Monday, September 22, 2014

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?


It's Monday! What are you reading? was started by Sheila at Book Journey and was adapted for children's books from pictures books through YA by Jen of Teacher Mentor Texts and Kellee of Unleashing Readers. You can visit either site for a round up of blogs sharing their weekly readings and thoughts or search Twitter for #IMWAYR.

Picture Books


This week I shared a collection of Fun Picture Books about Imaginary Friends - Visible and Invisible. Reading the most recent addition, Beekle, made me start thinking about other books about unusual friends and started the ball rolling for this post.


This is a Moose by Richard T. Morris and illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld. My third-grade students thought this book was a riot. I shared it as part of our paper blogging challenge this week to write about what they want to be when they grow up. Moose is a great example of not letting anyone (and, err ... reality) get in the way of your dreams. Students have been re-reading this one constantly, including large-group reads during their break time. (H/T Pernille Ripp.)


The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus by Jen Bryant and illustrated by Melissa Sweet. I love their earlier River of Words: the story of William Carlos Williams, so I was excited to be the first in the library hold line for this new title. Will definitely share this one with students when we get to talking about how and why to use a thesaurus. Fascinating to read how the idea evolved and to see the original meaning-based organization of the first edition.


Ish by Peter Reynolds. We shared Ish last Monday as part of International Dot Day. (Most students had already read The Dot previously.) I enjoyed the message of "ish" over perfectionism and the triumph of art and creativity.

Poetry


A World of Wonders: Geographic Travels in Verse and Rhyme by J. Patrick Lewis. I love sharing these poems with students and using them to aid in our study of geography. You can read more details, including an example poem in my post Teaching Geography with Poetry.

Middle Grade

Mock Newbery lists are being posted! Check out the one from Anderson's Book Shop. (I have read 9 of the 24 so far, and two of those nine are below.) 


West of the Moon by Margi Preus. This story blends historical fiction with Norwegian folktales, as the main character struggles to find and reunite with her father during the high tide of American immigration. Personally, I did not find this story particularly enthralling, nor did I find much of a pull towards Astri, our narrator. Much like last week's The Night Gardener, I had a vague "I've read this before" feeling of a Julie of the Wolves crossed with Where the Mountain Meets the Moon


On the other hand, I was pleasantly surprised by Egg and Spoon by Gregory Maguire (ARC provided via Net Galley). Now this was a mix of historical fiction and folktale that I absolutely loved. The frame of the narrating monk provides an interesting style and substance that immediately drew me into the story and the characters. Once the Prince and the Pauper-style switch is underway and Baba Yaga enters the scene, you will be hard-pressed to put this book down, honeycakes. 

The publisher has pitched the book at ages 12 and up, so it is on the tale end for the Newbery. I would agree with the older age range, as I think the complicated structure of the frame story and narration might be difficult for younger readers to be drawn in by. 

 

In non-Newbery news, I borrowed Dragon Slippers and Dragon Flight this week from a student and really enjoyed them. Young Creel is an amusing heroine, in the style of Cimorene from Dealing with Dragons. Forced by her aunt to fake her own dragon kidnapping (in an attempt to have her rescued and married off, of course), Creel discovers some of the realities behind the dragons of myth. Fun, engaging reads.

Happy Reading!

16 comments:

  1. I love Ish. Adore Peter Reynolds mission and art.

    Lisa

    LisaTeachR'sClassroom

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    1. Thanks so much, Lisa! Absolutely agree with you. Loved sharing his message about what art is and can be.

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  2. i am reading Tipping point by malcom Gladwell

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    1. I have not read that one yet, but it sounds fascinating.

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  3. Mock Newbery lists--I can't resist them! Thanks for sharing this one. I've been working on my mock Caldecott reading this week. Love reading in anticipation of awards season! I read The Right Word this week too--loved Melissa Sweet's art so much. I have been reading a lot of Newbery buzz for West of the Moon but having a hard time wanting to pick it up--story and plot don't sound like my kind of reading. But I will try to get to it sometime this fall.

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    1. Yeah, like I said, West of the Moon didn't do much for me, so I will be curious to read the reactions of others. Our school librarian is working the Mock Caldecott lists, so we'll be starting in on those soon. Definitely fun trying to predict!

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  4. I like hearing from you about West of The Moon and Egg and Spoon, Katie, & will sure the titles with our librarians so they can have them too. We're starting a Newbery lunch club, so will be finding titles fast for the kids to read. I have The Right Word, still haven't read it, but will. I love all Jen Bryant's books for sure, & then these two with Melissa Sweet-hard to pass them by!

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    1. A Newbery lunch club sounds like a really fun idea! We are trying to get a Newbery book club going here among some of the teachers, which should be fun. I know you will enjoy The Right Word!

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  5. I have West of The Moon to read soon. I"m interested in your opinion because the book hasn't "called" to me to read it yet, but it's on many mock Newbery lists.
    The Right Word is amazing, isn't it???

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    1. Absolutely love The Right Word. Hoping it'll help the kids get even more interested in the idea of the thesaurus and what it can do for their writing.

      West of the Moon to me felt too much like a compilation of "generic Newbery" attributes.

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  6. I really want to read The Right Word but alas, my library doesn't have it yet.

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    1. Keep on them! Our library system has an online request system. I have several requests pending with them, and while there's been no progress yet, I am still hoping.

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  7. Looking forward to The Right Word, but think I'll pass on Egg and Spoon. I did like E.D. Baker's A Question of Magic, though. There are so many fantasy books being published!

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    1. Thanks for the tip about A Question of Magic - sounds intriguing!

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  8. I'm very thrilled to find out that we now have a copy of The Right Word in our public library! Will pick it up tomorrow. Thanks for sharing all these lovely titles.

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    1. Hooray for libraries! You will definitely enjoy it.

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