Picture Book Round-Up

I've spent nearly a year in a middle school library and I will admit that my new job has seriously curtailed my picture book reading.  The fact that my own girls are also beyond the picture book stage has not helped.  This past weekend I finally got around to reading the stack of picture books I've checked out that I requested.  There are some fantastic new books to enjoy.

These nine are all great and you won't go wrong with any of them.

Everything You Need For a Tree House by Carter Higgins, illustrated by Emily Hughes-  this picture book will get readers wanting to build their own tree house.  The illustrations are so detailed and show how fun and amazing different treehouses can be.  Perfect for K-3

Aquarium by Cynthia Alonso - this wordless picture book shares the story of a young girl who watches the fish in the water from a dock. As she brings a fish home and creates a home for it, she realizes that his own habitat may be what he needs.  Grades PK-1

Big Tree Down by Laurie Lawlor, illustrated by David Gordon - this book shows what happens when a community loses a landmark they have all come to know.  From the loss of electricity, tangled power lines, and the machines that come to help move the tree away, this story captures an everyday event perfectly. K-3

Don't Blink by Amy Krouse Rosenthal,illustrated by David Roberts- this fun book challenges readers to not blink so they won't fall asleep. An interactive story that kids will love. It reminds me of Press Here, a picture book which inspired the newest wave of books that engage readers to do things as directed in the pages of the book.  All ages will enjoy this fun book.

The Brilliant Deep: Rebuilding the World's Coral Reefs by Kate Messner, illustrations by Matthew Forsythe - I'll admit to not having thought much about coral reefs, but Messner provides information about how coral reefs are disappearing and then shares the story of Ken Nedimyer who has managed to rebuild some of these reefs.  The illustrations are beautiful, and this non-fiction book will get students thinking about what they can do to help their environment.  1st grade and up

Truck Full of Ducks by Ross Burach - this is a funny book - perfect for a read aloud - with bright illustrations that add to the humor.  As Bernie tries to deliver the ducks to the person who ordered them, there is plenty to laugh about.  While younger readers will find this story entertaining, there is plenty for older readers to laugh about as well.  K-3

Girl Running: Bobbi Gibb and the Boston Marathon by Annette Bay Pimentel, illustrated by Micha Archer - there is much to love about this book. First of all, the collage art is delightful and I found myself spending time really enjoying the illustrations.  Second, this is a great story about perseverance and gender equality in athletics.  This would be a great read aloud and is being added to my own middle school library.  2 grade and up

The Big Bed by Bunmi Laditan, pictures by Tom Knight - many parents will relate to this story as the young girl tries to find a solution to the problem of there not being enough room in her parents bed.  Parents will find this book funny as the girl reveals the way to fix the problem is for her father to sleep on a cot.  K and up

Neck & Neck by Elise Parsley - Leopold, the giraffe at the zoo, had a pretty good life until he meets another giraffe (who is really a balloon that looks like a giraffe), and the kids fall in love with it.  When Leopold destroys the balloon things go from bad to worse.  Don't worry, though. Leopold will find a way to  fix things and for kids to love him again.   Grades K-2 

What new picture books should I add to my list?

Waiting on Wednesday: Us Against You

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature where I highlight a soon to be released title.

This week's pick: Us Against You by Fredrik Backman
Due out: June 5, 2018


Synopsis taken from Amazon:


From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Beartown and A Man Called Ove, hailed as “a writer of astonishing depth [with] the remarkable ability to make you understand the feelings of each of a dozen different characters” (The Washington Times), a heart-wrenching story of how loyalty, friendship, and love carry a town through its darkest days.

After everything that the citizens of Beartown have gone through, they are struck yet another blow when they hear that their beloved local hockey team will soon be disbanded. What makes it worse is the obvious satisfaction that all the former Beartown players, who now play for a rival team in Hed, take in that fact. Amidst the mounting tension between the two rivals, a surprising newcomer is handpicked to be Beartown’s new hockey coach.

Soon a new team starts to take shape around Amat, the fastest player you’ll ever see; Benji, the intense lone wolf; and Vidar, a born-to-be-bad troublemaker. But bringing this team together proves to be a challenge as old bonds are broken, new ones are formed, and the enmity with Hed grows more and more acute.

As the big match approaches, the not-so-innocent pranks and incidents between the communities pile up and their mutual contempt grows deeper. By the time the last game is finally played, a resident of Beartown will be dead, and the people of both towns will be forced to wonder if, after all they’ve been through, the game they love can ever return to something simple and innocent.

Us Against You is a declaration of love for all the big and small, bright and dark stories that form and color our communities. Compelling and heartbreaking, it’s a roller-coaster ride of emotions and a showcase for “Fredrik Backman’s pitch-perfect dialogue and unparalleled understanding of human nature” (Shelf Awareness).

TLC Book Tour: Cocoa Beach

Beatriz Williams has quickly become one of my must read authors.  While there are some books of hers I like better than others, I love historical fiction and Williams does a fantastic job of creating stories I find hard to put down.

Set in Cocoa Beach in the 1920s, I love that this book features Virginia, a minor character from A Certain Age.  Williams does a great job of incorporating characters from previous books, yet writing so that readers can simply enjoy a story without having read any of her previous work. 

Set in 1917 and 1922, we see Virginia as a nurse in World War I,  when she first meets Simon, the man she eventually marries. In 1922, Simon has just died and Virginia travels to Florida to meet with his attorney and take over the business she has inherited. Once there, Virginia begins to question whether Simon perished in the fire that destroyed his plantation home, and secrets begin to reveal themselves to her.  

There is suspense in this novel as it moves back and forth in time and Williams knows how to end chapters on a bit of a cliffhanger that kept me turning the pages.  The end of the novel ends with a bit of a question as well, something Williams will use in her next novel, The Wicked Redhead due out in March 2019.  

Williams brought Cocoa Beach to life and I loved the setting of this novel.  I love how she uses her previous books to build new stories, and I love that she so deftly moves between two time periods and connects them together so well.  

This is another winner from Williams.


Thanks to TLC Book Tours for providing a copy of this book for my review.  All opinions expressed are, as always, my own.  

For more information, visit the HarperCollins website.

Friday Five: Memorial Day Weekend

Ahhhh! Memorial Day Weekend! Three days off of work.  Beautiful, hot weather.  I can't wait!  The countdown to the end of the school year continues.  And I'm also counting down to next Wednesday when I head to Book Expo in New York City.  

1.  Straw Tote - I found some straw totes last week, but once I had clicked on them a few times, I continued to get straw tote options in my instagram feed.  I think I like this one even better than the ones I saw last week.  

2.  Jumbo NYPL Logo Mug - there are tons of bookish mugs out there....I don't own any at this point, but someday I might actually refresh my 

3.  Wool Runner - I'm always up for a new pair of tennis shoes.  These are maybe a little dressier than some other tennis shoes.

4.  Queen Elizabeth Crew Socks - who wouldn't want to follow up Harry and Meghan's wedding with a pair of Queen Elizabeth socks?

5.  Scout Designs Vintage Rainbow Stripe Leggings - this reminds me of my childhood - it must be the rainbow stripe. I'd love to exercise in these!







6.   Striped Tie Front Tank Top - this striped tank and the others that JCrew has like it would be a great addition to any summer wardrobe.  

7.  Seamless Leggings - The camo leggings keep appearing on my instagram feed. I'm not sure how instagram knows how I feel about camo, but I'm happy they clued me in to these.

8.  Market Wrap Skirt - there are so many great skirts out there. I love the crisp, summer look of this one.  Sadly, I don't dress up for work, but if I did, this would definitely be something I'd buy.

9.  Popover Boyfriend Tunic Shirt in Linen - I love the color of this shirt, however, linen always looks so wrinkly on me.  If you are someone who can ear linen and it doesn't look like you rolled around in a laundry basket for a while, then this is the shirt for you.

10.  Official Royal Wedding Photographs- so much loveliness.  I am still dealing with a royal wedding hangover.  Absolutely beautiful.

So how about you? What's caught your eye this week?

Waiting on Wednesday: Dreams of Falling

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly post where I highlight a soon to be released title.

This week's pick: Dreams of Falling by Karen White
Due out: June 5, 2018

Synopsis taken from Amazon:

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Night the Lights Went Out comes an exquisite new novel about best friends, family ties and the love that can both strengthen and break those bonds.

New York Times bestselling author Karen White crafts evocative relationships in this new contemporary women's fiction novel about best friends who share a devastating secret, set in the Lowcountry of South Carolina.

It's been nine years since Larkin fled Georgetown, South Carolina, vowing never to go back. But when she finds out that her mother has disappeared, she knows she has no choice but to return to the place that she both loves and dreads--and to the family and friends who never stopped wishing for her to come home. Ivy, Larkin's mother, is discovered in the burned out wreckage of her family's ancestral rice plantation, badly injured and unconscious. No one knows why Ivy was there, but as Larkin digs for answers, she uncovers secrets kept for nearly 50 years. Secrets that lead back to the past, to the friendship between three girls on the brink of womanhood who swore that they would be friends forever, but who found that vow tested in heartbreaking ways

Monday Mini-Reviews: Two Fantastic New Releases

I was so busy with watching the royal wedding and soccer games and the usual weekend errand running that my reading time was minimal. Thank goodness the two books I read were really good.  

You Think It, I'll Say It by Curtis Sittenfeld is a collection of short stories.  Normally I would pass on a short story collection, but I like Sittenfeld's writing and have heard great things about this book, so I decided to give it a chance. I can easily see why people like this book. I enjoyed all the stories and read it in just a day.  The stories are short enough that anyone could easily read just one each night before bed as well.  I didn't necessarily appreciate her political commentary in her work.  This is something I'm seeing from a lot of writers, and mostly I just don't think it brings anything to the story. Instead their work is being used as a place for them to force their beliefs on their readers.  I'll still read anything Sittenfeld writes, but that is one aspect of her writing detracts from her work.

A Place For Us by Fatimah Farheen Mirzah is a family saga, something I love.  The story begins at Hadia's wedding, where her brother Amar has come to reconcile with everyone after being away from home for several years. The story moves back and forth in time and we can see Layla and Raffiq meet and marry, and then have children: Hadia, Huda and Amar. We learn of different events that occurred in their childhoods and can see that Amar has struggled more to fit in than his older sisters.  I loved seeing things from various perspectives of the family members and loved seeing the family dynamics and growing and changing of the characters.  This novel captured my attention from the first page and is one I'm anticipating will be on my list of Best Books I've Read in 2018.

What books did you find to enjoy this past week?

Friday Five: It's Time for a Royal Wedding

Tomorrow is the big royal wedding that I've been anticipating right along with the rest of the world. I haven't watched much of anything about the upcoming nuptials up until now, but tonight I'm going to need to curl up on the couch and begin my wedding watching.

We still have three weeks of school left, but it is nice to get this week over with and know that summer is just a bit further off.  

I'm liking the warm weather clothes I'm seeing online and finding other non-clothing related things to like as well.

1. Iowa Distressed Vintage Trucker - at first I thought this company only featured southern states.  I am really excited to see I can get my very own Iowa hat.  I love the distressed look and can't quite decide yet which color I'll select.

2.  Vacationland Anorak - I already have this hanging in my closet.  LL Bean had a button down shirt in this print, which I liked a lot, but I think I'll get more wear out of an anorak that I can throw on to walk the dog, or in the mornings when it is still cool out.

3.  Sparkle Stud Earrings - I'm a sucker for some blingy earrings every once in a while.  I like that these aren't super big, but still are blingy and sparkly.

4.  Straw Bucket Bag - Middle Sister took over my straw bag a few years ago. Gap is having a sale (when are they not having a sale?) and this is one of the bags I'd be happy to end up with.

5.  Book Tote Bag - considering the number of books I carry around, I could certainly use an other book tote bag.  

6.   AEA Oversized Bow Slides - these cute sandals come in a variety of colors.  I'm seeing lots of bows on sandals this year, and the look is growing on me.

7.  Tie Back Tank Top - I happened to notice that Big Mama had this top featured on her Friday roundup today as well.  What can I say? We have good taste.  

8.  Women's Mad Love Kassandra Slip On Canvas Flexible Bottom Shoe - camo? and these are at Target? I think I need to stop there on my way home from my dentist appointment.  These would be a fantastic little shoe for me to have in my collection.

9.  Short Sleeve Button Up Shirt in Wide Stripe - this top comes in blue as well as pink. I think the blue pops a little more, but I'd be happy with either.

10.  Wrap My Hijab - Katie Couric's podcast a few weeks ago was calld The Muslim Next Door. Both of her guests were fantastic, and one is a rapper. Here's a youtube video of her song that I found extremely catchy.  Apparently Katie did, too, because she was singing a little of it on her show.

So that's it for me this week. What's caught your eye?

Waiting on Wednesday: When Katie Met Cassidy

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature where I highlight a soon to be released title that I can't wait to read.

This week's pick:  When Katie Met Cassidy by Camille Perri
Due out: June 19, 2018

Synopsis taken from Amazon:

From the acclaimed author of The Assistants comes another gutsy book about the importance of women taking the reins--this time, when it comes to love, sex, and self-acceptance.

"Katie and Cassidy are a joy to behold: two whip-smart women grappling with desire and questioning their deeply held notions of love and intimacy. Perri's book is a real gift -- tender, sexy as hell and laugh out loud funny." --Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney

When it comes to Cassidy, Katie can't think straight.

Katie Daniels, a twenty-eight-year-old Kentucky transplant with a strong set of traditional values, has just been dumped by her fiancé when she finds herself seated across a negotiating table from native New Yorker Cassidy Price, a sexy, self-assured woman wearing a man's suit. At first neither of them knows what to make of the other, but soon their undeniable connection will bring into question everything each of them thought they knew about sex and love.

When Katie Met Cassidy is a romantic comedy about gender and sexuality, and the importance of figuring out who we are in order to go after what we truly want. It's also a portrait of a high-drama subculture where barrooms may as well be bedrooms, and loyal friends fill in the spaces absent families leave behind. Katie's glimpse into this wild yet fiercely tightknit community begins to alter not only how she sees the larger world, but also where exactly she fits in.

Monday Mini-Reviews

Happy Belated Mother's Day to all the moms out there.  I had a peaceful day at home, and hosted my in-laws and mom for supper last night.  I'm ready for another week of school which gets us one week closer to summer break.

This week I read a variety of books and my top three are certainly all very different.

Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton is written in alternating time periods. Marisol goes to Cuba to scatter her grandmother's ashes and learn more about the place she left as a young woman.  While there she discovers some letters from a man her grandmother loved when they were both young - a man who worked for Fidel Castro.  This whole novel is well written and full of information about Cuba's history. I learned a lot while enjoying a fantastic historical fiction novel.

Church of the Small Things by Melanie Shankle is another of Shankle's books on life.  I listen to her podcast and read her blog, so getting to read an entire book by her just cements our friendship.  I feel like I know her and she really does a great job of writing with humor, but also in giving out some great advice with a Christian message.

The Cactus by Sarah Haywood is a debut novel that I loved.  Susan is forty-five and extremely regimented in her life.  When her mother dies leaving her inheritance to her brother and she finds herself unexpectedly pregnant, her life is upended.  It's a little hard to like Susan at first, but as the book unfolds, she will definitely grow on readers.  

All three of these are ones I would hand off to friends to read.

I've read quite a bit this past weekend, but there are still more books to be read.  Let's see what I can get through this week.

Friday Five

I woke up this morning to some heavy rain showers, but managed to still force myself to work out before starting the day.  I wish getting up super early would get easier, but I think it might always be hard.  I've got a full day ahead and told the girls I would take them to see the movie The Miracle Season tonight, so I don't have time for a workout later today.

The temperatures are definitely spring-like here, and I'm finding some spring and summer clothes I'd love to have.

1.  Cole Haan Open Toe Wedge Pump - I love how these look. At this point, they are too dressy for the job I have and I just don't dress up to hang out at home.  But if I had a job that required some professional clothing, these shoes would be in my closet.

2.  Women's Modern Loafer - Katie Couric was raving about these loafers on her podcast and if Katie loves them, I probably would, too. There are several color options available, but these red shoes would be fun.

3.  The Soft Cotton Square Crew - while I was checking out Everlane and the loafers above, I noticed this sweater. Just a wardrobe staple available in several colors.  

4.  Make Mystery Graphic T-  maybe some people wouldn't recognize this as a nod to Nancy Drew, but I've loved Nancy since I was about nine years old.  

5.  Criss Cross Sweatshirt - this is perhaps not a very exciting sweatshirt, but my daughter has one from Athleta's girls' line and it is so soft and nice looking, that I just might need one for myself.

6.  Tilda Embroidered Cotton Skirt - I have a pair of pants that has a city scene on it that I bought several years ago. I still like that look, and this skirt would just update it.

7.  Tortoise Slide Sandal - someday I just might buy a pair of sandals. You know how I feel about leopard print clothing. I love it equally much on shoes.

8.  Gingham Pajama Set - and I love gingham, so why not get a pair of gingham pajamas?

9.  Molls Top  - another pretty standard top, but with a little extra detail.

10.  The Palace released new pictures of Baby Louis. Adorable.

So how about you? What's caught your eye this week?

Waiting on Wednesday: The Death of Mrs. Westaway

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly post where I highlight a soon to be released title that I can't wait to read.

This week's pick:  The Death of Mrs. Westaway
Due out: May 29, 2018


Synopsis taken from Amazon:

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of In a Dark, Dark Wood, The Woman in Cabin 10, and The Lying Game comes Ruth Ware’s highly anticipated fourth novel.

On a day that begins like any other, Hal receives a mysterious letter bequeathing her a substantial inheritance. She realizes very quickly that the letter was sent to the wrong person—but also that the cold-reading skills she’s honed as a tarot card reader might help her claim the money.

Soon, Hal finds herself at the funeral of the deceased…where it dawns on her that there is something very, very wrong about this strange situation and the inheritance at the center of it.

Full of spellbinding menace and told in Ruth Ware’s signature suspenseful style, this is an unputdownable thriller from the Agatha Christie of our time.

A Visit With Author Rob Buyea

A couple weeks ago I had the opportunity to meet Rob Buyea. Each year the Cedar Valley brings in an author for fifth grade students to meet and hear speak.  This year Rob Buyea was the guest author.  

Unfortunately for me, I'm now working at the middle school level, which means I don't get included on the fifth grade meet the author field trip any more. So, I decided to attend his evening "show" which he does for the general public.  And I brought my fifth grade daughter along.

We're both fans of Buyea's work and after hearing him speak we love him more than ever.  Some authors are fantastic at crafting great novels. Buyea's novels are fantastic school stories, told by multiple narrators that really capture what it's like in a classroom.  However, some authors are not great speakers.  Buyea was a great speaker.  More accurately, he was a great storyteller.  He took great delight in sharing stories of his own teaching career and various students - and how these memories helped him create his novels.  

He had his entire audience laughing much of the night.  I wondered what my daughter would take away from this event.  The next morning she commented that she thinks she would have loved for him to have been her teacher.  He had great ideas, she said.  

Although she wasn't super excited about posing with Rob Buyea, she did allow me to get her picture with him, and even has the book he autographed on a special shelf she now has designated for books that she's had autographed.

It's always exciting to meet an author, especially one that is so fun to listen to. We both commented on our drive home how much we want to read all of his books. 

And after finishing off Harry Potter last week, we've now started the second book in Rob Buyea's Mr. Terupt series.

If you're looking for a way to motivate or excite a reader, an author visit definitely gets readers of all ages interested.