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.
Ricki
Ricki is currently away on maternity leave! She has lined up reviews for the time she is away. While spending time with the newest member of her family, she is also working hard on completing her dissertation and is trying to focus her time accordingly. Ricki is looking forward to returning to share books with you all! Happy reading!
CONGRATULATIONS
KATIE
for winning the Pug Meets Pig giveaway package!
&
DEBRA
for winning a copy of Antsy Ansel!
Last Week’s Posts
**Click on any picture/link to view the post**
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday: Villains We Love to Hate
Wednesday: Animal Planet’s Wild Animals and Farm Animals
Thursday: Juana & Lucas by Juana Medina
Friday: Teaching Guide for Sophie Quire and the Last Storyguard by Jonathan Auxier
Last Week’s Journeys
Kellee
Well, I had an unexpected long weekend because of that crazy Hurricane Matthew (thankful we, and everyone I know, are safe!), and I decided to take it as a reading and relaxing weekend instead of doing any work. I felt like a rebel! That meant that I did finish THREE novels in two days though! And I am feeling a bit better as I was worried I wasn’t going to finish by NCTE/ALAN novels in a timely manner, but now I only have 3 left to read in 3 weeks. Much better of a prognosis!
Jess has recently began hormones and her transition, and she hasn’t talked to her father since he told her what she was doing was a choice and overall didn’t understand. Now that he is getting married, Jess and her best friend, Chunk, are going on a road trip to his wedding to show him who Jess really is. But this story isn’t as it seems. It is definitely a journey for the characters and the reader.
This novel is very different than Tim Federle’s Nate books; however, there is one thing that is very much in common: the brilliance of the protagonist’s voice. Quinn’s story is one of grief and climbing out of the ditch that grief can bury you in. (I don’t like that he is compared to Holden Caulfield. Not because I don’t like Catcher in the Rye, I do, but Quinn is himself. And I didn’t find many comparisons between the two.)
Far From Fair is going to be a novel that a kid is going to need, and it’ll be there for them. Odette’s story deals with so many truths within the pages. Odette’s family is going on a road trip. Not for fun, but because her dad was laid off, and they had to sell their house. They decided to buy an RV and go visit Odette’s sick grandmother then go on an adventure. None of this was discussed with Odette, who really doesn’t want to live in an RV with her brother who could have a fit at any moment and her parents that are having marital difficulties. Much less leave her best friend and school! But sometimes you are not in control of what is happening, so you have to make the best of it.
Trent and I also read One Day, The End by Rebecca Kai Dotlich and illustrated by Fred Koehler. This is a special book because it definitely adds to the discussion of visual story telling and how illustrations add to a story. Koehler’s illustrations are so much fun, and the premise of the book is so fresh. (Dotlich is becoming a new favorite author!!
Although I am not the audience for these books, and I am actually not doodling in the books because I want to save it for my son–I WANT TO BE! The Doodle Adventure books are books that I wish I had when I was a kid. I loved writing and illustrating my own stories, and MAN! elementary-aged Kellee would definitely have loved to go on these Doodle Adventures with Carl.
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This Week’s Expeditions
Kellee
Because of a short week at school, I didn’t make it as far as I’d hoped in Echo, so I am actually looking forward to my drive today, so I can get further into the story!
The next novel I am going to dive into is Could and Wallfish by Anne Nesbet about the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Upcoming Week’s Posts
Tuesday: Teaching Guide for The Hat Trilogy by Jon Klassen
Wednesday: Never Insult a Killer Zucchini! by Elana Azose and Brandon Amancio
Thursday: A Parade of Puppies by Charles Ghigna
Friday: Celebration of Music: Jukebox by David Merveille & Dan, The Taxi Man by Eric Ode
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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How great that you turned this weekend into a good thing, Kellee! All those books sound good. I just got Tim Federle’s book from the library, and look forward to it. I love One Day, think it’s brilliant for so many uses in a workshop, and loved Cloud & Wallfish. Hope you have another good week!
I always love unexpected reading time 🙂
I agree about One Day, and I expect I am going to love Cloud.
Enjoy Great American Whatever! The voice is so strong.
Far From Fair was sad but hopeful. I’ve had several readers enjoy it. Love to see it nominated for the Cybils!
http://www.cybils.com/2016/10/and-go-cybils-nominations-are-open.html
I agree about Far From Fair. I loved its realism yet hopefulness.
Thank you for the nomination link!
I am getting a great number of ideas from your blog for reading, as well as purchases for our library. Our collection is need of updating. We have a good base but it needs some fleshing out with more modern literature. I’m very curious about Echo and Cloud and Wallfish. I’m looking forward to reading both of those. We also just received the Jon Klaasen book at the library as well. Great post and have a wonderful week!
Bill, I am so happy that we are useful! Echo is a definite must have for all libraries! I’ll let you know about Cloud and Wallfish.
If you ever need any help, let me know 🙂
I hope you love Cloud and Wallfish! It has so much information in it, I can really see how the author put so much into this novel.
Glad you guys are safe. Orlando certainly got rain!
I cannot wait to read it. I LOVE good historical fiction!
Yes, rain we did get (and a bit of wind). But I am so thankful for the lack of anything else really.
I have heard good things about The Great American Whatever – all of the books you finished sound really good!
Enjoy the rest of Echo – it is sooo good! I loved the way the music was woven into the story on the audio.
Sue
Book By Book
Great American Whatever is definitely a must read. Though I may say that about anything Tim Federle writes 🙂
I am so enjoying Echo! I cannot believe I abandoned it at some point! It is so perfect.
I am really looking forward to reading CLOUD AND WALLFISH. I love reading anything about Berlin. It’s my favorite city in the world.
I want to go visit there! And I am looking forward to learning and reading about it.
Yay for unexpected reading time! I have heard good things about One Day, The End. I need to grab it sometime. I bought it last year when a teacher requested it. Thanks for the reminder.
It is a quick, fun read 🙂
And unexpected reading time may just be my favorite thing ever!
I was lucky enough to get a copy of Far From Fair at ILA, but I haven’t gotten to it yet. I love One Day, The End, and you will love Echo! Thanks for hosting, and happy reading!
You are a rebel! I spent all day Friday grading, sigh.
I’m glad you were able to carve out some reading time and enjoy the unexpected day off, though.