Read Aloud – Page 96 – Unleashing Readers

Primates: The Fearless Science of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Birute Galdikas by Jim Ottaviani

October 13, 2013July 17, 2013 by Kellee

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!

Primates: The Fearless Science of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Birute Galdikas
Author: Jim Ottaviani
Illustrator: Maris Wicks
Published June 11th, 2013 by First Second

Summary: Three woman in the 1960s and 1970s took part in primatology research that would change the way that we think about primates. Three woman who took a chance and researched potentially dangerous animals in their wild habitats. Three woman who took risks when many did not believe that woman should be part of the sciences. Primates tells the stories of Jane Goodall, a researcher of chimps, Dian Fossey, a gorilla expert, and Birute Galdikas, an orangutan researcher, and how their lives overlap and differ.

My Review: I may be bias, but this is one of my favorite nonfiction graphic novels ever. Bias because I am a huge ape advocate and am fascinated by them. These creatures are amazing; their intelligence is so remarkable that it is hard to even fathom. The reason why I loved this book is because it takes you through the research of three groundbreaking woman scientists and what they learned about the three completely different apes. It makes sure to show how each ape is different and spectacular as well as how each lady’s research made an impact.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: I think that this book is a great introduction to apes and would be a perfect read aloud before book talking other books such as Endangered (about a different ape that isn’t mentioned in Primates), Hurt Go Happy, Half Brother, and other nonfiction like Chimpanzees I Love, Me…Jane, and Gorillas in the Mist. Check out my Nerdy Book Club Post: Top Ten Ape Books (which I would definitely add this one to) to see what other books you could connect Primates too.

Discussion Questions: How do the apes that Jane, Dian, and Birute study similar? Different?; How did Dr. Leaky play a part in all three women’s research?; Which ape is your favorite? Why?

We Flagged: “Part 1: But in my dreams, I did bigger things Ever since I was a very young girl I had Africa in my blood so to speak. Sometimes my mother Vanne might have hoped I’d get over it, but even as I grew older I never did. “I do wish you’d read something… else, on occasion” “But I do! I just finished Dr. Dolittle.” “Yes, for the… How many times is that?” “Seven, Mummy.” “Well you’ll never get into a top school if that’s all you study.” “I shan’t be going to college – I want to live with wild animals when I grow up!”” (p. 3)

Also check out the School Library Journal Blog’s interview with Jim Ottaviani to see some of the artwork.

Read This If You Loved: Me…Jane by Patrick McDonnell, Gorillas in the Mist by Dian Fossey, Any nonfiction book about apes including Chimpanzees I Love by Jane Goodall, Endangered by Eliot Schrefer, Hurt Go Happy by Ginny Rorby, Half Brother by Kenneth Oppel, Little Beauty by Anthony Browne, The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Recommended For:

What is your favorite ape book?
Have you read Primates yet? What did you think?

Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley

July 27, 2015July 10, 2013 by Ricki

Relish: My Life in the Kitchen
Author: Lucy Knisley
Published April 2nd, 2013 by Macmillan

Summary: In this autobiographical graphic novel, Lucy Knisley reveals her love for food. Raised by foodies, Lucy recalls that all of her earliest memories are reflected in food that she was eating at the time. Brimming with recipes and stories told through taste, Relish is sure to please readers, even advanced chefs. From her recipe for “The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies” to an “exploded view” of Huevos Rancheros to a diagram of how to make sushi rolls to a “Cheese Cheat Sheet,” each chapter ends with an illustrated recipe that will make readers want to jump into the kitchen.

Review: Admittedly, I am obsessed with food (both cooking and eating). I can spend hours watching Food Network, so this was a sure-winner for me. It is easily one of the best graphic novels I have read. The illustrations made me laugh out loud, and I didn’t want to put it down–except to try out a few recipes (that were all delicious!). The book is a coming-of-age story. Lucy’s rebellious teenage years are reflected in the foods she ate, and she learns lessons from her dining experiences. While food is the center of this graphic novel, Kinsley shows how she grew as an individual from life-changing events like her parents’ divorce to a trip to Europe. She does a fantastic job showing passion–it reads like a beautiful love letter to food. Readers who don’t love food will still identify with her passion.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: We all have interests that shape our memories. For example, I can’t recall where I went on my trip to South Carolina, but I do remember the books I read on the beach that week. Students have interests like sports or hobbies that shape their memories. My husband can recall more soccer games than I care to count. Teachers might have students use this graphic novel as a model for students to illustrate how their interests have shaped their memories. The dialogue adds much to this book, so teachers could ask students to analyze how the dialogue shapes the story. As another option, I bet students would enjoy creating a graphic novel page of a step-by-step, illustrated recipe. This would lead to some great (and delicious) presentations.

Discussion Questions: What are your earliest food memories?; How has your family influenced your eating habits?; What is your favorite recipe? Why?; How has food shaped your life? Or, how has some other interest or passion shaped your life?

We Flagged: “I was a child raised by foodies. My parents probably don’t recall how old I was at my baptism, but they remember what I ate that day” (p. 8).

“When I got home, my mother, having heard about my rebellious breakfast, began a smear campaign to convince me that the hamburgers at McDonald’s were actually made of worm meat. Miraculously, I was undeterred. I remain undeterred to this day. It’s not often, but every once in a while, I need those fries. Say what you will…We wouldn’t be eating it if it didn’t taste good” (p. 49-50).

Please note: Our flagged passages don’t contain the gorgeous drawings and hilarious quote bubbles. Click on the “Look Inside” feature on the book cover to see samples from the graphic novel. We didn’t want to break copyright laws!

Read This If You Love: Graphic novels or food/cooking memoirs like Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell

Recommended For:

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What did you think? Which recipe was your favorite?

Tom T’s Hat Rack by Michele Spry

July 27, 2015July 5, 2013 by Kellee

Tom T’s Hat Rack
Author: Michele Spry
Illustrator: Peggy A. Guest
Published January 2, 2013 by Spry Publishing

Summary: After Mr. T’s bout of cancer, he has decided that he wants to help make other people’s journeys during their chemo and radiation a bit easier. To do this, he asks his young friend Shelby to help him make a special project. Shelby Summers is one of those young people who understands the golden rule- she is good to all around her because she knows that is the right thing to do. This book shares with us the story of Mr. T and Shelby building their gift for others and what it is like to pay it forward.

My Review: This book’s purpose is more than just a narrative. The author, in her letter to me that came with the book, shared how she hopes the book would inspire others to pay it forward. “This simple act of kindness towards others is so simple to do and encourage others to do.” Too many children are growing up without thinking about this important aspect of humanity. Tom T’s Hat Rack is a great platform for starting that conversation.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: In the back of the book, the author has laid out ways for students to pay it forward just like Mr. T and Shelby. First, there is a brainstorming page to consider how the reader could help his or her community. Then the author’s page shares with the reader the story behind the book (Michele’s inspiration was a friend of hers that was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and was still positive and upbeat during his treatment). Finally, the hat rack plans are included so that the readers could make a hat rack for their community just like Mr. T and Shelby. I think that this is an important book because of what it teaches and the conversations that it’ll start. It’ll be perfect for a read aloud or book club in middle elementary grades. You could even combine it with the amazing picture books I’ll list below to make a kindness unit.

Discussion Questions: What can you do to help others in your community? List some ways you can help – big or small – it doesn’t matter as long as you are doing something positive to help others. (p. 91)

We Flagged: “Tonight, Mr. T talked about how he wanted to have Shelby help him with a little project. After going through these tough health issues with his cancer, he decided to do something positive to benefit others. He knew with Shelby’s caring heart, and vision to help people, he and Shelby would be able to accomplish this idea over summer break.” (p. 22)

Read this if you loved: Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson, Because Amelia Smiled by David Ezra Stein

Recommended for:

**Thank you to Michele Spry for providing a copy for review**

Price of Freedom by Judith Bloom Fradin & Dennis Brindell Fradin

October 13, 2013July 3, 2013 by Kellee

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!

The Price of Freedom: How One Town Stood Up to Slavery
Authors: Judith Bloom Fradin & Dennis Brindell Fradin
Illustrator: Eric Velasquez
Published January 8, 2013 by Walkers Children

Summary: In 1856, John Price, his cousin, and a friend risked their lives to cross the Ohio River in hopes of finding freedom on the other side. As slaves, leaving Kentucky and making their way into Ohio was the only way to even hope for freedom. However, the real goal was to get to Canada since the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 stated that slaves could still be returned to their owners if caught in a free state. On his way to trying to get to Canada, John was lucky enough to come across the town of Oberlin, Ohio. A town that did not believe in slavery and even embraced runaway slaves as one of their own. But what would happen when slave hunters came to town looking for John? What is the town willing to do to save their own?

My Review: I love how this book was put together. The best way to teach nonfiction, in my opinion, is to make it into a narrative that catches readers’ attention and makes them want to learn more. The narrative in The Price of Freedom was put together very well- a perfect plot arc- yet leaves you wanting more. It starts out with just enough prior knowledge (not too teachy yet makes sure that it teaches enough that the reader will understand) and takes us through what happens to John Price as a story and finally the end is a bit of a cliffhanger that makes you want to research more. My favorite type of nonfiction. And to add to this the watercolor illustrations bring the story to life and are so very well done adding even more depth to the picture book. This book puts the reader straight into a tense situation and invites them to take part of a historical situation that does not appear in history textbooks. While I’d been taught about the Fugitive Slave Act and realized that there were oppositions to the act, but I had never read a narrative like this one.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: In the classroom, I think this nonfiction picture book is important to start conversations about the two sides of the civil war. It would also be a great jumping off point to start talking about people who stood up against laws, the Underground Railroad, and the transition into the civil rights movement: Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Harriet Tubman, etc. The authors even gave websites that are perfect to use as an extension.

Discussion Questions: Why do you think that the people of Oberlin and other Underground Railroad risked their lives to help escaped slaves?; What do you think happened to John Price? Do some research and see if your hypothesis was correct.

We Flagged: “Oberlin student William Lincoln was in his room when some classmates pounded on his door. He was the man to rescue John Price, they told him, offering him a gun. Lincoln hated slavery, but he also hated violence. Unsure what to do, he knelt on the floor with his Bible and asking himself: “if it were your own brother, what would you do?”

His answer? “Rescue him or die!” Lincoln grabbed the gun and raced to Wellington.” p. 23

Read This If You Loved: Something to Prove: The Great Satchel Paige vs. Roodie Joe DiMaggio by Robert Skead, Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation by Andrea Davis Pinkney, Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down by Andrea Davis Pinkney, John Brown: His Fight for Freedom by John Hendrix, Sojourner Truth’s Step-Stomp Stride by Andrea David Pinkney, Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson, Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Bloomsbury Children’s Books for providing a copy for review**

Launch Week: Our Favorites

July 27, 2015June 28, 2013 by Kellee

Yesterday we introduced you to the different categories that we will label our reviews and today we wanted to share with you our favorites for each category.

Read Aloud

This would be a great choice to read aloud to all students in the class. We often suggest this category when the book has strong, widespread appeal to many types of students.

Kellee

This one was a hard choice as I have 5 different favorite read alouds, but after thinking about it, I decided that I’d share The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate- it is written for all ages, it has nice short sections which are great for breaking up read alouds, there are plenty of parts to lend to discussions, beautiful illustrations, and all types of students enjoy the story.

Ricki

Based on a true story, Tree Girl by Ben Mikaelsen, depicts the experiences of a young girl who learns to survive during the genocide of 1980s war-torn Guatemala. Students will not only connect with the powerful themes of this novel, but they will see Mikaelsen’s juxtaposition of a beautiful country with the savage massacres that occurred during this time period. Readers can’t help but peer through the trees to get a glimpse into a world that is, likely, very different from their own. I love reading this aloud to my class, seniors who were identified by the school community as low-level readers.

There are so many opportunities for connections with past and current acts of genocide. The chapters are short, and the book doesn’t take too long to read aloud. By the end of the unit, many had declared it the “best book they have ever read.”

Lit Circles/Book Clubs

This text would work very well for discussion within small groups. We often suggest this category when the book offers great points of discussion, but it might not appeal to every student in the class.

Kellee

One of my favorite books for literature circles is Red Kayak by Priscilla Cummings. This book is not my favorite book that I have as a choice for lit circles; however, seeing students interact with it made me appreciate it so much. Every group of students who has ever read it fought over it, made amazing predictions, were blown away by the ending, and the group became easily the most active group in the classroom.

Ricki

My students read Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork in literature circles, and they absolutely adore the Marcelo and Jasmine. I like using this book in literature circles because it is one of my favorite young adult books because of its beautiful language, complex themes, and strong characterization. While I think everyone should read this book, I have found that only a portion of my students are interested in it after my book talks. Therefore, I use it as a literature circle text instead of as a whole-class read. I would be remiss not to include this stunning book in my classroom, and I find it works extremely well in literature circles because it offers much discussion for students.

Close Reading/Analysis

There are many passages within the book that would be great for close analysis. We often suggest this category when a book has complex passages or great sections to teach literary elements to students.

Kellee

My favorite text for analysis is Love that Dog by Sharon Creech. It is amazing because it cannot only be used to teach literary elements, but also poetic elements. It is a great introduction to poetry and is a wonderful read in general. Although I don’t do so much of a close reading of this text, we do go back and reread, compare Jack’s poetry to the originals, and discuss, discuss, discuss. A wonderful read!

Ricki

This was a very difficult category for me to select one text. Each year, I photocopy one-two pages from dozens of texts. In the end, I selected Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower because it has so many amazing, quotable sections that make for fantastic discussions. First, we analyze the language to determine why Chbosky selected specific words and organized sentences the way he did. Then, I have students select from a variety of quotes to analyze Charlie’s psyche. Additionally, many of the journal entries in this book make for fantastic journal responses from students.

Classroom Library

This would be a great addition to your classroom library. Often, these books fit well with a specific type of student, but we definitely think it is worth purchasing for your classroom.

Kellee

Man! It is so hard to pick what book I want to recommend for this one. So many books are important for the classroom library and it really depends on your class. For my class, the most important books for the classroom library are graphic novels. Since I teach struggling readers, many of them have had poor experiences with reading and need a friendly yet well-written book to help them become more acquainted with reading. Graphic novels are just the books to do this! Although there are many different amazing graphic novels to choose from, Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi is usually the graphic novel that draws students in first and holds them.

Ricki

I was tempted to add three books to this section, but I worried that Kellee would get mad at me for cheating. In the end, I decided to go with a book that has been a tried and true favorite amongst my students: Right Behind You by Gail Giles. I only have to read the two sentences, and students are lining up to sign out this book. I have had over forty students sign out one of my copies (and I have five copies). “On the afternoon of his seventh birthday, I set Bobby Clark on fire. I was nine. It was all about a Bobby’s birthday present. A baseball glove. But of course, that’s not what it was really all about.” Students love to analyze Kip’s psyche, and this text offers much discussion amongst students–often heated. The second they finish it, they want someone else to read it so they can share their opinions.

Favorite Book!

Kellee

My favorite book has been the same since 1993 and I cannot see it changing any time soon. When I read The Giver by Lois Lowry at age 11, my life changed. This book made me realize just how lucky we all are in our situation. Jonas was only 1 year older than me and had never seen color, never read a book, didn’t know what art was, and was about to find out what his job was going to be for the rest of his life. The whole idea behind the book mortified me. Then as I grew up, I reread it as a teenager and still loved it for the same reasons. Then when I went to college and began studying to be a teacher, I began to appreciate it even more and in a different way. I think it is such an important book and I love it so much!

Ricki

My favorite classic novel is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee because it is such an incredible book to teach. If I had to pick a favorite young adult book (which is much trickier than picking a favorite classic), it would be The Fault in our Stars by John Green. I love it because it can be used for so many purposes–as a read-aloud, a close reading, a literature circle text, etc. Additionally, I love how I can hand it to any student and be fairly certain they will love it as much as I do.

Check back tomorrow to find out the favorites from some of our favorite blogs and tweeps!

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