Our Kid Lit to YA version is hosted by Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers.
GREAT IDEA! Check out all of the What Are You Reading? participants for title ideas.
Papa Is a Poet: A Story About Robert Frost by Natalie S. BoberMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
From an adult perspective five stars. What a lovely little biography. Beautiful illustrations and a real sense of the Poet as a Papa.
From a kid's perspective ... I'm not as sure. Will have to figure out a way to share this with some and see.
Lucy Maud Montgomery by Alexandra WallnerMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
My one "girly" love ... Anne books. I hated puffy sleeves as much as she wanted them. A book to be enjoyed by someone who already had some interest in the author ... not necessarily the "hook" to get them to start!
The Three Ninja Pigs by Corey Rosen SchwartzMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Well. That was hilarious. Maybe even a four point five. A must read (and share!).
The Shadow Throne by Jennifer A. NielsenMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
A nail-biting conclusion to the trilogy.
One day I will learn and I will re-read the first books when reading the end of a series. Cause it can get confusing ... if it's been a while. There were a couple times when I felt like the transitions between settings or "moments" were not as smooth as in previous books. Of course I also read this one late at night when I should have been asleep so maybe fatigue was the issue.
The main characters were all there. Some nice twists thrown in ... stick with it to the end!
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee StewartMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Took a little while to get going but this was great fun as an audiobook. The performer narrates well. And, of course, the author wrote a rollicking good story.
The Rome Prophecy: A Thriller by Sam ChristerMy rating: 2 of 5 stars
Finished it but wish I hadn't. Definitely sticking with my favorite "thriller" authors from here on out.
And coming up?
I almost always change my mind and read something different from what I say here, anyway. I'll get ahead on an audiobook, that's for sure, as I'll be driving back and forth between Austin on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Good ... 75 minutes each way, if not longer, depending on the traffic. Right now I have The Clue of the Linoleum Lederhosen because it looked funny on the shelf ... but I just saw that it's a book two. I wonder if that will matter?
I also have the new Ransom Riggs/Miss Peregrine. And a friend recommended The Clockwork Scarab (Stoker and Holmes? I'M IN). Just not sure how far I'll get. Plus the ones I already had in the currently (but apparently not very fast) reading stack.
So. Monday. The Newbery. Do I give it another shot? WHAT AM I MISSING? I just really didn't care for as far as I got into it. Kiddos are voting for the state award last week and this week. We never have too many participants. Lots of readers but not "from a list." From my informal polling I'm afraid I had much too much influence on them ... at our school Ivan will be the winner, with Wonder a close second and that is not the case from any of the other campuses that have informally shared. I loved Ivan so much (personal connection and all) I talked about him more, I guess. Flora is on our state list next year, too. So far I've not loved several of the books on that list.
Am I grumpy?
How do you ... feign enthusiasm for books that just didn't resonate with you? I TOTALLY get that some books are for some readers and other books are for other readers. Some books are for grown-ups and some books are for kids. Booktalking is something I need to work on ... at least for the books I'm not crazy about. Cause those books MIGHT be the ones the kids need.
Are you going to be at TCEA?
I loved the Three Ninja Pigs. So far it's a hit with my kids.
ReplyDeleteMrs. Brown Loves Bookworms
I feel behind that it took me so long to take a look at it. I want to get a copy ordered for our school collection. The one I have is from the public library.
DeleteI share a lot of Robert Frost poems with my kids and they are totally into biographies now so I have to check out Papa is a Poet--thanks for sharing! :)
ReplyDeleteNotJustChild'sPlay
YES! If they are at all familiar with RF they will really enjoy this one.
Delete:) I thought the same as you when reading The Shadow Throne, did enjoy it quite a lot! I'm happy to have another series for my Rangers Apprentice readers! (And vice versa.) Maybe I'll need to reread the Benedict Society as audiobooks, I did honestly speed read through everything past the first book...
ReplyDeleteI quite liked it. When I went to Goodreads to log it I actually saw that I'd started book two as a "regular" book and abandoned it for sake of time. As an audiobook it was fun. I need to check on where I am with Ranger's Apprentice. I think I'm pretty close to if not all the way caught up. And I'm glad to get some validation on Shadow Throne. I did like it ... just felt a little "oh, wait!" at a couple parts.
DeleteI know other librarians are not too excited about the state list for this coming year... I have only read one of them so I can't say but I think many of them are chapter books... and I'm not sure all kids will be into them. I will be going to TCEA. Will u?
ReplyDeleteI WILL be at TCEA. At least on Wednesday and Thursday. Haven't decided for sure on Friday yet. And truly you've heard others not super excited about the list? I ... I feel grumpy saying I didn't care for the books. But I've read seven (eight if you count F&U that I didn't finish) and wasn't really excited about any of them but The Day the Crayons Quit and Counting by 7s (which I loved for the writing but didn't actually see a whole lot of kid appeal). Who died and made me the judge, though? No one. Just not ones that I can gush about with an honest face. Which I can with a lot of other titles!
DeleteOh my gosh, seeing The Mysterious Benedict Society brings me back to my elementary and middle school days (I'm in high school now). I used to love that book! Didn't know it was a series, though. Maybe I will go back and reread it for old times sake.
ReplyDeleteI am so jealous that you've read The Shadow Thrown already. I have it ordered, but won't get it till after the release date. I just finished the first two so they are fresh in my mind as I wait.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with you that book talking books that don 't appeal to you can be hard. Sometimes its easier to find a student that really loved it and have them book talk it for you.
Hello there Ms O, great thoughts to ponder on about booktalking titles that you don't particularly enjoy and like. There must be a science and an art to doing that. :) I have the second book in the Jennifer Nielsen trilogy, hopefully I get to read that before the month ends. Will be asking my husband to get me the sequel to Miss Peregrine for my birthday. :)
ReplyDeleteHave a great reading week!