It’s Monday! What are you reading?
Each week I share at least one reading photo of the week. Since it is summer, I have no photos of little readers to share. So here is a photo of the lending library I just set up in my cloakroom for previous students to access.
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
The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld
Oh, this book. It is a must have for primary teachers. There are a myriad of emotions explored here. And a lot of advice. Sometimes, though, it is all about being heard.
Draw the Line by Kathryn Otoshi
This title explores conflict, cooperative play and creative solutions. Wordless.
Trees by Lemniscates
A beautiful exploration of trees and seasons.
Vivid: Poems & Notes about Color by Julie Paschkis
This one is released later this month. A gorgeous exploration of colours – from the factual to the imaginative. Absolutely wonderful.
Bugs from Head to Tail by Stacey Roderick with illustrations by Kwanchai Moriya
I am very excited about this nonfiction titles as an inspiration for our own writing. An ideal mentor text. Part of a series by Kids Can Press. Guess and check and lots more.
The Secret Kingdom: Nek Chand, a Changing India, and a Hidden World of Art by Barb Rosenstock with illustrations by Claire A. Nivola
This story fascinated me. I can’t wait to share it with students and to use it as a source of inspiration for creativity and imagining with loose parts.
Big Foot and Little Foot by Ellen Potter
A new series by Ellen Potter that I will be adding to our classroom library. Boy and Sasquatch become unlikely friends. Many adventures await, I am sure. A wonderful book about noticing and managing differences in a world of assumptions.
Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed
Completely engaging. What a wonderful choice for the Global Read Aloud. Amal is an incredibly courageous and compassionate character.
Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Truly haunting. A story of ghosts – dead black boys who have been killed in ridiculously unnecessary ways. Blurs history with fiction. Such a read. Would make an incredible read aloud in a middle school classroom.
Bob by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead
Sweet and endearing. Loved this title full of magic and affection.
Up next? The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson
Reading Progress updates:
2018 Chapter Book Challenge: 29/60 complete
2018 Transitional Chapter books: 9/40 complete
Goodreads Challenge: 131/300 books read
Progress on challenge: 35 books behind schedule
#MustReadin2018: 18/30 complete
Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 16/40 titles
Diverse Books in 2018: 22/40 books read
There's a Book for That 
The Rabbit Listened had such an affect on me.
I haven’t read Amal Unbound but I know I need to based on all of the rave reviews it’s getting.
Such a sweet little book right?
So many of us shared Amal Unbound today, and it is one not to miss! I will look for The Secret Kingdom, sounds great, Carrie. Ghost Boys is heartbreaking but beautifully done. Can’t wait for ‘Vivid’! I love that you set up your own ‘little library’ for kids this summer!
Ghost Boys is a book I keep thinking about. Really powerful.
Yet another wordless book I’m just learning about today: Draw the Line. And I’m also adding The Rabbit Listened to my TBR list. I also loved Amal Unbound, Ghost Boys, and Bob! Thank you for all the wonderful shares, Carrie!
The Rabbit Listened is really lovely.. Enjoy!
Oh, it’s so dangerous to read your posts! I keep thinking that it’s time to read more from my #mustreadin2018 list. Amal Unbound is waiting for me on my old shelf at the library. Like you, I’m still thinking about Ghost Boys. Such a powerful read. For now, I’m off to request some picture books. Thanks for sharing!
Happy reading Ramona!
I love the look of that Julie Paschkis book. I’ll definitely be looking for that when it comes out! I’ve been avoiding Bob because it seems a little out there for me, but I love both authors, so I may need to give it a shot anyway. Enjoy your reading week!
It is out there but actually, not really. It is just super sweet and charming.
I agree, Ghost Boys would be a fabulous middle grade read aloud – especially if some early work was done to set a framework for students.
Yes, lots of pre, during and post discussion necessary.
Upon reading your post today I have put so many books on hold at the VPL.
I’m so glad you enjoyed Ghost Boys and Amal Unbound. Both are important books. I picked up Big Foot and Little Foot from the library last week but haven’t gotten to it. Bob is at the library waiting for me. We seem to have a parallel reading life these days!
We do seem to be reading books right around the same time!
Such gorgeous covers! Amal Unbound and Ghost Boys have both been on my TBR for a while. I hope to read them soon!
Both are fantastic reads.
You and I are on the same page this week! I loved Amal Unbound and Bob! Ghost Boys is resting on my nightstand, and I will be reading it within the next week or so. Your review makes me want to stop the books I am reading and get to it sooner!
An incredible concept for a book and she pulled it off beautifully,
Just checked and my library has The Rabbit Listened, so I will get that tonight. I really need to get to Amal Unbound and Ghost Boys–I think they’d both be popular reads in my classroom this fall–but only if I’ve read them and book talk them. I thought Bob was so charming and unexpected. Quite delightful.
Delightful indeed!
I love that you are doing a lending library for your past students!!!! I let mine come in and check out from me, but I’ve always wondered if there is an easier way.
Funny that we both read Amal and Ghost Boys the same week! They are SO SO SO special.
Happy reading this week 🙂
I agree – incredible novels.