Monday, January 4, 2016

It's Monday! What are you reading? 1-4-16


It's Monday! What are you reading? Is a wonderful community of readers, teachers, and librarians. Hosted by Jen over at Teach Mentor Texts along with Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers, participants share their reading adventures from the past week along with their reading plans for the week ahead.

Happy New Year! I can't believe it's 2016 already. Time seems to indeed go faster the older you get.

Last week I posted my top 15 favorite books of 2015. I was also honored to be part of the Nerdy YA Award announcements last week when I wrote the review for The Boy in the Black Suit by Jason Reynolds. Also, on my teaching blog I wrote about my One Little Word for 2016 and my weekly post of curated links.


Last week I finished reading:
 
Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
A compulsively page-turning book with some twists and turns I wasn't expecting. Thank you Nicola Yoon for helping me out of my reading rut!  


I finished reading with my ears:
 
A Step Toward Falling by Cammie McGovern 
I don't have much to say about this book. It was a good story and enjoyable to listen to, but I'm not sure I'll remember much about it in a few weeks. 


Picture books I enjoyed last week:


Counting Lions by Katie Cotton, illustrated by  Stephen Walton
It's hard to believe that the illustrations in this unconventional counting book are drawings and not photographs. Simply stunning.

Fire Engine No. 9 by Mike Austin
When I first read that Betsy Bird put this on her list of possible Caldecott predictions, at first I scoffed. But then I read it and realized she is right on the money. The illustrations are bright, bold, and timeless. It's a book that appeals to kids and adults alike. 

Dear Yeti by James Kwan
There has been a spate of picture books lately featuring yetis. I'm into it. :) 

One Today by Richard Blanco, illustrated by Dav Pilkey
Beautiful poem that was written and read for 2013 inauguration of President Obama's second term. Dav Pilkey's vibrant, hopeful, and dream-like illustrations pair beautifully with the text.

Waddle! Waddle! by James Proimos
I see this book being a Geisel contender. 


Currently reading:

Night on Fire by Ronald Kidd 


Currently reading with my ears:

Juba! by Walter Dean Myers  

13 comments:

  1. Happy New Year! I need to catch up on the Nerdies for this year. I haven't kept up with many blogs while traveling over the holidays. I'll suspect I'll find lots more books I want to read!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm totally into yeti PBs too--bring them on! I liked Dear Yeti quite a bit. Somehow I managed to have TWO copies of Everything Everything checked out from the library at the same time (clearly a sign that my reading life is out of control!) AND I managed to read neither of them before they had to be returned. Sigh.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've heard mixed reviews of Everything, Everything. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Here is what I read last week. Happy reading!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Counting Lions just has the most incredible illustrations, they just pull you in completely, don't they?

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love those Yeti books, too. will look for this one! Yes, Counting Lions is incredibly beautiful. I loved each page! Every Thing, Every Thing is on my growing list. I hope I'll get to it soon. Thanks, Beth.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Counting Lions is one I've been eager to read. The cover looks wonderful and so many people have said it's amazing.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Fire Engine surprised me too. I almost put it on my Mock Geisel unit.
    Counting Lions is in my stack for this weekend. I've heard so many good things.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am happy that Everything Everything is available as an audiobook from my library. I've added it as a wish list for when I get time to listen to it. I think I'm going to have to find and read these picture books.

    ReplyDelete
  9. One Today - just bought it and can't wait to share it with my kiddos.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Everything Everything is everywhere :) I do not know anything about it, but some of my favorite people love it, so I may have to look into reading it.

    Happy reading this week!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Everything, Everything is on my #mustreadin2016, and I am PUMPED. I can't wait to read it. I am so darn intrigued!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Everything Everything was certainly a page turner. I couldn't put it down! I had to buy Counting Lions - it's like a piece of art!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I've been reading so many great things about Everything Everything - I do hope I could get around to reading it this year.

    ReplyDelete