Eclectic reading this week

I've been reading a lot of different things this week.  I ordered some new books from our book fair and those were awesome!  The first one was the Caldecott award winner this year (for best picture book) by Dan Santat.  It's about an island where imaginary friends live, waiting to be called.  One of the little guys gets impatient and decides to go and look for his friend.  It's not an easy journey, but he perseveres and becomes Beekle.  It's a great little story about friendship and persistence.  I'm planning to read it to my little kids this week and I can't wait.  Here's the book trailer:

The second one was also highly rated by a number of people and I can totally see why.  It's called "How to read a story" by Kate Messner.  It's a picture book that describes in many steps, how to read a story and it gives great advice.  Lest you think it might be boring, let me disabuse of THAT right away.  I got my new box of books just before my book club kids (fourth and fifth graders) came in.  So after our conversation about what we'd been reading, we sat down to read and I pulled out this one.  One of the fifth graders sidled over and asked if she could read it with me (really?  A picture book for a big shot fifth grader?).  Of course I said sure!  And as we read it together, you could almost feel the love for books flying off the pages.  Our kindergarten kids do a writing unit on "how to" books and so I know I'm going to need a BUNCH of copies because once the kindergarten teachers see this one, they are all going to want one!  Don't miss this one!

I also got in some of the new Sunshine State Young reader books for grades 3-5.  Last year, I waited too long and missed out on some of the titles, so this year, I ordered the books as soon as the list came out.  I read Patricia MacLachlan's book called "White Fur Flying".  This is a story about a family that fosters Great Pyrenees dogs.  Here's a picture of one in case you don't know what they look like. 

They're big fluffy white dogs and the ones I've met are friendly and good natured, but you can also see where MacLachlan would have gotten the title!  Anyway, this family is sending one of their dogs to a new family (sad) but getting two new ones (YAY!).  At the same time, a family moves next door. It's a man and his wife and their nephew, who doesn't speak.  The wife is afraid of dogs and animals in general but the family next door draw them into their fold.  It's a nice enough story of kindness and friendship and the healing power of animals.  Here's a student made book trailer.