New Books to Support Emergent Readers in Book Club Orders

You know what a HUGE fan I am of Shelley Harwayne and her work. So many of us in literacy have learned so much from her about classroom instruction and creating great schools that focus on literacy. Now that Shelly is a grandma, she is spending lots of time with her grandchildren and has been writing on early literacy. (We reviewed her book, LOOK WHO'S LEARNING TO READ and interviewed Shelley about it here a few months ago.

Shelley's newest publication is a series of Scholastic books that are written for beginning readers called "I'm Reading Now". They are small books and reasonably priced. And they are perfect for K-1 classrooms. These books center around 2 characters--Ruby and Ben. It is clear from the text that Shelley understands the kinds of support beginning readers need. The texts are all very predictable--on most pages, there is one line of text. The pictures support the reader in lots of ways. And the stories all have a clever ending which shows Shelley clearly understands the things that 5-7 year olds find amusing:-) I love that these books focus around 2 characters. I think it is so important for new readers to fall in love with characters and to want to read more about them. In this series, kids will come to know and love Ben and Ruby and be able to use that to help them make predictions in their reading.

From what I understand, there are more books in this series but the first set was in the September Scholastic Book Order.

The illustrator, Jannie Ho, posted about them on her blog a while back. The illustrations are perfect for the books!

When Bloggers Get Together

Jone and Jama, I forgot to take pictures of my Cloud Nine pancakes for you, but be assured, I did have them for breakfast. With a side of bacon!

Then we were off to Cover to Cover. We read, recommended, shared, chatted, and took over the Saturday Story Time area. Sorry kids! Hope you didn't mind having story time up front with Clifford the Big Red Dog!





I don't have any official figures, but I'm pretty sure none of us left with less than $50 worth of books!  My picks were Judy Moody Goes to College, the newest Magic Tree House (Eve of the Emperor Penguins), There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Fly Guy (for my collection of variants), Cynthia Rylant's retelling of Cinderella (all of Franki's raving finally convinced me), The Scrambled States of America (the new one is SO fun that I had to have the first one, too), and since Eid is coming up next week, Night of the Moon.

Partly because I wasn't feeling well (thank you, class, for this KICKIN' cold) and partly because I was whining about not having any time to do my own reading (due to the recent avalanche of Notables nominees that are sitting around my house in boxes and teetering stacks), I went right home and read both Judy Moody and Eve of the Emperor Penguins.  Now I can really talk these two books up with my kids next week when I add them to my classroom library.  It's not like I'm caught up or anything, but that tiny piece of peace of mind is going to fuel the rest of the weekend as I attempt to work without the ability to breathe.  (I did just learn that I can drink whisky with an impaired/nonexistent sense of smell/taste, and the warmth in my chest feels dang good.  I may not get much of anything done after all...)

We *HEART* These Blogs

We are honored to be *hearted* by Charlotte's Library.  We're going to pass the luvv on to our local pals.

Here are the rules:
1) Add the logo of the award to your blog.
2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you.
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4) Add links to those blogs on your blog.
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs! 

Creative Literacy
Literate Lives
Talkworthy
Authentic Learner
Read, Read, Read
My World - Mi Mundo
Best Book I Have Not Read
Caterwaulling

Kidlit Conference Weekend

PORTLAND KIDLIT CONFERENCE BLOGS TO WATCH

Jone MacCulloch -- Check it Out

Laini Taylor -- Grow Wings

Anastasia Suen -- Picture Book of the Day

Jen Robinson -- Jen Robinson's Book Page

Mark -- Just One More Book

Jim Di Bartolo -- Jimbo Jabber

Jackie Parker -- Interactive Reader

Anne Levy -- Book Buds

Colleen Mondor -- Chasing Ray

Maureen -- Confessions of a Bibliovore

Lynn Hazen -- Imaginary Blog

Alma Alexander

Betsy Bird -- Fuse #8

Kate Schafer -- Ask Daphne!

Elaine Magliaro -- Wild Rose Reader

Sarah Stevenson (aka A. Fortis) -- Finding Wonderland

Kelly Wilson -- Wilson Writes

Farida Dowler (aka Alkelda the Gleeful) -- Saints and Spinners

Pam Coughlin -- MotherReader

Camille -- BookMoot

Gregory K. -- GottaBook

Elise Murphy -- elise murphy books

Nancy Arruda -- Bees Knees Reads

Diane -- Biblio Addict

Nancy -- Booktalks Quick and Simple Blog

April Henry -- So Many Books, So Little Time

Cassie Richoux -- Bookwyrm Chrysalis

Kirby Larson

Kim Baker -- Wagging Tales

Katie -- Pixie Palace

Maureen McQuerry

Christine Fletcher

edited to add:  Non-clickable complete list of conference participants is here

CENTRAL OHIO MINI-CONFERENCE BLOGS TO WATCH

(our "logo" is supposed to say "Ohio: The Blogger State")

Karen and Bill -- Literate Lives

Stella -- My World-Mi Mundo

Kristine -- Best Book I Have Not Read

Megan -- Read, Read, Read

Franki and Mary Lee -- right here at A Year of Reading

(Did I miss anyone?  If so, don't be offended, just let me know and I'll make it right!)  

Poetry Friday -- William Stafford

I've been thinking about William Stafford all week, ever since the Stafford Fest at 7-Imp last Friday.  I'm definitely overwhelmed this week, and I'm feeling neither heroic nor wise.  Sigh. Here's hoping for the wisdom to get things right in my life.  Soon.

The Little Ways That Encourage Good Fortune

Wisdom is having things right in your life

and knowing why.

If you do not have things right in your life

you will be overwhelmed:

you may be heroic, but you will not be wise.

If you have things right in your life

but do not know why,

you are just lucky, and you will not move

in the little ways that encourage good fortune.

(read the rest here)

The round up today is at The Miss Rumphius Effect.

May you move in the little ways that encourage good fortune this coming week!

THE KINGDOM KEEPERS by Ridley Pearson

Anyone who knows me knows how much I LOVE Disney World. I love the whole idea of it and we have a great time every time we visit. I am not a huge fan of vacations with nothing to do so Disney is a good kind of relaxing for me. Bill at Literate Lives recommended this book and also reviewed it on his blog. It was one of those books I wasn't sure of (science fiction/fantasy is not my genre of choice) but I was hooked IMMEDIATELY!

In THE KINGDOM KEEPERS seems that the "bad guys" (the Overtakers) in Disney are trying to take over the park. It is up to Finn and his friends to save the park. They have just been hired as "hologram tour guides" and this technology adds to the fun. The whole idea is fun and very believable.

This is a great adventure. It is science fiction but not so much that it is hard to follow. The book is full of action but not so much that it takes over more of the book than the plot. And I loved that it took place in Disney World. It was fun to be able to visualize all of our favorite Disney spots throughout the book (the author did a great job of including so many of them!)

I am not usually a plot-based reader. I read for characters I love. I can't say that I loved or really even got to know the characters in this book well. But the plot was enough for me to get hooked and stay hooked. I can see that this book would appeal to lots of readers.

There is a sequel out to the book that was published this year. I have not read it but am anxious to see if it is as good as this one. I can see this working for 5th grade and older.

A New Wordless Picture Book--SOUTH by Patrick McDonnell

After learning so much from Katie D at Creative Literacy about the importance of picture reading with young children, I have been trying to add quality wordless books to my collection. This week, I was thrilled to find SOUTH by Patrick McDonnell. What a great book! I love the size. It is a small book and the characters are also pretty tiny on the page. This adds to the meaning of the book.
This is the simple story of a cat who helps a lost bird on his journey. I loved the story. It was so sweet and, as wordless books always do, it amazed me with the amount of meaning that was packed in.
My favorite page was the last one--loved the ending.

It is hard to review a wordless picture book --sharing it in words seems to ruin the visual experience of the book. But if you are looking for good, wordless picture books, this is definitely one you'll want to buy.

LAZY LITTLE LOAFERS by Susan Orlean

I laughed out loud in the bookstore when I read this book. Who thinks of these things? LAZY LITTLE LOAFERS by Susan Orlean is narrated by a young child--one who is wondering how babies get away with not working? She has a point. And she defends it throughout the book. She isn't too thrilled that while she is at school taking tests and doing book reports, these babies are hanging out looking at their toes and pushing elevator buttons. The whole concept cracks me up.

I thought, when I started it, that the concept would get old. That the author couldn't really carry it out for a whole entire book. But I was wrong. It amused me until the very last page. I think it is the voice of the narrator that makes it work. She is talking to us with a little bit of sarcasm that works. It is pretty sophisticated humor so I am not yet sure which age of kids would most enjoy it.

There is a lot of acceptable jealousy in the book--the baby gets to stay home with mom and do nothing, while the narrator has to go to work. The pictures tell so much of the story. Speaking of the pictures, they are quite fun. I had to do a 2nd read to see the humor added by the illustrations.

As a teacher, I am wondering if this could work as a model for persuasive writing. I could see it as a pretty fun mentor text for older kids to use when thinking about essay and persuasive writing. Because really, this is an essay answering the question of why babies don't work (How do the lazy little loafers get away with it?) The word choice, voice and actual examples really do make it quite a good model for older kids. And I think they would LOVE the humor.

No matter how you use this book or who you share it with, it is definitely worth a read. Pretty darn funny, if you ask me.

Books I Could Read A Million Times-PART 1

So, I have learned something important in my first few weeks as a librarian. Since I see every class, on a 4 day rotation, I often read a book several times over the course of 4 days. I choose one book to read to every class in the school. ( I got this idea from Bill at Literate Lives. My hope is that by reading the same book to all of the kids in the school, we have anchors to talk about--books that can be talked about at dinner tables at home, books that can be talked about with friends in other classes, etc.)

SO, sometimes I read the same book 20+ times over 4 days. Other books I read 4-8 times--to one or two grade levels.
What I have found is that one of two things happens quickly: Either I CAN'T STAND IT after the 2nd or 3rd read OR I love it every single time and never get sick of it. I look forward to reading it again. So, I am paying attention to those books that, honestly, I could read a million times and never get tired of. I figure if that happens, it is one of the best books out there. Here are a few that I have discovered so far.


Piggie and Elephant by Mo Willems
I never tire of these amusing characters. The stories are fun and enjoyed by all age levels. And, I find myself getting better at them each time I read them. I sound more like the characters as I read them over and over. I have not yet read one of these to the whole school but I plan to read the new one that comes out this fall to everyone. I don't think I will ever get sick of these two great characters! All of the books in this series meet my criteria for "Books I Could Read A Million Times". An added bonus--I have discovered that if I find myself becoming a bit grumpy or cranky, reading one of these to 1st or 2nd graders puts me back in a good mood! The fun of it just makes you happy!

Where is the Green Sheep by Mem Fox
The rhythm and rhyme in this book is quite fun. And the fact that kids join in on each page to chant, "Where is the green sheep?" is also quite fun. This is a quick read aloud and one that kids ask to hear over and over.

Beware of the Frog by William Bee
This is a new one that I hope becomes a classic. This is the story of a sweet old lady named Mrs. Collywobbles. Really, I could say her name a million times. It is fun every, single time. (Kids like to say it too!) The humor and surprise in this story is quite fun. I love seeing the kids' faces when the surprises begin and continue throughout the book. It is funny because this story starts out in a pretty traditional way. Since I read it over 20 times this week, I know precisely when students become hooked and I know that once we get to that point, they are hooked for the book. It looks and sounds like your traditional fairy tale--but not quite. I was actually a little sad when I read it to the last class last week.

(I will share other books that I find that fit my criteria as I come across them. Not many books are that fun to read 20+ times so those that can, definitely deserve to be shared!)

My Week

Last weekend began with the 5th annual Ohio Casting for Recovery retreat, and ended with a blow-by from Hurricane Ike. Both events taught me big lessons.

In 2005 I attended the CFR retreat as a participant. For the past three years I've served on the retreat team as a planner/fundraiser throughout the year and as a fishing instructor at the retreat. I wrote about the 2006 retreat here.

The William Stafford poem that Jules shared for Poetry Friday this week (and all the other Staffords in the comments) helped to crystalize what the CFR weekend taught me this year. This year I heard myself saying to a participant things I need to remember and practice in my own life:

All we really have is this moment right now. We can't change what's behind us and we can't know what's ahead of us, so we need to focus on this moment and do our best with it, enjoy it to its fullest. (Live in the moment, Mary Lee. Pay close attention to Right Now.)

There are plenty of people in the world who will judge you based on your looks. The ones who matter are the ones who get to know you -- the ones who can see that you are so much more than your shell, who can see the beauty within you. (Don't judge, Mary Lee. Learn to look within for beauty. Be one of the ones who matter.)

When I got home from the retreat, new challenges and learnings awaited me. Ike's winds were revving up to 60-80 mph, construction barrels were rolling across the road creating a live-action obstacle course, branches were down (and still falling) everywhere I looked, roads were closed by fallen trees, and there were no working traffic lights.

I pulled into the driveway at 4:00 pm, just as we lost electricity. We didn't get our power back until 1:30 am on Thursday. Across the street from us, and in many other parts of the city, they still don't have power. Within walking distance of my house, there is still a street closed because of a fallen tree. There were schools in the city and around the area that were closed for four days this week. In our district, we were out two days (one building for three).

Here's what I learned from Ike:

I missed being connected to the Internet and email, but I can definitely survive without it. Hot showers are much more important in the big picture.

Electricity isolates us as much as it connects us. Without electricity, we spent much more with our neighbor, sharing lunch from a COSI we found nearby that was miraculously open, sharing pans and thermoses of hot water (we have a gas stove), and commiserating during the clean-up. I haven't talked to her since the power came back on.

If this much chaos was caused by half-power hurricane winds in a dry storm, I can now clearly imagine what a real hurricane is like. We had no rain (so no flooding and less damage because the trees were dry), and the weather cooled down to the 70's after the storm passed, leaving us with pleasant, rather than steamy, air. My heart goes out to anyone who has ever lived directly in a hurricane's path.

For one day, I lived in two worlds -- the one of chaos, deprivation and uncertainty at home, and the "normal" one at school. I now have a better appreciation for my students who navigate two worlds every day.

When you're focusing on where the next meal is coming from, it's hard to care about politics, the stock market, and the situation in Afghanistan.

It doesn't matter how many services and offers of help are available to those in need, when you are cut off from the "real world," you have no idea those services and offers even exist. We had a battery radio, but we could not find a single station that gave us any information (beyond school closings) that was of any assistance. We found it quite amusing when we got power to watch the news and see how much information about the storm and the recovery was available...if you had electricity to watch the news! CRAZY! WRONG!

And once again, I learned that all we really have is this moment right now. We can't change what's behind us and we can't know what's ahead of us, so we need to focus on this moment and do our best with it, enjoy it to its fullest.