It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

Jen & Kellee over at Teach Mentor Texts host a meme every Monday that invites people to share the children's and young adult books they have been reading over the past week and what they plan on reading the following week.

You may find more complete information about what I am reading at Goodreads or by clicking on the Goodreads widget along the side of my blog.

Past Week:

2012 Nerdy Shortlist

In the Sea has fabulous illustrations and wonderful word play throughout this collection of sea poems. I loved it! The Plant Hunters was interesting especially since I had read Measuring the World last month which also followed some plant hunters and I am now reading Charles and Emma: The Darwin's Leap of Faith too. I am hitting quite a few books about plant collectors all in the same month.  We've Got a Job is an inspiring look at some children who believed that they could help change their world and went on to do it. 

Printz Challenge

I love, love, love Terry Pratchett's ability to tell a tale and am so thankful that I started the Printz Challenge or I may have never picked up this book. I have read his Tiffany Aching books, but had been reluctant to start any others. I don't know why precisely. I am glad that I experienced Nation. It caused me to think, to wonder, and he also managed to make me cry.

Picture Books

Lots of great stories in the picture books this week. Too many to talk about individually, but if you can, try to find Nicola Campbell's books about the First Nation residential school experience.

Middle Grade and YA

As Long as the Rivers Flow was another book about a First Nation residential school experience. Having to leave family, culture, and everything you know at such a young age without a choice had to be so difficult. I appreciate that there are more and more books that are sharing the experience and helping us to understand the history of our continent. 

I enjoyed the characters and friendships in Bamboo People. They may not have had much in common, but they were able to find ways to connect with each other.

The Coming Week:

I am reading Charles and Emma with my ears and am also finishing up Navigating Early which I was so happy to get from my Book Buddy through Jen & Kellee's book exchange. I have My Friend Dahmer, Ichiro, Astronaut Academy: Zero Gravity and Almost Home in my bookstack for the week and will also likely throw in a few unexpectedly. Have a great week of reading!

It's Monday! What are You Reading?

Jen & Kellee over at Teach Mentor Texts host a meme every Monday that invites people to share the children's and young adult books they have been reading over the past week and what they plan on reading the following week.

You may find more complete information about what I am reading at Goodreads or by clicking on the Goodreads widget along the side of my blog.

Past Week:

Newbery Challenge

All three of these were re-reads and each also had a bit of mystery. What was funny was that I enjoyed them just as much or even more this time even knowing the ending ahead of time. With all of them, I felt like I was able to notice more details since I already knew the basic plot line. When You Reach Me has so many layers and twists that I still had to pay close attention. Moon Over Manifest felt even richer this time. I enjoyed the deep sense of place. Dead End in Norvelt also captured the setting very well. I felt like I knew the characters. I also laughed out loud on more than one occasion. Overall, this was a good week and it was exciting to be finishing up the Newbery Challenge. Now I am just waiting for the morning announcement at the ALA Youth Media Awards so I can read one final Newbery and completely finish this challenge - at least until next January. Yay!!

Picture Books

Lovabye Dragon was an adorable book about the unlikely friendship between a little girl and a dragon. I am so Handsome made me laugh. He is just as full of himself as the title makes him appear. This is also one of those books with a surprise ending. It is apparently a follow up to the book I am so Strong. I will have to read that one too. The Insomniacs was a book I could relate to as I am a night owl, but somehow the ending wasn't satisfactory so it was just okay.

Nerdy Shortlist 2012

After reading these two, I still have 23 Nerdy shortlist books to finish, but finishing the Newberys has been my priority. Now that I am done (or almost done) with those, I can focus on working my way through this awesome list. There Goes Ted Williams was a nice picture book biography. I especially liked the part at the end of the book that told about the more negative aspects of his personality so that he isn't portrayed entirely as a hero with no faults.

Dropping into the fantasy world of Shadow and Bone cost me some hours of sleep. I sat on the floor outside my bedroom door unwilling to go in to sleep. I was both bummed and pleased to realize at the end that it was the beginning of a series so there wasn't a nice tidy ending, but at least I know there will be more in the future.

Adult Fiction!!

Unbelievable, but I did actually read a book written for an adult audience. Strange, but true. Our former exchange student from Germany recommended it to me. Our library only had an audio version, so this is what I listened to each time I did my exercises. Measuring the World is about two very distinct personalities. One is a mathematician and the other is an explorer. It was not meant to be a comedy, but there were many funny bits in there.  One of the characters is a genius who is frustrated by the slow minds of the people around him. One time he said that "His students were the stupidest people he had ever met." It was a bit bizarre, but certainly entertaining.

For the Coming Week:

I will be reading the newest Newbery and then any of the major award books that I have not yet read. If that isn't many, then I will be working on the 2012 Nerdy Shortlist books because I want to know all of those books that the Nerdybookclub nominated last year before I move on to the 2013 books. I am so excited for the announcements! Have a great week.

Some Nerdy Poetry

In reading some of the books on the Nerdy short-list, found here, I have come across a few noteworthy poems this past week. Some of them were old friends and some are now brand-new friends. A few were even hidden in a narrative rather than featured in a poetry collection.

From Forget-Me-Nots: Poems to Learn by Heart
  Selected by Mary Ann Hoberman

The Road goes ever on and on
(from The Fellowship of the Ring)

The Road goes ever on and on
      Down form the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
      And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
      Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
     And wither then? I cannot say.
      J.R.R. Tolkien


From A Stick is an Excellent Thing by Marilyn Singer

Really Fast!
 
Skateboard races,
          pigeon chases,
                running bases.
              Backyard dashes,
            racecar crashes,
       puddle splashes.

Everything's a blast
      when you do it really fast!

From Walking on Earth & Touching the Sky
    Edited by Timothy P. McLaughlin

Racism

Racism is a strong bullet through a person's heart.
Racism is like a bank with lots of unkind words.
Racism is like a gun in a child's hands
loaded with all the words a devil would say
     --Julian Bear Runner


Quiet

Quiet is the ringing in the ear.
Quiet is the pitch of the night.
Quiet is the feeling of relaxed.
Quiet is the soft touch of friends.
Quiet is the tenderness of babies sleeping.
     --Tia Catches

The Earth is God's face showing all over the place. --Sandy Red Feather

From No Crystal Stair: A Documentary Novel of the Life and Work of Lewis Michaux, Harlem Bookseller

Mother to Son

Well, son, I'll tell you:

Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.

It's had tacks in it,

And splinters,

And boards torn up,

And places with no carpet on the floor--

Bare.

But all the time

I'se been a-climbin' on ,

And reachin' landin's,

And turnin' corners,

And sometimes goin' in the dark

Where there ain't been no light.

So, boy, don't you turn back.

Don't you set down on the steps.

'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.

Don't you fall now--

For I'se still climbin',

And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.

     --Langston Hughes

The Dream Keeper

Bring me all of your dreams

You dreamer,

Bring me all your 

Heart melodies

That I may wrap them 

In a blue cloud-cloth

Away from the too-rough fingers

Of the world. 

    --Langston Hughes

I really appreciate the Nerdy Book Club and it's unceasing quest to inspire and encourage reading. I especially like that we help each other to push past our usual boundaries and read a wide variety of books. I love being a part of this wonderful reading community!