Randy Riley's Really Big Hit

Title: Randy Riley's Really Big Hit 

Author: Chris Van Dusen 
Illustrator: Chris Van Dusen  
Publisher: Candlewick  
Publication Date: February 2012   
Genre/Format: Science Fiction/Picture Book   
GoodReads Summary: Randy Riley loves two things: science and baseball. When it comes to the solar system, the constellations, and all things robot, Randy is a genius. But on the baseball diamond? Not so much. He tries . . . but whiffs every time. Then, one night, Randy sees something shocking through his Space Boy telescope: it’s a fireball, and it’s headed right for his town! Randy does the math, summons all of his science smarts, and devises a plan that will save the day in a spectacular way. Once again, Chris Van Dusen winds up his visual humor, dizzying perspectives, perfect pacing, and rollicking rhyme and delivers a hit to make readers stand up and cheer.   
What I Think: I am a huge fan of Chris Van Dusen. I recently reviewed The Circus Ship, I've read a couple of his Mr. Magee books AND he does the illustrations for Kate DiCamillo's Mercy Watson books. I love the style of his illustrations. They are colorful and have sharp lines and angles. This book looks like it is set in the 50's or 60's (to me at least...) based on the look Randy Riley's house. So he already had me at the illustrations but then he wrote the text in rhyme. And it's rhyme that works. I love rhyme when it is done right, if it's forced or just doesn't flow well, it drives me crazy but I think he hit his own home run when it comes to the rhyme in this text. And then...the content of the story is just so cute. Poor Randy, he's not that great at baseball and no one believes him when he tells them about what he saw through his telescope. Does he get discouraged? Nope. He gets to work. I love it.
     I love characters who trust in themselves and demonstrate ingenuity and hard-work regardless of what is going on around them. Have I mentioned that there are robots in this book? Randy Riley loves robots. My Peanut also loves robots. He was excited when it came to the robot part!
     One other part of this book that I loved as a parent are the parents reactions to Randy Riley when they realize he was right all along about what he saw in his telescope. It reminded me of the parents in Mo Willems's Knufflebunny. I love how the dad reacts to Trixie when she has her meltdown and I cracked up at Randy Riley's parents in this book. I had to stop and point out how the parents were drawn at this part and then Peanut and I were giggling. So funny. This is a great example of how illustrations work with text in a picture book. The illustrations add so much to the book especially at that part but there are other clues with in the illustrations throughout the entire story. Kids can take time to predict and infer as they read and look at the pictures.
Read Together: Grades K - 6  
Read Alone: Grades 2 - 6 
Read With: Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee (series) by Chris Van Dusen, Mercy Watson (series) by Kate DiCamillo, Knufflebunny by Mo Willems, Boy + Bot by Ame Dyckman, If I Had  Robot by Dan Yaccarino, Beep and Bah by James Burks, Robot Zombie Frankenstein by Annette Simon, One Cool Friend by Toni Buzzeo
Snatch of Text:  

"He studied all the planets.

He memorized their tilt.

He researched how the thrusters

on the rocket ships were built.

He knew the constellations

and the light-years to the stars.

And wouldn't it be great, he thought,

to ride a bike on Mars?"

Reading Strategies to Practice: Background Knowledge, Making Connections, Making Predictions, Making Inferences
Writing Strategies to Practice: Personal Narrative 
Writing Prompts: Write about a time in your life when someone didn't believe what you had to say.
Topics Covered: Integration - PE - Baseball, Self-Esteem, Hobbies/Passions, Family, Integration - Science - Robots, Integration - Science - Stars/Constellations/Solar System/Astronomy, Invention, Creativity, Ingenuity, Perseverance, Trust

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Novels with Science Content

Earlier this week, I had someone ask for some recommendations of books that have science content within them and a couple of years ago I was asked for books with math content. These requests has made me realize that there may be other teachers out there that may want some of these same recommendations. Today I will share with you the science books I recommended and next week I'll share the math books.

This list contains books I recommended to an 8th grade science teacher. He wanted books that weren't directly "science" books but that had science elements within them. Next to each book I've included how the book connects with the content. You can also click on the cover and it will take you to my review or its Goodreads summary.

Novels with Science Content

The books listed include some I have read as well as books that were shared by the science teacher who asked me for the list as well as books shared with me through Twitter when I asked for some help. Thank you to @mselke01 @thebrainlair @Hannahlily & @Loveofxena. 

 Archimedes, Physics, Autopsy

 Meteor hits moon and the effects from the disaster

  Same as above, companion book 

 Space exploration, Space science

 Meteorology

 Medical (Virology), Yellow fever epidemic

 Fictionalized account of same epidemic

 Meteorology

 Geology, Yellowstone eruption

 Meteorology

 Technology

 Technology, Game simulation

 Chiroptologist (Study of bats)

 Alchemy, Medical

 Plastic surgery, Technology, Oil contamination (though it is further in the series)

 Ornithology (Study of birds)

 Animal testing, Chimp acquisition of language (ASL), Deafness

 Zoology, Airships

 NASA Apollo Mission, National Audubon Society

 Space science (Low gravity, alien technology, space craft, space station) Robotics

 Medical, Thyphoid Epidemic

 Genetic engineering, Mechanics

Microbiology, Flu epidemic, Quarantine

 Everglades

 Subsea settlement

 Global warming, Oil

 Linguistics, Animal testing, Chimp acquisition of language (ASL)

 Space science, Space ship, Computer, Cryonics

 Cloning

 Sharks

 Oceanography

 Climbing Mt. Everest

 Meteorology

 Space race

 Space Race

 Teenager climbing Mt. Everest

What books would you add to this list? Comment below and let me know. 
Also check out the comments for some great additions!

Anne Frank: The Anne Frank House Authorized Graphic Biography

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: Anne Frank: The Anne Frank House Authorized Graphic Biography

Author: Sid Jacobson

Illustrator: Ernie Colon

Publisher: Hill and Wang

Publication Date: September, 2010

Genre/Format: Biography/Graphic Novel

Goodreads Summary: Drawing on the unique historical sites, archives, expertise, and unquestioned authority of the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, New York Times bestselling authors Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colón have created the first authorized and exhaustive graphic biography of Anne Frank. Their account is complete, covering the lives of Anne’s parents, Edith and Otto; Anne's first years in Frankfurt; the rise of Nazism; the Franks' immigration to Amsterdam; war and occupation; Anne's years in the Secret Annex; betrayal and arrest; her deportation and tragic death in Bergen-Belsen; the survival of Anne's father; and his recovery and publication of her astounding diary.
What Kellee Thinks: I've been sitting here for a while and I just don't know where to begin. This is a precious book and it is hard to put into words how important it is and how well done it is. I am thoroughly impressed. It will be a great introduction to Anne Frank for many and will hopefully lead them to want to learn more about her and the injustices that happened during WWII. 

     A misconception I had was that I thought it was a graphic novel of Anne Frank's diary. It isn't. It is included, but this is a biography of Anne. It starts with her parents and continues all the way until the death of her father. It showcases Anne's life pre-hiding, during hiding, in the concentration camps and as her father makes sure that her legacy lives on. And it is done with primary sources woven in including Anne' diary, letters and interviews. The book even includes photographs of Anne and her family in the back along with a timeline of the Franks and WWII. 

     Also, throughout the biography, the authors periodically pause to give the reader a snapshot of a certain aspect of WWII that pertains to the story. It helps readers who may not have the prior knowledge of the war and Nazi power. 
What Jen Thinks: I agree with Kellee that this was a very powerful book and I loved that it was a different take on Anne's story because it did not simply retell her Diary in graphic novel form. There is an explanation of what life was like for Anne before going into hiding. I thought the portrayal of Anne and the relationships she had with people in hiding with her was a really unique perspective. It was so interesting to see how Anne was more of a teenager in this book. She seems so young and innocent in the diary but this book helped me imagine her as more of a teenager. It still amazes me how much a graphic novel can bring characters and historical figures to life. It reminded me of some of the emotions I felt while reading David Smalls' Stitches. Another gripping non-fiction graphic novel. I've heard that Jarrett Krosoczka (who is the author/illustrator of the Lunch Lady series) is working on his own autobiographical graphic novel and I am eagerly awaiting that!

Read Together: Grades 5 to 12

Read Alone: Grades 7 to 12

Read With: The Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank, Maus by Art Spiegelman, Requiem: Poems of the Terezin Ghetto by Paul B. Janeczko, Once by Morris Gleitzman, Terezin: Voices from the Holocaust by Ruth Thomson, Parallell Journeys by Eleanor H. Ayer, Stitches by David Small

Snatch of Text: 

Mentor Text for: Primary sources, Text features

Writing Prompts: Why do you think that Anne Frank's diary has had such an important historical significance? Do you think it was good for her diary to be published? 

Topics Covered: World War II, Holocaust, Concentration camps, Nazis, Family, Relationships, Loneliness, Perseverance 

Kellee *hearts* It:

Jen *hearts* It: 

and

Remembering Mrs. Rossi

Title: Remembering Mrs. Rossi

Author: Amy Hest

Illustrator: Heather Maione

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Publication Date: January, 2007

Genre/Format: Realistic fiction/Novel

Summary: After Annie's mother, Mrs. Rossi a 5/6 grade teacher, dies suddenly, she finds herself and her father struggling to survive without her. On evening they are invited to a concert and assembly at her mother's school where her school presents a book to them dedicated to Mrs. Rossi and written by the students. Annie immediately finds refuge within the pages of the book. We then follow Annie's first year without her mother and how she struggles with the changes her life's changes and learning how to grow up without her mother.

What I Think: I liked this book for a couple of different of reasons. First, I felt that the characters were quite real. My favorite was Annie's father- I really liked him. He is a funny, sweet character and is a great father.  Most of the adults, including Annie's teacher and their friendly neighbor,  in the book were really realistic and well done. 

     Second, this book celebrates being education and reading. Both of Annie's parents are teachers and they often read.  Many scenes within the book take place during school or in Annie's father's classroom. Annie also finds solace in a book throughout the novel, specifically the book that Mrs. Rossi's students wrote about her. 

     Third, I really loved that the at the end of the book, the actual Remembering Mrs. Rossi book from her students is shared and Amy Hest did such a great job at creating a book filled with poetry and essays written as if students in 5/6 grade did so.

     Lastly, one of the most important things a book can do is make a child feel not alone and the death of a parent is one of the hardest things that a child will have happen to them- Remembering Mrs. Rossi combines these two things and would definitely help a child work through a loss in their life. 
Read Together: Grades 2 to 5

Read Alone: Grades 3 to 6

Read With: Letters for Leo by Amy Hest, The Great Green Notebook of Katie Roberts by Amy Hest, B is for Betsy by Carolyn Haywood, Middle School is Worse than Meatloaf by Jennifer L. Holm, Hound Dog True by Linda Urban, Marty McGuire series by Kate Messner

Snatch of Text: "Annie and her father often leave each other notes around the house, many of which have something to do with chores, such as this one: 

Annie please! Dirty clothes belong in the hamper... and NOT on the bathroom floor!

Love, Daddy

Or this one: 

Dear Daddy, 

You forgot to take me to the library. Now my library books are LATE, and Miss Madison will make you pay a fine. 

Love, Annie

But on this snowy morning, the note Annie finds has nothing to do with chores: 

Lucky you, Annie! No school today! 

So go back to sleep. 

Or better yet, join me for breakfast..." (p.30-31)

Mentor Text for: Poetry, Dialogue, Tone, Characterization

Writing Prompts: Think of something you have loved and lost. Think of 4 things incidences or aspects of the person/thing you loved and write 4 poems or essays about what you lost. Use Remembering Mrs. Rossi by her students for examples.; What do you think Annie misses the most about her mother? Use examples from the book to support your answer. 

Topics Covered: Death of a Parent, Family, School

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