Julie Paschkis | There's a Book for That

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

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

Each week I share a reading photo of the week. Here are a few.

Finding a quiet place to read 🙂

Pouring over Aaron Becker‘s work. Our Skype call with him last week will be detailed here soon! Amazing, amazing, amazing.

We did some pulling apart of the room to arrange things for our Skype call. Before we put it back together, we enjoyed new places to sit and read.

Our #classroombookaday titles were on important themes of home, change, leaving, finding new place.

Books I enjoyed:

The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey

This little illustrated chapter book is ideal for Grades 2-5. Lots of humour perfectly suited to this age group. Can’t wait to get other titles in the series. This is the first one.

Templeton Gets his Wish by Greg Pizzoli

So if you could wish your family away . . . Would you miss them?

P. Zonka Lays an Egg by Julie Paschkis

Kind of a wow title. P. Zonka doesn’t lay eggs because of “pale mornings, the soft dark moss . . . ” and some incredible other reasons. When an egg finally arrives, it is a sight to behold. I personally think she could have just got by on those beautiful excuses.

Hannah and Sugar by Kate Berube

Gentle and sweet. Explores fears and courageous acts.

Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family’s Journey by Margariet Ruurs Artwork by Nizar Ali Badr

Sharing this title with my students this week was very powerful. We have been reading titles about home – leaving home, moving, losing a home. This story and powerful artwork brought a deep and introspective silence over the room. This is a must own, must share title.

The Inquisitor’s Tale by Adam Gidwitz

When the Newbery awards were announced, I was midway through this title and was not surprised this book was honoured. Incredibly researched, full of magical and historical details.