Unleashing Readers – Page 356 – Helping Students Navigate the World of Books

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 10/7/13

July 27, 2015October 7, 2013 by Kellee

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It’s also a great chance to see what others are reading right now…you just might discover the next “must-read” book!

Jen Vincent, of Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee decided to give It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit – join us! We love this meme and think you will, too.

We encourage everyone who participates to support the blogging community by visiting at least three of the other book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

Last Week’s Posts

**Click on any picture to view the post**

Our Cheryl Rainfield “Be your own hero” wristband giveaway winners are:

LINDA B.
BERNICE H.

Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: This week I was so excited to read Anubis Speaks! A Guide to the Afterlife by the Egyptian God of Death by Vicky Alvear Scheter. I am blessed to have some amazing friends who know I love mythology and made my acquisition of this book possible before its release—I am a very lucky girl! I cannot wait to share this book with you all.

I’ll tell you what, many people talk about how when they are sick, they spend time reading books, but when I am sick, I just veg in front of the TV and sleep which really hurts my reading. This is the second time this school year (ALREADY!) that I’ve been sick and it is getting old; hopefully it is all uphill from here! [Also, being sick makes me miss audiobooks because I would have at least gotten some listening done, but carpooling is worth missing out on them. Kind of.]

Ricki: This week, I finished listening to Annexed by Sharon Dogar. It was a great book and very interesting, but I wish I had read it. It was quite depressing, and it made driving to and from school a sad experience (for two weeks). I learned a lot about Anne Frank from this different perspective (while it is considered a historical fiction, I know it is grounded in a lot of research).

I read The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp in preparation for my viewing of the movie. 🙂 It was very good, and I found it to be quite similar to The Catcher in the Rye. I also read Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick. This is a very, very good book. If you aren’t aware, it is about a boy who plans to shoot his ex-best-friend and then himself. I found it to be a very important text that should be available in all classrooms.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: I have a to-read list and next up is Doll Bones by Holly Black. I am really looking forward to finally reading it! I also need to do some research because NCTE is getting really close and I need to work on my presentations. Next weekend, we are also going to go visit my grandfather and family who is visiting him. This will take away from my reading time, but I hope to have enough time to make a dent in my to-read list.

Ricki: My husband and I are listening to The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks in the car together. We have listened to two (out of ten) CDs, but I am thinking we won’t be finished for a very long time. This is his first audiobook.

I just started Man Made Boy by Jon Skovron. I am hoping to finish it for a post this Thursday. I know–I am cutting it close! But it is great so far, so I think I can do it! I am reading a lot of neat articles about the purposes of educating teachers for my doctoral program. This is intended to prepare me to write a philosophy of teacher education. It is interesting because it is forcing me to examine what is most important to me, in regards to the education of teachers.

Guess who got the new Kindle Paperwhite for her birthday? I am a very lucky woman. I love my husband. 🙂

Upcoming Week’s Posts

17773504

17349055

So, what are you reading?

Link up below, and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on at least 3 other blogs. If you tweet about your Monday post, tag the tweet with #IMWAYR!

and

Ol’ Mama Squirrel by David Ezra Stein

October 13, 2013October 6, 2013 by Kellee

Ol’ Mama Squirrel
Author and Illustrator: David Ezra Stein
Published March 21st, 2013 by Nancy Paulsen Books

Goodreads Summary: Caldecott Honor winner David Ezra Stein’s lively tale is a fantastic read-aloud, and feisty Mama Squirrel will have fierce mamas everywhere applauding!

Ol’ Mama Squirrel has raised lots of babies, and she knows just how to protect them. Whenever trouble comes nosing around, she springs into action with a determined “Chook, chook, chook!” and scares trouble away. Her bravery is put to the test, however, when a really big threat wanders into town and onto her tree. But no matter what, Mama’s not about to back down!

My Review: I loved Mama Squirrel. She does anything to save her babies. Anything. This book had me laughing and I know children everywhere will love it.

Teacher’s Tools For Navigation: First and foremost, this book needs to be read aloud. With voices. Kids will love it! This is primarily how this book should be used: as a read aloud. Though, it could lead to discussions about a couple of different things: cause and effect (very basic, would be a good introduction), protective vs. overprotective, team work, family, and (if with older kids and really want to push it) laws about protecting property like “Stand your Ground”.

Discussion Questions: Do you think Mama Squirrel goes to far sometimes? When?; What does Mama do that causes the intruders to leave? When this didn’t work, how did she get the bear to leave?

We Flagged:

Read This If You Loved: Scaredy Squirrel (series) by Melanie Watt, Crankee Doodle by Tom Angleberger, Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein

Recommended For:

Journey by Aaron Becker

October 5, 2013 by Kellee

Journey
Author and Illustrator: Aaron Becker
Published August 6th, 2013 by Candlewick Press

Goodreads Summary: Follow a girl on an elaborate flight of fancy in a wondrously illustrated, wordless picture book about self-determination — and unexpected friendship.

A lonely girl draws a magic door on her bedroom wall and through it escapes into a world where wonder, adventure, and danger abound. Red marker in hand, she creates a boat, a balloon, and a flying carpet that carry her on a spectacular journey toward an uncertain destiny. When she is captured by a sinister emperor, only an act of tremendous courage and kindness can set her free. Can it also lead her home and to her heart’s desire? With supple line, luminous color, and nimble flights of fancy, author-illustrator Aaron Becker launches an ordinary child on an extraordinary journey toward her greatest and most exciting adventure of all.

My Review: This book is very hard to explain the magic of it. Lorna (@notforlunch) described it the best, I think: “a wonderful mashup of a David Wiesner book and Harold and the Purple Crayon.” I think this is perfect. It has the illustration beauty and magic of a wordless David Wiesner picture book and it is about creativity (and a crayon) like Harold. The beauty of the castle she visted also reminded me of Cathedral by David Macaulay. This book is just full of amazing! (You know it is good if it is a topic of #SharpSchu book club!)

Teacher’s Tools For Navigation: This was a bit hard for me. I can envision how this book would be used in the middle grades, but I was blanking on ideas for primary. I know this book needs to be shared, but how?

In my classroom, the first thing I would do is project the book and just have the students read it with me. No talking; just looking. Then we’d go back and discuss what is going on in the book, talk about some of the smaller parts of the illustrations, relive the journey. If I wanted to include a writing activity, we could add words to the book (although, I think this book’s illustrations stand alone). We could also discuss what we’d do if we had a magic crayon. I think this book would be a great addition to Dot Day and discussing creativity. Finally, I think a discussion of observing your surroundings would be appropriate as what the girl wanted the most was right in front of her at the beginning of the book.

Discussion Questions: What would you do with a magic crayon?; What was your favorite part of the journey?; Two parts remind me of Where the Wild Things Are, can you figure out which parts?; What do you think the girl’s name is?; Aaron Becker grew up in many different parts of the world including Japan. Can you find influences of Japan in this story? What about some of the other places he lived?

We Flagged:

Read This If You Loved: Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson, Blackout by John Rocco, David Weisner wordless picture books, Cathedral by David Macaulay, Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, Henri Mouse by George Mendoza, Chalk by Bill Thomson, Art & Max by David Weisner, Weslandia by Paul Fleishman, Narnia (series) by C.S. Lewis

Recommended For:

I put “Read Aloud” although this book is wordless; however, I know it needs to be shared with students. How would you share this book with your students in a read aloud fashion?

Grumbles from the Forest: Fairy-Tale Voices with a Twist by Jane Yolen and Rebecca Kai Dotlich

October 4, 2013 by Kellee

Grumbles from the Forest: Fairy-Tale Voices with a Twist
Authors: Jane Yolen and Rebecca Kai Dotlich
Illustrator: Matt Mahurin
Published March 1st, 2013 by Wordsong

Goodreads Summary: What were all those fairy-tale characters thinking? Jane Yolen and Rebecca Kai Dotlich answer this question in paired poems, with sometimes startling results. The Princess claims all those mattresses kept her awake–“not” a silly pea–while the poor pea complains that the princess snores. One Snow White begs the witch to settle by the bay and throw that mirror away. Another boldly tells the mirror she “won’t be guided by a glass that’s so one-sided.” Grumbles from the Forest is a bewitching brew of voices–grumbling, pleading, bragging, reminiscing, confiding–that bubbles with magic and wonder. The spectacular paintings that tie the poems together are full of surprise and intrigue. This stunning collection includes end notes that briefly describe the tales and their history and an introduction that invites readers to imagine their own poems from unusual perspectives.

My Review: Jane Yolen just doesn’t make bad books. Every time I read one of her books, I know I am reading a piece of great literature. This book is no different. Grumbles from the Forest takes 15 different fairy tales and then has a poem from two different perspectives for each fairy tale. Some are two different characters: Cinderella and her stepsisters, the frog and the princess, the wicked fairy and Sleeping Beauty, etc. including some characters who didn’t have a voice in the original fairy tale like the pea from The Princess and the Pea. Some are from one character, but two points of view: Snow White talking to the witch and with the magic mirror. I was fascinated with all of the poems they came up with!

Teacher’s Tools For Navigation: This book was built for being used in the classroom. First, each fairy tale section could start its own discussion about what the poem is saying vs. the original fairy tale. Second, the poetry itself stands alone. Look for figurative language and other poetic elements and there is even a haiku and cinquain. Third, we are always trying to get students to see things from different points of view and this is a perfect way. The introduction of the book even invites readers to: “Why not try writing a fairy-tale poem yourself? Pick a character or an object—maybe the bridge in Three Billy Goats Gruff, or Beauty’s father or the chair that Goldilocks broke. Imagine. Enchant. Write a poem that rewrites the tale. Make a little magic.”

Discussion Questions: Why do you think the authors chose to write from ____’s point of view? Do you agree with the point of view they gave the character/object? What would you have had them say instead? Who/what would you have written about instead?

We Flagged: Thumbelina

“Thumbelina: A Cinquain”
Being
small has its down-
side, but what, pray tell, is
the choice of a little missy
at birth?

“Little Big: A Haiku”
I am just a bit
Of a proper young lady,
Still I got my prince.

(p. 34-35)

Read This If You Loved: The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka, Revolting Rhymes by Roald Dahl, and other fractured fairy tales; Stories told from different points of view like The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt and Who Stole Mona Lisa? by Ruthie Knapp

Recommended For:

Black Ants and Buddhists by Mary Cowhey

April 22, 2023October 3, 2013 by Ricki

Black Ants and Buddhists
Author: Mary Cowhey
Published: January 1st, 2006 by Stenhouse Publishers

Summary: What would a classroom look like if understanding and respecting differences in race, culture, beliefs, and opinions were at its heart? Welcome to Mary Cowhey’s Peace Class in Northampton, MA, where first and second graders view the entire curriculum through the framework of understanding the world, and trying to do their part to make it a better place.

Woven through the book is Mary’s unflinching and humorous account of her own roots in a struggling large Irish Catholic family and her early career as a community activist. Mary’s teaching is infused with lessons of her heroes: Gandhi, Eleanor Roosevelt, Helen Keller, Martin Luther King, and others. Her students learn to make connections between their lives, the books they read, the community leaders they meet, and the larger world.

If you were inspired to become a teacher because you wanted to change the world, and instead find yourself limited by teach-to-the-test pressures, this is the book that will make you think hard about how you spend your time with students. It offers no easy answers, just a wealth of insight into the challenges of helping students think critically about the world, and starting points for conversations about diversity and controversy in your classroom, as well as in the larger community.

Review and Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: Mary Cowhey’s book is a phenomenal resource for teachers. It is directed for elementary school educators, but I learned a lot, and I am a high school educator. Her main focus is to promote social justice, action, and independence in the classroom. Cowhey integrates stories from her personal life (she grew up without much money and as an adult, was a single mother on welfare) into her lessons to show how she helps her students feel comfortable and safe when sharing their own experiences. She teaches them that regardless of their social or economic standing, they have the ability to be successful.

Each chapter addresses important issues that teachers face, such as how to: set routines, differentiate, respond to tragedy, teach history so kids care, build trust with families, and go against the grain. When her students were dissatisfied with something, she had them write letters. They became young advocates. Cowhey has an extremely responsive classroom, where she takes the students’ interests and teaches different aspects of history, literature, and life each year. Some may find her ideas to be a bit liberal, but they are certainly adaptable for more conservative classrooms. Her students learn in the field, walking to see the mayor to demand a change in their town or visiting a sanitation company when a student wondered, “Where do the poops go?”

What I loved most about Cowhey’s book is that it showed me how to make my students more in-tune with their surroundings. I would love to have my own child in her classroom, as I know he or she would learn a lot about self-advocacy.

Discussion Questions: How do I teach my students to value social justice?; How do I create a culturally responsive and socially responsive classroom?; How do I make class meaningful for my students?; How do I create a safe and comfortable place for my students?; What do I do when students are distracted while I am trying to teach a concept?

We Flagged: “How we respond to tragedy, as teachers, as parents, as humans, not only provides comfort and security, but also can provide hope and power for children in a world that is often unfair, and sometimes unspeakably violent” (181).

Read This If You Loved: Reading, Writing, and Rising Up: Teaching about Social Justice and the Power of the Written Word by Linda Christensen, Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire, Teachers as Cultural Workers by Paulo Freire

What is your favorite book for professional development? Have you read this one? What did you think? Please share your thoughts!

Roanoke, The Lost Colony: An Unsolved Mystery from History by Jane Yolen and Heidi Elisabet Yolen Stemple

October 13, 2013October 2, 2013 by Kellee

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!

Roanoke, The Lost Colony: An Unsolved Mystery from History
Author: Jane Yolen and Heidi Elisabeth Yolen Stemple
Illustrator: Roger Roth
Published July 1st, 2003 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Summary: In 1587 John White was chosen by Sir Walter Raleigh to lead a new colony at Roanoke off the Atlantic coast. After bringing many men, women, and children to the new land, White went back to England to gather supplies for the long winter. But when he finally returned to the fort almost three years later, he found that all of the colonists had vanished. The only signs of life left were the letters CRO carved into a tree and the word CROATOAN carved into one of the fort’s posts. Some people think that the Spanish army captured the colonists; some people think that the local native people murdered them; others think that the colonists went off to live with the native people and start a new life. Still others think that the colonists tried to sail home to England and were lost at sea. No one knows for sure. Become a detective as you read this true story, study the clues, and try to figure out the fate of the lost colony of Roanoke. The Unsolved Mystery from History series is written by acclaimed author Jane Yolen and former private investigator Heidi Elisabet Yolen Stemple. Read carefully and check your clues. You might be the first to solve a puzzle that has baffled people for years.

My Review: Just like all of the others in this series, I found this story fascinating. Unlike, The Wolf Girls, this is a mystery from history that I wanted to learn more about. I had heard of Roanoke, but I didn’t know anything except that it is the lost colony where everyone disappeared. I was never taught about Roanoke, so this was my initial introduction to the colony and man, it is all so fascinating!

Teacher’s Tools For Navigation: I am going to sound like a broken record here, but this, like the other parts of the series, can be used in such amazing ways in the classroom! Check out my Salem Witch Trials and The Wolf Girls reviews to read about how I envision these books being used in the classroom.

Discussion Questions: What do you think happened to everyone? Do you agree with any of the theories given at the end or do you have one of your own?

We Flagged: Narrative nonfiction “The colonists left Portsmouth on April 26, 1587. They planned to meet with the soldiers, then go to Chesapeake Bay, north of Roanoke, where the land was more fertile and the harbor was safer. They sailed in three boats: a flyboat; a pinnace; and the flagship, Lyon. After a month and a haft at sea they reached the Americas at last, stopping first on several islands. At Santa Cruz several colonists ate green fruit. Their lips and tongues swelled badly. A number of people drank from a pond that had ‘water so evil’ they fell dreadfully ill. Some who washed their faces in the water had swollen eyes for five or six days after. They captured five huge tortoises for meat—so large, sixteen men become exhausted hauling them back to the ship.”

Informational nonfiction “For long ocean journeys several types of ships were generally used, including: Flagship- the fleet’s largest, best, or safest ship, on which the commander sailed; Flyboat- a large boat with one or two masts, generally square rigged; Pinnace- a smaller, faster, more maneuverable boat that sometimes carried oars.”

Vocabulary “Fertile: capable of supporting a plentiful crop; Tortoise: land turtle of the warm climates, a good food source because the meat doesn’t spoil quickly” (p. 10-11)

Read This If You Loved: Any of the Unsolved Mysteries from History, Nonfiction books about Roanoke

Recommended For:

Top Ten Tuesday: Book Turn-Offs

October 1, 2013 by Ricki

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. The feature was created because The Broke and Bookish are particularly fond of lists (as are we!). Each week a new Top Ten list topic is given and bloggers can participate.

Today’s Topic: Top Ten Book Turn-Offs

You know when you are reading and something happens, and you think, “Ugh.”

Ricki

1. Point-of-View Shift

There many books that do this well, but overwhelmingly, there are too books that do it quite poorly. I hate when the point-of-view shifts because often, it doesn’t work out. Sometimes, the voices sound too similar, and other times, one voice is much stronger than the others.

2. An Inanimate Object or Animal Starts Talking

There have been many times that I have been enjoying a book, and then an animal or table starts talking. Please don’t. It rarely works out.

3. Marital Problems

This is one of the main reasons I tend to dislike adult books. I hate reading about a person who is cheating on his/her spouse. I am very happy in my marriage, and it really depresses me to read about people who are violate the trust and loyalty of that union.

4. End-of-Chapter Hooks

I loved this technique when I was a kid. It made me want to keep reading. As a more mature reader, it bothers me and makes me wonder if the author isn’t confident enough in his/her own writing and thinks this is the only way to keep his/her readers from putting the book down.

5. Coincidences

Is the main character picking up a hitchhiker? Please don’t let it be his/her long-lost father. Coincidences drive me nuts. They give fiction a bad name.

Kellee

It is so interesting to see what Ricki’s turn-offs are. I actually love her #1 and #2 (as long as they are done well).

1. Lack of resolution at the end of books

I do not mind sequels and series, but I like each book to have a resolution at the end and not a huge cliffhanger ending that makes it so you feel unsatisfied without reading the next book.

2. Poorly done magical/fantastical realism

I generally do not like magical or fantastical realism though there are some I do like. I think I’ve come to realize that it is that I don’t like poorly done magical/fantastical realism. I don’t want to be reading a realistic or historical fiction book and all of a sudden there are ghosts or someone has powers — that really takes away from the original story in my opinion. I do not mind if the fantasy or magic is part of the story from the beginning, it is the throwing it in for plot twists or an explanation I do not like.

3. Character lists in the front of books instead of introducing characters

I actually really like character lists, but there are books that have character lists and then never have an exposition to introduce us to the characters because they listed them in the front. A list should just be a reference not part of the story.

4. Shallow secondary characters

All characters should be thought out thoroughly.

5. Stereotypical characters

Enough said.

What are your book turn-offs?

and