Great Kid Books

A Ball for Daisy, by Chris Raschka - winner of the 2012 Caldecott Medal (ages 3 - 8)

2012-01-26T04:00:00.000-08:00

Our 2nd graders at Emerson have loved thinking about which picture books should win the 2012 Caldecott Medal, participating in a mock Caldecott of our own. Yesterday we read A Ball for Daisy, by Chris Raschka, who was awarded the 2012 Caldecott Medal this past weekend by the American Library Association. This wordless book will appeal to a wide range of children, from young preschoolers on up. Our students responded to the way Raschka expressed so many emotions purely through his paintings.

A Ball for Daisy
by Chris Raschka
NY: Schwartz & Wade / Random House, 2011
ages 3 - 8
available from your local library, favorite bookstore or on Amazon
2012 Caldecott Medal

Daisy is a happy, eager little dog who loves her red ball. She leaps and bounds, playing with it at home and then at the park. But one day at the park, another dog starts playing with Daisy's ball. The ball suddenly POPS! and Daisy is despondent. Her owner, a young girl not depicted until half-way through the book, tries to comfort Daisy.

Children respond to Daisy's emotions throughout the story - how excited she is playing with her favorite toy, the despair she feels when she loses that toy. Raschka captures these emotions through Daisy's expressions, movement and posture. We had a great time with 2nd graders looking at Daisy's eyes and practicing different emotions our eyes convey.

The story concludes with another trip to the park, as Daisy and her little girl meet the dog who popped Daisy's ball. This little brown dog and her owner have brought Daisy a new ball, and the book ends with a very happy Daisy cuddling on the couch with her new ball. Our students loved the ending, recognizing that's what you should do if you break a friend's toy. They wondered if Daisy and the brown dog will become friends.

The first time I read A Ball for Daisy I mistakenly thought it was only for young preschoolers. My 2nd graders have shown me, once again, how much they can get from a wordless picture book that explores and celebrates a rich palette of emotions. They appreciated Daisy's emotions, they loved Raschka's use of color and lines, they noticed patterns and details I passed by on my first reading. Picture books, especially wordless ones, let children develop their love of stories, and their understanding of illustrations and visual imagery.

Other reviews can be found in many places, including:

A Year of Reading: "brilliant illustrations that tell so much of the story to the reader. You cannot help but feel what the dog feels throughout the story--all the ups and downs."
Waking Brain Cells: "From the bright red of her ball to the striped couch in green, the book embraces color. Raschka also uses color to convey emotion, which is particularly effective when the air itself is colored with purples and blues after Daisy’s ball is popped."
ProseAndKahn: "Daisy is drawn with a minimum of squiggly lines, but her posture and expressions speak volumes. The contrast of moods between the walk to the park and away from it, is striking. Readers will feel pity for the poor lonely dog trying to nap without his favorite toy."
NPR interview with Chris Rashka: Raschka has a simple criterion for choosing his subjects: "Anything that creates a strong emotion in me," he says. "Whether it's music, loss of something, loneliness or friendship — if that emotion is heightened in some way and painted to fit in between the covers of 32 pages, that can become a picture book."
Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast: "I’m a raging fan of Raschka’s minimalist, vigorously-stroked artwork".

The review copy came from our local bookstore Mrs. Dalloway's and our school library. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support. Review ©2012 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

Connecting with a community of readers

2012-01-23T21:44:00.000-08:00

I feel tremendously lucky to be a librarian, to be able to reach out to children and parents helping them find books, stories, information that might just maybe find a home in their hearts and minds, or maybe provide laughter or escape, or maybe a glimpse of who they are or what the world is like.

I have done many different jobs, from helping little old ladies in Kankakee, Illinois figure out their Medicare problems, to analyzing health care reform plans, to teaching eighth grade English. While I did truly love teaching, no job has been as fulfilling as being a school librarian. I connect with so many kids, help all types of readers, see kids' eyes light up when they discover a new favorite book.

Take a moment to tell someone how much you value your local library, your school library, your local bookstore. Maybe tell your child's teacher how much you appreciate their classroom library (chances are they buy many of those books with their own money). Tell your school principal or PTA president how much your library means to you. Tell your neighbors how fantastic your local public library is. Sign this White House petition to “ensure that every child in America has access to an effective school library program.” Find a way to deepen the connection you have to people in your community who value and promote literacy.

But I also feel immensely grateful to have joined a profession with such a supportive community. I am just returning from the American Library Association's Midwinter meeting in Dallas. I had the incredible opportunity to participate in the Bill Morris Seminar to help librarians learn to carefully, thoughtfully evaluate materials for children. We listened to leaders in our field who had chaired Caldecott, Newbery and many other award committees talk about how we identify truly distinguished books for children. We discussed with our peers, other librarians with rich experiences, the strengths and weaknesses of picture books, novels, nonfiction and audiobooks for a wide range of children. We dug deeply into ways to analyze books, continually thinking about how the choices authors, artists and designers make impacts children's experiences with these books.

I want to thank so many people, from the co-chairs of the Morris Seminar, Jenny Brown and Connie Rockman, to my local mentors Kathy Shepler, Linda Perkins, and Nina Lindsay. I want to celebrate my friendships with librarians throughout the U.S.: Cathy Potter, Jill Bellomy, Kim Grad, John Schumacher - just to name a few.

As I sit collecting my thoughts, I am struck by a sense of community: a librarian's role in her community at home, our broader community of readers sharing ideas on the Internet, and the professional community of librarians, authors, publishers. These communities, and our engagement with them, enrich and support all of our lives. And so, yes, I do feel tremendously lucky. Lucky, indeed.

Me... Jane, by Patrick McDonnell (ages 4 - 8) - inspiring, gentle picture book

2012-01-19T20:36:00.000-08:00

Picture books have the power to inspire, entertain and connect us with the larger world. They can help us understand more about the world around us, and they can sometimes help us understand more about ourselves. Me... Jane, by Patrick McDonnell, is a wonderful example of a picture book that resonates with many young children. I read it with our 2nd graders this week as part of our discussion of books that might possibly win the Caldecott Medal next week.

Me... Jane
by Patrick McDonnell
NY: Little, Brown, 2011
ages 4 - 8
available from your local library, favorite bookstore, or on Amazon
2011 Cybils nominee & finalist
winner of the 2012 Charlotte Zolotow Award

Little Jane carries her stuffed chimpanzee Jubilee around with her everywhere - reading stories, exploring outside, climbing trees. Right from the beginning, our students could relate to having a favorite stuffed animal. McDonnell frames this story about the childhood of Jane Goodall, the famous animal behavior scientist, in a way that draws children into connecting with Jane's life. Jane loves exploring the outdoors - and so she spends most of her time either watching animals and plants outside or writing in her journal about facts she's discovered. Our students could easily imagine keeping a journal with questions and observations about the animals around them.

The artwork in this picture book is soft and understated, but with a charming touch. Our students noticed the contrast between the detailed stamps on one side of each spread and the pen and watercolor illustrations on the other side. They liked the way this made them think of real life animals with the intricate engravings, while the illustrations emphasized the child-like quality of the story. My favorite moment of the day was when Anthony raised his hand and said, "I'm making a connection to another book. This reminds me of Where the Wild Things Are." We were looking at the end of the story, when Jane imagines being in the jungles of Africa, swinging from vine to vine with Jubilee swinging behind her. Other students immediately began making connections to the power of imagination that Sendak celebrated in Where the Wild Things Are. It was a wonderful moment that I will always treasure.

The pacing and page turns are masterfully controlled - please read this aloud to your children and ask what they're noticing at each page. The final few turns of the page took our breaths away, in that quiet "ohhhh" type of moment as you realize the scientist that Jane Goodall grew up to be.

This isn't a book a book that will grab you and demand your attention. But if you have a quiet moment, it will plant a seed that may bloom if you give it some time. For another wonderful review, head over to Anita Silvey's Children's Book-a-Day Almanac.

In the end, as we compared Grandpa Green, Blue Chicken and Me... Jane, students each responded differently. I asked them to tell me which book had the best illustrations, since the Caldecott is awarded to the illustrator of the most distinguished picture book. The majority chose Blue Chicken, because they loved the humor in the story and the creative use of color. Others liked Grandpa Green for the detailed illustrations and way it sparked their imaginations. And others definitely chose Me... Jane, for its inspiring story and gentle artwork.

Each year, the Caldecott Committee reviews hundreds and hundreds of picture books - all published in America during that year. The committee meets during the American Library Association's midwinter meeting to discuss the books they find most distinguished, and decide upon a winner. My students and I are very excited to see which book they choose to award the 2012 Caldecott Medal. If you want to watch the announcements live on Monday morning, head over to the ALA site here.

The review copy came from our school library collection. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

Review ©2012 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

Brain Burps about Books: fun podcast about children's books

2012-01-18T04:00:00.000-08:00

Hey, hey! I had such fun on the radio that I wanted to share MORE about fantastic book apps for kids. I'm joining the BRILLIANT podcast Brain Burps About Books produced by Katie Davis. Hooray! Head on over to Brain Burps About Books to listen to this week's episode where I'll share about the Cinderella app by Nosy Crow.

If you love children's books, either as a parent or librarian -- or as a writer or illustrator, Katie delivers fun, informative interviews with all sorts of folks involved in children's books. This week Katie's interviewing Emma Dryden, a children's book editor with rich and deep experience in the business. Her expertise is "is working with authors to help define, enrich, and craft their work to make it viable for the current marketplace." I can't wait to hear it!

Listen to the show from your computer (Brain Burps About Books) or download the show on iTunes.

I am so excited to share book apps for kids on Katie's show. This week I'm sharing of Cinderella by Nosy Crow. My students have loved, loved this app. Of course they love the familiar fairy tale, but they're just eating up the interactive features that Nosy Crow has built into this app. I'm very impressed by the thoughtful way that this app creates such a rich layered experience, pulling children back to reading it again and again.

I hope you have fun listening to the episode on Brain Burps About Books, and have a chance to check out the Cinderella app with your kids.

©2012 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

Caldecott winning books: mid-1940s

2012-01-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

I'm continuing my Caldecott Challenge, reading as many of the books which have been recognized as distinguished picture books by the American Library Association. This week, I have read several books from the mid- and late-1940s. While this was a dark time for Americans, the picture books reflect a celebration of children's innocence. Two books in particular struck me from this week's reading: A Prayer for a Child and Juanita.

A Prayer for a Child
by Rachel Field
illustrations by Elizabeth Orton Jones
NY: Macmillan, 1944
1945 Caldecott Medal
ages 2 - 5
available at your local library, favorite bookstore, or on Amazon

This sweet book is a poem written by Rachel Field for her daughter, sending a message of love and joy. The illustrations are sweet, and I would think this would make a lovely present for a new young family. But somehow, the illustrations didn't appeal to me quite the same was as in Juanita. It seemed to me that this little girl was a bit generic, that it didn't resonate as one specific little girl. I wish I could put my finger more specifically on that feeling. But, then again, it could be that it would connect more to someone from the this background. A good Twitter friend, Aly Beecher, told me, it "seemed a lot like New England to me. Something resonated for me in everything about the illustrations." A Prayer for a Child reminded her very much of her grandparents' summer cottage.

Juanita
by Leo Politi
NY: Scribner, 1948
1949 Caldecott Honor
ages 3 - 6
available at your local library, favorite bookstore, or on Amazon
preview available on Google Books

I adored this book - absolutely adored it. Politi captures the atmosphere of Olvera Street, the historic Latino community in downtown Los Angeles, in a way that both celebrates Juanita's innocence and childhood joy, and honors this Mexican American community. Juanita's parents own a small shop, or puesto, on Olvera Street. It is Juanita's fourth birthday, and her parents give her a small white dove (symbolic? yes, I do think so). On the day before Easter, Juanita takes her dove to the Old Mission Church for the annual Blessing of the Animals.

I am so happy that Juanita is still in print, reprinted by Getty Publications. Many of my friends who are joining me in the Caldecott Challenge have not yet been able to see this, so I made a short video sharing it with friends. Here's a quick look at these books:

For more Caldecott books, head over to the fantastic Laura Given's blog: LibLaura5. Over 40 bloggers have signed up for the Caldecott Challenge! Come join us!

These review copy came from my local library collection. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

Review ©2012 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

The Cheshire Cheese Cat, by Carmen Agra Deedy and Randall Wright (ages 8 - 11)

2012-01-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

I've been wondering about how books hook readers, how they draw us in, and what makes us stay. Sometimes, it's immediate conflict and action; other times, we're enchanted with a magical place. The Cheshire Cheese Cat hooked me from the very first line: "He was the best of toms. He was the worst of toms. Fleet of foot, sleek and solitary, Skilley was a cat among cats. Or so he would have been, but or a secret he had carried since his early youth." This book hooked me from the beginning, bringing a smile to my face with its playful puns, true friendships, and wonderful writing.

The Cheshire Cheese Cat
by Carmen Agra Deedy and Randall Wright
illustrated by Barry Moser
GA: Peachtree Publishers, 2011
audiobook available (narrated by Katherine Kellgren)
ages 8 - 11
available from your local library, favorite bookstore or on Amazon
nominated for the 2011 Cybils Middle Grade Fantasy & Sci-Fi

Skilley is an alley cat used to surviving on the streets of 19th century London, and so he is particularly pleased to have found a home as the mouser at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, a London inn frequented by Charles Dickens and other notable writers. But Skilley has a secret - one that he's going to have to confront very soon. He doesn't like to eat mice. In fact, he detests the thought of eating a mouse. It's cheese that he adores - cheese, delectable cheese. So when he catches his first mouse, he urgently whispers, "Run. If the innkeeper sees you..." Well, not only will the mouse have problems, but so will Skilley. This mouse, Pip, turns out to be a very special mouse - one who leads his fellow mice with courage and wits, and a true friend to Skilley.

The Cheshire Cheese Cat would make a wonderful read-aloud as a family, pulling in both younger and older listeners. I found myself completely drawn into Skilley's world, wondering how he will get himself out of different dilemmas. Parents will love the sprinkling of references to Dicken's works. Young readers will enjoy the tense drama and suspense. I particularly think children will relate to Skilley's agonies about how to apologize to Pip:

"Making a mess of things is an occupation at which even the most unskilled can excel. But mending is an art that requires years of practice. In short, breaking a thing is easy (even a child can do it); fixing that selfsame thing may be harder (sometimes even adult persons cannot manage it).

Skilley was learning this lesson in the most painful of ways. What he had broken was a thread of trust as thin and delicate as a glass filament - a thread that had bound him to one of only two friends in his life." (p. 126)

How many of us have found it hard to figure out how to say, "I'm sorry" and really mean it? That's never an easy thing, and Skilley struggles with it just as we would. And children will also relate to Pip. He's such a courageous, thoughtful little mouse - and a true friend.

Throughout, Barry Moser's illustrations add to the fun, drawing readers into the characters and their situations. He captures both animals' and people's faces with all the emotions you're feeling as a reader, helping us be right there in Skilley and Pip's place.

Carmen Agra Deedy and Randall Wright dreamed up this idea for a story after teaching at a Brigham Young's writing conference in 2005. The idea first developed after Deedy visited London with her family and found Ye Old Cheshire Cheese on a eerie London night. Read more about how they worked on this story together over at Erika Rohrbach's Kirkus blog post "Of Mice and Men".

The Cheshire Cheese Cat will appeal to lovers of Kate DiCamillo's The Tale of Despereaux, but also to lovers of Stuart Little or Jenny and the Cat Club.

For other reviews, check out Charlotte's Library, School Library Journal's Fuse #8 and the Cybils shortlist. The Cheshire Cheese Cat received starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews, the School Library Journal and Publisher's Weekly.

The review copy came from our school library collection. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

Review ©2012 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

Blue Chicken by Deborah Freedman (ages 4 - 8)

2012-01-11T14:13:00.000-08:00

Combine beautiful artwork, a story to make you laugh, and silly chickens who just want to help, and you have a perfect recipe for a successful picture book. Deborah Freedman does all this with her new picture book Blue Chicken, but she add in twists to take us to unexpected places - and our students loved it.

Blue Chicken
by Deborah Freedman
NY: Viking / Penguin, 2011
ages 4 - 8
available at your local library, favorite bookstore or on Amazon

Look carefully as you open this picture book. At first, you'll think that you're at a typical farmyard - but if you look closely, you'll realize that you're watching an artist paint a farmyard scene. She's almost done, but a little chicken pops up out of the flat drawing and wants to help. Oh no! The chicken topples over the pot of blue paint, creating a mess all over the drawing. The paint spills, turning everything in its wake blue... until one of the chicken thinks of a solution.

“But wait. Does one of the chickens want to help?”

Blue Chicken has delighted our students - the playfulness of the story, the way that the characters are coming to life and causing havoc with the drawing. They love seeing how Freedman creates movement with the paint. In some ways, the splashes seem so simple that students recognize that they can create the same effect. And yet Freedman's technique is masterful, as she layers shades of blue, from the palest wash to vibrant puddles.

Our second graders were drawn right into the story and loved finding different clues as they went. I wish I could capture the energy in the room and how they were all leaning forward, talking to each other as I read it aloud. They had so much fun with the final twist. This story will appeal to preschoolers as well as older picture book readers, because it works on many layers. If you like this sort of metafiction, where the characters come out of the story to create their own sort of mischief, another story you'd enjoy is David Wiesner's The Three Pigs, the 2002 Caldecott Medal winner. We read Blue Chicken as part of our mock Caldecott unit with 2nd graders.

If you want to learn more about Deborah Freedman's process, head over to an interview at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast. Blue Chicken has received starred reviews from Kirkus, Booklist and School Library Journal. The students at Emerson would agree!

The review copy came from our school library collection. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

Review ©2012 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

Here Come the Girl Scouts! joint duo-review-o-matic with 100 Scope Notes

2012-01-08T18:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Non-Fiction Monday and a special joint edition, co-hosted by Mary Ann and Travis. Mary Ann runs Great Kid Books and Travis runs 100 Scope Notes. Both are elementary school librarians who love sharing all sorts of nonfiction with children. But tops on our lists are picture book biographies.

MA: Picture book biographies draw today’s kids into the lives of people we admire, giving our kids a glimpse of their struggles and accomplishments.

T: A great picture book biography can highlight not only an individual, but also provide a glimpse into a particular time and place for a variety of readers.

MA: Yep, these picture book biographies draw students from kindergarten through 5th grade. Some are simple and accessible, like Martin’s Big Words by Doreen Rappaport. Others are complex and intricate, like Starry Messenger, by Peter Sis. But I especially love picture book biographies that can be read by a range of audiences.

T: And that’s what we have here, I think. This picture book biography of Girl Scouts founder Juliette “Daisy” Gordon Law by Shana Corey (who’s previously knocked it out of the park with picture book bios Milly and the Macy’s Parade and Mermaid Queen) does things right. A remarkably fresh take on the founder of an organization that has changed the world.

Here Come the Girl Scouts!
The amazing all-true story of Juliette “Daisy” Gordon Low and her great adventure
by Shana Corey
illustrated by Hadley Hooper
NY: Scholastic, 2011
ages 6 - 10
available at your local library, favorite bookstore or on Amazon

MA: I’ve been amazed how vibrant the Girl Scout organization remains, and how many of our students are Girl Scouts today. They join partly to have fun with their friends, and partly because the values of the Girl Scouts still speaks to girls. “To make yourself strong and healthy, it is necessary to begin with your insides.” Daisy Low said that over 100 years ago, but it still resonates today.

T: My Thin Mint habit is indeed alive and well. It’s great to see the organization thriving. A year or so ago, due to student demand, I was desperately looking for books on the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. I was amazed to discover that the pickings were slim. For the Girl Scouts, at least, that’s about to change. 2012 is the group’s 100 year anniversary and it seems every publisher is coming out with something on the topic. While Here Come the Girl Scouts! is the first such offering I’ve read, it’s going to take a lot to top it.

MA: This book is going to draw these girls into seeing what values were established by Girl Scout’s founder, Juliette Gordon Low - called Daisy by her family and friends. She was no wilting flower! Daisy loved adventure and wanted girls to learn skills that would help take them places in life. She had many advantages in life, but she really thought about how she could make a difference in girls’ lives, how she could help others explore and expand their horizons. Corey brings this out through her lively narration and Low’s quotes that she sprinkles across every page.

T: That definitely adds another layer of character. The third-person text is concise yet retains personality. Key words and dialog are often given a bold font and color, increasing interest.

MA: The design and layout really draw kids to it. I’ve also been happy that it’s a great read aloud - so it works well for younger kids in 1st or 2nd grade, as well as nine and ten year olds.

T: The story wouldn’t work nearly as well if it weren’t for Hooper’s gorgeous artwork, “created with traditional ink, paint, and printmaking techniques, then scanned and assembled in PhotoShop.” The palette is sunny an oozes appeal. My first thought is that the art looks something like what would result if you gave LeUyen Pham (Grace for President, Freckleface Strawberry) block print tools. The technique itself reminds me of Stephen Shaskan’s A Dog is a Dog from 2011.

MA: You can really see her characters’ spirit in this sample. They do remind me of Pham’s characters, especially from Freckleface Strawberry or Big Sister, Little Sister!

T: Can we make it mandatory to include illustration info in every picture book? I would have assumed these illustrations were created entirely in the digital realm until the CIP page note set me straight.

MA: Corey conveys the essence of Low’s philosophy in an upbeat way. I didn’t realize her origininal philosophy emphasized outdoor activity so much. Imagine camping with a group of girls in the early 1900s! I love this spread here:

T: Two other books are coming out this winter about Juliette Gordon Low - both are much longer (200 - 400 pages), full of photographs and primary sources, perfect for older students:
Ginger Wadsworth, First Girl Scout: the life of Juliette Gordon Low
Stacey Cordery, Juliette Gordon Low, the remarkable founder of the Girl Scouts

MA: Another thing to mention is that this is the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts - many celebrations are being planned around the US. Our troops here in the Bay Area are very excited about “bridging” from one century of Girl Scouts to the next by walking across the Golden Gate Bridge with thousands of other Girl Scouts. Find out more information here.

T: Engaging, informative, easy on the eyes - it’s well done, plain and simple. This deserves a spot in collections far and wide.

MA: Thanks Travis for joining me! Let’s welcome all the other great nonfiction around the Kidlitosphere. If you have something to share, please leave a comment and we’ll add it to the post as the day goes on.

Nonfiction Monday

Early birds: Sunday night contributions

Jeff Barger at NC Teacher Stuff has a great review of the nonfiction iPad app Bobo Explores Light. This is a Cybils finalist - Jeff served on the judging panel of the iPad Book Apps Round 1 Cybils panel. "Bobo the robot trips the light fantastic and takes the reader on a journey to explore this most necessary phenomenon.... If you have a child who loves nonfiction, you have to get this app."

Tara at A Teaching Life is sharing two photo-essay books she will be sharing in her Writing Workshops this week: Afghan Dreams: Young voices of Afghanistan, by Tony O'Brien and Scott Sullivan, and When the Wolves Returned: Restoring nature's balance in Yellowstone, by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent, with photographs by Dan and Cassie Hartman.

Over at True Tales and a Cherry on Top, Jeanne Walker Harvey is featuring another great picture book biography is featured on her post today - The Flying Machines of Alberto Santos.

At GatheringBooks, Fats has reviewed Margarita Engle's The Poet Slave of Cuba, "a lyrical biography of Juan Francisco Manzano, a man born into slavery and known to remain in servitude until he was forty years old."

Breakfast rounds: Monday morning
OK, West Coast time here and a few posts to add before waking up the kids and getting going. I will add more after the morning rush is through. Please do keep leaving comments!

Ms. Yingling is sharing two military books: Ghosts in the Fog and Fighter Jets. I know many students would be very interested in these. Thanks for recommending them!

Louise, at A Strong Belief in Wicker, is sharing a lovely book about swallows from the Animal Neighbours series.

The Nonfiction Detectives, Cathy Porter and Louise Capizzo, are reviewing How the Dinosaur Got to the Museum. "Inquisitive students and dinosaur lovers will enjoy this companion to How the Sphinx Got to the Museum."

Head over to Shelf Employed to read a review of Can We Save the Tiger?, "a beautiful and affecting book." This is part of her series on the Cybils finalists - I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.

Amy at Hope is the Word, is also reviewing a Cybils finalists: Jim Arnosky's Thunder Birds: Nature's flying predators. "Arnosky’s love and appreciation for these aeriel assailants comes through in both his gorgeous acrylic and white chalk pencil illustrations and his awe-filled text." I can't wait to read this!

At Rovingfiddlehead Kidlit, Andrea is sharing about stuff you missed in history class. I'm looking forward to checking out these podcasts and her book pairing suggestions!

Stop by for a visit to the Jean Little Library to check out Jennifer's review of Look at That Building! A first book about structures. "Beginning with foundations, each spread takes the group of friends through the parts of a building as they research buildings on their way to and at the library, planning to build a doghouse."

Afternoon tea
Well, the day has zoomed by with kids coming into the library, shelving and books to share. Here are some more great nonfiction reviews to take a look at!

Head over to Wrapped in Foil to check out Roberta's look at another Cybils finalist: Unraveling Freedom: The Battle for Democracy on the Home Front During World War I by Ann Bausum. This fascinating book "not only a summarizes domestic events during World War I, but also shows how these events parallel those from 9/11."

Simply Science is sharing Biomimicry: Inventions inspired by nature, which "explores patterns found in the diversity of nature as the inspiration for technology and inventions that benefit people." Fascinating, indeed!

Abby the Librarian checks in with a review of Flesh and Blood So Cheap: The triangle fire and its legacy, by Albert Marrin. "Not only would this make a great addition to history lessons, but it could easily spark conversations about immigration and how it has changed in this country over the past hundred years."

Head over to Challenging the Bookworm to take a look at the beautiful Pocketful of Posies by Salley Mavor. While this may not be your normal nonfiction, it is a book of nursery rhymes which "technically" goes in nonfiction. The beautiful illustrations are what drew her attention.

Lisa Song at Read for Keeps has reviewed Blizzard of Glass by Sally Walker."This is a book I simply couldn’t put down. The tension built gradually in the first few chapters ... By the time Walker described what the families were doing just before the explosion, I was practically biting my nails."

Anastasia Suen checks in at her new Booktalking site with a Picture Book of the Day, When Anju Loved Being an Elephant by Wendy Henrichs (Author) and John Butler (Illustrator), and a Chapter Book of the Day, Off to Class: Incredible and Unusual Schools Around the World by Susan Hughes.

At Brimful Curiosities, they are discussing aircraft carriers. They are particularly excited about Who Lands Planes on a Ship? - I loved how she is exploring nonfiction to develop her son's enjoyment of a new toy!

Over at Nonfiction Book Blast, Susan Stockdale has fun with Fabulous Fishes, which "introduces young readers to both exotic and familiar fishes in simple, rhyming text. The bright bold colors and crisp, clear lines of Stockdale’s fishes, depicted in their natural habitats, can’t help but grab your attention."

Wendie Old checks in at Wendie's Wanderings with a review of A Day in the Life: Polar Animals: Emperor Penguin.

The review copy was kindly sent by Scholastic. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

Review ©2012 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books, and Travis Jonker, 100 Scope Notes.

Early Caldecott winning books: exploring the late 1930s, early 1940s

2012-01-08T13:45:00.000-08:00

I have launched into exploring the best American picture books by reading as many Caldecott winning books, decade by decade. The Caldecott Award was established in 1938 by the American Library Association to honor the illustrator of the most distinguished picture book published in the United Stated during the previous year. This journey is helping me develop an appreciation of picture books, think about a wide range of illustration styles, and consider the different aspects of these classic books that might appeal to children today.

I have enjoyed sharing three books from these early years. Their stories and illustrations have kept their appeal, some eighty years later.

Madeline
by Ludwig Bemelmans
originally published 1939
1940 Caldecott honor
NY: Simon and Schuster
ages 3 - 8
available at your local library, favorite bookstore or on Amazon

"In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines." Does that bring back memories? I loved reading the Madeline stories to my children when they were young - the rhyming text reads aloud so well, and Madeline perfectly balances an independent spirit with an old-fashioned sense of being a proper little girl. I especially enjoyed rereading this to 1st graders, and looking at the illustrations. Bemelmans alternates line drawings with full color paintings. I especially like the motion and movement he captures in the line drawings of Miss Clavel. Read more at Anita Silvey's Children's Book-a-Day Almanac.

April's Kittens
by Clare Turlay Newberry
originally published in 1940
1941 Caldecott honor
NY: Harper
ages 4 - 8
available at your local library, favorite bookstore or on Amazon

Children today will still adore this child-centered story about a young girl who is torn when her beloved cat has kittens that her family says they cannot keep. Clare Newberry cats and captured this love in her wonderful stories and illustrations for children. April lives in a small apartment in New York City, in what her father calls a "one-cat apartment." When her cat Sheba has kittens, her mother explains that they will find homes for each of the three little cats. Children today will connect with April's growing love for one of the little kittens, and the pangs she feels when her parents start to give them away. Newberry uses a combination of ink, charcoal and watercolor to capture the details in her cats. I was particularly struck by the way Newberry captured the essence of these cats with just the barest of fuzzy details. This is a book that I will share with cat-lovers of all ages.

Make Way for Ducklings
by Robert McCloskey
originally published 1941
1942 Caldecott Medal award
NY: Viking
ages 3 - 8
available at your local library, favorite bookstore or on Amazon

I have loved rereading this - it brought back so many memories from childhood, not specific memories, but that wash of familiarity, of having been drawn into this book hundreds of times. This time, I was struck by how the text gave the ducks so many human qualities, but the illustrations of the ducks seemed so realistic. I was also struck by the dynamic poses of the policeman, and the interesting perspectives/angles. McCloskey builds the climax and tension with the policeman perfectly for young children. Originally published in 1941, this book keeps its appeal to children today. I especially like the way that Anita Silvey notes, "Because the book was published during World War II, the first children who read it often had fathers away from home. It sent a subtle, but powerful message: that the family would be reunited in a safe place." See her wonderful story of how McCloskey learned to draw the ducks over at her wonderful Children's Book-a-Day Almanac.

I have read 14 of the Caldecott Medal and Honor books from 1938 to 1942. I have loved joining Laura, Anna, John, Aly and all the librarians and teachers having fun with the Caldecott Challenge. If you are interested, please join us!

The review copies all came from our school or public library. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

Review ©2012 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books.

Grandpa Green, by Lane Smith (ages 4 - 9) - beautiful picture book

2012-01-05T22:24:00.000-08:00

There are times that a picture book calls to me. Every time I see it in a bookstore, it calls out to me, "Come look, just one more time. Peek inside." From the first time that I read it standing in an airport bookstore, Grandpa Green has called to me. The illustrations are beautiful, balancing intricate simplicity, amusing images and a heartfelt message.

Grandpa Green
by Lane Smith
NY: Roaring Brook Press, 2011
ages 4 - 9
available at your local library, favorite bookstore or on Amazon

A young boy walks through a garden as he tells us about his great-grandfather. But this is no ordinary garden - it is filled with enormous topiary sculptures, living plants cut into fanciful shapes by his great-grandfather. At first, the sculptures seem whimsical, like the elephant on the cover; but very soon you realize that each sculpture helps tell the story, Grandpa Green's story of his life. When he was sick with the chickenpox, "He had to stay home from school. So he read stories about secret gardens and wizards and a little engine that could."

While some reviewers have wondered how children will react to this story, the 2nd graders at Emerson really enjoyed it. The loved finding the different sculptures, figuring out why they were important in Grandpa Green's life. They enjoyed Lane Smith's humor and the details in the illustrations - noticing repeating images, foreshadowing and they symbols from Grandpa's life. And they responded especially well to the tender conclusion of the story, as the little boy describes how Grandpa tends to forget things more now, but that the garden remembers the important things for him. This is a book that worked well reading with a whole class, but will also invite repeated one-on-one reading.

We read Grandpa Green as part of a Mock Caldecott unit, in anticipation of the 2012 Caldecott award being announced on January 23rd.

Watch the trailer for Grandpa Green here:

Grandpa Green has received praise from many sources:

2011 Cybils fiction picture book finalist
a New York Times Best Illustrated Book of 2011
starred reviews from the School Library Journal and Publisher's Weekly

Read other reviews at:

Anita Silvey's Children's Book-a-Day Almanac
Natalia Ortega-Brown's A Picture Book a Day
Jen Vincent's Teach Mentor Texts
Tasha Saecker's Waking Brain Cells
Travis Jonker's 100 Scope Notes
Jen Robinson's Book Page

All images copyright Lane Smith, 2011, shared courtesy of Macmillan Books. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

Review ©2012 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books.

Fantastic Book Apps for Kids: announcing the 2011 Cybils finalists

2012-01-01T11:55:00.000-08:00

Boing! Zoom! Zap! Is that your book making all those noises? Are you making things dance, bounce and sing? You must be reading a Book App, maybe on your smart phone or iPad. The Cybils Awards - given each year by bloggers for the year's best children's and young adult titles - has launched a new category specifically for iPad Book Apps, and the results are in!

The Cybils panels for each category have just announced their lists of finalists, a short list that represents the best of the books their judges have read. The Cybils Book App panel, made up of a group of seven librarians, teachers and parents with a broad range of experience, has chosen seven book apps. As the category organizer, I helped steer this committee, but they did the hard work of reading over 50 book apps and deciding on those that really represent the best of the lot.

The guiding focus for the Cybils Award is to choose books that "combine the highest literary merit and 'kid appeal.'" As they explain it, "If some la-di-dah awards can be compared to brussel sprouts, and other, more populist ones to gummy bears, we’re thinking more like organic chicken nuggets. We’re yummy and nutritious." If you're looking to dive into the world of book apps, the following make a great place to start.

Head over the Cybils 2011 Book App Finalists page for full descriptions of these great book apps.

Be Confident in Who You Are: A Middle School Confidential Graphic Novel
by Annie Fox
Electric Eggplant
ages 10 - 14
Nominated by: Amy Jussel

"This is an app created especially for tweens and young teens. ... It features six characters surviving Milldale Middle School who cope with issues of body image, conflicting emotions, how to be honest with friends, etc." - review by Sylvia Vardell

Bobo Explores Light
by GameCollage
Game Collage, LLC
ages 6 - 10
Nominated by: Paula Willey

"This iPad book app from Game Collage successfully mixes science, reading and fun. Bobo the robot guides readers through information on light, inviting interaction in both serious and silly ways. ... Never losing sight of its young audience, science is what lights up this app." - review by Tasha Saecker

Harold and the Purple Crayon
by Crockett Johnson and Trilogy Studios
Trilogy Studios Inc.
ages 3 - 7
Nominated by: John Schumacher

"Harold's journey introduces this wondrous tale to a new generation of kids and gives their favorite adults a satisfying trip down memory lane. Though an enjoyable adventure to snuggle up and discover together, a special read-to-me feature with pitch-perfect narration makes the app especially kid friendly." - review by Sara Bryce

Hildegard Sings
by Thomas Wharton
One Hundred Robots
ages 4 - 8
Nominated by: Betsy Bird

"Hildegard is a singing rhino whose voice gives out right as she's about to make her operatic debut. ... Readers will squeal with laughter and delight as this interactive app draws them into hilarious plot twists." review by Carisa Kluver

Pat the Bunny
by Dorothy Kunhardt
Random House Digital
ages 1 - 4
Nominated by: Scott Gordon

"Preschool children will enjoy playing along with Judy, Paul, and Bunny as they participate in various activities in this app based on the classic book. ... Pat the Bunny is a fun interactive experience for our youngest readers." review by Jeff Barger

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
by Moonbot Studios
Moonbot Studios LA
ages 5 - 10
Nominated by: Hallie Tibbetts

"This app combines computer animation, interactive features and elements of a traditional picture book for a truly unique experience. ... Children and adult book lovers alike will identify with Morris and his love of story, getting lost in those stories and sharing them with others." review by Nicole Kessler

The Monster at the End of This Book
by Callaway Digital Arts, Inc
ages 4 - 9
Nominated by: Sheila Ruth

"Remember life before Elmo? When Grover was the cutest character back in the day? Well, Grover gets to star in this funny, well-made story app based on the original Golden Book from 1971. ... These effects and Grover's very dramatic narration make this hilarious story so much better than the original book -- which I have never said before about any book, and might not ever say again!" review by Melissa Taylor

I really want to honor and thank all of the members of the Round 1 Cybils Book App panel for their hard work and thoughtful consideration of all of the apps that were nominated. I also want to thank all of the developers and publishers for helping us consider each app. Finally, I want to thank the tireless Cybils organizers, especially Sheila Ruth and Anne Levy, for their hard work and constant coordination. This is a new category, a new way of distributing books, and it took the work of many to organize this new category.

Next steps? The Cybils Round 2 panels all start convening to consider the finalists. They will read and deliberate over the next six weeks. The Cybils Awards will be announced February 14th.

©2012 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books.

New Year's Resolutions: Exploring the Caldecott books

2011-12-31T14:55:00.000-08:00

New Year's Resolutions - I have mixed feelings about them. Do they help us achieve our goals, or are they just a passing fad, something discarded by the time the snow melts? I have been thinking for quite a while that I would like to get to know older picture books better, try to revisit old favorites like The Story of Ferdinand - or read books I really never remember, like Blueberries for Sal. I want to think about what makes these classic picture books sing to children, what draws children to them time and again.

When teacher and library friends, part of the Nerdy Book Club (#nerdybookclub on Twitter - yes, really), started talking about reading all of the Newbery award winners, my thoughts turned to the Caldecott award. The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually "to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book published in the United States during the preceding year." This award, granted by the American Library Association, is not only a high honor for the winner but also a sign to parents everywhere that this is a truly special book.

My goal for 2012 is to read as many of the picture books awarded the Caldecott Medal or Honor as I can. I will be reading both with a lens of history, trying to get a sense of what picture books spoke to children in the 1940s, 1950s and on. But I will mainly be reading these classic picture books to share books with children and families today, thinking about those that still make a wonderful read aloud, that still have beautiful art to share.

Throughout the year, I hope to share my favorite Caldecott books with my Great Kid Books readers and with my students at Emerson. I also will be sharing favorites with my librarian and teacher friends through Twitter and Goodreads. If you'd like to join me, please do! Head over to the Caldecott Challenge organized by the wonderful librarians Laura and Anna over at LibLaura5 and A to Z Library. You can also read Laura's guide to creating a Goodreads shelf for this. Laura has started a great series at her blog documenting her reading with lots of great photos. I've also had so much fun reading my friend John Schumacher's updates for his Caldecott challenge over at Watch.Connect.Read.

Wish me luck with this New Year's Resolution. I'm starting with first reading some history about the Caldecott award and some of Randolph Caldecott's picture books. Then I'll start reading some of the first picture books awarded the Caldecott Medal or Honor. It should be a fun journey!

©2011 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books.

Bigger than a Bread Box, by Laurel Snyder (ages 9 - 12): a heartfelt story of a family coping with divorce

2011-12-30T13:48:00.000-08:00

The holidays can add a stress to anyone's life, but particularly for families coping with divorce. Change is hard for anyone, but particularly for children. I was particularly struck by Laurel Snyder's newest book, Bigger than a Bread Box, by how change can wrench a child from all her certainties. This is a wonderful book for kids who love realistic fiction, with a hint of fantasy.

Bigger Than a Bread Box
by Laurel Snyder
NY: Random House, 2011
ages 9 - 12
available from your local library, favorite bookstore or on Amazon

Rebecca's life was suddenly torn apart when her parents reached a breaking point. One moment, their life in Baltimore seemed pretty normal - a bit stressful since her dad crashed his taxicab - but still pretty normal. But the next moment, everything changed. Her mom packed up the car, told Rebecca and her little brother to get in, and told them that they were going to visit their grandmother in Atlanta. But Rebecca looked at her dad:

"My dad. My dad. My dad was so strong. He never cried. 'I don't know . . .,' he whispered to me. Answering a question I hadn't answered.
I felt frozen. Stuck to him, stuck with him in a bubble, in a hug so tight it was bruising my arms. We were going to leave him - my dad - and there was nothing I could do. It wasn't possible. It was too fast. I just hugged and hugged and hugged." (pp. 13-14)

Rebecca was angry and resentful when she got to her grandmother's in Atlanta. Unable to talk to her mom, she escaped up into her grandmother's attic. Amongst all her grandmother's things, she discovered a collection of bread boxes. One in particular drew her attention. And then Rebecca wished for a book to read up in the attic, and when she looked inside the bread box - there was a book.

We all wish for different things, whether it's for tangible things we covet or for our situations to change. As Rebecca wrestled with fitting into a new school, she used the bread box to satisfy her wishes - but it would only bring her things, things that would fit inside the bread box.

I especially liked the way Laurel Snyder layers character development, emotional dilemmas, and underlying questions into this heartfelt story. This is a book that will speak to kids, whether it's kids who have experienced divorce or changes that they don't have control over, or kids who connect to Rebecca's difficulties at school.
Download the Bigger Than a Bread Box study guide. It includes writing prompts and information about Penny Dreadful.

Read other reviews at:

100 Scope Notes: "The first-person narration is refreshingly honest. Rebecca is brought to life with a clear voice that readers will buy into."
John Schumacher on 100 Scope Notes & Mr. Schu's Top 20 Children's Books of 2011: "I wish I could magically place Bigger Than a Bread Box inside the backpack of every fifth-grade girl who wishes her parents would get back together, or inside the locker of every reflective sixth-grade boy who wishes his life would return to the way it used to be."
Anita Silvey's Children's Book-a-Day Almanac: "The problems of children facing divorce, the dark side of magic, the struggles of an engaging twelve-year-old not wanting to adapt to change—all these themes have been explored through superb storytelling."
New York Times: " Snyder captures the divided household’s terrible sense of limbo and the helpless anguish and self-involved fury of a newly adolescent girl, allowing no ties to form until the post-bomb dust has settled to reveal whatever new landscape has been obscured by its cloud."

The review copy was kindly sent by Random House Books. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

Review ©2011 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books.

Clementine and the Family Meeting, by Sara Pennypacker (ages 7 - 10)

2011-12-21T07:00:00.000-08:00

Our 2nd and 3rd graders love reading series, especially when they can connect to the main characters. One of their favorite series is the Clementine series by Sara Pennypacker, and the newest Clementine book will surely delight readers new and old. This also makes a great series for families looking to read aloud their first chapter books to 4 and 5 year olds. In my mind, Clementine is a little bit of Ramona and a little bit of Junie B. Jones, but a whole lot of her own person.

Clementine and the Family Meeting
by Sara Pennypacker
illustrated by Marla Frazee
NY: Disney / Hyperion Books, 2011
ages 7 - 10
available at your local library, favorite bookstore or on Amazon

nominated for the 2011 Cybils early chapter book award

Clementine is sure she’s in trouble again - why else would the “family meeting” sign be posted? No matter how much she begs, her mom just won’t tell her what the meeting is about. Clementine is used to family meetings where she has to think about being nicer to her little brother, being better behaved, trying harder. But nothing prepares her for the news at this family meeting: a new baby is on the way. Clementine is not taking the news well. Their family of four suits her just fine.

"Four can be two and two sometimes, and nobody is lonely. Two kids and two grown-ups. Two boys and two girls. There are four sides to the kitchen table, so we each get one."

Change is hard, and Pennypacker captures this pitch-perfectly in the 5th installment of this popular series for readers new to chapter books. Even Clementine’s best friend Margaret is changing in crazy ways. Having just returned from visiting her father in Hollywood, Margaret is now obsessed with makeup. Clementine’s special relationship with her father is particularly touching in this story. He knows how to comfort her, joke with her and make her feel understood.

Pennypacker, with Frazee’s line drawings, continues to portray a warm, supportive family that readers will relate to. Fans will be excited to learn that Pennypacker is publishing her first standalone novel since the Clementine series this spring: Betsy Bird reports that HarperCollins is publishing Summer of the Gypsy Moths - read more here at Fuse #8's Harper Colling Spring 2012 preview.

For other reviews of Clementine and the Family Meeting, see:

Tasha Saeker at Waking Brain Cells
Brenda Kahn at ProseandKahn
Katie Ahearn at Secrets and Sharing Soda

The review copy came from the Association of Children's Librarians, my local review group. It was kindly sent by Disney / Hyperion Books. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

Review ©2011 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books.

Nursery rhyme comics: a collection that will delight kids (ages 7 - 12)

2011-12-18T22:00:00.000-08:00

My students adore comic books, and we have just gotten a collection that is delighting them. Nursery Rhyme Comics is a collection of 50 nursery rhymes, each illustrated by a different cartoonist. It is a real treat, especially for kids who already read many comic books. I love the way this is bringing classic nursery rhymes back into the experiences of kids ages 7 to 12.

Nursery rhyme comics
edited by Chris Duffy
illustrated by 50 cartoonists
NY: First Second, 2011
ages 7 to 12
preview available from First Second
available at your local public library, favorite bookstore or on Amazon

nominated for the 2011 Cybils graphic novel award

With 50 nursery rhymes illustrated by an talented array of leading cartoonists, this book is a visual feast. Each cartoonist was asked by editor Chris Duffy to interpret a different nursery rhyme, one suited to their particular taste or style. The result is a humorous, often quirky collection of some old favorites and some lesser-known traditional rhymes.

Some pairings play off the cartoonists’ reputations - Nick Bruel, well-known for his Bad Kitty series illustrates “Three Little Kittens”, with the kittens ending up eating pie with messy delight. Other artists lend thoroughly modern reinterpretations. Lucy Knisley sets “There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe” at “Ruth’s Rock & Roll Baby Sitting” where Ruth - a tattooed old rocker - entertains the children, inviting them to play with her band “The Whips” - and so finding a nice justification for the line “and whipped them all soundly” before she sent them to bed.

Each artist stays true to the traditional nursery rhyme, but they add their own twist and interpretation. I had great fun with Tao Nyeu's interpretation of Rock-a-Bye Baby. Take a look closely at the how the baby gets back at the wolf:

Other rhymes delighted children who didn't really know the full nursery rhyme. Many have heard of Tweedledee and Tweedledum, but I'm not sure many could tell you this nursery rhyme:

This collection will certainly draw in readers who already love comics - they will revel in the sheer variety of the different artwork, returning to look at it again and again. But the audience is not the traditional nursery rhyme audience of preschoolers and toddlers. Hand this to a 3rd, 4th or 5th grader and they will love the quirky, fresh illustrations, and delight in reading nursery rhymes they learned as little kids.

The review copy came from the Association of Children's Librarians, my local review group. It was kindly sent by First Second Books and Macmillan. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

Review ©2011 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books.

A Very Babymouse Christmas - delightfully fun graphic novel (ages 7 - 10)

2011-12-17T21:26:00.000-08:00

Babymouse, oh Babymouse, oh how do I love you, Babymouse? Let me count the ways:

I adore the way you pull children into reading, delighting them at every step.
I smile each time I check out your books to girls AND boys, young and old. You are the most popular series in our school library, month after month!
I laugh each time a child tells me how funny you are, or how much you make them laugh.
And I smile each time I read your stories and realize how many nuggets of truth are buried inside your pages, like chewy goodness inside my favorite candies.

A Very Babymouse Christmas is the newest in the popular graphic novel series by the sister-and-brother team Jennifer and Matthew Holm. Our students, ranging from 2nd grade girls just starting to read to 5th grade boys who can't get enough graphic novels, love love love Babymouse - and I'm talking a *rush right to the shelves* "Ms. Scheuer, do you have any Babymouse books in please?" kind of love. A Very Babymouse Christmas is a pitch-perfect addition to this series.

A Very Babymouse Christmas
by Jennifer L. Holm
illustrated by Matthew Holm
NY: Random House, 2011
ages 7 - 10
available at your local library, favorite bookstore or on Amazon

nominated for the 2011 Cybils Graphic Novels award

It's almost Christmas, and Babymouse is thinking of the presents she really wants for Christmas. OK, she's not just thinking about presents - she's obsessed with presents, one present to be specific. All Babymouse wants for Christmas this year is a WhizBang gadget. "It plays video games and movies, it texts, sees into the future, folds laundry, and does homework!" Kids (and parents) will certainly connect with the way Babymouse is just dying to have this newest, greatest gadget. But, as usual, nothing goes quite right for Babymouse.

As always, Babymouse's daydreams rescue her from her not-so-glamorous life. Her Christmas daydreams take her into the Babymouse version of A Christmas Carol (featuring the scary Ghost of Mean Girls Past) and a Babymouse Nutcracker.

Kids will laugh at the way Babymouse is completely fixated upon a new WhizBang, but they'll also realize how their own obsessions can get out of proportion. My favorite scene of all is the ending, where Babymouse discards her new WhizBang to play with her little brother Squeak. With the WhizBang tossed aside, they spend hours playing with Squeak's dollhouse - in perfect togetherness. It's a moment that rang true for me and warmed my heart to see.

Have some holiday fun watching Jenni and Matt Holm sing about their love for reading, libraries and books in this Babymouse Holiday Video. We had fun at a recent event for Babymouse at our local indie bookstore A Great Good Place for Books. Here's a fun picture of some huge fans hiding in Babymouse's locker:

The review copy was kindly sent by Random House, but we've bought many copies since, for our school library, classrooms and friends. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

Review ©2011 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books.

The Magic School Bus: Dinosaurs (ages 4 - 8)

2011-12-15T16:00:00.000-08:00

Dinosaurs fascinate many young children. These huge beasts dominated the world, and yet they vanished leaving only a few traces behind. Preschoolers and kindergartners love the sense of power that dinosaurs bring - there's nothing better than stomping through the sand box pretending you're a giant dinosaur on the hunt. But these young children also soak up scientific information as they learn about dinosaurs. If you have a dino-lover, check out the new book app: Magic School Bus Dinosaurs.

The Magic School Bus: Dinosaurs
developed by Scholastic Media
based on the book
The Magic School Bus in the Time of the Dinosaurs
by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen
for the iPad
version 1.1 - October 25, 2011
current price: $7.99
ages 4 - 8
available from the iTunes app store

nominated for the Cybils Book App award

Ms. Frizzle takes her class on a field trip to a dinosaur dig to investigate how dinosaur bones are uncovered. The paleontologists at the site have discovered some Maiasaura dinosaur bones, but are disappointed that they haven't discovered any eggs. Ms. Frizzle has the perfect solution: her class will travel back in time to see if they can figure out where the Maiasaura's nests are.

The bus transforms to a time machine and takes the class back to the Late Triassic period, then moves forward through the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. Ms. Frizzle and her class discover which animals and plants lived during the different eras. Along the way, different class members share short reports with readers.

The app stays true to the original Magic School Bus book, making it accessible for a nice range of audiences. I've found that young children, ages 4 - 7, adore the wacky Ms. Frizzle but are often unable to read these busy books on their own.

This app uses engaging narration along with a well designed interactive app to pull young children into discovering this interesting scientific information. Children listen to the main text, but then they tap speech bubbles to hear what different characters are saying. This means that kids are actively engaged with reading this story, not just passively watching the movie roll by.

The highlighted reports are a great way for young kids to really absorb interesting scientific information in small chunks. I really like the way that the reports pop out when you press on the report icon, so kids focus on just that information. See this screen shot for an example:

Kids also are enjoying the interactive games, digging for fossils and then dragging the dinosaur bones to the correct place on the whole skeleton. Along the way, they collect special dino cards, with facts about the different dinosaurs they have uncovered.

The app does not include any extra nonfiction visuals, the way that the Magic School Bus: Oceans app does. It would have been very interesting if the developers included some photographs of fossils or dig sites, or short videos of paleontologists at work. The iPad apps have great potential for combining different materials, the way that the Magic School Bus: Oceans app did.

If you have a child who's fascinated by science or dinosaurs, this is definitely an app worth exploring.

Read an interesting interview with the producer at Scholastic Media about developing Magic School Bus: Dinosaurs iPad app at the Scholastic Blog Ink Splot 26. Read another review over at School Library Journal's blog Touch and Go.

The review copy was sent by the publisher, Scholastic Media. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

Review ©2011 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books.

Around the World, by Matt Phelan - graphic novel adventure (ages 9 - 12)

2011-12-13T06:22:00.000-08:00

Take a graphic novel and an adventure story, and kids are going to love it - right? Add in real life adventures from the late 1800s, and you've got yourself something really interesting. Matt Phelan's newest book, Around the World, is a wonderful book to open kids' reading world. They'll read about three real-life adventurers who traveled around the world in the late 1800s, inspired by the fictional journeys of Phileas Fogg in Around the World in 80 Days.

Around the World
by Matt Phelan
MA: Candlewick Press, 2011
ages 9 - 12
available from your local library, favorite bookstore and on Amazon

nominated for the Cybils graphic novels award

Award-winning graphic novelist Phelan chronicles the real-life journeys of three nineteenth century adventurers who each set out to circumnavigate the globe for the sheer challenge of the journey. While the nineteenth century was full of Americans pushing boundaries and exploring new territories, these three were each inspired by Jules Verne’s best-selling novel Around the World in Eighty Days.

Thomas Stevens rode a high-wheel bicycle from San Francisco to Boston, and then continued around the world with or without roads. Just look at the spread above and you can get a sense of Stevens' crazy determination, starting in San Francisco of the Gold Rush era and venturing first across the US and then across the world.

Journalist Nellie Bly set out in 1889 persuading the editors at the New York World to sponsor her journey around the world, as she attempted to beat the record of Verne’s protagonist, Phileas Fogg. She not only had to beat Fogg's fictional record, she also had to overcome her editors' doubts that a woman could really accomplish this on her own. Bly was stubborn and determined, as well as courageous.

And finally Phelan shares the story of seaman Joshua Slocum who sailed around the world by himself, the first person to do so alone.

As we read these stories, we are fascinated by these adventures, but we also find ourselves asking, "Why? Why did these people decide to go around the world? And what kept them going?"

Phelan shares not only these adventurers’ public travels, but he also explores their internal journeys. As he writes in an author’s note, he focuses not just on what these real-life characters did, but why they undertook these challenges, what motivated them, what emotional baggage they brought along on their journeys.

The stories are brought to life by Phelan’s illustrations: washes of color set the tone, emotions and reactions are masterfully conveyed in the distinct characters, and the layout and design of the panels visually moves the action along.

Kids in 4th and 5th grade have loved this book. They are swept into the lives of these nineteenth century adventurers by the visual appeal of Phelan’s artwork, but they have been held by his masterful storytelling. Around the World has received four starred review, and is featured on the Kirkus Best Children’s Books of 2011, and has been included in 100 Scopenotes and Mr. Schu's list of Top 20 Books of 2011.

Around the World is copyright © 2011 by Matt Phelan, and published by Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA. Images reproduced with permission of Matt Phelan.

The review copy was originally sent by the publisher, Candlewick Press, and I have bought several copies since. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

Review ©2011 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books.

We ♥ Todd Parr (ages 2 - 8): a fun school visit!

2011-12-12T19:03:00.000-08:00

All of Emerson was abuzz last week with excitement for books and reading. Todd Parr, a wonderful author and illustrator, came to visit our students and share about his books. As so many of the kids said, "We love you, Todd." You see, he ends each book with a note that speaks directly to kids, and he signs these notes, "Love, Todd". I truly believe this helps kids connect with Todd as a person, and they return his love adoringly.

Todd Parr is the author of over 30 books. Every one of Parr’s books helps children feel good about themselves and helps families talk about all kinds of things that kids really do care about. Parr illustrates his stories, creating bright, colorful artwork that will bring a smile to your face. Through every book he shares the message that it’s OK to be different and important to believe in yourself.

Todd Parr with my daughter Emily

During his visit, he read several of his stories aloud to the kids, asked for their help drawing silly pictures, and played a great improvisation game with the kids. The students laughed, giggled and begged to participate.

I especially love talking with the kids about how Todd's grandmother read with him when he was a child. He loved reading his favorite books over and over again. Todd talks about how his grandma would ask him what would happen next, and he would create crazy imaginative predictions. She encouraged his creativity and helped him connect to the books they were reading.

In talking with the kids afterward, they especially loved seeing Todd draw right there in front of him. They love noticing things in his artwork. Kids have described his style as simple, but full of details. They like the way it looks like a kid could draw it, but they clearly notice that he takes care and effort.

Todd's books are perfect for preschoolers and young elementary students, but older students read them with joy and smiles on their faces. At Emerson, we had all of our kindergartners, 1st and 2nd graders come to the library to listen to Todd. But, a group of older kids also came along - these 10- and 11-year-olds loved listening to him just as much as their little brothers and sisters!

At Emerson, our favorite Todd Parr books are:

Each is filled with Todd's humor, heart and kindness. We truly appreciate Todd's taking the time to share a little bit of himself with us.

©2011 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books.

Harold and the Purple Crayon book app - wonderful celebration of imagination (ages 2 - 6)

2011-12-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite books as a young child was Harold and the Purple Crayon. I can't actually remember reading it, but whenever I read it now the feelings and memories flood back to me. The wonder as Harold draws his world, whatever he wants to see. My amazement at when his hand shook and water appeared behind him. And my delight when he was so clever that he realized he could draw his own window around the moon. I was so happy to see that the new iPad/iPod book app remains true to the original story, but brings it to life in a new way. It's a real joy, one that I highly recommend for young children.

Harold and the Purple Crayon
by Crocket Johnson
developed by Trilogy Studios
for the iPhone, iPod, iPad
version 1.4 - December 6, 2011
current price: $6.99
ages 2 - 6
available from the iTunes app store

nominated for the Cybils Book App award

Features: Touch Tale * Read to Me * Read Alone * Tutorial

Harold is a little boy who decides one night to climb out his window for an adventure. He isn't sure where he should go, but he decides to create his own adventure - drawing it each step of the way with his purple crayon. It's a wonderful celebration of children's imagination.

The book app "Touch Tale" incorporates wonderfully paced narration with just the right amount of interactive features. Children are invited to draw along with Harold, tracing over gray lines that become bold purple when the child draws them. But you also can discover hidden treasures, like swiping over the empty sky to reveal twinkling stars. When Harold gets to the city, the careful reader will notice that there is a cat hiding in one of the windows which you can tap on to zoom in to see.

Harold's journey is animated, but in a way that stays very true to the simplicity of the original story. You follow Harold through his imaginary world, seeing the dragon roar or the ship sailing. But most of the details of this world are still left to the child's imagination.

The pacing and narration fit the story perfectly for a young audience. The app "chunks" the original picture book pages, so that only one line appears at a time on the screen. This helps children see the words at a nice, slow pace and large enough to see clearly. If you tap on different items in Harold's world, the word labels will pop up - helping children develop an awareness of printed words. But best of all is the soothing voice of the narrator - perfect for a bedtime story.

This is a joy to read, and drew me to it time and again. It's a perfect example of a book app staying true to so many qualities of the original book, but making it accessible to a young child in a new way. I am looking forward to reading Harold at the North Pole (released 11/29/11).

For other reviews, check out:

Psst, don't tell - but I'll be getting this for my niece and nephew, along with the print book. I think they will enjoy the app, and also enjoy reading the print book. It will be interesting to see if the app stimulates interest in the book, or if they shun the book in preference for the app.

The review copy came from our home iTunes library collection.

©2011 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books.

Top Book Apps for Tweens & Teens - School Library Journal's list

2011-12-07T23:13:00.001-08:00

I am excited that the School Library Journal has included several apps for tweens and teens. In today's post, I will round up the Best Apps for 2011 that have been recommended by the School Library Journal. While I have not had a chance to explore many of these, I wanted to share them with you.

The biggest trend that I see is how iPad apps can bring alive nonfiction, embedding a variety of photographs, images, video and live links that readers can explore while they're reading. I'm also very happy to see some apps for tweens and teens to continue using audio narration to pull in readers. I hope more include narration as an option on these longer texts too.

1. Touch Press apps such as Gems and Jewels, The Waste Land, and March of the Dinosaurs. My friend Paula Willey (of PinkMe) shared Gems and Jewels with us at KidLitCon, and it is a truly beautiful app. Kids and grownups alike will love exploring so many different facets of these stones and how they've been used through the ages. I haven't seen the others, but look forward to checking them out. The nonfiction apps are great for tweens and teens, either browsing on their own or maybe reading with a parent.

2. Paris AppTours: Beware Madame La Guillotine (Time Traveler Tours): I have not listened to this audio tour yet, but I'm absolutely fascinated! Here's the beginning of the review on SLJ's Touch and Go: "Drama of historical proportions, an awesome guide, and games and challenges, what more could a teen on vacation ask for? In Beware Madame La Guillotine (Time Traveler Tours, LLC) Sarah Towle offers iPhone and iPod users a tour through the streets of Paris with stops at the sites associated with the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror. Their guide? Charlotte Corday, the 24-year-old from Normandy who killed journalist and Jacobin leader Jean-Paul Marat in his bath in 1793." What fun!

3. Jack Kerouac's On The Road (Penguin / 1KStudios): I'm fascinated by the way this app combines the complete text with "a rich variety of print resources, video and audio recordings, and visuals culled from Viking's archives and the Kerouac estate." SLJ's review recommends it for grades 9 and up, and I can indeed imagine many high school students interested in this rich, multimedia approach to exploring Kerouac's work. Take a look at this preview video to get a sense of this rich resource.

4. Al Gore's Our Choice (Rodale) is a rich, multimedia app that examines the climate crisis that will engage teens and adults alike. Gore published Our Choice: How We Can Solve the Climate Crisis in 2009 as a young readers’ edition of An Inconvenient Truth (2007). This app, released in September 2011, updates these books, incorporating a variety of compelling information. As SLJ writes in its review, "A video introduction by the author sets the agenda, while a cogent text, video clips, fluid interactive graphics, and spectacular photos address our world's most pressing environmental issues." Learn more about this app at the Our Choice website. Watch this introduction by Gore to see the different types of multimedia included in this app:

Al Gore's Our Choice from Push Pop Press on Vimeo.

5. In Journey to the Exoplanets (Farrar/Scientific American), Edward Bell explores planets beyond our solar system, helping readers to understand the different types of planets in this region, as well as current scientific investigations. School Library Journal writes, "The app offers many cool options, including a regularly updated "Exoplanet Feed," animated explanations of key concepts, and gyroscopic views of these far-flung orbs." Audio narration helps bring the content this app to a middle school and younger teen audience. Readers will be fascinated by the rich illustrations, fascinating data and interactive gyroscope features. Here's a trailer for the Journey to the Exoplanets:

You can clearly see that nonfiction apps are leading the way for engaging tween and teen readers. I would love to hear from readers whose older children have explored any of these apps. At times I wonder if kids will want to sit and read the content, or if they will be distracted by the bells and whistles. The key is finding an app that stimulates a reader's interest, making them want to learn more. And then making that reading accessible and interesting.

Thanks very much to Daryl Grabarek, the editor at the School Library Journal's blog Touch and Go, for a fascinating, well-rounded list of the Best Apps of 2011. If you are interested in this topic, definitely follow Touch and Go for their thoughtful, interesting regular reviews of book apps for a wide range of children.

©2011 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books.

Top Apps for 2011 - School Library Journal's list, part 1 (ages 2 - 10)

2011-12-07T22:38:00.001-08:00

I'm finding the hardest thing about book apps for kids is discovering ones that are really good. That's why I was happy to see that the School Library Journal came out with a list of their favorite apps for 2011. I'm going to divide their list into age groups. Today, I'll share their apps that work for younger kids (ages 2 - 10). Tomorrow, I'll share the apps they're recommending for tweens and teens.

1. Pat the Bunny (Random House / Smashing Ideas Inc.). I haven't had a chance to see this app - on the face of it, it seems so odd that Pat the Bunny is an app. But I've heard from many places that this app is engaging with perfect age-appropriate interactive elements. It's a difficult balance to achieve, and I'm looking forward to trying this out with my young nephew.

2. The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore (Moonbot Studios): this app is truly captivating, in my opinion. As I wrote in the SLJ review on their blog Touch and Go, "With a stunning combination of computer animation, interactive features, and traditional picture-book elements, William Joyce and Moonbot Studios have developed an enchanting story about the power of books. Based on their award-winning short film, this production sets the bar high for picture-book apps." Indeed - my 7 and 10 year old both read this book over and over again this summer.

3. Spot the Dot (Ruckus Media): David Carter's app combines his creative books with a find-and-seek game. Preschoolers and kindergartners will love searching for the hidden dot, following the progressively more difficult challenges with each turn of the page. I am fascinated by this blend of a book and a game. Each time you open this app, the dot changes its hiding place. We had a lot of fun with this app!

4. Hildegard Sings! (One Hundred Robots) I can't wait to get this app by Thomas Wharton. Betsy Bird of Fuse#8 nominated it for the Cybils Book App Award, and says that it's hilarious. Here's SLJ's description: "Hildegard, a flamboyant hippo, works as a singing waitress, but dreams of becoming an opera star. When she croons off-key, listeners experience it firsthand. Add to that flashes of melodramatic lightning, orchestra music, amusing interactive features, and a few games, and you have a flat-out funny, immensely entertaining theatrical production that hits all the right notes."

5. Cinderella: A 3-D Fairy Tale (Nosy Crow) has been a big hit both with students at Emerson and here at home. Of course kids love this story, but Nosy Crow gives it a fresh new multimedia twist with great illustrations, bouncy interactive characters, and fun dialog bubbles that pop up when you touch the characters. This has definitely been one of our favorites of the year.

Tomorrow, I'll share the apps that the School Library Journal has recommended for tweens and teens. I don't know these apps as well, so am looking forward to exploring them!

©2011 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books.

Book Apps That Get Kids Reading - NPR Interview

2011-12-06T22:12:00.001-08:00

Today I was interviewed by Robin Young of NPR's show Here & Now about book apps for reluctant readers. I was very excited to be able to share all that I've learned about this new way for children to read and listen to stories.

Come listen to the interview - I'd love your thoughts! Head over the the Here and Now site and click "Listen" right under the article title.

I often hear people saying, "But is watching and listening to a book app really reading?" In fact, Robin asked me if I'm a librarian, shouldn't I really be in the business of wanting kids to read books? It reminds me of the debates about audiobooks.

Listening and watching these book apps is a way of experiencing stories that will pull in many children who won't sit and read a book on their own. It's a way of providing a way into stories, and with the right support and motivation, they will be able to read them on their own at a later point. My brother would have loved the way these apps bring stories to life.

My goal is finding the book apps that really do capture children's interests and make them excited to read, to listen to stories, to learn about the world around us. I am convinced that once we can open a child's eyes to the world of imagination or the wonders of the real world, and we can share how our stories make these come alive, we have won half the battle.

To read more reviews of book apps on my site, check out this link: ebooks.

thanks for listening,

Mary Ann

A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness (ages 12 - 15) - a powerful story of a boy coping with grief

2011-11-29T20:41:00.001-08:00

I sometimes wonder if we, as parents, try to protect our children from the hard things in life too much. We try to protect them, even though our children deal with hard things every day. And other times, I wonder if we are trying so hard to deal with our adult issues that we don't really see our children and the issues they're wrestling with. Conor, in Patrick Ness's powerful new book A Monster Calls, knows all too well about wrestling with life's pain. His mother is battling terminal breast cancer. And yet in so many ways, Conor is alone to deal with his pain - alone, that is, until the monster comes walking.

A Monster Calls
by Patrick Ness
inspired from an idea by Siobhan Dowd
illustrations by Jim Kay
Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2011
ages 12 - 15
available from your local library, favorite bookstore or on Amazon

Life for Conor has been completely changed by his mother's cancer. Breakfasts alone, as his mother struggles with the effects of her treatments. The recurring nightmares, filled with screaming and falling. And of course, school - where everyone avoids him, not knowing what to say. And then, the monster comes. At 12:07, to be precise. The monster is looming, giant drawn up from the earth, from the ancient yew tree outside Connor's window.

"Conor O'Malley, it said, a huge gust of warm compost-smelling breath rushing through Conor's window, blowing his hair back. Its voice rumbled low and loud, with a vibration so deep Conor could feel it in his chest.
I have come to get you, Conor O'Malley, the monster said." (p. 8)

Jim Kay's illustrations add a powerful, almost visceral element to A Monster Calls. He uses everything from beetles to breadboards to create marks, textures and images from Conor's dreams and his sense of reality. The dark pen and ink, along with relief printing and various printed textures, convey the dark, twisted, nameless horror and grief that consumes Conor. The illustrations are perfectly pitched toward a teen audience, suitably abstract, dark and disturbing.

This book is utterly compelling, completely riveting, and deeply painful to read. On the one hand, I want to tell everyone I know about it. And on the other hand, I can't imagine the effect it would have on children. My 5th grader would get terrible nightmares from this - she just wouldn't be able to process Conor's pain. And yet other children yearn for books that make them feel, that make them understand others' pain, perhaps to get a sense that their pain is understandable or manageable, or to get a sense that they are not alone.

Each person will bring their own stories, their own journeys to A Monster Calls. What I was so impressed with was the way Ness approaches this story. As Tasha Saeker writes in Waking Brain Cells,

"Ness does not duck away from anything difficult here, rather he explores it in ways I haven’t seen before. He takes the darkness and makes it real, makes it honest, creates truth from it and lays it all bare. It is a book that is difficult to read but too compelling to put down."

As Ness writes in his author's note, A Monster Calls was inspired by an idea developed by the writer Siobhan Dowd, the author of "four electric young adult novels", as Ness says. She had this idea for a story, but "what she didn't have, unfortunately, was time." Dowd passed away from breast cancer before she was able to develop her ideas further. But her ideas grew in Ness's imagination, and he ran with them.

I was fascinated reading a conversation between Patrick Ness and two teachers who both lost their mothers to illness during their childhood. Head over to Monica Edinger's blog Educating Alice to read Ness's thoughtful comments on their reactions.

A Monster Calls has been recognized by many as one of the best books of 2011:

New York Times Notable Books of 2011
Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Books of 2011
Publisher's Weekly Best Books of 2011
Cybils Awards nomination, Fantasy/SciFi for middle/elementary
SLJ's Heavy Medal Mock Newbery shortlist

The review copy came from my personal collection. This is a book that will stay with me, in my heart, for many years. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

Review ©2011 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books.

I Want My Hat Back, by Jon Klassen (ages 4 - 8) - a book to read aloud!!

2011-11-23T05:00:00.000-08:00

We had so much fun today in our library! Ms. Carter and I read aloud I Want My Hat Back, by Jon Klassen, for our 4th and 5th graders. But we didn't just read it aloud, we had FUN with it! Some books are just meant to be read aloud, with silly voices that bring the characters to life. This is a book for kids who want something a little different, easy to read but one that makes you want to play with it. What's especially funny - I just totally didn't get it the first time I read it. It took several friends to convince me to try it again and again.

I Want My Hat Back
by Jon Klassen
NY: Candlewick Press, 2011
ages 4 - 8
available at your local library, your favorite bookstore, or on Amazon

A large, brown bear walks sadly along, asking other forest animals if they have seen his hat. "My hat is gone. I want it back. / Have you seen my hat?" The words are so simple that the first time I read this, they just sat on the page. The illustrations didn't jump out at me; the words just fell flat. But friends raved about it. What was I missing, I wondered. Then I asked my daughter to read it aloud, and she did it with this wonderful sad, grumpy bear voice. Voila, that's it! You've got to get the character's voices to come alive in your head!

Today, I persuaded Ms. Carter to read it aloud for me. We performed it as Reader's Theater - that's the school word for playing with our books, reading them aloud in voices that make the characters come alive. She was the PERFECT bear, sad, a bit bewildered, and then surprised and angry. The kids - yes, these oh-so-cool 10 and 11 year-olds - ate up every word of it.

The bear ambles through the forest asking all the animals if they have seen his hat. No one has seen it. The fox hasn't seen it. The armadillo asks, "What is a hat?" The rabbit insists that he hasn't seen it. "No. Why are you asking me? I haven't seen it. I haven't seen any hats anywhere." Hmmm... Are you noticing anything in the picture below? The bear sure didn't, and just went on his way.

I Want My Hat Back doesn't just hand you the whole story on the page. You have to bring your creativity to it as well. Klassen asks the reader to create the voice of the characters as they read this story. And he makes the readers figure out what happens. No simple answers here. As our kids said, they like it because you can talk about it, you can talk about what happened. They also just love the subverted, deadpan humor. Life is not always about the nice guys.

I Want My Hat Back is receiving much well-deserved praise, and is included in the following lists:
The New York Times list of The 2011 Best Illustrated Children's Books
Publisher Weekly's Best Children's Books of 2011
Fuse #8's Best Books of 2011

Many thanks to friends who encouraged me to read and reread this: Kathy Shepler, Walter Mayes, Mac Barnett, John Schu, and especially Jen Vincent. Here's the blog post that totally opened my mind up to trying it again at Teach Mentor Texts, by the wonderful Jen Vincent. This is really a case of my Twitter PLN (personal learning network) helping me develop to be a stronger reader, a better librarian.

The review copy was a gift from Natchez and the Lee family at Emerson. Thank you so much!! If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

Review ©2011 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books.