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Monday, August 20, 2018

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. To find out what other bloggers are reading, check out the host blogs: Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers. You can also follow on Twitter at #imwayr.

My Recent Reads...

The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson

This is an absolutely beautiful book. The message is one teachers will want to share with their students, so I think it will have a place on many classroom shelves. Read more of my thoughts about the book here.

Rosie Revere and the Raucous Riveters: The Questioners Book #1 by Andrea Beaty

The characters from Andrea Beaty's picture books, Rosie Revere, Ada Twist, and Iggy Peck, are all back in a fun chapter book series. Rosie is an engineer and, like her friends, loves working on projects. She is asked to help the Blue River Riveters, a group of ladies who built airplanes during WWII. Her task is to build a contraption that will help one of the riveters paint so she can participate in an art contest  It's a challenge, but Rosie is determined. Rosie demonstrates that she is a thinker, a problem-solver, and someone who keeps trying until she gets it right. This book spotlights creating and tinkering, but it also shows how friends can become family. Thank you to Abrams Books for providing my book review group, #BookExcursion, with an advance reader's copy. The book publishes in October.

The Adventures of a Girl Called Bicycle by Christina Uss

Bicycle was mysteriously found at a monastery and taken under the care of Sister Wanda. She lives among the mostly silent monks and has no friends of her own age. Sister Wanda insists that Bicycle attend a camp where she will make friends. Bicycle would rather make a friend her own way so she sets off to cycle from Washington D.C. to San Francisco. This is a charming read. Bicycle's adventure is unique, the characters are quirky, and there's humor and heart. The author's inspiration for the book came from her own bicycle trip across the U.S. The book is a great read, but it may even inspire readers to hop on a bike themselves.

Monster Mayhem by Christopher Eliopoulos

This is a new graphic novel that I think will be a hit with many of my middle grade readers. There is plenty of action and humor, but the main character, Zoe, also learns about the importance of friendship. Read more of my thoughts about the book here.

The Phantom Tower by Keir Graff

Twin brothers Colm and Mal discover the apartment building they have moved into has a mysterious thirteenth floor that appears and disappears. Mysterious, spooky, and captivating. Read more of my thoughts about the book here.

Property of the Rebel Librarian by Allison Varnes

June Harper loves reading, but her very strict parents do not approve of the books she reads. June's parents take away her books and her school begins a ban on books that are not deemed appropriate. June discovers a Little Free Library and then decides to break school rules to loan out books to other students. This book reminded me of Alan Gratz's Ban This Book, which has some similarities in the storyline. The message about allowing kids to read the books they choose and standing up for the right to read is one that librarians and reading teachers will appreciate. I received an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher, Random House, at the International Literacy Association Conference.

18 comments:

  1. You had a great week of reading! ! I can’t wait for The Day You Begin! I absolutely loved Bicycle and her spunk. Looking forward to Monster Mayhem because graphic novels are such a hit with students and Rebel Librarian is in my TBR stack. Have a great week Lisa!

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    1. I can never have enough graphic novels! I'm glad to see more and more being published.

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  2. I’m really hoping my preorder of The Day You Begin arrives on time so I can read it to my students on the first day of school! Do you think it would work as a beginning of year read aloud?

    I love Andrea Beaty’s work so I’m excited to read the new chapter book!

    Happy reading this week!

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    1. It'll be a perfect beginning of the year read aloud!

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  3. I though The Adventures of a Girl Called Bicycle was such a delightful book -- so quirky and witty, but still full of heart. Rebel Librarian looks interesting! May be an especially good title for Banned Books week. Thanks for the shares this week, Lisa!

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    1. Rebel Librarian would be a good one for Banned Books Week. Have a great week!

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  4. You've shared many books that look great, Lisa. Thanks for that. I know about The Adventures of a Girl Called Bicycle, and will look for that Rebel Librarian when it comes out. I do need to read Alan Gratz' book, too!

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  5. I can't wait to read The Day You Begin! All of Jacqueline Woodson's books become classroom favorites, especially at the beginning of the year. Thanks for sharing and have a wonderful week!

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    1. Each Kindness is one of hers that I love and this new one will have just as much utility in the classroom.

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  6. It looks like you had a delightful reading week. I can't wait for The Day You Begin. I am a hard core fan of Jacqueline Woodson.

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    1. Love her books! Each Kindness and The Other Side are two that I share frequently with readers.

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  7. The Day You Begin looks amazing! I love Jacqueline Woodson. Not so familiar with the rest of these titles, so I'll have to give those a try. Thanks for the suggestions!

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  8. Besides Woodson's books, all of them are in my TBR!! I need more time to read - who needs to go to work, do laundry, take care of kids..... :)

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  9. Rebel Librarian sounds awesome - and I've been meaning to get my hands on Jacqueline Woodson's newest title too! So many great books you shared here. Have a great reading week!

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