It's Monday! What Are You Reading? - 1/15/2018

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.
                                         

Picture Books

 Carnivores

written by Aaron Reynolds

illustrated by Dan Santat

I love this book. The cover is so creative and the illustrations are great. The story just knocks it out of the park for me. I love the twists to the story. I actually belly laugh when reading this one. My children both seem to enjoy it too. I also feel like this is a great book for teaching picture book writing. It follows a definite pattern and works so well. 

Middle Grade

 The Girl Who Drank the Moon
by Kelly Barnhill

Oh my goodness, this book gave me all the feels. It was a wonderful book, but it took me awhile to get through it because, as the mom of a little one, there were parts that were so sad! Kelly Barnhill does a fantastic job of conveying emotion. I really liked that this was a dystopian story wrapped in magical fantasy. So many dystopian stories seem to take place in the near future real world. The fantasy elements really made it a fresh take.

Non-KidLit

Locke & Key: Welcome to Lovecraft
written by Joe Hill
illustrated by Gabriel Rodriguez 

This is a graphic novel that has been on my TBR for a long time. I am so glad that I finally picked it up. A hard "R" rating, it was creepy and unsettling. The illustrations do a lot to add to the overall foreboding feeling of the book. I will definitely be picking up the next in the series. 

reminder of my ratings (which are so subjective anyway and should be taken with a grain of salt):

1 star: extremely disliked and will actively warn others (VERY RARE)

2 stars: disliked

3 stars: liked and will recommend to the right person

4 stars: really liked and will recommend 

5 stars: loved and will recommend to anyone who will listen (VERY RARE)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? - 1/8/2018

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.
                                         

Happy 2018! I hope that it has started off well for you. If you'd like to see a recap of some of my favorite books from 2017, click here.

Picture Books

 My Grandma Lives in Florida
written by Ed Shankman
illustrated by Dave O'Neill

A cute book that gets a little lost and rambles in the middle. The illustrations are cute. This would be a great gift for a grandma that does actually live in Florida. 

Graphic Novels

 Lumberjanes: Beware the Kitten Holy
written by Noelle Stevenson and Grace Ellis
illustrated and colored by Brooke Allen and Maarta Laiho

This comic series has been on my TBR for awhile, so I was excited to pick up the first volume. The story is fun and the illustrations are great. I like how it is slightly irreverent. My seven year old daughter read it and loved it. I liked it enough to grab volumes 2-3 from the library, but I haven't had a chance to read them yet (but my daughter has already devoured them). I like that all the main characters are female. 

Non-KidLit

Meddling Kids

by Edgar Cantero

Oh my goodness, this book was wonderful. It's Scooby Doo meets 2AM Syfy B-movie with some Cthulhu sprinkled on top. Meddling Kids is both creepy and funny. I absolutely love the cover of the book as well. The colors are so much fun and really set the right mood for the book.

reminder of my ratings (which are so subjective anyway and should be taken with a grain of salt):

1 star: extremely disliked and will actively warn others (VERY RARE)

2 stars: disliked

3 stars: liked and will recommend to the right person

4 stars: really liked and will recommend 

5 stars: loved and will recommend to anyone who will listen (VERY RARE)

2017 Reading in Review

I cannot believe that 2017 passed so quickly! I always enjoy looking back at all the books that I read and sharing my favorites. I am super proud to say that I accomplished almost all of my reading goals for the year. Here's a recap:

2017 Goals:

• Read 52 books total - Completed 53 NOT including all the picture books I read
• Read 4 nonfiction books - I did complete 3 though, which is 300% more than in 2016
• Read 8 graphic novels - Crushed this one with 11 total
• Read 4 books in genres that I do not usually read - a play, a verse novel, a biography, and a self-help
• Read 4 books originally written in a non-English speaking country - I did read three--one from Japan (Yours Sincerely, Giraffe), one from Spain (Meddling Kids, although it was written in English, not translated), and a picture book written and illustrated in Italy (Professional Crocodile).

2017 stats:

13 Adult Fiction
15 Middle Grade
11 Graphic Novels
7 Young Adult
3 Nonfiction
3 Chapter Books
1 Poetry Collection
Tons of Picture Books (I did not track this in 2017, but it was a lot)

Reading Goals for 2018:

• Read 200 books, with at least 52 of them being chapter books or above (this is basically the same goal as 2017, but I want to track my picture book/early readers in 2018)
• Read 4 nonfiction books
• Read 4 contemporary fiction books
• Read 4 books in genres that I normally do not read
• Read 25 of Jane Yolen's books as this year her 365th book will be published (you could read one a day if you wanted!)

Favorite Books of 2017 

(click on the image to see them on Amazon)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? - 10/30/17

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 copy of Ben Hatke's Mighty Jack and the Goblin King! Be sure to enter here.

Board Books

I'm the Scariest Thing in the Castle

by Kevin Sherry

Fun board boo with bright pictures. I like the bright, bold illustrations. My daughter especially enjoys reading this to her younger brother.

Picture Books

Pssssst! It's Me...the Bogeyman

written by Barbara Park

illustrated by  Stephen Kroninger

I really enjoyed this picture book. I like the cut paper style illustrations, and they were even a bit creepy. I liked the overall story, but some of the language (namely, the different nicknames the bogeyman call the boy in the story) feel outdated. But it was still a very fun, spooky read.

Pumpkin Town!

 written by Katie McKy 

illustrated by Pablo Bernasconi

Overall, this was an enjoyable book. The illustrations are whimsical and bright. I felt like it took the story a bit to get going, but once it picked up, it was great. Good October book to read with a good message about fixing mistakes.

Triangle

written by Mac Barnett 

illustrated by Jon Klassen

This is the type of book that gets better with each reading. The characters and the story made me smile. The illustrations are fantastic. There is a lot of texture in the pictures, despite not having much color. Definitely worth a read.

Hocus Pocus, It's Fall!

written by Anne Sibley O'Brien

illustrated by Susan Gal

This is a perfect book for the season. We enjoyed the fold out spreads throughout the book. The illustrations have a lot of texture and the colors are vibrant. I liked how each page incorporated magic words, like Abracadabra and Hocus Pocus. A definite fun read.

Graphic Novels

Mighty Jack and the Goblin King
by Ben Hatke

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Together with the 1st in the series, it is a wonderful twist on an old fairy tale. You can read my full review here and enter to win a copy here.

Mighty Jack and the Goblin King - MG Graphic Novel Review

 Mighty Jack and the Goblin King

by Ben Hatke

At a Glance

Genre(s)/Categories:

Fairy Tale, Middle Grade graphic novel

Age Range: 

7-12 years old

Plot:

When Jack and Lilly race through a portal to save Jack's captured sister, they find a magical world filled with giants and goblins. Even with their magic beans, they have a tough time beating their foes. When things are looking hopeless, Jack turns to the Giant King for help.

Pros:

• I like that Goblin King picks right up where Mighty Jack (#1) left off
• Again, the artwork is fantastic and moves the story along clearly and beautifully
• The story is compelling and fresh
• I like the stinger at the end

Cons:

• There were one or two parts that I wish would have lingered a little longer

Would I recommend this title:

100% yes!

Full Review

Rarely are the sequels as good as the first in the series. This is one of those rare times. I read the two books back to back so I appreciated that book 2 picked right up where the 1st left off. The storytelling was just as compelling. The characters are fleshed out, so they didn't feel cardboardy and stock. Again, my daughter read this one right after me (she is 7) and she really enjoyed it as well. Immediately she wanted to know if there were other books. I enjoyed the epilogue which felt like a stinger at the end of the credits of a super hero movie. I will definitely be checking out Ben Hatke's other books.

Mighty Jack - MG Graphic Novel Review

Mighty Jack

by Ben Hatke

At a Glance

Genres/Categories: 

Fairy tale, middle grade graphic novel

Age Range: 

7-12 years old

Plot:

Jack is dreading summer vacation because he has to watch his autistic little sister while his mom works two jobs. His summer gets way more interesting when he and his sister plant a magic garden in the back yard. This is a modern take on Jack and the Beanstalk.

Pros:

• I love the modern twist on an old classic
• the artwork is engaging and excellent
• I love the variety of magic plants
• this is just an overall knock-it-out-of-the-park book

Cons:

• That I had to wait to read the 2nd book!
• Can't think of anything bad about this title

Would I recommend this title:

Absolutely 100%

Full Review

Man, what isn't to like about this one? After I read this, I handed it to my 7 year old and told her she had to read it. She finished it in one sitting and asked to read the 2nd one in the series. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but I really enjoyed the modern take on the story. It is definitely Jack and the Beanstalk while simultaneously being it's completely own thing. The artwork is beautiful and clear--it was easy to follow along with the story. I appreciate graphic novels that are not super text heavy and allow the illustrations to shine, and this one does a great job of that. Fantastic work all around.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? - 10/9/17

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.
                                         

Picture Books

Be Quiet!
by Ryan T. Higgins

This was a really fun book. The idea is very clever ad makes for a comical story. I especially liked Higgin's pen and ink illustrations. Definitely worth reading.

 Cinderella and the Furry Slippers

 written by  Davide Cali
illustrated by Raphaelle Barbanegre

The illustrations in this book are fantastic and it is a fun take on your normal Cinderella story. You can read my full review here. 

Goldfish Ghost
written by Lemony Snicket
illustrated by Lisa Brown

We thought this book was cute. The illustrations are fun and it had a nice ending. The illustrations are nice, but we couldn't figure out why the fish was swimming upside down through the whole book Did we miss something?

Graphic Novels

Mighty Jack
by Ben Hatke

This book is fantastic. I love fresh takes on classic fairy tales and this knocks it out of the park. I don't normally bug my daughter to start a book if she isn't interested, but I insisted with this one. Within 2 pages, she was hooked. After reading it, she said we have to get the next one. So much fun.