In 2021 I'm trying to return to communities that support me as a reader, a writer, and a teacher. Not sure how regular I will be, but I am here today.
Jen Vincent at Teach Mentor Texts and Kelle and Ricki at Unleashing Readers co-host It's Monday! What Are You Reading? Stop by and see what others are reading this week.
What I Read Last (Two) Weeks:
Finding Langston by Lesa Cline-Ransome
This book, at just 112 pages, was a quick read, which will appeal to many reluctant readers. And any book that connects characters with libraries, poetry, reading, and writing, is a keeper for me.
Ground Zero by Alan Gratz
Alan Gratz books are always a hit in my classroom, and I believe Ground Zero will be too! My students have a high interest in 9/11 books, so this definitely fits a need. Gratz has become a master at weaving stories of different characters in different time periods and somehow connects them in the end! Brandon, the main character in Ground Zero is nine, however, I would have some concerns about placing this book in the hands of students that age due to some of the graphic scenes.
I know my middle school students are going to love this one!
Enduring Freedom by Trent Reedy and Jawad Arash
(ARC provided by Netgalley)
Trent Reed, along with Jawad Arash, tells a story of two sides of the War in Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks and two boys caught in the middle. I learned so much about the Afghan people, their culture, and their perspective on the presence of the United States military in their country. I love the way the authors show the importance of education and how education holds such power in overcoming our world's struggles. The authors' notes gave me a deeper appreciation for the book as they tell the real-life connection between the two authors. and how this connection is mirrored in the story of Joe and Baheer. I will have no problems finding readers for this book, which is due out in May.
Nest. Flight. Sky. by Beth Kephart
After reading Handling the Truth by Kephart, I knew I wanted to read more from her. I found this book on Hoopla, an app that is becoming my new best friend! In this memoir, she writes about the death of her mother, her obsession with birds, and their connection.
On my reading radar for this week:
