Unleashing Readers

Locomotive by Brian Floca (Kellee’s Review)

April 16, 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!

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: Rhythm. Onomatopoeias. (Well-researched) History. Gorgeous (and historically accurate) illustrations. Lyrical narrative. Unique point of view. This book has everything.

YOU (second person POV!) are a passenger on a train cross America with your family in 1869. Throughout the book, you will encounter many different landmarks, experience things on a train very few had at this time in history, and learn about the intricacies of the train. So fascinating! And all told in rich, beautiful language. It is hard to even share much more about the book because it is such an experience.

Check out Ricki’s review of Locomotive as well HERE.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: I would LOVE to read this to kids. There are so many places to stop and discuss and research and learn, but never without an enthralling story accompanying. It would be a great book to use across subjects. There are definitely opportunities for all subjects: social studies (trans-continental travel, history, trains); science (the science of steam engines); math (travel); reading/writing (onomatopoeia, point of view, rhythm).

Also, and this is fresh on my mind because I just read it, but I would love to read this and The Donner Dinner Party and then look at the two journeys. How long did each take? Dangers? It would be an interesting look at how trains truly changed transportation.

Discussion Questions: How does having the book in 2nd point of view make it more enthralling?; What onomatopoeias were used in the book? How did these words help suck you into the story?; How did the author’s rhythm make you feel like you are actually on the train?; What are the landmarks that were passed on the trans-continental railroad? Why are these landmarks significant?; How does a steam engine work? What are the jobs of all of the different people on board?

We Flagged:
“Here is how this road was built,
with a grunt and a heave and a swing,
with the ring of shovels on stone,
the ring of hammers on spikes:

CLANK CLANK CLANK!

Men came from far away
to build from the East,
to build from the West,
to meet in the middle.

They cleared the rocks
and dug the tunnels.
They raised the hammers
and brought them down—

“Three strokes to the spike,
ten spikes to the rail!”

CLANK CLANK CLANK!”

Read This If You Loved: The Donner Dinner Party by Nathan Hale, Train by Elisha Cooper

Recommended For:

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Things We’d Like To Own

April 15, 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 Book Things We’d Like To Own

Not books, but book accessories.

Ricki

I decided to use pictures instead of links like Kellee. Sorry for the inconsistency, but many of my images are on Tumblr, so I can’t find them anymore!

1. I want a row of a dozen bookshelves with a gorgeous sliding, gold ladder. The five bookshelves in my house are not nearly enough. I would post an image of this, but your imagination is better than any image I could show.

2. This dress:

3. This bench for my garden:

4. These stairs for my basement:

5. This vending machine, with unlimited books, please:

Kellee

Click on any of the items to see the bookish things I’d like to own

1. Neil Gaiman’s Bookshelves (OMG, right?! Though I’ll need a bigger house first…)

2. Elephant and Piggie Shirt Toddler Shirt (for Trent; or any of the Mo Willems shirts for me or him)

3. Amazing Harry Potter Wizard’s Blu-ray/DVD Combo Collection

4. One Book Down Lounge Set

5. Hm…. I cannot think of a 5th thing. Can I say Neil Gaiman’s Bookshelves again?!

What are some bookish things you dream of owning?

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 4/14/14

July 27, 2015April 14, 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: Top Ten Most Unique Books We’ve Read

Wednesday: Favorite Nonfiction Picture Books About Strong Women in History

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

Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee: This week I read All our Yesterdays by Cristen Terrill–SO GOOD! I found myself reading when I should have been doing just about anything else, but it was just so suspenseful! Ricki has already reviewed it, and I will post my review in May. It is a must-read, in my opinion. While nursing this week (well, not nursing, but during the 20 minutes after nursing when I have to keep Trent upright), I also finished Teen Idol Terror by Paul Plunkett, a fun mystery that I’ll review in the future, and Thrive by Meenoo Rami, an education book that we’ll have the blog tour stop in a couple of weeks.

Trent and I continued our #bookaday and read some great picture books:

No Two Alike by Keith Baker (This will be a good way to show Trent snow and also how unique everything is, and I really liked the rhyming.)
Spot the Dot by David A. Carter (A super fun interactive book that will be great for teaching colors and having fun while doing it.)
Daddy Wrong Legs by Nina Laden (Trent is going to love this book when he is able to flip through the book mixing and matching the legs and heads. Some of them are quite hilarious.)
The Biggest Kiss by Joanna Walsh (Love this cover! A cute book that will be a good Valentine’s Day read.)
Chickia Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. (I haven’t read this book in a long time, but it is as fun and rhythmic as I remember.)
Disney’s Peter Pan and Lady and the Tramp (Final two books in the Disney Bedtime Stories tower. I really enjoyed the Lady and the Tramp adaptation–very cute.)

Ricki: Like Kellee, I also read Thrive by Meenoo Rami this week. This is a fantastic book for beginning teachers, and I can’t wait to use it in my classes. I also read several picture books to Henry. One of our favorite books was The Fox in the Library by Lorenz Pauli. (We are biased because we love any books about books.) I will be reviewing it next week. We also loved a recommendation by Carrie in her children’s book post (bit.ly/1fOCOdu): Hug by Jez Alborough. There is something magical about animals hugging each other. We also enjoyed the classics, The Napping House by Audrey Wood and Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman, a newer book called Hello, My Name is Ruby by Philip C. Stead (great for bird-lovers), and The Dead Family Diaz by P.J. Bracegirdle (fantastic for teaching about The Day of the Dead). If you are looking for an adult book, my husband just finished The Strain by Guillermo del Toro. It is a new, adult, horror book. He enjoyed it, and he is a tough critic.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee: I am going to start (should have started already!) Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein. It is going to be interesting to see how it connects to Code Name Verity. I also plan on starting another e-book, probably Coyote Summer by J.P. Kapchinske, to read after nursing. E-books are much easier to read with one hand than hard/paper books. Trent and I will continue our #bookaday, of course, but I never know what is in our plans 🙂

Ricki: I am currently reading Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira. I am almost finished with the professional development book, The Shame of the Nation by Jonathan Kozol. Henry and I are also almost finished with our graphic novel book of classic fairy tales called Fairy Tale Comics, which is edited by Chris Duffy.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

Tuesday: Top Ten Bookish Things We’d Like to Own

Friday: Amulet Graphic Novels: Teaching Guide

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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Bruised by Sarah Skilton

April 11, 2014 by Kellee

Bruised
Author: Sarah Skilton
Published March 5, 2013 by Amulet/Abrams

Goodreads Summary: Imogen has always believed that her black belt in Tae Kwon Do made her stronger than everyone else–more responsible, more capable. But when she witnesses a holdup in a diner, she freezes. The gunman is shot and killed by the police. And it’s all her fault.

Now she’s got to rebuild her life without the talent that made her special and the beliefs that made her strong. If only she could prove herself in a fight–a real fight–she might be able to let go of the guilt and shock. She’s drawn to Ricky, another witness to the holdup, both romantically and because she believes he might be able to give her the fight she’s been waiting for.

But when it comes down to it, a fight won’t answer Imogen’s big questions: What does it really mean to be stronger than other people? Is there such a thing as a fair fight? And can someone who’s beaten and bruised fall in love?

My Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Imogen is broken and she must overcome this feeling of hopelessness that surrounds her constantly. What an intense way to introduce us to a character? We then go on a journey with Imogen as she tries to rebuild her life, her memories, her friendships, and her family.

At first I struggled with this book because the timeline was choppy, and Imogen was hard to pinpoint. But then, through the flashbacks, Imogen starts to become clearer to us, the reader, and Imogen’s memories start to become clearer to her. Then you are so sucked into wanting to know everything, and you can only know everything if you stick with the book and see Imogen’s memories as they are revealed. This is a pretty brilliant tactic in making the reader feel like they are in the protagonist’s brain.

Bruised actually reminds me a lot of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. Both young ladies are thrown into a tragedy, let that tragedy eat away at their hearts and souls, and have to figure out how to find themselves again. Truly a remarkable journey to go on with a character. And, like Speak, there are some intense topics/themes dealt with in Bruised that will definitely grab a teen’s attention: sibling rivalry, a disabled parent, disconnected family, friendship, sex, love, survival, and martial arts. It is one of those books that teens need to read, so they can learn to become resilient and to overcome whatever is in their path.

Discussion Questions: Is it ever okay to lie?; Would you have been able to forgive your best friend if she’d done what Shelly did?; Was it right of Imogen to call Grant down during the demonstration?; Why was having Ricky there such an important part of Imogen’s recovery?

We Flagged: “Don’t you recognize me?” says Ricky after a moment.
Confused, I force myself to look up from the floor, up his legs and along his body, until I’m looking him in the eyes.
I hear gunshots, the cashier crying, and the police sirens, but I don’t look away.
He’s my friend from under the table.” (p. 60)

“Today, eleven days later, I slide down the wall of my own shower and curl up in a ball, tuck my knees under my chin, and wrap my arms around my head. I’ve taken showers since the diner, but this one’s different. Get smaller. Small as you can be. Low to the ground is comforting, standing up is bad. Why is standing up bad? What happins if you stand up? (You don’t want to know.) Reset button. Start at the beginning. Gretchen’s in the bathroom when the gunman comes in. I see the glint of his gun, and I hide under the table. There’s Ricky, under a different table, he brings his finger to his lips. Shh…” (p. 95-96)

Read This If You Loved: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, Stained by Cheryl Rainfield, Rape Girl by Alina Klein

Recommended For:

Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson (Ricki’s Review)

July 27, 2015April 10, 2014 by Ricki

Each Kindness
Author: Jacqueline Woodson
Illustrator: E.B. Lewis
Published October 2nd, 2012 by Nancy Paulsen Books

Summary: Each kindness makes the world a little better

Chloe and her friends won’t play with the new girl, Maya. Maya is different–she wears hand-me-downs and plays with old-fashioned toys. Every time Maya tries to join Chloe and her gang, they reject her. Eventually, Maya plays alone, and then stops coming to school altogether. When Chloe’s teacher gives a lesson about how even small acts of kindness can change the world, Chloe is stung by the lost opportunity for friendship, and thinks about how much better it could have been if she’d shown a little kindness toward Maya.

This unforgettable book is written and illustrated by the award-winning team that created The Other Side and the Caldecott Honor winner Coming On Home Soon. With its powerful message and striking art, it will resonate with readers long after they’ve put it down.

Review: This is a beautiful story that would be FANTASTIC for the classroom. Students of any age can learn from this book, and I would read it to my class on the very first day of school. It is easy to get caught up in drama and gossip, and Jackie Woodson reminds us how hurtful this can be. I am so glad that I own a copy of this book. I plan to read it to my son very often because the lessons are so important, and the story is simply stunning. Usually, I don’t review a book that Kellee has also reviewed on Unleashing Readers, but I couldn’t help but share my thoughts about this incredible text.

Teacher’s Tool For Navigation: I would be remiss if I didn’t direct you to Kellee’s post about this book. She did a fantastic activity with her class that used multi-flow maps.

One of my favorite parts about this book is that it doesn’t have a happy ending. I would love to discuss this with students–why might this be? Is Woodson teaching us something? Then, we might explore other books that don’t have happy endings and discuss why authors might do this intentionally and how it might impact readers’ feelings about the books. Students are notorious for disliking sad endings, so I think this would provoke much discussion.

This book can be both preventative and reactionary to bullying issues in the classroom/school community. While I would read it at the beginning of the school year, I could also see it as an effective tool for teachers who are having issues with bullying during the school year. This book makes us want to be better people.

Discussion Questions: Why is Chloe so mean to Maya?; What do we know about Maya? Why do you think Woodson characterizes her this way?; Why does this book end in an unhappy way? What does it teach us?; How might we spread kindness?

We Flagged: “And on that first day, Maya turned to me and smiled. But I didn’t smile back. I moved my chair, myself and my books a little farther away from her. When she looked my way, I turned to the window and stared out at the snow” (6).

Read This If You Loved: Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great by Bob Shea, Endgame by Nancy Garden, Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick, Burn by Suzanne Phillips, The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson, Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King, The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp, Inexcusable by Chris Lynch

Recommended For:

Biographical Picture Books about Strong Women

July 27, 2014April 9, 2014 by Kellee

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday

Over the last few years I have noticed a trend (a trend I love!) of biographical picture books about strong women from history. After reading a wonderful batch of them, I decided I need to share all of the amazing ones that I have read.
[Each picture book cover can be clicked on to take you to either Goodreads or a review of mine.]

I love that these woman are getting their stories told!

Were there any that I missed? Please share!

Top Ten Tuesday: Unique Books We’ve Read

April 8, 2014April 8, 2014 by Kellee

Today’s Topic: Top Ten Unique Books We’ve Read

Ricki

1. Nothing by Janne Teller

The plot of this book was extremely clever and very different from any other book I have ever read. It is one of my favorites. I read the first few pages aloud to my students and they are fascinated by it.

2. Wonder by R. J. Palacio

The voice of this book was so powerful that it felt unique. I felt as if I was trapped in this young boy’s body. I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.

3. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

I didn’t particularly love this book, but it was one of the most unusual books that I have read. The text features were very neat.

4. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

I love how Riggs used old photographs to create this story. I found that to be very different from any book I have ever read.

5. Liar by Justine Larbalestier

The premise of this book is that the main character is a liar. The story is very interesting because she lies to the readers throughout the book. I liked the confusion this provided.

Kellee

1. Ghetto Cowboy by G. Neri

Horse stables in the middle of Philadelphia and a boy dealing with all of a sudden living with an absent father—unique. I love how this book is written and the premise of it. There is no other book like it.

2. Graceling by Kristen Cashore

At the time when I read Graceling, I’d not read any high fantasy like this. Katsa is such a unique character and the book is just as amazing. I mean, the whole idea of being “graced” is a unique concept.

3. Airborn by Kenneth Oppel

I was so enthralled with this book! I was fascinated by the idea of airships as cruise ships, Kate going against everything that she has been taught is right, and the zoology discussed throughout. I have not read anything else like this series.

4. Battle Bunny by Jon Sciezska and Mac Barnet

This is a “golden book” given to Alex by his grandmother; however, Alex makes it his own. This picture book cracked me up, made me want to share it with everyone and anyone, and was just so well done. And there is nothing like it.

5. Anything by Roald Dahl

He was so ahead of his time and all of his books are unique (mostly if you compare it to other books being written at the time).

What really unique books have you read?

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