#IMWAYR October 12, 2015

Hurrah it's Monday and Thanksgiving Day here in Canada! Lots of time for reading everyone's #IMWAYR posts. I'm sending love, hugs and plenty of thanks to Jen at Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee and Rickie from Unleashing Readers for hosting this weekly event.

My week has been busy, but I've managed to find time to read some mind blowing books.

PICTURE BOOKS

5 stars
Wings by Christopher Myers

This is a truly beautiful book I read it and ran around sharing it with other teachers in the school as soon as I finished it. It's a powerful message about accepting people no matter what. It's a powerful message about standing up for each other. The illustrations are just gorgeous. Christopher Myers is one of my new favorite picture book writers.

5 stars
10 Little Fingers and 10 Little Toes by Mem Fox and Helen Oxenbury

I was in Kidsbooks last week and while searching for a baby book found this one. I'd heard of it but never read it before. I sure wish it had been around when my boys were little. I love, love, love these illustrations. They're so soft and sweet and universal. Now I'm really looking forward to having grandchildren and reading this book to them.

3 stars
That's (Not) Mine by Anna Kang and Christopher Wayant

I read this one while I was at Kidsbooks, but I didn't like it enough to buy it. I'm not sure why it didn't work for me. The squabbling between the two creatures just irritated me. Then the premonition at the end that it was going to continue on over another object was too much for me. 

4 stars
Space Boy and His Dog by Dian Curtis Regan and Robert Neubecker

This is a delightful story about a boy and his dog who build a spaceship and set off for Mars. His sister, Posh, is not coming with them. Unfortunately, Posh doesn't agree with this and stows away. In the end, this just might be a good thing.

3 stars
Some Things are Scary by Florence Parry Heide and Jules Feiffer

This arrived in a collection of books for use as learning resources. I'm not sure why. I can see some possible writing connections so maybe that is it. The book is ok, but it went on a bit too long. I was looking for a Halloween themed book, and this is not that kind of scary.


NOVELS

Circa Now by Amber McCree Turner

4 stars
I almost abandoned this book after the father's death. But I had already been sucked in by the whimsical stories connected to his photoshopped (shopt) pictures. 
This, and I am a sucker for magical realism. While this book does deal with coping with death, the hint of possible magic and the finding of the lost boy, make this book more than that. I've used photoshop to change pictures (although it's my partner who is the wizard) so this aspect to the story really intrigued me into continuing as well. 
As I read, I couldn't help but make connections between Circa's belief in the power of the shopt images and the magical thinking that Joan Didion wrote about in her book after the death of her husband.

The Shadow Hero by Jean Luen Yang and Sunny Liew and Chu Hing

4 stars
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang, opened my eyes to the power of graphic novels. I've been a fan of his ever since. While not as multilayered as that first one, this is still a very fine tale. It is the story of an American Chinese superhero, The Green Turtle, who takes on the local tongs and ends up making Chinatown a safer place. I appreciated the complex back story for all the characters and how the Turtle spirit came to be part of his family.

At the end of the book are two delightful surprises. First is information about Chu Hing, a Chinese cartoonist who worked in the comic industry during the 1940's. He was the creator of a World War II superhero called the Green Turtle who was rumoured to be Chinese. The second treat is a reprint of Green Turtle's first adventure.

4 stars

I started out writing about this book here, but got carried away and decided it needed it's own post. It is a fabulous read about a girl who wants to be a journalist when she grows up. Her life is extremely complicated by her mother's mental illness and trying to figure out who murdered their neighbour and set his house on fire.
I appreciated that Footer's best friend, Peavine, has cerebral palsy. (You don't see this very often in children's literature) I loved how supportive the adults in this book are. I like that even when they are flawed, they are just human and can become better people. After all, isn't this the truth about all of us?
I have some reservations about the side effects of the treatment for Footer's mother's bipolar disorder, but other than that, this is one is keeper. 

Echo by Pam Manolo's Ryan

5 stars
Holy smokes. This one truly stunned me. I'm so thankful it was on my list of books to read. I'm thankful for all your reviews about it. All the accolades are truly deserved. Echo is right up there with The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. If you haven't yet read it, stop everything, run out, purchase a copy, and start reading. Or even better, find it as an audiobook and listen to it. The individual voices are authentic and being able to hear the music that is written about, makes a story that is already powerful, even more so.

CURRENTLY

I'm listening to The Selection by Kiera Cass. Many of my grade 5's and up are reading this so I decided I better find out what it is about. I've also started reading Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere by Julie T. Lamana.  

UP NEXT


I've got behind the beautiful forevers by Katherine Boo downloaded from the library. I'd forgotten about it so I have to get on it before it expires. A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park is waiting for me as my next audiobook. 

27 comments:

  1. I read Wings with students at the beginning of the school year and loved it. I also loved Shadow Hero. I'm looking forward to Echo. I've heard really good things about it.

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    1. I can see that reading Wings at the beginning of the year would be a great idea. Echo was much better than I anticipated!

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  2. Circa Now and Footer Davis were two that I didn't buy. I already have a lot of sad, introspective books on these topics, and they gather dust. I can see them working in some schools if there is an adult who loves the books, though!

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    1. I think that they are both really good books, but you are right, they are kind of dark. I did like the mystery component in both of them though. These days I am in desperate need of a action packed fun book where no one dies!

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  3. Echo, right??? Loved!
    I keep passing Footer up, I'll have to take a closer look.
    Loved Circa Now :)

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    1. I think Footer is good, but there is a lot going on in that book. Me too with Circa Now.

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  4. Thanks for the reminder about Wings. It's been on my list for awhile--I need to get it! And Echo--sigh. So good. The audio has gotten rave reviews!

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    1. The audio is one of the best audiobooks I've listened to in a long time. Wings is just drop dead gorgeous with powerful messages to boot!

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  5. I have a hold on ebook for Echo right now, but I may wait to see if my library will get in the audiobook. I've heard so many people say it's stunning!

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    1. If you can wait, the audiobook is just stunning. There is something about the different voices for the characters and the music integrated into the narrative that make it one of those books you won't remove your ear buds for hours!

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  6. "American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang, opened my eyes to the power of graphic novels. I've been a fan of his ever since." This is practically my story as well. I hope to actually meet him one day, not just debate whether to walk up to him or not.

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    1. Sigh... I saw him at a serendipity event here in Vancouver and was too shy to get my book autographed.

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  7. I loved Behind the Beautiful Forever. Not always an easy book to read but so important and interesting. I love Gene Luen Yang's work. I've got Boxers & Saints on the syllabus in my Graphic Novels course this semester--considered adding The Shadow Hero and ABC as well, LOL, but decided to limit myself to one title (sort of!) per graphic novelist. Since B&S is a two-fer, I got to cheat a little bit. Wings is magnificent, isn't it? I got to hear Christopher Myers speak at NCTE last year and found him just as compelling as a speaker. Love his work.

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    1. I haven't read Boxers and saints so that one has to on my to read list right now! In fact I just went and put them on hold at the library.

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  8. I have not read Wings, but need to. Sounds like an important message in that one. Echo sounds amazing. Great author! I have yet to read Behind the Beautiful Forevers. I started it twice. I need to make a commitment to read it.

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    1. You have to read wings, and I'm now recommending listening to the audiobook of Echo! I hope to start The beautiful Forevers tomorrow. We shall see how it goes.

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  9. Echo sounds amazing. It is on my request list from the library.
    ~April Walker
    The Idea Backpack

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    1. April, if you get a chance, go for the audiobook. A story that is that dependent on music, needs the sound track.

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  10. I love Myers's books. I need to get Wings.
    Circa Now looks great; I will have to find it.
    Thank you for sharing these amazing books so thoroughly!

    Happy reading this week! :)

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    1. Thanks Kellee, wings is mythical and powerful and real. I love this book. Circa now was very sweet.

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  11. 10 Little Fingers and 10 Little Toes was on my list of favorite books to read to my son! He is almost two, so I am lucky he was born at the right time to have this book. It would be a great book to read to grandchildren!

    I also liked the end matter of The Shadow Hero. It was fascinating. I almost wish I'd read it first.

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    1. Yes, I can see that reading the end might have been interesting, but I liked discovering it at the end too. Some day I will have grandchildren....

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  12. I am very glad to see how much you love Wings. I always include that in my multicultural text-set for teachers. Such a powerful title. And Shadow Hero was simply hilarious - lots of LOL moments, I thought. And yes to Echo too which I absolutely loved.

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  13. OK, Echo is going on my library requests list, ASAP! I love finding out about new amazing books, thanks for sharing!!

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    1. I think either the audio or the print version will be good, but the audiobook pretty much blew me away!

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  14. I really liked The Shadow Hero. It's a lot of fun.

    Good luck with The Selection. It will probably give you very strong feelings re: the love triangle.

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