Unleashing Readers

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 10/16/17

October 22, 2017October 16, 2017 by Kellee

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.

CONGRATULATIONS
Margo J.
for winning our Baseball Mysteries by David Kelly giveaway!!

Last Week’s Posts

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

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

Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

Two young adult books in one week? Oh yes I did!!

History is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera is a roller coaster of emotions. I know that is a cliché, but Adam Silvera takes us on a figurative roller coaster by switching between present tense, where Griffin is dealing with the grief of his first love’s death and the awkwardness of his new boyfriend, and the past when Griffin and Theo fell in love. The story is beautiful and sad and wonderful and terrible. In other words: you should read it and live this roller coaster.
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green may be my favorite by him, and I have loved everything he’s ever written. Now, I know it could be the John Green hangover talking because when you finish a John Green book you always feel like you read perfection, but I found this story to be the one with most heart and hurt by him. I can tell it is personal, and it is. I’m not going to tell you much more, but I am going to say you should read it. John Green has done for anxiety in this book what Laurie Halse Anderson’s Wintergirls did for eating disorders and Impossible Knife of Memory did for PTSD, what Teresa Toten’s Unlikely Hero of Room 13B did for OCD–they show that mental illness isn’t something that the person does to annoy others or that they choose to have, and that people with mental illnesses are more than their illness though it is part of them, and loving them can be hard but they need love. I love how this is explained in Turtles.

My parents are visiting this weekend and bought Trent and I It Takes a Village by Hillary Rodham Clinton which is a book that all teachers and parents and librarians should read to all their kids. It is full of acceptance and diversity and love.

Ricki

I started the week off with M. T. Anderson’s Landscape with Invisible Hand. This is a phenomenal book. It reminded me a bit of Feed. It’s shorter and there is an alien element to the text. The book is an awesome social commentary that is wildly satirical. It’s bleak and dark.

I REREAD Endangered. This is my fifth or sixth time reading this book. My students are reading it for class tomorrow, and I wanted to remind myself of everything in the text. This book holds up to a rereading every time. Kellee—are you jealous I reread this one? I am laughing because Kellee and I are obsessed with this book. Eliot Schrefer kindly agreed to talk with my students on Wednesday. He is simply the best.

I read Miguel and the Grand Harmony, Matt de la Peña’s latest masterpiece. It is an absolutely beautiful, lyrical picture book. The illustrations are stunning and the words are captivating. This is another winner.

A friend said to me, “Have you read Flashlight Night? I love that book.” I was in the bookstore with Henry, and I decided to read it again. This is such a fun, clever story. (It’s by Matt Forrest Esenwine.)

I’d never read Triangle by Mac Barnett, so I was excited to read this one in the bookstore, too. I love Mac Barnett. Everything he writes is so clever!

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

I am so excited to be moderating a panel between Jodi Lynn Anderson and Julia Keller at the 2017 ALAN Workshop, so I am so excited to start their novels.

Ricki

I have a few more ALAN and NCTE books on the docket, and then I’m all ready to present at the workshop. Yahoo!

Upcoming Week’s Posts

top ten tuesday

Tuesday: Ten Favorite Books That Feature Food

Wednesday: National Geographic Kid’s What Would Happen?

Thursday: Landscape with Invisible Hand by MT Anderson

Friday: Review with Giveaway and YouTube Video!: Bruce’s Big Move by Ryan T. Higgins

Sunday: Blog Tour with Author Guest Post with Activities and Discussion Questions!: Dragonfly Song by Wendy Orr

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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Twinderella: A Fractioned Fairy Tale by Corey Rosen Schwartz

October 13, 2017October 13, 2017 by Kellee

Twinderella: A Fractioned Fairy Tale
Author: Corey Rosen Schwartz
Illustrator: Deborah Marcero
Published September 5th, 2017 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

Summary: Have you heard the story of Cinderella? Well, you don’t know the half of it.

Cinderella and her lesser-known twin, Tinderella, split everything right down the middle. They each do half the housework, half the mending, and half the mean step-sister tending. When the Prince throws a ball, their fairy godmother sends them both, and they dance the night away with the prince. But he simply can’t choose between Cin and Tin, and they are in need of some clever thinking and just a pinch of magic. The Prince agrees to share his kingdom half and half, and the fairy-godmother makes him a twin too, so they can all live happily ever after. Cin and the Prince rule the kingdom, while Tin and the Twin win all the kingdom’s math competitions. It truly is a happily ever half-ter.

Review: I am a huge fan of fairy tale retellings. I think they are a perfect way to bring attention to something, tell a unique story, or teach students because it is set in a basis of prior knowledge that most students already have thus allowing for a comfortable base to scaffold up from. With Twinderella, the story of Cinderella is used to teach about fractions and division while also telling a story of two sisters that find a way to make sure they can live happily ever half-ter.

Schwartz and Marcero are a perfect team to tell these twins’ story in a way that not only teaches but entertains. The balance was done so well between the math concepts and narrative. You learn how the twins make it all work, and you root for them to be happy.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: When I finished this book, I immediately texted my friend who teaches 2nd grade because I know that it is perfect for the classroom! It meets standards for second grade because of the focus on fairy tales and retellings and is a perfect introduction to easy fractions that they will begin looking at in 3rd grade.

Discussion Questions:

How is Twinderella different from the traditional Cinderella stories?
How did Tinderella make sure that everything was split equally between the two sisters?
What math concepts were taught in the story?
With the quadruplets, how would chores and such needed to be divided?

Flagged Passages:

Read This If You Love: Math, Fairy Tale Retellings

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Penguin Young Readers for providing a copy for review!**

Nerdy Birdy by Aaron Reynolds

October 12, 2017 by Ricki

Nerdy Birdy
Author: Aaron Reynolds; Illustrator: Matt Davies
Published September 22, 2015 by Roaring Brook Press

GoodReads Summary: Nerdy Birdy likes reading, video games, and reading about video games, which immediately disqualifies him for membership in the cool crowd.

One thing is clear: being a nerdy birdy is a lonely lifestyle.

When he’s at his lowest point, Nerdy Birdy meets a flock just like him. He has friends and discovers that there are far more nerdy birdies than cool birdies in the sky.

Ricki’s Review: I absolutely adored this book. I don’t usually review books that are more than a year old, but my love for this book, compelled me to write a review. The book is about a nerdy bird whose physical appearance makes him feel lonely. He meets other birds who share his physical appearance, and he finds comfort in this. But then a very, very different bird comes along (a vulture), and Nerdy Birdy is forced to consider his values and whether or not the nerdy bird club might be just as exclusive themselves. This book provided an avenue for an excellent discussion with my son. We talked about his class and about how some of his peers might feel left out. I’d love to use this book in an elementary school classroom.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This is a great book to read on the first day of school or at a time when students are leaving one or some students left out. It provides a great opportunity for critical discussions of cliques.

Discussion Questions: Why does Nerdy Birdy feel left out? How does he find solace in other birds that look like him?; How does the vulture differ from him? What does this teach him about friendship, groups, and personal appearances?

We Flagged:

Image from: https://us.macmillan.com/nerdybirdy/aaronreynolds/9781626721272/

Read This If You Loved: Counting Crows by Kathi Appelt; Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae, Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great by Bob Shea, The Magic of Maxwell and His Tail by Maureen Stolar Kanefield

Recommended For:

The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street by Lindsay Currie

October 11, 2017October 11, 2017 by Kellee

The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street
Author: Lindsay Currie
Published October 10th, 2017 by Aladdin

Summary: A girl unravels a centuries-old mystery after moving into a haunted house in this deliciously suspenseful mystery.

Tessa Woodward isn’t exactly thrilled to move to rainy, cold Chicago from her home in sunny Florida. But homesickness turns to icy fear when unexplainable things start happening in her new house. Things like flickering lights, mysterious drawings appearing out of nowhere, and a crackling noise she can feel in her bones.

When her little brother’s doll starts crying real tears, Tessa realizes that someone—or something—is trying to communicate with her. A secret that’s been shrouded in mystery for more than one hundred years.

With the help of three new friends, Tessa begins unraveling the mystery of what happened in the house on Shady Street—and more importantly, what it has to do with her!

Review: I always go in tentatively to spooky books because I am so jumpy and also really don’t enjoy when the only point of a book is to scare the reader. But I could tell right away that Shady Street was going to completely exceed other just-scary books because it was about so much more. Sure, there was definitely a shady mystery and some really scary moments, but it was all entwined with a story about friendship, family, identity, and moving. Lindsay Currie did a perfect job balancing the two goals of the book: to scare the reader and to make the reader care so much about her characters.

In addition to the plot development being on point, Shady Street‘s characters were each were fully-developed to give every reader someone to connect with. I also liked how Currie included actual Chicago folklore and landmarks to enhance the story (and as a girl who lives in Florida and loves Chicago, I loved the Florida truths throughout also). Check out Currie’s website for behind the scenes info, and here’s a video of Lindsay Currie on a walking tour through Graceland cemetery, one of the settings of the book:

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Students are going to love this story because it is a perfect mix of ghost story and coming-of-age story, so classroom, school, and public libraries all definitely need to have a copy–once one students reads it, the word is going to get out, and it’ll never be on the shelf!

In the classroom, using Lindsay Currie’s website and video, Shady Street is a good example of author’s decision-making, how the setting of a story can impact the plot, and how an author uses the setting to affect the mood.

Book Trailer:

Discussion Questions:

How would the story have been different if Tessa had not gone to the pond the first time?
Why do you think Inez chose Tessa?
Did the story end how you thought it was going to?
How did the author use the setting to affect the mood of the story? The plot?
Which character do you connect with the most? Explain.
What caused Inez to act the way she did?
Similar to what Tessa did at the end for Inez, create a name plate for yourself with illustrations that identify you.
Explain the act of condensation.

Flagged Passages: “The door clicks shut behind her, and I grab a pair of jeans off the chair I slung them over last night. My sketchpad is open just slightly and I stop in my tracks, confused at the small blur I can see in the upper left-hand corner of the sheet. It’s grayish black, like I started something then just barely ran the bad of my thumb over it.

‘What in the–‘ I start, bending closer to the page.

I didn’t draw anything last night. I was so tired from carrying boxes all over this ginormous place that I crawled into bed without even brushing my teeth.

I stare at the mark. It’s small and shaped like an upside-down L. Lifting the book and giving the paper a tap, I watch asn the unwelcome spot becomes dust again and drifts into the air. There will still be a darkened area there, but I’ll camouflage it with shading later. Still. There’s something about the mark that bothers me. Something off.”

Read This If You Love: Mary Downing Hahn novels, The Key to Extraordinary by Natalie Lloyd, Ghostlight by Sonia Gensler, Doll Bones by Holly Black, The Seer of Shadows by Avi

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Lindsay Currie for providing a copy of the book for review!**

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Favorite Picture Books About Autumn

October 15, 2017October 10, 2017 by Ricki

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 Picture Books about Autumn

Ricki

Kellee did her half of the post first, and she used some of the more obvious autumn books. So I am going to include books that either remind me of autumn or are set in autumn.

1. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

2. The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn

3. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

4. Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson

5. Frederick by Leo Lionni

Kellee

These books are perfect to celebrate the start of autumn!

1. Little Tree by Loren Long

2. Autumn: A Pop-Up Book by David A. Carter

3. One Leaf, Two Leaves, Count with Me by John Mickos, Jr.

4. Little Elliot, Fall Friends by Mike Curato

5. Penguin and Pumpkin by Salina Yoon

Which autumn picture books are your favorites?

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

October 9, 2017October 9, 2017 by Kellee

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

We encourage everyone who participates to support the blogging community by visiting at least three of the other book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

Last Week’s Posts

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

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!!

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.

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.

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?

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

October 8, 2017 by Kellee

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!

GIVEAWAY!

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Thank you for sharing how your series came to be!

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