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.
Last Week’s Posts
**Click on any picture/link to view the post**
Wednesday: National Geographic’s 125 Wacky Roadside Attractions
Thursday: Selfies in the Wild by C.L. Murphy
Friday: The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles by Michelle Cuevas
Last Week’s Journeys
Kellee
This was a much better week for me. I think part of it was that the kids are there, so I feel like all of the work has a purpose. Also, I must be getting used to my schedule because I’m finding time to read.
The new Jedi Academy book is a great addition to the series. Though it is a companion and done by a different author (Jarrett Krosoczka vs. Jeffrey Brown) the feeling and humor of the original series is there yet it still has its own personality. This book will definitely not last long on the shelves!
I then read a very special present I received from a very special author. Oh guys, Pirasaurs! is as good as you think it’ll be. If you don’t have an opinion, check out our preview post, and you’ll predict that it is good–and it is! Preorder this one! (Review closer to its publication date.)
Upside Down Magic: Stick and Stones by the brilliant E. Lockhart, Lauren Myracle, and Sarah Mlynowski is just as good as the first and will leave you excited for a third. I love this cast of characters, and I couldn’t help already talking about this one in class because I think it has such middle school relevance.
The Curse of the Were-Hyena by Bruce Hale is the first in a new series that takes place in a town where monsters run amok. The premise reminds me a bit of Bailey School Kids, but these are for a bit older kids, so they’ll make a perfect ladder up. (Review coming soon!)
Fantastic Beasts is worth reading just for the intro and Harry’s notes inside. I actually found the rest of it (classifications of all the magical creatures) a bit dry (it is supposed to be a textbook…), but the intro and Harry’s notes add a bit of fun.
I never know what to recommend to my graphic novel readers after they’ve read all of the Amulet series and all of Doug TenNapel’s books. This is it. HiLo is a book that so many of my kids are going to love. It is going to be passed around just like their other favorite GNs are.
Ricki
My heart feels full after reading Josh Funk’s Pirasaurs! I knew it would be fantastic (as all of his work is), but this exceeded even my highest expectations. This book is going to be an absolute favorite amongst kids. After I finished reading it to my toddler, he said, “AGAIN, PLEASE!” I can’t wait to review this book next week. In case you missed it, you can see our preview post for this great text! Like Kellee, I highly recommend pre-ordering this book!
Continuing with my project to read more Muslim/Islamic literature, I finished I Love I Hate I Miss My Sister by Amélie Sarn. This is a short book that hit me very hard. It begins with the death of the narrator’s sister, who was a year younger than her. The sisters are high schoolers living in France and share very different religious values. I won’t say more, but the story sent me reeling.
I simply adored this book (Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm). I know many of my fellow bloggers have raved about it, and I can see why. It is set in the mid-1970s, and the illustrations and dialogue are very, very funny, despite the heavy plot line that lingers in the background. This is a great text for classrooms. I am very happy it was on my #mustreadin2016 list!
This Week’s Expeditions
Kellee
In my quest to read all of our SSYRA 6-8 books (our state reading list), I began listening to All Fall Down by Ally Carter. So far, I am still in the expedition, but I like Grace’s voice and guts, so I have a feeling I am going to like it.
I plan on reading some graphic novels this week because I have them in my house, and I want to get them into students’ hands, but I also plan on reading Wishapick: Tickety Boo and the Black Trunk which looks like The Spiderwick Chronicles (I’ll let you know!).
I also keep promising my friend that I’ll read Story Thieves, so I plan on picking it up before I move on to start reading my books for my NCTE and ALAN presentations and panels.
Ricki
I always see John Howard Griffin’s Black Like Me referenced, and I know it used to be required reading in schools in the 60s. I am reading it right now and finding it to be very, very interesting.
I am halfway through Jo Knowles’ See You at Harry’s, and I love it. I am very glad I put this on my #mustreadin2016 list! I can see why everyone raved about it!
Upcoming Week’s Posts
Tuesday: Ten Books that Have Been on our TBR Shelf Since Before we Started Blogging
Wednesday: National Geographic’s Real or Fake
Thursday: Dear Dragon by Josh Funk
Friday: Blog Tour with Author Guest Post, Review, and Giveaway!: Busy Builders, Busy Week!by Jean Reidy
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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Can’t wait to read both of Josh Funk’s new books, and thanks for I Love, I Hate, I miss My Sister, Ricki. So many good books available. I loved One For The Murphy’s, some surprises there! Have a happy week both of you!
I hope you love his new books as much as I did! If you read I Love, I Hate, I Miss My Sister, please let me know. I really enjoyed it!
I read See You At Harry’s a couple of years ago, and it left me BAWLING. Such a beautiful, wonderful book.
Okay, so prepare for a sad ending. I got it! Actually, don’t respond to this. I don’t want to ruin the ending. 🙂 🙂
Both of you have convinced me that Pirosaurus is one I must read. I’m looking forward to it. Kellee, I first read Magical Beasts in one of those long waiting periods between books in the series when anything from Hogwarts was welcome! Rikki, I found a book that fits in with your Islamic/Muslim lit theme. Have you encountered It Ain’t So Awful Falafel yet? It’s set in the 1970’s but still seems so relevant to immigrant issues today.
No! I haven’t encountered that book! I am adding it to my list right now! Thank you, Kay!
Glad you enjoyed Sunny Side Up. Such a great graphic novel.
I’m looking forward to reading your review of Dear Dragon. I really enjoyed that one this past week.
Me, too. The ending makes me chuckle every time!
Kellee – I enjoyed the first Upside-Down Magic book – glad to hear the rest of the series is just as good! And I liked All Fall Down & thought it was original & exciting – hope you enjoy it!
Ricki – I loved Sunny Side Up! Just the right mix of serious topics and humor. Glad you enjoyed it, too.
So, are you both back to teaching now? Our sons move to college this weekend and start classes next Tuesday.
Enjoy your books this week!
Sue
Book By Book
I am only teaching one college class right now, and it starts next Monday! I am excited!
Isn’t Pirasaurs fun? Kids are going to love this one. I LOVED See You at Harrys but whoa, it’s an emotional one. Can’t wait to get the latest Hilo title for my classroom library!
It seems that everyone is saying that about See You at Harry’s! I guess I am in for a ride coming up!
Pirasaurs Is getting a lot of love this week, so I think I really need to find a copy soon. Unfortunately, I am going to have to wait… I’m next on the list for Stick and Stone and can hardly wait after reading your comments here Kellee.
See you at Harry’s is a tear jerker. I think it is because it is so beautifully written you become those characters. It made me into a Jo Knowles fan.
I love Hilo. It’s super fun. I keep seeing Pirasaurs. It looks funny. Black Like Me is one I’ll have to grab. Loved Sunny Side Up and See You at Harry’s. Both serious, but important and meaningful.