It's Monday! What Are You Reading 3.19.18

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

Looking for some new poetry books for your collection?  Stop by this round up!

I couldn't love this character more - stop by the Bat and the Waiting Game blog tour and be sure to enter the giveaway!

What has been in my nonfiction stacks?  Take a peek!


Picture Books


Teddy's Favorite Toy
written by Christian Trimmer
illustrated by Madeline Valentine
Really great story about a boy and his favorite toy - a doll named Bren-da.  What I loved about this one is you can tell it's about a boy whose favorite toy is a doll.  But don't be quick to be making any incorrect gender assumptions - it's not about a boy who is made fun of having a doll a his favorite toy.  It's not an "issue" book, it's not meant to be about a boy who likes a doll, it's about what happens when a child's favorite toy is broken.


I Can Be Anything! Don't Tell Me I Can't
by Diane Dillon
When does that little voice, the one we have inside our heads, when does it first make its appearance?  When we're young, the world is full of possibilities, they are limitless.  But at some point, we start doubting ourselves.  We question our decisions.  We think about why we can't.  
This is a wonderful book to read aloud again and again.  Believe in the possibilities.  Use can not can't.  
While I should have known Diane Dillon's name, I didn't.  Diane and her husband, Leo, are the award winning husband and wife team behind books such as Why Mosquitos Buzz in People's Ears, The Hundred Penny Box, and Honey, I Love amongst others.  Their work has been awarded the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor several times.  This is interesting to note because Leo is African American while Diane is white.  I just heard about this in recent weeks.
This is one of those books that looks like it's for young readers, but really, I think it's the older kids who need to hear the message the most.


The Book About Nothing
written by Mike Bender
illustrated by Hugh Murphy
This one is just a funny book.  It's going to make young readers laugh.  I noticed on Goodreads, it says it's for fans of The Book With No Pictures and I think they are right!


I Am Enough
written by Grace Byers
illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo
I really love this book - I think kids will see themselves in different parts of this story.  Great diverse pictures, I appreciated the different colors, sizes and abilities.  I think the words and illustrations are powerful in different ways.


Graphic Novels


The Prince and the Dressmaker
by Jen Wang
Loved this graphic novel.  Immediately handed it to my middle school child.
Prince Sebastian's parents would love nothing more than seeing their only child betrothed to a princess.  What they don't know is his secret - he loves wearing beautiful dresses and parading as Lady Chrystallia.  Sebastian hires a seamstress, Frances, to create his dresses and finds a new friendship.

Currently Reading


The Wild Robot Escapes
by Peter Brown
I have some serious peer pressure to get this book read and soon - by a lot of 3rd and 4th graders!

Happy Spring Reading!