#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 brother and I had a
wonderful time in Portland last week. We didn't get to do everything we wanted to do, but
it was a successful visit nonetheless. We met some delightful locals in
different brew pubs. I even found an ale or two that I almost liked. As you can
imagine, since bookstores are my passion, we visited a few. The children's
bookstore in the Alberta area was closed when we were there, but we spent close
to four hours at the downtown Powell's location and I spent at least another
hour or more at the one in the Hawthorne section.
BOOKS FOR BABIES
 |
| 3.5 stars |
Look at You!: A Baby Body Book
by Kathy Henderson, Paul Howard (Illustrations)
A lovely toddler brought this
to where I was sitting in the children's section at Powell's books. Since she
left it behind I picked it up to read. I like the soft watercolour
illustrations and the diverse children represented. Ada wasn't so impressed.
She liked the larger pictures of the babies, but wasn't keen on the smaller
illustrations. This is a bit too long for a baby her age.
 |
| 4 stars |
You Hold Me Up by Monique Gray
Smith & Danielle Daniel (Illustrations)
This is a netgalley copy that I
picked to read for me but also read with my granddaughter. I'm not sure if she
loved the bright colours in the illustrations, or if it was the light from my
ipad. This is an important book that teaches readers how 'we hold each other
up.' I'll be writing a more in depth review of this.
PICTURE BOOKS
 |
| 5 stars |
After the Fall (How Humpty
Dumpty Got Back Up Again) by Dan Santat
Just Wow!
Now I get what all the buzz is
about.
This picture that continues
after Humpty Dumpty falls, is a story of hope, resilience and not giving up.
 |
| 3 stars |
Welcome: A Mo Willems Guide for
New Arrivals by Mo Willems
I like this book for new
parents, but since I’m looking for books that I expect to engage babies, I
don’t think this will work. I’ll try out a library copy before purchasing.
 |
| 5 stars |
Creepy Pair of Underwear! by
Aaron Reynolds & Peter Brown (Illustrations)
This is a reminiscent of The
Cat Comes Back, but with a delightful ending. Peter Brown’s illustrations are
just just perfectly spooky!
 |
| 4 stars |
Boo Who? by Ben Clanton
This book works on so many
levels. It is a great Halloween book for younger readers just because the main
character is a ghost. It’s the message of inclusion that Clanton writes into it
that makes it a book for reading all year round!
 |
| 4 stars |
You Belong Here by M.H. Clark
& Isabelle Arsenault (Illustrations)
Beautiful poetry and gorgeous
illustrations make this the ideal picture book to read to children. I can
imagine it becoming a favourite bedtime story.
 |
| 4 stars |
The Bad Seed by Jory John, Pete
Oswald (Illustrations)
How I love this story of a bad
seed who decides to change. It isn’t easy, but it can be done. This will be a
great book to talk about manners and how to treat other people. I adore the
humour and positivity in this one!
 |
| 5 stars |
Draw the Line by Kathryn Otoshi
Wow!
Such a powerful message about
war and peace is portrayed in this wordless book!
NONFICTION PICTURE BOOKS
 |
| 4 stars |
Ada Byron Lovelace and the
Thinking Machine by Laurie Wallmark & April Chu (Illustrations)
I liked this book well enough.
Chu’s realistic illustrations are gorgeous. This focuses primarily on Ada’s
work with Charles Babbage. In this respect we get a bit more information about
her relationship with him and the work they did. Previous picture book
biographies have already covered this information as well as revealing more
details of the rest of her life. If I had those, I’m not sure I would buy this.
MIDDLE GRADE NOVELS
 |
| 4 stars |
Wishtree by Katherine Applegate
& Charles Santoso (Illustrations) & Nancy Linari (Narrator)
I finished this book in the fall
when the deciduous trees blaze with color.
I can’t imagine finishing it at
a better time of year. When else can we believe that trees have stories to
tell? Perhaps they are there telling them to us all year long, but in the fall
we are so reminded of their existence. This Wishtree tells us the story of
families that don’t quite fit in, and ultimately how the rest of us find a way
to include them. It’s an important message for all of us to hear.
GRAPHIC
 |
| 4 stars |
Soupy Leaves Home by Cecil
Castellucci (Goodreads Author), Jose Pimienta (Illustrations)
I've read a couple of Cecil
Castillucci novels, but this is my first graphic novel. This historical novel
set in the 1930's, features Pearl, a young girl who runs away from an abusive family.
She becomes Soupy, a boy, and takes to the hobo life under the tutelage of
Ramshackle, an ailing old man. Ramshackle teaches Soupy how to dream and find
goodness and beauty all around them. Through their journey Soupy finds self
worth and confidence.
Powerful images portray life in
hobo jungles.
At the end of the novel there
is a glossary of hobo signs that were used to help other travellers with
directions and advice about people in communities along the way.
YA & ADULT NOVELS
 |
| 5 stars |
They Both Die at the End by
Adam Silvera & Michael Crouch, Robbie Daymond & Bahni Turpin
(Narrators)
I would have read or listened
to this anyway because Adam Silvera writes such riveting books, but this
audiobook has Bahni Turpin!
Two different boys get a phone
call to let them know they will die today. They connect through an app called
last friends and spend the day together. It's a brilliantly philosophical book
that is first and foremost a compelling story. I thought I had figured out how
the end would come, and was completely wrong. You might want a box of kleenex for this one.
CURRENTLY
I'm reading Scarborough by
Catherine Hernandez and working on Last Night I Sang to the Monster by Benjamin
Alire Sáenz. I'm listening to Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward.
UP NEXT
I'll be listening to Saving
Marty By Paul Griffin. I plan to read Charlie & Mouse by Laurel Snyder
and The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Perez,
PROGRESS ON MY READING GOALS
#MUSTREADIN2017 25/36 1 in
progress
#MUSTREADNFIN2017 7/12 1 in
progress
50 Books by Canadian Indigenous
Authors 31/50 1 in progress
Chocolate Lily (CL) 51/51
Big Book Challenge 4/6
Goodreads Reading Challenge
339/333
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