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: Ten of Trent’s Favorite Books as of His Fourth Birthday
Wednesday: Girl Running: Bobbi Gibb and the Boston Marathon by Annette Bay Pimental
Thursday: Tough Tug by Margaret Read MacDonald
Friday: They Didn’t Teach THIS in Worm School by Simone Lia
Last Week’s Journeys
Kellee
I feel like Ricki and I are taking turns with IMWAYR–I’m taking a 3 day weekend from all, but I’ll be back next week! 🙂
Ricki
I’ve returned! Thanks for your patience with me while I attended ALA Midwinter and hosted my sister for an extended weekend. I have many books to share, and I am likely forgetting several.
Picture Books
Tough Tug by Margaret Read MacDonald is a great book for kids who love boats. The Man Who Kept His Heart in a Bucket by Sonia Levitin is a strange but highly entertaining book that reminded me of an old Italian folk tale. Black Beauty by Sharon Lerner is absolutely lovely. My younger son loves horses, and we’ve read this one a few dozen times this week. Bear and Hare Snow by Emily Gravett is a simple story that is great for beginning readers.
Rabbit Moon by Jean Kim has lovely illustrations. Truck Full of Ducks by Ross Burach is very funny, and my son loves it! When Pigs Fly by James Burks is coming out tomorrow. It is a delightful story that reminds kids to use their imaginations. Saffron Ice Cream by Rashin is fantastic. It’s about a young girl who comes from Iran to the United States. She is adjusting to her new life and realizing some parts of her new life will be very different, culturally. This one comes out in May.
Upper Elementary/Middle Grade
Dr. E’s Super Stellar Solar System by Bethany Ehlmann with Jennifer Swanson is wild. I learned so much by reading this book. One thing I learned—I know so much less about space than I realized. My son is much too young for this book, but he loved looking at the pictures while I summarized what was on the pages. This text jam-packed with fascinating information and neat photographs.
Refugee by Alan Gratz. I listened to this book. I cried and cried throughout the book. It is absolutely stunning. If you haven’t read this one, I recommend it highly. Whew.
Young Adult (Rereads)
I REREAD two of my favorite books to teach them in my Adolescents’ Literature class. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys and Tree Girl by Ben Mikaelsen. Both are heartbreaking stories about the devastating effects of genocide and the endurance of two strong women.
This Week’s Expeditions
Ricki
I am reading If I Ever Get Out of Here by Eric Gansworth (among several other books). It’s very, very good, and I’ve enjoyed it. I am looking forward to reading his new book, and I felt like I needed to read this one first.
Upcoming Week’s Posts
Tuesday: Teaching My Son to Read (by Ricki)
Wednesday: Leaf Litter Critters by Leslie Bulion
Thursday: Dr. E’s Super Stellar Solar System by Bethany Ehlmann with Jennifer Swanson
Friday: Blog Tour!: The Backup Bunny by Abigail Rayner
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
The idea of the “Backup Bunny” is so fun. My son & daughter-in-law had a ‘backup Charlie Brown’ for their son when he was little. I’ll definitely look for it!
I was pleased to hear about your experience with Refugee. I’ve had in on my list for a while and finally checked it out from the library, this month. Very much looking forward to it! Have a great week!
I look forward to your thoughts!
I didn’t know James Burks had a book coming out. It looks like a good one so I’ll have to check it out.
I definitely enjoyed it!
I also wept buckets while listening to Refugee. I enjoyed Between Shades of Gray and Tree Girl. I’m not sure I could reread the latter. I imagine having students compare Gabriella and Katnis from The Hunger Games.
Eric Gansworth’s new book is on my #mustreadin2018 list this year!
Interesting. I don’t have students who make those comparisons. I think because Gabriella’s story is real and grounded in a very awful experience, students don’t make a jump to the Hunger Games.
Welcome back, Ricki!
I have Refugee on my audio backlog – I need to get to it!
And I LOVE Shades of Gray – such a powerful book. It’s my favorite of hers.
Enjoy your books this week!
Sue
Book By Book
I am really looking forward to your thoughts on Refugee, Sue!
Refugee was a good seller last year. I enjoyed it.
It’s so wonderful. I regret not reading it sooner!
Oh I just read aloud from LOVE during my recent 3-hour workshop with teachers for the Words Go Round festival here in Singapore. It was very well received. 🙂
I am really intrigued by Saffron Ice Cream. Always on the look out for picture books for #classroombookaday that can be mirrors and windows for students. Thanks for the recommendation!