Unleashing Readers

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 1/3/22

August 23, 2023January 3, 2022 by Kellee

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!

Thursday 12/16: Waffles and Pancake: Planetary-Yum by Drew Brockington

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

While we’ve been away, I (Kellee) went on vacation to Colorado, and Ricki and I got to see each other! It was the most wonderful 36 hours with one of my best friends! And the kids had such a blast together! 💖

Kellee

Here’s what I’ve read since I last updated on December 13th:

Dragons in a Bag and The Dragon Thief by Zetta Elliott: Oh how I love these books! What a fun concept with great characters that anyone reading is going to fall in love with. I am so looking forward to the third one coming out! (I loved it so much that I added it to my fantasy/sci-fi book club options for my UCF Children’s Lit class!)
Brilliant Bea by Shaina Rudolph, Illustrated by Mary Vukadinovich: With ALA Youth Media Awards around the corner, I wanted to get some picture book reading in for eligible Schneider Award picture books, and I was so happy to have found Brilliant Bea. What a great character who shows that dyslexia is more than who anyone is.
Another Book About Bears by Laura Bunting, Illustrated by Philip Bunting: I thought this humor was on point, so I look forward to reading more from this duo (I checked out their website and there are so many to choose from!).
Last Gate of the Emperor by Kwame Mbalia and Prince Joel Makonnen: What a fantastic futuristic adventure! I loved how the setting played its own part in the story, the humor that shone throughout, and the character development throughout. I was also lucky enough to write the teaching guide for it which was such a delight!

The Dire Days of Willowweep Manor by Shaenon K. Garrity: This concept is so unique and fun! Gothic novel fan Haley gets swept away to Willowweep Manor and feels like her dreams have come true as she finds herself in a truly gothic setting; however, there is so much more going on than she first realizes!
Sanctuary by Paola Mendez & Abby Sher: Whoa! One of my favorite reads of the year. Period. Dystopian and futuristic in the way that Internment by Samira Ahmed was, in a future just too close for comfort. This story looks at what could happen if we continue to suspect all immigrants instead of becoming inclusive.
The Astonishing Color of After by Emily E.R. Pan: I can see why so many people love this book. It is beautiful. But man, it hit me hard and was just so sad! That may show how well done it is though.
Santa in the City by Tiffany D. Jackson, Illustrated by Reggie Brown: A perfect Christmas Eve read aloud for Trent! And many of the questions asked in the book are ones that Trent is asking about Santa, too.
My City Speaks by Darren Lebeuf, Illustrated by Ashley Barron: Like Brilliant Bea, this book fits Schneider criteria. It is a beautiful look at how a city sounds while a child, who is visually impaired, walks around.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Big Shot by Jeff Kinney: I always read the new Diary of a Wimpy Kid, usually around Thanksgiving, but I hadn’t this year; I am glad I could squeeze it in before the end of the year! (I also want to commend Jeff Kinney for realizing that Greg and Rowley had a toxic relationship and moving away from including it.)
My Brother’s Husband by Gengoroh Tagame: Loved loved loved this story about a single Japanese father who meets his deceased twin brother’s husband for the first time. He must fight his own prejudice and learn to love his brother for who he was.
Smaller Sister by Maggie Edkins Willis: This is a graphic novel you are going to want in your libraries! It is a story of sisterhood as well as body image, anorexia, and disordered eating. It is done so tactfully and within a story that any reader will connect with.
Sayonara Football Vol. 2 by Naoshi Arakawa: Volume 1 ended in such an odd way, I am glad volume 2 picked up right where it left off and cleared things up for me. I think this is going to be a hit manga in my school.
The Snow Fell Three Graves Deep by Allan Wolf: Allan Wolf is a genius. Have you read anything by him yet? If not, fix that. This one or his Titanic novel are brilliant. The way he tackles topics, does research to immerse himself, and can tell stories from so many points of view is just so all encompassing. I mean, some of the points of view in this book, which is about the Donner Party, is from hunger (literal and figurative) and from oxen–it was fascinating to read!

A Night to Die For by Lisa Schroeder: A murder mystery thriller that kept me guessing, and I couldn’t believe the reveal when it was shared. Fans of Karen McManus, Holly Jackson, and Kara Thomas will want to pick this one up!
Shuri by Nic Stone: It is great to see Shuri get her own novel, and it is quite the adventure!

To learn more about any of these books, check out my 2021 Goodreads Challenge page or my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Kellee

Currently, I am not reading anything! I do have 2 teaching guides to work on, and I have some novels I’ve chosen for book clubs in my Children’s Lit class at UCF that I need to reread, but we’ll see what I do this upcoming week as we return to work.

Tuesday: Kellee’s Favorite Books Read in 2021

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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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 12/27/21

December 27, 2021 by Kellee

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
Sharing Picture Books, Early Readers, Middle Grade Books, and Young Adult Books for All Ages!

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.

Happy reading!

We are taking a 2 week Winter Break to be with family and recharge.
We hope that you all are able to do the same!
See you in 2022!

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 12/20/21

December 20, 2021 by Kellee

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
Sharing Picture Books, Early Readers, Middle Grade Books, and Young Adult Books for All Ages!

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.

Happy reading!

We are taking a 2 week Winter Break to be with family and recharge.
We hope that you all are able to do the same!
See you in 2022!

and

Waffles and Pancake: Planetary-YUM by Drew Brockington

January 1, 2022December 16, 2021 by Ricki

Waffles and Pancake: Planetary-YUM
Author: Drew Brockington
Published October 26, 2021 by LBYR

Summary: Inspired by his beloved Catstronauts series, Drew Brockington is going back in time to when everyone’s favorite Catstronaut, Waffles, was a kitten!

One very special Saturday, Dad-Cat decides to take Waffles and his sister Pancake to the big city to go to the science museum! While they’re there, the kittens see extraordinary things, like dino-cats, hairballs in 4D, and even the planetarium. But as the kittens learn about constellations and Neil Pawstrong, they get separated from Dad-Cat. Oh no!

Will the kittens be able to find their (possibly invisible) Dad-Cat? Or will they get stuck living in the museum and eating star tots and tuna melts fur-ever?!

Ricki’s Review: The Catstronaut series is a huge hit in our house, so I was thrilled to receive this book. This prequel is so fun, and I love talking about prequels with students. It inspires so many questions and also reminds readers to think about story context in magnificent ways. My kids love to read books that offer interdisciplinary and nonfiction information, so I was very pleased with this book. It allows for rich opportunities for inquiry. Teachers will find easy connections and teachable moments within this text.

The humor of this text makes it a very fun book to read with kids. My two boys (ages 5 and 8) absolutely loved it.

Kellee’s Review: First, I must share how much Trent loves the Catstronaut series. It was the first series that he found on his own, loved, and even asked his librarian to get the rest of the series for him. When he heard I was going to get and review a Catstronaut prequel, Trent was SO EXCITED! And he loved it, too.

This prequel sets up the stage for the Catstronaut books. It shows where Waffles and Pancakes got their love for science which is a great set up for the main series. I also love that this book is for younger readers so will be a great scaffold.

I also really liked the cross-curricular aspect of the graphic novel. It adds an extra element to it that will lend to it being a great addition to home, classroom, and school libraries.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation:

Read Waffles and Pancake and have students guess what they think the kittens will do when they grow up. Then read the first Catstronauts book, and have students check their prediction.
There is a lot of science in this little book! As reading it, connect science lessons with the book. Topics include: Electric charge, astronomy, constellations, moon landing (history, too!), meteors/meteoroids/meteorites.
Have students look up the closest science museum to them and look at the map. Compare/contrast with the Big City Science Museum. (This read aloud would also be a fun reason to go on a field trip!!)

Discussion Questions:

Waffles and Pancake lose their dad when at the science museum. What did they do that you should always do if you lose your adult?
The author created Waffles as a puppet, who stars in the author’s YouTube drawing show, “Let’s Do Fun Stuff Together.” How does this show inspire you? What kinds of characters can you imagine?
This book is a prequel. If you have read the Catstronaut series, is this what you imagined for the prequel? How might you imagine it differently?

Flagged Passages:

Read This If You Loved: the Castronaut series, the Narwhal & Jelly series, the Elephant & Piggie series

Recommended For:

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**Thank you to Julia at Wunderkind PR for providing a copy for review!**

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 12/13/21

December 13, 2021 by Kellee

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
Sharing Picture Books, Early Readers, Middle Grade Books, and Young Adult Books for All Ages!

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.

Happy reading!

Tuesday: A Seat at the Table: The Nancy Pelosi Story by Elisa Boxer, Illustrated by Laura Freeman

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

Kellee

Redemptor by Jordan Ifueko: I am so glad that I finally listened to this sequel to Raybearer! First, I highly recommend the audiobooks if you are going to read these books–they truly bring it to life! Also, although I was satisfied when Raybearer ended, Redemptor takes Tarisai on her true journey to figure out how she fits. Beautifully crafted in both voice and plot.
Sunny G’s Series of Rash Decisions by Navdeep Singh Dhillon: I was so excited to write a teaching guide for this one, and I cannot wait to share it! I adored the nerdiness of this book–it has cosplay, fandom, and fanfiction references throughout that so many are going to love. Sunny is also such a wonderful character–both caring, funny, but also dealing with some real stuff. I also loved the allusions to rom-coms; it added an extra fun element to it. And on top of the story, I loved the representation in the book and was so happy to read reviews from readers who found themselves reflected in this novel. For me it was a window that I loved looking into, but for those who it is a mirror, it seems to mean a lot.
It Will End Like This by Kyra Leigh: What a messed up book!!!! Like, I don’t even know how to review it other than sharing that if you like psychological thrillers, this book is for you. And when you finish, talk to me because I still have so many questions!
Concealed by Christina Diaz Gonzalez: This book was such a fun book to read with my lunch book club. There were so many twists and turns that it gave us a lot to discuss and predict. The revelations were quite mind-blowing, too; many we did not see coming! This is a book so many middle grade readers are not going to be able to put down!
Treasury of Magical Tales from Around the World by Donna Jo Napoli, Illustrated by Christina Balit: I love the Treasury series from National Geographic because it gives such a beautiful glimpse into whatever the topic of the book is. This one focused on tales from around the world and included stories from 29 places, “from the Arctic to Africa to Asia to Australia to Europe to the Americas.” This book is THE book of magical tales you want on your book shelf for your kids/students as it removes the Eurocentrism of fairy tales and takes readers on a journey through stories all over the world. And it is written by Donna Jo Napoli, so you know it is beautifully crafted! (And there was a review that said the audiobook was good; I now want to go listen to it!)
Waffles and Pancakes: Planetary-Yum by Drew Brockington: Loved this young reader graphic novel that is a prequel to the Catstronaut series. It is going to be a favorite of so many early readers!
Love is Everything by Charles Ghigna, Illustrated by Jacqueline East: Ghigna’s focus on hope and love was so clear from the beginning of this book. Though the text was sparse, it was lyrical which makes from a wonderful read aloud. This new picture book will be a wonderful gift for young ones in our life to show that we love them and believe in them and that there is hope and love in the world. (Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/So0rP_GSESw)
Clean Getaway by Nic Stone: This was a reread for me, but my teacher book club was reading it, so I wanted to be fresh on the details. Although I love the road trip aspect and learning about G’ma’s history in an interracial relationship, I found the closure on it to be unsatisfying (and I cannot tell you why because it is from the end of the book), but I still found the book enjoyable, know students love it, and am glad we read it for book club so I could revisit it.

To learn more about any of these books, check out my 2021 Goodreads Challenge page or my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

It’s finals week, and I am completely swamped, so I have to bow out this week! I will be reviewing on Thursday!

This is our last IMWAYR post for a couple of weeks as we are going to take a Winter Break!
We wish you all happy holidays (if you celebrate), happy winter break (if you get one), and happy new year!

Thursday: Waffles and Pancake: Planetary-Yum by Drew Brockington

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A Seat at the Table: The Nancy Pelosi Story by Elisa Boxer, Illustrated by Laura Freeman

December 7, 2021 by Kellee

A Seat at the Table: The Nancy Pelosi Story
Author: Elisa Boxer
Illustrator: Laura Freeman
Published September 7, 2021

Summary: This inspiring picture-book biography about Nancy Pelosi shows her journey from the child of Baltimore’s mayor to her marble-ceiling-shattering four terms as Speaker of the House, including the historic events of January 6th, 2021.

Nancy Pelosi grew up watching her father, the mayor of Baltimore, welcome in people of all different backgrounds to sit at their table and make their voices heard. Nancy’s mother always stood beside him, working behind the scenes to help her husband and the people he served. When Nancy grew up, she continued working behind the scenes in politics until a friend asked her to run for Congress herself–jump-starting a 33 year career as a political representative and taking her higher than she could have once imagined.

Young girls, especially, will be inspired by Nancy’s journey and her commitment to using her voice to help others and to make sure women are heard in government. The backmatter also includes an exclusive interview with Nancy Pelosi herself.

Praise:

“Pays due homage to its subject.“–Kirkus Reviews

“Sends a resilient message.”–Publishers Weekly

“An accessible introduction with a focus on Pelosi’s influences and role as a woman in politics.”–School Library Journal

About the Author: Elisa Boxer is a Maine-based, Emmy-winning journalist and columnist whose writing has appeared in publications including The New York Times, Inc., and Fast Company. Having worked in newspaper, magazine, and television journalism, Elisa is thrilled to bring her reporting and storytelling skills to the world of children’s literature. She is the author of A Seat at the Table: The Nancy Pelosi Story and The Voice That Won the Vote: How One Woman’s Words Made History.

Marta Álvarez Miguéns is an author and children’s book illustrator living in A Coruña, Spain. In 2007, her artwork was selected and exhibited at the Bratislava Biennial of Illustration (BIB). She illustrated Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist, which was named one of the Best Children’s Books of 2017 by Parents Magazine, and won the Blue Spruce Award in 2018. She also painted the funny and charming illustrations for What Is Poo?, which won the Silver Award at the Junior Design Awards 2017.

About the Illustrator: Laura Freeman received her BFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York City and began her career illustrating for various editorial clients. Laura has illustrated many fine children’s books over the years, including Fancy Party Gowns: The Story of Fashion Designer Ann Cole Lowe, written by Deborah Blumenthal, and the Coretta Scott King Honor book Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race, by Margot Lee Shetterly. Laura now lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband and their two children.

Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Elisa Boxer has crafted a very informative homage to Nancy Pelosi showing her foundation and her ambition. It was wonderful reading about how Pelosi climbed to the top of politics and became the highest-ranked female (until Kamala Harris). I think it is important to note that although we do learn about Nancy Pelosi’s views and most important platforms, the book itself is written as a non-bias biography. This will be a wonderful addition to a picture book biography text set and/or history unit. (And don’t miss out on reading Boxer’s entire interview with Nancy Pelosi at https://elisaboxer.com/nancy-pelosi-interview-elisa-boxer.html.)

Discussion Questions:

How did Nancy’s dad’s job as mayor inspire her?
Although her mother wasn’t in politics, how did her mother inspire Nancy?
How has the view on women changed since Nancy’s childhood?
How did Nancy’s privilege of position help propel her into politics? On the other hand, how did being a woman add obstacles to her journey?
What does the saying “a seat at the table” mean and how does it relate to Nancy’s story?
Why did Nancy change the saying to “marble ceiling” instead of glass?
How did Nancy moving to minority leader in 2011 effect Nancy?
How does the backmatter add to the book?

Flagged Passages:

Listen to a sample of the audiobook HERE.

Read This If You Love: Biography picture books, learning about politics through picture books

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Nicole Banholzer Public Relations for providing a copy for review!**

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 12/6/21

December 6, 2021December 6, 2021 by Kellee

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
Sharing Picture Books, Early Readers, Middle Grade Books, and Young Adult Books for All Ages!

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.

Happy reading!

Thursday: Have You Seen Gordon? by Adam Jay Epstein & Ruth Chan

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

Kellee

Just didn’t get to this IMWAYR before the end of the night Sunday–my apologies!

(I did want to give you an update on my FAME conference though: it was so phenomenal to be back face to face with authors and colleagues, and I learned so much! It was rejuvenating.)

To see what I’ve been reading, check out my 2021 Goodreads Challenge page or my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

I read The 1619 Project: Born on the Water by Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renée Watson. This book is one of the most beautifully done picture books I’ve ever read. The writing is masterful and the illustrations took my breath away. If you haven’t read this important book, I recommend you pick it up today.

Ricki

I am listening to With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo. I read it when it came out, but I wanted to hear Elizabeth Acevedo read the book aloud.

Tuesday: A Seat at the Table: The Nancy Pelosi Story by Elisa Boxer, Illustrated by Laure Freeman

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