Celebrate This Week 8.22.15

It's always good to end the week on a positive note.  Sometimes we concentrate on the negatives.  We have a choice.  Choose positive.  Choose to celebrate.  I will be joining Ruth Ayres and her weekly link-up, Celebrate This Week.  Check out all the other celebrations HERE

Looking back at this summer, there were so many wonderful moments.  I'm celebrating a great summer and looking forward to a fantastic fall.

June
* We traveled to Colorado Springs for my daughter to swim in the Jimi Flowers Classic Paralympic swim meet.  One medal for a first place finish in the 200 back and 9/9 best times made for a great meet!  The scenery was beautiful too!

       

* Watched my daughter perform in her 5th dance recital.  Her poise and grace on the stage always amaze me. (and I just went through my photos - I only took video, not photos of the recital, oops!)

* I went to All-Write in Warsaw, Indiana for the first time.  It was a fantastic professional development conference.  I grew as an educator and had fun meeting old friends for the first time.  It's what Twitter does for you!

July
* The 4th of July will always be one of my favorite holidays.  Being outside with friends and family is the best.

* nErDcampMI!!!  It has quickly become one of my favorite summer things to do.  This year was so special because after spending so much time talking to each other daily, I was able to hang out with some very dear friends.  Oh, and the authors!  What amazing people.  Here's my post dedicated to these author rock stars!

     


* Happy 10th birthday to my child.  Guess what we do?  Hang out with authors!

* I had a wonderful dinner with Lynda Mullaly Hunt.  Conversations about books and writing!

* I met with my writing group.  They are slowly convincing me I am a writer!

* My beautiful nephew, Mason, was born!

* We spent a lot of weekends at the pool.  Not the neighborhood pool, the aqua arenas in Wisconsin.  My daughter swam in regionals and state.  Fast swimming everywhere!

August

* The weather warmed up and we did get to spend some time at local pools.

* A quick bonus trip to Disney.  Fun with friends!

* A successful knee surgery for my daughter.

As I look back, it was a beautiful and fun-filled summer.

This may have been the funniest photo I received this summer:

I'm sure there will be many new adventures as we look towards a new season!

What was your favorite summer memory?

Goodnight Songs: A Celebration of the Seasons - a new book by Margaret Wise Brown

Goodnight Songs: A Celebration of the Seasons

By Margaret Wise Brown

Published by Sterling Children's Books

When I think of Margaret Wise Brown, her infamous book Goodnight Moon will always come to mind.  It's one of the first books I used in my first job, teaching at-risk preschool students. The calm phrases, the easy to memorize words, the way the book always makes you feel everything is ok.  It's also one of the first books I ever read to my newborn daughter.  Holding her in my arms and reading Brown's words, just made everything peaceful.

Brown, of course, has written many other books, books that are tried and true in classrooms and libraries everywhere.  The Important Book, The Runaway Bunny are books introduced to so many readers.  I remember reading Big Red Barn during a farm unit and giving The Golden Egg Book to my nieces for an Easter present.  I've always enjoyed reading Brown's words.  But little did I know that Brown had such a passion for lyrics and poetry.  In 2014, a collection of songs was published called Goodnight Songs.  This collection of song lyrics and poems were accompanied by beautiful illustrations drawn by award winning illustrators and a CD with the lyrics put to song.

Now, a second book has been published by Sterling Children's Books, this time, each song revolves around the seasons.  A Celebration of the Seasons was published on August 4th, with new illustrators and songs.  This gorgeous collection of words, illustrations and music celebrate the changing of the seasons and nature.  With illustrations by Molly Idle, Peter Brown, Elly MacKay and Floyd Cooper, this collection is a feast for the eyes and ears.  Each illustration is as stunning as the one before it.

The song lyrics can be used for music or as poems.  Brown had such a gift with words, and her talent is evident within this book.  Each poem is different stylistically and it matches the idea of the poem.  Some are fun and silly and told in rhyme.  Others are reflective and quiet and told in beautiful free verse.

The music of Tom Proutt and Emily Gary is timeless.  I love the influence of jazz, country and bluegrass in some of the songs.  The CD is a perfect addition for a car ride or time at home.  I think the power of music in assisting children with early reading skills is something that can be neglected at early ages.  Young children need to hear rhymes and ways that words work together, long before they see the printed word.  The only suggestion I would have for the publisher is to include a link to download the music.  I think CD players are being phased out more and more - many cars no longer have them!  A downloadable link would offer additional listening options.

This book will make a wonderful newborn baby gift.  It is a book that could be read and shared for many years.  With the accompaniment of music, the songs could be listened to through the preschool years.

This would also be a wonderful book for a PreK-Kg classroom.  Poetry and music made wonderful pre-reading activities.  By following along with the words with the music, students will fall in love with words in a playful and meaningful activity.

I'm hoping to share some of the poems with 1st-2nd grade classrooms this year.  This really is a collection you can use year round!

Check out Goodnight Songs: A Celebration of the Seasons by Margaret Wise Brown and consider adding it to your classroom or library!

The Day the Crayons Came Home - a review

The Day the Crayons Came Home

By Drew Daywalt

Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers

Published by Philomel Books

I remember first reading The Day the Crayons Quit at Barnes and Noble.  I was laughing out loud in the bookstore.  I remember thinking, this is a book that kids will want to read.  Now this was years ago.  I hadn't discovered The Nerdy Book Club, Twitter, or my reading tribe yet.  I was just a reading teacher who realized that it was books that kids needed.  It wasn't a packaged program. Kids need to read.  I hadn't heard about this book from anyone, I just picked it up and read it.  I remember bringing it to school and using it where I could.  Then the "Crayons" picked up momentum.  There were on state lists and library hold lists everywhere!  I was so glad to see Crayon love.

And now, I get to ride the ride all over again.  Because this past week, we were given the gift of the Crayons coming back.  Well, not at first.  You see Duncan has been a bit careless with his crayons.  They are scattered all over.  And now they're writing postcards to let him know they want to be found.  Daywalt's humor has gotten funnier, snarkier, and it's going to be a hit with all readers.  The Crayons have found themselves in places that no crayon, or person, wants to go.  They've done embarrassing things, they've changed, some want to leave, some want to come home.  But in the end, they just want to be with Duncan.

Oliver Jeffers' illustrations certainly add to the humor of the story.  I found myself in each subsequent reading (oh yes, there have already been many) finding new little details in each drawing.  Last night, my daughter and I discovered the clever postal stamp locations.  And a glow in the dark page?  Anyone besides me immediately go to a closed in room and turn off all the lights?

It seemed to me that Daywalt left the ending a bit open for a sequel.  While I look forward to a sequel with open arms, I'm going to ride the high of this new Crayons book for awhile longer.
And go back and laugh.  At Neon Red, what a goofy guy.  And Esteban.  I really want a crayon that says Esteban on it.

Enjoy!

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday 8.19.15 Tree of Wonder

I am excited to join Alyson Beecher and other friends in this weekly challenge.  Finding great nonfiction picture books isn't a challenge anymore, there are so many wonderful books to be read now!  The challenge is sharing them with as many people as possible so they can find this wealth of literature to share with our young readers.  Thanks to Aly for starting this weekly link-up and thanks to all who join in!  See all of the posts at kidlitfrenzy.

Tree of Wonder: The Many Marvelous Lives of a Rainforest Tree

By Kate Messner

Illustrated by Simona Mulazzani

Published by Chronicle Books

Today I am celebrating Kate Messner's newest book, Tree of Wonder.  It celebrated its book birthday last Tuesday.

I remember reading a post that Kate had written saying she had actually written this book years ago, it had taken that long to have the illustrations made... and maybe other delays, not sure!  I think it was worth the wait because the illustrations are beautiful.  They capture the bright colors of a rainforest.  Simona Mulazzani's talent shines in each gorgeously illustrated picture, spotlighting an animal living and growing on this one tree in the rainforest.  The acrylic and pencil illustrations are just one of the things that stand out in this book.

When I read this book, I immediately thought what a wonderful STEM mentor text!  The book is ultimately about the life of a tree in the rainforest and the animals that live in the tree.  The circle of life is spotlighted in the way the animals help spread the seeds of the tree to keep new trees growing.  Each page shines on a different animal that lives in the almendro tree of a Costa Rican rainforest.  Each page has 2 parts of information.  One is in a narrative section that gives information using descriptive and flowing words.  The other part is written in a more informative way - giving more background and scientific information.  I'm glad that was in there, because after looking at the illustrations and the narrative part, I almost always had questions that I needed answered!  This book really takes a look at the way one small ecosystem - a very important tree in the rainforest - becomes home and food for many animals.

But then comes the math part of the book!  As each animal is introduced, it's a multiple of the animal before.  As it continues to multiply, the numbers grow larger and larger to really help the reader understand the magnitude of animals that live and survive by this tree.  Messner includes additional math problems in the end notes, each problem growing increasingly harder.  The reader knows the intensity of the problem based upon the number of howler monkeys next to it!

At the end, Messner writes about the importance of the tree to the Costa Rican rainforest.  Listed are a few groups that help with the conservation of the tree and those creatures that depend on it for survival.  Additional sources are mentioned, including a video documentary.

I think the bright colors of the book will pull in many readers.  They will be intrigued by the different animals and then find a whole new level of the book when they see the math!  I highly recommend this book for your classroom or school library!

SoLSC Brave 8.18.15

 

Slice of Life is a weekly event hosted by Two Writing Teachers.

I found this quote in A Handful of Stars by Cynthia Lord last week.  It meant a lot to me when I read it because my daughter had just finished knee surgery.  I thought about how we talk about being brave and being scared in the same sentence.

But then I found myself thinking about the next school year.  So often we find ourselves doing what we always do.  Even if it goes against our beliefs.  It's hard to go against the grain. Using worksheets is easy.  Going back to what we did last year doesn't take as much time. But is it best for kids?  What helps kids learn, reading or filling out a worksheet?  Having a conversation with teachers and peers or answering teacher directed questions?  

So even if you're scared, be a bit braver.  Be brave for students.

* Allow time for students to read everyday.  With you in the classroom.
* Take the time to talk to students about what they are reading.
* Look at the books in your classroom.  Are they books your students want to read?
* Instead of spending money on worksheets and prepaid packets, spend money on books.
* Instead of having students fill in the blanks, have them write what they wonder, what they learned, what surprised them.
* Write with your students.  Model for them instead of expecting them to do it right the first time.
* Use mentor texts to show how readers read and writers write.
* Allow time for writing everyday.
* Try #bookaday.  Read for fun.  Read to show good writing.  Read to share your love of reading.
* Try having students respond digitally.
* Remember all students come with experiences.  Their experiences aren't yours.  Don't have the same expectation for every student.
* Don't teach the book.  Teach the reader.
* Don't rush to assess.  Watch.  Observe.  Talk with students.  I bet you learn a lot.

What can you try this year?  What is something you haven't tried yet because you were maybe a little bit scared to try?  Be just a little bit more brave than scared.  You'll learn something even if it doesn't work out.

Happy 2015-2016 school year.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 8.17.15

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.

Welcome to end-of-Bookaday-so-I'm-reading-everything-before-school-starts Part 1.  I'm guessing there will be a Part 2 next week.  I'm sitting next to a stash of picture books with the goal of getting everything read.  Now!

Last week's reading adventures

Last week was madness with Picture Book 10 for 10!  Hope you found some new ones.  Here's my list.

I also reviewed The Skunk here.  It's a book that made me scratch my head and wonder if I was missing something.

Picture Books


Boats for Papa by Jessixa Bagley
4/5 stars
I had heard from many people about the powerful sentiment this book contained.  While the book never tells you where Papa is, most people would infer that Papa is no longer with the family, perhaps due to death, perhaps due to a deployment.  I think this book would be a very important book to read to a reader, especially at a tough time.


First Grade Dropout by Audrey Vernick
4/5 stars
This is one of those books that you have to first read it all the way through to students just so they can absorb the story.  Because they'll get it.  They'll totally understand how the character feels.  Then read it again to talk about what they can learn, their connections to the main character and the other ones, and the solutions (have they ever thought about doing those things?).  This book offers so much.  Great book to use in the fall!


Guess Again! by Mac Barnett
5/5 stars
Why did I rate this one so highly?  It's not writing-genius.  It's not the most clever book you'll ever read.  But it's one that will make kids want to pick it up again and again and again.  I love those books.  They are the ones that I use to get even the most reluctant reader to smile and enjoy reading time.
There is a riddle on each page and the illustration leads you to think of the answer the riddle in rhyme is making you guess... until you turn the page and get the ridiculous answer.
Thank you to Josh Funk's #pb10for10 blog posting for this gem!


I Don't Like Koala by Sean Ferrell
4/5 stars
This is a great book.  Most likely for older kids.  Younger kids might get a bit creeped out.  But older kids will love the creepy koala that just won't go away.  The end pages are great.  Lots to talk about in how the text and illustrations work to enhance the overall reading experience.


The Tea Party in the Woods by Akiko Miyakoshi
4/5 stars
Sometimes, you share a book with students just to wonder at the amazing illustrations.  This book has a very sweet story.  A young girl needs to take a pie to her grandmother's house, but she lives on the other side of the woods.  No big bad wolf in this story, just lovely animal friends.  But it's the illustrations that are the heart and soul of this book.  Just beautiful.  Thank you to Lauren Castillo and Lesley Burnap for introducing me to this story!


Float by Daniel Miyares
5/5 stars
This book has been sitting in my pile for weeks.  I thumbed through it quickly when I got it, but really took the time to sit down and read it just now.  I'm sure you've heard of this book.  But if you're like me and had not gotten to it yet - RUN to your library or bookstore.  It's simply beautiful.  So much emotion on the little boy's face, I can just hear students talking about this book as they read it together.  The end pages are fantastic.  This book is on my Mock Caldecott list, for sure!
This book reminded me just a bit of a rainy Snowy Day.


Informational Texts


The Great Big Green Book by Mary Hoffman
4/5 stars
This is a book that can be pulled out and used at any point during the year, but I could see a lot of teachers using it in April around Earth Day.
Hoffman and illustrator Ros Asquith are a wonderful team.  The illustrations, which show a lot of diversity, add even more to the text.  
Interestingly enough, I have a copy that was printed in the U.K., so there are some dialectal  and spelling differences (cosy for cozy, gyres for tires, lorries, jumpers, wee).


Poetry


A Rock Can Be... by Laura Purdie Salas
5/5 stars
This book is amazing.  I loved Salas' two other books (Leaf..., Water...) but this one made me so excited for the teaching possibilities.  Before getting into that, I would first just read the book to the students.  Let kids listen to the rolling words of Salas' poem, be mesmerized by Violeta Dabija's illustrations.  But then, another day, dig into all of the possibilities of rocks you can find on the planet Earth!  Because our first graders study rocks and minerals, I could spend days on this book.  After reading this book, what were some new rocks you found?  What are some of the purposes of rocks?  Are there rocks in places you never thought of?  Take time to look through the glossary and the additional information about rocks.  So much information!  

Middle Grade


Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones
4/5 stars
Written entirely in letters, the author does a good job moving the story along through the letters.  Featuring a diverse family, the setting is also unusual in that it takes place o a chicken farm with some interesting chickens.
I know a lot of people really loved this book.  I probably leaned more towards 3/5 stars.  I bumped it up because it was a unique book.  I appreciate I can hand this book off to 3rd-4th graders, but I will be interested in seeing how many kids flock (no pun intended) to this book.


A Handful of Stars by Cynthia Lord
5/5 stars
This was a book I finished in a day.  I had a Twitter chat to participate in that night so that helped drive the reading, plus the 3 hour car ride and 3 hour plane ride I had that day!
Cynthia Lord really is a master of writing.  I am constantly amazed at the way she writes her words and phrases.

I think the beginning of Chapter 12 (pgs. 96-97) sums up exactly how I feel right now:
"At the beginning of summer it always feels like there's so much time ahead:  whole empty calendar pages of sunshine, warm sea breezes, midnight thunderstorms, and running barefoot in the grass.  Enough afternoons to do every single thing you wanted to do and even some days left over to do nothing at all.
But somehow summer fills up and flies by.  Instead of feeling hopeful and free and happy as August wore on, I couldn't help feeling sad pangs that when the blueberry festival was over and summer went away, Salma would go with it."
Just change the blueberry festival and Salma to time to reading!

How about this gem:
"I think 'almost' is one of the hardest kinds of losing.  Because you could see all the way to winning before that door shut." pg. 167
So.  True.

Another good life lesson:
"...but I guess that's life.  It's not always fair, but you have to show up and play your best anyway." pg. 183

I'll spotlight my favorite quote in my post tomorrow.  Check back in!


The Way Home Looks Now by Wendy Wan-Long Shang
5/5 stars
Another great read.  What I love about this book is that Shang shows that books are not meant to be "boy books" or "girl books".  Books are for everyone.  Why do boys think they can't read Babymouse because it has a pink cover?  Why can't a girl check out Locomotive?
Baseball plays a big role in this book.  Right away, boys ears start to perk up and I lose girls.  But really, this book is about a family healing.  About a young boy who is doing his best to have his family go back to the way they were.  About a young boy who is trying to navigate the way his friends do things and the way his father's traditions conflict with them.  About the way baseball helps heal them.
It was a wonderful read and one I hope is read by all students.

Currently Reading


One Plus One by Jojo Moyes
This is one of my #mustreadin2015 books.  It's an adult book, so it's one that I've put off for awhile.  I like it so far, Moyes is a very talented writer.

On Deck

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
Another #mustreadin2015 book!

The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin
My friend, Michelle, sent me an ARC of this book.  I've heard good things about it!

I have a stack of picture books to get through this week.  Tune in next week for Part 2 of end-of-Bookaday-so-I'm-reading-everything-before-school-starts.
I have a few reviews of new books that I'll post later this week.
Hope you're getting in your last few books before school starts!

The Skunk - a review.

The Skunk

by Mac Barnett

Art by Patrick McDonnell

Have you ever read a book and know it's not the time for you to review it right away?

I read this book at ALA and sat there a bit perplexed.  I didn't get it.  And that's not unusual for Mac Barnett books.  Sometimes you have to dig deep into his stories, and other times you almost have to take a step back to look at it another way.

I waited until the book was published, got it a bit later, and gave it another read.  Sometimes I need a book to be explicit - this is exactly what it's about.  It's clear and obvious.  Sometimes the hidden meaning is there, you just have to dig a bit deeper.  This is a book that I still don't know what it's about.  I guess I could think about it in a few ways.  Maybe when we try and avoid things that are right there, it's when they're gone we realize their true importance.  Maybe it's about looking at what's in front of us.  Maybe it's about how things influence us even when we're not expecting it.  And maybe it's about something else I'm completely missing.  I think sometimes that's what Mac Barnett wants us to see in his books.  That every reader can get something different from it. 

I tried finding an interview with Mac in regards to this book and couldn't find anything.  I guess I'm still looking for those answers.  Sometimes I need a book to be explicit - this is exactly what it's about.  It's clear and obvious.  Sometimes the hidden meaning is there, you just have to dig a bit deeper.  

This is one of those books that I want to hold high above my head and say, "you think you older kids are too mature for picture books??? Then read this and tell me what it's all about!"  Yes, this is a book that I think should be used with older students.  This is a book that warrants multiple rereads and go back to look at what is being said and what isn't.  This is a book to go back to and find the nuances that Barnett has put in to find.

Patrick McDonnell has done a great job with the illustrations.  I love the palette that makes up most of the story - black, whites and reds on the creamy white background.  And then when it changes I think it shows how the mood of the story changes.  It adds more to what is not being said through the text.

So, am I missing something?  What was I supposed to be looking for?  Or are you like me and perhaps are also, a bit perplexed.