Special thanks to my colleague Emily Harnden for putting these images together!!!
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 12/11/22
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
Sharing Picture Books, Early Readers, Middle Grade Books, and Young Adult Books for All Ages!
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly blog hop co-hosted by Unleashing Readers and Teach Mentor Texts which focuses on sharing books marketed for children and young adults. It offers opportunities to share and recommend books with each other.
The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.
We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up below, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs.
Happy reading!
Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Fridge Problems” by Josh Funk, Author of The Great Caper Caper
**Click on any picture/link to view the post**
Kellee
This week is my off week! I will see you after our winter break! To learn more about what I am reading, check out my 2022 Goodreads Challenge page or my read bookshelf on Goodreads.
Ricki
I’ve been on a roll. This week, I read three young adult books. All three were absolutely excellent.
The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas is highly engaging. It’s set in another world, in which ten semidioses, all ages 13-18, must compete in high stakes competitions. The purpose: to replenish the Sun’s power so that Sol can travel and bring light and keep evil Obsidian gods away. The winner bring light and life to the temples, and the loser is sacrificed (killed by the winner) in order to be used as fuel for the Sun Stones. This book will keep your heart rate up. I have recommended it already to several teens who loved The Hunger Games. For me, though, this book has much more depth than The Hunger Games.
Laura Gao’s Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American is not one to miss. There is so much to unpack in this book. I’m using it in one of my courses next semester because the messages of the graphic novel memoir are very compelling and thoughtful. This ranks as one of my favorite graphic novels that I’ve ever read.
Whew. This book has my heart. We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds is about a girl named Avery who is uprooted from her DC home to go live with her dying (mean) grandmother in a rural town in Georgia. She is openly queer and meets Simone, a next-door neighbor. Avery wants no drama, but she quickly learns that there are a lot of family secrets that no one is talking about. Five stars. This book is very well-written. The characters felt like real people, and I didn’t want this one to end!
- Listening to: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
- Reading: Chaos Theory by Nic Stone
Tuesday: Ricki’s Best of YA 2022 Holiday Gift Guide
Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Encouraging Young Readers” by Bethan Woollvin, Author of Three Little Vikings
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!
and
Author Guest Post: “Fridge Problems” by Josh Funk, Author of Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast #5: The Great Caper Caper
“Fridge Problems”
First, thank you, Ricki and Kellee, for inviting me to post here at Unleashing Readers! It’s an honor to share on your awesome site.
As the fifth Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast adventure, The Great Caper Caper, was just released, I thought I’d share a little bit of what I talk about with students when I visit schools.
After reading one of the Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast books and discussing how I wrote it and how Brendan Kearney illustrated it and how long (three and a half years) it took from the time I came up with the idea until it was available on bookshelves, I like to get some volunteers and create some characters. I’ll usually ask students to share their favorite foods and jobs they want to have when they grow up – and then we mash them together and end up with Doctor Pizza. Or Professor Cupcake. Or President Peanut. And we’ll make up a little story with these characters, but it doesn’t really get good until we introduce the most important ingredient: Conflict.
I tell students that in a story, we always need our characters to encounter some sort of challenge. Or something bad has to happen that they have to overcome. Or maybe we need … a villain (at which point I’ll rebrand the principal or librarian or some faculty member to be someone’s least favorite food mixed with a super scary animal/monster/creature. Say hello to Evil Mushroom Spider. Or Moldy Broccoli Vampire).
But conflict isn’t always a villain. In fact, when I write the Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast series, the conflict rarely is a villain (at least not directly). It’s usually a fridge problem. And I always try to keep them relatively kid-relatable.
I ask myself (and students) the question: What is a problem that could happen in a fridge?
- Have you ever fought with a sibling over the last slice of pizza or last cookie or last drop of syrup? That’s what happens in the original Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast (the two titular characters race for the last drop of syrup).
- Have you ever opened the fridge and smelled something kind of funny? That’s what happens in The Case of the Stinky Stench (a rotten smell threatens to take over the fridge)
- Have you ever opened the fridge and things were too cold and starting to freeze? That’s what happens in Mission Defrostable (the fridge starts to freeze over).
- Have you ever been excited to eat something, but when you took it out of the fridge it was all moldy and spoiled and gooey and gross? That’s what happens in Short & Sweet (Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast start to go stale).
And in the newest book in the series, The Great Caper Caper, fridge problem is: Have you ever opened the fridge and the light bulb had gone out?
I believe it’s important that conflicts have high stakes (pun intended). The higher the stakes the more satisfying the ending will be when the characters overcome the challenges. Sometimes the conflict affects the entire fridge community. Other times it’s more personal and affects only our main characters, but those stakes can be just as important.
So when it’s time to break out a pencil and paper and everyone creates their own characters, I always try to ask one question as I go around to see what all of the students have come up with:
What is the worst thing that could happen to your character?
And when they answer that all of the ketchup and mustard and relish paint was stolen from Art Teacher Hot Dog’s classroom, I tell them that that is the story they should write. And I can’t wait to see how their characters solve those conflicts.
Published November 15, 2020 by Union Square & Co
About the Book: Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast are back in a Las Veggies heist for the ages!
Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast awake one morning to near-darkness. Who could possibly have stolen the fridge light? And what if the fridge is—gasp—dark all the time? Not to worry; Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast are on the case! Along with their friends, they assemble blueprints, collect supplies, and investigate. Will they bring the fridge back to its bright self, or will they have to live in semi-darkness . . . forever?
About the Author: Josh Funk writes silly stories such as the Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast series (including sequels The Case of the Stinky Stench, Mission Defrostable, Short & Sweet, and The Great Caper Caper), the How to Code with Pearl and Pascal series (including How to Code a Sandcastle and How to Code a Rollercoaster), the It’s Not a Fairy Tale series (including It’s Not Jack and the Beanstalk, It’s Not Hansel and Gretel, It’s Not Little Red Riding Hood, and It’s Not the Three Little Pigs), the A Story of Patience & Fortitude series in conjunction with the New York Public Library (including Lost in the Library and Where Is Our Library?), Dear Dragon, My Pet Feet, and more.
Josh grew up in New England and studied Computer Science in school. Today, he still lives in New England and when not writing Java code or Python scripts, he drinks Java coffee and writes manuscripts. Since the fall of 2015, Josh has presented (or virtually presented) at over 650 schools, classrooms, and libraries.
Josh is terrible at writing bios, so please help fill in the blanks. Josh enjoys _______ during ________ and has always loved __________. He has played ____________ since age __ and his biggest fear in life is being eaten by a __________.
For more information about Josh Funk, visit him at www.joshfunkbooks.com and on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook at @joshfunkbooks.
Thank you, Josh, for this fantastic idea as well as your always present and loveable humor!
Atlas Obscura: Explorer’s Guide for The World’s Most Adventurous Kid by Dylan Thuras and Rosemary Mosco; Illustrations by Joy Ang
Atlas Obscura: Explorer’s Guide for The World’s Most Adventurous Kid
Author: Dylan Thuras and Rosemary Mosco
Illustrator: Joy Ang
Published: July 19, 2022 by Workman Publishing Company
Goodreads Summary: Journey to the World’s Most Mysterious Places
Created by the same team behind Atlas Obscura, the #1 New York Times bestseller that has over 600,000 copies in print in its first year, The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide for the World’s Most Adventurous Kid is a thrillingly imaginative expedition to 100 weird-but-true places on earth. And just as compelling is the way the book is structured—hopscotching from country to country not by location but by type of attraction. For example, visit the site of the Tunguska event in Siberia, where a meteor slammed into the earth in 1908—and then skip over to the Yucatan, ground zero for the ancient meteor crash that caused the mass extinction of dinosaurs. Then, while in Mexico, tour the fantastical Naica caves, home to crystals ten times larger than the average person—then, turn the page to Vietnam to a cave so vast you could fly a 747 through it. Illustrated in gorgeous and appropriately evocative full-color art, this book is a passport to a world of hidden possibilities.
Ricki’s Review: The images in this book are absolutely captivating. My children read a few pages each day (and seem to think their parents have an unlimited wallet for travel). This is the kind of book that really appeals to me as an adult who reads to my kids. I am absolutely fascinated by the places in this book, so it makes for a wonderful shared reading. I highly recommend this one.
Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Teachers might ask students to create an Atlas Obscura of their community. Each student can take a local place that is “obscura” and write a description. The book can be compiled and bound. Another idea is to have students select one of the places as the setting for a story. This book inspires story!
Discussion Questions:
- Which places do you want to visit most?
- What did each of these places remind you of?
- How did the illustrations enhance your reading?
Flagged Spread:
Recommended For:
**Thank you go Barbara at Blue Slip Media for providing a copy for review!**
Magnolia Flower by Zora Neale Hurston, Adapted by Ibram X. Kendi, Illustrations by Loveis Wise
Magnolia Flower
Written by Zora Neale Hurston and Adapted by Ibram X. Kendi
Illustrator: Loveis Wise
Published: September 6, 2022 by Amistad Books for Young Readers
Goodreads Summary: From beloved African American folklorist Zora Neale Hurston comes a moving adaptation by National Book Award winner and #1 New York Times bestselling author of How to Be an Antiracist and Antiracist Baby, Ibram X. Kendi. Magnolia Flower follows a young Afro Indigenous girl who longs for freedom and is gorgeously illustrated by Loveis Wise (The People Remember, Ablaze with Color).
Born to parents who fled slavery and the Trail of Tears, Magnolia Flower is a girl with a vibrant spirit. Not to be deterred by rigid ways of the world, she longs to connect with others, who too long for freedom. She finds this in a young man of letters who her father disapproves of. In her quest to be free, Magnolia must make a choice and set off on a journey that will prove just how brave one can be when leading with one’s heart.
The acclaimed writer of several American classics, Zora Neale Hurston wrote this stirring folktale brimming with poetic prose, culture, and history. It was first published as a short story in The Spokesman in 1925 and later in her collection Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick (2020).
Tenderly retold by #1 New York Times bestselling and National Book Award-winning author Ibram X. Kendi, Magnolia Flower is a story of a transformative and radical devotion between generations of Indigenous and Black people in America. With breathtaking illustrations by Loveis Wise, this picture book reminds us that there is no force strong enough to stop love.
Ricki’s Review: Magnolia Flower is a short story by Zora Neale Hurston, and it has been adapted into this picture book. The illustrations and words will appeal to kids, but as an adult, I felt like this was written for me, too. It has stunning figurative language, and the illustrations are absolutely beautiful. The author’s notes at the end helped me understand more about the book.
Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Teachers might have students select a longer work (e.g. a short story) and adapt the book into a picture book.
Discussion Questions:
- What does this story tell us about love?
- What does this story tell you about history?
- If you haven’t read the longer work, what do you think it might include, beyond this book?
Flagged Spread:
Recommended For:
**Thank you go Leilani at SparkPoint Studio for providing a copy for review!**
Piece by Piece: How I Built My Life (No Instructions Required) by David Aguilar & Ferran Aguilar, Translated by by Lawrence Schimel
Piece by Piece: How I Built My Life (No Instructions Required)
Author: David Aguilar & Farran Aguilar
Translator: Lawrence Schimel
Published October 25, 2022 by Amazon Crossing Kids
Summary: The heartfelt and funny memoir of a boy who built himself a prosthetic arm out of the world-famous toy bricks.
David Aguilar was born missing part of one arm, a small detail that seemed to define his life and limit people’s ideas of who he was and who he could be. But in this funny and heartfelt memoir, David proves that he can throw out the rulebook and people’s expectations and maybe even make a difference in the world—and all with a sense of humor. At only nine years old, David built his first prosthesis from LEGO bricks, and since then he hasn’t stopped creating and thinking about how his inventions, born from a passion for building things, could fuel change and help others.
With a voice full of humor and heart, David tells his powerful story, of family and friendship, of heartbreak and loss, and ultimately of triumph and success, as he continues to dream big and build a life and a better world—piece by piece.
Praise:
“Humorous and uplifting…While readers needn’t be LEGO fans to admire David’s ingenuity, fellow builders may be inspired to dream up their own inventions.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Readers will cheer for Aguilar and relate to him as he shares conversational stories about growing up, playing sports, and struggling with school. Family is at the heart of his story, and the endless support and advocacy of his parents, in particular, make this a sweet and uplifting story. Young readers will identify with this creative young person and will question society’s definition of “normal.” —School Library Journal
About the Authors:
David Aguilar and his father, Ferran Aguilar, are from Andorra, in Europe. David was born missing part of one arm. At the age of nine, he designed his first prosthesis with LEGO bricks, and in high school he built the next generation, which he named the MK-1. David’s father encouraged him to make a video about his prosthesis and the huge role that LEGOs played in his life, and posted it on social media, where it went viral and changed both of their lives. In addition to telling his story in this book, David is also the protagonist of the Spanish documentary Mr. Hand Solo, which won the award for best documentary at the Boston Science Fiction Film festival. David is currently developing his own brand, Hand Solo, which will aim to benefit various organizations for the disabled and fight against the stigma of “diff-ability,” as he calls it. Follow David and Ferran on Twitter @Handsolooficial and @AguilarFerran.
Lawrence Schimel is a bilingual author who writes in both Spanish and English, with more than one hundred books to his credit. He is also a prolific literary translator, into English and into Spanish. His translated books include Wanda Gág’s Millions of Cats; George Takei’s graphic novel They Called Us Enemy; and Some Days, written and illustrated by María Wernicke; among many others. He lives in Madrid, Spain. Follow him on Twitter @lawrenceschimel.
Review: This memoir about David’s early life growing up with one arm and overcoming everything that others, and sometimes himself, thought he couldn’t do is not only a great read, but it is hilarious too. It is an extra plus that this book was a memoir, written by David, as it gave true insight and his voice was a pleasure!
As you read, you will enter into David’s family and get to know all who love him and help him navigate our able bodied-centered world. He tells his story with grace and humor. The anecdotes of his life add a deeper connection from reader to David and by the end you truly feel like you know him.
On top of that, David is a fantastic engineer, inventor, and imagineer! Anyone reading will be so fascinated with what he builds and accomplishes,
Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This book will be a great addition to any memoir text set or lit circle set. It also will find its place in public, school, and classroom libraries.
Discussion Questions:
- Who in David’s younger life do you think best helped him see that he was not at a disadvantage in life?
- If David didn’t want a prosthetic arm, why did he build one out of LEGO?
- What does David’s story teach you about assumptions of people?
- How do you think David’s humor and positive outlook on life helped him navigate life and succeed as he has?
- Why do you think David decided to co-write this book with his dad?
- Of David’s accomplishments, which do you find the most impressive?
- Why do you think David decided to tell his story?
Flagged Passages:
LACES
One day, many years later, as I was leaving school, one of my classmates saw me fiddling with the car keys.
“You drive?” he asked me, surprised.
“Um . . .” I was caught unaware, because what was so strange about my driving? “Yeah, of course, tío. I repeated a year. I’m eighteen already. I got my license over the break.”
More than clarifying things, I seemed to confuse him even more. He wrinkled his brow so much I thought his forehead might cave in. Only then did I begin to realize
what was going through his head.
It wasn’t long before he verbalized it: “But . . . how do you drive?” His gaze indicated my missing arm.
I smiled. By then I already had an answer for everything. “With my hand, of course!” I said, raising my left arm.
“But how do you shift gears?”
I smiled even more. “With my mouth!”
He was flabbergasted, and I got into the car. I turned on the ignition and pulled out, leaving him there with his mouth open. Did he really not know that automatic cars
exist, without any need to shift gears? But no, I knew, as I had known my whole life, that what was really difficult to know—and especially to understand—is how someone
who is not like you can do the same things you can.
I know this very well, believe me, because this was exactly my parents’ challenge. And also mine. It was for a long time. I don’t blame people or myself. Speaking clearly, what happens is that there is no one to blame: there is just ignorance, and prejudices, and loneliness. Dark nights, entire afternoons filled with worry. How would David get
ahead? What would become of him?
Read This If You Love: Memoirs
Recommended For:
**Thank you to Barbara at Blue Slip Media for providing a copy for review!**
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 12/5/22
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
Sharing Picture Books, Early Readers, Middle Grade Books, and Young Adult Books for All Ages!
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly blog hop co-hosted by Unleashing Readers and Teach Mentor Texts which focuses on sharing books marketed for children and young adults. It offers opportunities to share and recommend books with each other.
The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.
We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up below, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs.
Happy reading!
Tuesday: Dark on Light by Dianne White, Illustrated by Felicita Sala
Friday: The Little Bad Book 2 by Magnus Myst
Sunday: Follow That Line!: Magic at Your Fingertips by JaNay Brown-Wood, Illustrated by Rob Justus
**Click on any picture/link to view the post**
Kellee
I haven’t updated since 11/7, so there is a lot to share!
- A Man and his Cat Vol 1 by Umi Sakurai: Like the Gamer + Cat series, this is a story about a new cat owner learning the joys and humor of owning a cat. I love this duo–I will definitely read more!
- Meesh the Bad Demon by Michelle Lam: I love this debut about judging differences and finding friends with those who you don’t expect. I was a huge fan of the art style, too–it was so much fun to read.
- The Moth Keeper by Kay O’Neill: This graphic novel is beautiful and is all about found family and friendship. I loved following Anya’s journey.
- Bea Wolf by Zach Weinersmith: This is such a clever retelling of Beowulf where the adults are the monsters and the kids must protect their tree house. Kids and adults alike will love this book.
- Squire and Knight by Scott Chantler: So many of us have met people that take credit for things that they didn’t do–this is a story just as that where the knight, who claims to be a hero, needs his squire who he often looks down on. Filled with monsters and magic, this graphic novel is a fun read.
- Belle of the Ball by Mari Costa: A realistic fiction romance book about the quiet and smart Belle who starts tutoring the girlfriend of her crush leading to awkward but also wonderful situations as all 3 of the girls get to know each other.
- Rosa Parks & Claudette Colvin by Tracey Baptiste, Illustrated by Shauna J. Grant: I am so glad that this History Comic focuses on Claudette first to show her activism and share what happens to her. Great biographies of these two women and a historical account of the times, which I wasn’t worried about with Baptiste writing it!
- Travis Daventhrope for the Win! by Wes Molebash: Fans of HiLo are going to love this book! This is a hilarious, sci-fi graphic novel with a main character and sidekick that all readers will root for.
- Grace Needs Space! by Alison Wilgus, Illustrated by Rii Abrego: I loved both the story and artwork of this book! Grace is so excited to hang out with her “fun” mom instead of being with her overbearing mom, but it doesn’t end up being what she expected at all. This leads to Grace searching for her own adventure which leads to the rest of the story.
- Unretouchable by Sofia Szamosi: Whoa–this look into fashion and photography, including body image, eating disorders, and photoshopping, dives into this world of harm, specifically around social media, in a way like I haven’t read before. An important message in an emotional graphic novel.
- The Big Adventures of Babymouse: Once Upon a Messy Whisker by Jennifer L. Holm, Illustrated by Matthew Holm: It was so great to get back into the world of Babymouse! Like her other books, this is full of imagination and fun. This time, Babymouse is questioning her messy whiskers, but there’s more to them than she realizes.
- Harold the Iceberg Melts Down by Lisa Wyzlic, Illustrated by Rebecca Syracuse: I am so proud of Lisa for this book! It is such a cute story and the illustrations are perfect for the story! I love that the book is a mix of silly and serious and has a message that many kids will connect with.
- We Are Here by Tami Charles, Illustrated by Bryan Collier: I was so lucky to have Bryan Collier and Tami Charles share this beautiful book and message at NCTE. It is a must get!
- Best Wishes by Sarah Mlynowski: I am a HUGE fan of Mlynowski’s other fantasy series (Upside Down Magic & Whatever After), so I was so excited to read the first book in a new series for her. Like her others, it was so engaging and easy to connect with.
- Speak Up, Speak Out!: The Extraordinary Life of Fighting Shirley Chisholm by Tonya Bolden: I reviewed this before break.
- Love Radio by Ebony LaBelle: Alternating narration between Prince and Dani as they get to know each other lends itself to this story that is more than other high school love stories–it is a coming of age story full of support, music, books, passion, family, and friends.
- Spy Camp by Stuart Gibbs: Book two of the series took Ben to camp where SPYDER follows causing quite a catastrophe.
- The Gingerbread Witch by Alexandra Overy: This fairy tale-esque was different than I expected, in a good way! It was more. More than just a retelling or reimagining, it is a story about finding your power when no one else believes in you. It also shows you that friendship sometimes come from those you least expect.
- New Kids & Under Dogs by Margaret Finnegan: I’ll be reviewing this soon 🙂
- Piece by Piece by David Aguilar & Ferran Aguilar, Translated by Lawrence Schimel: I’ll be reviewing this soon 🙂
- Attack of the Black Rectangles by Amy Sarig King: This book is an automatic favorite and was exactly what I needed right now with everything going on here in Florida. Amy King brilliantly took something that happened to her son and turned it into a call to action about the censorship and other mandates. You need to read this. Now.
- I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy: I loved this book. Well, as much as you can love a book that made you cry and infuriated you and made you want to be able to find the stranger you are reading about and give her a hug. And the audio, read by Jennette, made it even more impactful.
To learn more about any of these books, check out my 2022 Goodreads Challenge page or my read bookshelf on Goodreads.
Ricki
This is my week off; I’ll see you on here next week!
Kellee
- Listening to: Paradise on Fire by Jewell Parker Rhodes
- Reading: That’s Not What Happened by Kody Keplinger
Tuesday: Piece by Piece: How I Built My Life (No Instructions Required) by David Aguilar & Ferran Aguilar, Translated by by Lawrence Schimel
Thursday: Magnolia Flower by Zora Neale Hurston, Adapted by Ibram X. Kendi, Illustrated by Loveis Wise
Saturday: The Atlas Obscura’s Guide for the World’s Most Adventurous Kid by Dylan Thuras & Rosemary Mosco, Illustrated by Joy Ang
Sunday: Author Guest Post by Josh Funk, Author of The Great Caper Caper
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!
and