A Perilous Journey of Danger and Mayhem: A Dastardly Plot

Title: A Perilous Journey of Danger and Mayhem: A Dastardly Plot 
Author: Christopher Healy
Publisher: Walden Pond Press 
Publication Date: September 25th, 2018 
Genre/Format: Historical Fiction/Middle Grade Novel 
GoodReads Summary: It's 1883—the Age of Invention! A time when great men like Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Nicola Tesla, and George Eastman work to turn the country into a land of limitless opportunity.

And it all happens at the world famous Inventor’s Guild headquarters in New York City—a place where a great idea, a lot of hard work, and a little bit of luck can find you rubbing elbows with these gods of industry who will usher humanity into the future.

Unless, of course, you’re a woman.

Molly Pepper, daughter of brilliant but unknown inventor Cassandra Pepper, lives with her mother in New York. By day, they make ends meet running a pickle shop; but by night, they toil and dream of Cassandra taking her place among the most famous inventors in America.

In an attempt to find a way to exhibit Cass’s work at the World’s Fair, they break into the Inventor's Guild, where they discover a mysterious plot to destroy New York.The evidence points to the involvement of one of the world’s most famous inventors, and now it’s up to Molly, Cassandra, and a shop hand named Emmett Lee to uncover the truth—even if no one will ever know it was they who did it. 
What I Think: I already loved Christopher Healy's Hero's Guide series and how he portrayed the female characters in that series but now there is more girl power to love from him! A Perilous Journey of Danger and Mayhem is such a fun blend of historical fiction and girl power and adventure.
     As a mentor text, there is really rich description throughout the entire book. You could easily find many examples of how word choice makes an impact on what message the writer makes. Chris describes using very specific words and he also shows readers what is happening using the five senses. As I was listening to the audiobook sample, I realized how great he described the pickle shop and how he also was able to tell us about Molly by showing us that she lives there as well. I pulled the snatch of text below that you'll also hear in the audiobook clip. I would ask writers to close their eyes and listen to the sample. Ask them to visualize as they listen. Then I would show them the snatch of text below and ask them to think about how describing the setting helps a reader and how it can even help a reader understand the character. You could even ask writers to think about their own character and draw their room or closet. This is an opportunity to think about how the room is organized (or not!) and what is found there. Then they could write a paragraph or two describing the room or setting and show readers about their character using this technique. All of this tells us about the character and is a neat way to explore a character. 
Snatch of Text: "For the most part, Pepper's Pickles looked like any of the other specialty food establishments along the bustling thoroughfare that was Thompson Street. Upon entering, customers would see barrels of fermenting cucumbers and a wooden counter stacked with murky jars of dill spears. They would smell a tang in the air from the canisters of salt and flasks of vinegar crammed onto shelves. But few took note of the tall folding screen that protected the rear half of the store from prying eyes.
     If a customer were to peek behind that screen, however - which none did without feeling the sting of a shot from Molly's Thimble Cannon - they would see a long worktable littered with springs, screws, bolts, gears, and tools of every time. And the'd see two thin beds, a stove-top, and a clothesline drooping with damp bloomers. Because the Peppers also lived in their pickle shop." (p. 5)
Audiobook Clip: Listen here.

 Here are the tour stops:

September 24th - Novel Novice

September 25th - A Foodie Bibliophile in Wanderlust

September 26th - Unleashing Readers

September 27th - Teach Mentor Texts

September 28th - Novel Novice

September 29th - Maria’s Melange

October 1st - The Flashlight Reader

October 2nd - Nerdy Book Club

October 3rd - Book Monsters

October 3rd - Novel Novice

October 4th - Blustocking Thinking

October 5th - Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

And don't forget the giveaway! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks to Walden Pond Press

for sending me a copy of this book to review 

and for partnering with me for this giveaway.

Santa Bruce Giveaway Thanks to Disney Hyperion!

Disney Book Group is partnering with me for a giveaway!

Title: Santa Bruce  
Author: Ryan T. Higgins 
Illustrator: Ryan T. Higgins 
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion 
Publication Date: September 4th, 2018 
Genre/Format: Fiction/Picture Books 
GoodReads Summary: Bruce is a lot of things. He is a bear. He is a grump. He is a pretty decent cook. And he is a mother.
One thing Bruce is not?
Santa Claus.But that doesn't stop the whole forest from lining up to give him their Christmas wishes when he becomes the victim of mistaken identity - again. 
What I Think: How can you not love Bruce? He's such a lovable grump. He's still grumpy but still a good sport about it in this new book, Santa Bruce. What I really love about the Bruce books is that Bruce is that even though Bruce might be mistaken for someone else, he's definitely still himself. We all know that he's grumpy and that's just how he is. Ryan has done a great job of establishing Bruce's character and it's a great opportunity to look at character development with student writers.
     As a writer, we have to develop our characters. One way to develop characters is to use dialogue to show who our characters are. In the snatch of text below, you'll see that Bruce's words reveal his grumpiness. His sentences are short and emphatic and that gives us information about Bruce. 
     This book has a holiday theme and many people around the world are familiar with Santa. It might be neat to find a few books with Santa in them and to look at what Santa's dialogue looks like in other books. Is it similar or different from Bruce's? And again, what does dialogue tell us about our character. Then of course, try using dialogue with your own characters and see how it's a device writers can use to show the reader who the character is. 
Snatch of Text:

"And then it happened...again.

'Are you Santa?!'

A case of mistaken identity.

Bruce did not like mistaken identities.

'No. I am not. Go away.'

'Ohmygosh! I met Santa! Wait right here while I go get my friends!'

'Wait! Grrrrrrr! I am NOT Santa!'"

And now for the giveaway!
I’m giving away a copy of #SantaBruceBook 
and this amazing prize pack thanks to my partner @DisneyHyperion!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks to Disney Books

for sending me a copy of this book to review 

and for partnering with me for this giveaway.

The Peculiar Haunting of Thelma Bee Blog Tour!

Title: The Peculiar Haunting of Thelma Bee  
Author: Erin Petti 
Publisher: Mighty Press 
Publication Date: September 6th, 2016 
Genre/Format: Fiction/Novel 
GoodReads Summary: Eleven-year-old Thelma Bee is never bored. In fact, she has curiosity and adventure in her blood. She spends her time running science experiments, practicing Spanish, and daydreaming about exotic landscapes. But Thelma gets more than she bargained for when a strange woman sells a jewelry box at her father’s antique shop. That night, a ghost kidnaps her father, and the only clues are the jewelry box and a word the ghost whispered in her ear: “Return.” Now it’s up to Thelma to get her dad back, and it might be harder than she thought—there’s someone wielding dark magic, and they’re coming after her next.  
What I Think:  I'm all about girl power books and especially books with girls and STEM. Even though The Peculiar Haunting of Thelma Bee is a ghost story, it's also a story of a brave girl who uses her scientific skills to her advantage when she encounters a ghost...and maybe a little bit of trusting her intuition too. As a mentor text, Thelma is a great character to use as an example of how to use the scientific method in real life. She takes note of what she observes and uses the information to understand the world around her. Student writers can take note of what they observe in the world around them and think about which might be important to include in their own writing to help readers.
     I also love The Peculiar Haunting of Thelma Bee as a mentor text when getting to know characters. Main characters and secondary characters need to grow or experience some kind of change throughout the story. Knowing your characters inside and out is important when it comes to story. The first snatch of text below is an example of two sentences that give us insight into Thelma Bee and her heart's biggest desire. She wants to be an adventurer and is fascinated by mysteries so here we learn about her and a little about her personality. But also we learn about her mom and that her mom is off adventuring. It's important for writers to know their character's deepest desires but also to be able to make sure readers understand this as well in a show-don't-tell almost seamless way.
Snatch of Text: 
"Thelma often dreamt of the day when she would adventure through the world like her mom, Mary Bee. Uncovering nature's mysteries and making important discoveries in the wild - what could be better?" (p. 3)

"...Thelma reached up and grabbed for the mini flashlight that she kept tied to a long shoelace on her bedpost. She clicked it on and propped it on her nightstand. In her notebook, under "Ghost Facts (according to E)" she created a new heading: GHOST FACTS: OBSERVED." (p. 42)
Writing Prompt: Free write about your main character and what he or she wants more than anything. Now try and zone in on his or her deepest desire and pare down your words to 2-3 sentences that show your reader what your main character cares about most.
Additional Resources:

Book Page 

Author Page

Illustrator Page 

www.thelmabee.com 

Check out other stops on the tour!

*Thanks to Mighty Media Press for 

a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review!*

Anything You Want

Title: Anything You Want 
Author: Geoff Herbach  
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: May 3rd, 2016 
Genre/Format: Contemporary/Novel 
GoodReads Summary: Expect a bundle of joy—er, trouble—in this hilarious, heartwarming story from the award-winning author of Stupid Fast Geoff Herbach.

Taco's mom always said, "Today is the best day of your life, and tomorrow will be even better." That was hard to believe the day she died of cancer and when Taco's dad had to move up north for work, but he sure did believe it when Maggie Corrigan agreed to go with him to junior prom. Taco loves Maggie- even more than the tacos that earned him his nickname. And she loves him right back. Except all that love? It gets Maggie pregnant. Everyone else may be freaking out, but Taco can't wait to have a real family again. He just has to figure out what it means to be a dad and how to pass calculus. And then there's getting Maggie's parents to like him. Because it would be so much easier for them to be together if he didn't have to climb the side of the Corrigans' house to see her... 
What I Think: Somehow Geoff Herbach takes a wild, carefree, over-the-top character like Taco and brings him to life with all his high-school-boy antics but still makes him like-able. I really liked Taco but it definitely took me a while to want to root for him. He's just larger than life and at first reading his story was like trying to look into the sun - I was doing it but he was just so full of boy. (Which makes me think boy readers would probably love this book right off the bat!) But as I look closely at what Geoff did here with Taco, there are a few techniques he enlisted to helped to make him endearing to readers.
     First of all, he breaks the fourth wall. The fourth wall is the divider between the reader and the story. Sometimes, a character talks directly to the reader and that's what is means to break the fourth wall. As you can see in the first snatch of text, Geoff does this right away - his very first line breaks the fourth wall. It cracks me up because Taco is being himself as usual but because he's talking to us, I felt connected to him. 
     Another way Geoff connects us to taco is how overall exuberance for life. The kid is excited about a continental breakfast - but Geoff shows us that Taco is excited and again he breaks the fourth wall. It's hard to not be excited for someone who is so silly excited and asking you to be happy with him. 
     The last snatch of text I pulled really lets us into Taco's head and helps us see that his whole world isn't all rainbows and Froot Loops, we get to see him talking to his mother before she died and we see a hint of his vulnerability. This is just another way we connect to him - at least we can see he has a chink in his armor. Even if it seems small now, we get to see how this grows over time and as we get to know Taco more.
     One of the biggest challenges as a writer is to develop a character who has flaws but readers can still relate to. Readers have to see their strengths and their weaknesses and want to root for them throughout the book. Anything You Want is a great mentor text for looking at character development and how to invite readers to connect with the main character.
Snatch of Text:  
"When did this start? Duh, dingus. Last spring." (p. 1)

"Have you ever had a continental breakfast? They had one at the hotel. I ate six little boxes of Froot Loops, fourteen pieces of bacon, three cinnamon buns, and eight cups of coffee with these little blue vanilla creamers that tasted like milk mixed with frosting. What a cornucopia!" (p. 5)

"She said, 'You were born special. You were born to do this family proud. You make me proud, Taco.' 

She said, 'Today is the best day of your life. So is tomorrow and the next day and the next day and the next. No matter what happens, everyday you have is the best day of your life.'

'Today is the best day of my life,' I said, though it didn't feel that way." (p. 21)

Writing Prompt: Write a scene when your main character breaks the fourth wall. What would your character tell you about his story? What do you learn from your character when he or she talks directly to you?

Raymie Nightingale

Title: Raymie Nightingale 
Author: Kate DiCamillo 
Publisher: Candlewick Press 
Publication Date: April 12th, 2016 
Genre/Format: Realistic Fiction/Novel 
GoodReads Summary: Raymie Clarke has come to realize that everything, absolutely everything, depends on her. And she has a plan. If Raymie can win the Little Miss Central Florida Tire competition, then her father, who left town two days ago with a dental hygienist, will see Raymie's picture in the paper and (maybe) come home. To win, not only does Raymie have to do good deeds and learn how to twirl a baton; she also has to contend with the wispy, frequently fainting Louisiana Elefante, who has a show-business background, and the fiery, stubborn Beverly Tapinski, who’s determined to sabotage the contest. But as the competition approaches, loneliness, loss, and unanswerable questions draw the three girls into an unlikely friendship — and challenge each of them to come to the rescue in unexpected ways. 
What I Think: It's a good sign when a book is filled with too many wonderful snatches of text that I can't list them all! Kate DiCamillo has done it again with Raymie Nightingale. Her words are magic spun onto the page. As a writer who is constantly thinking about show don't tell and how to get deeper into the perspective of my main character, Kate is a dream mentor text. She brings the harsh reality of life honestly to life with her words. This is not easy to do! 
     As a mentor text, Raymie Nightingale is wonderful for character development, dialogue, descriptive writing. Use a graphic organizer to build character maps for Raymie and her friends and the rest of the cast of characters. Students can practice making connections and making inferences about the different characters. 
     Part of bringing characters to life is using dialogue meaningfully. Depending on what tense we're writing in, we don't always get to see into a character's head but with dialogue, we can get some insight. Dialogue is a great way to set a character apart from others just based on what words they use. Have students compare what different characters say and how their words help us understand them better. Then ask students to try focusing on dialogue in their own writing. 
     Finally, look at the description in her writing as a whole. She writes as if describing a movie frame by frame. Notice the words she picks. Have students make a list of strong words from one page of text or ask them to underline the powerful words she uses. Kate uses every single word purposefully and powerfully. My favorite activity for keeping writing concise is to take a piece of writing and then to try and cut half of the words. It's amazing how sentence combining (such as Jeff Anderson recommends!) is a learning experience in how to make writing stronger. Lisa Graff says she does this and I wonder if it's part of Kate's revising process. Either way, your students will grow from the challenge!
Read Together: Grades 4 - 8 
Read Alone: Grades 5 - 8 
Read With: Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo, The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall, Okay For Now by Gary D. Schmidt, The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine, Love, Ruby Lavender by Deborah Wiles, Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate
Snatch of Text:  
     "The sun was very high in the sky.
     It hadn't moved.
     It seemed like someone had stuck it up there and then walked away and left it." (p. 6)

     "The three of them stood there looking at one another. 
     Raymie felt something expanding inside of her. It felt like a gigantic tent billowing out.
     This, Raymie knew, was her soul." (P. 17)

     "And then she thought about how in fairy tales people go three wishes and none of the wishes ever turned out right. If the wishes came true, they came true in terrible ways. Wishes were dangerious things. That was the idea you got from fairy tales. 
     Maybe it was smart of Beverly not to wish." (p. 91)
Book Trailer:

Writing Prompts: Write about a time in your life when something happened that you had no control over. How did it feel and what did you do about it?
Topics Covered: Friendship, Family, Determination, Loyalty 

I *heart* It:

*Thanks to Candlewick Press for 

a copy of Raymie Nightingale n exchange for an honest review!*

President Squid

Title: President Squid 
Author: Aaron Reynolds 
Illustrator: Sara Varon 
Publisher: Chronicle Books 
Publication Date: March 1st, 2016 
Genre/Format: Fiction/Picture Book
GoodReads Summary: Join Aaron Reynolds and Sara Varon as they explore the ideal qualities of leaders, diplomats...and giant squid. Squid knows all about being president. It means living in a big house, doing all the talking—oh, and having a tie is crucial. He's all set! In the next election, make a more informed choice. Vote for President Squid! 
What I Think: After seeing Aaron Reynolds at my son's school this year, I can hear his voice when I read this book! It's hysterical. We've read it multiple times already in our house and my kindergartener quotes it all the time. It cracks me up and I love that my kids love it.
     As a mentor text, this book is fantastic for voice. Squid is just completely over the top and exudes attitude. There are also so many discussions to be had about making connections between what we know about presidents versus what Squid thinks about presidents. You can easily compare and contrast and think through what qualities might be good in a president. And this would be a great book to think about character traits and how we can infer those based on what the character says and does. Finally, this book makes a great read aloud because the character has so much energy which also means this is a great book for kids to practice fluency in terms of reading with emotion and excitement in their voices.
Read Together: Grades K - 6 
Read Alone: Grades K - 6 
Read With: Nerdy Birdy by Aaron Reynolds, Duck For President by Doreen Cronin, Grace For President by Kelly DiPucchio
Snatch of Text:  

"I HAVE REALIZED SOMETHING 

VERY IMPORTANT.

Something that changes everything!

No giant squid has ever been president before!

Which means I will be the first.

President Squid!

Now that has a nice ring to it.

I WILL BE THE

GREATEST PRESIDENT

WHO EVER LIVED!"

Writing Prompts: Write about how you believe a president should act.  
Topics Covered: Integration - History, Determination, Perseverance 

I *heart* It:

Max the Brave Review and Blog Tour

Title: Max the Brave 
Author: Ed Vere 
Illustrator: Ed Vere 
Publisher: Sourcebooks 
Publication Date: September 8th, 2015  
Genre/Format: Fiction/Picture Book 
GoodReads Summary: Max is a fearless kitten. Max is a brave kitten. Max is a kitten who chases mice. There's only one problem-Max doesn't know what a mouse looks like! With a little bit of bad advice, Max finds himself facing a much bigger challenge. Maybe Max doesn't have to be Max the Brave all the time...

Join this adventurous black cat as he very politely asks a variety of animals for help in finding a mouse. Young readers will delight in Max's mistakes, while adults will love the subtle, tongue-in-cheek humor of this new children's classic. 
About the Author/Illustrator: Ed Vere is an author, artist and illustrator with a long track record of success in the picture book category. Max the Brave was named one of The Sunday Times’s 100 Modern Children’s Classics. His book Bedtime for Monsters was shortlisted for the2011 Roald Dahl Funny Prize and Mr Big was chosen by Booktrust as the official Booktime book for 2009 (and was distributed to 750,000 British schoolchildren making it the largest single print run of a picture book). Vere was the World Book Day illustrator for 2009.
What I Think: I'm in love with Max! He's super adorable and so full of spunk that readers will fall in love with him whether they are cat lovers or not. When it comes to characterization, Max the Brave is an example of how it's possible to tell so much about a character in two sentences. Of course, the rest of the book elaborates and helps readers get a better sense of Max and who he is but it is possible to pack a lot of punch in only a couple of sentences.
     The illustrations are vibrant and simple but powerful as well. Reading Max the Brave offers an opportunity to talk to students about illustrations, how they support the text, and what choices or moves the artist might have made to impact the story.
     Readers will be rooting for Max, cracking up at his misunderstanding, worried about him and then cheering for him all over again as he goes along on his adventure. Reading Max the Brave is also a perfect opportunity to practice prediction as the story moves along. I read with Peanut and Little Bean and we had a blast trying to guess what was going to happen next. This will be a perfect read aloud for a super hero themed event...get our your super hero capes!

    Visit Sourcebooks' Max the Brave website where you can access an activity kit and the educator guide. And be sure to follow @ed_vere and @jabberwockykids on Twitter!

Read Together: Grades Pre-K - 5 

Read Alone: Grades Pre-K - 2 
Read With: I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen, Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman, Pardon Me  by Daniel Miyares, Boris and the Snoozebox by Leigh Hodgkinson, Won Ton and Won Ton and Chopstick by Lee Wardlaw
Snatch of Text:  

"Max looks so sweet that sometimes

people dress him up with bows.

Max does not like being

dressed up with bows."

Writing Prompts: Write about a time in your life when you were confused or misunderstood something and how it impacted you.
Topics Covered: Courage, Determination, Self-Awareness 

I *heart* It:

*Thanks to Sourcebooks for 

a copy of this title and the opportunity for a giveaway 

in exchange for an honest review!*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

One Word From Sophia

Title: One Word From Sophia 
Author: Jim Averbeck 
Illustrator: Yasmeen Ismail 
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: June 16th, 2015
Genre/Format: Fiction/Picture Book 
GoodReads Summary: Sophia tries varied techniques to get the giraffe she wants more than anything in this playfully illustrated story about the nuances of negotiation.

Sophia has one true desire for her birthday. But she has Four Big Problems in the way: Mom, Dad, Uncle Conrad...and Grand-mama.

Will her presentations, proposals, and pie charts convince them otherwise?Turns out, all it takes is one word.  
What I Think: Sophia is one spunky and determined little girl. She reminds me of a student I worked with my very first year of teaching. Her name was Jessica and she was in kindergarten when I met her. Like Jessica, Sophia is bright and energetic and willing to speak her mind and keep trying to work towards her goal. Sophia doesn't take no for an answer, instead she tries to refine her argument throughout the book. This is a perfect way to introduce or discuss argumentative or persuasive writing with students. Sophia gives different arguments depending on who she is talking to and it would be great to discuss with students how her tactic changes depending on her audience.
     As I talk with student writers, I share with them how they make moves as authors in their writing. Writers makes choices about which words they chose or how they help they craft the message for their readers to understand. I love talking about word choice and sharing that there are $100 words that we can use to impact our message. One Word From Sophia is full of $100 words and a perfect opportunity to discuss this with students as well as sharing some new vocabulary with them. Again, the words we use are going to vary as our audience changes but writers have to think about which words they'll choose depending on the audience.
    Finally, I would like to acknowledge the whimsical and colorful illustrations from Yasmeen Ismail. She does an awesome job of using the illustrations to move us through the story and to provide visual support for all of Sophia's arguments. She also made a choice to include a diverse cast of characters and I'm so glad that she did. I look at Sophia with her adorable poof of a ponytail and a few students I've met this school year come to mind. I'm excited to share this with them and their peers!
Read Together: Grades 2 - 5 
Read Alone: Grades 3 - 5 
Read With: Prudence Wants a Pet by Cathleen Daly, The Pet Project by Lisa Wheeler, I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kauffman Orloff, One Cool Friend by Toni Buzzeo
Snatch of Text:  

"Her one true desire was to get a pet giraffe for her birthday."

Hear author Jim Averbeck talk about One Word From Sophia

Writing Prompts: Write about how you could convince your parents to get your a giraffe if that's what you wanted for your birthday. Think about what Sophia's family said about her argument. How does that impact you as a writer? 
Topics Covered: Family, Determination 

I *heart* It:

*Thanks to Atheneum Books For Young Readers for 

a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review!*

In Real Life

Title: In Real Life 
Author: Cory Doctorow 
Illustrator: Jen Wang 
Publisher: First Second 
Publication Date: October 14th, 2014 
Genre/Format: Graphic Novel/Realistic Fiction 
GoodReads Summary: Anda loves Coarsegold Online, the massively-multiplayer role-playing game where she spends most of her free time. It's a place where she can be a leader, a fighter, a hero. It's a place where she can meet people from all over the world, and make friends. 

But things become a lot more complicated when Anda befriends a gold farmer--a poor Chinese kid whose avatar in the game illegally collects valuable objects and then sells them to players from developed countries with money to burn. This behavior is strictly against the rules in Coarsegold, but Anda soon comes to realize that questions of right and wrong are a lot less straightforward when a real person's real livelihood is at stake.From acclaimed teen author (Little Brother, For the Win) and Boing Boing editor Cory Doctorow and Koko Be Good creator Jen Wang, In Real Life is a perceptive and high-stakes look at adolescence, gaming, poverty, and culture clash.  
What I Think: When I saw the gorgeous cover to this book and spotted Cory Doctorow's name as a co-author, I knew I had to buy In Real Life. I absolutely adore this book and am so happy for an accessible story that I believe young adult readers will relate and adults will learn from.
     I have to admit, I still have my original AOL e-mail address from 1994. Something about it is nostalgic so I just can't let go of it. Chat rooms were fun when I was in high school and while I don't play online games or visit chat rooms any more, I love Twitter and Facebook and Instagram and Vine. I have a digital presence and I know the potential and power of finding people I connect with around the world thanks to technology. But as I talk to more and more teachers, the more I realize not everyone has this same perspective and understanding of the depth of what it means to be a digital citizen.
     How can parents and teachers support students as they navigate this digital world if we don't know the lay of the land? I'm so excited to share In Real Life with teachers and parents so they can think through online relationships and how they impact our IRL relationships. But I'm also thrilled to have a book to share with students who might need to find solace in the fact that others are experiencing what they might be when forging online relationships. I know it was amazing for me to read Anda's story and see how our view of the world expands thanks to technology.
     I love this as a mentor text for examining character development and giving students opportunities to make connections, imagine possibilities, and talk through the impact of the choices we make. If I was writing a digital citizenship curriculum, this would most definitely be an anchor text. This would also make a great mentor text for comparing and contrasting because we have one character who is similar yet different online versus offline and both of her personas impact each other.
Read Together: Grades 7 - 12  
Read Alone: Grades 8 - 12 
Read With: Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge, Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell 
Snatch of Text:  
See the book trailer here.
Writing Prompts: Think about how you interact with others through digital media - or imagine how it might be different from in person - and write about what you see might be different or the same.  
Topics Covered: Family, Friendship, Loyalty, Honesty, Advocacy, Support, Culture 

I *heart* It:

The Mighty Lalouche

Title: The Mighty Lalouche 
Author: Matthew Olshan   
Illustrator: Sophia Blackall  
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade 
Publication Date: May 14th, 2013 
Genre/Format: Historical Fiction/Picture Book
GoodReads Summary:  In Paris, France, there lived a humble postman named Lalouche. He was small, but his hands were nimble, his legs were fast, and his arms were strong. When his job was replaced by an electric car, he turned to boxing to support himself and his pet finch, Genevieve. But--"You? A boxer?" the fighters asked. "I could sneeze and knock you down!" Still, Lalouche refused to give up. And perhaps small Lalouche was just nimble . . . just fast . . . and just strong enough to beat his fierce competitors. This is a marvelous story, full of humor and heart, and illustrated by Sophie Blackall, winner of a New York Times Best Illustrated Award. 
What Jen Thinks: I'm not sure if there's a name for a time when you read exactly the right book that you need at just the right time in your life but that happened to me with this book. I'm still thinking about what I want to be when I grow up. As I learn and grow more and more, I discover new things that I'm passionate about and I'm finding opportunities that are taking my life in different directions. This is exactly what happens to our funky friend Lalouche. I actually really love Lalouche. He seems like a simple guy who knows what he likes and knows what's important to him. He has a sweet little bird friend who means a lot to him. And then something unexpected and crummy happens to Lalouche. Lalouche has to make a decision! Does he accept defeat or does he make the most of his situation and take advantage of an opportunity that crosses his path. I think readers will fall in love with this little man and want to root for him but learn from his story as well.
What Kellee Thinks: This is one of those books that you read and you automatically want to share with others. It is so interesting and quirky, illustrated perfectly, and teaches you about an interesting time in French history. Within the first pages, you fall in love with LaLouche and I love that he is brave enough to not only do something that seems impossible, but to stand up to those who are bigger, stronger, and meaner than he is.  And the story is told in a fun, humorous way that, in the end, teaches the reader a lesson about following your heart.
     One of my favorite things about this book is the illustrations. They fit the time period perfectly and remind me of the later work of  Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Jean-Marc Côté. By emulating the feel of these French artists, Sophie Blackall has transported the reader to the late 19th century streets of France. 
     This book is also chock-full of teaching opportunities. The vocabulary and descriptive language that fills these pages are opportunities to practice a ton of reading and writing strategies including showing a character's traits without stating them, exclamatory sentences filled with descriptive language (onomatopoeia, imagery, alliteration), and learning new vocabulary. 
Read Together: Grades K to 8
Read Alone: Grades 3 to 5
Read With: Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet, The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordical Gerstein 
Snatch of Text:   

"One hundred and few-odd years ago,

in Paris France, there lived

a humble postman named Lalouche.

He was small, Lalouche,

and rather bony,

but his hands were nimble,

his legs were fast,

and his arms were strong."

Reading Strategies to Practice: Vocabulary Development, Character Traits
Writing Strategies to Practice: Onomatopoeia, Alliteration, Exclamatory Sentences, Descriptive Language, Commas (series)
Writing Prompts: At the end LaLouche makes a decision that is a bit controversial. Do you agree with his decision? Would you have made the same decision? Explain your answers using evidence from the text to support your answer.
Topics Covered: Hopes, Dreams, Determination, Love, Passion

We *heart* It: 

and

Father's Day Reads!

Happy Father's Day to all the current, once and future dads in the world! We're celebrating by sharing some picture books from Candlewick that are all about father figures. In today's special reviews, we will share what we love about these fictional dads in particular.

Title: My Dad Thinks He's Funny

Author: Katrina Germein

Illustrator: Tom Jellett

Publisher: Candlewick

Publication Date: April, 2013

Genre/Format: Realistic Fiction-Humor/Picture Book

Goodreads Summary: When his son says "I’m hungry," Dad says, "Hello, Hungry. Pleased to meet you." Before slicing a cake for dessert, Dad announces, "There’s my piece. What’s everybody else having?" Tell Dad your foot hurts? "No problem. You’ve got another." How is he feeling? "With my hands." So when nothing’s up but the sky, or when jumping in the shower sounds dangerous, it may be a good time to share this book with someone who doesn’t need sugar because, well, they’re sweet enough already.

What Jen Thinks: This book is so funny, especially thinking about my husband and the funny things he'll say to my own kids. I love how this dad is always aiming to make his kids laugh!
What Kellee Thinks: This book made me laugh out loud because being cheesy is just one of those things that you hate as a kid, but you remember fondly as an adult. Part of what makes a father a good dad is that they are fun to be around and this corniness is part of the package. This book is also a great book to share to talk about idioms. 

Title: FArTHER
Author: Grahame Baker-Smith
Illustrator: Grahame Baker-Smith
Publisher: Templar
Publication Date: July, 2012
Genre/Format: Fantasy/Picture Book
Goodreads Summary: When a father who dreams of flying goes off to war and does not return, his son decides to make the dream come true. Grahame Baker-Smith’s moving story, with stunning illustrations, shows how, with love and a bit of ambition, you can reach seemingly impossible goals.
What Jen Thinks: I love the connection the boy in this book has with his dad. It's nice to see how they spend time together and how the son follows in his dad's footsteps to a degree.
What Kellee Thinks: This book is more fantastical than the other three and is a bit more metaphorical. The father was a representation for the boy of what he wanted to become and even when the father gave up, the boy didn't. This book could even be used to discuss loss of a father because there is the vague notion that the father will not return.

Title: The Deer Watch
Author: Pat Lowery Collins
Illustrator: David Slonim
Publisher: Candlewick
Publication Date: April, 2013
Genre/Format: Realistic Fiction/Picture Book
Goodreads Summary: A father promises his young son that this summer they will see a deer. They set out over the dunes, through the marsh, and into the woods, searching for a white-flag tail or a set of leaping legs. But deer are hard to find, especially if your feet want to dance and your nose tickles until you sneeze. Squirrels scurry up trees, rabbits leap out of sight, and a pheasant flushes into the sky, but the deer remain hidden until the boy is almost ready to give up and head home. A captivating, lyrical narrative and oil-on-linen landscape illustrations create a sense of quiet suspense as a young boy experiences a sight he will hold in his memory forever.
What Jen Thinks: Sharing moments and firsts with my own kids is so much fun. I like how the dad in this book takes his son out to see a deer almost as a rite of passage. Going out into nature is so much fun.
What Kellee Thinks: My dad and I used to bike ride all around Davenport Iowa- we saw pheasants and turtles, birds and bugs- every new sighting was a new adventure. And like the son in this book, it is even more special because you are with your dad.

Title: The Matchbox Diary
Author: Paul Fleischman
Illustrator: Bagram Ibatoulline
Publisher: Candlewick
Publication Date: March, 2013
Genre/Format: Realistic Fiction - Historical Fiction/Picture Book
Goodreads Summary: "Pick whatever you like most. Then I’ll tell you its story." 
When a little girl visits her great-grandfather at his curio-filled home, she chooses an unusual object to learn about: an old cigar box. What she finds inside surprises her: a collection of matchboxes making up her great-grandfather’s diary, harboring objects she can hold in her hand, each one evoking a memory. Together they tell of his journey from Italy to a new country, before he could read and write — the olive pit his mother gave him to suck on when there wasn’t enough food; a bottle cap he saw on his way to the boat; a ticket still retaining the thrill of his first baseball game. With a narrative entirely in dialogue, Paul Fleischman makes immediate the two characters’ foray into the past. With warmth and an uncanny eye for detail, Bagram Ibatoulline gives expressive life to their journey through time — and toward each other.
What Jen Thinks: I like how this great-grandfather uses little trinkets to share his personal history with his great-granddaughter. Sharing stories and learning with each other is such a great family tradition. I love that this great-grandfather spends time to share what was so important to him growing up. 
What Kellee Thinks: This book reminds me of my grandfather. I love hearing his stories of WWII and other aspects of his past life. What I like about the great-grandfather in this book is that he has made it so that even when he is gone, there will be memories and parts of his life left behind for his children, grandchildren, and so on. I know that learning about my grandfather's legacy is huge for me because I want it to be something that my children know about, and I feel that this same idea of family and legacy rings true in The Matchbox Diaries.

Happy Father's Day!

 and

**Thank you to Candlewick for providing copies of these books for review**