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Monday, January 25, 2016

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?


It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a community of bloggers who link up to share what they are reading.  For more information check out the host blogs: Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers.


What I Read This Week…




Arctic White by Danna Smith

This picture book tells about a girl hoping for color in the Arctic where everything is a shade of white.  She follows her grandfather on a secret journey to the top of the mountain where she discovers that there is color.  Together, the poetic language and lovely illustrations show the beauty of the white of the Arctic, the darkness of the night, and the dancing colors of the Northern Lights.




Be a Friend by Salina Yoon

Dennis, called "mime boy" by his classmates, is a boy who expresses himself in extraordinary ways, but often feels lonely and invisible.  When he kicks an imaginary ball, his world changes for the better.  This book about friendship shows the importance of understanding one another.




Bear is Not Tired by Ciara Gavin

Bear does not want to miss out on the fun his duck friends have all winter so he decides to stay awake rather than hibernate.  When Bear becomes tired and the ducks can't keep him awake, Mother Duck has some words of wisdom and a promise for Bear.  This sweet, amusing tale shows the bond between friends.




Love is My Favorite Thing by Emma Chichester Clark

Plummie is a dog who loves many things, some of which cause him to get into mischief.  When his family is unhappy with his actions he wonders if they still love him.  Plummie is a lovable dog who learns about unconditional love.  Dog owners and those who have ever made a mistake and wonder if it could be forgiven will be able to relate to this story.




Mr. Goat's Valentine by Eve Bunting

This is a cute Valentine's story and a celebration of the love between a mother and a child.  The story is amusing, as well, as Mr. Goat sets off to find a special Valentine's gift and makes some rather interesting and very different choices - some silly, some smelly.  The illustrations are adorable - detailed, bright, and cheerful.



Bella Donna by Ruth Symes

Bella Donna has wanted to be a witch since she was a baby.  She is in an orphanage waiting for her Forever Family. When she moves to Coven Road she tries to hide her desire to be a witch, but soon learns her neighborhood is magical.  This is the first book in a series which tells about Bella Donna's adventures as a witch-in-training.  This is easy-read, middle grades chapter book.  I think this book will be appealing to those who enjoy reading about magic and characters learning to be themselves.  



What is the Super Bowl? by Dina Anastasio

This book from the What Was...? series explains the Super Bowl and tells about some of the memorable games beginning with Super Bowl I and ending with last year's game.  The book provides some history about the event and informative facts about popular players, coaches, Super Bowl records, and the halftime show.  There are lots of illustrations throughout the book and a section of photographs so the text is not too lengthy.  This is a book I'll share with my reluctant readers who are footfall fans.

Monday, January 18, 2016

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?


It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a community of bloggers who link up to share what they are reading.  For more information check out the host blogs: Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers.


What I Read This Week…





Bear and Bunny by Daniel Pinkwater

This is a heartwarming picture book of two friends, bear and bunny, who are inseparable and looking for a pet to love and care for.  Young readers will find humor with bear and bunny's misunderstanding when they think they have found a kitty.  The illustrations are lovely - bear and bunny are drawn with soft, pale colors adding to the sweetness of the story.




All Paws on Deck (Haggis and Tank Unleashed #1) by Jessica Young

This book series is part of Scholastic's Branches line of books written for readers transitioning to chapter books.  In the story, two imaginative dogs imagine a wagon is a pirate ship.  Their adventures include sailing the seas, looking for treasure, and facing a sea serpent.  The characters and the play on words make the story humorous.  Each page is illustrated and includes speech bubbles in addition to the text.  There is only a sentence or two of text on each page which makes it suitable for early readers.  




A Whole New Ball Game by Phil Bildner

This chapter book is about two boys who love and play basketball, but it is also about so much more. It's about two friends, one who has autism, and the other who understands and supports him.  It's about learning to give others a chance.  It's about teamwork.  It's about education and what's important as far as learning (the teacher in the story does not believe in test prep).  Rip and Red, the main characters, are interesting to read about.  Basketball is interwoven throughout the story, making the book appealing to sports fans.  This is the first published book in a series and I'm looking forward to the next one.



Ninja Timmy by Henrik Tamm

This middle grade novel has absolutely gorgeous illustrations.  They are detailed and colorful and bring the imaginative and magical quality of the story to life.  The tale tells the story of Timmy, a cat, and his friends who decide to become ninjas to rid their neighborhood of wrongdoing.  This is a book for readers who like reading about adventure and the world of fantasy. 

Monday, January 11, 2016

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?


It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a community of bloggers who link up to share what they are reading.  For more information check out the host blogs: Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers.

What I Read This Week…




Groundhog's Day Off by Robb Pearlman

No one seems to care about Groundhog other than to ask him about the weather on Groundhog Day, so he heads off to the spa.  The townspeople try to find a replacement for Groundhog Day, but they realize that only Groundhog is right for the job.  When Groundhog hears this on the news report he returns home and basks in the attention he is given.  This book tells a humorous tale about the popular holiday.  



Groundhog's Dilemma by Kristen Remenar

Some of Groundhog's friends want an early spring and some want a longer winter.  When Groundhog's friends try to bribe him to make Groundhog Day turn out the way they want, Groundhog tries to please them all.  Groundhog has no choice but to tell his friends the truth.  Groundhog learns a lesson about making promises he can't keep.  This is a cute story for reading around Groundhog Day, but also useful for helping readers understand something about friendship and honesty.


Pirate, Viking, and Scientist by Jared Chapman

Scientist tries to find a solution when his two friends, Viking and Pirate, do no get along.  Scientist shows perseverance and flexibility as he tries different solutions.  Scientist's smart thinking and problem solving skills pay off as he decides to try one last experiment.  The story includes lots of science related vocabulary.  The illustrations are bright and fun and Scientist is adorable.  This is a great book to add to a collection of those useful for teaching the growth mindset.




Sad, the Dog by Sandy Fussell

This book tells the story of a dog who names himself Sad because his owners don't want him and constantly yell at him.  Sad's situation gets even worse when his owners move and leave him behind. When a new family moves in, Sad discovers happiness.  This is a heart-warming story about caring and friendship.  


Who Needs a Bath by Jeff Mack

This picture book about a bear who is trying to get his friend Skunk to take a bath could help children see that a bath can be fun.  The fact that Bear's ideas to get Skunk to bathe in the pond repeatedly end with Bear in the pond instead add humor to the story.  A lot of the action of the story is shown through the bright and detailed illustrations.  This would make a fun read-aloud story.


My Pet Human by Yasmine Surovec

A stray cat is the narrator of this transitional chapter book.  The cat thinks he enjoys being independent, unlike his friends who all have their own humans.  When a girl moves into the abandoned house nearby to where the cat hides, the cat tries not to get attached, but learns the benefits of having his own human.  This is a sweet story that shows the friendship that can exist between humans and their pets.  There are illustrations on every page making the book a quick and interesting read.