This year we'd like to celebrate by giving back to our readers with a Giveback-Giveaway every day for seven days.
We'll choose a random winner from the comments each day and send them the featured book of the day. The books we've chosen are all new(ish) books that celebrate books and reading. (As we were choosing books, we realized that we need to update our Books About Books and Reading list in the sidebar. Are any of your favorites missing from our list?)
Thanks for stopping by to help us celebrate 7 years!
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Blog Birthday Giveback-Giveaway #4 -- FORGIVE ME, I MEANT TO DO IT
This is one of the books that suffered the fate of compromise as the first-round poetry judges for the CYBILS honed our list of finalists. I was THRILLED, then, to see that it was chosen as a Nerdy Poetry Book for 2012.
Our fifth graders ended 2012 by writing business letters. (Side note -- I'm thinking that this genre of letter-writing is headed the way of the dinosaurs. It's not that our students didn't have a lot they wanted to say to companies about their business or their product(s), but the kids really couldn't comprehend why they couldn't just email the company. And when it comes to finding mailing addresses online...it would seem that companies would rather communicate by email as well.)
So. Business letter follow-up. I'm thinking that before we fully immerse ourselves in our next writing project, it will be fun to write some false apologies...and this book will be our mentor text!
Have you seen it? The table of contents is hysterical. Every poem has the same title, after all...
The introduction is about 20 pages in -- one of the many fun surprises in this book.
There are kid-sized literary allusions in many of the poems -- Mother Goose rhymes, fairy tales, etc.
So much to love about this book. Franki reviewed it last March, and now we'd like for one lucky commenter to have a copy of this book for their home library, their classroom library, or to give to a friend who doesn't have it yet. Happy Poetry Friday!
Matt has the roundup today at Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme. The shiny new roundup calendar is posted in our sidebar and in the Kidlitosphere Yahoo group calendar. The html code for your very own sidebar calendar is located in the files of the Kidlitosphere Yahoo group. If you'd like me to send you the code by email, drop me a note at mlhahn at earthlink dot net. (Sorry I ran us so close to the wire this time. December almost got away from me. Thanks to all of the roundup volunteers!!)
I know what you mean about business letters - I have to figure out ways to tweak this, too, since it's part of what I "need to cover" but, I think to myself, really? So, we'll see. I'd love a copy of this wonderful book for my kiddos, though!
ReplyDeleteIt went into my "Books to Purchase" list. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the Book Love recommendation and this blog! Terrific finds!
ReplyDeleteHere are three of my favorite picture books about reading -- Miss Brooks Loves Books (And I Don't) by Barbara Bottner, The Gentleman Bug by Julian Hector, and Dog Loves Books by Louise Yates.
ReplyDeleteI would love to win this book! And I agree with Julie -- Miss Brooks Loves Books (And I Don't) is one of my new favorites.
ReplyDeletePlease enter us in your contest.
ReplyDeleteCub Run Elementary Library Learners
;-)
I read this book and really liked it. I'm a big fan of William Carlos Williams poems, I love Matthew Cordell, and who doesn't love Gail Carson Levine = great book to own! My kids are just learning about allusions, so this one would be a good one to share with them. Interesting about business letters being obsolete!
ReplyDeleteMary Lee,
ReplyDeleteI've been so busy this year with other matters that blogging and keeping track of all the great new children's books hasn't been a top priority. This is one poetry book that I haven't read yet. It sounds great!
P.S. Happy New Year!
So I have been enjoying your blog for only three years now. I am afraid that I might have to stop soon. I just can't afford to buy all of the fantastic books that you introduce me too. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteI do have this, Mary Lee, & it's been borrowed by a teacher who is doing letter-writing with her students, but using the genre for poems & stories. They had earlier studied Williams' poem, so the book is like a beautiful gift to them. Don't put me into the mix for winning, but wanted to say how funny to think your students couldn't understand why they couldn't e-mail. Things are changing!
ReplyDeleteI had a friend who only got customer service after tweeting about the problem. She was told to Direct Message customer service. She has yet to speak to a human, and all of the dialogue has been via email, not letter. I will say, however, that her email was full of humor & good storytelling, and that was commented on by the CS rep. So, someday your students will put it all together . . . maybe just not in a letter. ;-) Thanks for sharing great books!
ReplyDeleteThank goodness that no matter what the format is or will be, in the end, it will still be about GOOD WRITING!!!
DeleteTotally agree about the business letters and honestly believe the email letters might receive a quicker response. I will continue though because the students love when they get mail at school. This book is also on my list and now that you've given me a great idea I guess it moves to the top again.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic idea! I put this book on hold at the library, but winning it would sure be welcome too! Love your bog.
ReplyDeleteThis book has been on my "covet" list... thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHow interesting about the business letters, and keep us posted. I do hope kids will continue to learn how to write a real letter with a return address and stamp, etc., too - but it will be interesting to see if those die out. Sigh.
PS - and a high five to Mr. Costello up there. ;0)
Pick me, pick me...my school library doesn't have it. Happy blog birthday.
ReplyDeleteAll is forgiven #sarcasm
ReplyDelete**snort**
Delete:-)
Added to my wish list on-line! Happy blog-birthday!
ReplyDeleteA small personal "brag". Gail Carson Levine was the visiting author at our school 2011, my last year of teaching. During her talk she asked if anyone had ever heard of the poem "This is Just to Say" by William Carlos Williams. Scattered among our 120 fourth graders and later 120 fifth graders were my former students who had learned this by heart and all their hands went up. The librarian later told me about this. Gail was surprised and then impressed that close to 50 students knew the poem. Later she came to my classroom on the spur of the moment and we recited a few poems for her. She told me that in all the school visits she had made next to no children were familiar with the Williams poem. She told me about her upcoming book which I am eager to read. Children and poetry...it's a VERY good thing and I am so glad to hear about the wonderful poetry books on the Nerdy and Cybil lists!! Janet F. What a great way to celebrate your seven years of blogging by so generously giving away wonderful books!!!
ReplyDeleteGREAT story!! I'll make sure my 5th graders memorize WCW's version...and MORE!
DeleteHappy blog anniversary! Mary Lee, you're now with fifth graders? In all my list-making craziness, I must have missed this.
ReplyDeleteSusan T.
Fifth grade language arts. We switch classes in 5th grade at our building, so I have one group for 2 hours in the morning and one group for 2 hours in the afternoon. Reading, writing, and word study. It's one kind of heaven!
DeleteThis one has been on my wish list for a while; it might be time to break down and buy it!
ReplyDeleteOoh! I love William Carlos Wiliams and I loved this book. I wanted to nominate it for the Cybils but someone beat me to the punch. I would love to win a copy! Thanks for the chance.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason I’m having trouble with the comment thing recognizing me, the website is www.supratentorial.wordpress.com
Congratulations on your 7 years of blogging!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to win this book - it sounds great!
Another great book suggestion. Thanks for sharing all the good titles.
ReplyDeleteI thought this book sounded great when I read the end-of-year Nerdy post. What a great mentor text it would make! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteCount me in! Thanks for 7 chances to win : )
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a great book. Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteCongrats on seven years of blogging!! And also, thanks for being the leading commenter on my blog for 2012 (Wordpress year-end report told me that -- and suggested I thank you. *Grin* how awful that I'd need a reminder.)
ReplyDeleteThe book you're giving away sounds so interesting I'd love my name to be in your draw jar. Thanks!
Violet N.
This seems like a message from the universe: the little things really do pile up to become something big! We are all drops in one big ocean and we can choose to be a bitter drop or a sweet drop. That choice flavors the entire ocean.
DeleteWhat a wonderful way to celebrate seven years of blogging! Book giveaways, yay! I would try to find this book in our libraries, it does look like something I'd truly enjoy. Here's to seven more years of rockin and rollin in the kidlitosphere! :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on such a long blog run! Many, many people appreciate your good work.
ReplyDeleteAll the best in the year to come.