My Reading Week #IMWAYR- August 14, 2017

I changed the name for my “It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?” posts to “My Reading Week.”

This week, I posted:
–Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge Wednesday

Check my review of Refugee by Alan Gratz on this blog’s Facebook page!

How It Feels to Be a Boat by James Kwan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I wasn’t expecting this picture book to be a metaphor for life but it surprisingly was- through calm and turbulent seas into unexpected destinations.

Fergus Barnaby Goes on Vacation by David Barrow

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A cute picture book about a bear making sure he has everything ready for vacation. Has a silly twist at the end.

Professional Crocodile by Giovanna Zoboli

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A silly wordless picture book that features a surprise at the end!

Review Notes
***= Recommended
****= Highly Recommended
*****= Favorite

You can view all the books I’ve read at my Goodreads page.

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!

If you’re on Twitter, don’t forget to use the hashtag #IMWAYR when sharing your link!

Have a great reading week!

 

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge #NFPB2017- August 9, 2017

 Ruth Bader Ginsburg: The Case of R.B.G. vs. Inequality by Jonah Winter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a great example why 2017 is the year of nonfiction picture books.*

Presented as a case trial (including exhibits), readers get to know the obstacles RBG faced to get a higher education and to be taken seriously in her profession as a woman-and her mother. Nevertheless, she persisted. Her intelligence, work ethic, and moral compass made her not only a champion of human rights but an icon, as well. A glossary and author’s note is included in the back.

The illustrations- even the endpapers- are gorgeous. Readers will come away enjoying a great true story, learn some things, be visually taken, and will want to share this with others.

*At least, in my opinion!

I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark by Debbie Levy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great picture book biography about someone who I didn’t know much about until I became a fan of her outspokenness- and I admit the Saturday Night Live Kate McKinnon sketches. This tells the story of a girl who grew up disagreeing- not to be a contrarian but to challenge outdated ideas. As a woman, she still speaks her mind and gives voice to those who need it.

 

My Reading Week #IMWAYR- August 6, 2017

I changed the name for my “It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?” posts to “My Reading Week.”

This week, I posted:
–Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge Wednesday

I Have the Right to Be a Child by Alain Serres
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A great introduction of the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child. I didn’t even know there was such a thing and that the US isn’t one of the countries who’ve signed it. It would be interesting to explore how it’s going in the countries measuring this.

I Like, I Don’t Like by Anna Baccelliere
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a great find after reading I Have the Right to Be a Child. Though simple in presentation, there are a lot to be thought about and discussed while reading through the book. It’s a great tool to use for anyone wanting to think outside of their own experience.

Princess Truly in I Am Truly by Kelly Greenawalt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fans of Fancy Nancy and I Like Myself will love this self-affirming picture book about a confident girl who imagines she can be anyone she wants to be and do anything she wants to do. Plus, she lets others know that they too can be truly fabulous!

Boo Who? by Ben Clanton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A delightful friendship story. Perfect for young readers year-round not just during Halloween.

Grimm’s Fairy Tales by Jacob Grimm
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fans of audiobooks will be thrilled to discover some of the best narrators have been compiled to read some of Grimm’s Fairy Tales. People may be surprised by how different the original versions are to what may have popularized by mainstream media.

Review Notes
***= Recommended
****= Highly Recommended
*****= Favorite

You can view all the books I’ve read at my Goodreads page.

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!

If you’re on Twitter, don’t forget to use the hashtag #IMWAYR when sharing your link!

Have a great reading week!

 

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge #NFPB2017- August 2, 2017

Dare the Wind: The Record-breaking Voyage of Eleanor Prentiss and the Flying Cloud by Tracey E. Fern
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An amazing account of Ellen Prentiss’s achievements not only being the first woman to navigate the NY-SF Gold Rush trade route but also setting the world record for speed. And- this is why back matter in nfpb’s- it was a record that was broken three years later by none other than herself! The author’s note included lots of other great information.

Audrey Hepburn by Mª Isabel Sánchez Vegara
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Little People, Big Dreams is a picture book biography series imported from Spain. Perfect way to introduce young readers to girls who dreamed and became outstanding women in different fields. The books include a timeline and photos.

I admit while I know that lots of people love Audrey Hepburn, I’m not familiar with her to know why. I don’t think I’ve even watched any of her movies. I liked learning that she became an Ambassador and I’m intrigued to know why she’s so beloved.

Rosa Parks by Lisbeth Kaiser
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Little People, Big Dreams is a picture book biography series imported from Spain. Perfect way to introduce young readers to girls who dreamed and became outstanding women in different fields. The books include a timeline and photos.

While I have nothing against Rosa Parks and everything she did, I feel like there are other nonfiction picture books that were better than this. But then it’s only after having read other biographies that you would notice how much better this book could have been.

Emmeline Pankhurst by Lisbeth Kaiser
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Little People, Big Dreams is a picture book biography series imported from Spain. Perfect way to introduce young readers to girls who dreamed and became outstanding women in different fields. The books include a timeline and photos.

I love learning about new people and I’m so glad I “met” Emmeline Pankhurst! I love how she went beyond what others were doing to make sure she got her message across.

 

My Reading Week #IMWAYR- July 30, 2017

I changed the name for my “It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?” posts to “My Reading Week.”

This week, I posted:
–Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge Wednesday
–Celebrate This Week– Celebrating my five-year work anniversary.

Claymates by Dev Petty
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

One of my favorite picture books of the year and also one I want to win a Caldecott. Great fun concept of what two balls of clay can be. I would love to see a behind the scenes video of this book was made!

Hand Over Hand by Alma Fullerton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A girl wants to fish with her grandfather but, in their small village in the Philippines, the people say a girl doesn’t belong in a boat but on the shore. With her grandfather’s permission and help, she spends the day out on the bay- waiting, waiting. Will she catch a fish? Can she prove the naysayers wrong?

A Walk in the Forest by Maria Dek
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A quiet reflective book about what one can find and do in the forest. It manages to be playful as well. Perfect for nature lovers.

Whobert Whover, Owl Detective by Jason Gallaher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Super fun mystery about a bird-brain detective. The text and the illustrations are paired perfectly together.

Missile Mouse #2: Rescue On Tankium3 by Jake Parker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The intergalactic adventures of Missile Mouse continue when he uncovers the citizens of an entire planet enslaved by a greedy evil ruler. To make matters worse, an old foe is hired to take him down. Not only that- Missile Mouse must learn how to work with a group of robot agents who he thinks may be more of a liability than an asset. Hopefully there will be at least a third book in the series!

Filipino Children’s Favorite Stories by Liana Romulo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I may have read this before but I still enjoyed reading this collection of fairy tales and folk tales from the Philippines. It makes me want to explore more the rich storytelling tradition of my culture and find other stories that people may enjoy!

Juana and Lucas by Juana Medina
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An early chapter book about a spunky girl from Colombia. She’s not doing well learning English but can she get better in order to get to meet one of her heroes? Readers will enjoy when she shares why she loves some of her favorite things!

Jasmine Toguchi, Mochi Queen by Debbi Michiko Florence
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this early chapter book series featuring a Japanese-American main character providing glimpses of that culture but still having enough similarities with other kids readers may already know and love.

I admit the flow was kind of rough but hopefully future books will be breezier.

La La La: A Story of Hope by Kate DiCamillo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A beautiful picture book that speaks volume. Though nearly wordless, the story and its heartwarming message is brought to life by Jaime Kim’s gorgeous art!

Publishes in October.

Draw the Line by Kathryn Otoshi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A beautiful wordless picture book about creativity, friendship, conflict, and resolution. Comes out in October!

All’s Faire in Middle School by Victoria Jamieson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I can’t wait until September when people can get their hands on this title. It’s probably my favorite graphic novel of the year. I admit I didn’t think I would like it at first but the story and the art (even when the version I read was the unfinished Advance Reading Copy) won me over. This is a great coming of age story that takes place half in middle school and the other in a Renaissance Faire. The main character (Impy) decides to go to public school after years of homeschooling and she has to figure out how to fit in without losing herself. She is also a knight in training at the Faire where she realizes the dragons we face in life may not be who they really are. The conflicts she has in school, at the Faire and with her family manage to be heartbreaking and familiar. This will be great for book clubs and classroom discussions a well!

Solo by Kwame Alexander
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kwame Alexander works his magic for a young adult crowd, partnering once again with Mary Rand Hess. Being part of a rock and roll family might seem like the good life but Blade knows too well not all that glitters is gold. With a father who crashes and burns more often than not and a girlfriend who may not be quite into him as he is with her, he relies on music to get him through the tough times. But after a family secret comes out, he finds himself halfway around the world to discover what’s real and what isn’t in his life. A beautiful lyrical book. I particularly loved the poem “Konko.” And I need to check if the publisher or the authors have compiled the songs mentioned in the book into a playlist.

Review Notes
***= Recommended
****= Highly Recommended
*****= Favorite

You can view all the books I’ve read at my Goodreads page.

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!

If you’re on Twitter, don’t forget to use the hashtag #IMWAYR when sharing your link!

Have a great reading week!

 

#CelebrateLU- July 28, 2017

Thanks to Ruth Ayers of Discover. Play. Build. for creating this meme!

July 26th was my five-year anniversary at Green Bean Books.

I would have wanted to do something to celebrate but honestly I’ve just been so tired lately. Part of it is due to work and the other is because of the constant attack on what America is and should be. It’s hard to compartmentalize things nowadays but maybe as Readers it’s in our blood to want to strive not necessarily for a happy ending but for a narrative in our world that values kindness, compassion, friendship, and diversity that we read in books.

Wednesday started out fine. I was still tired from the day before helping out an educator select about sixty titles for a literacy program she was going to be involved with. I’d been wondering recently (half jokingly) if I was doing this bookselling job all wrong. I shouldn’t be so exhausted recommending books. Of course, I loved being part of selecting the books and thrilled she came to us. But having to booktalk so many titles wore me out.

On my way to work, I randomly ran across a customer who just wanted to say how much he appreciated the store and what we did. I wish I hadn’t been wolfing down a breakfast burrito because I loved hearing that!

I knew it was going to be a full day what with my regular tasks and two events bookending it. The first was a special storytime in the morning (which I fortunately didn’t have to do anything but help prepare the craft for it) and then I had our monthly Kids Book Club to moderate in the late afternoon. I dread having to speak in front of any group of people. Plus, I wish I had more time to come up with questions. And then I was freaked out when I saw one- and then another- book clubber holding the second book in the graphic novel series. The official book club pick was the first title in the series. Fortunately, I had read both books so I was able to wing it. The kids were regulars and they impressed me with their abilities to help the book club run smoothly. We even talked about our frustration with certain people who didn’t treat graphic novels as legitimate reading!

Looking back at that day, it was sort of a perfect way to celebrate my work anniversary. I was just there- a lucky guy who gets to work at this amazing place with a wonderful boss and awesome co-workers and having these incredible connections with people through our mutual love of books because we know they contain the secrets to make the world we live in a kinder, more beautiful place.

 

My Reading Week #IMWAYR- July 23, 2017

I changed the name for my “It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?” posts to “My Reading Week.”

This week, I posted:
–Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge Wednesday

When’s My Birthday? by Julie Fogliano
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love birthdays and I love Christian Robinson’s artwork so naturally I loved this picture book which perfectly captures the excitement of one of children’s most favorite days!

Lexie the Word Wrangler by Rebecca Van Slyke
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Full of wordplay, this picture book will be most enjoyed by word lovers and anyone who can appreciate good puns.

In My World by Jillian Ma
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A look inside an autistic child’s inner world and the struggle to share that with others.

If Apples Had Teeth by Shirley Glaser
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Absurdist humor both in text and illustrations that readers of all ages can enjoy!

Littles: And How They Grow by Kelly DiPucchio
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A sweet and sentimental look at babies- the care and management of them and the way they tend to grow up before you.

Missile Mouse #1 The Star Crusher by Jake Parker

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fans of Guardians of the Galaxy will enjoy this action packed graphic novel adventure. Readers will enjoy the twists and the cool things that happen. I wish I had the sequel on hand to read right away!

Zinnia and the Bees by Danielle Davis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Keep this debut middle grade novel from This Picture Book Life blogger Danielle Davis on your radar. Zinnia is not having a great start to her summer. She gets in trouble the last day of school for her yarn bombing antics. Her brother goes AWOL leaving her alone with her very strict mother and an unwanted new dog. To literally top things off, a hive of wayward bees have made a home in her hair.

It’s a unique coming of age and coming to terms story that alternates perspectives between Zinnia and the bees.

Sprout Street Neighbors: A New Arrival by Anna Alter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved the first installment so I don’t know why I waited so long to read the follow-up. The Sprout Street Neighbors welcome a new tenant into the fold and it causes many different and sometimes surprising reactions. I highly recommend this series as a read aloud because kids will enjoy the adventures and adults will be enthralled with the storytelling as well.

Sprout Street Neighbors: Bon Voyage by Anna Alter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In this delightful third installment, they leave the confines of their homes- some more willingly than others- to go off on adventure in Paris!

I hope this isn’t the end of the series!

My Brother’s Husband, Volume 1 by Gengoroh Tagame
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was not my typical read. While I read plenty of graphic novels, I don’t really venture into manga territory. But this was getting lots of buzz based on my interests in LGBT works. I enjoyed the sensibility and style from manga-style storytelling.

A divorced dad gets an unexpected visit from his dead twin’s Canadian husband. Trying to make sense of his brother’s lifestyle which caused a rift between them, he also ends up having to deal with other people’s negative reactions to his gay brother-in-law.

The only downside of reading this now is that I don’t know when Volume 2 comes out.

Review Notes
***= Recommended
****= Highly Recommended
*****= Favorite

You can view all the books I’ve read at my Goodreads page.

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!

If you’re on Twitter, don’t forget to use the hashtag #IMWAYR when sharing your link!

Have a great reading week!