Ricki – Page 83 – Unleashing Readers

Top Ten Tuesday: Last Ten Books We Bought for Our Boys

August 4, 2016July 14, 2015 by Ricki

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. The feature was created because The Broke and Bookish are particularly fond of lists (as are we!). Each week a new Top Ten list topic is given and bloggers can participate.

Today’s Topic: Last Ten Books We Bought for Our Boys

We read a lot of picture books, and in order to keep up with diapers, we can only buy the books that are truly special. Here are the last ten that we bought. For those of you who are new to the blog, Ricki’s son is 19 months old, and Kellee’s son is 16 months old.

Ricki

1. Freedom Summer by Deborah Wiles

Readers of this blog know that I am head over heels for this book. I am going to read it to him very often when he is older.

2. Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine

I purchased this book because I saw many positive reviews. It is based on a true story. I read it to Henry, and he enjoyed listening, but I may wait a bit longer until he is at an appropriate age that I can begin to discuss the serious matters of the book. I look forward to reading it to him often.

3. Playtown: Airport by Roger Priddy

Playtown Airport

My son is madly in love with the Playtown series. He owns the first book of the series and a few more installments are coming out within the next year or two. There is a chance we have to take a six-hour plane ride next month, so I bought this and hid it. I can’t WAIT to show it to him. He is going to be so excited.

4. What Do You Do with an Idea? by Kobi Yamada

I read this book in the bookstore and was blown away. I immediately bought a copy for Henry and a copy for my sister (who is a dreamer and constantly thinking of inventions). It is a beautiful book.

5. That’s Not My Train by Fiona Watt

That's Not My Train

This book is quite short and nothing too exciting, but my son loves it. I wouldn’t call it literary, but he always asks me to read it at night.

Kellee

I actually was quite lucky to have worked the Scholastic Warehouse Sale not that long ago, and when you work the sale, you get paid in books! This is perfect timing to get picture books for Trent, and these 5 books are the ones I am most excited about reading with Trent (I haven’t debuted them with Trent yet; we are still reading primarily board books). One of the reasons I’m highlighting these particular books that I got (out of 19) is because of the illustrators. Young, Brown, Santat, and Reynolds are by far on my favorites list of illustrators.

1. Nighttime Ninja by Barbara DaCost, Illustrated by Ed Young

I read this book when it first came out, and I knew that I would need to get it to read it to my son. It is so funny!

2. Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds, Illustrated by Peter Brown

I have wanted to read this book since it came out and even more once it received a Caldecott Honor. So excited to get my hands on it!

3. The Three Ninja Pigs by Corey Rosen Schwartz, Illustrated by Dan Santat

This was one of the books that Scholastic put on the posters all around the sale, and it cracked me up every time I walked by. I knew I had to have it.

4. Going Places by Peter and Paul Reynolds

This is one of those books that promotes friendship, imagination, and creativity. I cannot wait to read it to Trent.

5. Sesame Street Bus

This is the only one not purchased at Scholastic, but it is the most recent book we bought. Trent is in love with Elmo right now. I am not sure how he learned who Elmo is, but now everything is about Elmo. He saw this book in Target when we were shopping for a birthday present, and I had to get it for him. He loves pressing the Elmo button.

Which books do you recommend for our toddlers?

and

Heather Has Two Mommies by Lesléa Newman

July 9, 2015 by Ricki

Heather Has Two Mommies
Author: Lesléa Newman
Illustrator: Laura Cornell
Published March 11, 2015 by Candlewick Press (First Published October 28, 1989)

Goodreads Summary: Candlewick relaunches a modern classic for this generation with an all-new, beautifully illustrated edition.

Heather’s favorite number is two. She has two arms, two legs, and two pets. And she also has two mommies. When Heather goes to school for the first time, someone asks her about her daddy, but Heather doesn’t have a daddy. Then something interesting happens. When Heather and her classmates all draw pictures of their families, not one drawing is the same. It doesn’t matter who makes up a family, the teacher says, because “the most important thing about a family is that all the people in it love one another.” This delightful edition for a new generation of young readers features fresh illustrations by Laura Cornell and an updated story by Lesléa Newman.

Ricki’s Review: This is a timeless classic, and I am so glad that Candlewick decided to republish it with new illustrations. I’ve always known what this book is about, but I’d never read it in its entirety. Heather’s story is one of many children growing up in the United States. She comes from a nontraditional family. I am sure that many parents have anxiety about sending their children to school because kids can be cruel. However, with some understanding and with books like these, children can understand that many of their peers come from different families, and this provides enrichment in the classroom. This book should be a staple in early elementary school classrooms. It teaches empathy.

Kellee’s Review: I love that this isn’t a book about LBGT families as much as it is a book about how there are so many different kinds of families. Although it seems a bit syrupy sweet at times, I think that tone was needed to be an introduction to a subject that may be new or different for readers. I think this book is an important one. I know that critics will say that the book is preachy, but if it is preachy about anything, it is about how everyone’s family is unique yet full of love.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: The activity that the teacher uses in this book is one that should begin every kindergarten curriculum. Children should understand that loving families come in so many different forms. We’d love to pair this book with books like And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell. Students could read various books that deliver this message and talk about their similarities and differences. Kids might also write about a time that they felt different and how it made them feel. From an artistic side, teachers might show students the original 1989 publication of this book and ask them to compare the two versions of the text.

Discussion Questions: What kinds of nontraditional families can you think of? What do these families have in common?; What role does Heather’s favorite number play in this book? Did it enhance your reading of the story?; When have you felt different from other kids? How does this compare to Heather’s experience?

We Flagged: “‘What does your daddy do?’ David asks Heather.

‘I don’t have a daddy,’ Heather says. She looks around the circle and wonders, Am I the only one here who doesn’t have a daddy?“

Read This If You Loved: And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell; ABC A Family Alphabet Book by Bobbie Combs; Donovan’s Big Day by Lesléa Newman; Daddy, Papa, and Me by Lesléa Newman; The Family Book by Todd Parr; King and King by Linda de Haan; A Tale of Two Daddies and A Tale of Two Mommies by Vanita Oelschlager; October Mourning by Lesléa Newman

Recommended For:

and

**Thank you to Candlewick Press for providing copies for review!**

Great Pairings of Young Adult Texts and Classic Texts

April 22, 2023June 25, 2015 by Ricki

As part of our blogiversary, Kellee and I decided to revisit some of our favorite posts and update/add to them. Our original post, on September 3, 2013, shared Our Favorite Pairings of YA Books and Classics. Many of these pairings are still favorites; I have read so many more books since then, so it was only fitting to share more ideas.

I could pair YA books all day long, and I find it oddly fun. If you have a classic text you are teaching, and you would like a YA pairing, please leave a comment. I am happy to help!

Classic Novel: The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

Great YA Pairing: Dr. Bird’s Advice for Sad Poets by Evan Roskos

I always enjoyed The Catcher in the Rye and could teach it for many years to come. There is much to discuss, and Holden’s perspective is relatable to many adolescents. When I read Dr. Bird’s Advice for Sad Poets, I was stunned by the rawness of the text. It captures depression and anxiety in a way that is both authentic and heart-wrenching. This book employs humor without detracting from the very realness of James’ struggles with loneliness and isolation. Teens (and adults) will find themselves in James because he is depicted in a sympathetic way that is very human. This novel is brilliant.

This text would be excellently used in literature circles concerned with mental health topics. Students might read this book alongside Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick, All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven, It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini, The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson, Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King, 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher. I imagine that reading these titles would foster incredibly rich discussions about depression, anxiety, and suicide. In my opinion, we must have these conversations with our students.

Classic Novel: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Great YA Pairing: How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon

I am crazy about Kekla Magoon. She tackles the tough issues. This text discusses present day civil rights issues that can be tied to the events of To Kill a Mockingbird. When Tariq is gunned down, the community is in uproar, and all eyewitness accounts differ. The point-of-view of this text shifts every 2-3 pages, which was very thought-provoking. Readers will begin to question the truth from the very first pages. This book has grit. There is nothing comfortable about discussions regarding inequities, race, privilege, and justice in society. This is not a feel-good, fairy tale book; the conflict within the text will make readers think. And thinking…is a very good thing. Students who read these books together will be able to discuss past and present issues of civil rights.

Classic Novel: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Great YA Pairing: We Were Liars by e. lockhart

Simply put, We Were Liars begs to be paired with The Great Gatsby. I cannot tell much about this book without giving away plot details, but this beautifully messed up family with too much money for their own good is remniscent of Jay Gatsby. The psychological elements of Gatsby would also align beautifully with this text. I recommend this pairing because it would offer an enriching conversation for students.

Classic Text: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

Great YA Pairing: Hidden Like Anne Frank: 14 True Stories of Survival by Marcel Prins and Peter Henk Steenhuis

This collection showed me the misconceptions I had about those who hid during the Holocaust. These fourteen brave, young people showed me the diversity of experiences that existed among the hidden. The Diary of a Young Girl (often called The Diary of Anne Frank) is a text that is taught in many middle schools, and while it teaches students about the Holocaust, it also shows the strength and resolve of a young girl. By adding some or all of the other 14 true stories to the classroom experience, students would understand a more complete view of the time period and the strength of the young people who were hidden during this time.

Not quite a YA pairing, but a classic text, indeed:

Classic Novel: The BFG by Roald Dahl

Great Recent Pairing: Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley

I don’t know if Roald Dahl is still taught in schools, but I needed an excuse to feature this incredible book (that does, in fact, pair excellently with most all Roald Dahl texts). You will fall in love with Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley. I imagine it as a read-aloud in a bright classroom, and the students clapping their hands with delight. Or—it could serve as a read-aloud in a dimly lit room of a child resting in bed and about to embark into dreamland. These are the kinds of books that make readers. It left me spellbound.

Please leave suggestions for pairings in the comments for others to see! Or if you’d like us to help you with a pairing, just ask!

Happy 5th Anniversary to the Top Ten Tuesday Meme!: Our Favorite TTT Posts

June 23, 2015 by Ricki

Today’s Topic: Our Favorite TTT Posts

We love Tuesdays! Happy anniversary to the Top Ten Tuesday meme! In honor of the anniversary, we are linking our favorite TTT posts.

Ricki

1. Our Favorite Pairings of YA Books and Classics

Our readers have responded really well to this one, and we are very proud of it because it represents who we are as teachers!

2. Top Ten Books for Readers Who Like Nonfiction

Nonfiction has a bad reputation, so I was excited to create this list.

3. Top Ten Professional Books

I try to read at least ten professional books per year, and I remember it was very difficult for me to pick books for this list because there are so many great ones!

4. Top Ten Books We’d Give to Readers Who Have Never Read Historical Fiction

I love historical fiction, so this was a very fun (but difficult) list to create. There were so many great choices!

5. Top Ten Books Ricki Read in 2013 and 2014

It is so hard to narrow this list down to 10 books per year, so I am very proud of these titles. I recommend them all very highly.

Kellee

1. Characters We Wish Had Their Own Books and Characters We’d Like to Check In With

We just really love these characters and need more!

2. Books the Feature Characters Who Show Resilience Despite Disabilities

I loved highlighting books that show that there is strength in all sorts of people.

3. Topics We’d Like to See More in Picture Books

These are important topics we’d like to see more of.

4. Book Characters Who Would Be Sitting At Our Lunch Table

I really love the more unique topics that make me push my thinking. This one was fun!

5. Characters We Would Want with us on a Deserted Island

Ricki’s choice of Snatchabook really made this post (though I am proud of mine as well!).

Share some of your favorite TTT lists from your blog! Let’s celebrate!

and

Author Guest Post!: “The Joy of Sharing Literature in A Classroom” by Miriam Spitzer Franklin, Author of Extraordinary

September 25, 2015June 21, 2015 by Ricki

“The Joy of Sharing Literature in A Classroom”

by Miriam Spitzer Franklin

With the push for better standardized test scores, reading workshops have increasingly turned toward focusing on building stamina during independent reading so that students will be able to read multiple passages and answer questions during a test that lasts hours. Helping students build stamina so that they can read longer independently is a worthy goal. But for some students, like my third grade daughter, being expected to read on her own for 45 minutes means she’ll lose her focus after 15 minutes and will spend the rest of the time quietly floundering on her own.

A better strategy is to have shorter independent reading sessions and spend more of the workshop teaching literature in small groups or to the whole class. During the class reading of a high-quality literary work, those students who are unable to sustain focus will be redirected if the material is engaging. Teachers can set expectations for reading, help students make predictions, and check often for understanding. In a group with a wide range of learners, some of the students can read independently while the others have a more structured approach with a combination of read-alouds, short sections of silent reading, and teacher modeling of expressive oral reading.

Literature studies should focus on higher level thinking skills. Teachers should ask questions that lead to divergent answers and deeper discussions. Teachers should choose books that lead students to think about different themes, to help them make connections with the characters, and to encourage questions that lead to better understandings of themselves and how they fit into the world.

In my middle grade novel, Extraordinary, ten-year-old Pansy decides she’s going to become an extraordinary person after her best friend suffers a brain injury. She is sure that the upcoming surgery for seizures will fix her brain, and when that happens, Pansy is going to make up for all the times she’s let her friend down in the past. My novel explores themes of hope, perseverance, self-esteem, friendship, and acceptance. Students can work in partners and small groups to identify character traits, character growth, and interpretations of the themes. Because students are all reading the same book instead of reading independent choices, peer or teacher-led discussions will lead to deeper understanding and analysis of the novel.

If we want students to dig below the surface to find meaning in text, they need to be evaluated through creative projects, written responses, and class discussions, not through a multiple choice test. In this way, students will discover a different purpose for reading; instead of reading to get the right answer, they will read to discover the joy of literature and the way books can transport them to places and situations they have never experienced before.

About the author: Miriam Spitzer Franklin taught elementary and middle school for twenty years, in both public and private school. Currently she teaches homeschooled students, designs curriculum for an online site, and is a writer-in-residence with the Charlotte Arts & Science Council. Other jobs she has held include working as a frazzled and unorganized waitress at a number of restaurants, driving the Zamboni and working the skate counter at the ice skating rink, teaching ice skating lessons, and owning a toy and gift store with her husband, Scott. Miriam lives with her husband, two daughters, and two pampered cats in Charlotte, North Carolina.

www.miriamfranklin.com

About the book: Last spring, Pansy chickened out on going to spring break camp, even though she’d promised her best friend, Anna, she’d go. It was just like when they went to get their hair cut for Locks of Love; only one of them walked out with a new hairstyle, and it wasn’t Pansy. But Pansy never got the chance to make it up to Anna. While at camp, Anna contracted meningitis and a dangerously high fever, and she hasn’t been the same since. Now all Pansy wants is her best friend back—not the silent girl in the wheelchair who has to go to a special school and who can’t do all the things Pansy used to chicken out of doing. So when Pansy discovers that Anna is getting a surgery that might cure her, Pansy realizes this is her chance—she’ll become the friend she always should have been. She’ll become the best friend Anna’s ever had—even if it means taking risks, trying new things (like those scary roller skates), and running herself ragged in the process.

Pansy’s chasing extraordinary, hoping she reaches it in time for her friend’s triumphant return. But what lies at the end of Pansy’s journey might not be exactly what she had expected—or wanted.

Extraordinary is a heartfelt, occasionally funny, coming-of-age middle grade novel by debut author Miriam Spitzer Franklin. It’s sure to appeal to fans of Cynthia Lord’s Rules and will inspire young friends to cherish the times they spend together. Every day should be lived like it’s extraordinary.

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: This moving novel is narrated by Pansy, whose best friend Anna has contracted a disease that has impaired her brain. “Losing” a best friend this way can be a tough challenge. North Carolina author Franklin firmly grasps the climate and struggles among kids today. Her crystal-clear writing is filled with rich detail and believable characters. The sensitive story will resonate with young girls wrestling with friendship pains. (Sky Pony Press, ages 8-12)

Thank you to Miriam for her wonderful guest post!

and

X by Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon

June 18, 2015 by Ricki

X
Authors: Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon
Published: January 6, 2015 by Candlewick Press

GoodReads Summary: Cowritten by Malcolm X’s daughter, this riveting and revealing novel follows the formative years of the man whose words and actions shook the world.

I am Malcolm.
I am my father’s son. But to be my father’s son means that they will always come for me.
They will always come for me, and I will always succumb.

Malcolm Little’s parents have always told him that he can achieve anything, but from what he can tell, that’s nothing but a pack of lies—after all, his father’s been murdered, his mother’s been taken away, and his dreams of becoming a lawyer have gotten him laughed out of school. There’s no point in trying, he figures, and lured by the nightlife of Boston and New York, he escapes into a world of fancy suits, jazz, girls, and reefer.

But Malcolm’s efforts to leave the past behind lead him into increasingly dangerous territory when what starts as some small-time hustling quickly spins out of control. Deep down, he knows that the freedom he’s found is only an illusion—and that he can’t run forever.

X follows Malcolm from his childhood to his imprisonment for theft at age twenty, when he found the faith that would lead him to forge a new path and command a voice that still resonates today.

Review: If you’ve been reading the blog the past few weeks, my love for this book may feel repetitive (and I am not sorry!). Some books just stick to our bones and X by Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon will remain with me forever. It kept me awake late at night, and I was floored by the captivating writing. This is a very special book and well worth the hype it has received. I plan to use it in my future Methods classes because there are so many themes and topics for discussion. Most texts are written about Malcolm Little’s later life, but this book encapsulates his early years—this restless young man is dissatisfied with his circumstances and attempts to make a name for himself. He does not always make the best choices, but he learns from his many mistakes, and his spirit will inspire readers. I highly recommend this book for all readers. Malcolm has a lot to teach us.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This book made me want to sign out Malcolm X’s autobiography from the library. I wondered what else I could learn about him. Teachers might ask students to research Malcolm X’s life. They might explore the ways Malcolm inspired troubled youth and why he made connections with them. Based on this text and others, it seems that many of Malcolm X’s actions may be misrepresented, so it might be wise for teachers to discuss his life, mission, and actions with students. This would allow students to form their own understandings of his later life.

Discussion Questions: If you could change one decision Malcolm made, what would it be? What do you think he should have done differently?; Malcolm may inspire us, but who inspired Malcolm?; How is Malcolm different from his family members? How does this impact him?

We Flagged: “I did what I had to. Didn’t see anything wrong with it. Not a thing” (p. 36).

Read This If You Loved: The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon; How it Went Down by Kekla Magoon; Freedom Summer by Deborah Wiles; Audacity by Melanie Crowder; The Boy in the Black Suit by Jason Reynolds

Recommended For:

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books On Our TBR Lists For Summer 2015

August 4, 2016June 16, 2015 by Ricki

Today’s Topic: Top Ten Books On Our TBR Lists For Summer 2015

Here are some of the books we plan to (hopefully) read this summer.

Ricki

1. Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

I read everything by Sarah Dessen, so I am thrilled to have this book!

2. The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes

Doesn’t this cover just suck you in?

3. Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley

Everyone is raving about this one. I will absolutely be reading it.

4. The Boys Who Challenged Hitler by Phillip Hoose

This true story of seven Danish teens is definitely on my list.

5. Dear Hank Williams by Kimberly Willis Holt

The synopsis of this book includes the phrase: “gradually unfolds a story of overcoming tragedy, of family love, of small-town gossip, and of a young girl learning to find her voice.” I can’t wait to read it!

Kellee

1. Ivy and Bean: What’s the Big Idea? by Annie Barrows

I promised myself and Carrie Gelson that I’d read some early chapter books this summer, so when I saw this one at the Scholastic Warehouse sale, I scooped it up!

2. Honor Girl: A Graphic Memoir by Maggie Thrash

Looks like an important book about sexuality and identity. And I love graphic memoirs!

3. If You’re Reading This by Trent Reedy

My students put this on the list of books that they thought I should get for my classroom library, so I plan on reading it this summer.

4. Secret Coders by Gene Luen Yang and Mike Holmes

I love Yang’s graphic novels, so I very much look forward to reading this one that comes out in the fall.

5. Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!! I am so excited to read this one! Yay for being approved on Netgalley!

Which books are you planning to read this summer?

and