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!
Thursday: Up In Flames by Hailey Alcaraz
**Click on any picture/link to view the post**
Kellee
Middle Grade
- Scout is Not a Band Camp by Jade Armstrong: I am so glad we read this for my teacher book club. I can completely understand Scout’s obsession with an author and wanting to do anything to meet them. Also, Scout’s navigation with friends in middle school is SO realistic; I think middle school readers of all different types will connect with her.
- Mascot by Charles Waters & Traci Sorell: I will be reviewing this book soon!
- Don’t Check Out This Book! by Kate Klise, Illustrated by M. Sarah Klise: My friend, Shannon, recommended this book to me when the recent attack on books started, and I am so glad she shared it with me. I loved the multi-format, with articles, letters, memos, etc., which sometimes doesn’t lend itself to buying into a story as much, but that is not the case for this book. It is a great story about why libraries and books are important.
- No Such Thing As Perfect by Misako Rocks!: Perfection is something that so many of us at one point or another strive for, but it is something that no one can be, including Emma who must figure out how to make it through as she navigates not being the best at something she loves. Luckily, her friends, and her new pet, are there for her. I also loved that this wasn’t just a normal sequel to Bounce Back, but was a companion, but we do get to see Lilico and how she is doing.
- Unicorn Boy by Dave Roman: What a fun, odd, silly, adventurous graphic novel!! Brian’s new unicorn horn is more than just a horn, and it leads to a whole adventure, including needing to save his kidnapped friend Avery who was sucked into another realm by shadow creatures. With a fun cast of characters, including a talking muffin and talking black cat, Brian must go save his best friend!
- Magic Girls: Kira and the (Maybe) Space Princess by Megan Brennan: Inspired by Sailor Moon, Brennan’s Magic Girl series is about Kira who wants to be a Magic Girl so badly when a mysterious Catacorn shows up and may be able to help her with her goal.
Young Adult
- The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming (Adapted for Young Adults) by David Wallace-Wells: I reviewed this last Tuesday.
- Yacqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass Adapted by & Illustrated by Mel Valentine Vargas, Novel by Meg Medina: When I read this novel by Meg Megina, I was affected so deeply, (I reviewed it in 2014) and I think this adaptation into a graphic novel truly does what the novel did and has now made the story more accessible. This story looks at what bullying does to someone, which is a heartbreaking story and this reissue of the story will bring light to this topic again, which is one that isn’t delved into as thoughtful as this book in many other books. And Vargas’s adaptation is so well done–the abridged story still captures the prose novel’s underlying feeling and the illustrations are so well done, bringing the effect of bullying to light in a different way than a novel without images can. This is graphic novel is superb.
- Cress (Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer: I am obsessed with this series! I cannot tell you much about this book in particular because it is book #3 of the series, but I will tell you that our new character, Cress, is based on Rapunzel.
Picture Books
- Ethan and the Strays by John Sullivan, Illustrated by Hatem Aly: I love Ethan! His heart is huge and seeing this story through his eyes will only make the reader’s heart fill. And the message of trap-neuter-release for strays is one that I do not think is in any picture book, so I am so glad it exists now in this sweet book!
- Pass the Baby by Susanna Reich, Illustrated by Raúl Colón: What a sweet story about the love that happens around a new baby but also all of the exhaustion of a family gathering, especially with that new baby. With great rhythm, the text will be so fun to read out loud, and with Colón’s fun and beautiful illustrations, this book will be a great read aloud.
- Fungi Grow by Maria Gianferrari, Illustrated by Diana Sudyka: What a wonderful combination of nonfiction and verse! The illustrator and author worked perfectly together to bring this book that has everything you’d want in a children’s nonfiction picture book: Fun text to read, lots of information, and beautiful illustrations.
- How This Book Got Red by Margaret Chiu Greanias, Illustrated by Melissa Iwai: I need everyone that does not understand inclusivity and representation. It is told in a cute, cuddly red panda way, but has a very serious message that is so important. Oh, and the illustrations are perfect for the tone! Please read this book with all of the kids and maybe a bit loudly so some adults who need to hear it hear it, too.
- The North Wind & The Sun: A Fable Retold by Philip Stead: With Stead’s sweet illustrations and poignant message surrounding perseverance and hope, this charming picture book of 3 sister’s journey as fall turns to winter is one that kids will love looking at and adults will love reading.
- Beulah has a Hunch!: Inside the Colorful Mind of Master Inventor Beulah Louise Henry by Katie Mazeika: I did not know about Beulah before this book, but we all should! What an amazing inventor! There are so many things that she is part of that we still use today, and this is all without any support and having to go against all of the gender norms surrounding her. Oh, and the illustrations are wonderful, too! I am so glad that this book is out there, and do not miss out on the back matter which delves even more into her life!
- The Wishing Machine by Jonathan Hillman, Illustrated by Nadia Alam: This picture book has so many layers, all of which readers will connect with, including a look at ending traditions, the unease of change, spreading kindness, how people are home not a place, and a low socioeconomic status leading to different housing. I loved seeing this story through the eyes of a child, because it shows how kids can find magic, even in truly tough situations; however, the story doesn’t make light of anything, even with the magical aspects. Mixed with colorful and playful illustrations, many readers will enjoy this book.
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; I’ll see you next week!
Kellee
- Reading: Glitch, Vol. 1 by Shima Shinya, Translated by Eleanor Summers
- Listening: Winter (Lunar Chronicles #4) by Marissa Meyer
Tuesday: Apart, Together by Linda Booth Sweeney & Ariel Rutland
Sunday: Author Guest Post: “There’s a World of Inspiration Out There” by Karah Sutton, Author of The Song of the Swan
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
I have the adult version of David Wallace-Wells book on my to read list for next year. I already had Mascot on my to read list, but I’ve added it to the same list. Up in Flames sounds like a great character study. I’m sad that my library doesn’t have Fungi Grow on order. Apart, Together: A Book About Transformation sounds brilliant too.
Unicorn Magic sounds like a fun read. Thanks for sharing.