It’s Monday! What are you reading?
Join Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from Unleashing Readers and share all of the reading you have done over the week from picture books to young adult novels. Follow the links to read about all of the amazing books the #IMWAYR community has read. You are guaranteed to find something new to add to your list.
The picture books I enjoyed this week:
i carry your heart with me written by e.e. cummings and illustrated by Mati McDonough
This was a gift from Miriam (who works in the classroom with me) to our classroom. It is a beautiful little book featuring E. E. Cummings’ lovely poem. How many times do we reassure by reminding the children that they are with us in our hearts? Many. Many. This book is perfect. The cutest thing? When we first looked at the cover, one child quickly shouted out, “It’s Ruby! And Stella!” referring to the elephants on the front cover. Always thinking of Ivan!
Simple, sweet collage illustrations make this a must own.
Going Places by Peter H. and Paul Reynolds
I loved the creativity and the “out of the box” thinking celebrated when a class of children receive boxes of Go-kart kits. There is something to be said for following where your imagination might take you. And if you bring a friend along . . .
Rufus Goes to School written by Kim T Griswell and illustrated by Valeri Gorbachev
Rufus wants to go to school because he desperately wants to learn to read. But pigs are not allowed at school and my oh my are there many reasons why! Rufus is persistent if nothing else and finally ends up just where he wants to be – enjoying read aloud sessions and really, truly attending school! Sweet. Would be perfect for story time.
I’ll Save you Bobo by Eileen and Marc Rosenthal
Something about the beginning didn’t wow me but as the story continued I liked it more. Great for all of those creative writers who like to write or tell adventure stories.
Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream written by Deloris Jordan and Roslyn M. Jordan and illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Of course – these illustrations are just incredible. A great title for the picture book biography section of your library. All about a boy with lots of dreams. I think children will really relate to Michael’s dreams of wanting to grow taller and his anxiety that it was taking so long.
What Do You Do When Something Wants to Eat You? by Steve Jenkins
Like any Jenkins title, this book is full of amazing things about the animal world. There have been some days in this last month where I wish I had some of the talents/attributes that these creatures have to avoid being noticed/harmed. The pangolin’s ability to roll into an armoured ball is pretty incredible.
A featured read aloud:
Donovan’s Big Day written by Leslea Newman and illustrated by Mike Dutton
I love how this book is so much about anticipation. The children were very excited to guess what Donovan might be getting ready for and began guessing right from the cover: a wedding? a graduation? a play? a funeral? the opera? church? Many many guesses. As we read, it became obvious that Donovan was going to be the ring bearer at a wedding. We discover all at once that the wedding is for his Mommy and Mama. There were lots of reactions and only some of them were about the fact that this was a same sex marriage. Biggest wondering was who was actually the biological Mom and we had to look carefully at the pictures while the kids made their guesses.
“He gets to go to his Mom’s wedding?! I wasn’t even born when my Mom and Dad got married.”
“Not everyone even has to be married.”
“Which one is his real Mom?”
“That’s funny.”
“What if they don’t stay married? And one gets married to someone else? Will there be step kids and step parents?”
I explained when it came up that it was funny for two Moms to be married that same sex marriage has been legal in Canada for over 10 years and that while it may not be as common, it does happen and can happen. And isn’t it great that everyone who loves each other has the same rights to be married if they want to be? “Cool,” said one child and we went back to arguing about which Mom might really be Donovan’s Mom who “actually had him.” 🙂
Where I would normally have finished a novel, I didn’t because I was reading many tweets on the #thisismystrikepay hashtag. I am hoping that by the time anyone reads this post, that B.C. teachers will be close to a deal and that we will not be going on a full scale strike on Tuesday. (Hoping, hoping, hoping!!) There has been much in the media about how our union has no more strike pay to provide for teachers. Teacher’s resolve is not about receiving strike pay or loss of wages . . . and the viral #thisismystrikepay tweeting began. Follow the link for an explanation and a live twitter feed or check out the hashtag. I shared a few tweets as well and retweeted many many others.
This, #thisismystrikepay “I love math now. I’m good at it.” pic.twitter.com/lxnjeqXPvg
— Carrie Gelson (@CarrieGelson) June 15, 2014
Watching 2 girls who want to be Doctors use lab equipment #thisismystrikepay pic.twitter.com/3qzIJqVhPc
— Carrie Gelson (@CarrieGelson) June 15, 2014
When they come back & find their photo still posted – that smile #thisismystrikepay #bced pic.twitter.com/Rj81MPUpFY — Carrie Gelson (@CarrieGelson) June 15, 2014
My two have years ahead in #bced All students deserve a well funded system #thisismystrikepaypic.twitter.com/l1XcigPODG — Carrie Gelson (@CarrieGelson) June 14, 2014
All of this uncertainty has been very challenging and I desperately want to be back in the classroom with my students for the final two weeks of school. Participating in this #thisismystrikepay was therapeutic in many ways – a kind of vigil while negotiations are happening behind closed doors. A reminder of what is at stake and how important it all is.
Relationships, connections, pride, love, hope, joy, passion – BIG themes in the #thisismystrikepay stream
— Carrie Gelson (@CarrieGelson) June 15, 2014
I am about half way through and LOVING The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing by Sheila Turnage Whoa can this lady write!
Reading Goal updates:
2014 Chapter Book Challenge: 42/100 novels complete
Goodeads Challenge: 288/650 books read
#MustReadin2014: 16/30 complete
Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 72/65 complete
There's a Book for That 
Thanks for sharing so many excellent titles. I love collage and e.e. cummings. That will be a definite purchase. The go carts look fun too. The # thisismystrikepay seems to be a powerful way to speak about the true meaning of your job. I wish you all the best in negotiations.
Thanks Crystal. Well said – the true meaning of our job! I think you will love this e.e. cummings title. Really beautiful.
Thanks for the double heads up to the ee cummings Carrie, & all the others, especially Donavan’s Big Day-a must for our school as we have more than one same sex couple as parents. I wish you all well, will look at the tweets too!
Donavan’s Big Day is a fantastic title Linda! Thank you as always for all of your support.
Can’t wait to read the books on the list, can’t wait. Loved Salt in his Shoes, been a while since I read it… Especially curious about i carry your heart with me… loved your students reactions!
Thanks Debbie! Happy Reading.
These books are ALL new to me! I must check them out. 🙂 Good luck with your negotiations. So stressful!
Hi Holly. It is so stressful. Trying to breathe and be optimistic. But you know how it is – I just want to be with my students.
My sons LOVE Salt In His Shoes (as well as the basketball picture book by Chris Paul, who never does get NBA basketball player tall–though that hasn’t gotten in his way). I’ve read it many times and I’m always thankful for the awesome illustrations by Nelson. I am a wee bit obsessed with the Bobo books because I love Earl and how he’s always slyly watching for his opportunity. He reminds me of some of my cats. I read it aloud to my students last semester, though, and didn’t find that it worked quite so well as a read aloud as I thought it would. I am going to have to order Donovan’s Big Day for my classroom library. Thanks for sharing it! Ghosts of Tupelo Landing is sitting on my shelf. Hoping I can get to it this summer because I did love the first book. Turnage just nails that voice. I have barely been on Twitter over the last two weeks–I need to catch up on what’s going on! Hoping to hear good news about the negotiations and your return to the classroom!
Donovan’s Big Day is a MUST – so well done! Celebrates family in such wonderful ways. Thanks for the well wishes Elisabeth. I am trying to remain hopeful and sure would like to be back in my classroom working with the kids.
Thanks for listing all of the picture books, I have a few more to add to my list! I hope things are going well today and tomorrow is even better for you! I love when those “old” students still remember their “younger” days teachers!!
Still no deal . . . Trying to remain hopeful. Hope you can find some of these titles that look interesting to you.
Going Places sounds like a great addition to the books I read at the beginning of the year about curiosity and imagination. Looking forward to reading it soon!
This would be perfect to launch your year to inspire inspiration.
Thank you so much for sharing Donovan’s Big Day. What an important picture book! I loved Leslea’s October Mourning, so I know her writing is beautiful.
I also need to get the Reynolds book. I enjoy everything I’ve read of his.
Happy reading this week! 🙂
It is a really important book. I hope you can find it. We really liked it! The Reynolds book is fantastic. Full of creativity and inspiration 🙂
What a joy to visit your blog, Carrie, with all your updates about new books as well as what’s going on in your classroom. I do hope that things work out with the schools in BC and that the negotiations have gone smoothly – the uncertainty must be worrisome. Donovan’s Big Day – love love love it! I have a feeling I might not find this in our libraries here, but will definitely hunt this down in our book stores – sounds like a truly beautiful and important book too. 🙂