Monday, February 29, 2016

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 2/29/16


It's Monday! What are you reading? was started by Sheila at Book Journey and was adapted for children's books from picture books through YA by Jen of Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee of Unleashing Readers. You can visit either site for a round up of blogs sharing their weekly readings and thoughts or search Twitter for #IMWAYR.



Last Weeks' Posts

  • Why Attend an EdCamp? Just got back from my second EdCamp and wanted to share some thoughts about what makes an EdCamp such a great professional development opportunity.
  • If You Like Diary of a Wimpy Kid ... My students are sharing book recommendations, following the "If you like ... read this next ..." format. This quadruple review provides four different ideas of series to suggest to Wimpy Kid fans.
Follow The Logonauts on Facebook! This week I decided to start a Facebook page for The Logonauts. Many parents and teachers are on Facebook, so it seemed like a great way to connect. Please consider "liking" to get updates via your Facebook feed, thanks!

Picture Books



Billy's Booger: a memoir (sorta) (2015) by William Joyce and his younger self. This book-within a book is a memoir of the author writing about his own childhood dream of being an author, and he submits a fictional story about an adventurous booger (which is also included within the main book). This book has been in my classroom for a week now, and I've found that many students are immediately drawn to the title but it isn't a book I've seen them revisiting.

This is one of several books I am catching up on to be prepared for the upcoming March Book Madness - who, helpfully, made the list of picture books available earlier, so I hope to have all of them in my classroom for the big launch on March 1st.


Blackout (2011) by John Rocco [a Caldecott Honor book]. Also a March Book Madness contender. This book is based around a big city blackout and the ability to see the stars. There is also a great underlying story about the role of technology in our lives and the importance of spending quality time with family.


This Bridge Will Not Be Gray (2015) by Dave Eggers and illustrated by Tucker Nichols. This lengthy picture book (104 pages) allows Dave Eggers' deadpan wit to flourish against the simple cut-paper illustrations. It also gives space for the kinds of asides and comments not often found in nonfiction picture books. (One of my favorite two page spreads: "Everyone was excited about the design. / I like it very much, said this man. / My aunt likes it very much, said this woman. / This third person was chewing food but seemed to agree with the other two people.") I do wish, however, that they had added an author's note with a bibliography and references. (H/T Elisabeth at The Dirigible Plum.)


Belle the Last Mule at Gee's Bend: a Civil Rights story (2011) by Calvin Alexander Ramsey and Bettye Stroud with illustrations by John Holyfield. This fascinating true story tells about the life of a mule name Belle and her connections to the Civil Rights movement, culminating in helping to pull the casket of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It also provides good background about other Civil Rights issues including voting rights. The author's note includes additional information and a photograph of Belle and Ada with the coffin. (A review copy of the book was provided by the Candlewick Best in Class mailing. All thoughts are my own.)


Heart and Soul: the Story of American and African Americans (2011) by Kadir Nelson [Winner of the 2012 Coretta Scott King Author Award and Honor Award for Illustration]. Also stretching the definition of picture book, this 108-page tome is a true work of art. Kadir Nelson shared a bit of the story behind writing this book during his author-breakfast speech at NCTE last November, and I am so glad to have finally gotten around to reading it. The family-history narrative frame helps make the book personal as well as help kids understand just how recently so many of these things happened. (Or, as comedian Louis CK once put it a few years back, "I’ve heard educated white people say, 'slavery was 400 years ago.' No, it very wasn’t. It was 140 years a ... that’s two 70-year-old ladies living and dying back to back. That’s how recently you could buy a guy.") This is why education is so important. This book deserves a spot in history classrooms.

Happy Reading!

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Why Attend an EdCamp?


I just got back from my second EdCamp (EdCampMadWI) and wanted to share a few thoughts and ideas about what makes an EdCamp such a great format for professional development!

What is an EdCamp?


The EdCamp was designed to be a different type of professional development: an "un-conference." Rather than a formal event, an EdCamp is a spur-of-the-moment creation. Attendees suggest sessions, either topics that they'd like to present about or ideas about things they'd like to learn more about. Organizers swap those topics into the rooms and time slots for the conference, and attendees can then use that schedule to plan their day. (You can read more about some of the earliest EdCamps here.)


Why Attend an EdCamp?


  • $ (Cost). Part of the EdCamp philosophy is that these professional development opportunities should be free. Many EdCamps attract sponsors who help off-set the costs of the event (sometimes even the inclusion of breakfast and lunch) and/or ask attendees to consider a small donation to defray costs. Compared to the high costs of regional and national conferences, you can't beat free. 
  • Personalization. EdCamps usually offer a wide-range of topics related to teaching and education (often, but not exclusively, with an emphasis on technology). You choose the sessions that work for you, and if you don't like a session, find another one.
  • Time for discussion. The more open format of an EdCamp allows plenty of time for interaction and discussion during sessions as well. The fourth session I attend today, for example, was on Project-Based Learning Projects for Primary Grades and had been suggested by a third grade teacher looking for ideas. We ended up with a room half-filled with third grade teachers, and it was a great chance to see inside each others' classrooms and hear about what works and what doesn't in other schools and other districts.


"Pro" Tips for Attending an EdCamp


  • BYOD. Bring your own device (or possibly two). EdCamps are big on technology and technology-integration. Because the schedule is put together that morning, you will want to have a smartphone or computer to access it. Bringing your own laptop is also a great way to take notes and contribute ideas directly. For example, this year's EdCampMadWI set up a shared Google Doc for all session attendees, which resulted in an incredible, collaborative trove of knowledge created by the attendees. A laptop also comes in handy if you decide to present a session or if the laptop of your session's presenter(s) decides not to cooperate. (This year, my laptop ended up filling in at two other sessions when presenters' computers refused to play nice with the ceiling-mounted projectors.)
  • Vote with your feet. Another tenet of EdCamps is that you should be free to leave a session at any time that isn't working for you. As teachers, educators, or administrators, we know how valuable our own time is. Why waste an hour on a topic when you can find something else of value just down the hall?
  • Live Tweet. Twitter is a great way to connect with other educators, and following the camp's hashtag as well as contributing your own thoughts is a great way to build connections.
  • Propose a Session. Go ahead, make the leap! You may not feel like you are an expert on a topic, but chances are there are others out there who could learn from what you are doing in your classroom. Proposing a session is also a great way to get direct feedback and suggestions from real teachers about what works for them.

Looking for an EdCamp near you?


There are many places to find out when and where an EdCamp might be happening in your area. Check out this huge list of upcoming events from the EdCamp foundation. Or, do a Google search for EdCamp and your city or state. (Just watch the details carefully. Turns out EdCampMadison is in Alabama, for example, not Wisconsin!)

I am thrilled to be attending my first nErDcampMI this year (July 11-12th in Parma, MI)! nErDcampMI is a two-for-one: a two-day professional conference with one day of scheduled sessions and a second EdCamp-style day. There are also a ton of wonderful authors and educators coming. You can read more about it on the official nErDcampMI site. Maybe I'll see you there!

Friday, February 26, 2016

If You Like Diary of a Wimpy Kid ...

This semester, my students are sharing book reviews in a different format, linking one book they thought many people in the class might have read and another that would appeal to a reader of the first book. (Please note that my third graders read a wide variety of books across a wide variety of genres, levels, and topics. Do not think that these books are "only" for third graders.)

This "If you like ... read this next ..." format was inspired by the We Need Diverse Books summer reading series. They used the format to encourage people to find and read diverse books, so all of their "read this next" choices highlight great, diverse book choices. You can find their posts here on their Tumblr page.

If You Like Diary of a Wimpy Kid ...

By: Brady


If you like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney, you should read The Brilliant World of Tom Gates series by Liz Pinchon. They both have great humor and it's like a diary, just like Diary Of A Wimpy Kid.

They both do not like their sibling(s). Another book you might like is the Big Nate series.

Rating: 1234567890000000% (So far.)

I love it so far. So you probably will too!

If You Like Diary of a Wimpy Kid ...

By: Seamus


If you like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, you should read the Stink Moody books by Megan McDonald

It is a funny book. Stink and his 3 friends Webster, So Fenian of the elves, and some times Judy Moody (his annoying sister) go on adventures.

Stink is a small kid and doesn't like any sports (besides thumb wrestling) he doesn't have a lot of muscles. Stink is a small and he some times gets in trouble with his friends.

So he's a wimpy kid just like Greg, but Greg has a brother not a sister.

If You Like Diary of a Wimpy Kid ...

By: Aydin


If you like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, you should read the Big Nate series by Lincoln Peirce. I recommend these books because they both have humor and there are comics so that is why I recommended these books!

If You Like Diary of a Wimpy Kid ...

By: Umber


If you like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, you should read My Life as a Book Series by Janet Tashjian.

Both series are hilarious and have the same kind of "journal" feeling. My Life as a Book and My Life as a Stunt Boy are in Katie's room. Unlike Diary of a Wimpy Kid, "My Life as a.." has chapters.

Enjoy!

Looking for more book recommendations? Check out the #3rdfor3rd tag for book recommendations written by my third graders about their favorite books or the Read This Next tag for more recommendations like this one!

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Book Club: From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

Book Club discussion groups are a great way to get kids excited about books and discussing them. Click on the "Book Club" tag to read more posts about great books to use for Book Club discussion groups and posts about how to set up and run Book Clubs in your classroom.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (1968) by E.L. Koningsburg and winner of the Newbery Award. (Fun fact, E.L. Koningsburg also won a Newbery Honor that year for Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth, the only author to have won both in the same year.)

Summary


Another classic story worthy of still reading. Claudia is bored with her life and decides to do something dramatic - namely, run away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York! (While I am sure many of today's parents would find that an especially shocking idea, kids are immediately captivated by this story.) Once at the museum, the story blossoms into a mystery with the arrival of an angel statue and the questions about the style (and persona) of the story's narrator.

Reading Level: 6.8
Guided Reading Level: S
Lexile Level: 700L

Big Ideas and Discussion Topics


  • Identity. Claudia struggles with this idea of who she is and how she wants to be someone "different" when she returns from her adventures. Kids can often relate to these ideas, as well as use this as a jumping off point to discuss their own self-identity.
  • Perspective and point of view. (Unreliable narrator.) The frame of the book establishes that the narrator is somehow involved in the story, but [her] role does not become clear until much later in the book. This is a great opportunity for readers to infer and make predictions about the identity of the narrator.

Suggested Chapter Breakdowns


I usually use four to six sections for Book Club discussions with my students. They meet twice a week (often Tuesdays and Thursdays), which gives us two or three weeks to finish any given round. When I first started I had many more Book Club divisions, but I found that kids had a hard time sustaining interest in a book when it became incredibly drawn out.
  1. Intro and Chapter 1, pages 1-18
  2. Chapter 2-3, pages 19-42
  3. Chapter 4, pages 43-66
  4. Chapters 5-6, pages 67-101
  5. Chapters 7-8, pages 102-123
  6. Chapters 9-10, pages 124-162
Or, if you want to complete it in four sessions:
  1. Intro and Chapters 1-3, pages 1-42
  2. Chapters 4-5, pages 43-87
  3. Chapters 6-8, pages 88-123
  4. Chapters 9-10, pages 124-162
[Please check page numbers against your own editions, as publishers sometimes change the size or shape of the book, which can alter the page numbers.]

Did you ever want to run away from home? (Click here for more Book Club recommendations.)

Monday, February 22, 2016

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 2/22/16


It's Monday! What are you reading? was started by Sheila at Book Journey and was adapted for children's books from picture books through YA by Jen of Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee of Unleashing Readers. You can visit either site for a round up of blogs sharing their weekly readings and thoughts or search Twitter for #IMWAYR.



Last Weeks' Posts


Picture Books



Swap! (2/9/2016) by Steve Light. A few weeks ago, I received a curious envelope containing a bright red button and the suggestion to try and swap that button for the greatest haul. My students and I enjoyed studying the cover art and speculating about the book. This charming, near-wordless tale, shows how a little ingenuity - and some clever swaps - can help out a friend.


Imaginary Fred (2015) by Eoin Colfer and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers. This interesting take on the imaginary-friend-picture-book focuses on the imaginary friend, Fred, and his fervent desire to not be forgotten and separated from the human friends he keeps making. This one has some cute twists and humor that will appeal to kids. (Another to add to my growing list of Fun Picture Books about Imaginary Friends.)

This is one of several books I am catching up on to be prepared for the upcoming March Book Madness - who, helpfully, made the list of picture books available earlier, so I hope to have all of them in my classroom for the big launch on March 1st.


Robo-Sauce (2015) by Adam Rubin and illustrated by Daniel Salmieri. This one is a concept book, which I think kids will find really appealing, but I'm not sure about the lasting appeal beyond the concept. Kids like robots and robot-induced destruction, so we shall see what my students think.

Middle Grade



Fridays with the Wizards (2/16/2016) by Jessica Day George. This is the fourth book in the Castle Glower series (which begins with Tuesdays at the Castle) and one of my new favorites. Unlike some of the middle books, the story is decently self-contained within the one book, and there are plenty of clues for savvy readers to follow as the mysteries grow. When I lent this book first to one of my previous students who had introduced me to the series, the squeals and whoops were audible all down the hallway, so I had to snag this one quickly to get it back circulating to its ever-growing hold list.

Happy Reading!

Sunday, February 21, 2016

If You Like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ...

This semester, my students are sharing book reviews in a different format, linking one book they thought many people in the class might have read and another that would appeal to a reader of the first book. (Please note that my third graders read a wide variety of books across a wide variety of genres, levels, and topics. Do not think that these books are "only" for third graders.)

This "If you like ... read this next ..." format was inspired by the We Need Diverse Books summer reading series. They used the format to encourage people to find and read diverse books, so all of their "read this next" choices highlight great, diverse book choices. You can find their posts here on their Tumblr page.

If You Like Harry Potter 7 ...

By: Sadie

If you like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, then you will love The Nest!

This well written book by Kenneth Oppel is about a boy (named Steve) who finds a nest in his back yard... Explore the secrets of The Nest and and uncover the secrets of Steve's backyard! Find out who is good and who is bad, who is telling the truth and who is pulling your leg, who is real and who is not!

On the back of this wonderful book it says:

I thought
it was just a dream
I thought
it had no power over me
"Fine"
I whispered

The Nest is just like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in the scene that they both are mysteries that have that spooky creepy ghost story type of thing!

I would recommend this book to any one who likes mystery, bugs, ghost stories, or anything else along those lines!

Looking for more book recommendations? Check out the #3rdfor3rd tag for book recommendations written by my third graders about their favorite books or the Read This Next tag for more recommendations like this one!

Friday, February 19, 2016

10 Diverse Artists' Picture Book Biographies #nf10for10


Hooray, it's time for Nonfiction Picture Book 10 for 10! Get your library card out, because this is a great opportunity to find out about new nonfiction books. This year I have decided to share a Top 10 of favorite picture book biographies featuring diverse artists across a wide range of artistic pursuits. (Looking for more? Check out last year's Top 10 Favorite Folk Tales to Read Aloud.)


Now in its fourth year, Nonfiction Picture Book 10 for 10 (#nf10for10) is co-hosted by Mandy Robek of Enjoy and Embrace Learning, Julie Balen of Write at the Edge, and Cathy Mere of Reflect & Refine.  This year all activity is collected on the Picture Book 10 for 10 Community.

10 Incredible Picture Book Biographies of Diverse Artists


Writers and Poets


Issa, Japanese haiku poet


Cool Melons Turn to Frogs - the life and poems of Issa by Matthew Gollub (text and haiku translations) and illustrated by Kazuko G. Stone. This biography of the famous Japanese poet Issa (1763-1827)  links his personal story to some of the many haiku that he wrote and published. The book concludes with a detailed Author's Note about the story, the illustrations, additional discussion of a few of the haiku from the book, and a description of haiku in general. These are great resources for getting students to know more about the history of haiku and to study powerful examples of Japanese haiku. (Read more Picture Books about Haiku.)

Phillis Wheatley, first published African-American female poet


Phillis's Big Test (2008) by Catherine Clinton and illustrated by Sean Qualls. In 1773, young Phillis Wheatley became the first published African American poet. The frame of this story is the day that she was called to account for herself before a group of 18 white men, and during the course of her walk to the examination, she reflects on her upbringing and path towards poetry. Sean Qualls's illustrations convey great depths of emotion in this book, particularly in the subtle expressions of Phillis. This is a great book for introducing students to Phillis Wheatley and for beginning a conversation about slavery and educational opportunities. (Find out about more picture book biographies illustrated by Sean Qualls here.)

George Moses Horton, first African-American poet published in the south


Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton (2015) by Don Tate. This biographical picture book introduces readers to enslaved poet George Moses Horton, the first African-American to be published in the south. I found it especially interesting that the author's note opens with a comment about his initial reluctance to write and illustrate stories about slavery.

Pablo Neruda, Chilean poet


Pablo Neruda: poet of the people (2011) by Monica Brown and illustrated by Julie Paschkis. This biography of Pablo Neruda provides a look at his life and how they influenced his poems. The amazing illustrations complement and extend the text, as they are also overflowing with English and Spanish words. This book sparked some interesting conversations with my students, particularly around the idea that Pablo Neruda had to leave his home country of Chile but was not a criminal.

Musicians


Melba Doretta Liston, trombone player


Little Melba and Her Big Trombone (2014) by Katheryn Russell-Brown and illustrated by Frank Morrison. Melba fell in love with the trombone at the age of 7, eventually joining a touring band and playing with and for many other famous jazz musicians. This picture book does a great job of laying out her childhood and inspirations with engaging illustrations.

Trombone Shorty, trombone player


Trombone Shorty (2015) by Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews and illustrated by Bryan Collier [a Coretta Scott King Book Award winner and a Caldecott Honor book]. This exuberant autobiography celebrates the childhood of New Orleans musical prodigy Troy Andrews (nicknamed Trombone Shorty for his small size compared to his chosen instrument). This is a great book for introducing kids to this modern musical wonder.

Performers


Josephine Baker, actress/singer


Josephine: the dazzling life of Josephine Baker (2014) by Patricia Hruby Powell and illustrated by Christian Robinson [a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Book Award winner and a Siebert Honor book]. Perhaps an unusual choice for a children's picture book, this book celebrates the life and advocacy of Josephine Baker, and the book does a good job of presenting the context of the racism and civil rights challenges she faced during her career. Extensively researched with detailed backmatter.

Misty Copeland, ballerina


Firebird: ballerina Misty Copeland shows a young girl how to dance like the firebird by Misty Copeland and illustrated by Christopher Myers. This wonderful and inspiring picture book should be beloved by dancers and ballerinas worldwide. Misty Copeland shares her meditation on power and promise, as she highlights the trail she blazed for dancers of color. I think reading the Author's Note first (or briefly meditating on the extensive subtitle) might be helpful to establish context for the story, especially for younger readers. Christopher Myers adds incredible layers of meaning with his colorful and dynamic mixed media illustrations. [This one is more of a story than a true autobiography, but I think it's a worthwhile read.]

Visual Artists


Vasya (Wassily) Kandinsky, abstract painter


The Noisy Paint Box: the colors and sounds of Kandinsky's abstract art (2014) by Barb Rosenstock and illustrated by Mary Grandpré [a Caldecott Honor book]. This picture book biography details the childhood of Russian painter Kandinsky, and the connections between his synesthesia (ability to "see" music as colors) and his art. The significant backmatter includes some of his illustrations as well as an author's note and additional resources.

Gordon Parks, photographer


Gordon Parks: how the photographer captured black and white America (2015) by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Jamey Christoph. I am embarrassed to admit that I had not heard of Gordon Parks before learning about this biography. He was a powerful photographer of Jim Crow and Civil Rights era America, and the first black photographer at Life magazine. This picture book biography details his childhood as well as his career and its impact. Just last week, Gordon Parks won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Children's Literary Work! Read more about Parks and see links to his archives over at my photography blog.

Runners Up


There were many great books to choose from, which is part of the fun of this event! One of the big questions I kept asking myself was what exactly constitutes a nonfiction picture book biography, and Alyson's timely post over at Kid Lit Frenzy (Fiction in Children's Nonfiction) helped solidify some of my thoughts on the topic. There are many great books out there that fall more into a "historical fiction" or perhaps "informational fiction" category - with more extrapolation or invented dialogue than a truly nonfiction biography. I wanted to highlight two of those books below too.


Drum Dream Girl: how one girl's courage changed music (2015) by Margarita Engle and illustrated by Rafael López. This powerful true story was inspired by the early life of Chinese-African-Cuban Millo Castro Zaldarriaga. Millo broke the Cuban taboo against female drummers and performed with her sisters as part of Cuba's first "all-girl dance band" in the 1930s. This story inspired some powerful conversations with my students about rules, especially ones about things boys or girls are told they cannot do.


Viva Frida (2014) by Yuyi Morales. My local library classifies this book as nonfiction, but it is written as if Frida Kahlo herself were speaking. In orders for kids to make sense of this book-told-as-diorama, it really helps to first provide them with some background on Frida, her actual look, and her artwork. This book is a favorite of our librarian and is growing on me.

Need more #nf10for10? Check out the rest of the posts, collected at the Picture Book 10 for 10 Community or my posts from previous years: Top 10 Favorite Folk Tales to Read Aloud and, for fiction, Top 10 Picture Books Featuring Diverse Characters and Top 10 Picture Book Must-Have Read Alouds. Or, looking for even more diverse, inclusive, and multicultural books? Check out my growing aggregated list here: Multicultural Book Lists.

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Book Club Discussion "Jobs"


Small group book discussions are a great way to get kids interested, excited, and engaged with books! I use a Book Club discussion format loosely based around the books Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in Book Clubs and Reading Groups and Book Club: a Literature-Based Curriculum.

I have found that Book Club discussions work best when everyone comes prepared with information to share. To that end, I have found that a mix of more open-ended categories or "jobs" works well when combined with a small number of more directed questions or vocabulary words.

Looking for great books for Book Club discussions? Check out my recommendations here.


Launching Book Club Discussions


Early in the year when we have our first round of Book Clubs, each student in a group is assigned a different job or role. This works best if you have the same number of jobs as times the Book Club will meet (i.e. four jobs for four discussions). That way everyone has a chance to do each job at least once. 

Here are the initial descriptions I include for each job:

Connector

Your job is to find connections between the book and the world outside. This means connecting the reading to

  • your own life.
  • happenings at school or in the neighborhood.
  • similar events at other times and places.
  • stories in the news.
  • other people or problems.
  • other books or stories.
  • other writings on the same topic.
Some things this reading reminded me of were:

Question Asker

Your job is to write down some good questions for your group to talk about. These could be questions

  • you had while you were reading
  • about a character
  • about the story
  • about a word
  • you’d like to ask the author
  • and more !

Write your questions here :

Passage Picker

Your job is to pick parts of the story that you want to read aloud and talk about in your group. These can be
  • a good part
  • an interesting part
  • a funny part
  • a scary part
  • some good writing
  • a good description

Be sure to mark the page number(s) of the parts you want to share. You may also want to use a post-it or a bookmark to mark the spots.

Parts to read out loud : [Here I include a table with two columns: page number and why I picked it]

Word Wizard

Your job is to look for special words in the story. Words that are

  • new
  • strange
  • funny
  • interesting
  • important
  • hard

When you find a word that you want to talk about, write it down below. You may also want to use a post-it or a bookmark to mark the spot. You may also want to use the dictionary to look up one or more of your words.

When your Book Club meets, help your classmates talk about the words you have chosen. Things you can discuss:

  • How does this word fit in the story?
  • Does anyone know what this word means?

[Then I include a table with four columns: word, page number, why I picked it, and dictionary definition.]

Artful Artist

Here is where you will draw something about the story that you liked: a character, the setting, a problem, an exciting part, a surprise, a prediction, etc. You may want to label your picture.


After students are comfortable with the different jobs, I shorten the descriptions considerably:

Connector

Here is where you will find connections between the book and the world outside. "Some things today’s reading reminded me of were ..."

Question Asker

Here is where you will write down good questions for your group to discuss. Remember to think about thick discussion questions with multiple answers rather than thin, simple "yes" or "no" questions.

Passage Picker

Here is where you will pick parts of the story that you want to read aloud and talk about in your group. Be sure to mark the part(s) you want to share with a sticky note and record why you picked that passage(s).

Word Wizard

Your job is to look for special words in the story. When you find a word you want to talk about, mark it with a sticky note and record why you picked it. You should also look up the definition.

Artful Artist

Here is where you will draw something about the story that you liked: a character, the setting, a problem, an exciting part, a surprise, a prediction, etc. You may want to label your picture.

The second major component of a good Book Club is the directed discussion questions. I'll talk more about those in my next post.

Looking for more Book Club articles and recommendations? Click here or the Book Club tag.

February's Kid Lit Blog Hop


Hello! Welcome to the February 2016 Kid Lit Blog Hop. This exciting, now monthly hop, is where we develop an engaged group of people who love everything that has to do with children's literature. Everyone is welcome to join us: bloggers, authors, publicist, and publishers!

Simply make a post and add it to the linky. (Please make sure to add your direct post only) If you are an author, feel free just to link to your blog. Once you are done, then hop around to visit others. Please follow the co-host and visit at least the two people above your link. Please leave a comment when you do visit, we all like those. Also, it would be appreciated if you grab the Kid Lit Blog Hop Badge and display it on your blog and/or your post.

* Also, for teachers, World Read Aloud Day is coming up on Wed. Feb. 24th. Many authors are offering free Skype visits with classrooms during the day. Find a full list here! *

Our next hop will be March 16, 2016. The hostess will be around to see you soon.

Happy Hopping!

Reading AuthorsHostess
Julie Grasso, Author/Blogger
Cheryl Carpinello, Author/Blogger
BeachBoundBooks
Pragmatic Mom
The Logonauts
A Book Long Enough
Spark and Pook
Hits and Misses


Link Up Below:





Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Announcing the Cybils Award for Fiction Picture Books ...


I was honored this year to be a member of the Round 2 judging committee for the Cybils Awards in the category of Fiction Picture Books. The Round 1 judges did the very impossible task of narrowing hundreds of nominees down to 7 incredible choices. Huge thanks to my fellow Round 2 judges for a wonderfully productive time of deep book analysis and discussion! Thanks to Myra from Gathering Books, Julie Rowan-Zoch. Benji Martin of St. James School, and Andrea Mack of That's Another Story.

The winners were officially announced on Sunday (read the full release here), and I am pleased to share that the 2015 Cybils Award for Fiction Picture Books goes to ...


Sidewalk Flowers by Jon Arno and illustrated by Sydney Smith. Here is our official write-up on the winner:

"A distracted dad and his daughter take a walk home in this beautifully illustrated, wordless picture book. The story unfolds through a unique combination of graphic novel style format and traditional full-bleed or framed art. While the city seems drab and dark in the beginning, the little girl finds beauty around every corner. Details invite the reader to linger and pause over the pages, discovering along with the girl on her walk through the neighborhood. As she matter-of-factly shares her appreciation for things around her, color begins to spread beyond just the people and places where she distributes her finds. Readers young and old alike will be charmed by this story of a little girl’s ability to stop and notice the weeds and her natural willingness to spread kindness in a busy, fast-paced world. The wordless aspect of the book makes it accessible to everyone, no matter what language they read or speak."

Cybils 2015 Fiction Picture Book Honor Books



Last Stop on Market Street (2015) by Matt de la Peña and illustrated by Christian Robinson. [Winner of the Caldecott Honor, Newbery Medal, and more!] Read my original review here.


In a Village by the Sea (2015) by Muon Van and illustrated by April Chu. Read my previous review here.


Mango, Abuela, and Me by Meg Medina and illustrated by Angela Dominguez [a Pura Belpre Honor Book for both writing and illustrations]. Also available in Spanish.


Hoot Owl: Master of Disguise, written by Sean Taylor, illustrated by Jean Jullien.


Blizzard written and illustrated by John Rocco.


Bug in a Vacuum by Melanie Watt.

Click here to read about the winners in all the other categories!

Monday, February 15, 2016

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 2/15/16


It's Monday! What are you reading? was started by Sheila at Book Journey and was adapted for children's books from picture books through YA by Jen of Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee of Unleashing Readers. You can visit either site for a round up of blogs sharing their weekly readings and thoughts or search Twitter for #IMWAYR.



Last Weeks' Posts

  • Free Webcast with Stephan Pastis - plus a giveaway! Candlewick is sponsoring a free web cast geared at teachers with author Stephan Pastis on Mon. Feb. 22nd. This post has the details about where to sign up - plus a chance to win all four Timmy Failure books!

Picture Books



Be a Friend (2016) by Selina Yoon. I was really eager to get my hands on this book after reading so many glowing reviews and teasers, but I'm just not sure it lives up to the hype. Dennis, who is a mime, lives life his own way but still feels lonely, until another student reaches out to him. I get the message (it's in the title, after all) but not sure how much kids will take away from it. This is definitely a book I want to try out with kids to see what they think.

Middle Grade



Waylon! One Awesome Thing (4/2016 ARC provided with Scholastic Book Orders) by Sara Pennypacker. Fans of Clementine, rejoice! Despite officially ending the Clementine series of books, Sara Pennypacker is back with a new series featuring other children in Clementine's class, now that they have moved on to fourth grade.

Waylon is a science guy, but he's not sure what that means for where he fits in with the rest of his class - especially now that the boys are forming "teams" and choosing sides. His sister is dealing with her own teenage issues, leaving Waylon feeling more and more alone. This is a series that will draw in readers of realistic fiction, lovers of science, and many more.

Happy Reading!