New Book by Eileen Spinelli

Eileen Spinelli is my favorite author of the moment. It seems that every time I turn around, there is another great book written by Eileen Spinelli. We just saw her newest picture book, THE BEST STORY at Cover to Cover during our Columbus Blogger 48 Hour Read Kick-Off . It is a great story, an especially great one to use in the Writing Workshop. The girl in the story tells us about a writing contest that she sees at her local library. She is determined to write a great story and win the prize. The book takes us through her experience--trying to make the story better. She takes advice from members of her family and tries to add the things they suggest. She finally listens to her mother who tells her, "I think the best story is one that comes from the heart. Your own heart." LOVE THAT LINE and the whole page. I was drawn to this book because of the message to readers about writing. I think it could start lots of great conversations about writing in classrooms and libraries. I am usually not a fan of picture books that teach lessons about writing. They are sometimes over the top or to gimicky, but this one is really perfect for many ages. The illustrations are an added bonus--they are a perfect match for the story. They are happy, whimsical illustrations that pull the reader in.

Other recent Elieen Spinelli books that I have fallen in love with:
WHERE I LIVE NOW and SUMMERHOUSE TIME are both novels in verse. I did quick reviews of one here. Other recent books that I currently love by this author are
SOMEDAY andWHEN YOU ARE HAPPY.

Looks like she has another one coming out this fall! After checking out her website, I realized that lots of the books she has written in the past, I know and love. And there are a few on the list that I don't know that I will be checking out. But it seems every time I go into a bookstore these days, Eileen Spinelli has another perfect book on the shelves!

Poetry Friday -- Chillax, Dude

Here's an original by J. Patrick Lewis that reminds us not to take things too seriously!

Thank you, Pat, for letting us debut this poem on our blog!


The Rubbery Book
by J. Patrick Lewis

One day I found under the leaves
The Rubbery Book no one believes.
It told me where to find the horns
Of lost and lonely unicorns.

It told me too about a boy
Who somersaulted Illinois,
About a bright young windowpane
Allergic to the wind and rain.

The stories all were dark or light
But written down in black and white,
Though some were blue, popsicle pink
Or cinnamon to make you think.

The Rubbery Book could stretch the truth
But just enough to share with youth
And other kids whose lives too soon
Are measured out by tablespoon.

For folks who always make a fuss
By telling you, BE SERIOUS!
The Rubbery Book’s a vitamin pill
For anyone who’s SERIOUSLY ill.



The roundup this week is at Semicolon.

Welcome Alan Silberberg!

Dear Alan,

I know you already got a letter from Lisa Yee, so we won't be the FIRST to welcome you to the Thurber House and Columbus, and hopefully we won't be the last -- there are lots of friendly people here who would love to go to breakfast (or lunch or dinner) at The Northstar Cafe, eat ice cream at Jeni's, kick around North Market, or browse the shelves at Cover to Cover.

Let us know when you get here and get settled in! We can't wait to meet you!

Mary Lee and Franki

MONKEY BUSINESS by Wallace Edwards

I have a pretty large collection of books that have some type of word play in them. I have always had a few baskets of books in my classroom that housed books that just have fun with words. My friend Meredith brought me this new one for a recent trip. (She is always good about finding books I don't know!) I am so excited to add this one to my collection.

MONKEY BUSINESS by Wallace Edwards is a great book of idioms. I love to use picture books with kids that help readers understand the meaning of a literary term such as "idiom". Idiom is defined on the first page of the book as "a group of words whose meaning cannot be understood from the meaning of the individual words; an expression peculiar to a specific language, that cannot be translated literally." The book then continues on with various idioms in the context of a sentence. The gorgeous illustrations show the meaning of the idiom and both the sentence and the illustration helps the reader infer the meaning of the specific idiom. One of my favorites is "Phil had no formal musical training, so he learned to play by ear." The accompanying illustration shows an adorable dog playign the instrument with his ears.

This is a new-to-me book even though it was published in 2004. According to Amazon, it is due out in paperback this month! A perfect addition to my word-play basket.

This Could Be Our Cat

Except she's skinnier and louder and older (20 years and counting).

Thank you, Alyssa, for the link and for making us laugh until we cried. Maow.

Author Interview: Shelley Harwayne

A few weeks ago, I reviewed the upcoming professional book by Shelley Harwayne called LOOK WHO'S LEARNING TO READ. This is a great resource for preschool teachers, childcare providers, parents, and grandparents. This book is due out in July. As I was looking at it again today, I realized that it stretches far beyond preschool and Kindergarten. I found lots of fun things I can revise a bit for older kids--in homes, classrooms, libraries, etc. By far, its main audience is parents and early childhood teachers but so much that can be used beyond age 5 or 6.

For those of you who know Shelley, she has always stayed strong in her beliefs about children and literacy. In her introduction to the book, Shelley lets us in on the principles that she honors as she works with children. Some of my favorites include:

*Children need choice. They love to be part of making decisions.
*Children deserve the finest literature. We need to be fussy about the books we borrow or buy for them.
*Children need to laugh every day. And their silly sense of humor often differs from ours.
*Children need to know that we think they are clever when they ask questions, not simply when they answer questions.

I am thrilled that Shelley has taken on early childhood education. This book is a huge contribution to the field. We spent some time interviewing her about her book. As always, Shelley gives us lots to think about.

Franki: Tell us how you've become so interested in early childhood literacy.

Shelley: I didn't choose early childhood literacy as an area of interest. It chose me! What with 5 grandchildren in my care, how could I not be fascinated by their entrance into the world of literacy? They teach me new things about language acquisition and literacy learning everyday.
Franki: One of my favorite things was the list of principles you stick to when thinking about children. Can you tell us about the basic principles that you believe are important for children.


Shelley: As to the list of principles, I will address them one by one. Children need choice: It's interesting to me that when there is a moment of stress with the little ones, I can usually make that go away by giving them a choice.So if Zach wants Ben's toys, I simply ask, " What would you rather do, play with Ben's helicopter or do a puzzle with Grandma?" He usually chooses the latter and if he does choose Ben's toy, we usually engage in a lovely conversation about why the helicopter is so much fun." Partly the distraction calms him, but also it's making him feel that he is part of the decision-making in the family. "So the helicopter moves so fast, it's no wonder you want a turn. When Ben finishes playing with it, it will be your turn." Children deserve the finest of literature. Quite simply, they won't say "Read it again, if it's not a great story." Then too, it's a bit of "So little time, so many books!' I don't want to waste their time. I want books that they talk about when we are not reading them. Laughter is good for young children's emotional life and for mine! There is nothing like the p words to get pre-schoolers going: pee-pee, poopie, and the like. The sillier we get, the happier they seem. There is also a great deal of laughter attached to our language play. Just ask a 3 year old if he wants a bamburger for dinner. I am just amazed at how quickly youngsters acquire language.I can recall the first time my granddaughter realized that words that sound the same can mean different things like the ant that crawls on your picnic blanket and the aunt who is married to your uncle. I deliberately use synonyms as often as I can and as naturally as I can. “Choose one cupcake. C'mon select just one. It's up to you to pick your favorite." I must admit that I work really hard not to talk about myself in the third person. There is no reason to say, "Grandma will help you," when "I will help you," is a more natural language pattern. I also took great delight the first time I heard my grandkids use such words as , "actually" or say, “Seriously, Grandma." As to a wide range of ways to use language, I think we just need to expose them to rich language in all its possible contexts.The way you root for a team differs from the way you talk to the pediatrician. The way you talk to an elderly aunt may differ form the way you talk to a repairman. Commend children for working hard. Many studies have been done in this regard. Sometimes when children are told over and over again that they are smart, they begin to fear not looking smart and therefore take less risks, accept fewer challenges. Children who are commended for working hard are more likely to accept bigger challenges because they understand and do not fear the hard work that will be needed. Asking questions is a really important one. My grandson Ben recently asked me why some NYC street signs are green and others brown. We looked it up and discovered that historic districts have the brown signs. Imagine a 3 year old led me to learn something so new. In schools as well, kids need to know that it is not how many great questions you answer but how many you ask that sets you apart and demonstrates your intellectual curiosity. Rituals, of course. Children need to know what is expected. They thrive on boundaries. Creating rituals is one way to help them understand how the world works and what is around the bend. Empathy is what we look for in our friends and neighbors, not how they scored on a fourth grade exam. Children are always watching. Adults who show empathy are more likely to raise children who show empathy. And of course, carefully selected literature puts issues of empathy on the front burner.

Franki: What is the best thing parents and childcare providers can do to support literacy?

Shelley: Read aloud, read aloud, read aloud! Be fussy about what you read aloud and talk about the books together with your child.

Franki: What are some of your new favorite books for young children—new children's books that you love and that are perfect for young children?

Shelley: Every day it seems I have a new favorite. My 3 and 4 year olds laughed out loud with GORGONZOLA. My five year old adores Eileen Spinelli's SOMEDAY.

Franki: I imagine that each of your grandchildren respond differently to the different things you do. Can you share a few favorite stories of literate moments with your grandchildren?
Shelley: Lately,my grandkids love to play Stump Me. It's written up in the book. We tell stories rather generically to one another and the other person has to guess the story. This is a favorite bathtime activity. Will the 3 year old recently initiated, Stump Me with Songs. He hums a song and asks me to guess and then we reverse roles. Our almost 6 year old has begun playing, Fortunately, Unfortunately. She begins a story and then says Unfortunately...I have to continue the story and add Fortunately and on it goes. She has also taken to MadLibs for Juniors which simply delights me. I also love walking down the city street and Ben, (3 1/2) announces, “Please Curb Your Dog.” or Will, our 3 year old spots his name in books and newspapers, minus the capital "W'.

Franki: Can you tell us some of the favorite activities (from the book) in your family?

Shelley: I would say the top activities in the book, besides Stump Me, have been the storytelling jug filled with random party favors, pretending to use a rhyming word instead of someone's name, " I want to write something. please bring me a Ben. I mean pen," and songs with a twist. We are always inventing parodies, versions, etc.

Franki: What are your next projects--things that we can look forward to?

Shelley: Well, I have a series of emergent readers coming out with Scholastic. 32 will be released this month. They are very simple 8 page books about Ben and Ruby. I think the series is called I'm Reading Now! I have just written a few dozen more.

I am also considering writing about offering young writers easier structures or containers for their writing as opposed to these "show-off" genres that are so popular today and take so much time and appear too sophisticated for most kids. The ones I am thinking about only take a week and yet you can push for high quality because the structures don't get in the way. It's just like teaching a reading strategy and then the child tries to apply it to too hard reading material. Other things get in the way. I think the same things happen with issues of craft. I prefer teaching craft issues in rather easy structures so that the child really internalizes his understanding. These are my "intermission" ideas, things to do when you are not having formal studies. Of course, I would love for teachers to let children do more free exploration in the writing workshop, another one of my intermission ideas.

Plane Reading Continued

Thanks again to Bill and Karen at Literate Lives for these 3 recommendations too! My airplane reading was quite the success. They have been responsible for a great start for my summer reading! Another long trip coming up next week so I am looking forward to getting lots more reading in then too!

WAITING FOR NORMAL by Leslie Connor
A bittersweet story that reminded me of a children's version of THE GLASS CASTLE. An amazingly strong character who survives under hard circumstances. Although her mother has trouble taking care of her, she clearly loves her daughter but can't take on the responsibility of being a mother that she needs. This is a great story with a great character who you cheer for through the entire book. It reminds you that there are lots of people in a child's life who matter. I am not sure which age of reader would enjoy this--I am thinking 5th grade and above. Hard topics and big issues. I can think of a student or two in my 4th grade class last year who would like it but it does seem a bit more middle school.
Bill's review on Literate Lives is worth reading too.

SUMMERHOUSE TIME by Eileen Spinelli
Another great novel in verse by this author. This one is all about a family vacation at a beach house. The story is so real and such a vivid portrait of family and tradition. The family's month on the beach is a fun one, but as in any family, lots is going on. Spinelli is amazing at capturing the feelings and experiences of middle grade kids. Her books have the perfect amount of depth. And she seems to have really found a way to write novels-in-verse that really appeal to kids in middle grades. Often novels in verse are a bit intimidating for children but Spinelli's are appealing and inviting.
Bill's review that introduced me to the book is here.

4 KIDS IN 5E and 1 CRAZY YEAR by Virginia Frances Schwartz
A gift from this author! I have never read a book that captures the life of a classroom so well. It is an amazing story of a great group of kids. More than that, it is the story of school at its best. A teacher who really believes in students--the kind of teacher we all hope to be. Kids who are all dealing with their own issues on their own and with classmates. So much rings true of the classroom and the author captures it all perfectly. This is another of those books that is told from several different voices in the classroom. These types of books seem to be getting more popular with authors and with kids. Not sure how we missed this book but thanks to Literate Lives for sharing it with us once they found it! A great school story and Ms. Hill is definitely a teacher that needs to be added to our list of 100+ Cool Teachers in Children's Lit!
Literate Lives review is here.

Plane Trip Reading

I just returned from a trip to Las Vegas. We had a great time! An added bonus was the extra reading time--mostly on the very long plane trip. I have spent even more (than usual) money on books since Karen and Bill started their Literate Lives blog. Well, their reviews were responsible for all 4 of the books I read on the trip to and from Vegas. Their reviews convinced me that these four were have-to books. So I started off with THE GOLLYWHOPPER GAMES, WAITING FOR NORMAL, SUMMERHOUSE TIME, and 4 KIDS in 5e and 1 CRAZY YEAR. I'll share the first book today and the others later this week.


THE GOLLYWHOPPER GAMES by Jody Feldman
This may be my new favorite read aloud title. I am recommending it to anyone I see who teaches 4th or 5th grades. It is a totally FUN book!

Author Jody Feldman has a website that is almost as fun as the book--with info and games. And-BIG NEWS--she is running a great GOLLYWHOPPER CONTEST that you will want to join! I was all ready to join but noticed that you have to be between the ages of 8 and 15. (I would have SOOOO love a GOLLYWHOPPER t-shirt!?) Spread the word to kids in this age group you know.

Jody Feldman is quite the brilliant writer. Gil is the main character who we come to know well. The other characters in the book are very different from each other. Feldman has somehow incorporated things like reality TV, codes and puzzles, a great setting (a VERY fun toy store!), video games, a contest, and a believable plot. In her acknowledgements, she mentions that when she was volunteering in the school library, a student returned Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and asked for another like it. Unfortunately, there wasn't another. It was at that moment that she decided to write one! LOVE that story!

So, I am recommending this to anyone I know who teaches 4h and 5th grades. A great plot that should engage everyone. A happy story with great characters. And a new author who I hope has another book coming soon!

Jody is one of the class of 2K8. I have to say, I so love this site. I have found so many great books on this site. So many new authors with great first books! What a great way to get the word out about such talented people. A great way for me to keep up on the newest books.

Remember, I read this book thanks to Bill and Karen at Literate Lives. You can read what they have to say about the book before you run out and buy it!

A fun book trailer here.

Summer Goals Meme -- Round Up

Franki got this thing going last week, and it looks like I'm just about the last one to jump in. Folks have written lyrical goals, terse goals, single goals, I'm-already-defeated goals, and admirable goals. I want to write challenging-but-attainable goals. (In order to be attainable, number 2 will begin in earnest on July 2, after we have returned from Europe.)

1. In an attempt to slow summer down and savor every minute, I vow to make fewer lists. (Ignore the fact that this is a list, please.)
2. I will exercise EVERY morning and walk EVERY morning that it's not raining. EVERY. (Embedded in this one is a daily glance at the ceiling to say, "Thanks for another day above ground.")
3. I will write in my writer's notebook EVERY day. (Embedded in this one is a close attention to what's right in front of me, reminiscing about what's behind, and anticipation for what lies ahead.)
4. Make multi-tasking an endangered species in my life. Focus. On. One. Thing. At. A. Time. Be a better listener.


Here's a round up of what I could find with a Google blog search as of today at 6:30 pm. If I missed you, or if you didn't get tagged and you want to join in the fun, leave a note in the comments and I'll include you!

Liz in Ink
Kevin's Meandering Mind
Two Writing Teachers
Becky's Book Reviews
Jen Robinson
nothing of importance (my everyday blog)
A Teacher's Life
Sarah Miller
Read, Read, Read
Greetings From Nowhere
Things Mean A Lot
creative literacy
Authentic Learner
My Breakfast Platter
My World-Mi Mundo
Franki started it all!

edited to add:
Read Write Believe
Literate Lives

Poetry Friday -- Hate That Cat

The Bells*
by Edgar Allan Poe

I

Hear the sledges with the bells,
Silver bells!
What a world of merriment their melody foretells!
How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle,
In the icy air of night!
While the stars that oversprinkle
All the heavens, seem to twinkle
With a crystalline delight;
Keeping time, time, time,
In a sort of Runic rhyme,
To the tintinnabulation that so musically wells
From the bells, bells, bells, bells,
Bells, bells, bells-
From the jingling and the tinkling of the bells.

II

Hear the mellow wedding bells,
Golden bells!
What a world of happiness their harmony foretells!
Through the balmy air of night
How they ring out their delight!
From the molten-golden notes,
And all in tune,
What a liquid ditty floats
To the turtle-dove that listens, while she gloats
On the moon!
Oh, from out the sounding cells,
What a gush of euphony voluminously wells!
How it swells!
How it dwells
On the Future! how it tells
Of the rapture that impels
To the swinging and the ringing
Of the bells, bells, bells,
Of the bells, bells, bells,bells,
Bells, bells, bells-
To the rhyming and the chiming of the bells!

*first and second stanzas


This is one of the poems Miss Stretchberry uses with Jack's class in Hate That Cat, a book that made me cry.

I've tried to be upbeat and cavalier about the end of my eight-year run as a looping teacher. I did not choose to stop; the powers-that-be (the state's licensing of teachers) changed the way we do business in 5th grade at my school and looping no longer fit into the big picture. This book made a few fat tears run down my cheeks for what I've lost.

Hate That Cat is a testimonial to the power of looping. It's a new school year, and Miss Stretchberry is Jack's teacher again this year. He gets to start right where he left off last year with his riffs on "Love That Boy" by Walter Dean Myers. He doesn't waste the first four weeks in that "get to know you" dance with a new teacher. And then we get to watch as Miss Stretchberry moves Jack and his class into Poe and Eliot and Tennyson and more of William Carlos Williams. She laid the groundwork in her first year with Jack's class for a more formal study of poetry this year, and we watch over Jack's shoulder as he learns about and fiddles with alliteration, onomatopoeia, similes, metaphors, symbols, and sounds. My favorites of Jack's poems are the two that he writes "Inspired by Mr. Edgar Allan Poe" ("The Bells") -- "The Yips" and "The Purr."

Besides knowing Jack as a student, Miss Stretchberry knows Jack as a person (how deeply the loss of his dog affected him last year). You can see this in the way she slowly and gently nudges him out of his hate of "that" cat by feeding him with a steady diet of cat poems, rather than continually suggesting he write about it; she knows he'll get around to that, and he does.

Jack grew a lot as a writer in his Love That Dog year, but Jack makes incredible growth as a writer in this Hate That Cat year. Incredible, but not unbelievable. Any child (all right, all right, most children) in a classroom with a strong writing workshop make amazing progress as writers in just one year. Mostly because they write a lot, but also because they age and mature a year in that year. (Most of them.) If the children from a writing workshop classroom are lucky enough to have a writing workshop again the very next year, then the growth and progress become incredible, like Jack's. Creech has gotten this perfect in Hate That Cat -- she grew Jack as a writer in a plausible way, and she matured him as a person in a very satisfying way.

Walter Dean Myers makes another cameo appearance, along with an appearance by his son, Christopher Myers. It's fun to have the familiar poets back to hang out with the new ones Jack meets. Every time he meets a new poet he asks (alive?) and you know he's got a hankering for a repeat of the author visit in Love That Dog, but Sharon Creech and Miss Stretchberry move him along to new challenges -- novels in verse and the sounds of poetry translated into the motion of signing for a deaf audience.

Whether you read this for the poetry, the teaching, because you read everything by Sharon Creech, or just to see what's up with the cat, you're going to love this book. Watch for it this fall.

Hate That Cat
by Sharon Creech
HarperCollins
on the shelf September, 2008
ARC compliments of Sally at Cover to Cover
(thanks for sharing!!!)

other reviews: Fuse #8, and welcome to my tweendom,



The Poetry Friday roundup is at A Wrung Sponge this week.