It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 8/14/17

The weekly post where I recap all the KidLit books I’ve been reading. Occasionally, I’ll also review some adult fiction books as well.

Be sure to check out Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers to see what other kidlit readers are reading. Because, you know, we can never have too many books in our TBR pile.
                                         

I am giving away a signed copy of Rodzilla, written by Rob Sanders and illustrated by Dan Santat. Enter here! (It is really quick to enter) 

Picture Books

School's First Day of School

Written by Adam Rex

Illustrated by Christian Robinson

My daughter goes back to school today, so I thought that this would be a good one to read. She picked it up and read it a few days ago, and then, when I grabbed it to read to her, she said "Ooo! This one is a really good one." It goes through all the 1st day jitters in a funny, creative way. Definitely worth checking this one out.

Not Quite Narwhal 

by Jessie Sima 

Very cute illustrations with a good message. I think a lot could be discussed with a child using this book. Not only does it deal with feeling different, but the nervousness that can come with talking about how you feel. Will your friends accept you anyway? Do you have to only be a part of one group or another? Can you only be friends with one type of person? Overall a really good book.

Dragons Love Tacos
Written by Adam Rubin
Illustrated by Daniel Salmieri

I've been wanting to check this one out for awhile. It's been on the NYT Bestseller list for like 180 weeks. It did not disappoint. The illustrations are fantastic and the text is snarky and funny. My daughter laughed out loud at the end. We will be reading this one again. 

Me...Jane

by Patrick McDonnell

Jane Goodall was a huge hero of mine when I was a kid. I wanted to be just like her. I think I would have enjoyed this book a lot as a child. My daughter liked it. I always like to see books that show kids that they can do things now to make a difference. 

Families, Families, Families
by Suzanne Lang and Max Lang

This is a cute book that explores all the different options for families. My daughter's best friend is adopted, so she sometimes asks questions about how that works. I like the different animal pairings. For example, 2 sheep adopt two wolf pups. It is told with simple, straight forward language, and emphasizes that love is what makes a family. 

 Spork
Written by Kyo Maclear
Illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault

Cute, engaging illustrations. The story is fun too. It touches on trying to fit in, finding your place, and family dynamics. I liked the idea that there was one job that only little Spork could do. I also liked that Spork tried to change who he was, but ultimately it didn't help the situation, or himself. I think this could be a great talking point with kids.

Graphic Novels

Roller Girl
by Victoria Jamieson

Full disclosure: I used to play roller derby, so the sport will always have a place in my heart. That definitely played a part in how much I enjoyed this book. With that said, you do not need to know anything about roller derby to enjoy it. It is an all around great coming of age story. The main character is 12, on the cusp of junior high, and is dealing with all the emotions and friend drama that often times accompanies this stage in life. I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a fun, engaging story.

 Amulet: The Stonekeeper

by Kazu Kibuishi

Apparently, I have been living under a rock. I just heard of this graphic novel this past week. I have been craving a graphic novel series. There are many many stand alones, which is fine and great. But I've been wanting to find a series. And--ta-da!--I discovered Amulet. The illustration style took me a bit to get into, but I was hooked from the get-go with the story. I can't wait to check out the next one.

Non-KidLit

American Gods 
by Neil Gaiman

I started listening to this as an audiobook and then finished reading it after the TV series was done for the season. I was highly disappointed in the TV show. I know, given the reviews of the show, that I am in the minority. The book was fantastic. I could write a whole post on it, and perhaps I will. I loved the language, the characters, the land. It was just wonderful and thought provoking. I did not see the ending coming either, which is unusual for me. If you like Gaiman's style, pick it up. If you didn't like the show, try the book. If you liked the show, try the book too--it's better.