It’s Monday! What are you reading?
Each week I share at least one reading photo of the week.
Here are students completing lists of their favourite books of the year. We created this list together.
Buddy reading with the Grade 1 class and some of my students from last year who came to visit.
#classroombookaday titles included some of my favourite nonfiction titles.
Classroom Highlights
Working on symmetry with square tiles and pentominoes.
How cute is this book worm handmade for me by a student?
Nonfiction titles that shaped our year.
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 loved
Islandborn written by Junot Díaz with illustrations by Leo Espinosa
This is definitely a title that will be part of my Mock Caldecott list for 2019. Lola needs to draw a picture of where she is from but she doesn’t have any memories. So she asks family, friends and members of the community to talk about images of the Island where she was born. What results is a vivid journey into memories and stories. Longer text and stunning illustrations. One of my favourites of the year.
Drawn Together written by Minh Lê and illustrated by Dan Santat
I always love texts that portray intergenerational relationships. A special story about how grandson and grandfather find a way to connect
Happy Dreamer by Peter H. Reynold
Bursting with hope, inspiration and reassurance. Lovely little book.
Flashlight Night written by Matt Forrest Esenwinewith illustrations by Fred Koehler
What might you see when you point your flashlight into dark spaces? Gorgeous and imaginative.
Dude! by Aaron Reynolds and Dan Santat
One word tells this story of two little friends – a platypus and a beaver encounter a shark. What you think might happen doesn’t. Pretty cute.
Love Is by Diane Adams with illustrations by Claire Keane
One duckling and one girl that cares for her over a year. Sweet.
I Am a Cat by Galia Bernstein
Kitten meets big cats – the big cats. He is not like them, they each point out. But little Simon clearly is cat enough.
Olga #2 We’re Out of Here by Elise Gravel
Elise Gravel has a wonderfully weird mind that allows her to come up with odd and quirky books. High student appeal – the only reason I got to read this one is that summer happened and it ended up back on the shelf. The second in a series – full of humour and fun. And lots of unexpected.
In Sight of Stars by Gae Polisner
Beautiful writing takes us through the hard and heartbreak of the grieving process – sometimes so muddy and muddled we need a lot of guidance getting through. Loved Klee and all of those guiding him through. Polisner is one of my favourite YA authors. I will read anything she writes!
Up next? I am almost finished Amal Unbound and then will be starting Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Reading Progress updates:
2018 Chapter Book Challenge: 26/60 complete
2018 Transitional Chapter books: 8/40 complete
Goodreads Challenge: 123/300 books read
Progress on challenge: 32 books behind schedule
#MustReadin2018: 15/30 complete
Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 15/40 titles
Diverse Books in 2018: 20/40 books read
There's a Book for That 
Your adorable book worm stole my heart! What a perfect gift and lovely gesture.
Isn’t it wonderful!?
I love your little bookworm, and the pics of the class always. Ingrid and Imi’s classes were buddy classes this year (3rd & Kdg). They loved that a lot! Glad you loved In Sight of Stars, Island Born, and Flashlight Night. Me, too! Thanks for sharing Dude! It looks like much fun!
I love this little book worm too!
I’m really looking forward to Islandborn and Drawn Together — two titles we don’t have in our area, yet. And I really hope you’re enjoying both Amal Unbound. I adored it and felt her voice was so sweet, but also strong. I would love to read that one to my own children, this year. And I agree with Cathy, that book worm is ADORABLE! Have a wonderful reading week, Carrie!
Amal Unbound was just incredible!
Amazing picture books on your list! I enjoyed Olga, but don’t have the second yet.
Very popular series in my room. Hope more are going to be published
So excited about Islandborn, and I just picked up Drawn Together at the library today!
It is wonderful – Drawn Together – I want my own copy.
I finally have Islandborn on reserve at the library and have Happy Dreamer in a pile that I recently picked up. I sure hope the VPL hurries up and brings in Drawn Together.
Amal Unbound is another book in that pile so I’ll be waiting to read what you think of it. I just finished listening to Ghost Boys while working in the garden today. It’s a book with an important message!
I so agree. Must have been great as an audio book.
Great picture books! I quickly read Drawn Together, need to spend some more time with it!
And agree, anything Gae writes I’ll read!
She is such a powerful author.
Another great list of books. For some reason, I missed getting Dude. I was going to get my principal to read it since he uses that word a fair bit. I am also adding Islandborn to my list. I also really enjoyed Drawn Together and my daughter lent me the second Olga book, and then read it to me. We love all things Elise Gravel. I am hoping to get to Ghost Boys soon, but I took a few too many ARCs from NetGalley that I need to clear off my device. I might have to wait a week or so. Thanks for the great post!
I really loved Love Is. I am honestly conflicted about Islandborn especially after reading everything recently about Junot Diaz. Regardless, I do hope I find it in our libraries.
re: Diaz
Same. It is such a brilliant book. But the allegations. ….. 😦
I am so disheartened re the allegations re Diaz. I got so excited about the book but do need to think more around using it in my classroom.
Dude is so funny!!!! Drawn Together is such a perfect book–I love it so much!
I had never heard of Olga–thank you for sharing it with me 🙂
Hope you had a good reading week!
Olga titles are so much fun!
Thank you for including “Flashlight Night” among the titles you’ve been reading…I appreciate it!
My pleasure! Such a fun book.