It's Monday, What Are You Reading?-January 16, 2017

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

It was a picture book week for me this week. 

Click on the cover to get more info about the book on Goodreads. 

I know several little girls who would LOVE this book!

In my opinion ages 3-8 would like it best.

Sweet, adorable, lovely! A book about finding friendships right in front of you. Ages 3-8 in my opinion. 

The librarian at my public library recommended these 

last two for me to read. 

Cute! Sort of a story of not knowing you want something until it's gone. Ages 5-8

So some might think this one is in poor taste, but I found these poems about how these animals "bought the farm" to be very funny. Ages 6-10 

Still Listening

Up Next? Not really sure right now. 

What are you reading friends?

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? January 9, 2017

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

Click on the book covers to learn more about each book. 

I read this one fairly quickly. A riveting story for grades 5 and up. 

Available April 2017 from Nancy Paulsen Books

Currently Listening

What are you reading friends? 

It's Monday, What Are You Readng? January 2, 2017

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

Happy New Year friends! I enjoyed a wonderful, 

relaxing vacation with my family. I hope you all have a prosperous and peaceful 2017!

Here are the books I have read over the last 2 weeks. 

Click on the cover to get more info about the book on Goodreads. 

 

An adorable picture book for K-2 that shows how a message 

can change as you pass it on (telephone game).  

An interesting interpretation with excellent illustrations 

set during The Great Depression. Grades 3+

 

I wish I could say that this was a favorite. I found the story to be slow and disjointed. Also contains some illustrations that I found unnecessary and inappropriate. 

Beautifully written, riveting story. Grades 5+

 

I have a lot of love for this book and all things Jason Reynolds writes. A powerful, raw, important story written for young adults, but adults will enjoy it as well. 

 

Up Next?

 

 Wishing you all a happy new reading year!   

National Geographic Kids Ultimate Oceanpedia by Christina Wilson

National Geographic Kids Ultimate Oceanpedia 
by Christina Wilson
Published October, 2016
National Geographic Kids
272 pages
Hardcover
Review copy provided by publisher

Goodreads Summary
From tsunamis and sea turtles to riptides and reefs, learn all about the creatures, science, and ecology of our oceans, which cover more of the planet than all the continents and are just as important! Travel through all parts of the ocean to learn how it affects of our world, including storms and climate. Amazing facts, photos, illustrations, and diagrams are found throughout this book, along with conservation tips, weird-but-true facts, and a mini ocean atlas. Challenges to the health of our ocean and its creatures are also presented along with what people are doing to keep it pristine for generations to come.

My Thoughts
"The Most Complete Ocean Reference Guide Ever" boasts the cover of this book. Who am I to disagree? If you have a question about the Earth's oceans, I would be willing to bet you would find the answer in this book. 
It is organized into seven chapters:
1-Oceans
2-Ocean Life
3-Ocean in Motion
4-Wild Weather
5-Underwater Exploration
6-Along the Coast
7-When People and Oceans Meet

Here are some of the interesting facts I learned from reading this book.
*"If you could take all the salt out of the ocean and spread it evenly on Earth's land, it would form a layer about as tall as a 40-story building!" 
*A jellyfish has no brain, heart or blood.
*Pearls are formed when clams and oysters cover sand granules with a smooth coating because they are irritating. 
*A polar bear can smell a dead animal from a distance of 3 miles. 
*The Pacific Ocean covers roughly one third of the Earth's surface. 

There are over 350 gorgeous photographs in this reference book. This is no surprise coming from National Geographic. 

Other text features include:
Headings
Text boxes
Diagrams
Captions
Labels
Maps
Glossary
Index

Within the back matter, readers are given suggestions of ways to help our oceans and places to seek further information. 

I would highly recommend Ultimate Ocean-pedia for school, classroom or home libraries for ages 9 and up.