Library of Congress, Full Disclosure

1. We were late to the Library of Congress because it took us longer than we planned to find the hotel. (lesson: get driving directions from multiple sources)

2. We went to the Madison Building instead of the Jefferson Building. (lesson: read the instructions in the email carefully)

3. AJ's pocket knife was intercepted by security. (lesson: don't carry a pocket knife in D.C.)

4. The folks at the Jefferson Building information desk found the KidLitCon group and took us to them via a WAY cool spiral staircase. So we missed the general LOC tour, but we did get to see rare children's books in the Children's Room and rare illustrated books in the Rare Book Room. (lesson: never give up, because even though things aren't turning out the way you planned, something even more wonderful might happen)

Voice check: not back to full strength, but enough to be functional.

Library of Congress Bound!

Image by wallyg

Unfortunately, the sky won't be this blue and the temps won't be this warm! At least it won't snow...will it?

Voice check: None on Wednesday, some on Thursday, more today, high hopes for full volume tomorrow!

Stay tuned for more news from KidLitCon09!

Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine and a Miracle

I discovered NUBS: THE TRUE STORY OF A MUTT, A MARINE, AND A MIRACLE at the book fair last week. I am always looking for great nonfiction read alouds as I need to balance my read alouds a bit more. This is a great story that I think kids are going to love too! It is the story of Nubs, a wild dog who befriends Marine Major Brian Dennis who was stationed in Iraq. The two developed a strong, fast friendship but were separated when Brian had to move on. Since Marines aren't allowed to have pets, Brian knew that he couldn't take the dog with him. But, the dog followed Brian and found him miles away. This is a great dog story and the real photos and email messages on the side add to the information. The story has a happy ending and the book ends with a note from Brian Dennis. This is a great dog story and a great story about friendship and hope. I think it is going to make a great read aloud for any age. WIth Veteran's Day right around the corner, I am thinking teachers might like this one to tie into that day.

2 Great New Gift Books

I had someone asking about a great book for someone getting ready to be a big brother. I didn't know of one but there is a great new one for a child preparing to be a big sister. SUPERSISTER by Beth Cadena is a great story of Supersister who dashes down the stairs like a whistling locomotive, slides down the slide like a speeding bullet and more. This is a fun story about a little girl anxiously awaiting a new baby--practicing the skills it takes to be a Supersister. The superhero language is quite fun and it would make for a good read aloud.


THE CHRISTMAS BABY by Marion Dane Bauer was a great surprise. I am not often drawn to books with religious themes. I have my favorite Christmas stories and it is not very often that I see a retelling of a Christmas story told in a way that outdoes my favorites. But this one was at book fair last week and I loved it. I think it would make a great book for a baby gift--a baby born near the holidays. In this book, Marion Dane Bauer shares a retelling of the story of Mary, Joseph and the manger. The ending of the book connects the story and the joy that families experience when a new baby is born. The added connection at the end makes this a new favorite for me. The illustrations are buy Richard Cowdrey who captures the spirit of the story well. A joyful celebration of the Christmas story and of babies!

2 Great New Novels for Middle School

I had a great reading week reading 2 new books that I picked up at the book fair this week. Both books are pretty heavy reads. Both deal with tough topics and both are amazing reads. I was reading them, thinking they might be good for our K-5 library but after reading them, I think they would be better at the middle school level. There might be a few students in the upper elementary who would enjoy them, but they struck me as perfect for grades 6th-7thish.

First, I read Gary Paulsen's new book, NOTES FROM THE DOG. This is different from lots of Paulsen's other books although as usual, he has a great character that you come to connect with very quickly. Finn is a teenage boy who likes to spend time by himself--doesn't feel like he fits in anywhere. He lives with his father , his dog, and he has a few good friends. His one good friend, Matthew is an important character in the story. In early summer, Johanna moves next door. She quickly becomes friends with Finn and his family and seems to bring out the best in everyone. Johanna is undergoing treatment for breast cancer and is also training for an event to support breast cancer. Just like Finn, as a reader, I sometimes forgot that Johanna was going through pretty difficult chemotherapy. A very real life story that deals with a hard topic. I haven't read much for this age group that deals with breast cancer but this book is an amazing one that to me, seems realistic and honest. Even though Johanna is an important character in the story, it is Finn who is the character who changes and whose story this is. This is a great coming of age story--a story of Finn who, because of Johanna becomes comfortable with who he is. A GREAT read.

I was so excited to see a new title by Katherine Paterson. She is one of my all-time favorite authors. But, I had forgotten that Katherine Paterson doesn't write about easy things. She takes on topics of people who are often going through hard times. THE DAY OF THE PELICAN drew me in and I think there were pages and pages where I completely forgot to breathe. It was a painful read but a hopeful read. The book is the story of an Albanian family who lived in Kosovo. Caught in a war, they escape the country and then eventually apply to move to the United States. The main character in the story is Meli, a thirteen year old girl. Her world is turned upside down by events that no one can predict or control. Paterson does her usual great job of making this authentic. The pain and terror that this family goes through in the story is real. So many issues that families in war torn countries endure. As with all of Paterson's books, it is not an easy read. But Meli will stay with me forever, just as Gilly, Jess and Leslie do. The story is based on a family that Paterson knows and she includes some historical information on Kosovo following the story. For me, this book was an important read. Reading fictional accounts of the things people are experiencing has always been important for me to better understand what is going on in the world.

I don't often make the time to read YA books but I am so glad that I read these two.

The Cartoonist: Jeff Smith, BONE, and the Changing Face of Comics

The Cartoonist: Jeff Smith, BONE, and the Changing Face of Comics

Starring: Jeff Smith and Scott McCloud

Director: Ken Mills, Mills James Productions, 2009

Rating: Not Rated

Format: DVD

Jeff Smith never intended his Bone series to be read by children. His inspiration came from Moby Dick and Huck Finn and Star Wars -- he wanted to make something really big, something that started simple and then darkened and got really complex. Something Epic. With Symbolism. Something that could be read differently each time the reader came back to it. He began working on Bone in 1991.

Thirteen years and 1300 pages later, Smith had completed the Bone series. Every two months, he finished a comic book, which became a chapter in the total work. The amazing thing about Bone is that ONE person conceived it, ONE person wrote it, and ONE person drew every line in it. He wanted Epic, and he created it. He wanted Symbolism, and Bone's got it.

This documentary does a fabulous job tracing the roots of the Bone series. It is also an amazing glimpse into a life that has been fueled by one passion since childhood. We get to see some of Jeff Smith's earliest drawings and learn about the lessons of risk-taking and failure from his four-year stint as a daily cartoonist for OSU's student newspaper, The Lantern. We meet his cartooning friends and colleagues, and learn about the animation studio he started. We get to see Old Man's Cave in the Hocking Hills of Ohio, which appears in Bone. I searched for myself in the shots from Smith's conversation with Scott McCloud at Mershon Auditorium last spring, but though I was there, the camera apparently didn't find me.

Jeff Smith has had an amazing life in cartooning and will live on in the canon of great strip artists, which includes his heroes Carl Barks and Walt Kelly, and such living cartooning legends as Art Spiegelman, Scott McCloud and Harvey Pekar.

More reviews at Kevin's Meandering Mind and Out From the Comic Shop.

OSU's Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum

OTIS by Loren Long

I am a huge Loren Long fan. I have always loved his books and when he visited our school with Jon Scieszka when SMASH! CRASH! was released, I got to chat with him a bit and see how great he was with the kids. So, I have been looking forward to the release of OTIS for a while. I finally got my hands on a copy at Cover to Cover this past week and am so excited about this new title. I saw that OTIS is on the New Your Times Best Seller list already and I can see why!

This is a great story that will appeal to many readers. It is the story of Otis, a special tractor, and his friendship with a little calf. There is lots to love about this story. Long's illustrations are really perfect. He captures a spirit on the farm that makes you want to run and jump along with Otis and the calf throughout the book. The colors add a dimension of calm nostalgia to the book. Otis is brought to life in a way that makes him quite lovable early on. And it is a great story. Loren Long has just recently started both writing and illustrating his books. A good call on his part, I think. A story of friendship that has the feel of some old favorites. Kids will love Otis right off. They will love the way that Loren Long has brought him to life. And they will cheer for him when problems arise.

This book has the makings of a classic, I think. And, looking at the illustrations, I expect to see it on several Mock Caldecott lists this year. It will definitely make my list of favorite picture books of 2009.

For more on OTIS from Loren Long go here.

Poetry Saturday -- Snap Out of It

Okay, folks. We've had our little whine-fest about how busy we are in October. Now it's time to snap out of it and look at the big picture, remember the vast importance of the work we do in our classrooms, not get bogged down on the little stuff when the big stuff is so huge.

Of History and Hope

by Miller Williams

We have memorized America,

how it was born and who we have been and where.

In ceremonies and silence we say the words,

telling the stories, singing the old songs.

We like the places they take us. Mostly we do.

The great and all the anonymous dead are there.

We know the sound of all the sounds we brought.

The rich taste of it is on our tongues.

But where are we going to be, and why, and who?

The disenfranchised dead want to know.

We mean to be the people we meant to be,

to keep on going where we meant to go.

But how do we fashion the future? Who can say how

except in the minds of those who will call it Now?

The children. The children. And how does our garden grow?

With waving hands—oh, rarely in a row—

and flowering faces. And brambles, that we can no longer allow.

(the rest is here)

Thank you to Liz for sharing this poem (and her thoughts on the selection of Barack Obama for the Nobel Peace Prize) for Poetry Friday.

Poetry Friday -- Final Farmers' Markets

HARVEST
by Louise Gluck

It's autumn in the market—
not wise anymore to buy tomatoes.
They're beautiful still on the outside,
some perfectly round and red, the rare varieties
misshapen, individual, like human brains covered in red oilcloth—

Inside, they're gone. Black, moldy—
you can't take a bite without anxiety.
Here and there, among the tainted ones, a fruit
still perfect, picked before decay set in.

(the rest is here)

There were several poems on A Writer's Almanac that were pitch-perfect for my life this week, but this one seems particularly apropos. We've had our first frost, and the rains today (and forecast for tomorrow's market day -- pity the farmers standing out in the chill and damp with their final harvest) are starting to bring down the leaves. It's getting darker. The only drama about this season of death is the drama we humans create. For the earth, it is business as usual as the seasons turn, one after the other.

The round up this week is at Picture Book of the Day.

My To-Read List

It is one of those times of the year where my Next Read stack is getting way too big. I just can't decide what to read next. I have pretty much set aside my adult novels--the ones I was hoping to finish this summer. And I am trying to read some new children's books. But even with that goal, there are many OLD children's books that I need to catch up on. I haven't read MISS SPITFIRE or any books in the Percy Jackson series or the Warrior series. I am not sure how to catch up. I guess it is something you never do as a reader--catch up on all the books you are dying to read. I worry about students who don't have a next read stack--those kids who have no idea what to read next. I have trouble prioritizing my Next Read Stack but I ALWAYS have several piles of books waiting to be read.

As of today, here is what I am hoping to read soon:

I picked up a copy of OPERATION YES by Sarah Lewis Holmes at the Book Fair. I read the first chapter aloud to several classes and I am totally hooked. I can already see why Mary Lee added Miss Loupe to our Cool Teachers list. I am thinking that this book would make a great read aloud for 5thish grade.


ICE by Sarah Beth Durst--I received a review copy of this book and am SOOO excited about it. I LOVE this author and have loved her books (INTO THE WILD and OUT OF THE WILD) I so love what Sarah Beth Durst does with fairy tales. I want to read this one when I have time to totally lose myself in it.

THE STORM IN THE BARN by Matt Phelan
I am not a great reader of Graphic Novels but am very excited about this one. I have heard amazing things about it and have been waiting for it to be released. I love Matt Phalen--decided he was on my favorites list when I read WHERE I LIVE. I also LOVED his snowflake that was part of Robert's Snow. I am excited that he has a new book out and that it is a graphic novel.

And I am thrilled that Katherine Paterson has a new book out. THE DAY OF THE PELICAN looks as wonderful as all of her books. She has been one of my favorites for as long as I can remember.

I visited Cover to Cover yesterday and was reminded at how BUSY this time of year is for new books. It is always exciting when there is lots of time to read. This is the time of year that I have the most trouble prioritizing my Next Read Stack. The time of year that the pile gets bigger and bigger and bigger..BUT, I do love my pile!

*swoon*

Overheard at the beginning of reading workshop this afternoon:

"I have a crush on Moxy Maxwell!"

Sigh. That's the other thing that starts happening this time of the year: I start falling in love with my class.

:-)

This Time of Year

I'm in my 9th year of a 10+ year journal/diary.

As I add entries, I often take time to glance through the previous years to get a feel for the "trending topics" of my life. Here's what I'm seeing for the first week of October:

Almost every year in the first week of October, I lose my voice and/or get a cold. (knock wood, healthy so far this year) It's about this time of year that I wear the first turtleneck or the first tights of the season. (But in 2007, we had temperatures in the 90's!!) The full moon catches my attention every year about now, and Orion keeps me company on my early morning walks.

And every year around this time, there are entries like this:

All of a sudden I feel swamped! How did this happen?!?

Work, work, work.

DRA - meetings before school - spelling assessments - meetings during planning - math facts assessments - meetings after school - interim reports, SAID data base complete - parent conferences - staff meeting - Friday, finally Friday, ahhhhh, blessed Friday...

Sound familiar, Karen?

The good news is, that by the end of October, there are entries about how writing workshop is coming together ("Poetry EXPLODED in my room today!"), dinners out with friends, the changing colors of the trees, the joys of broccoli soup, and special events (Billy Collins and Simon & Garfunkel within two weeks of each other in 2003).

Even though teachers know that The First Weeks of October (and all they bring) are coming, we are blindsided by the intense work of this season every year.

I'm writing this to remind us (me) that we get through it every year. Keep paying attention to the small moments whether you keep a diary/journal or not. Look up at the moon as you drive to school (if you can see it through the October rains), take a minute to laugh with friends, watch your classroom for the signs of the emerging community, breathe. Deep cleansing breath all together now...

Okay. Now go get (back) to work.

Great Resources for Young Readers

For all kids: KidsReads.com

For boys: Guys Read

Boys Rule Boys Read!

For girls: Girls Read, Girls Rule (The World)

This information is brought to you courtesy of the collective brain of the Kidlitosphere Yahoo Group.

My Favorite Books at the Book Fair

This week, we are having a Scholastic Book Fair at our school. It is always fun to watch kids shop for books! There are lots of books we'll add to our library and several that I will put on my "Next-Read Stack". But, I do have 3 books that I just LOVE. For totally different reasons. They are new-to-me books and I am happy that I had time to discover them.

CROW CALL by Lois Lowry is an amazing picture book. It is the story from Lowry's childhood. She tells about a day she spent with her father shortly after he returned from the war. This is a wonderful story with gorgeous illustrations. So happy to have a picture book by one of my favorite authors. This will be a great mentor text for kids when writing personal narrative. There is such a strong theme about relationship and connections that goes beyond the plot.

DOGS DON'T BRUSH THEIR TEETH by Diane deGroat is totally amusing. Photos of dogs are used and each spread shows a dog doing something that dogs do (looking out the window) and something dogs don't do (lounging and watching TV with remote in hand). Every other page is a lift-the-flap page. This book is quite fun and the text is perfect for new readers who are just beginning to match words to print. The phrases "Dogs Do." and "Dogs Don't" are the only words the kids read.


ONCE I WAS A CARDBOARD BOX...BUT NOW I AM A BOOK ABOUT POLAR BEARS by Anton Poltier is a story of polar bears AND a story about recycling and how it can help the polar bears. The title is what drew me into this book. This is a nonfiction book about polar bears. But on the side column of each page, there is another thread about recycling and how this book started out as a box but became a book. It is a very smart way to show the relationship between recycling and the need for us to take better care of our world--how that impacts polar bears. Very well done and very engaging.

Time To Nominate Favorites For CYBILS!!

Go to the CYBILS website to find out which books have already been nominated in these categories:

Easy Readers/Short Chapter Books

Fantasy/SciFi

Fiction Picture Books

Graphic Novels

Middle Grade Fiction

Nonfiction, Middle Grade/YA

Nonfiction Picture Books (Franki's on this panel!!)

Poetry

Young Adult Fiction

There's a nominations form this year that's going to make it super simple to nominate AND to keep track of the nominations! This award keeps getting smarter and classier every year -- and now you can even find the CYBILS on Wikipedia!

Poetry Friday -- Small Moments

"This poem just tries to capture a moment in time."

This Moment
by Eavan Boland

A neighbourhood.

At dusk.

Things are getting ready

to happen

out of sight.

Stars and moths.

And rinds slanting around fruits.

But not yet.

(read the whole poem here)

I've been thinking about the importance of capturing moments in time.

My principal joined my class for a science experiment this week.

He watched and listened and questioned and took notes.

When it was time for him to leave, he held my eyes when he told the whole class that the big lesson he had learned was to closely observe what's happening right in front of you. And be ready to record.

Good reminders.

YOU ARE INVITED!

Happy October!

You know what October means? Halloween is coming.

And A Year of Reading is hosting a VIRTUAL HALLOWEEN PARTY!

YOU ARE INVITED! Now, in case you are wondering what to wear, we have some ideas.

Instead of dressing as your favorite decade (as we have all done in the past) we want you to dress as one of your favorite book characters.

If you'd like to join us, start thinking now. Then, sometime between October 26 and October 30, post a photo of yourself in your costume on your own blog or site and then send the link to A Year of Reading (details on where to link closer to the party date!). Then, we will all be together for this fun Halloween event. What better way to celebrate Halloween than to see all of the great costumes of the Kidlitosphere!)

And, of course, there will be a prize for BEST COSTUME. You are eligible if you dress as a book character and have your photo to us by Friday, October 30 at midnight. The winner of our BEST COSTUME contest will receive Ohio's favorite candy for their Trick-or-Treat bag --Buckeyes from Anthony Thomas.

We can't wait to see you at our party!

(And, don't forget: CYBILS Nominations begin today. So, while you are thinking about your costume, make sure to put in your nominations!)

September Mosaic

I can't believe September is already over! 237 days have been marked off the 2009 calendar...

There are lots of signs of the end of summer in this mosaic. There are the literal signs announcing the last Catholic church festival of the summer and fresh produce for sale, and there are the more subtle signs -- the sunflowers and the mums, the art at the Upper Arlington Art Festival and the end-of-summer feast.

We spent time with dogs this month. The puppies from the puppy video were at the same event as the poof-head Briards and the scruffy farm dog, Buster (Bess' brother).

As Saturn owners, we enjoyed our first Saturn Day at the Columbus Zoo. The baby elephant, Beco, is six months old, but still cute as a bug's ear. (Check out this video of Beco at the Columbus Dispatch.) My other favorite site was the orangutan chewing and playing with a piece of bubble gum!

The month's pictures end with a couple from the Casting For Recovery retreat. You can see all the retreat photos here. Thanks again to the Central Ohio Bloggers for their generous contributions to CFR last summer during the 48-Hour Read.

Project 365 on Flickr is one way I'm thinking about my own 21st Century Literacies this year.

Ask Dr. K. Fisher about Weather

Ask Dr. K. Fisher about Weather

by Claire Llewellyn

illustrated by Kate Sheppard

Kingfisher (an imprint of Henry Holt and Company LLC), 2009

review copy provided by the publisher

When last we checked in with Dr. K. Fisher, his advice column-style letters answered questions by and about creepy-crawlies.

Now Dr. K. Fisher is taking on questions from animals about different aspects of the weather. He advises a young stork that liftoff will come easier once the morning sun causes warming air to rise, then explains to a thirsty lizard how beetles drink fog that condenses on their bodies, and finally, informs a young orangutan that rain is a necessary evil. All this leads up to a diagram of the water cycle.

Through other examples in advice letters to ducks, meerkats, fish, elephants, hares, and foxes, Dr. K. Fisher explains ice and snow, dangerous storms, the seasons, and climate.

This is a fun book to add to your collection of weather books, and books written in letter format.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT by Ken Robbins

Food for Thought: The Stories Behind the Things We Eat

by Ken Robbins

Roaring Brook Press, 2009

review copy purchased by me after I saw Jama's review in June

Go over and check out the inside images Jama has of this book (I hope you're not hungry). I first fell for the gorgeous pictures, but after I got my own copy, for the informative, well-organized, conversational text. For each food there is historical information, information from around the world, and tidbits that make you go, "wow!"

• Bananas are bushes that grow 20-30 feet in a year and die after producing just one bunch (100 total).
• Before the Chinese even knew about tomatoes, they had a sauce named kat siap, made of the brine of pickled fish. This name and the idea of this sauce has spread around the world and has had a variety of main ingredients. The first tomato ketchup is about 200 years old. In the U.S., we now use more salsa than ketchup.
• The grenade and the garnet both get their names from the pomegranate.

Every food does, indeed, have a story, and that's food for thought!

Composing Workshop

Franki's post, "How Did They Make That," has gotten several interesting comments. In the post, she tells about her students deconstructing the Scholastic Book Fair video, not in terms of content, as she expected, but in terms of how it might possibly have been made.

One responder declared the video a marketing failure because the students looked beyond the content. Others agreed with Franki's positive take on her students' point of view.

But the comment I want to respond to today, in light of the hour I just spent working in iMovie and GarageBand making a video I could upload to YouTube so that I can share some huggable puppies with my friends, is from takini8:

"I think this generation are creators and producers. They are moving beyond the viewing that I did as a child. I watched videos and enjoyed them, they view critically and with an eye to creating. I think that's because they can create and publish so easily. I think its a really exciting perspective and look forward to what they do in the future. My problem is what to call writing today. I originally started calling writing workshop, author workshop, because I was focusing on authoring but now... what do you call it when they are blogging, creating photo essays and music videos? It's so much more than authoring."

What do I call Writing Workshop now? I call it Composing Workshop.

It's that time in the day when we use a creative design process to make things we want to share with an audience for some purpose.

We get an idea, try it out, tweak it until we get it just right, look at it through as many lenses as we can, then share it out with an audience.

It might be paper and pencil, word processing, a music composition, a comic, a movie with narration or a sound track, a photo essay, or (insert project here).

Yes, there are times when my students attend to the genres of paper-pencil composing required by our district and the State Standards. But once my students have a firm traditional grasp on the standards as defined by the state, they are encouraged to work with the standards/genres in the media of their choice.

Another message I hope to be communicating with my "composing workshop" is that the processes and skills that my students are learning are not to be used solely within the walls of school. My students, too, can have a personal composing workshop on a rainy Sunday morning sitting at their very own kitchen table during which they put aside all their other work/chores to make a video and compose the music for its soundtrack.

And now, because I know you're dying to see it, here is the puppy video I made this morning:

KidLitosphere Conference Panel

Mother Reader has asked me to join Jennie (Biblio File), Melissa (Book Nut) and Tricia (The Miss Rumphius Effect) in leading a panel discussion for book bloggers at the 2009 KidLitosphere Conference.

The big question is:

"What do book bloggers want to know more about?"

If you're a book blogger (and especially if you're a book blogger who's coming to the conference), what are the issues you'd like to discuss?

If you're a book blogger who's not coming, we'll report back on the discussion. If you could be a fly on the wall, what would you want to hear us chat about?

If you're a reader of book blogs, what do you look for in a book blog? What do you like or dislike? What is unclear or mysterious or wonderful or frustrating from your side of the blog?

Please leave discussion topic ideas and questions in the comments, or send them via blog email. There are no trivial or stupid topics or questions except the one you don't ask!

Poetry Friday -- Georgia Heard (Blog Tour)

Recipe for Writing an Autumn Poem

by Georgia Heard

One teaspoon wild geese.

One tablespoon red kite.

One cup wind song.

One pint trembling leaves.

One quart darkening sky.

One gallon north wind.

Many of us know and love Georgia Heard through her poetry and her professional books about teaching poetry. Her new book, A Place for Wonder: Reading and Writing Nonfiction in the Primary Grades (coauthored with Jennifer McDonough and published by Stenhouse), is a natural extension of all she's taught us about developing our students' love of reading and writing poetry.

Here's the exciting news: Georgia Heard and Jennifer McDonough will embark on a three-stop blog tour starting 10/19.

October 19: A Year of Reading (right here!)
October 21: Miss Rumphius Effect
October 23: Carol’s Corner

In their book, Georgia and Jennifer discuss how to create a “landscape of wonder,” a primary classroom where curiosity, creativity, and exploration are encouraged, and where intelligent, inquiring, lifelong learners are developed. They provide teachers with practical ways – setting up “wonder centers,” gathering data through senses, teaching nonfiction craft – to create a classroom environment where students’ questions and observations are part of daily work.

As a special treat, Stenhouse will wrap up the blog tour with a live webcast with Georgia and Jennifer on Oct. 26th at 8 p.m. EST. This will be a great opportunity to join a small group discussion with the two authors. ***Five participants for this live webcast will be chosen (names-on-slips-of-paper-drawn-from-a-bowl kind of chosen) from the comments in this post and the blog tour post on October 19.*** If you would like to have your name thrown in the bowl, be sure you mention that in your comment and include your email address so we can contact you if you win! No special software or equipment are needed to participate in the webcast – just a phone and your computer!

From now until the beginning of the tour you can also receive free shipping when you order A Place for Wonder. Just use code “blog” at the checkout when you order from www.stenhouse.com or by phone at 800-988-9812. The book will start to ship Sept. 25, so reserve your copy now!

For more information about Georgia Heard and her work:

Georgia Heard's website.

Georgia Heard was featured on The Miss Rumphius Effect's Poetry Makers Series.

The round up today is at Susan Writes.

"How did they make that?"

We learn so much when we listen to the little things kids say. We are getting ready for our Scholastic Book Fair in the library next week. Traditionally, we spend some time the week before book fair sharing the video that shares some of the books, shows clips of authors talking about their writing, etc. Today, when the DVD was over, I expected comments and questions about the books and the upcoming book fair. Instead, one of the kids raised her hand and said, "How do you think they made that video?" Then other kids jumped in and said things like, "Well, they had to do something with animation.", "I bet they used a video camera for the interviews and then put that in the computer.", "They must have had a green screen. Where do you get one of those?"

I loved this conversation for a lot of reasons. First of all, the kids are looking at things like DVDs and naturally wondering how they made it---realizing that they can "make" these things too. As a writing teacher, I know that so much of our work with young writers is helping them to see what authors do and teaching them to ask themselves, "How did the author DO that?" when they find some great element of writing. The fact is that with the new tools of technology, our kids are asking these questions on their own--really looking at something and thinking about how the creators DID that--how they might do something similar. They are so ready to jump in and create. So ready to look not only at the technical part of how these things are created. But soon they'll be ready to look at the craft of these pieces.

Yet ANOTHER Book I Could Read a Million Times

It is not easy to find Books I Could Read a Million Times. Usually my posts about my finds are few and far between. It takes a lot for a book to make it to this list. I mean, really, even great books get a little old after a while.

But, this week, I am adding yet another book to the list-- GUESS AGAIN by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Adam Rex. My friend Maureen let me know about this HYSTERICAL book. And let me tell you, it is funny every single time I read it (which is what makes it a book I could read a million times). I don't want to give too much away. The product description says, "Here is a book that will keep you guessing again and again and...." Not much else to say. It is a rhyming book. A book full of surprises. And did I mention it is HYSTERICAL! I've read it to classes from 1st through 5th grade and the laughing is pretty consistent across ages. (And there is always one child in every group who just can't STOP laughing--totally cracks up.) I even had to read a few pages to my husband who does not often laugh out loud. Although he did not laugh aloud, he did grin a little. You can't not smile.

So, that's all I can say. It is a great book--as a read aloud for any age or to just amuse yourself.

2 new dog books

I love Patrick McDonnell and absolutely LOVED his book SOUTH. So, I was thrilled to see his new book, WAG! This is a story about a dog named Earl. (I love that the dog's name is Earl--he is quite an adorable dog and the name is fitting.) The book answers the question, "What makes Earl's tail wag?" A great story with great illustrations. A perfect little dog story. And a great mentor text for young writers in writing workshop. Imagine what they could do if they learned from this author--a book to answer a question in a way that tells a story.

I also picked up LOST AND FOUND: THREE DOG STORIES by Jim LaMarche I am newly interested in finding more "collections" of short stories in picture book forms. I think these collections are a great tool to help kids think about story and theme.
In this book by Jim LaMarche, there are three dog stories. Each is short. 12ish pages each. Each one focuses on a different dog and his/her relationship. In each story, someone is

lost. In the first story, a little girl runs off with her dog and doesn't know the way home. In the second story, a little boy's dog sees something interesting, runs off and gets lost. In the last story, a child finds a lost dog. So many messages about the relationships between dogs and people. And so many messages about the ways we find our way back home, etc. A great read. I am sure the kids will love it!

CAN YOU MAKE A SCARY FACE? by Jan Thomas

I love watercolors and painting with kids. Did a tiny bit of it last year in the library

but not enough. (Would love to have an easel for tempera but am considering the downside to this....) Anyway, when I saw this post by Bill last year, I decided that we had to paint more in the library in 2009-2010. Young children's art--especially around favorite book characters--is just a happy thing. So, I was all ready to just copy the idea Lori that Bill shared.

As I was taking out the paints, I realized that CAN YOU

MAKE A SCARY FACE? would be a great book for the kids to paint around. As you all know, I am a HUGE Jan Thomas fan and decided that being surrounded by Jan Thomas characters could only

be a good thing. I remembered something Mo Willems said in his new DVD and in a Scholastic Interview,

"I look for simplicity of line, partially to focus on the emotions of the book and partially because I want the main character of each book to be easily copied by a 5 year old. My books aren't made simply to be read; I want them to be played."

As with pretty much anything Mo Willems says, this makes total sense to me--when kids can draw a character, they can do so much with the character in terms of thinking, creating storylines, etc. So, I have been keeping my eye out for those characters--the ones kids can draw. The new character in CAN YOU MAKE A SCARY FACE see

med to be a perfect one to try! (I am thinking the RHYMING DUST BUNNIES would be fun too!)

So, we gave it a try. It was an option/choice during library time for 1st and 2nd grades and about 1/2 of the kids chose to draw and paint. They had a ball and I had a great time watching them. Really, is there anything like watching 6 and 7 year olds paint? And to listen to their conversations while they are painting? Always such a happy time for them.

So, now I am surrounded by many, many renditions of this great new character. The paintings are hanging on a wall by a door and a few people have already commented on them--if they don't comment, they certainly can't help but smile as they walk past. I may never take them down.

Poetry Friday -- Patriotism

PATRIOTISM

by Ellie Schoenfeld

My country is this dirt

that gathers under my fingernails

when I am in the garden.

The quiet bacteria and fungi,

all the little insects and bugs

are my compatriots. They are

idealistic, always working together

for the common good.

I kneel on the earth

and pledge my allegiance

to all the dirt of the world,

to all of that soil which grows

flowers and food

for the just and unjust alike.

(the rest of the poem is here)

Unless you teach in a public school, you might not be aware that yesterday was Constitution Day. 222 years ago, our Founding Fathers signed the document by which our country is governed to this day. My Constitution Day lesson focused on the Bill of Rights and the UN's list of Universal Human Rights. We were more patriotic than usual yesterday, and more thankful than usual for our rights which are guaranteed and protected by the Constitution.

If you're working in the garden this late summer weekend, you can celebrate Constitution Day belatedly by pledging allegiance to the dirt under your fingernails.

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

Two For the World...

How Many Donkeys?: An Arabic Counting Tale

retold by Margaret Read MacDonald and Nadia Jameel Taibah

illustrations by Carol Liddiment

Albert Whitman and Company, September 2009

review copy provided by the publisher

I can't wait to share this book with my class! For the first time, my Arabic-speaking students will be the experts as they help us to count to 10 in Arabic, moving across the page from right to left. ALL of the students will be delighted by this Saudi folk tale of a numbskull who can't keep track of his donkeys. He starts off with ten, but when he counts them as he's riding along, he only counts nine. Lucky him, when he gets off to recount the donkeys, the lost donkey reappears! (I LOVE stories where the reader is smarter than one of the characters!!)

One World, One Day

by Barbara Kerley

National Geographic, 2009

review copy provided by the publisher

With photographs from around the world, and sparse, but descriptive text, Barbara Kerley takes us around the world in one day, showing and telling us that the world's children have more in common than they might think. They all get up, clean up, and go to school. They all come home, and work and play and spend time with families. They all wonder, "What's for dinner?" They all rest and dream to get ready for one more day. Great for conversation starters about differences between classmates, as well as differences between cultures.

...and a bonus for Constitution Day:

Every Human Has Rights: A Photographic Declaration for Kids

National Geographic, 2008

review copy provided by the publisher

While you're talking about the Bill of Rights in the U.S. Constitution, you might want to read this list of rights for the citizens of the world, based on the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This book is illustrated with vividly descriptive photographs that are accompanied by poetry by children from around the world. Best for students in intermediate through high school (and beyond), this book is an important addition to upper level conversations about rights, freedoms and privileges.

Kidlitosphere Conference Meme

If you're still sitting on the fence, you've only got a couple of days to get your registration in for the 2009 Kidlitosphere Conference! Decide already! Come join the party!

I attended the first conference, but not last year's. I'll be there this year! YAY!!! Here's the attendee meme that Mother Reader started around:

Why did you decide to attend the Kidlitosphere Conference?

I wanted to be part of the "in" crowd and meet all the rock star bloggers! It also sounded daring and just a little bit risky to fly to Chicago to meet people in person who I knew only from their blogs.

Who was most like their blog? Who was least like their blog?

Go figure...EVERYONE was like their blog! We leak out so much personality when we write that this should not come as a surprise.

What surprised you at the conference?

How much fun it was. I'm not usually comfortable in a crowd of folks I don't know well, but it was truly like being with old friends.

What will you always remember about the conference?

Meeting Tricia of The Miss Rumphius Effect and Gregory K. of GottaBook, and making the contacts that resulted in presenting about blogging at NCTE with Jen Robinson, Liz Burns, and Susan Thomsen (and almost Kelly Herold, but work got in her way).

Did you blog about the conference?

Here and here.

Last year when we couldn't make it to Portland, the Central Ohio Bloggers got together and bought books.

Some other memes to check out (did I miss any?):

What Adrienne Thinks About That

7-Imp

Mother Reader

Miss Rumphius

Tea Cozy

Finding Wonderland

Jen Robinson

Another Book I Could Read a Million Times: Katie Loves the Kittens

Last year, my first year as a K-5 school librarian, I started a series of posts called "Books I Could Read a Million Times". I realized quickly--after reading the same book to several classes--that it took a very special book to hold my interest over many many reads. This is what I noticed last September:

"SO, sometimes I read the same book 20+ times over 4 days. Other books I read 4-8 times--to one or two grade levels.

What I have found is that one of two things happens quickly: Either I CAN'T STAND IT after the 2nd or 3rd read OR I love it every single time and never get sick of it. I look forward to reading it again."

I think these books deserve some recognition.

The first book of this year's "Books I Could Read a Million Times" is Katie Loves the Kittens by John Himmelman. I loved this story the minute I picked it up. It is such a sweet story. Katie--a great dog--is very excited because some new kittens have come to live at her house. And Katie LOVES the new kittens. But, she is so excited that she keeps scaring them without meaning to. Each time that Katie scares the kittens, she is VERY sad. She doesn't want to scare the kittens--remember, she LOVES them! The story continues on and gives us a very happy ending.

Looking out at the faces of the children when Katie is sad and then sadder is almost heartbreaking. I imagine my face while reading these parts is a little sad too. But there are funny parts too. Like when Katie gets excited, she howls, "AROOOOOOOO! AROOOOOO!" And the kids have great fun joining in on those howls! And their faces change when things finally work out for Katie and the kittens. It is one of the books that you want to hug when you are finished!

I could easily read this book a million times. Actually, I think it is a great book for lots of reasons. First of all it is a great story and that is enough. Kids love any book about dogs and pets and they loved this one. The illustrations are perfect--sweet and fun at the same time (my favorite is when Katie tries desperately to squeeze into the window:-) This would also be a great book to use as a mentor text when talking about story structure--such a great story with a sequence that works. One that kids can understand --see what the author was doing.

A great book overall! (It did received several starred reviews so lots of people agree that this is a great book!)

GHOST IN THE MACHINE by Patrick Carman

I just finished GHOST IN THE MACHINE by Patrick Carman. I LOVED Skeleton Creek and was thrilled to get a review copy of this book. It will be released in early October.

GHOST IN THE MACHINE is the 2nd in a 2 book series. Skeleton Creek started the story and this book finishes it. I was so worried that this second book would be a disappointment because I liked the first one so much. I was anxious to see where it went after reading the first book. I must admit, it was a pretty scary story. Not only was it a ghost story, but the format made it scarier than had it been text only.

For those of you new to this series, it is a new kind of book. Patrick Carman has integrated video and text to create a story. So, the book is technically Ryan's journal. Ryan was hurt in an accident at The Dredge in his city, Skeleton Creek. He was with his friend Sarah and because of the accident, he is no longer allowed to see her. But, she sends emails and videos. (Sarah films EVERYTHING!) So, when she sends Ryan a video, he writes that it has arrived in his journal and we are to go to the site, use the password and watch the video. The video and text work together to create the story. Neither is whole without the other. It is VERY well done. I find myself reading the book with book in hand and laptop on my lap, waiting for the next video from Sarah.

Although I considered it a ghost story when I read Skeleton Creek, I see now that this is more a mystery. And a really good mystery. A mystery that is perfect for kids in these upper elementary/early middle grades.

This is a hard review to write because I don't want to give anything away. I know you'll all want to read it, but this has everything that a good mystery has. Scary parts, codes, secret meetings, secret messages, and more. Carman does a great job of dropping just enough clues so that readers pay attention to something they may have missed. This mystery seems sophisticate and yet accessible for kids.

One of my favorite things-something I'll need to revisit soon--is the cleverness of the passwords that Sarah sends to Ryan for each video. They invite readers to do a little more research to see the connection. A fun code embedded in the story that adds new layers to the story. It is a great story, written well and one that you can't get through fast enough. Lots of suspense that kids will love. (You can see the first clip from Sarah-the beginning of the book--here.)

I was anxious to read this book for several reasons. First of all, I was dying to see what happened. But more importantly, I wanted to make sure this book truly was appropriate for the ages that it is marketed to. I worried a bit about how scary it was and the fact that it was a ghost story. For me, how the story ended was critical. As I said, this book is scary in different ways from the first--in this book, the kids are in dangerous situations but not always at the Dredge. But, it ended in a way that was satisfying, appropriate and believable. I think it is very appropriate for the 5-7th graders that it is marketed to--well, 5th-7th graders who enjoy scary stories with ghosts and bad guys. Definitely some bad choices on the part of the kids who continue to put themselves in dangerous situations but I guess when I think back to Nancy Drew and The Secret Seven--my favorite mystery series in 4th and 5th grades, those characters put themselves in danger too. I guess it is all part of the genre of mystery and kids know that.

I am still fascinated by Patrick Carman and the brilliance it took to write these books. Like I've said before, I am a book girl. The idea of a book/video combo seemed odd to me. But they worked together so well that I have totally bought into the idea that books can be a little different from the way they are now, from the way we've always experienced them. I just read about a video chip that will be part of a magazine ad and I can't even picture how that will be or how that will change my reading experiences in the future. So this whole idea of various formats together as one is pretty intriguing to me.

If you loved Skeleton Creek, I would preorder this one! Definitely not a disappointment!

Patrick Carman will be one of our speakers at the 2010 Dublin Literacy Conference on February 20, 2010!