It's Monday! What are you reading? From Picture Books to YA (17)

It's Monday! What are you reading? is hosted by Sheila of Book Journey.  Jen & Kellee from 

Teach Mentor Texts have adapted this to focus on Picture Books to Young Adult Books.

 

Each week I'll recap what I've read/reviewed the week before 

and then look ahead to what I am planning on reading/reviewing in the upcoming week.

 

Last week's book adventures:

This is going to be a strange variation on What are you reading? With the return of Vroman's Hot Off the Press! wall, I did a post yesterday with some of my favorite picture books.  Unfortunately I didn't have a lot of time last week to read. (I only got to a stack of picture books.)  Don't you just hate those kind of weeks?!  I know I do.  Click here to check out the Hot Off the Press! post.  So, I went through the list to see what other ones I wanted to share. 

 

Here are some additional books to add to yesterday's list: 

 

 

Little Bird by Germano Zullo, Illustrated by Albertine (Enchanted Lion Books,March 27, 2012)

I love this line from the book: "Because little things are not made to be noticed. They are there to be discovered."  This is one of those simple but beautifully done books that might not get a lot of attention.

 

Seeing Symmetry by Loreen Leedy (Holiday House, March 1, 2012)

I was very eager to find this book.  The book is chock full of pictures, words, information.  Even, a statement on how it meets Common Core Standards.  When I actually looked at it, I was concerned that maybe there was just a bit too much information.  Pulling things out of the book may be more helpful as a resource.  

 

So, what are you reading this week? 

This week I am finishing up two books that I started yesterday.

 

 

The Aviary by Kathleen O'Dell (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2011)

 

 

Lucky for Good by Susan Patron, Illustrated by Erin McGuire (Atheneum, 2011)

 

 

Please share! And remember to check in at Sheila's or Jen & Kellee's blog to see what they and others are reading!    

Hot Off the Press! Is Back!

I walked into Vroman's Bookstore this morning for my weekly visit and was so excited to see the Hot Off The Press wall was back!  Yay!  I nearly did a happy dance right there.  I did collect a stack of books.

Bookstack #1

I then went over and told Kayce that I was thrilled to have the wall back, and promptly started grazing through all of the wonderful new titles.  When Morgan arrived, I repeated my appreciation for their bringing back my favorite wall.  I am glad Morgan and Kayce know me and don't think I am some crazy customer.

Bookstack #2

I even had time for a second bookstack.  Unfortunately, I didn't have time for a third bookstack so I will definitely need to visit again...soon.

Here are some of my favorites from today.  Now go read them.

Crafty Chloe by Kelly DiPucchio; Illustrated by Heather Ross (Atheneum Books for Young Readers)

C.R. Mudgeon by Leslie Muir; Illustrated by Julian Hector (Atheneum Books for Young Readers)

Kali's Song by Jeanette Winter (Random House Children's Books)

Huff & Puff by Claudia Rueda (Abrams)

Kite Day by Will Hillenbrand (Holiday House)

I am hoping that Hot Off The Press will return as a Sunday feature.  And for readers who live near enough to visit Vroman's in person - don't forget to stop in and see all of the great new books available and maybe even buy one of the above titles.    

 

As Agatha Swanbourne Once Said...The Unseen Guest Blog Tour & Guest Post from Maryrose Wood

About the Incorrigible Blog Tour: Each stop features an exclusive excerpt and guest post from Maryrose Wood, offering a special look at the wise words of her heroine’s mentor, Agatha Swanburne.

"Whatever will do in a pinch will do." - The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, 

Book 3: The Unseen Guest

More than a decade ago I was invited to spend two weeks at a prestigious writers’ conference. My two kids were very young then, and I was a newly single parent, so the logistics were daunting. Still, I thought, it was summer, and the conference was walking distance from a beach, so why not just bring the little moppets with me? I ran the idea by the conference people, who were cautious at first, but in the end they said yes.

I’d be working fulltime for the duration, so I hired a babysitter to come with us. Her salary would be more than double my honorarium for attending (oh, the glamour of the writer’s life!), but the conference was kind enough to throw in housing and meals for her and my kids as part of the package, so I counted myself lucky and got out the suitcases.

Now, if you’ve ever dragged two small children along for a two-week stay in a place not particularly oriented towards kids, you know how easy it is to go overboard with the packing. What if they want to play Uno? Uno deck packed, plus a few board games just in case. What if they need goldfish crackers and there’s no place to buy them? Two weeks’ supply of goldfish, packed. What if they get bored (will twenty picture books and a case of art supplies be enough?) or homesick (should I bring their pillows from home?) or outgrow their shoes halfway through, or it rains the whole time…. what if what if what if?

What I really needed to pack was a cure for my neurotic worrying, but I’d need a moving van to carry that much baggage. So I stopped trying. It was summer, and there was a beach. Bathing suits, a few changes of shorts and t-shirts would suffice. A couple of books, a box of crayons and some paper for rainy days. We’d have to trust the sun and the waves and the sand and the fun of being in new place to provide the bulk of the entertainment. And I remember thinking, as I zipped up our one medium sized suitcase, slung my laptop case over my shoulder, strapped the toddler in the stroller and took my kindergartner by the hand: if the house disappears while we’re gone, we’ll be okay. I have my kids, a change of clothes, and all my work on the computer. We could go anywhere now and start over, and we’d be just fine.

I think about that moment from time to time. For most of us, what we actually need to survive is only a tiny fraction of the stuff we’ve accumulated in our lives. “Whatever will do in a pinch, will do,” said Agatha Swanburne. In a pinch, we can make do with very little. And that very little is a good reminder of how much we actually need.

What stuff do you think you really need in a pinch? What could you do without?

Thanks so much to Maryrose Wood for being our guest blogger today!

Maryrose Wood is the author of The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series for middle-grade readers.  You can find her on-line at http://www.maryrosewood.com/ and on Twitter: @maryrose_wood

Don't forget to check out the next stop on the Incorrigible Blog Tour:

Hooked on Swanburnisms? On March 26th, visit www.bookyurt.com for more pithy wisdom.

About the book:

Of especially naughty children it is sometimes said, "They must have been raised by wolves."

The Incorrigible children actually were.

Since returning from London, the three Incorrigible children and their plucky governess, Miss Penelope Lumley, have been exceedingly busy. When Lord Fredrick's long-absent mother arrives with the noted explorer Admiral Faucet, gruesome secrets tumble out of the Ashton family tree. And when the admiral's prized racing ostrich gets loose in the forest, it will take all the Incorrigibles' skills to find her. But once back in the wild, will the children forget about books and poetry and go back to their howling, wolfish ways?

Learn more about the series at http://booksandgames.com/incorrigible

Spring Cleaning Giveaway Hop

Kathy from I am a Reader, Not a Writer is hosting a Spring Cleaning Giveaway Hop.  The concept is really cool.  I get to clean out some of my bookshelves and you get to win some books.  And don't forget to check all of the links for other great giveaways.

If you haven't discovered Priority flat-rate boxes from the Post Office, you really should.  They are the best for anyone needing to ship books.  I can often get about 15 books in a large flat-rate box and can mail it to anywhere in the U.S. for $14.95.  And it arrives within 2 days.  Cool huh?!

Two lucky participants will have a chance to win 1 box of books each.  One box will be filled with YA books and the other box will be filled with MG books. You can sign up to win a mixed box.

When I select the winners, I will send you a list of titles that I have available for giveaway and you may select as many of those titles as will fit in the box.

Rules for the Giveaway:

1.  Though comments are very much appreciated, please do not enter any personal information in the comments section (including your email, website, etc.).  If you do enter personal information, your comment will not be posted.

2.  You must complete the entry form to official enter the giveaway.

3.  The Contest runs from 12:00 a.m. Eastern Time on March 20, 2012 to 11:59 p.m. on March 25, 2012.  

4.  You must be 13 years or older to participate.

5.  If you are selected as the winner, you will be notified by email.  If you do not respond within 48 hours, I will select a new winner.

6. US residents only for this contest.

It's Monday! What are you reading? From Picture Books to YA (16)

It's Monday! What are you reading? is hosted by Sheila of Book Journey.  Jen & Kellee from 

Teach Mentor Texts have adapted this to focus on Picture Books to Young Adult Books.

 

Each week I'll recap what I've read/reviewed the week before 

and then look ahead to what I am planning on reading/reviewing in the upcoming week.

 

Last week's book adventures:

Two weeks ago, I read a lot but didn't enjoy that many of the books I read.  This week, I read a lot less but really liked the books that I read. 

 

Here are my favorites from the past week:

 

 

Beep and Bah by James Burks - Take one goat and a robot with a desire for adventure and a missing sock and see what happens.  This picture book with a graphic novel feel was a big hit with my first and second graders.

 

 

Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos - I listened to this as an audiobook and enjoyed it very much.  Not sure what kid audience I can share it with yet, except maybe as a read aloud.  However, I would recommend the audio.

 

 

Black Hole Sun by David Macinnis Gill - If anyone is a fan of shows like Firefly, Farscape, or Andromeda, you will enjoy Gill's sci-fi dystopian novel.  Snark, action, a hot fictional guy, and a kick-butt girl.  Yep, I enjoyed this one and glad I only have to wait another week for book 2 to come out.

Nonfiction Picture Books:
Remember - Nonfiction Picture Book reviews will be posted on Wednesday (and possibly on some other days as well).

So, what are you reading this week? 

Please share! And remember to check in at Sheila's or Jen & Kellee's blog to see what they and others are reading!