Literacy Now

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Folktales, myths, legends, and fables are part of the rich body of stories from around the world. In this week’s column, two members of the International Reading Association’s Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group review recently published collections of tales from specific cultures, countries, or world regions and retellings of individual tales in which a strong storytelling voice is evident in both the written text and any accompanying artwork. A collection of poems that present twists of popular Western fairy tales is also reviewed.

Mindful of the use of folklore in classrooms, the reviewers were interested in books that included commentary by the authors on their retellings and the sources of the stories. Many of these folktales are enjoyable for all ages; listed grade levels for some of the books could include “and up,” which fits with the history of traditional storytelling of old and young sharing stories together. The hope is that the reviews will encourage educators to include not only these books but also other traditional tales in their read-aloud sessions and in classroom libraries for independent reading. Use these books to explore with children universal themes that run through tales from different cultures and how authors and illustrators, in true storytelling fashion, have added their personal touches to them.       

GRADES K-3

Divakaruni, Chitra Banerjee. (2013). Grandma and the great gourd: A Bengali folktale. Illus. by Susy Pilgrim Waters. New York, NY: Macmillan/Roaring Brook/Neal Porter Books.

In traditional literature, characters and events frequently come in multiples and in this tale Grandma leaves her home and garden to the watchful eye of her two dogs, and on her journey through the jungle to visit her daughter, must contend with three carnivorous animals: a fox, a bear, and a tiger.  Convincing the animals she will provide them a better meal upon her return, she survives her journey. During her visit, Grandma becomes plump as she told the animals she would be upon her return.

Because Grandma was worried about being eaten, her daughter sequestered her in a great gourd she sets to rolling through the jungle. Unknowingly, Grandma’s journey homeward is aided by the animals, who push the gourd along.  Every line advances the story in this invigorating tale, and when the clever fox sees the ruse of the gourd, Grandma is in danger yet again.  The quality of the bright illustrations rendered in a combination of media and technique perfectly demonstrates the nature of succinctly depicted characterization in folklore.

—Reviewed by Sandip Wilson, Associate Professor, Husson University, Maine

Pinkney, Jerry. (2013). The tortoise & the hare. Illus. by author. New York, NY: Little, Brown.

Pinkney has created an exquisite, nearly wordless retelling of the well-known Aesop fable about the race between the tortoise and the hare. After Fox starts the race with “On your marks, get set…Go!” the only other words in the book are those of the moral “Slow and steady wins the race,” with the words accumulating one word at a time on the double-page spreads of the book. As the speedy hare leaps ahead and confidently takes time out to dig his way under a fence to eat lettuce and then nap, the persevering tortoise overcomes numerous obstacles along the racecourse through the American Southwest desert.

Details of the race are revealed in Pinkney’s signature mixed-media illustrations. Pinkney uses every part of the book in retelling the fable. The book jacket illustration, which spreads across the front and back, introduces the setting for the race and the contenders. The front endpaper shows the race route and the back endpaper the end-of-race celebration. Pinkney adds endnotes about his personal connection to the tale, his choice of the American Southwest as the setting, and his creative process.

—Reviewed by Carolyn Angus, Children’s Literature Specialist, California

GRADES 4-6

Goldman, Judy. (2013). Whiskers, tails & wings: Animal folktales from Mexico. Illus. by Fabricio VandenBroek. 58 pp. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge.

This collection of tales is organized by the region of Mexico where they originated.  Each tale is accompanied by an expository section explaining the cultural practices of the people whose tale is retold and a glossary of terms (some terms are Spanish, but many are in the language of the particular culture).  Some selections are creation stories such as the Seri tale of how land was formed from the efforts of the sea turtle, who managed to bring sand from the depths of the sea that the god of creation could use to fashion beaches, deserts, and the mountains. The sea turtle is the center of the culture of the Seri people, who, Goldman explains, protect sea turtles and eggs, making sure the hatchlings reach the sea. 

Other tales, what might be called pourquoi tales, explain natural phenomena such as the tale of why Señor Grillo, who outsmarts Señor Puma, has come to sing his song every night.  VandenBroek’s illustrations, in warm, earthy hues, are done in acrylics and watercolors on texturized paper.  Goldman has included a general annotated bibliography, which includes many electronic sources; web resources; and tale sources organized by culture as they are introduced in the book; and an index.

—Reviewed by Sandip Wilson, Associate Professor, Husson University, Maine

Nunes, Shiho. S. (2013). Chinese fables:  “The dragon slayer” and other
timeless tales of wisdom. Illus. by Lak-Khee Tay-Audouard. 66 pp. Rutland, VT: Periplus Editions/Tuttle.

In the introduction to this anthology of nineteen tales, Nunes explains, “In China, cautionary talks, like fables and parables…are part of a class of works called yu-yen, writings with an underlying—second—meaning” (p. 5).  She says their origins date from 500 BCE to the middle of the 17th century. Some of them such as the “King of Beasts” reflect the trickster tale. In this story the preyed upon fox outwits the lion. In “Cooking the Duck” two brothers, while fighting over how they will cook two ducks they have caught, let them escape. 

Other tales such as “Stealing the Bell” have a different quality. In the tale, foolish Ch’in, concerned about plundering in the besieged city in which he lives, decides to save the ancient bronze bell. To move such a heavy artifact, however, he has to break it into pieces with a sledgehammer.  Fearing everyone will hear the noise, he stuffs his ears with rags to muffle the sound.  Many of the tales reflect philosophical traditions such as those featuring Sakyamuni, Lao-Tse, and Kwan-Yin.  The tales have a humorous quality amplified by illustrations rendered in ink wash and pencil on bamboo rag paper in a style reminiscent of Chinese painting, with characters’ gestures simply yet richly depicted.

—Reviewed by Sandip Wilson, Associate Professor, Husson University, Maine

Scott, Nathan Kumar. (2012). The Great Race: An Indonesian trickster tale. Illus. by Jagdish Chitara. London, UK: Tara Books.

Small but speedy Kanchil the mouse deer confidently challenges any animal to The Great Race to determine the fastest animal in the forest. As Kakatua the scarlet macaw broadcasts news of the race, animals gather to watch, but only tiny Pelan the snail accepts the challenge to race from the big tree by the riverbank to the waterfall. Along the route, Kanchil stops to rest, eat grass, and takes a long drink from the river. When Kanchil reaches the waterfall, Pelan is already there.

In a rematch along the reverse route, Pelan wins again. How did Pelan beat Kanchil not once but twice? With a turn of the page, readers can figure it out when they see Pelan and his twin brother pictured side by side. A note identifies Kanchil as a trickster from Indonesian and Malaysian folklore. Because of his small size, the mouse deer must use his wits to survive. In this tale, however, as is true of trickster tales from other cultures, the trickster learns a lesson from an animal that has outwitted him. An endnote provides information about the intricately detailed illustrations done in the ancient style of sacred textile art called Mata Ni Pachedi.

—Reviewed by Carolyn Angus, Children’s Literature Specialist, California

Williams, Marcia. (2012). The elephant’s friend and other tales from ancient India. Illus. by author. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

Williams retells and illustrates in her colorful and humorous comic-strip style eight folktales taken from three classic collections from ancient India: Hitopadesha Tales, Jataka Tales, and Panchatantra Tales. The narration runs along the base of the panels, which feature animated characters, who contribute quips in balloon dialogue. Details of each tale are presented on intricately patterned backgrounds. Characters such as the tortoise in “The Talkative Tale” may also appear in the decorative border of a tale and have more to say. Bit players kibitz as well, so there are more details to be discovered with each rereading of these entertaining tales of ancient India, which convey gentle lessons that are universal.

—Reviewed by Carolyn Angus, Children’s Literature Specialist, California

Yolen, Jane, & Dotlich, Rebecca Kai. (2013). Grumbles from the forest: Fairy-tale voices with a twist. Illus. by Matt Mahurin. 40 pp. Honesdale, PA: Highlights/WordSong.

Pairs of poems add fresh voices to each of fifteen well-known Western fairy tales. For some of the tales, two characters speak and what they have to say changes the story, as is the case of “The Frog Prince” in which the enchanted frog and the princess speak. For other tales, one character expresses different points of view as in the pairing of “Snow White Makes a Plea to the Witch” and “Snow Speaks to the Mirror.”

Other twists in a tale occur when an unexpected voice is heard such as that of the pea in “The Princess in the Pea,” who says it is unhappy about being removed from its pod and stuck under the mattresses.  Even different poetic forms are used as in the pairing of “Thumbelina: A Cinquain” and “Little Bit: A Haiku.”  Young readers will be drawn to this book by the catchy title and the eerie surrealistic cover illustration. After they have read the book, they may want to take up the challenge made in an introductory letter from the author to try writing a fairy-tale poem. Brief notes about the fifteen fairy tales and Internet resources are appended.

—Reviewed by Carolyn Angus, Children’s Literature Specialist, California

GRADES 7-8

Ehrlich, Amy.  (2013). With a mighty hand: The story in the Torah. Illus. by Daniel Nevins. 198 pp. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

The five books of the Hebrew Bible are the structure of the stories, beginning with Adam and Eve. They recount the lives of patriarchs and the generations of sons and their families and retell stories of the Great Flood, the Passover and Exodus, the long period in the desert, and Moses’s lessons for the Israelites. Distinctive features of the book include a map showing the regions and cities mentioned in the book, a table of contents organized by the five books of the Torah, and notes in the back matter on the particular verses included in the stories. A Torah genealogy shows the condensed sense of time indicative of traditional literature in its reference to seven generations that pass between Seth, the son of Adam and Eve, and Noah, and eight more generations that pass between his son and Abraham. 

Full-page illustrations painted in oil on wood accompany each story. In her introduction Goldman explains that although the stories occurred between 2000 and 1250 BCE, they were not recorded until much later, between about 900 BCE to 450 BCE.

—Reviewed by Sandip Wilson, Associate Professor, Husson University, Maine

Munduruku, Daniel. (2013). Amazonia: Indigenous tales from Brazil. Trans.
by Jane Springer. Illus. by Nikolai Popov. 95 pp. Toronto, ON: House
of Anansi/Groundwood Books.

Munduruku, a well-known indigenous Brazilian author, retells twelve myths and legends from eight groups of indigenous people from the Amazon region, selected from an out-of-print Russian anthology of Brazilian folktales, Myths, Fairytales and Legends of Brazil, compiled by E. Ogeva (1987). Talking animals and magical creatures interact with humans in a variety of experiences, some involving living in harmony with others and the natural world and others involving clashes that may be transformative or deadly. For example, a gluttonous boy becomes a parrot in “The Parrot Who Sings Kra-Kra-Kra” and the human wife of a jaguar is killed by the giant Marugodo caterpillar when she fails to heed her husband’s warning not to laugh while he is out hunting in “The Brothers Bacororo and Itubore.” The style of storytelling as well as characters and settings will seem unusual to children familiar primarily with European folklore, but as Munduruku discusses in his introduction, the stories in Amazonia “remind us of the importance of bringing together humankind…” (p.9).

A glossary provides descriptions of the animals and plants in the tales. The full-page gouache and India ink paintings by Russian artist Popov, which originally illustrated E. Ogeva’s Myths, Fairytales and Legends of Brazil, are as intriguing as the tales themselves.

—Reviewed by Carolyn Angus, Children’s Literature Specialist, California

GRADES 9-12

Pullman, Philip.  (2012). Fairy tales from the Brothers Grimm: A new English version. 406 pp. New York, NY: Penguin/Viking.

Pullman’s notes that conclude each selection are a distinctive feature of this collection of fifty stories from the Brothers Grimm. He comments on their oral and literary sources, other collections in which they occur such as Italian and earlier British editions, the language in which they were originally written, the changes in details of the stories from one edition of the Grimms’ stories to another, and cultural or historical references such as the conditions of the forests of Germany in the 17th to 19th centuries in his accounting for the huntsman character in “Little Red Riding Hood.”

Pullman has included versions of some stories by virtue of their being well known such as “Snow White” and “Cinderella,” yet he argues that other stories better illustrate the musical rhythm and repetition of the language in selections such as “The Juniper Tree,” “Fisherman and His Wife,” and the “Three Snake Leaves.” Other stories such as “Jorinda and Joringel” Pullman says combine the folktale style of storytelling with the later romantic style that appeared in narrative. Pullman makes all the stories fresh and in his notes he explains his decisions in retelling them.

The introduction gives an overview of the genre and Pullman explains that the Grimm brothers, who were associated with colleagues and others with a growing interest in folklore, received multiple versions over the decades of the publication of their books. The conversational tone of Pullman’s voice, which is clear from the introduction through all the notes, contributes to the storytelling in these pages. The collection includes references to which Pullman has cited throughout his notes.

—Reviewed by Sandip Wilson, Associate Professor, Husson University, Maine

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. 

Every teacher knows that the best-laid lessons can sometimes go awry. Instruction that has been planned to the very last detail, with an impressive array of modeling, differentiation, and gradual release of responsibility can fall apart once it’s presented to students. And sometimes, the very best lessons happen by chance. As a fluke. Unplanned. One of my favorite literacy activities came about that very way two years ago.

It was the fall of my eighth year of teaching 5th grade. At that point in my career, I was confident in my abilities and understanding of curriculum. I knew the district standards like the back of my hand. I was ready to rattle off a list of best practices at work in my classroom if ever I was in the elevator with the superintendent. So it went without saying that I realized the importance of including vocabulary instruction and practice in my reading class. One week in September, I planned to have my students use their new vocabulary words to create sentences. While it wasn’t terrifically exciting, it would allow me to see if my students understood the vocabulary we had been studying or not.

As fate would have it, I found out that morning that one of my administrators would be observing me during vocabulary instruction time. So I started thinking (a dangerous pastime for this overachiever who craves positive feedback). Writing vocabulary sentences isn’t terribly engaging, but I already knew that. The problem I faced was that three of my students were a part of the behavior skills program. Not only was their behavior sometimes unpredictable, not one of the three enjoyed writing. In fact, I had seen each of them shut down on numerous occasions when asked to do so. No teacher wants their administrators to see them struggle with student behavior and compliance. It was clear I was going to have to brainstorm.

I sat down in the dwindling minutes of my plan time and asked myself—what is your goal? Is it to see if my students can write a complete sentence, or is it to see if they understand their vocabulary words? It was an easy answer—I needed to know if my students understood their vocabulary words. Writing sentences was not the only way to accomplish this goal.

And thus, Vocabulary Voyage was born.

I rushed throughout the room, writing questions inside folded pieces of construction paper and posting them. Each question featured at least one of our vocabulary words. The questions were hidden inside the construction paper folders. In keeping with the “voyage” theme (I really enjoy a good theme), each question became either a Harbor (one vocabulary word) or a Port of Call (two or more vocabulary words).

When my students returned from lunch, with our assistant principal in tow, I gave them the good news that we would be going on a trip! They were lucky, they only needed one piece of luggage for this trip—their pencil. I told them we were about to embark upon a Vocabulary Voyage. There were ten locations posted throughout the classroom and in the hallway. Each student needed to visit at least six of the locations. They were to disembark the ship, open the folder, and write their answer to the question inside with their initials.

In order to differentiate my instruction, I told the students that each Port of Call included not one, but two or more vocabulary words. Each student would know how many Ports of Call they needed to visit because I would come up to them and tap them on the shoulder. If I tapped them once, then one of their six stops needed to be a Port of Call. This allowed me to ensure my gifted and talented students were answering the questions that demanded the highest level of thinking. Each gifted student was tapped multiple times and every student was tapped at least once.

We reviewed the expectations. I asked the students to hold up their luggage (pencils into the air!), then I wished them, “Bon voyage!” and they were off! I traveled through the classroom with them, checking on their progress as they set sail. 100% of the students were engaged in the lesson (Yes—all of them!), they were moving, and the best part of it all—they were proving their understanding of the vocabulary! And the three behavior skills students I was so worried about? Not only did they complete the six questions required, they visited ALL 10.

Vocabulary Voyage was such a tremendous success (my assistant principal raved about it), I began using it more often. I continue use it in my classroom. Each time, the students are thrilled to “set sail.” When they come into the classroom and see the harbors and ports posted, their excitement is tangible. They love the novelty of it, and I love the variety of best practices it allows me to include:

• Engagement: My students are interested and excited to visit as many harbors and ports as they can. The entire class is participating and loving it!
• Movement: We know that students need to get up and move. This gives their brains and their bodies a break from sitting in their seats.
• High Level Questioning: The vocabulary questions I ask cannot be answered with one or two word responses. I ask questions that promote high-level thinking and allow my students to connect to their own lives.
• Differentiation: I give each student individualized expectations based on their classroom performance and ability level.
• Individual Attention: During the voyage, I connect with every student by tapping them on the shoulder. This small moment of attention helps build classroom community.
• Classroom Management: The explicit instructions and motivating nature of the activity ensure that students are too busy enjoying their journey to even think about causing a disruption.

An extra bonus of using Vocabulary Voyage in your classroom is that it can be done at no cost and using very little preparation time. You simply construct harbors and ports and write high-level questions to place inside. I make sure to include questions that go beyond surface level responses and really force the students to think about their answers.

Examples of Vocabulary Voyage questions:

• How could you keep a friend from fretting during a crisis?
• What would you do to persuade your parents to let you go to a sleepover?
• What is a situation where you might need to maneuver your bicycle?
• Describe an algorithm you know.
• What is something you might hesitate before doing? Why?
• Name two homophones you might see or hear being used in the month of November.

The best lessons, strategies and activities can sometimes come about by
chance. By luck. Destiny. It is the reflective and successful teacher who sets up her classroom to repeat that happy accident.

Michelle Phillips teaches grade 5 at Dundee Elementary School, an Omaha Public School.

President Obama’s ConnectED Initiative has taken full flight in Huntsville City Schools as our district continues the 1:1 learning journey into year two of digital learning. Moving to a 1:1 digital learning environment has invited educators into the world of today's students and closes the digital divide for those who are less fortunate, the real reason why it was necessary for Huntsville City Schools to embrace the task of becoming pioneers in education when we ventured into the world of digital learning. I'd been an educator for over 25 years when we took on this challenge. I fully understood the necessity of becoming a digital school district, particularly with our commitment to remove the stigma of a desegregation order that had been the district’s reality for decades. Providing students the opportunity to access their world-class curriculum and willingly participate in online learning twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week was the right thing to do to begin closing the digital divide for our more than 24,000 students.

I have an opportunity to view digital curriculum in action, both as the person responsible for the district-wide implementation and as a parent. It is the latter that brings me the greatest rewards. My two children have always been exposed to laptops, iPads, and cellular devices. Since their early tween years, they were always connected and used technology in more informal ways, primarily networking and communicating with their friends and peers via MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. As a parent I was okay with this interaction, but often wondered how much 'real' learning was taking place. I was excited when the opportunity for real learning with technology took root through access to a 1:1 digital curriculum in Huntsville City Schools.

Life in my household has changed as a result of the 1:1 Learning Initiative in Huntsville City Schools. My daughter, who is a student in the district, allows us to see a piece of her world daily when she brings her school issued laptop home bearing her core curriculum, online assignments via Edmodo, and access to an online tutorial when she struggles with a concept. Students in a digital environment learn very differently than what was provided through a traditional education. Parents are also impacted in this environment as we navigate Edmodo to monitor student assignments and stay abreast of the latest classroom assignments.

The true impact of 1:1 digital learning came alive for me when I agreed to watch 3 children ages 8, 13, and 16 on a Saturday afternoon. These students, who are also Huntsville City Schools students, entered my home with their laptops and they remained engaged on the laptop for many hours. When I summoned them to the dinner table, they joined my husband and me grudgingly as they wanted to continue the tasks on the computer. They immediately returned to their computers and remained engaged until they went home. This was a new experience for me as I’m accustomed to being very involved with children when they are at my home. These children required very little interaction and were able to explain what they were learning when the teacher in me just had to ask. The children went on to tell me that they didn’t go anywhere without the computer and they were able to constantly learn, even on the internet connected bus ride home each day.

Digital 1:1 learning is clearly one way to engage students while providing ubiquitous learning experiences for children who have spent most of their lives connected. It requires traditional educators to adapt to becoming facilitators of learning as students become exposed to a world that is constantly changing and providing limitless opportunities for them to take charge of their own learning.

Dr. Barbara Cooper has been a public school educator for over 20 years. She has served in many roles as an educator including teacher, assistant principal, principal, director and chief.  Dr. Cooper has received many awards for her contributions in education, and for her commitment to equality and social justice.  Most recently she received a Civility and Citizenship Award.  She was also the recipient of a Cornerstone Educator Award where she was designated “Educator Leader of the Year.” She currently serves as the Deputy Superintendent for Huntsville City Schools (HCS). 

p: nanagyei via photopin cc

No matter how much some individuals might like things to stay the same, the world keeps on changing. Some of those changes are small and start with one individual who wants to make personal changes while others are more sweeping, heralding an adjustment in how we move from place to place or how society treats groups of people. The wheels of change often move quickly, as when the nation was united through railroad tracks that crisscross its heartland.

Although it may be a platitude, change is, indeed, inevitable, and this week’s reviews from members of the Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group examine change from several perspectives. ReadWriteThink provides a reminder that change can even relate to writing and revising. The website offers lesson ideas like “How to Revise and Edit” and “Collaborative Stories” that teachers may find helpful. “Prompting Revision through Modeling and Written Conversations” and “Inferring How and Why Characters Change” offer additional ideas for using the concept of change in reading assignments.

GRADES K-3

Casanova, Mary. (2013). One-dog sleigh. Illus. by Ard Hoyt. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus & Giroux.

The narrator hitches up her sleigh and sets off on what she expects to be a quiet ride through the snow with her pony. But change is afoot in the form of several animals who would like to be passengers in her vehicle. One by one, several animals, including her dog, a squirrel, an owl, a lynx, and several other woodland creatures climb aboard. When the weight of all of them makes it difficult for the sleigh to move, they jump out and push it to the stop before climbing on again for a wild ride. Young readers will enjoy the rhyming text, which makes this one a perfect read-aloud title, and the colorful, action-filled illustrations that show exactly what happens when that sleigh heads down that hill with all the animals in tow. This humorous story is sure to entice just about anyone to change into outdoor clothing and head out on a sleigh ride right away.

— Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Cooper, Elisha. (2013). Train. New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc./Orchard Books.

Beautiful language coupled with stunning pictures make this book about trains an invitation to climb aboard and head off on a journey. Cooper has presented a look at many different kinds of trains and travel. First, he starts with the red-striped commuter train that leaves the city as it passes little towns as the train whizzes by. Then, he offers a look at passenger trains, and from Grand Central Station, a freight train leaves, filled with all kinds of cargo traveling to distant places. An overnight train chugs its way across the country and over the Rocky Mountains. Finally, a bullet-shaped high-speed train takes its passengers on to the big cities of the west coast.

Cooper repeats the phrase, “passengers on, passengers off” throughout the various legs of the journey and provides beautiful vistas and interior views of the different types of trains. Each ride or train brings new experiences for young readers. Teachers may want to read more about the creation of this book with an interview at the blog, Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.

— Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Frasier, Debra. (2013). Spike: Ugliest dog in the universe. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster/Beach Lane Books.

Change may come through a simple act of kindness and the addition of an animal to the household. In the case of this story, no dog could be more deserving of a loving family. After Spike wins the Ugliest Dog in the Universe contest, his owner abandons him. But Joe, the kind-hearted boy next door, is able to see beneath Spike's unattractive surface into his heart, and he begs his mother to let Spike join their family. Trying to impress her, Spike follows the advice from Evangeline, a fancy cat who lives nearby. He is as quiet and as obedient as it is possible for a canine to be. But it will take Spike's heroic efforts to thwart a cat theft to convince Joe’s mother that Spike needs a home of his own — theirs.

Spike really takes a bite out of crime in his neighborhood. This touching story focuses on the all-too-real problem of humans casually leaving their pets behind when it suits them. Not only does the story tug at the heartstrings, but the illustrations, created with Cansons papers, used clothing, and worn parts of 129 pairs of blue jeans, are fascinating.

— Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Garland, Michael. (2013). Car goes far. New York, NY: Holiday House.

Designed for early readers, this book features opening papers with an aerial view of Car sitting in the driveway, ready for an adventure. As the picture swoops down to the driveway, Car’s headlights are seen as eyes and the front grille is a smile.

Ready to go! As the drive begins, though, everyday happenings occur along the way, starting when a truck splashes mud all over Car, and then an egg truck coughs gray smoke into a moving cloud. Finally, pigeons fly by and do what pigeons often do when overhead. Car is ready for a good wash, and quickly heads
off to the soap and suds for a good cleaning. This delightful car ride told in simple language is a treat for emerging readers. Teachers will enjoy printing the flashcards from the publisher’s website that go with this book.

— Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Hillenbrand, Will. (2013). Off we go: A Bear and Mole story. New York, NY: Holiday House.

This is Hillenbrand’s third adventure with good friends, Bear and Mole. This time patient Bear is teaching Mole to ride a bike, and they begin by taking off the training wheels. Fastening on his safety helmet, Mole is ready for takeoff. Bear pats his friend on the back for good luck, and Mole begins his wobbly first attempt that ends in a crash landing with leaves flying and little critters fleeing. Mole is crying and discouraged, but Bear is there to help him try again.

The second attempt is a success, and Mole gains speed and confidence as he zooms away, just in time for the Storymobile. This promises to be a great read aloud, and Hillenbrand has painted wonderful expressions on the faces of characters and used language that will keep young listeners engaged and laughing, bringing to mind their first, or yet to be, attempts at riding a bike alone. Will Hillenbrand has created a 6-minute video on the work behind this book that includes a short video of his son learning to ride a bike. Young readers will get a look at the behind-the-scenes work of an author/illustrator.

— Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Judge, Lita. (2013). How big were dinosaurs? New York, NY: Macmillan/Roaring Brook Press.

Dinosaurs roam the pages of this picture book, which puts the lie to the notion that all dinosaurs were enormous in size and lived in similar habitats. What many readers think they know about dinosaurs dies hard, but Judge provides compelling evidence that much of what has been assumed to be the case is not actually so. Because the author/illustrator juxtaposes different types of dinosaurs against animals with which most readers will be familiar, it's easy to see that dinosaurs varied in size. For instance, the Microraptor was slightly smaller than a chicken, and the Leaellynasaura was only two feet tall and lived near the South Pole.

The book also makes it clear that size didn't necessarily translate into brain capacity or smarts; for instance, the Stegosaurus, which weighed about as much as three cows, had a walnut-size brain. The facts and comparisons come fast and furious in this picture book, which concludes with information about how scientists use fossils to help them make conjectures about the appearance of dinosaurs. The softly-colored illustrations enable readers to compare the different animals while looking at them carefully. At the end of the book, four pages fold out to reveal all the dinosaurs and modern animals featured in the book and allow young readers to size them up. This is another exceptional title from Lita Judge, who answers the title question, "How Big Were Dinosaurs?" by saying, "Not as big as you thought they were."

— Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Macdonald, Ross. (2013). Henry’s hand. New York, NY: Harry N. Abrams.

As this hilariously quirky cautionary tale proves, it is never a good idea to take your friends for granted, since you will surely miss them when they’re gone. Henry, a giant, often loses body parts. It just so happens that his right hand is his best friend. They do everything together, but after Hand begins to feel used, he leaves Henry behind. Things aren’t easy for Hand at first, and he struggles to survive on the street. But fortune smiles on Hand when he happens to be at the right place at the right time once he arrives in the city. After saving the life of a wealthy businessman, he ends up living a life of luxury amid a great deal of acclaim. He even has employees who answer his fan mail. When he receives Henry's letter of apology, Hand decides to go home since he misses his friend so much. A terrific reminder about friendship, the book is filled with lovely watercolor and pencil crayon illustrations that pay tribute to a most unusual friendship and a bond that seems likely to last.

— Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Rinker, Sherri Duskey. (2013). Steam train, dream train. Illus. by Tom Lichtenheld. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books.

Using dark jewel tones to represent the night, the steam train, “Through the darkness, clickety-clack… /coming closer, down the track … /hold your breath so you can hear /huffing, chuffing drawing near” (unpaged) arrives at the station. All the workers are there to greet the train and begin their work. Told in clever rhyming text, the story shows how each animal is well matched for its task. Monkeys juggle many items in addition to loading the monkey bars, rabbits bounce into the open door with their pogo sticks, the giraffe works the front loader with its tall neck, while the kangaroos bounce balls into the next awaiting train car.

Filled with action words and action pictures, the night train is loaded. When the job is done, the crew put themselves to bed on the flatcars, and the train moves through the night. The precious last picture perfectly ends the dream train journey as readers see a small boy asleep in bed with his train set on the floor beside him. Readers may enjoy a wordless book trailer produced by the publisher.  Watch for new downloadable activities at the author’s website.

— Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

GRADES 4-6

Floca, Brian. (2013). Locomotive.  New York, NY: Simon & Schuster/Atheneum Book for Young Readers.

From end paper, title page, to page one, and on to the last end paper, this beautifully designed book is a train-lover’s delight from start to finish. The front endpapers tell the story of the building of the Transcontinental Railroad so that the story within the pages shares the journey of an unnamed family traveling in 1869 all the way from Omaha, Nebraska to San Francisco, California. Told in poetic prose, the book immerses readers in the trip with sounds, colors, and images of train travel in those early days. The use of a wide variety, size, and style of fonts adds to the kinetic feel of the journey.

Floca takes reader/passengers from the engine to the caboose. The jobs of the conductor, the engineer, the coal man, and the newspaper boy are visible. Readers will travel with the passengers as they get on and off at different towns, stop for a bite of food, explore parts of the train and watch the towns of America fly by. Detailed notes on the history of the locomotive add further historical background to this visual narrative of early trains. Teachers can use 3 short videos of the author talking about the book. They can also read an interesting interview from Publisher’s Weekly  with authors Brian Floca and Elisha Cooper as they discuss their new books, both entitled, Train. A detailed CCSS guide can be found at Brian Floca’s website.

— Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Mulder, Michelle. (2013). Pedal it!: How bicycles are changing the world.  Olympia, WA: Orca Book Publishers.

The international focus, the wonderful photographs, the informative sidebars, and the author’s enthusiasm for bicycles all make this a fascinating look at bikes, from boneshakers and high-wheels, to sprockets and gears, to all the things a bicycle can do that most people never imagined. Starting with the history of bicycles and their construction, maintenance, and use, the author discusses the evolution of the bicycle through today’s aerodynamic designs. Learning to ride a bike is also explained.

The author shares vignettes of stories and her many, many bicycle sightings around the world. Actually, she explains not just sightings, but how important bicycles are in meeting a large number of countries’ economics and transportation needs. In addition to the health benefits of pedaling, the author describes how bicycles are helpful as ambulances, or taxis, or basket-filled couriers of all kinds of food and trade goods. For bike-lovers young and old, the book will appeal to a wide audience who will enjoy this colorful and informative history and explanation of the wonders of bicycling. ReadWriteThink offers a lesson idea entitled: “Our Classroom: Writing an Owner’s Manual.” Visit the author’s website and learn about her Skype visits to classrooms. The publisher’s website offers CCSS connections for this book.

— Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

GRADES 7-8

Anderson, T. Neill. (2013). City of the dead: Galveston hurricane, 1900. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge Publishers.

As today’s news is full of the recent devastation in the Philippines, another disaster in American history is remembered. Considered the deadliest storm in U.S. history, the 1900 hurricane that slammed onto the Texas coastline in the Gulf of Mexico changed the landscape of Galveston forever. The island city of Galveston was one of the biggest ports in the United States a hundred years ago. Over 6,000 people were killed, and some estimates report 8,000 deaths on that day on September 8, 1900. The water rose so suddenly that many people were trapped in collapsing buildings while high winds thought to be around 120 miles an hour whisked debris and bodies everywhere.

Author T. Neill Anderson has created an amazing book of historical fiction based on actual accounts using oral histories, letters, interviews and records from Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word as he recounts what it must have been like that horrible day. Black and white photographs add to the disastrous fact-based storyline. This fast-paced narrative depicting several points of view will appeal to middle and high school readers.

— Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Gantos, Jack. (2013). From Norvelt to nowhere. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus & Giroux.

As twelve-year-old Jack Gantos and his parents prepare to leave the town of Norvelt, Pennsylvania behind for a move to Florida, the town's serial killer strikes again. This time, he (or she) poisons Mrs. Custard on Halloween. Jack has the bright idea of dressing up like Spizz, the presumed murderer of all those elderly women in the previous title, Dead End in Norvelt (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2011). Needless to say, his costume does not go over well. When Eleanor Roosevelt, the town's founder, dies, Miss Volker needs Jack's assistance and makes a pilgrimage to her heroine’s grave site. Their journey, by train and car, takes them through Miss Volker's hometown of Rugby, Tennessee, on their way to Florida where she plans to catch the villain responsible for all those Norvelt deaths.

Readers may especially enjoy the bits of history sprinkled throughout the book as Miss Norvelt writes Eleanor's obituary, but the increasingly eccentric and abusive behavior of Miss Volker herself may wear thin quickly. Still, laughing most of the way, readers will willingly follow Jack and Miss Volker to the end of the line and the changes that await them there. The book is an excellent reminder of the complexity of human beings, whether they are actual historical figures such as presidents or fictional ones such as Miss Volker.

— Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Kinney, Jeff. (2013). Diary of a wimpy kid: Hard luck. New York, NY: Abrams/Amulet Books.

With the Diary of a Wimpy Kid craze showing no signs of dissipating, the latest title offers fans another slice of Greg Heffley’s life. Things aren't going very well for Greg; in fact, his life might be summed up as the lines in a country song: "If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all." Clearly, something needs to change. He and best friend Rowley barely have time for each other since Rowley spends all his time with his new girlfriend Abigail, and Greg can't seem to find anyone else to hang out with at school. He considers joining clubs and befriending someone else and even gets involved in the yearbook, but still, he can’t find a good friend or change his luck.

Various amusing vignettes about Greg’s family, including his aunts and cousins, are threaded into the narrative. When Greg finds a Magic 8 Ball, he decides to let it determine his future actions. Of course, with its vague responses, this leads to many problems. Although the book is hilarious at many points, it also has a serious side as Greg happens upon evidence that changes how he regarded his childhood. Those who are sure that this author/illustrator has run out of things to say might as well prepare for more ruminations from the Wimpy Kid since Jeff Kinney continues to rely on Greg's family history for rich material. Here’s hoping the popular series never ends.

— Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Thimmesh, Catherine. (2013). Scaly spotted feathered frilled: How do we know what dinosaurs really looked like? Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers.

Readers will be mesmerized by this informative text that’s likely to change what you know about dinosaurs and how they are studied. Anyone interested in the ancient creatures will be fascinated by this title. Accompanied by colorful illustrations from paleoartists who rely on fossils and accompanying evidence to flesh out what dinosaurs might have looked like, the text describes how today's scientists and artists have revised early ideas about the likely appearances of dinosaurs. While much of their work is still only conjecture, it is closer to what the truth might have been than the first renditions of dinosaurs. Most intriguingly, the author recounts how some of the artists eventually decided to incorporate feathers in many of the dinosaurs they replicated as they began to recognize the connection between birds and dinosaurs. This is mesmerizing and opinion-altering stuff, especially since there is no way to know just how accurate any of the artists’ depictions are. 

— Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Westrick, Anne. (2013). Brotherhood. New York: Viking/Penguin Group.

Things changed after the Civil War, especially in the south. The setting is 1867 in Richmond, Virginia. Reconstruction is underway, carpetbaggers have moved in and Yankee soldiers are stationed to restore peace and oversee the rebuilding of the city. Shadrach has lost his father to the war, as did many other children and families in the south. His older brother Jeremiah is still fighting the war, and his hatred of the Yankees steers him into joining a new organization that pledges to help Confederate war widows. They take the name of Ku Klux Klan. Shad follows his brother one night and unwittingly becomes part of the Klan. However, Shad has not only become friends with a young educated Negro girl, but she has also offered to teach him to read if he will teach her colored students the trade of sewing like Shad’s family’s tailoring business.

Readers will recognize that Shad is dyslexic and has never been able to learn to read, and he is desperate to do so. The bargain he makes with Rachel is costly. As Klan activities swell to deadly heights, the inner turmoil in Shad and the changing landscape of the South and the newly freed slaves make for a clash in the minds of many people as Shad tries to sort out right from wrong. The author provides a detailed discussion guide at her website. Teachers might like to use the ReadWriteThink lesson plan idea, “Using Historical Fiction to Learn About the Civil War.”  Pair this book with Susan Campbell Bartoletti’s They Called Themselves the KKK: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010).

— Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

GRADES 9-12

Clark, Kristin Elizabeth. (2013). Freakboy. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus & Giroux.

This important book, a novel in verse, covers territory that has rarely been explored in literature for teens—gender variance. Told from three points of view, those of Brendan Chase, a wrestler and top student who realizes that he may be transsexual; Vanessa, his girlfriend who has forsaken all her other friends for him; and Angel, who volunteers at a center for LGBTQ teens, the book explores the life experiences and emotions of all three main characters as their lives intersect. All three main characters are likeable, and readers will hope for a happy ending to the story while also knowing that having such a happy ending isn't likely. The author makes it clear just how hard it is for Brendan to accept himself and his burgeoning desire to feel like a woman, and even if he does, how difficult it may be to gain the acceptance and understanding of others.

Those who like to put individuals into tidy little boxes will find this book disconcerting as its characters defy easy classification. Brendan, for instance, enjoys sex with Vanessa while also fantasizing about having soft skin and long, feminine hair and wearing female undergarments. When his best friend bursts into Brendan’s room while he is wearing the bra he purchased at Victoria’s Secret, Brendan knows that his life will be changed forever. Reading the book may open the minds of those who would judge Brendan harshly, while reminding many readers that gender is not dependent on the sex organs with which individuals are born. This one should generate a lot of discussion—and maybe encourage changes in attitudes toward those like Brendan.

— Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

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 International Reading Association partners with the National Council of Teachers of English and Verizon Thinkfinity to produce ReadWriteThink.org, a website devoted to providing literacy instruction and interactive resources for grades K–12.

Classroom practices are constantly changing. From loose-leaf paper and no. 2 pencils, to iPads and gaming apps, it’s important that teachers are evolving with the times and instructing children in ways that are conducive to their individual learning styles. Students who are uninterested and unmotivated have impacted us all. Imagine using those children’s keenest interests to develop literacy skills and motivate reading more frequently—all while engaging with peers and having fun.

p: aperturismo via photopin cc

Reading failure is a serious national problem. More than 50 percent of children in affluent homes and 80 percent of children in less affluent homes are not reading proficiently. Reading drops off significantly after age nine. Meanwhile, hundreds of millions of dollars are spent each year to focus on the act of reading, with little impact on improving the issue. The issue is tied directly to the underlying motivation to read, rather than a student’s ability to read.

Motivation is the gas that fuels a child’s educational engine. Although digital learning technology has become more prevalent in the 21st century classroom—enabling kids to be more engaged—there are few platforms today that help children derive knowledge from what they find interesting. If intrigued by the material, children will conquer a major barrier to reading development. Providing reading and learning methods that include students’ keenest interests plays a significant role in empowering them to become confident, life-long readers.

Teachers often ask me, “What do you do to keep them interested?” I respond by telling teachers they need to get to know their students and learn their interests first. I’ll never forget a little boy that was like a statue in my classroom. Once I was able to get him talking about his bicycle, and more specifically, its new fenders, it was like a switch turned on. He was finally engaged.  

Understanding learning styles and tying the lessons to the child’s interests is also important. There isn’t one universal teaching or learning method, of course. But in the modern classroom, digital games are a powerful platform for motivating student learning because they are directly tied to students’ interests. Not only does edu-gaming help children embrace knowledge and improve critical thinking abilities, but it also plays a significant role in developing social skills. In fact, playing the right games can offer these educational benefits. Despite the naysayers’ opinions, playing video games will not rot your students’ brains.

Education is not only about teaching workplace skills; it’s also about teaching kids to understand culture and vital concepts, such as supply and demand. When playing Minecraft or Clash of Clans, for example, kids have to earn available supplies within the game for survival. Kids also learn about teamwork and cause and effect. Today, edu-gaming can provide these lessons and are more than simple forms of entertainment. Kids use their imaginations, employ problem-solving strategies to overcome obstacles and practice social skills through online and offline interactions with other gamers. In essence, gaming teaches important life skills that kids can easily pick up on.

While playing games of all kinds, children get a desire to tackle obstacles that are challenging, but achievable. This feeling of success prompts the children to play the game again. A game-based approach to teaching incorporates reading, writing and mathematics in a fun and meaningful

Using writing materials—or even tactile items such as noodles and pipe cleaners—to make words can be effective for reading comprehension, but these “old school” methods are often being replaced with technology. Still, technology alone is not the answer. When paired with a child’s interests and learning styles to drive reading proficiency, technological solutions are an effective way to engage children. This, in turn, motivates frequency and generates positive outcomes. If we help build children’s knowledge through what they are engaged in and enjoy, we will see results.

Incorporating games into your classroom

Engaging kids using educational games in the classroom encourages them to reason and perform like problem solvers. In addition, critical thinking and strategizing skills are used to expand student-learning opportunities beyond the classroom. With a decrease in school funding, providing devices for all students continues to be very difficult. However, allowing students to BYOD or Bring Your Own Device—a constant in my elementary classrooms—provided students an engaging channel for their independent study. An e-reader had incredible impact on one of my third graders. She struggled with reading from the beginning and rarely picked up a book in class. However, once she received an e-reader during the holidays, she would read every chance she got. Her favorite reading materials were immediately accessible, and what she used to view as a daunting task seemed minimal, as she could read one screen at a time. By allowing today’s kids to use these innovative tools, their deepest interests are piqued and their needs are met.

Building digital literacy using educational games also creates a much needed, differentiated-learning environment. Educational technologies can transform a scholastic environment by making learning personalized to each student’s individual style. Incorporating educational games through all mediums as a daily routine enriches the curriculum already in place and helps the educator teach the way today’s kids want to learn.

Lindsey Hill is a two-time Elementary Teacher of the Year honoree and former teacher of 14 years. She now oversees Reading Engagement Innovation at Evanced Solutions, LLC and explores current trends in reading innovation to aid in the development of solutions that increase reading proficiencies among our youth.