It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 6/13/16
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly blog meme. The kidlit version is hosted by Unleashing Readers and Teach Mentor Texts.
Here’s what I’ve recently finished:
The Lost Boy by Greg Ruth
1/5 stars
This book really should have been called the lost girl because I felt completely lost throughout this entire graphic novel. Greg Ruth works to create a different world but didn’t show me enough of the world or tell me enough about it so that I could be there. There was too much inferring necessary for me to piece together this alternate world. Although that might just be a clever writing tactic (after all, it IS called The LOST Boy), I didn’t fully understand what I had read even when I finished. I hung with the plotline until about halfway through this quick read. That was when I realized that this AR Reading Level of 2.6 was wrong. So, so wrong (thanks AR).
Kristy’s Great Idea (Baby-Sitters Club Graphic Novels #1) by Raina Telgemeier
5/5 stars
I never read The Baby-Sitters Club growing up, but after reading this book I wish I had! I love the girls in the club and Telgemeier really brings them to life in this full color graphic novel. I know it will really resonate with my middle school students because of the growing pains and friendship woes the girls experience. Between all four of the babysitters, readers are sure to relate to at least one of the characters if not more. I can’t wait to read more books in this series!
Wake Up Missing by Kate Messner
4/5 stars
I’ve been looking for high-interest, cross-curricular middle grades novels that are great for read-alouds. After reading a recommendation of cross-curricular books great for read-alouds on The Nerdy Book Club, I knew I had to read Wake Up Missing. This book offers a great cross-curricular tie-in with genetics. The main characters all have experienced serious concussions that have left them with symptoms that prevent them from doing all they did before their injury. I-CAN is a globally renowned rehabilitation clinic that offers gene therapy to cure the symptoms of the concussion. After getting dropped off at the clinic, Cat realizes something isn’t quite right and she’s determined to find out what’s really going on at the clinic.
Fast-paced and exciting, I think the middle schoolers will really like this book. Because of the awesomely cliff-hanging chapter ends, it will make for a great read-aloud! I wish I would have read this book before I stood in line next to Kate Messner at NCTE last year – I would have really fangirled had I known. Sigh…
I had Wake Up Missing checked out from the library but had to return it before we got to it. Now I’ll definitely get it again just as soon as we’re home from vacation. (And–please let it be soon!–finished with the Gordon Korman series we’re reading.) I never read any of the Babysitter Club books either but I’ve been intrigued by the graphic novel versions since it’s Raina. Not intrigued enough to actually seek them out but now I will. Thank you for the reviews!
I’d be interested on your take on Wake Up Missing. Very adventurous and good for reading aloud because each chapter ends on a type of cliffhanger. I’m going to suggest it to the grade 7 science teacher to read aloud when they cover genetics. The Babysitter Club is definitely a Raina novel! I have Sisters sitting on my shelf that I’m also excited to finally get to.
I absolutely grew up with the Babysitters books, they were all the rage when I was a kid, and I really love Raina Telgemeier’s interpretations – they’re a fun new version for a new generation of readers.
I think this series will really resonate with my grade sevens! Who knows? Maybe they will even pick up the original series.
I looked for Wake Up Missing at our library today and they don’t have it (or any other Kate Messner books) so I’ll have to add it to my Amazon Wish List. I am collecting read-aloud recommendations so I was excited to check it out. Do you have any suggestions that your 7th graders loved? I hopefully have a job as the middle school reading intervention teacher at the school where I subbed at the end of the year. I won’t know until July or maybe early August, so I’ve been preparing book lists and reading PD books assuming the position is approved.
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