Thursday, August 10, 2017

Picture Book 10 for 10



Thank you to Cathy Mere and Mandy Robek for hosting the Picture Book 10 for 10 (#PB10for10). I'm so excited to participate this year. I've seen people posting in years past, but I always forgot about it. But last year I set a reminder on my calendar for July so that I would remember!



Here's how you can participate:
  • Grab a Badge (just copy the URL address of the one above or take a screenshot)
  • Join the #pb10for10 Google Community
  • Choose Your Favorites:  All you need to do is choose ten picture books you cannot live without for whatever reason.  In the first days of this event, everyone shared their ten very favorite titles.  This still works.  You will notice, however, that many past participants choose some type of theme to determine their selections.  We'll leave this up to you.
  • Narrow Your List to Ten:  It isn't easy, is it?  We've seen some crafty ways to get around that number.  
  • Write Your August 10th Post:  Write a post about the ten books you cannot live without.  Share your post on August 10th and link it to the Picture Book 10 for 10 Community.  
  • No Blog?  No Problem:  If you don't have a blog, this might be the perfect time to start one --- or there are a million digital ways to join (see post below).  Of course, now with the Google Community it is quite easy to just post your favorites directly into the community without a blog.  We will also be tweeting from the #pb10for10 hashtag.    
  • Comment:  On August 10th (and maybe for a week --- there are a lot of posts) take some time to read posts from other participants.  Please comment on at least three. 


There are so many great picture books out there it is hard to narrow it down to ten. In fact, I had to make a list and then from that list narrow it down to ten. There is not a theme to my choices.

Adrift: An Odd Couple of Polar Bears by Jessica Olien
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Click here for a summary on Goodreads. This book is a great story about friendship. I like how it shows that you might find a friend in the most unlikely person/animal. Karl and Hazel are totally opposites, but when they begin to drift off to sea together can they get along. I think that this one shows students that we can be friends with those who are different then ourselves.




The Case of the Stinky Stench by Josh Funk 
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Click here for a summary on Goodreads. I LOVED the first book, Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast. In fact my students loved it too. The book won our 2016 March BOOK Madness. This sequel doesn't disappoint! I love the whole mystery aspect to the book. I have been looking for a picture book that is a fun read to introduce the genre mystery to my little ones and this one is the perfect book.



North, South East West by Margaret Wise Brown 
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Click here for a summary on Goodreads. This book has a special place in my heart. First off I love Margaret Wise Brown books. Secondly I gave it to a friend's daughter for graduation. This is a sweet story about a little bird who is trying out all different places is in the world to see which is best. This is one that everyone needs to read! The illustrations are by Greg Pizzoli His simple illustrations really pairs well with the text. I love any illustrations done by Greg Pizzoli! 


My Kite is Stuck! And Other Stories by Salina Yoon 
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Click here for a summary on Goodreads. Once again I loved the first one Book Duck, Duck, Porcupine! And Other Stories. Both are such a great introduction to graphic novels. Sometimes it is hard for our younger students to figure out how to read graphic novels. These books offer one pane picture that allow the readers to get the hang of reading speech bubbles. I'm thrilled to find out that the third book will be published on September 19th: That's My Book! And Other Stories. I've already pre-ordered this book!

Spunky Little Monkey by Bill Martin Jr.
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Click here for a summary on Goodreads. This is a fun book that is very similar the Five Little Monkeys. I was lucky to receive an F&G of this book. So I read it with some of my Kindergarten classes and they LOVED it. In fact, they asked me to read it again. Once I got it on the shelf in my library, it was never there until the end of school. This will be one that never gets old, no matter how many times you read it! The illustrations by Brian Won are so bright and happy. They really highlight the and bring life to the text!


Are We There Yet by Dan Santat

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Click here for a summary on Goodreads. If you haven't read this book, you are missing something special! I know I still ask, at least once, whenever I'm on a long trip "Are we there yet" and I get groans as an answer. For me long trips seem to slow down time and that is exactly what happened to the little boy in the story. Time slows down enough that he starts going backwards. There is SO much to see in the illustrations that each time I read it, I find something new. Dan Santat is an incredible author and illustrator of picture books. His books are ones that I make sure I always purchase for my library!


They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel 

28645670Click here for a summary on Goodreads. I was blown away by this book when I read it. The text and the idea for this book is so simple but yet so complex. This is a great book to teach point of view and show how we all can see the same object/event differently. I think my two favorite illustrations of the cat is how the snake sees it and how the bee sees it. I can't wait to see what my students think of this book because it is one of our state book award nominee.


Penguin's Christmas Wish by Salina Yoon

28260596Click here for a summary on Goodreads. It is no secret I am a HUGE Salina Yoon fan, especially of Penguin. In this story, Penguin is excited to celebrate Christmas with his family. But we all know, things don't always go according to plan. This is a great Christmas gift to show that that this holiday isn't all about stuff. There are a lot of Salina's characters who make an appearance in this book. If this is the last Penguin book, it is such a heart warming story to end on. But I keep hoping that it is not! 

The Story of Fish and Snail by Deborah Freeman

16101066Click here for a summary on Goodreads. This is such a sweet story of friendship and bravery! Last school year I read this book to all 22 of my classes (from Kindergarten to 5th Grade. I never got tired of reading this book at all! To me, that is a sign of a great book! I read it because things were changing a bit in the library and we all were going to be brave like Snail. The story itself is great, but Deborah Freeman's illustrations put this book over the top! Through her illustrations you can really feel all the emotions Fish and Snail are feeling!

Be a Friend by Salina Yoon

28506844Click here for a summary on Goodreads. This book has so much heart! Dennis is a lonely little boy who wants a friend. He is a mime who the just wants to be seen by the other kids. We all have felt exactly like Dennis at one point in our lives. We just want someone to notice and understand us. The story is a great jumping off point for classroom discussions about friendship. This is such a sweet story and will always have a place in my heart!


Monday, July 31, 2017

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

This meme was started by Sheila at Book Journey. The kid's version was started by Jen at Teach Mentor Text and Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers.

I'm so excited because this is the third week in a row that I've been able to post, I've been able to read a lot and I stepped outside my comfort zone this week and did something that I wouldn't normally do. I'm not willing to share yet what I did. But if we ask our kids to step out of their comfort zones to push their learning, shouldn't we be willing to do the same thing?

33118312The first book that I read was Refugee by Alan Gratz. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. Wow, just wow! This book was INCREDIBLE!! This book has been talked about on Twitter for a while. I knew that I would need to get my hands on a copy. When I went to the Scholastic Reading Summit I was lucky enough to get a copy from Mr. Schu! This book is such a powerful read, one that everyone needs to read. It is so timely given everything that is happening in our world. Alan Gratz has created characters that grab you by the heart and don't let go. This is when book that I will never forget. If you haven't gotten a copy, you need to get one now! Click here to can hear Alan Gratz read an excerpt the book on Scholastic's Soundcloud. You can also hear many other authors and educators discussing a variety of topics.

Sorry for the short post today. I'll post later on this week about Wishtree by Katherine Applegate, Prince and Pirate by Charlotte Gunnufson and The Book of Mistakes by Corinna Luyken.

Happy Reading!!

Stacey (@libraryjo92)

Monday, July 24, 2017

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

This meme was started by Sheila at Book Journey. The kid's version was started by Jen at Teach Mentor Text and Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers.

I've got three books that I've been reading this past week, a picture book, a middle grade book, and a professional book! I've been tweeting more this week as well. Attending the Scholastic Reading Summit had a lot to do with that. But it felt great to be connected with my PLN again. 

Here Comes Teacher Cat by [Underwood, Deborah]The picture book that I read was Here Comes Teacher Cat by Deborah Underwood and illustrations by Claudia Rueda. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. This is another great addition to her cat series. I have loved the cat, but I think that this one is my favorite! These books have just the right amount of text to not be overwhelming to the beginning readers. With having a small amount of text, there can be lots of questions that parents and teachers can ask using the illustrations as a spring board for kids to form their answers. Speaking of the illustrations, Claudia Rueda has done another wonderful job bring cat's adventures to life. I was provided this book by Penguin Young Readers. This book will be published on August 8, 2017. I think I will have to buy another copy of this book for my library because I want to keep a copy for myself. My hope one day is to meet Deborah and have her sign my book! 
  
25753092The middle grade book that I read was Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. My first reaction when started reading this book was, how much time do I have? I That thought was because I knew that I was going to need to read until I finished this book! The more I read, the more I didn't want this book to end. I enjoyed the journey that Laurel took me on. I felt like I was a fly living on Orphan Island. According to Mr. Shu, there are lots adults who get to the end of the book and are so upset at the way it ends. On the other hands lots of kids really like the ending. I found myself in agreeing with the kids. Once I reached the end, I was sad that it was over but I felt it was the perfect ending for the book. This is a must read, if you haven't already!

30329718The professional book that I read was Kids Deserve It!: Pushing Boundaries and Challenging Conventional Thinking by Todd Nesloney and Adam Welcome. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. I had the pleasure of meeting Todd Nesloney in February 2017 in Florida. We are both on advisory boards for Scholastic Book Fairs. I learned a lot from talking and listen to him share ideas and information during our meetings. I knew that he had co-wrote a book, but it took me this long to get a hold of it. I'm glad I waited until the summer to read it, so that I can really think about the ideas that he and Adam Welcome wrote about. I read this book in three days. It was a very easy read, but it made me think quite a bit as I was reading. As I enter year 22 in my teaching career, this book reinforced that I need to continue to push myself to grow for my students. One of the most important ideas that I'll take from this book is to remember to celebrate even the smallest successes. Being in the library I see every student in the school. Many times it is one of the few places some of my school's neediest/behavior challenged kids are successful. I try to call home to give them a positive phone call because that is not the normal phone call for them. I do really well until about the middle of the year. I'm making it my goal to do better this coming year. I enjoyed this book so much, I even picked up a copy for my principal.

What have you been reading?

Happy Reading!!

Stacey (@libraryjo92)

Monday, July 17, 2017

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

This meme was started by Sheila at Book Journey. The kid's version was started by Jen at Teach Mentor Text and Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers.

It feel so strange to be blogging again. I have really let this slide, but something had to give and this was it. I have been feeling terribly guilty about not blogging and have avoid reading most blogs that I do follow so I didn't add to the guilt. There is also a lot of changes coming to my job this next year, which we were told at the end of the school year. So I'm trying to plan for a new normal. I took a great vacation with my parents to celebrate their upcoming 50th wedding anniversary to Yellowstone National Park and Glacier National Park. On this vacation I took time to do a lot of quiet reflection on life, school, and everything in between (without doing any actual "work"). Sometimes I think that I have placed too much pressure on myself to do everything and I find myself doing nothing. So I taking this time as redo on my "New Year". I have been actually doing some reading, which I had stopped doing and I'm starting to blog again with this post. My goal is to work up to twice a week, but for now I will be happy posting every Monday!

Full Cicada Moon by Marilyn HiltonI have read two really great historical fiction books. The first was Full Cicada Moon by Marilyn Hilton. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. There is so much to like about this book that is written in verse. This book was set in the late 1960's when there was a lot going on that our students have never experienced. For example, when girls could only take home economics and boys could only take shop. The main character, Mimi, is a African American Japanese girl, who moves from a progressive California to a not as progressive Vermont. The racial experiences that Mimi deals with are written appropriately for the middle grade audience. I loved how Mimi is very enthusiastic about science, especially space. It is great to see a female character interested in science. I will admit, that going into this book I wasn't sure I was going to like it. But the more I read, the more I couldn't stop reading. This book is a MD Black-Eyed Susan (state book award) nominated book for the 2017-18 school year. I can't wait to book talk this book for my students next year.

32614258The second historical fiction book I have read was Walking with Miss Millie by Tamara Bundy. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. From the first chapter, this book drew me in and didn't let me go. I started reading this book the night before I left on my 16 day vacation. I got to page 146 before I had to leave for the airport. Since I was already packed, I couldn't bring it along with me. And I had received my copy from Penguin Young Readers, so that meant that it wasn't published yet and I couldn't even buy an electronic copy! I thought about this book every day while I was on vacation. It had a hold on me and wasn't going to let go until I finished it. My first night back, after I unpacked and started on my laundry, I had to finish it. I wish we could all have a Miss Millie in our lives to offer those little nuggets of advice when we truly need it. This book tackles a lot in it pages: moving, absentee father, deaf brother, Alzheimer's, racism, and death. But even with all these heavy issues to deal with there is a lightness about this book. There is one quote from Miss Millie that stuck with me, especially given the beginning of this post, "I learned it's okay to get mad. It's okay to get sad, but after all that gettin' mad and sad, ya gotta get smart. Ya gotta take a step back, away from all your hurtin', and figure out what ya can change and what ya can't." I've typed this up to put on my desk at school, so that I can remember this wonderful piece of advice. This book made a very big impact on me and it is one that I won't ever forget!

What great books have I missed since March?

Happy Reading!!

Stacey (@libraryjo92)

Monday, March 20, 2017

Brobarians Blog Tour

It has been a while since I've had a chance to post anything or even read anything! Something that I'm hoping to fix, now that my life is starting to calm down. Instead of my usual It's Monday! What Are You Reading? post, I'm pleased to present a new picture book from Lindsay Ward.


This is the tale of the mighty Brobarians. Two warriors, once at peace…now at odds.

Iggy the Brobarian has taken over the land. Can Otto the Big Brobarian win it back? Or maybe, with a little help, the two brothers can find peace again…


I absolutely loved this book! This was such a unique way to approach sibling rivalry. The story was entertaining and easy to identify with, even being an only child. I have had a few friendships were we seemed more like siblings than friends. After I got done reading I had to go back and just look at the illustrations that Lindsay Ward created for the book. They are incredible! I especially loved the cloud that she made out of the red and blue lined writing paper. If you would like to see more of Lindsay's illustrations check out Alyson Beecher's post on the blog tour.

I always wonder how an author becomes inspired to write their books. I love being able to share that with my students. It lets them know that inspiration can come from an ordinary event. And now to let you know too:

Lindsay Ward would never have written this book if she hadn't stayed up late one night watching Conan the Barbarian. She finds the idea of baby barbarians to be very funny . . . and hopes you do too. Lindsay's recent books include Rosco vs. the Baby and The Importance of Being 3. Most days you can find her writing and sketching at home in Ohio with her family. Learn more about her at www.lindsaymward.com or on Twitter: @lindsaymward.

Definitely check out Lindsay's website to find her other books. She has written quite a few! I'm going to be finding some that I haven't read soon. Also you can get a great coloring sheet of Otto and Iggy here! I'm even more excited, after reading Brobarians, for my friend to have her second child. They have decided to wait to find out the gender. She and her husband already have one boy and now I'm really hoping they have a second so I can give the family a copy of this book! 

Happy Reading!!

Stacey (@libraryjo92)

Monday, February 6, 2017

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?


This meme was started by Sheila at Book Journey. The kid's version was started by Jen at Teach Mentor Text and Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers

Once again I had a crazy week! This week has felt like two weeks in one! On Monday we had snow, so we had a two hour late arrival. but I couldn't enjoy it. Over the weekend my parents had trouble with both of their cars. My dad had an MRI scheduled at 7:45am, but I didn't feel comfortable letting them drive in the snow. So I ended up getting up and driving them to the MRI facility. The only good thing about this was I had about a solid hour of reading time!

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I finished You Can Fly by Carole Boston Weatherford. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. I just love a book written in verse and this one was great! I learned that there is so much I didn't know about the Tuskeegee Airmen. The verse form allow for a lot of information to be shared without becoming overwhelming. I really appreciated the timeline and all the resources that the author shared at the end of the book. This is one that I can't wait to share with my students. I hope that they will enjoy it as much as I did.

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The only other book I read this week was This Book Is Out Of Control! by Richard Byrne. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. In this book we meet up with Bella, her dog, and Ben who has a remote controlled toy. As with the other two books things don't go according to plan. There is a lot of reader participation in this book too. I know that this will become a favorite of my students as the other two books have. 


I have started Jasper and The Riddle of Riley's Mine by Caroline Starr Rose. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. This book will be published tomorrow February 7, 2017. I'm only on page 82 and I am LOVING the book already. Can't wait until I have time to read some more of it!

Happy Reading!!

Stacey (@libraryjo92)

Monday, January 30, 2017

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

This meme was started by Sheila at Book Journey. The kid's version was started by Jen at Teach Mentor Text and Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers.

I've got a very short post this week because last week was SO busy. On Wednesday I had author and illustrator Henry Cole visit my school. Monday and Tuesday of course, I was prepping for his visit. I'm a Type-A personality, so I had to make sure everything was in place. It was a great visit and was still the talk of the school on Thursday. My assistant did three AMAZING bulletin board! I will be posting about his visit, showing those amazing bulletin boards, and showing some pictures from his presentation. Can't wait to share his visit with everyone!

25785698I read two picture books this week. The first one was The Night Gardener by The Fan Brothers. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. I was so interested as I read the story to see what animal would appear next after a visit from the Night Gardener. The illustrations in this book took my breath away. This was another book that I had to go back and study the illustrations after I finished reading it. I know that I'm a little late to the party on this book, but I know I can't be alone. If you haven't read this book, don't delay in getting a copy of this book!

432463The second book that I read was If You Give a Mouse a Brownie by Laura Numeroff. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. I have loved these books since I read If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. I am so excited to have another one because I love using these to teach my students the relationship between author and illustrator. Numeroff and Felicia Bond are such a dynamic duo that I don't think children of any age will tire of these books. I know that they are so hard to keep them on my shelf! This one will not disappoint! Can't wait to share it with my students.

I'm still working on finishing You Can Fly by Carole Boston Weatherford. I'm hoping to have it finished tomorrow. I should have time to finish it!

Happy Reading!!

Stacey (@libraryjo92)

Monday, January 23, 2017

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

This meme was started by Sheila at Book Journey. The kid's version was started by Jen at Teach Mentor Text and Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers.

My reading was done in short spurts this week. I was busy all week, but I can't remember what I did. I didn't make any progress on You Can Fly by Carole Boston Weatherford. This is a book I want to savor, so I want to wait until I can sit a finish it in one reading. All three of the books that I read were part of my latest Junior Library Guild delivery. 


28954227I'm a huge Jan Thomas fan and her new book Is That Wise, Pig is another winner. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. Ever since I read What Will Fat Cat Sit On, I look forward to reading any book by Jan Thomas. I love books where I can involve my students in helping me read. This book has the line "Is that wise, pig" over and over which the kids can help out with. Her illustrations add to the overall enjoyment of this book. I know this one will be a favorite of my students.



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The next book I read was Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea by Ben Clanton. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. This looks to be the first in a new series. I was so excited since it was a graphic novel for my younger students. My younger students love graphic novels, but usually want those that are way above their reading level. In this book Narwhal and "Jelly" become friends and have a lot of adventures. This book is going to be very popular in my library. I might just have to get a second copy. If you haven't seen this one, check it out. You won't be disappointed. 


28954214The third book I read this week was Octopuses One to Ten by Ellen Jackson. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. Yes, I read another nonfiction book! This one was awesome!! I learned so much about the octopus. I never realized there was so much that I didn't know. I think there are 10 different types of octopuses! On the pages with the different octopuses there is a size comparison. Some octopus are compared with the human body. While others are so small they are compared to the size of a human hand. This was a really neat nonfiction book. I can't wait to share it with my students.  

I think after the playoff game I watched yesterday, I'm going to lose myself in books this week. My team will be watching from home this year. This was not the way I had hoped this season would have ended. But I will be rooting for the Atlanta Falcons to win the Super Bowl!!

Happy Reading!!

Stacey (@libraryjo92)





Monday, January 16, 2017

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

This meme was started by Sheila at Book Journey. The kid's version was started by Jen at Teach Mentor Text and Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers.

It was a busy week, so I didn't get a lot of reading done. But, hold on to your hats, I actually read two nonfiction books! I also finished up a chapter book that I've been reading since January 2nd.


18296902The chapter book that I finished was Journey's End by Rachel Hawkins. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. I enjoyed the journey of this book and I was left wanting more at the end. I found myself really caring about the characters in this story. This was Rachel Hawkins first middle grade book, which I think is a success. Nolie travels to Scotland to spend the summer with her father. While there she meets a local girl named Bel. She shows Nolie all around and tells her the story of the Boundary, the fog just off the coast of the town. The is a legend about how and why the fog came to be there. No one who goes into the fog comes out, until Nolie and Bel spot Al on the beach. Al went into the fog in 1918 and has not aged a bit in the hundred years he has been gone. There is just enough creepy in this book for those elementary students who want a creepy book!

30008717The first nonfiction book I read was What's The Big Deal About First Ladies by Ruby Shamir and illustrated by Matt Faulkner. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. This nonfiction picture book was great! I learned so much about the first ladies that I didn't know! It was fascinating to learn all these neat facts about a very incredible group of women. I never knew (or thought about) Florence Harding was the first first lady to have voted for her husband! My dad is a huge history buff, so it was fun to stump him with many of the interesting facts. I can't say enough about Matt Faulkner's illustrations, they are gorgeous!! Once I finished reading the text in the book, I had to go back I really look at the illustrations for all the details that Matt Faulkner included. This will be a great addition to my library! This book was sent to me from Penguin Young Readers.

30201191The second nonfiction book I read was When The Sky Breaks by Simon Winchester. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. I have a love/hate relationship with severe weather. I am fascinated by severe weather and whenever there is a big storm coming near where I live, I'm on top of all the updates. But I hate the damage and destruction it causes and the anxiety it causes in me. This book gave so much information about severe weather. Simon Winchester has been in many places for the severe storms and is able to give a personal experience about what it is like. There is so much information given in this book, it is not for just a casual reader. The photographs add so much to this book and really show the devastation that these storms can cause. There are a lot of great charts and little extras. It also has the NWS bulletin that Robert Ricks published right before Hurricane Katrina hit. As I read it, I remember reading this at the time and being scared, even though I was no where close to the path of this storm. This book was sent to me from Penguin Young Readers. It will be published on January 31st.

I've started reading the book You Can Fly by Carole Boston Weatherford. It is a poetry book about The Tuskegee Airmen. I've only recently just started, but is one that I'm thinking about when I'm not reading it. What is everyone else reading?

Happy Reading!!

Stacey (@libraryjo92)

Monday, January 9, 2017

It's Monday!! What Are You Reading?

This meme was started by Sheila at Book Journey. The kid's version was started by Jen at Teach Mentor Text and Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers.

I actually feel pretty good about my reading life this week. I'm still in the process of reading my next middle grade book, Journey's End by Rachel Hawkins. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. I'll post more about this book once I finish it. I am enjoying it though!

I was able to read 5 picture books from Penguin Young Books. These books were all very different from each other made it all the better!

29942156The first book was Bedtime for Yeti by Vin Vogel. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. I enjoyed this book. I can see that it would be a great bedtime story for kids. It is not one that I would usually pick up, but the yawning yeti on the front cover drew me in! I hadn't realized that this one is the second yeti book that Vin Vogel wrote. The first was called The Thing About Yetis and was published in 2015. I think I'm going to have to find this one to read too.


30008939The second book was I am Jim Henson by Brad Meltzer. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. This book is part of the Ordinary People Change the World series. Loved this book! Great introduction to Jim Henson for those who didn't grow up knowing who he was. I will admit I got teary-eyed at the end. I found myself thinking about what might have been if he had not passed away. The end papers in this book are great. It has Kermit's face on them! I think my favorite two lines came towards the end of the book "But the secret behind my best creations wasn't a strong had, or a catchy song, or even a funny voice. It was a simple idea: There's good in all of us" (Meltzer, 2017). I found this very meaningful especially with what is happening in our world today. I think we need to remember that there is good in all of us and we need to look harder to find it and bring it out. This book will be published tomorrow, January 10th.

30422488The third book I read was This Book is Magic by Ashley Evanson. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. I enjoyed this book because of all the interaction that the reader can have with the book. It reminded me of Press Here by Herve Tullet. I think that this is a great book to read to kids. A small group would be ideal since many pages require the reader to touch the pages to make the magic happen. This book will be published on January 17th.

25940437The fourth book that I read was Nope! by Drew Sheneman. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. This book was a lot of fun. I wasn't expecting an almost wordless picture book when I started. But it really doesn't need more than the word nope because the illustrations really tell the story. I read it straight through the first time and then had to go back a second time and really look at the illustrations. They really make the story since there is only one word throughout the book. I was amazed at the emotions that Sheneman could convey in a birds face! As I read about Drew Sheneman on the back flap, I was surprised to read that this is his first book for children. If this book is any indication, I hope he keeps writing for children! This book will be published on January 17th.

What has everyone else been reading? I'm always looking for suggestions of books that I might have missed!

Happy Reading!!

Stacey (@libraryjo92)

Thursday, January 5, 2017

Must Reads in 2017

I'm trying to use 2017 as a way to get back on track with my reading life. I have not been online as much recently, so I'm not up on a variety of books that I should put on my Must Reads list. But then I came across posts by Michelle Knott on her blog, Mrs. Knott's Book Nook. She posted lists of different picture books, nonfiction books, and middle grade novels that are going to be published in 2017. This helped me so much for creating part of this list!

Below you will find my Must Reads in 2017!


Picture Books

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My Kite is Stuck by Salina Yoon
Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell
You Don't Want a Unicorn by Ame Dykeman
Over and Under the Pond by Kate Messner
Triangle by Mac Barnett
The Case of the Stinky Stench by Josh Funk
Creepy Pair of Underwear! by Aaron Reynolds
The King of the Birds by Acree Graham Macam
You Belong Here by M.H. Clark
Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty


Nonfiction Picture Books

20670612      29102876      28114411

32333289      32919070     28210996


The Youngest Marcher by Cynthia Levinson
Grand Canyon by Jason Chin
Some Writer!: The Story of E.B. White by Melissa Sweet
Can an Aardvark Bark by Melissa Stewart
Predator Face-Off by Melissa Stewart
I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark by Debbie Levy
Balderdash!: Jon Newbery & the Boisterous Birth of Children's Books 
      by Michelle Makel


Middle Grade Novels

29847473      30201158      25944803    23285694   

 25753092      31226744      29996858    18296902


Scar Island by Dan Gemeinhart
Jasper & the Riddle of Riley's Mine by Caroline S. Rose
The Unbreakable Code (Book Scavenger) by Jennifer Bertman
The Great Treehouse War by Lisa Graff
Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder
Mr. Lemoncello's Great Library Race by Chris Grabenstein
The Matchstick Castle by Keir Graff
Journey's End by Rachel Hawkins

I know that there are others that will come up during the year, but these are the ones I hope to have read by December of 2017! I've actually already finished one of the books, The Matchstick Castle by Keir Graff. It was actually my first read of 2017. See my review here. This book is due to be published on January 10th. I was given a copy by Penguin Young Readers for a review.

Can't see what else everyone has on their lists!

Happy Reading!!

Stacey (libraryjo92)