HOWTOONS: THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS

I have been trying to find and read more graphic novels that are appropriate for elementary age readers. My two main sources for books are Mary Lee and Beth at Cover to Cover. I am running a workshop on Content Reading in a few weeks and was looking for nonfiction graphic novels to share with teachers--nonfiction graphic novels that might help struggling readers make sense of concepts.

What a great surprise when Beth called with this new title--HOWTOONS! This is a How-To Graphic Book--I guess not a novel. It is filled with fun things for kids to make and the instructions to make them. Some are simple and some are complicated.

When I opened the book, I was thrilled to find that even the Table of Contents was in graphic form. Illustrations, titles and page numbers all on a two-page spread. Through the Table of Contents, I found that readers can learn how to do and make a variety of things--from counting with binary numbers to making an "Infamous Marshmallow Shooter". Clearly the possibilities for fun are endless!

The authors put a little disclaimer at the beginning--adult supervision is needed for many of these projects.

I like the idea that there is a book out here like this. I am not sure that I would just put the book on the shelf--it is a bit overwhelming. But, I can see using it bit-by-bit to try some of the activities described. Even though it is in graphic/cartoon form, it is full of lots of the usuals that you see in nonfiction text--labels, diagrams, etc. So, there are possibilities for teaching nonfiction text strategies with this book too.

A fun find! And, even more good news--I just found a great website that goes along with the book--lots of fun How-To Comics along with some games and more. And there is a blog that is written in a more graphic form! Who knew? The site seems very addicting.

Looks like the book has come from the people at MIT!
Fuse #8 reviewed the book in November if you'd like to read that one!

You can even see a video demonstration of the Marshmallow Shooter on the Howtoons website blog.

A New Series That Makes Me Laugh!

I noticed 3 books in a new series at Cover to Cover yesterday. ROSCOE RILEY RULES by Katherine Applegate. I was happy to see that there are 3 books in the series out right away--it is hard to wait for new books in a series after you read the first and love it.

This looked like the typical series book--nothing struck me about the cover except that it had a boy character and I was happy about that. I am loving all of the new series with strong girls but I have had a harder time finding these early chapter book series that highlight boy characters lately.

Well, this book was such a nice surprise. I loved it quickly. The first book is called ROSCOE RILEY RULES #1: NEVER GLUE YOUR FRIENDS TO CHAIRS. Right away, I could tell kids would like the whole idea of the book. The main character, Roscoe, tells each book in the series from his Official Time-Out Corner. Seems that each book will start out with Riley calling you over to his Time-Out Corner and then telling the story of why he is there. Pretty clever, I thought. (Roscoe seems to enjoy his corner well enough and his parents and teachers seem to love and understand him well!)

Chapter 2 in this first book is called "SOMETHING YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE WE GET STARTED". It says, "Here's the thing about Super-Mega-Gonzo Glue. When the label says permanent, they mean permanent. As in FOREVER AND EVER." This may be my favorite chapter in the book.

There are lots of reasons why I like this book. Roscoe tells the story and I like his voice. He is a first grader with a first grader voice. He is very clever, insightful and honest. The book is short--about 80 pages. A perfect length. Chapters are fairly short and there are lots of illustrations throughout. The thing that I think is best is that it is totally appropriate for kids in grades 1 and 2. The humor and the situations seem to be a perfect match. I can see readers of STINK by Megan MacDonald really enjoying this series too.

Looks like there are 3 available now (NEVER GLUE YOUR FRIENDS TO CHAIRS, NEVER SWIPE A BULLY'S BEAR and DON'T SWAP YOUR SWEATER FOR A DOG). #4 is due out in August and it is called NEVER SWIM IN APPLESAUCE.

I am anxious to share this book with my daughter and some of her friends. I think it will make for fun summer reading.

READING FOR REAL by Kathy Collins

I spent Thursday and Friday at the Lakota Literacy View Institute. The teachers there have been running this institute for several years and it is a great, intense four days. A great group of people running amazing staff development for teachers. That seems to be happening in lots of places and teachers left feeling energized and ready to think ahead to September.

As an added bonus, I was thrilled to see that they had copies of Kathy Collins' new book called READING FOR REAL. It wasn't due out for another week so I was thrilled to see copies there! Kathy Collins wrote another one of my favorite professional books called GROWING READERS. In both books, she is able to help us think through what is important to our youngest readers. This book is written for primary teachers and addresses primary literacy, especially with the use of "Reading Clubs". In her simple, "bare-bone" definition of reading clubs, Kathy says, " A reading club is a couple of kids reading and talking about a small collection of books that go together in some way." She goes on to describe what these might look like, how they might go, how the year might go, etc. There are many really thoughtful ways to use these types of reading clubs with primary kids.

A big thing I like about Kathy's writing (besides how funny she can be!) is the thoughtfulness behind her planning. It is obvious that she has layers of thinking when she teaches. For example, one of my favorite is one called "Getting to Know Our Characters Well to Better Understand Our Books and Ourselves". Kathy wants students to learn about characters and character development but she also talks about reading habits as goals--those things that bring joy to our reading lives. One of the things her students learn in this character study is that "Readers think about their character even when they aren't reading their books." What a huge thing for our young readers to learn and to value as readers.

With all of the leveled craze, Kathy is able to give us a way to bring talk and joy to our primary classrooms. The vignettes that she share remind us that young children are capable of very deep reading and very deep thinking. Kathy gives us a framework to make that happen. Even though this book is written for teachers of primary students, there are huge implications for teachers of all ages.

I will be a media specialist in one of our elementary schools next year. I decided it would be a fun challenge to really think about whole school literacy and reader identity from that role in the school. READING FOR REAL has helped me think through ways in which I might bring inquiry and book clubs into the library setting for my primary students. I am thinking about ways that I can collect books in baskets--books that "go together in some way" as Kathy tells us. I am hoping for a library filled with lots of talk around great books and having baskets of books with the same character, books on a topic, etc. may be just the invitation kids need to talk with each other in the library.Above is a photo from the Lakota Literacy VIEW Institute. Ralph Fletcher, one of the speakers, with Paulette, Susan, and Lin--members of the VIEW Planning Team!

New Book by Eileen Spinelli

Eileen Spinelli is my favorite author of the moment. It seems that every time I turn around, there is another great book written by Eileen Spinelli. We just saw her newest picture book, THE BEST STORY at Cover to Cover during our Columbus Blogger 48 Hour Read Kick-Off . It is a great story, an especially great one to use in the Writing Workshop. The girl in the story tells us about a writing contest that she sees at her local library. She is determined to write a great story and win the prize. The book takes us through her experience--trying to make the story better. She takes advice from members of her family and tries to add the things they suggest. She finally listens to her mother who tells her, "I think the best story is one that comes from the heart. Your own heart." LOVE THAT LINE and the whole page. I was drawn to this book because of the message to readers about writing. I think it could start lots of great conversations about writing in classrooms and libraries. I am usually not a fan of picture books that teach lessons about writing. They are sometimes over the top or to gimicky, but this one is really perfect for many ages. The illustrations are an added bonus--they are a perfect match for the story. They are happy, whimsical illustrations that pull the reader in.

Other recent Elieen Spinelli books that I have fallen in love with:
WHERE I LIVE NOW and SUMMERHOUSE TIME are both novels in verse. I did quick reviews of one here. Other recent books that I currently love by this author are
SOMEDAY andWHEN YOU ARE HAPPY.

Looks like she has another one coming out this fall! After checking out her website, I realized that lots of the books she has written in the past, I know and love. And there are a few on the list that I don't know that I will be checking out. But it seems every time I go into a bookstore these days, Eileen Spinelli has another perfect book on the shelves!

Poetry Friday -- Chillax, Dude

Here's an original by J. Patrick Lewis that reminds us not to take things too seriously!

Thank you, Pat, for letting us debut this poem on our blog!


The Rubbery Book
by J. Patrick Lewis

One day I found under the leaves
The Rubbery Book no one believes.
It told me where to find the horns
Of lost and lonely unicorns.

It told me too about a boy
Who somersaulted Illinois,
About a bright young windowpane
Allergic to the wind and rain.

The stories all were dark or light
But written down in black and white,
Though some were blue, popsicle pink
Or cinnamon to make you think.

The Rubbery Book could stretch the truth
But just enough to share with youth
And other kids whose lives too soon
Are measured out by tablespoon.

For folks who always make a fuss
By telling you, BE SERIOUS!
The Rubbery Book’s a vitamin pill
For anyone who’s SERIOUSLY ill.



The roundup this week is at Semicolon.

Welcome Alan Silberberg!

Dear Alan,

I know you already got a letter from Lisa Yee, so we won't be the FIRST to welcome you to the Thurber House and Columbus, and hopefully we won't be the last -- there are lots of friendly people here who would love to go to breakfast (or lunch or dinner) at The Northstar Cafe, eat ice cream at Jeni's, kick around North Market, or browse the shelves at Cover to Cover.

Let us know when you get here and get settled in! We can't wait to meet you!

Mary Lee and Franki

MONKEY BUSINESS by Wallace Edwards

I have a pretty large collection of books that have some type of word play in them. I have always had a few baskets of books in my classroom that housed books that just have fun with words. My friend Meredith brought me this new one for a recent trip. (She is always good about finding books I don't know!) I am so excited to add this one to my collection.

MONKEY BUSINESS by Wallace Edwards is a great book of idioms. I love to use picture books with kids that help readers understand the meaning of a literary term such as "idiom". Idiom is defined on the first page of the book as "a group of words whose meaning cannot be understood from the meaning of the individual words; an expression peculiar to a specific language, that cannot be translated literally." The book then continues on with various idioms in the context of a sentence. The gorgeous illustrations show the meaning of the idiom and both the sentence and the illustration helps the reader infer the meaning of the specific idiom. One of my favorites is "Phil had no formal musical training, so he learned to play by ear." The accompanying illustration shows an adorable dog playign the instrument with his ears.

This is a new-to-me book even though it was published in 2004. According to Amazon, it is due out in paperback this month! A perfect addition to my word-play basket.

This Could Be Our Cat

Except she's skinnier and louder and older (20 years and counting).

Thank you, Alyssa, for the link and for making us laugh until we cried. Maow.

Author Interview: Shelley Harwayne

A few weeks ago, I reviewed the upcoming professional book by Shelley Harwayne called LOOK WHO'S LEARNING TO READ. This is a great resource for preschool teachers, childcare providers, parents, and grandparents. This book is due out in July. As I was looking at it again today, I realized that it stretches far beyond preschool and Kindergarten. I found lots of fun things I can revise a bit for older kids--in homes, classrooms, libraries, etc. By far, its main audience is parents and early childhood teachers but so much that can be used beyond age 5 or 6.

For those of you who know Shelley, she has always stayed strong in her beliefs about children and literacy. In her introduction to the book, Shelley lets us in on the principles that she honors as she works with children. Some of my favorites include:

*Children need choice. They love to be part of making decisions.
*Children deserve the finest literature. We need to be fussy about the books we borrow or buy for them.
*Children need to laugh every day. And their silly sense of humor often differs from ours.
*Children need to know that we think they are clever when they ask questions, not simply when they answer questions.

I am thrilled that Shelley has taken on early childhood education. This book is a huge contribution to the field. We spent some time interviewing her about her book. As always, Shelley gives us lots to think about.

Franki: Tell us how you've become so interested in early childhood literacy.

Shelley: I didn't choose early childhood literacy as an area of interest. It chose me! What with 5 grandchildren in my care, how could I not be fascinated by their entrance into the world of literacy? They teach me new things about language acquisition and literacy learning everyday.
Franki: One of my favorite things was the list of principles you stick to when thinking about children. Can you tell us about the basic principles that you believe are important for children.


Shelley: As to the list of principles, I will address them one by one. Children need choice: It's interesting to me that when there is a moment of stress with the little ones, I can usually make that go away by giving them a choice.So if Zach wants Ben's toys, I simply ask, " What would you rather do, play with Ben's helicopter or do a puzzle with Grandma?" He usually chooses the latter and if he does choose Ben's toy, we usually engage in a lovely conversation about why the helicopter is so much fun." Partly the distraction calms him, but also it's making him feel that he is part of the decision-making in the family. "So the helicopter moves so fast, it's no wonder you want a turn. When Ben finishes playing with it, it will be your turn." Children deserve the finest of literature. Quite simply, they won't say "Read it again, if it's not a great story." Then too, it's a bit of "So little time, so many books!' I don't want to waste their time. I want books that they talk about when we are not reading them. Laughter is good for young children's emotional life and for mine! There is nothing like the p words to get pre-schoolers going: pee-pee, poopie, and the like. The sillier we get, the happier they seem. There is also a great deal of laughter attached to our language play. Just ask a 3 year old if he wants a bamburger for dinner. I am just amazed at how quickly youngsters acquire language.I can recall the first time my granddaughter realized that words that sound the same can mean different things like the ant that crawls on your picnic blanket and the aunt who is married to your uncle. I deliberately use synonyms as often as I can and as naturally as I can. “Choose one cupcake. C'mon select just one. It's up to you to pick your favorite." I must admit that I work really hard not to talk about myself in the third person. There is no reason to say, "Grandma will help you," when "I will help you," is a more natural language pattern. I also took great delight the first time I heard my grandkids use such words as , "actually" or say, “Seriously, Grandma." As to a wide range of ways to use language, I think we just need to expose them to rich language in all its possible contexts.The way you root for a team differs from the way you talk to the pediatrician. The way you talk to an elderly aunt may differ form the way you talk to a repairman. Commend children for working hard. Many studies have been done in this regard. Sometimes when children are told over and over again that they are smart, they begin to fear not looking smart and therefore take less risks, accept fewer challenges. Children who are commended for working hard are more likely to accept bigger challenges because they understand and do not fear the hard work that will be needed. Asking questions is a really important one. My grandson Ben recently asked me why some NYC street signs are green and others brown. We looked it up and discovered that historic districts have the brown signs. Imagine a 3 year old led me to learn something so new. In schools as well, kids need to know that it is not how many great questions you answer but how many you ask that sets you apart and demonstrates your intellectual curiosity. Rituals, of course. Children need to know what is expected. They thrive on boundaries. Creating rituals is one way to help them understand how the world works and what is around the bend. Empathy is what we look for in our friends and neighbors, not how they scored on a fourth grade exam. Children are always watching. Adults who show empathy are more likely to raise children who show empathy. And of course, carefully selected literature puts issues of empathy on the front burner.

Franki: What is the best thing parents and childcare providers can do to support literacy?

Shelley: Read aloud, read aloud, read aloud! Be fussy about what you read aloud and talk about the books together with your child.

Franki: What are some of your new favorite books for young children—new children's books that you love and that are perfect for young children?

Shelley: Every day it seems I have a new favorite. My 3 and 4 year olds laughed out loud with GORGONZOLA. My five year old adores Eileen Spinelli's SOMEDAY.

Franki: I imagine that each of your grandchildren respond differently to the different things you do. Can you share a few favorite stories of literate moments with your grandchildren?
Shelley: Lately,my grandkids love to play Stump Me. It's written up in the book. We tell stories rather generically to one another and the other person has to guess the story. This is a favorite bathtime activity. Will the 3 year old recently initiated, Stump Me with Songs. He hums a song and asks me to guess and then we reverse roles. Our almost 6 year old has begun playing, Fortunately, Unfortunately. She begins a story and then says Unfortunately...I have to continue the story and add Fortunately and on it goes. She has also taken to MadLibs for Juniors which simply delights me. I also love walking down the city street and Ben, (3 1/2) announces, “Please Curb Your Dog.” or Will, our 3 year old spots his name in books and newspapers, minus the capital "W'.

Franki: Can you tell us some of the favorite activities (from the book) in your family?

Shelley: I would say the top activities in the book, besides Stump Me, have been the storytelling jug filled with random party favors, pretending to use a rhyming word instead of someone's name, " I want to write something. please bring me a Ben. I mean pen," and songs with a twist. We are always inventing parodies, versions, etc.

Franki: What are your next projects--things that we can look forward to?

Shelley: Well, I have a series of emergent readers coming out with Scholastic. 32 will be released this month. They are very simple 8 page books about Ben and Ruby. I think the series is called I'm Reading Now! I have just written a few dozen more.

I am also considering writing about offering young writers easier structures or containers for their writing as opposed to these "show-off" genres that are so popular today and take so much time and appear too sophisticated for most kids. The ones I am thinking about only take a week and yet you can push for high quality because the structures don't get in the way. It's just like teaching a reading strategy and then the child tries to apply it to too hard reading material. Other things get in the way. I think the same things happen with issues of craft. I prefer teaching craft issues in rather easy structures so that the child really internalizes his understanding. These are my "intermission" ideas, things to do when you are not having formal studies. Of course, I would love for teachers to let children do more free exploration in the writing workshop, another one of my intermission ideas.

Plane Reading Continued

Thanks again to Bill and Karen at Literate Lives for these 3 recommendations too! My airplane reading was quite the success. They have been responsible for a great start for my summer reading! Another long trip coming up next week so I am looking forward to getting lots more reading in then too!

WAITING FOR NORMAL by Leslie Connor
A bittersweet story that reminded me of a children's version of THE GLASS CASTLE. An amazingly strong character who survives under hard circumstances. Although her mother has trouble taking care of her, she clearly loves her daughter but can't take on the responsibility of being a mother that she needs. This is a great story with a great character who you cheer for through the entire book. It reminds you that there are lots of people in a child's life who matter. I am not sure which age of reader would enjoy this--I am thinking 5th grade and above. Hard topics and big issues. I can think of a student or two in my 4th grade class last year who would like it but it does seem a bit more middle school.
Bill's review on Literate Lives is worth reading too.

SUMMERHOUSE TIME by Eileen Spinelli
Another great novel in verse by this author. This one is all about a family vacation at a beach house. The story is so real and such a vivid portrait of family and tradition. The family's month on the beach is a fun one, but as in any family, lots is going on. Spinelli is amazing at capturing the feelings and experiences of middle grade kids. Her books have the perfect amount of depth. And she seems to have really found a way to write novels-in-verse that really appeal to kids in middle grades. Often novels in verse are a bit intimidating for children but Spinelli's are appealing and inviting.
Bill's review that introduced me to the book is here.

4 KIDS IN 5E and 1 CRAZY YEAR by Virginia Frances Schwartz
A gift from this author! I have never read a book that captures the life of a classroom so well. It is an amazing story of a great group of kids. More than that, it is the story of school at its best. A teacher who really believes in students--the kind of teacher we all hope to be. Kids who are all dealing with their own issues on their own and with classmates. So much rings true of the classroom and the author captures it all perfectly. This is another of those books that is told from several different voices in the classroom. These types of books seem to be getting more popular with authors and with kids. Not sure how we missed this book but thanks to Literate Lives for sharing it with us once they found it! A great school story and Ms. Hill is definitely a teacher that needs to be added to our list of 100+ Cool Teachers in Children's Lit!
Literate Lives review is here.