Sunday, December 7, 2014

A Bunch of Fun - Monday Reading


       Thanks to Sheila at Book Journeys It's Monday! What are you Reading? was started. For adult and children's books, check out Sheila's blog posts and links!               
         Later, Jen of Teach Mentor Texts and Ricki and Kellee at Unleashing Readers started another group with a children's focus.  
                                                                  Visit all the links for reading ideas!

Tweet at #IMWAYR

            I loved all the books I finished this week, and have some wonderful new books from the library waiting. Although I'm so busy, I have been reading...
            Winter Bees, and Other Poems of the Cold by Joyce Sidman and Rick Allen
was reviewed on Poetry Friday, here.  It's gorgeous non-fiction poetry, with side pieces of extra info!


A Bird On Water Street – by Elizabeth O. Dulemba
                  A historical fiction novel about Jack, a thirteen year old destined to follow his father, and grandfather into the copper mines in Coppertown, but all he really wants is to see the green of trees, and to hear the birds sing. It’s a rather low-key book considering the serious theme, the dangers to the environment and to humans from the pollution of mining. It chronicles life in a real-life town in this industrial mining town in Tennessee, and the everyday adventures of these young adults. There are photographs of the way a real town looks during the mining, absolutely no vegetation, no birds, insects or other living creatures. Even fish in the streams are gone.  Life is spare, but the characters come to life in everyday happenings, music Fridays, Sunday church, and boys going sledding on cardboard. I found it a little slow, but compelling in that I wanted to find out what was going to happen when Jack’s father and other miners went on strike. There is that story, and further true information in the author’s note.


         Thanks to my wonderful book buddy at school, I had the pleasure of reading these next three! I wish she would begin blogging. She knows so-o-o much about books for young students.

Coming Home – written and illustrated by Greg Ruth

           With only a few words and some important capturing of mood in paintings, Greg Ruth has managed to tell an important  and exciting story that happens to children all over the U.S., their parent comes home from combat.

Grandma – written and illustrated by Jessica Shepherd
            This is a sweet book that shows a little boy having a good time with his grandma, even when she needs to enter a nursing home because of dementia. Slowly it shows change, and sometimes not happy change. The story is shared well, and has good, supportive back matter that gives further information, especially for parents of young children. Because my grandchildren experienced this with their grandfather, I know firsthand that it is not an easy change, but one young granddaughter just thought her grandfather was in a hospital (she was three and four those years), and enjoyed visiting and playing with him as well as the other residents.

Zero Is The Leaves On The Tree – written by Betsy Franco and illustrated by Shino
Arihara
              It’s a fun book showing all kinds of daily things that mean zero, like “the balls in the bin at recess time. 0 balls.”  And, “the kites in the sky once the wind stops blowing. 0 kites.”
It’s repetitive and will be a good read aloud for young children.


Still reading: What The Moon Saw, by Laura Resau. So far, I'm enjoying it very much.

Next: I may have to skim/read some books to find some new ones for book groups. If you have favorites for middle school advanced readers, please recommend them! These students can read mid-level books, but also read adult classics, too.  

20 comments:

  1. Coming Home is one that I definitely need to find! Get your friend blogging!!! As far as new books for book groups, the Paper Cowboy that I read over the weekend was incredible. It would pair really well with Okay for Now, as well as A Bird on Water Street. I'll be interested to see what others recommend. Have a good week, Linda!

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    1. Thanks for the titles, Melanie. I'll keep them all in mind, & luckily have the vacation to decide. Hope you find Coming Home-it's lovely.

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  2. Thanks, Linda, not familiar with these!

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    1. You're welcome, Jane. Hope some are fun for you!

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  3. I wish your book buddy at school would start blogging too! I can't imagine my reading life without the influence of all the wonderful teacher blogs I follow where I find out about so many books I want to read. I put the new Joyce Sidman on my Xmas list this year. I really enjoyed a recent piece on the illustrations at 7 Impossible Things Before Breakfast. I love the cover of Coming Home--really want to get that one too!

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    1. I'll have to look for the post on the illustrations, Elisabeth. They are quite something. Hope you can find Coming Home-special!

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  4. I just picked up Bird at the library, Linda - it looked so different in tone and subject matter. Now I am inspired to read it next.

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    1. I'll be interested in seeing what you think, Tara. It's great for a historical subject example.

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  5. Awww! I should get Grandma for my mom to read with Trent!

    Happy reading this week Linda!

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  6. We had some book matches this weekend! I loved the illustrations in Winter Bees! It was so unique, it made me return to it a few times!

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    1. It's a gorgeous book, & the poems are lovely too, of course. Thanks, Michele.

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  7. A Bird on Water Street looks really good to me. For some reason, I find mining to be fascinating, so I will have to get this one!

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  8. I can't wait to get Winter Bees! All your other choices sound good, too. I have to restrain myself, though, as I'm still working my through the haul I brought home from NCTE. Thanks for sharing, Linda!

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    1. I know, I know-too many books around. Enjoy when you do get it, Catherine!

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  9. Coming Home looks like a really powerful read. I'm definitely going to have to check that one out.

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    1. It was interesting that I went in to share the book and a colleague has just brought it in too. It's wonderful. Thanks, Beth!

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  10. I will have to check out Coming Home. I saw the title recently, but didn't realize what it was about. Thanks!

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  11. Oh wow, that book cover of Coming Home looks powerful! Will try to find it in our library. :)

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