Cause/Effect

Baba Yaga’s Assistant by Marika McCoola, Illustrated by Emily Carroll

by
Share

Halloween Button 2015

baba yaga

Baba Yaga’s Assistant
Author: Marika McCoola
Illustrator: Emily Carroll
Published August 4th, 2015 by Candlewick Press

Goodreads Summary: 

ASSISTANT WANTED ASAP
Must have skills in hauling, obeying orders, cooking, and cleaning. Magical talent a bonus. Must be good with heights. Enter Baba Yaga’s house to apply.

Most children think twice before braving a haunted wood filled with terrifying beasties to match wits with a witch, but not Masha. Her beloved grandma taught her many things: that stories are useful, that magic is fickle, and that nothing is too difficult or too dirty to clean. The fearsome witch of folklore needs an assistant, and Masha needs an adventure. She may be clever enough to enter Baba Yaga’s house on chicken legs, but within its walls, deceit is the rule. To earn her place, Masha must pass a series of tests, outfox a territorial bear, and make dinner for her host. No easy task, with children on the menu!

Wry, spooky and poignant, Marika McCoola’s debut–with richly layered art by acclaimed graphic artist Emily Carroll–is a storytelling feat and a visual fest.

Kellee’s Review: I first learned about Baba Yaga when I was in middle school, and I learned about Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition suites based on paintings by Viktor Hartmann. Suite 9, “The Hut on Fowl’s Legs” was based off of his painting of a clock in the form of Baba Yaga’s hut. Because I liked the music so much when I first heard it, I wanted to learn more about it, and one of the things I distinctly remember researching was Baba Yaga who I found fascinating! I then was reintroduced to Baba Yaga when I was reading the Fables series by Bill Willingham, and once again I went and read all about her folklore. Which meant when I saw that there was an upcoming graphic novel, my favorite!, about her, I had to get it. 

Marika McCoola’s retelling of the Baba Yaga folktales does them justice. With a mix of classic stories of Baba Yaga and McCoola’s story of Masha, the book does a wonderful job of introducing the readers to who Baba Yaga is at the core, a conflicted witch, and also puts a twist on it all. Masha’s story is more than just an addition to Baba Yaga’s story though. She is the star. Her story is a sad one, and Baba Yaga may just be what she needs. This text will really start some discussions around Masha’s family status and why Baba Yaga and her may just be perfect for each other.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Although it isn’t necessary, knowing the history of Baba Yaga would definitely make the reading of this text even more meaningful. I would love to have Baba Yaga’s Assistant during a traditional literature unit looking at diverse folktales and retellings of those tales.

Discussion Questions: Why was Masha prone to working well with Baba Yaga?; How did Masha’s grandmother influence who she is today?; How did the author intertwine traditional literature with a new story of Baba Yaga?; What do you think is going to happen next?

We Flagged:

baba yaga spread

Read This If You Loved: Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz, Fairy Tale Comics edited by Chris Duffy, Rump by Liesl Shurtliff, Castle Waiting by Linda Medley, Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

Recommended For:

classroomlibrarybuttonsmall closereadinganalysisbuttonsmall

  Signature

**Thank you to Candlewick for providing copies for review!**

Blog Tour and Review!: One Word from Sophia by Jim Averbeck and Yasmeen Ismail

by
Share

One Word from Sophia

One Word from Sophia
Author: Jim Averbeck
Illustrator: Yasmeen Ismail
Published June 16th, 2015 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Summary: Sophia tries varied techniques to get the giraffe she wants more than anything in this playfully illustrated story about the nuances of negotiation.

Sophia has one true desire for her birthday. But she has Four Big Problems in the way: Mom, Dad, Uncle Conrad…and Grand-mama.

Will her presentations, proposals, and pie charts convince them otherwise?

Turns out, all it takes is one word.

Ricki’s Review: As teachers, we are always asking students to expand their ideas and add detail. To be perfectly honest, I never taught brevity, and this is reflected in my constant battle to stay under word counts! This text will open up valuable conversations about how we can use a variety of methods to persuade our audience. Sometimes, being direct and brief is the best route. It might be confusing to kids who constantly hear the opposite, so I would work with students to analyze this text. I loved the way the author integrated great vocabulary words. Along with those words (which he defined), there are other great words for students to grapple with. I would read this text with my students to help them with the language. I had a lot of fun reading this text, and I think kids will love it, too.

Kellee’s Review: This is a book that adults will find funny and kids will connect with because they all want something. I enjoyed the introduction to the cast of characters and how Sophia changed her speech depending on who she was speaking to. It shows the importance of audience when speaking or writing. I also loved the way that each character had a very set personality which was showed in their behaviors, words, and looks.

I really love the artwork of One Word. The crazy lines and paints mixed with pencil really add character to the book. I liked the facial expressions, as well. This really added to the characterization within the book.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Teachers might consider using this book to introduce a persuasive writing book or to teach a lesson about audience. The students can discuss the different ways they might persuade their audience and how they have to consider what is and isn’t appropriate for the task.

Discussion Questions: Why must we always consider our audience when we write? In what ways does Sophia try to persuade her audience? What works in the end, and why?; Which method would have worked best to persuade you?

Video:

Blog Tour Stops:
10/19/2015 – Jen at Teach Mentor Texts
10/20/2015 – Jennifer at Reederama
10/21/2015 – Franki and Mary Lee at Two Reading Teachers
10/22/2015 – Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers
10/23/2015 – Crystal at Reading Through Life
10/24/2015 – Alyson at Kid Lit Frenzy
Jim Averbeck’s Website: http://www.jimaverbeckbooks.com/
Jim Averbeck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jimaverbeck
Yasmeen Ismail’s Website: http://www.yasmeenismail.co.uk/
Yasmeen Ismail on Twitter: https://twitter.com/yasmeenmay
Simon and Schuster: One Word From Sophia
Simon and Schuster Kids on Twitter: https://twitter.com/simonkids

Read This If You Loved: I Wanna Iguanna by Karen Kaufman Orloff, Richard Scarry’s Please and Thank You Book by Richard Scarry, Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin

Recommended For:

 readaloudbuttonsmall

  RickiSigandSignature

**Thank you to Jen Vincent for hosting the blog tour and to Atheneum Books for providing copies for review!**

wndb image

The Perfect Percival Priggs by Julie-Anne Graham

by
Share

Perfect Percival Priggs

The Perfect Percival Priggs
Author: Julie-Anne Graham
Published: May 26, 2015 by Running Press

Goodreads Summary: Percival Priggs seems to be the perfect child. His parents are perfect, his grandparents are perfect, and even his pets are perfect. Percy’s shelf is packed with gleaming trophies. But with all the practice and preparation needed for his competitions, Percy never has a free moment.

Percy worries that his parents will not love him if he does not smile his prize-winning smile and perform perfectly in every competition. But after his rocket experiment turns into an imperfect mess, Mr. and Mrs. Priggs reveal their own funny imperfections and show Percy they are proud of him exactly as he is.

The message of reassurance and acceptance in The Perfect Percival Priggs is timely in our age of helicopter parenting, overscheduling, and increased testing standards for young children. But it is debut author Julie-Anne Graham’s fresh art style that truly sets the book apart. A former fashion designer with a love of textiles, Graham has built on each page a collage of textured patterns and drawn characters, adding humor and a world of detail to the Priggs’ home and story.

Ricki’s Review: I loved the layered textures of this book. The wide-eyed illustrations will draw readers in and allow them to pay close attention to the important lessons of this story. Many kids battle with inner desires for perfection, and Percival Priggs is no exception. He struggles to be just as perfect as his perfect family, and it weighs on him. He comes to learn that perhaps perfection isn’t all that important.

Kellee’s Review: I loved the unique illustrations of this one. They are eye-catching and are just quirky enough. I also think this is a perfect read aloud for all levels because of its theme. It is definitely going in my read aloud pile for home and school. It has a fun story, but has a much deeper message. I think so many of us face the pressure of being perfect and having a discussion with kids about this pressure and the unrealistic aspect of it would really help with anxiety they may be feeling. I also love the message of family.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This text would offer meaningful classroom discussions about the fallacies of perfection. Students might share times they made mistakes, and this would allow them to understand that we are all human. They might analyze perfection as it is portrayed in society and the media. Additionally, teachers might use this book as a mentor text to teach alliteration in writing.

Discussion Questions: How does Percival’s family react to his worries about perfection?; Can a person be truly perfect?; Why do people have the desire to be perfect?; Share with a partner some of the ways you are an imperfect person and why this might just be okay.

We Flagged: 

Percival Spread

Read This If You Loved: The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires; You Are (Not) Small by Anna Kang; Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great by Bob Shea; Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae; The Invisible Boy by Tracy Ludwig; The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds

Recommended For: 

readaloudbuttonsmall classroomlibrarybuttonsmall

RickiSigandKellee Signature

**Thank you to Running Press for providing copies for review!**

Liberty’s Voice: The Story of Emma Lazarus by Erica Silverman

by
Share

NFPB2015

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday is hosted by Kid Lit Frenzy and was started to help promote the reading of nonfiction texts. Most Wednesdays, we will be participating and will review a nonfiction text (though it may not always be a picture book).
Be sure to visit Kid Lit Frenzy and see what other nonfiction books are shared this week!

Liberty's Voice

Liberty’s Voice: The Story of Emma Lazarus
Author: Erica Silverman
Illustrator: Stacey Schuett
Published February 3rd, 2011 by Dutton Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Summary: Emma Lazarus overcame the barriers of her day to become one of the leading poets of the nineteenth century. She used her celebrity to help the poor and impoverished immigrants of Eastern Europe. When the statue Liberty Enlightening the World came to the United States as a gift from France, it was Emma’s poem “The New Colossus” that became forever connected with this American icon. Emma’s words have served as a rallying call to generations of immigrants. In breathtaking color, veteran artist Stacey Schuett brings life to Erica Silverman’s story of one of the great women of America.

My Review:  I am always looking for biographies of strong women, and this is one I’d definitely add to my list. Emma Lazarus is a poet who everyone knows, but may not know her name, and that should change. She did so much not only with poetry, but with her editorials and articles speaking out against the oppressed, specifically the Russian Jewish immigrants. Emma Lazarus was lucky enough to have a dad that supported women getting education and helped her become a published poet and meet her mentor, Ralph Waldo Emerson. Without her dad supporting her in a time where society would not have, we wouldn’t have her beautiful poetry and much of the oppression being faced on Ward’s Island would not have been known by the public.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This text is a wonderful introduction to Lazarus, but also to the plight that Jews faced in Russia because of pogroms in the late 1800s. It would be a great cross curricular read aloud to start discussions about poetry in reading/English as well as the history of Russia during this time.

Discussion Questions: How could Emma’s life have been different if she’d been poor or had a father who didn’t support her poetry?; Why were so many Russian Jews immigrating to America in the 1880s?; What is the meaning behind “The New Colossus,” and what does imply about America’s acceptance of immigrants?

We Flagged: “Emma thought about the immigrants she had met on Ward’s Island. They had known so much fear and suffering. They needed to be held, welcomed, comforted. If this statue was to have a name, it should be . . .

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.“

Read This If You Loved: A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams by Jennifer Fisher Bryant, The Dreamer by Pam Muñoz Ryan, The Right Word: Roget and his Thesaurus by Jennifer Fisher Bryant

Recommended For: 

classroomlibrarybuttonsmall readaloudbuttonsmall closereadinganalysisbuttonsmall

Signature

Review, Giveaway, and Author Guest Post! That’s (Not) Mine by Anna Kang, Illustrated by Christopher Weyant

by
Share

that's not mine

That’s (Not) Mine
Author: Anna Kang
Illustrator: Christopher Weyant
Published September 1st, 2015 by Two Lions

Goodreads Summary: Two fuzzy creatures both want to sit in the same comfy chair. The trouble is, they can’t agree who it belongs to. They get madder and madder, until…

With expressive illustrations and simple text, this giggle-inducing tale about (not) sharing and (not) being a good friend features the endearing characters from Theodor Seuss Geisel Award winner You Are (Not) Small.

Kellee’s Review: Our two fuzzy friends from You Are (Not) Small are at it again! Although they seem to be friends, every time we encounter them they seem to be having a disagreement that will definitely make their readers laugh. This text isn’t about identity and differences like the first text. Instead, it focuses more on sharing, friendship, wanting what others have, and also dealing with losing what you wanted. These are all really big (and tough!) lessons for kids. By sharing this book with your child or your class, it becomes a very entertaining way to talk about these issues and topics. 

Ricki’s Review: About three days before I received this book in the mail, my husband and I were discussing our concerns with our son’s new affinity for the word: “mine.” Like most toddlers, he has become obsessed with the concept that everything is “mine” (and by “mine,” I mean his). We don’t support this new “anti-sharing” movement that has become a hot topic in parenting groups and blogs. We want to raise our son to understand that, yes, some things can be his, but he should work hard to share as much as he can with others. I want to raise him to value his peers, respect adults, and give back to his community. So when this book came in the mail, I was extremely pleased. I read it aloud as my husband listened. His response? “This is the perfect book for him right now.” These two fuzzy creatures are teaching my son a lot of great lessons—it is okay for him to be short (my son’s destiny), and in this new text, not everything has to be “mine.” I am looking forward to the next installation from this husband-and-wife duo!

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Curriculum guide for That’s (Not) Mine

Sharing is a concept that goes beyond childhood. Teachers might facilitate a discussion about the different ways that sharing can relate to many contexts and situations in life—for people of all ages.

Discussion Questions: Why did each of the characters want the others’ chair?; Who do you think won in the end?; What type of friends do you think the two characters are?; Have you ever thought you wanted something, but then didn’t really want it once you got it?

We Flagged:

Kang-ThatsNotMine-interior_Illustration copyright © 2015 by Christopher Weyant

Read This If You Loved: You Are (Not) Small by Anna Kang, Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast by Josh Funk, Your Alien by Tammi Sauer, The Pigeon Needs a Bath by Mo Willems, Elephant and Piggie books by Mo Willems

Recommended For:

readaloudbuttonsmall classroomlibrarybuttonsmall

Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Author and Illustrator’s Guest Post:

Our inspiration behind the book:

The inspiration behind THAT’S (NOT) MINE was growing up with my brother. As anyone with siblings will attest, we were forced to learn to how share almost everything with each other—food, toys, attention, space, and in the days before computers and smart phones, whose turn it was to choose the television show or radio station. Sharing is tough, even for adults, and I must admit, I was not good at sharing with my brother (sorry, Emil). Lucky for me, he was a really kind older brother and let me have my way more often than I deserved (thank you, Emil). Now that I have two daughters, I see them battle over the same things. I’ve realized that for a child, possessions are precious—they shape their identity. My kids and their friends will say that the “best” part of their day was that they “got a turn” playing with a certain toy or reading a favorite book at school, or that they were “first to use the best swing,” etc. And conversely, they will report how devastated they were because they “didn’t get a turn” with a coveted item. It requires a certain amount of emotional maturity to see someone else’s perspective and to let go of an object you value.

How we work collaboratively:

Anna: I write something, Chris reads it, gives me notes, we discuss the notes, I rewrite it, we discuss it again, and then when we both like the text, we discuss the illustrations and visual style. Chris begins to sketch some ideas, I give him feedback, he revises, and we discuss them again, etc. It is a constant back-and-forth collaboration. I’m very fortunate to have him as a sounding board.

Chris: One of the things I like most about our collaborative process is the ongoing conversation Anna and I have as the book goes from early concept to final art. Along the way, we will discuss what’s working and what could be stronger, continually making changes, large and small, until we feel the book is what we envisioned. Many times we’ll have a quick talk while doing the dishes or in the car. It feels like a very natural process that has become a part of our everyday lives.

About the Authors: Husband-and-wife team Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant are the creators of You Are (Not) Small, which won the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award and was named a Notable Children’s Book by the American Library Association. They live in New Jersey with their two daughters, Kate and Lily, a guinea pig named Athena, and a hermit crab named Olaf.

Anna, a native New Yorker, grew up believing everything was hers until one day she realized it was her brother’s, too. She received a master’s degree in fine arts from the USC School of Cinematic Arts, where the visual storyteller in her was awakened, forever changing the way she saw art, life, and everything in between. In addition to writing, Anna loves to read, travel, laugh, eat, and nap. Visit her online at www.annakang.com.

Christopher is a cartoonist and illustrator. His work can regularly be seen in the New Yorker. His cartoons are syndicated worldwide and have been featured on the Today Show, Meet the Press, and World News Tonight. Christopher likes to share everything but his personal space on the subway. Visit him online at www.christopherweyant.com.

Twitter: @annakang27     @chrisweyant05

Follow the Tour

Mon, Aug 31 Watch.Connect.Read. http://mrschureads.blogspot.com/
Tues, Sept 1
Happy book birthday!!!		 Jean Little Library http://jeanlittlelibrary.blogspot.com/
Wed, Sept 2 Teach Mentor Texts http://www.teachmentortexts.com/#axzz3fo9y9pNf
Thurs, Sept 3 Kid Lit Frenzy http://www.kidlitfrenzy.com/
Fri, Sept 4 Unleashing Readers http://www.unleashingreaders.com/
Mon, Sept 7 The Children’s Book Review http://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/
Tues, Sept 8 proseandkahn http://proseandkahn.blogspot.com/
Wed, Sept 9 The Library Fanatic http://www.thelibraryfanatic.com/
Thurs, Sept 10 Sharpread https://sharpread.wordpress.com/
Fri, Sept 11 Bluestocking Thinking http://bluestockingthinking.blogspot.com/

  Signature& RickiSig

**Thank you to Barbara at Blue Slip Media for providing copies for review and to Anna and Chris for their guest post!!**

Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast by Josh Funk

by
Share

lady pancake and Sir

Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast
Author: Josh Funk
Illustrated by: Brendan Kearney
Published September 1st, 2015 by Sterling

Goodreads Summary: A thoroughly delicious picture book about the funniest “food fight!” ever! Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast have a beautiful friendship—until they discover that there’s ONLY ONE DROP of maple syrup left. Off they go, racing past the Orange Juice Fountain, skiing through Sauerkraut Peak, and reeling down the linguini. But who will enjoy the sweet taste of victory? And could working together be better than tearing each other apart? The action-packed rhyme makes for an adrenaline-filled breakfast . . . even without a drop of coffee!

About the Author: Josh Funk grew up in New England and studied Computer Science in school. Today, he still lives in New England and when not writing Java code or Python scripts, he drinks Java coffee and writes picture book manuscripts alongside his wife, children, and assorted pets & monsters.

Josh is a board member of The Writers’ Loft in Sherborn, MA and the co-coordinator of the 2016 and 2017 New England Regional SCBWI Conferences.

Josh is the author of LADY PANCAKE & SIR FRENCH TOAST (Sterling), as well as the forthcoming picture books DEAR DRAGON (Viking/Penguin 2016), PIRASAURS! (Scholastic 2017), JACK! [and the beanstalk] (Two Lions, 2017), and more.

Josh is terrible at writing bios, so please help fill in the blanks. Josh enjoys _______ during ________ and has always loved __________. He has played ____________ since age __ and his biggest fear in life is being eaten by a __________.

Josh is represented by Kathleen Rushall of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.

To learn more about Josh, follow him on Twitter @JoshFunkBooks or visit his blog https://papajfunk.wordpress.com.

To learn more about Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast, visit Josh’s website.

And don’t forget to check out Josh’s Extra Special Author Top Ten Tuesday!: Favorite Fictional Picture Book Educators here at Unleashing Readers.

Kellee’s Review: This book is a humorous, epic adventure through the dangers of the refrigerator. The mix of the well-rhymed text and highly comical and colorful artwork really brings the story to life. I found myself laughing out loud as dressings, beans, jam, and more challenge Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast as they challenge each other to be the first to the syrup. The way that the different foods in the fridge play a part in the story are so clever! I also found myself reading parts of the book out loud to hear the rhyme and rhythm. Josh really did a great job and included rhymes that I would have never thought of like conversed/first, meanie/linguini, and ranch/avalanche. This is definitely a text that is made to be read aloud and shared with children who will laugh and cheer and *gasp* at the twist (did I mention there was a twist?!).

Ricki’s Review: I have been anticipating this book for the past year and have spent quite a bit of time contemplating whether I will be Team Lady Pancake or Team Sir French Toast. When the book arrived in the mail, I shrieked with glee and told my son we had a treat for bedtime. That night, I cracked the crisp cover and smoothed my hands over the pages. I was immediately taken by the gorgeous artwork. I could see my son’s eyes darting from character to character. He has a short attention span, and this book held his interest from cover to cover. Meanwhile, as he looked at the artwork, I lingered on each page and became enveloped in the comical story. Above all, I was blown away by the engaging writing. The first time I read a picture book, I often stumble over the words. It usually takes a few readings to read a book aloud at a steady pace. But the words and phrases flowed beautifully in this book. I couldn’t help but wonder how many times the author revised in order to get the language just right. This book will be a crowd-pleaser in the classroom. I highly recommend it as a read-aloud.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: A free activity kit for the book is available which includes art activities, a crossword, a rhyming activity, and thought questions for readers to answer.

Teachers could start by using this book as a mentor text to teach personification in writing. The text is so cleverly crafted that students will be itching to create their own stories. We think it would be very fun for elementary school students to pair up and write their own adventures for Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast. This seems like the next popular duo in children’s literature, and we demand a companion text, Josh Funk!

Discussion Questions: How does the author use rhyme to engage readers in the story? How does the illustrator depict the characters in a fun, eye-appealing way?; How does the author infuse humor to teach a good lesson? What is the theme of the story?; Are Team Lady Pancake or Team French Toast? How did you make this decision? Which team do you think the author is on, and why?

Book Trailer: 

Read This If You Loved: Ballet Cat by Bob Shea, This is a Moose by Richard T. Morris, Tommy Can’t Stop by Tim Federle

Recommended For: 

readaloudbuttonsmall classroomlibrarybuttonsmall

Kellee Signature andRickiSig

**Thank you to Lauren at Sterling for providing copies for review!**

A Handful of Stars by Cynthia Lord

by
Share

Handful of Stars

A Handful of Stars
Author: Cynthia Lord
Published May 26th, 2015 by Scholastic

Goodreads Summary: This powerful middle-grade novel from the Newbery Honor author ofRules explores a friendship between a small-town girl and the daughter of migrant workers. When Lily’s blind dog, Lucky, slips his collar and runs away across the wide-open blueberry barrens of eastern Maine, it’s Salma Santiago who manages to catch him. Salma, the daughter of migrant workers, is in the small town with her family for the blueberry-picking season. After their initial chance meeting, Salma and Lily bond over painting bee boxes for Lily’s grandfather, and Salma’s friendship transforms Lily’s summer. But when Salma decides to run in the upcoming Blueberry Queen pageant, they’ll have to face some tough truths about friendship and belonging. Should an outsider like Salma really participate in the pageant—and possibly win? Set amongst the blueberry barrens and by the sea, this is a gorgeous new novel by Newbery Honor author Cynthia Lord that tackles themes of prejudice and friendship, loss and love.

My Review, Teachers’ Tools for Navigation, and We Flagged: Salma and Lily quickly become star friends (friends who may not always be together, but will look at stars to think of each other). Salma is different than anyone that Lily knows. Not only because she is a Hispanic migrant worker, but because she is carefree. Lily, on the other hand, is a rule follower, and Salma may be just what she needs and vice versa.

Every Cynthia Lord book I read, I am reminded of why I enjoy her writing so much. Her stories are always touching and find sweetness and love in situations that are not always examined. She also paints her stories with such beautiful imagery. “Our feet crunched the reindeer moss under our feet, as loud as if we were walking through autumn leaves. The only other sounds were the mind blowing the little American flags on the soldiers’ graves, the buzz of insects, the chirp of birds, and the occasional rumble of a car driving down the gravel road past the cemetery.” (p. 109) Beautiful. She always transports me.

As an art museum director’s daughter, I always appreciate some art love also, and Salma really shares the importance and immense greatness of art. Great quotes about art: p. 151-153, 156

Other favorite pages: p. 60, 74, 94-96

A couple other things I loved: Another wonderful grandfather in a book, the reference to Blueberries for Sal (p. 112), and the look at adolescences and how hard it is the grow up.

A Handful of Stars was also my informal Twitter book club’s August book choice. Some of my favorite things said from the chat were:

“I found I was absolutely connecting to the characters and story but having to stop and just be in awe of certain lines.” Carrie Gelson

“But somehow summer fills up & flies by…as August wore on, I couldn’t help feeling sad pangs.” A favorite quote shared by me and Michele Knott

“I love how @Cynthia_Lord talked about how being in a friendship can be lonely – ‘lonelier than if you were by yourself.’ pg 56” Carrie Gelson

“She just is such a great example of living in the moment, being true, taking risks. [About Salma]” Carrie Gelson

“I loved the differences in the approaches to art.” Michele Knott

“I think this would be a perfect pair with the Cesar Chavez PB.” Leigh Anne Eck

“And that there is more than one road to happiness and therefore, different kinds :-)” Carrie Gelson

This is a book that screams to be read with/by kids. Such a quiet, important book with so much within.

Discussion Questions: How was Salma different from Lily’s other friends?; How are Salma and Lily different?; What do you think will happen to their friendship?; How did Salma influence Lily? How did Lily change throughout the book?

Read This If You Loved: Touch Blue by Cynthia Lord, Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin, Eleanor series by Julie Sternberg, Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban

Recommended For: 

readaloudbuttonsmall classroomlibrarybuttonsmall

Kellee Signature