It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 10/9/17

by
Share

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.

Bold_line

Last Week’s Posts

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

top ten tuesday    

Tuesday: Ten Favorite Significant Others in Books

Wednesday: Blog Tour with Book Trailer, #ProtectOurWorld Challenge, and Review!: Zoo Scientists to the Rescue by Patricia Newman and Annie Crawley

Thursday: You’re All Kinds of Wonderful by Nancy Tillman

Friday: Author Guest Post!: “Teaching Kids Hope” by Carla Mooney, Author of Terrorism: Violence, Intimidation, and Solutions for Peace

Sunday: Author Guest Post and Giveaway!: “Inspiring Stories” by David Kelly, Author of Ballpark Mysteries

 Giveaway open until Saturday!!

Bold_line

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

  • I love Alex Rider books so much! Anthony Horowitz just has a way of writing middle grade/early teen books that are so sophisticated and complicated and intriguing! I couldn’t put the book down–it truly is comparable to a James Bond novel! AND the end of the book is a cliffhanger and at the end there is a surprise, so I tweeted this:

    AND ANTHONY HOROWITZ REPLIED TO ME! AHHH! I was so excited! And I cannot wait until summer 2018 🙂
  • I also finished listening to Little Monsters by Kara Thomas, and it was a mystery that I just couldn’t solve which is my favorite type! The ending was shocking and overall the story was so crazy and messed up! I tweeted with Kara Thomas about it, too 🙂
 Ricki

This week was filled with rereads of old favorites. I am simultaneously reading three new YA books, but while I am close to the end of each of them, I haven’t finished any of them yet. 🙂

I REREAD Dr. Bird’s Advice for Sad Poets by Evan Roskos and Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys. My colleges students loved both of them. A few of the students said that Roskos captured mental health so well that it made them cry. And obviously, the response to Between Shades of Gray has been overwhelmingly positive. I saw two students on campus and they said, “This book is SO GOOD.” I am excited to hear the whole class’s thoughts tomorrow.

Bold_line

This Week’s Expeditions
Kellee

  • I am almost done with History is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera, and it is just as heartbreaking yet love-filled as promised.
  • I am going to start listening to Stella by Starlight by Sharon Draper today!
Ricki

I am really enjoying M. T. Anderson’s Landscape with Invisible Hand. It’s a bit weird, but it’s a really GOOD weird. I love books that are unique and unlike any others that I’ve read, and Anderson always succeeds in this category.

Bold_line

Upcoming Week’s Posts

top ten tuesday 

Tuesday: Ten Picture Books About Autumn

Wednesday: The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street by Lindsay Currie

Thursday: Nerdy Bird by Aaron Reynolds

Friday: Twinderella by Corey Rosen Schwartz

 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

Author Guest Post and Giveaway!: “Inspiring Stories” by David Kelly, Author of Ballpark Mysteries

by
Share

Inspiring Stories

As a freelance business and technology writer I spent many years writing about the latest software or tech gadget. It was profitable and sometimes interesting work. But it wasn’t inspiring. It was a job. A job I needed to help support my family—my wife Alice and my two sons, Steven and Scott.

Then a funny thing happened. I became inspired by my sons to do something different. To try something new that has led me to completely change my career.

More specifically, I became inspired by my sons’ love of baseball and their desire to read mystery stories. Growing up, I wasn’t a great reader. I lagged behind classmates in learning to read, as did my first son, Steven. As parents, Alice and I tried all types of tricks to interest our kids on reading. But it wasn’t until they started reading Ron Roy’s A-TO-Z MYSTERIES that they both became hooked—and desperate for more mysteries. Fortunately for me, that happened at the same time they became enthralled with baseball: playing baseball, talking about baseball trading baseball cards, watching baseball. If it had anything to do with baseball, they were interested.

Since my sons loved baseball and mysteries, I looked around for children’s books that featured both sports and mysteries. But I didn’t find many that fit the bill. There were sports books and there were mystery books, but there weren’t many sports mysteries. That’s when I realized that there was something missing in the market—mysteries that were set in the dozens of really cool cities and ballparks around North America.

And like that, I had the inspiration for my BALLPARK MYSTERIES series of chapter books from Random House. The BALLPARK MYSTERIES are adventure/mystery books where the main characters (Kate and Mike) visit different major league ballparks to see a game, but end up solving a mystery. So far, they’ve been to fourteen of the thirty major league stadiums. The latest book in the series, CHRISTMAS IN COOPERSTOWN, is a Super Special that takes place at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

The BALLPARK MYSTERIES books are great for boys and girls in second, third, and fourth grades and are well-suited for reluctant readers. Though the books are set in ballparks, readers don’t have to like sports or even know about baseball to enjoy them. Readers learn a little bit about each team, stadium, or city, as well as some of the quirky things that make baseball so popular (like the super-secret rubbing mud that’s used on each major-league baseball).

If you can forgive the pun, I’m having a ball writing sports mystery books for children, and I’m thrilled that my sons inspired me to take a chance to try something completely new.

About the Author: DAVID A. KELLY is a former Little League right fielder. These days, he can often be found enjoying a game at a major-league park. He is also the author of the MVP series and Babe Ruth and the Baseball Curse. For adults, he has written about travel and technology for the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Chicago Sun Times, and many other publications. He lives near Boston’s Fenway Park with his family. For more information, visit davidakellybooks.com and find him on Twitter at @davidakelly.

The World Series Curse
Christmas in Cooperstown
Author: David A. Kelly
Published September, 2017 by Random House Books for Young Readers

The World Series Curse Summary: It’s the BIGGEST baseball mystery yet—at the WORLD SERIES!

Red Sox versus Cubs. Game five. It looks like Mike and Kate are about to watch the Cubs win it all. But then someone starts messing with the team—ruining equipment, getting Cubs players in trouble, and even stirring up an old baseball curse. Now the Red Sox are coming back! Who will win the ultimate baseball trophy? And can Mike and Kate make sure it’s won fair and square?

Ballpark Mysteries are the all-star matchup of fun sleuthing and baseball action, perfect for readers of Ron Roy’s A to Z Mysteries and Matt Christopher’s sports books, and younger siblings of Mike Lupica fans. Each Ballpark Mystery also features Dugout Notes, with amazing baseball facts.

Christmas in Cooperstown Summary: Mike and Kate get the BEST Christmas present ever–a mystery at the Baseball Hall of Fame!

After volunteering to wrap presents for charity, Mike and Kate get a special thank-you: a sleepover at the Baseball Hall of Fame! But when they’re sneaking around the museum late at night, their flashlight reveals that one of the famous baseball cards on display is a fake! Can they find the real card, catch the crook, and get the presents to the charity’s Christmas party on time? It’s up to Mike and Kate to turn this Christmas mess into a Christmas miracle!

Ballpark Mysteries are the all-star matchup of fun sleuthing and baseball action, perfect for readers of Ron Roy’s A to Z Mysteries and Matt Christopher’s sports books, and younger siblings of Mike Lupica fans. Each Ballpark Mystery also features Dugout Notes, with amazing baseball facts.

GIVEAWAY! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you for sharing how your series came to be! 

 and

Author Guest Post!: “Teaching Kids Hope” by Carla Mooney, Author of Terrorism: Violence, Intimidation, and Solutions for Peace

by
Share

 

Terrorism: Violence, Intimidation, and Solutions for Peace
Author: Carla Mooney
Expected Publication November 15th, 2017 by Nomad Press

Summary: Why did terrorists attack the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001? The answer to that question is ancient, complicated, and crucial to a perceptive understanding of the global community we live in today. In Terrorism: Violence, Intimidation, and Solutions for Peace, readers ages 12 to 15 explore the history, causes, psychology, and potential solutions to the problem of terrorism in an objective way that promotes comprehension and empowerment.

  • Investigating previous events in the world’s history can help students understand the causes and effects of current events.
  • Activities encourage the development of important skills, including comparing and contrasting, looking for detailed evidence, making deductions, and applying critical analysis to a wide variety of media.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation and Discussion Questions: 

“Teaching Kids Hope” by Carla Mooney

There’s a lot of bad news out there. There’s a lot of good news, too! But unless kids are living in a soundproof room with no cell service or internet access, they’re going to hear at least some of the depressing, no matter how much the adults in their lives try to protect them.

Some of this bad news concerns terrorism. While terrorism has been around since ancient times, the struggle between different ideologies has become far more visible in recent years because of the ease and speed of communication. We all know about attacks happening all around the world, almost as soon as they happen. Kids included.

When the bombing at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England, happened last spring, the audience was full of young teens, fans of the singer, and it was teenagers who were watching events unfold via texts and posts from other kids around the world. Just about every elementary school has a ceremony of some kind on September 11—children who weren’t even alive when the Twin Towers fell spend time recognizing the victims and honoring their memories.

Terrorism is all around us, even when we live in what we consider safe societies that have not yet been touched directly.

How do we—as educators, parents, and mentors—support children as they grow up in a world where terrorism is a regular occurrence? How do we teach them to think critically and creatively about potential solutions? How do we create that balance between knowing the issues and not letting that knowledge cause fear and anxiety, when the reality is the vast majority of citizens will not experience a terrorist attack in their lifetime? How do we get kids to see themselves as part of the solution and empower them to make wise choices, learn about the issues, and work to find solutions?

This might sound like a tall order for kids, but maybe they are the generation that will solve the problems of terrorism.

I wrote my book Terrorism: Violence, Intimidation, and Solutions for Peace specifically with the intent of providing kids with not just the history of terrorism (which is an important part of recognizing its role in today’s world), but also as a jumping off point to start thinking about how to curb terrorism.

Here are three activities I came up with to help kids understand that while terrorism is a very real part of life, it’s not a problem that can’t be solved. I hope you find them useful, and remember, never give up hope.

ASSASSINATIONS—AN ACT OF TERROR?

Throughout history, assassination is one tactic used by terror groups to achieve certain goals. However, not every assassination is an act of terror. When should murders of political figures be considered acts of terror or when are they simply horrible crimes? What separates terrorism from criminal activity?

  • Choose a political leader who was assassinated or who survived an assassination attempt. Some leaders to consider researching include:
    • Abraham Lincoln
    • William McKinley
    • Czar Alexander II of Russia
    • Indira Gandhi
    • Benazir Bhutto
  • Research the assassination attempt on your chosen Consider the following questions.
    • Who was the leader? Where were they from? What country did they lead?
    • What political or social views did the leader have that were controversial?
    • Who was the perpetrator?
    • What was the perpetrator’s objective? Did they succeed?
    • Did their actions affect history in the short-term? In the long-term?
    • Was the assassination attempt an act of terror? Explain your point of view.

THE PROCESS OF RADICALIZATION

The process of radicalization is different for every individual. While the path each person takes toward adopting extremist views is different, are there some similarities? By studying the radicalization of several different individuals, you can look for common themes in their stories.

PREVENTING TERROR ATTACKS

While successful terror attacks make headlines around the world, there are dozens of plots that have been thwarted by counterterrorism efforts. You can read about some of these plots here.

  • Select three or four thwarted terror plots to research. Find and read newspaper or magazine articles about the foiled attacks.
  • Create a chart to categorize the plots.
    • What types of attacks were planned?
    • What methods did terrorists use?
    • Who was involved?
    • What targets did they choose?
    • What was the objective?
    • How was the plot stopped?
    • What counterterrorism methods were used?
    • What was the outcome?
  • Does the number of thwarted terror plots make you feel more or less secure? Explain.

About the Author: Carla Mooney is the author of many books for young readers including Globalization: Why We Care About Faraway Events, The Holocaust: Racism and Genocide in World War II, Forensics: Uncover the Science and Technology of Crime Scene Investigation, The Industrial Revolution: Investigate How Science and Technology Changed the World and Explore Rivers and Ponds! With 25 Projects from Nomad Press. Her work has appeared in many magazines including Highlights, Faces, and Learning Through History. Carla lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Thank you to Carla for her important post with so many useful tools and to Andi from Nomad Press for introducing us to this book!

and 

You’re All Kinds of Wonderful by Nancy Tillman

by
Share

You’re All Kinds of Wonderful
Author and Illustrator: Nancy Tillman
Published: October 3, 2017 by Feiwel and Friends

Summary: We’re not all the same. Thank goodness we’re not.
Life would be boring, and I mean… a lot.

And so, when we’re born, we’re supplied at the start 
with our own bells and whistles to set us apart.

Think of your bells as the things you do best
things tucked away in your own treasure chest.

Part of growing up is discovering–and embracing–what makes us unique. From different abilities to different personalities, we are all wonderfully made with our own bells and whistles.

My Review: I love Nancy Tillman. Her book On the Night You Were Born is a staple in our bedtime routine. She has a way with words that is simply magical. This book does not disappoint. When I read this book to my son, I paused at the end and looked at him, and he said, “Can we read it again?” It was a great book to talk about how we all have different talents and strengths. This is a lesson that can’t be iterated enough to children. Parents will love reading this book to their kids and discussing how that particular shines and offers something different and beautiful to the world.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Teachers might ask each student to illustrate a page for a book that shares what their talents or positive characteristics. All of the pages could be combined into a bound book.

Discussion Questions: Look through each page. What makes each of the children special? How are you special? What do you add to this world?

Flagged Passage: “We’re not all the same. Thank goodness we’re not. / Life would be boring, and I mean—a lot. / And so, when we’re born, we’re supplied at the start / with our own bells and whistles to set us apart.”

Read This If You Loved: On the Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman; Little Tree by Loren Long, Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae, Say Hello by Jack Foreman, The Cloud by Hannah Cumming, Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson

Recommended For:

  readaloudbuttonsmall classroomlibrarybuttonsmall

RickiSig

**Thank you to Kelsey at Macmillan for providing a copy of this book for review!**

Blog Tour with Book Trailer, 30 Day #ProtectOurWorld Challenge, and Review!: Zoo Scientists to the Rescue by Patricia Newman, Photographs by Annie Crawley

by
Share

nfpb2017

Nonfiction Wednesday

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday is hosted by Kid Lit Frenzy and was started to help promote the reading of nonfiction texts. Most Wednesdays, we will be participating and will review a nonfiction text (though it may not always be a picture book).
Be sure to visit Kid Lit Frenzy and see what other nonfiction books are shared this week!

Zoo Scientists to the Rescue
Author: Patricia Newman
Photographer: Annie Crawley
Published October 1st, 2017 by Millbrook Press

Summary: Zoos take care of animals and welcome visitors of all ages, but that’s not all zoos do. Author Patricia Newman and photographer Annie Crawley bring readers behind the scenes at three zoos to meet scientists working to save endangered animals.

Meredith Bastian’s experiences studying wild orangutans help educate both zoo visitors and the zoo workers who care for captive orangutans. Jeff Baughman breeds black-footed ferrets and reintroduces them into the wild. And Rachel Santymire examines poop from black rhinoceroses at the zoo and in their natural habitat to benefit all black rhinos. Find out how zoo scientists are helping us learn more about these remarkable, at-risk species before it’s too late!

Visit the authors at http://www.patriciamnewman.com and https://www.anniecrawley.com/

Review: Patricia Newman’s work always blows me away and Annie Crawley’s photos in Plastics, Ahoy! were breathtaking, so I was so happy to see that they had a new book coming out. In Zoo Scientists, a text is just as brilliantly done as Newman’s other works, she once again focuses on a topic that needs a spotlight. This time, we see how zoos are working towards saving endangered animals. Zoos are such important places when they are done correctly, so I loved this focus on three specific stories about how zoos are helping rhinos, orangutans, and black-footed ferrets. Each section tells us about a scientist at a different zoo, how they came to be where they are today, and how they help the species they work with. I loved the inclusion of each scientist’s story paying special attention to how they each became an expert. This makes Zoo Scientists perfect for looking at not only looking at endangered animals and zoos but how to reach your potential in a career making this book a must-get for classrooms that study any of these things.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Teaching guides for all of Patricia’s books including the Zoo Scientist one coming soon can be found at http://www.patriciamnewman.com/teacher-guides/.

Rhino bookmarks!: http://www.patriciamnewman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Bookmark.pdf

Pinterest board with activities and articles to supplement the reading of Zoo Scientists to the Rescue: https://www.pinterest.com/newmanbooks/zoo-scientists-to-the-rescue/

Consider an Author for Earth Day visit! Consider an Authors for Earth Day visit in conjunction with Zoo Scientists to the Rescue. Students research a list of five conservation nominees selected by Patricia Newman and then vote for their favorite. Newman writes a check to the winning organization. The mission? To empower young readers to shape the world around them!

Participate in the 30 Day #ProtectOurWorld Challenge! Here is the Orangutan example. Visit http://www.patriciamnewman.com/books/zoo-scientists-rescue/ to see the rhino and black-footed ferret posters.

Discussion Questions: Use any or all of these discussion questions to extend the learning with Zoo Scientists to the Rescue:

  • What steps did each scientist take to become an expert in their field?
  • Why are orangutans’ habitat being destroyed?
  • Why is the poaching of rhinos for their horns such a devastating action?
  • How did the expansion of our nation effect the black-footed ferret?
  • How did humans play a role in each of these animals’ endangered status?
  • What can you do to help these animals?
  • Visit some of the resources about other conservation stories in the end of the book and share what you learn.
  • What words did you learn from the book? (Check out the glossary!)

Flagged Passages: 

“A sign outside the orangutan enclosure at the National Zoo explains that the apes red coloring mimics shadows in the forest’s canopy. As little as 30 feet above the forest floor, orangutans essentially disappear, which is surprising given their bulk. Fully grown wild wild male orangutans can weigh up to 220 pounds and wild females can weight up to 120 pounds. Zoo orangutans tend to be between 50 to 100 pounds heavier because of their nutritious diet.”

“About 15 years ago, black-footed ferrets roamed the Great Plains from Canada to Mexico. The Lakota call them pispiza itopta sapa (black-faced prairie dog) and believe they are sacred. But in the late 1800s, settlers moving westward and travelers from across the Pacific Ocean unknowingly put the ferrets in danger.”

“Unfortunately, rhinos are no match for armed poachers, hunters who kill wild animals illegally for profit. Approximately 5,050 black rhinos remain in the world due to poaching and habitat loss. They are labeled critically endangered–one step from extinct in the wild, and only two steps from fully extinct. Lincoln Park Zoo hopes to play a role in saving them.”

Book Trailer: 

Read This If You Love: Zoos, Animals, Learning about scientists, Science, Conservation efforts, Earth Day

Recommended For: 

classroomlibrarybuttonsmall closereadinganalysisbuttonsmall 

Make sure to visit the other stops on the Blog Tour!

Signature

**Thank you to Patricia Newman for asking me to be part of the blog tour!**

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Favorite Significant Others in Books

by
Share

top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. The feature was created because The Broke and Bookish are particularly fond of lists (as are we!). Each week a new Top Ten list topic is given and bloggers can participate.

 Today’s Topic: Ten Favorite Significant Others in Books

Ricki

1. Dante in Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Gosh, I love Dante with every fiber of my being. When I think of him, I think of the scene where he is holding the wounded bird in the middle of the street. He feels so real to me.

2. Oscar Ralph in I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

Oscar seems like the average, brooding love interest. Readers immediately realize that this is quite untrue. He has great depth, and he sticks out to me as one of my favorite love interests of all time.

3. Dexter from The Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

I remember reading this book in college. When we came in the next day, someone said Dexter’s name, and we all smile. I adore this character.

4. Natasha from The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

I’d love to be Natasha in my next life. She feels very empowering for me. I love how she is unafraid and resilient to the world.

5. Novisha in Tyrell by Coe Booth

I haven’t read this book in several years, but I immediately thought of Novisha. I remember her being a great human being.

Kellee

1. Day from the Legend series by Marie Lu

The Legend series’s romantic elements are very much a dystopian Romeo and Juliet and is sometimes as heartbreaking as the Shakespearean play, but you cannot help but love Day all the way through.

2. Alexei from Embassy Row series by Ally Carter

I love Alexei and the love story in this series. Some people don’t, but to them I say BAH! I say Alexei is the perfect example of a bad boy who isn’t actually bad, so I’m just glad he’s a good example of a guy.

3. Gpa from The Last True Love Story by Brendan Kiely

Gpa is losing memories of his wife who died a couple of years ago, and all he wants to do is return to their first kiss location. I loved hearing about Gpa’s love story. (I do love Teddy in this book, too!)

4. Finn from Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson

Guys in high school don’t always have to be horrible, and Finn is a perfect example of a flawed and realistic but good guy.

5. Angie in Call Me By My Name by John Ed Bradley

In Louisiana in the 1960s, Angie is not supposed to love Tater. But she does and she doesn’t care what anyone else thinks. She is his biggest advocate and love him.

Which bookish significant others do you love?

RickiSig and Signature

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 10/2/17

by
Share

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.

Bold_line

CONGRATULATIONS
Leanne
for winning the giveaway for Flashlight Night!

Bold_line

Last Week’s Posts

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

top ten tuesday   

Tuesday: Ten Books that Feature Nontraditional Families

Wednesday: Welcome Fall with These Picture Books: One Leaf, Two Leaves, Count with Me by John Micklos, Jr. & Autumn: A Pop Up Book by David A. Carter

Thursday: All My Friends are Fast Asleep by David Weinstone

Friday: Review and Giveaway!: Listen: How Peter Seeger Got American Singing by Leda Shubert

Giveaway open until Thursday!!

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: Giving Kids a Break: What’s so normal about “normal”? Or, in other words, is it OK to be “average”? by J.L. Powers (with M.A. Powers), Authors of Broken Circle 

Bold_line

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

  • Felix Yz by Lisa Bunker is one of the most unique books I’ve ever read. Lisa took a very sci fi idea and wrote a diverse realistic fiction story. Felix was melded with a fourth dimensional being in a scientist accident that killed his father, and he now lives with *zyx in his brain who sometimes controls his body and can only communicate by typing. We also meet Felix’s family: his mom, his piano prodigy sister, and his gender fluid Grandy. This book is a chronicle of Felix’s secret blog and is the story of his life as he counts down the days to “the procedure” which may kill him trying to separate *zyx from him.
  • Refugee by Alan Gratz is a book that I don’t even know how to tell you how much I loved it. It gives voices to those that the masses like to ignore, it tells stories form the inside that not often are released, it is in your face and makes it so refugees cannot be ignored, and it builds empathy for our fellow humans. All within a very well written trio of stories. I am hoping to read this with my classes or at least my book club. (And the audiobook was really well done. I think I may have liked it more than reading because of the different voices for each character.)
  • Short by Holly Goldberg Sloan was exactly what I wanted it to be: fun! Julie is cast as a munchkin and her feeling of ordinary-ness is shot down, and she learns that everyone has a place and passion. I loved Julia’s voice–the stream of consciousness type narration was perfect! And the cast of characters in Julia’s story are all perfect–I love Mrs. Chang and her brother, Randy, specifically.

  • Cucumber Quest: The Doughnut Kingdom by Gigi D.G. is going to be a new favorite in my classroom. It is the perfect combination of colorful illustrations, adventure, humor, and fantasy. I cannot wait for the rest of the series–I have to see how the quest concludes!
  • Cosmic Commandos by Christopher Eliopoulos is also going to be a favorite! It is like Captain Underpants meets Big Nate in a graphic novel! I call that a win. I loved that in addition to an adventure, it also looks deeply into what it is like to be a twin.

  • Brad Melzter’s Ordinary People Change the World series is one of my favorites, and I was so happy to be able to read these four newest ones. I highly recommend them all! It is so amazing to see how these different people in history have changed our world! And I also love that Melzter is writing stories of people like Gandhi, Sacagawea, and Jane Goodall who most kids would not learn about in their history classes.

  • Hello Goodbye Dog by Maria Gianferrari does a wonderful thing–it normalizes therapy dogs! So often kids and even adults do not understand the need for a therapy dog if there isn’t physical disability, but Moose teaches us the power of dogs.
  • Tyrannasaurus Rex vs. Edna, The First Chicken by Douglas Rees was laugh out loud funny! You’ll definitely root for Edna in this story! Though not plausible, it teaches the readers about dinosaurs relation to birds at the end.
 Ricki

Hi, folks! I am unavailable to post today because my sister is flew out for the weekend to celebrate my younger son’s first birthday! I look forward to catching up with you next week!

Bold_line

This Week’s Expeditions
Kellee

A NEW ALEX RIDER!!! I CANNOT WAIT TO START IT!!!

As for an audiobook, I am not sure what I am going to listen to. I’m hoping my Little Monsters by Kara Thomas becomes available at my library soon!

Bold_line

Upcoming Week’s Posts

top ten tuesday    

Tuesday: Ten Significant Others in Books

Wednesday: Blog Tour with Book Trailer and Review!: Zoo Scientists to the Rescue by Patricia Newman and Annie Crawley

Thursday: You’re All Kinds of Wonderful by Nancy Tillman

Friday: Author Guest Post!: “Teaching Kids Hope” by Carla Mooney, Author of Terrorism: Violence, Intimidation, and Solutions for Peace

Sunday: Author Guest Post and Giveaway!: “Inspiring Stories” by David Kelly, Author of Ballpark Mysteries

 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