It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 6/30/15

Head over and meet Jen & Kellee at www.teachmentortexts.com and www.unleashingreaders.com for more on this awesome meme. There are many other

"It's Monday" links.

My screenshot of the books I read this past week is below. I am looking forward to sharing all four of the picture books I read with my class next year.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 6/22/15

Head over and meet Jen & Kellee at www.teachmentortexts.com and www.unleashingreaders.com for more on this awesome meme. There are many other

"It's Monday" links.

I read some great books this past week, but not as many as I wanted. I chalk that up to reading two longer YA novels that I savored :) Sometimes you just want to "stay" with a book, ya know? 

My screenshot of the books I read this past week is below. I am looking forward to sharing all three of the picture books I read with my class next year: Arnie the Doughnut, Julia's House for Lost Creatures, and Bulldozer's Big Day. Heart and humor - the perfect combo!

I teach sixth graders, so Noggin and 100 Sideways Miles are not books they can read yet...but, I am comforted to know that my students have such wonderful books awaiting them as they mature as readers. YA is where it is AT, and I wish these books existed when I was a younger reader. I probably would've loved reading more than I did if that had been the case.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 6/15/15

Head over and meet Jen & Kellee at www.teachmentortexts.com and www.unleashingreaders.com for more on this awesome meme. There are many other

"It's Monday" links.

I read some great books this past week! I borrowed an idea from Katherine Sokolowski (@katsok) and just took a screen capture of my Goodreads page. Thanks for the idea!

Books I Read Last Week...

Every book I read this week was enjoyable. I especially look forward to sharing Where Are My Books? and I Wish You More with my students in the fall. Of course, Babymouse is a hit in my classroom already and the newest book in the series, about Babymouse becoming a babysitter, is a hoot. There are so many small details in the Babymouse books that truly are gifts to readers. I also LOVED the gentle nod to Comics Squad: Recess! (Babymouse is reading that early in the book.)

I really enjoyed Stella Brings the Family, but I felt that it missed a big opportunity at the end. A boy is Stella's class becomes worried about the upcoming Father's Day celebration because he has two moms and doesn't have a dad to invite. The whole message of the book is that family is bigger than just your parents' gender and extends to your larger family. I would've liked to see a different ending to the book.

I am so happy I met Grandma Dowdel this summer. Thanks to my friend, Tammy, who recommended the series to me. She did not like A Year Down Yonder as much as A Long Way from Chicago, but I did. I may have liked A Year Down Yonder more, in fact. I felt that I got a deeper understanding of Grandma through the eyes of Mary Alice. There were less laugh-out-loud moments for me, however.

What are you reading, friends?

A Gentle Reminder to My Students and Their Parents :-)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 6/8/15

Head over and meet Jen & Kellee at www.teachmentortexts.com and www.unleashingreaders.com for more on this awesome meme. There are many other

"It's Monday" links.

Summer just began and I am super excited to ramp up my reading and reviewing. I look forward to a freer schedule, which allows me to get lost in good books. Last summer, I said I would still try to do my 'It's Monday' posts and to continue reading a lot. Well, I kept reading a lot, but was not successful with the posts. *Sigh* You can't win 'em all, right?

I read great books this week, so please check out my reviews below!

Books I Read Last Week...

A Long Way to Chicago, by Richard Peck, @RichardPeckAuth                                      (5 out of 5 stars)

A Long Way to Chicago quickly became a heart print book as I was reading it this past week. Rarely does a book make me LAUGH OUT LOUD once, let alone multiple times! Grandma Dowdel is now one of my favorite characters in all of children's literature. Her wise cracks, schemes, and stories are a hoot. My favorite part of the book was the last chapter, where Grandma Dowdel stands on her front porch waving at her grandson, Joe, as his train passes by her town. When you read the book, you'll understand why this part made me tear up. I encourage all who haven't to read this wonderful book.

Teen Boat by Dave Roman (@yaytime) and John Green (@johngreenart)                       (4 out of 5 stars)When I bought this book at the Downtown Cincinnati Friends of the Public Library sale, I bought it because I a) really like Dave Roman and b) I recalled seeing the book discussed on Twitter a few years back. I did not look that closely at the cover, where the tagline for the book said, "The angst of being a teen; the thrill of being a boat." Had I done that, I would've been prepared (and not surprised) when the main character TURNS INTO AN ACTUAL BOAT. Once I realized logical thinking was unnecessary for this book, I really enjoyed it. There were many clever jokes tucked into the dialogue and even though the main character TURNS INTO AN ACTUAL BOAT, many of the plot events are relatable for teens who are struggling as they grow up. This would be a hit with upper middle-school readers and older, but probably not a book for a fifth-grade classroom. 

The Book with No Pictures, by B.J. Novak

(4 out of 5 stars)

I liked this book a lot and it would be a perfect read-aloud for my sixth-grade classroom next year. To really enjoy this book, you would need a very creative and ebullient reader. An expressive reader makes or breaks this book! I think this could be a great book to read early in the school year to reinforce with students that pictures are not necessary for a reader to visualize in their head. As each page presents a new silly line of text, the reader can picture that in their head. 

Mustache Baby Meets His Match, by Bridget Heos

(4 out of 5 stars)

Hilarious book! I think my students would enjoy this as a read-aloud. And who can be upset when there is a happy ending? Now, I need to grow facial hair as well as these two babies!  

What are you reading, friends?