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Monday, November 16, 2020

Monday Reading - New Books to Enjoy

     Visit Kellee and Ricki at UnleashingReaders and 

  
Jen at Teach Mentor Texts to see what they and others have been reading! Your TBR lists will grow! Happy Reading!


Thanks to everyone for sharing so many great books that I put on my list, read and enjoy! I hope you are continuing to be well and manage these challenging days.

 



             I also read and enjoyed Saadia Faruqi's book written with Laura Shovan this year, A Place at The Table. Thanks to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this latest one. Saadia is from Karachi, Pakistan originally and while she writes here about two young girls, she also says in her author's note that this is a love letter to Karachi, too. This backdrop of the story gives a loving glimpse of this ancient city, now modern in some ways, still carrying its history, too. 
            It's a middle-grade novel first starting with disgusted eleven-year-old Mimi, not happy at all about spending her summer with grandparents she barely knows. She begins by starting a new journal writing to her father about the time there, the father who left her and her mother when she was five. The cook's daughter, the same age, is hoping for entry into a private school, not wishing at all to remain her father's assistant for the rest of her life. Her family is very poor, however, and she keeps this goal a secret, wondering if she will ever get the chance for better.
            At first, the girls are wary of each other. How in this world can a rich American girl ever have anything in common with a poor Pakistani? But they do find each other in ways you might not imagine, but will love the intertwining story, mixed in with both families' troubles and the change that happens when secrets are revealed. Learning how friendships work and how families can love no matter the circumstance means a great story for kids to read and connect with personally. I enjoyed it very much!


         Time to thank Josh Funk for his latest two books! 


          One more time Josh Funk has brought in his storyteller to give us readers a version of Little Red Riding Hood. Even the title says it's not, but everyone in the story tries hard to follow the original story. However, the wolf is sick (just like Grandma) so Captain Hook takes the wolf's place and tries hard to be scary and to follow the storyline. Even as Little Blue (yes, something happened to the red cape) tries to follow along, other things disrupt like that pirate says he did NOT agree to any people-eatin'! Like the previous ones, this is full of giggles and surprises from the story and from Edwardian Taylor's sneaky illustrations. I saw a few other recognizable story characters in the background like that bored rabbit waiting, waiting for the turtle plodding uphill. 
           I love reading this myself and to my grandchildren, am very glad I won it from Laura Mossa at Beagles and Books! Thanks again, Laura!


         Patience and Fortitude, ready for their nightly prowl, find that the beloved children's library they visit often, is gone! Off to find it, they first visit Times Square with lights blazing for Harry Potter, Frog and Toad, and Annie. Those are plays, no books. And in Funk's usual special poetic quatrains and Stevie Lewis's nighttime NYC illustrations, readers are taken on their own prowls searching. Central Park, the Highline Canal, and some of the local branch libraries are only a few places that are fun to see and visit, however, the lost books are not there! If you don't know the latest NYC library news, you'll learn about it now. The newly renovated library is now across the street and Patience and Fortitude at last found their beloved books. There is an added note at the back that explains all the sites visited for those who do not know New York City very well. The opening endcover by Lewis show the dismayed lions with only a few books, but the back ones are filled with Fortitude and Patience relaxing with their found books! Throughout the story, you will recognize some special favorites on various shelves. A new adventure that will be fun to add to other books about libraries.

                  Perfect to read aloud, wonderful for discussion and prediction, thanks to Candlewick Press for these next two books!


             With a few statements and a few questions, Mac Barnett shares a polar bear's story who wakes up and travels on to "what"? Shawn Harris's crafty cut paper collage and some ink illustrates the adventure. The collaboration becomes a wonderful readaloud for students' oohs and ahs as they view one page, offer guesses as to what's next. It's a beautiful and fun book for prediction


          Inspired by his son, Carson Ellis creates a poetic story that challenges expectations of what "should be" and what happens when it isn't. "Half a knock" at the "half door" makes one quite curious as to who is behind that door. With only brief text, the ink and gouache illustrations tell the story. How is it to live in a "half-life"? etc. I'd love to discuss this with a group of students. Thanks to Candlewick Press for this copy!

           This is Ruby's story, by Ruby Bridges, pictures from the beginning when she entered the school as the first black child in an all-white elementary school in New Orleans. It's for everyone, children and adult, to either remember or re-acquaint themselves with this inspiring story of a very brave child. It is also a call to action today from her words and from the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior. 







       Combining some real-life stories written about by Rachel Carson, Deborah Wiles creates a sense of wonder in her own fictional story starring Rachel and her son, Roger. With "wondrous" night-time illustrations by Daniel Miyares, we readers have the joy of this experience, too. Rachel calms Roger as they watch a storm from the window. "'I'm not afraid!' shouted Roger. CRAAAACK! The thunder answered." After the storm, they go down to the sea, hearing and seeing magic. At the end, turning off flashlights, the sea fills with a "luminous life." 
         I have experienced this on a trip with students years ago off the shores of Santa Barbara. It indeed is a magical and amazing thing to see. Wiles explains the background of this story, bioluminescence, and adds more resources for reading about Rachel Carson. Her work for the earth is something inspiring for all to learn. This book can be a terrific jumping-off point in a unit about Rachel Carson and taking care of the earth and its creatures.


NEXT: I've started Becoming Muhammed Ali by James Patterson and Kwame Alexander. I've been slowly reading Kate Quinn's The Rose Code.

16 comments:

  1. I am reading A Thousand Questions now - loving the structure so far. All of Josh Funk's books are so much fun and clever. I also loved A Polar Bear in the Snow. I look forward to hearing what you think of Becoming Muhammed Ali. I just finished it.

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  2. Did love A Thousand Questions. I would love to see two male authors from different backgrounds work together on a book in a similar way!

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  3. I've heard a lot of buzz about Ruby Bridges' book! Definitely need to read that. And A THOUSAND QUESTIONS is already on my TBR. Thanks for the great post.

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  4. You always have such great Monday posts and I always look forward to them. I have read and enjoyed some of these and am looking forward to reading the other, but thanks for the heads up about The Rose Code. Can't wait to read it.

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  5. This look like so much fun. A Thousand Questions looks like one my daughter would enjoy. And I hadn't heard of Where is Our Library. Thanks for sharing all these great books.

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  6. This morning I've been on a whirlwind of errands, so happy to read your comments & glad to hear you've found books that will be great to read or to hear your thoughts on them. Thanks a lot for coming by!

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  7. A Thousand Questions is one of those books that I didn't want to end. I loved the characters and reading about the Pakistani culture. Kids really love Josh Funk's books!

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    1. Wouldn't it be great to have a re-union of those girls? Yes, my granddaughters have loved them for sure. Thanks, Lisa!

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  8. I'm really looking forward to reading the new Ruby Bridges picture book. I'm on hold for it at the library but the library has had to close for covid contact cases. They'll open again, but we're back to contactless pickup. I loved A Thousand Questions and really liked the author's choice of telling it in two voices. And Josh's books... so fun!

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    1. I bought this new book by Ruby Bridges for the granddaughters, Michele. I felt it was so important that they had it. Yes, I loved A Thousand Questions as you read, and always look forward to Josh Funk's wonderful 'tales'! Thanks!

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  9. I'm really excited to hear more about A Thousand Questions! And I simply must read This is Your Time. I have Becoming Muhammed Ali, but just haven't gotten to it, yet. Hope it's as fantastic as it sounds! I loved Funk's new fractured fairy tale and look forward to Where Is Our Library! Thanks for all these wonderful shares, Linda. You always grow my list!

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    1. Except for some crossover, I think each of us adds to everyone else's list, Shaye. I have so-o-o many books I want to read because of Mondays! Enjoy what you can when you can! Thanks!

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  10. These books sound excellent! I've seen a ton of people enjoying A Thousand Questions, and I hadn't seen It's Not Little Red Riding Hood or In the Half Room, but those look great as well! Thanks for the great post!

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    1. Thanks for coming by! These books & others, as you know, are great reads!

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  11. I went and added Night Walk to the Sea: A Story about Rachel Carson, Earth's Protector straight away to my want to read list. (I love Deborah Wiles) Then I went to check my library. Alas they don't have it yet. I'll also be looking for this Ruby Bridges book.
    I haven't read any of the A Story of Patience & Fortitude Series yet. I've been reading so many Canadian picture books that I am way behind with the American ones.

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    1. And I try to find the Canadian books you share & only sometimes are they in my library. I hope you can find what really appeals to you, Cheriee! Thanks!

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