It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!
It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. 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!
Jen Vincent, of Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee 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
Tuesday: Last Ten Books We Bought For Our Boys
Thursday: A variety of alternatives to the traditional classroom discussion
**Click on any picture/link to view the post**
Last Week’s Journeys
Kellee: This week I read Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley in preparation for my Twitter book chat on Thursday (#MirandusChat). I am excited to talk about this book. Ricki and I are both reviewing the book on the 30th, so I’ll share my thoughts then. I also read Trashed by Derf Backderf which is a fictionalized account of being a garbageman filled with information about the state of trash in the world. Although very different than My Friend Dahmer, Derf still finds truth in situations that others do not.
In addition to these novels, I read four fiction picture books (see Upcoming Week’s Posts), I am Lucille Ball by Brad Metzer (I’ll be reviewing it in a couple of weeks), and four new-to-us board books from the library with Trent. His favorite that we read was How Fast Can You Go? by Kate Riggs and Millie Goes for a Drive by Peter Curry because they both have things he knows and can point out: cat, dog, bird, bubbles, train, car, plane, etc. He also was gifted a book about fire engines by D.K. Publishing which has four wheels on it, so he can push it around–win, win! It’s a toy and a book. He is enthralled! I love seeing him so excited. And as always, we are still reading our old favorites, but it is nice to have new books that he is also enjoying.
Ricki: This week, I’ve read about thirty journal articles, so I fell behind on my pleasure reading. I’ve been working on my dissertation proposal, which is quite time-consuming. I’ve also read half of Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee. I know it’s controversial, but I fall on the side that I have to trust the independent investigators and their work and not assume an elderly person is senile. I do understand both sides of the argument and fully respect the opinions of those who elect not to read it. I had to think long and hard about my choice, and I admit it may not be the right one!
This Week’s Expeditions
Kellee: I am so excited to read Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm this week! I am so looking forward to it! Although I would read it no matter what, I am also reading it in preparation for my NCTE presentation with Jenni (and 4 other amazing female authors: Kristen Kittscher, Kim Baker, Caroline Carlson, and Heidi Schultz) on how humor is for everyone. I am also going to finish Reading Workshop 2.0 by Frank Serafini in preparation for my August #rwworkshop book chat on the text.
Ricki: I will finish Lee’s book and hope to finish two textbooks I am reading. I also hope to finish Cold War on Maple Street by Gayle Rosengren. So far, I am really enjoying it.
Upcoming Week’s Posts
Tuesday: Ten (+ Two) Books That Celebrate LGBTQ Characters
Thursday: Civil Rights Text Set/Reading Ladder
Friday: Kellee’s Recently Read Picture Books: Penguin Young Reader Group
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’m not sure I’m going to get to Circus Mirandus, but will try. I may have to put it on my Kindle! You all sound very busy, but have a good time reading and going to swim lessons, etc.!
We’d love to have you, but either way, I think you will enjoy Circus Mirandus 🙂
I was inspired by Kellee and signed Henry up for swim lessons, too. 🙂 Our first lesson was today!
Kellee – your NCTE session sounds fantastic! I look forward to your Tuesday post to see which 10 – or actually 12 titles you are featuring. Ricki good luck with all of your journal reading!
Thanks! The 12 titles are good ones. I am proud of that list!
Thank you Carrie! I am so excited about it! We are going to try to make it as fun as possible, but it is also a pretty serious topic.
I look forward to your list tomorrow!
Glad you are enjoying some new pictures books along with the old favorites. I plan on reading Go Set a Watchman while I’m on vacation. I understand why some are reluctant to read it and respect that choice, but I don’t feel I can add to the conversation unless I read it for myself. Lee’s literary career has been such a mystery that we may never know the full story.
I can see both sides Kay. I haven’t decided what I am going to do yet…
I don’t suspect we will ever know the full story. Excellent point. What an enigma!
I adored Holm’s Sunny Side Up– hit my demographic straight on. Ah, the Bicentennial! My students love the I Am biographies, even in middle school, so I may have to look into the one on Ball. Cold War On Maple Street was one I was really excited about as well. Looks like you have both had good weeks!
I cannot wait to read it!
Aren’t the I Am books so great?! I love the Lucille Ball one because she is such a great role model for girls and for boys to see.
I will keep you posted about Cold War on Maple Street if you haven’t read it yet!
Jealous you have Sunny Side Up, Kellee! I’m supposed to get it since I went to the Nerdy dinner at Nerd Camp, but it hasn’t hit my mailbox yet.
Ricki, I have Cold War too! It’s in my very soon to read pile. Glad to hear you are enjoying it!
Hope you get it soon! Let me know if you want to chat about it 🙂
I have to read Cold War in the upcoming weeks as well. I am looking forward to it.
Oh! We shall compare notes. 🙂
Wow. 30 journal articles. That’s rough. I should be writing my proposal for my master’s project right now but I am totally procrastinating. I will get it done before the school year starts. 🙂
I am procrastinating right now, too!
I just recommended Circus Mirandus to a fellow blogger. And we also talked about Watchman. Can’t wait to hear a review from someone I know who’s actually read it!
You should join in our chat on Thursday! 🙂
It sounds to me like you have both been doing a lot of reading. I remember those days of reading Journal articles Ricki. I hope that you are at least fascinated by the topic. That helped me. I’m ignoring Go Set a Watchman, because I just don’t have time to keep on top of my middle grade reading these days!
Kellee, I’m envious that you have read Circus Mirandus. I’m waiting for it to arrive from the library. With my luck, it will show up when I am away for two weeks on holidays and I will miss it:(
Both Cold War on Maple Street and Sunny Side Up looks like great reads. Happy reading this week.