Filling a hole - Scholastic's Branches series

I have no problem finding picture books that engage many readers.  Middle grade books?  Check.  But books to engage those readers that are ready for longer books, but they are just a little too young for them... whether because the content is a bit too long, or a bit too mature.  It can be a challenge.

Have you seen the Scholastic series, Branches?  I love the variety it offers, both in topics and styles of books.  They are colorful, fun and engaging for students who are ready to move from picture books, but may need just a bit more support with chapters books.

Some benefits of this series:

• All of them are series!  Which means kids can learn the characters and have predictable plot lines and settings, which is important to beginning chapter book readers.
• Many of them have bright, colorful, illustrations.  By giving readers a strong visualization, it helps support the text and gives kids picture to hold in their head as they read.  The illustrations give just enough context clues to provide readers with some background information.
• The series is an appropriate length.  Many young readers are ready for longer books, but don't have the stamina to read longer chapter books.  They end up abandoning many books.  These books are long enough to provide an engaging plot line, but not so long that children can't sustain their reading.
• Branches uses different formats to keep readers interested.  Many of them use the illustration/doodles along with text format that Jeff Kinney made so popular with his "Wimpy Kid" books.  There are also books that include a comics/graphic novel format.  

I recommend classrooms and libraries that have grade levels 1-4 should look into having this series.  They are engaging, fun and appropriate.  I hope Scholastic continues making this series of books!

Check some of these out!

                    

        

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?