Maine Student Book Awards 2013-14 Post Two

Several weeks ago I shared my thoughts on 5 of the MSBA 13-14 titles.  Click here to see that post. 

 Today I will discuss ONe nonfiction and 4 fantasy books from the MSBA list that I have read. 

Giant Squid

by Mary Cerullo

The Goodreads summary states that this book "Describes the science of the giant squid and the challenges in finding and learning about this cephalopod". This is a bit over simplified in my opinion.  This book chronicles oceanographer, Clyde Roper's multi-decade quest to find and study the elusive giant squid. 

My Thoughts

Let me start by saying that this is not my favorite genre.  I struggle with expository nonfiction.  The book is very well written and reflects years of hard work.  The text is accompanied with real photographs.  Clyde Roper is a wonderful model of showing perseverance as he continues his quest after many setbacks. Since I teach 4th grade, I tend to look at books through the lens of a 4th grader. I do think the text is a bit too dense for most 4th graders to handle independently, but I can see some older students really getting into it.  I would recommend it for grades 6-8.  

Always October

by Bruce Coville

384 Pages

Goodreads Summary

No doubt about it, little brothers can be monsters. When sixth grader Jake Doolittle finds a baby on the doorstep and his mother decides to keep it, those words are more than just an expression. Instead, they perfectly describe the way his new little brother, LD, sprouts pointy ears, thick fur, and fangs in moonlight.

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed reading this book.  It combines a setting in the "real world" and the fantasy, monster-filled world of Always October.  Jake's quest to keep his new little brother safe inside and outside of Always October is suspense-filled with just the right amount of scary to make it a page-turner.  It is a story that 4th graders will enjoy, but at 384 pages it is very long.  My 6th grader is reading it now and loving it. 

Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms

by Lissa Evans

272 Pages

Fantasy (1st in series)

Goodreads Summary

Enter a wonderful world filled with real magic, mystery … and danger.

As if being small for his age and also having S. Horten as his name isn't bad enough, now 10-year-old Stuart is forced to move far away from all his friends. But on his very first day in his new home, Stuart's swept up in an extraordinary adventure: the quest to find his great-uncle Tony--a famous magician who literally disappeared off the face of the earth--and Tony's marvelous, long-lost workshop.  Along the way, Stuart reluctantly accepts help from the annoying triplets next door… and encounters trouble from another magician who's also desperate to get hold of Tony's treasures.

A quirky, smart, charming page-turner, Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms will enchant young readers--as well as teachers, librarians, and parents.

My Thoughts

I was drawn right into this story as an adult reader.  There is a great amount of mystery surrounding Stuart's Uncle Tony's disappearance and Stuart is determined to find out what happened. Although most of the book is a work of fantasy, the fantastical elements do not overpower the story.  With 272 pages, no pictures to support the text and some slower moving parts, I think this one is best done as a read aloud for most 4th graders.  In my opinion, this one is better suited for grade 5 through middle school.

Earthling

by Mark Fearing

Fantasy, Graphic Novel

Goodreads Summary

Every kid worries about making friends at a new school, but when nine-year-old Bud accidentally catches the wrong bus and finds himself launched into deep space, new friends are the least of his problems! At Cosmos Academy, Bud learns that Earthlings are the most feared creatures in the galaxy, and even Earth's location has been hidden! With the help of his new friend, Gort, Bud goes undercover as a Tenarian exchange student. Unfortunately that means everyone thinks he's a pro at anti-gravity Zero-Ball (even though he's really only a pro at watching sports). And with paranoid Principal Lepton threatening to expel any Earthlings (into outer space) and only Gort's hacked Blip computer to help them determine Earth's co-ordinates, will Bud ever find his way home?

My Thoughts

This book will appeal to kids in 4th and 5th grade who love fantasy and graphic novels. It is not a difficult read and is one of the most "accessible" books on the list.  Your struggling 4th graders should be able to read this one without a ton of help. For me it was just ok.  This kind of fantasy and format is not really my thing.  But, kids will like it. 

The Last Dragon Slayer

by Jasper Fforde

Fantasy (1st in series)

Goodreads Summary

In the good old days, magic was indispensable—it could both save a kingdom and clear a clogged drain. But now magic is fading: drain cleaner is cheaper than a spell, and magic carpets are used for pizza delivery. Fifteen-year-old foundling Jennifer Strange runs Kazam, an employment agency for magicians—but it’s hard to stay in business when magic is drying up. And then the visions start, predicting the death of the world’s last dragon at the hands of an unnamed Dragonslayer. If the visions are true, everything will change for Kazam—and for Jennifer. Because something is coming. Something known as . . . Big Magic.

My Thoughts

This is one of my favorites (so far).  I just loved the concept of a magical world where everyone has a different type of magical talent (or none at all) and seeing how that would is managed. I also like that the protagonist is a girl. I would give it to my more advanced 4th graders who love books like Harry Potter.  I would expect students in late elementary through grade 8 would enjoy this book most. 

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday-October 9, 2013

Please visit the host of this weekly nonfiction book event: Alyson Beecher at Kid Lit Frenzy

No Monkeys, No Chocolate 

by Melissa Stewart and Allen Young

Illustrated by Nicole Wong

Charlesbridge Publishing

2013

32 Pages

Genre: Nonfiction Picture Book

Disclosure: Obtained from public library

Goodreads Summary

Most kids love chocolate, but few of them know that its main ingredient, the cocoa bean, comes from a tree that grows in the tropical rain forest. Dual-layer text describes the life cycle of the tree, emphasizing its botanical structures and highlighting the interdependence of the plants and animals such as the pollen-sucking midge, brain-eating coffin fly and aphid-munching anole lizard. Two wise-cracking bookworms offer commentary and humor in this fascinating depiction of microhabitat survival. 

My Thoughts

One thing I love about nonfiction picture books is the fact that they can convey information in an understandable and relatable way. With just the right amount of text and big, detailed pictures, kids will enjoy this book and learn a ton. The two "bookworms" are lots of fun. Kids will also appreciate the small amount of "grossness" that is included such as the brain-eating flies.  The information at the end of the book and the "What you can do to help" section offer more valuable information. 

Use this book......

in a unit on ecology or animals. 

as a mentor text for writing a "without this, then that" type of informational writing.

to model cause/effect.

to model think alouds for informational text. 

Resources

A teacher's guide from Melissa Stewart's website

Kids Do Ecology

ECO Kids

How it's made video-cocoa beans

How chocolate is made video

It's Monday, What Are You Reading- October 7, 2013

Please visit the amazing blogs: Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers who host this terrific meme each week.

Please click on the picture to go to the book's page on Goodreads to learn more about it.


Fiction Picture Books

Warning: Do Not Open This Book!

by Adam Lehrhaupt

If you love reading There is a Monster at the End of This Book with kids, then you will love this book.  

123 Versus ABC

by Mike Bolt

In this adorable book, letters and numbers try to prove that the book is really about them. 

Zero the Hero
by Joan Holub

I love the concept of this book. The other numbers don't respect zero because he is worth "nothing".  He proves he is not worthless by doing his very special job.  Kids will love this book. 


Nonfiction Picture Books

No Monkeys, No Chocolate

by Melissa Stewart

This scientific examination of how everything in nature is interconnected is a winner! 

Noah Webster and His Words

by Jeri Chase Ferris

I really enjoyed this story of Noah Webster's quest to create a common "American" language after the Revolutionary War. 

Abandoned

Jedi Academy

by Jeffrey Brown

So many kids will love this book.  However, I think I lack sufficient background knowledge (and interest) to enjoy it. It is too visually busy for me, but kids will not have a problem with the handwriting font and comic strip combination. Get it for your Star Wars fan. 

Currently Reading

Sunny Sweet is So Not Sorry

by Jennifer Ann Mann

Timmy Failure 

by Stephan Pastis

What Are You Reading Friends?

Recent posts:

Little Red Writing Book Blast and Giveaway

Slice of Life- I visit my son's classroom

Little Red Writing Book Blast Giveaway!

Little Red Writing by Joan Holub

Acclaimed writer Joan Holub and Caldecott Honoree Melissa Sweet team up in this hilarious and exuberant retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, in which a brave, little red pencil finds her way through the many perils of writing a story, faces a ravenous pencil sharpener (the Wolf 3000)… and saves the day.
Joan Holub has hundreds of pencils. Some are red. Others are glittery, sporty, or full of holiday cheer. They are all super sharp and good at writing books. They’ve helped Joan write more than 130 books, including Zero the Hero and Knuckleheads. She lives in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Melissa Sweet has illustrated nearly 100 children’s books, including the Caldecott Honor–winning River of Words and the Sibert Medal–winning Balloons Over Broadway. When not in her studio, Melissa loves to ride her bicycle and hike with her two dogs, Rufus and Nellie. She lives in Rockport, Maine.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Praise

“A very funny picture book that, I guarantee you, lots of savvy teachers will be eagerly sharing with students as part of the process of teaching creative writing.” — Richie Partington MLIS, Richie’s Picks

“What a CLEVER, CLEVER story!” — I Love to Read and Write Reviews

“This clever adaptation of Little Red Riding Hood has so many levels of creativity and learning… Every elementary teacher should have this book to begin their writing units.” — Play on Words

“Style, humor, and solid writing advice.” –Publishers Weekly, starred review

“So rich in words and wry humor-written and visual-that one reading just isn’t enough.” –School Library Journal, starred review

“Every writers’ group should start with this story.” –Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Every elementary teacher should have this book to begin their writing units.” — Play on Words

“An easy, winning prompt for beginning writers to abandon their fears and take up pencils of their own.” –Booklist

Author Joan Holub

I graduated from college in Texas with a fine arts degree, and then freelanced as an art director at a graphic design firm for eight years. I dreamed of working in children’s books, so I moved to New York City and became associate art director in Scholastic trade books, where I designed books for children and worked with editors and illustrators. It was a great job.

I illustrated my first published children’s book in 1992 and soon began illustrating full time. I began completing manuscripts and mailing them out to publishers in the early 1990s. In 1996, I sold my first two manuscripts — Boo Who? A Spooky Lift-the-Flap Book (Scholastic) and Pen Pals (Grosset & Dunlap). Yippee!

Now I write full time and have written and/or illustrated over 130 children’s books. Creating books that entertain, inform, and interest children (and me) is a fabulous job that I truly love.

Twitter * Website * Blog

BookBlast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 10/15/13

 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Visit to My Son's Classroom-Slice of Life Story

Each Tuesday Ruth and Stacey at Two Writing Teachers host Slice of Life Stories (SOLS). This is where bloggers link up to share anything they would like to share about what is happening in their lives. 

Last Friday I visited my son's second grade classroom as a guest speaker.  I was speaking about one of my favorite topics......my son TJ.  TJ is the most adorable 7 year-old boy you will ever hope to meet.  Like many second grade boys, he likes to swim, play on the playground, run around and dig in the dirt.  He also has autism.  I asked his teacher if I could come in and talk with the class about him. 

All day long in classrooms everywhere, kids share with each other. As they build their classroom community they have share time, turn and talk and show and tell.  They talk about their favorite foods and hobbies and share about their families. Since TJ can't share what he likes (and doesn't like) to do, where he likes to go and all of his favorite things, I thought I would do it for him.

Let me back up a bit.  This idea came to me because of some experiences in my own classroom.  Over the years I have been fortunate to be able to have many wonderful students in my class, including children with autism.  I think it is an absolutely invaluable experience for all children to have students with disabilities included in the classroom community.  The empathy that is shared and expressed and the celebrating of small victories is heartwarming to say the least.  But many students have often asked me questions about students with special needs that I cannot answer, either for confidentiality reasons or because I just don't know the answer. But, who knows the child best and can share any information they'd like to share? That's right, the parents.

So I decided to contact my son's teacher to see if she would be interested in having me come in and discuss TJ's likes, dislikes and ways to communicate with him and support him at school.  I also wanted to have a general discussion about autism.  

Having little experience with second graders I have to say I was a bit nervous.  It turns out I had no reason to be.  They were fantastic!  I read a very short picture book called In My Mind: The World Through the Eyes of Autism by Adonya Wong then we had a discussion.  We talked all about my precious boy and how he is very much like them in many ways.  We also talked about his differences and I told them that he has "something called autism".  A few had heard the term, but most were hearing it for the first time. The amazing teacher took notes and encouraged an open discourse.  She wanted to know what his favorite games were and his favorite books so that they could have them in the classroom. Taking her lead, the students listened, asked questions and shared some of their own "TJ stories".   

Leaving the class, I felt like his classmates and teacher knew more about him.  Yes, they knew he had autism, but they learned so much more.  They learned that he loves trampolines and doesn't like to stay home.  They learned that although he speaks very little, he will sing songs like "Twinkle, Twinkle" which he sang for them and they all joined in. They learned that they have to say "TJ look" to get his attention and that he will give high fives and fist bumps.  Now they know he loves Eric Carle books and right now is going through a Dr. Seuss phase. 

I would highly recommend planning a visit to your child's classroom to any parent of a child with special needs.  Discussing your child's differences and similarities helps others to see beyond the disability and to really see your child. 

It's Monday, What Are You Reading-September 30, 2013

This post can also be found today on the Maine Reading Association's Blog. Please visit this site for more info. 

Please visit the amazing blogs: Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers who host this terrific meme each week.

Please click on the picture to go to the book's page on Goodreads to learn more about it.

With the craziness of the first weeks of school and my amazing weekend at NERA last weekend, I did not have time to post last week.  So, here are some of the books I have read lately.

Picture Books

Crankee Doodle
by Tom Angleberger

Crankee Doodle is hands down the funniest picture book I have read in a while.  I was actually laughing out loud.  Yankee Doodle is bored and cranky and wants something to do.  His trusty horse recommends that he "go to town". Well, "Crankee" doesn't want to go to town and he gives many funny reasons for not wanting to do so.  Then his horse suggests that maybe he could get a feather for his hat and it just keeps going from there. My 11 year-old daughter, Molly, also  loved this book. 

Have You Filled a Bucket Today?

by Carol McCloud

Every child need to hear this book.  The author writes about how everyone has an invisible "bucket" inside them.  When the bucket is filled up with positive thoughts and kindness a person feels happy.  When their bucket is empty or others dip into their bucket, they feel sad. I love this metaphor and I think kids will really understand what kindness does inside a person after reading it.  A MUST read!

Hello, My Name is Ruby

by Phillip C. Stead

Sweet, little Ruby is in search of friendship and her place in the world.  She is fearless and asks the other birds lots of questions including "Would you like to be my friend?"  This book would be a great addition to any collection about friendship, empathy or courage.  It also got the Molly 2 thumbs up.  She really felt for Ruby who faced rejection several times, but did not give up. 

Hank Finds an Egg

by Rebecca Dudley

This wordless book is too adorable not to share with children.  Hank finds an egg that has fallen from its nest. Hank shows great ingenuity and determination as he tries to put the egg back where it belongs.  The story is simple and lovely.  On the jacket I read that the author creates everything on each page by hand, right down to each tiny leaf.  This book got the seal of approval from Molly with a big "Awww that's so cute!"

Middle Grade

The Boy on the Porch

by Sharon Creech

My friend Justin Stygles, book talked this book at our MRA open house last week so I decided to pick it up. I am glad I did.  It is a very quick read because of its number of pages and because it is really interesting.  A sleeping boy is left on the porch of a childless couple, John and Marta.  The boy seems to be about 6 years old and is unable to speak.  The boy produces a note that asks the couple to take care of Jacob and they will return for him.  Goodhearted John and Marta take the boy in, but they do not report finding him to the authorities. There is a great undercurrent of suspense as the couple grows to love the boy and foster his unique musical and artistic talents.  Will his parents return for him? Should they tell the authorities?  Who do you root for?  I think this book would make a great book for late 4th through 6th grade.  It would certainly spark many important discussions. 

Currently Reading

Reading in the Wild

by Donalyn Miller

I was lucky to win an advanced reader's copy of The Book Whisperer's newest gem at the NERA conference last weekend and, so far, it is a fantastic as you would expect. 

Please read more about my NERA experience and how I met Donalyn Miller and Penny Kittle here.