It’s Monday, what are you reading? November 20, 2017

I am linking up my post with other book bloggers at teachmentortexts.com (hosted by Jen) and unleashingreaders.com (hosted by Kellee and Ricki). These are great places to find books to fill your actual and virtual book shelves. It was kind of a slow reading week for me in terms of books finished, report cards will do that to many teachers, but I have a couple that I find noteworthy.

Books I finished this week:

I actually had the pleasure of attending a book launch for this new title at a cafe in Merritt. Author Nicola Campbell grew up just west of Merritt and was there to read some of her poetry and the book itself. She attended the school that I work at, so it was great to have her sign the book to our students and then bring it back this week for kids to enjoy.  It’s exciting to have a book with many words in the traditional Indigenous language of the area. There is some information about local plants and there usage as well as the characters explore and gather with their relatives. The book really came to life when Nicola read the story and I got a real sense of what her childhood was like. I wish I could have her in to read it to my students, as I will not be able to read it as well as he does, but she actually lives in the Lower Mainland now. This book is a great addition to our library and the fact that the author and setting are local is amazing.

I just finished this book and I really liked it. There was an obvious comparison to me to Pax, which I read with my class last year and that is valid, but this book stands on its own as well. There is a little bit of mystery, some supernatural elements, some sad parts for sure, and a broken family trying to keep it together. The connections between people and the land, and the main characters and animals will be intriguing for readers at my school.

Currently Reading:

I am reading the fourth Deckawoo Drive book with my seven year old right now. We do not miss these titles, and the series has become popular in my school as well. The secondary characters from Kate DiCamillo’s Mercy Watson series have captivated a few students who loved seeing the changes that the underwent.

The Skeleton Tree is a book I read last year. It is a survival story set in Alaska that also has a subplot in which two characters struggle to come to terms with issues they have had in their families. We are going to be using this title in our District Battle of the Books this year, so I am re-reading it for that purpose. There are several exciting scenes in this one, but the struggle between the two boys that are stranded is the most frustrating and satisfying for me as a reader.

My family continues to read Inkspell, there are times when I absolutely love this series and times in which it does not really have my heart. It is quite long, so that is understandable. I think if we could find more time to read it together, I would like it more.

Thanks for reading, I hope your reading week is great. I hope to finish off these report cards today and have more time for books!