December 2014 – Page 3 – Unleashing Readers

Noodles & Albie by Eric Bennett

December 11, 2014December 11, 2014 by Kellee

Noodles & Albie
Author: Eric Bennett
Illustrator: Liz Bannish
Published January 1st, 2014 by Small Batch Books

Publisher’s Summary: Noodles, a young penguin, is on his first and very memorable adventure at sea in the mysterious Southern Ocean. When his fun takes a turn and Noodles discovers he is lost, he tries to find his way home before darkness sets in, meeting an
interesting cast of characters along the way. Noodles has nearly given up when he meets a friendly fish named Albie who knows the sea “like the back of my fin.” Together, they begin their journey. Children will go along for the ride while wondering if this duo will make it home to the penguin colony before dark. This charming and imaginative story is set against a backdrop of beautifully intricate watercolor illustrations that help bring it to life.

About the Author: A native of New York City, Eric Bennett’s passion for penguins began as a kid. After graduating Queens College, he opened the world’s first all-penguin shop at South Street Seaport. In time, Bennett began offering his retail rookery online when he launched PenguinGiftShop.com. “Penguin & Fish” was one of the many inspired stories Bennett would recite to entertain his daughters in car rides and at bedtime. Bennett showed the story to his artist friend, Liz Bannish, and soon Noodles & Albie came to be. Eric presently lives in Northampton, Massachusetts with his daughters and a few hundred penguins. This is his first book. Eric Bennett is available for interview. You may find out more about the author here: http://penguingiftshop.com/noodles-albie

About the Illustrator: Liz Bannish was raised in landlocked West Springfield, Massachusetts/Amherst and currently lives in Northampton. Bannish spends her time making art and thinking about her favorite sea creatures. You may find more of the author’s work at www.lizbannish.com.

Kellee’s Review: I love penguins, I love penguin books, and I love when I find a new, good penguin book. The penguin fan in me really loved that this book had the correct setting for penguins and included science about Antartica. The author also included a penguin Q&A at the end of the book which makes this book easily cross-curricular. Then the story goes into a picture book version of a hero’s journey filled with a side kick and lots of adventures. The teacher in me loved the journey, the descriptive language (great verbs and adjectives such as sleepy, cranky, stammered, yawned), and that the dialogue was colored in blue. Then underneath it all, a friendship theme runs deep throughout. Overall, a fun picture book that would be a fantastic read aloud.

Ricki’s Review: When I was a young reader, I remember that as books became more complex, there weren’t any pictures on the page. This was always disappointing to me. I particularly like this book because I think it would make a great transitional text for young readers. There are a lot of words on each page, but the illustrations are filled with just as much fun and adventure as the passages of text. Like Kellee, I loved the possibilities for interdisciplinary connections in the end matter. Kids will be inspired to learn more about penguins after reading this book.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This book would be a wonderful tool to use as a reading/science cross-curricular text. For reading, you can focus on the descriptive language, dialogue, and plot arc. Then for science, the book includes great information about penguins and Antarctica.

Discussion Questions: What other animals could Noodles have run into when on his adventure?; What other questions do you have about penguins? What new things did you learn?; Which of the words in the book were adjectives? Verbs?

We Flagged:

“”Hey, little penguin. Why so sad?” a voice called out. As Noodles looked around through the shadows a small fish swam toward him. “Are you lost?” asked the fish.
“I am,” said Noodles.” This is my first day in the ocean and I got separated form my friends and now I’m…I’m…”
“Lost,” the first said, finishing the penguin’s sentence.”

More Information About the Book and Author: You can find articles about the author and his book at Gazettenet and Mass Live.

Read This If You Loved: Penguin series by Salina Yoon, If You Were a Penguin by Florence Minor, Your Personal Penguin by Sandra Boynton, Penguins by Seymour Simon, Tacky series by Helen Lester, A Penguin Story by Antoinette Portis

Recommended For:

and

**Thank you to Carol for providing copies for review!**

The Lovesick Skunk by Joe Hayes

December 10, 2014December 10, 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!

The Lovesick Skunk
Author: Joe Hayes
Illustrator: Antonio Castro L.
Published November 9th, 2010 by Cinco Puntos Press

Goodreads Summary: Joe Hayes must have had a singular growing up in the Arizona desert because he sure loves to write stories about it. And he tells those stories of his so much to audiences all over the United States that it seems like the stories just get more and more fantastic. I bet you’ve already heard the first tall tale he wrote—The Gum-Chewing Rattler—about a rattlesnake who chewed bubblegum. Yes, it’s true. That scary snake even blew huuuuuge bubbles.

Now Joe has written a new story about his early years in Arizona. Joe, the kid, was a creature of habit. If he decided he liked to do something, he would do it over and over again. Like wear the same T-shirt until it nearly fell apart or use the same pencil until he’d sharpened it down to a nub. He also had a pair of black-and-white high-top sneakers that he loved to wear. He wore them every day. “Get rid of those shoes,” his mother told him one morning. “They smell terrible!”

Did Joe listen? Not until he met the back end of a skunk.

And this wasn’t just an ordinary skunk, but one who was lovesick.

But I’m not going to tell you who she was in love with. You’ll have to find that out for yourself.

About the Author: Joe Hayes is one of America’s premier storytellers, a nationally recognized teller of tales—true and tall—from the Hispanic, Native American, and Anglo cultures of the American Southwest.

My Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: The Lovesick Skunk reminds me of a tall-tale or other traditional literature. The way it is told, with a bit of humor and moral, and even how the book is set up with the whole page illustrations on one page and the text on the other are both reminiscent of traditional tales. I think Hayes’s story is a great introduction to personal narrative about a favorite object as well as writing a story with a moral. It could definitely be used as a mentor text.

Discussion Questions: Do you have anything, like Joe’s shoes, that are your very favorite and if you could wear them every day you would?; Do you think Joe thought about keeping his shoes even after the “Skunk incident?”

We Flagged:

Read This If You Loved: Family Pictures / Cuadros de Familia by Carmen Lomas Garza and other picture book memoirs

Recommended For:

**Thank you to John at Cinco Puntos Press for providing a copy for review**

Top Ten Tuesday: New-To-Us Authors We Read In 2014

December 14, 2014December 9, 2014 by Ricki

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

Today’s Topic: Top Ten New-To-Us Authors We Read In 2014

These are the authors we read and loved this year that were new to us.

Ricki

I knew about several of these authors, but I finally dove into their books this year!

1. Marcus Sedgwick

I enjoyed both Revolver and Midwinterblood this year. Sedgwick is an incredibly clever, unique author, and I am glad I discovered how great his writing is. It is a shame I didn’t get started on his books sooner! I plan to read many of his other books this year.

2. Deborah Wiles

I just discovered Freedom Summer, and I can’t wait to dive into her YA books this year. I’ve heard wonderful things about Revolution.

3. Oliver Jeffers

I read and enjoyed three books by Oliver Jeffers this year. This picture book author/illustrator is a genius. By the time Henry is five, I suspect I will have read every book he has written.

4. Bob Shea

Speaking of great picture book authors/illustrators, I was blown away by the fun that exists between the pages of Bob Shea’s works. After reading two of his stories, I can’t wait to read more by him.

5. Deborah Appleman

I was very impressed by her book which inspired a post about Teaching Critical Theory to ALL Students. Months after reading her book, I am still thinking about it.

Kellee

1. Oliver Jeffers

Like Ricki, I think Jeffers is a pure genius. Everything he writes is so unique and well done. The first one I read was Lost and Found when Trent was 14 days old, and I was sucked in.

2. Matt Tavares

I read Tavares’s 4 baseball biographies this year, and I was blown away with them. I loved how he lyrically tells the human and baseball story of each man.

3. Birgitta Sif

Like Jeffers, Sif is a picture book author who is like no other. Her illustrations are so soft yet impactful, and I love the protagonists of her stories.

4. Mem Fox

Although I did read one of her books in 2009, she truly made an impact this year. So many of our readers recommended her to me when Trent was born, and I can see why. She has a way with words.

5. Walden Finalists Sylvia Whitman, Patrick Flores-Scott, and Bill Konigsberg

And I cannot wait to read more!
(And yes, I did cheat a bit, but oh well!)

Which authors were new to you this year?

and

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 12/8/14

July 27, 2015December 8, 2014 by Kellee

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It’s also a great chance to see what others are reading right now…you just might discover the next “must-read” book!

Jen Vincent, of Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee decided to give It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit – join us! We love this meme and think you will, too.

We encourage everyone who participates to support the blogging community by visiting at least three of the other book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

Last Week’s Posts

Tuesday: Ricki’s NCTE/ALAN Reflection

Wednesday: Kellee’s NCTE/ALAN Reflection

Thursday: Ricki’s Top Books from NCTE/ALAN

Friday: Kellee’s Top Books from NCTE/ALAN

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: I did not read very much this week, and I have no excuse. Each night I just found myself booked, and then it was bedtime. I read a few pages of The Complete Persepolis and A Boy and a Jaguar by Alan Rabinowitz (BRILLIANT), but that’s all. I am having a bit of trouble just keeping up with everything right now, so unfortunately reading is getting pushed aside. I need to fix that because I feel like my mind is missing something.

Trent and I did continue to read though because that is a favorite time of day for me. We read Fifteen Animals by Sandra Boyton for the first time, and it made me laugh out loud when we read it the first time. We also read Boynton’s Barnyard Dance. If you have never heard the songs that go with some of Boynton’s books, you are missing out. Check them out! I love them, and we periodically listen to them as we read along. Trent also sat attentively for the entire Ivan: The Remarkable True Story by Katherine Applegate which is SUCH a compliment.

Ricki: This week, I read and enjoyed Arcady’s Goal by Eugene Yelchin (author of Breaking Stalin’s Nose). This beautifully illustrated novel is about an 12-year old orphan whose parents are “enemies of the people” during WWII Soviet Russia. He has a passion for soccer and wants to play for the Red Army. I liked how it crosses genres and can be considered historical fiction and sports fiction. This is one of those books that teachers love because it is very literary and also engaging. I was hooked from the first page and couldn’t put it down.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: I am going to finish The Complete Persepolis, so I can start in on my pile of books that I should have read already including Counting by 7s, A Snicker of Magic, and One for the Murphys and books I cannot wait to read including Fish in a Tree, All the Bright Places, Paper Cowboy, and Read Between the Lines. If nothing else, break is soon, and I cannot wait to read, read, read!

Ricki: I am halfway through Jennifer Niven’s All the Bright Places, and I am savoring it. So far–wow, wow, wow. I love it.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

top ten tuesday

Tuesday: Top Ten New-to-Us Authors We Read in 2014

Friday: Author Guest Post from Dorothy Heart, Author of Wolf Chronicles series

So, what are you reading?

Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on at least 3 other blogs. If you tweet about your Monday post, tag the tweet with #IMWAYR!

and

Kellee’s NCTE/ALAN Top Books

July 27, 2015December 5, 2014 by Kellee

Part of what makes NCTE/ALAN so worthwhile and amazing is that I get introduced to new-to-me books and upcoming releases. Today I want to share with you some books I’m excited about and some books I’m excited to share with my students.

9 (+1) Books I Am Excited About Reading

This was a really, really hard list to make. There are so many I want to read! I had to just pick the ones that stuck with me the most; however, almost every book presented at ALAN is one I hope to read.

The Alex Crow (and the other Andrew Smith books I got) by Andrew Smith

I loved Stick and Winger, so I want to read everything by him.

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

This was a must-get at ALAN, and I am so glad I got one. It is supposed to be amazing.

When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds

Jason Reynolds was one of the most entrancing speakers at ALAN, so I don’t know how you wouldn’t want to read his books. Also, the line from the summary “a small misunderstanding can escalate into having a price on your head—even if you’re totally clean” just sucks me in.

King Dork Approximately (and King Dork) by Frank Portman

I wanted to read King Dork when it first came out and never got to it then when I saw the sequel at ALAN and heard Frank Portman speak (on the hilarious music panel), I knew I finally had to read it.

Like Water on Stone by Dana Walrath

Karen Hesse, one of my favorite authors, says it is a mix of The Book Thief and Between Shades of Gray. Sold.

Some Assembly Required by Arin Andrews

Rethinking Normal by Katie Rain Hill

Arin and Katie’s books are on my list because of their panel and because I want to try to understand, be compassionate, and be empathetic towards every type of person. I cannot wait to read their stories.

Positive: A Memoir by Paige Rawl

Paige was born HIV positive, and this is her story.

The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski

I love Marie’s story about her book was inspired by the stock term where winning costs more than it was worth, so I am interested in learning about how she turned this into a high fantasy novel.

Honorary. The Porcupine of Truth by Bill Konigsberg
(Honorary because I didn’t get it at NCTE, but I want to read it so badly!)

Bill let me read the first page. Then he took the book. That was mean.

11 Books I Am Excited About Reading AND Sharing With My Students

These are all middle school books that I have not read and want to, and I also want to share them with my students because they sound so great!

Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan

Everyone who has read this loved it, and who is surprised? No one! It is Pam Munoz Ryan!

The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart

Twitterverse is atwitter about this book. Tissues are in my future.

The Art of Secrets by James Klise

I met James Klise at ALAN, and he was such a pleasure. Also, the story of how this community rallies around a hate crime victim.

Kinda Like Brothers by Coe Booth

I truly enjoy Coe Booth’s YA novel Bronxwood, so I am looking forward to reading her middle grade novel.

The Madman of Piney Woods by Christopher Paul Curtis

Christopher. Paul. Curtis.

Nnewts by Doug TenNapel

My students and I love Doug TenNapel. I already read this one, and I already have a student who wants it (and when others find out about it, there will be a waiting list). Doug TenNapel is so unique and fun!

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

I am always looking for more well written sports books! Also, Kwame was such a pleasure to meet and was a favorite panelist.

Gameworld by C.J. Farley

My students love video games, so I am excited to read a book about video games. Heir Apparent by Vivian Vande Velde was pretty popular a few years ago, so maybe I need to pull it and this one out together.

Knock Out Games by G. Neri

I love Ghetto Cowboy and Yummy, so I cannot wait to read/share this one.

How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon

Trayvon Martin was shot and killed about 40 minutes from my school. It was a very close-to-home event. I love that this book would start a conversation about what happened and why.

Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman

The summary sounds fascinating and leaves so much for me to speculate. I want to know! And Neal Shusterman’s novels are always well received, so I know this one will be too.

If you were at NCTE/ALAN, what books are you looking forward to reading? If you were not able to attend, what books are you looking forward to reading out of these?

P.S. There are so many great books shared that I had already read or shared with my students, so they were not included on this list. These are all books that I hadn’t heard of, owned, or read before NCTE/ALAN.

Ricki’s NCTE/ALAN Top Ten Books

July 27, 2015December 4, 2014 by Ricki

Ricki’s Top Books from NCTE/ALAN (What?! I am actually picking ten?)

This may be the most painful post I write this year. I wrote Kellee an email last night that said, “I just can’t do it. I can’t pick ten! And imagine I went through my boxes before I wrote the post? I can’t do it, Kellee.” I can’t believe I agreed with Kellee (before the conference) that we should write this post. I am an idiot. Really…how do I pick from the piles and piles of books I received at NCTE/ALAN? My stomach hurts as I write this introduction.

In the end, I have decided to do this post from memory. I am not going to comb through my boxes to look for my favorites. I am going to list the books that stick in my head. That doesn’t mean these are the best, but these are the ones that are the first ten that are imprinted in my skull, a few weeks later:

(In alphabetical order):

1. The Alex Crow by Andrew Smith

I love Andrew Smith and find his books to be exceptionally entertaining and literary (a tough balance for many authors). I am excited I received this one.

2. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

A friend and publisher representative highly recommended this book, and frankly, I read everything she recommends because she is always right. The way she described it made me realize I would have to resist the urge to lock myself in my hotel room and read it (rather than attending the rest of the conference).

3. Breakout by Kevin Emerson

I was speaking with Kevin (the author), and imagine our shock when we learned that we attended the same high school! I am ashamed I haven’t read his books (Carlos is Gonna Get It), and after learning about this one, I am thrilled to read it!

4. Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Read the description of this book. I dare you to resist reading it.

5. How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon

Kekla Magoon is one of my favorite authors, so I was thrilled to receive this new book by her.

6. Killer Instinct by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

You can’t leave a conversation with Jennifer Lynn Barnes without thinking about how incredibly insightful and intelligent she is. I’ve heard this book gives you the creepy-crawly feeling. A friend related it to the television show, Criminal Minds. It is the second in the series, but I hear that each can be read alone—as long as you are okay with learning who the killer of the first book in the beginning pages of the second book.

7. Like Water on Stone by Dana Walrath

Someone described this to me as The Book Thief meets Between Shades of Grey. Sign me up.

8. Market Maze by Roxie Munro

A colorful maze picture book that describes how food gets to our tables. Doesn’t that sound neat?

9. When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds

After hearing Jason speak, I think everyone in the audience wanted his book. Wow.

10. Wildlife by Fiona Wood

I had the pleasure of meeting Fiona Wood, and she was such a well-spoken, kind soul. She is from Australia, and thank goodness we nabbed her book in the USA. I am very excited to read it.

That was both exciting and painful at the same time. If you ask me tomorrow, I am sure my top ten will be a little bit different, but these books really stick out in my head (right now).

Kellee’s NCTE/ALAN Reflection

June 27, 2015December 3, 2014 by Kellee

The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) annual conference followed by the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents (ALAN) workshop is a must for my teacher soul. It is the time I get to completely immerse myself in education and books. It truly recharges me each year, and I cannot imagine missing it.

This year was a bit different for me though. I usually attend all 4 days of NCTE and both days of ALAN, but this year I wasn’t able to attend all of NCTE (only Saturday). Unfortunately, this meant fewer sessions for me, but I was lucky enough to bring Trent and Jim with me and spend some family time (with my sister, too!) on Sunday.

I was able to attend both days of ALAN though. These two days are just so special. It is pure immersion into book culture. Like Ricki said yesterday, please consider joining this amazing assembly. I love being part of an organization that truly believes in getting good books into the hands of kids.

Teaching Graphic Novels panel
- On Saturday morning I was lucky enough to be part of a wonderful panel with Nathan Hale, Cece Bell, Trevor Pryce, and Frank Cammuso where we discussed the rationale behind graphic novels in the classroom, and I shared activities from my Amulet Books Graphic Novels Teaching Guide and El Deafo Teaching Guide. My presentation can be found on my slideshare if you are interested.
Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award presentation
- I was the 2014 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award chair, so that meant I had the honor of presenting the award as well as participating in a panel with ALL FIVE of the recipients. All five honorees had not attended ALAN in years, so I was super excited to have them all there. Although I was a bit nervous, I really think it went well! I loved working with and speaking with the five amazing authors, and I specifically tried to have an intense focus on why their books were honored for the award. If you want to learn more about the Walden award visit here. If you haven’t read these books yet, you definitely should!
Meeting authors
- Each year one of the biggest highlights is being able to meet the best authors in children’s/middle grade/young adult literature. This year was no different! I love chatting with them and sharing my (or my students’) love for their books. Here are photos of some of the authors I saw. I wasn’t able to get photos of everyone including Gareth Hinds, Meg Medina, Marissa Moss, Trudy Ludwig, Steve Sheiken, George O’Connor, Kekla Magoon, Chris Lynch, Brandon Sanderson, G. Neri, Sylvia Whitman, Marie Rutkoski, E. Lockhart, Adele Griffin, and Laurel Snyder (I cannot believe I didn’t get photos with/of all of these great authors! But you get talking, and then it is over. Or the photo is blurry. *sigh*).
- (Top to bottom; left to right): Andrew Smith, Heidi Stemple & Jane Yolen, Patrick Flores-Scott, Sarah Mlynowski, Cory Doctorow, Raina Telgemeier, Matt de la Pena, James Dashner (with letter from my students), Ann M. Martin (yes, I cried!), Cynthia Lord, Melissa Sweet, Andrea Davis Pinkney, Neal Shusterman and his son Brandon, Coe Booth, Christopher Paul Curtis, Rainbow Rowell, Bill Konigsberg, Jon Klassen, Jon Sciezska, David Lubar, and Kwame Alexander!
ALAN
- Keynote by Libba Bray: Libba threw down the gauntlet. Her keynote addressed gender in publishing, in books, and gender stereotypes. It was powerful.
- Panel about music in books: This panel featured Mary Amato, Frank Portman, and Len Vlahos, and they cracked me up while also focusing on the power of music.
- Panel about online fandom, gaming, and social networking: I loved that ALAN decided to have this as a panel because it is so current and something that we really need to be thinking and talking about. The panel included Melissa de la Cruz, C.J. Farley, and Sarah Mlynowski.
- Panel about nonfiction texts about transgendered teens: This panel consisted of 2 transgendered teens (Arin Andrews, author of Some Assembly Required and Katie Hill, author of Rethinking Normal) , their mothers. This panel was touching, impacting, and so special.
- Exchange table: I love talking books, and the exchange table gives me a chance to help teachers find the best books for their classroom. It also allows for me to organize things which I also love.
  - (I know at this point it seems like I am copying Ricki, but the things she highlighted were a wonderful part of my experience as well.)

Reconnecting with Friends
- This is the one time of the year where I get to see many of my education/book/blog friends face to face. It is like a family reunion! This year was a bit difficult to really hang out since I didn’t arrive until late Friday and I had Trent with me, but I am so glad that I got to see many of my friends. I tried really, really hard to get more photos this year than I have in the past, and I succeeded, but still did not get photos with everyone. I missed getting photos with Lee Ann Spillane, Beth Scanlon, Lee Corey, Beth Shaum, Cindy Minnich, Karin Perry, Teri Lesesne, Lois Buckman, David Gill, Sarah Gross, Alyson Beecher, Cynthia Alaniz, Susan Dee, Paul Hankins, Terri Suico, Gary Anderson, Chris Lehman, Katherine Sokolowski, Tony Keefer, Teresa Bunner, Jen Vincent, and many more! Here are just some of the friends I did get photos with:
  
  (Top to bottom, left to right): Jen Vincent, Jennifer Shettel, Kim McCollum-Clark, Donalyn Miller, Cathy Blackler, Jennifer Fountain, Mark Lechter, Sarah Anderson, Brian Wyzlic, Gigi McAllister, Jillian Heise, and Jen Ansbach (Sorry for some of the bad quality! Selfies and bad lighting don’t always equal a good photo.)
Books!
- What more do I have to say?! Books galore! I cannot wait to dive into the new books I learned about!
Last, but so not least: RICKI AND HENRY!
- I got to see Ricki and Henry!!! *happy dance*

I am so sad that NCTE/ALAN 2014 is over, but I’m already looking ahead to next year where I cannot wait to see my book family, meet more authors, and continue learning to be the best teacher I can be!