Compare/Contrast – Page 43 – Unleashing Readers

Blog Tour and Review!: Catch that Cookie! by Hallie Durand

May 2, 2015December 17, 2014 by Kellee

Catch That Cookie!
Author: Hallie Durand
Illustrator: David Small
Published August 14th, 2014 by Dial

Publisher Summary: Gingerbread men can play a mean game of sneaky tag! Don’t believe it? Marshall didn’t either no matter how much his teacher, Ms. Gray, told him. But when the cookies go missing from the oven and the students find clues all around the classroom, Marshall can deny it no longer: Gingerbread men are real and they’re on the run!

From the author of the Dessert First Trilogy and Mitchell books, Hallie Durand, and Caldecott winner and two time honoree illustrator David Small, comes a tantalizing new tale that will have readers racing through the pages, eager to see where the gingerbread men have gone.

My Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This book has the potential to not only be a fun, interactive read for kids, but one that could definitely be used in a classroom. Since the reader, along with Mitchell, are given clues throughout the book, the reader can work with Mitchell to try to figure out where the gingerbread men went. It would be so much fun to read this with kids. The clues are rhyming with words left out, so they must use the context clues and rhyming skills to figure out the missing word. Also, to complete track the men down in the end, Mitchell has to make some inferences which would be a great discussion on how he figured it out. So, either in the classroom or at home, this book is definitely going to get some laughs and start good conversations.

Discussion Questions: If your gingerbread man could run, where do you think he would go?; Marshall gave his cookie six raisin eyes! Tell us how you would design your own gingerbread man.

I would make my gingerbread man look like a ninja so that he would be the hardest gingerbread man to find and he would always be where ever you weren’t looking!

Comment below OR share through Twitter using #catchthatcookie!

We Flagged:

Read This If You Loved: Mitchell books by Hallie Durand, Help! We Need a Title by Herve Tullet

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Rachel at Penguin for having us as a stop on the blog tour!**

You Are (Not) Small by Anna Kang

November 9, 2014November 7, 2014 by Kellee

You Are (Not) Small
Author: Anna Kang
Illustrator: Christopher Weyant
Published August 5th, 2014 by Two Lions

Goodreads Summary: Two fuzzy creatures can’t agree on who is small and who is big, until a couple of surprise guests show up, settling it once and for all. The simple text of Anna Kang and bold illustrations of New Yorkercartoonist Christopher Weyant tell an original and very funny story about size–it all depends on who’s standing next to you.

About the Author and Illustrator: You Are (Not) Small is the first collaboration of this talented husband-and-wife team. Anna’s childhood experience growing up in a town where she and her family were one of the few Asians was an instrumental part of the inspiration for the book. Of this experience, Anna says, “I eventually learned that how you saw others—and yourself—largely depended on your personal experience and your community, which shapes your perspective.” Christopher adds, “When I was growing up, I was always the second smallest in my class so this story is near and dear to me. I learned the valuable lesson that there are good things about being small, there’s always someone taller, and humor is a wonderful way to handle/celebrate our differences.”

Christopher Weyant’s work has been published worldwide in books, newspapers, magazines, and online. His cartoons are in permanent collection at The Whitney Museum of American Art and The Morgan Library & Museum in New York City. Anna Kang received her MFA from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. You Are (Not) Small is their first children’s book; they are currently at work on a sequel. They live with their children in New Jersey.

Kellee’s Review: I love these little monsters! They are so persistent and determined! And what makes this book even better is the the colorful, thick-lined illustrations. They are very eye catching. As much as I love these little (tiny? big? giant?) creatures, kids will love them even more and will be surprised by the twist towards the end of the book.

Ricki’s Review: With my husband’s and my genetics, my son is destined to be short. I was always the shortest student in my classes, and this story would have made me feel a lot better as a child! I value books that teach children to celebrate their differences and to feel comfortable with themselves. This would also be a great book to prevent bullying. The confidence of these characters is admirable, and they make great role models. This would be a fantastic read-aloud.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This fun, seemingly simple book is more than it seems! It gives amazing opportunities to talk about perspectives, adjectives, and interjections. The creatures could also easily be compared and contrasted. It is a great introduction to all of these concepts.

A downloadable classroom guide is also available through Amazon.

Discussion Questions: Which of the monsters do you think is big? Which do you think is small?; What other adjectives could you use to describe the ___ monster?

We Flagged:

Read This If You Loved: Big Bug by Henry Cole, Horns to Toes by Sandra Boynton, Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae, Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great by Bob Shea, The Magic of Maxwell and His Tail by Maureen Stolar Kanefield

Recommended For:

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**Thank you to Deborah Bass for providing these books for review.**

Review and Teaching Guide!: El Deafo by Cece Bell

August 21, 2016October 15, 2014 by Kellee

Nonfiction Picture Book 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!

El Deafo
Author: Cece Bell
Published September 2nd, 2014 by Abrams

Publisher Summary: Going to school and making new friends can be tough. But going to school and making
new friends while wearing a bulky hearing aid strapped to your chest? That requires superpowers! In this funny, poignant graphic-novel memoir, author/illustrator Cece Bell chronicles her hearing loss at a young age and her subsequent experiences with the Phonic Ear, a very powerful—and very awkward—hearing aid. The Phonic Ear gives Cece the ability to hear—sometimes
things she shouldn’t—but also isolates her from her classmates. She really just wants to fit in and find a true friend, someone who appreciates her as she is. After some trouble, she is finally able to harness the power of the Phonic Ear and become “El Deafo, Listener for All.” And more importantly, declare a place for herself in the world and fi nd the friend she’s longed for.

Author: Cece Bell has written and illustrated several books for children, including the Geisel Honor book Rabbit & Robot: The Sleepover. She lives in Virginia with her husband, author Tom Angleberger.

My Review: There are times that you read a book and when you are done, you just know that it is a special book. El Deafo is one of those books. As you all know, I am a huge fan of Hurt Go Happy by Ginny Rorby, and one of the reasons I am is because it looks at disabilities in a positive light and shows that a disability is not an end, but just a change. El Deafo is another novel that does this. Although Cece, like Joey in Hurt Go Happy, finds herself deaf at a young age, we see her overcome this blow and turn it into a superpower. But this book is about more than deafness; it is about being a kid, about growing up, about friendship, about ackwardness, about school, about crushes, about family, about life. This book is truth.

Teachers’ Tools For Navigation: There is so much you can do with this graphic novel. Many activities can be found in the teaching guide that I wrote for Abrams. This book is perfect for independent reading, for lit circles with other graphic novel memoirs, for jigsawing, for read alouds, and for looking deeply into the text.

(Also, and I didn’t want to harp on this because they are both such unique books, but this book will be loved by the readers of Smile. They both look at such an important part of life.)

Discussion Questions: Language Arts: Cece uses many different kinds of clues to help her lip-read. (pages 30–31) What are the 4 types of clues? How do they help with lip-reading? In what other ways can these clues be helpful?; On page 60, Cece shares an analogy of her friendship with Laura. She feels like a baited fish that is caught on Laura’s hook. What analogies could we make to
describe Cece’s friendship with Ginny? Martha? Emma?; Science: What is meningitis? How can it cause deafness?; What is an audiologist? What would you have to study to become one?; History/Social Studies: Many deaf and hard of hearing individuals have made history, including Helen Keller, William Ellsworth Hoy, and Juliette Gordon Low. Research these or other deaf or hard of
hearing individuals throughout history and today. How did being deaf affect their lives? What were their accomplishments?

We Flagged:

**From Cece Bell’s blog**

Read This If You Loved: Smile and Sister by Raina Telgemeier, The Dumbest Idea Ever! by Jimmy Grownley, I Remember Beirut by Zeina Abirached, Odd Duck by Cecil Castellucci

Recommended For:

Boys of Blur by N. D. Wilson

August 22, 2014August 21, 2014 by Ricki

Boys of Blur
Author: N. D. Wilson
Published: April 8, 2014 by Random House

Ricki’s Summary and Review: 12-year-old Charlie Reynolds’ family travels to town of Taper to attend the funeral of a beloved football coach. When Charlie’s stepfather is given the opportunity to coach the town’s football team, Charlie is not thrilled to learn that they will be living in this creepy town filled with ancient stories of runaway slaves, native tribes, and monsters that rise organically from the murky swamps. He tries to fit into this mysterious place, where boys chase rabbits through burning sugarcane and everything seems to revolve around football. As he comes to learn about this town of secrets, Charlie wonders if he has the courage to uncover the mysteries that surround him.

Set deep in the heart of the Florida Everglades, this text is sure to grip readers with its muck, swords, blood, and gore. Wilson integrates complex allusions to Beowulf, which will compel readers to uncover all of the parallels with the classic legend. The beautifully complex language of this fast-paced story inspires close readings while also teaching readers lessons about evilness, heroism, and family.

Kellee’s Review: What I found most intriguing about this book is that Wilson was able to allude to Beowulf in a middle grade book without completely scaring away the reader. Although I have read in multiple reviews that this book will grab reluctant readers’ attention, I think that some of the allusions are hard to grasp without prior knowledge, so reluctant readers may need some assistance understanding thus making the book a great read aloud as it will grab attention and start deep discussion (see Tools for Navigation). In addition to the allusions, there are opportunities to discuss hero’s quest, abuse, and loyalty.

You will also find some beautiful writing in this novel. Wilson has a way with words that made this novel lyrical yet easy to read. From the very first line: “When the sugarcane’s burning and the rabbits are running, look for the boys who are quicker than flame.” I was impressed with how literary the novel was.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: There are obvious parallels between this novel and the legend of Beowulf, and pairing these two texts for discussion would prove very rewarding. Perhaps, teachers could use this Boys of Blur in conjunction with Gareth Hinds’ graphic novel of Beowulf. Then, the class could compare and contrast both the story lines and the differing formats authors might employ to convey a story and message.

Discussion Questions: How is Charlie characterized? Do you find him to be a strong character?; What role does Cotton play in the story?; What role does Charlie’s father play in the story? Can he be forgiven?; How does the author use language effectively?

We Flagged: “‘Yes,’ Mrs. Wisdom said, ‘you are. You’re made of tiny spinning bits as fast as light. But those bits aren’t all of you. They fly off. They get lost, and new ones come on and join the swirling Charlie-shaped dance that is your body. And dwelling in that dance, woven through every racing bit, heating it all with life and guiding it, there is a fire, a soul—you. It takes a dream to see something like that, something closer to the way things really are” (110).

Read This If You Loved: Beowulf by Unknown, 100 Cupboards by N. D. Wilson, Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli, Holes by Louis Sachar, Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy by Karen Foxlee, Raining Sardines by Enrique Flores-Galbis

Recommended For:

and

Review and Teaching Guide!: Frank Einstein and the Antimatter Motor by Jon Scieszka, Illustrated by Brian Biggs

August 13, 2023August 20, 2014 by Kellee

Frank Einstein and the Antimatter Motor
Author: Jon Sciezska
Illustrator: Brian Biggs
Published August 19, 2014 by Amulet Books

Goodreads Summary: Frank Einstein loves figuring out how the world works by creating household contraptions that are part science, part imagination, and definitely unusual. After an uneventful experiment in his garage-lab, a lightning storm and flash of electricity bring Frank’s inventions—the robots Klink and Klank—to life! Not exactly the ideal lab partners, the wisecracking Klink and the overly expressive Klank nonetheless help Frank attempt to perfect his Antimatter Motor . . . until Frank’s archnemesis, T. Edison, steals Klink and Klank for his evil doomsday plan! Using real science, Jon Scieszka has created a unique world of adventure and science fiction—an irresistible chemical reaction for middle-grade readers.

My Review: In the world of illustrated novels, we have many a class clown: Greg, Nate, George & Harold. But now we have our very own genius, and he is a genius that kids are going to love! This book combines the humor and fun plot that Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Big Nate, and Captain Underpants have, but adds in science (though the kids reading it will be none the wiser). The way that Sciezska combines humor, adventure, twists & turns, and science is perfection that will have a whole slew of readers waiting for the next Frank Einstein book.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This book has so much that a teacher could touch on while reading it. It would be a perfect book for a read aloud in reading with cross-curricular activities based on the book in science. I was very lucky to once again be able to write a teaching guide, this time for Frank Einstein. To see more specific class activities and discussion questions, view my teaching guide at the Abrams website. (I also wrote the teaching guide for Frank Einstein and the Electro-Finger!)

Discussion Questions:

Frank has a double helix DNA slide. What would this look like?; Grandpa Al uses the phrase “Blow this pop stand” (p. 112). This is an idiom meaning “Let’s get out of here.”
What are idioms? What are some idioms you use in your daily life?
Frank’s parents are in Antarctica, where the ozone is getting a hole in it (p. 110). What is causing this hole? Frank mentions CFCs. What are they? How do they affect the ozone?
In Fig 1.1, Frank shows us that every second between light and sound equals 1/5 of a mile, because of the difference between the speed of light and the speed of sound. So, if there are 5 seconds between thunder and lightning, that means the storm is 1 mile away. What if there are 10 seconds between? 15 seconds? 12 seconds? 100 seconds?; On page 109, we learn that corn flakes were an accidental invention. Are there other accidental inventions?

We Flagged: “Night. Darkness. Flash! A bright bolt of lightning splits the dark and flickers over the skylight. Frank Einstein looks up from his work. He counts out loud, “One thousand one. One thousand two. One thousand three. One thousand four. One thousand five–” Craack boom! The sound-wave vibration of the thunder rattles the old iron-framed windows of Frank’s workshop and science laboratory. “Five seconds between light and sound for every mile. . . One mile away,” Frank calculates, using the difference between the almost-instant speed of light and the much slower speed of sound. “Right on time.”

Read This If You Loved: Series: Frankie Pickle by Eric Wight, Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey, Big Nate by Lincoln Peirce

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Abrams Books for providing a copy for review**

The Milk of Birds by Sylvia Whitman

August 15, 2014 by Kellee

The Milk of Birds
Author: Sylvia Whitman
Published April 16th, 2013 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Summary: This timely, heartrending novel tells the moving story of a friendship between two girls: one an American teen, one a victim of the crisis in Darfur.

Know that there are many words behind the few on this paper…

Fifteen-year-old Nawra lives in Darfur, Sudan, in a camp for refugees displaced by the Janjaweed’s trail of murder and destruction. Nawra cannot read or write, but when a nonprofit organization called Save the Girls pairs her with an American donor, Nawra dictates her thank-you letters. Putting her experiences into words begins to free her from her devastating past—and to brighten the path to her future.

K. C. is an American teenager from Richmond, Virginia, who hates reading and writing—or anything that smacks of school. But as Nawra pours grief and joy into her letters, she inspires K. C. to see beyond her own struggles. And as K. C. opens her heart in her responses to Nawra, she becomes both a dedicated friend and a passionate activist for Darfur.

In this poetic tale of unlikely sisterhood, debut author Sylvia Whitman captures the friendship between two girls who teach each other compassion and share a remarkable bond that bridges two continents.

My Review: This is a special book. First, because of the characters who tell the story. K.C. is a young girl with learning disabilities which have caused her to hate reading, writing, and school. Nawra is a refugee in Darfur who continues to have an optimistic view of the world even after she has been surrounded by horrors that I can’t even imagine. Both of these girls are not represented very often in books, and they are both so important to know. Through this book, the reader gets to see the intensity of the situation in Sudan and refugees’ power in overcoming however they can. They also get to see the brilliance of students with learning disabilities. There are so many students in our school just like K.C., and too many of their peers would judge them by their struggles instead of by their heart and soul.

Second, this book is special because of the way the author is able to intertwine these two stories in a flawless way, and a way that keeps the reader engaged in both stories simultaneously. Third, the lyrical writing of Whitman makes this story not only interesting and important, but also beautiful to read. Last, the power of this book lies in the book, and how the book will change those who read it.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This book has some incredibly lyrical aspects which would be perfect for mentor texts for imagery and other descriptive language. I also love the idea of written pen pals, and I would love to see this book being used to start pen pals in a classroom. Finally, K.C.’s friendship with Nawra helps her become an advocate for refugees in Darfur. This would be a great way to talk about ways to make a difference in the world. I would pair it with A Long Walk to Water which shows the same thing. Powerful.

Discussion Questions: What does K.C. teach us about students with learning disabilities?; What does Nawra teach us about Sudanese refugees?; What is your favorite Nawra saying? Why?; How does life here compare to life in the Sudan?; What is a way you could help the refugees in Sudan?; What is another cause in the world that you could help?

We Flagged: “My mother is sitting on the mat where I left her. She shows no surprise that Adeeba and I return so soon with nothing but more words from the khawaja. She does not protest when I lift her.

I carry my mother as I used to carry wounded animals from pasture, arms on one side, legs on the other, her body draped behind my neck and across my shoulders. She is not much heavier than a goat.” (Nawra, p. 3)

“When she explains things, they make sense, for a while. Who cares about the area of a trapezoid, though? That question stumped my teacher for a minute, and then he launched into this spiel about geometry in everyday life, and if I were someone with a trapezoidal yard, I might need to figure out how much fertilizer to spread. As if. Hook up your hose to a bottle of Miracle-Gro, point, and shoot.” (K.C., p. 12)

Read This If You Love: A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park, Golden Boy by Tara Sullivan, Out of Nowhere by Maria Padian

Recommended For:

And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

June 28, 2015August 6, 2014 by Kellee

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday

And Tango Makes Three
Author: Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Illustrator: Henry Cole
Published June 1, 2005 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Summary: In the zoo there are all kinds of animal families. But Tango’s family is not like any of the others. This illustrated children’s book fictionalizes the true story of two male penguins who became partners and raised a penguin chick in the Central Park Zoo.

Kellee’s Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: I love penguins. I hate books being challenged. And Tango Makes Three is a wonderful book, a true story about penguins, that is on the top ten list of most frequently challenged books in 2012, 2010 (#1), 2009, 2008 (#1), 2007 (#1), and 2006 (#1). Why you ask? Because it happens to be too real for some people.

This story is a beautiful story of love and parenthood, and there are people who do not want it to be shared just because the love is between two male penguins. With the recent focus on the need for diverse books for our children, And Tango Makes Three is a perfect way to introduce the idea of diverse families to children.

[Aside: I just don’t understand how someone can challenge a true story! Well, I don’t understand how anyone can challenge anything, but a true story just doesn’t make sense! It would be like trying to ban a nonfiction book about the Holocaust because it is too hard to read. This story is TRUE, how can you argue with it?! I am just flabbergasted. I think the idea of the challenge comes from A) the idea that the book may have an agenda; B) that this topic is inappropriate for children. However, if you have read the book, you know that the story is told without an agenda. Nowhere in the book does the author share opinions or have any sort of propaganda, they just tell Roy and Silo’s story which is a wonderful story about a family, nothing more.]

Ricki’s Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: I chuckled as I read Kellee’s review. This is the reason I love blogging with her. She is very passionate, and she has students’ best interests in mind. I heard about the negativity behind this picture book before I read it. When I was making a list of the books I wanted to request from other libraries, this one came to mind. Censors often don’t realize that by banning a book, they are promoting it. The title stood out in my head because I knew it was controversial, even though it was published years ago. Like Kellee, I was surprised to read the book. There is no agenda! It is a true story about penguins—not a book where authors are trying to promote homosexuality or show anything about sexuality. To be honest, I found the book to be incredibly innocuous.

As Kellee stated, this is a book that would be great to show the various types of families. We need to face reality. Our students come from different types of families, and it is harmful solely to promote the “traditional family” to children. If students aren’t learning about different family structures, they may feel different or alienated. We must teach students to celebrate their differences, rather than push them to feel negativity because they don’t fit the mold of two parents, 2.5 children, and the dog named Spot.

I would also consider pairing this book with desire. Roy and Silo watch the other families and want an egg of their own. They even adopt a rock. I’d ask students to share what they most desire, and whether this desire is possible—even if it comes in a different form than they imagined. The egg Roy and Silo adopt is not what they imagine, but they make it their own. Students can learn a lot from this.

Discussion Questions: There are many different types of families and Roy and Silo are just one example of a diverse family. What are some other varieties of family?; How were Roy and Silo able to have a child?; How are you different? How is your family different? How might we celebrate these differences?

We Flagged: “Two penguins in the penguin house were a little bit different. One was named Roy, and the other was named Silo. Roy and Silo were both boys. But they did everything together. They bowed to each other. And walked together. They sang to each other. And swam together. Wherever Roy went, Silo went too.” (p. 10-11)

Read This If You Loved: Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester, Penguin on Vacation by Salina Yoon, If You were a Penguin by Florence Minor, ABC A Family Alphabet Book by Bobbie Combs, Donovan’s Big Day by Lesléa Newman, The Family Book by Todd Parr

Recommended For: