#IMWAYR August 7, 2017

Each week I join Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from Unleashing Readers to share all of the reading I've done over the week from picture books to young adult novels. 

This week I continued to work on my new curriculum. I also played around with ideas for this year's reading journal based on bullet format. Here's a good post that got me started. So far mine has a Neverending reading list, a 100 book challenge, and a Newbery book reading and rating page. I left 6 front and back pages for the neverending list and I've already filled two and a half with books I want to read. I am sure more will be added today. 

Here's what I read this week:

Middle Grade

This book was recommended to me last week when I was looking for characters who go through significant character change. In Restart, that change is caused by amnesia. When the school bully, Chase, falls off his roof and forgets his past, he sees himself through a new lens. He wants to be a different person. But his fall hasn't erased his past from the memory of others and not everyone is ready to give him a second chance.

If you are taking the time to read this blog, then my guess is that you will want to be a member of The Loser's Club. Alec is a book addict. In fact he has missed so much class time because of reading that his teachers and parents are now watching him every moment. At least he thinks he can read in after care, but the program is set up so you can't just sit and read, you have to join an activity or a club. Alec realizes his only choice is to create a club for others who want to sit and read, but since he wants quiet, he decides to call it The Loser's Club to discourage participation. It turns out that Alec isn't the only one who wants to be a loser. This is the book for kids (and adults) who love books. I won't be surprised to see a Loser's Club trend moving around schools faster than you can say, "Frindle."

Young Adult

Another incredible novel in verse from Kwame Alexander. Blade is a rich boy from a famous family but all he wants is for his father to give up his addictions and be there for him. When Blade learns he is actually adopted he travels across the world to find out if there was a different life he could have known. But his past life won't let him leave it behind. I hope they make an cd with this book's playlist.

When Kahlen's ship is brought down by sirens who send her whole family to their death, Kahlen gains the Ocean's attention and instead of death, she is claimed to be a singing sister. Now it's eighty years later and Kahlen still can't stomach the destruction she causes each time she sings. When she meets Ankli, a kind boy who sees through her outer beauty to the person she is inside, she is immediately drown to him. But how can you love someone when your voice is a deadly weapon?

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Stacy Barnett Mozer is a teacher and a middle grade author. If you like what she's been reading follow her on Goodreads. Please leave a comment below and stop by the blog on Thursday for a new author interview. This week I'll be talking with Elly Swartz. 

It's Monday, what are you reading?