It’s Monday, the Mid-Summer Holiday Edition.

Even though I posted about National Hammock Day last week, I still managed to finish a book in a hammock this weekend as part of my reading week. We are used to temperatures in the mid 30s C (mid 90s F) during the summer but it has been significantly lower. Warm and comfortable and great for outdoor summer reading. As such, I am happy to have read a few more books this week that I can share with others that blog and link up at teachmentortexts.com and unleashingreaders.com. Thanks to Jen, Kellee, and Ricki for hosting.

Books I Finished This Week

This third installment of David A. Robertson’s Reckoner trilogy was a great finish to the series. Pretty tough to say much more without spoiling earlier books in the series. I will say, for those that haven’t heard of this one, it is a supernatural mystery/thriller for high MG/YA readers. It takes place in northern Manitoba on the fictional Wounded Sky Reserve. Author Robertson is part of the Norway House First Nation. The story has action, humour and the influence of super hero comics on the characters is evident. Great series by an #ownvoices, Indigenous-Canadian author.

This one had cute pics and a silliness that might get a few giggles but it didn’t really do it for me, and I was left wanting more. I would rather read students Sam and Dave Dig a Hole or one of Barnett’s other books, as I have felt more connected to the story in all of his other books that I have read. It is loaded with similes that felt kind of random, and that is the silliness that little ones might appreciate even if they did not for me.

This is a story where the title really is a promise of what you will see in the book. Characters that are worried. All over the place. A girl, a flamingo, a potato. There is so much to worry about but the strength of this book is  how it is eventually handled. Characters see that the worrying does not really seem to help and if they live in the moment, they can handle whatever comes at them and be happier. A good addition to my primary social emotional learning section.

 

I waited too long to read this book. Three really great characters and a thought provoking plot. I felt like I could know these people. This is because I grew up in a small town, but also because they are just so well written. I loved thinking about how their lives would end up, I could imagine one of them at the university I attended.

A companion novel to Eric Walters’ Rule of Three series, this takes place in the same world, with its premise of a mass failure of technology (old machines tend to work, newer ones with more computer based tech, do not). Whereas the main characters in the earlier three books live in a suburban neighbourhood that comes together to survive, this book follows a family of three that lives in the heart of a major US city, and this makes things extremely difficult in terms of survival. There are many groups of people competing for resources and the book is violent, but not too graphic. An interesting, adventure filled read that works for fans of the earlier series who get some familiarity but would likely also work if you haven’t read the first three Eric Walters wrote.

One of the most discussed graphic novels of the year, New Kid was a lot of things. A story about finding your place in school, including friends that work for you. It was about stereotypes, race, class and more. It comes in a sneaky package as the art is often compared to books like Smile and it is blurbed by Jeff Kinney. Kids are going to get more than they bargain for when they start this book, but I think that is a very good thing.

Currently Reading

I am continuing with these two read alouds with my family, but having just finished New Kid I am between books. My oldest wants me to read another Rick Riordan novel, the second Trials of Apollo book as she has no one she knows that has read the third one, and I am to be that person. I also have a pile that includes The Miscalculation of Lightning Girl, Salt to the Sea and The Next Great Paulie Fink, all of which I have wanted to read for a while. I am not sure what I will pick up later today, but I should likely get through one or two of these this week.

Thanks so much for reading about my week, I hope to check in on your reading soon.