Thank You, Erin Soderberg for an Amazing Skype Visit!!

Last week, we had the opportunity to Skype with author Erin Soderberg. Erin is the author of The Quirks: Welcome to Normal and The Quirks in Circus Quirkus--the first two books in a series that is quite popular in our classroom this year!  

The kids were VERY excited about this Skype visit. Our last Skype (another highlight of the year!) was with author Barbara O'Connor. We had read her book How to Steal a Dog aloud so everyone in the class had read the book together. But The Quirks was different. I read the first book in the series over winter break and knew immediately that my students would love it. I handed it to a student who handed it to another student. Within a week, there were so many kids that wanted to read the book that we asked our librarian to order more. He ordered 5 and a group of kids had their first book club around the book. I bought 2 copies of the 2nd book in the series and that began to circulate.   By the time we had the Skype visit, almost all of the students had read at least one of the books.  

This book took on a life of its own in the classroom. Usually, when I find a book like this, I decide to read it aloud. And I may have, had it been earlier in the school year. But this series was one that my kids LOVED to read on their own. They loved the story and the characters. They loved that it was the buzz in the room. And they loved that they could read something independently that seemed a little bit harder and longer than the books they were comfortable with. For many of my students, this book gave them confidence to stretch themselves as readers. It helped them see how much they'd grown.  This book didn't make its way around the classroom because I shared it. Instead, the students owned this one--that's what makes it such a perfect book for 8 and 9 year olds.

In February, I wrote about this series as a MUST HAVE for 3rd and 4th grades. If you don't know The Quirks books, there are 2 in the series. Both focus on a family, called The Quirks.  The Quirks are anything but normal.  They are quite..quirky. Each family member has some kind of quirk or power but they try to hide these from the rest of the world as they often get them into trouble.  Such a perfect mix of real life and fantasy--no wonder kids love it.

There is also a lot of fun in the books--fun magic. Two of my favorite shows growing up were I Dream of Jeanie and Bewitched and the magic in these books reminded me a bit of those shows--very fun magic that I so wished I could do when I was younger!  

Author Erin Soderberg was amazing during our Skype visit. She had the kids engaged in the first 30 seconds with her enthusiasm and personality. She talked to us a bit and let us in on a few secrets about the Quirks. That was fun! Then we asked questions.

Before the Skype, we brainstormed questions for Erin.  I loved listening to their questions.  The thoughtfulness of each question made me happy and it became clear how well the kids knew the story and the characters. I also loved how clear it was that they understood authors. During the creation of the list, they kept talking and saying things like "I wonder why she decided to..." . They so understand authors as decision-makers and many of their questions focused on that part of the process.

It was a great day and we can't WAIT until the 3rd book in the series comes out in January 2015.  My students are already begging to read it first even though they will be in 4th grade next year.  They are VERY excited about this upcoming book!

Again, this book is one of my favorite new series for middle grade readers.  I'm so glad that there are more books coming! 

Some New Books in Our Favorite Series

It has been a great few months for new books about some of our favorite characters.  I love getting new books in the classroom.  I especially love getting books by authors we love and about characters we love.  Series books are key for 3rd graders. I've seen so many kids become readers because of a series they fall in love with. So I like to keep our popular series baskets up to date.  It is fun to see 3rd graders anticipate an upcoming book. It is even more fun when a student comes up to me and says expectantly, "The new Magic Bone book is out and we don't have it yet," then waits patiently while I order it on Amazon.

These are a few of the new books in our classroom--books that are about characters we already love!

Lulu's Mysterious Mission--This may be my favorite book in the series. It took me a while to get used to the new illustrations but I ended up loving them!  A really great read!

The Pigeon Needs a Bath! Who can't love the Pigeon every time?

Judy Moody and Stink: The Big Bad Blackout The cover of this one is quite a treat-glows in the dark!

Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot (Book 1) I love absolutely any book that Dan Santat illustrates and the new illustrations in this series are incredible!

Whatever After #5: Bad Hair Day  Half my class fell in love with this series

early in the year.  A perfect fairy tale series for 3rd and 4th graders.

Go Fetch! #5 (Magic Bone) This is a series my students taught me about.
They LOVE it. A funny concept and perfect humor for 8 and 9 year-olds.

Babymouse #18: Happy Birthday, Babymouse What could be better than another Babymouse book!

Invasion of the Ufonuts (Adventures of Arnie the Doughnut)  These Arnie chapter books are quite a hit.  Perfect length and hysterical illustrations throughout.

Princess Labelmaker to the Rescue: An Origami Yoda Book A few of my kids have just discovered this series and were thrilled to see this one at our book fair.




*Confession:  Today, a student came up to remind me that the we didn't have the newest Stick Dog. I said, "Oh, I'm not sure we'll get that one. Our book budget is about finished." Then I laughed out loud.  Where did that even come from?  What does that even mean? I ordered the book.

The Quirks--A Must Have Series

I finally had a chance to read The Quirks: Welcome to Normal over winter break.  Since I am new to 3rd grade, I am just getting to know books that are good for this age. I have always believed that series books are so important for this age so I am always on the lookout for new series books.

I LOVED LOVED LOVED this book and couldn't wait to share it with my kids. This is what I wrote in my "It's Monday! What Are You Reading?" post the week that I'd finished it:

I met author Erin Soderberg at #ncte13. Because I've been so far behind on my reading, her new book The Quirks: Welcome to Normal has been on my stack.  I ended up reading it as one of my #bookaday books and loved it. It is a fun new series about a family with unique "quirks".  They move to a very normal town and try to fit in. This book had everything in it that I loved about stories when I was younger.  That whole idea that something magical could be happening. The Littles, The Borrowers, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, I Dream of Jeanie, Escape to Witch Mountain and Bewitched were some of my favorite. I got that same feeling when I read this--loving the idea that someone I know may have magical powers! This is a new series and the 2nd is due out in February.  I think it is perfect for grades 3 and 4. I can't wait to share this one with my students!

Well, I brought the book to my classroom.   And I shared it with a student, who shared it with another student, who shared it with another student. The kids' eyes light up when they talk about it.  

Last week, I picked up a copy of the 2nd book in the Quirks series--The Quirks in Circus Quirkus . I took it to school and it too, is making its rounds.  (I can't seem to get my hands back on it to read it myself but I am hearing all about it as kids are abuzz about it!)  Last week, two students approached me asking when the 3rd Quirks was coming out.  We emailed the author and found out that the third book is due out in January. That is a LONG wait but everyone is still excited.

I have 12 kids in my class waiting to read this series.  I am trying to reserve a few at the library and add a few more to our classroom.  This is a book that is changing our classroom community. It is connecting kids who don't normally connect and it is stretching kids as readers.  It is a little longer and more complex than the things many kids have been reading so it is a perfect next step. And it is so fun!

There are not lots of 3rd grade-ish series books that I read and love as much as the kids. I sometimes like them because I see how they will appeal to 8 year olds. I sometimes like them but am reading them more as a teacher than a reader. But I love this series as both a teacher and a reader.  This is the PERFECT middle grade series. I am thinking it will make a good read aloud early in  3rd grade next year.  

If you teach 3rd or 4th grade, I would definitely recommend this fun new series!

Jump Into Science Series

The day after our two snow days, one of my students brought in lots of books about a new interest--rocks and minerals. He had gone to the public library on our days off to find a few new ones. The one that the kids seemed most interested in was one from the Jump Into Science series from National Geographic Kids. It was Jump into Science: Rocks and Minerals   I looked at it and decided we needed it for the classroom. Then I noticed it was part of a series.

I am all about series books that readers who are pretty new to nonfiction can read cover-to-cover. I have seen so much skimming and scanning and so many misconceptions created when students don't build that nonfiction stamina and just see nonfiction as something to skim, scan and picture walk.

This series is perfect for young readers.  There seem to be 8-10 titles and they seem to be mostly connected to Earth Science, although there are a few others.  The pages include basic, yet accessible text and the books contain each share a great deal of information in a readable way.  Nonfiction text features such as headings, maps and diagrams are used.  These are books that can be read by young children and they seem perfect for 3rd graders.  I purchased 3 and will keep an eye out for how popular they become for independent reading.  I am realizing the power in nonfiction picture books so I am happy to have found another good series!

Hotdogger (and Ignoramus)

Hotdogger (The Aldo Zelnick Comic Novel Series)

by Karla Oceanak

illustrated by Kendra Spanjer

Bailiwick Press, September 1, 2013

review copy provided by the publisher

It's winter in Fort Collins, Colorado, where Aldo lives, and winter in the Front Range of Colorado means skiing.

But Aldo doesn't want to go. Doesn't want to with a passion that only the most avid couch potato (that would be Aldo) can muster.

What I like about this eighth book in the alphabetic Aldo Zelnick series is that Aldo finally starts to show some glimmers of being able to change his ways.



This just came in the mail, so I'm officially behind in the series, but looking forward to what's up next for Aldo and his crew:

Ignoramus (The Aldo Zelnick Comic Novel Series)

by Karla Oceanak

illustrated by Kendra Spanjer

Bailiwick Press, December 15, 2013
review copy provided by the publisher

Aldo's birthday is on February 14! Poor Aldo! I'm sure this is going to bring out his curmudgeonly best worst.

I Survived #8: The Japanese Tsunami, 2011

I Survived #8: I Survived the Japanese Tsunami, 2011
by Lauren Tarshis
illustrated by Scott Dawson
Scholastic, 2013
review copy provided by the publisher

A couple of weeks ago, this "Shocking New Video" of the 2011 Japanese tsunami was shared on FaceBook. I clicked over and watched all 25+minutes of it. It was one thing to have seen the quick clip that became iconic in the days after the tsunami -- the one of the monster wave crashing into the coast -- but to watch, with the person behind the camera, 25 minutes of gradual, and then terrifyingly sudden rising waters that completely obliterated the landscape, was quite another.

It was with those images in my mind that I read Lauren Tarshis' newest installment in the I Survived series. (I'm embarrassed to admit that this is the first book in this series that I've read. Somehow, this series escaped my radar until last year. I got several for my classroom library, and then they were never back on the shelves!)

Tarshis gives a kid reader just enough of the terrifying experience of the tsunami to understand the suddenness, feel the separation from loved ones, and know the shock of whole towns being leveled. But her character is an American child, visiting in Japan, so he gets to leave the destruction behind, in much the same way the world has. (There are no "Shocking New Video"s of the rebuilding efforts that are still, I'm sure, going on.) I do not mean this as a criticism. Tarshis writes, in the information following the story, about how hard it was for her to try to understand the enormity of the disaster. And she does show readers a Japanese character who chooses not to leave, and teaches us, in the information after the story, about gaman, a word in Japanese which means "to be strong and patient even when something terrible is happening."

Adventures in Cartooning: Characters in Action!

Adventures in Cartooning: Characters in Action
by James Sturm, Andrew Arnold, and Alexis Frederick-Frost (from The Center for Cartoon Studies)
First Second, on shelves October 8, 2013
review copy provided by the publisher

They're back! The same crew of cartoonists whose first book, Adventures in Cartooning: How to Turn Your Doodles Into Comics (one of the NCTE 2010 Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts) taught readers how to make a cartoon are now moving into the realm of "how to draw simple characters, pose them, and put an expression on their faces that communicate emotions to the reader." And all of this gets wrapped into a story about an evil movie director, a missing king, and our heroes, the Knight (there's a surprise about her in the first book...oops...I just gave it away...), the knight's steed, Edward, and the Magic Cartooning Elf.

For all those buddying graphic novelists in your classroom, this book is a must-read!

(See also last year's Adventures in Cartooning: Christmas Special)

Series Books for Third Grade: Lulu by Hilary McKay

Someone recommended the Lulu series to me and when I noticed that Hilary McKay was the author, I immediately ordered one. I read Lulu and the Duck in the Park (Book 1).  I am happy about this new series as I think it will be a great one for primary students.  There are lots of things I like about this book:

-I love the main character Lulu.  The author lets you get to know Lulu quickly and she is a fun character with lots of spunk.

-I love the supports for readers who are new to chapter books. The print is large and the illustrations support the text.

-The writing is what you would expect from Hilary McKay--well crafted:-)

-Hilary McKay lets you know some of the other characters well which I love.

-The story is well developed and perfect for readers new to following a longer/chapter book length story.

There are only two books out about Lulu but I am hoping we see more about this character soon1

Series for Third Grade: Goofballs by Tony Abbott

I have been spending time reading some series books that I've somehow missed as I get ready to move to third grade in the fall.  One series that was recommended was Goofballs by Tony Abbott.  This is a mystery series. I am not always a fan of mysteries for younger readers because I think they are really hard to do well for this age.  I read the first book in the series: Goofballs #1: The Crazy Case of Missing Thunder last week. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this series and how much I think it is perfect for 3rd graders. There is the perfect amount of humor and enough clues for readers to pick up on their own without making the mystery too obvious.

The Goofballs are 4 kids who work together to solve mysteries.  There are two boys and two girls who work together to find mysteries, wear disguises, and have a fun time together.  There is humor and word play throughout the books that are perfect for this age.

The language is classic detective language. I'm not sure the kids will pick it up but it is very well done and the simple sentences are a great support for readers newer to chapter books.

I am so excited that I discovered this series. It is a great series for readers new to mysteries--I never seem to have enough mysteries to recommend to this age but I'll definitely be recommending these.

This series is fairly new (2012) with 4 books out so far. The 5th is due out in August. I just bought the next three and am thrilled to add these to my classroom collection!

Starring Jules (As Herself)

Starring Jules #1: Starring Jules (As Herself)
by Beth Ain
Scholastic, on shelves March 2013

Jules is a list maker, a worrier, and a girl with a whole lot of pizzazz. Her friendship with Charlotte is on shaky ground, but she is hopeful that she'll become friends with the new girl from London.

Jules' pizzazz is spotted by a talent scout and she is given a chance to try out for a mouthwash commercial. The only problem is that that mouthwash is orange flavored, and Jules has an irrational fear of the flavor of oranges.

This is going to be a fun series for readers who love Clementine, Frankly Frannie and Just Grace. Although Jules has an artist mom, a chef dad, an apartment in New York City, and a teacher from Cuba ("...her English sounds like the music they play on the beach in Florida."), Jules is ordinary enough to strike a chord with all kinds of readers.

Finicky

Finicky (The Aldo Zelnick Comic Novel Series)
by Karla Oceanak
illustrated by Kendra Spanjer
Bailiwick Press, 2012
review copy provided by the publisher

It's hard to believe we're already to the sixth book in the Aldo Zelnick series! I have a student who is waging a one-man boycott of our school cafeteria over the very same issue that moves Aldo and his friends to protest -- no more pizza day on Tuesdays!

This volume is sure to please food lovers and finicky eaters alike, and the feast of words that begin with F fairly overflows!  Aldo and his fellow endomorph of a dad get a little more serious about their health and weight, and Aldo serves up a steaming banquet of remorse when his protests get a little out of hand.

Another must-read for Aldo Zelnick fans, and also for the Nate the Great and Wimpy Kid crowd.

TIMELESS THOMAS by Gene Barretta

I have so loved the Now and Then Biographies by Gene Barretta. I was thrilled to see the newest in this series because it is about Thomas Edison. It is called Timeless Thomas: How Thomas Edison Changed Our Lives.  Thomas Edison is a big part of Ohio history and his impact on the world is truly incredible. So happy to have this book to add to my collection of picture book biographies!

If you do not know the THEN and NOW books by Gene Barretta, they are quite brilliant.  Barretta takes things that each inventor invented and shows us how we use that invention now--so we start with something we are familiar with it.  Then he takes us back (on the opposite side of the two-page spread) to the original invention. Connecting the two help readers to see how long-lasting the impact the invention is. It also helps to see the evolution and the way that the new idea/technology changed things. The other books in this series are Now & Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin and Neo Leo: The Ageless Ideas of Leonardo da Vinci.

Timeless Thomas might be my favorite of the three. Maybe it's because I love to read about Thomas Edison. A few old movies, one starring Mickey Rooney,Young Tom Edison and another,  Edison the Man are two movies that got me interested in the work of Thomas Edison. I don't know how accurate they are but they did let viewers get some insights into Edison's work, life, thinking processes, etc. Every time I read or learn about Edison, I am shocked at the number of inventions that have impacted our lives.  Timeless Thomas helps readers understand that.

This seems the perfect book for elementary age children. First of all, the "Present Day" pages help readers connect to original inventions by seeing how these things are used today.  The book starts out with Edison's invention of the phonograph but because it starts out with "Present Day", it grabs the reader by saying, "We can now record any sound we like and save it. That was not possible before Edison."  The next page explains the origin and the workings of the phonograph.  The present day piece is very timely and the illustrations and examples are very child-friendly.

I also like the book as a writing teacher. Because there are three in the series, these make great mentor texts for nonfiction. This is one format young writers can study and possibly try on their own.

And, I love this book for social studies. Not only does it tie into history (and especially Ohio history) but history of the world/nation and how inventions change things. How communities change because of evolving technology.

I see so many possibilities with this book. It is brand new and one I am happy to add to my classroom library:-)

First Read Aloud of the Year

Capture the Flag
by Kate Messner
Scholastic Press, 2012
review copy came from the library (because I really am trying to dial back my book buying to only the most essential for my classroom...it's working...I've read at least one this summer that EVERYONE else loved and I didn't, so I'm glad I didn't spend any money on it...no, I'm not telling...if you follow me on Goodreads, you can already guess...)



Since I'm moving from 4th to 5th grade this year, the bar for ALL of my read alouds has been raised several notches. Unless I want to deliberately reread a book that my students heard last year, I'm not going to be able to fall back on ANY of my old standards. (Not that I had a laminated list of read alouds, but I did love Emily's Fortune...)

So, what does it take to be picked for the first read aloud of the year?

It needs to have a strong hook for all listeners. Not only does Capture the Flag have a strong first chapter with an incredible cliffhanger (way to leave a thief in the chamber with the Star Spangled Banner, Kate!) it has a punchy lead with short sentences and carefully placed details that will become important later in the story. This is a beginning chapter to return to for craft study in writing workshop.

It needs to have good characters for all listeners. Anna wants to be a reporter, like her mom. She's got the burning curiosity and the bulldog tenacity that will become important. Henry's got his video games. Kids are going to love it that what he's learned from playing video games will help the characters at almost every turn in the story. José has a backpack full of Harry Potter and a quote for every occasion. What José has learned from reading, along with the books themselves, will be crucial to the story. There is also a dog, an 8 year-old from Pakistan who collects and sketches idioms, and a secret society who protects famous art in the world. So there's at least one character for everyone in this book.


It needs to be fairly fast-paced and adventure-filled. Three kids trapped by a snowstorm in an airport with a mystery to solve, chase scenes in the baggage holding area, evil guys with snake tattoos. Yeah, Capture the Flag has plenty of action. 


It needs to have potential for big discussions beyond the book. I can imagine that my very international mix of students will have passionate discussions about immigration laws, cultural stereotypes, and discrimination. I'm thinking we'll research where the presidential candidates stand on immigration policies -- a topic that matters to many of my students and their families.


I'm not finished with my summer reading, so another book might make it to the top of the "first read aloud" pile before the end of August, but right now, it's looking good for Capture the Flag.