#IMWAYR September 10, 2018

#IMWAYR time again, when readers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to in the past week. Kathryn hosts the adult version of this meme at Book Date. Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers host the kidlit rendition. Whatever you are looking forward to in your next great read, these are fabulous places to start your search.



Last weekend I was away at our house in Oliver, B.C., canning tomatoes and peaches, and making and canning juice and salsa. I didn't have time to do a blog post. I did get some reading in, although mostly I was listening to audiobooks while I worked. 

September is birthday month around our house so now I'm busy trying to sew shirts for my partner and son. It's a good thing I have lots of audiobooks ready to go!

BOARD BOOKS

I've got a pile of new board books to share with you, but for today I'm just letting you know about this one that I am almost getting tired of rereading over and over.

5 stars
Do Cows Meow? by Salina Yoon

This is Ada’s favourite book these days. It’s a bit bigger than most of her books and has flaps to lift. She even gives me time to read the rhymes if I go really really fast. The last pages where they fold out to show all the animals is a big hit!

PICTURE BOOKS
4 stars
The Honeybee by Kirsten Hall & Isabelle Arsenault (Illustrations)

I'm fascinated by all things bee, and this charming book delivers basic information on how pollen and nectar are turned into honey. It could even be considered a nonfiction picture book. The beautiful text reflects the busy life of bees. It rhymes in sections and is loaded with alliteration and other poetic devices. It sure worked for me.
Then there are Isabelle Arsenault's gorgeous illustrations. Her work is breathtaking. Her bees are whimsical, but it's her landscapes and fields of flowers that are just glorious.

5 stars
The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld

This book is just bloody brilliant! It reaffirms why picture books are so important for people of all ages. I've been thinking a lot recently about how we can best support friends and family who are going through hard times. In charming illustrations and simple text the profound solution is laid out here for everyone to read and understand. It's really pretty simple. All you have to do is listen.

4 stars
What Can You Do with a Rebozo? by Carmen Tafolla & Amy Córdova (Illustrator)

You can do a whole lot more with a rebozo than you can imagine! This beautifully illustrated book takes us inside Mexican culture through the many ways this traditional shawl is used.

GRAPHIC

4 stars
All Summer Long by Hope Larson

Bina's best friend, Austin, is headed off to soccer camp, leaving her alone for the summer. At first Bina spends her time reading and practicing her electric guitar. Then she connects with Austin's older sister, Charlie, who invites her to hang out. Ultimately that doesn't really work out. When Austin returns home, the two of them have a lot of sorting out to do.
This is a book about family and friendship. I loved Bina, who is on her way to being a rock and roll star. Parents are realistically supportive. I like the bit about Bina's older brother and partner adopting a baby. I especially appreciate that these characters manage to deal with their conflicts in healthy ways.
I hope there is a sequel!

NOVELS

4 stars
The Perfect Score by Rob Buyea

This book looks at a group of children who are in a classroom together. They are forced to deal with the disruption of their regular school days because of high stakes testing. What they end up doing because of this ends up getting them in trouble, but also points out the absurdity of the tests in the first place.
Rob Buyea has a created an appealing, complicated group of students and adults. I sure hope change comes soon for all their counterparts in the real world.

3 stars
Give Me Some Truth by Eric Gansworth

Give Me Some Truth by Eric Gansworth, (432 pages) is my fifth and last big book this summer. I struggled with it because I couldn't connect to these characters like I did in his first book, If I Ever Get Out of Here. I liked this well enough to not give up on it, and I was happy to see that the characters seemed to evolve by the end of the novel.
Is it possible to get to old to read YA?

5 stars
Neverwhere (London Below, The World of Neverwhere #1) by Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman has, as usual, spun a tale that sucked me completely into it. Richard Mayhew, an ordinary young businessman, aids a young woman and ends up trapped in a fantastical, dangerous world underneath London. I was caught up in his world and am hoping that there will be a sequel. However, since this book was first published in 1996, and one isn't available yet, it's highly unlikely. While reading it I was reminded of the Peter Grant series by Ben Aaronovich, which, if you haven't read yet, you should definitely treat yourself to.

4 stars
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante, Hillary Huber (narrator) & Ann Goldstein (Translator)

I loved this book and have the next in the series cued up to start soon. It's the story of a friendship between two women. This first book in the series shows them as children and teens. I especially love the honesty and complexity of their relationship, but I'm also fascinated by this look into a community in Italy during the 50's and 60's.

CURRENTLY

I'm reading No Fixed Address by Susin Nielsen and listening to Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend. I'm also reading (in bits and pieces) Quilting Modern: Techniques and Projects for Improvisational Quilts by Jacquie Gering & Katie Pedersen.

UP NEXT

I hope to get to The Nowhere Girls by Amy Reed, a pile of picture books and hopefully, Front Desk by Kelly Yang.

PROGRESS ON MY READING GOALS

#MustReadIn2018 21/25 

#MustReadNFIn2018 6/12

#BigBookSummer 5/4 1 in progress

25 Books by Canadian Indigenous Authors 17/25 

Goodreads Reading Challenge 301/333

20 comments:

  1. Out of all these books, I've only read The Perfect Score. Rob Buyea is an expert at writing from different perspectives. I liked that all the characters sounded unique. Many others on your list, I'll need to check out.

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    1. I agree with you. I love that Buyea can create so many unique and complicated characters.

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  2. I stop every time I see the cover of The Honeybee, and now I see why: Isabelle Arsenault! The Rob Buyea book sounds great, but I still haven't read Because of Mr. Terupt, so I need to start there. Your description is the first time an Elena Ferrante novel has sounded interesting to me--just might have to read My Brilliant Friend. I thought The Rabbit Listened was brilliant too--and also hope for a sequel to All Summer Long (which I booktalked enthusiastically but had no takers for! Need to try again. I know my students would love it.)

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    1. If a book has Isabelle Arsenault's name on it, I will read it. I adore her work. You don't need to red the Mr. Terupt series before reading this one. I have had My Brilliant Friend for ages but then a friend recommended it so I dove into it and ended up loving it. There is a kind of brutal honesty about their relationship that I loved. I listened to it and enjoyed Hillary Huber's narration, so that helped.

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  3. Some are already on my list, and now adding to it, Cheriee. I am not familiar with this series by Rob Buyea, and it sounds good. Thanks for all. Love hearing about your canning time, September love!

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    1. I think it's a new one Linda. I like how he creates so many interesting characters in his books.

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  4. The Perfect Score was a terrific book that really showcased the stress these high stakes tests create and how it damages the love of learning. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. I agree! Thankfully, we here in Canada do not have to deal with this kind of insanity.

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  5. I agree with your review of The Rabbit Listened. A must read for all ages. Have a great week!

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  6. Just the cover of The Rabbit Listened pulls at my heartstrings. I can't wait for this one! I remember The Perfect Score well -- and I think that anxiety and fear is so real in today's school population. I do hope we figure this out soon because "checking for understanding" does not have to be in standardized testing format. Glad to see you got your hands on Rebozo and I really hope you enjoy Nevermoor. I've preordered book #2 (which is VERY rare for me, but I did it back when I had Amazon credit to spend) because I really want to see what they do with the story. It's definitely not just another Harry Potter. :) Have a wonderful reading week, Cheriee!

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    1. I am loving Nevermoor! I wish I had read it as one of my Big Books this summer.

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  7. I still haven't gotten to The Perfect Score. His Mr. Terupt books are just a bit too mature for our students (we only go up to 4th grade) so I haven't made time for Score yet, although it sounds like a book I will enjoy reading.
    Loved The Rabbit Listened. I think we all want to fix things for everyone, it's the nature of our society today, that we forget to just listen. So important!

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    1. I think you are right. All tha animals want to help, but don't bother to just listen.

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  8. Oh my goodness, The Honeybee and The Rabbit Listened-I think I need these in my life now!

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  9. I love If I Ever Get Out of Here. I haven't read Give Me Some Truth yet, and my student begged me to borrow my copy. I am sad to hear you didn't connect as well with the characters. I am still going to be hopeful!

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    1. Be hopeful! I started out good with it, but then I lost interest. I couldn't believe that the main female character could be so foolish, or that the main male character could be so self absorbed. That's why I wonder if I'm too old for YA. Teens are often self absorbed and do foolish things.

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  10. Oh I am so hoping you would love the Neapolitan series as much as I did. Read them all back in 2016, just inhaled the entire series. So absolutely riveting. I hope I find The Rabbit Listened in our library. :) I love hearing about you canning fruits and making salsa - sounds so idyllic. What a different pace from the one I have here in Singapore that can be so utterly exhausting.

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    1. I've just downloaded the second in the series but have others to finish first. Preserving food is hard work, but satisfying and worth it during the rest of the year when we get to feast on it!

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