Monday, February 23, 2015

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 2/23/15


It's Monday! What are you reading? was started by Sheila at Book Journey and was adapted for children's books from picture books through YA by Jen of Teach 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.


Last Week's Posts

    • A Chinese Twist on Favorite Tales - to coincide with the beginning of Chinese New Year, I posted a collection of favorite fairy tales either set in China or with a Chinese (or Chinese New Year) bent to them.

    Picture Books


    Noah Webster and His Words (2012) by Jeri Chase Ferris and illustrated by Vincent X. Kirsh. This biography of Noah Webster explains how he came to create his eponymous dictionary but also his more popular (at the time) achievements, including his blue-backed speller. I thought the inclusion of dictionary definitions an interesting touch and only infrequently distracting. This would be a good companion book to the recently-award The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus by Jen Bryant and Melissa Sweet. (H/T Elisabeth at The Dirigible Plum.)


    Emmanuel's Dream: the true story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah (2015) by Laurie Ann Thompson and illustrated by Sean Qualls. I was thrilled to find out that I won a copy of Emmanuel's Dream from a giveaway hosted by Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers. It arrived earlier this month, and I realized that it would be a great fit with the PB14:14 analysis challenge. You can read my full post analyzing the depiction of character in this powerful true story about perseverance.


    Freedom Song: the story of Henry "Box" Brown (2012) by Sally M. Walker and illustrated by Sean Qualls. Freedom Song tells the true story of Henry "Box" Brown, a slave who mailed himself to freedom in 1849. You can read a fuller review, including an analysis of the plot, here. (H/T Elisabeth at The Dirigible Plum.)

    Middle Grade


    The Search for the Stone of Excalibur (2014) by Fiona Ingram. I received a review copy of this book as part of a Book Review Blitz with Mother Daughter Book Reviews. I really enjoyed the fast-paced adventure of this series, and stay tuned for my full review coming out tomorrow.

    Award-Winning Books Reading Challenge update: 9 books, 1 dedicated post (I Want My Hat Back)

    Dive into Diversity Challenge update: 26 books, 14 dedicated posts (One Green AppleThe Runaway WokEmmanuel's Dream, and Freedom Song)

    Happy Reading!

    10 comments:

    1. I really would like to read Emmanuel's Dream. Many have written about it. The others look good, too, Katie. Thanks!

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      1. Thanks, Linda. Emmanuel's Dream is a great one and important to share with kids.

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    2. I've bought a copy of Emmanuel's Dream but haven't read it yet. Hoping to get to it this week. Looking forward to your review of Search for Stone of Excalibur. My son and I are watching The Adventures of Merlin right now, and he is totally obsessed. Hoping this means he will be interested in Arthur and Merlin stories because there are some wonderful books we could read together. (Much more wonderful than our current Rick Riordan read-aloud--SIGH.)

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      1. Fair enough. The Search for the Stone of Excalibur is likely a step down from Rick Riordan, more like 39 clues books - no romance/adolescent angst stuff, mostly just a lot of exposition and some action. Long for a read aloud though.

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    3. Thanks for posting these titles. I haven't heard of The Chronicles of the Stone series. I'd like to read them and see if they will work for kids in my library. This one sounds good. Can you tell me what the first in the series is called? I can't find it in Goodreads.

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      1. The first one is called The Secret of the Sacred Scarab. Unfortunately, I think they are only available as Kindle or hardcover, which makes them harder to get for the classroom.

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    4. I am so glad you liked Emmanuel's Dream! It is a wonderful book. Additionally, you featured some really great books this week that I want to try! I am going to see if my library can get me the Noah Webster book! Happy reading this week!

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      1. Thanks again, Ricki! Emmanuel's Dream was definitely a book I would have tried to get, regardless, but it was also thrilling to win. Hope you enjoy the Webster book, and happy reading!

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    5. Nice to see Webster and his Words here - I have to FIND that book! :) I absolutely love The Right Word so it would be good to compare the two. Are you familiar with The Seeing Stone series by Kevin Crossley-Holland - also about King Arthur, I believe. I own a copy of the trilogy but haven't read them yet. I've heard great things about them though. Very intrigued by Emmanuel's Dream. :)

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      1. Thanks, Myra. I will have to check out The Seeing Stones. I love a good Arthur story.

        I think you will find a lot to like and recommend about Emmanuel's Dream.

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