Sunday, July 2, 2017

Duck on a Tractor by David Shannon


Duck on a Tractor by David Shannon. Published (2016). 32 unnumbered pages.  L AD 480L. RL 208 Int Level K-3.  Once again, Duck has great ideas about what to do and his abilities. See how he accomplishes his desires, and how everyone perceives what they see.
  
Booklist (September 15, 2016 (Online))
Preschool-Grade 1. Duck is at it again with his wild ideas! Since he was able to ride a bike (Duck on a Bike, 2002), why not try a tractor? Once he gets it running, duck invites the farm animals to hop on for a ride. While getting aboard, the animals each exclaim one thing, but think another. ‘Woof!’ said Dog. But what he thought was, ‘We’re going for a ride!’“ The animals catch the attention of the townsfolk as Duck drives the tractor past the diner, where, like the animals, each person exclaims one thing but thinks another. When Farmer O’Dell realizes that the animals are on his tractor, it’s a mad dash for the animals back to the farm while the townsfolk wonder if what they saw was just an optical illusion. Shannon’s engaging text, lightly sprinkled with onomatopoeia, offers comical insight into the difference between thoughts and words, and his brightly colored paintings fill the pages with hilarious, over-the-top facial expressions. A great read aloud—one-on-one or for story time

Duck on a Tractor is such a great example of trying to do something you shouldn't be able to do and succeeding. Yet, the second part of this story is all about how everyone in the story says one thing, while really thinking something completely different.  This book has opened up lots of discussions in 1st grade about, "Do we really always say what we are thinking?", and talking about examples from personal experiences.  The children always like to discuss the illustrations as I show them other books that David Shannon has either written and illustrated or just illustrated.  This book is a definite winner.


~Posted by Margo Irving

Thursday, June 29, 2017

Freedom over me: eleven slaves, their lives and dreams brought to life by Ashley Bryan

Freedom over me: eleven slaves, their lives and dreams brought to life written by Ashley Bryan. (Published 2016). 46 unnumbered pages. L730. RL 4.7 Int Lvl. 3-6. Through poetic elegance, Bryan brings life, hopes, and dreams to 11 names of slaves who were listed merely as pieces of property is an estate appraisal, thereby giving the human dignity (though imagined) that these people were denied in their lifetime.  






Horn Book Magazine (November/December, 2016)

A historical document dated July 5, 1828, lists the property to be sold from the Fairchilds’ estate. Hogs. Cattle. A handmill. Men. Women. Children. While no information beyond the gender and name—and price—of each of the eleven enslaved people is noted in the appraisal of the estate, Bryan lovingly restores their humanity and dignity, giving them ages, true African names, relationships, talents, hopes, and dreams. Here is the account of eleven human beings, all of whom are aware of what they contribute to the Fairchilds plantation and, more importantly, what they would like to contribute to the world. Each slave is afforded two double-page spreads of poetry: the first spread serves as his or her introduction; the second is devoted to his or her dreams. We meet Peggy, the Fairchilds’ cook, who is praised by the Fairchilds for the spices she adds to meals at the Big House. In “Peggy Dreams,” she remembers her life in Africa and reveals that she’s proud of her ability to heal injured fellow slaves through her work with roots and herbs. Bacus is known for his metalwork in fencing the Big House, but his dream admits that the pounding of the metal is “an outlet for anger, for rage…a blow for justice…a cry for respect.” Bryan’s art is just as intentional. Facsimiles of the historical document serve as background for each slave’s introduction page, portraits of their faces taking precedence as they gaze out at the reader. The portraits are etched in a manner similar to wood carvings, suggesting the mask each slave wears for day-to-day life on the plantation. In contrast to the dry, parchment-like tones of the introductions, the dream spreads are in gloriously brilliant colors, as bold as the aspirations of the individuals themselves. eboni njoku
This thought-provoking book was much more than a read aloud for my older elementary students. It elicited discussion, questions, disbelief, and even action from my young students just being introduced to the unfair conditions in the world that preceded their lifetimes. One beautiful aspect of the book, is that it was more powerful to read it just a few pages a day, (which is often preferred due to tight scheduling) and then spend time reflecting and looking to the future of how we want our world today. 

~Posted by Liz Stafford

A Dog's Life by Ann M. Martin

A Dog's Life: Autobiography of a Stray written by Ann M. Martin (Published 2005). 182 pages. L870. RL 4.9 Int Lvl. 3-6. A stray dog tells her life story detailing her beginning in a shed with her protective mom and her sibling, recounting her times learning about nature, danger, and safety on her own, and remembering the friendships full of trust and hope along the way. 






Booklist (December 1, 2005 (Vol. 102, No. 7))

Gr. 4-6. Novels for children rarely follow characters from birth to the threshold of the grave, but then again, most protagonists do not measure their life spans in dog years. In this "autobiography"of a dog named Squirrel, Newbery Honor Book author Martin imagines how a stray separated from its family in puppyhood finds its way in the world. Martin adjusts to her character's limited viewpoint by combining a retrospective structure--allowing an older, wiser Squirrel to shed light on things not within a puppy's purview--with graceful dog's-eye descriptions of nature, as when a moon waxes "from the tiny curl of a cat's claw to a half-closed eye."Less effective are the repetitive plot structure and the concluding focus on Squirrel's twilight years, lending the novel an elegiac tone that may not resonate with its target audience. Readers who love animal survival stories in the tradition of Anna Sewell's Black Beauty (1877) and Sheila Burnford's The Incredible Journey (1961) will embrace this for its convincing animal perspective, though some sad events may shock the softer hearted.
This book is one of my all-time favorites. It mesmerizes my students from the very first page, and has them clapping and cheering for the dog named Squirrel throughout the whole story. They hold their breath as they listen to the dangerous, heroic, and even sometimes abusive stories this dog tells. It is hard for me to keep a dry eye as I narrate this amazing book. Kids cry right along with me as they empathize and think of their own pets in their lives. This is my "go-to" book to pull my students in for a wonderful story.

~Posted by Liz Stafford

One by Kathryn Otoshi

One by Kathryn Otoshi. Published 2008. 34 unnumbered pages. 360L R.L. 3.4  IL K-3.  The message in One is clear, it takes one person to stand up and stop bullying.





Booklist starred (November 15, 2008 (Vol. 105, No. 6))
Preschool-Grade 1. There are many stories about bullies, but few have looked at the subject in such an attractive, original way. Using round splashes of watercolors as their personas, Otoshi introduces a group of colors. Quiet Blue likes looking at the sky. The other colors have their own characteristics: Orange is outgoing; Green is bright; Purple is regal. Red, though, is a hothead and likes to tease: “Red is hot. Blue is not.” Blue feels bad, and though the other colors comfort him, they’re afraid of Red. In a dramatic and effective spread, Red, feeling mean, grows into a bigger, ever-angrier ball. Enter One. The sturdy numeral wins over the other colors with laughter, making Red even madder, but when he tries his bullying ways on One, One stands up to him. The other colors follow, turning Red into a small ball. He is rolling away when Blue gracefully offers him a chance to be counted. The use of colors and numbers gives the story a much-needed universality, and there is a visceral power in the “strength-in-numbers” gambit (although it should be noted that it can work for ill as well as good). Otoshi cleverly offers a way to talk to very young children about the subject of bullying, even as she helps put their imaginations to work on solutions.

Although One, a simple book, is directed to the primary level, it works with all students.  Not only does it work, but it works well. I find that it is the perfect book to share with students at the beginning of the year as well as when teaching character traits.  As I share it with students, I often ask them to make a mental note of questions they have or things they notice.  When we discuss it, I love how students make connections to their own lives as well as feel empowered to stand with students who are not being treated kindly out at recess.  

~Posted by Kellie Hale

I Wish You More by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

I Wish You More by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld. Published 2015. 22 unnumbered pages. R.L. 1.8 K-3.  This is the perfect book for wrapping up a school year with your students.






Booklist (May 1, 2015 (Vol. 111, No. 17))
Preschool-Grade 1. Known for their clever collaborations like Duck! Rabbit! (2009)—who knew bunny ears and water fowl bills could have so much in common?—and Wumbers (2012), Rosenthal and Lichtenheld have come up with another book full of unique perspectives. This paean to wishes includes such charmers as, “I wish you more tippy-toes than deep,” illustrated with a picture of a boy whose grin just barely breaks the surface of a pool’s aquamarine depths. A cheery yellow atmosphere embraces two girls holding each other next to the hope, “I wish you more hugs than ughs,” while another vignette features a girl flying across the page, pulled by the leash of an exuberant dog, to the accompaniment of, “I wish you more woo-hoo! than whoa!” Primarily colored in blues, greens, and sunshine and inhabited by children representing a multiracial spectrum, this makes a nice end-of-year offering to graduates of all ages and grades, from preschool to grad school. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: This überpopular, best-selling duo have a solid reputation in the picture-book world. Expect demand to be high.
As the school year comes to end each year, I find myself straddling two big emotions. Like my students, I am excited to begin my summer break, but dreading saying good bye to the students who have been my life for the last 9 months. Sharing this simple book, I Wish You More by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, as a read aloud with my class is the best way to tell my students that they will be missed while, at the same time, letting them know I think they have an amazing adventure ahead of them.  After sharing the book with my class, I ask them to notice the cover.  On it, a young boy is blowing on a dandelion making a wish.  I ask my students to share with the class some of their wishes for the future.   

Posted by Kellie Hale

Love That Dog by Sharon Creech

Love That Dog written by Sharon Creech. (Published 2001). 86 pages. L1010. RL 4.5 Int Lvl. 3-6. This novel written in free-verse tells the heart-warming story of a boy who does not believe that he can write poetry, but becomes a believer as his teacher encourages him to tell the story of his beloved dog. 

Booklist (August 2001 (Vol. 97, No. 22))
Gr. 3-6. In simple free verse, Jack tells his teacher that he cares nothing about poetry and sees no point in that snowy woods stuff: "Why doesn't the person just / keep going if he's got / so many miles to go before he sleeps?". But despite himself, he's enraptured by what his teacher is reading: the beat of "Tiger, tiger burning bright" just won't go away. At the same time, he's writing poetry in his own voice about himself, culminating in a breathtaking poem about what happened to his beloved dog. At the end, Creech overdoes Jack's fawning adoration of author Walter Dean Myers, who comes to school at Jack's behest, but that won't stop kids from recognizing both Jack's new exuberance and his earlier uptight mood. Best of all, the story shows how poetry inspires reading and writing with everyday words that make personal music. This is a book for teachers to read aloud and talk about with kids. Some of the poems Jack's teacher reads are appended, including Myers'wonderful "Love That Boy."
There are not many more authentic teachable moments in my class as when my students are trying to write poetry and see themselves as poets. I treasure the times when they break out of their shells and write their thoughts and feelings creatively. Using Love That Dog as a mentor text helps my students see how even the most reluctant writer can write the most beautiful poems. Their courage and confidence grows every time my students hear how the main character, Jack,uses his own ordinary thoughts to create thoughtful, unique poetry.  
~Posted by Liz Stafford


Saturday, June 3, 2017

Fiona's Lace by Patricia Polacco

Fiona's Lace by Patricia Polacco.  Published (2014).  40 unnumbered pages.  740 L AD.  R.L.4.3 Level K-3.  Patricia Polacco once again tells us of a different time and kind of life in this beautifully written story of immigrating to America from Ireland and the Chicago Fire.




Booklist (September 1, 2014 (Vol. 111, No. 1))
Grades 1-3. The most compelling feature of this well-crafted immigrants’ story is how it might inspire adults to share their own family stories with their kids. Polacco, who is of Russian Ukrainian and Irish descent, uses the experiences of her Irish ancestors to tell this story of a poor lace-making family in Ireland who, after the closing of the local mill, decide they must journey to America. It is a familiar immigrant story of expecting riches but meeting hardship, told with admirable economy and effectiveness, especially at showing the Irish women as indentured servants of a wealthy family in Chicago. The climax is the Great Chicago Fire, which we see from the perspective of Fiona and her little sister, who are alone at home. Fiona grabs some precious lace, executing a nifty reunion of the scattered family, leading to a wonderful resolution. There is quite a lot happening here, and Polacco handles it with aplomb, offering up clear, detailed prose and hardscrabble watercolor illustrations that drive home both rural and urban struggles.
Fiona's Lace is a wonderful book opening many discussion possibilities.  When our 4th graders are discussing immigration I read this book and bring samples of all the different kinds of lace that I can find.  Passing them around the class, we talk about how it is made and how much time is required to produce it. Students have already heard The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco, and many students link the two books as important fabric art as well as the importance women have in handing down traditions.
~Posted by Margo Irving

Friday, May 5, 2017

Peanut Butter & Cupcake by Terry Border

Peanut Butter & Cupcake by Terry Border.  Published (2014).  32 unnumbered pages 750 L AD. R.L. 2.1 K-3.  It's not always easy being the new "kid" in town.  Peanut Butter keeps trying to make a new friend in the town he just moved into, unfortunately, no one seems to be the perfect friend.



Kirkus Reviews (June 1, 2014)
The familiar theme of the challenges facing a new kid in town is given an original treatment by photographer Border in this book of photos of three-dimensional objects in a simple modeled landscape. Peanut Butter is represented by a slice of white bread spread with the popular condiment. The other characters in the story--a hamburger with a pair of hot dogs in tow, a bowl of alphabet soup, a meatball jumping a rope of spaghetti, a carton of French fries and a pink cupcake--are represented by skillfully crafted models of these foods, anthropomorphized using simple wire construction. Rejected by each character in turn in his search for playmates, Peanut Butter discovers in the end that Jelly is his true match (not Cupcake, as the title suggests),perhaps because she is the only one who looks like him, being a slice of white bread spread with jelly. The friendly foods end up happily playing soccer together. Some parents may have trouble with the unabashedly happy depiction of carbs and American junk food (no carrots or celery sticks in this landscape), and others may find themselves troubled by the implication that friendship across difference is impossible. Still, preschoolers will likely savor this mouthwatering treatment of a subject that looms large in many early school experiences. (Picture book. 3-6)

Since I have read this book to First Graders, I have felt the need to purchase two more copies.  There is a list of students waiting to take this book home.  Peanut Butter is very open to making new friends but doesn't have a lot of success.  This opens up a lot of discussion as children reveal their own frustrations involving making new friends.  One of the questions I like to ask at the beginning is: " How many friends do you think Peanut Butter will be able to make today?"  In every class the children feel he will make lots and are disappointed when he is turned away over and over.  But there is nothing like a great ending to make everyone love a fun book.  We also discuss at the end of the book how they think the characters were made.

Posted by Margo Irving

Thursday, May 4, 2017

Eats, Shoots & Leaves Why, Commas Really DO Make A Difference.

Eats, Shoots and Leaves Why, Commas Really Do Make A Difference by Lynne Truss and illustrated by Bonnie Timmons. (Published 2006). L380. RL 2.1 Int Lvl. 3-6.  The only thing less exciting than grammar is teaching grammar.  This book changes that by making learning commas fun






Booklist (September 1, 2006 (Vol. 103, No. 1))
Among popular nonfiction titles for adults adapted for younger audiences, this picture book based on Truss'2004 best-seller about punctuation may be a surprise, considering most kids'indifference to the topic. Yet it proves very effective, thanks to entertaining repackaging that narrows the original's broad purview to the comma, and focuses on cartoonist Timmons'interpretations of humorous comma-related goofs akin to the one referenced by the title (the punchline of an old joke about a panda, here set in a library rather than a bar). While dissolving into giggles over the change in meaning between "Eat here, and get gas,"or "Eat here and get gas"(likely to be the most popular of the 14 sentence pairs given), children will find themselves gaining an instinctive understanding of the "traffic signals of language,"even without the concluding spread explaining the whys and wherefores. This is a no-brainer for language arts class, but also recommend it to fans of Jon Agee's books of palindromes, William Steig's delightful alphabet rebuses, or introductory grammar books by Brian Cleary.

Let's be real honest.  For people who get grammar, grammar is easy.  For those that struggle with grammar, it's not just hard.  It's torture.  I found Eats, Shoots and Leaves Why, Commas Really Do Make A Difference by Lynne Truss grabbed both my grammar experts and my novices.  It's a quick fun read aloud that reinforces the use of commas  The great thing is that the back includes an explanation of the meaning of the sentence changes based on how you use the comma.   The author also published a book about apostrophes called The Girl's Like Spaghetti.

Posted by Kellie Hale


Sunday, April 9, 2017

Fuzzy by Tom Angleberger and Paul Dellinger

Fuzzy written by Tom Angleberger and Paul Dellinger. (Published 2016). 263  pgs. L700. RL 5.2 Int Lvl 3-6. This easy to read, quick-moving science fiction story combines the worlds of humans and robots in a middle school where one spunky human seventh grader befriends the newest robot student, and together they work to uncover the plot behind the Robot Integration Program. 


Kirkus Reviews starred (June 15, 2016)
Vanguard Middle School's no place for breaking rules; computerized Vice Principal Barbara sees to that.Sixth-grader Maxine "Max" Zelaster and her friends struggle to pass the Federal School Board's nonstop tests in the newly instituted Constant UpGrade program. The kids think they are doing well, but their grades don't reflect their work. Their cumulative scores are dragged even lower by discipline tags and citizenship infractions, all noted by Barbara's all-seeing electronic eyes. Enter Fuzzy, the government's attempt to create a robot that will program itself. Scientists in the Robot Integration Program ask Max to show Fuzzy around because of her interest in robots, but this leads to further trouble for Max at school and at home; Barbara just seems to have it in for her. Fuzzy uncovers irregularities with test scoring and begins to suspect something's wrong with the vice principal, but can he save his new friend Max while evading corporate spies and his creators' plans for his future? Origami Yoda creator Angleberger teams up with science-fiction writer Dellinger for this funny, thrilling, and thought-provoking page-turner. Riffing on some of the same issues as Origami Yoda's second trilogy--individuality and the dangers of standardized testing--the duo have crafted a day-after-tomorrow cautionary tale of friendship with a fuzzy, robotic heart. Provocative issues that never overwhelm storytelling make this a winner. (Science fiction. 8-12)


This book has been a great change of pace for my 4th graders. The plot is fresh and new -combining the idea of robots who run the school and think for themselves.  It is loaded with humor and kids pulling together to work to uncover devious plots. The fact that it deals with questionable standardized tests sucks my students into the plot as they are all working on them as well. It is a great book for this time of year.


~Posted by Liz Stafford

Are We There Yet? by Dan Santat

Are We There Yet? by Dan Santat.  Published (2016).  unnumbered pages.   R.L. 2.0  K-2. Riding in the care for hours on end can be really boring.  What if you changed things up just a bit and literally turned everything upside down?




Booklist starred (February 1, 2016 (Vol. 112, No. 11))

Grades K-2. Following his Caldecott win for The Adventures of Beekle (2014), Santat offers an imaginative account of a boy’s car trip to his grandmother’s birthday party. What begins in excitement quickly devolves into boredom as minutes stretch into an hour. But then, readers are invited to consider what happens when their brain grows “too bored.” Let the interactive reading begin! The words begin to spiral around a spread featuring the boy’s glazed expression, forcing the book to be rotated and read upside down. Suddenly, the slow-moving time transports the car back in history, placing it alongside a steam locomotive, a pirate ship, a jousting knight, and the newly built Sphinx in Cairo. The whole time, the parents appear startled by the changing scenery, but the boy’s complaints (“My butt hurts”) continue until time stretches all the way back to the dinosaur-filled Jurassic period. Finally, he starts having fun, and time starts to fly; back around the book goes, sending the family to Grandma’s at last. The gambit to get kids involved in the story works, and Santat’s rich illustrations—ranging from double-page spreads to comic-style panels—carry it home. The text, on the other hand, reads a bit like greeting-card advice, but the inventive format and engrossing artwork will make kids happy to go along for the ride.

Reading this book to 2nd graders is really a fun experience.  I tell them that the author is Dan Santat,,,,,who is that?  they ask.  Next I hold up Beekle and they explode with interest.  I tell them that just like Beekle, this book is not just a surface story.  I read it through once and then we go back and look at all the clues in the illustrations about what is really happening. We then share ways to travel and pass the time.  This is a great book to share when vacation time and car trips are just around the corner!

Posted by Margo Irving


Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms: Magic, Mystery, & a Very Strange Adventure by Lissa Evans

Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms: Magic, Mystery, & a Very Strange Adventure by Lissa Evans. (Published 2012). 207 pgs. L810. RL 5.9.  A lively mystery awaits your students in this engaging read aloud.




Booklist (April 1, 2012 (Vol. 108, No. 15))
Grades 4-7. Stuart Horten, 10, is sure he is in for the dullest summer ever when he moves with his working-all-the-time mom and dork-supreme dad, who is excited to return to the town he grew up in. Stuart’s lack of enthusiasm is compounded by a set of nosy triplet girls next door, but things start looking up when he learns about how his great-uncle Tony—who was a magician of some renown and an inventor of fabulous contraptions—disappeared years ago. And then things get downright exciting when he discovers a handful of old coins that unlock a series of clues scattered about town that promise to reveal the location of Tony’s long-hidden workshop. Stuart is a likable, plucky little guy, the Charlie Bucket to great-uncle Tony’s Willy Wonka. While the mystery is tempered by the fact that solutions to the clues often come about more by happenstance than any cunning on Stuart’s part, the elements of magical realism that waft through the narrative keep things humming along nicely. This British import, longlisted for the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize, leaves the door ajar for more adventures.
My fifth graders loved Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms: Magic, Mystery, & a Very Strange Adventure by Lissa Evans.  Although it speaks to all ability levels, my gifted and talented students loved it.  I am not sure if  it was the humor, the challenging words used by his cross-word-building father, or that they would, like Stuart, be just the sort of student to go looking for such clues.  Using the map in the book, which is the map Stuart uses in the story, the students were able to track clue after clue helping them identify the location of the hidden workshop.

Posted by Kellie Hale

Thursday, March 2, 2017

Fox by Margaret Wild and Ron Brooks

Fox written by Margaret Wild. (Published 2008). 27 unnumbered pgs. L500. RL 3.6 Int Lvl k-3. This story of friendship tells about a magpie who becomes friends with a dog until their relationship is pulled apart by a duplicitous fox.



KIRKUS REVIEW
Ambiguities and rawly expressionistic art turn this tale of friendship and temptation from the creators of Rosie and the Tortoise (1999) into a strongly atmospheric psycho-fable. Though permanently grounded by a burnt wing, Magpie discovers that riding atop her friend, one-eyed Dog, as he runs through the bush feels—almost—the same: “ ‘FLY, DOG, FLY! I will be your missing eye, and you will be my wings.’ ” When a fox comes into the picture, offering Magpie more speed, desire overcomes loyalty—but after an exhilarating ride the fox leaves her far out in the desert, saying, “ ‘Now you and Dog will know what it is like to be truly alone.’ ” Brooks hand-lettered the text in large, irregular lines that sometimes change direction, and creates semi-abstract, strongly colored scenes of scored, combed, thickly applied paint. It’s visually striking, but closing with Magpie just beginning to “jiggety-hop” her way back to Dog after hearing an ominous, distant scream, it’s really more of an open-ended discussion starter than a conventionally constructed story. (Australian Children’s Book Council’s Picture Book of the Year(Picture book. 9-12)


I came across this book quite by accident for a writing project in my classroom. What a hidden treasure! We read and reread it several times as my students created their literary essays emulating from the three distinctly different characters. What was amazing though, was my students conversations about their own friendships in life and how they all need to be careful when temptation presents itself. This book relates to so many areas in kids' lives today: friendship, temptation, motivation, struggles, and perseverance. This treasure is worth its weight in gold.
Posted by Liz Stafford

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness


A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. (Published 2013). 204 pgs. L730. RL 4.8.  A Monster Calls is the perfect middle school read aloud.  Although it fits into the horror genre, the story draws middle school readers in as it delves into what is right and what is wrong, what is fair and what is unfair.








Kirkus Reviews starred (July 15, 2011)
From a premise left by author Siobhan Dowd before her untimely death, Ness has crafted a nuanced tale that draws on elements of classic horror stories to delve into the terrifying terrain of loss. When a monster in the form of an ancient yew tree crashes through his bedroom walls after midnight, calling his name, Conor is remarkably unperturbed-"Shout all you want," he says. "I've seen worse." Indeed he has, in a recurring nightmare of someone slipping from his grasp, a nightmare whose horror he keeps to himself. Daily life is intolerable, as everyone from teachers to bullies treats him as though he were invisible since his mother began chemotherapy. The monster tells Conor three stories before insisting that Conor tell one himself. Asserting that "stories are the wildest things of all," the monster opens the door for Conor to face the guilty truth behind his subconscious fears. Ness brilliantly captures Conor's horrifying emotional ride as his mother's inevitable death approaches. In an ideal pairing of text and illustration, the novel is liberally laced with Kay's evocatively textured pen-and-ink artwork, which surrounds the text, softly caressing it in quiet moments and in others rushing toward the viewer with a nightmarish intensity. A poignant tribute to the life and talent of Siobhan Dowd and an astonishing exploration of fear.(Fiction. 11-14)

I discovered A Monster Calls from a fellow fifth grade teacher who had just finished reading it aloud to his class.  He loved the discussion that took place after each read aloud as well as the idea that the story's ending reflected real life.  Although I didn't find it scary, it is important that teachers read it first as there are a few places that might require the teacher to skip certain sections.

Posted by Kellie Hale



Mother Goose Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins

Mother Goose Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins.  Published (2015).     unnumbered pages.  570 L AD. R.L.  2.5   K-3.  Here is a new story about grumpy Bruce who just wants eggs to eat.


Booklist (December 1, 2015 (Online))
Preschool-Kindergarten. Bruce the bear is a grump. He doesn’t like company. Or sunshine. Or rain. What he does like is eggs and finding new fancy ways of preparing them—yes, Bruce has the Internet and a stove. He is a very modern bear. Readers will no doubt start giggling as they see Bruce push his shopping cart through the forest to collect the necessary ingredients—honey straight from the hive (“He liked to support local business”), salmon, and, of course, goose eggs. Having obtained everything he needs, he heads home and gets ready to cook. But, then, wouldn’t you know it? The eggs hatch! This results in the grumpiest Bruce yet, and hilarity ensues as he attempts to get the baby geese, who are convinced he is their mother, to leave him alone. Comic illustrations range from full-page paintings to spot illustrations and panels that combine to show Bruce’s schemes to rid himself of the geese, culminating in a silly but sweet conclusion. This case of mistaken identity will lend itself to a fun-filled storytime.
How frustrating life can be.  Who would think that your desire for a delectable egg breakfast could lead to your entire life changing?  When I read this book to first graders they all thought it was very sweet that the goslings thought Bruce was their mama. They really like the "Happily Ever After" ending.  However, I read the book to fifth graders and their take was quite different. They immediately sided with Bruce and how his entire future plans had been altered.  They wanted to try and find a way out for Bruce.  The discussions we had about different reactions to this book were very interesting.  There were so many different solutions to Bruce's dilemma that I turned it into a writing opportunity....."How can Bruce get his old way of life back, or should he even try?"  Wow, what a diverse set of solutions were presented.

Posted by Margo Irving


Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin

Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin. Published (1998). 32 unnumbered pages. 830 L AD.  R.L.4.4 Level K-3.  This wonderfully illustrated biography of Wilson Bentley is a great introduction to his life and accomplishments.




Booklist starred (Vol. 95, No. 3 (October 1, 1998))
Ages 5-8. From the time he was a little boy, Wilson Bentley loved snow. Yet snow was frustrating to him. He could pick flowers for his mother or net butterflies, but he couldn't hold on to snowflakes. First, Bentley tried drawing snow crystals, but they would melt too quickly. Then, as a teenager in the 1870s, he read about a camera with a microscope. His family were Vermont farming folk, but they scraped together the money to buy him the camera. From then on, there was no stopping Bentley, who was nicknamed Snowflake. He spent winters photographing the intricate flakes. At first no one cared ("Snow in Vermont is as common as dirt"); but Bentley found fame as a nature photographer, and even today his photo book of snowflakes is considered a primary source. Martin has chosen her subject well; Bentley's determined life will have innate inspiration for children. Just as important, all parts of the book work together beautifully. The text is crisp and engaging, using word imagery to good advantage: "[his new camera] was taller than a newborn calf and cost as much as father's herd of ten cows." Azarian's woodcuts are strong and sure, just like Bentley himself, and also, like him, show a love of nuance and detail. The book's design allows for snowflake-touched sidebars that offer more specific details about camera technique or Bentley's experiments with snow. There will be so many uses for this book--not the least of which is simply handing it to children and letting their imaginations soar like Bentley's


Snowflake Bentley gives a unique opportunity to share a non-fiction book as a read-a-loud that still has a great story to tell.  Students become interested in how and why he desired to record something like snowflakes.  After we have finished the story, I have the students log on to a web site:  http://snowflakes.barkleyus.com/   The students have lots of fun trying to design original snowflakes that are very intricate and of course unique.


Posted by Margo Irving


The Little Red Pen by Janet Stevens

The Little Red Pen written by Janet Stevens. (Published 2011). 48 pgs. L 300. RL 2. Int Lvl k-3. This picture book tells the funny, pun-filled story of how many school supplies team up to correct all the ungraded papers left on a teacher's desk at night.





Kirkus Reviews (March 15, 2011)
Obviously inspired by "The Little Red Hen," this goes beyond the foundation tale's basic moral about work ethic to explore problem solving, teamwork and doing one's best. Nighttime at school brings the Little Red Pen out of the drawer to correct papers, usually aided by other common school supplies. But not this time. Too afraid of being broken, worn out, dull, lost or, worst of all, put in the "Pit of No Return" (aka trash), they hide in the drawer despite the Little Red Pen's insistence that the world will end if the papers do not get corrected. But even with her drive she cannot do it all herself-her efforts send her to the Pit. It takes the ingenuity and cooperation of every desk supply to accomplish her rescue and to get all the papers graded, thereby saving the world. The authors work in lots of clever wordplay that will appeal to adult readers, as will the spicy character of Chincheta, the Mexican pushpin. Stevens' delightfully expressive desk supplies were created with paint, ink and plenty of real school supplies. Without a doubt, she has captured their true personalities: the buck-toothed stapler, bespectacled scissors and rather empty-headed eraser. Teachers will certainly find themselves wishing for their own arsenal of supplies to help them with their grading, and students may take a second glance at that innocuous-looking red pen on the teacher's desk. (Picture book. 5-8)
Don't let the idea of "just a picture book" keep you from reading this hilarious, creative book to your older students. Beyond the entertaining story itself, this read aloud is a gold mine for teaching all sorts of figurative language, poetic elements, dialogue, theme, connections, cause/effect, and problem/solution to any class. It is a mentor text that every teacher should have to make learning fun. After reading it to my class, my students created a whole bulletin board of personification inspired by The Little Red Pen.

Posted by Liz Stafford