Art – Page 13 – Unleashing Readers

Blog Tour, Review, Giveaway, and Author Guest Post!: The Top-Secret Diary of Cecile Valentine: Friendship Over by Julie Sternberg

April 28, 2016October 10, 2014 by Kellee

The Top-Secret Diary of Celie Valentine: Friendship Over
Author: Julie Sternberg
Illustrator: Johanna Wright
Published October 1st, 2014 by Boyds Mills Press

Goodreads Summary: Ten-year-old Celie has quite a few things on her mind — fights with her sister Jo, secrets at school, an increasingly forgetful grandmother, and worst of all, a best friend who won’t speak to her. How can a girl who hates change survive, when everything in her life is changing? By writing, of course! Celie’s often comical and always heartfelt diary entries include notes, e-mails, homework assignments, and pages from her top-secret spy notebook.

My Review: I am a very big fan of Julie Sternberg’s Eleanor books. What I enjoy the most about these books is that Julie Sternberg has a way to get into 10 year old’s heads and make her narrator’s voice sound so spot on. As someone who teaches middle school, I am always so impressed when a first person narrative sounds like the students I teach. When I found out that Julie Sternberg had a new series coming out and it would be a diary, I was super excited, and this book did not disappoint.

Celie fills her journal with her deepest thoughts, her art, and other items that help tell her story. Readers will connect with Celie while she deals with her grandmother’s declining health, her best friend’s sudden silence, and her older sister’s identity issues. Great discussions will start with questions such as “Have you and your best friend ever gotten into a fight?”

I asked Julie to share with us how she find her inner 10-year-old voice so effectively. Here is her answer:

I’m fixated on voice in writing. It’s problematic. I tend to spend weeks—sometimes months—on the first thirty or so pages of a novel, trying and trying to get the voice right. I cannot move forward until I believe I’ve succeeded.

I recognize that this is a silly way to write. I tell myself, Turn off your internal editor! Knock out a terrible first draft! Revising is so much easier than confronting a blank page. Just KEEP GOING!

But I never can. Because without the right voice, I don’t have a book.

When I think about voice, I think about not just who is telling the story, but also to whom. Audience makes a difference. A child, for example, will relate an anecdote differently to a teacher than to a best friend. So, for my first series, Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie and its sequels, I imagined the main character, Eleanor, telling stories to a friend her age. And, for my latest series, The Top-Secret Diary of Celie Valentine, I imagine Celie pouring her uncensored thoughts into a diary.

Voice is most shaped by the narrator’s personality and background. When I need a brilliant reminder of this, I re-read Voices in the Park, a picture book by Anthony Browne. In it, four separate narrators tell their version of the same story (one shared afternoon in the park). We get a staggeringly clear sense of each character just from the voice they use to relate that simple story.

When I’m trying to define a voice, I pay particular attention to the rhythm and structure of sentences. In The Top-Secret Diary of Celie Valentine, for example, feisty Celie uses simpler and more pointed sentences than her chattier and messier older sister, Jo. For instance, here’s the first sentence in a long note that Jo writes to Celie: “Mom says I’m not allowed to talk to you (I’m supposed to ‘give you your space’) until the end of your timeout, so I can’t just go in there and tell you this, which is what I really want to do.” Celie responds in three sentences, not one of which has more than four words.

A compelling voice can compensate for a host of sins. I learned this as a reader. Some of my favorite books could have better plots, for example. I don’t care. I love the voice in those books, and I want to spend my days with their narrators.

Of course I don’t write perfect books, either (though I want to). If readers nonetheless want to spend their days with Eleanor or Celie or my other narrators because of their voices, then I’m ecstatic.

Author: Julie Sternberg is the author of the best-selling Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie and its sequels, Like Bug Juice on a Burger and Like Carrot Juice on a Cupcake. Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie is a Gryphon Award winner and a Texas Bluebonnet Award finalist; Like Bug Juice on a Burger is a Gryphon Honor Book, a Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Awards Nominee, and an Illinois Monarch Award Finalist. Formerly a public interest lawyer, Julie is a graduate of the New School’s MFA program in Creative Writing, with a concentration in writing for children. She lives with her family in Brooklyn, New York. For more information about her life and work and to download free activity materials based on her books, visit her website: juliesternberg.com.

We Flagged:

From Julie Sternberg’s web site

Read This If You Loved: Eleanor series by Julie Sternberg, Middle School is Worse than Meatloaf by Jennifer L. Holm, Where I Live by Eileen Spinelli, The Popularity Papers by Amy Ignatow, Mackenzie Blue by Tina Wells

Recommended For:

Also don’t forget to check out the other stops on Julie’s blog tour:

Mon, Sept 29	Mother Daughter Book Club	http://motherdaughterbookclub.com/
Tues, Sept 30	5 Minutes for Mom	http://www.5minutesformom.com/category/feature-columns/5-minutes-for-books/
Wed, Oct 1	Sharpread	http://mrcolbysharp.com/
Thurs, Oct 2	KidLit Frenzy	http://www.kidlitfrenzy.com/
Fri, Oct 3	The Hiding Spot	http://thehidingspot.blogspot.com
Sat, Oct 4	Booking Mama	http://www.bookingmama.net/
Mon, Oct 6	Ms. Yingling Reads	http://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/
Tues, Oct 7	GreenBeanTeenQueen	http://www.greenbeanteenqueen.com/
Wed, Oct 8	Great Kid Books	http://greatkidbooks.blogspot.com/
Thurs, Oct 9	Teach Mentor Texts	http://www.teachmentortexts.com/#axzz3DP0vkvgi
Fri, Oct 10	Unleashing Readers	http://www.unleashingreaders.com/
Sat, Oct 11	Bermuda Onion	http://bermudaonion.net/

GIVEAWAY

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**Thank you to Barbara at Blue Slip Media for providing a copy for review and having us be part of the blog tour!!**

Dr. Bird’s Advice for Sad Poets by Evan Roskos

July 5, 2014July 3, 2014 by Ricki

Dr. Bird’s Advice for Sad Poets
Author: Evan Roskos
Published: March 5, 2013 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Summary: “I hate myself but I love Walt Whitman, the kook. Always positive. I need to be more positive, so I wake myself up every morning with a song of myself.”

Sixteen-year-old James Whitman has been yawping (à la Whitman) at his abusive father ever since he kicked his beloved older sister, Jorie, out of the house. James’s painful struggle with anxiety and depression—along with his ongoing quest to understand what led to his self-destructive sister’s exile—make for a heart-rending read, but his wild, exuberant Whitmanization of the world and keen sense of humor keep this emotionally charged debut novel buoyant.

Ricki’s Review: Dr. Bird’s Advice for Sad Poets is such an important book. It captures depression and anxiety in a way that is both authentic and heart-wrenching at the same time. I wanted to reach into the pages of the book to give James a big hug. Similarly to It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini, this book employs humor without detracting from the very realness of James’ struggles with loneliness and isolation. Teens (and adults) will find themselves in James because he is depicted in a sympathetic way that is very human. This novel is brilliant and should be in every classroom library.

Kellee’s Review: I concur with everything that Ricki said. Dr. Bird’s is a very special book. On a Top Ten Tuesday list, I wrote that I wished there were more books about kids with chemical imbalances, and Dr. Bird’s is the closest I’ve read yet. Evan Roskos captures the feeling of a manic depressive state. The energy of the writing actually changes as James’s state of mind changes: anxious, manic, depressed. However, what makes it truly special is that even in the end, there is optimism. Although James is fighting his own chemical imbalance, he keeps doing just that—fighting.

Another thing I adored about this book is the idea of art and writing as therapy. James finds solace in photography and poetry, which is a positive lesson for teens because it shows the power of art, writing, and poetry.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: It would be interesting for teachers to do literature circles with texts that concern mental health. Students might read this book along with titles like: Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick, It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini, The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson, Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King, and 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher. I imagine that reading these titles would foster incredibly rich discussions about depression, anxiety, and suicide. In my opinion, we must have these conversations with our students.

Also, Walt Whitman is a huge part of James’s life, and Whitman is mentioned throughout the book. The Whitman references (and James’s poetry emulating Whitman) would great to be examined in a classroom.

Discussion Questions: If James didn’t have abusive parents, do you think his life would be the same? Do you think depression is genetic in his family?; How does James show bravery?; What role does Walt Whitman play in James’ life?

We Flagged: “People in the world suffer from greater calamities than I do. I eat, I have clothes, I have a house. I read about people around the world who survive on less than a dollar a day. I read about how there are hundreds of millions of widows living in poverty. I see ads for kids who are born with ragged lips and jagged teeth. I don’t have anything like that. I just wake up with a deep hatred of myself. How selfish is that?” (p. 115)

“Later, as my father drives me to the pizzeria, his gassy, grumpy body reeking of judgment and anger and disappointment, I can’t help but wonder how little he knows about the depth of my sadness. The depth of my very being. Will he be upset to find me dead, or relieved?” (p. 214)

Read This If You Loved: (Many of these are listed above.) Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick, It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini, The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson, Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King, Reality Boy by A.S. King, Dear Life, You Suck by Scott Blagden, 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher, Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman

Recommended For:

and

The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig

December 13, 2015June 18, 2014 by Kellee

The Invisible Boy
Author: Trudy Ludwig
Illustrator: Patrice Barton
Published October 8th, 2013 by Alfred A. Knopf

Goodreads Summary: Meet Brian, the invisible boy. Nobody ever seems to notice him or think to include him in their group, game, or birthday party . . . until, that is, a new kid comes to class.

When Justin, the new boy, arrives, Brian is the first to make him feel welcome. And when Brian and Justin team up to work on a class project together, Brian finds a way to shine.

From esteemed author and speaker Trudy Ludwig and acclaimed illustrator Patrice Barton, this gentle story shows how small acts of kindness can help children feel included and allow them to flourish. Any parent, teacher, or counselor looking for material that sensitively addresses the needs of quieter children will find The Invisible Boy a valuable and important resource.

Includes backmatter with discussion questions and resources for further reading.

Review: Wow. This book affected me, so I know it would affect students. Although this is a book aimed at helping students think about how they affect others, there was one scene, early on, that shows Brian being ignored by everyone including his teacher which made me even sadder. It is so important for everyone, adults included, to think about how they treat or ignore others.

The other thing that I thought was brilliant was the way the illustrations were done. Brian comes to life actually right in front of our eyes. Such a smart way to visually show the moral of the story.

If you have not read this book yet, get it from your library or just go ahead and purchase it. You will not regret it.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This book needs to be added to any kindness or empathy units out there right now. When I go back into the classroom, I will include it when I read Each Kindness, Because Amelia Smiled, and Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon (check out my post on how I use Each Kindness in my middle school classroom. Invisible Boy will fit perfectly.)

The author also includes recommended reading for adults and kids as well as wonderful Questions for Discussion in the back of the book.

Discussion Questions: (Found in the backmatter of the book) How many kids did it take in this story to help Brian begin to feel less invisible?; What specifically did Justin do to make Brian feel less invisible?; Are there kids in your class, grade, or school who you see being treated as if they are invisible? If yes, what could you do to make them feel more valued and appreciated?

We Flagged:

Read This If You Loved: Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson, Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell, Because Amelia Smiled by David Ezra Stein, Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great by Bob Shea

Recommended For:

The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky’s Abstract Art by Barb Rosenstock

June 29, 2014June 11, 2014 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!

The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky’s Abstract Art
Author: Barb Rosenstock
Illustrator: Mary Grandpré
Published February 11th, 2014 by Alfred A. Knopf

Goodreads Summary: In this exuberant celebration of creativity, Barb Rosenstock and Mary Grandpre tell the fascinating story of Vasily Kandinsky, one of the very first painters of abstract art. Throughout his life, Kandinsky experienced colors as sounds, and sounds and colors–and bold, groundbreaking works burst forth from his noisy paint box.

Review: I love the visual arts. Growing up with a father that ran an art museum, going to visit museums and learning about art was part of my life. Throughout all of this exploration, I found that I loved modern art more than any other: Seurat, Rauschenberg, Picasso, etc. Kandinsky is one of the artists whose art I really enjoyed. This book let me see into Kandinsky’s mind, and see how abstract art came to be through his synesthesia. Fascinating!

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This is a perfect introduction to Kandinsky and abstract art. Abstraction is a hard concept to understand (though kids seem to get it more than kids), and this book helps explain how abstract art came to be. I can see this book being used in a lit circle/jig saw type fashion where kids learn about different creative people through narrative nonfiction biographies and research, write an evidence-based biography, and then share them with the other groups.

Discussion Questions: How did Kandinsky change art?; Have you ever had teachers/parents who didn’t understand you? What happened?; What is synesthesia? How did it affect the art Kandinsky made?

Book Trailer:

We Flagged: “His artist friends understood. They too were tired of painting pretty landscapes and pretty ladies. They thought art needed to change.
‘Art should make you feel,’ Vasya told them. ‘Like music.’
‘Exactly!’ said his friends. But none of them knew how to paint feelings…
until the day Vasya grew brave enough…
and invited the world to see the paintings roaring from his noisy paint box.”

Read This If You Loved: Linnea in Monet’s Garden by Christina Björk, Sky Color by Peter H. Reynolds, Sandy’s Circus: A Story About Alexander Calder by Tanya Lee Stone, Art by Patrick McDonnell, Art & Max by David Wiesner, Concerning the Spirituality in Art by Wassily Kandinsky

Recommended For:

Review and Giveaway!: Like Bug Juice on a Burger and Like Carrot Juice on a Cupcake by Julie Sternberg

June 13, 2015June 6, 2014 by Kellee

Like Bug Juice on a Burger (Eleanor #2)
Author: Julie Sternberg
Illsutrator: Matthew Cordell
Published April 2nd, 2013 by Amulet Books

Goodreads Summary: I hate camp. I just hate it. I wish I didn’t. But I do. Being here is worse than bug juice on a burger. Or homework on Thanksgiving. Or water seeping into my shoes. In this sequel to the critically acclaimed Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie, Eleanor is off to summer camp. At first she’s excited to carry on the family tradition at Camp Wallumwahpuck, but when she gets there she finds icky bugs, terrible food, and worst of all: swim class, where she just can’t seem to keep up with everyone else. But as the days go on, Eleanor realizes that even the most miserable situations can be full of special surprises and that growing up is full of belly flops.

Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This book definitely brought back memories! I loved the idea of summer camp and many of the activities, but I hated the bugs and the food and the changing in front of other people. There are many times when I was away that I just wanted to go home; however, there were things that saved me- specifically, like Eleanor, the animals. I loved working in the barn with the horses and it is what saved me and then got me going back year after year. I remember walking into the barn and being able to be part of these horses’ lives and the scene where Eleanor meets Cornelius the goat brought me right back to that moment.

This book would be a wonderful read aloud for right before summer because even if students are not going to summer camp, there is probably something new and scary that they will try this summer and this book will definitely cause discussion about how something new may be scary, but that doesn’t mean you won’t like it eventually. Julie Sternberg’s writing also lends itself to some amazing discussions about free verse poetry and, in this one, letter writing. Maybe use the letter writing part of the book to segue into writing a letter to next year’s class.

Finally, I love the idea of the Wall of Feelings! The Wall of Feelings is where the campers put up how they feel about camp; however, Eleanor is given the job of writing about how she used to feel about camp and then how she feels about camp now. What a great way for students to express themselves! This would be a great formative assessment for looking at how students feel about reading or school or some other topic at the beginning of the year vs. the end.

Discussion Questions: Think about a time in your life when you did something you were scared to do. How did you overcome your fear/nervousness? How did it turn out in the end?

We Flagged: “The bus was bumping
down a gravel road
with bushes and trees and weeds all around.
This isn’t beautiful
I thought.
This is creepy.
I missed sidewalks full of people
checking their phones
and walking their cute dogs.
I missed paved roads, too,
filled with taxis and bik riders.” (Chapter 5)

Like Carrot Juice on a Cupcake
Author: Julie Sternberg
Illustrator: Matthew Cordell
Published March 18th, 2014 by Amulet Books

Goodreads Summary: I did a mean thing.
A very mean thing.
I HATE that I did it.
But I did.
This is worse than
carrot juice on a cupcake
or a wasp on my pillow
or a dress that’s too tight at the neck.
In the third installment from the team who created Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie and Like Bug Juice on a Burger, Eleanor’s relationship with her best friend, Pearl, experiences its first growing pains. When a glamorous new student transfers to school, at first Eleanor’s excited about the possibility of a new friend. But when Pearl is assigned to be the new girl’s buddy, Eleanor fears she can’t compete. To make matters worse, Eleanor’s been chosen for the lead role in the springtime musical, which means she has to sing a solo in front of the entire school!
From overcoming stage fright to having a secret crush, young readers will relate to Eleanor as she navigates the bittersweet waters of growing up.

Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This book has multiple levels going on at the same time. There is the story of Eleanor and Pearl’s friendship and their first speed bump. Then there is Eleanor getting the lead in the play, and dealing with the fear of singing a solo. Eleanor dealing with her puppy having trouble getting house trained. And finally, the Eleanor and Nicholas story. But Sternberg balances it all because it is just all part of Eleanor’s life. Julie Sternberg is so great at writing in an elementary student’s voice. It is so authentic and well done!

What I love so much about all of the “Eleanor” books are that they are written in verse, and Eleanor is an amazing poet. I love that it is free verse and includes such beautiful language, but it never comes off as anything but authentic. Teachers could definitely take Eleanor’s writing and use it as a mentor text for students to write about their own experiences.

Discussion Questions: Have you ever hurt a friend’s feelings? What did you do to make it better?; How was Eleanor able to overcome her stage fright?; Why was Eleanor so scare and jealous of Ainsley?; Do you think Eleanor likes Nicholas?

Read These If You Loved: Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie by Julie Sternberg, Marty McGuire and Marty McGuire Digs Worms by Kate Messner, Where I Live by Eileen Spinelli, Go Out and Play! by KaBoom!, Lunch Lady and the Summer Camp Shakedown by Jarrett Kroscozka, Camp Babymouse by Jenni and Matt Holm, Bink and Gollie by Kate DiCamillo, Ramona books by Beverly Cleary

Curriculum Guide for All of the “Eleanor” Books Can be Found Here.

Both Books Recommended For:

GIVEAWAY

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**Thank you to Barbara at Blue Slip Media for providing copies for review**

Top Ten Tuesday: Covers We’d Frame As Pieces Of Art

May 6, 2014 by Kellee

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 Covers We’d Frame As Pieces Of Art

Ricki

I can’t help that I stole some of these from my top ten favorite covers list. I can’t change my favorites!

1. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly, Art by Beth White

I love this girl’s inquisitive nature. Check out more of Beth White’s cover art by clicking the link above.

2. Grounded by Kate Klise, Art by ??

I don’t own this book, so I couldn’t look up the cover artist, and I couldn’t find it on the internet because they have since CHANGED the cover! I would never have changed this! Look at the lovely person under the tree. I want to be her.

3. Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork, Art by Christopher Stengel

Doesn’t this cover make you want to read it?

4. The Teleportation Accident by Ned Beauman, Art by Scot Bendall

I haven’t read this book yet, but isn’t the cover incredible?!

5. Wonder by R.J. Palacio, Art by Tad Carpenter

This feels very Picasso to me.

Kellee

1. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, Art by John Rocco
I actually have a framed print of this hanging in my son’s room!

2. The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey, Art by ?? (If you can find it please let me know!)
Creepy, right?! Just so fascinating. Beautiful digital art.

3. Baseball Is… by Louise Borden, Art by Raul Colon
Beautiful! And being a fan of baseball, I’d love this (though I’d change the jersey to a Cubs one :D)

4. Wonder Show by Hannah Barnaby, Art by Evan B. Harris
I am a fan of the fun and quirkiness in this cover.

5. The Giver Quartet by Lois Lowry, Art by Cliff Nielsen
I just love the four new covers together. They look so beautiful!

What covers do you consider pieces of art?

and

The Dumbest Idea Ever! by Jimmy Gownley

December 20, 2013 by Kellee

The Dumbest Idea Ever!
Author and Illustrator: Jimmy Gownley
Expected Publication February 25th, 2014 by GRAPHIX

Goodreads Summary: Jimmy Gownley’s graphic novel memoir about the “dumb” idea that changed his life forever!

What if the dumbest idea ever turned your life upside down?

At thirteen, Jimmy was popular, at the top of his class, and the leading scorer on his basketball team. But all that changed when chicken pox forced him to miss the championship game. Things went from bad to worse when he got pneumonia and missed even more school. Before Jimmy knew it, his grades were sinking and nothing seemed to be going right.

How did Jimmy turn things around, get back on top at school, and land a date with the cutest girl in class?

Renowned comics creator Jimmy Gownley shares his adventures as he grows from an eager-to-please boy into a teenage comic book artist. This is the real-life story of how the DUMBEST idea ever became the BEST thing that ever happened to him.

My Review: I own many of the Amelia Rules series, but I had not read them before; however, when I got Jimmy Gownley’s memoir graphic novel, I knew I had to read it. I am always looking for ways to get my students to read more nonfiction and a graphic novel autobiography (like Smile) is definitely one of the ways to get them more interested in nonfiction. And, like Smile, Jimmy’s story is one that students will definitely connect with and, hopefully, enjoy. It deals with not only Jimmy’s journey of writing his graphic novel but also many the transition to high school and first love.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: This book will be a definite motivator for students and really shares that a teen can do anything. And on top of the message, it is a well-written, funny story that students will enjoy.

I can also see it being used as a mentor text to have students write their own memoir graphic novel. You could use Jarrett Krosoczka’s writing mountain video (http://www.studiojjk.com/booktalks.html) to help write an in-depth story, work on deciding on life moments to write about, and then maybe use http://www.storyboardthat.com/ to story board the story.

Discussion Questions: What circumstances helped make Jimmy write his comic?

We Flagged: “Look at this! There must be dozens of new books here! Hundreds! War comics and humor comics…Horror, crime, sci-fi, romance… and not one of them look appropriate for a kid my age. AWESOME.” (p. 60)

Read This If You Loved: Smile by Raina Telgemeier, Amelia Rules! series by Jimmy Gownley, Zebrafish by Peter H. Reynolds

Recommended For: