I read a wide variety of books this week, mostly because I'm preparing for a parent workshop I'm conducting at the temporary shelter I do read-alouds at. There are a lot of "littles" at this shelter so the focus is on interactive books, mostly for young readers (under the age of 8).
I also caught up with some comics reading, having bought new issues of Gotham Academy, Thor, and The Sandman: Overture. I have mixed feelings about this: I miss buying comics every month, but my wallet -- and probably my husband -- were thankful for the recent purchasing reprieve. I really am trying to minimize shopping and accumulating new things (even my beloved books) but it's hard!
Also in this week's mix are two books that aren't specifically geared towards young adults: the aforementioned The Sandman by Neil Gaiman and The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami. But both would appeal to the right teen reader (there's no gratuitous violence, sex, or cursing).
I was particularly taken with two very different books this week. The first, Before After, is a wordless concept book that I think is really great, and I'm going to emphasize heavily during my workshop. The second, Wandering Son, is a Japanese manga (translated) that gently tells the story of two 5th grade transgender kids. You don't see that kind of story very often, and I'm guessing that many Western readers might be surprised that it's a topic covered in a Japanese book. I only read the first volume so I'm eager to check out the rest of the series at the library.
[To rehash the concept :: post what you read last week, what you're reading now, and what you plan to read this week. If you have a review of the book(s), great! If you have a picture of the book(s), wonderful! If you have a book giveaway, fantastic! If you just list the title(s) of the book(s), not a problem! Make it as simple or as complex as you need it to be. At least, that's the message I got. This version of the meme is hosted by Jen and Kellee of Teach Mentor Text, which, in turn, was inspired by Sheila over at Book Journey, who hosts the original It's Monday! What Are You Reading?]
WHAT I READ LAST WEEK:
Bath Time! by Sandra Boynton
Before After by by Matthias Arégui and Anne-Margot Ramstein
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems
Gotham Academy, Issue #4 & #5 by Becky Cloonan and Brenden Fletcher, illustrated by Karl Kerschl
The Itsy-Bitsy Spider illustrated by Paige Billin-Frye
Look-Alikes: The More You Look, the More You See! by Joan Steiner, photography by Thomas Lindley
Looking Good! ¡Lucir bien! by Jess Stockham
Mix It Up! by Hervé Tullet
Park: A Fold-Out Book in Four Seasons by James Gulliver Hancock
Press Here by Hervé Tullet
The Sandman: Overture #4 by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by J.H. Williams III
Silly Faces - See Me...Go! by Bénédicte Guettier
The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami, translated by Ted Goossen, designed by Chip Kidd
Touch and Feel: Kitten by Joanna Bricknell
We Are in a Book! by Mo Willems
Who Hops? ¿Quién salta? by Katie Davis
Who's That, Baby? by Susan Amerikaner
