#IMWAYR April 15, 2019

#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.

Writing poetry, reading other people's poetry, sewing on a quilt, and working, have really interfered with my reading life. Thankfully there have still been some segments of time for reading picture books. 

I want to give a shout out to all the people who are writing paint chip poetry. Because of you all I went off and collected a mess of paint chips from the hardware store and have been doing poetry workshops in the library. Almost all of the children's work has been amazing. Next week I will try to get copies so I can share them with you. The best part of it all was seeing a charming obstreperous lad go from writing one brilliant antisocial poem, to one so full of tenderness that tears came to my eyes. 

BLOG POSTS LAST WEEK

Poem A Day Posts

7. endings are never really
8. Dealing With The Inevitable
9. Quail
10. Paint Chip Poetry
11. Amanda
12. Characters*
13. Morning Joy
14. Another One

PICTURE BOOKS

5 stars

Little Whale by Jo Weaver

I've been reading this book to groups of primary students this week. They were completely captivated. I wish the book had a map showing the whales' migration route. I ended up pulling out a map to show the distance these animals travel. I don't think they really understand how far this is, but they were still impressed, especially those who had been to Mexico themselves! The other thing we talked about was what was true and what might be fiction. Kindergarten, grade one and grade two are very clever!

4 stars

Awâsis and the World-Famous Bannock by Dallas Hunt & Amanda Strong (Illustrations)

This charming story tells us about a young girl, who in the process of delivering her grandmother's world famous bannock, accidentally drops it in the river. Lucky for her different animals give her the ingredients to make another batch. I like that Cree is used through every book and that there is pronunciation guide in the back matter. There is also a bannock recipe.
Both of these creators are Indigenous Canadians. 🍁

4 stars

We Are Brothers by Yves Nadon & Jean Claverie (Illustrator)

This beautiful book is full of tenderness and love as an older brother encourages his younger sibling to leap off a rock into a lake. Jean Claverie's illustrations add a richness and depth to the story. 
Yves Nadon is a French Canadian author. 🍁

4 stars

Square (The Shapes Trilogy #2) by Mac Barnett & Jon Klassen (Illustrator)

I really liked the humour in Triangle. This one has humour, but it's also got a depth that can lead to meaningful conversations.

4 stars

Giraffe Problems by Jory John & Lane Smith (Illustrations)

Giraffe is mortified by his long neck. He wants to be like other animals. Then he meets turtle who shows him how remarkable his long neck really is. I hoped this book would work with younger students, but it is a bit text heavy for them. I tried just going through the book with Ada and looking at the pictures, but all she really wanted to do was look at the section where Giraffe is hiding.

NONFICTION PICTURE BOOKS

5 stars

Robins: Songbirds of Spring by Mia Posada

The information in this book is delivered through rhyming poetry and delightful illustrations. The back matter includes four pages of additional details about robins.

3.5 stars

Jane Goodall by Mª Isabel Sánchez Vegara & Beatrice Cerocchi (Illustrator)

I am impressed with how much information is delivered in this simple book. My only complaint is that in many pages the print blends into the background colours making it difficult to read.

5 stars

Mama Dug a Little Den by Jennifer Ward & Steve Jenkins (Illustrations)

This book is brilliant. Steve Jenkins artwork is as spectacular as only his can be. Jennifer Ward's text is written in two parts. Each two page spread features the den of a different animal. At the top of the page is a poem about the animal's den. At the bottom is a nonfiction paragraph with more information.

5 stars

When Angels Sing: The Story of Rock Legend Carlos Santana by Michael James Mahin & José Ramirez (Illustrator)

I remember being gobsmacked by Santana's first album in my final years of high school, long, long ago in the late 1960's. After reading this book I went to listen to some of that music and was impressed all over again.
I appreciated learning more about his early years and how he became such a renowned musician. José Ramirez' artwork is just stunning.

If you are not acquainted with Carlos Santana's genius, go and listen to this version of Evil Ways at Woodstock. Go even if you are. The trip is worth it.

CURRENTLY

I am almost finished listening to Half-Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan. I'm embarrassed to admit that I hardly made any progress in Love and Laughter in the Time of Chemotherapy by Manjusha Pawagi.

UP NEXT

My next audiobook will be whatever shows up or whatever I feel like listening to. I'm hoping to start reading Watch Us Rise by Renée Watson. Luckily no one else had a reserve on it and I was able to renew it. 

PROGRESS ON MY READING GOALS

#MustReadIn2018 10/25

#MustReadNFIn2018 5/12 1 in progress

25 Books by Canadian Indigenous Authors 7/25

25 books by Canadian Authors 22/25

Goodreads Reading Challenge 130/333