It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 8.14.17

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

Some new transitional chapter books from Scholastic.

I love the blend of narrative nonfiction and expository facts in this book about koalas!

This book is a MUST for middle grade collections.

And it was #pb10for10 day!  I had no idea how relevant this list was going to be when I put it together, and I think it will continue to be needed for the foreseeable future.  A list of books to share with students and other teachers - 10 books about perspective

Picture Books


Monster's New Undies by Samantha Berger
4/5 stars
Oh this is such a fun read aloud!  Read this book so you can hear giggles.  Read this book so you can have kids fighting over it when you're done.  It's pure fun!


The Only Fish in the Sea by Philip C. Stead
4/5 stars
Sadie is one of my favorite characters.  She's strong-willed and strong-minded.  It's always fun to see the adventures she goes on.  I love the partnership between author Philip Stead and illustrator Matthew Cordell.


I Like, I Don't Like by Anna Baccelliere
5/5 stars
I included this book on my perspective #pb10for10 list.  So important for children to read outside of their own walls.

Informational Texts


A Boy, A Mouse, and a Spider by Barbara Herbert
5/5 stars
Anything Lauren Castillo illustrates is a book I'm going to love.  
After reading Melissa Sweet's biography of E.B. White last year, I feel like this one really does a great job getting the important details of his life in a picture book.  Her sentences are concise and to the point.  Not a wasted word.
And the illustrations.  Sigh.  Just beautiful.
This will be on my Mock Caldecott and Mock Sibert.
publishes October 24th

Middle Grade


Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling
5/5 stars
For me, this book is so important.  It gets disabilities right.  It gets all the different feels kids who have them just right.  I hope kids read this and they learn to accept and understand.  Please come back on August 31st for my full post.
publishes September 5th


Step Up to the Plate, Maria Singh by Uma Krishnaswami
4/5 stars
I really like this book - it reminds me of Dash by Kirby Larson and Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan.  It takes place during World War II in California when there was racism present because of events taking place overseas.  This book covers the sentiment towards Germans and people from India - which is something new.  I like how the book brought in females playing baseball!  
I think the cover of this book doesn't do it any favors.  It looks very young and I think it will turn off some readers.  I believe the characters are in fifth grade, yet the goodreads summary says they are nine years old.  I think kids in fifth and sixth grade would enjoy this book and be able to handle the historical background.  I wish the characters were just a bit older and it was a different cover.  With a good book talk, teachers will be able to get readers for this book.


The Great Treehouse War by Lisa Graff
4/5 stars
What happens when a child has had enough?  They find a secret loophole to live in a tricked out treehouse, of course!  I like that Winnie finds a way to say it's too much - too much ridiculousness by her parents.  Although the scenario might not be the same, we do put too much on kids at times.  Good for them for speaking up!
The use of multimedia in this book (emails, sticky notes, comics, directions, drawings, etc.) make this book unique and fun.


Posted by John David Anderson
5/5 stars
I don't think I could have read this at a more relevant time.
Powerful, powerful read.  
For me, and my background experience, this book felt very very realistic.  I always have hope that it's not like this everywhere.  I have no doubt that this book will be a mirror book for far too many kids.  
I hope for those seeing it as a mirror, they find this as something they can hold on to.  For kids who are seeing this as a window, I hope they see this book as a catalyst to do something.  To see the power of words and the power of kindness.

This book should be required reading for both teachers and students.

Currently Reading


The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen
I've owned this book for a very very long time.  But it kept getting pushed off so I put it on my #mustreadin2017 list.  It's my designated August read!

It's the last week before school starts so I'm trying to cram in as many reads as possible while getting all of those last minute things done.  We're also returning home from our summer in Florida and I have the maximum amount of books on hold at my library - 30 - so lots of picture book reading coming up!  Let me tell you, not all libraries are created equally! While I am already going in withdrawal from the lack of palm trees in the midwest, I'm very happy to be back at my local library!

Happy reading!