These were my favorite reads of 2019. Not all of them were published in 2019 but have been published within the last few years if not. I tend to mainly read middle grade and young adult fiction as a middle school librarian, and let's be honest, YA literature is some of my favorite stuff on the planet. I also read to my two young kiddos often, so sometimes I get to test out picture books nominated for a state award, that catch my eye on a shelf at our local library, or that I see folks raving about on Twitter, so we'll start with those and work our way up in age groups. Made my kids laugh the hardestThis is one of those books that you just have to read in voices. My kids laughed throughout. So entertaining to read for fun and could be a strong mentor text too for students to work on different writing skills. favorite new book to read to my daughter This spunky kiddo reminds me so much of my own. I love how she shows moments of fear or hesitation, yet is fierce! She is creative, doesn’t always follow the rules or expectations, helps her classmates feel like they belong, and looks for the good in situations. best illustrationsSo many picture books with great illustrations, but loved seeing how the two styles of the grandson and grandpa were in opposition and then in combination. I'm not sure I've ever loved a picture book so much that had so few words, but the words that were there were powerful, and the pictures filled in the rest, which makes perfect sense with the storyline. Important picture bookThis is such an important read. We need more picture books that talk about consent and boundaries for all ages at a level those different ages can understand. This is a great one. This book could be a great conversation starter for race, differences, consent, boundaries, comfort levels, or personal space. Informative read for all agesBesides being about a young advocate, this book has lots of explanation boxes and definitions that can help folks of all ages better understand LGBTQ+ terminology. It's a double win, folks learn about a person and the topics at the same time. Some adults and kids I know could benefit from the way the book breaks down some of the terminology to help them better understand others' identities. inspirational readThis book was a joy to read. It really made me want to learn more about each of the people. I kept finding myself taking research breaks. The illustrations were gorgeous and clearly thought out to fit each person and their career/passion. It has a great range of people (past, present, genders, races, religions, etc.). I highly recommend it for upper elementary through junior high for libraries, classrooms, research starters, etc. best mystery & best historicalThoroughly appreciated the blend of current day mystery, with historical flashbacks, and social justice/race issues. I book talked this one a lot at the beginning of the school year. It made me want to get back into reading mysteries again. Best coming of age taleIvy’s emotions are presented so tangibly as she navigates a tornado destroying her house, a conflict with an older sister, a changing family with new siblings, a friendship, a missing journal, and her own identity. Great use of colors, Authentic voice and complex characters. most anticipated sequelI love everything about the Aru Shah series. I recommend them often. A few of my book club kiddos even roll their eyes at me anytime I mention it, because I mention it to them that much...oops! A student asked me if I liked the first or second one better, and I called it a tie. Aru and Chokshi have one of my favorite voices and characters EVER in Aru. favorite book in verseI was really impressed at how many issues this book covers, yet it never feels heavy handed. It's such an important read about refugees, gender, racism, sexism, war, family, religion, culture, and more, yet so accessible and relatable. Beautiful and thought provoking. There's a few scenes that I still clearly remember months later and hope stick with me. favorite graphic novelThis is my favorite graphic novel to date that I've ever read. It's a story we can all relate to about being the new kid in a situation but while tackling and depicting microagressions, colorism, code switching, and more. It had humor, heart, lessons, catchy chapter titles, and a graphic novel layout my students love. best end to a seriesThe Giver had a big impact on me as a kid. It was the first book that caused me to ask bigger questions and think about morality though a book. It was also the first dystopian I ever loved, which is one of my favorite genres. The Scythe series has reminded me so much of that experience with it's ability to both absorb me in the series while asking bigger, moral questions about our world. The third book was a great ending to a thrilling series. evoked the most tearsI don't cry often at books. I can count on one hand the number of books that made me sob. Well, five minutes after I finished this book, I started sobbing. My spouse asked me what was wrong, and as I explained, I just cried harder and harder. Knowing that the fiction you just read happens. Knowing that I have a daughter sleeping upstairs. It all punched me in the gut. The timeline can be a bit disorienting, but I read it quickly within the span of a few days, which helped me make sense of it as I went. An emotionally tough but important book. Most beautifully writtenThis book reminded me how wondrous magical realism can be. The writing was beautiful. Leigh's journey is painful but also consistently mesmerizing and mysterious at times. Favorite teacher-ish book of the year
Best read of the yearEach year there's a book I read that I can't/won't shut up about and recommend to the world. This year, it is definitely this book. I told my 7th and 8th graders at the beginning of the year that one of the many reasons I love Imani is that she punches stereotypes in the face. Plus, if you listen to the audiobook, you get to hear Acevedo's poetic voice reading this unforgettable story to you.
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It's School Library Month! Wahoo! Okay...obviously it's been School Library Month for a bit, but my school was on Spring Break the first week, so for me it feels like it just started this week. The last two years I've had a couple of stations or contests for students, but I wanted to go a bit bigger and have more options this year. I was also trying to find some ways to tie in more hands on options and/or Makerspace esque activities while fitting in with this year's theme from AASL. (You can get cool graphics like the one below and find out more about their theme and ideas fro this year at their SLM site.) the stations I casually brainstormed a lot about what the stations would be over break and looked around social media and AASL for ideas too. (To be honest, I spent way too much time trying to narrow it down. I am great at finding and brainstorming ideas but sometimes struggle with picking one.) You can see a slideshow of the ideas below. Also if you'd like to download the PowerPoint copy of it to edit or have, you can get it here.
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