How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon

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how it went down

How It Went Down
Author: Kekla Magoon
Published: October 21, 2014 by Henry Holt and Co.

Goodreads Summary: When sixteen-year-old Tariq Johnson dies from two gunshot wounds, his community is thrown into an uproar. Tariq was black. The shooter, Jack Franklin, is white.

In the aftermath of Tariq’s death, everyone has something to say, but no two accounts of the events line up. Day by day, new twists further obscure the truth.

Tariq’s friends, family, and community struggle to make sense of the tragedy, and to cope with the hole left behind when a life is cut short. In their own words, they grapple for a way to say with certainty: This is how it went down.

Ricki’s Review: In light of the recent protests, this is an incredibly insightful book that is very important. The point-of-view shifts every 2-3 pages, which was very thought-provoking. Too often, books depict stereotypical portrayals of members of cultures, and the gamut of characters within this text felt very realistic. For some, this book may be too gritty and too uncomfortable. There is nothing comfortable about discussions regarding inequities and privilege in society. But if you walk down the halls of my high school, there is nothing in the book that is not a concern in schools. This is not a feel-good read, but it made me think. And thinking…is a very good thing.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: There is much to discuss in this book. Teachers could use it to start conversations about power and privilege. There are a lot of discrepancies between the characters’ perceptions of the shootings, and I imagine students would disagree about what happened. Teachers might elect to hold a verbal or silent debate. Also, I would love to discuss the structure of the text. The creativity in the form is purposeful, and it would be interesting for students to investigate why Magoon structured it in the way she did.

Discussion Questions: Why does Magoon structure the novel with alternating voices? How is the novel structured as a whole?; Does this story serve as a counter-narrative? If so, how? If not, why not?; Did Tariq have a gun in his hand? Why do/don’t you think so?; How does the story evolve as time passes?

We Flagged: “As a black man, you have to keep your head down. You have to keep yourself steady. You have to follow every rule that’s ever been written, plus a few that have always remained unspoken.”

Read This If You Loved: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, On the Run by Alice Goffman, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander, Monster by Walter Dean Myers, The Brothers Torres by Coert Voorhees, Autobiography of my Dead Brother by Walter Dean Myers

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Blog Tour with Review, Giveaway, and Author’s Guest Post!: Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah by Laurie Ann Thompson

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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!

emmanuel

Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah
Author: Laurie Ann Thompson
Illustrator: Sean Qualls
Published January 6th, 2015 by Schwartz & Wade

Goodreads Summary: Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah’s inspiring true story—which was turned into a film, Emmanuel’s Gift, narrated by Oprah Winfrey—is nothing short of remarkable.

Born in Ghana, West Africa, with one deformed leg, he was dismissed by most people—but not by his mother, who taught him to reach for his dreams. As a boy, Emmanuel hopped to school more than two miles each way, learned to play soccer, left home at age thirteen to provide for his family, and, eventually, became a cyclist. He rode an astonishing four hundred miles across Ghana in 2001, spreading his powerful message: disability is not inability. Today, Emmanuel continues to work on behalf of the disabled.

Thompson’s lyrical prose and Qualls’s bold collage illustrations offer a powerful celebration of triumphing over adversity.

Includes an author’s note with more information about Emmanuel’s charity.

Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah quote_Unleashing Readers

Author’s Bio: Laurie Ann Thompson is the author of Be a Changemaker: How to Start Something That Matters, a how-to guide for teens who want to change the world. An advocate for social justice, Laurie is dedicated to inspiring and empowering young readers. Emmanuel’s Dream is her picture-book debut. Visit her at lauriethompson.com.

lauriethompson_PhotoByMaryBalmaceda (2)

Kellee’s Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Emmanuel is inspiring. It is no wonder that Laurie Ann Thompson wrote this story: Emmanuel is truly a changemaker. What gets me about Emmanuel’s story is that he never gives up even when faced with challenges that most of us would crumble under. He proves that kids can make a tremendous difference and that we should be strong in the face of hardships.

Laurie Ann Thompson and Sean Qualls did an amazing job on this text. The story is perfectly paced and truly takes readers on Emmanuel’s journey with him. Additionally, the illustrations are pieces of artwork. I think mixed media was the perfect form for the story.

Please read this story to your students. Talk about Emmanuel, talk about the theme of his story, talk about how he changed the world, and talk about how anyone can do the same.

Ricki’s Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: As Kellee said, this is an inspirational story about a boy who refuses to be overcome by his disability. Others tell him he should just become a beggar, but he is determined to be the best he can be. The illustrations are absolutely beautiful, and the story flows well. Students will find hope and strength in Emmanuel’s strong, resilient spirit.

There aren’t enough books about disabilities in classrooms, and this frustrates me as a teacher. Frankly, there aren’t enough books being published about disabilities–both physical and mental. After reading this book, students could be encouraged to research about different individuals who have been strong in the face of disability. Then, as students share these stories with the class, students will learn lessons of bravery and resilience.

A CCSS-aligned curriculum guide is available at http://www.scribd.com/doc/251881365/Emmanuel-s-Dream-Curriculum-Guide#scribd

Discussion Questions: What adjectives would describe Emmanuel?; How has Emmanuel changed life for himself and other people with disabilities in Ghana or worldwide?; How does Emmanuel show strength—both physically and emotionally? Can you relate him to anyone in your life?

We Flagged: “…He would honor them by showing everyone that being disabled does not mean being unable. It was a big dream, but Emmanuel had a plan.”

Read This If You Loved: Be a Changemaker by Laurie Ann Thompson, A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park, So Long a Letter by Mariama Ba, The Queen of Water by Laura Resau, Now is the Time for Running by Michael Williams, Soccer Star by Mina Javaherbin, Mama Miti by Donna Jo Napoli

Recommended For: 

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Author Guest Post

At the very end of Emmanuel’s Dream, you’ll find this quote:

“In this world, we are not perfect. We can only do our best.” –Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah

I chose to include that quote from Emmanuel because I think it exemplifies Emmanuel’s attitude toward life, but also because it was an important lesson for me to learn in my life… and it’s one I still need to be reminded of sometimes.

When I was a child, I was a perfectionist. I would never raise my hand in class. I always chose comfortable options over more challenging ones. I lived in constant fear of making a mistake—any mistake, in any area of my life. Of course, I still made them, and each one haunted me.

After college I got a job as a software engineer. In programming, I soon discovered, there’s no such thing as perfect. Every decision comes with a trade-off: better performance vs. flashy bells-and-whistles, a sooner delivery date vs. adding more features, a clean and simple design vs. a complex and robust one, cross-platform portability vs. the benefits of customization. You learn to do the best you can for the user in the time you have available. And, always, you know there will be bugs.

When I got involved in entrepreneurship, imperfection still ruled. Most startups fail, and successful entrepreneurs accept that, preparing themselves mentally (and financially) to try and try again until they find something that sticks. Even then, they’re often forced to make decisions quickly without having all the relevant information but knowing that to wait would also risk failure.

And now, with writing, perfection is just as hard to come by. Deadlines can cause us to put things out before we’re ready. Even without the pressure of a deadline, knowing when something is good enough to take to the next level is a guessing game. And what’s “good,” anyway? Despite years of working on them and dozens—if not hundreds—of revisions, copyedits, and proofs, there are still things I wish I could go back and change about each of my published books. I love them, but they can never be perfect.

What all of this has taught me is that it’s far better to do something and fail than to do nothing at all just because you were too worried about making a mistake. Worrying never does anyone any good, and the stress from it can actually harm you. But when you DO something, you learn, whether you succeed or not. You move forward, and you help everyone else following along behind. It’s not about perfection: it’s about progress.

I hope readers of Emmanuel’s Dream (and readers of this blog post!) will be inspired to follow their own dreams,  that they’ll accept that they’re not perfect but resolve to do their best anyway. Maybe just doing our best is—in its own way—the very perfection we are seeking.

Follow all the stops on Laurie’s blog tour!
 
Mon, Jan 12
Great Kid Books
Tues, Jan 13
5 Minutes for Books
Wed, Jan 14
Unleashing Readers
Thurs, Jan 15
Sharpread
Fri, Jan 16
Cracking the Cover
Sat, Jan 17
Booking Mama
Mon, Jan 19 (MLK Jr bday)
Once Upon a Story
Tues, Jan 20
Proseandkahn
Wed, Jan 21
Geo Librarian
Thurs, Jan 22
Nonfiction Detectives
Fri, Jan 23
The Fourth Musketeer
Mon, Jan 26
NC Teacher Stuff
Tues, Jan 27
Teach Mentor Texts

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**Thank you to Barbara at Blue Slip Media for providing copies for review and to Laurie Ann Thompson for her guest post!**

Blog Tour with Review and Guest Post!: When Otis Courted Mama by Kathi Appelt

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When Otis Courted Mama
Author: Kathi Appelt
Illustrator: Jill McElmurry
Published: January 6, 2015 by HMH Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Summary: Apart from sticker burrs and sand fleas, Cardell’s life is mostly wonderful. He knows he’s loved through and through by his perfectly good mama and his perfectly good daddy. They live in different parts of the desert, but that’s okay—Cardell is mostly used to it. Then Otis comes calling, and Cardell feels a grrr form in his throat. Otis can’t make jalapeño flapjacks or play Zig-the-Zag anything like Cardell’s daddy. And so Cardell waits for Mama to say “Adiós, Otis.” But what will happen if she doesn’t?

Ricki’s Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: On a recent Top Ten Tuesday post, I wrote that I would love to see more picture books about different kinds of families. A week later, I found this gem. I absolutely adored Cardell the coyote and think kids will identify with his spunk. Cardell isn’t thrilled when his mother begins dating a new man, and he suspects Otis (the new guy) will be gone quickly, just like the others. This is a great resource to teach kids about accepting and adjusting to life with a new stepparent. I would also use it to teach setting and creative writing–the Southwest flavor adds a beautiful sense of culture that spices up both the text on the page and the illustrations. There is much to discuss with this book, and I think it would make a great read-aloud. I had a lot of fun reading it to my son.

Kellee’s Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Ricki said it so well! This is a book that was needed, and it is a good one at that. Too often, a lack of empathy occurs because one person doesn’t understand the other. I love picture books that help kids understand other people’s situations (but without being preachy), and this book does just that; however, it is also a very universal picture book because it shows a kid having to deal with a new situation. At one point or another, everyone must face the unknown or something s/he dislikes, and that is exactly what Cardell is going through.

This book will become a favorite read aloud for classroom teachers! Cardell’s voice rings true, and it will be so much fun to read aloud. I really loved Kathi Appelt’s writing as well. Her use of descriptive words is spot on and would be a great mentor text for imagery. Teachers could also discuss how her words were translated into illustrations.

Teaching Materials: Curriculum guide and Activities

Bonus!: Find a full-color door hanger and other fun downloadables at kathiappelt.com.

Discussion Questions: Do you think Cardell treated Otis fairly?; What are some of the different types of families in our world? What makes your family different?; How do you treat new people you meet?

Book Trailer: 

Read This if You Loved: ABC A Family Alphabet Book by Bobbie Combs, Donovan’s Big Day by Lesléa Newman, The Family Book by Todd Parr, And Tango Makes Three by Justin RichardsonTwo Cool Coyotes by Jillian Lund, Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Paul Goble, A Tale of Two Daddies and A Tale of Two Mommies by Vanita Oelschlager

Recommended For: 

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Guest Post by Kathi Appelt

When I was in the fifth grade, my parents got divorced. It wasn’t a sudden thing, but it was a sad thing. We went from a whole family to a broken family. Moreover, my father left us—my mom and my two younger sisters and me—to start a brand new family. All at once, I had a stepmother and two stepbrothers, not to mention step-grandparents, step cousins, step uncles and aunts. Lots of steps. It was confusing.

The thing is, whenever life got to be too much, I could duck into the pages of a book and find some refuge there. It’s always been that way for me.

But in that tumultuous time, when my family was becoming something that seemed both smaller and larger, I could really have used a book that gave me some faith that life would eventually be “mostly wonderful.” I could have used a book that had non-antagonistic stepparents. There were—and still are—few picture books that celebrate step families, a notable exception being When We Married Gary, by Anna Grossnickle Hines.

In fact, for the most part, stepparents in children’s literature, are fairly villainous. (I’m reminded of the evil stepmother in Cinderella). In reality, I know that there are many stepparents in the world who are doing their best, and who are making a positive difference in the lives of their stepchildren. I had the great fortune of having George. He came into my mother’s life like a breath of fresh air. And he had the courage to marry her when my sisters and I were sixteen, fourteen, and thirteen. Imagine marrying someone who had three teenagers!

Looking back, I believe that the best thing about George was his ability to spin a yarn. He was a master at telling tales. In a matter of minutes, he’d have all of us laughing right out loud. And that felt perfectly wonderful.

So, when it comes to using my book in classrooms, I have four main hopes for it:

(1) that it can be used to feature an all-too-common modern family—divided, but working it all out; (2) that it honestly portrays a youngster who is having to make adjustments; (3) that it can serve as a way to talk about jealousy and other mixed emotions; and finally (4) with its Southwestern flora and fauna and landscape, that it can just be plain fun to read out loud. That last is my biggest hope.

And if it can offer up a character who is not a stereotype of Cinderella’s wicked stepmother, that will just be a bonus.

Kathi Appelt guest post - George, Kathi, Jacob

Photo of George, Kathi’s stepfather

(He’s with Kathi and her oldest child, Jacob, on his first birthday.)

About the Author: Kathi Appelt’s perfectly wonderful stepfather was a terrific storyteller, and she grew up to become a teller of stories, too. She is the New York Times best-selling author of more than forty books for children and young adults. Her picture books include Oh My Baby, Little One, illustrated by Jane Dyer, and the Bubba and Beau series, illustrated by Arthur Howard. Her novels for older readers include two National Book Award finalists: The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp and The Underneath, which was also a Newbery Honor Book. In addition to writing, Ms. Appelt is on the faculty in the Masters of Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives in College Station, Texas. To download a free, CCSS-aligned curriculum guide, visit Kathi’s website at kathiappelt.com.

Follow sweet Cardell on all of the tour stops!
 
Date
Blog
Blog URL
Mon, Jan 5
5 Minutes for Books
Tues, Jan 6
Cracking the Cover
Wed, Jan 7
Sharpread
Thurs, Jan 8
Unleashing Readers
Fri, Jan 9
Once Upon a Story
Sat, Jan 10
Booking Mama
Mon, Jan 12
Geo Librarian
Tues, Jan 13
The Late Bloomer’s Book Blog AND NC Teacher Stuff
Wed, Jan 14
Teach Mentor Texts
Thurs, Jan 15
Kid Lit Frenzy
Fri, Jan 16
The Fourth Musketeer

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

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

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All the Bright Places
Author: Jennifer Niven
Published: January 6, 2015 by Knopf

Goodreads Summary: The Fault in Our Stars meets Eleanor and Park in this compelling, exhilarating, and beautiful story about a girl who learns to live from a boy who intends to die.

Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.

Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.

When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.

This is an intense, gripping novel perfect for fans of Jay Asher, Rainbow Rowell, John Green, Gayle Forman, and Jenny Downham from a talented new voice in YA, Jennifer Niven.

Ricki’s Review: A publishing representative who I deem to be a friend pressed this book into my hand. “Read it,” she insisted. She told me I would want to curl up into a ball in my bed and fall into this book. I fell hard. The writing is incredible. I hate to compare books with others because it creates a sense of expectation that often goes unfulfilled for future readers, but I couldn’t help but consider comparisons with my all-time favorite YA texts. The quirky nature of the characters reminded me of Pudge, Alaska, Charlie, Eleanor, and Park. The direction of the plot reminded me of other titles (which will remain unnamed to prevent spoilers). But I cannot compare this book to others because while it allowed to me reminisce about my favorite titles, it was quite different. The deep, honest, hard-hitting depiction of mental illness was enough to take my breath away. I felt rage that made me want to punch my mattress; I felt sadness that made me feel a hopeless sense of emptiness; but above all, I felt the power of love, loyalty, and friendship that made my heart both ache and swell. This is an unforgettable book. I suspect it will be the book that everyone will be talking about this year and for years to come.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: Mental illness and bullying are pervasive in our schools. We can’t teach enough books about these themes because they are incredibly relevant for young people. As a former teacher, I was jealous of the teacher who created the assignment for Violet and Finch, and I wanted to do it with my former students. It would be so neat to duplicate this project while students read the book. Additionally, I think students would benefit from creating their own version of the post-it collages that Violet and Finch make. As an alternative, I would consider having students research the warning signs of suicide and finding these instances in the text. There are so many themes for the students to consider, the teaching categories at the top and tags at the bottom of this post show a variety of different directions a teacher might take with the instruction of this text.

Access the book’s website to share your bright place or read Germ MagazineThe educator guide also has CCSS tie-ins.

Discussion Questions: What is the end message of this book? What is the author’s purpose?; What foreshadowing does Niven provide?; How do Violet’s family members show their grief in different ways?; Do you agree with the ending? Would you change it? Why do you think Niven ended the book in the way she did?

We Flagged: “It’s my experience that people are a lot more sympathetic if they can see you hurting, and for the millionth time in my life I wish for measles or smallpox or some other easily understood disease just to make it easier on me and also on them.”

**Please note: The above quotation is from an advanced reader copy. The quotation may change in the final published form of the text.**

Read This If You Loved: Looking for Alaska by John Green, Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell, Dr. Bird’s Advice for Sad Poets by Evan Roskos, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, 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, Burn by Suzanne Phillips

Recommended For:

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Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin (Kellee’s Review)

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Rain Reign
Author: Ann M. Martin
Published October 7th, 2014 by Feiwel & Friends

Goodreads Summary: In her most powerful novel yet, Newbery Honor author Ann M. Martin tells the story of girl with mental/emotional challenges and the dog she loves.

Rose Howard has OCD, Asperger’s syndrome, and an obsession with homonyms (even her name is a homonym). She gave her dog Rain a name with two homonyms (Reign, Rein), which, according to Rose’s rules of homonyms, is very special. Rain was a lost dog Rose’s father brought home. Rose and Rain are practically inseparable. And they are often home alone, as Rose’s father spends most evenings at a bar, and doesn’t have much patience for his special-needs daughter.

Just as a storm hits town, Rain goes missing. Rose’s father shouldn’t have let Rain out. Now Rose has to find her dog, even if it means leaving her routines and safe places to search. Rose will find Rain, but so will Rain’s original owners.

Hearts will break and spirits will soar for this powerful story, brilliantly told from Rose’s point of view.

My Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: If you have read A Corner of the Universe,  you know what an emotionally-charged author Ann M. Martin can be, and she once again tells a heart-wrenching story with a voice that will not leave your head. In Rain Reign, Martin tackles Rose’s story. Rose is such a true character. A brilliant young girl with OCD and Asperger’s syndrome who is obsessed by homonyms. She is a girl that is so unique and intriguing. As a teacher, I very much connected with her and how I would nurture her gifts within my classroom; however, I also saw the challenges that Rose faces as well.

What makes this book truly stand out is the first person point of view. You, as the reader, are in Rose’s mind and living her life. You experience the neglect of her father, the love of Reign, the obsessiveness, the homonyms, the outbursts, and the support of her uncle. Because I was IN her life, I just couldn’t put down the book. I had to know that Rose and Rain were going to be okay.

As a teacher, I want kids to read this book because they will fall in love with Rose and Rain. Through this love, they will build empathy in their hearts because they will just want to know that Rose and Rain will be okay.

Ricki’s Review: Check out Ricki’s Review here!

Discussion Questions: How do you feel about Rose’s dad?; Can you think of homonyms that weren’t mentioned in the book?; Do you think it was right of Rose’s dad to take Rain?; How would you feel if your dog disappeared?

We Flagged: “I’m going to tell you a story. It’s a true story, which makes it a piece of nonfiction.

This is how you tell a story: First you introduce the main character. I’m writing this story about me, so I am the main character.

My first name has a homonym, and I gave my dog a homonym name too. Her name is Rain, which is special because it has two homonyms–rein and reign. I will write more about Rain in Chapter Two. Chapter Two will be called “My Dog, Rain (Rein, Reign).”

Something important about the word write is that is has three homonyms–right, rite, and wright. That’s the only group of four homonyms I’ve thought of. If I ever thing of another four-homonym group, it will be a red-letter day.” (Chapter One)

Read This If You Loved: Rules by Cynthia Lord, Wonder by R.J. Palacio, Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine, Out of my Mind by Sharon Draper, Each Kindness by Jaqueline Woodson

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Review and Teaching Guide!: El Deafo by Cece Bell

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NF PB 2014

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!

deafo

El Deafo
Author: Cece Bell
Published September 2nd, 2014 by Abrams

Publisher Summary: Going to school and making new friends can be tough. But going to school and making
new friends while wearing a bulky hearing aid strapped to your chest? That requires superpowers! In this funny, poignant graphic-novel memoir, author/illustrator Cece Bell chronicles her hearing loss at a young age and her subsequent experiences with the Phonic Ear, a very powerful—and very awkward—hearing aid. The Phonic Ear gives Cece the ability to hear—sometimes
things she shouldn’t—but also isolates her from her classmates. She really just wants to fit in and find a true friend, someone who appreciates her as she is. After some trouble, she is finally able to harness the power of the Phonic Ear and become “El Deafo, Listener for All.” And more importantly, declare a place for herself in the world and fi nd the friend she’s longed for.

Author: Cece Bell has written and illustrated several books for children, including the Geisel Honor book Rabbit & Robot: The Sleepover. She lives in Virginia with her husband, author Tom Angleberger.

My Review: There are times that you read a book and when you are done, you just know that it is a special book. El Deafo is one of those books. As you all know, I am a huge fan of Hurt Go Happy by Ginny Rorby, and one of the reasons I am is because it looks at disabilities in a positive light and shows that a disability is not an end, but just a change. El Deafo is another novel that does this. Although Cece, like Joey in Hurt Go Happy, finds herself deaf at a young age, we see her overcome this blow and turn it into a superpower. But this book is about more than deafness; it is about being a kid, about growing up, about friendship, about ackwardness, about school, about crushes, about family, about life. This book is truth.

Teachers’ Tools For Navigation: There is so much you can do with this graphic novel. Many activities can be found in the teaching guide that I wrote for Abrams. This book is perfect for independent reading, for lit circles  with other graphic novel memoirs, for jigsawing, for read alouds, and for looking deeply into the text.

(Also, and I didn’t want to harp on this because they are both such unique books, but this book will be loved by the readers of Smile. They both look at such an important part of life.)

Discussion Questions: Language Arts:  Cece uses many different kinds of clues to help her lip-read. (pages 30–31) What are the 4 types of clues? How do they help with lip-reading? In what other ways can these clues be helpful?; On page 60, Cece shares an analogy of her friendship with Laura. She feels like a baited fish that is caught on Laura’s hook. What analogies could we make to
describe Cece’s friendship with Ginny? Martha? Emma?; Science: What is meningitis? How can it cause deafness?;  What is an audiologist? What would you have to study to become one?; History/Social Studies: Many deaf and hard of hearing individuals have made history, including Helen Keller, William Ellsworth Hoy, and Juliette Gordon Low. Research these or other deaf or hard of
hearing individuals throughout history and today. How did being deaf affect their lives? What were their accomplishments?

We Flagged: 

01ORIGINSPanelsREVISED
**From Cece Bell’s blog**

Read This If You Loved: Smile and Sister by Raina Telgemeier, The Dumbest Idea Ever! by Jimmy Grownley, I Remember Beirut by Zeina Abirached, Odd Duck by Cecil Castellucci

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

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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.

voices in the park cover

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: 

Johanna Wright illustration_Celie and Jo in bed image-on-swing-set-with-words

From Julie Sternberg’s website

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: 

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

Mon, Sept 29
Mother Daughter Book Club
Tues, Sept 30
5 Minutes for Mom
Wed, Oct 1
Sharpread
Thurs, Oct 2
KidLit Frenzy
Fri, Oct 3
The Hiding Spot
Sat, Oct 4
Booking Mama
Mon, Oct 6
Ms. Yingling Reads
Tues, Oct 7
GreenBeanTeenQueen
Wed, Oct 8
Great Kid Books
Thurs, Oct 9
Teach Mentor Texts
Fri, Oct 10
Unleashing Readers
Sat, Oct 11
Bermuda Onion

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!!**