Monday Reading: Poetry and More!

  Visit Kellee and Ricki at UnleashingReaders and 

  

Jen at Teach Mentor Texts to see what they and others have been reading! Your TBR lists will grow! 

    

           Books from Candlewick Press, including one book of poetry and more! I am grateful! #PoetryMonth 

           I'm writing a poem every day in April for Poetry Month. Come visit, or, visit Jama's Alphabet Soup here for all the ways poets are celebrating this month.

Thx, Candlewick Press!

         I only know a few of these players but enjoyed the celebration and the easy, though exciting rhythm of the poems about spectacular NBA players. The only thing left in March Madness is the final championship game tonight. I imagine some of those players are wanting to be the next Steph Curry or Blake Griffin, talented and skilled, offering dreams to so many young kids who shoot hoops every night as they dream! The book's poems and photo graphics by Charles R. Smith Jr., offer best shots in poetry and sports greatness. There are poem notes about each featured player at the back, as reviews say, more inspiration!    

        FYI:  There also is a Hoop Kings which I have not read. 

            Here's a part of Stephen Curry's poem:

"Slippery Steph

 with the ball going left

with the skip

with the slip

with the shimmy

with the dip

with the hesi

                      hesi

                                  tation

to the finger-roll flip."

 

Thx, Candlewick Press!

      I really like these Book Buddies by Cynthia Lord and Stephanie Graegin. For those early readers, the author and illustrator tell the story with a little bit of tension and a whole lot of smiling. If you don't know about them, those "buddies" are various toys that children can check out from the library and have adventures with them then record what happens in the "buddy's" journal. This time, a tiny mouse Christmas ornament was named Marco Polo by the librarian and nearly put away with other ornaments until Anne decided he would make a good "buddy". After waiting and waiting, being rejected because he's too small, one boy chooses Marco for a coming sleepover. Then the adventures happen that are hard to imagine, but they do! From Marco: "But maybe even brave explorers get scared sometimes," he thought. "Maybe they just keep trying anyway." Wise words from this littlest of the "buddies" and some other learning from those on the sleepover make a great story for young readers. 

               Thx Candlewick Press!

Thx, Candlewick Press!

         I've seen many readers share that they loved this new book by John Schu, a promoter and lover of books. Now, in his own picture book, he shows his love for what a school is, somewhere to learn and grow, being supported when there's a struggle. It's a place where all are included, students, teachers, librarians, custodians, bus drivers. . . It's a place for understanding and helping with mistakes, celebrating special times. Veronica Miller Jamison brings such happiness and togetherness into her brightly colored illustrations. This is a school I believe everyone wishes and works to have. It would be a joy to read this aloud to young students and talk about "their" school! 

     

Thx, Candlewick Press!

       There are routines that children count on, waking up at a certain time, pancakes for breakfast, and sitting in the middle at the table with parents. This time, the routine is the title, "Mama and Mommy and Me in the Middle". Nina LaCour sets it up exactly as this little ME expects. Yet when Mommy goes away for a whole week on a work trip, it doesn't always feel good, or right, anytime. She is missed despite some loving phone calls, she is missed when her favorite blueberries aren't purchased at the grocery. Lovely full pages by Kaylani Juanita fill with colorful and loving scenes. Mama tries hard to fill that huge gap. They watch movies on the side of the garage, they have fun at the grocery, then at the public garden. It isn't enough, but planning for the homecoming helps. Full of sadness but making the days okay until week's end shows a loving Mama, also missing her loved one. Just like families who love each other, they always miss when one is gone.

 

          Jama Rattigan, whose blog is highlighted above, often shares new and wonderful books on her blog. I won this from one of her giveaways! 

         If you don't know anything about the history of chocolate, Michael Leventhal tells it in his new book, showing history and the Jewish connection as he tells the story of Marco, The Chocolate King (El Rey de Chocolate). He begins by showing young Benjamin who watches and waits, watches and waits, as his Grandfather Marco creates the most delicious hot chocolate, in Spain, Yet, the family is forced to leave in the dark of night because everyone who isn't Catholic is kicked out. They move to France where no one has even heard of chocolate! It takes a silly accident when chocolate pours over Benjamin and he runs into the street, stopping the king's carriage, yes, the king! The rest is history! There is a wonderful quadruple page spread with a wonderfully illustrated timeline of chocolate, "From Bean to Bar" that includes a recipe! Laura Catalán's illustrations show a terrific historical touch in browntones, including the setting and the clothes people are wearing. 

Thx, Candlewick Press!

       Visiting a grandmother in a country far away and so different from one's own can be a surprise, not always good, but Jyoti's visit to her Sita Pati in India fast becomes a loving visit. They make good memories together like creating sand pictures, reading books, and going to market, so good that when it's time to go home, Jyoti is sad. They say "poitu varen" , "I'll go and come back." a promise that feels better than "Goodbye". It's a story that touches me as I just had a special weekend visit with my grandson in his college town along with his parents, my son and daughter-in-law. We don't say "poitu varen" but we do say "See you soon", a promise that we will make a visit not so long in the future. I've loved Sara Palacios' illustrations in the past (A Song of Fruitas, My Day With the Panye, and many more). Here art here, too, is wonderful, catching the swirls of color in India and America, plus showing so well the emotional ties of family, especially between Jyoti and her Sita Pati. They are beautiful!

Still reading: John Green's Anthropocene, starting Hidden Powers by Jeannine Atkins.