Reading Teacher Writes

Sharing a love of literacy with fellow readers and writers

Tag Archives: Blink YA Books


by 3 Comments

IMWAYR: I Finished a Fantastic Book

Heartless Heirs is the second book of the duology, Twin Daggers by MarcyKate Connolly. The adventure, and the struggle, continues for the Magi and the Technocrats in the ancient-like city of Palinor. Magi leaders have been sacrified, and a dangerous traitor has emerged. Heartless Heirs picks up an hour after Twin Daggers, with heroines Aissa and Zandria, the Magi super-twins with special powers, running away with their childhood friend, Remy, and Aissa’s new love, the Technocrat prince, Aro. Ahead of them is adventure, romance…and more danger than they can possibly imagine.

A grateful thank you to Blink YA Books, HarperCollins, and Net Galley for the early read. Put this one on your pre-order list. Heartless Heirs publishes August 10, 2021.

IMWAYR is a weekly blog hop with kid lit co-hosts Jennifer from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from Unleashing Readers. The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. It’s a great way to share what you’re reading and get recommendations from others. We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs each week.

Advertisement


by 2 Comments

IMWAYR: A Renewed Interest in Reading

I start this week with a renewed interest in reading, which may be a celebration of spring (it’s 65 degrees today) or relief from some other obligations. I start with where I left off: Shifting the Balance by Dr. Jan Burkins and Kari Yates, which already went to a second printing – it’s that fabulous! I’m calling for a middle school edition of this needed professional text. Pulling research together and naming six shifts, Burkins and Yates help teachers as they bring together the Science of Reading and the Balanced Literacy Classroom. I also opened Bea is For Blended, which is perfect for Women’s Month because the main character is an inspiring girl.

I read a bunch of new-to-the-library nonfiction at school today, including Beastly Bionics: Rad Robots, Brilliant Biomimicry, and Incredible Inventions Inspired By Nature by Jennifer Swanson. It’s wonderful! Science, technology, nature, cool facts, interesting questions…my middle schoolers will love this book! I also pored through Lost Cities by Giles Laroche, which answers some questions about lost civilizations and opens doors to new wonderings about places we’ve never been.

It seems like I have waited forever, but due to the generosity of Net Galley, Harper Collins, and Blink YA Books, I finally have Heartless Heirs in my downloads. This is the sequel to Twin Daggers by MarcyKate Connolly, and I can’t wait to see what happens to Aissa and Zandria next.

It’s Monday! What are YOU reading? 

IMWAYR is a weekly blog hop with kid lit co-hosts Jennifer from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from Unleashing Readers. The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. It’s a great way to share what you’re reading and get recommendations from others. We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs each week.


by Leave a comment

IMWAYR: Blink YA Book — Coming Soon!

In between coughs and sneezes, I’m reading. This week I’ll finish…

We Had to Be Brave by Deborah Hopkinson.

I finished an upcoming fabulous mystery/modern tragedy called Twin Daggers by MarcyKate Connolly. I love Blink YA Books titles, and this one does not disappoint. It comes out in August, but add it to your reading list now so you don’t forget about it.

Next up…I haven’t decided yet.

 

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.


by Leave a comment

IMWAYR: Fall Picture Books, a Story Collection, and a Bonus

Bonus comes first today — THE SILENCE BETWEEN US by Alison Gervais (Blink YA Books) comes out TOMORROW! Maya Harris must leave Pratt School for the Deaf and attend a hearing school — for her senior year in high school! It’s bad enough being the new girl, but she needs a personal interpreter for every class. (summary from Blink) I got to read this book as an ARC (advanced reader copy) and it is amazing! I’ve been waiting for-ev-er (Well, it seems like forever) for this one to publish, and now it’s here. Get your copy tomorrow from your nearest Indie bookseller, or order from The Brain Lair Bookstore (South Bend, IN).

Fall Picture Books are here! I was lucky to receive these and I will devour them this week (Thank you to FirstBook.org for the gift!): Truman by Jean Reidy, The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld, Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 by Brian Floca, Where Are You From? by Jaime Kim, My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero, and When You Are Brave by Pat Zietlow Miller (which also gets the “coolest cover award,” from me, this week).

The #WNDB (We Need Diverse Books) story collection, The Hero Next Door (edited by the fabulous Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich) was also in my gift box today. I’ll need another copy of this for the school library, I’m sure.

It’s Monday! What are YOU reading?

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme 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 I 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.

 

 


by Leave a comment

IMWAYR: Thrilling & Blooming with Beauty

The weather hasn’t been nice lately – rain most of the time – which gives me lots of inside time to read. This week I share an upcoming YA thriller and a new picture book.
Every Stolen Breath, by Kimberly Gabriel
Set in modern-day Chicago, Every Stolen Breath is a fast-paced, YA thriller that readers are going to love. Lia, a teenager with asthma, PTSD, and anxiety, has been desperately trying to expose her father’s killers for two years. Her father was attacked and murdered by the Swarm, an organized mob of crazy teens, famous for their brutal killings in high-profile areas, such as Navy Pier.

Lia cannot uncover the truth about her father’s death by herself. While trying to overcome her own disabilities, she must trust in the skills and stories of others: a former Swarm member, a reporter who loves drama and TV cameras, and two loyal school friends with social media smarts who will help her – even if it means more danger. Lia is convinced that she knows how her father died, but there are secrets to be revealed, and many people who attempt to halt her efforts — even if it means silencing her forever. No one is safe from the secrets.This novel by Kimberly Gabriel, a Chicago native, will be sold in November, 2019. (Blink YA Books) Add it to your reading list today.
Bloom Boom! by April Pulley Sayre
I love celebrating the seasons with April Pulley Sayre!
Another beautiful, colorful tribute — flowers! This makes me think of all the wondrous days yet to come (once it stops raining).
(Beach Lane Books, 2019)

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme 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 I 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.


by Leave a comment

IMWAYR: Books for All Ages

It’s been a wonderful year for reading so far! In the first five months, I have read new favorite titles, re-read former favorites, and have been lucky enough to read upcoming titles that I’m sure to add to my favorites list. This week for “It’s Monday! What are you Reading?” I’ve sampled books for all age groups.

Children/Young Readers

Did you know Dav Pilkey created more characters? (I didn’t.) My favorite bookseller, Kathy at The Brain Lair Bookstore, showed me this one, and I immediately gave to my granddaughter. Big Dog and Little Dog have fun, make mistakes, and get into some trouble in this story collection that you’re sure to love as much as Captain Underpants and Dog Man. Thanks, Dav, for continuing to write for my family and students.

Middle Grade

My favorite dog character is back! Fenway and Hattie In the Wild sparks your interest with the bright red cover, and keeps you entertained with another crazy adventure. Victoria Coe, you’ve done it again. (I can’t really say much about this one without spoilers, and if you haven’t read the other Fenway and Hattie books, go get them soon.)

Lynda Mullaly Hunt writes such terrific novels for pre-teens. One for the Murphys and Fish in a Tree are still two of my favorite books of all time, and now Shouting at the Rain is out. I love the quote, “…a man is not made my his mistakes. He’s made by what he does about them.” This is about family, and life, and love, and growing up, and so many other things. Just. Read. It.

 

Teen/Young Adult

I’m just calling these “The Blink Books” as a group of amazing novels that Blink YA Books is publishing this year. I still need to finish, but you’ll be hearing much more about these titles on this blog soon. I have some new favorite authors here with Alison Gervais, Annie Sullivan, Lauren Mansy, and Kimberly Gabriel. I plan to get to know them more in years to come.

Look for these titles this fall: The Silence Between Us (August), Tiger Queen (September), The Memory Thief (October), and Every Stolen Breath (November).

It’s Monday! What are YOU reading?

 

 

 


by 3 Comments

SOLSC: Day 7 Absent Day 8 Weekend! #sol19

Well, I’ve done it again. I wasn’t feel well last night, and I went to bed. NyQuil helped me sleep, so I could get up and work at two schools today. Now I’m back home: work, dishes, laundry, and weekend planning. I can’t wait to relax and read, go to the home show, and maybe see a movie. I have quite a stack of books again (how am I always behind?). Let me tell you about three books I’m reading next:

  1. Another by Christian Robinson — This wordless picture book opens with a young girl and her cat, sleeping. Well, the cat is not sleeping. The cat is looking at a light that appears on the wall. It looks like an oval, but then another cat comes through it and into the bedroom. Another dimension? What will be there? Of course, one must explore. This book is pure fun and games! I can’t even imagine how much time it took to set those punch-out dots in place for that bright red hill in the middle spread. Don’t forget to run your hand over the front cover (it’s textured) and definitely don’t forget to take off the jacket and see what lies underneath. ANOTHER text that’s fun for the whole family.
  2. The Silence Between Us (ARC) by Alison Gervais — I’ve marveled at this cover for 2 days now; it’s beautiful. The back cover captured my interest. “Maya Harris’s world is turned upside down when she moves and has to leave Pratt School for the Deaf and attend a hearing school for the first time…As if changing schools senior year wasn’t bad enough…” I’m hooked already. I’m sure this will be a title I love. Thank you to BLINK YA BOOKS for the copy! (Publishing date August 13, 2019)
  3. Shortest Way Home, by Pete Buttigieg — Our very own “Mayor Pete” is now looking at a presidential bid in 2020. His memoir/hope-for-the-future is out now, and I can’t wait to learn more about him. Pete is a genuinely nice person and intelligent human, and I am happy to support his literary efforts.