Supporting Our Struggling Readers

In Curt Dudley-Marling's post on the NCTE Elementary blog, he mentions a book that sounds like something I want to read. It is not a new book, but one that seems to be important to read now--seems to have good insights on our most struggling learners.
Curt's posts on the NCTE blog are always so thought-provoking. Glad I popped over there today. A great post to read as we get ready to start a new school year.

Poetry Friday -- Revulsion

Bindweed
by James McKean

There is little I can do
besides stoop to pluck them
one by one from the ground,
their roots all weak links,
this hoard of Lazaruses popping up
at night, not the Heavenly Blue
so like silk handkerchiefs,
nor the Giant White so timid
in the face of the moon,
but poor relations who visit
then stay.
(read the rest here)

I know that at least two of my readers went "GACK!" when they saw my poem for today. The very sight of bindweed makes them clench their teeth and snarl.

It would take a poem about graffiti, or logging roads in the wilderness, or abortion clinic protesters to get that same reaction out of me.

And it makes me wonder if one of the jobs of a poet is to take us gently by the chin and turn our head and make us look -- really look -- at the things that most repulse us. It is their job to show us it's not really that bad after all...or else that it's worse than we ever could have imagined.

The round up this week is at Becky's Book Reviews.

Denise Fleming to Visit Fundamentals

Karen and I had a book chat/book signing Tuesday night at Fundamentals, a Parent-Teacher Store in Delaware, Ohio. We were part of her weeklong 20th Anniversary Celebration! We had a great time chatting with teachers--it seems that we have all hit that panic state of August. It was great to talk amid lots of great books. Tami, the owner of the store is a friend I met at Bootcamp several months ago. She runs an amazing place--so many great books and teaching materials in such a cute environment. Loved it!

And, she let us know that Denise Fleming will be visiting the store on Saturday, August 9 from 4:00-5:30 PM. She will sign books and discuss her unique "paint with paper" technique. If you have never seen Denise Fleming and live close enough to Fundamentals, it would be well worth it!

Reading Village Brings Books to Guatemala

I was reading some of my adoption blogs (Our youngest daughter is adopted from Guatemala) and happened upon Reading Village. You know how it feels when you find something that seems a perfect fit? That is how I felt when I read about Linda's mission at The Reading Village. Linda is committed to bringing books to Guatemala. And she doesn't believe in just dropping them off. She is hosting reading festivals, building libraries, working with teachers and more. So connected to what I know and love.

I have become pretty interested lately in the reading lives of children around the world. I know the impact that books can make and also know that the absence of books can have an impact too.

Linda's project really speaks to me as a person who believes in books and reading. It also speaks to me as an adoptive mom. I think Linda is doing amazing things with her project--a fairly new project, I might add. And I just wanted to let you know about it. The website and blog are both worth visiting--so many happy faces discovering books!

Getting Ready for School

Thinking about what to use for your first read-alouds? Here are some of my favorite picture book read-alouds for the beginning of the year.

Not sure where to even start with your back-to-school thinking? Katie, at Creative Literacy, has a dynamite shortlist.

Need a new analogy for your resistance of high-stakes testing? Look no further than Abby's thinking at Authentic Learner.

Two New Titles From Graphic Universe

Graphic Universe, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, is publishing graphic myths and legends faster than I can keep up. They currently have 27 titles, including Atalanta, Hercules, and Theseus, but also including Yu the Great, Amaterasu, and Sunjata, plus King Arthur, Robinhood, and William Tell. Here is a complete list of all the titles in the series so far.

I started to say that they are "churning out" graphic myths and legends faster than I can keep up, but then you might think these books don't deserve your attention. Far from it. As the website proudly points out, these books have useful text structures: map, table of contents, glossary, index, websites and books for further reading, and information about the research that was done to ensure the authenticity of each story.

One of the two newest is PIGLING: A CINDERELLA STORY. Add this Korean version of Cinderella to your collection and your fairytale unit!









MARWE: INTO THE LAND OF THE DEAD is an East African Legend about a girl who, with her brother, fails to keep watch over the family's bean fields, allowing the monkeys to eat the beans. She does not want to return to face her father's wrath, so when the strange circle appears before her, she goes through, only to find herself in the Land of the Dead. She is careful to eat nothing while she is there, so that when she has learned to be a caring and thoughtful person, she can return home. A classic coming-of-age story.

Debbie Miller's New Book Available ONLINE

Debbie Miller's upcoming book TEACHING WITH INTENTION is due out later this month. While you are anxiously awaiting the release of the book, Stenhouse has posted the entire book online for readers. If you'd like to take a peek or read the whole book online, you can do that here.
It is a perfect book for this time of year--really thinking through our beliefs and practices with teachers.

And, you might find that it will inspire you to participate in our "Trading (OUR FAVORITE) Spaces" event:-).

TRADING (Our Favorite) SPACES

I loved when Stella at My World-Mi Mundo shared her new new work space in her apartment. She said, "I need is a place where I can feel inspired and an organized mess where I can function." And she shared photos of the new space she created.

Bill at Literate Lives shares picks for the space in his library that he has named "The Pit". It is fun to see photos and hear the books that he chooses to share there.

It is that time of year when we are all getting ready for the school year, creating spaces at school and at home that allow for great thinking. We thought it would be fun if we collected and shared our favorite spaces this month. You might have a favorite space that you create in your classroom. Or you may have a spot you'd like to share from your office. If you work in a library, there may be a favorite space there.

We are inviting all bloggers to think about that favorite space and to capture it on a photo. We will post some of our favorite spaces at home and at school over the next few weeks as we get ready for a new school year. Post yours with a caption or description and then let us know that you've posted it. Then we'll do a big round up of all of the posts on September 1.

It will be fun to see the spaces we all create and I am sure we'll all get so many great new ideas from each other.

Alan Silberberg Makes Kids Giggle

Alan Silberberg, author of Pond Scum, and the Thurber House Children's Writer In Residence, spoke at Cover to Cover Children's Bookstore yesterday.

Here he is, telling about how the voices inside his head, aka his imagination, were responsible for his first creative responses to school writing assignments. The praise he got in elementary and middle school for his creative writing helped him to become the writer he is today. A career in TV and movie cartoon writing helped him to become a very visual writer, as evidenced in Pond Scum.

And his cartooning (you can get a taste of it at his blog and on his website) will get to shine in his next book, Milo, an illustrated novel (small nod of thanks from Alan to Jeff Kinney for opening that door) about "a 13 year-old kid who has to start over." Alan read a couple of the first chapters to us, and showed the accompanying cartoons. This was when he made the kids (especially the 3rd grade boy) giggle. (The adults laughed too.) Alan has found/created a great character in Milo, a character that kids are going to love and relate to. (I say, MOVE OVER, Jeff Kinney!)

Into the Volcano by Don Wood

Into the Volcano

by Don Wood (Yes, that Don Wood, of Don and Audrey Wood fame.)

Blue Sky Press (a Scholastic Imprint)

October, 2008

appropriate for grade 3 and up

review copy compliments of Sally at Cover to Cover

This week I've reviewed some books that made me say, "WOW!" mostly (only?) because I know they will reach some of the readers in my classroom. And I've reviewed some very simple graphic novels that will give beginning readers an appropriate early experience with the graphic novel format.

Now it's time for a book (a graphic novel) that makes me say an unconditional, "WOW!"

A WOW in every way, shape and form.

A chin-drop, I'm-gaga sort of WOW.

Don Wood's Into the Volcano is visually stunning and has a story that is packed with action, adventure, mystery, and surprises.

Quick plot summary to set the stage: Two brothers are suddenly taken out of school by their father and told they must travel to a volcanic island to help an aunt they've never met. Once they get there, they are taken on an expedition that involves a boat ride into an erupting volcano and a journey through underground lava-tube tunnels. All the while, the volcano is shaking the entire island and rivers of lava are blocking the exits.

Background on how this book came to be (excerpted from the editorial director's "Dear Reader" letter in the front of the ARC, and Don Wood's bio in the back):

"Don and Audrey Wood left California seven years ago and moved to the jungle side of a Hawaiian Island...Don and Audrey introduced us [editor and her son] to the wonders of their jungle life: late-night hikes to see Madame Pele splash her molten lava into the sea; an awesome hike through a lava tube that was formed in the 1400s and was 60 feet below the surface of the land..."

"Don Wood...lives surrounded by tropical jungle, not far from one of the longest lava tubes in the world. As the nearby active volcano pours rivers of lava into the ocean, Don and his wife, bestselling writer Audrey Wood, frequently hike at night across newly formed terrain to watch molten lava enter the sea. Don and Audrey hand-cleared a space int eh jungle themselves to build and off-grid house overlooking the ocean. A surfer and sailor, Wood also dives and kayaks around the island, and enjoys hiking through ancient lava tubes."

I had to tell you all of that so you would know why the art in this book is so stunning -- Wood didn't imagine it, he's lived it. And best of all, he takes us places and shows us sights we would never in all of our lives be able to see in person: waves (small gentle, huge crashing, gigantic washing-over-the-boat, and perfect-for-surfing waves), beaches of green sand, lava flowing, lava hitting water, a pod of whales blowing under a moonbow, untamed jungle. And we get to experience it through the characters the way he has: boating, climbing, spelunking, and surfing.

As important as the setting is in this book, Wood does not neglect character. The main characters are complex, and they change in satisfying ways. The supporting cast is a bunch of characters. Literally.

This story is perfectly suited to the format of graphic novel. There is no way it would have worked as a text-only novel and the story is too mature for a picture book. This book is not to be missed.

Early glowing review at Educating Alice is what caught my attention.