What I Was Reading on Monday: A Wednesday reflection on a reading week that was

I really wanted to write a post on Monday about the books that I had been reading, but I was out of town and away from a device that allowed me to do so. I decided to do it anyways and post today, Wednesday, and link it up to the great posts that I always find at unleashingreaders.com (thanks to hosts Kellee and Ricki) as well as as teachmentortexts.com (thanks to Jen for hosting over there as well). These are great sites everyday, there is lots of terrific info to help educators and readers alike.

 

Books I enjoyed:

This was a beautifully illustrated book about a girl dealing with flooding in Sri Lanka while trying to ensure her family’s crop survives. The author’s note adds quite a bit to a book that will be a great window for young readers on a life different from their own.

I got this book from my Book Portage ARC group. I had heard such great things about this authors last book The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora, which I have never seen in the wild, and not ordered online either. So, this was my first read of his books, and I could tell from the first few pages that I was going to really enjoy the title character of this one, and that not reading Arturo Zamora is likely an Epic Fail on my part. This is a great story about the protection and warmth that can come from family but also from being a part of something that is bigger than you. It comes out on August 21.

I grabbed an E-ARC from NetGalley of the next release from the Rick Riordan presents imprint because his books are so beloved by my kids at home and they also enjoyed the first book from the imprint. I really enjoyed this story that was partially based on Maya mythology. The main character, Zane is quite likable and I had to stop myself from begging him not to make the mistakes that I would have known not to make from reading similar books such as the whole Percy Jackson series. I think kids will love the disgusting creatures that are well described and the message of looking at your own weaknesses and strengths is a good one. This will be the start of another interesting series featuring a character trying to find his place in two worlds.

This is the second book in a series, and my family has now read both books together. We really enjoy the humour as characters complete quests in a fantasy world that seems to be post-apocalyptic (although this is a much lighter series than that would suggest). I didn’t enjoy this one quite as much as the first one, but overall its been a good series for us to read full of adventure, humour and fantastical creatures/technology.

I really loved this book. It’s a Scottish medieval adventure story that starts with a bang. Events cause Drest to take up her family’s cause after they are captured and taken to the castle. The adventures that she has along the way show her bravery and determination but also that not everything in her part of the world is quite the way she thought it was. The cover says, “When a lass became a legend,” and how events become a legend is certainly a part of this book that is relevant today and deserves discussion. I found it to be well written, it has great information at the end on life in the early 1200s. A short book that packs a punch, this was one of my favourite reads so far this summer.

Post-Monday Reads:

I have since read the graphic novels NewsPrints, See How They Run, from the Embassy Row series this is the sequel to All Fall Down and the phenomenally good Ghost Boys and I will write about them more next week. I am starting an E-ARC called Monsters, its book two in a supernatural YA by Canadian David A. Robertson, I am really looking forward to it as I enjoyed the first book. My family will be starting the first book in Brandon Mull’s Beyonders series, its my 11 year old’s choice, she was already read it and really wants the rest of us to experience it. Looking forward to seeing what others have been reading as soon as I publish this post.