#IMWAYR April 22, 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.

Happy Earth Day!

I'm planning on posting a poem that is part of a collection of poems about climate change, but a lot can happen between now, as I write this Sunday evening, and when I wake up Monday morning. 

As a nod to Easter reading, I picked up a couple of books with egg related themes when I was at the library Saturday with my granddaughter and daughter-in-law. Otherwise, we didn't make a big deal about the season this year. I made dinner and dessert of pavlova with lemon curd. Our house has been chocolate free! 

POEM A DAY POSTS LAST WEEK

15. Hold On
16. These Hands
17. Cherubs
18. drought
19. journey*
20. Politics
21. A Poem For Lost Glasses

Hurrah! The poem a day challenge is almost 3/4's over. 

PICTURE BOOKS

4 stars

Little Cub by Olivier Dunrea

I am in the middle of an obsession with Olivier Dunrea's picture books. My grandchildren are a bit young for this one as it has more text, but I am sure that slightly older children will love this story about a little bear who is on his own. He doesn't like being alone and wishes he had someone to take care of him. Old Bear is also alone and doesn't like it. He too wishes he had someone to take care of him. I'm now waiting to read Old Bear and His Cub.

4 stars

Gus (Gossie and Friends) by Olivier Dunrea

I enjoyed this little board book more than my granddaughter did, but maybe it was just not the right time for her. Gus is a thoughtful loner spending his time watching the world around him. Then he discovers a clutch of eggs.

4 stars

The Odd Egg by Emily Gravett

I might be more dark and twisted than I thought, but I loved this book. All the other birds have laid eggs except Goose. Then he found an egg and fell in love with its beauty, certain it was the best egg ever. Long after all the other eggs had hatched, goose waited. It’s quite the surprise when the egg finally does crack and open. I was sad that the end papers were covered in my library copy. I had to work hard to find the final, hilarious surprise!

3 stars

This House, Once by Deborah Freedman

This is a kind of house that jack built, only it references where the different parts of the house came from. The illustrations are divine, but I was confused by what was going on at times.

NONFICTION PICTURE BOOKS

5 stars

I Am NOT a Dinosaur! by Will Lach & Jonny Lambert (Illustrator)

This book introduces readers to numerous animals often mistaken for dinosaurs. I loved it for many reasons. First, the main part is written in poetry. Second, it's nonfiction. Third, Jonny Lambert's art is equal to Steve Jenkins work. Fourth, the back matter is full of additional information about each animal. There is a section titled, What is a Dinosaur? It also includes a timeline showing the epochs each animal existed.

POETRY

5 stars

My Dog Is a Carrot by John Hegley

These poems are pure delight! They are also twisted and somewhat warped. I'm looking forward to sharing some of them with students this coming week. The section of poems on glasses inspired me to write my own poem this week! You can read it here.

NOVELS

5 stars

Half-Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan & Kyle Riley (Narrator)

The writing in this novel is exquisite. It's the story of black Jazz musicians living in Europe at the time of the second world war. It's a powerful story about betrayal and redemption. The list of awards this book has won, or was nominated for, tell you how potent it is.
Esi Edugyan is Canadian.

ADULT NONFICTION

5 stars

Love and Laughter in the Time of Chemotherapy by Manjusha Pawagi

This memoir deals with the time the author was diagnosed with leukaemia and the treatment regime she had to endure to get rid of it. It's loaded with gruesome details, truly wretched experiences and episodes of black humour. I knew that the treatment for cancer was harsh, but before reading this book, I really didn't understand what that looked and felt like.
It is beautifully written. I stopped and wrote out a number of passages.
Throughout this memoir, what struck me most was the strength of the relationships she began with, and those she forged during her horrific marathon. I leave you with this quote from the book.

“ Love is not a tree, because trees die. Love is a rock. And not stone that crumbles into dust. It’s the Canadian Shield itself, granite as old is the Earth, solid and unwavering beneath my weak and unsteady feet.”
Manjusha Pawagi is Canadian.

CURRENTLY

I am listening to Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny and reading, with my eyes, Girl in Pieces by by Kathleen Glasgow. The latter has been on my #MustRead list for the last couple of years. I am so glad to finally get to it.

UP NEXT

The next audiobook will be Property of the Rebel Librarian (if it becomes available.) I'm eyeing Ash Boy: A CinderFella Story as a break from the intensity before starting Watch Us Rise by Renée Watson.

PROGRESS ON MY READING GOALS

#MustReadIn2018 11/25 1 in progress

#MustReadNFIn2018 6/12 

25 Books by Canadian Indigenous Authors 7/25

25 books by Canadian Authors 23/25

Goodreads Reading Challenge 138/333