It's Monday! What are you Reading? is hosted by Jen at TEACH.MENTOR.TEXTS, and shared with Ricki and Kellee at UNLEASHING READERS.
And, also visit Sheila at BOOK JOURNEYS for more reviews. Thanks to all these blogs we are able to discover many, many new books! Thanks Ricki, Kellee, Jen and Sheila!
Tweet! at #IMWAYR
This time, too, I am linking with Myra, Fats and Iphigene at Gathering Books for their Award Winning Book challenge by reading The Snow Day, by Komako Sakai, an author/illustrator from Japan. I'll share about their new challenge next week. See the blog for more info if you're interested now!
I'd also like to share that I'm joining the 2014 Latin@s in Kid Lit Reading Challenge
See the sidebar for the link!
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I took a week off, so now am challenged as to how many books to share with you. Here is a list of the books read, with some reviews. Sorry the post is long, but please skim if you'd like! You can find further reviews on my Goodreads page. I completed my goal of 300 books, and think I'll keep that goal. I read more, but many were re-reads, for lessons, for sharing, for pleasure, so they don't count in the overall goal. There were amazing books this year. I hope you found some wonderful books in 2013, and find a few more below.
The Snow Day - written and illustrated by Komako Sakai She won the
I’ve read many picture books in these two weeks, and this rates near the top. It was published in 2005, but someone recommended it and I finally bought it! Every student and teacher knows about the specialness of snow days, but this little kindergarten bunny has his very first one in this story. Both the soft and snowy illustrations and the story are wonderful. He gets to sleep in, but jumps right up when his mother tells him it’s been snowing all night. Sadly, she says also he can’t go out until the snow stops, so he watches and they play cards and he watches again. His daddy can’t get home from a business trip because of the snow. The little bunny says, “Mommy, we are all alone in the world.” But just at bedtime, he makes a discovery, the snow has stopped! You’ll have to read the book to see the magic that happens next.
Books I imagine will win awards this year!
Herman And Rosie - written and illustrated by Gus Gordon
There are many things to love about this book, if you love NYC, if you prefer happy endings, and if you adore picture books that appeal to all ages because of story told so well by words and illustrations! Several have recommended this, and I do agree, it’s a beautiful book to savor. I’ve read it twice, just looking and looking at all the details added to the story in the illustrations. For example, Herman works at a job selling ‘things’, and in a sketch of him at his office, there is a bulletin board that includes a list of ‘things’, like sparkly things and round Things. Some backgrounds are ephermera like cutouts of newspaper weather data or a cash register printout. There are also small parts that show the city is New York City, although the name is never written. In such a short text, it’s wonderful to see how the tension builds, as slowly Rosie and Herman move closer to a meeting. And that’s all I can say. You’ll have to find the book to enjoy the rest of the story, and to enjoy more than once!