Books Galore and more! #IMWAYR Feb.3, 2014

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme began by Sheila at Book Journeys as a way to share what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and what is in store for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading. I first learned about it from Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki of Unleashing Readers and have become a regular linked up blog. Thanks #PLN 

I spent a good deal of time writing today's #IMWAYR post but then decided that I had just written what would make a better Nerdy Book Club post. So I am just giving the highlights of my reading week and will save my juicy blog post for another day.

I have been moving slowly through Flora and Ulysses because I have been highly distracted this week by other novels. This week, it gets my full focus so that I will be ready in time for #virtualbookclub on Feb. 17 at
9 p.m. EST.
I am very happy that one of our new Texas Bluebonnet Award nominees is the Newbery Medal winner this year.

Beautiful-informative-sad-and hopeful read of the week. Love how you have to hold the book vertically to read it. The book has so many excellent side trips into further researching.










Battle Bunny by Jon Scieszka


Love the humor and creativity but fear the repercussions on my poor library books after my students experience this hilarious edited book. It would be best to introduce it through a lesson using the template for The Birthday Bunny that can be downloaded and offered to students to write their own versions.




Future library lesson:

The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt

Texas Bluebonnet nominee 2014-2015.
I have resisted really reading this book for the longest time. I saw the amount of text and how hard it was to see some of the words and images so I was not immediately taken by the creativeness of the book. Since becoming a Bluebonnet nominee, I purchased it and gave it a good read and did some brain storming on lessons. I think it will turn out to be a popular book with students. It's theme lends well to a Bluebonnet Celebration activity. I am already planning for next year.


Used in library lessons this week:

The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Paul Galdone

Classic story of The Three Billy Goats Gruff. I like to pair this book up with the fractured fairy tale The Three Cabritos by Eric Kimmel.









The Three Cabritos by Eric A. Kimmel

Eric Kimmel is the King of fractured fairy tales with a Texas twist. Helen Ketteman is the queen. the Three Cabritos is a favorite as my students frequently talk about chupacabras. It is a fresh, fun twist on the Three Billy Goats Gruff story. Instead of a troll, el Chupacabra is the creature beneath the bridge and the billy brothers all play musical instruments to pay their toll across the bridge to Mexico.




The Three Little Tamales by Eric A. Kimmel

Reread many times. Perfect Texas twisted tale to use in a fairy tale unit. A favorite story to use during Texas Public Schools week in March.

My audiobook of the week: 






Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Opinion brief:

I listened to the audio version of Graceling. A full cast reading which enriched the experience. I was at the point of thinking what a great book, why don't I have this in my library...and then came the part of why I am sure it to became a banned book. THAT PART where it got all hot and heavy and really unnecessary since it didn't enrich the reading experience. Well it did cause me to stop working and listen a little bit more carefully. Thank goodness I wasn't driving or I would have driven off the road.

Graceling is a fast paced fantasy novel full of interesting characters, exciting plot twists, and romance. Yes, quite full of unexpected romance.


My in-depth read of the week. This is the book that I am reading, listening to, and  researching the backstory to gain a deeper understanding.











And that's a few of this week's reads. I hope you are enjoying your reading week as much as I am.