This is the first summer in a very long time that I haven't been traveling or working the first week of summer vacation. I knew I needed to take some things off my plate this summer so I could rest and reenergize a bit. This first week of summer was glorious. didn't realize how much I needed to just be home without a lot of to-dos on my list. I was able to read a #summerbookaday and it has been one of the best reading weeks I've had in a while. I love Donalyn Miller's whole idea of #SummerBookaDay and feel like I got off to a great start. 79 days of summer vacation means 79+ books. I Below are the highlights from my reading week. I recommend all of thees books highly.
Middle Grade Novels
All of the middle grade books I read this week came highly recommended and they were all fabulous for middle grade readers.
Operation Frog Effect by Sarah Scheerger may end up being our first read aloud. We'll see. This is the story of a classroom of 5th graders and it is told in 8 voices. This would invite a variety of conversations. It was a great read.
Some Places More than Others by Renee Watson
I received this ARC from the publisher as a happy surprise this week. I was happy to see Renee Watson writing for middle grade. This one was incredible. Loved the characters and the story and all of NYC that was part of the story. It is more of a quiet book but definitely one of my favorites of 2019. This one is coming out on September 3.
Guts by Raina Telgemeier--I'm not always huge graphic novel reader but keep up because they are so popular and important for middle grade reader I was thrilled to see this upcoming ARC in my mailbox this week. This is a really important book, one that is about anxiety and it is authentic and right and perfect for middle graders. So glad this book will be out in the world and so glad that Raina has such a following because that means many, many kids will read it.
Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga is a novel in verse and another one that I know many middle grade readers will love. This is the story of a girl and her mother who are forced to move to the US because of the war in Syria. The focus is on her perspective and experiences.
Adult Reading
I read Becoming by Michelle Obama over a few months. Since I chose to do this one on audio, I pretty much only listened while I was in the car--so about 20 minutes a day. Since this is a 20+ hour book it took a while but it was so worth it. Such an engaging read and so insightful. So sad I am finished with this one.
Nonfiction Picture Books
Borrowing Bunnies: A Surprising Tale of Fostering Rabbits by Cynthia Lord
I always love seeing pictures of Cynthia Lord's foster bunnies on social media so was thrilled to see this book. This is a great nonfiction picture book that shares the experience of fostering bunnies. It is a great read and a topic that isn't out there much in children's nonfiction. And the fact that you get a peek into author Cynthia Lord's life outside of writing is another perk!
I've read about the first woman to run the Boston Marathon but was glad to see this picture book. It is a good story with many of the issues around women's rights embedded.
Somehow I missed No Truth Without Ruth:The Life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Kathleen Krull when it was published but glad to have read it now. Another look at this incredible woman. I like to have several picture book biographies about the same person in the classroom as middle grades are an important time to dig in and see the different information and perspectives presented by each one.
So it was a great reading week and I recommend all of these highly! Looking forward to another week of reading although I do have more I have to accomplish this week, but reading was definitely a great way to kick off summer!
Oh, a week at home without a mile-long list to do? Heaven! Hope the rest of your summer is just as awesome--thanks for the recommendations!
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