Literacy Now

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).

 

Students often indicate that one of their favorite times of the school day is when their teacher reads aloud. This special time allows them to become part of a community of readers caught in the spell of good stories, information, and poetry. Reading aloud can also be as beneficial as it is fun. Reading aloud enables teachers to introduce students to a variety of genres. Students’ reading and listening vocabularies expand as they hear new words in meaningful contexts. The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) remind parents and teachers of two things about reading aloud to students. First, children’s listening comprehension is stronger than their reading comprehension until the middle grades so parents and teachers can read challenging books to develop children’s knowledge. Second, books read aloud to children in the upper grades can extend and enrich what students are able to read on their own. This week the Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group focuses on some of our favorite new books for reading aloud. Happy reading!

GRADES K-3

Dempsey, Kristy. (2012). Surfer Chick. Illus. by Henry Cole. New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers.
Sometimes it’s hard to live up to the accomplishments of a parent. Although Chick is thrilled to be taken under the wings of her well-known surfer father, riding the waves is harder than she thought, and more than once, the plucky fowl ends up wiped out, struggling to stay on her pink board. Through her father's tender guidance and her own perseverance, she goes from a miserable heap of wet feathers on the beach to eventually surfing skillfully with a twist of her own. Clearly, this is a daughter much like her father, certainly deserving of the title Surfer Chick. This charming picture book written in rhyming text features clever word play with fun-to-say phrases such as "foul-tempered" (unpaginated) and "ruffled her feathers" (unpaginated). The surfer lingo such as "bummer" (unpaginated), "colossal wipeout" (unpaginated), and "gnarly new legend" heighten the book's appeal and make it a sure pick for a read aloud. The acrylic paint and colored pencil illustrations paint sentimental images of the joys of surfing and of the ocean’s allure. Not only does this title lovingly depict the relationship between a father and his daughter, but it also serves as a gentle reminder that not everything worth doing comes easily.
- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Henry, Jed. (2012). I speak dinosaur! New York: Abrams.
During imaginary play children like to speak dinosaur. Dinosaurs don’t ask, “May I please play with you?” (unpaginated). Instead the little boy with a red dinosaur hat shouts to his friends in dinosaur, “Gribber, grabber, blobber, slobber!” (unpaginated). All of his friends immediately disappear. Dinosaurs never say thank you or I’m sorry either. And sometimes dinosaurs speak to their moms, “Roar!” When this happens though, dinosaurs need to leave the house. The little boy moves to his back yard swing set and is suddenly lonely. Large dinosaur shadows loom overhead and ask him, “Hi, may we please play with you?” (unpaginated). Little boy is shocked to hear, “May I?” and “Please.” His young friends have returned with their own dinosaur hats, but are using their manners. This is a perfect picture book to remind children about using manners. Teachers could also use this book at an imaginary play center with some dinosaur hats. Another extension would be to show how the author and illustrator, Jed Henry, used capital letters or large font type when the dinosaurs were shouting or yelling. Children could try this idea in their own writing or book making. 
- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

Jurmain, Suzanne. (2011). The Worst of Friends: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and the true story of an American Feud. Illus. by Larry Day. New York: Dutton.
From the author/illustrator pair that brought readers George Did It, this new book brings to light the friendship and disagreements of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. At that time in American history the President and Vice President could represent different political parties, which was the case with Adams and Jefferson. Coming from very different political philosophies, “…as different as pickles and ice cream,” this governmental pair argued over most issues in the early years of our country. Adams became the second President of the United States serving after George Washington and Jefferson defeated Adams to become the third President. Because of their numerous arguments, the two men did not speak for over ten years after their terms ended. As the country continued to thrive under other presidents, Jefferson and Adams rekindled their friendship through letter writing as they felt the need to discuss the developing nation. Caricature illustrations provide a humorous look at the antics of these two great men as they waged their battles in shaping the United States. Personal anecdotes from the author about two of the nation’s forefathers give readers the chance to see their human qualities in addition to watching how a friendship can develop after troubled first encounters. 
- Karen Hildebrand Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Pallotta, Jerry. (2012). A giraffe did one. Illus. by Tatjana Mai-Wyss. Ann Arbor, MI: Sleeping Bear Press. 
This fun read aloud begins with, “An ant did one, but no one could hear it” (unpaginated). A worm, a mouse, a squirrel and a skunk also did one, but readers aren’t  exactly sure what they have done. This is a perfect book to help teach the thinking strategy prediction. While reading a teacher could ask students, “what do you think the animals are doing?” On one page, “A turtle did one. It made a little bubble” (unpaginated), children could turn to a partner and share what they think the turtle did. On another page, “A monkey did one, and started laughing, but why?” The teacher could stop reading and write down on chart paper all of the students’ predictions. Later, readers will learn that a flower and a tree “can’t do one” which helps refine predictions. The funniest page is, “When the elephant does it, watch out! It sounds like an EARTHQUAKE! (unpaginated). The book closes with an illustration of a mom and a sheepish little boy surrounded by all of the different animals that were in the book at a tea party. The little boy did one too! 
- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

Rosen, Michael. (2010). Tiny little fly. Illus. by Kevin Waldron. Somerville, MA: Candlewick.
In this delightful read aloud title, a diminutive fly flits teasingly by three mighty beasts--an elephant, a hippo, and a tiger--without coming to any harm. One by one, each of the massive creatures decides to put an end to that fly’s peskiness. Despite their best efforts and amid all sorts of delightful language ["TRAMP! CRUSH! TRAMP!" (unpaginated), "ROLL! SQUASH! ROLL!" (unpaginated), and "SWOOP! SNATCH! SWOOP!" (unpaginated)]--and possible mayhem, the fly simply keeps on buzzing, slightly, but annoyingly, out of reach. Young readers will enjoy hearing this story multiple times, and readers won't mind reading it again because of how much fun it is to say the words and enjoy the pencil, gouache and digitally enhanced illustrations that fill its pages. The two-page spread that shows the elephant's eye peering at that fly is especially appealing since the size of the fly makes it unlikely that it could survive an encounter with a pachyderm. But then again, size doesn’t always matter, especially when you’re a savvy fly.
- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Rosenstock, Barbara. (2012). The camping trip that changed America: Theodore Roosevelt, John Muir and our National Parks. Ill. by Mordicai Gerstein. New York: Dial.
During the month of February, we celebrate Presidents so this unique story adds to the collection of little-known stories about one of America’s Presidents, Theodore Roosevelt and how he came to create the national park system that we preserve and enjoy today. Roosevelt read a book written by naturalist and out-door lover John Muir where Muir was asking the government to preserve America’s beautiful forests and wilderness areas. On May 15, 1903, Teddy Roosevelt arrived in California, slipped away from the presidential entourage, and camped out for three days with Muir in Yosemite to discover the giant redwoods, Glacier Point, Mariposa Grove and other splendors of this wilderness area. When the President returned from his camping trip and outdoor adventure with Muir, the national park and monument system was created. Gerstein’s watercolor illustrations bring the beauty of America’s wilderness areas to young readers and make visible the rationale to save these wonderlands. 
- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Sierra, Judy. (2012). Suppose you meet a dinosaur: A first book of manners. Illus. by Tim Bowers. New York: Knopf.
Judy Sierra takes children on a rhyming romp where a well-mannered little girl meets an equally well-mannered dinosaur in the store. Both know all of the right words to say.  For instance, “Imagine that the dinosaur is standing by the bathroom door. / You have to pee! She is in your way. / Quick! What is the proper thing to say?” You say, “Excuse me” (upaginated).  Kids will not only delight in the fun rhymes and Tim Bowers’ delightful acrylic illustrations, but also the very notion of a large green dinosaur wearing stylish pink glasses with rhinestones shopping in the store. This book is an ideal choice for reading aloud when children need a gentle reminder that good manners need to be used. 
- Terrell A. Young, Brigham Young University

GRADES 3-4

McCarthy, Meghan. (2012). The incredible life of Balto. New York: Knopf.
Balto was an inexperienced sled dog when Gunnar Kaasen chose him in 1925 to lead one of the last legs of a race—a 600 mile race to get life-saving serum to Nome, Alaska to save the people from a Diptheria Outbreak. “Balto delivered the medicine to Nome in record time!” (unpaginated), becoming an instant hero Balto. A statue in his likeness and honor was erected in New York City’s Central Park. A dog food was named after him. He even starred as himself in a movie called Balto’s Race to Nome. Yet, fame does not last forever. Eventually Balto and his companions became part of a vaudeville act and finally a sideshow. Cleveland businessman, George Kimball, could not believe how the once-famous Balto was now featured in sideshow.  Kimball resolved to buy Balto and his companions, but the exorbitant price of $2,000 was more than he had. The people of Cleveland raised the money in two-weeks so the Balto and his teammates could be purchased and donated to the Cleveland Zoo.  This read aloud has great appeal for animal lovers and anyone with a sense of adventure.  
- Terrell A. Young, Brigham Young University

Sheinmel, Courtney. (2012). Stella Batts needs a new name. Illus. by Jennifer Bell. Ann Arbor, MI: Sleeping Bear Press.
Even someone’s name can be the source of unwanted teasing, and when a classmate starts calling Stella Batts an unflattering rhyming name, she decides to solve the problem by changing her name. Instead of Stella, the California third grader wants to be called after a candy since the family owns a confectionery store with yummy treats identified with their two daughters. Stella’s friends all love the idea, and they decide to adopt candy names for themselves as well. Lucy becomes Truffle, Talisa becomes Kit Kat, and Willa becomes Caramel. Stella is stuck with Scheherazade because she can't think of a good candy name, but her friends comfort her by reminding her that the long moniker can be shortened to Sherry. Naturally, mayhem ensues as the students' teacher continues to address her students by their given names, and even Stella gets everyone's name mixed up. Since she plans to be a writer when she grows up, she chronicles all the difficulties she's facing, many of which can be traced back to the problem with her name. The first in a planned series that is sure to be popular with fans of Clementine, the book contains useful messages about learning to get along with others that go down as smoothly as the delicious sweets the family sells. This read aloud will have listeners laughing at the antics of Stella and her classmates.
- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Tavares, Matt. (2012). There goes Ted Williams: The greatest hitter who ever lived. Somerville, MA: Candlewick.
Ted Williams had the goal to be “the greatest hitter who ever lived,” and he worked on that goal every day of his young life. He practiced his swing longer and harder than his friends. He ate lots of food to gain weight. He did fingertip pushups. Then he practiced his swing again and again. “He is always swinging something—a bat, or a stick, or a pillow, or a rolled-up newspaper” (Unpaginated) He is offered his professional contract as a junior in high school at age 17! His batting heroics make him a star, but everything changes when he enlists in the Navy during World War II. Three years later, he is back on field and hits a home run on his first time at bat. His legendary career and legendary home runs continue until America is at war again and Williams is needed as a pilot in Korea. As he leaves for Korea, he wonders if his baseball career is over…. Students will enjoy the satisfying ending. The story of Ted Williams is the true story of a kid who had a dream and dedicated his life to making his dream come true.
- Terrell A. Young, Brigham Young University

GRADES 5-8

Bauer, Joan. (2011) Close to famous. New York: Viking. 
Winner of the recent Schneider Family Book Award, this title by Joan Bauer brings together a unique cast of characters that teachers will have fun portraying while reading it aloud. Fleeing Memphis in the middle of the night, Foster McFee and her mother are escaping the relationship of her mother’s abusive boyfriend, an Elvis impersonator. Since her father was killed in battle in Iraq, Foster and her mother have no real place to go but somehow end up in Culpepper, West Virginia in a rented Airstream trailer. Foster gets acquainted with the people in this tiny community through baking her delicious cupcakes and muffins. Although she always had difficulty reading, her love of baking and goal of being the first kid chef on the Food Network keep her driven and determined. As that culinary talent draws even more people to her, including a has-been movie star hiding out in Culpepper, her new friend Macon who dreams of being a filmmaker, Angry Wayne, owner of the local bar and grill (but who sells Foster’s cupcakes), and Perseverance Wilson all band together to help Foster.  Bauer tackles many issues within the storyline such as homelessness, race, domestic violence, learning disabilities and social justice. Visit Joan Bauer’s website http://www.joanbauer.com/close_to_famous.html for an interview about the book as well as cupcake recipes.
- Karen Hildebrand Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Angleberger, Tom. (2011) Horton Halfpott, or, the fiendish mystery of Smugwick Manor, or, the loosening of M’Lady Luggertuck’s corset. New York: Amulet Books. 
Though author Tom Anglebarger (The Strange Case of Origami Yoda) says this tale was inspired by Charles Dickens, readers/listeners might be laughing too much to think of this as Dickensian. The story opens one morning at Smugwick Manor when M’Lady Luggertuck loosens her corset to allow her circulation to start flowing, and giving her the idea to host a ball for her single and lovelorn nephew. As the days of preparation begin, the family heirloom, the Luggertuck Lump is stolen and Horton, the lowly kitchen boy is accused of the theft. A bumbling detective is hired to solve the case and Horton, falsely accused, is arrested and sent to jail. While in jail, Horton overhears who it is that actually stole the lump (a diamond!), quickly escapes and is on the path to find the real thief. The hilarious bumblings of these zany characters trying to solve the mystery within the castle prove to be an entertaining farcical story. Teachers might like to start this read aloud by sharing the two-minute video the author created for the website companion to this book found at http://hortonhalfpott.wordpress.com/.
- Karen Hildebrand Ohio Library and Reading Consultant