It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey as a way to share what you have read and/or reviewed in the past week. It's also a terrific way to find out what other people are reading.

Jen Vincent, of Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee Moye of Unleashing Readers have given this meme a children's literature focus: picture books, middle grade novels, etc. They "encourage everyone who participates to support the blogging community by visiting the other bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

Christmas is over and now it's back to "normal" winter life. We took one last listen to our favorite Christmas songs and then took down the tree, which is never as much fun as putting it up. We were blessed with a few sunny days, so we could keep our New Year resolutions to get fit and healthy. With all the exercising, cleaning, and cooking I also managed to get a little bit of reading accomplished. Here's what I read last week:

Freedom Soup by Tami Charles, Jacqueline Alcantara (Illustrations)

I wish I would have read this book before New Year's Day, as the story of a grandmother showing her granddaughter how to make the traditional Freedom Soup from Haiti made my mouth water to try making this for my own celebration. Ti Gran is teaching Belle how to make this soup that was integral to the Haitian Revolution. The story of the soup is also the story of the history of Haiti. I love the way the engaging narrative text along with the vibrant illustrations brings alive the music, the smells of the cooking soup, and the warmth of the loving family sharing traditions. The author has included a recipe for the version of Freedom Soup that she makes for her family. I have copied it and am anxious to try it. And I don't think I'll be waiting until next New Year's Day to try it!

The Cool Bean by Jory John, Pete Oswald (Illustrations)

This fun picture book is a follow up to Jory John's other popular books, The Good Seed and The Bad Egg. It tells the story of a little bean that longs to be like the cool beans of his school. The little seed used to be good friends with the cool beans, but for some reason doesn't hang out with them anymore. After a while, he starts to feel like he isn't good enough to be around them. A few kind acts from the cool beans helps the little bean realize that they can be good friends after all. This would be a fun way to start a discussion about how to build relationships and be in community with each other.

Dasher by Matt Tavares

This lovely holiday picture book tells the story of how Santa's famous reindeer team was brought together. Dasher was a young doe that spent years in a traveling circus with her family. The man who ran the circus was unkind and Dasher dreamed of following the North Star to the snowy land her mother had told her about. When Dasher finally got the opportunity to escape, she found Santa and was able to help him and his horse pull the sleigh that had gotten so much heavier through the years. The engaging story and the beautifully painted illustrations make this a wonderful story to share with young readers during the holiday season.

Little Robin's Christmas by Jan Fearnley 

This lovely picture book should definitely go on your list of holiday books for next year. It tells the sweet story of a generous little robin who gives away all of his little sweater vests to the animals in his neighborhood that need them. When he's all out of sweaters and on the verge of freezing, Santa comes along, and knowing about his kindness, helps him out. The sweet story and gorgeous illustrations make it a terrific book to share with young children during the holidays.

The Boy and the Bear by Tracey Corderoy, Sarah Massini (Illustrator)

This sweet picture book tells a nice story about a friendship between a little boy and a shy bear. The little boy is lonely and doesn't have anyone to play with. The bear is shy, but reaches out to the boy through a series of notes. The two develop a wonderful relationship that stays strong through the changing seasons. The gentle story and mixed media illustrations make this a nice book to share with young readers.