Monday Reading - All About Feelings

Visit Kellee and Ricki at UnleashingReaders and Jen at Teach Mentor Texts to see what they've been reading, along with others who post their favorites. Each book today focuses on feelings, a part of some days (or weeks) in the lives of people, pets, and imaginary creatures! 

Thanks to Candlewick Press for this copy, out Tuesday!

         How in the world are we going to survive without seeing the rest of Beverly's, Raymie's and Louisiana's stories? This time, Beverly has buried her beloved Buddy, and takes the chance to go somewhere, not to run away, but to run to. Louisiana is gone, Raymie will miss her, but this thing called home doesn't hold anything for her anymore. In this new small town by the beach, she meets more than one person with a story, finds a place to live, a job, and more loving kindness than she's had before, except from her two friends. She's fourteen, and has a few surprises coming! I love hearing from Beverly. At fourteen, she is brave and strict about her beliefs more than many adults. Reading her story brought tears, just like in the others, bringing questions again that come from "Be kind. You don't know what someone is going through." Kate DiCamillo never disappoints. 

      Thanks to Candlewick Press for the advanced copy of this seaside adventure, out last May! Thomas Taylor is well-known for being the illustrator of the cover of the first Harry Potter book, but this time, he's written his own adventure, and the illustrations in the book are by Tom Booth, not all finished in this ARC, but those included add to this scary atmosphere of Eerie-on-Sea. 
          from Walker Books: Herbert Lemon, Lost-and-Founder at the Grand Nautilus Hotel, knows that returning lost things to their rightful owners is not easy – especially when the lost thing is not a thing at all, but a girl. No one knows what happened to Violet Parma’s parents twelve years ago, and when she engages Herbie to help her find them, the pair discover that their disappearance might have something to do with the legendary sea-monster, the Malamander. Eerie-on-Sea has always been a mysteriously chilling place, where strange stories seem to wash up. 
           The detective work done by these youngsters will be quite an exciting adventure for young readers. Herbert and Violet scurry around the village no matter the risks and injuries. They are determined to follow the clues, to figure out the truth of this folk story that surrounds the town's life. Intriguing characters, from Herbie and Violet to the friendly and the ominous add to the mystery. It's book number one. Number two is coming in May 2020.

       Oh, to be on the beach again, and "be". Others ask this young girl a question or two, like "What are you making?" She always answers, "I don't know." She plays and messes about with what's available, she enjoys her place by the sea, she is present. There is a wonderful surprise acknowledgment of her answers when a woman comes by to set up her easel. The illustrations' acrylic and oil paintings show the sand and sea beauty and teasing glimpses of the girl and her creations. It's a wonderful book.

      In a foreword for parents: "Intersection Allies reminds us that we don't have to "choose" one primary identity. Instead, each of us is all of who we are every single day and in every single way." Different kids introduce themselves in a brief poem, focusing on one part, perhaps they might say the 'main' part. Collaged illustrations are bright, colorful and varied.

          I can't imagine not having this in every classroom! There is the text, written in rhyme, showing each young person and some parts of their identity. In the backmatter lies a page on intersectionality, a page-by-page discussion guide, some definitions and bios of the four authors. The final double-page fills with words: "where there's room for some, we make room for all, friends can be Allies, no matter how small."

        Linda Sue Park's beautiful book, A Long Walk to Water is not for young children, so it is wonderful that she has crafted a smaller story with the same poignancy for those younger. Of course, every age can be transformed with such a message, the story of a young girl who walks most of a morning to carry water back to her family. And she must take her younger sister along, too, a tougher walk for a little one. Usually, though tough, it happens, day after day, but this time little sister Akeer is not all right. In fact, Nya realizes that Akeer is very sick. Now she must  carry at least some of the water, but Akeer, too. With grit hard to imagine, the journey intensifies in feeling as we readers all want to know what's going to happen. Grit, taking one more step, and love shown are inspirations for every reader. I wish it could have gone a bit longer to tell what happened with the second "long walk" they had to get to a doctor.

         There is an added note that tells of Salva Dut, the head of an organization digging clean-water wells in South Sudan, a life-saving task, for both the village and for girls who now, instead of the "long walk", can go to school! Ink and watercolor illustrations by Brian Pinkney evoke the desert settings beautifully, as well as the loneliness of these young people on their walk.

       A young girl, Maria, her little brother, Juan, and her mother make the journey to the border between San Diego and Mexico to see her grandmother for the Christmas holidays named Las Posadas. They cannot go through a second fence, have only 25 minutes to visit through a fence with slats and a wire, then must return back to San Diego. The girl has knitted a scarf for her Abuela to wear on the journey home and her brother has drawn a picture. The visit goes quickly and they discover nothing can go through the fence. The brother becomes very upset. Maria, with the permission of the border officer, quickly devises a new way to get that picture to Abuela. She creates a kite of it and flies it over the walls. It shows the sad challenges of families separated but the way Maria helps is so loving. The author adds a note at the back with a brief explanation of how this border reunions work, especially during this special holiday time. Illustrations are upbeat, although the sadness is underlying the story.

       A cat named Spot spies a dog named Dot and off they go on an adventure, but their owners, a boy and a girl, miss their beloved pets, make and put up "lost" signs as they go off into the neighborhood looking for Spot & Dot!Henry Cole's black and white illustrations make this wordless story come alive with the detail of the neighborhood from flea market to bakery to dog park to concert-in-the-park and all along, among other "spots and dots", readers need to look carefully for those runaway pets. What fun!

         Autumn is here, and I wanted to be sure to share this beautiful, beautiful book, though it's only about the seasons in its setting. I don't want to tell much because I want you to experience the beauty and creativity of the Fan Brothers' illustrations as Beth Ferry gives us the sweetest love story you might have read in a long time. Can you imagine a scarecrow (like on the cover) showing emotion. Wait until you read the book. Wait until you feel the feelings. It's terrific!

Now Reading: A new adult book, pre-World War II: The Last Train to London by Meg Waite Clayton. Next middle grade: Hena Khan's More to the Story.