Monday Reading - More to Know & Love

              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.  Your TBR lists will grow! Happy Reading!
          Share with the hashtag #IMWAYR

        

      Yes, it's May and we carry on! I hope this month finds you continuing to do well, finding great books to enjoy, time to be outside enjoying your family and spring blooms. Perhaps in a safe way, you'll get to see some friends again? There are still challenges and an overwhelming list of people who need help.  

TODAY - 3 pm Central Time, Laura Purdie Salas is having a launch party for her new book, Secrets of the Loon. Find the details here! They're giving away copies, too!

         This is so well researched, filled with information, primarily about the book but early on very much about Louisa May Alcott and her family, with added information throughout about them. Rioux has written nine chapters, created in three parts. It starts at the beginning with "The Making of a Classic", continues on with "The Life of a Classic" and finishes with "A Classic for Today". I have read Little Women several times through the years and with students but had no idea of the ups and downs of this book as it aged through different periods in history and no idea of the many films and television series that have been made. The book was written before this recent film out, but Rioux did refer to it. I wonder what she thought of it? That final Part Three includes arguments for reading today, what has happened to it in the past and what may happen with it in this century. 

from my #MustReadin2020 list

          There are acknowledgments, an extensive notes section, and an index. If you have Little Women on your list of all-time favorites, you will love this book.


















         I finished these next two books from Candlewick Press, Walker Books, in exchange for reviewing. I am very grateful that I have these copies. I miss the library very much! And I have an order coming from my local Indie, Tattered Cover. The good thing is that they are overwhelmed with orders. The bad part of that is that it takes a while to get the books. But, I'm willing to wait and am excited for new ones on their way!

        An eleven-year-old protagonist, a Stalin camp in Siberia filled from his terrible 'purge', and an escape that turns into a magical fantasy powered (at first) by a terrifying witch gives a story that stumbles into scary moments nearly day after day! A young girl, Lina, is part of an escape attempt (approved by her mother as the only possibility to save her daughter) and is suddenly plunged into the freezing Siberian wasteland with dangerous companions and one true friend; a young boy called Bogdan. Thank goodness for this relationship which was a strong support as Lina and others face daunting challenges over and over again.
         A mystery concerning her parentage. Could her father be the vicious camp commandant? There is the overarching search for the grandmother that Lina is certain will help her return to rescue her mother. There are the tiny hints that Lina's grit to overcome terrible creatures like those in the escape group or those things called "ghost wolves" reveal that she might not be just a young girl wanting more of life than a prison camp; she might have some extra power of her own!
          This story that begins as historical fiction turned quickly into a fantasy based on Russian folklore (Baba Yaga, Baboushka etc) as the group, then only Lina and Bogey meet up with a sorceress and fight to continue their journey towards Moscow in search of Lina's grandmother. 

          There is more and more and more, revealing so many secrets about this mystery grandmother, a shadow child, a special necklace, and Lina, thoughtful Lina, herself. For a middle-grade story, I enjoyed it, but perhaps another venture into old Russia would fulfill my dream to have more of the story from Lina, her friends old and new, and her family. I enjoyed Nevertell very much. And I'll "Never Tell" all the secrets! You'll need to discover them yourselves!

         Thanks to Candlewick Press & Walker Books-US for the advanced copy!

             A young girl named Mabel lives with her parents who run the Mermaid Hotel. She says she "owns" the rooms, knows details about them all, but she cannot go into them when a guest comes to stay. This time, it's Madame Badobedah (it rhymes with "Oo la la") whom Mabel is convinced really is a supervillain. She's a very old lady with a raspy and grumpy voice, so many bags (some stuffed with jewelry and coins), carries a turtle on a pillow. After doing a bit of spying, in her spying clothes, Badobedah invites Mabel in for a cup of tea, beginning their adventures together as Mabel concludes her first impression might be wrong! Both have quite wonderful imaginations and readers will first wonder what is going on, but then realize that it's a marvelous way to travel, in imagination!  It's a poignant story of a friendship between generations, made even more fun by Lauren O'Hara's colorful and over-the-top illustrations, especially those imagined ones!

           These two Kates never fail to make me smile. Great for early readers moving into chapter books! Thanks, Candlewick Press!

          In a way, it's a sad book to read because there will be no field days this year because of school closings. Nevertheless, those days will return and teachers will share this fun book so students can enjoy it. All the varied games and contests are there, hurdles and races, parachute play, and hula hoop twisting. Sadly, Fergus and Zeke, classroom pets, soon realize they are simply too little to participate. They can easily walk under the limbo rod; kickball is terrifying. Fergus and Zeke are not going to miss the fun, however, and devise their own games. A grocery bag makes a fine parachute and a lost bracelet makes a hula hoop. They have so much fun they don't notice that the students go back to class for ice pops! And that becomes another challenge. Heather Ross keeps the illustrations full of action and expressions, especially with the two mice. It is a cute new book about these mice!
           My classroom raised rats for a couple of years and now I wish we had created stories about our two, Bonnie and Clyde! We did raise a couple of litters and wrote some poetry about them. They were very gentle and students held them a lot.

           Time for a visit to Deckawoo Drive, this time with Stella Endicott, the neighbor. The story originates with Mercy, Stella's neighbor, and a big argument about whether she knows a pig that sleeps on a couch! Stella loves her second-grade teacher,  Ms. Tamar Calliope Liliana, and loves even more that Ms. Liliana has assigned the class to write a poem that includes a metaphor. This is early in the year and Stella has some conflict with know-it-all Horace Broom who, like Stella, wants to impress the teacher.
           Stella visits Mercy and cuddles up with her as she writes her poem which includes Mercy, music from a neighbor's accordion, and a leaf falling from a tree outside. She loves her poem, but when sharing at school, Horace criticizes it, a lot. They argue, louder and louder so Ms. Liliana sends them to see Mr. Tinwiddie, the principal. Stella is afraid and knows she must use “courage” and “curiosity." At the visit, Horace is terrified and runs back down the hall and Stella follows. What happens next is where that "courage" and "curiosity" comes in. They both end up locked in the janitor's closet. 
            There is much to enjoy here as chapter by chapter, DiCamillo builds the story that starts rather sweetly and turns into events that second graders would be eager to discuss. What happens when one is sent to the principal? And does anyone ever run away? What about getting locked in a closet? They will also like Stella's poem and the metaphors that are strewn throughout. The closeness to reality will invite some "wows" when reading aloud and the illustrations by Chris Van Dusen add to this adventure as always. 

What's Next - Hooray! I have When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed to start and am reading Emily St. Mandel's new adult book, The Glass Hotel. 

Happy Reading!