It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

These are memes started by Teach Mentor Texts and Book Journey, and I'm excited to participate, along with many other bloggers, in reviewing books I read the previous week. I'll be reviewing picture books through adult books.
 

 

These are the books I read this week:

 

PICTURE BOOKS

 

 

 

 

Building Our House by Jonathan Bean

 

2013-book, family, home, mock-caldecott-2014, picture-book, architecture  

 

This a terrific book based on the author's family's experience of building a house in the country. Told from the older sister's perspective, it shows how hard work and a dream can bond a family together. I think kids would be interested in reading about the steps that go into building a house, then making it a home.

 

 

Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown

 

2013-book, animals, bebrave, individuality, mock-caldecott-2014, personification, picture book     I love the expressions on Mr. Tiger's face as he goes from being a bored, frustrated citizen of a dull and proper town to a bold and wild tiger living out his true destiny and inspiring others to do the same. Great illustrations and appealing style will make this a favorite in my classroom. They loved last year's Creepy Carrots!       Hello, My Name is Ruby by Philip C. Stead     2013-book, bebrave, birds, friendship, journey, mock-caldecott-2014, mood-tone, picture-book, symbolism   Philip C. Stead and Erin E. Stead are two of my favorite picture book creators!     Little Ruby is so endearing as she takes risks in finding friends on her journey of life. I love the elephant page and all the friendly animals throughout her journey. Her little face is so heartbreaking when the peacock rejects her. The symbolism of her standing in the rain afterwards is the perfect opportunity to talk to young kids about how to create a mood in both story and illustrations. My favorite page:     MIDDLE GRADE     The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail by Richard Peck   2013-book, adventure, alliteration, animals, audio-book, character-development, fantasy-science-fiction, historical-fiction, identity, intermediate-kids-book, mock-newbery-2014   I was fortunate enough to meet Richard Peck and hear him speak at a children's literature conference.  I admire him greatly - he's funny, slightly curmudgeonly, and brilliant.  I came across this video of him talking about the value of reading to our children.  Love it!       This was a cute story about "Minor Mouse," a little mouse in London who doesn't have a name. He is being raised by his aunt Marigold who is a seamstress and sends him off in his new uniform to the Royal Mews Mouse Academy. Minor Mouse doesn't see the sense of an education. After he breaks one of the most important mouse rules, he's off on an adventure through the Buckingham Palace during the preparations of the Diamond Jubilee, Queen Victoria's 60 years of reign celebration. He eventually learns that for every human job there is a mouse who does it, too, and that leads him to discover who he really is. This audio book inspired my Nerdy Book Club post this weekend about my top ten books about mice.  While I enjoyed Peck's mouse books, I'm ready for him to write his next one starring humans!   ADULT     10 Prayers You Can't Live Without by Rick Hamlin   adult-nonfiction, spiritual     My mom and I heard Rick Hamlin, the executive editor at Guideposts. speak with Debbie Macomber when we went to the Debbie Macomber Fan Retreat in August.  We had a wonderful time and loved both of them.  I wrote a blog post about the whole event: http://hollymueller.blogspot.com/2013/08/slice-of-life-weekend-with-mom.html  After we got home, I got a package in the mail, and it was this book!  My mom had sent it to me.     I LOVED this book! Mom sent it to me after we heard Rick Hamlin (executive editor of Guideposts magazine) speak at the Debbie Macomber Fan Retreat in August. Every chapter offers insight about the power of prayer. Hamlin has a conversational style and tells great stories throughout the book of famous and ordinary people who have experienced wonderful things as a response to opening communication with God. My favorites were the Praying the Lord's Prayer, Sing Your Prayer (listening to our local c...more I LOVED it!  Every chapter offers insight about the power of prayer. Hamlin has a conversational style and tells great stories throughout the book of famous and ordinary people who have experienced wonderful things as a response to opening communication with God. My favorites were the Praying the Lord's Prayer, Sing Your Prayer (listening to our local contemporary Christian radio station constantly got me through one of the toughest times in my life a few years back), A Classic Prayer to Focus Your Thoughts ("Jesus Christ, have mercy on me. Make haste to help me. Rescue me and save me. Let thy will be done in my life"), and Pray in Thanksgiving at All Times. I will pass my copy on and order more for family and friends. I think it would make a great book for small group studies at churches or a sermon series. Excellent!

 

CURRENTLY READING

 

 

It was just announced that this book won the 2013 National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature!

 

CURRENTLY LISTENING TO

 

 

 

 

My family loves to read, too!

 

My 17-year-old just finished (for AP Literature):

 

 

My 20-year-old:

 

 

My mom:

 

 

My dad:

 

My husband:

 

 

What are YOU reading this week?