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 Ten Tuesday: Our Reading Wishlist
Wednesday: Teaching Guide for Alamo All-Stars by Nathan Hale
Thursday: Guest Review: The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm
Friday: Someone Else’s Summer by Rachel Bateman
Last Week’s Journeys
Kellee
First, I read a title off of my #mustreadin2017 list that is my media specialist’s and fellow reading teacher’s favorite book of all time: Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer. It was so brilliantly crafted and is a fascinating look at the teenage mind, love, guilt, depression/mental illness, friendship, and literature, and I am so glad that I read it (FINALLY, as Jessica Moore would say).
I also was so happy to reread Wig in the Window by Kristen Kittscher in preparation for our Skype visit with Kristen on Friday. I love her Young and Yang mysteries!!!!
Ricki
Thanks to everyone for the syllabus suggestions for my Adolescents’ Literature course next semester. I welcome any other suggestions of texts if anyone has any! Crystal, your suggestions were incredibly helpful!
This week, I spent a lot of time perusing potential textbooks for my Methods course. I have texts that I love, but I want to see if there are any texts that might be even better. In the meantime, I also devoured a few picture books.
We’re All Wonders by R. J. Palacio is a picture book version (but slightly different) from Wonder. I am a huge fan of Wonder, so I absolutely loved this book. This is a great book to teach kids about the differences between people and how they can #choosekind.
If I Had a Little Dream by Nina Laden is a charming picture book written through a child’s eyes. The verse is beautiful, and it reminds us to appreciate the world around us. If you like the cover, you’ll love the illustrations. I found them to be captivating.
I liked Dragons Love Tacos 2 by Adam Rubin, but I’ll admit that I liked the first book a bit more. My son found this one to be very confusing with the time travel, and I am not sure he understood it when I was explaining it to him. This one seems to be written more for the adults and older kids.
My three-year-old LOVES Batman. He thinks he is Batman. When I asked him what he did at school, he tells me he “Saved the Day!” So he loved this book, Bedtime for Batman by Michael Dahl. It tells the story of a boy who does all of the things that Batman does.
This Week’s Expeditions
Kellee
I started The Hate U Give. Have you read this yet? If not, start it. Now. I wish I could sit in my car and just listen to it—brilliant.
I also finally picked up the prequel of the Alex Rider series. I read the whole series and love the stories, but for whatever reason I never read Yassen’s story. With Stormbreaker being read in one of my book clubs (lit circles), it has reignited my interest!
Behind the Legend: The Loch Ness Monster by Erin Peabody is so fascinating! I look forward to sharing it and its companion about Bigfoot soon.
Ricki
I started listening to The Great American Whatever by Tim Federle. It’s awesome so far.
I also started Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy in the bookstore today. I don’t own this one and have several books that I am reading at home that I love. So I am deciding if I should buy it. I did like the first two chapters a lot!
Upcoming Week’s Posts
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday: Books We Love to Read to our Sons
Wednesday: The Case of the Stinky Stench by Josh Funk
Thursday: Caring for Your Lion by Tammi Sauer
Friday: FRAMED!: A T.O.A.S.T. Mystery by James Ponti
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!
and
Russian Roulette was even better than the other Rider books. I can’t wait until October when book 11, Never Say Die, comes out!
There’s a book 11 coming out?!??! I had no idea!!!! Is it an Alex story?!?! I am going to look now! I’m giddy 🙂
I don’t remember Belzhar at all, Kellee, will look for it. And Ricki, loads of people are recommending The Hate U Give. I think I’d better find it soon! Have a good week!
It is very good, Linda 🙂 And yes, The Hate U Give is a must read.
It’s fabulous!!!
Kellee – I love the Young and Yang series, too! Find out if she is writing more!
Ricki – you’ll have to post your list of books that you’re having your students read. I’d love to see it!
I’ll ask her!!!
I definitely will post it when I finish!
Kellee – I enjoyed Belzhar, too – listened to it on audio. Have you read any of Meg Wolitzer’s adult novels? I liked The Interestings.
And, YES, isn’t The Hate U Give amazing?? Especially on audio. I was sobbing in my car last weekend! I am still listening, and it is just so powerful and moving.
Ricki – Funny, a friend of mine just bought Dragons Love Tacos 2 for her grandson at Booktopia! She said the first book is one of his favorites. I’ve missed a lot of recent picture books!
Ooh, I want to read both The Great American Whatever and Dumplin’ – have heard great thins about both of them – enjoy!
Enjoy your books this week –
Sue
Book By Book
I haven’t, but my dad loved The Interestings.
And I almost am ready to pick up The Hate U Give instead of listen because I don’t want to stop reading.
I was also sobbing in my car to The Hate U Give! I liked Dragons Love Tacos 2. It’s just so hard to follow up the genius first book!
Kellee I’m so happy to discover that Belzhar is available as an audiobook from my library. I finished listening to The Hate U Give this week. Isn’t it just stunning?
Ricki, I enjoyed The Great American Whatever, but not as much as his other books. Dumplin was ok, but I could not get my head around why someone would even want to be in a Beauty Pageant to start with.
I hope the audiobook of Belzhar is good and you enjoy it! And YES Hate is perfection though just so heart-wrenching and true.
Interesting. I am trying to figure out if I have read his other books. I am not a beauty pageant girl, either. Hmm. Thanks for your thoughts. I appreciate them very much!
I recently read Dumplin over spring break and I loved it!
Someone recently told me I should read it–maybe my next audio 🙂
I was very much enjoying it at the bookstore. 🙂
I finished THE HATE U GIVE a couple weeks ago and I am still thinking about it. Can’t get Star and Khalil out of my mind.
I just want to listen to that book until I am done!
Those two are going to stick with me forever.
Ricki, I’m glad the titles were helpful. 🙂 I also enjoyed We’re All Wonders.
Kellee, The Hate U Give really sucks you in doesn’t it? I couldn’t put it down.
🙂 🙂 🙂
Hello – you two! I have missed some weeks with IMWAYR lately. I have been busy with some presentations and being super dance Mom. My daughter has been busy with competitions and now the year end show is coming up and more busy. But fun, fun, fun! I can’t wait to read The Hate U Give – so much buzz about this book. So pleased to be visiting all of the posts this week!