It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!
It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme started by Sheila at Book Journeys and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It’s also a great chance to see what others are reading right now…you just might discover the next “must-read” book!
Kellee and Jen, of Teach Mentor Texts, decided to give It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit – join us! We love this meme and think you will, too.
We encourage everyone who participates to support the blogging community by visiting at least three of the other book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.
CONGRATULATIONS,
MICHELE,
for winning a copy of Coyote Moon!!!
Last Week’s Posts
**Click on any picture/link to view the post**
Tuesday: Ten Books We’d Buy Right This Second If Someone Handed Us A Fully Loaded Gift Card
Wednesday: Student Survey: Are Classroom Libraries Beneficial?
Thursday: Pirasaurs Attack Tour!: Preview of Pirasuars by Josh Funk
Friday: Top Checked Out Books by Kellee’s Middle School Readers (2015-2016)
Last Week’s Journeys
Kellee
As promised last week, I couldn’t resist reading the new Harry Potter book.
I didn’t know what to expect from The Cursed Child, but I hoped to be swept back into Harry’s world, and I was not disappointed. Although reading a screenplay is so different from reading a novel, by the end of the first Act, I was all in and couldn’t stop reading. I love that the play explores the character’s weaknesses and love and friendship. I love that the play is accessible for those who may not have read the other books. I love that I could go visit Hogwarts again. I love that Scorpius is such a wonderful person. I love that the story is still about goodness and strength and hope.
The Marvels by Brian Selznick was my Big Book of Summer (hosted by Sue at Book by Book). Brian Selznick is brilliant at what he does. He has perfected the ability to intertwine the magic of wordless picture books with prose. Each of Selznick’s books that have mixed wordless pictures with prose have been set up differently (Hugo Cabret used pictures to enhance the story, Wonderstruck told one story in words and one in pictures), and Marvels was no different. The first 400 pages of the book are a tragic story of a world famous family of actors starting in the 1700s. We are then transported to the 1990s and meet Joseph who has run away to try to find a place where he is accepted. About halfway through Joseph’s story you learn how the words and pictures connect, but it isn’t until the end until each story is concluded. Beautiful!
I love taking Trent to the library and letting him pick out his own books to bring home and read. These were his choices from the last time that we went. We’ve had them for a few weeks, and he has been browsing them and reading them to himself, but this week we sat down and read them all together. I love how engaged he gets with books (well, the ones he likes) now. He asks so many questions! In I’m Not Sleepy by Jonathan Allen he was trying to distinguish between the owls and the woodpecker then between the mom owl and the dad owl. In Hello, World! he said every translation of “Hello!” that I said. Emma by Paola Opal and One Sheep, Blue Sheep by Thom Whiley were a lot of counting and colors. And Time to Build by Kate Riggs took the longest because he was so interested in every tool it talked about as well as what a tree house was.
We also got some new books! Trent definitely is the happiest when playing with cars, trucks, or trains (or talking about them or reading about them), so we got some new books that he loves as much as I hoped he would. First were two train books. Trainbots Miranda Paul was introduced to me at ALA, and I knew he would love it. We read this at the ENT on Thursday. Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo by Kevin Lewis was inspired by Chelsea Clinton. I not only love the story she told about it, but I also knew Trent would love to read it and make the train noises. We also got two truck books. How to Track a Truck by Jason Carter Eaton became an instant favorite. It is about tracking a truck to become your pet. It is so clever, and I love the illustrations by John Rocco. With Any Luck I’ll Drive a Truck by David Friend is a truck fans dream! These two books are must haves if you have (a) vehicle-obsessed kid(s) like mine.
Ricki
It’s a good thing you have Kellee this week! I spent the week transcribing my interviews for my dissertation. I am really excited that I am almost done with this stage. I’ve spent over 100 hours transcribing this summer, so my head is full of good information that I am excited to report about multicultural young adult literature. 🙂 I did make some progress on several of the books I am reading, but I didn’t finish any!
This Week’s Expeditions
Kellee
It preplanning at school, so I am not sure how much I am going to get read, but I will start listening to audiobooks on the way to work again. I am not sure what one I am going to start with.
I do hope to at least finish Jedi Academy: A New Class by Jarrett J. Krosoczka because I’ve started it and am loving it so far (though it made me realize that I only read #1 of the original Jeffrey Brown series!). I just recently watched the newest Star Wars movie, so everything is fresh in my mind 🙂
Ricki
My GOODNESS this book (Knockout Games) is good. I started listening to it on audio. I am about 3/4 of the way through, and I am hooked. This is my first G. Neri book, and it won’t be my last.
I am savoring Kids of Appetite by David Arnold. It is such a fabulously written book. I am really looking forward to writing a full review.
Henry and I made it halfway through The Tale of Desperaux by Kate DiCamillo. I think I may have hit a roadblock with him because he wants more pictures. He promises me that we can read more tonight, but 2.5-year-olds aren’t exactly consistent. Cross your fingers for me.
Upcoming Week’s Posts
Monday PM: Special Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Announcement!
Tuesday: What a Beautiful Morning by Arthur A. Levine
Wednesday: Picture Books 10 for 10: Ten Must-Have Picture Books for the Secondary Classroom
Thursday: The Memory of Things by Gae Polisner
Friday: Still a Work in Progress by Jo Knowles
Sunday: Author Guest Post
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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I think I need to read The Cursed Child and that new David Arnold book. Thanks for all the books for younger children, Kellee. I have favorites, but it’s good to see some new titles. Have a great week you all!
Yes, please read it! It is fantastic!
If you are a HP fan, it is a must 🙂
Kellee, it looks like you and Trent have had a fabulous reading week. I swear I must be the only person in the world who is not crazy about Harry Potter. Someday baby I will give them another try. Her wrong for audiobooks! I just finished Turtle in Paradise. If you haven’t read that one it is great as an audiobook.
Ricki, I’m glad the transcribing is almost over. When I worked on film about what teacher librarians do, we ended up paying someone to transcribe the interviews. Just reading the pages and pages of text was exhausting!
I think a lot of us had to read The Cursed Child! The Marvels was interesting, but like all Selznick books, I find myself asking “If this didn’t have pictures, would kids pick this up?” The stories are always rather odd. I remember reading The Borrowers to my daughters when they were very young, and they could sit still for that. And oddly, The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew, but normally picture books were easier to get through!
I love Selznick’s writing. I guess I haven’t ever considered what they’d be like without pictures because the pictures are woven so deeply into the story. It would be like considering a graphic novel without the artwork, for me. It’s an interesting thought! You got me thinking!
The Cursed Child is such an interesting story! Even though it is a bit different, I think it is an interesting addition to the HP world.
Archon,book 2 of the Psi Chronicles.I loved Freakling and am hoping Archon is as good or better.
Sounds like we picked a similar theme for #pb10for10. Looking forward to comparing picks!
Oh, goodie!!
Can’t wait to see yours!
Kellee, you have a vehicle obsessed kid? I had no idea! Hee hee!
I’ll let you know my thoughts on HP once I’m home and I get it.
Ricki, I’m looking forward to Kids of Appetite. It’s on my TBR already, glad to know it’s good!
Thanks for the copy of Coyote Moon! I’m looking forward to it.
And I can’t wait to see your 10for10 list. That sounds like a much needed list.
I adored it. It is such a thought-provoking book. I hope you enjoy it, too!
Nah. He just likes them a little bit 😉
I can’t wait to hear your thoughts!
I haven’t gotten my copy yet of A Cursed Child, but I am looking forward to it. I was so excited when I went to by garden plants and the girl who checked me out was reading it.
I always giggle when I read “checked me out” because people who like books very clearly mean something different than the rest of the world. 🙂
And I’m looking forward to your thoughts 🙂
I know SO many people who are reading The Cursed Child now, including my step-mother who we visited this weekend 🙂
Congrats on finishing your Big Book, Kellee! The Marvels is one of MY Big Books for this summer, too – I hope to squeeze it in later this month! Can;t wait – I absolutely loved Wonderstruck.
Good luck with Tale of Desperaux, Ricki!
Hope you both enjoy your books this week –
Sue
2016 Big Book Summer Challenge
I need to tackle a Big Book still! I just finished one that is 350. Darn. I just missed it! This dissertation is cramping my style!
Thank you, Sue! I was so happy to get to it before going back to work! I was worry I wouldn’t have time. 🙂
I still need to read Chugga Chugga. I’m a sucker for public book recs!
Me, too! Kellee inspired me. 🙂
Me, too! 🙂 Chugga Chugga is cute–Trent really loves it, so I can see why Charlotte Clinton would 🙂
I need to grab Chugga Chugga. I had never even heard of it before Chelsea Clinton’s speech. That was a lot of reading Kellee!
Congrats on making progress on your dissertation Ricki. It sounds like something I’d actually want to read. 😉
Thanks, Crystal! You and I seem to have similar interests. <3
I’m also posting about The Memory of Things this week.
So excited that All American Boys won the Walden Award. Can’t wait to hear Jason and Brendan speak at ALAN!
I need to get my hands on a copy of Chugga Chugga Choo Choo. My library doesn’t have one, unfortunately.
I am so excited, too! That book rocks my world.
The Memory of Things was a fun post to write. That book is fantastic!
All American Boys is genius! So exciting!
Kellee – we bought The Cursed Child and my daughter quickly made off with it! One day I might get to read it! Ricki – congratulations on being close to being done a certain stage. It will feel so amazing when you are totally finished! What an accomplishment.
Thank you for your review of The Cursed Child. I’ll admit to being a little hesitant to try it. I love that the themes are goodness and strength and hope. We could all use more of those themes right now.
Hi there Ricki! Best of luck with your transcribing – that is immensely difficult, but I prefer doing my own transcribing myself, it helps me clarify my thinking and the themes emerge from the process of doing it as well – it will pay off in the end, and I am glad that you are very excited about your research findings! I would soon be transcribing my own interview with Benjamin Alire Saenz for the White Ravens Festival in Munich and very excited to submit it to a potential journal/magazine for possible publication. 🙂
Hi Kellee, loved seeing Trent’s choices! Kids grow up soooo very quickly! Thank you for sharing his book choices!