THREE: the first of three

THREE years ago (in 2006) on January 2 (that was THREE days ago), this blog was born.

To celebrate our third blog birthday, we have prepared for you a THREE day festival of THREEs from our third year of blogging. Let the triads begin!

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THREE new book characters (Franki)

Roscoe Riley
The Trucktown Characters
Amy Hodgepodge

THREE new book characters (ML)
Sassy (Sharon Draper)
Percy Jackson (Rick Riordan) [He's new to me, doesn't that count???]
Julia Gillian (Alison McGhee)

THREE new books about characters we already love (Franki)
WILD BOARS COOK

MOXY MAXWELL DOES NOT LOVE WRITING THANK YOU NOTES

THE YEAR OF THE RAT

THREE new books about characters we already love (ML)
Chester in Chester's Back by Mélanie Watt
Connie Lionheart in Mines of the Minotaur by Julia Golding
Clementine in Clementine's Letter by Sara Pennypacker

THREE new blogs we follow (local--our district)

Literate Lives (born 2/12/08)
Talkworthy (born 5/17/08)
Authentic Learner (born 3/12/08)

THREE new blogs we follow (local--our city, a nearby city, a poet)
Bestbookihavenotread (born 8/8/08)
My World-Mi Mundo (born 4/11/08)
Florian Cafe (born 9/23/08) [okay, he's not local, but it would sure be fun if he was!]

THREE new blogs we follow (local--our profession)
on the learn (born June, 2008)
Open Wide, Look Inside (born Feb., 2008)
The Stenhouse Blog (born May, 2008)

THREE 2008 picture books we LOVE! (Franki)

DRUMMER BOY by Loren Long

THE DOGHOUSE by Jan Thomas

OFF TO FIRST GRADE by Louise Borden

THREE 2008 picture books we LOVE! (ML)
Little Mouse's Big Book of Fears by Emily Gravett

Rabbit & Squirrel: A Tale of War & Peas by Kara LaReau
Everywhere the Cow Says Moo by Ellen Slusky Weinstein

THREE great new nonfiction books (Franki)

DR. FRANKENSTEIN'S HUMAN BODY BOOK

KNUCKLEHEAD by Jon Scieszka

GO GO AMERICA by Dan Yaccarino

THREE great new nonfiction books (ML)
One Hen by Katie Smith Milway
Wish: Wishing Traditions Around the World by Roseanne Thong
Wangari's Trees of Peace by Jeannette Winter

THREE great new professional books (plus one more for the obvious reasons)
OF PRIMARY IMPORTANCE by Ann Marie Corgill
TEACHING WITH INTENTION by Debbie Miller
ADVENTURES IN GRAPHICA by Terry Thompson
Day-to-Day Assessment in the Reading Workshop by Franki Sibberson and Karen Szymusiak

THREE favorite adult reads (ML)
The Moon by Whale Light by Diane Ackerman
People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
White Teeth by Zadie Smith

Dr. Frankenstein's Human Body Book

Beth pointed this book--DR. FRANKENSTEIN'S HUMAN BODY BOOK:  THE MONSTROUS TRUTH ABOUT HOW YOUR BODY WORKS--out to me the other day when I visited Cover to Cover.  It is the coolest book!  The premise is this--Dr. Frankenstein is in his lab and the lab is filled with body parts because....Dr. Frankenstein is planning on making a living, breathing human being in his lab.  On each page, Dr. Frankenstein talks to readers.  You can tell that he is talking to you because of the font--his words provide an intro for each page.  Then the information begins.  Each page focuses on one part of the body such and is named accordingly. Pages are titled such things as "Bone Basics", "Kidneys" and "Cerebrum".  It seems that Dr. Frankenstein teaches us one thing each day because he keeps a little journal note on each page that includes extra info.  

This book is PACKED with information.  After having spent a bit of time with it, it is one of the best body books I have seen.  Lots of good information, a great layout, easy for kids to understand, and a fun premise. I think because of the storyline, some kids may decide to read this book from cover to cover which is an added plus.   I am not usually a fan of nonfiction books embedded in a fiction story but this one works. Because Dr. Frankenstein is talking to us, the readers, it is an easier read than you would expect when you first look at the pages. And humor is spread throughout the text. This is a DK book that doesn't look like any of the others.  And the size/shape/cover of the book are fun. Very unique and surprising. The book also includes a table of contents, a glossary and an index.   And things are written in very developmentally appropriate ways.

This will definitely be a popular book in the library!