CYBILS: Picture Book Biographies

I love being part of the CYBILS! It is always so wonderful to learn about and read so many books in a single category.  This year, I am part of the Elementary and Middle Grade Nonfiction Committee. I have loved discovering new books and am excited to share some on the blog.  Today, I want to share two new-to-me picture book biographies.

The thing I love about recent picture book biographies is that so many of them tell the stories of people whose impact has been lost or forgotten somehow. Or their impact has certainly not been written in a way that is accessible to children. These two are new picture book biographies that will give readers info as well as maybe spark some new interest connected with the difference each person made in the world.

When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop by Laban Carrick Hill is the story of DJ Kool Herc and how he became a DJ.  The story begins with his childhood and how his love of music impacted all that he did.  DJ Kool Herc was responsible for extending breaks so listeners had more time to dance  (break-dancers).  His DJ-ing was quite the party and made people everywhere happy.  The author's note and timeline in the back add more interesting info to the story and the author's journey toward writing this story.

There are so many great books about the ways in which women in history changed the ideas around what was expected of them. Flying Solo: How Ruth Elder Soared into America's Heart by Julie Cummins is one of those books.  This is the story of Ruth Elder, a woman who was determined to become the "female Lindbergh" and to fly across the Atlantic.  She spent much of her life showing that women could be pilots and we learn about things like the 1929 all women's cross-country air race in which Ruth participated.  I love these stories that show determined people showing what is possible and changing perceptions throughout history. 

Celebrate Writers! Blog Tour

It's Here!!

Celebrating Writers: From Possibilities Through Publication by Ruth Ayers with Christi Overman 

Ruth's writing (on her blog and in her books) have been a huge inspiration to me over the last few years.  It is a hard time to stay grounded in teaching--to continue to keep our classrooms joyful places for children.  It is easy to lose energy and to fall back on practices that don't match what we know about children or about learning. But Ruth's work always gives me the confidence and energy I need to stick with what I know is right. She understands children and writing and teachers and she celebrates every piece of the learning process, especially the messy ones! I've come to count on Ruth's blog, Ruth Ayres Writes for a daily does of sanity, groundedness, and celebration.

A while back, I was lucky enough to interview Ruth Ayres for a Choice Literacy podcast. The topic was on Celebrating Writers and her insights were so powerful for me. 

Last month, we were lucky enough to hear Ruth Ayres speak all day at our annual Literacy Connection event.  She spoke on the topic of Celebrating Writers and it was just the energy boost I needed!

Since then (and before), I have been anxiously awaiting this new book, Celebrating Writers:  From Possibilities Through Publication. I was thrilled when Stenhouse sent me an advanced copy of the book and invited A Year of Reading to be part of this book celebration blog tour!  The new book is already an important one for me as Ruth and Christi are brilliant at weaving celebration into all that they do with young learners.

You can follow the Celebrating Writers! Blog Tour all week:

Nov. 11: A Year of Reading

 Nov. 12: Kate Messner’s Blog 

Nov. 13: Reflect and Refine 

Nov. 14: Read, Write, Reflect 

Nov. 15: Nerdy Book Club 

Be sure to stop by each blog and leave a comment or ask a question for a chance to win a free book.

To kick off the blog tour, A Year of Reading interviewed Ruth about her newest book!

What is the biggest thing you want people to come away from when reading your new book?

I’d like them to see the beauty in the mess of student writing. I get so much energy from being around young writers because they are passionate and interested in their writing. Too often, in the name of standards and conventions and teaching we squelch their energy. I hope this book helps us celebrate the imperfections of young writers and gives us more energy for teaching writers and students more energy to be writers.

 What one change can teachers make that will move toward more purposeful celebrations?

Look for the thing a student is almost doing as a writer and acknowledge it. For example, you might say to a first grade writer, “I see you know periods go at the end of something. Instead of putting one at the end of every line, let’s put them at the end of sentences.” Then teach into the error from this stance of celebration.

 You take the theme of celebrating into all areas of your life. Did that life stance begin from writing celebrations or did the way you live your life help you think differently about writing celebrations?

Yes. Can I answer with yes? It’s both. At first I thought writing celebrations were fluff. Then as I began being a writer myself, I realized celebration is fuel to keep me going. The more I started thinking about it in terms of teaching writers, the more I realized it could be applied in all areas of my life. At the time of writing this book, we were adjusting to life with our daughters who we adopted as older children in 2008. Then in January 2013 we adopted our son who was 7 at the time. In the midst of writing about celebrating writers, I was experiencing how celebration could fuel me in other hard parts of life besides writing.

 Tell us about a few of your favorite writing celebrations in schools you work in.

My very favorite celebration is the moment in a conference when a student has more energy for writing because he has talked with me than before we talked.

As far as formal celebrations, I’m a sucker for poetry jams. I love to dress like a beatnik, sip smoothies, and weave words with young poets.

You are a strong advocate for teachers finding time to do their own writing. How does your work with celebrations fit into adult writing outside of the classroom?

Thank you. I do hope teachers find time to put some words on the page. I think when teachers are writers themselves they realize the importance of genuine celebration. It doesn’t need to be grandiose and it doesn’t have to include forced feedback, rather celebration is the natural outcome of being in a writing community.  When we are writers working alongside other writers, we understand how celebration is fuel and we are positioned to make it an integral part of our writing workshops.

Tell us about a few of your favorite personal writing celebrations.

I finished a manuscript of a young adult fiction story a few years ago. I doubt it will ever see book form on shelves but just the fact that I finished is big to me.

Whenever someone tells me they started writing or started a blog or started a notebook because of me, that’s the ultimate writing celebration.

Recently I wrote a blog post (http://www.ruthayreswrites.com/2013/10/when-you-want-to-quit.html­) that triggered a lot of response. In addition to comments, people sent me direct messages on Twitter and Facebook, emails, texts messages, and even a letter in the mail, telling me their stories that my post made them remember. I was touched by the way my words impacted others.

These are the celebrations that fuel me.

 RuthAyresWrites has just started a Saturday tradition inviting people to share weekly celebrations.  You’ve had a huge response almost immediately.  Why do you think so many people jumped in right away?

I’ve been asking myself the same thing! I think we are overwhelmed by our daily grind. When we take the time to look for celebrations, we are able to see growth and purpose in our work. I’m inspired each Saturday by all of the powerful teaching and learning happening across the globe. Unless we document it, it is too easy to overlook.

What’s next for you as a writer?

I just started a new writing project on different topics than I’ve written before – faith and adoption. Interestingly enough, I think Celebrating Writers was much of the collection phase in my writing process for this new project. The message of this next book is: Life is for celebration not survival. I’m planning to weave stories of our adoptions with truths of life about living celebration.

Another Veteran's Day Coincidence

Salt: A Story of Friendship in a Time of War
by Helen Frost
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, July 23, 2013

review copy provided by the publisher

On Veterans' Day in 2009, quite coincidentally, I read two books about war.

Today, on the eve of Veterans' Day 2013, the book that rose to the top of my TBR pile was, coincidentally, a book about war, and another book by Helen Frost.

SALT is set in 1812, at a small fort in the Indiana Territory -- Fort Wayne. The richness of nature in this setting is vital to the story. The small poems about salt that are sprinkled through the story remind the reader of the long, slow processes of nature and the interconnectedness of the earth and all life on the earth. In nature, salt preserves, salt enriches. Salt in the hands of humans becomes a commodity of power.

James, the American son of the trader at the fort, is friends with Anikwa, a member of the Miami tribe that has lived in the area for centuries. It is stories such as this -- of humanity and the friendships that bridge differences of culture and beliefs -- that give me hope for a species whose history tends to be measured by its wars.

On the other hand, Isaac, son of another American settler at the fort, embodies the worst of humanity. He is suspicious, antagonistic, prone to violence, and kills recklessly and without regret. His character is like salt in a wound.

When the troops arrive at the besieged fort, they bring the horrors of war that persist to this day -- the environment is destroyed, the native people are displaced, and trust between cultures is shattered.

This book doesn't explain the entire history of the War of 1812, but it brings to vivid life one small slice of it. Historical fiction is one way that history comes to life.

But we shouldn't forget that history is alive. History is alive in the memories of the people around us. Tomorrow, on Veterans' Day, we will share the stories of the people in our lives who have served (or are serving) our country in the Armed Forces and we will weave a new story of humanity, high ideals, freedom, and courage.

Celebrate This Week!

Am loving this excuse every Saturday to look back on my week and think about all of the celebrations! Thank you, Ruth Ayres, for this great new tradition!  Don't forget to visit Ruth Ayres Writes for all of this week's Celebrations!

-Our classroom was great fun this week.  I slowed down a little bit and it made a difference for all of us.  This week, I shared this Saturday blog event with my kids and they loved it. They quickly thought of many classroom celebrations from the week and we are participating on our class blog for the first time!

-Recess duty is not my favorite thing about being a teacher. This week, I heard a child yell, "I want my hat back!" I looked over and he was chasing a friend who had taken his red hat.  Funny how my favorite book shows up everywhere in my life.

-I somehow missed that James Preller had a 3rd book in his Scary Tales series come out in September. One of my students and I discovered it this week! (Good Night, Zombie (Scary Tales) )The series is quite popular with my 3rd graders right now!

-This isn't a new Ted Talk, but it is new to me and I am so happy I found it. A great message.

-All of my friends know that loving nature is not something I do. BUT...there are about 2 weeks each fall that the leaves in our neighborhood are breathtaking. I can't help but notice them and be in awe of them. This is one of those weeks!

-Our puppy is still adorable!

-I found some boots I love.

-Ann Patchett has a new book that was released this week. This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage She is one of my favorite authors so any new book she writes is a definite celebration for me!

--I ordered a few pieces from The Trashy Crafter on Etsy.  The owner, Kim, had accidentally sold a piece that I ordered so she sent me a very nice note, letting me know she was going to send me an extra piece just because she made a mistake!  I thought that was VERY nice of her.  So I figured as part of this week's celebration, I'd pay it forward.  If you leave a comment on this post, I will put your name in a drawing to win this Dr. Seuss necklace from The Trashy Crafter.   Kim makes lots of great stuff, but I especially love the necklaces and bracelets from recycled books! (I'll announce the winner next Saturday, November 16.)   And, if you haven't discovered the Trashy Crafter blog, it is quite a treat!

READING IN THE WILD Blog Tour!

A Year of Reading is VERY excited about the release of Donalyn Miller's new book, Reading in the Wild!  When we fell in love with The Book Whisperer, we had never met Donalyn, but we knew that if we ever did, we would be great friends. She believed all that we believed about kids and books and reading.  We were part of her original fan club and we quoted her words everywhere!

Now, almost 5 years later, we do know Donalyn!  We have both worked with her and laughed with her.  She is a colleague and friend and we both feel so very lucky to know this brilliant teacher.  We have learned so much from her and we continue to learn from her every time we hear her speak, read her writing, or have a conversation with her. And how fun to have the chance to get a sneak peek at this very important new book and to be part of the kickoff blog tour for her new book!  

This new book adds to everything Donalyn taught us in her first book. This new book takes a look at the ways in which we, as teachers, can build lifelong readers. Donalyn is clear that if we really do want to build lifelong readers, we have to spend time on those in classrooms.  We have to be as thoughtful and strategic in our teaching to build lifelong reading habits as we are about our teaching of other skills and strategies. Such important work:-)

Donalyn has been on tour all week!  You can follow the tour at the following locations:

November 4 The Goddess of YA Literature
November 5 Mr. Schu Reads
November 6 Librarian's Quest
November 7 Nerdy Book Club (Katherine Sokolowski)
November 8 HERE!
November 9 Teach Mentor Texts
November 10 Sharpread

FRANKI: What are you most excited about in sharing your newest thinking in Reading In the Wild?  

DONALYN:  My colleague, Susan Kelley, and I surveyed hundreds of readers—both adults and children. Their observations about reading are scattered throughout Reading in the Wild. It is fascinating to read the similarities in reading experiences no matter their age or background. Looking at these commonalities, Susie and I were able to identify several habits that could be modeled and taught. Becoming a reader isn’t random or predicted at birth—we develop these traits over a lifetime. It’s exciting to see how we can intentionally foster students’ independent reading self-efficacy and engagement.

FRANKI:  Has your thinking changed at all since you wrote The Book Whisperer?

DONALYN: Since I wrote The Book Whisperer, I am less critical of other teachers. I have a deeper understanding of the role that school and district administration plays in creating shortsighted policies and structures like schedules that don’t allow for independent reading time, school library closures, lack of funding for books and professional development, and over-emphasis on test prep and scripted programs—these school-wide factors hinder students’ literacy development and are beyond one teacher’s control.

FRANKI: Tell us a bit about the title, “In the Wild”. Where did that come from?

DONALYN:  There is a disconnect between many students’ school and home reading lives. While students must master the ability to read and comprehend text, reading as a lifelong habit involves much more than a list of skills. Readers “in the wild” possess attitudes and behaviors that are not always supported or appreciated in a school setting. The conditions that we know encourage students’ reading engagement and self-efficacy—choice in reading material, access to books, significant daily reading time—these conditions are often controlled or defined at school. Reading at school is often reading in captivity, and many students never develop the ability to read avidly away from school.

FRANKi:  You’ve changed grade levels a bit in the last few years. How has that influenced your teaching? 

DONALYN:  Moving from middle school to elementary school two years ago, I learned that younger students need more shared reading experiences to become engaged with reading. I increased read alouds and developed a reading buddy relationship with a first grade classroom. There is also a difference in the types of books my elementary students like to read. Students are reading more nonfiction and realistic fiction text than my middle schoolers chose to read. I don’t have dystopian romances in the classroom library these days! Overall, the basic structures and goals for our class haven’t changed—students need to spend the majority of class time reading, writing, and talking about reading and writing.

FRANKI:  What are the things that remain the same in the teaching of reading and which things have you had to rethink with different age groups/teaching positions?

DONALYN:  I am teaching fifth grade language arts and social studies this year. Our social studies course is American History, so I enjoy finding ways to integrate reading, writing, and social studies when there is a natural fit. I have more students working on basic reading skills than I did in middle school, so my small group instruction looks different. I try to keep my small groups small (no more than three students) and focused (addressing one skill or concept at a time), but I need more groups to meet the needs of all of my students.

FRANKI: You make some great points about habits of readers being as important as skills and strategies. How do you make sure to keep that true in the day-to-day work of the classroom?

DONALYN:  I confer with students about their independent reading habits on a regular basis and build into my lesson plans intentional opportunities to teach, model, and practice independent reading habits. I explicitly show students how the reading skills and habits we discuss in class help them as readers over the long term.

FRANKI:  How do you manage to read as much as you do while still teaching full time, writing, and being a wife and mom?

DONALYN:  I carry a book with me everywhere I go and steal reading time whenever I can get it. I read a lot when I am traveling—reading on planes and in airports. I read before I go to bed at night. I read a staggering amount during school vacations.

FRANKI: Who have been your biggest influences when it comes to your work with children?

DONALYN:  My early influences were my professors in the Reading Department at the University of North Texas—Dr. Jeanne Cobb and Dr. Alex Leavell. They introduced me to reading and writing workshop and children’s literature. When I became a teacher, my principal, Dr. Ron Myers and my mentor, Susan Kelley, helped me connect the pedagogy I learned in school with practical classroom routines. Professional writers like Janet Allen, Nancie Atwell, Irene Fountas, and Ellin Keene expanded my understanding of good teaching practices and the importance of observing and listening to my students. These days, I am influenced by Penny Kittle, Kelly Gallagher, Debbie Miller, and Teri Lesesne. I still have a lot to learn about being a good teacher! 

FRANKI:  What are you thinking about now that this book is behind you?

DONALYN:  I gave myself permission not to jump into another project right away, but I am working on something with a few friends… I am not ready to talk about it much because we are still planning it. I can tell you that it is about reading and teaching!

Thank you, Donalyn!!

Poetry Friday -- Cinquains

I can't write a poem a day in November, of all months. Nor could I (ever?) write a novel in a month. No NaPo(a day)WriMo or NaNoWriMo for me!

But not one to leave ALL the challenges to everyone else, I have challenged myself to write a poem a week. Not just any old poem, I'm going to try writing one inspired by Tricia's Monday Poetry Stretch. This week, the stretch was to write a cinquain, and Tricia totally rescued this form for me. Lo and behold, cinquains were NOT invented to test a writer's knowledge of the parts of speech! They are more like a Japanese tanka, and follow a syllable pattern in the 5 lines of 2, 4, 6, 8, 2.

It was threatening to rain on Wednesday after school, so I kept the Environmental Club kids close to the building as we gathered gorgeously-colored fallen leaves from the Maples, Sweet Gums, and Bradford Pears out front.

When we brought our treasures inside, I had art supplies ready, and in less than 5 minutes, there was a creative hum in the room as the students tried to capture the beauty of the sky and trees on their paper. Vivaldi's Four Seasons played in the background.

Try to

capture Autumn's

color with paint, collage.

Today's art will be forgotten,

not lost.

Dark sky

Children's laughter

Brilliant colors of fall

Collect beauty strewn by the trees

New art

Brilliant

color against

heavy dark purple skies:

red, gold, green, orange, yellow, brown.

Rain begins.

©Mary Lee Hahn, 2013

Diane has today's Poetry Friday Roundup at Random Noodling.

Bugs in my Hair!

Bugs in My Hair!
by David Shannon
Blue Sky Press, 2013

**itches head**

Every teacher needs this book for her/his classroom. Buy it in honor of all the past, present and future students who discover to their great horror that there are bugs in their hair, feasting on their blood and having a "Lice-a-palooza!"

**itch itch**

Leave it to David Shannon to demystify a common childhood malady with some facts and a whole bunch of humor (both in the text and the illustrations -- my favorite is the closeup of the nit comb scraping those little buggers off every strand of the kid's red hair).

**itch itch**