Favourites of 2017

Posted on December 30, 2017 by carriegelson

Which books stand out from an entire year or reading? Titles that didn’t leave me. Books I have wanted to share. To reread. That I have particular plans for. Books that I have read to multiple audiences. Books full of the beautiful and the hopeful. Wonder. Inspiration. Humanity. Sorrow and hope. Books I recommend highly. Books I am pleased to celebrate here.

The 17 books that made the final cut? I chose everything from picture books to young adult novels. Middle grade novels. Transitional chapter books. All of it. (except for nonfiction titles – they got a list all their own)

17 books and no more than 17 words of raving. This was my challenge last year with my Favourites of 2016 (16 books, 16 words) Each year it has been the same: Favourites of 2015 (15 books, 15 words), Favourites of 2014 (14 books, 14 words), Favourites of 2013 (13 books, 13 words) and (12 books, 12 words) with my 2012 Favourites. Each year, I get one more book and one more word to play with!

17 favourites of 2017

Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell

Nearly wordless. All about important things. Kindness. Trust. Simplicity.

Town is by the Sea written by Joanne Schwartz and illustrated by Sydney Smith

Daily life in a Cape Breton mining town. Illustrations that literally freeze place and time.

The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet! by Carmen Agra Deedy and illustrated by Eugene Yelchin

Our voices cannot be silenced. Timely and timeless.

Little Fox in the Forest by Stephanie Graegin

Wordless and wonderful. Rich with kindness and longing for how we connect.

My Beautiful Birds by Suzanne Del Rizzo

How can we leave one life to begin another? A refugee experience full of sadness and hope.

The Book of Mistakes by Corinna Luyken

A creative and inspiring journey that celebrates how what goes wrong is equally exactly right.

Now by Antoinette Portis

Being in the moment has never been celebrated with such lovely wonder and beauty.

Out of Wonder Poems Celebrating Poets by Kwame Alexander with Chris Colderley and Marjorie Wentworth illustrations by Ekua Holmes

Oh this book of poems and art. Kind of speechless.

Charlie & Mouse & Grumpy (Charlie & Mouse, #2) written by Laurel Snyder and illustrated by Emily Hughes

Endearing and lovely. Sibling antics. Silly stories. Hilarious illustrations. Reading gold.

A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold

Bat, his family and a little orphaned skunk make up a cast of characters that you must meet.

Clayton Byrd Goes Underground by Rita Williams-Garcia

So I kind of love everything about Clayton Byrd.

Me and Marvin Gardens by Amy Sarig King (A.S. King)

I can’t get Obe and Marvin Gardens out of my head.

Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder

Suspend belief. Be uncertain. Allow yourself to get lost in this story. Incredible writing.

See You in the Cosmos by Jack Cheng

I adore Alex Petroski. His journey to capture the essence of Earth reveals his vulnerable, complicated existence.

Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk

An isolated setting. Unique characters. Mystery and intrigue and simplicity that makes a can’t put down story.

Refugee by Alan Gratz.

You will cry. Shake your head. Fret. Dream terrible things. Read this book. Hand it to everyone.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Necessary reading for anyone who happens to currently be human. Deserving of all the hype.

Please share your own favourites of the year . . .

Wishing everyone a 2018 full of new favourites and lots of reading!

Monday April 24th, 2017

Posted on April 23, 2017 by carriegelson

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

Each week I share a reading photo of the week. Typically, I have more than one to share!

I love happening upon keen readers perched all over the room.

I am the #1 Reader spotter. I find them no matter where they hide!

Buddy reading spots

Lots of #classroombookaday photos to share. Can you see a theme in each collection?

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:

Out of Wonder Poems Celebrating Poets by Kwame Alexander with Chris Colderley and Marjorie Wentworth illustrations by Ekua Holmes

Here, I am speechless about this book. I can’t wait to begin reading poems from it aloud to my students. It will be inspiring more words. More poetry. More imagining. BUY this book! Your classroom or library need to have this title.

This is How We Do it: One Day in the Lives of Seven Kids from around the World by Matt Lamothe I featured this title here.

Piper Green and the Fairy Tree: Going Places by Ellen Potter with illustrations by Qin Leng

This series is so popular with a few of my students. It has appeal for independent readers from a really broad age range. I had Grade 2s who loved this series. Now I have Grade 4s who love these books. This fourth title is a lot of fun. I love Piper’s bold conviction.

Princess Cora and the Crocodile written by Laura Amy Schlitz with illustrations by Brian Floca

I am pretty certain that most pet lists do not include crocodiles. This one turns out to be pretty amusing and wonderfully, hilariously heroic.

Terror at Bottle Creek by Watt Key

An incredible adventure story that will have you on the edge of your seat. A Gulf Coast Hurricane creates conditions absolutely terrifying for 13 year old Cort and his two neighbours he is trying to keep safe.

Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson

Jade is a black student on scholarship at a mostly white private school. She questions the supports and opportunities offered to her as she struggles to figure out what she wants in her future. This title explores so many relationships: family, friendships, mentor/mentee, student/teacher. Jade’s voice is one that will weave questions into your head that will remain there for some time. Loved all of the things this book made me think about.

Matylda Bright and Tender by Holly M. McGhee

This little book is all kinds of tender indeed. It holds you up through the heartbreaking and consoles you through all the hard. A beautiful middle grade read about friendship and grief and all the many ways to hope.

Reading Progress updates:

2017 Chapter Book Challenge: 21/75 complete

Goodreads Challenge: 112/365 books read

Progress on challenge: On schedule!

#MustReadin2017: 13/30 complete

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 18/50 titles

Diverse Books in 2016: 16/50 books read

Up next? I am reading a bunch of things including Moon Shadow by Erin Downing

Monday December 12th, 2016

Posted on December 11, 2016 by carriegelson

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

Each week I share a reading photo of the week. I love finding readers perched everywhere during Reading Workshop time.

There was also some amazing art produced by my students this week. So many self-portraits were incredible. So I thought I would choose the one that belongs to that reader on the small stool above. I am in absolute awe of the artists in my room.

We have continued to explore themes for our #classroombookaday titles. This week we explored unexpected friendships and belonging.

On the blog:

25 books: 2016 Picture Books to Gift this Season Is some picture book shopping on your list? #GiveBooks

Books I enjoyed:

The Big Snow by Jonathan Bean

Yes, waiting for the snow can feel endless but when the world is blanketed in white then . . . wow. This book captures exactly that.

Tell Me a Tattoo Story by Alison McGhee, illustrated by Eliza Wheeler

While I still don’t love the idea of tattoos personally, this is sure a beautiful book of the many stories that make a life.

The Blobfish Book by Jessica Olien

Oh blobfish, 2016 seems to be your year in picture books! This is very amusing and informative.

Your Alien Returns by Tammi Sauer with illustrations by Goro Fujita

There are friends and there is home. Both have lots of appeal. A playdate that involves leaving the planet? Well, that is beyond exciting! But other places can make us feel literally like the other. Thankfully, our friends know how to make us feel at home. Home and away are both celebrated here in this sweet little story.

Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Ekua Holmes

The illustrations here are incredible – I am hopeful that another picture book is in Homes’ future (looks like there is one in Spring 2017: Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets). This is an incredible picture book biography told through poetic and lyrical language. Fannie Lou Hamer’s life is captured here – her struggles, her triumphs and her many inspirations.

The Memory of Things by Gae Polisner

Just an incredible read. Beautiful writing. A story about loss and hope and connection. Like a spotlight shone on one family when the world seemed to shut down. Highly, highly recommended. Gae Polisner you are a wonder. This story of 9/11 is unforgettable.

The Girl who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

In so many ways absolutely beautiful – what a story! That fantasy and nature intertwined was probably my favourite aspect. The only thing keeping me from giving it 5 stars was the idea of audience. Some themes seemed too dark for a middle grade audience. When I think of my Grade 4 & 5 class even as readers next year, I can only think of one child who would totally devour this on her own. That being said, I would have read it to my children when they were 10 or 11 and we would have loved the experience. The characters are wonderful – I adored Luna.