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.

 

 

PICTURE BOOKS

 

 

Flashlight by Lizi Boyd

 

2014-book, curiosity, mock-caldecott-2015, mood-tone, nature, picture-book, wordless   This wordless book captivated me, just like Boyd's Inside Outside. It's so clever! I enjoyed the quiet and calm mood, the creative cutouts, the curiosity of the boy, and the humorous twist when the forest creatures decide to take a turn with the flashlight.  Kids will really enjoy this exploration of nature. Outlaw Pete by Frank Caruso   2014-book, character-traits, conflict, death, legend, music, picture-book, western, young-adult-book            Be duly warned: this is not a children's book! If you know this song by Bruce Springsteen, though, you would know that immediately. However, I had to have it, and I had to rate it 5 stars because it's a brilliant song (as are 99% of Bruce songs), and I loved the art. I may use it with my 6th graders, but not my 5th graders. It would be great to use in the upper grades, however. Be sure to share the Afterword with them. It's quintessential Bruce.     Voyage by Billy Collins, illustrated by Karen Romagna   2014-book, adventure, books-about-books, fantasy-science-fiction, journey, oceans, picture-book, poetry       A lyrical journey on the ocean turns into a magical reading adventure. The blues and yellows in the illustrations, the happy dolphin, the smiling moon, the swashbuckling pirate, and the transformations of the boat contribute to a wonderful poetic story.   ADULT FICTION     Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult   2014-book, adult-fiction           The interweaving of elephant grief research, the mother/daughter bond, and the missing persons/murder investigation is fascinating. I love how Picoult builds a story. I also love the multiple first person points of view in which she writes. I can't say too much or I'll spoil the famous Picoult twist, but I would have been more amazed by it if I hadn't read a book with such a similar one in the recent past. I'll be recommending it, though, and passing my copy around. I didn't think it was as good The interweaving of elephant grief research, the mother/daughter bond, and the missing persons/murder investigation is fascinating. I love how Picoult builds a story. I also love the multiple first person points of view in which she writes. I can't say too much or I'll spoil the famous Picoult twist, but I would have been more amazed by it if I hadn't read a book with such a similar one in the recent past. I'll be recommending it, though, and passing my copy around. I didn't think it was as good as The Storyteller and My Sister's Keeper, but it was among my favorites of hers.   Listen to an audio excerpt here.   CURRENTLY READING       CURRENTLY LISTENING TO       What are YOU reading this week?