Ghetto Cowboy (Bluebonnets '13-'14 Highlights)

Ghetto Cowboy by G. Neri; Ill. by Jesse Joshua Watson
Which Readers? Third grade +

This middle grade novel grabbed me from the very beginning. Cole has made bad choice after bad choice, and his mom has had absolutely all she can take. She takes him to the father he has never met in inner city Philly, and he is aghast when she just leaves him there. Cole's relationship with his distant father gets off to a rocky start, and he just wants to get back to his mom. But Cole's dad is part of a group of inner city cowboys, and Cole is soon drawn in by the horses and The Cowboy Way. When their stables are threatened by the city, Cole finds that he must take action.

This novel was inspired by an April 2005 Life magazine called "Street Riders" that profiled actual urban cowboys in Philadelphia and Brooklyn.

Yes, I really thought this was a great middle grade novel. But it has received highest honors at my house from my favorite little patron. My 10 year old son, Leo, picked up this novel, and it is now one of his favorite novels to date. Whenever he finds a book he really likes, he always comes up and down the stairs after bedtime so that he can tell me "here's what's happening now" in his book as he reads before he goes to sleep. This has only happened a few times - the first Harry Potter, Hunger Games, and maybe one more book . He was up and down the stairs at least six times with this book. He had questions about the dialect at first, and that offered a great point for discussion. In the days since he finished the book, he has asked me...."Do you think there will be a sequel?," "Has G. Neri written any other books?," and "Do you think they'll make a movie of Ghetto Cowboy?" THAT is a homerun novel for us.

Here are Leo's thoughts on the book:

i like the setting of the characters and the characteristics of each one. the way Cole acts like he dislikes Harper at first and then learns to like him, and the same thing happens to Harper. the way  the story starts out kind of tragic and then turns into a suspense novel. when i told myself, "are you sure you gonna like this book?", what was i thinking?

Laugh with the Moon (Bluebonnet '13-'14 Highlights)

I've read the Bluebonnet List for this year, and it is an excellent list. I do not say things like this lightly. The BB List has been weak for the last couple of years, in my opinion, and I am so very excited about this year's list! For the next few posts, I am going to highlight the books that I think are the cream of this very good crop. Books that I think kids will like, too!

(I am not going to review Wonder and The One and Only Ivan, which are both on the list. I think we can safely say that these have been adequately reviewed, they are amazing, and kids will love them! I love them, too!)



Laugh with the Moon by Shana Burg
Which readers? 4th Grade and up

"Grief isn't a tunnel you walk through and you're done," she says. "It waxes and wanes like the moon."

Clare is deep in the throes of grief after the passing of her mother when her father, a physician, decides that they will go to Malawi so that he can offer his help to a hospital in need. Things between Clare and her father are already strained, and this new adventure is the last thing she wants to do. She embarks on this journey against her will and with a determination to simply endure until she can get home. She is totally out of her element in a new country, new school, and completely different way of life. But the friends she makes and the events that happen on this life-changing trip will help Clare come to terms with her loss and look at the world with a whole new perspective.

This book is about dealing with grief, but the story line is not maudlin or overly sappy. It moves quickly, and does not get bogged down in too much introspection, which is where we can lose some young readers. Although Clare is working through her own feelings throughout the book, there is laughter, adventure, new friends, and healing. Author Shana Burg has been to Malawi and worked with the children there, and this authenticity comes through in her writing. There are events that are both touching and laugh-out-loud funny, and I think children will enjoy both the emotional impact of the book and also the adventures Clare experiences in this foreign land. I also think the book does a great job of driving home the (yes) sappy but oh so important concept of "we are all citizens of the Earth...love is the same in any language."

And the author lives in Austin! I love it when great books on The BB List are by Texas authors!

Author's Website

Book Trailer - Includes the author's pictures from Malawi! Great resource.

May B - a recent favorite...and some companions for a book talk

May B by Caroline Starr Rose
Which readers: Third grade and up

I read a wonderful novel written in verse over the winter school holiday, and it returns again and again to my mind. As a little girl in the 1980s, I read and reread the Little House books, and this has such a LHOTP feel to it. But it definitely stands on its own two feet, and May's straightforward words and the strength of her spirit will grab you from the beginning.

May's homesteading family experiences hard times out on the Kansas prairie in the 1870s, and May's Pa takes her to live with a young neighboring couple to help out the new bride and earn some money..."just till Christmas." When something completely unforeseen happens in May's new and temporary home, she must rely on her wits to survive when it becomes apparent that help is not coming any time soon.

(I want to type more of a summary, but I do not want to give any spoilers!!!)

The writing here is beautiful but sparse, and it transports the reader to cold and unforgiving life on the prairie. May's voice is plain and straightforward, and when the situation becomes dire, the rising panic in her words will echo in the reader's ears. I think third graders and up, and particularly girls, will enjoy this book. It reads quickly, and I could not put it down. The beautiful cover art also drew me into the story. That lonely little soddy seems beautiful but desolate, and I wanted to know what would happen there.

One important element of this story is that May is a struggling reader. She often talks about a teacher who was helpful and understanding of her need to not be forced to read in front of the class, and how she often learned better by hearing the lesson before reading it. She later deals with a teacher who treats her terribly because of her difficulties, and she still has the emotional scars from these encounters. I think many dyslexics and other struggling readers will connect strongly with May's words and feelings, and the verse style novel lends itself to the needs of these learners.

May ends up in a soddy in this book, and her surroundings are so important that they essentially become another character. In doing a book talk about this book, I would begin with this NF picture book that gives lots of information about sod houses, and so much of the information (leaks, dirt floors, vermin) coincides with May B's experiences.




For readers who enjoy May B, an obvious follow-up recommendation would be Karen Hesse's Newbery winner Out of the Dust. So many similarities since they are both written in verse and have female main characters, but this is another completely different and engrossing story of survival on the plains during very hard times.



And the nonfiction that I ALWAYS mention to go with Out of the Dust is Jerry Stanley's Children of the Dust Bowl. Jerry Stanley is one of my top 3 favorite NF children's authors, and I'm sure I'll do an entire post on his work at some point. The story of the school at Weedpatch Camp is so inspiring and moving, and my sixth graders were always amazed by their spirit and tenacity.

President's Day Book Roundup

There are always great new titles for kids about presidents each year, and here are a few I've read recently. I'll add some old favorites and a personal aside at the end because I cannot resist!



Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass: The Story Behind and American Friendship by Russell Freedman
Copyright June 2012
Which readers? 4th and up

Though one was born a slave and one was born the son of a poor white farmer, Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass had many things in common. They both had to fight for their educations, they read many of the same books, and they both had to struggle with setbacks while becoming leaders in the fight to abolish slavery. When they finally meet, they become not only allies in the fight to free the slaves, but they also become true friends. There are a few pleasant surprise events at the conclusion of this book that make the ending very satisfying.

Russell Freedman is a prolific and much awarded author of non-fiction for children. I read my first Freedman book, Lincoln: A Photobiography, in my first children's literature class in college in 1996, and I have been a fan ever since. His books are so thoroughly researched, but his strong narrative skills keep the older elementary crowd engaged. I was a bit wary going into this one since it seems to retread his earlier Lincoln book, but it is a shorter volume that just takes a close look at this relationship. Young readers will be drawn in by the story of Douglass's determination to free himself and the excitement of his harrowing escape. There are also great opportunities for classroom discussion of debate and interpersonal skills as Douglass struggles with his mixed feelings about Lincoln as a friend vs. Lincoln's pace at freeing the slaves. As with all Freedman books, this one contains many pictures, artwork from the time period, excellent access features, an author's note, and bibliography. This looks like a longer book than it actually is. It has very wide margins and big pictures.




First Mothers by Beverly Gherman and Julie Downing
Copyright September 2012
Which readers? Strong second grade readers+. Interest level through sixth+.

This book gives short 1-2 page biographies of each presidential mother. Gherman just hits the highlights here with the basic info and high interest facts. Downing's illustrations include engaging portraits, cartoon panels, and short entries of biographical information on items of interest in the margins (such as, Virginia Clinton Kelley's info seems to be printed on a page of her diary).

This book gets very mixed reviews on Goodreads. Apparently one of the death dates is wrong, and people complain that George Washington's mother is treated with disrespect. Maybe so. But I think kids will LOVE it. The facts are very interesting, and it reads quickly. Gerald Ford's mother sat in the same church pew for years, and she died there one Sunday while waiting for the service to begin. George H. W. Bush's mother hit a home run in a softball game when she was nine months pregnant. This is not an exhaustive tome that will be of great use for a middle school research project. But I think kids will like it, and I think they will read it by choice.



White House Kids by Joe Rhatigan
Copyright July 2012
Which readers? Third grade +

This book is divided into four chapter such as "The First White House Kids" and "The Best Playground Available" and also includes appendices about what happened when the kids grew up and information about the presidents and first ladies. The pages are very colorful and have lots of insets, sidebars, photos, graphics, lists, etc. The layout and design of this book remind me of the VERY popular Guinness Book of World Records.  The facts given are high interest, and I think kids will enjoy this title. And, it includes lots of little tidbits about one of my favorites, Alice Roosevelt, of What to Do About Alice fame.



Presidential Pets by Julia Moberg
Copyright July 2012
Which readers? Second grade +

This book once again goes through each president, as First Mothers did, and gives information about the pets and the presidents. The subtitle on the cover is "The weird, wacky, little, big, scary, strange animals that have lived in the White House," and there is quite a cast of characters to be discussed here. There are alligators (more than one president had alligators!), silkworms, elephants, and many more. The layout of each page is the same: poem, list of presidential stats, interesting facts, and accomplishments of the presidents. Except for the poems, everything is in bulleted lists. The illustrations are very cartoonish, and do not appeal to me personally. Some things are presented as facts, and then when I read further I find that these are more rumor than documented occurances. That being said, I think kids would like it, and I would purchase it for an elementary library.




The House that George Built by Suzanne Slade
Copyright July 2012
Which readers? Preschool+

This picture book tells the story of George Washington building The President's House, which was later renamed The White House by Theodore Roosevelt in 1901. It alternates between lines of poetry that are a spin-off on the The House that Jack Built nursery rhyme, and short narrative paragraphs. All of this could be read for older children, or just the poetry could be read for preschoolers. The book does mention that some of the work was done by slaves whose masters were paid for their work, which I think is always important to acknowledge when discussing The White House with children. We don't have to dwell on it, but it should be part of the discussion. The water color illustrations in this book are brightly colored and detailed.



An old favorite...



The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary by Candace Fleming
Copyright October 2008
Which readers? 4th grade+

This is an absolute favorite of mine. I don't think it quite gained the popularity that it could have. The information is in the format of a scrapbook. It includes newspaper clippings, photos, their letters, and pictures and drawings, as a scrapbook would. I found it compelling and a great read.

She also did a scrapbook about Eleanor Roosevelt which is equally wonderful. I would say that it is more of a young adult title because it covers her bisexuality and the high likelihood of their open marriage.



(And as an aside....Candace Fleming is one of those fun, unpredictable children's authors that I love to watch. You never know what she will come out with next. She has these two great scrapbook NF titles, and then she has picture books, series fiction for middle grades, historical pictures books, other award winning NF, and more. Her picture book fairy tale Clever Jack Takes the Cake was one of my favorites on the Bluebonnet list last year. Her new picture book, Oh No!, can be sung along to the tune of 'Frog went a'courtin.' I am fascinated with anyone who is this broad and unpredictable.)

And on a personal note....

Presidential books are of particular interest to me because my youngest child has had an obsession with presidents - particularly the presidents on Mount Rushmore - for several years. It started when I read him Adler's George Washington biography when he was four.



He was off and running, and he just could not devour enough information about these presidents. We went through about a three month phase where he would ask me with exasperation every day at preschool pick-up, "Is TODAY the day we can go to Mt. Vernon???"

There are lots of presidential books at this level, and I think we read all of them between the library, ordering on Amazon, interlibrary loan, and Half-Price Books. I will just share my very favorite here.



We have read this book at least two hundred times! This little early reader tells about what a curious seeker for knowledge TJ was, and then it tells the story of his trip to France where he made so many discoveries such as ice cream, macaroni and cheese, and the fact that tomatoes will not kill you. They called the tomatoes "love apples" in France, and it is not revealed until the end of the book that "love apples" are tomatoes. Henry loves this book so much, and he still calls tomatoes "love apples" and laughs when we are at the grocery store. Such sweet memories.

Mrs. Harkness and the Panda

Mrs. Harkness and the Panda by Alicia Potter; ill. Melissa Sweet
Copyright March 2012
Which readers? Kindergarten and beyond

This picture book tells the true story of Ruth Harkness and her quest to find a panda bear. Mrs. Harkness's husband actually set out to find the panda in 1934, but he died while he was in China. Mrs. Harkness was a tea gown designer in NYC, but her love for her husband inspired her to pick up her husband's quest where he had left off. Though all of her friends, her husband's associates, and her helpers in China scoffed and told her she would never be able to do it, she forged right ahead without listening to any naysayers.

This book has such an inspiring story about a woman who was ahead of her time and just refused to be turned back from her goal. But the illustrations in this book are JUST as remarkable as the story/writing. I am quite fascinated with Melissa Sweet's work, as I have been repeatedly suprised and stunned by her work in several books over the past year. I usually pick up the book, read a few pages, and then think, "Wow, who is the illustrator here?" And then it is Melissa Sweet. This book makes use of drawings, collage with actual paper from China, and postcards from some of the ports Mrs. Harkness visited, just to name a few. For example, the opening page shows a drawing of Mrs. Harkness working on a sketch for a tea dress, and the facing page is a collage of fabric, notions, a sewing pattern, and a paper with Chinese writing on it. China has not even been mentioned yet at this point in the writing, and I really enjoy the way this foreshadows what is to come.

I think children will love the story, and I think they will get even more out of the illustrations if it is done as a read aloud with a document camera so that the illustrations can be examined carefully. There is lots of material for discussion here, such as determination, following your dreams, and also the ethical questions surrounding taking an animal from its habitat so it can live in a zoo in a foreign land.

Melissa Sweet's blog also contains lesson guides for this and her other books. http://melissasweet.net/

Melissa  Sweet also has a book on this year's Bluebonnet List. More great picture book NF. Review coming soon!

Ah, young love!

Since it's Valentine's Day, I thought I would share two of my favorite YA (young adult, middle school, 6th grade and up) series. And, of course, they involve romance! I think these are pretty well known among teenagers, but maybe not by adults.

Divergent by Veronica Roth





Beatrice (Tris) prior lives in a futuristic dystopian society. Of course she does! This is current YA lit, after all! When the children in this society turn 16, they must choose between the five factions that make up the society - Candor, Abnegation, Erudite, Amity, and Dauntless. But before this choice happens, they take a test that tells them their aptitude level for the different factions. When Tris takes her test, she learns that she is actually Divergent, which is very, very dangerous in this world. Divergent people are killed. The woman giving Tris the test helps her to hide this discovery, and Tris must now make her choice....which may involve completely rejecting her family....and she must hide the fact that she is Divergent.

Of course, Tris's Divergent abilities put her in great danger, and this book is a wild ride of excitement, thrills, a romance for Tris, and LOTS of violence. I could not put either one of them down, but sometimes I read with one hand over my eyes. I'm not much of one for violent books, but this is just a lot of fun. If I have to compare it to something that most people are familiar with, it is more violent than The Hunger Games. There is no sex in Divergent, but there is sex in Insurgent. It is not graphic at all, but it is there.

This will be a trilogy, so there is one more book to come.

One of my favorite exchanges from substituting this year came from this book. I had a student at the middle school who was reading it, and I said....

Me: Have you seen the memes about this book?
Her: (long pause) OMG, I have never had a substitute who used the word meme.
Me: I'm not your average substitute.

:)

I was talking about this. Funny.



There are lots of Divergent memes that are fun to peruse. http://divergentmemes.tumblr.com/

Next suggestion...

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer (Cinder, Scarlet, so far)





Cinder gets my nomination for most eye-catching cover from last year. When I've had the book with me, everyone picks it up to see what it is about. Who can resist that robot leg going into that gorgeous shoe?

Meyer is having a fabulous time with fracturing fairy tales here, and it is so much fun to read. Cinder is a cyborg (half robot, half human) in the city of New Beijing, and she lives with....yes, her mean old step-mother and step-sisters! How did you guess? She is a mechanic who just can't seem to remember much of her past. When Prince Kai comes in unexpectedly to have his android repaired, he can't seem to keep his eyes off of her. Cyborgs are very much despised in this society, and Cinder is very well practiced at hiding her robotic hand and leg. She tries to keep him at arms length, but he is determined to get to know her.

Of course, it is not as simple as that. The evil Lunar Queen Levana is determined to marry Prince Kai and take over the Earth. And, of course, whether Cinder knows it or not, she is not just your average blue-collar android mechanic.

Scarlet continues the story when Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf step into the picture. When I first read that this would be the sequel, I had a sinking feeling and wondered how she could work this character into Cinderella's story without it seeming forced. The book came out last Wednesday, and I finished it last night. I am not concerned about that anymore! It makes total sense in this YA fantasy world and is once again, a lot of fun.

These books are not as violent as Roth's books, and there is (so far) no sex. There is some kissing, but it is very innocent to this point. There is one point in the second book where a bad guy (a big bad wolf, of course) has Scarlet pinned down and says "I could take advantage of you now if I didn't want to kill you," or something to that affect...but then she is snatched from the jaws of danger. I say all of that to say that this book is like Hunger Games. It walks the line of ALMOST being suitable for the elementary library, but not quite. I guess. It is a close call. Would I let my OWN child read it at 4th or 5th grade? Yes.

There are two more books to come in this series, Cress and Winter.

Highlights from Beginning Readers

If I had a dime for every time I've heard a parent say "Early Readers are boring. I don't like those 1, 2, 3 books," Todd and I could have a very fancy date night.

It's true that the Leveled 1, 2, 3 books are sometimes not so great. A lot of them are retellings of Marvel Comics, made up stories for Ninjago, and simplistic Star Wars stories. The writing is painful and stilted, and they bore parents to death. The reality is that they draw kids into the library, and at this age we are just trying to give them amazing and positive feelings about reading. We want them to feel successful and confident about their ability to read a book independently. A few badly written early readers are not going to kill their chances for Harvard. Many Harvard grads started out with See Jane Run, I am sure. Henry came home from the school library a few weeks ago with a (horrible) Ninjago Early Reader, and he said..."MOM, this is a REALLY popular book, and I GOT TO CHECK IT OUT." Excited about going to the library and having control of his reading choices = mission accomplished.

There ARE great early readers out there. You can't beat Cynthia Rylant (Henry and Mudge) and Mo Willems (Elephant and Piggie, Pigeon). But if they drive you crazy, I refer you back to the kid who is crazy excited about reading. THAT is your goal. Keep thinking about that to distract yourself from wanting to set fire to the book.

Here are two Early Reader series that I really, honestly enjoy reading with Henry (kindergartener, Age 6).

Bink and Gollie by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee. Illustrated by Tony Fucile.







I truly CANNOT wait for the next Bink & Gollie book to come out. These two girls are the funnest friends ever. (yes, I know that is not a word) I want to hang out with them and get in on their verbal exchanges. The dialogue is easy to read and snappy, yet unpredictable. The stories are random and SO unique. The drawings are original, and their facial expressions are just priceless. I love how Bink (tall, skinny, and so stylish) lives in a flat straight out of Mad Men, and Gollie (short, unpredictable, disheveled) lives in a little country cottage.

My absolute favorite part in the first book is when Bink has adopted a fish, and Gollie does not approve. Bink calls Gollie...

"Fred wants to roller-skate," said Bink."Fred longs for speed."
"Fish know nothing of longing," said Gollie.
"Some fish do." said Bink. "Some fish long."

And so they take the fish rollerskating.

Fabulous.

Do kids like it? Well, I took the first book to a kindergarten class a couple of months ago (I always take extra books for K), and they HOWLED with laughter. After the Winter Break, I was back in the same class, so I took the second book. When I pulled it out of my bag, a kid said, "She brought another one of the funny books!!!!," and they were all so excited that they sat in their spots on the carpet, got quiet, and waited for me to start. Case. closed.

The next Bink & Gollie comes out this Spring. Not that I'm clicking refresh on Amazon or anything. April 23rd, by the way.



Next suggestion.....

Aggie and Ben by Lori Ries. Illustrated by Frank W. Dormer.



This series starts with Ben's daddy taking him to the pet shop to let Ben choose whichever pet he would like. Ben very carefully considers all of his options (bird, fish, cat, etc), and chooses Aggie the dog. Aggie and Ben become best friends, and this lovely little series simply chronicles their life together. Aggie has to go to obedience school, Aggie needs to be spayed, Aggie gets lost, etc. The stories are realistic, Ben's words are authentic, and I CRIED when I read Henry the book where Aggie gets spayed!!! She has to stay at the vet's overnight, and oh my goodness there is never a happier moment than when they get to pick up that dog from the vet! I had to order these books on Amazon before we could return them to the library. And that is my testimony about the power of Aggie and Ben. :)

Early Readers do not have to be boring! There are lots of great series out there.

Titles for Black History Month - New and Old

There are a couple of new middle grade historical fiction stories that would be perfect for this month.



Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood
Bluebonnet Book 2013-2014
Which readers? 3rd grade and up

In the summer of 1964, Glory's hometown of Hanging Moss, MS decides to close the public pool rather than allow it to be desegregated. Civil Rights organizers from the North appear in town, and Glory becomes friends with the children of one of the visitors. Throughout this tense summer, Glory's friendship and family ties will be tested as the community goes through upheaval.

This is a title for the youngest readers on the Bluebonnet List (3rd grade), and it paints a picture of this time through the eyes of a young Southern white girl. Many of Glory's observations about the annoyances of the pool being closed are somewhat self-centered, but I think it is an accurate portrayal of what a twelve year old would experience at that time. This is a good choice for third or fourth grade.





The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine
Which readers? Strong 4th grade readers and up

Set in Little Rock in 1958, this wonderful selection tells the story of two girls who decide to take great risks to keep their friendship alive. This story takes place just a year after the Little Rock Nine integrated Little Rock High School, and the high school has been closed for the year while the elementaries and middles schools remain open. Marlee is twelve, and she has difficulty speaking in public and making friends. When she returns to school in the fall, she is quickly befriended by Liz, the new girl at school. Liz even convinces her to participate in an oral presentation. Suddenly, Liz disappears from school, and the rumor is that she was a negro passing as a white person. Marlee is so thrilled to have finally made a friend that she puts both of them in great danger by seeking out Liz so that their friendship can continue.

This is one of my favorite books that I have read in the last few months. The characters are well-developed, there is tension but humor in the story, and Levine does a fanstastic job of weaving in both historical and narrative elements.

One little book nerd point of interest is how the publisher has chosen to change the cover of this book from the publication of the hardback to the recently released paper back. The top image is the hardback. The symbolism of the black and white doves soaring around the fence that surrounds Little Rock HS really appeals to me as an adult who has had many history classes, but I think the paperback cover with the interracial hand holding will get more kids to pick up this book.

For old times' sake, here are some of my favorite suggestions for Black History Month from years past.



This is an absolutely BREATHTAKING picture book from 2002. I think it would be an excellent read-aloud all the way through middle school. After reading the book, I would pull up footage of Marian Anderson singing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Oh, there are no other words except breathtaking. This book won an ALA Sibert Award and the 2003 NCTE Orbis Pictus.

For more advanced readers, Freedman's biography of Anderson is wonderful. This one was awarded the Sibert AND a Newbery Honor. Love this book.






MLK: Journey of a King by Bolden is the best MLK biography for kids I have ever read that is not a picture book. For younger readers, it could be excerpted with pictures shown to students. There are many pictures in this book, and they really bring MLK's life into the classroom. This book won the 2008 NCTE Orbis Pictus Award, which is my favorite nonfiction award for kids. There are so many fabulous titles on that list. It is a treasure trove.



I recommend Martin's Big Words for preschoolers and up. It won so many awards that I won't even list them all! This book brings King's vision alive through emphasizing his words without overwhelming children with the details of his life story.





The Story of Ruby Bridges (preschool and up) and Through My Eyes (3rd grade + ) are amazing selections for telling this woman's remarkable story.



Ruth and the Green Book  by Ramsey was on last year's Bluebonnet List, and this is a part of history that I did not know! It tells the story of a black family who needs to travel into the segregated South, and they find out that there is a "Green Book" that will tell them places along the way that will serve and sell to blacks. Fabulous story for all ages.

And, finally, I will come back to historical fiction for my final suggestion. When I taught sixth grade language arts, one of the highlights of my year was when we read Taylor's Newbery Medal winner, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. This book is timeless, and it gives middle grade readers lots to think about and discuss in the classroom.

This is what it looked like when I first read it in middle school years ago.



This book has had so many covers. This is what it looks like now. They have updated it recently to a textured mustard yellow with a brown strip at the bottom and no graphics. I think it gives it the "I'm a classic, and I don't have anything to prove." look.

2013 Newbery - my opinions

The Newbery Award and Honor Books were presented a few weeks ago at the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Seattle. I just could not wait to see what was chosen since I have been reading so much. I was hoping to have read at least 3/4 of them, just as a point of pride. Indeed, I had read 3 of them and was in the process of reading the fourth when the announcement was made, so I was satisfied.

I completely subscribe to the Ranganathan's Five Laws, and here I am going to cite numbers 2 & 3: Every reader his/her book; To every book its reader. I didn't expect to completely agree with all of the committee's choices. Part of the fun is seeing what they pick and thinking about what I would pick. And I would always support young readers if they were passionate about a book that I did not enjoy. Yet another fabulous part of working with readers - encouraging to form and defend their own opinions!

Newbery's stated purpose is (copied from website): "To encourage original creative work in the field of books for children. To emphasize to the public that contributions to the literature for children deserve similar recognition to poetry, plays, or novels. To give those librarians, who make it their life work to serve children's reading interests, an opportunity to encourage good writing in this field." I will state that my personal opinion is that Newbery Award winners should be books about which kids (K-6) and librarians can be excited. They should be books that they want to talk about, books that they want to hear read aloud, and books that they want to suggest to their friends. Again, JUST my opinion.

All of that being said, here are my humble opinions on the 2013 Newbery Award winners.



Newbery Award - The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
Which readers? Third grade and up

Ivan is a gorilla who lives a sad life as a roadside attraction in a mostly abandoned mall. When his best friend, Stella the Elephant, dies from untreated injuries and charges him with getting their new cellmate Ruby into a better situation. Ivan comes up with a way to bring attention to their plight and save Ruby. This book is somewhat based on fact, but many of the details are very much fictionalized.

This is a marvelous book that kids love. My son's 4th grade class did it as a read-aloud, and he came home talking about it several days in a row. They were also able to send a question to the author, which she answered on YouTube. What a fabulous author connection! One of my children's literature professors from TWU, Dr. Sylvia Vardell, feels that Ivan  is actually a book of poetry, and I tend to agree. From the moment I first opened it, I thought it read like poetry. I think that this was a good choice for the medal. Kids simply love Ivan.



Newbery Honor - Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz

I have put a link with the title so that readers can look up the synopsis. This is the book that I was reading when the award was announced. I did not finish it. I found it slow, creepy in an unpleasant way, and dark. It would not have been my choice.



Newbery Honor - Bomb by Steve Sheinkin
Which readers? 7th and up

This is the story of "the race to build - and steal - the world's most dangerous weapon." Of course, this is the story of the atomic bomb. In this narrative non-fiction, Sheinkin does an excellent job of giving a balanced account of the race between nations to build the atomic bomb. It is well-researched, the story races ahead like a runaway train, and there are many pictures from the archives.

This book has had a ton of buzz in the kidlit blogosphere. I have seen nothing but rave reviews. I agree with them somewhat - I thought it was a great book. I thoroughly enjoyed learning all the details of the espionage by the Russians as the US was trying to get the bomb built. I felt like I knew scientist Robert Oppenheimer by the end, and I was rooting for him. And I was thrilled that Sheinkin included details of the mixed feelings of the scientists when the bomb was dropped. Their hard work resulted in so many, many deaths, and we now have the threat of nuclear war hanging over us forever.

Do I think elementary kids will read it? I do not. Leo read the first chapter and quit. I think this book would be good for research purposes for a middle schooler or a high schooler, and it could be a good read aloud for 5th graders in the hands of a wonderful teacher who will build knowledge beforehand and explain at the end of each chapter. But I just do not think most elementary students will make it through this book independently.



Newbery Honor - Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage
Which readers? Strong 4th grade readers and up

This is a Southern mystery novel that has it all. Humor, a little romance, murder, quirky Southern characters, and charm. It is also Turnage's first book.

This book is just plain fun. When I finished it, I had a touch of "meh," but I can get on board with a Newbery Honor for this one. I think kids will enjoy it, and I think they would enjoy hearing it read aloud. The dialogue is pretty funny, and I think an expressive teacher/librarian could really put on a show with this charmer. Miss Moses LoBeau has a lot of personality.

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OK, so what do I think is missing from the list? Wonder by Palacio. Wonder should have been on the list. Kids are SO passionate and excited about Wonder. It is a great little novel with a unique voice. It gets kids talking about differences in kids without being preachy or condescending. It is just plain cool. My son came home wanting to look up a picture of Auggie Pullman because he was just sure it was a true story. I have substituted in several classrooms where this was the current read-aloud, and the teachers leave me instructions to NOT read this while they are gone. Reading this story is a special experience between teacher and student, and the teachers don't want to miss one single paragraph. Just my opinion - Wonder SHOULD have been on this list.

A Few Spunky Girls who live in Early Chapter Books

I am loving the precocious, outspoken girls who I find in Early Chapter Books Series Fiction these days! Here are a few of my favorites.

My first little lady I would like to introduce is Violet Mackerel...




Recommended Age - 6 and up

As many children do, Violet comes up with theories to help the world make sense. Her latest theory is that when you spy something special on the ground (a special rock, lost button, bit of ribbon, etc.), it is a sign that what you were thinking about at the time you spied the special object is a very significant thought in your life. This theory runs throughout the book as Violet accompanies her single mom to the market where her mom sells her knitting. When Violet spies a blue china bird that catches her fancy on the table of a neighboring seller, she also spots a small red button on the ground. She takes this as a sign that she has to come up with her most brilliant plot ever to earn the money to buy that blue bird. Of course, her brilliant ideas will bring some mayhem, lots of laughs, and perhaps a new friend for mom.

I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet little book. Violet is funny and spunky. The story moves quickly, and the black and white illustrations are modern, lighthearted, and offer lovely surprises on each page. The theme of mom's knitting is woven throughout the illustrations, which I found delightful. The text has quite a bit of spacing and there are many illustrations, which make this perfect for a child who is just transitioning from beginning readers. It looks like Violet has a brand new adventure that just came out February 5th, and there is another Violet book being released in May 2013.

The author's website is fun! She calls herself a children's author and maker of things, and there are pictures of her projects on the website. This is fun for a crafter like myself. http://annabranford.com/

Next up, Marty Mcguire...



Recommended age: 2nd grade-ish


Marty is an adventurous third-grade tomboy who is on a mission to win the school Save the Earth contest. She first thinks that she will go into the woods behind her house and "protect the habitat," but it turns out that there is no one trying to chop it down. Saving the woods gets old very quickly when it does not need saving. After several other ideas don't pan out, her grandma suggests they start a worm bin for her project. The worm bin is exciting at first, but Violet quickly gets discouraged because worms just don't do much, and things happen very slowly in the bin. The awards ceremony for the competition is quickly approaching, and all of Marty's classmates have very showy ideas. Marty is resigned that her contest entry will be a total bust, but it turns out that Marty's entry might be the one ingredient that makes one of the other entries shine.

This is Kate Messner's second Marty adventure. Messner is an author with an eye toward the environment, and it seems that this series will explore this interest, as do many of her other books. Yes, this is a message book, but it is a positive message that will go well with science lessons, science fairs, and Earth Day. I like little girls who go over the top in their passion for their interests.

Messner writes books for lots of ages, and her blog has info about all her books, her interests, and appearances. http://www.katemessner.com/

I am entertained that Amazon lists the age group for this book as 4 year olds. This book is definitely not for your average 4 year old. I'm sure there a few four year olds who read at this level, but NOT very many.

And last, but certainly not least - Daisy Dawson!




Daisy Dawson often dawdles on her way to school, and her teacher has just about had enough! But what is Daisy to do when the animals want to talk to her and take her on adventures? Soon, they are seeking Daisy out in other places - even sneaking in her house!

These little early chapter books are the magical combination of wonderful text and equally wonderful illustrations. Meserve's black-and-white illustrations are sweet and attention grabbing, and they complement the story so well. Children will love how Daisy has to defy the adults to help the animals!

I can't find websites or blogs for Voake or Meserve! I was hoping to see more of Meserve's work. I do know that they both live across the pond. CORRECTION: A friend in publishing has let me know that Meserve is actually from Massachusetts. I hope she gets a blog soon!

Up, Tall, and High! by Ethan Long

Early Reader
Recommended Age - Late preschool; Kinder



This little early reader won the Geisel Award at last week's ALA Midwinter Meeting. I had not read it, so I immediately put it on hold at the library. Tonight my kindergartener, Henry, read it aloud to me during his reading time after dinner. The basic storyline is that three birds banter back and forth as they demonstrate the concepts of up, tall, and high in three short sections. The illustrations are simple, colorful cartoons, and there is one flap to lift at the end of each section.

 Up, Tall, and High! was a hit with Henry. He laughed at the antics of the birds, picked up on the jokes, made sound effects to go with the wordless pages, and enjoyed lifting the flaps. The book is definitely for someone who is in the very beginning stages of literacy, but Henry enjoyed the story even though the words were simple for him. After a quick explanation of a rating system, Henry gave it 4 stars for "very good."

Three-in-One

If I'm going to start a book blog, I might as well hit the ground running! Three books in the first post!

A popular theme in middle grade fiction right now is "children parenting the parents" or, in more detail, "child from a dysfunctional family ends up in a new, loving family temporarily due to a parent's poor decisions."  If the characters are well-developed, readers fall in love with the child and root for them as they try to navigate this tricky situation. In all three of these books, the children are separated from their parents as the parents try to get back on their feet for different reasons. All of the parents have made many bad choices, and this is usually revealed slowly to the reader through the course of the first half of the book. As the story unfolds, the constant underlying tension is...."Will the child stay in their "new" (temporary) home, or will they return to their parent? And will the situation be any better for him/her?"

I truly loved all three of these books. They are somewhat predictable to adults, but most children will be surprised by some of the twists and turns. These would all make excellent read-alouds.



One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Recommended age: 4th grade and up

Carly has had a rough life with a mom who often makes bad choices when it comes to men. She has a cynical outlook and has put up emotional walls to protect herself from the hard knocks of life. When she ends up in foster care with the Murphys, she finds a family where these walls are not necessary and a foster mom who won't give up on her.



Almost Home by Joan Bauer
Recommended age: 5th grade and up

Sugar's life has always revolved around her mom, her grandfather, and school. She has connected with her teacher this year, and her writing is starting to blossom. But after her grandfather dies and her gambler father offers no financial help yet again, Sugar and her mom suddenly find themselves homeless along with their brand new puppy, who has also had a rough start in life. Sugar continues to write to her teacher periodically as they scrape money together to move to Chicago, but the move proves to be catastrophic for her mom when it's just one more opportunity for life to kick her when she's down.





Freaky Fast Frankie Joe by Lutricia Clifton
(2013-2014 Bluebonnet Book)
Recommended age: 4th and up

When twelve-year-old Frankie Joe's mom ends up in jail, he is sent to live with the father he has never met. He is not happy to leave his small South Texas trailer park and friends. When he gets to his new home in Illinois, he finds that his father has a beautiful family that he has never heard about. He is determined not to like his 4 new stepbrothers, and the eldest stepbrother is not happy to now be second oldest. Frankie Joe decides that if his dad won't take him back to Texas, he'll figure out a way to get back on his own. He starts a pizza delivery business, but he can't help but begin to make friends as he interacts with his new customers. Slowly, he starts to like his dad's family and his new home in spite of himself. But his mom's release date is looming - what will happen to Frankie Joe?