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 Family Like Ours by Frank Murphy and Alice Lee and illustrated by Kayla Harren

This book celebrates the many definitions of family. A sweet story that encourages inclusivity with lovely illustrations.

The Good Hair Day by Christian Trimmer and illustrated by J Yang

Noah longs for long, wavy hair, like his sister and mother, that he can braid and twist. Noah knows he can let his hair grow, but he is afraid of what others will think and say. For his birthday, Noah's parents acknowledge his wish with the perfect gift. An empowering book.

Penny & Pip by Candace Fleming and illustrated by Eric Rohmann

Out of a mysterious egg at the natural history museum, a baby dinosaur hatches. Penny, being the only one who has witnessed this, befriends the dinosaur and comes up with a clever idea to bring the creature home with her. An unexpected, and sweet, story of friendship.

Tumble by Adriana Hernández Bergstrom

Told in mostly two-word sentences, this book tells about the journey of a tumbleweed. For what seems like a simple story, readers can learn a lot about this plant and the environment where it lives.

What a Map Can Do by Gabrielle Balkan and illustrated by Alberto Lot

When I was growing up, going on a road trip meant using a paper map. Those maps could never be folded up as they originally were! We may live in a world where our phones can show us how to navigate somewhere, but knowing how to use a map is still pretty useful. In an entertaining way, narrated by a raccoon, this book helps readers learn about many different types of maps. A very informative book.

Fox Has a Problem by Corey R. Tabor

Fox has an idea to solve his problem, but it results in one animal after another having a problem of their own. Fox's cleverness is not appreciated until one animal has an idea about how they can all work together. An amusing read.

The Puppets of Spelhorst (A Norendy Tale #1) by Kate DiCamillo and illustrated by Julie Morstad

Two sisters receive a trunk with five puppets - a boy, a girl, a king, a wolf, and an owl - as a gift. As the puppets talk with one another they reveal their feelings and dreams. Their adventures include being part of a story that one of the sisters has written as they are used in a puppet show performance. This is a whimsical, fairy tale-like story that is the first in a series of books set in the same fictional land. The book publishes in October. Thanks to the publisher for an advanced reader's copy.