It's Monday! What are you reading? 9-9-13

Originally hosted by Sheila at Book Journey, Jen over at Teach Mentor Texts along with Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers also host a kidlit version of It's Monday! What are You Reading?

With so many teachers going back to school this past week and falling down exhausted every night as soon as they get home (I remember that feeling), I feel sort of guilty saying what a great reading week I had, but now that I'm working from home, I have a lot of time to relax and read. Of course, that will probably change this evening since the first day of my new grad class starts tonight.


Last week I finished reading:

Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles
The Nazi Hunters: How a Team of Spies and Survivors Captured the World's Most Notorious Nazi by Neal Bascomb
I really enjoyed Jumping off Swings and I'm glad I read it before diving into Living with Jackie Chan. I know it's not necessary to read JoS first, but for me, I'm glad I did. And The Nazi Hunters? OMG! What a riveting book! I'm currently working on writing a longer review but this is a must-read for anyone looking to add more nonfiction to your life, if you love spy novels, or if you like reading about World War II. It has a similar structure and style of writing as Steve Sheinkin's Bomb: The Race to Build - And Steal - The World's Most Dangerous Weapon.


Last week I finished listening:

Such Wicked Intent by Kenneth Oppel
A solid sequel to This Dark Endeavor, but the first book was much more memorable.


Last week I reviewed:

The Boy on the Porch by Sharon Creech



Some picture books I particularly enjoyed last week:

Ugly Fish by Kara LeReau, illustrated by Scott Magoon
Before there was I Want My Hat BackandThis Is Not My Hatthere was Ugly Fish.


Lester's Dreadful Sweaters by K.G. Campbell
Lester like things just so. His haircut, his bow tie, even his socks, which need to be perfectly even at all times. So when Cousin Clara comes to visit, Lester is aghast to discover she has a penchant for knitting hideous sweaters. And no matter how he finds ways to destroy the sweater she knits for him, Clara comes back the next day with a new one, more hideous than the last. A fun plot, hilarious illustrations, and descriptive writing make this quite the entertaining read. 
 
Hank Finds an Egg by Rebecca Dudley
I think 2013 is the year of the wordless picture books. Yet another beautiful, heartwarming story told through nothing but pictures. 


Currently (still) reading:

Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking: A Memoir of Food and Longing by Anya von Bremzen
Living with Jackie Chan by Jo Knowles 

Currently (still) listening:

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
Sidekicked by John David Anderson

Oh and by the way, did you know that you can now view the 2013 Newbery and Caldecott speeches on YouTube? ALSC finally posted them last week! Yay!