It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 5/13/13

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA! 

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading right now…who knows, you might discover that next “must read” book!

After doing the meme for a couple of weeks, we realized this would be a fun meme to start up with a kidlit focus - anyone reading and reviewing books in children's literature - it can be picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, you name it in the world of kidlit and it's in! We have loved being a part of this meme and we hope you do too!  We encourage everyone participating to go and visit the other kidlit book bloggers that link up and to comment on as many posts as you can. We love talking books and believe in sharing and discussing what we're reading. We hope you join us!

Announcements: 
This week is Children's Book Week! 
Check out Book Week Online to see the winners 
of the Children's Choice Book Awards. 
We'll be discussing the winners on Thursday. 


The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle 
Giveaway Winner

Sara Brown

Paperboy Giveaway Winner

Jennifer Moyers

Last Week's Book Adventures:

Jen Says: Hmm...I don't know where last week went. It was another busy week! I am totally out of the book pic groove and I've been reading but I'm just not in a good rhythm. I did finish rereading From What I Remember... and I loved it all over again. I've been thinking a lot about the manuscript I've been working on since Teachers Write last summer and also developing an idea for this summer and rereading From What I Remember... was exactly what I needed. Such great, well-written YA characters. If you are ready for a get-me-into-summer-mode kind of book, I definitely recommend it! I listened to Quiet but wasn't able to finish it yet. This is a must-read book already! A fascinating look at introverts (especially to me since I'm an extrovert). I also started reading The Girl From Felony Bay and I am totally enjoying it so far! Can't wait to read more.  

Kellee Says: A great novel week! The three novels I read were all phenomenal and I am not sure what took me so long to get to them: Boy21 by Matthew Quick, every day by David Leviathan, and Ask the Passengers by A.S. King. If you have not read these, get on it. Such brilliant books! I also was able to finish my David Sedaris book Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim. (Which by the way if you didn't see David Sedaris on The Daily Show, find it- it was hilarious though NSFW!)

Reviewed Last Week

 

Interview and Blog Tour

 

Jen's Recap
Just click on any picture above to go read the review

Upcoming Book Adventures: 

Jen Says: My plan for this week is to finish listening to Quiet and to finish reading The Girl From Felony Bay. I am going to a book club with Elizabeth Eulberg at a local indie on Wednesday but I haven't read any of her books so I grabbed one when I was in the bookstore over the weekend that I'd like to read before Wednesday. I've also been reading Book Love by Penny Kittle and I have other professional books I'm hoping to dig into including Deeper Reading by Kelly Gallagher and Stand Out by Marcus Buckingham.  I also have a nice big bag of picture books from the library to dive into this week as I get back into my bookaday and bookpic routine!

Kellee Says: So I sadly decided that for the rest of the school year I am not going to listen to audiobooks because I am car pooling almost every day, so instead I have been listening to podcasts which is actually a really fun change of pace. As for reading, I started Catch and Release by Blythe Woolston and am working my way through it. Next I plan on reading Irises by Francisco X. Stork as well as some fun poetry books we got from Candlewick. It'll be a great reading week :) 

This Week's Reviews:

      

Check back throughout the week to hear about these books. 

So, what are you reading this week? 

Link up below and don't forget to check out other blogs to see what they are reading!

To help build our community and support other bloggers, 

we ask that you please try to comment on at least the three blogs that posted before you. 

Also, if you tweet about your Monday post, don't forget to use #IMWAYR!

and

Jen's Mish Mash in May

Believe it or not, like it or not, ready or not, May is here! It's actually closer to mid-May than the first of May. It's hard to understand how the school year has flown by or that fact that it's truly May already. We have been so busy on the blog with our Girl Power series and other guest posts that I haven't had the chance to talk about rereading in April or some other fun things that have happened lately. I have been making of list of things to blog about and this is the lucky post where I mix it all up and share with everyone. To start, I'd like to quickly recap my rereading in April. Then, I'd like to talk about Edcamp Chicago and the fact that my oldest son, Peanut, is six which also means that it's the three-year anniversary of Teach Mentor Texts. So much to share!

Last year in April, I declared it to be a month of rereading. This year, I decided to give myself the go ahead to take a break from new books so I could reread some favorites again. I think it's a combination of April being such a super busy time of year and the awesomeness of rereading, but it was exactly what I needed as much this year as I did last year. I enjoyed revisiting books that I love. It's a wonderful feeling to read or listen to a book that I already know I enjoy. Many of my reviews of rereads were all about how we read it first to soak in the story and then when we reread we're able to acknowledge and appreciate what the author has done. Rereading is so critical and I believe now more than ever that we need to keep this in mind when working with students. How often do we read with students and then stop and ask questions about craft or literary techniques without giving them time to reread? We should stop and ask them to read it again or listen as we reread and to think about what the author is doing. It comes down to giving students the chance to read it and revel in it the first time but then the expectation to focus and find what the author has done that makes it so great by rereading. And sometimes when rereading we are able to more objectively view a text. There were a few books I actually was much more critical of as I reread because I could access the text with a different lens having already read it one time through. Overall, rereading in April was another fascinating trip into thinking about how readers read. Here are my 2013 rereads (click on the titles to read the review)!

Jen's 2013 April Rereads:

The Fault In Our Stars

Okay For Now

Bink and Gollie #1

Bink and Gollie #2

All-American Girl

Squid and Octopus: Friends for Always

From What I Remember...

Will Grayson, Will Grayson

The Dreamer

Naked Mole-Rat Letters

Gabby and Gator

Velma Gratch and the Way Cool Butterfly

Two weeks ago, I got to attend my very first Edcamp! It was also my first time organizing an Edcamp so it was an insanely crazy learning experience for me in more ways than one. I'm still reeling from how energizing it can be to simply gather people in a space and let them free to share and discuss and learn from one another. If you haven't heard the news on Twitter, Colby Sharp is organizing his own Nerdy version of Edcamp on July 11th in Battle Creek, Michigan. I'm ecstatic to be on the team to help bring his nErDcamp vision to life. Click the link here to register and join us! If you couldn't make it to Edcamp Chicago or aren't able to travel to Michigan this summer, I recommend looking for an Edcamp near your or hosting your own! It's a phonomenal experience!

My baby turned six on Friday! It's crazy to think that I have a six-year-old son! It's been amazing to think of how much he has grown. On Friday, when he woke up, I told him about the day he was born. It was a week past my due date and I had to be induced. We woke up super early and drove to the hospital so I could get all hooked up to machines and start the whole process of inducing labor. It wasn't until 7:10 p.m. that he finally made an appearance. I'll never forget the feeling of holding him and looking into his eyes for the first time. And now, six years later, I'm so proud of the kiddo he has become. He's just a blast to be around. He has a kind heart and a great sense of humor. He was born a few days before Mother's Day making him the hands-down, best Mother's Day gift I could ever ask for. 

Three years ago, after we celebrated Peanut's birthday with family, I remember he took a nap and I sat down to take the plunge into book blogging. I had already been blogging for over year but a dear friend, Laura, suggested I think about doing a book blog since I was always reviewing books on my home/family/cute kid blog. I was pregnant with Little Bean and had just turned in my National Boards box...I have no idea why that was the day, but it was. And here we are today, three years later. Right from the beginning, I felt such a warm welcome from other book bloggers. I've so appreciated the guidance and support from Danielle at There's a Book who has been and continues to be a true inspiration along with all the other great bloggers out there! Two years ago, Kellee started blogging with me and she has been a great partner. I have loved being able to collaborate with her and to share her perspectives on books and reading here at Teach Mentor Texts. I'm sad to see her go but know her new blog Unleashing Readers will be an asset to the blogging community. Overall, blogging for the last three years has brought me so many wonderful experiences and I'm looking forward to seeing how my adventure in blogging continues. 

With all the reflecting I've been doing on my life, blogging, and the school year lately, I realized it was important to share how important reflection really is. It was also the perfect opportunity to create a postcard to share with you using my Bill Atkinson Photocard app. I love this app! A big thank you to everyone who has visited and been part of Teach Mentor Texts over the past three years!

If you've made it all the way to the end of this post: hooray! It was a mix of news and updates but important things I wanted to share and celebrate. What's new in your world this week? What are you reflecting upon at this point in your life, career, school year? I'd love to hear about it!

 

Funny Little Bird

Title: A Funny Little Bird 
Author: Jennifer Yerkes  
Illustrator: Jennifer Yerkes 
Publisher: Sourcebooks by Jabberwocky 
Publication Date: May 7th, 2013 
Genre/Format: Fiction/Picture Book 
GoodReads Summary: A lonely, invisible bird mistakenly believes that adorning himself with flashy feathers and flowers will make him beautiful and win him new friends. Except his plan quickly backfires when his magnificent plumage attracts the attention of everyone, even the fox! In his rush to safety the little bird loses every last bit of his new decorations, making him invisible once again. Except now in place of his loneliness is the knowledge that putting others first is the key to friendship and high self-esteem. 
What I Think: All school year, I have been focusing on looking closely at my own personality and strengths and weaknesses and how I interact with others who bring similar or different personality preferences. Just yesterday, our department received the book Stand Out by Marcus Buckingham. It focuses on recognizing and capitalizing on one's strengths. As a department, we took the quiz to find out what are our two strengths and then what those combined mean about who we are and our role. It was so interesting and so far has seemed very accurate. I'm eager to read the book and find out more about it's message but it's timely as I discuss this book about a little lonely bird who is trying to find his place in the world. The more I think about stories, the more I realize that the problems people involve people more often than not. In thinking about young adult literature especially, communication and fitting in and developing one's identity is so prevalent because that's exactly what adolescents are experiencing and grappling with.
     This sweet little story made me stop and think about what the little bird is experiencing and what choices he makes at different times in the book and how he feels by the end. The message of allowing yourself to be who you are and surrounding yourself with people who will support that is an important one for students of any age to think about and recognize. This book would make a great read aloud at the beginning of the year while building respect and rapport with students or throughout the year as a reminder of how we acknowledge each other's differences and try to celebrate those. This book would match really well with any book about recognizing differences and/or bullying.
Read Together: Grades 3 - 12 
Read Alone: Grades 3 - 12 
Read With: Wonder by RJ Palacio, Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper, One by Katherine Otoshi, The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss  
Snatch of Text: 

"The funny little bird decided not to be sad 

and continued on his way, 

with a souvenir under his wing, 

and an idea in his head." 

Reading Strategies to Practice: Activating Background Knowledge, Making Connections, Making Inferences 
Writing Strategies to Practice: Sentence Complexity, Supporting with Evidence   
Writing Prompts: Write about what you can infer about the funny little bird and how he was feeling and why he made the decision to be himself at the end. Include evidence from the text that supports your inferences. 
Topics Covered: Individuality, Adversity, Self-Esteem, Self-Confidence, Friendship

I *heart* It:

 

Platypus Police Squad

Title:  Platypus Police Squad: The Frog Who Croaked
Author:  Jarrett J. Krosoczka
Illustrator:  Jarrett J. Krosoczka
Publisher:  Walden Pond Press
Publication Date:  May, 2013
Genre/Format:  Fantasy/Novel
GoodReads Summary: From the Files of the Platypus Police Squad - Case #1138 Detectives of record: Rick Zengo and Corey O'Malley
Case brief: A local schoolteacher is missing, and the only thing fishier than the circumstances surrounding his disappearance is the smell coming from the bag he left behind. All clues point to billionaire businessman Frank Pandini Jr.--but why would Pandini get his paws into the illegal fish trade?  
What Kellee Thinks: Things I loved about this book: 
-Cop show allusions ("This is the city. Kalamazoo City. Population: 75,000. By day, it's bright, vibrant metropolis, the kind of city where dreams come true. It is a mecca of business, the arts, sports, and cuisine, and, at the center of it all, the gleaming facade of Pandini Tower, the jewel of Kalamazoo City. Those who don't live here dream of making it here. And those who do, well, they know that there's just no city like it. 
But it is a different city once the sun goes down. The criminal element, asleep by day, haunts certain dark corners at nigh. Especially the run-down old docks on the south side of town, perhaps the darkest corner of all." p. 1) 
-Puns (specifically animal puns) 
-The sly inclusion of forensics
-Jarrett Krosoczka's illustrations
-Um... Platypi are awesome! (Or is it platypuses just platypus?) Specifically Zengo and O'Malley who are the typical old cranky cop and young anxious rookie who team up together to fight the crime of Kalamazoo City. 
-The mystery aspect which allows the reader to be part of the police squad and can make predictions about what the outcome will be. 
What Jen Thinks: Sometimes books with animal characters makes me think too much about how possible would be it and things stand out to me more than with human characters. I must be developing as a reader because I didn't struggle with reading this book with animal characters as much as I have with other books in the past. Something about the way Jarrett wrote the characters made me feel so connected to them. I love Zengo and that there is so much more to him then it seems at first. He's actually a pretty complex platypus dude. I like how readers uncover more and more about him as the story goes on. I particularly love that he drinks hot chocolate every morning. Now there's a great visual: a platypus chilling at the breakfast table with his mug of hot chocolate. Gotta love it. 
     As layered as Zengo is, so is the plot of this story. Throughout the book there is a dark, creepy feeling of not knowing exactly what's going on or who exactly is up to no good. The reader definitely gets clues along the way but there are so many little pieces to tie together. Overall, it reminded me of great mystery movies or shows where even the innocent people had their own stories to tell in getting mixed up in everything. 
      I love the characterization in this book. Jarrett brings some amazing characters to life. I know I'm not supposed to like them, but Diaz and Lucinni cracked me up. They're just so ridiculous it's hysterical. I also really loved Peggy the secretary. She reminded me of Roz from Monsters Inc or Grandma Ethyl from the old show Dinosaurs. 
     When it comes to kids reading this book, I think the are really going to enjoy the characters and the mystery. I have a feeling they'll get caught up in the plot. I'm fairly confident they'll be calling for a sequel. I know I am! Bravo to Jarrett and his foray into middle grade non-graphic-novel novels! *applauds*
Read Together: Grades 4 - 6 
Read Alone: Grades 4 - 6 
Read With: Fourth Stall by Chris Rylander, Neversink by Barry Wolverton, Theordore Boone, Kid Lawyer by John Grisham, Half Moon Investigations by Eoin Colfer, The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin, A-Z Mysteries by Ron Roy,  Big Splash by Jack Ferraiolo
Snatch of Text:  
"He eyed the police-band radio and the dashboard like it was his birthday party right there in the car." (p. 27)
Mentor Text For:  Puns, Making Predictions, Simile, Activating Background Knowledge, Visualization, Characterization, Dialogue, Making Inferences, Identifying Character Traits, Expository
Writing Prompts: Choose a character from Platypus Police Squad and then explain what you infer about his or her character traits with specific text evidence.  
Topics Covered: Family, Friendship, Work Relationships, Adversity, Hard-Work, Determination, Trustworthy

We *Heart* It: 

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**Thank you to Walden Pond Press for sending us a copy for review!**

Paperboy Blog Tour

On Tuesday, we shared our review of Paperboy by Vince Vawter, a super special book about a boy with a stutter who takes over his friend's paper delivery route one summer and learns more than he could have ever expected about the unique people in his community but moreso about himself. 

Today, we are ecstatic to welcome Vince Vawter to answer some of our burning questions about Paperboy! Random House Children's Books has also offered to give away a copy of Paperboy. To enter, see the form at the bottom of the post. Without further ado, here is our interview with Vince!

TMT: Paperboy is based on your experiences as a child with a stutter. The main character’s story has a lot to do with overcoming his struggle with stuttering but also with gaining confidence and self-esteem in general. Can you share more about how a stutter might impact a person?

Vince Vawter: A person who stutters and tries to hide it, especially an adolescent, has a hard time being himself/herself. The person seeks to compensate by concentrating on secondary skills. In my case, it was athletics. There also is the confusion of having the outward appearance of being normal, but then all normality vanishing when talking is attempted.  When this happens many times a day, day in and day out, the psyche is undoubtedly affected. There also is a heavy “why me” quotient. Talking is so easy for most of the people on the planet (some might say too easy). “Why have I been singled out?” is the inevitable question. Some adults, while they still might possess a stutter, outgrow the self-imposed shame. In some circles, it is called “letting go.” After all, stuttering is what you do when you try not to stutter.

TMT: In the author’s notes you mentioned that the book was more memoir than fiction. What parts of the story were added that did not happen to you?

Vince Vawter: The only character in the book who does not have a counterpart in my childhood is Mr. Spiro. Halfway through writing the book, I realized that Mr. Spiro actually is the present-day Vince Vawter. All the narrative action in the book has some basis in fact. For instance, while I did not witness a stabbing, I did watch a junk man die under the hedges in our backyard. I did not accompany Mam to a “juke joint,” but Mam’s predecessor, unbeknownst to my parents at the time, would haul me off to a similar place during the day where I would be served milk and she would partake of other libations. That’s the reason Mam took her place. The speech events (fainting, biting through my tongue, thumbtack wounds, throwing up) are all happenings from my childhood. I did substitute on a Press-Scimitar newspaper route and I did have a pretty good fastball. And I did love Mam with all my heart. I never have thought of her a “housekeeper.” She was my dearest friend and more of a “soul keeper.” There was a question about my biological father, but this didn’t come about until many years later – 50 to be exact.

TMT: Paperboy is your first book but you worked and wrote for newspapers for 40 years. How was the transition from writing and working for a newspaper to writing and publishing a novel?

Vince Vawter: The process was more complicated than I had ever imagined. The first challenge was to learn to show and not tell. I also had trouble introducing a fictional overlay to a true story. When should I invent and when should I stick to the facts? It was a constant struggle. Mr. Spiro finally helped me out on that one when he told the paperboy that more truth can be found in fiction.

TMT: The voice in Paperboy is very specific because it is how the narrator would have typed the story. Why did you choose to tell your story this way?

Vince Vawter: While I did bang around on an old typewriter as a boy, I didn’t attempt to write stories. When I started writing my narrative, it occurred to me I wished I had put my thoughts down on paper as a child. I found that the typewriter was an easy conveyance for me to return to my adolescence. I began each writing session with the thought: “What would the paperboy have typed about . . . “ It seems my old, arthritic fingers could almost feel the boy’s 11-year-old fingers on the typewriter keys.

TMT: It seems like the story with Mr. Spiro is not completed. Are you planning a sequel?

Vince Vawter: The thought frightens me, but I did leave Mr. Spiro at loose ends for that very reason. You are perceptive. My agent says that my readers will let me know if they want a sequel. I’m listening.

TMT: At first glance, Paperboy seems to be only about a child overcoming stuttering, but there are deep topics such as race relations, education, loss of hearing, and philosophy all within a historical fiction background. What compelled you to tackle so many tough issues?

Vince Vawter: The first incarnation of Paperboy was for a general audience. My agent and then my editor convinced me to redirect it to a younger audience. I didn’t think it could be done and still retain all the sub-themes, but somehow I found the path. My mentors kept telling me to have faith in my readers. I continue to believe the novel can be read on several different levels with each reader bringing something different and carrying away something different. You left out one topic -- attention deficit disorder. The paperboy says that thoughts went around in his head like the pinball in the machine at the drugstore. While there is no empirical evidence, I believe there is some connection between ADD/ADHD and stuttering. The answer will be in the genetic code.

TMT: Many authors contend that to be a great author you have to be a reader.  Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not?

Vince Vawter: I certainly agree, but I think you have to be a special type of reader. I tend to read at two different speeds, much too fast and excruciatingly slow. I speed read for information, but when I find myself drawn to a certain style of writing, I put it into low gear and read at a crawl, sometimes reading aloud to myself. I can hear the paperboy’s voice much better when I read it aloud.

TMT: At Teach Mentor Texts, we're all about promoting literacy and spreading the love of books. How would you finish these statements: Reading is...  Writing is...

Vince Vawter: Reading is . . . a close second to breathing, it being difficult to exist without either. Writing is . . . the path to understanding. 

We are so glad Vince shared the story in Paperboy and then some insight into his life as a reader and writer with us here at Teach Mentor Texts. To win a copy of this great book, please complete the following form.

Be sure to visit these other great blogs on the Paperboy blog tour!

May 7^th: Teach Mentor Texts

May 8^th: Random Acts of Reading

May 9^th: Teach Mentor Texts

May 10^th: Ms. Yingling Reads

May 13^th: The Children’s Book Review

May 14^th: Nerdy Book Club

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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

We *Heart* It: 

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

Paperboy

Title:  Paperboy
Author: Vince Vawter 
Publisher:  Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Publication Date:  May 14, 2013
Genre/Format:  Historical Fiction/Novel
GoodReads Summary:  An 11-year-old boy living in Memphis in 1959 throws the meanest fastball in town, but talking is a whole different ball game. He can barely say a word without stuttering, not even his own name. So when he takes over his best friend's paper route for the month of July, he knows he'll be forced to communicate with the different customers, including a housewife who drinks too much and a retired merchant marine who seems to know just about everything. 
     The paper route poses challenges, but it's a run-in with the neighborhood junkman, a bully and thief, that stirs up real trouble--and puts the boy's life, as well as that of his family's devoted housekeeper, in danger.
What Jen Thinks: This year on American Idol, one of the top finalists was a guy named Lazaro Arbos, who has a stutter. He takes a long time to produce words when he is talking but when he is singing, the words come out beautifully. I loved watching him progress through the competition and to hear his story. At one point, Lazarro shared how difficult it can be for someone with a stutter to make and friendships. It really touched my heart and I found myself making connections between Lazaro and the main character in this book. I'm currently listening to the book Quiet by Susan Cain and that is giving me a totally different perspective on introverts and personalities in general. Throughout the book, I thought so much about how a stutter really impacts who you want to be and what you can do in life. I found myself thinking of Mattie from Hound Dog True by Linda Urban. Mattie is painfully shy and in a way she reminded me of the main character in Paperboy.
     I really enjoyed Vince's descriptions in this book. As a mentor text, it would be great for kids to look at how he describes while not simply telling the reader about what is happening. He uses clues about what might be happening at a certain moment or place and describes what is going on in a scene to show more about what is happening. I especially love the snatch of text below where he describes dusk. I can exactly visualize that time of night when you really start to notice bugs hanging around. When you all of a sudden realize the sun has almost disappeared and you can't really see what's going on around you any more. I love how this simple snatch of text can be an example of how how kids can describe in their writing. 
What Kellee Thinks: I found this book fascinating. It dealt with many different topics from stuttering to racism in the South and definitely shows the power of others in helping a young person find his/her voice (and in this book, that is a literal statement). I loved how it was written because although our narrator wasn't very vocal in his life, he loved writing and found his voice through his writing. It is through this art that he is able to tell his story. It is also quite interesting that though he is writing his story, he withholds his name until the very end because he has trouble saying it himself. He is referred to mostly as "Little Man" throughout the book. 
     But, by far, my favorite thing about this story is all of the characters our narrator gets involved with when he begins his paper route. First is Little Man's first crush, a pretty young wife who likes to drink and who Little Man cannot figure out. Second is a homeless man who bullies Little Man out of some of his possessions and is haunted by his past. Third, and most importantly, is a Merchant Marine who shows Little Man that there is more out there and that he can be whomever he wants to be. It is through these different adults that our narrator really starts to become his own. 
     In the classroom, this book would be a great discussion start about many different topics. Since it is historical, it gives a different perspective into many different topics including television and racism. Vawter also writes this novel with a great voice and makes interesting choices with punctuation that would be interesting to talk to students about. 
Read Together: Grades 6 - 8 
Read Alone: Grades 6 - 8 
Read With:  Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper, Wonder by RJ Palacio, Okay For Now by Gary Schmidt, The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan, Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine, Hound Dog True by Linda Urba
Snatch of Text: 

"The streets are like friends I don't have to talk to." (p. 11)

"I didn't know what time it was but I knew I was going to have a tough time beating it home by seven o'clock. It wasn't pitch-dark yet but more flies were swarming around the porch light and a few lightning bugs were warming up out in the yard for a big Friday night in Memphis." (p. 33)

     "I didn't have to think too long because I had wanted to see the inside of Mr. Spiro's house all along. I was nervous but not from knowing I might have to say something. The nervousness came from being excited just like before the first pitch of a ball game.
     The house was not going to be like my house. I was sure of that. But I didn't know what to expect. Never in a gazillion years could I have guessed what I was going to see.
     Books. Hundreds. Thousands. Wall to wall. Floor to ceiling." (p. 101-102)

"I wish I had a book

That did not have an end.

I go to pick it up

And it is new again.

The words feel real 

And mine to share.

The have no sound.

They have no air.

My voice is clear

And lets me speak

My fear is gone

I'm never weak.

My words all come

And right on time.

The words are true

The words are mine."

(p. 108-109)

Mentor Text For:  Voice, First Person Point of View, Grammar, Simile, Making Predictions, Contractions (p. 30), Poetry (p. 108-109), Descriptive, Personal Narrative
Writing Prompts:  There are some unexpected players in this young boy's life that he would have never thought would affect him the way they did. Think of someone in your life that you thank for helping, influencing, or changing you and write them a thank you letter. 
Topics Covered: Candide, Voltaire, Speech Pathology, Baseball, Alcoholism, Anxiety, Infidelity, Genetics, Fathers, Heidegger, Existentialism, Segregation, Linguistics, Language, Race Relations, Faith, History of the Alphabet (p. 64-65), Myths (p. 66), Television (p. 44)

We *Heart* It: 

We're happy to be part of the Paperboy blog tour! 

Be sure to visit the other stops!

May 7^th: Teach Mentor Texts

May 8^th: Random Acts of Reading

May 9^th: Teach Mentor Texts

May 10^th: Ms. Yingling Reads

May 13^th: The Children’s Book Review

May 14^th: Nerdy Book Club

and
**Thank you to Random House Children's Books (specifically Nicole and Vince) for contacting us to be part of the blog tour and sending us a copy for review!**