It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 4-29-13

Hosted by the dynamic duo, Jen & Kelle at Teach Mentor Texts.

Stop by their blog to find links to many more blogs connecting for this meme.

Last week I was visiting with friends out of town.  One of our stops was the wonderful Devaney Doak & Garrett Booksellers.  What an impressive collection of titles in this small shop.  The books weren't the only gems in the building, the staff was engaging and knowledgable too!  I spend most of my time reading MG and YA titles for review, but I am a huge lover and promotor of picture books!  While at DD&G's I furiously scribbled down all sorts of titles that intrigued me.  Many of the titles I jotted were picture books, and I took this past week to read and enjoy many of those titles.

Books I Read this Week:

Fenway Fever by John H. Ritter

Philomel, 2012

Sports/Realistic Fiction

224 pages

Recommended for grades 4-8

This is one of the titles on the 2013-14 Maine Student Book Award list, so I figured I should read it...even if it is a sports book.  Ok, given sports or any other genre to choose from, I would choose any other genre.  However, that goes to show that you just never know what you will find between the pages of a book.  I thoroughly enjoyed this story.  I listened to it, which can always have an impact one way or another.  There is a reviewer on the MSBA committee that is a huge fan of the game of baseball.  She travels around to major ballparks as a yearly tradition with her father, but the Red Sox are her main team.  Having that passionate Sox fan and passionate reader recommending this book certainly helped assure me that I wouldn't be wasting my time.  You won't find play-by-play scenes flooding the book, instead you will find the story of family and faith, hard work and loss, and of course, a good helping of Red Sox love!

Frog Song by Brenda Z. Guiberson, illustrated by Gennady Spirin

Henry Holt & Company, 2013

36 pages

Recommended for all!

The stunning artwork is what drew me to this book.  Inside you find information about frogs around the world, especially relating to songs and young.  Filled with onomatopoeia it will be a treat to read with younger children.  Older readers will be able to take away the extra information in the back of the book that tells stats and facts about the featured frogs. 

Grumpy Goat by Brett Helquist

Harper, 2013

40 pages

Recommended for grades k-2

Brett Helquist is an artist that I hold in great admiration.  If he illustrates it, I buy it.  This story about a grumpy goat that comes around in the end wasn't one that wowed me.  I am going to test it out on my class to see genuine kid reactions.  They might very well love it!  And who knows, I might love it once I've shared it with them.

As the Crow Flies by Sheila Keenan, illustrated by Kevin Duggn

Feiwel & Friends, 2012

40 pages

Recommended for grades k-2

If you like birds, and I know you do, then you will enjoy sharing this with a young reader!  Nice crisp illustrations, with a story from a crow's perspective.  Might just change the way you feel the next time you spot a crow!

Boot & Shoe by Marla Frazee

Beach Lane Books, 2012

40 pages

Recommended for k-4

What's to say, it's a Marla Frazee book!  I know I'm behind the eight ball on this title, but hey, I've been busy!  As an owner of two identical dogs, this already had my heart before I opened it.  It's sweet, it's funny, it's meant to be shared!  I was all geared up to read the story to my class during snack time when they reminded me that we were planning to finish Odd Duck during snack.  I wanted to stomp and say "Oh man!"  But I resisted the urge.  After all, there is always later today!

Nightsong by Ari Berk, illustrated by Loren Long

Simon & Schuster, 2012

48 pages

Recommended for grades k-3

I was again drawn to a book based on the cover art.  How can you resist this cover?  The story of a little bat being sent out alone for the first time isn't as amazing as the illustrations.  If you're looking for a book on bats (good information on echolocation) or on the theme of facing the unknown, this would fit the bill.

This Moose Belongs to Me by Oliver Jeffers

Philomel Books, 2012

32 pages

Recommended for grades 1-3

Odd, a bit odd.  When Wilfred tried to own a moose he learned that maybe a moose isn't for owning.  Or maybe he didn't quite learn that.

I'm Currently Reading:

I'm Currently Listening to:

On Deck:

Thanks for stopping by!  Share your thoughts!

And meet me here tomorrow for...

Complete with Janet & Jake answering some student generated questions and a chance to win the entire My Life as a series!  See you tomorrow!  Trust me, you don't want to miss the art work!