#MustReadin2014 Update AND It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

 

 

Carrie Gelson and Maria Selke started the #MustReadin2014 Link Up at the beginning of the year, and Gathering Books started the Check Off Your Reading List Challenge 2014.  They go hand in hand, and I wrote a blog post listing 35 of the 900+ books on my Goodreads To-Read list that I want to definitely read this year.  This is my second update.  My first one can be found here. Be sure to link up on their blogs!  Since April 1st, I've only read several from my list - other books keep pulling me away.  I need to get back to it!  I've strayed from it quite a bit.

 

 

Finished 4/23/14: http://hollymueller.blogspot.com/2014/04/its-monday-what-are-you-reading_28.html



Finished 5/26/14: http://hollymueller.blogspot.com/2014/05/its-monday-what-are-you-reading_26.html



Finished 6/17/2014: http://hollymueller.blogspot.com/2014/06/its-monday-what-are-you-reading_23.html

Now on to what I've read in the last couple weeks since I didn't do a #IMWAYR post last Monday.  I'm only going to include my favorites since this is going to get long!

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. 

PICTURE BOOKS



Mogie: The Heart of the House by Kathi Appelt, illustrated by Marc Rosenthal

Based on a true story:

Oh - I couldn't help but choke up at this sweet story about real life Mogie, a Labradoodle with a big heart. He knows just what each child and staff member needs at the Ronald McDonald House.     Bad Bye, Good Bye by Deborah Underwood, illustrated by Jonathan Bean   Things can change from bad to good if you reach out and see new opportunities. A young boy only sees the negatives to moving, but soon his new home is a happy place.     Emily's Blue Period by Cathleen Daly, illustrated by Lisa Brown   This is a really special book. Emily's family is going through difficulties, and now she has two houses. Art and her connection to Picasso help her reconcile her feelings. I love her acceptance of her little brother's contribution to her collage at the end.       Oh Dear, Geoffrey! by  Gemma O'Neill   I LOVED the art in this book. Giraffes are my favorite wild animals. :-) This giraffe just needed to know where to look in order to make friends.     The Mermaid and the Shoe by K.G. Campbell     I love the illustrations in this fairy tale about Minnow, a mermaid trying to find her own identity and purpose among all her sisters.     Chengdu Could Not, Would Not Fall Asleep by Barney Saltzberg   I enjoyed the funny ending of this book about Chengdu the young panda's plight of not being able to sleep. Great illustrations.   MIDDLE GRADE     Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff   Oh, so wonderful! Albie is an unforgettable character, and so is his amazing babysitter, Calista. I was so frustrated at his parents and their misunderstandings. I know they tried, but oh how I wanted to shake them!! My students are going to love this one, and I will add it to my "empathy" repertoire, right up there with Wonder and Out of my Mind. I thought it was interesting that Graff chose NOT to diagnose Albie with dyslexia, but to leave his learning difficulties without a label. My favorite...more Oh, so wonderful! Albie is an unforgettable character, and so is his amazing babysitter, Calista. I was so frustrated at his parents and their misunderstandings. I know they tried, but oh how I wanted to shake them!! My students are going to love this one, and I will add it to my "empathy" repertoire, right up there with Wonder and Out of my Mind. I thought it was interesting that Graff chose NOT to diagnose Albie with dyslexia, but to leave his learning difficulties without a label. My favorite conversation is between Albie and Calista on pages 105-106 about loving what you do and being good at it. This one is going to have Newbery buzz.     Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson   Be sure to preorder this book from your local indie bookstore!  It's release date is August 28th.     This is a beautiful, beautiful book. I was able to get the ARC at ALA and read it right away while in Vegas because so many Nerdy Book Club people have been talking about it. I read it slowly, savoring every word. I loved hearing about Jacqueline's journey as a writer. I will also get the hardback when it comes out because it is a keepsake. I can't wait to share this with friends and students. It will be a treasure in my classroom library. I love what Woodson said about memories and stories in h...more This is a beautiful, beautiful memoir written in verse. I was able to get the ARC at ALA (I missed her signing it, unfortunately) and read it right away while in Vegas because so many Nerdy Book Club people have been talking about it. I read it slowly, savoring every word. I loved hearing about Jacqueline's journey as a writer and a girl growing up in a complicated time . I will also get the hardback when it comes out because it is a keepsake. I can't wait to share this with friends and students. It will be a treasure in my classroom library. I love what Woodson said about memories and stories in her author's note. "The people who came before me worked so hard to make this world a better place for me. I know my work is to make the world a better place for those coming after. As long as I can remember this, I can continue to do the work I was put here to do."

 

 

 

Sisters by Raina Telgemeier

Be sure to preorder this one, too, from your local indie bookstore.  It's release date is August 26th.

I'm going to be a rock star when I return to school with this book in hand for my students - I snagged the ARC and Raina's signature at ALA. They LOVED Smile and Drama and started anticipating this book back in the spring when I told them Raina was going to do another memoir like Smile. This one focuses on the story of her relationship with her sister, Amara - the good times, frustrating times, and difficult times. This one is funny like Smile, but it also addresses some serious topics like job...more I'm going to be a rock star when I return to school with this book in hand for my students - I snagged this ARC, also, and Raina's signature at ALA. My students LOVED Smile and Drama and started anticipating this book back in the spring when I told them Raina was going to do another memoir like Smile. This one focuses on the story of her relationship with her sister, Amara - the good times, frustrating times, and difficult times. This one is funny like Smile, but it also addresses some serious topics like job loss and separation, issues many kids will identify with.

ADULT
 

 

Show Your Work! 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered by Austin Kleon

 

 

I loved this book! Thank you, Brenda Power, for sharing this book with all of us CL folks. I'll be passing it on! It's funny, informative, and insightful. Austin Kleon tells us that it's time to debunk the myth that creative people are lone geniuses and encourage artists and writers, makers and creative entrepreneurs to show their work. It's about process, not product. Even though this book is geared toward the artistic set, I think it applies beautifully to educators and students. We're only go...more I loved this book! Thank you, Brenda Power, for sharing this book with all of us Choice Literacy folks. I'll be passing it on! It's funny, informative, and insightful. Austin Kleon tells us that it's time to debunk the myth that creative people are lone geniuses and encourage artists and writers, makers and creative entrepreneurs to show their work. It's about process, not product. Even though this book is geared toward the artistic set, I think it applies beautifully to educators and students. We're only going to revolutionize schools if we all show our work and stop isolating ourselves. We need to share our best ideas, be inclusive and not judgmental or competitive, and students will benefit. We can also teach the concept of showing our work to students. Talking through our own processes in whatever we're teaching, whether it be literacy, math, social students, science, etc., can be powerful. It's important to show our kids that we are doers of our craft, and we are working on it. Then we encourage THEM to show their work. Bloggers and users of social media will love this book, too. Favorite quotes: "Be an amateur," "You can't find your voice if you don't use it," "Become a documentarian of what you do," "Share your trade secrets," "Identify your fellow knuckleballers (hello CL!:-)." I love the concept of collaboration, and I feel like this book spoke to me as a person who loves social media (when you find positive and inspiring people to follow) and sharing books/ideas/philosophies. Showing your work, seeing other people's work, and finding fellow knuckleballers are quite rewarding and inspiring experiences!

 

CURRENTLY READING

 

 

CURRENTLY LISTENING TO

 



 

My family loves to read, too!

Katie (18):



Libby (21):



My husband:



My mom:



My dad:
 

 

What are YOU reading this week?