Monday January 26th, 2015

Posted on January 25, 2015 by carriegelson

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

I have been sharing a reading photo of the week each week. This week with all of the buzz of #MockCaldecott, I had many to choose from. But this photo of these two boys quietly reading is my favourite. It captures what happens when there are a few free moments in our class – students grab books and read. Choices and habits that are simple, sure, solid. Love.

For a peek at some related #booklove attached to our #MockCaldecott, head over to my classroom blog and read about our guessing of title #3 in Aaron Becker‘s trilogy: Journey, Quest , . . . .?

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. It’s the best way to discover what to read next.

Favourites of the week:

A Perfectly Messed Up Story by Patrick McDonnell

There are many things I adore about this little title. The value it places on books. It’s philosophical musings. The coffee rings. The wit. Lovely, lovely, lovely!

Stormy Night by Salina Yoon

Sweet through and through. A stormy night and a brave little bear (with the help of his family) handles the noises of a storm.

Jonathan & Martha by Petr Horácek

Playful and fun with lift up parts, cut outs and worms that battle into a tied up companionship, this books has huge potential for our buddy reading collection.

Elizabeth, Queen of the Seas written by Lynn Cox and illustrated by Brian Floca

What a story! An elephant seal that felt at home in a river in Christchurch New Zealand. When the well meaning townspeople bring her out to the ocean where they assume she will be safer and more content, she manages to return time after time.

Maudie and Bear written by Jan Ormerod and illustrated by Freya Blackwood

Anything Freya Blackwood and I am a little in love. Interesting reactions to this title. Our little Maudie is full of spunk, personality and . . . .but bear is calm, solid and consistent. Full of patience and love. Would be interesting to talk with children about what they think about the interactions. I think Maudie actually represents many little ones who are quite focussed on self.

I also finished (book #4 from my #MustReadin2015 list) The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

Lots of love. Lots of pain. Grief and mourning muddled up with falling in love and living. Some stop you in your tracks images and lines. Wow.

Up next? I finished reading Twerp by Mark Goldblatt to my children as our family read aloud. I highly recommend this title if you haven’t read it. It would make an ideal middle school read aloud (Grade 6 and up I think) Tonight we started reading The Shadowhand Covenant (Book Two of the Vengekeep Prophecies) by Brian Farrey

I am reading The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

Updates on my 2015 Reading Goals:

2015 Chapter Book Challenge: 5/80 complete

Goodreads Challenge: 32/415 books read

#MustReadin2015: 4/24 complete

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 5/100 titles

Diverse Books in 2015: 2/50 books read

37 thoughts on “Monday January 26th, 2015”

Earl @ The Chronicles Of A Children's Book Writer on January 25, 2015 at 10:45 pm said:

Jonathan and Martha reminded me of Eric Carle at first. I need to check it out. Thanks for sharing!

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- vgpratt on January 26, 2015 at 6:23 pm said:
  
  I thought the same thing! 🙂
  
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- carriegelson on January 26, 2015 at 8:12 pm said:
  
  Does look like that from the cover doesn’t it?!
  
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The Styling Librarian on January 26, 2015 at 4:26 am said:

Lovely array this week… Shall prioritize The Sky is Everywhere for this summer… Happy reading to you!

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- carriegelson on January 26, 2015 at 8:12 pm said:
  
  Would be a great summer read!
  
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thelogonauts on January 26, 2015 at 4:53 am said:

Quite curious about the Perfectly Messed Up Story especially, thanks for sharing!

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- carriegelson on January 26, 2015 at 8:12 pm said:
  
  So much fun! Enjoy!
  
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msyingling on January 26, 2015 at 5:10 am said:

I was hoping that the Nelson title would work for middle grade, but it didn’t. So many sad A romance titles. middle grade readers want just FUN romance, and who can blame them?

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- carriegelson on January 26, 2015 at 8:13 pm said:
  
  Oh no, it is very much YA.
  
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Beth Shaum (@BethShaum) on January 26, 2015 at 5:35 am said:

I absolutely LOVED A Perfectly Messed Up Story. So fun!

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- carriegelson on January 26, 2015 at 8:14 pm said:
  
  I am a huge fan of Patrick McDonnell
  
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Linda Baie on January 26, 2015 at 5:53 am said:

I love all the bear books, so Maudie & Bear is one I will find, Carrie. Wish I could find time for the Jandy Nelson books. They do sound good.

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- carriegelson on January 26, 2015 at 8:31 pm said:
  
  Maudie and Bear has many mixed reviews. I found it quite charming.
  
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Stacey Loscalzo on January 26, 2015 at 8:21 am said:

We loved Elizabeth too and so not our typical book! I think we would really enjoy Maudie and Bear so I’ll be sure to find that one too! I read Nelson’s I’ll Give You the Sun recently but haven’t read this one yet. My to be read pile grows ever higher!!

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- carriegelson on January 26, 2015 at 8:36 pm said:
  
  I hear you on the huge TBR piles! 🙂 Elizabeth is a lovely title. I think I will be sharing with my students at school.
  
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Elisabeth Ellington on January 26, 2015 at 10:11 am said:

I am reading Jandy Nelson’s new novel right now (well, sort of. I’m reading about 20 novels right now and can’t really decide WHAT I’m reading!) and loving it. Need to go back and read Sky. Might look for that one on audio next. We enjoyed Vengekeep Prophesies very much–looking forward to your thoughts on Book 2, which I’ll have to purchase. Wonderful PBs here as always. Wasn’t Perfectly Messed-up Story a delight? One of my children’s lit students checked it out from her local library and brought it to class and I nearly knocked people over getting to it because I’ve been so eager to read it but hadn’t been able to get my hands on it yet!

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- carriegelson on January 26, 2015 at 8:38 pm said:
  
  Perfectly Messed up Story is an absolute delight! Sounds like maybe you messed up another book trying to read it? Was there coffee involved? 🙂 I was excited to start 2nd book of Vengekeep – the first chapters started a little heavy on detail but now seems like the action is about to begin!
  
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Tammy and Clare on January 26, 2015 at 1:41 pm said:

A Perfectly Messed up Story sounds like a helpful book when launching reading workshop or teaching students about the classroom library. Thanks for telling us about it. We can’t wait to read it.

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- carriegelson on January 26, 2015 at 8:39 pm said:
  
  This book has lots to offer. I think it has some more sophisticated elements to it that older readers can really appreciate.
  
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readingwithrhythm on January 26, 2015 at 3:29 pm said:

That Maudie and Bear looks enticing to me!! A couple of the others are already in my stack to read and share. I love your shared reading pics! Thanks!

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- carriegelson on January 26, 2015 at 8:40 pm said:
  
  Thanks! I think this reading picture is quite adorable. But of course I am absolutely biased!
  
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Gigi McAllister on January 26, 2015 at 4:01 pm said:

I thought A Perfectly Messed up Story was genius! The Elizabeth of the Seas book looks really interesting to me.

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- carriegelson on January 26, 2015 at 8:40 pm said:
  
  Agreed. Genius!
  
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Sarah on January 26, 2015 at 4:14 pm said:

I don’t read a lot of picture books, but your blog makes me want to! I did read “A House for Hermit Crab” by Eric Carle today after we talked about molting in science.
I am reading “Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library” in the middle grade area and
“Green Mile” in the adult world.
Thanks for sharing your books and pictures!

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- carriegelson on January 26, 2015 at 8:41 pm said:
  
  I love the amazing world of picture books – both fiction and nonfiction. But of course, the chapter book read aloud is always amazing for the discussions and community it creates.
  
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cheriee on January 26, 2015 at 5:12 pm said:

So Many great books Carrie. I now can’t wait to chat with your two darlings about Twerp. Such a fabulous title. The sky is everywhere has now been added to my to read list.

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- carriegelson on January 26, 2015 at 8:42 pm said:
  
  Yes, Twerp is such a book. They both were very into it.
  
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susansverdi on January 26, 2015 at 5:42 pm said:

I’m always learning new things from your recommendations! I am sure your kiddos enjoyed these books as much as you did. Jonathan and Martha looks too cute!

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- carriegelson on January 26, 2015 at 8:42 pm said:
  
  Thanks Susan! Some still need to be shared. We loved reading Perfectly Messed up Story together.
  
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vgpratt on January 26, 2015 at 6:27 pm said:

I enjoyed seeing your recommendations. I read The Crossover this past week and really enjoyed it. I have to admit that I’m more than a little intimidated by your reading goals!! I read and logged 50 books on Goodreads in 2014 and felt like I had really accomplished something! Only a few– maybe 8 or 9 were picture books– is that how you get so many, or are do you not sleep?!? 😉

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- carriegelson on January 26, 2015 at 8:43 pm said:
  
  Oh yes, lots and lots of picture books! I try to read between 80 and 100 novels and the rest are picture books – fiction and nonfiction!
  
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Michele Knott on January 26, 2015 at 6:32 pm said:

I was laughing out loud to Messed Up Story – I didn’t know it was going to be so humorous! Did you love seeing the Penguin and Pinecone cameos in A Stormy Night?? My favorite part about that book was the illustrations – I loved the bright and bold colors!

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- carriegelson on January 26, 2015 at 8:45 pm said:
  
  Yes, Messed Up Story is very clever. I loved the angst!
  
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readingtothecore on January 26, 2015 at 6:36 pm said:

I completely agree about A Perfectly Messed Up Story! I’ll have to look for the other picture books, they sound terrific. Thanks for sharing!

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- carriegelson on January 26, 2015 at 8:44 pm said:
  
  My pleasure. Always fun to find new picture books 🙂
  
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Myra GB on January 27, 2015 at 11:50 pm said:

I need to get my hands on Elizabeth, Queen of the Seas. I already borrowed a copy of A Perfectly Messed Up Story and can’t wait to read it this weekend. Loved the photo as always. It’s the first time I’m hearing of The Sky is Everywhere! 🙂

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- carriegelson on January 28, 2015 at 6:50 am said:
  
  I read Elizabeth to my students yesterday – a really lovely read aloud!
  
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