Keith Richards | There's a Book for That

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

I have been sharing a reading photo of the week each week. This week, the photo I love best was taken during Reading Workshop on Friday. Everyone was so excited to get down to reading. These girls all settled on the carpet reading various comics and picture books. Two girls are engaged in an animated discussion about Sam & Dave Dig a Big Hole. Lots of books. Lots of book love.

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.

Favourites of the week:

Are You Awake? by Sophie Blackall

This book is all about adorable little child questions that happen when there should be sleeping. From the Mom’s perspective, oh dear, go to sleep little one. From the reader’s point of view? Pure delight. And I adore Sophie Blackall‘s work, so = extra great!

The Camel in the Sun written by Griffin Ondaatje and illustrated by Linda Wolfsgruber

Not sure where to begin with this book. Such an emotional and serious read. A beautiful book all around. Themes of kindness, compassion and empathy. More suited for older readers/listeners. Although, in an interactive read aloud, younger listeners could manage it. A fable of sorts.

Gus & Me The Story of My Grandad and my First Guitar written by Keith Richards and illustrated by Theodora Richards

I was seriously skeptical with this one. Musician writes a children book . . . and his daughter illustrates it . . . ? But, actually, this was a lovely title. The text was well done. I really liked some of the illustrations – especially the guitar atop the piano page. And, it has so many elements I love in a picture book – a relationship between generations, family connections, special memories. Well done, Mr. Richards.

Priscilla and the Hollyhocks written by Anne Broyles and illustrated by Anna Alter

This is the story of Priscilla, a young slave, who is sold to a Cherokee family and then must walk with them along the “Trail of Tears” when they are relocated. Hollyhock flowers represent a link to her childhood memories of family and her mother. An important historical read.

My Blue is Happy written by Jessica Young and illustrated by Catia Chien

This book almost leaps about shouting, “Don’t you want to use me for a writing activity prompt? You do, don’t you?” Yep, yes I do! I fell quickly for this book exploring the emotions of colour, asking us to look at typical colour feelings from another perspective. And, wow, Catia Chien is impressing me at every turn. Gorgeous illustrations.

I also read two novels:

How to Outrun a Crocodile When Your Shoes are Untied by Jess Keating

Captures the intensity of this middle school age – the navigating the social world, the figuring out of who one is with lots of humour, surprises, embarrassment and joy. As my daughter, who happens to be 12, and have a twin brother, said “this book is so real.” Ana is a character you will want to keep reading.I will definitely be picking up Jess Keating’s next novel and soon!

Going Over by Beth Kephart

I am not sure if this book spoke to me so intensely because I have read so much literature set in Central/Eastern Europe. Or because I lived in what was once Czechoslovakia from 1990 to 1992 just after the wall went down in a small town that really was slow to “westernize”and shake off Communist influences. All of that is part of it. A lot of it is that Kephart is so ridiculously talented. This is a story and a piece of art. I can see reading this book over and over because it is so very, very rich in imagery and emotion. It is painful. It is beautiful. It is haunting. Loved this book. And I haven’t even touched the plot. Just go. Find it. Read it. Let the images swirl about. Be with these characters. Fall into this time. What an experience.