Monday March 31st, 2014

Posted on March 30, 2014 by carriegelson

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

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. One of the very best ways to discover what to read next!

These are the the picture books I really enjoyed:

Some perfect for little readers or story time sessions:

Wait! Wait! written by Hatsue Nakawaki and illustrated by Komako Sakai

Perfectly captures the awkward and adorable exploration of a toddler out in nature.

I Love my New Toy! by Mo Willems

Always brilliant – Willems captures friendship dynamics like no other.

Somewhere in the World Right Now by Stacey Schuett

Set up like a soothing bed time story, this title could also be used in the classroom to inspire interest in geography and other cultures. The perfect text to practice visualization.The message is that all over the world, different things are happening. Some moments are full of busy city life while someplace else, everyone is quiet and asleep.

A Mammoth in the Fridge written by Michaël Escoffier and illustrated by Matthieu Maudet

I am more and more charmed by the absurd humour of Escoffier (he wrote Brief Thief which is a favourite in my class). In this story, a mammoth turns up in the fridge. How on earth did he get in there? Pay close attention and it all comes clear 🙂

Dog and Bear: Two Friends – Three Stories by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

I had the pleasure of listening to Laura Vaccaro Seeger talk about her Dog and Bear titles at a recent conference. Reading this book, I could hear her voice. Simple, sweet stories of friendship.

The Good Ship Crocodile written by J. Patrick Lewis and illustrated by Monique Felix

A crocodile helps many creatures cross the river when the water is high. His good deeds have a chance to be repaid when he needs help finding home. Beautiful illustrations and I enjoyed the African setting.

Dream Animals: A Bedtime Journey by Emily Winfield Martin

Absolutely stunning images of dream like adventures. An ideal bed time book.

Some titles for older readers and for discussion:

I dreamt . . . A book about Hope by Gabriela Olmos

What would a world look like without violence? This book imagines just that. All of the illustrations were created by Mexican artists. A powerful title to spark important discussions about children’s rights, about peace, about safety.

Brothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan written by Mary Williams and illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

Based on true events of the boys walking to safety and security in southern Sudan during civil war. I read this aloud to my own children and they had many questions. Imagining the role these boys had to play to support each other was heartbreaking.

I also finished two novels:

Five, Six, Seven, Nate! written by Tim Federle

I loved jumping back into Nate’s life and his adventures on stage in New York. Nate is a character the middle grade fiction world needs.

A Crooked Kind of Perfect written by Linda Urban

You could describe this book as: “It’s about a girl who plays the organ but really wants to play the piano.” But . . . then you would be missing the vulnerability, the complexity of family, the power of people in your corner and the pure brilliance Linda Urban has with words on a page. One of the best things about this title is how Urban handles the parents. So many authors write stories where parents are either absent, missing or have died. Other times they are just plain mean. In this book, Zoe’s parents are far from perfect but in the end, they are far more than just the source of her troubles. So well written.

Reading Goal updates:

2014 Chapter Book Challenge: 25/100 novels complete

Goodeads Challenge: 165/650 books read

#MustReadin2014: 12/30 complete

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 47/65 complete

Happy Reading to all of you!

* A reminder for anyone out there with a #MustReadin2014 list, think about sharing an update on your blog for April 1st, 2014. Share using the #MustReadin2014 hashtag. I plan to share a list of the titles I have read so far and a highlight of some of my favourites. So excited to see what everyone has been reading and loving.

Monday July 8th, 2013

Posted on July 8, 2013 by carriegelson

It’s Monday! What are you Reading?

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 reads! The #IMWAYR community is a fantastic community of readers with many wonderful titles to share.

I found some wonderful picture books this week. Here are my favourites:

The #1 hit of the week in my house was definitely . . .

Betty Bunny Didn’t Do it written by Michael B. Kaplan and illustrated by Stephane Jorisch I adore Jorisch’s work and loved the first Betty Bunny title so I was excited to read these other books in the collection. I “test read” these books out on my own children (10 years old x 2) Well . . . this book was SUCH a hit that my son talked about it for days – almost to the point of telling strangers about it. He didn’t go that far but he did tell people on the soccer field, our old neighbour and even his Grandma (after pulling the phone out of my hands and reading her the whole book over the phone). This book, he assured me, was a great book to read. I quote:

“Mom, this book has great morals. Well, maybe not for adults but for kids :-)”

Now I’m not sure what he means by morals . . . considering what my children seemed to learn from this book:

Telling very tall tales is charming and creative and not an avoidance of responsibility
Admitting that a statement is an honest lie is incredibly funny
Claiming that coming clean with the whole entire truth would hurt one’s feelings is a brilliant way to avoid telling the truth!

An interesting look at what it means to be honest. Much humour. Much charm. Much to repeat and relive!

Betty Bunny Wants Everything written by Michael B. Kaplan and illustrated by Stephane Jorisch We liked this title as well although it doesn’t rate as high as the Betty Bunny story above. Betty Bunny is just a little too precocious. Seems like it was going to be a wonderful book to talk about consumerism and smart money strategies but it just . . . wasn’t. Still worth reading even to have those discussions of – does Betty Bunny take it too far? Does she really learn anything? Are characters always likeable? Even when you loved them in another story?

Oliver and his Alligator written and illustrated by Paul Schmid What happens when you swallow all of your anxiety (well – have your alligator do it for you . . . )? Then there is nothing to be afraid of and things get a little dull! Deals with first day of school nerves in a very creative way!

Tea Rex written and illustrated by Molly Idle A T rex for tea? Perfect! Thought the small talk was divine and the illustrations absolutely charming.

Can I play Too? written and illustrated by Mo Willems All Elephant and Piggie books are huge hits in my classroom. I still find some that I haven’t read and it is always such a pleasant surprise. This is one of my new favourites. Love the creative ways these characters try to be inclusive in their games. There is humour but also some pretty awesome modelling of how to play.

A Big Guy Took My Ball! written and illustrated by Mo Willems Again, Willems creates a winner.

The Epiplectic Bicycle written and illustrated by Edward Gorey First published in 1969 but I just discovered it. Odd. Quirky. Many shades of absurd. Find it and experience a number of mysterious adventures.

More Bears written by Kenn Nesbitt and illustrated by Troy Cummings Since I am always quite delighted when there is a bear (or two or three) in a story, I was particularly pleased that the narrator of this little tale was persistently encouraged to include more bears! Can see this being a very amusing read aloud.

My nonfiction reading was from the Amazing Animals series by Kate Riggs– I blogged about it here.

In novels . . .

My Happy Life written by Rose Lagercrantz and illustrated by Eva Eriksson A special little read that tackles some big issues: friends moving away, grief, sadness . . . So often we don’t find issues like this handled in a beginning chapter book for young readers. I appreciated the fact that there was space for thinking and discussion (thinking this would be a great read aloud in a primary classroom) and that it breathed resiliency and learning life lessons. And I adore Eva Eriksson as an illustrator.

The Center of Everything written by Linda Urban I just finished this book this morning and I feel like I should have cradled it under my arm all day. Sometimes a book is small but powerful. This book isn’t long. It takes place over the course of a day. But it is written in a way that it holds big space in your thoughts and your heart. Reminds us that all of the little moments make up our very large lives. You never know which moments will shape you. Such a beautiful middle grade read that I will be putting in the hands of many young readers. This book is sad but soothing. There is grief but yet, reading this book is kind of like healing. A snapshot into the life of Ruby Pepperdine that speaks to a part in all of us. A quiet WOW book.

I also read 2 adult novels

The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult Powerful.

Gone Baby Gone by Dennis Lehane Mystery. Detectives. Corruption. Grit. So not my usual read but was in the mood.

Next up? I am starting Small as an Elephant by Jennifer Richard Jacobson. My children and I are more than halfway through Torn Away by James Heneghan. A huge TBR pile stares at me but not sure what will be the other books of the week yet. It’s summer . . . and so hopefully it will be many of them!

Monday July 30th, 2012

Posted on July 30, 2012 by carriegelson

It’s Monday What are you Reading? Celebrating books read from picture books to young adult reads. Link up with the meme sponsored by Kellee and Jen!

I read some wonderful picture books this week!

Traction Man Meets Turbo Dog by Mini Grey (who I happen to adore – read more here) There were lots of things I loved in this book – more in the pictures than in the storyline honestly. Love the oppositely stereotypical parents (Dad in apron and Mom with her circular saw). Loved the compost bin as play site. And what could be better than a search down the Grand Sofa Canyon? It did after all uncover a hairy sweet. This book reminds us germophobes not to come between a boy and his toy. Rescues into the slimy trash heap will be attempted!

Alfie Runs Away written by Kenneth M. Cadow and illustrated by Lauren Castillo. Alfie is upset and decides to run away announcing it emphatically. His mother “helps” him get ready. Absolutely captures the sentiments of both mother and child. Love Castillo’s illustrations.

Pierre in Love written by Sara Pennypacker and illustrated by Petra Mathers. A beautiful picture book about being in love and being brave enough to admit it.

The Gardener written by Sarah Stewart and illustrated by David Small. I so love this author/illustrator team. And the book . . . We read it one night as a read aloud. Then the next day my daughter asked to read it again because she wanted to study the pictures. Lasting impressions – this book makes them! Love historical fiction delivered beautifully in a picture book!

The Beetle Book by Steve Jenkins. I read this with my children as one of our many nightly read alouds (we also have a novel and a book of fairy tales on the go) over a few evenings. We were fascinated, shocked and sometimes disgusted (in the best of ways) as we learned all about beetles. Plan to purchase my own copy of this book and share it in the classroom this fall! Think of the art it will inspire! And since one in four living things happen to be a beetle, they deserve some studious attention!

Middle Grade reads:

The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine

I am considering this for a book club pick for our student book club. Such an important time in history – would prompt a LOT of discussion. I adored this book!

Hound Dog True by Linda Urban. Now I understand why this is such a beloved book for so many. There are so many students I know who need to read this book. They will find themselves and so much more.

Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm Okay, wow! I found one of the books I will read aloud to my new class this fall! Love the family dynamics between Turtle and the boy cousins. So much humour and yet lots of interesting things to discuss in terms of this time in history. Ideal read aloud for an upper primary classroom!