There were so many books that I wanted to read this spring but my students had first dibs on them. With #summerthrowdown in full swing, I have been able to dive into my Summer Reading Wish List.
I also read aloud some of these favorite character books to a group of mommies and their babies during my presentation on the importance of early literacy and family reading traditions.
...and then because I was in a Pete the Cat mood, I read these too.
ARCs I have read this week:
Sleep Tight Little Bear by Britta TeckentrupA little bear and his mother prepare for their long winter's nap of hibernation by visiting each of their friends to say good-night. I had an immediate positive feeling regarding this book. The pros were: beautiful illustration, a sweet family story introducing the concept of hibernation, and I cannot resist a bear story. The cons were: I think the bears would probably eat those very same friends they were telling good-night especially in the spring when they woke up.
I also read Pig and Small by Alex Latimer. Great title and an interesting little book about a pig and a bug trying to make their awkward friendship work.
My favorite book of the week:
Always, Abigail by Nancy J. CavanaughMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Source: ARC received from Sourcebooks/Jabberwocky Kids
Release date: October 2014
Realistic Fiction, ages: 9-13
I absolutely loved the story of Abigail and her terrible, horrible, no good, very bad sixth grade year. Abigail, the list maker and her two BFFs AlliCam (2 girls) have aspired to become pom pom girls since they first met in kindergarten. Disaster first strikes when Abigail is put in a different homeroom than AliCam and then her antiquated Language Arts teacher partners her up with the biggest loser in school. Ack!!!!
Always Abigail is told through a series of lists-funny, thought provoking, and much like the lists I used to find in my own daughter's room. I think it genuinely reflects the suffering, guilt, and angst a young girl can experience in her sixth grade year. I appreciated that Abigail had a very active conscience battling her daily.
Without a doubt, I will be purchasing a hard copy of this book for my school library collection. I think it can serve my young friends well.
I made a list of what I like about Always Abigail:
1. Abigail is an interesting, flawed, typical sixth grade girl striving to live up to her dreams while struggling with her conscience.
2. Ditto
3. Ditto
4. Ditto
5 Ditto
6. Ditto
7. Ditto
8. Ditto
9. Ditto
10. Ditto
Getting ready for #virtualbookclub chat this Monday, July 14th at 8 p.m. EST. Join us!
I re-read A Snicker of Magic
A Snicker of Magic by Natalie LloydMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
A sweet,charming story about a girl named Felicity Pickle and her destiny to lay down roots in the town where her mother grew up. A wonderful story of friendship and the importance of family. Read it and feel renewed by life.
This is going to be a great Twitter chat because we all loved the book so much.
Currently reading:
Source: ARC received from Sourcebooks/Jabberwocky Kids
Release date: September 2014
Mystery, ages: 10-14
It has been a fun reading week. What are your reading?
I've been pushing Pete the Cat like crazy at our store since I know kids love the books! Bears might be the new birds in terms of picture book subjects.
ReplyDeleteI am so drawn to bear stories. They have so many teaching possibilities and the students seem to love them just as much as I do.
DeleteThere's a Pete The Cat going to school that's fun, too. Love them all! Thanks for telling about Always Abigail. I will look for it!
ReplyDeleteAlways Abigail is a wonderful book for that middle age group. Girls who love to make lists will relate well to Abigail. I think this would also be a good book for students struggling a bit with reading and wanting peers to see they are reading a longer book. This really matters to many children.
DeleteI cannot wait to read Abigail! I just recently finished Ratchet and loved it. I met Nancy Cavanaugh at nerd camp and it was a delight to talk to her. I told her I was just amazed at the writing - how she was able to move a story forward without narrative writing. So fun to read.
ReplyDelete"Talk" to you tonight at the Snicker book club!
I would really like to meet Nancy and envy you going to nerd camp. I tried to follow along with the tweets. I read Snicker of Magic several weeks ago so I am having to re-read a bit to refresh my memory.
DeleteThanks for the info about the Twitter chat. I will definitely get that on my schedule for today. I loved A Snicker of Magic!
ReplyDeletePlease do join us. I look forward to our monthly middle grade reads and this month we have two chats and in August a double chat. See you there.
DeleteI loved the Selection series, too. I agree it is a bit cheesy, but it was compelling enough to keep me going. Very Bachelor-ish, and I admit I love The Bachelor!;-)
ReplyDeleteI am trying to get caught up on all the books my kids kept checked out and out of my hands. I love summer reading.
Deletewhat a great list added many to my hold list and got a few from netgalley. Cute blog name and description
ReplyDeleteThanks for the blog name compliment. I have wondered many times why I chose that. I think it was because I was under a deadline for completing "23 Things" PD which required starting a blog. See, I kept with it. The lesson stuck.
DeleteGreat list! Really interested in "A Snicker of Magic." May listen in on the book talk, as I'm curious whether it would be a good fit for my third graders.
ReplyDeleteIt is available through Scholastic so ask your librarian to order some copies at the next book fair (you can do that-I know many book fair secrets to success). The language is fantastic and your students will have fun making up their own words and trying their hand at being "The Beetle".
DeleteI just got The Selection books in my library. Glad to know that you think they are OK.
ReplyDeleteThey are a light read and many 5th 6th grade girls like the series. I lend more towards the Ruby Red series. The Matched series was really good.
DeleteGreat to know about the Twitter chat for Snicker - charming book!
ReplyDeleteCharming is the perfect word to describe ASoM.
DeleteMy kids (three and five) love the Pete the Cat books, but to be honest, I cringe a little bit every time they pick one off the shelf. Luckily there are plenty of other choices that we all love to keep everyone happy. (Doug @ http://highvariance.net)
ReplyDeleteI love the first few Pete books because they speak to the hearts of young children and it helps them to bond with parents. The later books-not so much. It seems like they are just milking the series. I heard there was a change in authorship. It seems apparent.
DeleteI am in agreement with you Megan. I felt it was a bit goofy but I would have probably liked it as a young teen not knowing it wasn't very realistic. Now I just have to tell them that Little Women is like the Selection (a big stretch) Wealthy Laurie (a guy) chooses between four sisters. They will be hooked once they begin the story especially if I tell them one of the girls dies.
ReplyDeleteHi Julee, it's the first that I'm hearing of the Selection series, thank you for highlighting the books this week. Summer reading is so much fun, isn't it? I loved Snicker of Magic too, I would most likely re-read it along with my 12 year old girl after we finish reading Flora & Ulysses aloud. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm planning to read Always Abigail and A Snicker of Magic. I haven't read nearly enough middle grade reads this year. They both look great though.
ReplyDelete