Festival of Colors

Title: Festival of Colors     
Author: Surishtha Sengal and Kabik Sengal 
Illustrator: Vashti Harrison 
Publisher: Beach Lane Books 
Publication Date: January 30th, 2018 
Genre/Format: Fiction/Picture Book 
GoodReads Summary: Learn all about Holi, the Indian Festival of Colors, in this lush picture book from bestselling mother/son duo Surishtha Sehgal and Kabir Sehgal.

Spring is here, and it’s almost time for Holi, the Indian Festival of Colors. Siblings Mintoo and Chintoo are busy gathering flowers to make into colorful powders to toss during the festival. And when at last the big day comes, they gather with their friends, family, and neighbors for a vibrant celebration of fresh starts, friendship, forgiveness, and, of course, fun!
What I Think: Festival of Colors is a story of the Indian celebration Holi that occurs every spring. It's a wonderful book to read and learn about, share, and celebrate this religious holiday. Before reading this book, I had some familiarity with Holi but I didn't know its name. Since reading this book, I went and read more about Holi and watched some videos. One article in particular stuck out to me: How To Appreciate — Not Appropriate — Holi Celebrations. It references The Color Run which I've seen advertised before but when I went to their website it doesn't specifically name Holi as an influence. I also read that people celebrate Holi differently in different parts of India. If Holi is new to you and/or your students, this book is a great way to introduce the holiday and then head off to do some research. When I read non-fiction, I seem to end up going to read and learn more. How fun is that?
     As a mentor text, I love the way Festival of Colors starts. The snatch of text below shows the first few lines in the book. It starts by showing us a little about the setting, both telling the reader where we might be and when. We know we are in a place where guavas and lotuses grow. We also know they are ripening and blooming which gives a hint of spring or summer. And then it introduces a specific time of year, Holi. It's simple but effective and definitely something students can try in their own writing as a way to start.

Snatch of Text:

"Guavas are ripening. Lotuses are blooming.

And Holi, the Indian festival of colors, is almost here."

Writing Prompt: Write about how the author uses specific words and ideas to help us understand the setting. Use examples from the text to write about time and/or place.

Bull

Title: Bull 
Author: David Elliott
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers 
Publication Date:  March 28th, 2017 
Genre/Format: Mythology/Novel in Verse 
GoodReads Summary: Much like Lin-Manuel Miranda did in Hamilton, the New York Times best-selling author David Elliott turns a classic on its head in form and approach, updating the timeless story of Theseus and the Minotaur for a new generation. A rough, rowdy, and darkly comedic young adult retelling in verse, Bull will have readers reevaluating one of mythology's most infamous monsters.
What I Think: Holy smokes! This book has voice, voice voice. From the very first line, I was like, whoa. I had no idea what to expect when I picked it up other than the cover was awesome and I knew it was about the myth of the minotaur. I only vaguely remember the original myth but it seems like it's pretty true to it, it's not a retelling as much as it is a new and up-to-date version that's going to speak to today's teenagers. 
     As a mentor text, I can't tell you enough how fantastic the voice is. Poseidon is pretty full of himself, he's a god after all, and David does an amazing job of bringing him to life on the page. You can't miss him. He's larger than life just as a god should be. Of course, there are other characters too and it's clear the difference in voice when other characters share their perspective. To think about the different characters, I would look at the word choice and what we learn about the characters through their actions and make connections to what students are visualizing. One way to do this would be to have students draw one or two characters based on what they can infer about their personalities or a variation of this could be to have students create a collage that represents a character, pulling pictures from the Internet or magazines. Students can think about what a character might wear, where they would hang out, what hairstyle they might have. There are so many ways to take the words in the book and ask the students to pay attention to how what they read translates to what they know about a character. Another option would be to have kids create a social media profile for one of the characters. There are so many options and I'm always in favor of giving students a choice but because of how clearly the characters jump off the page (especially Poseidon), this book truly lends itself to think about character development and how word choice and voice influence that.
     If I was teaching high school, I'd be bringing in this mentor text to compare with a more traditional version of this myth and to see what is similar and what is different. I'd also look at other examples of works that have been retold and maybe retold in different ways. One book that comes to mind that I read recently is My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows. The authors take Lady Jane Grey's story and twist it up in so many ways. This would make a great lesson for thinking about ideas and how we find ideas. Sometimes a great story comes from taking a well-known story and turning it on its head and we can help students see this.
     Please know that there is mature language in this book (from beginning to end!) and some mature content. This is a book that I would recommend to a student who is at least in high school.
Snatch of Text:  

I could have turned his eyes

Into a nest for seething wasps.

I could have turned his face

Into a snapping clam.

I could have given him hooves

Or studded the roof

Of his mouth with thorns.

Could have fitted him with horns.

Flippers. 

Feathers.

Fits.

Made him smell like an outhouse.

Covered him with zits.

Turned his arms into eels.

His teeth into snails.

Bleat like a sea cow.

Blow like a whale.

Boils!

Scabs!

Gills!

A Snout!

Turn his

Ding-dong 

Inside 

Out!

I could have. 

But I didn't.

Parlor games.

A tad too mild.

Child's play.

And Poseidon's no child.

He needed something 

He'd remember

His howl stinkin' life.

That's why I bypassed him...

And went straight for his wife."

(p. 11-13)

Writing Prompt: Describe one of the characters and their character traits using evidence from the text to support your reasoning.

Disrupting Thinking

Today I'm offering a big standing ovation for Kylene Beers and Bob Probst and their thoughtful and audacious book Disrupting Thinking: Why How We Read Matters. 

via GIPHY

This book is everything right now as I'm thinking about reading in my life, my kids lives, and in my students' lives. Because what makes sense for me as a reader makes sense for my own sons as readers and definitely for all the students I'm lucky enough to serve in my role as an instructional coach. 

In Disrupting Thinking, Kylene and Bob are not afraid to say what needs to be said when it comes to helping students be independent readers. It's not enough to teach students how to read and analyze text. We have to also reach their hearts. 

They write, "...if we aren't reading and writing so that we can grow, so that we can discover, so that we can change - change our thinking, change ourselves, perhaps help change the world - then those skills will be for naught." (p. 20)

The world could be a better place. People make all the difference. Reading fiction or non-fiction impacts us as humans and gives us tools to do work that needs to be done. It helps us know how, get started, and persevere.

In thinking about building cultural proficiency, I see reading as the way in. Reading is an act of humanity. Alfred Tatum says, "It is painful as hell not knowing how to read. Your humanity will not be in tact as we begin to move forward." I couldn't agree more and found myself emphatically nodding along as I read Disrupting Thinking. In chapter four, "The Compassionate Reader", they write, "Compassion should sharpen the readers' ability to see other points of view, other perspectives, and to imagine the feeling of those who hold them." (p. 45) 

Yes!

They go on to say, "Reading gives us an opportunity to have an intimate conversation with the text, with the author, with oneself, and then ultimately with others." (p. 48) This is where Kylene and Beers introduce the Book, Head, Heart Framework which asks readers to think about what is happening in the book, in their heads, and in their hearts as they read. When we look at reading in this way, we take intellectual engagement to a new level. 

I read because stories make me feel more whole. 

Stories help me navigate the world and navigate my experiences in the world. 

They make me grow, help me connect, and give me strength to make a difference. 

I can't say enough wonderful things about Disrupting Thinking. It's a book I hope all teachers will pick up. Lucky for you, you might just have one coming you away! Thanks to Scholastic for providing me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review and for giving me another copy to share with you!

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Caring For Your Lion

Title: Caring For Your Lion
Author: Tammi Sauer 
Illustrator: Troy Cummings 
Publisher: Sterling Books 
Publication Date: May 2nd, 2017 
Genre/Format: Fiction/Picture Book 
GoodReads Summary: What happens when you expect an itty-bitty kitty . . . but get a lion instead?
It’s kitten delivery day, but—SURPRISE. Congratulations on your new LION! We know you ordered a kitten, but we ran out of those. Fortunately, the big cat comes with instructions—like, try very hard NOT to look like a zebra. Or a gazelle. And give your lion PLENTY of space to play. But soon the feathers and fur start flying and everything’s in chaos. Is there any way a lion could actually be a child’s purr-fect pet?  
What I Think: In high school, I had to write put a twist on a How-To piece and I wrote all about how to get kicked out of a movie theater (I might have gone with a bunch of friends to see a movie and we may have been a bit loud...although we never got kicked out). Anyway, it was fun to come up with a way to spin a traditional How-To piece and add some voice and pizzazz to it. As I was reading Caring For Your Lion, I thought about that assignment because this book explains step by step directions for having a lion as a pet. As you can imagine, it's a lot of work! This book is super fun and a great example of a mentor text that might get some creative juices flowing!
     On another note, this is also a book that deserves a good close read. There are so many things to notice in the illustrations that students will be able to recognize how the text and illustrators work together and gather evidence of their inferences. Make sure to really look at the illustrations - and the undies! - to catch all the ways the illustrations support the text.  
Snatch of Text: 

"Step 3: Try very hard NOT to look like a zebra. Or a gazelle Or a bunny." 

Writing Prompt: Write your own twisty-turny How-To piece!

Little Fox in the Forest

Title: Little Fox in the Forest 
Author: Stephanie Graigin 
Illustrator: Stephanie Graigin 
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade Books
Publication Date: February 28th, 2017 
Genre/Format: Wordless/Picture Book
GoodReads Summary: A wordless picture book in which two friends follow a young fox deep into the woods and discover a wondrous and magical world. 
When a young girl brings her beloved stuffed fox to the playground, much to her astonishment, a real fox takes off with it! The girl chases the fox into the woods with her friend, the boy, following close behind, but soon the two children lose track of the fox. Wandering deeper and deeper into the forest, they come across a tall hedge with an archway. What do they find on the other side? A marvelous village of miniature stone cottages, tiny treehouses, and, most extraordinary of all, woodland creatures of every shape and size. But where is the little fox? And how will they find him?
What I Think: I'm such a fan of wordless picture books, in fact I've blogged about my favorite wordless picture books before and now I can add Little Fox in the Forest to the list. This book reminded me a bit of Aaron Becker's Journey and Mo Willem's Knufflebunny Free but with it's own story and certain charm. I absolutely love how the story goes from shades of blue and white to vibrant color. 
     I've decided the story sits perfectly in the realm of picture book magic. As I'm thinking about this, Please Bring Balloons by Lindsay Ward comes to mind too. Please Bring Balloons, Journey, and Little Fox in the Forest are stories where kids go off on adventures and then come back to their reality at the beginning...but something is just a bit different. It's picture book magic! It's the moment of knowing it was all in the character's imagination...except for that one element that made it back into their "real" world. I love this. This is a perfect example of how a book can elicit different responses from different readers. I think younger kids might accept the story as a story but older students can start to think about what exactly this idea of picture book magic is all about and how it might even connect with their own lives.
     As a mentor text, wordless picture books are a wonderful way to get writers started. Using the story as inspiration, writers can describe one drawing or tell the entire story. The great thing is the story is there, we just have to find the words to bring it to life. As a close read, wordless picture books are perfect for finding evidence to support your thinking. There are so many ways to interpret what's happening in the story and students can think about using evidence to defend what they have inferred from the illustrations.
Writing Prompt: Write about what similarities and differences you notice between Little Fox in the Forest and Journey and/or Please Bring Balloons.

A Boy Called Bat

Title: A Boy Called Bat 
Author: Elana K. Arnold
Illustrator: Charles Santoso  
Publisher: Walden Pond Press 
Publication Date: March 14th, 2017 
Genre/Format: Realistic Fiction/Novel 
GoodReads Summary: For Bixby Alexander Tam (nicknamed Bat), life tends to be full of surprises—some of them good, some not so good. Today, though, is a good-surprise day. Bat’s mom, a veterinarian, has brought home a baby skunk, which she needs to take care of until she can hand him over to a wild-animal shelter.

But the minute Bat meets the kit, he knows they belong together. And he’s got one month to show his mom that a baby skunk might just make a pretty terrific pet. 
What I Think: I love Bat. I love Bat and his mom and his sister and his little pet baby skunk. And I love this story. Elana K. Arnold does a wonderful job of bringing them all to life. Bat is unique as any little kid and we get to see and understand him in this book. Bat really loves the baby skunk that his mom brings home and he spends the book working to take care of him and show his mom that he can be a good caretaker of a skunk. He also learns a bit about what it means to be a friend along the way too.  
     As a mentor text, I grabbed a piece of text that talks a bit about Bat's room and his house. But if you look at it closely, you'll actually see that this part seems to be about Bat's room and this system they have at their house when it's really about Bat. As readers, students can infer that Bat likes things a certain way, that he likes his room, and that his family has a specific system just for him. They can make connections between themselves and Bat. As writers, they can think about how Elana takes time to explain Bat's room but she's giving super specific information that adds to the story. This is something I've learned over time as a writer but it's still not easy to do. Writers spend a lot of time thinking about show don't tell but we have to be careful to use description that is purposeful and moves a story forward.
Snatch of Text: 
     "After finishing his snack, Bat went to his room. Bat's room was his favorite place in the whole world. In his room, Bat felt completely comfortable. Here, he knew where everything was. If something was in the wrong place, it was his own fault, because no one messed with his room but him.
     In the rest of their small house, Bat's mom and sister knew to put anything that needed to go to Bat's room in one of three baskets: his clean laundry basket, his book basket, and his miscellaneous stuff basket.
     'Miscellaneous' was a great word, and one of Bat's favorites. It meant all the extra stuff, so the miscellaneous stuff basket could have almost anything (except clean laundry and books) in it."         (p. 6-7)
Writing Prompt: Write about you or your main character's room. Think about how giving the reader a glimpse into your or your main character's room might show them who you/your main character is while still moving your story along.

Shy

Title: Shy 
Author: Deborah Freedman 
Illustrator: Deborah Freedman 
Publisher: Viking 
Publication Date: September 27th, 2016
Genre/Format: Fiction/Picture Book
GoodReads Summary: Shy loves birds. He'd love to watch them fly and hear them sing, but he's only ever read about them in books. . .until a real bird comes along. He's dying to meet her, but there's just one problem: Shy is, well, shy--so shy, in fact, that he's afraid to leave the gutter of the book. Can Shy overcome his fears and venture out onto the page? 

This sweetly relatable picture book from the acclaimed Deborah Freedman speaks to every child who's ever felt like hiding instead of facing the daunting world. 
What I Think: I've had the lovely pleasure of meeting Deborah Freedman and it's so obvious after meeting her that her personality comes across in her illustrations. Her work is beautiful and gentle, calm and soothing. Shy especially is quiet and lovely. I love how Deborah so intricately weaves the text and the illustrations together. This book is a perfect mentor text for looking at how the text leaves space for the illustrations to do their work.
     As a mentor text, this book is perfect for looking at how the illustrations support the text. It's also an opportunity to look at how to show and not tell in the sense that it's the author's job to give enough information to the reader that he or she can fill in the blanks. This is super super hard to do. It's easier to give lots of information and outline everything for a reader...but knowing when to pull back and what specific details to show is harder. This would be an interesting mini-lesson in how to pull back on a personal narrative. I know there are times when I struggle to not tell too much. But there's a power in recognizing the need to pull back and going through to cut words. I written before about Lisa Graff and how she writes a manuscript and then she revises by going through and cutting her words in half. It's amazing what message shines through when you take out all the extra unnecessary words!
Snatch of Text: 

"Shy was happiest between the pages of a book."

Writing Prompt: Reread something you've written. Now try to take out 10 words, 15 words, 25 words. Does your writing sound stronger as you tighten up the words? Don't give up the meaning or the core of your message, but see if it makes your message stronger.

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:

Brown Girl Dreaming

Title: Brown Girl Dreaming 

Author: Jacqueline Woodson   

Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books 

Publication Date: August 28th, 2014 

Genre/Format: Autobiography/Novel in Verse 

GoodReads Summary: Jacqueline Woodson, one of today's finest writers, tells the moving story of her childhood in mesmerizing verse. 

 
Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse into a child’s soul as she searches for her place in the world. Woodson’s eloquent poetry also reflects the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite the fact that she struggled with reading as a child. Her love of stories inspired her and stayed with her, creating the first sparks of the gifted writer she was to become.

What I Think: I've heard so many great things about Brown Girl Dreaming and it's all completely well-deserved. I loved soaking up this story. Jacqueline Woodson weaves her words into beautiful snippets of her life but at the same time each of her stories build up to a gorgeous big picture of how these stories shaped who she is today. 
     We just celebrated the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday but as we go into Black History month, reading this book and continuing the discussion of celebrating diversity, Brown Girl Dreaming would pair well with Dr. King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. After reading the speech and discussing what dreams he outlined in his famous speech and discussing events of the time, students might read Jacqueline Woodson's autobiography and compare and contrast Dr. King's dreams to Woodson's life. 
     At the very beginning of Brown Girl Dreaming, Woodson shares Langston Hughes' poem “Hold Fast to Dreams”. The theme of dreams runs throughout the entire book as Woodson talks about her life. When we ask students about their hopes and dreams, oftentimes, they articulate profound answers for themselves or people who are close to them.

     There are so many texts that could be matched up here to discuss diversity. I believe the key to talking about diversity is to help students recognize that while we all have certain qualities or characteristics that make us different or unique and it's important to celebrate those differences, there are some very core values and beliefs that we can all share - love for our family, compassion for others, wanting to be connected - and those bring us together no matter our differences.

Read Together: Grades 4 - 6 

Read Alone: Grades 5 - 8 

Read With: I Have a Dream by Martin Luther King Jr. with illustrations by Kadir Nelson, One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams Garcia, Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan

Snatch of Text:  

"What is your one dream,

my friend Maria asks me.

Your one wish come true?" 

(p. 210)

"Even though the laws have changed

my grandmother still take us

to the back of the bus when we go downtown

in the rain. It's easier, my grandmother says,

than having white folks look at me like I'm dirt.

But we aren't dirt. We are people

paying the same fare as other people.

When I say this to my grandmother,

she nods, says, Easier to stay where you belong.

I look around and see the ones 

who walk straight to the back. See

the ones who take a seat up front, daring

anyone to make them move. And know

this is who I want to be. Not scared

like that. Brave

like that."

(p. 237)

“Every dandelion blown

each Star light, star bright

The first star I see tonight.

My wish is always the same.

Every fallen eyelash

and first firefly of summer…

The dream remains.

What did you wish for?

To be a writer.

Every heads-up penny found

and daydream and night dream

and even when people say it’s a pipe dream…!

I want to be a writer.” (p.313)

Writing Prompts: Identify different characters in the book and infer their perspectives on dreams. Use evidence from the text to support your thoughts. As you think about the different characters - where they live, their lifestyles - how might you compare and contrast their dreams or what they think about dreams?

After reading Brown Girl Dreaming and imagining Jacqueline Woodson's life growing up, we know her dream was to be a writer. What is your one dream? If you would have one wish come true, what would it be and why?

Think about Jacqueline Woodson's one dream that you identified and your own one dream, do you see how you might be similar? Whether you have the same color skin as Jacqueline Woodson or not, what similarities do you see between her dream and yours? 

Topics Covered: Family, Love, Dreams, Friendship, Siblings, Determination, Adversity, Integration- SS

I *heart* It:

Ranger In Time: Rescue on the Oregon Trail

Title: Ranger in Time: Rescue on the Oregon Trail 
Author: Kate Messner  
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: January 6th, 2015 
Genre/Format: Mild Science Fiction/Novel 
GoodReads Summary: Meet Ranger! He's a time-traveling golden retriever who has a nose for trouble . . . and always saves the day!

Ranger has been trained as a search-and-rescue dog, but can't officially pass the test because he's always getting distracted by squirrels during exercises. One day, he finds a mysterious first aid kit in the garden and is transported to the year 1850, where he meets a young boy named Sam Abbott. Sam's family is migrating west on the Oregon Trail, and soon after Ranger arrives he helps the boy save his little sister. Ranger thinks his job is done, but the Oregon Trail can be dangerous, and the Abbotts need Ranger's help more than they realize! 
What I Think: First of all, this brought back memories of playing the computer game Oregon Trail when I was in elementary school. I loved that game. I think it might still be around...how fun that would be to connect this book with the game! I think part of what made the game so interesting was that anything could happen on the Oregon Trail. You had to pay attention to what you needed and how to make sure your family had enough food and water but they could still get sick and die of any number of things. I think the real life part of the game was fascinating. And the adventure mixed with the risk is also in Kate's book. Readers get to be right there with Sam on the Oregon Trail in Ranger in Time: Rescue on the Oregon Trail.
     Kate does a great job of bringing the characters and the places to life, describing them with all the five senses throughout the book. Showing instead of telling is a great way to introduce descriptive writing with students. I know showing instead of telling is still something I think about often as I'm writing. Even though I understand it, I have to remind myself to put it into practice. Oftentimes reading a mentor text, visualizing what the author is describing, and drawing what you can imagine is a great way to see what details the author gave you. In a world where students are asked to provide evidence, students can draw and then go back into the text and find what the author wrote that prompted them to draw what they did. This is also an interesting way to look at inference because sometimes students infer and use the author's clues to visualize. Students might realize that even though the author didn't explicitly say something they drew, they can explain that they inferred it based on what they know and what clues the author gave them.
     Next students can draw or use a picture as a writing tool as they try to describe with the five senses. To see if they were clear enough in their descriptions, they might ask a friend to read what they have written and see what how their drawing matches up.
Read Together: Grades 3 - 5 
Read Alone: Grades 3 - 6 
Read With: Time Warp Trio (series) by Jon Scieszka, Locomotive by Brian Floca
Snatch of Text:  

     "Sam stood up and sighed. He shoved a hand into his pocket and felt the folded-up friendship quilt squares his cousins had made. They hadn't finished in time to include them in the big quilt that Aunt Cecelia put together for their family, but they gave them to Sam anyway. He was glad. He liked having three small squares of home in his pocket. One had a picture of Scout, carefully outlined in thread. Another square showed the crooked apple tree by the fence. The third showed the Abbotts' farmhouse and barn, pieced together with colorful scraps of fabric. Sam already missed home so much.

     Pa said it was all right to be sad. 'But your heart has room to love more than one place,' he'd promised." (p. 7)

Writing Prompts: Sam is setting out on a journey along the Oregon Trail with his family. He's sad to leave home but he has a quilt square to remind him of home. If you were leaving home for a long trip or for a long time, what three things would you bring with you or would you take a picture of to remember? Describe those three things and explain why they are important to you.  
Topics Covered: Family, Friendship, Loyalty, Determination, Adventure, Integration - Social Studies

I *heart* It:

Hug Machine

Title: Hug Machine 
Author: Scott Campbell
Illustrator: Scott Campbell  
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 26th, 2014 
Genre/Format: Fiction/Picture Book 
GoodReads Summary: Who have YOU hugged today? Open your arms to this delightfully tender, goofy, and sweet tale.

Watch out world, here he comes! The Hug Machine!

Whether you are big, or small, or square, or long, or spikey, or soft, no one can resist his unbelievable hugs! HUG ACCOMPLISHED!This endearing story encourages a warm, caring, and buoyantly affectionate approach to life. Everyone deserves a hug - and this book! 
What I Think: Earlier this week, I saw a tweet that said that people who hug a lot actually get sick less than people who avoid hugs. I was excited because...I love hugs! It also made me think about this book and how it will be a perfect read for Valentine's Day. And it's great timing because Valentine's Day is just around the corner!
     As I've worked on my novel and am drafting another one, I've thought a lot about how a plot rolls out and I notice how this parallels storylines in picture books. Picture books are deceptive. While they are short and don't need a lot of text, it doesn't mean they are easy to write. I actually feel like they would be harder because of how tight the story has to be. I wrote a picture book when I had a flash of inspiration a couple of years ago but I haven't spent much time really closely studying the structure of picture books. This book makes me really excited to look at picture books more closely. And here's why! I love how Hug Machine starts with our little huggable hugger...but eventually he runs into an obstacle or two...and then after that, he runs out of steam but he figures out what to do to solve his problem. For some reason, the story map just really stuck out to me when I read Hug Machine and I think it would be great to include when looking at things like exposition, rising action, climax and resolution in a story. 
     I would also pair Hug MachineI with Kelly DiPucchio's Zombie in Love also illustrated by Scott Campbell. Zombie in Love is one of the most clever books I've ever seen and also fantastic for Valentine's Day - especially for boy and girl readers alike. When I reread Hug Machine and looked closely at the main character, I imagined him as a zombie. Maybe I was getting my books confused but it was fun to compare Scott's illustrations in these two books and to see how reading Zombie in Love might influence how we interpret Hug Machine. At first, I read it is a sweet book...then I read it with him as a tiny bit zombie-ish and it added some great personality to the boy. It reminded me a lot of my own kiddos who are always goofing around and being silly. I've found that it's not always easy to capture the essence of a character in writing but I love how this can be a great opportunity to talk about rereading and how the more we read, the more we bring to our reading. I love showing kids how great rereading is but also how we change as readers and how we bring our experiences to our reading.
Read Together: When Otis Courted Mama by Kathi Appelt, Please, Mr. Panda by Steve Antony, Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett, Zombie in Love by Kelly DiPucchio 
Read Alone: Grades Pre-K - 3 
Read With: Grades Pre-K - 5 
Snatch of Text:  

"Whoa!

Here I come!

I am the Hug Machine!

Reading Strategies to Practice: Activating Background Knowledge, Making Connections, Compare and Contrast, Identifying Story Elements, Making an Inference, Visualizing, Rereading, Predicting
Writing Strategies to Practice: Plot, Characterization, Descriptive, Narrative  
Writing Prompts: Write about someone in your life who has a big personality. How might you capture their spirit by describing an interaction with him or her? 
Topics Covered: Family, Friendship, Generosity, Kindness

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Louise Loves Art

Title: Louise Loves Art 
Author: Kelly Light  
Illustrator: Kelly Light 
Publisher: Balzer + Bray 
Publication Date: September 9th, 2014 
Genre/Format: Realistic Fiction/Picture Book 
GoodReads Summary: For fans of Olivia and Eloise, this stunning debut from Kelly Light is an irresistible story about the importance of creativity in all its forms.

Meet Louise. Louise loves art more than anything. It's her imagination on the outside. She is determined to create a masterpiece—her pièce de résistance!

Louise also loves Art, her little brother. This is their story.Louise Loves Art is a celebration of the brilliant artist who resides in all of us.  
What I Think:  
We've had so much fun with Louise Loves Art in our house! We read this in November during Picture Book Month and I tried my best to grab book pics with my wild and crazy kids. 

We loved watching Art follow Louise around and were just waiting for her to find out what he was up to. Having a little brother or sister can be complicated but Louise gave us an opportunity to talk about that. Little Bean is constantly wanting to be like his older brother but it's hard for Peanut to see that. It was nice to be able to talk about Louise and how she reacted to her little brother in this book.

One character we absolutely love is their cat. That cat is awesome! It follows them around, knowing all the time what's going on and trying to help bring the siblings together. That little cat has some pretty amazing expressions. I'm not sure I've ever seen a more expressive cat before. It was fun to imagine what words would come out of the cat's mouth if it could talk. As a mentor text, this is a great opportunity to talk about personification and dialogue. Here students can see that the cat isn't able to talk and doesn't in the book, but what if we personified the cat and gave it the ability to talk? What might the cat say? This is also an opportunity to look at dialogue. What I love about dialogue is that it gives us access to the character who is talking but also to the other characters as well. What might the cat say that would reveal something about what it's thinking? What might the cat say that would reveal something about Louise and Art? Has this happened before? Has Louise had a chance to practice some patience before, too? This is a great time to talk about characters and how dialogue can play a role in developing characters.

And what I completely, totally, utterly love about this book is that it reminds us to let free our inner artist. Growing up, I painted a lot with my grandmother and my aunt but I also did all sorts of arts and crafts. I still consider myself to be very creative and love how my artsy side has evolved over the years. I write more than practice any other kind of art but I do love colors and design and painting in the backyard with my kids. Louise Loves Art reminds us that we have imaginations that we can bring to life and that our art is worth sharing. At home or at school, kids can put on their own art show, hanging up their work and inviting others to come and admire it. What a great way to celebrate art and share what kids - and maybe adults? - have created!

Read Together: Grades Pre-K - 3 
Read Alone: Grades Pre-K - 5 
Read With: Bink and Gollie (series) by Kate DiCamillo and Allison McGhee, Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett, Chloe Instead by Micah Player, One Cool Friend by Toni Buzzeo, The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds
Snatch of Text:  

"I love art!
It's my imagination on the outside."

"I've done it.

So fierce! So feline! So fantastic...

a masterpiece!"

Reading Strategies to Practice: Activating Background Knowledge, Making Connections, Making Predictions, Making Inferences 
Writing Strategies to Practice: Dialogue, Characterization,  $100 Words, Personification, Point of view, Perspective
Writing Prompts: Imagine you are the cat in the story. What do you think the cat might think or say to Louise and/or Art? Think about how dialogue shows the reader about the characters. 
Topics Covered: Family, Integration - Art, Self Esteem, Determination, Forgiveness 

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Sam and Dave Dig a Hole Review and Giveaway

Title: Sam and Dave Dig a Hole 
Author: Mac Barnett
Illustrator: Jon Klassen 
Publisher: Candlewick Press 
Publication Date: October 14th, 2014 
Genre/Format: Fiction/Picture Book 
GoodReads Summary: Sam and Dave are on a mission. A mission to find something spectacular. So they dig a hole. And they keep digging. And they find . . . nothing. Yet the day turns out to be pretty spectacular after all. Attentive readers will be rewarded with a rare treasure in this witty story of looking for the extraordinary — and finding it in a manner you’d never expect. 
What I Think: This book will be available on Tuesday and I hope you have it pre-ordered because you're going to want to be in on the conversations about what in the world happens at the end of this book! As soon as I saw Travis Jonker's post on 100 Scope Notes called 6 Theories on the Ending of Sam & Dave Dig a Hole in my Twitter feed, you better believe I clicked it. I actually have a completely different (7th?) theory on the end of this book. 
     This book is suspenseful. You can't help but want to turn the page to figure out what happens next. I love how this can be a great mentor text for pacing and making sure that what you've written drives the story forward and makes the reader want to read more. The illustrations really add to this because the add so much to what the text tells us. It's as if the readers are in on a big secret (with our friend the god) while Sam and Dave have no idea what's going on. The text gives us Sam and Dave's thoughts but the illustrations let us in on the bigger story. 
     By the time I got to the end of the book I thought I had an inkling of what might happen but I was so totally wrong. I should have knew things would not go how I expected at all. My theory is that this book is a bigger metaphor for life and experiences we have throughout our lives. It took me a while to come to this decision - many discussions, and several close rereads - before I felt good about this conclusion. And I still want to hear what others think.
     So I did read this book with my kiddos (who are 7 and 4 right now) and they thought it was fun but they didn't really get what happened at the end...or notice that anything all that crazy happened. Peanut just shrugged his shoulders when I tried to ask him what he thought went down. For this reason, I believe this book would be great for older readers. In fact, I think it would spur an especially amazing and thoughtful discussion for middle school and high school readers. 
Read Together: Grades 3 - 12 
Read Alone: Grades 4 - 12 
Read With: Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett with illustrations by Jon Klassen, The Three Questions by Jon J. Muth based on a story by Leo Tolstoy, The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer Holm, Our Town by Thornton Wilder
Snatch of Text:  

"'When should we stop digging?' asked Sam.

'We are on a mission,' said Dave.

'We won't stop digging until we find

something spectacular.'"

Writing Prompts: Write about a time in your life when you wanted one outcome but something else happened entirely. How did you handle the situation and how did you feel about it? 
Topics Covered: Friendship, Exploration, Life, Perseverance, Perspective

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*Thanks to Candlewick Press for 

a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review 

and he opportunity to offer the giveaway below!*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Teacher Is a Monster! (No, I Am Not.)

Title: My Teacher Is a Monster! (No, I Am Not.)
Author: Peter Brown
Illustrator: Peter Brown
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: July 1st, 2014
Genre/Format: Fiction/Picture Book
GoodReads Summary: A young boy named Bobby has the worst teacher. She's loud, she yells, and if you throw paper airplanes, she won't allow you to enjoy recess. She is a monster! Luckily, Bobby can go to his favorite spot in the park on weekends to play. Until one day...he finds his teacher there! Over the course of one day, Bobby learns that monsters are not always what they seem.

Each page is filled with "monstrous" details that will have kids reading the story again and again. Peter Brown takes a universal and timeless theme, and adds his own humorous spin to create another winner of a picture book. 
What I Think: Since I've owned my copy of My Teacher Is a Monster! (No I Am Not.), it has been kid-tested, mother approved and teacher approved. I brought a bag of picture books to Nerdcamp with me for my sessions on mentor texts. As I passed the books out, teachers were excited to read My Teacher is a Monster and while I walked around to talk to people, I noticed a teacher giggling as she read through the book and one teacher pulled out the second snatch of text below.
     When I read it to my kids, I had fun quacking along with Bobby and his teacher, Ms. Kirby. I love when authors design books that make it easy to interact with the text. The page with all the quacking is my favorite. The first time I read it, I was snuggled between Peanut and Little Bean and I reached over and tickled each of them as we quacked along together. It was such a great reading-together moment.
     Peanut could totally identify with Bobby and his love for paper airplanes as he is an avid paper airplane folder and flyer himself. And afterwards, Little Bean immediately asked me to read it again...and then the next night, when it was time to read books before bed, he specifically requested Ms. Kirby again.
      I first read My Teacher Is a Monster! (No, I Am Not.) at NCTE last fall. I remember thinking it was a sweet story and one that many readers will identify with. Most people have experiences with school and wonderful and maybe less-than-wonderful teachers. I can think of a few teachers who challenged me to learn and even though I wasn't particularly fond of them at the time, they did encourage my brain and my thinking to grow. Maybe they were my Ms. Kirbys.
     After the first time we read this book, I was chasing Little Bean around, trying to convince him to brush his teeth before bed. When I finally caught him and reiterated how important it is to brush our teeth, he looked at me and said, "You're Ms. Kirby." My mouth gaped open but I wanted to laugh at the same time. We had gone from snuggling on the bed to me using my stern-mom voice and wrangling him in to get his teeth brushed. I might have been a tad cranky exasperated by the time the toothbrush finally reached his mouth. I think all readers will be able to relate to this story and the honesty with which Peter Brown portrays relationships. I was amazed that Little Bean (being only four years old) recognized that I have moments just like Ms. Kirby. And don't we all have those moments?
     As a mentor text, I love how this story encourages readers to look at different perspectives. The more I write, the more I look at people around me and wonder about their stories. Sometimes I jump to one story but then I think about a possible different story for the same person. Using My Teacher Is a Monster! (No, I Am Not.) students could imagine back stories for Bobby and for Ms. Kirby and try to understand a little more about why they act as they do in the story. This would be a great activity to brainstorm stories but also to build empathy.
Read Together: Grades K - 4
Read Alone: Grades K - 5 
Read With: Miss Nelson Is Missing! by Henry Allard, The Teacher from the Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler,
Snatch of Text:

"Bobby wanted to run!

He wanted to hide!

But he knew that would

only make things worse."

“When they were all quacked out, Bobby had an idea.” 

Writing Prompts: Write about a memorable teacher and describe what stands out to you about him or her.
Topics Covered: Relationships, Compassion, Understanding, Perspective

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