Setting – Page 34 – Unleashing Readers

Penguin on Vacation by Salina Yoon

November 15, 2013November 15, 2013 by Kellee

Penguin on Vacation
Author and Illustrator: Salina Yoon
Published August 16th, 2013 by Walker Childrens

Goodreads Summary: Penguin’s tired of the snow and cold–so he decides to go on vacation! But where should he go? And what new friends will he meet along the way?

Seasoned illustrator Salina Yoon’s spare text and bright, energetic illustrations bring this favorite character to life, ensuring that readers will be clamoring for more Penguin stories–whether they find their home in the cold or the warm.

My Review: My friend Niki has talked about how wonderful Yoon’s Penguin books are, but I hadn’t gotten my hands on one until now. After reading Penguin on Vacation, I can see why this character is one that is loved. He is curious, friendly, and cute. I also am a huge fan of Crab as he was there just as Penguin needed him. This book is a great celebration of odd frienships.

Teacher Tools for Navigation: Read aloud! Primary students will love Penguin and this book is a perfect book to read either before a break or during Friendship Week. It can also be a fun read aloud during a discussion of habitats.

Discussion Questions: Would Penguins and Crabs be able to switch habitats?

We Flagged:

PoVsample3
Copyright © 2013 by Salina Yoon

Read This If You Loved: Penguin and Pinecone by Salina Yoon, One Cool Friend by Tony Buzzeo, Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester, Penguin Pete by Marcus Pfister, Owen and Mzee by Craig Hatkoff

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Julie at Bloomsbury for providing a copy for review!**

Harlem: A Poem by Walter Dean Myers

February 8, 2025November 8, 2013 by Kellee

Harlem: A Poem
Author: Walter Dean Myers
Illustrator: Christopher Myers
Published 1997 by Scholastic Press

Goodreads Summary: Walter Dean Myers calls to life the deep, rich, and hope-filled history of Harlem, this crucible of American culture.

Christopher Myers’ boldly assembled collage art resonates with feeling, and tells a tale all its own. Words and pictures together connect readers -of all ages – to the spirit of Harlem in its music, art, literature, and everyday life, and to how it has helped shape us as a people.

My Review & Teacher’s Tools For Navigation: After reading this book the first time, I knew I was going to have to tackle it differently than just reading a picture book. I wanted to make sense of it and I knew that I didn’t have the background knowledge so I knew that the power of all of the words had not sunk in yet. So, I typed up the poem in Google Drive and began doing my very own close reading of the poem. I started with research of terms and names that I didn’t know, building my knowledge of the culture and history of Harlem. Through this build up of knowledge, I began to understand the beauty behind Myers’s poem. The voice of this poem is one of heartbreak, but strength; proud of not only what he has become, but where he came from. This poem is a celebration of the history of Harlem and its citizens—a celebration of its religion, music, poets, authors, and everything that made/makes it a hub for the civil rights movement and African American culture.

This book would be a great one to use across many different subject areas- history, literature, and art.

Discussion Questions: What references to Harlem’s history did Myers intertwine into his poem?; How did Christopher Myers’s illustrations take the poem to another level?; (Writing) Do research about your ancestors and your heritage. Through this research, find people, places, literature, art, musicians, etc. that helped shape who you or your family are. Use this research to construct a poem about your heritage. Find a piece of artwork to accompany your poem.

We Flagged:

The uptown A
Rattles past 110th street
Unreal to real
Relaxing the soul

Shango and Jesus
Asante and Mende
One people, a hundred different
People
Huddled masses
And crowded dreams

Read This If You Loved: Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra and Ella Fitzgerald: The Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa by Andrea Davis Pinkney, The Complete Poems including Harlem by Langston Hughes, Harlem Summer by Walter Dean Myers, Nonfiction books about Harlem

Recommended For:

Faithful Elephants by Yukio Tsuchiya

November 6, 2013 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!

Faithful Elephants: A True Story of Animals, People, and War
Author: Yukio Tsuchiya
Translator: Tomoko Tsuchiya Dykes
Illustrator: Ted Lewin
Published October 30th, 1997 by HMH Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Summary: A zookeeper recounts the story of John, Tonky, and Wanly, three performing elephants at the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, whose turn it is to die, and of their keepers, who weep and pray that World War II will end so their beloved elephants might be saved.

My Review: I picked up this book as soon as I read that Jillian Heise thought that it’d be a good companion to Endangered. I read aloud Endangered with my 8th graders last year, and I trusted that Jillian knew what she was talking about. The subtitle warned me that this picture book would definitely not be a cheery one, but I could not have prepared myself for how emotional the book actually was. The lyrical writing and soft, watercolor illustrations add to the intensity of the story. Be warned: tears will happen.

Teacher’s Tools For Navigation: This book not only would be a perfect companion to Endangered, it is definitely a wonderful picture book to lead to deep discussions in the classroom. Children are always very emotional about books pertaining to animals, so I know they will have an intense opinion about what happens in this book. As the zookeepers kill the animals to protect the city in case of a bombing, students will definitely disagree with this decision and this will lead to a great debate. The story also lends itself towards discussions about animal emotions and abuse as well as cause and effect discussions.

Discussion Questions: In what ways is the story of the elephants in Faithful Elephants similar to the story of the bonobos in Eliot Schrefer’s Endangered?; Was there an alternate solution that the zookeepers could have considered for the elephants?

We Flagged: “Not far from the cheerful square, there stands a tombstone. Not many notice this monument for the animals that have died at the Ueno Zoo. It is quiet and peaceful here, and the sun warms every corner.” (p. 8)

Read This If You Loved: Endangered by Eliot Schrefer, The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate, The Outside of a Horse by Ginny Rorby

Recommended For:

Hilda and the Midnight Giants by Luke Pearson

November 2, 2013 by Kellee

Hilda and the Midnight Giant
Author: Luke Pearson
Published April 17th, 2012 by Nobrow Press

Goodreads Summary: In Hilda and the Midnight Giant, our protagonist finds her world turned upside down as she faces the prospect of leaving her snow-capped birthplace for the hum of the megalopolis, where her mother (an architect) has been offered a prestigious job. During Hilda’s daily one-and-a-half hour trek to school she looks for ways to stall her mother’s decision. She conspires with the beings of the mystical Blue Forest to delay the inevitable. Will they help or hinder her? More importantly, who is this mysterious Midnight Giant?

This is the first part of the Hildafolk series, a series that follows Hilda on her many adventures and travels through the magical fjords and enchanted mountains of her birthplace as she unravels the mysteries of the supernatural world that surrounds her.

My Review: When Hilda and the Midnight Giant was in Mr. Schu and Scope’s Top 20 of 2012 and I hadn’t heard of it, I knew I had to get my hands on it. Graphic novels are the most loved format in my classroom and I try to keep as up to date about them as I can. I went straight to my bookstore, ordered it, and waited patiently. When it arrived, I delved right in. On my first read, I just found the story odd and didn’t find myself connecting to the story at all. I knew then and there that I needed to reread at a later date to see if my perspective changed. Like Penny Kittle says in Book Love, “Rereading is an opportunity to see more. On the first time through a novel I am trying to figure out who is who and what is happening. I’m too engaged in understanding to analyze the book well. ON a second time through, I see the whole and then the parts differently.” And this was no exception with my reread of Hilda.

Hilda reminds me a bit of Coraline- she is independent, a bit quirky and loves rainwear. And just like Coraline, she has a fantastical world surrounding her and she doesn’t even know it. It took this second time for me to realize the magic within this story: the connection between Hilda’s and the Giant’s story, the love of the Giants, the magical world of Elves, and the fascinating Woffs.

I read one review that said Hilda’s fantastical world reminded them of Miyazaki’s work and though I didn’t see it the first time (I think I was just caught up in the oddness), I definitely saw it the second time. The Woffs reminded me most of him- silent creatures that play a small yet important role in the story.

In the end, I am so glad that I reread Hilda so I could get the full magical experience and I definitely recommend it.

Teachers Tools for Navigation: There are many special things about this book and although I think it will find its best home in classroom libraries, it can definitely be used for a mentor text as well. It is a great text to share about world building and also to learn about graphic novels and paneling. It can also be used to practice predicting as Hilda is filled with unexpectedness throughout.

Discussion Questions: Is there something that you viewed differently after reading/seeing it for the second time like I did with Hilda? If not, try rereading a story that you didn’t like; see if your perspective changes.

We Flagged:

Read This If You Loved: Coraline by Neil Gaiman, Explorer edited by Kazu Kibuishi, The Arrival by Shaun Tan, Castle Waiting by Linda Medley

Recommended For:

Blog Tour and Review!: Hetty Feather & My Sister Jodie by Jacqueline Wilson

July 27, 2015November 1, 2013 by Kellee

Hetty Feather
Author: Jacqueline Wilson
Published August 5th, 2010 by Random House Children’s Publishers UK

Goodreads Summary: London, 1876 and Hetty Feather is just a tiny baby when her mother leaves her at the Foundling Hospital. The Hospital cares for abandoned children – but Hetty must first live with a foster family until she is big enough to go to school.

Life in the countryside is hard but with her ‘brothers’ Jem and Gideon, she helps in the fields and plays imaginary games. Together they sneak off to visit the traveling circus and Hetty is mesmerised by the show, especially Madame Adeline and her performing horses.

But Hetty’s happiness is threatened once more when she is returned to the Foundling Hospital. The new life of awful uniforms and terrible food is a struggle for her. But now she has the chance to find her real mother. Could she really be the wonderful Madame Adeline? Or will Hetty find the truth is even more surprising?

Jacqueline Wilson will surprise and delight old fans and new with this utterly original take on a historical novel. Set in Victorian times and featuring a brand new feisty heroine, Hetty Feather, this is a Tracy Beaker-esque tale that will thrill young readers. Warm, moving, funny and totally fascinating, it’s the perfect gift for girls of eight and older.

Ricki’s Review: Hetty Feather is a feisty, red-headed little girl. I absolutely loved her spunk and was always rooting for her as she navigated life on the countryside and in the orphanage. Hetty is determined, and she will surely teach young girls to fight for themselves. In turn, she is constantly getting into trouble! I love books that teach girls to be strong and confident, and this one is no exception. I’d love to have a daughter that has the confidence and independence of this young girl. She forms wonderful bonds with her foster siblings and other girls in the orphanage and is extremely loyal to them. I am not surprised that it is so popular in the U.K. and would love for Hetty Feather’s passion and spunk to become more familiar to American girls (and all girls, for that matter)!

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: I imagine that students who read books about this historical time period will be interested in learning more about the setting. Teachers could help them search for articles and books to learn more about the context of the story. They might also compare Hetty Feather to other strong females of history.

Discussion Questions: Is Hetty Feather too much of a troublemaker or do you think her actions are justified?; Which characters does Hetty bond closely with? What types of people does she pair well with?; Do you think that Hetty’s personality is shaped by the fact that she is an orphan?

We Flagged: “My name is Hetty Feather. Don’t mock. It’s not my real name. I’m absolutely certain my mother would have picked out a beautiful romantic name for me—though sadly I have not turned out beautiful or romantic” (p. 1).

Read This If You Loved: Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans, Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray, The Humming Room by Ellen Potter, May Amelia by Jennifer L. Holm, Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson, Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan

My Sister Jodie
Author: Jacqueline Wilson
Published March 12th, 2009 by Random House Children’s Publishers UK

Goodreads Summary: Pearl and Jodie are sisters. Pearl is the younger one, small, shy and anxious. Jodie is nearly three years older, bold and brash and bad and Pearl adores her. When their parents get new jobs at Melchester College, a Victorian Gothic mansion, the girls spend a bizarre summer holiday in the boarding school with just a few leftover children for company. Things start to change now they are in their new home. Jodie has always been the leader but now it’s Pearl who’s making new friends. When term begins, their strange summer is over. But things keep on changing. Jodie really doesn’t fit in with the posh teenagers in her class. Pearl is blossoming. Maybe she doesn’t need Jodie as much as she used to. But Jodie needs her. And when the school celebration of Firework Night comes around and a tragic event occurs, Pearl realises quite how much she does need her big sister.

Kellee’s Review: I will say that I struggled a bit with getting used to the British lingo, but once I did, it was free sailing. I loved Pearl. She was someone who I wish was my friend. She loved books, had a great imagination, was empathetic, and overall a good person. Jodie was harder to swallow. She was going through what many girls go through in their mid-teens, trying to find herself, and I wish the book had been from her point of view because I wish I understood her more. Instead, we see her from Pearl’s point of view and Pearl loves her sister, but just doesn’t understand her. Also, Pearl, once they reach the boarding school, is working on finding herself and finally making friends. Now, the one person that I probably flat out disliked was their mother. I’d love to talk to someone who has read the book to see if you took her the same way I did…

Also, just for fair warning, this book does elicit many different types of emotions—be ready!

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: Jacqueline Wilson has had great success in the UK and I can see why. My Sister Jodie will find a whole new group of readers when placed in libraries.

Discussion Questions: What is something that you do/feel that your parents do not understand?; Do you have a sibling? If so, what do they do that you do not understand?

We Flagged: “Jodie. It was the first word I ever said. Most babies lisp Mumma or Dadda or Drinkie or Teddy. Maybe everyone names the thing they love best. I said Jodie, my sister. OK, I said Dodie because I couldn’t say my Js properly, but I knew what I meant. I said her name first every morning.

‘Jodie? Jodie! Wake up. Please wake up!’

She was hopeless in the mornings. I always woke up early – six o’clock, sometimes even earlier. When I was little, I’d delve around my bed to find my three night-time teddies, and then take them for a dawn trek up and down my duvet. I put my knees and they’d clamber up the mountain and then slide down. Then they’d burrow back to base camp and tuck their pretend porridge for breakfast.” (p. 7)

Read This If You Loved: The Wig in the Window by Kristen Kittscher, The Summer of May by Cecilia Galante, The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Patterson

Hetty Feather and My Sister Jodie Recommended For:

Jacqueline Wilson, known throughout Britain as the most popular writer for girls aged 7-15 has sold over 35 million copies of her books in the UK. She was appointed as the Children’s Laureate from 2005-7 (a prestigious UK award which celebrates outstanding achievement in children’s books) and received an OBE from the Queen in 2002 for services to literacy in schools. In 2008 she was further awarded a DBE in the Queen’s New Year Honour’s List, making her Dame Jacqueline Wilson. Her books contain universal themes popular with children all over the world. Family life, friendship and bullying are regularly featured and her characters often find themselves in difficult circumstances. Her books have been praised for their unique blend of realism and humor, and she is loved by children and parents alike for her non-patronising approach to writing for children.

The book trailers which accompany Jacqueline Wilson’s releases have become a much-anticipated part of the build up to her new releases. Her YouTube channel has over 2,000 subscribers and the most popular trailer, “The Worst Thing About My Sister”, has received 335,000 views.

For the US ebook launch this year, new editions of her most recent 9 titles have been created with exclusive bold photographic covers, many of which use imagery from the book’s trailers:

Jacqueline Wilson’s ebooks are available through all major ebook retailers.

Please visit www.jacquelinewilson.us for more information about Jacqueline Wilson and the new collection, including book trailers.

Don’t forget to check out the other stops on the tour:

October 13th: Hetty Feather on Ms Yingling Reads
October 14th: Lily Alone on Ms Yingling Reads, for Marvellous Middle Grade Monday
October 15th: The Longest Whale Song on Ms Yingling Reads
October 16th: Little Darlings on Ms Yingling Reads
October 17th: Hetty Feather on Ms Yingling Reads
October 18th: The Worst Thing About My Sister on Ms Yingling Reads, for Tomboy Friday!
October 19th: Hetty Feather on The Fourth Musketeer
October 20th: Hetty Feather trilogy 1 on Teacher Dance
October 23rd: Excerpt of Hetty Feather on Great British Reads
October 28th: Hetty Feather trilogy 2 on Teacher Dance
October 30th: Excerpt of Queenie on TBC
November 4th: Hetty Feather Triology on Geo Librarian
November 5th: Hetty Feather on Forget About TV
November 6th: Lily Alone on Geo Librarian
November 7th: The Longest Whale Song on Geo Librarian
November 8th: Little Darlings on Geo Librarian
November 9th: The Worst Thing About My Sister on Geo Librarian
November 10th: Queenie on Geo Librarian
November 11th: My Sister Jodie on Forget About TV

See more at: http://www.jacquelinewilson.us/index.php/jacqueline-wilson-blog-tour/

and

Doll Bones by Holly Black

October 25, 2013 by Kellee

Doll Bones
Author: Holly Black
Illustrator: Eliza Wheeler
Published May 7th, 2013 by Margaret K. McElderry Books

Goodreads Summary: Zach, Poppy and Alice have been friends for ever. They love playing with their action figure toys, imagining a magical world of adventure and heroism. But disaster strikes when, without warning, Zach’s father throws out all his toys, declaring he’s too old for them. Zach is furious, confused and embarrassed, deciding that the only way to cope is to stop playing . . . and stop being friends with Poppy and Alice. But one night the girls pay Zach a visit, and tell him about a series of mysterious occurrences. Poppy swears that she is now being haunted by a china doll – who claims that it is made from the ground-up bones of a murdered girl. They must return the doll to where the girl lived, and bury it. Otherwise the three children will be cursed for eternity…

My Review: Wow. I am very reluctant to read “scary” books because I too often find that they rely too much on the scary and not enough on the writing. However, with Doll Bones, Holly Black was able to write a well-written middle grade novel with a good plot arc and characterization mixed with a lot of creepy. Within her “scary” book, Holly Black is able to capture a very awkward time in one’s life– middle school! –in a very realistic way. Her characters are believable, completely filled with the internal debate of growing up or staying a child a bit longer. Then, on top of her great middle grade story, she has included a completely creepy aspect of the story that I even had to put down a couple of times because I knew I was reading some creepy stuff too close to bedtime.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: This one will be a phenomenal read aloud and will find a ton of readers when put into classroom libraries. I also know that some of my teacher friends are planning to use it in a book club setting as well.

Discussion Questions: Have you ever been in a situation like Zach where you feel like you are supposed to grow up, but you’d rather play like you used to?; Do you think Poppy was telling the truth the whole time?; What do you think happened to The Queen?

We Flagged: “It wasn’t like a regular dream,” Poppy said, her fingers smoothing back the Queen’s curls and her voice changing, going soft and chill as the night air. It reminded Zach of the way Poppy talked when she played villains or even the Queen herself. “It wasn’t like dreaming at all. She was sitting on the end of my bed. Her hair was blond, like the doll’s, but it was tangled and dirty. She was wearing a nightdress smeared with mud. She told me I had to bury her. She said she couldn’t rest until her bones were in her own grave, and if I didn’t help her, she would make me sorry.” (p. 62-63)

Read This If You Loved: Mary Downing Hahn books, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, Guys Read: Thriller edited by Jon Scieszka

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing me with a copy!**

The Scary Places Map Book by B.G. Hennessy

October 19, 2013October 19, 2013 by Kellee

Over the next 2 weeks, many of my reviews are going to be in honor of Halloween.

I am so happy to begin my two weeks of scary with:

The Scary Places Map Book: Seven Terrifying Tours
Author: B.G. Hennessy
Illustrator: Erwin Madrid
Published July 10th, 2012 by Candlewick

Goodreads Summary: Grab a flashlight for an after-dark exploration of seven very scary places. Giggles and goose bumps are in store!

Take a tour of seven spooky places, among them the Wicked Woods, a Ghostly Galleon, and the Western Terror-tories. Along the way, avoid booby traps, search for hidden objects, and learn basic map reading skills! A map key, items to look for, and points of interest, such as Dracula’s Castle and Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory, are included for each eerie region. Tips for touring (never take the Transylvania tour during a full moon) add to the fun. Kids who love to mix the ghoulish with the humorous will pore over the atmospheric pictures time and again, transported to strange, mysterious, very scary places.

My Review: This book tells you seven stories through an interactive tour of a map. Each map has a different theme and starts with an introductory story. I loved thinking of all of the fun ways this could be used in the classroom!

Teacher’s Tools For Navigation: While reading, I thought of so many different ways that this book could be utilized in a classroom:

First, the book teaches map skills because it has a key and directs the reader to different sections of the map by using the grid system and the scale.

Second, the setting of each map would be a great jumping off point to writing a story.

Third, many of the settings are based off of books or history and would be easy to connect to novels. For example, the first map is “The Ghostly Galleon Cruise of the Seven Seas” which could be connected with the Young Jack Sparrow books. “Land of Mythical Monsters” is set in Greece so could connect to mythology and any book like The Lightning Thief. “Roundup of the Western Terror-tories” to The Case of the Deadly Desperados, “Tour of the Wicked Woods and Witchfield Village” to Tales of Dark and Grimm, “Trip Through Transylvania” to Dracula Doesn’t Drink Lemonade, “Sleepwalking Tour of Nightmare House” to All the Lovely Bad Ones, and “Museum of Haunted Objects” to The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde.

I have been very lucky that over the last year or so to be in touch with B.G. Hennessy about this book. I’m honored that based on my original review, B.G. has begun to make a comprehensive list of books to go with each book. This list is so awesome! She includes picture books, beginning readers, chapter books, nonfiction books, and activity books for EACH MAP.

I am sure there are even more ways I am going to keep thinking about it. I, personally, cannot wait to use this in my classroom. (I also found out there is a facebook page for the book where teachers and the author can share their ideas- https://www.facebook.com/ScaryPlacesMapBook) B.G. Hennessy has also put together a teacher’s guide for the book which includes standards, vocabulary, activities, and more (which is written for elementary, but it can definitely by used for middle school as well!). Check it out on her website: http://bghennessy.com/ What a wonderful resource for teachers!

Discussion Questions: For each map, what are some books that you can connect the map to? How do the map and book connect?; [Writing Prompt] Using one of the maps in the Scary Places Map Book to be the setting of a narrative that you write. Challenge yourself and try to include at least 5 of the events or characters mentioned in the map.

We Flagged: “Land of Mythical Monsters: Who better to lead a tour through the birthplace of the foulest, ugliest, and fiercest monsters of all time than Hercules, a legend himself. This tour is for experts only. Pack your best hiking shoes and sunscreen. Mighty Hercules will meet you at Athena’s Temple. You will trek through snowcapped mountains, sail to the sunny island of Crete, and hike back to the dark door to the Underworld. Test your skills and see if you can make it through the Minotaur’s famous labyrinth.” (p. 7)

Read This If You Loved: Lightning Thief (series) by Rick Riordan, Dracula Doesn’t Drink Lemonade by Debbie Dadey, All the Lovely Bad Ones (and others) by Marry Downing Hahn, The Case of the Deadly Desperados by Caroline Lawrence, A Tale Dark & Grimm by Adam Gidwitz, The Coming Storm (series) by Rob Kidd, The Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

Recommended For: