It’s Monday! What are you reading?
Each week I share a reading photo of the week. That has grown to a few reading photos from the week . . .
We have continued to enjoy looking at nonfiction titles during our book sharing circles.
I love the energy in each of these circles and how it spreads out around the room.
This was taken during a read aloud of Orion and the Dark shared by a guest reader. The kids couldn’t get close enough!
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.
On the blog:
My second Slice of Life: Bad Irony (I will admit that I find this writing kind of terrifying)
For Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday: The nonfiction effect Here, I talk about beginning to introduce more nonfiction titles to my current class.
My weekly Celebration post: Afternoons: the good, the not so great and the green
Books I enjoyed:
Orion and the Dark by Emma Yarlett
This book is all kinds of gorgeous. The story is delightful – forming a friendship with the very thing that scares you most and learning a new way to see the world in the process. But the illustrations and artistic choices, simply fabulous.
Ballet Cat: Dance! Dance! Underpants! by Bob Shea
Giggle. Giggle. Giggle. Can’t wait to read this aloud to a whole class. I started with one little guy not yet picked up in the office one afternoon and he thought it was pretty amusing. Well, very amusing. I asked him if he thought my class would listen without laughing. “No way, not possible,” he told me.
Strictly No Elephants written by Lisa Mantchev and illustrated by Taeeun Yoo
Kind of adorable. And a beautiful message of inclusivity.
Waiting by Kevin Henkes
Quiet. Gentle. Full. Loved this title. Think I will love it more and more as I read it and share it.
Welcome, Precious written by Nikki Grimes and illustrated by Bryan Collier
An ideal new baby celebration book. Gift it to new parents – it celebrates all of the amazing of a baby joining the family.
Two White Rabbits by Jairo Buitrago and Rafael Yockteng
This title is weighty in its simple, missing pieces kind of narration. Nothing is specifically clear but this is what I enjoyed about this title. Rich in emotion, its multitude of stories and our human need to find home and safe.
Thank You and Goodnight by Patrick McDonnell
Perhaps the perfect bedtime book. I love the pure exhaustion that eventually triumphs.
Reading Progress updates:
2016 Chapter Book Challenge: 6/75 complete
Goodreads Challenge: 45/400 books read
#MustReadin2016: 5/30 complete
Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 11/100 titles
Diverse Books in 2015: 8/50 books read
I continue reading (almost done) The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten and have just started All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely as a read aloud with my family.
There's a Book for That 
I love how many of these titles are familiar to me! I think I just posted a review of Orion and the Dark last week. Thank you and good night was a surprisingly simple but oh so satisfying read, I thought. Waiting was definitely well worth the wait – loved its quiet simplicity too. I have yet to find Strictly No Elephants, Two White Rabbits and Welcome Precious. 🙂
I have the feeling you will really like Two White Rabbits Myra.
Still haven’t read Orion In The Dark, will find it! I do love Thank you and good Night, and just got the new Patrick Mcdonnell book for the girls-Silly Wonderful You. It’s sweet too. Thanks, Carrie. Have a wonderful week with those wonderful kids!
I will have to look for this Mcdonnell title Linda. I love his work!
I absolutely loved both Orion and the Dark and Waiting.
Agreed! Both are wonderful!
As always, your reading pictures are just so moving. Orion looks especially enticing to me – I’ll have to be on the look out for it.
It’s wonderful! A great book to inspire conquering our fears 🙂
What a great selection of books! I have added a few to my library cart and pulling few out to reshowcase!
Happy Reading and sharing!
I love Orion and the Dark. Such a beautiful book. And love your pictures.
Thanks Aly – I do love to share the literacy happening in my room!
We love your description of reading Dance! Dance! Underpants! to the child in the office. Just those few sentences you read show how you connected with this child.
It was a special little moment. The secretary just told me today that this little guy had been crying moments before I came in and read to him so his smiles were all the more special!
Great PBs this week! Precious is the only one I haven’t read. Orion was such a favorite of mine last year! And Underpants! I laugh every time I read “I was promised underpants!” Hee hee!
I’ve meant to tweet you several times and let you know about The Knowing Book. Besides being illustrated by Matthew Cordell, who I know you enjoy as well, it’s just a brilliant book. You will love it!
I can’t wait! And yes, the underpants! So much fun.
Are book sharing circles like lit circles?
I want to read the new Ballet cat and Orion and the Dark so badly. They look wonderful!
Happy reading this week! 🙂
Hi Kellee – I tweeted you a post about book sharing circles. You will love both of those titles!
Carrie, last year I kind of dubbed you the champion of the Ballet Cat book. You were so enthusiastic about it that I just bought it outright when I ran across it at a B & N I was visiting while on vacation. Now I know that I have to have Dance, Dance Underpants! 😉 In addition to this, I also am very intrigued by all of the other picture books you shared. I have Waiting, but the others are all new to me. It sounds like many of them would be great mentor texts to use in exploring theme and maybe inference…. Thanks for sharing them! Have a wonderful week. 🙂
Oh indeed Virginia – this new Ballet Cat title is a must have for classroom libraries! I was enthusiastic because of my little listeners so I can’t wait to share this one!
Ballet Cat is such an obsession with me! It’s not possible for ME to read it aloud without laughing all the way through. Orion and the Dark was really lovely. When I read it, I felt that I’d read several books on similar topic recently and felt a bit fussy about it, so I need to reread. I haven’t seen Thank You and Good Night yet but love everything McDonnell. And slices… yes, terrifying. I had to stop writing them for awhile. They feel so much more vulnerable than other kinds of writing I do.
I am with you on Ballet Cat! So true re that vulnerability.
I also loved Orian in the dark! Dance dance underpants has arrived in our library and I have not had a chance to read it yet. Sigh…
When you get that chance, you will giggle!