Unleashing Readers

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 4/18/16

April 18, 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

Tuesday: Exclusive Reveal!: Teaching Guide for Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo

Wednesday: National Parks Week: A Weird and Wild Beauty by Erin Peabody & National Geographic’s National Parks Guide U.S.A.

Thursday: Blog Tour and Review!: Monster Needs to go to School by Paul Czajak

Friday: Blog Tour, Character Interview, Giveaway, and Review!: The Mechanical Mind of John Coggin by Elinor Teele
Giveaway open until Thursday!

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “Picture Books: Better Than Teddy Bears” by Dawn Marie Hooks, Author of Sarah and her Twirling Toes

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

Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: I love the weeks when I don’t know what I am going to read because there is just endless possibilities!

First, I went to Netgalley and perused the graphic novels, and I was so excited to get the chance to read Ben Hatke’s upcoming Mighty Jack. It’ll be a must buy when it comes out–my students are going to love this fractured retelling. I also read the third Lumberjane graphic novel. I love this series! It is unique and fun and fantastical.

Then I finished listening to The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett and Jory John. This is a over-the-top but such a silly read. (I went to book talk it to my students and cannot find it though! I hope it shows up, or if it walked, I hope the kid who took it loves it.)

Finally, I finished reading two middle grade novels (both which I’ll review soon). Cody and the Mysteries of the Universe by Tricia Sprinstubb is just as special as the first one in the series. I love Cody and the awesome cast of characters in her book. I also read Cici Reno #MiddleSchoolMatchMaker by Kristina Springer which is a new tween series that my 6th and 7th grade girls are going to love!

Ricki: I read several picture books this week. I enjoyed Monster Goes to School by Paul Czajak. Readers who love There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly will love the board book version by Pam Adams. It is very cleverly depicted with cutouts and illustrations. I also adored Ten Little Kisses by Russell Julian. My aunt bought it for me because it is a favorite amongst the students she reads to with her therapy dog. I also finished Curiosity House: The Screaming Statue by Lauren Oliver and H. C. Chester. This was a fun book that reminded me a bit of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: This week, I once again don’t know what I am going to read! I did start listening to The War that Saved my Life on Thursday, and I wish I could sit in my car and just listen to it. So heartbreakingly good so far. I’m about to go to bed, so I won’t pick up a new book tonight, but I will update you on what I get to read next week 🙂

Ricki: I am halfway through both All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely, Invisible Fault Lines by Kristen-Paige Madonia, and The Nest by Kenneth Oppel. All three are fantastic and very different from each other. This adds spice (and happiness) to my life! The semester is nearing a close, so I feel lucky that I will have more time to read more.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

top ten tuesday

balthazar

Tuesday: Books That Will Make You Want to Make a Difference

Wednesday: Earth Day Reads: Gaia Warriors by Nicola Davis & 31 Ways to Change the World by 4,386 Children, We Are What We Do ©, and YOU!

Thursday: Teeny Tiny Toady by Jill Esbaum

Friday: Future Problem Solving Program

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: Possible Impossibilities: Magic and the Middle-Grade Reader by I.J. Brindle, author of Balthazar Fabuloso in the Lair of the Humbugs

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

Author Guest Post!: “Picture Books: Better Than Teddy Bears” By Dawn Marie Hooks, Author and Illustrator of Sarah and Her Twirling Toes

May 16, 2016April 17, 2016 by Kellee

“Picture Books: Better Than Teddy Bears”

I’ve always been a book lover. As a toddler, I fell asleep with my arms wrapped around my favorite book, The Mitten, like it was my teddy bear. A picture book can be read and reread many times for many months or years and still cherished. Kids are creative with their books. He might use his truck book for a car ramp. She might see if her mermaid book will swim. That’s not exactly what I have in mind when I encourage creativity, but you can use those cherished picture books for more than reading. Read, reread, and discover! Do you have music lovers, math wizards, or budding scientists in your home or classroom? You can explore those interests with a great book!

Fun activities with a favorite picture book can weave many topics and interests together. Choose the book the kids LOVE and do an internet search for an activity guide with that book. Many websites (like my author/illustrator website, my publisher’s website, or teaching blogs) include discussion and activity guides. Sometimes, there are printable worksheets and coloring pages. If an activity guide doesn’t fit your needs, it can spark ideas that do! Some of you are experts at creating fully customized activity guides. Others are thinking, “No way!” Either way, teaching guides can inspire you to create activities for your needs using the book you choose!

When I create materials or talks, I am inspired by what I read – whether it’s the book alone, an activity guide, or an article. As a classroom elementary teacher, I wrote lesson plans incorporating my favorite children’s books. Currently, I have the pleasure writing and illustrating picture books and the discussion and activity guides that go with them. Also, when I am presenting, I like to begin by reading a picture book that captures the attention of the group. (At least, I hope it does!) I even do this when I’m talking to parent or teacher groups. (Don’t you think these books can be just as fascinating to adults?) Whatever the topic, a great picture book can turn boring into captivating!

Do you have a favorite picture book? Think of what you can do with it while reading the 14 examples geared toward my new book, Sarah and Her Twirling Toes:

1. Reading: Look at the cover of the book (front and back). Ask kids to predict what the book will be about. Read the book and check if predictions are correct.

2. Discuss Manners: Does it bother you when other people scream? When is it okay to scream? When is it bad manners to scream? Do you have rules in your home or classroom about how loud you should be?

3. Story elements: Discuss the setting, main character, problem, and solution.

4. Writing: Rewrite the story choosing one story element (setting, main character, problem, or solution) to change.

5. Art: Create a new cover for the book. The book is painted using watercolor and gauche. Work with watercolor or choose something else (watercolor pencils, chalk, torn paper art, etc).

6. Letters: This book is full of words that begin with the letter “s.” Search the book for the words. Make a list.

7. Synonyms & Antonyms: Look through the book for the word “scream” and other words that mean the same thing. Can you think of more synonyms? Now think of antonyms for scream.

8. Music and Body Concepts: Sing “Tonsils, Tummy, Heels, and Toes” like “Head and Shoulders, Knees, and Toes.”

9. Cooking and Measuring: Sarah drank honey ginger tea to try to help her throat. Make some and have a cup of tea. Slice lemon thinly until you have ½ cup. Put slices in a jar. Slice ginger root thinly until you have ½ cup. Add to jar. Squeeze honey into jar until lemon slices and ginger are covered. Refrigerate for 24 hours. Stir contents of jar. Put one cup of warm water in a mug. Add two tablespoons of infused honey into warm water. Stir and enjoy.

10. Science: Explore the five senses. Give each child a slice of lemon. Have them describe the lemon using their five senses – touch, smell, taste, sound, and sight. Do the same with ginger and honey, if desired.

11. Health: Research the health benefits of honey, lemon, and ginger.

12. Health: Sarah had “Screamingitis Syndrome,” a fictional condition. Look up laryngitis and compare the causes, symptoms, and treatment to what Sarah suffered.

13. Math: Count how many times Tiger (Sarah’s dog) is in the book. Multiply by two to find out how many dog ears that would be. Multiply by four to see how many dog legs that would be.

14. History: Research the history of tea used for medicinal purposes.

Sarah and Her Twirling Toes doesn’t directly talk about the five senses, synonyms, cooking, measuring, or even good manners. I took actions from the story (like screaming or sipping tea) and created ideas to delve deeper.

I hope you are inspired to be creative with picture books! Pull out the book that’s being used as a car ramp. Rescue the one that’s swimming in the tub. Explore those books that are better than teddy bears! Have fun and share your ideas with others!!

About the Book: Sarah loves how screaming makes her feel. Her tonsils tickle. Her tummy dances. Best of all, her toes twirl! But one day, Sarah’s scream disappears …

This bright picture book celebrates Sarah’s spunky and endearing personality while showing that she can still be herself, with or without screaming.

Access the “Activity & Discussion Guide” for Sarah and Her Twirling Toes here.

About the Author: Dawn Marie Hooks, M.S.Ed., combines her passion for children’s literature and painting through writing and illustrating picture books. A former elementary teacher, Dawn completed her first book, “Oh, Cookie!” as the final project for graduate coursework. Since then, she hasn’t stopped working on turning more ideas into books. She is a member of SCBWI and speaks to school, parent, and teacher groups.

Dawn currently resides in Vancouver, WA, with her husband, two young daughters, and their feisty puppy, Maui. When she isn’t working, she enjoys family time, Barre3, coffee, sunshine, reading, family vacations, and wakesurfing. Oh, she placed third in Women’s Masters at the 2015 World Wake Surfing Championship!

For the activity and discussion guide and information on giveaways, promotions, and events, follow Dawn Marie Hooks on www.DawnMarieHooks.com, Twitter: @DawnMarieHooks , Pinterest: Dawn Marie Hooks, Facebook: Dawn Marie Hooks. To purchase any of Dawn’s books, find her on Amazon Author Central, B&N, or your favorite book retailer.

Thank you Dawn for the guest post!

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Blog Tour, Character Interview, Giveaway, and Review!: The Mechanical Mind of John Coggin by Elinor Teele

May 5, 2016April 15, 2016 by Kellee

The Mechanical Mind of John Coggin
Author: Elinor Teele
Illustrator: Ben Whithouse
Published April 12th, 2016 Walden Pond Press

Goodreads Summary: A quirky, humorous, whimsical, and heartwarming middle grade debut about a young boy who runs away from home with his sister to escape working in the family coffin business—and discovers even more adventure than he bargained for.

John Coggin is no ordinary boy. He is devising an invention that nobody has ever seen before, something that just might change the world, or at least make life a little bit better for him and his litter sister, Page. But that’s only when he can sneak a break from his loathsome job: building coffins for the family business under the beady gaze of his cruel great-aunt Beauregard. Having lost their parents when Page was a baby, how else are they supposed to survive?

Perhaps by taking an enormous risk—a risk that arrives in the form of a red-haired scamp named Boz. When Great-Aunt Beauregard informs John that she’s going to make him a permanent partner in Coggin Family Coffins—and train Page to be an undertaker—John and Page sign on with Boz and hit the road. Before long, they’ve fallen in with a host of colorful characters, all of whom, like John and Page, are in search of a place they can call home. But home, they realize, isn’t something you find so much as something you fight for, and John soon realizes that he and Page are in for the fight of their lives.

Elinor Teele’s picaresque debut is a rollicking tale filled with wild adventures, daring escapes, and—thanks to Boz—more than a little catastrophe.

My Review: One thing I’ve noticed is that so many orphans in stories seem to always get into some sort of trouble and then go on amazing adventures. Like Annie, Grubb from Alistair Grim, and Peter Nimble before him, John Coggin, a recent orphan, finds himself in quite a predicament of a situation when he is forced to work for his great aunt’s funeral home. It is the last straw when Great Aunt Beauregard tries to force Page, John’s sister, to go to work with them, and that begins the adventure! Elinor Teele takes us on quite a journey! With Boz, the comic relief with an amazing vocabulary, our three main characters meet some unique characters along the way.

Teele’s ability to weave such an odd story together and make it seem seamless is remarkable. John, Page, and Boz have about 5 stops along their journey all with a wide-variety of characters who all are a bit quirky but also relatable and you end up loving all of them. Although everything that happens is quite farfetched, you end up believing it all because you just want John and Page to be successful!

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: In the classroom, I think this book would be a perfect opportunity to discuss ways to determine unknown vocabulary within a text. Boz has QUITE a vocabulary and uses words that will be unknown to many of the middle grade readers the book is aimed for; however, the author does a fabulous job of having context clues or restatements of what the words mean. I would love to use passages of this book for vocabulary instruction.

It could also be used as a mentor text for imagery, specifically character description. Like I said, throughout the book we meet some very odd characters, but they are all described so well you can picture them. Same with John’s contraptions and the setting. Elinor Teele’s specific word choice really brings the story to life.

Lastly, I think it would be fun to compare/contrast the orphans within middle grade novels and discuss why orphans are chosen for so many adventurous books. Peter Nimble and Alistair Grim along with John Coggin would definitely be a great place to start, and you could even tie it in with “Annie.”

Also check out the Educational Activity Kit based on the book for more ways to use the book in the classroom or library.

We Flagged: “”Up and at ‘em, troops! The back of a new day is already broken, and time marches on!’

Boz blew into the barn like a category five hurricane and came to rest at John’s feet. ‘Where are the foundations of your perambulation?’ His baffled face collapsed even further into itself.

‘Where are the what?’ John asked blearily. The bright summer sun was making fireflies of the dust around Page’s hair.

‘Your shoes, young man, your shoes.’

‘I threw them outside.’

‘Well, find them! We go, we see, we conquer!’” (p. 58)

Special Guest! Q&A with Boz (by Elinor Teele): Boz may, in fact, be the worst interviewee on the planet. It was barely possible to get him into a hotel lounge and almost impossible to keep him there. And his hair! It seemed to have a life of its own. After this experience, I am firmly convinced his only future is a career as a human firework.

Q. So, first I’d like to ask… Boz? Boz! Could you please stop swinging from the chandelier?
A. Of course, profuse apologies my Fallonesque friend. I was merely trying to pump some blood to my knee joints. I ingested a box of sugar-coated hookoo grubs yesterday and I fear they have inflamed my rheumatics.

Q. Where did you get a box of hookoo grubs?
A. A gift from the Queen of Samarrand. She says she misses my winsome ways.

Q. How did you become friends with a Queen?
A. Oh, I have roamed the bureaus and boards of many a parliament. From the sweat-soaked slums to the blasted heaths, I have crisscrossed this great globe itself in eighty days and under. “A wandering minstrel, I…”

At this point in the interview, Boz yanked open the door to the lobby and vaulted onto the hotel’s front desk. From there, he sang operettas to incoming guests until security guards brought him back into the lounge.

Q. I don’t think the concierge enjoyed your singing.
A. It’s a waste of vitriol trying to please critics. Besides, it gave me an opportunity to relieve him of his time commitments.

Q. You stole his watch?!
A. You may say that, but I couldn’t possibly clarify.

Q. Well, what can you comment on?
A. Anything that tickles your pearly whites.

Q. Okay, how about this? Some people have said that your way of speaking is far too complicated to understand. They point out many kids have enough trouble with basics, so why make it harder?
A. I grant you that my vocabulary may be a little bewildering, but why not be wild? There are so many beautiful words in this world that go a’begging. As my dear friend Dodo Dodgson often opines, “Look after the senses and the sounds will look after themselves.”

Q. Yes, I noticed you tend to appropriate phrases from famous writers.
A. Who was it that said that bad artists copy and great men steal? Or was it that the immature youth imitates and the mature matron plagiarizes? I can’t remember.

At this point in the interview, Boz once again made a grab at the chandelier. This time – thanks to the force of his liftoff – he was hurled round and round the room like a demented tornado.

Q. Are you insane? Should I call the fire brigade?
A. Wouldn’t do that, my dear boy. They’re still irked about the incident with the propane and the propellers.

Q. What did that involve?!
A. A gaggle of insurance investigators, apparently.

Q. I give up. I don’t know how John Coggin put up with you.
A. But John and I are friends! Buddies of the bosom. Compadres of the cabana. Say what you will about my ethical standards, but I always believe in my friends!

This was a revealing comment, and I would have liked to ask Boz more about it. Unfortunately, he had let go of the chandelier and was already rocketing skyward through one of the open windows. I last saw him passing a goshawk.

Walden TV Features John Coggin: http://waldentv.com/video/rtwt-john-coggin/

Find Elinor Teele at her website.

Recommended For:

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Don’t miss out on the other blog tour stops!

April 11 – Bluestocking Thinking
April 12 – Novel Novice
April 13 – This Kid Reviews Books
April 14 – Maria’s Melange
April 15 – Unleashing Reader
April 18 – Next Best Book
April 19 – Foodie Bibliophile
April 20 – For Those About to Mock
April 21 – Walden Media Tumblr
April 22 – Charlotte’s Library
April 25 – Flashlight Reader
April 26 – Teach Mentor Texts
April 27 – Librarian’s Quest
April 28 – Kid Lit Frenzy
April 29 – Novel Novice

**Thank you to Walden Pond Press for providing a copy for review and giveaway!!**

Blog Tour and Review!: Monster Needs to Go to School by Paul Czajak

May 5, 2016April 14, 2016 by Ricki

Interactive Monster Needs to go to School Banner

Monster Needs to Go to School
Author: Paul Czajak
Illustrator: Wendy Grieb
Anticipated Publication June 28, 2016 by Mighty Media Kids
(Please note the new publication date!)

Goodreads Summary: Monster is dreading his first day of school. But his classroom is full of new friends and so many fun things to learn that Monster forgets his fears in no time…until he catches his friends bullying. What will Monster do?

Another exuberant addition to the award-winning Monster & Me™ series, addressing back-to-school jitters and the difficulty of dealing with bullies—especially when they’re friends.

Ricki’s Review: The Monster books rank up there as one of my favorite series. I absolutely love reading these books because the monster always make me laugh. My son giggles as we look at the big monster squeezing into a tiny classroom seat. My son is starting preschool in the fall, so it was great to use this book as a teaching tool to discuss his first day of school with him. He became more excited about going to school after reading this book. I also enjoy the lessons that these books teach. Monster sees bullying and isn’t a silent bystander. He speaks out for what he believes is wrong. As a mom, I plan to talk about bullying often. I want my son to stand up for his peers when he sees bullying, and it is great to have this book as a resource to start these conversations.

Kellee’s Review: I love the Monster motto: “Teach kids what matters! After all, they are our future.” This is something I truly believe as well, and I think the Monster books do a great job teaching our children about being a good citizen and human. My first Monster book was Monster Needs Your Vote, and I was really impressed with how Czajak dealt with teaching about politics. Monster Needs to go to School is a bit different because it doesn’t as much teach about a topic but focuses on the importance of education and for kindness. This book will be great to read right before school starts, at the beginning of school, if someone is struggling with school, or when bullying is a problem. I think it would equally work for any of these situations because Monster’s story is fun and one that the reader will connect with.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This would be an excellent book to start off the school year. I’d read this book on the very first day. It would calm students’ nerves to see a giant monster who is afraid of school. Further, it would jumpstart conversations about bullying to tackle the issue before it might begin.

Discussion Questions: What is monster afraid of? What kinds of things make us afraid? Why is this okay?; What does monster do when he sees bullying? Why is it important to stand up for what is right? What is a bystander? Would you be strong and speak up against bullying?

We Flagged: “When Monster hopped onto the bus, his nerves were at their peak. He crumpled in the nearest seat, afraid to even speak.”

Read This If You Loved: Each Kindness (Kellee’s Review; Ricki’s Review) by Jacqueline Woodson, Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great by Bob Shea, the rest of the books in the Monster & Me™ series

Recommended For:

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**Thank you to Carolyn at Mighty Media Press for providing copies for review!**

National Parks Week (April 16th-24th) Recommended Reads: A Weird and Wild Beauty by Erin Peabody and National Geographic’s National Parks Guide U.S.A.

April 13, 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!

National Parks Guide USA Centennial Edition: The Most Amazing Sights, Scenes, and Cool Activities from Coast to Coast!
National Geographic Kids
Published February 9th, 2016 by National Geographic Children’s Books

Goodreads Summary: Happy 100th Birthday, National Parks! Join the centennial celebration by reading all about these greatest of American treasures — from Acadia to Zion — in preparation for a parks visit sometime soon. Filled with color photos, information on animals, fascinating lists, fun facts, maps, cool things to do, conservation tips, and much more — think of this book as your trusted guide to these most majestic of places.

My Thoughts: This book makes me want to go on a road trip! As you all know, I am a huge fan of National Geographic books because of their brilliant graphics, text features, easy-to-follow text structure, and interesting information. This text is no different. Like the title states, it goes through many of the USA National Parks from the east to the west and gives the reader not only history about the national park but also beautiful photos, fun facts, visiting tips, a map, excursions within the park, and must-do activities. This text will be a great companion to any trip to these amazing parks.

Discussion Questions: Which national park do you want to visit?; What activity looks like the most fun to you at that park?; What national parks are near you?

We Flagged:

Giveaway and National Parks Video by National Geographic

Celebrate the beauty and wonder of America’s national parks during this centennial year with an amazing outdoor adventure! Climb mountains, hike trails, see wildlife, explore the country, and plan it now with National Geographic books as your inspiration and guide. Be sure to enter for the chance to win a National Geographic Expeditions family trip for four to Grand Canyon, Bryce, and Zion National Parks at nationalparkssweeps.com.

A Weird and Wild Beauty: The Story of Yellowstone, the World’s First National Park
Author: Erin Peabody
Published February 2nd, 2016 by Sky Pony Press

Goodreads Summary: The summer of 1871, a team of thirty-two men set out on the first scientific expedition across Yellowstone. Through uncharted territory, some of the day’s most renowned scientists and artists explored, sampled, sketched, and photographed the region’s breathtaking wonders—from its white-capped mountain vistas and thundering falls to its burping mud pots and cauldrons of molten magma. At the end of their adventure, the survey packed up their specimens and boarded trains headed east, determined to convince Congress that the country needed to preserve the land from commercial development. They returned with “stories of wonder hardly short of fairy tales,” to quote the New York Times.

With the support of conservationists such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Frederick Law Olmsted, and John Muir, the importance of a national park was secured. On March 1, 1872, Ulysses S. Grant signed the Yellowstone Park Bill into law. It set aside over two million acres of one-of-a-kind wilderness as “a great national park for the benefit and enjoyment of people.” This important and fascinating book will introduce young adults to the astonishing adventure that led to “the best idea America ever had.” Today over 130 countries have copied the Yellowstone model, and billions of acres of critical habitat and spectacular scenery are being preserved for all of us to enjoy.

This book has a wonderful ecological and historical message for readers ages 12 and up. No book about Yellowstone’s founding has been written for this age group before, yet Yellowstone National Park is a major destination for many families, so many readers will likely have heard of Yellowstone or even have visited there. This is a great book for any school library or for history or science classrooms in middle and high school, where information can be used for research projects.

My Thoughts: Many of us take advantage of the national parks that have been preserved throughout the United States without knowing the history of the National Park Program or realizing how important it is to preserve these parks. This book will help middle grade and teen readers learn about this history and the beautify of a park they’ve probably heard of or been to but may not know everything about. Peabody does a good job making the history readable and interesting.

Discussion Questions: Why did President Grant pass the Yellowstone Park Bill? How did this bill change the direction of parks in the U.S.? If you went to Yellowstone, what would you most be looking forward to?

We Flagged: “J.G. Holland sat at his desk, staring wide-eyed at the pages spread before him. Holland was an editor at Scribner’s Monthly, a popular magazine and source of news for Americans in the mid- to late 1800s.

Holland had just received the most bizarre-sounding account. It spoke of a strange land where the ground gurgled and hissed. A land where scalding waters blew from craters and vats of steaming pink mud threatened to swallow a man whole. The place, according to the man who’d recently traveled through the region, abounded with ‘boiling springs,’ ‘mud volcanoes,’ and ‘huge mountains of sulphur.’

Incredulous, Holland tried to absorb the dazzling imagery. The author, clearly spellbound by what he saw, gushed about the brilliant turquoise pools and hot-water fountains. The mud volcano, the man wrote, erupted with the force of thundering cannons. Its boiling broth scalded trees hundreds of yards away.

This world of absurdities, the traveler informed Holland, was not some far-off land. It belonged to the United States.” (Prologue)

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: The National Geographic book gives such a wonderful overview of all of the major national parks and would be a great introduction to these parks. Then, the students could choose to learn more about a specific national park. Erin Peabody’s book would be a fabulous resource for the students who choose Yellowstone. It is so thorough and it, combined with the National Geographic book, would give a detailed overview of Yellowstone.

Both Recommended For:

**Thank you to Karen at Media Masters Publicity and Cheryl at Skyhorse Publishing for providing copies for review!**

Exclusive Reveal!: Teaching Guide for Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo

April 22, 2023April 12, 2016 by Kellee

Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo is out today!

And we are happy to be able to be able to exclusively reveal the teaching guide.

Kate DiCamillo writes heartprint stories, and Raymie Nightingale is no different. Raymie Nightingale shares with the reader a story of three very different girls who all are enveloped in sadness for different reasons and need each other to find their way out. You will love Raymie and the Three Rancheros!

I had so much fun writing this guide, and I hope that many of you find the activities and discussion questions within it useful to you and your students!

Please note: There are some spoilers in the guide, so please be aware if you are reading the guide before reading the book.

You can also access the teaching guide here.

You can learn more about Raymie on Candlewick Press’s Raymie Nightingale page.

Recommended For:

Don’t miss out on this one!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 4/11/16

April 12, 2016April 11, 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

Tuesday: Ten Bookish People You Should Follow On Twitter/Facebook

Wednesday: Blog Tour and Review!: The Slowest Book Ever by April Pulley Sayre

Thursday: Mother Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins

Friday: #mustreadin2016 Spring Update

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “Giving Writing a Try” by Andrea Young, Author of Finny and the Boy from Horse Mountain

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

Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: My reading week has not been very successful. It was a super busy week, and I just couldn’t find as much reading time as I’d hoped. I am ALMOST done with The Mechanical Mind of John Coggins, and I hope I am done by the time that this goes live. I also read Monster Needs to Go to School. Both books are going to be reviewed this week 🙂

Ricki: I was at the AERA conference this week. It’s a convention for people to present their latest research. For those of you who go to NCTE, the sessions are similar, but all of the presentations require uploads of full research papers, so it is a bit more formal. They do panel sessions, symposiums, roundtable discussions, and poster presentations. I enjoy listening to the research and like how it is different from NCTE, in many ways. That said, I am a die-hard NCTE gal, and I always miss my NCTE family while I am at AERA. I found a few NCTE/ALAN folks, and we had a nice, warm embrace and excitedly talked about this year’s NCTE conference. I went to a really cool session that critiqued LGBTQ and disability policies in schools, and I also attended two rockstar sessions about enacting social justice in the classroom. I am pumped to integrate these ideas into my syllabus.

I read Lenny & Lucy by Philip C. Stead. What an interesting, quirky book! I’d love to hear what you all thought about it. Because of the nature of planes (turn technology on…turn technology off) and my ever-going nausea, I had to flip between an audiobook, paper book, and e-book. Therefore, I didn’t finish any of the three YA books I read this week.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: I am still listening to The Terrible Two, and it is quite entertaining! After I finish John Coggins, I am not sure what I am going to pick up next–I’ll let you know what I chose next week!

Ricki: I am listening to All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely, reading Curiosity House: The Screaming Statue by Lauren Oliver and H. C. Chester on my Kindle, reading Invisible Fault Lines by Kristen-Paige Madonia on my computer, and reading George by Alex Gino on paper. I like to make my life as complicated as possible. I will say that all four books are excellent. 😉

Upcoming Week’s Posts

Tuesday: Exclusive Reveal!: Teaching Guide for Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo

Wednesday: National Parks Week: A Weird and Wild Beauty by Erin Peabody & National Geographic’s National Parks Guide U.S.A.

Thursday: Blog Tour and Review!: Monster Needs to go to School by Paul Czajak

Friday: Blog Tour, Character Q&A, Giveaway, and Review!: The Mechanical Mind of John Coggin by Elinor Teele

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “Picture Books: Better Than Teddy Bears” by Dawn Marie Hooks, Author of Sarah and her Twirling Toes

So, what are you reading?

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