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...

A Dupatta Is... by Marzieh Abbas and illustrated by Anu Chouhan

A dupatta is fabric, but it is also so much more. This lovely book gives insight into the usefulness and significance of the scarf that is part of South Asian culture. The illustrations are sweet and there is an author's note and glossary at the end of the book.

The Fastest Tortoise in Town by Howard Calvert and illustrated by Karen Obuhanych

A charming tortoise has entered a race, but doesn't believe she can win. Her owner, Lorraine, is encouraging and supportive and helps the tortoise train so on race day she is ready to give it her all. The illustrations of the tortoise are really cute and her expressions are amusing. There's a good message about working hard and believing in oneself. 

I Don't Care by Julie Fogliano and illustrated by Molly Idle and Juana Martinez-Neal

Two friends explain what they don't care about and what they do. This sweet story highlights what matters in a friendship and the importance of accepting each other. The illustrations are lovely with great use of color. 

The Wishing Flower by A.J. Irving and illustrated by Kip Alizadeh

Birdie, who doesn't feel like she fits in, would rather keep to herself. That all changes when she finds the right person who connects with her. This is a beautiful book about fitting in, being oneself, and friendship. Love and joy leap off the pages.

Adult Reading Recommendation

Our Place on the Island by Erika Montgomery

Three generations of women gather at their family beach house on Martha's Vineyard for a wedding. Cora is remarrying three years after her husband's death and her daughter is having difficulty accepting it while her granddaughter is dealing with problems of her own, as her restaurant back in Baltimore is suffering financially. This is a story that moves back and forth in time, telling the current story of Cora's surprise wedding and the back story of when she moved to the island when she first married. The story is interesting and heart-warming. This is a light, breezy read with a summer setting making it a good beach read.