Children's Literature at the Autostadt in Wolfsburg, Germany

We didn't go out of our way to visit the Autostadt. Wolfsburg and the Autostadt are very near Ribbesbüttel, the village where our hosts live. (Ribbesbüttel is about an hour away from Hannover, Germany).

The Autostadt is a mash up of theme park and science museum, all on the subject of The Glorification of Volkswagen and All of the Car Brands Owned By VW. You might not believe me if I told you how much fun it is. Go to YouTube and watch some of the videos. You'll find out what those towers are in the photo to the left, and how the Ritz Carlton figures in.

Here's the children's literature connection. We walked into the Skoda pavilion. It was quite whimsical.



The biggest surprise came when I picked up a brochure on the way out.  It was this cute little accordion-fold booklet, and LO AND BEHOLD, it was illustrated by Peter Sis.  Skoda is a Czech company; Sis is a Czech.

Here is a close up of the cover and another to give you the scale.

Keep your eyes open.  There are children's literature connections in the most surprising places!

Mines of the Minotaur

Mines of the Minotaur
by Julia Golding
Marshall Cavendish, May 2008
Review copy compliments of the publisher

Last summer I reviewed the first two books in this quartet, Secret of the Sirens and The Gorgon's Gaze.

Luckily, this week I had some airport and airplane time with all the requisite delays and reading opportunities. I gave myself permission to bring the books I WANTED to read rather than the ones I NEEDED to read. Work will wait.

Mines of the Minotaur opens with Connie Lionheart, the only universal companion in the Society for the Protection of Mythical Creatures, calling up a dangerous and violent storm. She's not doing this on her own. She suspects that her dark companion, Kullervo, is responsible.

Running from this dark side of herself takes Connie into the mines near her town and into the world of a damaged Minotaur and other damaged mythical creatures who are in hiding.

Connie must explore and learn to accept all the parts of herself, even the dark and angry and dangerous ones, in order to become whole, heal the damaged creatures, and lead the society.

The society, in turn, must learn to trust and accept Connie and work together with her rather than fear and shun her.

In a subplot that mirrors the hard decisions that Connie and the society are making, the non-society humans in Connie's neighborhood debate, accept, and erect a wind farm to capture the ocean breezes as an alternative energy source.

At the Companions Club website I took the Companion Assessment Test and learned that I am a member of the Company of Winged Creatures. "Congratulations, you are a member of the Company of Winged Creatures. All of us in this company love to take flight. As a High Flyer you will be mixing with creatures as dangerous as the sirens, or as miraculous as the phoenix. Only the most intrepid are selected to join us, so get ready for take off!" After answering a few more questions, I learned that "You have been chosen as a companion to the great eagles. A remnant of the forebears of our everyday eagles, these huge birds nest as far from humankind as possible. Masters of flight, they are so big that a person can ride on their backs or be carried in their claws. But beware: they can be cruel and deadly. Be cunning in all your dealings with your companion."

And at Julia Golding's website, I see that the final (her fans hope not) book in the quartet is out in the UK.

Adult Summer Reading Lists

I read with interest all of the comments on Franki's post about summer reading lists yesterday. Then I looked back at our series last week on the summer reading of our favorite literacy leaders. Here's what I found out about how adult readers make their summer reading "lists." We choose the books we read because

• they are our book club book
• they are another by our favorite author
• we saw them on display in the book store
• they are part of our favorite genre or our "own little reading club" (Katie Wood Ray's term)
• a friend recommended them
• to stay current
• for a project
• we bought them at a conference
• we have lots of airport/airplane time

Just to restate the obvious:

1. Adult readers definitely create summer reading lists. But we create them for ourselves and for our own purposes.

2. Even our youngest students learn to choose books that are just right for them. My fourth graders chose books this past school year for every reason on the above list except the conference one. (I had a student who thought very carefully about what book he would take when his family went to India.)

3. Summer reading lists are not the problem. A list as a mandate rather than a suggestion is the problem.

If You Like Captain Underpants, You Might Like...

I wrote an article/booklist for Choice Literacy that I thought I'd share here. Books for kids who like Captain Underpants--books they might enjoy. It is here if you are interested.

Now, if we are thinking of summer reading lists like this--connecting kids to books based on books they love, kids would have lots of ownership over what they read.

Summer Reading Lists

I have been reading with interest the many posts on Summer Reading lists (for example, here and here and here) and am worried about where we, as a group, are going with this thinking. My biggest problem with summer reading lists is the fact that we, as adults, think that we are better equipped to choose books for kids than they are equipped to choose books for themselves. No one likes a summer reading list that is mandated and by creating one, no matter how good it may be, you are taking choice away from a reader.

I think summer reading is a lifelong habit we want to instill in kids. Summer reading is often the best reading. But kids are not going to become readers if they see reading as an assignment and don't have the opportunity to read the books they choose.

My daughter who will be a senior in high school, was thrilled to have the summer to read the TWILIGHT series. She is holding off on her summer reading list until August and fitting in as much of her summer as possible with the books that she's had on her "to read" list for a while. She is reading like crazy and loving it. Isn't that what we want?

Recommending books that are good for kids and giving our opinions is far different from creating lists of books by grade level or grade range. Creating lists for parents and teachers is far different from creating reviews for kids so that they can DECIDE what they want to read. Creating our own summer reading lists because we don't like the ones out there, only says that we like the idea of summer reading lists if they are lists that WE create. Where is the child as reader in these conversations?

The Underneath by Kathi Appelt

It is not every year that readers get a book as wonderful as THE UNDERNEATH by Kathi Appelt. I knew after the first few pages that this was a book that I was lucky to be reading. I have had the same feeling when I read WALK TWO MOONS by Sharon Creech and THE GIVER by Lois Lowry. And I think I felt this way, years and years ago when I read THE SECRET GARDEN. Other people seem to be having the same reaction to this book—feeling the same way when they read a book that has been a lifetime favorite.

I even remember the talk around these books being similar to the talk I am hearing now about THE UNDERNEATH. Lots of my children’s lit friends are telling me that I need to read this book but they don't really say much about it. "It is just worth reading." You can’t really explain the book without actually reading it.

There is lots to this book to love and I am sure that it must be the talk of the current Newbery Committee. Kathi Appelt has woven together a brilliant story and she has crafted in a way that it is more than a story. The writing is powerful. She is able to weave several stories together in a way that tells an even bigger story.

This book is so much more than what the blurb on the front tells us. It is so much more than a dog book. So much more than a book about love and hate. It is so much more than a book about wisdom and innocence.

I am pretty sure that these characters will stay with me forever and that I will read this book again sometime soon. I think there are layers of meaning that I missed the first time through—I kind of thought about them quickly but was too invested in the plot to focus too much on the depth that Appelt has created with this story.

I am anxious to see how kids will respond to this book. I am thinking 5th grade is perfect. Maybe 4th or 6th. I have a few past students in mind who may read this and fall in love with it like I did. If I were teaching 4th or 5th grade next year, I would probably read this one aloud for sure. But I would save it for later in the year, once kids understand the possibilities in books, once they have learned to talk together about books. It would definitely be on my read aloud list but I would have to make sure to read it when they were ready for the depth and the emotion.

I’ve heard this book described as “dark”. I didn’t think so. I found some unpleasant things—some hate and some hateful characters, but the story is a hopeful one and one that I think will be around for a very long time.

This book is a MUST READ! Really, as you read it, you feel so lucky to have found such an amazing story!

The Underneath by Kathi Appelt

I’m not afraid of animal stories that might make me cry. I’ve read and reread (with tears streaming down my face) Where the Red Fern Grows, Old Yeller, Little Britches, and Each Little Bird That Sings.

The Underneath came along at a time when my heart was a little wobbly with pet emotions – our ancient (20 year-old) cat passed away while we were in Europe, and we were in the midst of adopting a rescue cat who had been chewed on by a dog and shot with BBs.

And yet, The Underneath did not make me cry. I was drawn in immediately by the animal characters and completely repulsed by the human characters. I was captivated by the language. (This book is a poem. A long prose poem. I think it would make an amazing read aloud.) I followed the weaving of all of the stories mesmerized, as if in a dream. As the tension in the story built, I read urgently. I raced to the end, and yet when I finished I wanted nothing more than to read it again. Immediately.

There is no easy way to tell what this book is about. Good and evil, hate and love, the piney woods of East Texas, ancient trees and ancient spirits, hummingbirds, life and death. You just have to read it. You must read it. What are you waiting for? Read it!

Reviews with plot summaries and glowing praise abound. This is a book that’s Going Places. Be sure not to miss Kimberly Willis Holt’s conversations with Kathi Appelt here (part one) and here (part two).

Poetry Friday -- Catalogue

Catalogue
by Rosalie Moore

Cats sleep fat and walk thin.
Cats, when they sleep, slump;
When they wake, pull in -
And where the plump's been
There's skin.
Cats walk thin.
Cats wait in a lump,
Jump in a streak.
Cats, when they jump, are sleek
As a grape slipping its skin-
They have technique.
Oh, cats don't creak.
They sneak.

Cats sleep fat.
They spread comfort beneath them
Like a good mat,
As if they picked the place
And then sat.
You walk around one
As if he were City Hall
After that.

(the rest of the poem is here)

I'm going to have to beg to differ a bit with Rosalie Moore. Some cats will never walk thin and will never be sleek when jumping. Case in point, Willie Morris. (After the southern writer, author of My Dog Skip and My Cat Spit McGee.)

Willie Morris is built like a tank, with a broad head, a wide chest, and look at those feet! He fills up the space under my desk (albeit more comfortably than the dog did). He stays true to the poem in that he does spread comfort beneath himself (unless he's trying to curl up on your chest in bed), and you do walk around him as if he were City Hall (although not in the sense the poet had in mind, I'm sure)!

Willie Morris is a +/-2 year-old rescue cat. His right rear leg is still healing from a dog attack, and the base of his tail and his tush are still clipped short from the removal of BBs. In spite of these indignities and injuries, he is loving and attentive and wants to be wherever you are.

The Poetry Friday Round up is at Under the Covers.

What are "The Sisters" and Cris Tovani Reading?

"The Sisters", Joan Moser and Gail Boushey, authors of The Daily Five just started a new website that you might want to check out. Gail and Joan visited Dublin this week and let us know what they are reading.

Gail has 3 daughters and this summer, Gail, her three daughters and Joan are having a family booktalk on the TWILIGHT series by Stephenie Meyer. They are all loving it!

Joan is also reading Anne McGill-Franzen's book KINDERGARTEN LITERACY. She is also reading The Western Guide to Feng Shui: Creating Balance, Harmony, and Prosperity in Your Environment. Her book "for fun" is ONE THOUSAND WHITE WOMEN: THE JOURNAL OF MAY DODD.

Gail is reading WHAT REALLY MATTERS IN FLUENCY by Richard Allington. She is also reading COMPREHENSION INSTRUCTION: BEST PRACTICES IN LITERACY INSTRUCTION.



Cris Tovani, author of I READ IT BUT I DON'T GET IT and DO I REALLY HAVE TO TEACH READING?

I am reading this really cool book about the brain. It's called BRAIN RULES by John Medina. He's a develpmental molecular biologist but don't let that scare you. The book is very readable. Medina's target audience is the business world and educators. On the plane a couple of weeks ago, I read about the book in USA Today and was intrigued by the author's 12 Principles for surviving and thriving at work, home, and school. Rule four happens to be: We don't pay attention to boring things. That alone hits home for my own learning as well as my teaching.

Lyra's Oxford

We had a fabulous day in Oxford. That night we both read Lyra's Oxford by Philip Pullman. Here is a passage that mentions this building:

"At half-past eight, she [Lyra] and Pan moved out of the shadow of the Radcliffe Camera's great dome and slipped into the narrow alley, overhung with Chestnut trees, that separated Jordan College from Brasenose."

Jordan College is Exeter in real life, but Brasenose exists, as does the narrow alley between them, along with Turl Street, which is the street where Lyra and Pan emerge from the alley in their secret mission to help the witch's daemon. A mission that turns out to be a ruse, but you'll have to read the book to find out the details!