It's Monday, What Are You Reading? November 26, 2018

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

Here is my reading from the past few weeks. Click on the book covers to learn more about the books.

What are you reading friends? 

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? June 4, 2018

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

Here is my reading from this week. Click on the book covers to learn more about them.

Poetry-not for my taste, but interesting. 

An excellent historical fiction picture book for middle grades. 

Really enjoyed this new MG novel from Jennifer Richard Jacobson! Coming in August. 

Currently Listening

What are you reading friends?

The Mad Wolf's Daughter by Diane Magras

The Mad Wolf's Daughter 
by Diane Magras
Published March, 2018
Kathy Dawson Books
288 pages
Hardcover
Review copy provided by publisher

Goodreads Summary
A Scottish medieval adventure about the youngest in a war-band who must free her family from a castle prison after knights attack her home.
One dark night, Drest’s sheltered life on a remote Scottish headland is shattered when invading knights capture her family, but leave Drest behind. Her father, the Mad Wolf of the North, and her beloved brothers are a fearsome war-band, but now Drest is the only one who can save them. So she starts off on a wild rescue attempt, taking a wounded invader along as a hostage.

Hunted by a bandit with a dark link to her family’s past, aided by a witch whom she rescues from the stake, Drest travels through unwelcoming villages, desolate forests, and haunted towns. Every time she faces a challenge, her five brothers speak to her in her mind about courage and her role in the war-band. But on her journey, Drest learns that the war-band is legendary for terrorizing the land. If she frees them, they’ll not hesitate to hurt the gentle knight who’s become her friend.
Drest thought that all she wanted was her family back; now she has to wonder what their freedom would really mean. Is she her father’s daughter or is it time to become her own legend?

My Thoughts

I have to admit that I don't read a lot of medieval fiction, but I enjoyed this book very much.  Drest is a fantastic, multi-dimensional character. She is brave, clever, strong and, in spite of herself, compassionate.  She is quite creative with her Scottish insults. Some of my favorites included, "rot-headed prickle fish" and "toad-faced boar's bladder".  Drest is faced with moral challenges along her quest. She needs to get the knight, her enemy, safely to the castle. This means that she must tend to his wounds and help him to walk throughout the long journey. It is hard to harbor ill-will for someone you are caring for and Drest begins to see her enemy in a different light. She also learns things about her father and brothers who are hated and feared far and wide for the terrible things they have done. Surely the father who loves her and the brothers that protect her could not intentionally hurt people.

Magras does not shy away from the language of the age.  Thankfully there is a glossary for readers can look up some of the terms. She also provides more information on medieval life in the author's note and there is a map in the front of the book so readers can follow the journey. 

I would highly recommend The Mad Wolf's Daughter for grades 5-8. This is Diane Magras' debut novel and I certainly hope we get more gems from her in the near future. 

Check out the official book trailer.

See what others have to say about this book:

School Library Journal

Publishers Weekly

Kirkus

One Minute Books

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? May 14, 2018

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

Not a lot this week, but I am hoping to have more reading time this week. 
Click on the covers to learn more about each book. 

Yes, it is as cute as it looks. Review tomorrow. 

Currently Reading

Up Next

What are you reading friends?

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? April 23, 2018

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

Here are some books I have enjoyed recently. 
Click on the covers to learn more about each book. 

Interesting book based on the true story of a Young boy who loved to the up in the tress of Central Park. Full review on Tuesday. For all elementary grades. 

Super-cute picture book that explores how people don't always know what wthey have until it's gone. Review Wed. 

Finished

This medieval adventure story was so good! Review Thursday. 

Still Listening

What are you reading friends? 

Spotlight On: BE QUIET! by Ryan Higgins

BE QUIET! 
by Ryan Higgins
Published April, 2017
Disney-Hyperion
40 Pages
Fiction
Hardcover
Obtained from public library

Goodreads Summary

All Rupert the mouse wants is to star in a beautiful, wordless picture book. One that's visually stimulating! With scenic pictures! And style! He has plenty of ideas about what makes a great book, but his friends just WON'T. STOP. TALKING. 

Children and adults alike will chuckle at this comedic take on bookmaking from acclaimed author-illustrator Ryan T. Higgins.

Quick Thoughts

File this one under books that beg to be read aloud over and over again! How can you create a wordless book when the characters won't BE QUIET!? Rupert grows more and more exasperated as his friends try to "help" him with his book.
It is just hilarious and will appeal to readers in Pre-K through elementary grades. I will definitely be adding it to my collection.

Not surprisingly, BE QUIET! has earned many accolades. Look at all these starred reviews!

School Library Journal

Publishers Weekly

Kirkus

Visit Ryan's super-fun website!

One Good Thing About America Blog Tour Day #2!

Welcome to Day #2 of the One Good Thing About America Blog Tour!

To celebrate the release of One Good Thing About America by Ruth Freeman (3/14/17), blogs across the web are featuring exclusive content from Ruth and 10 chances to win a copy of One Good Thing About America, as well as a chance to win a Skype visit with Ruth in the Grand Prize Giveaway!

Is It Ever Easy Being New? by Ruth Freeman

Who hasn’t been new somewhere, sometime in their lives? There’s the first day in kindergarten, moving to a new school or town, the first day at a new after-school program or summer camp. I’m wondering: is it ever easy? I don’t think so. Not if you’re by yourself, without friends or family.

And what would it be like if you couldn’t speak the language? If you wanted to ask a question or say the answer, but didn’t know the words? I was in Paris once by myself for a week. I knew some French but it was pretty rusty and I certainly couldn’t get the words out quickly. I remember looking, watching what everyone else was doing. I felt like my eyes were so big. That’s why I described Anaïs as “a big cat with yellow eyes.” She tries “to read what the faces say” but the words go by too fast. I remember thinking to myself, am I in the right line? what does that sign say? where do I put my ticket?

There were other times when I was new somewhere: the first time I slept over at a friend’s house, the first time I went to a summer camp, my first night at college. Those memories are still so clear and sharp, probably because I was scared and homesick! An older man I know told me he can remember everything about his first day at a new school in 4th grade…more than 50 years ago. No one had told him he needed a nickel to buy a carton of milk so he just took one without paying and got in trouble. It was so embarrassing he’s never forgotten it. Being new is not easy. And imagine what it would be like if you didn’t know the language.

While I was working on my story I asked my students about when they were new in America. Several told me about saying, “Yes, yes, yes” and smiling at everything anyone said. A girl told me the school cafeteria food looked so awful she didn’t eat it for weeks. She said, “it looked like something from my nose!” Watching students shiver and slip on the ice, but also stop in their tracks with the first snowflakes. These memories all became 

Anaïs’ memories in the story.

Everyone has been new at some point in their lives. It’s not easy, is it? But we learn to fit in, to make friends. If we don’t know the language, we start to learn it. And the next time we’re new somewhere, it will be a little easier.

by Ruth Freeman

*****

Stop by Mrs. Mommy BookNerd tomorrow for the next stop on the tour!

Blog Tour Schedule:

April 10th – Geo Librarian April 11th – Late Bloomer's Book Blog April 12th – Mrs. Mommy BookNerd April 13th – Kristi's Book Nook April 14th – Life Naturally April 17th – Books My Kids Read April 18th – Chat with Vera April 19th – Word Spelunking April 20th – Middle Grade Mafioso April 21st – The Hiding Spot

Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound

Add on Goodreads

Follow Ruth: Website | Facebook Publisher: Holiday House

ONE GOOD THING ABOUT AMERICA is a sweet, often funny middle-grade novel that explores differences and common ground across cultures. It's hard to start at a new school . . . especially if you're in a new country. Back home, Anaïs was the best English student in her class. Here in Crazy America she feels like she doesn't know English at all. Nothing makes sense (chicken FINGERS?), and the kids at school have some very strange ideas about Africa. Anaïs misses her family . . . so she writes lots of letters to Oma, her grandmother. She tells her she misses her and hopes the war is over soon. She tells her about Halloween, snow, mac 'n' cheese dinners, and princess sleepovers. She tells her about the weird things Crazy Americans do, and how she just might be turning into a Crazy American herself.

About the Author: Ruth Freeman grew up in rural Pennsylvania but now lives in Maine where she teaches students who are English language learners, including many newly arrived immigrants. She is the author of several acclaimed nonfiction picture books. One Good Thing About America is her first novel..

GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY

• One (1) winner will receive a signed copy of One Good Thing About America for their personal collection, as well as a 30 minute Skype visit with Ruth Freeman to the school of their choice and a signed copy for the school's library.
• Enter via the rafflecopter below
• US Only
• Ends 4/23 at midnight ET

a Rafflecopter giveaway
In addition to the Gand Prize Giveaway, the publisher is offering an additional giveaway of a copy of the book! Enter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? November 7, 2016

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 each book.

An important story to share with children to build 

empathy and spark their desire to help others.

Just beautiful! Deborah Freeman is amazing! 

Share this with all your shy little ones. 

There is so much to read and examine in this 160 page biography of E.B.White. A must-have for your biography collection. 

What are you reading friends? 

Maxi's Secrets by Lynn Plourde

Maxi's Secrets 

by Lynn Plourde
Expected Release Date August 23, 2016
Nancy Paulsen Books
Middle Grade Novel
272 pages
Advanced Review Copy provided by publisher. 




Goodreads Summary

When a BIG, lovable, does-it-her-way dog wiggles her way into the heart of a loudmouth pipsqueak of a boy, wonderful things happen that help him become a bigger, better person. With its diverse cast, authentic narrator, and perfect blend of spot-on middle-grade humor, drama, and wisdom, this powerful debut is relatable, funny, bittersweet, and full of heart. 

Timminy knows that moving to a new town just in time to start middle school when you are perfect bully bait is less than ideal. But he gets a great consolation prize in Maxi—a gentle giant of a dog who the family quickly discovers is deaf. Timminy is determined to do all he can to help Maxi—after all, his parents didn't return him because he was a runt. But when the going gets rough for Timminy, who spends a little too much time getting shoved into lockers at school, Maxi ends up being the one to help him—along with their neighbor, Abby, who doesn’t let her blindness define her and bristles at Timminy’s “poor-me” attitude. It turns out there’s more to everyone than what’s on the surface, whether it comes to Abby, Maxi, or even Timminy himself.

My Thoughts

Maxi is joining the ranks of classic "dog books" such as Old Yeller, Shiloh and Because of Winn Dixie and will fit right in.  However, it is much more than just a book about an exceptional, loving dog. 

It is about how Maxi draws people together, imperfect, misunderstood people who need each other. Because of Maxi, Timminy meets Abby, his first friend in his new town. Because of Maxi, Timminy has a reason to get through the school day. And it is Maxi who reveals the softer side of the school bully, Rory.

The characters are very well-developed and the author makes the reader care deeply about each of them. Timminy embarrasses himself in cringe-worthy fashion throughout the book making the reader root for him to overcome his awkwardness and to finally get the chip off his tiny shoulder. Middle grade readers will be hooked from the beginning and will not be able to put down this book as they hang on for its many ups and downs including a very emotional ending.

I am not what you would consider a "dog person". I have never owned a dog or any pet for that matter, but one does not need to be a dog person to love Maxi's Secrets. 

Lynn Plourde is not a new author. She is an award winning author who has published dozens of picture books. This is Plourde's first middle grade novel and it is a gem. I would highly recommend it for middle grade classrooms and libraries. It would also make a great read aloud or independent read. I will certainly be putting it in my classroom library. 

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? February 8, 2016

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

Here is my reading from last week.

A fun, interactive book much like Tap the Magic Tree and Press Here. 

A story about an unexpected family. Very fun!

Finished

I LOVED Perry and his whole unconventional extended family!

Finished Listening to...

An excellent young adult historical fiction novel.

Currently Reading

What are YOU reading friends?

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? June 22, 2015

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

I have not posted an IMWAYR since the end of May!!! Here are the books I have read recently. 

Click on the covers to learn more about them.

This book is on the Maine Student Book Award list for 2015-16. Great middle grade sci-fi fantasy. 

Finished

Loved this newest book by the amazing Cynthia Lord! 

Currently Reading

By another fabulous Maine Author, Megan Frazer Blakemore!

Currently Listening

So happy to finally be on vacation so I can read more!
What Are YOU Reading Friends?

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?-February 9, 2015

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

Here are the two books I read this week. Click on the covers to learn more about them.

The picture book adaptation of Fatty Legs. Nice story of determination and 

the power of reading. Nice read aloud for grades 1-4.

Really loved this new one by Jennifer Richard Jacobson. 

A very touching story. Great for grades 4-8. Review to come.

Currently Reading

I LOVE anything by Lisa Graff so I was thrilled to see a new title. I am only a couple of chapters in, but this story is very intriguing so far. Thank you to my friend Jason Lewis for lending it to me. 

What Are You Reading Friends?