IMWAYR: Picture Books are Perfect for Rainy Days

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 reads from this week!

Libro.fm: I’m on the last 30 minutes of And Then, Boom! by Lisa Fipps. Tomorrow, I’ll celebrate a long-awaited book birthday by downloading Sunrise Nights, the new YA title by Jeff Zentner and Brittany Cavallaro (narrated by Alexandra Hunter and Michael Crouch).

NetGalley: Sometimes it’s nice to listen AND follow along with the text. I’m happy to have Sunrise Nights on NetGalley, too.

Physical Books: Picture Books are Perfect for rainy days! I was able to relax and read a bunch of picture books today while I worked on a presentation. I LOVE picture books and I agree with Debbie Ohi, “I Want to Read ALL the Books!”

It’s Monday! What are YOU reading?

Book PREview: How To Explain Robotics To a Grown-Up

Ruth Spiro is an expert at using kid-friendly language and storytelling techniques to inform young readers (and their parents) about scientific topics. How to Explain Robotics to a Grown-Up uses authentic vocabulary paired with rhythmic and repetitive phrases that make sense. Teresa Martinez pens friendly-looking, diverse characters that appeal to the reader.

The glossary and endnotes give further information for families and/or teachers, so reading together is encouraged.

I especially love Ms. Spiro’s dedication. A personal, sweet tribute.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me this early read. This title will be published on September 17, 2024 by Charlesbridge.

IMWAYR: Summertime Reads

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 reads from this week!

Summertime reading is so satisfying! No time limits, no distractions…still no way I’m going to make it through my whole list before I return to school in August! This week I concentrated on picture books again so that I could recommend some titles to my middle schoolers. Check out my newest published piece for MiddleWeb here.

Libro.fm: I’m still listening to And Then, Boom! by Lisa Fipps. It’s fabulous and important and I want every middle school student to read this one as soon as possible.

NetGalley: As you know, I’m bad about reading my NetGalley shelf, but I’m going to get these two titles in this week: Black Girl, Black Girl by Ali Kamanda and Jorge Redmond with illustrator Amanda Quartey (coming in September from Sourcebooks Explore) and How To Explain Robotics to a Grown-Up by Ruth Spiro with illustrator Teresa Martinez (also publishing in September by Charlesbridge).

Physical Books: I love visiting my local bookstore, Brain Lair Books, and I borrowed the new Tracey Baptiste book, Moko Magic: Carnival Chaos (publishing in August by Kwame Mbalia’s new Disney/Hyperion imprint, Freedom Fire). I love this cover!

I received excellent book mail, too! Crushed by Melanie Conklin is being published by Little, Brown. I’m already half-way through reading and I’m telling you, it’s another must-read for middle schoolers. Social media is so harmful to children — this is a realistic look at what they are facing, especially at school. Parents and teachers need this book, too.

It’s Monday! What are YOU reading?

IMWAYR: Summer Fun Reads

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 reads from this week!

It was nice of Max to host the first IMWAYR chat and I loved meeting and talking with everyone (until my silly dog thought it was time for me to leave – sorry about that!). Thank you, Max! I love the social atmosphere of the act of reading. Fun! Check out Max’s site here.

This week I’m reading…

Physical Books: (One adult, One YA)

Libro.fm: This is a wonderful audiobook by Lisa Fipps, narrated by one of my favorites, Michael Crouch.

It’s Monday! What are YOU reading?

IMWAYR: New Book Mail

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 reads from this week!

I’m honored to receive this surprise book mail from Jill Tew, author of The Dividing Sky, a debut YA fiction novel that the publisher calls “a dazzling new dystopian romance from Joy Revolution.” Joy Revolution is a new imprint, too; I’m happy to discover this from Penguin Random House, LLC. So far, the 339-page story is a page-turner! The chapters follow alternating characters, Liv and Adrian, who are supposed to be at odds since Liv is a Proxy who has gone rogue in the year 2364, using the neurochip in her brain to sell memories to others. Adrian, the Rookie Forceman, is supposed to extinguish the threat since other citizens are at risk. But when Adrian tracks her down, he finds that Liv has lost her memories altogether.

If you like fast-paced dystopian YA fiction with romance intertwined with danger, you’ll have to read this one. The publishing date is October 8, 2024, by Joy Revolution (Penguin Random House).

It’s Monday! What are YOU reading?

*Thank you, Jill Tew, for choosing me to read your book. This is going to be a good week!

IMWAYR: Writing, Not Reading. Well, a Little of Both

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 reads from this week!

This week I’m doing more writing than reading, and although it’s not children’s literature, this book is inspiring! Tell Your Story by Pam Allyn and Ernest Morrell keeps me thinking and typing.

I love the children’s book titles that are mentioned in chapter 4 of this book: Knuffle Bunny, Fry Bread, Bright Star, Front Desk, El Deafo, Look Both Ways, and You Should See Me in a Crown, which show students noteworthly book features, craft moves the authors use, and ideas to try. This is my favorite chapter in Tell Your Story.

It’s Monday! What are YOU reading?

IMWAYR: Start Summertime!

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 reads from this week!

I read a little over the weekend, but mostly I was finishing school work. It’s summertime! I’m looking forward to sleeping in, drinking coffee on the deck, doing whatever I want during the day, and…reading!

Happy Pride Month! I read Rainbow Revolutionaries, two favorite picture books, and two of our new Battle of the Books (2025) titles. Middle-grade access to books has never been more important.

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It’s Monday! What are YOU reading?

IMWAYR: Continued and New

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 reads from this week!

I love May! It’s my month! Anniversary, Birthday, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day…lots of time to read! This week I continue to savor titles and I added a few new graphic novels to the mix, since they will be “Battle” books next school year. It’s Monday! What are YOU reading?

IMWAYR: Shh…I’m 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 reads from this week!

Shh…I’m reading! It’s May! We are almost at the end of the school year and I have more time to read! It’s Monday! What are YOU reading?

Middle Grade Titles:

Adult Titles:

IMWAYR: Same and Different

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 reads from this week!

I ended up handing 1968 and Lila Greer, Teacher of the Year to colleagues this week, but wow! Such amazing books! Since I was born in 1968, it was interesting to read about all the happenings that year (besides my birth – LOL!). Our school’s TOTY is a top 10 finalist for Indiana now, and we are so happy for her!

This week I’m reading some more of the same…great books! Oh, HAPPY EARTH DAY! Amil and the After is a reread for me, and doesn’t have to do with Earth Day, but I love it! (Have you read The Night Diary yet?) The picture books are new to me and I shared them today at school. Fox is particularly haunting, but necessary for nature to move along.

It’s Monday! What are YOU reading?