It’s Monday, What are You Reading is a meme hosted by Jen and Kellee from Teach Mentor Texts (and brainchild of Sheila at BookJourney). Two of our blogging friends, Linda from Teacher Dance and Tara from A Teaching Life have inspired us to join this vibrant meme.
Last Week’s Review and Miscellany Posts
Here are a few of the reviews we have done last week. We are also inviting everyone to join our Award-Winning-Books Reading Challenge. We hosted the AWB Challenge last year and we are thrilled to be able to host it again. Do sign up if you are looking for exciting reading challenges with monthly book prizes. Click on the titles/images below to be taken to our blog posts.
[Photo Journal/A-Z Photo Challenge] X is for Xtraordinary Xcapade
Poetry Friday: I Wish to Live
[AFCC 2013] Celebrating Asian American Children’s Literature in Singapore
[Book Hunting Expedition 57] Indie Bookstores in Singapore, Part 1: San Bookshop
[GatheringReaders] Anya’s Ghost – A Virtual Discussion
One of the great things about the Asian Festival of Children’s Content here in Singapore is the books! Here are a few that were given to me by author-friends during the AFCC. Perfect for our current bimonthly theme.
If I Were a Blue Kangaroo is a picture book written in verse that very young children would enjoy. Written in rhyming text, each page contains a single line and Sallustio’s colourful and vibrant images. There is a lot of white spaces for the eyes to rest and features the many things that a creature can do “if I were a blue kangaroo.”
Emma’s Elephant resonated with me more as it features a young bright girl with good intentions and an elephant being chased by hunters all the way from Africa. It reminds me a little bit of Raymond Briggs’ The Snowman when [seemingly-imaginary] creatures find their way into a child’s house [and heart] and they go on an adventure halfway across the world. The illustrations are lovely and David is able to capture a young girl’s voice perfectly.
Do you know exactly what happens if a young boy decides to paint his dog purple? Purple Paw Prints 
celebrates the glorious mess, the childlike mischief, the puddles of play by little children when their parents are not around to shush them and toe them in line.
Eddie, however, is very worried about how his Mum and Dad would react to their fluffy purple dog, Oscar. And with the help of firefighters, the car wash, clever friend William and a short snippy-stay at Aunty Jude’s Hair Salon, Eddie and his sister still are unable to figure out what they should do. You have to get the book to find out exactly what happens and whether the purple paw prints are there to stay.
In Paw Prints on the Magic Sofa, the author Sarah Mounsey made beautiful use of children’s love of repetition and rhythm, their flights of fancies and delight in making just the right amount of trouble (but not too much, really). A sofa is transformed into a magical ride as it brings them into the forest, the desert, the sea, the jungle and they meet a lion, a camel, a monkey (to name just a few) along the way.
Up, up, up!
Higher and higher
they flew.
Where were they going?
Nobody knew.
I could imagine that this would be a huge hit especially for a read-aloud as kids would wonder about which adventure they will go off to next.
Currently Reading…
A Storm of Swords is still keeping me awake most nights, and I love losing myself in George RR Martin’s exquisite storytelling style.
I am halfway through A Sound of Thunder and other Stories by Ray Bradbury and reading a few stories here and there from the thicker red collection of Bradbury Stories. I can not go long without reading a Bradbury narrative.
How about you, dear friends, what have you been reading this week?
Emma’s Elephant by David Seow and Illustrated by Enrico Sallustio. Bonnie Books, 2013. Book copy given by author.
If I Were a Blue Kangaroo by David Seow and Illustrated by Enrico Sallustio. Bonnie Books, 2013. Book copy given by author.
Purple Paw Prints by Sarah Mounsey and illustrated by Jade Fang. Brindal Books, 2012. Book copy given by author.
Paw Prints on the Magic Sofa by Sarah Mounsey and illustrated by Jade Fang. Brindal Books, 2013. Book copy given by author.
117, 118, 119, 120 of 150
Gathering Books 
It’s so funny that when I saw the pic with the waffles and “A Storm of Swords” I immediately read the mug! I’m that kind of guy to read things in the background I guess. I never got into Game of Thrones. I liked the rich world but it was just too emotionally draining.
LikeLike
Hi Earl! Good eye. It was actually a gift given by the singer-songwriter himself, a dear friend (Manong Noel Cabangon). Are you familiar with his song?
LikeLike
I am always amazed to see so many new children’s picture books that I am unfamiliar with! I like that.
Here’s my It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
LikeLike
Love your presentation of The Storm of Swords with your waffle and beverage!
Lovely picture books, too. Enjoy your week and here’s MY MONDAY READING POST
LikeLike
I REALLY need to read Anya’s Ghost! I’m participating in the Award Winning Book Challenge and am enjoying it! I just posted my June link. How do we know the winner of the May challenge?
LikeLike
Hi there Holly! We will be posting both the May and the June winners during the first week of July! We have been a little late in posting the June linky, but it’s already there. 🙂 Thanks for joining the challenge! 🙂
LikeLike
Winner for June will receive Ender’s Game while Winner for the month of may receives “The Innocents”
LikeLike
Your books always look so good, Myra. I am especially interested in Uncle Peter’s Amazing Chinese Wedding since I suspect my daughter will be having an amazing Chinese wedding next year in China – I can’t wait and I am going to find that book. Thanks for sharing of these with us.
LikeLike
The Purple Paw Prints books look delightful, Myra. Just an FYI-I found the Rabbit’s Judgement and The Polka Dot Penguin Pottery at my library! Haven’t reviewed yet, but will! And-I’ve used The Chef’s Hat for a math lesson-very fun! Happy Reading!
LikeLike
Nice post…nice books. ENJOY your week.
Elizabeth
Silver’s Reviews
My It’s Monday, What Are You Reading
LikeLike
Emma’s Elephant looks wonderful. We all need multiple journeys through imaginative stories every day!
LikeLike
Glad you are liking A Storm of Swords. I still want to read that series once I get a few others finished off. 🙂
Here is my Monday .
LikeLike