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Monday, November 28, 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 and to find out what other bloggers are reading check out the host blogs: Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers.

I attended NCTE in Atlanta this month where I spent three days learning from leaders in the field of literacy. The event was energizing and joyous as I got to network with others who share my passion for the teaching of literacy. When I returned home, my head was swimming with ideas and thoughts, but I also had a duffle bag filled with books. I met many wonderful authors who were willing to take the time to sign books, pose for photos, and chat about their work.  Now that I am home, I am reading my way through the stack of books I accumulated at the conference. 

         


                               
          

What I Read This Week...

Six Dots: A Story of Young Louise Braille by Jen Bryant

In the Author's Note at the end of this book, Jen Bryant states that she wrote this book because other biographies of Louise Braille did not capture the essence of what it felt like to be the young inventor. Bryant brings Louise to life in this picture book in a way that helps readers to imagine both his experiences and his emotions as he lost his sight, yearned to read, and developed an alphabet that brought great change to many people's lives. The story of Louise is interesting and inspiring.

The Bad Guys: Episode 1 by Aaron Blabey

The big bad wolf is out to prove he is not a bad guy. Along with his buddies, such as Mr. Piranha and Mr. Shark, who are also misunderstood he is on a mission to do some good. This is a quick, fun read written in a graphic format. There is also some gross humor included in the book. I imagine the ridiculous, but interesting plot will be entertaining for many of my readers.

Overboard! (Survivor Diaries) by Terry Lynn Johnson

This is the first book in a new series that will be published this spring. In this chapter book, Travis is on a whale-watching tour when the boat capsizes. He is separated from his family, but discovers a girl around his age who is also trying to survive the freezing water. Together they must find their way to safety. I think this book will be an appealing read for many of my reluctant readers because it's an exciting and adventurous story, but also because it's a rather short read.

A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig

This chapter book tells the story of Nikolas, who found the village of Elfham and became Father Christmas. This is a very imaginative story with lots of adventure, but at times it can be dark. The ending was rather sweet with a message to believe in wonder and magic. It's a unique read for the Christmas season.

Gertie's Leap to Greatness by Kate Beasley

I loved Gertie within the first few pages of this book. She made me laugh throughout the book. Many of the decisions she made in the book were not the best, but her passion for greatness made her an endearing character. The author, Kate Beasley, does a wonderful job of capturing the voice and emotions of a child. This was a fun and well-written read. 

12 comments:

  1. I want to read Bad Guys, Six Dots, and the new survivor series. Glad to hear this conference was so wonderful. It's new to me, but now I'm intrigued enough to find out more for next year. Thank you for sharing these.

    http://readerbuzz.blogspot.com/2016/11/nonfiction-november-be-expert.html

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    1. Definitely check out the NCTE conference. It is wonderful!

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  2. Bad Guys and the Suvivor Diaries sound like they would be very popular, Lisa. I enjoyed Six Dots and loved Gertie, a strong fighter! Glad you had such a good time at NCTE!

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    1. I brought Bad Guys to school this morning and it disappeared first thing. I have a feeling it will be really popular.

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  3. Lisa, I've been curious about the attendance of librarians at the NCTE conferences. Are there very many in attendance? This is outside of our traditional conferences, but looks like it might be an important one that public librarians could attend since we are striving to partner with schools and their literacy initiatives. I also loved Gertie and listened to it on audio. The Louis Braille and Bad Guys books sound fun as well. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Most who attend are teachers, but a few people did say they were librarians. I think it would be worthwhile for librarians. There are many, many sessions to choose from. Many educators present at sessions, as well as authors of children's and young adult books. It's educational and inspiring.

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  4. Oh wow, sounds like you had an inspiring experience at the conference, and met some amazing authors and illustrators - a signed Bad Kitty book would be worth its weight in gold with the kids at my library. :-)

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  5. I have become a 12 year old boy. LOVED Bad Guys but wanted to slap Gertie. Do want to read the new Johnson title, since Ice Dogs does really well in my library.

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    1. I read books like Bad Guys through the lens of my students. I appreciate books like Bad Guys because I know how much my reluctant readers need those kinds of books. I can kind of see why you'd want to slap Gertie, but she really made me laugh.

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  6. I just finished Gertie's Leap to Greatness and thought it was fun. She reminds me of Ramona Quimby. I'll have to check out some of the other books on your list. Have a great week!

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    1. Yes, I agree she reminds me of Ramona Quimby as well. The scenes that took place in elementary also brought me back to my own time in school.

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  7. I just spoke to one of the international school librarians here this morning and she's been recommending Blabey's books non-stop. I really have to find me a copy of one of his books soonest.

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