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.

This Week's Reading...

Life on Mars by Jon Agee

A young astronaut is out to prove there is life on Mars. The only life the astronaut manages to find is a yellow flower, but the illustrations, that give readers insight into what is really going on, show that there is more life on Mars than he realizes. Readers will be amused that they are in on the story while the main character remains oblivious. The story is funny, sweet, and surprising.

The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors by Drew Daywalt

I don't think a Drew Daywalt and Adam Rex creation could ever be anything short of wonderful. The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors is not only wonderful, but fun. Rock, Paper, and Scissors are warriors, but they are each looking for a challenge. Their battles are quite entertaining. Among them, Rock defeats Wooden Clip-Man (a clothespin), Paper jams Computer Printer, and Scissors beats Dinosaur-Shaped Chicken Nuggets. But it is the battles that Rock, Paper, and Scissors don't win that lead to their friendship. This imaginative legend of how the game Rock Paper Scissors includes so much ridiculous humor that I know it will have my students laughing and wanting to reread it again and again.

You Don't Want a Unicorn! by Ame Dyckman 

A young boy loves unicorns, as his shirt states, so he throws a coin into a fountain and wishes for one of his own. Although it seems that having a unicorn would be awesome, he soon learns that they shed, scratch, burp, and throw destructive parties with their friends. The cartoon drawings which show just how annoying unicorns can be are very funny. I think those who are fans of unicorns, and even those who aren't, will find this book amusing.   

Princess Cora and the Crocodile by Laura Amy Schlitz

Princess Cora wants a dog, but her fairy godmother sends her a crocodile. So that Princess Cora can have a day off from her training to learn to be Queen, the crocodile decides to take her place for the day. Princess Cora runs off and has an adventure, but returns to find the crocodile has made quite a mess of things. This story of an overworked, overscheduled child has a happy ending, in which Princess Cora learns to speak up for herself. The story is charming and the illustrations add a lot of humor. Just a warning, you may have a craving for cream puffs when you finish reading this one.