DANCING FEET by Lindsey Craig

Books with rhythm and rhyme--books that are fun for young children--are some of my favorite books. Sally, at Cover to Cover, shared DANCING FEET by Lindsey Craig with me during my recent Cover to Cover visit. It is great fun and so much for young readers to love.

First of all, this is a fun, rhythmic book. One of my favorite books is TANKA TANKA SKUNK. This one has that same feel for me. There is fun with words, sounds and rhythm. This is definitely a book that kids will want to join in for--it asks to be read together.

Another reason young children will love this one is that they love to guess what is coming next and this book is designed for them to do this. Each rhyme covers two pages. On the first page, the readers gets clues in both pictures and in words as to which animal's feet are being described. For example:

Stompity! Stompity!
Big gray feet!
Who is dancing
that stompity beat?

The next page answers the riddle with a chant in the same rhythm and an accompanying illustrations.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the illustrations in this book. They are made with cut paper--you can see that the illustrator, Marc Brown, used several textures. This is a new type of art for Marc Brown and I LOVE it! Looking more closely at it as I write this, I am thinking that this may be on my short list of Caldecott hopefuls. The illustrations are definitely engaging, colorful and unique.

I am excited about this book--it will make a great fun read aloud. I know this is a book that kids will want to read again and again and again. And I am pretty sure I won't get sick of it. (And it looks like this is Lindsey Craig's first children's book. Can't wait for the next one!)

One-A-Day Updates

Summer goals. We used to do big summer goal posts. (2009F, 2009F, 2008F, 2008ML, 2007F, 2007ML)

I like the switch to a one-a-day commitment. If I try to do one new thing each day all summer, maybe I'll keep doing that one thing the rest of the year.

...or not. A poem a day in April didn't stick...but that's what made April special, so I'm okay with that.

Here's an update on the One-a-Day Crew (original post here):

Donalyn is still reading a book (or more) a day.

Amy is still writing a poem (or more) a day.

I am still writing a thank you note (or more) a day.

Toby jumped right in and started taking a picture a day of the sky.

Jone is writing a haiku a day.

JoAnn is getting ready to move by giving something away every day.

TinyReader and Baby Lily are reading a book (or more) a day.

Mandy is playing a game a day with one or two or all three of her kids.

Carina is going to try to get outside for some unscheduled time every day...just to be outside!

InNeedOfChocolate intends to do some yoga every day.

What have you vowed to do once-a-day each day this summer?

365 Things to Make and Do--USBORNE ACTIVITIES

Yesterday, I made my first summer purchase for the library--365 THINGS TO MAKE AND DO. This is not a new book, but it is new to me and will be new to the students. Cookbooks and Craft books are quite popular in our school library. And I think they are critical pieces to a good collection. I think "how to" reading is important, especially as our kids grow as readers. Knowing how to read this type of writing as well as reading the visuals that go along with it, goes a long way toward the visual literacy skills we want for kids. I worry that sometimes, when we are talking about skills like visual literacy, we automatically think about technology tools. But I think our young children can begin to understand visuals in ways that make sense for them. One way is through books like this.

This book is definitely visually appealing. It is a large book --it has to be in order to fit 365 ideas in it! This is not really 365 different ideas. The book is divided into about 125 projects. Each project idea is shared on a two-page spread. For example, one page deals with "Pretty Masks". The page shares the steps to make the mask in a step-by-step column. Then a variety of samples are shared. (Each of these counts as one of the 365 things in the book.).

I love creation and I think kids do too. My daughter recently started her own blog called FUN THINGS TO MAKE. (Her review of the book is here.) When she has free time, making things is often her activity of choice. And she makes things with a variety of tools. She has a cabinet full of "stuff" and the process of creativity is fun to watch, as a mom. The thing is, she creates with pipe cleaners with the same thoughtfulness that she uses when creating with tools of technology. I love to watch her when we shop at the Craft Store--she is shopping for possibilities, more than for things. Looking around to see what is possible. As much as I think it is so important that our kids be creators of information and creators with tools of technology, I also think it is important that they create lots of things with lots of stuff. I have been thinking about this a lot since spending time on children author, Amy Krouse Rosenthal's site. Her home page says, "Amy Krouse Rosenthal is a person who likes to make things." I so love this. A clip that really got me thinking about creation was her film called "17 Things I Made". Watch it if you have time. For Amy, it seems that she too likes creating a variety of things.


(And did I mention that Amy Krouse Rosenthal will be a speaker at our Dublin Literacy Conference this year (February 2011) as well as our school's author visit!!!!!)

When I think about the big 21st Century skills, creation is key. I worry about creation being seen as fluff and that our kids are not having time to create and enjoy the process of creation in school.

I am not usually drawn to books like this--a craft that kids make where the child's product looks like the example. But I see this book as an invitation to kids who love to create. Because each project idea has lots of samples and ways to use the idea, I feel like it just gives kids lots of new ideas for creation. A child might go to the masks page, figure out how to make the basic mask, look at the ideas and try a mask that is different from those shown. Or a child may try one of these exactly as-is to learn the technique (painted papers) and then use the technique in a future project. Just like writers might try new things out that they see other writers use, I think creators of anything do this same thing. I love this as a great invitation for kids--one that shouts out, "Look What is Possible! Give it a Try!". I am trying to figure out how to make this kind of creation a more standard part of the library--having not only the technology tools to create with but also tools like these--paint, paper, etc. for kids to create ways to share learning and information. Such an important piece to children's whole development.

PERFECT PIGGIES! by Sandra Boynton and Other Great Music for Kids

I am all about finding great downloadable songs for kids these days. So imagine my happiness when I spotted PERFECT PIGGIES! by Sandra Boynton on the Cover to Cover counter. I could tell by reading it that this would be a fun song and was thrilled when I got home and listened to it.

You can listen to the song here.

I have found quite a collection of great songs and sites that support songs and literacy. One of my other new favorites, that I wrote about recently is PETE THE CAT by Eric Litwin--another book with a downloadable song. I love the live performance and the kids love it too. Once I found PETE THE CAT, I found others by Mr. Eric. Another new favorite is MR. ERIC'S JUMPING SONG. You can see the lyrics (and hopefully soon, a video) at THE LEARNING GROOVE.

The Elephant Song is another of my favorites.

I wrote about some songs last year for a Poetry Friday celebration.

I wrote about some of these songs when kids were working with Garage Band in the library.

I am also thinking about all of the possibilities for our K-1 readers. Having a great variety of songs and text available is so important. I always had a song book basket when I taught K-1 but having access to these on computers and iPods will be so great for kids. I am starting to see how this technology is going to change the way kids experience so many kinds of text. I love that the list of great downloadable songs for kids is growing. And I love the books, like PERFECT PIGGIES and PETE THE CAT, that give us a downloadable song to go along with the book. I'm looking for more of these.

Tech Learning With Friends

Last year, a bunch of friends got together to share the tech tools we were learning about, working with in school, etc. We just sat around a few times over the summer, teaching each other about new tools and having great conversations. We decided to try it again this summer. Summer seems to be a great time for this kind of learning. (We had intended on getting together throughout the school year, but the feel is definitely different in the summer--without the urgency of the school year.)

Yesterday, several of us got together at Katie's house. I can't tell you how nice it was to get together at a house. There is something about sitting around, sharing, chatting, snacking and learning that happens when we are at someone's house. There were teachers there from several schools in and out of our district and we spent a bit of time introducing ourselves and sharing where we were, goals, etc. Each piece that was shared started a great conversation.

Honestly, I can't say that I learned a tool or came away with something I could "Do" today. Instead, it was an inspiring evening with some of my favorite people, talking and learning together. Sharing our successes as well as the challenges of all of this in a comfortable group of learners--how could you beat that?

As an elementary librarian, I have discovered that one of the most important things I can do to support students and teachers is to be a user of many of the new tools for learning. If I am a user of these tools, I have a better menu of options when working with students, collaborating with teachers, etc.

This get-together was exactly what I needed to gather some energy for my own learning. I came in a bit tired and not really sure what I wanted to learn. What I found was that by just listening to everyone, I was inspired to learn some new things over the next few months. So, I came away with lots of new things to think about and some general goals for the summer:

Work on the library website and create something that I can build on throughout the year.

Learn how to edit movies more efficiently.

Use a few new tools like Scratch, Flickr, Googlemaps, etc.

I am upgrading my iPhone and getting a new iPad so that will be lots of new learning for me.

I found this great link today at Edudemic--sharing 100 great tools and I think it will be my starting point for learning. I want to give myself reasons to use some of these tools for my own learning. I want to see what it is these tools can do. I'm not sure which ones I'll start with but there are certainly plenty of options!

I am looking forward to the next get-together with this group of friends in early July. After that, I'll be attending November Learning BLC and I am sure I'll learn a ton there.

So, yesterday's get-together was perfect for me. I feel ready to tackle some new personal learning--excited about the possibilities and happy to have such a great group of people to learn with.

Poetry Friday -- Boiled Eggs

photo by Allie's Dad

A Quiet Life
by Baron Wormser

What a person desires in life
is a properly boiled egg.

This isn't as easy as it seems.

There must be gas and a stove,
the gas requires pipelines, mastodon drills,
banks that dispense the lozenge of capital.

There must be a pot, the product of mines
and furnaces and factories,
of dim early mornings and night-owl shifts,
of women in kerchiefs and men with
sweat-soaked hair.

Then water, the stuff of clouds and skies
and God knows what causes it to happen.
There seems always too much or too little
of it and more pipelines, meters, pumping
stations, towers, tanks.

And salt--a miracle of the first order,
the ace in any argument for God.
Only God could have imagined from
nothingness the pang of salt.

(the rest of the poem is at The Writer's Almanac)

photo by cobalt123

photo by fauxto_digit

For more perfectly boiled poems (with salt), you'll find the roundup at Two Writing Teachers.

Speaking of roundups, the code for July-December is complete. Let me know if you'd like me to send it to you so you can have the roundup schedule on your blog.

What Happened on Fox Street by Tricia Springstubb

Last week, at our Cover to Cover visit, Sally handed me an ARC of WHAT HAPPENED ON FOX STREET by Tricia Springstubb. I hadn't planned on reading it right away-my stack is huge. But I did. I finished it this morning and thoroughly enjoyed it. Thinking back on the book now that I have finished it, it is all about the characters. The people on Fox Street will live with me for a very long time.

Mo Wren, her little sister and her father live on a house on Fox Street. She has always lived there. The street is one with many people who have watched Mo and her sister grow up. People she counts on. But the family is dealing with grief--the loss of Mo's mother a few years back. This is the story of Mo and her family and friends and holding on to what she can and letting go of other things.

I found myself tabbing several pages with text I loved. One of my favorite passage came early in the book and it captures one of the lessons Mo learns through this story:
"Every person you pass on the street, or wait behind in line, or see sitting alone on her porch-every one is summoning up the courage for some battle, whether you can see it or not."

This is a quiet book--seems to have the feel of a safe street with neighbors you trust. But there are so many little things to think about. Mo Wren is a thinker--she thinks a lot. And as a reader, I found myself doing a lot of thinking too--issues of grief, hope, family, race, betrayal and more come up. But they are quiet issues--they happen in the book as they happen in real life--as part of ordinary days.

I can see this as a read aloud or a book talk book for older elementary kids. Definitely glad I made the time to read this one.

Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Weird Jr. Edition

The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Weird Junior Edition

by David Borgenicht and Justin Heimberg

illustrated by Chuck Gonzales

Chronicle Books, 2010

review copy purchased for my classroom library

My fourth graders love reading the advice in the regular and extreme editions of the Junior Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbooks, so I'm sure they'll love this one, too.

In this edition, readers receive handy advice on how to deal with aliens, monsters, hauntings, time travel, and magic and myth.

I went straight to the time travel section to learn what to take (gold, snacks, a water purifier and a first-aid kit, among other essentials), how to survive in ancient times (eat gingko nuts in dino times, take toilet paper to ancient Rome, shave your head in ancient Egypt, and don't bother jousting in Medieval times) and what to ask your future self (What's the most important lesson I've learned?).

This fun parody of advice writing would make a great mentor text. It would also be fun to frame research writing in a how-to-survive format.

100+ Cool Teachers In Children's Literature

It's been a while since we've added a new teacher to our list of Cool Teachers in Children's Literature.

When we started the list, in the summer of 2006, we were hoping to collect a list of 100 Cool Teachers. We are now up to 130 teachers!! The list is in alphabetical order by author's last name.

Mandy, at Enjoy and Embrace Learning, has suggested Ms. Lilly from Noonie's Masterpiece by Lisa Railsback. In her nomination, Mandy writes:

"Ms. Lilly is insightful and wise. I love these two bits of advice she gives Noonie; 'artists have the power to change the world' and 'sometimes artist block is a good thing.' Ms. Lilly is also instrumental in showing Noonie it's okay to carry around a mentor text, the Masterpiece, it's a collection of different artist Noonie refers to constantly while she thinks about her own art. Ms. Lilly guides Noonie at the end showing her how to accept her journey and life."

Have there been any cool teachers in the books you've read recently?

Another Book I Could Read A Million Times

Okay, so I have never done this--put a book on the BOOKS I COULD READ A MILLION TIMES list, before I actually read it to many, many classes. But I am soooo confident about this one, that I thought I'd go ahead and add it to the list. I have absolutely no doubt that this book is worthy of the list. I plan to read it at least a million times over the next few years and I am absolutely positive that I will never tire of it.

CITY DOG, COUNTRY FROG by Mo Willems definitely fits my "Books I Could Read a Million Times" criteria. I was a little hesitant about this book when I read about it. I love Mo Willems. I love Pigeon and Piggie and Elephant. I love all that he does. I love how his writing and illustrations work together. So, I couldn't imagine a book by Mo Willems that was illustrated by someone else. And I could tell by the look of this one, that it was a different kind of book for Mo Willems.

I should have known better than to worry. Mo's work has never let us down. I have loved every one of his books and this one is definitely one of my favorites. Although the story is a bit more serious than some of his others, it is really not so different. As always, Mo Willems deals with life's issues in a way that works for young children.

This is a more serious book than some of Mo Willems' others. It is about two friends--a city dog and a country frog. They love to be together and to share their lives with each other. They play during spring and summer. But then in fall, frog is too tired to play so they enjoy each other's company in other ways. When winter comes, frog is no longer there. Mo knows young children so well, that he writes this story of friendship and grief in a way that works for any age. He reminds us that those we love are always with us in some way. And Jon J. Muth's illustrations are a perfect match. I couldn't imagine illustrations that capture the story any better.

There is a great deal of depth to this book. Readers can jump in at many levels--one of the reasons I am putting it on my list. So much about grief and seasons. So much about friendship and relationships. Mo Willems is brilliant about saying so much in so few words.