It’s Monday! What are you reading?
I have been sharing a reading photo of the week each week.
This week I have two. Both are all about reading engagement. These moments are everything when you are trying to grow readers.
I had to tweet about this book love shared above
The best book in the room is any book that is read 4 times in an afternoon by one happy reader pic.twitter.com/yCjfewp3ly
— Carrie Gelson (@CarrieGelson) November 10, 2015
We read some fantastic titles this week for #classroombookaday. Enemy Pie was well loved. We are reading lots of books on relationships and friendships. My students have requested it. Next week we will begin to read previous Caldecott honor and medal winners in anticipation of our Mock Caldecott in December.
I also loved how one little reader chose the simple but powerful Say Hello.
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.
Here I am again on Monday! And I shared for #nfpb2015 on Wednesday! Getting back into the blogging groove has been wonderful!
On the blog:
Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday: Counting Lions
Books I loved this week:
Fall Leaves written by Loretta Holland and illustrated by Elly MacKay
This is a wonderful nonfiction title about what happens all around us when it is fall. Stunning illustrations perfect for this title by Elly MacKay. Lots to inspire learning and questions with primary students.
Shadow Chasers by Elly MacKay
Again, these illustrations are incredible. I loved the premise of this title more than its execution.
Counting Lions: Portraits from the Wild is written by Katie Cotton and illustrated by Stephen Walton. Virginia McKenna (from the Born Free Foundation) writes the forward
I shared this gorgeous book in my nonfiction post this week – see the link above. Perfect for a discussion about endangered animals and shrinking habitats.
The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage written by Selina Alko and illustrated by Sean Qualls and Selina Alko
I read this aloud at dinner tonight with my family and it prompted a lot of discussion about laws that have over time and in different countries prohibited marriage for various reasons. We loved the collaborative illustrations and the author’s note in the back which made us a little teary. Such an important read.
Poppy’s Best Paper written by Susan Eaddy and illustrated by Rosalinde Bennet
This was a suggestion from one of my favourite booksellers at Vancouver Kidsbooks. The perfect book to talk about Writing Workshop. Also perfect to explore friendships, peer relationships, jealousy, doing our best, etc. So many great themes.
The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty
This is a rare adult read. It was pure escapism. Did I love it? Not really. But definitely held my attention and took my mind off of other things.
Up next? I am reading MosquitoLand by David Arnold
Updates on my 2015 Reading Goals:
2015 Chapter Book Challenge: 60/80 complete
Goodreads Challenge: 373/415 books read
#MustReadin2015: 16/24 complete
Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 67/100 titles
Diverse Books in 2015: 44/50 books read
There's a Book for That 
Poppy’s Best Paper sounds wonderful. I enjoy books that can be related to writing and writing workshop. I like that it has other important themes. Another great book about writing is Billy’s Booger: A Memoir (Sorta) – Billy writes a story for a contest. Although it doesn’t win, his creativity is appreciated by others.
I will have to look for this one. Thanks Lisa!
I have Fall Leaves, a beautiful book, and will look for Shadow Chasers, which looks like another sweet one. Thanks, Carrie.
Her illustrations really are incredible!
I guess I did not realize that Fall Leaves was illustrated by Elly MacKay!
Glad to see you posting here again 🙂
Thanks Michele! Glad to be here 🙂
I have fallen in love with the cover of Fall Leaves. I can’t wait to get to the inside of it. I’m going to add Poppy’s Best Paper to a list of resources for writing that we must get. Thanks so much for the lovely photos of children and the heads up about these books!
Poppy’s Best Paper is a great writing resource for primary! I think children will really respond.
LOL i was scrolling down the picture books and saw the cover and title of The Husband’s Secret and it threw me off guard. I wondered what kind of picture book that would be. Sounds very edgy! Love the classroom pics!
🙂 Very edgy indeed! Glad you enjoyed the classroom pictures!
Laughing at what my mind is coming up with from Earl’s comment–Her Husband’s Secret as a picture book! Edgy indeed! I’ve been reading more grown-up books–and liking them–but I am SO picky. I will have to get Poppy’s Best Paper to share in my writing classes (and with my pre-service T’s who will teaching writing). The Case for Loving will probably end up on my best of 2015 list–really loved that book. And Counting Lions–insanely gorgeous!
Counting Lions is truly gorgeous. So very special! And I am also picky but sometimes we just need to fall into a book and not think too much. You know?
Fall Leaves and Shadow Chasers have such beautiful (and complimentary) covers! Someone should put them on a display together 😉 I’m a big fan of The Case for Loving. Such a well-done book of a truly important story.
So true – same illustrator – she does incredible work.
I really need to get a copy of The Case for Loving. I know what it is about, but that doesn’t mean I can feel like I’ve read it! I plan to see if my library can get it. Thanks for sharing!
I was thrilled my library had it. Really a fantastic title.
Fall leaves is one of our favorites. Have you read Winter is Coming? http://assessmentinperspective.com/?p=2245
No! but will now be on the lookout!
I like the look of Enemy Pie and Say Hello – I just ordered The Case for Loving for my research on multicultural picturebooks – looks like there are quite a few titles here that I should add to my “research” 🙂 Great photos of the readers in your classroom, dear Carrie!
Thanks Myra. Sharing the photos makes me happy. My class is challenging this year and I try to keep celebrating.
Counting Lions looks so beautiful!
I love your photos this week. Too many teachers forget how choice and engagement reading is more important than most reading instruction.
Happy reading this week 🙂
Thank you Kellee! It is so important for me that my students identify as readers!
Just wondering where you found those amazing magnetic shelves to display the books on your chalk board? And as always thanks for sharing what you are reading it inspires me to expand my book selection for my class too.
I ordered them from Wintergreen here in Canada – https://secure.wintergreen.ca/en/language-tools/classroom-essentials/magnetic-display-trays-set-of-6-hh404 These easily display books even though they are called trays not shelves. If you are in the US I think these can be ordered through Lakeshore Learning – search for magnetic display trays. They are wonderful!