December 2016 – Page 2 – Unleashing Readers

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 12/19/16

December 19, 2016December 19, 2016 by Kellee

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

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme started by Sheila at Book Journeys and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. 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!

Kellee and Jen, of Teach Mentor Texts, 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

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

Tuesday: Top Books We Want to Read That We Heard About at NCTE/ALAN

Wednesday: On the Construction Site by Carron Brown

Thursday: The Secret Side of Empty by Maria E. Andreu

Friday: Noodles’ and Albie’s Birthday Surprise by Eric Bennett

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Tricky Gods” by Dorothy A. Winsor, Author of Deep as a Tomb

Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

I read some phenomenal nonfiction this week! First I read two titles from National Geographic that I highly recommend! First, Dining with Dinosaurs is a must buy for any dinosaur fan. It is a fascinating look at the different categories of -vores and how dinosaurs fit into them. I also read Arabian Nights by Donna Jo Napoli. This short story anthology of Arabian mythology was fascinating, captivating, and beautifully written and illustrated. The layers of themes and stories built upon each other to create a collection that is a wonderful introduction to true traditional literature.

In addition to these two NF texts, I began trying to catch up on the 2016 nonfiction texts that my friends Aly and Michele are listing as in the running for the Sibert. This is my first year not taking part in the Mock Sibert with Aly of Kid Lit Frenzy because I just hadn’t read enough 2016 NF during the year, but as soon as Michele and Aly put out their lists (here, here, here, and here), I started requesting titles from my library. I have gotten through four of the titles so far, but I will definitely be reading more this week. I highly recommend all four, but my favorite so far has to be Ada’s Violin by Susan Hood.

Ricki

This week, I’ve been rereading a lot of picture books with Henry. He’s asked me to reread Shivery Shades of Halloween by Mary McKenna Siddals and Shy by Deborah Freedman. He’s also strangely obsessed with the new graphic novel, Fish Girl by David Wiesner and Donna Jo Napoli. He isn’t the target audience, but he loves it.

A few books that I am considering using in my Teaching of Language Arts course that I am rereading are They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel, Love That Dog by Sharon Creech, and Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson. I have others on my list of books to re-read, but I decided to get an early jump on these.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

I am definitely going to read more nonfiction before next week. I’ll have my Sibert prediction for you then. I have at least four more to read including Jazz Day by Roxane Orgill and Giant Squid by Candace Fleming.

I just started Mexican Whiteboy by Matt de la Peña which is on my #mustreadin2016 list, and I am sucked in. After I finish this, I have a pile of #mustreadin2016 titles, Mock Newbery titles, and books I need to read for review; I’ll let you know what I am able to get to.

Ricki

I’ve been doing some traveling this week, and I have been enjoying For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood…And the Rest of Y’all Too: Reality Pedagogy and Urban Education by Christopher Emdin.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

top ten tuesday

Tuesday: Ten Books We Wouldn’t Mind Santa Bringing Our Boys

Wednesday: How the World Was: A California Childhood by Emmanuel Guiber

Friday: Wishapick by M.M. Allen

Sunday: MERRY CHRISTMAS to all of our friends and followers who celebrate!

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!

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Author Guest Post: “Tricky Gods” by Dorothy A. Winsor, Author of Deep as a Tomb

December 18, 2016 by Kellee

Tricky Gods

When you write a story set in a made-up or secondary world, one of the small but significant problems you run into is giving characters a good way to call on their god(s). They could be cursing, invoking a deity as witness, or maybe asking for a god’s help.

This is challenging because in a secondary-world story, the author makes up things like the god(s), the cultural notions of the afterlife, and what kind of supernatural creatures might be around to tempt or help a character. A character can’t say “hell” if the culture doesn’t believe in such a place, or “she looked like an evil cherub” if the world doesn’t have cherubs.

My first novel, Finders Keepers, is a middle-grade book which compounds the problem because people are naturally sensitive about their child being “taught” religious beliefs other than their own. In some ways, secondary world fantasy eases this problem because the made-up world makes it clearer that this is all pretend. Of course, the furor around witchcraft in Harry Potter shows that some folks are particularly guarded, which I completely understand and see as their right, though I know it means they’re unlikely to enjoy a lot fantasy novels, possibly including mine.

Assuming a reader is open to a world with different gods, though, how does the writer deal with how to invoke them? When I was drafting Finders Keepers, I was reading Patrick Rothfuss’s Name of the Wind, a wonderful adult fantasy. One of the characters in that book uses the exclamation “tiny gods.” I found that charming and suggestive of a whole world of beliefs that’s never spelled out.

So I asked myself, what would my characters say about the gods in Finders Keepers? The answer, I thought, depended on what those gods were like. And, not to sound too delusional, it occurred to me that I was the god of this book. I created the world and the characters. I decided what would happen to them. I even made the weather.

And what kind of god am I? I am, I hope, a tricky one. I believe the character who’s walking along thinking today went pretty well should have the fish cart next to her turn over and bury her in mackerel. I think the one who’s waiting to deliver a vital message to the duke should have a spark fly from the fire and set the message ablaze. The banana peels of life should be spread thickly in a character’s path.

Sorry, characters, but good times make bad stories.

So Cade and Roth look with awed disbelief at how the world treats them and breathe, “Tricky gods.”

I take it as a compliment.

Deep as a Tomb
Author: Dorothy A. Winsor
Published October 12th, 2016 by Loose Leaves Publishing

Summary: Sixteen-year-old Myla feels the land in her blood and bones. Royal heir Beran wants revenge for murder. Forest native Kaven wants to protect Myla from every danger.

Like her people, the Westreachers, Myla’s tied to the green world through tombs the forest made when it made the people. So when she finds she can open tombs long thought sealed, she’s thrilled – until her father demands she use her power to help him rebel against the king. Myla would rather mix herbal remedies and spend time with Kaven, whose family is hip deep in debt and secrets.

Prince Beran is sent to impress the people of Westreach so the council will confirm him as King’s Heir. He’s to use his power to forward the king’s goals, but on his first day, an anonymous forester murdered the guard he loved like a father. Stone royal duty, because Beran wants revenge… he’s willing to make enemies everywhere to find the killer.

Thrown together as fosterlings in the same household, Myla, Beran, and Kaven must each decide how far they’re willing to use personal and political power to get what they want.

About the Author: Dorothy A. Winsor is originally from Detroit but moved to Iowa in 1995. She still blinks when she sees a cornfield outside her living room window. For about a dozen years, she taught technical writing at Iowa State University and served as the editor of the Journal of Business and Technical Communication. She’s won six national awards for outstanding research on the communication practices of engineers. She lives with her husband, who engineers tractors, and has one son, the person who first introduced her to the pleasure of reading fantasy. Finders Keepers (Zharmae, 2015), her first novel, was a finalist in the e-book fiction category of the Eric Hoffer Awards. Her young adult fantasy, Deep as a Tomb, was published in October 2016 by Loose Leaves Publishing.

Thank you, Dorothy!

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Noodles’ and Albie’s Birthday Surprise by Eric Bennett

December 16, 2016 by Kellee

Noodles’ and Albie’s Birthday Surprise
Author: Eric Bennett
Illustrator: Milanka Reardon
Published December 9th, 2016

Summary: Noodles’ & Albie’s Birthday Surprise is the continuing adventures of Noodles (a penguin) and Albie (his fish friend). The story takes place on the day of Noodles birthday, which happens to be December 24th. While waiting for his party to start, Noodles and his friends play on the ice while a group of red jacket wearing tourists from a nearby cruise ship take the penguins pictures. Meanwhile, his friend Albie is under the sea searching for the perfect birthday gift for Noodles. She eventually comes across an old compass from a sunken treasure chest, which is perfect for Noodles as in the first Noodles & Albie story (2014), he had some major sense of direction issues. After giving Noodles his compass, the two friends head off for a day at Polar Kingdom, the world’s greatest undersea amusement park. After a fun day, the pair begin their journey home, but soon notice a red glow up ahead on the oceans surface. The glow it turns out is coming from the nose of one of the strange animals they come across stranded on an ice floe, along with a mysterious red jacket wearing “tourist” with a white beard, and a sled full of boxes. It turns out the mysterious tourist is lost because his assistants insisted he try a GPS devise to help guide him. Now the chubby, old man is hopelessly lost. Not only is he lost, but he’s on a deadline, and he’s in Antarctica. He can’t find his way back on track because it’s always daylight in Antarctica in December, and the poor tourist can’t even see the North Star to navigate. He needs to get North and fast. Will Noodles help the lost tourist by giving him his compass?

Review: Noodles’ and Albie’s Birthday Surprise takes readers on a second adventure of two best friends that is just as wonderful as the first and with a delightful cameo the reader doesn’t see coming. Teachers and students will find much to discuss as they read this humorous, clever tale. After reading the first of Noodles’ and Albie’s stories, we were happy to hear that Eric had written a second to allow us to go on even more adventures with these great friends.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: While reading aloud Noodles’ and Albie’s Birthday Surprise, there are many opportunities for think alouds and discussions such as predicting what Noodles will do, discussing the end of the book as well as the characters’ traits, and discussing birthday and holiday celebrations.

Discussion Questions: What character traits does Noodles and Albie show throughout the story? Include evidence for each trait.; What is the best birthday you have ever had?; How did the lost traveler know where Noodles lived?

Flagged Passages:

Read This If You Loved: Noodles and Albie by Eric Bennett, 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, Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

Recommended For:

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**Thank you to the author for providing copies for review!**

The Secret Side of Empty by Maria E. Andreu

December 15, 2016 by Ricki

The Secret Side of Empty
Author: Maria E. Andreu
Published: March 11, 2014 by Running Press

Summary: As a straight-A student with a budding romance and loyal best friend, M.T.’s life seems as apple-pie American as her blondish hair and pale skin. But M.T. hides two facts to the contrary: her full name of Monserrat Thalia and her status as an undocumented immigrant.

But it’s harder to hide now that M.T.’s a senior. Her school’s National Honor Society wants her to plan their trip abroad, her best friend won’t stop bugging her to get her driver’s license, and all everyone talks about is where they want to go to college. M.T. is pretty sure she can’t go to college, and with high school ending and her family life unraveling, she’s staring down a future that just seems empty. In the end, M.T. will need to trust herself and others to stake a claim in the life that she wants.

Author Maria E. Andreu draws from her personal experience as a (formerly) undocumented immigrant to explore an issue that affects over one million children in the U.S. But while the subject matter is timely, it is M.T.’s sharp, darkly funny voice and longing for a future that makes this story universally poignant.

My Review: In the last year, I have met many people who have told me that they were or are undocumented immigrants. Immigration reform is a hot topic in politics right now, and I can’t help but wonder if people are thinking about others in terms of their humanity. I’ve become increasingly heavy-hearted as I have listened to speeches about immigration, and I longed to learn more about the topic. After searching news articles, research studies, statistics, and government websites, I felt that I needed more story, and so I picked up this book from the library. It received excellent reviews, and I understand why. The author draws upon her personal experiences as a formerly undocumented immigrant, and the narrator, M. T., feels very real. I learned about some of the struggles undocumented immigrants experience, and I am grateful for all that I learned from this book. M. T. deals with other complex issues beyond her immigrant status—relationship issues, domestic abuse, and contemplations of suicide. There is so much to discuss regarding the text. I loved the book and am so glad I found it. I highly recommend it.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This is a fantastic book to discuss undocumented immigrants with students. It would be wonderful to help students consider aspects of immigration reform and explore other perspectives. The author is featured in this article about Donald Trump.

Discussion Questions: How might the author’s perspective have influenced her work?; What do you learn about immigration? How does this influence, change, or solidify your beliefs?; How does M. T.’s relationship with Nate evolve? Do you agree with everything he did?; Did M. T. make the right decision to leave home? Why or why not?

Flagged Passage: I will always be a stranger everywhere. With my parents, I am too American. With Americans, I am a spectator with my nose pressed against their windowpanes, watching their weird rituals and rites of passage, never quite understanding them completely. A little chunk of me will always be a stranger everywhere, different chunks of stranger in different situations. (p. 98).

Read This Book If You Loved: Return to Sender by Julia Alvarez, Ask Me No Questions by Marina Budhos, Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok, Illegal by Bettina Restrepo

Recommended For:

On the Construction Site: A Shine-A-Light Book by Carron Brown

December 14, 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!

On the Construction Site: A Shine-A-Light Book
Author: Carron Brown
Illustrator: Bee Johnson
Published July 6th, 2016 by Ivy Press

Goodreads Summary: Watch a skyscraper spring up with this beautifully illustrated interactive book! By simply holding the book up to the light, or shining a light behind each page, young readers will be able to discover how large buildings are constructed, who builds them, and all about the amazing machines they use in the process. The innovative see-through feature fulfils a similar function to lift-the-flaps books, but has the added interactive dimension of the child being able to see both the surface and the hidden picture at the same time.

Kellee’s Review: Trent is enthralled with this book! Not only does it have a question and answer set up, you have to use a flashlight on the back of the pages to reveal the answer, and the answers all include construction vehicles–this is a win-win-win for Trent! After going through an obsessive time with this book, Trent was even sleeping with his flashlight. Trent also is fascinated and a bit fearful of shadows, so we used the book as a way to discuss how shadows work.

Ricki’s Review: What a clever, clever concept! My son had a blast reading this book. He clapped as I held each page up to the light to reveal the neat construction site images behind each page. Because he is young, I don’t think he quite understood how they worked, so I attributed it to magic. There is a lot of great information in this book, and we had fun learning all about how construction sites work. I will definitely be purchasing more books from the Shine-A-Light series in the future.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: On the Construction Site is a wonderful text to start conversations about shadows; construction of a skyscraper; and construction vehicles, planning, and careers. Also with its Q&A text structure, it will start conversations as you read the text and see the construction of the building. It’ll be a perfect read aloud and think aloud for early ed classrooms.

Discussion Questions: What steps must the workers take to build a skyscraper?; What safety items did you see on the construction site?; How does the Shine-a-Light books work?; What construction vehicles take part in the building of the skyscraper?; What different jobs are there on the construction site?

Flagged Passages: This is a little bit different. Instead of a flagged passage, we are sharing a You Tube video from the publisher that shows how Shine-A-Light books work and shows the other titles in the series.

Read This If You Love: Anything construction!

Recommended For:

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**Thank you to Lynn at Kane Miller for providing copies for review!**

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten TBR Books We Learned About at NCTE/ALAN

December 13, 2016 by Kellee

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: Ten TBR Books We Learned About at NCTE/ALAN

Ricki

I knew about several of these books before I went to NCTE/ALAN, but actually going to the conference and talking to the authors and publishers made me even more excited about them. I could make a list that has dozens of books on it, but these five came to my head first, and I am genuinely excited about all of them!

1. The Smell of Other People’s Houses by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock

Speaking with this author was truly a joy. She was interesting and funny, and it made me really want to read her book.

2. Riding Chance by Christine Kendall

This book is a really interesting premise. After he takes a wrong turn, a young man is sentenced to the stables. I am excited to read this book.

3. Wish by Barbara O’Connor

The cover immediately drew me in. I saw a few bloggers posting positive reviews of this book, but when I actually held it in my hand, I couldn’t wait to crack the cover!

4. Gem and Dixie by Sara Zarr

I have a very strong bond with my sister, so I am really inspired to read this book. I started it on the plane and really enjoyed it.

5. Piper Perish by Kayla Cagan

I love reading about art, and listening to this author made me quite excited to read this book. Several of my friends have read it and loved it. They said they couldn’t put it down!

Kellee

After NCTE/ALAN, I went home and immediately read a few of the titles I received such as The Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas, The Outside Circle by Patti Laboucane-Benson, Loving Vs. Virginia by Patricia Hruby Powell, HiLo: The Great Big Boon by Judd Winick, but here are five books I haven’t gotten to yet that I plan on reading soon.

1. Ghost by Jason Reynolds

Jason Reynolds’s book Ghost was a National Book Award Finalist, is one of my book club’s Mock Newbery choices, and sounds amazing–I need to read it sooner than later. Also, listening to Jason Reynolds describe how running is equivalent to teaching yourself how to suffocate and how he incorporated that idea into this book made me want to read it even more.

2. Scythe by Neal Shusterman

My students and I always adore Neal Shusterman’s work. He just has a way of coming up with the most unique ideas then making them work in such brilliant ways. Oh, and Neal read some of this at ALAN–MUST READ!

3. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

I think if I didn’t put this on here, Leigh’s legion of fans would be so disgusted by me. Every time I said I hadn’t read this while at NCTE/ALAN, I was met with a face of pure shock. I’ll get to it soon, everyone!

4. Lion Island by Margarita Engle

Margarita Engle is one of my favorite authors, and her books in verse that deal with forgotten or hidden histories are always so beautiful and interesting. I very much look forward to learning about this time in Cuba’s history and go on this journey with Antonio.

5. Ashes by Laurie Halse Anderson

IT IS FINALLY OUT! I cannot believe I haven’t read it yet, but I haven’t, but I will! If you haven’t read Chains or Forge, do it now then you can read Ashes with me!

If you attended NCTE or ALAN, what books did you learn about that you want to read?

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 12/12/16

December 12, 2016 by Kellee

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

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

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

Tuesday: Ten New-to-Me Authors I Read for the First Time in 2016

Wednesday: Mean Machines: Supercars (Mean Machine Series) by Kane Miller Books

Thursday: Hundred Percent by Karen Romano Young

Friday: Be Light Like a Bird by Monika Schröder

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “This is Useful for Teachers” by Mark Geatches, Author of Tamar and PJ: One Giant Adventure

Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

I did a book path (similar to a book pass but the kids move) of all my new books for the classroom library (from NCTE/ALAN and a book order), and these were three that I wanted to read before students checked them out and they did not get returned until the end of the year. All three books were quite good! The 3rd HiLo may just be my favorite because we’re really starting to get into HiLo’s story, Dog Man is such a ridiculous premise but also so funny, and Double Down shows me that the last couple of Diary of a Wimpy Kid books weren’t a fluke and Greg is actually growing up some.

Wishapick by M.M. Allen is a fun introduction to the world of fantasy novels and will also be perfect to give to fans of the Spiderwick Chronicles.

I also finally had the pleasure to read Some Writer! by Melissa Sweet this week. I can definitely see why there is so much hype around this book. I loved Sweet’s picture book biographies but this one goes to a whole new level. Brilliantly crafted, illustrated, and written!

Ricki

I am excited that I just submitted a manuscript for publication. I worked on it all week, so I was more productive with my writing than my reading. I’ve also been reading excerpts from textbooks to try to decide which books to use next semester with my pre-service teachers. I will share more about these later. 🙂

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

I have some lofty December goals! First, I want to finish my #mustreadin2016 titles, and I have four more: Enchanted Air by Margarita Engle, Hook’s Revenge: The Pirate Code, Mexican Whiteboy by Matt de la Peña, and The Nest by Kenneth Oppel (though I may only read 3 of them; I keep trying to read The Nest, and it is just too creepy for me).

I also want to try to read some of our Mock Newbery titles in preparation for our voting on January 19th (the 2016 Youth Media Award announcements will take place on Monday, Jan. 23, at 8 a.m. ET).

Ricki

I am just about finished with The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon, and it is incredible. I can’t wait to share more about it!

I am about to start For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood…And the Rest of Y’all Too: Reality Pedagogy and Urban Education by Christopher Emdin. This book is very relevant to my work, so I am very excited to read and learn from it.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

top ten tuesday

Tuesday: Top Books We Want to Read That We Heard About at NCTE/ALAN

Wednesday: On the Construction Site by Carron Brown

Thursday: The Secret Side of Empty by Maria E. Andreu

Friday: Noodles’ and Albie’s Birthday Surprise by Eric Bennett

So, what are you reading?

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