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.
My favourite picture books of the week:
Here I am written by Patti Kim and illustrated by Sonia Sanchez
The wow title of the week. Wordless, graphic style illustrations that are powerful and full of emotion. All about a young boy’s journey to a new country and a new life. Highlighting the myriad of emotions involved: confusion, fear, wonder, possibility . . .
The book trailer is wonderful.
Dream Dog written by Lou Berger and illustrated by David Catrow
I was attracted to this book by this gorgeous cover and of course recognized Catrow’s unique style from Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon. When Harry can’t have a dog, he imagines one. One that is big and blue and wonderfully playful. This new conjured up canine sticks with Harry for exactly as long as he needs him.
The Very Big Carrot by Satoe Tone
Simple story about the imaginative ideas of six little white rabbits about exactly what they might be able to do with a gigantic carrot. A few pages in I can see a bunch of listeners making very persuasive suggestions. It seems by the end, that these bunnies might have heard! Would be an ideal story time title for the younger set.
The Chickens Build a Wall by Jean-Francois Dumont
A rich story perfect for philosophical discussions about paranoia, acceptance and fear. When chickens discover an unknown hedgehog, they immediately assume he must signal trouble. Their worries and anxiety grow as does the wall they begin erecting. Interesting ending that I won’t reveal here.
The Salmon Twins by Caroll Simpson
Caroll Simpson writes and illustrates such engaging Aboriginal literature.There is a fantastic glossary in the back featuring all of the mythical creatures portrayed in the story. This title is set in a Pacific coastal village and focuses on the values of family, community and ingenuity.
When the Bees Fly Home written by Andrea Cheng and illustrated by Joline McFadden
A many layered story about a young boy and his family who raise bees. Jonathan feels like a disappointment to his stressed out father (a drought does not fare well for the bees) but is able to put his creative energy into making wax creatures. Helping his mom with candles that can be sold at the market turns out to bring many surprises. There are facts about bees woven into the pages through the illustrations but this is really a story of family dynamics. I loved the character of Jonathan – quiet, gentle, thoughtful and vulnerable.
Penguin on Vacation by Salina Yoon
Penguin is an adorable story time character and his adventures and spirit are hugely appealing to children who love these stories. My favourite is still Penguin and Pinecone but this title is also enjoyable.
I also finished two novels
The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing by Sheila Turnage
So first of all this is one wonderful story. Full of humour, mystery and southern charm. Second, Turnage writes so well. The kind of writer where you must stop and reread a sentence and think, “Well, well, well that was just brilliant.” Often. If you have read Three Times Lucky, you will love this title with many of the same characters. If you haven’t read either title – read them both! Middle grade perfection.
Jinx’s Magic by Sage Blackwood
I have been reading this title aloud to my children. If you know the story, you know that much of it is set in the Urwald – a magical forest where trees are not quite like the trees you might be used to. So . . . we took this book along on our forest walk today and found a small clearing to stop and read the final chapter. The story was already very good – this setting made it . . . well, magical. What I love about Blackwood’s Jinx stories is their humour, the unexpected and multi-layered magic and how the fantasy is so unique. For middle grade readers who love fantasy, both Jinx and Jinx’s Magic are ideal recommendations. Jinx is a character with total kid appeal. And as an adult, I must admit to rooting for him throughout! This book was on my #mustreadin2014 list!
Next up?
Our family read aloud will be The Boundless by Kenneth Oppel. For me? Cress by Marissa Meyer.
Reading Goal updates:
2014 Chapter Book Challenge: 44/100 novels complete
Goodeads Challenge: 299/650 books read
#MustReadin2014: 17/30 complete
Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 73/65 complete
There's a Book for That 
If you say Here I Am is the wow title of the week for you, then we all know that we should check it out! Dream Dog looks so sweet, and I too am drawn to Catrow’s illustrations! I just picked up the large board book: I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More, also a Catrow book 🙂 I love Kenneth Oppel, and very much look forward to reading his latest book. I should also hunt down The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing this summer! Have a great week!
Ghosts of Tupelo Landing was such a fun read. Lots of laughs. My husband and I went to see Oppel and have a signed copy of The Boundless. Was wonderful to hear him speak about his research. Isn’t Catrow great?
Catrow IS great! 🙂 And meeting/hearing Oppel speak-wow! Very lucky!
Here I Am was such an amazing book. I definitely want that one for my classroom collection.
The Chickens Build a Wall and The Very Big Carrot are two books I will be seeking out at the library this week. Thanks as always for your wonderfully unique and diverse reading list! 🙂
I want my own copy too! It is fantastic. Will be interested to see what you think about The Chickens Build a Wall.
When I saw Dream Dog, the first thing that popped into my mind was also Molly Lou Mellon. Caltrow has such a distinct style. I am such a fan of the Jinx series. My students really like Jinx. I am looking forward to the third installment.
We are looking forward to this next title in the Jinx books too! Jinx has such charisma.
Good morning, Carrie! Thanks for showing Here I Am, I bought it a long time ago and after a quick look through, it got buried. Time to pull it back out. I love all of the Penguin books. Did you see there is a new Penguin book coming out later this summer – Penguin and Pumpkin. I’m sure it will be wonderful! I have the Cinder-Scarlet-Cress books in my summer TBR pile. I’m hoping to get to them in July! Hope you have a positive week!
I had heard that there is a new Penguin book – these titles are pretty cute! The Lunar Chronicles is a great series – hope you get to it this summer. I think you will be hooked!
Here I Am looks wonderful. The illustrations shown in the trailer are so sweet and dreamy, Carrie. I marked many of the other pic books, very good ones to look for. I still haven’t read the Sheila Turnage books, maybe someday. There are just so many to find and enjoy, & also many in my stacks at home. (Rooting for you & your colleagues!)
Linda Thank you for your support! Means a lot. Here I am is so well done – I think you would love it!
Another post full of picture books I’ve never heard of before AND MUST HAVE IMMEDIATELY. LOL. I think publishers ought to send you a commission, Carrie! I am reading Ghosts of Tupelo Landing right now–hoping to finish this afternoon if I can sneak away for some reading time. So many sentences just make me stop short and reread because they are perfection. Turnage can WRITE. Voice, voice, voice. I loved Three Times Lucky and might like Ghosts even better. I loved your story about finishing Jinx’s Magic on the walk. I don’t read a lot of middle grade fantasy–it’s a genre I always thought I didn’t enjoy very much. But Jinx has convinced me otherwise. I really liked Jinx’s Magic.
She is really incredible isn’t she? Can’t wait to see what she writes next! My children and I are eagerly anticipating the next title in the Jinx series? trilogy? Not sure how many books there are going to be. I should ask Sage. If she’s telling . . .
I love love love Here I Am! It took me to my days of travelling in a foreign country and not understanding the language. Such an amazing book – every ESL teacher and every teacher who teaches ELS must read it. So glad you enjoyed Ghosts of Tupelo Landing. Sheila Turnage sure can write! I think Snicker of Magic is in that vein, but I’m glad I didn’t read it just after finishing them. Jinx is on my to read list for this summer.
She sure can! So many lines that just absolutely blew me away and such characters! I think you will really like Jinx.
I haven’t read Penguin and Pinecone yet. If it is better than Penguin on Vacation then I really need to.
Here I Am looks beautiful. Thank you for sharing it with me.
Happy reading this week! 🙂
I think it is quite magical. Penguin on Vacation is cute absolutely but not in same category – just my opinion!
Here I Am sure does look like a wow title. I also love the title: When the Bees Fly Home. I am intrigued. Quiet books are my favorite, so I will need to get this one. Thank you for sharing these titles with us!
Quiet books really do have special appeal. Thanks for reading Ricki.
Wow! Thank you for all of these titles. We can’t wait to get Here I Am! We love the way you described how the illustrations shows the character’s emotions.
Here I Am is just a must own title. Now just need to own it!
Thank you for sharing about Here I Am. It sounds amazing. I also am looking forward to reading The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing. I enjoyed Three Times Lucky and will be happy to spend some time with those characters again. Have a great reading week!
Then yes, you will love Ghosts of Tupelo Landing How I adore Mo! And all of the characters.
Loved the trailer for Here I Am, fits with my obsession on moving to a new culture/location books. 🙂 Now on order… I’m still in the middle of Jinx’s Magic- reading aloud to my son. Plus reading two other books which is slowing us down… Hoping you have a wonderful reading week! 🙂
Jinx’s Magic is a fun read aloud. My kids really enjoyed all of the characters and the dynamics between them. Took us a while to read as well -we are often reading nonfiction titles at same time.
Reading in a small clearing in the forest sounds so idyllic. I should try that with my 12 year old girl. 🙂 I’ve been reading so many great reviews about Here I Am – sounds like my kind of read, dear Carrie. It’s taking me awhile to get to people’s posts, but I’d get there soon! 🙂
I can almost guarantee that you would love Here I am! Such a powerful story told through beautiful images. Reading in the forest is a wonderful experience – one that I would like to repeat soon!