It's Monday! What are you reading? From Picture Books to YA

It's Monday! What are you reading? is hosted by Sheila of Book Journey.  Jen & Kellee from 

Teach Mentor Texts have adapted this to focus on Picture Books to Young Adult Books.

Each week I'll recap what I've read/reviewed the week before 

and then look ahead to what I am planning on reading/reviewing in the upcoming week. 

Last week's Book Adventures:

My reading this past week was all over the place.  I finally finished The Night Circus on audiobook which I would highly recommend in that format.  For a book without pictures, it was truly visual and rich and very complex.  I fell in love with May Amelia and Mattie (Hound Dog True).  Two different girls living in two different times but both wonderful stories.  Of course, I can't forget The Chronicles of Harris Burdick - inspired by the artwork various authors provide their own often eerie interpretation in short story form.  Desert Elephants is a non-fiction picture book that shows the relationship between the people of West Africa, the elephants and the land.    

Holiday Book Adventures:

Here are a few of the holiday picture books that I sat down to explore.  Six books and six very different stories representing the spirit of the upcoming holidays.

2012 Releases - A Sneak Peak:

This week I had a chance to read advanced copies of three picture books that will be released in early 2012.  The Cloud Spinner was a beautiful tale that I truly enjoyed.  My Heart Will Not Sit Down was a dramatized account of a real incident from 1931 and the story was truly moving.  And How to Babysit Grandpa is a make you smile, laugh out loud sort of book.  I would recommend putting these on your future TBR pile.

Upcoming Book Adventures:

I honestly have to say that I don't know which books will be my book adventures for this upcoming week.  I did really enjoy Our Only May Amelia this past week and looking forward to continuing with The Trouble with May Amelia by Jennifer L. Holm.  I have Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver ready to go on my iPod as my next audiobook choice (Jim Dale is the narrator).  And after seeing the movie trailer for The Borrowers, I was thinking about reading this childhood favorite.  I guess you will have to wait till next week to see what I actually read. 

So, what are you reading this week?

Please share! And remember to check in at Sheila's or Jen & Kellee's blog to see what they and others are reading!