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.
Last Week’s Posts
**Click on any picture/link to view the post**
Tuesday: Top Ten Favorite Books to Read with my Mom from Sarah H., 8th grade
Thursday: Review and Giveaway!: It’s Not Jack and the Beanstalk by Josh Funk
**Giveaway open until Wednesday!**
Last Week’s Journeys
Kellee
Thank you all so much for your kind words regarding Hurricane Irma! We lost some fence and power for a bit, but overall we were so lucky versus others who are still dealing with no power, flooding, or damaged homes. They are in my thoughts! We’ve been out of school all week, so one plus is that I had extra time with Trent and books!
I don’t often get to go be class mom at Trent’s school, but this week, I went in to not only to spend some time with them, but I also got to release his class’s butterflies and read his class a book (Hand, Hand, Finger Thumb by Al Perkins)!!!
The other picture books I read this week was Nothing Rhymes with Orange by Adam Rex which is so funny and creative yet has such a great theme underneath the silliness.
Middle Grade
- Wishtree by Katherine Applegate is all I wanted it to be! Katherine has such a way of writing a story that seems like one thing on the surface but is so much deeper in the end.
- Stealing Our Way Home by Cecelia Galante was recommended to me by Michele, and I can definitely see why she is recommending it. It is about climbing back up from the bottom as a family.
- I really liked The Terrible Two Get Worse by Mac Barnett! I think the first of the series was setting up for this story which I felt had more heart and story than the first.
- The Girl in the Well is Me by Karen Rivers is on our state list (SSYRA) and is one of my students’ favorites so far.
Young Adult
- I am so sad yet happy to finally be done with the Unwind Dystology by Neal Shusterman. It was such a PERFECT ending, and I loved the entire experience!
- The Border by Steve Schafer is a must read book. It shows the humanity and hardship behind immigration. Steve Schafer said this on Twitter, and I agree: “I loved how THUG turned an issue into an individual’s battle. It made the emotion & nuance shine. The Border tries the same for immigration.”
- Everyone We’ve Been by Sarah Everett looks at memory in an interesting way (like More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera although not like it also). And it is structured so interestingly and had such a true romance.
Ricki
For picture books, this week, I read Truck Stop by Anne Rockwell (a great book for vehicle lovers); Romping Monsters, Stomping Monsters by Jane Yolen (a fun book with clever language and fantastic illustrations); Look Up! by Jung Jin-Ho (a translation with almost no words that is very imaginative); The Fuschia is Now by J.otto Seibold (a futuristic book that is intriguing); City Lullaby by Marilyn Singer (a book with great counting and vehicles); Nerdy Birdy by Aaron Reynolds (a book with a beautiful moral), and What George Forgot by Kathy Wolff (a silly story that kept my son guessing).
Picking a favorite would be difficult. I will read Nerdy Birdy again and again. The moral is so important, and it teaches the value of kindness to those who might feel alone. I also adored the almost wordless, Look Up!. This translation is quite clever and fun to read.
I also REREAD one of my absolute favorite books, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. I am so, so excited to discuss it with my college students on Monday and Wednesday. I have some big plans for our discussion. 🙂
This Week’s Expeditions
Kellee
- Currently reading: Felix Yz by Lisa Bunker
- Currently listening to: Refugee by Alan Gratz
- Well, technically, I haven’t started either, so I’ll give you updates next week!
Ricki

I nabbed Patina by Jason Reynolds from the library. I was so excited to see that it was available!
Upcoming Week’s Posts
Tuesday: Ten Websites/Resources for Parents/Teachers to Who Want to Talk to Kids About Books
Wednesday: Blog Tour with Review and Giveaway!: Flashlight Night by Matt Forrest Esenwine
Thursday: Here Comes Teacher Cat by Deborah Underwood
Friday: New-to-Me Favorite Bilingual Picture Books from Arte Público Press: Growing Up with Tamales by Gwendolyn Zepeda; Esteban de Luna, Baby Rescuer! by Larissa M. Mercado-López; The Little Doctor by Juan J. Guerra; Dalia’s Wondrous Hair by Laura Lacámara; The Runaway Piggy by James Luna; Grandma’s Chocolate by Por Mara Price
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!











































































