Random Musings of a Bibliophile

Hello Again! I took some unexpected time off from blogging when my kids were at camp and we were on a family vacation. I truly meant to get some posts scheduled, but it just never happened. Anyway. I am back and school is about to begin again in the Painter house. Every year I like to feature the books I'm requiring my kids to read and discuss with me. (They also get plenty of choice books in between these to just read and enjoy.) With Bit (8th Grade) I'm doing a genre study over the next two years where we will look at classic examples and tropes in several different genres. These will be supplemented by current titles she gets to choose herself.  What we are tackling this year: Poisoned Apples  is part of a larger unit we're doing on Fairy Tales with a focus on feminism. (I have my fingers crossed she will want to read Bone Gap  for her novel for this. I want to talk about it with her so much!!!!) And yes, my son will also get this when he's in 8th grade ...

Top Ten Tuesday  is a Meme hosted by  The Broke and the Bookish This week's TTT topic: Favorite New to Me Authors Read in 2015 Covers are of the books I read by these authors: Melanie Crowder Victoria Jamieson: Daniel José Older: Jason Reynolds Laura Ruby Robin Stevens Renée Watson What are your favorite author discoveries of 2015?

Top Ten Tuesday  is a Meme hosted by  The Broke and the Bookish This week's TTT topic: Books That Would Be On Your Syllabus If You Taught X  101 X=MG Literature This is a mix of classic and new, award winning and popular (many are both) that I think would lead to excellent discussions and comparisons which is why I chose them.

I don't review graphic novels on the blog very often, which is in no way a reflection of their importance in the Painter home. Bit is a huge fan of graphic novels. Baby Mouse was integral in her early chapter book reading years. She owns and reads the Amulet books, anything by Raina Telgemeier, and the Zita the Spacegirl books regularly. She has declared Roller Girl  by Victoria Jamieson the best graphic novel she's ever read. She insisted I read it. Then she proceeded to plop it in my lap every time I sat down. And constantly asking if I read it yet. My own child was stalking me with a book. So I read it and I wholeheartedly concur. This is a fabulous book. Astrid's mom takes her and her best friend, Nichole, to a roller derby match one night, and Astrid comes away with stars in her eyes. When she discovers there is an opportunity to go to a derby summer camp, she jumps at it. Astrid assumes Nichole will be there with her, but Nichole has already made plans to go to ball...

Here are the books the children in my life are receiving for Christmas. For LM, age 5: For Bit (first two represent the entire series), age 9: For My Adorable Niece, age 22 months: What books are the little ones in your life getting this year?