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.
CONGRATULATIONS
Mary K.
for winning a copy of Duck and Hippo!
Last Week’s Posts
**Click on any picture/link to view the post**
Tuesday: Ten Reasons We Love ARCs
Wednesday: Honey Girl: The Hawaiian Monk Seal by Jeanne Walker Harvey
Thursday: Review and Giveaway!: Mapping My Day by Julie Dillemuth
Friday: Blog Tour with Review, Teaching Guide, and Giveaway!: A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold
Don’t miss out on our two giveaways from last week!
Last Week’s Journeys
Kellee
It is so nice to have Trent be open to reading new picture books! This last week we read a ton of new picture books or ones we hadn’t read in a very long time! The last three above, The Book with No Pictures, Also an Octopus, and Are We There Yet? really show the complex and brilliant levels that picture books are reaching!
I also finished Henry and the Chalk Dragon and Brobarians this week, both of which I’ll be reviewing in the upcoming weeks–can’t wait to share them with you!
Finally, I read two Bird & Squirrel books and two August Scattergood books. I tweeted James Burks not long ago telling him how excited I was for Bird & Squirrel number three, and I embarrasingly learned that there was already a 3rd and On Fire was #4! I knew I had to remedy this, so I ordered them both from Amazon immediately, and before my students check them out and devour them, I read them. I love the duo of Bird & Squirrel!
I also read two August Scattergood books because our next Skype visit is with Augusta on the 31st. Trent was home sick on Thursday and Friday, and Destiny and Billy Wong were perfect reads to keep me company when I was sitting and watching Trolls and Moana for the millionth time. August Scattergood has a way of telling stories that readers of today will connect with (moving, family, friendship, music, baseball, etc.) but in a historical context that will also teach about a time in history that they may not know already. I am SO glad I finally got around to reading Augusta’s books, and I cannot wait to book talk them when I get back to school!
Ricki
I read some great picture books this week (one published and three to be published soon)! I recommend all four very highly, and they are all quite different.
My week started with Brobarians by Lindsay Ward, which is an adventurous, fun text about two brothers. I read this book with my two boys on my lap, and I felt excited about their future adventures together.
I loved Little Excavator by Anna Dewdney (to be published posthumously on June 6). I read a lot of books about construction vehicles, and this one rises to the top of the pack. It has great figurative language and would be a fantastic, creative resources for teachers.
Whew. The Book of Mistakes (Anticipated April 18, 2017) by Corinna Luyken. This book is stunning! It starts off with a mistake that sends the illustrator’s imagination on a beautiful path with a lovely ending. I’d love to use this book with the words and without the words. Readers might create a different story to go with the illustrations. This book reminded me a lot of The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds (another book I love).
Renato and the Lion (Anticipated June 20, 2017) by Barbara DiLorenzo is set in historical Florence. It teaches readers about the setting and the protection of artwork during WWII. The book is a work of fiction and inspired by real Italian artwork. In the Author’s Note, readers learn more about how artwork was hidden during the war.
This Week’s Expeditions
Kellee
To finish the Augusta Scattergood trio, I am now reading Glory Be. I originally was going to listen to it, but I want to know what is going to happen faster than the audiobook is giving it to me, so I started reading it instead.
Ricki
Still working on my dissertation! I’ve squeezed in some books here and there, but with 2.5 weeks left to submit it, I am writing during every waking hour! I am excited to be able to sleep again.
Upcoming Week’s Posts
Tuesday: Ten Reason Kellee Loves Teaching Middle School
Wednesday: Stand Up and Sing!: Pete Seeger, Folk Music, and the Path to Justice by Susanna Reich
Thursday: Guest Review: Five Little Ducks by Denise Fleming
Friday: Using Who Wins?: 100 Historical Figures Go Head-to-Head And You Decide the Winner! in the Classroom
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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I still need to read The Way To Stay In Destiny,and loved Augusta’s two other books. The Book of Mistakes sounds wonderful. Have a good week!
At long last one of Augusta Scattergood’s novels is available from my library. I’ve put a hold on Making friends with Bobby Milller.
Kelleey it looks like you have had a lot of reading fun this week. I purchased a copy of Gallop for my filmmaker partner one Christmas. I thought he and another friend were going to take it apart to see how it worked.
Rickie all of these books look amazing. I’ve added the first two books to my grandchildren list. Good luck this week.
I need to read Making Friends with Billy Wong. The Book of Mistakes is one that I’m looking forward to.
Kellee – Oh, wow – my sons LOVED all the Mercer Mayer books, especially those about family members like Grandma and Me! Those books are such fun – love the clever illustrations.
Coincidentally, I am listening to Making Friends with Billy Wong on audio right now and mentioned Glory Be on my blog post this morning! When I first started Billy Wong, I thought, “will modern kids really be interested in this 1950’s setting?” but I was soon immersed in the story….and I definitely see the parallels & lessons for today’s kids. Glad you’re enjoying Scattergood, too!
Good luck on your dissertation, Ricki! I am so impressed at how you are fitting this in with everything else you do!
Enjoy your books this week –
Sue
Book By Book
Oh, and I just requested A Boy Named Bat on audio – can’t wait to listen to it!
Sue
I’m looking forward to the Who Wins? review – it sounds like a fun version of “Epic Rap Battles of History” for school aged kids. 🙂
The Book of Mistakes looks so interesting. Love all of the Augusta Scattergood love here!
The Book with No Pictures is such a fun book to read together. Ricki – I’m wishing you the best as you press on with the writing!