Top Ten Tuesday: Twenty 2018 Books We Look Forward to Reading

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Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish and is now hosted at That Artsy Reader Girl. This feature allows us to make lists, which may be one of our favorite things to do!

Today’s Topic: Twenty 2018 Books We Look Forward to Reading

So many wonderful books are coming out in 2018! It was hard to even narrow it down to 20!
(We didn’t include any books that were on our #mustreadin2018 list as to not double up and highlight more titles 🙂 )

Young Adult

1. Cruel Prince by Holly Black

January 2nd, 2018

2. What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

October 2nd, 2018

3. Furyborn by Claire Legrand

May 22nd, 2018

Middle Grade

4. Bat and the Waiting Game by Elana K. Arnold

March 27th, 2018

5. Breakout by Kate Messner

June 5th, 2018

6. The Lifters by Dave Eggers

April 24th, 2018

7. The Lost Rainforest: Mez’s Magic by Eliot Schrefer

January 2nd, 2018

8. Sunny by Jason Reynolds

April 10th, 2018

9. The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani

March 6th, 2018

10. Betty Before X by Ilyasah Shabazz with Renée Watson

January 2nd, 2018

11. Rebound by Kwame Alexander

April 3rd, 2018

12. Escape from Aleppo by N.H. Senzai

January 2nd, 2018

13. The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter H. Brown

March 13th, 2018

14. Arlo Finch in the Valley of Fire by John August

February 6th, 2018

15. HiLo Book 4: Waking the Monsters by Judd Winick 

January 16th, 2018

16. Amulet 8: Supernova by Kazu Kibuishi

September 25th, 2018

Picture Books

17. How to Code a Sandcastle by Josh Funk, Illustrated by Sara Palacios

May 15th, 2018

18. Square by Mac Barnett, Illustrated by Jon Klass

May 8tn, 2018

19. IslandbornLola by Junot Díaz, Illustrated by Leo Espinosa

March 13th, 2018

For Everyone

20. For Everyone by Jason Reynolds

April 10th, 2018

Which books are you looking forward to reading?

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 1/15/18

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

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme started by Sheila at Book Journeys and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. 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!

Kellee and Jen, of Teach Mentor Texts, 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.

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Last Week’s Posts

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

 

Tuesday: Kellee’s Favorite Reads of 2017: Picture Books and Early Readers

Wednesday: Kellee’s Favorite Reads of 2017: Middle Grade and Young Adult

Thursday: Review and Giveaway!: Don’t Forget Dexter by Lindsay Ward
**Giveaway open until Wednesday!**

Friday: Ricki’s Top Ten (*ahem* Thirteen) Favorite Reads of 2017

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 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

I’m back!!! Can’t wait to see what you all have been reading 🙂 Here’s my updates for the weeks I’ve been gone:

Week of 12/18

This was still a slow week, but Trent and I loved reading Star Wars OBI-123, and Ellie from Ellie Engineer is now one of my favorite mighty girls in an early reader!

Week of 12/25

This is the week that my rut started to end! Yay! It just takes a couple of good books and some time.

Rhyme Schemer and They Both Die at the End were so good! K.A. Holt and Adam Silvera have both not disappointed me yet. These are both must reads if you haven’t read them yet! For real.

Week of 1/1

This is the week that my reading was rocking! It was so wonderful! I always don’t mind going back to school, but I also really wish that I had had one more week of awesome reading before going back to the regular.

You’re going to notice a trend for a couple of weeks: Laurel Snyder. My book club is Skyping with her on Friday, 1/19! Although I loved both of her books, I do want to shout out to Swan because it was just SO beautiful.

American Street by Ibi Zoboi was recommended to me by Ricki, and I am so glad. It was available at my library through Kindle, and I started it right away. And it is perfection.

Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman is just as perfect as the first in the series. It is 500 pages, but I read it in one day because I couldn’t stop! And now I have to wait forever for the third in the trilogy. Seriously, if you haven’t started this series… make. it. happen.

Lastly, I read Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas, and she once again blew me away with her ability to craft a mystery. Her stories always blow me away.

Week of 1/8

Chugging along with the Whatever After series, and I think this one was my favorite yet!

Two Laurel Snyder books this week: The Forever Garden, a sweet story reminding us that it isn’t always about the end goal but about the journey itself. I also really liked Any Which Wall which was a fantastical adventure with a wide age range of main characters (5-12) which makes it a great read for a variety of kids.

Trent’s go-to read this week were Six Brave Explorers, a pop-up book that belonged to my sister, and Baby Monkey, Private Eye by Brian Selznick and David Serlin which is pretty much the perfect book for Trent’s age. Check out the Scholastic page on it for a HILARIOUS book trailer also. https://www.scholastic.com/kids/book/baby-monkey-private-eye-by-brian-selznick/

I also had the honor of reading the manuscript for the sequel to The Dark Intercept by Julia Keller, Dark Mind Rising. I can’t say too much, but I will say that the craziness continues!

 Ricki

So happy to have you back, Kellee! Missed you last week! 🙂

For my younger son’s holiday wish list, we asked for noise books. He loves pushing the buttons. Between all of our family members (some very special aunts, uncles, and grandparents), he made out like a bandit. My husband and I have read each book a few hundred times since the holidays. Our favorites are:

We pretty much like any book that roars because it causes our son to let out his own huge roar.

On a more personal note, I am catching up on some of the YA books that I missed last year. I am determined to finish my #mustreadin2018 list this year. 🙂

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This Week’s Expeditions
Kellee

I already started the next Whatever After book, and I also hope to finish Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder before the Skype visit.

Ricki

I am reading four books right now, and I enjoy switching between them, depending on my mood. Blankets by Craig Thompson (an adult GN) and We Are Okay by Nina LaCour are currently the two books that I am reading the most each night.

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Upcoming Week’s Posts

Tuesday: Twenty 2018 Books We Look Forward to Reading

Wednesday: Love by Matt de la Peña

Thursday: Guest Review: That Inevitable Victorian Thing by E.K. Johnston

Friday: What Do You Do With a Chance? by Kobi Yamada

Sunday: Author Guest Post by Shana Hollowell, Author of Little Mouse’s Sweet Treat

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 So, what are you reading?

Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on at least 3 other blogs. If you tweet about your Monday post, tag the tweet with #IMWAYR!

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Ricki’s Ten (Ahem…Thirteen) Favorite Reads in 2017

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Every year, I promise myself that I will get my list down to ten books. And every year, I goof up and end up with more than ten books. Forgive me, but here are my favorite 13 books that I read this year. Please note that the age categories below are superficial. These are books for readers of all ages. 🙂

Picture Books

La La La by Kate DiCamillo (Illustrations by Jaime Kim) (2017)

Love by Matt de la Peña (Illustrations by Loren Long (2018)

Red & Lulu by Matt Tavares (2017)

Windows by Julia Denos (Illustrations by E. B. Goodale) (2017)

 

Middle Grade Books

Ghost by Jason Reynolds (2016)

Refugee by Alan Gratz (2017)

 

Young Adult Books

American Street by Ibi Zoboi (2017)

Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley (2016)

The Inexplicable Logic of My Life by Benjamin Alire Sáenz (2017)

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (2017)

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds (2017)

The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon (2016)

 

Professional Development

Pose Wobble Flow: A Culturally Proactive Approach to Literacy Instruction by Antero Garcia and Cindy O’Donnell-Allen (2015)

 

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Review and Giveaway!: Don’t Forget Dexter by Lindsay Ward

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Don’t Forget Dexter
Author and Illustrator: Lindsay Ward
Published January 1, 2018 by Two Lions

Summary: Introducing Dexter T. Rexter, the toughest, coolest dinosaur ever. At least he likes to think so.

When his best friend, Jack, leaves him behind at the doctor’s office, Dexter T. Rexter panics. First he tries to find Jack. Then he sings their special song. Then he sings their special song even louder. But when Jack still doesn’t appear, Dexter starts to wonder. What if he’s being replaced by another toy? It can’t be—after all, he can STOMP, RAWR, and CHOMP! Right? Right?!

This hilariously neurotic dinosaur will do whatever it takes to get his friend back—even asking the reader’s advice—in this first book of a brand-new series.

Praise for  DON’T FORGET DEXTER!:

★ “Ward’s ink, colored-pencil, and cut-paper illustrations give readers a toy’s view of the world and allow children to stomp in Dexter’s feet for a while, his facial expressions giving them lots of clues to his feelings. Lost and found was never so riotously funny or emotionally draining.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Ward (Brobarians) is as funny as ever as she chronicles her orange hero’s nervous, no-filter state of mind, and her cut-paper, pencil, and ink drawings—with their visual asides, annotations, and shifts in scale—are irrepressible. It’s high anxiety made highly adorable.” —Publishers Weekly

Ricki’s Review: I simply adored this charming story about a toy that is mistakenly left behind by his best friend, Jack. It reminded me a bit of The Velveteen Rabbit and Toy Story (but different!), and it is very accessible for kids. This book  teaches some great lessons, and my son and I had a long conversation about how being separated from his things doesn’t always have to be forever. We recently moved across the country, and he doesn’t have all of his favorite toys around, so this book was really helpful to me as a parent, and I imagine that other parents will find it to be a great resource. We received this book a few weeks ago and have read it several times. My son calls it his “dinosaur book.” We have several dinosaur books, so it is a big compliment that this book is the dinosaur book.

Kellee’s Review: I love the voice of Dexter in this book! And the breaking of the fourth wall really adds such humor to the story line. And although the story sounds a bit like Toy Story and other toy books, it is so different than what you’d expect because Dexter is all alone, doesn’t know why he’s still at the doctor’s office, and is having a bit of an identity crisis. However, the way that Dexter feels will be easily a feeling that readers will relate to because anyone who has ever felt left out from something will feel like Dexter does. 

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Teachers might ask kids to write about a time that they were separated from something that they value. They might consider how this separation may or may not have been permanent. Alternatively, teachers might ask kids to write a story in which one of of their toys comes to life.

Check out some fun activities here!

Discussion Questions: How do you learn about the feelings of the characters? What do the author and illustrator do to make these come to life?; When is a time that you were separated from something that you love? Was it permanent?; How do the author and illustrator make the text interactive? How do they engage readers?

Flagged Passage: 

Read This If You Love: Nibbles: The Book Monster by Emma Yarlett, Caring for Your Lion by Tammi Sauer, The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams

About the Author: Lindsay Ward was inspired to write this book after her husband texted her a photo of a toy dinosaur abandoned at a doctor’s office. The caption read: “Well, they left me here.” Lindsay thought it was so funny that she sat down to write Dexter’s story immediately. She is also the author and illustrator of Brobarians, Henry Finds His Word, and When Blue Met Egg. Her book Please Bring Balloons was also made into a play.

Most days you can find Lindsay writing and sketching at her home in Peninsula, Ohio, where she lives with her family. Learn more about her online at www.LindsayMWard.com  or on Twitter: @lindsaymward.

Recommended For:

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**Thank you to Barbara at Blue Slip Media for providing copies for review!!**

Kellee’s Favorite Reads of 2017: Middle Grade and Young Adult

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I read so many wonderful books this year, that I decided that I needed two posts to highlight them!
Today’s post will focus on middle grade and young adult novels that I read this year and loved.
Each title will have a publication date listed as these are all favorites I READ in 2017 though they may have been published before or are coming out in 2018.

Favorite Fifteen Middle Grade Novels

 

 

Posted by John David Anderson (2017)
Wishtree by Katherine Applegate (2017)
A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold (2017)

 

Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling (2017)
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown (2016)
Stealing Our Way Home by Cecelia Galante (2017)

  

Scar Island by Dan Gemeinhart (2017)
Refugee by Alan Gratz (2017)
House Arrest by K.A. Holt (2015)

  

Knock Out by K.A. Holt (2018)
Alex Rider: Never Say Die
by Anthony Horowitz (2017)
Ethan Marcus Stands Up by Michele Weber Hurwitz (2017)

  

FRAMED! by James Ponti (2016)
Patina by Jason Reynolds (2017)
Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood (2012)

Favorite Fifteen Young Adult Novels

 

 

Ashes by Laurie Halse Anderson (2016)
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green (2017)
The Legend Trilogy by Marie Lu (2011-2013)

  

Burn Baby Burn by Meg Medina (2016)
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds (2017)
The Border by Steve Schafer (2017)

  

Scythe by Neal Shusterman (2016)
The Unwind Dystology by Neal Shusterman (2007-2014)
They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera (2017)

  

Dear Martin by Nic Stone (2017)
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (2017)
Little Monsters by Kara Thomas (2017)

  

The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten (2013)
Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley (2016)
The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner (2016)

Favorite of the Year

 

March: Book One, Book Two, and Book Three by John Lewis & Andrew Aydin, illustrated by Nate Powell
(2013-2016)

What were your favorite middle grade and young adult novels that you read in 2017?

Kellee’s Favorite Reads of 2017: Picture Books and Early Readers

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I read so many wonderful books this year, that I decided that I needed two posts to highlight them!
Today’s post will focus on picture books and early readers that I read this year and loved.
Each title will have a publication date listed as these are all favorites I READ in 2017 though they may have been published before or are coming out in 2018.

Favorite Fifteen Fiction Picture Books

 

  

The Wolf, The Duck, & The Mouse by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen (2017)
It Takes a Village by Hillary Rodham Clinton, illustrated by Marla Frazee (2017)
Love by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Loren Long (2018)

  

Sing, Don’t Cry by Angela Dominguez (2017)
Flashlight Night by Matt Forrest Esenwine, illustrated by Fred Koehler (2017)
It’s Not Jack and the Beanstalk by Josh Funk, illustrated by Edwardian Taylor (2017)

 

Bruce’s Big Move by Ryan T. Higgins (2017)
The Bear and the Piano by David Litchfield (2015)

 

Draw the Line by Kathryn Otoshi (2017)
Claymates by Dev Petty, illustrated by Lauren Eldridge (2017)

 

Now by Antoinette Portis (2017)
Nothing Rhymes with Orange by Adam Rex (2017)
After the Fall by Dan Santat (2017)

 

Not Quite Narwhal by Jessie Sima (2017)
Red & Lulu by Matt Tavares (2017)

Favorite Five Nonfiction Picture Books

 

  

Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist by Jess Keating, illustrated by Marta Álvarez Miguéns (2017)
The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist by Cynthia Levinson, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton (2017)
Earth! My First 4.54 Billion Year by Stacy McAnulty, illustrated by David Litchfield (2017)

 

Are We Pears Yet? by Miranda Paul, Illustrated by Carin Berger (2017)
Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code by Laurie Wallmark, illustrated by Katy Wu (2017)

Favorite Five Early Readers

 

  

Super Narwhal and Jelly Jolt by Ben Clanton (2017)
Barkus by Patricia Maclachlan, illustrated by Marc Boutavant (2017)
Ellie Engineer by Jackson Pearce (2018)

 

Dogman: A Tale of Two Kitties by Dav Pilkey (2017)
Charlie and Mouse and Grumpy by Laurel Snyder, illustrated by Emily Hughes (2017)

What were your favorite picture books and early readers that you read in 2017?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 1/8/18

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IMWAYR 2015 logo

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

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme started by Sheila at Book Journeys and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. 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!

Kellee and Jen, of Teach Mentor Texts, 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.

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Last Week’s Posts

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

Tuesday: Ricki and Kellee’s #MustReadin2018 Lists

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 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

Happy New Year! I know I said I’d be back this week, but I forgot that Jim’s marathon weekend coincided with my Winter Break this year, so I am taking off one more week. (And the 8th is my first day back after break, so I have a feeling I am going to be exhausted!!) I will see you all next week 🙂

 Ricki

Happy New Year! This year, I am determined to read more books. Last year was a bit crazy with my move to Colorado, and I read fewer books than I’ve read in the last decade. I am ready to get back in the grove.

We had a wonderful visit with family and friends back in Connecticut and Massachusetts. I’ll admit that I didn’t read a lot of YAL, but I did read a massive number of new picture books. We were able to hit up the library. 🙂 Below, I detail the books we really enjoyed.

The Wolf, The Duck, and The Mouse is another winning title by Mac Barnett. I am continually blown away by his work. He and Jon Klassen are a magical pairing. Blue vs. Yellow by Tom Sullivan is a great book to teach colors. It makes for a very fun read-aloud. Love, Triangle by Marcie Colleen is a very adorable story, and it teaches a great lesson. It’s very common for a new friend to come between two best friends, and I think this story will feel relevant to many children. I loved the almost wordless La La La by Kate DiCamillo. The illustrations were marvelous. Red & Lulu by Matt Tavares. Oh my goodness. I love, love, love reading this book aloud. Every time my son and I read it, we desperately turn the pages as we hope that Red will find Lulu. My son still insists that they need to put the Rockefeller tree back after it goes up, and he argues with the book every time we finish. Flashlight Night by Matt Forrest Esenwine is a very fun book. A friend called me to tell me that it was her son’s new favorite book, so I was excited to read it. It’s quite clever.

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This Week’s Expeditions
Kellee

I am finally out of my slump! I cannot wait to share with you next week everything I’ve read!

Ricki

I am really enjoying We Are Okay by Nina LaCour. It’s very sad, so I am reading it in small segments.

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Upcoming Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Kellee’s Favorite Reads of 2017: Picture Books and Early Readers

Wednesday: Kellee’s Favorite Reads of 2017: Middle Grade and Young Adult

Thursday: Review and Giveaway!: Don’t Forget Dexter by Lindsay Ward

Friday: Ricki’s Top Ten (*ahem* Thirteen) Favorite Reads of 2017

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 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!

 Signature andRickiSig