It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 4.22.19

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

Come along for the Superlative Birds blog tour!

Celebrate National Poetry Month with these books.


Picture Books


High Five
written by Adam Rubin
illustrated by Daniel Salmieri
When the collaborators of the Dragons Love Tacos series get together, you know you're in for a fun read.  This interactive book has the reader practice their high fives with different animals in a competition.  It's a hands down (yup, see what I did there) fun read aloud!  And this book features such pretty glossy paper I just can't get enough of it :)


How to Two
by David Soman
A number concept book that is so much more than a counting book.  Each page adds another child but it shows how adding more people adds more fun.  A great book to talk early on about including others in play.


We're Going on a Treasure Hunt
written by Kelly DiPucchio
illustrated by Jay Fleck
This one will be a hit with young readers and it will be perfect to read on Talk Like a Pirate Day!


When Grandma Gives You a Lemon Tree
written by Jamie L. B. Deenihan
illustrated by Lorraine Rocha
Oh yes, this is a needed book.  
You know that moment when your child gets a gift they really don't want and you're just hoping they react the way you want them to?
And you know how sometimes you get a gift from grandma that doesn't make sense but in the long run you discover it was the perfect idea?
A young girl makes a really long birthday wish list just to get a lemon tree.  But after some time and taking care of it, the girl learns a valuable lesson.


Elbert The Curious Clock Tower Bear
by Andrew Prahin
Oh this book was so sweet!  Elbert is a curious bear and because of that he has trouble conforming to the boring rules he must follow in his job.  He goes off on his own to lose his curiosity only to find the big world out there gives him more things to be curious about!  So many ways to use this book in a primary classroom.


A Little Chicken
written by Tammi Sauer
illustrated by Dan Taylor
A silly book that will be well enjoyed by young readers.  Dot has to push through her fears in order to save her little sister-egg!


Fly
by Nathan Clement
Perfect for young readers - a book about flying on an airplane, readers will learn basic vocabulary as a family of three travels on a plane.

Informational Texts


Power Up: Your Incredible, Spectacular, Supercharged Body
written by Seth Fishman
illustrated by Isabel Greenberg
From the duo that brought us A Hundred Billion Trillion Stars, this book about energy and your body is a great new book for your science nonfiction collection.  I love finding new science books, an area that is lacking in my collection.


Her Fearless Run: Kathrine Switzer's Historic Boston Marathon
written by Kim Chaffee
illustrated by Ellen Rooney
Last Monday was Marathon Monday in Boston.  It's an historic race and so prestigious to get in and run it.  I thought it was only appropriate to read this book last Monday.  
Kathrine Switzer was the registered woman to run and complete the Boston Marathon.  Literally fighting off opposers as she ran, she kept to her goal and finished the 26.2 miles.  
As a former marathoner, I know the determination and mental game you play when endurance running.  I have so much awe for these runners and love reading about their determination.  
I really enjoyed Annette Pimentel's Girl Running which is about Bobbi Gibb, the first female to run the Boston Marathon, however, she was not legally registered.  I think sharing both of these books is a great spotlight on women who question rules that intentionally keep a group of people out.


Martin and Anne: The Kindred Spirits of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Anne Frank
written by Nancy Churnin
illustrated by Yevgenia Nayberg
Churnin always produces fascinating picture book biographies, this one being no different!  She takes a look at MLK and Anne Frank, who have a lot more in common than I ever stopped and thought about.  It helps to have some background of the two to really understand the connections, but it's not necessary.


When Rain Falls
written by Melissa Stewart
illustrated by Constance R. Bergum
Ever wonder what happens in different environments to the native animals when it starts to rain?  Stewart shares different animal adaptations that keep animals dry when in rains.  This would go along great with studies looking at different biomes.

Graphic Novel


Peter & Ernesto: The Lost Sloths
by Graham Annable
If you haven't met Peter and Ernesto, fix that today!  They are lovable sloths, one a bit more adventurous than the other.  This time, they both have to be ready for an adventure because a hurricane has just hit their tree and they are not on the lookout for a new tree with their fellow sloths.  As with any adventure with these two, the unexpected always leaves them with a new funny story!

Middle Grade


Because of the Rabbit
by Cynthia Lord
I feel like everything Cynthia Lord writes has these nuggets of truth that just sit in my heart.  This book was no exception.  Emma is going to school for the first time in fifth grade.  She's always been homeschool but now is the time for change.  Of course it doesn't go the way she planned.  But to help ease the pain, she's fostering a bunny that her game warden father saved.  Emma didn't plan for the bunny to worm his way into her heart so quickly.  
I think readers are going to fall in love with this quick read.  Books this length (under 200 pages) are so needed.  Many readers need books that aren't overwhelming in length as they build their own reading stamina.  Lord is fantastic at picking every right word, not wasting anything, and writing a book that makes you continue thinking about it long after you close the (under 200 pages) book!


The Doughnut Fix
by Jessie Janowitz
I got this from the library some time ago but never had a chance to read it.  I remember seeing a write up of it and it sounded humorous.  Thanks to the Cartwheel Book Awards, I finally got to it, and yes, it was very humorous.  I'm glad it was chosen to be on the list because it is such a kid appealing book.
Tristan has just moved out of New York City into a small town.  The only thing that sounds good about this town is the doughnuts... and even that turns out to be nonexistant.  As a way to keep him busy until he is allowed to start school, he figures out how to put together a business plan and start selling doughnuts.  Along the way, he makes friends and learns this little town might not be so bad.  Predictable, yet the humor and fun made me excited for the upcoming book 2!

Currently Reading


Song for a Whale
by Lynne Kelly
I'm more than halfway through this book and I'm really enjoying it.

Lots more on deck!  MG and picture books are in the stack for this upcoming week!