5/6/13 It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

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Joining Teach Mentor Texts for their weekly kidlit blogger roundup! I also entered their great giveaway for The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle. I have not read the first in this series, so I put that one on hold at the library!

What have I read this week?

After attending the nonfiction narrative picture books authors' discussion panel with Shana Corey, Tanya Lee Stone, Doreen Rappaport, Melissa Sweet, and Candace Fleming. I was inspired to read some of their books that I haven't read and reread one or two of my favorites.



The panel talked about how they approach subjects that have already been the subject of many books, and Doreen Rappaport said that her research into a biography for The Statue of Liberty led her to write from the perspective of the many people who played roles in bringing Lady Liberty to the US. She includes the many players such as sculptor Auguste Bartholdi, poet Emma Lazarus, newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer, and many more. Each page has large, sweeping illustrations by Matt Tavares and short free verse poems by Rappaport. This approach definitely brings a fresh and unique perspective to an American icon.

Next up, Shana Corey...

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When I attended the panel discussion, I had already read Here Come the Girl Scouts and knew it was amazing. Then I listened to Shana Corey talk about how she is drawn to strong women who made history but whose paths were not always straight to their goals. They made mistakes. They had setbacks. These women stood on the shoulders of other women, and then other women eventually advanced their causes further. Corey writes about the women who made huge changes that might now seem small (bathing suits? bloomers? girls forming an outdoor club?), but now we see how these seemingly tiny causes are the stuff from which equal rights are born.

All the illustrators here are phenomenal artists. I can't really do these three illustrators justice in a paragraph. They deserve a post of their own. I am always instantly drawn to any illustrations by Fotheringham.

And then Corey said during the discussion that she is in the midst of raising two boys and trying to find great literature to which they can connect. She had a fan for life at that point. :)

And, finally, a narrative NF picture book by Tanya Lee Stone.



When I was in high school, I took a great art history class. I can still remember the day that the teacher showed the slide (yes, from a slide reel) of a mobile by Alexander Calder. I was inspired and awed by the majesty of this simple sculpture suspended in midair. Before this panel, I am ashamed to say that I had not read the any of Stone's nonfiction! I also did not know about this book on Calder! It is a beautiful book that conveys the depth of Calder's devotion to his craft and the dichotomy of this large man creating this delicate circus made from wire that attracted the attention of millions. Kulikov's colorful and detailed illustrations pull the reader into Calder's creative process as he works to make his vision a reality.

What am I reading now?

I was just so impressed with the discussions of the depth of research that goes into these books. It made me want to read the books because I know that every fact has been triple checked...and then checked one more time. It made me realize, once again, how important it is to connect kids with authors because hearing about their process is important for becoming both a writer and a reader.



I am listening to Almost Astronauts when I run and also when I do the household drudgery.



I am reading Beyond Courage by Rappaport.



Also reading a little fiction.....

On deck....
Still more NF from the panel.