Thanks to: TeachMentorTexts for the inspiration! Thanks to Jen and Kellee for the meme! Well, we’ve hit the end of June and I just finished logging my reading progress on Goodreads and I realized I’ve read 250 books this year! I know I’ve read some books numerous times as a teacher and additionally as a mom, but it is pretty cool to have the goal of reading 500 books this year and being half way there! Honestly, I try to log every book I read, but some are pretty terrible and I don’t want to give poor reviews and then some other books aren’t in Goodreads yet and even though I have the “librarian” status there, I just am not up for investing quality time creating book records at this point. But… hip hooray to the reading progress that I’m not burned out with and still am enjoying! This week we had a new book order come in, so I got lost in numerous picture books that connected with counting. I also brought home countless books from work as I transitioned to that desperate time of “oh my, books won’t be at my fingertips, must grab what I want to read now!” I know I already created a committed reading list for the summer, but I have so many other books I told myself during the year that I’d read once I had time… Shall see what I get to enjoy.
Picture Books:
Night-time Tale by Ruth Brown – HOW DID I MISS THIS IN 2005? Wow. Really excited to discover this book. A lovely parent donated it to the library recently. So excited. I’m a huge long-time fan of Ruth Brown. I especially enjoyed reading A Dark, Dark Tale which is one of my favorite books- I now partner that book with The Dark by Lemony Snicket. This one is a classic story partnered with a classic partnered with a fairy tale on top of another fairy tale. So fantastic. There are so many other books I’d share this book with- especially with Janet and Allen Ahlberg. Goodreads Summary: “The little one has had a bad dream. He dreamt he was lost in a dark forest, and found a house all made of sweets. But before he could enjoy eating any, an old witch came and frightened him away. He ran straight into a girl in a red cloak, on her way to her grandmother’s. But he took one look at the grandmother and was so frightened he ran away again, and this time fetched up at the base of a giant beanstalk. A giant tumbled down it and created a huge hole in the ground, and the little one fell into the hole with a bump! And then he woke up. So he climbs in with Mama Bear, and goes back to sleep, much happier. But who is that climbing into his little bed? Could it be Goldilocks?”
Flight 1-2-3 by Maria van Lieshout – quite thrilled to get a new counting book for the library collection. There will be students inquiring into signs and symbols next year in my Year 2/1st grade class and this book is packed with them! Additionally, we have a student population where most of the children are traveling all over the place, they are used to being on planes and will be quite excited to read a counting book that has to do with travelling. Goodreads Summary: “What can you see when you go on an airplane journey? 1 airplane, 2 luggage carts, 3 check-in counters, and so much more! Using familiar airport signs, this striking book introduces little ones not only to numbers, but to the world around them. Equally suitable for the transportation-obsessed as well as any child learning to count, this fresh and dynamic picture book follow-up to Backseat A-B-See will entertain and educate at home, in the classroom, and on the go.”
1-2-3 Peas by Keith Baker - yet another counting book! Here’s a perfect counting, number recognition, pattern book which has lovely repetitious words and a world I never even imagined before this in which peas lead quite the entertaining life! I’d probably connect this book to Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal! Goodreads Summary: “Meet the peas—the 1-2-3 Peas! Come along as they count from one to one hundred in this pea-filled picture book that’s packed with bright, bold numbers and playful number-themed scenes. These tiny green mathematicians will have young readers everywhere calling for more peas, please!”
The Chicken Problem by Jennifer Oxley and Billy Aronson – another lovely math book with everyday life problems occurring through a really cute book. I love the graph paper background, addition problems tucked at the bottom of the page and exclamation marks used in an entertaining, cute way… My Favorites were: “Chickens standing on each other’s heads! Chickens doing the chicken dance! Chickens bending over and wiggling their botttoms in the air!” Really special picture book with an adorable cat who also is special in the book. Even the voice of the main character, Peg, is entertaining with the words she repeats- I look forward to reading it aloud to classes, I can see them fall into giggling fits over the REALLY BIG CHICKEN problems she has. Goodreads Summary: “Full of humor, refreshingly original characters, and math problems that young readers will be clamoring to help solve, The Chicken Problem is an ideal addition to the home or classroom. Left-brained Peg and her right-brained pal, Cat, are enjoying a picnic on the farm with Pig. However, when someone leaves the chicken coop open and the chicks run-a-muck, it’s up to Peg and Cat to use their math skills to help solve their poultry predicament.”
Big Al by Andrew Clements and Yoshi – This was a book I just had to purchase and add to my new school library. I cannot imagine a library without Big Al. It has a clear, beautiful message that children can take and grow with… very special. It is also a lovely selection for the beginning of a school year when you talk about the choices you make and how to make a new friend. Goodreads Summary: “Poor Big Al! He just wants to make friends. And in the whole wide blue sea you can’t find a nicer fish. But because Big Al is large and scary-looking, the little fish are afraid to get to know him. What can he do? He tries everything he can think of — from disguising himself with seaweed to burrowing under the ocean floor so he’ll look smaller. But something always goes wrong, and lonely Big Al wonders if he’ll ever have a single friend. Then one frightening day, when a fishing net captures the other fish, Big Al gets the chance to prove what a wonderful friend he can be!”
Guinea Pig Party by Holly Surplice – and another counting book! Love the counting books I’ve been able to find for the library collection! This book is a cute party book full of mishaps that can happen at a party. Goodreads Summary: “Count from 10 and back again with the sweetest-ever guinea pigs! The guinea pigs are having a party, and like many children’s birthday parties, things aren’t going perfectly. But in the end everyone has a good time and the party is a success! Based on a familiar counting rhyme and combining numbers and cute animals, this book makes a perfect birthday gift.”
ART 123 by Stefano Zuffi – ok, my last math book purchase – I really fell in love with this counting book that connects children with classic art pieces. I really love the various styles of art that were selected for the book and additionally how there are hands sticking into every page helping children count along in numerous ways. Goodreads Summary: “Children will learn to count from 1 to 12 while looking at fine art masterpieces in this lively new book. Cats by Gainsborough, boats by Van Gogh, a circle of dancers by Matisse, a king and queen sculpted by Henry Moore—they’re all here to encourage counting and to introduce the fascinating world of art. A short rhyme perfect for reading aloud accompanies each illustration, helping children find the objects to count.Art 123 is a great book for all art lovers.”
Graphic Novels:
Stone Rabbit – Ninja Slice/Night of the Living Dust Bunnies/Dragon Boogie by Erik Craddock - - fantastic series… now I’ve completed reading these with my son. He really enjoyed them. I’ve had numerous students already noticing the new series in the library. I can’t wait to see what they think next year! I also can’t wait to add Jeff Stone’s Bone Series to the library. Just can’t believe I hadn’t done so yet! Goodreads Summary: “Ninjas have opened a new pizzeria in Happy Glades, and they’re out to kill the competition—literally. Will Stone Rabbit’s kickin’ karate skills be enough to save his favorite local pizza shop? Or will he be sliced up into toppings and delivered in 20 minutes or less?”
Fiction Books:
Doll Bones by Holly Black – I was so glad to experience this book… from being a book that I was dying to read but creeped out by the cover to reading and in awe of a brilliant novel, this was one of my favorite reads this year. What a powerful coming-of-age novel where close friends have the challenge of growing up yet still wanting to remain close. I felt angst over the relationship between Zach and his father after watching children and some of my close friends having similar issues through the years with communication problems and control issues halting any chance of growth… So powerful. Sure, there is a little, somewhat creepy, doll storyline but that is not what I took away from the book. I closed this book with the feeling that I just completed a powerful, awesome, mostly realistic adventure story with a little bit of caution thrown in as well.
Beautiful, yet hard to read lines:
He wondered whether growing up was learning that most stories turned out to be lies.
“… But I’ve been thinking that protecting somebody by hurting them before someone else gets the chance isn’t the kind of protecting that anybody wants.” – heart ached.
Goodreads Summary: “Zach, Poppy and Alice have been friends for ever. They love playing with their action figure toys, imagining a magical world of adventure and heroism. But disaster strikes when, without warning, Zach’s father throws out all his toys, declaring he’s too old for them. Zach is furious, confused and embarrassed, deciding that the only way to cope is to stop playing . . . and stop being friends with Poppy and Alice. But one night the girls pay Zach a visit, and tell him about a series of mysterious occurrences. Poppy swears that she is now being haunted by a china doll – who claims that it is made from the ground-up bones of a murdered girl. They must return the doll to where the girl lived, and bury it. Otherwise the three children will be cursed for eternity . . .”
Early Chapter Book:
Bink & Gollie Best Friends Forever by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee, illustrated by Tony Fucile – How much do I love reading Bink and Gollie? Can’t tell you, can’t measure it! But Bink can measure that she is shorter than Gollie, and she thinks a Acme Stretch-O-Matic might be just the answer…. and Gollie thinks that she is a queen because of her relatives- how does Bink react? Read to find out! Here are a few other things I love about Bink & Gollie books: rollerskates, old fashioned in a present day world, collections, friendship, lack of parents, adventures, easy to read and fun to approach, colored pictures in an early chapter book… and much much more. Highly recommend you grab one soon! Goodreads Summary: “Gollie is quite sure she has royal blood in her veins, but can Bink survive her friend’s queenly airs — especially if pancakes are not part of the deal? Bink wonders what it would be like to be as tall as her friend, but how far will she stretch her luck to find out? And when Bink and Gollie long to get their picture into a book of record holders, where will they find the kudos they seek?”
Non-Fiction Books:
The Beatles were Fab (and they were funny) by Kathleen Krull & Paul Brewer, illustrated by Stacy Innerst - fantastic biography about The Beatles. Great quotes, information and humor mixed in. I’m never disappointed with a Kathleen Krull book! Quotes: “We like screams, so scream louder and louder.” “The lads found it hilarious that the less their music could be heard, the more popular they became and the more money they were paid.” I also loved the insight into the Beatles hilarious answers to interview questions. Goodreads Summary: “Q: How do you find all this business of having screaming girls following you all over the place? George: Well, we feel flattered . . . John: . . . and flattened. When the Beatles burst onto the music scene in the early 1960s, they were just four unknown lads from Liverpool. But soon their off-the-charts talent and offbeat humor made them the most famous band on both sides of the Atlantic. Lively, informative text and expressive, quirky paintings chronicle the phenomenal rise of Beatlemania, showing how the Fab Four’s sense of humor helped the lads weather everything that was thrown their way—including jelly beans.”
Building on Nature – The Life of Antoni Gaudi by Rachel Rodriguez, illustrated by Julie Paschkis - fascinating to read about Antoni Gaudi’s life. Since I was able to see one of his structures in person when I toured Barcelona, I was even more excited to learn about his intentions with creations. Goodreads Summary: “In a small village in Spain lives a boy named Antoni Gaudí. His home is in Catalonia, a place of jagged mountain peaks and silvery olive trees, splashed by the sparkling sea. The wild beauty of this landscape makes a deep impression. He thinks of it as the Great Book of Nature, and he will read from it all of his life. Gaudí becomes an architect, learning the rules of form and structure that buildings are supposed to follow. But the shapes and colors of the natural world still inspire him, and he works them into his buildings. Leaves climb up walls. Pillars are giant animal feet. A long bench snakes around a playground. Antoni Gaudí turned nature into art, and in the process he revolutionized the world of architecture.”
Angkat – The Cambodian Cinderella written by Jewell Reinhart Cobern, illustrated by Eddie Flotte – Wow, this is quite the folktale. Didn’t expect the scheming, killing, and dark components of this Cinderella tale. The illustrations are brilliant accompanying the fascinating tale. Thrilled that we have this for students to enjoy next year!
The Birdman by Veronika Martenova Charles, illustrated by Annouchka Gravel Galouchko and Stephan Daigle – story with a setting in India, after a personal tragedy, a man takes action to free illegally captured birds. Beautiful action story. Goodreads Summary: “Noor Nobi is a broken man, wandering the streets of Calcutta with no reason to live. His three children, snatched from him in a cruel accident, were everything he worked for and loved. But one day, he enters a crowded market and sees a bird, caged and frightened and sick. With very little money in his pocket, he waits until the vendor is closing up. Quickly, Noor Nobi bargains and, happy to get anything for the sickly thing, the vendor accepts his offer. For some reason Noor Nobi cannot explain, it is important for him to nurse the bird back to health. When it is finally able to fly, Noor Nobi takes his bird to a big Banyan tree and releases it. Only then is he able to weep and fully grieve for his children. Before Noor Nobi knows it, he is back at work and taking his weekly earnings to the market where he continues to buy, heal, and free as many birds as he can. Crowds gather; some laugh and say he is crazy, some stand reverently, some don’t know what to think. But Noor Nobi’s kindness saves a growing number of birds, and the birds, in turn, give him new purpose. Author Veronika Martenova Charles read a short newspaper article about the “Birdman” of Calcutta and her imagination took flight. She traveled to India, found Noor Nobi, and witnessed the freeing of the birds for herself.”
Audio Books Enjoyed:
Of Poseidon by Anna Banks – reading this one as an audiobook, it captured me immediately, one of the free audiobooks I’ve enjoyed through http://www.audiobooksync.com/. It has been a while since I constantly listened to an audiobook and was actually distracted from other worries long enough to focus on an audiobook. This one was great “brain candy” for me. So thrilled to have the chance to read the book. Unfortunately, I’m now dying to read the sequel, Of Triton, which is recently out in the stores. Shall see if I give in… It does look like a trilogy, so I might just step back and take my time enjoying other books first. Goodreads Summary: “Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he’s heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen—literally, ouch!—both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma’s gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom… Told from both Emma and Galen’s points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance.”
I’m Now Reading:
Clementine and the Spring Trip by Sara Pennypacker – HOW I LOVE jumping back into Clementine’s world! I’m not rushing through this read!
Audiobook: I’m beginning to listen to Going Bovine by Libba Bray – shall see if I can get through this, long audiobook for less than a week of listening time! Hopefully I can borrow again if incomplete…
Want more book ideas and reviews? – Yes, I’m quite brief, but a prolific reader! Please visit me at Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1941055-the-styling-librarian Also, please follow this blog through email updates – (do so to the right of this blog post), my Facebook page, comment, or meet up with me on Twitter. I appreciate all of the support, makes my day! Honored by all the wonderful followers.
Filed under: Book Recommendations, Book Review, Books, Graphic Novels, Weekly Reading Update
