It's Monday! What are you reading? From Picture Books to YA - August 4, 2014

August 4, 2014 Alyson Beecher

It's Monday! What are you reading? is hosted by Sheila of Book Journey. Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from Unleashing Readers have adapted it to focus on Picture Books to Young Adult Books.

Thanks to one of my bookseller friends letting me into her box of F&G's, I actually read 72 books last week. Granted most were picture books but there were some great ones in that stack. Also, thanks to Carrie Gelson, I found some super wonderful ones.

Here is what jumped out of the stack and probably a few more that I left off because I couldn't decide what to add....

Extraordinary Warren: A Super Chicken by Sarah Dillard (Aladdin, February 11, 2014) - I found this early reader about a super chicken while hanging out at Vromans. It's a lot of fun.

Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin by Chieri Uegaki; Illustrated by Qin Leng (Kids Can Press, August 1, 2014) - Carrie recommended this book to me and oh it was so charming. I was thankful to be introduced to a new author.

Inside My Imagination by Marta Arteaga; Illustrated by Zuzanna Celej (Cuento de Luz, April 1, 2013) - This was another great recommendation from Carrie Gelson. The illustrations and text were great and I loved the focus on imagination.

What Do You Do With an Idea? by Kobi Yamada (Compendium Inc, February 1, 2014) - I love this book about how an idea grows and expands.

Every Day is Malala Day by Rosemary McCarney (Second Story Press, March 8, 2014) - Thank you Carrie Gelson for sending this one to me. I loved the book and can't wait to create some kind of school-wide activity around this book.

Summoning the Phoenix: Poems and Prose About Chinese Musical Instruments by Emily Jiang (Shen's Books, March 17, 2014) - The poems were great but the information about musical instruments is what really fascinated me.

Through the Woods by Emily Carroll (Margaret K. McElderry, July 15, 2014) - For fans of books like Adam Gidwitz's A Tale Dark and Grimm, this is filled with several short, dark and creepy tales with equally creepy illustrations.

Julia's House for Lost Creatures by Ben Hatke (First Second, September 2, 2014) - I love this newest book from Hatke. Great illustrations and a fun story. Put it on your TBR list.

Hug Machine by Scott Campbell (Simon & Schuster, August 26, 2014) - I really like Scott Campbell's work and well a hug machine? How can you not like it.

Give and Take by Chris Raschka (Simon & Schuster, August 26, 2014) - Sometimes Raschka surprises me and this is one that I really like. It is a bit fablesque and I enjoyed that about the book.

Born in the Wild: Baby Mammals and Their Parents by Lita Judge (Roaring Brook Press, October 2014) - I really like Lita Judge's books, and this one is no exception. I can't wait to see the final version.

So, what are you reading?

It's Monday! What are you reading? From Picture Books to YA - 7/28/14

July 28, 2014 Alyson Beecher

This Wednesday I am heading back to work, and I am trying to squeeze in a few more books before I call time on summer #bookaday. Since May 30th when I started summer #bookaday, I have read 165 books and made a serious dent in several categories of books that I have been meaning to read. One category was nonfiction, which I have been trying to catch up on new and older releases. I managed to read 53 nonfiction titles this summer (29 nonfiction titles from 2014 * 5 nonfiction titles from 2013 * 19 nonfiction titles from 2012 or older).

Here is what stood out from this past week's stack....

Drop It, Rocket! by Tad Hill (Schwartz & Wade, July 8, 2014) - I love the Rocket books and this new early reader is a fun read. I really enjoyed this one.

The River by Alessandro Sanna (Enchanted Lion Books, March 4, 2014) - This nearly wordless book has the most amazing illustrations. It really is an amazing collection of paintings.

Fear the Amoeba (Squish #6) by Jenni Holm and Matt Holm (Random House, July 21, 2014) - I simply love Squish.

This One Summer by Mariko Tamika; Illustrated by Jillian Tamika (First Second, May 6, 2014) - I love the artwork in this book, though I am still processing my thoughts about this one.

My Country, 'Tis of Thee: How One Song Reveals the History of Civil Rights by Claire Rudolf Murphy; Illustrated by Bryan Collier (Henry Holt & Co., June 3, 2014) - I was fascinated with the approach that Murphy took by looking at the progression of this song and the history of civil rights.

Mix It Up! by Hervé Tullet (Chronicle Books, September 16, 2014) - Yes, there is a follow up to Press Here and it is just as much fun.

So, what are you reading?

It's Monday! What are you reading? From Picture Books to YA - July 21, 2014

July 21, 2014 Alyson Beecher

There are so many books that I still want to read this summer but I start some and move some around and return to some at later times. I loved Donalyn Miller's post about Hit Pause on the Nerdy Book Club on Sunday. It very much describes my reading life right now. If you haven't seen it, go check it out and then come back here. We will wait for you.

Here are some of my favorites from last week...

Comics Squad: Recess! by Jennifer Holm, Matt Holm, Jarrett Krosoczka, Dan Santat, Raina Telgemeier and more (Random House, July 8, 2014) - In a similar format to Babymouse or Lunch Lady, some of my favorite cartoonists come together with a collection of short stories. A fun read that children will love.

Miss Emily by Burleigh Muten; Illustrated by Matt Phelan (Candlewick, March 25, 2014) - Part biographical and part historical fiction, Muten pens a story in verse about the poet, Emily Dickinson and several neighborhood children.

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson (Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin, August 28, 2014) - Woodson's memoir in poems and verse is a powerful and moving look at the influences that made Jacqueline Woodson who she is today. It also provides readers with a sense of the Civil Rights movement during the 1960's & 1970's.

Shelter Pet Squad #1: Jelly Bean by Cynthia Lord (Scholastic, August 26, 2014) - The first book in a new early middle grade series by author Cynthia Lord. Children who are particularly fond of animals will enjoy the book.

It's Monday! What are your reading? From Picture Books to YA - July 7, 2014

July 7, 2014 Alyson Beecher

In looking at my posts, I realized that I have been so busy that I have not done an IMWAYR post since June 9th. I think that is the longest I have gone without doing one. However, I have been reading. Over the course of that time, I have read 65 books and since I started #bookaday, I have read 126 total books.

Here are my favorites from the past several weeks:

Nightingale's Nest by Nikki Loftin (Razorbill, February 20, 2014)

Ivan: The Remarkable True Story of the Shopping Mall Gorilla by Katherine Applegate; Illustrated by Brian G. Karas (Clarion Books, October 7, 2014)

Hidden: A Child's Story of the Holocaust by Loic Dauvillier, Marc Lizano; Greg Salsedo (Ink); Alexis Siegel (Translator) (First Second, April 2, 2014)

Sisters by Raina Telgemeier (Graphix, August 26, 2014))

My Teacher is a Monster! (No, I am Not.) by Peter Brown (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, July 1, 2014)

The Troublemaker by Lauren Castillo (Clarion Books, June 3, 2014)

The Hueys in None the Number: A Counting Adventure by Oliver Jeffers (Philomel, July 1, 2014)

Hooray for Hat! by Brian Won (HMH Books for Young Readers, June 3, 2014)

The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak (Dial Books, September 30, 2014)

Swamp Chomp by Lola M. Schaefer; Illustrated by Paul Meisel (Holiday House, January 14, 2014)

The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus by Jen Bryant; Illustrated by Melissa Sweet (Eerdman's, September 15, 2014)

The Bathing Costume: Or the Worst Vacation of My Life by Charlotte Moundlic; Illustrated by Olivier Tallic (Enchanted Lions Books, 2013)

So, what are you reading?

It's Monday! What are you reading? From Picture Books to YA - June 9, 2014

June 9, 2014 Alyson Beecher

It's Monday! What are you reading?

is hosted by Sheila of

Book Journey

. Jen from

Teach Mentor Texts

and Kellee and Ricki from

Unleashing Readers

have adapted it to focus on

Picture Books to Young Adult Books

This week was a good reading week, though not quite to the same level as the previous week. I continued with book-a-day with a focus on reading as many picture books and some other things off of my very long TBR list.

11 - nonfiction or informational text

2 - Early Readers

25 - picture books

2 - Adult graphic novels

Total

: 40 books

As with last week, much of what I read this week has come from checking out the

What are You Reading?

and

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday

posts from all of you.

Here is what jumped out of the stack...

The Herd Boy

by Niki Daly (Eerdman's Books for Young Readers, 2012) - A young boy has dreams of becoming a great leader. A powerful message.

The Silver Button

by Bob Graham (Candlewick Press, 2013) - I love Bob Graham's work. It is a bit quirky but with an incredible message. A baby takes his first steps and what is everyone else doing at the same time. Great perspective.

Throw Your Tooth on the Roof: Tooth Traditions from Around the World

by Selby B. Beeler; Illustrated by G. Brian Karas (HMH Books for Young Readers, 1998) - Enjoyed this book about "tooth fairy" traditions around the world.

Windblown

by Édouard Manceau; Translated by Sarah Quinn (Owlkids Books, 2013) - A few shapes and a concept that is pulled off marvelously.

Mister Bud Wears the Cone

by Carter Goodrich (Simon & Schuster, June 3, 2014) - Dogs and the cone. A fun story that pet lovers will enjoy!

The Red Book

by Barbara Lehman (HMH Books for Younger Readers, 2004) - Wordless but filled with perspective. Love this book.

Adult (or at least 16+)...

Pride of Baghdad

by Brian K. Vaughn; Illustrated by Niko Henrichon (Vertigo, 2006) - I am a fan of Vaughn's work with

Runaways

and his new series

Saga

. So, when I was at a comic book store recently and saw this one discounted I knew I had to pick it up. It is based on a true story of 4 lions who escaped from the zoo in 2003 after a bombing. Definitely has adult content/references.

So, what are you reading?

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