It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

Jen Vincent and Kellee Moye cohost It's Monday! What Are You Reading weekly on their blogs.   To see what others are reading and recommending each Monday, or to participate, be sure to check out their blogs Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers. 

I had some cherished reading time this week that I was able to allocate to pages other than research and professional reading. Unintentionally, my reading life had a theme of empathy and acceptance--I have some books that I am really excited to share!

Xander's Panda Party by Linda Sue Park is about a panda planning a birthday party for himself and struggling with the ever-growing invite list. This book could be a springboard for classroom discussions about inclusion, as well as a wonderful resource for teaching about the animal kingdom. After the story is over, Linda Sue Park included facts about the animals in the book, answering anticipated questions and inspiring more!

Hello, My Name Is Ruby by Philip Stead is a adorable story, offering important messages about finding your place in the world for all ages. The text is simple, but Ruby's questions and quest are universal.

 Golden Boy is the debut novel from Tara Sullivan and it is one of the most impactful, important books that I have read in recent times. I bought this book because we are studying Tanzania and Golden Boy is about a teenage albino boy in the northern part of this African country.  I had no idea about the atrocities that albinos face in Tanzania, even now. Habo's story is educational, riveting, and disturbing and Tara Sullivan's website is full of resources and ways to help a situation that has been far from my radar.  I will be talking to my friend who is a dermatologist about sending sunscreen and SPF shirts to help Tanzanian albinos. This is a book that I would love to talk about with other teachers if any of you have read or end up reading it.

Have a great week,