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**
Tuesday: Top Books We Want to Read That We Heard About at NCTE/ALAN
Wednesday: On the Construction Site by Carron Brown
Thursday: The Secret Side of Empty by Maria E. Andreu
Friday: Noodles’ and Albie’s Birthday Surprise by Eric Bennett
Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Tricky Gods” by Dorothy A. Winsor, Author of Deep as a Tomb
Last Week’s Journeys
Kellee
I read some phenomenal nonfiction this week! First I read two titles from National Geographic that I highly recommend! First, Dining with Dinosaurs is a must buy for any dinosaur fan. It is a fascinating look at the different categories of -vores and how dinosaurs fit into them. I also read Arabian Nights by Donna Jo Napoli. This short story anthology of Arabian mythology was fascinating, captivating, and beautifully written and illustrated. The layers of themes and stories built upon each other to create a collection that is a wonderful introduction to true traditional literature.
In addition to these two NF texts, I began trying to catch up on the 2016 nonfiction texts that my friends Aly and Michele are listing as in the running for the Sibert. This is my first year not taking part in the Mock Sibert with Aly of Kid Lit Frenzy because I just hadn’t read enough 2016 NF during the year, but as soon as Michele and Aly put out their lists (here, here, here, and here), I started requesting titles from my library. I have gotten through four of the titles so far, but I will definitely be reading more this week. I highly recommend all four, but my favorite so far has to be Ada’s Violin by Susan Hood.
Ricki
This week, I’ve been rereading a lot of picture books with Henry. He’s asked me to reread Shivery Shades of Halloween by Mary McKenna Siddals and Shy by Deborah Freedman. He’s also strangely obsessed with the new graphic novel, Fish Girl by David Wiesner and Donna Jo Napoli. He isn’t the target audience, but he loves it.
A few books that I am considering using in my Teaching of Language Arts course that I am rereading are They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel, Love That Dog by Sharon Creech, and Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson. I have others on my list of books to re-read, but I decided to get an early jump on these.
This Week’s Expeditions
Kellee
I am definitely going to read more nonfiction before next week. I’ll have my Sibert prediction for you then. I have at least four more to read including Jazz Day by Roxane Orgill and Giant Squid by Candace Fleming.
I just started Mexican Whiteboy by Matt de la Peña which is on my #mustreadin2016 list, and I am sucked in. After I finish this, I have a pile of #mustreadin2016 titles, Mock Newbery titles, and books I need to read for review; I’ll let you know what I am able to get to.
Ricki
I’ve been doing some traveling this week, and I have been enjoying For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood…And the Rest of Y’all Too: Reality Pedagogy and Urban Education by Christopher Emdin.
Upcoming Week’s Posts
Tuesday: Ten Books We Wouldn’t Mind Santa Bringing Our Boys
Wednesday: How the World Was: A California Childhood by Emmanuel Guiber
Friday: Wishapick by M.M. Allen
Sunday: MERRY CHRISTMAS to all of our friends and followers who celebrate!
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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Ricki, I have used Love that Dog for years to structure a poetry unit for third grade. Let me know if you want more details than http://www.thelogonauts.com/2015/01/love-that-dog.html
Thank you, Katie! We use it as a read-aloud to get students thinking about mentor texts, but I am excited to delve into your post!
I use Love That Dog also! I love how it teaches poetry 🙂
Thanks for including our links 🙂 You read some amazing nonfiction! I’m going to post my official Sibert guesses the week before. I’m excited to do some Mock Sibert things with my students when we go back.
I have Barkus and Charlie and Mouse to read! I’m so excited for them – we need more early chapter books!
I won’t complete my #mustreadin2016 but I’m going to keep trying! Between those and some state list reading and upcoming books….
I won’t complete mine either, but that’s the fun in it. I read many more books that I’ve been meaning to read this year. The list pushes that. I can’t help but be distracted by the new, shiny books we get at the conferences! I just look to achieve balance between the old and the new!
You’re welcome! I was sad that I couldn’t take part like I used to, but this way I can try to catch up before the announcement.
I sadly had to push back the Barkus and Charlie & Mouse posts, but they are wonderful, and I cannot wait to share them!
I will not finish my #mustread list either, but I am hoping to get close 🙂 But I, too, have other reading I want to do: Mock Newbery and State List.
It seems like I’ll be on a Donna Jo Napoli reading binge soon. You both mentioned books by her I want to read!
Ah! I didn’t even notice this!
Wow, so many great books between the two of you this week! I haven’t read any of the titles you mentioned, but they all look good!
Super busy here & both sons AND husband home now for the holidays…so I don’t expect to have much time for blogging (or quiet time!) for awhile (though I hope to squeeze in a little of both).
Enjoy your books this week –
Sue
Book By Book
Enjoy the holidays with those boys! I hope you get some quiet time to read!
Happy holidays with your family! 🙂
I also haven’t read enough nonfiction this year. Feels so wrong but with such a year, something had to give. Excited to see the titles you both include for Top Ten Tuesday tomorrow!
I’ve gone a bit nuts with nonfiction this year, but my fiction dipped a tiny bit. I suppose we can’t have it all!
I hadn’t either, Carrie, so I understand! Sometimes you have to pick and choose. That’s why when I saw Aly and Michele’s lists, I picked up the ones I really wanted to read.
I want to read a few of those NF titles too. The one about springs looks fun. I love Ada’s Violin.
Those books you’re re-reading for the Lang. Arts class are some of my favorites Ricki.
Kellee, how I love synchronicity. I had never heard of Donna Jo Napoli and then Ms Yingling mentioned her to me and here you are reading one of her books! Unfortunately this title isn’t available at my library. I think I’m going to start off by reading her Norse collection. Have you read anything else?
Ricki, I am sad that Fish Girl isn’t yet available but I am looking forward to seeing what David Wiesner does with a graphic novel.
I hope you both have wonder filled reading holidays.