My Must Read Titles for 2019

Posted on December 31, 2018 by carriegelson

For those readers and list makers, nothing is more exciting than January! The time to make an amazing list of books to read for the year!

Where will our reading lives take us? What adventures and emotions will we experience through the books we read? Always, there are endless possibilities.

So many books. Limited time.

New books to distract us from other books.

A must read list ensures not all are forgotten!

#MustReadin2019

Join the #MustReadin2019 community!

To read more about the challenge and add your list, read here.

MustReadnovels

Here are the 30 titles I am going to try and read over this year. As always these titles will represent only a portion of my reading. My goal? To read most of these. I use this list like a road map of where to turn next when I come to a pause in my reading choices. It is always waiting to guide me. But it also waits patiently when I am distracted by new books. Often, I am.

Making a list like this – a To Read list – also allows us to reflect on the reading that we want to do. I know I want to emphasize middle grade novels. I didn’t read as much as I usually do in 2018 so my list has more titles that are published in 2018 or earlier (19 titles) and fewer 2019 releases (11 titles).

Here is my list:

Published in 2018 or earlier

The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery

The Soul of an Octopus

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Homegoing

After Zero by Christina Collins

After Zero

Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka Read April 7th 2019 5 stars

Hey, Kiddo

The Dollar Kids by Jennifer Richard Jacobson Read April 19th 2019 5 stars

The Dollar Kids

~~Wonderland by Barbara O’Connor~~ Read November 19th 2019 5 stars
Wonderland by Barbara O'Connor

~~Harbour Me by Jacqueline Woodson~~ Read January 6th 2019 5 stars

Harbour Me by Jacqueline Woodson

~~A Girl Like That by Tanaz Bhathena~~ Read February 11th 2019 4 stars

A Girl Like That

Far from the Tree by ~~Robin Benway~~ Read February 17th 2019 5 stars

Far from the Tree

~~The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden~~ Read March 19th 2019 5 stars

The Benefits of Being an Octopus

Lu by Jason Reynolds

All That I Can Fix by ~~Crystal Chan~~ Read January 22nd 2019 4 stars

All that I can fix, chan

From You to Me by K.A. Holt

Girl sitting on pier and lookingat the river

~~Sweep The Story of a Girl and her Monster by Jonathan Auxier~~ Read March 24th 2019 5 stars

Sweep

Tight by Torrey Maldonado

Tight

~~Wild Blues by Beth Kephart~~ Read January 29th 2019 5 stars

Wild Blues

(Time Castaways #1) The Mona Lisa Key by Liesl Shurtliff

The Mona lisa key

The Last (Endling #1) by Katherine Applegate

The Last (Endling #1) by Katherine Applegate

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang Read March 2nd 2019 5 stars

The Prince and the Dressmaker

Published in 2019

~~The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman~~ Read June 16th 2019 5 stars

Padma Venkatraman The Bridge Home

~~The Lost Girl by Anne Ursu~~ Read May 12th 2019 5 stars

The Lost Girl

~~The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart~~ Read July 2nd 2019 5 stars

Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise

Dig by A.S. King

Dig, King

~~Song for A Whale by Lynne Kelly~~ Read December 29th 2019 5 stars

Song for A Whale

Shouting at the Rain by ~~Lynda Mullaly Hunt~~ Read March 7th 2019 4 stars

Shouting at the Rain

~~Other~~ ~~Words for Home~~ by ~~Jasmine Warga~~ther Read September 17th 2019 5 stars

OtherWordsHome

~~The Size of the Truth by Andrew Smith~~ Read June 16th 2019 5 stars

Size of the Truth by Andrew Smith

To Night Owl from Dogfish by Holly Goldberg Sloan and Meg Wolitzer

To Night Owl from Dogfish

Where the Heart is by Jo Knowles

Where the Heart is

The Mighty Heart of Sunny St James by Ashley Herring Blake

The Mighty Heart of Sunny St James

What novels are at the top of your TBR list? Please share!

Must Read in 2016 Spring update

Posted on April 7, 2016 by carriegelson

It’s time for our first #MustReadin2016 update! How are you doing with your list? Making progress? Only read a few? Enjoying other titles? Please share!

This is my list of 30 titles and my thinking back in January:

“My goal is to try and get to most of these. Including them here guarantees they remain on my radar because as I made this list, I had very good reason for placing them on it. If the reasons remain, the book will be read. That’s usually how it works.”

I seem to be on a reading roll with this list so the reasons must have been excellent! I have read 12 titles so far, which is 40% of my list 4 months into the year. And . . . I am in the middle of 2 more of these books.

Titles I finished (listed in the order I read them):

Full Cicada Moon by Marilyn Hilton

Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. Holm

Fat Angie by E.E. Charlton-Trujillo

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

The Thing about Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin

Some Kind of Courage by Dan Gemeinhart

Stand Off by Andrew Smith

All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely

Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead

Paper Hearts by Meg Wivott

This is the Story of You by Beth Kephart

I gave each of these titles a 4 or 5 stars and at this point, I can’t really pick a favourite. All of them are well worth reading. If I had to select a few to do a little extra raving about, it would be these titles:

Stand Off by Andrew Smith (YA)

The main character in this novel (sequel to Winger) is a character everyone needs to meet. I will always have such a soft spot in my heart for Ryan Dean West. Start with Winger if you haven’t read it!

Some Kind of Courage by Dan Gemeinhart (MG)

This really was some kind of courage depicted in this title. Full of adventure and still incredibly character driven. An excellent middle grade novel – wonderful as a read alone or a read aloud.

This is the Story of You by Beth Kephart 9YA)

I adore Beth Kephart‘s writing. I truly get lost in her words and images and begin to view the world differently. More beautifully. If you have yet to read a Kephart novel, this is a lovely read.

All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely (YA)

I read this aloud to my family (2 thirteen year olds and my husband). We all were hooked very quickly. I wept reading the final pages. A MUST for high school libraries.

If you have been participating in #MustReadin2016 and written an update post, please share using the #MustReadin2016 hashtag!

Leave your link in the comments if you have written a post. Please try to visit a few of the other #MustReadin2016 bloggers/readers and get inspired! And of course, everyone loves comments to know that you have visited!

Want to know more about #MustReadin2016? Read here This post also includes links to all of the bloggers who wrote Must Read lists.

Next update will be on September 1st 2016!

HAPPY READING

Monday March 28th, 2016

Posted on March 27, 2016 by carriegelson

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

Each week I share a reading photo of the week. I haven’t been teaching for the past two weeks (Spring Break) so I don’t have any reading photos from my classroom. Instead, I will share a view I had on holiday for a week. This was what I looked at when I sat in my reading and writing place. This is early morning after a night of rain.

As we were away last week, I didn’t share a #IMWAYR post so this post includes 2 weeks of reading. Lots of novels!

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:

I have written everyday for the Slice of Life challenge. All of these posts can be found here.

If you missed it, I celebrated our week long author/illustrator study of Melissa Sweet here: Riding Through an Artist’s Life

Books I enjoyed:

The Dead Bird written by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Christian Robinson

This is the newly illustrated (2016) edition of Brown‘s 1938 title. I think it is beautiful. Perfectly captures children’s fascination with death and their gentle care. I purchased this one for my collection of books on death and grief.

Spare Dog Parts written by Alison Hughes and illustrated by Ashley Spires

A little girl imagines how her dog must have come to be. Lots of charming in Spires’ illustrations.

Pink is for Blobfish: Discovering the World’s Perfectly Pink Animals written by Jess Keating with illustrations by David DeGrand

I shared lesson ideas for this title in my #nfpb2016 post this week. A must own.

The Princess in Black and the Angry Bunny Horde (Princess in Black #3) written by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale and illustrated by LeUyen Pham

Seriously this is wacky. Purple bunnies that can destroy a landscape or worse in mere moments, on masse. But the best kind of wacky! Love this series for young readers!

Some Kind of Courage by Dan Gemeinhart

Some kind of everything in this book. Fantastic, engaging, emotional, full of heart, full of adventure. This would make the ideal middle grade read aloud or book club selection- truly something for everyone! One of the first books of 2016, I won’t stop talking about!

Some Kind of Courage Monday March 28th, 2016 There's a Book for That #IMWAYR

Stand Off (Winger #2) by Andrew Smith

Ryan Dean West continues to be one of my all time favourite characters. The characters in this book . . . Just fantastic.

Stand Off (Winger #2) Monday March 28th, 2016 There's a Book for That #IMWAYR

All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely

I read this aloud to my family – my 13 year old twins and my husband. Such a powerful story to share. We had moments of silence. On a few pages, I wept. It prompted many conversations. Incredible read.

All American Boys Monday March 28th, 2016 There's a Book for That #IMWAYR

Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead

This may be one of the all time most wise and wonderful book about preteen/young teen relationships ever. Friendships, choices, worries, decisions, forgiveness, care . . . Stead is an incredible writer.

Goodbye Stranger Monday March 28th, 2016 There's a Book for That #IMWAYR

Paper Hearts Meg Wivott

A novel in verse based on the true story of a group of young women who were forced to work at the munitions factory in Auschwitz while they were imprisoned in the camps. A story of incredible courage, friendship and survival. I couldn’t put it down.

Paper-Hearts Monday March 28th, 2016 There's a Book for That #IMWAYR

This is the Story of You by Beth Kephart

Someone passed an ARC on to me and I opened the book and never looked up. I love Kephart’s writing more with each book. Reading her words is like being immersed in something beautiful. Everywhere you look is an image you want to hold on to and savour. Released in April 2016. Highly recommended.

Reading Progress updates:

2016 Chapter Book Challenge: 14/75 complete

Goodreads Challenge: 84/400 books read

#MustReadin2016: 12/30 complete

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 15/100 titles

Diverse Books in 2016: 9/50 books read

Up next? I am reading Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys Our family read aloud is Pax by Sara Pennypacker

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten MG and YA authors I read the most from

Posted on August 10, 2015 by carriegelson

It’s time for Top Ten Tuesday, a meme created by The Broke and Bookish.

This week’s topic? Ten Authors I’ve Read the Most Books From

I decided to stick to middle grade and young adult titles. I chose authors where I have read three or more titles and who I can’t read to read more from.

Shared alphabetically by author and featuring one of my favourite titles from each:

Kate DiCamillo How to pick a favourite DiCamillo title? I have to choose Flora and Ulysses because it was pure pleasure to read this aloud to my class. Some sentences were better than the best chocolate in my mouth. And yes, there is that Newbery medal . . . 🙂

Beth Kephart There is such a beautiful quality to Kephart‘s writing. I love many of her books but I think Going Over is my favourite.

Shannon Hale I have read many, many Shannon Hale titles but I think the book that I would read again and again is Princess Academy. It is one title that every child I pass it to absolutely loves.

A.S. King I fell fast after I read my first A.S. King title. My favourite? Everybody Sees the Ants Lucky Linderman is unforgettable.

Jo Knowles is another author that after reading one book, I went on to read every book. Which book hit me hardest? See You at Harry’s I was a weepy mess reading this beautiful book.

It will be no surprise to Barbara O’Connor that she is on this list I am sure. She is probably the author I most often recommend to be read aloud in the classroom. But I think it is this book – Greetings from Nowhere that is most often on my mind as of late. I think it is calling me to reread it.

Kenneth Oppel may be the author I have most often read aloud to my own children. But my favourite from him is one I read just on my own: Half Brother. I treasure my signed copy.

Andrew Smith seemed to write books faster than I could read them. After hearing him speak, I now know why this appeared to be the case.. I love the characters in Winger so much that this is my favourite title.

Even though I am highly addicted to the Raven Boys titles, it is The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater that I love best.

Deborah Wiles – oh this author. Again, I am choosing a title that was such a delight to read aloud: Each Little Bird that Sings Such a beautiful book full of heartbreak and hope.

Which authors have you read again and again?

Top Ten Tuesday: The Last Ten Books That Came into my Possession

Posted on July 13, 2015 by carriegelson

It’s time for Top Ten Tuesday, a meme created by The Broke and Bookish.

This week’s topic? The Last Ten Books That Came into my Possession

A hard one to answer – I just visited the book store and did a huge hold pick up at the library. A LOT of books just came into my possession! So, I thought I would think back over the last few months and make a list that shows some variety – both in the kinds of books and the kinds of reasons I now own them.

Shared in no particular order:

The Alex Crow by Andrew Smith

I managed to purchase this book days before it was released. Andrew Smith was here in Vancouver to speak at a literacy conference so the book was brought in a little early. And I got it signed. And I got to chat books and teaching with Andrew Smith. What could be better?

Jinx’s Fire by Sage Blackwood

My copy of this is an ARC that I got at nErD Camp Bellingham this spring. I own and have read the first two titles in this trilogy so can’t wait to read this one! It might be a read aloud to my children. I read them the second title and we finished it quite delightfully in the forest.

A Handful of Stars by Cynthia Lord

I am so excited to meet Cynthia Lord next spring at the Western Washington University’s Children’s Literature Conference! I purchased this book at the end of the year from Scholastic so I could be caught up!

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

I read and loved this title when it was first released. Then I heard that Jacqueline was coming to Vancouver. I purchased the first two tickets sold to see her! My husband and I had an evening out – hearing Jacqueline Woodson and all of her brilliance and then we went for dinner. I bought a copy to have signed and I smile every time I see it on my shelf.

Mark of a Thief by Jennifer A. Nielsen

I am a huge fan of Jennifer Nielsen. My children and I went to see her when Vancouver Kidsbooks hosted an author evening last year. As a family we listened to The False Prince and then I read the next two titles in the series aloud to my children. I was eagerly anticipating this novel and lucky me, received it as a gift from one of my classroom volunteers. So excited to read it!

Pool by JiHyeon Lee

I am completely helpless to the power of wordless titles. When I discover one that is beautiful, I can’t resist purchasing it. This one had me at the cover.

Wish by Matthew Cordell

I have a huge variety of emotional and beautiful reasons why I had to own this book. It was meant for me as I know it is meant for many who finally have their most important of all wishes granted.

Ballet Cat: The Totally Secret Secret by Bob Shea

Oh Bob Shea. You have full out giggle power over my students. I read this. Bought it. Read it aloud. Had it snatched from me. Daily, it would be momentarily returned. “Read it to all of us again.” I would. Then, snatched again. There are currently no students in my classroom. HA! I can go and read it anytime I want. Come September, I know I will never see it again. As it should be.

Egg: Nature’s Perfect Package by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

Anything Steve Jenkins does, I have to own. I am always reading some parts of a Jenkins title to my students. We learn so much, so beautifully, from this man!

I’m Trying to Love Spiders by Bethany Barton

I have a brand new group of students this fall. I want to hook them quickly on nonfiction – what better way to do it than through humour and spiders. Learning as you laugh! Perfect.

What have you purchased/acquired lately and why?

In the world of books: 25 boys who stand out

Posted on July 9, 2015 by carriegelson

I read a lot. As in hundreds and hundreds of books a year. Many, yes, are picture books. But many are novels. 95% of these are middle grade and young adult novels. So, in some ways, I can say I “meet” a lot of young people. Some make me cry. Some leave me laughing. Some inspire. I have a myriad of emotions as I read about each of these young fictional lives: confusion, hope, worry, relief, upset, happiness . . .

These characters often stay with me. And because they do, I want to honour them here. These boys*, in the pages of the books where they live, impressed me in notable ways. I admire so many of them for their honesty, their growth, their vulnerability, their hard choices, their loyalty, their mistakes, their learning and their endurance.

In their own way, each is brave and real. Meeting them will enrich every reader.

Doug Swieteck in Okay for Now written by Gary D. Schmidt

Miguel in We Were Here written by Matt de la Peña

Nate Foster in Better Nate than Ever written by Tim Federle

Jack in Dead End in Norvelt written by Jack Gantos

Ben in Half Brother written by Kenneth Oppel

Travis in Blue Fish written by Pat Schmatz

Fadi in Shooting Kabul written by N.H. Senzai

Matt in The Boy in the Black Suit written by Jason Reynolds

Moon in Alabama Moon written by Watt Key

Holling Hoodhood in The Wednesday Wars written by Gary D. Schmidt

Lucky Linderman in Everybody Sees the Ants written by A.S. King

Oscar in The Real Boy written by Anne Ursu

Moses in Crow written by Barbara Wright

Victor (a.k.a. “Little Man”) in Paperboy by Vince Vawter

Julian in Twerp written by Mark Goldblatt

Josh in Living with Jackie Chan by Jo Knowles

Joey in Nest written by Esther Ehrlich

Ali in When I Was the Greatest written by Jason Reynolds

Albert in Fish in a Tree written by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Albie in Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff

Junior in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian written by Sherman Alexie

Jack in Small as an Elephant by Jennifer Richard Jacobson

Ryan Dean West in Winger written by Andrew Smith

Peter Stone in Wish Girl written by Nikki Loftin

Steven in Drums Girls & Dangerous Pie written by Jordan Sonnenblick

Which characters would make your list?

*Coming soon: In the world of books: 25 girls who stand out

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Hyped Books I’ve Never Read

Posted on July 6, 2015 by carriegelson

It’s time for Top Ten Tuesday, a meme created by The Broke and Bookish.

I think this week’s topic is particularly interesting: Top Ten Hyped Books I’ve Never Read

When I was thinking about which books to add to this list, these questions needed to be answered:

1. Hyped by who? I checked out favourites and 5 star books from various fellow book lovers’ blogs and Goodreads accounts. Some of these books keep cropping up again and again. So I paid attention.

2. What kind of hype? I am not looking just for latest and greatest but for titles that speak to me. Personal recommendations are always my favourite kind of hype.

2. Never read and so . . . ? And so, do I plan to one day read these titles? Yes! I chose books that I want to one day read. There are some popular books out there that I would never want to read for various personal preference reasons. These ten titles here are books that will hopefully one day migrate from the land of To Read to the land of Read.

Listed alphabetically by author:

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

I had coffee with a friend a few weeks ago and she convinced me that this was a must read and then I saw Andrew Smith’s comment on the cover. And then I started hearing about this book everywhere.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

22 of my Goodreads friends rated this book 5/5. I love this author. Why haven’t I read this book? This question weighs so heavily that I just requested it from the public library.

The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

I will admit to being a little bit of a chicken when it comes to paranormal stories. I am not sure if I have yet recovered from Libba Bray‘s The Diviners but I had a chance to hear Holly Black here in Vancouver and found her charming. I have read Doll Bones three times. Feeling brave enough to try this one. Having a beautifully signed copy makes this title all the more enticing.

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

See that 25 year anniversary sticker? Makes it even more ridiculous that I haven’t yet read this book. This is the book I keep hearing favourite authors talk about as influential.

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

Dessen is another YA author I have not read. My almost 13 year old daughter is moving fast and furious into the land of YA – I think I need to run out a little ahead of her and learn about some authors I have yet to pick up that she will likely be drawn to. Have seen lots of love for this title.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

This book has been read in my house in the long ago time when both my husband and I read novels to our children (now it is just me) and I missed it. It’s a book that I absolutely want to read. Because I am convinced that DiCamillo can do no wrong. So often I hear from DiCamillo fans that this is a favourite.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

So many reader choice awards. So many of my reading PLN rave about this book. And (ahem) I have not read any Gayle Forman titles. Admitting it is the first step to changing it, yes?

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

Yes, Patrick Ness. And no, I haven’t read it. That must change.

The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick

I have read and loved two titles by Quick – this one has the movie hype so I figure it is time to read it! I even own a copy.

Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith

When so many readers review this book and include words like crude, brilliant, horrifying, authentic, ridiculous, quirky, bizarre – often in the same review, you know this book is going to be a wild ride. There are many cautions “this book is not for everyone” – I have a strong feeling it will not be for me even though I have read three titles by Smith that I adore. But, I know I need to experience this book for myself.

What “hyped” books do you keep thinking, “I haven’t read and really I should . . . ?”

Top Ten Books on My Summer TBR list for 2015

Posted on June 15, 2015 by carriegelson

I am excited to once again be list making – about books of course – with the always fun (and dangerously addictive) meme Top Ten Tuesday, created by The Broke and Bookish.

This week’s theme? Top Ten Books on Your Summer TBR list for 2015

Listed alphabetically by author

I have of course many more than ten titles I want to read but these are not to be missed! Some of these titles are on my #MustReadin2015 list. Some are by authors I saw speak over the last calendar year. Some are by authors I love or titles that come highly recommended.

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah

This has come hugely recommended and I just picked it up at the library.

The Penderwicks in Spring by Jeanne Birdsall

Nostalgia and joy all wrapped up in the family Penderwicks. Love these books!

Mexican Whiteboy by Matt de la Peña

One of my recent favourite titles was We Were Here by de la Peña. Heard him speak in Bellingham in the early spring and want to read more of his work.

Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Saving this for the beginning of summer when I can read it all in one day.

One Thing Stolen by Beth Kephart

Kephart is one of my very favourite writers. Period.

Mark of the Thief by Jennifer A. Nielsen

In my house we loved The False Prince trilogy so checking this out next.

Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith

Everyone who has read this book has such strong reactions. My turn!

The Whisper by Aaron Starmer

The Riverman was extremely troubling and odd and oh so curious. I am completely intrigued by this next title,

The Whisper Top Ten Books on My Summer TBR list for 2015 There's a Book for That

0714AR2

Black Dove, White Raven by Elizabeth Wein

Have loved two novels by Wein so far so I have hight hopes for this.

Beneath a Meth Moon by Jacqueline Woodson

I hear Woodson read excerpts of this book this spring when my husband and I went to see her. We bought a copy and I can’t wait to read it.

What will you be reading this summer?

Top Ten Most Anticipated Releases For the Rest of 2015

Posted on June 8, 2015 by carriegelson

Considering how much I love books (the reading, the talking about and the book loving community) and how often I make lists of books, I thought it was time to begin participating in Top Ten Tuesday, a meme created by The Broke and Bookish.

This week’s theme? Top Ten Most Anticipated Releases For the Rest of 2015

Listed by date of release.

Survival Strategies of the Almost Brave by Jen White (June 2015)

This is an unknown author for me but I am seeing some positive reviews from my Goodreads friends and I have a thing about resilient kids . . .

Delicate Monsters by Stephanie Kuehn (June 2015)

I have read two other titles from Kuehn. They were dark, serious and very well written – looking forward to more.

The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly (July 2015)

I read the first Calpurnia Tate title to my children on a family holiday in Hawaii. We were smitten with the character, the time and the science. Sign me up for more.

The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness (August 2015)

A Monster Calls was a wow title for me. This one looks like a wild ride.

Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead (August 2015)

Rebecca Stead. Rebecca Stead. Rebecca Stead!

I Crawl Through It by A.S. King (September 2015)

Okay so who is with me in being thrilled that A.S. King is so brilliant and so prolific?

Stand Off (Winger #2) by Andrew Smith (September 2015)

Loved, loved Winger. Love Andrew Smith.

The Wolf Wilder by Katherine Rundell (September 2015)

So if one were to judge a book by its cover . . . this is pretty gorgeous. But I have also read two titles by Rundell this year and am ready for more.

Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate (September 2015)

Yes, that Katherine. Oh so very excited.

Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt (October 2015)

Okay for Now by Schmidt is one of my all time favourite MG titles. The man is brilliant.

What 2015 titles are you looking forward to reading?

Celebration: Nerding out

Posted on March 7, 2015 by carriegelson

Oh there has been a whole lot of amazing bookish things in this week. If there is a land of Nerdy-book-club-ish-ness, well, I have been wandering about within it. Quite happily. Actually wandering is not the word. Leaping. Whirling. Rejoicing. These words better capture it.

It began a week ago with the amazing Western Washington Children’s Literature Conference and it kept going until today at the eerie and exceptional Serendipity conference here in Vancouver.

I have been so blessed to hear brilliant and passionate words (and have many books signed by . . . ) from Kate DiCamillo, Yuyi Morales, Joyce Sidman and Matt de la Peña (all in Bellingham) and Molly Idle, Holly Black, Andrew Smith and Mariko Tamaki (here in Vancouver).

I also got to attend the first EVER nErDCamp Bellingham last Sunday!

And then of course, all kinds of #booklove happened in my classroom all week.

I have too many words but can’t seem to settle them. So much of this will be in pictures.

The Western Washington Children’s Literature Conference was so amazing!

I learned a lot from each presenter. One (or two) line take aways

Matt de la Peña: “You can’t be a great writer until first you are a great reader.”

Yuyi Morales: “At the library, there are books with art in them like in an art gallery. Some of them were made for people like me and my story.”

Kate DiCamillo: “It is a privilege to have anything at all to do with books. Words matter. Words don’t fail.”

Joyce Sidman: “Why share poetry with children? Poems can never be wrong. Some might be more powerful. They can express our “souls””

And Sunday was all about nErDcamp in the gorgeous Whatcom Middle School Library:

I spent some time twisting and turning trying to see this gorgeous space from every angle

Loved meeting with friends old and new and learning together 🙂

Thank you to the awesome Adam Shaffer for his Nerdy vision!

I loved bringing Viva Frida back for Miriam and watching her share it with little listeners

Today at the Vancouver Children’s Literacy Roundtable’s Serendipity, more wonderful words and many laughs. Many of the gems are too – let’s call them – “too YA” to share.

From Andrew Smith: “My code is the English language. Like a wizard I can put words together and make poetry. It is powerful.”

From Mariko Tamaki: “There is a third writer in a comic book – the author, the illustrator and the person who puts it all together. The collaboration is important.”

From Molly Idle and Kelly Chipponeri (Editorial Director, Children’s Books at Chronicle Books in San Fransisco): “The process of putting together a book and doing what is best for the book is about kind, creative and supportive communication.”

From Holly Black: “It is intensely personal and strange to write a book. Writing is often answering the questions that we come across.”

I loved the chance to talk education with Andrew Smith and to share the sunshine with Molly and Kelly and hear more about their collaboration.

A gorgeous day all around.

My students adore Molly Idle‘s Flora so they will be thrilled that I got our classroom copies signed!

And yes, I love all of this – the authors, the illustrators and the literacy love. But why do I love it so much? Because I can share it with my students.

Their book love is my book love.

Our passion for literacy is always, I hope, transformative.

Thank you to Ruth Ayres and the #celebratelu community! Being part of a community that regularly shares gratitude and celebrations truly transforms my weeks. Read all of the celebrations by following the links shared here.