It's Monday - More Lovely Books to Share!

  

            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! 

          I wish I could tell you I've finished Ghostlight by Kenneth Oppel but I have not. Too many things going on keep me from long bouts of reading. It has started well, and as books by Oppel are, it's a bit scary!

       Cheriee, some of these books below are by Canadian writers, and are wonderful!         

       I'm grateful for the following books from Candlewick Press. Although one as you will see is set long ago, all of these books celebrate family, They're warm and comforting, sometimes a bit adventurous, the memories that make us smile.

         In a poetic verse, Tanya Rosie tells the story just right for this time of year. It's fall for a mother and her young child and time to visit a special tree. They rise early, carrying tubs and buckets, and travel by bus to walk into the countryside: "The grass is long, it's wild when it waves. I point to the field with glee." That's when they finally arrive at their wonderful mulberry tree. They pick, stain hands and shirts, then make their way home to make pie! From early morn to bedtime, this family time feels like a memory to have again and again. I wonder if readers will remember one special time they've had. The story shows the mother-daughter closeness of what seems to be a single-parent household. Chuck Groenink's soft and nature-feeling illustrations, both full-page and with panels show the fun of such a day scene after scene. 

         In this debut picture book, high school art teacher Logan S. Kline tells a wondrous tale of long ago when, if people's fire went out, someone must go in search for it again. With a small intro to begin, the rest is an amazing wordless adventure when, after some argument, one young boy volunteers to go for the family. On the way, he takes refuge in a thorn tree from frightful creatures, manages to survive, and trek on with his own "fire" and determination. A lightning storm shows promise when smoke rises from afar. Along the way, he finds a way to save another creature, one that becomes a friend. I've read it more than once, seeing extra details Kline adds like the mountainous landscape, white-capped river waves, the people's attire. This will be one for young readers to imagine themselves in such a time and place. What would they do? How would they face the dangers? 

        Want a way to capture a special memory by the sea? Read this new book by Karen Hesse, with sea-worthy illustrations by Charlotte Voake. It's a rhyming ditty about one seaside walk with Granny and Bean who struggle against the wind, watch the gulls fly and curlews trill. They're bundled up and clearly, it's a chilly day but others are out, too, walking dogs, searching for shells in the sand. Granny and Bean even take tea! The story feels like a song to remember. The dedication from Hesse is to her "beloved Beans", and from Voake, "In memory of Little Granny, and our seaside adventures." Lovely book!

        Poppy's House and Something About Grandma, along with Granny and Bean, are loving books about the special memories made when staying with grandparents. I have them and now as a grandmother hope my own grandchildren bring good memories into their futures, too. 

 I also read and reviewed several books on Goodreads. Here are the titles to search there if you are interested. Each one is terrific!

           My Poet - Patricia Maclachlan and Jen Hill

           The Mouse Who Carried His House on His Back - Jonathan Stutzman and Isabelle Arsenault 

            Would You Come, too? - Liz Garton Scanlon and Diana Sudyka

             I'd Like to Be A Window for A Wise Old Dog - Philip Stead

               

A very old book discovery from the used bookstore where I volunteer!

Published in 1973 with poetry from the beloved poet Aileen Fisher. What happens to animals when the days begin to be colder? Aileen, with gorgeous full-page illustrations by Gordon Laite and lettering by Paul Taylor. It includes all the animals you might imagine, from raccoons to beavers, butterflies and crickets, to bears and wolves. As you will see, each does something a bit different when "days are colder". For an older book, it's wonderful to see that Laite included a diverse group of children throughout the book. A fun discovery!

What's next! Finishing Ghostlight and so many good ones on the stack, it is hard to choose!