#IMWAYR JANUARY 19, 2015

Come join the fun with Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from Unleashing Readers to find out what other bloggers are reading.


The best part of my reading this past week has been brown girl dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson. To say I am loving this book is such an understatement. I've found it to be so delectable, that I'm meting myself out a few pages a day to enable me to savour and extend the experience. The end of the day, when I sit down to absorb a few more of her words, is the best part of my reading life. I already know that I will purchase a copy for myself, and it might be the book I give away as Christmas gifts next year.



I've also finished up a number of picture books and other novels. 
4 stars
Nest by Jora Hurley knocked my socks off. It is an exquisite pairing of image and text. 
5 stars
Loula Is Leaving for Africa by Anne Villeneuve 
"There is so much sweetness in this book. The whimsical watercolor illustrations support the delightful story perfectly. Young Loula is tired of her nasty three brothers and decides to run away to Africa. She gets her directions a bit mixed up but thankfully, the family chauffeur helps her. Their quixotic journey to Africa and back is sure to delight readers of all ages"
4 stars
Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds & Peter Brown
This one is a good read anytime, but I can't wait to share this book with students next Halloween. It is delightfully spooky, but not too scary.
3 stars
Jessica Finch in Pig Trouble by Megan McDonald & Erwin Madrid 
I liked the idea of the story but I wanted more from this one. Unfortunately the language feels stilted, like an old fashioned reader. 
3 stars
How Do Dinosaurs Say I'm Mad? by Jane Yolen & Mark Teague
Like the rest of the books in this series, Yolen and Teague marry text and images to create a fun story with an important lesson. 
5 stars
I finished listening to The Giver by Lois Lowry. I swear it was better this time than the first time I read it. It is a classic: one of those books that stands the test of time. I'm going to be pushing it on all my readers who love dystopian novels.

4.5 stars
I wasn't sure about Noggin by John Corey Whaley, but it became available as a downloadable audiobook from the public library, so I started listening. I worried that Travis Coates' death from cancer might be too close to reality for me. Instead I discovered this book is about living, growing and changing.
5 stars
Not My Girl by Christy Jordan-Fenton & Margaret Pokiak-Fenton illustrations by Gabrielle Grimard
This picture book continues Margaret Pokiak-Fenton's true story as she returns from two years away at a residential school. I believe that everyone, no matter their age, should read these books. 
Aside from reading brown girl dreaming, I'm listening to The Familiars by Adam Jay Epstein & Andrew Jacobson. It's one of those books I've been meaning to get to, but haven't had time. 

What's up next? I keep saying I am going to get back to my nonfiction reading, and I really mean to. I'm spending some time with my mother at the cancer clinic this week, so I'll bring only one of them with me. That will force me to get moving on them.
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22 comments:

  1. Ms. YinglingJanuary 19, 2015 at 5:29 AM

    Another teacher and I read BGD and thought that a lot of interesting details were left out because of the format. It was funny how we both fixated on certain parts of the story because they had a part in our own lives. I think that speaks to its general effectiveness! I'm still amazed that after all the warnings in my childhood about lead paint that there were children who actually ate the paint chips!

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    1. Cheriee WeichelJanuary 19, 2015 at 7:52 AM

      I know that the format leaves things out, but I think it also leaves what's left with a more powerful impact.

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  2. Michele KnottJanuary 19, 2015 at 6:25 AM

    BGD is just beautiful. I heard Woodson read from it at NCTE and it was riveting!
    Creepy Carrots is a favorite :) The kids love that one!

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    1. Cheriee WeichelJanuary 19, 2015 at 7:53 AM

      I am green with envy. I would love to see her talk and read.

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  3. Linda BJanuary 19, 2015 at 7:21 AM

    I love Brown Girl Dreaming, too, and Nest is a lovely book, among all the other beautiful bird books out this year. I still need to get to Noggin, know it must be good. Best wishes to you and your mom!

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    1. Cheriee WeichelJanuary 19, 2015 at 7:57 AM

      Thanks LInda. you are right - so many beautiful bird books. Noggin is worth the read.

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  4. Stacey (@libraryjo92)January 19, 2015 at 7:38 AM

    Brown Girl Dreaming in next on my list. I haven't seen Nest before and I've now added it to my to read list. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Cheriee WeichelJanuary 19, 2015 at 7:57 AM

      Hi Stacey, I'm sure you will love brown girl dreaming and Nest.

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  5. Ricki Ginsberg at Unleashing ReadersJanuary 19, 2015 at 7:55 AM

    I am glad you enjoyed brown girl dreaming! Your word, "delectable," is spot on! I savored every page, too. There is so much goodness in that book.

    I have had Noggin on my TBR list for a long time. I also have my hesitations, but reading your review, I feel much more confident picking it up, so thank you!

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    1. Cheriee WeichelJanuary 19, 2015 at 8:01 AM

      Finding one right word for brown girl dreaming isn't easy. When I am done, I think I will start it again. I hope you are not disappointed by Noggin.

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  6. Elisabeth EllingtonJanuary 19, 2015 at 10:32 AM

    Wasn't Noggin surprising? I wasn't expecting much from it, but it has really stuck with me since I finished it. More than I expected it to at the time. Brown Girl Dreaming has been almost the opposite for me: very powerful when I was reading it, but it hasn't lingered like I thought it might. I'm hoping to reread it at some point this year. Have you read Marilyn Nelson's How I Discovered Poetry? Mines the same territory as BGD but more succinctly, with stronger poetry. Makes an interesting pairing. It's been so long since I read The Giver... think I should try to reread that this year too, especially after reading your review here!

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    1. Cheriee WeichelJanuary 20, 2015 at 9:11 AM

      Thank you so much for referring me to How I Discovered Poetry. I'm looking forward to reading it. It will be interesting to compare the two of them. Part of what works for me with Woodson's book, is that while she is 10 years younger than I am, I get to see history I lived through different eyes.

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  7. Katie TheLogonautsJanuary 19, 2015 at 12:02 PM

    Great collection. My third graders adored Creepy Carrots. Too funny. As for me, I completely agree with you about Brown Girl Dreaming. Amazing!

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    1. Cheriee WeichelJanuary 20, 2015 at 9:12 AM

      Yes brown girl dreaming is just stunning. Glad your students liked Creepy Carrots. I'm sure my readers will as well.

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  8. Kellee Moye (@kelleemoye)January 19, 2015 at 5:30 PM

    Oh man! You read two of the best books ever written, in my opinion, this week: brown girl dreaming and The Giver. The Giver gets better and better each time I read it, and I loved the whole quartet.
    I look forward to reading Noggin. Everything I read about it intrigues me.

    Happy reading this week! :)

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    1. Cheriee WeichelJanuary 20, 2015 at 9:14 AM

      I agree about The Giver. I read Gathering Blue for the first time recently, and that got me started rereading the entire series. Noggin is a powerful read - not always a comfortable one though. Like life, it's complicated.

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  9. Beth S.January 19, 2015 at 6:00 PM

    Noggin is definitely a book I wasn't sold on until I heard John Corey Whaley talk about it at a bookstore event here in Michigan. When he read the passage where Travis discovers the urn with his ashes in it I was sold. Not only is the book funny though, I was surprised at how poignant and universally relaetable it was. Go figure.

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    1. Cheriee WeichelJanuary 20, 2015 at 9:16 AM

      I know - I'm envious that you got to hear John Corey Whaley. That he can take something so bizarre, and make it all feel beautifully ordinary is amazing.

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  10. Carrie GelsonJanuary 19, 2015 at 8:04 PM

    Can't wait to read Noggin It's on my shelf staring at me. I loved Whaley's first book a lot. I really enjoyed Brown Girl Wow, wow, wow.

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    1. Cheriee WeichelJanuary 20, 2015 at 9:19 AM

      I know. Noggin isn't always an easy read, but it is less disturbing than Where Things Come Back. I'm thinking I will just keep on rereading brown girl dreaming.

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  11. GatheringBooksJanuary 21, 2015 at 11:04 PM

    Hi there Cheriee, I also fell in love with Brown Girl Dreaming - so powerful. I'm also looking forward to finding Not My Girl soon. :)

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    1. Cheriee WeichelJanuary 25, 2015 at 10:25 AM

      Hi Myra, I am certain you will like Not My Girl and the rest of Christy & Margaret's books.

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