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: My vacation was SO relaxing which led to lots of movies, lots of naps, but not as much reading as I’d planned. What I did read was amazing though! I’d brought a pile of nonfiction picture books with me to read, all which I’d heard about through Kid Lit Frenzy’s weekly meme, and they were all so good. The picture books I read were Imogene’s Last Stand by Candace Fleming, Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of 1909 by Michelle Markel, Who Stole Mona Lisa? by Ruthie Knapp, On a Beam of Light: A Story of Albert Einstein by Jennifer Berne, and Jim Henson: The Guy Who Talked to Puppets by Kathleen Krull. All of these were so good that I will definitely be sharing them on the blog very soon! I also read Battling Boy a new graphic novel by Paul Pope which is going to be a huge hit when it is published in October (and I’ll be reviewing it in September!).
Ricki: I had a bit of a crazy week, so unfortunately, I didn’t read as much as I planned. I did get to some great books though. I took a surprise trip to Maryland to visit a family member, and I was so busy that I didn’t have the usual downtime. Each night, I got back to the hotel room and collapsed into bed and didn’t read for my usual hours upon hours. My pregnancy is wearing me out! It is hard carrying around so much weight! This week, I finished The Truth about You & Me by Amanda Grace. I received it from NetGalley, and it is expected to be published on September 8th. Stop back on Thursday for the review! I also finished The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick. I absolutely loved it. It has been on my TBR shelf for a while, and I thought it was about football (which was an incorrect assumption), so I was taking my time. This should teach me to read the summaries on the backs of books, but I hate reading any spoilers! It reminded me of It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini.
This Week’s Expeditions
Kellee: I still have 2 picture books left to read: The Salem Witch Trials: An Unsolved Mystery from History by Jane Yolen and Heidi Elisabet Yolen Stemple and Barbed Wire Baseball by Marissa Moss. I’ll definitely get to both of these probably tonight. I also started Feynman by Jim Ottaviani this week and it is taking a bit to read just because of the intense science and math within it. I keep stopping to Google things that I do not know- I obviously have a much lower science and math knowledge than is needed to understand the brilliant mind of Feynman, but I am going to make it through!
Ricki: This week, I will be finishing Double Vision by F.T. Bradley. It is a great middle grade book. I started it a few days ago, and I am enjoying the adventure. I suspect I will be done with it on the plane ride back to Connecticut! I also want to read The Nazi Hunters by Neal Bascomb—a nonfiction book I mentioned last week. I have been trying to increase the amount of nonfiction that I read, and this one looks fantastic. I nabbed a copy on NetGalley a week ago, and it is expected to be published on August 27th. I am hoping that things will return to normal next week, and I will read more than these two books!
Upcoming Week’s Posts
So, what are you reading?
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I too can’t believe how spoiler-y some of those summaries are! Sometimes the thing they talk about doesn’t happen until towards the end. I think I’ve mentioned it already though that by not reading the summary one time I ended up reading the whole book because I was relying on my faulty memory to remember the title. I “accidentally” read I Capture the Castle (which I enjoyed) instead of Capture the Flag (which I still hadn’t read.)
I love that story Earl! Though you need to get to Capture the Flag- fun middle grade mystery!
I don’t read summaries usually either- I didn’t realize so many people didn’t!
You’re right – those are some great books Kellee. I love the Jim Henson and Clara especially. Feynman is one of my favorite graphic novel biographies too. I have to say I also didn’t know a lot of the math & science, but unlike you, I just plowed through without investigation. Feel a little bad about that, but I will get over that in 2 seconds.
Ricki – Silver Linings Playbook isn’t about football!? I have been thinking that too and have not picked it up. Hmmm. Didn’t realize it was written by Matthew Quick. It’s hitting my TBR now. Thanks!
Ugh! You are making me jealous Crystal! (No reason to feel bad, feel proud :D) Maybe I am thinking too much about the physics/history/science/math? For example, he just did his first talk and a bunch of scientists came to watch him so I had to look up each of the scientists to see whom he was. Maybe I just need to go with it…
I think Brave Girl might have been my favorite though I am a sucker for a strong woman bio. The Jim Henson one made me so nostalgic!
You should see Silver Linings Playbook the movie (you too Ricki!). It is so good!!!
I will have to read that one soon. Like Jen, I haven’t read many adult books lately so that could be the one. 🙂
I have Brave Girl sitting on my desk at work waiting for a quiet moment to read it. With school getting ready to start soon, I am finding less time to read.
I know what you mean, Julee–I feel like I’m reading at breakneck speed now because once school starts, my summer reading days are over. :-/ At least we have the summer–I can’t imagine being a year-round librarian!
I started beginning of the year training today and it is all week and then next week is preplanning, so I know that the free time is over (although it probably won’t be a huge change in reading for me since I’ve slumped all summer…). It’ll be harder and harder to find time to read 🙁
Julee- You’ll love it. Clara was a special special girl in history that I was not aware of before the book.
Hi there. We’ve done a ‘Girl Power’ bimonthly theme a year ago. I have a feeling Brave Girl would have been a wonderful addition to that list. 🙂 Thank you for sharing all this. I also have a special affinity with picture book biographies, and you’ve mentioned several really good ones. Have you checked out Don Brown’s PBBs yet? They’re also very good. 🙂
Have a great reading week ahead of you!
Clara (Brave Girl) would have definitely fit in.
Aren’t there some amazing picture book bios?!
Yes, I’ve read Odd Boy Out (Einstein) and A Wizard from the Start (Edison). Liked them both, but I wish they were a bit longer and further into their lives. Are there other ones that I should pick up?
I just read the sequel to Double Vision, which comes out in October and was really good. And once babies are born, I swear it gets easier every day. Closer to potty training and eating on their own and eventually leaving home, which by the time they do it is not sad at all. Until they come BACK! Hang in there!
I keep meaning to get Brave Girls… I need to add that to my list (especially since it fits well with a unit I just wrote for my fifth grade readers!)
You will really like it (go girl power!). 😀
Do things ever go back to normal? Maybe someday! Kellee I love Imogene’s Last Stand-have it waiting for my granddaughter Imogene to grow up a bit! And Ricki, do you know the Dr. Seuss to read to your baby? Here’s the link: http://www.amazon.com/Oh-Baby-Places-Youll-Go/dp/0679885722 Thanks for all the reviews! Love the Walden award books!
Oh my! That is great Linda- Imogene will love Imogene 🙂
Things never seem to be normal ever… I’m not even sure what normal is 😉
Kellee, your list of nonfiction titles looks great! I’m adding a bunch to my list. Have you read Maria’s Comet by Deborah Hopkinson? It’s been out for a few years, but it’s one of my favorite PB biographies.
They were all really good!
I haven’t read that one and unfortunately my library doesn’t have it 🙁 Is it worth suggesting they buy it?
Definitely want to read Quick’s book. I will be delighted to see what you think!
Kellee–I loved both Imogene’s Last Stand and Brave Girl! And On a Beam of Light is high in my TBR pile!
Ricki–I haven’t seen the movie yet, but I’m definitely putting Quick’s book on my TBR!
On a Beam of Light was probably my favorite of the PBs I read- you will really enjoy it. Great Einstein story and very inspirational!
The movie is phenomenal!
I’m glad The Infinite Moment of Us is as good as it looks. I can’t wait to read it.
Kellee – Nonfiction titles are inspiring I adore Candace Fleming. Ricki- I must confess I have yet to read any Quick titles – I had better remedy that.
Candace Fleming truly has a way to make history SO interesting. I look forward to the Salem Witch Trials book as I love her writing and Salem fascinates me.
Kellee Thanks for the shout out and so glad you enjoyed all of those nonfiction picture books. I need to add Feynman and Battle Boy to my “TBR” pile. Ricki Hope your week is more restful. And I have to add Matthew Quick’s book to my “TBR” pile.
Of course Aly! The meme deserves more readers/participants! One of my favorites 🙂
The meme is growing slowly…and I do hope that more readers would stop by. Thanks for participating.