It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. Kellee Moye, of Unleashing Readers, and Jen Vincent of Teach Mentor Texts decided to give It's Monday! What Are You Reading? a kid lit focus. We encourage everyone who participates to visit at least three of the other kid lit book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

I am celebrating that I managed to get a post up for #IMWAYR every Monday in July. I am hoping the Monday blog post streak continues but next week may be a bit difficult since it is the first week of the new school year. Until then, let me share what jumped out of the book stack from this past week. Check back on Tuesday and Wednesday for more titles from this past week.

Here are some of what I really enjoyed....

Stormy Seas: Stories of Young Boat Refugees by Mary Beth Leatherdale; Illustrated by Eleanor Shakespeare (April 11th 2017 by Annick Press) - I have been looking for books to share with teachers and students that develop a better sense of the refugee experience. I really liked the various layers in this one.

This is How We Do It: One Day in the Lives of Seven Kids from around the World by Matt LaMothe (May 2nd 2017 by Chronicle Books) - The book follows seven children from different parts of the world through their day. Readers are able to learn how our lives are more often similar despite our differences.

Today by Julie Morstad (September 2nd 2016 by Simply Read Books) - I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked this one up. Though I wouldn't consider this for a read aloud, I can see 2-3 children sharing it and interacting with the choices on the page.

Someone Like Me by Patricia McLaughlin; Illustrated by Chris Sheban ( July 4th 2017 by Roaring Brook Press) - A semi-biographical story about a little girl who grows up to become a writer.

A Small Thing...but Big by Tony Johnston; Illustrated by Hadley Hooper (October 18th 2016 by Roaring Brook Press) - This may be one of my favorite Tony Johnston books. It is simple and charming and just right and the last line will likely cause you to get a bit teary eyed.

At Night by Helga Bansch (September 2nd 2016 by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers) - An imaginative bedtime story that can be read two ways. One way seems to have a regular order and the other way becomes chaotic in an imaginative way.

Nerdy Birdy Tweets by Aaron Reynolds; Illustrated by Matt Davies (August 1st 2017 by Roaring Brook Press) - A lesson in friendship and social media that even adults could learn from.

Emma's Circus by Candace Fleming; Illustrated by Christine Davenier (July 25th 2017 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux) - A little girl wants to go to the circus but her family has a lot of work to do on the farm. As the circus slowly comes to her over a series of afternoons, I was wondering if she was imagining it or it was really happening. You need to read to the end to see how it works out.

This Beautiful Day by Richard Jackson; Illustrated by Suzy Lee (August 1st 2017 by Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books) - I love Suzy Lee's artwork in general and I love how the art transforms over the course of the book.