It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 9/10/18

Beagles and Books is excited to share another edition of It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR is a community of bloggers who link up to share what they are reading. Kellee Moye of Unleashing Readers and Jen Vincent of Teach Mentor Texts decided to give it a #kidlit focus and encourage everyone who participates to visit at least 3 of the other #kidlit book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

Our Reads This Week:

Monster Mayhem by Christopher Elipoulos

Young Zoe is a genius at building robots and loves watching old monster movies. She is not a mastermind at making friends her own age.  Scarred by a bad experience with a former classmate, Zoe tries to convince herself and the adults in her life that she is better off being alone.

Walking home from school one day, Zoe finds a gold ring, puts it on, and gives it a twist.  The next day, she is shocked to see a monster from one of her favorite movies outside her window.  While the magic ring may have granted her secret wish of wanting a friend, more monsters are on their way, and they are not as friendly as her new monster friend, Chomp.  Can Zoe alone save her city from the hungry monsters or will she finally be willing to trust others and ask for help?

My students love Cosmic Commandos so I was excited to read an advance copy of Monster Mayhem!  While reading Cosmic Commandos is not a prerequisite, there is a connection between both graphic novels.  Fast paced and full of adventure and humor, readers will love Zoe who has a talent for creating and problem solving in school but struggles with asking for help and building relationships with her peers.  Thanks to Penguin Young Readers for sending an ARC to my #bookexcursion group.  Monster Mayhem recently released in August 2018.

Polka Dot Parade: A Book About Bill Cummingham by Deborah Blumenthal Illustrated by Masha D’Yans

Polka Dot Parade celebrates the life of Bill Cunningham, the legendary bicycling photographer who snapped photographs of fashionable New Yorkers for almost 40 years.  Bill once said, “He who seeks beauty will find it.” Bill not only found beauty in the people he photographed but also in their clothes.  Bill did not merely snap pictures of those who followed fashion; rather, his focus was people who made fashion.  Bill thought that fashion was truly about freedom and being true to yourself.

Readers discover that Bill began his career as a hatmaker and a fashion writer before becoming a photographer.  Like the U.S. Postal Service, no weather deterred Bill from hopping on his bike to take pictures.  Throughout his career, 30 bicycles served as his transportation. Modest and unassuming, Bill was awarded the Legion of Honor, the French government’s highest honor in 2008.

With Deborah Blumenthal’s lyrical text and Masha D’yan’s vivid watercolors, Polka Dot Parade is a beautiful tribute to the man who invented street-fashion photography.  Readers will be not only inspired by his amazing talent but also for teaching the importance of finding and having a job that you truly love.

Thanks to Little Bee Books for sending a copy of Polka Dot Parade to my #bookexcursion group. It recently published on August 28, 2018.

Etta’s and Bella’s Dog Pick of the Week:

Wanting to spread the dog love, Beagles and Books has a weekly feature of highlighting a literary selection with a canine main character.

Good Rosie by Kate DiCamillo Illustrated by Harry Bliss

Rosie lives with a comfortable life with George, but sometimes, she gets lonely and wishes for a canine companion.  On their usual walk, George decides they need to try something new so they venture to the dog park which is full of dogs. Rosie though still feels lonely and a bit afraid around all these strange dogs.  When Rosie first meets Maurice, a Saint Bernard and small, energetic Fifi, she does not like them and wants to go home.  But when Maurice plays a little too rough with Fifi, Rosie comes to Fifi’s aid and learns that making friends all starts with one simple step-asking.

Written in concise text coupled with warm watercolor illustrations in a panel comic format, readers will fall in love with Rosie, Maurice, and Fifi.  I can’t wait to share Good Rosie as a read aloud for #classroombookaday which will teach students about the challenges and rewards of forming new friendships. Good Rosie recently published on September 4, 2018.

Etta, Bella, and I thank you for visiting Beagles and Books.  Have a great week!