This meme was started by Sheila at Book Journey and the kids' version borrowed from the wonderful ladies at Teach Mentor Texts.
Since I started Spring Break on Friday, I treated myself to a weekend of reading. Though on Saturday, I had to clean my house. So I bribed myself with reading. If I cleaned for an hour I could read for 15 minutes.
I read a really great chapter book over the weekend, The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine.
I highly recommend this book. A great historical fiction book! It's about two girls that form a unlikely friendship, who are separated by race, during the tumultuous integration of Little Rock schools in 1958. Susan Dee (@literacydocent) and I were having a great discussion on Twitter about pairing this book with Little Rock Girl 1957 by Shelley Tougas. This would help kids build background knowledge and understand the events in the story.
Susan Dee is a great person to follow on Twitter. Also take a look at her blog (www.thebookmavenshaven.blogspot.com).
I also read some great picture books this week! My top five picture books in no particular order are:
1. Zero the Hero by Joan Holub
2. Kali's Song by Jeanette Winter
3. Love, Mouserella by David Ezra Stein
(great for teaching letter writing)
4. There Are No Cats In This Book by Viviane Schwarz
5. Piggy Bunny by Rachel Vail
Looking forward to some great reads this week. My to read pile this week includes: The Humming Room by Ellen Potter, Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos, and whatever else strikes me. I'll post later on in the week with an update.
Happy Reading! Please share what you are reading or what you think of the books I read.
Stacey
@libraryjo92
I'm glad you liked Lions of The Little Rock. I keep putting that book off for some reason.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed Lions of Little Rock much more than I thought I would. It was such a great tale of friendship and overcoming racial issues. It was also a fast read. I kept hearing great things about it from @HannahlilyS on Twitter, I had to try it.
ReplyDeleteStacey
@libraryjo92
So glad you liked The Lions of Little Rock! I'm always leery about recommending books to others because sometimes I think I have strange taste, but I knew this one was a real winner.
ReplyDeleteI really want to read some of those picture books you read too! Especially Kali's Song and Piggy Bunny.
I'm glad you suggested Lions of Little Rock too. It was a great read and one that I really enjoyed. I just loved Piggy Bunny, enough that I'm going to buy a copy for myself. Let me know what you think when you read them.
ReplyDeleteI'm the same as Colby...I keep saying I have Lions of Little Rock and that I'm going to read it and here I am on yet another It's Monday post saying I haven't read it yet. Soon, soon...probably in May after my April rereading. I have Kali's Song to read, I'm excited!
ReplyDeleteWasn't The Lions of Little Rock great? I also read and blogged about Kali's Song this week. My 3yo (of all people!) loved it right off the bat, it took me a few more reads to really appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteWhat a thoughtful surprise to read your "shout out" to me in your post today! Thank you! I love Twitter so much because it connects me to thoughtful, engaged readers who "get" the connections books and reading bring.
ReplyDeleteOf course you know my LOVE for The Lions of Little Rock! So glad more people are hearing about this little gem of a story! One thing that makes this one unique is the "dividing line" conflict of segregation WITHIN the family. Loved that subplot!
Thanks for sharing your "reading life" with us...and for your encouragement re: my reading 'slump'! Have a great week!
I got the Lions of Little Rock and was told it was going to be a book I would hear about- I guess she was right! Sounds so good.
ReplyDeleteThanks for participating and happy reading!