Stories With Echoes

The Castle Corona
by Sharon Creech
illuminated by David Diaz
HarperCollins, 2007

I'm pretty sure Sharon Creech has already written this book once before. Maybe twice. Plucky brother and sister orphans who are mistreated but wind up in the care of interesting grandparent-ly people. Wasn't that Ruby Holler? Merge the brother and sister into one girl character, throw in storytelling and a search for identity. Wasn't that Walk Two Moons?

Don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining. Obviously these story bones have great resonance for Sharon Creech, and I think any child who reads by author will be delighted to discover this. Any child who reads by book has at least a one in three chance of reading some version of this story if they dip into Sharon Creech's works and promptly dip out again.

I loved the 56 short-short chapters (also a hallmark of Ruby Holler) and the illuminations by David Diaz. I loved the mood she set with the language and the mirroring of the peasant and noble worlds. I loved the hermits. I want one. I also want a tunnel of hornbeam trees. No need to wish for a wordsmith. I've got Sharon Creech and a thousand thousand others who will keep me entertained for years to come!

Welcome to the Kidlitosphere!

Join us in welcoming our friends and colleagues Karen and Bill in the launch of their co-blog, Literate Lives. Because Karen, Bill, Franki and I have all taught in the same district for lots of years, our paths have crissed and crossed many times depending on what buildings we were at, what grades we taught, what committees we were on, and what teacher (or now, librarian) hats we were wearing at the time. And now we're sharing this blogging path. Very exciting!

2 Great New Picture Books

I am partial to sheep books. Every since I read Wool Gathering: A Sheep Family Reunion, I keep my eye out for amusing sheep characters. Woolbur by Leslie Helakoski may be my new favorite. First of all, he is adorable. The cover illustration lets you know that this is a character you'll come to love. The inside flap calls him a free spirit. He is a leader in his own sense--making his own rules and having fun with life in general. He doesn't like to play by the rules--he likes to do his own thing. And his parents worry and worry. The lesson hits you over the head in this book but that is okay because Woolbur is such a great character, you feel his joy in living in the moment. Love this book!

And the new Fancy Nancy book came out this week! I think it might be my favorite of the three. Fancy Nancy Bonjour Butterfly I like the yellows in the illustrations and I love that Nancy is dressed in butterfly apparel. This story is more than about being fancy--it is about having to miss a friend's birthday party to attend a family event. Even though Nancy is initially disappointed, she has a great time at her grandparents' anniversary party. I am excited about all of the upcoming easy readers, etc. that will be coming out soon. I am not usually a big fan of these types of books but kids LOVE this character so giving them some books that they can read on their own makes sense tome. Can't wait to see what Fancy Nancy will do next!

Landmark Birthday

Have a good one, Mo!

Nonfiction Monday -- Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

I'm going to cheat a bit today. The nonfiction part of my post is not a book. Instead, I give you some links for nonfiction reading you might do before or after you finish Margaret Peterson Haddix's book Uprising: Three Young Women Caught in the Fire That Changed America.

Cornell University's Online Exhibit on The Triangle Factory Fire

Wikipedia entry on The Triangle Factory Fire

History of the Union Movement in America

Library of Congress Immigration Site

Scholastic Site on Women's Suffrage

Wikipedia -- What else happened in 1911?

Uprising: Three Young Women Caught in the Fire That Changed America
by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Simon and Schuster, 2007

This book should be required reading for all women and girls -- to remind us or teach us how far we've come in the struggle for equal rights.

This book should be required reading for anyone whose ancestors were immigrants in America -- to remind us or teach us about the sacrifices that were made to make our cities and our country what it is today.

This book should be required reading for anyone whose association or union is currently involved in negotiations -- to remind us or to teach us the importance of the rights of the worker.

Haddix has written a story that is very accessible. Framed in the beginning and the end by young women who are questioning a survivor of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, the story is told from three points of view -- Yetta, a Jewish girl who is a Russian immigrant, Bella, an Italian immigrant, and Jane, a high society girl. These three stories become entwined in very believable ways, and the ending, while tragic, provides hope, both for the future in the story and for our modern day future.


Anastasia Suen at Picture Book of the Day is hosting the Nonfiction Monday round up.

Timing

I'm Late

I was going to feature Oh, Brother (Nikki Grimes) for Poetry Friday last week. Luckily, I did a blog search and remembered that the book made it to my "To Buy Soon" list because of what I read here.

I read Jellaby (Vol. 1, by Kean Soon) yesterday and loved it. Fuse #8 reviewed it yesterday and loved it even more.

There's a new nonfiction blog in town. I.N.K. made its debut a week ago.

John Edwards had been out of the race for two days before I got the news.

I'm not even going to admit to the size of the piles of need-to-be-graded papers...

I'm Early

Cybils winners will be announced this coming week. Go take the surveys at the Cybils site while you wait.

That's all I've got for early. I don't do early so much...

Poetry Friday -- Macbeth

Macbeth
Act 3, Scene 2
spoken by Lady Macbeth

Hand-lettered on chipboard when I was between 16-18 years old, this was within sight of my desk for lots of years. Maybe as much as a decade. I think it reminded me to love my work. I think it said to me, "If you're going to go down, go down in the flames of your own fire. Don't go over to the other side just to survive."

I found it the other day in the two-drawer file cabinet in my closet in a file labeled "Food For Thought."

Maybe it's time to hang it over my desk again.


The Poetry Friday Roundup is at AmoXcalli this week.

Support for teachers of autistic children

Even though I declared it "Required Reading," maybe you're not up for a 500+ page graphic novel about a Japanese family's experience when their first child is diagnosed with autism. Maybe you just need some helpful strategies for the child who is in your classroom. Things you can do tomorrow.

In my experience, the best resources are the people who know the child well. Our school is lucky. We have experienced paraprofessionals who work with our special needs kids, with our special education teachers, and with regular education teachers throughout the elementary school career of the children. They are invaluable.

I asked our special ed teachers what professional books they would recommend for teachers of autistic children. Rather than books, they recommended Autism.com. The site is searchable -- try "teachers" or "teacher resources" for starters.

For further anecdotal reading, I would recommend Rules by Cynthia Lord, and Temple Grandin's work. (I found Temple Grandin by reading Oliver Sacks' fascinating books.)

Are there any other great (practical) resources you would recommend?

Nonfiction Monday

Bird, Bird, Bird! (A Chirping Chant)

by April Pulley Sayre

illustrated by Gary Locke

Northword Press, 2007

I didn't think April Pulley Sayre could top Trout, Trout, Trout and Ant, Ant, Ant, her first two chant books. But she has!

63 names of American birds, arranged in a rhyming chant and illustrated with caricatures, invite the reader to experience the diversity of bird life in America.

This is not a serious birding book. This is a book for sparking interest based on the sometimes descriptive, sometimes wacky names of the birds. In the back of the book, each bird gets 1-2 sentences of factual information.

This is also a book for word lovers and poets. April must do some serious tinkering, fiddling, and reading out loud before she has a final rhyme. And then, how fun to see it come to life in a whole new way once the illustrations are added!

How's this for a poetry stretch -- could you take the names of a group of, say, 10-20 rodents, or mammals (or even poets, authors or bloggers) and make them into a rhyming chant? I'm heading over to Miss Rumphius right now to suggest it!

******
Our interview with April last year is here.
Charlotte's Library got an advanced copy of April's next book, Trees Are Made of Trout (I'm so jealous!), which she reviews here.
April's website is here.
The Nonfiction Monday roundup is here.

Process

I so needed this reminder that all of life is a process, including life in the public schools.

It's about the kids, not the tests.