It's Monday! What Are You Reading? October 23, 2017

I apologize for being on a bit of a hiatus for a few weeks. I have been getting ready for parent/teacher conferences and have a graduate level writing course that is wrapping up this Saturday. Overall, October has been a busy month! But as you will see below, I have still found time to read! 

Enjoy!

A great meme hosted by Jen at Teacher Mentor Texts and Kellee at Unleashing Readers! A place for people to talk about the books they have recently read and are currently reading. Also a great place to find books to add to you "must read" list!

Here is what I have recently read (click on the title to learn more about the book):

Cloud and Wallfish

By Anne Nesbit

I have had this one in my classroom for awhile and finally decided it was time for me to take it home and read it! The book is a bit thick and it took me a while to finish it, but I really enjoyed it! I liked the historical fiction nature of it. I enjoyed reading about what life would have been like in East Berlin before the wall fell. This story was very intriguing and I am happy that I finally took it home and read it!

All's Faire in Middle School

By Victoria Jamieson

I had been hearing so much about this one that I was very excited to finally get my hands on my own copy! I also really enjoyed Roller Girl so was looking forward to Jamieson's next book. This one was definitely a "cant put it down until it's done" story. I thought it was a very unique idea to have the main character's family work at a Renaissance Fair, and I really liked the message that Jamieson was teaching about friendship with this story!

As there is one topic that would be questionable for my 4th graders, I would recommend this for grades 6 and up.

Wishtree
By Katherine Applegate

What can I say about this one...it's Katherine Applegate people! You know you have heard about it, you know you should read it. If it's not on your list, add it now!

Enough said!

Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus

By Dusti Bowling

This was another one that I had been hearing so much about and couldn't wait to crack open! I have to say it was worth the wait! I loved this story! I loved the premise; the girl with no arms befriends the boy with Tourette's, then they eventually become a trio when they start eating lunch with a classmate who is self conscious about his weight. I love that they all found each other and helped each other to work through the hardships that their "disabilities" bring. Throw in a little mystery and you have yourself one great book!

Pablo and Birdy

By Alison McGhee

I forget where I heard about Pablo and Birdy, but it ended up on my Amazon wishlist not too long ago. I wasn't really sure what to expect when I started it last week, but I was immediately drawn in by the story of Pablo, the main character. I enjoyed following Pablo and his "pet" parrot, Birdy, around his small tourist town of Isla. I also really enjoyed getting to know the townspeople, and was intrigued by the mystery of where Pablo and Birdy came from. I enjoyed this one to the end and was also really impressed by McGhee's illustrations which can be found here and there throughout the book. 

Here is one example...gorgeous!

Here is what I am currently reading (click on the title to find out more about the book):

Clayton Byrd Goes Underground

By Rita Williams-Garcia

I enjoy everything that Williams-Garcia writes so I immediately purchased this one when it showed up in our Scholastic book orders! It is currently my in school independent reading time book, which means the students will all want to read it when I am done, but also means that I only have about 5 minutes per day for it. I have a feeling that it might make a short trip home with me this week so that I can spend more time with Clayton!

Blooming at the Texas Sunrise Motel

By Kimberly Willis Holt

Looking forward to starting this one tonight! Stay tuned! :)

Review of Moon Shadow by Erin Downing

Moon Shadow

By Erin Downing

Published by Aladdin

May 16, 2017

Hardcover Purchased from Amazon

Goodreads Summary:

Thirteen-year-old Lucia Frank discovers that she can become the girl she’s always wanted to be with the help of a little “moon magic” in this charming novel about the value of friendship, family, and finding yourself.

Lucia Frank has never had time for her mom’s “new age” nonsense. She doesn’t believe in any of that stuff. All she wants is to figure out how to get her best friend, Will, back and cope with her parents looming divorce. But then something strange happens on the night of her thirteenth birthday.

When the eclipsed moon slips into the shadow of the earth, Lucia’s Shadow slips out. Now hidden in a moonstone, the Shadow waits for Lucia to sleep so it can come out to play.

Lucia’s Shadow seems unlike her in almost every way: daring, outspoken, and unwilling to let anyone push her around. But it actually isn’t the anti-Lucia…in fact, her Shadow is very much like the person Lucia wishes she could be. At first, Lucia is eager to undo whatever magic happened on her birthday so life can get back to normal. But when she realizes her Shadow is doing and saying things she has only dreamed about, she wonders if maybe things aren’t all bad.

With a little help from her Shadow, she’s turning into the kind of girl she’s always wanted to be.

My Thoughts:

I had been hearing a lot about this book at the beginning of the year and was very excited to finally find the time to read it! I really enjoyed the premise of the book, the idea that maybe the main character's, Lucia's, shadow self has been going out and doing things while she thinks she is asleep. At first Lucia is completely freaked out when she realizes what might be happening, but then she starts realizing that her shadow self has been doing things that she only wishes she had the courage to do. She eventually needs to figure out if she has the courage to be the person she wants to be without the help of her shadow self. 
Overall a very intriguing story about having the courage to be your own self and about working to make the things happen in your life that you want to happen.

I would recommend this for grades 4 and up!

Review of Shadow Weaver by MarcyKate Connolly

Shadow Weaver

By MarcyKate Connolly

Published by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

January 2, 2018

Digital Copy Provided by NetGalley

Goodreads Summary:

The shadows that surround us aren’t always as they seem…

Emmeline has grown up with a gift. Since the time she was a baby she has been able to control shadows. And her only friend and companion is her own shadow, Dar.

Disaster strikes when a noble family visits their home and offers to take Emmeline away and cure her of magic. Desperate not to lose her shadows, she turns to Dar who proposes a deal: Dar will change the noble’s mind, if Emmeline will help her become flesh as she once was. Emmeline agrees but the next morning the man in charge is in a coma and all that the witness saw was a long shadow with no one nearby to cast it. Scared to face punishment, Emmeline and Dar run away.

With the noble’s guards on her trail, Emmeline’s only hope of clearing her name is to escape capture and perform the ritual that will set Dar free. But Emmeline’s not sure she can trust Dar anymore, and it’s hard to keep secrets from someone who can never leave your side.

The first in a dark middle-grade fantasy duology, MarcyKate Connolly weaves a tale filled with shadows, danger, and magic that has the feel of a new classic.

My Thoughts:

This book was a bit dark, but I really enjoyed it! I was pulled into the story right from the start, as I thought the storyline was quite unique! I don't think I have read any books in the recent past where the main character's shadow has its own personality and is therefore also a main character. 
It was interesting to watch Emmaline come more into herself as the story progressed, as she started to depend less on her shadow to help her figure out what to do. I really enjoyed the family that Emmaline meets and I appreciated that this story came to an end, but also left itself open for future books! Hoping for a book 2!

I would recommend this story for grades 5 and up.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? October 2, 2017

A great meme hosted by Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and and Kellee at Unleashing Readers! A place for people t talk about the books they have recently read and are currently reading. A great place to find books to add to your "must read" list!

Here is what I have recently read (click on the title to learn more about the book):

Moon Shadow

By Erin Downing

I really enjoyed this book by Erin Downing! I immediately book talked it to my students as soon as I finished it (I was selfish and had to read it first!). There is now a very long wait list!

Check back for my full review mid-week!

The Wonderling

By Mira Bartok

Scroll down to see the full review that I wrote last week!

Shadow Weaver

By MarcyKate Connolly

Check back tomorrow morning for my full review!

Patina

By Jason Reynolds

When was the last time you read something written by Jason Reynolds that you didn't think was amazing? Right, never! This is the second book in Reynold's Track series. The first book Ghost came out last August, and the third book, Sunny, comes out next April. I really enjoyed reading Ghost, but may have enjoyed Patina even more! 

As the main character, I really like Patina (Patty). She is brave and strong and feels like she has to act as a mother to her younger sister Maddy. All of this before she is even out of middle school. This is a great story about trying to fit in where you don't feel like you belong, and about finding the place where you can really be yourself without worrying about what other people think.

This book is immediately going into my classroom library!