It's Monday! Audiobooks and Poetry Seem Are in My Stack These Days #IMWAYR

I’m reading a lot of audio books to support my reading life with two healing arms. I loved all three of these books and the audio was good as well.

Full Cicada Moon is an oldie I never read. The story is set in the 1960s, against a backdrop of historic change and the Apollo space program. Mimi, the main character, has to move early in the story. She asks questions, speaks her mind, inspires change, and struggles to figure out who she is throughout the story. It is a novel in verse that will hook you right from the start.

I was not a huge Little House on the Prairie fan so I did not rush to read Prairie Lotus. I like it. It is fast-paced and will provide something for readers who love plot and readers who love character. This is book is perfect for middle-grade readers. They will be hooked right from the start and it will teach them history they may not know. I learned quite a bit of history through reading this historical fiction book. It provides opportunities to discuss identity, social justice, and racism with students.

A student recommended Closer to Nowhere to me. It is a novel in verse written from the perspectives of Hannah and Cal, the two main characters. Each chapter shifts point of view so the structure is very engaging. Hannah and Cal are cousins who find themselves living together. They both are dealing with changes and obstacles in their lives and ultimately find out they have more in common than they realize. This is a great text to add to your classroom library.

Each of these texts is poetry that also informs. Journey Around the Sun is gorgeous. Kids will love that it is told from the point of view of the comet. The structure and illustrations invite you to question, learn, and share with others. When You Breathe will take your breath away. A poetic explanation of how we breathe. The images and word choice are capturing. Watercress is a poetic narrative that informs - truly it is everything! A touching story of identity and family. These are three texts that need to be in the hands of children. Add them to your classroom library, your bookroom, and your school library.

Until next week … keep spreading book love!