Kellee

Kellee’s Recently Loved Picture Books: The Knowing Book by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Daniel Finds a Poem by Micha Archer, Hoot and Peep by Lita Judge, & A Big Surprise for Little Card by Charise Mericle Harper

July 9, 2016July 8, 2016 by Kellee

Here are three picture books I’ve recently read and loved so much I wanted to share them a bit more in depth than just a IMWAYR post:

The Knowing Book
Author: Rebecca Kai Dotlich
Illustrator: Matthew Cordell
Published February 23rd, 2016 by Boyds Mills Press

Summary: Inspiring and wise, this story begins and ends with the sky that is always above you. In between, a young rabbit travels through the wide world, experiencing joy and sorrow and all the wonder that the world has to offer. Along the way he chooses a path, explores the unknown, and ventures along trails on and off the map. And at the end of the journey, braver and more confident, he returns home, the place he can always count on and will always know. This beautiful celebration of life is the perfect gift to mark any milestone in a child’s life from birth to graduation.

My Thoughts: What an all star team of author/illustrator! This celebration of life and our world will make the reader think about their priorities, choices, identity, and nature. It is definitely going to be a book that is given as a gift or a read aloud to inspire and celebrate.

Daniel Finds a Poem
Author and Illustrator: Micha Archer
Published February 16th, 2016 by Nancy Paulsen Books

Summary: What is poetry? Is it glistening morning dew? Spider thinks so. Is it crisp leaves crunching? That’s what Squirrel says. Could it be a cool pond, sun-warmed sand, or moonlight on the grass? Maybe poetry is all of these things, as it is something special for everyone—you just have to take the time to really look and listen. The magical thing is that poetry is in everyone, and Daniel is on his way to discovering a poem of his own after spending time with his animal friends. What is poetry? If you look and listen, it’s all around you!

My Thoughts: This book is beautiful on so many levels. First, Micha Archer is a brilliant artist. I was lucky enough to receive a packet called “My Collage Techniques” along with a copy of the book. It chronicles the steps that go into making the art found within these pages. It consists of making her own stamps, stamping with cloth and acrylics, screeding (pulling a thin layer of pain across a colored piece of paper), laying tissue paper, punching/cutting holes, painting with water based oils, cutting and adjusting, and finally laying and gluing everything. And voila! A beautiful illustration. Second, I love that it focuses on different aspects of nature. Micha Archer’s artwork shines light on a spider and its web, a squirrel and its tree, chipmunk and its home, and other animals and aspects of nature in Daniel’s park. In addition to the artwork, the poetic words pay homage to all sorts of beauty in nature. Finally, the writing and poetry in the book add to the beauty of the artwork.

Stop by http://artmicha.com/ to view some of the beautiful spreads within the book.

Hoot and Peep
Author and Illustrator: Lita Judge
Published March 1st, 2016 by Dial Books

Summary: In the night skies above Paris, an adorable young owl teaches her older brother about the power of imagination—and the unconditional love between siblings.

Hoot the owl is very excited for his little sister, Peep, to join him on the cathedral rooftops. She’s finally old enough to learn all his big brother owly wisdom: First, owls say hooo. Second, they always say hooo. Lastly, they ONLY say hooo! But why would Peep say hooo when she could say schweeepty peep or dingity dong? Why would she speak when she could sing? As she explores the breathtaking Parisian cityscape, Peep discovers so many inspiring sights and sounds—the ring of cathedral bells, the slap of waves on stone—that she can’t help but be swept up in the magic of it all. Hoot doesn’t understand Peep’s awe, until he takes a pause to listen . . . and realizes that you’re never too old to learn a little something new.

From the beloved author/illustrator of the classic picture book Red Sled, this gorgeous read aloud celebrates the wonder found in little things—and in the hearts of dreamers, young and old.

My Thoughts: I love Lita Judge! She finds a way to focus on the unique and fun parts of a character’s personality and highlight the way that being different makes us all better. This one also specifically looks at sibling rivalry because Hoot is perfect and Peep wants to be just like him, and Hoot wants Peep to be just like him, but she just isn’t. It is important for both of them to realize that it is these differences that make each of them who they are. In addition, the book takes the reader on a journey through Paris which makes the adventure even more fun.

A Big Surprise for Little Card
Author: Charise Mericle Harper
Illustrator: Anna Raff
Published February 9th, 2016 by Candlewick Press

Summary: Fall in love with a disarming picture-book hero in this quirky ode to spirit, identity, and the joy of having (or being) a library card.

In the world of cards, each one has a special job to do. Big Card keeps important papers in order. Tiny Card can be exchanged for a prize in an arcade. Round Card hangs out in a glamorous boutique. But is any card as lucky as Little Card? He’s going to school to become a birthday card — in other words, to sing, play games, eat cake, and be happy all day long. But wait! On the day he’s supposed to take his talents into the world, Long Card tells him there’s been a mix-up and they need to trade jobs. How can Little Card bring his exuberance into a library, a quiet place of books and rules and hushing? Offbeat and utterly endearing, this tale of a little guy who gives it all he’s got is complete with a sweet twist and a surprise ending.

My Thoughts: I wish I had waited to get Trent a library card, so I could read this to him before we went to get his first one! I love that idea of a bunch of cards waiting around to be assigned to their destiny. Little Card is such an excitable character who just wants to know what he was made for. Although the book is about a library card, he could definitely symbolize kids figuring out what they want to be when they grow up and the journey to getting there. I also love the illustrations that are full of character, light in tone but loud in their meaning.

**Thank you to Penguin Young Readers, Candlewick Press, and Boyds Mills Press for providing copies of the books!**

Animal Planet’s Animal Atlas

July 6, 2016 by Kellee

Nonfiction Wednesday

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday is hosted by Kid Lit Frenzy and was started to help promote the reading of nonfiction texts. Most Wednesdays, we will be participating and will review a nonfiction text (though it may not always be a picture book).
Be sure to visit Kid Lit Frenzy and see what other nonfiction books are shared this week!

Animal Atlas
Published May 24th, 2016 by Animal Planet

Goodreads Summary: Animal Planet’s definitive atlas of animal life takes readers on a continent-by-continent and habitat-by-habitat passport to adventure!

What is a habitat? How is the North Pole’s animal life different from the South Pole’s? How and why do animals adapt to their environment? Is a food web different from a food chain? Animal Planet Animal Atlas answers all of these questions and many more. Through detailed maps, fun infographics, simple charts, and Find It! Fact boxes readers can track their favorite animals across the globe, learning about how animal habitats are affected by climate, food and water availability, migration, and human environmental impact.

Kellee’s Review: Nonfiction informational texts are really stepping up their game! Over the last few months, we’ve been sharing a lot of Animal Planet and National Geographic texts, but it is because they are worth sharing! This text is filled with such a wealth of information. First and foremost, I see it as a beautiful atlas. It focuses on not only the different continents and oceans, but it teaches about the biomes within the world also. Within each biome in each continent, animals who lie and thrive are shared along with interesting information about the animals. Some of my favorite parts though are the “Animal Close Up” sections which focus on one animal, where it lives, why it lives there, and what it eats and the animal travel guides who pop up within each continent and give out tidbits of information. This plethora of information combined with breathtaking photographs allows this book to take you on a journey all around the world!

Ricki’s Review: I loved this book. My toddler and I probably spent 45 minutes reading it, and we didn’t even read all of the facts! There is so much information in this book, and it is all incredibly fascinating. I think we are going to enjoy this text for a long time yet! My favorite part about it was the way the book was divided up by continent and then further by biomes. My son and I were able to talk about the similarities between the animals and insects within biomes and why that might be. When we reached each new continent, we flipped back to the big atlas to talk about where that continent was in comparison to our home. I also loved the sections that compared the animals to humans. It was neat to talk about our similarities and differences. I’d highly recommend this text for any child of any age. I think it would appeal to all ages and interest levels!

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This is such a beautiful text that begs to be used cross curricularly. In Florida, 6th grade learns about life science and one of the unites focuses on habitats and biomes. This book would be an asset either in the science classroom or in an ELA classroom supporting the science standards. Also, in late elementary school this text would be a perfect way to combine science, social studies, reading, and writing.

Discussion Questions: Which biome is the hardest for animals to live in?; Which continent has the least amount of animals?; What are the differences between the different biomes?; Which animal/habitat/continent would you like to learn more about?

We Flagged:

animal atlas spread — (c) 2016, Animal Planet

Read This If You Loved: National Geographic titles such as Awesome 8 or National Parks USA Guide, Animal Planets Animal Bites series, Seymour Simon’s animal books or Extreme Oceans

Recommended For:

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 7/4/16

July 6, 2016July 4, 2016 by Kellee

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme started by Sheila at Book Journeys and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It’s also a great chance to see what others are reading right now…you just might discover the next “must-read” book!

Kellee and Jen, of Teach Mentor Texts, decided to give It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit – join us! We love this meme and think you will, too.

We encourage everyone who participates to support the blogging community by visiting at least three of the other book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

CONGRATULATIONS
Jana E.
for winning a copy of Ms. Bixby’s Last Day!!

Last Week’s Posts

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

Tuesday: Jobs for People Who Love Books

Wednesday: National Geographic’s Awesome 8

Thursday: Burning by Danielle Rollins

Friday: Whose Story Is This Anyway? by Mike Flaherty

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “When You’re Not ‘The Pretty One'” by Rose Mannering, Author of Roses: The Tales Trilogy, Book 1

Last Week’s Journeys

First, I must talk about the American Library Association Annual Conference & Exhibition. As you all may know, I am a faithful attender of the NCTE conference and ALAN workshop in November; however, I have never been to another big conference until ALA which was held this year here in Orlando from June 23rd-June 28th. Because I am not a librarian and I could only attend on the weekends, I only had the exhibitors pass as well tickets to the Coretta Scott King breakfast and the Newbery, Caldecott, and Wilder banquet. Having an exhibitor pass meant that I was able to hang around all day and just meet authors, get books, and hear about new books. I was in heaven! At NCTE, I am usually pretty busy, so I spend only a couple of hours there a day; however, at ALA, I was there for 6 or so hours each day! Here are some collages of the authors I saw:

Authors/Illustrators: Meg Medina, Matt de la Pena, Tim Federle, Ben Clanton, G. Neri, Jenni Holm, Adele Griffin, Fred Koehler, Ben Hatke, EM Kokie, Dana Simpson, Bryan Hollier, Mo Willems, Laurie Keller, Dan Santat, Augusta Scattergood, Mike Maihack, Kate Messner, Jon Klassen, Don Tate, Chris Barton, Bill Konigsberg, Alex Gino, Kevin Henkes, Laura Dronzek, Kwame Alexander, Christian Robinson, Sean Qualls, Rita Williams-Garcia, Duncan Tonatiuh, Tom Angleberger, Cece Bell, Rafael Lopez, Jon Klassen, Raina Telgemeier, Grace Lin, Kwame Alexander, Jordan Sonnenblick, Donalyn Miller with Travis Jonker, Adam Gidwitz, Lynda Mullaly Hunt, & Ben Clanton

I also had the amazing opportunity to attend the Coretta Scott King & Virginia Hamilton Award breakfast and the Newbery, Caldecott, & Wilder Award banquet where I heard some of the most powerful speeches I’ve ever heard. Christian Robinson, Ilyasah Shabazz, Jason Reynolds, Brendan Kiely, Rita Williams-Garcia, Jerry Pinkney, Sophie Blackall, and Matt de la Pena touched my heart and soul through their beautiful words. I cannot even start to share all the amazing quotes and speeches, but there are some different ways to see them. First, on Twitter search #csk16, #alaac16, and you will find quotes. Also, you can access some of the speeches here or here.

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Now to what I’ve read over the last two weeks!

Probably one of the most anticipated picture book releases of the year, We Found a Hat by Jon Klassen is the finale of his Hat Trilogy and is just perfect. I am not going to spoil anything, but I really think that Hat fans will love this one just as much.

I love these stories of strong young ladies going after their passion no matter what! I love powerful girl books, and these both definitely fit that bill!

I read The Great Greene Heist because it was on my #mustread list; however, after finishing, I couldn’t let go of Jackson Greene and his antics, so I grabbed the sequel right away. I love Gang Greene. They are smart and thoughtful, but I am also really happy they are not my students.

Gracefully Grayson is another #mustread book, I devoured it in one sitting. I love this story of identity, truth, friendship, fear, and love. I did find it interesting that it and George both had theater as part of their story. Also, I found the adult reactions so interesting in both!

Although I find Dave Barry very funny, I think I am definitely not the demographic for this one. It was a bit over the top and far fetched. I also had trouble with some of the stereotypical descriptions and assumptions within the story. However, it is on our state list for this upcoming school year and I plan on reading all 15, so I look forward to discussing this with my students.

As soon as I got this, I just couldn’t help myself! I love Sharon Creech’s work, and this is no exception. It all revolves around a cow. An ornery, wonderful cow that helps a girl find home, a woman find closure, a boy share a passion, and a family settle down. Fans of any Creech work, though especially Love that Dog, will love her word play and imagery in this novel in verse/vignettes.

Ricki

I finished reading Jonathan Todre and Sarah Higinbotham’s Human Rights in Children’s Literature for a review for an academic journal. It is a fascinating text that integrates human rights law and children’s rights with children’s literature. It inspired me to want to do more research in the field of human rights.

I also read Maria E. Andreu’s The Secret Side of Empty. It is a book about a senior in high school who has grown up in America her whole life and has hidden the fact she is an undocumented immigrant. I learned so much about the struggles that undocumented immigrants face. It is a great read.

Ah-Choo is a cute picture book by Lana Wayne Koehler and Gloria G. Adams. It is about a boy who wants to find a pet that won’t make his sister sneeze!

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

I have so many books to choose from!

Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier was one of my most exciting acquisitions from ALA, so I definitely am going to read it. Other than that, I am going to pull from my bag of #mustread books, ALA books, and my stat list books depending on how I am feeling.

I am also working on an NCTE presentation with Ricki, and I am using Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine as an example text, so I plan on rereading it this week and working on the presentation.

Ricki

I am working on a new project, which involves me reading a few dozen books that feature Muslim/Islamic teenagers. I am not sure which book I will start first, but I am excited to begin!

On a side note, I am looking for recently published books (or soon to be published books) that promote themes of advocacy and activism. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to leave them in the comments section!

Upcoming Week’s Posts

top ten tuesday

Tuesday: Ten Books We Enjoyed That Have Under 1000 Ratings On Goodreads

Wednesday: Animal Planet Animal Atlas

Thursday: All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely

Friday: Recently Loved Picture Books: The Knowing Book by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Daniel Finds a Poem by Micha Archer, Hoot and Peep by Lita Judge, & A Big Surprise for Little Card by Charise Mericle Harper

Sunday: Author Guest Post!

So, what are you reading?

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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Whose Story Is This, Anyway? by Mike Flaherty

August 18, 2016July 1, 2016 by Kellee

Whose Story Is This, Anyway?
Author: Mike Flaherty
Illustrator: Oriol Vidal
Published May 3rd, 2016 by Sterling Children’s Books

Summary: What’s this book about? That depends on who you ask. Our humble narrator thinks he’s got a great story for you, but he barely begins before he’s interrupted . . . by a scallywag pirate with a thrilling legend of mermaids and sea monsters! Soon an entire cast of colorful characters—including a hungry dinosaur, an alien bent on world domination, and a heroic knight—derails the boy’s saga. Everyone has a tale to tell—but if they can all get on the same page, this might turn out to be the best story ever!

About the Author: Mike Flaherty is an author and occasional hockey coach trying to keep up with his two kids and rather voracious cats. His secret lair is hidden somewhere in New Albany, OH, and he would be the world’s greatest super-villain if he could figure out how to get his Doomsday Device working. Until then, he’ll just keep writing stories.

About the Illustrator: Oriol Vidal is an illustrator and storyboard artist based in Barcelona, Spain. He graduated from UB Barcelona with a degree in Fine Arts. Including illustrating books and magazines, Oriol has worked in animation where he developed character designs and storyboards for clients in the US, France, UK, South Korea, and Spain. He happily works and lives with his little daughter, his wife, his cat, and his rowdy budgie.

Kellee’s Review: This book made me laugh out loud. The characters are zany, the premise is fun, and the outcome is perfect. I also loved the comic-esque layout of the book with dialogue bubbles and colorful illustrations. Trent and I were enthralled with the cast of characters–the author really made sure to include all kids’ favorites.

Ricki’s Review: This is a book that somehow manages to cram in almost all of my son’s favorite things—and in an interesting, humorous way! With each page, my son says, “Ooooh!” because he is so excited by the characters. I particularly like how the narrator has a cat. Too often, male narrators always hold dogs and female narrators always hold cats. My son, who loves cats, is catching on to this, and it frustrates me. The creativity in this book is admirable, and kids will love it.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This book will be such a fun addition to the classroom. It can be used for writing activities and for discussions (or as a mentor text) for point of view, voice, dialogue, humor, or narration. First, it would be really fun to rewrite this story from different points of view. Since each character thinks it is their story, their view of how things went down would be very different than the boys. It is also so great how the author gives each character their own voice and personality which would lend it to be a good mentor text for distinguishing voice and using dialogue. Also, students would have so much fun writing their own story about how each character ended up on this particular beach with this boy.

Discussion Questions: Why does the boy change is mind at the end of the book?; Which character would you want a whole story about?; How do you think each character ended up at this beach?; How would you have reacted if you were the boy?

Flagged Passages:

Read This If You Loved: Faraway Friends by Russ Cox, By Mouse & Frog by Deborah Freedman, Little Red Writing by Joan Holub, Nibbles by Emma Yarlett, Journey by Aaron Becker

Recommended For:

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**Thank you to Sterling Publishing for providing copies for review!**

Awesome 8 by National Geographic Kids

July 10, 2016June 29, 2016 by Kellee

Nonfiction Wednesday

Awesome 8: Over 50 Picture-Packed Top-8 Lists!
Published May 3rd, 2016 by National Geographic Children’s Books

Goodreads Summary: Curious kids who want to know the who/what/where of the coolest things on the planet will welcome this first book in an awesome new National Geographic Kids series. Every turn of the page presents a different theme and counts down the greatest of the great top 8 of its kind. For example: The Awesome 8 Coolest Coasters, Haughtiest Hotels, Wicked Water Slides, Perilous Predators, Remarkable Ruins, Weirdest Wonders, Swankiest Subways, and anything else you can imagine. It’s truly something you have to see to believe–which is why the entire list appears in photographs, layered with fun facts and insightful stories.

Kellee’s Review: I think this may be one of my favorite National Geographic books I’ve read yet. You know we love lists here at Unleashing Readers (Top Ten Tuesday, anyone?!), so this book already was set up in a favorite way. This large-sized book packs so much information into its pages. Each 2 page spread includes an top 8 list with crazy, interesting topics and beautiful photographs. Each Awesome 8 is just a normal list, each item includes fascinating information that ties it to the topic.

Ricki’s Review: Ahh! This National Geographic book was so much fun! My son and I loved flipping through the stunning photographs and talking about each of the categories. This is a great learning book for kids. My son is very young, so it was great to use as a counting book, too. The repetition was very helpful. This is the kind of book that inspires kids to want to do more research and explore more within each category. There isn’t a kid (or adult) in the world that won’t be able to find something of interest in this book.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: In addition to being an instant favorite in classrooms, Awesome 8 will definitely make anyone who reads it want to make their own top 8 list. This activity could revolve around any unit that you are teaching. You could also give your students choice of topic or you can assign topics to fit your lessons/unit.

There’s an Awesome 8 section on the National Geographic Kids website as well which allows for extended inquiry: http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/awesome-8-hub/

Discussion Questions: What was your favorite Awesome 8 list?; Which list did you wish had more than 8 items on it?; Which list made you want to learn more?

We Flagged: “Eight Cutest Critters: These animals may be small in size, but they’re pretty big on awesome. Here are eight of the tiniest (and more adorable!) creatures on Earth. Say awww!

4. Eye Spy: What are you looking at? A baby tarsier shows off its huge peepers, which are about the same size and weight as its brain. Found exclusively in the islands of Southeast Asia, the nocturnal primate has the biggest eyes in the animal kingdom compared to its body size.” (p. 27)

*Disclosure: This quote cannot share the entire feeling of the book without the photos. See the published book to see the amazing photographs.

Read This If You Loved: National Geographic’s 100 Things to Know Before You Grow Up, Mastermind by National Geographic, Weird but T rue series by National Geographic, Almanacs, World Record books

Recommended For:

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**Thank you to Karen at Media Masters Publicity for providing copies for review!**

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 6/27/16

June 27, 2016June 27, 2016 by Kellee

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!

We encourage everyone who participates to support the blogging community by visiting at least three of the other book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

Last Week’s Posts

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

Tuesday: Reasons to Read

Wednesday: National Geographic’s 100 Things to Know Before you Grow Up

Thursday: Grimm’s Fairy Tales by the Brothers Grimm, Audio Book Collection by Listening Library

Friday: Future Problem Solving International Conference Update

Sunday: Author Interview with Diane Gonzales Bertrand by Wendy Martin, Illustrator of The Story Circle

Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

I had the amazing opportunity to go to ALA this weekend! Then on Monday, I am so happy to be able to go see a preview of The BFG movie (The BFG is one of my top 10 favorite books!). I will update you all and visit with you next week. Happy reading everyone! 🙂

Ricki

This week, I finished Gae Polisner’s A Memory of Things. What a fabulous book! Someone (Beth Shaum, was it you?) wrote in her review that she liked how the book was about 9/11 without being about 9/11, and I couldn’t agree more. There are so many fantastic themes in this book, and it would be a great book to use in classrooms. I look forward to writing a full review soon!

I also finished Danielle Rollins’ Burning. I really enjoyed her first book, The Merciless, so I was excited to read this one, too. She writes fantastic thrillers that have elements of fantasy but feel very realistic. In this story, the narrator is in juvenile hall. A mysterious juvie shows up who throws the entire juvenile hall into a mysterious, creepy state. I am not extremely experienced in this genre, but the book gave me the chills!

Henry and I read The Fan Brothers’ The Night Gardener. This was a beautiful book that is wonderfully illustrated. Henry loved all of the animals, and I loved the mystical story.

This Week’s Expeditions

Ricki

I am reading Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis. I’ve wanted to read this book for a long time, so I am happy to cross it off my bucket list! So far, I am enjoying it a lot.

I am listening to Teresa Toten’s The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B. I am really loving the characterization, but I am wondering if I am missing a lot without the illustrations. Can anyone provide their thoughts on this one? I just signed the actual book out of the library, so I may flip through to see if I missed anything.

I’ve begun reading Jonathan Todre and Sarah Higinbotham’s Human Rights in Children’s Literature for a review for an academic journal. It is focused on law, but I am interested to see how these ideas apply to education.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

top ten tuesday

Tuesday: Jobs for People Who Love Books

Wednesday: National Geographic’s Awesome 8

Thursday: Burning by Danielle Rollins

Friday: Whose Story Is This Anyway? by Mike Flaherty

Sunday: Author Guest Post!

So, what are you reading?

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Author Interview with Diane Gonzales Bertrand by Wendy Martin, Illustrator of The Story Circle

June 26, 2016 by Kellee

Author Interview with Diane Gonzales Bertrand by Wendy Martin, Illustrator of The Story Circle

As an illustrator, I rarely if ever get to meet or interact with the authors of the books I illustrate. Sometimes, as is the case with this book, the publisher will introduce the writer and the artist after the book is finished. When I first was invited to illustrate “The Story Circle” I googled Diane. Unlike many of the other authors I know, she doesn’t have a large web presence, so she remained a bit of a mystery to me. After the book was published I was filled with curiosity about Diane’s experience as an educator and her school visits with our book. Below are her answers to my questions.

Wendy: How long have you been a teacher?

Diane: I have been an educator since 1980. I taught middle school, high school, and began teaching college in 1992. I have also taught writing workshops in libraries, schools, and community centers since my first book was published. Currently I am Writer-in-Residence for the English-Communications Studies Dept. at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas. I teach composition and creative writing to the next generation of readers and writers.

Wendy: How do you incorporate the books you write into the classroom?

Diane: Because my children’s books are written in two languages, teachers use the books in dual language classrooms and traditional classrooms to build vocabulary for emerging readers and to discuss literary elements for older children. For example The Empanadas that Abuela Made and The Party for Papa Luis are told in a sequence of repeating words. Not only do children learn vocabulary, they gain confidence in reading. My storybooks like Adelita and the Veggie Cousins or A Bean and Cheese Taco Birthday share positive messages about making friends and learning from someone who has a different opinion. They are useful in class discussions about ways to relate to others, but they also encourage children to write about their own experiences making new friends or celebrating their birthdays. When I come into a classroom, I rarely read my books; instead I show children ways to understand the writing process and explain how a book is created through my own revision process and through a collaborative effort with a talented illustrator. I encourage the children to become authors of their own stories. I also show them sketches and finished illustrations to encourage the young artists in the audience.

Wendy: How can teachers use the theme and idea behind The Story Circle in the class lesson plans?

Diane: When I have visited schools, children always ask me, “Where do you find ideas for stories?” I wanted to create a storybook for children to be given a sentence to start their story, then let their imagination take over. Some children have vivid imaginations and know how to grab an idea and start writing. Many more need a little help to start writing.

Teachers might introduce the book with “What If” scenarios. What if you knew how to fly? What if the science class had a field trip to the ocean? What if there was too much rain? Questions with no specific answers help children see possibilities. Writing isn’t a math equation with only one right answer, but a string of words that can change meaning and direction that is fun to explore. I love it best when writing goes in a direction I never expected. I want children to know this feeling as a positive thing, and not to worry about mistakes or writing something different than everyone else.

Wendy: You’ve mentioned that you utilize “story starters” during reading events. What are these and how do you use them?

Diane: ‘The Story Circle’ begins with damages after a terrible storm. The children return to school to discover flooding ruined their classroom, including the books on the bookshelves. The teacher uses the routine of their daily story circle to comfort the children, and after she tells them a story, each child decides to tell a story as well. I purposely present only the first sentence in each child’s story with the intention of providing “story starters” for children in the classroom to finish. I always encourage writing when I meet children; this book is a tangible way to keep children writing stories from their imaginations. Wendy Martin’s illustrations also provide wonderful details to complete the story and give an extra “starter” to the children with little confidence in their own ideas. Because technology distracts children from creating from their minds, I hope my words and Wendy’s pictures will brighten up a classroom with imaginative play.

Wendy: Would you care to share some of the reactions you’ve gotten during your recent book readings of The Story Circle?

Diane: I read The Story Circle in Houston, Texas, while the city was recovering from terrible flooding; so the children and their teachers could relate to the story well. As we reached each “story starter” sentence, I paused and asked children for ideas about what happened next. The children spoke about turning invisible if eating “magic candies” or that neighbors might peek through windows when Mrs. Martinez used goats instead of a lawnmower. One boy said an armadillo can roll into a ball, so it would win a race against the roadrunner, and another girl said a shark might come up to a glass-bottom boat, but the children begin yelling and scare it away. After my reading, when I was signing books for the school library, the teacher asked each child to come up to the front of the room and finish their favorite sentence/story from the book. I was reminded public speaking should also be encouraged in children, so this book supports that skill too.

Wendy: Before you saw my art for your story, did you have something in mind? How did my art differ from your imagination? Do you incorporate the book’s illustrations in your lesson plans?

Diane: After publishing a dozen books, I trust an illustrator as a talented artist who deserves respect for his or her own vision. When I saw sketches for The Story Circle, I was happy they were filled with details children might use to build a story of their own. Children who are talented in drawing (and I was not one of those children) can learn from studying the pictures to improve their own work. When I saw the first color illustrations, I felt pleased and couldn’t wait to share the book with readers. I didn’t have any preconceived images, but always hope for a good outcome. In the case of this book, it outshined my expectations.

About Wendy Martin: A transplanted New Yorker now living in Missouri, Wendy Martin has been working as an illustrator for 25+ years. Her love affair with art and illustration began at an early age. She never wanted to do anything else. So, she followed my heart and earned a degree in Fashion Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology, then continued my art education at the School of Visual Arts, earning a B.F.A. in Graphic Design. These disciplines can still be seen in her work as a children’s book illustrator and fantasy artist in the strong lines, textures and detailed patterns.

See additional art and find out more about her at wendymartinillustration.com

About Diane Gonzales Bertrand: Diane Gonzales Bertrand’s novels include ALICIA’S TREASURE (1995), TRINO’S CHOICE (1999), and TRINO’S TIME (2001) Her bilingual picture books include SIP, SLURP, SOUP, SOUP/CALDO, CALDO, CALDO (1997), FAMILY, FAMILIA (1999), THE LAST DOLL (2001), and UNCLE CHENTE’S PICNIC (2001). Her books are published by Arte Publico.

About The Story Circle: In this charming bilingual picture book, a group of young children revel in the joys of imagination to tell and illustrate stories.

Thank you to Wendy and Diane for your insightful interview about The Story Circle!

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