Library Book Sale Haul 2017 #1: Picture Books, Part One

Last year, I did a four part series on a major haul that I accumulated from my library’s annual book sale (see parts one, two, three, and four). This year, I went a little crazy and bought 223 books for around $65! Since I bought so many books this year, I decided to split up the books into different categories. This year, my library book sale will have nine parts and each part will be posted on Sunday.

While 223 books may seem excessive and $65 may seem excessive to spend on secondhand books, most of these books are not necessarily for me. At the library book sale, I try to find a variety of books from picture books, early chapter books, and middle grade books to supply my future classroom and reach a variety of readers. At the end of the series, I’m going to review my library sale and experience and calculate how much I saved. Last year, I purchased a retail value of $630.00 and saved 98%. It’s nice to know when I finally have my own classroom that I will have so many books for my students to choose from without spending enormous amounts of money out of pocket.

Today, I will be sharing half of the picture books that I purchased from the sale. At my library, there are a few different days of the sale. On the first day, each book is a set amount. On the second and third days, you pay $5 for as many books you can fit into a plastic bag. On the first day, I usually select books that I’ve been wanting to buy or that I am afraid won’t be around for the $5 bag day. On the $5 bag day, I pick up any book that I was hesitant about or seems like a good addition for my future classroom. I probably stuffed the majority of my picture books into one bag for the $5 bag day! Here are half of the picture books that I found at the sale:

• This Is My Family by Gina and Mercer Mayer
• Jingle Bells by Kathleen N. Daly
• The Poky Little Puppy by Jannette Sebring Lowrey
• The Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore
• Paddington Bear by Michael Bond and Fred Banbery

Padding Bear seems so cute and I’m regretting not buying the Paddington plush from Kohl’s last year. This will be a great addition to my collection!

• There is a Bird on Your Head! by Mo Willems
• My Friend is Sad by Mo Willems
• I Love My New Toy! by Mo Willems

I’m a huge fan of Mo Willems Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. I’m happy that I could find a few more books by Mo Willems to add to my collection!

• In the Days of Dinosaurs by Roy Chapman Andrews
• The Three Snow Bears by Jan Brett

I’ve accumulated a lot of Jan Brett books from past book sales, so I’m glad to find one that I don’t already have in my collection. I love the illustrations in Jan Brett’s books and they are great books to use in lessons.

• Duck for President by Doreen Cronin
• Pinkalicious by Victoria Kann and Elizabeth Kann
• Aqualicious by Victoria Kann

I’ve been looking everywhere for Pinkalicious! This is a book that I read numerous times when I worked in my college’s preschool and I love it! I’m glad that I could also find a copy of Aqualicious in perfect condition.

• The Elf on the Shelf by Carol V. Aeborsold and Chanda A. Bell

I’ve always been slightly creeped out by Elf on a Shelf, but I know a lot of teachers utilize it in their classrooms. Now that I have my own copy, it’s a possibility for me too!

• If You Take a Mouse to School by Laura Numeroff
• Fancy Nancy’s Fancy Words by Jane O’Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser

I LOVE Fancy Nancy, and even though I’ve never been able to find the original book, I’m glad that I found this one! Nancy has such a big personality and I love the illustrations in her books.

• The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams
• Alexander, Who’s Not (Do you hear me? I mean it!) Going to Move by Judith Viorst
• The Stinky Cheese and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieska and Lane Smith
• The Night Before Easter by Natasha Wing
• The Night Before Halloween by Natasha Wing

I’m pretty sure I own the majority of The Night Before books by Natasha Wing. I love adding fun holiday books to my collection!

• My Book of Birds by Tibor Gergely
• Watch Your Step, Mr. Rabbit! by Richard Scarry
• I’m so Embarrassed! by Robert Munsch
• Franklin Goes to School by Paulette Bourgeois
• Max’s Easter Surprise
• Max and Ruby: Happy Halloween!
• Pig Kahuna by Jennifer Sattler
• Pig Kahuna Pirates! by Jennifer Sattler

I’ve never heard of Pig Kahuna before, but the pig on the cover was so cute, I had to pick these books up!

• The Luckiest St. Patrick’s Day Ever! by Teddy slater
• A Visit to Kenya by Mary Packard
• A Visit to France by Kirsten Hall
• Pinocchio by Carlo Collidi
• Me With You by Kristy Dempsey and Christopher Denise
• This School Year will be the Best! by Kay Winters

This seems like such a cute book for the first week of school. I can’t wait to use this book in my own classroom!

 

What book deals have you scored recently?

Five Series I Need to Finish

Recently, I discussed Five Series that I Won’t Finish. I decided to turn my series post into a series! Over the next couple of weeks, I will discuss five series that I need to finish, five series I want to read, and my favorite series of all time. Today, I will be talking about five series that I NEED to finish!

When I was younger, I absolutely LOVED series. From Junie B. Jones, The Magic Tree House, The Baby-sitter’s Club, to the Pony Pals, I loved reading about my favorite characters over and over. When I got a little older, I started straying away from series and favored contemporary stand-alones. After hearing about so many wonderful series from blogging, I’ve rediscovered my love of books in a series. Here are five favorite series (that I still need to finish!):

• The Selection series by Kiera Cass

The Selection isn’t the greatest series that I’ve ever read, but it is very addicting! Right now, I am watching The Bachelor. Since this book goes along well, I’m really invested in this series. When this is posted, I will be finished with the second book of the series, The Elite.

• To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series by Jenny Han

There aren’t many contemporary series that I’ve read, but I really enjoy this one! To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is a fun and fluffy series that always puts a smile on my face. I’ve read the second book, P.S. I Still Love You, and can’t wait to read the third!

• Rebel Belle series by Rachel Hawkins

I really loved Rebel Belle, but wasn’t that impressed with the second book of the series, Miss Mayhem. I’ve heard not-so-positive reviews about the last book, Lady Renegades, but I’m still interested in finishing the series since I loved the first book so much. Even if the book isn’t the greatest, I hope the ending is satisfying.

• Wolf by Wolf duology by Ryan Graudin

I read Wolf by Wolf this summer and was completely blown away by the story. I can’t wait to read Blood for Blood to see how the duology concludes! I also really want to read Iron to Iron to learn more about Luka and Adele’s relationship.

• Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan

I read The Lightning Thief last year and absolutely loved it! This summer, I plan to read the second book in the series. I hope it is as fun and adventurous as the first book!

 

What series do you need to finish?

P.S. I Like You Review

P.S. I really like this book.

In P.S. I Like You by Kasie West, Lily is caught daydreaming in Chemistry class and is banned from using her notebook during class. To not completely die of boredom, Lily resorts to writing song lyrics on her desk. Much to her surprise, someone responds. Lily quickly befriends her new pen pal, however, it may not be the person that she expects.

I think that people will either love or hate P.S. I Like You. The best way that I can describe this book is your typical high school romantic comedy. If you are looking for something extremely deep and original, then this book probably isn’t for you. However, if you are a huge fan of high school rom-com classics, like A Cinderella Story, then you will love this book.

One of the main reasons that I like Kasie West’s books is that I feel like I can relate to the characters, even if I haven’t necessarily been in their situation. For example, I was never like Gia from The Fill-In Boyfriend, but I really identified with how she felt throughout the book. Similar Lilly in this book, even though I’m not a songwriter or into really obscure bands, I really identified with her character. Lilly is introverted, slightly awkward, and makes jokes that no one else thinks is funny which resonates well with this book’s target audience.

I also really enjoyed this book because it was very fun to read. Even though this book is littered with tropes, it made me really happy to read and I found myself smiling throughout the entire book. Since it was so light and fluffy, I couldn’t put it down and finished the book in a few hours. Even though this book isn’t necessarily earth-shattering, I think it is a great book to read during the summer or if you want to take a break between books with more “serious” themes.

Overall, P.S. I Like You is a fun book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading and definitely want to read again. Even though it isn’t necessarily the most deep or original book, it hooked me in and I couldn’t put it down. I rate P.S. I Like You with five out of five stars.

Top Ten Tuesday: Middle Grade Books that I’ve Recently Added to my TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. This week’s theme is books that I’ve recently added to my TBR from X genre. Usually, I stick to young adult contemporary books, so most of my TBR consists of books from that category. However, I do love middle grade books, especially middle grade books that make me laugh out loud. Even though it isn’t a specific genre, here are ten middle grade books that I recently added to my TBR:

• Junior Lifeguards series by Elizabeth Doyle Carey

I recently finished the first book in the Junior Lifeguards series (see my review here) and I thought it was the perfect book for readers between middle grade and young adult. Since the following books in the series follow different characters introduced in the first book, I want to continue reading to hear their unique voices and to follow their story lines set up in the first book.

• The Winnie Years by Lauren Myracle 

I remember seeing The Winnie Years series all the time in the bookstore when I was younger, but I never read them. Now, I have accumulated most of the series through thrift stores and couldn’t be more excited to read them!

• Rumor Has It by Jane B. Mason

Rumor Has It is part of Scholastic’s Candy Apple Collection (see my countdown of Candy Apple here). When I was younger, I reread the Candy Apple Books over and over again. This will be a short and fun read that will make me feel like a kid again!

• The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia #1) by C.S. Lewis

Recently, I watched The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe and it made me add the series to my TBR immediately! Even though I read this book in fourth grade, I definitely want to reread it with new eyes.

• Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

This book follows a girl with a learning disability and a teacher that changes her life. Even though they aren’t the same plot, the summary of this book reminds me of Rules by Cynthia Lord and Wonder by R.J. Palacio which are two of my favorite middle grade books. Hopefully, this book will live up to my expectations!

• Let’s Pretend This Never Happened (Dear Dumb Diary #1) by Jim Benton

I remember watching the Dear Dumb Diary movie on Netflix and I couldn’t stop laughing! Hopefully, the books will leave me feeling the same way.

• Much Ado About Anne (Mother-Daughter Book Club #2) by Heather Vogel Frederick

I read the first Mother-Daughter Book Club book when I was younger and loved it! I never knew until recently that it was actually a series. My sister has read all the books in the series and she loves them, so I can’t wait to give them a try.

• Best Friends and Drama Queens (Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls #3) by Meg Cabot

Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls was one of my favorite books last year (see my reviews here and here)! The Allie Finkle series is high on my middle grade TBR because it never fails to make me laugh out loud.

• Jessica Darling’s It List 2: The (Totally Not) Guaranteed Guide to Friends, Foes, and Faux Friends by Megan McCafferty

Jessica Darling’s It List was another one of my favorite middle grade books last year (see my review here). Like with Allie Finkle, it made me laugh out loud. I have high expectations for the next book in the series!

• The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #2) by Rick Riordan 

Like with the two books I previous mentioned, I read The Lightning Thief last year and absolutely loved it! However, I still haven’t gotten around to reading the next book in the series. Hopefully, I can read this one before the end of the year!

 

What middle grade books are on your TBR list?

June TBR Pile

Even though I don’t usually make TBR lists since I typically pick up whatever book I feel like reading, there are a few books that I definitely want to read this month. Currently, I’m four books behind on my reading goal, so hopefully I can catch up with some great books in June! Here are five books that I plan to read in June:

• Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

I recently read The Sun is Also a Star and loved it, so I’m really excited to read Everything, Everything. This is a book that I want to finish ASAP so I can go see the move in theaters!

• Once and For All by Sarah Dessen

I’ve been waiting for this book ever since it was announced. Since I pre-ordered this book, I’m counting down the days until it arrives on my doorstep. Sarah Dessen is one of my favorite authors, so I know that I won’t be disappointed!

• The Elite by Kiera Cass

I read The Selection last month and started a new season of The Bachelorette which has made me excited to continue with this series. I have this book on loan from my local library so I need to read this before the due date.

• Open Road Summer by Emery Lord

I purchased this book from a deal on the Kindle Store. It sounds like the perfect summer read so I can’t wait to see if it lives up to my expectations!

• On the Fence by Kasie West

Kasie West is slowly becoming one of my favorite YA contemporary authors. I know this will be a light and fluffy book that will be a fun way to start my summer reading!

 

What books do you plan to read in June?

May Reading Wrap-Up

May was a hectic month for me. Between wrapping up student teaching, graduating college, and searching for a job, I am surprised that I found any time to read! Luckily, I read a few great books this month. Here are the books that I read in May (review will be linked to the title):

• The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon (★ ★ ★ ★ ★)

• P.S. I Like You by Kasie West (★ ★ ★ ★ ★)

• The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (★ ★ ★ ★)

• The Selection by Kiera Cass (★ ★ ★)

• Alex and Eliza by Melissa De La Cruz (★ ★)

• Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin (★ ★ ★ ★ ★)

• The Siren by Kiera Cass (★ ★)

• Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum (★ ★ ★)

 

What was the best book that you read in May? 

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Books for the Second Half of 2017

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s theme is most anticipated books for the second half of 2017. After looking at my TBR list, most of the books that I want to read actually were released today or will be released within the next few weeks! Here are my choices:

• Once and For All by Sarah Dessen

Sarah Dessen is one of my favorite authors of all time. I’ve been waiting to read this ever since it has been announced! I pre-ordered this book awhile ago, so now all I need to do is wait for it to arrive in the mail.

• Lucky in Love by Kasie West

I just started reading Kasie West’s books this year and I love them! Not only is the cover of this book adorable, but the plot also seems really cute. I know this book will leave me smiling.

• One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

I read the summary for this book awhile ago and was immediately interested. I’m so excited for the chance to finally read it!

• When It’s Real by Erin Watt

I’ve heard a lot about Erin Watt’s other books, but the plot didn’t really seem up my alley. This book’s plot definitely seems like something I would enjoy, so I want to give this one a try! Plus, the cover is really cute.

• I Believe in a Thing Called Love by Maurene Goo

This book reminds me of a mix of To All the Boys I Loved Before and Jane the Virgin. Since, I love both of those, I’m really anticipating this read! Like a few of the other books on this list, the cover also pulls me in!

• Romancing the Throne by Nadine Jolie Courtney

England? A prince? This book definitely has a lot of potential! I’m a bit iffy on the sister rivalry, but I’ve been anticipating on how it plays out in the book.

• Kale, My Ex, and Other Things to Toss in a Blender by Lisa Greenwald

This book sounds like it has a lot of ideas which could be really great or not my cup of tea (or should I say, smoothie?). Either way it sounds interesting enough that I want to give it a read!

• Internet Famous by Danika Stone

This books has such a cute cover and plot! I’m always interested to see how social media plays a role in young adult books, so I’m exciting to see how this book uses it.

• Follow Me Back by A.V. Geiger

I’ve seen a lot of books originally written on Wattpad, but haven’t picked one up yet! This book sounds really interesting and I’m interested to see the role that social media plays in this book.

• Coming Up For Air by Miranda Kenneally 

I actually read an eARC of this book and had mixed feelings. I can’t wait for this book to be released to see other people’s opinions!

 

What are your most anticipated books for the second half of the year?

 

Five Series I Will Not Finish

There are some series where I rush out to the store and other series… not so much. Here are a few series that I do not plan on finishing (any book with a review will be linked to the title):

• Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard

After hearing rave reviews of Red Queen, I went in with high expectations. However, I was disappointed because Red Queen reminded me so much of other dystopian books and I didn’t really care for any of the characters. I planned on reading the second book to see if my opinion changed, but after hearing not-so-positive reviews for the second book, I most likely will not be picking it up any time soon.

• An Ember in the Ashes series by Sabaa Tahir

An Ember in the Ashes wasn’t an awful book, but it didn’t really grab me either. Even though the plot was more unique and I liked the character in this book more than Red Queen, it didn’t hook me enough to keep reading. Similar to Red Queen, the reviews for the second book were less positive. When another book was announced, and I already wasn’t too invested in the series, I decided not to pick up the next book.

• Matched series by Ally Condie 

The Matched series was popular when I was a sophomore in high school and it was one of the first young adult-dystopian-love triangle books that I remember reading. I thought Matched was okay, but always planned to read the second book because of the hype that surrounded it. After my sister struggled through the second and third books and so much time passed and I still didn’t find myself reaching for the second book, I decided not to continue the series.

• The Fifth Wave series by Rick Yancey 

I actually really enjoyed this book when I started it. As I continued reading, The Fifth Wave grew more and more formulaic and predictable. Since I predicted the ending of the first book early on, it was a struggle to finish. When some of my favorite reviewers who loved the first book were left unimpressed by the sequel and I already did not feel invested in the series, I knew that I probably wouldn’t pick up the next book.

• The Summer of Cotton Candy (Sweet Seasons Series) by Debby Viguié

I was really excited to read this book because it seemed like so much fun. A girl takes a job in an amusement park for the summer. However, reading this book was not that much fun. Many of the characters really annoyed me and I really didn’t care for the romance. When I found out this was a series, I was slightly interested because I thought it would be fun to see the amusement park in different seasons. However, I don’t think I will be picking up the next book.

 

What series did you stop reading?

 

The Sun is Also a Star Review

The Sun is Also a Star… and a very good book!

The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon follows Natasha, a practical girl, spending her last day in New York before her parents are deported for being illegal immigrants. On her way to meet a lawyer, Natasha runs into Daniel. Unlike Natasha, Daniel is a dreamer who begrudgingly accepts an interview with Yale to please his parents. Over the course of the day, Natasha hopes to stop her deportation and maybe fall in love.

Even though The Sun is Also a Star doesn’t necessarily have a sad ending, it still broke my heart into a million pieces. Seeing how every little action you take can majorly affect another person and forever change their life is extremely impactful. I really appreciate how the author not only gave readers the perspectives of Natasha and Daniel, but characters you wouldn’t think twice about if you came across them in person. By giving glimpses into so many character’s present and future lives, I think the author’s message came across clearly.

While I struggled to relate with some of the characters in this book, I think the author did a fantastic job of characterizing both Natasha and Daniel. The two main characters look at the world through extremely different lenses and their views are very apparent in all their words and actions. Natasha and Daniel really stand out to me among other characters in young adult fiction because they are very unique and well-rounded characters.

Usually in books, I’m not a fan of insta-love romances. Since Natasha only has one day left in the United States that definitely plays a role in this book. In this case, however, I really loved Natasha and Daniel’s relationship and thought it was much deeper than other romances that span the entire book. The ticking clock actually made their perfect chemistry that much more heartbreaking. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but I also really loved how the author ended the book and dealt with their relationship.

With the craziness of college, it has been awhile since I’ve not only read a book, but a book that has made me so excited about reading. From the message, characters, and romance, The Sun is Also a Star stands out in young adult fiction. I give The Sun Also a Star five out of five stars.

Top Ten Tuesday: Summer Book Covers

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s theme is a cover freebie. Since summer is fast approaching, I decided to choose my top ten favorite summer books covers. Any books with reviews on my website will be linked to the title. Here are my nine choices:

1.) The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler

This cover is gorgeous! I love the bright colors and how the shells are placed in the background. I also love the simple font.

2.) The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen

Like with The Summer of Chasing Mermaids, I love how bright and summery the colors are on this book cover! I love how Sarah’s Dessen name fades into blue and pink. Also, I definitely have taken pictures like this on vacation.

3.) The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

From the ice cream truck, to the font, to the dogs this cover is perfection! It definitely captured my attention when I first saw it in the bookstore. One cool aspect of this cover is on the inside there are more pictures of the dogs!

4.) The Boyfriend League by Rachel Hawthorne

This cover is really cute and gives me a good idea of the plot before I even read the description on the back. I really like how the cover is sporty and girly at the same!

5.) Thrill Ride by Rachel Hawthorne

Like with The Boyfriend League, I like how this cute illustration gives you an idea of how fun this book will be to read! I think the heart in the roller coaster is cute, simple, and effective.

6.) The Test: Junior Lifeguards by Elizabeth Doyle Carey

Before reading this book, I didn’t even know about Junior Lifeguards. For the cover, I really like how the O is a life preserver and how the authors name is on the back of the beach chair.

7.) Love and Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch 

The cover is of this book is one of the reasons that I was immediately drawn to it. The ice cream is cute, simple, and summery! It definitely makes me want some gelato.

8.) The Summer of Cotton Candy by Debbie Viguié

At a college event, I worked the cotton candy booth. Unfortunately, my cotton candy never looked as good as the cotton candy on this cover! Whenever I see this book cover, it makes me want to go to the nearest fair or amusement park.

9.) Sleepaway Girls by Jen Calonita 

Summer camp is a staple of summer and I think this cover captures the spirit of summer camp! I really like how the suitcase includes a shirt with the name of the camp on it and includes clothes that I could see the main character wearing!

 

What are your favorite summer book covers?