Writing With My Fate According to the Butterfly

Last summer, I led two virtual book clubs with students. They were 7th graders moving into 8th grade and one group read My Fate According to the Butterfly by Gail D. Villanueva. I first learned of Gail and his sweet book through our World Read Aloud Day celebrations. When I started working in my current school district, I introduced the free World Read Aloud Day Skypes to teachers. Now every student visits with an author on World Read Aloud Day in our K-8 district. 

I'm really proud of making connections - between kids and creators, between reading and writing, between teachers and books, between teachers and kids. I love it. So I was excited to share this book with a small group of students. We read and discussed but I also stopped here and there to slow down and look at the writing and that's what I'd like to share today. 

Years ago, I volunteered with 826CHI and spent two weeks with middle grade writers for their summer camp and the focus was food! I love food. I didn't realize how awesome food would be as a theme though until I was there and living it and experiencing how the amazing people of 826CHI brought it to life for me. 

We all have experiences with food. And we all have food that nourishes us or makes us want to throw up. We all have feelings connected to food. Food is such a universal experience. I think of one of my former students who uses a feeding tube. Even she has connections to food. So for this week's mentor text, I picked a snatch of text from My Fate According to the Butterfly that slows down to celebrate the best kare-kare ever. 

My thought for using this is to notice how she first tells us what she's describing. And then she shows us. Y'all, we need to show AND tell. It's okay to show and tell in our writing. Sometimes we need one more than the other, sometimes we need them together, sometimes they stand alone. But showing and telling both matter. 

So here's the excerpt:

"In moments like these, I'm so glad I'm not allergic to peanuts. 

This kare-kare must be life's way of rewarding my hero-ism, bringing me to this carinderia. Because this canteen has the best kare-kare ever. 

Swimming among the orange peanut sauce are beef chunks and pieces of ox tripe with melt-in-your-mouth texture. It also has a generous amount of soft eggplants, string beans, and pechay greens. The peanut sauce isn't too thick, nor is it too thin. It's the perfect sauce on a cup of steamed rice. Add a dash of their sweet-and-spicy shrimp paste, and you've got a saucy, savory, and slightly sweet combination that's like heaven on earth." (p. 122)

There's so much to talk about here! First she tells us what she's talking about. She writes, "...the best kare-kare-ever." It made me think of all the best things I know....

And then she tells us the details. Above are some words I wanted to think about for my own writing: swimming, chunks, melt-in-your-mouth, dash of..., and like heaven on earth. We talk a lot about cliches and not using cliches in writing but at the same time, there is definitely vocabulary that goes with writing about food. These stood out to me and I wanted to think about these for my own writing. 

But first I had to think of food that I think is THE BEST. What foods do you think are the best? Here's my list!

What stood out to me is that all my food comes from other places! When I decided to go vegan, I started exploring places with vegan food, everywhere I go I look for vegan food! From here I decided to zone in on one and see how I would first tell and then show about that food. 

Blind Faith Cafe's Vegan Chocolate Cake

(AKA the best cake ever)

When I went vegan, I went in search of the yummiest vegan options - here, in Chicago, and everywhere I go. And hands down, Blind Faith Cafe in Evanston has the best chocolate cake ever. 

Drizzled with raspberry sauce and served with a side of raspberry sorbet is the most divine chocolate cake. Not too dry, not too gooey, the cake is perfect. The vanilla frosting is sweet but subtle. Take a bite with cake and frosting and raspberry sauce and feel the love and joy and bliss that's like heaven on earth. 

I love mentor texts like this because they truly help me feel held and free when it comes to writing. That I can try something like this myself, that I have stories to tell, that writing can be fun. 

You know you want a piece of this cake now!!! Come to Chicago and I'll take you to experience it. It's awesome. But I also hope you toooootally want to go write about your best food, to show AND tell me all about it. What food do you think is the best?!?

#classroombookaday and Vocabulary

This year I'm joining in on Classroom Book A Day fun with my 7th and 8th graders. You can read my first week with Classroom Book A Day post to see what books we read the first three days, what books we're reading this week, and how we've been using picture books to discuss theme.

I mentioned in my first week post that I'm a connector and I love weaving ideas together. Reading a picture book every day offers so many opportunities! I shared that I asked students to turn and talk and discuss theme but I also have been doing some vocabulary and word work.

Vocabulary is so important but especially important to me after working with students who are deaf and hard of hearing and students who are English learners because developing vocabulary is sooooooo important for them. With reading a picture book everyday, I saw an opportunity to focus on vocabulary. I'm also a big believer in learning and working with vocabulary in context so it's perfect! 

I definitely want to say that I'm conscious of not turning Classroom Book A Day into a chore. My ultimate goal is to read aloud to my students so I'm being very careful to not turn it into too much work that it takes away from that. Taking that into account, here's how I'm layering in vocabulary work while still keeping it simple. 

When students come in, they pick up a vocabulary sheet, put it in their binders, and bring their binders to the board. I have vocabulary sheets in English and in English and Spanish because I have English learners in my classroom.

Students then do a quick self assessment, deciding how well they know the words based on Marzano's Levels of Understanding. I co-created this with my students. We brainstormed what emojis would match and then I added them into the chart I had already created.

We're working on getting more and more automatic with this so they come in and do this independently. Then I read through the words so they can hear what the words sound like and I ask students to share any words they labeled as a 1. Students help each other out and we discuss the words a bit before we read. 

For my 8th graders, if I feel like the words seem fairly simple, I've come up with other things for them to do. For example, with Imagine, I asked students to circle adjectives and we noticed that many adjectives end in -y but not all of them. We've also noticed some words have multiple meanings and that's been fun too to see what discussions come up.

Overall, layering in this quick vocabulary discussion has been a simple way to get in some word work while also activating their brains before we read. I already have ideas for how to move forward and for ways this might evolve so I'll be sure to share them as I go!

Dig In!

Title: Dig In! 
Author: Cindy Jenson-Elliott 
Illustrator: Mary Peterson 
Publisher: Beach Lane Books 
Publication Date: March 1st, 2016 
Genre/Format: Fiction/Picture Book 
GoodReads Summary: Dig in to this vibrant picture book that celebrates all the surprises found down in the dirt!

I dig in the dirt...and find a seed.
Seed waits.
I dig in the dirt...and find a spider.
Spider runs.

Explore all of the creepy, crawly, dirty, muddy, green, and growing things that can be found outside in the garden. From pill bugs to worms to leafy green sprouts, young readers will love discovering the muddy garden habitat within the pages of this book—and outside in their own backyards!This sweet and playful celebration of outdoor exploration is a perfect read aloud for story time.  
What I Think: Little Bean and I enjoyed predicting our way through this repetitive down-in-the-dirt picture book! This is a perfect book for little ones to talk about what they might find in the dirt and to try and predict what they find in the dirt. We especially had fun talking about words like sprout and pill bug - we call them rollie pollies! And I've heard them called doodle bugs. Even a simple text can be great to spark discussions, build vocabulary, and get kids brainstorming their own ideas for stories. 
     As a mentor text, you can read this book and invite kids to write their own dirt adventure stories or maybe they write a similar style book with a different setting instead!
Read Together: Grades Pre-K - 1 
Read Alone: Grade Pre-K - 1 
Read With: Up, Tall, High! by Ethan Long, The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli
Writing Prompts: Write about what you have discovered in the dirt!  
Topics Covered: Integration - Science, Discovery, Exploration 

I *heart* It:

*Thanks to Simon & Schuster Children’s Books for 

a copy of Dig In! in exchange for an honest review!*

Ninja!

November is Picture Book Month! I'm rocking out a Bookaday celebration of picture books!

Today I'm sharing ideas for using Ninja! by Arree Chung as a mentor text.

GoodReads Summary:

A ninja must be strong, courageous, and silent! He creeps through the house on a secret mission. There may be obstacles! But have no fear—a true ninja can overcome all challenges.

We really took our time looking at the pictures in this book! There were many pages with multiple panels and sometimes we even found ourselves going back forth between pages to make sure we knew what was happening. I've got some adventurous little dudes in my house so we know all about ninja-type moves around the house!

Here are some literacy ideas to go along with Ninja! by Arree Chung!

1. Since we spent a lot of time on the pictures in this book, I think it makes a great mentor text for close reading with young students. Close reading doesn't have to just be passages of text, it's totally cool to close read illustrations in a book. Illustrations in picture books are an integral part of telling the story so it's important to know that the illustrations and the text should work together. I might stop and ask students to describe what they see in the different panels. This could be a shared group activity or each student could write an idea on a sticky note and put it into the book.

(Side note - I will never ever forget taking Peanut to a story time where a teenager read Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss to the kids. She skipped all the pages at the beginning when Sam is going by with his sign and just started where the words start! I was shocked but it was a good reminder to me that we have to model and show students how important it is to read more than only the words.)

2. There are a few places especially where a lot of action is happening and it might be a great opportunity to think about some super descriptive verbs - verbs that pack punch! I love talking about how we can put words on a continuum. You can take the word jump and brainstorm synonyms and then put them on a continuum, stacking the words so that the less intense words are at the bottom and then the words increase up to the top. So for jump, you might have hop at the very bottom and then a whole range of synonyms for jump all the way up to bound.

3. When you read Ninja!, you'll find that there is another character other than our little super-sneaky friend. She's a bit of a surprise and there is a little suspense until we know if she'll be an ally to our young warrior or not...and it would be a great exercise in point or view or perspective for students to try and tell her her side of the story. Oh! There is one more minor character...can you find her? And what might her side of the story be?

Read With: 

Dog in Charge by Dan Santat

Comics Squad: Recess! edited by Jennifer and Matthew Holm and Jarrett Krosoczka

I would so recommend reading Dog in Charge by Dan Santat in conjunction with Ninja! because of the similar style of story-telling. Dan Santat also uses panels and gives students an opportunity to read the pictures. 

As soon as we opened up the front cover of Ninja! and read about how a ninja must be super sneaky, it reminded me of "The Super Secret Ninja Club" by Gene Yang in Comics Squad: Recess! I've read that story and over and over and over and I love the connection between the two in terms of thinking about what a ninja has to be skilled at. This might lead to some research and reading of informational text to learn more about being a ninja.

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

Hawaii's Green Sea Turtles

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: Hawaii's Green Sea Turtles (Science and Nature for Young Readers) 

Author: Monika Mira

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services

Publication Date: May, 2012

Genre/Format: Nonfiction/Ebook

Goodreads Summary: Did you know that relatives of sea turtles have been around since the age of the dinosaurs? Or that sea turtles were hunted to the brink of extinction before gaining protection under the Endangered Species Act? Explore the fascinating underwater world of Hawaii's Green Sea Turtles in the Science and Nature Series for Young Readers. Kids of all ages will enjoy the beautiful photographs while learning how they can help protect these graceful and beloved animals.

What I Think: Monika Mira obviously cares about the animals she writes about in her books. The Green Sea Turtles are no different. This book is set up to introduce the reader to these majestic creatures first with basic information including anatomy, diet, mating, behaviors, and habitat. It then shares with the readers the threats that Green Sea Turtles face from predators to marine debris and diseases. Finally, the book ends with how the reader can help sea turtles and the reefs. I love nonfiction books that makes the reader realize that what they are reading about isn't something that doesn't affect them and there is something that they can do to make a difference. 

Read Together: Grades K to 5

Read Alone: Grades 3 to 8

Read With: Other nonfiction books that relate (about sea turtles, Hawaii, ocean pollution)

Snatch of Text: "You have already begun your journey to help protect turtles by reading this book. Getting informed is the single most important thing that you can do to protect sea turtles." (p. 24) 

Mentor Text for: Making connections, Vocabulary development, Research

Writing Prompts: In Hawaii's Green Sea Turtles we are shown many different challenges that sea turtles face. What are these challenges and how can we help the sea turtles be less threatened? 

Topics Covered: Sea Turtles, Hawaii, Pollution, Coral Reefs, Habitat, Environment

I *heart* It:

**Thank you to Monika Mira for providing a copy for review**

Wonder Show

Title: Wonder Show

Author: Hannah Barnaby

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children

Publication Date: March, 2012

Genre/Format: Historical Fiction/Novel

Goodreads Summary: Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, step inside Mosco’s Traveling Wonder Show, a menagerie of human curiosities and misfits guaranteed to astound and amaze! But perhaps the strangest act of Mosco’s display is Portia Remini, a normal among the freaks, on the run from McGreavy’s Home for Wayward Girls, where Mister watches and waits. He said he would always find Portia, that she could never leave. Free at last, Portia begins a new life on the bally, seeking answers about her father’s disappearance. Will she find him before Mister finds her? It’s a story for the ages, and like everyone who enters the Wonder Show, Portia will never be the same.

What I Think: Portia is looking for her family, but ends up finding a place in the least likely places- a "freak show" touring around the midwest during Depression-era America. The author seamlessly intertwines Portia's story with the story of the traveling show even mixing up points of views and narrators during the story.  Although it sounds like it should definitely not work, it does. And it does beautifully. This book is mostly about heart, family, and home. Portia's story is so enthralling and her transformation is amazing to be part of. 

     As I read this book, I found so many different places that could be mentor texts within the classroom. Hannah Barnaby's debut novel is not only a great example of literary, lyrical writing, it is also a novel that would definitely be useful for a reading mentor text. Since the story is so complex, it takes a strong reader to read it thus would be a great book to model comprehension with. As a writing mentor text, there are examples of exemplar writing throughout. 

Read Together: Grades 9 and up

Read Alone: Grades 8 and up

Read With: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Snatch of Text: "The truck lurched uncertainly onto the dirt road indicated by the sign and quickly came to a fork - downhill, to the right, Portia saw a cluster of small wood cabins and, behind them, the apple trees. They were different than her apple trees. Hers had grown tall and sat heavy over her like a canopy, even now that she was thirteen. These were dwarfish, twisted, and gray. It was halfway through harvest time, and many of the trees stood bare as skeletons, reaching for the cold sky. Uphill, to the left, was a massive dark house with a sharp, staggered roof that looked like the teeth of some huge, mythical beast. Portia had no desire to get any closer, but Sophia, as usual, had other ideas." (p. 25) 

Mentor Text for: Suspense, Predicting, Point of Views, Imagery, Attention Grabber, Vocabulary, Voice, Literary Writing, Setting

Writing Prompts: Don't judge a book by its cover does not only apply to books; it also applies to people. Think of a time when you judged a person by their cover and you were wrong. Connect this with Portia when she first arrived at the Wonder Show. 

Topics Covered: Human Curiosities, Family, Loss, Loyalty, Relationships, Identity

I *heart* It:

 

Ballet for Martha

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: Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring

Author: Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan

Illustrator: Brian Floca

Publisher: Flash Point

Publication Date: August, 2010

Genre/Format: Non-fiction/Picture Book

Goodreads Summary: Martha Graham : trailblazing choreographer

     Aaron Copland : distinguished American composer

     Isamu Noguchi : artist, sculptor, craftsman

     Award-winning authors Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan tell the story behind the scenes of the collaboration that created APPALACHIAN SPRING, from its inception through the score’s composition to Martha’s intense rehearsal process. The authors’ collaborator is two-time Sibert Honor winner Brian Floca, whose vivid watercolors bring both the process and the performance to life.

What I Think: This book is a testament to collaboration. It shows what can happen if 3 brilliant minds get together and want to make something together- both Appalachian Spring and Ballet for Martha were constructed by a group of 3 amazing people. 

     I really love this unique perspective into American History. Aaron Copland is already a name that is part of American vocabulary, but Martha Graham and Isamu Noguchi should be as well and this book shows how they both played a role in helping Aaron Copland to become one of the most well-known American composers. 

     When reading this book, the thing that struck me the most was the specific word choice that allows you to visualize the ballet, music and sets so accurately. It would be a great source for sharing with students how using the right verb or adjective can really change the imagery which a writer portrays. 

Read Together: Grades 4 to 9

Read Alone: Grades 4 and up

Read With: Nonfiction text about ballet, choreography, composing or set designing

Snatch of Text: "There are no steps yet, but Aaron knows the way

Martha and her dancers move. 

Her steps are unusual.
She moves differently from ballerinas. 

No toe shoes. No tutus. No pirouettes. 

'Nobody else seems anything like Martha,' he says. 'There's 

something simple yet strong about here, which one thinks of 

as very American.'" (p. 8) 

"Slowly the Bride glides in, 

the runs to her groom. 

The Preacher's four Followers file in. 

The music turns lively and playful as the young girls dance in pairs, 

then form circles, fluttering, skittering, reaching up to the sky." (p. 28-29)

Mentor Text for: Vocabulary Development, Imagery, Word Choice (Verbs, Adjectives), Visualizing

Writing Prompts: The authors included a "Curtain Call" which gives us more detail into the lives of our three stars- what aspect of their lives do you wish had been explored more in the picture book?; Aaron Copland was so inspired by Martha that he composed an entire ballet for her- has anyone ever inspired you to do something? Or is there someone who has inspired you enough that if you were going to write a song, book, poem, etc. it would be about them?

Topics Covered: Dance, Music, Composing, Collaboration, Set Building, Appalachian Spring

I *heart* It:

(4.5 stars) 

 

Goldilocks and Just One Bear

Title: Goldilocks and Just One Bear 
Author: Leigh Hodgkinson  
Illustrator: Leigh Hodgkinson 
Publisher: Nosy Crow 
Publication Date: August, 2012 
Genre/Format: Fiction-Fairy Tale/Picture Book
GoodReads Summary: In this award-winning author/illustrator’s witty sequel to the traditional Goldilocks story, Little Bear is all grown up and Goldilocks is a distant memory. One day, Little Bear wanders out of the woods and finds himself lost in the Big City. Will he find the city too noisy? Too quiet? Or just right? And what are the chances of him bumping in to someone who remembers exactly how he likes his porridge? 
What I Think: Leigh Hodgkinson's artwork is colorful and playful and I am drawn to it every time (ever since Charlie and Lola...I adore them!). I love the sweet bear in this story...even if he does get a bit mixed up and if he does get a bit disrespectful to others' things. There are some great fractured fairy tales out there, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Sciezcka being one of my favorites, and Goldilocks and Just One Bear puts a modern twist on the classic Goldilocks story. I think kids will love predicting what's going to happen to the bear and may even be surprised to discover just exactly whose house he has wandered into...or maybe not, but either way, I think they'll be delighted with the ending. 
     As a mentor text, I really like Leigh's style of writing and the great word choice she employs in this book. There are some wonderful adjectives and vibrant verbs that make the story so much more appealing. Usually these fun and fanciful words are in a different typeset in the book so they stand out. I always enjoyed talking to students about adjectives. We would brainstorm synonyms or look them up in a thesaurus and then rank the words from least to most. For instance, one of the adjectives in this book is "soggy." Synonyms for soggy would be: wet, moist, soaked, damp, sopping wet. Then we would put them in order based on their intensity. The list might become, from least to most:

damp

moist

wet

soggy

soaked

sopping wet

And you might put them in a totally different order...but I liked having the discussion with kids about where we would put them. We would come up with examples for when we would use these words and put them in sentences as we talked through how to use them. I love the thesaurus as a tool but if kids go to a thesaurus, they have to realize they can't just substitute words for each other. They have to realize the intentionality that goes with using one word over another. This is a great opportunity to talk about word choice and how greatly word choice impacts writing. 

Read Together: Grades K - 5 
Read Alone: Grades 2 - 5 
Read With: Other versions of Goldilocks and the Three Bears 
Snatch of Text:   

"Once upon a time, there was this bear.

One minute, he was strolling in the woods,

all happy-go-lucky...

The next minute, he didn't have a crumb-of-a-clue

where he was.

He was one 

COMPLETELY

lost bear."

Reading Strategies to Practice: Activating Background Knowledge, Making Connections, Making Inferences, Making Predictions 
Writing Strategies to Practice: Descriptive, Word Choice, Adjectives, Compound Adjectives, Compare and Contrast, Personal Narrative, Repetition,   
Writing Prompts: Write about a time in your life when you were lost - whether you were confused or really not sure where you were. How did you feel? What did you do in this situation? Compare this story to the traditional Goldilocks and the Three Bears. What did the author change? What did the author imply about the decision that the bear made compared to Goldilocks' decisions from the traditional story?
Topics Covered: Confusion, Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Making Decisions

I *heart* It:

Curses! Foiled Again

**Warning: Spoilers for Foiled #1!**

Title: Curses! Foiled Again

Author: Jane Yolen

Illustrator: Mike Cavallaro

Publisher: First Second

Publication Date: January 8, 2013

Genre/Format: Fantasy/Graphic Novel

Goodreads Summary: Aliera Carstairs is back. This time she's got her cousin—and best friend—Caroline in tow, and the stakes are higher than ever. The realm of Seelie, the fairy kingdom of which Aliera is the hereditary defender, is under attack, and only Aliera and Caroline can set things right. Caroline, fragile and wheelchair-bound, may seem like more of a liability than an asset, but Aliera knows there's more to her quiet cousin than meets the eye. Curses! Foiled Again is Jane Yolen at her best, reunited with her partner in crime, the fabulously talented illustrator Mike Cavallaro.
What I Think: Surprisingly, I liked the 2nd book of the series more than the first. It must have been that the first was just the exposition where this one you are really getting into the meat of the story. And there is definitely meat in this book. We delve deeper into Aliera's job as the defender of Fairy Land as well as her love/hate relationship with Avery the troll. The first brings the adventure to the story and the latter brings the humor. Foiled is a great mixture of both which keeps you completely entertained throughout. The only down fall is that there are pages where there is so much going on it is hard to narrow it down, but these few pages do not degrade the quality of the graphic novel. 

     What I particularly loved about this Curses! is that we got to really get into the mythology of the fairy land. Yolen has taken a mix of fairy creatures (ala Shrek) and thrown them into her story making her own fairy tale with a human as the hero. 

     Jane Yolen is amazing. I have read picture books, graphic novels and novels by her and they are all so well crafted and unique. I would love to just step inside of her brain just for a minute to see all of the ideas she has stored up there. 
Read Together: Grades 6 to 12

Read Alone: Grades 6 to 12

Read With: Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi, Hereville series by Barry Deutsch, Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon Hale, Giants Beware! by Jorge Aguirre

Snatch of Text: "Baba Yaga, the great Russian witch. Iron teeth and an iron nose. Ate bad boys and helped feisty girls, sort of adopted them... Did she happen to mention that Baba Yaga lives in a house that walks on chicken feet? Or that she rides around in a mortar and pestle?" (p. 33)
Mentor Text for: Vocabulary, Allusions, Simile, Humor, Colorization, Puns
Writing Prompts: In the Foiled series, the illustrator uses coloring to show the magic that Aliera sees - how do you think this decision impacts the graphic novel? Do you like the choice? 

Topics Covered: Fairy creatures, Mythology, Traditional Literature

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Silent Star

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 and The Nonfiction Detectives to see what non-fiction others have to share, too.

Title: Silent Star: The Story of Deaf Major Leaguer William Hoy

Author: Bill Wise

Illustrator: Adam Gustavson

Publisher: Lee & Low

Publication Date: April, 2012

Genre/Format: Biography/Picture Book

Goodreads Summary: William Hoy loved baseball. Growing up in the 1860s and ’70s, he dreamed of one day playing in the major leagues. A far-off fantasy for many boys, fulfilling this dream was even more of a long shot for William, who was deaf.

     Striving to find his place in a hearing world, Hoy became a shoemaker. He took pride in his work, but baseball was still his real love. When an amateur team coach saw him playing behind the shoemaker’s shop, Hoy dazzled the coach with his hard-hitting skills. Moving from amateur clubs to the minor leagues and eventually to the majors, Hoy proved himself again and again—overcoming obstacles and becoming a star both on and off the baseball diamond.

     Silent Star: The Story of Deaf Major Leaguer William Hoy is a tribute to one of the most inspirational figures in baseball history. A talented player with a standout record, Hoy is a shining example that success in life should not be measured by differences but by drive and determination.

What I Think: What a fascinating book! Silent Star shares with us not only an interesting part of baseball history, but also a look into the history of deafness and its acceptance within society. I find it fascinating that although Hoy is undisputedly one of the best outfielders of all time, he still is not in the Baseball Hall of Fame! How sad that the prejudice that he probably felt on a daily basis has rolled over into his legacy. Wise tells Hoyt's story with respect and Gustavson's oil illustrations beautifully accentuate the story. 

Read Together: Grades 3 to 8

Read Alone: Grades 4 to 10

Read With: Strong Deaf by Lynn McElfresh, Hurt Go Happy by Ginny Rorby, The Legend of the Curse of the Bambino by Dan Shaughnessy, Players in Pigtails by Shana Corey, Play Ball by Nunzio DeFilippis, 

Snatch of Text: "The crowd erupted into cheers. Then the fans did something else, something they always did to show their appreciation when Hoy made a great play. They threw confetti up in the air and wildly waved their arms and hats and handkerchiefs. 

     The fans made such a visual commotion because William Hoy was deaf." (p. 5)

Mentor Text for: Vocabulary Development, Personal Narrative

Writing Prompts: When William Hoy was a baseball player, his nickname was Dummy. At the time this nickname was not deragatory, but now using that term for one who is deaf is very much unacceptable. What other words have changed their meaning over time?; William Hoy overcame everything that stood in his way. Tell about a time that you were told you couldn't do something, but you did. 

Topics Covered: Deafness, Baseball, Prejudice, Civil Rights, Deaf Athletes

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Captain Underpants and the Revolting Revenge of the Radioactive Robo-Boxers

Title: Captain Underpants and the Revolting Revenge of the Radioactive Robo-Boxers (Captain Underpants #10)

Author: Dav Pilkey

Illustrator: Dav Pilkey

Publisher: Scholastic

Publication Date: January 15, 2013

Genre/Format: Fantasy-Humor/Illustrated Novel

Goodreads Summary: A world without UNDERPANTS?!!!

     When we last saw our heroes, George and Harold, they had been turned into evil zombie nerds doomed to roam a devastated, postapocalyptic planet for all eternity. But why, you might ask, didn't the amazing Captain Underpants save the boys from this frightening fate? Because Tippy Tinkletrousers and his time-traveling hijinks prevented George and Harold from creating Captain Underpants in the first place! Now, having changed the course of human history forever, they'll have to figure out a way to CHANGE IT BACK. 

     Could this be the end for Captain Underpants?!!

What I Think: If you read my first review of this series, you know that I am a big fan. If you are skeptical right now about the value of these novels, I can promise you that I understand. I figured they were just filled with poop and fart jokes to try to sucker boys into reading. While I was partially right (it is more underwear and booger jokes), the series is so much more than that and as the series keeps growing, the wittiness of each novel grows as well. 

     I think this one is by far the most mature Captain Underpants book. The story line jumps around quite a lot, it deals with historical elements, and, like #9, it is quite long. I think Pilkey is growing with his readers (although his first readers are in their 20s now) and it is really taking the series to a whole new level. 

     I think that part of what makes Pilkey's humor work is that he never talks down to his reader. The humor is intelligent and witty, he uses a high-level of vocabulary and explains if needed, and he makes sure to have his books be as entertaining as possible to keep the reader's attention. It is quite brilliant how he puts these books together and, although this is not my favorite of the series, it is no different. A must read for any fan of the series and for those who have not read any of the series yet, you will not regret it. 

Read Together: Grades 2 to 6

Read Alone: Grades 3 to 7

Read With: Adventures of Ook and Gluk, Kung-Fu Cavemen from the Future by Dav Pilkey, Captain Underpants #1-9, Extraordinary Adventures of Ordinary Boy by William Boniface, Time Travel Trio by Jon Scieszka, Frankie Pickle by Eric Wight, Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar

Snatch of Text: "Unfortunately, I'm sorry to have to tell you that there was no murder at the end of the last book. There wasn't even any blood. What happened at the end of our last story is something called misdirection. It's what happens when you are led to believe that something is true, but in reality it's not true at all. Misdirection happens a lot in real life - especially in politics, history, education, medicine, marketing, science, religion and the Oprah Winfrey Network." (p. 17)

Mentor Text for: Vocabulary Development, Humor, Illustration, Editing (Spelling and Grammar), Making Connections

Writing Prompts: In this novel, Harold, George and a handful of other characters go back in time to try to change the future. What event could you go back in time to try to change?; Rewrite Harold and George's comic correcting the spelling and grammar mistakes.; Ook and Gluk made an appearance in a wordless comic of Harold and George's. Add dialogue so we can see what they are saying. 

Topics Covered: Time Travel, Time Continuum, Cave Paintings, Post-Apocalyptic, History, Cavemen, Big Bang

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