Reading, Teaching, Learning

Sunday, November 9, 2014

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

These are memes started by Teach Mentor Texts and Book Journey, and I'm excited to participate, along with many other bloggers, in reviewing books I read the previous week.  I'll be reviewing picture books through adult books.
 
 
PICTURE BOOKS
 
Maple & Willow Together
 
 
 
 
I'm so glad Lori Nichols continued the story of Maple. Maple ended with our introduction to Willow, her baby sister. Despite a little conflict in the middle of the story, it makes me wish I had a sister!
 
Kid Sheriff and the Terrible Toads
 
 
 
I laughed out loud and enjoyed this tall tale immensely. The Toad brothers are bringin' a heap of trouble upon Mayor McMuffin's desert town. Until hope rides into town. Slowly. On a tortoise. The new sheriff is the dinosaur expert, Ryan, a little boy with a big white hat. Ryan is convinced all the robbin' in this town has actually been done by dinosaurs. Kids will love how he ends up capturing the bad guys. This book has a lot of uses (besides pure enjoyment) in the intermediate grades - writing dialect, experimenting with sentence fragments, writing traditional lit with a twist, surprise endings, etc. Great addition to the ELA classroom!!
 
Sam and Dave Dig a Hole
 
 
 
 
 
This dynamic duo has done it again.  But why should I write a review about this amazing team's new book when you could read Travis Jonker's brilliant one?! 
 
Hug Machine
 
Hug Machine by Scott Campbell
 
 
The Hug Machine hugs everything - you're never too big, too small, too square, or even too spiky - to hug. I love all the expressions on the characters getting hugged. Even the Hug Machine likes to be hugged. Little kids would love this book! It will make them laugh, and maybe even inspire them to do some more hugging.
 
YOUNG ADULT
 
Noggin
 
 
 
 
I didn't know what to expect of the crazy premise: a teenage boy has terminal cancer, but there is a possibility that if the doctors freeze his head, technology could be perfected enough to reattach his head to a healthy body donor in the future. So Travis and his parents agree - he would go through the procedure, and they would wait to see...five years later, they are able to do it, and Travis Coates is alive again, with a way better body than he had the first time around! Sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?! Well, Whaley somehow manages to make it sound believable, complete with all the normal young adult material - heartbreaking romance, changing friendships, teen angst, family struggles, the pain of growing up, etc. It's tender, funny, and compelling. There would be so much to talk about in the high school grades around this book - science, spirituality, truth, mortality, illness, family, home, change, etc. I highly recommend it!
 
CURRENTLY LISTENING TO:
 
Before I Fall  Son (The Giver, #4)
 
CURRENTLY READING
 
Leaving Time
 
What are YOU reading this week?
 
 
 

12 comments:

  1. I just spotted Big Little Lies in your just finished bar.
    I was pleasantly surprised by this book & have been recommending it to everyone.

    Maybe you might like to link your review to my AusReading Month linky?

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  2. Intrigued about Before I Fall, but also keen to read Leaving Time.

    Deb

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  3. Lots of wonderful children's picture books. Thanks for sharing the trailer for the new Klassen/Barnett book.

    Here's my It's Monday!

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  4. Great books this week! I really enjoyed Maple and Willow Together. I also liked Sam and Dave Dig a Hole but I need to think about the ending for a while before I decide HOW much I like it. :)

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  5. Okay, I'm reserving all those picture books at the library for the kiddos! We need some new books! I've heard some good things about that Jodi Picoult book. I haven't always liked her in the past, but I may have to check out that title.

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  6. Noggin sounds fascinating! Thanks for your thoughts... will also anticipate reading Kid Sheriff and the Terrible Toads... Happy reading week to you!

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  7. I love the Sam and Dave trailer, don't you?? And I've read Sam and Dave 3 times since reading Travis Jonker's post. It makes me think and think!
    You'll have to tweet me when you finish Leaving Time... It's one I need to discuss :)

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  8. Sam & Dave and Noggin have both been on my TBR list for a long time. I NEED to read them! Thanks for sharing. You are making me feel even more guilty that I haven't gotten to them yet. :) It looks like you had a great week!

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  9. Kid Sheriff and the Terrible Toads is popular this week. Can't wait to read it.

    Thanks

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  10. Noggin reminds me of an old, old book titled Eva, by Peter Dickinson. A girl's brain is put into an ape-amazing sic-fi, like you're talking about. Noggin sounds really interesting. Love the idea of Terrible Toads, looks great.

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  11. Noggin sounds intriguing. Have a great week :D

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  12. I have Noggin on my shelf and hope to get to it over the Christmas holidays. I loved Where Things Come Back by Whaley. Just read Hug Machine. Many shades of adorable!

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