MONDAY FUNDAY – October 22, 2018

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date, and adapted by Kellee at Unleashing Readers and Jen at Teach Mentor Texts with a children’s/YA focus. The Sunday Post is hosted by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer. These weekly roundups are a great way to discover new blogs and bloggers, share some of the titles you’ve been enjoying, and add to your ever-growing to-read list.

Holy moly, it’s been a while since I’ve done one of these Monday posts – my last Monday Funday post was all the way back in August! Well, we’re back in fine form today, with a whole host of new picture books to share. Let’s get started!

Copy Cat

Bella loves Anna. In fact, Bella loves Anna so much that she wants to be just like her and copies every since thing she does. Finally Anna decides she’s had enough of Bella being such a copycat! What is Bella going to do?

There are so many books about the copy cat experience, which is great, because it’s a subject I’m asked about again and again by parents and educators. Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but boy of boy can it be frustrating for little ones! Ali Pye’s illustrations are really charming, and her little feline characters are very sweet and loveable, and there’s a nice reminder that even the best friendships can have some bumps along the way. This could be a nice starting point for conversations with your little one, whether they are struggling with a copy cat friend, or are a bit of a copy cat themselves. This could also be a great book for an older sibling who’s struggling with the adorations of a little sibling who wants to be just like them, all the time. 

Source: Candlewick Press 

Neon Leon

Everyone knows that chameleons are the best at fitting in. But Leon is an exception. Leon is neon! 

Neon Leon is so much fun! This gorgeous picture book features some fun interactive elements, making it a great choice for a read-aloud. I can definitely see myself using this as part of a school group visit. Poor Leon is so, so neon. Gorgeously neon. All the other chameleons change their colours with their different surroundings, but Leon stays orange, no matter where he is, which starts to bring poor Leon down. But when Leon finds a place where he fits in, and finds others who are bright like he is, Leon finds happiness at last.  Sometimes, when you feel like you just can’t fit in, you just need a change of scenery, and no matter how weird or unusual you might feel, there are others out there who will love you just the way you are. What a great reminder for readers of all ages!

Source: Candlewick Press

Duck Gets a Job

Duck wants a job. All his friends have jobs in the city, and they never stop talking about them. Duck doesn’t think a job in the city sounds very exciting, but he decides to try it — and it’s not long before he discovers that it is not for him!

So, this picture book is an illustrated version of my life story…well, with a duck protagonist. Duck’s friends keep talking about their jobs in the city, so Duck decides to get himself a professional office job too, just to see what all the fuss is about. He quickly realizes that being an office duck isn’t a good fit for him, and decides to follow his dream of being an artist instead, which is definitely the right choice. I had a similar experience, though I didn’t come to Duck’s conclusion nearly as swiftly, and spent six years slogging away at office jobs that chipped away at my soul bit by bit by bit before taking a very dramatic turn and going to library school instead. Now, obviously life isn’t quite as simple and straightforward as Duck Gets a Job might suggest (as anyone who’s tried to make a living in an artistic profession can attest), and for many people a number crunching office job might be a dream come true, but the basic premise of being true to your own path instead of blindly following the pack is one that I stand behind 100%. I often find myself a bit uncomfortable with our growing obsession with all things coding and STEM (especially when it comes at the expense of subjects like music and art) – yes, these are important and valuable skills, but not everyone is suited for or interested in a career in science, technology, engineering or math, and there still are other viable career paths! Little side rant aside, I’m not really sure how much this story will appeal to young children, but if you know anyone who’s graduating from high school, perhaps skip Oh the Places You’ll Go and try Duck Gets a Job as an encouraging gift instead.

Source: Candlewick Press

How to Knit a Monster

Greta the goat is a wonderfully accomplished knitter. She can even knit little goats and turn them loose to play around her feet. But when she gets distracted from her knitting, threatening creatures spring from her needles, each more menacing than the last.

Greta the goat loves to knit, but her mean neighbour Mrs. Sheep doesn’t rate Greta’s knitting skills very highly. Well, Greta will show that snooty critic whose knitting is the best! But uh oh, things quickly get out of hand, in this adorable story with a gentle fairy tale spirit. The moral of the story, which is delivered with a deft hand, is that when you lose sight of why you create, and focus too much on the opinions of others and trying to impress them, that’s when the joy can be stripped right out of your favourite activities. Greta is the master of her own creations, and though her anger with Mrs. Sheep makes her momentarily lose control, in the end her quick thinking allows her to save the day. Though the last panel suggests that the story might not be quite over yet….A fun little story for makers of all kinds.

Source: Raincoast Books

So, what have you been reading this week? And did you miss my Monday posts? I sure missed connecting with all of you, and can’t wait to read all your wonderful Monday reviews! Have a great week, everyone!