Unleashing Readers

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 8/17/15

August 23, 2015August 17, 2015 by Ricki

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

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. 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!

Jen Vincent, of Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee 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

JOSH F.

for winning a set of the Emily Windsnap books by Liz Kessler

Last Week’s Posts

Tuesday: Top Ten Favorite Fairy Tale Retellings

Thursday: 25 Boys Who Stand Out (in Middle Grade and Young Adult Literature) for Ricki

Friday: 25 Boys Who Stand Out (in Middle Grade and Young Adult Literature) for Kellee

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “In This Place: An Imagery Writing Activity” by Kate Ormand, Author of The Wanderers

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

Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: I have no excuse for the lack of reading I did this last week. Trent is finally feeling better (last day sick was Tuesday!), but then we just ended up doing a bunch of stuff together. I am super sad to go back to work tomorrow because I don’t get to spend as much time with Trent. I also pampered myself a bit 🙂 I did finish The Fall of the House of West by Paul Pope, the second book in the Aurora West series which is a prequel to Battling Boy, and I really enjoy the story and characters. She is such a tough cookie, and this book was a roller coaster!

Aurora wants to know who killed her mother. But because she is hiding her investigation from her father, there is no one to monitor what she is doing, so through her investigation, things do not really go as planned. I loved this continuation of Aurora’s story. She is such a strong character, and I love that she and her father are willing to put their lives on the line to protect others in her city. There are definitely some BIG surprises in this one. Throughout the book you will feel so many emotions: frustration, shock, sadness, anger. All rolled into an adventure-filled GN.

With Trent, we have been reading a bunch of Sesame Street mini-board books because he is in love with Elmo as well as some of his other regulars; however, I was able to sneak in A Good Day by Kevin Henkes. Man, I enjoy Kevin Henkes’s books. They are so quiet but special. I also finished a bunch of picture books for review, so I will share my thoughts about them when I review.: Goodnight Songs: A Celebration of Seasons by Margaret Wise Brown, Your Alien by Tammi Sauer, Monster Needs Your Vote by Paul Czajak, Fab Four Friends: The Boys Who Became the Beatles by Susanna Reich, and Tristan Wolf by Mariana Llanos.

Ricki: Unfortunately, Ricki has a fractured elbow, which makes it very painful to type. She will be out for one more week and promises to return with some good books to share.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: As I didn’t get as much reading done as I hoped, I pretty much have the same reading plan as last week. I am 75% done with a reread of The Wig in the Window by Kristen Kittscher in preparation for reading book #2, The Tiara on the Terrace. After these, I want to read Hook’s Revenge by Heidi Schulz. However, with going back to school (lesson plans and focus calendars are due by next Monday!), I am not sure how much reading I will get done. There may be some dry weeks coming up…

Upcoming Week’s Posts

top ten tuesday

Tuesday: Ten of Our Auto-Buy Authors

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “When Things Aren’t Perfect” by Laurie McKay, Author of The Last Dragon Charmer Series

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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Author Guest Post!: “In This Place: An Imagery Writing Activity” by Kate Ormand, Author of The Wanderers

August 16, 2015 by Kellee

“In This Place…”

Exploring the five senses allows your reader to feel like they’re there inside your story. Expanding from visual description by bringing in other senses adds layers and makes it more real. Readers can relate more to the atmosphere of a place if relatable description is given.

Obviously, this can be overwhelming if done too much, but small details really make a scene, so this is a task I like to set myself sometimes:

In this place, I see…
In this place, I touch…
In this place, I smell…
In this place, I hear…
In this place, I taste…

I got the original exercise from ACID author, Emma Pass, who uses it in her writing workshops.

The Wanderers is set in a circus environment, which is so much fun to explore in this way. Here are some quotes from the book that support each of these, which started off as notes alongside the prompts:

In this place, I see… The sparkly blue bows around their necks catch the light, dazzling. Well, they’re supposed to dazzle. And maybe they would if everything wasn’t so cheap.

In this place, I touch… Outside, it’s more plastic and crinkles when I touch it.

In this place, I smell… The smell of hot pastry and the tang of ale fills the air, adding to the comfort.

In this place, I hear… The sound of cellos pours softly from the speakers, so low that I can hear the rustling of popcorn bags and hot dog wrappers coming from the audience.

In this place, I taste… The smell of grease and salt and so many bodies packed into the tent is overwhelming. I can almost taste it on my tongue.

Thanks so much for having me!

About the author: Kate Ormand is YA author of DARK DAYS and THE WANDERERS. She lives in the UK with her family, her partner, and a cocker spaniel called Freddie. She graduated from university with a first class degree in Fine Art Painting. It was during this course that Kate discovered her love of reading YA books, prompting her to try a new creative angle and experiment with writing. Kate is also member and co-creator of an online group of published writers and illustrators called Author Allsorts. And she writes children’s picture books under the name Kate Louise. Kate is represented by Isabel Atherton at Creative Authors Ltd. You can see more about Kate and her writing by visiting her website (www.kateormand.wordpress.com) or on Twitter (@kateormand).

Expected publication: September 1st, 2015 by Sky Pony Press

About The Wanderers: Flo lives an eccentric life—she travels with a popular circus in which the main acts star orphaned children with secret shape-shifting abilities. Once Flo turns sixteen, she must perform, but she’s not ready. While practicing jumping a flaming hurdle in a clearing beside the circus, she spots a dark figure in the trees and fears he saw her shift. The news sends the circus into a panic.

In Flo’s world, shifters are unknown to humans with the exception of a secret organization—the EOS, referred to as “hunters.” Hunters capture and kill. They send some shifters to labs for observation and testing—testing they don’t often survive—and deem others useless, a danger to society, and eliminate them. To avoid discovery, shifters travel in packs, constantly moving and keeping themselves hidden. Up until now, the circus was the perfect disguise.

Believing she has brought attention to the group, Flo feels dread and anxiety, causing her to make a mistake during her performance in front of the audience—a mistake that triggers a violent attack from the hunters.

Flo manages to flee the torched circus grounds with Jett, the bear shifter who loves her; the annoying elephant triplets; and a bratty tiger named Pru. Together they begin a new journey, alone in a world they don’t understand and don’t know how to navigate. On the run, they unravel secrets and lies that surround the circus and their lives—secrets and lies that all point to the unthinkable: Have they been betrayed by the people they trusted most?

Thank you to Kate for her post! What a great activity to expand the imagery in writing!

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**Thank you to Cheryl at Skyhorse Publishing for connecting us!**

In the World of Books: 25 Boys Who Stand Out For Kellee

August 14, 2015 by Kellee

When Carrie Gelson shared her post about the 25 girls and 25 boys who stood out to her in young adult and middle grade literature and asked us to join in by writing our own, Ricki and I knew we had to. We read hundreds of books each year, but there are certain characters that stay in your heart year after year. Last week I highlighted the 25 girls who stand out for me, and today I will highlight the boys. Just as with the girls, I had a much longer list than 25 (56 originally to be exact), so narrowing it down to 25 was so difficult; however, I am very proud of the 25 young men who I did choose. They are a special bunch who I hope have affected you as much as they’ve affected me, or you feel inclined to read their book because of this list.

**Click on any book title below to see my review or the Goodreads summary of the book**

Matt Cruse from Airborn (Series: Matt Cruse) by Kenneth Oppel
Aristotle and Dante from Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Nate Foster from Better Nate Than Ever (Series: Better Nate Than Ever) by Tim Federle
Tater Henry from Call Me By My Name by John Ed Bradley
Patson from Diamond Boy by Michael Williams
Nick from Everlost (Series: Skinjacker) by Neal Shusterman
Augustus Waters from The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Albert and Travis from Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Cole (Coltrane) from Ghetto Cowboy by G. Neri
Jonas from The Giver (Series: Giver Quartet) by Lois Lowry
Ben from Half Brother by Kenneth Oppel
Zenji from Hunt for the Bamboo Rat (Series: Prisoners of the Empire) by Graham Salisbury
Luis and Sam from Jumped In by Patrick Flores-Scott
Todd Hewitt from The Knife of Never Letting Go (Series: Chaos Walking) by Patrick Ness
Josh from Living with Jackie Chan (Series: Jumping Off Swings) by Jo Knowles
Logan Bruno from Logan Likes Mary Anne! (Series: The Baby-Sitters Club) by Ann M. Martin
Jack from Love that Dog (Series: Jack) by Sharon Creech
Mal from Mal and Chad: The Biggest, Bestest Time Ever! (Series: Mal and Chad) by Stephen McCranie
Arn Chorn-Pond from Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick
Rafe from Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg
Matt and Curtis from Personal Effects by E.M. Kokie
Navin from The Stonekeeper (Series: Amulet) by Kazu Kibuishi
Alex Rider from Stormbreaker (Series: Alex Rider) by Anthony Horowitz
Luc from Threatened by Eliot Schrefer
Ali and Needles from When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds

Who makes it on your list?

Check out Ricki’s list of 25 girls that stand out for her.

Check out Ricki’s list of 25 boys that stand out for her.

In the World of Books: 25 Boys Who Stand Out For Ricki

August 13, 2015August 13, 2015 by Ricki

When Carrie Gelson asked Kellee and I to join her post about 25 boys who stand out in middle grade and young adult literature, we jumped at the opportunity. Last week, I shared my 25 girls who stand out, and this week, I am excited to share the boys. Kellee and I devour hundreds of books each year, yet we find that there are characters who stick with us through the years. Just like the girls, it was difficult for me to narrow my list down to just 25 boys, but I am very proud of this group of brave, young men. Just like the girls, they don’t always make the right choices, but they really stand out for me. I hope you find (or have found) these boys to be just as as special as I have.

Arnold “Junior” Spirit from The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Aristotle and Dante from Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Theodore Finch from All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
Sticky from Ball Don’t Lie by Matt de la Peña
Karl Stern from The Berlin Boxing Club by Robert Sharenow
James Whitman from Dr. Bird’s Advice for Sad Poets by Evan Roskos
Augustus Waters from The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Andrew Zanskey from Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can’t Have by Allen Zadoff
Craig Gilner from It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini
Hassan from The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
DQ from The Last Summer of the Death Warriors by Francisco X. Stork
Ishmael Beah from A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah
Miles “Pudge” Halter from Looking for Alaska by John Green
Marcelo from Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork
Danny from Mexican WhiteBoy by Matt de la Peña
Steve Harmon from Monster by Walter Dean Myers
Arn Chorn-Pond from Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick
Pierre-Anthon from Nothing by Janne Teller
Charlie Scorsoni from The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Kip from Right Behind You by Gail Giles
Sam from The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon
Shawn McDaniel from Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman
Tyrell from Tyrell by Coe Booth
August “Auggie” Pullman from Wonder by R. J. Palacio
Malcolm Little from X by Ilyassah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon

Who makes it to your list?

Check out Kellee’s list of 25 girls that stand out for her.

Check out Kellee’s list of 25 boys that stand out for her.

Children Growing Up with War by Jenny Matthews

August 13, 2015August 12, 2015 by Kellee

Nonfiction Picture Book 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!

Children Growing Up with War
Author and Photographer: Jenny Matthews
Published October 14th, 2014 by Candlewick Press

Goodreads Summary: Through personal narrative and candid photographs, a photojournalist chronicles young lives upended by violence and strife.

The right to adequate nutrition and medical care.
The right to free education.
The right to a name and nationality.
The right to affection, love, and understanding.

In conflict zones around the world, children are denied these and other basic rights. Follow photographer Jenny Matthews into refugee camps, overcrowded cities, damaged villages, clinics, and support centers where children and their families live, work, play, learn, heal, and try to survive the devastating impact of war. This moving book depicts the resilience and resourcefulness of young people who, though heavily impacted by the ravages of war, search for a better future for themselves, their families, and their cultures.

Kellee’s Review: This was a very tough book to read. I thought I’d be able to sit and read it all in one sitting, but I couldn’t. As a mother and a teacher, I love children, and it truly saddened me to see the situations that these children are in.

Fortunately, as an American, very few wars touch our lives. Unfortunately, our news doesn’t focus on many of the tumultuous conflicts that are active throughout the world, so we have become detached from reality. Our students are even more detached. That is why this book is important. It puts it all into perspective and really makes me feel and think. We rarely look at the humans that are being affected by the wars, we always focus on getting the bad guy. This book puts faces to the people, specifically the children, being affected every day. I found it very interesting how the author set up the book. You can tell she is a photojournalist because it is set up to give information in the most impactful way.

Ricki’s Review: When I was teaching high school, one of my main goals was to provide my students with a more global perspective. I wish I had had this incredible text available at the time because it evoked powerful emotions in me. I know it would do the same for my students. The balance of photography and words is very well done, and I will admit that I took many breaks because these images and words hit me to my core. This is an important book that belongs in classrooms. It is a good length that teachers will easily be able to use it as a pairing with other texts about war and genocide. It is important to learn about our past, but it is just as important to understand the wars that persist today—which is foundational to this book. I wish I could meet this author to thank her for writing a text that moved me so deeply.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This book presents many different discussion opportunities (e.g., the affects of war on children throughout the world, different active wars,Rights of the Child, importance of journalism). It would be fascinating to read with students and hear their perspective on the very tough topics and perspectives shared in the book.

Also, the book sets up nicely for a jigsaw discussion. The author set up the book to look at the different ways lives are affected: home & displacement, family, health, work, and school & play. Within each of these sections, she also looks at different places in the world such as Tunisia, Jordan, Afghanistan, Uganda, Rwanda, Gaza, and Kurdistan. She also includes different Rights of the Child throughout the book. The teacher could jigsaw either with the topic, the places, or the Rights and have students dig deeper.

Another way to look at this book is from a journalistic/photography point of view. I [Kellee] teach journalism, and I already plan on using Photos Framed as part of my photography unit, and I think this book will add an even deeper look into the importance of photography/journalism and with a topic (children’s lives) that my students can connect with.

Discussion Questions: How does Jenny Matthews’s photos, books, and stories help children who are growing up with war?; Why would Jenny Matthews choose to go into such dangerous situations?; If you had to choose one single photo to sum up Children Growing Up with War, which of these would you choose? (p. 42); Which of the UN’s Rights of the Child are affected when war is involved?; In what different way does war affect the children growing up in the conflict area?

We Flagged: “How would you feel if you lost your home and had to flee from your own country? Imagine losing some or all of your family, either as a direct result of fighting or indirectly through illness or disease. You might have to work to support your family or fight and kill other people just to survive. And how can you go to school if it’s being used as an army command outpost and all the books have been destroyed?

This is the reality for too many children and their families in the world. Today, children are still growing up with war—the consequences of which they’ll live with for the rest of their lives” (p. 3).

Read This If You Loved: Photos Framed: A Fresh Look at the World’s Most Memorable Photographs by Ruth Thomson
This would be an excellent nonfiction companion to: Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick, Endangered by Eliot Schrefer, Caminar by Skila Brown, The Other Side of the Wall by Simon Schwartz, The Milk of Birds by Sylvia Whitman, or Son of a Gun by Anne de Graaf.

Recommended For:

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Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Fairy Tale Retellings

August 4, 2016August 11, 2015 by Kellee

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.

I went a little rogue on the topic. We missed the fairy tale retellings last week because we were celebrating a book birthday, and I really wanted to feature it. So, when we saw that this week’s topic (Authors We’ve Read The Most From) was very close to a past TTT (All-time Favorite Authors), I decided to visit last week’s topic instead. Enjoy!

Today’s Topic: Ten Favorite Fairy Tale Retellings

I love reading books that fracture, twist, and retell fairy tales. These are my favorites (in no particular order)!

Kellee

1. The Cat, the Dog, Little Red, the Exploding Eggs, the Wolf, and Grandma by Diane Fox

Such a hilarious picture book! Cat is reading “Little Red Riding Hood” to her friend, Dog, but he keeps interrupting asking questions that Cat is not prepared, or doesn’t want, to answer. Dog is so funny, and Cat’s reactions really make the book.

2. Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Shurtliff, Liesl

This retelling of Rumpelstiltskin jumped immediately to the top of my favorite retellings list because I felt that she has made a wonderful, fantastical world and was able to see Rumpelstiltskin as more than just an antagonist. I also felt that the book did have a moral, as all fairy tales should, but it is one that creeps up on you at the end and is such a great discussion starter.

3. The League of Princes Series by Christopher Healy

Christopher Healy’s series is just plain HILARIOUS and well done! It reminds me a bit of Shrek except I liked the humor in The League better because I feel it is a very smart funny. Just the concept is funny and smart- the four Princes Charming from the “Snow White,” “Cinderella,” “Rapunzel,” and “Sleeping Beauty” stories star in this book (unlike the original stories where they don’t even get credit with their real name!) and the Princes each have such a fun, unique personality.

4. A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz

In this combination of versions of Grimm fairy tales, Adam Gidwitz takes you through Hansel and Gretel’s full adventure. In this bloody and gruesome tale, they face the devil, a dragon, a warlock, a witch, death, and many other adventures.

Gidwitz has other companion books in the series, but I have not read them yet; however, I am sure they are as well done as this one.

5. Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George

Princess of the Midnight Ball retells the Grimm tale of The Twelve Dancing Princesses and is quite the adventure filled with fantasy and romance.

6. Ice by Sarah Beth Durst and Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George

These two books are retellings of the same Norwegian fairy tale (that is a bit like Beauty and the Beast); however, they are very much separate and independent novels even if there is a little bit of overlap. Ice deals more with the romance and love of the fairy tale while Sun and Moon… deals with loyalty and trust.

7. Into the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst

Into the Wild starts out of the wild. All of the fairy tale characters can finally live normal lives and not have to rely on their story to tell them what to do, but only as long as the wild is contained. When it is unleashed, it is up to Rapunzel’s daughter Julie to save her family and friends from being caught in their story.

8. Fables series by Bill Willingham

In Willingham’s series, fairy tale and fable characters have been exiled and have to disguise themselves as normal citizens in New York; however, they are anything but normal.

9. Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon Hale

Rapunzel kicks some major butt in this one. Rapunzel’s story takes place in the Wild West in Hale’s retelling of the classic. After Rapunzel escapes her “mother’s” imprisonment, revenge is on her mind.

10. Briar Rose by Jane Yolen

A mix of historical fiction and a fairy tale retelling. Becca is a journalist and when her grandmother, Gemma, dies, she promises her that the will find out the truth behind her grandmother’s constant retelling of “Sleeping Beauty” as her life story. All Becca has is the story that Gemma told, a box of photos and documents, and the promise. With this, Gemma begins to learn more and more about her mysterious grandmother.

Which fairy tale retellings have you enjoyed the most?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 8/10/15

August 10, 2015 by Ricki

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

Tuesday: Review and Author Interview!: Cold War on Maplewood Street by Gayle Rosengren

Wednesday: Windsnap Wednesday! Blog Tour, Giveaway, and Author Interview: Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler

Giveaway open through Wednesday!

Thursday: 25 Girls Who Stand Out (in Middle Grade and Young Adult Literature) for Ricki

Friday: 25 Girls Who Stand Out (in Middle Grade and Young Adult Literature) for Kellee

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “How Settings Help Shape Characters’ Character” by Anne Boles Levy, Author of The Temple of Doubt

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

Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: As my summer is coming to a close, I really hoped to be reading a bit more than I did, but a sick baby plus working two days this week put a wrench in that plan. I did read two middle grade novels, a graphic novel, and a nonfiction picture book–all which I enjoyed very much. First, I read A Handful of Stars by Cynthia Lord which is my unofficial Twitter book club read for August (chat on Wednesday at 9PM ET if you would like to join us), and I am so glad that it was chosen. Salma would definitely have been on my girls list if I made it today. The other novel was Pickle: The (Formerly) Anonymous Prank Club of Fountain Point Elementary School by Kim Baker which was super funny. I love the diversity and humor within it. Kim is one of the fabulous female authors on the humor panel I’m chairing at NCTE. The graphic novel I read was The Rise of Aurora West by Paul Pope. Aurora is so kick butt–I loved it! Though the world she lives in is so scary (monsters kidnap children at night), she is a light in that very dark world. Finally I read Children Growing Up With War by Jenny Matthews which I’ll be reviewing on Wednesday.

Ricki: Ricki is currently without internet service, so she will catch up with everyone next week! Hopefully, she has double the number of good books to share!

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: I have already started the sequel to Aurora West, and I plan on finishing that. I also want to read The Tiara on the Terrace by Kristen Kittscher and Hook’s Revenge by Heidi Schultz (both funny females on the NCTE panel!). I hope to get through at least two of them.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

top ten tuesday

Tuesday: Top Ten Favorite Fairy Tale Retellings

Thursday and Friday: 25 Boys Who Stand Out (in Middle Grade and Young Adult Literature)

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “In This Place: An Imagery Writing Activity” by Kate Ormand, Author of The Wanderers

So, what are you reading?

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