The Kindness of Author Friends

Back in October, before I had to cut and run for home, my students benefitted from the kindness of a couple of my author friends.

My first read aloud this year in my fifth grade classroom was The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary by Laura Shovan. The story of a class of fifth graders who are fighting to save their school was the perfect way to start the year. My students read along on Kindle as we listened to the full cast audio via Audible. We had great conversations about the poetry forms, the characters, and the inferences that a reader must make when reading a verse novel.

I crossed my fingers that Laura would be available for a quick Skype visit after we finished the book, but lo and behold, she was driving from Cleveland to Cincinnati and was willing to stop in Dublin for an hour to visit with my students. She brought her big binder of the book and talked about her planning and revision process. The students were wowed by the length of time it took for the book to grow from the idea stage to a published book.



The day after Laura visited, I presented my students with their very own complimentary copies of Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong's new Poetry Friday project, You Just Wait. Some immediately wanted to dive in and try out the Power Play activities and Power2You poetry prompts, while others read through the story in the poems first.

After I got back from Colorado, I met with a small group who had written poems from some of the mentor poems in the books. It was an unfortunate series of events that resulted in not being able to do more with this magnificent gift from Janet and Sylvia, but my students and I remain thankful for their generosity.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

Join the It's Monday! What Are You Reading party at Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers!

I read two great middle grade novels this week. Both were novels in verse.  These seem to get me out of whatever reading rut I am in and these two were definitely fabulous choices. I would highly recommend both of them for upper elementary and middle school students.

Garvey's Choice by Nikki Grimes

Unbound by Ann E. Burg

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Poetry Friday: To Stay Alive

I mentioned in Wednesday's post (about my next-in-the-graphic-novel-series TBR pile) that I love Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales, and this one in particular. From my Goodreads review: "The Donner Party story is filled with idiots who make stupid decisions for all the reasons stupid decisions get made: pride, greed, stubbornness...Here's some history we FOR SURE don't want to repeat!!"

Donner Dinner Party 

by Nathan Hale

Harry N. Abrams, 2014

To Stay Alive

by Skila Brown

Candlewick, October 2016

Even though I knew the train-wreck of a story line, I was excited to read this novel in verse about the Donners, and excited for another book from Skila Brown, author of Caminar. The story is told from the point of view of 19 year-old survivor Mary Ann Graves. Each poem has its own unique structure, which gives the book a satisfying breadth and depth, and which contributes to the pacing of the story. Because of the first person point of view and the emotional quality of the poems, this is a most human telling of this story -- yes, they were stupid; yes, mistakes were made. But in the end, they were humans who did what they needed to do to survive.

Julie has this week's Poetry Friday roundup at The Drift Record.

Poetry Friday -- A Week of Poetry

This week I reviewed poetry books every day. Click on the day of the week to check out the reviews.

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

ALSO THURSDAY
The Children's Literature Assembly of the National Council of Teachers of English announced the 2016 Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts. Not all poetry, but of note to lovers of rich language.


For more poetry, check out the Poetry Friday roundup, hosted at Heidi's Juicy Little Universe this week.

The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary

The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary
by Laura Shovan
jacket and interior art by Abigail Halpin
Wendy Lamb Books (Penguin Random House), April 12, 2016
review ARC provided by the author

What a treat it was to spend a fifth grade year as a fly on the wall in Ms. Hill's classroom at Emerson Elementary!

Except for the fact that she only had 18 students in that class, Ms. Hill's class could have been one of mine. The diversity mix is right, including a hijab-wearer, a Spanish speaker, and a kid on the spectrum. The mix of personality types was also right. There is a queen bee girl (and a reluctant follower who finally stands up for what she wants), an intense rule-follower, a new kid trying to find his place.

I could go on, because one of the things that makes this book so fun to read is that Laura gets her characters so right, so believable, so quirky and likable. Each one has a distinct voice that shines out through his/her poems (and the little headshot sketch at the top of every page also helps the readers keep the characters straight). Just like in a regular classroom, no child ever comes to school without carrying the baggage of their home lives, and Ms. Hill's students' lives make it into their poetry. As I read, I found myself sharing their hopes and wishing their wishes.

And then there's the poetry. When I started reading, I sticky-noted more than a half-dozen poetry forms before I said to myself, "Hey, savvy reader, remember when you got all the way to the end of Love That Dog before you realized that the mentor poems were in the back of the book?" Sure enough, when I flipped to the back, I found information about all the poetry forms found throughout the book, along with a suggestion for trying each one out and a reference back to a mentor poem in that form in the book. Writing prompts from Ms. Hill's "Prompt Jar" are also listed, again each with a mentor poems that was written from that prompt.

Finally, there's the very believable story of a neighborhood in transition and the struggle between what's loved and what's needed that ties together the fabulous characters and the wonderful variety of poems.

I can think of three readers to whom I could hand this book when I get my copy in mid-April, and I can imagine a small group who would love reading it and trying out the writing challenges. Plus, I think it would make a perfect read aloud under the document camera to introduce a whole class to verse novels and, as a bonus, to a variety of poetry forms! Thank you, Laura Shovan, for this wonderful book!

Applesauce Weather

Applesauce Weather
by Helen Frost
illustrated by Amy June Bates
Candlewick, August 2016
review ARC provided by the publisher

When the first apple falls from the tree, it's applesauce weather in Faith and Peter's family. But this year will be different since Aunt Lucy died. Uncle Arthur comes back to the farm, but he's not the same.

The personalities of the two children shine through their poems -- Lucy, young enough to believe that the twinkle will come back to Uncle Arthur's eyes if only they are patient, and Peter, old enough to be interested in the girl down the road, but young enough to be pulled in by Uncle Arthur's stories.

And then there's Uncle Arthur, a master storyteller who spins a yarn (or tells the truth?) about how he came to have a missing finger.

Even Aunt Lucy has a voice in poems that begin seven of the eight parts of the book.

A quick read, a quiet, gentle story, and sweet illustrations throughout make this an easily accessible verse novel for a reader new to the genre or one who is missing a beloved older relative.

Bully on the Bus by Kathryn Apel

Bully on the Bus
by Kathryn Apel
University of Queensland Press, 2014
review copy purchased for my classroom library

It's hard to know what to do when a bully is making your life miserable. Katheryn Apel captures the emotional upheaval and the unwillingness to tell trusted adults perfectly in her verse novel for younger readers. An older girl is bullying Leroy every day on the bus and he feels wretched. His big sister Ruby tries to help, but ultimately, Leroy is the one who must reach out for help.

This is a book that might help a child who is being bullied have the courage to tell a trusted adult or stand up to a bully. In an interesting parallel, Leroy's teacher gives him a book that contains HIS secret weapon against the bully!

There are just a few Aussie words that might be unknown to a US reader, but nothing that can't be understood with just a bit of inference.

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

I haven't had time to read as many upper middle grade/young adult books that I'd like to this year. There have been a few 2014 books that have been on my radar but that I haven't had a chance to read.   I am trying to make time to read more of these books lately--at least the few that everyone seems to be talking about.

Last week, I read The Crossover by Kwame Alexander.  I had started this book a few times but didn't get past the first few pages. I picked it up last weekend and was hooked in just a few pages. (I always find it so interesting how important timing is when we read books!)

This is a novel in verse. It is a powerful novel in verse intended for upper elementary/middle school kids.  It is one that is being talked about as a good one for boy readers but I see it as an amazing book for all readers.

The book is about basketball. But more importantly it is about basketball player Josh Bell and his twin brother Jordan. They are stars on their school basketball team and basketball is clearly their passion.  The story revolves around the two of them and their parents--a family you come to love immediately. And a family that will stay with me for a very long time.

But things are changing for both boys-as they grow older, discover girls, and face life issues.

This is an amazing book. A must read for anyone who likes to keep up with great books for this age. A must read for teachers and parents trying to stretch their upper middle grade readers to try something new. So glad I took the time to read this one. Once I was hooked, I didn't get off the couch until I had finished.

An incredible and powerful read.

Some New Favorite Verse Novels

Like Carrot Juice on a Cupcake
by Julie Sternberg
illustrated by Matthew Cordell
Harry N. Abrams, March 18, 2014

review copy purchased for my classroom library

This is my favorite of the three books in this series so far. Eleanor and Pearl's friendship is really put to the test (a new girl comes between them), and at the same time, Eleanor has some trials of her own (getting over stage fright, her puppy going away to a two-week training camp, and her first crush). 

The Crossover

by Kwame Alexander

HMH Books for Young Readers, March 18, 2014

review copy purchased for my classroom library

I can't wait to preview this book with my class. I don't think I'll see if for a while after I do! The poetry is a nice blend of edgy and rap-like, plus deep and thoughtful. The main story line is junior high basketball, but along the way there is what it's like to be a twin, young love, and a father who is a basketball legend, and who has health problems.

The Lightning Dreamer: Cuba's Greatest Abolitionist

by Margarita Engle
HMH Books for Young Readers, March 19, 2013

review copy purchased for my classroom library

This book was fascinating to read as I'm listening to THE INVENTION OF WINGS. The story of Tula, in Cuba, parallels the story of Sara Grimke in the United States with amazing similarity.

The Lightning Dreamer belongs in a text set with other biographies and historical fiction about early abolitionists around the world. It is important for our children to know the stories of these people who fought against all odds for what they believed in, and especially the stories of the women who fought for others' freedom while having relatively none of their own (not even the right to vote in the US for another 100 years).

Poetry Friday -- the roundup is here!

It's the last Poetry Friday of the year, and I celebrate our community! What a blessing to spend the 52nd Friday of the year with YOU, and with POETRY!

Leave your link in the comments, and I'll round you up into the post in between cooking for Mom so that she has leftovers in the freezer for the months to come (and making a pan of Browned Butter and Sea Salt Rice Crispy Treats in spite of all of the other holiday goodies that beg to be nibbled), playing hours-long games of Sequence at the kitchen table while chatting about nothing in particular, long walks in the ol' hometown while listening to my current audiobook, The Goldfinch, and other assorted thises and thats Mom finds for me to do.

But first, let's give thanks for a three-hour plane trip home. (Translation: time to read!)

After the River the Sun
by Dia Calhoun
illustrated by Kate Slater
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, July 2013

review copy provided by the author

Last summer, Eva of the Farm (also by Dia Calhoun) made a brief Poetry Friday appearance with a whole group of other verse novels. I love the spunky character of Eva, who saves her family's farm -- an apple orchard in north central Washington -- with her art and poetry.

In this companion verse novel, Eva helps Eckhart Lyon to heal his heart. Eckhart's parents were killed in a white water rafting accident and he has come to live with his curmudgeonly Uncle Albert whose orchards are next to Eva's family's. Eckhart's passion for the story of King Arthur frames his quest for a permanent home and redemption for his parents' deaths, and helps to forge a connection between him and Eva. In a satisfying conclusion, even Uncle Albert finds a much-needed peace.

*    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *

Without further ado, here's the roundup:

Keri, at Keri Recommends, is in first with the villanelle that Robyn wrote for her for the Winter Poem Swap...

...and Robyn shares the Winter Poem Swap Keri wrote for her at Life on the Deckle Edge.

Jone has a poetry pairing at Check it Out.

Myra, at Gathering Books, shares a poem to fill a hungry soul.

Charles, at Father Goose, has his eye on snowflakes.

Diane has another winter poem swap poem to share at Random Noodling -- the one Margaret wrote for her.

Kurious Kitty shares a Denise Levertov poem for the new year.

At KK's Kwotes, there's a quote from Douglas Kornfeld.

At Today's Little Ditty, Michelle has a Five for Friday Celebration for the new year.

Dia Calhoun, author of the verse novel After the River the Sun (reviewed above), shares an excerpt to further tempt you to read this fabulous book!

Julie, at The Drift Record, has images by the Finnish painter, Elin Kleopatra Danielson-Gambogi, and a poem by Jane Kenyon.

At The Opposite of Indifference, Tabatha shares two poems by Emily Dickinson.

Margaret is sharing one of the poems from her "10 Poems Over Break" personal challenge at Reflections on the Teche.

At The Drawer, MM Socks has a poem about crows.

Donna give Spiny Pine his own poem over at Mainely Write.

Betsy has some "little bits" for us today at I Think in Poems.

Lori is flying high with her haiku at On Point.

It was a quiet roundup this week. If you've got something to add tomorrow or Sunday, the roundup offer does not expire.

Later this weekend, I'll update the roundup calendar. Stay tuned.

To inspire your next poems, I'll leave you with this:

Another Veteran's Day Coincidence

Salt: A Story of Friendship in a Time of War
by Helen Frost
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, July 23, 2013

review copy provided by the publisher

On Veterans' Day in 2009, quite coincidentally, I read two books about war.

Today, on the eve of Veterans' Day 2013, the book that rose to the top of my TBR pile was, coincidentally, a book about war, and another book by Helen Frost.

SALT is set in 1812, at a small fort in the Indiana Territory -- Fort Wayne. The richness of nature in this setting is vital to the story. The small poems about salt that are sprinkled through the story remind the reader of the long, slow processes of nature and the interconnectedness of the earth and all life on the earth. In nature, salt preserves, salt enriches. Salt in the hands of humans becomes a commodity of power.

James, the American son of the trader at the fort, is friends with Anikwa, a member of the Miami tribe that has lived in the area for centuries. It is stories such as this -- of humanity and the friendships that bridge differences of culture and beliefs -- that give me hope for a species whose history tends to be measured by its wars.

On the other hand, Isaac, son of another American settler at the fort, embodies the worst of humanity. He is suspicious, antagonistic, prone to violence, and kills recklessly and without regret. His character is like salt in a wound.

When the troops arrive at the besieged fort, they bring the horrors of war that persist to this day -- the environment is destroyed, the native people are displaced, and trust between cultures is shattered.

This book doesn't explain the entire history of the War of 1812, but it brings to vivid life one small slice of it. Historical fiction is one way that history comes to life.

But we shouldn't forget that history is alive. History is alive in the memories of the people around us. Tomorrow, on Veterans' Day, we will share the stories of the people in our lives who have served (or are serving) our country in the Armed Forces and we will weave a new story of humanity, high ideals, freedom, and courage.

Poetry Friday -- Novels in Verse

There's lots to love about novels in verse.

Sometimes they introduce us to characters that we want to read about again and again.

Sometimes they offer support to readers who struggle with stamina and fluency by increasing the amount of white space on the page around the text, making the text more sparse while keeping it rich in language and imagery.

It's super-fun when the poetry written by the main character is a part of the poetry of the novel...and when the kid power that saves the day (and maybe even the farm) is poetry and art!

But bestbestBEST of all is when each poem in the novel is a poem that can stand by itself as well as being an integral part of the novel.

If you want a book that's worth its weight in gold, GONE FISHING is the book for you. 

This book would make a great read aloud. It's the classic story of excitement (going fishing with dad all by myself!), disappointment (why does SHE have to come along?), conflict (when will I catch a fish?), and resolution (I only caught one, but it was a doozy of a catfish!). 

The poems are told from the point of view of Sam, his sister Lucy, their dad, a couple of times all three, and once just Sam and Lucy. 

There are more than 30 different poetry forms represented throughout the book, identified below each title and elaborated upon in the endmatter of the book. (Also in the endmatter, a bit about some of the other tools in a poet's "tackle box:" rhyme and rhythm, and poetry techniques such as alliteration, hyperbole, assonance, and more.) 

And the illustrations are spot-on perfect.

Margaret has the Poetry Friday Roundup today at Reflections on the Teche. If you are interested in hosting a Poetry Friday Roundup in July-December, the place to sign up is here.


For more information about the books in this post:

Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie
Like Bug Juice on a Burger
by Julie Sternberg
illustrated by Matthew Cordell

Love That Dog
Hate That Cat: A Novel
by Sharon Creech

Little Dog, Lost
by Marion Dane Bauer
illustrated by Jennifer Bell

Eva of the Farm
by Dia Calhoun

Gone Fishing: A novel
by Tamera Will Wissinger
illustrated by Matthew Cordell

Like Bug Juice on a Burger

Like Bug Juice on a Burger
by Julie Sternberg
illustrated by Matthew Cordell
Abrams, on shelves April 2013

This sweet little novel in verse is the sequel to Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie.

In this book, the main character, Eleanor, is going to go to summer sleep-over camp. Her grandmother gives it to her as a gift, remembering that Eleanor's mother loved it when she was Eleanor's age.

Eleanor does NOT like camp -- the food is bad, she's the only one who can't swim, and she misses her parents and New York City.

Luckily, she makes a new friend. Joplin is VERY tall and VERY different from Eleanor, but she winds up making ALL the difference to Eleanor.

Pearl Verses the World: Another Great Novel in Verse

I love novels in verse. I have seen so much power in books written in this format over the past several years. Often, these books are powerful but the format allows for deep reading. Because there is not as much text as in a "regular" novel, kids who struggle with grade level text and kids who struggle with stamina to get through an entire book, can build that stamina, confidence and fluency with novels and verse.  And, they almost always invite great conversations.

Pearl Verses the World by Sally Murphy is a perfect example of why I love great novels in verse.  Pearl is a young girl who lives with her mother an grandmother. But her grandmother is suffering from dementia and no longer recognizes Pearl or her mother.  Pearl's mother is the sole caregiver and the grandmother's illness is taking a toll on everyone. Pearl is trying to make sense of it all. She desperately wants her grandmother back and her grief and feeling of loss is part of the book.

This is a quick read.  (only 73 pages) But it is a hard read.  Pearl is the one telling the story and she is having a hard time.  Her life is difficult right now and she is struggling. School is hard, her teacher doesn't appreciate her poetry and her grandmother's illness weighs heavily on her at all times.  I came to love Pearl very early in the book. She is genuine and honest.  She is dealing with real problems and is handling it all in very real ways.

LIKE PICKLE JUICE ON A COOKIE by Julie Sternberg

I always love when I pick up a great, new short chapter book. This week I picked up LIKE PICKLE JUICE ON A COOKIE by Julie Sternberg.  This is the story of Eleanor. Eleanor is eight years old and learns that he lifelong babysitter, Bibi, is moving away. It is a hard time for Eleanor as she deals with the transition.

The book is told in verse. It is a good length--119 pages and there are illustrations throughout.  That is what I love about this book. It is a great book for readers of early chapter books because it has some depth--a real issue that young children can relate to.  I also think older kids would like it because of this.  If I taught older elementary grades, this would go in the "Novels in Verse" basket.  I think readers of those books would love the addition of this one. For younger readers, this book provides a great option for advanced readers who are looking for a chapter book that is appropriate and meaningful for them.