If you’re on Twitter, don’t forget to use the hashtag #IMWAYR when sharing your link!
This week, I posted:
–Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge Wednesday– Read my review for:
–Celebrate This Week– This week, I’m celebrating the Friends of the Multnomah County Library.
[***] One of those picture books that is beautiful in its simplicity. A boy makes a paper boat and chases after it during a rain storm. I love the endpapers on this one.
[**] Very simple board book for babies featuring cute baby animals and their dads. I wish the illustrator was acknowledged a little better here.
[***] I’d been interested in this wordless picture book for awhile. Portraying a day in the life of two families from different parts of the world and from different cultures, I thought it was highly creative to be able to read them side by side in both English and Arabic.
[***] A quiet, beautiful book about a little girl having to deal with a big change in her family’s life. When they are forced to move from their house to a small apartment, they hold a yard sale in which she finds it difficult to let go of things. A lesson, albeit a depressing one, in finding the true value of things.
[***] At first, I was avoiding this since I thought it was going to be one of those special issues book but it was ultimately just very sweet about celebrating the different kinds of families. Although I would think by now there would be a national holiday like Family Day to exclude those without moms on Mother’s Day or dad without Father’s Day.
Hold Me Closer: The Tiny Cooper Story by David Levithan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I was excited when this first book came out. I enjoyed Will Grayson, Will Grayson but it had been a long time since I had read that novel that first introduced us to these characters.
I enjoy David Levithan’s writing and I loved the concept and format of Tiny Cooper’s story but it seemed too gimmicky to me. The beautiful words or clever turns of phrase seemed too show offy.
I would definitely read the novel first and then this soon after. If I had done that, I would probably have liked it more. (I did like it despite my review!)
Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I don’t think I’ve been as impressed with a graphic novel in such awhile as I’ve been with Nimona. Sure, stories have hooked me- as it did here too- but reading this graphic novel was so refreshing. I felt I was in whole new territory despite the familiar fairy tale feeling.
All the characters were unique, their backstories gripping, and their relationships complex. I had been reading an Advanced Reader Copy of this and I had absolutely no idea what to do with myself since it didn’t contain the epilogue of the actual release. The actual release also had additional sketches and two holiday shorts.
Fun, exciting, thoughtful, and moving. I wish there were more but only if they are of the same or better caliber of this one.
The Island of Dr. Libris by Chris Grabenstein
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I would actually rate this 2.5.
I highly enjoyed Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library (and can’t wait for that sequel) and was really looking forward to this one but as much fun as it is to have famous literary characters come to life, it just seemed so forced and very pale imitations of themselves.
This book might still get less avid readers to pick it up since there’s plenty of adventure and they’ll be introduced to some classics.
Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was an odd book. I can’t say I particularly enjoyed it. The first half of the book (concerning the laundry scheme) seemed pointless. While I was glad that that ended, I started to enjoy the book in a nerve-wracked kind of way. Although, I hate when drama is piled on a character for no apparent reason than to do it. I respected Moose for being such an upright citizen and I appreciated how the difficulty of his family’s situation. The last quarter of the book raised my score from 2.5 to 3!
Expect a review of this later in the week:
Rating Scale
*= It was OK
**= Liked it
***= Recommended
****= Highly Recommended
*****= Favorite
Have a great reading week!
The Chronicles Of A Children's Book Writer - Earl Dizon 
Hi Earl, lots of interesting books this week! I’ll look for Float & Mirror, & Nimona, too. It sounds very good. I didn’t know there was a new Palacio out-wow, hope it’s good.
Oh I love Jeannie Baker’s books, hooray for a little time with Mirror, creative story, enjoyed it as well. Why isn’t there a family day? Good point. Happy reading week to you.
Hi Earl, I had a difficult time with Hold Me Closer as well, and like you, I enjoyed Will Grayson, Will Grayson. I’m going to try and get a copy of Mirror by Jeannie Baker. I like her other work a lot. I went to add Float and Nimona to my book order, and they classify it as grade 8 and up. Do you agree? I’ve got a K – 7 school library?
Harper Teen publishes Nimona so I think it is meant to be for older readers although I think it’s fine for grades 5 and up. I would say to our customers if they were fine with the later books of Harry Potter and don’t mind a little bit of scary, this should be fine.
Hi, Earl– I’m glad Cheriee asked the “age” question for Nimona. I teach 3rd – 5th graders, and was wondering if it would be appropriate for any of them. I’m interested in Mirror and Stella Brings the Family. Thanks for sharing some interesting titles! 🙂
Quite a busy reading week! I adored Mirror and am interested in Stella. I’ve heard only good things about Nimona too!
I am sure my husband would love the DADA book. Sigh. My kid says Dada about 300 times more than he says Mama, but such is life. He loves board books, so I suspect this one would be a winner. 🙂
I’m with you on the Family Day. Each year I see more and more posts/articles about women who can’t have children sad on Mother’s Day at church & various places and for families like Stella & her other little friend, Family Day would make more sense. I just read that one this weekend too. I forgot to include it in my #IMWAYR post. Ooops. You have me eager to get Nimona. 🙂
We are trying to read more graphic novels this summer so we are adding Nimona to our list. Thanks for the recommendations
Stella brings the family looks like a book that I should add to my multicultural text-set. A friend of mine gave me a copy of the tiny Cooper story – but haven’t read it yet since I have not read will grayson will grayson yet. Nimona sounds fascinating, will be on the lookout for this.