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:
Loula is Leaving for Africa by Anne Villeneuve
How delightful is this little title? Loula is done with her brothers (triplets! can you imagine?) and has decided she is running away to Africa. Luckily the family chauffeur knows the way . . . Full of adventure and kindness.
Picture a Tree by Barbara Reid
Such a treat for the senses. Calming and inspiring at the same time. Surprised it’s taken me a while to get to this book. Now, of course, I want my own copy.
The Big Adventure of the Smalls by Helen Stephens
I know that if we had had this book when my children were teeny, it would have been part of our nightly story time ritual. A read again and again and again title. What child wouldn’t love a sneaky adventure in and amongst an adult dinner party?
What the Heart Knows: Chants, Charms and Blessings Written by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski
Just so beautiful. The text, wow . . . The illustrations, swoon. So thankful I purchased this title. It now sits on my night table so I can reread favourite poems and passages. While I love all of these poems rather passionately, Starting Now might be my favourite.
I also finished Revolution by Deborah Wiles
I have been raving about this book all day – at a rally for public education, to a friend on the street and then to my mother in law at dinner. Wow.
Where do I start with this incredible story? Maybe the best bet is how I captured its essence in less than 140 characters. Easily one of my favourite titles of 2014.
Oh @deborahwiles how brilliant are you? Revolution, a #bookaday that is now a part of me. Tears, faith, outrage, peace. What a story.
— Carrie Gelson (@CarrieGelson) September 14, 2014
Next up? I am reading Hostage Three by Nick Lake
I will admit that my nerves are still shot and I am not doing the reading I would like to be doing. I am worried about my students. (more here) I want to be working. I am tired of walking around a sidewalk. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. Strikes are terrible. Plain and simple.
Reading Goal Updates:
2014 Chapter Book Challenge: 61/100 novels complete
Goodreads Challenge: 416/650 books read
#MustReadin2014: 20/30 complete
Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 106/65 complete
There's a Book for That 
Okay, ordering Revolution today. Thank you. You always inspire me!
This book will knock you over. It is fantastic.
I’m nearly done with Revolution, hope to finish today-now I’m reading faster, want to see what’s next, but then again I’ll be sad when it’s over. I bet you understand! Will look for sweet Loula-sounds fun! Thanks Carrie!
I had some tears in the last sections of Revolution. An emotional read.
Nick Lake can really write! Have you read In Darkness? I’ve just put Hostage Three on hold. Read Revolution over the summer. I think it was better than Countdown, but maybe the struggle for democracy in it, just hits home more profoundly given what we are dealing with now. I just finished The Spy Catchers of Maple Hill by Megan Frazer Blakemore last night. I love how she illustrates the impact of political reality at a microlevel.
Yes – I did see some irony in the fact that I am reading Revolution and now Hostage 3 – (with all the key players holed up at the hotel in mediation) I didn’t read In Darkness but want to. Was in the mood for a dramatic story to get lost in.
So many wonderful reads here! Revolution is on my TBR and I hope to get to it soon. What the Heart Knows is a treasure.
I think you will LOVE Revolution. Did you read Countdown? Love everything that Wiles writes.
I’ve tried to read Countdown a couple of times and just haven’t been able to make it through, so I wasn’t planning to read Revolution, but I have read a couple of reviews (yours included of course) that make me reconsider. Is it properly a sequel or more a companion novel? In other words, is it okay to skip Countdown and go straight to Revolution? I loved the illustrations in What the Heart Knows.
I would say that Countdown and Revolution are not even companion titles and certainly not a sequel situation. They can be read completely separately and in any order. What they have in common is structure/format. But . . . considering I am in the midst of a 3 month + education dispute, I would say, generally having a countdown before a revolution is advised. 🙂 Okay – you should also know I am so sleep deprived that there is not enough coffee in the world so that may only have made sense to me . . .
LOL, Carrie. It is a good sign that you haven’t lost your sense of humor! I am now totally ready to tackle Revolution with an open mind now that I know it’s not even a companion title. Woo! I didn’t entirely love the format of Countdown, but I found it intriguing. Hoping that Revolution will really work for me. Think I’m off to order it now.
What made the book Revolution so good? I think I will read it this week since you loved it and see if it holds up to the hype.
Why does it take so long to get through books??? I love savoring them, but I have so many to get through… that’s why I haven’t read Countdown and Revolution and I’m dying to get to them! Soon…. as with many others!
Both are fantastic – highly recommend. I am a big fan of Deborah Wiles.
I chuckled as I read your review of Loula is Leaving for Africa. It seems like a delightful book that is quite fun. I bet this would make for great conversations. I can imagine (without reading it) that it would be a good book for older children who need some attention. 🙂
Bingo. It is exactly that book!
Love your tweet and description of the book. I saw that Revolution is the second book in a series, is that right? Do you need to read the first one first?
Not at all. Read one. Read both. In any order. Both Revolution and Countdown incredible.
Thanks Carrie – We can’t wait to get these titles. All of these books are new to us.
So glad you see some things that catch your eye!
I need to read Revolution! I loved her first one, so I know that Revolution must be amazing. Your tweet makes me want to read it even more.
And as always, thank you for introducing me to new PBs.
Happy reading this week! 🙂
P.S. I have been thinking about you a lot lately as I know you are missing being in class with your little people. Here’s hoping you get to go back to what you love soon.
Kellee Thank you. I do appreciate this so much. Revolution is fantastic!
I LOVED What the Heart Knows. The poem about the blessings on the smell of a dog just really resonated with me. I’ve long thought that despite their sometimes ripe smell, it’s somewhat comforting to have the smell of dog in your house. 🙂
It is a comforting smell – especially with a dog you love 🙂
OK – I now NEED to read Revolution! It sounds AMAZING! Joyce Sidman is one of my favorite poets – this looks like one I will need to check out. I love her “Red Sings From the Treetops”! I shared Loula and the Sister Recipe last week – happy to see another Loula book here! This one looks sweet, too! Barbara Reid – love. Do you know her Big Snow book? It’s a perfect connect book for the next snowfall! Hopefully we will be back at school by then! Fingers crossed they are still talking tonight!
It is amazing! Hoping we are back in the rooms soon sharing titles with our children.
I need to get my own copy of What the Heart Knows. I have read it multiple times (I bought it for the library), but I think I would love having it available anytime. So many of the poems spoke to me.
I do love it a lot. Glad I own it!
Hi Carrie, I wanted to tell you that you did a fabulous job on the radio this morning. You eloquently and without ‘doom and gloom’ summed up the challenges of teachers not just in your community but in communities all over BC. I completely share your enthusiasm for returning to work.
Thank you for speaking up and for becoming our ‘spokesperson’ of sorts. Deeply appreciate your voice.
Jacqueline
PS: Will return to Twitter soon [_cuddlefish_] just needed a break from the piles of negativity. Looking forward to returning with a post from my classroom next week! Awesome! 🙂
I really appreciate this feedback so much. It means a lot to me coming from you. There is a lot of joy. This has been a big mess. Let’s move forward.
Loula is in my TBR pile. Better move it up to the top.
Love your reading goal updates. Very, very cool!
Thanks Stacey! Loula is a very cute little story
What the Heart Knows is a favourite from early this year. It is pure light, a radiant little book. The Loula book sounds like one I would definitely enjoy. Pinning the title in my Pinterest board. 🙂 You’ve written such beautiful things about Revolution, I am now inclined to find it.
Still praying that things will get better for you soon.
Myra, you are a week back on my Monday posts. I am back in the classroom! FINALLY!!!!! And yes, Revolution is a must read