It’s Monday! What are you reading?
I have been sharing a reading photo of the week each week. This one captures a particularly sweet moment. One of my students and Miriam (who works with me) got to witness one of our little K buddies showcase her beginning reading skills. Wow, did she work hard to read this book aloud. It was precious to watch!
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.
Lots of interesting titles this week. My favourites included:
Wandering Whale Sharks by Susumu Shingu
Absolutely stunning illustrations. Lyrical text describing details of the largest fish in the ocean.
Wild Ideas: Let Nature Inspire Your Thinking written by Elin Kelsey and illustrated by Soyeon Kim
This book is magical. The illustrations have inspired an art project that my students are in the middle of . . . And the text suggests all kinds of connections between ours and the animal world. Prompted discussion about perseverance, creativity and inspiration.
Goodnight Already! written by Jory John and illustrated by Benji Davies
Lots of silly and full out charm. Both of these characters – bear and duck will amuse any little (or big) reader. The Kindergarten class brought this up to me with big recommendations! Their teacher had had to read it aloud multiple times.
The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak
I took this out from the library and am thinking I need to bring it into my classroom to actually try it. I’ve heard great things about its read aloud effect.
I Know Here written by Laurel Croza and illustrated by Matt James
A beautiful book about place and home.
Little Humans by Brandon Stanton
Each of these children has personality leaping off the page.
Smelly Louie by Catherine Rayner
I have a real soft spot for Rayner’s loose lines and smudgy images. Louie loses his “smell” in a bath and goes in search of some deliciously stinky places to find it again.
Listen, Slowly by Thanhhà Lai
I can already say with quite a bit of confidence that this will make my favourites of 2015 list. I adored the relationships in this story – between Mai and her grandmother, Mai and her family in Vietnam, many of the characters and their grief and cultural connections. A powerful story about the pull of home, the strength of family, the importance of culture and the complexities of personal and family histories. Highly recommended.
As a family, we also finished Doll Bones by Holly Black on audio. This was a second “read” for me and so enjoyable to listen to! Cheriee, if you are reading this, you can do it! We have faith.
Updates on my 2015 Reading Goals:
2015 Chapter Book Challenge: 19/80 complete
Goodreads Challenge: 157/415 books read
#MustReadin2015: 8/24 complete
Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 33/100 titles
Diverse Books in 2015: 17/50 books read
Up next? I am about to begin Bone Gap by Laura Ruby
There's a Book for That 
I liked Listen, Slowly a good deal as well. I wish the cover had more appeal, though.
Really? I think the cover is gorgeous!
The Wild Ideas does look fabulous, Carrie. I’ll find it & Smelly Louie-what a funny idea. The illustrations do look wonderful. I need to read Listen, Slowly, but it probably won’t be soon. Just too many others on my stack. Thanks for all your good books!
I do hope you get to it though Linda. Some amazing grandparent/grand child connections I know you will appreciate.
My mother just read The Book With No Pictures to my daughter’s 2nd grade class last week and it was a huge hit! I loved Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai. I’ll have to read Listen, Slowly as well.
Listen, Slowly is very different – not in verse for one thing. Just an incredible read.
So glad you read Listen, Slowly. It’s in my top three for 2015! I will check out Wild Ideas and Wandering Whale Sharks for our 2nd grade PBL on whales! Thanks for sharing.
Yes, Listen, Slowly is a MUST read title. I know I will keep thinking about it. Wild Ideas is gorgeous! Hoping to post pictures of our art soon.
Was JUST thinking I wanted to find a picture book about whale sharks since my guys swam with them in December, thanks for sharing as always. Happy reading to you…
Oh well this is YOUR book. It is stunning! I can’t wait to share it. Lyrical and soothing but more info in the back. Illustrations are gorgeous!
Listen, Slowly is absolutely one of my favorites of the year too! As for The Book with No Pictures … it is a priceless read aloud experience. Be sure to leave plenty of time for the kids to read it to each other too. It made lots and lots of rounds with my third graders.
I bet. Putting it in my bag for tomorrow – I think we need some comedic relief!
Of course I’m reading this Carrie. I think I would need to hold someone’s hand while I listen to try it again. The Book with No Pictures is fun to read out loud, but you have to be prepared to sing in public and make a fool of yourself.
Listen, Slowly is on my list. I loved Inside Out and Back Again by her.
Well. we would all volunteer to hold your hand! This is going to be our next book club book! I read it aloud – and yes, I sang – all very silly 🙂
Currently reading Listen Slowly and loving it. I Know Here is a favorite and a wonderful mentor text for place! As usual, I’m off to request some titles that are new for me.
Isn’t it incredible? I was thrilled with this book. I think you were the one who first alerted me to I Know Here. It is beautiful.
Smelly Louie looks really cute. I’ll have to see if I can get a copy of that the library
I love so many of her books a lot. This is a charming ones – especially for you dog lovers!
The only book I’ve read is Doll Bones! For shame Kellee Moye! I will have to get my hands on some of the others. I especially need to read Book With No Pictures.
Happy reading this week! 🙂
There are so many books and this is certainly highlighted when the Monday posts are shared!
Smelly Louie looks so fun. I adored Listen Slowly. I’m glad you enjoyed it too. 🙂
Really, really loved it. Passed it immediately to my daughter.
Boo boo butt always goes over very well with the kids 🙂
I’m so glad you loved Listen, Slowly. I thought of you after I finished it. I absolutely wanted to hug that book when I was done! I loved Mai’s journey. She was the right amount of snarky teenager and the right amount of being humbled by grandma!
Absolutely perfect description! What a character.
So excited to read Bone Gap with you and compare notes. Living it so far!
Me too! Such a compelling read. Can’t put it down.
Sadly we don’t have a copy of Bone Gap and Listen Slowly yet in our library. 😦 Perhaps a little closer to the end of the year, we’d have it.
They just came into ours! So I hear you on the waiting . . .