It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 11.14.16

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.

Last Week's Adventures

Just because something is labeled nonfiction, doesn't mean it is full of true facts.  Use these books to help students be critical thinkers.

Getting ready for the holidays yet?  Here are some new Christmas books you may want to add to your list!

Picture Books

We Came to America by Faith Ringgold

5/5 stars

After Tuesday, many of us were at a loss.  If that sounds familiar, this book may be a good place to start and talk.  Ringgold shares how a diverse group of people make up who lives in America.  That these people brought, and sometimes lost, their culture, their names, their dress.  And all of these people make up America.

A Small Thing... but Big by Tony Johnston

4/5 stars

Use for growth mindset.  In order to grow, try new things, do something you're afraid of... you just need to start with a small step forward.

Du Iz Tak? by Carson Ellis

4/5 stars

This is a book I would really like to read with kids, because I'm not sure how they will like it.  It might go over well, and others may be bored.  I found myself getting frustrated with the made up words (hello ELL learners....) and not even concentrating on them, just using the illustrations.  

Since this book is really carried by the illustrations, it will be interesting to see if the Caldecott committee is looking at this.


Is That Wise, Pig? by Jan Thomas
4/5 stars
This book is a must for preK-1st gr libraries.  Laugh out loud funny for kids.  With the short text and repeating lines, it's a book we added to our Mock Geisel unit.


The Boss Baby by Marla Frazee
4/5 stars
Oh, how I love Marla Frazee's work.  This book would pair nicely with Kate Beaton's King Baby.

Informational Texts


Lift Your Light a Little Higher: The Story of Stephen Bishop Slave-Explorer by Heather Henson
3/5 stars
This book had a different focus than I thought it would.  Bishop was a slave that literally led tourists through Mammoth Cave.  I thought this was going to be about the Underground Railroad.  It was an interesting story, but left me with some questions.


The Great Leopard Rescue: Saving the Amur Leopards by Sandra Markle
5/5 stars
If you ever want to find beautifully written non-fiction, look to Sandra Markle.  Her writing is clear and concise.  It's a mentor text for organization, tight writing, and engaging word choice.  
Markle details these animals, their habits and where they live.  She goes into detail about the rehabilitation effort that is starting to take place and why it is needed.  Her use of text features enhances the information and gives readers another way of looking at information.  The photographs are stunning and left me wondering about these magnificent creatures.
Fascinating nonfiction - can't wait to use it with readers.

Poetry


Best in Snow by April Pulley Sayre
5/5 stars
Make sure you expose students to poetry like this - that spreads out over a book.  So often young readers think that poetry has a formal format - that it reads across a single page.
This is how I would like to view snow - through a photograph.  And far away from outside my door!  Unfortunately, the weather featured in this book is coming and students will definitely have schema for it.  What Sayre does that makes this book stand out is include fantastic back matter about snow and weather.  I love the science connection in this book.

Middle Grade

Zack Delacruz: Just My Luck by Jeff Anderson
4/5 stars
Love this middle grade series.
Return tomorrow to see a review and a giveaway!

Currently Reading


The Diabolic by S. J. Kincaid


Lucky Broken Girl by Ruth Behar

Just starting both of these books.

This is one of my favorite weeks of the year - NCTE week!  I can't wait for Thursday to come.  It's a few days of friends, books and learning.  It always jump starts my enthusiasm for what I do! 
Happy learning and reading this week!

Spotlight Friday - Christmas fun 11.11.16

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!

I do love the fall and winter holiday seasons!  I love when October arrives and the pretty fall colors are seen (if only I could keep balmy temperatures at this time, it would be perfect!).  The fall colors stay for Thanksgiving, and truth be told, that's my favorite holiday.  We still have the holiday season coming!  Christmas decorations are my favorite.  And while I'm mindful that our students all have different traditions and holidays to celebrate, I'm still on the lookout for wonderful Christmas books to share with my daughter and other young nieces and nephews.  A couple that have popped up this year:

Penguin's Christmas Wish 

by Salina Yoon

published by Bloomsbury

First this book took my breath away when I saw the dedication.  Salina dedicated this book to Debbie Alvarez.  Debbie was an avid participant in the children's literature scene.  We lost Debbie earlier this year, but I'm thrilled to see this beautiful book dedicated to her.

Like other Penguin books, the true meaning of friendship shines through.  Forget the commercial parts about the holiday, it's about giving from the heart and enjoying the sights and sounds of the holiday.

Goodreads summary:

Penguin can't wait to celebrate Christmas with his family and friends. But when things don't go exactly as planned, Penguin learns to find holiday magic in the most unexpected places.

Maple and Willow's Christmas Tree

by Lori Nichols

published by Nancy Paulsen books

I love Lori Nichols' illustrations in the Maple and Willow books!  This one stands out with the fir trees that are snow covered.  It makes me, who loves warm weather, even pause at the beauty.  Much rather see it in a book, though!

Maple and Willow are excited to get their first real Christmas tree.  Unfortunately, as soon as it's brought inside, we discover Willow has a bad tree allergy.  Leave it to Maple who finds a wonderful solution to the problem!

The Biggest Smallest Christmas Present 

by Harriet Muncaster

published by Putnam

Clementine is the smallest kid in the world which means she needs small things.  Her family modifies for her but Santa is needing some nudging.  Clementine tries to write messages (hint, talk to students about ways to get your message across depending on the receiver), but Santa doesn't seem to be getting them.  All she wants is a present that is right for her.  But when she finally gets the perfect present, she realizes maybe her idea of perfect needing some changing after all!  (and I would've LOVED her perfect present as a child!)

Happy Holiday reading!

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday - Fact or a good joke? 11.09.16

Every Wednesday I join Alyson Beecher from kidlitfrenzy and other

kidlit bloggers to share wonderful nonfiction picture books.

The intention of today's blog is to give educational professionals

new nonfiction reading material and ideas to use 

with students to promote a love of reading nonfiction materials.

We have a responsibility to teach young readers to be critical of what they read, especially nonfiction.  Just because something is classified as nonfiction, or is shelved in the nonfiction section, means it is necessarily true.

Here are a couple of series that you could use with young readers that show nonfiction should not always be taken at face value.

TOON Books:

This is a fantastic series for young readers.  I really enjoy many of their beginning graphic novels.  There are also some nonfiction books as part of the series, but just be careful of everything you read.

A Goofy Guide to Penguins 

by Jean-Luc Coudray and Philippe Coudray

Definitely funny, but be careful what you read.  Some of the jokes are just that, silly riddles, without much truth to them.  Others hold truth, but you have to closely read and understand the illustrations to find the truth.

The Real POOP on PIGEONS!

by Kevin McCloskey

This one holds more facts than comedy, but young readers still have to be savvy enough to know when the characters are being silly and when they are disguising a fact in the joke.  I wish there were more back matter.

The Disgusting Critters/Creatures series

I really like this series by Elise Gravel, but with the critter/creature doing most of the talking, the young reader has to be savvy, just like in the above book, and distinguish between fact/truth.

            

I like both series, and I think they are helpful to get readers to try nonfiction.  But unless you can help the reader know the difference between fact and a cleverly disguised joke, the nonfiction definitely becomes fiction.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 11.07.16

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.

Last Week's Adventures

I always enjoy picture book biographies, but these are some really great ones out there.

I always find lists of books so helpful!  Here is a list of books you may want to give as a "Welcome to the World" or Graduation congratulations gift! 

Picture Books

It Is Not Time For Sleeping by Lisa Graff

5/5 stars

This is going to be a bedtime story that is begged to be read by millions of young children in the years to come.  It's timeless.  

And of course Lauren Castillo's illustrations are as beautiful as always.  I pour over each detail.  I think they are endearing to young children - they speak to them.


Pond by Jim LaMarche
4/5 stars
I loved this book about young Matt who decides that he is going to try and restore an area that looks like there had been a pond.  As the pond comes back, so do the wildlife and animals.  Kids can make a difference in our world and this book could be the springboard to make a child think about that!


I Don't Want to be Big by Dev Petty
4/5 stars
I admit I like the first one better, but this is a silly follow-up.  Fun to be in the mind of this child - his reasonings of why he doesn't want to be something (a frog, or in this one, big) are pretty transparent in everyone's eyes... except his.  And I love how quickly he changes his mind.


A Voyage in the Clouds: The (Mostly) True Story of the First International Flight by Balloon
by Matthew Olshan
4/5 stars
The mostly true account of the two men, Dr. John Jeffries, an Englishmen, and Jean-Pierre, a Frenchman, who made the first international balloon flight.  It's humorous, many parts are silly when they are bickering.  Although mostly true, the story ends up fiction because of the liberties the author took in telling the story.


Informational Text


Because of an Acorn by Lola Schaefer
4/5 stars
I read this book and the next one over and over to small groups of students in honor of our school's Woodland Day.  This one was my favorite because of how much it teaches in such simple text and the wonderful illustrations.  Perfect book to use for cause and effect.


Coyote Moon by Maria Gianferrari
4/5 stars
Another book that I learned more and more from with each subsequent reading.  Perfect book to show the food chain and how animals use their defenses to get away from prey.  The back matter is also full of good information.


Giant Squid by Candace Fleming
5/5 stars
What an amazing mentor text!  I actually just used it to show my daughter how to write an exciting lead for a nonfiction text!
I guess I didn't realize how little we knew of the giant squid.  It's interesting to think about how many there are and how little we've seen.  
An exciting nonfiction text you definitely want to share with your students.

Poetry


Garvey's Choice by Nikki Grimes
5/5 stars
Wow.  Powerful.  Great middle grade themes - parental expectations, bullying, friendship, coming of age.  This book will speak to its readers.
Grimes writing is amazing as always.  Each poem/chapter is written in tanka verse.  The ability to tell a story while writing in a specific format will always amaze me.

Middle Grade

The Poet's Dog by Patricia MacLachlan
5/5 stars

I am not a dog person.  I did not grow up with a dog, and while I wouldn't mind having one now, my lifestyle - too much traveling for extended periods of time - really does not make sense for us to have a dog.  As a result, I am often not over emotional with dog stories.  It's the well written ones that I fall in love with.  And this book is one of them.  I love how the story threads go together.  I love how every word matters in this short book.  I'm not sure this book is for every reader, but it's definitely right for many!

Young Adult

Replica by Lauren Oliver

5/5 stars

This book is actually two in one.  Two girls' stories - Gemma and Lyra - that tell the story from two points of view.  But neither story can be told without the other.  

Oliver talks about how all of our stories are seen differently through the eyes of other people who are involved within the story.  This book shows this and it's a great talking point.

How you read the story is up to you - you can read in alternating chapters, although this requires you to flip the book upside down and start from the other side (this is what I did) or you can read through one girl's story and then the other.  

I was fascinated with the concept of the book and the theme - human cloning - and I finished this book quickly.  Now if the sequel would hurry up and arrive...

Currently Reading


Zack Delacruz: Just My Luck by Jeff Anderson

Happy reading to you this week!

Spotlight Friday: welcome to the world! 11.04.16

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!

Spotlighting a roundup of books that make perfect welcome-to-the-world baby gifts.  Some could double as graduation gifts!

This is Our Baby, Born Today

written by Varsha Bajaj

illustrated by Eliza Wheeler

When the World is Dreaming

by Rita Gray

illustrated by Kenard Pak

King Baby

by Kate Beaton

The Wonderful Things You Will Be

by Emily Winfield Martin

The Knowing Book

written by Rebecca Kai Dotlich

illustrated by Matthew Cordell

I Wish You More 

written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld

Bunny Roo, I Love You

written by Melissa Marr

illustrated by Teagan White

Wish

by Matthew Cordell

Wherever You Go

written by Pat Miller

illustrated by Eliza Wheeler

What books do you like to give as gifts?

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday - picture book biographies 11.02.16

Every Wednesday I join Alyson Beecher from kidlitfrenzy and other

kidlit bloggers to share wonderful nonfiction picture books.

The intention of today's blog is to give educational professionals

new nonfiction reading material and ideas to use 

with students to promote a love of reading nonfiction materials.

Don't miss these picture book biographies!



Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat
by Javaka Steptoe
What I love about art is how much it varies.  People really see something different in all art, and find something different that speaks to them.
It seems to me that I really don't know many current artists.  I'm always finding new ones through children's literature.  I'm glad many of them are being introduced to me.
Jean-Michel Basquiat is an artist I did not know about, but the layers of this man is fascinating to me.  To have so much passion at a young age, to see pieces of the world and social injustice and messages and put it all into art...
Steptoe's words are as vivid as his own artwork.  He includes a note both at the beginning and end of the book explaining the art in the book and his decisions that went into it.  I felt the need to do some further research and go back and forth between the author's real work and the illustrations in the book.
I have a feeling we'll be hearing this book title in January.

I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark

by Debbie Levy

Fantastic picture book biography - well rounded information and Levy does a great job showing the reader how Ginsburg fought passionately - still is! - for the rights for all.  What stood out to me in this picture book biography was the big picture - Levy named the book "I Dissent" and then went on to show how this was a theme throughout Ginsburg's life.  Great back matter included.

Six Dots: A Story of Young Louis Braille

by Jen Bryant

I think I've read more about the blind but haven't really thought much about what is behind the Braille alphabet.  Great picture book biography about the young man who invented this alphabet.  I was surprised to learn that Braille was not born blind, but it was through an accident that lead to his being blind.  Another book with great back matter.


I Am Jane Goodall
by Brad Meltzer
I think this series has gotten better over time.  This one about Jane Goodall is packed with information that gives the young reader a great picture of who she is.  I thought the themes were placed just right - accomplish anything by working together, see how alike, not different, people are, share the Earth, take care of each other.


Esquivel! Space-Age Sound Artist
by Susan Wood
I had never heard of the musician Esquivel, but when I saw the book was illustrated by the wonderful Duncan Tonatiuh, I knew it was a book I would check out.  I think what enhanced my reading experience was listening to Esquivel's music as I read the book.  I pulled up some of his songs on Apple Music and the sound was absolutely unique and different.  Some of the artistic decisions Tonatiuh made absolutely made sense as I listened to the music.  Esquivel created a unique mix of sounds that while different, came together to make a very interesting listening experience.  I'm not sure if I read the book without the music it would've stayed with me the same.


Antsy Ansel: Ansel Adams, A Life in Nature
by Cindy Jenson-Elliott
I've heard of Ansel Adams, but I'm sorry to say I'm not as familiar with his work.  I appreciated how this book scattered representations of his work through the book.  Through this book, readers will understand a few important points about Ansel's life - that from a very young age he knew he belonged outdoors, and through the camera lens, he shared the outdoors with people.