me like the book less than I would have if he’d stayed away from it…)
  • You’re Dead to Me by Amy Christine Parker: When Ruby sees the ghost of herself, she knows that she is going to die on prom night, and with her whole town turned against her, it could be any number of people who kill her; however, she is going to do everything in her power to save herself. Parker did such a great job of mixing paranormal into this murder mystery–it is something that could have gone extremely wrong, but instead if added tension to this already intense book, elevating it and making it unique. I loved how the book was crafted, the characters in the book, the ending… everything. It was truly a rollercoaster read!
  • Everything is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of our Deadliest Infection by John Green: John Green is brilliant. He has taken tuberculosis, a topic that many of his readers may not have been interested in, and humanized it in a way that no reader can ignore. The book is a mixture of a story of Henry, a young TB patient that John met on a visit to Sierra Leone; the history of TB and how it has shaped the history of the world; and a call for equity and equality in so many different ways. This book is fantastic and everyone should read it. It will change how you think of the world.

You can always 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!

Bold_line

Kellee

  • Reading: Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
  • Listening: Unstoppable Us, Volume 1: How Humans Took Over the World by Yuval Noah Harari, Illustrator: Ricard Zaplana Ruiz

Bold_line

Tuesday: George O’Connor’s Visit to Kellee’s Middle School

Bold_line

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

Sofia’s YA Book Nook: Two Sides to Every Murder by Danielle Valentine

by
Share

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,

Hello and welcome to another book review! This time, I am excited to present… Two Sides to Every Murder by Danielle Valentine! This is a page-turner! I am pretty into YA mysteries right now and when I saw it, I knew I had to read it! I have also already read How to Survive Your Murder and I was super excited when I saw this book come out! I must say, I was not at all disappointed! It has many twists and turns and though I tried to figure out the murderer, I only knew a little before it ended. I must also say that this could be a nice rainy day book because it is more on the gloomy side. Additionally, there are a TON of characters which I found quite hard to keep track of (especially) for the first quarter of the book and found that it was just better if I read it all pretty much in one go. This is also a book with three perspectives which I also found aided in the storyline. Two of the points of view were people and the other one was essentially a time capsule back to when the murders happened.

Goodreads Summary

From the author of How to Survive Your Murder comes a propulsive thriller about two teens who return to the site of the famous murder case that sealed their fates. Most people’s births aren’t immortalized in a police report-but Olivia was born during the infamous Camp Lost Lake murders. Seventeen years later, Olivia’s life looks pretty perfect… until she discovers the man she calls dad is not her biological father. Now she wants answers about her bloodline, and the only place she knows to look is Camp Lost Lake. Most people don’t spend their formative years on the run with an alleged murderer-but Reagan did. In the court of public opinion, her mom was found guilty of the deaths at Camp Lost Lake, and both of them have been in hiding ever since. But Reagan believes in her mother’s innocence and is determined to clear her name. Luckily for Olivia and Reagan, Camp Lost Lake is finally reopening, providing the perfect opportunity to find answers. But someone else is dead set on keeping the past hidden, even if it means committing murder.

My Thoughts

I loved this book! It was super thrilling and I literally COULDN’T put it down! I was immediately drawn to it by the author (and cover) and am happy I was. I found it interesting that one of the perspectives was from the daughter of the camp director and that the other one was the daughter of the accused murderer. I also love that there was a perspective that took you back in time so you could gradually gather more information about the case, instead of it all being dumped on you at some point in the book. Since this was so fast paced, I would recommend this as a book to get a “non-reader” more interested in reading! I read this mostly on a sunny day which was nice but I, again, think that the atmosphere would have been better on a rainy day since it is darker, but not the night, because that would feel too spooky for me! Overall, I think this is a page-turning YA book with horror and mystery. Enjoy!

On Amazon, most of the reviewers were people buying it for people 14+. I would agree with this since it was pretty frightening in some scenes, especially the ones with the murderer! It was also a little hard to follow the characters since there are so many, and a lot of them with similar sounding names and little backstories you need to remember. Otherwise, I think if you or the person you are getting this for can handle those things, then I would let them read it!

**Thanks so much, Sofia!**

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 3/31/25

by
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!

Bold_line

Tuesday: Werewolf Hamlet by Kerry Madden-Lunsford

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

Bold_line

Kellee

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

Ricki

Young Adult

I have never read a book that depicts homelessness in such a raw, emotional way. This memoir is beautifully written, and I am in such awe of Rex Ogle. I will be using Road Home with my young adult class.

Adult

In Katherine Center’s Hello Stranger, a woman goes in for brain surgery and ends up emerging with face blindness. I have read a lot about this condition, and it was really helpful to read and understand more about it.

Jasmine Guillory’s While We Were Dating is a sweet romance. I loved the strong woman lead. Her confidence was really fun to read.

Bold_line

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

Bold_line

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

Werewolf Hamlet by Kerry Madden-Lunsford

by
Share

Werewolf Hamlet
Author: Kerry Madden-Lunsford
Published February 18th, 2025 by Charlesbridge Moves

Summary: Humor, heart, and Shakespeare abound in this middle-grade novel about Angus, a 10-year-old theater fanatic, his struggling family, and his changing relationship with big brother Liam.

Perfect for fans of books that handle difficult subjects and family dynamics in a sensitive way, like Better Nate Than Ever and Rule of Threes.

10-year-old Angus is unique. He quotes Shakespeare and wants to stage a Werewolf Hamlet play for his 5th grade legacy project. Angus’s 17-year-old brother, Liam, is like a werewolf now—Angus never knows if he’ll be nice or mean or when he’ll sneak out to get drunk or worse.

Meanwhile, tension continues to build for Liam’s family in Los Angeles. Mom and Dad are going to default on the mortgage. Older sister Hannah is fed up and ready to move herself to Maine, and little sister Sidney doesn’t really get what’s happening. Then Liam goes missing, and Angus decides he has to find him.

A realistic, heartfelt look at the complexities of family relationships and struggles. Along with Angus’s loveable charm, sense of humor, and desire to stage his original play, Werewolf Hamlet is sure to win its audience—on and off the page—over.

★“A story that is rich in wise insights.”—Booklist (starred)

About the Author: Kerry Madden-Lunsford has been a regular contributor to the LA Times OpEd page. For several years, she directed the creative writing program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she is still a professor, and she taught in Antioch University’s MFA program in Los Angeles for a decade. She is the author of the picture book Ernestine’s Milky Way. She also wrote the Maggie Valley Trilogy, which includes Gentle’s Holler, Louisiana’s Song, and Jessie’s Mountain. Her book, Up Close Harper Lee, was one Booklist’s Ten Top Biographies for Youth. Her first novel, Offsides, was a New York Public Library Pick for the Teen Age. Kerry is the mother of three adult children, and she now lives full-time in Birmingham, Alabama. Visit her at kerrymadden.com.

Check out Kerry Madden-Lunsford on social!
Bluesky
Threads
Substack

Review: As an educator, I have over the years sadly heard about so many different tough situations that my students were dealing with: being unhoused, divorce, death in the family, mental health struggles, etc. Too often, middle grade books stay away from tough topics because they are “too mature,” but anyone who has worked with middle graders has wished at different times that there was the perfect book to give to students at a certain moment of time but couldn’t find it–this book is going to be the perfect book at one of those times.

What an interesting mix within this book: Shakespeare, classic movies & movie stars, Los Angeles, growing up, foreclosure, runaway, pet wellness, friendship, and more. It seems like a lot, but it just works in this book because all of it is what makes Angus and his story come to life. Parts were hard to read, such as descriptions of Angus’s brother spiraling into addiction; Angus and his friends making more choices to find his brother; Angus’s families financial struggles and eviction; Angus’s dogs illness; and Angus’s struggles at school, but the author does a great job with including enough for emotional response and plot/character development and keeping the story developmentally relevant.

Educators’ Tools for Navigation: The publisher has created an amazing supplemental page for Werewolf Hamlet which will be perfect to use if teaching the book as a whole or if students are reading it in groups or independently! Visit https://www.charlesbridge.com/pages/werewolf-hamlet for resources about:

  • Insulting like Shakespeare
  • Geography and landmarks around Los Angeles
  • Classic films
  • Heroes of the silver screen
  • Hamlet

I also think that the book could be a great introduction to one-man plays, and students could take a story and transform it like Angus did with Hamlet.

Discussion Questions: 

There is a Reader’s Group Guide found on the publisher’s resource page, too!

Flagged Passages/Spreads: 

The Tar Feeling

Anybody can forget to wear shoes to school. Well, almost anybody. It’s an innocent mistake. And I didn’t forget my trumpet. Why doesn’t that count?

“Mom,” I say as she needles her way through crazy Los Angeles traffic to make it to the bus stop on time with all four of us kids in the car.

“People, I’m trying to sleep,” says my brother, Liam, who is seventeen and always sleeps on the way to school. That’s because he sneaks out at night. I’m not supposed to tell, and I’m going to make him quit doing it.

“We’re going to be late,” Hannah warns. She’s sixteen and thinks life would be perfect if only she’d been born in a hippie commune in the 1960s in Maine, the farthest state from California. She also loves sunflowers and paints them on her ceiling and makes us tiedye shirts. Mom and Dad call her a sunflower girl. She also loves an old-time singer, Joni Mitchell, and she plays her music loud to drown us out sometimes.

Sidney and I are who get dropped off at the bus stop first because we go to a magnet school far away. Sometimes we miss it, making Mom and Liam and Hannah late, and that means Mom grits her teeth and races to the next bus stop in hopes of still catching our bus. Those are not good mornings. After she drops us off, Mom drives to the high school where Liam and Hannah go, where she is the assistant girls’ volleyball coach and PE teacher. Their mascot is a tiger, so they are the Lady Tigers. Roar!

“Mom!” I yell again.

“What, Angus?” She blasts through a yellow light, eyes on the prize of the bus.

“I forgot my shoes at home.”

“We’re not turning around!” yells Hannah. “I have a test first period.”

Liam says, “Show some respect. I need to sleep. Geez.”

“Did you hear me, Mom?” I ask her.

Stony silence. From the look on her face in the rearview mirror, flaring nostrils like a bull and her fingers gripping the steering wheel, she hears me all right. But instead of turning around, she pulls up to the bus stop and says in a low voice, “Out. Now. Have a good day.”

“But Mom! I’m wearing only socks!” I stick a foot in the air.

Mom growls. Maybe more wolf than Lady Tiger, but for sure a growl.

My little sister, Sidney, tugs my arm. “Better forget it, Angus.”

“Fine! I’ll go shoeless! Who cares?” I climb out of the van, and then it happens. Mom yanks off her tennis shoes and hurls them out the window at my head while I’m standing in my socks on the curb with Sidney.

BAM! BAM!

Good thing I duck. Isn’t it against the law to throw shoes at your own children?

Read This If You Love: Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. & Matthew Holm, The Seventh Wish by Kate Messner

Recommended For: 

classroomlibrarybuttonsmall

Signature

**Thank you to Blue Slip Media for providing a copy for review!**

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 3/24/25

by
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!

Bold_line

Thursday: Ben’s Kids’ Corner: Imagine Nation by Matt Myklusch

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

Bold_line

Kellee

Because of Spring Break followed by the Florida Future Problem Solvers Competition, I was not able to get my IMWAYR post done–I’m sorry! However, you can learn more about any of the books I’ve been reading by checking out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

It is my week off–see you next week!

Bold_line

Tuesday: Werewolf Hamlet by Kerry Madden-Lunsford

Bold_line

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

Ben’s Kids’ Korner: Imagine Nation by Matt Myklusch

by
Share

Ben is an 8-year-old who reads hundreds of books each year. He reads middle grade and young adult books and especially loves fantasy. When I asked Ben which recent book was his favorite, he didn’t hesitate. Imagine Nation by Matt Myklusch. Because he is a pro reader who is never caught without a book in his hands, I thought he might share with other kids why he loves this book so much.

Summary: A brave warrior fights to protect his home from threats both outside and within in this first book in the middle grade graphic novel series by Matt Myklusch set in the same Imagine Nation from his acclaimed Jack Blank series.

The Imagine Nation is the origin of all stories, made up of worlds inhabited by everything from comic book superheroes to embattled knights of medieval epics.

Ever since failing to save his parents from a terrible fate, young swordsman Skerren has molded himself into a fearless warrior to defend his home, the medieval borough of Varagog Village—and to never again be as powerless as the was the day he lost his family. History comes dangerously close to repeating itself when Skerren’s mentor, King Hovarth of Varagog nearly dies on his watch.

With the king’s life hanging by a thread, Skerren is named as Hovarth’s heir, prompting an arrogant prince to challenge him for the throne. Skerren is forced to split his attention between political enemies inside the village threatening the title he never asked for and the villainous Night Lander Horde still circling outside following their strike against Horvath—all while being unsure who he can trust.

Skerren must face devastating betrayals, the looming threat of war with the Night Landers, and the haunting truth about his parents’ death. He may even find out if he has what it takes to be a king…if he survives the experience.

Ben’s Review: I love this book because Varagog Village is forever in 1404. That makes it so cool because flowers bloom and die on schedule. They know exactly when it is going to rain and when it is going to be windy. The setting was really great because there were cool things like a giant bell and a castle. Of course there was a castle! I like the character Skerren a lot because he is really smart. On one page, he does something really awesome, but I won’t tell you what happens because my mom said I can’t tell you spoilers. Also, I really think you should read the book. It is so good! One more thing: Skerren and Zorn are fighting on three trials to become king. But I won’t tell you what they are. You will have to read the book! I love the book Imagine Nation: The Blood of Kings, and I hope you will too!!!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 3/17/25

by
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!

Bold_line

Tuesday: Giant Rays of Hope: Protecting Manta Rays to Safeguard the Sea by Patricia Newman

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Me, Myself, and My Five Senses” by Sarah Suk, Author of Meet Me at Blue Hour

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

Bold_line

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

Middle Grade

I really enjoyed The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly. After it won the Newbery, I immediately checked it out of the library. This is a fantastic middle grade book that is engaging and literary.

My son read Amari and the Night Brothers by B. B. Alston for Battle of the Books, so I decided to read it, too. My middle son also read it. We all loved it. It swept us away into the fantastical world, and we are all looking forward to snagging the second in the series.

Young Adult

When I first read Jen Ferguson’s A Constellation of Minor Bears, I felt like it was different from other books that I’d read. I really like the hiking journey (especially as a Coloradoan), and I appreciated the care that she takes to discuss trauma. I decided to reread it last week, and I am glad I did. This time, I listened to the audio and loved it in this format, too.


The History of Everything by Victoria Evans is a graphic novel that transported me to high school and all of the feelings associated with it. It authentically portrays friendship and the tensions that come with first love and life changes.

I really loved Lily Braun-Arnold’s The Last Bookstore on Earth. It is a dystopian novel set in a time when weather has ravaged Earth, and the narrator lives in a bookstore. I love how it took on climate and the ways tragedy can change and shape who we are.

Adult

I was fortunate to meet Kristina McMorris a few weeks ago, so I read The Ways We Hide in anticipation of her upcoming book. Whew, this woman can really write historical fiction. This novel is beautifully researched.

I had been hearing a lot about The Wedding People by Alison Espach, so I picked it up. It’s about a woman who is recently divorced and goes to a beautiful hotel because she decides she wants to die by suicide. But when she gets there, the entire hotel is booked by people attending a very wealthy woman’s wedding. I appreciated the way this novel depicted the humanity of people.

Adult Romance

Ashley Poston’s The Seven Year Slip is about a woman whose apartment is being rented by a man who is living seven years in the past. It is a romance, but the question is whether they would still be in love when she leaves the apartment (which is set in present day).

Obviously I had to read Rebecca Yarros’ Onyx Storm. I liked it! You’ve heard about it, so I will say no more.

Elena Armas’ Know Your Newlywed is a full cast audiobook (only) that is about two people who pretend to be newlyweds and go on the game show. It’s very sweet.

Ali Hazelwood’s new book, Deep End is extremely spicy. That’s all I will say. If you really like spice, this is the book for you. Mature audiences only!

Bold_line

Ricki

I never read TJ Klune’s House of the Cerulean Sea, so I think I might check it out.

Bold_line

Thursday: Ben’s Kids’ Corner: Imagine Nation by Matt Myklusch

Bold_line

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