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    Bringing STEM Into Stories

    By Jennifer W. Shettel and Carolyn Angus
     | May 02, 2016

    Literature is an important component in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs that meet the Next Generation Science Standards and the Common Core State Standards. We have selected nonfiction and fiction titles that are good choices for introducing lessons and opening discussions on STEM topics. Some of the books suggest hands-on activities, and all are  good for independent reading in the STEM disciplines.

    Ages 4–8

    Every Breath We Take: A Book About Air. Maya Ajmera & Dominique Browning. 2016. Charlesbridge.

    every_breath_we_takeWith beautiful color photographs and  simple, clear text, Every Breath We Take considers the need of plants and animals for air, the properties of air, and air pollution. The book emphasizes the right of people around the world to breathe clean air—“Every breath we take should be full of clean air. Clean air is like love. It’s invisible, but it makes life better”—and offers a gentle reminder that keeping air pollution-free is everyone’s responsibility. Appended information, including a “What Can I Do to Help Keep the Air Clean” entry, will be of interest to adults wanting to continue the discussion of topics introduced in the book.
    —JS

    Follow the Moon Home: A Tale of One Idea, Twenty Kids, and a Hundred Sea Turtles. Philippe Cousteau & Deborah Hopkinson. Ill. Meilo So. 2016. Chronicle.

    follow_the_moonViv, a newcomer to a South Carolina coastal town, and her classmates take on a summer school project, “Lights Out for Loggerheads,” that brings the whole community together to save newly-hatched turtles. When turtles hatch they are attracted to the bright lights of houses along the beach. Turning away from the sea, they get dehydrated and die. The children’s campaign to get the townspeople to turn outside lights off and darken windows is successful, and baby turtles follow the light of the moon to their home in the ocean. Back matter includes a letter to young activists from Philippe Cousteau outlining five steps for a community action project, a note to parents and teachers, and a two-page section on finding out more about loggerheads and other sea turtles.
    —CA

    My Book of Birds. Geraldo Valério. 2016. Groundwood/House of Anansi.

    my-book-of-birdsIn the introduction to his “album of artistic impressions of North American birds,” Brazilian-born illustrator Geraldo Valério tells of his childhood interest in the variety of birds and their sense of freedom and his discovery of many more birds when he moved to Canada. Valério’s stylized cut-paper collage portraits, created with old magazine paper, art paper, and gift wrap, emphasize the shape, coloring, and distinctive appearance of each bird. Beautifully composed pages present the birds in their natural habitats, identified by common and scientific names, and notes on their characteristics and behavior. The front endpaper features eggs and the back endpaper feathers, created with color pencil and gouache. Back matter includes a glossary, sources of information (books Valério used in his research, websites, and books of interest to young readers), and an index.
    —CA

    Outdoor Math: Fun Activities for Every Season. Emma AdBåge. 2016. Kids Can.

    outdoor_mathOutdoor Math takes early math outdoors with 36 activities designed to build skill in counting, measuring, sorting, patterning, time, geometry, and basic arithmetic operations. For instance, children can use objects found outdoor to sort for similarities and differences or to create simple addition or subtraction sentences. Easily adaptable to a variety of ages, the activities make hands-on math something that children can do, with guidance from teachers or parents, just by heading outside throughout the year.
    —JS

    Platypus. Sue Whiting. Ill. Mark Jackson. 2016. Candlewick.

    platypusThe platypus is an oddity in the animal world. It has a bill and webbed feet like a duck and fur and a tail like a beaver. It is semiaquatic and walks like a reptile on land. It lays eggs, but produces milk for its young, and it has venomous spurs behind its back legs. Platypus tells the story of a day in the life of a male platypus. He spends most of the daylight hours asleep in his burrow beneath the tangled roots of a gum tree along the bank of a creek, and he forages for worms, insect larvae, and crawfish throughout the night. The text appears against realistic mixed-media illustrations of the platypus in its natural environment. Facts related to the story appear in a smaller font. An endnote includes information on the life cycle of this monotreme, or egg-laying mammal, and threats to its survival, including predators and loss of habitat through drought, flooding, land clearing, and water pollution in its native Tasmania and eastern Australia.
    —CA

    Peg + Cat: The Pizza Problem. Jennifer Oxley & Billy Aronson. 2016. Candlewick Entertainment/Candlewick.

    peg_catPeg and Cat, from the animated PBS series Peg + Cat, have some math problems to solve as they serve up pizza at their newly opened restaurant. What happens when someone wants a whole pizza and someone else orders a half? An engaging first introduction to fractions, this book also sneaks in some more math, including arithmetic-fact page numbers (for example, 26+1=27), as Peg and Cat handle orders and entertain customers whom children who have watched the TV program will recognize.
    —JS

    To the Stars! The First American Woman to Walk in Space. Carmella Van Vleet & Dr. Kathy Sullivan. Ill. Nicole Wong. 2016. Charlesbridge.

    to_the_starsFrom a young age, Kathy Sullivan had a passion for adventure and never let others’ ideas of what was acceptable for girls to do stand in her way. This picture book biography alternates double-page spreads, with ink-and-watercolor illustrations, that focus on Kathy as a young girl and Dr. Kathleen Sullivan as an adult about to be launched into outer space as a member of the 1984 NASA Space Shuttlecrew. During this mission, she earned the distinction of being the first woman to take part in an extravehicular activity (EVA), also known as a “spacewalk.” Dr. Sullivan was an active participant in the writing of the book, and lead author Van Vleet does an outstanding job weaving the two time frames together. Back matter includes a personal note from Dr. Sullivan and a two-page spread featuring 13 other American women in the space program.
    —JS

    Ages 9–11

    Everything Robotics (Everything). Jennifer Swanson (with Shah Selbe). 2016. National Geographic Kids.

    everything_roboticsThis book is chock full of text and visual information about robotics. It will take readers days and many close rereadings to digest all the information provided about the history of robotics, the influences of robotics on facets of our lives, and how to get involved with robotics challenges. The formatting of the book, with its abundance of captioned full-color photographs, diagrams, blocks of informative text, sidebars, activities and challenges is inviting. Back matter includes an interactive glossary, web links, places to visit, and an index.
    —JS

    Living Fossils: Clues to the Past. Caroline Arnold. Ill. Andrew Plant. 2016. Charlesbridge.

    living_fossils“Living fossils are a link between the prehistoric world and the present.” After introducing the concept of living fossils with the coelacanth, Arnold presents five animals—horseshoe crabs, dragonflies, sphenodontids, chambered nautiloids, and Latonia frogs—in two double-page spreads featuring realistic portraits of the animal, rendered in acrylic paint, and an accessible text about how scientists believe the animal lived then and how its descendants live now. A boxed inset lists the animal’s adaptations for survival. Back matter includes a timeline, additional information about the featured living fossils, a glossary, and a list of resources (books and websites).
    —CA

    Science Stunts: Fun Feats of Physics. Jordan D. Brown. Ill. Anthony Owlsley. 2016. Imagine/Charlesbridge.

    science_stuntsScience Stunts introduces physics principles in an informative and humorous manner that will appeal to middle graders. Physicist/magician Dr. Dazzleberry (with the help of his friends Gaileo, Newton, and Einstein) explores gravity, motion, heat, magnetism, sound, light, and electricity in seven chapters. Each chapter includes a brief introduction to the topic; hands-on experiments (billed as “The Trick”), with step-by-step procedures followed by an easy-to-understand “The Science Behind the Stunt” explanation; and applications of the principle involved. Important safety tips are included and potentially dangerous experiments are labeled with an “adult sidekick needed” warning. Back matter includes brief biographies of Galileo, Newton, and Einstein; a glossary; and an index.
    —JS

    Ages 12–14

    Mission Shark Rescue: All About Sharks and How to Save Them. (Mission Animal Rescue). Ruth A. Musgrave (with Daniel Raven-Ellison). 2016. National Geographic Kids.

    mission_shark_rescueThis book delivers on the promise of providing readers with a wealth of information about what is often one of students’ marine animals, sharks. Captioned full-color photographs and an engaging text cover the physical characteristics, behavior, and habitats of the different species of sharks. The focus on efforts to save and rejuvenate the populations of various sharks includes “Rescue Activities,” which are placed throughout the book and designed to get readers thinking and acting like shark conservationists to encourage kids to take action in their communities. Back matter includes an extensive resource list for students to continue their learning, a list of places to see sharks around the world, and an index.
    —JS

    The Story of Seeds: From Mendel’s Garden to Your Plate, and How There’s More of Less to Eat Around the World. Nancy F. Castaldo. 2016. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

    story_of_seedsKeeping the focus on seeds being at risk, Castaldo presents an engaging introduction to the “story of seeds.” She includes a history of problems related to the lack of crop diversity such as the Irish Potato Famine in the mid-1800s and provides a global report on current threats to the world’s food supply related to habitat loss, climate change, disease, biopiracy, and agroterrorism. She covers the issue of hybridization vs. genetic modification and present-day controversy on GMO labeling, the patenting of seeds, and the growth of gigantic agribusinesses. Throughout the book Castaldo deals with seed conservation through the establishment of seed banks such as the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, seed libraries, and seed exchanges, and introduces “seed warriors,” activists from around the world working to protect seed diversity. Numerous color photographs of seeds and archival photographs add interest. Back matter includes resources, a glossary, an author’s note, sources, a timeline, and an index.
     —CA

    Ages 15+

    Patterns in Nature: Why the Natural World Looks the Way It Does. Philip Ball. 2016. University of Chicago.

    patterns_in_natureBall offers readers a visually stunning exploration of pattern formation in the natural world. The abundance of examples (over 300 captioned photographs) accompanying his explanations of the mathematical and physical principles behind the regularity of design within the diversity of nature make this a book to be appreciated for its artistic, mathematical, and scientific contributions to understanding “why the natural world looks the way it does.” The book is organized into nine chapters: Symmetry, Fractals, Spirals, Flow and Chaos, Waves and Dunes, Bubbles and Foam, Arrays and Tiling, Cracks, and Spots and Stripes. Back matter includes a glossary, a further reading section, an index, and credits. Overall, Patterns in Nature is a volume to return to again and again to gain a better understanding of and appreciation for the beauty of the patterns found everywhere in nature.
    —CA

    Jennifer W. Shettel is an associate professor at Millersville University of PA where she teaches undergraduate and graduate course in literacy for preservice and practicing teachers. Prior to joining the faculty at Millersville, she spent 16 years as an elementary classroom teacher and reading specialist in the public schools. Carolyn Angus is former director of the George G. Stone Center for Children's Books, Claremont Graduate University, in California.

    These reviews are submitted by members of the International Literacy Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) and are published weekly on Literacy Daily.

     
    Literature is an important component in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs that meet the Next Generation Science Standards and the Common Core State Standards. We have selected nonfiction and fiction titles that are good...Read More
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    Books About the Best of Friends

    By Carolyn Angus
     | Apr 25, 2016

    Readers have a wide selection of recently published books about friendship from which to choose. The books included here explore all types of best friend relationships. For younger readers, there are picture books about an intergenerational friendship, unlikely friendships, and the loss of a friend through death as well as novels about making new friends and changing relationships that come as best friends move in different directions. The novels for older readers deal with the importance of friends in helping each other with difficult life problems and the parting of friends as misunderstandings develop and they come to realize that they may not be able to restore their friendship (or want to do so).

    Ages 4–8

    The Girl With the Parrot on Her Head. Daisy Hirst. 2016. Candlewick.

    girl_with_parrot_on_headWhen Isabel gets over being angry and lonely after her best friend Simon moves away, she decides she is OK being on her own. After all, she has the parrot on her head; she doesn’t need friends. Akin to an adult deciding to tackle the long overdue job of cleaning up the garage, Isabel decides to organize her room and, with the help of the parrot, sorts items—castles, bears, broken umbrellas, wolves—into boxes. Parrot (and secretly Isabel, too) worries that the wolf hanging out over the edge is too big for the wolf box. Isabel sets out to find a bigger box to contain the big wolf. The box she finds is occupied by a boy named Chester, who has ideas about what to do with the wolf and also plenty of ideas as to how to use the big box and items in Isabel’s room. Hirst’s screen-printed illustrations are as charming and imaginative as new friends Isabel and Chester are in their play.

    Harry and Walter. Kathy Stinson. Ill. Qin Leng. 2016. Annick.

    harry_and_walterFour-year-old Harry and 92-year-old Walter are neighbors and best friends. They enjoy doing things together until the day a For Sale sign goes up in front of Harry’s house. Harry cries; he doesn’t want to move. Walter tries to console Harry. “Things change. I might have to move someday, too.” Although his new house is nice and he even has a tree house, Harry misses Walter. A year later, folding origami birds like he did with Walter, Harry tosses a paper bird from his tree house—and it flies back to him. Harry looks down and sees Walter. His old friend has moved into an apartment down the street. Leng’s playful, expressive watercolor illustrations complement this warm story of an enduring intergenerational friendship.  

    Hello, Hippo! Goodbye, Bird! Kristyn Crow. Ill. Poly Bernatene. 2016. Alfred A. Knopf/Random House.

    hello_hippo“Hello, Hippo!” A pesky, skinny, long-legged bird’s persistent attempts at befriending a grumpy, plump hippo (showing how he can be a hat, a “hippopota-mustache,” or an umbrella and offering to tell jokes) elicit only “Errrrumphs” and a “Goodbye, Bird!” Bird departs and Hippo delights in being alone. Even after Bird comes to Hippo’s rescue when he is attacked by a swarm of wasps by gobbling up the insects, Hippo still gives Bird a dismissive send off. “For the last time—GOODBYE, BIRD!” Then, in a big thunderstorm (“KA-BOOM!), Hippo cries out for Bird. Does he need Bird to be an umbrella or does he want companionship? The answer comes on the last double-page spread that shows the two frolicking together in the water.

    Ida, Always. Carol Levis. Ill. Charles Santoso. 2016. Atheneum/Simon & Schuster.

    ida_alwaysA thoughtfully worded text and softly colored digital paintings explore the strong, caring friendship of Gus and Ida, polar bears living in a zoo. When Ida becomes ill, Gus becomes her steadfast companion. Then Ida dies. Gus is lonely but sustained by pleasant memories of his friendship with Ida. Although he is now alone, he can still sit in the spot where Ida liked to soak in the sun and listen to the hum of the city. “And Ida is right there. Always.” Based on the true story of polar bears Ida and Gus who lived in the Central Park Zoo in New York City, Ida, Always offers a gentle lesson on friendship and loss.

    Monkey and Elephant and the Babysitting Adventure (Monkey and Elephant #5). Carole Lexa Schaefer. Ill. Galia Bernstein. 2016. Candlewick.

    monkey_and_elephantBest friends Monkey and Elephant take on something new when they agree to babysit Cousin MeeMee’s three babies, and they are not certain they will be successful. Perhaps they need to establish some rules for dealing with the little monkeys. Their babysitting job turns out to be an adventure that requires the hasty addition of Rule Number 4, “Always keep babies safe,” which they enforce by scaring off three riff raff wildcats that are intent on making the three baby monkeys their snack. This final book in the easy reader Monkey and Elephant series ends as Monkey and Elephant come up with a final rule: To always stay adventure friends —and best friends forever. 

    Ages 9–11

    The Pages Between Us. Lindsey Leavitt & Robin Mellom. Ill. Abby Dening. 2016. Harper/HarperCollins.

    pages_between_usHaving vowed to remain best friends forever, Olivia and Piper enter middle school and find that they will be sharing only one class. They make plans to stay connected by passing a notebook back and forth during the day. In the notebook, the two girls communicate with lengthy notes, frequently ending with “grateful for” lists; taped-in invitations and clippings; blog postings by a gossipy classmate; and doodles. Hoping to become more socially involved, they try out some after-school clubs. The problem comes when the two friends find they have very different extracurricular interests. Olivia and Piper’s involvement in separate activities is reflected in changes in the frequency and nature of their entries in the notebook as they come to terms with how to stay the best of friends in spite of diverging interests.

    Raymie Nightingale. Kate DiCamillo. 2016. Candlewick. 

    raymie_nightingaleIt’s the fifth of June in 1975 and 10-year-old Raymie Clarke is dealing with a great tragedy. Two days earlier, Raymie’s father, Jim Clarke of Clarke Family Insurance, ran off with a dental hygienist, disgracing himself, and leaving her fatherless. Raymie, however, has a plan: She will win the Little Miss Central Florida Tire contest, get her picture in the paper, her father will see it, and come home to his famous daughter. Needing a talent for the contest, Raymie enrolls in baton-twirling class and meets two other girls with special interests in the contest, Louisiana Elefante, who needs the cash prize, and Beverly Tapsinski, who plans to sabotage the contest. The three very different girls become friends and set out to do some good deeds (a requirement of the contest), which involve them with interesting townspeople and unexpectedly complicated adventures. Not all goes as planned but, with friendships solidified, their futures look brighter. DiCamillo offers young readers a warm and humorous story with characters who are just the kind of good friends they’d like to have. 

    Ages 12–14

    After the Woods. Kim Savage. 2016. Farrar Straus Giroux.

    after_the_woodsOne year after what the press calls the Shiverton Abduction, Julia, who was kidnapped by a man named Donald Jessup while running in the woods with her best friend, Liv, is still trying to remember what happened during the two days before she escaped. Liv was the intended victim, and Julia’s attack on knife-wielding Donald had allowed her friend to escape. Now Julia can’t understand Liv’s we-survived-so-get-over-it attitude. Jessup has committed suicide in his jail cell, another girl’s body has been found in the same wood, and Liv is behaving oddly. The plot of this psychological thriller becomes increasingly more twisted as Julia begins to recover memories of her abduction and uncovers Liv’s secrets, secrets that make her realize that Liv is not the person she thought she was.

    The Last Place on Earth. Carol Snow. 2016. Henry Holt.

    last_place_on_earthDaisy’s best friend, Henry Hawking, and his parents have suddenly disappeared. She knows Henry would never leave without saying goodbye. After several days of worrying, Daisy breaks into the house of the security-conscious Hawkings and discovers a note left on Henry’s desk: SAVE ME. Some further sleuthing, abetted by her brother, Peter, and receipt of a cryptic text from an unknown number leads Daisy into the wilderness of California’s Los Padres National Forest. She finds Henry in a compound of “doomsday preppers,” who are intent on surviving a probable teotwawki (pronounced tee-ought-walkie and standing for “the end of the world as we know it”). Daisy’s wit and sarcasm enlivens this story of courage, loyalty to friends, and love of family as it shifts from Daisy’s reunion with Henry to efforts to reunite with her mother and brother once she learns that the deadly Madagascar plague is a real threat to survival.

    Ages 15+

    The Year We Fell Apart. Emily Martin. 2016. Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster.

    year_we_fell_apartA year ago, Harper destroyed her relationship with Declan, her best friend/boyfriend. Now Declan is back home for the summer after a year of boarding school, but for Harper was a year of destructive behavior involving drinking, drugs, and sex that has destroyed her reputation at school and in family relationships. It appears Declan has moved on since their breakup and wants nothing to do with her. Over the summer, Harper wants to salvage their relationship and to make Declan understand and forgive her for the bad choices she has made, but it is not going to be easy. To move on, the two of them will need to accept that the past cannot be undone and forgive themselves and each other.

    Carolyn Angus is former director of the George G. Stone Center for Children's Books, Claremont Graduate University, in California.

    These reviews are submitted by members of the International Literacy Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) and are published weekly on Literacy Daily.

     
    Readers have a wide selection of recently published books about friendship from which to choose. The books included here explore all types of best friend relationships. For younger readers, there are picture books about an intergenerational...Read More
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    More Choices to Drop Everything and Read

    By Nancy Brashear and Carolyn Angus
     | Apr 18, 2016

    To continue the Drop Everything and Read celebration, we have selected some books that are good read-aloud choices: picture books that children will enjoy listening to and novels that will have elementary-grade children begging to hear just one more chapter when they are read to them. The books we selected for older readers are good choices for independent reading. They are just the kind of books that teens can’t wait to talk about and pass on to friends once they have finished reading them.

    Ages 4–8

    Alan’s Big, Scary Teeth. Jarvis. 2016. Candlewick.

    Alan's Big Scary TeethAlan, an alligator, is a bully. Every day he creeps through the jungle and snaps his razor-sharp teeth and grrrrrrowls! Frogs leap, monkeys tumble, and parrots screech. They are terrified, and Alan loves scaring them! But what happens when Barry the Beaver discovers that those teeth are false and tells the other animals? Jarvis’s playful, fun-to-read-out-loud language and bold, vibrantly colored illustrations make Alan’s Big, Scary Teeth a delightful and humorous picture book. Children will laugh when Alan says goodnight to his teeth after taking them out with a “Tweet dweams, my theary thnappers!” and later, when his teeth go missing and he exclaims, “MY TEETH! MY TEETH! WHEAH AH MY TEETH?” After having a good laugh at the toothless alligator, the jungle animals come up with solution for living together in harmony.

    —NB

    The Hole Story of the Doughnut. Pat Miller. Ill. Vincent X. Kirsch. 2016. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

    Teh Hole Story of the DoughnutHanson Crockett Gregory (1821–1921) had an adventurous life at sea, leaving his Maine home to become a cabin boy on the Isaac Achorn at the age of 13. He became a captain and was awarded a medal for heroism by Queen Isabella II for rescuing seven Spanish sailors after a disaster at sea. As a cook’s assistant on the Ivanhoe at the age of 16, Hanson invented the doughnut hole, which turned the balls of deep fat fried sweetened dough with heavy raw centers, which the sailors called “sinkers,” into fully cooked, tasty “holey cakes.” Miller includes colorful legends of the origin of the doughnut spun by sailors. The formatting of the text and the cartoon-like illustrations with a folk art flavor cleverly build on the doughnut’s shape and the nautical connection of its origin. (Don’t miss the octopus with a doughnut on each of its eight tentacles on the back cover.) Back matter includes an author’s note, timeline, and selected bibliography.

    —CA

    Hooray for Kids! Suzanne Lang. Ill. Max Lang. 2016. Random House.

    Hooray for KidsThe exuberant title and cover art showing animals playing together on a playset will grab the attention of young children. The repetitive “whether you are” and trip-over-the-tongue descriptors such as “an always-asking-why kid,” “an upside-down-frown kid,” and “a wake-up-nice-and-early kid” of the text make this an ideal read-aloud. Collage art with colorful cartoon-like animal characters superimposed on photographed backgrounds contributes to the spirit of this picture book’s celebration of individuality. For example, the text “some kids do the crawl” is paired with an illustration of a crab on a beach and “some kids jump real high” with a bug leaping over a log. The book ends with the jubilant proclamation: “To all kids we say, each one of you is special. KID, KID, HOORAY!” 

    —NB

     A Hungry Lion, or a Dwindling Assortment of Animals. Lucy Ruth Cummins. 2016. Atheneum/Simon & Schuster.

    A Hungry LionThis picture book’s traditional “Once upon a time” beginning introduces a hungry lion and 13 cute small animals, including a penguin, a frog, a koala, and a hen. With each turn of the page, the hungry lion is still there, but the number of small animals dwindles until there is only a hungry lion and a turtle. Where did all the other animals go? What would you expect to happen when there is a hungry lion among an assortment of small animals? But reading on, there are some surprises, including a very big one that leads to an unexpected ending. The text and illustrations work together to create a playful and witty story with some dark overtones (including a totally black double-page spread) to read again and again.

    —CA

    Ages 9–11

    The Adventures of Lettie Peppercorn. Sam Gayton. Ill. Poly Bernatene. 2016. Margaret K. McElderry/Simon & Schuster.

    The Adventures of Lettie PepercornLettie Peppercorn was only 2 years old when her mother mysteriously disappeared, leaving behind a warning for the toddler to never leave the house. Now, at age 12, lonely Lettie, who has followed her mother’s instructions to the letter, is landlady of the White Horse Inn, the family business, while her father spends his days at a local pub drinking and gambling. When an alchemist-turned-con man arrives at the Inn trying to sell Lettie his latest invention, snow-as-diamonds, she turns him down. However, two eccentric guests have plans to steal it. This sets off a twisted series of unlikely and supernatural events as Lettie courageously leaves the Inn to search of her mother. Will her newfound knowledge of alchemy be enough to bring her family together? Are family bonds stronger than magic? This fast-paced adventure takes readers on a fantasy trip they won’t forget.

    —NB

    Some Kind of Courage. Dan Gemeinhart. 2016. Scholastic.

    Some Kind of CourageIt’s 1890 in the newly formed state of Washington. Twelve-year-old Joseph Johnson, recently orphaned, is on a quest to find his beloved stolen horse, Sarah, his last tie to memories of his family. “Do the right thing” echoes in his heart as Joseph escapes with his father’s gun and the money that drunk, mean Mr. Grissom got for selling Sarah. He meets a young abandoned Chinese boy and, although they don’t speak the same language, Joseph and Ah-Kee develop a friendship. As they track Sarah through a string of horse owners, they share some chilling escapades, including a showdown with an angry bear, a near-death canoe ride down rapids, and the rescue of an injured Indian. After Ah-Kee is reunited with his family, Joseph continues his journey alone and confronts a bank robber and posse, leading to an unexpected catastrophe that changes his plans for the future. This historical novel works well as a read-aloud and will inspire discussions of courage, love, and acceptance of others.

    —NB

    Ages 12–14

    The Keeper of the Mist. Rachel Neumeier. 2016. Alfred A. Knopf/Random House.

    The Keeper of the MistLord Dorric Ailenn is dead, and young Keri, his illegitimate daughter, unexpectedly finds that the magic of Nimmira has chosen her to take his place as ruler of Nimmira rather than one of her three older half-brothers. As Lady Nimmira, Keri must immediately deal with the disappearance of the mist of concealment and misdirection that for centuries has kept Nimmira isolated and safe from ambitious sorcerers and warlike people of bordering countries Outside. The failure of the mist has allowed the entry of two envoys of the rulers of neighboring kingdoms intent on annexing Nimmeria. Keri must not only deal with these Outsiders but also decide whom she can trust within the House if she is to restore the mist and save Nimmira.

    —CA

    Will’s Words: How William Shakespeare Changed the Way You Talk. Jane Sutcliffe. Ill. John Shelley. 2016. Charlesbridge.

    Will's WordsIn an introductory letter to readers, Sutcliffe explains that she started to write about the history of the Globe Theatre and William Shakespeare but found it difficult to do so without Shakespeare’s words “popping up all over the place.” What follows serves as both an introduction to the history of London theater in the 1600s and Shakespeare’s contributions to the development of a colorful English language. On double-page spreads, a boxed paragraph of Sutcliffe’s text (with Shakespeare’s words in bold) is paired with a boxed item defining “Will’s Words” such as foul play and wild-goose chase and citing where the words or phrases appear in his plays. These are set against a background of Shelley’s intricately detailed pen-and-ink drawings colored in watercolor. Back matter includes a timeline and bibliography. 

    —CA

    Ages 15+

    I Woke Up Dead at the Mall. Judy Sheehan. 2016. Delacorte/Random House.

    I Woke Up Dead at the MallSixteen-year-old Sarah wakes up at the Mall of America in Minnesota dead and dressed in a hideous mango chiffon bridesmaid’s dress. Bertha, a death coach, is assigned to lead Sarah and a group of murdered teens through a letting-go process by having them share their death stories, revisiting one day from their lives, and attending their funerals. The alternative: Turning into Zombie-like “mall walkers,” stuck trudging hypnotically around the mall, day and night, repeating nonsensical phrases or, worse yet, having to relive their deaths over and over in a state of suspended consciousness. After Sarah accidentally discovers the identity of her killer and the killer’s next target, she puts her soul on the line to change the inevitable, but finds she can’t do it alone. With the support of her long-deceased mother and her new friends, Sarah sets out to stop a diabolical plot already in motion and make her death matter. This paranormal mystery is sure to entrance teen readers.

    —NB

    The Leaving Season. Cat Jordan. 2016. HarperTeen/HarperCollins.

    Teh leaving SeasonIt’s late August, what Middie Daniels calls the “leaving season,” during which high school graduates leave home for the first time. While Middie is just beginning her senior year, Nate, who has been her boyfriend since middle school, is leaving her. He is taking a gap year working with Global Outreach in Honduras. For Middie, it is going to be a year of her life on hold until Nate returns and she can join him on his path of college, medical school, marriage, and family. Then the unthinkable happens. News comes of the attack on the village where Nate is working: “Villagers and Medical Volunteers Killed While Fleeing.” In her grief, Middie is surprised to find she is drawn to Nate’s best friend, Lee, who is the complete opposite of predictable, purpose-driven Nate. As Middie and Lee become close, news comes that Nate has been found alive. Upon his return, Middie has some difficult decisions to make about the experiences and relationship she sees defining her now and in the future.

    —CA

    Nancy Brashear is Professor Emeritus of English at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, CA. Carolyn Angus is former director of the George G. Stone Center for Children's Books at Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, CA.

    These reviews are submitted by members of the International Literacy Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) and are published weekly on Literacy Daily.

     
    To continue the Drop Everything and Read celebration, we have selected some books that are good read-aloud choices: picture books that children will enjoy listening to and novels that will have elementary-grade children begging to hear just one...Read More
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    Drop Everything and Read

    By Carolyn Angus
     | Apr 11, 2016

    What began as a celebration of popular children’s book author Beverly Cleary’s birthday April 12 (she turns 100 this year!), National Drop Everything and Read (D.E.A.R.) Day has become an annual monthlong celebration. Here is a selection of recently published books—from picture books to short stories for teens—to read aloud and add to classroom libraries for independent reading. Join in the D.E.A.R. celebration by dropping whatever you are doing and read for a period of time each day during April or, better yet, keep the celebration going throughout the year.

    Ages 4–8

    Amelia Bedelia on the Job (Amelia Bedelia #9). Herman Parish. Ill. Lynne Avril. 2016. Greenwillow/HarperCollins.

    amelia_bedeliaThe silliness of Herman Parish’s books about literal-minded schoolgirl Amelia makes the Amelia Bedelia early chapter book series a favorite of young readers. In this latest book, Amelia’s class is learning about careers. Comments such as “pitching to clients” and “it was a slam dunk” have Amelia thinking her father is a baseball and basketball coach. She’s confused when he says he’s in marketing—it’s her mother who does all the grocery shopping. A field trip to Amelia’s father’s office gives the class some hands-on involvement in Mr. Bedelia’s marketing job.

    Flying Frogs and Walking Fish: Leaping Lemurs, Tumbling Toads, Jet-Propelled Jellyfish, and More Surprising Ways That Animals Move. Steve Jenkins & Robin Page. Ill. Steve Jenkins. 2016. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

    flying_frogsA brief informative text and Jenkins’s signature torn- and cut-paper collage artwork offer an engaging look at surprising ways in which animals move. The exploration of each of various types of movement (walking, leaping, swimming, climbing, flying, rolling, and jetting) begins with a question introducing one animal with an unusual adaptation. For example, “Have you ever seen…A Walking Octopus?” A brief explanation of the octopus’s use of two of its eight legs to walk on the ocean floor is followed by a spread showing examples of five or six animals with other unusual adaptations for walking. A final spread provides brief notes on the animals.

    High? Low? Where Did It Go?: All About Animal Camouflage (The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library). Tish Rabe. Ill. Aristides Ruiz & Joe Mathieu. 2016. Random House.

    high_lowThe Cat in the Hat takes a boy and a girl on a round-the-world trip to find hidden animals and gives them lessons on different types of camouflage: concealing coloration, disguise, disruptive coloration, mimicry, and countershading. Each type of camouflage is described briefly and illustrated with several examples of animals with that adaptation. The book ends with a challenge to find 10 hidden animals in a two-page illustration. Back matter includes a glossary and a list of related books.

    When Andy Met Sandy (Andy & Sandy). Tomie dePaola & Jim Lewis. Ill. Tomie dePaola. 2016. Simon & Schuster.

    andy_sandyIn this new series for beginning readers, a text of short parallel sentences and dePaola’s signature artwork introduce Andy and Sandy, opposites who meet on a playground and become friends in spite of their different personalities as they share the fun of playing together on the seesaw. In the second book in the series, Andy & Sandy’s Anything Adventure (2016), Andy and Sandy find a special way of showing that they are best friends as the play dress-up. 

    Where’s the Elephant? Barroux. 2016. Candlewick.

    wheres the elephantOn the first spread there are three questions—“Where’s the Elephant? Where’s the Parrot? Where’s the Snake?”—and portraits of a gray elephant, a red parrot, and a green snake. This introduction leads readers to locate these animals hidden among brightly colored trees of various shapes on the wordless pages that follow. With each page turn, locating the three animals becomes easier as more and more trees are chopped down and their habitat shrinks as small houses and then bigger buildings and roads replace the trees—and the hide-and-seek game becomes a lesson on the effects of deforestation on animal inhabitants.

    Ages 9–11

    Animals That Make Me Say Ewww! (Ranger Rick). Dawn Cusick. 2016. Imagine!/Charlesbridge.

    animals_ewwWith the same format as Cusick’s Animals That Make Me Say Ouch! (2014) and Animals That Make Me Say Wow! (2014), this book is full of nature photographs of animals paired with brief paragraphs of information that will appeal to browsers. Cusick moves readers from some ewww-inducing photos to explanations of numerous adaptations animals have to help them survive. For example, a photograph of an oxpecker pecking at the nostrils of an African buffalo illustrates the symbiotic relationship between the bird and large mammal. The book includes four “Scavenger Hunt Challenges,” a list of other books by Cusick, a glossary, and an index.

    Escape From Wolfhaven Castle (The Impossible Quest #1). Kate Forsyth. 2016. Kane Miller.

    escape_from_wolfhavenWhen Wolfhaven Castle is attacked, only four young people—Tom, the kitchen pot boy; Lady Eleanor, daughter of Lord Wolfgang; Quinn, the apprentice to the witch of the castle; and Sebastian, a squire—escape. With only a riddle and four magical gifts to guide them, they set out on a seemingly impossible quest to awaken four legendary magical warrior-beasts to save the kingdom. This first book in Forsyth’s The Impossible Quest series is a good choice for introducing readers to the fantasy genre. It is a well-crafted, fast-paced, and short book with an interesting cast of heroes, villains, and mystical beasts and lots of action. A bonus is that readers don’t have to wait for the next book in the series to be published. Kane Miller is releasing all five books, originally published by Scholastic Australia in 2014, at the same time.

    Sweet Home Alaska. Carole Estby Dagg. 2016. Nancy Paulsen/Penguin.

    sweet_home_alaskaIn 1934, the Johnson family takes advantage of one of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal programs and leaves Wisconsin to become a part of the homesteading Matanuska Colony in Palmer, Alaska. Eleven-year-old Terpsichore Johnson, inspired by Farmer Boy and other of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House books, is determined to do all she can to help her family build a successful farm in the harsh wilderness and to convince her mother that they must stay and become a part of the Alaskan community she has come to love. Short chapters are filled with the adventure and hardship of pioneer life in Alaska in the 1930s and facts about the the Great Depression.

    Turkeys Strike Out and Other Fun Facts (Did You Know?). Hannah Eliot. Ill. Aaron Spurgeon. 2016. Little Simon/Simon & Schuster.

    turkeys_strike_outEliot peppers the text of this new book in the Did You Know? series with questions related to sports and follows up with a rapid-fire mix of facts about the history of various sports, the popularity of different sports around the world, famous sports figures, sports lingo, and lots of trivia, leaving even the most knowledgeable sports fan saying, “I didn’t know that!” For example, did you know that the mascot of the Colorado Rockies is a purple triceratops named Dinger? It’s true, and Eliot tells why he became the team’s mascot. Cartoon illustrations featuring animals instead of people participating in sports add to the enjoyment of learning fun facts about sports. 

    Ages 12–14

    Everything Sports (Everything). Eric Zweig (with Shalise Manza Young). 2016. National Geographic Kids.

    everything_sportsThis new book in the Everything series may not literally cover everything about sports, but it is packed with photos and facts about sports history, athletes, rules of the games, statistics, and trivia, all of which make this an informative, fun-to-read book whether you are a sports fan or not. With the Summer Olympic Games coming up later this year, features about the Olympics are of special interest. There is a quiz at the end of the book in the format of a glossary of sports-related terms and multiple-choice questions that tests your sports knowledge after reading the book.

    Wonder Woman at Super Hero High (DC Super Hero Girls). Lisa Yee. 2016. Random House.

    Wonder_Woman_at_Super_Hero_HighDisclaimer: I am not a fan of superhero comics, but I am a fan of author Lisa Yee. Curious to see how Yee would handle putting a teen Wonder Woman into a high school setting, I began to read how warrior princess Wonder Woman wants to move from the isolation of homeschooling on Paradise Island, where she lives with her mother, Hippolyta, the Queen of the Amazons, to being a student at Super Hero High. Yee succeeds in entertaining readers as she drops a rather clueless Wonder Woman into the mix of studies, cliques, friendships, and school rivalries (Super Hero High wins the coveted trophy for the one hundredth Super Triathlon) of this elite school for training superheroes of the future. “Wondy” successfully navigates the world of Super Hero High (as fans of Wonder Woman will expect) to become a student leader and Super Hero High’s Hero of the Month. She’s well on her way to her goal of making a difference to the entire world. The book ends with the promise of more to come.   

    Ages 15+

    I See Reality: Twelve Short Stories About Real Life. Grace Kendall (Ed.). 2016. Farrar Straus Giroux.

    i_see_realityThis collection of stories by a diverse group of young adult authors really delivers on the promise suggested by the title I See Reality. The 12 short stories are about teens dealing with real-life-in-the-real-world issues. Most of the stories are written from the first-person point of view, which makes them emotionally powerful as contemporary topics—pregnancy, abusive personal relationships, school shootings, sexuality identity, and more—are explored as teen protagonists make life-changing choices. I See Reality is an anthology that will leave teen readers wanting to read more stories by these talented young adult authors, so the inclusion of biographical notes on the authors and their writing is a bonus.

    Stars Above: A Lunar Chronicles Collection. Marissa Meyer. 2016. Feiwel and Friends.

    stars_aboveThis collection includes nine short stories (five not published previously) with connections to the novels in Marissa Meyer’s popular The Lunar Chronicles series. The first story, “Keeper,” is a prequel to series. There are also prequels to individual books in the series from the first book, Cinder (2012), to the final book, Winter (2015), as well as an epilogue to Winter.Keeping the fairy tale connection going, “The Little Android” is a retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid” with a Lunar Chronicle setting. Finally, there is a two-chapter excerpt of Meyer’s upcoming novel, Heartless, about the Queen of Hearts from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, due out in November.

    Carolyn Angus is former director of the George G. Stone Center for Children's Books, Claremont Graduate University, in California.

    These reviews are submitted by members of the International Literacy Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) and are published weekly on Literacy Daily.

     
    What began as a celebration of popular children’s book author Beverly Cleary’s birthday April 12 (she turns 100 this year!), National Drop Everything and Read (D.E.A.R.) Day has become an annual monthlong celebration. Here is a selection of...Read More
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    Celebrating April With More Poetry

    By Karen Hildebrand
     | Apr 04, 2016

    This year marks the 20th anniversary of National Poetry Month, started in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets (AAP). Join this April’s celebration of National Poetry Month in your classrooms and take advantage of the many resources available through the AAP. Particularly special this year is the Dear Poet Project, which encourages students in grades 5–12 to write letters in response to poems written and read by award-winning poets. Videos of poets reading their work are available on the National Poetry Month website.

    Ages 4–8

    Fresh Delicious: Poems From the Farmers’ Market. Irene Latham. Ill. Mique Moriuchi. 2016. Wordsong/Highlights.

    Fresh DeliciousPictures and words unite to create a savory image-filled book full of the vibrancy of a farmers’ market with luscious-looking foods. Brightly colored cut-paper collage illustrations feature a variety of animal customers enjoying the bounty of farm produce. The imagery of language is everywhere. In “Peach,” “When your / baby-fuzz / cheek / meets my nose, / the world /explodes / with sweetness,” Latham evokes several senses. In the poem “Purple Hull Peas,” she uses metaphors—“a canoe / that seats / eight or ten / green-cheeked / dark-eyed / passengers.” Most of the 21 poems are free verse. Even the back cover contains a poem. The last two pages contain recipes using produce from the farmers’ market for healthy snacks that a child and adult can make together. Great food fun paired with verses to think about.

    Guess Who, Haiku. Deanna Caswell. Ill. Bob Shea. 2016. Abrams Appleseed.

    What great fun to begin a look at the poetic form of haiku with riddles about animals. Each page offers a haiku followed by a question: “Can you guess who from this haiku?” For example, “flower visitors / busy buzzing in the field / black and yellow stripes. Can you guess who from this haiku?” On the following page the answer is given with both an illustration and oversized text, “A Bee!” Each haiku is accompanied by a visual clue. For example, for the second poem there is a pair of horseshoes at the bottom of the page, hinting that this haiku’s answer might be a horse. On the final page the author includes an explanation of this Japanese verse form with its specific requirements. Reading Guess Who, Haiku will be an opportunity for teachers to have students create their own haiku after modeling with this book.

    Now You See Them, Now You Don’t: Poems About Creatures That Hide. David L. Harrison. Ill. Giles Laroche. 2016. Charlesbridge.

    Now You See ThemDavid Harrison presents five groups of animals in the camouflage poems in this book of poetry about the natural world. The cut-paper illustrations are beautifully layered to create texture and the visual hide-and-seek of the animals lying beneath or on their protective colored environment. Fish and Sea Life, Reptiles and Amphibians, Mammals, Insects and Spiders, and Birds make up the five categories of camouflaged creatures, with 19 animals in all represented. A very intriguing double-page spread of a copperhead snake queries, “Find me / if you can / my sssskin / deceivessss / helpssss me / dissssappear.” Each poem includes a small fact as to why the animal is colored the way it is. Endnotes add further information on each of the animals and the concept of protective coloration.

    When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons. Julie Fogliano. Ill. Julie Morstad. 2016. Neal Porter/Roaring Brook.

    when Green Becomes TomatoesWritten in the style of a diary or journal starting with March 20, the vernal equinox, this collection of poems takes readers through the seasons in free verse. Julie Morstad’s gouache and pencil crayon illustrations accompany the poems, bringing a range of colors as the year progresses. The book starts and finishes with the same poem, “March 20” “From a snow-covered tree / one bird singing / each tweet poking / a tiny hole / through the edge of winter / and landing carefully / balancing gently / on the tip of spring.” Spring is welcomed on March 22 with “just like a tiny, blue hello / a crocus blooming /in the snow.” Children representing several races are pictured at the beach or picking berries or jumping into piles of leaves or watching snowflakes or making snow angels. The beautiful imagery created by Fogliano’s poetic words is entered into the journal to describe a child’s day through the seasons.

    Ages 9–11

    Bow-Tie Pasta: Acrostic Poems (Poetry Adventures). Brian P. Cleary. Ill. Andy Rowland. 2016. Millbrook/Lerner.

    Bow-Tie PastaStarting with a description to let young readers know what an acrostic poem is, Brian Cleary gives an example that includes a cartoon-like illustration of himself with an acrostic that takes the form of a bio-poem: “Bow-tie wearer. / Really likes baseball. / Insanely happy. / Always going places. / Never eats centipedes.” Cleary goes on to offer over 20 acrostic poems on topics such as Halloween, Piano, Rainy Day, Purple, Teachers, Pirates, Piranha, Lacrosse, Library, and Snack Time.

    When the Sun Shines on Antarctica: And Other Poems About the Frozen Continent. Irene Latham. Ill. Anna Wadham. 2016. Millbrook/Lerner.

    When the Sun Shines on AntarticaThe artistic team who brought readers Dear Wandering Wildebeest: And Other Poems From the Water Hole (2014) now takes them to the frozen continent of Antarctica, where the sun shines for six months during the Antarctic summer. Combining science and poetry, 15 poems and informative sidebars make up this chilly book about the frozen continent. All kinds of life exist in Antarctica, especially as the sun radiates to bring new life in the summer. Several species of penguins are described and poetically distinguished from other species. The more aggressive and rather scary bull elephant seals and leopard seals are presented in predatory scenarios. Even an insect, the midge, can exist in this frozen climate in the hair grass sprouting amid the rocks. The lesser known brinicle, a brine icicle that grows underwater, is described and the dangers it presents are explained. A glossary and suggestions for further reading are included for those interested in learning more about Antarctica. 

    Ages 12–14

    A Girl Called Vincent: The Life of Poet Edna St. Vincent Millay. Krystyna Poray Goddu. 2016. Chicago Review.

    A Girl Called VincentGoddu brings to readers the remarkable life of poet Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892–1950). This biography begins with Edna’s living in Maine with her single mother and two younger sisters. Their mother moved the girls from town to town and was often gone and left Edna in charge. Her childhood is represented by an unsupervised freedom that shaped her style of living thereafter. As a youngster, she started calling herself Vincent, named after the St. Vincent Hospital in Manhattan where her uncle had recently received treatment that saved his life. Her poetry writing had begun and she entered several writing contests, which led to the opportunity to attend Vassar and started her professional road to writing. She was also an ardent feminist in response to the many issues surrounding women in this era. Moving to Greenwich Village in New York City, Vincent continued a lifestyle full of people and the arts and theater and writing. Included in the book are some of Edna St. Vincent Millay’s poems, photos, a timeline, letters and diary entries, source notes, and a bibliography.

    Night Guard: Poems for Children. Synne Lea. Ill.  Stian Hole. 2016. Eerdmans.

    Night GuardThis collection of poems, imported from Norway, is about introspection. The illustrations have a surreal quality, presenting images that haunt and are to be pondered. The poems are revealed through the voices of members of a family, particularly a young child who faces fears both of the known and the unknown. He needs a friend. His supportive family shares their fears and thoughts. They reach out to understand each other and the world around them. The reflective voices of family members in the poems call for something in the abstract—a call to end the loneliness of the young boy and help him find ways to move beyond his isolation and discover joy in the world around him.

    Ages 15+

    Ask Me How I Got Here. Christine Heppermann. 2016. Greenwillow/HarperCollins.
    Ask me How I Got HereAddie Solokowski is a star cross-country runner in her sophomore year at the all-girl Immaculate Heart Academy. Heppermann’s (Poisoned Apples: Poems for You, My Pretty (2014)) free verse poetry reveal that Addie’s track career and love life are what constitute her life until she discovers she is pregnant. Addie decides to have an abortion, and her parents and boyfriend support the decision. The story unfolds over months as Addie struggles emotionally with her decision and her right to the choice she made. The poetry includes many references to religion during the weeks and months as Addie works through her decision. What used to be important to Addie seems to be changing and a surprising new relationship with a former Immaculate Heart student places her on a new path in her young life.

    Karen Hildebrand is a retired school librarian active in ILA and NCTE. She is part of the Teacher Fellowship program at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., serves as the Education Curriculum Chair of the Delaware County Historical Society in Ohio, and recently served on the Notable Trade Books in the Social Studies committee. She currently serves as the chair of the NCTE Award for Excellence in Children’s Poetry.

    These reviews are submitted by members of the International Literacy Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) and are published weekly on Literacy Daily.

     
    This year marks the 20th anniversary of National Poetry Month, started in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets (AAP). Join this April’s celebration of National Poetry Month in your classrooms and take advantage of the many resources available...Read More
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