#road2reading Challenge - some new and some familiar friends - 1.16.2020

All journeys have a starting place.

This is a weekly place to find books and tools

that you may use with readers 

at the start of their independent reading journey.

Join in the conversation at #road2reading.

This week I'm sharing some new additions to a favorite series and introducing a new to me series!


January has brought us four new Yasmin books.  I adore the Yasmin stories.  They have have helped fill a much needed hole.  I'm always looking for books to give those young readers who are wanting to read chapter books - just the beginning kind of chapter books - but they still need supports from illustrations and predictable storylines and decodable text.  Think about readers who are ready to read Henry and Mudge books.  While those are still fun to read, I find today's readers are looking for a more updates series.  Yasmin books are perfect for these readers.  They each have three chapters.  There is one big problem for Yasmin to solve and the problems are very kid-friendly/realistic problems.  I love that there is backmatter with conversation starters, an introduction to some of the Urdu words used within the story, information that connects American readers to the subject and Pakistan (Yasmin's culture), and a maker idea that ties into the storyline.
Plus, Hatem Aly's illustrations... I always find his work so appealing to kids!

Here is a little bit more about the newest books:



Yasmin the Friend
Yasmin is having a playdate with her friends but they each have a different idea of what to play.  How can Yasmin get everyone playing together?


Yasmin the Soccer Star
Yasmin is new to soccer but it looks like her other friends have been playing it for awhile.  Rather than keep her on the sidelines, Coach knows just where to have Yasmin play!


Yasmin the Gardner
Yasmin has to problem solve to help her newly planted flowers bloom and grow.


Yasmin the Writer
Uh-oh, Yasmin has writer's block!  Yasmin has to write about her hero and she is having trouble thinking of a person who is her own hero.  Maybe she's looking too far away!


Not too long ago I was introduced to the Ana and Andrew series from someone on Twitter.  It looked like it would fit the Yasmin readers so I knew I needed to check it out!
Happy to say that this is a series that is definitely needed and one I highly recommend.  Just a bit more complex than Yasmin in terms of length, it also has similar scaffolds such as having illustrations on every page and decodable text.  This series has four chapters in each book, so it's starting to stretch stamina for the Yasmin readers.  Sometimes the setting is familiar (at their house/school in Washington D.C., but sometimes the reader is introduced to a new location such as when the kids visit their grandparents in Savannah, Georgia, or when they visit family in Trinidad!  Even Washington D.C. sites like the National Museum of African American History and Culture are explored.
With bright illustrations from Sharon Sordo, this series will appeal to readers visual sense!
I really enjoyed these first four books and was excited to see there are four more already published.  I immediately ordered them - can't wait to have more of these books for readers!


A Snowy Day
The siblings get their wish for a snowy day.  Each enjoys something a little different and have stories to share when they come back for the best tradition - hot chocolate!


A Day at the Museum
Ana and Andrew explore the most recent museum in the Smithsonian collection!


Summer in Savannah
Ana and Andrew learn more about African American history when they visit their grandparents in Georgia.


Dancing at Carnival
The kids visit family in Trinidad and get to celebrate Carnival!


I'm so happy these series exist.  So many great books for readers who are looking to grow their stamina and independence.

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday - animal books - 1.15.2020

Wednesdays I join Alyson Beecher from kidlitfrenzy and other

#kidlit bloggers to share wonderful nonfiction picture books.

The intention of today's blog post is to give professionals that work in the
education field new nonfiction reading material and ideas to use 

with students to promote a love of reading nonfiction materials.

Starting the New Year with some animal books.  These are always favorites of young readers.  Today is part 2!



Amazing Animals
by Peter David Scott
This book is absolutely gorgeous.  I picked it up years ago but it got buried in a pile and I'm just now reading it!  The illustrations are what readers will pour over.  This is a large picture book, measuring a bit larger than others and each 2-page layout has one animal with the illustration stretching across both pages.  There is one sentence that accompanies the layout with a basic fact.  If that piece of information is not enough for you, then check the backmatter where additional info is given!  I'm predicting this book to be pretty popular.


Even More Lesser Spotted Animals
by Martin Brown
The follow up to the successful Lesser Spotted Animals (grades 3-5 in IL - it's on our current Bluestem Awards list) is just as funny and insightful as you would expect it to be.  Nothing wrong with laughing while you're learning!  A book that can be read cover to cover or just flipped through, readers will enjoy getting to know these perhaps unfamiliar animals.


Big Cats
by Nic Bishop
I think this is the most stunning Nic Bishop book... of course I think big cats are some of the most elegant creatures out there, but still!  Packed with information that is delivered in a way that makes you appreciate their hunting routines.


Welcome Home: Where Nature's Most Creative Creatures Dwell
by Lisa Mundorff
I would classify this book as informational fiction.  I think a better title would be "Creature's Homes Reimagined"!  The first 2-page spread tells young readers the name of an animal's home.  It just so happens that most of these home names are also names that fit in a human home, such as den, couch, lodge.  The following layout shows the animal in a home that is reimagined to be more humanized.  So we see a beaver living in their lodge on the first page (in a dam by the water), followed by beavers living in what appears to be a ski lodge.  


Homes in the Wild: Where Baby Animals and Their Parents Live
by Lita Judge
I love Judge's book.  They are organized in a way that makes sense to young readers which makes the book easier to read and for the readers to talk about!  
Animal babies and their parents make homes all over, but there is always a purpose for that home.  Often for survival and protection!  
Additional information about the animals is located in the backmatter.


beehive
by Jorey Hurley
I like how this book can be read in different ways.  Each page has just one word describing the action that is happening on the page.  I think this can open up lots of conversation between readers.  How can they use the word and the illustrations to describe their learning?  What do they know?  What do they wonder?  
The author's note has additional information and can be read aloud as you go back and flip through the pages.  Confirm what you knew.  Answer an unknown question.  What do you want to learn more about?


I'm excited for these books to be in our library.  Lots of readers for these books!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 1.13.2020

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

Be sure to check out these animal nonfiction picture books.

A big roundup of books for kg-5th gr readers.  Check out this list!


Picture Books


16 Words: William Carlos Williams and "The Red Wheelbarrow"
written by Lisa Rogers
illustrated by Chuck Groenink
When I first picked up this book, I assumed it was a picture book biography about the poet, William Carlos Williams.  Once I read the book, I discovered it was what the author imagined could have possibly inspired the author to write one of his most famous poems, "The Red Wheelbarrow".  I was happy to see that the book was catalogued in the fiction picture book section of the library, not with the biographies.  
This is a beautiful picture book about the poet, who I did not know was a doctor who wrote his famous poems in between patients and writing prescriptions and other work!  While the author admits we do not know what really inspired Dr. Williams to write this particular poem, it could have been because of his known friendship with Mr. Thaddeus Marshall.  Mr. Marshall used his red wheelbarrow to bring his garden-grown vegetables around the neighborhood to sell.
Great book to use to show inspiration for writing can be found anywhere.


It's a Field Trip, Busy Bus!
written by Jody Jensen Shaffer
illustrated by Claire Messer
This book is way more than a field trip story, it's a book you'll want for your Social Emotional Learning collection for young readers to talk about the feeling of jealousy.  Also great to use to talk about how everyone has qualities that make them special.


Sweep
written by Louise Greig
illustrated by Julia Sardà
This book is almost a wonderful one to use to talk about feeling angry.  The main character of our story is shown through the beautiful illustrations by Julia Sardà as having an accident and it ends up making him feel very upset.  Those feelings grow until he is so angry, he doesn't stop to see the world around him.  But then a gust of wind comes and he realizes how beautiful everything really is and that's the end.  He doesn't apologize for the mess he's created.  He doesn't have a self-understanding of what he did.  And that's where I think the book went wrong.  Would be an interesting conversation to have with readers.


LIttle Tigers
by Jo Weaver
I love Weaver's charcoal drawings in her other books and this one about tigers, a favorite animal of mine.... loved it.
A mama tiger and her two cubs are on the move because human have gotten too close to their den.  Finding a home is tricky because what makes a home a good one for some animals, does not make it a good home for tigers.
In a note at the end Weaver reminds us that bengal tigers are considered an endangered species because much of their natural habitat in India is being taken over by humans or in danger because of poachers.

Middle Grade


Seven Clues to Home
by Gae Polisner and Nora Raleigh Baskin
I'm sorry everyone, because this book doesn't publish until June 9, but you really really need to preorder it.
My heart is still inside this book.  My pre-teen heart is still inside this book.  With universal themes of friendship and who you love, and grief and growing, it's a book that will hit home with everyone.  
Home is also an important idea in this book - who is your home?  where is your home?  is a home more than a family?
Written in alternate voices between our two main characters, Joy and Lukas, and written in two different time periods, takes us on a scavenger hunt.  One story line tells us how the scavenger hunt unfolded and one perspective, and the other story line has us follow the character on the scavenger hunt.  Meanwhile the reader is putting both pieces of the story together and while you know you're in for heartache by the end of the story, it also will put your heart back together in the other story line.
I don't want to say too much, because you just need to find out for yourself.
Just go preorder.


Max and the Midknights
by Lincoln Peirce
I bought this one as soon as it came out thinking it would be a quick read that I could get out to my readers.  It was a quick read, I just needed to read it, ha!
Most people know the author because of his Big Nate series.  This is a different foray - one into the middle ages, but what stays the same is the humor.  I laughed out loud many times with this one!  
This should be a big hit with readers in 3rd-5th grade.

Currently Reading


The Line Tender
by Kate Allen
I've had this book in my pile since before it published!  So far it's a story that has already touched my heart!


Happy Winter Reading!

#road2reading Challenge 1.09.2020

All journeys have a starting place.

This is a weekly place to find books and tools

that you may use with readers 

at the start of their independent reading journey.

Join in the conversation at #road2reading.

Happy 2020!  I have some end of the year 2019 books to share with you.  This post is a binge of reading and I'll split them up into skills readers have a handle on:


* Readers who have a sight word vocabulary, can use phonics strategies to decode words, but still rely on picture clues *


My First Puppy
written by Alyssa Satin Capucilli
photographs by Jill Wachter
It's a puppy book... right there it's a winner for young readers!  Perfect for kids relying on sight words and picture clues.  In the back are more caring for your puppy tips.  This section has a bit more challenging vocabulary but could be the section an adult provides assistance when reading.


* Readers who are using more advanced phonics skills to decode words, have control over sight words, and use context to help figure out unknown words *



Snail and Worm All Day
by Tina Kügler
This is the third book in the series and it does not disappoint.  Readers enjoy the silly tales of Snail and Worm.  There is some inferring readers have to do as the jokes are not literally explained, but readers will use the story to help them figure out what is not explicitly being said.  Episodic stories told in three chapters, readers will laugh at Snail as he joyously expresses himself or switches moods and is scared.  Worm, as our practical character, always saves the day in the most practical way.  I like that the conversations are in different colored fonts so young readers can keep track of who is doing the talking. 


The Princess in Black and the Bathtime Battle
written by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale
illustrated by LeUyen Pham
I really enjoyed this one because it made me laugh and I think kids will laugh too.  Gross smells?  Monsters that need to take a bath?  Just plain silliness!
This book is more advanced than Snail and Worm because it is longer, a lot more text on the pages, and now there is vocabulary that is more difficult to decode.  However, there are still illustrations on all of the pages.  This gives some context to what is happening in the print.  It also allows readers to work on stamina because it is longer but still has visual support.

* Readers who are ready for longer chapter books, that are between 100-150 pages, and are no longer reliant on illustrations on every page *



Bad Bella
by Ali Standish
I love books that are written from the dog's perspective (hello Fenway and Hattie!).  It would be so fun to know what is going on in their heads, but until that happens, we have these wonderful books to help us know otherwise!
Bella is the story of a rescue.  In the very beginning of the book, Bella is trying hard to be loved by her family but too many things go wrong and the family brings her to the pound.  The father drops her off saying "this is not our dog".  What an interesting concept, one to be explored by readers and by Bella.  We see this resonate with Bella for a long time, even after she is adopted by a new, loving family.
Coming in at under 150 pages, this book is perfect for readers who are working on reading stamina.  I can see this fit with readers from 2nd-5th grade!
I loved author Ali Standish's note at the end of the book telling us about the real Bella!


Dory Fantasmagory Tiny Tough
by Abby Hanlon
I absolutely adore Dory and everything that happens to her - real or imagined.  
I feel like this book gets back to the roots of Dory stories, those that are full of her imagination and characters that make us laugh.  
And this book has Tub Town.  This was a bath toy from the 1980s that had suction cups on the back so you hung the whole thing on the bathtub wall.  It had multiple rooms and levels and little people and boats.... so much imaginative play would happen with this toy!


Whether you teach kg or 5th grade, I bet there is a book on this list for your readers!

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday - animal books 1.08.20

Wednesdays I join Alyson Beecher from kidlitfrenzy and other

#kidlit bloggers to share wonderful nonfiction picture books.

The intention of today's blog post is to give professionals that work in the
education field new nonfiction reading material and ideas to use 

with students to promote a love of reading nonfiction materials.

Happy 2020 nonfiction reading!  I had quite the stack of nonfiction books at the end of 2019 so I have a lot to share as we enter into this new year.  The first two weeks I have some animal books to share - young readers favorites!



Snow Leopard: Ghost of the Mountains
written by Justin Anderson
illustrated by Patrick Benson
While this book is shelved in the nonfiction section of libraries, I consider it more informational fiction.
Written in the first person, we follow a young man and his guide up the Himalayan mountains to spot a peek at the ghost of the mountains - a snow leopard.  As readers follow the narrative, there is also smaller font information that gives facts about the leopard.


Sleep: How Nature Gets Its Rest
by Kate Prendergast
A fun story for young readers, with a sentence or two on each page.  Gives a quick summary how animals sleep.  Some animals will sleep in ways that are already known to young readers, but I bet they will be surprised with some new information - did you know that ants sleep only for a few moments at a time?  Additional information about each animal is included in the backmatter.


Insect Superpowers
written by Kate Messner
illustrated by Jillian Nickell
This is a book that is going to appeal to your "Who Would Win" readers.  It is so visually appealing - looks like a comic book in both the illustrations and the font used.  And Kate always makes any topic come to life - this book had me making faces and saying "ewww" and checking where the insect lives hoping it did not say the midwest...


Migration: Incredible Animal Journeys
written by Mike Unwin
illustrated by Jenni Desmond
Longer nonfiction where each 2 page layout gives information about an animal's great migration.  Information includes why they migrate, the distance covered and where, and the dangers the animal may face along the way.  I like at the end of the book there is a map that shows the migration trail for each of the animals discussed in the book.


About Marine Mammals
written by Cathryn Sill
illustrated by John Sill
A nonfiction book for younger readers that gives one sentence of information per page.  Not shying away from some vocabulary, the series of books gives a lot of information in a small amount of pages.


Is your resolution to read more nonfiction to students?  Be sure to stop by on Wednesdays to get some ideas for fun nonfiction read alouds!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 1.06.20

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.

Happy 2020!  I'm looking forward to all of the reading this year is going to bring.  While I'm ringing in the New Year I'm sharing some books that rounded out 2019.

Last Week's Adventures

Final update of #mustreadin2019 books

My #mustreadin2020 list


Picture Books


Fry Bread
written by Kevin Noble Maillard
illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal
This is a book, that I think, all the pieces come together.  Every word in the story is just right, the illustrations are a stand-out, and the backmatter is vitally important.  It's really hard to get your hands on this book, but if you can, just know you'll need awhile to get through this important book.


Swim Swim Sink
by Jenn Harney
It's the duckling that wouldn't give up.  But much like the book in The Thing Lou Couldn't Do by Ashley Spires, this little duck doesn't solve his problem by the end of the book.  The duckling has to think outside of the box and come up with a new solution.
Good lesson for kids.  And adults.


The Cool Bean
written by Jory John
illustrated by Pete Oswald
Out of the three books in this series, I think this one has the best message.


Noodlephant
written by Jacob Kramer
illustrated by K-Fai Steele
A great book for the conversation what was this book really about?  Use to talk about social justice - what to do when laws don't make sense, how that makes us feel, how do you react?


The President of the Jungle
by André Rodrigues, Larissa Ribeiro, Paula Desgualdo, and Pedro Markun
translated from the Portuguese by Lyn Miller-Lachmann
Gives basic understanding of the democratic process of voting via jungle animals.


Humpty Dumpty Lived Near a Wall
written by Derek Hughes
illustrated by Nathan Christopher
This detail-rich illustrated story of Humpty Dumpty gives a bit more backstory, if not imagined backstory, to why Humpty Dumpty so desperately wanted to climb that wall.  Make sure there is time to pour over the illustrations in this one.  


Star Wars: The Galaxy Needs You
written by Caitlin Kennedy
illustrated by Eda Kaban
I'm always glad to have some Star Wars picture books for the collection!  This one has a positive self-identity message (which if you know Rey's story arc in this trilogy it makes sense).  I liked seeing how the illustrations are from some big scenes from this recent trilogy.


Tomorrow I'll Be Kind
by Jessica Hische
Another book that shows the small gestures that kindness can bring.  Good story to talk about with young readers so they understand kindness really can be all around them!


Bird Count
written by Susan Edwards Richmond
illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman
This was a really neat story about an event I had never heard of before.  The Christmas Bird Count, put on by the Audubon Society, is an event where people meet in regional areas to count, track, and note the number of birds seen in their local region over the course of a day.  There are specific rules to follow, but you don't have to be an official scientist to take part - you just have to be a citizen scientist!  

Middle Grade


Home for Goddesses and Dogs
by Leslie Connor
I enjoyed this story - Lydia must go live with her mother's sister, Aunt Brat after the passing of her mom.  Figuring out who she is in this new place, with new adults, making new friends, all the while trying to stay true to who she was with her mom is quite the journey for Lydia.
Positive same-sex parenting is a part of the story.  
Will be a great book to add to middle school libraries.  Publishes Feb. 25th.
Thank you to Edelweiss for the early e-galley.


Manhunt
by Kate Messner
This was my final #mustreadin2019 book.  A conclusion to the trilogy, it was fun to travel to a different location to solve the next big art heist.  
Now that I've read the trilogy, I'm excited to talk about it with readers and bring even more readers to the series!


Bounders: Fractured Futures
by Monica Tesler
This is the fifth and final book in the series and I am very sad to be done with it.  But so excited to continue to get this series into the hands of readers.  They have five amazing books to look forward to reading.
This final book was an amazing conclusion to the series.  It really brought everything together and is a great reminder that science fiction can be amazing to read.  It's so exciting and suspenseful.
If you have not started this series, do yourself a favor and find it today!

Young Adult


Jack Kerouac is Dead to Me
by Gae Polisner
I'm not sure I can put into words how much I loved this book.
The blurb on the front cover of the ARC uses the words "real, raw, emotional" and I agree completely.
If you grew up in the 80s you grew up reading Judy Blume.  And while there was the Judy Blume of the middle grade years, there was the next step up of Judy Blume - Tiger Eyes and Forever.  Both of those books gave readers a window or a mirror into their lives.  A mirror of what existed, maybe in the darkest corners of minds and thoughts, or a window into what the reader was thinking and wondering and asking.
This book is going to be this generation's book.
Because teenage readers will see themselves within the main character, JL.  Or they will see something they are wondering about, or thinking, or the possibilities of something.  Readers will see the uncertainties of friendships, the exploration of sexuality and the many questions that go along with it, the ramifications of absent parents and parents who have their own demons to fight.  JL is such a complex character but it was so easy to slide into her shoes and feel such familiarity of her life, regardless of how far away it was from my own.  
Polisner's writing is gut-wrenching, raw, and yet will leave you feeling she saw into your own teenage heart and mind.
Do not miss this book.  Do not miss putting it in the hands of teenage readers, as well as adults.  
Publishes April 7th.

Currently Reading


Seven Clues to Home
by Gae Polisner and Nora Raleigh Baskin
I have about 40 pages left and my heart is absolutely stuck in this middle grade story!

I still have quite a few 2019 books to read and I haven't scratched the surface of all the 2020 ARCs I have.  Lots to read coming up!

#mustreadin2020 list

Happy 2020!  I'm looking forward to this new year and new decade!  One of my absolute favorite things to do at the start of every new year is to create my mustread list for that year.  Be sure to follow along with my links for #mustread on the right side of the page for more information about this community.  

Yesterday I closed out 2019 with a round up of how my #mustreadin2019 year went.  It was the first year I completed all of the books on my list.  Sticking with a list of 12 books, one each month, was certainly the way to go.  So of course this year I have 17 books on my list (seriously, smacking my head right now.....).  I just couldn't bring the list down.  As I organized some shelves this past summer and fall, I started adding books to a future mustread pile.  But unfortunately that did not include some books I had up in my room.  I'll try it out.  Worst thing that can happen is I have more books to read for the following year, lol!

Here are the books I'll be reading this year:

January:  Becoming by Michelle Obama
February:  Shadow and Boneˆby Leigh Bardugo
March:  The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani and Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson
April:  The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo and Stars Above by Marissa Meyer
May:  Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams
June:  Love, Ruby Lavender, each little bird that sings, The Aurora County All-Stars by Deborah Wiles
July:  In Your Shoes by Donna Gephart
August:  Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere by Julie T. Lamana
September:  Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh
October:  Fleabrain Loves Franny by Joanne Rocklin
November:  See You at Harry's by Jo Knowles
December:  Framed! and Vanished! by James Ponti


Looks like another great year of reading, right?  Some new(ly)-ish published books and some that have been around for awhile.  All books I own.  All waiting to be read!

I'll be back in December 2020 to update you on my progress!

Happy 2020 reading!