Category: It’s Monday!

Books I Finished This Week:

Reawakened by Colleen Houck was a fun adventure. I got this one from NetGalley. It is similar to the Tiger’s Curse series in that I was a little annoyed by the character’s teenage thoughts. However, the character is a teenager and I think her writing would appeal to teen readers. This one was a fun trip to Egypt. I would definitely recommend this one to teenagers and adults who are fans of her other series.

Cold War on Maplewood Street by Gayle Rosengren will be coming out in August. This is a really well done historical fiction book about the feeling in the United States during the Cuban Missile Crisis. In the author’s note the author says that she was surprised that so many people didn’t really know about this time in our history because it was so vivid in her own memory. I have to admit that I am one of those people who was ignorant of that tense time in history. I loved how this book made this history accessible for young people while at the same time really letting the reader know how scary it was to be living here at that moment in history. I highly recommend this book for grades 4 and up. 

This book is another one that I got from NetGalley.  These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly was one of those books that grabbed me and I could not put it down. I should have been doing many things in preparation for my trip, but instead I was reading for hours. The book had the perfect combination of my favorite things. It was a mystery set in a victorian period with a strong female protagonist and just a little bit of romance. So good! I highly recommend it to grades 8 and up. I know now (if I didn’t before) that I need to look for other books by this author. 

The Living by Matt DeLaPena is a very thrilling read. It was the perfect book to be reading as I travelled because it really captured my attention and kept me busy as I spent what felt like endless hours flying across the country. One thing that you need to know about this book is that it is the first in a series. Don’t expect a huge amount of resolution at the end of the book. It is also quite difficult to read at points since it really is talking about surviving a Tsunami while on the ocean. There are a few graphic scenes. I highly recommend this book to high schoolers and adults. I know I will be looking for the second one in this series very soon.  

Books I am Currently Reading:

I am reading Learn Like a Pirate and am totally inspired by this book to work on making my classroom much more student-centered. I feel like the book is reminding me of the things that I used to do and want to get back to doing. It is going slow for me because I am taking the time to reflect and write down ideas as I read. I also have started to read a bunch of other books. I am a few pages into A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson, The Good Luck of Right Now by Matthew Quick, Those Who Wish Me Dead by Michael Koryta, and The Game of Love and Death by Martha Brockenbrough. I don’t know why I am feeling so scattered, but I am sure I will settle on one soon. I am visiting family this week so I have a lot less time for reading. 

What’s Next?

I will probably not start any other books this week. I will be reading lots of picture books this week with my niece. 

What are you reading this week? I would love to hear from you in the comments!

Books I Finished This Week:

In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume tells the story of a small town that is rocked by tragedy. The novel is based on true events that happened in Judy Blume’s hometown when she was younger. I really liked the narrative voice in this book and was fascinated by a story of ridiculous circumstances. The story is about a series of plane crashes that occur in the town, which is located near Newark airport. I live a couple miles from the airport in Milwaukee and one of my biggest nightmares is that something like this would occur near me. Maybe that is why I found this book so gripping. Most likely it is because Judy Blume is a master storyteller. I highly recommend this one for adult readers. 

Drowning is Inevitable by Shalanda Stanley will be coming out in September. I received this copy from NetGalley. This book is outstanding. The story was intriguing and pulled me in right from the start. When Olivia was just a newborn, her mother walked into the river and never returned. She has spent her whole life trying to understand her mother’s decision.  Her best friend, Jamie, lives in a war zone with a drunk father who beats his mother. The two of them rely on each other to stay sane in a crazy world. Then, one night, a fight with Jamie’s father ends badly and the two of them call on their friends Max and Maggie for help. The four teens end up on the run as fugitives from the law. I would recommend this title for mature teens and adults. 

The World According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney is told from the class hamster’s point of view. As the story unfolds, Humphrey is able to help a bunch of the students in the class and even the teacher. I love the way each chapter ends with a fact about hamsters. It is a really cute book and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. I would absolutely recommend this one to grades 3 and up. 

What Was The March on Washington is another in this series that I read. I really like the way the series brings these big concepts down to understandable language and information for younger students. 

I finished listening to The Ring and The Crown by Melissa DeLaCruz. I think this audiobook is really well done. The narrator did a great job and made the story more interesting for me. I will definitely seek out the next book in this series. I would recommend this one to grades 8 and up. 

I read Pure Genius almost in one sitting. A lot of the book wasn’t what I thought it would be. The first few chapters definitely gave me some great ideas for Genius Hour and it was nice to read about examples at elementary, middle, and high school levels. The rest of the book had a good message about social media and teaching ourselves and students to use it in a positive way. This is a quick read and would be a good one for any teacher who is interested in creating an innovation time or genius hour in their classroom. 

Books I am Currently Reading:

I am reading Reawakened by Colleen Houck. I loved her Tiger’s Curse books, so I was excited to stumble across this one on NetGalley. I also started A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson. 

What’s Next? 

I have a LOT of professional reading that I want to do. I will definitely be diving into some of that this week. I will also continue to plug away at the books from my classroom library. On Friday, I am flying out to California to visit my sister and my nieces. I hope to do a bunch of picture book reading while I am out there.  

What are you reading this week? I would love to hear from you in the comments!

This week was so full of great learning and end of the school year work! I started the week with a two-day conference in Milwaukee. Then, I went back to my classroom on Wednesday morning to finish packing and cleaning for the summer. I left Milwaukee midday to drive down to Indiana for All Write. I spent a full and amazing two days attending great sessions and then drove back to Milwaukee on Friday afternoon. My reading time was obviously taken up with amazing learning time, but I did manage to get some reading in this week.

Books I Finished This Week:

Another Kind of Hurricane by Tamara Ellis Smith will be released in July. I got this copy from NetGalley. The book tells the story of two boys who are both reeling from personal tragedies. Zavion and his father lose everything in Hurricane Katrina. Henry has just lost his best friend Wayne in a terrible accident. The story weaves back and forth until their paths cross and amazing things happen. I highly recommend this book. It pulls on the heartstrings in a big way and highlights how devastating natural disasters can be for the people affected. I would recommend the book for grades 4 and up. There are some pretty heavy issues and some scary situations so it is one to read before giving it to students.

Chasing Secrets by Gennifer Choldenko will be coming out in the beginning of August. I got this title from NetGalley. This is another stunning historical fiction novel from the author of Al Capone Does My Shirts. The author does an amazing job of portraying the sentiments of the people living in San Francisco in the early 1900s. The book tells the story of an outbreak of the plague that happened in those years and a quarantine of Chinatown. The authorities at the time did not want to believe that there was actually an outbreak of the plague, so they worked to cover up the deaths. This is a fascinating part of history and Gennifer Choldenko does a great job of telling the story with witty and fun characters. I also really loved the fact that the protagonist in this book is a strong female character with her own ideas about the world. This one would be a great read aloud that would lead to many discussions about racism and equal rights for women as well as discussions about what people will do when they are afraid. I would recommend it for grades 4 and up.

Who Was Roald Dahl was very interesting to read. I did not know a lot of biographical information about this author. I can understand why this series is so interesting for so many students. I will be reading through all of the titles in my collection this summer. I am looking forward to learning more about these important people and places.

What I am Currently Reading:

I am listening to The Ring and The Crown by Melissa De La Cruz. I am so glad for the Sync audiobook free titles each summer! I am thoroughly enjoying this book. It was a great companion for my road trip. I am also reading In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume and I have started diving into a few professional texts as well.

What’s Next?

There is an entire bag full of books that came home with me from my class library. I will be selecting from those books for my book-a-day challenge. I will continue to read the professional books I purchased this week, including Celebrating Writers by Ruth Ayres, among other great titles. I have two more NetGalley titles that I would like to get to soon as well.

What are you reading this week? I would love to hear from you in the comments!

I have two weeks worth of books to share today. I am hoping to get back on track with posting every Monday over the summer. 

Books I Finished This Week:

Shadows by Ilsa Bick is the second book in her Ashes series. It is a disturbing post-apocalyptic book about a world in which an electromagnetic pulse stopped the world and killed many people. The pulse also somehow caused all kids to turn into cannibalistic creatures. The books are quite graphic, but full of thought-provoking ideas. Ilsa Bick has a background in psychology and it really shines through in her books. Recommended for high school and up.

The Black Tower by Betsy Byars is a mystery in the Herculeah Jones series. It was a fun middle grade read. I will definitely be looking for more from this series soon. I think it could give some students the love of mysteries. I recommend it for grades 3 and up.

I love, love, love Kate Messner. I think this time-traveling dog is so fun. It would be a great book for middle grades to learn some more about history. The adventure on the Oregon Trail is a great story for the first one in the series. I am looking forward to more from Ranger.

The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale is really a fun book! I love the strong female character and I know that girls will love her too. I would recommend this for grades 2 and up.

Circling the Sun by Paula McLain (the author of The Paris Wife) will be out this summer. I got this book from NetGalley and really enjoyed it. This is a captivating story, rich with descriptions of a beautiful and wild African countryside. I was riveted to the story and could not believe the twists and turns that Beryl’s life took. It is always great to read about a strong female character. It is even better that this remarkable woman was a real person who lived such an incredible life. I loved the way Paula McLain brought Beryl’s experience to life.

I devoured this lovely book in one sitting, with tears streaming down my face almost the whole time. How to Speak Dolphin by Ginny Rorby weaves the stories together of a dolphin in need and a young autistic boy. In the book the narrator Lily is trying to keep moving forward and to help her step-father to care for her brother. There are many sweet moments of grief that Lily has from her mother’s death. The book is full of emotions and brings up many issues that I think kids would be able to connect with. I definitely will consider this book for a read aloud this coming school year (if I think I can get through it without crying through the whole thing).

I learned so much about The Great Wall of China and China’s history in this book. After reading this one, I went back to my classroom to grab all the titles I have in this series. It is a great reading level for middle grades and I am excited to learn more about all the topics. I highly recommend this one for grades 3 and up.

Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead is going to be coming out in August. I got this one from NetGalley. It is another great book from this author! I really enjoyed the book and will definitely be ordering a copy for my class library. I recommend this one for grades 4 and up.

What’s Next?

I will be rereading Teach Like a Pirate.  I am very pumped up after hearing Dave Burgess speak today at Summer Spark. I also just got a bunch of titles from NetGalley, so I will be reading my way through those. I am trying to improve my percentage for giving feedback there.

What are you reading? I would love to hear from you in the comments!

I cannot believe that it is already June! At times this year, I was pretty sure the school year was never going to end. Now, we are just two weeks away from the last day of school and summer! I am looking forward to a few conferences right away after school gets out. At Summer Spark, I am looking forward to hearing Dave Burgess speak and learning about innovative ideas for the classroom. Click on the image to find out more information about this really cool symposium in Milwaukee on June 15-16. 

I also am going to be attending the All Write Summer Institute. I am excited to attend that two days filled with all-stars! Seriously, I am geeking out about going. I also can’t wait to meet many, many of the people that I connect with through this blog and through Twitter. 

Now, on to the actual purpose of this blog post–sharing my reading. I haven’t done a Monday post since the end of April. I don’t know how May slipped by so quickly. I will try to be short and sweet about sharing some of the books I have read since the last post. 

Adult Novels I have read:

Icy Sparks by Gwyn Hyman Rubio was an interesting read. It wasn’t really my cup of tea, but I can see how many people have enjoyed this book. I did definitely like the fact that it made me think about what it would be like to have Tourette’s syndrome without really knowing anything about the condition. I am so glad that we have more knowledge of disorders in this day and age. 

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon is a beast of a book, with 896 pages. This is the first book that I tried Whispersync with. I listened to most of the book, but also read some of it on my Kindle. It was really slick to do it this way. I really enjoyed the narration and I think I liked the character more because of the narrator’s interpretation. I recommend this one to anyone who enjoys romance books. 

The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George is a book I got from NetGalley. It will be out on June 23rd. I enjoyed the premise of the book. The protagonist is a man who owns a “book apothecary.” He sells books to people like prescriptions for whatever is ailing them at the moment. He also has a particularly tragic story of a lover that died and his many years of pining for her and not moving on from this sad event. It is a novel that really focuses on how people make mistakes, but also how we must move forward and live our life that we have now. This is another one that wasn’t quite up my alley, but I did enjoy the literary twists in the book. 

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain is a fascinating glimpse of Ernest Hemingway’s life with his first wife. This historical fiction book captured me from the first page and I had a hard time putting it down. If you are like me and are a literature nerd, you need to read this book. 

Young Adult Books:

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins is one that really stood up to the hype. I had heard multiple really great reviews of this one. I am so glad I picked it up to read it. It is a really cute teenage love story and I really enjoyed it. I highly recommend this one for high school and up. 

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen is a retelling of the story of Robin Hood, with a little bit of love mixed in. I found myself laughing out loud at many points during this book. The protagonist is quite witty. I loved this one and highly recommend it for high school and up. 

Middle Grade Books:

The Orphan Army by Jonathan Maberry is a science fiction adventure book. You may know this author from his Rot and Ruin series. This new series is a lot more geared for younger students, but still brings in a post-apocalyptic world full of aliens who are taking over the world. We were lucky enough to have this author come for a school visit this month. What fun it is to be able to provide fabulous experiences with rockstar authors! I highly recommend this series for grades 4 and up. 

How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O’Connor is a heartwarming, but also heartbreaking story about a girl who is homeless. She knows her mother needs money and when she sees a reward poster for a missing dog, she comes up with a plan to steal a dog and return the dog for a reward. As you can imagine, things don’t quite go as planned. This is a great book for helping kids to build some empathy and I think it would make a great read aloud. I highly, highly recommend this one for grades 3 and up. 

Eddie Red Undercover: Mystery on Museum Mile by Marcia Wells is a fun detective story about a boy who has a photographic memory. When he is called into the police station to describe a suspect in a crime he witnessed, he is not satisfied with the police sketch. He asks to sketch the person himself. He does such a great job with the sketch that the police enlist his help in the case they are working on. I am a sucker for mysteries, so this book was right up my alley. I am sure many kids would really enjoy this book as well. I recommend it for grades 4 and up. 

The Brixen Witch by Stacy DeKeyser is a retelling of the Pied Piper story that looks into who the piper is and why the village finds themselves in the position of needing someone to remove the rats. It is a fun book and I recommend it for grades 3 and up. 

Books I am Currently Reading:

I am reading Shadows by Ilsa Bick right now. It is the second book in the Ashes trilogy. 

What’s Next? 

I just ordered some professional books for summer reading, so I will probably get started with one of those. I also want to read the NetGalley copy that I have of Circling the Sun by Paula McLain. I will also probably pick up a couple middle grade titles. With report cards and end of the year records to do, I may not get in much reading. I guess we shall see. 

What are you reading this week? I would love to hear from you in the comments! Have a great reading week!

Books I Finished:

I loved The Year of the Book by Andrea Cheng. It was such a sweet story about fitting in and making friends. I love the way the main character uses reading to help her make her way through her life. It is one I will definitely recommend to my students.

The Meaning of Meggie by Megan Jean Sovern was a really difficult book for me to read. I was diagnosed with MS last year. Reading about Meggie’s experience as a young girl trying to understand her father’s illness was hard. I hope that I won’t ever get to the stage in which I need to be in a wheelchair, but I don’t know and that is the scary part of MS. I thought this was a wonderful book and I will definitely recommend it to kids.

I read The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay for my book club. I am really excited to discuss it at our meeting. This is a wonderful story about healing. Both of the main characters in the book have had tragic experiences and they are used to keeping everyone away from them. I loved the complex characters in this novel. When I got to the end of the book, I couldn’t put it down and stayed up way too late. That hasn’t happened in a while. I would highly recommend it to adults.

I learned so much from the book Chocolate: Sweet Science and Dark Secrets of the World’s Favorite Treat by Kay Frydenborg. This would be an excellent mentor text for informational writing. The author manages to pack in so much history as well as the environmental science and the science of making chocolate. I recommend this one for grades 5 and up.

Books I am Currently Reading:

I am reading Outlander and really enjoying it. I am also reading a book from NetGalley, The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George. I also started reading an ARC of The Nightsiders: The Orphan Army by Jonathan Maberry. So far it is really interesting.  I really liked Rot and Ruin and I am excited about this middle grade series.

What’s Next?
I have no idea what I will read next. I am having a hard time getting to my reading lately so I may not be able to start anything else.

What are you reading this week? I would love to hear from you in the comments!

I was again not feeling all that well this week so I spent a lot of time watching HGTV shows on Netflix. I don’t know why I tend to want to see this type of show when not feeling well, but I do. Since I was in some pain, I have been taking some medication that makes me feel completely out of it, so brain work did not really fit in. I am seeing my neurologist today and I hope that he will have some solutions for me. That being said, I am officially on Spring Break this week! Woo-Hoo!!!

Books I Finished This Week:

The Red Pencil is a novel-in-verse by Andrea Davis Pinkney. It tells the story of Amira, a young girl who craves learning to read and write, but lives too far away from the nearest school. Then, when war arrives at her village, she and her family find themselves walking to the refugee camp. The story is told from Amira’s perspective and would be a good way for middle grade students to understand what happens in other places in the world. I think it would be good to have a literature circle read this one while other groups read Home of the Brave and The Long Walk to Water. There could be some great discussions about how people in Africa work to survive.  

I loved Fish in a Tree. I had read a lot about it from other teachers and librarians and I am just as much in love with this book as others.  I think it would be an excellent read aloud to pair with Thank You, Mr. Faulkner at the beginning of the year, while discussing perseverance and a growth mindset. I hope I am a teacher like Mr. Daniels, who helps the students to see their own strengths. 

Books I am Currently Reading:

I am still listening to/reading Outlander. It is a fun read. I have also been reading some magazines this week. 

What’s Next?

I have Ensnared and The Mime Order from the library. I also have 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea which I got interested in while I was reading All the Light We Cannot See. It is a classic that I have never read, so I am curious to see if I will like it. I also have a stack of middle grade titles that I would like to get through. Unfortunately, I had to leave school in the middle of the day on Wednesday, and I was super medicated and unable to drive on Thursday, so I really didn’t get to pack up my things to bring home for break. I am hoping I can get into my classroom at some point this week to be able to grab some of the books I want to have here. 

What are you reading this week? I would love to hear form you in the comments!

Books I Finished This Week:

I really enjoyed reading The Thing About Georgie by Lisa Graff. The main character in this book is a little person and he has challenges that he faces every day because of this. When his mother tells him she is pregnant, he really struggles with thinking that maybe his mom and dad will love the new baby more because he/she is normal. I think this is another important book to introduce to students. It would be a really good read aloud because it would definitely start some really interesting and important discussions. 

I love Jane Austen and I love the really fun many versions of her stories. Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg is such a fun book! This adaptation of Pride and Prejudice is set at a prestigious private school in which every girl hopes to be asked to prom, the event of the year for girls there. I love how fun this story was. It really reminded me of the movie Clueless and the way that was an adaptation of Emma. 

Books I am Currently Reading:

I am reading Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. I am alternating listening to the audiobook and reading on my Kindle. It is such a fun story and I am really enjoying the characters. I also started reading The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay for my book club. 

What’s Next?

I have a stack that is waiting patiently for Spring Break next week. I will probably continue to look for some shorter reads to read while I am plugging my way through Outlander. It will really depend on what I feel like reading at the time. I think I will try to do a spring book-a-day challenge. 

What are you reading this week? I would love to hear from you in the comments! 

Books I Finished This Week:

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr is a breathtakingly beautiful book. I loved this historical fiction book. The language in this book was gorgeous and the characters were so intriguing. What I liked the most is that the author really brought out the fact that the characters were who they were doing what they were because of circumstances of where they lived when the war started. This is a beautiful story and heartbreaking read, but so worth it. 

La mirada de los angeles by Camilla Lackberg is the 8th book in her Fjallbacka series. It is another great murder mystery featuring Patrick Hedstrom and the crew in the Tanumshed police squad. The first three mysteries in this series are available in the USA in English and I would highly recommend them. 

I was lucky enough to have a school author visit last week from Tina and Carson Kugler, authors of In Mary’s Garden. I highly recommend this great picture book about a real-life Milwaukee artist. For more information visit my Slice of Life post from Friday here.

Books I am Currently Reading:

I just started listening to Outlander by Diane Gabaldon. I have both the Kindle book and the Audible audiobook so I will probably switch back and forth between listening and reading this one. I also am reading a nonfiction book from Netgalley about Chocolate and its history. So far it is a very interesting glimpse into ancient cultures of South America.

What’s Next?

I am probably going to pick up some of the middle grade titles that I have sitting on my shelves. I want to be able to cross a number of titles off my TBR list and I have been reading long books lately so it will be nice to read some shorter selections.