Monday, June 8, 2015

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?

10 comments:

  1. I thought Teen Boat was surprisingly poignant given the ridiculous premise.

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  2. Yeah. Teen Boat. Passed at the time; don't regret it. Hey, Cincinnati! My old stomping grounds! Spent a lot of time at the downtown library; I worked at Lazarus, so had a bus pass, and on my days off could take the bus down, go in the one side, pick up books, and take the same bus back to Clifton!

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    1. You are not missing a lot, although some kids may enjoy Teen Boat. That's awesome you are familiar with Cincinnati. I miss Lazarus and a lot of the other great stores. Cincinnati still has one of the best library systems. Where in the country are you now?

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  3. Love the Book With No Pictures! One of my 2nd graders brought it in and wanted to read it out loud to the class. I showed him a YouTube clip of B.J. Novak reading it aloud and then had him practice before sharing it. He did an amazing job! Terrific book!

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  4. I love Richard Peck, although his books don't always resonate with my readers. I've still got a long list of readers on reserve for The Book With No Pictures after our vice principal read the first part out loud at an assembly.

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    1. I completely understand what you mean. I feel like only certain readers of mine would get into it. That's a great idea for an administrator to read that book! :)

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  5. I really enjoyed The Book with No Pictures a great deal - perfect for a readaloud. :)

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