Unleashing Readers

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 7/13/15

August 23, 2015July 13, 2015 by Kellee

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.

Last Week’s Posts

Tuesday: Top Ten Dystopian Books We’ve Ever Read

Wednesday: Big Book Summer Challenge: Revolution by Deborah Wiles & East of Eden by John Steinbeck

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Be Careful or You Might Learn Something…” by Linda Fausnet, Author of The Joyville Sweat Sox

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

Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: After my horrible reading week 2 weeks ago, I made sure that I read this week. I think what I have found that works the best for me is having books to read on my phone. I always have my phone on me, and I can read it the dark. Two very big pluses in my new mom world. So, this week I ended up reading five graphic novels and four board books. Phew! My brain feels much better!

The four board books are ones that Trent picked out while we were at the library story time (I will say that although I love my job, I love taking Trent to the library every Friday! Wish I could do it all year.), and so far they are all a hit which means I may need to buy them: Llama Llama Hippity Hop by Anna Dewdney, Planes Go by Steve Light, Countasaurus by Megan Bryant, and Chicka Chicka ABC by Bill Martin, Jr.

The graphic novels I read were:

Phoebe and her Unicorn and Unicorn on a Roll by Dana Simpson: I love Phoebe and her unicorn. Let me count the ways!
1) Phoebe is a smart, strong, unique little girl. She doesn’t allow bullies to make her rethink who she is, and she is just so quirky.
2) Heavenly Nostrils is the epitome of unicorn perfection. She is beautiful, knows she is beautiful, and will tell you she is beautiful. She cracks me up.
3) I love this pair! This reminds me of a Calvin/Hobbes, Mal/Chad, Salem Hyde/Whammy relationship. They are just so perfect for each other.
4) I want Phoebe and Big Nate to meet. I think they’d be awesome friends.
5) Dana Simpson does what I heard Frank Cammuso talk about that he does with his Salem Hyde books: Each page is a part of a whole story, but is also a comic strip within itself. Each page has a punch line or a theme. Love this! Makes reading so much fun.

I loved book #2 so much that as soon as I finished, I went and got #1 from my library. You will not regret picking up this GN 🙂 Also, this would be a great graphic novel to pair with Uni the Unicorn by Amy Krouse Rosenthal that I read a couple of weeks ago.
Fable Comics edited by Chris Duffy: I really enjoy Duffy’s anthologies. I love reading these compilations because I learn about new graphic novelists/comics, see their style, and all while reading stories. Also, what a fun and accessible way to share fables (and fairy tales in the first anthology). I love seeing the different artists’ work and seeing a new version of old stories.
P.S. My favorite were O’Connor’s!
The Misadventures of Salem Hyde #3: Cookie Catastrophe by Frank Cammuso: While working on a presentation for ABRAMS, I realized I’d never read the 3rd Salem Hyde book (I am not sure how this one slipped through my fingers), so I picked it up this week. Like always, Salem is a firecracker who always has everything work out in the end. Big Foot was definitely the star of this one though.
Honor Girl by Maggie Thrash: This was such a lovely look at first love and sexual identity. I am definitely going to review this one on a Wednesday.

Ricki: This week, I read all of the recent manuscripts submitted to The ALAN Review. I have also been reading a lot of methodology books for my phenomenological study. Henry *allowed* me to break out a new book I found in our collection. It is called Zoom! Zoom! Sounds of Things That Go in the City by Robert Burleigh. I loved the illustrations and Henry loved shouting, “Car!” as he pointed to the vehicles, but I found the rhyme to be a bit clunky. Because it features cars, I suspect we will be reading it night after night. His current favorite book is Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker. I’m sure you know it, but do you know it by heart? My husband does.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: In preparation for our July 23rd Twitter book club meeting (#MirandusChat), I am reading Circus Mirandus. I just started, but I already love the language. I’ve also received some amazing picture books recently that I cannot wait to read. Also, Trent will definitely be reading some more of the board books that we picked up from the library. Can’t wait to see which ones he gravitates towards.

Ricki: I am very excited to join Kellee on that Circus Mirandus chat. I’ve read the book, and as I said last week, it is phenomenal! I will be reading Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee this week. I’m a bit nervous, and I still have mixed feelings about reading it. It seems that all of the research is showing that she really did want this book released, but I am not sure if I should trust this—given senility. What do you think about it?

Upcoming Week’s Posts

top ten tuesday

Tuesday: Last Ten Books We Bought For Our Boys

Thursday: Stop by for a variety of alternatives to the traditional classroom discussion

Sunday: “Reaching Reluctant Readers with Action and Suspense” by Jake Bible, Author of Phantom Limbs!, Scarescapes Book 1

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!: “Be Careful or You Might Learn Something…” by Linda Fausnet, Author of The Joyville Sweat Sox

September 25, 2015July 12, 2015 by Kellee

“Be Careful or You Might Learn Something…”

I always hated summer reading lists as a kid. Teachers gave us a list of super-educational, historically accurate, classic books of literary significance to read over the summer so we could either write a book report or pass a test when we got back to school in September.

For me, this was the literary equivalent of brussels sprouts.

I actually liked to read in the summer. The trouble was, every time I picked up a book I actually wanted to read, I’d think to myself, “Ugh. I need to read those awful school books first.” I put off reading those books until later, so I ended up reading very little. Toward the end of the summer, I forced myself to read the brussels sprouts books, but really didn’t get much out of the experience.

It’s understandable that teachers want kids to learn from the books they read, but forcing kids to read Johnny Tremain isn’t likely to get them all fired up about reading. I remember reading Johnny Tremain at some point, but I remember precious little about the book.

Know what I do remember? My fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Garrett, reading to us for a few minutes at the end of the school day. I remember her reading Lenny Kendall, Smart Aleck, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, and Superfudge. The books were uproariously funny, and I can clearly remember the sound of Mrs. Garrett’s voice; the inflection, the enthusiasm, the fun. I eagerly went to the library and got some of those books and reread them on my own.

A few years ago, I went to a wonderful used bookstore called Books With a Past. I asked if they had Lenny Kendall, Smart Aleck so I could read it to my kids. The lady in the store said she hadn’t heard of the book, but she put me on the list in case it ever turned up. Then I went to the barbecue restaurant next door with my kids. A few minutes later, the bookstore lady showed up there. She must have heard us mention where we were headed. Anyway, she showed up with Lenny Kendall in tow. She found it after all!

We took the book home and I happily read it aloud to my kids. It was such a wonderful experience. It brought back such great memories and I loved hearing my kids laugh.

I am a passionate writer who happens to be married a to a man who is dyslexic. He hates to read because it’s hard for him, and, try as I might, I’ve been unsuccessful at getting my kids to love reading. I’ve written several grown-up books which they are not allowed to read, but I’ve written two middle-grade ones that are appropriate for them. It’s been tough even to get them to crack those books!

I recently published a middle-grade book about baseball entitled The Joyville Sweat Sox. (as in, there is no mud in Joyville. Baseball fans will get that…) I dedicated the book to my son, Noah, who plays Little League. I didn’t have to force him to read that one because 1. Mommy wrote it and, 2. It’s about baseball. Noah is a good-hearted kid who would tell me he loved it no matter what, so it was hard to tell if he really liked it. Then one day I came home from work and heard him laughing in the other room. He didn’t know I was home yet, so I knew his reaction was real. Sure enough, he was reading my book and though it was really funny. Is there any higher praise than that?

The Joyville Sweat Sox is about a young woman who is forced to coach a baseball team full of clueless kids as punishment for breaking her town’s No Anger law. It’s won’t be easy to teach them the rules of the game without losing her temper… The book does have some teachable information in it, I suppose. Okay, it would mainly be for physical education teachers… Kids who know how to play baseball will giggle at the players in the book who are a bit slow on the uptake to learn, and kids who are unfamiliar with the sport will easily learn it as the poor coach teaches her hapless players what to do. However, the overarching lesson can be summed up when Konnie, the coach with anger management issues says, “Sometimes mean people aren’t mean. Sometimes they’re just sad.”

Konnie would know. Her anger and bitterness started when her father died, the same year that a mean guy stole baseball from the town of Joyville. Some of her happiest memories were of her times at the ballpark with her dad, and the idea that his last summer on earth was spent without baseball just hurts too much. At first, Konnie is annoyed beyond belief by these crazy kids she’s suddenly saddled with. Then she comes to care deeply for her little guys as she is able to teach them to love the game that meant so much to her and her father. At the end, the judge who sentenced her for getting mad in the first place actually comes to her defense for getting angry. This time, she got mad and risked severe punishment by standing up for her little players. The judge tells her that he’s proud of her, and that he saw a lot of her father in her that day.

My favorite type of book to write – and to read – is one that has both humor and heart. Joyville is funny (ask my son!) and definitely has heart. It made both my critique partner and my daughter cry – in a good way!

Kids want to be entertained as much as we want them to be educated. My philosophy is to encourage them to read something fun and hope they might learn a thing or two along the way.

About the Book: It’s against the law to get mad in Joyville. Will Konnie Mack be able to coach a ragtag team of kids who are clueless about baseball without completely losing her cool?

Twenty-one-year-old Konnie has broken the No Anger law for the third time. She has two choices for punishment: coach Joyville’s Little League baseball team for the summer, or spend five years in jail.

Konnie used to be the best baseball player in town, but she hasn’t played the game she loves since she was sixteen. That was the year Bobby Hearsay stole Joyville’s team in the middle of the night. It was also the year her father died.

The current team includes the likes of Clueless Joe Jackson, Joltin’ Joanna Demargio, and Carl Repkin, Jr. Keeping her temper in check with these kids won’t be easy, and it’s going to be nearly impossible for this bunch to win any games. But Konnie has no choice. Getting mad will land her in the slammer, and her punishment for losing will be far worse than any jail sentence. She will be banished from playing baseball forever….

The Joyville Sweat Sox is available here – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YXUD7FI

About the Author: Linda Fausnet is the author of several books, mostly adult fiction. She has also written numerous screenplays of various genres. Two of her scripts have been optioned by production companies in Los Angeles; Mega Films, Inc. and Runaway Productions. Her screenplay, Queen Henry, was a Finalist in the national Progress Writers Competition. Linda runs an educational and promotional website for indie writers at www.wannabepride.com
Twitter – @lindafausnet
Facebook for Readers – https://www.facebook.com/lindafausnet
Facebook Group for Writers – https://www.facebook.com/groups/369053709961293/
Email List – Choose either WRITER’S or READER’S list – http://wannabepride.com/blog/?page_id=3466

We very much agree–finding the right book and doing summer reading right are both so important!
Thank you to Linda for this post!

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Stormy Night by Salina Yoon

July 10, 2015July 10, 2015 by Kellee

Stormy Night
Author and Illustrator: Salina Yoon
Published January 6th, 2015 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

Goodreads Summary: When thunder shakes his house and rain pounds the windows, Bear is frightened. But comforting his Mama, Papa, and Floppy helps make the storm seem not so scary. Before Bear knows it, the storm has passed, because even storms need their sleep . . . and so do bears.

My Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Living in Florida means that we have pretty bad storms about 4-6 months of the year, so I really would see how this book could be used by parents and teachers to discuss ways to overcome storm anxiety. I could see a class that is being held (sometimes for hours) in class after dismissal because of a storm sitting around reading this book and discussing how a storm can be scary but that the end would come soon. I, being from tornado alley, had storm nightmares for years and storms still scare me, and I really think that a book like this would be a great read for kids that have the anxiety I have. I also love how Yoon had the little bear become the “strong one” during the storm to help him forget about what he is afraid of. This is a great strategy for helping kids forget about something that is scary.

Like always, Yoon’s illustrations are just so wonderful–I love how they completely cover the page and are so colorful. Also, Yoon also always captures her characters’ emotions so well! Her books are always a pleasure to read, and I look forward to getting them.

Discussion Questions: How does Bear overcome his fear? How did his mom help? Hid dad?; Have you ever been scared during a storm? What did you do to make it through the storm?

We Flagged:

Read This If You Loved: Found by Salina Yoon, On my way to Bed by Sarah Maizes, A Book of Sleep by Il Sung Na, The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn, Nightime Ninja by Barbara DaCosta

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Linette at Bloomsbury for providing a copy for review!**

Heather Has Two Mommies by Lesléa Newman

July 9, 2015 by Ricki

Heather Has Two Mommies
Author: Lesléa Newman
Illustrator: Laura Cornell
Published March 11, 2015 by Candlewick Press (First Published October 28, 1989)

Goodreads Summary: Candlewick relaunches a modern classic for this generation with an all-new, beautifully illustrated edition.

Heather’s favorite number is two. She has two arms, two legs, and two pets. And she also has two mommies. When Heather goes to school for the first time, someone asks her about her daddy, but Heather doesn’t have a daddy. Then something interesting happens. When Heather and her classmates all draw pictures of their families, not one drawing is the same. It doesn’t matter who makes up a family, the teacher says, because “the most important thing about a family is that all the people in it love one another.” This delightful edition for a new generation of young readers features fresh illustrations by Laura Cornell and an updated story by Lesléa Newman.

Ricki’s Review: This is a timeless classic, and I am so glad that Candlewick decided to republish it with new illustrations. I’ve always known what this book is about, but I’d never read it in its entirety. Heather’s story is one of many children growing up in the United States. She comes from a nontraditional family. I am sure that many parents have anxiety about sending their children to school because kids can be cruel. However, with some understanding and with books like these, children can understand that many of their peers come from different families, and this provides enrichment in the classroom. This book should be a staple in early elementary school classrooms. It teaches empathy.

Kellee’s Review: I love that this isn’t a book about LBGT families as much as it is a book about how there are so many different kinds of families. Although it seems a bit syrupy sweet at times, I think that tone was needed to be an introduction to a subject that may be new or different for readers. I think this book is an important one. I know that critics will say that the book is preachy, but if it is preachy about anything, it is about how everyone’s family is unique yet full of love.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: The activity that the teacher uses in this book is one that should begin every kindergarten curriculum. Children should understand that loving families come in so many different forms. We’d love to pair this book with books like And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell. Students could read various books that deliver this message and talk about their similarities and differences. Kids might also write about a time that they felt different and how it made them feel. From an artistic side, teachers might show students the original 1989 publication of this book and ask them to compare the two versions of the text.

Discussion Questions: What kinds of nontraditional families can you think of? What do these families have in common?; What role does Heather’s favorite number play in this book? Did it enhance your reading of the story?; When have you felt different from other kids? How does this compare to Heather’s experience?

We Flagged: “‘What does your daddy do?’ David asks Heather.

‘I don’t have a daddy,’ Heather says. She looks around the circle and wonders, Am I the only one here who doesn’t have a daddy?“

Read This If You Loved: And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell; ABC A Family Alphabet Book by Bobbie Combs; Donovan’s Big Day by Lesléa Newman; Daddy, Papa, and Me by Lesléa Newman; The Family Book by Todd Parr; King and King by Linda de Haan; A Tale of Two Daddies and A Tale of Two Mommies by Vanita Oelschlager; October Mourning by Lesléa Newman

Recommended For:

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**Thank you to Candlewick Press for providing copies for review!**

2015 Big Book Summer Challenge: Revolution by Deborah Wiles & East of Eden by John Steinbeck

July 8, 2015 by Kellee

Big Book Summer Challenge is a challenge hosted by Sue at Book by Book. The inspiration behind the challenge is to push the bigger books to the top of the TBR pile during summer time.

The Details:

Anything over 400 pages qualifies as a big book.
The challenge will run from Memorial Day weekend (starting May 22 this year) through Labor Day weekend (Labor Day is September 7 this year).
Choose one or two or however many big books you want as your goal. Wait, did you get that? You only need to read 1 book with over 400 pages this summer to participate! (Though you are welcome to read more, if you want.)
Choose from what’s on your shelves already or a big book you’ve been meaning to read for ages or anything that catches your eye in the library – whatever peaks your interest!
Sign up on Book by Book.
Write a post to kick things off – you can list the exact big books you plan to read or just publish your intent to participate, but be sure to include the Big Book Summer Challenge pic above, with a link back to Book by Book.
Write a post to wrap up at the end, listing the big books you read during the summer.
You can write progress posts if you want to and/or reviews of the big books you’ve read…but you don’t have to! There is a separate links list below for big book review posts.

Today, we are combining the last three bullet points–we both have finished our big books!

Kellee

Revolution
Author: Deborah Wiles
Published May 27th, 2014 by Scholastic Press
538 pages

Goodreads Summary: It’s 1964, and Sunny’s town is being invaded. Or at least that’s what the adults of Greenwood, Mississippi, are saying. All Sunny knows is that people from up north are coming to help people register to vote. They’re calling it Freedom Summer.

Meanwhile, Sunny can’t help but feel like her house is being invaded, too. She has a new stepmother, a new brother, and a new sister crowding her life, giving her little room to breathe. And things get even trickier when Sunny and her brother are caught sneaking into the local swimming pool — where they bump into a mystery boy whose life is going to become tangled up in theirs.

As she did in her groundbreaking documentary novel Countdown, award-winning author Deborah Wiles uses stories and images to tell the riveting story of a certain time and place — and of kids who, in a world where everyone is choosing sides, must figure out how to stand up for themselves and fight for what’s right.

*A 2014 National Book Award Finalist

Kellee’s Thoughts: What is so amazing about this book is that it doesn’t feel like a big book. Well, it FEELS like a big book because it is heavy and thick, but when you are done reading, it doesn’t feel like you had to trudge through anything. Not once did I feel like there were too many pages. Wiles does an amazing job filling each and every page with important information for the historical context, characterization, or plot development.

Revolution is a perfectly-crafted look at one of the toughest times in American history. What Wiles does is truly delve into the emotions felt during the Freedom Summer and some of the smaller actions that may not have made the history books. One of my favorite things about Wiles’s Sixties Trilogy books is that she includes historical resources throughout the book that truly puts the story in context. The primary sources/stories and other embedded pieces of history really show that the narrative she has created is not truly a work of fiction. It may include fictional characters, but the setting, the feelings, the conflict, the time period, the history–those are all fact.

Revolution couldn’t work without the Sunny and her cast of characters though. This book could have gone terribly wrong if the voice, thoughts, and feelings of our protagonist were not so believable since Wiles was having us learn about such a tumultuous time through the eyes of a child. However, no need to worry about that because Sunny is perfect. She is easy to connect to and seems true. My favorite characters are those around her that push her and help change her: Annabelle, Jo Ellen, and Ray. Annabelle is so patient, truly loves Sunny, and has some of the best lines in the book; Jo Ellen is so head-strong, forward-thinking, and intelligent; and Ray is just crazy but also overwhelmingly brave.

I am part of an informal Twitter book club, and our June read was Revolution. Deborah Wiles even stopped by to chat with us! If you are interested in reading it, I archived it here. Warning: There may be spoilers if you haven’t read the book. Some of my favorite quotes from the chat that truly show the impact of the book are:

“What a brilliant idea Deborah Wiles had with these books–to embed all of the history.” -Carrie Gelson

“Sunny’s story hit my heart.” -Michele Knott

“Countdown and Revolution are like…seeing beyond the headlines.” -Cheriee Weichel

“So hard to read how something you think people could do (register) but couldn’t because of effects (lose job, name in paper, etc.)” -Michele Knott

“It took Sunny witnessing the civil unrest to grow up and realize how to accept her own life.” -Kellee Moye

“There is so much about the Civil Rights Movement that seems like it should be easy, but ignorance stops it.” Kellee Moye

“Immerse as much as possible.” -Deborah Wiles, referencing part of her research process

Favorite quote from the book: “Everything is connected. Every choice matters.Every person is vital, valuable, and worthy of respect.” pg. 361

Recommended For:

Ricki

I also plan to tackle Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick, as well, but I am not sure if I will make it by the end of the summer. East of Eden was quite an epic read!

East of Eden
Author: John Steinbeck
Published in 1952
601 pages

Goodreads Summary: Set in the rich farmland of California’s Salinas Valley, this sprawling and often brutal novel follows the intertwined destinies of two families—the Trasks and the Hamiltons—whose generations helplessly reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel. Here Steinbeck created some of his most memorable characters and explored his most enduring themes: the mystery of identity; the inexplicability of love; and the murderous consequences of love’s absence.

Ricki’s Thoughts: I’ve had this book on my to-be-read list for several years. In fact, I realized I own three identical copies of it, so I have considered reading it for quite some time. I love Of Mice and Men and Grapes of Wrath. In fact, I love the six or so Steinbeck books I’ve read. I’d heard this book was related to the Cain/Abel story, so I never got around to reading it because I thought I knew the ending. As an aside, I didn’t, but even if all of my predictions were accurate, it still would have been well worth the read.

The book consists of several interwoven stories and families. Two good friends (who aren’t avid readers) listened to this book in the car, and they continually urged me to read it. When I finally started, they kept saying, “We know which character you will love.” Sam Hamilton is a good man–a salt of the Earth kind of man. He reminds me of Slim for Of Mice and Men. Essentially, he teaches us what it means to be good to the very hollows of our souls. Another character who will stick with me forever is Cathy. Phew. She is quite a complex character—a sociopath, I would say—and her evilness makes my skin crawl. She is unlike any other character I’ve ever read. I could continue forward and describe more characters, but it feels as if I won’t do them justice.

The story does meander at times, but anyone who appreciates Steinbeck’s work knows that this is, in fact, a positive quality. His stories feel very true to life. We don’t follow plot diagrams. I will never forget reading this book. The story and its characters will stay with me forever. I highly recommend it.

A few great quotes that depict the beauty of Steinbeck’s words:

“I believe a strong woman may be stronger than a man, particularly if she happens to have love in her heart. I guess a loving woman is indestructible.”

“All great and precious things are lonely.”

“I believe that there is one story in the world, and only one. . . . Humans are caught—in their lives, in their thoughts, in their hungers and ambitions, in their avarice and cruelty, and in their kindness and generosity too—in a net of good and evil. . . . There is no other story. A man, after he has brushed off the dust and chips of his life, will have left only the hard, clean questions: Was it good or was it evil? Have I done well—or ill?”

“There’s more beauty in truth, even if it is dreadful beauty.”

Recommended For:

Thank you to Sue for hosting the challenge and pushing us!

What big books do you have planned for the summer? You should join in the challenge too!

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Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Dystopian Books We’ve Ever Read

August 4, 2016July 7, 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.

Today’s Topic: Top Ten Dystopian Books We’ve Ever Read

So many dystopian books have come out over the last few years, but these are our favorites.

Ricki

Kellee listed The Hunger Games and Divergent series, and I am relieved. There were too many books on my list, and I couldn’t narrow them down! Please know that those two series are obvious favorites for me, but here are five others I loved just as much.

1. 1984 by George Orwell

I loved teaching this book. My students always fell in love with it. It takes a bit of time to get into it, but it is so foundational as a dystopian text. Every time I read it, I remember all of the reasons I love it.

2. The Legend series by Marie Lu

I found this series to be more engaging than most of the other dystopian series. There is an excellent balance of plot and characterization.

3. The Maze Runner series by James Dashner

This series creates readers. Because of these books, my most reluctant readers fell in love with reading.

4. Unwind series by Neal Shusterman

Admittedly, I haven’t read the third (or fourth) book in this series, but I enjoyed it very much. I need to get my hands on a copy of them!

5. The 5th Wave series by Rick Yancey

Oh, Rick Yancey, you are such a wonderful writer. I have only read the first book in this series so far, but it was fantastic. (As you can tell, I don’t like to read entire series!)

Kellee

I am going to put these in order of when I read the first of the series. Although some of these may be a big cliche, these are some of the best dystopian books (series) out there.

1. The Giver series by Lois Lowry

If you follow the blog, you know that The Giver is my favorite book of all time, so it is no surprise that it would end up on this list. I feel like The Giver is so powerful without being over the top. It truly makes you think and see your world differently.

2. Among the Hidden series by Margaret Peterson Haddix

I read the Shadow Children series with my brother because he read the first one and insisted I read it too (he is a third child, so I am sure it affected him in an intense way). Unlike The Giver, Among the Hidden is so suspenseful and lays a foundation for an action-packed series.

3. The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins

I read The Hunger Games right when it came out, and I was blown away by the basis of the plot and the strong characters. I couldn’t put it down and waited impatiently for each of the books in the trilogy. Although it has become uber popular, I think it is deserving of all of the hype.

4. The Chaos Walking series by Patrick Ness

Chaos Walking is a perfect title for this series because so much craziness happens in these three books! When I read The Knife of Never Letting Go, I was blown away by Ness’s craft. It is such a unique series, unlike any other book I’ve read, and probably one of the best books/series I’ve ever read.

5. Divergent series by Veronica Roth

I love this series. I don’t know why it just grabbed me, but it did. Maybe it is that it takes place in Chicago. Maybe it seems realistic to me with unintentional segregation that still exists today. Maybe it is because it reminded me of The Giver and Hunger Games mixed together. Maybe it is because Tris and Four are just such complex and kick butt characters. Whatever the reason is, I devoured these books and was so impressed which all three of them.

Which dystopian titles are your favorite?

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 7/6/15

July 27, 2015July 6, 2015 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

Tuesday: Top Ten Books We’ve Read So Far In 2015

Wednesday: Kellee and Ricki’s #MustReadin2015 Summer Update

Friday: From Kellee’s (Huge) Library Pile Part Seven

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Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: This is not going to be a very exciting update folks. We’re going through some really rough sleeping stuff over here with Trent, so I have been going to bed much earlier knowing that I will be woken up over and over again all night (if you are friends with me on Facebook, I am sure you’ve seen the updates!). I have read hardly anything at all this week! Stinks because I really love summer for all the reading time!! Here’s hoping this week is better!

Ricki: This week, I finished the wonderful, fantastic Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley. What a treat! Last week, I compared it to another favorite, A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd. I enjoyed every second of that book. Usually, I give my books away after I read them, but I am hanging onto this one. It is going to be an epic bedtime read for my son when he is a bit older. I also read Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine. This is a heart-wrenching picture book about Henry “Box” Brown, who escaped slavery in the Underground Railroad.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: Who knows! I may switch to something shorter just to feel successful. I also am listening to a book, but have not been driving much, so I may find a shorter audiobook to feel successful there too. I’ll let you know how it goes next week!

Ricki: I am continuing to truck along with my philosophy book from the early 1900s. I’d like to tackle more books on my #mustreadin2015 list, but I am also intrigued by the new book, The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes. This is why I get behind on my must read list!

Upcoming Week’s Posts

top ten tuesday

Tuesday: Top Ten Dystopian Books We’ve Ever Read

Wednesday: Big Book Summer Challenge: Revolution by Deborah Wiles & East of Eden by John Steinbeck

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Be Careful or You Might Learn Something…” by Linda Fausnet, Author of The Joyville Sweat Sox

So, what are you reading?

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