December 2017 – Page 3 – Unleashing Readers

Prince and Pirate by Charlotte Gunnufson

December 7, 2017 by Ricki

Prince and Pirate
Author: Charlotte Gunnufson
Illustrator: Mike Lowery
Anticipated Publication: May 9, 2017 by Putnam

Goodreads Summary: When two little fish with big personalities have to share the same tank, there are rough seas ahead!

Prince and Pirate are proud masters of their very own fishbowls, and life goes along swimmingly–until they’re scooped up and plopped into shared waters.
Prince is horrified to find this cheeky cod trespassing in his kingdom.
Pirate is sure this scurvy sea slug has come to plunder his treasure.
Thus, a battle of regal sneers, seaworthy stink-eyes, and off-the-hook insults begins.
Prince and Pirate’s hilarious duel for territory will elicit gales of giggles, hearty guffaws, and heartfelt smiles. Just when it seems their struggle might end in a silly stalemate, a little surprise convinces them to find a way to get along–swimmingly.

Ricki’s Review: My son has Charlotte Gunnufson’s Halloween Hustle, and we read it quite often. He loves the kooky characters and fun within the text. Prince and Pirate is no different. I loved reading this book aloud, and my son was giggling as turned each page. The book is cleverly crafted, and the words and illustrations pop off of the pages. I can’t help but think about how the author conceptualized the novel. I imagine her looking at a fishbowl and thinking about the characters amongst her fish. This book would make a wonderful text to spur creative writing amongst students. I think their imaginations would soar after reading it.

Kellee’s Review: I think Mike Lowery’s illustrations are so much fun and add such a special personality to any story, and with this book, his illustrations met a story that definitely lived up to his standards. (I also want to compliment the book’s designer who also made the font as fun as the illustrations.) Prince and Pirate were loners who all of a sudden are forced to live together and do. not. like. it. However, when they both have the same goal to try to reach, they are able to cooperate and learn to work (and live) together. Through humor and ridiculous name calling, Gunnufson tells a story that shows how differences don’t have to be the end of a possible friendship.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Teachers might ask students to create their own fish characters. They could use the prince and pirate as a model and design a similar text. This book serves as a wonderful mentor text for learning about how to build character and/or teaching dialogue. Don’t forget to check out the Educator’s Guide along with other fun, free activities on the author’s website, https://www.booksbycharlotte.com/activities.

Discussion Questions: How do you think the author conceptualized this book?; How do the words and illustrations work together to form an effective story?; How does the author build character? What other fish characters might emerge in the story? How would the story be different if the author introduce a ____ type of fish?

Flagged Spread:

Read This If You Loved: Halloween Hustle by Charlotte Gunnufson; Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast by Josh Funk; Whose Story is This, Anyway? by Mike Flaherty; Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin, Doodle Adventures by Mike Lowery

Recommended For:

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Nina: Jazz Legend and Civil-Rights Activist Nina Simone by Alice Brière-Haquet

December 6, 2017 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!

Nina: Jazz Legend and Civil-Rights Activist Nina Simone
Author: Alice Brière-Haquet
Illustrator: Bruno Liance
Published December 5th, 2017 by Charlesbridge Publishing

Summary: “To be young, gifted, and black.”

A stunning picture-book biography of the High Priestess of Soul and one of the greatest voices of the 20th century.

With evocative black-and-white illustrations and moving prose, readers are introduced to Nina Simone, jazz-music legend and civil-rights activist. Shared as a lullaby to her daughter, a soulful song recounts Simone’s career, the trials she faced as an African American woman, and the stand she took during the Civil Rights Movement. This poignant picture book offers a melodic tale that is both a historic account of an iconic figure and an extraordinary look at how far we’ve come and how far we still need to go for social justice and equality. A timeless and timely message aptly appropriate for today’s social and political climates.

Review: Although Nina is just a taste into who Nina Simone was as it only introduces her talent as a pianist and shares her beliefs in regards to civil rights. Set up as a lullaby that Nina is singing to her child, the story recounts her love of music and learning about the racism within our nation as well as a story where she stood up to inequality at one of her piano concerts. The lyrics and illustrations are dreamy and perfectly fit the purpose of the story: to introduce and intrigue the reader when it comes to Nina Simone.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: I do wish that there had been back matter that went more in depth into Simone’s contribution to jazz and civil rights; however, without them existing, this nonfiction picture book allows for a perfect change for inquiry. Now that students have been introduced to Nina, have stations/centers focusing on different parts of her life, jazz, or the Civil Rights Movement.

Discussion Questions:

How does the illustration on the bus use the idea of the piano to symbolize the relationship between White and Black citizens in the early 1900s?
What techniques do the author and illustrator use to make the book seem lullaby-eque?
How did the imagery of the single black chair symbolize the racism that occurred at Simone’s concert?
How does the author tie in Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement?

Flagged Passages:

“‘The white keys are whole notes and the black keys are flats, or half notes,’ my teacher explained.

I asked why.

‘Because that’s just the way it is.’

Yes, that’s the way it was. White was whole. Black was half. It was that way everywhere and for everyone.

I could have held it against people. Or worse, I couldn’t believed I was worth less than other people.

Black people were nothing but half notes on a huge ivory keyboard.

But no. I did not agree with this.

The notes had to mingle and dance together in the air so these lies would disappear.”

Read This If You Love: Andrea Davis Pinkney picture book biographies, Jazz, Learning about the Civil Rights Movement

Recommended For:

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten New Authors We Met at NCTE/ALAN 2017

December 5, 2017December 5, 2017 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: Ten New Authors We Met at NCTE/ALAN 2017

Ricki

Kellee’s list is almost identical to mine. We see so many authors at the conference, and it’s funny that the authors that I took pictures with are similar to hers. I regret working on this post after her! I am going to go with my gut and stick with the folks I planned before I saw Kellee’s list. I was going to start with Rashani Chokshi, but I will try to shift my list slightly from Kellee’s!

In no particular order:

1. Varian Johnson, Author of The Parker Inheritance and many others

2. Rick Riordan, Author of The Lightning Thief and many others

3. Julie Murphy, Author of Dumplin’ and many others

4. Angie Thomas, Author of The Hate U Give

5. Joseph Bruchac, Author of Code Talker and many others

Kellee

I am so lucky to be able to meet and hang out with SO MANY authors at NCTE and ALAN. Here are a couple of authors I met for the first time (and remembered to take photos with!).

1. Rick Riordan, Author of The Lightning Thief and many others

2. Angie Thomas, Author of The Hate U Give

3. K.A. Holt, Author of House Arrest, Knockout, and Rhyme Schemer

4. Rashani Chokshi, Author of Aru Shah and the End of Time

5. Joseph Bruchac, Author of Skeleton Man and many others

What authors have you met before?

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 12/4/17

December 9, 2017December 4, 2017 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: Ricki’s NCTE/ALAN Reflection

Wednesday: Kellee’s NCTE/ALAN Reflection

Thursday: Ricki’s NCTE/ALAN Book List

Friday: Kellee’s NCTE/ALAN Book List

Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

Have you not read the Whatever After series by Sarah Mlynowski yet? You really, really should! I love their premise: Each fairy tale seems to end in a happy ending, but is that really what makes the characters happy? The last one I finished, Dream On, looked at the “Sleeping Beauty” fairy tale.
It probably won’t surprise you to hear that Children of Exile by Margaret Peterson Haddix is a twisty, turny mystery adventure that is a bit dark and looks at a deep issue of human existence. Well, that’s exactly what it does. And there is a twist that I am still dealing with!

Ricki

I REREAD The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas in preparation for my class tomorrow. I am so excited to hear what my students’ think about it. They always have such insightful comments about the books that we read.

I read Case Study Research by Robert K. Yin. I’ve learned that academia is all about stretching my brain about the many types of methodological approaches to studies. Yin is just one scholar who is known for case study research, and I wanted to learn more about his perspective.

I read (and LOVED) Love by Matt de la Peña. I will be purchasing this book in hardcover. Wow, wow, wow. Review to come.

I adored Prince and Pirate by Charlotte Gunnufson. This is a very funny book. I am excited that we are reviewing it this week.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

All of these are sequels! And I can’t wait to get to them 🙂

Ricki

My Adolescents’ Literature class ends this week, and I feel very free to read (rather than reread) anything that I want! My NCTE/ALAN TBR stack is whispering to me right now.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

Tuesday: Ten New Authors We Met at NCTE/ALAN 2017

Wednesday: Nina: Jazz Legend and Civil-Rights Activist Nina Simone by Alice Briaere-Haquet

Thursday: Prince and Pirate by Charlotte Gunnufson

Friday: Emily and the Spellstone by Michael Rubens

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “Talking to Kids about the Sixth Mass Extinction” by Laura Perdew, author of Extinction: What Happened to the Dinosaurs, Mastodons, and Dodo Birds?

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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Ten Books Kellee Can’t Wait to Read After NCTE/ALAN 2017

December 1, 2017 by Kellee

One of the MAJOR perks of NCTE and ALAN is the BOOKS: hearing about new books, getting advanced reading copies of books, and hearing authors talk about their books!

Here are ten books that I cannot wait to read after NCTE/ALAN 2017:
(P.S. I didn’t overlap with Ricki’s list at all on purpose–that does not mean that I don’t want to read those! I’ve read #1 and her 9 titles could have been on my list, too!)

1. Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman

I am actually surprised at myself that I haven’t read it yet! Anyone who read my raves about Scythe or read my gushing speech about Neal Shusterman know how much respect I have for him and how much I loved the first book. I was so lucky to get a copy of the sequel, and I have even heard it might be better! I cannot wait!

2. Knockout by K.A. Holt

House Arrest by K.A. Holt is a book that went under my radar for some reason until this year, and WOW, I fell in love with it! I raved about it at school the next day after I read it, and it got picked up immediately. Lucky me, Holt wrote a sequel, and I don’t have to wait for it since I just read House Arrest. I’m very much looking forward to hearing what happens next.

3. The Serpent’s Shadow by Sayantani DasGupta

Syantani DasGupta read us the first couple of pages of her book, and it is hilarious and adventurous and all of the things that I love in fantasy/mythology/adventure books! And on top of that, DasGupta was just one of the nicest and smartest people I’ve ever met (she studies narrative medicine and is a pediatrician, too!). Oh, and look at that BEAUTIFUL cover!

4. Talking Leaves by Joseph Bruchac

I think Joseph Bruchac’s talk at ALAN 2017 may have topped my favorite moment this year. It is even hard to explain, but I his talk just made me so emotional, and it made me realize that except for some of his creepy books, I haven’t read enough of his novels!

5. The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson

I loved Varian Johnson’s Greene books, so I am so happy to get this newest. I also loved his personal connection with this new story.

6. Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy

I, of course, knew about Dumplin’ before NCTE/ALAN, but I just hadn’t read it, but I definitely am going to now! Julie Murphy is everything, guys! I loved her awkwardness yet confidence and her brilliance and stumbles. I can’t wait to read her words.

7. Bad Girl with Perfect Faces by Lynn Weingarten

I originally didn’t receive this one, but then my friend Beth, who had a copy at home, came to me to make sure I’d read it or gotten it. When I hadn’t, she gave me her copy. She said I must read it. An I will.

8. Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu

That dedication guys! And hearing Mathieu talking more about the importance of strong women in literature makes me want to pick it up!

9. The Journey of Little Charlie by Christopher Paul Curtis

Um, Christopher Paul Curtis. Period.

10. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

So, guys, I guess I am a pretty huge Holly Black fan. I was lucky enough to have dinner with her, and through the conversations we had, I realized that I have read a very large percentage of her books and loved every one. So, obviously I need to read her newest!
(Side note: My favorite Holly Black books are the Curseworker series, and it is her WORST SELLING! Fix this everyone! It is a must have for every 8th+ grade classroom! Such a wonderful trilogy!)

So many books I want to read!!! We’re lucky to live in a world where all of THIS goodness exists 🙂