Styling Librarian: #IMWAYR It’s Monday What Are You Reading?

Thanks to: TeachMentorTexts for the inspiration! Thanks to Jen and Kellee for the meme! Getting lost in books was a key survival tool while I also dealt with a frustrating library system situation. Book reading and family time are great escapes! I also was contacted by a favorite author who I will be interviewing in a few months and got a link to read her new book. In order to open the link, I had to reactivate Netgalley- what took me so long? So now, I’m making friends with Netgalley after being frustrated with a few glitches in the program over a year and a half ago. Books I was excited about reading are in my grasp, time juggling ensues!

Zen and the Art of Faking It by Jordan Sonnenblick – High School – I enjoyed simply getting lost in a realistic fiction book filled equally with humor and angst. It was quite a relief to avoid other sensitive topics that have popped up in realistic fiction books recently. Also, getting lost in religious topics was interesting… Well written, looking forward to reading another Sonnenblick soon! Reminded me of a few other books I’ve loved thru the years, for example: Dork in Disguise by Carol Gorman. Goodreads summary: “From masterfully funny and poignant Jordan Sonnenblick, a story that will have everyone searching for their inner Zen. When eighth-grader San Lee moves to a new town and a new school for the umpteenth time, he doesn’t try to make new friends or be a loner or play cool. Instead he sits back and devises a plan to be totally different. When he accidentally answers too many questions in World History on Zen (only because he just had Ancient Religions two schools ago) all heads turn and San has his answer: he’s a Zen Master. And just when he thinks everyone (including the cute girl he can’t stop thinking about) is on to him, everyone believes him . . . in a major Zen way.”

Early chapter book: Tales from the Waterhole by Bob Graham – Quite a cute story to enjoy with animals in Africa living at a waterhole. I rolled my eyes a few times at the love interest storyline, couldn’t figure out what age the animals were supposed to be… but it was a quick entertaining chapter book that my son laughed over. Reminded me of George and Martha stories by James Marshall. Goodreads Summary: “During the dry season, Morris the crocodile and his animal friends enjoy playing in and near the water hole.”

First book I enjoyed from Netgalley: Graphic Novel- Chickenhare: Half Chicken, Half Rabbit, 100% Hero! by Chris Grine - going to be released any day. I heard about this book on Twitter and was extremely curious about it due to the fantastic book trailer. I enjoyed the hilarity with unlikely friends, on a mission to rescue themselves and a mysterious ghost goat from a disturbing, abusive taxidermist. I think students are going to enjoy this book, think it is interesting that there are also two other Chickenhare books I hadn’t learned about before… Pretty great website about the book: http://www.chickenhare.com Goodreads Summary: “What’s a chickenhare? A cross between a chicken and a rabbit, of course. And that makes Chickenhare the rarest animal around! So when he and his turtle friend Abe are captured and sold to the evil taxidermist Klaus, they’ve got to find a way to escape before Klaus turns them into stuffed animals. With the help of two other strange creatures, Banjo and Meg, they might even get away. But with Klaus and his thugs hot on their trail, the adventure is only just beginning for this unlikely quartet of friends.”

Chickenhare book trailer from chris grine on Vimeo.

Continuing my #readinggapchallenge – sports books

Erm, nope, not getting to this one this week (again) and that’s totally fine…  

Thought I’d also mention my Non-Fiction Reading Goal Progress:

Who is J.K. Rowling? by Pam Pollack, Meg Belviso, Stephen Marchesi, and Nancy Harrison-  Great glimpse into the life of J.K. Rowling that was respectful, informative, and interesting. My son jumped up and down every time there was an explanation about Harry Potter writing whether it be a friend that she wrote into the book or an enemy. We enjoyed this book as a read aloud together.- biography. Goodreads Summary: “Everyone loves Harry Potter. Now kids can learn about Harry’s creator! In 1995, on a four-hour-delayed train from Manchester to London, J. K. Rowling conceived of the idea of a boy wizard named Harry Potter. Upon arriving in London, she began immediately writing the first book in the saga. Rowling’s true-life, rags-to-riches story is as compelling as the world of Hogwarts that she created. This biography details not only Rowling’s life and her love of literature but the story behind the creation of a modern classic”

I am back to listening to audiobooks, happy day. I am enjoying an adult book- The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels- A Love Story by Ree Drummond - entertaining me quite a bit.

I also am really enjoying Pickle by Kim Baker, illustrated by Tim Probert – I had to put it aside while I finished another book I actually can’t talk about, happy to pick Pickle back up!

Want more book ideas and reviews? – Yes, I’m quite brief, but a prolific reader!  Please visit me at Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1941055-the-styling-librarian Also, please follow this blog through email updates – (do so to the right of this blog post), my Facebook page, comment, or meet up with me on Twitter. I appreciate all of the support, makes my day! Honored by all the wonderful followers.