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: Ten Author Duos We’d LOVE to See Write a Book Together
Wednesday: Review, Author Q&A, and Giveaway!: Frozen Wild by Jim Arnosky
Giveaway open until Wednesday!
Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “The Power of One” by Mark Rouman, Author of The Tank Man’s Son
**Click on any picture/link to view the post**
Last Week’s Journeys
Kellee: I read three MUST READ picture books this week. Little Tree by Loren Long is a book that has so many levels, and we’ll have a full review this week. I actually went to the book store to read Lenny & Lucy by Philip C. Stead and Waiting by Kevin Henkes because I had heard so many good things about them during my hopping around on Mondays. They did not disappoint. Both, like Little Tree, are so deep yet so simple, beautiful, and are going to be favorites of so many!
I also finished Undertow by Michael Buckley. Undertow has such an interesting concept. Mer-people have begun living on the beaches of Coney Island, and Americans, instead of trying to understand, have fought and banished them; however, as Undertow starts, we learn they are trying to integrate the schools. Lyric is our protagonist and has a secret that makes this integration dangerous for her. Her adventure through Undertow definitely held my attention!
Ricki: I read two great books for my ALAN Workshop panel: Burn, Baby, Burn by Meg Medina. I simply love Meg and everything she writes. This book was a thriller/mystery that kept me guessing through the entire book. There were several scenes that I was frightened. Moreover, this book would be very valuable for readers to learn more about domestic violence. This one comes out in March 2016.
I also loved Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings by Margarita Engle. This memoir (written in verse) is a beautiful text in which Engle describes her childhood experiences and the pull of her two cultures. I loved, loved, loved the beautiful descriptions of Cuba and got lost in the gorgeous language of this one.
This Week’s Expeditions
Kellee: I started Peak today (Sunday), and I plan on finishing it this week. I then will be reading The Lost Tribes by Christine Taylor-Butler and Baba Yaga’s Assistant by Marika McCloud. I also have a bunch of monster picture books and four of the Women Who Broke Rules books to read.
Ricki: This week, I want to start Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates. I’ve heard it is incredible (from about five people!), and I like to dapple in adult books occasionally. I also want to start Gena/Finn by Hannah Moskowitz and Kat Helgeson. It’s written entirely in texts, chats, and blog posts.
Upcoming Week’s Posts
Tuesday: 10 Wishes We’d Ask the Book Genie to Grant Us
Thursday: Review and Blog Tour! One Word from Sophia by Jim Averbeck
Friday: Happy birthday, Mercy Watson! Review and Giveaway!: Mercy Watson and Deckadoo Drive Books by Kate DiCamillo
Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “Why Read (And Write) Fantasy” by Dorothy Winsor, Author of Finders Keepers
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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A recent favorite is Waiting, Kellee, & I have Enchanted Air, Ricki, but still need to read it! Kevin Henkes & Margarita Engle surely do write wonderful books. Have a great week!
Yes, they definitely both are brilliant! I look forward Enchanted Air. Everyone is raving about it.
They sure do! I have to read Waiting!
I have Little Tree on hold at the library. I think Ricki, you had mentioned loving it awhile ago so it went on hold!
Kellee, Lenny and Lucy and Waiting are 2 of my favorites for Caldecott this year. Hoping they get sticker love this January!
They both definitely deserve to be considered!
Yes, I loved Little Tree! I was excited to review it. It took me a little bit of time to write the review, but Kellee inspired me to get to it!
Peak is one of my favorite Everest books. I hope you enjoy it, Kellee.
Rikki, Both Burn, Baby, Burn and Enchanted Air sound good!
The second Peak book is so good so far! I read so much in one sitting!
Both were fantastic!
Kellee, I just adore Waiting. Lenny and Lucy is in a box at school that I haven’t found time to get around to yet. I have to make another trip to Kidsbooks this week, so I will keep my eyes open for Little Tree.
Rickie, Burn, Baby Burn, sounds like a powerful read. I’m not sure I could handle it though, as I am kind of a wus about books that are scary.
Happy reading this week to both of you.
You’ll really enjoy Lenny & Lucy. It is a special book! (As is Little Tree!)
It wasn’t too scary! I think the suspense was the scariest part!
Oh, I’ve heard good things about Undertow, Kellee, and your description really makes me want to read it!
Both Burn, Baby, Burn and Enchanted Air sound really good, Ricki – I hadn’t heard of either of them before, so thanks!
Hope you both enjoy your books this week –
Sue
Book By Book
Undertow is such a unique and suspenseful book! Really worth reading 🙂
Both are fantastic! I hope you get to read them!
Kellee Between the World and Me is wonderful. I’m finally reading I Crawl Trough It by A.S.King