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
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Last Week’s Journeys
Kellee: Happy new year!! I read two very different yet very good novels this week and I definitely recommend them both. First was Period 8 by Chris Crutcher which is… well, a Chris Crutcher novel! They are always winners. I’ll be reviewing it here for you later. Next, I read Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein which was a middle grade novel paying homage to Willy Wonka with so many book allusions throughout. It was such a fun book! I actually am not planning on reviewing it because I read it in bed in one sitting, so I didn’t take any review notes on it—oops!
Ricki: This week, I took it back a few decades and read Experience & Education by John Dewey. This book was published in 1938, but boy was John Dewey on the mark. He was ahead of his time in his progressive thoughts, and I can understand why scholars always refer to his writings. I also read the YA book, The Living by Matt de la Peña. I absolutely loved this book and can’t wait for the sequel. I will read anything by this man. He is such an incredible writer. This book was much different from his other works, and I think students who love action-packed books like The Maze Runner by James Dashner will love it. The children’s books I read to Henry this week are: Boy and Bot by Ame Dyckman, Love You Forever by Robert Munsch (sobbed through this one), Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems (nice illustrations and photography), Polar Bear Night by Lauren Thompson, and Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle (this one was adorable).
This Week’s Expeditions
Kellee: I just started Sometimes Always, Sometimes Never by Elissa Janine Hoole yesterday, but did not get very far–we’ll see! After Sometimes Always, I’ll be reading Life in Outer Space by Melissa Keil. I also will continue Ocean at the End of the Lane tomorrow when I go back to driving to work.
Ricki: This week, I am starting Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Friere as part of my independent study for my doctoral degree. I am trying to read books by all of the big names in education. I also plan to read Winger by Andrew Smith while nursing. Additionally, I will be reading as many children’s books as I can to Henry each night. 🙂
Upcoming Week’s Posts
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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Two you read are definitely on my list, Kellee & Ricki-The Living & Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library! I know they’ll be good, just have to find time for them! Will look forward to seeing your reviews of those 2 Elephant & Piggie’s-love them both! Have a great week!
I am a huge Elephant and Piggie fan–the review may be just a bunch of swooning 🙂
As always, Linda, let me know if you read THE LIVING. I would love to compare notes. 🙂 Have a great week!
Mr. Lemoncello is a fun read! Did you solve the hidden puzzle? Also, for a board book bound to make you sob, or at the least, give you sniffles, Little You by Richard Van Camp.
No, I think I was reading so quickly and loving it that I didn’t catch it–did you catch it?
I just added Little You to my goodreads list. Thank you for sharing! You are a children’s book expert!
Isn’t it kind of nice to read a book and not worry about writing the review Kellee? Ricki, you could probably read Pedagogy to your little one too. I read books with no pictures aloud to my daughter sometimes. It was all in the intonation. She just loved hearing any”story” from mom. 😉
I very rarely read a book that I’m not evaluating in one way or another, but this one I just got so into I didn’t even think about it!
I love that: “it was all in the intonation.” What a great piece of advice 🙂
Crystal, I have been trying to do that too! I find it a bit tricky to hold the heavier books, but I am working on it. He doesn’t look at the picture books really, so I am sure it doesn’t matter. 🙂 It is a good idea!
Mr. Lemoncello’s Library is certainly a title just to get lost in. I have The Living on my Must Read in 2014 list Looks amazing! Happy reading to babies and bellies this week ladies!
I couldn’t put it down once I started it! Such a fun book!
I will say it is a bit odd reading to my belly, but I know that it is really the baby I’m reading to 🙂
Carrie, it is so different from his others. Be sure to tell me when you finish, as I would love to hear your thoughts!
I want to read The Living!! I’m going to enjoy hearing all the books you read to Henry, Ricki! 🙂 Mr. Lemoncello was delightful and a fav among my students.
Holly, so students are enjoying Mr. Lemoncello? I couldn’t decide while reading it if students would enjoy it as much as I do.
Thanks, Holly! I am trying to mix up the classics and the new books. My husband and I are trying to make a routine out of reading each night, but it is a bit tricky when the baby is colic… 🙂
Sounds like you both had good reading weeks – I haven;t read any of the books you mentioned. I just finished Code Name Verity and am listening to The Real Boy by Anne Ursu.
Enjoy your books this week –
Sue
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Code Name Verity is intense, but brilliant–how did you like it?
How is The Real Boy on audio? Loved the book, but haven’t heard anything about the audio.
Happy reading this week 🙂
I enjoyed Code Name Verity – a unique novel about an aspect of WWII I knew nothing about.
And so far, The Real Boy is very good on audio. My son and I really enjoy all of Ursu’s novels.
Sue
Me too. She is a really special author for middle grade- such smart and fantastical books.
I loved CODE NAME VERITY. I thought the second book, ROSE UNDER FIRE was even better. I’d be curious to hear what you thought. 🙂
Ok, The Living and Period 8 are part of my summer reading goals now! 🙂 Thanks to you both…
Please be sure to let me know when you finish THE LIVING! I want to hear your thoughts!
RICKI: I am amazed by your reading. John Dewey in its original form and Paolo Friere to boot! I love academic reading.
KELLEE: Ocean at the End of the Lane happens to be one of my favourite reads from last year’s. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did. Truly haunting.