Dear Dragon Review and Blog Tour

Title: Dear Dragon
Author: Josh Funk   
Illustrator: Rodolfo Montalvo 
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers 
Publication Date: September 6th, 2016 
Genre/Format: Fiction/Picture Book 
GoodReads Summary: A sweet and clever friendship story in rhyme, about looking past physical differences to appreciate the person (or dragon) underneath.

George and Blaise are pen pals, and they write letters to each other about everything: their pets, birthdays, favorite sports, and science fair projects. There’s just one thing that the two friends don’t know: George is a human, while Blaise is a dragon! What will happen when these pen pals finally meet face-to-face? 
What I Think: Connecting with others through letter writing is such an awesome experience. I love the twist Josh incorporate into Dear Dragon. Can you imagine finding out your pen pal is a dragon?! This book is a great opportunity to discuss letter writing and to have students think about what they might share about their day with a friend. This is also a great opportunity to start a discussion about communication in general. We have so many ways to communicate now! Have students make a list of all the different ways and what makes each unique. Then think about which mode of communication might work better for some instances than others. To take this to another level, think about how information can be mistaken through written communicate. There are so many intricacies of language...but with social media now, with emojis and text speak and having to read between the lines. There are so many advantages and disadvantages to discuss when it comes to being as connected as we are (or can be) these days.
Book Trailer:

I'm so excited to have Josh Funk here today 

to give some advice to any reluctant writers out there! 

Josh Funk’s Advice for Reluctant Writers

For all of you reluctant writers out there, let’s unravel what ‘writing’ really is.

Writing is creating.

Every book starts with someone writing. But it’s not just books. Movies, television shows - they all start with someone writing the story. Even video games, many of the best ones have great stories, compelling characters, conflicts with villains, and so on.

“That doesn’t help me when I’m staring at a blank page, Josh,” you say. Well, you’re right. But what do stories, especially the best stories, do? They make you feel. They evoke emotions. Maybe they make you laugh or cry? Get excited or scared? Make you think or see the world differently? Or maybe they just entertain you for a little while.

Even the dictionary definition of ‘write’ means ‘to express or communicate’ (in writing). So how about this, my reluctant writer friend?

Make someone feel.

Pick an emotion. Any emotion. Whatever you’re feeling right now. Or whatever you want to feel. Or whatever you want someone else to feel.

Write something that will make your friends laugh.

Write something to gross people out.

Write about someone you love.

Write about something that excites you.

Write the saddest thing you can think of (without being mean, of course).

And if words aren’t for you, then draw a picture to make people feel. Or draw and write.

Or maybe write a letter. In Dear Dragon, both George and Blaise aren’t terribly excited about their assigned pen pal project … but they do it anyway. And (spoiler alert), it turns out that they become great friends!

Oh, and also, don’t worry about spelling. Real authors don’t worry about spelling. That’s what spell-check and editors are for.

About The Author: ​​Josh Funk is the author of Dear Dragon (Viking/Penguin) and other picture books. Josh is a board member of The Writers' Loft in Sherborn, MA and the co-coordinator of the 2016 and 2017 New England Regional SCBWI Conferences. Josh grew up in New England and studied Computer Science in school. Today, he still lives in New England and when not writing Java code or Python scripts, he drinks Java coffee and writes picture book manuscripts. Josh is terrible at writing bios, so please help fill in the blanks. Josh enjoys _______ during ________ and has always loved __________. He has played ____________ since age __ and his biggest fear in life is being eaten by a __________. Find out more at www.joshfunkbooks.com and on twitter @joshfunkbooks.

A big thanks to Josh for sharing his thoughts on writing with us!

You can visit the other stops on the Dear Dragon blog tour!

LibLaura5 – September 5

The Late Bloomer’s Book Blog – September 6

Teach Mentor Texts - September 7

As They Grow Up – September 8

Emily’s Reading Room – September 9

Reederama – September 10

What do you want to write about today?

They All Saw a Cat

Title: They All Saw A Cat 
Author: Brendan Wenzel 
Illustrator: Brendan Wenzel 
Publisher: Chronicle 
Publication Date: August 30th, 2016 
Genre/Format: Fiction/Picture Book 
GoodReads Summary: The cat walked through the world, with its whiskers, ears, and paws . . .

In this glorious celebration of observation, curiosity, and imagination, Brendan Wenzel shows us the many lives of one cat, and how perspective shapes what we see. When you see a cat, what do you see? 
What I Think: Eep! It's so hard to write about this book as a mentor text without giving away the story. If you are looking for an example of how the text and the illustrations in a picture book work with each other to tell a story, this is it! Brendan shows us how a cat might be seen differently from different perspectives with his illustrations. Readers have to use all the visual cues and connect them to each of the different beings that see the cat. My six-year-old was entranced by the story. I could see the little gears cranking around in his head as he made sense of the illustrations and how they connected to different perspectives.
     My snatch of text is simple but profound at the same time. The more I read picture books and listen to authors and illustrators talk about all the intention that goes into their work, the more fascinated I am. When I write, I think about the state of my character and where he or she is when the story starts in relation to where I want that character to go. It's an art to give a teeny, tiny hint at what's to come or what's at play here and to clue the reader in to what to pay attention to. Honestly, it took me a few times through to think about how this story starts, and the specific focus that is put on the cat as we start off thinking about his whiskers, ears, and paws. In a way, it sets the mood, we're stalking along with the cat with his whiskers, ear, and paws but also, we have to pay attention to those whiskers, ears, and paws, right? As a mentor text, I would read the story and then go back and pay close attention to this line and have students think about how Brendan sneaks in this specificity right here and sets the stage for the reader. And then see if students can think about a starting sentence that might show the mood of the story while also pulling readers into the story.
     I've included the book trailer here as well as it's another example of the mood of the story.
Snatch of Text:  
"The cat walked through the world, with its whiskers, ears, and paws..."
Writing Prompt: Think about where you will take your readers from start to end. Think about your main character and the state he or she is in at the start of the story and at the end. Write a first line or first paragraph that gives some subtle hint at the change we might see as we read.
Book Trailer:

Hoot and Peep

Title: Hoot and Peep 
Author: Lita Judge 
Illustrator: Lita Judge
Publisher: Dial Books 
Publication Date: March 1st, 2016 
Genre/Format:  
GoodReads Summary: In the night skies above Paris, an adorable young owl teaches her older brother about the power of imagination—and the unconditional love between siblings 

Hoot the owl is very excited for his little sister, Peep, to join him on the cathedral rooftops. She's finally old enough to learn all his big brother owly wisdom: First, owls say hooo. Second, they always say hooo. Lastly, they ONLY say hooo! But why would Peep say hooo when she could say schweeepty peep or dingity dong? Why would she speak when she could sing? As she explores the breathtaking Parisian cityscape, Peep discovers so many inspiring sights and sounds—the ring of cathedral bells, the slap of waves on stone—that she can’t help but be swept up in the magic of it all. Hoot doesn’t understand Peep’s awe, until he takes a pause to listen . . . and realizes that you're never too old to learn a little something new.

From the beloved author/illustrator of the classic picture bookRed Sled , this gorgeous read aloud celebrates the wonder found in little things—and in the hearts of dreamers, young and old. 
What I Think: Sometimes people disagree. Lot of times siblings disagree. Lita Judge does a wonderfully sweet job of capturing what a disagreement might look like...but also how we can learn from people who have different ideas and how a disagreement can turn into a mutual understanding - whether two people come to an agreement or still disagree but at least appreciate the others' perspective. I'm thinking this book would be great to read at the beginning of the year when students are learning more about each other....or mid-year when they need that reminder that we are all different but can get along. Or maybe you save it for when students really need to hear the message.
     As a mentor text I love this book as an opportunity to generate ideas. I'm sure students can think of a time in their life when they felt misunderstood. We're all just trying to find our way in the world but sometimes another person's expectations get in our way - intentionally or unintentionally. Use Hoot and Peep as a way to brainstorm some ideas.
    In terms of literary devices, Lita uses alliteration and onomatopoeia throughout. Students can look for alliteration and onomatopoeia and think about when either or both add to writing and in what way. I think writing sounds so much more lyrical with both of these. They both add to the ambience of a book and help to bring the imagery to life. Descriptive writing can seem mysterious to students so looking closely at a mentor text like this one that encompasses so much charm is a great way to see how alliteration and onomatopeoia help the story sing.
Read Together: Grades Pre-K - 5 
Read Alone: Grades Pre-K - 5 
Read With: Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel, Bink and Gollie by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee
Snatch of Text:  

"Peep thought it was

the perfect night to 

sing about the magic

of the moonbeams.

'Schweep,'

she peeped."

Writing Prompts: Write about a time in your life when you had a disagreement with someone. How did it make you feel? And how did you resolve it? 
Topics Covered: Siblings, Individuality, Courage 

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Twenty Yawns

Title: Twenty Yawns
Author: Jane Smiley 
Illustrator: Lauren Castillo 
Publisher: Two Lions 
Publication Date: April 1st, 2016
Genre/Format: Fiction/Picture Book
GoodReads Summary: Featuring lyrical text and beautiful illustrations, this bedtime tale from Pulitzer Prize winner Jane Smiley and Caldecott Honor recipient Lauren Castillo evokes the splashy fun of the beach and the quietude of a moonlit night, with twenty yawns sprinkled in for children to discover and count.

As her mom reads a bedtime story, Lucy drifts off. But later, she awakens in a dark, still room, and everything looks mysterious. How will she ever get back to sleep?  
What I Think: I've had days and nights just like Lucy in Twenty Yarns and I imagine lots of readers have too! Sometimes even after a wonderful long day, it's still hard to fall asleep. The text and the illustrations in Twenty Yawns come together perfectly to make this a quiet adventure. As a mentor text, this is a great book for thinking about tone and mood. Ask students to pay attention to the words and how they make them feel. Then look at how the words help bring about those feelings. So much of building the world around us with words helps us to feel without just saying how we feel. Show don't tell at its finest!
     I also really love this text for making connections. There are so many connections to make with this text. I imagine many kids will have memories of being at the beach with their family but even if some kids don't, I'm guessing they all will have a memory of being in bed when the whole house is asleep but you are wide awake. I try to read before I go to bed and usually get a more restful night of sleep if I do instead of watching TV before I go to bed. This is an opportunity to talk to kids about healthy habits and to maybe help them brainstorm what they might do as their bedtime routine. 
     Readers are going to love yawning along with Lucy in Twenty Yawns and waiting to see what happens as she tries to get to sleep!
Read Together: Grades Pre-K - 2 
Read Alone: Grades Pre-K - 2 
Read With: Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein, Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathman, Sleep Like a Tiger by Mary Logue, Orion And The Dark by Emma Yarlett
Snatch of Text:  

"Outside Lucy's bedroom, the sun

was sinking below the horizon.

Strips of clouds were pink and red.

Lucy put her pajamas on inside out,

climbed into bed, and yawned a big

YAWN."

Writing Prompts: Write about a time when you were awake at night and you had to help yourself get back to sleep. 

Topics Covered: Family, Imagination, Determination 

Additional Resources: Check out the Twenty Yawns Activity Kit!

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Swan: The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova

Title: Swan: The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova 
Author: Laurel Snyder  
Illustrator: Julie Morstad 
Publisher: Chronicle Books 
Publication Date: August 18th, 2015 
Genre/Format: Non-Fiction Biography/Picture Book 
GoodReads Summary: The world is big.
Anna is small.
The snow is
everywhere
and all around.
But one night . . .
One night, her mother takes her to the ballet, and everything is changed. Anna finds a beauty inside herself that she cannot contain.So begins the journey of a girl who will one day grow up to be the most famous prima ballerina of all time, inspiring legions of dancers after her: the brave, the generous, the transcendently gifted Anna Pavlova.  
What I Think: Words, words, words. I love words. But I especially love words that are strung together in such a way that they feel like art. Don't get me wrong, all words are art, but sometimes, words just envelope me and pull me into a sort of dream-like fairy tale just from how they are put together. Laurel Snyder's words do just that. As they tell Anna Pavlova's story, it feels like being sweetly tugged into a dance. Julie Morstad's art adds to the story, gently ushering the reader into the story woven by the text. It all just works together to make for an amazing book.
     Teaching tone and mood isn't easy. It's a little easier to recognize it as a reader than it is to write. But it all starts with reading and recognizing what authors have done differently. By looking at at least two different texts, readers can see the difference. Once they can see the difference, then you can invite them to zone in and notice what the author has done differently. And from there, you can invite them to try what the author has done in their own writing. Maybe they add some figurative language. Maybe they break up words or phrases or add figurative language in a very purposeful way. It's fun to play with words and to see what happens and using books like Swan as a mentor text really help writers see what is possible and find ways to write like that too.
Read Together: Grades 2 - 6  
Read Alone: Grades 2 - 4 
Read With: Enormous Smallness: A Story of e.e. cummings by Matthew Burgess and illustrated by Kris Di Giacomo, The Cosmo Biography of Sun Ra by Chris Raschka, The Sky Painter: Louis Fuertes, Bird Artist by Margarita Engle and illustrated by Aliona Bereghici, The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus by Jen Bryant and illustratd by Melissa Sweet, Sounds Like a Rainbow: A Story of the Young Jimi Hendrix by Gary Golio and illustrated by Javaka Steptoe
Snatch of Text: 

"Something is happening...

There's a swell of strings,

a scurry of skirts.

A hiss and a hum and...

HUSH!

It's

all

beginning!"  

Writing Prompts: Write about something you feel strongly about sharing with others. What might you do to help share your passion with others?
Topics Covered: Family, Dreams, Determination, Courage 

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Enormous Smallness

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday is hosted by Aly at Kid Lit Frenzy. 
Every Wednesday, bloggers link up their non-fiction picture book reviews. Be sure to visit Kid Lit Frenzy and see what great non-fiction books are shared this week!

Title: Enormous Smallness: A Story of E. E. Cummings
Author: Matthew Burgess 
Illustrator: Kris Di Giacomo 
Publisher: Enchanted Lion Books 
Publication Date: April 7th, 2015 
Genre/Format: Non-Fiction Biography/Picture Book 
GoodReads Summary: Enormous Smallness is a nonfiction picture book about the poet E.E. cummings. Here E.E.'s life is presented in a way that will make children curious about him and will lead them to play with words and ask plenty of questions as well. Lively and informative, the book also presents some of Cummings's most wonderful poems, integrating them seamlessly into the story to give the reader the music of his voice and a spirited, sensitive introduction to his poetry.
     In keeping with the epigraph of the book -- "It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are," Matthew Burgess's narrative emphasizes the bravery it takes to follow one's own vision and the encouragement E.E. received to do just that. 
What I Think: ee cummings is such a well-known poet and deservedly so. He played with words and structure in poetry in such a creative way and I love reading his poems. Last summer while I was in Boston, I visited Forest Hill Cemetery and tracked down his grave. I blogged about how awesome it was to stand there and read aloud one of his poems. As I read Enormous Smallness, I felt the magic of being in the cemetery in Boston all over again. Burgess plays with words and incorporates cummings' own poetry into the text in such a way that it feels woven into his own words. At the same time, Di Giacomo does an excellent job of representing words visually, helping bring meaning to life. 
     I love everything about this book. The writing is descriptive and powerful. Matched with the illustrations, it certainly brings a certain tone and mood to the text that matches both ee cummings himself but also the time period. 
     As a mentor text, I would definitely use this book to discuss how and author's word choice impacts tone and mood. In general, this book is a discussion on descriptive writing and author's craft waiting to happen. In the snatch of text I've pulled here, you can easily talk about metaphor and onomatopoeia but also rhythm and how sentence structure impacts that...but this is just one piece of text from one page in the book. It's definitely a book to be reread over and over just to soak in and savor all the textual and visual mastery here.
Read Together:  Grades 2 - 12 
Read Alone: Grades 2 - 12 
Read With: Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People by Monica Brown, Jimi: Sounds Like a Rainbow by Gary Golio, The Cosmobiography of Sun Ra: The Sound of Joy Is Enlightening by Chris Raschka, The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus by Jen Bryant
Snatch of Text:

"As Estlin grew, he drew many pictures

from the great circus of his imagination.

But even more than drawing

elephants, trees, and birds,

Estlin LOVED WORDS.

What words say and how they sound and look.

He loved the way they hum, buzz, POP, and swish."

Writing Prompts: In the book, Estlin made up his first poem after seeing a bird outside of his bedroom window. The author writes, "From his bedroom window, Estlin could see enormous apple and cherry trees." Write about what you see outside your bedroom window or maybe use you imagination and write about what you wish you could see outside of your bedroom window.
Topics Covered: Family, Inspiration, Imagination, Creativity 

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Doll Bones

Title: Doll Bones 
Author: Holly Black  
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books 
Publication Date: May, 2013
Genre/Format: Paranormal Mystery/Middle Grade Novel 
GoodReads Summary: Zach, Poppy and Alice have been friends for ever. They love playing with their action figure toys, imagining a magical world of adventure and heroism. But disaster strikes when, without warning, Zach’s father throws out all his toys, declaring he’s too old for them. Zach is furious, confused and embarrassed, deciding that the only way to cope is to stop playing . . . and stop being friends with Poppy and Alice. But one night the girls pay Zach a visit, and tell him about a series of mysterious occurrences. Poppy swears that she is now being haunted by a china doll – who claims that it is made from the ground-up bones of a murdered girl. They must return the doll to where the girl lived, and bury it. Otherwise the three children will be cursed for eternity . . . 
What I Think: I've been letting this book sink in for a while now. First of all, isn't the cover just creepingly lovely? It's spooky in such a beautiful way...although a little more on the creepy side than not. What has really stuck with me after reading this book are the characters. Holly Black does a wonderful job of developing her three main characters in this book. She captures them just as they are at a pivotal moment of growing up. The story of the china doll keeps them together when life tries to grow them apart. Growing up is a part of life but managing adolescence isn't always easy.
     As a mentor text, I love this book for pulling great snatches of text for description. Whether she is describing the characters in the book or the setting, Holly does a great job of bringing it all to life in such a real way. She strikes me as being brutally honest with her description. I think this is something that students will appreciate and relate to because she is so detailed and honest about the main characters' lives. She brings the setting to life in such a way that I couldn't help but feel the creepiness in the air as well. All the description came together so well to build the tone and mood of the whole story.
Read Together: Grades 5 - 8  
Read Alone: Grades 6 - 8 
Read With: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo, Friends with Boys by Faith Erin Hicks, Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol, The Raven Boys (series) by Maggie Stiefvater, Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama
Snatch of Text:  
"The inside of Poppy's house was always a mess. Discarded clothes, half-empty cups, and sports equipment covered most surfaces. Her parents seemed to have given up on the house around the same time they gave up on trying to enforce any rules about dinners and bedtimes and fighting - around Poppy's eighth birthday, when one of her brothers threw her cake with its still-life birthday candles at her older sister. There weren't even family meals, just boxes of macaroni and cheese, cans of ravioli, and tins of sardines in the pantry so that the kids could feed themselves long before their parents came home from work and fell, exhausted, into their bed." (p. 7)

"An eerie wind sang through the untrimmed trees in front of Mr. Thompson's old house at the end of the block." (p. 22)
Reading Strategies to Practice: Activating Background Knowledge, Making Connections, Making Inferences 
Writing Strategies to Practice: Personal Narrative, Descriptive, Characterization 
Writing Prompts: Write about a time in your life when realized you were growing up or changing in some way.  
Topics Covered: Friendship, Family, Imagination, Loyalty, Determination, Trust, Growing Up 

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Bartholomew Biddle and the Very Big Wind

Title: Bartholomew Biddle and the Very Big Wind 
Author: Gary Ross  
Illustrator: Matthew Myers 
Publisher: Candlewick 
Publication Date: November 2012 
Genre/Format: Fantasy/Illustrated Novel-in-Verse
GoodReads Summary: A soaring bedsheet carries a young boy on three incredible adventures in this compelling debut by acclaimed film director Gary Ross.

Bartholomew Biddle’s life has always been pretty ordinary, but when a huge wind blows past his window one night, he feels the call of adventure — and he can’t resist the urge to grab his bedsheet and catch a ride. Soon he’s soaring far above his little town, heading wherever the wind takes him! After spending time on an island full of pleasure-seeking pirates and at a prep school that boasts a hundred shades of gray, Bart finds himself in a mysterious cove where the wind doesn't blow. Stuck, Bart is forced to face the fact that his flying days might be over. Will he ever get home again?   
What Kellee Thinks: We have ourselves a modern day epic poem right here! There is so much going on in this book. Though it isn't a traditional hero's journey, it is a hero's journey like Where the Wild Things Are is. Maybe we could call it a child's journey. Bartholomew, like Max, thinks that the wild is better than home. He leaves home, finds fun, misses home, and... well, you know the story.
     One thing interesting about this book is that it is written by a film director and writer. This is his first book and although I didn't realize his profession before I began, it made complete sense when I found out. Bartholomew Biddle could easily be turned into a movie. Our 8th grade ELA teachers did a film unit this year discussing framing, cut, angles, lighting, suspense, etc. of films; all aspects that affect the tone and mood of a film. They started with film primarily, but then added in literature and students naturally connected what they'd learned about film to literature. By looking into all of these elements within film, students were essentially looking at subtle contributions to theme, mood, and tone thus making it so they could apply this new knowledge to literature. I think Bartholomew Biddle would be a perfect book to read in conjunction to this unit (as would Where the Wild Things Are). It would be brilliant to storyboard the plot, discuss when what angle would be appropriate, how we would light each scene, how to add suspense/humor/loss/excitement, and how to keep the book's tone authentic in general.
      Since the book is in verse, there are also all of the poetic elements that could be touched upon as reading. For the most part, the whole book is ABCB rhyme scheme which could lead directly into a writing activity. It is also filled with imagery, similes, and other figurative language.
What Jen Thinks: What an adventure Bartholomew has! Unlike Kellee, I actually recognized Gary Ross as a movie person and when I started to read this book, I was making connections to Save the Cat, a book I'm reading right now for Teachers Write that is all about screenwriting. In Save the Cat, the author, Blake Snyder, outlines different "beats" or parts of a screenplay. These beats are evident in movies no matter what the genre. I couldn't help thinking about the beats as I read this book, recognizing them along the way. I also found myself thinking about how I would read this with students. The book is divided loosely into chapters, different parts of the story. This definitely seems like a book I would read with older readers because of how much thinking they have to do about what experiences Bartholomew is having, how they are shaping him and what he is learning from each part of his adventure. Like Kellee said, I can see how breaking down the beats of Bartholomew would help student writers think about how their own stories move along. Bartholomew clearly has to muster up the courage to even start off his adventure and there we see the theme of accepting a challenge and being brave and then that follows Bartholomew throughout his adventure. 
     I love stories like these where as a reader we get to follow along with the main character on his or her adventure but when he or she gets back to reality, the whole adventure is kind of a secret between the main character and the reader. The main character has changed and the reader is changed, too...actually, it's kind of like reading a book in general! When I read a book, I get lost in its pages and rally along with the characters but then I close the book and am back to reality. Have you ever finished a book and stopped to smile and reflect on how much you experienced by reading it? I love that. Books are little time traveling machines that take us on adventures and forever impact who we are. Bravo to Bartholomew for letting me travel along on his adventure!
Read Together: Grades 5 - 12 
Read Alone: Grades 6 - 12 
Read With: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, Sector 7 (and others) by David Weisner, Luka and the Fire of Life by Salman Rushdie, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, The Neverending Story by Michael Ende 
Snatch of Text: 

"The houses all looked

like the toys in his room.

If genies had carpet,

and witches had brooms,

then what was he doing

up here with a sheet?

He banked to his left

and looked down at the street." (p. 5)

Mentor Text for: Story Boarding, Suspense, Rhyming, Figurative Language, Tone, Theme, Mood
Writing Prompts: Write a narrative poem using ABCB rhyme scheme for each stanza. If you could catch a wind and fly out your window, where would you want to go? Write a story about what you would do on your own flying adventure. 
Topics Covered: Imagination, Adventure, Freedom, Home, Regret, Dreams

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and
**Thank you to Candlewick for providing copies for review**

The Dark

Title: The Dark

Author: Lemony Snicket

Illustrator: Jon Klassen

Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: April, 2013

Genre/Format: Fantasy/Picture Book

Goodreads Summary: Laszlo is afraid of the dark. 

The dark lives in the same house as Laszlo. Mostly, though, the dark stays in the basement and doesn't come into Lazslo's room. But one night, it does.

This is the story of how Laszlo stops being afraid of the dark. 

With emotional insight and poetic economy, two award-winning talents team up to conquer a universal childhood fear.

What Kellee Thinks: What a great narrative about facing your fears! Jon Klassen's illustrations added a whole new level to the story that only exists because of his talents. The use of color within the illustrations adds tremendously to the mood and really sets the tone for the book. Snicket's story captions the illustrations taking us into Laszlo's mind which is very symbolic of many children's minds when they are dealing with a fear. Though I felt that there was one choppy part in the middle of the book where I wish the text was broken up differently, the book is definitely a wonderful conversation starter to discuss fears and how to overcome them.  The most powerful aspect of this story was the personification of the Dark. It definitely is a phenomenal mentor text for discussing this element of literature and would be a great introduction to more complex text. 

What Jen Thinks: I so enjoy seeing more and more from Jon Klassen! Listening to him talk about his work when he was here for a visit in the fall was amazing. I often think that the artwork in books can get overlooked. Sure, I recognize when artwork is great in a book but I never thought as intensely about illustrations or artwork as I did when I heard John Klassen speak. Listening to Mark Teague and David Small speak about their artwork at the Anderson's Children's Literature Breakfasts also was very eye-opening. There are so many detailed nuances of the artwork that the illustrators take into account that I would never even realize is something they think about. Things like the colors that are chosen, the way the illustrations move through a book like they are progressing towards the right, the use of certain elements that are present throughout a book to demonstrate a passage of time or used as a point of reference for the reader. I think it's easy to take these things for granted as a reader because the illustrator makes the artwork happen so beautifully that we don't even notice. The trick is stopping to notice and to see how the illustrations truly match and enhance the text of a book. It strikes me that we can talk to students about the illustrator's purpose as much as the author's purpose and help them notice how the illustrator has to make very specific and conscious decisions about the artwork much like the author does with the text.
     In this book especially, Klassen has to bring the dark itself to life. It reminds me a little bit of Markus Zusak and how he personifies Death in The Book Thief. Both of these elements seem so dark and foreboding but the books help readers see them in a different light. I love the seemingly dark, creepy mood of this book which I'm starting to link with Klassen more and more. It seems that he relates to Edward Gorey and his work quite a bit and I am seeing this more and more. It just makes Jon Klassen infinitely more intriguing.
     Because we do have a great collection of illustrated (and authored) work by Jon Klassen, I think it would be great to look at his contributions as an artist/illustrator and really compare and contrast his work in different books. Jon also worked on the animated movie of the book Coraline and that book and it's movie could also be discussed. I can see how this would be an amazing discussion to have with older students and to tie into work in analyzing an author/illustrator's work. 

Read Together: Grades K - 3 or Grades 9 - 12

Read Alone: Grades 2 - 5 or Grades 9 - 12

Read With: I Want My Hat Back and This is Not my Hat by Jon Klassen, The Black Rabbit by Philippa Leathers, The Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gaiman, The House Held Up By Trees by Ted Kooser, Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett, Coraline by Neil Gaiman, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, The Gashlycrumb Tinies by Edward Gory, Stitches by David Small, The Night Bookmobile and Her Fearful Symmetry (adult) by Audrey Niffenegger

Snatch of Text: "Laszlo was afraid of the dark. The dark lived in the same house as Laszlo, a big place with a creaky roof, smooth, cold windows, and several sets of stairs." (p. 2-5)

Mentor Text for: Mood, Tone, Personification

Writing Prompts: What is something you are afraid of? Have you tried to face this fear? How so? If not, how could you safely face this fear? 

Topics Covered: Fears, Courage, Confidence

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Tito Puente, Mambo King /Rey Del Mambo

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday

Here at Teach Mentor Texts we are always looking for more ways to support teachers! We've found that teachers seem to be constantly on the lookout for great nonfiction. We know we are! To help with this undying quest for outstanding non-fiction, we are excited to participate in Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday hosted by Kid Lit Frenzy and The Nonfiction Detectives. Every Wednesday, you'll find a non-fiction review here - although it may not always be a picture book review. Please visit Kid Lit Frenzy to see what non-fiction others have to share, too.

Title: Tito Puente: Mambo King/Rey del Mambo
Author:  Monica Brown
Illustrator: Rafael Lopez
Publisher:  Rayo / HarperCollins Publishers
Publication Date: March, 2013
Genre/Format: Biography/Bilingual Picture Book
GoodReads Summary:  Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, clap your hands for Tito Puente... The Mambo King plays and sways ans people dance the mambo, the rumba, and the cha-cha!

Damas y señores, niños y niñas, aplaudan a Tito Puente ... El Rey del Mambo toca su música y se balancea mientras la audiencia baila el mambo, la rumba y el chachachá!
What Jen Thinks: Reading this book had me wanting to dance and move and go look up more information about Tito Puente. The rhythm and lyricality of the text seemed to bring Tito Puente to life. It's as if Tito Puente just wants to dance right out of the book. I love how Monica Brown captures what seems to have been the essence of Tito Puente. I love her book Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People and felt a similar feeling when I read it. While both men are different, she is able to bring their personalities alive through the text she writes. I believe this is the best kind of non-fiction; non-fiction that is so well written that it compels you to do more reading, be it non-fiction or fiction.
     As more and more non-fiction biographical picture books are written, teachers have more of an opportunity to examine what choices an author makes to bring their subject to life. I absolutely love how great this book will be as a mentor text when paired with other non-fiction biographical picture books. Students can look at how authors portray different people and their different personalities. Description and word choice is very intentional in order to write a piece with tone and mood to match. I can especially see how this would be used with older readers. They could write about a person they know and then could do research on a famous person and gather facts and evidence to help them decipher what tone or mood would match the person they are writing about. I can see how they could use multimedia sources in their research as they study the person they are writing about.
What Kellee Thinks: This year I am teaching a Developmental Language Arts class for incoming ESOL students who, when they enter my school, have been in the United States for less than a year or score low English proficiency on the CELLA test when they enter. I knew this class would be a challenge as I do not know any other language, but I also knew (and now know) that this class was going to very rewarding. With teaching a different group of students than I've ever had before, my thinking when searching for books to use in  their class has changed and I am always looking for books that they'll connect to and books that celebrate world cultures. This book is perfect for my class! It'd be a way to build class community because many of my students come from Hispanic countries and they can share the music/dances with my non-Hispanic students. It also gives them the ability to share their language with me and the rest of the class. Finally, since it is such a well done biography, it gives them all an opportunity to learn about a fascinating young man.
Read Together: Grades K - 12 
Read Alone: Grades K - 12
Read With: Jimi: Sounds Like a Rainbow by Gary Golio, Twelve Rounds of Glory: The Story of Muhammad Ali by Charles E. Smith, Jr., Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People by Monica Brown  
Snatch of Text:  

"Before he could walk, Tito was making 

music. He banged spoons and forks on 

pots and pans, windowsills and cans.

Aun antes de caminar, Tito ya hacia 

musica. Usaba cucharas y tenedores 

para golpear ollas y sartenes, 

alfeizares y latas.

Tum Tica!

Tac Tic!

Tum Tic!

Tom Tom!"

Reading Strategies to Practice: Activating Background Knowledge, Making Connections  
Writing Strategies to Practice: Tone, Mood, Descriptive, Word Choice, Rhythm, Onomatopoeia
Writing Prompts: Write about a person you know and what they are passionate about. Pay attention to word choice so that your writing has the same energy as the person you are describing.
Topics Covered: Music, Passions, Movement, Dancing, Integration - Arts

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**Thank you to Blue Slip Media for contacting us and sending us a copy for review!**