It's Monday, What are you reading - April 23rd



It’s Monday, what are you reading? Check out Teach Mentor Texts for other great books to add to your TBR list.

Umm… I have a confession to make. I hardly finished any books this week. I’m in the middle of a few, but I really only crossed the finish line on some short ones…




Picture Books:
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen– as part of my ReReading in April quest (and my desire to immerse myself in the glorious writing of a master craftsman), I read this lovely Caldecott winner. There’s a reason it’s a time honored classic in elementary schools.

Darth Vader and Son by Jeffrey Brown.  This was ADORABLE! If you are (or know) a Star Wars fan, this is the perfect gift. It’s a sweet and funny look at Darth as a good dad with Luke. Geeky inside jokes run rampant. I read it several times, so I’m counting it for the ReRead as well!

Graphic Novels
Giants Beware! By Jorge Aguirre  Wonderful, wonderful! Girls and boys will love this tale. Adventurous, amusing, and with a fun look at gender stereotypes of many kinds. My sons adored it, and it will make its way into my classroom on Monday. I anticipate serious arguments over who gets it first.

Foiled – by Jane Yolen.  Jane was inspired by her grandchildren, who fence, to create this tale. As is typical for her, she has a strong female lead and mixes in a hearty dose of fantasy. I loved the fencing references, but felt the switch from realistic to urban fantasy was a bit uneven. I’d classify it as early YA, and I don’t think I’ll be placing it in my classroom library. I did really love it, though!

Still in progress:
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (audio). Part of both my ReRead in April and my Newbery challenge, as well as my own personal quest to find the joy in audio books. If you haven’t heard Gaiman read, you absolutely need to move his work to the top of your list. Masterfully crafted, spooky and yet heartwarming. I adore this book so very, very much. 

The Hero and the Crown – by Robin McKinley   - This is part of my Newbery Challenge and a ReRead. I adore it, and I was hoping to finish it this weekend. Alas, it was left behind on my desk at work.

Son read aloudsA Swiftly Tilting Planet (L’Engle) and Lost Hero (Riordan)

Also – if you have read Graceling and want to join in the chatter, check out my blog and The Brain Lair for our joint discussion on the ending. Loved it! We started A World Without Heroes and we’ll begin our discussions on that NEXT week (taking a week off for other reads and conferences). 

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