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.
On the Blog:
Review of comic book America #1 at Rich in Color
Last Weeks in Books:
Pathfinders and We Will Not Be Silent are both excellent middle grade nonfiction. Pathfinders is a collection of brief bios about African Americans who made a difference in the world. Many of them are people who don't show up in typical history books. The final bio is about Katherine Coleman Goble Johnson who is showcased in the book and movie Hidden Figures. We Will Not Be Silent provides more information about the White Rose student resistance group. I first learned of this group when reading Susan Bertoletti's Hitler Youth years ago. When I went to Munich I found a memorial, but knew only a little about the group and this book fills in details of this inspiring group of young people.
Triangle is a cute story of friends playing jokes on each other though it's not a favorite for me. We're All Wonders is a sweet book about acceptance and kindness.
I had heard a lot of good things about the YA fantasy The Girl From Everywhere, but it's long so I had put it off. Spring Break was the perfect time to read this one. It's got action, romance and intrigue, but I'm not a big time travel fan. It was okay for me, but I didn't go on to the second book. The Gauntlet is a really fun brand new middle grade book by a young writer. Three friends get caught inside a game along with one of their siblings. It has a feeling like Jumanji, but has a much more developed fantasy world within the game.
If Your Monster Won't Go to Bed reminds me a little of Monster Trouble. I think they'd pair well together. It's a cute book with plenty of fun and humor. Pig the Pug is a humorous lesson about being greedy with a surprising ending.
Beneath a Meth Moon: An Elegy was an audio book I listened to while packing. It wasn't my favorite Woodson book, but it is a quick read that lets readers glimpse one pathway to drug addiction. It's may be a good window book for those who have little idea of how that can happen.
Tiny Creatures: The World of Microbes is a well done book that helps explain the tiny critters in our world. I think it would be great paired with the Squish graphic novels.
Last Week in Podcasts:
Because I spent a significant portion of my week packing up our house, I also listened to quite a few podcasts. If you want to venture into podcasts, these are several that I tend to enjoy & the specific episodes I heard this week.
- All the Wonders: Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant
- This American Life: Testosterone
- The Yarn: This is Not My Hat
- Nerdette: Roxane Gay On Writing, Trashy TV And Channing Tatum G. Willow Wilson on Ms. Marvel & Millennials
The Coming Week:
I just started reading Hello, Universe and I'm re-reading Pax with my ears this time. I have a few books from the library including The March Against Fear, but with our move at the end of the week, I'm not sure how much I will read. Have a great week! Next time I write it will be from my new, cozy (smaller) home.
Reading Challenge Updates:
Goodreads Challenge 2017 - 164/550
Diversity on the Shelf 2017 - 85/225 (goal = 50% of my books by and/or about POC)
LGBTQIA Challenge - 9/30
#OwnVoices Challenge - 48/125
#MustReadin2017 - 12/24
Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge - 38/100
Beneath a Meth Moon sounds like a powerful, necessary read. We have a terrible drug problem in parts of my city that be so hard to comprehend.
ReplyDeleteIf Your Monster Won't Go to Bed and Pig the Pug both sound very funny. I'll have to check them out.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to reading The Gauntlet. I've heard lots of good things about that book.
ReplyDeletePiecing Me Together is on my list, and I'm glad to know it's a favorite of yours, Crystal. I liked The White Rose Society a lot, love that non-fiction books are coming out so often now. Thanks for sharing so many.
ReplyDeleteTiny Creatures would be perfect with Squish! That is AWESOME!
ReplyDeleteYou have two PB I cannot wait to read: Wonder & Triangle. And Piecing Me Together sounds phenomenal.
Happy reading this week :)
Piecing Me Together is a book I can't wait to read. I have only two more people ahead of me at the library!
ReplyDeleteI read We Will Not Be Silent a year ago, and found it to be such a riveting, albeit heart-rending read. I will be going back to Munich during the summer for an international research fellowship, and will definitely try to find the monument of the White Rose Movement that you mentioned.
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