#IMWAYR June 3, 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.

My partner and I headed off to our house in Oliver for a quick weekend retreat. I've been gardening, watching episodes of the first season of George Gently, visiting family and friends, knitting, and squeezing in a bit of reading. We are heading home on Monday, so I probably won't get to read everyone's posts until later on or even Tuesday.  

BLOG POSTS LAST WEEK

Poetry Friday May 31, 2019
Big Book Reading Challenge Summer 2019

PICTURE BOOKS

My Heart by Corinna Luyken

The illustrations in this book are gorgeous and so are the messages. I read it while searching for a book to read to kindergarten students, and it didn't feel right, so I read them something else. I think it might work best with older children.

Monkey and Me by Emily Gravett

This book was a huge hit with younger primary students. It's a great choice for them because the patterned text scaffolds their reading. It's also a lot of fun. A girl and her toy monkey imitate the different animals in a zoe. Readers predict what they will see next based on what the two of them are doing on the page with the chant, Monkey and me,
Monkey and me,
Monkey and me,
We went to see...
The K's and I ended up playing a game where we repeated the chant while one of them acted out something and the rest of us tried to guess what it was. 

Gideon (Gossie and Friends) by Olivier Dunrea

Ada and I have been having a lot of fun with this book this month. She is not a fan of having to take naps either. If you are not acquainted with this series, you are living a deprived life. 

Gideon & Otto (Gossie and Friends) by Olivier Dunrea

Gideon and Otto, his octopus, are best buddies who do almost everything together. When Otto goes missing, Gideon searches all over the farm to find him. I wish you could hear my almost two year old granddaughter exclaim, "Oh No! Where Otto?"

The Girl and the Wolf by Katherena Vermette & Julie Flett (Illustrator)

When a young girl ignores her mother and ends up lost in a forest, she meets with a wolf. There is tension while we readers wait to see what will happen. I love how this book twists the European perspective of wolves as dangerous and hungry into them being helpers of children. Julie Flett’s gorgeous illustrations are the perfect accompaniment to Katherena Vermette’s words.
I would love to pair this up with Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell and an original telling of Red Riding hood.
Both of these contributors are Indigenous Canadians. 🍁

Dear Boy, by Paris Rosenthal, Jason Rosenthal & Holly Hatam (Illustrator)

There’s lots of good advice for boys (and girls) in this book. I especially love the two page spread that says,
Dear Boy,
Find kids who are like you.
Find kids who are unlike you.
Isn’t this ideal advice for the kid inside all of us?

Good Boy by Sergio Ruzzier

Prior to reading this to k's and grade 1 students, I asked them to decide whether is was about a boy and his dog, or a dog and his boy. Wow! Did they ever have opinions! With one word on each page, this is another book for beginning readers. Each page takes us on a journey with this boy and dog, from doing tricks to travelling to outer space and back. It's really hard to pick a favourite page, but the illustrations of the two of them reading in bed would have to be near the top for me.

NOVELS

Copyboy (Paperboy #2) by Vince Vawter

Mr. Spiro has died. His last request to Victor Vollmer, now almost 18, is to spread his ashes where the Mississippi river meets the Gulf of Mexico. Against his parents wishes, Victor heads out in his sports car to New Orleans and regions south. He ends up making new friends, nearly dies, races a hurricane, and comes of age.
I had forgotten how much I loved this character from Paperboy, until meeting him again in this novel. Mr. Vawter never expected to write the sequel, but was inspired by questions from fans of his first novel.
I hope he is somehow compelled to tell us more of Victor’s story. I’m not ready to let go of him.

Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson

Oh Wow! This book. Renee Watson's writing is just gorgeous. I can't remember when I last loved characters as much as I do Jade, her mom, Maxine, Lee Lee and Sam. Even the smaller bit characters like E.J. are lovely.
This is a coming of age novel that shows us how Jade, with the support of family, friends and her mentor, learns to love herself and speak her truths.
I was happy to see that the private school Jade attends on scholarship has some opportunities she wouldn't get at her local public high school, but the teaching and learning activities at the public institution are on par if not superior.

NONFICTION PICTURE BOOKS

A Bird or Two: A Story About Henri Matisse by Bijou Le Tord

This nonfiction picture book gives us the basics of Henri Matisse his life. I liked how the author showed that different environments changed the kinds of colours that he used. He captures Matisse’ character brilliantly In spare prose. “He works joyfully with a light heart. He is enchanted.” I appreciated learning about how how he used black paint like any other color. I now know what an arabesque is.

Klimt and His Cat by Bérénice Capatti & Octavia Monaco (Illustrator)

The first time I saw a print of Klimt's work, I marvelled at the beauty of his art and became a fan. So when I found this book in the library I had to read it.
Through Klimt's cat we learn about the man himself. He was a fascinating artist who followed his vision of what art should be, despite never achieving recognition during his lifetime. Octavia Monaco's artwork is almost as spectacular as Klimt's.

CURRENTLY

I am continuing to listen to Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming. I had hoped to read it as an ebook this weekend, but forgot my iPad in Vancouver. I just don't understand how a book with only 256 pages can be 19 hours long! I've just started reading, with my eyes, The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner.

UP NEXT

I will start listening to The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman on our way back to Vancouver today. Next up I'm planning on reading Cold Skies: A DreadfulWater Mystery by Thomas King.

PROGRESS ON MY READING GOALS

#MustReadIn2018 13/25

#MustReadNFIn2018 7/12

25 Books by Canadian Indigenous Authors 10/25

25 books by Canadian Authors 31/25

Big Book Reading Challenge 1/4

Goodreads Reading Challenge 184/333