Unleashing Readers

Locomotive by Brian Floca (Ricki’s Review)

July 27, 2015April 3, 2014 by Ricki

Locomotive
Author and Illustrator: Brian Floca
Published September 3rd, 2013 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Summary: The Caldecott Medal Winner, Sibert Honor Book, and New York Timesbestseller Locomotive is a rich and detailed sensory exploration of America’s early railroads, from the creator of the “stunning” (Booklist) Moonshot.

It is the summer of 1869, and trains, crews, and family are traveling together, riding America’s brand-new transcontinental railroad. These pages come alive with the details of the trip and the sounds, speed, and strength of the mighty locomotives; the work that keeps them moving; and the thrill of travel from plains to mountain to ocean.

Come hear the hiss of the steam, feel the heat of the engine, watch the landscape race by. Come ride the rails, come cross the young country!

My Review: Filled with a beautiful array images (watercolor, ink, acrylic, etc.), this incredibly well-researched book takes readers on a journey through the summer of 1869. It took my husband and me three nights to read this title to our son because we needed to pause and take in its magic. After I closed the last page of the book, a library copy, my husband looked at me and mouthed (because our son was asleep), “Let’s buy this one.” There is a wonderful balance of factual information about the train and lyrical language that brims with gorgeous figurative language. This book is a standout and well-deserving of the accolades it has received.

**A special thanks to Kellee, who texted me that I had to read this one. You can read her review here.**

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: I would use this text in any grade level. I envision the eager eyes of elementary school students as their curiosity is piqued… middle schoolers, suddenly interested in trains and this time in our history…or high schoolers, researching the different parts of the train and learning how effective figurative language can be in writing. This book would be a great mentor text to teach creativity. The layout of the pages is so very purposeful, which pave the way for great classroom discussions.

Discussion Questions: How does Brian Floca grab the readers’ attention? How is his writing purposeful?; In what ways does Floca manipulate language?; How does the second person point-of-view add to the story?; What does this book teach us? Go beyond the obvious.; How do the pages differ in their visual appeal? Why do you think this is?

We Flagged:

Rather than including a quote here, I wanted to show you a few of the gorgeous spreads with this book. These pages are pulled from images posted on Amazon.

Read This If You Loved: The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

Recommended For:

Flying Solo: How Ruth Elder Soared into America’s Heart by Julie Cummins

April 2, 2014 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!

Flying Solo: How Ruth Elder Soared into America’s Heart
Author: Julie Cummins
Illustrator: Malene R. Laugesen
Published July 23rd, 2013 by Roaring Brook Press

Goodreads Summary: In 1927, airplanes were a thrilling but dangerous novelty. Most people, men and women, believed that a woman belonged in the kitchen and not in a cockpit. One woman, Ruth Elder, set out to prove them wrong by flying across the Atlantic Ocean. Ruth didn’t make it, crashing spectacularly, but she flew right into the spotlight and America’s heart. This is the story of a remarkable woman who chased her dreams with grit and determination, and whose appetite for adventure helped pave the way for future generations of female flyers.

My Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Ruth Elder joins the group of amazing women who have eye-opening picture books about them and how they changed history. (I love this trend!) More and more brilliant and brave women from history are getting recognition through their story being told. Ruth Elder was America’s sweetheart daredevil, and through her crazy feats showed America that woman were brave too. Although Amelia Earhart beat her in her mission to cross the Atlantic, she never stopped pushing herself and the women around her. I would love to see a unit about amazing women in history that uses the slew of beautiful picture books about these woman. One idea would be splitting up kids into groups, having them each read about one of the picture books, maybe doing some extra research, and then sharing with the other groups what they learned. It’d be a great way to give these women the spotlight they deserve.

Discussion Questions: Although Ruth did not cross the Atlantic, why did she become famous?; Ruth had the chance to be a Hollywood star, but she chose to go back to flying–why would she make this decision? Do you agree with her decision?; How did Ruth and her race help change America’s view of woman pilots?

We Flagged: “On August 18, 1929, Ruth and nineteen other women set out to show that women could fly airplanes just as well as men in the first women’s cross-country air race. The pilots had more than headwinds to counteract. One reporter sputtered, “The only thing worse than dames in planes is dames racing planes!””

Look inside Flying Solo at Amazon

Read This If You Loved: Daredevil by Meghan McCarthy, Amelia Lost by Candace Fleming

Recommended For:

Top Ten Tuesday: Gateway Authors/Books

July 27, 2015April 1, 2014 by Kellee

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. The feature was created because The Broke and Bookish are particularly fond of lists (as are we!). Each week a new Top Ten list topic is given and bloggers can participate.

Today’s Topic: Top Ten “Gateway” Authors/Books

These are authors/books that got us into reading, got us into reading a new genre, or some other gateway into a new reading experience.

Ricki

1. The Boxcar Children series

I read every book over and over again. I should also give a shout-out to the Nancy Drew series, which taught me to make predictions very well.

2. Wonder by R. J. Palacio

This book showed me how brilliant middle grade (and younger) fiction can be, and how it can be accessible for adults.

3. Looking for Alaska by John Green

This was the first book that I read in a YA class as a student. Wow. It prompted a flurry of reading for me.

4. Graceling by Kristin Cashore

I didn’t think I liked fantasy before I read this book. It taught me that I LOVE fantasy!

5. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

I read this as a freshman and thought it was okay. Rereading it as an adult taught me how incredible rereading texts can be!

Kellee

1. Anthony Horowitz

The Stormbreaker series helped me realize again, after my literature degree, that reading can be fun.

2. Among the Hidden then Hunger Games

I loved The Giver (my favorite book ever!), but it wasn’t until Among the Hidden then Hunger Games that I jumped into the dystopian fad and read as many as I could.

3. Mo Willems

He definitely shows that picture books can be brilliant (and usually hilarious!).

4. Baby-Sitter’s Club series

These were my gateway book when I was younger–I don’t know if I would be the same reader I am today without it.

5. Betsy books

These are the books that my mom read to us at bedtime. I thank her and Betsy for helping me be a reader.

What authors or books were your gateway?

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 3/31/14

July 27, 2015March 31, 2014 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

Top Ten Tuesday: Our Bookish Bucket List

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

Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: I’ve continued being able to find time to read my novels–YAY! I finished Bruised by Sarah Skilton, and I am so glad that it came onto my radar. It is a special, unique little book. I look forward to sharing it with you soon. I started Wild Awake by Hilary T. Smith, and so far, I am enjoying it. It is a look at grief and love.

Trent and I have been keeping up with our picture book #bookaday, and we’re making quite a dent. He’s already at 38 books! This week, we read:

The Napping House by Audrey Wood (Classic! And just as good as the first time I read it.)
Board Books from the Disney Bedtime Stories: Aristocats, Aladdin, Bambi, and Alice in Wonderland (I love these little Disney stories. I still have 6 more to read from the set, I believe. Thanks to Jessica for these!)
I Love You Through and Through by Bernadette Rossetti-Shustak (So true! The love you feel for a child is one you can’t understand. Thank you to Katie for this one–I’m sure it’ll be a favorite.)
Horns and Toes by Sandra Boynton (After Sandra Boynton was mentioned last week, I had to read the one I had 😀 I loved Sandra Boynton books when I was younger, and I am glad to read them again. Thank you to Cristen for this one.)

Ricki: I had a very busy week, so I only finished three books. I read Brian Floca’s Locomotive (see my review on Thursday). It was incredible! I am so glad Kellee recommended it to me. My husband, son, and I were taken back to the summer of 1869, and we learned so much about the locomotive! I also read Jacqueline Woodson’s Each Kindness (see my review next Thursday!). This is a very powerful story that really affected me. I plan to read it often to my son because I think the message is so very important. Lastly, I read Mr. Wuffles by David Wiesner. I expected to like it more than I did. Everyone has raved about it, and maybe my expectations were too high.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: I plan on finishing Wild Awake, and hopefully start All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill. Trent and I will continue our #bookaday by first finishing our Disney bedtime stories readathon, and then we’ll tackle the amazing pile of books our book angel, Alyson, sent us.

Ricki: Henry and I took another trip to the library. I am not sure the librarian enjoyed signing out twelve picture books, but we always return them promptly! I am giddy just thinking about them. We are also continuing to read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe together. I am still reading Peter McLaren’s Life in Schools, and I am halfway through e. lockhart’s We Were Liars. I will definitely be reviewing this one. 🙂

Upcoming Week’s Posts

Top Ten Tuesday: “Gateway” Books/Authors in Our Reading Journey

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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Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell (Kellee’s Review)

March 29, 2014March 28, 2014 by Kellee

Fangirl
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Published September 10th, 2013 by St. Martin’s Press

Goodreads Summary: A coming-of-age tale of fan fiction, family and first love.

Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan . . . But for Cath, being a fan is her life — and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to. Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

Ricki’s Review: Ricki was lucky enough to read this book before me and wrote a wonderful review in December, so check that one out too!

Kellee’s Review: You know a book is good when in the first 5 pages you already know and feel for you main character. Cath is like many college freshman–afraid. She has known one world for so long and everything around her is changing. This book is about her figuring out her way. Anyone that went to college will connect with Cath and her struggles of finding a balance between who you were in high school and who you are becoming. I really appreciate Rainbow Rowell’s main characters and how they are not perfect–this makes them so much more relatable. (I just give a shout out to the Emergency Dance Party scene–this made me love Cath so much!)

Oh, and the dialogue! I love the way her characters converse. The banter is hilarious and just perfect. Also, I cannot review this book without giving props to the secondary characters. They are so solid and thought out. Although Cath is the main character, no one feels like Rainbow Rowell didn’t put love and time into them. I especially love their father who is probably the most flawed character but is so full of love. (Oh, and Levi. Who cannot love Levi?!?!?!)

[As a teacher, I also liked the look into Levi’s struggle with reading yet his amazing intelligence. I think it is a great conversation starter and a great example of many of the students I encounter. Pg. 168 is Levi’s explanation of his struggles–powerful.]

And all of the book love! Anyone who has ever loved a book or series will adore the fangirl moments. Although an obvious allusion to Harry Potter, Cath and Wren’s love of Simon Snow will make any reader think about their favorite novel which they lose themselves in.

Also this book is about writing: the beauty of good writing and the struggle of good writing. Cath can write in the world of Simon Snow, but struggles in finding her own world. This actually runs parallel quite beautifully with her finding of her self. She is literally and figuratively trying to find her own voice. (And I love that a teacher plays a role in this.)

Overall, a just-right book. I read it in one sitting and didn’t want to put it down. (It did remind me a lot of Anna and the French Kiss–did anyone else feel this way?), but it really was a solid story filled with just enough love, nerdy, and soul searching.

Teacher’s Tools For Navigation: I can see how many aspects of this novel could be used in a creative writing course. So much of Cath’s story revolves around writing and different scenes or pieces of fanfiction could be pulled out to use in class. I especially like the discussion about “Why write fiction?” on pg. 21-23.

I also would love to analyze more the excerpts that are put before each chapter and how they connect with the chapter. Many have theme connections or direct character connections. They were placed very intentionally and discussing why would be so interesting.

Check out Ricki’s recommendations here.

Discussion Questions: Cath loves to write, but often finds it hard; what is something you do that you love, but often find challenging? How do you overcome this?; How does Simon Snow compare to Harry Potter?

We Flagged: “Cath wasn’t sure how she was going to keep everything straight in her head. The final project, the weekly writing assignments–on top of all her other classwork, for every other class. All the reading, all the writing. The essays, the justifications, the reports. Plus Tuesdays and sometimes Thursdays writing with Nick. Plus Carry on. Plus e-mail and notes and comments… Cath felt like she was swimming in words. Drowning in them, sometimes.” (p. 100)

Read This If You Loved: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins, Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell, Olivia Twisted by Vivi Barnes, You Against Me by Jenny Downham, My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody

Recommended For:

Signature

Threatened by Eliot Schrefer

July 27, 2015March 27, 2014 by Ricki

Threatened
Author: Eliot Schrefer
Published: February 25th, 2014 by Scholastic Press

GoodReads Summary: Into the jungle. Into the wild. Into harm’s way. When he was a boy, Luc’s mother would warn him about the “mock men” living in the trees by their home — chimpanzees whose cries would fill the night. Luc is older now, his mother gone. He lives in a house of mistreated orphans, barely getting by. Then a man calling himself Prof comes to town with a mysterious mission. When Luc tries to rob him, the man isn’t mad. Instead, he offers Luc a job. Together, Luc and Prof head into the rough, dangerous jungle in order to study the elusive chimpanzees. There, Luc finally finds a new family — and must act when that family comes under attack.

As he did in his acclaimed novel Endangered, a finalist for the National Book Award, Eliot Schrefer takes us somewhere fiction rarely goes, introducing us to characters we rarely get to meet. The unforgettable result is the story of a boy fleeing his present, a man fleeing his past, and a trio of chimpanzees who are struggling not to flee at all.

Review: If you follow this blog, you know that Kellee and I are advocates for Eliot Schrefer’s writing. He is an incredibly talented writer; his settings feel authentic in that he makes far away places seem very close to home. I develop a strong kinship with his characters—animal or human. Kellee has been raving about Threatened since the ALAN conference, and I knew I wanted to read it as soon as I got a hang of being a new mom. It didn’t disappoint. The writing is stunning.

I expected Threatened to be very similar to Endangered, but I was wrong. Endangered is about an American girl visiting her mother in a Congolese bonobo sanctuary when a civil war breaks out. Threatened, on the other hand, is about an orphan boy from Gabon who goes into the wild with a professor in order to learn more about chimpanzees. But these books are more than their settings and the animals. They teach us about what it means to be human. Threatened, in particular, made me think about humanity’s evolution and the difficulties that come from living in the wild. I couldn’t help but think about how far humanity has strayed from nature. Even when Luc feels that he wants for nothing, he is ashamed that he still holds material desires. This book makes readers think critically, and it would be a great book to use in the classroom.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: After reading this book, I wanted to learn more about chimpanzees and how they are different from humans. Schrefer’s book has a call to action. He gives suggestions of how we might help these endangered animals. In particular, he discusses the sad state of animal testing and provides readers with ways to take action. This book will help students become critical thinkers, and hopefully, teachers will help students enact social justice for these animals which are so genetically close to us.

Discussion Questions: Are humans too far removed from nature?; How does Luc become more animalistic after he lives for extensive time in the wild? Are his changes mental? Physical?; What do the chimpanzees teach us about humanity? How are they similar and different from us?; What can we do to help these endangered species?

We Flagged: “We can try so hard, but in some basic way we’re bound by how we’re raised. There’s no escaping it. We can love someone and want to be open to the feeling but fail because our hearts got wired one way long before we knew it was happening. We can break our own hearts because of what our souls believe” (Chapter 10).

**Please note: This quote is taken from the NetGalley. It may be different in the published version of the book.**

Read This If You Loved: Endangered by Eliot Schrefer, Into That Forest by Louis Nowra, Dog Boy by Eva Hornung, Second Nature by Alice Hoffman, Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

Recommended For:

The Tree Lady: The True Story of How One Tree-Loving Woman Changed a City Forever by H. Joseph Hopkins

March 26, 2014March 26, 2014 by Kellee

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday

The Tree Lady: The True Story of How One Tree-Loving Woman Changed a City Forever
Author: H. Joseph Hopkins
Illustrator: Jill McElmurry
Published September 17th, 2013 by Beach Lane Books

Goodreads Summary: Unearth the true story of green-thumbed pioneer and activist Kate Sessions, who helped San Diego grow from a dry desert town into a lush, leafy city known for its gorgeous parks and gardens. Katherine Olivia Sessions never thought she’d live in a place without trees. After all, Kate grew up among the towering pines and redwoods of Northern California. But after becoming the first woman to graduate from the University of California with a degree in science, she took a job as a teacher far south in the dry desert town of San Diego. Where there were almost no trees.

Kate decided that San Diego needed trees more than anything else. So this trailblazing young woman singlehandedly started a massive movement that transformed the town into the green, garden-filled oasis it is today. Now, more than 100 years after Kate first arrived in San Diego, her gorgeous gardens and parks can be found all over the city.

Part fascinating biography, part inspirational story, this moving picture book about following your dreams, using your talents, and staying strong in the face of adversity is sure to resonate with readers young and old.

My Review: This book was fascinating! I love learning about strong woman who changed the course of history and did so when no one thought they could. Like Jane Goodall, Kate Sessions love of nature and learning started at a very young age, and she let this desire to learn drive her to become an amazing woman. She is an inspiration and one that many people probably do not even know about.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: I can picture this book being used so many different ways in the classroom! It is perfect just for a read aloud and discussion. It has some beautiful descriptive and figurative language that could be discussed. It could also be read in lit circles where each group gets a different strong female who changed the world and then they could each present and share on their woman. AND it has very unique science facts and information that help it cross seamlessly into science. Just a fantastic book for the classroom.

Discussion Questions: How did Kate change San Diego?; What did Kate do, that others didn’t, to help her transform San Diego?; Why did Kate go to San Diego?; What other women in history does Kate remind you of?

We Flagged: “Kate felt the trees were her friends. She loved the way they reached toward the sky and how their branches stretched wide to catch the light. Trees seemed to Kate like giant umbrellas that sheltered her and the animals, birds, and plants that lived in the forest.” (p. 7)

Read This If You Loved: Me…Jane by Patrick McDonnell, Who Says Women Can’t Be Doctors? by Tanya Lee Stone, Daredevil by Meghan McCarthy, The Boy Who Loved Math by Deborah Heiligman, Brave Girl by Michelle Markel, Primates by Jim Ottaviani, Look Up! by Annette LeBlanc Cate, Players in Pigtails by Shana Corey

Recommended For: