IMWAYR: Winter Weather 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!

The good news about snow days is that I have more time for reading and writing. The winter blast came quickly and I had a long weekend AND I’ll have tomorrow to continue. I finished Keeping Pace and Iveliz Explains It All. I have many picture books out, including My Powerful Hair, Moving Forward, and An American Story, and of course, Martin’s Big Words for remembering Martin Luther King, Jr.

This week’s physical books are Secret of the Moon Conch by David Bowles and Guadalupe García McCall (A time-travel/Aztec love story – I’m so excited to finally open this one!) and The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh (which I MUST read before the Youth Media book awards on January 22nd, so my friends say).

Libro.fm and NetGalley: I’m still listening to The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum by Lisa Yee and Dan Santat. It’s fabulous! I love these characters!

It’s Monday! What are YOU reading?

CHANGE: A New Year’s Poem

CHANGE by Jennifer

01/12/2024

CHANGE: As the weather is

CHANGING to cold

there’s a CHANGE in my spirit, which I hold

dear

I prayed for these CHANGES,

Now embracing the chance

to start again – quickly! I advance

from here…

Onward towards CHANGE

Stressed and excited

“What did I do?” Now I’m invited, 

“Come near!”

Embrace the CHANGES –

I can’t go back now.

Happy New Year brings CHANGES

I must find out:  “How

will these CHANGING paths lead me?” Are the roads foggy or

clear?

Time to CHANGE!

IMWAYR: Back-to-School 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 reads from this week!

It’s the second semester of school now! I read a little during winter break, but honestly, I spent a lot of time with family members and it was a nice vacation. Today, it’s BACK TO WORK!

My reading goal is to keep up with the three formats this year: Libro.fm (audio), NetGalley (digital ARCs), and Physical Books (ARCs and published works). Let’s see how it goes. This past week, I read Keeping Pace by Laurie Morrison (publishing in April 2024 by Amulet Books). I cannot wait for you to meet Grace and Jonah and their families. This is a realistic fiction book, and the real part is that not everything works out according to plans, and I love that for my middle school readers.

Physical Book: This week I’m finishing the Newbery Honor Book, Iveliz Explains It All by Andrea Beatriz Arango. I can see how this novel-in-verse won that honor — it’s fabulous! I love Iveliz! She’s a seventh-grader determined to make her life what SHE wants it to be and not follow the same path as before: no more trouble at school, no more failing grades, no more disappointments. Well…she’ll explain it to you.

Libro.fm and NetGalley: I feel like I’m cheating here, but it’s fun to read the book on NetGalley and listen to it on Libro.fm. I’m reading The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum by Lisa Yee and Dan Santat. What a duo! I know I’m going to recommend this one far and wide. I mean…Lisa Yee and Dan Santat!

It’s Monday! What are YOU reading? Happy New Year! Happy Reading!

My One Little Word for 2024 is…

Happy New Year! I feel like 2023 was a good year and I’m looking forward to getting started with 2024. I’m anxious, hopeful, and excited for this new beginning, and I wish all of you happiness and good fortune.

I learned about One Little Word at http://www.aliedwards.com many years ago as I found writing inspiration at Two Writing Teachers (http://www.twowritingteachers.org). I look forward to many changes coming for me and my family this year, so My OLW for 2024 is CHANGE.

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®.

I’ll post more about my OLW in the coming months and over the course of the year, but for right now, I cannot tell you anything else. Stay tuned! In the meantime, keep reading and writing! If you need a work partner for a project surrounding independent reading, personal reading goals, classroom libraries, or how “picture books are perfect”© for middle school and beyond, please contact me through my email. I’m happy to discuss your goals with you. (jdsniadecki@readingteacherwrites.blog)

“Best Books” of 2023

Welcome to December! This was a tough year, but I did read a lot. I did NOT meet my goal of reading 100 books and logging them into Goodreads, and I’m looking for a new way to log my reading better in 2024.

Disclaimer: This is NOT a complete “Best Books” list because these are only the books I logged with 5-star reviews in my Goodreads account. Also, this list is a school-based, children’s literature list. I hope you find it useful and maybe add something to your own list for future reading.

Happy Holidays!

Best Books of 2023: According to Jennifer Sniadecki’s Goodreads Account

Picture Books

The Promise by Bridget Hodder

Just One Flake by Travis Jonker

Like Lava in My Veins by Derrick Barnes and Shawn Martinbrough, with Adriano Lucas

Remember by Joy Harjo and Michaela Goade

Glitter Everywhere by Chris Barton and Chaaya Prabhat  

A Vaccine Is Like a Memory by Rajani LaRocca and Kathleen Marcotte

Merry Christmas, Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola

How the Sea Came To Be by Jennifer Berne and Amanda Hall

The Miracle Seed by Martin Lemelman

I Am Ruby Bridges by Ruby Bridges and Nikkolas Smith

We Are Here by Tami Charles and Bryan Collier

Middle-Grade Books

A Breath of Mischief by MarcyKate Connolly  

Finally Seen by Kelly Yang

Hidden Truths by Elly Swartz                                   

Race Against Death: The Greatest POW Rescue of World War II by Deborah Hopkinson

The Gray by Chris Baron

YA Books and Graphic Novels

School Trip by Jerry Craft

Sunshine by Jarrett Krosoczka

A First Time For Everything by Dan Santat

Professional Books and Adult Titles

5 Kinds of Nonfiction by Marlene P. Correia and Melissa Stewart   

Criteria for my “best books” list in 2023

  • Logged as “Read” on Goodreads.com in 2023
  • A 5-Star Rating on Goodreads

Reflections: I didn’t meet my goal of reading 100 books this year.  I was surprised at how many titles I gave 5-star reviews. I also haven’t used Goodreads like I used to. Until I find a better way to log my reading, this will have to do.

Happy New Year! I hope you find many good books to read in 2024.

IMWAYR: I’m back!

IMWAYR is a weekly blog hop with kid lit co-hosts Jennifer from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from 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. It’s a great way to share what you’re reading and get recommendations from others. We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs each week.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is imwayr_2015vincent_logo.png

I’ve been away from my computer, working, traveling, and taking care of myself. I’m back for end-of-the-year sharing of my reading — there are some excellent titles out there now that you won’t want to miss! Check these out!

Two books you must read if you haven’t yet in 2023: Secret of the Moon Conch by David Bowles and Guadalupe Garcia McCall and Iveliz Explains It All by Andrea Beatriz Arango. Both of these books have fierce, brave protagonists and both have beautiful writing.

I was lucky enough to walk by the Feiwel and Friends booth on the last day of the NCTE convention and picked up Olivetti by Allie Millington (due March 26, 2024). The main character is a typewriter! And this typewriter KNOWS things about the family that owned it before “the everything that happened.” Oh, I cannot tell you any more! Just read it. This middle-grade title is sure to be a hit in the spring.

It’s Monday! What are YOU reading?

IMWAYR: Battle Books and Fun Gifts

IMWAYR is a weekly blog hop with kid lit co-hosts Jennifer from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from 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. It’s a great way to share what you’re reading and get recommendations from others. We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs each week.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is imwayr_2015vincent_logo.png

It’s been a crazy few weeks…again. First quarter is over, my first fall presentation is complete, and now I’m preparing for NCTE Annual. I’m catching up with my students, reading two “Battle of the Books” titles, and reading some fun book mail this week.

Thank you for the gift, Scott Magoon! Unflappable is darling and my students are going to love it! (I won this book by Matthew Ward and Scott Magoon. You have to read it!)

I got book mail today! Perfect timing! @PubSpotlight is amazing! Tracy is always sending me excellent books to read and share. Thank you!

It’s Monday! What are YOU reading?

IMWAYR: Indigenous Peoples’ Day

IMWAYR is a weekly blog hop with kid lit co-hosts Jennifer from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from 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. It’s a great way to share what you’re reading and get recommendations from others. We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs each week.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is imwayr_2015vincent_logo.png

Fresh off of Banned Books Week, I’m celebrating new titles for Indigenous Peoples’ Day. My friend, Traci Sorell, thank you for your enthusiasm about reading and teaching reading. Mascot (by Charles Waters and Sorell, published by Charlesbridge, 2023) is wonderful and timely. The front cover leads the story: “Discrimination is discrimination, even when people claim it’s ‘tradition.'” It’s way past time to think about how mascots can be (and are) racist, and this is the perfect day to celebrate Indigenous authors (and illustrators).

I’ll be reading Two Tribes by Emily Bowen Cohen and Rez Ball by Byron Graves, both published by Heartdrum, this week, as well. Thank you to Cynthia Leitich Smith for continually posting amazing titles that I need to check out!

It’s Monday! What are YOU reading?

IMWAYR: Banned Books

IMWAYR is a weekly blog hop with kid lit co-hosts Jennifer from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from 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. It’s a great way to share what you’re reading and get recommendations from others. We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs each week.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is imwayr_2015vincent_logo.png

It’s Banned Books Week, and I’m not celebrating; I’m writing to state officials and school boards on behalf of my students and my granddaughter. I believe that children (and adults!) should be able to read whatever they want. There are so many actions AGAINST reading right now, it makes me angry. (I’ll have another post this week on banned and challenged books/censorship.)

Here’s what I’m reading and sharing this week. I hope you have a great week of reading, too!

It’s Monday! What are YOU reading?

IMWAYR: Memoirs

IMWAYR is a weekly blog hop with kid lit co-hosts Jennifer from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from 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. It’s a great way to share what you’re reading and get recommendations from others. We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs each week.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is imwayr_2015vincent_logo.png

I’ve been on a memoir kick again lately because my friends have written excellent books and I MUST get the word out for others to read, too! Thank you for your brave and beautiful writing, Chasten Buttigieg, Kwame Alexander, Jarrett Krosoczka, Omar Mohamed (w/Victoria Jamieson), and Nikki Grimes.

It’s Monday! What are YOU reading?