Sunday, May 28, 2017

Monday Reading - More Goodness



              Visit Jen at Teach MentorTexts and Kellee and Ricki at UnleashingReaders to discover books you'll love!        tweet #IMWAYR






It's been a full, full week as I'm sure all of you have had. I am reading Wildman by J.C. Geiger, an arc from NetGalley. Then I got hooked on Who Killed Christopher Goodman?, Allan Wolf's latest book. And they are both about teens and crazy decisions made in good times and bad. I haven't finished either one, but they are both YA books you should look for.


 When you order a kitten and the company is out of kittens, so sends a lion instead, it's a good thing to have this "how-to" book. Sauer and Cummings include all the best tips, like how "not" to look like a gazelle, a zebra or a bunny. I'm sure it will make a good read aloud, and using it as a mentor text for both 'how-to' books and cartooning work beautifully.
 Yellow Bird has a button, which does nothing, or so he says! Red Bird and Blue Bird have more to say about it when they “push” the button. One of my favorite things aside from that "do-nothing" button is Blue Bird's cute hat. And then there’s that little worm. Lots of Elephant & Piggie at the end and the beginning, and lots of laughs in between.




From a well-known storyteller who grew up in a large Romani family, a well-known writer in Great Britain and an artist also from Great Britain comes a story of Ossiri, a young girl “traveler” or “Romani”. “Travelers do not have homes, but move their homes in carts or trailers, scavenging and making use of discards. You may know them as “gypsies”. This story is one handed down through generations. A young girl loves music so much, and there is no money for one so she creates her own, which she names “Tattin Django”. She loves playing it, but others say it hurts their ears. When the community moves to a new place, another girl warns Ossiri not to play the music too loudly because she might wake the Bala Mengro. She won’t tell what will happen when he does wake up, but says, “You don’t want to know?” What happens when Ossiri persists with the music is a fun ending. Stories passed down from through the years are always special, like this one. Illustrations are colorful and like folk art, a fitting style for this story.
Two New Bear Books!  See my long list in the bar above!


      Benedict the bear lives a lovely life, including a jar of honey left on his doorstep each morning! At least it's good until it isn't! One day a small bee comes by to tell Benedict that the bees are on strike! No more honey, no more deliveries. This bear doesn't realize the work that the bees are going to just to deliver those jars. He's told that they now have to travel miles to gather their needs, and two queens have left! The hive is falling apart, too. Benedict has no idea of the problems, and fortunately, he does something about it. He does the research, restores his field by planting more flowers and finally he's ready to share. The illustrations are wonderfully emotional as this bear is at first dismayed to the point that his life is in disarray. It doesn't stay that way long and it's great to see his response to help those striking bees. It's a good read-aloud story, a lesson about the environment and the plight of bees as well as a beginning lesson in understanding labor unions. It's hard to believe that so much has been included in a brief picture book, but it is a great story.
     Discovered at my library is another book about the love of books, the need for more, and sharing what one has. Fox, Bunny, Mouse and Hedgehog love to read, but they only have one book! In a search for others, they find one and see that it belongs to bear. They walk to return it, but Bear isn't home, so they return it through a window. Unfortunately, Mouse falls in with the book, and then lets the others inside, to a wondrous home. It's filled with books! They begin to read and are so absorbed, they forget that they really don't belong, and Bear arrives home. What happens then is a sweet scene, and both Bear and the other animals get their wishes. Full page and boldly colored illustrations will delight young readers. 

Next: After finishing the two mentioned above, time to Read March Three and finish the trilogy. I also have a book to start for my book club.

18 comments:

  1. I can't wait to read THE GOOD FOR NOTHING BUTTON.

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  2. I'm a fan of all these Elephant & Piggie like reading books and am looking forward to this one. Please Please the Bees looks like a fun and important book. I love that Bear does something!

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    1. The new E & P book is delightful, Cheriee, and Please, Please the Bees is terrific, and with lovely illustrations too. Thanks!

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  3. Bears House of Books sounds like fun. Also Ossiri looks like a great read as well. I love when storytellers bring stories alive in the form of books. A window into family stories.

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    1. I loved this "passed down" story, too, Joanne, a fun read. And Bear's House of Books would be such a nice one to help talk about sharing. Thanks!

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  4. Oh, that cover for Bear's House of Books just makes my heart sing!!!

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    1. It is a darling book, Jane. I hope you can find it!

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  5. There are always bear books to be read :) They are fun characters to write (and read!) about!
    I really liked the NOTHING BUTTON book - it felt like Elephant and Piggie to me :)

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    1. It's amazing that those bears keep coming to the front of the stage! But I do love them. Yes, that 'nothing button' book is an E & P for sure. Thanks, Michele.

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  6. I just finished my grandmother asked me to tell you she's sorry (it's taken a long time for me to be able to type titles without capital letters). I enjoyed it and have great quotes for my upcoming birthday party cookie celebration (planned before I read the book)! I'm off to request both bear books and the Ossiri story. I'm starting Last Days of Night for my adult book club.

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    1. Terrific, all! Will look up Last Days of Night, Ramona. Thanks!

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  7. Ossiri and Please Please the Bees look like books I'll want to get. I just ordered both. Caring for Your Lion looks very fun. Thanks!

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    1. I liked them all, but Please, Please The Bees is wonderful in its illustrations and its message, Crystal. I hope you enjoy them! Thanks!

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  8. Caring For Your Lion was absolutely excellent. I am so glad you liked it. I had a lot of fun reading it to the boys!

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    1. I think it was your sharing that made me look for it, Ricki. It was fun!

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  9. I love the Button book. Charise Harper is a regular at our store and she did a reading with Mo this past weekend at a different bookstore but I randomly ran into him at a Starbucks. I was so starstruck!

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    1. Thanks for sharing, Earl. What a wonderful thing to have happen! Yes, that button book is terrific!

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