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!

This week, I finished (and loved) Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate.  I've seen novels in verse done well, and I've seen them done poorly, and this one is done well.  I was amazed at how Applegate was able to capture Kek's emotional journey in so few words.

I also read these chapter books last week:

The Lemonade War was a fun read; I really enjoyed the brother/sister relationship between Ethan and Jesse, and I love that they solve their problems on their own, without adult interference.  

Roxie and the Hooligans was recommended to me by some fourth graders who read it aloud in their classroom.  Roxie reminded me of Pennypacker's Clementine and Dahl's Matilda; she's resourceful, brave, and smart--what else can you ask for in a heroine?  

Patricia MacLachlan has a knack for writing kids with real problems without turning a story sappy, and that knack doesn't fail her in The Truth of Me.  It was a quick read, but it packed a powerful punch.  

I'm still ruminating over Margi Preus' West of the Moon.   I like the skillful integration of folktales and realistic fiction, but I didn't really feel the impact of the story until I read the author's note about what inspired her story.  I almost wished I had read it first, as it cast a different perspective on the story.

I also got a chance to make a trip to the local bookstore in Austin, and was able to take a peek at these picture books:

This week, I'm two chapters into The Boys of Blur, and I'm already loving how the long, rambling, repetitive sentences imitate the boys' running.  I'm also enjoying the combination of football, mystery, and magical elements.

Sarah Reading in bed

Reading to a real animal

Melvin Evans (3rd grade) reading to Holly and Trixie :).

The Gutierrez Family Reads in Colorado

Last week, my family took a trip to Estes Park, Colorado.  And of course, when you have a librarian in the family, a vacation is going to include lots of reading!

Here's my husband, Mr. Gutierrez, taking a break in a cool Colorado stream to read one of his favorite Elephant and Piggie books.

And my oldest daughter, Arabella, got SO excited when she spotted this sign as we pulled into town!

We also took time to visit MacDonald Book Shop, which had a great children's area!  Here are Arabella and Emeline enjoying some books.

Reading makes a fun family vacation even better!

Mrs. Mathis learns about San Antonio!

It looks like Mrs. Mathis look a trip to San Antonio.  What a great opportunity to read!  Here she is reading about bears at the San Antonio Zoo.

And here she is reading about Texas History on the San Antonio River Walk!

It looks like it was a great trip!

Reading is...Delicious!

Here are Bradley and Amanda reading all of the ice cream cartons on their tour of the Blue Bell factory in Brenham.

Are you guys trying to choose which flavor to try?  Or are you trying to figure out what ingredients they put in Blue Bell ice cream to make it SO delicious?

What's Mrs. Bull up to this summer?

Here's Mrs. Bull reading The Shack at home.  It looks like that copy may have been read before.  Summer is one of my favorite times to re-read some of my most favorite books!

Hope you're having a great summer Mrs. Bull!

Mrs. Kolinek and Bella

Here's a picture Mrs. Kolinek sent of herself reading with her dog, Bella. It may be hot outside, but Mrs. K says she's bundled up because her husband has all of the fans on!

Can you tell what Mrs. Kolinek is reading? She's catching up on Massage Today. Mrs. Kolinek was a massage therapist in college! (I hope the teachers don't find out about that, Mrs. K, or you might have the whole staff lined up outside your office!)

Mrs. Vinklarek and Lyla

It looks like Lyla is enjoying having her mommy home this summer!

 

Here are Mrs. Vinklarek and her daughter reading Dinosaur Babies.

 

How sweet!

Wow! Check out this library!

Ms. Sargent emailed me this picture, with the following note:

"I'm reading a Seattle guidebook in the reading room on the top floor of the Seattle Public Library in (surprise!) Seattle, Washington."



I think Ms. Sargent gets the prize for reading at the location farthest from Smithville (so far...)!

Hope you're enjoying your time there, Ms. Sargent!

Amanda and Vivian are reading barefoot!

Look at these two, taking a break from the summer heat to cool off with a good book!

I'm not sure what they're reading, but it must be good!  Thanks for sending in the picture, Amanda and Vivian!

Mrs. SV's (three!) kiddos are reading this summer!

Here are Mrs. S. Vinklarek's kids reading about trucks together!  What a great big sister and brother they are to read to their new baby brother!

Even baby Jacob is enjoying the book - see him smiling????

Remember this book?

Looks like Mrs. Kennon took a break from playing outside to read a classic...Dick and Jane.

Thanks for the picture, Mrs. Kennon!

Mrs. Pope and sweet Olivia

Mrs. Pope and her daughter, Olivia, are keeping up with current events this summer!  Here they are reading the newspaper at Grandma's house!

Olivia looks very interested in the story!  Thanks for the picture, ladies!

Reading at the Silver Stars Basketball Game!

Here are Ms. Murray and Rachel and Caroline Frerich reading at the Silver Stars basketball game.  What are they reading?  The program, of course!  Way to put those reading skills to work, ladies!

Don't worry-they didn't spend the whole game with their noses in books!  They watched the game, too!

Almost 6 months old and already a reader!

We know Coach Kristynik is having a great summer spending time with her baby, Tyson!  Here they are reading Bambi together!  Awwww....

What's Mrs. Sherrill Reading?

Here's Mrs. Sherrill in Midland, Texas reading a Food Network Magazine!  I bet her family can't wait to see what she decides to try out in the kitchen!  Yum!

Thanks for the picture, Mrs. Sherrill!

Reading in the Trees!

Samantha Gurley, age 8, reading in one of her favorite spots!

Thanks for sending in your picture, Samantha!

Reading on the Go

In my family, half the fun of a car ride is getting there, because a car ride is a great opportunity to read!

Here's a picture of my daughters reading in the car on our way home from the library. When we visit the library, both girls get to check out a big stack of books. Then each of them gets to pick out one book to read on their way home. As you can probably tell from the picture, it's always a very quiet ride home!

Since I'm usually the one driving, I don't get to read in the car very often, but when my husband is driving, I have a book at the ready! Here's a picture of me reading Twelve Kinds of Ice by Ellen Bryan Obed. Can you see the scenery whizzing by out the window? (I wonder how fast my husband was driving while I had my nose in a book!)

Do you read in the car? Send me a picture and let me know where YOU are reading this summer?

What's Cookin' Mrs. Sweeny?

It looks like Mrs. Sweeny is enjoying several different activities this summer! Here's a picture she sent in of herself reading in her mountain kitchen. Mmmm...I can almost smell the delicious meal she's cooking!

Thanks for showing us where (and what) you're reading this summer, Mrs. Sweeny! I know you're enjoying your vacation in the mountains!

What are all of YOU reading this summer?