Through the Eyes of Gordon Parks

"Gordon Parks:  How the Photographer Captured Black and White America"
by Carole Boston Weatherford
Illustrated by:  Jamey Christoph
Accelerated Reading Level:  4.0

Teachers today work hard to encourage their students' dreams.  But when Gordon was in school, his white teachers didn't have high expectations for him or many of his classmates.  But Gordon's determination to make a difference was not to be denied -- no matter what teachers or society told him.  With a used camera, Gordon taught himself photography.  He went on to become the first  black photographer for Life magazine and documented the civil rights movement.  This inspiring tale would make a great companion book to use with "Dorothea's Eyes" by Barb Rosenstock which I wrote about earlier this summer (Sweet Summertime).

If you are fortunate enough to have devices for your students to take pictures with, a perfect learning extension for these books would be to challenge your students to take a picture about a social injustice they see in their community and then write about it.  Who knows, maybe they will become the next famous photographer that helps change the world!

The Teachers are Back!

I'm sorry that I haven't posted anything new in the past week.  I have been very busy setting up my classroom for the new year.  There is nothing like setting up the classroom and looking around and seeing a nice, clean and well-organized learning space.  Now the challenge is to maintain it when all the students arrive!  Stay tuned for the big reveal as when I share my classroom set-up for the year!

Mapping the Ocean Floors

"Solving the Puzzle Under the Sea" by Robert Burleigh
Illustrated by Raul Colon

Accelerated Reading Level:  5.0

This beautifully illustrated story, told in first person, is of a trailblazing scientist and cartographer, Marie Tharp. As a child, Marie traveled with her father, a cartographer who specialized in helping farmers by mapping soil types in the central US.  Because of that, she fell in love with maps and decided to be a cartographer too.  While in school, she learned that little was known about oceans.  This lead her to wonder what the oceans' floors were like. So in an era where women were not welcomed into many careers (1940's), Marie perseveres and becomes a scientist.  She gets a job at the ocean lab of Columbia University in NY.  Here she faces another challenge -- debunking superstitions, as it was considered bad luck to have a women on a ship.   Stuck on land, she takes on any job they give her and works hard to prove herself.

      I was particularly struck by the admission that sometimes she was bored at the menial requests and thought about quitting, but Marie never gave up or stopped searching for something that might lead to a new scientific discovery.  This reminds me of children who don't see the value in doing repetitive tasks such as practicing a musical instrument, a sport, or reading.  What might they learn if they persevere?

       Eventually, Marie makes friends with Bruce Heezen, and together they start trying to figure out how deep the oceans are and what the topography is like on the floor of the ocean.  Using a new technology, sound waves (called "sounding"), they set out to map the ocean floors. Marie discovers the mountains and valleys underwater, and later discovers an extra deep valley that divides the Atlantic into two parts.  She is the first to draw a detailed map of the Atlantic Ocean.  As a result of her work, Marie discovers proof of plate tectonics and continental drift.

     Many grade levels do mapping units and a common task given to students is to make a map of a familiar place such as their classroom, their bedroom or their house.  This is not any easy task for young elementary students as they struggle with scales.  But what if you asked them to map something they can't see --- the insides of a hollow of a tree or the insides of beehive or a bird's nesting box?  What might they discover?  What would it lead them to wonder about next?

"Where Are My Books" by Debbie Ridpath Ohi

Yippee!   Amazon.com has delivered my copy of this book that I reviewed earlier (http://kglick.blogspot.com/2016/08/for-love-of-all-good-books.html).  Now I can return the library's copy!

I can't wait to use it prior to introducing classroom library checkout procedures.

But today the author Twittered that she had just posted some resources for teachers on her website.  They look great!  If you are considering using this book this year in your classroom, be sure to go to Debbie Ridpath Ohi's website at http://debbieohi.com/read as well as http://debbieohi.com/printready to score some delightfully cute resources for this book and others!  Thank you Debbie!

Another delightful book from Patricia Polacco

Who can resist a story from Patricia Polacco?  While most of her stories are based off her or her families' lives, this one is slightly different.  Here, Patricia is retelling someone else's true story -- the story of Johnnie Wallen, a WWII veteran,and his experiences during the war while in the Philippines.  Patricia learned of Johnnie's story when she was on the road doing school visits and was invited to join in a reunion of WWII solders.  She tells Johnnie's story in first person voice, paying close attention to recording the exact words that Johnnie spoke.

"Tucky Jo and Little Heart" by Patricia Polacco
Accelerated Reading Level:  4.6

This remarkable story is about Kentucky-born Johnnie who convinced his parents to lie about his age so that he could join the military after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.  He was only 15 at the time, and, of course, much smaller than most of his platoon.  He was part of a a special unit in the Pacific theater that was tasked with finding and destroying machine gun or enemy outposts and building an airstrip.  They fought 219 straight days in the bug infested jungles of the Pacific.  His entire body was covered in massive welts from bug bites.  Johnnie was sent ahead to clear brush when he heard rushing water and noticed a small village below with women trying to catch fish with their bare hands.  Suddenly, he heard a sound and noticed a small girl in the bush.  Neither of them spoke the others' language, but the little girl bent down and picked a leaf off a plant and applied its' sap to Johnnie's bug bites.  Immediately, the itch stopped.  He  shared a bit of his chocolate ration with her and tried to introduce himself as Kentucky Johnnie.  She renamed him "Kentucky Jo."  Jo named her "Little Heart" because of a heart shaped birthmark on her arm.  After she ran off, Jo collected as many of the leaves as he could to bring back to camp to help others.

         Over the next several days, Jo built a friendship with the silent girl and discovered that the only remaining people in her village were women and children, all of whom were starving.  Using some of the army's dynamite, Jo set off an explosion in the river causing it to "rain fish."  He then helped hunt for the villagers.   Friendships continued to grow between Jo, his troop and the villagers.  One day enemy soldiers were advancing, killing everyone and everything in its path.  Jo was instrumental in saving the entire village.  But that was the last he saw of "Little Heart" until a strange twist of fate brings them back together many years later at the end of Jo's life.

          This book doesn't avoid the horrors of war, but it does present it in a manageable way for children .  This book would be a wonderful addition to Random Acts of Kindness of Week in early March or if you are doing something with "pay it forward."

Are you Missing a Crayon?

"The Day the Crayons Quit" by Drew Daywalt
Accelerated Reading Level:  3.8
Guided Reading Level:  M

Last winter, one of the most memorable learning activities that I did with my students was to participate in the the MN Star of the North Picture Book Award contest.  With the help of the public library, I reserved small reading group sets of each nominated award book.  Then I allowed each reading group to choose one that they wanted to read and present to their classmates.

For the next couple of weeks, I built small group reading lessons around these books with a focus on vocabulary and fluency.  After each reading group became experts at their book, they read it aloud to their classmates,  I filmed each group's presentation and put the videos up on our class blog for their parents to enjoy.  The class then voted in March for their favorite nominated book during media.  The 2016 winner in my class and statewide, was "The Day the Crayons Quit" by Drew Daywalt.

        This hysterical story told in first person voice from the perspective of the crayons through letters instantly lent itself to every one of my students becoming the most dramatic reader ever!  Because it was the class' favorite book, it led to letter writing lessons and discussions on perspective and first person vs. third person voice in books that we read.  This book is definitely one that I plan on using again and again in the coming years.


        However, joy upon joy --- there is a sequel:

"The Day the Crayons Came Home" by Drew Daywalt
Accelerated Reading Level:  3.3

        Again, this story is told in first person voice from the crayon's perspective, but instead of letters, the crayon's owner, Duncan, receives a stack of postcards.  In this story, we learn that Duncan, like all children, has lost some of his crayons.  As a result, those crayons have had some eventful adventures, but they all want to come home (back to Duncan's crayon box).  Unfortunately, when Duncan retrieves the lost crayons, are not all are in their original shape and thus, cannot fit in Duncan's crayon box.  But Duncan creatively solves that problem and saves the day!

         It is a rare day, in most classrooms, that crayons are not lost and/or found.  Children are constantly saying "I can't find my ____ crayon" or "I lost my ____ crayon."  At the end of the day when the children have gone home, it is not uncommon for the teacher or the building engineer to find a fist full of crayons abandoned in strange places.  And of course, the next day, nobody wants to claim them!  This book may be the secret to solving these problems!

        During the first week, teachers spend a great deal of time teaching procedures, as well as developing children's awareness that they need to be responsible for their school tools.  This book will now become a must read aloud for me during those first few days of school.   Undoubtedly, the humor and message from this book will captivate my future students and I am confident it will help save more than one crayon from the building engineer's hungry vacuum!

A Memoir that started a Writing Career

Today's featured book, is a very unusual book, in that has a book inside a book.  There is one author who is really two authors.  Confused???  The adult author is writing a memoir about when he was younger and wrote his first book.  His younger self is co-author of this book and his original work is included in the final story.

"Billy's Booger" by William Joyce and his younger self, Billy Joyce
Accelerated Reading Level:  3.5

For young Billy, school really wasn't his thing.  He loved drawing and doodling and had a very active imagination.  Included in the drawings are examples of his school work where he turned the most mundane things into a piece of art.  School just wasn't his thing.  (I'm sure if you been teaching for awhile, you can think of at least a few other students who were like Billy!)  One day he hears about a book writing contest and exciedly decides to enter.  He checked out all kinds of books from the library and got to work.  Eventually, his book was finished.  The topic?  His green buddy - the booger.  His entire book is in the middle of this memoir.  Billy doesn't win the writing contest, but he does become a winner in the most important way possible --- acceptance by his peers and he is launched into his adult career as a writer.

         This book would be a fine addition to a memoir collection as well as a character education book.

All Goodness comes Straight from the Garden!

If your school has a school garden or is contemplating adding one, the following two books would be wonderful additions to your garden and/or plant curriculum mentor texts.

"Alice Waters and the Trip to Delicious" by Jacqueline Briggs Martin

Alice Waters has always loved foods.   In fact, when she was 3 years old, she won first place in a costume contest by dressing in foods.  It was natural for her to become a chef and travel to France to perfect her craft.  When she returned to the United States, she opened a restaurant with its mission to use locally grown fresh foods --- no frozen foods allowed.  She wanted to serve only the healthiest foods to others.  In 1995, when she realized that children were not be being served healthy foods for school lunches, she organized the Edible Schoolyard Project where children helped grow the foods that they would eat.  She then taught them to cook and love the foods they grew.  The Edible Schoolyard Project has spread across the nation and because of Alice, the farm to table restaurant movement had grown.

"Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table" by Jacqueline Briggs Martin

Accelerated Reading Level:  4.2

Will Allen played grew up in a family that grew most of its' own food and was a famous basketball player in Belgium.  When he returned to Milwaukee, he noticed that many inner city residents lacked access to fresh, healthy foods.  So he brought some empty city lots and started the urban community garden movement.  When lots weren't available, he taught children and eventually adults how to grow fresh foods in pots on their porches or on roofs of the city's buildings.   He continues to travel the world helping others learn how to farm and whenever he "sees children, he see farmers."  Wonderful inspiration of how one man can made a big difference in his community and beyond!

Concrete Poetry - combining art and the words

"Ode to a Commode" by Brian P Cleary

Poetry is something that you often have to convince students to read.  But once you hook them in with humorous poetry like that of Shel Silverstein and Bruce Lanky, you have converts.  Here is another form of poetry that is engaging to reluctant poetry readers:  concrete poetry.  If you are not familiar with that term, it is a poem that is written about an object and the words of the poem are written in a way that creates a shape of that object.  I like that the author explains what concrete poems are and also gives addition resources for books and websites.  I found that the poems were cute.  Some were more difficult to read than others due to fonts, but I'm sure this will draw students in to reading a different type of poetry.  If you are working with 3rd graders or older, you may want to have them try to create their own concrete poems.  It is not an easy thing to do, because you have to be able to draw the shape, be aware of space as you fill it in with words.  So this may be a project that you ask students to do as partners.

Feathers and Beaks are more than flying and eating tools!

"Feathers:  Not Just for Flying" by Melissa Stewart
Accelerated Reading Level:  5.1

It is always a treat when an adult can learn something from a children's book.  This book focuses on feathers from 10 birds.  While many children may think that the sole purpose for bird feathers is flying, each of the ten feathers discussed in this book have a different function.  This illustrated book looks and feels like a nature journal with "feathers" taped or stapled in and notes on what makes the feather unique.  I love that the author didn't try to educate us on ten birds, but narrowed in and focused on one small part of the bird --- its feathers.  As a teacher at a STEM school, we teach students how to be scientists recording in a science journal.  There is a specific layout that much be followed.  Because of the scrapbook layout, this could lead to discussions comparing science and nature journals.  It is my intention this year, to take my students outside more to observe nature --- whatever part of nature they are most inclined to observe.  If they find artifacts along the way, this book can serve as guide for making nature notes.  I highly recommend this book as part of your science curriculum.

"Beaks!" by Sneed B. Collard III
Accelerated Reading Level:  4.2
Guided Reading Level:  P

The books that I have reviewed since starting this blog, have all been published within the last year.  This one was published in 2012.  I have included it in this post because I feel it is a perfect fit to go with "Feathers:  Not Just for Flying."  Here the author focuses on a different part of birds -- their beaks and uses simple sentences to explain how beaks help the birds.  It also goes on to provide information about each featured bird.  If you do the two books together, you really should compare the artistic styles of the books.  "Feathers" is illustrations and "Beaks" is 3D cut paper.  It might be fun to work with your schools art teacher and see if students could illustrate and color an object and then create the same object with cut papers and put them side by side.

Humor for teachers

"32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny" by Phillip Done

I know that I started this blog with the intention of reviewing children's literature for teachers and eventually to share ideas for the classroom, but this book was one that I just had to share with any elementary teachers reading this!  I have not laughed so hard or frequently while reading for a very long time.  I constantly was stopping family members and reading portions aloud to them.  No matter what grade you have been teaching, many of the incidents Phillip Done recounted in book ring so true!  This may be a perfect gift for future student teachers --- especially if you put a bookmark in the part where Phillip Done explains the four types of teacher looks that all future teachers should master.  Thank you, thank you for a terrific reminder, that despite all the problems and aggravations that come with teaching, there is an abundance of incredible joy with one of the greatest jobs in the world.  Share this with your fellow teachers.  Start staff meetings out with excerpts and then share a related memory.  I'm sure it will bring you closer to your teammates and relieve tensions.

Rock on with the "Punk Skunks!"

"Punk Skunks" by Trisha Speed Shaskan

This entertaining story is about two best skunk friends (BSF) who both have individual interests, but also enjoy making music together.  Kit plays the drums and Buzz plays guitar.  But one day the two friends have a disagreement about a song and get in a fight where they say hurtful things to each other.

This brightly colored engaging story has a simple text that has fun rhythm full of playful onomatopoeia.  This story would a wonderful mentor text for introducing onomatopoeia or to build background for a personal narrative writing assignment about a time they had a fight with a friend.  I'm sure students will return frequently to reread this independently.  Rock on!

A Wordless Wonder

"Sidewalk Flowers" by Jon Arno Lawson

This is a wordless story of a father and daughter walking home on evening through a busy city.  It is laid out in a comic book fashion with most of the book in black and white ink.  The little girl and flowers are colored.  The little girl is very observant of the interesting people and surroundings of her city.  As they walk, she stops and gathers flowers, many of which would be considered weeds by adults.  After gathering a fist full of flowers, the girl discreetly begins random acts of kindness by leaving some of the flowers she has collected with others, including a dead bird and a homeless man.   She has enough flowers left over to gift to her mother and brothers and still have one left for herself.

      When I first started reading this book, I wasn't sure I liked it.   But the more I read, the more engaged I became. I liked how observant the girl was to find the various floral treasures in the city and the variety of people they encountered.  I was touched by the girl’s thoughtfulness.  

       I don’t think this would be a good read aloud, but it might be an interesting addition to a writing center where a group of students could work together to create a narrative for the story. I think you might want to compare the father-daughter relationships between this book and “Ask Me” by Bernard Waber that I previously reviewed.  Students might be able to relate times when their parents were distracted by work and times when they had their undivided attention.

Ancient Egyptians

"Mummy Cat" by Marcus Ewert
Accelerated Reading Level:  3.2

If you teach a unit on Ancient Egypt, this may be a perfect text to introduce the subject as well as the topic of friendship.  This story is told from Queen Hatshepsut's cat's point of view.   As it awakens from the dead and travels through the pyramid to check on his beloved friend, the Queen, the cat recounts their life together.  The illustrations include actual hieroglyphics and a background story.  The author includes additional facts about the Ancient Egyptians and the mummification process at the end of the book.  This would make and excellent mentor text to have students sort out fact from fiction.

Ben Franklin and the Scientific Method

"Mesmerized:  How Ben Franklin Solved a Mystery that Baffled all of France" by Mara Rockliff
Accelerated Reading Level:  5.0

This is an excellent book to introduce scientific method and explain how we got the terms "blind" test and the "placebo effect."  Here we find Ben sailing to France during the American Revolution to ask King Louis the 16th and Queen Marie Antoinette for financial assistance.  While in France, there was a great deal of talk about something strange and new --- SCIENCE, from a Dr. Mesmer.

       The book does a great job comparing the differences between Ben Franklin, a simple man, and the fancy Dr. Mesmer who seemed to have a special force that could make people do unusual things.  Everyone in France thought Dr. Mesmer's science was amazing and ground breaking, except skeptical Benjamin Franklin.  Ben went on to scientifically prove that Dr. Mesmer was doing nothing more than utilizing the power or people's thoughts, which today we would can hypnosis.  Dr. Mesmer disappeared in disgrace and Ben secured funding for the Revolutionary soldiers and headed back home.

            I really liked this book and found this information of Ben Franklin refreshing.  There is  a lot of stuff going on in the illustrations and side bars which could be confusing to young students.  I would recommend this more for 4th and 5th graders, but with the appropriate scaffolding, you could use it to help introduce the scientific method to 2nd and 3rd graders.

Questioning

"Ask Me" by Bernard Waber
Accelerated Reader Level:  1.7

In this sweet story, a father and daughter are taking a walk.  The inquisitive girl encourages her father to ask her questions to find out her favorite things.  Then, he follows up to gather more details.  This is a quick read that would be an excellent mentor text for either providing more details, question words or how to ask and answer questions.  It also could be used as a two-voice partner read (reader's theater).  The illustrations make this a perfect book to include at the beginning of the year.  You could ask students to partner up with someone that was not in their class last year.  Then they could partner up and ask them "get to know you questions" and follow it up with questions to gain more details.  When they are finished, each partner could introduce their new friend and share the most interesting thing they learned about them.   Another one for my wish list!

It's All About Love!

There doesn't seem to be much that can not be overcome without love.  The following books have many themes, but the one common theme that unites them (and us all), is love.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

"Mango, Abuela, and Me" by Meg Medina

Accelerated Reading Level:  3.4

Mia's grandma (abuela) lives far away and doesn't speak English, but now has moved to America and is sharing Mia's bedroom.  Unfortunately, Mia doesn't know Spanish and soon discovers how hard it is to communicate with her abuela.  This book is full of excellent word choice examples and similies such as when Mia is explaining that as much as they want to talk with each other they just can't:

         "With our mouths as empty as our bread baskets, we walk 

           home and watch TV."

Mia's mami (mom) reminds Mia of how she and her classmates help her new best friend, Kim, learn English when she first moved here.  So when she comes home from school, Mia pretends to be her teacher as they are making a snack.  She points to objects and says their names, and then abuelita repeats them and tells Mia what it is in Spanish.  "Soon they are playing Oye y Di --- Hear and Say all around the house.   Mia also uses post-it notes to label things and buys a parrot for abuela so she has someone to practice English with when Mia is at school.  Eventually, abuela learns English and Mia learns Spanish.

            I adored this multi-generational family.  Working in a district with a high ESL population and many multi-generational families living together, this is a true gem to share with students.  If there was a newcomer in the classroom, students could help their new peer learn English.  But even if you are not blessed with a diverse student population, this should be part of your literature as it is not often you find great stories that feature Hispanic populations.

"The Case for Loving:  The Fight for Interracial Marriage" 

by Selina Aiko

Accelerated Reading Level:  4.3

Guided Reading Level:  P

This true story, will be an eye-opener for many students today.  It begins in Virginia in 1958 when Richard Loving fell in love with Mildred Jetter, know as "String Bean."  At that time it was illegal in all the states to marry outside your race.  In fact, you could go to jail for doing that.  But that law was not in place in Washington, D.C.  So they crossed the state line and got married and then went back to live in Virginia.  Unfortunately, during the middle of the night, the police broke into their house and arrest Richard and put him in jail.  Several days later, he was released on the condition that they move.  Reluctantly, they left good jobs, family and friends and moved to Washington D.C. where Richard got a job laying bricks.  While they loved each other and their growing family, they missed home and believed strongly that you should be able to love whoever you want, no matter what race they were.  In 1966, they courageously hired lawyers to help them fight these unfair laws.  The case went all the way to the Supreme Court and eventually won!  This is a wonderful story that shows the power of love and encourage students to fight against unjust laws.

"I am Jazz" by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings

Accelerated Reading Level:  3.3

This is the true story of Jazz Jennings.  From two years old, Jazz felt she was a girl in a boys body.  Using very simple words, Jazz explains her story as a transgender child.  When Jazz was playing in her house, she was allowed to wear her sister's dresses but when they went out into public she needed to wear boy clothes which make her very sad.  Finally, one day her parents took her to a doctor and she explained transgender to them.  After that, Jazz's parents let her grow out her hair and dress however she wanted.  This caused issues at school, especially when they wanted her to use the boys' bathroom and play on the boys' teams in phy ed.  Eventually, that changed.  This sweet story is one of love and acceptance of differences.  

Calling all to Vote!

There is no denying (or escaping) that we are nearing election time!  Studying elections are an important part of the social studies standards.  What children don't always remember is that not everyone has had the right to vote.  I remember my grandmother talking about how women gained the right to vote when she was young.  Today, I would like to share with you two new books I read this summer that share with the readers what it took for some people to get a right to vote.  These books would be wonderful additions to your read aloud time this fall and/or independent reading for upper elementary and middle school students.

Elizabeth Started All the TROUBLE by Doreen Rappaport
Accelerated Reading Level:  5.0

This book opens with John Adam's wife, Abigail, receiving a letter about how he was working on gaining independence for the colonists and the new laws they were developing.  Abigail "warned John that if women were not remembered, they would start their own revolution."  John thought that was a joke.  But Abigail and generations of other women did not.  75 years later, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott and their spouses traveled to England.  They were fighting to end slavery.  Unfortunately, Elizabeth and Lucretia were not permitted into the meeting simply because they were women.  They found it ironic that they were fighting for new rights and freedom for other who were oppressed, but they themselves had little or no rights.  Eight years later, Elizabeth and Lucretia met with three other friends and started discussing women's rights.  They created their own Declaration of Independence and started traveling and speaking to others about their declaration.  Elizabeth's father thought she was crazy.  Newspapers mocked her.  But she kept on speaking up and recruiting others.  The suffrage movement had started.  Elizabeth became friends with Susan B. Anthony, and together with others on "the Suffrage Express."  Eventually, Elizabeth turned the movement over to Susan B. Anthony so she could stay at home to care for her children.

While this book is long, it covers many important historical topics but with language students can understand.  At the end of the book, the author included mini-biographies of all the trailblazers, a timeline and various resources for the readers to explore these women and topic in greater details.  Many of the women mentioned, were new to me and I would like to find out more about them in the future.  Excellent reading as we are once again approaching a historical election.

"Lillian's Right to Vote" by Jonah Winter
Accelerated Reading Level:  5.6

In this incredible book, 100 year old Lillian is walking to the polls to vote.  As she passes others, she asks if they are going to vote.  She tells them that they better vote.  Lillian knows what a precious gift voting is.  As she walks up a difficult hill, she recounts the stories of all those that fought unjust laws meant to keep the African American community enslaved and from voting.  She remembers the discrimination and injustices her family struggled with throughout the years.  It is a powerful, meaningful book that can help children understand the need to continue to fight current injustices and improve our world.

This book was inspired by Lillian Allen, a granddaughter of a slave.  Once again, the illustrations are remarkable effectively and help evoke strong emotions from the readers.  The author at  the end of the book includes additional information on the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the 2013 Supreme Court decision that weakened that law.  We must, as a society, continue to protect our right to vote for ALL!  While this book is meant for students grades 1-6, in my humble opinion, it may be too much for first graders.  However, I will be sharing this with my second graders.  Please consider reading this inspiring history lesson and share it with others.

While this blog is not meant to be political, I need to stand with Lillian and others:  Please never, ever, forget to vote and encourage others to vote.  Continue to fight unjust laws and improve this country.  We have come a long way, but there is much to be done to improve it.  Thank you.

For the Love of All Good Books!

Every year as I start back to school with a fresh batch of students, one of the first things my new students see is my classroom library.  Their jaws (and many of the parents' jaws) drop and they begin to drool over my classroom library.  (I stopped counting at 2,000 books and many of my upper elementary or middle school books are not counted in the above total, as they are safely stored away in case they are ever needed again!)  I jokingly say that I could open my very own small library!  It is not uncommon for my teaching peers stop by looking for book suggestions or to borrow something for their upcoming lessons.  I have turned more than one adamant non-reader into a reader.  I LOVE books.

Every year I have a collection of treasured books that I share with students to help them understand the valuable riches I am going to be entrusting to them.  I specifically teach how to care for the books and why they are important.  This year, I am even more excited than ever to start those lessons, as I have found some new book themed treats.  If you are a teacher, I highly encourage your to check these out.  If you are a parent, I can assure you that they will love stories!

"How to Read A Story" by Kate Messner
Accelerated Reading Level:  2.9

This is a perfect fit for teaching buddy reading, voice, and the power of imagination!  If you are doing the Daily 5 for guided reading, it is a perfect fit for the "3 Ways to Read a Book" as this adorable story encourages readers to use the illustrations in the book to "read" and/or enhance the story.  The illustrator, Mark Siegel, did a fantastic job with this book.  I truly can't say enough good things about this book.  Get your hands on it, find a child and share it.  I guarantee they will be asking you to read it again.

"Where are My Books?" by Debbie Ridpath Ohi
Accelerated Reading Level:  2.4

We all know that young children will often request the same story be read to them every night, over and over.  As adults, we are often baffled by that request and desperately want them to choose a new book.  Well, the main character in this story, Spencer, is one of those kids.  His favorite bedtime story is "Night-Night, Narwhal."  But one night it is not in its' designated spot and he reluctantly concedes to his dad reading another book.  The next night that book goes missing.  The mystery deepens for several nights.  Spencer takes matters into his own hand, and eventually finds his books.  I won't share the who has taken them, but know that they took them because they love to read.  Spencer teaches them about the proper way to borrow books and life is so much better after that.  This would be a great book to introduce how to check out books from the classroom library as well as book care and book organization.  As an added bonus, have students try to find the alliteration in the book.  Be sure to check it out!

"Let Me Finish!" by Minh Le
Accelerated Reading Level:  Not yet rated, but I would guess around 2.1

This story is told in first person and the main character is never named.  It might be fun for kids to vote on what name would be good for the boy.  Here the boy knows the importance of finding that just right, comfortable spot where he can block everything out and just read.  But various animals keep interrupting him, asking questions, trying to tell him the ending, etc.  He keeps trying to find a new perfect spot.   What happens at the end is hilarious!  This will be a perfect mentor text for teaching students about reading to self and the importance of not bothering someone who is reading.  I can't wait to share this gem with my new students.  I can just hear the laughter now!  Later, when they are "supposed" to be showing me "sustained silent reading" and someone starts talking, instead of my saying "No talking, please" I might just hold up a picture of the cover of this book.  I'm sure it will be a much more effective means of redirection.

It's National Book Lovers Day!

What are you reading today that is special?  I'm reading Laura Candler's "Power Reading Workshop:  A Step by Step Guide" for personal professional growth, Christine Heppermann's "Backyard Witch" and two children's picture books "How to Read A Story" by Kate Messner and "Where are My Books?" by Debbie Ridpath Ohi.  Whatever you are reading, I hope you are enjoying it to the max!

Happy reading!

Let it Rain!

Weather and the water cycles are commonly studied science units in the elementary classrooms.   I'm always on the look-out for exciting new additions to these units of study.  This summer I found these that I can't wait to share with my students!

Water is Water by Miranda Paul

This book has few words, but the words are chosen with such care that in conjunction with the illustrations, they speak volumes.   Here the author interweaves poetic language with alliteration as it follows water throughout the year.  This book is gentle and charming and causes me to read over and over.  I love watching the two children interact with the various animals on each page and I noticed that the illustrator, Jason Chin, inserted a black cat on most pages.  I think this book would be a wonderful book to use during guided reading to increase vocabulary and reading fluency as there are patterns and phrasings that would engage beginning readers.  I highly, highly recommend this book!

Over in the Wetlands:  A Hurricane on the Bayou Story by Caroline Starr Rose and Rob Dunlavey
Accelerated Reading Level:  3.8

Students in MN where I teach are familiar with thunderstorms and know that tornadoes are possible.  They have been taught what to do to keep safe.  Here, however, is a book that explains how animals in the bayou prepare for and survive hurricanes.  This poetic book has the rhythm and flow a familiar children's song "Over in the Meadow" and is told in from the perspective of animals.   It is sure to engage young animal lovers and provide plenty of opportunities to research the animals found in the bayou.  I appreciated the additional geographical information on wetlands and the states bordering the Gulf of Mexico, as well as the additional information on the animals found in this book that the author includes at the end of the story. This book was published in time for the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and with its gorgeous illustrations is a guaranteed treasure.

Sweet, Sweet Summertime

Nothing speeds by as quickly as summer, for both students and teachers.  It is a time of relaxation, regeneration and exploration.  For me, one of the true pleasures of summer is exploring new children's literature and thinking about how to incorporate them into my teaching in the coming year or how to partner future students with the perfect book to inspire them.  It is my goal to use this blog to share some great books and their potential use in the classroom.  I hope that some of the books shared here become your favorites in the future!

Many times, adults tend to only share cute, colorful, rhyming pictures books with young readers.  As much as I love those types of books, it often is the non-fiction books that become the most memorable.  Many of the non-fiction books I read this summer focused on perseverance, a critical skill that all students (and adults) need to develop.  Here are a few of the most memorable ones:

Emmanuel's Dream:  The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah by Laurie Ann Thompson

Accelerated Reading Level:  4.4

Emmanuel was born with a deformed leg and rejected and ridiculed by many in his country of Ghana.  If he wanted to go to school, he would have to hop the 2 miles each way.  He also learned to play soccer on crutches he made and finally ride a bike.  Emmanuel's mother helped him realize that despite his disability he could do whatever he dreamed of.   After his mother's death, Emmanuel biked across Ghana to raise funds and change laws for the disabled in in country.   

Dorothea's Eyes by Barb Rosenstock

Accelerated Reading Level:  3.3

In this book you meet the observant Dorothea Lange who had a limp caused by polio.  Others are cruel and tease her because of the limp, so she develops a coping mechanism of trying to be invisible all the while intently watching those around her and focusing on their faces.  In the early 1900's, Dorothea decides to become a photographer, an unheard of career for females.  Dorothea decides to make it a point to take pictures of others that the world may not notice --- the homeless, the migrant workers, the disabled.  Many of these stunning and memorable pictures were taken during the Great Depression.  Her work inspired others including John Steinbeck's "Grapes of Wrath."

Poet:  The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton by Don Tate
Accelerated Reading Level:  4.5

George was born a slave in the South.  He was a boy who loved words more than anything and despite the dangers, taught himself how to read and write.  If that were not remarkable enough, George would go on to become the first published slave in the North Carolina.  He would compose poems while he worked in the fields.  On Sundays, he would travel into town and sell fruits and vegetables to students at the University of North Carolina.  Eventually, they started paying him to write romantic poetry.  Eventually, his work was published in papers and he was earning enough money to pay his master for his time so he could write full-time.   This made George happy, but he still dreamed of his freedom.  Pre Civil War events made it impossible for George to continue writing.  Many people tried to buy his freedom, but his owner would not accept their offers.  Finally, with the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, at the age of 66, George was a free man, free to continue his love of words and poetry.

Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl's Courage Changed Music by Margarita Engle
Accelerated Reading Level:   4.2
Guided Reading Level:  L

This true story of a Chinese-African-Cuban girl living in Cuba who wants to learn to drum on conga drums.  This is not something girls are allowed to do in the 1930s.  Despite the continual "no" from her father whenever she requested lessons, the girl finds a way to get lessons from a music teacher and then after lots of practicing she creates an all girl band.  Eventually, they go on to be famous.  I liked this book, but wished that the author had included the musician's name, Millo Castro Zaldarriaga, before the after note at the end of the book.  This book might pair well with a writing assignment where students explain what they are passionate about and how they are working to improve their skills.