Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday 4.22.15

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!

Many people in the #kidlit community having been raving and talking about Victoria Jamieson's new graphic novel, Roller Girl.  It is a fantastic book that will easily appeal to readers of Cece Bell's El Deafo or Raina Telgemeier's Smile or Sisters.  Bright graphics, great story, and an introduction to a sport that is not well-known, roller derby.

While wondering through my library I came across this book and new it would be a perfect pair to Roller Girl.

Roller Derby Rivals

by Sue Macy

Roller Derby Rivals concentrates on two women, Toughie and Gerry, rivals in the roller derby game, but friends off the track.  The book focuses on the 17-day run of roller derby in New York in 1948 that was televised locally.  It showcases the rivalry, the sportsmanship and the drama - the looks for the camera - that comes along with the game.

I enjoyed seeing the differences between the earlier roller derby days and how it is currently shown in the new graphic novel.  Roller Derby Rivals has terrific end notes that gives detailed author's notes, source notes including film clips, books and websites, and a great roller derby timeline.

This book cannot go without the illustrations being mentioned.  Matt Colins does a great job showing the intensity of roller derby on the characters faces and in the action of the plays.

I highly recommend having this book if Roller Girl is a hot title in your classroom or library!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 4.20.15

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.

This was not a good reading-during-the-week week.  I found time to squeeze in a chapter or two before my eyes shut before bedtime.  I crammed in all of my reading over the weekend.  Saturday afternoon was a beautiful day to sit outside and read in the sunshine.  LOTS of crammed picture book reading over the weekend!

Picture Books


See You Next Year by Andrew Larsen
4/5 stars
I really liked this book for the writing.  The author concentrated on an event that happened every year - his family taking a trip to the beach.  Each page gives concise details about what happened during the week.  I would use it to show students how to write about an event.  How not to overwrite, and add too many details, but think about the sights, smells and sounds around you.  The soft, muted illustrations added to the fun story.


Marilyn's Monster by Michelle Knudsen
5/5 stars
I had heard good things about this book, but I was so pleasantly surprised.  This may end up in my personal collection yet.  Great book for growth mindset.  Would pair well with Going Places by Peter Reynolds - talk about how you don't always have to do things the way everyone else is doing it.


Look! by Jeff Mack
4/5 stars
Told using just 2 words, a young boy learns the value of stories.  I'm adding this to my Mock Geisel unit for the end of the year.


Fly! by Karl Newsom Edwards
4/5 stars
Another one for the Mock Geisel unit.  Using movement verbs, a fly tries to act just like all the other insects but learns he has his own movement.


There's No Such Thing as Little by LeUyen Pham
5/5 stars
This one took me by surprise.  I fell in love with this simple book about perspective after the first few pages.  As these two little children teach us, it's all about how you look at things.  The strategically placed die-cut holes, add to the magic of the book.  I love Pham's illustrations - I should have known I would want this book!


Monkey and Duck Quack Up! by Jennifer Hamburg
4/5 stars
PreK/Kg students are going to love this silly rhyme book.  They will laugh at how Duck just won't cooperate, especially at the end of the story!


Ten Rules of Being a Superhero by Deb Pilutti
4/5 stars
Thank you to Kristen Picone for this recommendation!  
Add this book to your beginning of the year pile.  Perfect to discuss:  what is a superhero?  how does one act?  how can you act like a superhero in your life?  in the classroom?
Yes, this book will appeal to young readers, but older readers will be able to apply it to their life.


Informational Texts


Photos Framed by Ruth Thomson
4/5 stars
This is a great text for a classroom or library to have.  Teachers could use these famed photographs to look closely.  Talk about the parts and how they come together to equal a whole.  What did the photographer see?  Why was the picture taken?  What is the story?  Close reading can start by looking at pictures - a picture is worth a thousand words.  What does each one say?


The Case For Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage by Selina Alko
5/5 stars
Wow.  Just a really important book.  Well written and beautifully illustrated.  I loved the story before I read the author's and illustrator's notes at the end of the book.  It buried it's way into my heart!  What an important book.



Terra and Bella by Carol Buckley
5/5 stars
Thank you to Jason Lewis for telling us about this book.  I can see why it won your students' March Madness!
I loved this story of the unlikely friendship between an elephant and dog.  I read Jodi Picoult's newest book last year, Leaving Time, and it took place in an elephant sanctuary, which is the setting of this PB as well.  It was so interesting to see the photographs, I think that part of the story will also be interesting for students.  
This is a book that is being added to my collection!

Graphic Novels


Babymouse: Bad Babysitter by Jennifer and Matt Holm
5/5 stars
I adored pg. 11.  The last frame needs to be in a frame!  And passed out to all girl readers.


Drama by Raina Telgemeier
4/5 stars
I've had this book for awhile and just haven't read it.  I knew I needed to when I heard that 3rd and 4th graders at my school were reading it.  I knew it was more for middle school, but didn't know the content of the book.
Telgemeier does a great job weaving in story lines to create this story.  It's about working hard at something, it's about figuring out who you are.  Telgemeier deftly manages story lines of self identity - understanding your sexuality - all in the setting of a middle school musical production.

Poetry


Pocket Poems by Bobbi Katz
4/5 stars
Celebrating Poem in Your Pocket Day?  Keep this one close by!

Currently Reading


Yup, still reading The Whisper by Aaron Starmer.  The first book had me interested.  I'm having a harder time getting into this second one.  I'm still waiting for it to pick up.

On Deck

Yup, it's still Echo.  I think I'll get to it this week, though!

Happy Reading!

Celebrate This Week 4.18.15

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

This week I'm celebrating growth mindset.  

Growing our thinking.
     Making us question.
Adding thinking.
     Changing thinking.
          Challenging everyday.

As teachers, we try to promote a growth mindset for our students.  We challenge, ask, question, and give the space to grow everyday.  Sometimes it's hard to know when to step in and help, when to stand back and allow students to try, fail, learn, try and grow.  When to question, when to support.

As teachers, we need to have a growth mindset for ourselves.  If we don't question and think and grow, we stay stagnant.  Sometimes not changing is comfortable and easy.  But it's not what we ask of our students, so why do we stay the same?

Growth can occur in many ways.  Reading.  Conversing.  Trying.  Questioning.  Learning.  How do you grow?  How is your thinking challenged?

Last night, over Voxer, Kathy mentioned she saw the growth in all of our Voxer group.  When I think about what we do on a daily basis - share, talk, question, think and make plans - it is making us grow. I wrote about the importance of Voxer in this post and it continues to push my thinking.  Thank you to Kurt, Carrie, Ann, Lesley, Jason, Niki, Michelle, Melissa, Kristin, Kristen, and Kathy for helping me grow.

At school I have people around me that help me grow.  My co-reading specialist, Laura, sees things that I don't see.  She sees another side, she sees other possibilities.  By listening and watching her, I learn new ways of doing things.  Our principal, Laura, also helps me grow by questioning.  She questions and pushes my thinking in every conversation.  I think we both grow by thinking of new possibilities.  

I learn by reading.  Sometimes it's through articles, sometimes it's through professional books.  Sometimes it's just through quick posts on Twitter.  But everything makes me think, question and grow.  

I'm going to keep asking questions.  For both myself and my students.  

How do you grow?  How do you help students grow?

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge 4.15.15

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!

Spotlight on:

Dianna Aston's and Sylvia Long's series...

        

I've read several books in this series and when I think of them, I think two things:

1.  What can I learn from this text?

Each book is full of wonderful information about a specific topic.  The information is given in quick, short sentences, and then further developed in longer captions.  The illustrations are so detailed, they give additional information to students who study them.

2.  What can I learn about the author's craft?

I love how each page uses a describing word to give information to the readers about the subject.  The text goes on to give further information about the describing word and how it is important to the subject.  The illustrator's pictures also gives information about the subject.  

Pick a new topic. What describing words can students come up to teach about the subject?  Remember, the describing words need to inform the reader about the subject.  After researching the subject, what details should go into the illustrations?

Look for Aston's and Long's newest book A Nest is Noisy.  It celebrated its book birthday yesterday!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 4.13.15

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.


Reading slowed down just a bit this week.  Read a lot from my MG book, not so much in other books.  
So many times, I'm asked "how do you get that much reading in?"  Reading ebbs and flows.  There are weeks I read a lot, there are weeks that I read maybe a chapter before bed each night.  I don't stress about how much I read (unless I have a lot of library books due)!  I enjoy it when I can :)


Picture Books


I Wish You More by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
5/5 stars
Gorgeous book.  As I said on my goodreads review, it's like taking a piece of your heart and giving it to someone.  Wishing those things that you want for yourself, but wishing them for others.  
This book reminds me a lot of Robert Munsch's Love You Forever, but you're not going to have an ugly cry or feel sad at the end.  Your heart feels hugged and you want this book to hug someone else's heart.
This book is the perfect end of the year book.  I think young students will enjoy the words and Tom Lichtenheld's illustrations.  Older students will understand why you're reading them this book.
This book is the perfect book to pass on to others.  I'm planning on giving it to my daughter, but including a few wishes of my own for her inside.
This book.
Sigh.


It's Only Stanley by Jon Agee
4/5 stars
I think young readers are going to get a kick out of Stanley.  Stanley is quite preoccupied building something that gets bigger and stranger on each page.  Although the construction is waking up the family at night, "it's only Stanley" seems to pacify all concerns!

Informational Text


Skydiver: Saving the Fastest Bird in the World by 
4/5 stars
Good narrative nonfiction.  Would pair well with Jean Craighead George's "The ___ Came Back" series.
While it's important to read all types of nonfiction, I think narrative nonfiction does a great job introducing young readers to new facts.

Poetry


Orangutanka by Margarita Engle
5/5 stars
Borrowed from the library, but I think it's one that will be purchased for the classroom.  
Love this new-to-me form of poetry - it has conventions, yet it's unconventional, it's free-flowing, but follows a set rhythm.  So fun!
I love the author's invitation to young readers to research a subject and then write about it using this format.

Middle Grade


The Riverman by Aaron Starmer
4/5 stars
Oh.  Ok.  I get it.  And I agree.  WHAT?????
I remember that was the common comment from everyone finishing this book last year.  I put off reading it because people said it was really upper middle grade.  Since I have lower middle grade in my school, I read other things first.  I'm kind of glad I did because I have the second book in the series to start now. And that's good because this one left you with a total cliffhanger.  I could see how people were confused before it became known that this is a trilogy.  Starmer's writing is great, the plot is crazy weird and I can't wait to see where this goes next.

Currently Reading


I Was Here by Gayle Forman
I should finish this one tonight or tomorrow.  Quick read.  Very good.  I can see the comparisons to All the Bright Places, although not as strong as AtBP.

Abandoning... for now

Black Dove, White Raven by Elisabeth Wein
Maybe because I was reading an electronic pre-pub book and the font was a bit off... something about it didn't appeal to me and I'm giving it up for now.  Maybe I'll try getting it from the library and read the paper copy.  I just couldn't get into it.

On Deck

The Whisper by Aaron Starmer
Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan (I really will get to this!  Library books and a book with too many questions just bumped it a bit)

Celebrate This Week! 4.11.15

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


I like to use my weekend Celebrate post to think about some small celebrations that feed my week.  Today as I ran, I thought about this post and what I wanted to say.

Today As I Ran

I am grateful...
     for the sun
keeping me warm
sun kissed on my face.

I am grateful...
     for the music
keeping me going
pounding the streets.

I am grateful...
     for the blooms
making me think spring
is actually here.

I am grateful...
     for books
giving me something to think about
plans for when I'm home.

I am grateful...
     for the ability to run
making me feel good
positive energy to get my day going.

SoLSC My Love/Hate Relationship with ARCs 4.07.15

 

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

ARCs.  

                                                                     Advanced Reader's Copies.

I have a major love/hate relationship with them.

Love

I have itchy fingers syndrome.  Do you have that?  It's when you hear about a new book, one that may not be out for awhile.  One you can't get your fingers on for a bit.  And then your fingers start twitching.  They get itchy.  They just want to hold that book.  Happens all the time.  When I know I can't have immediate access to a book, well, it makes me want it more.

I'm not one who gets ARCs sent to me.  The majority of my current ARCs came from last year's NCTE or this year's ALA.  That was ARC heaven!  I have received them in the mail from different publishers, usually because I was lucky and I retweeted something in time!

Having an ARC and being able to tell people about the wonderful reading they have ahead of them is exciting.  Sharing book love makes my heart happy.  There is something special about passing along something new. 

I love having the newest of things.  They're shiny.  They have a special smell to them.  And if they're books, there is something to cracking a spine (well, not all the way, because I hate making that first crack in a paperback).  ARCs, even though they are paperbacks, still have that newness about them.  They make me current and way up to date!

But.... there's the flip side

Hate 

(well, not really hate.  That's a strong word.  But since we're talking love/hate relationships, I have to stick with the word.  Really it's just dislike)

Well, first of all, I really don't get that many ARCs, so it's not a huge issue.  I keep saying I want to get them, but really, I'm not so sure.

The biggest problem I have with ARCs is that so often, I hear that the author makes changes from the advanced copy to the published book.  Often they are small changes, that probably wouldn't change the overall reading experience for me.  But sometimes they are bigger changes.  That makes me feel like I need to reread the book - the published book - because I want to have read the book that everyone else is reading.  And honestly, I really don't have time for rereading.  I have nothing against it.  I've reread the Harry Potter books multiple times.  Each.  I just have so many other books already purchased, waiting for me to read.  I feel like I can't stop and reread a book.  But I want to... I read Fish in a Tree in September, but I hear that were several small changes.  I want to reread that one again, for sure.  I've held off on reading Liesl Shurtliff's Jack because I've heard, from her, there were a lot of changes.  I really need someone to come up with a way to make sleep unnecessary.  Because there would be a lot more reading time in my life!

The other problem I have, and it's not so much a problem with the ARC, it's that I have so many books to read!  I'm a book connoisseur.  I purchase books endlessly.  I pre-order books.  I can't go in a bookstore without buying books.  I figure they are well worth the money spent.  Each book is read at least twice - once by me, once by my daughter.  Sometimes three times if I pass it along to my husband (he's getting The Crossover next).  Some go to my nieces.  Probably 90% of my books go into my classroom.  I'm a reading specialist and I pass my books on to my students, but then they pass them on to their classmates.  You should see the amount of kids that come to my room to check out books - I run library #2 at school!  So I feel like the amount of money I'm spending on a book, really goes the distance.  But I have so many, I have a hard time juggling ARC reading vs. reading the books I have and getting them to the kids.  If I really love an ARC, I buy a copy.  Publishers don't give out ARCs for classroom copies.  They are depending on us to book talk those books and then get people buying the published books.  So it's hard to always read an ARC when I have a book that is waiting for a child to read.

What are your feelings on ARCs.  Do you have itchy fingers syndrome?  What ARC are you dying to get your hands on (for me it's Katherine Applegate's Crenshaw, I don't think it's out yet, but once it is, I'll have to sit on my fingers!)