Compare/Contrast – Page 41 – Unleashing Readers

Mother Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins

April 7, 2016 by Ricki

Mother Bruce
Author: Ryan T. Higgins
Published November 24, 2015 by Disney-Hyperion

Goodreads Summary: Bruce the bear likes to keep to himself. That, and eat eggs. But when his hard-boiled goose eggs turn out to be real, live goslings, he starts to lose his appetite. And even worse, the goslings are convinced he’s their mother. Bruce tries to get the geese to go south, but he can’t seem to rid himself of his new companions. What’s a bear to do?

Ricki’s Review: I dare you to try reading this book without smiling. I had so much fun reading this book with my son. It tells the story of a grumpy bear who accidentally hatches goslings instead of hard-boiled eggs for his newest recipe. The goslings imprint on him, and he can’t get rid of them! As you can see below, the illustrations are hilarious. The author is very clever. I will be reading more of his work!

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: It is always fun to look at original fairy tales and the ways they compare to fairy tale retellings. This book is a bit different because Mother Goose is the imaginary author of fairy tales. The title of this book is a pun on the Mother Goose name. ‘d love to hear the ways that kids can compare this story to other fairy tales. I imagine they would come up with some really clever ideas!

Discussion Questions: What strategies does Bruce use to try to get rid of the goslings?; How does Bruce change throughout the story?; In what ways does the author add humor to the story in both the language and illustrations?; What does the title mean?

We Flagged:

**Image from: http://www.modernmom.com/mother-bruce-giveaway-100-visa-gift-card-116459.html. **

Read This If You Loved: Wilfred by Ryan T. Higgins, Wolfie the Bunny by Ame Dyckman, No Fits, Nilson by Zacharia Ohora, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig, This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen

Recommended For:

The SLOWEST Book EVER by April Pulley Sayre

April 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!

The SLOWEST Book EVER
Author: April Pulley Sayre
Illustrator: Kelly Murphy
Published April 5th, 2016 by Boyds Miller Press

Goodreads Summary: April Pulley Sayre’s wry, quirky storytelling tone shines from the warning on the first page (“This is a S-L-O-W book. Do not read it while surfing, water skiing, or running to escape giant weasels.”) right through to the glossary at the end. In between, readers will explore an astounding variety of information about all things slow—in nature, geology, art, outer space, etc. Throughout, The SLOWEST Book EVER playfully encourages readers to slow down and savor everything. As Sayre shows: “If you think slowly enough, the entire world is amazing.” This innovative nonfiction work is a treasure trove of information that begs for multiple readings.

Kellee’s Review: Anyone who teaches knows that the most popular nonfiction books are the ones that have a ton of information in short segments with fun pictures. Well, Sayre’s The SLOWEST Book EVER is exactly that but even better than you are picturing. Sayre does such a great job of having a small amount of information that packs a very big punch. Although each fact is over only a 2-page spread, the information is thorough, interesting, and specific. I loved the wide range of topics that were all covered under the big idea of SLOW, and I think students will be fascinated with all of the information.

Ricki’s Review: I read a lot of books, and I don’t think I’ve read a book that is quite like this one! It is a compilation of fascinating information that will compel readers to want to learn more about their world. It is apparent that a lot of thought and care went into the crafting and production of this book. Each page is a bit different, so if a reader is uninterested in a topic, he or she can flip the page and find something else entirely different. This book would make a great gift because all children will find sections that intrigue them, regardless of their interests. I’d look forward to going to a class where a teacher used this book used as a read-aloud, reading a few sections each day. This book makes learning fun!

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Since The SLOWEST Book EVER includes tidbits of information on many different topics, each spread could easily be used as a jumping off point for an inquiry project. Students browse through the book to determine which spread of information interests them the most then they do more research (using the back matter as a place to start) then share the extra information with their classmates.

The SLOWEST Book EVER also does an amazing thing by looking at all the different ways that SLOW can be defined. After finishing the book as a class, revisit all of the different ways slow was used then brainstorm different meanings of other subjective adjectives such as fast, large, and small. Then student, as a class, could write their own fact book using a different adjective but showing different meanings of that word.

Discussion Questions: Which fact surprised you the most?; The book doesn’t only focus on slow speeds–what ever definitions of slow did the author focus on?; What topics would you like to learn more about? Where could you go to get more information?

We Flagged: “Chewy Nature Thoughts
Read them. Think about them. S l o w l y.
Slow thoughts are often big thoughts. So don’t fret if it takes a while to understand them. Don’t worry if you need to read them twice. -Traveling in a circle is, after all, still traveling.” (p. 8-9)

“How long does a minute feel to a mayfly…?
It’s About Time

Does time fly for a fly? Biologists wonder about this. So you can, too! How long does a minute feel to a mayfly, which may live only one day? How long does a minute feel to a 70-year-old Galápagos Tortoise?” (p. 16-17)

Read This If You Loved: Nonfiction books such as Weird but True by National Geographic, Lifetime by Lola M. Schaefer, Extreme Oceans and Extreme Earth Records by Seymour Simon, Island by Jason Chin, The Guinness Book of World Records

Recommended For:

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Bartholomew Quill: A Crow’s Quest to Know Who’s Who by Thor Hanson

March 31, 2016March 31, 2016 by Kellee

Bartholomew Quill: A Crow’s Quest to Know Who’s Who
Author: Thor Hanson
Illustrator: Dana Arnim
Expected publication April 5th, 2016 by Little Bigfoot

Goodreads Summary: Bartholomew Quill is clever and curious, but he doesn’t know who or what he is. He has feathers not fur, so he can’t be a moose; he is black like a puffin but his beak is the wrong color. This determined bird won’t stop asking questions until he discovers what the reader knows–Bartholomew Quill is a crow!

Acclaimed biologist Thor Hanson takes us on a journey through the animal kingdom, and Dana Arnim’s exuberant watercolor and ink illustrations add to the magic.

About the Author: Thor Hanson is a biologist and author renowned for his adult books about nature (The Impenetrable Forest, The Triumph of Seeds, and Feathers). He won a PNBA Award and The John Burroughs Medal for Feathers, which was also a finalist for the Washington State Book Award. Hanson is a Guggenheim Fellow, a Switzer Environmental Fellow, and sought-after public speaker.

About the Illustrator: Dana Arnim, a northwest native, earned her art degree from the University of Washington. She lives with her husband and family in Seattle and helps lead the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Western Washington chapter.

Kellee’s Review: Bartholomew Quill’s journey is a bit different than other books because the reader already knows the answer to the question the protagonist seeks. I can see reading this with students and students shouting answers and information to Bartholomew as he goes about his journey. What I think is quite wonderful about this book is that although the book is anthropomorphic, the animal information is still factual since it was written by a biologist. Arnim did a beautiful job with the illustrations as well, bringing the animals to life.

Ricki’s Review: This book touched me in the way that it reminded me of the Native American creation myths my grandfather used to tell when I was a young child. He’d pull me onto his lap and tell me how the river became a river or why the wind whistles. I am sure that these myths made me the reader I am today. Bartholomew Quill is a beautiful story that will leave children to dream about other fictional connections with Mother Nature. It inspires me to get outside and look for animals like Bartholomew in order to learn their stories, too.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Throughout the book, Bartholomew compares and contrasts himself with other animals to help figure out what animal he is. This book would be a great introduction to compare and contrast using the conversations Bartholomew has as well as the illustrations of the different animals.

Students could also use this book as a jumping off point for an animal study of one of the animals within the book. Each animals is quickly discussed, so students could pick the animal that interests them and complete an inquiry project about the animal.

Discussion Questions: How does Bartholomew determine that he is a crow?; How is he different from ______?; How is he the same as ______?

We Flagged:

Read This If You Loved: Frozen Wild by Jim Arnosky, Winter Bees by Joyce Sidman, Feathers by Melissa Stewart

Recommended For:

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**Thank you Nicole at Sasquatch Books for providing copies for review!**

Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear by Lindsay Mattick

March 31, 2016March 30, 2016 by Ricki

Nonfiction Wednesday

Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear
Author: Lindsay Mattick
Illustrator: Sophie Blackall
Published October 20, 2015 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Summary: Before Winnie-the-Pooh, there was a real bear named Winnie.

In 1914, Harry Colebourn, a veterinarian on his way to tend horses in World War I, followed his heart and rescued a baby bear. He named her Winnie, after his hometown of Winnipeg, and he took the bear to war.

Harry Colebourn’s real-life great-granddaughter tells the true story of a remarkable friendship and an even more remarkable journey–from the fields of Canada to a convoy across the ocean to an army base in England…

And finally to the London Zoo, where Winnie made another new friend: a real boy named Christopher Robin.

Here is the remarkable true story of the bear who inspired Winnie-the-Pooh.

Ricki’s Review: Many of my blogger friends raved about this book. I knew I needed to read it, but my library hold list was very long. When I saw it won the Caldecott Award, I took action. I drove my son to the bookstore and read the book to him while he sat on my lap. My aunt came with me, and she cried through the entire book.

When we reached the end, we just stared at each other and she said, “Ricki, you have to buy this book. Henry needs to have this special story.” And this is how I broke my rule about buying books. Finding Winnie sits elegantly on my son’s bookshelf, and I don’t regret breaking my rule. We love reading it together. The story is captivating from the beginning to the end, and the author and illustrator paint the scene in a remarkable way that readers will be unable to put the book down. Depicting history in picture books is very difficult, and Mattick and Blackall nail it. I highly recommend this charming book if you haven’t read it yet. It will stay close to your heart.

Kellee’s Review: One of the things I particularly loved about Finding Winnie, that Ricki didn’t mention in her beautiful review above, was that the book was written by the great-granddaughter of Captain Coleburn, the serviceman who owned Winnie originally. Having Lindsay Mattick’s close knowledge of the story helped her delve into the story and transport the reader into Winnie’s stories. The backmatter filled with photos and other primary documents also make it feel like we are peaking into the family’s scrap book.

I also want to praise Sophie Blackall’s illustrations. I love Sophie’s soft style with what seems like pencil and paints just is angelic and brings Mattick’s story to life. Although they both would shine separately, they are stellar together.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: As a teacher, I’d love to do two things with this book. First, I’d want to compare it to the Winnie the Pooh stories by A. A. Milne. It would be great to compare and contrast the stories to make connections about how Milne might have been inspired. Then, I’d put this book in semi-literature circles. Students might read all of the books (in the “Read This If You Loved” section below) in small groups, and rotate the books across groups. Then, they could discuss the topic and depiction of animals during wars throughout literature. They could compare and contrast the stylistic choices of the authors and also delve into potential ways that animals might be symbolic of each particular war.

Discussion Questions: How do the author and illustrator depict Winnie? How does Winnie’s story evolve?; What does Harry’s friendship with Winnie teach us about human nature?; How might this story have inspired the fictional Winnie the Pooh story?; Why do you think it won the Caldecott? What qualities make it an award winner?

We Flagged:

**Image from: https://thewalrus.ca/finding-winnie/. We recommend this site, which includes many great images related to the text!**

Read This If You Loved: Winnie: The True Story of the Bear That Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh by Sally M. Walker, Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne, Midnight, A True Story of Loyalty in World War I by Mark Greenwood, Stubby, the War Dog by Ann Bausum, Dogs of War by Sheila Keenan, Faithful Elephants by Yukio Tsuchiya

Recommended For:

and

National Geographic Kids: Celebrate Easter by Deborah Heiligman

March 23, 2016 by Kellee

Nonfiction Wednesday

Holidays Around the World: Celebrate Easter with Colored Eggs, Flowers, and Prayer
Author: Deborah Heiligman
Photographs from National Geographic
Published February 9th, 2016 by National Geographic Children’s Books

Goodreads Summary: The joyous celebration of Easter is seen through a global perspective in this National Geographic volume featuring over 25 vibrant photographs. Witness the holiest day on the Christian calendar as it is celebrated throughout the world: from the famous Easter Egg Roll at the White House to the traditional bonfires throughout Europe, to colorful customs, to the universally popular dying of eggshells worldwide.

The first-person narrative leads young readers through the origins and traditions of this springtime festival of rebirth and hope. Reverend George Handzo gives parents and teachers a historical and cultural background in his informative note.

Kellee’s Review: This text is a wonderful informative introduction to Easter. It goes through not only the religious aspects of the holiday but also the traditions and secular parts. Although I think it could have gone into more detail about where the traditions came from (answered the WHY a bit more), it did a very good job of sharing all the different things that go along with Easter. I also loved the diversity within the book. The photos were from all over the world. And I am excited about the series Holidays Around the World because that means there are others within the series that will touch on holidays of other religions. This will help with understanding of holidays and religions that the reader may not be.

Ricki’s Review: I completely agree with Kellee’s review! This book taught me a lot, and I enjoyed reading it. I would have loved to have read more about the WHY, but I found this to be quite a fun and interesting read, overall. Kids will really enjoy reading it, and it will be a resource for parents. Readers travel to many places in this single text, and it teaches an international appreciation. Like Kellee, I am really excited to see where this series goes, and I plan to read more books that National Geographic publishes! I love learning about international traditions and diverse cultures, so I appreciated all of the information in this book.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: I think it would be a powerful activity in a classroom to have many Holidays Around the World books and use them in both social studies, reading, and writing. Students could read about all of the different holidays, and they could then choose one to further research and share. Then there could be a walk-about in the classroom where different groups would have displays highlighting the different holidays.

Discussion Questions: What is the basis of Easter?; If you celebrate Easter, what are some traditions your family has?; What are some traditions around the world?; Why do you think the author chose to write the text in first person?

We Flagged: “Easter mornings brings special treats, too. Could it be the Easter Bunny was here? We get baskets of eggs–colored, decorated, and chocolate! Yummmm. In Germany, it’s the Easter Hare who brings us eggs. Bunnies, chicks, and eggs are symbols of new life.” (p. 16)

Read This If You Loved: Learning about religions, traditions, and holidays; Happy Easter, Mouse! by Laura Joffe Numeroff; Pete the Cat: Big Easter Adventure by Kimberly Dean

Recommended For:

Happy Easter to all who celebrate!

and

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

Blog Tour, Giveaway, and Review!: Good Morning Yoga by Mariam Gates

March 12, 2016March 10, 2016 by Ricki

Good Morning Yoga: A Pose-By-Pose Wake Up Story
Author: Mariam Gates; Illustrator: Sarah Jane Hinder
Published March 1, 2016 by Sounds True

Goodreads Summary: Yoga helps children learn how to focus, relax, and both self-monitor and self-soothe Good Morning Yoga instills these four skills and more, enabling children to jumpstart the day with energy and excitement and meet the adventures that come with mindfulness and perspective.

Good Night Yoga tells the story of the world retiring for the evening and a new generation of readers has fallen in love with the relaxing sequences and beautiful pictures that lead them to dreamland. Good Morning Yoga weaves gentle exercises with a heartwarming narrative and wonderful illustrations to empower children to manage the energies that visit throughout the day from the fiery volcano to the mountain quiet and still. Good Morning Yoga concludes with a visualization for kids to set intentions for the day.

About the Author: Mariam Gates holds a master’s in education from Harvard University and has more than twenty years’ experience working with children. Her renowned Kid Power Yoga program combines her love of yoga with teaching to help children access their inner gifts. She is the author of Good Night Yoga (Sounds True, April 2015), and lives in Santa Cruz, CA, with her husband, yoga teacher Rolf Gates, and their two children. For more information, visit mariamgates.com.

Twitter: @gatesmariam

Instagram: mariam.gates

Review: My father is a pediatrician, and he is constantly recommending meditation and yoga to his patients. He wasn’t a meditation kind of guy when he started practicing medicine, but he came to realize that many of the children who came to him were asking for natural ways to deal with stress and anxiety. I can’t wait to share this book (and Good Night Yoga) with him! There is a definite need for these two texts. Children are rarely taught stress-relieving practices in school, and I wish I’d been taught yoga as a child.

My two-year-old son and I have had so much fun with this book since it arrived. He constantly asks for the “Woga book.” We practice yoga at least once a day with this book, and it we really enjoy this time together. The narrative that weaves through the book will engage readers and allow them to connect with the yoga moves. The illustrations match the calm beauty of this text, and I think kids will love it. I can’t help but think about how Gates’ books would really help kids grow and develop emotionally and physically.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: As a high school teacher, there were many times that I found my students’ energy was flagging. Also, during exams, they were very stressed. We stopped for stretch or meditation breaks. They appreciated these moments and reminded me of them when they’d visit me many years later. This book would be excellent to use in classrooms of all ages. The teacher might read the entire text the first time and then use excerpts in future yoga breaks, depending on time allowance. Research shows that kids who have more recess time perform better. I’d love to do some research on the effect of yoga breaks during schools! This book should be printed in oversized book format!

Encourage yoga time in your home, bookstore, or library with this downloadable kit!

Discussion Questions: How did reading this book make you feel? How might yoga fit into your life?; What are the benefits of yoga?; How does the author’s language connect you with the narrative and yoga moves? How does the illustrator creatively depict the text?; How do the different yoga moves work together?

Book Trailer:

Book Reading:

Another Great Video!:

Read This If You Loved:

Recommended For:

Follow All the Stops on the Tour:

Wed, Feb 24	Teach Mentor Texts	http://www.teachmentortexts.com/#axzz3yHmVeUfE
Fri, Feb 26	Where Imagination Grows	http://whereimaginationgrows.com/
Mon, Feb 29	A Rup Life	http://www.aruplife.com/
Tues, Mar 1	Proseandkahn	http://proseandkahn.blogspot.com/
Wed, Mar 2	Kid Lit Frenzy	http://www.kidlitfrenzy.com/
Thurs, Mar 3	5 Minutes for Books	http://books.5minutesformom.com/
Fri, Mar 4	Once Upon a Story	http://mariaburel.com/
Mon, Mar 7	Wrapped in Foil	http://blog.wrappedinfoil.com/
Tues, Mar 8	Sharpread	https://sharpread.wordpress.com/
Wed, Mar 9	A Foodie Bibliophile in Wanderlust	http://www.foodiebibliophile.com/
Thurs, Mar 10	Unleashing Readers	http://www.unleashingreaders.com/
Fri, Mar 11	Children’s Book Review	http://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/
Tues, Mar 15	The Library Fanatic	http://www.thelibraryfanatic.com/

And Don’t Forget to Enter the Giveaway!:

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**Thank you to Barbara Fisch for sending us this book and for allowing us to host the giveaway!**

Review and Teaching Guide!: Trashed by Derf Backderf

August 21, 2016February 17, 2016 by Kellee

Nonfiction Wednesday

Trashed
Author: Derf Backderf
Published November 3rd, 2015 by Harry N. Abrams

Goodreads Summary: Every week we pile our garbage on the curb and it disappears–like magic! The reality is anything but, of course. Trashed, Derf Backderf’s follow-up to the critically acclaimed, award-winning international bestseller My Friend Dahmer, is an ode to the crap job of all crap jobs–garbage collector. Anyone who has ever been trapped in a soul-sucking gig will relate to this tale. Trashed follows the raucous escapades of three 20-something friends as they clean the streets of pile after pile of stinking garbage, while battling annoying small-town bureaucrats, bizarre townfolk, sweltering summer heat, and frigid winter storms. Trashed is fiction, but is inspired by Derf’s own experiences as a garbageman. Interspersed are nonfiction pages that detail what our garbage is and where it goes. The answers will stun you. Hop on the garbage truck named Betty and ride along with JB on a journey into the vast, secret world of garbage. Trashed is a hilarious, stomach-churning tale that will leave you laughing and wincing in disbelief.

My Review: I must first start by saying that this book is not completely nonfiction. The story is based roughly on Backderf’s life, but the story is overall fiction. However, the nonfiction aspect of the book lies in multi-genre aspect of this graphic novel. While Backderf tells you the story of JB’s life as a garbageman, he includes information about the state of garbage in the United States. The mix of JB’s story with information from Columbia University and an EPA report really makes this text so unique. Backderf does a great job balancing the fiction component (filled with dark humor and stark reality) with the information that puts everything in perspective.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: I have created a teaching guide for Trashed which can be found at: https://www.scribd.com/doc/296747329/Trashed-Teaching-Guide

Within the guide, I include discussion questions, but also a project-based assessment combining Trashed, the Columbia University report about municipal solid wast, an EPA report on advancing sustainable materials management, The Inconvenient Truth, and the six-step creative problem solving process.

Discussion Questions: Trashed’s structure is unique in its mix of fiction and fact. Why do you think the author chose to mix the two instead of sticking with only one genre? Also, why do you think he chose to not make this a memoir based on his own experiences and instead make a fictional narrative?; JB’s tone throughout the text is primarily negative seeming annoyed, bitter, or hopeless. Some examples of this can be found on pages 10-11, 37, and 202. How would you describe JB’s tone? What words were specifically used throughout the text to set the tone? Why do you think the author chose to write JB’s character this way?; What claim do you think Backderf is making by including all of the factual evidence about municipal waste? How is his claim developed over time? How did he use rhetoric throughout the text to advance his point of view?; Looking at the information Backderf shared from the Columbia University and EPA reports, how did the author choose the order in which he revealed information?; Was there any factual information shared in Trashed that surprised you? Why did it surprise you, and what does it make you reflect on?

We Flagged:

Read This If You Loved: My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf, Nonfiction texts about the environment, Nonfiction graphic novels, Adult graphic novels

Recommended For: