#road2reading Challenge - May releases - 6.06.17

All journeys have a starting place.

This is a weekly place to find books and tools 

that you may use with readers at the start of their reading journey.

Join in the conversation at #road2reading.

So many great releases last month!  Here's what popped out of the stacks!

Early Readers


The Good for Nothing Button
by Charise Mericle Harper
The next Elephant and Piggie Like Reading book is going to be another sure fire hit with readers.  They are going to find themselves laughing....about nothing!


Peeper and Zeep 
by Adam Gudeon
The ending got a bit muddled, but I liked the story leading up to it.  I think readers will like meeting these characters.


Early Graphic Novels


Super Narwhal and Jelly Jolt
by Ben Clanton
I adore this series!  I love that there are separate chapters with episodic stories.  Great early graphic novel series!

Transitional Chapter Books

     
The Escapades of Clint McCool series
Octo-Man and the Headless Monster and Sol-Ray Man and the Freaky Flood
by Jane Kelley
published by Grosset & Dunlap

Clint McCool, or as his mother calls him, Walter, always has amazing ideas... if only the ideas panned out the way he envisioned them!  His brain is always zing, zong, zinging, maybe a little too fast, and sometimes his impulses get in the way.  
Kids will enjoy meeting Clint and many will probably relate to what is most likely his ADHD, that tends to get him into trouble!  With a heart of gold, Clint is a likable and realistic character.
Audience: 2nd-4th grade

       
The Fix-It Friends series
Have No Fear! and Sticks and Stones
by Nicole C. Kear
published by Imprint

Love this new series!  In the first book, our main character, Veronica, feels compelled to help a new friends overcome her fear of bugs.  Young readers will love all of the ideas Veronica and her friends and family come up with to help.  Most are disastrous, which are so funny to read about.  Great book to encourage positive and creative thinking.  There are even end notes that give more ideas and resources.  This is a series I will continue purchasing for my library.
Audience: 1st-3rd grade

       
The Kid From Planet Z series
Crash! and Don't Sneeze!
by Nancy Krulik
published by Grosset & Dunlap

This is going to be another series that will be popular with young readers.  It's a good series ladder for Jon Scieszka's Spaceheadz series.

The Zander family has crash landed on Earth and until they can repair their spaceship, they'll need to stay for a little while, which means assimilating into life on Earth.  Zeke has to  try and fit into the second grade, while the "brains" of the family, Zeus the cat, learns that being a cat on Earth means he gets to lie around and not do much!  A lot of silliness happens, which makes this the perfect series for those readers who love to laugh!
Audience:  1st-3rd grade

Hope you found some new books for your classroom or books to suggest to your readers for summer reading!

Be sure to check out Alyson's post here.

Want to talk about books for readers who are on the #road2reading?  Link up here!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 6.05.17

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

I reviewed Kate Messner's upcoming early chapter book here.

This book is a must have Two Truths and a Lie.  We need to teach readers to be critical of what they read and this is a PERFECT mentor text for it!  Plus it's really fun :)

My thoughts on Laurel Snyder's new middle grade novel Orphan Island.

Let's get you ready for summer reading!  Do you have these June releases on hold at your library or preordered?


Picture Books


On the Spot by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
4/5 stars
Oh, this book is going to be so fun for kids!  A sweet rhyming story, but on every page there is at least one spot where a missing word goes.  In the spot is where you place an item... it could be a real item (suggestions are a penny, paperclip, button, etc) or there are reusable stickers included in the back of the book.  The idea is for children to read the story over and over again, mixing up the items used each time so it's always a new (and funny) story.  Love that this encourages reading the same book over and over.... something readers do!!
My one complaint with this book is in one of the illustrations, there is a painting of a Native American girl in a very stereotypical ensemble.  I don't understand why that even needed to be included.


Trains Don't Sleep by Andria Rosenbaum
4/5 stars
Young train enthusiasts will love this one!  I enjoyed the rhythmic patterns of the words that lyrically described three trains as they journeyed to different places.  The illustrations by Deirdre Gill are absolutely gorgeous!  I read the back flap and learned that she is married to Jason Chin - wow, two very talented artists!


7 Ate 9 by Tara Lazar
4/5 stars
A whole punny tale about the joke "7 ate 9".  Young readers will like how silly the story is, savvy readers will pick up on the puns.


Colette's Lost Pet by Isabelle Arsenault
3/5 stars
So this one was a little strange for me.  First of all, the illustrations are just gorgeous.  But the story line is a bit odd.  Colette gets all of the neighborhood children helping her look for her lost pet - the problem is this pet only exists in her mind.  Colette is constantly making up new details about her pet until it ends up being a completely fabricated story.  But what is strange is all of her new friends go along with it.  It felt strange.  I think the story is trying to show the importance of friendship, but I feel like it missed the mark with what was really lies that Colette told.  Hmmmm.....


I Got a New Friend by Karl Newsom Edwards
3/5 stars
A very basic how-to book about caring for your new puppy.  With about one sentence per page, young readers will like reading about the relationship between the puppy and girl.


Families by Shelley Rotner
5/5 stars
One of the best books about families I've seen.  I love the diversity, I love that it's photographs - seems more realistic.  I love the note at the end talking about the importance of talking about families with your family.


Secrets I Know by Kallie George
3/5 stars
Just beautiful illustrations, but the story did not seem to flow for me.  I know each page lead into the next one, but it seemed disjointed.


And Then Comes Summer by Tom Brenner
4/5 stars
Want to know what to read on the last day of school?  What a great book to segway into some conversations (or writing) about what their summer vacation will be like!
I really loved the illustrations by Jaime Kim, then I realized that's the illustrator of the upcoming Kate DiCamilo book La La La.  As if I wasn't already anticipating that book!

Middle Grade


14 Hollow Road by Jenn Bishop
5/5 stars
Loved this upcoming middle grade novel - the second effort from Jenn Bishop!  This author knows her audience and delivers the type of books they want.  Return on Thursday for a longer review.
publishes 6.13.17


Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth by Frank Cottrell Boyce
4/5 stars
A very quirky, yet heart-warming story, about the importance of home and understanding what home is.  But it's also a coming of age story and figuring out where you fit in this universe.  And it's also about having to see a loved one fight Alzheimer's/dementia.  I have a longer review of this one coming out next week.
publishes 6.20.17

Young Adult


A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
5/5 stars
I cannot begin to express how much I loved this series.  Every time I closed a book in this trilogy, I only wanted to immediately return to this world, these characters.  I can see how this world is not for all readers - the faerie world, magic, spells - are not always loved by all readers, but if you've liked this kind of fantasy in the past, you don't want to miss this series.  
I'm excited that Maas is going to continue to write stories about this world, just sad that the main characters won't necessarily be in them.
And again, I think this series is definitely more adult than young adult!  Lots of racy scenes!

Currently Reading


Welcome to Wonderland: Home Sweet Motel by Chris Grabenstein
I've had this book since it came out and book 2 is already here!  Getting them both read in time for a blog tour for book 2!

I have a lot of upcoming releases to read and share over the summer months.  Happy reading to you all this week!

Spotlight Friday - June releases 6.02.17

Time to get ready for the weekend!

Kick up your feet and find a good place to read.

Sharing #booklove for your classroom or library.

Spotlighting a book or two because these books deserve the spotlight!

Time to share some upcoming releases!  Make sure you get these for your #bookaday reading!

Picture Books


Little Plane Learns to Write
by Stephen Savage
publishes June 6


Littles: And How They Grow
by Kelly DiPucchio
publishes June 13


Blue Sky, White Stars
by Sarvinder Naberhaus
publishes June 13


The Teacher's Pet
by Anica Mrose Rissi
publishes June 20


Claymates
by Dev Petty
publishes June 20


Life
by Cynthia Rylant
publishes June 27


A New Friend for Sparkle
by Amy Young
publishes June 27


A New School Year: Stories in Six Voices
by Sally Derby
publishes June 27

Nonfiction Picture Books/Nonfiction Middle Grade


Apex Predators
by Steve Jenkins
publishes June 6


The Shark Lady
by Jess Keating
publishes June 6


If Sharks Disappeared
by Lily Williams
publishes June 13


Can An Aardvark Bark
by Melissa Stewart
publishes June 13


The Quest for Z
by Greg Rizzoli
publishes June 13


Two Truths and a Lie
by Laurie Thompson and Ammi-Joan Paquette
publishes June 27

Middle Grade


Tournament of Champions
by Phil Bildner
publishes June 6
my review here


One Shadow on the Wall
by Leah Henderson
publishes June 6


Kat Greene Comes Clean 
by Melissa Roske
publishes June 13


14 Hollow Road
by Jenn Bishop
publishes June 13


I Love You, Michael Collins
by Lauren Baraz-Logsted
publishes June 20


This is Just a Test
by Madelyn Rosenberg and Wendy Wan-Long Shang
publishes June 27


Stealing Our Way Home
by Cecilia Galante
publishes June 27

Graphic Novels


The Great Art Caper 
by Victoria Jamieson
publishes June 13


Cleopatra in Space 4: The Golden Lion
by Mike Maihack
publishes June 27

Early Readers



There's a Pest in the Garden
by Jan Thomas
publishes June 6


What is Chasing Duck?
by Jan Thomas
publishes June 6

Transitional Chapter Books


Fergus and Zeke
by Kate Messner
publishes June 13


The Gumazing Gum Girl 2: Gum Luck
by Rhode Montijo
publishes June 13


Puppy Pirates Super Special 2: Best in Class
by Erin Soderberg
publishes June 27


Ranger in Time: Escape from the Great Earthquake
by Kate Messner
publishes June 27

Young Adult


The Unlikelies
by Carrie Firestone
publishes June 6


Dividing Eden
by Joelle Charbonneau
publishes June 6


You Don't Have to Say You Love Me
by Sherman Alexie
publishes June 13


So many good books, so much to enjoy, hope to find the time!  What June books are you looking forward to?

Orphan Island - a review 6.01.17

If you follow Laurel Snyder, you know that this work is absolutely a work from her heart.  Just read the Nerdy post.

Orphan Island

by Laurel Snyder

published by Walden Pond Press

May 30, 2017

Goodreads summary:
From acclaimed author Laurel Snyder comes a deep, compelling, heartbreaking, and completely one-of-a-kind novel about nine children who live on a mysterious island.

On the island, everything is perfect. The sun rises in a sky filled with dancing shapes; the wind, water, and trees shelter and protect those who live there; when the nine children go to sleep in their cabins, it is with full stomachs and joy in their hearts. And only one thing ever changes: on that day, each year, when a boat appears from the mist upon the ocean carrying one young child to join them—and taking the eldest one away, never to be seen again.

Today’s Changing is no different. The boat arrives, taking away Jinny’s best friend, Deen, replacing him with a new little girl named Ess, and leaving Jinny as the new Elder. Jinny knows her responsibility now—to teach Ess everything she needs to know about the island, to keep things as they’ve always been. But will she be ready for the inevitable day when the boat will come back—and take her away forever from the only home she’s known?


My quick thoughts:
I absolutely loved this book.  I loved Jinny's journey and her character change.  There were times when you didn't really like her - but understood why she was acting a certain way.  I always think that is a sign of great writing - when an author can get you to still understand a character, even when you don't necessarily like them.

I think the themes in this book are going to be fascinating to discuss:

• making difficult choices
• the complexities of growing up
• responsibilities
• who makes up a family?  A community?
• the impact our choices make upon others

After reading Laurel's newest Nerdy post, it made me add to this list of themes!  I'm thinking about the questions and no-answers tweens get as they enter the path towards "growing up".  Or maybe about understanding who you are and how you get there.

I can see this book landing on Mock Newbery lists in the fall.  I'm interested in seeing how middle grade readers respond to this book.  I wonder if this is a book they will fall into like I did, or if it's one they will appreciate and love with peer discussions.

I hope this book found its way to you on May 30th.  The finished copy is gorgeous, and I loved being able to finally hold it!  I'm going in for a reread!