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Monday, September 26, 2022

Recent Reads

Every Monday, I share books I have recently read. I also participate in It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?, a community of bloggers who link up to share what they are reading. To find out what other bloggers are reading, check out the host blogs, Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers, or follow on Twitter at #imwayr.

Recent Reads...
 

K Is for Kindness by Rina Horiuchi and illustrated by Risa Horiuchi

This is an adorable alphabet book that highlights many ways to be kind. A sentence for each letter shows how an animal friend was kind to another. The rhyme makes it fun, too. 

Punky Aloha by Shar Tuiasoa

Punky lives with her grandma who makes amazing banana bread. She tells the story of how she became a brave adventurer while on an errand to pick up butter for the banana bread when they run out. With her grandma's magical brave glasses and a mantra reminding herself to be helpful, giving, and brave, Punky has the courage to make a new friend. This is a lovely book with bright, cheery illustrations.

Skater Cielo by Rachel Katstaller

Cielo loves to skateboard, but when a new skate park opens up and she falls while trying it out she begins to think she is not very good at it. New friends at the park encourage her to keep trying and help her up each time she falls. The book has a great message about community and resilience. 

The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Jon Klassen

A fun retelling of the classic tale. The troll, who scrapes wax out of his ears and goop out of his belly button and describes all the ways he likes to eat goat, is amusing. Thanks to the publisher for a review copy. The book publishes in October.

Freestyle by Gale Galligan

Cory and his seven friends are a part of a dance crew that has an upcoming competition. Cory is frustrated with the captain who is being very inflexible as far as their dance routine. In addition, Cory's parents are pressuring him to improve his grades. When he discovers his tutor and lab partner knows yo-yo tricks he becomes interested in learning, but this leads to complications in the relationships with his friends. This is an engaging and interesting graphic novel about middle schoolers navigating relatable challenges. Thanks to the publisher for providing my book review group, #BookExcursion, with an advanced reader's copy. The book publishes in October.

The Real Deal by Lindsey Stoddard

Gabe has been friends with Oliver since pre-K when they played on the teeter-totter together. When there is a new boy at school who doesn't talk, the other kids make fun of him and Gabe is conflicted about whether he should laugh along with them. Oliver has also been acting strange and seems to be keeping a secret from him. The characters in this middle grade novel are great and the plot is engaging. It's a touching story about friendship and listening to one's heart. Thanks to the author and publisher for providing my book review group, #BookExcursion, with an advance reader's copy. The book publishes in October.

3 comments:

  1. I've seen others share about The Real Deal, too, and it sounds like it would be good to read aloud & discuss in a class. Thanks for the others, too. I'm looking forward to The Three Billy Goats Gruff, know it will be good. Have a great week, Lisa!

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  2. Thanks for the suggestions, Lisa! I've put the Three Billy Goats Gruff on hold at my library and look forward to checking out your other recommendations when I get through my current stack. Having too many books to read is a great 'problem' to have!

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  3. What a great set of books, Lisa! I made note of Punky Aloha—I love the illustration style from the cover. Freestyle is also one I've heard about, and I'm always on the lookout for new graphic novels like it! Thanks so much for the wonderful post!

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