Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Middle School Book Club Books: disabilities

Book clubs are a great way to get kids reading and discussing books. Rather than a whole-class novel, I like to select several books related by a central theme and let students rank their top choices. (Different books appeal to different readers, and I almost always have a good split with everyone able to get their first or second choice.) Click the "Book Club" tag for other posts about great books for book club discussions, as well as generic questions to use for discussions.

Middle School Book Club Books: disabilities


Many of my seventh graders are strongly drawn to fantasy, science fiction, and dystopia genres of books. Few are active readers of contemporary realistic fiction, which is why I chose that genre for our first book club set of the year.

To narrow it down even further, I picked books that featured a main character with a disability, so that we could explore alternate points of view and learn about kids who lives might be significantly different than our own. Below are my blurbs for each book as well as a few thoughts about the benefits of each book.


Anything But Typical by Norah Raleigh Baskin, p. 208. Sixth grader Jason knows that his many labels and abbreviations (including autism) make him different than his neuro-typical peers, but as an author he finds he is in full control.

This one was a winner of the Schneider Family Book Award (which honors books that include authentic portrayals of the disability experience), and its first-person narrative makes the book intimate and immediate. It's tough, as the reader, to see Jason's efforts to navigate his world and the ways that he is perceived by his peers. A bit of a sad read.


Fish in a Tree (2015) by Lynda Mullaly Hunt, p. 288. Sixth grader Ally has become an expert at hiding her inability to read, and she is afraid to ask for help, after all, how can you cure dumb?

As a teacher, I found the beginning of this book fairly painful to read. It is so hard to hear Ally's inside thoughts as her teacher misunderstands and demands things of her. We have all had those students that are harder to reach, and we never get the opportunity to see them from the inside. In this story, Ally has made it to sixth grade without recognizing her own dyslexia, and her struggles to fit in and to game the system have reached their breaking point. This is a great story of the power of friendship, self-realization, and self-acceptance.


Al Capone Does My Shirts (2004) by Gennifer Choldenko [Newbery Honor winner], p. 288. Middle schooler Moose moves with his family to Alcatraz in the 1930s, when it was the highest security prison. Moose is struggling to fit in while also helping his “different” sister, Natalie, adjust to their new life.

Set on Alcatraz Island during the 1930s when the prison was operating, the book is narrated by Moose whose family has just moved to the island. This is a humorous and charming story as Moose tries to fit in at school and with the other island kids while also balancing the needs of his "younger" sister, Natalie (who today we would recognize as autistic). Raises some really interesting questions about mental illness and disability in a historical context.

Additional Middle Grade Disability-Focused Books


The following titles were not ones I used this year but would be great books to consider adding when making your own lists. (Some of these titles are read at our school in younger years, so many students had already read them.)


Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin is told from the perspective of Rose, a young girl with a diagnosis of high functioning autism. There were some great and engaging things about this book, but I was hoping for more. Will be interested to get some student perspectives on this one ...


Rules (2006) by Cynthia Lord [Newbery Honor Book and Schneider Family Book Award Winner]. This story is told from the perspective of the older sister who creates different rules and coping strategies to try and help her younger brother who has severe autism. This is a lovely (and entertaining) family story, as well as an informative look at what it means to have a sibling with a disability.


Out of My Mind (2010) by Sharon Draper, p. 295 is told from the perspective of the main character, Melody, who has cerebal palsy. Initially diagnosed as non-verbal, she undergoes a giant transformation through the book as she finally finds a way to successfully communicate. This is a powerful story about facing down challenges - but without falling back on a simplistic "happy ending." A great one for empathy and facilitating discussions.


Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key is the first book in a five-book series by Jack Gantos [National Book Award Finalist]. The titular main character is based on the author's own experience growing up as a kid with ADHD before such a diagnosis was common. You'll have to read the book to find out why he in fact does swallow his house key ...


El Deafo by Cece Bell. This sensitive autobiographical graphic novel focuses on the author's experience growing up and losing her hearing at age 4, as well as her later trials and tribulations with her gigantic Phonic Ear. I think the graphic novel format (and rabbits for characters) makes this book accessible to a wide-range of readers. A great book for talking about differences and how to treat others.


Freak the Mighty (1993) by Rodman Philbrick. This is a story of friendship that transcends stereotypes and abilities. The narrator, Maxwell, is a lumbering giant of a middle schooler who has been diagnosed with learning disabilities. But he finds his voice and his confidence when Kevin ("Freak"), a boy with a genetic condition that has kept him small and required to wear leg braces, moves in next door. Together they become Freak the Mighty and take on challenges both real and imagined. (I read the 20th Anniversary edition which also contains significant back matter including some priceless letters to the author from children.)


Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick. This second giant illustrated novel by Brian Selznick features a main character who is deaf and navigates her way through the wordless sections of the story.

Do you have any favorites that I missed? Click the "Book Club" tag for other posts about great books for book club discussions, as well as generic questions to use for discussions.

Monday, November 28, 2016

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 11/28/16


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 Week's Posts


      Picture Books



      The Journey (2016) by Francesco Sanna. This picture book tells an intentionally-generic version of a forced immigration story as the narrator, her brother, and her mother flee their home country after the war and the death of her father. The book was inspired by the author's encounter with refugee girls in Italy. This one doesn't work for me as well as other immigration / migration / refugee books. The generic nature of the story makes it harder to connect with the characters, and I felt like the cartoonish border guards also downplay the seriousness of the issue. I'd love to hear other opinions!


      Teacup (2015) by Rebecca Young and illustrated by Matt Ottley. In a similar vein, Teacup is a metaphorical story of a journey by a young boy with very little. With this one, I'm left baffled as to what the story is actually a metaphor for and why I should care. This one is not my cup of tea, if you'll pardon the pun.


      Those Shoes (2007) by Maribeth Boelts and illustrated by Noah Z. Jones. A good book for discussing the impact of peer pressure and the allure of pricy status items. (Maybe one that folks should have read before rushing out for their Black Friday shopping!)

      Middle Grade



      When the Sea Turned to Silver (2016) by Grace Lin [National Book Award longlist]. Last week I re-read the first two books in this trilogy (Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and Starry River of the Sky) which, while not a requirement, did make for some easier connections between the stories.

      Like the previous two books, this one is a story with many stories within it that draw on ancient Chinese folktales (some explicitly and some implicitly). I was far more familiar with many of the tales incorporated into this book, as several have been turned into picture books by illustrator Demi or are included in Favorite Folktales from Around the World, edited by Jane Yolen. This one provides a satisfying resolution to the trilogy (which I think is all is will be?), but I think that Starry River of the Sky might actually be my favorite of the three ...

      Middle School



      ... and speaking of threes, I also read March Book Three (2016) by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin and illustrated by Nate Powell [National Book Award Winner]. This is an important and powerful read, especially now. It is frankly disconcerting to see this look back at the work leading up to the passage of the Voting Rights and Civil Rights Acts and then compare it to how they are currently being eroded. A must-read.

      Happy Reading!

      Wednesday, November 23, 2016

      Featured Illustrator: Melissa Sweet

      If I could be any illustrator, I think I would want to be Melissa Sweet. Something about her style appeals so deeply to me, and I love how she incorporates layers of found materials and other ephemera into her work. I've actually tried to make a few "Melissa-Sweet inspired" scrapbook pages of my own, and let me tell you, it is a lot of work to put something like that together!

      In this post, I'm sharing two of my favorite categories of books by Melissa Sweet: her biographies (both written by her or with Jan Bryant) and her illustrations for books or poems or books on writing. Interested in more illustrators? Click the "Featured Illustrator" tag to see all the posts.

      Biographies



      Some Writer! The Story of E. B. White (2016) by Melissa Sweet. I need to write an ode about how much I love Melissa Sweet. Her scrapbooky style of artwork is always so inspiring, and she did an amazing job incorporating so many actual photographs and ephemera from the White family. This biography seems like an instant classic for anyone who loves and appreciates the stories of E. B. White. As a teacher, one of my favorite insights was the inclusion of multiple (wildly different) drafts of the opening page of Charlotte's Web. A mini-lesson in the making.


      The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus (2014) by Jen Bryant and illustrated by Melissa Sweet [a Siebert Award winner and a Newbery Honor winner]. This is a great biography of Roget with a lot of insight into the creation of the original thesaurus. Will definitely share this one with students when we get to talking about how and why to use a thesaurus. Fascinating to read how the idea evolved and to see the original meaning-based organization of the first edition.



      River of Words: the story of William Carlos Williams (2007) by Jen Bryant and illustrated by Melissa Sweet. I shared pieces of this bibliography every year with my students when we studied some of the poems of William Carlos Williams (read full details in Teaching Poetry with Love that Dog). I really like how the illustrations convey the connections between Williams's "real" profession (being a doctor) and the sights and sounds of his farm that inspired his poetry.

      On Poems and Writing



      You Nest Here with Me (2015) by Jane Yolen and Heidi Stemple and illustrated by Melissa Sweet. This precious poetry book is one that I fell in love with immediately. The soothing and rhythmic rhymes are perfectly complemented by the endearing collage and mixed media style of Melissa Sweet. Different birds and their nests are introduced, and the mother reassures her daughter through the repeating refrain of "You nest here with me." This is a book that I have given as a gift to several friends to read to their children.


      Firefly July: a year of very short poems (2014) selected by Paul Janeczko and illustrated by Melissa Sweet.The book is arranged seasonally with a wonderful array of short poems for each season. Each poem is accompanied by the incredible art of Melissa Sweet, whose bright collage style ought to make anyone want to create art. A combination of one and two-page spreads as well as clever poem juxtapositions make this book a treasure.


      Little Red Writing by Joan Holub and illustrated by Melissa Sweet. There are so many great things going on in this book! First, of course, is the fact that Little Red (the pencil) is writing her own Red Riding Hood parody, but I also love the inclusion of individual parts of speech and the "story path" for how to create a fiction story. This could be a touchstone text for students when writing their own fiction stories, as well as helping them use different grammar and parts of speech to bolster their writing. Fun!

      A quick search of my public library reveals many many more wonderful books written or illustrated by Melissa Sweet. Did I miss any of your favorites? Please share in the comments below.

      Looking for more great illustrators? Click the "Featured Illustrator" tag for more.


      Monday, November 21, 2016

      It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 11/21/16


      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 Week's Posts

      • Mock Caldecott, part 2. Sharing the second of two posts about my predictions for this year's Caldecott. Our school librarian and I are working to narrow down favorites for our school's own Mock Caldecott.

        Picture Books



        Freedom in Congo Square (2016) by Carole Boston Weatherford and R. Gregory Christie. I actually wrote a whole Poetry Friday post about this poem as picture book.

        Middle Grade


         

        Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (2009, Newbery Honor) and Starry River of the Sky (2012) by Grace Lin. I am starting to put together a Mock Newbery list for this year, and Grace Lin's newest book, When the Sea Turned to Silver (already a National Book Award Finalist), is definitely on my to-read list.

        It had been a while since I'd read Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, and I'd never read Starry River of the Sky, so I decided I wanted to read them both before approached the third book. I'm so glad I did. Both books are fabulous, and reading them in quick succession made the many connections and hints between the two of them that much more obvious and appreciated. Amazing books!

        Middle School



        I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth Barton de Trevino [Newbery Winner]. I inherited this book set from the previous seventh grade teacher. This historical fiction tale is based on the life of Juan de Pareja, a slave of master Spanish painter Velázquez. I'm probably not going to use it with my students - it doesn't really fit the social studies curriculum (currently the exploration and conquest of North America), and it portrays an overly idealized version of slavery. (This book brings my #Nerdbery count up to 48 of the 95 winners.)


        As Brave As You (2016) by Jason Reynolds. I thoroughly enjoyed this newest offering from Jason Reynolds. Brothers Ernie and Genie are dropped off at their grandparents' house for a month to give their parents time to work on their relationship. They learn interesting things about their grandparents and about each other, while trying to figure out some of the tension between their dad and his dad. I loved Genie's lists of questions and his constant (and honest) curiosity about the world around him. As Brave As You reminded me of other newer "classic-feeling" slice-of-life or summer family and friendship tales like The PenderwicksGone Crazy in Alabama, and Hour of the Bees. Another for the Mock Newbery list?

        Happy Reading!

        Saturday, November 19, 2016

        Favorite LGBTQ Books and Other Great #DiverseKidLit

        Our theme for this month's Diverse Children's Books linkups is Favorite Children's Books Featuring an LGBTQ Character(s). (The theme is only a suggestion. Diverse posts on alternate topics are always welcome.)

        What Is #DiverseKidLit?


        Diverse Children's Books is a book-sharing meme designed to promote the reading and writing of children's books that feature diverse characters. This community embraces all kinds of diversity including (and certainly not limited to) diverse, inclusive, multicultural, and global books for children of all backgrounds.

        We encourage everyone who shares to support this blogging community by visiting and leaving comments for at least three others. Please also consider following the hosts on at least one of their social media outlets. Spread the word using #diversekidlit and/or adding our button to your site and your diverse posts.

        DiverseKidLit

        We hope this community will grow into a great resource for parents, teachers, librarians, publishers, and authors! Our next linkup will be Saturday, December 3rd and on the first and third Saturdays of every month.

        Upcoming Theme


        Our theme for the current linkup is Favorite Children's Books Featuring an LGBTQ Character(s). Themes are a suggestion only; all diverse book posts are welcome. If you're interested, you can start planning now for our upcoming themes ...
        • December 3rd linkup: Favorite Holiday Books. (Please feel free to share any holiday resources, not just winter holidays.) We will only hold 1 linkup in December, which will be open all month long.
        • January 7th and 21st linkups: Human Rights. In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which is celebrated in the US in January, think about your favorite books to share with children about the importance and the history of human rights and/or civil rights.

        Most Clicked Post from Last Time



        Our most-clicked post from last time is We Need Family for a Lifetime: November Is National Adoption Month. In addition to the previous #diversekidlit linkup, Gayle shares several great book recommendations about adoption and adoptive families. This is an important reminder about making sure that all children and all families find themselves in literature. Thanks, Gayle!

        My #DiverseKidLit Shout-Out



        Last week I finished reading Gracefully Grayson (2014) by Ami Polonsky. Grayson has always hidden his interests: bright colored pens, drawings of princesses, but a new friend and a supportive teacher help him to realize how to be true to himself and to share with his school and family the girl she truly feels herself to be. This book does a good job of highlighting the many challenges facing transgender children, both internal and external, as well as helpful and unhelpful ways to respond and support them. A great addition to a middle grade or middle school collection!

        #DiverseKidLit is Hosted by:


        Want to be notified when the next #diversekidlit linkup goes live?

        Receive an email reminder for each new #diversekidlit linkup





        Interested in joining as a host or an occasional co-host? Contact katie at thelogonauts.com.

        (Never participated in a linkup before? Please click here for a more detailed step-by-step.)

        Get #DiverseKidLit Recommendations on Pinterest!


        Our Pinterest board highlights a wide range of amazing posts and resources for Diverse Children's Books. Please consider following the board for even more great books!





        Friday, November 18, 2016

        Poetry Friday: Freedom in Congo Square


        Freedom in Congo Square (2016) by Carole Boston Weatherford and R. Gregory Christie.

        I love picture books that are truly poems. Freedom in Congo Square tells a rhythmic interpretation of the weekly countdown to the one half-day of free time granted to slaves in New Orleans. Each day of the week is represented through the grind of the work and abuse heaped on different slaves in different situations. This acknowledgement of the tough conditions helps emphasize the importance of Congo Square and the relative "freedom" it represented, as slaves were allowed time to themselves to freely sing, dance, and host markets.


        The book opens with a full-page spread setting the historical context, and it ends with a lengthy author's note about the history and the actual location of Congo Square (now a part of Louis Armstrong Park). This one is a favorite of our school librarian and may make it into the running for our school's Mock Caldecott conversation as well.

        Visit Friendly Fairy Tales for more Poetry Friday posts or click the Poetry Friday tag for more of my poetry posts.

        Wednesday, November 16, 2016

        Mock Caldecott Contenders 2017, part 2

        Last week, I shared the first half of my favorite picks for this year's Caldecott Award. Today I'll finish up my picks, and by the end of December I hope to have the finalized ballot put together for our school's Mock Caldecott discussion and voting.

        (Click the 'Caldecott' tag to see previous ballots and winners. Our students have a great track record over the last two years, having previous picked winner/honor books like Finding Winnie, Waiting, and Beekle.)

        Mock Caldecott 2017 Contenders, part 2 



        The Princess and the Warrior: a tale of two volcanoes illustrated and written by Duncan Tonatiuh. This classic legend from ancient Mexico has roots in the Aztec and Tlaxcalan cultures, and Duncan has also included a connection to the Mixtec codices which inspired his signature artistic style. The artwork is incredible, and the story reads like a Shakespearean tragedy. This is a wonderful addition to any classroom or library. For more about Duncan Tonatiuh, please read Featured Illustrator: Duncan Tonatiuh, part 1: fictional stories and part 2: biographies. I expect this one to rate highly in our school's Mock Caldecott voting, as Duncan will be visiting our school next month!



        Return (2016) by Aaron Becker. It's here, it's here! The glorious and satisfying conclusion to the trilogy begun with Journey [a Caldecott Honor book] and continued with Quest. Return brings a new character into the fold - the girl's father, who begins the story by ignoring her kite-flying pleas. I was so pleased with how this story ties the whole series together, and I cannot wait to reread all three of them and analyze the hints and connections within them. (A review copy of the book was provided by the Candlewick Best in Class mailing. All thoughts are my own.)


        Some Writer! The Story of E. B. White (2016) by Melissa Sweet. I need to write an ode about how much I love Melissa Sweet. Her scrapbooky style of artwork is always so inspiring, and she did an amazing job incorporating so many actual photographs and ephemera from the White family. This biography seems like an instant classic for anyone who loves and appreciates the stories of E. B. White. As a teacher, one of my favorite insights was the inclusion of multiple (wildly different) drafts of the opening page of Charlotte's Web. A mini-lesson in the making.


        Follow the Moon Home: a tale of one idea, twenty kids, and a hundred sea turtles illustrated by Meilo So and written by Philippe Cousteau and Deborah Hopkinson. Inspired by true events, this picture book tells the story of a classroom of activists who use their observational skills to identify a problem in their sea-side town: baby sea turtles mistaking house lights for the moon and dying before making it to the ocean. This is a great one for teachers to inspire their own activists - and their own towns! Adding this to my list of wonderful books illustrated by Meilo So.


        Ada's Violin: the story of the recycled orchestra of Paraguay, illustrated by Sally Wern Comport and written by Susan Hood. This book is based on the inspiring true story of the origins of the "recycled orchestra" and its impact on the lives of the kids in it. The illustrations do a fascinating job of using mixed media to tell the visual side of the story, and the backmatter provides more details and photographs of the actual orchestra.


        Child of Books written and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston. This one is a fabulous meta-journey about the power of books and being a book reader. The illustrations incorporate lines and pages from famous "classic" books, whose titles and authors appear in the endpapers. My one nitpick with this book is the lack of diversity (both in the books chosen and in the fact that the same books are used repeatedly). Why not branch out?


        Are We There Yet? written and illustrated by Dan Santat. This story is a visual delight - our poor main character is stuck on a never-ending car ride to his grandmothers, which forces him to get ... creative. Kids will enjoy the interesting twists and turns of this book (literally). And have a phone with a QR code reader handy, just sayin'.


        Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson's Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions illustrated by Dan Tate and written by Chris Barton. I love this new nonfiction biography of Lonnie Johnson, and I wish it had been published before my students started their Passion Projects this spring. The book does a great job of connecting Lonnie's interests as a kid to his future plans, as well as showing the ups and downs of a real career. Definitely a book I will use with kids in the future!


        A Hungry Lion or a Dwindling Assortment of Animals illustrated and written by Lucy Ruth Cummings. Sarcastic irreverent picture books have almost become a genre in themselves (I Want My Hat BackThis is Not My HatCarnivores, and more). This book plays on that idea, as the title sets you up immediately, but perhaps this book is not what you are expecting. Or is it? (This one is a bit of a wildcard pick but one that I think will appeal to my middle schoolers.)

        Stay tuned for the final ballot and the results of our school's Mock Caldecott. (Click the 'Caldecott' tag to see previous ballots and winners.) Which books are your favorites? Share in the comments below!


        Monday, November 14, 2016

        It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 11/14/16


        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 Week's Posts

        • Poetry Friday: peace. Sharing a Wendell Berry poem that our eighth grade teacher read and discussed with her students, following the election results.
        • Mock Caldecott, part 1. Sharing the first of two posts about my predictions for this year's Caldecott. Our school librarian and I are working to narrow down favorites for our school's own Mock Caldecott.

          Picture Books



          A Poem for Peter: the story of Ezra Jack Keats and the creation of The Snowy Day (2016) by Andrea Davis Pickney and illustrated by Lou Fancher and Steve Johnson. This biography of Ezra Jack Keats is told in heartwarming poetry, focused around events in the authors life and how they led him to the creation of the character of Peter, who first appeared in the now-classic (and Caldecott-winning) The Snowy Day. At 60 pages, this makes for a lengthy picture book, even told in poetry, and I question whether it would work well as a read aloud for younger readers and their shorter attention spans. But for those willing to put in the time, it is an inspiring story about the need to speak up for others and ensure that all children can find themselves represented in the pages of books.


          The Promise by Nicola Davies and illustrated by Laura Carlin. I read this book aloud on Wednesday to my seventh graders. I liked the message about how small acts by individuals can turn hard, cold places (and hard, cold people) into warm, inviting, and caring spaces.

          Middle School



          Gracefully Grayson (2014) by Ami Polonsky. Grayson has always hidden his interests: bright colored pens, drawings of princesses, but a new friend and a supportive teacher help him to realize how to be true to himself and to share with his school and family the girl she truly feels herself to be. This book does a good job of highlighting the many challenges facing transgender children, both internal and external, as well as helpful and unhelpful ways to respond and support them. Definitely one I will be adding to the latest Diverse Books for Children: favorite LGBTQ books.


          Finally, as many of you may know, my students are also bloggers! This is my third year with student blogging (though my first with middle schoolers), and while my students' blogs are not public, I do sometimes share their words publicly on The Logonauts. (My #3rdfor3rd series is book reviews written by my third graders). I recently wrote a guest post for a colleague's blog entitled Blogging with Students  - maybe it will inspire you to get your own kiddos blogging!

          Happy Reading!