48 Hour Book Challenge

This year, I was able to participate a bit in Mother Reader's Annual 48 Hour Book Challenge. Although I can never fully participate by the rules of the challenge, I love the weekend because it gives me an excuse to commit a larger amount of time to reading than usual. This year, I spread my time over 3 days: Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  I read in between family events, graduation parties, and other things.  But over the three days I read some great books. I love this binge reading--really reading lots in a few days. Although my To-Be-Read pile is still huge, it always feels less overwhelming when I spend lots of time reading.  I am excited about the books that I read.  I would recommend every single one of them. It was a great reading weekend!  These are the books I read:

BREADCRUMBS by Anne Ursu is due out in September. This is a favorite of mine for 2011 so far. It is a modern day fairy tale. A version of The Snow Queen. Ursu does an amazing job of weaving in issues that today's children may be dealing with into this fantasy story.  The underlying themes are friendship and loss among other things.  Divorce, boy-girl friendships, international adoption, and other things are explored in this book. The author does a great job at pulling in other stories we know such as the Chronicles of Narnia and the Little Match Girl.  This is a book I may want to reread and definitely a great addition to any intermediate or middle school classroom. I loved it.  It is so good that I would preorder it now so that you don't forget about it in September.

WE ARE AMERICA is a poetry book by Walter Dean Myers and Christopher Myers that I have been meaning to read.  The book is a powerful one, reminding us about what it means to be American. The book is both a celebration of our country and a realistic look at some issues we deal with as a nation. This is a gorgeous book that older students could read with depth.


I am a huge fan of Michael J. Fox.  As a matter of fact, I found myself purchasing the new issue of Good Housekeeping because Michael J. Fox was on the cover. Honestly, I felt like I was 13 and buying an issue of Teen Beat when I saw his photo on the cover.  I picked up A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON MY WAY TO THE FUTURE by Michael J. Fox and read it as part of my 48 Hour Read. This is a great little essay--one of those books aimed at graduating students. But so much of what Michael J. Fox says in this book resonated for me.  A good, quick, life message.  (By the way, a little Franki Trivia for you--I have a credit in a Michael J. Fox movie. I was the tutor on the set for a child in LIGHT OF DAY for one day of filming in Ohio.  I didn't have to do much tutoring but I did get to ride in a van with Joan Jett and see Michael J. Fox in person from afar many times during the day:-)

I picked up OLIVIA'S BIRDS: SAVING THE GULF by Olivia Bouler a few weeks ago. I had heard the story about Olivia raising money to help birds during the oil spill and was intrigued by the book. This book is full of information and drawings about birds by Olivia. We learn about the fascination of birds and also learn about the dangers to birds, about the oil spill and about Olivia's work to help them.m This is a great piece by an 11 year-old working to make a positive difference in the world.

LOST AND FOUND by Shaun Tan was another that had been on my stack for a while. This is a collection of 3 short pieces around the theme of loss. Each story is different and each leaves the read with lots to think about. The illustrations are incredible and add to the text.  I can see using this with older elementary and middle school students to really dig into the meaning of these stories, both separately and together.

THE GIRL WHO CIRCUMNAVIGATED FAIRYLAND IN A SHIP OF HER OWN MAKING by Catherynne Valente was the first book that I read. I actually started it a week or two ago but didn't have much time to read during the last weeks of school.  The book is a fairy tale and the main character is one that will stay with me for a long time.  But this is not an easy read. It seems more middle school than middle grade to me.  It is a great, unique fairy tale. I did not fall in love with it until the last 1/3 but by the time I was finished, I loved it. I think had I not spread it out over a busy time of year, I would have loved it immediately.  I definitely recommend this one to readers of more complex fantasy/fairy tales.

I loved QUEEN OF THE FALLS by Chris Van Allsburg and wasn't really expecting to. Honestly, when I ordered it, I had no idea what it was about.  I just ordered it because it was by Van Allsburg and I love most everything by him. The Polar Express was one of the first children's book I owned when I began student- teaching and I have loved his work ever since. But this book is different for this author/illustrator. It is a picture book biography about the first woman to go over Niagra Falls in a barrel.  I am addicted to finding great picture book biographies so finding this one was a real treat. Van Allsburg's illustrations make this a biography I think kids will love--the story is a great one and Van Allsburg's illustrations bring it to life. I am happy to add it to my biographies and to my Chris Van Allsburgh collection.

THE FRIENDSHIP DOLL by Kirby Larson was the last book that I read during the 48 Hour Read and it was a a great ending to a great reading weekend!  I love dolls so I especially liked the idea of this book.  It is a historical booked based on the 57 dolls sent to the United States from Japan in 1927 as "Ambassadors of Friendship". This is the story of one doll and the people she meets in her travels.  The book consists of 5 stories and we see the way that the doll was "brought to life" by each new girl she met.  We also see how each of the girls was changed because of the doll. Each story is powerful by itself.  The book reminded me a bit of The Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo in its premise. This is definitely a new favorite for me.  I have always loved dolls so I am anxious to see how this book does with others who are not so interested in dolls.  My gut says that it is a great story regardless of how you come to it.  Together these create a story of hope, change, loss, friendship and more. At the end of the book, author Kirby Larson gives us a little more background about the Japanese dolls.

So, thanks again to Mother Reader for a great kick-off to my Summer Reading. I am already looking forward to the 7th Annual 48 Hour Book Challenge!

Author Interview: April Pulley Sayre

Back in February, April was the visiting author at my school and at Franki's school, and then she was one of the featured authors at the Dublin Literacy Conference. If you don't know her books, it's time for a trip to the library or the bookstore! Please welcome...




April Pulley Sayre!


Tell a bit about how the places you've visited in the world have wound up in the books you write.

My idea of a great day is standing in an army ant swarm in Panama or swimming with squid in the Caribbean. My husband and I travel to many biomes but focus our trips on rain forests and coral reefs. We've visited rain forests in Ecuador, Peru, Guatemala, Belize, and Panama. We've even led adventure tours to Panama so we know that country well. The direct experiences we've had in Panama have shown up in ARMY ANT PARADE and an upcoming book about howler monkeys. (I love to witness army ant swarms and see the many birds that follow the chaos.)


Photos from the rain forest are in my young readers book, TROPICAL RAIN FOREST, and in SECRETS OF SOUND: STUDYING THE CALLS OF WHALES, ELEPHANTS, AND BIRDS.

What do you feel is the best quality of your writing?

I think the best technical quality of my writing is probably what people have called "lyrical language." When I write picture books, in particular, I approach them with a certain voice, and polish them until they have a push and pull of language that is pleasing to my ear. The words have to be right. When I am done polishing a picture book it lingers in my mind—the rhythms and rhymes. I have a great sense of satisfaction when I am done writing these picture books and I never tire of reading them out loud. Perhaps that is the point. A great picture book has to hold up to repeated readings. It has to be delicious in every way.

My specialty is narrative nonfiction—material that is true but that uses suspense and other narrative techniques to give the feel of a story. I like to choose material that has layers of meaning. Often my books seem to be about something small but ultimately make a reader feel connected to something deep and large, such as the sunrise, the water cycle, and so on.

What's your favorite of all the books you've written, and what's the story behind that book?

I love so many of my books and each in its own way. One of my favorites is certainly DIG, WAIT, LISTEN: A DESERT TOAD'S TALE. It's about listening for the sound of desert rain. The illustrator, Barbara Bash, and the art director and designer just made it the perfect book. Kids just hug it to them. You can tell each part of the book was made with love. THE BUMBLEBEE QUEEN had that same quality and the illustrator, Patricia Wynne, made that text sing.



One of my favorite book texts is certainly my recent picture book STARS BENEATH YOUR BED: THE SURPRISING STORY OF DUST. It's about how you and I help create the color of the sunset and sunrise. It's about how we live in a world sprinkled with star dust and dust from long ago, even dust in which dinosaurs rolled. Again, it's one of those think small, think big kind of books. It's probably my best writing. I thought it would never be published; it was rejected 52 times over the course of 8 years until the wonderful Rebecca Davis, who was at Greenwillow, took the risk of making a book about dust. When STARS BENEATH YOUR BED won the best Science Picture Book of the Year from the American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru/Science Books and Films, I cried I was so happy. I was so amazed that book would now have a life.

Would you tell us a little about your upcoming books?

I have three books coming out this year and two next year. My first, in April, is HUSH, LITTLE PUPPY, from Holt. It is a loving lullaby with beautiful illustrations by British artist Susan Winter.

In the fall my third chant book, BIRD, BIRD, BIRD: A CHIRPING CHANT will be released. A new chant illustrator, Gary Locke, has done this one and his work is spectacular. Really laugh out loud hilarious with an underlying bubble of good-natured joy.

The third book is VULTURE VIEW by Holt. I am so excited about this book. It's illustrated by Caldecott Honor winner Steve Jenkins. I think it's one of my best read aloud books and a perfect pairing with Steve's art and sensibility. I can hardly wait until it's released by Holt in October 2007. It's not just about vultures; it teaches about physics...how warming air rises and cooling air falls.

I wrote the book while standing on a tower in Panama. Yet the book isn't set in Panama at all. I was taking care of a tour participant who had gotten too excited while watching all the sloths, migrating hawks, toucans, and other spectacular things. She literally needed to rest and calm down. So, I sat with her. As I did, I looked out the window and a troop of howlers came and peeked in at us but I couldn't tell her they were there. Then, vultures started circling up out of a valley and suddenly I could hear in my head how my new book, VULTURE VIEW, should go. I had to grab a notebook and scribble the words.

In 2008, another spectacular book is coming: TROUT ARE MADE OF TREES. Of course this will be a great pairing with my book TROUT, TROUT, TROUT: A FISH CHANT. But TROUT ARE MADE OF TREES, from Charlesbridge, is another one of my deep lyrical nonfiction books, about how leaves fall into streams and are eaten by insects that are eaten by trout that are eaten by people and bears. It begins "Trout are made of trees. In fall, trees let go of leaves, which twirl and swirl and slip into streams..." I just saw the first art by Kate Endle. It is colorful and amazing collage...almost quilt like. It shows a family exploring the aquatic side of a stream.

Anything else?

Well, I just returned from speaking at the Dublin Literacy Conference, near Columbus, Ohio. It's run by you and the teachers of your district. Perhaps you're too modest to mention it, but that conference ROCKS! Any authors who are invited should definitely go. My only complaint is that I had to speak so I couldn't attend all the sessions. Moan. Moan. But I'm already using some of what I learned there.

On another note, one of the things I emphasize to kids is that not all the "cool" stuff is in rain forests and far away countries. Many of my great nature experiences have happened right here in the Midwest, in my Indiana backyard. The biodiversity here is terrific and there are lots of camouflaged, wild and wonderful creatures to see. My husband used to run a native plants nursery and he's kind of an expert in that field. So we've landscaped our tiny yard with prairie, wetland, and forest plants that bring creatures to our door.

Even a small patch of milkweed and other butterfly plants can bring great wildlife viewing to a yard or schoolyard. The future of wild life and wild experiences in the U.S. is really in the hands of landowners, even those with tiny yards. It's about planting trees and allowing places to be a little bit wild so there is room for birds, frogs, and the berries and insects they depend upon. Seeing a butterfly or a frog can make my whole day and many children feel that way, too. We need to keep that, for our health and quality of life.

I welcome teachers to take a look at my site, www.aprilsayre.com. It has lots of extension activities for my books. When I visit schools I try to take photos of what teachers are doing with the books and post those photos on my site. I better get to work because I have a lot of new material to add!

IT'S MONDAY! WHAT ARE YOU READING?

This week, IT'S MONDAY, WHAT ARE YOU READING? comes from Ana, my (Franki's) 12 year old daughter. Ana is a huge fantasy/fairy tale/dystopia reader. And she likes a little bit of romance in the books she reads. She is one of my best sources for good young YA stuff.  She's read several books lately that she's loved and wanted to share some of her favorites:-)

Wings by Aprilynne Pike
This book was written by Aprilynne Pike. I just read the book about 3 weeks ago. The book is about a girl named Laurel and how she starts to feel different. Then one day she looks in the mirror and sees she has wings on her back. While she tries to figure out what’s going on, she then meets two guys. One of the guys is named David and he is human but the other is named Tamani. Tamani is like Laurel, he’s not human. Throughout the story David and Tamani are fighting to get Laurel’s attention. Meanwhile, Laurel finds out that things are not what she thought they were. Things start to happen and Laurel realizes that she doesn't like to feel weak. She figures that out very soon in the book. She is also very stubborn. Soon, bad magical creatures start to show up in the human world. What will happen when her stubbornness gets her into trouble and danger?

Halo by Alexander Adornetto
Right now I’m reading Halo. I’m only about halfway done with the book but so far it’s great. The main character in the book is a girl named Bethany. She has an older brother, Gabriel, and sister named Ivy. Beth and her sister and brother are not normal. They are angels sent from heaven to protect the people on earth. While Beth is on earth she meets a guy named Xavier who she starts to have feeling towards. I like the book because the whole part of them being angels is really cool to me. The way Beth acts as a human is funny. Her brothers and sister have been to earth before but she never has so being in human form is all new to her. I hope to finish the book soon.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
Elisa is 16 years old and a princess and so is her sister Alodia. Alodia is the heir to the thrown. Elisa is not the prettiest or skinniest of girls but there is something remarkable about her. She is the bearer of the god stone. There is only one person who bears the god stone once every century and she was chosen. Elisa is about to get married to a man she has never met. This man is named Alejandro and he is king of Joya. They are hoping that if Elisa is the queen that the city will go back to how it was in the beginning and the kingdom will come out of there hard times. Though that is not what happens. Elisa is taken to a city where their people are in a bad time. Along the way she falls in love and they have to run away from people that are trying to get Elisa for her god stone. This is a great story about love, adventure and finding out who you really are.

Gone by Michael Grant


What if in one second your life could change forever? What would you do if there no longer were any adults? If you were trapped from the outer world by a wall that surrounded you? How would you cope when the once safe world ruled by adults was now ruled by bullies? That’s what happens to Sam and the kids that live in Puerdo Beach, CA. Sam, his friend Quin and a really smart girl named Astrid from his school try to set things right while the adults are gone. Along the way the three of them meet some friends and make some enemies. Throughout the story you get to see the story from a bunch of characters' points of views and see how they deal with their new life. Michael Grant did a great job at putting a bunch of twists and turns in the story and describing everything that happens well. There is violence, sadness, love, mystery, and creepy things that go on in the book. It’s kind of like The Hunger Games when they get thrown into the arena but more violence in a way. Within the first chapter I was hooked and had to keep reading so I could find out what happened to the characters. The GONE series is one of my favorite books and is an intriguing series.

Divergent by Veronica Roth


16 year old Beatrice has come to a point in her life where she has to make a choice that will change her life forever. In the world Beatrice lives in, the people are divided by factions. The factions are Candor: the honest, Abnegation: the selfless, Dauntless: the brave, Amity: the peaceful, and Erudite: the intelligent. Beatrice and her brother Caleb were born in the faction Abnegation. Now they both have to choose if they want to stay in Abnegation or join another faction. One of the hard things about being in a faction is that once you chose there is no going back and you are only allowed to socialize with people in your faction. Beatrice ends up choosing to join the faction Dauntless. Before she can be Dauntless, she has to go though a camp were she learns what you need to know to become Dauntless. The camp is not easy though. People who get eliminated from the camp become faction-less.

Entwined by Heather Dixon
If you like stories about the Twelve Dancing Princesses, then you will like this book. Azalea is the oldest of all her sisters. During the story, the twelve sisters lose their mother and they have to go into a time of grieving. During this time they are not allowed to do any thing that is remotely happy like dancing. All the sisters want to find a way to escape the grieving in the castle, so they find a mysterious place. But, when the sisters meet a mysterious and dashing man named Keeper that lives in the mysterious place things start to change. Azalea also meets a handsome young man during the story who happens to take a liking to Azalea. Will anyone be able to find out where the Twelve Dancing sisters go at night and why their shoes are always torn up and beaten the next morning? During the story you see how one thing lead to another and how things get entwined with each other.

Thanks to Jen and Kellee for hosting this great weekly event at TEACH MENTOR TEXTS!

2011: A Year of 305 Books

Mary Lee has always been my reading idol.  We were in a book club together 20+ years ago and I was always amazed at how much she read.  She was the one who encouraged me to keep a log of my reading.  Blogging with her for the past 6 years has made me realize how lucky I am to have friends who read and how important that is to my reading life.

This year, it's not so much the books I read, but more the habits I started:

As I look at my 2011 reading, Goodreads changed my life. I had used it a bit before 2010, but decided to be diligent about tracking my reading carefully in 2011. Really, I had no idea how I kept track before.  Goodreads helps me track, reflect, find book to recommend, connect with friends, choose books, etc.  It has helped me in my own reading but has also helped me become a better resource for students and teachers looking for books. LOVE IT!  I also set a reading challenge for myself on Goodreads and met it.  I was part of a Mock Newbery group and a few others that kept me up to date on the books getting the most buzz. And it was so fun to hear everyone's opinions as we read monthly books.

I also found that groups/events like Titletalk, The Nerdy Book Club and the Facebook Centurions of 2011 group were important for me as I read throughout the year. They each provided a different type of support. And I read so many amazing books because of these networks.

And, thanks to Kevin Hodsgon's recent post reflecting on his 2011 reading, I realized that Goodreads will let me view fun stats about my year of reading. How fun is this!

Here are some reading highlights. Fifty or so books I LOVED in 2011.
January-40 books
Kakapo Rescue-NONFICTION
Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place by Maryrose Wood-MIDDLE GRADE

February-13 books
How I, Nicky Flynn, Get a Life (and a Dog) by Art Corriveau-MIDDLE GRADE
Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt-MIDDLE GRADE

March-24 books
Mother Goose Picture Puzzles by Will Hillenbrand-PICTURE BOOK/POETRY
Can We Save the Tiger? by Martin Jenkins-NONFICTION
Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai-MIDDLE GRADE
Emma Dilemma: Big Sister Poems by Kristine O'Donnell George-POETRY

April-27 books
Chime by Franny Billingsley-YOUNG ADULT
Bigger Than a Breadbox by Laurel Snyder-MIDDLE GRADE
Little Chicken's Big Day by Katie Davis and Jerry Davis-PICTURE BOOK
Also Known as Rowan Pohi by Ralph Fletcher-YOUNG ADULT

May-22 books
The Absolute Value of Mike by Kathryn Erskine-YOUNG ADULT
The Pull of Gravity by Gae Polisner-YOUNG ADULT
A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka-WORDLESS PICTURE BOOK
Babymouse Mad Scientist and Squish by Jennifer Holm and Matthew Holm-GRAPHIC NOVEL
Real Revision by Kate Messner-PROFESSIONAL BOOK

June-43 books
Time to Eat/Time to Sleep by Steve Jenkins-NONFICTION
Queen of the Falls by Chris Van Allsburg-PICTURE BOOK BIOGRAPHY
Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu-MIDDLE GRADE
The Friendship Doll by Kirby Larson-MIDDLE GRADE
Big Brothers Don't Take Naps by Louise Borden-PICTURE BOOK
Hidden by Helen Frost-MIDDLE GRADE
Should I Share My Ice Cream by Mo Willems-PICTURE BOOK
Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick-MIDDLE GRADE
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett-ADULT NOVEL

July-28 books
Toys Come Home by Emily Jenkins-EARLY CHAPTER BOOK
Latasha and the Red Tornado by Michael Scotto-MIDDLE GRADE
Shine by Lauren Myracle-YOUNG ADULT
A Million Miles from Boston by Karen Day-MIDDLE GRADE

August-37 books
The One and Only Stuey Lewis by Jane Schoenberg-EARLY CHAPTER BOOK
Press Here by Herve Tullet-PICTURE BOOK
Leisl and Po by Lauren Olive-MIDDLE GRADE
Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George-MIDDLE GRADE
The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School by Laura Murray-PICTURE BOOK

September-16 books
The Other Wes More: One Name, Two Fates by Wes Moore-ADULT NONFICTION
Waiting for Magic by Patricia MacLachlan-EARLY CHAPTER BOOK/MIDDLE GRADE
Amelia Lost by Candace Fleming-NONFICTION
Otis and the Tornado by Loren Long-PICTURE BOOK
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness-YOUNG ADULT
You Will be My Friend by Peter Brown-PICTURE BOOK

October-12 Books
Happy Pig Day! by Mo Willems-PICTURE BOOK
I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen-PICTURE BOOK

November-15 books
Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet-PICTURE BOOK BIOGRAPHY
The Duckling Gets a Cookie!? by Mo Willems-PICTURE BOOK (2012)
The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann-MIDDLE GRADE
BookSpeak! by Laura Purdie Salas-POETRY
The Trouble With May Amelia by Jennifer Holm-MIDDLE GRADE
Ghetto Cowboy by G. Neri-MIDDLE GRADE
The Great Wall of Lucy Wu by Wendy Wan-Long Shang-MIDDLE GRADE

December-28 books

Sparrow Road by Sheila O'Connor-MIDDLE GRADE

The Aviary by Kathleen O'Dell-MIDDLE GRADE

Sir Gawain the True by Gerald Morris-EARLY CHAPTER/MIDDLE GRADE

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate-MIDDLE GRADE (2012)

Eye of the Storm by Kate Messner-MIDDLE GRADE (2012)

How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr-YOUNG ADULT

#bookaday Favorites

I have so loved participating in Donalyn Miller's Book-A-Day Challenge.  I wasn't sure how it would go but there was so much more to it than just reading lots of books (which I did!). It was more of a mindset. Knowing that I wanted to read a book every day, I had to think about the kind of book I would read that made sense each day--how much time did I have, etc.  I also realized how much I skim picture and poetry books. I am an honest person who would never add a book to my #bookaday list if I hadn't read it cover to cover, so I got into the habit of actually reading entire books.  I also love how much reading I caught up on. Oh, my To-Be-Read stack is still very large and growing every day, but I have read a lot and have lots of new books to share with kids and teachers. I am already looking forward to the holiday version of #bookaday and any other #bookadays I can fit in.
Here are some of the highlights from my #bookaday reading:

Nonfiction Picture Books

Time to Eat, Time to Sleep, Time for a Bath by Steve Jenkins (Click here for blog review)
Queen of the Falls by Chris Van Allsburg (Click here for blog review)

Middle Grade Novels
A Million Miles from Boston by Karen Day (Click here for blog review)

Juniper Berry by M.P. Kozlowsky

Breadcrumbs by Ana Ursu (Click here for blog review)
The Friendship Doll by Kirby Larson (Click here for blog review)
Hidden by Helen Frost
When Life Gives you O.J. by Erica Perl
Shooting Kabul by N. H. Senzai






Early Grade Chapter Book

Toys Come Home

Adult Read

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett (Click here for blog review)

Young Adult

Shine by Lauren Myracle

Picture Books

If Rocks Could Sing by Leslie McGuirk

Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes by Eric Litwin (Click here for blog review)

Farmyard Beat by Lindsey Craig (Click here for blog review)

Rah, Rah, Radishes!:  A Vegetable Chant by April Pulley Sayre (Click here for blog review)

Apple Pie ABC by Alison Murray (Click here for blog review)
Big Brothers Don't Take Naps by Louise Borden (Click here for blog review)
Should I Share My Ice Cream by Mo Willems