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.
Last Month on the Blog:
I've been busy. Really busy. Astoundingly busy. Family, ALA, NerdcampMI, travel, and more have been filling my days - more about that here. So, blogging hasn't really been happening with any consistency for the past month. Here are a few posts I managed to publish:
Interview with Aditi Khorana at Rich in Color
Review of Solo on Rich in Color and an Interview with Kwame Alexander
This Month in Books:
Since I haven't posted in a few weeks, there are too many books to list so I will just choose a few outstanding books to highlight.
Young Adult
Want by Cindy Pon is a wonderful sci-fi book set in Taiwan. I loved it and would love to see more like it. As a bonus, I finally met Cindy Pon briefly at ALA. Miles Morales is fabulous. Miles is a complicated character and Jason Reynolds has proven he can write just about anything. Solo is a novel in verse and is a tribute to families and the power of music.
Middle Grade
Orphan Island hit me hard. I was spending hours taking care of my young brother by the time I was eleven. I could really relate to Jinny as she struggles to mother the child in her care on this island of orphans. It's a tale of growing up and facing yourself. Star-Crossed is fun especially if you like to use Shakespeare cursing. It's also a middle school romance where the main character has crushes on both a boy and a girl and doesn't quite know what to do with that. The First Rule of Punk totally stole my heart. Malu is just so awesome and I love the inclusion of zines. It's an illustrated chapter book and I can see so many opportunities for readers to respond and create during and after reading. It made me want to grab my supplies and start something myself. I gave away my ARC, but will definitely be buying it so I can read it again and share it at school.
Picture Books
Claymates is hilarious. These two critters are made out of clay, but when the artist steps away, they re-work themselves with much humor. The Teacher's Pet is also hilarious. My favorite phrase in the book is snot-rocket if that tells you anything.
The Neighbor Kid is a nearly wordless book about friendship. It's sweet and lovely without being too sugary. Life is a beautiful book that speaks to the beauty and the struggles of life & inspires. Readers who enjoyed They All Saw a Cat will notice the resemblance of the illustrations of Brendan Wenzel.
I haven't met a Langston Hughes poem that I don't like. That is My Dream! sharea his poem "Dream Variation" and is hopeful in the face of the discrimination and prejudice Hughes could see in his life.
My Night in the Planetarium shares the story of a group of people who were using a play to protest things that were happening in Indonesia. The book is from the author of A is for Activist and is an excellent example of how people can stand up for what they believe.
The Coming Week:
I've been listening to The Reader by Traci Chee and should finish it on my road trip. I'm reading You're Welcome Universe and will likely pick up a few books at the library to read while I am away for a class I'm taking. Have a great week!
Reading Challenge Updates:
Goodreads Challenge 2017 - 336/550
Diversity on the Shelf 2017 - 154/225 (goal = 50% of my books by and/or about POC)
LGBTQIA Challenge - 15/30
#OwnVoices Challenge - 93/125
#MustReadin2017 - 19/24
Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge - 62/100
I've been trying to get The Teacher's Pet at the library, but they still don't have it. Orphan Island was a compelling read, but I finished it wanting to know so much more. The First Rule of Punk sounds good.
ReplyDeleteI cannot wait to read Solo. Kwame Alexander is one of those must-read authors for me, no matter what he publishes.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing those YA novels, will look for them. I know you're busy, appreciate all the books shared!
ReplyDeleteI liked Star Crossed, but don't quite understand the fascination with Shakespeare's plays done in middle or elementary school. I'm not a fan of the bard, I'm afraid! I was disappointed that Solo was more of a Young Adult book.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to getting Solo and Miles Morales next week!
ReplyDeleteLife and Claymates are both going on Mock Caldecott!
I loved Orphan Island and Punk is on my soon to read list!
Thank you for Solo! I'm hoping I can get my thoughts together about it before it officially arrives tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteBoth Solo and the Library of Fates look fabulous.
ReplyDeleteStar-Crossed is now on my list.
These picture books are so wonderful. I really want to read My Night in the Planetarium.
I need to get to The Reader soon since it is on my MustReadIn2017 list.
Yay! I've actually read some of the books you have on your list!
ReplyDeleteStar-Crossed is so good! I also loved Claymates and Life--I think they are both Caldecott contenders!
I just received Solo and I have Miles Morales--I need to get to both of them. I also want to read First Rule of Punk and Orphan Island. And thank you for sharing Want--I hadn't heard of it before now.
Happy reading this week :)
Trying to finish up Solo ASAP. I think Claymates is great. I want it to get a Caldecott honor.
ReplyDeleteLoved reading about all of your reading. Thanks for sharing even though you have been so busy!
ReplyDelete