IMWAYR: Nothing New for Black History Month

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a weekly blog hop hosted by Kellee and Ricki of Unleashing Readers. The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

Head over to Unleashing Readers to join the link-up and share your reading!

Happy Black History Month! Yes, we are celebrating! The school library is full of excellent titles and we continue to read. (And YAY for Beyoncé! A Grammy!)

At home, I’m still reading Road Home by Rex Ogle (look at those shiny stickers now!) and I will still finish Cousins in the Time of Magic, The Trouble With Heroes, and How to Tell a True Story by next week.

Have a great February! I’m so happy January is over. Hopefully (Hope is my “One Little Word” for 2025), we can LOVE this month!

It’s Monday! What are YOU reading?

IMWAYR: Book Awards Day!

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a weekly blog hop hosted by Kellee and Ricki of Unleashing Readers. The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

Head over to Unleashing Readers to join the link-up and share your reading!

The ALA (American Library Association) Youth Media Awards were announced today for 2025 and I couldn’t have been more surprised. What we read and analyzed obviously did not correlate with the committees’ findings, but that’s what makes the announcements so fun to watch! Congratulations to all the winners! Now I have more titles on my TBR list; I’ll never run out of books to read! (Check out the complete list of #ALAYMA winners here.)

One of the books I already have at home is ROAD HOME by Rex Ogle, so I’ll start reading that one tonight. Congratulations, Rex! This title won a Stonewall Book Award Honor and a Michael L. Printz Honor! We love all of Mr. Ogle’s books, so I know I’ll finish this one quickly.

I have a few ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies) to read, too, and I need to get moving! Cousins in the Time of Magic by Emma Otheguy will publish in February and The Trouble With Heroes by Kate Messner and How to Tell a True Story by Tricia Springstubb both publish in April. I love all of these ladies as authors and as humans, so I know I’ll love their books, too.

Speaking of what I know, I KNOW I need to read more widely! I say this every year after the awards are announced. I didn’t even hear about many of the titles mentioned during the webcast this morning.

I’m off to read. It’s Monday! What are YOU reading?

IMWAYR: I’m Back!

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a weekly blog hop hosted by Kellee and Ricki of Unleashing Readers. The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

Head over to Unleashing Readers to join the link-up and share your reading!

I’m back from my norovirus absence, but now I’m cold! No school tomorrow, so I’ll be able to stay up and watch the national championship football game. Go Irish! In the meantime, January 20th, 2025 will be a day for the history books: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day AND the inauguration of the president, Donald J. Trump. Talk about opposites! As for me, I will continue to read and advocate for reading and writing initiatives and I will be an ally. #WeAreAllHuman!

On to the books! Staying home on the couch certainly gave me a lot of time to read last week, and with the weather day tomorrow, I’ll get another day to relax and read. First of all, Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day! There are so many books about Dr. King and my favorites are the picture books. Martin Rising: Requiem for a King by Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney is one of the best.

Physical Books: I read Catty Corner Lands On Her Feet by Julie Murphy, Is a Book a Box for Words? by Harriet Ziefert and Merce Gali, When You Have to Wait by Melanie Conklin and Leah Hong, A Cat Like That by Lester Laminack and Nicole Wong, and Elki is Not My Dog by Elena Arevalo Melville and Tonka Uzu. I am currently reading How Sweet the Sound by Kwame Alexander and Carly Palmer (Wow! My dad would have loved this tribute to music! A new favorite from Kwame Alexander) and Whale Eyes by James Robinson.

Libro.fm: I’m still listening to Flopping in a Winter Wonderland by Jason June and I’ll start After Life by Gayle Forman tomorrow (maybe).

NetGalley: I read Same Page by Elly Swartz and purchased copies for my Battle of the Books team. Such a super story and an important read for these book-banning times. Every middle school library should have at least one copy.

It’s Monday! What are YOU reading?

IMWAYR: More Winter Reading

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a weekly blog hop hosted by Kellee and Ricki of Unleashing Readers. The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

Head over to Unleashing Readers to join the link-up and share your reading!

Brr! It’s cold! I returned to school today, then came straight home to curl up on the couch and take a nap. Ha! I’m not used to working all day after winter break. This evening, I’m ready to return to the cozy comfort of the couch and read. I have several titles next to me as winter reading time continues. Some of these I have pulled aside (Grimes’, Levinson’s/Swanson’s, and Messner’s) because I want to re-read those before the new titles arrive in 2025. Glory, Too publishes tomorrow, while Who Owns the Moon? comes out January 14th. Then The Trouble With Heroes publishes on April 29th.

Physical Books: Over and Under the Snow (Messner, 2011), Winter Poems (Rogasky, 1994), Poetry Comics (Snider, 2024), Glory in the Margins (Grimes, 2021), The People’s Painter (Levinson, 2021), Free to Learn (Levinson, 2024), We’ve Got a Job (Levinson, 2012).

There are so many good books coming out as soon as tomorrow and I’m positive I’ll be behind by the end of January. No worries – I’m not going to stress about timing this year. I’m just going to read when I can. (YOU can keep me accountable! Don’t forget to ask me for my reviews!)

NetGalley: I cannot wait for my Battle-of-the-Books students to virtually meet Elly Swartz on Wednesday! She’s so generous and lovely! We are reading Hidden Truths as a “battle” title and her new book, Same Page comes out on January 14th. I will especially love this one, as the 6th-grade main character forms a group called the Book Warriors to fight a book ban at her middle school. Perfect!

Libro.fm: I’m still listening to the cozy winter title, Flopping in a Winter Wonderland by Jason June. It’s adorable!

It’s Monday! What are YOU reading?

One Little Word for 2025: Hope

I learned about One Little Word at http://www.aliedwards.com TEN years ago as I found writing inspiration at Two Writing Teachers (http://www.twowritingteachers.org). After much contemplation and anticipation, I want to renew my positivity for my life. My #OLW2025 is HOPE.

What is One Little Word®? (From the website)

In 2006 I began a tradition of choosing one word for myself each January—a word to focus on, to live with, to investigate, to write about, to craft with, and to reflect upon as I go about my daily life. These words have each become a part of my life in one way or another—a process I document via simple creative monthly prompts from January to December.

You’re invited to join me in choosing your own One Little Word®. (From Ali Edwards)

I cannot believe it’s been a decade since I chose my first word of the year (One Little Word = OLW). Back in 2015, I was a mess — trying to do too much, too fast, too chaotic — and seeking out other people to experience joy. I needed to pare down, to get fit, to be lean in all areas of life. Since then, my One Little Word® each year became a goal for the future: Dream, Progress, Venture, Grow, Purpose, Peace, Focus, Cultivate, and Change. Last year, I saw many changes: a new home, a lost job, a heartbreak. It was probably the most true OLW I have ever chosen – change.

I have growing concerns about what is next for me, but I have HOPE. Using hope as my One Little Word® for 2025, I hope to keep a positive attitude, work hard, be nice, and fulfill more dreams. I think HOPE is a good word to carry around, think about, and live by. I hope that you will choose a One Little Word that helps you through 2025, too. What is your #OLW2025?

Happy New Year!

IMWAYR: Winter Break, Continued

The holiday season is full of family, friends, and fun. I enjoy the time off from work and the leisurely, laidback opportunity to read and write without worry. I revisited two children’s holiday titles and discovered a new one this week. Happy Holidays to you and yours!


The Eight Knights of Hanukkah by Leslie Kimmelman and Galia Bernstein (Holiday House, 2020)


One Christmas In Our Building: A Very Merry Mystery by Johanna Lindemann and Andrea Stegmaier (Floris Books, 2023)



A Kwanzaa Keepsake and Cookbook by Jessica B. Harris (Scribner, 2024)

It’s Monday! What are YOU reading?

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a weekly blog hop hosted by Kellee and Ricki of Unleashing Readers. The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

Head over to Unleashing Readers to join the link-up and share your reading!

IMWAYR: December Days are Short

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a weekly blog hop hosted by Kellee and Ricki of Unleashing Readers. The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

Head over to Unleashing Readers to join the link-up and share your reading!

Hello, and Happy December, continued! The days are shorter, so it doesn’t seem like I have as much time to read. It may be that school activities and family time are taking over, too, getting ready for the holidays. I read one new book this week, but I’ve revisited some favorite holiday books, as well.

Physical Books: My friends at Publisher Spotlight sent me One Wise Sheep: An Untraditional Christmas Story, by Ulrich Hub and illustrated by Jorg Mohle, which is a joyful, funny account of the sheep who noticed that the shepherds all left the pasture and saw a particular star in the sky. As the flock figures out what to do next, there are rumors and anxiety about a baby in a manger and who would go see this baby and what gifts to bring (because you should bring a gift to a new baby). I love this book as a read-aloud — I’ve already shared it with my 8th-grade students.

Libro.fm: I just started listening to Jason June’s Flopping in a Winter Wonderland. I’ll get back to you soon.

Have a great week! It’s Monday! What are YOU reading?

IMWAYR: December Reading Starts with Snow

Monday! What are you Reading? is a weekly blog hop hosted by Kellee and Ricki of Unleashing Readers. The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

Head over to Unleashing Readers to join the link-up and share your reading!

December is here; books are near. Snow is falling and it’s cold, dear. (Not the best poem, but it describes my life today.) I cannot believe it’s the end of 2024. There’s still so much to do. I’m trying to finish my Goodreads Challenge, but I’m not sure I’ll meet my goal. Rather, I haven’t posted everything I read on Goodreads, so I’ll most likely meet the READING goal, but not the POSTING goal. We shall see!

Libro.fm: I listened to Everything We Never Had, The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum, The Hotel Balzaar, Harvest House (again), Into the Uncut Grass, And Then, Boom!, Glenn Burke, Game Changer, The Yellow Bus, The Talk (by Darrin Bell), Invisible Isabel, and Sunrise Nights this year. Pretty good for a visual learner and not so much an audio person. I’m getting the hang of listening while I drive to and from work and I settle in for a few minutes at lunchtime each day. I hope to listen more in 2025.

Today, I downloaded Flopping in a Winter Wonderland by Jason June (read by Jason June and Shawn K. Jain). It should be perfect since it started to snow today.

Physical Books: I read The Astronaut Who Painted the Moon: The True Story of Alan Bean by Dean Robbins and Sean Rubin, which was another interesting picture book biography that I hadn’t heard of before. Space lovers will enjoy this one, complete with an author’s note, photographs by Mr. Bean, and a timeline.

I started reading Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell. I love the chapter titles (Arrival, Arrival Elsewhere, The Dying of the Light, Before the Murderer, etc.) and the map and illustrations by Ashley Mackenzie and Virginia Allyn. This is a fantasy that is easy to read and follow. I can see why people are recommending this one.

I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving and I’m looking forward to winter break already (so I can read more and stay inside). I hope to “see” many friends at our Zoom meeting on December 14th. (Thanks, Max for setting this up!)

It’s Monday! What are YOU reading?

IMWAYR: Friendly Rivals

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a weekly blog hop hosted by Kellee and Ricki of Unleashing Readers. The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

Head over to Unleashing Readers to join the link-up and share your reading!

I didn’t concentrate much on reading last week. We were relaxing after work and using the weekend to get some family time in. I DID read J vs. K by Kwame Alexander and Jerry Craft (or Jerry Craft and Kwame Alexander) and I cannot wait to share it and receive my own (signed?) copies in May of 2025! (Little, Brown 2025) As many of you know, Kwame and Jerry are friends in real life (or frenemies) and they cooked up this fabulous title while trying to convince their audiences who is the best. But you know what? They are BOTH the best at what they do! Add J vs. K to your reading list! You won’t be sorry!

Have a great week!

It’s MONDAY! What are YOU reading?

IMWAYR: Veterans Day!

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a weekly blog hop hosted by Kellee and Ricki of Unleashing Readers. The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

Head over to Unleashing Readers to join the link-up and share your reading!

Happy Veterans Day! Thank you all for your service.

Here are some library books that celebrate and recognize our finest:

Veterans Day (Celebrating Holidays) by Rachel Grack

Bellwether Media, Minneapolis, MN, 2018

(A Blastoff Reader, 2)

What Is Veterans Day? by Elaine Landau

Enslow Publishers, Inc., Berkeley Heights, NJ, 2012

(I Like Holidays series)

Veterans Day by Arlene Worsley

AV2 by Weigl, New York, NY, 2011

(American Celebrations series)

Veterans Day by Meredith Dash

ABDO Kids, Minneapolis, MN, 2015

Twenty-One Steps by Jeff Gottesfeld and Matt Tavares (2021)

Hero Mom by Melinda Hardin and Bryan Langdo (2013)

Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine, and a Miracle by Major Brian Dennis, Kirby Larson, and Mary Nethery (2009)

Sergeant Reckless by Patricia McCormick and Iacopo Bruno (2020)

Rolling Thunder by Kate Messner and Greg Ruth (2017)

Shooting Stars: The Christmas Truce of 1914 by John Hendrix (2014)

The Wall by Eve Bunting and Ronald Himler (1992)

The Year of the Jungle by Suzanne Collins and James Proimos (2013)

I found a YouTube video with Suzanne Collins and James Proimos talking about creating this book. Ms. Collins (Students will recognize her as the author of The Hunger Games series) explains the memories she had of her father while he was away from home and how she got the idea for this book. (Click here – Year of the Jungle by Suzanne Collins and James Proimos.)

It’s Monday! What are YOU reading? Have a great week!