Books to squeeze in before the summer is over... and bring into your teaching/ reccomend to students!
Book Reflection Time!
Some books that have given us good moments this summer. Here are made up awards I’m giving books I’ve enjoyed this summer.
Best Calming vibes:
How To Relax ( I now want this entire series because How To Fight and How to Love were also great ... I still burn the top of my mouth trying eat all the time so How To Eat is probably what’s up next, clearly I need it).
The most lovely:
The Carrying: Poems - Let’s be honest pretty much anything she touches turns beautiful. These are no exception.
The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse (is it an adult book? A kids book? A little Pooh Bear vibes? Hard to say but it was sweet and lovely).
Made me think/ continued learning:
How We Get Free: Black Feminism and the Combahee River Collective - especially excellent. If you haven’t read This Bridge Called My Back I would recommend pairing the two!
Girl, Woman, Other - it’s just brilliant. Read it.
Michael Rosen’s Sad Book beautiful, poignant, heartbreaking. It’s so human and honest and I can see it being used with kids or adults. Be prepared to maybe probably cry.
Minor Feelings - for the amount of highlights that I have in this one alone, I had to put it on here.
Excited to take to the classroom alert:
Middle grade chapter books
Mañanaland - I may have teared up with this one too. A family of big-hearted men, magical realism, a timeless message.
Stand Up, Yumi Chung! This one was so well done. It packed a punch (both funny and the ouch vibes when realities of racism etc..) and we dare you to not fall in love with and root for Yumi.
We Dream of Space , Wow. Erin Entrada Kelly does it again! Shifting narratives, a family out of orbit.. it is absolutely beautifully done.
Witches of Brooklyn - I was lucky enough to get this as an ARC and it’s absolutely adorable (I am a sucker for quirky aunt/grandma figures and spunky MC’s!). Basically, you want it! It’s also a trilogy which we love because hooking kids into a graphic novel series is such a WIN.
Go With the Flow - Girl power, girl friendship power, everyone is different power… and period power! This graphic novel is awesome.
Picture books we’re excited about bringing to the classroom!
How to Solve a Problem - It is always great to have true story and a younger human role model, not to mention the work ethic and fashion goals!
Saturday by Oge Mora- we love this for so many reasons. The perspective, the single mama rep, the loving relationship, the outlook on life. It’s endlessly relatable and a great teaching tool but also it’s just sincere and sweet.
Visiting Day - It’s a Jackie book, what else do we need to say?
Grandpa’s Stories - This one tugs at all the heartstrings. And the art matches perfectly (just look at this cover!?).
What I still haven't gotten to but need to read before the summer ends!! (yes, this can be an award).
Children of Blood and Bone
ARCs (advanced reader copies) I am excited to have and am just starting to read:
One Time - Sharon Creech
Charmings as a Verb - I am about halfway in and I am totally charmed.
What I’m most excited about grabbing next!!
and last but not least:
Three Keys (sequel to Front Desk by Kelly Yang which we LOVED and would be a great read aloud!)
Ah books. We love books.
What are y’all reading? What else should we squeeze in before school starts??