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 finished reading:
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
Keep the post-it flags nearby as you read. Especially at the beginning and end. Simply beautiful.
Picture books I enjoyed last week:
Maple and Willow Together by Lori Nichols
Loved this follow-up to Maple. I have a longer review scheduled closer to its November 4th release date.
Marcel the Shell: The Most Surprised I've Ever Been by Jenny Slate and Dean Fleischer-Camp
I adore Marcel the Shell and was elated to discover he had a new picture book. I just wish he had a new video too because I love hearing his diminutive voice. In the meantime, this was a much better, friendlier layout than the first book. Look for this one to hit bookstores on October 21st.
Abandoned audiobooks:
Guy in Real Life by Steve Brezenoff
It seems every time I try to read a book that revolves around gaming, I have the best intentions of thinking I'll like it, or at the very least finish it, but gaming just doesn't do it for me and I need to be OK with that. Attempting to listen to this though gave me at least somewhat of an idea of the students it might be a good fit for.
Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater
Strange that Cole St. Clair was the reason I eventually enjoyed this series in the first place, and now an entire book about him has left me cold. I just wasn't feeling as agog about him as I did in Linger. I made it to disc 3 of the audiobook by the time I realized I don't really care about him the way I did in books 2 and 3.
Currently reading:
El Deafo by CeCe Bell
Even though I don't totally get why the characters are rabbits, I also don't question it because it's adorable. And even more adorable that 4-year-old CeCe never takes off her bathing suit. What an igneous way for CeCe Bell to get us to fall in love with our superhero protagonist. I almost put this book close to the bottom of my TBR pile until I saw the book trailer. At that moment I knew I needed to read it. I'm not that far into the book yet, but I already know that this is the kind of book that makes me upset that ALA hasn't gotten with the times and instituted a graphic novel award yet because if they did, I am certain El Deafo would win.
Currently reading with my ears:
Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan
I think I too had better put El Deafo on my list. It's quirky and funny already to me. Thanks for the shout out, Beth. I too finished Brown Girl Dreaming this week--very beautiful story.
ReplyDeleteAudiobooks are really hard for me to get into. They actually seem more time consuming to me since I feel like I have to not do anything else while listening. I will look for the Marcel books.
ReplyDeleteInteresting you feel that way about audiobooks since I love them for precisely the opposite reason -- I can listen while I'm doing mindless tasks like laundry, the dishes, or cooking dinner.
DeleteI just got Brown Girl Dreaming, and am looking forward to reading it. And Marcel, well, I will need to buy that one! Though the first book wouldn't be loved as much without watching the video first! I'm curious to see the format change. I'v read such great things about El Deafo, and I have to be honest, when it came to me this summer I put it on the bottom of the stack...I will be fixing that! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI loved BGD and El Deafo when I read them. I thought the rabbit ears were done to focus on ears and hearing, or in Cece's case, hearing loss. I haven't heard anything good about Sinner and gave away my copy before reading it, but I definitely want to read Boy Meets Boy and will be looking forward to seeing what you think of it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your reading week.
I just finished El Deafo this week and loved it. And I agree with you about ALA and the need for a graphic novel award! Looking forward to hearing how Boy Meets Boy is on audio.
ReplyDeleteI am so looking forward to reading Brown Girl Dreaming and will take your advice and have those post-it notes ready! Hearing a lot about El Deafo so have that on my TBR list as well! Most Surprised looks great and happy to see a second Maple book! Some great books - thanks!
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy Boy Meets Boy as much as I did - I didn't get the audio book version though. El Deafo definitely sounds like a must-read, I hope we have it here. Stiefvater is a hit-or-miss for me too in most of her novels. I'm excited to find and read Brown Girl Dreaming. :)
ReplyDeleteMy BGD is full of post its and they are still in SC!!!! Beautifully written! I can't wait to get to El Deafo. I know it's going to mean something to me since my baby niece has been diagnosed as being deaf. I want to read this book slowly!
ReplyDeleteEl Deafo looks so good! I just ordered a copy of it, so thank you for praising it. I keep hearing such wonderful things! I wanted to read Guy in Real Life, but like you, I had my doubts. You inspired me to try it...someday. :) Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteI definitely filled my copy of Brown Girl Dreaming with post-its too - especially the poems about writing and notebooks! Will share with my students for sure. Really looking forward to reading El Deafo too!
ReplyDeleteGreat list! I want to see this new Maple book - the cover looks adorable.
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