I’m in need of HOPE and JOY right now, so I’m spending the week reading some titles that make me smile.

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks

It’s Deja and Josiah’s last night working at the pumpkin patch…ever. They will be off to college in the fall and it’s the last night to live it up. Deja encourages Josiah to finally talk to “The Fudge Shop Girl,” Marcy. He doesn’t know if he can muster the courage.

Josiah finally finds Marcy after a night of burnt succotash, chasing the goat that got loose, and searching for the little sneaky child who always slips away. Do his dreams of love come true? Find out who else is hanging out at the pumpkin patch at the end of the season. All the high school workers have stories. You might just be surprised.

This “last-night-take-a-chance” friendship story is a colorful graphic novel that middle school and high school kids are going to love.

Once Upon an Eid: Stories of Hope and Joy by 15 Muslim Voices, edited by S.K. Ali and Aisha Saeed. Isn’t the cover beautiful? I’m starting this one tonight.

It’s Monday! What Are YOU Reading?

This meme is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It’s also a great chance to see what others are reading right now…you just might discover your next “must-read” book!

Kellee Moye, of Unleashing Readers, and Kathryn decided to give “It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?” a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit – join us! We love this meme and think you will, too. We encourage everyone who participates to visit at least three of the other kidlit book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.