It’s Monday! What are you reading?
I have been sharing a reading photo of the week each week. This week, I had some computer glitch and lost my photos from the week – no idea why. Thankfully, I tweeted some so I can still share some book love happening in my classroom here!
A picture says it ALL. Books are the BEST! #buddyreadingpic.twitter.com/rEH0KfwQjI
— Carrie Gelson (@CarrieGelson) February 5, 2015
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.
I read some fantastic picture books this week. I have decided to share – many but briefly – couldn’t get it down to under ten favourites. Not a bad problem. 🙂 Fiction and nonfiction picture book joy!
The Storm Whale by Benji Davies
What do you do when you find a whale lost in a storm? Help it of course. And it just might help you communicate something that needs telling. Sweet.
The Troublemaker by Lauren Castillo
Absolutely wonderful. Castillo is such a story teller. This book rings true with the magic of childhood, the nostalgia of summer holidays and the quirky dynamics of family interactions. Love the surprises!
Number One Sam by Greg Pizzoli
Being number one is always most important . . . or is it?
How to Wash a Woolly Mammoth written by Michelle Robinson and illustrated by Kate Hindley
This would be a fantastic mentor text for procedural writing. Adorable illustrations and a fun little escapade – bath time with a woolly mammoth.
Hermelin: The Detective Mouse as told to Mini Grey
I really do adore Mini Grey! This story is utterly charming.
Astronaut Handbook by Meghan McCarthy
Alyson Beecher pointed me in the direction of this book. Amazing nonfiction title about what it would be like to train to go into space! Perfect for the primary classroom.
Firebird written by Misty Copeland and illustrated by Christopher Myers
First read through, I spent this whole book swooning over the illustrations. And then I remembered that there was text. The first line of this book – just so beautiful:
the space between you and me is longer than forever
Bone by Bone written by Sara Levine and illustrated by T.S Spookytooth
I put this on a nonfiction wish list after reading some reviews. This is my newest nonfiction title to rave about. Really, you need this book if you have a primary classroom. So engaging. So fun. Lots to learn.
Have You Heard the Nesting Bird? written by Rita Gray illustrated by Kenard Pak
These illustrations are fantastic. Lots of facts at the end of the book and beautiful lyrical text through out.
Forest Has a Song poems by Amy Ludwig Vanderwater and illustrated by Robbin Gourley
The forest is possibly my favourite out-in-the-world place. So, these illustrations, these poems – well, I was smitten.
I also finished one novel. another from my #MustReadin2015 list:
The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher by Dana Alison Levy
I loved every member of this wonderful family. I rooted for each of them, celebrated them, smiled so big it hurt my cheeks. This is what family is. Loved the noisy, messy mumble jumble of every day love and family connection explored in this book. A happy, hilarious MG read.
Up next? I am about to start Girls Like Us by Gail Giles
Updates on my 2015 Reading Goals:
2015 Chapter Book Challenge: 7/80 complete
Goodreads Challenge: 55/415 books read
#MustReadin2015: 5/24 complete
Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 14/100 titles
Diverse Books in 2015: 5/50 books read
There's a Book for That 
Why is it that I dislike talking animal books now, but the Hermelin picture book looks good to me? I was a big Miss Bianca/Basil of Baker Street fan when I was very young. May have to take a look at Mini Grey!
Mini Grey is the right kind of quirky – this one is even a little sweet. Really liked it.
We Loved The Troublemaker! We read it last week. My kids were up on their knees they couldn’t take it! 🙂 That was such a fun read aloud! Many of these other books I will need to take a look at. Thanks for sharing!
Sounds like the perfect read aloud experience! Love when they get so into it!
Hi Carrie, Love your books this week. I just stopped to request Bone by Bone. My partner teacher teaches about animals and adaptations, this one will be great! How to Wash a Wooly Mammoth looks adorable!!
Bone by Bone is such a great book! Better and more engaging than I expected.
Wish already I’d found The Troublemaker, looks delightful, Carrie, & I loved that Fletcher family, too, hope it gets into the hands of more than one student! I saw your picture on twitter, too-love those smiles! Thanks as always for all the books!
The Fletcher Family is one I am not ready to leave. Thrilled to hear that there is a sequel!
A Sequel?? I can’t wait!
aaaa, so many of these picture books look absolutely adorable! I’ve requested that my library order several. Thanks for sharing! (also, Girls Like Us is AMAZING!)
Agreed, AMAZING. Woke up and read the entire thing before anyone else in my house was up!
So glad to see Amy’s fabulous poetry book here today – a classroom favorite!
I can certainly see why!
Isn’t Family Fletcher just so perfect? I predict it will become a modern classic. I too loved Hermelin! I’ve got The Troublemakers waiting to go into our new book display case. I’ll have to dig it out and read it this week. You’ve got so many other great books on this list. Alas, I am out of money and can now just add books to my wish list!
Wish lists are a fine thing – hopefully, we can eventually get to them. I do so adore those Fletcher boys and those Fletcher Dads.
I really liked Family Fletcher–and have liked it more as it’s stuck with me after reading. I hope for more in the series! Reminds me a bit of my very favorite fictional family: the Cassons, in Hilary McKay’s perfect series. (Which I just might have to reread this year.) I just bought Girls Like Us last week–read the first chapter and didn’t love the voice. Felt a little off to me. I need to get back to it and try again. It’s a book I really do want to love. Mini Grey is such a favorite of mine but I still haven’t seen Hermelin. Must look for Bone by Bone too. Thanks!
I started and finished Girls Like Us in one sitting and fell right in. I agree that it takes a few chapters to get into. But oh so worth it. Hermelin is particularly charming.
Have you visited Amy Ludwig Vanderwater’s blog? The Poem Farm-I share it with my class from time to time, not as much as I should! You shared tons of great titles that are new to me, I thought Nesting Bird was going to have Jon Klassen’s name on the illustrations though! Have a great week!
I haven’t visited her blog but will have to now! Thanks for this! We are beginning to write more poetry so always looking for more inspiration.
Hi Carrie
Thank you so much – We learn about so many new books from you. We can’t wait to read How to Wash a Wooly Mammoth and Hermelin – Those sound amazing!
So pleased to hear this! I spent all weekend learning from you – with all of your fantastic conference tweeting!
These all look wonderful. I adore Amy’s Forest poems, and can’t wait to get Bone by Bone. I’m also looking forward to reading about the Fletcher Family. Thanks for sharing!
Bone by Bone is really wonderful. And those Fletchers . . . well! Love them all.
The first line of Firebird made me cry. Oh man that book. So amazing.
I love how you start every It’s Reading post with a picture of your students reading now. A few of my 8th grade boys also had their own impromptu buddy reading experience last week:
http://useyouroutsidevoice.blogspot.com/2015/02/celebrate-book-love.html
Loved that post Beth – thanks for sharing 🙂
Must read Firebird… thank you for sharing. 🙂 So many others… loved Number One Sam and The Troublemaker as well…
Firebird is an experience! So beautiful.
What a fantastic pile of books. Many I have read, but am happy to see some new to me titles like Bone by Bone. Thanks and have a great week. 🙂
I was thrilled to find Bone by Bone. Now a favourite nonfiction title!
Your reading photos get me every week!!! I love your kids and your classroom!
There are so many books in this list that I loved and so many more that I want to read. Thank you as always for sharing amazing PBs each week!
Happy reading this week! 🙂
P.S. I actually have Firebird coming from the library–can’t wait!
I just picked it up from my library too. My daughter – who dances – loved it!
Thank you Kellee! I love my kids too! They are such keen readers and I love nothing more than celebrating them!
I love your list! Firebird is definitely on my “to read” list– I danced as a girl for six years, and am still a dancer at heart. You sold me with your description of Bone by Bone– will have to get that one next. Here’s a question for you– about what percentage of the books you list do you actually purchase and put in your classroom? I buy WAY too many books, but when I see books like some of the ones you’ve listed, it doesn’t seem enough to borrow them– I feel the need to OWN them! (Yikes!) Thank you, Carrie!
I am scared to answer that question. On this list – not so bad. I bought Bone by Bone and Astronaut Academy. I tend to take a lot of novels out from the library – but do purchase certain MG titles I want my children to read or that I might read aloud to them. I tend to spend most of my $$ on nonfiction titles that I know I will share frequently. I also buy pretty much every wordless book that I love. Can’t help it. And of course, when I can I purchase titles my students will love for our classroom library. Sometimes, we have had some donations I use for this. But yes, I spend a LOT on books. Such an important investment.
I’m afraid it comes with the territory!
Carrie, I go into the library, and I never find as many good books as you seem to find! The forest is one of my favorite places to be, too, so I will have to search for Forest Has a Song! Thank you for sharing!
Some of my “finding” is highly influenced by requesting! 🙂
Now that’s a lot of picturebook love indeed – I was hoping to pin some of them, but the Pinterest button seems to have stopped working. I read Forest Has a Song I think last year – isn’t it lovely? Will also be featuring The Troublemaker very soon – enjoyed the twist in the end too. Can’t wait to receive my copy of Firebird! 🙂
Glad you see some titles you know and some new ones to love Myra!
Wow – a very long list this week! Some I know – but many new titles for me! I am most interested in Bone By Bone – I am collecting books that are good for comparative writing – so have added this to my list! How To Wash a Wooly Mammoth – perfect anchor for instructional writing! And I love the look of Every Forest Has A Song. Love the Troublemaker and Storm Whale. Thanks for all the new titles!
So glad that you found some books new to you. It was a wonderful picture book week!
SO MANY GOOD BOOKS! I’ll look for Astronaut’s Handbook, Bone by Bone. I tried to request Firebird from my library but there were a ton of holds before me!
Those award winning books get instantly popular!
Were your ears burning yesterday morning? I’ve started my 4th grade intervention students blogging on Mondays. They review the book they currently read on a padlet page and then they can read everybody else’s reviews to get ideas for their TBR piles. Before we started I showed them blogs, including yours, so they could see how people review. It was so fun to see what they came up with 🙂
I’m pretty sure you saw Rita Gray has a new one coming out this spring? I saw it at ALAMW and it’s beautiful, I think even better than Nesting Bird.
Getting more into Girls Like Us tonight. Hope I can get it done quickly. No promises since it’s conference week!
Wow, Michele, honoured that you would share my blog with your students! I bet it was fun to see their reviews! I did see that there is a new one coming out by Rita Gray with same illustrator and of course, I want it! Enjoy Girls. I read it all in a morning. LOVED
I’ve been a big Lauren Castillo fan. Nana in the City was one of my favorite picture books of 2014. I haven’t read The Troublemaker yet, so definitely adding that to my to-read list. 🙂