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 check out the host blogs: Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers.

What I Read This Week…

Hungry Roscoe by David Plant

Roscoe, a racoon, is hungry and tired of eating junk.  He goes in search of some fresh food at the nearby zoo.  He uses his creativity dressing up as some of the animals, but the zookeeper catches him.  Roscoe is finally able to get some food with the help of the monkeys, but it causes a little bit of mayhem.  Readers will be amused by Roscoe’s costumes and his persistence in trying to get what he wants.  It’s a fast-moving story to keep readers entertained.

I (Don’t) Like Snakes by Nicola Davies

Nicola Davies blends fiction and nonfiction in a story about a girl who says she doesn’t like snakes and her family who provides explanations about them, such as how they slither and the purpose of their tongues. The girl becomes increasingly positive about snakes as she learns new information about them.  Readers will learn a lot about snakes themselves by reading this book.  The format is perfect for capturing students’ interest and helping them learn about an animal who many typically dislike. 

Night Animals by Gianna Marino

This picture book has great illustrations.  The animals are drawn amongst a black background to show that it’s nighttime.  One animal after the other becomes scared and they try to hide from the night animal.  Amidst their fears, the possum provides some comic relief by standing on his head and playing dead.  There is minimal text on each page as the story is told through dialogue between the characters.  The book addresses a common fear of some children, the fear of the dark, but in a humorous way. 

Hissy Fitz by Patrick Jennings

This is a chapter book for elementary readers about a cat named Hissy, a pretty grumpy cat who just wants a nap.  The book is written from the perspective of Hissy, providing insight about how cats may really feel about the interactions they have with humans.  There is a lot of action within the plot – Hissy must constantly escape Zeb, a three year-old who never leaves him alone, he battles a raccoon, and he joins in a game of cat soccer.  I recommended this to a student who had previously read Jenning’s Guinea Dog and he jumped at the chance to read it.  I think it’s a book many of my reluctant readers will enjoy since it has action and adventure and is a fairly quick read.    

Confessions of an Imaginary Friend by Michelle Cuevas

I greatly enjoyed reading this middle grade novel.  It is unique, endearing, and full of imagination.  Jaques Papier is an imaginary friend and this is the story of what happens when he finally realizes that he is imaginary.  There are parts that are funny and parts that make you think. It’s about a journey to find oneself and the desire to belong and not feel so invisible.  The author stated in an interview that she was inspired by Kate DiCamillo, Roald Dahl, and E. B. White.  There is much about Cuevas’s writing that matches that of these great authors – it’s beautiful, clever, and whimsical.  I just loved so much about this book.  It’s definitely been one of the best I’ve read recently.