It’s Monday! What are you reading?
Each week I share a reading photo of the week. Here are a few from the past week. This will be the last week of student photos for a few months as summer break has started.
This one was taken on the last day. This buddy reading duo migrated to the stairwell. I love the connection books foster.
Here is a student browsing the shelves to put together a list of recommended titles. I put all of these suggestions together here and will add some of my own as the summer progresses so my students have a central spot for book recommendations. We spoke a LOT about summer reading during the last few weeks of school.
#classroombookaday titles were books I wanted to ensure I had a chance to read aloud to this class. We had some fantastic discussions as I knew we would.
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.
Books I enjoyed:
If I was Your Girl by Meredith Russo
This is definitely a YA title. It has all of the themes of a romance themed teen novel: coming of age, rocky friendships, identity and self-esteem worries, family complexities and relationship highs and lows. It also has a main character who is a young trans woman who has just transitioned. Hope that copies of this book are in high school libraries.
Pandas on the Eastside by Gabrielle Prendergast
I read this charming little novel in one sitting this afternoon. Set in the downtown east side of Vancouver (where I taught for 21 years) and set in the early 1970s, this is historical fiction with some what-if elements. I loved the opportunity to wander through story, time and place. 
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Possibly one of my favourite novels in some time. Incredible. Powerful. Necessary reading for anyone who happens to currently be human. Some things I particularly loved: Starr’s strength and voice, the cast of supporting characters and the close love of family. A wow book, deserving of all the hype.
Reading Progress updates:
2017 Chapter Book Challenge: 32/75 complete
Goodreads Challenge: 143/365 books read
Progress on challenge: 39 books behind schedule Clearly, I need a picture book reading spree!
#MustReadin2017: 15/30 complete
Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 21/50 titles
Diverse Books in 2016: 25/50 books read
Up Next? I am reading Blooming at the Texas Sunrise Hotel by Kimberly Willis Holt
There's a Book for That 
I’m glad you got around to reading Pandas on the Eastside. I was enchanted by that character. I read somewhere that The Hate U Give is going to be one of the most important books published this year. I agree.
I am behind on many of my challenges also. I need to just be focused for a bit and am sure I will be back on track.
Thanks for recommending it! It was a delightful little book.
Hope you’re enjoying your summer vacation so far! I love the link to your students’ summer reading recommendations, the list seems to match many of the books my students have enjoyed over the past couple of years. Also, there are some books on that list that I still haven’t read, as the library copies were always in a student’s hands!
It’s hard to have a chance to read the really popular titles!
The Hate U Give will be a must after my vacation. Too many of you have insisted it is terrific! I’ll need to buy it, just looked, 119 holds! How fun that you got to read a book & knew the area, will see if Pandas on The Eastside” is at my library, Carrie. And no, it isn’t, but I can request it! I have a former student who has transitioned to male, wish I’d had books like If I was Your Girl for her during that time I had her, and beyond. I’m so glad more are being written! Enjoy your break!
Thanks Linda. It’s nice to be away. The Hate U Give is fantastic. I had to wait a long while to get it from the public library.
I’m reading The Hate U Give right now and loving it–so well-written, such a powerful voice, such engaging characters. I am intrigued by Pandas on the Eastside and will look for that.
Such powerful voice – absolutely! Which makes the book impossible to put down.
If I WERE… Couldn’t get past the improper use if subjunctive! Pandas confused me… My class went to the D.C. Zoo to see the pandas- I was elected “keeper” because of my name! The “what if” elements seemed strange to me!
An interesting way to dream up a book.
Hi, Carrie!! 🙂
The Hate U Give is one of those books that will never leave me. Powerful.
Happy reading this week 🙂
Thanks Kellee. I look forward to reconnecting with the IMWAYR community this summer!
I read The Hate U Give on my kindle as an early e-copy and I can’t believe how powerful it was. I typically don’t care for e-galleys, it’s hard for me to relate to those books, but this one grabbed me!
I’m looking forward to connecting with you for more 3rd grade titles. It seems like a lot of teachers moved up grades, I’m missing primary friends!
I am very excited to be returning to the land of primary. Loved my Grade 4 and 5 class. But primary is what I know best!