It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

Thanks to Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers for hosting this meme each week!  Please be sure to visit these awesome blogs for lots of great reading suggestions!

After finishing a very looooong adult book yesterday, I picked up something that's been on my "to read" list for quite a while. I've read The One and Only Ivan a few times now, and love it dearly, so I've been meaning to read this one for some time.

Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate tells the story of Kek, a Sudanese refugee who arrives in Minnesota having lost his parents and brother. I'm only 30 pages in, but I'm already enamored with the way Kek's innate joy leaks out of him, despite the difficulties he's been through.

What are you reading this week?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

Every Monday, the awesome duo at Teach Mentor Texts hosts their What Are You Reading? meme so that anyone who loves children's literature can share the titles they've recently enjoyed as well as their reading plans for the week!  Thanks, Jen and Kellee!
 
Be sure to head over to the Teach Mentor Texts blog to find out what everyone else is reading!

Early last week, I finished The Five Lives of Our Cat Zook by Joanne Rocklin, which, to be honest, didn't grab me right away.  I loved the main character, Oona, and the way she took care of her family and cat, but (and maybe it's because I'm not really a cat person), I felt like there were parts of the story that were unconnected.  I'm glad I stuck with it, though, because in the end, all of those seemingly unconnected threads ended up being woven together beautifully.  I recently read A Dog Called Homeless, another pet story about a character who has recently lost a parent, but Zook didn't tug at my heart strings in the same way.  Cally was the type of character who I wanted to comfort and hug, whereas Oona was the type of character I wanted to shake some sense in to.  What I love about both characters is the way they grow and learn to communicate with the adults in their lives so that they can come to terms with what it means to lose someone you love.

Last weekend I finished On the Day I Died by Candace Fleming, which is a collection of stories about a section of a Chicago cemetery reserved for people who died while in their teens.  Each story takes place in a different time period, and recounts the tale of how its narrator lost his or her life.  What I liked best about this collection of stories is that each is different and scary in a different way.  Some are spooky ghost tales, one is a science fiction horror story, another is a modern interpretation of W.W. Jacobs' The Monkey's Paw.  I picked this one up in hopes that it would have some stories that might be appropriate to share with my fifth graders, but it's definitely more of a middle school book than an elementary one.  Nonetheless, I'm glad I picked it up, as it helped get me into the Halloween spirit.



This week, I'm going to start Kate Morton's The Secret Keeper, which is the newest release from one of my favorite adult authors.  I've read every one of Morton's other books, and I'm looking forward to her unique combination of historical fiction and mystery!

Happy reading, everyone!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

Every Monday, the awesome duo at Teach Mentor Texts hosts their What Are You Reading? meme so that anyone who loves children's literature can share the titles they've recently enjoyed as well as their reading plans for the week!  Thanks, Jen and Kellee!
 
Be sure to head over to the Teach Mentor Texts blog to find out what everyone else is reading!

Last week I finally finished Libba Bray's The Diviners, and I am MAD!  I probably should have realized this before I started reading it, but this is the first in a series, so, although there was some resolution at the novel's end, there were so many questions left unanswered!  Now I'll have to pine away for the next one in the series!  I hope Libba Bray is writing as quickly as she possibly can!

Aside from longing for a sequel, I found The Diviners to be divine.  Part historical fiction, part murder mystery, part love story, part supernatural thriller, it has something for everyone.  I love that Bray's characters, although they live in the Roaring 20s and possess mystical powers, are so real.  I couldn't help but fall in love with Evie and wish, just a little, that I had a friend like her.  Evie is witty, intelligent, and vulnerable, and she feels like someone I'd like to get to know.   

The Diviners also sent chills down my spine and kept me guessing about its outcome until the very end.  If Evie is one of the most lovable characters I've encountered, Naughty John is one of the most hideously terrifying!  I never guessed that a string of murders in 1920s New York would unravel in the way it does.  It's a great read!

My second read last week was One For the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt.  This one is, by far, one of the best books I've read this year.  Carley is a foster child who has been placed with the Murphy family after a traumatic experience involving her mom and stepdad.  Although Carley resents the perfect family she now lives with in the beginning, she begins to view the world differently as she finds herself becoming one of the Murphys.  This novel was heart-breaking and heart-warming at the same time.  I couldn't put it down!









My plans for next week are to finish the novel I'm currently working on, The Five Lives of Our Cat Zook, and to get back in the habit of reading picture books!

Have a great week of reading, everyone!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

Every Monday, the awesome duo at Teach Mentor Texts hosts their What Are You Reading? meme so that anyone who loves children's literature can share the titles they've recently enjoyed as well as their reading plans for the week!  Thanks, Jen and Kellee!
 
Be sure to head over to the Teach Mentor Texts blog to find out what everyone else is reading!

I'm currently working my way through The Diviners by Libba Bray.  I've been reading this for about a week now, and I'm nearly half way through.  I'm actually kind of taking my time on this one one purpose, because I'm enjoying it so much!  I'm trying to savor this story!












Although I didn't finish any novels this week, I did read quite a few picture books, including some Halloween-themed new releases which were highly entertaining!

Here's what I read:

Creepy Carrots was a hilarious Halloween read that will have kids flipping through its pages again and again in search of details they missed the first time through.  Frankenstein was also a great read-aloud, and a perfect parody of Madeline.  I can't wait to read this one to my daughter, who practically has Madeline memorized!  Another favorite this week was I Will Not Read This Book, which was a silly, cumulative tale that will have kids laughing and parents rolling their eyes in recognition.

Here are my ratings (out of five stars) for this week's books:
Jack and the Beanstalk * * * *
The Luck of the Loch Ness Monster:  A Tale of Picky Eating * * * *
Liberty's Journey * * *
Saving Sweetness * * *
The Maggie B * * *
Liberty! * * * *
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore * * * * *
Red Knit Cap Girl * * *
The Chicken Problem * * * *
Frankenstein * * * *
Trick or Treat * * *
Creepy Carrots! * * * *
Vampirina Ballerina * * * *
The Insomniacs * * *
Wild About Books * * * *
Just For One Day * * *
Happy Birthday, Princess!* *
Cinderella Step Into Reading * *
Fly High, Fly Guy * * *
Hello Kitty Show and Tell * *
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Fly Guy * * *
I Will Not Read This Book * * * *

This coming week, I hope to finish The Diviners and to continue to listen to Anne of Green Gables.  I'm not sure what I'll read next; it may depend on what type of mood The Diviners leaves me in!  Some books on my radar, though, include Remarkable by Lizzie K. Foley, In a Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz, and The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex.

Have a great week, everyone, and happy reading to you!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

Every Monday, the awesome duo at Teach Mentor Texts hosts their What Are You Reading? meme so that anyone who loves children's literature can share the titles they've recently enjoyed as well as their reading plans for the week!  Thanks, Jen and Kellee!
 
Be sure to head over to the Teach Mentor Texts blog to find out what everyone else is reading!

I just finished reading My Louisiana Sky by Kimberly Willis Holt.  I've always wanted to read this one, especially since I so enjoyed her novel, When Zachary Beaver Came to Town, but I finally picked it up because of a book by another author!  Last week, I finished The Year of the Book, by Andrea Cheng, and her main character, Anna, loves to read.  One of my favorite things about The Year of the Book is the way we get to watch Anna lead a reading life.  As we follow Anna on her story, we also learn about the stories she's exploring through her reading, and, you guessed it, My Louisiana Sky is one of those stories.  So, thanks, Anna for inspiring me to finally dig in to this one!

My Louisiana Sky is one of those books whose characters are easy to fall in love with even though there's nothing easy about them.  Tiger Ann is a strong, endearing narrator, whose love for her family carries her through every storm she encounters.  I love that she is able to recognize her own insecurities and to work through her doubts while remaining true to herself and the ones she loves.

Read-alikes:  When Zachary Beaver Came to Town by Kimberly Willis Holt, Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo, Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage, Rules by Cynthia Lord, Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick, Wonder by R.J. Polacio, Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm, Love, Ruby Lavender by Deborah Wiles, Missing May by Cynthia Rylant, The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron



Last week, I also read these titles:

A Dog Called Homeless was, as predicted, a tear-jerker.  It definitely made my top 10 list of books about dogs, but, like all good dog books, it's about so much more than the dog!  When Cally loses her mother and begins to have difficulty communicating with her father, she decides to stop talking altogether.  Some special friends (a few of the two-legged variety and one of the four-legged variety) end up convincing Cally that her voice is worth listening to.

I didn't need a fortune-teller to predict that I would love The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee, the third novel in Tom Angleberger's Origami Yoda series!  The usual cast of characters is back, minus Dwight, and a new foldable Star Wars character is doling out advice.  Tommy, Harvey, Kellen and the gang soon realize, however, that even a paper fortune-teller guided by the force can't replace Dwight in all his weirdness!  Can the fortune wookiee help their friend, or is Dwight forever lost to the dark side?  As usual, I loved Angleberger's humor, and I love that he writes about kids who are genuinely interested in helping each other out!  I'm so excited that the series isn't going to end with Fortune Wookiee!

Here are my ratings (out of five stars) for this week's books:

The Seven Silly Eaters by Mary Ann Hoberman * * * *

The Lotus Seed by Sherry Garland * * *

The Camping Trip That Changed America by Barb Rosenstock * * * *

The Art of Miss Chew by Patricia Polacco * * *

The Shark King by R. Kikuo Johnson * * * *

One Hen:  How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference by Katie Smith Milway * * *

There's a Nightmare In My Closet by Mercer Mayer * * * *

A Dog Called Homeless by Sarah Lean * * * *

The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee by Tom Angleberger * * * *

Zinnia and Dot by Lisa Campbell Ernst * * *

The Garden of Abdul Gasazi by Chris Van Allsburg * * * *

Aunt Isabel Tells a Good One by Kate Duke * *

Benny and Penny In the Toy Breaker by Geoffrey Hayes * * *

Teach Us, Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish * *

The Boy Who Cried Wolf by B.G. Hennessy * * * *

Old Cricket by Lisa Wheeler * * *

Play Ball, Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish * *

The Story of Hanukkah by Amy Ehrlich * * *

Little One Step by Simon James * * *

My Louisiana Sky by Kimberly Willis Holt * * * *

This week, I'm looking forward to starting Libba Bray's latest, The Diviners.  Although I love YA fiction, I don't typically read a lot of it during the school year, because I usually try to read books that are written at the age level of the kids who use my library.  BUT I've heard so many good things about it, and I absolutely love everything Libba Bray has ever written, SO I'm going to allow myself this one!

I'm also continuing to listen to an audio recording of L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables.  I have a feeling it's going to take me a while to listen to the whole thing-mostly because I have limited listening time available to me at the moment, but I'm enjoying getting re-acquainted with this long-time favorite of mine!  I've noticed that, as an adult reader, I'm finding much more humor in Anne Shirley's escapades; whereas, as a child, I felt a great deal of sympathy and injustice on her behalf!

Have a great week of reading, everyone!

It's Monday! What are you reading?

Every Monday, the awesome duo at Teach Mentor Texts hosts their What Are You Reading? meme so that anyone who loves children's literature can share the titles they've recently enjoyed as well as their reading plans for the week!  Thanks, Jen and Kellee!
 
Be sure to head over to the Teach Mentor Texts blog to find out what everyone else is reading!

As of today, I'm about 50 pages in to A Dog Called Homeless by Sarah Lean, which is, so far, a touching story about a girl who decides to take a pledge of silence further than expected.  I'm curious to see what will happen when Cally befriends her new neighbor and if her father will change how he interacts with Cally because of her silence.











Last week, I also read:

There were so many stand-out titles I read this week, but, if forced to choose a favorite, I think it would have to be Oh, No!--whose rhythmic refrain just begs to be read aloud, and whose bold page-spanning illustrations beg to be shared!  (And anyone who knows me knows that I love to read aloud, and I LOVE to share books!)  Here are my ratings (out of five stars) for this week's reads:

Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems * * * * *
The Tooth Mouse by Susan Hood * * * *
The Underwear Book by Todd Parr * * *
Annie and Helen by Deborah Hopkinson * * * *
Olivia and the Fairy Princesses by Ian Falconer * * *
LLama LLama Time to Share by Anna Dewdney * * *
The Monsters' Monster by Patrick McDonnell * * * * *
Oh, No! by Candace Fleming * * * * *
I'm Bored by Michael Ian Bla 
Penny and Her Doll by Kevin Henkes * * * * *
Barnum's Bones by Tracey Fern * * * *
We the Kids by David Catrow * * * *
Dandelions by Even Bunting * * * *
Abandoned! A Lion Called Kiki * * *
Earthling! by Mark Fearing * * * *
Skippyjon Jones in Mummy Trouble by Judy Schachner * * *
Water Dance by Thomas Locker
Desert Elephants by Helen Cowcher * * *
The Recess Queen by Alexis O'Neill * * *
Skippyjon Jones in the Dog House by Judy Schachner * * *
Hooray for Reading Day by Margery Cuyler * * *
The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Malachai Gerstein * * * * *
Benny and Penny in Lights Out by Geoffrey Hayes * * *
The Year of the Book by Andrea Cheng * * * *
Pig Picnic by Patricia Hubbell * *

This coming week, I am looking forward to finishing A Dog Called Homeless, even though I have a feeling that it'll have me in tears before I finish it!  I also finally got my hands on a copy of Tom Angleberger's The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee, which I cannot WAIT to dig in to.  (I have a feeling it'll cheer me up after I finish Homeless!)  I also feel like I did a much better job of reading more picture books last week, so I'm hoping I can keep that up this week!

Have a great week, and don't forget to READ!

It's Monday! What are you reading?

Every Monday, the awesome duo at Teach Mentor Texts hosts their What Are You Reading? meme so that anyone who loves children's literature can share the titles they've recently enjoyed as well as their reading plans for the week!  Thanks, Jen and Kellee!
Be sure to head over to the Teach Mentor Texts blog to find out what everyone else is reading!

Last night, I stayed up (past my bedtime) to finish David Levithan's Every Day-the story of A, who wakes up every morning in a different person's body.  A usually spends his days trying to change as little as possible in the life he's inhabiting, but that all changes when he meets Rhiannon.  This is an inventive and unconditional story about the sacrifices we make for love; a great young adult read!

I also finally read Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes this week, and it was just as entertaining as Pete's other books.  What a great back to school story!

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This week, these two titles are at the top of my TBR pile.  I'll be honest, I'm eager to read The Year of the Book because I'm in love with the cover.  So much for not judging a book by its cover!

I'm also hoping to get back into the swing of reading more picture books this week!

Have a great week, everyone!