Dr. Frankenstein's Human Body Book

Beth pointed this book--DR. FRANKENSTEIN'S HUMAN BODY BOOK:  THE MONSTROUS TRUTH ABOUT HOW YOUR BODY WORKS--out to me the other day when I visited Cover to Cover.  It is the coolest book!  The premise is this--Dr. Frankenstein is in his lab and the lab is filled with body parts because....Dr. Frankenstein is planning on making a living, breathing human being in his lab.  On each page, Dr. Frankenstein talks to readers.  You can tell that he is talking to you because of the font--his words provide an intro for each page.  Then the information begins.  Each page focuses on one part of the body such and is named accordingly. Pages are titled such things as "Bone Basics", "Kidneys" and "Cerebrum".  It seems that Dr. Frankenstein teaches us one thing each day because he keeps a little journal note on each page that includes extra info.  

This book is PACKED with information.  After having spent a bit of time with it, it is one of the best body books I have seen.  Lots of good information, a great layout, easy for kids to understand, and a fun premise. I think because of the storyline, some kids may decide to read this book from cover to cover which is an added plus.   I am not usually a fan of nonfiction books embedded in a fiction story but this one works. Because Dr. Frankenstein is talking to us, the readers, it is an easier read than you would expect when you first look at the pages. And humor is spread throughout the text. This is a DK book that doesn't look like any of the others.  And the size/shape/cover of the book are fun. Very unique and surprising. The book also includes a table of contents, a glossary and an index.   And things are written in very developmentally appropriate ways.

This will definitely be a popular book in the library!

Another Great New Wordless Picture Book

I just picked up another great new wordless picture book at Cover to Cover yesterday.  It is called WELCOME TO THE ZOO by Alison Jay.  This is one about a day at the zoo with bright, colorful pictures.  There is lots going on in the illustrations and I couldn't quite get a handle on what was going on until I got to the end.  At the end of the book, the author gives you a few things to do. She gives you one page of "can you find" pictures.  Kids always like that. But my favorite is her list of "What else can you find?" On that page, the author gives you hints to all of the stories going on in the book.  For example, "What happens to the hat?  Can you follow it through the whole book?' She gives us several questions that invite us to go back through the book following that item.  It was in that way that I discovered so many stories going on in the pictures that I hadn't noticed the first time.   There is also a map so this book would be a fun one to use for mapping.  This is a great book to add to your library--I think kids will have lots of fun with it.

A Great New Professional Book About Writing

Ann Marie Corgill's new book OF PRIMARY IMPORTANCE:  WHAT'S ESSENTIAL IN TEACHING YOUNG WRITERS is a MUST HAVE! No question!  OF PRIMARY IMPORTANCE is a book about primary writing workshop and I really don't know of any other professional book that does what this book does.  It really brings together all that there is to running a great writing workshop for primary kids--teaching well while staying true to what we know about how kids learn.  Ann Marie has been teaching for fifteen years --at the Manhattan New School in NYC and now in Alabama.  Although this is marketed for primary teachers, I think there are definitely things to learn if you teach older students too.

First of all, the book is gorgeous. From the cover, to the inside color photos, to the photos throughout, you can see that Ann Marie creates beautiful spaces for her students to learn.  You read about the space but you also have the opportunity to see the space. It is also clear that Corgill values student art and she makes that part of her students' work.  (You see some of the student art on the front cover of her book.) As a writing teacher, I love the process of writing. But my struggle in the classroom was always in balancing the process with the product---finishing things up in ways that kept to my beliefs and also ended in products kids could be proud of.  In this book, Ann Marie shows us how to value both.

I would not say this is a how-to book. Ann Marie is all about the "whys" of her teaching.  She understands the theory behind all that she does and her book helps us think through our own writing workshops.  She also spends a lot of time talking about the issues she has with mandated curriculum and the importance of workshop.  But she also gives us some nuts and bolts. She shows us her yearlong plan and then goes into depth with each unit of study---sharing book titles and planning that goes into each unit.  At times, she even tells us exactly how she had kids create the art that went along with a piece of writing. Reading the book will make you want to be just like Ann Marie, but, it is clear that she doesn't expect us to just do what she does. She is sharing her story so that teachers can become better teachers of writing.  

I can see this book working for teachers no matter where they are in the teaching of writing. For me, it helped me think through issues with my own teaching--reflecting as you do when you hear an expert teacher share their story.  I also got some ideas and found lots of things I wanted to try.  For teachers who are looking for units of study, Ann Marie shows us the nuts and bolts to many of her units--including children's books she uses in her teaching.  Teachers can easily pick a unit to try "Ann Marie Style". Or you can follow Ann Marie's yearlong plan.  For teachers new to the writing workshop, this book is a great intro into the best of what writing workshops can be.

Assessment is a huge part of Ann Marie's work and she shares her assessments and record-keeping. So many books ignore this piece.  Again, Ann Marie is able to show us how she balances process and product when she assesses.  Ann Marie has several routines in place and shares several folders that help her keep track of student growth. She also shares ways to involve students in the assessment process.

Her family celebrations sound like a great time for students and parents and she spends time telling us about those events.

From classroom space to routines to tools to strategies--Ann Marie covers it all.  This is a book written BY a classroom teacher--one of the best writing teachers I know--FOR classroom teachers.  It is thoughtful and practical, grounded and political, all at the same time. I really can't think of another book for elementary writing teachers that does as much as this book does. It will definitely impact writing classrooms everywhere.

Poetry Friday -- Questionnaire

I was trying to find a poem about the rewards we choose to bestow upon ourselves for a week or two (or four or six) of continuous hard work.  A poem about Cheetos or peanut M&Ms or a day in bed or coveted electronics.  I was hoping to find poetic justification for dropping a wad of cash on a toy I that don't really have time to play with, but whose sleek and elegant design makes me happy just to hold it in my hand. 

Instead, I found this poem.  Before you read it, go outside and get a colorful fall leaf upon which to write your answers.  After you are done, toss the leaf to the autumn winds and watch it fly away.

Questionnaire
by Charles Bernstein

Directions: For each pair of sentences, circle the letter, a or b, that best
expresses your viewpoint. Make a selection from each pair. Do not omit
any items.

1.a) The body and the material things of the world are the key to any
knowledge we can possess.
b) Knowledge is only possible by means of the mind or psyche.

2.a) My life is largely controlled by luck and chance.
b) I can determine the basic course of my life.

3.a) Nature is indifferent to human needs.
b) Nature has some purpose, even if obscure.

4.a) I can understand the world to a sufficient extent.
b) The world is basically baffling.

5.a) Love is the greatest happiness.
b) Love is illusionary and its pleasures transient.

6.a) Political and social action can improve the state of the world.
b) Political and social action are fundamentally futile.

The rest of the Questionnaire is here.

The round up is at Poetry for Children (even though mine is not).

SIPPING SPIDERS THROUGH A STRAW by Kelly DiPUcchio

SIPPING SPIDERS THROUGH A STRAW:  CAMPFIRE SONGS FOR MONSTERS by Kelly DiPucchio is a fun book for the week of Halloween.  But I think kids would enjoy it all year long.  I know that song books are quite popular with kids. TAKE ME OUT OF THE BATHTUB and other books by Alan Katz become quick favorites with whichever group of kids I introduce them to. Playing with the lyrics of well-known songs to create amusing new songs is quite fun! Kids never seem to tire of singing the same favorites over and over.

SIPPING SPIDERS THROUGH A STRAW is a book in which the author writes new, monster versions of favorite campsongs.  Songs include Do Your Guts Hang Low?, If You're Scary and You Know It, Clap Your Paws, and 99 Bottles of Blood on the Wall.  Very creative and fun. Kids will love them!  And the illustrations are a perfect match. Many shades of brown with a hint of green every so often.  They are spooky with enough humor to keep them from being scary for kids.  

LISA YEE'S BODACIOUS BOOK TITLE CONTEST IS ON!

How I missed this for 2 whole days, I do not know! But one of my favorite events is happening over at Lisa Yee's blog. If you have ever been on her blog during her title contests, they are laugh-out-loud funny. The best. So, visit Lisa's blog for this year's (the 49th annual) rules and to read some of the entries. I would highly encourage participation. It is actually quite addicting. It is hard to read a book title without thinking of the possibilities. Really, really fun!

FOUND by Margaret Peterson Haddix

I am a huge fan of Margaret Peterson Haddix.  I love the Shadow Children series as well as many of her others (RUNNING OUT OF TIME is also a favorite.)  So, I was thrilled to see that Haddix has a new series.  The first book in the THE MISSING series is called FOUND.  I read it last week--in a day.  Once I started, I couldn't really put it down.

The book starts out letting us know that 13 years ago, an airplane landed at the airport. This was an airplane with no pilot. The plane was filled with babies. Records were sealed and not many people knew about the plane. But now, 13 years later, 2 boys (both adopted as babies) begin to get letters that say things like "You are one of the missing." and "They are coming back to get you."  The rest of the story continues with the characters trying to figure out what is going on, working through their own adoptions, and thinking about the histories they don't know.

This book is definitely a page-turner.  A great concept with Haddix's great writing. The ending is a bit of a surprise but quite good. I am anxious to see where she goes with the rest of the series.

I am interested in how the adoption community is responding to this book.  I know as an adoptive mom, I read the book with that eye.  I am not sure how I feel and am not sure how adopted kids will take the book.  It was clear to me that either Haddix has experience with adoption or else she did her homework. All of the adoption talk in the book seemed politically correct. She seemed to have a good sense of the things adopted kids struggle with.  And she seemed to create characters and families that deal with their adoptions in different ways. And she hits the identity issue from lots of angles--an issue that all kids struggle with at this age. But, the storyline and the letters captured a fear that I am not sure adopted kids at age 9 would be ready to deal with if they read this book on their own--THEY ARE COMING BACK TO GET YOU.  On the other hand, I don't think you can ever know what another person will take away from a book.  I am just curious to know how other people involved in adoption (kids, parents, etc.) feel about the book and the premise. 

Sorry for babbling. I loved the book and all of the students who have read it seemed to love it too. It is a great series and it keeps you engaged throughout. I don't want to give much away so I'll stop here but definitely worth a read!

GEEK CHIC: THE ZOEY ZONE

I read THE ZOEY ZONE: GEEK CHIC this week.  I think it will definitely be popular with middle grade girls (I am thinking grades 3-4ish).  Zoey is a great character and I love the concept of the book.  Zoey is worried about fitting into middle school and she has a year to go from "geek" to "chic".  The year is not easy and Zoey is not sure of herself.  But she finds that she has her own style that works and that being who she is matters most.  

A story that has been told before--kind of.  Girl finding out that who she is is better than trying to be something else. But this is really a fresh look at this phase of growing up for girls. First of all, the format of the book is fun. Filled with font changes, illustrations, and other breaks in the text.  This format seems to appeal to readers these days and it works well here.  Zoe is also a fresh character.  Likable and easy to relate to. 

There are also other fun little additions--a glossary at the end with "Chic ZO-cabulary".  Great fun words used in the story are included.  I must say that the cover is one that kids will gravitate to. I know I did. Bright and colorful with a character you know you will love right there in the center. 

I am hoping that this character will show up in more books.  A series, maybe? But I haven't seen any info on that. Either way, Zoe is a character that kids will love. Can't wait to give it to my 3rd grader and to get one for the school library. 

The book's site and the author's site are worth visits too!

Julia Gillian

Julia Gillian (and the Art of Knowing)

by Alison McGhee

illustrated by Drazen Kozjan

Scholastic, 2008

review copy provided by the publisher

Julia Gillian is a great new girl character.  She lives in a third floor apartment in Minneapolis with her parents (mother is a first grade teacher and father is a high school teacher).  She has a St. Bernard and her parameters include walking Bigfoot for an hour alone within a 9 square-block area.  Her list of accomplishments has filled one whole side of a sheet of paper and goes onto the back.  Down one floor live her friends Enzo and Zap, who are brother and sister.  Enzo is 18 and chooses to live with her brother Zap who is in his twenties and wants to become a famous chef.

Julia Gillian is nine years old and she's starting to realize that the adult world isn't quite as great as it's cracked up to be. Her parents read the newspaper, despite all the bad news, so that they will know what's going on in the world. Julia Gillian is starting to realize that perhaps her parents don't always tell her the truth. And she's afraid to finish reading her book because she doesn't think she's going to like the ending.

Julia Gillian works through her fears with the help of Enzo and Zap, Bigfoot, and a little girl in the neighborhood who is afraid of kindergarten. In the process, she helps her parents to better understand themselves and their "marvel of a child."

Julia Gillian is a spunky as Clementine, with as unique a world view, but she's a little older and a little more serious. I'll be waiting just as anxiously for the next book in the series.

Alison McGhee's website is here, and her blog is here.

Little Willow has an interview with the author here, and SLJ's interview with the author is here.  

Knucklehead

Knucklehead: Tall Tales & Mostly True Stories About Growing Up Scieszka

by Jon Scieszka

Viking, 2008

Review copy purchased at CTC 

I finally took Carol's advice and read this book.  It's a quick read and I'm definitely going to have to keep a tight grip on it when I take it into my classroom. I need to hold onto it just long enough to do a mini lesson in writing workshop on leads, then I'm pretty sure at least five of my boys will be fighting over it, if the girl with three older brothers doesn't get to it first. 

My favorite lead?  "I learned how to cook because I like stirring oatmeal more than I like picking up poop."

My favorite story?  Chapter 33 "Car Trip."  Moral of the story?  "Stick with your brothers. Stick up for your brothers.  And if you every drop a pecan nut log in a car with your five brothers and the cat...you will probably stick to your brothers."  (Good thing I was on one of those little puddle-jumper flights when I read this story and I had the single seat on the left side of the aisle because I was snorting and laughing out loud while I read.)

There are 38 two- to four-page chapters and lots of family photos and other assorted illustrations.  If you need to find your favorite chapter or anecdote, there is an extensive index.

Don't delay a minute longer.  Read this book.  You could use a good laugh. 

Poetry Friday -- Tools

This poem goes out to the men in my life who have known their way around a hardware store and a toolbox with their eyes closed.

But it also goes out to anyone who knows the secret names of flowers and trees, constellations and kitchen gadgets.


HARDWARE
by Ronald Wallace

My father always knew the secret
name of everything—
stove bolt and wing nut,
set screw and rasp, ratchet
wrench, band saw, and ball—
peen hammer. He was my
tour guide and translator
through that foreign country
with its short-tempered natives
in their crewcuts and tattoos,
who suffered my incompetence
with gruffness and disgust.
Pay attention, he would say,
and you'll learn a thing or two.

(the rest is here)


The roundup today is at Big A little a

I'm the Best Artist in the Ocean

I'm the Best Artist in the Ocean

by Kevin Sherry

Penguin, June 2008

review copy compliments of the publisher

Squid is back with a paintbrush and a new boast, "I'm the best artist in the ocean."  He can draw all kinds of ocean animals in all kinds of artistic styles, but the clown fish get grumpy when he splatters paint on them.  Squid is not deterred, he is making his masterpiece!  

Then shark comes along with a full-page, sharp-toothed, "STOP!"  He points out to Squid that he is making a mess.  In a gigantic double gatefold spread, Squid reveals the surprise canvas for his "MESS-terpiece!"  No, I'm not going to spoil it.  You'll have to see for yourself!!

Check out the very funny interview with Kevin Sherry by the very funny ladies at Three Silly Chicks.

The Robot and the Bluebird

The Robot and the Bluebird

by David Lucas

first published in Great Britain by Andersen Press Ltd., 2007

Farrar Straus Giroux, October, 2008

review copy provided by the publisher

This is a very sweet book.  It is a fable about a robot with a broken heart. Literally broken.  But as the story unfolds, the literal broken heart -- the hole in his chest where his heart used to be -- becomes a figurative broken heart as well.  A bluebird flying south that is caught in cold weather is invited to take shelter in the robot's chest where his broken heart used to be.  He can feel his heart fluttering, his heart now sings, and when the bluebird flies a little way, Robot feels like his heart is flying.

When it doesn't look like the bluebird can make it south on her own, Robot carries her in his heart, sacrificing everything to get her to the sunshine, where she lives in his heart forever.

I haven't tried this book on a kid audience, but I'm thinking they'll respond to the unlikely friendship between the geometrically-drawn yet emotive robot and the tiny soft bluebird. They'll cheer for the robot to overcome all obstacles to get the bluebird to the sunshine, and they'll feel the bittersweetness of the ending.

Even if this book flops with kids, it will make a great gift book for someone you will hold in your heart forever, someone who has made great sacrifices for you.

Snow

Snow

by Cynthia Rylant

illustrated by Lauren Stringer

Harcourt, November 2008

review copy provided by the publisher

I'm not ready for the reality of snow yet:  slogging, shoveling, slipping, sliding. But I'm more than ready to dream about snow and remember all the different kinds of snow.

That's what Cynthia Rylant's new book is good for: dreaming and remembering and snuggling up with her descriptions of fat-flaked school-closing snows, light snows that sit on even the smallest tree limbs, heavy snows that bury evidence of the world, and more.  Rylant meditates on the beauty of snow, the way it reminds us of all things impermanent, and its place in the natural cycle of life (at least in places far enough north and/or not withstanding global warming).

Lauren Stringer's illustrations do a perfect job of combining the warmth of indoors and the cold of outdoors during snow.  There is a fun subplot in the illustrations to discover after savoring Rylant's words.

New Drawing Books by Chris Hart

Some of you may know Chris Hart from his drawing books for older kids and adults and his Manga work.

I have been wanting to add good drawing books to the library collection at our school and I've also wanted to keep some on hand in the library for kids who would like to give some things a try while they are in the library. I've had trouble finding books that are good for younger children. SO many are not beginner drawing books.  As a classroom teacher, I learned how powerful how-to types of books are and I am finding that cookbooks, craft books, and drawing books are checked out often.  So I was thrilled to find a series of 3 new drawing books by Chris Hart:  DRAW A CIRCLE, DRAW ANYTHING; DRAW A TRIANGLE, DRAW ANYTHING; and DRAW A SQUARE, DRAW ANYTHING.  I plan to create a basket of drawing books that can be used in the library and if kids seem to like them, we'll get several copies for checking out.

These books are wordless. Students use the visuals to learn to draw a variety of things. And they draw everything beginning with one simple shape.  A few words from the author at the beginning of each books let them know that if you can draw the shape, you can draw anything!  These books make drawing very inviting and doable for young children.  Flipping through them even make me think I might be able to draw some of the things.  And there are SOOO many things you can draw in each of the three books.  The final picture on each page is colored in so artists could get some ideas on how to color it when finished--looks like colored pencils which I'll add to the basket with these books. 

For classrooms, these would be great for indoor recess.  A few of these books with colored pencils would be a great indoor activity that kids would love.

Poetry Friday -- Walt Whitman Explains the Water Cycle

And who art thou? said I to the soft-falling shower,

Which, strange to tell, gave me an answer, as here translated:

I am the Poem of Earth, said the voice of the rain,

Eternal I rise impalpable out of the land and the bottomless sea,

Upward to heaven, whence, vaguely form'd, altogether changed,

and yet the same,

I descend to lave the drouths, atomies, dust-layers of the globe,

And all that in them without me were seeds only, latent, unborn;

And forever, by day and night, I give back life to my own origin,

and make pure and beautify it;

(For song, issuing from its birth-place, after fulfillment, wandering,

Reck'd or unreck'd, duly with love returns.)

by Walt Whitman

from Leaves of Grass

published in The Nature Company's FROM THIS SOIL: SELECTED POEMS BY WALT WHITMAN

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

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

The schedule of round ups is in the sidebar here.

More about Poetry Friday is here.

And information about copyright is here.

SAVVY

I finally had a chance to read SAVVY by Ingrid Law and I LOVED it! Who hasn't loved it, really? Everyone I have talked to who has read the book has loved it. It is showing up on Mock Newbery lists everywhere. It is definitely one of my top 5 picks for the Newbery this year. At this point--since I am so late in reading it--it seems silly to tell you what it is about.  Many others have done that already.

This book received a starred award in Booklist, Kirkus, AND Publisher's Weekly--WOW!

First of all, I loved the whole concept of this book--that everyone has a savvy.  In Mibs' family, you get your savvy when you are 13 and she is getting ready for her 13th birthday.  A savvy is a special thing that you can do--helping define who you are.  Of course this is a growing up kind of story.  Mibs is struggling a bit with growing up while she is also worrying about her father, who has been in a car accident.

I love books where people are thrown together and good things happen. In Savvy, kids and adults are thrown together on a bus ride and the relationships grow as they are together on the bus.  We get to know each and every character well (which is huge for me as a reader) and I ended up seeing the good in each and every one.

I guess this would be considered a fantasy. The savvy definitely makes it that. But, it reads like realistic fiction.  It will definitely appeal to a wide range of audiences--boys and girls, a pretty wide age range.  I am thinking 4th or 5th grade is the youngest who would enjoy this book.  I'm hearing lots of teachers and librarians doing book talks around this one. I could definitely see that.

On an aside, I'll never be able to see a tattoo again without thinking of this book! 

In writing this review, I discovered Ingrid Law's blog and think I may become addicted. It is a good one!  (The title alone makes me happy!)

Others who have discussed SAVVY on their blogs:

Nina at Heavy Medal

Betsy at Fuse #8

Stephanie at The Children's Literature Book Club

Bill at Literate Lives

The Doghouse by Jan Thomas

The Doghouse
by Jan Thomas
Harcourt Books, September 2008
review copy provided by the publisher

Jan Thomas is my new favorite picture book author based on just two books: I loveloveloved A Birthday for Cow (reviewed here in June). And now Cow, Pig, Duck and Mouse are back with a scary story just right for the season, The Doghouse. (In addition, What Will Fat Cat Sit On? made Katie's 5 Books (New Ones) Every Primary Library Should Have list and I'm pretty sure I will own it, love it, and add it to my own list by the end of this weekend. In addition, I see that Jan Thomas has a new book coming out in 2009. I'm thinking pre-order thoughts.)

The story in The Doghouse begins on the endpapers with Cow, Pig, Duck and Mouse playing with a big red ball. Cow makes a great kick that is headed right for (insert scary music as the pages turn past the title page to the first page of text) the doghouse, which suddenly has a dark sky, a bat across the full moon, thunder and lightning, and skeletal trees around it. First the animals send big, brave, strong Cow in to get the ball. Cow does not come back. (More bats across the moon, and three pairs of wide, frightened eyes left.) Next Pig goes in. Does not come back. Then Duck. Does not come back. Mouse begs Duck to come back, but the scary face of the Dog appears and tells Mouse, "I am having Duck for dinner." After a page of sheer Mouse terror...

***SPOILER ALERT***

...Dog turns back to his dinner guests seated at the table and says with regret in his eyes and voice, "Too mad Mouse couldn't come, too."

But isn't that Mouse peeking in the window? Sure enough, he joins the group for cake in the final endpapers.

Be sure you look for a cameo appearance by the big red ball in the final pages.

MEET WILD BOARS

When I reviewed WILD BOARS COOK earlier this month, I thought it was hilarious. I read it to a few classes this week and they begged me to buy the first book about these characters which I promptly did: MEET WILD BOARS by Meg Rosoff and Sophie Blackall. Well, this one may be even MORE hysterical. And the writing is so smart! This is definitely my favorite book of the day. I laughed so hard reading it that I almost cried. The beginning starts like this:

This is Boris.

This is Morris.

This is Horace.

This is Doris.

They are wild boars.

They are

dirty and smelly,

bad-tempered and rude.

Do you like them?

Never mind.

They do not like you either.

That really may be the best lead of a book I have ever read! Who thinks of these things? And the book stays just as funny throughout. I won't give anything away but I laughed aloud on several pages. (I also laughed at the author blurb.)

These four wild boars are definitely joining Scaredy-Squirrel, Chester, Elephant and Piggie, Pigeon and Farmer Brown and Duck as some of my very favorite picture book characters ever! Can't wait for another one. And it definitely goes on my "Books I Can Read A Million Times" List!

Ringside, 1925: Views From the Scopes Trial

I heard one of the OEA-endorsed candidates for Ohio's State School Board (Kristin McKinley -- District 6) speak last week. (All candidates for Ohio State School Board here. If you don't live in Ohio, check the website for your state's Board of Elections.)

As a person running in one of the "small" races on the November ballot, she encouraged us to "Vote up." Start at the bottom of the ballot and make sure you vote for all of the "small" races and issues before you get to the presidential race at the top of the ticket. Good advice for all voters. Pass it on, please. Let's not get so caught up in the "big" race that we forget to help decide all the issues and races that might effect us on a more daily basis.

As educators, we were interested to hear Ms. McKinley's positions on such issues as licensure fees and a more publicly responsive State School Board.

Ms. McKinley reported that so far, the ONLY question she had been asked in phone calls from the voting public at large was to determine her position on teaching creationism/intelligent design in the public schools.

Seems like a perfect time to read Jen Bryant's new book:

Ringside, 1925: Views from the Scopes Trial

by Jen Bryant

Random House, 2008

review copy provided by the publisher

This novel in verse is told through the voices of several of the students at Rhea County High School in Dayton, TN, where J.T. Scopes happened to substitute in a biology class on the day the evolution chapter was covered, and then agree to be arrested for violating the Butler Act. Other voices include adults from the community who represent a variety of positions on religion and science.

The students are shown thinking through the issues and finding ways to both believe in religion and study science:

"Our state lawmakers passed the Butler Act

because they think science will poison our minds.
Well, I don't feel poisoned. I still believe in the divine.
Why should a bigger mind need a smaller God?"

Here's another example:

"I really don't think Mr. Scopes had any
intention of replacing the Holy Book.
I think he just wanted to teach science,
which is not the same as religion,
and I think what everyone at Rhea County High
likes about Mr. Scopes
is that he trusts us to learn both
and know the difference."

Through the poems, we learn of the friendship between Clarence Darrow and W.J. Bryan, and how, by the end of the trial, that friendship had dissolved when their differences of belief became too great to overcome.

The poems show that, for some of the fictional characters at least, the Scopes Trial was a life-changing event. In the Epilogue we learn that especially up until the 1960's, but continuing today, teachers are nervous and/or under attack for teaching about evolution.

And where does Kristin McKinley stand on this issue? She believes that as long as the US Constitution says that there is a separation of church and state, we don't even need to waste our breath arguing about it, and we certainly don't need to waste money that could be used educating our children to argue about it in the courts.

A Teacher in the School Library

There's a lot to be said for having a library school-trained librarian in the elementary school library.  

But there's also a whole lot to be said for having an experienced and thoughtful teacher of reading as the librarian in an elementary school library.

Case in point:  Franki's got an excellent article over at Choice Literacy this week, "A Workshop Model in the Library: Time for More Than Book Checkout."  

Random Bits of This and That

While I'm getting back up to speed with reading and reviewing and blogging, here are some fun tidbits.  They all seem kind of related in a weird sort of way.

First, the Thought for the Day on my iGoogle page:

There are 10^11 stars in the galaxy. That used to be a huge number. But it's only a hundred billion. It's less than the national deficit! We used to call them astronomical numbers. Now we should call them economical numbers.

- Richard Feynman

Next, an email funny:

If you had purchased $1,000 of shares in Delta Airlines one year ago, you would have $49.00 today.

If you had purchased $1,000 of shares in AIG one year ago, you would have $33.00 today.

If you had purchased $1,000 of shares in Lehman Brothers one year ago, you would have $0.00 today.

But, if you had purchased $1,000 worth of beer one year ago, drank all the beer, then turned in the aluminum cans for recycling refund, you would have $214.00.

Based on the above, the best current investment plan is to drink heavily and recycle.  It is called the 401-Keg.

A recent study found that the average American walks about 900 miles a year. Another study found that Americans drink, on average, 22 gallons of alcohol a year. That means that, on average, Americans get about 41 miles to the gallon!

Makes you proud to be an American!

And finally, a funny photo entitled Hard Night in the Pumpkin Patch:

Poetry Friday -- October in the Elementary School

(Check out this graphic from the blog Indexed before reading the poem.)

October in the Elementary School

Developmental Reading Assessments

(meetings before school)

Spelling Assessments

(meetings during planning period)

Math Facts Assessments

(meetings after school)

Student Assessment and Intervention Database

Interim Reports

Parent Conferences

(staff meetings)

Friday

(deep breath)

Finally Friday

Blessed Friday

Poetry Friday

Ahhhhhh...

(I'll close with this graphic from the blog Indexed.)

Thank you, loyal Blog Readers for your patience during this time of much school work and little blogging.  It's feeling like there will again be enough hours in the day to include reading and blogging.  Beginning today.

The Poetry Friday round up is at Picture Book of the Day.

For more information about Poetry Friday read Susan's (Chicken Spaghetti) poetryfoundation.org article.

For information about copyright and Poetry Friday read Cloudscome's excellent article.   

The 39 Clues Series: THE MAZE OF BONES

(Bill at LITERATE LIVES and I are doing SYNCHRONIZED POSTS--reviewing the 39 CLUES-so check out his review too!)

This week is our Scholastic Book Fair. The fair is filled with great books and I'll be sharing some of the ones I discover this week. One of the big new titles by Scholastic is THE MAZE OF BONES. This is the first in THE 39 Clues series which is an interesting series.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the book, it is not only a book. Scholastic seems to be trying something new. Readers can read the books, visit the website to play games and win real prizes, and collect trading cards with even more clues. This book is the first in a series of 10, each by a different well-known author. Each will continue with the story and a new book will be released every 3-5 months until the last one is released in 2010. Rick Riordan is the primary author--from what I've read, he authored the first book and then created the basics for the rest of the plot. I think the fact that there are great authors like Riordan involved, gives this series a great deal of credit in terms of quality.

I have admitted before and I'll admit again that I never read the Harry Potter series. I tried the first one several times and just never got into it. I know I am missing something good and I missed being part of all of the "stuff" around the books. I hated not being part of the "club" of people who had read Harry Potter. So, when I started to hear about The 39 Clues--which has a HUGE marketing agenda--I decided I wanted to at least be part of the conversations. I decided that, as a school librarian, this was a book I needed to read quickly and know about. So, I read it this week and I must say, I really liked it. I have no idea what the children's book reviewers are saying about it. But, I read it thinking through how it might be perceived by children. I don't know if it will meet the expectations that Scholastic has for it, but I definitely think it is worth buying for school libraries and upper elementary classrooms.

The story is set up early in the first book. Grace Cahill, grandmother to Dan and Amy Cahill dies and leaves a will. Relatives have a choice: Take one million dollars or receive the first clue in a mystery that could be important to the world. The race begins between Dan and Amy Cahill and the other relatives who decide to take the clue.

This is a fun mystery and it is being compared to lots of books. For me, it was part Series of Unfortunate Events (2 orphans always on the run from relatives they can't trust), Spy Kids (cool spy tools and lots of sibling fun), and From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, my favorite book from childhood. Amy and Dan Cahill reminded me a bit of Claudia and Jamie. Claudia--the smart, organized "big sister" and Jamie, the clever, "little brother" who has his own unique talents. Many people are also saying it is a kids' version of THE DAVINCI CODE minus the religion. I can see that comparison too.

Here is what I liked:
It has a great plot--easy to stick with
The characters are likable and believable
It is a true mystery--there are codes, tombstones, good guys and bad guys
There are lots of connections to history and lots of new facts about historical figures
There are codes and fun things to figure out throughout--if you read the book, you'll notice little things that don't seem right and you'll realize they probably serve as some clue that you'll learn about later.
The cards are quite fun--more codes and some "fictional primary source documents". For example, my stack of cards included a report card and a guest list with cabin numbers from the Titanic.

This book is made of all things kids love. I can see it as a huge hook for boys and girls alike. I am already looking forward to the next book, due out in December.

There is a lot of talk about what has happened to children's book publishing--that this series was planned by marketers rather than by authors. I am not sure how I feel about that. And I am not sure if it matters if the product works. I see what Scholastic is trying to do--hit kids where they are. Tie in trading cards, websites, games, and more with a book. Clearly, the books are key and Scholastic is getting great authors to write the series. I think that speaks volumes. I think the test will be whether kids like it or not. I am ready with ears open to hear what students at my school say about the book. My hunch is that it is going to be a big deal. I can see it hooking lots of readers. And chances are, if they fall in love with this series, they will read others by Riordan and others.


(It looks like Steven Spielberg is already working on the movie.)

Other reviews:
Bookgasm
Becky's Book Reviews
Nerd World
Boys Rule Boys Read!
SMS Guys Read

Sourpuss and Sweetie Pie

Sourpuss and Sweetie Pie
by Norton Juster
illustrated by Chris Raschka
Scholastic, October 2008
review copy provided by the publisher

This review goes out to the parents of all toddlers. Also, to the parents of all teenagers.

Nanna and Poppy, the grandparents who are visited by their granddaughter in the 2006 Caldecott winner, The Hello, Goodbye Window, are never sure whether it is Sourpuss or Sweetie Pie who's come to visit. She assures us that most of the time she really is Sweetie Pie, and she knows that Grandma and Grandpa don't like Sourpuss very much, but when it comes to who she'll be..."I don't know how it's going to be. It just happens."

One minute she's hugging, the next she's insisting on her way. One minute she's thinking of others, the next she's completely self-absorbed. One minute she's "YES!", and the next she's "NO!". Through it all, no matter what the mood, Grandma, Grandpa and Granddaughter listen to music, paint, play pretend, read books, and go for drives.

When Nana and Poppy put her (them?) to bed, they wonder who will be there in the morning...and for how long.

Raschka's bright and sunny Sweetie Pie illustrations contrast with the darker, stormy Sourpuss pictures, in a book that is sure to be a favorite of grownups and moody young ones alike.

Poetry Friday -- This is Just to Say

This is Just to Say

I have interviewed
a plum
of an
illustrator

and you
would probably
love
to get to know her better

Forgive me
for this lame poem
she is so Sweet
and deserves better


Here is my interview with Melissa Sweet, illustrator of A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams by Jen Bryant. This is the book I nominate for the Caldecott Award.

The round up today is at Two Writing Teachers.

Bear Hunt Alternatives

We're Going on a Lion Hunt

adapted by Margery Cuyler

illustrated by Joe Mathieu

Marshall Cavendish, available October, 2008

review copy provided by the publisher

Pirate Treasure Hunt!

by Jan Peck

illustrated by Adrian Tans

Pelican Publishing Company, available Sept. 2008

review copy provided by the publisher

Have you already taken your students or your story time participants on a bear hunt? Then it's time to go on a lion hunt! Join the teacher in the book -- put on your safari hat and use your imagination. Walk out the door of the school right into a safari. There will be all the usual things that you can't go over, can't go around, have to go through: mud, sticks, trees, water, tall grass, and finally, the obligatory cave. Hurry back through all the obstacles until you arrive safely back at school.

After the lion hunt, why not go on a pirate treasure hunt? You'll get to use your best "Talk Like a Pirate" voice. (Sorry I didn't have the book for International Talk Like a Pirate Day on September 19. ARRRRRRRH!) You'll get to insult your audience pirate style -- "Ye little bubble bath takers; ye little milk sippers; ye little tooth brushers..." And you'll get to go over, around and through all kinds of obstacles until you get to the obligatory cave. When you have to hurry back to the ship up, down, over, under and through all you went to get to the treasure, you open the chest and find...BOOKS! And the key to opening the treasure is "Reading, me hearties!"

Cybils Public Service Announcement

Brought to you by Jen Robinson:

Cybils Nominations Open TODAY, October 1st: How Can You Participate?

Nominations for the third annual Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards (the Cybils) will be open Wednesday, October 1st through Wednesday, October 15th. The goal of the Cybils team (some 100 bloggers) is to highlight books that are high in both literary quality and kid appeal. The Cybils were founded by Anne Boles Levy and Kelly Herold.

This year, awards will be given in nine categories (Easy Readers, Fantasy & Science Fiction, Fiction Picture Books, Graphic Novels, Middle Grade Novels, Non-Fiction Middle Grade/Young Adult Books, Non-Fiction Picture Books, Poetry, Young Adult Novels). Anyone can nominate books in these categories (one nomination per person per category). Nominated titles must be published between January 1st and October 15th of this year, and the books must be in English (or bilingual, where one of the languages is English). To nominate titles, visit the Cybils blog between October 1st and 15th. A separate post will be available for each category - simply nominate by commenting on those individual posts. If you are not sure which category to choose for a particular book, a questions thread will also be available.

Between October 16th and January 1st, Cybils panelists (children's and young adult bloggers) will winnow the nominations down to a 5-7 book short list for each category. A second set of panelists will then select the winning titles for the different categories. The winners will be announced on February 14th, 2009.

The Cybils team has worked hard to balance democracy (anyone can nominate titles) with quality control (two rounds of panel judging by people who focus on children's books every day). We do this work because we consider it vital to get great books into the hands of children and young adults.

Jen Robinson
Literacy Evangelist for the 2008 Cybils

Mock Newbery Time!

If you have been reading our blog for a very long time, you know that we started this blog as a way for us to read lots of books and predict the Newbery. We are not so good at that, but we love to give it a try anyway. Even though our blog focus has changed, trying to predict the Newbery is a fun tradition that we have.

So, we love to read Mock Newbery blogs and sites. School Library Journal has a new Mock Newbery blog for this year. It is called HEAVY MEDAL which I totally love! It is run by Nina and Sharon whose Newbery blogs you may have read in the past. Both of them have served on Newbery committees. They are just starting to talk about those books that could be winners. Definitely a site to keep up with if you are at all interested in the buzz around this award.

You Must Meet Melissa Sweet

Actually, you probably already know her! She has written and/or illustrated more than 70 books. Here are a few you might have seen:

Carmine: A Little More Red
The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon (by Jacqueline Davies)
The Pinky and Rex series (by James Howe)

Check out Melissa Sweet's website for a more complete list of her works.

The two books I want to focus on here are her newest, Tupelo Rides the Rails and A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams (by Jen Bryant). These are the two books that grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me and made me write to Melissa Sweet out of the blue and ask her for a blog interview, to which she graciously agreed!

Tupelo Rides the Rails
by Melissa Sweet
Houghton Mifflin, April 2008
review copy provided by the publisher

Tupelo is a dog who, despite being dumped off by the side of a road with her sock toy, Mr. Bones, believes "Everyone belongs somewhere." She looks and looks for a place to belong, eventually hooking up with a pack of dogs who call themselves "the BONEHEADS, the Benevolent Order of Nature's Exalted Hounds Earnest And Doggedly Sublime" and a hobo named Garbage Pail Tex. The BONEHEADS and Tupelo ride the rails with Garbage Pail Tex until they get to a town where Garbage Pail Tex's hobo friends find homes for all the BONEHEADS but one. Tupelo. She makes the ultimate sacrifice in order to wish upon the dog star, Sirius, and it turns out to be worth it.




Stars are important in this book. You know that from the minute you see the star chart endpapers, and then again when Tupelo hears the dog myth of how the constellation Orion came to be leading Sirius the dog star through the sky in the constellation Canis Major surrounded by other constellations such as Canis Casa, Rubbish Canis, Great Fetching Ball, and the Seven Bones. And again, of course, when she makes her wish.

Dog heroes are important in this book. You know that from the minute you open the first of several fold-out pages and find a continuation of the star chart on the inside cover and front end paper on one side, and a time line of dog heroes throughout history on the other side.

The illustrations are sometimes in panels, giving the book an almost graphic novel feel, and sometimes in gorgeous single-page paintings like the two above. There is a hint of multi-media, when Timmy and Lassie make a photographic appearance during Garbage Pail Tex's story time on the train.

Tupelo Rides the Rails is a sweet and powerful story that makes tears come to my eyes every time I read it. I see something new in the illustrations every time I read it, too.


A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams
by Jen Bryant
illustrated by Melissa Sweet
Eerdmans Books For Young Readers, August 2008
review copy provided by the publisher

"Picture book biography" just doesn't do this book justice. Jen Bryant's poetic telling of the story of Willie Williams' life and her use of the literal Passaic River of his childhood and the metaphoric flow of his words and poems, and Melissa Sweet's multimedia illustrative interpretations of Williams' poems mesh PERFECTLY. I'd like to take this opportunity to nominate this book for the Caldecott Medal!



This book also has important endpapers -- all of the poems that are mentioned or excerpted in the text or the illustrations are found there.

In the Illustrator's Note in the back of the book Sweet writes about her "inadvertent" connection to William Carlos Williams, and about her research. She writes this about the media she used for the illustrations:

"These pictures needed to convey his era and the modern art of his time that was so influential to Williams. There were a lot of false starts -- nothing I did seemed powerful enough to match his poems. Then I looked to a big box of discarded books I had from a library sale. One of the books had beautiful endpapers and I did a small painting on it. Then I took a book cover, ripped it off, and painted more. The book covers became my canvas, and any ephemera I had been saving for one day became fodder for the collages."

This book could have so many uses in the classroom -- as a mentor text for students writing biographies, in an art class to explore the visual interpretation of poetry, in writing workshop to reinforce the ways writers use their notebooks to capture small moments they can go back to and write about later.

Besides being used, it needs to be pored over. The details and layers of meaning in the illustrations are simply astounding. You just can't get tired of looking at this book!

Enough of my babbling. On to the interview.

Me: First, some questions about Tupelo Rides the Rails. You explain on the back flap how you came to combine stars, dogs, and trains in Tupelo. Could you tell a little about how the hobos fit in?

MS: The idea to include a hobo came when I realized the dogs needed someone to help them get to their homes. I made a list of everyone who might ride a train and that’s when the hobos came into play. An added benefit was the thought that, without regular baths, a hobo might smell mighty good to a dog. I could imagine hobo who appreciated dogs and stars as well.

Me: Tupelo seems almost multi-media, with the fold-out pages, the star chart endpapers, the time line of dog history...could you talk a little about your design process for this book, and how it fits in with all the books you’ve illustrated?

MS: It’s a very different process illustrating a story I’ve also written. It took a few years to get this story right and I thought about it constantly. I don’t have that luxury when I’m under deadline for other books—my time with the manuscript is limited. The design was shaping up to be a 40 page book, but we needed just a little more space to tell the story, yet a 48 page book seemed too long. The gatefolds allowed me to extend the story in certain places. They also reminded me of a train schedule unfolding, or a map. I didn’t want this book to be read fast, I wanted it to move along, but more chug along (like the train!) and to feel like a journey, which it is.

I tell students that making a book is like making a movie and there are about 32 frames (pages) to tell the story. How we utilize that space is big part of my job. Using the comic book device of breaking up pages into panels helps give more space. Tupelo is a simple story on one hand, but multi-layered because of the addition of the celestial legends and the dog hero information.

Me: Some of the pages of Tupelo are illustrated in panels. Have you ever considered writing or illustrating a graphic novel?

MS: Yes, and all I can say is stay tuned. I grew up with comic books and love how a story is told in panels of all kinds. I need about five lifetimes to do all the books I want to do.

Me: Tell a little about the dogs in your life. Did you grow up with dogs? And what makes your brother Sandy a “legend among border collies?” (from the acknowledgments in Tupelo)

MS: We always had a dog, or three. There were all kinds of terriers that were hard to train little devils. Then when it was time to get a dog with my own family, we decided it would be a shelter dog. Maine has an incredible placement rate for rescue dogs. It’s safe to say my family is completely embarrassed by all the gushing I do over our two dogs. But I find I never get bored of watching them. My brother has adopted border collie rescue dogs. They are notoriously smart and watch my brother as if waiting for his every move and command. He is their leader and hero, to be sure.

Me: Please share with our blog readers a little about your MY DOG IS A BONEHEAD website and your work with shelters and rescue dogs.

MS: After the book was done it felt like a natural segue to have some sort of shelter support come out of the book. The website was designed so kids, and adults, could join the BONEHEADS Pack online by filling out a form about their dog and downloading a picture of them. It doesn’t cost anything to join. I put the dogs up on the site and for every dog that joins I give a shelter donation. A portion of the sales from the store on the site will go to rescue causes, and a portion of my royalties as well. In addition I offer a signed print from the book for shelters to use in their auctions. We’ve got a pretty good-sized pack now on the site now and I’ve found people write hilarious things about their dogs. The very best thing that’s happened regarding the shelters was at the launch party I had here in my town. The local shelter was there with information and they brought a beautiful rescue dog who was adopted that day. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Me: Now let’s hear about A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams, by Jan Bryant.

First of all, thanks for the artist’s note in the back of the book. It’s always nice to learn about the materials/media that were used by the artist. Would you tell a little about the “ephemera” you’d “been saving for one day” and how you created the collages?

MS: This book had a woefully skimpy dummy and not many sketches. Although I had done extensive reading about WCW and visited his town, I was beginning to panic. I didn’t have a handle on how to render this book. The deadline was on the heels of Tupelo and I was feeling almost out of gas. I had saved some beautiful end boards from an old book with a subtle print and a good quality paper. I tried painting on it and it worked great. Then I tried using book boards as my canvases instead of starting on paper. It was just the thing I needed to propel me. It was new and fresh and I had such momentum from it. I’ve been buying old books, notebooks, atlases for years and for this project I used whatever I wanted—nothing was saved for another project. The collages are done like a painting. I start with a background, then add more objects and push things around until I feel it’s done. I approach it as a design problem so I’m considering the colors, composition etc. When I collect or buy collage materials I don’t necessarily know how I’ll utilize them. I just know I have to have them.

Me: Again from the artist’s note, it seems that you had an unusually strong connection to this book. Can you tell us about that?

When I was seven I went with my brownie troop to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY City. I came home with a souvenir postcard of a painting by Charles Demuth, The Great Figure. It is an abstract painting of a fire engine racing the city on a rainy night. I loved that painting and was pretty pleased I understood the imagery and could feel the urgency of the fire truck. Fast forward 40+ years and Eerdmans calls me about this biography of William Carlos Williams. The working title was The Great Figure, from his poem that begins: "I saw the figure five in gold." I had seen this poem and I wanted to know if WCW had written the poem after seeing the painting. It turned out the poem had been penned by WCW one night on his way to Marsden Hartley studio, where he then he gave it to Demuth. It was serendipity, and I thought, I’ve come back to this painting! I think this goes under the category of: You never know what will influence your child along the road of life.

Me: How did you come to be the illustrator for this book? Had you worked with Jen Bryant or Eerdmans Books before?

MS: No, this was my first time with both. I believe they chose me because Gayle Brown, the art director, had seen the book I illustrated, The Boy Who Drew Birds about John James Audubon. Gayle was wonderful to work with and really trusted my process, for which I am extremely grateful.

Me: Some general questions next. What was your formal art training?

MS: I have an Associates Degree in Art from Endicott College and attended the Kansas City Art Institute as well as the Museum School in Boston. After that, I went anywhere there was a course I wanted to take, or I took classes wherever I was living. I still love to take classes in anything. Blacksmithing, papermaking, tin toys, you name it, I’m there.

Me: Can you describe your typical workday? (If such a thing exists!)

MS: My work day is from about 8am to 2pm or 3pm , five days a week. I’ve stuck to this for the last 20 years and it’s been a good discipline. I never make appointments during that time. It’s all mine. It allows a lot of work to get done and even if I’m just drinking tea and reading in the studio, I consider myself working.

Me: A River of Words and Tupelo Rides the Rails are both 2008 books. Were you working on them at the same time? How did they influence each other? (I see they both have star charts, for instance.)

MS: Thank goodness for color Xeroxes…Those star charts have served me well. Tupelo took a good deal of time and consideration to make all the elements work together. It really absorbed me. As soon as it was done, I had to jump in and begin the art for this book. I went wild with the collages for A River of Words. I don’t think I would’ve had the same freedom had I not poured my soul into Tupelo. I needed a sense of abandon, and thought of all the soirees Williams attended in New York, all the modern art he loved. I tried not to censor and trust my hunches. One thing I’ve learned after many projects is that the process is not a function of time. I’ve found I work best with a deadline and the proverbial gun to my head. It forces me to make decisions and everything we do in a book is a decision. Artists have to make marks to have something to respond to, and it’s the same with writing. The early writing I do for a book looks pretty sorry, but it gives me a starting point. I have William Stafford’s quote that talks about “ lowering one’s standards in order to write” and I find that’s very helpful with art or writing. Not every day is going to be extraordinary.

Me: What are you working on now (if you can say)?

MS: I can’t say. I heard Richard Russo once say his next book is about 350 pages, so mine is about 48 pages.

Me: What is your all-time (or current, you pick) favorite medium for your art?

MS: I love using gouache. I’m not sure life would be worth living without it.

Me: What is your favorite book out of the 70+ you’ve written and/or illustrated? (Again, if such a thing exists!)

MS: In the spirit of diplomacy, I love them all for different reasons. But Carmine was so much fun, and I never dreamed I’d get to use the word “nincompoop” in a book.

Me: And now, some questions just for fun:

Coffee or tea?
Tea, PG tips to be specific.

Vanilla or chocolate?
Vanilla.

TV, DVD, or movie theater?
The movies, so long as it’s not a megaplex. We don’t have TV but I download Project Runway on YouYube religiously.

Classical or jazz?
Jazz or Leonard Cohen.

Beach, mountain, or forest?
All the above and maybe back-road bicycle ride too.

Early bird, or night owl?
Early bird.

Hardback, paperback, or magazine?
The New Yorker, or whatever I’m researching next.

Thank you, Melissa, for agreeing to this public sort of chat! I've...or shall I say, we've enjoyed getting to know you and we look forward to your next books!

For a tad bit more information, see Kids Q & A at Powell's.

All illustrations courtesy of Melissa Sweet. Posted with permission. All rights reserved.

Too Many Toys

Too Many Toys

by David Shannon

The Blue Sky Press (Scholastic)

available October, 2008

review copy provided by the publisher

Spencer had too many toys.  He had fleets and convoys and parades of toys.  He had zoos and armies of toys both big and small, loud and quiet, educational and not.

After Spencer's dad steps on one too many Lego pieces and Spencer's mom trips over one too many train tracks, Spencer receives the ultimatum:  "YOU HAVE TOO MANY TOYS!"  And he's going to have to get rid of some of them.

Spencer's mom doesn't know who she's up against, though.  First, Spencer is a dramatic sentimentalist complete with big sad eyes (like the ones Puss in Boots uses in the Shrek movies).  Then he's a crafty lawyer who knows when it's "in his best interest to agree."

Finally Spencer's mom has a box of toys that she can get rid of.  But while she's having a cup of tea and a short rest, Spencer discovers one toy he can't do without -- the BOX! 

Portland and Columbus Kidlit Conference Updates

Here's the easy way to find out how much fun lots of bloggers had in Portland.

Our posts about our mini-conference in Columbus are rounded up here.