Unleashing Readers

Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold by Joyce Sidman and Rick Allen

April 15, 2015 by Kellee

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday is hosted by Kid Lit Frenzy and was started to help promote the reading of nonfiction texts. Most Wednesdays, we will be participating and will review a nonfiction text (though it may not always be a picture book).
Be sure to visit Kid Lit Frenzy and see what other nonfiction books are shared this week!

Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold
Author: Joyce Sidman
Illustrator: Rick Allen
Published November 4th, 2014 by HMH Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Summary: In this outstanding picture book collection of poems by Newbery Honor-winning poet, Joyce Sidman (Song of the Water Boatman, Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night), discover how animals stay alive in the wintertime and learn about their secret lives happening under the snow. Paired with stunning linoleum print illustrations by Rick Allen, that celebrate nature’s beauty and power.

My Review: Alyson and Carrie both nominated this book for our Mock Sibert Award, so I knew it was a book I had to read. After requesting that my library purchase it, I was so happy to finally receive the book. This book is beautiful. Each aspect of the book can stand alone: the poetry is full of imagery and figurative language, the informational aspects are interesting and fact-based, and the illustrations are exceptional and bring the animals to life.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: First, this book can be used as a mentor text for poetry. Many different types of poetry are represented and each poem is different. Second, I think this book can be a great jumping off point for an inquiry-based project where students research an animal, write a poem about it, and also write an informational piece of text to accompany the poem. This book is also a great companion to Kate Messner’s Over and Under Snow and other animal survival books which would cause for a great unit as well.

Discussion Questions: Which of the winter animals has the best plan for survival?; What fact in Winter Bees surprised you the most about how an animal survives during the winter?

We Flagged:

Read This If You Loved: Firefly July by Paul Janeczko, Feathers by Melissa Stewart, Born in the Wild by Lita Judge, Forest Has a Song by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, Over and Under Snow by Kate Messner

Recommended For:

Top Ten Tuesday: Inspiring Book Quotes

April 14, 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: Top Ten Inspiring Book Quotes

Unforgettable lines!

Ricki

1. Books inspire me to seek solace.

(Image from GoodReads.com. Quote by William Nicholson from Shadowlands)

2. Books inspire me to recognize how fortunate I am:

(Image from ala.org. Quote by Harper Lee from To Kill a Mockingbird)

3. Books inspire me to talk to others:

(Image created on recite.com. Quote by Gabrielle Zevin from The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry)

4. Books inspire me to seek far away places.

(Image created on recite.com. Quote by Cheryl Renee Herbsman from Breathing)

5. And books inspire me to go just a tiny bit crazy.

SONY DSC

(Image found on http://www.theliterarygiftcompany.com. You can get it made into a towel! Quote by Louisa M. Alcott.)

Kellee

1. Matilda was one of the first book lovers in a book that I read. She was so inspiring to me.

(Image from Buzzfeed. Quote from Matilda by Roald Dahl)

2. One of many inspiring John Green quotes. That man is a genius word crafter.

(Image from BuzzFeed. Quote from Paper Towns by John Green)

3. Dumbledore is one of the most inspiring characters. He always knew what to say at the right time.

(Image from HuffPost Teen. Quote from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling)

4. When I read this book to Trent, I started crying on page 1. It is also so true.

(Image from PopSugar. Quote from On the Night you were Born by Nancy Tillman)

5. The Giver is my favorite book of all time, and it is because of the brilliance of Lois Lowry. (Technically not a quote from a book but still a book quote.)

(Image from pinaquote.com. Quote by Lois Lowry)

Which are your favorite book quotes?

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 4/13/15

July 27, 2015April 13, 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 hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It’s also a great chance to see what others are reading right now…you just might discover the next “must-read” book!

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

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

Last Week’s Posts

Tuesday: Characters We’d Like To Check In With

Wednesday: From My (Huge) Library Pile Part Five: We Need Diverse Books (Nonfiction)

Thursday: Blog Tour and Author Guest Post: Won Ton & Chopstick: A Cat and Dog Tale Told in Haiku by Lee Wardlaw

Friday: From My (Huge) Library Pile Part Six: We Need Diverse Books (Fiction)

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

Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: Unfortunately, Kellee is currently at the E.R. with little Trent. He is having an allergic reaction. Please excuse her absence from this week’s post. She promises to update you about her reading adventures next Monday!

Ricki: I hope you aren’t disappointed that you are stuck with ME this week. Hopefully, I will impress you with my reading prowess.

Professional development texts: I finished TWO professional development books this week. I read Deborah S. Koch’s How to Say It: Grantwriting. I did learn a lot, but about half of this book felt obvious to me. Overall, I am glad I read it, though. I also finished Carol Grbich’s Qualitative Data Analysis: An Introduction. This was an excellent overview of all of the qualitative approaches. I recommend this book for anyone considering qualitative work.

Middle grade text: I am just about finished with Ann M. Martin’s Rain Reign, so I am going to cheat and call it done. I suspect it will be done by the time this post goes live at midnight. 🙂 I enjoyed this book and see why others liked it. I see why it is popular with middle grade students!

Picture books: I finished Elly Mackay’s Butterfly Park. This may have the most beautiful artwork I have ever seen in a book. The cut paper made it very charming, and I got lost in the illustrations. This is a very warm, inviting book. I also read a great nonfiction book, The Sky Painter: Louis Fuertes, Bird Artist by Margarita Engle. The poetry is fantastic, and I enjoyed learning about this man in our history. I have seen his paintings, but I loved learning about his background.

This Week’s Expeditions

Ricki: My only immediate plan is to read Cody and the Fountain of Happiness by Tricia Springstubb because Kellee and I are reviewing it Friday. 🙂

Upcoming Week’s Posts

top ten tuesday rain reign cody

Tuesday: Top Ten Inspiring Quotes from Books

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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From Kellee’s (Huge) Library Pile Part Six: We Need Diverse Books (Fiction) | Green is a Chile Pepper by Roseanne Thong, Little Roja Riding Hood by Susane Middleton Elya, Firebird by Misty Copeland, & H.O.R.S.E. by Christopher Myers

September 4, 2016April 10, 2015 by Kellee

Because of It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? posts, I find myself often with huge piles of picture books from the library that were highly recommended by fellow bloggers. I celebrate many of the nonfiction pictures books on Wednesdays, but I want to share some of the fiction picture books I have enjoyed. So, I decided to start series here on UR where I can pass on the love for these books sporadically as I read them. Here is a list of some great pictures books that I’ve read recently from my huge library pile (part 6!).

When I was watching the ALA Book Award announcements, I realized that there were many that I had not read, so I immediately ordered them from my library. While reading, I was so happy to see so many diverse picture books (fiction and nonfiction) winning awards. This week I wanted to highlight the picture books I read that were full of diversity. On Wednesday I shared the nonfiction titles, and today I will share the fiction titles.

Green is a Chile Pepper: A Book of Colors
Author: Roseanne Thong
Illustrator: John Parra
Published February 18th, 2014 by Chronicle Books
2015 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor

A color book told through the eyes of a young girl as she explores her Hispanic neighborhood. The illustrations are so vibrant and vivid and show such a diversity of people, traditions, and families. The text includes bilingual words thrown throughout the rhymes.

Little Roja Riding Hood
Author: Susane Middleton Elya
Illustrator: Susan Guevara
Published April 10th, 2014 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
2015 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor

I loved this modern and bilingual rhythmic retelling of Red Riding Hood. It really is a funny fractured fairy tale that is so much fun to read aloud because of its couplets filled with Spanish vocabulary and Hispanic references.

Firebird
Author: Misty Copeland
Illustrator: Christopher Myers
Published September 4th, 2014 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
2015 Coretta Scott King Award for Illustrator Honor

This text is powerful on two levels. First, Misty Copeland’s open letter to young girls who want to become a ballet dancer and may not see herself reflected in the dancers that they see on stage is so powerful. The power behind it is that Misty might as well be speaking to herself. Second, Christopher Myers’s illustrations bring the dance to life. As the two dancers dance, the illustrations seem to bring them to life.

H.O.R.S.E: A Game of Basketball and Imagination
Author and Illustrator: Christopher Myers
Published October 9th, 2012 by EgmontUSA
2013 Coretta Scott King Award for Illustrator Honor, 2015 Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production Winner

I had not heard of this book until it won the Odyssey Award this year. Although I could not get the audiobook, I wanted to read the picture book because of my love of Myers’s work. I thought this book was so much fun! It is the story of a blown-out-of-proportion game of HORSE between two friends that keep trash talking the other and one-upping their shots. I love the humor that Myers finds in the grand old tradition of banter on the court. What makes the book even better is the inspiration that Myers shares at the end of the book.

What picture books should I add to my pile next?

Want to see Part One? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Two? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Three? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Four? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Five? You can view it HERE.

Blog Tour with Review and Author Guest Post!: Won Ton and Chopstick: A Cat and Dog Tale Told in Haiku by Lee Wardlaw

June 17, 2015April 9, 2015 by Ricki

Won Ton and Chopstick: A Cat and Dog’s Tale Told in Haiku
Author: Lee Wardlaw
Illustrator: Eugene Yelchin
Published: March 17, 2015 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

Goodreads Summary: Won Ton has a happy life with his Boy, until…
Ears perk. Fur prickles.
Belly low, I creep…peek…FREEZE!
My eyes full of Doom.

A new puppy arrives, and nothing will be the same.Told entirely in haiku and with plenty of catitude, the story of how Won Ton faces down the enemy is a fresh and funny twist on a familiar rivalry.

Ricki’s Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: A Review in Haikus:

Quite Adorable
Fun for All, Especially
Middle Grade and Teen

Vocabulary
Will Teach the Crowds to Love Words
Fantastic Must-Read

Recommended for
Use as a Mentor Text for
Creative Writing

The Illustrations
Capture the Fun of this Tale
Or Should I Say Tail?

Kellee’s Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Well, Ricki sure one-upped me on this one! But I think she showed a really great example of what you can do with this book. I think it is a perfect introduction to haiku. It makes poetry accessible and fun which is the opposite of what students think when they think of poetry. I actually shared the first Won Ton book with my class at the time, and we wrote our own haiku about our favorite animal. Lee Wardlaw also includes very descriptive and specific vocabulary which would lead to a wonderful conversation about word choice and imagery.

I loved the first Won Ton book (see my review here), and I was happy to see that Lee Wardlaw had written a second so I could see what Won Ton was up to now. I am completely a cat person, so I love how Lee captures the nuances and thoughts of Won Ton.

Bonus Features: Activity Kit for Won Ton and Chopstick and Teacher’s Guide for Won Ton and Chopstick

Discussion Questions: How do the author’s haikus add to the complexity of this tale?; How does the vocabulary enhance the story?; What did you learn about friendship?; How do the illustrations enhance the themes of this book?; How does Won Ton’s feelings for Chopstick change throughout the book?

We Flagged:

“Master of escape!
High-flying, dog-defying
acrobatic cat!”

Read This if You Loved: Won Ton by Lee Wardlaw; One Leaf Rides the Wind by Celeste Davidson Mannis; If Not for the Cat by Jack Prelutsky; I Haiku You by Betsy E. Snyder; Dogku by Andrew Clements

Check out Won Ton and Chopstick at the Other Stops the Blog Tour:

Mon, Mar 30	Library Fanatic	http://www.thelibraryfanatic.com/
Tues, Mar 31	Kid Lit Frenzy	http://www.kidlitfrenzy.com/
Wed, Apr 1	Teach Mentor Texts	http://www.teachmentortexts.com/#axzz3DP0vkvgi
Thurs, Apr 2	Sharpread	http://mrcolbysharp.com/
Fri, Apr 3	A Foodie Bibliophile in Wanderlust	http://www.foodiebibliophile.com/
Sat, Apr 4	Booking Mama	http://www.bookingmama.net/
Mon, Apr 6	The Children’s Book Review	http://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/
Tues, Apr 7	5 Minutes for Books	http://books.5minutesformom.com/
Wed, Apr 8	Cracking the Cover	http://www.crackingthecover.com/
Thurs, Apr 9	Unleashing Readers	http://www.unleashingreaders.com/
Fri, Apr 10	Word Spelunker	http://wordspelunking.blogspot.com/
Sat, Apr 11	Bermuda Onion	http://bermudaonion.net/

Recommended For:

Author Guest Post:

“Eight Things I Learned from My Cats about Writing Haiku”

by Lee Wardlaw

1. There is no yesterday; there is no tomorrow. There is only you, scratching me under my chin right now.

Haiku poems focus on a right-this-instant experience—or from a memory of that experience. So remind your students to write in the present tense.

2. When poised at a hole, remain still—and use your ears, eyes, nose, whiskers and mouth to detect a lurking gopher.

Observation is crucial to haiku. It’s hard for children today to quiet their minds, especially when they’re constantly bombarded with TV, internet, iPhones, video games, etc. So take them outside, away from all of that! Encourage them to sit alone on the playground, under a tree, on a sunny bench, whatever, and use all five senses to absorb, appreciate, and anchor the moment.

3. Be patient. Then, when least expected—pounce!

Haiku captures ONE moment in time, revealing a surprise . . . or evoking a response of a-ha! or ahhh. This pounce helps the reader awaken and experience an ordinary moment or thing in an extraordinary way.

4. Most cats have 18 toes—unless we’re polydactyl; then we might have 20, 22, even 28 toes!

Japanese haiku feature a total of seventeen beats or sound units: five in the first line, seven in the second, five again in the third. But this 5-7-5 form doesn’t apply to American haiku because of differences in English phonics, vocabulary, grammar, and syntax. Too many teachers focus only on the 5-7-5 because they use haiku as lesson about syllables. Please don’t! When children force an unnecessary adjective or adverb (or a bunch of adverbs) into a haiku simply to meet the 17-beats rule, it ruins the flow, brevity, meaning, and beauty of a poem. It’s not a poem at all, just a laundry list. You end up with poems like this:

My cat is so cute.

He’s really, really, really

cute and so fluffy.

Encourage your students to experiment with any pattern they prefer (e.g. 2-3-2, 5-6-4, 4-7-3)—provided the structure remains three short lines. Remember: what’s most important here is not syllables but the essence of a chosen moment.

5. When I’m out, I want in; when I’m in, I want out. Mostly, I want out. That’s where the rats, gophers, lizards, snakes, bugs and birds are.

Traditional haiku focus on themes of nature, and always include a kigo or “season” word. This doesn’t mean you must be explicit about the weather or time of year. A sensorial hint (e.g. a green leaf indicates spring; a russet leaf indicates fall) is all that’s needed.

6. What part of meow don’t you understand?

Tease a cat and it won’t bother to holler—it will bite and scratch. It shows its annoyance rather than tells. Good haiku follows suit. Instead of explaining, haiku should paint a picture in the reader’s mind of the feeling it evokes. So encourage children to show the reader how cute and fluffy their cat is instead of just telling us.

7. If you refuse to play with me, I will snooze on your keyboard, flick pens off your desk, and gleefully shed into your printer.

Yes, haiku has “rules,” but remember to play! Encourage students to use words like toys, to frolic with them in new ways to portray images, emotions, themes, conflicts and character.

8. When in doubt, nap.

Good writing comes from revising. But before working on a second (or third . . . or fourth!) draft, both the students and their haiku need a “nap.” Set aside the poems for a few days (a few weeks is even better!). What needs revising will be much more obvious if the poems are read again with rested eyes, alert ears, and a fresh mind.

About Lee Wadlaw:

Lee Wardlaw swears that her first spoken word was “kitty.” Since then, she’s shared her life with 30 cats (not all at the same time) and published 30 books for young readers, including Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku, recipient of the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award and many other honors. Lee has a B.A. in Education, an AMI-Primary Diploma from the Montessori Institute of San Diego, and is finishing her M.Ed. in Education/Child Development. She lives in Santa Barbara with her family. http://www.leewardlaw.com

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**Thank you to Barbara at Blue Slip Media for providing copies for review and giveaway!**

From Kellee’s (Huge) Library Pile Part Five: We Need Diverse Books (Nonfiction) | Little Melba and her Big Trombone by Katheryn Russell-Brown, Viva Frida by Yuyi Morales, Josephine by Patricia Hruby Powell, & Separate is Never Equal by Duncan Tonatiuh

September 4, 2016April 8, 2015 by Kellee

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday

When I was watching the ALA Book Award announcements, I realized that there were many that I had not read, so I immediately ordered them from my library. While reading, I was so happy to see so many diverse picture books (fiction and nonfiction) winning awards. This week I wanted to highlight the picture books I read that were full of diversity. Today I will share the nonfiction titles, and on Friday I will share the fiction titles.

Little Melba on her Big Trombone
Author: Katheryn Russell-Brown
Illustrator: Frank Morrison
Published September 1st, 2014 by Lee & Low Books
2015 Coretta Scott King for Illustrator Honor

I know I have said this before, but I love the trend of writing picture books about strong woman who should be well known because of their brilliance. Melba Liston is an inspiration. What I loved most about this book is that I think it captured Melba’s spirit as well as the rhythm of the music. The lively oil paintings mixed with Melba’s amazing story make you feel like you know her by the end of the book. I was excited to read the back matter to learn more, and immediately went to You Tube to hear some of her music. I am so glad I was introduced to her.

Viva Frida
Author: Yuyi Morales
Photographer: Tim O’Meara
Published September 2nd, 2014 by Roaring Brook Press
2015 Caldecott Honor, Pura Belpré (Illutrator) Honor

Frida Kahlo is such a mysterious woman. Usually through an artist’s work, you feel like you get to know them, but through Frida’s work, I always felt like she became even more of a mystery to me. This book just adds to that mystery. Told in small phrases in Spanish and English, the books explores creativity and imagination more than it explores Frida’s life. But oh, what an exploration into imagination and creativity it is. We go on a journey with Frida to create a piece of art which is what she lives for, and it makes you, the reader, want to go create so you can live. The beautiful photographs bring Frida, Diego, and many of Frida’s animal friends to life. They are superb!

Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker
Author: Patricia Hruby Powell
Illustrator: Christian Robinson
Published January 14th, 2014 by Chronicle Books
2015 Sibert Honor, Coretta Scott King Award for Illustrator Honor

This is quite the book! When I ordered it, I hadn’t realized that it was illustrated chapter book biography, but after learning about Josephine, I can see why she couldn’t be confined to less pages. Her life is an explosion of adventure from running away at 13 to standing up for her civil rights to spying for France during WWII to adopting her “rainbow tribe.” Like Melba, Josephine was a new name for me, but I cannot believe I hadn’t heard of her before. She is the epitome of strength and was a large part of the civil rights movement. I am so glad that I read this picture book that truly captures her spirit through the rhythmic prose and colorful, lively illustrations.

Separate is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation
Author and Illustrator: Duncan Tonatiuh
Published May 6th, 2014 by Abrams Books for Young Readers
2015 Sibert Honor, Pura Belpré (Illutrator) Honor

Everyone has heard of Brown v. Board of Education, but Sylvia’s case is the predecessor of desegregation in the United States. After Sylvia and her siblings are denied entry into the school they are zoned for, even though they are American, and are sent to the “Mexican school,” Syvlia’s father goes on a mission which leads him all the way to the California Court of Appeals to ensure that his children get the best education possible. I loved that through all of the trials of the Mendez family, they never lost their dignity and grace. They are truly an inspiration This is a book that every teacher and child should read because the Mendez family should be a household name, and it looks at equal accessibility to education which is still relevant today.

What picture books should I add to my pile next?

Want to see Part One? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Two? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Three? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Four? You can view it HERE.

Top Ten Tuesday: Characters We’d Like to Check in With

April 7, 2015April 7, 2015 by Ricki

Today’s Topic: Top Ten Characters We’d Like to Check in With

We are still thinking about these guys/gals and would love to hear back about how they are doing.

Ricki

1. Hazel from The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Gosh, I think about this girl weekly. I feel deeply connected to her and would love to hear how she is doing, emotionally and physically.

2. Violet from All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

It hasn’t been too long since I finished this book, but I would love to hear how Violet is doing. She is brave, so I am sure she is doing just fine, but just as I would call an old friend, I feel the desire to give Violet a ring.

3. Tyrell from Tyrell and Bronxwood by Coe Booth

Tyrell is one of my all-time favorite characters. He has strength beyond compare. I’d love to hear how things are going with him.

4. James Whitman from Dr. Bird’s Advice for Sad Poets by Evan Roskos

This book belongs in every classroom. And an update about James belongs in my life.

5. Junior from The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Junior taught me a lot of life lessons. I’d love to talk to him to thank him and hear how he is doing.

Kellee

I made this list without looking at Goodreads, so these the characters that I really wonder about. I think it is interesting that they are all young ladies in “quiet” middle grade books. It just shows how great the characterization was in these book.

I did think about putting Hazel from TFioS, but I saw Ricki had her (I love everyone on Ricki’s list by the way!). I also considered Ron/Hermoine/Harry and Eleanor/Park, but I assumed they’d be on many lists. But I would love to check in on them.

I did struggle with writing blurbs for each of these because I can’t give away spoilers!!

1. Willow Chance from Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Oh Willow. She is just beginning to heal when the book ends. I really want to know what she is up to and whose life she is changing now.

2. Marlee from Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine

Do Marlee and Liz get to be friends?!?!

3. Carley from One for the Murphy’s by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

I’ll be honest. I did not like how this book endeD because I selfishly wanted something end. I did not feel like it was the “happily ever after” that I wanted. But it is the way it is (which was super real). I would love to check in with Carley to find out if everything is going better than I assume it is.

4. Ally and everyone from Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

I almost felt like the end of Fish in a Tree was a beginning of another book. I would love to know how Travis, Ally, Keisha, Albert, and, of course, Mr. Daniels are doing.

5. Fern from See You At Harry’s by Jo Knowles

I just want to know how Fern and her family are doing.

Which characters would you like to check in with?

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