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Monday, July 8, 2024

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 #imwayr. 

Recent Reads...


You Can Be a Good Friend (No Matter What!) by Taraji P. Henson and illustrated by Paul Kellam

Lil TJ is excited for the first day of school because she is going to make a million friends. As eager as she is to make friends, doing so turns out to be harder than she thought and one of her classmates is even mean to her. Taking her grandmother's advice she figures out what she needs to do to make friends.

Spy Ring by Sarah Beth Durst

This book takes place in the modern day but incorporates history related to the Revolutionary War. Rachel and her friend Joon are eavesdropping when they find out that her future step-dad is going to give her a ring that may have belonged to one of George Washington's spies. When they sneak to get a look at it they realize that it's a clue to a puzzle that they hope will lead to a treasure. As they follow the clues they learn more about Anna Smith Strong who is believed to have been a spy during the Revolutionary War. A fun and interesting middle grade read. 

Adult Reading Recommendation


Same Bright Stars by Ethan Joella

Set in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, this story centers around Jack, a restaurant owner who is questioning whether to sell to a corporation who wants to buy him out while also dealing with surprising news about his past. This is a book about relationships, change, and possibility. I like the author's writing style and his ability to make the lives of his characters seem both ordinary and extraordinary. This is my third book by this author and I've enjoyed them all. 

4 comments:

  1. It feels like the 'friend' book will be one that many readers will like, and maybe need? Spy Ring sounds like a good adventure, & thanks for sharing the adult book and author, too, Lisa. Have a great week!

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  2. You Can Be a Good Friend (No Matter What!) sounds like the ideal book to read on the first or second day of school!

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  3. This is a lovely set of books, Lisa! The Same Bright Stars sounds like a powerful read—I love what you say about how the characters' lives seem both ordinary and extraordinary, since I think that's true of some of my favorite books. And You Can Be a Good Friend (No Matter What!) sounds like a delight too! Thanks so much for the thoughtful picks, and enjoy your week!

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  4. Ethan Joella is an author who is new to me, and the plot of the book you've shared this week sounds fascinating.

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