Dear Dragon by Josh Funk

Share

dear dragon

Dear Dragon
Author: Josh Funk
Illustrator: Rodolfo Montalvo
Anticipated Publication: September 6, 2016 by Viking Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Summary: A sweet and clever friendship story in rhyme, about looking past physical differences to appreciate the person (or dragon) underneath.

George and Blaise are pen pals, and they write letters to each other about everything: their pets, birthdays, favorite sports, and science fair projects. There’s just one thing that the two friends don’t know: George is a human, while Blaise is a dragon! What will happen when these pen pals finally meet face-to-face?

Ricki’s Review: I simply adored this book. It was quite clever and imaginative! I imagine it took a lot of thought to try to show how different George and Blaise’s lives might be and how they might misinterpret the descriptions of simple daily life events. I am a huge fan of Josh Funk’s writing and recommend all of his books. They all are witty and humorous, and my son and I always giggle while we read them. Each of his books teaches a life lesson that has been very useful for me as a mom, and I know they are equally useful for elementary school teachers. For Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast, I have been able to constantly refer to the variety of foods in the text in order to help my son with his picky eating habits. With this book, Dear Dragon, I have been able to talk with my son about differences and how we might work to understand how others might lead different daily lives than ours. I am really looking forward to Josh’s next book, Pirasaurs!. Based on his other books, I know it will be a good one!

Kellee’s Review: The books I find myself gravitating towards and recommending the most are the books that I not only love as a mother but can also definitely see the application of the book in all levels of classrooms. Dear Dragon fits into this category because it is such an amusing and fun book that is just a blast to read and discuss; however, it also has so many ways that I can see myself and other teachers using it in the classroom: for a mentor text, for a pen pal unit, for a read aloud. Dear Dragon also is an amazing set up to discuss first impressions and differences between people in safe place (since, you know, Blaise is a dragon). I also loved the quirky, colorful, detailed illustrations that accompany George and Blaise’s letters. The silly conversations just from these will make for a wonderful conversation.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Ricki fondly remembers her elementary school experiences with pen pals. Her fourth class wrote to a class in Germany. It was so interesting to learn about all of the differences between our lives. This book would make for a great jumpstart to a pen pal project. It would be neat to connect to a class in another country or even across our own country. Students would learn a lot about how we are both similar and different from others—and how this is a good thing, indeed!

In addition to being a ton of fun, Dear Dragon will also be a perfect mentor text for a variety of reading skills and standards. The letters are a perfect opportunity to discuss point of view, voice, letter writing, and rhyming. The book also has a wonderful theme, the illustrations and letters could be compared/contrasted, and the entire text structure could be analyzed.

Discussion Questions: What are the similarities and differences between George and Blaise? How do they build their friendship across letters?; How do they each misinterpret the other’s letters in ways that are funny and enlightening? How do the illustrations reflect these misinterpretations?; This book is a fantasy, but how might you compare this book to real life?

Flagged Spread: 

9780451472304_IL_3_05101

Read This If You Loved: Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast by Josh Funk; Same, Same but Different by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw; Whose Story is This, Anyway? by Mike Flaherty; Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin; Have You Seen my Dragon? by Steve Light; Tony Baloney: Pen Pal by Pam Muñoz Ryan; Dear Mrs. Larue series by Mark Teague

Recommended For: 

readaloudbuttonsmall classroomlibrarybuttonsmall closereadinganalysisbuttonsmall

RickiSigandSignature

Future Problem Solving International Conference Update

Share

fpspi motto

In April, I shared with you about the Future Problem Solving program and the journey and successes my team has had.

Just to recap, the Future Problem Solving Program focuses on the 6-step problem solving process:

fpsp steps

First, students read a Future Scene which is a scenario that takes place in the future and revolves around a topic the students knew and researched about before the competition.

Step 1. In groups of four, the team has to pull out 16 potential problems they see that could happen in the Future Scene.

Step 2. They then have to decide which of the problems is the most impactful to the scene and also deals with the charge given to them at the end of the scenario that directs them to focus on a certain aspect of the scene usually based on the topic.

Step 3. As a team, they then have to determine 16 solutions to the underlying problem they identified in step 2.

Step 4. Criteria is laid out to help determine which solution is the best.

Step 5. The solutions are ranked based on the criteria they created.

Step 6. They write an extensive action plan about the highest ranking solution explaining in detail how the solution would work, who would do the jobs, what obstacles they may encounter, how much it would cost, etc.

This finishes the Global Issues Problem Solving portion which is the primary competition, but while the booklets are being scored, the students then prepare and put on a presentation of their action plan for their fellow competitors.

13320856_1616227128694556_1928424870826155314_o

Because of my amazing students’ successes at the state competition, we qualified to travel to Michigan State University from June 2nd to June 5th to compete at the International Conference. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience (though I hope we get to go again in the future!).

First, we took part in the Memento Exchange which is such a brilliant way to open up an event with attendees from around the world. During the Memento Exchange, each attendee brings items from their home town/state and exchange them with others so each person ends up with a ton of mementos from all around the world!

Then, we attended the Opening Ceremonies. There were two stand out moments during the Opening Ceremonies. First, there is a presentation of all the flags for each state, province, and country that is taking part in the conference. It is amazing to see everyone that was represented. The keynote speaker was also phenomenal! His name was Alec Manfre. Alec is from Florida and is currently a CEO of company and a Forbes 30 under 30. He is also a FPS alum. He shared some amazing advice:

Things to remember in life: Use the problem solving framework; Be a life long learner; Find your passion!

Don’t be afraid to think big! Challenge the status quo! Solve the biggest challenges!

Challenge yourself! Challenge the norm! Challenge society!

13339499_1616469092003693_5491897103508853037_n

The second day was the competition portion though we wouldn’t find out the results until the final day there. However, it was also the Presentation of Action Plan which my students ROCKED! Their solution had to do with a mechanical, 3-D printed bird that stores energy from the sun, wind, and its movement then transfers it to those in need. If you want to see their skit, stop by our Facebook page and you can view it. They ended up being in the finals for the presentations which means they were in the top 14 of 70 middle division teams!

Three of my students also chose to take part in the FPS IC Choir which performed at the Variety Show. The choir, along with the variety show which featured talents from participants from all over the world, was another amazing way to showcase the variety of people taking part in IC. It is so beautiful to see people from around the world sing together. I shared a video of one of their songs on our Facebook page as well.

113319813_1616662441984358_886774706627068555_n

The last day in Michigan, we attended the award ceremony. Although this isn’t all about winning, it is about thinking and growing, award ceremonies are always so nerve-racking! I am already so proud of how far we’d gotten, and I already had a top 14 team! But we had one more surprise coming! Victoria, my 11th grade participant who has been with me from the very beginning, won first place in the Senior Division Multi-Affiliate Global Issues Competition! FIRST PLACE IN THE WORLD! I am still in awe of this! I already knew she was brilliant, but now it is recognized!

1113325462_1617406608576608_6467941719384888109_n

Then it was time to leave. My poor team beat them up so much for not placing, but they were competing against the best in the world, and we are going to learn so much from their booklet, Victoria’s first place booklet, and my other multi-affiliate participants booklets.

I hope that this was a trip and adventure that these students never forget because I know I won’t!

11113344735_1615990412051561_8607971353781822836_n

Kellee Signature

Author Guest Post!: “How to Love the Language Your Students Use” By Matthew Jobin, Author of The Nethergrim series

Share

“How to Love the Language Your Students Use”
By Matthew Jobin, Author of The Nethergrim series

In sooth, I know not why I am so sad:
It wearies me; you say it wearies you;
Antonio, The Merchant of Venice (slightly abridged), Act 1, Scene 1.

It is a truism, or at least a trope, of adult life that we grownups inevitably begin to hear slang uttered by children and teens that we fail to understand. It’s never fun to hear words bandied back and forth between your juniors and be unable to follow it. Worse still, an adult might justifiably fear breaking into the conversation of younger people with the equivalent of ‘Hey, cool cats, I sure am hip to your rad lingo!’. No one has to deal with this divide more than teachers, who are not only grownups in constant contact with children, but also the gatekeepers to those students’ future. One of the things I learned in graduate school studying anthropology is that language serves many functions, only one of which is the simple conveyance of information. Another major function is inclusion within or exclusion from a group. Using slang correctly is a way of waving a door pass to get into a club. If you use the words the same way the cool kids do, then the cool kids either have to admit you know what they are talking about or change the slang to make sure you no longer do. The latter is, of course, the most likely occurrence of a fortysomething bursting into a gang of teenagers uttering “O hai random swag is amazeballs, bae!” or something to that effect. Knowing that there are words set up to exclude you from youth culture can sting (though to be honest, I’m fine with no longer being fifteen), but more importantly, a teacher might worry that he will have trouble getting ideas across in full to his students.

One way to talk across that barrier without breaking it down is to show students how language changes over time, and thus how what now sounds archaic was once the latest slang. Consider the currently hated word ‘literally’. It drives many people nuts to hear the word used to emphasize truth in a statement. It drives me especially nuts to hear it emerging from my own mouth from time to time, knowing all the while that I was getting by just fine without saying it nearly so much five years ago. It is easy to simply dismiss this as a symptom of the lazy thinking that goes on these days, or lax standards in the home, or not enough ten-year-olds reading Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason, or some such. Don’t go that way; the kids are all right, just like you were. I am not saying that it is nice to hear ‘literally’ overused, but consider, though, what this use of ‘literally’ actually means. It is a way of saying “I assert the truth of this statement”. Can you think of other ways to say this? Have a look up at the Shakespeare quote from the top. Yup, that’s right. “In sooth” and “forsooth” do more or less the same job as “literally”. We might not talk exactly the same way they did in 1602, but we have mostly the same things to talk about. Connecting students to the fact that slang is ever-changing but at the same time never really new might give them a fresh perspective on the classics.

“I literally do not know why I am so sad:
It wearies me; you say it wearies you;”
Antonio, The Merchant of Venice (slightly abridged), Act 1, Scene 1.

Let’s go one step further. Some of you might have taken on the task of teaching Beowulf, a text in English so old that it is no longer intelligible to the untrained reader. The very first line, however, begins with “Hwaet!”, the call from the poet for the listeners to shut up, put down their mead cups and bend an ear. The word is an opener, a way to convey the idea that the speaker needs to to start listening so that he can tell you what he needs you to hear. That sounds an awful lot to me like “Listen up!” or even “O hai!”.

Is not “boon companion” another way of saying “bruh”? Is not “Zounds!” a form of “Wow. Just wow.”? Meanings shift and change context, but the basics of human life do not. The struggle for personal identity that characterizes late childhood and adolescence is much older than Shakespeare and the Beowulf poet. It is something fundamentally human, something our language hints at over and over in ever-changing guises through the years.

Personally, I would love to hear young folks bandying around ‘forsooth’ and ‘yea verily!’ for a while, just for a change-up. If any teacher out there can make a game out of that, she might find that she has squared the proverbial circle and made learning fun. Good writing deals in universals, and the interested reader will find more similarities than differences between his world and the world of the book he reads. This is because we are humans making human stories for humans. The jargon of Shakespeare might seem at first as impenetrable and intimidating as a gang of cool kids uttering the very latest gatekeeper slang around a teacher (or a nerd), but once the bridge has been crossed and the student understands that with slang, ’twas ever thus, he might begin to see the outlines of the very familiar ideas underneath the archaic forms of speech. After all, many of Dickens’ works are exposés of social injustice and inequality. Romeo and Juliet, rather famously, is partly about a gang war. If you read The Canterbury Tales and do not feel like taking a gap year and going backpacking through Europe, then I think you must be reading it upside-down. Slang, usage and jargon is surface; the depths are the common experiences of human life.

We few, we cray, cray few, we band of bruhs;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my bruh; be he just some random n00b,
This day he shall be totally amazeballs.
Once more unto the breach, bruh. Yolo.
Henry V, King Henry V (slightly abridged and a bit mashed up), Act 4, Scene 3-ish.

So, hope that was not too random, but anyway, meh whatever. Hungry. Time for noms.

Matthew Jobin’s latest book, “The Skeleth”, second in the Nethergrim series, will be published May 2016.

Author Bio: A native of Canada, Matthew Jobin holds a Ph.D. in anthropology from Stanford University. He lectures in anthropology at Santa Clara University. The idea for The Nethergrim came to Matthew as a young boy exploring the forest surrounding his home. Intent on telling the story of this fantasy world, he’s been developing it and its inhabitants ever since. Matthew lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, Tina.

For more information visit his website at: http://www.matthewjobin.com and follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

nethergrim nethergrim 2

By Matthew Jobin
Series: The Nethergrim (Book 1)
Published by Puffin Books
Paperback: 368 pages
Age Range: 10 and up
February 5, 2015; $8.99 US/$9.99 CAN; 9780142422687

Description
The Next Great Fantasy Epic is here! For fans of Ranger’s Apprentice and the Chronicles of Narnia.

Everyone in Moorvale believes the legend: The brave knight Tristan and the famed wizard Vithric, in an epic battle decades ago, had defeated the evil Nethergrim and his minions. To this day, songs are sung and festivals held in the heroes’ honor. Yet now something dark has crept over the village. First animals disappear, their only remains a pile of bones licked clean. Then something worse: children disappear. The whispers begin quietly yet soon turn into a shout: The Nethergrim has returned!

Edmund’s brother is one of the missing, and Edmund knows he must do something to save his life. But what? Though a student of magic, he struggles to cast even the simplest spell. Still, he and his friends swallow their fear and set out to battle an ancient evil whose powers none of them can imagine. They will need to come together–and work apart–in ways that will test every ounce of resolve.

In a story reminiscent of the Ranger’s Apprentice epic and the Chronicles of Narnia, Matthew Jobin weaves reality, magic, and adventure into the next great fantasy phenomenon.

The Skeleth
By Matthew Jobin
Series: The Nethergrim (Book 2)
Published by Philomel Books
Hardcover: 400 pages
Age Range: 10 and up
May 10, 2016; $17.99 US/$23.99 CAN; 9780399159992

Description
Discover for yourself why reviewers are comparing The Nethergrim to Lord of the RingsNarnia, and Ranger’s Apprentice! The next great epic fantasy is here . . .

For the lords of the north, land is power. The Nethergrim, now awoken and free to wreak its evil upon the world, offers the promise of victory to those ruthless enough to accept its foul bargain. One ambitious lord, eager for the chance to conquer and rule, succumbs to temptation and helps to free the Skeleth — eerie, otherworldly beings said to be unstoppable in battle. The Skeleth merge with the bodies of their victims, ruling their minds and turning them into remorseless killers. Worse yet, to kill the man inside the Skeleth only frees it to seize a new host, starting a cycle of violence that has no end.

Such chilling tales are not enough to stop young Edmund, innkeeper’s son and would-be wizard, from seeking for a way to turn back the oncoming tide of destruction. Along with his best friends — Katherine the trainer of war-horses and Tom the runaway slave — Edmund searches for a magical weakness in the Skeleth, something that might allow him to break their never-ending curse. The three friends join with the legendary hero Tristan in a battle of courage, wisdom, wits, and sacrifice to stop the Skeleth from ravaging their homeland and all they hold dear.

This adventurous tale that marries earthly greed to otherworldly evil is perfect for fans who enjoy the epic worlds of John Flanagan’s Ranger’s Apprentice, Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time, J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, and George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones. Discover for yourself why so many are making the comparisons!

Thank you Matthew for this thought-provoking post!

Kellee Signature andRickiSig

Author Guest Post!: “Finding the Joy in Writing” by Laurisa White Reyes, Author of The Kids’ Guide to Writing Fiction

Share

“Finding the Joy in Writing”

Any parent knows that if you want a kid to really hate something, just tell him he has to do it, or else. That was my son’s reaction when I told him he had to write a five paragraph essay. My instructions were met with so much whining and moaning you would have thought I’d asked him to scrub the bathroom with a toothbrush. His reaction, however, was not an unusual one. Many parents can attest to their children’s seemingly built-in aversion to writing. While some kids seem naturally drawn to writing, others would rather carry a load of rocks up a mountain than write a compound sentence. This is why I wrote The Kids’ Guide to Writing Fiction, because within every child is a story waiting to be told, whether they realize it or not.

Make Writing Fun

Remember the classic children’s film Mary Poppins? Jane and Michael Banks live in turn of the century London. These conniving pranksters manage to chase away every nanny their father hired for them. Their parents are at their wits’ end. Then Mary Poppins arrives. One of the first tasks she requests of the children is to pick up their room. Jane and Michael balk and whine. To them it is a tedious, pointless chore. What does Mary Poppins do to change their attitudes? She throws in a spoonful of sugar and makes the whole thing a game. In no time at all the room is clean and the children are tucked neatly in their beds.

Now, obviously, real life doesn’t work quite like that. We have no magical carpetbag from which to pull out hat racks and measuring sticks. But as parents and/or educators, we do have the same power as Mary Poppins to create an atmosphere of cooperation and optimism in our homes and classrooms. Whether or not our children will hate what we ask them to do, or do it willingly and cheerfully, depends largely on us.

I started teaching creative writing classes to children and teens about the same time my son was learning to write those essays. I looked for ways to encourage my students to write, and met with great success. Once I applied what I was using in my classes to my son, his attitude toward writing changed. And although it is still not his favorite activity, he has become a capable and skilled writer.

Writing is a Means of Self-Expression   

Writing well demands that the writer enjoy writing. When writing is nothing more than an assignment with no purpose except to earn a grade on a report card, chances are that the student will come to dread writing. He will view it as chore, just like washing the dishes or making his bed.

Is this the attitude we want our children to have about writing? Do we want them to write five-paragraph essays just for a grade? Is that really the purpose of a writing education? Of course not. The ultimate goal is for our children to feel confident in their writing skills, to use writing as a means of self-expression. But to achieve that goal requires that we, as adults, help our kids find the joy in writing.

In my writing classes, I taught students how to write. I did not, however, grade anything, nor did I spend much time critiquing their work. In fact, my students didn’t even realize they were learning to write well, because they were so excited about what they were doing. Over the years, I’ve heard from many of my students’ parents about how their children were transformed from reluctant writers to kids who wouldn’t put their pencils down. The key to this transformation was that I made writing fun.

To me, there is nothing more enjoyable than sitting alone at my computer in the middle of the night to write. I would rather do that than just about anything else. The question is, how do we transfer this love of writing to our kids?

The first step in helping kids write well is to take writing out of the picture. Writing is a means to an end, a tool for getting what is inside someone’s head onto paper. What’s really important is the message or information writing conveys.

Think of words as clay. Clay by itself is nothing but a gray lump on a potter’s wheel. But in the hands of the potter, the clay begins to take shape. If the potter doesn’t like the form, he can squash it and start all over again. He can do this over and over until he gets it just right. Once it is finished and the piece is fired and glazed, we see not the lump of clay, but a beautiful piece of art or a functional object, such as a vase.

Writers use words to create something beautiful and useful. They are not as concerned with the words as they are with the finished product. When children focus on that finished product, be it a poem or essay or story, words become tools, the medium by which they can bring their dreams to life.

The Storyteller Within

One the most effective ways to help kids fall in love with writing is by helping them discover the storyteller within. We are all storytellers. A storyteller is someone who relates events in a logical order to someone else. Think about the last time you told a friend about a movie you a saw, or an event you attended, or even just something that happened that was interesting. How did you share that information? Most likely, you told it in the form of a story.

The reason so many children and teens are averse to writing, particularly in school, is because they have not yet tapped in to their own natural storytelling abilities. That is my objective with The Kids’ Guide to Writing Fiction. In this book, I teach kids about the six fundamental building blocks needed to create stories: characterization, setting, plot, perspective, imagery, and dialogue. I take them step-by-step through the process of crafting a story and help them excavate their own imaginations for ideas. Then I help them put those ideas into words and onto paper.

Once a child has written a story of his own, he feels a great sense of satisfaction. He discovers that writing is fun. This discovery is what can tear down the walls of resistance and self-doubt, and can build confidence in his ability to learn other forms of writing, such as those dreaded 5 paragraph essays.

The ultimate goal of a writing education is to teach kids to write well, but if they hate writing, that goal is nearly impossible to achieve. However, once a child discovers the joy of tapping into his own creativity, then, like Mary Poppins’ carpet bag, writing becomes limitless…and magical.

The Kids’ Guide to Writing Fiction

rsz_front_cover

About the Book: We are all storytellers. Whether weaving mythologies in ancient times or describing the plot of a favorite movie today, humans have, since the beginning of time, loved to tell stories. In The Kids’ Guide to Writing Fiction, students explore the building blocks needed to construct a story: characterization, setting, plot, perspective, plot, imagery, and dialog. Then, using these building blocks, they create their own stories.

Accessible to both the struggling student and the budding novelist—as well as to teachers, parents, and even adult aspiring writers, author Laurisa White Reyes presents key elements of story writing and clarifies them with examples and worksheets. Concepts are explained in simple, clear language while gently introducing vocabulary words.The Kids’ Guide to Writing Fiction offers welcome guidance to storytellers of all ages.

Links:
Twitter: @lwreyes

 

P10 (2)

About the Author: Laurisa White Reyes is the author of four novels for young readers, including the 2015 Spark Award winner, The Storytellers. She is also the author of The Kids’ Guide to Writing Fiction & Teaching Kids to Write Well: Six Secrets Every Grown-up Should Know. In addition to writing, she also manages to squeeze time into her busy life to teach college English; run her own editorial/publishing business, Skyrocket Press; and be mom to her five children. You can learn more about her at: www.LaurisaWhiteReyes.com.

Thank you to Laurisa for this very helpful post!

RickiSigandKellee Signature

Doodle Adventures: The Search for the Slimy Space Slubs by Mike Lowery

Share

Doodle Adventures

Doodle Adventures: The Search for the Slimy Space Slugs
Author: Mike Lowery
Illustrator: Mike Lowery and YOU!
Published May 17th, 2016 by Workman Publishing Company

Summary: Draw your way through the story!

Doodle Adventures: The Search for the Slimy Space Slugs! is a lighthearted fantasy where the reader first draws him- or herself into the story, and then continues by following prompts and adding more illustrations and doodles. Set in space, the book invites the reader to join Carl, a duck and member of a super-secret international group of explorers, on a journey in search of a very important grail-like object. The book is sturdy paper over board with beautiful cream paper—perfect for defacing! And by the end, the reader will have co-written a tale to return to again and again, and show off to family and friends.

Kellee’s Review: I cannot wait to see this book completed by students. I think so many kids of all sorts of ages will enjoy this book. It is silly enough for young elementary students, and its plot is interesting enough for middle school students. I love the narrator, Carl, who is a puny and out spoken duck who takes the reader on a journey to the Slug Planet (in 2nd person point of view!). The  illustrations are also so well done for what the book is trying to do. They are comic-esque and funny. I truly enjoyed my journey with Carl, but I am really looking forward to watching a kid complete this book in the interactive way that it is made for. 

Ricki’s Review: After I review books, I almost always give them away to schools. I couldn’t help but think it would be such a great book for the boys who live next door. They are always adventuring in their backyard, and they will surely be captivated by this book. The narrator Carl (a duck) is highly entertaining, and I couldn’t help but laugh as I read the book. He talks to the reader, and the second-person narrative makes the book particularly funny. The reader will be catapulted into the story because of its interactive nature. Even kids who don’t enjoy drawing will want to put their pens to the pages.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This book promotes creativity, plot development, and humor. There are so many different ways that a teacher could utilize this book, one for each of our recommendations below. First, it could be a class read aloud where the teacher does the drawing based on the class’s votes or students can take turn drawing. It could also be a lit circle/book club book where students complete the book in groups then they can jigsaw into new groups to share their newly created book. Lastly, the book could definitely be an independent read or class read where students draw in their own books and each student will have their own unique book.

Discussion Questions: How does drawing help you interact with the story? Which drawings were particularly fun to draw?; How does the second person narration make this story engaging? What other stories are written in this point of view?; Why might the book be narrated by a duck? What does this do for you, the reader?

Flagged Passages: “I brought you down here because the unthinkable has happened! Someone found our secret HQ, broke in, and stole a PRICELESS artifact from our collection of…priceless artifacts!

I’ll pause here so you can GASP!” (p. 26)

Doodle Adventures spread

See more at www.mikelowery.com or the author’s Instagram @mikelowerystudio

Read This If You Loved: Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey, Diaper Baby series by Dav Pilkey, Choose Your Own Adventure books, Drawing/Illustrating books

Recommended For:

  readaloudbuttonsmall litcirclesbuttonsmall

Kellee Signatureand RickiSig

**Thank you to Estelle at Workman Publishing for providing copies for review!**

Review and Author Interview: Camp Rolling Hills series by Stacy Davidowitz

Share

camp rolling hills camp crossing over

Camp Rolling Hills
Camp Rolling Hills: Crossing Over

Author: Stacy Davidowitz
Published May 10th, 2016 by Amulet Paperbacks

Camp Rolling Hills’s Goodreads Summary: A hilarious and heartfelt series about the particular magic of summer camp—a place where reinvention is possible and friends are like family—from a sparkling debut talent.

Finally, it’s summer! Stephanie—aka Slimey—has been counting the days until she can return to her favorite place in the entire world, Camp Rolling Hills. And this year she’s especially happy to be back—she’ll have eight blissful weeks away from home, where life has been decidedly rocky.

New kid Bobby, on the other hand, is pretty sure he’s in for the worst summer of his life. He does not understand his weirdo cabinmates, the group singing, and the unfortunate nicknames (including his: Smelly). But he does understand Slimey, and the two soon fall in crush. This summer might not be so bad after all!

But then a fight sets off an epic, campwide, girls-versus-boys prank war. Bunks are raided! Boxer shorts are stolen! And it’s up to Slimey and Smelly to keep the peace.

Crossing Over’s Goodreads Summary: There’s only one thing Melman loves more than soccer: her summers at Camp Rolling Hills. So she’s pumped to be back—until she realizes her bunkmates have gone totally boy-crazy over the school year and plastered their cabin in pink. Pink posters, pink t-shirts…it seems that the only not-pink thing in the cabin is Melman herself. That is, until she’s given a dare in front of the entire camp: wear a pink princess dress. For Three. Whole. Days.

Steinberg’s summer gets off to a rough start, too, when his robot (usually his area of expertise) blows up during a camp-wide robotics contest. Steinberg might feel like a loser at home, but camp’s supposed to be his place to shine.

Steinberg without robots? Melman in pink? This whole summer feels turned upside down! To set things right, Steinberg and Melman team up and hatch a fail-proof plan. The plan’s secret ingredient? Hamburgers.

About the Author: Stacy Davidowitz is a camp-obsessed writer of books, plays, and screenplays. She also enjoys acting, singing, running long distances, and teaching theater all over New York City. Her alma maters are Tufts University, Columbia University, and Tyler Hill Camp. The Camp Rolling Hills series marks her debut as an author. Visit Stacy at www.stacydavidowitz.com and www.camprollinghills.com.

Author Q&A: Thank you to Stacy Davidowitz for answering some questions I had about the books and her writing!

Kellee: You share in your author’s note that your time at camp inspired these books. Can you tell us more about what inspired you, and how it directly affected the novels?

Stacy: I love camp. Truly, deeply love it. Experiencing it as a camper and then counselor and then head staff, I really got to understand its in and outs, and most importantly, the kind of positive impact it can have on a kid. So of course plots and activities and even the camp‘s layout are derived from my experiences, but also the bigger themes: friendship, being true to who you are, firsts–that’s the heart of the inspiration. I made such fantastic friends and helped nurture friendships among campers when I worked as a counselor; I experienced life-changing firsts I could never experience at home; and I learned to embrace my quirkiness with my bunkmates by my side.

Kellee: The sequel to Camp Rolling Hills is told from different perspectives than the first. Why did you decide to switch point of views? Will the next books go through the other campers’ POVs? 

Stacy: When I wrote the initial draft of the first book, it was actually told from five perspectives: Slimey, Smelly, Play Dough, Jenny, and Steinberg. But when Abrams picked it up to be a series, we talked about what would work best. Ultimately we decided that each book should be told from the perspective of a different boy and girl. So Book One is Slimey and Smelly. Book Two is Melman and Steinberg. Book Three is Jenny and Play Dough. And Book Four is Missi and Wiener. If Abrams extends the series to six books, then we’ll get the perspectives of Sophie, Jamie, Totle, and Dover, too! Camp Rolling Hills is such an ensemble piece that having the series narrated by all the kids just feels right. 

Kellee: You are a teacher of theater in NYC. How has your time teaching kids influenced you to want to write and want to write specifically these books? 

Stacy: I teach a lot of playwriting and creative writing, even in the theater classes I lead. My students inspire me every day. Their ideas are so uninhibited. Exciting. Fresh. Alive. Honest. So of course that makes me want to do the same! It’s really cool to be able to write wacky, sweet, and adventurous characters my students can identify with. Also, writing middle grade is just so fun! Kids are smart and silly and it’s rewarding to be able to shine that light on them.

Kellee: Other than (hopeful) sequels, what’s next?

Stacy: I’m working on a dark young adult novel at the moment called Leper. I’m also co-writing a musical for Big Block Entertainment, the producers of Rock of Ages. Camp Rolling Hills the Musical (yup, it’s a musical, too!) is getting two productions this summer. One in Westport, Connecticut at Center Stage and another in NYC at New York Musical Festival (NYMF). Plus a play of mine called Sacred Water is being workshopped at Symphony Space, NYC in early July through a festival about social change!

My Review: The crazy cast of characters are what really make this book. Oh, and the reminiscing of camp. Camp really is something that is hard to explain unless you go yourself, but Stacy Davidowitz does a great job bringing the reader into Camp Rolling Hills and all of its quirkiness. And to add to the quirkiness, the characters in the books are so much fun! They are quite the mix of personalities. From stereotypical girly-girls to a cat-obsessed, sweet girl to a do gooder to a philosophical jock. Their interactions and characterization are what keep you reading the most! I also love the mix of letters home throughout the books.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: The Camp Rolling Hills books would be a fun way to get letter writing into the classroom conversation. First, I’d use the letters as conversation starters into characterization asking the students, “What can you tell about these characters based on their letters?” And discuss what clues the students used to figure it out. I’d then move to a RAFT (Role, Audience, Format, Topic) activity asking each student to write a letter as a made up character they were assigned. The Camp Rolling Hills website even has stationery!

Discussion Questions: Although each cabin is filled with friends, each character is quite unique. How do the characters differ? Compare?; What would your camp nickname be?; What makes camp so special?; How did the campers change between books?

Flagged Passages: “Things to Do No that I’m in Anita Hill Cabin (Upper Camp!)

  1. Be a good role model.
  2. Make a special camp collage of my friends and our inside jokes.
  3. Box-stitch extra lanyard key chains for Mom, since stress makes her lose her keys.
  4. Spend A LOT of time with my camp sister/soul sister/BFF.

Slimey had always wanted a sister, and she treasured the times she and Melman pretended they were fraternal twins separated at birth. Fraternal, because they looked nothing alike. Twins, because their birthdays were only three days apart, and they’d always understood exactly how the other felt.” (Camp Rolling Hills, p. 2)

“‘Well, how do you like camp so far?’
‘It’s fine.’
Fine? No one describes camp as fine. Amazing, incredible, life-changing, maybe. But never fine.”

‘The first time I came here,’ she offered, ‘it took me a couple of days to realize how much I loved it, but once you do, you love it forever. You’ll see.'” (Camp Rolling Hills, p. 41)

Read This If You Loved: Honor Girl by Maggie ThrashHidden by Helen Frost, Brain Camp by Susan Kim, Breakfast Served Anytime by Sarah Combs, Lumberjanes by Noelle Stevenson, Like Bug Juice on a Burger by Julie Sternberg

Recommended For: 

classroomlibrarybuttonsmall

Signature

**Thank you to Caitlin at Abrams for providing copies for review!!**

What is Future Problem Solvers?

Share

FPSPI Logo

Future Problem Solving was introduced to me six years ago when a mom asked if I would be willing to advise a team so her sons could participate. At the time I did not know anything about the program, but I felt like I should give it a go since I wanted to work with gifted students more, so I jumped in with both feet and started learning about the program. I now co-advise the club with my co-worker who joined me when I was pregnant, Vanessa Gray, with four sixth graders, seven seventh graders, two eighth graders, nine ninth graders, two tenth graders, and an eleventh grader. These students have been with me and the program from one year to all six of the years that I’ve had the club.

fpspi motto

Through my initial trainings, I learned that the program was more than just a competition for students that I would be advising. It is a program that focuses on making our future leaders. It helps build a global mindset in kids 8-years-old and up and promotes creative thinking, critical thinking, problem solving, research, writing, futuristic thinking, global mindset, and collaboration–all things, I might add, that are high on the list from Forbes of skills employers look for in their employees.

fpsp steps

What Is It? 

Future Problem Solvers focuses around the six-step creative problem solving process.

First, students read a Future Scene which is a scenario that takes place in the future and revolves around a topic the students knew and researched about before the competition.

Step 1. In groups of four, the team has to pull out 16 potential problems they see that could happen in the Future Scene.

Step 2. They then have to decide which of the problems is the most impactful to the scene and also deals with the charge given to them at the end of the scenario that directs them to focus on a certain aspect of the scene usually based on the topic.

Step 3. As a team, they then have to determine 16 solutions to the underlying problem they identified in step 2.

Step 4. Criteria is laid out to help determine which solution is the best.

Step 5. The solutions are ranked based on the criteria they created.

Step 6. They write an extensive action plan about the highest ranking solution explaining in detail how the solution would work, who would do the jobs, what obstacles they may encounter, how much it would cost, etc.

This finishes the Global Issues Problem Solving portion which is the primary competition, but while the booklets are being scored, the students then prepare and put on a skit of their action plan for their fellow competitors.

flfpsp

This year, at the regional competition, I brought a junior division team, four middle division teams, and one senior division team. At regionals we placed, sixth in the junior division, second in the middle division, third in the middle division, and second in the senior division, and three of my teams (the junior and two middles) qualified to attend the Florida Future Problem Solving State competition. Only 97 out of 259 teams in Florida qualify for the State Competition.

FPSP IC

The FLFPSP State Competition is always a whirlwind. The first night is the opening ceremonies, the second day is the regular competition and skits, the third day has hands-on problem solving and a social, then the final morning is the awards ceremony. We always try to go into the competition being optimistic but not overall hopeful because there are some kids who have been doing FPS since they were in early elementary school versus my students who started in sixth grade. However, we got more than we could ever hope for.

First, it was announced that one of my middle school teams with their alternates had placed second in skits. My students excel at skits; I was so proud of them! I now was so happy that they had won ribbons, and I just was going to enjoy the rest of the award ceremony. Then, they awarded the alternate teams, and one of our seventh graders who did a multi-school booklet since he wasn’t needed as an alternate won first place! How exciting!

But then, they got to the main Global Issues Problem Solving. These were the awards that could qualify students for the International Competition. They started with individuals who do the entire six steps independently (less step 1s and step 3s required). One of my seniors, a junior who has been with me since the beginning, had competed as an individual since her team had not qualified, but I could bring her to states. And she placed THIRD! She wasn’t there to accept the award, so I went up for her and was shaking! I was so excited for her, and I called her immediately afterward (crying, of course!).

IMG_89581

Then, we arrived at the middle division. When they give out the big team awards, they call all six of the placed teams up at once then state the places once everyone is up there. And they called BOTH of our middle division teams. These teams were made up of my eight ninth graders. One team had been together only two years while the other has been with me since they were in sixth grade (so four years). I could not believe it! And then they said sixth. Not us. Then fifth. Not us. Fourth–us! My two year team placed fourth at states! Then third. Not us. Then second. NOT US! They won FIRST! In the state! I could not have been more proud of these students.

IMG_9220

Not we have the opportunity to go to the Future Problem Solving International Competition in June at Michigan State University. I am so excited to take these brilliant students to this prestigious competition.

The International Competitors represent the top one percent of students from teams from around the world. The International Conference features four days of stimulating competitive problem solving, cooperative educational seminars, and social activities. Each year approximately 2,200 students and coaches attend the FPS International Conference from around the globe. The topic for Global Issues Problem Solving at the FPS 2016 International Conference is Energy of the Future. Future Problem Solving Program International charters Affiliate Programs throughout Australia, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Portugal, Singapore, United Kingdom, and United States.

To learn more about Future Problem Solving visit http://flfpsp.org/ or http://fpspi.org/

To learn more about my Hunter’s Creek Future Problem Solvers and help us get to Internationals, please visit our Facebook page!

Kellee Signature