It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 6.11.18

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 Posts

It was the last school week (yippee) so I didn't have as much to post, but make sure you check out:

An interview with author Erin Soderberg about her new series "Daring Dreamers Club".
Want to own a copy of the book?  Go find my tweet and give it a RT to enter the drawing!


Picture Books


Bear's Scare
by Jacob Grant
A perfect book to show common misconceptions to the younger crowd.  Bear loves his neat and tidy home, but soon there are spider webs all over making a mess.  Bear changes his mind when he needs some help and the unexpected friend offers a helping hand (or eight...).


Brave Enough for Two
by Jonathan D. Voss
Gorgeous book about the importance of friendship and being there for each other.  Hoot brings Olive on adventures that she is not quite ready for, telling her he will be brave for both of them.  It's a lesson that Olive learns and is able to reciprocate by the end of the story.  Would be a great book to use at the beginning of the school year to talk about friendship and community.


I'm Sad
written by Michael Ian Black
illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi
I'm so glad these two are back together because there books are so enjoyable and a delight to read aloud to a young audience!
Flamingo is feeling sad.  The girl and Potato try to cheer Flamingo up, but it's good old fashioned humor that works.  What I love about this book is it acknowledges it's ok to sometimes feel sad and to be ok when something cheers you up.


Happy Hair
by Mechal Renee Roe
Quick to read picture book that shows a variety of hairstyles on an African American girl, naming the hairstyle and repeating "I love being me" on each page.  Wonderful mirror book for young African American girls!

Middle Grade


The Seismic Seven
by Katie Slivensky
So, I think I have Katie's MO figured out - she starts you out getting to know the characters, setting up the storyline, then not even halfway through the book BAM she throws in a cataclysmic event and you have to stay up way past your bedtime because you have to finish the book.  
I love how she's making science fiction so cool to read.  You definitely want to check this one out.


The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle
by Leslie Connor
A book that has been in my pile for awhile, it took a library due date to push me to read it and I'm so glad I did.  Beautiful story.  I think most readers will fall in love with Mason and cheer for him throughout the entire book.  I loved his friendship with Calvin and how they were there for each other.  Even though I could see where they mystery of the story was headed, it still had a very satisfactory conclusion.  I think this is a story we'll hear about for awhile.


Everything I Know About You
by Barbara Dee
I think Barbara Dee is a master at writing about mature topics for the middle school reader.  She takes topics that are current and important and writes them in a sensitive and appropriate manner that sheds light on the topic.
In her newest book, Dee tackles the subject of a character having an eating disorder.  Her characters are so multi-dimensional that the reader feels all kinds of emotions.  This is a book I would absolutely put in the hands middle grade readers.  Publishes next week.
Thank you to Edelweiss for the e-galley.


Saving Winslow
by Sharon Creech
I am always happy to have a new Sharon Creech to give to readers.  Slated to publish in September, readers are going to fall in love with Louie who has fallen in love with the newborn donkey, Winslow.  The problem being Winslow was born very sickly and doesn't have a good chance of living.  Great connections to Louie, who was born premature, readers will see that both characters have tenacity to work at something even when it is hard.
Thank you to Edelweiss for the e-galley.


Cress
Marissa Meyer
This is the third book in The Lunar Chronicles and one of my #mustreadin2018 books.  I've been slowly chipping away at this series.  I'm really enjoying it - I like seeing how Meyer takes pieces of well known fairy tales and weaves them into the stories and characters.  This third book continues the action and really takes off.  I binge read it in three days and it was always hard to put it down.  

Currently Reading


Just Under the Clouds
by Melissa Sarno
I'm in the very beginning stages of this book but I can already tell it's going to take a piece of my heart!


The Door to the Lost
by Jaleigh Johnson
I'm reading this one on my kindle when I'm riding the recumbent bike at the gym.  Loving it so far!  I only ride 2 days/week so it may take some time to finish!


Hope you're finding some time to read as well!