It's Monday! What are you reading? From Picture Books to Young Adult - 3/6/27

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Kathryn at Book Date.  Kellee Moye, of Unleashing Readers, and  Jen Vincent of Teach Mentor Texts decided to give It's Monday! What Are You Reading? a kid lit focus. We encourage everyone who participates to visit at least three of the other kid lit book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

It was an especially good week for picture books. Here is what jumped out of the book stack this week....

This House, Once by Deborah Freedman (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, February 28, 2017) - Deborah Freedman is on my automatic buy list. I love her beautifully illustrated quiet stories.

Animal Ark: Celebrating Our Wild World in Poetry and Pictures by Kwame Alexander; Photographs by Joel Sartore (National Geographic Kids, February 14, 2017) - I am not sure what I was expecting when I opened this book but I found so much more. Engaging poetry with jump off the page photographs. Pick this one up.

Life On Mars by Jon Agee (Dial Books, February 28, 2017) - An act of kindness and some humor and a boy and an alien and chocolate cupcakes. What's not to love about this? 

Little Fox in the Forest by Stephanie Graegin (Schwartz & Wade Books, February 28, 2017) - A gorgeous wordless picture book filled with imagination.

Little Penguin Gets the Hiccups by Tadgh Bentley (Balzer & Bray, 2015) - Oh this one would be a fun read aloud. Don't know how I missed this when it first came out but I did. Glad to have found it now.

Ferocious Fluffity: A Mighty Bite-y Class Pet by Erica S. Perl; Illustrated by Henry Cole (Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2016) I was looking for this one last year when it came out but I missed it. Finally got a chance to read it, and when you do, you will never look at a classroom pet in the same way again. 

The Bad Guys: Episode 2: Mission Unpluckable by Aaron Blabey (Scholastic Press, February 28, 2017) - Finally got my hands on Book 2. Though not a picture book, this illustrated graphic novel hybrid is a winner in my book.

Alex Award Challenge: This year I challenged myself to read at least half of the 2017 Alex Award Winners. My second Alex Winner is Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire (Tor, 2016). I just started the book, but will report back. 

In case you missed it...

#Road2Reading Challenge: Toon Books

NFPB Challenge 2017: National Women's History Month

Duck and Hippo in the Rainstorm Review & Giveaway

So, what are you reading? 

Duck and Hippo in the Rainstorm Review and Giveaway

Duck and Hippo in the Rainstorm
by Jonathan London; Illustrated by Andrew Joyner
Two Lions Publishing (March 1, 2017)
Fiction * Social Issues * Friendship
Audience: Ages 4 to 7 years old
Amazon | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads: 
Get ready for a rainy-day adventure with Duck and Hippo!

Duck and Hippo may be completely different, but they are best friends. When playful Duck invites careful Hippo to go for a walk in the rain, they have trouble sharing Duck’s umbrella. But Duck and Hippo won’t let that stop them. Soon they are puddle-jumping and sailing down the river! Until…WHOOOSH! A terrible wind sends the umbrella flying up, up, up into the air, with one friend holding on. What will Duck and Hippo do now? Jonathan London’s charming text and Andrew Joyner’s delightful art bring to life two lovable friends in this fun new series.

Quick thoughts on the book:
Friendship stories, especially those between opposites, easily become favorites of young children. Opposites naturally allow the author to interject conflict and humor into the story, and when the story wraps up, there is an extra level of satisfaction and enjoyment for the reader. 

When Duck and Hippo venture out for a walk on a rainy day, there are a number of times when the two need to negotiate a next step in order to continue. These negotiations provide quite a few opportunities for humor but also help young readers to learn important skills about getting along with others and working through difficulties. 

The refrain "And that worked just fine" carries the reader along each humorous twist. 

Duck and Hippo's day of fun in the rain will make everyone want to put on a raincoat and boots and have some fun and then return home for a warm drink and another read through of the book.

There’s more fun with Duck and Hippo in the free downloadable activity sheets: https://www.andrewjoyner.com.au/activities/

About the author: 
Jonathan London is the author of more than one hundred children’s books, including the bestselling Froggy series, illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. Many of his books explore nature, among them Flamingo Sunset, illustrated by Kristina Rodanas, and Little Penguin: The Emperor of Antarctica, illustrated by Julie Olson. He is currently writing a middle-grade series, which started with Desolation Canyon, illustrated by his son Sean London. Jonathan lives in Graton, California. Learn more online at www.jonathan-london.net.

About the illustrator: 
Andrew Joyner is an illustrator, author, and cartoonist based in South Australia. He has illustrated a number of picture books, and he wrote and illustrated a chapter book series about a warthog named Boris. He has also illustrated for newspapers and magazines, including the Wall Street Journal, Reader’s Digest, and Rolling Stone magazine, among others. Learn more online at www.andrewjoyner.com.au.

Giveaway!

Two Lions is offering a copy of DUCK AND HIPPO IN THE RAINSTORM to one lucky winner (U.S. addresses).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: Celebrating National Women's History Month

This year, even more than in years past, I am excited to celebrate Women's History Month. This was the year that I dreamt that we celebrate our first woman president. Alas, rather than take a huge step forward, we are still fighting for equal rights in 2017. We are still fighting misogyny. We are still fighting for equal pay and for the right to make decisions about our bodies and health care. So, this is for "all the little girls"...may they take courage and hope from those who came before as they go forward to make new contributions to the world.

In February for #NF10for10, I posted 10 picture book biographies about woman who "nevertheless persisted". You can check out my post here.  There were so many more books I wanted to share. For the month of March, I will continue to celebrate books about women and the amazing impact that they have had on history. 

Today, I am featuring five recent or upcoming releases that celebrate five very different women and their contributions to society.

Swimming With Sharks: The Daring Discoveries of Eugenie Clark by Heather Lang; Illustrated by Jordi Solano (Albert Whitman & Co, December 2016)

The Legendary Miss Lena Horne by Carole Boston Weatherford; Illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, January 2017)

Caroline's Comet: A True Story by Emily Arnold McCully (Holiday House, February 28, 2017)

Dorothea Lange: The Photographer Who Found the Faces of the Depression by Carole Boston Weatherford; Illustrated by Sarah Green (Albert Whitman & Co, February 28, 2017) 

When Jackie Saved Grand Central: The True Story of Jacqueline Kennedy's Fight for an American Icon by Natasha Wing; Illustrated by Alexandra Boiger (HMH Books for Young Readers, March 7, 2017)

For older readers looking for a longer read...

Girl Rising: Changing the World One Girl at a Time by Tanya Lee Stone (Wendy Lamb Books, February 14, 2017) 

Look for these titles at your local indie bookstore or community library. 

Artwork by Sarah S Brannen, 2017

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews...

#Road2Reading Challenge: Toon Books

All journeys have a starting place.
This is a weekly place to find books and tools
that you may use with readers at the start of their reading journey.
Join in the conversation at #road2reading.

Each week, Michele Knott and I post about new early readers and chapter books.  This week, we are both looking at graphic novels for readers just starting out.  One of my favorite sources for graphic novel style books for readers in kindergarten to third graders is Toon Books. For teachers using Guided Reading as part of Balanced Literacy in their classrooms, Toon Books provides a guided reading level for each of their books.  

From the Toon Books website: 
"TOON Books are the first high-quality comics designed for children ages three and up. Each book in the collection is just right for reading to the youngest child. Perhaps more remarkably, this is the first collection ever designed to offer early readers comics they can read themselves. Each TOON book has been vetted by educators to ensure that the language and the narratives will nurture young minds. Our books feature original stories and characters created by veteran children’s book authors, renowned cartoonists and new talents, all applying their extraordinary skills to fascinate young children with tales that will welcome them to the magic of reading." 

Level 1 Books: 

Something's Fishy by Kevin McCloskey (April 4, 2017)

Level 1 books typically look more like a picture book with illustrations, labels, and text.

Level 1 books also tend to include dialogue bubbles throughout the book. 

Level 2: Easy-to-Read Comics for Emerging Readers:

Benny and Penny in How to Say Goodbye by Geoffrey Hayes (September 2016)

Benny and Penny is one of my favorite Toon Book series. In Level 2 books, you can see the development of comic style with boxes, dialogue bubbles, and the importance of the illustrations to help tell the story.

I also appreciate that Toon Books provide a teacher's guide for using the books in the classroom. 

Level 3: Chapter Books for Advanced Readers: 

Written and Drawn by Henrietta by Liniers (September 2015)

Written and Drawn by Henrietta won a Batchelder Award in 2016. 

Some other things I love about Toon Books is that there are a number of them that are available in Spanish. At one point, I know they also had a feature on their ebooks that allowed the book to be read in more than one language. I have not downloaded a newer book to confirm that they still do it. However, on the Toon Books website, there are a number of "read along" videos and many other resources. 

Look for Toon Books at your favorite indie bookstores or at the public library. 

Don't forget to link up your reviews:

It's Monday! What are you reading? From Picture Books to YA - 2/27/17

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Kathryn at Book Date.  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. We encourage everyone who participates to visit at least three of the other kidlit book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

Here is what jumped out of the book stack this week.....

The Bear Who Wasn't There by LeUyen Pham (Roaring Brook Press, 2016) - I love this book. Lots of fun and love the metafiction. 

The Banana Leaf Ball: How Play Can Change the World by Katie Smith Milway; Illustrated by Shane Evans (Kids Can Press, April 4, 2017) - We need books like this to open the world to young readers. This book also adds an element of creating friendship in difficult circumstances. 

The Green Umbrella by Jackie Azua Kramer; Illustrated by Maral Sassouni (North South Books) - A sweet story of accommodation and friendship. 

Use Your Imagination by Nicola Byrne (Nosy Crow, 2015) - A fun read about using your imagination to create a story and the twist at the end of the story.

Octo-Man and the Headless Monster (The Escapades of Clint McCool) by Jane Kelley; Illustrated by Jessika Von Innerebner (Grosset & Dunlap, May 9, 2017) - A transitional chapter book filled with imagination, humor, and adventure.

A Rambler Steals Home by Carter Higgins (HMH Books for Young Readers, February 28, 2017) - I am so excited for Carter Higgins and her debut novel. More about this one to come on the blog. 

In case you missed these posts....

#Road2Reading Challenge: Transitional Chapter Books

#NFPB2017 Challenge - The Youngest Marcher

So, what are you reading?