Monday, June 22, 2020

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 6.22.2020

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

This past Wednesday it was time to celebrate some creepy crawlies!  Check out these must have insect books.

Next up in the Chapter Book Summer series is a round up of chapter books celebrating BFFs!


Picture Books

When Grandpa Gives You a Toolbox
When Grandpa Gives You a Toolbox
written by Jamie L.B. Deenihan
illustrated by Lorraine Rocha
This is the follow up to When Grandma Gives You a Lemon Tree.  That book completely surprised me so I was excited to see there would be another one.  This one does not disappoint and you should probably have it on your must read list.  The same idea as the Grandma book - sometimes the gift you really want is hidden inside another gift.  
And I LOVED the little boy wanted a house for his dolls!

Chicken Little: The Real and Totally True Tale
Chicken Little: The Real and Totally True Tale
by Sam Wedelich
This would be a great book to use before an information unit.  Use this text to talk about not just believing a source because it says it is true - how can you fact check your sources?  While it's a story that will be loved by many ages, I think some great conversations can be had with older readers about reliable sources.

How to Meet a Mermaid
How to Meet a Mermaid
written by Sue Fliess
illustrated by Simona Sanfilippo
This is a book my daughter would have read over and over as a little girl.  Mermaids were real in her eyes and the thought of meeting one would have made her very, very happy!
This rhyming story is beautifully illustrated and comes with notes at the end of the story instructing young readers how they can make their own mermaid crowns and how to keep the beaches clean during a beach visit.
The only part I wish had been left out is mention that "explorers including Christopher Columbus claimed to have seen mermaids".  Eh, why even include him?

Mayhem at the Museum: A Book in Pictures
Mayhem at the Museum
by Luciano Lozano
A group of children visit an art museum and soon realize this art museum is different from others.  As they go from paintings to sculptures, the artwork comes to life or comes off the painting or interacts with the children in some way.  A whimsical journey in a typical look and don't touch place!

National Regular Average Ordinary Day
National Regular Average Ordinary Day
written by Lisa Katzenberger
illustrated by Barbara Bakos
I bet when the author wrote this book, she did not know it would be published during a national pandemic.  But this book ends up being a little bit perfect for right now.  Because how we would love to have a National Regular Average Ordinary Day, one where we go to the stores without our mask, or have to pour gallons of hand sanitizer on after every place we go to, or maybe enjoy a public aquatic center during a hot summer day!
The young boy in the story gets bored doing the same things over and over (I feel you, dude).  So he decides to spice up his summer!

Young Adult

Parachutes
Parachutes
by Kelly Yang
Oh my goodness.  This book.  I feel like I just read a part of Kelly Yang's soul.  I cannot imagine the feelings she went through writing this book.  I'm not sure where I read Kelly's words about this book, it may have only been through a Twitter thread, but it is based on events that transpired in her own life.  There is also a very important author's note to read in the book.
We learned so much about the immigrant life from a middle grade perspective in Front Desk.  It is a story that cannot be replicated because it is based on Kelly's experience.  The same real and authentic piece is in this young adult novel.  

Currently Reading

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You
Stamped
by Jason Reynolds and Ibram Kendi
More than halfway through this book and I now know more than all of my years taking United States History.  As in, now I know the correct history and not the white-washed versions.  

The Giver of Stars
The Giver of Stars
by Jojo Moyes
Another book I'll finish early this week.  Not my favorite by Moyes, but it's good.


I have a bunch of YA to get to.... and a bunch of MG.... starting to lag on having picture books to read!  Libraries aren't open yet.  One day... one day...

10 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing When Grandpa Gives You A Toolbox & Mayhem at The Museum. Since the grand-girls & I visit often, it will be fun to share about the 'mayhem' imagined! I understand about Stamped. They didn't share the truth at all, did they in all those classes? I've passed it on to my daughter! Thanks for all, Michele!

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  2. 'Mayhem at the Museum' and 'When Grandpa Gives You a Toolbox' sound like excellent reads for readers of all ages! Thanks for sharing a broad range of books for different age and interest groups. Unfortunately, our library system is still closed, too . . . :0}

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  3. These books sound excellent! I've heard about National Regular Average Ordinary Day, and it sounds great! I really want to read Parachutes, and I'm even more intrigued after reading your thoughts! (Also, how neat that Yang retweeted your tweet praising the book!) Thanks for the excellent post!

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  4. Great books! I'm currently reading the original Stamped, and I hope to get to the YA one afterward.

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  5. I am so very eager to read Parachutes. I think Stamped is amazing (so good on audio!).

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  6. I really liked The Giver of Stars, but I'm also a huge historical fiction fan. Her book Me Before You is one of my favorites. I feel the same way about Stamped. I already feel like it's time to give it a reread.

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  7. Stamped was really powerful. I really liked a lot of the picture books here. I haven't read any of them, no new picture books for me in a while. I added the Chicken Little book to a list I am starting for informational writing. Thanks for the great post!

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  8. I just finished Stamped, too. I had to finish it quick because another patron--or several?--had a hold on my library copy. Such a powerful narrative voice. It made me think about our national history very differently.

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  9. Chicken Little is definitely on my list to buy. I heard about the book on Scholastic Book Joy Live with John Schu when the author was a guest. It was read as a reader's theater which would be so much fun for kids. I am listening to the audio of Stamped now. Learning so much and I was a history major in college.

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  10. I am so thrilled to be reminded of Parachutes by Kelly Yang! And as I was feeling myself gear up for being mad about not having a local copy, yet, I just looked it up and WE DO!! I'm third on the waiting list, now, but it won't be long at all. Thanks for sharing more about this, Michele!

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