Bella and I are excited to share our latest reads in 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.
Hidden Truths by Elly Swartz
Best friends since the second grade, Dani and Eric share memories of attending Red Sox games, going camping, and eating donuts. Dani is ecstatic to finally have been chosen to be a part of the Mapleville boy’s baseball team and comic book aficionado Eric is happy for her. On the last weekend before sixth grade, they go on their annual camping trip to Cape Cod, but an accident threatens not only Dani’s baseball playing but also their friendship.
Swartz is my go-to author for middle grade fiction. Her characters are authentic showing both their strengths and flaws. I love that Swartz chose to write Hidden Truths from both Dani’s and Eric’s points of view allowing readers to truly understand each of their perspectives. As I read each chapter, my heart hurt for both of them and I was hopeful that they could find a way to forgive and move forward. One of my favorite characters was Waylan, Dani’s physical therapist, who said it best. When life throws a curveball, you can choose pain or pivot. Good advice for us all!
Hidden Truths also reminds us that while childhood friendships are special, they are also tough to maintain as each individual gradually learns more about who they are. Not to give the story away; I love how Swartz weaved advocacy into the plot to show kids they can make a difference. Thanks to Wunderkind for sharing an ARC. Hidden Truths celebrates its book birthday tomorrow on October 31, 2023.
Geeger the Robot: Field Trip by Jarrett Lerner
In the sixth and final book in the series, Geeger gets to go on his first field trip to the Amblerville History Museum with his classmates. A bumpy bus ride makes it hard to have a conversation and to Geeger, it sounds like all the riders are hiccupping while talking. When Geeger pretends to hiccup even Mrs. Bork, the teacher, can’t stop from laughing. As Geeger tours the exhibits, he is fascinated especially when he discovers a compost pile which does a similar job to Geeger. When he stays too long at the display, Geeger finds himself alone. Fortunately, a museum employee saves the day by not only reuniting Geeger with his classmates but also showing him the best exhibit ever. Read to find out why!
As a teacher, I highly recommend Quix for young students just transitioning to chapter books or older kids who need additional supports. Like all the books in the series, Field Trip is written in a large font with short chapters. The whole story is 80 pages with appealing black and white illustrations to support comprehension. Other accessible features include a list of characters with their role as well as the use of bold font for characters’ names when first introduced in the text. Vocabulary words are also in bold and defined with pronunciation in a glossary. While it is preferable to read the books in order, Lerner includes a summary in the first chapter to support readers new to the series. Thanks to Simon and Schuster for sharing a copy. Field Day published on September 5, 2023.
Brave Little Bear by Steve Small
Arlo is nervous about leaving the den. His mother reassures him calling him “my little brave bear.” Wishing it were true, Arlo follows his mother watching his sister Eva do everything first.
When the family climbs a snowy mountain, winds make it difficult to walk and see. Suddenly, Arlo realizes Eva is missing. When he hears a sound in the distance, Arlo realizes that he must go back and find Eva.
From the moment I saw Arlo with his blue tipped nose, I was smitten. I love how Small drew him for readers see his vulnerability in his expressions and movement. While Arlo didn’t think he was brave, Small shows his strong instinct for recognizing Eva wasn’t nearby.
Thanks to Simon and Schuster for sharing a copy. Brave Little Bear published on October 24, 2023.
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 character.
Remembering by Xelena González Illustrated by Adrianna M. Garcia
Losing a pet is one of the most difficult events in a person’s life. Remembering teaches a ritual celebration of Dia de Muertos where a young boy creates an ofrenda or altar by gathering things to honor the memory of his beloved dog Simon. While the boy is collecting mementos, he is reminiscing about his dog. I love how González chose to have the boy narrate the text which gives him the opportunity to speak directly to young readers. Garcia’s illustrations are full of happiness and sorrow as her artwork shows the past and the present. The picture frames especially tugged at my heart because the photographs spill out of the frame revealing that while Simon is longer in the house, his spirit will always be there. The final page spread with the completed ofrenda shows the immense love the family has for Simon. Any pet owner will agree.
Bella and I thank you for visiting Beagles and Books!
“People love dogs. You can never go wrong adding a dog to the story.” Jim Butcher #IMWAYR is dedicated to dear Etta, my original book beagle. Blessed that Etta is part of my story.
I am an elementary reading specialist in Baltimore County. My goal is to build a community of readers at my school with both teachers and students.
I am also privileged to be a member of #bookexcursion, a group of 12 educators from all across the country who read, share, review, and promote new #kidlit releases.
Beagles and Books was created because in addition to books, I love my sweet beagles. Etta, a rescue from North Carolina joined our family in July 2010 and crossed the Rainbow Bridge in February 2020. Bella, a rescue from South Carolina became part of the family in October 2017.
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