Literacy Now

Eminent author Emilie Buchwald claims that “Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.” Children become lifelong readers if they are introduced to books at a young age. Adults should strive to provide children with as many books as possible.

This task is fairly easy since literature for the very young is rich and varied and comes in many genres and formats. There are board books, concept books, and picture books. Young children may enjoy reading fiction or nonfiction, cumulative stories, rhyming books, and wordless picture books. They can also enjoy tales that are written exclusively for them. 

Members of the International Reading Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group share some of their favorites for the very youngest readers in this week’s column. We are certain that some of these books can help readers find book joy on their own or with the help of a reading buddy.

Books for Young Readers

Bloom, C. P. (2014). The monkey goes bananas. Illus. by Peter Raymumdo. New York, NY: Abrams Books for Young Readers.

This book contains just three words: monkey, shark, and banana. A determined monkey spies a banana tree with a bunch of tempting bananas just across the water. He wants to reach the bananas, but the waters beneath them are patrolled by a notorious shark. Will the monkey succeed in his task? Maybe he will, maybe he will not. But for sure, this book with its humor, ingenuity, and creativity will succeed in making readers laugh. This book is a great choice for a class sharing on a day when students cannot go out to play or the mood of the classroom needs to be lifted.

-Rani Iyer, Washington State University Pullman

Colins, Luke. (2014). George Washington Carver. North Mankato, MN: Capstone Press.

Peanuts are our good friends. Not only are they are in our sandwiches and snacks, but they are in the ink of our favorite pen and in soap for our laundry. Thanks to George Washington Carver, a famous African-American scientist best known for his peanut research, peanuts now have multiple uses. Born on a farm in Missouri as a slave, George attended school at the age of 11. After finishing college, he became a teacher of plants and farming at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, working with farmers to grow more crops and make soil healthy again. With a glossary list, recommended books and websites, and questions for critical thinking in the back of the book, this easy-to- read title provides an overview of the life of an influential scientist.

-Ying-Hsuan Lee, Washington State University Pullman

Dahl, Michael. (2014). Little Monkey calms down. Illus. by Oriol Vidal. North Mankato, MN: Picture Window Books.

The board book tells readers what to do when they feel sad, mad, or angry. Crying is okay, but tantrums are not. The book advises the following actions:
Take a deep breath.
Huddle with your favorite thing.
Sing a quiet song.
Be still.
Relax.
Now that the storm has passed, it is time to jump and have fun!
This book is useful for kids of all ages. Teachers, parents, caregivers, and psychologists will find it helpful as they discuss feelings with children.

-Rani Iyer, Washington State University, Pullman

Degman, Lori. (2014). Cock-a-doodle oops! Illus. by Deborah Zemke. Berkeley, CA: Creston Books.

When Farmer McPeppers is fast asleep, the rooster decides to take a vacation by the seaside., The animals decide that won’t be a problem. On Monday, the pig tries to awaken them, but his cries do not sound the same as the rooster. Nor are the awakening calls on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday effective. When the rooster comes back, he complains that his throat hurts. The animals are worried that Farmer McPeppers would not wake up soon.

With the help of his friends, the rooster gets his voice back. As soon as Farmer McPeppers wakes up, he decides the voice of the rooster does not sound too good and he needs a break for a week. The delightful script would be great for a class play, reader’s theatre, and classroom read aloud with the teacher inviting students to play the roles of various animals.

-Rani Iyer, Washington State University Pullman

Hancocks, Helen. (2014). Penguin in peril. Somerville, MA: Templar Books.

After throwing out the last fish bone, three hungry cats are officially out of food. Using three gold coins, they go out in search of food. Instead of buying groceries, the cats spend the three coins to watch a movie, “The Fishy Feast.” The movie gives the cats an idea—if they can find a penguin, they will have endless fish as food. Immediately, they draw up a plan and steal a penguin from the zoo. When the penguin senses his perilous situation, he escapes.

Hiding among nuns, gentlemen in black suits, and restaurant waiters, the penguin finally returns to the zoo safely and enjoys his own fishy feast, while the cats end up behind bars and will “get gruel for life” (unpaged). This is a story with simple storyline, but amusing illustrations that contain visual humor. Readers should be sure to look at both the front and back endpapers to find some clues about what happens to the cats in this story.

-Ying-Hsuan Lee, Washington State University Pullman

Kantorovitz, Sylvie. (2014). The very tiny baby. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge.

Jacob is not sure if he and his stuffed bear, Bob, are happy about the baby in Mommy’s belly. He listens to Mommy’s belly to feel the growing baby, which is both weird and exciting, but he is afraid of losing the attention of the adults in his life. As Daddy, Mommy, and Grandma all worry about the baby, since it is born prematurely, Jacob is jealous. Not until the doctor confirms that the baby is safe and ready to go home does Jacob realize that being a special big brother is important.

Drawing on personal experience, Sylvie Kantorovitz describes an experience familiar to many older brothers or sisters. Emotions of happiness, jealousy, anxiety, and anger have all contributed to the ambivalent feeling of welcoming a new family member. Parents and children can read this story together to help children understand the importance of family bonds.  

-Ying-Hsuan Lee, Washington State University Pullman

McDonald, Megan. (2014). Judy Moody and friends: Rocky Zang in The Amazing Mr. Magic. Illus. by Erwin Madrid. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

With a magician’s outfit and accessories, Rocky, a novice magician, wants to show everyone that he can perform magic. His first magic trick, with Judy Moody, his good friend, ends up being a bust. But he doesn’t give up. Convinced by Judy, he decides to hire her as his spectacular assistant for a Back Yard Magic Show. However, no one except Judy’s brother, Stink comes to the show. What is worse, Rocky and Judy do not cooperate well which makes this second magic show a flop too. Though frustrated, Rocky is able to present a marvelous magic show that earns Judy’s admiration.

Filled with humor and friendship, this easy reader will make young readers laugh when they see how Rocky and Judy fail in many tricks, but continue to have a positive attitude toward the unexpected outcomes. Young children who are fascinated with magic are likely to wave their own magic wands after reading this book.

-Ying-Hsuan Lee, Washington State University Pullman

Murphy, Mary. (2014). Say hello like this! Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

Different animals say hello in different ways. Dogs wow-wow; cats purr-meow; frogs croak-croak; chickens cluck-cluck; beetles tap-tap; donkeys hee-haw. How about you, readers?

This book is a celebration of greeting in different ways. The text has repetitive patterns with the use of onomatopoeia and alliteration, which make it enjoyable when being read aloud. The illustrations provide a happy atmosphere supported by page design that enables readers to see dogs licking each other, frogs jumping croakily, chickens dancing uniquely, and donkeys braying loudly as pages are turned. Anyone who reads this simple but attractive book will laugh in delight.

-Ying-Hsuan Lee, Washington State University Pullman

Rippin, Sally. (2014). Bille B. Brown: The secret message. Tulsa, OK: Kane Miller.

Every summer, Billie goes to the beach. She loves it! Her parents sit under the umbrella, reading; sometimes they nap. Not fun. Billie is here to have fun. She wants to build a sand castle. Perhaps it would be big. Perhaps it would be as big and fancy as the one the two girls across the beach were creating. As Billie digs, she finds a dark, tiny bottle. The two girls come over to meet Billie, and they decide the bottle could have a secret message. However, when Billie performs a handstand, the bottle drops and breaks, and even worse, Billie falls over the beautiful sandcastle. Can the girls be friends again? What can Billie do to save the day? This lighthearted tale is perfect for a classroom read aloud.

-Rani Iyer, Washington State University Pullman

Sohn, Tania. (2014). Socks! Tulsa, OK: Kane Miller.

Most children wear socks, at least in the winter and fall. This delightful book highlights the different kinds of socks. The child in the book uses different socks for different purposes, including playing games. Daddy’s socks, with a little imagination, become the trunk of an elephant. Ankle socks come alive to help the child fly. And what about the surprise Grandma sends?

This lovely book can be used as a perfect mentor text to start brainstorming ideas for young children to write or tell stories about their own collections of clothing.

-Rani Iyer, Washington State University Pullman

The CL/R SIG will host a special session called Children's Literature: The Perfect Teachable Moment on Saturday, May 10 at 3:00 p.m. at the International Reading Association 59th Annual Conference in New Orleans. The session includes keynote speaker Nancy Bo Flood (author of Warriors in the Crossfire) and a presentation of the 2014 Notable Books for a Global Society (NBGS). Visit http://www.iraconference.org to learn more about IRA 2014 or to register. 

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

The CL/R SIG is accepting submissions to the fall 2014 edition of their journal, The Dragon Lode, through April 15, 2014. There is an open theme, and they invite manuscripts that explore contemporary issues and questions, genre study, literary theory, and research related to children's literature and reading. Manuscripts should be no longer than 20 double-spaced, typed pages. Use APA (6th edition) formatting. Author's name, affiliation, mailing address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address should be on a separate cover page. Photos and illustrations should be sent as a separate jpeg file. Any reference to the author that would enable the reviewer to know the author's identity should not appear in the manuscript. Submit all manuscripts to: Dr. Ruth McKoy Lowery, Co-editor.

I have been thinking a lot about what courage and resilience have to do with being an effective literacy teacher. Our educational systems and society as a whole not only need teachers who are courageous, but teachers who are resilient in the face of adversity. It is the resiliency that I see in many of my first grade students that inspires me and helps me tap into my own courage and resilience to learn, research, and find the most effective practices to make a lasting, meaningful impact on my students.

We all have students who, despite all the odds against them and/or a lack of family support, are resilient or have the potential to be resilient. These students have opened my eyes and created a sense of urgency that it is my job to consider ways to build their resiliency with opportunities to become strong, successful readers, writers, and communicators. In turn, this builds their self-esteem and can guide them in becoming strong, healthy, successful children.

This understanding of resiliency is what gives me the courage to slow down and reflect on what some of my most at risk students need to help scaffold them to the next level. I have experienced first-hand that when I have the courage to provide my most at risk learners with what they truly need, it helps move them forward while building their resilience and my own.

All students need to learn their letters, sounds, and sight words. They need to learn how to blend CVC words, comprehend text, and utilize the skills and strategies it takes to be successful readers and writers. But for my most at risk students, before they get to the skills and strategies, they need someone to care about them and make them see themselves as smart, capable readers and writers. In some cases they need someone to sit beside them and read to them because they have never had that experience.  

Last year I had a First Grade Friend that came to me at a pre-A level. She knew a few letters and sounds, could scribble some lines, and was able to write the first letter of her name. Most mornings she came to school in the same clothes she had on the previous two days. She was disheveled, often exhausted, and rarely ready to learn. Her coping mechanism was to crawl under the tables and hiss like a mean cat. One of the first things she said to me was, “I hate reading and writing. I can’t do it because I’m stupid.” Her first intervention would be working on a “Can do Attitude.”

I had to find out what she was interested in and what she could do. She really loved kitties. I found some kitten coloring pages and our brief one on one time was spent coloring and talking. I would share with her how I really liked the colors she chose for her kitty. I would say, “See? You can do it! ” I would have her repeat that a few times—I can do it! I can do it! I can do it! We slowly moved to playing letter recognition games and used tactile activities to practice writing letters. Each baby step forward was something she found she could be successful at and gave us reason to celebrate!

This student also received extra attention every morning from a volunteer who would take the student to our small conference room near the office. I went to the dollar store and bought combs, brushes, pony tail holders, etc. The volunteer would fix the girl’s very unkempt hair into a pony tail, or whatever style she wanted. The student would come back beaming with pride.

During our reading workshop, one of this student’s interventions was to meet with a paraprofessional educator, find a cozy spot in the classroom, sit side by side, and enjoy having someone read to her. She discovered she loved Clifford books. As the year went on she was in a small skill/guided reading group in addition to the one on one read aloud time.

She enjoyed making Clifford books and was successful drawing, coloring, and labeling her Clifford pictures and finally began writing about Clifford. I also enlisted the help and support of our principal and school secretary. They were happy to take a few minutes to celebrate with this student when she had successfully read from one of her Danny books, or was able to write about something important to her, like her kitty.

Each small success seemed to lead to less time under the tables meowing and hissing like an angry, wild kitty. By the end of the year this student loved school and was seeing herself as a successful reader and writer. She had made more than a year’s worth of growth, but more importantly she now saw herself as a reader and writer. She was confident and hopeful. Her courage and resilience continues to inspire me to be a courageous and resilient teacher by stepping outside of the box and the pacing guide to try and meet the needs of all my students.

JoAnne Duncan

There is something about yarn that is fun and enticing to children. Perhaps it’s the softness of the fibers and the vibrant, fun colors. Or, maybe it’s the way each skein is made up of two or three threads wound ’round and ’round each other and then meticulously wrapped into a bundle, making a soft pillow.

I remember fondly the days when my great aunt visited me when I was a child. She always had a fancy cloth bag full of yarn, crochet hooks, and items in various stages of completion. I would sit close to her and watch her fingers on one hand wrapped with yarn and a crochet hook gently held in the other. Her hands would fly back and forth and up and under the soft, beautiful yarn. One day she surprised me with a ball of turquoise yarn and a crochet hook of my own. Then she patiently taught me the basics of crocheting.

Over the years I made small items. A pot holder. A coaster. Squares to piece together to make a vest. But for some reason, I eventually stopped crocheting—why, I don’t know.

Not so long ago, I had many opportunities to sit with my ailing mother while at her many doctor appointments. Crocheting was the perfect activity for those long, stressful days. It allowed me to visit with my mom and keep myself from getting too filled with angst and worry while waiting for doctors’ reports. Although it had been nearly forty years since I had last crocheted anything, I was able to pick up where I left off as a kid. Chain one, single crochet, double crochet, turns, and much more—just like riding the proverbial bike.

My great aunt and my mom have since passed. But with hook and yarn I am able to sit in my personal solitude, feeling each of them by my side. One with her sweet voice patiently teaching me the craft. The other leaning into me, watching the yarn in my fingers morph into a new shape.

I find crocheting to be very calming, and it allows me to multi-task—listening, talking and crocheting all at the same time. As I crocheted on my own projects I got the idea to teach my students how to crochet, too. I hoped it would be the perfect balm for my classroom of socioeconomically challenged third graders. They could benefit and enjoy more focus and calm in their days.

However, in the back of my mind I also wondered how the craft would be received by my students. Would they think it was boring? Would the boys want to learn, too? How could yarn and a crochet hook ever compete with the many technologies available to them? In the end, I told myself that the worst that could happen was a lesson learned in what didn’t work.

Getting Started

I contacted my local fabric store and explained my plan to teach my 29 students how to crochet. Their district manager was more than happy to help us out. She donated a box full of new packages of yarn. The hooks I purchased at a huge discount. Never one for letting a teachable moment slip by, I asked my students to write thank you letters to the store’s district manager. The benefits of learning how to crochet quickly became more apparent through their words. For example, they weren’t tempted to play with items in their desk or with other students during lessons because they were focused on their crocheting. Their concentration was better while listening to books read out loud. They learned how to follow detailed, written instructions and how to teach what they learned to their friends and family. And, crocheting improved their finger dexterity which helped their handwriting and keyboarding skills (this is the benefit I liked best; “dexterity” was our bonus word of the week).

For me, crocheting offered the perfect behavior management tool. Even the most mischievous child was engaged in the task and not devising the next distraction or ensuing mayhem.

First Steps

I selected four students for my first group based on their ability to catch on quickly. They didn’t know it at the time, but they would help the next group of students get started. Once they chose their yarn from the box they were instructed to roll the yarn into a ball. Then, I gave each student a crochet hook and a plastic zip-top bag with their name on it to hold their crochet items.

Their first lesson was to learn how to loop the yarn on their hook. Once they mastered that step they were ready to learn how to make the chain stitch. Each student made a long chain, watching for even tension between the stitches. Next, they were ready to learn how to create a single crochet. From there, the sky would be their limit! The chains they made turned into necklaces, bracelets, book marks, and straps for purses they would later make.

Within the week every student was crocheting. It caught on like wild fire. They never wanted to stop! Students were taking their crocheting bags to recess, lunch, and on the bus ride home to share with their families. The next day they couldn’t wait to proudly show me their carefully created items. Boys and girls alike were teaching themselves well past the basics that I had taught them. They were making coasters, blankets for baby siblings, scarves for the cold winter days, and holiday gifts for family and friends.

Reading and Crocheting

My students were now ready for the piece de resistance: reading/crocheting circles. Each day after lunch recess my students had the opportunity to choose a quiet activity, one of those being a reading/crocheting circle. The requirements were that each group would not have more than five students, each student would have their crochet project, the group would agree on one book to be read aloud, and each student would have at least one turn at reading. While the one student read to the group, the others quietly crocheted.

To ensure that everyone was also paying attention to the reading while crocheting, I would ask them questions after each session. Or, they would each write a brief summary of the events that took place in their story. Each student was accountable for their comprehension of the story. Combining reading with crocheting was very beneficial to the students who found it more difficult to sit still long enough to listen to a chapter being read aloud. The crocheting kept their fingers busy and their minds focused on the story AND on the crocheting task.

Crocheting soon spilled into other areas. During assemblies and any other time when they had some idle time I allowed my students to crochet. As long as they were able to participate in class discussions and complete assignments, then I knew they were able to do both. In addition, classroom management was a breeze. Students were no longer looking for distractions to fill their fidgety nature.

When I retired from teaching in the classroom to become a private tutor, my principal gathered together students from my previous years of teaching to speak at an assembly. There was one student in particular with whom I always felt I never was able to make a connection. As it turned out I was very wrong in my belief. He spoke in front of an auditorium of peers and teachers and shared what I had taught him in third grade. In addition to the usual reading, writing, and math, he commented on how I taught him how to crochet. Two years later he still remembered how and had even taught his mother. A nugget of gold in my heart and a lasting memory in his.

It’s now been five years since I picked up my crochet hook as an adult and I haven’t stopped. It continues to gives me time to sit quietly, contemplate my life, and brainstorm for my upcoming lessons and writing assignments. Through the soft, colorful skeins, crocheting is a timeless connector between family, friends, and as I discovered, between literacy and children. I hope you have as much success as I did with my students in making lasting memories with yarn.

Additional Resources

I found Patons’ “Next Steps Five—Crochet Guidebook” to be a great source for very beginner projects. I picked this book up at my local fabric store.

Another one I came across by chance is “The Crochet Answer Book” by Edie Eckman. And one more I use is “200 Crochet Tips, Techniques & Trade Secrets” by Jan Eaton.

Kathleen A. Hunter, MS is a literacy tutor and aspiring children's book author. You can visit her online atwww.KathleenHunterWrites.com.

Motivation and engagement are key ingredients in the quest to create lifelong reading habits. Our #IRAchat guest experts for Thursday night have organized and executed book clubs that inspire students and have them clamoring to read. On Thursday, February 13th at 8pm EST, we’ll be joined by Erin O’Leary and Mary Cotillo to discuss ways to use book clubs to motivate and engage your readers.

Erin and Mary (aka The Crazy Reading Ladies) will share tips for increasing student engagement through book clubs. They'll share their triumphs and trials and welcome you to bring your own insight and stories. Participants will explore choosing a book, planning discussions and activities, and involving parents and the school community. If you're on the fence about starting a book club in your school, the Crazy Reading Ladies will push you over the edge. To read a little more about your hosts for the evening, check out their blog and read about their wildly ambitious and successful whole school reading programs.

Please remember, #IRAchat would be nothing without you. We need you to bring your own stories and wisdom to share with your colleagues. To get a better idea what you can expect, check out the summaries to our previous #IRAchats and get ready to dive right in!

Digital Writing in the Classroom 
Invent Your Future on #ILD13 
Informational Reading & Writing
Hacking Your Curriculum
Project Based Learning

How to chat

To join the conversation, you can simply search for the #IRAchat hashtag in Twitter. If you’re unfamiliar with Twitter, you can learn how to get started and make the most of your experience by reading “Harnessing the Educational Power of Twitter.”

We look forward to chatting with you on Thursday and please feel free to tweet us with any questions you may have. Just use the #IRAchat hashtag in your tweet and we will do our best to help you with any advice or Twitter troubleshooting.

This year began my first year teaching at Prestige Academy, an all-boys charter school in Wilmington, Delaware. Prestige is a Title I school that serves mostly low-income families and students from an urban environment.

When teaching at a Title I school, funding can be difficult to come by. In some cases, there are needs that simply cannot be met. This often includes foregoing a classroom library.

But for me, having a classroom without a library was not an option. I have always loved reading, and from a young age, I knew that I wanted my future students to learn to love reading as much as I do. Having a classroom abundant in books was important to me. So, I had to get creative.

p: friends.sfpl via photopin

It turns out there are a multitude of ways to create a wonderful selection of books within your own classroom—and your stretched-to-the-max budget. If you’re struggling to build out your own classroom library like I was, consider trying out some of the following:

Donate some of your own books to the classroom library. Chances are, you already do this. But have you stocked the library with some of your favorite books? Students love to read books that their teachers recommend—even the classics that can be read at many ages. For instance, I made sure to include “The Westing Game”by Ellen Raskin, “The BFG”by Roald Dahl, and the Harry Potter series in my library.

A word of caution: Don’t bring in books that have sentimental value to you. They will most likely get worn quickly! This means that autographed copies and special print editions should be left at home (unless you’re completely okay with the possibility that they could become worn, ruined, or lost).

Go to garage sales and Goodwill. This is my best-kept secret! Throughout the spring and summer, pick up as many cheap books as you can at garage sales, where you can often purchase books for as little as ten cents. This allows you to not only buy a greater number of books because of such a low price, but also to expand the genres in your classroom library. Goodwill is also a wonderful resource for similar purchases year round.

Ask for donations. There are so many individuals willing to donate to teachers, and especially teachers in a Title I school. Don’t be shy! If you happen to come across a member of any type of educational, professional, or reading coalition, speak to them. Odds are that they will help you in any way they can. Plus, it’s a great networking opportunity for future events.

A wonderful resource to look into is First Book, a nonprofit organization that provides low- or no-cost literature and resources to schools that are Title I, or serve a large portion of low-income families. You can register online to determine your school or organization’s eligibility.

Create a sign-in and sign-out sheet. In my classroom, I have a specific student responsible for my classroom library. Each time a book is checked out, he writes down the title, the student who is checking it out, and notes on the condition of the book. This helps to cut down on lost books, and ensures that students do not take a new book and return it in less-than-perfect condition. After all, the fewer books you lose, the fewer books you have to replace!

Although creating a classroom library is important, it is equally as important to do something with it. Great educators use their library to inspire their students to love reading. This can mean incorporating read-alouds, excerpts during lessons, and even month-to-month features on different authors.

One thing that I recently began doing in order to instill this quality in my students is a reading group. I felt that I had many students who could be pushed to higher heights academically, and were even longing for additional engagement. About half of my current students elected to join our small “book club.” We decided to begin with “Island of the Blue Dolphins” by Scott O’Dell. Each week, students complete a reading of certain chapters, and are required to fill out a packet of discussion questions. Then, we meet one afternoon during lunch and have a low-key discussion about the story line, elements of literature used, and any other hot-button ideas brought up in their readings. If students complete their assigned chapters and discussion questions, and attend our meeting, they receive extra credit in my class.

So far, I have seen great results from my scholars. This was a simple way to encourage reading, and at the same time strengthen our class culture.

Building a great classroom library can be difficult without the budget to do so. But over time, utilizing the helpful hints above, I’m confident you’ll be able to create a well-rounded library for your students. The key is to persevere, and make the most of every opportunity.

Taylor Swalm is from Middletown, Delaware. She currently teaches 5th grade at Prestige Academy Charter School. She has her B.S. in Middle Level Education  (Spec. English & Social Sciences) from Wilmington University and is pursuing a Master’s degree in School Leadership.