Literacy Now

Rumor has it that dogs are human’s best friends, but that’s only rumor, and no one listens to what those yappy wooly creatures have to say anyway. And even it’s true, who cares about being popular and appealing to the common masses? I’d much rather be a feline with selective tastes and a standoffish personality than some dog that rolls over on its belly or begs attention from every passerby. Cats are so much more discerning, so much more selective with their affections and so much more interesting as these reviews written by members of the International Reading Association's Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group attest. Take that, you annoying barkers. We prefer the soft murmur of a meow or a purr shared with our favorite purr-sons. 

GRADES K-2

Chall, Marsha Wilson. (2012). A secret keeps. Illus. by Heather M. Solomon. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books/Lerner Publishing Group. 

In this story in rhyme Grandpa has invited his grandson for a visit to his farm to discover a secret. The plot revolves around his finding the secret amid slowly-building suspense. The mixed paint and collage illustrations show the grandson exploring and searching around the farm for the secret. That night, dressed in pajamas and playing pirate, the young boy wanders out to the barn to discover a litter of young and playful kittens. He claims “finders keepers” (unpaginated), his grandfather’s intention planned all along. As the story ends, the boy and kitten nestle in bed together. This beautifully illustrated and gentle story reminds readers about the delights of sharing secrets with others.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Feldman, Thea. (2011). Harry Cat and Tucker Mouse: Starring Harry. Illus. by Olga and Aleksey Ivanov. New York: Square Fish/Macmillan. 

This simple book for beginning readers is based on the novel The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden and Garth Williams. Harry Cat and Tucker Mouse live in a cozy drainpipe in the Times Square subway station. Harry loves the theater and goes out each night to watch plays and musicals, leaving Tucker at home. One night in the middle of a play, Harry grabs a fish from a plate and runs across the stage, causing the crowd to laugh, clap, and cheer. Because of the audience reaction to the stunt, the director asks Harry to steal a fish every night. Unfortunately, this new role keeps Harry out late and sleeping in every morning, which jeopardizes his friendship with Tucker. When Tucker attends the play and sees Harry’s star quality, he realizes that he can’t stand in the way of Harry’s career. Perhaps he needs to let go of the friendship. A surprise ending discusses the true meaning of friendship. If children want more Harry Cat and Tucker Mouse books there are more in the series: Tucker’s Beetle Band (2011) and Harry to the Rescue! (2011). 

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

Friend, Catherine. (2007). The perfect nest. Illus. by John Manders. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. 

Jack, a hungry, wily feline, comes up with a sure fire way to fill his tummy. He can almost taste a yummy omelet, and all he needs are eggs. In order to entice some feathery volunteers, he prepares a comfortable nest. His plans are successful, and a Spanish-speaking chicken, a French-speaking duck, and a goose all roost among the straw and cushy nest, and lay eggs of different sizes. But Jack can’t reach the eggs since the three simply won’t leave the nest. Playing to their greed, he tells them that there is a much better nest just down the road. Ready for his long-anticipated meal, he prepares to crack the eggs, but one by one, they hatch, leaving the bewildered Jack to serve as surrogate parent for the three. Although he tries to shirk his new parental responsibilities, the babies chase after him and bring him back to the nest, perfect for this strange family and its feline father, after all. The gouache illustrations and funny expressions on Jack's face and the determination of the newborns make this title great fun to share with young readers. Underneath his fur and appetite for an omelet, Jack turns out to have a nurturing nature. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Knudsen, Michelle.  (2006). The library lion. Illus. by Kevin Hawkes. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. 

Happening upon a library one day, a lion quickly makes himself at home and becomes an important part of the place. There are no rules prohibiting lions in the library, after all, and he learns to control his roar. Before he knows it, this lion has become an essential part of the library, taking on important jobs such as dusting the encyclopedias, serving as a backrest for the children during story hour, and using his enormous tongue to lick envelopes for overdue notices. When the head librarian, Miss Merriweather, falls while reaching for a book, he races through the library for help. Because Mr. McBee (not his biggest fan) is unable to understand what's happening, the lion roars at him, and then leaves the building since he has broken the "no roaring" rule. Nothing is the same, and the spirit of the library has disappeared along with its lion. The acrylic and pencil illustrations and this sentimental tribute to librarians and their patrons depicts the library as a book-filled place where all are welcome--even a lion. Sometimes even a well-trained lion must break rules for the right reasons. Bibliophiles and cat lovers will surely enjoy this one. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Krasnesky, Todd. (2010). That cat can’t stay. Illus. by David Parkins. Brooklyn, NY: Flashlight Press. 

In rhyming text, the story follows a savvy mother who somehow manages to persuade her cat-hating husband to tolerate first one, then two, then three, and finally, four cats. Although on the surface, he might seem heartless, she cannily appeals to his kind nature, and plucks at his heart strings about what fate might befall those cats if left to their own devices in the dangerous outside world. Young readers will laugh at the cartoon illustrations that show the personalities of the cats and the children in the family as well as the man who would prefer not to share his home with felines. As the number of cats somehow keeps increasing despite his resistance, it’s clear that he has lost control of his home. Has the house gone to the dogs, er, cats, despite his best efforts, after all? There’s only one choice left to this father if he’s going to survive the ever-increasingly number of cats. The author uses clever words and repetitive phrases to add to the enjoyment of this tale. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Lindbergh, Reeve. (2011). Homer the library cat. Illus. by Anne Wilsdorf. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. 

Like many older cats content with their quiet daily routine, Homer happens to find an open window and cautiously begins to explore the great world outside his home. But adventures sometimes mean lots of noise, and this cat simply wants to find a quiet place to settle for his adventure. Every time he thinks he’s found just the right spot, it proves to be too noisy for a nap. Eventually, Homer finds just the right quiet place—the library where the woman with whom he lives works. Homer has a great time, snoozing during story hour and enjoying the snacks and the attention of the library patrons. Fans of cats and libraries will enjoy this sweetly appealing story told in rhyming text as well as its playful illustrations created in collage and watercolor. Too bad all bookstores and libraries don’t have their own felines to watch over their book collections.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Martin, Jr.  Bill, & Sampson, Michael. (2011). Kitty Cat, Kitty Cat, are you going to sleep? Illus. by Laura J. Bryant. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish Children. 

In rhyming text, a mother cat tries to persuade her wide-awake Kitty Cat that it is time for bed. But the curious kitten makes all sorts of excuses to put off bedtime. After spying the sun, bathing, hearing a story and a lullaby, and even hiding beneath her mother’s chair, Kitty Cat finally succumbs to slumber, but even in her dreams, she’s on the go, stuffed animal in tow. The watercolor paint and colored pencil illustrations contain lovely colors and vividly depict the always-moving Kitty Cat as she finally starts to slow down, much to her patient mother’s relief. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Schoonmaker, Elizabeth. (2011). Square cat. New York: Aladdin/Simon & Schuster. 

Things haven’t been easy for Eula whose misery makes her no longer able to purr. While her other feline friends are round, she’s a square cat, which presents considerable problems; for instance, it’s not easy to get up once she has tipped over. Her generous friends, Patsy and Maude, try to make her feel better by adding round objects like a hat, earrings and rouge to her outfit, but still, she remains a square cat. When none of their ideas work, they climb into boxes and show her some of the advantages of her square nature. Content at last with her own view of the world, Eula finds her purr again. The watercolor illustrations add personality to the cats in this picture book and will make readers smile as Eula and her friends frolic across its pages. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University

Tillman, Nancy. (2011). Tumford: The terrible. New York: Feiwel and Friends/Macmillan.

From the creator of On the Night You Were Born comes a book about the importance of saying, “I am sorry.” With golden eyes and black and white fur, Tumford looks like a realistic cat in the beautiful illustrations. On the first pages readers immediately recognize Tumford for the trouble-maker he is. He pulls a tablecloth to reach pancakes, chases birds through the garden, and walks in paint. Tumford is a stubborn kitty and refuses to apologize for his misdeeds. To avoid apologizing, he hides in a sack, hides among some plants, and even hides on a shelf amid a dozen stuffed bears. His mother and father talk to him about the importance of owning up to mistakes, but sadly, the next time he causes trouble he forgets and hides once again. After reading aloud this book, children may want to talk about admitting when they’ve done wrong and offering a sincere apology.  

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

GRADES 3-5

Franco, Betsy. (2009). A curious collection of cats: Concrete poems. Illus. by Michael Wertz. Berkeley, CA: Tricycle Press/Ten Speed Press. 

Thirty-two delightful poems written in haiku, free verse, and limerick pay tribute to the finicky nature of felines. The concrete poems in this collection and their accompanying illustrations mimic the essential characteristics of cats, purring in contentment, grooming themselves almost constantly, and often causing havoc in the house. From Kabob’s perfect balance, even when he falls, to Tabitha’s tail which seems to behave separately from Tabitha, the poems reveal the poet’s attention to detail from time spent observing felines. Readers will laugh at the poems and images of cats drinking from toilet bowls, settling down for a nap right on top of freshly laundered clothing, and even landing on a human’s head to avoid a pesky dog.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman 

LeGall, Frank. (2012). Freedom! (Miss Annie, Book #1) Art by Flore Balthazar. Minneapolis: Learner Publishing Group/ Graphic Universe.

Translated from the French, this graphic novel brings to life the playful antics of a four-month-old kitty, Miss Annie, who is just starting to be slightly independent. As she prowls around the house, always getting into household mischief, she wonders what it would be like to play outside. During her adventures inside the house, Annie meets a timid little mouse that has recently moved into the house, and they begin an unusual friendship. Annie names her Keshia, the name she overheard her owners’ daughter call her best friend. As would many felines, Annie seizes the chance to explore the great outdoors when a window is left open.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Wardlaw, Lee.  (2011). Won Ton: A cat tale told in haiku. Illus. by Eugene Yelchin. New York: Henry Holt.

Recently awarded the Lee Bennett Hopkins 2012 Poetry Award (also a 2012 ALSC Notable title), Won Ton

is the story of a shelter cat and his new home. Told with real cat-itude from the feline’s point of view, the poems follow this sassy cat from its cage in the animal shelter along the journey home, all the way through the adjustment period. In an opening note, the author, a cat lover herself, explains that the poetry is written in the senryu form, which focuses on personality and behavior rather than the nature concepts typical of haiku. The illustrator’s graphite-and-gouache pictures lend the feel of Japanese woodblock prints to the book’s pages. This is a beautifully designed book to which cat lovers will have an affinity since they’ll likely relate to the bond that develops between a young boy and his cat. The author has created a teacher’s guide, a recipe for kitty litter cake and provides other useful ideas at her website at http://www.leewardlaw.com/won-ton-images/.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

by Michael Putman

In looking at the subtitle of Larry Ferlazzo’s website/blog, a casual reader may just consider it to be a resource for teaching students who are non-native English speakers. However, to do this would be missing out on a variety of other resources, especially technology-related, that are available on the site that will benefit not only teachers who work with the aforementioned students, but also anyone interested in staying abreast of many of the latest trends in education.

The multitude of information available here becomes immediately evident when scrolling through the posts on Larry’s blog, the primary site linked to this article. The reader sees posts ranging from descriptions of iPad resources to a “'Round-up' of Good School Reform Posts and Articles.” Generally the information is provided as a series of links, but the interested reader can pick and choose which ones to access based on the brief descriptions provided.

As if the blog did not provide enough information, there are also several notable areas worth examining from the links on the website. Scrolling over the “About” link at the top of the page reveals a number of relevant links. Perhaps the most interesting is the “My Best of Series,” where the reader will find what Larry considers the best websites/resources for learning content or educational games or…you get the point. Name a topic and it’s probably there. Readers will also find links to several other websites/blogs maintained by Larry, including Larry Ferlazzo’s English website and another directed towards engaging parents in school. 

In short, whether you are a teacher looking for information on helping your students who are learning English or are simply looking for interesting, relevant information that is education-related, Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day is a great place to start (and finish) your search.

Michael Putman is from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Michael.Putman@uncc.edu. 

This article is part of a series from the Technology in Literacy Education Special Interest Group (TILE-SIG). 

Everyone knows that dogs are man and woman's best friend. Dogs come in all sizes from the teeny-weeny puppy to the large canine. Dogs entertain us in many ways by chasing balls, wagging their tails and doing tricks for treats. Many children own pets, such as dogs, and will be able to make many connections to the dog books discussed in this column from the International Reading Association Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group. 

GRADES PRE-K TO 2

Katz, Jon. (2011). Meet the dogs of Bedlam farm. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 
From the bestselling author of A dog year, Katz writes his first picture book introducing his four dogs—Rose, Izzy, Frieda, and Lenore. Each dog is highlighted describing how they came to the farm, what their job is on the farm and how they get along with the other dogs. A question that is repeated throughout the text is, “What is Lenore’s job?” (unpaginated). This causes the reader to infer and make predictions. Beautiful full-page photographs portray each dog in the changing seasons. The last section of the book discusses Lenore, a black Labrador retriever, who rolls in the mud and eats disgusting things. Eventually the reader learns Lenore’s job on the farm. The last photograph shows all four dogs together in the cozy farmhouse after a long day of work. They are a happy dog family. 
- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

Raschka, Chris. (2011). A ball for daisy. New York: Random House.
Winner of the 2012 Caldecott medal, A ball for Daisy, does not have any words except for the title. The illustrations, rendered in ink, watercolor and gouache, tell the story of Daisy and her red ball. Daisy taps the ball in the air with her paws. She bounces it with the tip of her nose and chases it to a teal and green couch. After all of that playing, she snuggles up to the red sphere and snoozes. Later, Daisy’s owner takes her on a walk to the park where she joyfully runs, chases and catches the red ball in four separate illustrations. Then, a brown dog arrives, snatching the ball and accidently popping it. Daisy lies down on her flattened ball and howls. She sulks all the way back home. The next day, Daisy and owner return to the park and find that the brown dog has a present for her—a blue ball! The closing illustration shows Daisy next to the blue ball on the couch. 

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

Rosen, Michael, J. (2011). The hound dog’s haiku: And other poems for dog lovers. Illus. by Mary Azarian. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.
Twenty different dog breeds are represented in haiku poetry in this delightful picture book. Breeds such as the Bluetick coonhound, the Weimaraner and the Siberian husky are showcased. For example, the poem for the English springer spaniel: “Wagging bobtailed dog / anything you touch joins in / joy is not phantom” (unpaginated). The accompanying woodcut illustration shows a liver and white spaniel flying through the air fetching a red Frisbee. In addition, notes about each dog are included in the back. Teachers could read aloud these canine poems and invite students to write haiku poems about their own pets. 
- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

Singer, Marilyn. (2011). What is your dog doing? Illus. by Kathleen Habbley. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. 
The first page says, “Dog dreaming / Dog scheming” (unpaginated). Young children will notice a bright yellow kitchen with a small brown dog dreaming about eating a cupcake. Next, a black and white puppy is yanking a tablecloth with a tray of frosted cupcakes falling. The book continues with the familiar noun and adverb pattern: “Dog inspecting / Dog protecting” (unpaginated) and “Dog sharing / Dog daring” (unpaginated). Some pages have longer sentences that all rhyme. Readers will notice dogs in different activities such as paddling, dancing, shedding, sledding and herding. The colorful illustrations are bold and attractive. The small rectangle book shape is perfect for little hands and repeated rereadings.
- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

Nobisso, Josephine. (2011). Francis woke up early. Illus. by Maureen Hyde. New York: Gingerbread House. 
The young boy who will become known as Saint Francis of Assisi awakens one morning and relishes the peacefulness of a day in this beautiful picture book. He goes about his chores carefully, caring for the animals in the barnyard and collecting eggs and milk for breakfast. When he encounters a hungry she-wolf who has been looking for food on the town’s outskirts, he befriends her and shares his breakfast with her. She, in turn, does not harm him, somehow sensing his innate kind-heartedness and grateful for the meal. Having begun his morning with gentleness, Francis is ready to eat his own breakfast. The simple story reminds readers that all living creatures have basic needs, and the sumptuously painted illustrations pulse with life in every frame. 
- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

GRADES 3 TO 7 

Corriveau, Art. (2010). How I, Nicky Flynn, finally get a life (and a dog). New York: Amulet Books/Abrams. 
After the separation of his parents, eleven-year-old Nicky and his mother live in a tiny Boston apartment in a part of town that has seen better days. He faces school bullies in his new school and is confused about his father’s reluctance to spend time with him during weekends. One night, his mother arrives home from work with Reggie, a huge dog that once was a seeing-eye dog and ended up at the dog pound for reasons that aren’t clear. Already angry with his mother about the breakup of the family and their reduced circumstances, Nicky resents Reggie. Eventually, though, they bond during their walks. When Reggie stubbornly tries to pull him in certain directions, Nicky finally lets him, and the dog leads him to his former haunts where Nicky meets some new folks who are able to shed light on the dog’s past. Miserable about much of his life, Nicky and the dog run away, retracing the Freedom Trail, which Nicky remembers with fondness from earlier times with his father. Readers will enjoy Nicky’s growing bond with his pet and appreciate the honesty with which the story is told. Although his actions, words, and thoughts—especially concerning his father—often are in conflict, it becomes clear that Nicky can rely on Reggie and his mother even when his misjudgment puts his dog at risk and when he incorrectly blames his mother for circumstances beyond her control. While Nicky grows up a great deal throughout the story, what makes this title particularly poignant is his own inability to see his father as he actually is.
- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Franco, Betsy. (2011). A dazzling display of dogs. Illus. by Michael Wertz. New York: Tricycle Press/Random House. 
From the same team that created A Curious Collection of Cats: Concrete Poems (2009), their poetic and artistic celebration of all things feline, comes this collection of 34 poems celebrating the delights of canines. Dog lovers will smile in recognition of dogs at their best and worst, sharing their living space with humans and generally make life much more pleasurable. The poems are shaped so that they resemble the experience they are describing; for instance, “Circling Poem 1 & 2” shows a dog endlessly searching and searching, circling for just the right spot in which to nap. “Emmett’s Ode to his Tennis Ball” places the poem inside a yellow circle clamped in the dog’s mouth and states firmly his affection for the “slobbery, sloppy, slimy sphere” (unpaginated). Young readers will chortle as they recall the noxious odor produced by a dog that farts in a car. They’ll also relate to the indecision of dogs who can’t make up their minds about being inside or outside as described in “Letting Gwen In and Out.” Drenched with detail and large fonts, the digitally colored illustrations are almost overwhelming with their intensity in an often-amusing, always affectionate tribute to dogs from two dog-lovers.
- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Korman, Gordon. (2012). Showoff. New York: Scholastic Press. 
Griffin, the man with the plan, is back in the fourth installment of Korman’s  “Swindle” series. Griffin’s friend Savannah and her pet Doberman, Luthor, head the cast of characters as they romp into the dog show realm. Electra, three-time winning championship beagle is injured when Luthor unexpectedly crashes the dog show stage resulting in a tail injury for Electra. The owners are outraged and immediately cry lawsuit! Savannah is forced to send Luthor to an animal shelter, but Griffin intervenes with his latest plan. Since his parents are in Europe, Griffin and sidekick Ben bring the Doberman to Griffin’s home and decide to train Luthor for the next dog show championship, win the grand prize and put the money toward the lawsuit. The hilarious antics that ensue as they become dog trainers and outwit a mysterious person who is trying to sabotage the plan as well as the entire dog show makes for an adventure with lots of laughs. 
- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Laidlaw, Rob. (2012). No Shelter Here: Making the world a kinder place for dogs. Ontario: Pajama Press. 
The author, Rob Laidlaw, is a professional dog advocate and asks readers to become Dog Champions as he describes the living conditions of free range, homeless dogs around the world. Using photographs and side bar illustrations he discusses the treatment of dogs by pet owners, both good and bad. In addition to the horrendous conditions of puppy mills and working dogs, he explains about organizations that advocate for spaying and neutering and uses very direct language to describe some of the homeless conditions where street dogs are barely surviving today. He includes a list of animal welfare websites where readers can learn more about being proactive about humanitarian dog care.
- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

MacLachlan, Patricia. (2012). Kindred Souls. New York: Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins
Ten-year-old Jake has discovered a kindred soul in his aging grandfather. As they walk the farm that has been in the family for generations, grandfather reminisces about growing up in the sod house, the remains of which are still visible. Childhood memories are shared and Jake loves the time spent with his grandfather. When a stray dog wanders onto the farm, life shifts and grandfather becomes ill and is hospitalized. Jake gets it in his head that if the family rebuilds the soddy for grandfather to come home to that all will be well. MacLachlan’s foreshadowing actually sets the tone for grandfather to return home to die, which he does in the newly rebuilt sod home of his childhood. Neighbors notice the dog has disappeared and folks say the dog is living with a woman who is sick in a nearby town. With sparce text and poetic prose, the cycle of life is warmly brought to the page for young readers who share that special relationship with a grandparent and yet face the inevitable passing of a kindred soul.
- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Margolis, Leslie. (2012). Vanishing Acts. New York: Bloomsbury. 
Maggie Brooklyn Sinclair, dog-walker and amateur sleuth, is back in another “Maggie Brooklyn Mystery.”  Several confusing things occur in seventh-grader Maggie’s life, especially the disconcerting egging of dogs at the dog run. Who would do such a thing? Meanwhile, a movie company has come to Park Slope to shoot the latest Seth Ryan, teen heartthrob, film.  Maggie and her friends are hoping to be cast as extras in the movie but Maggie is tossed off the set on the very first day. When Seth disappears and rumors of a kidnapping spread, Maggie’s detective skills kick into action. Throw in a little middle school romance with Maggie’s friend Lucy with Maggie’s very own twin brother and the questions really start flowing. Dogs, friends, mystery and mayhem make this a middle school read that girls who enjoy the Sammy Keyes mysteries, or Judy Moody and Allie Finkle will welcome.
- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Selfors, Suzanne. (2011). Smells like treasure. New York: Little, Brown. 
Many readers have come to dread the appearance of a dog in a book since its appearance practically insures that some ill fate lies ahead. Reassuringly, the author includes a note at the front of the book guaranteeing that there will be no dead dogs in this or any other titles she writes. In the continuation of the earlier Smells like Dog (2010), twelve-year-old farm boy Homer Pudding receives a mysterious note containing the letters L.O.S. T., making him certain that the time has come to join the society of Legends, Objects, Secrets, and Treasures. Relying on his basset hound Dog’s ability to smell treasure, Homer embarks on a quest to use the clues he’s been given to find the treasure before anyone else. His membership in the society depends on it, but along the way, he realizes that someone else is just as intent on finding the treasure as he and Dog are. As the two friends leave Milkydale for adventure amid hidden islands and mansions and dangers to both boy and beast, the story moves forward in a clever, engaging fashion, filled with amusing moments and plenty of mishaps. Like a dog begging for a treat, fans of this series will clamor for more books about this pair.
- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

As language arts teachers, we know the importance of helping our students build context when reading and writing in different genres. Since our students live in a digital world where they drive their own activities outside of the classroom, it is important that we bring that type of learning into our classrooms. Although most of my learners live in poverty and may not have access to a desktop computer at home, many do have access to handheld devices or smart phones. As their teacher, it is important to find the technology tools that will support their learning inside and outside the classroom walls.

When we begin a new genre study, like many teachers, I provide mentor texts for my writers to study and from which to draw inspiration. Because most of my students don’t have literature readily available in the home, and I usually don’t have enough texts for them to take home, I have created LiveBinders of online texts that the students have access to from school and from home.

A LiveBinder is a digital three-ring binder you can use to organize and label your online resources on a particular topic. You can include PDFs, videos, images, text, or webpages. One aspect of LiveBinders that I particularly love is that you can invite collaborators to add resources to your binder. When I asked my students why it was important for us to study these texts, one student said, “These are professional writers. They are the best in the business. If we want to be great writers, we need to read great writers and write like them.” By using LiveBinders, I am giving my students access to all kinds of writing that they can access from school or from home.

A Tale of Two Tools

At the beginning of the school year, we had a teacher in Memphis contact us and ask if our students could do some collaborative writing and publishing. My writers jumped at the chance to write and publish collaboratively with other students. When students can have an authentic reason to write to a real audience, it greatly impacts not only the quality of the writing, but the enthusiasm for creating great pieces for others to read. For this particular project, the students decided that creating fables would be a perfect fit for both classes. My students come to fifth grade with a vague understanding of the characteristics of the particular styles of writing. When they are given a piece of literature, they might be able to guess the genre, but few have a meaningful understanding of how to write in a specific genre.

Many teachers ask me how I foster such enthusiasm for writing with such limited classroom time. When I introduce a new genre, I want my students to build context and gain an understanding of that writing and how it is relevant to them. Their learning means so much more to them because they have discovered it on their own (with some guidance) instead of merely being given information. This is a small shift that makes a huge difference in their perception of content and in their motivation to become active, thoughtful writers.

So what does this look like in the classroom? After a discussion where they shared any prior knowledge they had about fables, they divided into pairs. Each pair had a netbook computer to explore the sites I had marked in our LiveBinders. They began their exploration of fables by visiting a site called Lit2Go. This site provides a huge database of stories and poetry in PDFs and in MP3s. They are organized by Author, Books, Genres, Collections, and Readability. Sometimes it can be a challenge to find literature available online that you can use as mentor texts. Thanks to Lit2Go, that is no longer a problem. My students had over one hundred examples of fables at their fingertips to study and analyze together. (There are so many other creative ways you can use Lit2Go in your lessons—I’m just sharing how we used it for this project.)

Now that they had a plentiful supply of texts, they needed to organize their learning. That’s where Lino-it came into play. Lino-it is a site for online sticky notes. You can create boards where collaborative users can add information, upload files and photos, and share URLs. Not only is Lino-it a web tool, it is also available as an app, making it readily accessible for my students. It’s a great place to collaboratively house all of the learning that the students are gathering during an exploratory activity such as the one in which my students are engaged.

Once students started noticing characteristics among several different fables, they began adding sticky notes to our fable board. I traveled among the pairs to ask questions or re-direct as necessary, but often before I could ask any questions, their excitement spilled out as they shared all of their findings.

Throughout the lesson, we occasionally stopped and discussed their learning. At the end of this activity, we looked at the collaborative board where they had been adding sticky notes. They made astute observations as they cited examples from the fables they had been reading. Throughout the discussion, they began organizing similar sticky notes and drawing conclusions about what should be included in their fables that they were going to create.

As you can see throughout this activity, my writers took responsibility for their learning. Never once did I assign anything or have to encourage a student to focus on their project. They were 100% engaged in this meaningful writing project that we had to squeeze around all of our other mandated work and programs.

Jumping into Publishing

Their enthusiasm for fable writing was contagious. They couldn’t wait to write. As we squeezed conferring into our tight schedule, the writing partners quickly finished and were ready to jump into publishing. For this project, the students asked to publish a storybook where both classes published their writing together. They wanted to publish an anthology of fables.

We turned to a great tool that publishes digital storybooks, StoryJumper. StoryJumper provides teachers with the opportunity to set up a class; it provides a huge library of clip art, backgrounds, and text options and one can upload photos or scanned images. Also, with StoryJumper, if one wants to purchase a hardback copy of their work, this is possible as well. The creators have done an amazing job giving StoryJumper the feel of a storybook. It has shadows, movement, and the sounds you associate with reading a tangible storybook.

For our project, the learners felt strongly that they wanted their unique artwork included in place of the clip art. Since we were creating an anthology of writing, we were working on creating one book. The writing pairs took turns uploading their artwork and inserting their fables into their pages. When you can have students so excited about publishing their writing, you know you’ve found a winning combination.

What they really love about their StoryJumper is that it’s not only accessible to them at home, but they also can share their writing with friends and family members around the world. Often I see them reading this book during the school day, and they’ve blogged about each other’s writing. They showed their expertise as my “fable masters” had the ability to guide third graders in learning about writing in this genre as well.

Some things that I wonder…

As I’m writing this blog it brings to mind a few questions that I thought I would ask. I hope that this can spur some conversation here and on the message boards. For me, I’ve learned the most from other educators who are willing to share their thoughts and ideas. I am always in search of relevant real world mentor texts that I can share digitally with my students. When we write articles, op-eds, reviews, or PSAs, I turn to national newspaper publications’ digital sites. However, I always have to be careful with the ads that some of them have on their sites. What other sites have you discovered that provide great writing and content, but are still appropriate for sharing with students?

One comment that I hear from teachers regularly is how overwhelming the amount of digital content they generate for their students can become. I started by organizing content and links on SimplyBox, but as it is in the digital world, what we have today can be gone tomorrow. That’s why I moved to LiveBinders. My students have a binder with tabs to organize their papers in each subject, so this is a format that they easily understood. What are some ways that you’ve managed to organize links and other digital content for your students to have readily accessible from any computer or handheld device?

My students and I love publishing. Here is a blog that I wrote about ten of our favorite publishing tools: What’s in Your Writing ToolBelt? We’ve recently purchased an iPad for our classroom and some of their favorites apps (so far) are Comic Book!, ToonTastic, and PuppetPals. [To learn more about literacy classroom-friendly apps, see Karen Lirenman’s recent post, “Your Classroom Got a New Tablet Computer—Now What?”]

My writers and I are always on the look-out for tools that we haven’t used yet that might support the type of writing in which they are involved. In fact, many of them go home and spend hours looking for new tools and apps to add to our publishing tool arsenal. (Who needs to assign homework when they spend their free time like this?) So, what are some of your favorite publishing tools that you and your students enjoy using?

I really look forward to these conversations. So please contribute, ask questions, and share challenges. Not only will we become stronger educators, but the ones who are ultimately going to benefit from our discussions are the excited writers that we have in our classroom every day.

Julie D. Ramsay is a Nationally Board Certified educator, a fifth grade teacher in a student-driven classroom, and the author of “CAN WE SKIP LUNCH AND KEEP WRITING?”: COLLABORATING IN CLASS & ONLINE, GRADES 3-8 (Stenhouse, 2011). She travels the country to speak, present, and facilitate workshops in applying technology to support authentic learning. Read her blog at juliedramsay.blogspot.com.

by Julie Coiro

Do you have a classroom blog with lots of active writers, but wish there were more visitors outside of your local community? If so, Quadblogging might be just what you’re looking for! 

David Mitchell, a Google certified teacher and Deputy Head Teacher at the Heathfield Primary School in the United Kingdom created QuadBlogging two years ago after realizing that writers are so much more motivated to write when they know people are listening.

What is QuadBlogging? 

QuadBlogging (see http://quadblogging.net/) involves four schools from around the world that work in a partnership during a four-week cycle. Each week focuses on the blog at one of the four schools, and students from the other three schools visit virtually to ask questions, post comments, and share ideas. After that week, another one of the four schools becomes the focus and this is then repeated for the four-week cycle.  At the beginning of the fifth week, the quad can begin the cycle again with the same four schools, or jump back into the “pot” of other quad schools to join a different group.

In 2010, over 20,000 students from classes in 18 countries participated, and since September 2011, more than 40,000 students (ages 3 to 19) have become involved in this exciting collaboration.  Teachers have found that this unique blogging experience provides an authentic audience and a purpose for writing that motivates student writers of all ages.  In the process, children also learn about diverse cultures, religions, school practices, and daily life around the globe. The positive energy generated from the QuadBuddies, as they have come to be known, is impressive, and the website also features success stories, video clips, and tips for making the most of your own QuadBlogging experience.

The best part is that a new round of QuadBlogging was begun in January of 2012 and registration is still open–if you have a class blog already, simply fill in the form at the homepage and get started! The website also provides a link to Feb 29th–The World’s Biggest Blogging project at http://feb29th.net/–which will celebrate Leap Year with one day of posts from all over the planet. Don’t pass up these exciting writing opportunities for your students–join today and get involved!

Julie Coiro teaches in the School of Education at the University of Rhode Island. 

This article is part of a series from the Technology in Literacy Education Special Interest Group (TILE-SIG).