This weekly post comes from Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers. It's a great source to find new books to use with your students.
Last Week's Adventures
An ALA YMA book award that I hold close to my heart is the Schneider Award. Here's why. I hope you read these books and think of the students they touch!
Spotlight Friday had me showcasing some new Groundhog's Day books. Be sure to read them - they have more than one purpose!
Books are for everyone! And Gordon Korman's newest book will capture everyone's attention!
It's a photograph, it's a drawing! You must look at this gorgeously illustrated book filled with amazing facts about creatures that we are in danger of losing. "Counting Lions" is a must read book!
Picture Books
Worm Loves Worm by J.J. Austrian
4/5 stars
"Because that's how it's always been done."
"Then we'll just change how it's done."
There's much to learn from these two worms! It seems they are smarter than a lot of people.
Peddles by Elizabeth Rose Stanton
3/5 stars
I appreciate the dreamers in life. I am glad that there are people who don't listen to others who say it can't be done. You're just a dreamer. If everyone listened to that, we would not have found my child's doctor. The one that has given her hope that one day both of her legs will be even. That she will stand, with both feet equally reaching the ground. Even though other doctors say this doctor couldn't do it, he's a dreamer, but he can.
Peddles the pig is like that. He has big dreams, that look maybe a bit different.
Cute story. I could do without the pig poop. Didn't add much to the story. Loved the theme, good one to share with young dreamers.
Middle Grade
The Wolf Wilder by Katherine Rundell
5/5 stars
First off, I am not a wilderness girl. Survival stories are good, but they are not my favorite. Living off the land is something I would be terrible at. I did not grow up with pets. It's not that I dislike them, I just never had them and my current home situation makes it not possible. I do not gravitate towards animal stories. There are some I fall in love with, but many are just ok.
Wow.
This book took my breath away. It's good. It's really good.
The story takes place in Russia, when it was a statement to own wolves. This is the story of Feo. She is a wolf wilder, whose job it is to reteach domesticated wolves to be animal predators, and how to survive back in the wild. However, this does not make the tsar happy as the newly wild wolves end up eating the livestock of his people, the people who give the livestock to him. Feo and her mother are targeted for wilding these animals and Feo's mother is arrested. This is the story of how Feo learns to trust people and the animals that love her in order to get her mother back.
I loved the character of Feo. She is so strong, her heart is so brave and true. I love her understanding of what is right and wrong. I love her ability to trust and befriend.
I loved the relationship of the wolves and the people. The raw quality of it.
I wonder how students will respond to this story. I think it's best for 5th grade up, which my school does not have. I'd love to hear if anyone has had students read it and what they thought!
Currently Reading
Far From Fair by Elana K Arnold
I had to switch around some of my reading because I have a good number of books friends have sent me to read. I want to get them done so I can continue to pass them on their way to other readers. I also have a stack of February and March releases I would love to get to. Not to mention all of the books that I already own that I want to read and the books that I've preordered that have come in that I want to read... you know how it goes!
Happy Reading!
Peddles sound very cute, and Wolf Wilder is on my list! It does sound good! I love that you have all those advance titles, will look forward to you sharing about them. Have a good week, Michele!
ReplyDeleteNice assortment of books. Peddles sounds good - even with the pig poop. Here's what last week was like for me. Happy reading!
ReplyDeleteThe Wolf Wilder didn't work for me, and I usually love wilderness books. I liked Far From Fair more than I thought I would. As for Worm Loves Worm-- I detest weddings, so the book is lost on me! Looks like you had an interesting reading week.
ReplyDeleteThe Wolf Wilder sounds interesting. Your description - "It took my breath away" means that it is definitely going on our TBR list.
ReplyDeleteThe Wolf Wilder sounds fabulous! It has been very interesting watching my students' reactions to Worm Loves Worm. It is curious how they can easily accept all the early absurd premises (oh, we need brides bees, etc etc) but then find the conflation of bride and groom unusual. It really pushes them to think!
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to seeing what you thought of Far From Fair. That's the author of Infandous, which made the Cybils shortlist.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the Groundhog's Day suggestions! That day has kind of snuck up on me. I put in requests for both those books from my library & I hope I get them in time. I also have requests in for Worm Loves Worm and Peddles. Lots of my students enjoyed Henny, so I'm looking forward to reading Peddles. Hope you have an awesome week!
ReplyDeleteOh Gordon Korman, I loved his books when I was a kid, it always makes me chuckle when kids pick them out. Worm Loves Worm is wonderful, it's an "issue" book that doesn't feel like an "issue book", more like a sweet little picture book.
ReplyDeleteI don't know any of these books. Hmm. Now I feel very behind! Thanks for sharing them all with me! I guess I have some work to do! :)
ReplyDeleteFar From Fair sounds like an interesting read. The Wolf Wilder was already on my to read list, but from your review here, I've just added it to my shopping cart. Thanks so much for this.
ReplyDeleteSchneider is one of my favorite awards also. I think it is so important!
ReplyDeleteI want to read Worm--it looks super cute.
I just got Mastermind from a donation, so I am so excited to read it and Korman's newest looks great.
Thank you for introducing me to Wolf Wilder also--it looks very interesting.
Happy reading this week! :)
I am so pleased you also loved The Wolf Wilder! Such a book. I loved it.
ReplyDeleteOoh, I will be on the lookout for The Wolf Wilder for sure!
ReplyDeleteGlad to read more details about Wolf Wilder - sounds like my kind of read definitely. Hopefully, I get to that within the year.
ReplyDeleteWorm Loves Worm was very cute. Peddles was also cute and Elizabeth Rose Stanton is coming to our store next month. She was super friendly when she read Henny.
ReplyDeleteNow I know which book to pick up next. I do love a good survival story. :)
ReplyDelete