Unleashing Readers

Students Voices: Book Recommendations from Sai B., Kyan V., Liam Z., and Gabi C., 8th Graders

August 12, 2023August 11, 2023 by Kellee

Book Recommendations

“5 Books with Indian Rep” by Sai B., 2022-23 8th grade

India being one of the biggest countries in the world as well as one of the most populous countries is still very unknown to people who haven’t been to the country. There are so many cultures, languages, food, and people that have come from different parts of the country and there is so much to explore. As an Indian person myself, the country is so beautiful and fun to visit. Moving on, many people continue don’t know the true beauty of this country as they haven’t visited the country or have a stereotypical ideology about the country. However, these 5 books can help people understand the cultural and beautiful aspects of the country.

Book 1: Aru Shah Book Series (Pandava Series) by Roshani Chokshi(Presented by Rick Riordan)

I am so happy I read this series as it was written by an Indian author and it was presented by my favorite author Rick Riordan. These books explore one of the biggest stories in Indian mythology called the Mahabharata. This event was about these two groups called the Pandavas and Kauravas in which they fought over the destiny of a Kingdom. Many important gods took part in this event and are very important to the cultural part of India. These books go over a girl named Aruh Shah who learns she is a reincarnation of a Pandava who was the son of a god. She has to stop many evil spirits and demons through these books. These books do a great job in exploring the cultural part of India and explain a lot of the morals and values we learn from Indian mythology.

Book 2: The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman

This is another great book with representation of India but it digs deeper into the lifestyle of how Indian people live. Even though the scenario of Rukku and her brother Viji leaving their house after being violently hurt by their parents, this event is somewhat common to the poorer part of the country. Many families depend on their children to give them financial support and since in the book Rukku the older sister has intellectual problems, it is hard for the family to accept that type of child. Nevertheless, this book was an emotional rollercoaster as it did a really good job of depicting how poorer people live to survive in the country and also expresses the importance of family throughout the book.

Book 3: Save Me a Seat by Gita Varadajan and Sarah Weeks

This book is another great book with Indian representation. Even though it takes place in an American society it represents the adaptations Indian’s have to take after moving to a new country in order to have a better future. However, the lesson learned from the book does not just apply to Indians and is more of a broader moral. The book is about a character named Ravi who tries to adapt to a new way of experiencing things. He has to adapt to school and life in general. Throughout the book he meets Joe, an American, who is also struggling with fitting in and life. They both have the same problems and both try to fix them together. This book does a great job in depicting the values of friendship and the hardship it is for adaptation in a new society.

Book 4: Red, White, and Whole by Rajani LaRocca

This book is very similar to Save Me a Seat as it also explores a girl named Reha who is the only Indian-American in her school. However, this digs deeper into the way Indian homes are like. It shows how many kids have strict interpretations from their parents and feel disconnected from their parents. This is very common in Indian households as parents were raised to work hard and achieve success but they put these expectations on their kids. The kids feel very pressured by this expectation and feel distant from their parents. In the book Riha’s mom starts to feel really sick and this event allows Riha to be closer to her mom. This book does a great job in explaining the difficulties of fitting in and the importance of family.

Book 5: Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond Series by Sayanti DasGupta

This book is another cultural representation of India. It is about a girl named Kiranmala who lived in New Jersey. One day her parents disappear and a demon appears. We later learn she is a long lost Indian princess and goes on a journey to fight demons and save her family. Even though this book is somewhat fictional there are many cultural aspects included in the book and develops a lot of morals and values related to Indian culture. Overall, this book does a great job in representing Indian culture and is definitely a must read.

“5 Mystery Books You Need to Read Right Now” by Kyon V., 2022-23 8th grade

Within fiction, 12.5% of adult books are in the thriller genre. That is estimated to be about 23.6 million mystery books a year in the US alone.

So why are these books so popular? Everyone loves to read about a great mystery for several reasons. Some like to try and solve the mystery before someone in the books does. Some like the suspension and action the book brings. Some like imagining all sorts of things, like what they would do in the characters’ situations. For all these reasons, mystery books are one of the most popular genres. Here are my top 5 favorites for the year.

Concealed by Christina Diaz Gonzalez

Chrstina Diaz Gonzalez is an Edgar winning author from The US with heritage in Cuba. Concealed is part of the 2022-2023 SSYRA ( Sunshine State Young Readers awards books.) With its release just over 2 and a half years ago, this book has been very popular with all kinds of ages, but especially middle schoolers. It has a plot like no other book that keeps the reader glued to the pages of the book, wondering what will happen next.

Framed! And its sequels by James Ponti

This book is the first of a series of 3 thrilling mystery books by James Ponti. The main character is a 12 year old boy with a new technique to help solve mysteries. He, alongside the FBI, solve mysteries together. Each book has its own unique plot. The reader can try to solve the mystery before the characters, therefore providing a reason to keep reading.

City Spies and its sequels by James Ponti

This book, just like Framed!, is the first of a three book series by James Ponti. In these books, a group of young students work together to thwart evil. It provides a vision into the characters and is totally immersive. The characters all come from different backgrounds and countries, and have to figure out a way to become a team in beating evil.

All Fall Down and its sequels by Ally Carter

This book by Ally Carter is highly underrated. This book does not receive the credit it deserves. What is your next step of action when your mom gets murdered? Of course go for revenge and make the killer pay. Who can you trust is on your side? This Mystery series by Ally Carter is just as good as the most popular mystery books out there to date.

One of us is Lying and its sequels by Karen McManus

5 kids from different backgrounds and social groups walk into a classroom. Only 4 make it out. This mystery book between 4 kids to find out which one is the killer is electrifying. I love this book because it relates to me as a middle schooler and different kids being forced to work together on something.

In conclusion, next time you want to find an exciting mystery book, come back to this blog post for 5 top mystery book recommendations that are sure to leave you excited and delighted.

“Favorite Between Two Favorites” by Gabi C., 2022-23 8th grade

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen vs Love & Olives by Jenna Evans Welch

It’s gonna be so hard to choose a favorite because I love both of these books. However, Love & Olives wins by a margin, and here’s why.

Love & Olives had a better slow-burn plot, but the character development prize goes to Flipped. Both books had an amazing plot with nice pacing especially for their varying lengths. The major difference between the books was the boys. The girls were easily confident in themselves, loving, nurturing, and overall good role models. The boys however, couldn’t have been more different. In Flipped, Bryce was a terrible guy. While he became a “good guy” in the end, in the beginning and end, he was a jerk! His whole persona was bullying Julie and being mean to her at every chance he got. In Love & Olives, Theo is an angel who does everything in his power to make sure Liv is comfortable and happy in her new environment. This makes such a good difference in a book! But Bryce did redeem himself in the end. Love & Olives wins.

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes vs AGGGTM by Holly Jackson

This may surprise some of you who know me in real life but I actually prefer AGGGTM by Holly Jackson.

Both books have creative mysteries with fun characters and unique plots. However, the way I am deciding these books is the small little details. I’m talking Romance, Sequels, etc. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love both but they each excel in different ways. AGGGTM did it a bit better… The romance won in the Inheritance Games, even though it was a bigger focus. I love the romance between Jameson and Avery in The Inheritance Games. Pip and Ravi were a bit plain but I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt given that they were only getting together at the end of book. When it comes to sequels I also prefer AGGGTM. But both books were amazing.

Like a Love Song by Gabriela Martins vs Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Eleanor & Park wins by default.

As many of you know Like a Love Song wasn’t one of my favorite books, especially compared to Eleanor & Park. Park was one of my favorite book boys! He was so sweet. Everything he did, he did for Eleanor. He introduced her to his mom. He defended her in front of her dad and provided such a safe space for her, no questions asked. He knew when to let go. As you can see, I put a lot of weight into how much romance my books have. So Eleanor & Park wins.

Invisible by Christina Diaz Gonzales & Gabriela Epstein vs Starfish by Lisa Flipps

These Books. I LOVE these books. I have no complaints. The representation of Latino kids and Plus-size kids is exceptional. Both of these books make a safe space for kids who may feel a little different from everything else. Invisible made me see a little bit of myself in every character. Starfish made me see the perspective of someone different. Starfish was written so beautifully. It feels impossible for me to put these books against each other, So… I choose to ~~break~~ make an exception to my own rules. I have decided to make a tie between these two books!

“5 Underrated Books” by Liam Z., 2022-23 8th grade

Some books don’t get the credit they deserve. There are many good books but they are just not very heard of. While some books are lesser known, they are still extremely good and entertaining . Instead of searching for more known books, search for less popular books as they can be just as good or even better. Smaller books should get the credit that they deserve.

Rebel By Marie Lu

Rebel is an excellent book that not a lot of people read. This book is the 4th book of Legend but is normally outshined by the first three books. This is because this story took place many years later after the third book and it doesn’t contain June’s POV anymore. Despite that, the story is still incredibly good and contains Eden’s story of joining the republic. And also how Day reunites with June. I definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys fast paced action books.

Restart By Gordon Korman

This book is super unique and different from other books. It is about a kid in 8th grade who had an accident and banged his head on the ground. This caused him severe amnesia which made him forget all about his life and had to try and regain it. In my opinion, this has one of the best plots and stories but more people should know about it. Overall, this book is wonderful but not enough people read.

Slacker by Gordon Korman

This is an extremely funny book about a kid named Cameron. Cameron is an extremely lazy kid who slacks off and causes many problems, including almost burning down his house. I really liked it because it has tons of funny parts and it’s entertaining. recommend this book to everyone.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

This is an interesting story about a boy who has these nightmares of a monster in the shape of a tree. This is not all he has to deal with because he deals with death and grief and struggles to overcome it. This story can be emotional or sad but the ending is very happy and he finally overcomes all the things that have happened. I really enjoyed this book because of the good story and plot.

Framed (Swindle#3) By Gordan Korman

Framed is a really good book that contains the search of a very expensive ring. Griffin Bing was getting framed by who he thought was his bully. But in the end, he discovered it was rats who ate the ring and coincidentally all evidence led to Griffin. This is not only a mystery book but also a comedy book. This book is better than it looks and should be more well known.

Thank you so much to my students for their book recommendations!

MEET THE MEGAFAUNA!: Get to Know 20 of the Largest Animals to Ever Roam the Earth by Gabrielle Balkan, Illustrated by Quang And Lien

August 10, 2023August 10, 2023 by Ricki

MEET THE MEGAFAUNA!: Get to Know the 20 Largest Animals Ever to Roam the Earth
Author: Gabrielle Balkan
Illustrator: Quang And Lien
Published: June 27, 2023 by Workman Publishing

Summary: The world’s largest animals come to life in this interactive book featuring 20 megafauna, 10 gatefolds, full-color illustrations and tons of facts!

An interactive (complete with gatefolds!), large-format exploration of megafauna, the mostly-extinct class of ginormous animals that thrived during the Pleistocene era after the extinction of the dinosaurs. Meet a giant armored armadillo, a giant sloth, and the three megafauna still found on earth today—African Bush Elephant, Masai Giraffe, and the Blue Whale.

Review: This book is stunning. The illustrations are captivating, and there is so much to learn. My first grader can recite more dinosaurs than anyone I know, so he was thrilled to dive into this book. For weeks, he’s been telling strangers about the megafauna. Reading this book made me feel like I was visiting a vivid museum—the gatefolds make it particularly exciting to read. I highly recommend having a copy of this one in your classroom.

Tools for Navigation: Students could research an animal in history and create their own gatefolds!

Discussion Questions:

Which megafauna did you find most interesting? What did you learn?
How does this book add to your knowledge about history?

Flagged Spread:

Read This If You Love: Dinosaurs, Animals, History, Cool Things 😉

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Chloe from Workman Publishing for providing a copy of this book for an honest review.**

Who Made This Mess? by Laura Gehl, Illustrated by Aleksandar Stojsic

August 8, 2023 by Kellee

Who Made This Mess?
Author: Laura Gehl
Illustrator: Aleksandar Stojsic
Published July 31st, 2023 by Capstone

Summary: Mud splattered everywhere, tangled-up wool in huge piles, and carrot tops strewn about–what in the world is happening in this animal village? It’s quite a mystery! But thanks to rhyming clues, everyone will be able to easily guess the animal culprits–or will they? In this laugh-out-loud, expectation-defying picture book, Laura Gehl (May Saves the Day and The Hiking Viking) uses a rhyming mystery to help readers adjust their outlook, keep an open mind, and learn not to make assumptions.

About the Creators:

Laura Gehl is the award-winning author of more than forty popular picture books, board books, and early readers including One Big Pair of Underwear, Except When They Don’t, My Pillow Keeps Moving, Apple and Magnolia, and the Baby Scientist series. Laura lives in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with her husband and four children. Visit Laura at lauragehl.com.

Twitter: @AuthorLauraGehl
Instagram: @authorlauragehl
Facebook: @AuthorLauraGehl

Aleksandar Stojsic graduated from Novi Sad Academy of Arts in 2006. He is a prolific character designer and children’s book illustrator who has been producing humorous illustrations for clients for over two decades. He has worked with many leading publishers and animators around the world.

Review: The full page, colorful illustrations in combination with the silliness and rhyming will lead to so many kids loving this book. It is entertaining concept that will lead to so much fun back and forth when reading allowed: “Who made that mess??” then kids yell the answer and discuss then continue. It will be so much fun! And it lends it self to reading and writing opportunities in the classroom!

Tools for Navigation: This book will lead to conversations when read aloud and a fun writing activity. First, each new mess gives an opportunity for prediction. Second, because some are unexpected while others aren’t, the predictions can lead to discussions about assumptions. Third, the rhyming text can be used as a mentor text to make their own “Who Made This Mess?” spreads.

Discussion Questions:

Who do you think made the mess?
Were you right or wrong?
Why did you assume ____ had made the mess?
What does this book teach us about assumptions?
Would you want to go to the party?
What type of mess could you write about an animal making? What about a mess YOU make?

Flagged Spreads:

Read This If You Love: Silly animal picture books

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Barbara at Blue Slip Media and Capstone for providing a copy for review!**

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 8/7/23

August 7, 2023 by Kellee

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
For readers of all ages

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly blog hop we host which focuses on sharing what we’re reading. This Kid Lit version of IMWAYR focuses primarily on books marketed for kids and teens, but books for readers of all ages are shared. We love this community and how it offers opportunities to share and recommend books with each other.

The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. The Kid Lit IMWAYR was co-created by Kellee & Jen at Teach Mentor Texts.

We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up below, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs.

Happy reading!

Tuesday: Worldwide Crush by Kristin Nilsen

Thursday: Paperfold Wild Animals: 10 Amazing Punch-Out-and-Fold Paper Creatures by Megan Montague Cash

Friday: Student Voices: Sharing Webtoons, Mangas, and Graphic Novels by Emma Y. & Jorge G., 8th graders, and Bibi C., 6th grader

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Where Story Ideas Come From & Why Personal Narrative Writing Works Best for Me” by Charlotte Offsay, Author of Challah Day!

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

Kellee

My Father is a Unicorn by Monaka Suzuki: Trent wanted to read this, but since it was marked Teen, I wanted to check it out first, and it is quite a ridiculous book! It is truly about a boy whose mother remarries a unicorn (who can transform into a human), but then she oddly has to go away leaving her son and her new husband/unicorn together. This leads to funny and sweet moments, all centered around the unicorn stepdad working on being a human/stepdad.
Totally Psychic by Brigid Martin: A fun middle grade book about a middle school medium who is dealing with not only new powers but moving across the country. Fans of ghost stories and realistic middle grade school stories will both enjoy reading this book!
Spy Family Vol. 1-4 by Tatsuya Endo: I was told a couple of years ago that I’d love this series. Then months ago my library clerk lent me the first 8 books. But they sat. Until last week when I finally knew I needed to read them to return the books, and THEY ARE SO GOOD!! WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG?!?!?! This book has spies, assassins, telepathy, humor, awkward situations… everything! I am loving every book, and I cannot wait to continue reading them.

Hooked on Books by Margaret Chiu Greanias, Illustrated by Kristyna Litten: Oh, I love Pearl, the little anglerfish in this book, and I think many readers will connect with her as well. She wants to be alone to focus on her book, but as soon as she is done, all she wants to do is talk about it. What a valid feeling! Tied into this book-loving book is also science content with deep sea creatures being introduced along with Pearl. Can’t wait for this to be picked up and read by adults and kids alike!
Bear with Me by Kerascoët: This duo really knows how to pull on your heart strings. In their book, I Walk with Vanessa, they looked at bullying. In Bear With Me, they look at change and comfort–specifically going to school and a comfort stuffed animal. This book will be perfect for back to school!
Spreckle’s Snack Surprise by Sandra Balsbury: Spreckle just wants the perfect snack, but as a dragon born on a farm, he is having quite a tough time find one. I love the solution at the end–it is just perfect. And do yourself a favor by reading the back of the book. It is PERFECT!
Who Made This Mess? by Laura Gehl, Illustrated by Aleksandar Stojsic: I’ll be reviewing this tomorrow!

What a Map Can Do by Gabrielle Balkan, Illustrated by Alberto Lot: Oh, I love this book! It has a very specific purpose, but it does its job in a fun way that kids will find enjoyable while also learning. I was a fan of the different types of maps shared including bus map, museum maps, trail maps, weather map, and star map. It hits on symbols as well. A wonderful introduction implemented very well.
Ten Dragon Eggs: A Book About Counting Down by Lynda Graham-Barber, Illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler: This book will be a read aloud favorite! With wonderful rhyming text, great rhythm, vibrant illustrations, and lessons in counting and colors, both adult and child will enjoy their time with this book.
Where Have You Been, Little Cat? by Richard Jones: I love this! Ever thought about what outdoor cats do all day when they aren’t home? Well, this book has a fun theory! (Is it what the cat actually did?? Or is it the child’s guess?? It is up to you!) The story reminds me a little bit of Where the Wild Things Are but it is the cat going on its adventure which adds a nice rumpus tie in. I was also a fan of the illustrations as they had a nostalgic feel to them.
In the Night Garden by Carin Berger: I can see why this book has been listed on many Caldecott lists–the illustrations are pieces of art. Each spread has so much to see, and I am truly impressed by the use of collage–it is amazing! (Don’t forget to check out her guest post, too!)

To learn more about any of these books, click on any title/image to go to the book’s Goodreads page or check out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

This is my week off–I’ll update you all next week on what I’ve been reading.

Kellee

Reading: Spy Family Vol 5 by Tatsuya Endo & Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Listening to: The Extraordinaries by TJ Klune & Secondhand Dogs by Carolyn Crimi (with Trent)

Tuesday: Who Made this Mess? by Laura Gehl, Illustrated by Aleksandar Stojsic

Thursday: Meet the Megafauna! Get to Know the 20 Largest Animals Ever to Roam the Earth by Gabrielle Balkan, Illustrated by Quang And Lien

Friday: Students Voices: Book Recommendations from Sai B., Kyan V., Liam Z., and Gabi C., 8th Graders

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Sometimes We’re All Furious and How Books can Help with that” by Timothy Knapman, Author of Sometimes I am Furious

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

1.	Shaye @ Miller Memo	5.	Laura @ Beagles & Books	9.	Sue @ Book By Book
2.	Myra @ GatheringBooks	6.	Max @ Completely Full Bookshelf	10.	Ms. Yingling
3.	Lisa @ Literacy On the Mind	7.	Earl Dizon	11.	Jennifer Sniadecki (Reading Teacher Writes)
4.	Gigi Mcallister	8.	Lisa @ Lisa Everyday Life

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

Author Guest Post: “Where Story Ideas Come From & Why Personal Narrative Writing Works Best for Me” by Charlotte Offsay, Author of Challah Day!

August 6, 2023August 6, 2023 by Kellee

“Where Story Ideas Come From & Why Personal Narrative Writing Works Best for Me”

One of my favorite questions to ask other authors is where their story ideas come from. It fascinates me that everyone seems to harness creativity differently. Some authors I know will take two things that ton’s typically go together and combine them into a story, for example mashing vampires and a beach vacation lead author Laura Lavoie to write Vampire Vacation. Other authors will create lists – emotions, settings, types of narrators etc. – and challenge themselves to combine them into a story.

Personally, I prefer Personal Narrative Writing and tend to mine my own life for story ideas. I find that when I write from experience or from the heart, it shines through in my writing and brings out my best work. Since I write picture books, I like to take my own personal experiences and then channel them through a child lens and onto the page.

Take for example my upcoming picture book Challah Day! illustrated by the talented Jason Kirschner (8/1/23 from Holiday House). The idea for Challah Day! was born out of a personal experience close to my heart – my love of baking challah with my two young children.

Book Description: Challah Day! is a joyful, rhyming story about a Jewish holiday food that’s baked with love. From kneading sticky dough to gathering with family around the table, Challah Day! celebrates family, food, heritage, and tradition! Join this happy family as they bake delicious braided egg bread for their Friday night Shabbat dinner.

I began making challah with my two young children when they grew old enough to stop trying to eat the raw dough. Making Challah with them has brought clouds of flour, broken eggs, endless laughter, delicious bread and a beautiful timeless tradition into our home. Channeling my joy of baking together led to my writing the first draft of Challah Day! after one particularly giggle-filled baking session.

I sat down and wrote an upbeat, rhyming story about a family baking challah together for Shabbat. I included fun details from my own life, for example one page reads:

Crack the eggs – one… two… three… four
Extra if some hit the floor.

These lines were inspired by the countless eggs my children broke while learning to master cracking eggs.

The lines…

Chocolate? Raisins? Which to use?
It’s not hard for us to choose!

…come from my daughter who loves to try and fit an entire bag of chocolate chips into her challah dough.

And the lines…

Grandma lights the candles bright.
She and Grandpa hold us tight.

…were inspired by my in-laws who still scoop my children close every time we light the Shabbat candles together.

Mining personal experiences for story ideas can be a great way to help students create their own stories – everyone has a story to tell! Students can choose to stick close to their personal experiences the way I did with Challah Day! or they can use the concept as inspiration and then take artistic license.

Personal Narrative Writing Prompts:

Write about a food that you love to cook or bake with your family.
Describe a favorite tradition or holiday.
Where is your favorite place to visit and why?
What was the best day you have ever had?
Write about your first sleepover
What is something that you are proud of?
What is the silliest thing that has ever happened to you?

Steps:

Pick a personal narrative writing prompt.
Who are the characters in your story?
What are the steps or order of events in your story?
What fun personal details can you add?
Write an opening line that will introduce your character and make your reader want to keep reading. For example, “The silliest thing that ever happened to me was ____” Or “I am proud of ____ because _____.”
Write about the events that happened in your story while keeping the action moving forward. Follow your order of events using words such as: First, Next, Then, Finally.
Incorporate your fun personal details as you write just like I did for Challah Day! Add adjectives/describing words and answer the following questions within your story: Who, What, Where, Why or How.
Conclude your story with one of the following:
1. How things ended
2. What you learned
3. What you will never forget
4. How the story changed you/made you look at the world differently
5. What you look forward to doing next time

Happy creating!

About the Author: CHARLOTTE OFFSAY was born in England, grew up in Boston, and currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two children. Through her work, Charlotte hopes to make children laugh, to inspire curiosity, and to create a magical world her readers can lose themselves in time and time again.

Charlotte is the author of The Quiet Forest, illustrated by Abi Cushman (Paula Wiseman Books, 2024), Challah Day!, illustrated by Jason Kirschner (Holiday House, 2023), A Grandma’s Magic, illustrated by Asa Gilland (Doubleday Books for Young Readers, April 2022), The Big Beach Cleanup, illustrated by Kate Rewse (Albert Whitman, 2021), and How to Return a Monster, illustrated by Rea Zhai (Beaming Books, 2021).

Learn more about Charlotte’s work at charlotteoffsay.com and follow her on Twitter and Tiktok at @COffsay and on Instagram at @picturebookrecommendations. Charlotte is represented by Nicole Geiger at Full Circle Literary.

Thank you, Charlotte, for this post about your process and ideas to help kids with theirs!

Student Voices: Sharing Webtoons, Mangas, and Graphic Novels by Emma Y. & Jorge G., 8th graders, and Bibi C., 6th grader

August 12, 2023August 4, 2023 by Kellee

“Sharing Graphic Novels, Mangas, and Webtoons”

“Introduction to Webtoons” by Emma Y., 2022-23 8th grader

What is Webtoon?

Webtoon is a collection of wide-genre digital comics that are read vertically, that different authors have created from scratch. These comics get updated every week on certain days. These webtoons are all diverse and come from authors who originate all around the world, and many of these webtoons are also made into k-dramas, such as True Beauty!

What kind of genres are there?

There are SO MANY genres on webtoon! These are a list of all of them. My personal favorite is the romance section 😉

Comedy, Fantasy , Romance, Slice of Life, Sci-Fi, Drama, Short Story, Action, Superhero, Heart-warming, Thriller, Horror, Post-Apocalyptic, Zombies, School, Supernatural, Animals, Crime/Mystery, Historical, Informative, Sports, and Inspirational.

How do you access Webtoon?

There are multiple ways to access webtoon, (1) being the website and (2) through the app on a mobile device, which doubles as the most popular way being through the app since it has more unlocked features – but the website gets the point across too! I will be explaining the mobile version instead of the computer, but it’s pretty similar to the website and still easy to figure out.

As you load into the app you’ll be greeted with a lot of banners, colors, maybe even popups if there’s an event happening, etc. It may be overwhelming at first but to proceed further, you must register an account first by clicking the little person icon at the bottom of the screen. It’s easy, all that’s needed is to add a username, create a password, and verify an email address (remember to save your password)! Now you have full accessibility to Webtoon.

What do all these buttons do?

As I said before, Webtoon may have an overwhelming amount of stuff on you at first but to overcome this, exploring the app may help. At the bottom of the screen there’s a quick menu distinguishing the different categories on what to do on Webtoon, the very first one, is the main category. It has the more popular webcomics and by clicking “My Series” you’ll be directed to the “My” button in the bottom of the screen’s bar. Those two are intertwined! You can also

discover comics by looking at the very top. Where it says “The Remarried Empress” (see image below), these banners will contain new comics, comics coming back from hiatus, special promotions, etc, you can click on these different comics and then be directed to the menu. At the very top of your screen, you can also search for any webcomics that you’d like.

This is the little bar at the bottom for easier navigation.

The next button there is the “Originals” button. By clicking on originals you will be able to find comics that are the most popular and have received the most attention, they go from “Canvas” comics to “Original” comics with the collaboration of many different authors, illustrators, and creators. To learn more about Canvas, which is the third button, see below!

Going back to the “My” button, this button contains all of your recently viewed webcomics if you had clicked on any, and your subscribed webcomics. Subscribing to a webcomic means that you get notifications every time the webtoon updates weekly, and you can also support the author as well by doing this (you can also like different episodes by clicking on the heart in the bottom left corner of any panel you click on! In this “My” section, you can also view the different downloads you have on episodes, what unlocked episodes you have, an opportunity to follow the different creators of your webtoons that you are subscribed to + see status updates from them, and any comments you’ve made on webtoons. For example, these are some of the webtoons I’m personally subscribed to!

And the final part of the hotbar, the “More” section. This is mainly just a place to keep track of all of your coins that you’ve accumulated. Different amounts of coins are used as “fast passes”. Since webtoons are updated weekly, you can also read ahead– if you choose to, by using coins.

You can either buy coins with money or get a few free coins from different events, just keep an eye out! The downside is that you have to use your coins, if you choose to, in a set time period otherwise they’ll expire and you won’t be able to use them anymore.

What is Canvas?

The very middle button on that little hotbar at the bottom is called Canvas. These are where less-popular comics are put and just a way for different creators to share their creations! This is also where the “Originals” originate from (hahah, get it?), everybody has to start somewhere afterall! The thing with Canvas comics is that they won’t always update weekly, it’s just whenever the creator chooses to upload, but that doesn’t mean these comics are bad in any way– they just need a little love.

What happens when I click on a comic?

When you click on a comic, at the very top you’ll be greeted with a few buttons. The subscription button, to add to your list of subscribed comics, the “i” button which is just a short description of the story, the download button which is an arrow down, and the last one is a share-comic button. You can see the genre at the top, my example, “Omniscient Reader” is an Action comic. You can also see the creator(s) and the description is present once more. You can also see how many views, likes, and the rating it has.

Moving on to the gray parts at the middle-bottom, the less gray episodes are the ones that haven’t been read yet and the darker gray episodes at the bottom are the read ones. You can see the episode number on the right and the little arrow just above the very top episode number is all the Fast Pass episodes you can view.

What are Daily Passes?

Last but not least, the image below is on a tab called “Daily Pass”. These are comics that have been completed and longer updated! Since they are no longer updated, there’s no need for a full week wait, so the solution to this is to make it into a Daily Pass. This just means that if you click on it, you can only read one episode a day. This spans across any Daily Pass comic so if you click on an episode of “A Good Day to be a Dog” today and also an episode of “Devil Number 4”, you’ll only be able to read the former.

Now go and read and enjoy!

“5 Manga Series I Read and Liked This Year” by Jorge G., 2022-23 8th grader

Haikyu!! By Haruichi Furudate

This book series is mainstream but a lot less popular than most mainstream Manga, but it’s still good. This was the first and only sports manga I read. This book is about a boy who is short but wants to play volleyball, a sport that is dominated by height, but he can jump really high. Overall, really good in my opinion. Confession time, this manga was the reason I played volleyball in middle school, with my stature of 5’4.

A Silent Voice by Yoshitoki Ōima

This book was one of my first really emotional reads because I had read one chapter of it somewhere during 4th grade, so it was nice to find out the ending. It’s about a boy who bullied a deaf girl as a child and wants to ask for forgiveness and friendship and along the way make a nice group of friends with their own flaws. This book was leaving me in suspense during 4th grade because I didn’t know how it ended or the title so it was really nice to find out they had it in the library and that I could finish it in my last year in 8th grade. Shout out to Ms.Rokaw for letting me read books 4-7 because they didn’t have it in the library!

I Want To Eat Your Pancreas By Yoru Sumino

This book was so sad and happy at the same time. I Want To Eat Your Pancreas is about a girl who has a terminal illness and a journal called “Living With Dying”, that is discovered by her classmate, and he’s the only one who knows other than her family. The ending made my cry a little(like a tear or two), overall, a roller coaster of emotions. Probably the most impactful manga I have ever read, and it really changed my outlook on life and how you have to live it to the fullest.

Orange by Ichigo Takano

This Series was about a group of high school students who received letters from the future that said one of their friends would die, and they were the ones who could change it. It is also sort of sci-fi, but not much. Overall, a really touching story that changes your view on how precious life is, and friendship and what it means.

Astra Lost In Space by Kenta Shinohara

This book holds a really special place in my heart because it was the FIRST EVER manga series I read. The reason why it is this year is because I had read the first chapter in 3rd grade in a Shonen Jump magazine I bought at a book fair, and couldn’t find it anywhere until I went into middle school and finished it. The reason why it’s rated is personal preference, and the first of anything always has a special place in my heart. But that being said, it is a really good book about teenagers stuck in space after an imposter failed to kill them, and they have to find out who it is, while also making it back home safely. This book has many twists and turns and surprised me many times when I read it. Overall, this has to be my favorite Manga series.

“Top 5 Favorite Graphic Novels and Why” by Bibi C., 2022-23 6th grader

Roller Girl

This was one of my favorite books because of the main character’s dedication.The main character’s name is Astrid and she wanted to do Roller Derby but she couldn’t. She did not stop and she sent a note to her idol who plays roller derby and she answered all her notes! She motivated Astrid to keep going and she kept going! Even though she could not play she kept going and didn’t quit and she was there until the end.

Frizzy

This was one of my favorite books because of the people who were actually nice to the main character. The main character’s name is Marlene. She has frizzy hair but her family hates it except for a couple of people in her family but especially her aunt. Most people in her family think straight hair is what’s best. Their family has a tradition that every Sunday they go to the salon to get their hair straightened. Overall I really liked the people who respected that Marlene likes her frizzy hair.

The Tryout

This was one of my favorite books because of when Christina (the main character) decided she wanted to try out for the cheer team. It was her first year in middle school and she really wanted to fit in. She is one of the few Asians there and is not treated fairly. Christina was very excited to try out with her best friend until her best friend decided she was trying out with someone else. In the end she did her best! Overall I really liked how Christina really was dedicated to try out for the cheer team.

Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy

This was one of my favorites books because of the support they gave each other. All went through tough times and their father was working in the military so they sent messages to their father but it was still really tough for them. Beth, one of the sisters, was really sick and had to be rushed to the hospital and she ended up almost dying. Overall I really loved this book because even though each and everyone of those girls were going through tough times they all supported each other no matter what.

The Witches

This was one of my favorite books because of the people who the witches turned into rats, then turning all witches into rats. Witches rented out some space in a hotel and they gave a kid chocolate which turned him into a rat. There were two rats because the boy who turned into a rat met another rat that the witch also was a kid but now was a rat. One of the kids’ grandma was informed and they did everything they could to get revenge. At the end they put the potion on the witches soup and the witches all turned into rats just like them. Overall I really liked how funny the ending was when the witches turned into rats.

Thank you so much to my students for sharing webtoons, mangas, and graphic novels today!

Paperfold Wild Animals: 10 Amazing Punch-Out-and-Fold Paper Creatures by Megan Montague Cash

August 3, 2023 by Ricki

Paperfold Wild Animals: 10 Amazing Punch-Out-and-Fold Paper Creatures
Author: Megan Montague Cash
Published: May 2, 2023 by Workman Publishing

Summary: Welcome to the magic of paperfolding—from flat pieces of paper to 3D creatures, find a new creative outlet with no scissors or glue required!

Ingeniously designed using interlocking tabs and only two simple types of folds, Paperfold Wild Animals is a new kind of paper craft that’s fun and mess-free for kids 7+. Punch out and construct ten amazing models of animals from around the a wolf in mid-howl, a bear about to enjoy the fresh salmon it just caught, an ibex with its horns down and ready to charge, and more.

Every animal comes with a set of surprising facts too. Did you know that a tortoise can live to be 150 years old and is able to recognize human features? Or that kangaroos are good swimmers? Or that a lion’s roar can be heard from 5 miles away?

Review: We took our kids out of state to a wedding, and this book saved the week. My kids were feverishly folding the papers and sharing the facts with each other. They lined the animals up on the table when we ate, and they lined them on the dressers when we slept. When I think of this trip, I will think about the wedding, but I will also think about these wild animals and the fun facts that I learned. I highly recommend this one—it truly is mess-free fun!

Teaching Tools for Navigation: This book would be amazing for fast finishers in class. It requires students to follow instructions, and there are some really great facts for them to learn!

Discussion Questions:

Which was your favorite animal?
What fun facts did you learn about the animals?

Paperfold Wild Animals on Our Trip:

Read This If You Love: Activity Books, Animals

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Ivanka at Workman Publishing for sending a copy of this book for an honest review!**