It's Monday! What are you reading?

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. It's a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading right now...you just might discover your next “must-read” book!

Kellee Moye, of Unleashing Readers, and Jen Vincent, of Teach Mentor Texts decided to give It's Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children's literature - picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit - join us! We love this meme and think you will, too. We encourage everyone who participates to visit at least three of the other kidlit book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

If you want to know more about what I've been reading, visit my Goodreads shelf.

The Past Week on Blogs: 

 My 2018 Favorites on Rich in Color

Voices in the Air: Poems for Listeners 

The Past Week in Books: 

#ClassroomBookaday

These are some of the books we read last week in various classes: Sea Creatures from the Sky, Water Rolls, Water Rises, How to Code a Sandcastle, Hidden Figures, Stop,Go,Yes, No!, and I'm Sad.

Aside from picture books, I read the funny early chapter book Ugly Cat & Pablo and the Missing Brother. I also read the poetry collection Voices in the Air: Poems for Listeners which was great (see review above). The Parker Inheritance was a fantastic multi-layered middle grade mystery. Hey, Kiddo was just as fabulous as I expected it to be. It's raw and real, but not overwhelming.

The Coming Week: I have a book club meeting on Thursday so I need to start reading The Woman in the Window. I also need to get reading the last seven books on my #MustReadin2018 list.

Reading Challenge Updates: 
Goodreads Challenge 2018 - 774/800
Diversity on the Shelf 2018 - 229/300
#MustReadin2018 - 23/30

Voices in the Air: Poems for Listeners

Voices in the Air: Poems for Listeners by Naomi Shihab Nye


Summary: Acclaimed and award-winning poet, teacher, and National Book Award finalist Naomi Shihab Nye’s uncommon and unforgettable voice offers readers peace, humor, inspiration, and solace. This volume of almost one hundred original poems is a stunning and engaging tribute to the diverse voices past and present that comfort us, compel us, lead us, and give us hope.

Voices in the Air is a collection of almost one hundred original poems written by the award-winning poet Naomi Shihab Nye in honor of the artists, writers, poets, historical figures, ordinary people, and diverse luminaries from past and present who have inspired her. Full of words of encouragement, solace, and hope, this collection offers a message of peace and empathy.

Voices in the Air celebrates the inspirational people who strengthen and motivate us to create, to open our hearts, and to live rewarding and graceful lives. With short informational bios about the influential figures behind each poem, and a transcendent introduction by the poet, this is a collection to cherish, read again and again, and share with others. Includes an index.

My Thoughts:

This is definitely a collection that made me think. There were many times when I wanted to stop and jot down notes. In the introduction, she explains the Japanese word yutori. It means life-space. Giving yourself room to make mistakes as well as the possibility of succeeding. It can also simply mean having a power cord long enough to reach the outlet. She explains that poetry gives us more space to contemplate life and have more room to listen. I like all of this. Then while reading the poetry, in the pauses and in the words, I found space for contemplation.

What is wonderful about this collection is the ability for the reader to find themselves and connections to themselves throughout the poems. Poetry offers a space to search for meaning and connection to the poem and to the poet. In "The Bamboo Mind" my mind rushed back to the bamboo forest near Kyoto.

In "Unsung--on Finding" my knitting basket popped into view. Not only mine, but the basket of my mother-in-law who had saved the yarn from her mother's basket. All this yarn waiting for projects. Some of the yarn in my basket is likely older than I am.

In "Bundle," she writes:

"And consider the people at any crossing walk,

     how you will never cross with them again,

isn't that enough to make a charm?"

 

There was no way to not think of Shibayu crossing and the young university students we met there. We will never cross with them again. We will never have that exact arrangement of people again, but we certainly have the memory.

Aside from these personal types of memories this poetry inspired, it also brought current political events, opinions, and personalities up for thought. I appreciated this line attributed to Grace Paley, "Politics is simply the way human beings treat one another on the earth."

Not every poem was exactly what I needed, but they are well crafted and so many of them really pulled at me and shook my shoulders telling me to pay attention. Another line that caught me was, "We are here, so deeply here, and then we won't be."

Naolmi Shihab Nye has a lovely way with words and I am always happy to spend time with her poetry. This collection shares not only her voice, but the voices of many other poets and people from her life. I appreciate how these poems speak and how they point to the poetry of others.

It's Monday! What are you reading?

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. It's a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading right now...you just might discover your next “must-read” book!

Kellee Moye, of Unleashing Readers, and Jen Vincent, of Teach Mentor Texts decided to give It's Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children's literature - picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit - join us! We love this meme and think you will, too. We encourage everyone who participates to visit at least three of the other kidlit book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

If you want to know more about what I've been reading, visit my Goodreads shelf.

The Past Week on Blogs: 

 Native Representation in YA

The Past Week in Books: 

#ClassroomBookaday

 

With most grades we were gearing up for Hour of Code so many of our titles had to do with technology except Builders & Breakers with Pre-K. Bad Kitty doesn't like snow, but also smashes a laptop to smithereens so yeah, tech even there.

Dragons in a Bag was a fantastic early chapter book fantasy by Zetta Elliott. I love her books. Meet Yasmin! is an even younger chapter book and is bright and fun. I Almost Forgot About You was an audio from last week that I wasn't quite finished with. It was entertaining and light for the most part. I laughed a lot. I also read a YA book on audio, Kill the Boy Band, but it was not something I'd recommend. Someone else wrote about some of the problems here.

The Coming Week: I am not sure where my reading will go this week. I brought home The Parker Inheritance so I may get to that. I'm still reading these also:

Reading Challenge Updates: 
Goodreads Challenge 2018 - 721/800
Diversity on the Shelf 2018 - 218/300
#MustReadin2018 - 22/30

It's Monday! What are you reading?

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. It's a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading right now...you just might discover your next “must-read” book!

Kellee Moye, of Unleashing Readers, and Jen Vincent, of Teach Mentor Texts decided to give It's Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children's literature - picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit - join us! We love this meme and think you will, too. We encourage everyone who participates to visit at least three of the other kidlit book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

If you want to know more about what I've been reading, visit my Goodreads shelf.

The Past Week on Blogs: 

 Interview with Rebecca Barrow on Rich in Color

The Past Week in Books: 

#ClassroomBookaday

It was a short week so just one new #classroombookaday title - We are Grateful Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell. It's a wonderful bilingual English/Cherokee book about gratefulness. It's beautiful.

 

Darius the Great is Not Okay (YA) was fabulous. I loved it tons. I expected to after I got to interview the author a while back and he recommended a tea I now love. Darius is depressed and that felt honest and real. Harbor Me was beautiful. It's a middle grade with six students finding each other and their voices in the midst of struggles. Here to Stay is a great YA with friendship, basketball, relationships, and a healthy dose of racism and bullying. The rest of my reading was what I could find in the local library's digital audio collection for my 18 hours on the road by myself getting to and from my mother's house for Thanksgiving. 

Minday Kaling had me laughing in Why Not Me? I had already enjoyed a previous book of hers. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie always has interesting things to say and I really enjoyed Dear Ijeawele or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions. I wish I had read this early in my parenting days. It's a letter to a friend who is questioning how to raise her daughter. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry was enlightening, if a bit difficult to understand at times. Also, I like Tyson's voice.

The Coming Week: I also started a novel, I Almost Forgot About You, also on audio and have a few more hours to finish it up. It's entertaining and was great for the drive back home. I still have Binti and Voices in the Air checked out.

Reading Challenge Updates: 
Goodreads Challenge 2018 - 687/800
Diversity on the Shelf 2018 - 209/300
#MustReadin2018 - 22/30

It's Monday! What are you reading?

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. It's a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading right now...you just might discover your next “must-read” book!

Kellee Moye, of Unleashing Readers, and Jen Vincent, of Teach Mentor Texts decided to give It's Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children's literature - picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit - join us! We love this meme and think you will, too. We encourage everyone who participates to visit at least three of the other kidlit book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

If you want to know more about what I've been reading, visit my Goodreads shelf.

The Past Week in Books: 

#ClassroomBookaday

Kindergarten and first grade students read The Moccasins by Earl Einarson illustrated by Julie Flett along with We Sang You Home by Richard Van Camp and also illustrated by Julie Flett. Second grade students finished off the Global Read Aloud with Dolphin SOS by Roy and Slavia Miki illustrated by Julie Flett. Second grade also read Gracias/Thanks by Pat Mora illustrated by John Parra. Some kindergarten classes were also able to read Wide-Awake Bear by Pat Zietlow-Miller illustrated by Jean Kim. Fifth graders read They Say Blue by Julian Tamaki. It was a good week of reading.

 

I really enjoyed Lu, the last installment of the Track series by Jason Reynolds. I love the running (though there is less of that here), but the relationships and personalities are what make the books so excellent.

Short story collections can be hit or miss. I enjoyed most of the stories in Unbroken. It's a unique collection since it focuses on main characters with disabilities. I think we definitely need more stories like that.

The Coming Week: I'm reading and loving Darius the Great is Not Okay. I also still have Binti and Voices in the Air checked out so will try to read them this week.

Reading Challenge Updates: 
Goodreads Challenge 2018 - 672/800
Diversity on the Shelf 2018 - 201/300
#MustReadin2018 - 22/30

It's Monday! What are you reading?

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. It's a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading right now...you just might discover your next “must-read” book!

Kellee Moye, of Unleashing Readers, and Jen Vincent, of Teach Mentor Texts decided to give It's Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children's literature - picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit - join us! We love this meme and think you will, too. We encourage everyone who participates to visit at least three of the other kidlit book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

If you want to know more about what I've been reading, visit my Goodreads shelf.


The Past Week on the Blog:

Review: Bruja Born on Rich in Color

The Past Week in Books: 

#ClassroomBookaday

Bigger! Bigger! by Leslie Petricelli is a fun building book.  A Parade of Elephants is cute and is surprisingly a bedtime book. Kevin Henkes has such relatable books even when they are filled with elephants. "Fall in Line, Holden" is by Daniel Vandever and looks at individuality and opens up discussion about the boarding school era in Indigenous history. We All Count: A Book of Cree Numbers: is a great Julie Flett book I read with a few grades for Global Read Aloud. We went on to count in English, Hmong and Spanish. When we read You Hold Me Up earlier in October, we started making the video below. I finally got the clips edited together from volunteers from about eight different classes.

Velva Jean Learns to Drive is an adult historical fiction title I read for book club. It was an interesting story of a family living in the Appalachian Mountains. It was not a bad read, but I won't continue the series as I have too many books to read and not enough time. All That I Can Fix was on my MustReadin2018 list. It was an interesting look at family dynamics when a parent has depression. 

The Coming Week: I'm still reading Being the Change and The Complete Stories by Zora Neale Hurston. I have Binti and Voices in the Air checked out so may get to them this week.

Reading Challenge Updates: 
Goodreads Challenge 2018 - 640/800
Diversity on the Shelf 2018 - 190/300
#MustReadin2018 - 22/30

It's Monday! What are you reading?

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. It's a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading right now...you just might discover your next “must-read” book!

Kellee Moye, of Unleashing Readers, and Jen Vincent, of Teach Mentor Texts decided to give It's Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children's literature - picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit - join us! We love this meme and think you will, too. We encourage everyone who participates to visit at least three of the other kidlit book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

If you want to know more about what I've been reading, visit my Goodreads shelf.


The Past Week on the Blog:

Need a Little Comic Relief?

The Past Week in Books: 

#ClassroomBookaday

Pre-K: We Love Dinosaurs by Lucy Volpin (Yup - they do)
Kindergarten: Lii Yiiboo Nayaapiwak lii Swer: L'alfabet di Michif / Owls See Clearly at Night: A Michif Alphabet by Julie Flett
First and Second Grade:  A Day with Yayah by Nicola I. Campbell illustrated by Julie Flett and When We Were Alone by David Alexander Robertson illustrated by Julie Flett
Third Grade: Hungry Johnny by Cheryl Minnema illustrated by Wesley Ballinger
Fourth Grade: The Patchwork Bike by Maxine Beneba Clarke illustrated by Van T. Rudd and Hiawatha and the Peacemaker by Robbie Robertson illustrated by David Shannon
Fifth Grade: The Turtle Ship by Helena Ku Rhee illustrated by Colleen Kong-Savage and The Water Walker by Joanne Robertson

Dactyl Hill Squad is historical middle grade novel with a fantastical slant. It's in the time of the Civil War, but the dinosaurs never became extinct, so they are around. It's really fun and full of adventure. It's also got a great cast of diverse characters. I read it because Daniel José Older will be speaking in a nearby town tomorrow evening. Yay!

Blanca & Roja was fabulous as I expected since I love fairytale re-tellings and I also love Anna-Marie McLemore's books. We're having a group discussion about it over at Rich in Color later this week.

Photographic: The Life of Graciela Iturbide by Isabel Quintero illustrated by Zeke Peña was a really creative graphic biography that included some of her art.

This Side of Home by Renee Watson was a great realistic young adult novel that dealt with family, friendship, romance, race, and gentrification. Whew. It was good and was packed with things to think about.

The Coming Week: I've started reading one of the books on my #MustReadin2018 list - All That I Can Fix by Crystal Chan. I'm still reading Being the Change and started The Complete Stories by Zora Neale Hurston.

Reading Challenge Updates: 
Goodreads Challenge 2018 - 625/800
Diversity on the Shelf 2018 - 188/300
#MustReadin2018 - 21/30