2016 NCTE Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts

THE CHILDREN'S LITERATURE ASSEMBLY OF NCTE 

PRESENTS 

THE 2016 

NOTABLE CHILDREN'S BOOKS 

IN THE LANGUAGE ARTS

28 Days: Moments in Black History that Changed the World Written by Charles R. Smith,
Illustrated by Shane W. Evans, Published by Roaring Brook Press.

An Ambush of Tigers: A Wild Gathering of Collective Nouns Written by Betsy R. Rosenthal,
Illustrated by Jago, Published by Millbrook Press.

A Spectacular Selection of Sea Critters Written by Betsy Franco, Illustrated by Michael Wertz,
Published by Millbrook Press.

Bigfoot is Missing! Written by J. Patrick Lewis and Karen Nesbitt, Illustrated by MinaLima,
Published by Chronicle.

The Book Itch: Freedom, Truth, and Harlem’s Greatest Bookstore Written by Vaunda Micheaux
Nelson, Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, Published by Carolrhoda.

The Book Scavenger Written by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman, Published by Henry Holt and
Company.

Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans Written and illustrated by Don Brown,
Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Echo Written by Pam Munoz Ryan, Published by Scholastic.

Enchanted Air Written by Margarita Engle, Illustrated by Edel Rodriguez, Published by
Atheneum.

Enormous Smallness: A Story of E. E. Cummings Written by Matthew Burgess, Illustrated by
Kris Di Giacomo, Published by Enchanted Lion.

Flutter and Hum: Animal Poems Written and illustrated by Julie Paschkis, Published by Henry
Holt and Company.

How to Read a Story Written by Kate Messner, Illustrated by Mark Siegel, Published by
Chronicle.

Jumping Off Library Shelves Selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins, Illustrated by Jane Manning,
Published by Wordsong.

The Marvels Written and illustrated by Brian Selznick, Published by Scholastic.

My Seneca Village Written by Marilyn Nelson, Published by Namelos.

My Two Blankets Written by Irena Kobald, Illustrated by Freya Blackwood, Published by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

The Plan Written by Alison Paul, Illustrated by Barbara Lehman, Published by Houghton Mifflin
Harcourt.

Poems in the Attic Written by Nikki Grimes, Illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon, Published by Lee &
Low.

Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton Written and illustrated by Don Tate,
Published by Peachtree.

Red: A Crayon’s Story Written and illustrated by Michael Hall, Published by Greenwillow.

Stella by Starlight Written by Sharon M. Draper, Published by Atheneum.

The Thing About Jellyfish Written by Ali Benjamin, Published by Little, Brown Books.

Use Your Imagination (But be careful what you wish for!) Written and illustrated by Nicola
O’Byrne, Published by Nosy Crow.

Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hammer: The Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement Written by
Carole Boston Weatherford, Illustrated by Ekua Holmes, Published by Candlewick.

W is for Webster Written by Tracey Fern, Illustrated by Boris Kulikov, Published by Farrar,
Straus and Giroux.

Where’s the Baboon? Written by Michaël Escoffier, Illustrated by Kris Di Giacomo, Published by
Enchanted Lion.

The Whisper Written and illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski, Published by Houghton Mifflin
Harcourt.

Willy’s Stories Written and illustrated by Anthony Browne, Published by Candlewick.

The Wonder Written and illustrated by Faye Hanson, Published by Templar.

A Year in the Life of a Complete and Total Genius Written by Stacey Matson, Published by
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky.


2016 Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts Selection Committee Members: 
Chair -- Christine Draper-Georgia Southern University
Committee members -- Evelyn Freeman-The Ohio State University, Dick Koblitz-Webster University in St. Louis and University of Missouri, Pamela Jewett-Professor Emerita at the University of South Carolina, Diana Porter-Eastern Kentucky University, Jennifer Sanders-Oklahoma State University, and Holly Sims-Independence Elementary School, Oregon.

The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary

The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary
by Laura Shovan
jacket and interior art by Abigail Halpin
Wendy Lamb Books (Penguin Random House), April 12, 2016
review ARC provided by the author

What a treat it was to spend a fifth grade year as a fly on the wall in Ms. Hill's classroom at Emerson Elementary!

Except for the fact that she only had 18 students in that class, Ms. Hill's class could have been one of mine. The diversity mix is right, including a hijab-wearer, a Spanish speaker, and a kid on the spectrum. The mix of personality types was also right. There is a queen bee girl (and a reluctant follower who finally stands up for what she wants), an intense rule-follower, a new kid trying to find his place.

I could go on, because one of the things that makes this book so fun to read is that Laura gets her characters so right, so believable, so quirky and likable. Each one has a distinct voice that shines out through his/her poems (and the little headshot sketch at the top of every page also helps the readers keep the characters straight). Just like in a regular classroom, no child ever comes to school without carrying the baggage of their home lives, and Ms. Hill's students' lives make it into their poetry. As I read, I found myself sharing their hopes and wishing their wishes.

And then there's the poetry. When I started reading, I sticky-noted more than a half-dozen poetry forms before I said to myself, "Hey, savvy reader, remember when you got all the way to the end of Love That Dog before you realized that the mentor poems were in the back of the book?" Sure enough, when I flipped to the back, I found information about all the poetry forms found throughout the book, along with a suggestion for trying each one out and a reference back to a mentor poem in that form in the book. Writing prompts from Ms. Hill's "Prompt Jar" are also listed, again each with a mentor poems that was written from that prompt.

Finally, there's the very believable story of a neighborhood in transition and the struggle between what's loved and what's needed that ties together the fabulous characters and the wonderful variety of poems.

I can think of three readers to whom I could hand this book when I get my copy in mid-April, and I can imagine a small group who would love reading it and trying out the writing challenges. Plus, I think it would make a perfect read aloud under the document camera to introduce a whole class to verse novels and, as a bonus, to a variety of poetry forms! Thank you, Laura Shovan, for this wonderful book!

Applesauce Weather

Applesauce Weather
by Helen Frost
illustrated by Amy June Bates
Candlewick, August 2016
review ARC provided by the publisher

When the first apple falls from the tree, it's applesauce weather in Faith and Peter's family. But this year will be different since Aunt Lucy died. Uncle Arthur comes back to the farm, but he's not the same.

The personalities of the two children shine through their poems -- Lucy, young enough to believe that the twinkle will come back to Uncle Arthur's eyes if only they are patient, and Peter, old enough to be interested in the girl down the road, but young enough to be pulled in by Uncle Arthur's stories.

And then there's Uncle Arthur, a master storyteller who spins a yarn (or tells the truth?) about how he came to have a missing finger.

Even Aunt Lucy has a voice in poems that begin seven of the eight parts of the book.

A quick read, a quiet, gentle story, and sweet illustrations throughout make this an easily accessible verse novel for a reader new to the genre or one who is missing a beloved older relative.

Echo, Echo

Echo Echo: Reverso Poems About Greek Myths
by Marilyn Singer
illustrated by Josée Masse
Dial Books for Young Readers, 2016

Marilyn Singer is amazing. Not only did she invent the reverso poetry form, she just keeps getting better at it!

Her new collection tells familiar stories from mythology from two points of view -- Pandora’s box, King Midas and his golden touch, Perseus and Medusa, Pygmalion and Galatea, Icarus and Daedalus, Demeter and Persephone, and Echo and Narcissus. Readers will also learn about Eurydice and Orpheus, Melanion and Atalanta, Bellerophon and Pegasus, and more.

Here is the closing poem, for just a taste of the deliciousness of these poems:

Gods and Mortals

These myths
make sense of
the world.
We --
tellers and listeners alike --
enter these portals to
gods and mortals.
They can never again be closed,
once our imaginations are opened.

Once our imaginations are opened,
they can never again be closed.
Gods and mortals
enter these portals to
tellers and listeners alike.
We,
the world,
make sense of
these myths.

Two New Favorites

Every Day Birds
by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater
illustrated by Dylan Metrano
Orchard Books (Scholastic), 2016

This book-length poem pays tribute to birds we see every day -- the birds so common that we should, as Amy reminds us, pay more attention and learn more about them.

Gorgeously illustrated in a unique cut-paper technique (watch a fascinating time-lapse video of him making a puffin here), this book has a natural flow that will make it a joy to read over and over again.

Fresh Delicious: Poems from the Farmers' Market

by Irene Latham

illustrated by Mique Moriuchi

Wordsong, 2016

I love farmers' markets! This lively book of poems pays tribute to the vast variety of foods you can find at the farmers' market. The foods are described through many senses -- tongues "buzz with pleasure" tasting honey, peach's "baby-fuzz/cheek" tickles a nose, and (my favorite) the watermelon looks like a galaxy, with the spit seeds the shooting stars.

Two new favorites, both celebrating down-to-earth joys in life -- the rich diversity of nature around us, and the delicious variety of fresh foods available from farm to table.

Poetry Friday -- My National Poetry Month Project

When Mom and I were sorting through a drawer full of old pictures last December, I was struck by the forgotten faces and the unknown stories that were captured on film. This April, I'll bring 30 of the photos back to life through poetry.

Bygones

My eyes

will always twinkle,

even when 

they become surrounded

by wrinkles.

I will read thousands of pages,

see sunsets and rainbows,

witness a long lifetime of history.

My smile

will always turn down at the corners

just like

my grandmother's did.

I will smile at my husband's dear face,

my children's accomplishments,

my friends' news,

my cats' playfulness.

My hands

will always be busy,

sewing, 

cooking, 

gardening.

I will hold these photos

one more time,

amazed at my big life,

remembering.

©Mary Lee Hahn, 2016

Robyn has the Poetry Friday roundup this week at Life on the Deckle Edge.

Once Upon an Elephant

Once Upon an Elephant
by Linda Stanek
illustrated by Shennen Bersani
Arbordale Publishing, 2016
review copy provided by the author

Local author Linda Stanek has ventured out into the wild once again! With this newest book, she shows readers what it means when scientists designate elephants a keystone species of the African Savannah.

Elephants do so much! They break through hardened mud for water that benefits all. They keep trees from taking over the savannah, find salt, leave tracks that fill with water, pound down paths that become fire barriers, and so much more.

Clearly, it is important to protect these amazing animals -- for their own value, and for the value they bring to an entire ecosystem!

My Online Reading

I've read lots of great stuff online lately!  It seems my Twitter and Facebook feeds are constantly filled with great reading. I love how these tools have changed reading--these articles I may have never discovered, just came to me via people I follow.

• I was fascinated by the article What Google Learnedfrom Its Quest to Build the Perfect Team. So many differences that can be while the patterns the study found in teams/communities that worked was so interesting!
• I discovered this inspiring Ted Talk by Linda Cliatt-Wrayman:How to Fix a Broken School? Lead Fearlessly, Love Hard
• I enjoyed the BAM Radio episode with Angela Maiers on taking care of yourself as a teacher. 
• I worry about what is happening to ideas such as growth mindset in schools.  I thought this article, What Growth Mindset Actually Means, had some great insights: 
• And this brilliant essay,  Everybody’s Talking by Roger Sutton is worth the read. I think it is critical that we continue the conversations around diversity and Roger discusses the perspectives and beliefs we bring to the conversation. You can hear more from Roger Sutton on this and other issues in his recent podcast.
• I've been reading and thinking a great deal about the ways we are/are not supporting our young children's social and emotional development in schools and the world these days. This article Against the Sticker Chart reminded me of so many reasons rewards and punishment are not the way to go.
• And I have no idea how this article, How Elmo Ruined Sesame Street, ended up in my feed. I have always enjoyed Elmo but it was an interesting perspective on such a popular character important in children's lives.
• And I so loved this---50 Captivating Photos of Girls Going to School Around theWorld
• School Library Journal put out this great booklist, Something Beautiful: Titles For and About Latinos and there are so many titles I can't wait to read!And if you love Mo Willems, you'll be interested in reading about his Busy, Busy Year. Even though he is ending the Elephant and Piggie series, we have lots of other books to look forward to.
• My friend, Karen Szymusiak, wrote a great piece on her blog Talkworthy, called Committed Vs. Compelled. It is definitely worth a read if you missed it.
• And a new podcast episode on BustED Pencils with Nancie Attwell as she ends her year as the Global Teacher Prize winner.
• And I loved this piece discussing the important differences between academic and intellectual goals for young children: Lively Minds

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

I am finally back into the habit of reading after a few months of a tiny reading slump!  Some of my favorite recent reads:

The Secret Subway

A true story about the first underground train in NYC.  Amazing illustrations too!

Flora and the Peacocks

This may be my favorite of the 3 Flora wordless books!

Guess Who, Haiku

A fun book of Haiku riddles. This would be really fun for younger readers.

You Must Be This Tall

A pretty hysterical book that I can't wait to share with my students.

The Night Gardener

Definitely one of my favorite picture books of 2016. One that I've read several times already.

The Key to Extraordinary

The new book by Natalie Lloyd is fabulous. I was worried that I could not possibly love it as much as I loved Snicker of Magic but I loved it just as much, if not more!

Poetry Friday -- Worms on the Sidewalk

Flickr Creative Commons Photo by Kurt Bauschardt

Advice 

by Dan Gerber

You know how, after it rains,
my father told me one August afternoon
when I struggled with something
hurtful my best friend had said,
how worms come out and
crawl all over the sidewalk
and it stays a big mess
a long time after it’s over
if you step on them?

(the rest of the poem is at American Life in Poetry)

It's been warm and rainy and the worms are out on the sidewalks. Two fourth grade girls walking out to the buses this afternoon were having a grand time squealing every time they saw one. All the while, I sent out silent wishes that the carelessly tramping feet would miss all the humble worms who had been rained out onto the sidewalk on a warm March afternoon.

Irene has the Poetry Friday roundup this week at Live Your Poem.