Blog Pause

I just posted on my book blog about why I have decided to hold off on book blogging for at least a while, as well as my plans for the type of blogging I will sustain and how I plan on capturing my thoughts on the books I want to read.

You can read about it here.

Out of My Mind

I bought Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper when it was first released in hardcover a couple of years ago. I was intrigued by the information on the back cover, and I heard positive feedback, especially from a student teacher who did a practicum in my room and a 6th grade student who was an avid reader.

When I started reading it this week, I was initially a bit disappointed as it did not instantly capture my interest as Draper's YA books typically do. However, as I progressed through the book, I started to enjoy it more. Even in those early chapters, I frequently thought back to my 6th grade student, remembering how she shared that the book really impacted her thinking. I knew that I had to continue reading, to give the book more of a chance, and luckily, I was not disappointed. 

Almost eleven year old Melody has words, memories, facts, information, and urgent necessities that she would love to share, but she cannot. Growing up with cerebral palsy has not been easy for Melody or her family. While she does have a communication board with limited vocabulary, she has so much more that she would like to express. Understandably, her lack of ability to communicate fully frustrates her. 

As a 5th grader big changes are in store. For the first time she goes to mainstream classes in an inclusion environment, and she finds a way to communicate more and show her intelligence. She almost feels like a "normal" kid. Almost. Her peers do not necessarily accept her because of her cerebral palsy and sometimes when she most wants to say something, she can't. 

As the book progressed the title of the book revealed itself in a powerful way, as did the cover image, another pivotal event, and the words on the back cover. The more I read, the more I appreciated Draper's craft in putting this story together. This middle grade novel makes readers think about the way they perceive others and to re-examine perceptions of capabilities, making it an excellent choice for a read aloud, book club, or as an independent read.

14 Cows For America

14 Cows for America by Carmen Agra Deedy and Wilson Kimeli Nalyomah, illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez, shares the story of a great sacrifice that a village in Africa makes as a gesture to an American diplomat less than a year after the attacks of September 11. The start of the book shows Kemili, a Standford college student, returning home on his summer break and interacting with those in the village. As he recounts the events of September 11th, people of his village are deeply affected - enough to offer their 14 cows for America. The earlier sections of the book provide insights into just how huge of a sacrifice this was.

Told in third person verse with vivid, full page illustrations, this book conveys a lot of emotions. While Carmen Agra Deedy and Wilson Kimeli Nalyomah could have decided to recount the events through first person, telling it through third person helped to illuminate the event as a collective story, rather than his story, highlighting the decisions of people from his village.

The school library journal recommends this book for 2nd-5th grade. It could also appeal to older readers as well. The illustrations can capture the interest and inspire awe in a wide-range of grade levels, but depending on the grade level, the discussions and depth of understanding would be different. For example, in the younger grades, students will be able to understand that it was a great sacrifice and a kind gesture, while older students (or younger students with more background) will be able to understand a little bit more about economics.

Aside from the main focus of the book, there is also the underlying background of Kimeli as a college student returning home. We see him in his Standford jacket, "American clothes", and backpack, in contrast to the dress of the people of his village on the first pages. With a foot in two worlds, the book can prompt discussions about interacting with different cultures and having different experiences than most people in the community in which you grew up in and navigating similarities and differences. This book could be used with middle school to college students as an introduction to discuss identity, before pairing it up with other books appropriate for the target age group, such as Gloria Anzaldúa's Borderlands, Dancing Home, The Whole Story of Half a Girl, and Mexican Whiteboy.

You can see more background about the book, including a book trailer that shares more of the illustrations, on the site for the book.

Voyages: Reminiscences of Young Abe Lincoln

A parent gave me Voyages: Reminiscences of Young Abe Lincoln by Neil Walman as a gift at the end of a school year, knowing that I love books and am also interested in history. In an introductory page Walman explains that the book was inspired by primary documents providing glimpses into Lincoln's trips down the Mississippi River, which prompted him to think about slavery. Thus, the title refers to both the physical voyage and an internal voyage. The remaining book is divided into four sections (First Voyage, Second Voyage, Third Voyage, and The Auction Block).

Walman told the story in a unique way in first person through Lincoln's eyes. He noted that he would put direct quotes from Lincoln in brown text to distinguish between his own words and the president's, seamlessly incorporate Lincoln's own words without interrupting the flow. At the end of the book there is a sources page, which explains in more detail the documents where Walman excerpted Lincoln's statements. It seems that using this format, there would be some blurring between fact and fiction, much like memoir writing where it is necessary to fill in gaps at times in a best effort to preserve the events. Only, in this case, it was not Waldman's own experiences, so his intent would be basing his words on what he knew about the historical time period and from other documents. It would be helpful to discuss with the difference between the black and brown text and implications for interpretations. Even though the format is directly stated at the start of the book, it would still be pertinent to discuss.

The words, including those from Walman as Lincoln, have a historical flavor. Otherwise, there would have been a disconnect between the two types of text. This may present challenges for some readers who are not as familiar with phrases from the time period; yet, much of it can be grasped through context. In addition, the pages have a faint background coloring simulating worn, older documents also adding to the overall aesthetics of the book.

At 32 pages, this is a quick book, but it will provide readers with glimpses into events that shaped Abraham Lincoln's perspective as he was transitioning into adulthood.

His Name Was Raoul Wallenberg

I was intrigued to hear that Louise Borden's His Name Was Raoul Wallenberg: Courage, Rescue, and Mystery During World War II was an informational text in verse. For the past few years, I have been drawn to the verse format and wondered how it would fit with a biographical text. While at times, it seemed like the text read like regular prose and could have just as easily been in regular paragraphs, there were other times, especially as the book progressed, that the verse format helped to build suspense and anticipation or to strengthen the impact of certain ideas.

Sparked by a book that author Louise Borden read about Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat, Borden conveys glimpses into Raoul's life and shares a piece of history related to World War II with which many are unfamiliar. Confronted with the horrors of the era, Wallenberg could have stayed within the safety of his homeland, neutral Sweden; however, he felt morally compelled to do anything he could to protect life when given the opportunity. Through his creativity, he was able to save the lives of many Hungarian Jews, risking his own life in the process.

When I was reading through, I wondered why they chose a childhood image when most of the content that they were highlighting was from his adult life. However, that connection between his childhood convictions and the man he ended up being became apparent later in the book.

Broken into 15 sections, Borden shared background about Raoul, accompanied by photographs, maps, historical documents, and drawings. Working closely with the family, Borden was able to thoroughly research and organize relevant information to capture the essence of Wallenberg and his life story.

Previously I had an essential question linked to reading workshop along the lines of "How do people respond to the events that shape their lives?" This would be an excellent text to complement that question, providing examples of different responses as well as discussions of decisions.

It would also be a natural fit to increase understanding of the complexities of World War II. In recent years I have been reflecting on what I remember learning about Europe during that time period and how as an adult I have realized there is still so much that I am unaware of. Ruta Sepetys' Between Shades of Gray provoked a similar sensation. With history, it is so valuable to provide a range of perspectives, and this book is a great supplement to add another voice to the time period. After reading the book, I would imagine students will be interested in learning more. I would like to read Hitler's Youth soon, and would be interested to see if it would complement this book well.

Aside from all the book has to offer related to content, it is also rich in possibilities for writing workshop as a mentor text. I look forward to showing exposing my students to exploring history through verse.

We Are America: A Tribute From The Heart

As a teacher always wanting to familiarize myself with a range of YA/middle grades literature, I have read various Walter Dean Myers books, but We Are America: A Tribute From the Heart was the first picture book that I read by him. It is one of those awe-inspiring books that make you want to revisit it again and again both because of the text and the vivid paintings by none other than the author's son, Christopher Myers.

The initial pages of the book include a quote by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella accompanied by a painting followed by two-page spread, powerful author's and artist's notes printed on top of a mosaic of images, providing background and context for the book.

Then starts the heart of the book - two page spreads combining poetry and at times historical quotes, snapshots into U.S. history and cultures. Initially, the poems are told in the first person, representing various perspectives. Then the singular "I" poems shift to "we", a collective history merging from different backgrounds.

I especially like that the history and current depiction represents dichotomies, rather than solely portraying the good or the bad. Instead, it comes off as a balanced, thought-provoking experience. While younger kids would enjoy the book, the illustrations and depth of text, such as avenues for analysis to attempt to make sense of history, make it ideal for older readers as well.

With each flip of the page, I liked the book more and more. While reading, I was curious about those depicted in illustrations. There were some that I automatically recognized, but there were others that made me want to know more about who they were and/or the rationale behind the intentionality of including them. When I turned to some of the last pages and saw that the quotes were reprinted with additional background and explanations of where the quotes came from, I thought about how it was a perfect addition to an already strong text. The final page provides art notes to explain by page about the people depicted in the pictures. Just as the book sparked my curiosity, I can imagine students wanting to do additional research or inquiry as a result of reading this book.

Last night I posted about Dancing Home, by another parent-child team, and pairing the two texts together is an excellent example of complementary picture book/novel combinations. However, We Are America is versatile and aside from ideas already mentioned, it would be a good fit for many other curricular connections, including a mentor text for multi-genre writing and a background in U.S. History. It would be a perfect start of the year read aloud for a year in which the focus was on U.S. History. Then students could revisit the book multiple times throughout the year. Such a rich text!

Dancing Home

Explorations of identity always captures my attention. I first noticed this in college, and since then I have realized that regardless of the target audience, I am always fascinated by the journey. Naturally, when I first heard about Alma Flor Ada and Gabriel M. Zubizarreta's middle grades novel Dancing Home, I knew that eventually I would just have to read it.

Alma Flor Ada is well-known and respected as an author and educator, and she co-wrote this book with her son. In the book Margie's life is in flux. Her cousin from Mexico has just come to stay with her family, prompting boys in her school to once again tease her about her full name, saying, "Maaaargaaaareeetaaaa," multiple times. As a result Margie decides tries to avoid being seen with her cousin. However, her presence makes it hard to continue ignoring her Mexican roots that she has worked so hard to deny, and she starts to wonder what it really means to be American and if it is possible to honor both "her" culture and her parents'. 

As Margie is questioning the book shares plenty of insights into her inquiry and realizations as the novel progresses. Parallel to Margie's story, we also learn about her cousin Lupe and her own struggles dealing with her father's abandonment and the shifts in her own family dynamics back in Mexico, as well as finding her place in a new country.

The novel is told in third person but mostly sticks to the girls' thoughts and plot lines. As can be expected, both girls gain a better sense of understanding as the novel progresses, allowing for a nice discussion starter or individual dialogue related to empathy. The book also sprinkles in Spanish phrases here and there, something that I always love. It also incorporates a class writing assignment, prompting inquiry, as well as a natural inclusion of a famous Rubén Darío poem, A Margarita with an English translation, followed by a translation background note at the end of the book. For my dual immersion students, I like that the translation note can prompt thought about what is really important when it comes to translation - literal word for word or capturing the essence. 

For the last three years, I have read Cuando Tía Lola vino de visita (a quedarse) (the Spanish translation of Julia Alvarez's How Tía Lola Came to (Visit) Stay). In Dancing Home, Margie briefly mentions reading the book and making a connection to her life. Just as I was thinking it was a perfect connection as Miguel is also sifting through identity related thoughts thinking about his Dominican relatives and is also originally embarrassed about his aunt who comes to visit from the islands, I was surprised to realize that link was not made. Rather, Margie thinks about the divorce connection when trying to understand how Lupe must feel. Nonetheless, the additional clear links are present, and these two texts would be excellent to pair together. I think that it would be beneficial to have Dancing Home as a read aloud either before or after Alvarez's book, providing excellent opportunities to see how different characters navigate their feelings related to identity. 

So many possibilities for this novel as an educator and a parent...

Creech On-Line Book Clubs: Walk Two Moons

Welcome to the Walk Two Moons book club discussion. Post a comment to share your initial impressions of the novel, Creech's craft, and implications for the classroom. Then read (or return to read) others' comments. Reply to them in order to have an on-going dialogue related to the book. Enjoy participating in a community of readers! You might also consider visiting the Bloomability book club discussion to see thoughts on another one of Creech's book and to join in on the conversation.

Creech On-Line Book Clubs: Bloomability

Welcome to the Bloomability book club discussion. Post a comment to share your initial impressions of the novel, Creech's craft, and implications for the classroom. Then read (or return to read) others' comments. Reply to them in order to have an on-going dialogue related to the book. Enjoy participating in a community of readers! You might also consider visiting the Walk Two Moons book club discussion to see thoughts on another one of Creech's book and to join in on the conversation.

Ivy + Bean: Take Care of the Babysitter

The Ivy + Bean series is probably my favorite transitional chapter book series and the one that I enjoy most reading with my daughters. Writer Annie Barrows and illustrator Sophie Blackall make a perfect team. Barrows' plot lines are engaging and funny, while Blackall's creative illustrations add so much. My daughters both love seeing the pictures, which appear more often than not. Rather than being in a confined space, at times the illustrations flow without boundaries and instead the text adjusts to the picture.

Last night I read the 4th book in the series, Ivy + Bean: Take Care of the Babysitter. Similar to others in the series, Bean and Ivy, along with other neighborhood friends at times, get into some mischief. Initially, a group of neighborhood kids decide that it would be fun to turn a pile of dirt that was just delivered to the house for some work the parents were going to have done in the backyard into a volcano. When they decide that the best option for the lava would be to dig a hole at the top and then have the smallest boy go in there with a hose, he decides to run back home. That is until his older sister stops him and bribes him with some toys and treats. Sophie W.'s parents weren't home to witness all that was happening in the front yard, and after saying that two of the kids could play in the dirt as long as they did not get it in the house, the babysitter is absent, seemingly oblivious that more neighborhood kids have joined in and that chaos is ensuing.

Initially, I thought the title referred to that babysitter. However, then I learned that it actually referred to Nancy, Bean's older sister. Right when they are really getting in to the volcano simulation, Bean's mom calls her home and tells her that she and her dad are going to a play. Since Nancy is 11, she gets to babysit Bean for the first time. Bean is not allowed to leave the house, but she can have Ivy come over. However, since Bean can't play with her friends outside, she is dramatic about the whole experience, saying that she is trapped in her house like a jail. Later when Ivy does come over, Bean sneaks her in. She even thinks about how it is not necessary because her mom gave her permission to come over, but it is more fun for her to act like she has to sneak. It ends up that the volcano was just the start. There is a lot more adventure throughout the book.

Aside from enjoying the illustrations, I also love the characters. They stand out to my daughters and have them asking days after if they can see a particular illustration of a certain character, and they laugh all over again. My oldest and I have read the first book several times, and we never get tired of laughing about a scene where Bean and Nancy are pushing each others' buttons in a dressing room while shopping with their mom. The books do not feel repetitive, but there is a comfort in the consistency of main characters, while still leaving some room for surprises.

As far as getting students to notice features of books, the information about the author/illustrator at the end of each book is unique, providing glimpses into the author/illustrator as children and how their experiences connect to the content of the current book. For example, this book shares how Barrows had many babysitters and provides glimpses into all that she did, while Blackall did not have babysitters, but babysat for many kids as a teenager. This gives something related to the book that will interest young readers and help them to think about who wrote and illustrated the books.

Released last November, the newest book in the series is #8, No News is Good News. I look forward to seeing if another is released this fall. Though I will wait until they come out in paperback, I will keep buying each new book for years to come, as when my oldest outgrows them, my youngest will still love them for a while longer.

Tia the Tulip Fairy

Last year my oldest daughter started loving the Rainbow Magic fairy transitional chapter books. Coming in various sets of books following certain patterns, the books provide readers with a layer of comfort. Whereas Junie B. Jones books start with the same paragraph and readers can expect a certain general direction of the books, these books are even more predictable. At the start of each set, readers come to expect that two friends, Kirsty and Rachel will find a fairy in need. Those fairies will let them know of something that Jack Frost and his goblins stole, and of course, Kirsty and Rachel will recover the items one book at a time until all is back to normal.

Thus, I already knew what to expect when I opened up Tia the Tulip Fairy, the initial book in the Petal Fairies set. At 67 pages with frequent illustrations, it is typical in length for the series. Because the initial books in the sets always have to set up the scenario for what Jack Frost and the goblins stole, by the time it gets to the confrontation with the goblins, all is resolved quickly. The remaining books in the sets typically have more space to build the tension over time.

The books also provide a simple introduction to the fantasy genre. The start of the books have maps, including key locations throughout the series, such as the Fairyland Palace, Jack Frost's Ice Castle, as well as locations specific to the set, such as Blossom Hall and the Fairy Garden.

Though they are meant to be read in succession, my girls often just grab a random book. Because they are so predictable, readers are not lost if they read them as stand alones. Some may argue that these books do not have a lot to offer because they are so predictable; however, I think that they serve a purpose of building motivation for some readers. As long as kids have an interest, I would advocate for providing access to the books. However, teachers and adults should be ready to think ahead to which books to suggest next when the pattern does get old. (And as a parent, I have to keep reminding myself that it is about when it gets old for the girls, rather than for me!)

Junie B. Jones is (almost) a Flower Girl

The Junie B. Jones series by Barbara Park and illustrated by Denise Brunkus provides engaging plots in a transitional chapter book format. Not surprisingly, Junie B. Jones is (almost) a Flower Girl starts with the same paragraph as every other Junie B. book, "My name is Junie B. Jones. The B stands for Beatrice..." (p. 1). While as an adult (and probably for some kids), the introduction is repetitive and not the greatest hook, for others it provides a comfortable start as they are transitioning from beginning picture books.

In this book, Junie B. starts out dismayed that her "boyfriend" Ricardo has decided that they should just be friends after she laid out the rules that as her boyfriend, he could not chase others at recess. Her parents, of course, were not very sympathetic about her plight, telling her that she was much too young to have a boyfriend and that it was much better at her age to be footloose and fancy free.

There is a glimmer of hope to distract Junie B. from the disappointment. Her aunt is getting married and her two best friends have told her all about being flower girls. Only, Junie B. learns that it will not necessarily end up the way she hopes. Nonetheless, she finds happiness in the book and comes to her own realization about the "true" meaning of her parents words when she least expects it.

With her funny antics, parents can notice aspects of Junie B. in kids her age, probably in a way that some kids miss. Yet, they are able to enjoy the voice of a strong-willed character about their age. With many books in the series, as well as the Junie B., First Grader series, readers who enjoy the Junie B. books have plenty of books to read in order to practice at a comfortable level until they are ready to move on to more complicated texts. Then they can still enjoy books in the series from time to time as they are looking for a quick, easy read.

Sarah, Plain and Tall

I remember watching Sarah, Plain and Tall when it was a television series when I was growing up, and we loved watching the episodes as a family. It always reminded me of Little House on the Prairie. At the time I did not realize that the series was actually based off of a set of books by Patricia MacLachlan. 

While reading the first book with the same name as the television series, my memory was refreshed that it was about a woman from Maine answering a newspaper ad for a wife and mother. The kids anxiously await Sarah's arrival, and once she is there, they are preoccupied, wondering if she will stay or if she will miss the sea and her family too much and end up returning.

I once again made comparisons to the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. I thought about how the MacLachlan books are quick, relatively easy reads, ideal for a transitional reader. However, it would be ideal if the readers had some background about the time period so that they could better understand the book. That made me think about how it would be an excellent opportunity to pair up with a read aloud of a Laura Ingalls Wilder book. The read aloud would build background information to better enjoy reading MacLachlan's text independently. Another option that I could see as be for a parent to read aloud an Ingalls Wilder book to the child and to have the child read aloud the MacLachlan book. That way, both books would be a shared experience, discussing similarities and differences. I like that if the child is motivated by either of the books, there are more available from both of the authors.

The Twelve Dancing Princesses

Even though The Twelve Dancing Princesses is Marianna Mayer's retelling of a traditional story, I was not familiar with it prior to reading this book other than the Barbie movie version.

 Accompanied by K. Y. Craft's paintings, Mayer introduces the story with a young farmer Peter who has a vision that he should go to the castle in the hopes that he will "succeed where others have failed," leading to him being able to marry a princess. Then it shifts to set the stage for a mystery at the castle that has the king perplexed and worried.There are many twists and turns  before reaching the happily ever after style conclusion.

While the book jacket lets the readers know that it is a traditional story, I was sad to see that there was not an author's note to provide more background about the history of it or to provide insights into the author's thought process while retelling. I was further dismayed when I went to get the link to the book on Amazon and saw the review by The School Library Journal stating, "In this lavishly illustrated but poorly structured retelling of the classic Grimm tale, Mayer retains little of the original, making major and inexplicable changes in the story [...]" I love to read updates to traditional stories, but I like to understand the background and notice the similarities and differences between versions. I guess that if I want to familiarize myself with the original or at least historically earlier versions of the tale, I will need to keep looking! Soon I will be reading Diane Zather's The Thirteenth Princess.

Judy Moody Goes to College

In Judy Moody Goes to College by Megan McDonald and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds, Judy reflects on the importance of attitude. As such each chapter is titled ____-i-tude, such as Math-i-tude, Brat-i-tude, Cat-i-tude, and Grat-i-tude. The only exception is one titled A New Attitude. The titles are a fun play on word to spark creativity with words and to instill a love of word play.

At the start of the book Judy is clashing with a teacher filling in when Mr. Todd has an accident while on vacation. Judy is annoyed that the teacher recommended she could use the extra support of a math tutor. However, she quickly changes her mind when she realizes that she will go to college for her math tutor and that the sessions are from from the way her little brother said they would be. She ends up loving her time with her tutor and frequently brags about it to her classmates. Her chattering about college becomes so much of a distraction that the substitute teacher sends her to the Attitude Tent.

An interesting plot, accompanied by engaging art, makes this book an excellent choice for an early chapter book. Because it is a part of a series, readers can read other books by McDonald benefitting from the familiarity that comes with reading about the same characters.

Many Nations: An Alphabet of Native America

Many Nationas: An Alphabet of Native America by Joseph Bruchac and illustrated by Robert F. Goetzl has a single sentence for each letter of the alphabet accompanied by the style of illustration and background shown on the front cover. Some illustrations, such as the one for B, "Blackfeet riders following buffalo herds", span a two-page spread. However, the majority have a letter on each single page. Many of the letters selected are for the names of tribes, which provides readers with a glimpse into the rich, diverse history. However, a small portion of the alphabet does not feature tribes, but rather other important aspects, such as animals. The V is "Visions of the future held in each child's eye," and the X is "X marking the four directions from which we all come." 

The final page in the book contains an author's note in which he describes his purpose was indeed to "help children recognize the diversity of Native Americans." He discussed the difference between the number of tribes prior to Columbus compared to the number of tribes that most readers are familiar with. He also wanted to demonstrate common threads, such as the "respect for the natural world." The author continues to provide a little bit of background for some of the illustrations; however, he concludes that the book was only able to portray "a handful of the hundreds of surviving nations of Native America." He then expresses that he hopes the book will prompt readers to "respect and learn more about the many original nations of our land." 

As a reader, I did notice that it has captivating pictures along with short text that provides glimpses into the range of information that readers can consider and discover about Native American tribes. This alphabet book could be used in various grade levels. While many might often consider it for the lower grades because of the limited text, I can also see it as being effective as a read aloud at the start of a unit for older grades, allowing them to consider how they can expand what they already know about Native Americans. The illustrations aid in being able to capture a wide audience. 

Bruchac has written many books related to Native Americans, so teachers would be able to create text sets or an author study considering the age range. For example, for older readers, the text set could include some of his picture books, such as this one that would still have illustrations appealing to older readers along with some of his novels, while a text set for younger readers could feature his picture books. I have wanted to read his, Code Talkers: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two for a long time. 

Snakes Live in Grass

Snakes Live in Grass by Melving and Gilda Berger is an informational text that is a part of the Scholastic Readers: Time-to-Discover series. Each page has a similar layout of a rectangular photograph framed by a thinned colored border and one sentence of text. The first page is the same as the title, "Snakes live in grass." After that there is a pattern for each two-page spread. The left hand side says, "Snakes live in ____________", listing areas such as forests, deserts, near water, and under rocks. Then the right hand side is a sentence relevant to the specific place. Each two page spread also has an oval fun fact on top of one of the photographs. The last page is a stand alone page, similar to the right hand pages in the rest of the text, providing one more bit of information about snakes.

There is a lot that I like about the format of this book for emergent readers. The photographs are interesting and could prompt a lot of discussion about what readers notice and wonder. All of the text is in a large font and each page is limited to one sentence, with the exception of the fun facts pages that have one additional sentence. The left hand pages provide a pattern for kids to gain familiarity, but the left hand pages and fun facts add a layer of authenticity, rather than strictly following the pattern throughout the whole book. It seems like this series offers an engaging, comfortable way to start engaging in informational texts. You can read more about the other science related books in the series here.

Inch and Miles: The Journey to Success

I first heard about Coach John Wooden's Pyramid of Success from the director at my school. Because I loved the message of each of the blocks, I was interested to see that aside from books targeted for adults, he also had books for children, including Inch and Miles: The Journey to Success.

The book starts out with what Inch and Miles view as an easy question, "What is success?" However, they quickly realize that it is about more than winning medals, being popular, or having the best toys. Success is defined in a way that aligns with the way my parents instilled in me throughout my life - doing my best (and with integrity), rather than being the best was what was important. When Inch and Miles express concern about how they will know that they are doing their best, Mr. Wooden sends them on an adventure to explore the Pyramid of Success. Various animals give them clues throughout the book, each with a poetic description of one of the characteristics off of the pyramid.

I am still thinking through how I would recommend the use in class. In some ways the longer text on each page might not hold some students' attention to read straight through. It seems it would be more effective to read in parts, which would be easy to do by breaking down into different blocks (or groups of blocks) after reading the introduction. It would be a perfect supplement to health and/or character education themed units, as well as at the start of the year when establishing classroom expectations and setting goals.

I also love the possibilities for writing teaching points for older students. For example, sharing the book, as well as his site can be juxtaposed to discuss adjusting for audience and purpose. Students will notice that some of the language is different (such as industriousness vs. hard work); however, the message is the same. They can also consider the presentation for varied audiences.

Judy Moody & Stink: The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Treasure Hunt

I have been familiar with Judy Moody for a few years. I had not read any of her books, but I knew that they were similar to other transitional reader series in my classroom, such as Ivy and Bean, Clementine, and Junie B. Jones. My middle school students mainly read Judy Moody books in Spanish, while other books appealed to them in English as there is a much wider range of literature available in English. In addition, they typically felt more confident with higher level books in English as opposed to Spanish translations that often use less familiar dialects. 

Earlier this fall I heard that author Megan McDonald also had books focusing on Judy's brother Stink and at a recent trip to the library, I learned that there are also books about both of them together. Both of my daughters saw and loved Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer, so when they saw the books, they picked out a few. Judy Moody & Stink: The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Treasure Hunt was the first that we started to read together as a family; however, my oldest lost interest, so it ended up being with just my youngest, except here and there when my oldest would reappear and listen to bits and pieces. 

In the book Judy and Stink (or as they are referred to at times in the book Mad Molly O'Maggot and Scurvy Stink) are set for an adventure. For a family trip they have headed to an island with their parents to participate in a treasure hunt competition against other kids, where the winner get to go for a ride on a pirate ship. Judy and Stink refer to their main competitors as Smart Girl and Tall Boy, as they often notice them nearby and know that they are on the right track. 

The format of the book is enjoyable. Unlike, most transitional readers, the pictures are in color. At first my oldest did not think that it was divided up into chapters, but after I flipped through the book, I pointed out to her that the periodic full page illustrations featuring signs were chapter markers. I later realized that there was also a table of contents that I could have shown her as well. 

My youngest absolutely loved the pictures and the plot. There were a lot of giggles, as well as "Show me that again," or "Read that again". We finished the book up a couple of nights ago, and last night she was flipping through the book again and retelling some of her favorite parts. Nonetheless, shortly after she was loudly saying, "di di di di," to simulate how we talked about one of the chapter markers that was in code and then belted out, "Arrrr" on another page, her sister told her to quiet down because she couldn't concentrate on her homework with all that noise! At that point my youngest turned back to the start of the book to look through again without talking. 

The book is an enjoyable experience for those who enjoy adventure, mystery and pirates. The full color  illustration are an asset, supporting the transition to chapter book format. Just as my daughter did, emergent readers can enjoy the text with adults and revisit pictures to recreate aspects of the story on their own. This would be a fun read aloud book as well to pique students' interest about chapter books. Because the characters appear in multiple series, students who enjoy it can read any of the books about the characters. 

Alaska's Three Pigs

I have always loved re-writes of classics or traditional stories, so I was thrilled when my mom brought the girls Alaska's Three Pigs, written by Arlene Lavernde and illustrated by Mindy Dwyer, as a gift.

I enjoyed reading a "comfortable" tale and seeing how the author would add her own creativity. In the story, three brother pigs have travelled to Alaska. When the seasons shift, they realize that they need to switch from they camping and playing to establishing homes.

As to be expected with the typical tale, each brother dedicates a different amount of time to the task, ranging from the first settling for a pre-existing cabin that he encounters to the third pig taking the time to build a sturdy igloo. Then of course, the pigs encounter danger; however, this time it is with a bear whose hibernating they disturbed and the author has some special twists in store to explain how the pigs escaped their bleak fate.

Each of the pages with text have a border similar to the style on the front cover, although featuring different designs, such as fish and trees. In addition, certain words are in a larger, different, and colorful font in order to attract the readers' attentions. On one of our favorite pages the pigs are each participating in different winter sports, and the words "YEE HAW!", "BARK BARK!", and "WHEEEE!" swirl around tem.

Just as with different versions of Cinderella this book made me think about what the Oregon twist on the three little pigs would be!

What Can You Do With a Rebozo?

During my second exchange to Mexico one of the language teachers did a presentation for our class about the many uses of rebozos, including historical background. Not long after I returned to the US, I heard about a new book, What Can You Do With a Rebozo? It automatically caught my attention because of that personal connection. Almost four years later I finally bought a copy.

The book portrays traditional cultural uses that I heard about in the presentation or that I know from being in Mexico. However, there are also fun, creative ways to use a rebozo mixed in. For example, the first page illustrates the mother wearing a rebozo as a shawl and then to hold her baby on her back. Later in the book the main character (the girl shown on the front cover) uses it as a super hero cape for Halloween.

Initially, I was a little disappointed that it was a mixture, rather than solely showing the many uses that I have seen firsthand or that are well-known historically. However, then at the end of the book there is couple of paragraphs under the heading "About Rebozos". The next page has a heading identical to the title of the book, followed by four questions: "What is the silliest thing you can do with a rebozo? What is the most practical? The most beautiful? The most creative?" Once I read these pages, I realized that the mixture in the book was perfect - featuring "real" traditional uses and some background, while also sparking the imagination of many other personalities, a perfect lead into the questions.

I absolutely love the illustrations, which span the full two-pages spreads. I appreciate the way the family is portrayed and the way the images capture the culture represented in bright colors.

I am excited to see that the book is now available as a bilingual paperback as well.

My daughter snug in her abuelita's rebozo. Even though her head is sticking out this time, other times she was completely covered.

From Tadpole to Frog

As a new mom, I rarely bought informational texts for my oldest daughter. However, as I became a teacher and learned more about the value of balance with reading genres, I started to buy a wider range of texts. As a kindergartener and first grader I noticed that my oldest selected a lot of books about animals from her classroom library. As such, I frequently buy books about animals when Scholastic book orders arrive. From Tadpole to Frog, a level 1 Scholastic Reader was one of them. As a family we continue to enjoy informational texts, especially those related to science and social studies topics. 

The front cover provides glimpses into different stages of the life-cycle of a frog. When reading through the book, the photographs of the process dominate the pages, complemented by short sentences of text. The back cover outlines that level 1 of the Scholastic Reader set as including 50-250 words composed of "sight words, words to sound out & simple sentences." The words are in a larger sized font to further support emergent readers. 

When my daughter was first starting to read, books like this were perfect. She could feel successful reading the text, and then the photos provoked a lot of discussion, weaving in other prior knowledge that she had about whichever topic was featured. It is always ideal to consider a range of books for classroom libraries. This would be a good addition to a text set. While other books could be for teacher read alouds or small group settings, this would be an appropriate book for emergent readers, both those who read the words and those who read the pictures. 

The text also provides an introduction to informational text features, albeit in a limited way. There is one label to accompany a photograph, the word gills and lines to indicate where they are on the frog on page 11. In addition six key words/phrases are in bold in the text and there is an accompanying glossary in the back of the text. However, the words within the text are white, and for young readers who are not familiar with bold fonts, I wonder if they would notice the subtle difference. Nonetheless, that is where others can draw their attention to the text features that support their understanding. The simplicity of the text features complements the overall purpose of the book well.

Plant a Kiss

Recently I saw a post over at A Year of Reading about a new book, Plant a Kiss by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. I shared the You Tube trailer, included in the post, with my daughters. We were enjoying it so much that I decided to order it. Arriving a day before Valentine's Day, it made a perfect present for my girls.

The You Tube trailer includes the first pages of the book, with the exception that the still photos from the book are animated. As such, we enjoyed pulling the book out of the box and reading it for the first time, wondering what was going to happen after the part that we had already seen on-line. 

We already knew from the title and the video that Little Miss planted a kiss, and although it did not seem too hopeful at the start, it did eventually sprout. Her shouts caught the attention of her friends. Continuing on we were able to see what happened after the video ended, trying to see what Little Miss would decide to do with her sprout. In the book we enjoyed an aspect that the video didn't capture - the use of glitter.

The language in the book was simple, yet powerful. It reminded me of novels in verse that say so much with so few words. The girls loved the way the words flowed and enjoyed taking turns reading the book.

On another note, this book is going to be perfect to share in my college course focusing on linguistics as there are plenty of minimal pairs and one line that has the same words, but different intended meanings, aspects of language that we have been talking about. 

Double Trouble in Walla Walla

I love word play and have read so much about its benefits for supporting a love of language, which is one of the reasons why I wanted to read Andrew Clements' Double Trouble in Walla Walla. (As an added bonus, I always love books set in locations nearby my hometown. In this case it has the added connection of featuring the town where one of my sisters lives.)

Early on in the book, some central characters learn that they have a problem with their speech. Everything is coming out extra silly, and they cannot control it. Toward the end of the book they think they have solved everything, but have they really?

This is definitely a book that can model word play and inspire creativity. The art throughout the book is similar to that on the front cover, and aspects such as hair are often exaggerated. There are frequent thought bubbles throughout that had me laughing. A couple of pages have interesting formatting with the lay-out of the words, such as a page that has a lot of words swirling around the page.

You can read about another book that incorporates word play, Peas on Earth on a post from Ruth at Two Writing Teachers. It was just released this month.

Hooray for Amanda & Her Alligator!

Just as with his Knuffle Bunny books, Mo Willems' creativity shines through in Hooray for Amanda & Her Alligator! The table of contents announces that the book contains, "6 1/2 Surprising Stories About 2 Surprising Friends."

With the first story we meet Amanda's alligator, and I was smiling from the first page because of his personality. I continued to do so throughout the book. For example, on one page the alligator is dismayed to find out that he was only worth seven cents. Before Amanda reveals that he was in the sale bucket, the text states, "(When friends ask you to tell the truth, you tell the truth.)" (p. 41).

At 68 pages, the book is long compared to many picture books; however, there is not a lot of text on each page, so it is a great transitional book to build stamina for readers who are gaining more confidence. They can get familiar with the "chapter book" concept from the comfort of a picture book by a well-loved author.

Diary of a Spider

My daughter has brought home and really enjoyed Doreen Cronin's Diary of a Worm from her classroom library. I wanted to revisit this author by reading Diary of a Spider.

As with Diary of a Worm, in Diary of a Spider, real facts about spiders are mixed in with fictional elements, such as the spider going to school and other behaviors that reflect human life, rather than that of spiders. In addition, Harry Bliss is the illustrator for both books, so the book will feel familiar for those who have previously read the first book.

Throughout the book there is a lot of humor, which is sure to be one of the aspects that draw many kids to the books. Among the humor are subtle lessons. As much of the events in the book relate to humans, kids can learn from the emotions and actions in the book.

Because the book as set up as a diary, there are many random events, rather than one cohesive plot. As such, readers never know for sure what will be waiting for them as they flip the page, a fun element of surprise.

I noticed that Cronin has many other Diary of... books. They will be fun to explore.

Fishing in the Air

When I was student teaching I read my first Sharon Creech novel, and she quickly became one of my favorite authors. However, I am still unfamiliar with her picture books, other than Who's that Baby? When I saw her first picture book Fishing in the Air at the library, I didn't have to think twice before adding it to my stack.

The book recounts the story of a boy going fishing with his father, but it is not just about the actual fishing, it is about the whole experience. Leaving bright and early in the morning and including the conversations along the way. The dad has quite an imagination and inspires his son to see the world in a different way.

The composition of the pages was different, rather than being the same on every page - at times the watercolors swirled all over the pages, only leaving a small rectangle of text, while other pages had a lot of white space with a small image accompanying the text. However, the text always appeared in the same location on the pages, making the book form an overall cohesive feel.

I have to admit, when I read that the book was about a father-son fishing trip, I was not sure that I would like it all that much, since that experience is so far removed from my own. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see that I loved catching glimpses into this father-son relationship, as well as this specific bonding moment. This would be an excellent book to include in a genre study related to narrative writing, sharing the aspect of personal experiences with family.

D is for Drinking Gourd

D is for Drinking Gourd: An African American Alphabet by Nancy I. Sanders and illustrated by E. B. Lewis caught my attention because I had recently read Gathering the Sun, another cultural alphabet book. I also absolutely loved the cover image.

The inside of the book has art consistent with the style that caught my attention on the cover. Aside from the art, another aspect that I loved right away was that each page told part of history and/or contributions that African Americans have made in the US. Letters featured a range of aspects such as: Harlem Renaissance, inventors, jazz, the Little Rock Nine, athletes, organizations, and holidays. Some pages had celebratory tones, while others were more somber, sharing difficult aspects of history.

With the letter A, the left hand side of the two-page spread had four lines of poetry, "'Let our people go!' they cried / in speeches or with a pen in hand. / A is for abolitionists / who were willing to take a stand." The featured letter, A, was in a larger font to catch the reader's attention. The water color image spanned the two page spread, but about 1/3 of the right hand page was set off by a solid background color. It had the featured letter in upper and lower case in large text, followed by more historical information in smaller font than the rest of the page. Many of the pages followed this same set up, while others featured two letters, each with the same components on a single page, rather than the double-page spread. As such the lay-out of the book was crisp, consistent.


When I got to letter E, I realized that at least 2 of the four lines of each of the poetry rhymed. As such, there is another added layer to the text, including both poetry and expository writing, making it a perfect mentor text for multi-genre writing.


I always love books like this when I find them because they can be read and enjoyed in multiple ways for multiple age groups and reading levels. For example, it is perfectly fine for some readers to simply read the left hand statements, while others will read all of the text, and some might elect to read the right hand text for the information that especially piques their interest.

While this book is appropriate for older primary readers, it would also provide a lot of background information for older students. For example, I can picture it being valuable for middle schoolers interested in any of the various aspects of history mentioned in the book. When reading the information correlated with the letter F, discussing African American's role in wars in the US, I thought about how it would complement books such as Laurie Halse Anderson's Chains. Other pages made me think of Christopher Paul Curtis' books. This is a book that I will want to buy a copy of for my 6th-8th grade classroom library!

Eating the Alphabet

Lois Ehlert is one of the authors that I frequently notice when I am reading resources about emergent literacy, so I wanted to look for her books at our public library. One of them was Eating the Alphabet: Fruits & Vegetables from A to Z.

The end papers have small images of various fruits and vegetables in neatly arranged rows, while the title page has a silly face made out of fruits and vegetables, a sure hook for young kids.

After the following introduction on the first page, "Apple to Zucchini, come take a look. Start eating your way through this alphabet book," the rest of the book features fruits and vegetable words letter by letter, along with colorful watercolor illustrations. Each fruit and vegetable name is written twice, once in all capitals and again in all lower case letters.

Though there are many everyday fruits and vegetables, there are others that are less common, such as: gooseberry, kumquat, quince, and radicchio. Of course, what seems everyday or rare for me could be the opposite for others. Some that are common to me now, such as jicama and mango, were an everyday aspect of my husband's childhood and unknown to me until I was an adult. I love that a book like this can open up conversations with the girls about differences in their parents' childhoods. In a school context, kids could talk about which foods they are familiar with. In addition, I love that the end of the book has a glossary of the fruits and vegetables in the book, providing details about those that had me wondering.

This book has a lot to offer. The use of capitals and lower case can help students become aware of letter counterparts, noticing the connections of different ways to write the same letter. In addition, the book would be a perfect fit for a food themed unit. I especially like that the focus was narrowed to fruits and vegetables, so it could also fit in with a health related unit, rather than just food in general. When my oldest was first born I received Ehlert's Growing Vegetable Soup, which would be a great book to pair up with Eating the Alphabet for food-related units.

Chalk

Chalk by Bill Thomson was the only one of the four wordless books that I read with my daughters, and they absolutely loved it. At first I started by talking about the pictures, but slowly it shifted into telling a story. When I was finished my five-year-old asked me to read it again. The second time I read it more like a story and with more expression for individual characters since I had a better understanding of the big picture. Then, my eight-year-old wanted a turn reading it, followed by my five-year-old, who especially loves to play with different voices.

In the book three kids are walking in the rain. They spot a gift bag hanging from a t-rex at the park (as shown on the cover) and discover that the bag contains chalk. It does not take them long to realize that it is not just ordinary chalk as they discover that whatever they draw on the concrete becomes reality. Their wonder quickly turns to horror as one of the drawings leads to a dangerous scenario, making readers want to flip the page to see just what will happen.

As we sat on the couch after school, flipping through the pages and delighting in the illustrations four different times, I thought more about the value of wordless books. My youngest is still emerging as a reader. Though she knows some sight words and is able to "read" familiar books or books with a lot of patterns, at times I can tell that she doesn't quite feel a part of the reading club yet. She absolutely loves books and enjoys "reading the pictures" but at times I can tell that she can't wait to be able to read the words by herself just like her sister. With a wordless book, the three of us were on equal terms. My youngest was not worrying about not being able to read the words yet, as she was able to focus on the value of creating a story based on the pictures.

An additional benefit is the value in oral rehearsing for writing development. By allowing for multiple variations of the story and developing details about different characters and events, wordless books can support creativity with storytelling. For primary students in a writer's workshop setting, having wordless books in the classroom can help them to foster a higher value for telling a story solely through pictures, especially when that is their stage of development. I am also thinking about the possibilities for collaborations between older students and primary students. For example students from older grades who are able to write stories, could study wordless books as a genre study, create their own books with the younger students as their target audience and then share them with kindergarten or first graders.So many possibilities for wordless books...

Flotsam

Prior to reading the jacket of David Wiesner's Flotsam, I was not aware of the meaning of the word. The wordless book highlights different materials that could be floating in the sea, washing up on shore for people to explore.

When I saw the title page with various objects, including shells and a feather, I thought about how my girls would probably love this book. Then the first page zooms in on a crustacean with a large eye closely examining it in the background. Something about the way it is presented, made me want to laugh, instantly hooking my attention and making me want to see more.

The next page zooms out to show more of the background scene, including the boy looking at the creature through a magnifying glass. Shortly after, the curios boy notices a mysterious camera that has washed up on the beach. That is when the book shifts from realistic to imaginative. He rushes to develop the film inside and sees glimpses into life under the sea. Amazed at what he is seeing, he zooms in to examine the little details of photos using his microscope.

Similar to the other two wordless books that I have reviewed in the series this week, there are many details in the pictures that spark the imagination. Kids would be able to talk about where fact and fiction blend, considering which aspects occur in real life. They can also consider the possibilities of what else might wash up on the shores of beaches and make them excited for a trip to the coast.

*Caldecott Medal Book

The Red Book

Barbara Lehman's The Red Book tells the story of many adventures surrounding a red book. Walking toward school on a snowy day, a girl finds a red book in a snow bank. While in class, she opens it up to find a picture of a boy on a beach who finds a red book in the sand. The next couple of pages reveal a surprising twist - sparking curiosity for both the readers and the kids experiencing the magic of the red book.

Opening up a world of imagination for kids, this wordless book prompts readers to look closely at the details and consider the relationships between the characters, as well as wonder about possibilities in this introduction into the fantasy genre.

Readers can enjoy this book for different reasons each time as they discover new details that add additional layers to the magic of the story. As a result, it is a perfect book to enjoy as a community of readers being able to share different thoughts and ideas.

Targeted to emergent readers, this book can also foster a sense of appreciation for pictures. With writing development, I am used to the concept of valuing pictures as writing prior to kids being able to write words. This book is perfect, reaffirming the worth of wordless stories.


*Caldecott Honor Book

Looking Down

I don't remember ever buying a wordless book (or checking out any from the library). I decided to order four from Amazon in order to explore a new genre. This week I will be posting a series of posts on the wordless books I bought.

Using cut-paper illustrations, Steve Jenkins' book Looking Down starts out in outer space and then zooms in increasingly more with each flip of the page. I always think that it is fascinating to watch scenes below from airplane windows, and this book reminded me of that sensation. 

In addition, I enjoyed analyzing the type of paper and textures that Jenkins selected for each aspect of the illustrations. It made me think of the ideal paper to create other scenes around the globe.

I was always guessing which aspect of the current picture would be featured as an enlarged version on the following pages. Once I reached the end, I loved the detail that ended up being the focal point. Inspiring wonder and awe with both the zooming in details and the artwork, this wordless book has a lot to offer in order to prompt discussions. 

Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet in Spanish and English

Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet in Spanish and English by Alma Flor Ada shows many aspects of Mexican and Mexican American culture through realistic illustrations. The bulk of the text features aspects related to field work; however, it also includes values, such as honor and pride, as well as other aspects.

The words featured match up to the Spanish alphabet. While at times the translated word in English starts with the same letter, some are different in English, such as duraznos and peaches. In addition, letters distinct to the Spanish alphabet are included. Flor Ada explained why she decided to include Ch and Ll in the alphabet on the first page, "By the year 2000, to make it easier for computers to alphabetize text, Ch and Ll will no longer be considered separate letters in the Spanish alphabet. They have been retained here as unripe fruit, not yet ready to be taken from the tree, since all of us who love our language and the traditions it keeps alive will need some time to grow accustomed to this change" (n.p.).

I first saw illustrator Simón Silva's work in La Mariposa and loved his style, so I was excited to see that same style in this book. The combination of the illustrations and the text set a celebratory, as well as nostalgic tone. Aside from the words that align with the alphabet, there is an accompanying poem for each letter. While many of the poems have a similar style, some are distinct, providing readers with a range of possibilities with poetry. While some poems are free verse, others follow repetitive patterns, such as, "Pride", which repeats the verse starter "Proud of [...]". Teachers could read the book with students for general enjoyment, but then they could also pull out specific poems as part of a genre study. Classes (or small groups or individuals) could write their own Pride poems, which if they are related to family and culture as the one in the book, could then be used as a piece of writing as a gift.

Hibernar / Hibernation

Many kids, including my girls, love to read informational texts about animals. Hibernar / Hibernation is part of a set of bilingual books from Capstone Press (Pebble Plus: Patrones en la naturaleza / Patterns in Nature books). The book walks readers through the process of hibernation, with the following headings: Why Hibernate?, Getting Ready, A Place to Rest, and It's a Pattern. It also introduces young readers to text features of non-fiction texts, with aspects such as a Table of Contents, Glossary, Internet Sites for further research, and Glossary. One common text feature that is not present, however, are captions and diagrams, with the exception of one cyclical chart with captions to describe the pattern.

On each two page spread about two thirds or the left hand page has a light colored background and text, while a photograph spans the full right side extending onto the remaining third of the left side. All off the text is large, with a lot of space in between, making it a user friendly read for emerging readers (or for parents and teachers to model tracking for those who are not quite reading this level of text independently).

My daughters were fascinated to read about the various animals that hibernate, as well as differences in their processes. As always, they loved the photographs, and the ideas presented naturally spark additional questions to inspire an early love of curiosity toward the natural world. This book is a great addition to the classroom library for independent reading and would also support units specific to animals.