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Monday, December 17, 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.

Recent Reads...

The Case of the Missing Chalk Drawings by Richard Byrne

The chalks have fun drawing until they discover someone has been stealing their creations. There is not only a mystery to be solved, but this story highlights creative conflict resolution. The bright illustrations against a black background bring the chalks and their drawings to life. An amusing story.


The Day War Came by Nicola Davies

This is a book that took my breath away. The book is written as a poem, honest in its depiction of the tragedy of war. When war strikes, the young girl becomes a refugee, alone and searching for safety among the streets of her new country. War seems to have overtaken her until a boy arrives offering her a chair and some hope. In the endnote, the author tells of the news story that inspired her to write the book as a reminder that kindness has power. This is a heavy story, but very moving.

The Storm Keeper's Island by Catherine Doyle

Fionn and his sister have been sent to Arranmore, an island off the coast of Ireland, to live with their grandfather for the summer. As Fionn unravels the secrets of the island, he learns of the magic it holds and the powers his grandfather possesses as Storm Keeper of the island. Fionn's bravery is put to the test as he finds himself fighting for his family and the good of the island. This is an enchanting tale of family and good versus evil. It's adventurous, humorous, and heartfelt. Thanks to the publisher for providing my book review group, #BookExcursion, with an advance reader's copy. The book publishes in January.

12 comments:

  1. I've been waiting for The Day War Came -- hope to get to read it soon as I've heard so many great things! Have a wonderful reading week, Lisa!

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    1. I felt like I was waiting a long time for it, too. My library system just got a copy.

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  2. I agree completely with your thoughts on The Day War Came. It's such a powerful book. Happy holidays to you and your family!

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  3. I have a copy of Storm Keepers Island. Definitely looking forward to reading it over the holidays! Merry Christmas!

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    1. It was a quick read, too, because it pulled me in right away and I wanted to keep reading to find out what was going to happen.

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  4. We want to pair The Day the War Came with middle-grade historical fiction novels like Home of the Brave and Number the Stars. It gives some kids insights into the devastations of war and also honors some students' experiences.

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  5. That's a great idea to pair The Day the War Came with those historical fiction novels.

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  6. The Day The War Came is beautifully done, showing young readers a way to help that makes a difference. It is truly sad, I agree. Thanks for all three, Lisa. I've put Stormkeeper's Island on my list. Happy Holidays to you & your family!

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  7. I agree that The Day the War Came is breathtaking. Such an important message.

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  8. All three of these books look great. Richard Byrne's past books have been popular in my library, so I will look for that one. The others have been on my radar for a bit. Thanks for the post.

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  9. I have yet to see The Day the War Came, it looks fantastic. My grandfather was still a boy when he was made a refugee, and I know the experience haunted him his entire life. Hopefully with stories like this we can create empathy in readers who haven't lived these experiences, and provide some measure of comfort for readers who have.

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