My Hometown, Fairy trees, and a touch of Charisma. It's Monday, What Are You Reading? July 6, 2015

It's Monday! What are you Reading is a meme began by Sheila at Book Journeys as a way to share what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and what is in store for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading. I first learned about it from Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki of Unleashing Readers and have become a regular linked up blog. Thanks #PLN



My Hometown by Russell Griesmer

A nearly wordless tale of a boy who finds a magical newspaper that transports him through the 150 years of his town's history. The story is told through changing images and colors beginning in antique sepia tones and slowly evolving into bright colorful fall colors. I have a sneaking suspicion that the statue of the apparent town's founder may be behind the time travel newspaper. Wordless picture books are excellent tools in the classroom as they prompt rich discussion among students offering their own interpretations.

 

See my review of Piper Green and the Fairy Tree by Ellen Potter here
I really like this new early chapter book series. Imagine riding a school boat instead of a school bus. How cool!

 

My YA read this week in preparation of our 2016 Teen Bookfest by the Bay 
I had to postpone reading Charisma but have picked it up again. I really hope Jeanne Ryan is included in our author line up.  Charisma is intriguing and thought provoking.

I am reading many more books here and there as I catalog books for my library but these are the highlights this week.

Monkey Fun! It's Monday, What are You Reading? November 10, 2014

   

It's Monday! What are you Reading is a meme began by Sheila at Book Journeys as a way to share what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and what is in store for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading. I first learned about it from Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki of Unleashing Readers and have become a regular linked up blog. Thanks #PLN

Picture Book Month Day 10 theme:  Numbers                   View the calendar here  

Picture Book Month is an international literacy initiative that celebrates the print picture book during the month of November. Visit the Picture Book Month website    

Count the Monkeys is all sorts of fun and children and adults alike love the surprises on every page and most especially the ending. What a delightful book. Counting couldn't be more fun! 

Count the Monkeys on this page

Count the Monkey Ideas on Pinterest

These are a few of the books I have been working with students with this past week.

First a book with no pictures and then books with no words.

Writer B. J. Novak has created a book kids love to hear read aloud. Students from three years old to sixth grade students have begged for me to re-read this book again and again. I even enlisted the art teacher so they could hear another adult's reading performance. The book literally has no pictures but its filled with humorous text instructing the reader to read precisely what is written. Those are the rules, you must read the text exactly as it is written. 

We also explored several wordless picture books with students reading together in small groups and sharing their interpretations.

The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney

Simply beautifully illustrated.

Chicken and Cat Clean Up by Sara Varon

My students are big fans of Sara Varon's books. Bake Sale, Chicken and Cat, Rabbit and Robot, and  Odd Duck.

Mr. Wuffles by David Wiesner 

One of my favorite books. It's so cool to try to figure out the alien language in this wonderful nearly wordless book. 

Unspoken by Henry Cole

This is a beautifully illustrated wordless picture book and the story is so clearly evident in every page. I find it incredibly rewarding to use this book with students because they really get into the story and their interpretation of the illustrations.

 YA Books I am reading this week:

     

 Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier                                 If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Happy Reading!

Ring the Bell, Josiah Got his Library Card. It's Monday, What are You Reading? October 27, 2014

It's Monday! What are you Reading is a meme began by Sheila at Book Journeys as a way to share what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and what is in store for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading. I first learned about it from Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki of Unleashing Readers and have become a regular linked up blog. Thanks #PLN

My family celebrated a big event this week. My four year old grandson, Josiah signed up for his first library card. Of course we had to stop and take photographs and immediately send to everyone we knew. I was so disappointed in the librarian at the public library because she just shoved some papers to his mom and didn't make any fuss about it. If it had been me, I would have rang a bell and insisted everyone stop and clap for him. This, of course, is why I am a school librarian. We love to make a big deal out of our students reading successes and encourage them through their reading struggles.


Here are some of the books we check out and read and some that I bought to add to my library collection this week.

The Pigeon Wants a Puppy! by Mo Willems
The Pigeon has decided he wants and must have a puppy so after much begging, pleading, and throwing a fit, he gets a puppy but it not quite what he expected.


I am Invited to a Party! by Mo Willems
Piggie is invited to a party and since Gerald knows parties he helps Piggie prepare for the best fancy, costume, pool party ever.





Traction Man Meets Turbo Dog by Mini Grey
Josiah picked this out but it wasn't a favorite of either of ours.





It's an Orange Aardvark! by Michael Hall
Five carpenter ants wonder and worry what is outside their tree stump. What if it is a long tongue ant eating aardvark? There is only one way to find out. Drill a little hole and take a look see.





Frozen: A Sister More Like Me by Barbara Jean Hicks
Pleasantly surprised by this title. I knew I needed a Frozen book in my library collection. There have been so many requests for one. Told in dual voice, the sisters share their admiration and affection with each other. I predict it will become the hottest check out in the library.


...and giving Frozen some serious competition in the check out line will be this adorable title.

Ninja Boy Goes to School by N.D. Wilson
Bright, colorful, and a favorite topic-ninjas. This book is sure to be a favorite among my students. 








Blue Moon by James Ponti
I bought Blue Moon, a sequel to a very popular Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee title-Dead City by James Ponti. I look forward to reading it this week and know it will be a hot check out.





Texas Librarian Naomi Bates posted a terrific list on her blog. Check it out: 
Great places to keep up with YA and Children's Books!

Happy Reading!

First Day of School Books, It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What are you Reading is a meme began by Sheila at Book Journeys as a way to share what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and what is in store for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading. I first learned about it from Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki of Unleashing Readers and have become a regular linked up blog. Thanks #PLN

It's getting closer, and closer, and closer....the first day of school is just around the corner so it was time for me to pull out some of my first day of school books for some re-reads.  

Chu's First Day of School by Neil Gaiman

It's Chu's first day of school and he is nervous. Will he make friends? Look at that adorable face, of course he will!



Curious George's First Day of School by Margret Rey

George is worried about his first day of school and things don't go so well but since it's our sweet friend George we know by the end of the day it will be a success. 
 

Franklin's First Day of School by Paulette Bourgeois

Franklin is nervous about starting school but soon his fears are eased. School might not be so bad after all. 



 

Little Critter: First Day of School by Mercer Mayer

Little Critter is a bundle of nerves with so many things to take care of before he heads out to his first day of school. Clothes to pick out, lunch to pack, a backpack to pack up. A lift a flap book format.


The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier

The first page of The Night Gardener was a fantastic book talk in itself. The setting is so well described that you can actually feel the atmosphere and that cliff hanger of a line "And they were riding to their deaths" will have kids begging to check it out. I recognize a brilliant book hook when I see it. I just hope it gives me nightmares.

Join fellow book lovers on Twitter during the #vbcbooks (Virtual Book Club) chat Monday, Aug. 11that 9 p.m. This will be a special DOUBLE book chat discussing Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes (so awesome} and The Night Gardener. Johnathan Auxier will be joining the chat to answer your deepest, darkest questions.

Thank you for taking time to stop by. Happy reading.


















 

Odd Duck

Odd Duck by Cecil Castellucci 

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Publication date: May 14, 2013
Publisher: First Second
Publication date:
ISBN: 9781596435575
Genre: Graphic novel/ picture book
Themes: friendship, character development, self awareness, acceptance

Theodora leads the perfectly normal life of a perfectly normal duck. Or so she thinks. Then one day, Chad, a very odd duck, moves into the empty house next door bringing with him his odd art, music, and manners. When all the other ducks fly south for the winter Theodora is surprised to find Chad has remained behind and a friendship begins to blossom. When the ducks return home and make an unkind comment about her friend, Theodora is shocked to discover she may be the one who is considered odd.

Odd Duck is a wonderfully charming story with interesting tidbits sprinkled in to add layer and depth to the story. The ducks are both stargazers and the colorful illustrations include the constellations in the sky which will ignite questions from young readers. This one goes on my To be Purchased list. Prediction: kid favorite.

 

View all my reviews

Cat Secrets

Picture Book Month

Day 22 theme: Cats

Cat Secrets is a cute interactive book well liked by the preschool set. During the telling of the story, kids get to pretend to be cats in order to convince the cats in the book that they are really cats. 

Cat Secrets by Jeff Czekaj

author website

Caution: Do not click this link unless you want to be overloaded with cuteness

Leaf Trouble and Other Colorful Tales

 Picture Book Month

visit the website

Day 15 theme: Nature

Leaf Trouble and Other Colorful Tales

Autumn is my favorite time of year-not too hot, not too cold. There is only one wee problem. I live in a area that is abundant in palm trees and very few trees with leaves that change colors. Thank goodness for all the wonderful picture books that let me live out my dream of beautifully Autumn colored leaves falling into gentle crunchy piles ready for kids to pounce in. 

Leaf Trouble

Author: Jonathan Emmett

Illustrator: Caroline Jayne Church

Publisher: The Chicken House

Publisher description:

When Pip Squirrel wakes up one morning to find his home tree fallin to pieces, he goes nuts! Scampering about frantically, he starts gathering up leaves in colorful pawfuls.. But try as he may to stick them back on their branches, it's hopeless: They keep coming off. It's only when his wise, reassuring mama explains what happens in autumn that Pip begins to understand why...all the leaves keep falling down!

Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf

Author and Illustrator: Lois Ehlert

Publisher: Harcourt Inc.

Publisher description:

This is the story of a sugar maple tree and the child who planted it. As they grow up together, the child watches the tree through all the seasons. Ehlert uses watercolor collage, leaf-shaped die cuts, and pieces of actual seeds, fabric, wire, and roots in this rich introduction to the life of a tree.

Fantastic Fall Lesson plans and activities

Scholastic Seasonal Changes lesson plan and printables

Artsy Leaf Rubbings activity

Leaf Man 

Author and Illustrator: Lois Ehlert

Publisher: Harcourt, Inc.

Fall has come, the wind is gusting, and Leaf Man is on the move. Is he drifting east, over the marsh and ducks and geese? Or is he heading west, above the orchards, prairie meadows, and spotted cows? No one's quite sure, but this much is certain: A Leaf Man's got to go where the wind blows.

Leaf Man sample pages

Make your own leaf man

Leaf Man teacher guide

Leaf Man Discussion guide

The Important Things About Reading is...

Day 14 theme: Reading

The Important Thing About Reading is...

Reading is comfortable and welcoming. It can help you through troubled times. Reading can be hard and reading can also be easy as breathing. Reading develops the mind and while allowing imaginations to bloom. It gives us new information, guides our learning,  and teaches us new ways of viewing our world. Through reading we gain a sense of ourselves-who we are and how the stories we grew up reading became a part of who we've become-our shared cultural literacy. Reading expands our world and takes us places we never dreamed even existed. Reading is our world. 

Here is an important book that was written by a very important writer.

The Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown



The Important Book Lesson  Plans and Activities

Scholastic lesson plan

Oakdale K-12 lesson plan

Imagination

 

Picture Book Month 

Day 8 theme: Imagination

What would you do if your bunny was missing? 

You would go into "the Woods" to find him?

The Woods


The Woods 
by Paul Hoppe
Visit the author/illustrator's website

(Publisher description-Chronicle Books)
Being afraid of the dark doesn't mean being afraid alone. When a boy can't find his favorite stuffed bunny, he bravely heads into the woods to look for it. Instead, he finds a big, scary brown bear! But the  bear is just lonely, so the boy shares his night light and forges ahead with his new companion, until...they run into two frightening giants! As the boy continues on, he comes across other seemingly menacing creatures, but finds that—like him—they're just looking for some comfort and security before bedtime.

Why I love to use this book:
Children relate easily to this story. Many sleep with their own special stuffed toys to help them through dark and sometimes scary nights. It also offers them a chance to hear an age appropriate scary story when affecting a spooky sounding voice. Children like to make predictions about what is coming up next and enjoy when they discover the new scary character is not so bad after all.

Themes:
Imagination
Being afraid of the dark
Discovering solutions to problems

How I use this story.

1 box full of the type of stuff toys a child would sleep with at night (must have a bunny and a bear).
1 scary voice to tell the story
1 explanation of why I am using a scary voice (to make the story more interesting) this is an entry level "scary" book.

Ask children these questions:
What is pretend?
How do people use their imagination?
Are stories always real?
Are you sometimes afraid of the dark?

I next show them some of the toys I used to sleep with when I was little and tell them their willy names. Skunky the skunk and Spotty the spotted dog. I also had a one eye cat but I forgot his name.  I ask them "who sleeps with a toy at night?" All hands are raised and so I follow with this book synopsis.

This is the story of a boy who has lost his favorite bunny and does not want to go to sleep without it. The boy uses his imagination to try to find his bunny. He pretends the woods (a forest) has grown up in his bedroom and he has to go into "the woods" to try to find his bunny.

This is a highly enjoyable story and the children love the use of a scary voice and often join in and try to say scary things too. It's fun to predict what will appear each time the boy goes deeper into the woods.

I give this wonderful bedtime or anytime tale a solid A plus plus!