Women's History Month - featuring Meteorologist Joanne Simpson - 3.02.22

Breaking Through the Clouds:

The Sometimes Turbulent Life of Meteorologist Joanne Simpson

written by Sandra Nickel

illustrated by Helena Perez Garcia

published by Abrams Books for Young Readers

When you think about women who have made a difference in our world, there are some adjectives that just don't fit:  quiet, demure, follower.  Take Joanne Simpson.  In her own words she would have said, you have to be stubborn.

I found the world "turbulent" in the subheading of this book to be so interesting.  That's, of course, a word I use to describe something that is unpredictable, something that might shake things up.  But after reading this picture book biography, I understand why that word was selected.  Take the very first line of the book, "By the time Joanne was five, she had discovered her mother didn't much care where she was."  This tumultuous relationship continued and left Joanne with alone time, often spent in her boat or flying a small plane, getting lost in the clouds.  Clouds became Joanne's obsession and lead her to her adult career.  Studying under renown meteorologist Carl-Gustaf Rossby. Joanne got a "crash course" in meteorology and then taught officers getting ready to fight in WWII.  However, she still wanted to know more about those clouds.  

Joanne had to make many concessions in order to continue her studies, but finally after a breakthrough study of cumulus clouds, Joanne received her doctorate of meteorology.  

You would think that would be enough to convince everyone to always give Joanne a chance, but this was the 1950s, which meant Joanne still had to persuade and convince, in other words be stubborn, in order to continue to learn and study.  It seemed that every time she figured something out, her plans were shot down.  Up and down.  But like cumulus clouds that keep returning, so did Joanne.  Finally, she was able to convince Rossby to allow her to have access to his large computers and she was able to complete a cloud model that scientists were able to use that now give us the terminology we hear on weather reports today: "partly sunny skies, showers in the morning, expect blue skies in the afternoon."

I enjoyed the backmatter and gaining additional information about Joanne's life in the author's note and included photographs.  There is a timeline that helps readers visually plot out some of Joanne's greatest achievements.  Also included is a selected bibliography.

Whether you have students studying the weather or you want to turn the spotlight on someone new for Women's History Month, Joanne Simpson would be an excellent person to study!

Thank you to Barbara at Blue Slip Media for the review copy!

More about author Sandra Nickel:

Sandra Nickel says that story ideas are everywhere; you just have to reach out and grab them.  She holds an MFA in writing for children and young adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her first book, Nacho’s Nachos: The Story Behind the World’s Favorite Snack, was awarded a Christopher Award and was a Golden Kite Award finalist. Sandra lives in Chexbres, Switzerland, where she blogs about children’s book writers and illustrators at whatwason.com. To learn more, visit https://sandranickel.com/. 

 

Twitter:  @senickel

Facebook: @sandranickelbooks

Instagram: @sandranickelbooks

 

Check out the trailer and other cool resources here!

Middle Grade books that build stamina, part 2 - 3.01.22

I am a reader.  I love reading.  I've seen myself as a reader for as long as I can remember.  I have many positive memories of reading from when I was younger.  I get excited by the challenge of a longer book.  I read across genres.  Page count, chapter count, white space, font size, page thickness (I feel like that has a name, but I'm not sure what it is), none of that matters to me.  Even throughout this pandemic, while my reading has ebbed and flowed, and I've been met with reading challenges that are very new (attention, time, desire), I have continued to read.

But.

For many readers, their experiences are very different.  Page count matters.  Chapter count matters.  White space, font.... all of it matters.  And then put a pandemic on the plate. 

And while we're at it.  Let's talk about equity.  I've always had access to a public library and two parents who were always willing to take me there and to the bookmobile.  And I could check out books from my school library.  I know many many readers can't say that.

When I was growing up and I was bored, I read.  There wasn't cable until I was older.  My parents never handed me a phone or a tablet to keep me occupied.  Video games?  Nope, not until I was older.  And even then, my remote was tethered to a box.  In this digital age, books and stories have a level of competition that younger readers never had.  Even the kids I taught two decades ago.... even a decade ago, read differently than kids do today.

As a consumer of books, I love watching social media and sites like the Nerdy Book Club, and reading magazines like The Horn Book, to see what is out and what is being said about those books.  I read and review those books.  And what gets marketed and what is "seen", is not always what reaches all readers.  And I want to make sure to reach all readers.  So I'm always on the lookout for books where the page and chapter count isn't overwhelming.  And yes, there might be more white space.  I look for these books in different formats and genres.  But these books.... they are sometimes hard to find.  They aren't always publicized as much.  Even us nerdy adults might look over them for one reason or another.  But I know they are needed by readers so I search for them.  Which is why I started this series, so other people can know about these titles and get them into hands of readers.

All books should be celebrated.  This series is celebrating the leaner texts.

Post 1 in the series

Almost There and Almost Not

by Linda Urban

224 pages

Linda Urban's books come to mind when looking for a solid middle grade story that is not long in page count.  They appeal to readers who are looking for a character driven novel who want to dive into the character's feelings and learn what motivates them.

This story introduces us to California - or Callie, as she eventually is called - who is going from house to house, guardian to guardian, eventually landing at her great Aunt Monica's house.  Her father is back in Alaska, figuring things out and trying to earn more money for him and Callie.  Once Callie gets to great Aunt Monica's, she's immediately thrown into a project.  The two of them are researching a dead relative, who just so happens to be a ghost that Callie can see and talk to.  Along with a ghost dog who delivers long ago written letters, Callie learns more about herself and what it means to be part of a family.

Perfect middle grade novel for 5th grade and up.

Sugar and Spite

by Gail D. Villanueva

208 pages

An #ownvoices novel that takes place on a fictional island in the Philippines.  

Jolina has recently moved to this island and she very much feels like an outsider.  It doesn't help queen bee Claudine puts her in her place every chance she gets.  Jolina is learning her family's magic and she quietly uses it to create a love potion.  She puts this in a treat for Claudine so she can make Claudine be a friend, not a bully.  Before Jolina realizes what she's done, Claudia wants to be BFFAE (best friend forever and ever).  However, after spending time with Claudia, Jolina finds there is a kind person under that rough exterior.  Can Jolina remove the potion without removing the new friendship?

I enjoyed the magical realism of the story and the integration of Philippine culture throughout the story.  The friendship conflict will feel very real to readers and there is one exciting scene at the end.  

I would say the sweet spot for this book is with 3rd-5th gr readers.

Fast Pitch

by Nic Stone

192 pages

I love that Nic Stone can write for a variety of ages, and in this second middle grade novel, she shows that power again.

Staying with the same community she gave us in Clean Getaway, this time she focuses on Scoob's friend, Shenice.  Shenice comes from a long line of baseball (or as her brother says, batball) players.  She's currently playing for the first all Black female softball league in her county and they are doing their best at winning and going all the way to state.  But breaking Shenice's concentration is the new information that her (never met) great-grandfather's name was brought through some bad baseball mud.  In fact, his days of playing the game were brought to an end because of a racial crime that he was never able to clear his name from.  But with some new information from a newly-met relative, Shenice has to race against the clock to clear his name and win that softball championship!

I love that this middle grade novel is a quick read - comes in at under 200 pages - yet delves into a racial conversation that readers today are looking to have.  We need more books like this and I'm glad Nic Stone is adding her voice for middle grade readers today!

When Winter Robeson Came

by Brenda Woods

160 pages

Not only is this on the leaner side for page count, it's also a novel in verse, which means lots of white space on the pages.  While I easily read this in one sitting, it won't take readers who still need to sit for shorter readings to get through this one.  And it's another historical fiction novel from Ms. Woods, so it will also take the reader to a place in time.  As always, I learned so much from reading one of her books.

It's summertime 1965 and Eden is ready for some fun.  But when her cousin, Winter, comes for an extended visit, she gets fun in the shape of a mystery.  Winter is on the search for his missing father but needs to do his sleuthing on the sly.  Eden agrees to help and it brings the two of them to the Watts neighborhood.  And in the summer of 65, the Watts neighborhood is home for an uprising that puts Winter and Eden right in the middle of history.

Once Upon a Tim

written by Stuart Gibbs

illustrated by Stacy Curtis

152 pages

Stuart Gibbs is well-loved for his series like the Fun Jungle series or the Spy School series.  Now he's trying his hand at a new hybrid series.  This first book definitely is on the leaner side coming in at around 150 pages and lots of illustrations in each chapter.  It's a quest story so it's full of action and adventure and since it's Stuart Gibbs, it also has loads of laughs!

Tim is a peasant, like all of the generations ahead of him in his family.  Yet, unlike everyone else in his family, he wants more than just a life of dirt, gruel, and living in a hut.  When he sees there are "tryouts" to become a knight and join the prince and the castle wizard on a quest, Tim decides this is how he changes his station in life.  Along with his friend Belinda and trusty fr-dog (it'a a thing in the book...), Tim finds out that not everything is as it seems on this quest.

I love the "IQ boosters" Gibbs includes.  It's a longer word that he throws in and then follows it up with a definition and using it in another funny sentence.

Looking forward to seeing where this series takes us and Tim!

Hoping you found a book for one of your readers.  I'll be continuing this series and looking for more books to help these readers continue to grow!

A Reading Trend - graphic novels!

It's been an interesting year for reading at my school.  I've been watching what the 3rd and 4th graders read and it has been a big shift from years past.  Graphic novels have always been a hit, but this year, it's almost exclusively what they want.  And just in case you think book talking and book passing by the kids isn't happening, I can tell you it's alive and well!  Towards the beginning of the year it was the HiLo series.  I couldn't keep track of who had what book.  All I know is between my library and the school library, our HiLos were gone!  Next it was Amulet.  I hadn't seen a resurgence of that series for about seven years.  It's not that they hadn't been read in that time, I just haven't had the same amount of holds on those books since then.  Now Bird and Squirrel is taking off.  Other fantasy series that have also been popular this year are 5 Worlds and Plants vs. Zombies.  Over on the realistic fiction side, my Babysitter Club and Babysitters Little Sisters books are always gone.  The Click series is super popular.  New Kid and Class Act are always gone.  And lots of the non-series titles are getting love too - Roller Girl, Twins, Measuring Up, and Pawcasso.

I also have been noticing the trend in publishing of graphic novels for the younger crowd too.  Lots of new graphic novels for readers have been published.  Perfect for readers who are working on stamina and need a shorter read.  Many of these books have more decodable words which means younger readers can start with graphic novels at a younger age!

So whenever I see a new graphic novel, I  am much more likely to purchase it right now.  Keeping readers reading!

Here are some newer titles you may want for the readers in your life!  Let's start off with some fantastic sequels.  If any of these series are new to you, make sure you find all of them, they are crowd favorites!

HiLo: Gina and the Big Secret

by Judd Winick

This is my absolute favorite graphic novel series.  I've said it before and I'll say it again.  The stories have so much heart, so much humor, so much fun, such good stories!

While it's hard to follow up my favorite (HiLo: Gina the Girl Who Broke the World) this one does a great job.  Gina has recently discovered she has magic, HiLo is a real boy (or is he??) and together, the crew needs to right the Earth back to normal.  Easy task for them, right?  I love the twists and turns and surprises that happen along the way.

The hold list is already very long for this one!  Make sure you have extra copies!

Katie the Catsitter: Best Friends for Never

written by Colleen AF Venable

drawn by Stephanie Yue

This is the second book in the series and I'm so happy to hear the creators are already working on more.  Katie is such a fun character for middle grade readers because she is relatable and she gets to help a superhero!  In this second book, Katie's best friend is back from summer camp and the usual growing pains of being apart for a summer, having made new friends, and trying to fall back into your regular friendship occurs.  I like that the old friendship doesn't completely dissolve and we still see Katie grow as a character.  

I already have a hold list for this one too!

Baloney and Friends: Dream Big!

 by Greg Pizzoli

This early reader graphic novel chapter book is the third in the series, and like its two predecessors, I was cracking up as I read it.  Featuring four friends with very different personalities and voices, you can read just one chapter from the book and capture readers' attention!

Besties Work It Out

written by Kayla Miller and Jeffrey Canino

illustrated by Kristina Luu

Technically, not a sequel, but it's set in the world of the "Click" graphic novels (with Olive - Click, Camp, Act, and Clash).  This time we have BFFs Beth and Chanda who are both trying so hard to save up money for something special.  When they are set up with the perfect job by Beth's older sister, surely nothing can go wrong?  Beth and Chanda are about to get a perfect lesson in responsibility that neither were expecting.

This one will be a huge hit with readers who are already fans of the "Click" series.  We'll get book 2 of the "Besties" series this fall.

Beak & Ally: Bedtime Jitters

by Norm Feuti

I really enjoyed the first book in this series.  Beak (a bird) and Ally (an alligator) seem to be a weird match as far as friendships go, but in reality, alligators and birds have a symbiotic relationship.  

In the second book, Beak is having trouble sleeping due to all the nighttime noises in the swamp.  It's up to Ally to give Beak a little help.  But it's when the two work together do they really feel the power of friendship!

The first book in the series just won a Geisel Honor Award, whoo hoo!

Now let's check out some new(er) stand-alone graphic novels!

Otto: A Palindrama

by Jon Agee

A graphic novel that is made up entirely of palindromes.  At times, definitely silly and nonsensical, but many of them move the story along!  

Otto is at home with his parents and dog, when he seems to fall into a scene that is inside his bowl of wontons.  Otto moves from place to place in search of his dog.  Along the way he meets many people who have things to say, forwards and backwards, of course!

The Odds

by Matt Stanton

Here comes a new series that will be a must have to own.  

Quiet and shy Kip has just woken up to a variety of creatures in her room.  Some have come from the comics her dad draws, others from her imagination, or own drawings.  Some are from books or video games.  No one is quite sure what their purpose is, but when Kip and her dad lock them up in the basement, they get loose and run.  While Kip's dad is fine with them gone, Kip has taken a fancy to them and wants to find them.  Can Kip find them and can they help her out with a problem of her own?

It's a quick read and the story ends in a satisfying way that gets you excited for future stories.

Housecat Trouble

by Mason Dickerson

This is a new series but I did not get this one.  Buster the cat's owner has just gone away for a day and he's found their house full of weird, purple, blobby monsters.  Good thing a spirit-sniffing cat has come by to help!  With two new cat friends, Buster is able to conquer his scaredy-cat feelings and take back the house.

PAWS: Gabby Gets It Together

by Nathan Fairbairn

Illustrated/Colored by Michele Assarasakorn

No doubt this will be a series that is loved by readers.  A realistic fiction series that is billed as being a "Babysitters Club" for dogs, fans of the BSC will flock to this one too.  A group of friends from a multi-age classroom bond over their love of animals, especially since none of them can have a pet due to one reason or another.  To help them be around animals without actually owning one, they come up with the idea of being dog walkers.  Of course, nothing goes as planned and arguments happen.  This is the first in the series.  I'm sure it will be popular.

A big problem with the illustrating is the Asian character has half moon eyes when laughing and just black dots for eyes when showing extreme emotion.  This stereotype needs to end.  Now.

Publishes March 8th.

Huda F Are You?

by Huda Fahmy

A book about identity and fitting in.  A memoir graphic novel from Fahmy, growing up as a Muslim.  In this memoir, Huda and her family have just moved to Dearborn, Michigan, a place that has a large Muslim community and Huda and her sisters won't be the only women in hijabi.  But even then she doesn't fit in because Huda still can't find, not only her group, but she needs to also figure out who she is... how does she identify?  This young adult GN is perfect for upper middle grade readers and high school readers.  Huda's humor will resonate with readers and the questions she asks herself are also some of the same questions many of us ask ourselves.

When Pigs Fly

by Rob Harrell

First appearing in his middle grade book Wink, Batpig now has his own graphic novel.  It will be welcomed by fans of DogMan as it has goofy humor and lots of puns to make readers laugh out loud.  

Gary the Pig was just an ordinary pig with regular friend-type problems, when his friend Brooklyn the Bat accidentally bit him on the nose, which of course gave him super powers!  Gary wrestles with how to handle these powers, and until he figures out exactly how to use them, he keeps them a secret from everyone but Brook.  Which is fine until his other BFF, Carl the Fish, finds out he's been keeping a secret from him!  Can Batpig save the day and his friendships?

Definitely a series you'll want to have multiple copies of!  Looking forward to the next book, coming this June!

Hope you found a new graphic novel or two for your readers.  I know mine are gobbling these new ones up!

#KidsLoveNonfiction Campaign 2.14.22

Today is Valentine's Day and I'm celebrating children's love of reading nonfiction.  As readers of my blog know, this genre of books has a special place in my heart because I've seen young readers get excited to read nonfiction - to satiate their curiosity about the world around them or to learn more about a passion.  Whether nonfiction is their favorite genre or it's because a specific topic fascinates them, readers are always drawn to nonfiction books.  Despite having specific awards dedicated to finding excellent titles of nonfiction literature for young readers, this particular genre still is not recognized by bestseller lists.  Sibert Honor Award winning author, Melissa Stewart, asked me to share this open letter with blog readers.  Please take a look and if you believe in this cause, please follow the link to sign your name to the petition.

Announcing the #KidsLoveNonfiction Campaign

This morning, Mary Ann Cappiello, Professor of Language and Literacy at Lesley University, and Xenia Hadjioannou, Associate Professor of Language and Literacy Education at the Harrisburg campus of Penn State University, sent the letter below to The New York Times requesting that the paper add three children's nonfiction bestseller lists to parallel the existing picture book, middle grade, and young adult lists, which focus on fiction.

This change will align the children's lists with the adult bestseller lists, which separate nonfiction and fiction. It will also acknowledge the incredible vibrancy of children's nonfiction available today and support the substantial body of research showing that many children prefer nonfiction and still others enjoy fiction and nonfiction equally.

If you support this request, please follow the signature collection form link to add your name and affiliation to the more than 200 educators and librarians who have already endorsed the effort. Your information will be added to the letter but your email address will remain private.

LETTER TO THE NEW YORK TIMES

Nonfiction books for young people are in a golden age of creativity, information-sharing, and reader-appeal. But the genre suffers from an image problem and an awareness problem. The New York Times can play a role in changing that by adding a set of Nonfiction Best Seller lists for young people: one for picture books, one for middle grade literature, and one for young adult literature.  

Today’s nonfiction authors and illustrators are depicting marginalized and minority communities throughout history and in our current moment. They are sharing scientific phenomena and cutting-edge discoveries. They are bearing witness to how art forms shift and transform, and illuminating historical documents and artifacts long ignored. Some of these book creators are themselves scientists or historians, journalists or jurists, athletes or artists, models of active learning and agency for young people passionate about specific topics and subject areas. Today’s nonfiction continues to push boundaries in form and function. These innovative titles engage, inform, and inspire readers from birth to high school.  

Babies delight in board books that offer them photographs of other babies’ faces. Toddlers and preschoolers fascinated by the world around them pore over books about insects, animals, and the seasons. Children, tweens, and teens are hungry for titles about real people that look like them and share their religion, cultural background, or geographical location, and they devour books about people living different lives at different times and in different places. Info-loving kids are captivated by fact books and field guides that fuel their passions. Young tinkerers, inventors, and creators seek out how-to books that guide them in making meals, building models, knitting garments, and more. Numerous studies have described such readers and their passionate interest in nonfiction (Jobe & Dayton-Sakari, 2002; Moss and Hendershot, 2002; Mohr, 2006). Young people are naturally curious about their world. When they are allowed to follow their passions and explore what interests them, it bolsters their overall wellbeing. And the more young people read, the more they grow as readers, writers, and critical thinkers (Allington & McGill-Franzen, 2021; Van Bergen et al., 2021).

Research provides clear evidence that many children prefer nonfiction for their independent reading, and many more select it to pursue information about their particular interests (Doiron, 2003; Repaskey et al., 2017; Robertson & Reese, 2017; Kotaman & Tekin, 2017). Creative and engaging nonfiction titles can also enhance and support science, social studies, and language arts curricula. And yet, all too often, children, parents, and teachers do not know about recently published nonfiction books. Bookstores generally have only a few shelves devoted to the genre. And classroom and school library book collections remain dominated by fiction. If families, caregivers, and educators were aware of the high-quality nonfiction that is published for children every year, the reading lives of children and their educational experiences could be significantly enriched.

How can The New York Times help resolve the gap between readers’ yearning for engaging nonfiction, on the one hand, and their lack of knowledge of its existence, on the other? By maintaining separate fiction and nonfiction best seller lists for young readers just as the Book Review does for adults.

The New York Times Best Sellers lists constitute a vital cultural touchstone, capturing the interests of readers and trends in the publishing world. Since their debut in October of 1931, these lists have evolved to reflect changing trends in publishing and to better inform the public about readers’ habits. We value the addition of the multi-format Children’s Best Seller list in July 2000 and subsequent lists organized by format in October 2004. Though the primary purpose of these lists is to inform, they undeniably play an important role in shaping what publishers publish and what children read.

Adding children’s nonfiction best-seller lists would:

• Help family members, caregivers, and educators identify worthy nonfiction titles.

• Provide a resource for bibliophiles—including book-loving children—of materials that satisfy their curiosity.

• Influence publishers’ decision-making.

• Inform the public about innovative ways to convey information and ideas through words and images.

• Inspire schools and public libraries to showcase nonfiction, broadening its appeal and deepening respect for truth.

We, the undersigned, strongly believe that by adding a set of nonfiction best-seller lists for young people, The New York Times can help ensure that more children, tweens, and teens have access to books they love. Thank you for considering our request.

Dr. Mary Ann Cappiello 

Professor, Language and Literacy

Graduate School of Education, Lesley University

Cambridge, Massachusetts 

Former Chair, National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction Committee 

 

Dr. Xenia Hadjioannou

Associate Professor, Language and Literacy Education

Penn State University, Harrisburg Campus

Harrisburg, PA

Vice President of the Children’s Literature Assembly (CLA) of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). 

 

References

Allington, R. L., & McGill-Franzen, A. M. (2021). Reading volume and reading achievement: A review of recent research. Reading Research Quarterly, 56(S1), S231–S238. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.404

Correia, M. (2011). Fiction vs. informational texts: Which will your kindergarteners choose? Young Children, 66(6), 100-104.

Doiron, R. (2003). Boy Books, Girl Books: Should We Re-organize our School Library Collections? Teacher Librarian, 14-16.

Kotaman H. & Tekin A.K. (2017). Informational and fictional books: young children's book preferences and teachers' perspectives. Early Child Development and Care, 187(3-4), 600-614, DOI: 10.1080/03004430.2016.1236092

Jobe, R., & Dayton-Sakari, M. (2002). Infokids: How to use nonfiction to turn reluctant readers into enthusiastic learners. Markham, Ontario, Canada: Pembroke.

Mohr, K. A. J. (2006). Children’s choices for recreational reading: A three-part investigation of selection preferences, rationales, and processes. Journal of Literacy Research, 38(1), 81–104. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15548430jlr3801_4

Moss, B. &  Hendershot, J. (2002). Exploring sixth graders' selection of nonfiction trade books: when students are given the opportunity to select nonfiction books, motivation for reading improves. The Reading Teacher, vol. 56 (1), 6+.

Repaskey, L., Schumm, J. & Johnson, J. (2017). First and fourth grade boys’ and girls’ preferences for and perceptions about narrative and expository text. Reading Psychology, 38, 808-847.

Robertson, Sarah-Jane L. & Reese, Elaine. (Mar 2017). The very hungry caterpillar turned into a butterfly: Children's and parents' enjoyment of different book genres. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 17(1), 3-25.

Van Bergen, E., Vasalampi, K., & Torppa, M. (2021). How are practice and performance related? Development of reading from age 5 to 15. Reading Research Quarterly, 56(3), 415–434. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.309

If you support the request to add three children's nonfiction bestseller lists to parallel the existing lists, which focus on fiction, please add your name and affiliation to the signature collection form. 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 2.07.22

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.

As I mentioned in my first IMWAYR post of 2022, I was making no commitments to a weekly post!  It looks like right now I'll be closer to a monthly roundup!  I wanted to put a couple of posts together in January, but my Sundays (usual blogging days), got eaten up by other things.  And in the spirit of blogging not being something that stresses me, the posts just didn't get done.  And since I'm doing a roundup with lots of books, I'll try to be quick and simple with my details!

Picture Books

I Eat Poop: A Dung Beetle Story

by Mark Pett

It has poop in the title.  That sells it right there.  Positive message about identity.  Is it the best example?  No, but it comes through clear, and again, it has poop.  *adult, shrugs shoulders*

The Year We Learned to Fly

written by Jacqueline Woodson

illustrated by Rafael López

From the duo that brought us The Day You Begin brings us another beautiful story (although in my opinion Day is better).  Don't miss the author's note because it brings in a part of history that makes this book even better.

Love You By Heart 

by Peter Reynolds

This is better as a gift book (in time for Valentine's Day) than one you would choose for a class read aloud.

Friends Are Friends, Forever

written by Dane Liu

illustrated by Lynn Scurfield

One of my favorite picture books I read in January.  Moving away to a new country, leaving loved ones behind, and starting over is hard.  

Mina

by Matthew Forsythe

I love how this book constantly makes the reader make predictions and change them based on what happens.

Change Starts With Us

by Sophie Beer

Perfect for April's Earth Day, or any day!  Easy ideas for youngsters to try.

What Can You Do With a Rock

written by Pat Zietlow Miller

illustrated by Katie Kath

Loved how this one was organized!  Perfect to talk about discoveries, perspective, and of course, rock collecting.

The Problem with Pajamas

by Lauren Stohler

It's hilarious and you get to say "inconceivable"!  Funny but heartwarming story.

That Egg is Mine

by Liz Goulet Dubois

A must have if you have Elephant and Piggie readers.

Nonfiction Picture Books

I Am An American: The Wong Kim Ark Story

written by Martha Brockenbrough and Grace Kim

illustrated by Julia Kuo

Must have when discussing immigration.

We Are One: How the World Adds Up

written by Susan Hood

illustrated by Linda Yan

It will make you think about the parts of "one" in a whole new way!

Lights Day and Night

written by Susan Hughes

illustrated by Ellen Rooney

YES!  We need more nonfiction like this - books that support science curriculum standards.  It is hard to always find read alouds (that don't sound like their textbook counterparts) to go along with these topics.

Middle Grade

Across the Desert

by Dusti Bowling

I love the desert setting, the sense of adventure and urgency throughout the story, and how quick the book takes place.  It makes it even harder to put down!

Cuba in My Pocket

by Adrianna Cuevas

I binge read this one and really enjoyed it.  I liked that it was written from the perspective of a boy leaving Cuba and trying to fit into America.

The Ice House 

by Monica Sherwood

A book about the pandemic, but not about the pandemic.  There is a Freeze and the entire planet is frozen and full of snow.  Yet kids are still dealing with other very real problems.

Adult Novel

The Maid

by Nita Prose

Loved this book. Quick read.  Molly the Maid (a quirky character, for sure) looks very suspicious in the murder of a wealthy hotel guest.   But it's the people who come to Molly's aid that help you realize what a great character she is.

Currently Reading

City Spies: Forbidden City

by James Ponti

If you haven't read this series yet, change that NOW!  I will often read a couple of books in a series so I have a feel of it, but then I usually just put new books out as I get them.  Not this one.  I'll read all of them!

Loads of other books in my piles.  I've been making some headway with them.  Looking forward to more reading in February!

Evicted! The Struggle for the Right to Vote - book review - 1.12.22

In the past decade, I've learned more about the real, truthful, and actual history of the United States via children's literature than I ever did in all of my years in the classroom or via textbook.  Here's another bit of history that is new to me.

Evicted! The Struggle for the Right to Vote

written by Alice Faye Duncan

illustrated by Charly Palmer

published by Calkins Creek

If you're like me, you've learned more about the Civil Rights Movement in the past decade.  I've read countless books and thank you to Mr. Representative John Lewis for giving us the March  trilogy and now Run.  However, the Civil Rights Movement was not solely centered in Alabama and Georgia.  It reached many states, including Tennessee.  In 1959, after continued efforts to deny Black people the right to vote and many difficulties with owning their own land, in Fayette County, Tennessee, a movement known as the Fayette County Tent City Movement occurred.  In a series of interconnected stories, author Alice Faye Duncan and illustrator Charly Palmer illuminate the people and narrative of what occurred.

Goodreads summary:

This critical civil rights book for middle-graders examines the little-known Tennessee's Fayette County Tent City Movement in the late 1950s and reveals what is possible when people unite and fight for the right to vote. Powerfully conveyed through interconnected stories and told through the eyes of a child, this book combines poetry, prose, and stunning illustrations to shine light on this forgotten history.

The late 1950s was a turbulent time in Fayette County, Tennessee. Black and White children went to different schools. Jim Crow signs hung high. And while Black hands in Fayette were free to work in the nearby fields as sharecroppers, the same Black hands were barred from casting ballots in public elections.
 
If they dared to vote, they faced threats of violence by the local Ku Klux Klan or White citizens. It wasn't until Black landowners organized registration drives to help Black citizens vote did change begin--but not without White farmers' attempts to prevent it. They violently evicted Black sharecroppers off their land, leaving families stranded and forced to live in tents. White shopkeepers blacklisted these families, refusing to sell them groceries, clothes, and other necessities.
 
But the voiceless did finally speak, culminating in the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which legally ended voter discrimination. 

My thinking:

I loved the way Duncan pieced this together.  Instead of a long narrative, we see little stories that come from the people that instrumental parts of the Movement or were  affected by it.  Duncan describes the people and allows the reader to have a view or an idea of what type of effect this Movement had. It also showed the way people shaped the events that occurred during this time.  For me, with the wealth of information tied into this book, it helped me understand the human side to it instead of it being a long winded narrative.  Palmer's broad strokes and sometimes vibrant colors, sometimes muted colors, helped give more feeling to the story.

Instead of rushing into the story, Duncan preps the reader with some information.  First, she includes an overview of the Fayette County Tent City Movement.  This is helpful because it gives the reader some quick information to use as they read the stories and piece everything together.  There are also two layouts that feature the profiles of the people included in the stories.  Palmer includes paintings of each and Duncan gives some basic information.  It was interesting to see how many of them are still alive today.  I referred to the profiles pages frequently as I read the book.  This was one of my favorite parts of the book because it was so helpful.

Duncan includes a lot of source information in her backmatter.  I really appreciated the primary source photos and propaganda photos from the time period.  Along with additional sources for readers to find more information, there is even a music list!

I was fortunate enough to chat with author Alice Faye Duncan about these stylistic choices.  Here's what I asked:

There were two style decisions that I just loved. The first being that it was written through interconnected stories instead of a narrative. Can you talk about how you came to write it that way? And I loved the character profiles that were included at the beginning. I referred to them as I read! Did you always know you wanted them included? I am sure you were thrilled with Charly’s profiles!

And here are her answers!

1) There are several people who helped to make the Tent City Voting Rights Movement a success.  It thought it was best to capture these distinct personalities with at least one section dedicated to their specific challenges and contributions. 

2) When I finished the first draft, I submitted the profiles like a "Table of Contents" for the reader's benefit. It was my editor or art director, who suggested that Charly paint a portrait for each profile. My editor is Carolyn Yoder.  The art director is Barbara Grzeslo. They work and think as a collective of genius. Working with the both of them is most inspiring. 

Thank you for stopping by, Alice!

This is a must have book for schools that teach the Civil Rights Movement.  This is an area of interest for many readers and whether you use it as a read aloud, supplemental information to go along with your unit, or part of a text set, I highly recommend this book for 6th grade - high school libraries.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 1.10.22

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 belated New Year's to all!  I can't believe this is my first #IMWAYR post since August!  I had to slow down blogging because life was getting to be too much of everything.  Between school (and that word is a loaded statement because anyone dealing with working with children in any capacity during this ongoing pandemic knows that it's more than we could ever sit down and write) and my daughter's junior year of high school and ongoing college search and our home renovations, it was TOO much.  It still is.  I can't go back to regular blogging, but I can do some.  I'm not even going to say it will be a regularly posted amount.  When I can, I will, and when I can't, I won't.  

I've also gone back and looked at my posts from the year and seen what readership is.  I can say that blogging readership has gone done.  I think with the rise of social media, it's very easy to find book titles in quick social media posts instead of reading through a blog.  Keeping that in mind, how I blog may change.  In a list post such as this, I'll try and keep descriptions to a minimum so quick scanning can occur.  Unless I feel like you really need to know more!  When a post is spotlighting a book, there will be some longer descriptions, including how it can be used.

And we'll see where 2022 takes us!  I still have stacks of books to get through and when I blog, that takes up reading time.  Have to find a balance and when the book stacks are tipping over, it definitely means I need more reading time!

The second week of Winter Break had me plowing through book stacks.  And as much as I read, I have more stacks to get through!  Here are some favorites.

Recent Picture Books

Have You Seen Gordon? by Adam Jay Epstein

Let Me Fix You a Plate by Elizabeth Lilly

Sam Is My Sister by Ashley Rhodes-Courter

There's a Ghost In This House by Oliver Jeffers

The Longest Letsgoboy by Derick Wilder

Soul Food Sunday by Winsome Bingham

From the Tops of the Trees by Kao Kalia Yang

Aaron Slater, Illustrator - by Andrea Beaty

Off-Limits by Helen Yoon

Wildfire! by Ashley Wolff

Three Ways to be Brave by Karla Clark

Fly by Brittany J. Thurman

Recent Nonfiction Picture Books

Pura's Cuentos by Annette Bay Pimentel

Battle of the Butts by Jocelyn Rish

With Great Power: the Marvelous Stan Lee by Annie H. Eriksen

What's in Your Pocket? by Heather L. Montgomery

A Dinosaur Named Ruth by Julia Lyon

The 1619 Project: Born on the Water by Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renée Watson

I'm Trying to Love Garbage by Bethany Barton

The Genius Under the Table by Eugene Yelchin

Recent Middle Grade and Young Adult

Violets Are Blue by Barbara Dee

When Winter Robeson Came by Brenda Woods

Omar Rising by Aisha Saeed (publishes Feb. 1st)

Alias Anna by Susan Hood (publishes March 22nd)

Stuntboy In the Meantime by Jason Reynolds

Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls by Kaela Rivera

You'd Be Home Now by Kathleen Glasgow

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys (publishes Feb. 1st)

Hope you found a book or two to add to your reading pile.  Now it's time to get back to mine!