Thursday, April 6, 2017

Must Read in 2017 - Spring Update, April 6



January and February are usually really good reading months for me, partially due to the fact that I am not a fan of cold weather and would be happy to stay in and read for the entire two months if I could! I have made great progress on my Must Read list, sitting at 28 of 35 at the present time. My updated list is below:

  • Audacity Jones to the Rescue by Kirby Larson (2/26/17)
  • Another Brooklyn by Jaqueline Woodson (2/20/17)
  • The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey
  • Be Light Like a Bird by Monika Schroder (2/25/17)
  • A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold (4/6/17)
  • Compass South by Hope Larson (2/25/17)
  • Flying Lessons by Ellen Oh (3/1/17)
  • The Friendship Doll by Kirby Larson (3/5/17)
  • Gone Camping by Tamera Will Wissinger
  • The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (3/15/17)
  • Hero on a Bicycle by Shirley Hughes (2/5/17)
  • House Arrest by K. A. Holt (2/12/17)
  • Jumping the Scratch by Sarah Weeks (2/1/17)
  • Liberty by Kirby Larson (3/27/17)
  • Payback by Gordon Korman (3/12/17)
  • Maybe a Fox by Kathi Appelt (1/23/17)
  • Mighty Jack by Ben Hatke
  • My Life with the Liars by Caela Carter (2/23/17)
  • The Nine Lives of Jacob Tibbs by Cylin Busby
  • Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder
  • Piper Green and the Fairy Tree by Ellen Potter (2/21/17)
  • The Playbook by Kwame Alexander (1/14/17)
  • Projekt 1065 by Alan Gratz (1/28/17)
  • A Rambler Steals Home by Carter Higgins
  • Scar Island by Dan Gemeinhart (1/24/17)
  • Secret Coders by Gene Luen Yang and Mike Holmes (2/5/17)
  • Short by Holly Goldberg Sloan (2/10/17)
  • Some Kind of Happiness by Claire Legrand (1/17/17)
  • The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau (2/17/17)
  • Under Their Skin by Margaret Peterson Haddix
  • The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann (2/1/17)
  • The Warden's Daughter by Jerry Spinelli (2/11/17)
  • When the Sea Turned to Silver by Grace Lin (2/18/17)
  • The World From Up Here by Cecilia Galante (1/7/17)
  • When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds (3/8/17)

With a list like this one, it is almost difficult to identify favorites, as nearly all of these books have been highly recommended and they usually live up to the hype. Even with a list of exceptional books, there are still a few that stand out to me.

A Boy Called Bat
Wow, don't miss this one! You can see into Bat's heart and you will grow to love him! It is truly written in a way that children can look through that window and see life through Bat's eyes, and many will share his love for animals. I think it is an exceptional book!

The Hate You Give
I listened to the audio version of this one, which is such an important and relevant book for anyone living in our country today. I highly recommend the audio version if you enjoy listening to books!

My Life With the Liars
I could hardly put this one down once I got started reading it. It is a fascinating look into Zylynn's world after being removed from a compound where she had not been treated well. To most readers it would seem like she should be relieved to have a new start, but she is very unsure of her new family, home, and surroundings.

Payback
I have adored the Masterminds series, and this final one was no exception. This has also been a hit among my middle grade students, with many eager readers signing up to be the next person to check it out. 

Scar Island
This one is fast-paced and packed with actions. I have had many middle grade students who have loved it! It reels them in and holds their attention. When our 4th/5th grade book club discussed it, there were several wishing for a sequel!

Once the state award lists have been released around the first of March, my reading from this list always slows down a great deal, but I look forward to completing the rest of these titles and catching up on what other #mustreadin2017 participants have read.