Monday Reading - New and Old to Enjoy!

 

          

    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 had to skip something last week, simply too busy, thus I have a bunch to share. I hope you find some books you'll love among them.

      

         I shared reviews of these next two books on Friday, Oct. 17th, HERE!

Thanks to Bloomsbury

for my copy!

        Full of many details of, no surprise, "Impossible Creatures", some readers will recognize, others are new, at least to me. The significant characters are young, strong, and persistent in solving, yes, seemingly impossible problems! Others bring differing emotions, both happy and sad, as well as anger and sometimes goodbyes! Some illustrations by Ashley Mackenzie are within the text, adding to the adventure, but one amazing part lies at the back. It's a compendium of the creatures, wonderfully illustrated by Ashley and explained by Katherine. The title is "The Guardian's Bestiary." You'll discover who the guardian is and much more when reading this book. Few other words fit it than "fantastic"! 

       EXTRA! The next one is planned for a 2025 September publishing! 

           A boy, alone, everything is precisely in place, until one day, waking earlier than usual, a few things, like the cactus beside his bed, are  OUT OF PLACE! Thus begins a story that will keep readers going, leaning forward, wondering, "What's on the next page?" It's fun and shocking because, yes, there is a bear! Illustrations carry the humor as the boy has a peek at something now and then. And finally, "Out of the Blue"! It's an older book, if you can find it, and so much fun!

 

               Aimee Lucido tells of family love and sharing food with LOTSA PASTA. She shows this celebration with lots of famiglia (family), and in an anthem of rhyme. Various relatives arrive for dinner and bring a favorite dish, or they make that dish at the house. Everything builds to the big meal, but, wait, does "Lotsa Pasta" mean too much? For a read-aloud while viewing the collaged illustrations of all the families AND the pasta by Mavisu Demirag brought me so many smiles. Can you imagine creating quite realistic pasta? Various cultural relatives arrive with their special names, in Italian, like nonna (grandma) and nonno (grandma), also zio (uncle), and others. " Here is one example of the fun story-telling: "Nonni Titi from Tahiti/only eats our spaghettini." 

               I came across this beautiful book again. It feels very appropriate during this chaotic time when too many are attacking others with harsh words. The book was meant for children, yet it seems to be a great challenge for adults, too. 

             Peter Reynolds is serious. No matter who you are, soft-spoken or loud, you can "say something" when needed. You can make someone feel less lonely, speak up when they're hurt, plant a seed, and watch it bloom. With all kinds of wonderful kids in beautiful spaces, we all are challenged to use our voices and ideas to make life better. For everyone, for every classroom, another book from Reynolds that excites and makes me smile - a lot! One final note: The front end covers show all kinds of speech bubbles with things to say: Hate Has No Home Here, PEACE, Speak from your heart, Thank you, You've Got A Friend. . . And the back end covers holds a note from Peter Hamilton Reynolds himself about "your voice" on the left, with blank bubbles on the right. Terrific!

Thanks to Kingston Imperial Publishing
for my copy!

         A few years ago, when my granddaughters were younger, perhaps 7 and 9, their neighborhood block party invited all the children to put up a table to sell something they had created. Profits went to a charity. I know my granddaughters would have enjoyed this book about a "Mini Boss", this time named Ryder K. 

         Ryder is a six-year-old who wants to be part of her mother's business, selling nail polish. It's both cute when Ryder learns the steps to becoming a Mini Boss, and she learns that one of them is "Play".  She wonders if that means buying all the toys she wishes, among other things. However impossible, she does learn that the steps include some other fun like choosing her own nail polish colors and naming them. The book does include some serious work, like packing and mailing orders, and getting it done even when tired. The ending brings a surprise, a photo of the real mother/daughter entrepreneurs, and a glossary of needed terms. 

        Ryder tells the story of her new work in clear explanations of the steps while Illustrations by Nils Britwum show the excitement in the brightest of colorful pages. It can be inspiring for young females who are dreaming of a certain future they'd love to have, and want to begin!

        This is a collaborative project, written by Ryder K. Wharton, Cheyenne Davis (her mother), and Margaret Bowdre (her grandmother). They are a part of MTV's Teen Mom Universe. 

What's Next? I have The Bletchley Riddle and the new Richard Osman book, one or both?

Happy Halloween!