Speck: An Itty-Bitty Epic by Margaux Meganck

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Speck: An Itty-Bitty Epic
Author & Illustrator: Margaux Meganck
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Summary: Everything and everyone has a place in the universe, but for a little speck, lost at sea, it will take an extraordinary journey to find it.

Deep in a tide pool, too small to see,
Thousands of tiny specks go forth.
Each one searching
for a place to stay, and grow, and thrive…

The little speck does not know what it is, only that it wishes to find out. And so it embarks on a journey across the sea. From sun-flecked surf to darkest depths, past schools of fish, storm-tossed ships and hungry eels…. Until, at last, it finds exactly what it was looking a place to belong.

In vivid watercolor paintings, Margaux Meganck brings this tale to life, seamlessly shifting perspective to show how even the tiniest creatures—every barnacle, every child, every star in the sky—contributes to something greater than itself.

 “A poignant, reflective story that’s every bit as relevant to children as it is to adults. . . . Deeply moving.” – Kirkus Reviews (starred)

About the Author: Margaux Meganck spends her days dodging raindrops and drawing from her imagination in beautiful Portland, Oregon. Her author-illustrator debut, People are Wild, received two starred reviews and was named a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year. Her illustration work has earned multiple accolades. Speck is the second book she has both written and illustrated. To learn more, visit margauxmeganck.com.

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Margaux Meganck: @margauxmeganck
Knopf/Random House Children’s Books: @randomhousekids
Blue Slip Media: @blue_slip_media

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Random House Children’s Books: Random House Children’s Books
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Random House Children’s Books: @randomhousekids
Blue Slip Media: @blueslipper & @barbfisch

Review: This beautiful book is two fold. First, it is a fantastic ocean journey of a speck as it carried along the current and through the ocean, past so many creatures, and to its forever home. The journey is told in poetic verse that will be a great read aloud. Second, it is a story about being lost and figuring out where you fit in the best. Meganck brilliantly combined these two purposes. And the illustrations are another level of the book. They complement the lyrical tale of the speck’s journey, showing the reader all of the sea creatures and ecosystems within the ocean. This is a wonderful book.

Tools for Navigation: Because this book has a science and an social emotional learning aspect, it would be a wonderful inclusion into a classroom or library program because it can lead to all sorts of conversations including journeying into the ocean (pair with other ocean books, listed below) and then move to the theme and how the speck’s journey is an extended metaphor for our life.

Discussion Questions: 

  • What creatures did the speck encounter along its journey?
  • Why do you think the author titled the book an “epic?”
  • What lesson can you take from the speck into your life?
  • Based on where the speck ended up, what sea creature was it?
  • What other specks are there in the sea?
  • How is the speck’s journey similar to life?

Flagged Spreads: 

Read This If You Love: Puff: All About Air by Emily Kate Moon, Whale Fall: Exploring Ocean-Floor Ecosystem by Melissa Stewart, Kind by Jess McGeachin, In the Night Garden by Carin Berger, The Universe in You: A Microscopic Journey by Jason Chin, Over and Under the Waves by Kate Messner

Recommended For: 

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**Thank you to Blue Slip Media for providing a copy for review!**

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 3/25/24

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
For readers of all ages

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly blog hop we host which focuses on sharing what we’re reading. This Kid Lit version of IMWAYR focuses primarily on books marketed for kids and teens, but books for readers of all ages are shared. We love this community and how it offers opportunities to share and recommend books with each other.

The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. The Kid Lit IMWAYR was co-created by Kellee & Jen at Teach Mentor Texts.

We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up below, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs.

Happy reading!

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Tuesday: The Wonderful Wisdom of Ants by Philip Bunting

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Brother and Sister Team Co-Author a Children’s Fiction Series Filled with Adventure, Fun, and SEL Opportunities” by Tara Mesalik MacMahon, Author of Closet of Dreams, with Teacher’s Guide Author Sandra Bennett, M. Ed.

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

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Kellee

Picture Books

 

 

  • Puff: All About Air by Emily Kate Moon: Reminiscent of Stacy McAnulty’s Our Universe series, Moon uses storytelling and humor to engage the reader in the book and sprinkles in information to teach all about air. The illustrations are perfect for the topic–light yet important to the story. This will be a great science cross-curricular read aloud.
  • Zandi’s Song by Zandile Ndhlovu, Illustrated by Katlego Keokgale: I love this book for so many reasons. First, the author is just fantstic. Ndhlovu is the first South African Black free diving instructor, and she hopes the book will inspire “a space where diverse representation in the ocean is possible.” Second, the story is magical. It reads like folklore and teaches such important ecology, especially the need to respect and love our oceans. Third, the illustrations bring it all together. They are beautiful and fit perfectly with the story.

 

  • The Thingamajig by Rilla Alexander: Oh man; we all know the feeling of forgetting what something is called, and Alexander has created a whole book celebrating, instead of demonizing, that experience. In this fun and silly book, all the characters search for what they lost. Whatever it is called. And I do love the inclusion of back matter explaining the origins of some of the nonsense words.
  • The Great Puptective by Alina Tsyoe: In this early reader chapter book graphic novel, Truffles, the cat, has to put up with a new puppy in his house. And even worse, the new puppy is obsessed with solving mysteries. Like many books with opposite duos, Truffles and Poppy’s relationship drive this book that is full of humor and such colorful, fun illustrations.

Middle Grade

  • How to Find What You’re Not Looking For by Veera Hiranandani: This book is told in 2nd person!! How cool is that?!?! I was so impressed with the structure! When I first started, I was worried that the reader wouldn’t get enough insight into the main character’s story/life, but Hiranandi actually used it to her advantage and gave us even deeper insight into Ariel’s feelings since the reader is imagining themself as her. In addition to its unique point of view and wonderful main character, I have also not read any middle grade historical fiction that touch on the one of the topic in this book: inter-racial/religious marriage. I think it is an important time in history that is interesting to explore through fiction.
  • Hidden Truths by Elly Swartz: This book was a middle school roller coaster! So much happens within the pages which made it so I just couldn’t stop listening to it. I also love how relatable it is to my middle schoolers. Everyone during middle school years are trying to figure out who they are which, unfortunately, includes bumps along the way. But the book makes one thing very clear: we can never forget our true friends.

  • The Mystery of Locked Doors by Lindsay Currie: I will be reviewing this in a couple of weeks.
  • Finally Heard by Kelly Yang: In the sequel to Finally Seen Lina is feeling more confident in general, but then social media and phones invade Ms. Carter’s classroom and it makes everyone question everything. Finally Heard is a great cautionary tale about the dangers of social media and the power of influence on kids as they grow up.

  • The Gray by Chris Baron: There are not a lot of books that deal with middle school males who are dealing with anxiety, so The Gray is an important addition to any middle school library. The reader journeys with Sasha has he works on strategies to cope with his anxiety and curb his technology addiction. Along the way he survives multiple panic attacks, makes two true friends, helps another boy work through his trauma, and learns to ride a horse. The story unfolds beautifully and was just a fantastic read.
  • Solimar: The Sword of the Monarchs by Pam Muñoz Ryan: I listened to Solimar with Trent, and it ended up being much more of an adventure than I realized it was going to be. Solimar becomes the only hope for her kingdom, so is forced to action which leads to an adventure unlike anything she’s been on. Ryan’s writing is so lyrical and descriptive, I felt like I was with Solimar as she journeyed through jungles, rivers, and mountains to save the day.

Young Adult

  • Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley: This story of murder, mystery, and betrayal is one that I had trouble putting down; it is a page turner where every second you are learning new things that make you want to continue to find all of the puzzle pieces. In addition to Perry’s story, Boulley addresses the very real issues of missing indigenous women and stolen ancestral remains and artifacts and teaches the reader about these tragedies that need to not be ignored.
  • Seasick by Kristin Cast & Pintip Dunn: So much murder in this book! I was quite shocked because just when I thought nothing else bad could happen on the yacht, something else did. Phew! I was exhausted reading it because it is such a marathon, all taking place in one night. The resolution of the mystery at the end was quite surprising also.

  • All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir: This is one of the most perfect books I’ve ever read. It made me cry because I was sad. It made me cry because I was happy. I laughed, cringed, and was furious. Any book that can make me feel all of these emotions while also crafting a narrative that I was sucked into immediately: The story of Sal and Noor, now, and the story of Misbah and Toufiq, then. Then tragedy strikes and choices are made, and everyone finds themselves in situations that they didn’t ever want to be in. Please read this book if you haven’t!
  • Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion LewisThieves’ Gambit was a twisty, turny heist book with a fantastic cast of characters and non-stop action. Oh, and I can’t forget about betrayal and romance! They’re in there, too. The only thing I didn’t like about the book was the ending because I now have to wait for book #2 to see what happens next!

To learn more about any of these books, click on any title/image to go to the book’s Goodreads page or check out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

This is my week off; see you next week!

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Kellee

Amazon.com: The Lilies eBook : Diacon-Furtado, Quinn: Kindle Store 

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Tuesday: Speck: An Itty-Bitty Epic by Margaux Meganck

Saturday: Sofia’s Kids’ Corner: A Castle in the Clouds by Kerstin Gier

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Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on at least 3 other blogs. If you tweet about your Monday post, tag the tweet with #IMWAYR!

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Author Guest Post: “Brother and Sister Team Co-Author a Children’s Fiction Series Filled with Adventure, Fun, and SEL Opportunities” by Tara Mesalik MacMahon, Author of Closet of Dreams, with Teacher’s Guide Author Sandra Bennett, M. Ed.

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“Brother and Sister Team Co-Author a Children’s Fiction Series Filled with Adventure, Fun, and SEL Opportunities”

Hi. I’m Tara Mesalik MacMahon, Closet of Dreams co-author with my brother Mark Ukra.  Mark is a HarperCollins author and I’m a James Hearst Poetry Prize winning poet. Most recently we teamed to pen Closet of Dreams, the first book in this children’s book series, The Adventures of Child and Gamma.

We based Closet of Dreams on our own childhood “Closet of Dreams,” where the make-believe world of Child, Gamma and their amazing animal friends came to life. Mark was “Child,” a nine-year old orphan boy who dreams big, and I was “Gamma,” his grandmother, once a pitcher in the American Women’s Baseball League, and with whom Child lives. The book transports readers into Child and Gamma’s fantastical adventures, and as Gamma always says, “when your fears disappear, your dreams appear!”

Though little in good writing comes easily, Mark and I quickly realized the adventures of this cast of characters had a lot more to offer than just a fun read. Closet of Dreams, (and we foresee the entire series), is filled with SEL and other learning opportunities.

So, to better reach the classroom, or homeschool, or counselors—we connected with educators, Sandra Bennett, M. Ed., and Myles Bennett, BA. Ed. to create an educator’s guide for the book. They even took the extra leap and also created a companion Closet of Dreams Workbook with fifty downloadable pdf worksheets.

I’ve asked Sandra Bennett to join me for this article and she agreed to answer some questions about our Educator’s Guide and share her views on the value of these guides in general.

T: Hi Sandy, thanks for being here. Sandy’s a 25-year veteran Master elementary school teacher, now teaching 4th grade at Dan D. Rogers Elementary School in Dallas, Texas.  She has a M. Ed in Curriculum and Instruction from Texas Tech University.

S: Thanks for including me in this incredible project, Tara.

T: My pleasure, Sandy, and it’s my brother’s and my great luck to work with you and Myles. My first question is: You’ve been an elementary school teacher for a long time, a star reading and writing teacher, Texas Education Agency Master Teacher, the highest designation, and therefore a very good person to ask: what made you think Closet of Dreams would be a good book for the classroom and candidate for a companion educator’s guide and workbook?

S: While reading the book, I recognized many social-emotional learning connections that could be made in the classroom.  SEL is so important for our elementary students.  We have morning meetings that focus on SEL, but I am always looking for ways to make those connections for kids in relation to their academic subjects, as well.

T: Could you elaborate on the kinds of SEL connections you found in Closet of Dreams?

S: The most obvious topic would be bullying.  The main character, Child, is bullied by a group of kids.  The action begins on the first page, so the kids jump right into it. Additionally, Child has to identify his emotional support structures when he feels alone or afraid. This provides an excellent chance for students to reflect on people in their own lives who can be counted on in times of stress.  Empathy is also threaded through this novel, as well. The more students are presented with these SEL concepts, the deeper the internalization, creating a lasting impact.

T: “Emotional support structures” for kids–that’s so important, and empathy, too, as SEL concepts. Could you also share here a bit about character identification? With which characters in Closest of Dreams did your students most identify?

S: I think students identified with the main character, Child, who is bullied by a group of peers.  Most kids have experienced some form of uncomfortable interaction with their peers by mid-elementary school.  Some experiences may not be as intense, but they can learn from the way Child handles himself in his situation.

At the end of the book, Child feels empathetic toward Eddie (the bully).  I think this presents an opportunity for those conversations that consider why people treat others badly. Young readers get a glimpse of what Eddie may go through at home and how that contributes to his actions.

Gamma and Randi (Child’s best friend) are strong supporters of Child, especially as he loses confidence in himself.  I think it’s important for kids to see examples of that support so that they can recognize those relationships in their own lives. Everyone wants a friend like Randi, but it’s also just as important for kids to examine their own contributions to their relationships with others.

T: I believe the ending of the book surprised even my brother Mark and me, this scene with Child and Eddie, where the bullied consoles the bullier—Mark and I both learned a lot from that moment. And your Closet of Dreams Workbook certainly does a thoughtful job probing into so many of the SEL aspects of the book. But the workbook offers other types of learning opportunities as well. Could you talk about those with some specifics, what they are and why you selected them?

S: As a reading and writing teacher, I wanted to choose some standards that elementary students should be practicing.  Some worksheet topics are cause and effect, vocabulary, and inference.  There are many short writing exercises, as well, where students are asked to provide the evidence for their answers.  I’ve also included reflection pages that are more SEL-based, but still provide students with writing exercises.  There is at least one worksheet per chapter.

T: Sandy, would you like to share anything else with the “Unleashing Readers” audience?

S: I am so excited to be a part of this Closet of Dreams project. It was so much fun creating activities that engage students and allow them to show off their creativity. After I’d finished the project, I still had all of these ideas swirling around in my head, so I decided to create the downloadable worksheets.  The worksheets allow flexibility for individual students, small groups, or whole class instruction. As a teacher, I know that there are so many ways to use books like this in the classroom.

T: Thanks again, Sandy. The workbook and educator’s guide take Closet of Dreams learning possibilities to a new level. We’re so grateful to you and Myles.

And to readers here, I hope you have an opportunity to check-out Closet of Dreams and the companion Teacher’s Guide and Workbook.

And please stay tuned for Book II in the series with companion Bennett and Bennett educator’s guide and workbook. In this second exciting adventure, Child, Gamma, and their animal friends race to rescue Starr, a magical baby elephant in Botswana.

Published March 2024 by BookLogix

About the Book: In Closet of Dreams (March 2024), the debut title in “The Adventures of Child and Gamma” chapter book series, brother and sister co-authors Mark Ukra and Tara Mesalik MacMahon tell young readers, “When your fears disappear, your dreams appear!

An aspiring pitcher with a mean fastball, nine-year-old Child wants nothing more than to be on his local little league team. But the team is dwindling and to make matters worse, Child has a gang of bullies targeting him. He confides in his grandmother, Gamma, and she sends him to the Closet of Dreams, a place she invented for Child so that he’d have a safe place to go when he gets scared.

A star-pitcher back in her day, Gamma now works at the Kids Park where retired circus animals spend their days. When Child sees his animal friends have hidden talents, he turns to them for help. Can Child put his fears aside and save his team?

In this charming chapter book, readers will delight in a magical story of friendship and talking animals. The authors were inspired by their own childhood’s “closet of dreams,” where the make-believe world of Child and Gamma originally came to life.

About the Authors: Co-authors Mark Ukra (Child) and Tara Mesalik MacMahon (Gamma) are brother and sister and lifelong best friends. Mark is the author of The Ultimate Tea Diet (HarperCollins), and Tara is a Pushcart Prize–nominated poet and award-winning author of Barefoot Up the Mountain (Open Country Press). Her poems appear widely in literary journals and anthologies, including those from Red Hen Press, Nimrod International Journal, Poet Lore, Jabberwock Review, among many others.

Mark and Tara based Closet of Dreams upon their own childhood Closet of Dreams, where the make-believe world of Child and Gamma came to life. Mark was “Child”; Tara was “Gamma.” Book II is already in the works, where Child and his friends race to rescue Starr, a magical baby elephant in Botswana. Learn more at: www.childandgamma.com.

Thank you, Tara and Susan, for shining a light on the uses for Closet of Dreams in the classroom!

The Wonderful Wisdom of Ants by Philip Bunting

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The Wonderful Wisdom of Ants
Author & Illustrator: Philip Bunting
Published March 19th, 2024 by Crown Books for Young Readers

Summary: Take a peek under the rock, and discover what we can learn from the world of the ant, in this delightful blend of nonfiction and inspirational humor by author-illustrator Philip Bunting!

There are ten quadrillion ants in the world, and yet I bet you never thought they could teach you anything. But these tiny creatures can do big things when they work together–just like people!

With his signature humor and graphic illustrations, Philip Bunting delivers facts, laughs, and heart all in this special book that teaches that the answers to many of life’s biggest questions can be found in your own back yard (once you’re ready to look).

★ “This overview of ants combines cleverly designed graphics and a funny text to convey major concepts about the familiar insects.” —The Horn Book, starred review

About the Author: Philip Bunting is an author and illustrator whose work deliberately encourages playful interaction between the reader and child, allowing his books to create a platform for genuine intergenerational engagement and fun. Philip’s books have been translated into multiple languages and published in over thirty countries around the world. Since his first book was published in 2017, Philip has received multiple accolades, including Honors from the Children’s Book Council of Australia and making the list for the Kate Greenaway Medal in 2018. He lives with his young family on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Visit his website: philipbunting.com.

Instagram:
Philip Bunting: @philip.bunting
Random House Children’s Books: @randomhousekids
Blue Slip Media: @blue_slip_media

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Random House Children’s Books: Random House Children’s Books
Blue Slip Media: @blue-slip-media 

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Random House Children’s Books: @randomhousekids
Blue Slip Media: @blueslipper & @barbfisch

Review: This book is a joy! Anyone who has read a book by Philip Bunting knows that his work excels at bringing play into the reading to make the book a bit silly, interactive, and full of informational magic. The Wonderful Wisdom of Ants is the same. I loved the little jokes throughout the book that will definitely get readers giggling, the illustrations are just so playful and perfect for the book, and I learned so much about ants! It definitely is a multi-purpose book, for pleasure and for learning, which will be a winning read aloud!

For more about the book and to hear from the author, visit his interview, “Using Well-Placed ‘Humour’ as a Trojan Horse for Information,” on Fuse 8.

Tools for Navigation: There is so much in this book that is PERFECT for science which makes it an amazing cross-curricular tool. My first though is I think it would be awesome to see students use this book as a mentor text to create their own book about another insect which would include research, science, creative writing, and visual art.

The vocabulary in this book is wonderful as well, both when it comes to science and just tier 2 words such as nuptials, mandibles, reproduces, fragrant, and more.

Oh, and math, there is something here for you too! When looking at the number of ants, it compares human vs. ant weight which would be a fantastic math problem!

Discussion Questions: 

  • If there are ten quadrillion ants in the world and 8 billion people in the world, and they weigh about the same, how much do each set weigh?
  • Do you think the queen is the most important ant in the colony?
  • Why are ants so important for the world?
  • What can we learn from ants?

Flagged Spreads: 

Read This If You Love: Informational books with humor

Recommended For: 

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**Thank you to Blue Slip Media for providing a copy for review!**

Author Guest Post: “An Extreme Measure for Extreme Research” by JoAnna Lapati, author and illustrator of Guts for Glory: The Story of Civil War Soldier Rosetta Wakeman

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An Extreme Measure for Extreme Research

I blame my new picture book biography of Rosetta “Lyons” Wakeman for sparking my imagination and setting me off into a near quarter-century whirlwind of books, paper, and miniature toy soldiers—all in the name of research. But sometimes you have to go to extremes, especially when you’re inspired to write a book about someone as extraordinary as Wakeman, a heroic woman who disguised herself as a man to fight for the Union Army in the Civil War.

Inspired research can take you to unimaginable places physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Research–specifically travel–helped create an emotional core for my writing.

Early in my Guts for Glory research, I planned four separate trips, based on specific dates of Rosetta’s real-life letters, all with the goal of better understanding the local and regional histories of the places she traveled and fought.

A trip to Binghamton, New York, allowed me to explore the Chenango Canal area where Rosetta worked after first leaving home. I collected tourist pamphlets from visitor centers and visited the Erie Canal Village in Rome, New York, where I experienced a canal ride on a packet boat pulled by a pair of mules. I observed the steersman operating the tiller and photographed the tacking of mules, which served helpful when developing sketches. On my second trip to upstate New York, I visited the Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse, where I boarded a life-size replica of a canal boat and explored the interior live-in quarters of a cabin. Then, I went to Delaware, where my measurements were taken for a custom-tailored Union frock coat and forage cap at Grand Illusions Costume Co., a reproduction clothing manufacturer that’s no longer in business. It offered an authentic portrayal of the 153rd Regiment, New York State Volunteers uniform.

Next, I made a brief visit to Alexandria, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., where I photographed the United States Capitol from the Supreme Court, where the Old Capitol Prison once stood. This particular image was helpful for developing the center spread showing where Lyons and her regiment guarded Washington, D.C. Lyons was on duty at the Old Capitol Prison from August to October 1863 (Note: Rosetta Wakeman appears on the Carroll Prison Guard Reports during August, September, and October of 1863).

My last trip was to Louisiana, where I took a luncheon cruise on the steamboat Natchez. Then I followed the Red River Campaign, traveling by car from Algiers, outside of New Orleans, (where Lyons Wakeman is buried) to Shreveport, visiting places of interest along the way like Lafayette, Natchitoches, Alexandria, and important landmarks such as the Mansfield State Historic Site and the Pleasant Hill Battle Field Park. All of this travel helped me to better interpret Rosetta’s experience.

Inspired research can stretch your imagination further than expected.

One could spend a lifetime in study, as many Civil War scholars and buffs do. During my research, I devoured book after book, finding bibliographies treasure troves of information, leading to the discovery of works by nineteenth-century as well as modern-day authors and artists. I read books by writers such as Louisa May Alcott, Harriet Jacobs and Richard Taylor and artists such as Winslow Homer, William Michael Harnett, Fanny Palmer, and Lily Martin Spencer. Each work contributed to my understanding of a bygone era, fueling my imagination. and eagerness.

But what better way to understand a character than to walk in their ill-fitting brogans, which I did as a Civil War re-enactor. I could use my five senses in experiences much like Rosetta’s. I’ve had plenty of black gunpowder grit between my teeth when tearing open blank (ammunition) paper cartridges during living history and mock battle events.

I’ve suffered from blisters on both Achilles heels after light marching, later relegating to wearing plastic bread bags on both my feet to reduce the friction, only to have them gathering at my toes.

I wore my blood-stained wool socks as my Red Badge of Courage until discovering sometime later with much horror, my rescue dog had snacked on them. Gross! I recall stepping and sliding into a manure patch when pitching my army pup tent. Thankfully, I never lost my balance. And during rainy events, my uniform smelled like a barn animal, but during dry events, I favored the lingering trace of campfire smoke left on my uniform.

Whatever you absorb, even if it’s by incredible means, you might end up only including about 10% of it. Leaving out 90% of hard-fought, time-invested research is one of the toughest parts of the writing and/or illustrating process. After all, your character’s emotional core, built through that research, is the true heart of the story.

Inspired research can ultimately carry your interest beyond life’s obstacles (A.K.A. The Struggle) and into something beyond your biggest dreams.

So, what inspired me about Rosetta Wakeman to devote over two decades of study? In hindsight, I was inspired by a young, strong-willed woman, struggling for the privilege to live independently, an unobtainable goal for most women in that time, especially a poor, rural farm girl, who put herself at great risk with her choices.

Writing and illustrating Guts for Glory involved a lot of choices, too, along with sacrifice and continued research of the actual publishing process. I joined the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) organization to learn more about the industry. Each year, I remained committed to attending the New England Regional Conferences. I learned how to write a manuscript, create a dummy book, assemble and update an illustrator’s portfolio, create eye catching promotional cards. I received constructive criticism year after year for five years. I even put Guts For Glory aside and began working on a second book until Eerdmans contacted me in 2013. I had forgotten I sent them an unsolicited manuscript! And now the book is here.

I loved living inside a book, filled with creative bliss for 20 years. It was truly inspiring. Reality is much harder. So, what research is your writing inspiring you to do?

Published February 27th, 2024 by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers

About the Book: A dramatically illustrated biography of Private Rosetta “Lyons” Wakeman, the only soldier whose letters capture the Civil War from a woman’s perspective. In 1862, the war between North and South showed no signs of stopping. In rural New York, nineteen-year-old Rosetta Wakeman longed for a life beyond the family farm. One day she made a brave, bold she cut her braid and disguised herself as a man. No one suspected that “Lyons” was a woman—not even when she signed up to fight for the Union. As Rosetta’s new regiment traveled to Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Louisiana, she sent letter after letter home to New York. Army life wasn’t easy, but Rosetta knew it was where she belonged—keeping her family safe and her country free. Through intricately detailed scratchboard art and excerpts from Rosetta’s letters, this fascinating biography introduces young readers to an unconventional woman who was determined to claim her own place in history. Memorable and inspiring, Guts for Glory is a stirring portrait of the Civil War and the courage of those who fought on its front lines.

Book Trailer:

Discussion Guide:

About the Author: JoAnna Lapati is a writer and artist based in Warwick, Rhode Island. While researching this book, she retraced Rosetta’s footsteps by traveling to sites like the Chenango Canal, the US Capitol, and the Mansfield Historic Site Museum and Pleasant Hill Battle Park. JoAnna also spent six years as a Civil War reenactor with the 22nd Massachusetts Volunteers- disguised as a man, just like Rosetta. Guts for Glory is JoAnna’s debut picture book. Visit her website at joannalapati.com.

Thank you, JoAnna, for this look into your research and how research inspires!

There’s No Such Thing As Vegetables by Kyle Lukoff, Illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi

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There’s No Such Thing As Vegetables
Author: Kyle Lukoff
Illustrator: Andrea Tsurumi
Published February 27th, 2024 by Henry Holt and Co.

Summary: A hilarious new picture book that exposes vegetables for what they truly are—leaves, roots, flowers, and stalks—by National Book Award Finalist and Newbery Honor winner Kyle Lukoff, perfect for fans of the Our Universe series.

Chester plans to have a salad for lunch, but in order to do that, he’ll need vegetables. So, off he goes to the community garden, except he quickly learns that he won’t be dressing a salad anytime soon. Instead, the vegetables start dressing him down. According to them, “vegetables” don’t exist!

I know what you are thinking: What the bell pepper? Vegetables are totally real! But here’s the thing: Kale is just a leaf, broccoli is a flower, potatoes are roots, and celery…well, stalks. Thanks to a lively, sassy cast of talking “veggies,” Chester learns a valuable lesson about categories and how they shape our understanding of the world.

With a slyly informative text and illustrations that will crack readers up, the schooling in There’s No Such Thing As Vegetables will be easy to digest and is a total treat.

About the Creators: 

Kyle Lukoff is the author of the Newbery Honor-winning, National Book Award finalist, Too Bright to See, the Stonewall Award winner When Aidan Became a Brother, among other titles for young readers. While becoming a writer, he worked as a bookseller and school librarian. He lives in Philadelphia, and hopes you’re having a nice day. (kylelukoff.com)

Andrea Tsurumi(they/them) is an author, illustrator and cartoonist originally from New York who now lives with their spouse and dog in Philadelphia. A gigantic text and image nerd, they studied sequential storytelling for an English BA at Harvard and an illustration MFA at the School of Visual Arts. While working in publishing for several years, they dove into their two big loves: indie comics and children’s books. Their first book, Accident! was an NPR Great Read and their second book, Crab Cake, won the Vermont Red Clover Book Award. When they’re not inventing croissant-based animals, they like reading about ordinary and ridiculous history. (andreatsurumi.com)

Review: This book IS slyly informative, and I love it! What seems at the surface like a silly book about vegetables setting a young child straight about their really identities is actually a look into scientific classification. The book definitely will bring the giggles while also getting kids thinking about what makes something what it is called. This book is a must have for classrooms and libraries as it is a great read aloud and will move perfectly into an educational discussion, especially when the author’s note is added to the read aloud.

Tools for Navigation: This book is perfect for talking about classifications–both scientific and social. I can imagine it being used in a life science class mostly because they could start with the vegetable extended example and expand from there. Though within the book, the vegetables also share money, countries, and words as examples of social constructed categories, so these would be fascinating to extend into math/economics, history/geography, and language arts.

Discussion Questions: 

  • Are there vegetables?
  • Who decides what something is classified as?
  • Why are fruits real but not vegetables?
  • How would you define a vegetable? Do you think Chester’s definition is correct?
  • What other things are classified certain ways but you aren’t sure why?

Flagged Spreads: 

Read This If You Love: Humorous picture books that also educate

Recommended For: 

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**Thank you to Nicole Banholzer PR for providing a copy for review!**

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 3/11/24

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
For readers of all ages

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly blog hop we host which focuses on sharing what we’re reading. This Kid Lit version of IMWAYR focuses primarily on books marketed for kids and teens, but books for readers of all ages are shared. We love this community and how it offers opportunities to share and recommend books with each other.

The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. The Kid Lit IMWAYR was co-created by Kellee & Jen at Teach Mentor Texts.

We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up below, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs.

Happy reading!

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Tuesday: Educators’ Guide for The Partition Project by Saadia Faruqi

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Play is Good Trouble” by Brittney Morris, Author of The Jump

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

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Kellee

This week is my Future Problem Solvers State Competition which keeps me quite busy, so I won’t be able to post today; however, you can always see what books I’ve been reading by checking out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

It is my week off–see you next week!

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Tuesday: There’s No Such Thing As Vegetables by Kyle Lukoff, Illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “An Extreme Measure for Extreme Research” by JoAnna Lapati, Author of Guts for Glory: The Story of Civil War Soldier Rosetta Wakeman

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Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on at least 3 other blogs. If you tweet about your Monday post, tag the tweet with #IMWAYR!

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