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

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

Here is what I have read recently. 

Click on the covers to learn more about each book. 

I was more scared than I would like to admit. Make sure your kiddos are ok with some scary stuff. Grades 4+

This is an endearing friendship and has some 

mystery and fantasy elements. Grades 5-8

Look at that beautiful cover!!

I am enjoying this fantasy. 

Up Next?

What are you reading friends?

Pipsie Nature Detective: The Lunchnapper by Rick DeDonato

Pipsie Nature Detective: The Lunchnapper 
by Rick DeDonato
Illustrated by Tracy Bishop
Published April, 2016
by Two Lions
Review copy provided by Blueslip Media


Goodreads Summary

Pipsie and her turtle friend, Alfred, are on the best school tripever—a nature scavenger hunt! The team who finds “Seven Wonders of Nature” first wins. But that isn’t all Pipsie and Alfred have to find. Someone has stolen their PB&Js!

The search is on for the lunch that left, and soon Pipsie and Alfred are following animal tracks and discovering deer, birds, and even some beavers. Can Pipsie make this mystery historyand finish the scavenger hunt? And hopefully before lunchtime, because Alfred is one hungry turtle!

My Thoughts

I read the first Pipsie book last April and was thrilled to be asked to read the second. Pipsie is a smart, resourceful nature detective who works to solve mysteries, with her sidekick turtle Alfred, while gently teaching the reader about nature. In this book Pipsie and Alfred use deer and beaver tracks, and their nature knowledge to solve the mystery of who has pilfered their lunch. Young readers will be happy to tag along as they also try to figure out who took the lunch. I hope there are many more Pipsie books to come. 

The illustrations are very sweet and the animals are adorable! Each page has colorful illustrations. Illustrator Tracy Bishop uses different perspectives and shapes to add variety and interest to her illustrations. 

Kids will be begging to have their own nature scavenger hunt after reading Pipsie, Nature Detective: The Lunchnapper! I would recommend it for ages 3-7! 

Rick DeDonato started writing and drawing storybooks for his two kids, Alexis and Matt, when they were little. They’re grown now, but Rick is still creating stories. He is the author of Pipsie, Nature Detective: The Disappearing Caterpillar, illustrated by Tracy Bishop. When he’s not dreaming up new adventures for Pipsie, he’s an award-winning creative director in advertising. Born in New Jersey, he now lives in Wilmington, Delaware, with Nancy McAleer; their two dogs, Tugger and Nacho; and their turtle, Alfred E. Turtle.

Tracy Bishop won an art contest in kindergarten, and she’s been creating art ever since. A graduate of San Jose State University, she is also the illustrator of Not the Quitting Kind by Sarra J. Roth and Pipsie, Nature Detective: The Disappearing Caterpillar by Rick DeDonato. She lives in San Jose, California, where she is inspired on a daily basis by her son, husband, and a hairy dog named Harry.

Visit other stops on the blog tour!

Mon, Apr 11	Geo Librarian
Tues, Apr 12	The Children's Book Review
Wed, Apr 13	Kid Lit Frenzy
Thurs, Apr 14	Sincerely Stacie
Fri, Apr 15	Where Imagination Grows
Mon, Apr 18	A Rup Life
Tues, Apr 19	Inspired by Savannah
Wed, Apr 20	Picture Book Palooza
Thurs, Apr 21	The Late Bloomer's Book Blog
Fri, Apr 22	Mile High Books

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.