Sunday, November 17, 2013

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?- Nov. 18, 2013



Please visit the amazing blogs: Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers who host this terrific meme each week.

Click on the covers to learn more about the books I read this week.


Little Red Writing
by Joan Holub
Illustrated by Melissa Sweet
This is a new favorite! I love the concept of a little pencil bravely facing the challenges and dangers of writing a story.  Very clever and the illustrations are fantastic! For grades K-5.



Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library
by Chris Grabenstein
Such a fun book for any children's lit. fan. The characters try to escape from Mr. Lemoncello's library by using research and a bit of sleuthing, in order to win fame and fortune.  There are many parallels to Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka. I loved the children's book references, but kids may need help getting some of the jokes if they have not read widely. Highly recommend for grades 3-5. 



The Graveyard Book
by Neil Gaiman
This is the somewhat creepy story of a boy who is raised by ghosts in a graveyard.  While the writing is beautiful and rich, the story was not a favorite of mine.  I would not recommend it much before grade 5. 


What's next?
I really don't know. Maybe whatever I pick up at NCTE in Boston this weekend! That's right, I am attending my first ever national convention and I am beside myself with giddiness (yes, it's a word)! I'll be sure to share the highlights. 




8 comments:

  1. I loved "Little Red". Hadn't seen Mr. Lemoncello's Library. Will have to pick it up.
    Mrs. Brown Loves Bookworms

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  2. Hope we'll meet up somewhere at NCTE Gigi! I'm really looking forward to it! I did enjoy The Graveyard Book, but it's been a long time since I read it. Want to read Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library-know it will be fun! Thanks!

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  3. Have a great time at NCTE! I was able to attend the ALA Mid-winter meeting when it was in Seattle and meeting up with like minded Nerdy Book Club folks was so invigorating. Definitely a cup-filling weekend! Little Red is on my list and I too loved Mr. Lemoncello. It'd be a great read aloud, I think, which would give you opportunity to point out some of the more obscure book references and jokes.

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  4. Hello there Gigi! Looks like most everyone are traveling to NCTE! Sounds like so much fun and I can't wait for your updates. We're hoping to have a mystery theme sometime soon so it would be great to read Mr Lemoncello's Library then. :) Have a great reading week!

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    1. Yes, Mr. Lemoncello would be a great book for a mystery unit, really fun too. Have a great week!

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  5. ENJOY your conference! I'm sure you won't be able to help yourself :-) Mr. Lemoncello's Library is certainly a fantastic adventure - all the more meaningful for very well read children! (and adults)

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  6. I'm so excited about NCTE too! Make sure you leave space for books! Last year was my first year attending and I didn't realize how many books I'd be picking up. I didn't leave extra space in my suitcase for all of them. Oops! I know better now. I think I put The Graveyard Book on the syllabus for my Children's Lit class next semester. I've been wanting to reread it. I need to find a list of some of the book references in Mr. Lemoncello so that I can make sure my kids have read those other books first before I share Mr. Lemoncello with them. I'm looking forward to Little Red too--it's sitting in my TBR stack at home. Thanks for sharing!

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