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.
Picture book highlights:
Musk Ox Counts written by Erin Cabatingan and illustrated by Matthew Myers
One of my beloved #IMWAYR bloggers sent me a gift card when the strike finally ended to buy a few new treasures for my classroom. This is one of my selections – lots of silly, perfect humour delivered through illustrations, pacing and dialogue and some favourite characters – zebra and musk ox back again. I can’t wait to share this with my students and know it will quickly become a buddy reading time favourite. Thank you to Linda for the smiles and giggles all wrapped up in this title!
Perfect Square by Michael Hall
Some books go for a clever kind of creativity that manages to be bold without being loud. I finished this book and just smiled. Impressive.
Open This Little Book written by Jesse Klausmeier and illustrated by Suzy Lee
Yippee! This book makes me want to grab hands with a bunch of little ones and spin about and then settle into a story time session where I have the time to indulge in the requests to “read it again” please! A book that celebrates the magic of stories and quite literally pulls you in closer to examine every detail. What fun.
Ivan: The Remarkable True Story of the Shopping Mall Gorilla written by Katherine Applegate and illustrated by G. Brian Karas
I read this first through teary eyes. The beginning sentence is too beautiful. And oh how I love Ivan. He occupied our hearts – my students and mine when we read Applegate’s special novel The One and Only Ivan in the spring. I have to practice reading this book multiple times before tomorrow so that I can read it without my voice catching when I look up at those little faces who love Ivan too.
I also read a lot of early/young chapter books in anticipation of lots of book talks on the horizon:
Princess Posey and the Perfect Present by Stephanie Greene
I have a number of girls in my class who have been asking me to get this series for our class library. I had read one title in the past and tried another. Definitely sweet and perfect for young readers. In my classroom, these are a comfort read for those students ready for chapter books but easing in to the whole idea of reading titles a little longer and more complex.
Mortimer Keene: Attack of the Slime by Tim Healey and Chris Mould
Amazing illustrations full of creepy and creative things, this title comes from Britain and is told in rhyming text. I think this would go over best if I read parts of it aloud and then let students read it on their own independently. There are many more complicated words and vocabulary so this is not for the beginning chapter book reader – a little more confidence and skill are needed to be able to tackle this title with success.
Kung Pow Chicken Let’s Get Cracking by Cyndi Marko
I continue to be impressed by Scholastic’s Branches series. This is full of action and lots of images – kind of a cross between a heavily illustrated chapter book and a graphic novel. Lots of silly escapades and much kid humour. I am predicting this series will be very popular in my class.
And two graphic novels:
Smile by Raina Telgemeier
Okay, yes, I admit, I have never read Smile until this weekend. I had read parts of it. I had heard it summarized by my daughter in huge detail numerous times, but I had never sat down and read it cover to cover. No reason for this – just a fact. Then I went to see Raina this week when she was in town promoting Sisters and of course, I was completely charmed. And now, I have read Smile and yes, I am in the fan club.
El Deafo by Cece Bell
Well, wow. All kinds of honest and vulnerable and powerful and hilarious. I could not put this book down. There are too many reasons why this book is fantastic and so beginning a list is just silly. But, wow, am I in awe of how this story is told, how friendship issues are explored and highlighted, how the power and powerlessness of a “disability” was portrayed through a child’s perspective . . . Okay, yes, I just started a list. If you haven’t yet, go read the book. Immediately.
What’s Next? Probably Sisters by Raina Telgemeier I am currently enamoured with these authors telling their stories and their truths through the graphic genre.
Reading Goal Updates:
2014 Chapter Book Challenge: 64/100 novels complete
Goodreads Challenge: 450/650 books read (currently 44 books behind – slowly trying to get this down to 0 from the scary 54 I noticed a few weeks ago)
#MustReadin2014: 20/30 complete
Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 108/65 complete
There's a Book for That 
Yay, books connecting people. Fun reads. Have a great week!
Thanks Earl. It was a great reading week 🙂
Added so many books again, thanks! Glad you enjoyed Smile… I agree, appreciate truth telling thru graphic novels so much… Can’t wait to read El Deafo!
El Deafo was an absolute delight. I learned a lot and felt Bell’s honesty and humour was so refreshing! What a book!
I am beginning to think I am the only one who hasn’t yet read El Deafo but I look forward to it. I think Iwill order request the Kung Pow Chicken book. I like the Branches series.
Sometimes it feels like everyone is reading a book but you . . . I often find that very thing. El Deafo is very worth a careful and lovely read.
I didn’t know there was an Ivan picture book! I reserved this at the library, since the chapter book does well at my school .
My students were just delighted to hear this title today – it brought back many memories of reading Ivan, the novel.
I was, still am, happy to discover the Musk Ox books-still have only read the A one, but they are delightful. And happy you liked Open This Little Book-so cute! I still need to get the Ivan picture book & read El Deafo & Sisters, too. I did like Smiles, & the Drama one fit our school so well, lots of theater goes on. Thanks Carrie, hope it’s another good week!
The Musk Ox titles are so much fun. Such great books to share together! El Deafo and Sisters are both incredible reads. Real treats. Even have my husband on a graphic novel kick right now!
I’m so glad you enjoyed Smile; I love how it appeals to readers of all ages. My kids have also enjoyed Sisters so much that my only copy is losing its pages! I can’t wait to read the Ivan picture book; what a great way for younger readers to access Ivan’s story. And Julee, you’re not the only one who hasn’t read El Deafo yet; I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy!
I can imagine that Sisters will have the same fate in my classroom! Enjoy El Deafo – it is really incredible!
Add me to the list of people still waiting to read El Deafo. I’m all the more anxious to get to it after reading your review.
I can’t wait to hear what you think. It really is that good! A must read and then must share.
Perfect Square looks delightful. I know just the types of books you are talking about when you described it. It looks like one I would really enjoy, so thank you for sharing!
I am glad that I was able to convey that . . . it’s nice to be “got” 🙂
El Deafo sounds like a book that we all need to read to our students. It will help students that know someone with a disability and how they feel.
It is a great title for many reasons, absolutely.
I just loved Smile and Sisters. So many references to growing up in the 80s and 90s – I felt like this book was written for me not the kids 🙂 so jealous you got to meet Raina! So is my daughter 🙂 Cannot wait to see Ivan tomorrow! I’ll be reading that book immediately! Have a great week!
My daughter got a hug from Raina and couldn’t stop talking about it! It was a great author event. I just finished Sisters this evening. Couldn’t resist stealing away some reading time to enjoy it.
Yay! So glad you loved El Deafo!
LOVED! What a book.
El Deafo, Perfect Square and Musk Ox Counts are now on our “to read” list. Thanks so much
So happy I could help you lengthen your list!
So glad you are enjoying the memoir GNs. Have you read The Dumbest Idea Ever? It is a great one as well. Enjoy Sisters!
Happy reading this week! 🙂
OH! Also love how Perfect Square promotes creativity. Good stuff!
Agreed. Such a fun surprise.
No, but will now go looking for it!
A great collection this week! I’m jealous you went to meet Raina – I have not read either of her books but they are high on my TBR list! El Deafo – incredible story – so much packed into this book I agree – it’s hard to know where to start! Musk Ox and Kung Pow Chicken have both caught my eye! Thanks, my friend!
My pleasure. It was a great event put on by Kidsbooks with both Raina and Kazu Kibuishi there. Both of them so down to earth and charming. The kids loved it and I liked looking around the audience and seeing all of the kids with noses in their new books.
My daughter is a huge fan of Raina Telgemeier. She has Smile and Drama. While I have read the latter, I haven’t read the former yet, like you. I am thinking of buying Sisters for her this Christmas, but I doubt if she can wait that long. We are also keen on inviting Raina here in Singapore for the Asian Festival of Children’s Content – I am crossing my fingers that it does happen. Open this Little Book is just lovely. Suzy Lee was also our keynote speaker at the AFCC two years back. 🙂
I have since read Smile and Sisters and I am a huge fan! Raina is delightful I hope she can come to the festival!