Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday - NCTE finds 11.29.17

Every Wednesday I join Alyson Beecher from kidlitfrenzy and other

kidlit bloggers to share wonderful nonfiction picture books.

The intention of today's blog post is to give professionals that work in the
education field new nonfiction reading material and ideas to use 

with students to promote a love of reading nonfiction materials.

One of my favorite things to do at NCTE is roam the exhibit hall to check out new books and talk to the publishers.  This year on Saturday I was on the lookout for early readers and nonfiction picture books.  Today I am sharing the nonfiction picture books I found.  Here are the early readers I found.



A Lady Has the Floor: Belva Lockwood Speaks Out for Women's Rights
written by Kate Hannigan
illustrated by Alison Jay
published by Calkins Creek
February 20th



Blue Grass Boy
written by Barb Rosenstock
illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham
published by Boyd Mills
March 6th


Terrific Tongues!
written by Maria Gianferrari
illustrated by Jia Liu
published by Boyd Mills
April 3rd
I've already read through this one and it is fantastic!  The text organization is fantastic and will support readers.  I can't wait to add this one to my collection!


Born to Swing: Lil Hardin Armstrong's Life in Jazz
written by Mara Rockliff
illustrated by Michele Wood
published by Calkins Creek
January 30th
Sorry, any book that has someone working on it that is a Michele with one l is going to be fantastic!  :)


Cute As An Axolotl
written by Jess Keating
illustrated by David DeGrand
published by Alfred A. Knopf
August 28th


The Amazing Collection of Joey Cornell
written by Candace Fleming
illustrated by Gérard Dubois
published by Schwartz and Wade Books
February 27th


Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag
written by Rob Sanders
illustrated by Steven Salerno
published by Random House
April 10th


Who Says Women Can't Be Computer Programmers?
written by Tanya Lee Stone
illustrated by Marjorie Priceman
published by Henry Holt and Co
February 20th


Voices From the Underground Railroad
written by Kay Winters
illustrated by Larry Day
published by Dial Books
January 9th


A Girl Named Hillary
written by Rebecca Paley
published by Scholastic
January 30th


Wow, we have some amazing nonfiction reading ahead of us in 2018!  Lots to look forward to next year :)

#road2reading Challenge - NCTE finds! 11.28.17

All journeys have a starting place.

This is a weekly place to find books and tools 

that you may use with readers at the start of their reading journey.

Join in the conversation at #road2reading.

One of my favorite things to do at NCTE is roam the exhibit hall to check out new books and talk to the publishers.  This year on Saturday I was on the lookout for early readers and nonfiction picture books.  Today I am sharing the early readers I found.  Check back tomorrow to see the nonfiction picture books!


Crunch the Shy Dinosaur
written by Cirocco Dunlap
illustrated by Greg Pizzoli
published by Random House
March 29th


The Truth About Bears
by Maxwell Eaton III
published by Roaring Book Press
February 27th


Polly Diamond and the Magic Book
written by Alice Kuipers
illustrated by Diana Toledano
published by Chronicle
May 1st


Toy Academy
written by Brian Lynch
illustrated by Edwardian Taylor
published by Scholastic
December 26, 2017!


The Magic School Bus Rides Again: Monster Power
written by Judy Katschke
illustrated by Artful Doodlers Ltd.
published by Scholastic
Dec. 26, 2017!
Reimagined under the Branches series, I am really looking forward to seeing where this crazy bus is taking us this time!  The first two books are being released simultaneously with the series continuing in March 2018.


Fairy Mom and Me
by Sophie Kinsella
published by Random House
January 2nd
If you're familiar with Kinsella's adult novels, you know there is always tons of hilarity involved.  I'm hoping this one is the same!


Hi, Jack!
written by Mac Barnett
illustrated by Greg Pizzoli
published by Viking Books for Young Readers
February 27th
The first two books in the series are being released simultaneously.


Princess Pulverizer: Grilled Cheese and Dragons
by Nancy Krulik
published by Penguin Workshop
January 16th
Fans of Katie Kazoo, Switcharoo will be familiar with this author!


Baby Monkey, Private Eye
written by David Serlin
illustrated by Brian Selznick
published by Scholastic
February 27th
The book trailer is on Scholastic's Spring 2018 spring books preview.  Hop on over there and watch it - it's laugh out loud funny!

Looks like our students who are on the #road2reading have some great stories ahead of them!

Stop by Alyson's blog for more #road2reading fun!

Want to talk about books for readers who are on the #road2reading?  Link up here!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 11.27.17

This weekly post comes from Jen at Teach Mentor Texts

 and Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers.  

It's a great source to find new books to use with your students.

Two weeks ago's adventures!

I took a week off of blogging so I could spend time with family.  
I've got some great posts coming up this week!  Lots to share from the NCTE expo hall!

Here are the posts from two weeks ago in case you missed them:

Here's a roundup of winter and Christmas stories.

The list of books our students are using for Sibert Smackdown.

The list of books our students are using for Mock Geisel.



Graphic Novels


According to Aggie
written by Mary Richards Beaumont
I picked this up at my Scholastic Book Fair.  I was surprised that it was a graphic novel so I knew it was one I wanted for my library.  It looks like a book that will appeal to my BSC readers.  
It's a cute story about a friendship that starts going in a new direction.  Reminded me quite a bit of Jamieson's Roller Girl.  
I was very disappointed with the lack of diversity within this book.  There are a few characters that are sprinkled into the illustrations or have very minor roles in the book that have different racial backgrounds.  There is no mention of any characters coming from single parent homes, just parents that work full time jobs.
If this is going to be a series, I hope American Girl (the publisher) choses to represent more cultures, races and family representation in their stories.


Middle Grade


Princess Juniper of the Hourglass 
by Ammi-Joan Paquette
Loved meeting Princess Juniper and I'm glad to have two more books in front of me to read.  Juniper is tough, smart and kind.  She welcomes adventure and wants to be a fair and kind ruler.  Which is perfect because she is getting the chance to practice all of this when her father grants her her own kingdom!  Of course figuring out how to lead and do it well is more tricky than she thought.  This first book in the series was a joy to read and I'm looking forward to seeing what she is up to next!


Escape From Aleppo
by N.H. Senzai
review copy from Edelweiss
I read this book on my kindle while I exercised on the bike twice each week, so it's taken me some time to get through it since I had such limited reading time.  Even with reading it in small bursts, I can see what an important and timely book this is.  Senzai takes us into war-torn Aleppo and we follow Nadia as she attempts to escape Aleppo into Turkey in order to be reunited with her family.  Through the use of flashbacks, the reader understands how Nadia's life has changed from being more carefree to one where she can mathematically calculate how far the bombs/gunfire is.  
I really don't know as many details as I should about what is happening in the Middle East.  This helps fill in some gaps.


Wizardmatch
by Lauren Magaziner
publishes March 6, 2018
If you aren't already familiar with Lauren Magaziner and her stories, then you need to change that now!  Magaziner consistently writes books that get kids excited about the stories they are reading.  This one is no exception.  
Lennie comes from a magical family and it's now time for her Poppop to step down and pass on all of his magical powers to one of his grandchildren.  To avoid just selecting by himself, he holds a Wizardmatch for them to compete in and win his powers.  But, this wizardmatch isn't without rules - and discriminatory rules at that.  
This book has so much in it - gender and racial equality, sibling and family rivalry, and fighting for what you want most of all.  Make sure this book is on your preorder!


EngiNerds
by Jarrett Lerner
I try to read all of the books, especially the first in a series, before I put them on my shelves. Since the oldest students in my building are 4th graders, I try to be very careful of the content in middle grade books.  It helps me know what to book talk, but I can also be sure that I'm putting the right books in the right hands.  I'm just sorry I didn't read this book faster.  See I've owned it since it came out.  I'm thinking of all the lost reading weeks.... At least I'll be able to get it into hands as soon as we're back from Thanksgiving Break!  This book is going to be well loved with all middle grade readers.  It's smart, funny, quick, and it's full of engineering!  Can't wait for more in this series!


The Problim Children
by Natalie Lloyd
I read this for the first time a couple of months ago.  I read it so quickly in order to get something done for that particular book.  I enjoyed it, but lost out on getting lost in Natalie's world, her words.
I put it aside for a second read.  This time I knew I would have large chunks of time to read it.  I could read it slowly yet have time to get lost in the world of the Problims and I loved it so much more on this read!  I had time to pour over Natalie's words, and if you are a fan of Natalie Lloyd, then you are a fan in her ability to say something so profound in a perfect sentence.
I have another post coming out closer to The Problim Children's publication on Feb. 6th.  Come back and learn a little more about why you want this book for your readers!


Appleblossom the Possum
by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Animal fantasy stories have never really been my thing, but there are so many young readers out there for them!  Hand this one over to your readers who enjoyed Firefly Hollow or The True Blue Scouts of Sugarcane Swamp.  
I really enjoyed the illustrations by Gary Rosen.  They were reminiscent of Garth Williams' work!

Currently Reading


Aru Shah and the End of Time
by Roshani Chokshi
I am so excited about this new Disney imprint called Rick Riordan presents.  Riordan knows there are many more mythological stories from other cultures and he's found authors to tell them.  This is the first in what will be a quartet.  I'm looking forward to seeing where this adventure takes me!

Happy Reading to All!

Spotlight Friday: Winter Reads and Christmas Stories 11.17.17

Time to get ready for the weekend!

Kick up your feet and find a good place to read.

Sharing #booklove for your classroom or library.

Spotlighting a book or two because these books deserve the spotlight!

We cannot deny it, wintertime is here.  Cold weather and all that it brings has already appeared, at least in the midwest!  Of course with that comes the holiday season!  Here are some new winter and holiday books that are out now.  Gather around the fireplace, grab a warm blanket and share some great books!

Winter Reads


When the Moon Comes
written by Paul Harbridge
illustrated by Matt James
I can't wait to share this one!  What a perfect small moments story - when the weather is just right and the ice is ready for the season's first hockey gathering.  This book can be used as a mentor text or a book that is going to entice a lot of young readers to come back to again and again!


Willa and the Bear
by Philomela O'Neill
This story was very reminiscent of Little House in the Big Woods.  Young Willa is headed to her grandparents house and while traveling in the sled pulled by carriage, loses her doll.  Her grandmother has made her a new stuffed animal, but it's not the same as her doll.  Lucky for Willa, a special forest animal helps rescue the day.


Mice Skating
written by Annie Silvestro
illustrated by Teagan White
Anything Teagan White illustrates is going to be a beautiful and timeless!  This one is no exception.  This is just the kind of story I would have loved as a child.  Reminiscent of Beatrix Potter, young readers will love the story about Lucy Mouse who loves the winter time!


Space Boy and the Snow Monster
written by Dian Curtis Regan
illustrated by Robert Neubecker
Space Boy and his crew are back in this winter time adventure.  The use of graphic novel like frames make this a fun read for kids.  I love the imaginative play these books showcase!



Christmas Stories


Red and Lulu
by Matt Tavares
I've shared this one before an it's one I'll continue to talk about.  Just love the story and it's definitely a new holiday favorite.  Two cardinals that are separated from each other when their home is chosen to be the Christmas tree for Rockefeller Center!


Santa Rex
by Molly Idle
The next book in the "Rex" series (Tea Rex, Camp Rex, Sea Rex), this one will delight young readers as they watch the characters plus dinosaurs get ready for Christmas!  As always, the dinosaurs add more chaos than help, but it always ends up alright!


The Bear Who Didn't Want to Miss Christmas
written by Marie Tibi
illustrated by Favien Öckto Lambert
Perfect book to show the Christmas spirit!  Bear always misses Christmas because it's during hibernation time.  His friends come together to surprise him with an "almost Christmas" celebration.


Ninja Claus!
by Agree Chung
I love all of the Ninja stories and this one is going to be well loved by readers as well.  Who wouldn't love to meet a Ninja Santa Claus!


We Wish for a Monster Christmas
written by Sue Fliess
illustrated by Claudia Ranucci
Young readers will enjoy this silly book about getting a monster for Christmas!  The rhymes almost fit perfectly into a Christmas melody!


The 12 Sleighs of Christmas
written by Sherri Duskey Rinker
illustrated by Jake Parker
From the author who gave us Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site and Steam Train, Dream Train, we have a Christmas book that is going to appeal to those young transportation buffs!  Santa's sleigh is looking a little worse for wear, but never fear, there are a lot of elf mechanics who have been waiting for this to happen!  They get to create some new sleighs for Santa.  Which one will he choose?


The 12 Days of Christmas
by Greg Pizzoli
The song illustrated by the great Greg Pizzoli!  Nothing new here except for the fun illustrations.  One young elephant enthusiastically brings home each part of the song to the delight of the other young elephant.  Not so much delight for the elephant parent!


Love, Santa
written by Martha Brockenbrough
illustrated by Lee White
And this is the Christmas book that absolutely brought a tear to my eye and warmed my heart.  I have a 12 year old daughter who wants to so desperately believe in Santa, so she does.  She hears what everyone says but wants to believe in the magic that is Christmas.  It's hard to believe she's in 7th grade and still wants to hold on to this magic.  I will let her hold on to the magic as long as she wants, but when she's ready for an answer this is the book I will read to her.  It's the truth, but it still shares the magic that is Christmas.  I'm so grateful for this book.



I can't help but notice the new Christmas books I'm able to find and how few books celebrating the other winter time holidays.  Have you found some new titles?  Please share them in the comments so I can find them too!


I'm so excited because some of my favorite weeks of the year are coming up!  This week is is NCTE week and I'm so happy to be catching up with friends I don't often get to see!  NCTE is a conference that rejuvenates me and gets me excited to start the next half of the year.  I can't wait to find some new book titles and talk books with friends!  Are you going to be at NCTE this year?  I hope we run into each other!  I'll be presenting on Friday (today!) from 12:30-1:45 in Rooms 120/121.  I'll be presenting along with some of the authors I've been currently spotlighting:  Jennifer Ziegler, J. Anderson Coats, Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich, Joan Paquette and Lisa Yee.  Stop by!
And then the week after is Thanksgiving Week!  It's one of my favorite weeks because it's filled with family and tradition!

I'll be taking off next week from blogging while I enjoy some family time.  I'll be back the following week with some end of the year posts, including My Favorites from 2017 and what to look forward to in 2018!

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday - Sibert Smackdown books 11.15.17

Every Wednesday I join Alyson Beecher from kidlitfrenzy and other

kidlit bloggers to share wonderful nonfiction picture books.

The intention of today's blog post is to give professionals that work in the
education field new nonfiction reading material and ideas to use 

with students to promote a love of reading nonfiction materials.

One of my favorite times of the school year is the Mock season.  Our school participates in Mock Geisel, Caldecott and Newbery.  I even do a Sibert Smackdown with some groups.  I think participating in these are a perfect example of the way close reading is supposed to look like - digging in deeper, reading with a purpose and questions in mind.  Of course the best part is the book voting and assembly.  Each grade level votes for the book they see having the best criteria for that particular award and then we have an assembly to see our school winners and compare them to what the real committee chooses.  It's quite the celebration of books!

Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be sharing our school's choices for Mock books.  Today it's the books we're using for Sibert Smackdown.  What's Sibert Smackdown?  You must read Melissa Stewart's post about it!  Here's her wrap up post from last year that showcases several teachers take on the great activity.  I run this one a little different from our Mock units because books really do go head to head in this one.  The kids really dig into the nonfiction craft when they're reading, examining and critiquing these books.  The students walk away with a little more understanding of the ways authors craft nonfiction and they learn quite a bit!  Here are this year's Smackdown books:

One Proud Penny

written by Randy Siegel

illustrated by Serge Bloch

VS

Her Right Foot

written by Dave Eggers

illustrated by Shawn Harris

***

How to Be an Elephant

by Katherine Roy

VS

The Hidden Life of a Toad

by Doug Wechsler

***

Can An Aardvark Bark?

written by Melissa Stewart

illustrated by Steve Jenkins

VS

Robins!: How They Grow Up

by Eileen Christelow

***

Grand Canyon

by Jason Chin

VS

Dazzle Ships: World War I and the Art of Confusion

written by Chris Barton 

illustrated by Victo Ngai

***

The Youngest Marcher

by Cynthia Levinson

illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

VS

Grace Hopper, Queen of Computer Code

written by Laurie Wallmark

illustrated by Katy Wu

There you have it.  That's how it's going down.  I'm looking forward to the discussions the students are going to have around these books!

I'm so excited because some of my favorite weeks of the year are coming up!  This week is is NCTE week and I'm so happy to be catching up with friends I don't often get to see!  NCTE is a conference that rejuvenates me and gets me excited to start the next half of the year.  I can't wait to find some new book titles and talk books with friends!  Are you going to be at NCTE this year?  I hope we run into each other!  I'll be presenting on Friday from 12:30-1:45 in Rooms 120/121.  I'll be presenting along with some of the authors I've been currently spotlighting:  Jennifer Ziegler, J. Anderson Coats, Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich, Joan Paquette and Lisa Yee.  Stop by!
And then the week after is Thanksgiving Week!  It's one of my favorite weeks because it's filled with family and tradition!
I'll be taking off next week from blogging while I enjoy some family time.  I'll be back the following week with some end of the year posts, including My Favorites from 2017 and what to look forward to in 2018!