It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

I'm thrilled to link up with Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers each Monday and share our reading lives. Check out their sites for more information. 

Each week when I look back over the Goodreads list for the past seven days I am in awe of all of the great books I read. Because I am connected through Twitter, Voxer, and more to so many wonderful readers, it is rare that I read a book that doesn't work for me. This year I seem to have an overabundance of great books. There are so many books I still want to read, yet so little time. As a matter of fact, when I looked at my Goodreads account this morning I had read 321 books so far this year, which is the same amount I read by December 31st for the past two years. Fascinating. I have some friends who will far out read me this year, some that will read less. As I tell my students, that doesn't matter. What does matter is the stories I've read and experienced. This week didn't disappoint, there are some great books below:

The Odds of Getting Even is another story with Mo and Dale. This series began with Three Times Lucky and then moved on to Ghosts of Tupelo Landing. My students love it, and I loved this book.

Nimona is a graphic novel from one of the same authors of Lumberjanes. This one is on the National Book Award shortlist. While it is too old for my classroom, I love the book. One of my favorite graphic novels of the year for sure.

The two picture books I read this week were both brilliant. Thank You and Goodnight has several nods to classic bedtime stories. My students loved picking them out. Finding Winnie has joined Fine Dessert in my favorite picture books of the year camp. I absolutely loved this one.

The Hired Girl I had put off reading forever. I'm not sure why, but I didn't think I would love it. I fortunately have a friend who apparently knows me better than I know myself. She read it recently and told me to get moving. This book brought me back to classics my mom had me read growing up - Anne of Green Gables, Daddy Long Legs, and more. I LOVED it! 

Finally, Kate Messner has a new one coming out next year called The Seventh Wish. Brilliant. One of my new favorites from Kate. This deals with friendship, family dynamics, and addiction in a way I haven't seen done before. I loved it. I don't have enough words to express how much I loved it. I will write a review post closer to the publishing date, but please put this one on the list to purchase this spring. 

This week I'm making a goal of reading three professional books. I have several I want to buy at NCTE, but I'm requiring myself to read the huge stack I currently own first. Beginning with Lester Laminack's new book seems like a great way to start. I cannot wait. 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

I'm thrilled to link up with Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers each Monday and share our reading lives. Check out their sites for more information. 

This past week was busy, crazy busy. Four nights of football practice and two football games for my boys. One game for the High School - homecoming. Spirit week all week with crazy theme days each day. A great visit with a friend to my classroom on Thursday. My husband's birthday on Thursday, celebrated Wednesday because I'd be gone. And a wonderful conference in Peoria on Friday. 

It was crazy.

But truly, it is not all that different from every other week. They are all busy. I think it is the new normal. Everyone is busy, and there is nothing I would change about it. I love it all. I have just had to get really good about carving out time to read amongst the craziness. I'm glad to say that this week, I did. 

These books are fabulous. This Side of Wild and Firefly Hollow are on my Mock Newbery list. I loved the first Stratford Zoo graphic novel. This one was just as good. And while all three picture books I read while standing in a bookstore were good, I did end up purchasing Beautiful Hands and My Hometown. I am currently teaching a unit on personal narratives and I think they will fit right in. 

I have so many books on deck this week to read, I'm not sure where I'll begin. 

Have a great week! 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

I'm thrilled to link up with Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers each Monday and share our reading lives. Check out their sites for more information.

Sigh. It's Monday already? The start of the year often makes me feel like a spinning top. I'm moving - quickly - but feel like I'm not getting anywhere. Looking at this blog, I didn't get any other posts written last week except the Monday one. I have two articles started for Choice Literacy, but never got back to them. So many things I want to do, yet it seems that I can never get caught up. Ugh. But, I know this will improve and I will begin to feel like myself again. I will find time to write. To read my professional books. I hope this week is the beginning of that happening. Time will tell.

Last week I did get some great books in:

For this week, I still want to finish a professional book. First on my list is Terry Thompson's Construction Zone. I have some required reading to get done as well. Then, who knows? I'm going to add a goal of finishing my articles for Choice Literacy and having one blog post here too. :) Hold me to it! 

Have a fabulous week. 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

I'm thrilled to link up with Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers each Monday and share our reading lives. Check out their sites for more information.

Another week, more amazing books. I found several favorites this week. Some I've already shared with my students, several that I read this weekend and cannot wait to share. Here's what I read last week:

All were great, but I want to talk about a few specifically. 

HiLo and Awkward were two wonderful graphic novels. HiLo is about a boy who falls from space. He doesn't remember who he was or where he came from. With help from his new friend, DJ, he puts the pieces back together and figures out what he was born to do. This book is at once hilarious and moving. I absolutely loved it. 

Awkward tells the story of Peppi who is beginning a new school. She simply wants to fit in, to go unnoticed. But that is made difficult when she trips in the front hallway, spilling all of her books, and a boy tries to help. He is the target for some school bullies, and Peppi becomes one as a result. She is unkind to him to try and save face. Awkward follows Peppi's story at her new school, her new friends in the Art Club, and her journey to make it up to the boy who was kind to her on her first day. 

Nooks & Crannies is a brilliant novel. Tabitha has been mysteriously invited to stay at a Countess's house for the weekend, as have five other children. Her parents are unbelievably cruel people and decide to come along, hoping this means Tabitha will finally be worth something to them and get them some money. Tabitha has a great imagination and a love of detective stories - both traits will come in handy during this weekend at the mansion. I told my students this reminded me of the board game, Clue. With a death (or murder?), disappearances, and ghosts, Tabitha races to solve the mystery. 

The Wolf Wilder is a beautiful story that took me by surprise. Feo and her mother live in the woods in Russia. Feo's mother, and Feo, turn domesticated wolves back into the wild animals they once were and release them back into the woods. A general is angry at them for this and captures Feo's mother. Feo and her wolves embark on a journey to save her. This was a beautiful story of bravery, friendship, and love. 

What fabulous books I got to read this week! For next week I'm hoping to read one professional book and finish a novel I just started, The Astounding Broccoli Boy. 

Happy Reading! 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

I'm thrilled to link up with Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers each Monday and share our reading lives. Check out their sites for more information.

Phew. I finally feel like I'm gaining ground. That overwhelmed feeling at the start of the school year has lessened. I stayed late on Friday, of course, but I feel good walking in this morning. And, most importantly, this weekend I had time to write - two blogs and time in my notebook. I also, finally, had time to read. It is amazing the difference that makes. I feel like myself again. 

Here's what I read last week:

All great books. I especially loved DiCamillo's Francine Poulet Meets the Ghost Raccoon, another amazing tale from Deckawoo Drive. My students who read Mercy Watson when they were younger will be excited for the chance to revisit some old friends. 

I also loved Louis Sachar's Fuzzy Mud. A crazy tale of mud that has unusual properties and how it impacts a town. Also a story of friendship, bullying, and a government inquiry thrown in as well. Crazy good. 

Have a great week! 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

I'm thrilled to link up with Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers each Monday and share our reading lives. Check out their sites for more information.

Deep breaths. I made it through week one of school and I haven't lost my mind. I love, LOVE, the start to the school year, but am often overwhelmed. I want my students to know everything the class that just left did. I forget that I have to teach how to check-out books using the app we use, how to Tweet, what Padlet is, how to use Google Drive, how to blog, and on and on. It seems to take forever to get where I want us to be. I think reading helped me this week. I didn't really have the time, but I made the time. It made me relax and gave me books to share with my students. It also taught my students an important lesson - even when you are busy, you can find time to read. 

Here's my reading from this past week:

All amazing. The five picture books on the bottom are five of my favorites I've read of late. The chapter book - The Way Home Looks Now - has been on my "to read" list forever and I'm now kicking myself. It is good. Really good. 

Up next - a manuscript for a friend on a professional development book and Fuzzy Mud by Louis Sachar. Have a fabulous week everyone. Happy Reading.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

I'm thrilled to link up with Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers each Monday and share our reading lives. Check out their sites for more information.

Not a huge reading week, but I had the chance to read several wonderful books. There are three I wanted to share specifically:

• Human Body Theater by Maris Wicks was amazing. Incredibly detailed and informative, I learned so much from this book. Each chapter is a different system in the body and the narrator, a skeleton, teaches you about it. If you plan on having it in your classroom library, just a heads up that the reproductive system is included. Would not prevent me from having it, but you should read it to be aware. 
• Danger in Ancient Rome (Ranger in Time #2) this is such a fun series from author Kate Messner. In Ranger #1 we followed Ranger as he helped rescue people on the Oregon Trail. In Ranger #2 we get to travel to Ancient Rome and a gladiator training school. What a fabulous series. 
• Weekends With Max and His Dad is an amazing new series by Linda Urban. I will try and review it closer to the release date this spring because I loved it a lot. To summarize quickly, Max is a third grader who is going to visit his dad's apartment for the first time. His mom and dad have separated or divorced and his dad has found a new place. The book follows the adventures and relationship Max and his dad have on their weekend visits together. I absolutely loved Max, his imagination, and watching his relationship with his dad strengthen as they found their new roles. This is a book, and a character, many students will identify with. 

With Weekends with Max and his Dad I have read ninety-nine books for the summer, ahead of my book a day goal of seventy-five for seventy-five days of summer. I still have seven more days, but I'm not going to push myself to read too much this week. I head back to school next Monday, the kids next Wednesday, so I know my attention will be divided. Two things I know I am reading this week are:

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up - I'm working very hard to rid my house of clutter. It feels good to start the school year relatively organized. 

And

The Game of Love and Death - which I am reading with some friends to discuss this week. 

Happy Reading! 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

I'm thrilled to link up with Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers each Monday and share our reading lives. Check out their sites for more information.

This was a strange reading week. I really only "read" three of the seven days. But when I read, I read a lot. Wednesday I spent the entire day reading and finished five novels and a picture book. I notice my reading does this - I typically read in spurts. Normally, I read at least 15 minutes a day, but on some days I read a ton. It varies based on our schedule. For this reason I am taking off the time requirement on reading this year and simply asking my students to read. I plan on sharing what my reading life looks like with my students at the start of the year and seeing what they can accomplish when the time requirement is no longer there. 

 This week I read so many fabulous books. Please look for The Secrets of Solace (companion to Mark of the Dragonfly) this spring and The Thing About Jellyfish this fall. The Junction of Sunshine and Lucky was a book I missed last year, and it was fabulous! Make sure you find it. 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (And a Giveaway!)

I'm thrilled to link up with Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers each Monday and share our reading lives. Check out their sites for more information. 

I wasn't sure how much reading I would get in this week. My week had a quick trip to Cincinnati for a Scholastic Summit and I felt like I lacked the time to sit down and devour a book. Fortunately, picture books are perfect for this kind of week. 

I am in love with this "I Am..." series, otherwise known as the Ordinary People Change the World series. Franki Sibberson introduced me to them at the Summit. I had seen the covers, but thought they were written for far younger students than my fifth graders. The inside is almost like a graphic novel and I am in love with the character lesson each book ends with. So much fun! 

Masterminds by Korman is a book I already own, but my students had taken it from me as soon as I brought it to school and I have no idea where it is now, I believe a student brought it home for the summer. So I did what any Korman fan would do, I purchased another one. It is excellent. 

Saturday morning I went to a book signing for Jaleigh Johnson's paperback release for Mark of the Dragonfly. My students and I LOVE this book. I've read it aloud for the past two years and it has been a favorite each year. 

I'm currently reading an ARC of the companion book to Dragonfly called The Secrets of Solace. It is beautiful. I don't have an extra ARC, so to celebrate the release of the paperback, I have a signed copy of Mark of the Dragonfly to giveaway. If you'd like to enter, fill out the form below. 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

I'm thrilled to link up with Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers each Monday and share our reading lives. Check out their sites for more information. 

I have been out of town since last Wednesday, first at the amazing All Write conference in Warsaw, Indiana, and now at a Choice Literacy writing retreat. As a result, my reading has been confined to picture books. Wonderful fast reads that I can squeeze in while enjoying time with friends. Here is what I've read...

All of the books are terrific, but as for a new "must read", I highly recommend To The Sea. Simply a brilliant story of friendship and being seen. 

I'm currently reading Brian Selznick's The Marvels. Wow! 

Have a great week! 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

I'm thrilled to link up with Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers each Monday and share our reading lives. Check out their sites for more information. 

Last week saw the beginning of summer break and summer #bookaday. My goal, like the last few summers, is to read a book a day over summer vacation. Now there might be days that I don't read a book, and other days that I read more than one, but it will hopefully average out to a book a day by the end of summer. So far, I'm off to a great start:

If You Ever Want to Bring an Alligator to School, Don't! is a fun picture book that I was sent towards the end of the school year. My students picked it up unprompted and told me it was hilarious. Poor Magnolia, she just wants to have the best show-and-tell of all of her classmates, but this alligator is just not cooperating. 

The Detective's Assistant was super fun and I had many students asking me to let them borrow it over the summer. Cornelia, or Nell, has been sent to live with her aunt, Kate Warne. Kate is not expecting to have to raise a child, and isn't thrilled by the prospect. Nell figures if she can make herself invaluable to her aunt, she will let her stay, so she sets out to become her assistant. Based on the real life of one of the first female detectives, Kate Warne, who worked for Pinkerton. Nell is fictional, but takes part in several of Warne's famous cases. 

Sign of the Cat I am reviewing this weekend for a blog tour. Fabulous. 

Improbable Libraries was a gift and is a great book for any fan of books in your life. 

Lost in the Sun by Lisa Graff was sadder than I had anticipated. Trent was responsible for another child's death the previous school year. It is a fact, and a memory, he cannot escape. Lost in the Sun follows his story the following school year as he tries to put his life back together. Beautiful.

Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt is breathtaking. It is also heartbreaking. Jack lives on a farm with his parents. They sign on to become the foster parents for Joseph, who is only fourteen. What Jack knows about Joseph is that has spent time at Stone Mountain, a juvenile prison, and he almost killed a teacher. He also has a daughter named Jupiter. 

I was unprepared for Schmidt's book to have the impact it did. At under two hundred pages, I was completely captivated by Jack and Joseph's relationships. Angered, at times, by those who didn't give him a break. In love with several teachers that did. This story works its way into your heart and doesn't let go. Look for it this fall.

And this week I'm beginning by reading The Question of Miracles by Elana K. Arnold. 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

I'm thrilled to link up with Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers each Monday and share our reading lives. Check out their sites for more information. 

I'm catching up a bit here. Due to a blog tour last week, I didn't get to post the books I was reading for the previous week. Below you will find what I've read over the last two weeks.

Unfortunately, I don't have the time to review every single one. I consider myself extremely blessed to live in a time with the crazy amount of amazing books we have around. I will say that: Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer, Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk, Cleopatra in Space #2, and Dragons Beware have already found many readers in my classroom. 

I'm currently reading Round Ireland With A Fridge by Tony Hawks. Not for kids, but an entertaining memoir about a guy who hitchhiked around Ireland with a dorm fridge as a result of a bet. It's hilarious. 

Happy Reading! 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

I'm thrilled to link up with Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers each Monday and share our reading lives. Check out their sites for more information. 

You can tell it is the end of the school year. I managed to read one book last week. Fortunately it was amazing.

A Whole New Ballgame by Phil Bildner doesn't come out until next fall. This is super unfortunate because when I book talked it to my three reading classes last Friday, I have a waiting list seven deep (at least) in every single class.

This book follows the story of Rip and Red as they begin fifth grade together. Red is on the autism spectrum and Rip, his best friend, knows how to calm him down when needed. Boy is it needed at the start of their school year. Many curve balls are thrown their way. They have a new teacher, Mr. Acevedo instead of Mrs. Hamburger like was planned. Mr. Acevedo has earrings, tattoos, believes in something called reading and writing workshop, and is just a bit goofy. I love him. There is so much to love about this book. Look for it next August.

As for this week and my reading plan, I really want to finish Liesl Shurtliff's amazing Jack. I loved Rump, and this one has been just as fun so far. That being said, with PARCC testing for the next three days, Open House on Thursday, and 16 school days left, I am just trying to survive. The photo below was shared on Facebook with some educator friends on Friday. I identify with it a bit strongly right now. :) 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

I'm thrilled to link up with Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers each Monday and share our reading lives. Check out their sites for more information. 

I knew I wouldn't be able to keep up last week's reading pace, but I did find time for some amazing books once again. Here's a quick shot of this week's reading:

As you can see, I found some amazing books. There are three I'd like to give a special shout out to and they are at the beginning, middle, and end of this week's list.

Tom Angleberger is quickly becoming a "must read" author for me. Whatever he writes, I know my students will love. The first book in The Qwikpick Papers series was called Poop Fountain. Quite frankly, the book sells itself in a fifth grade classroom. I know my students will be just as intrigued by this installment, The Rat with the Human Face. The series follows three friends as they meet and go off to have an adventure and kind-of solve a mystery at the same time. Great fun.

The other two books I want to give a special shout-out to are advanced copies. I'm so sorry for that, I know how when I read about an amazing book I want to be able to read it RIGHT AWAY. However, these are too good to not share.

Linda Urban is one of my favorite authors. I think Hound Dog True is one of the most perfect books I have ever read. She completely caught me off guard with Milo Speck, Accidental Agent. I think I will do a separate review for this (and the next book) closer to the release. Let me just leave you with this - Milo is yanked into his clothing dryer by an ogre who lives in another world. How will he get back to his own world and what does his dad have to do with this? I LOVE Milo and certainly hope Linda will be returning to this group of characters again.

Finally, I was beyond thrilled when a friend mailed me a copy of Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead. Like I said, I'll write a more detailed review soon, but holy crap. This is good. As in pre-order it now, you won't want to miss this, good. I love all of Stead's books, but this one is moving to the top of my list. She nails three different story lines in three different point of views, she makes me care about every character, and she deals with some very current teen issues - like sending photos through text - in a realistic and relatable way. LOVE. 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

I'm thrilled to link up with Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers each Monday and share our reading lives. Check out their sites for more information. 

It has been a busy reading week, one of those that you look back and know how crazy busy life has been and are surprised that you actually read anything during the week. I think it helps that most of my reading has been focused - I am starting a Civil Rights unit this week in conjunction with the Social Studies teacher on my team and I felt like I needed some background. Here's what I've read:

Every book I read was fabulous, but I wanted to give two specific mentions: Yard Sale by Bunting, illustrated by Castillo, is completely enchanting. It follows the story of a family that needs to move, likely a parent has lost their job, but the little girl is confused. I cannot wait to use it to teach inferences with my fifth graders. It is perfect. 

Also, George by Alex Gino is a book I cannot get off my mind. This is a book written for middle grades about a child, George, who was born a boy, but knows she is a girl. George wants to try out for the role of Charlotte in the play Charlotte's Web, but her teacher says that role is only for girls. I think Gino did a brilliant job of portraying the struggle George is going through in her mind as she grapples with some big questions. This one is not out until this fall. 

This week is a crazy one again. Not sure what reading I will get done, but first I will be finishing Linda Urban's upcoming novel, Milo Speck. I'm loving it so far. 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

I'm thrilled to link up with Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers each Monday and share our reading lives. Check out their sites for more information. 

Two visits to the bookstore this week equates to a lot of picture book reading: 

The new book in the Babymouse series is wonderful. I should have purchased three copies because each class that does not have it currently circulating is a bit ticked off. :) 

All of the picture books were wonderful, but I did purchase Growing Up Pedro, The Death of a Hat, Mama Seeton's Whistle, and Earmuffs for Everyone! 

Book wise, I read Cody and the Fountain of Happiness and Writing Pathways. Both wonderful for completely opposite reasons. 

Next up is Jack by Liesl Shurtliff. I already began it this weekend and it is amazing. 

Have a great reading week!