36 Pages

I just discovered this site and I know I’ll come back to check it often. It’s the website of Craig Frazier (Stanley Goes for a Drive), but he has books by other authors, too. Scroll down through the page and stop at books that interest you. At the bottom of the page, you can hit the back arrow to see more pages. Good stuff!

4 Shared

This site has 28 book trailers. Book trailers can be a great way to check out new books.

Early Elementary Book Trailers

There are lots of book trailers on this site.

I’m always on the lookout for good book trailers. Please add any you find to the Comments Box!

Gail

As I’ve said over and over in this blog, picture books are NOT just for little ones. Some of you will recognize the points below from a previous post. However, I feel so stronglyabout the importance of picture books, I’m running this post again.

Picture books offer so many things to so many readers. Some of the benefits include:

They are fun. Picture book authors know how to deliver a great story in few words and lively language. The illustrations provide another layer of energy, wonderment and delight.

They are motivating. Pictures draw us in and make us want to read on. Books without pictures can do this, too, but not unless we’re already hooked on the power of books.

They are easy to follow. Picture books tend to have straightforward plots. If there are twists, the pictures usually lead you to the right path. These plots invite retelling. I can’t tell you how many times my students have acted out the plots from picture books just because they were simple and easy to recall and of course, fun.

They often introduce new vocabulary and expressions. Picture books seldom use restricted vocabulary, such as early readers use. The authors use whatever language and vocabulary they need to tell their stories and often let the illustrations illuminate the meaning.

They introduce a variety of writing styles, authors, and illustrators. This can provide models for young writers to try in their own stories. When teaching writing, I often used picture books as models.

They provide an excuse to stay close. Reading aloud a chapter book with no pictures can be done from the other side of the room. Picture books demand to be seen. Sitting close is the only way to go.

They provide windows to complex subjects and ideas. Well-written picture books can introduce, clarify, raise questions, challenge and spark interest in all kinds of subjects: science, history, philosophy, emotions, math, attitudes, cultures…

Picture books offer us a chance to make connections and ask questions. But don’t forget, not every book needs to give us any more than a fun reading experience.

MAKE CONNECTIONS

When making connections, readers tie what they read to personal experiences or to other reading, in order to enhance their understanding of themselves, other books, and life itself. This is something enthusiastic and experienced readers do automatically. They read something and think, “Oh, this makes me think of when I …”

For example, in Ezra Jack Keats A Whistle for Willie (my favorite Keats book), Peter tries and tries to whistle. Any child can relate to such repeated attempts to master a skill.

When reading a book together, try modeling this by saying something like, “When I read that part, it made me think when I …” Or, “This makes me think of that book we read…”

ASK QUESTIONS

As you read, you can pose questions about the story.

About the text

Simple:

What will [a character] do next?

Where is [a character] going?

Who did that?

Why did [a character] do that?

Not so simple:

I wonder why [a character] seems so sad?

What message is the author trying to give?

What is your personal opinion about this?

Do you like this character? Why?

Do you like the ending? How would you change it?

Why might this story be scary (funny, confusing…) to some kids? To some adults?

About the illustrations

Simple:

What season is this? How can you tell?

How many ___ are there in this picture?

What picture might be on the next page?

Where is the___?

After reading: What is your favorite illustration? Why?

Not so simple:

I wonder why the illustrator used such dark (bright, pale…) colors?

What do you think is the most important thing in this illustration? What makes it important?

How can you tell that car (girl, dog…) is going fast (feeling sad, is sleeping…)?

CAUTION: We adults tend to overdo the questions. The last thing we want is to make reading together at home seem like a chore. Be aware of your child’s reactions to your questions. Remember, our goal is to show that reading is fun.

Encourage your child to ask his own questions. Try asking your child to think of teacher-type questions for you. Pretending to be the teacher can be great fun and encourages a different type of thinking.

RESOURCES

Into the Book

Busy Teacher’s Café

What does your family like to do when you are reading picture books together? Write them in the Comments box!

Gail

Time for more picture books! Most of this bunch came out in the last year or so, so you may not have read them yet. Enjoy!

 Cows Can’t Jump by Dave Reisman, illustrated by Jason A. Maas

This book and its companion, Cows Can’t Quack, are incredibly charming. The text is simple but clever and the illustrations are a stitch. They are a big hit with preschoolers and early readers.

The Incredible Book Eating Boy by Oliver Jeffers

This book really is about a boy who eats books. He started with just a word, then a sentence, then whole books. At first eating books made him smart, but after a while… things didn’t go so well. Can you predict what happens then?

 Too Purpley by Jean Reidy, illustrated by Genevieve Leloup

Finding the just-right clothes is sometimes a problem. This girl goes through scads of outfits to find just the right one. This book is perfect for predicting words. There are 2 more books in the series:

Too Princessy

Too Pickley

 Stanley Goes for a Drive by Craig Frazier

Stanley gets in his truck and goes for a drive. He has nothing in mind, really, until he spots a cow. Then he gets an idea. This is one of those books that’ll make you think, “How did the author ever come up with this idea? There are 2 more books in the series:

Stanley Goes Fishing

Stanley Mows the Lawn

 Along a Long Road by Frank Viva

If you are into bikes and biking, you should definitely see this book. The words are few but the pictures are very BIKE.

  A Leaf Can Be… by Laura Purdie Salas, illustrated by Violeta Dabija

Although there aren’t many words, there is a lot of science in this book. The main pages give a fair amount of information and the end pages give more.

  Living Sunlight by Molly Bang and Penny Chisholm

Another science book! This one explains how the sun is the source of Earth’s power: for the plants, the animals and us. It’s very much a “Circle of Life” kind of book.

 Pickles, Please! by Andy Myer [I don't know why the cover says Picklicious, my book says Pickles, Please!]

If you have a passion for a particular food, you’ll totally get this book. Alec Smart LOVES pickles. This passion leads him on an adventure and into a parade.

 In the Garden with Dr. Carver by Susan Grigsby, illustrated by Nicole Tadgell

I’ve always enjoyed reading about George Washington Carver. He was born as a slave but by the time he died, he was a college professor. This story tells about how he helped a school create a garden by making the soil richer. He was, in a way, one of the first environmentalists!

 Say Hello to Zorro by Carter Goodrich

Mister Bud was a dog with a very definite schedule. He loved his schedule. Then Zorro moved in. How will Mister Bud ever adjust? It’s very clear that the author knows dogs!

 One Mole Digging a Hole by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Nick Sharratt

This is a basic counting book with fun rhymes and pictures (my favorite: Seven Frogs – they look like they are smiling for a camera!) Try this: before you read a page, guess what the rhyme is by studying the picture.

 A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead, illustrated by Erin E. Stead

Zookeeper Amos McGee takes very good care of his animal friends. But one day he wakes up sick and can’t go in to work. Not to worry, his good friends take the bus and visit him. The story and illustrations are terrific. But I have one question – how do they get on the bus?

 Dog in Boots by Greg Gormley, illustrated by Roberta Angaramo

Do you know the story Puss in Boots? This book is based on that… sort of. Dog wants a pair of boots that are as wonderful as the cat’s boots. He tries many pairs but none quite work. The illustrations are quite funny.

Have you read any picture books you’d like to recommend? Write them in the Comments Box!

Gail

It’s been over 2 months since I last posted a bunch of jokes. It’s about time for some more!

What do you call an alien with three eyes?

An aliiien!!

How do you get a baby astronaut to sleep?

You rocket!

Where do astronauts keep their sandwiches?

In a launch box!!

What is an astronaut’s favorite part of a computer?

The spacebar!!

What do comets say to each other when they meet?

“Pleased to meteor!!”

One astronaut turns to the other and says, “I’m really hungry!”

The second astronaut says, “I’m not surprised! It’s nearly launch time!!”

How do you see flying saucers?

Trip up a waiter!!

Why couldn’t the astronaut book a room on the moon?

Because it was full.

How do astronauts serve dinner?

On flying saucers.

Why does NASA believe there might be life on Mars?

The CD player was stolen from their Mars rover.

Star light, star bright

First star I see tonight

I wish I may, I wish I might

Oh wait, it’s just a satellite

How many astronomers does it take to change a light bulb?

None, astronomers aren’t scared of the dark.

How far can you see on a clear day?

150 million kilometers, from here to the Sun.

While living on Earth might be a little expensive, at least you get a free trip around the Sun every year.

What do you think of that new restaurant on the moon?

The food’s great but it has no atmosphere.

Where does Dr Who buy his cheese?

At a dalek-atessen!

Why did Captain Kirk go into the ladies toilet?

To boldly go where no man has been before!

What do you call a loony spaceman?

An astronut!

What do you call a space magician?

A flying sorcerer!

What did the metric alien say?

Take me to your liter!

What did the alien say to the gas pump?

Don’t you know it’s rude to stick your finger in your ear when I’m talking to you!

How does a robot shave?

With a laser blade!

What do you call a robot that always takes the longest route round?

R2 detour!

Do robots have sisters?

No, just transistors!

How do computers make sweaters?

On the interknit!

Why was the computer in pain?

It had a slipped disk!

Why was the computer so thin?

Because it hadn’t had many bytes!

Why did the mouse sit on the computer?

To keep an eye on the mouse!

What sits in the middle of the World Wide Web?

A very, very big spider!

What’s small, expensive and being constructed at Greenwich, London?

The millennium gnome!

What holds the moon up?

Moon beams!

These are the sites I used:

Kids jokes

Science Kids

Puzzle Pixies

While looking for space jokes, I found this space game site. Looks like fun.

Kids Astronomy

Do you have any other space jokes? Write them in the Comments Box!

Gail

If your child is a struggling reader, it’s possible he or she has been evaluated for learning disabilities (LD). It’s also possible he or she has been diagnosed with a learning disability for reading. This week I’ll talk about 3 books that look at LD quite differently. For the authors, Gary Fisher, PhD and Rhoda Cummings, EdD,

LD = Learning Differences

I recommend that we all adopt this new definition for LD because it’s more accurate. We know our children have strengths. We know they can do lots of things quite well. We also know our children are struggling, for whatever reason. These books help us see the strengths, give us ways to capitalize on them, plus offer strategies to strengthen and work around the weak areas. These are all good things.

In describing the following books, I use the abbreviation LD. I mean it in both senses of the word – LD as schools use it and LD as an abbreviation for Learning Differences.

I first ran this post back in August, 2011. Reviewing it, I thought some of my newer readers might like to read it. This is basically the same post, with a few modifications.

When Your Child has LD (Learning Differences): A Survival Guide for Parents [sorry, no link available]

The first chapters include basic information for parents of kids with LD. It defines it from a school perspective, describes some possible causes, lists some early signs and explains parents’ legal rights. These chapters are written clearly and give lots of information.

As important as the first chapters are, I think the later chapters are just as important. They present information about how Learning Differences affect the child, the parents and the whole family, plus give many ways to work with the school to boost success.

  The Survival Guide for Kids with LD (Learning Differences)

I see this book as having 4 major benefits:

1. Helps struggling students know they’re not alone with their struggles and that they are not dumb.
2. Gives encouragement to seek and accept help.
3. Gives hope.
4. Gives strategies for successful schooling.

The print is large enough to be reader-friendly. There are frequent and helpful subtitles. Cartoons and other illustrations appear several times in each chapter. If this book appeals to you but you think it’ll be a hard sell to your child, try leaving it out for a few days to see if he or she picks it up out of curiosity. That might be a way to get spark interest.

The School Survival Guide for Kids with LD (Learning Differences) [sorry, no link available]

This book was written as a response to the many letters the authors received from kids who read the first survival guide. It’s broken down into 3 parts:

1. Ways to Make School Easier and More Fun (organizational skills, learning differences, time management, time management, more…)
2. School Tools for Learning (ways to improve reading, writing, spelling, math)
3. Ways to Keep School Cool (school social skills)

There are recommended learning and teaching materials at the end of the book for organization skills, school skills, writing, spelling, math and social skills.

I hope at least one of these books prove helpful for you. They certainly would have been helpful to me when my son was in school and I definitely would have had them as part of the lending library in my classroom.

Please share your experiences on having a struggling student. We are in this together!

Gail

Back in March, I wrote about THE SOLAR SYSTEM and OUTER SPACE books.  This week the books are all about space travel and the stars. I hope you find some you enjoy.  The universe awaits! 

SPACE TRAVEL

Cars on Mars: Roving the Red Planet by Alexandra Siy

In 2004, two unusual robots landed on Mars. The golf-cart-sized, remote-controlled rovers were controlled by scientists at NASA. They roll slowly across the planet’s terrain, collecting and analyzing samples and transfer data (including pictures) back to earth. Although the rovers were designed to last for 90 days, they continue to work more than five years later. This book follows the robots’ work, with lots of pictures from the mission.

Space Station Science: Life in Free Fall by Marianne J. Dyson (sorry, no link was available)

The author was one of the first 10 women to work in NASA’s Mission Control. She’s used her experience and passion for space exploration to write this book. It covers lots of information about getting into and living in space. What’s it like to live without day and night? What happens to your muscles when there’s no gravity? And what happens when a meteor hits the space station? To help us understand, she gives simple experiments to try.

Other space books by Dyson:

Home on the moon : living on a space frontier 

Stars and planets 

The space explorer’s guide to stars and galaxies

You Are the First Kid on Mars by Patrick O’Brien

This book is about a possible first trip to Mars. The author uses the most up-to-date information about what it will take to establish a base on Mars. This is a pretty neat book.

Is There Life in Outer Space? by Franklyn M. Branley, illustrated by Edward Miller

Many things live on planet Earth. But do they live anywhere else? For a long time, people have wondered about that. Have you? Is There Life in Outer Space? tells about how scientists search for signs of life in outer space. This is a Reading Rainbow book.

How Does a Spacecraft Reach the Moon? by Barbara J. Davis

This book reveals the science behind the force and the energy it takes to get a large spacecraft into space. It has photographs and illustrations, plus real-world examples, to explain.

THE STARS

Glow-in-the-Dark Constellations by Jessica Dowling, illustrated by Stephen Marchesi

This book is very cool. On one page it has several star constellations and on the facing page it has pictures of what the stars are supposed to show. Constellations seem much less mysterious to me now.

Inside Stars by Andra Serlin Abramson and Mordecai-Mark Mac Low

This is a beautiful and chock-full-of-information book. It’s clearly written and the photographs and diagrams are amazing. It’s part of the Inside… [other topics: hurricanes, tornadoes, butterflies and more] series by the American Museum of Natural History. The text is challenging – around 7th grade – but definitely worth sweet-talking someone to read it with you.

The Sun and Stars by Giles Sparrow (sorry, no link was available)

I really like how this book is put together. It covers lots of space topics [the sun, flares and spots, supernovae and more] in a you-want-to-keep-reading way. Each topic gets a double page and is broken into information blocks and fantastic photos. I particularly like the Traveler’s Tips giving pointers on how to do your scientific investigations.

It’s fun to think about planets, stars, black holes and all sorts of space things. What do you like to think and read about? Write about it in the Comments Box!

Gail

While looking for ABC crafts, games and activities, I found some ABC games to play online. See what you think of these.

Read Write Think

ABC Match Match letters to pictures in a memory game.

Puzzle Me Words Unscramble letters to spell short words.

ABC Ya

Educational Games There’s a bunch of different games here for grades K-5.

Utah Education Network

ABCs for Grades K-2 Another bunch of games.

Learning Planet

ABC Order A game for practicing alphabetical order.

Hope you find these games fun!

Gail

The ABCs offer lots of game ideas.

Uh-Oh Alphabet Game

I like this game because the Uh-Oh cards level the playing field. Even players who are good at letter names and sounds can get an Uh-Oh card and have their cards wiped out.

Alphabet I-Spy

Play this when you’re stuck in line or in traffic. Take turns picking out an object in your surroundings and saying, “I spy something that begins with the letter [insert the letter your object begins with].” To narrow down the search, the people guessing can ask you yes or no questions about the object. Whoever guesses right gets to pick the next object.

Go Fish

Sometimes you can find ABC flashcards in the store, with more than one card representing each letter. Use these to play Go Fish. To play, deal out 7 cards to each player (or fewer if several people are playing). Players ask, “Does anyone have a card with a B-word?” If you need directions for the basic game, click here.

Another way to play is to make your own. Click here for the Kiz Club site. It has a bunch of ABC pictures. I so wish I’d known about this site when I was teaching. It would have saved me a ton of time!

Coloring

Just want to chill out coloring? Here are several sites with ABC pictures.

Apples for the Teacher

Alphabet Soup

TLS Books

All Kids Network

DLTK

Be sure to check out these posts for more ABC fun:

Promoting Literacy with ABC Books

ABC Crafts to Boost Creativity

And come back on Friday for ABC Online Games

Gail

What fun these posts about ABC books have been! I have to admit that I couldn’t stop at a dozen this week! I met Willow Bascom this weekend and loved her book, Paisley Pig, so much I had to sneak it in. If you missed last week’s books, click here.

Brian Wildsmith’s ABC by Brian Wildsmith

This is a very basic ABC book, but because it’s by Brian Wildsmith, it’s filled with gorgeous illustrations. If I could be an illustrator, I’d like to be Brian Wildsmith.

What Pete Ate from A-Z by Maira Kalman

Pete has a wild appetite. He starts with Nico’s accordion and works his way through the alphabet. The pictures are quite detailed, following Pete from letter to letter. Many dog owners will understand!

Z is for Moose by Kelly Bingham, illustrated by Paul Zelinsky

Zebra is putting together an ABC book but his friend Moose keeps butting in (love his appearance in Kangaroo’s pouch!). All goes reasonably well until Zebra features Mouse on the M page. This is a really funny book.

Many Nations: An Alphabet of Native America by Joseph Bruchac, illustrated by Robert F. Goetzl [Sorry, no link available.]

This is a beautiful book. Each letter shows either one of the nations of Native America (Iroquois, Navaho, Shinnecock…) or an important symbol or idea (eagle, visions…). The paintings are ones you want to spend time with.

The Turn-Around, Upside-Down Alphabet Book by Lisa Campbell Ernst

I love clever books and this is a very clever book. Each letter becomes three different objects as the book is turned different directions. A becomes a bird’s beak, K is a picnic table, Q is a magnifying glass. Try as I might, I couldn’t see most of the images until I read the caption. And then… obvious!

Alphabet Mystery by Audrey Wood and Bruce Wood

Another clever book! All the letters discover that Little x is missing. They hop on a flying pencil and track him down to a castle. Oh no! Giant M plans to put them all in an alphabet soup! How will they escape?

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault, illustrated by Lois Ehlert

This is a classic. It tells the story of what happens when the whole alphabet tries to climb a coconut tree. It BEGS to be read aloud. If you can track down an audio version of Ray Charles reading it, get it – pure magic!

We’re All in the Same Boat by Zachary Shapiro, illustrated y Jack E. Davis

Ever wondered what happened aboard Noah’s Ark after floating around for a few months? Well… this author has some ideas. At first the ants were antsy, the dogs were demanding, the voles were vexed… Until, that is, Noah hollered, “We’re all in the same boat!” Things began to change after that. The giraffes made gifts, the orangutans organized their toys…

Z Goes Home by Jon Agee [Sorry no link available.]

Everybody has a job to do, and so does the letter Z. But when the workday’s done, Z goes home. Not only does each page have a picture showing a letter, the picture is the letter: an E-shaped earthquake, an M-shaped mirror… And Z is checking out each one.

B is for Bulldozer by June Sobel, illustrated by Melissa Iwai

This is great book for construction and heavy machinery enthusiasts. Each picture gives wonderful opportunities to guess what is representing the letter. The final construction is pretty great, too.

The Hidden Alphabet by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

Clever, clever, clever! First you see a box in the middle of the page, with a labeling word (arrowhead, balloons, cloud). Then lift the flap and the original picture becomes the space of the letter. It’s easier to see than explain!

Click, Clack, Quackity-Quack: An Alphabetical Adventure by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin

If you are a fan of Click, Clack Moo: Cows That Type, (like me!) you’ll like this book. The cows on Farmer Brown’s farm are typing again. The animals are all heading somewhere. But where? You’ll find out at the end of the book…

Paisley Pig & Friends: A Multicultural ABC by Willow Bascom

This is a very cool book. Besides being beautiful, it’s perfect for guessing what’s in the illustration to represent the letter. Fortunately, the author includes a list at the end of the book. Tricky!

Here’s the idea I told you about last week:

My friend Patricia Newman is an author of kid’s books [check out her guest post]. She also has a blog and on her blog she has a special contest for kids. It’s called Kids on KidLit. If you go to her site you can read all the details but basically you just:

• Read a Book
• Write a book review
• Send it to her

Do this and she will:

• Publish your book review on her blog (very cool!)
• Enter your name to win a book – she gives away one book every month. (also cool!)

So why am I telling you about this today? I think reviewing a bunch of ABC books would be great. Patricia doesn’t care how many reviews you write, so read and review!

Don’t forget to add your ABC favorites to the Comments Box for the next time I post about them. Thanks!

Gail

Here is a collection of crafts using letters and your creativity.

Alphabet Rocks Craft

Find some rocks. Paint them. Paint letters on them. Make your name! Create a message!

Alphabet Letters Memory Game

This looks like it would be hard but fun!

Alphabet Refrigerator Magnets

Every refrigerator needs letters for writing secret messages!

Leaf Picture Alphabet

There are no real directions here but the basic idea is to use leaves and parts of leaves to create ABC (or any other kind) pictures. Looks like fun.

Fishing for Letters

Try fishing for the letters in your name. Or you can fish for letters until you can spell a word.

Alphabet Cookies

Roll…Form…Bake…Eat!

I hope you had fun with these. Did you think up any new ABC activities? Write them in the Comments Box!

Gail