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!)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 4.06.15

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.

A long weekend meant time to catch up on some reading.  Here's what jumped out at me:


Picture Books


Breaking News Bear Alert by David Biedrzycki
4/5 stars
I picked this one up because it's on the 2016 IL Monarch Choice Award list.  I really enjoyed the story, and the stories in the story!  The main story is 2 bears were awoken from their hibernation and end up hitching a ride from the forest into the city, where havoc ensues.  The majority of the book is told through a news report, with the ticker tape of the events rolling at the bottom of the page.  Within the illustrations, you follow the bears adventure, 2 crooks on a crime spree, and the citizens reacting to everything going on around them.  This book would be fun for students of many ages to read and enjoy.  If you haven't read this one yet, put it on your list!


Max the Brave by Ed Vere
4/5 stars
This book is going to be perfect for younger readers.  Max is a brave cat who is off to find a mouse, but he's not sure what a mouse looks like and mistakes a few creatures for mice along the way.  Publishes Sept. 8.  Previewed through net galley.


The New Small Person by Lauren Child
4/5 stars
I've seen many books about welcoming a new sibling into the family, but they're not always  done so a wide range of audience will appreciate it.  Child does a great job creating Elmore, we see his personality and watch it change and develop not at once, but with ebbs and flows.

Poetry


Something Sure Smells Around Here by Brian P. Cleary
4/5 stars
Limerick poems are often meant to be humorous and Cleary's poems certainly made me laugh out loud a few times.  These short, fun poems will be great for poem-in-your-pocket day!


Dreaming Up by Christy Hale
4/5 stars
Beautiful combination of poetry, illustrations and photographs.  On the left side is a short poem and an illustration of a child constructing a building using a variety of materials, blocks, toothpicks and gumdrops, couch cushions, chairs and blankets.  And on the right side of the page is a photograph of a real life building that mimics the construction of the child.  Real life and imagination come together!

Informational Texts


Growing Up Pedro by Matt Tavares
5/5 stars
This book took me by surprise.  I wish I had know about it when I wrote this post about picture book biographies!  Gorgeous gorgeous book!  The writing is fantastic - drew me in about Pedro Martinez, his family and where he came from, his hard work and determination, and the end notes are wonderful and fulfilled the questions I had at the end.  I love that Tavares includes a graph of Martinez's stats in his years of playing ball.  The illustrations are gorgeous - the closeups, the stills, the settings.  Just beautiful.  This is a book I would like to own!

Middle Grade


A Dog Called Homeless by Sarah Lean
5/5 stars
Oh my gosh, another book that took me by total surprise.  I did not expect to fall in love with this character as fast as I did.  I wanted to jump in and help Cally, or at least give her a hug.  Lean did an amazing job with the characters.  I was so sad and upset with the dad.  The relationship between Cally and her brother was spot on.  I adored Cally.  I loved her friendship with Sam.  I loved the mystery of the dog.  And the way the book came together?  Well, there were tears.  Please read this book.  And if you have read it, book talk it again so more kids can fall in love with Cally too!
Favorite lines:
pg. 21 "Sometimes you just have to prove people wrong.  Sometimes you just want someone to believe you're more than they think you are."
pg. 55 "Our house had just been built when Mom and Dad moved in.  Everything in it was ours.  The builders made the outside; Mom made the inside."

Graphic Novel


Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson
5/5 stars
The buzz you're hearing about this book is correct - it's an awesome book for middle grade readers.  The angst Astrid feels - torn between what has been and what direction she wants to go in - is something so many middle schoolers go through as they learn who they want to be.  The voice was perfect.  I loved seeing Astrid's determination - her successes and failures were sincere.  I loved that Astrid's friend had a Broadway obsession - especially with Hugh Jackman!  I'm not sure everyone will understand the Les Miserables connection, but it resonated with me!
The only issue I had with this book is the mean nickname Astrid is given by her peers.  It contains the word "ass" and that makes this book off limits for my school.  I get why it's in there, but when you work in a K-4 building, there are some things that can't be included.  Boo.

Young Adult


The Alex Crow by Andrew Smith
4/5 stars
This was my first Andrew Smith book.  I knew to expect different.  I knew to not be shocked at some of the explicit descriptions.  But I was surprised that I could not get into the story.  This book is told by 3 different voices, and the main voice actually tells a couple of different stories from different time periods.  I knew the stories from each voice would all come together, I just wasn't sure how.  At one point I thought for sure I had it figured out and I was wrong.  I'm glad I was wrong, because the stories intersected in a way that made more sense and came together brilliantly.  About halfway through the story I started liking the 3 characters that were in the main part of the story.  At that point, I didn't want to put the book down because of the story.  I didn't want to put the book down the whole time because the writing was good.  It just took the story a bit longer.

Currently Reading


The Riverman by Aaron Starmer
This is on my #mustreadin2015 list.  I pulled it out because #vbcbooks chat is next Monday and I'd like to participate.  Since it's a must-read, the decision to move it up was pretty easy.


Black Dove White Raven by Elizabeth Wein
still reading this one!

On-Deck

Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan
I Was Here by Gayle Forman

Celebrate This Week! 4.04.15

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 weekend I am celebrating Voxer!

Last summer at nErDcampMI, Colby Sharp talked about Voxer.  He explained it as a walkie-talkie app that was allowing him to stay in contact with the other nerdcamp planners.  I remember thinking at the time that I just didn't know how I would use it.

This past winter, Voxer was brought up again with some friends I had met at nerdcamp/ncte.  Again, I wasn't sold on it since I couldn't see how it would work for me.

Then, I read a Nerdy post by Katherine Sokolowski and how she uses Voxer to talk daily with a group of people.  That got me thinking, I talk daily with friends across the country on Twitter.  But 140 characters can be limiting and not as personal.

I sent out a tweet and got it going.  Now, I talk daily with groups of people about everything.  One group is just daily bantering.  Going back and forth about life.  Making each other laugh.  Another group is daily inspiration.  We share books.  We share ideas.  We share thoughts.  It's invigorating and exciting. 

One of the best parts about Voxer is how personal it is.  Hearing voices instead of reading words makes my heart happy.  I love that Voxer allows me to hear my friends, yet if I need to text my words I have that option on there as well.  I can send pictures too.

I want to be happy in life.  A big part of our lives is our jobs.  I'd like to think everyone goes into teaching because they love being with children and are looking to make an impact on young lives.  Somewhere in ideal land and reality, many people change their attitude about their daily work.  Twitter has changed my attitude about work.  Having new ideas and something to be excited about has impacted what I do with students.  Voxer has only increased it.  Getting new ideas and having a space to share them with others who want to know and share that excitement is infectious.

I'm celebrating my Voxer friends and to many more conversations with them! 

#mustreadin2015 April update

Update #1!

I did really well in January and February, but by the time March came around, I think every library book I've ever had on hold came in!  I slowed up a bit, still read, just not as much from this list.  But I'm determined to turn that around, even though I have I think 10 novels currently checked out from the library!

This month, April, I'm determined to get to:
A Dog Called Homeless
Echo
Wish Girl
Finding Serendipity

We'll see how it goes, but I always feel like declaring it publicly helps :)

The 2016 Bluestem Choice List came out a few weeks ago and that has also put a dent in my #mustreadin2015 list, as I'm trying to read those.  Oh well, read read read :)

Here's my #mustreadin2015 update. 

Books that are coming out in 2015
Wish Girl by Niki Loftin
Bone Gap by Laura Ruby
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven read 1.21.15
The Way to Stay in Destiny by Augusta Scattergood read 1.04.15
How to Outswim a Shark Without a Snorkel by Jess Keating read 1.02.15
Stella by Starlight by Sharon Draper read 2.04.15
The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett and Jory John read 2.23.15
In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume
Finding Serendipity by Angelica Banks
Jack by Liesl Shirtliff
The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart
Cody and the Fountain of Happiness by Tricia Springstubb
Lost in the Sun by Lisa Graff
Mark of the Thief by Jennifer Nielsen read 3.05.15
The Island of Dr. Libris by Chris Grabenstein
The Quirks and the Quirkalicious Birthday by Erin Soderberg
All Fall Down by Ally Carter
Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan

Books that are part of a series
Five, Six, Seven, Nate! by Tim Federle
That Shadow Throne by Jennifer Nielsen read 2.22.15
Countdown by Deborah Wiles
Revolution by Deborah Wiles
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
Villainous by Matthew Cody
The Riverman by Aaron Starmer
Always Abigail by Nancy Cavanaugh
Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Books that are on the IL 2015 Bluestem list
Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead
A Dog Called Homeless by Sarah Lean
Amulet The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibuishi read 3.27.15

Books that have Newbery buzz
Greenglass House by Kate Milford read 1.29.15
West of the Moon by Margi Preus

Books that I haven't read and I really want to
The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z. by Kate Messner read 1.10.15
Glory Be by August Scattergood
The Secret Hum of a Daisy by Tracy Holczer
The Spy Catchers of Maple Hill by Megan Blakemore
The Mark of the Dragonfly by Jaleigh Johnson
Rules by Cynthia Lord
How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O'Connor
Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier
Under the Egg by Laura Marx Fitzgerald
Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy by Karen Foxlee
The Nightingale's Nest by Niki Loftin
The Meaning of Maggie by Megan Jean Sovern
Nest by Esther Ehrlich
Fleabrain Loves Franny by Joanne Rocklin
Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere by Julie T. Lamana
The Power of Poppy Pendle by Natasha Lowe

Young Adults
The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson
I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Non-Fiction
The Family Romanov by Candace Fleming

Transitional Chapter Books
Lulu's Mysterious Mission by Judith Viorst read 3.24.15

Adult Reads
Wild Things! by Betsy Bird, Julie Danielson, Peter D. Sieruta
Landline by Rainbow Rowell
One Plus One by Jojo Moyes
The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith
Best to Laugh by Lorna Landvik

Still much to read!  Happy reading :)