It’s Monday! What are you reading?
Each week I share a reading photo of the week. We had a shortened week last week due to a Curriculum Day and Remembrance Day. I was also home sick for 2 days. So, I was only in the room with students for one day. Instead of a reading photo, I have a math photo – but some of our book shelves are in the background so it has reading ambiance.
We have continued to explore themes for our #classroombookaday titles. This theme was all about exploring fears.
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 (slowly beginning to post more often although I only seem to be getting to a IMWAYR post every 2 weeks):
Celebration: There are Books for All of Us
A Slice of Life post: Tracking Truth
Celebration: Vague Musings
Books I enjoyed:
The Airport Book by Lisa Brown
I echo what so many others say – oh, if this book had only existed when my children were small. It has so much going on! Each page is full of details and yet a very lovely story of one family unfolds throughout.
Steamboat School by Deborah Hopkinson and illustrated by Ron Husband
Based on a true story of Reverend Meachum who ran a secret school in his church in St Louis Missouri until a new law passed that it was not legal to educate blacks. And so . . .
Reverend John Berry Meachum decided to build a new school-a floating school in the Mississippi River, just outside the boundary of the unjust law. (from Goodreads)
What an important story of courage, persistence and the joy of education. Illustrations are incredible.
Almost a Full Moon by Hawksley Workman and illustrated by Jensine Eckwall
This is a picture book of Workman’s song coming to life. A midwinter gathering in the woods hosted by a small boy and his grandmother. Cozy and comfort
Lola Levine and the Ballet Scheme written by Monica Brown and illustrated by Angela Dominguez
What a fantastic series this is! If I return to teaching a primary classroom, this is a series I will want in my collection. When a new student Bella shows up in Lola’s classroom, the girls seem to be total opposites. Bella loves ballet. Lola is a dedicated soccer player. When conflict arises, the girls’ mothers hatch a “scheme” to help them learn about each other. Explores friendships and family in some wonderful ways.
Dream Jumper (Book One Nightmare Escape) by Greg Grunberg and Lucas Turnbloom
Can see this being a hit with kids. Hoping it isn’t going in the direction I think it’s going because that would be too predictable and too borrowed . . . One of those – I don’t really love it but students probably will titles.
Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan
Joe and Ravi seem to have very different lives. Ravi has just moved from India. Joe has been here for what seems forever. They share a few things in common – a relationship with a bully and the daily classroom and lunch room experiences of middle school. Alternately narrated by both characters, this book reminds us that it is challenging to fit in, find your way and be noticed for who you are for all middle school kids. Joe and Ravi are particularly endearing.
Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk
Whoa this book. Heavy. Seeped in drama, cruelty and history. It’s heavy – sits somewhere between a middle grade and young adult read. This is one of those titles that you don’t need to know a lot about to pick up – just that there is reason for all of the buzz. Absolutely gripping.
Making Friends with Billy Wong by Augusta Scattergood
Set in small town Paris Junction, Arkansas in 1952, this title has all of the ingredients for a gentle, comforting historical fiction title while still managing to explore some heavier themes. Azalea and Billy become friends one summer when Azalea is dropped off to support the grandmother she hardly knows as she recovers from an injury. We learn about Billy’s experience as a Chinese American in the segregated south. We watch as Azalea’s independence and character develop. There are some pretty wonderful relationships here – I particularly love the grandmother/granddaughter dynamic.
Just My Luck (Zack Delacruz 2) by Jeff Anderson
Oh the middle school years – so full of social complications as kids try to figure it all out. Zack is particularly charming and perfectly flawed. This book is full of humour, mistakes and some pretty terrific characters.
Be Light Like a Bird by Monika Schröder
Death is hard. Healing is complicated. Grief takes time. This title allows the reader to experience all of the complicated, the hard and the time through Wren and her mother’s experience after the death of Wren’s father. Wren is a pretty wonderful character – true to herself and beautifully honest. Highly, highly recommended.
Reading Progress updates:
2016 Chapter Book Challenge: 54/75 complete
Goodreads Challenge: 293/400 books read
#MustReadin2016: 22/30 complete
Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 37/100 titles
Diverse Books in 2016: 40/50 books read
Up next? I am reading Falling Over Sideways by Jordan Sonnenblick
There's a Book for That 
Teachers often ask me, “How do you know about so many books?” You are my answer. “I read blogs that talk about books.” Thanks for always giving some great books to explore! I must check out The Steamboat School and Wolf Hollow has been on my radar for a while.
Happy Reading! I too depend on this IMWAYR community to know which books to read next!
I loved Steamboat School, Making Friends with Billy Wong and Wolf Hollow, for very different reasons! Wow, you did a lot of reading this week. I have Be Light Like A Bird on my list, and the new Zach Delacruz should be good. I enjoyed the first one! Thanks, Carrie.
This was 2 weeks of reading and it didn’t feel like a lot as so much of my reading was election related and then the amazing blog posts trying to make sense of it all that so many people were writing.
I’m looking forward to the new Jack Delacruz. A fun series, and I appreciate the diverse cast of characters. I am also really enjoying Monica Brown’s new series. Just discovered my library has Book 2, so I am off to check out. I love the math photo with reading ambiance.
I am glad you appreciate this photo 🙂
The Full Moon picture book is the one new to me title – and what perfect timing for this week! Although not new to me, but need to be read, is Augusta’s new title. I love her writing!
I love Augusta’s books too and I highly recommend this one!
So many books this week – Thank you so much. Save me a Seat and Wolf Hollow were two of our favorite reads this summer. Steamboat school is a book we want to add to our collection. What an important book to talk about actions that can make a difference.
I agree! I also would like to have Steamboat School in my collection. What an incredible title.
So many books! I loved the Airport Book. I had a hard time with Wolf Hollow. It is an intense read, but I was uncomfortable with how the bully was so one dimensional. I love Sarah Weeks so this one is going on my to read list.
This novel – Save me a Seat is a real winner. I used it today in a mini lesson about first chapters. Lots of kids hooked.
What a great reading week. I loved the Airport Book. So inclusive, informative and beautifully illustrated. Lola Levine is quickly becoming a favorite for me.
The Airport Book really is a winner!
I just read a wonderful picture book that would fit with “exploring fears.” It’s The Darkest Dark, by Chris Hadfield and is a memoir about how he overcame his childhood fear of the dark to become an astronaut, working and living in “the darkest dark.” So inspiring!
That’s on my list of want to purchase books!