2 New Picture Books

I picked up 2 new picture books today. First of all, I was THRILLED to see a new Bear book by Greg Foley. I am a huge fan of THANK YOU, BEAR and DON'T WORRY, BEAR. This new one is called GOOD LUCK BEAR and it is just as good as the others. I am working hard to help the primary students at my school find characters they love--characters they want to read about again and again. Bear is one of the characters they know. In this book, Bear finds a clover with three leaves. But his friend teaches him that a four-leaf clover means good luck. So, Bear goes off to find a four-leaf clover. His friends are not so supportive as he looks. The ending is a happy surprise just like we've come to expect from Foley. A great addition to this collection.

The other book that I bought was DUCK! RABBIT! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld. On the cover, there is a picture of a duck. Or is it a rabbit? Hmmm. It could be either and the book goes on to show you how. The book follows a kind of disagreement as to whether the drawing is that of a duck or that of a rabbit and each side of the disagreement tries to prove his point. This is one of those fun visuals that some people will see one way and others will see a different way. The author did a great job of turning the concept into a book for kids. I think kids will love the options and I can see lots of possibilities for talk and picture reading. A fun one to add to the library!

Another New Princess Book

I mentioned before that many of the readers that come into the library love to read about princesses. I am not even sure they want to read about princesses as much as they want to read books that are pink, purple, and glittery. I try lots of fairy tale princess stories that just don't match what these readers have in mind. So, I have been trying to pick up new princess stories.

This weekend I bought PRINCESS BESS GETS DRESSED by Margery Cuyler. The cover alone will make this book a hit--pink and purple, glitter, and a big, fancy dress. The book is a good one. It is written in rhyme which is fun. The book begins:

Princess Bess has loads of clothes
made with satin, snaps, and bows,
buckles, ribbons, silk, and lace,
pearly buttons sewn in place.

Princess Bess is a girl with a new outfit for every event in her day and this book takes us through a day of activities. Each activity requires a different outfit, but she really wanted to wear her FAVORITE things, which she keeps a secret. Bess is a happy, busy girl who does lots of princess things--lunch with the prince, ballet lessons, a joust and more. She is appropriately fancy for each event. But she is most happy at the end of the story when she is able to strip down to her underwear and says, "Now, I'm in my favorite clothes." Now that she is finished with the busy day and comfortable, she can fall asleep!

I liked the rhyme in the story. I liked Princess Bess--how she got through all of her daily activities without a frown is beyond me. Kids will like this book and they will be quite amused by the idea that her underwear are her favorite clothes. Definitely the humor that young children love!

CORETTA SCOTT

WOW! I just picked up CORETTA SCOTT by Ntozake Shange. I was expecting this book because I am a HUGE Kadir Nelson fan these days. I had seen the cover online and read a bit about it, but it so surpassed all that I was expecting. This is a gorgeous book about such an important lady.

The story of Coretta Scott King is told in poetry by Ntozake Shange. It is amazing poetry. Each page is a poem in itself and the pages work together perfectly. Not one word is wasted--each carries power as part of the story of Coretta. The first page reads:

some southern mornings
the moon
sits like an orange
sliver by the treetops

I like so much about this book--a review can't really do it justice. The writing is amazing. The illustrations are unbelievable. The cover is stunning. There is really no way I could have passed the book without buying it. The cover art draws you in and each illustration is as incredible as the one before it. Kadir Nelson at his best--I continue to be amazed at the quantity and quality of the work that he is doing.

When I opened it, I hadn't realized that it was a poem. I was expecting a more typical biography. Instead, Shange uses verse to tell the story of Coretta Scott King before and after she met Martin Luther King, Jr. The way that Shange creates a portait of Coretta in which she is her own person, and also a person connected to Martin Luther King, Jr. is important.

Like I said, no review could do this book justice at all. A very powerful and gorgeous book about an amazing woman.

Life and Death

Ways to Live Forever
by Sally Nicholls
Arthur A. Levine Books, 2008
review copy provided by the publisher

I finished WAYS TO LIVE FOREVER on the drive to Tennessee last weekend. It was an experience much like the one I had when I finished reading EACH LITTLE BIRD THAT SINGS on the drive home from dog trials: words blurring, tears streaming down my face. EACH LITTLE BIRD THAT SINGS is set in a funeral home and has a pet dog in it, so I should have known what I was getting myself into. WAYS TO LIVE FOREVER begins like this:

1. My name is Sam.
2. I am eleven years old.
3. I collect stories and fantastic facts.
4. I have leukemia.
5. By the time you read this, I will probably be dead.

Both books are about death, and that might be reason enough for some to want to keep them out of the hands of children. But both books are also about life, and in my opinion, that's precisely the reason why children should read them. Just last week, we had a conversation in my fourth grade classroom in which one of the great truths of fiction came out: we read fiction as a way to enjoy and learn from the problems of the characters...from a safe distance. Children should read WAYS TO LIVE FOREVER so that they can get to know Sam through the collection of lists and questions and journal entries he writes in the last 4 months of his life. Sam examines death and dying from all possible angles, but on the flip side, Sam makes a list of 8 things he wants to do, and over the course of the book he accomplishes all 8 in some way, shape or form: this is a book about living.

What a contrast it was to put WAYS TO LIVE FOREVER back in my bag, dry the tears off my face, and begin to read THE GRAVEYARD BOOK. I went straight from the heart-wrenching misery of the death of a bright, talented child...to death as a matter-of-fact way of life as a child grows up in a cemetery, surrounded by and taught by ghosts. Whoa.

Despite the shift of perspective from "life looking at death" to "death looking at life," both books accomplish the same mission: they give the reader the safety of distance from which to consider life and death from all angles.

THE GRAVEYARD BOOK is woven through with history, mythology, and fantasy. It brings to mind Ray Bradbury's THE HALLOWEEN TREE and SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES. And of course, GRANDY THAXTER'S HELPER.

I didn't need a single Kleenex when I read THE GRAVEYARD BOOK, but it kept me on the edge of my seat for the rest of the drive to Nashville, and I opened it again before we left the city limits on the way back home to Ohio. When I closed the book at the end, I sat for a long time just thinking. About life. And about death.

The Graveyard Book
by Neil Gaiman
illustrated by Dave McKean
HarperCollins, 2008
review copy provided by the publisher

A Possible Addition To "Cool Teachers in Children's Lit"

Today, Beth at Cover to Cover mentioned that Miss Hawthorn from the picture book WILLOW by Denise Brennan-Nelson and Rosemarie Brennan might be a good addition to our Cool Teachers list. So, I started to read the book and decided that Beth may have lost her mind. The first page begins with these words,

"Even on the sunniest days, Miss Hawthorn's art room was cold and dark. Everything was in its place. There wasn't a single broken crayon in the bunch. The students sat in their rows, silent and still, like eggs in a carton."

See why I thought Beth had lost her mind? But I trust Beth on books so I kept reading. It seems that everyone sits silently except for Willow. Willow is a creative spirit and sees things in her own way. Instead of painting brown trees with green leaves, Willow paints pink trees. Willow shares her own art book with her teacher and classmates. She continues to paint things that upset Miss Hawthorn, who frowns and mutters, "Horrid little girl."

I am sure you are wondering what I am possibly thinking, even considering adding Miss Hawthorn to our list... In our original Cool Teachers post we said:

"We're looking for thoughtful teachers who understand kids and learning and are active, intelligent people who love their work."

Miss Hawthorn may qualify because of the ending of this book. Throughout the rest of the story, Willow continues to be her wonderful self, sharing her own thoughts with Miss Hawthorn and others. She even gives Miss Hawthorn a few gifts. The last gift is her well-loved art book. (SPOILER AHEAD but I think you can figure it out anyway.) At the end of the book, Miss Hawthorn discovers her own creativity and her classroom becomes a place where everyone could be themselves!

So, Miss Hawthorn learned from her students. What could be better than that? She became a different kind of a teacher because she listened to the children who were in her class. She ended up becoming a teacher who valued each child's creativity. I think learning from your students and reflecting and changing your practice because of it definitely qualifies her to be on our list. What do you think?

LOVE THE CYBILS WINNERS!

So many of the books I love on this year's CYBILS award list! Congrats to the CYBILS team for another great year!

Poetry Friday -- Dark

WHY ARE YOUR POEMS SO DARK?
by Linda Pastan

Isn't the moon dark too,
most of the time?

And doesn't the white page
seem unfinished

without the dark stain
of alphabets?


The rest of the poem is here.
The round up this week is at Big A little a.


The moon was nearly full on Sunday night as we drove back from Tennessee.

It was not dark at all as it rose up through the winter trees.

But as is the way of the world, the moon's fullness and light lasted for only the briefest moment, and now it is moving back towards darkness again. Nothing full can stay.

When Did You Buy Into a New Tool?

I just read a post by Bill at Tech Intersect on "The True Digital Divide". An interesting post about people buying into or not buying into new tools that technology provides.

I remember years and years ago, sitting in our very first inservice on the internet. A mandated session, I believe.We were a young group of teachers. We were in a computer lab, each with our own computers and the speaker was teaching us about the internet and how to find things. As a group of elementary teachers who saw no connection to our work and saw no need to use this in our own lives, we sat passively doing what the instructor asked. But then, midway through the class, someone discovered that you could find phone numbers and addresses of old friends and boyfriends on the internet. Immediately the room perked up as we looked for people that we had known to see where they were and possibly what they were doing. We were amazed that we could do this and the energy in the room went up quickly. We were immediately hooked on this new tools and the possibilities of the information we could find. Instead of searching topics given to us by an instructor, we had found old friends who we could go home and reconnect with. (This seems like such a small thing now but it was a huge new thing years ago.) We quickly moved beyond this type of search as we wondered what other things we could find on the internet.

I'm not sure what this says about us or about the use of new tools except that users have to buy in and they won't buy in until they see something worthwhile and interesting. Until they have a reason to play with a tool to see what is possible. We don't all buy into the same tools at the same time. Often I need to see what other people can do with a tool before I decide whether or not the tool is worth the time it will take to learn it. Twitter is a perfect example of that. There are so many options out there that I have learned to take my time and choose wisely. I don't feel that I need to be an expert on every tool.

I don't use tech because it makes me a good role model. I use it because it adds meaning to lots that I do. I can't imagine living without the tools that add to my networks and learning and entertainment. I think teachers need to first see how new tools can enhance their own lives and learning. Then, they will find ways to embed those new tools into their teaching.

In Toby Fischer's post at Future of Education, he talks about the importance of educators taking on the role of technology user. For me right now, that is where my thinking and learning is. Committing to using these new tools in way that fit into my life. I will need to think further about implications for the classroom but committing to using the tools will surely impact my teaching.

Reading Conversation

A couple of weeks back, my students and I made a chart of all the things we expect when we pick up a nonfiction book. The number one expectation was FACTS. Along with that, we listed all the various structures of nonfiction (index, glossary, pictures, captions, etc.).

Yesterday I asked them to give me the top 5 expectations they have when they open a fiction book. Here they are, in the order they were given:

1. A beginning, a middle, and an end. (Wow! The basic structure of fiction on the first hand up!)

2. Enjoyment.

3. A problem.

I had to stop them there because they had said so much in their top three and I wanted to make sure they really heard themselves.  I probed, "You expect to enjoy fiction, and yet you also expect problems? You ENJOY the PROBLEMS?" They laughed, delighted by the wrongness of that truth and assured me that they enjoy the problems. "Do you ALWAYS enjoy problems?" And they laughed again about that, and assured me that they do NOT always enjoy problems. "So why do you enjoy problems in books?" They couldn't really put it into words, so I gave them the simple truth that they already knew about fiction: We can enjoy the problems BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT OURS! An example from just the day before:  When S. decided to read THE GIRL WITH 500 MIDDLE NAMES by Haddix, it was with the expressed mission of finding out how the character in the story handled the teasing. Not her problem.

4. Characters.

5. Story. Not facts, story. Unless, as the boy who's reading CRACKER by Kahodata pointed out, you're reading historical fiction, and then you expect some facts mixed into your story.

When I sent them off to read, it seemed like the silence in the room was a bit deeper than usual, and I was unwilling to break it by having conferences. Maybe it was just my imagination, but the way they were holding their books as they read looked like they were holding mirrors up to their own hearts.

Another Book I Could Read a Million Times

HOW TO HEAL A BROKEN WING by Bob Graham is being added to my list of "Books I Could Read a Million Times". I have read this book to several classes at the library and would be happy to read it to 100 more classes if I could. It is a great book.

HOW TO HEAL A BROKEN WING begins like this:"High above the city, no one heard the soft thud of feathers against glass.". How about that for a powerful lead? The story goes on to tell about Will, the only person in the city who noticed that a bird had fallen and was hurt. This book is the story of Will's work in helping the bird to heal in the midst of all of the others who were too busy to notice.

The brilliance of this book is partly in the illustrations. The book does not have many words. Just a short line on each page. So, as a reader, you need to read both the pictures and the words to get the whole message. And the illustrations are amazing--I can't even explain all that Graham does with the pictures.

This is a great book for talk. Reading it to many different grades over the week, there were definite patterns. By page 2, the class was silent and glued to the book. The look of horror at a bird falling and being hurt was common. As a reader, you feel lots of emotions in this book and the kids' faces showed each one. Without giving away the ending too much, I will tell you that several classes clapped at the end. You just feel the need to celebrate the ending of the book in some way.

This book is good for every age--preschool, elementary, adults. I can't really think of an audience that wouldn't appreciate it.
It is really a must-have.

Other reviews: Katie at Creative Literacy
We Heart Books
Mother Reader

(This is on the Cybils Short List so we'll see if it wins when the winners are announced later this week! Crossing my fingers for this one!)

Reading Aloud Conversation

I have been following the Read Aloud conversation started by Jen Robinson with interest. I am always amazed at how big some of these blog conversations grow! Jen started the conversation asking about starting a campaign about the importance of read aloud.

I am a huge advocate of books and reading aloud. And, Mary Lee wrote her first book on this important topic. In her book, she talks to teachers about the importance of read aloud. She talks about the comfortable feeling in the room during read aloud and the things that kids learn when read aloud is an anchor in their day. Her book is an amazing one--one of the best for teachers on read aloud and how to make the most of read aloud time. If you haven't read it, I would highly recommend it. It is definitely a book that every library should have as a resource for teachers. Mary Lee takes a fresh look at read aloud and helps teachers see all of the possibilities. (She would not mention her book on her own so I thought I would let you know what a great resource it is!) The Stenhouse website says this about the book:

"Reconsidering Read-Aloud is a compelling example of the richness that can be found in this daily classroom event. With a love of literature, knowledge of her students, and the desire to teach kids to read more deeply, every teacher can bring the joy of teaching and learning during read-aloud to the classroom."

On another note, I worry when we decide what other parents and teachers should do. To be honest, I don't read aloud to my children as often as I'd like. I don't necessarily believe that reading aloud is THE most important thing I can do at this point in their reading lives. Instead, we talk about books every day. That doesn't mean that we don't talk about books every day.We do. I share new books, listen to their thoughts on what they are reading, etc. If we limit what we do as parents to read aloud, we miss out on the higher level conversations we can have that last them a lifetime. I know that my 3rd grader is in a school that values books. She has books read aloud to her every day. She has time to read on her own every day. The two of us rarely sit down and read aloud. Instead, we talk and talk and talk about books. We visit bookstores and libraries together. We ask each other's opinions on new books we find. We agree and we disagree. Is one more important than the other? I would say that being part of your child's reading life can happen in lots of ways. Reading aloud is one way and often the best way to start a lifetime conversation around books. But with new literacies and kids reading so much online, etc. we have to go beyond just sitting and reading aloud to our children. As parents, we need to talk about the books they are reading when we are not sitting next to them. They need to know that we are interested in what they are reading and what they are thinking about that reading.

I think there are LOTS of ways that parents and teachers can support children in becoming lifelong readers. Reading aloud is one of those ways. And a fun one at that. But there are other things that are just as important--visiting libraries, choosing books together, talking to kids about the books they read on their own, etc. I think there are lots of options for parents. Being part of your child's reading life is what I see as the critical part.

BELLA AND BEAN by Rebecca Kai Dotlich

I first heard about the book BELLA &BEAN when I read Kristine's interview of Kathi Appelt on Best Book I Have Not Read. In the interview, Kathi Appelt said, " I love Rebecca Kai Dotlich’s new Bella and Bean, which I’ve been carrying around and hugging. Don’t you love it when you love a book so much you just want to hug it?" I knew I had to have it.

I love all of Rebecca Kai Dotlich's work and was thrilled to see this new picture book from her. A picture book about being a poet and being a friend. What could be better. The beginning of the book reads like this:

"Bella lived in an old brick house with white shutters, just up the hill from Spoon Pond. Every day she wrote poetry at a small desk beneath a small window, shaded by a canopy the color of plums."

Even if I didn't see the possibilities is sharing this book with writers in a Writing Workshop, I would love this book. Bella and Bean are great characters. Characters who have personality right away in the book. Very believable characters and friends. Two girls you would want to hang out with.

The illustrations in the book are perfect. The cover is pink and will definitely be noticed by Fancy Nancy fans. The liveliness of the illustrations are a perfect fit for the story.

The messages about friendship and writing will make for great conversations. Finding topics to write about, finding time to write, loving words, paying attention to the world around you are all part of this story.

And, the ending is wonderful. Love the ending.

This book is sweet on one hand, yet carries powerful messages about friendship and writing too. So many levels to enter. So many possibilities for students.

I agree with Kathi Appelt--a book I want to hug. Anyone who has seen me this weekend, knows that I have been carrying this book around with me, making anyone I see read it. So far, I have shared it with several friends at the Reading Recovery conference and I intend to carry it around for a few more days to share. It is one of those books that is too good not to share with everyone you see.

(I just realized that Rebecca Kai Dotlich will be at a conference at Purdue this summer that I'll be attending. I may have to go a day early to hear her keynote. How could I pass that up?)

Patrick Carman: Live Webcast

Remember when Franki reviewed Skeleton Creek by Patrick Carman? We got this press release today:

Patrick Carman's new book, Skeleton Creek, hits stores on Tuesday, February 10th. The first project of its kind, Skeleton Creek is a book and a movie at the same time. Find out about the project by clicking here.

Friday the 13th Live Webcast Event
Watch the live webcast!
Author Q and A / Presentation
6:30PM (PST) on Friday the 13th
Third Place Books in Seattle, WA.

21st Century Thinking-My Blog Visits

I must say, I had so much more free time in life before TWITTER! But, because of Twitter, I have learned so many new things. I get so many great links and find so many smart people through Twitter. I have learned to manage my time better when I am on Twitter, but it has really helped me think through lots of things related to teaching/21st Century Skills.

I followed lots of sessions at Educon 2.1---a conference hosted by the Science Leadership Academy. So many great people in attendance and I was able to actual participate in some of the sessions --it was like I was sitting in the room. That part alone was amazing. But, The Science Leadership Academy is amazing. One quote by Chris Lehman (principal at SLA) from the conference (that I got via twitter was this: "I want 4 things for SLA kids. I want them to be thoughtful, wise, passionate and kind." What a goal! You can hear the voices of SLA students and teachers in a video here.

So, as I mentioned, I popped into a few of the virtual sessions at Educon. Watched and listened a bit. Love that I could do that. Chris Lehman is pretty amazing. But I was pretty struck by the fact that a very, very small percentage of people at these types of conferences and in these conversations are elementary teachers. I was always struck with that as a literacy coach. The absence of classroom teachers. It is easy for those of us not in classrooms to think about these things but how do we make sure classroom teachers are part of the conversations? Not just coaches, and tech leaders, and administrators. Change can't happen without classroom teacher leadership. How do we network so that classroom teachers--especially at the elementary level---are leading some of this conversation?

A great place worth spending some time is Networking: A New Literacy wikispace. I learned about it from Karl Fisch. The wiki is designed as a way to promote conversation but there is so much to explore and so much great thinking to do. Lots of reflective questions that really helped my own thinking. And many great links.

Totally fascinated by this idea from Dr. Michael Wesch. He and his group of students read and discussed 94 articles--having each student read 5. From what I can tell from the article, the conversation, because of the way Dr. Wesch structured the work, was powerful because expertise was built quickly. Lots to talk about early on. I can't explain it as well as his blog post does but this is the kind of things where some tech tools can really change teaching and learning. What a way to share so much in so little time.

Kevin of Kevin's Meandering Mind has a great slide sow of the different ways to use video in the classroom. I keep thinking that, as teachers, we just need to see the possibilities and this post does just that--quickly shows us lots of possibilities for using cameras in the classroom. I got several ideas and am hoping that others post things like this using other tools. Seeing the possibilities for learning is what helps me create a vision and this did just that.

A great post about the power of teachers who share. I appreciated the beginning of this post, "While I know that like any profession, there are good teachers and bad teachers, I don’t see many bad ones. My work usually has me working with passionate, caring teachers who truly want what’s best for kids."

As always, Karl Fisch posts in a way that helps us think and reflect on our own teaching. His post, "What's Impossible In Your Classroom?" helped me to reflect on the limits that I place on teaching and learning. This post will stay with me as a way to listen to my own words--do I think some things are impossible and I do I take a new stance?

And, I don't really get digital storytelling yet. But this post helped me to see the amazing possibilities in digital storytelling. It includes links to several different examples of the ways stories can be told. Definitely worth a look--again, to see what is possible.

I revisited an older article by Carol Dweck, thanks to Debbie Miller. The article, "The Perils and Promises of Praise" seem to tie in completely to all that we are working toward with any 21st Century Learning. The urgency to teach children in ways to build agency and identity is key. When students are engaged and interested in their work, there is no need for outside motivation. So much of my thinking around 21st Century Learning is more about student agency and learner identity and this article connects to that thinking.

KIDLITOSPHERE CENTRAL!!

If you haven't had time to visit KIDLITOSPHERE CENTRAL, you are missing out on a great thing!

Here is an intro to the site from Mother Reader

The Kidlitosphere has grown so much since
Melissa Wiley at Here in the Bonny Glen invented the name--Kidlitosphere--for us! When she invented the word on June 5, 2006, there were no hits on Google. Today, when I googled the word, I got 28,800 hits! It has been fun to see the Kidlitosphere grow. We feel lucky to have so many amazing resources to go to when it comes to children's books.

The new site has everything you need if you are love children's book. There is a list of blogs and their links, News, links to CYBILS and more.

It is really exciting to see all of this pulled together in one spot! I would block out a few hours to explore the site and the links.

Poetry Friday -- Metaphorically Speaking

LITANY
by Billy Collins

You are the bread and the knife,

You are the bread and the knife,
the crystal goblet and the wine.
You are the dew on the morning grass
and the burning wheel of the sun.
You are the white apron of the baker
and the marsh birds suddenly in flight.
.
.
(the middle part of the poem is here)
.
.

It might interest you to know,
speaking of the plentiful imagery of the world,
that I am the sound of rain on the roof.

I also happen to be the shooting star,
the evening paper blowing down an alley,
and the basket of chestnuts on the kitchen table.

I am also the moon in the trees
and the blind woman's tea cup.
But don't worry, I am not the bread and the knife.
You are still the bread and the knife.
You will always be the bread and the knife,
not to mention the crystal goblet and—somehow—the wine.



Here's what I want to know. What are you? It would interest me to know, "speaking of the plentiful imagery of the world," what you are.

And what am I?

I am the frost on my car's windshield in the morning,
and I am the stacks of papers and files that haven't been put away,
but I am also the piece of rainbow that the crystal in the window makes
when the sun comes in at just the right angle.

What are my students? They are...

...the annoying squirrel on the porch,
...the book, with so many ideas,
...the sneakers on the baseball field,
...the hair on a golden retriever,
...the sun in the summer.

They are...

...the homework that is not finished,
...the wind slowly blowing,
...the soft butter on the roll,
...a feather,
...the letter D,
...an airplane that flies over the clouds.

They are...

...popcorn in the microwave,
...syrup on pancakes,
...the moss that stays forever on the rock,
...the brush that makes the painting,
...the volcano that erupts,
...a hare on the prairie,
...a worm in an apple,
...the wind of a tornado.

They are...

...the sunset in the evening sky,
...the moon and the sun,
...the noise in my mother's house,
...the thorn on the rose,
...the sugar in a chocolate bar,
...the H in hurt,
...but most importantly, the snowflake on a snowy day.


Elaine has the round up this week at Wild Rose Reader.

Cool Teachers

It's been a long time since we've received a nomination for a Cool Teacher to add to our list of 100+ Cool Teachers in Children's Literature. Yesterday, Sue suggested Mr. Beggs from Suellen Holland's Mountain Whippoorwill. We're up to 115!

You've done a lot of reading this past year. Think back. Were there cool teachers in any of the 2008 books you read? Remind us, and we'll add them to the list.

Edited to add:

Thank you, Tricia, for Mr. D'Matz of the Clementine books! (Keep 'em coming, folks! This makes 116!)

Diversity Rocks -- Native Peoples

Every child should be able to find him or herself in books. We're doing better, but we're not there yet. Not anywhere near there.

Today I share two books that will hold up a mirror for Native American children. One that acknowledges the pain of the past, and one that is full of hope for the future.






Shin-chi's Canoe
by Nicola I. Campbell
illustrated by Kim LaFave
Groundwood Books, 2008
review copy provided by the publisher

From the flap copy: "Nicola I. Campbell is Interior Salish and Métis...Many members of her family, including her grandfather and mother, attended residential school."

In order to "civilize" them, Europeans forced hundreds of thousands of Native children to attend residential schools, where they were taught European culture, religion and language in replacement of their own.  Shin-Chi's Canoe tells the story of a little girl and her brother riding in a cattle truck away from their family and the beloved landscape of their home, which they would not see again "until the sockeye salmon return," to the separation and strange routines of the residential school. The strength of the children and the power of their own culture is shown when the little brother finds time to go alone to the river, experience nature deeply, sing his grandfather's prayer song, and send the little canoe his father carved down the river back towards home. We also see strength and resilience when the little brother and his new friend find a way to steal food from the school's root cellar! 

The beautiful but spare illustrations communicate with gesture, line and color the pull of home, and the children's resistance to the dulling experience of the school.

Niwechihaw (I Help)
by Caitlin Dale Nicholson
text translated into Cree by Leona Morin-Neilson
Groundwood Books, 2008

From the flap copy: "Caitlin Dale Nicholson is a graduate of the First Nations Studies program at the University of Norther British Columbia...Leona Morin-Neilson teaches Cree at the "Power of Friendship" Aboriginal HeadStart Program in Prince George, British Columbia and at the University of Norther British Columbia. She also teaches people in her community about traditional plants and how they can be used for medicinal purposes."

This is a very simple story about a boy and his grandmother out for a walk in the woods to pick rosehips. Everything his grandmother does, he does in his own way. Some things seem universal -- "driving" his toy car while grandmother drives the car, walking, helping, picking. But some things show how culture and tradition are passed on -- he listens and he prays. In the end, when his grandmother sits, he says, "Not me!" as he pulls back on his slingshot. No matter what else he is, he's a BOY!

Each page features a beautiful painting of either grandmother or the grandson.  There is one short sentence below the picture, first in Cree, then in English. For example, "Kohkom pimohtew. Kohkom walks." is paired with "Nipimohatan. I walk."

A recipe for rosehip tea is included at the end.

Dublin Librarians Rock!

I am lucky to teach at a school that is close to our the Dublin branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Libraries. Early in the year, I met with Loren Scully, the children's librarian, who is committed to connecting the work that we do. She had such great ideas about ways we could work together and we've been having lots of fun. So many benefits from working together. First of all, the kids at our school get the benefit of learning from the amazing librarians there. Second, by helping the students at school build relationships with the librarians at the Dublin branch, their visits to the library will be even better. And third, it is always interesting for me to see the kids and watch/listen when I am not the one teaching. I learn so much about them.

Earlier this month, Loren Scully visited the library and talked to 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders about the Caldecott Award, sharing her list of possibilities with them. The kids had a great time, learned lots, and have already mentioned to me (since the visit) that they saw her while visiting the Dublin Library. Ray, another one of the librarian, comes to the school weekly to work with a student. We have lots of informal chats about books while we pass in the hallway!

This week, one of the other librarians, George Morrison, came to share stories and songs with our K-1 students. He is quite the entertainer and the kids (and teachers) had a great time. I have never heard anyone read Piggie and Elephant quite like he did--with voices and all. The kids loved it. He shared songs and books and stories. (You can hear the song and others on his blog.) This event was to get kids excited about another event we'll be doing with the library. We have been invited to a PAJAMA STORYTIME at the library. In the evening, when it is dark, kids can visit the library with parents and families (wearing their PJs of course!) and participate in more songs and stories with George.

These three librarians are helping me realize just how powerful the connection to the library can be. I am already hearing comments from kids about wanting to visit the library, wanting to get a library card, etc. These librarians are quickly becoming part of our school community!

January Mosaic

I am participating in Project 365 on Flickr this year. I'm not following the rules exactly, so even though I have "joined" the group, I haven't really. Here's why: I can't take a picture a day. Or enough pictures each day so that I can choose one per day. (And if I take two really good ones on the same day, I want to use them both!)

The goal of taking 365 pictures in a year is like my goal of reading 52 children's novels in a year -- sometimes I'll go days without taking pictures and then "make up" the lost time; sometimes I go for weeks without finishing a book until the next chance I have to read multiple books. As always, the day job gets in the way of this project...especially this time of year when I get to work in the dark and leave for home in the dark. Kind of limits the photo ops, as it were.

Rules or no rules, this is a fun project that has made me more aware of the world around me -- of shape and color, texture and contrast. I carry my camera with me at all times now, and that alone has been worth its weight in gold. I am learning to navigate Flickr. I made the mosaic on fd's Flickr Toys. This is one of the ways that I am working on my 21st Century Literacies.

What Can You Do WIth A Rebozo? by Carmen Tafolla

During the announcements of the ALA awards on Monday, I was pleased to know so many of the books on the lists. But I am finding that it is just as fun to discover some of the books that I didn't know about. The Caldecott and the Newbery tend to get the most publicity that day, but so many of the other awards share such important pieces of literature for children. Discovering new titles has been fun for me this week.

WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH REBOZO? by Carmen Tafolla is a book I learned about when the ALA awards were presented on Monday. This book was a Belpre Illustrator Honor Book. A great picture book by all accounts. The book starts out with the title question, "What can you DO with a rebozo?" and then continues to answer the question of all of the ways you can use one. You quickly learn that a rebozo is a traditional Mexican woven shawl. Each page gives one or two new ways to use a rebozo--from keeping warm to making a secret tunnel.

The illustrations are stunning --a definite celebration of life and family.

So glad that I found this book! A great addition to the library:-)

WOLFSNAIL: A BACKYARD PREDATOR by Sarah C. Campbell

Another reason I love Cover to Cover is that they had all of the ALA award-winning books on display at the store--right when you walk in the door. I knew lot of the books that were winners but I found a few that I hadn't seen. One of the books I picked up today was WOLFSNAIL: A BACKYARD PREDATOR by Sarah C. Campbell. What a great book. I had no ideas that there were snails that ate other snails. This book was named a Geisel Honor Book on Monday. I am SOOOOO happy to see nonfiction on that award list. And this book is amazing. I picked it up and immediately knew that it would be a great read aloud for all age levels. So many things make it an amazing book:
*Amazing photos and many of them take up the full page
*Simple text packed with information
*Great language along with introductions of topic-specific words
*Some extra info on the last page, because once you know about this wolfsnail, you want to know more!
*A glossary with some of the "snail words"

Really, this is a spectacular book. I so love a book that teaches me about something I didn't even know existed. I am pretty sure that the kids will love this one!

PRINCESS PEEPERS by Pam Calvert

At least twice a week, one of the Kindergarten or first grade girls at school asks for a "princess book". That is what they look for and they are not easy to please. They want the new pink and purple princess of today. And these young girls seem to decide immediately by the cover, whether this is a princess that they want to read about.

So, I was very excited to find PRINCESS PEEPERS by Pam Calvert. The cover is perfect--pink and purple. And Princess Peepers is pretty fun. She wears glasses and loves to wear many different kinds of glasses. Quite the fashion statement. But then the other princesses make fun of her so she goes without her glasses. Well, as predicted it is a disaster and she can't see. All kinds of trouble occurs until she realizes that she does need her glasses. The ending is a good one and everyone, of course, lives happily ever after.

A cute book that will definitely make a good addition to the library!

(Thanks to Marshall Cavendish Children's Books for the review copy!)

Poetry Friday -- The Dog Wish

Man
is troubled
by what might be called
the Dog Wish,
a strange and involved compulsion
to be as happy and carefree
as a dog.

James Thurber

The round up this week is at Adventures in Daily Living.

2 New Picture Books

I didn't even have to read THE ODD EGG by Emily Gravett or THE GREAT PAPER CAPER by Oliver Jeffers when Beth showed them to me at Cover to Cover this week. I love both authors so much that I knew that I would want the books. So I bought them and read them when I got home. And I was not disappointed!

THE ODD EGG by Emily Gravett is a cute story of about lots of birds who have eggs. And Duck, who does not. But he finds an egg and waits anxiously for it to hatch. Gravett's illustrations are fun and the expressions on the animals' faces are worth a close look. There are some partial size pages that adds to the fun of the book. And of course there is a fun surprise at the end. A simple story with text that young children can tackle on their own. And of course, lots of Gravett's humor that makes this a book adults won't tire of. So glad I picked it up!

THE GREAT PAPER CAPER by Oliver Jeffers is the second book that I picked up. This book is a mystery of sorts. Tree branches are disappearing in the forest and the animals investigate. The language of a mystery (alibi, culprit, suspects) are used throughout which add to the fun. The clues come together for a happy ending. Jeffers great story, humor and unique art style combine to make this a great book to add to the library. Fun for all ages, I think!

Amelia Rules!: When the Past is a Present

Amelia Rules! Volume #4: When the Past is a Present
by Jimmy Gownley
Renaissance Press, 2008

This was my snow day gift to myself: curl up on the couch and read a book I want to read for me.

In this volume, Amelia's life is rocketing forward (her mom has a date, she's going to her first dance) and she's trying to make sense of how all that fits into her past.

Gownley's goal with the Amelia books "was to create a comic book with comic strip sensibilities that both traditional and nontraditional comic book fans could enjoy. He also wanted to provide good, solid entertainment for kids that didn't talk down to them." And he totally succeeds. He even made me cry.

In Part 3, "The Things I Cannot Change," Amelia learns why her friend Joan has been so sad and withdrawn even though she shares the news that she doesn't have to move. At the dance, it is announced that Joan's father is being deployed, and not to someplace fun like Germany. We feel Joan's pain, we see how Amelia and Joan's friend Hannigan cheer Joan up and get her back to the dance floor, and then in three pages of stark panels that march 3 by 3 across pages with empty, white backgrounds, we watch Joan say goodbye to her father.

This book is not a serious downer, just because there's a serious part. There's also a nod to comic strip history in the part where Amelia's mother and Aunt Tanner tell her their family's story. There's a hysterical babysitter-gone-bad part. There's a game called "Thank Goodness You're Open," and a definition of "Hangin' Out." What makes this book so hard to describe, and what makes it (and the rest of the Amelia books) so brilliant, is that all the random funny, weird, serious, thoughtful, historic, artsy, comic-y parts are woven and interconnected in ways that...well, suffice it to say: read it for yourself. Read them all.

My Favorite Words from Governor Strickland's State of the State Address Today

Governor Ted Strickland's State of the State Address was today. So many favorite lines to choose from but these are the things that make me most excited as a teacher and as a mom. Great goals for education in Ohio:-) And check out the Wordle from his speech- love the big messages. My favorite lines from today --in no particular order...

     "Under my plan, the Ohio Department of Education will set standards for Ohio schools requiring innovative teaching formats. Interdisciplinary methods, project-based learning, real world lessons, and service learning will be the norm."

     "Ohio’s current graduation test does not measure creativity, problem solving, and other key skills. We will make our assessments both relevant and rigorous by replacing the Ohio Graduation Test with the ACT and three additional measures.
     All students will take the ACT college entrance examination, not only to measure their high school achievement, but to help raise students’ aspirations for higher education. Students will also take statewide ‘end of course’ exams, complete a service learning project, and submit a senior project.
    These four measures will give our graduating high school seniors the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge, creativity, and problem solving skills, in short, to demonstrate precisely the skills that will help them succeed in life."

"Together we’ll make Ohio among the first states to place 21st century skills like creativity, problem solving, communication and leadership at the center of its curriculum."

"The learning experience will be built around the individual student. Lessons will not end when a fact is memorized. Students will be given a chance to interact with information, to follow up on the subjects that fascinate, to think critically and creatively and to use what they’ve learned to draw conclusions."

"Our schools are not assembly lines and our students are not widgets. We will teach to each individual student’s need because we recognize that it is the surest path to seeing our young people reach their full potential."

ORBIS PICTUS AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING NONFICTION FOR CHILDREN

NCTE has announced the 2009 Orbis Pictus winners. I tend to look forward to this list each year for a variety of reasons. As a reader of children's books, I gravitate to picture books and fiction novels.

At our Cover to Cover visit on Monday, Bill from Literate Lives pointed out a few books that I purchased. Bill is a history guy so he notices books that I don't. He pointed out several nonfiction books that I hadn't paid attention to before. Once I took a few minutes to look at them, I realized that I needed them for the library.

The Orbis Pictus Award was one of the first ways I started to pay attention to nonfiction. And I have ALWAYS been impressed by the selections. At the NCTE Annual Convention where some of the Orbis Pictus winners are awarded and highlighted each year, I am always struck by how many more great nonfiction books are being published for kids.

I am struck by the difference in "nonfiction" and nonfiction children's literature. So many books in classrooms, libraries, and bookstores are so encyclopedia-like. So many "sets" of books that are such poor quality in terms of interest, layout and readability. So many that have the feel of textbooks. I think in elementary schools, if we can begin to replace those types of books with good, quality nonfiction for children, it would be a huge service to kids. Imagine how many biography readers we'd have if they had access to great picture book biographies all the time. The Orbis Pictus has always helped me to think through the kinds of nonfiction kids choose to read outside of school. That, to me, is a clue as to the kinds of nonfiction we should have in school!

I don't know many books on this year's Orbis Pictus list. I haven't even heard of the actual winner, AMELIA EARHART, THE LEGEND OF THE LOST AVIATOR but I do love some of the other books that received honors or recommendations--WE ARE THE SHIP,A RIVER OF WORDS, SISTERS AND BROTHERS. GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER.

I love ALA's award day. It is so fun to predict winners, to listen to others thoughts, to try to read the year's winner, etc. But there are so many other awards that are given that really help me select good books for kids. The Orbis Pictus Award is one that over the years, has really helped me add nonfiction children's literature to my reading life.

Okay, Okay, Franki Won

Franki read the Newbery before it was announced today, so technically, she wins the friendly little non-competition (HA!) upon which this blog was originally based.

Here she is with Beth and Sally, the two other people in our world who read The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman before today's announcement.


I am going to claim a win of sorts this year too, because my prediction of the winner came true. I predicted that "the Newbery will be a book that hasn't darkened my door: Jimmy's Stars, Highway Cats, The Graveyard Book, The Porcupine Year, After Tupac and D Foster, Seer of Shadows, or The Trouble Begins at 8." There it is, the third one on my list. As a bonus, I have never seen the Caldecott winner, either! SCORE! (On a side note, I own a copy of the Caldecott Honor book, A River of Words, which is signed by both the author and the illustrator because I've had that one on my short list since last summer!)

But just to show that there are no hard feelings here we all are at Cover to Cover right before we left to go out to dinner:


Bestbookihavenotread, Literate Lives (minus Bill -- did your kid's team win the basketball game?), Cover to Cover, Creative Literacy, A Year of Reading, Authentic Learner x2, local author Amjed Qamar, and A Year of Reading.

Yes, blogging is fun, but it can't beat meeting at the best independent children's bookstore in our state on Newbery announcement day and then filling a huge booth at NorthStar and talking books!

Newbery Predictions from Friends

We asked some of our smart, book expert friends, to send us their recommendations for this year's Newbery award. We love hearing everyone's thoughts on the award. Some great thoughts on books in general:-) The conversation is always such fun! Here is what they said:

From Ray Barrett, one of the great children's librarians at the Dublin Library says:

"I've had a chance to finish "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins and I enjoyed it more than anything else that I've read recently (Juvenile or Adult!). The themes that form the basis of the book are serious, but are handled in such a way that I don't believe it would be too much for an excellent Middle School reader to handle. After all, they are constantly surrounded and inundated by similar situations in the world in which they live today. The main characters are very well developed with individual personalities, beliefs, and observations on the state of their lives as they compete in the games. The main character, Katniss Everdeen, definitely evolves and grows throughout the course of the book, and she is the personification of self-sacrifice as she makes the difficult decisions with which she is faced. I found the book extremely difficult to put down and continued to think about it in the time between my reading opportunities. When I had finished it, and after re-reading the last few pages several times, I actually felt a sense of loss that my visit to this world was over! The good news is that it's the first book in a trilogy, although the reader is unaware of this until the last page. It was such a powerful reading experience, and it was written so effectively, that I believe it will appeal to both an older Teen audience as well as to younger Middle School readers who are interested in a book that stresses the values of personal identity, self-sacrifice, and resistence to the status quo. "The Hunger Games" is the type of book that could win the Newbery or the Printz (or both?), and it's my pick for this year!"

From Jen Allen, Literacy Coach in Maine and author of Becoming a Literacy Leader

"When Franki asked me my pick for this year's Newbery award I have to admit
that I took a deep breath. It seems like I am always in left field with
my selections. But with that said, I have to say that The Life and Crimes
of Bernetta Wallflower by Lisa Graff is one of my favorite reads of the
year. This story is all about the choices that we make and the
consequences for our actions. I especially like the story because it is a
real kid grabber and truly appeals to students in the intermediate grades.
I think too often I pick books that appeal to me as an adult and at
times lose sight of what kids want in a book. As my son often tells me,
he is not always looking for books with deep meaning. He just wants to
lose himself in the book with the characters. He helps me to remember the
beauty of being eleven and the power an adventurous and sometimes
outrageous storyline can have on the desire for kids to engage with books."

From Larry Swartz, our good friend from Toronto and author of GOOD BOOKS MATTER (review to come soon), LITERACY TECHNIQUES, and THE NOVEL EXPERIENCE has some predictions as well as some titles that can't win the award but are worth the read!

OK... once again I will give some thoughts to the Newbery.. but they never listen to me.. i'm still grieving over HOME OF THE BRAVE by Applegate not getting recognition last year.. it was the best, so there!...

I'd certainly give recognition to THE UNDERNEATH.. a beautifullly written book.. but a bit strange.. and somewhat schizophrenic... it's about many things.. and the illustratioins don't work.. and get rid of that cover.. the book, I think, is for a narrow audience (strong readers (girls) in grade 5 or 6)... but i enjoyed the read and it's layers.

Probably the award should go to SUNRISE AT FALLUJAH by Walter Dean Myers.. He really is a hero of young adolescent literature... this book is an encyclopedic... historic overview of the IRAQ war and for it's importance, I give it a vote.. will 'they' give it to a YA novel? assumption: a different intended audience for the newbery ...

I wouldn't mind if BROOKLYN BRIDGE by Karen Hesse or THE WILLOUGHBYS by Lois Lowry were recognized.. does the committee care if these were previous winners? do they care if they are authorspeople have heard of?

colleagues at the book store love THE HUNGER GAME by Suzanne Collins.. but I ain't a sci fantasy fan so it doesn't get a big rah rah from me....the books I particularly enjoyed this year don't qualify.. cuz they ain't american.. i really liked the Canadian book WORD NERD by Susin Nielsen... and the australian book NAKED BUNYIP DANCING by Steven Herrick... and Michael Morpurgo's (british)..BORN TO RUN
there's some monday morning thoughts from north of the 49th parallel...just

21st Century Thinking-My Blog Visits

I continue to stretch my thinking on 21st Century Learning thanks to so many great people who are writing about their own learning and thinking.  As I figured, many of these issues are not specific to technology or 21st Century.  Instead, they are about teaching and learning.  Not really different issues, but I think 21st Century tools give us a great opportunity to really rethink all that we are doing in education--what is our purpose? how do we best support kids? etc.
One of my favorite posts of the week comes from Generation YES Blog "Technology Literacy and Sustained Tinkering Time."  The article looks at the research about SSR and what that might tell us about the time kids (and all learners) need to play with tools.  I have been thinking a lot about this lately--the fact that we need time to "play" and learn these tools in a way that is fun and no-stress.  Definitely an article worth reading and thinking about. The title alone made me think!
There is a Guest Post on Learn Me Good from Kevin of Kevin's Meandering Mind called "Who's the Expert Anyway?", Kevin reflects on the fact that many of our students are much farther ahead than we are in their technology skills and understanding.  So, what does that mean for us?  How do we take what we know about teaching and learning and help kids grow who have experiences with 21st Century skills that we don't?

Wesley Fryer writes about Self-Directed Learning in his post "Professional School sand Self-Directed Learning".  My favorite line from this post is "Dependent learners remain limited learners."  So true and I think that our most struggling kids become the most dependent and then the most limited.  I worry about this often.  
I love David Warlick's post titled, "What is the Purpose of Education?" in which he reflects on his own answer to the question. He reflects on the recent post by Karl Fisch and says "What struck me in hindsight was that these students were earning respect." I think this is so much of everything about schools--are kids owning their own learning or jumping through some hoops that someone creates for them?  This is another reminder that 21st Century Literacy is so much more than technology.

Tim Tyson asks readers two great questions this week in his recent post. Do you sincerely believe that our students in today's schools can make the world a better place because of their school work? AND What percentage of students in your school actually sincerely made the world a better place because of their school work this year? Stop over and add your answers to the post. Definitely something to think about especially when added to David Warlick's post.

Why Do Some Kill Student Blogging? is a great post by Ryan Bretag. He writes about an issue that I have been concerned about for a while--how schools kill blogging when we ask kids to keep a blog. We often do this by making it formulaic--not the kind that we want to read. For me, this is one of the big issues of 21st Century Learning.  What good is using tools if the thinking and communication is taken away and students just follow our templates?  How do we help students use these tools in authentic ways?  I remember this early when kids were creating websites. I would go to classrooms where kids were "creating" websites, only to see that they all looked the same because the teacher created the template and told kids what to put where. As a writing workshop teacher, this issue that Ryan Bretag brings up is a writing issue--how do we take these new genres and formats-that are coming out because the ways we communicate are expanding-and keep them authentic for the kids. So that they actually think, write, create?

Love this post by Angela at The Cornerstone Blog called "The Internet vs. 'Real' Reading" because I think that many of us are feeling the same way.  We love books but are finding that more and more of our reading time is spent online.  How do we come to peace with that--get over some of the guilt?

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills released a report, asking us to reevaluate learning environments. A big task when small changes seem so hard. But a very important thing to think about--are we stuck in very old models for learning?

And one new tool I found this week that I am definitely checking out--hoping to buy one for home to play with this week--is Animationish.  I found it thanks to Tim Lauer. The kids at his school seem to be doing so many amazing things.  A fun thing about Animationish is that it was created by Peter H. Reynolds--you know, the author/illustrator of THE DOT, ISH and SOMEDAY. He is also the illustrator of JUDY MOODY.  Imagine what kids could do with this program.  One more possibility for kids as they create.

So, no answers. Just lots more to think about:-)

Poetry Friday -- Irony

There is some argument about what qualifies as ironic, but all senses of irony revolve around the perceived notion of an incongruity between what is said and what is meant; or between an understanding of reality, or an expectation of a reality, and what actually happens. --Wickipedia

TREES
by Joyce Kilmer

(For Mrs. Henry Mills Alden)

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

Laura Salas has the round up this week.