Christmas, Here I Come by D.J. Steinberg

Christmas, Here I Come 

by D.J. Steinberg

Published October 2021

Grosset & Dunlap

Picture Book

32 Pages

Paperback

Review copy provided by publisher

Goodreads Summary

Celebrate Christmas with a collection of funny and festive poems from the author of the hugely popular Kindergarten, Here I Come!
It's the most wonderful time of the year, and everyone is getting into the Christmas spirit! From writing letters to Santa to picking the perfect tree, these heartwarming poems -- plus a page of stickers! -- from author D. J. Steinberg are sure to delight even the most sullen Scrooge.

My Thoughts

This recent addition to the "Here I Come" series from Penguin Random House is sure to get little ones excited for the holidays. The author combines factual information (Santa Claus Around the World) with silly and entertaining sections (My Christmas Sweater, The Wonders of Fruitcake). 

The text is delivered through rhyming(ish) verse that is fun to read aloud and the illustrations are bright and colorful. The depicted characters represent a variety of races and abilities. 

For added fun, there is a page of stickers in the back that kids can use for cards or projects. 

This book, and series, is perfect for young readers ages 4-8. 

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? October 25, 2021

 

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

Here are a few books I read last week. Click on the book cover to go to the book's Goodreads page.

Finished Listening To...

So You Want to Be an Owl by Jane Porter

 

So You Want to Be an Owl
by Jane Porter

Illustrated by Maddie Frost

Published by Candlewick Press

Jan. 2021

32 Pages

Nonfiction Picture Book

Goodreads Summary

Welcome to Owl School! Professor Olaf Owl is here to tell you everything you need to know about being an owl, from hunting to camouflage to seeing in the dark. Study hard, and soon you'll be a first-rate member of Team Owl! This engaging nonfiction picture book is full of vibrant, humorous illustrations and owl lessons that will have readers eagerly practicing their hoots, toe swivels, and alertness (even if they can't grow feathers).

My Thoughts

Are you ready to earn your owl certificate? 

I really can't say enough about this book. The clever narrative format combined with the humorous and engaging illustrations and text features will make this a favorite in your classroom. Professor Olaf narrates the book in second person, speaking directly to the reader. He leaders readers through nine essential lessons that one must learn in order to become and owl. Each lesson includes a brief connection to the reader, followed by the lesson content with accompanying graphics. I hope there will be more So You Want to Be... books. Add this to your classroom or school library for grades 1-5. 

There is so much to explore with this book. 

Structure: Description, Q&A

Point of View

Craft: Weaving facts into narrative texts, various uses for illustrations, humor

Text Features: captions, diagrams, index, 

Content specific vocabulary

Writing: So you want to be a...

The author and illustrator discuss the book. 

See What Others Have to Say

Kirkus

Mom Read It

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? October 11, 2021

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

Here are a few books I have read recently. Click on the book cover to go to the book's Goodreads page. 

I definitely want to read more books in in this Elephant & Piggie Like Reading collection. 

An excellent early graphic novel for younger readers. 

Visit later this week for more on this amazing nonfiction picture book. 

The much anticipated book from RJ Palacio. Great for fans of historical fiction. 

Almost done listening to...

Current Professional Read

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What Are You Reading Friends?

3 New Titles from National Geographic

National Geographic books for kids are always a favorite. With colorful photos and graphics, snippets of interesting facts and information you didn't know you needed to know, these books seldom get back on the bookshelves once kids pick them up. 

I'd like to introduce 3 new titles from Nat. Geo for Kids. Review copies were provided by the publisher.

MORE Surprising Stories Behind Everyday Stuff 

by Stephanie Warren Drimmer

Published April 2021

National Geographic Kids

256 pages

Goodreads Summary

Ever wonder how haunted houses got their spooky rep; where cheese originally came from; and when and where people decided hitting a tiny ball with a long stick (ahem, golf?) was their idea of fun? Prepare to be amazed by the surprising backstories behind the things you use or do every day! From familiar foods and common clothing items to bizarre beauty regimens and quirky products, this book covers all your burning questions: Who thought of that? Where did that come from? Why is that a thing?

This riveting little treasure is jam-packed with awesome facts, fun stories, and colorful visuals. Once you know all this cool stuff about the origins of everyday stuff, you can "wow" your friends and family.

My Thoughts

There is something for every reader in this book. From food, to traditions, to toys, readers will find lots of interesting tidbits. Each item features a "Bet You Didn't Know" caption with an additional cool fact. I particularly liked the toy chapter. Which toy started out as a weapon? Read chapter 2 to find out.

101 Life Hacks: Genius Ways to Simplify Your World

by Aubre Andrus

Published April 2021

National Geographic Kids

208 pages

Goodreads Summary

Upcycle, recycle, and/or repurpose your stuff and engineer your way out of all kinds of sticky situations--all while learning about science and sustainability as you do it! Make cool lantern lights for your room, discover a tried-and-true brain freeze cure, learn how to boost your memory power, and more. In this easy-to-follow guide, kids get tips and tricks for upcycling and reusing old stuff, as well as hands-on activities, fun facts, and insights from professional-grade life hackers who use their problem-solving skills to change the world.
By the end, you'll be able to hack your way through all kinds of problems, from a messy backpack to stage fright, a drippy ice pop to smelly shoes!

My Thoughts

I love to watch video snippets of "life hacks". Sometimes they actually work and sometimes, they just don't seem to be worth the trouble. This book describes 101 hacks meant to make our lives easier and the stories behind them. I have tried hack #2: rebuilding a cupcake by ripping off the bottom and plopping it on top and I can testify that it is yummy! Learn about the many ways to use a binder clip in hacks 22-24. 

Almanac 2022

Published May 2021

352 Pages

Goodreads Summary

Kids can have fun keeping up with our quickly changing world with the New York Times best-selling almanac, packed with incredible photos, tons of fun facts, adventures with National Geographic Explorers, crafts, activities, and fascinating features about animals, science, nature, technology, conservation, and more. The 2022 edition features a new Kids vs. Plastic chapter, packed with ideas on how you can reduce your plastic waste. There's a whole chapter full of fun and games, including activities, jokes, and comics. Practical reference material, including fast facts and maps of every country, is fully updated. Homework help on key topics is sprinkled throughout the book.

I feel like the almanacs really are great keepsakes. Once you start collecting these almanacs, you just can't stop. 

These book would make excellent additions to your upper elementary or middle school classroom. 

Violets Are Blue by Barbara Dee

Violets Are Blue 

by Barbara Dee

Expected Publication Sept. 28, 2021

Aladdin 

304 pages

Realistic Fiction

Middle Grade

Advanced Reader copy provided by publisher

Goodreads Summary

Twelve-year-old Wren loves makeup—special effect makeup, to be exact. When she is experimenting with new looks, Wren can create a different version of herself. A girl who isn’t in a sort-of-best friendship with someone who seems like she hates her. A girl whose parents aren’t divorced and doesn’t have to learn to like her new stepmom.

So, when Wren and her mom move to a new town for a fresh start, she is cautiously optimistic. And things seem to fall into place when Wren meets potential friends and gets selected as the makeup artist for her school’s upcoming production of Wicked.

Only, Wren’s mom isn’t doing so well. She’s taking a lot of naps, starts snapping at Wren for no reason, and always seems to be sick. And what’s worse, Wren keeps getting hints that things aren’t going well at her new job at the hospital, where her mom is a nurse. And after an opening night disaster leads to a heartbreaking discovery, Wren realizes that her mother has a serious problem—a problem that can’t be wiped away or covered up.

After all the progress she’s made, can Wren start over again with her devastating new normal? And will she ever be able to heal the broken trust with her mom?

My Thoughts

I am a huge Barbara Dee fan. I have read several of her books including Halfway Normal, Everything I Know About You, Maybe He Just Likes You, and My Life in the Fish Tank (see my review here). She provides upper middle grade and middle school readers with realistic, well-developed characters who face real and relatable challenges. Her books are page-turners that you just can't put down. Violets Are Blue is no exception. I am, and always have been, a very slow reader. It takes me days if not weeks sometimes to finish novels. I read this book on my first day of vacation and loved it so much I had to finish it that day. Plus, look at that gorgeous cover! 

Wren faces an all too common problem of having to travel between the home she shares with her mother and traveling to see her father and his new wife.  She lives with guilt over leaving her mother alone and the feelings of betrayal when she makes a connection with her new stepmom. Mom makes it clear that Wren is not to discuss her mother with her father and his new wife and does not want Wren to share anything about the time spent with her father. Dee gives the reader hints at Wren's mother's problem, which gradually gets worse until it can no longer be explained away. 

This book explores themes of friendship, self-acceptance, family dynamics, and addiction. 

I would highly recommend Violets Are Blue for grades 5+. 

See What Others Have to Say About Violets Are Blue

Two Book Worms

Miss Marple's Musings

Visit Barbara Dee's Webpage for more info.

My Life in the Fish Tank by Barbara Dee

My Life in the Fish Tank
by Barbara Dee
Expected Publication September 15, 2020
Aladdin Books (Simon and Shuster)
Middle Grade Novel
320 Pages
Review copy Provided by Publisher


Goodreads Summary
When twelve-year-old Zinnia Manning’s older brother Gabriel is diagnosed with a mental illness, the family’s world is turned upside down. Mom and Dad want Zinny, her sixteen-year-old sister, Scarlett, and her eight-year-old brother, Aiden, to keep Gabriel’s condition “private”—and to Zinny that sounds the same as “secret.” Which means she can’t talk about it to her two best friends, who don’t understand why Zinny keeps pushing them away, turning everything into a joke.

It also means she can’t talk about it during Lunch Club, a group run by the school guidance counselor. How did Zinny get stuck in this weird club, anyway? She certainly doesn’t have anything in common with these kids—and even if she did, she’d never betray her family’s secret.

The only good thing about school is science class, where cool teacher Ms. Molina has them doing experiments on crayfish. And when Zinny has the chance to attend a dream marine biology camp for the summer, she doesn’t know what to do. How can Zinny move forward when Gabriel—and, really, her whole family—still needs her help?

My Thoughts

I was already a fan of Barbara Dee after reading Halfway Normal, Everything I Know About You and Maybe He Just Likes You, so I knew this was going to be a really great story.  And I was right! After her older brother, Gabriel, is in a car accident, it is revealed that he is also living with bipolar disorder which has led to him exhibiting some risky and dangerous behaviors. Shortly after, Gabriel leaves home to get treatment in a residential facility and the family is in a state or upheaval. Zinny needs to deal with her feelings of guilt, shame, anxiety and has lost friendships. One of the aspects of this book that I enjoyed is the focus is not fully on Gabriel, his disorder and recovery, but more on how the diagnosis has impacted the family. 

The story is narrated in third person which is effective in showing how each member of the family deals with this challenge in their own way. Dee explores each character to show a full spectrum of coping strategies and feelings. 

I would highly recommend this book for grades 5-8. It would also make a good read aloud for grades 4+. 

See What Others Have to Say About My Life in the Fish Tank:

Kirkus

School Library Journal

Kids Book-A-Day