It's Monday! What are you reading? 3-29-21

 

It's Monday! What are you reading? Is a wonderful community of readers, teachers, and librarians. Hosted by Jen over at Teach Mentor Texts along with Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers, participants share their reading adventures from the past week along with their reading plans for the week ahead.

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.

My tenure on the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award committee is almost over and as much as I'm sad to see my time on this amazing committee end, I'm also looking forward to going back to reading whatever I want, whenver I want. 

Here are a few highlights from my most recent non-Walden reading.

I recently reviewed:

Milo Imagines the World by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson

I recently read and loved:

Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Floyd Cooper

An important, little-known, and heartbreaking moment in our nation’s racist history that needs to be told and taught to our children. 

Wishes by Muron Thi Van, illustrated by Victo Ngai

A beautiful, important story about wishes, hope, and seeking refuge. Don’t miss the incredible author’s note at the end that tells of the author’s own experience as a refugee fleeing from Vietnam. More Than Sunny by Shelley Johannes The playful language of this book just oozes joy and coziness for each and every season (even the ones we don’t like). Some of my favorites: Gray and goodbye-y Winter and waity Ready and sleddy A Way With Wild Things by Larissa Theule, illustrated by Sara Palacios Poppy prefers bugs to people and outdoor wild spaces to indoor crowded spaces. A lovely story to honor shy introverts.

Milo Imagines the World by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson

When people look down their noses at academics who study children’s literature because it isn’t literary or highbrow enough, books like Milo Imagines the World are the perfect example that children’s literature is literary, layered, complex, and worthy of study — while also being really beautiful and necessary storytelling for children to experience.

What Last Stop on Market Street does for bus rides, Milo Imagines the World does for subway rides. More specifically, in this story, Milo is on a long subway ride with his sister and he is very nervous about the destination in which he is going. To pass the time, he observes the people around him and draws stories that he imagines their lives to be. At the end of the book the reader discovers where he was going that made him so nervous and excited. While the story is certainly a social commentary, it is not didactic or preachy and it will certainly elicit great classroom discussion about assumptions and judgments we make about people.

Milo Imagines the World by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson
Published: February 2, 2021
Publisher: G.P. Putnam Sons
Pages: 40

Genre/Format: Picture Book
Audience: Primary/Middle Grade
Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher

If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound. 

It's Monday! What are you reading? 3-1-21

 

It's Monday! What are you reading? Is a wonderful community of readers, teachers, and librarians. Hosted by Jen over at Teach Mentor Texts along with Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers, participants share their reading adventures from the past week along with their reading plans for the week ahead.

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.

Hey y'all. I'm still here. Walden Award reading has taken up so much of my free reading time that I don't have as much time to blog as I used to. This will be my final year on the Walden committee though (after a wonderful five year tenure) so hopefully that means I'll be able to do more blogging in the future. 

Here's what I've read and loved recently -- that I can talk about ;)

The Whole Hole Story by Vivian McInerny, illustrated by Ken Lamung

A fantastical, whimsical circle story that puts me in mind of the fun absurdity of Neil Gaiman’s Fortunately, the Milk. The ABCs of Black History by Rio Cortez, illustrated by Lauren Semmer This book is excellent and definitely a must-share with students. I love that this book is full of Black Joy and is not just about The Struggle. You Don't Want a Dragon by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Liz Climo It's hard to make sequels even better and funnier than the original, but Ame Dyckman and Liz Climo have managed to do just that (the original is You Don't Want a Unicorn). Art is Life: The Life of Artist Keith Haring by Tami Lewis Brown, illustrated by Keith Negley There are very few things that can make me immediately be transported to the 90s (other than music), but the art of Keith Haring is one of those things. I love that there has been a spate of picture book biographies of him lately. It's so sad that he only lived to 31 because he was such a wonderful talent with such a beautiful heart.  The Blue House by Phoebe Wahl An emotional, affecting story about a father and son who rent an old, blue house that they absolutely love despite its flaws and eventually have to leave due to their gentrifying neighborhood. Eyes That Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho, illustrated by Dung Ho A beautiful and affirming story about family, identity, and pride in your heritage. Currently Reading: The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine N. Aron