Monday March 9th, 2015

Posted on March 8, 2015 by carriegelson

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

I have been sharing a reading photo of the week each week. These are three of my girls pretending to be bored after they read I’m Bored and declared it “the best” and “Why haven’t you read this to us already?” I do try to read everything but every so often I miss something! Thankfully, I redeemed myself by putting this out on display.

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.

I am surprised I got reading in this week as I have continued to be happily spending my weekends immersed in literature conferences, but I did find some time to read some fantastic books.

My favourite picture books of the week:

Surprise by Mies van Hout

So tender and sweet. Birds. Parenting, nurturing and loving. Love all of these bright on black illustrations. I have Happy and Friends and would love to add this to our collection.

Perfectly Percy by Paul Schmid

Porcupines and balloons do not mix. Until, a solution is figured out. And then, of course they do!

Naomi’s Tree by Joy Kogawa and illustrated by Ruth Ohi

Rich in B.C. (in fact Vancouver) history and family stories, this is a beautiful book about a special tree planted in a yard that represents home. This title tells a piece of the stories of Japanese Canadians during the war.

Inside this Book by Barney Saltzberg

Released next month, this title tickled the fancy of my many artists and writers in the room. Making books, books within books, child authored works . . . very appealing in my classroom!

The Misadventures of Sweetie Pie by Chris Van Allsburg

I was worried about this title. In fact, I had decided not to read it after reading many reviews. But, it came into our room with a guest reader and my students were quite engaged. It provoked lots of discussion and some amazing book reviews with thoughtful writing. I will be sharing these soon on our classroom blog.

In other reading . . .

The Boy in the Black Suit by Jason Reynolds

My eye is now firmly on this author. Loved this book. What characters. So much grief and challenge but the humanity shines bright. Highly recommended.

How it Went Down by Kekla Magoon

A shooting of a young teenage boy. Is it racially motivated? Who is at fault? What is the truth? All important questions. More important though -the grieving and the moving on of a community and family impacted by the loss of one of their own. Powerful.

Up next? I have a huge pile of books coming with me on a week away with my family. First up? When I was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds and then We Were Here by Matt de la Peña and All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Updates on my 2015 Reading Goals:

2015 Chapter Book Challenge: 10/80 complete

Goodreads Challenge: 81/415 books read

#MustReadin2015: 5/24 complete

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 17/100 titles

Diverse Books in 2015: 11/50 books read

Monday September 22nd, 2014

Posted on September 21, 2014 by carriegelson

It’s Monday! What are you Reading?

Before I get started on sharing a number of fantastic titles, have you heard our exciting news? The strike is OVER!!! I explain it here (there is even dancing) Possibly when you read this post, I will actually be inside my school! Full days begin Tuesday! Hurray!

The “best of the week” in picture books:

Shh! We Have a Plan by Chris Haughton

First, I have to rave about the colours in this book. Shades of blue like I have never seen done. And then some reds and fuschias – wow. But, this isn’t a book you would start by describing as beautiful (even though I just did . . . ) because first it is clever and amusing and wonderfully funny!

The Zoo Box written by Ariel Cohn and illustrated by Aron Nels Steinke

I had no idea that this book was a graphic style picture book until I opened it up. What a wonderful surprise! Shades of Jumanji fantasy with lots to explore more deeply. I don’t want to spoil anything. Go find yourself a copy and jump into the book! But, be careful, something might jump back out!

The Grudge Keeper written by Mara Rockliff and illustrated by Eliza Wheeler

I had this title on one of my picture book wish lists that I made this summer when all of my book shopping was put on hold. The very generous Mara Rockliff sent me a copy! I already know that this will be a book I share with the students in the first few weeks back. I think I will not talk about it here now because I have the feeling I will be sharing more of this title with student reactions quite soon.

Volcano Rising written by Elizabeth Rusch and illustrated by Susan Swan

One of the very best, if not the best nonfiction picture book I have read on volcanoes. Two layers of text (one section with more details for those who want to read more information) and incredible illustrations. A title I am making sure we purchase for our school library.

Emily and the Mighty Om written by Sarah Lolley and illustrated by Sleepless Kao

Lots to love in this book with messages about slowing down, breathing deep and yoga poses.

Penguin and Pumpkin by Salina Yoon

The ending is my very favourite part of this book. So very sweet. I do love Penguin but my favourite tale is still the first: Penguin and Pinecone.

Fox and Squirrel Make a Friend by Ruth Ohi

I loved the first Fox and Squirrel title and I adore this one too. Wonderful friendship story but light and playful. Ideal for younger students.

Little You written by Richard Van Camp and illustrated by Julie Flett

The perfect baby gift for first time parents. Flett’s illustrations are so stunning and the spirit of this book is pure celebration.

Hostage Three by Nick Lake

This book was great. So gripping. Emotional. Intense and beautifully written. The characters were so raw and vulnerable which compounded the intensity. A highly recommended young adult read.

Next up? I am reading All the Truth That’s in Me by Julie Berry

A kind of yikes: I was 54 books behind on my Goodreads goal this a.m. Now I am 42 books behind. Many picture books today! Trying to get this down to zero – recording it here and making it public, will be motivation. Would have thought a strike would have given me more time to read, but it just kind of froze the world. Piles of books did not get read. After just this weekend, I feel my reading spirit returning.

Reading Goal Updates:

2014 Chapter Book Challenge: 62/100 novels complete

Goodreads Challenge: 427/650 books read (currently 42 books behind)

#MustReadin2014: 20/30 complete

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 107/65 complete

Monday September 16th, 2013

Posted on September 16, 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 crowd always has so many fantastic titles to share.

The picture books I loved this week:

A Mountain of Friends written and illustrated by Kerstin Schoene

I shared this title when our K/1 reading buddies came to visit our classroom for the very first time. It was a hot and stuffy afternoon and there were 44 children ages 4 to 8 in my classroom and we survived it because of this beautiful little book. It is interactive. It is adorable. It is all about creativity and the strong will to help out a friend in need. Elements of Eric Rohmann‘s My Friend Rabbit.

Mr. Tiger Goes Wild written and illustrated by Peter Brown

I really, truly love this book. I don’t want to give anything away to spoil the experience. I can stay it is stunning. And slightly peculiar in the best of ways. And the message . . . ? Divine.

Oh and it is so beautifully illustrated, one just might swoon while reading it.

Fox and Squirrel written and illustrated by Ruth Ohi

Such a wonderful little story about celebrating similarities and differences and finding common ground. A book just made for sharing with a primary classroom to talk about all of the intricacies of friendship.

Warning: Do not Open this Book! written by Adam Lehrhaupt and illustrated by Matthew Forsythe

This story exemplifies the “pull you right into it” feeling a picture book can provide. Fun. Silly. Delightful. I can’t even imagine how much fun it would be to share this with a classroom of children. I know that my classroom of children would go crazy. I really must get my own copy of this title! I love a little crazy when it comes to picture book experiences!

Bugs in my Hair written and illustrated by David Shannon

Well done Mr. Shannon. Being a lice expert myself (not necessarily a talent I had wanted to cultivate but . . . ), I have the feeling David Shannon has some first hand experience with these itchy little critters. Or he is a very good listener. This title both entertains and informs in the most delightful of ways. You finish it with a smile and if lice and you have been intimately acquainted, you know it is all okay in the end. Until next time . . .

Doug Unplugged written and illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

Funny how a book can surprise you. I had seen this title around the blogosphere for a while. I knew it made suggestions that we shouldn’t be so wrapped up in technology that we miss out on real life. But I was reading the title incorrectly. I read unplugged as noun instead of verb. I saw Doug Unplugged as a name, not that Doug, unplugged (verb). Reading this book made it clear very quickly and honestly, I adored this book quite a bit more than I thought I might. A great story to spark discussion about many things – the difference between “book/internet knowledge” and the power of experience for one.

A is for Musk Ox written by Erin Cabatingan and illustrated by Matthew Myers

I do have quite the thing for alphabet books. Who would have thought that authors and illustrators could get so creative with the abcs? Oh, but they do! And this book certainly is an ideal example. In the same vein as Z is for Moose but wordier and for the story time crowd with a little bit more listening stamina. Great book to model voice. Or just to share countless laughs!

I have been happily and carefully reading Catching Readers Before They Fall by Pat Johnson and Katie Keier and so find myself at the end of a week without having completed a novel. I am one good early morning reading session away from finishing Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library (talk about fast paced!) and am still enjoying reading my children The Fire Chronicle by John Stevens (also dramatic and hard to put down!)

In my classroom, we are loving our first chapter book read aloud together (for many students this is the first time they have ever been read a chapter book) – Marty McGuire Digs Worms by Kate Messner. We have been slowly making our way through Desmond and the Very Mean Word – a picture book that your classroom or school library MUST own. This is a story that has inspired so much discussion and passionate reader responses. What a book!

I look forward to many more exciting picture books in the next week and plan to begin Jinx by Sage Blackwood.