It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

On Mondays I join a meme with friends Jen and Kellee over at Teach Mentor Texts. It's a wonderful blog, and if you visit today, you will find teachers and librarians who are sharing their reading for the week. We share everything from picture books to YA. It's just one of my reading communities.

So, last week was one of those multiple-assignments-due-on-the-same-day-for-library-school weeks. And school was, of course, especially busy but fun, too. My reading was limited to library school chapters (for the most part). I also spent it learning a lot about weeding books and creating a timeline for myself for all of my projects. But that's another blog post.

I did manage to read this week. It was mainly picture books and a graphic novel. I tried to do more, but my grad work schedule wouldn't allow it. (Thanks to my friend Donalyn Miller's post for Nerdy Book Club yesterday, I know that's okay.)

Last week, I read:

THE BLACK RABBIT by Philippa Leathers
Published: 1/22/13
Published by: Candlewick Press

The main character in this wonderful picture book is Rabbit. He has a big problem. A huge black rabbit is following him, and he just can't seem to get rid of him! What does Rabbit do? You'll have to read the book to find out. It's such a pleasant book, and it reminds me why I absolutely love picture books. I won this book from my wonderful friend @Loveofxena on Twitter. I read this story aloud in my kitchen, and I can't wait to read it to my class today.

HOUSE HELD UP BY TREES by Ted Kooser & Jon Klassen
Published:3/27/12
Published by: Candlewick Press

This one has been on my TBR list for a long time (it's been out for a year) but I could never make it to the library to get it. Then after Jon Klassen won the Caldecott for THIS IS NOT MY HAT, I knew I needed to get my own copy. Lately, I have been buying all of my picture books. I seem to want them for my own!

This is a really interesting story about a man and his house. He doesn't let trees or anything else grow around it. His children play in the forest near the house and watch their father tend to the land. This is a story about nature and time and one man's wishes. It's one of those picture books that makes you wonder and pause. And Jon Klassen is such a talent, so his illustrations are, as always, perfect.

THE DARK by Lemony Snicket & illustrated by Jon Klassen
Published: 4/2/13
Publisher: Little Brown Books

I saw this one at ALA Midwinter, and I knew that as soon as it was released, I would be buying it. (While writing this blog post, I realized that I'd read TWO Jon Klassen books in one week! Great week!) This picture book is about the fear of the dark. A boy named Laszlo lives in a scary house, and he really is wondering about the dark and how to survive in it. Then the dark starts talking to him! Read it to find out what happens! (I listened to Daniel Handler speak at a Scholastic event in February, and I thought about that as I read the book! )

PEANUT by Ayn Halliday and Paul Hoppe (YA Graphic Novel)
Published: 2/26/12
Published by: Random House

I found out about this one on Twitter. Sadie is in high school, and she's moved to a new town. She wants to make friends, so she devises a plan. She decides to lie about having a peanut allergy. I kept reading to find out how everything turned out. Does everyone find out the truth? Does she learn a lesson about honesty? It was a page-turner that made me think.

I'm still reading THE WATER CASTLE by Megan Frazer Blakemore. I am enjoying it very much and will probably finish it today. Put this one on your TBR list!

What are YOU reading this week?