My Monday posts are generally just a highlight of what I've been reading during the week so if you'd like to see all that I've been reading, follow my Goodreads page.
Last week I reviewed:
Chasing Before by Lenore Appelhans
Tuesday Tucks Me In by Luis Carlos Montalvan with Bret Witter, photographs by Dan Dion
I finished reading:
Crafting Digital Writing: Composing Texts Across Media and Genres by Troy Hicks
As I read Crafting Digital Writing, the word I kept coming back to was INTENTIONAL. How do we as teachers make digital writing assignments more intentional and how do we help students create more intentional digital lives? The fact that Troy Hicks will continually leave these questions in my head made this book worth the read.
Finished reading with my ears:
Ask the Passengers by A.S. King
The Summer of Letting Go by Gae Polisner
Both of these books were amazing but for different reasons. Ask the Passengers is one of those books that falls under the category of "books save lives." The Summer of Letting Go is just a beautiful, heartfelt story with incredibly endearing characters. It is a summer read with soul.
Graphic Novels I finished:
The Great American Dust Bowl by Don Brown
NYC Basic Tips and Etiquette by Nathan W. Pyle
Well, Since both of these books are nonfiction, I guess I can't call them novels, but that seems to be the catch-all phrase for sequential art books these days, so there you have it. Both the text and the illustrations in The Great American Dust Bowl were extremely compelling and make this book worthy of putting on any social studies teacher's bookshelf. NYC Basic Tips and Etiquette is kind of a graphic novel version of a travel guide but with some voice and humor thrown in for good measure. I kind of dug it.
Picture books I really enjoyed last week:
A Walk in Paris by Salvatore Rubbino
Filled with facts about the City of Light, A Walk in Paris also conveys the stylish spirit of the city in its jaunty illustrations.
Three Bears in a Boat by David Soman
Oh my this book is truly something special. Not only are the illustrations a feast for the senses, but so is the text. Simply enchanting. This one is going on my Goodreads "Caldecott condender" shelf.
Hooray for Hat! by Brian Won
This book is totally endearing and a perfect read to put a smile on your face if you're feeling grumpy.
Currently (still) reading:
Breakfast on Mars: Your Favorite Authors Take a Stab at the Dreaded Essay Assignment edited by Rebecca Stern and Bard Wolfe
Currently reading with my ears:
Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick
I have been wanting to see a copy of Horray for Hat! It just sounds joyful. I think Don Brown did a wonderful job on The Great American Dust Bowl and it makes a great pairing with Matt Phelan's Storm in the Barn.
ReplyDeleteI loved Dust Bowl - made me wish I had older students to use it with! I loved the illustrations in Three Bears too, it was a book I had to buy! Same with Hooray for Hat - you just have to cheer up after reading that one! I tried getting A Walk in Paris at my library and they don't have it. I keep checking back, sometimes they appear! Have a great reading week!
ReplyDeleteLoved Forgive Me Leonard Peacock. It made the rounds in my Adolescent Lit class this semester. It wasn't on the syllabus, but I think every student in the class ended up reading it. If Three Bears in a Boat is going on your Caldecott contender shelf, I need to get a copy ASAP! That's high praise indeed. I should probably read Crafting Digital Writing before fall semester, as I'm teaching a new Digital Literacy class for pre-service teachers. Ask the Passengers is one of my #MustRead titles; hoping to start it soon.
ReplyDeleteI need to get The Great American Dust Bowl - perfect for my social studies class when we learn about this time period.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you liked Ask the Passengers. I have read all but one title by A.S. King. What a writer. Forgive Me Leonard Peacock is quite the story. I couldn't put it down. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteHi Beth, I have American Dust Bowl in my pile right now. A Walk in Paris looks great! I think I could really use a book on digital writing. It is a definite weakness for me.
ReplyDeleteJust ordered Three Bears from my library. Can't wait to read it!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that you loved Passengers. King just is an amazing writer. Period.
American Dust Bowl was one of my favorite NF GNs ever. It really brings the time period to life.
I cannot wait to see what you think of Leonard Peacock. I just read it not that long ago. I wonder how it'll translate on audio :)
Happy reading this week! :)
Crafting Digital Writing seems like a very good book! Thank you for sharing it with us. I have been looking for more PD texts to read! :)
ReplyDeleteI've been meaning to find a Matthew Quick novel, but haven't gotten around to it yet -love the typography in his book covers. A Walk in Paris looks really lovely. I hope to get around to reading The great American Dust Bowl soon. Reminds me of Hesse's Out of the Dust.
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