It’s Monday!

March 5, 2019 ♦

Mrs. BookDragon ♦

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It’s Monday and you know what that means-a recap and goals!

I’m combining It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? with #MGBookVillage’s #MGBookathon.

Here’s a glimpse at the Bookathon on Twitter.

Books I Finished

Graphic novels:

Spill Zone by Scott Westerfeld- I gave this book 4 stars. I enjoyed the action, the mystery, and the storyline. However, it felt rushed and I had a lot of unanswered questions that I felt could be answered…Also, I will note that I would not recommend this to my sixth graders. It is violent, has some disturbing images and scenarios, and has strong language.
Last Pick by Jason Walz-I gave this book 5 stars. I enjoyed the concept of being left behind because you were deemed unworthy and how you would survive. The brother-sister relationship was great-I love seeing books with strong sibling relationships that feel real. I look forward to reading the rest of this series. I would recommend to my sixth graders-especially those who enjoy action and graphic novels. There is some humor as well.
Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis- I gave this book four stars because I had many questions I felt were not answered. The illustrations were absolutely amazing-so vivid and alive. I thought this book was beautiful while also ripping my heart out. A book that needs to be shared and a story that needs to be told. I would recommend.

ARCs (both released in May 2019!)

Both of these early release books carry important messages and are must haves for the middle grade classroom. Other Words For Home deals with a refugee from Syria. This book touches on identity issues, immigration, racism, war, and friendship. Shouting at the Rain is about a young girl being raised by her grandmother. She is growing up and finding that friendships change as you get older. Dealing with the changes in friendship and who she is and where she came from is at the center of this new book by Hunt.

Read Alouds

I am reading two books to my classes. So far, we love them! We hope to finish this week or at least by the end of March (spring break is coming soon, which cuts into our time.)

Option Pile

I am trying to get caught up on ARCs, so currently I am reading 3-two on my Kindle and one paperback. You Are Enough has been eye-opening so far and Dead Queens Club is definitely entertaining, but not for middle schoolers. Also, I am reading As Told By Things on my Kindle and it is very different from other books I have read. It is a collection of short stories told from the point of view of an object. They are hilarious, witty, sad, heart-warming, and all kinds of other emotions. I am not usually drawn to short story collections, but this one has been fun!

Other reads: I am also reading Wonderstruck (a favorite among my students), Halfway Normal (a recommendation from my librarian), and Honor Girl (Graphic memoir-which I’ve decided is a favorite genre of mine).