Read Aloud – Page 64 – Unleashing Readers

Modern Immigrant Experience in Fiction Picture Books: Tía Isa Wants a Car by Meg Medina & A Piece of Home by Jeri Watts

July 15, 2016 by Kellee

These two fiction picture books look at modern immigrant experiences from two different lenses; however, they both have one thing in common–search for identity in a new home.

A Piece of Home
Author: Jeri Watts
Illustrator: Hyewon Yum
Published June 14th, 2016 by Candlewick Press

Summary: A child-friendly story about the trials and triumphs of starting over in a new place while keeping family and traditions close.

When Hee Jun’s family moves from Korea to West Virginia, he struggles to adjust to his new home. His eyes are not big and round like his classmates’, and he can’t understand anything the teacher says, even when she speaks s-l-o-w-l-y and loudly at him. As he lies in bed at night, the sky seems smaller and darker. But little by little Hee Jun begins to learn English words and make friends on the playground. And one day he is invited to a classmate’s house, where he sees a flower he knows from his garden in Korea — mugunghwa, or rose of Sharon, as his friend tells him — and Hee Jun is happy to bring a shoot to his grandmother to plant a “piece of home” in their new garden. Lyrical prose and lovely illustrations combine in a gentle, realistic story about finding connections in an unfamiliar world.

My Thoughts: I love the way Hee Jun’s story is told–full of emotions. It is so realistic and a story that so many students will relate to. The story also highlights the struggles and success of all the members of Hee Juns family including his sister and grandmother. And the conclusion of the story will warm your heart!

Tía Isa Wants a Car
Author: Meg Medina
Illustrator: Claudio Muñoz
Published June 14th, 2011 by Candlewick Press

Summary: A little girl pitches in to help her tía save up for a big old car – and take the whole family to the beach – in a story told with warmth and sweetness.

Tía Isa wants a car. A shiny green car the same color as the ocean, with wings like a swooping bird. A car to take the whole family to the beach. But saving is hard when everything goes into two piles – one for here and one for Helping Money, so that family members who live far away might join them someday. While Tía Isa saves, her niece does odd jobs for neighbors so she can add her earnings to the stack. But even with her help, will they ever have enough? Meg Medina’s simple, genuine story about keeping in mind those who are far away is written in lovely, lyrical prose and brought to life through Claudio Muñoz’s charming characters.

My Thoughts: Tía Isa symbolizes all people who move to a new place and have something they want and they go and get it. Even as they save money to send to their family who has yet to join them, Tía Isa and her niece save money for their dream and independence which to them is a car to be able to visit the beach like Tía Isa did at home. This book will touch anyone who has fought financially or without family and have survived!

What other picture books highlight the modern immigrant experience?

**Thank you to Candlewick Press for providing copies of the books!**

Blog Tour, Author Guest Post, and Review!: Ah-Choo! by Lana Wayne Koehler and Gloria G. Adams

July 14, 2016 by Ricki

Ah-Choo!
Authors: Lana Wayne Koehler and Gloria G. Adams
Illustrator: Ken Min
Published: March 1, 2016 by Sterling Books

Goodreads Summary: When hunting for his new best friend, a boy goes through an alphabetical menagerie of animals. From an antelope, to bobolink birds, to wolves and zebras—and of course, a cat and dog, too—he brings them all home. But each creature just makes his sister go AH-CHOO! Will he ever be able to have the perfect pet?

Ricki’s Review: Kellee and I videochatted and read this book together to our boys. It was so fun! This is a book that would make for an excellent read-aloud. I can imagine a whole classroom of kids yelling “ah-choo!” in a fit of giggles. Teachers will find much to talk about with the book–the alphabetical animals, the fact that not all families can have furry/fuzzy pets, the rhyme scheme, the illustrations, the variety across pages, etc. I can even see this book in older classrooms as a guide for students embarking on creative writing. It would be quite inspirational. The illustrations are hysterical, and it is very clear that a lot of work and effort went into making this text as successful as it is.

Kellee’s Review: I love books that have repeating pages yet aren’t repeating all the way through because it allows young readers to be a part of the read aloud while the text is still unique and interesting. This book fits into that category. Kids will love yelling AH CHOO! along with the boy’s sister which will make this such a fun class read aloud. I also loved the variety of animals that were featured in the book. Since the boy goes from A to Z with the animals he chooses, the author had to be quite clever to find animals that rhymed and fit the order. All this fun in addition to the funny illustrations make for one fun-to-read book.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Teachers might ask students to create their own Ah-Choo! books with different animals. It would be fun to see how many animals the students would come up with! As an alternative, kids might think of their own themed text. Students can start with a problem (e.g. not being able to get an animal because a sibling is allergic) and come up with 26 A to Z alternatives!

Passages Flagged:

I asked my mom if I could have
a pet, or even two.

But every time I brought one home,
my sister went

Ah-Choo!

Discussion Questions: How do the authors provide variety in this text? How do they use creative elements successfully to draw in the reader? How does the illustrator appeal to readers?; While this book has humor, what more serious themes does it convey?; How can you reimagine this book with your own problem as the theme?

Read This If You Loved: The Alphabet of Bugs: An ABC Book by Valerie Gates; Which Pet Should I Get? by Dr. Seuss; Alphabet Books

Recommended For:

“A Multi-layered Book Can be a Teaching Tool”

by Gloria G. Adams, co-author, Ah-Choo!

When Lana Koehler and I collaborated on our book Ah-Choo!, we knew we wanted it to be told in rhyme and also to be about allergies. But between the two of us and our wonderful critique group members, we ended up with a book that not only had rhyme and addressed pet allergies, but our interactive read-aloud also offers the alphabet, math, repetition, sibling relationships, rich vocabulary, and even includes a few trips to the zoo!

All of these layers add up to a multi-tiered package that can serve as a teaching tool for young children.

Kids often feel like they are the only ones suffering from allergies. Ah-Choo! is a great vehicle for teaching kids not only more about their allergies, but also the fact that they are not alone and there are many other kids who have the same problem.

Allergies to pets always wreak havoc in households, especially those with children who have siblings who are NOT allergic. In Ah-Choo!, our young protagonist cares so much about his sister that he brings an entire alphabet of animals for her to “test out” in hope of finding one that won’t make her sick. This story can be a great starting point to talk with your children about compromise and empathy; we think our young man is a great role model!

The rhyme and repetition serve as very important pre-reading skills. One is phonemic awareness, which helps break words down into smaller parts. According to one educator, “Repetition and rhyme give way to rhythm, recognition and memorization-all of which can have a huge impact on children learning to read.”

You can use Ah-Choo! in different ways to help your child practice rhyming even more.

Find all the words in the book that rhyme with Ah-Choo.
Search for other words that rhyme, such as “hen” and “then” or “Jack” and “back.”
Have your child choose a name for an animal, then think of a rhyming name. For example, maybe your child names the cat “Sammy.” Other names that rhyme with Sammy are Hammy, Jammy, Lammy, etc.

Building your child’s vocabulary can be an important factor in how well he or she does when school begins. In the pages of Ah-Choo!, you will find not only unusual animals names (Takin, Yaffle, Bobolink), but also longer words, such as “feathered” and “snuggled.” According to read-aloud guru, Jim Trelease, “It’s long established in science and research: the child who comes to school with a large vocabulary does better than the child who comes to school with little familiarity with words and a low vocabulary.”

Using Ah-Choo! is a fun way to teach the alphabet. It can also help with counting; just how many Umbrellabirds ARE there? Are there more than 26 animals? Yes, there are! Our illustrator, Ken Min, even added a surprise animal that isn’t found in the text! Subtract the animals as the brother takes them away when they make his sister sneeze.

A visit to the zoo is always educational. Take along your copy of Ah-Choo! and see how many animals your children can find that are in the book.

Best of all, Ah-Choo! is interactive; children love the repetition of the sneezing. It will make them want to hear it again and again and again…

and

**Thank you to Ardi at Sterling Books for providing copies for review! And thank you to Gloria for her wonderfully insightful guest post!**

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!**

All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely

July 7, 2016July 7, 2016 by Ricki

All American Boys
Authors: Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely
Published: September 29, 2015 byAtheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books

GoodReads Summary: Rashad is absent again today.

That’s the sidewalk graffiti that started it all…

Well, no, actually, a lady tripping over Rashad at the store, making him drop a bag of chips, was what started it all. Because it didn’t matter what Rashad said next—that it was an accident, that he wasn’t stealing—the cop just kept pounding him. Over and over, pummeling him into the pavement. So then Rashad, an ROTC kid with mad art skills, was absent again…and again…stuck in a hospital room. Why? Because it looked like he was stealing. And he was a black kid in baggy clothes. So he must have been stealing.

And that’s how it started.

And that’s what Quinn, a white kid, saw. He saw his best friend’s older brother beating the daylights out of a classmate. At first Quinn doesn’t tell a soul…He’s not even sure he understands it. And does it matter? The whole thing was caught on camera, anyway. But when the school—and nation—start to divide on what happens, blame spreads like wildfire fed by ugly words like “racism” and “police brutality.” Quinn realizes he’sgot to understand it, because, bystander or not, he’s a part of history. He just has to figure out what side of history that will be.

Rashad and Quinn—one black, one white, both American—face the unspeakable truth that racism and prejudice didn’t die after the civil rights movement. There’s a future at stake, a future where no one else will have to be absent because of police brutality. They just have to risk everything to change the world.

Cuz that’s how it can end.

Ricki’s Review: I read this book a few months ago, and frankly, I can’t stop thinking about how important this story is. We read so many books in our lifetimes, and some just take our breath away. This is one of those books. I can’t recommend this book highly enough. I believe it belongs in every classroom. The strength of the two voices in this book is remarkable, and it makes for an excellent teaching tool—about heroism; about doing what is right and true; and about being a good, decent human being. The acts within this book are all-to-common, and I believe this book promotes genuine change. The book is literary at the same time that it is engaging. It will pull (and has pulled) readers of all ages and backgrounds. I typically don’t review books long after they have been published, but this book feels too important to leave out. If you haven’t read it already, I recommend it move to the top of your TBR list. It’s and incredible story.

Kellee’s Review: I too read this book a few months ago. It was a choice for our Faculty Book Club, and it was a perfect book to discuss with a bunch of educators. All American Boys is a book that is going to be a classic because it highlights modern history in a thoughtful and truthful way. This is a book that I would recommend to everyone to read. It is a perfect jumping off point to discuss race relations, Black Lives Matter, and We Need Diverse Books. The way the book is set up, with two voices, will help readers have permission to talk about what is happening in our country, the Civil Rights movement and its tie into modern times, and the racial tension currently happening in our country.

I’d like to also add that I recently was lucky enough to see Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely accept their Coretta Scott King Author Honor Award at the ALA Annual Conference here in Orlando, and they both moved me to tears. Jason actually gave two speeches since he won an honor for All American Boys and Boy in the Black Suit. His second speech was a brilliant advocacy poem titled Machetes which can be viewed here or read here. His first speech and Brendan’s speech are not available yet. Brendan says School Library Journal will be publishing his, and I am not sure about Jason’s; however, I did tweet some quotes as I sat and listened:

I hope The Boy in the Black Suit gives young men permission to feel and be human and sometimes need a hug. – Jason Reynolds
Memory in of itself is life. -Jason Reynolds
If you are doing this work, this award is yours too. -Jason Reynolds
Jason Reynolds talking about his mama made me cry. I hope my son’s love can be as true as his is.
There are bodies missing, and I cannot bring them back. It is time for action. -Brendan Kiely
Revolution begins in the heart. -Brendan Kiely
Love is art. Love is education. Love is accountability. And it needs repeating love is love is love is love. -Brendan Kiely
I want to reckon w whiteness…speak truth to myself. -Brendan Kiely

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This book begs to be taught in classrooms. If I was still teaching it would be the first book that I would request to be added to curriculum. I think it would be particularly fascinating to use this book as a read-aloud while simultaneously doing literature circles with X by Ilyassah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon, The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon, and How it Went Down by Kekla Magoon. These books all deal with civil rights issues, as well, and it would be interesting to look at civil rights across time and history and also within other relevant contexts.

The Simon & Schuster Reading Group Guide gives some discussion questions, journal responses, and research ideas.

Discussion Questions: How do Rashad’s and Quinn’s voices shine differently in the text?; Did Quinn do the right thing? Would you have done the same?; What would you have done if you had been in Rashad’s circumstance? Would you have done anything differently?; How is racism present both in obvious and nuanced ways in the plot events of this text?

Flagged Passage: “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.”

Read This If You Loved: X by Ilyassah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon; 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:

and

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!**

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

June 23, 2016 by Ricki

Grimm’s Fairy Tales
Author: The Brothers Grimm;
Narrators: Award Winning Cast (Various)
Published: May 10, 2016 by Listening Library

Goodreads Summary: Read by a cast of award-winning narrators, this collection contains some of the most timeless and enchanting folk and fairy tales collected by the Brothers Grimm.

The Brothers Grimm collected the original fairy tales that Americans are most familiar with today. Lyrically translated and beautifully narrated by an all-star cast, these 21 tales are selected from The Complete Grimm’s Fairy Tales and presented just as Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm originally set them down: bold, primal, just frightening enough, and endlessly engaging.

Stories include:
Rapunzel, read by Katherine Kellgren
Cinderella, read by January LaVoy
Little Red-Cap, read by Simon Vance
Little Briar-Rose, read by Grover Gardner
Little Snow-White, read by Kate Rudd
Rumpelstiltskin, read by Jim Dale
The Shoes That Were Danced to Pieces, read by Alfred Molina
A Riddling Tale, read by Janis Ian
The Twelve Brothers, read by Graeme Malcolm
The White Snake, read by Scott Brick
The Elves, read by Bahni Turpin
The Six Swans, read by Davina Porter
The Twelve Huntsmen, read by Dion Graham
The Goose-Girl, read by Edoardo Ballerini
Sweet Porridge, read by Jayne Entwistle
The Golden Goose, read by Luke Daniels
Eve’s Various Children, read by Roy Dotrice
Snow-White and Rose-Red, read by Julia Whelan
The Frog-King, or Iron Henry, read by Kirby Heyborne
The Sea-Hare, read by Mark Bramhall
Hansel and Gretel, read by Robin Miles

Ricki’s Review: I particularly loved the variety in this collection. The narrators provide their own personal touches to each fairy tale, and I found every story to be captivating. The audio format enhances the ways the stories are told. The collection contains the more popular fairy tales along with the more lesser known, and I loved listening to the stories that I had never read before. Grimm’s Fairy Tales are a staple of my childhood, and I feel lucky to share these stories with my son. I think he will really enjoy the audio form, and I hope to play them in long car rides. It will be great to stop after each fairy tale to discuss the characters and themes. I will wait until he is a bit older because the fairy tales are a bit more gruesome than the popular renditions. I appreciate the fact that Listening Library didn’t go with the typical, clean, popularized versions of the stories. It gives readers a stronger sense of the true, original works.

Kellee’s Review: I really enjoy fairy tales of all kinds and have read Grimms collections of various types over the years, but this collection is the first time that I found myself completely enthralled in the stories even though I already knew them like they were new to me. The narrators that Listening Library chose are the best in the business. I can’t even pick a favorite because they all make each story shine.

While listening, I found so many opportunities to have discussions. From theme to similarities/differences to changes in popular versions to repetition within and through tales. I think these stories will make wonderful read alouds within my house or in my classroom.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This collection provides excellent opportunities for teachers to ask students to compare and contrast elements across the fairy tales. The could listen to a different story each day (they are brief enough that this would be a great listen-aloud). Alternatively, it might be neat to have students work in groups, select stories of their choice, and share out what they learned. Then the entire class could discuss what they are hearing across stories. It would also be fun to discuss the lesser known fairy tales and why these tales may not have become as popular as the others. Lastly, students might discuss the cleansing of the works of The Brothers Grimm. Robin Kirk’s article “Painted on the Surface: The Marbury Lens and Gore in Young Adult Fiction” in the Fall 2015 issue of The ALAN Review is a great resources for teachers to consider gore in fiction, and it discusses the cleansing of The Brothers Grimm’s Fairy Tales.

Discussion Questions: Which fairy tales did you find most captivating? Why?; Which common themes across any of the fairy tales? Which themes seem to be unique to specific fairy tales?; Some of these fairy tales are more popular than others. Why do you think that is? Do you wish any of the lesser known fairy tales were more popular?

Book Trailer:

Read This If You Loved: Grimm’s Fairy Tales by The Brothers Grimm, Fairy Tale Comics by Chris Duffy, Any Fairy Tales

Recommended For:

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**Thank you to Katie at Penguin Random House for providing copies for review!**

National Geographic’s 100 Things to Know Before You Grow Up

June 22, 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!

100 Things to Know Before You Grow Up
Author: Lisa M. Gerry
Published March 8th 2016 by National Geographic Children’s Books

Goodreads Summary: It’s fun to be a kid, but are you ready for what comes next? Challenge yourself with these 100 things and you will be! Jam-packed with tips, tricks, and skills that every kid should master before turning 18, this is the ultimate guide to becoming a fun-loving, well-rounded, totally competent and confident young person. Complete with expert advice from real life explorers, adventurers, and masters of their craft, it’s perfect for jump-starting an amazing life!

Kellee’s Review: I love books that push students to be more than what they already are. This book is one of those. It has such a crazy variety of things that kids can learn to do and overcome and try throughout their childhood: from making a bed to learning to say no to trying yoga. There were things in the book that I am not even good at, but I wish someone had helped me learn how to do as a kid like how to remember names or how to deal with change. I am always impressed with National Geographic books because they are all so unique and well done, and this one is no different!

Ricki’s Review: Typically, I review books and then donate them. I am hanging on to this book because I think it is a great one to share with my children. I loved that some of the “things to know” were abstract like being brave and some were much more concrete like trying another country’s cuisine. I think it would be really neat to use this book as a bucket list. All of the things in this book are experiences and ideas that I want my children to have.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: 100 Things to Know Before You Grow Up is a great inquiry project jumping off point. Students could definitely take these 100 things and choose a favorite to research then share with the family. The book would also be a good read aloud for the beginning of each day to have a class discussion. It would be interesting to see what students already know how to do, if they think that everything listed is important, and work on learning new things.

Discussion Questions: Which of the things listed do you already know how to do?; Is there anything you would add to the list that you think you need to know before you grow up?; Which of the things do you want to learn how to do first?; Do you think all of the items listed are important to learn?

We Flagged: “#31. How to Be Brave

Everyone feels afraid from time to time, but it’s how you respond to that fear that shows who you are. Being scared is an uncomfortable feeling, so it makes sense that you’d want to avoid it. But the only way to conquer a fear is to do the thing that scares you. As Mark Twain said, ‘Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.’

People Profile: Malala Yousafzai

Malala is the youngest person to have ever won a Nobel Peace Prize. She won it in 2014, when she was just 17 years old. Malala was born in Pakistan in 1997. She attended a school founded by her father and quickly became an advocate for a girl’s right to get an education. However, the Taliban, a violent political group in her country, believed that girls should not go to school…” (p. 80-82)

*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: 31 Ways to Change the World by Candlewick Press, Mastermind by National Geographic, Weird but True series by National Geographic, Be Changemaker by Laurie Ann Thompson, Almanacs, World Record books

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