Sunday, September 10, 2017

Celebrate This Week and Must Read in 2017 - Summer Update

Join us each weekend for Celebrate This Week with Ruth Ayres.

When we pause to celebrate, we find the joy.
Discover. Play. Build. 

   A week filled with moments to celebrate and remember.

For my slice of life on Tuesday, I wrote about my addiction to middle grade books.  Today I'm reporting on my progress for #MustReadin2017.  Thanks to Carrie Gelson who hosts this group and encourages our progress with periodic reminders to update our lists and keep reading, definitely something worth celebrating.  Don't miss the pics of boys with books at the end of this post!

While I was able to report 7 of my 12 titles completed for my spring update, my summer progress has been slower.  Thank goodness my spring reading for this list was substantial!  I've been busy reading all summer, but apparently not working very much on this list. Three books (not from my list) that I've loved this summer are News of The World by Paulette Giles, Dreamland Burning by Jennifer Latham, and The War I Finally Won (thanks to Island Books for sharing their ARC) by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley.  

The two titles I completed for #mustreadin2017 are Gertie's Leap to Greatness and The Seventh Wish,  #s 6 and 12 from my list of 12 books.  The blue font reflects my thoughts when I created the list and the purple font shows my thinking after reading the book.  

6.  Gertie's Leap to Greatness by Kate Beasley and Jillian Tamaki When I heard Gertie compared to Ramona Quimby, I knew this book belonged on my must read list.  Finished!  I enjoyed this tale of a spunky fifth grader who's on a quest to become the best fifth grader in the universe.  

12.  The Seventh Wish by Kate Messner -  I can't believe I still haven't read this book.  The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z, also by Kate Messner, is one of my all-time favorite books.  Finished!  This is a title that has been on my want to read list for some time, especially after I followed the news when some schools rescinded Kate's author visits because this book dealt with drug addiction.  The fish who grants wishes may make you want to tag this book as magical realism, but there's nothing magical about Charlie's sister's struggle with heroin addiction.  A much needed book about a difficult issue.  (But my favorite Messner book is still The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z.  It's a perfect fall read aloud for the middle school classroom.)

That leaves me with three remaining titles to read by the end of the year When Friendship Followed Me Home, Flying Lessons and Other Stories, and The Sun is Also a Star.  And I think that's totally doable. My favorite reading time is while Jack naps.  He rewarded me this past week with his longest nap ever - 2 hours and 15 minutes!  

Here are celebratory pics of my favorite boys, already on their way to becoming readers!
My daughter posted this pic of Jack this week:
"Sometimes you just need ALL the books!  #raisingareader
And here's Teddy reading
with Aunt Sara during his Seattle visit!

And now I'm off to read the updates of my friends to #mustreadin2017. I promised that as a treat to myself after finishing this post.  I'll read with pen in hand while growing my list for #mustreadin2018.  Books and bookish friends with book lists are wonderful celebrations!

7 comments:

  1. I enjoyed Gertie. I agree with Seventh Wish - it's a much needed book. The pictures are awesome!

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  2. Thank you for reminding me of a few of my favorite titles. Love the photos of young readers.

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  3. Seventh Wish is a book that will help many in similar situations. It seems unbelievable that schools kept Kate Messner away. The discussion is so needed.
    As usual, great pics of the little boy readers!

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  4. I just wrote to Crystal that "Flying Lessons" is on my next list. I did love The Seventh Wish, too, and hope it continues to be one that is available to kids. I am so looking forward to The War I Finally One, know it will be great. Thanks, Ramona!

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  5. Love these photos! I am also working on my list for 2018! So many great titles being talked about in all of the update lists. The Seventh Wish was a title I recommended again and again last year.

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  6. I got The Sun is Also a Star on Audible. Do you have the app? I could share it with you. I loved it. I enjoyed listening to it. There are multiple voices. It's a lovely love story. I will not be passing it to my elementary kids, though. It's more for a high schooler or young adult. I still haven't read Seventh Wish. Gotta get to it.

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  7. Ramona, have you read HENRY AND THE CHALK DRAGON? Also LOVE, ISH. And REFUGEE by Alan Gratz. Some of my recent faves. (I need to do a post about books soon!) Thanks for sharing! And those book-kid pics are adorable! xo

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