It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. Jen Vincent of Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee Moye of Unleashing Readers decided to give It's Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. It is 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!
Normally, I love this "meme" and participate in it very consistently. In the past, I have missed a week or two here and there. However, the first six months of this year life has been less than normal for me. As a way of getting things back on track, I am trying to get back to my normal reading and blogging routine, which means getting back to this meme.
To do that, I am doing a mega-catch up post with my favorite books from the past 3 months (April 1 to July 13th). Please note: I have included release dates for books coming out in August, September, & October.
Picture Books:
Anna Banana and the Chocolate Explosion by Dominique Roques; Illustrated by Alexis Dormal (First Second, June 2015) - If you have not read Sleep Tight, Anna Banana, I would add that to you list as well. Both feature an adorable tyke and lots of mischief.
Everyone Loves Bacon by Kelly DiPucchio; Illustrated by Eric Wight (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, September 1, 2015) - Whether you like bacon or not, this will be one book that you will want to read when it comes out. It also has a great ending.
I Used to Be Afraid by Laura Vaccaro Seeger (Roaring Brook Press, September 29, 2015) - I am a big fan of Seeger's work and this one is a bit different but just as enjoyable. Also, it has a fabulous ending.
Lenny & Lucy by Philip C. Stead; Illustrated by Erin E. Stead (Roaring Brook Press, October 6, 2015) - The team of Stead and Stead are back with another charming book of friendship and imagination.
Leo: A Ghost Story by Mac Barnett; Illustrated by Christian Robinson (Chronicle Books, August 25, 2015) - There are a lot of friendship books out there but this may just be one of my favorites. It is hard to be a friend when you are a ghost, but there is just the right friend out there.
Miss Hazeltine's Home for Shy and Fearful Cats by Alicia Potter; Illustrated by Birgitta Sif (Knopf Books for Young Readers, May 2015) - Sure cat lovers will adore this book, but it really is about finding courage and facing your fears.
My Pen by Christopher Myers (Disney-Hyperion, March 10, 2015) - A beautifully illustrated book about imagination.
One Day, The End: Short, Very Short, Shorter-than-Ever Stories by Rebecca Kai Dotlich; Illustrated by Fred Koehler (Boyds Mills Press, October 6, 2015) - This is probably one of my favorite books of 2015 and you will be hearing more about this one from me.
The Skunk by Mac Barnett; Illustrated by Patrick McDonnell (Roaring Brook Press, April 2015) - Quirky and wonderful - just what you can expect from Barnett & McDonnell.
Where's Walrus? And Penguin? by Stephen Savage (Scholastic, September 29, 2015) - A Wonderful follow-up to Where's Walrus?
Early Readers/Early Chapter Books:
Francine Poulet Meets the Ghost Raccoon (Tales from Deckawoo Drive #2) by Kate DiCamillo; Illustrated by Chris Van Dusen (Candlewick Press, August 25, 2015) - The 2nd book in the Deckawoo Drive series. I think it maybe even better than the first one and I enjoyed that one too.
I Will Take a Nap! by Mo Willems (Disney-Hyperion, June 2, 2015) - I had a blast reading this with Cynthia Alaniz at ALA. Another fun Elephant & Piggie book to share with young readers.
Little Shaq by Shaquille O'Neal; Illustrated by Theodore Taylor III (Bloomsbury Children's, October 6, 2015) - This is the first book in a new early chapter book series by Shaquille O'Neal. It will easily find fans.
Piper Green and the Fairy Tree by Ellen Potter; Illustrated by Qin Leng (Knopf Books for Young Readers, August 4, 2015) - Ellen Potter is back with a new early chapter book set in Maine and a one room school house. I look forward to further books in the series.
The Princess in Black and the Perfect Princess Party by Shannon Hale, Dean Hale; Illustrated by LeUyen Pham (Candlewick, October 13, 2015) - The Princess in Black is back and it is hard to celebrate your birthday, entertain friends, and fight monsters. Fans of the first book will certainly enjoy this follow-up.
Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones; Illustrated by Katie Kath (Knopf Books for Young Readers, May 2015) - This one is really more of a transition books for readers moving from early chapter books to MG novels. And of course anything with chickens has to be funny and this one certainly is fun to read.
Waiting by Kevin Henkes (Greenwillow Books, September 1, 2015) - Henkes is back with a charming story of life on a windowsill for a group of toys.
Graphic Novels:
Baba Yaga's Assistant by Marika McCoola; Illustrated by Emily Carroll (Candlewick Press, August 4, 2015) - For fans of Baba Yaga tales, McCoola provides a just right creepy retelling of the classic story. Carroll (Through the Woods ) illustrative style matches perfectly.
Bad Babysitter (Babymouse #19) by Jennifer L. Holm, Matthew Holm (Random House, April 14, 2015) - As with everything Babymouse faces ups and downs when taking on her first babysitting duties.
Extraordinary Warren Saves the Day (Book 2) by Sarah Dillard (Aladdin 2014) - An early graphic novel that features a chicken. As I said earlier, chicken stories are always funny and this one will entertain young readers.
Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. Holm, Matthew Holm (Scholastic Graphix, August 25, 2015) - As the 9 yro in my life said , "I liked that it had funny parts, and serious parts, and parts where she is younger. I really liked it." Different from Jenni & Matt Holm's previous graphic novels but sure to be a hit with readers.
Middle Grade Novels:
George by Alex Gino (Scholastic, August 25, 2015) - George is a fourth grade boy who identifies as a girl and aspires to play Charlotte (Charlotte's Web) in a school play. The emotional challenge of keeping such a big secret and the struggle in determining how to reveal it to family and friends is handled with sensitivity and hope.
The Great Good Summer by Liz Garton Scanlon (Beach Lane Books, May 2015) - Scanolon's first novel is filled with honest emotions, big questions, friendship, and a road trip of discovery.
The Inker's Shadow by Allen Say (Scholastic, September 29, 2015) Say's follow-up to Drawing From Memory takes readers further on the journey that Say faced in becoming an artist/illustrator.
The Marvels by Brian Selznick (Scholastic Press, September 15, 2015) - Though this may follow in the footsteps of Hugo Cabret and Wonderstruck, The Marvels is unique in it's own way. This one moved me on a very deep emotional level and if you cry easily, I recommend a box of tissues.
Ruby On the Outside by Nora Raleigh Baskin (Simon & Schuster, June 16, 2015) - This will be a quiet book and may need help finding the right readers. However, there are children out there holding tightly onto secrets and afraid to make a friend or trust someone because of their secrets.
Nonfiction (for more nonfiction check out the #nfpb2015 challenge on Wednesdays):
The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch by Chris Barton; Illustrated by Don Tate (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, April 1, 2015) - I had little to no background knowledge of John Roy Lynch. Barton provides young readers with enough to draw them in and leave them wanting to learn more. Tate's illustrations make readers feel the importance of Lynch and his life.
The Blue Whale by Jenni Desmond (Enchanted Lion Books, May 2015) - A beautiful book about a beautiful creature. Desmond uses text and illustrations to help children understand importance information about Blue Whales.
Enormous Smallness: A Story of E.E. Cummings by Matthew Burgess; Illustrated by Kris Di Giacomo (Enchanted Lion Books, April 7, 2015) - A wonderful picture book introduction to the life of E.E. Cummings.
Jump Back, Paul: The Life and Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar by Sally Derby; Illustrated by Sean Qualls (Candlewick Press, September 22, 2015) Poetry and prose mix together to tell about the life of poet Paul Laurence Dunbar.
Photos Framed: A Fresh Look at the World's Most Memorable Photographs by Ruth Thompson, Various (Candlewick, 2014) - This is one of those books that invites discussion and thought. Through the use of photographs, background information, questions and zooming in and out, readers are left to create their own conclusions.
Thomas Jefferson Grows a Nation by Peggy Thomas; Illustrations by Stacy Innerst (Calkins Creek, September 8, 2015) - It would be interesting to pull together the various picture book biographies on Thomas Jefferson in order to look at the various aspects of this leader's life. Thomas provides readers with further insight to Jefferson's agricultural interests, as well as, his work in France.
Trombone Shorty by Troy Andrews; Illustrated by Bryan Collier (Abrams, April 2015) - An entertaining autobiographical picture book about the early life of Trombone Shorty and the path that led him to becoming an internationally known jazz musician.
So, what are you reading?