Unleashing Readers

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 11/30/15

November 30, 2015 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.

CONGRATULATIONS

Sui G.

for winning A Not Very Merry Pout-Pout Fish!

Last Week’s Posts

Tuesday: Ten Fictional Families We’d Invite to Thanksgiving Dinner

Wednesday: Where’s Will?: Find Shakespeare Hidden in his Plays by Tilly and Anna Claybourne

Thursday: Happy Thanksgiving!

Friday: The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake by Robin Newman, Illustrated by Deborah Zemke

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “Spurring Ideas with Creative Teamwork” by Jack Keely, author of The Whistlebrass Horror

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

Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: Unfortunately, my week ended up not being what was planned. I received some sad news about a sick family member as soon as I got to Minneapolis for NCTE/ALAN, so I turned around to come home right away to be with my family and to help take care of my son.

I was able to get a good amount of reading done during these couple of weeks though. First, I caught up on the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books by reading Hard Luck, Long Haul, and Old School. I was a bit surprised at these titles because I actually didn’t completely dislike Greg throughout all of them. I think if Greg isn’t able to be mean to Rowley, Greg doesn’t bother me as much.

I also read a couple of graphic novels that were very different but both good. First was Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova which is going to be a big hit in my classroom. It is a wonderful middle school story. Second was Space Dumplins by Craig Thompson which is an odd science fiction adventure.

Although Trent and I didn’t read many picture books while we were staying with Jim’s family because we didn’t pack many and we were in a hotel, but we made it up when we were home. He even let me read a new one to him: The Diggers by Margaret Wise Brown. I overall liked it, but it actually felt like two different books with the first half talking about things that dig and the second half being the journey of a train tunnel being built. Trent liked it though!

Finally, I finished five novels. First, I finished listening to The Buccaneers’ Code by Caroline Carlson, the third book in The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates series. I love this series, and this one didn’t disappoint! Hilary Westfield is one of my favorite female protagonists. Then, I finished Tyrell, Bronxwood, and Kendra by Coe Booth. I’d actually read Bronxwood in the past, but didn’t truly enjoy it. Now I know it is because it means so much more if you read Tyrell first. Kendra is a companion to the two Tyrell books and is very different; however, I am happy I read all three. I am so glad that Ricki recommended Tyrell to me, and I put it on my #mustread list. Finally, I read The Magician’s Elephant by Kate DiCamillo. This book has been on my TBR list since it came out, and a few weeks ago I saw it on someone’s IMWAYR, and I decided that it would be one of the next books I read. It is such a magical book! Kate DiCamillo has such a way with words!

Ricki: I finished The Boy in the Black Suit by Jason Reynolds. It was wonderful! It is a quiet book that packs a good, solid punch. I will be reading more books by Jason Reynolds. While at NCTE/ALAN, I started about fifteen books, and I am feeling a bit spastic. There are so many good books to read! I am so, so glad that Kellee enjoyed Tyrell. Ah!

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: I hope to get through some more of my #mustread books during December! I plan on readinging Read Between the Lines by Jo Knowles first. I also have Hook’s Revenge #2 to read.

Ricki: I am really enjoying Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom. The book features a character who is blind and a runner. I like the intersection of disability and sports, and it is really making me think. I got this ARC from the Little, Brown booth, and it intrigued me.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

top ten tuesday cover

Tuesday: Ten ALAN Books Ricki is Excited About

Wednesday: Ten ALAN Book Kellee is Excited About

Thursday: Ricki’s NCTE/ALAN Reflection

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “Nurturing Nature in the Classroom” by Rebecca Bielawski, Author of the Mummy Nature 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!

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Author Guest Post!: “Spurring Ideas with Creative Teamwork” by Jack Keely, Author of The Whistlebrass Horror

April 22, 2023November 29, 2015 by Ricki

“Spurring Ideas with Creative Teamwork”

I recently co-authored a YA novel with another writer, Briar Lee Mitchell. This process proved to be a positive and surprisingly creative experience for both of us. Briar got the ball rolling with a few sentences that described a rather ordinary scene, which had a slightly ominous suggestion of things to come.

It had only been a circle of stones by the river. Nothing so special about it really, but it hadn’t been there the day before. He was sure of it.

With that, we were off, bouncing pages and ideas back and forth. Over time, characters changed, names changed, and the story galloped off in unexpected directions. The end result was The Whistlebrass Horror published by Permuted Press. Our teamwork was a success.

While recently teaching a graphic design class, I thought it would be interesting for the students to design and illustrate something that they had written themselves. With so many dazzling distractions instantly available on their TVs, computers, and magic phones, many young people are discouragingly hesitant to open a book. If you suggest that they attempt some creative writing, you may find yourself confronted with a roomful of kids staring at you in bewilderment.

For instructors who love to read and are entranced with the magic of wordplay, there are few things as rewarding as winning over a reluctant reader or igniting the creative spark in a budding writer. The initial challenge is simply breaking the ice. I wondered if setting up my students in teams might be a good way to break through any stage fright they might have, and allow them to rely on each other to propel a story forward. I mentioned this idea to another instructor. His response was emphatic.

“Don’t do it,” he said. “They’ll hate you.”

He had learned from experience that setting up classroom teams could result in disaster. Students were often paired with partners that they didn’t like. Some teams were saddled with a student who did no work, or an alpha kid who attempted to dominate the rest. The result was unproductive lopsided partnerships. After pondering the pitfalls, I came up with an alternative method of getting students to collaborate.

We started by discussing Chris Van Allsburg’s brilliant book, The Mysteries of Harris Burdick in which evocative pictures depicting mysterious events are accompanied by a title and a single sentence that encourage readers to invent their own stories.

I asked my students to each come up with at least two imaginative sentences that could be part of a novel or short story. The sentences did not have to relate to each other in any way. Most came up with ten or more that varied from wry observations to fragments of conversations. Students wrote about strange machines, modern day dinosaurs, telepathic dogs, and intimidating strangers. The surprising results were along the lines of the following:

He suspected that the creature was hiding in the old grocery store.
As the sun came out from behind a cloud, the pigs began to dance.
Had his mad uncle concealed the skeleton key in the birthday cake?
“But why are you wearing a penguin costume?” whispered Agnes.

The second part of the exercise was where the teamwork came sneaking in. Students were given lists of every sentence that the class had come up with. They were asked to select one or more of their own and one or more written by others. Then they were asked to write a very short story (a paragraph or two long) that included their selections. There was no limit on the number of sentences used, and most chose to use several. If necessary, changes in gender, names, and so on could be made.

The results were ingenious. The students read the stories aloud and enjoyed the laughter and applause they received. Some stories were very funny and some were quite serious. There were elements of fantasy, science fiction and magic realism. It was very interesting to see how different individuals used the same sentences to achieve different results.

Finally, the students created layouts and illustrations for their fiction. For many, it was a new experience to see their own writing and byline presented in a professional looking way. The entire exercise proved to be pleasant, provocative, and painless. My goal was to involve the students in authorship and collaboration, and to let them see how working with words can be fun and rewarding.

As they were leaving, one young man paused and said, “That was a fun class.”

Mission accomplished!

About the Author

Some claim that Jack Keely is the son of a celebrated spiritualist. Others insist that he grew up in the wagons of a traveling carnival. In any case, he has always been an aficionado of the arcane, the peculiar, and the eccentric.

He spent four years exploring the haunts of H. P. Lovecraft in the historic city of Providence, while obtaining his degree in illustration from Rhode Island School of Design. After an additional two years of study at Cranbrook Academy of Art, Keely began a long and checkered career illustrating dozens of books, including the best-selling Grossology series by Sylvia Branzei.

He recently completed the cover art and interior illustrations forThe Whistlebrass Horror, and co-authored the tale with Briar Lee Mitchell. The duo is currently at work on a sequel, The Whistlebrass Storm Watcher.

Jack Keely is said to spend most of his time behind the chained gates of the Keely family manse. Although the moldering old house appears to be abandoned, a light can often be seen at night in the library windows. On quiet evenings, if their hearing was sufficiently acute, passersby would likely hear the rhythmic thwack of a typewriter, or the scratch of a pen across a sheet of drawing paper.

About The Whistlebrass Horror

Founded on cursed land, Whistlebrass, Vermont is a place of dark deeds and darker dreams. Shortly after teenage newcomer Casey Wilde arrives in the haunted town his little sister disappears. Determined to get her back, Casey’s only clues are a murdered man’s rambling journal and a mysterious stone spiral on an isolated stretch of riverbank.

To help find his sister Casey teams up with Pike, a teen psychic with a rebellious streak. But Casey and Pike are up against a suave sociopath, a legion of living shadows, and a reptilian humanoid capable of stealing their life force and crushing them into dust. Who can Casey ask for help when no sane adult will believe his story?

Thank you, Jack, for this great teaching post, and thank you to Permuted Press for connecting us with Jack!

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A Wilcox and Griswold Mystery: The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake by Robin Newman, Illustrated by Deborah Zemke

November 27, 2015 by Kellee

A Wilcox and Griswold Mystery: The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake
Author: Robin Newman
Illustrator: Deborah Zemke
Published May 12th, 2015 by Creston Books

Goodreads Summary: When food goes missing on Ed’s farm, Detectives Wilcox and Griswold do what it takes to track down the thieves. In this case, Miss Rabbit’s carrot cake has disappeared. Has it been stolen? Or eaten? Or both? Who dunnit?

“Readers ready for chapter books will solve the crime and then be surprised by the twist at the end. Here’s hoping for more hard-boiled detecting from Wilcox and Griswold!”
— Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

My Review: This book starts with a letter to the reader about the two detectives who will be leading the case, and I automatically thought of Dragnet as soon as I read it, and that was the voice I heard all the way through the book which made it even more fun to read! I love how this book was crafted: set up like a police file with times of interviews, suspects, and clues throughout. The detectives are also quite humorous and the ending is just surprising enough though some students may be able to predict it if they follow the clues.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: The Case of the Missing Carrot is a perfect read aloud to practice inferring and prediction as students try to figure out what is going on at the farm. Students can keep track of clues and characters (suspects), and the book also gives opportunities to discuss sequence, vocabulary, dialogue, point of view, and voice. The text is just so much fun to read, but can also be a great discussion starter/exemplar for so many language arts topics.

Discussion Questions: (Thoughout the book) What clues did this section give us? Who is a new suspect? Who is no longer a suspect? How has your prediction changed? What is your prediction now?

We Flagged:

“Captain, stop the car!” I shouted. “There’s something up ahead. It’s orange.”

The captain grabbed his magnifying glass and tweezers. He picked up the object.

“A carrot!” I said.

I ran back to the squad car to get the crime scene photos.

“This carrot matches the ones we found in Miss Rabbit’s kitchen. We’re onto something.”

The captain twitched his tail furiously. (p. 19)

Read This If You Loved: Francine Poulet Meets the Ghost Raccoon by Kate DiCamillo, The Troublemaker by Lauren Castillo, Mercy Watson series by Kate DiCamillo, Lulu series by Judith Viorst

Recommended For:

*Thank you to Creston Books for providing copies for review!**

Where’s Will?: Find Shakespeare Hidden in His Plays by Tilly (Illustrator) and Anna Claybourne

June 13, 2016November 25, 2015 by Ricki

Where’s Will?: Find Shakespeare Hidden in His Plays
Illustrator: Tilly; Author: Anna Claybourne
Published September 1, 2015 by Kane Miller Books

Goodreads Summary: Spot Will Shakespeare and a selection of colourful characters from ten of his best-loved plays! Can you pick out Puck in the midsummer night? Will you spy Cecilia hidden in the Forest of Arden? And can you see Shakespeare making a cameo in every scene?

First, get to know each play by reading a snappy synopsis of the plot and meeting the main characters. Next, hunt for the characters, who are hidden in the detailed and beautifully illustrated pictures of the plays’ settings.

My Review: This book was a lot of fun for me to read! Readers of all ages would enjoy it. My son (age two) enjoyed pointing to all of the animals and people in the book. An elementary schooler or middle schooler would enjoy finding Will, the characters, and the pig in all of the pictures. A high schooler or adult will appreciate the brief (about 300 words) synopses of each play and illustrations (along with finding Will, of course). Each play features a two-page spread similar to a graphic novel, where the play is depicted in illustrations and words. At the top of each spread are cameos of the main characters of the play. Then, the reader can turn the page and search for the characters, Will, and the pig in a very detailed illustration (see below).

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: I haven’t read the full version of each play featured in the book, but I am quite inspired to read them now! High school teachers would love this book. It shows the complexity and greatness of Shakespeare’s work. After reading one of Shakespeare’s plays, a teacher could show the students the synopsis and the spread. This provides a picture of the time period and also allows for conversations about why the author may have made decisions to include/exclude specific plot details. If my tenth graders had all read Romeo & Juliet the previous year, it would be neat to show them that play. Then, when we read another Shakespeare play, I could ask them to illustrate their own scenes. This would be an intense final project, and I would give the option for students to use video games as a platform for this kind of world-building.

Discussion Questions: How do the illustrations of the plays differ? Why might the illustrator have chosen to depict the play with these colors/moods?; What tough decisions might the author have faced when choosing the plot details to include in the 300-word synopses?; How do these illustrations/synopses give us fuller depictions of the plays?

We Flagged:

Read This If You Loved: Plays by William Shakespeare; Where’s Waldo? books

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Lynn for providing a copy for review!**

Top Ten Tuesday: Fictional Families We’d Invite to Thanksgiving

November 24, 2015 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: Fictional Families We’d Invite to Thanksgiving

The door is always open, folks!

Ricki

1. The Nguyens from Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan

This family is kind and giving. I fell in love with them.

2. The Finches from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (but not from Go Set a Watchman)

I’d love for Atticus to share some of his wise words with the table. I am keeping my image of him sacred, so we will stick with the first book.

3. The Sweetwines from I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

I want to give the twins a big ol’ hug.

4. The Donabedians from Like Water on Stone by Dana Walrath

Yet another set of children that I want to hug!

5. The Nisbetts from The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine

I liked how the parents in this book tried hard to teach Marlee about the world while still working to be fair. Even when Marlee is punished, she recognizes that her punishment is fair. I didn’t like the mother as much in the beginning, but she dynamically changes as the book progresses, and the family felt very real to me.

Kellee

1. The Nguyens from Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan

I know, I know, but I had to include Willow! I love what this family became by the end of the book, and I would definitely love to spend time with them.

2. The Weasleys from Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

Well, first, I love redheads, but second, I love all of the Weasleys! Dinner at their house would be so much fun (though pre-book 7 would be more fun that post…)

3. The Murphys from One for the Murphys by Lynda Mulally Hunt

The way the Murphys embrace Carley shows me what an amazing family they are.

4. The Kanes from The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan

I wuld love to be surrounded by all the mythology and adventure, even for one day! (Though they can keep the danger.) I also would love to hang out with Bast.

5. Rafe’s family from Openly Straight by Ben Konigsberg

His parents seem like the most caring, opening, fun, and sweet parents, and I would love to spend a day with them and Rafe.

Which fictional families would you invite to your dinner table?

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 11/23/15

November 23, 2015 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: Recent Book Quotes We’ve Loved

Wednesday: Over the River & Through the Wood: A Holiday Adventure by Linda Ashman

Thursday: Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway!: The Not Very Merry Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen

Friday: Interstellar Cinderella by Deborah Underwood

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: Parents + Baby + Technology = #BabyLove by Corine Dehghanpisheh

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

Last Week’s Journeys and This Week’s Expeditions

We are currently at the NCTE convention and ALAN Workshop (yahoo!). We hope to see some of you there! Because we will be presenting and attending many meetings, we are, unfortunately, out of commission this week. We can’t wait to return and read about all of the books you are reading. Next week, we will share all of the gems we receive and learn about at the convention and workshop! Have a happy reading week!

Upcoming Week’s Posts

top ten tuesday

Tuesday: Ten fictional families we’d invite to Thanksgiving dinner

Wednesday: Where’s Will?: Find Shakespeare Hidden in his Plays by Tilly and Anna Claybourne

Thursday: Happy Thanksgiving!

Friday: The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake by Robin Newman, Illustrated by Deborah Zemke

Sunday: Author Guest Post! by Jack Keely, author of The Whistlebrass Horror

So, what are you reading?

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Author Guest Post!: Parents + Baby + Technology = #BabyLove by Corine Dehghanpisheh

November 22, 2015 by Kellee

Parents + Baby + Technology = #BabyLove

#BabyLove: My Social Life highlights the social phenomena of sharing daily activities using technology and social networks.

The inspiration for my book, #BabyLove: My Social Life came from my experiences of using many devices, apps, and social media with my child. After the birth of my daughter Lily, I became a jubilant mother. I wanted everyone to meet her and get to know her especially my immediate family and friends.

There was just one tiny problem– my husband, and I lived out of state, quite a distance away from most of our closest family and friends. So like many other new parents and families in today’s society, we took to our phones– photographing and creating videos of our baby girl. We shared some of these items through social media, texting, emailing, and anything else that kept us connected with our loved ones.

We wanted our family and friends who were interested in getting to know Lily to be kept updated on her progress. Along with updating our social network feeds, we found family photo sharing options with more privacy and regularly made FaceTime calls.

These modern tools coupled with quite a few family trips home have been a big help in establishing close connections for Lily. As she grew out of infancy into toddlerhood, she began recognizing faces and voices as they popped up on our phones and in person. This advancement and connection made my husband, and me relieved.

I know that these tools fall far from perfect or efficient. So I take advantage of the positive aspects of these devices, apps, and social media sites along with the necessary security measures to enjoy their benefits.

Even though the premise of #BabyLove: My Social Life is cute and humorous the story could be used to introduce more thought provoking discussions or education on the topics of social media, technology, and parenting in today’s modern world.

I have provided some ideas below of topics that could be used in a parenting group, class, or classroom discussions with students.

Parenting Topics

Relevant apps that aid in parenting and education.
Put down the phone– parents as technology role models.
Technology and social media safety.
How to establish on-line privacy and setting parental controls.

Classroom Topics

Provide guidelines for using technology and social media safely.
Discuss the positive and negative aspects of technology and social media.
Relevant educational apps.

About the Book: “Click.” “Tap.” Tag and Post. An adored baby tells a modern tale about life in today’s digital world. #BabyLove: My Social Life highlights the social phenomena of sharing daily activities using technology and social networks.

“A charming modernization of the traditional bedtime tale.”- Reviewed by Kirkus

“#BabyLove: My Social Life, is a clever and entertaining look at raising children in the age of social media… The author’s story flows beautifully, and her illustrations are brightly colored, cheerful and humorous… Dehghanpisheh’s wry and subtle humor is evident throughout this story that will entertain adults as well as the children they share the book with. #BabyLove: My Social Life is highly recommended for tech-savvy parents and their babies.” – Reviewed by Readers’ Favorite

“#BabyLove offers a hipster view of contemporary parenting. Beneath the story of technological trendiness, however, lies a more enduring portrait of nurture and joy.” – Reviewed by Foreword Clarion Reviews

#BabyLove was published in July 2015 and is available for sale on Amazon.

About The Author: Corine Dehghanpisheh is a children’s book author and illustrator. Her inspirations for writing and illustrating come from everyday life.

She was a Mom’s Choice Awards® Silver Recipient and a Next Generation Indie Author Finalist for her debut children’s book Can We Play Again?, which was published in March 2012. Her inspiration for this book came from her work as a Licensed Creative Arts Therapist in NYC. Corine published her second children’s book, Buddy’s Dream, in November 2013, and her third children’s book, #BabyLove: My Social Life, in July 2015.

When Corine is not busy being creative, she is most likely having fun taking pictures of her family. Corine lives in Manhattan, NY with her husband and new baby.

Readers can connect with Corine on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads. To learn more, go to http://www.booksbycorined.com/

Thank you Corine Dehghanpisheh for introducing us to picture books 2.0,

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