#IMWAYR June 15, 2015

On Monday's I am happy to take part in #IMWAYR. It's when bloggers share their reading for the week. I am especially thankful to Jen from Mentor Texts and Kellee and Rickie from Unleasing Readers for hosting this event. The only real downside (aside from it being expensive,) is that my 'to read list' keeps growing faster than I can read. 

Walk on the Wild Side by Nicholas Oldland (from Netgalley)

3 stars

Moose, Bear and Beaver are together again. This time the three pals decide to climb a mountain. Unfortunately, once they get to the base of the mountain, they decide, just to make it more interesting, to race to the top. This nearly ends in disaster as Moose and Bear fall over a cliff. Thankfully, Beaver comes up with an ingenious way to save them. In the end, the three friends enjoy the rest of their climb taking their time to enjoy the sights on the way up. 

I read this with Max, my 3 year old great-nephew this weekend. He wanted to read it numerous times. I think this means it passed the kid test.

Budding Reader Series by Melinda Thompson, Melissa Ferrell & Doug Oglesby (illustrator) (from Netgalley)

3 stars

These are books that come in sets and each book has increasingly complex text. I'm always interested in resources that will help struggling readers become successful. I'm not sure if these are ideal, but I'll leave that up to the Special Needs Support teachers at our school. On the other hand, the brilliant Max, who I mentioned earlier, loved the wordless books. 

Lulu Bell and the Sea Turtle by Belinda Murrell And Serena Geddes (illustrator) 

4 stars

Thank you Carrie Gelson and your wonderful daughter for loaning me this book. It is charming! 

Lulu's family heads off into the far reaches of Australia so their mother can meet with local aboriginal artists and leaders in preparation for an art show. The family camps on one of the local families properties and the children learn a lot about the aboriginal way of life, both past and present. It involves the making of spears and a fishing trip in the ocean. 

I liked that the story highlights ecological issues. Lulu saves a turtle that has been tangled up in abandoned fishing line. There is also a conversation about how the people hunt and fish to feed themselves, but they don't take more than they need. I wasn't too happy that they used paper plates at the going away feast, but I can live with it. 

Throughout the book it feels like the author is respectful towards Australian Aboriginal ways of being, but I don't really know enough to affirm this.

5 stars

Finding The Worm by Mark Goldblatt

If I wasn't already a Goldblatt fan, this would have turned me into one. Readers who are familiar with Twerp, will recognize the same characters. It's a sequel, but it sands on its own. This time the 34th street crew have to deal with the serious illness of one of their own. I love Goldblatt's realistic boys. They are smart and sensitive, with just the right amount of rambunctiousness thrown in. 

2 stars

I abandoned All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven because it was too intense and emotionally exhausting for me to read in June. On top of this, having a bipolar friend and a bipolar family member, means reading differently. On the one hand it was interesting to get a glimpse inside someone's brain. But when I learned that there would be a suicide, I got angry. I'm waiting till I am less emotionally exhausted from my real life and may have another go at it, but I doubt it. 

Currently I'm listening to Magic Marks the Spot, the first of The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates by Caroline Carlson. It's lots of fun. I'm reading, with my eyes, All Four Stars by Tara Dairman. 

Up Next, I have to get back at my to read list. I've got The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister ready to listen to. I think I'll bring All the Answers by Kate Messner from school to read. That will get two of them checked off the list!

Happy reading everyone!