It's Monday! What are you reading 1-11-21

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.

My Monday posts are generally just a highlight of what I've been reading during the week so if you'd like to see all that I've been reading, follow my Goodreads page.

I've recently read and loved:

A Perilous Journey of Danger and Mayhem: A Dastardly Plot by Christopher Healy 

A book filled with heart, humor, and girl power. This is definitely a series I will see through to the end.

Love Poems for Anxious People by John Kenney

As a person with anxiety, this book made me feel seen (while laughing about it).

Saving American Beach: The Biography of African American Environmentalist MaVynee Betsch by Heidi Tyline King, illustrated by Ekua Holmes

I love when picture books teach me something about history that I had no clue about. This book made me want to visit American Beach in Florida, which is now part of the National Park Service for being a beach that Black Americans could visit during the Jim Crow era.

Currently reading:

The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

One Little Word 2021

 I didn’t live up to my One Little Word for 2020*, which was BLOOM. I mean, all I did in 2020 was survive. Which is OK. We were living through a pandemic. There was no blooming happening here. When I thought about my word for 2020 last January, I thought about the famous Anaïs Nin quote that goes: “And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”

Well, it turns out this was a year to remain tight in that bud. To listen to my body, my mind, and my heart that told me there will be other times to blossom, that now is a time of safety and survival.

And so, my One Little Word for 2021 is: LISTEN.

*I will point out that my friend Jen Ansbach said the following after she read my assessment of not living up to my word for 2020:

I'm not sure it's fair to say you "didn't live up to" your word last year. That's a pretty harsh judgment of my friend, who had no idea there was a global pandemic headed this way. I would just point out that for some plants, like poinsettias, the foliage IS the bloom for us, and surviving means you didn't lose all your leaves and shrivel up, either. Maybe you just had to be a different flower than you thought you might be last December. Sending you love and light for the new year.

Beth's Favorite Things of 2020

2020 has been the year of staying home. As much as this introvert is a homebody, there has been very little joy for the reasons we've been staying home. So in the same vein as Oprah's Favorite Things, here are Beth's Favorite Things. Because "The Things That Made Beth's 2020 More Bearable" just didn't have the same ring to it. 

*Most of the provided links are affiliate links, which means I earn a small percentage if you purchase from that link. 

These masks from The Stockist that are made of soft, cooling material against your skin. 

These mask frames to allow for better breathing while wearing face masks.

A pulse oximeter. Because COVID. 

A temporal thermometer because I was tired of taking my temperature before work every day with my old under-the-tongue thermometer

This book that has taught me to embrace my sensitivity rather than admonish it. 

Having a weighted blanket has been important for helping me when my anxiety is high. 

The decision fatigue struggle is real. Which is why meal kits are a godsend. I love cooking but I don't loving deciding what to cook. We have accounts with Home Chef, Blue Apron, and Hello Fresh, but Home Chef is my favorite. 

This enamel cast iron Dutch oven from Ayesha Curry that is not only more reasonably priced than Le Creuset, but it's beautiful too.

Stop using disposable K Cups. Get these reusable ones so you're not throwing away so much plastic every week. 

This message board that is both magnetic and a pin board

This 3-in-1 charger for my phone, Apple watch, and Air Pods.

What have been your favorite things of 2020? Or the things that made 2020 more bearable? 

It's Monday! What are you reading? 12-14-2020

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.

My Monday posts are generally just a highlight of what I've been reading during the week so if you'd like to see all that I've been reading, follow my Goodreads page.

Last week I read and loved:

The Barnabus Project by The Fan Brothers

The Barnabus Project puts me in mind of the work of Shaun Tan, but with more accessibility for younger readers. While Tan's work is beloved and critically acclaimed, it can be quite ambiguous and avant garde for readers to grasp who don't yet think abstractly, so this book could be a good reading ladder to Tan's work.

I Am the Storm by Jane Yolen and Heidi E.Y. Stemple, illustrated by Kristen & Kevin Howdeshell

Gorgeous, powerful text with equally moving illustrations

My Hair is Magic by M.L. Marroquin, illustrated by Tonya Engel

An absolutely stunning book that affirms for young Black girls that they are perfect just the way they are, the way their hair grows naturally All Because You Matter by Tami Charles, illustrated by Bryan Collier There are some books you just have to read to understand the power and profundity of words. After a few pages, I had a hard time reading through all my tears. I’m so glad this book exists. Currently reading: In the Wild Light by Jeff Zentner Currently reading with my ears: Root Magic by Eden Royce

It's Monday! What are you reading? 11-30-2020

  

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.

My Monday posts are generally just a highlight of what I've been reading during the week so if you'd like to see all that I've been reading, follow my Goodreads page.

I recently read and loved:

The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person by Frederick Joseph

In an enjoyable but firm conversational tone, Frederick Joseph designed this book to be frank with readers, the way a good friend might be if you did something unintentionally hurtful and now must make amends. It's no longer ok for white people to be oblivious and "color blind" to race, and Frederick Joseph lays out why that is in The Black Friend. Sometimes People March by Tessa Allen A timely and timeless book that speaks to the democratic value of the right to protest On Account of the Gum by Adam Rex A humorous cumulative tale that would be perfect for fans of Stuck by Oliver Jeffers Carmen and the House That Gaudi Built by Susan Hughes, illustrated by Marianne Ferrer A fictional story based on fact, revolving around the work of the famous and beloved architect Antoni Gaudi. Thao by Thao Lam An innovative picture book about the frustrations of having a name that most Americans don't know how to pronounce so instead make a mockery of. Pair this book with Your Name is a Song to discuss the sacredness of names and the need to learn them rather than feign ignorance. My only criticism is that I wanted the book to be longer. Just as I was leaning in and loving the story, I felt like it ended. I Am! Affirmations for Resilience by Bela Barbosa and Edal Rodriguez A brief and profound mindfulness meditation for young children and even not-so-young children (and maybe even some adults too) My First Day by Phung Nguyen Quang, illustrated by Huyuh Kim Lien A gorgeous tale about an unusual (for Americans) but typical (for a Vietnamese child living along the Mekong River) trip to school. I wish the illustrator lived in the U.S. because I would love to see this book eligible for the 2022 Caldecott. The Problem with Problems by Rachel Rooney, illustrated by Zehra Hicks Charming rhyming text that addresses problems as adorable creatures that are more easily addressed than we think they are. A sweet and empowering way for kids to face their problems head-on. Lubaya's Quiet Roar by Marilyn Nelson, illustrated by Philemona Williamson Teachers, can we talk? How can we honor our introverts and quiet thinkers in the classroom without forcing their loud and vocal participation? When I read Quiet by Susan Cain many years ago, I realized that the world caters to and accommodates extroverts and forces introverts to try to change to be loud and brash and overly assertive in sharing their opinions. That’s not how introverts operate. And we need to live in a world that makes space for both the quiet and the loud thinkers. I’m CONSTANTLY thinking of ways to honor the Lubayas in my classroom. I want them to find ways to feel comfortable sharing their views and being part of the discussion while not forcing it on them. Because sometimes their quiet presence can be just as profound and influential as the extroverts. Currently reading:  The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine N. Aron Currently reading with my ears: Early Departures by Justin A. Reynolds

It's Monday! What are you reading? 10-26-2020

 

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.

My Monday posts are generally just a highlight of what I've been reading during the week so if you'd like to see all that I've been reading, follow my Goodreads page.

Last week I read and loved:

What Grew in Larry's Garden by Laura Alary, illustrated by Kass Reich

This book had my heart. A little girl named Grace likes to help her neighbor Larry with his beautiful backyard garden and throughout their friendship, they find ways to problem-solve not only in the garden, but in the community as well.

This Old Dog by Martha Brockenbrough, illustrated by Gabriel Alborozo

A succinct, yet stunningly written and heartfelt book that reminds us all what a privilege it is to love an old dog.

Saturdays are for Stella by Candy Wellins, illustrated by Charlie Eve Ryan

George loves that he gets to spend every Saturday with his Grandma Stella. They do all sorts of fun (and sometimes not-so-fun) things together. Until one day Stella is no longer there to spend every Saturday with. And now George has decided to cross out all the Saturdays on his calendar. That is, until a new Stella enters his life. A story that is a testament to the beauty and heartbreak of the cyclical nature of life. The Suitcase by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros It's really difficult to explain the emotional impact of this story without reading it for yourself. It manages to be lighthearted while also possessing a gravitas that is not overly didactic when it comes to how we should treat refugees and asylum seekers. This story is going to linger in my mind for a long time. Peanut Goes for the Gold by Jonathan Van Ness, illustrated by Gillian Reid Jonathan Van Ness, of Queer Eye fame, has created a lovely story about a guinea pig who identifies as nonbinary and marches to the beat of their own drum. This isn’t so much a teaching book as it is a book that seamlessly utilizes the singular they pronoun as a way to normalize it in speech and writing for kids and adults alike. There is no direct instruction here about what it means to use the singular they. it is just used in the story and is therefore normalized. I Talk Like a River by Jordan Scott, illustrated by Sydney Smith A moving poem about a boy with a stutter. The writing uses accessible figurative language to give the reader an opportunity to better understand what it means to live with a stutter. Currently (Still) Reading: I Have Something to Tell You by Chasten Buttigieg The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person by Frederick Joseph\ Currently (Still) Reading with My Ears: Parkland by Dave Cullen

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 10-19-20

 

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.

My Monday posts are generally just a highlight of what I've been reading during the week so if you'd like to see all that I've been reading, follow my Goodreads page.

I recently read and loved:

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

A moving account of one man's quest to right the wrongs of the unjustly imprisoned and sentenced to death. We Are Called to Be a Movement by William J. Barber II This book is a sermon given by Reverend William Barber at the National Cathedral in Washington DC. Reverend Barber is one of the foremost civil rights leaders of our country right now and deserves to be placed in the pantheon of other great civil rights leaders of past and present. His connection to social justice with scripture is masterful and his words give me hope. This sermon connects two verses of scripture one from the book of psalms and one from the gospel of Luke to show that the people that society shuns and rejects are the ones Jesus calls on to be a movement for change. So in rejecting the rejected, we are going against the teachings of Jesus and scripture. Resistance: A Songwriter's Story of Hope, Change, and Courage by Tori Amos Tori Amos became the defining musical artist of my adolescence and young adulthood. Reading this beautiful memoir took me back to many memories from that time. While I can’t say I generally understand all the words of her songs, the music still speaks more than the words. And while Tori’s artistic process is clearly not typical, bordering on avant-garde, her ability to articulate how art is political by its very existence is on full display in Resistance. The Lost Girl by Anne Ursu This beautiful story about how two twin sisters navigate the world in very different ways moved me so deeply. I’ve never read a middle grade novel where a main character was clearly an empath and for Anne Ursu to pair that with magical realism and feminist/girl power themes makes this one of my favorite middle grade novel I’ve read in a really long time. Lift by Minh Le, illustrated by Dan Santat Lovers of Journey by Aaron Becker will see many comparisons to Lift by Minh Le, a story about a little girl who recovers an old elevator button in the trash that whisks her away to new and wondrous places. Gnome by Fred Blunt A funny story that explains the “origin” of the garden gnome: rude gnomes get turned to stone by witches who then put the gnomes in their garden collection. Kevin the Unicorn: Why Can't We Be Bestie-corns? by Jessika von Innerebner A great book that illustrates to kids that you don’t have to be friends with everyone if you’re not compatible — it’s perfectly OK to just be friendly. Felix and the Monsters by Monica and Josh Holtsclaw I love how everything in this book is done subtly, whether it’s the political message that walls designed to keep people away are for tearing down or the humorous use of music, with the main character earnestly playing the keytar, Felix and the Monsters just begs to be read aloud to groups of kids of all ages. Girl on a Motorcycle by Amy Novesky, illustrated by Julie Morstad A beautiful book with stylish, moody illustrations that celebrates the beauty of travel and the reminder that the quote by Tolkien is true: not all who wander are lost. Southwest Sunrise by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by Wendell Minor Jayden moves from New York City to New Mexico and is sure he’s going to hate it, especially all the beiges and lack of color in the desert. But slowly he comes to appreciate all colors he does find and eventually discovers the wonder of his new home.

Currently reading:

I Have Something to Tell You by Chasten Buttigieg

The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person by Frederick Joseph\

Currently Reading with My Ears:

Parkland by Dave Cullen