What Are You Reading? (106) #IMWAYR – August 3, 2014
Thanks to Book Journey for starting this whole thing!Thanks also to Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers for their focus on Children’s Literature of this meme!Please like The Chronicles Of A Children’s Book Writer Facebook page!Daydreams & Fairy Tales: A Collection of Words and Images (Inspired by Mariah Carey’s album Daydream) will be available as an e-book October 3, 2014! (This is a picture of my notebook for it, not the cover!)
If you’re on Twitter, don’t forget to use the hashtag #IMWAYR when sharing your link!
I forgot to post this last week: One Man Guy by Michael Barakiva [***]- One Man Guy is a quick, laugh out loud coming of age story. Originally I was drawn to the LGBT element but I found that to be too cliche and overdramatic (yet unrealistic) and ended up being more fascinated by the glimpses of the Armenian culture. I wish the focus was there instead but this was still an enjoyable read. I would suggest reading Tim Federle’s Better Nate than Ever and Benjamin Alire Sáenz’s Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe if you liked this novel.
Pardon Me! by Daniel Miyares [**]- A cute picture book along the same lines of Jon Klassen’s Hat books. Nice illustrations and a cute story will make this a fun story for kids.Slam!: A Tale of Consequences by Adam Stower [***]- A silly story about consequences. There’s definitely a reread factor to this as you try and catch all the details in the illustrations!If An Armadillo Went to a Restaurant by Ellen Fischer, Illustrated by Laura Wood [***]- This was a surprisingly good picture book asking silly questions of what animals eat and then telling what they actually would eat. Could be a companion to a lesson about what animals eat. Cute illustrations.The Zoo Box by Ariel Cohn, Illustrated by Aron Nels Steinke [***]- This picture book serves as a great introduction to graphic novels. Reminded me a bit of Chris Van Allsburg’s Jumanji. A bit dark, a bit odd, but funny as well- especially the last page. (The message- if there is one because I might have just made it up- might be insulting to those people who enjoy going to the zoo.)
For my Summer of Narnia Reading Challenge: The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis, Illustrated by Pauline Baynes [****]- After a rather weak entry with The Silver Chair, The Horse and His Boy is a return to form of what made me start falling in love with The Chronicles of Narnia. The pace is quicker and easier to get absorbed in the adventure. In fact, I could have read more of this book had there been more pages! The characters seemed more real because of their flaws. I liked the shades of gray, how Aslan didn’t shy away from doling out punishment when necessary.
Expect reviews for these books during Tuesday’s New Releases post:
In This Book by Fani Marceau, Illustrated by Joëlle Jolivet [**]
The Bear’s Sea Escape by Benjamin Chaud [***]
Rating Scale
*= It was OK
**= Liked it
***= Recommended
****= Highly Recommended
*****= Favorite
I want to finish another Narnia novel and read some nonfiction picture books.
13 thoughts on “What Are You Reading? (106) #IMWAYR – August 3, 2014”
The Horse and his Boy may be my favorite Narnia story, I really enjoyed it but haven’t read it in ages. Maybe I should revisit it. and Of Giants and Ice sounds like a nice MG read…
The armadillo story looks cute, Earl, & thanks for the One Man Guy title too. Terrific that those themes are being written about, & they will end up being good or bad, too, don’t you think? I’ll check it out!
Slam! looks pretty fantastic, thank you, shall investigate that one! 🙂 Agreed on the message from The Zoo Box! Pardon Me! looks intriguing as well… hope you have a great reading week!
I just put Slam! on hold, thanks for showing it! I read Pardon Me and The Zoo Box this week too. Both clever in their own way. I thought the format of The Zoo Box was fun. Can’t wait to see your thoughts on the new Bear book!
I am also going to look for Slam! A Tale of Consequences-I think my teachers would appreciate having it in our collection. I would select Pardon Me simply based on the cover. That book is so darn cute to look at. Of Giants and Ice also appeals to my adventurous side. This must be a series.
Just read Pardon Me! this week too and felt like it fell short compared to Jon Klasen.Like the idea of Slam! will check that one out. Always good to reinforce the idea that actions have consequences ….
You had me at “a bit dark, a bit odd”–I like that kind of picture book. I’ve read several reviews of One Man Guy and it’s one I’d really like to read. The PBs are all new to me, so thanks for highlighting them.
I have Pardon Me! on order from the library, so I’ll have to see if I like it or not. It worries me that it is compared to Klassen, because Hat Back is very hard to live up to.
Box and Slam both sound quite good. Intrigued to learn about the “message” in Box.
Oh my gosh; the Horse and His Boy! That takes me back. I am a huge, huge fan of the Narnia Chronicles, and have read them many times. Pardon Me and the Armadillo in the Restaurant look adorable!
![Of Giants and Ice by Shelby Bach [***]](https://thechroniclesofachildrensbookwriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/sb.jpg)
![One Man Guy by Michael Barakiva [***]- One Man Guy is a quick, laugh out loud coming of age story. Originally I was drawn to the LGBT element but I found that to be too cliche and overdramatic (yet unrealistic) and ended up being more fascinated by the glimpses of the Armenian culture. I wish the focus was there instead but this was still an enjoyable read. I would suggest reading Tim Federle's Better Nate than Ever and Benjamin Alire Sáenz's Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe if you liked this novel.](https://thechroniclesofachildrensbookwriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/omg.jpg)
![Pardon Me! by Daniel Miyares [**]- A cute picture book along the same lines of Jon Klassen's Hat books. Nice illustrations and a cute story will make this a fun story for kids.](https://thechroniclesofachildrensbookwriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/pm.jpg)
![Slam!: A Tale of Consequences by Adam Stower [***]- A silly story about consequences. There's definitely a reread factor to this as you try and catch all the details in the illustrations!](https://thechroniclesofachildrensbookwriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/slam.jpg)
![If An Armadillo Went to a Restaurant by Ellen Fischer, Illustrated by Laura Wood [***]- This was a surprisingly good picture book asking silly questions of what animals eat and then telling what they actually would eat. Could be a companion to a lesson about what animals eat. Cute illustrations.](https://thechroniclesofachildrensbookwriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/ifan.jpg)
![The Zoo Box by Ariel Cohn, Illustrated by Aron Nels Steinke [***]- This picture book serves as a great introduction to graphic novels. Reminded me a bit of Chris Van Allsburg's Jumanji. A bit dark, a bit odd, but funny as well- especially the last page. (The message- if there is one because I might have just made it up- might be insulting to those people who enjoy going to the zoo.)](https://thechroniclesofachildrensbookwriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/zoo.jpg)
![The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis, Illustrated by Pauline Baynes [****]- After a rather weak entry with The Silver Chair, The Horse and His Boy is a return to form of what made me start falling in love with The Chronicles of Narnia. The pace is quicker and easier to get absorbed in the adventure. In fact, I could have read more of this book had there been more pages! The characters seemed more real because of their flaws. I liked the shades of gray, how Aslan didn't shy away from doling out punishment when necessary.](https://thechroniclesofachildrensbookwriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/narnia5.jpg)
The Chronicles Of A Children's Book Writer - Earl Dizon 
The Horse and his Boy may be my favorite Narnia story, I really enjoyed it but haven’t read it in ages. Maybe I should revisit it. and Of Giants and Ice sounds like a nice MG read…
The armadillo story looks cute, Earl, & thanks for the One Man Guy title too. Terrific that those themes are being written about, & they will end up being good or bad, too, don’t you think? I’ll check it out!
Slam! looks pretty fantastic, thank you, shall investigate that one! 🙂 Agreed on the message from The Zoo Box! Pardon Me! looks intriguing as well… hope you have a great reading week!
I just put Slam! on hold, thanks for showing it! I read Pardon Me and The Zoo Box this week too. Both clever in their own way. I thought the format of The Zoo Box was fun. Can’t wait to see your thoughts on the new Bear book!
I’m intrigued by One Man Guy. I’m definitely going to have to seek that one out.
Great books, enjoy!
I am also going to look for Slam! A Tale of Consequences-I think my teachers would appreciate having it in our collection. I would select Pardon Me simply based on the cover. That book is so darn cute to look at. Of Giants and Ice also appeals to my adventurous side. This must be a series.
Just read Pardon Me! this week too and felt like it fell short compared to Jon Klasen.Like the idea of Slam! will check that one out. Always good to reinforce the idea that actions have consequences ….
You had me at “a bit dark, a bit odd”–I like that kind of picture book. I’ve read several reviews of One Man Guy and it’s one I’d really like to read. The PBs are all new to me, so thanks for highlighting them.
I have Pardon Me! on order from the library, so I’ll have to see if I like it or not. It worries me that it is compared to Klassen, because Hat Back is very hard to live up to.
Box and Slam both sound quite good. Intrigued to learn about the “message” in Box.
Happy reading this week! 🙂
The Silver Chair is a weird one for sure! I love that you are re-reading Narnia this summer. Enjoy!
I love your C.S. Lewis kick! I am still behind, reading Narnia to my son, but I will catch up someday! 🙂 I hope you get to brown girl dreaming.
Oh my gosh; the Horse and His Boy! That takes me back. I am a huge, huge fan of the Narnia Chronicles, and have read them many times. Pardon Me and the Armadillo in the Restaurant look adorable!