It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 10/30/23

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
For readers of all ages

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly blog hop we host which focuses on sharing what we’re reading. This Kid Lit version of IMWAYR focuses primarily on books marketed for kids and teens, but books for readers of all ages are shared. We love this community and how it offers opportunities to share and recommend books with each other.

The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. The Kid Lit IMWAYR was co-created by Kellee & Jen at Teach Mentor Texts.

We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up below, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs.

Happy reading!

Tuesday: Mascot by Charles Waters and Traci Sorell

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Cats vs. Dogs” by Paul Meisel, Author of Boom!

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

Kellee

Middle Grade

• Consider the Octopus by Nora Raleigh Baskin and Gae Polisner: When Trent found out that the artist Holden Miller, who I had introduced him to, was the son of an author acquaintance of mine, he wanted to read one of her books, and this is one I’d been wanting to read for a while, so it worked out perfect! I love the premise of this book, the two points of view, and the two main characters, and the way the authors balanced the story with a message about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and a call for change was done so well. I am so glad that Trent and I listened to this one together!
• Next Stop by Debbie Fong: After tragedy strikes her family, Pia goes alone on a bus tour which leads to helping her face her grief and anxiety around the tragedy and her parents’ reaction to it. This graphic novel is unlike any other I’ve read–the author does a fabulous job of balancing touching on the tough subjects of loss, grief, and blame as well as mental illness while also taking Pia and the reader on a bus tour that is beautiful and enjoyable. It truly shows the balance of life after tragedy strikes.
• Looking Up by Stephen Pastis: This book is so much more than it seems at first look. You may think it is a quirky book about a young girl who just doesn’t fit in and her love for her town, her turtle, and her hopeful friend, but it is so much more than that, which you will see at the end when you read it!
• The Night Raven by Johan Rundberg: I review this next week–I am looking forward to sharing it!
• The Liars Society by Alyson Gerber: As a middle school teacher, there are often times that my students do not want a younger middle grade book but are not ready for young adult, and it is so hard to find books for them that fit what they’re looking for—The Liars Society is going to fit a need that I’d been searching for when it comes to my readers who want to read Jennifer Lynn Barnes or Karen McManus but aren’t there yet. And, as a mystery fan, I can recommend in confidence because I didn’t figure out the twists, so I know middle school readers are going to be blown away by what happens also. I CANNOT wait to get this book into readers’ hands (and it is going to be so hard to wait for book 2)!!

Young Adult

• Spy x Family: The Official Guide by Tatsuya Endo: This official guide for Spy x Family will be a need-to-get for any fan of the series. It had great short stories, character profiles, never-before-seen illustrations, and interviews with the author, all of which just adds to the Spy x Family experience.
• Heartgear Vol. 2 by Tsuyoshi Takaki: This is quickly becoming one of my favorite manga series, and I hate having to wait for each volume! I don’t want to get into the second volume too much, in case you haven’t read 1 yet, but the premise of Roue being the only human left of a post apocalyptic world overrun with gear with only her protector Chrome there to keep her safe is just so much fun to read!
• Winter by Marissa Meyer: WHAT A FINALE! I highly recommend this series; I am so glad I finally went back and finished the series because Marissa Meyer does such a brilliant job with this series.
• Fairest by Marissa Meyer: I am not huge on romanticizing villains, but hearing Levana’s story shows such insight into why she is the way she is throughout The Lunar Chronicles. This book is supposed to be 3.5, so between Cress and Winter, but I waited until finishing to read it. I am not sure if it was the right decision, but I think that learn what I learned about Levana in Winter first before reading Fairest worked out very well. We do learn more about Cinder’s and Winter’s families and childhood, so that is a nice addition also!

Picture Books

 

• The Teachers March by Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace, Illustrated by Charly Palmer: I had heard of the Selma’s Teachers March, but I didn’t know much about it, so I am so glad I chose to listen to this audiobook from Libro.FM’s educator audiobooks. So much fantastic information included throughout the book and back matter about such a historical moment.
• Hello, Trees by Bailey Bezuidenhout, Illustrated by Maria Lebedeva: This book is a deep dive into what it means to be cognitive and how we should treat our earth. The verse within the book is written with such beautiful figurative language and thought-provoking questions that no reader will be able to keep this book from living in their brains once they are done. And with the colorful illustrations and purposeful white space, the images add another whole dimension to the book.
• Jackie and the Books She Loved by Ronni Diamondstein, Illustrated by Bats Langley: I did not know about this part of Jackie Kennedy’s life, and I loved learning about her, her love of books, and her career in publishing. She is truly a first lady who we should celebrate! I am so glad that I had the chance to read this book.
• The Power of Yeti by Rebecca Van Slyke, Illustrated by G. Brian Karas: What a fun way to teach mindset to young children! With the little boy’s new friend, the yeti, he realizes that he can’t give up, he just isn’t there yet-i. Will be a great read aloud and social emotional discussion starter!
• My Cat Does Ballet by Robert Heidbreder, Illustrated by Matt Schu: I am a sucker for cat books, and this is no different! I want to go to a corps de chat ballet! The author does a fantastic job of keeping it silly and cat-focused while also teaching about ballet and ballet terms. Readers will want to practice ballet and teach their pets, too, when they finish!
• Kind: A Call to Care for Every Creature by Jess McGeachin: This book of vignettes, each focusing on a different type of creature and what makes it special, is exactly what it says: a call to care for every creature. The structure of this book is superb, with each spread featuring a poem and realistic illustrations of different creatures that fit the poem. Because of its clear purpose and structure, it is a perfect mentor text for a cross-curricular activity with writing, poetry, and science!

To learn more about any of these books, click on any title/image to go to the book’s Goodreads page or check out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

This is my week off, so I’ll see you next week!

Kellee

• Reading I Am The Walrus by Neal Shusterman and Eric Elfman
• Listening to Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
• Listening (with Trent) to Coraline by Neil Gaiman
  • My family is going to see Neil Gaiman here in Orlando on 11/6 (with Art Spiegelman)!!

Tuesday: Discussion Guide for Futureland: Battle for the Park by H.D. Hunter

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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