It' 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 at Unleashing Readers. So excited to get back to posting about the books I'm reading. In fact, I'm excited to be reading again. I went though quite a dry spell because I just couldn't focus on a lot, including reading.

I've been reading four early readers or ones that I called leveled readers. All four are due to be published on July 19, 2016. I received them from Penguin Young Readers to review. The four books are Slow, Slow Sloths by Bonnie Bader, Giraffes by Jennifer Dussling, Thomas Edison and His Bright Idea by Patricia Brennan Demuth, and Tiny Goes to the Movies by Cari Meister. Click the title for a summary on Goodreads. I know my kids are going to love these books. I love using the nonfiction books to introduce my Kindergarten students to research. We read the book, share a few neat facts, then they go back and try to write a sentence and draw a picture. I learned quite a bit about sloths and giraffes after reading these books. 

                     


I'm a little late to the party, but I have become obsessed with the musical Hamilton! I download the original Broadway cast recording and have been listening to it nonstop. I was so excited to find Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter. Click for a summary on Goodreads. It was so awesome to see the insights and thoughts behind the whole musical. Most times with musicals you don't get that behind the scenes look at the creation of them. Reading the all the little notes that went along the songs made them even more special. It was also so great to have the words to every song right there in front of me because there are some lyrics I missed. I haven't listened to a Broadway cast recording this much since I saw Phantom of the Opera for the first time. Now my dream is to one day see Hamilton! I'm planning on reading the biography that started it all this summer. And a am so happy that Lin-Manuel Miranda has made it cool to be a history nerd!

Happy Reading!!

Stacey (@libraryjo92)  

Update To My Must Read in 2016

I didn't post my update in April because something had to give and blogging was it. I've been reading many of my Must Reads in 2016 as well as a few that have been some Must Reads! Here is my original post. Looking back over those that I have read so far, I can't think of one that I haven't liked. Of course, there are some other books that have come up along the way. I've also been making an effort to read more nonfiction books. I've always said that nonfiction is my book gap. Out of the 29 that I first selected I've read 15 so far.

They are: Everyone Loves Bacon, Do Not Open The Box, Booked, Be A Friend, Bear's Big Day, Duck Duck Porcupine, Stormy Night, Hoot and Peep, Horrible Bear, Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics, Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to be in This Book), The War That Saved My Life, Comics Squad: Lunch, Firelight (Amulet #7), Hour of Bees, and Phoebe and Her Unicorn.

I have slipped in a few other reads that were not on my Must Reads in 2016. I really enjoyed Took by Mary Downing Hahn. It has enough creepy for my students without being too scary. It is on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan chapter book nominee list for next school year.  Also on the picture book list is Intersteller Cinderella by Deborah Underwood. This was a fun take on the typical Cinderella tale. 

I've read two that were not on my original list, but need to be on everyone's to read list. These two books have stayed with me long after I finished reading them. The first is Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. This book was incredibly well written and one that I could not put down. This book made me feel so many emotions, including ones that I was not expecting. I continued to think about the ending of this book for days after I finished it. If you haven't read this one yet, make sure you add it to the top of your to read list.

The second book is Sachiko: A Nagasaki Bomb Survivor's Story by Caren Stelson. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. I was able to read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. It will be published on October 1st. Wow, just wow! This book is so powerful. I knew a bit about the creation of atomic bomb and the events surrounding the dropping of them. But I really didn't know about what happened after the bombs fell. My heart is heavy thinking about what all the innocent victims had to go through. This is a story that needs to be told. Make sure you get a hold of a copy of this book in October. 

Happy Reading!!

Stacey (@libraryjo92)

It's Been A While

I can't believe that it is already July 5th! It has been three months since I've posted anything on this blog. This past year was my 20th year in education. I taught in the classroom (3rd Grade & 1st Grade) for 6 years, was the Media Specialist at a High School for 1 year, and I've been a Media Specialist at an Elementary School for 13 years. This year was one of the hardest in my professional career. I wasn't sure I was going to make it out on the other side, but I have and I'm trying to get back to doing things that I like to do.

I know that I shouldn't feel guilty about not blogging, but I do. It is something that I really enjoy doing. I'm going to try and work my way back to blogging at least once a week this summer. It might be more some weeks, but I'm going to try for one post. I know that I've been neglecting my Twitter feed as well, and that is going to change too. 

I'm also recommitting myself to taking care of myself. During the holidays, I put back on a little bit of my weight. Not too much, but enough for me to be frustrated. Because I continued to walk after school, I didn't put as much on as I most likely would have. The best part about summer is that I can get out and walk in the mornings. I started with a 2 mile walk and then bumped it up to a 2.5 mile walk. So I'm going to keep at it and really start watching what I eat again!

Happy Reading!!

Stacey (@libraryjo92)