Hank Finds an Egg by Rebecca Dudley

My collection of wordless picture books continues to grow. I not only love them as a reader but I have found so many ways to use them for minilesson work and small group instruction in the classroom.  So, of course I purchased a copy of Hank Finds an Egg when I saw that @paulwhankins recommended it. I have to be honest that when I looked at it online, I didn't expect to be impressed. It didn't seem to be what I would expect from a brilliant wordless book. But I trust Paul so I went ahead.

Well, was I happily surprised at how much (and how immediately) I fell in love with this book!  It is brilliant and wonderful and sweet and perfect.  Really.  Another that I shared with the whole family.  Both girls agreed that it was a great book. No question.  It is the book that I am carrying around with me this week--telling everyone I know about. I may need a few more copies as I want to share it but I hate to let it out of my sight for too long!


The story is about Hank who finds an egg in the forest.  You cannot help but love Hank IMMEDIATELY.   He is the best example of kindness:-) Love this stuffed bear.  The story is told through a series of amazing and intricate photographs.  So when you close the book and open it again (and again-trust me), you have to wonder about the author's process. How does she DO this?  How does she create and amazing character and such a powerful story with photos?  Luckily, the Internet is full of great resources so you can read about her process in this interview at UNH Today and this one at Creating the Story.  Rebecca's blog is also worth a few hours of your time!  I just love love love her work and her process. And I love the joy she clearly has in that process.  I am adding her to my mental list of favorite authors immediately.

This book is such an invitation to kids--so many great possibilities..  I think it is a great wordless book with a great message. I also think some kids will want to give this medium a try.  I imagine they could create amazing things with this book as a mentor. And I think Rebecca's process as a writer with photos is also one worth studying with kids. I love that she doesn't take the pictures in order and that the process leads the way.  As we move to more possibilities in the ways that stories are told, I think it is important as a writing teacher that my students and I  learn from the experts and help my students see possibilities for the creation process.

Not many books make me want to create a diorama when I finish, but this one might!

Definitely a book I Could Read a Million Times!!

I WANT MY HAT BACK, REVISITED

So, I know I already blogged about how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE I WANT MY HAT BACK by Jon Klassen.  But I had more to say about this book, so I thought I'd blog about it again:-) I forgot, in the last post, to add it to my BOOKS I COULD READ A MILLION TIMES list.  But it DEFINITELY goes there.  In four years, this one has been one of my all time favorite read alouds in the library. It is actually better every time I read it.

For those of you on Twitter, you know there has been a lot of great discussion around this book.  We have been talking nonstop for days about various ideas around this book. If you want to go back and see some of our conversations, you can search #hatback.  The Twitter conversation has reminded me how important social networking is to my reading life.  So many thoughts and ideas because of the smart people I talk to on Twitter. Here are some things I've learned because of this ongoing #hatback chat.

SPOILER ALERT--if you haven't read the book, this might change your reading a bit so you may want to read this after you read the book. (The book is quite the bargain on amazon right now, so if you don't have it on order at your local independent book seller, you can order it there.)

I Love  Books that Invites Similar Patterns in Response
It was funny reading it aloud to classes. A pattern I notice is that kids look at me like I am crazy when I tell them this is a funny book and then start reading--because it is not funny right away.  Then there is an abrupt change in attitude where everyone in group looks shocked, looks at others, and starts laughing, collectively.  It was pretty much a pattern in every class. One 3rd grade class asked me to reread it when they came back to the library this week. On the second read, kids started laughing on the first page. And they couldn't stop laughing. I found myself doing the same thing--the book seems to get more amusing every time I read it.  I think part of this is the anticipation of the ending. But part of it was also noticing things about the bear after you know the ending. Noticing how hysterical the lead-up really is.  Brilliant, I think.

Bill Prosser at Literate Lives reviewed the book as one of his recent posts and shares my exact reaction when reading the book. I find some of the best books to be like this--they elicit very similar responses in almost everyone who reads them (with the exception of a reader or two here or there:-)


Getting Books You Love into the Hands of Others
Colby Sharp and I share a book shopping habit.  In one tweet, Colby said, "I just got back from the library. Placed #hatback cover out #teambear." I always thought  I was the only one who did this.  Going into a bookstore or library and putting a book I love face out on the shelf so others can find it easily.  I love this and love the whole idea that when we love a book, we want to share it.  We want to share it with people we know but we also want everyone to find it.

Not loving a book that the rest of the world loves...
I know what this feels like when you just can't love a book that everyone else in the world loves.  You want to like it, you really do, but you can't.  You keep going back to it--trying to love it, but you can't. We all have books we don't get or don't agree with the world about. This is what happened this week on Twitter.  Jen (@mentortexts) just didn't see the humor. Her insights and empathy for the rabbit actually sparked some great discussion. And the conversation invited Jen to revisit the book and write about her love/hate relationship with this book.  I think this conversation has reminded me, that it is these differences as readers that help us all read more thoughtfully. What would  there be to talk about if we all had the same exact thoughts when we read a book?

I've had a similar issue with the wordless picture book FOX AND HEN TOGETHER. Everyone in the world, except for me, loves this book. It has received starred reviews from many reviewers. There are sequels and fans everywhere. But the book disturbs me. I can't get over the idea that Hen is kidnapped by a "bad guy" and then somehow stays there to live happily ever after.  For any 80s General Hospital fans out there, you may remember a similar storyline when Luke and Laura fell in love.  I just can't get past that connection no matter how many times I've revisited the book. I get sad every time. But, others' insights have helped me understand a bit of what I missed on my own.  Again, the importance of that community of readers.

Sometimes a book is meant to be just plain fun.
Kids at school have been talking about I WANT MY HAT BACK and I've shared some of my conversations around the book with a few classes. When I mentioned that some people really felt sorry for the rabbit, the looks on their faces were of pure sadness for that reader. They looked at me with eyes that said, "It was just a funny book, Mrs. Sibberson."  I don't think this is one of those books that will change the way they live their lives. I think they get that this book is just silly and they love that.  I've already heard adults saying things like, "Oh,  I can use this book in my inferring unit." Sometimes as a teacher, we forget that some books are just really about joy and fun. This book was a big reminder to me about that.

Rethinking Book Crafts....
I don't like crafts around books. I am all about deep reading and thoughtful response. But who would not want to make a red pointy hat with rabbit (or bear) ears sticking out?  Wearing one would be such a fun reminder of the book. A literary joke all day long.

In terms of other crafts, I agree wholeheartedly with Lucy Calkins when she says she has never finished a book and had the desire to go make a diorama when she was finished. I have used her words over and over. But really, if someone asked me to make a diorama or a board game to go along with I WANT MY HAT BACK, I am thinking it would be fun. I already have ideas.

And, I never got past page 60 in the Twilight series. So I never understood the shirts.  TEAM EDWARD/TEAM JACOB. Seeing them in stores and on teens never made much sense to me. I didn't get it. But I am thinking I would LOVE to wear a TEAM BEAR shirt.  Lots of others would too. Until then, I am happy to have a #teambear twibbon on my Twitter photo. If you have not already done so, you may want to hop over to Twibbon and support #teambear. (Thanks, Teresa! @trkravtin)  Really, there is only one person I know of who is on the fence about #teambear.

I still don't think we should ever assign crazy book extensions and I don't really think they help students understand books much better. But I do think there is something about literary jokes that we don't embrace enough in schools.  School is a great place for literary humor that kids can be part of.

How Our Thinking About a Book Changes When We Share it with Kids
Some books just beg to be read aloud and some books cannot be fully appreciated until they are shared with young children. I remember when DON'T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS won the Caldecott Honor, some people didn't see the brilliance. I remember asking, "Have you read it to young children?"  Mo Willems understands young children so well that every one of his books is fun to read aloud. Although I love them as much as the kids, Willems books beg to be shared with kids. I have had this experience over and over--a book I read on my own is merely OK, but it moves up to my favorites list once I share it with kids. Authors of kids books know young children well. And sometimes it takes sharing some of these books with children to see the brilliance.

So, it's been a fun week or two thinking about I WANT MY HAT BACK with Twitter friends. I imagine the fun will continue for a while.  It is definitely one of my favorite picture books of the year for so many reasons.

BOOKS I COULD READ A MILLION TIMES: THE GINGERBREAD MAN LOOSE IN THE SCHOOL by Laura Murray

I am picky about new versions of THE GINGERBREAD MAN and I LOVE this new one, THE GINGERBREAD MAN LOOSE IN THE SCHOOL by Laura Murray.  I heard about this book from Shannon Miller (@shannonmmiller) on Twitter and ordered it right away when I heard how much her students were enjoying it.  And after reading it lots of times, it is my first BOOK I CAN READ A MILLION TIMES for 2011-2012. (And I am thinking Bill at Literate Lives may want to add it to his PICKS FROM THE PIT.)

First of all, the Gingerbread Man on the cover is quite lovable from the start.  He is standing quite happily with his hands on his hips.  The story starts out in a classroom where students are making the Gingerbread Man. But the fun is that it is told from the Gingerbread Man's perspective.  The first line reads, "I began in a bowl. I was not yet myself-"  How can you not love him already?

But, right after the Gingerbread Man comes out of the oven, the teacher lets the kids know it is time for recess and they all run out of the room. The Gingerbread Man panics and decides to run and find them. So, off he goes. He runs into lots of nice people who help him (the school nurse, the coach, the art teacher, etc.) To each one, he says, "I'm the Gingerbread Man and I'm trying to find the children who made me, but left me behind."  A few repeated phrases will invite student participation. There is a cute happy ending when he finally finds his class.

I can't end the review without mentioning the brilliant illustrations by Mike Lowery.  The Gingerbread boy is lovable and the colors the illustrator uses make this gingerbread story unique. There is a graphic novel feel to the book with boxes for various scenes. The illustrations add a great deal to the story.

This is a great one for any time of the year. I am sharing it with students this week and I like it more and more each time I read it.  The kids love the story and discovering the similarities and differences in this one and other versions they've read. They love joining in while I read and they are all so happy when it is finished.  Some kids have gone off during library time to write their own school versions of the Gingerbread man story.   I am pretty sure this will be a book I will never see again once it is available for check out! I can see it being quite popular!

BOOKS I COULD READ A MILLION TIMES: LITTLE CHICKEN'S BIG DAY by Katie Davis and Jerry Davis

I heard about LITTLE CHICKEN'S BIG DAY from @MrSchuReads on Twitter. He always knows the best books. I ordered it right away and LOVE it. I love this character. How can this cover illustration not make you happy? I mean, just look at that face! Katie and Jerry Davis (a husband and wife team) have created an amazing story about a character I love. It seems like a simple story but somehow there is depth to these characters. I had the same feelings reading this book that I did when I first read DON'T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS by Mo Willems. First of all, I knew this book needed to be shared with young children as soon as possible. Somehow the author and illustrator have created a character I came to love almost immediately--one whose personality comes through in what appears to be simple text and simple illustration. (but is so not simple!)  And these authors have an amazing sense of the age they write for. Every time I read the book, I notice some other little detail I missed the first time. I love this Little Chicken more every time I read it. This is the first book that Katie and Jerry have created together and I hope there are more. (A new series, maybe????)

The story is about a little chicken who goes to run errands with his "Big Chicken". She is in a hurry and reminds him to do lots of things, hurrying him along. He lets her know that he hears her with a darling phrase that appears throughout the book, "I hear you cluckin' Big Chicken." A great new story to fall in love with.

I read this book to our Kindergarten kids today. I knew immediately that this one would make my BOOKS I COULD READ A MILLIONS TIMES list. They loved Little Chicken right away and giggled and smiled throughout the book. (Like I said, how could you NOT love this character?) They loved joining in to say, "I hear you cluckin' Big Chicken." Between readings, I had the book sitting on a table near the check out desk and a few teachers walked past. They, too, fell immediately in love with Little Chicken before opening the book.

You probably know Katie's other books (KINDERGARTEN ROCKS and WHO HOPS?) but if you haven't had a chance to check out her website, blog and BRAIN BURPS ABOUT BOOKS (which is now also an app :-) , they are definitely things you must make time for in your life!

Did I mention how much we all LOVED the endpages?

When I first read about this book from @MrSchuReads, I noticed that he had purchased 3 copies at once. Now I understand why. You might as well buy several copies of this book at a time too. You'll want one for your classroom and/or library, one for yourself at home, and extras for any gifts you have to buy for the children in your life. Buy a whole stack :-)

BOOKS I COULD READ A MILLION TIMES: Me...Jane

I have heard about the book ME...JANE by Patrick McDonnell but hadn't gotten around to ordering it. I saw a copy while shopping in San Antonio and fell in love with it IMMEDIATELY. This is by far one of my favorite books of the year so far.

I am always on the lookout for good picture book biographies and I love stories about people who have made a difference in the world. And, I have always been a huge Jane Goodall fan. (Really, how could you not be?) I am fascinated by her life and her work.  I have read many of the books written about her and her work and I continue to be fascinated and inspired by her. So, I knew I would like this book. Just because it was about one of my favorite people. But I loved it even more than I expected and I imagine I will love this book forever. This is the story of Jane Goodall as a child.  A child who had a toy chimpanzee named Jubilee and who loved everything about the outdoors.  As of this moment, it is my choice for the Caldecott Award. And any other award that it is eligible for.  


Really, I think I could read this book more than a million times.  It makes my list of BOOKS I COULD READ A MILLION TIMES for so many reasons. Here are a few of those reasons:
-This book is great for readers of all ages.  There is not a ton of text so it is great for young readers. It is an amazing story of Jane Goodall's childhood so older children and adults will also love it.
-Patrick McDonnell's illustrations somehow capture Jane Goodall's spirit.
-This is a story about someone who discovered her passion early in life --gotta love that!
-I always love great picture books about people/kids who have made a difference in the world and this is one of those.
-The ending illustrations in the book are breathtaking.  Truly brilliant.
-One of the pages includes illustrations and puzzles that were created by Jane Goodall as a child!
-The end notes (one about Jane Goodall and one that is a message from Jane Goodall) give the reader a bit more information and inspiration.
-And the last page tells us a bit more about the illustrations, "Throughout this book, ornamental engravings from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries are included collectively evoking Jane's lifelong passion for detailed, scientific observation of nature."


This book captures the serious of Jane Goodall's work and the energy of her passion. With very little text, this tells us about Jane as a child and how her dream has lived on for her throughout her life.


This is a MUST MUST have book for everyone. It makes me happy every time I read it.


If you'd like to hear what others are saying about it, you can read about it here:
Fuse #8
100 Scope Notes
Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)
The Daily Green
The Hornbook (Starred Review)

Books I Could Read A Million Times- FAIRLY FAIRY TALES by Esme Raji Codell

I have always loved Esme Codell's work.  I was thrilled to read on her blog last week that she had a new book coming out and couldn't wait to share it with kids.  I knew that it would be a hit.  Well, this book, FAIRLY FAIRY TALES definitely makes it to my BOOKS I COULD READ A MILLION TIMES list.

I have been trying to figure out what it is that makes a book one that I could read to children a million times.  This book helped me solidify that a bit. One thing that makes reading aloud to kids so fun is the looks on their faces as I read. There is really nothing like it.  And when I read FAIRLY FAIRY TALES aloud this week, the look on every child's face was pure joy.  The sound effects (mostly squealing and laughing) were also joyful as they listened.  It was a happy, loud day in the library.

The book is such a great one for young children. Right away, the kids recognize so many characters they love on the front cover.  Many predict that this will be a "Once Upon a Time" story (and they are right).  They are excited to dig right in from the very start.

I loved Esme's story of how she came up with the idea for this book.  Knowing how young children respond to books is key to writing a good one.  And Esme understands children and reading so well.  The story begins with a young child at bedtime....not really wanting to go to bed yet.  The stories that follow are all from familiar fairy tales.  Each page includes simple text describing 4 things that are part of a story.   Well, actually there are 3 things that are part of the story and one that doesn't belong.  (This reminded me a bit of Sesame Street's "One of These Things is Not Like The Other" song/game from long ago.) When we turn the page, we find an illustration of how that 4th item could be incorporated into the fairy tale to change it just a bit. With very simple and predictable text, Esme gives us a brilliant book that has so many layers. Really, the looks on the kids faces as they recognized the thing that didn't belong, the looks when they anticipated the surprise, and the delight at seeing the new version of the fairy tale were all quite fun.

This is a great book for so many reasons. First of all, it's pure fun.  The element of surprise is wonderful for readers of all ages. The pattern of the language, the simple text and the picture support make it great for young readers. (The illustrations are a PERFECT match to the writing if I haven't mentioned that.)  Kids can jump in and read the book on their own after hearing it read to them. The book also served as an invitation for some kids to play with the idea that Esme plays with--adding new elements to favorite stories.  After reading this story aloud, a few kids chose to create their own set of items from a story they loved. For example, one child created a page with a leprechaun, a pot of gold, a rainbow and..... a puppy.  She went on to tell me how a puppy could fit into the leprechaun finding his pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Definitely a must-have book!

Books I Could Read A Million Times--Chalk

A funny thing happened at school this week. One of my kids saw me in the hallway and yelled  "Mrs. Sibberson, when I come to library today, will you have any of those empty books?"  Empty books? What could she have possibly meant?  "You know, the books with no words?" So I decided to read CHALK by Bill Thomson aloud this week, since she had asked so cleverly for wordless books.

CHALK is a great new wordless book--one that I would love to see win the Caldecott Award.  Mary Lee reviewed it a few months ago but it wasn't a book that I took the time to fall in love with right away. You see, I am a text girl and I have very little patience for taking the time to enjoy a wordless book on my own.  I do not always take the time to really take in the visuals. But this week, I discovered what a treat sharing CHALK with children is!  I love watching the kids' faces each time I turned the page.  The amazement, excitement, surprise, fear, and discovery were all so clear on their faces.  Their conversations around the book have been amazing and this is definitely a book I could read a million times.

So, today, I am adding CHALK  to my list of BOOKS I COULD READ A MILLION TIMES.  I think this is the first wordless picture book to make the list but it is definitely one that deserves to be there.

Books I Could Read A Million Times: The Movie Version

If you haven't heard, DON'T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS, the Scholastic DVD, came out last week.  I ordered a copy knowing it would be good to have for the library.  I don't order many DVDs these days but this seemed like a must-have.

I planned to show this to a few classes during Book Fair week since the library is pretty much taken over by book fair merchandise. I ended up showing it to almost every 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade class and I loved it EVERY SINGLE TIME!

This is a great DVD--as would be expected from Mo Willems.  The DVD includes an animated version of Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, Knuffle Bunny, and Leonardo the Terrible Monster.  There are also some extra fun clips that I will get to later.  I don't ever remember liking a movie or animated version of a story as well as I liked the original book but Mo Willems brings great fun to this DVD.  The laughs and giggles from kids of all ages--kids who know and love the books-were contagious. Teachers would pop into the library to see what all of the great giggling was about.  The whole DVD is a real treat.

And I watched it many, many times this week and did not get sick of it at all--I looked forward to watching it even after I had already seen it 10 times.  (Thus, the reason it is being added to my Books I Could Read a Million Times list--the first item that is not a book!)

Here are some things I love:
-There are little added bonuses--surprises at the beginnings and ends of each story that add to what we already love about the characters.
-Mo Willems and his wife and daughter do the narration of Knuffle Bunny which makes it quite fun.
-Jon Scieszka plays the role of the bus driver and I couldn't think of a better person to do this--there is an added part to the book where we get to know the bus driver a bit better. Jon Scieszka is great at the part!
-There is a live retelling of the Pigeon book. Mo Willems reads it to a group of children in a library. It is quite fun.
-A favorite among some classes were the "You Yell" version of Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus.  Yes, the story is told and the group needs to yell the "no" each time the Pigeon asks to drive the bus. Kids had a ball with this.
-There is also a Spanish Version of the books on the DVD as well as discussion questions.

This DVD is packed and I was sad to see it end during each class. I don't think there was one set of kids who did not ask to see the stories again. I agreed--it is one of those DVDs that you can't watch enough.

I am going to make this one available for student check out. We don't have many DVDs that are available for our students but this one would be such fun for kids to be able to share with families. It was such a fun 1/2 hour that I can't not share the fun with our families. Our school is filled with Mo Willems fans that I might even need a few more copies..... An added bonus will be that Leonardo the Terrible Monster will be loved by more children now that they know the book better.

Really, if you are a teacher or librarian, if you need a baby gift or a gift for a Mo Willems fan you know, get this DVD. It is really the best animation of children's books that I've seen.  And I might just watch it a million times--I love it that much!

Another Book I Could Read A Million Times

Okay, so I have never done this--put a book on the BOOKS I COULD READ A MILLION TIMES list, before I actually read it to many, many classes. But I am soooo confident about this one, that I thought I'd go ahead and add it to the list. I have absolutely no doubt that this book is worthy of the list. I plan to read it at least a million times over the next few years and I am absolutely positive that I will never tire of it.

CITY DOG, COUNTRY FROG by Mo Willems definitely fits my "Books I Could Read a Million Times" criteria. I was a little hesitant about this book when I read about it. I love Mo Willems. I love Pigeon and Piggie and Elephant. I love all that he does. I love how his writing and illustrations work together. So, I couldn't imagine a book by Mo Willems that was illustrated by someone else. And I could tell by the look of this one, that it was a different kind of book for Mo Willems.

I should have known better than to worry. Mo's work has never let us down. I have loved every one of his books and this one is definitely one of my favorites. Although the story is a bit more serious than some of his others, it is really not so different. As always, Mo Willems deals with life's issues in a way that works for young children.

This is a more serious book than some of Mo Willems' others. It is about two friends--a city dog and a country frog. They love to be together and to share their lives with each other. They play during spring and summer. But then in fall, frog is too tired to play so they enjoy each other's company in other ways. When winter comes, frog is no longer there. Mo knows young children so well, that he writes this story of friendship and grief in a way that works for any age. He reminds us that those we love are always with us in some way. And Jon J. Muth's illustrations are a perfect match. I couldn't imagine illustrations that capture the story any better.

There is a great deal of depth to this book. Readers can jump in at many levels--one of the reasons I am putting it on my list. So much about grief and seasons. So much about friendship and relationships. Mo Willems is brilliant about saying so much in so few words.

2 Books I Could Read a Million Times

I lucked out this week with 2 books I could read a million times.

And I wasn't quite expecting it. It has been a while that I've found books that I enjoy more each time I read them. But I am definitely adding

My Garden by Kevin Henkes

and

Chester's Masterpiece

to the list of BOOKS I CAN READ A MILLION TIMES. I read these to the younger kids in the library and they LOVED them!

I have always loved Kevin Henkes. I love Lilly and Chrysanthemum and so many of his others. I am still getting used to the fact that not all of his books are about great little mice. It always throws me a bit to see something new and different from Henkes. But I loved the look of MY GARDEN and it was a cute story when I read it, so I added it to my plans for last week. Most of the books on my BOOKS I CAN READ A MILLION TIMES list, don't actually make the list until I've read them to lots of kids. It is in the reading them to children, that I actually realize how amazing they are. I love every single page of MY GARDEN. This story is about a little girl who dreams of her own garden. She has such great ideas for her garden--planting jellybeans, plaid flowers and invisible carrots. The illustrations are stunning in the way that the colors contrast with the white background. This is such a happy book. I loved reading it to kids each and every time. Their eyes--thinking about the possibilities of a child's dream garden--was quite fun!

And, CHESTER'S MASTERPIECE by Melanie Watt may be my favorite Chester book yet. If you know Chester, you have to love him. In this newest book, he steals author Melanie Watt's writing supplies and attempts to write a book without her. With red marker in hand, Chester claims to need no help from Melanie Watt. I love that we have learned what to expect from Chester. If we've read his other books, it is fun to see how these predictable things play out in this newest book. The kids were so happy to see a new Chester book. And it was more fun to read aloud than I had imagined.

2 More Books I Could Read a Million Times

So, I have to add TURKEY TROUBLE by Wendi Silvano to my list of "Books I Could Read A Million Times". I loved it when I first read it but then I read it to nearly every class over the last few weeks. It is a fun read EVERY time and kids in grades 1-5 got quite a kick out of it. The older kids picked up a lot of the word play. And the book never got old for me. A great read.

And OTIS by Loren Long might be one I could read a billion times! It is absolutely wonderful and was quite fun to read to kids of all ages.

I reviewed both of these books before I shared them with lots of kids and I realized later that they were both perfect additions to my BOOKS I COULD READ A MILLION TIMES list. I'll never get tired of either of these!

Yet ANOTHER Book I Could Read a Million Times

It is not easy to find Books I Could Read a Million Times. Usually my posts about my finds are few and far between. It takes a lot for a book to make it to this list. I mean, really, even great books get a little old after a while.

But, this week, I am adding yet another book to the list-- GUESS AGAIN by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Adam Rex. My friend Maureen let me know about this HYSTERICAL book. And let me tell you, it is funny every single time I read it (which is what makes it a book I could read a million times). I don't want to give too much away. The product description says, "Here is a book that will keep you guessing again and again and...." Not much else to say. It is a rhyming book. A book full of surprises. And did I mention it is HYSTERICAL! I've read it to classes from 1st through 5th grade and the laughing is pretty consistent across ages. (And there is always one child in every group who just can't STOP laughing--totally cracks up.) I even had to read a few pages to my husband who does not often laugh out loud. Although he did not laugh aloud, he did grin a little. You can't not smile.

So, that's all I can say. It is a great book--as a read aloud for any age or to just amuse yourself.

Another Book I Could Read a Million Times: Katie Loves the Kittens

Last year, my first year as a K-5 school librarian, I started a series of posts called "Books I Could Read a Million Times". I realized quickly--after reading the same book to several classes--that it took a very special book to hold my interest over many many reads. This is what I noticed last September:

"SO, sometimes I read the same book 20+ times over 4 days. Other books I read 4-8 times--to one or two grade levels.

What I have found is that one of two things happens quickly: Either I CAN'T STAND IT after the 2nd or 3rd read OR I love it every single time and never get sick of it. I look forward to reading it again."

I think these books deserve some recognition.

The first book of this year's "Books I Could Read a Million Times" is Katie Loves the Kittens by John Himmelman. I loved this story the minute I picked it up. It is such a sweet story. Katie--a great dog--is very excited because some new kittens have come to live at her house. And Katie LOVES the new kittens. But, she is so excited that she keeps scaring them without meaning to. Each time that Katie scares the kittens, she is VERY sad. She doesn't want to scare the kittens--remember, she LOVES them! The story continues on and gives us a very happy ending.

Looking out at the faces of the children when Katie is sad and then sadder is almost heartbreaking. I imagine my face while reading these parts is a little sad too. But there are funny parts too. Like when Katie gets excited, she howls, "AROOOOOOOO! AROOOOOO!" And the kids have great fun joining in on those howls! And their faces change when things finally work out for Katie and the kittens. It is one of the books that you want to hug when you are finished!

I could easily read this book a million times. Actually, I think it is a great book for lots of reasons. First of all it is a great story and that is enough. Kids love any book about dogs and pets and they loved this one. The illustrations are perfect--sweet and fun at the same time (my favorite is when Katie tries desperately to squeeze into the window:-) This would also be a great book to use as a mentor text when talking about story structure--such a great story with a sequence that works. One that kids can understand --see what the author was doing.

A great book overall! (It did received several starred reviews so lots of people agree that this is a great book!)

Another Book I Could Read a Million Times

I have found one more book that I think I could read a million times. If you haven't read One Giant Leap by Robert Burleigh, I would highly recommend it. This book just came out and is celebrating the 40th Anniversary of our first trip to the moon. On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldridge were the first to step on the moon. This book tells about the trip from the time the Eagle took off to the time the astronauts landed. The book captures the power of the trip and the emotions of the astronauts well.

Mike Wimmer's illustrations are amazing. Most are dark as the moon would have looked when they landed. The details show so many things about the trip and the feel of the illustrations matches the feel of the world when the astronauts stepped out on the moon.

The language in the book is one that makes it a perfect read aloud. Yesterday, I read it to 3rd, 4th and 5th grade classes and they were glued. Not much of a sound from any group that I read it to. And kids this age take space travel for granted. But somehow the author and illustrator helped them relive the excitement of the moment in this book.

Following the read aloud, many of the kids found the original film of the moon landing on the internet. They watched and were excited to see what they had just read about and to hear Neil Armstrong's actual voice saying, "One small step for man. One giant leap for mankind." (On a side note, kids had heard spinoffs of this famous quote on Spongebob and other shows and had no idea what the origin of the quote was...) Within minutes they found information on Neil Armstrong, clips of the trip, information on more recent space travel news.

It isn't often that a nonfiction picture book can capture history so clearly and so powerfully. Often, I read aloud a picture book and kids learn but this one actually allows the children who take space travel for granted, to feel the excitement and thrill of the day. For the astronauts who lived it and for the world who watched.

Another Book I Could Read a Million Times

HOW TO HEAL A BROKEN WING by Bob Graham is being added to my list of "Books I Could Read a Million Times". I have read this book to several classes at the library and would be happy to read it to 100 more classes if I could. It is a great book.

HOW TO HEAL A BROKEN WING begins like this:"High above the city, no one heard the soft thud of feathers against glass.". How about that for a powerful lead? The story goes on to tell about Will, the only person in the city who noticed that a bird had fallen and was hurt. This book is the story of Will's work in helping the bird to heal in the midst of all of the others who were too busy to notice.

The brilliance of this book is partly in the illustrations. The book does not have many words. Just a short line on each page. So, as a reader, you need to read both the pictures and the words to get the whole message. And the illustrations are amazing--I can't even explain all that Graham does with the pictures.

This is a great book for talk. Reading it to many different grades over the week, there were definite patterns. By page 2, the class was silent and glued to the book. The look of horror at a bird falling and being hurt was common. As a reader, you feel lots of emotions in this book and the kids' faces showed each one. Without giving away the ending too much, I will tell you that several classes clapped at the end. You just feel the need to celebrate the ending of the book in some way.

This book is good for every age--preschool, elementary, adults. I can't really think of an audience that wouldn't appreciate it.
It is really a must-have.

Other reviews: Katie at Creative Literacy
We Heart Books
Mother Reader

(This is on the Cybils Short List so we'll see if it wins when the winners are announced later this week! Crossing my fingers for this one!)

BOOKS I COULD READ A MILLION TIMES: PART 2

I started this "series" early in the school year and have since realized that a book has to be pretty darn good to make my list! Sometimes when I am reading a book I love to the 4th class in one day, I start not loving it anymore. It reminds me of when my kids were young and they wanted to hear the same book over and over and I got to the point that I couldn't stand the book anymore. But, there are a few books that I really do think I could read a million times. I just never tire of them.

I have found two more books that make my list-books I can read over and over and continue to love them.

WHO ATE ALL THE COOKIE DOUGH by Karen Beaumont is the most fun to read with young children. I love to watch their faces. They never tire of the rhyme and rhythm. And the ending is always fun--even when it isn't a surprise anymore. I first heard about this book from Katie at Creative Literacy. (I think she actually picked up a copy for me.) Who can tire of the rhyme that is almost more fun than the original? "Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Moe! Who ate the cookie dough". The text takes us through lots of possible suspects to find a fun surprise answer at the end.

I love THE LITTLE BIT SCARY PEOPLE by Emily Jenkins for totally different reasons. My cousin told me about this book and I wasn't sold on it at first. But now that I have read it several times, it is definitely one of my favorites. This book takes a look at people who seem scary on the outside--the teenage boy down the street, the policeman whistling at traffic, the bus driver who blows her horn--and then helps us realize that maybe they aren't scary. I love the message of this book--looking past our first impressions of people, past the outside appearances. They're really not so scary after all! And the repeated texts and colorful illustrations add to an already amazing book. One I don't think I'll get sick of because I so love what it says.

MEET WILD BOARS

When I reviewed WILD BOARS COOK earlier this month, I thought it was hilarious. I read it to a few classes this week and they begged me to buy the first book about these characters which I promptly did: MEET WILD BOARS by Meg Rosoff and Sophie Blackall. Well, this one may be even MORE hysterical. And the writing is so smart! This is definitely my favorite book of the day. I laughed so hard reading it that I almost cried. The beginning starts like this:

This is Boris.

This is Morris.

This is Horace.

This is Doris.

They are wild boars.

They are

dirty and smelly,

bad-tempered and rude.

Do you like them?

Never mind.

They do not like you either.

That really may be the best lead of a book I have ever read! Who thinks of these things? And the book stays just as funny throughout. I won't give anything away but I laughed aloud on several pages. (I also laughed at the author blurb.)

These four wild boars are definitely joining Scaredy-Squirrel, Chester, Elephant and Piggie, Pigeon and Farmer Brown and Duck as some of my very favorite picture book characters ever! Can't wait for another one. And it definitely goes on my "Books I Can Read A Million Times" List!

Books I Could Read A Million Times-PART 1

So, I have learned something important in my first few weeks as a librarian. Since I see every class, on a 4 day rotation, I often read a book several times over the course of 4 days. I choose one book to read to every class in the school. ( I got this idea from Bill at Literate Lives. My hope is that by reading the same book to all of the kids in the school, we have anchors to talk about--books that can be talked about at dinner tables at home, books that can be talked about with friends in other classes, etc.)

SO, sometimes I read the same book 20+ times over 4 days. Other books I read 4-8 times--to one or two grade levels.
What I have found is that one of two things happens quickly: Either I CAN'T STAND IT after the 2nd or 3rd read OR I love it every single time and never get sick of it. I look forward to reading it again. So, I am paying attention to those books that, honestly, I could read a million times and never get tired of. I figure if that happens, it is one of the best books out there. Here are a few that I have discovered so far.


Piggie and Elephant by Mo Willems
I never tire of these amusing characters. The stories are fun and enjoyed by all age levels. And, I find myself getting better at them each time I read them. I sound more like the characters as I read them over and over. I have not yet read one of these to the whole school but I plan to read the new one that comes out this fall to everyone. I don't think I will ever get sick of these two great characters! All of the books in this series meet my criteria for "Books I Could Read A Million Times". An added bonus--I have discovered that if I find myself becoming a bit grumpy or cranky, reading one of these to 1st or 2nd graders puts me back in a good mood! The fun of it just makes you happy!

Where is the Green Sheep by Mem Fox
The rhythm and rhyme in this book is quite fun. And the fact that kids join in on each page to chant, "Where is the green sheep?" is also quite fun. This is a quick read aloud and one that kids ask to hear over and over.

Beware of the Frog by William Bee
This is a new one that I hope becomes a classic. This is the story of a sweet old lady named Mrs. Collywobbles. Really, I could say her name a million times. It is fun every, single time. (Kids like to say it too!) The humor and surprise in this story is quite fun. I love seeing the kids' faces when the surprises begin and continue throughout the book. It is funny because this story starts out in a pretty traditional way. Since I read it over 20 times this week, I know precisely when students become hooked and I know that once we get to that point, they are hooked for the book. It looks and sounds like your traditional fairy tale--but not quite. I was actually a little sad when I read it to the last class last week.

(I will share other books that I find that fit my criteria as I come across them. Not many books are that fun to read 20+ times so those that can, definitely deserve to be shared!)