It’s Monday! What are you reading?
I have been sharing a reading photo of the week each week. This is buddy reading at its best. Kids everywhere. Engaged. Reading. Talking. Laughing. Did I say engaged? Because, really, that’s what it’s all about.
I also shared an emotional Celebration post this week. All about how very much I have loved having my current class for (for many of them) a third year. There is much to be said for teaching children over multiple years.
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.
The picture books I loved this week:
Sidewalk Flowers by JonArno Lawson and Sydney Smith
Wordless perfection. I love everything about this book. And I own it. I pick it up everyday and swoon.
Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah written by Ann Thompson and illustrated by Sean Qualls
A fantastic nonfiction picture book biography. True inspiration.
Big Red Kangaroo written by Claire Saxby and illustrated by Graham Byrne
I shared this book in my nonfiction post this week.
My Pen by Christopher Myers
I left this at the bookstore but haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. I always say there is power in the pencil (or pen, or marker, etc) – this book celebrates the creativity on the page. But on the page is so much more. I know this book will soon become part of my collection. I want to share it with each group of children I teach for forever . . .
I Wish You More written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld
I want any of these wishes to be true. Lovely, lovely, lovely.
See You Next Year written by Andrew Larsen and illustrated by Todd Stewart
The illustrations are beautiful – such magic in the way light is shown. Nostalgia, memory inducing book. Power in the “same every year” summer vacation.
The Cardinal and the Crow by Michael Moniz
The message? Pride and foolishness go hand in hand. Inspired by Aesop’s fables. For bird lovers, the illustrations are divine.
Chicken Big by Keith Graves
Kids LOVE silly. This book is bursting with it.
NonRandom Acts of Kindness (Life of Ty #2) by Lauren Myracle
I am so excited that this young chapter book exists. I started with #2 but will be finding number one and adding both to my classroom collection. Ty is believable, the story line is relevant and I liked the friendship/family dynamics explored.
We Were Here by Matt de la Peña (YA)
Where to begin? These characters, sigh. I feel like I could go for a walk and I might find them standing on a corner, watching people go by. I would want to run up and talk about courage and honesty and deep morals and true loyalty. I would want to buy them a sandwich. I would want to know that their worlds are all going to be okay. I’m hopeful. Which doesn’t really tell you anything about this book. I will say this, I am fast becoming a de la Peña fan. If you haven’t read any of his books, start here. Soon.
Updates on my 2015 Reading Goals:
2015 Chapter Book Challenge: 16/80 complete
Goodreads Challenge: 134/415 books read
#MustReadin2015: 7/24 complete
Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 29/100 titles
Diverse Books in 2015: 13/50 books read
Up next? I am almost finished The Meaning of Maggie by Megan Jean Sovern And then it is to Gabi, A Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero
There's a Book for That 
Wow, you have got some great books in your post. I’ve added My Pen, I Wish You More, and Sidewalk Flowers to my to-read list. My kids love Chicken Big! It is one they ask for over and over again!
I was able to read some wonderful titles this week! Hope you can find copies. Lots to love.
I will return to put more titles on my list. I just ordered My Pen, know I will love it, & especially will look for See You Next Year, & We Were Here. Both sound just wonderful, Carrie. Have a great week!
You will love My Pen Linda. A real inspiration for writers and artists.
I just picked up Sidewalk Flowers and See You Next Year from the library!
I have We Were Here – it’s on my never ending bookshelf of TBR books! I’ve heard so many great things about his books, I’m looking forward to reading one. I’ve read Market Street (which I loved).
Happy Monday!
I think We Were Here is a great title to start with. My husband and I met Matt at a Literacy Conference this spring. We purchased a number of his novels and are now reading them – then they go into the school library where my husband teaches.
Sidewalk Flowers looks really good. I will definitely be requesting that one from my library.
It is really beautiful. One of those books it is hard not to own!
Oh wow Carrie–I want every book on your list! Love Sidewalk Flowers and Emmanuel’s Dream. And I’m always looking for great bird books! Cardinal and Crow looks great. And I must have I Wish You More and See you Next Year. And Matt de la Pena–sigh!
We are reading lots of Matt’s books in our house right now! See You Next Year has a lovely feel. I like Andrew Larsen’s books a lot – In the Treehouse is another favourite of mine.
I may have to look into the Myracle Ty series for some of my struggling readers. I like the cover.
It is a really wonderful little early chapter book – I like that it is realistic fiction and funny but not all our silly humour that kids might like but the adults that might be reading with them don’t! Lots to like with this series.
So many books Carrie – Thank you so much. We are trying to put together a new Pinterest board of powerful traditional literature. We will check out Cardinal and Crow.
It is absolutely gorgeous visually. A great title to leave everyone pondering . . .
Oh Carrie, I’m so excited about the Non-Random Acts of Kindness title and series. Finding enough real books (as in books with substance) for those on their way readers is one of my biggest challenges. I love Lauren Myracle’s work and have gone and put a hold on the first two of these series. I expect to add them to my shopping cart. And of course I now want to read all these picture books!
Yes – I was also thrilled to find this series. I ordered the first in the series and I think the third is coming out this fall? I did have a little bit of picture book heaven this week! B and I hung out in a book store for a while so I did some reading and . . . shopping!
Sidewalk Flowers is so amazing. I want to get to Emanuel’s Dream. I ordered My Pen this week. the rest sound like some titles I will need to find also. I’m with you on becoming a Matt de la Peña fan. 🙂
He is pretty great. Both my husband and I are reading his novels right now! My Pen – oh what a book. I really do wish I had purchased it!
Your Monday posts never cease to amaze me. First you start with such great photos of your classroom and students then we move into your amazing lists each week. You are such an inspiration. As you have never steered me wrong, I ordered a few of these from the library. I also will make sure to to add Life of Ty to my early reader chapter book TBR that I am going to tackle this summer.
Happy reading this week! 🙂
Thanks so much Kellee! I think this Ty series is a perfect addition to that TBR pile you plan to get to this summer. I remember recommending other titles to you via twitter. I love sharing photos of my classroom each week – my theory is that I am such a reader because, yes, I love literature but also I want to share with my students and so . . . I like to share the results of that sharing here.
Matt de la Peña is one of my favorite authors of all time. He is magnificent in every way. Your review made me so very happy. He is one of the few authors that is a guaranteed pre-order for me. 🙂 Thanks for making me smile.
So glad to have made you smile!
Oh wow, what a beautiful description of Matt De La Pena’s writing – I will definitely pick up a copy of his novels very soon. I’ve been seeing Sidewalk Flowers featured by so many book lovers that I really am intrigued – it sounds like my kind of book. And My Pen!!! 🙂 So many lovely picturebooks! 🙂
Sidewalk Flowers is definitely your kind of book! Hope you find a copy. You will be glad you did.
I can understand why My Pen will need to make its way into your collection. It’s one I’m still thinking about too and looking forward to sharing in my Children’s Lit class this week. I will probably buy Sidewalk Flowers and I Wish You More this week. I stalled out early on in The Living by Matt de la Pena and need to get back to it and finish.
The Living is very different from Matt de la Peña’s other work as it has the whole thriller thing going on. Maybe start with a different title. Sidewalk Flowers is a must own I am afraid.
Great books this week. You have me sold on Sidewalk Flowers!