It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

This meme was started by Sheila at Book Journey.  The kid's version was started by the lovely ladies at Teach Mentor Text.

Well, I started this post about two weeks ago.  I had really good intentions, but it just didn't work out.  I've been feeling so stressed lately and haven't been doing much reading.  Yesterday I took a step back and wrote down everything that kept running through my mind.  It was a long list, but I came to a realization:  I'm drowning in end of the year paperwork!  It seems worse that usual this year and I'm not sure why.  So I have my list and I'm working through it.  

The books listed below are ones that I've read in the past two weeks.  I just realized I haven't even been updating my Goodreads account!  I have to fix that.  I'm hoping once school is over I can concentrate on my book gap, which is nonfiction. (On a side note, I'm looking for suggestions on an elementary nonfiction books that will support Core.)

I read the Lunch Lady and the Video Game Villain by Jarrett K. Krosoczka.  Click here for a summary on Goodreads.  I enjoyed this one just as much as the first one I read!  I couldn't believe that we were left with a cliffhanger.  One of my students, who was the first one to read it, came back and said "How could he (the author) leave us hanging like that?"  I told him that's how the author keeps us coming back.

I also read The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle by Christopher Healy.  Click here for a summary on Goodreads.  I was hoping that this sequel would live up to the first book; I wasn't disappointed.  I just love all the strong female characters in this book.  And was really excited to see the ladies at Teach Mentor Text used these characters as examples in their Girl Power posts.  My only disappointment is that my two 5th Grade girls who LOVED the first one are not going to have the opportunity to read this book from my library.  We will not have it until next year.  But I told them both about it, and told them to check it out from the public library.  


This weekend I picked up Platypus Police Squad: The Frog Who Croaked by Jarrett J. Krosoczka.  Click here for a summary on Goodreads.  I have been waiting for this one for a while, ever since I saw the book trailer.  I know that this is going to be a very popular title next year!  This book reminded me of so many old police shows that I watched as reruns growing up.  I'm so glad that Jarrett didn't have the main characters as penguins like he originally did.  I think having them as platypus works much better.  And who doesn't like saying platypus!


I also got to start reading a professional book, Energize Research Reading and Writing by Christopher Lehman.  Click here for a summary on Goodreads.  I'm only on Chapter Four, but I just love this book.  Makes me almost wish I was back in the classroom!  Everything that Christopher is saying in this book about the way to teach research is very powerful.  I'm still trying to figure out how to fit it into the library.  I'm sure that I will be contacting Christopher (@iChrisLehman) on Twitter many times this summer.

Up next for me is Doll Bones by Holly Back.  This one just looks so interesting!  Click here for a summary on Goodreads.

Happy Reading!!

Stacey (@libraryjo92)