Friday Five: 5 Star Books, episode 2

I should actually be preparing for the seminars that I'm presenting in a couple of weeks, but it's been such a great week of reading that I can't stop! #booknerdproblems

It was another week of 5 STAR BOOKS, so I decided to highlight all of them in the Friday Five. You can watch the video below, or click here to view this and other Friday Five booktalks.

If you survived September and all the pumpkin spice, Halloween candy, and in some stores CHRISTMAS stuff, a good book should be your reward.

Happy Reading!

Books mentioned in the video:

Look Both Ways by Reynolds The Scarecrow by Ferry/Fan/Fan A Place to Belong by Kadohata

Frankly in Love by Yoon

The Fountains of Silence by Sepetys

Fighting for the Forest by Pearson

1919 by Sandler

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Friday Five: 5 Star Books

It had the potential for being a crazy week...

Full moon... Friday the 13th... not just in the same week but on the SAME DAY!

I was prepared for the worst (seriously, if you work in education you know what I'm talking about). But I was pleasantly surprised that this week was actually one of the best as far as reading goes.

There were many 5 STAR BOOKS this week (HOORAY!), so I decided to dedicate the Friday Five to highlighting them. You can watch the video below, or click here to view this and other Friday Five booktalks.

If you marked yourself "safe" from the Full-Moon-Friday-the-13th school day this week, I hope you'll consider one or more of these books as your reward.

Happy Reading!

EDITED 9/16/19: This morning, the National Book Foundation announced that one of the books I highlight in this video, Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds, was long-listed for this year's National Book Award for Young People's Literature!

Books mentioned in the video:

The Proudest Blue by Muhammad/Ali/Aly

Home in the Woods by Wheeler

Magic Ramen by Wang

Look Both Ways by Reynolds

Beverly, Right Here by DiCamillo Call Me American by Iftin Stargazing by Wang

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Summer Reading, Round #3

It's the middle of summer and typically a time when people (myself included) hit a summer reading slump. Maybe you're still in the queue for the books you put on hold at the beginning of summer. Or you're on vacation and ON THE GO without a break to relax and read. Or, God forbid, you are reading but the books are just "meh."

So, I decided to offer up some of my FAVORITES of the summer to get you through that mid-summer reading slump. Many of the following are 5 STAR books for me so fingers crossed you will also find something amazing to get you through the rest of the summer.

25) This Beach is Loud! by Samantha Cotterill is a great book for kids with sensory issues (sensory processing disorder and/or autism), or who are anxious about new experiences. Great for classrooms and families also. I would pair it with There Might Be Lobsters by Carolyn Crimi. Grades PreK-2nd.

26) Hot Dog Girl by Jennifer Dugan. I REALLY enjoyed this one about a young woman stuck working the worst summer job at an amusement park. Perfect summer vibe, and a fun rom-com. Grades 8-12

27) Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate. This one is written for adults, but I could also see interested high schoolers enjoying it also. Based on a frightening episode in American history.

28) War in the Ring by John Florio and Ouisie Shapiro. Highlighting Joe Louis, Max Schmeling and the lead-up to their fight. This includes quite a bit of history also. Grades 7-10, or even adults interested in this time period. Pair it with Berlin Boxing Club by Rob Sharenow (YA Lit), or A Nation's Hope by Matt de la Pena and Knockout! by George Sullivan (picture books).

29) NOPE! by Drew Sheneman. Pair this with Dude (Reynolds) for another story that is told basically using only one word. Good for inferring story from illustrations, and hilarious for parents to read as well. Grades K-2 for sharing.

30) The Line Tender by Kate Allen. I LOVED THIS BOOK! Could be because I read it during Shark Week, but this will likely be one of my top picks for Grades 4-7 this year. For fans of The Thing About Jellyfish (Benjamin).

31) Hum and Swish by Matt Myers. YES! What a great book for sharing, storytimes, or encouraging creativity. For anyone that loves to build on the beach. Grades K-3.

32) Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay. There are just no words for how much I love this book. Will likely be one of my top picks for High School for 2019. SO. MUCH. GOODNESS here. A powerful book that will stay with you and give you plenty to talk about. Good for current event tie-ins also. Grades 8-12. All. The. Stars.

33) O Captain, My Captain by Robert Burleigh. I never thought I'd give 5 stars to a biography of Walt Whitman, but here you go. If you read Whitman in your ELA classes, or study the Civil War in your social studies/American History classes, then you need this. It discusses a period in Whitman's life when he volunteered at military hospitals during the Civil War, and why he was inspired to write his famous poem, O Captain, My Captain. Maybe only interesting to history and literature buffs, but very well written!

34) Ink Knows No Borders, various. This includes poems by several YA Lit authors among others. All poems about life as an immigrant or refugee.

Fresh Off the Boat: Six Words, various. These are part of the Six Word Memoir collection with a focus on immigrants. TERRIFIC!

Obvious tie-ins to current events as well as many current fiction titles. Grades 7-12 for both.

35) Sign Off by Stephen Savage. This wordless book creates a story from road signs. I thought it was unique and I love encouraging students to create the story on the pages. Grades K-5.

36) Love From A to Z by S. K. Ali. Loved the characters, loved the setting, loved the cover. A dual narrator story that will find many fans of romance and realistic fiction. Grades 8-12.

What are you reading this summer? Do you have a favorite so far?

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