Great Kid Books

Introducing mysteries with picture books (ages 8 - 10)

2012-02-24T14:21:00.004-08:00

I've had a great time this week introducing mysteries to 3rd graders. Reading mysteries is such fun, but it also sharpens your reading skills - getting you to notice clues as you read, pay attention to character's motives, and making predictions. All of these are important skills. We kicked off our unit in the library by reading Private I. Guana, by Nina Laden - it was such a fun picture book that really set the tone for reading mysteries. Kids (and parents) who love word play and puns will especially like this book.

Private I. Guana
by Nina Laden
CA: Chronicle, 1995
ages 7 - 11
available at your local library, favorite bookstore or on Amazon

Can Private I. Guana help find Leon, the missing chameleon? It's tricky, finding an animal that can change colors at will. But this ace detective searches high and low, until he comes across the Lizard Lounge - a slimy sort of place, where only the most cold-blooded reptiles hang out (pause, get it - cold-blooded reptiles?). Yes, this book was full of puns like that. We had fun talking about the different meanings.

I have to tell you, the best part of reading this was telling the kids how much fun it is reading mysteries more than one time. It wasn't until my 3rd time reading this, that I got the joke that Leon's name is part of the word chameleon. They loved that - that they got something before I did. It also let me encourage them to reread mysteries they loved in 2nd grade, like the A to Z mysteries. Now that they're stronger readers, they'll pick up more of the clues along the way. It can really help readers' fluency to reread favorite books. They can then use these strategies to read new books.

Here are some of the mysteries that flew off our shelves this week:

Chet Gecko series, by Bruce Hale - kids who like puns, jokes and the tone of Private I. Guana will love the Chet Gecko series. Just wait until they find out the Chet is the finest detective lizard at Emerson Elementary! This is great for 3rd and 4th graders who want to get into a new series that makes them laugh, but also solve crimes along the way.

A to Z Mysteries, the A to Z Mysteries Super Editions, and the Capitol Mysteries, by Ron Roy - our 2nd and 3rd graders love getting into these mysteries. They have just the right blend of consistent characters and engaging plots. Dink, Josh and Ruth Rose are 3rd graders who know just how to solve their town's mysteries - with some good sleuthing and clever thinking. In the longer "Super Editions", the kids travel to new places for some exciting adventures.

Joe Sherlock, Kid Detective, by Dave Keane - I had a lot of fun reading the Joe Sherlock mysteries. Joe's a kid I could relate to. No matter how hard he tries, he keeps bungling things up. Dave Keane mixes in lots of jokes, absurd situations and plenty of laughs in this series for 2nd and 3rd graders. Amazon is listing this as only available for the Kindle right now, but it would work just fine on a Kindle if you're traveling and want a funny mystery.

Thea Stilton adventure mysteries - our kids have already been Geronimo Stilton fans, and they're excited to read the Thea Stilton books. While the Geronimo Stilton books seem to be more adventures with funny twists, Thea Stilton loves solving mysteries. Here's the description from the first in the series, Thea Stilton and the Dragon's Code:

"When Geronimo's sister, Thea, is invited to teach a journalism class at a college on Mouse Island, she has no idea that she's going to be called on to help solve a mystery. But when a student disappears, it's up to Thea and five of her students to find out what happened. A nail-biting mystery ensues, complete with secret passages, underground tunnels, and more than a few surprises along the way. Readers will love following the clues to help Thea and her new friends through their first adventure together!"

What are your favorite mysteries to read with your children? I'm especially looking for picture book mysteries to read aloud so we can talk about how we read mysteries.

The review copy came from 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

And Then It's Spring, by Julie Fogliano and Erin Stead (ages 3 - 8)

2012-02-21T07:57:00.000-08:00

Just last weekend, my youngest told me I needed some "outside time" and we were going to go garden. She dug out the gardening gloves, shovels and seeds. Yes, she's one determined young 7 year old who know she needs to lead the way and claim her mother's attention. Children have an innate sense of the seasons and they marvel in the magic of watching a plant grow. In many ways, it's a microcosm of all the changes their little bodies are going through. And Then It's Spring, by Julie Fogliano and Erin Stead, is a beautiful, beautiful new book that celebrates this magical change in a wonderfully quiet way.

And Then It's Spring
by Julie Fogliano
illustrated by Erin E. Stead
NY: Roaring Brook Press, 2012
ages 3 - 8
available at your local library, favorite bookstore or on Amazon

A young boy waits and waits for winter to end, with quiet determination of a young boy who knows that if he can just wait long enough, change will happen. With spare, poetic text, Fogliano conveys the quiet waiting as winter keeps its hold on the earth.

The small boy and his dog venture outside to carefully plant seeds in his garden. All around the earth is brown. They wait for the rain to come and the seeds to grow, but winter holds on: “... and it is still brown, but a hopeful, very possible sort of brown.”

With just a few phrases on each page, the measured pacing of this book makes the reader slow down and notice the world around, as the anticipation builds. This works beautifully either as a read aloud - the illustrations draw listeners in with their large blocks of color, even from afar - or as a quiet book to read by yourself, pouring over each illustration.

Erin Stead uses woodblock prints and colored pencil, the same technique she used with her Caldecott winning book A Sick Day for Amos McGee. Her soft palette helps create the sense of quiet waiting - this winter is not dreary, but still, as if on the cusp of something about to change. The wide open spaces created by the fields, the sky and the clouds give a peaceful quality to the images. The pencil drawings of the busy animals draw the reader’s eye to notice small details in every page.

The climax will bring smiles and satisfaction, as green spreads across the hills in a sure sign that spring has come.

Watch this lovely book trailer to get a sense of the quiet magic of this book:

I have been waiting and waiting to share this book ever since it took my breath away the first time I read it last summer. It was released last week, and already people are talking about it. It is truly special. The review copy was kindly sent by the publisher Neal Porter / Roaring Brook Press, an imprint of 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 ©2012 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

Abe's Honest Words, by Doreen Rappaport and Kadir Nelson (ages 7 - 11)

2012-02-17T21:46:00.000-08:00

As our country celebrates President's Day, I would love to share my favorite book about Abraham Lincoln: Abe's Honest Words, by Doreen Rappaport and Kadir Nelson. This stirring book captures the span of Lincoln's life, the strength of his words and convictions, and the dignity in his stance - all in a way that a child just growing into an awareness of our nation's history can grasp. It is a beautiful book, one that you'll want to have at home to come back to again and again.

Abe's Honest Words
The Life of Abraham Lincoln
by Doreen Rappaport
illustrated by Kadir Nelson
NY: Hyperion / Disney, 2008
ages 7 - 11
available at your local library, bookstore or on Amazon
look inside this book at Kadir Nelson's site

Starting with Lincoln's humble beginnings, Rappaport traces his journey from the rural slave state of Kentucky to the statehouse in Illinois, to the nation's capital. Kadir Nelson's illustrations draw immediate attention and make this a wonderful book to read aloud to younger children. He expresses so much of Lincoln's character, whether it's as a determined lawyer working late into the night by candlelight, or looking up at him as he gives the Gettysburg address. Nelson's illustrations complement Rappaport's text on each page, conveying the scene Lincoln describes seeing slaves chained as he worked along the Mississippi River, or the steely gray scene of the U.S. Capitol during Lincoln's second inaugural address.

On each page, Rappaport presents a straightforward account of Lincoln's life, told in clear, direct prose, and then in a bold, slightly scripted font, she shares quotes from Lincoln's own words. This juxtaposition works well, making this both an excellent book to read aloud to a 2nd or 3rd grader or an introductory biography for an older student. For example, Rappaport writes of Lincoln's decision during the Civil War to free the slaves:

"Lincoln believe that true liberty could not permit slavery. He decided to use his wartime powers as commander in chief to end slavery.

In the third year of the war, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation. It freed over three million black men, women, and children and called for black men to join the Union army."

Below this is a quote from Lincoln:

"In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free."

While Rappaport does not provide the sources for each quote, readers will be very interested in the materials she provides for further investigation: a timeline, recommending reading for children who want to learn more about Lincoln, and selected research sources.

If you live near Northampton, Massachusetts, make sure to visit the R. Michelson Galleries, which has a special display of Kadir Nelson's work this month. As the announcement on the Children's Book Council page states, "One of the preeminent artists working today. Nelson is a two-time Caldecott Honor Award winner, an NAACP Image Award winner, and a four-time Coretta Scott King Award Winner, including the 2012 Book Award.R. Michaelson Galleries will be exhibiting a selection from a half dozen Nelson books, including his collaborations with Spike Lee, and work from Abe's Honest Words, the Life of Abraham Lincoln."

The review copy came from our home 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

Celebrating the 2011 Cybils!

2012-02-14T03:30:00.000-08:00

The Cybils Awards have been released today - have you gone to their site to see the great books the panelists have chosen? Really, head right over there now! This award honors children's and young adult books that combine literary excellence with kid appeal. And they consistently point me in the right direction when it comes to finding books for my students.

I've been especially excited about the newest Cybils category focusing on book apps. As the coordinator of this category, I've had the real honor of working with two panels of hardworking, thoughtful bloggers from a range of backgrounds. Our winning book app is:

The Monster at the End of This Book
by Sesame Street Workshop and Callaway Digital Arts, Inc
Nominated by: Sheila Ruth

No one will be able to resist lovable, furry old Grover in this giggle-inducing book app, based on the 1971 classic Golden Book. Sesame Street and Callaway Digital Arts hit all the notes perfectly from the opening pages, as Grover draws the reader in with his charm and natural humor. From that point on, no matter what age you may be, you will laugh, smile, and read along while Grover tries his best to keep you from turning yet another page. Emerging readers will follow the highlighted words as Grover speaks. Little fingers will tap the screen, discovering ways to untie the ropes and knock down Grover's brick wall, undoing each of his creative attempts to stop you turning the page. This app is perfect for preschoolers, but Grover’s silly voice and the engaging interactive features make it fun for all ages.

Head over to Katie Davis's site to listen to her podcast: Brain Burps About Books. Today for she's sharing an exclusive interview I had with Sylvia Vardell, one of the Cybils panelists in this new category.

I'd like to send out a special thanks to all of our members of the Cybils book app panels:

Round 1:

Jeff Barger
NC Teacher Stuff

Sara Bryce
Bryce Don’t Play

Nicole Kessler
Nicole’s Book Nook

Carisa Kluver
Digital Media Diet

Tasha Saecker
Waking Brain Cells

Melissa Taylor
Imagination Soup

Sylvia Vardell
PoetryforChildren

Round 2:

Alyson Beecher
KidLitFrenzy

Kate Hannigan
dotMomming

Elizabeth LeBris
LeBrisary

Dan Santat
Dan Santat

Mary Ann Scheuer
Great Kid Books

Review ©2012 Cybils, shared by Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

Magic of Place: a special NerdyBookClub post

2012-02-13T04:00:00.000-08:00

If you love books, especially those written for children and young adults, then you are an honorary member of The Nerdy Book Club. Like other members of this club, you probably always have a book along to read, a title to recommend, and time to talk about works held dear. Come join me today at The Nerdy Book Club blog to celebrate the Magic of Place. Here's a bit of what I'm writing about:

As book lovers, we know about how the setting of a book can sweep you away to far-away places. Whether it’s the way that Anne Ursu pulls us into the magical winter landscape of the Minnesota woods in Breadcrumbs or the way Jennifer Holm makes us feel the dirt between our toes as we walk barefoot with the Diaper Baby Gang from Turtle in Paradise -- setting is a critical part of the books we love. But there’s another magical part of setting - and that’s the magic of the place where we read and fall in love with books.

I find a visceral attachment to the place I’ve read my favorite books. Whenever I think about reading Rebecca Stead’s amazing When You Reach Me, I think about the dark summer night I spent on the couch in our mountain cabin - all alone in the wee hours of the night, getting to the ending and wanting to start right back over again.

We bring books wherever we travel. My children laugh and tell stories about how their suitcases are so heavy because, “Mom insists on bringing 15 books on our summer vacation.” But just look at the fun I had with my youngest daughter reading Kate Messner's Marty McGuire on our summer hike in the Sierra Mountains!

Head on over to the Nerdy Book Club today to read more of my thoughts on the Magic of Place, and leave a comment about your own special book reading spot.

I want give special thanks to both Laurel Snyder and John Schumacher (a.k.a. Mr. Schu) for inspiring this post. They both enliven and deepen my reading experiences every day.

The Cybils are coming, the Cybils are coming!

2012-02-12T15:52:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited to see the announcement of the Cybils winners this week. The Cybils Awards honor children's and young adult books that combine literary excellence with kid appeal. As the Cybils website states, "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."

I love this award because the panelists continually bring to my attention books I hadn't heard of, and they celebrate so much of what I value in children's literature. The Cybils also celebrate many genres of children's literature. There are different awards for graphic novels, poetry and chapter books - all genres that are not typically included in the major children's literature awards.

The panels have been hard at work evaluating the finalists, discussing the merits of each book and making hard choices about which one they all agree upon as the best in its category. The Cybils winners will be announced this Tuesday, February 14th. This year I have had the honor of coordinating the Book App category. We've had fantastic members of each panel, and they've evaluated over 50 book apps. They've considered the stories, the interactive features, the audio narration and the overall kid appeal of these apps. We've had fascinating discussions, and I think we've all learned something from the process.

As Sondra Eklund wrote about over at the ALSC blog, definitely check out the list of Cybils finalists for suggestions on books for your children, students or patrons. Here are the links to the individual categories. And be sure to check in on Tuesday morning for the announcements of the winning books!

Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour: an interview with Shelley Sommer

2012-02-05T03:00:00.000-08:00

Shelley Sommer's biography Hammerin' Hank Greenberg was named a 2012 Sydney Taylor Honor Book by the Association of Jewish Libraries, for its authentic portrayal of the Jewish experience. I have the great fortune today to be part of the Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour, and am sharing an interview with Shelley Sommer.

Shelley Sommer is the Library Director at the Inly School, a small independent school in Scituate, Massachusetts. Her previous book was John F. Kennedy: His Life and Legacy. In Hammerin' Hank Greenberg, Sommer follows Greenberg's baseball career from his childhood in New York, through his professional career in the 1930s and '40s, integrating a strong sense of American history during this time period. I was particularly struck by her use of primary sources, and so wanted to ask her about her research process.

MS: How did you come to choose Hank Greenberg as your subject? Was there something that drew you to the American 1930s in particular? Or were you first drawn to baseball, and then to Hank's story?

SS: I was drawn to Hank Greenberg’s story for a combination of reasons. It began with my son, who was twelve-years-old when I began thinking about this book. At the time, he was playing lots of baseball, and by extension reading baseball books. Because I manage a school library, I brought books home to him and, of course, we visited our local library. As I looked through my son’s books, I noticed Greenberg’s name several times and began reading more about him. I was intrigued by his story and wondered why he isn’t better known. The combination of his personal story and the times in which he played are fascinating – the son of Romanian Jewish immigrants working hard to succeed in the quintessentially American game at the same time that Jews in Europe were systematically losing their rights. Interesting stuff.

We are baseball fans – the Red Sox, of course – so between our interest in baseball, an immediate curiosity about Greenberg’s story, and my understanding (through working in a school library), of how much kids love to read about someone who has overcome challenges all made Hank Greenberg the perfect subject.

MS: Your previous book was about John F. Kennedy. How does writing about a sports figure compare with writing about a president?

SS: Writing about a president and a sports figure are obviously dramatically different projects, but in both situations, it was the history of the times that interested me. Quite honestly, the biggest difference for me was that in the case of President Kennedy, I knew the story really well before ever writing the first word. The Kennedy biography grew out of my 15-year career at the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston. I literally talked and wrote about my subject every day before writing a book about him.

After leaving the Kennedy Library, I began my graduate work at the Simmons Center for the Study of Children’s Literature. As part of my course work, I took a non-fiction class which resulted in my biography of President Kennedy. The Greenberg book was a totally different experience. I had to start at the very beginning. Literally, the first I heard of him was through my son’s baseball books. The learning curve was much steeper! That being said, it was also rewarding in a different kind of way. I was discovering this person and every anecdote I read was new and exciting.

MS: What is your research and writing process like? Do you work from an outline? Copious notes? How do you decide to organize your material?

SS: I organized my notes in a pre-internet way! I write note cards, use different colors of post it notes, and write on legal pads. At one point, I remember looking at some online tools that were recommended by friends and students, but I didn’t like having lots of documents open on my screen. I prefer to see my work right in front of me - on the floor in chronological stacks of papers and articles.

Detroit Tigers logo

I began by ordering lots of used books about Detroit and the Tigers and Jewish athletes. I also watched a really good documentary about Greenberg, The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg by Aviva Kempner (1998). After writing the first draft – which served as kind of an outline – I began working closely with my editor, Carolyn Yoder, on the subsequent iterations of the book.

One of the most helpful resources was the research department at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. They had a file containing hundreds of newspaper articles from Greenberg’s seasons with the Detroit Tigers. The articles were invaluable primary sources and a lot of fun to read.

MS: I loved the section at the end: "Hank Greenberg names his own all-star baseball team". Where did this come from? It's so much fun and really leads kids into exploring other players!

SS: Hank Greenberg’s “own All-Star baseball team” is one of those treasures from his Hall of Fame file. I found it in the middle of a stack of newspaper articles and immediately knew it should be included. It is my son’s favorite part of the book!

MS: Your source notes and back matter are very interesting and helpful to children interested in pursuing this topic more fully. What was using the Baseball Hall of Fame archives like? Do you have to be an author, or could a child access these if they were interested in learning more about a particular player?

SS: The Hall of Fame is a wonderful place to visit - in person or online. Their web site is: www.baseballhall.org The best part about going to the Hall of Fame is its idyllic location in Cooperstown, New York. As many others have pointed out, Main Street in Cooperstown is like a Norman Rockwell painting that has come to life. My husband, son and I spent a few days in Cooperstown during the writing of Hammerin’ Hank Greenberg. While I was looking at the Hall of Fame’s photo archives, they enjoyed going to baseball-themed restaurants and ordering sandwiches with names like the Home Run Hamburger or the Grand Slam Grilled Cheese!

You can also access the Hall of Fame’s research center online. They have information about every player who has been inducted – all 297 of them. Anyone can access the actual library in the Hall of Fame, but you need to schedule an appointment first so that the research staff is available to assist you.

MS: I'm wondering about Greenberg's legacy extending into baseball today. How did his leadership affect Jewish ball players, not just of his time but today? I don't follow baseball closely - are there many Jewish players in the National or American Leagues today? Have opportunities opened more since Hank's time?

SS: I’m not certain how many Jewish baseball players are currently playing for a major league team, but I do know that one of the most prominent is Kevin Youklis who plays for the Boston Red Sox. I feel a connection with Youklis because, like me, he is a transplant to the Boston area from Ohio. He grew up in Cincinnati – right down the road from my hometown, Dayton, Ohio.

MS: Thanks so much, Shelley, for spending the time with me here. Right from the beginning, I felt a great connection with you. We're both librarians, and I also used to teach English and literature for middle school students. Best of luck with your future projects.

SS: Thank you, Mary Ann, for having me. It was a pleasure!

I would especially like to thank the committee members of the Association of Jewish Libraries for continuing to choose wonderful books to honor with the Sydney Taylor Book Award.

Hammerin' Hank Greenberg, by Shelley Sommer (ages 10 - 14)

2012-02-03T20:11:00.000-08:00

A baseball fan, I'm not; but I always seek out biographies that will capture students' interests. So I was excited to read a new biography about Hank Greenberg, America's first Jewish baseball star. Shelley Sommer's Hammerin' Hank Greenberg was recently honored by the Association of Jewish Libraries for authentically portraying the Jewish experience. Tweens and young teen baseball fans will be interested in the way Sommer weaves together American history from the 1930s and '40s with Greenberg's story.

Hammerin' Hank Greenberg:
Baseball Pioneer

by Shelley Sommer

PA: Calkins Creek, 2011

ages 10 - 14

available from your local library, favorite bookstore or on Amazon
2012 Sydney Taylor Honor Book

At over 6 feet tall, Hank Greenberg was a powerful hitter and a first baseman with a long reach. Signing with the Detroit Tigers in 1930, Greenberg rose to fame during the Great Depression and during a time when many ethnic groups faced discrimination and prejudice - on the ball field and off. As Sommer writes, "Hank Greenberg was not the first Jewish man to play in Major League Baseball, but he quickly became the most widely known" (p. 43). In 1938, Greenberg came within 4 home runs of breaking Babe Ruth's home run record. Sommer quotes a Detroit fan from the 1930s:

"'I don't think anybody can imagine the terrific importance of Hank Greenberg to the Jewish community, said one Detroit fan. "He was a God, a true folk hero.' Some Jewish publications began referring to Greenberg as the 'Jewish Babe Ruth'" (p. 44-45).

Throughout this story of Greenberg's career, Sommer interweaves a backdrop of American history in the Great Depression and World War II. This is particularly effective for tweens who may have some understanding of American history, but who may not understand how it affected sports players. I was interested in the parallels Sommer drew between boxer Joe Louis's role in boxing, being a champion for African Americans, and Greenberg's role as a hero for American Jews.

Hank Greenberg, crossing home plate, is greeted by Detroit catcher Moe Berg, 1937

Sommer also does an excellent job integrating quotes from primary sources, and this adds depth and weight to Greenberg's story. She incorporates many quotes from her research in the archives of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. I was particularly struck by a letter Greenberg wrote to a fan asking for advice for a young Jewish baseball player. Greenberg wrote,

"Baseball is a game that affords any youngster an opportunity to progress. Ability is the sole determining factor in advancement, and not religion, the way your hair parts or your parental lineage." In a handwritten postscript, he added: "If prejudice does exist and I refuse to recognize that it does does, then let it spur you on to greater achievement rather than accept it and be licked by it" (pp. 104-105).

For me, this sums up Greenberg's positive attitude, determination and dignity. He withstood jeers from opposing players, and kept playing his very best through hard times and good.

The backmatter provides interesting insights into Greenberg's life and Sommer's sources. Baseball fans I shared this with were particularly interested in the all-star baseball team that Greenberg named, and wanted to know more about the other players he included. Sommer includes a list of further resources for readers to learn more about Hank Greenberg and the history of the times when he played baseball. She also includes a full bibliography and source notes. The one item I would have found useful is a timeline to visually integrate the different events described, both in Greenberg's life and American history.

I am looking forward to interviewing Sommer this weekend as part of the Sydney Taylor Blog Tour. For more details see the Association of Jewish Libraries for their full announcement.

Other reviews you might be interested in:

The Nonfiction Detectives: "The many-layered book is more of an overview of Greenberg’s career. The author also highlights what it was like to be Jewish at a time when Anti-Semitism was escalating because of the growing turbulence in Germany that would become World War 2."
ProseandKahn: "This is a comprehensive birth to death biography that is totally accessible to the middle school reader."

The review copy came from our local 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

Sydney Taylor Book Award: honoring books that portray Jewish experiences

2012-02-02T13:34:00.000-08:00

Every year, I am excited to see the books selected for the Sydney Taylor Book Award by the Association of Jewish Libraries. This award "honors new books for children and teens that exemplify the highest literary standards while authentically portraying the Jewish experience." This award is in honor of Sydney Taylor, author of The All-of-a-Kind Family, a classic series about an immigrant Jewish family in New York City in the early 1900s.

I'd like to highlight a few books from their list this year that particularly struck me as having wonderful appeal to children and families:

Chanukah Lights
by Michael Rosen and Robert Sabuda
MA: Candlewick, 2011
ages 7 - 10
2012 Sydney Taylor Book Award for Younger Readers
available at your local library, favorite bookstore and on Amazon

Michael Rosen and Robert Sabuda are honored with the 2012 gold medal in the Sydney Taylor Book Award’s Younger Readers Category for Chanukah Lights, an intricate cut paper pop-up book that celebrates Jewish history and the Chanukah holiday. Barbara Bietz, Chair of the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee, said: “From the shtetl to skyscrapers, the white pop-up scenes against a background of deep rainbow colors illuminate Jewish life for the eight nights of Chanukah. Together, children and adults will marvel at the stunning scenes that magically unfold with each turn of the page.”

Naamah and the Ark at Night
by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
illustrations by Holly Meade
MA: Candlewick, 2011
ages 4 - 8
2012 Sydney Taylor honor award
available at your local library, favorite bookstore or on Amazon

As Noah’s wife Naamah, a beautiful singer, calms the animals, her husband and children with soothing lullabies, she brings peace to the storm-wracked ark. Bartoletti's lyrical text is perfectly paired with Meade's collages. Children will love looking at all the animals in the ark, especially seeing them paired with different constellations in the night sky.

When Life Gives You OJ
by Erica S. Perl
NY: Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2011
ages 8 - 12
2012 Sydney Taylor honor award
available at your local library, favorite bookstore or on Amazon

I had so much fun reading this heartwarming, funny book this summer. Zelly Fried wants a dog more than anything, but her parents aren't convinced. When her eccentric grandpa Ace leaves her a note tied to an old orange juice jug, she's the one who isn't quite convinced. Ace has cooked up a plan for Zelly to have a "practice dog" to prove to her parents that she really is ready to take on the responsibilities of owning a dog. Zelly's family is one of the few Jewish families in her Vermont neighborhood, and her grandfather's dialog is full of Yiddish phrases.

Hammerin' Hank Greenberg
by Shelley Sommer
PA: Calkins Creek, 2011
ages 11 - 14
2012 Sydney Taylor honor award
available at your local library, favorite bookstore or on Amazon

Sommer weaves together the story of Hank Greenberg, the first Jewish baseball star, with the history of America during the 1930s and 1940s in this accessible biography for tweens and teens. I really enjoyed reading this biography, and will review it in depth tomorrow.

If you are interested in these and other books about the Jewish experience, you'll definitely want to check out the blog tour to celebrate the Sydney Taylor Book Awards. Below is the full schedule:

THE 2012 SYDNEY TAYLOR BOOK AWARD BLOG TOUR
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2012

Susan Campbell Bartoletti, author of Naamah and the Ark at Night
Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Younger Readers Category
at Ima On & Off the Bima

Holly Meade, illustrator of Naamah and the Ark at Night
Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Younger Readers Category
at Into the Wardrobe

Shelley Sommer, author of Hammerin' Hank Greenberg, Baseball Pioneer
Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Older Readers Category
at Great Kid Books

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2012

Marcia Vaughan, author of Irena's Jar of Secrets
Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Older Readers Category
at Shelf-Employed

Ron Mazellan, illustrator of Irena's Jar of Secrets
Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Older Readers Category
at The Children's War

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2012

Trina Robbins, author of Lily Renee, Escape Artist: From Holocaust Survivor to Comic Book Pioneer
Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Older Readers Category
at Bildungsroman

Anne Timmons (and possibly Mo Oh), illustrators of of Lily Renee, Escape Artist: From Holocaust Survivor to Comic Book Pioneer
Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Older Readers Category
at Gathering Books

Morris Gleitzman, author of Then
Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Teen Readers Category
at The 3 R's

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2012

Michael Rosen, author of Chanukah Lights
Sydney Taylor Book Award winner in the Younger Readers Category
at A Chair, a Fireplace, and a Tea Cozy

Robert Sabuda, illustrator/paper engineer of Chanukah Lights
Sydney Taylor Book Award winner in the Younger Readers Category
at Practically Paradise

Susan Goldman Rubin, author of Music Was It: Young Leonard Bernstein
Sydney Taylor Book Award winner in the Older Readers Category
at Cynsations

Robert Sharenow, author of The Berlin Boxing Club
Sydney Taylor Book Award winner in the Teen Readers Category
at Jewish Books for Children

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

Durga Yael Bernhard, author & illustrator of Around the World in One Shabbat
Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Younger Readers Category
at Frume Sarah's World

Shirley Vernick, author of The Blood Lie
Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Teen Readers Category
at The Fourth Musketeer

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

Eric Kimmel, author of The Golem's Latkes
Sydney Taylor Notable Book, and winner of the National Jewish Book Award
at Ann Koffsky's Blog

Gloria Spielman, author of Marcel Marceau, Master of Mime
Sydney Taylor Notable Book, and finalist for the National Jewish Book Award
at Shannon and the Sunshine Band

Richard Michelson, author of Lipman Pike: America's First Home Run King
Sydney Taylor Notable Book, and finalist for the National Jewish Book Award
at Blue Thread

Sydney Taylor Award Winners – Wrap-Up
All winners, all categories
at The Whole Megillah

There's Going to Be a Baby, by John Burningham and Helen Oxenbury (ages 3-7)

2012-01-31T21:12:00.000-08:00

Having a new baby brings change for any family, and it can be a big adjustment for a child who gains that new sibling. As parents’ attention shifts toward the coming baby, the soon-to-be big sister (or brother) wonders what it might mean for her (or him). Will her parents have time for her? Will the baby want to play with her big sister, or just take all of dad’s time?

There's Going to Be a Baby
by John Burningham
illustrated by Helen Oxenbury
MA: Candlewick, 2010
ages 3 - 7
available at your local library, favorite bookstore or on Amazon

Anticipation and imagination. That is the powerful mix at work when a young boy asks his mother, “When is the baby going to come?” As they walk along, she answers in a perfectly reasonable way that it will come in the fall, when it’s ready.

“What will the baby do?” wonders the boy.

“Maybe when the baby grows up, it will be a chef and work in a restaurant,” suggests his mother.

Hmmm, the little boy isn’t sure that’s a good idea. Turn the page, and the little boy imagines a baby making pancakes, spilling a mess everywhere.

As the young mother suggests straightforward answers, the little boy imagines all the trouble a baby might cause. You’ll laugh at the preschooler’s inventive imagination, but you can also feel his anxiety and uncertainty. Just what will this new baby be like? This sweetly funny book, with its retro feel and muted colors, will bring smiles to parents and children anticipating a new baby.

For more books to share with children about having a new baby, head over to my Bookshelf article for this month at Parents Press. I feature five books that look at this change from a child’s perspective.

The review copy was kindly sent by the publisher, Candlewick Press. 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

How Did That Get In My Lunchbox? by Chris Butterworth (ages 4 - 8)

2012-01-29T21:43:00.000-08:00

My kids love cooking, but if you ask them where their food really comes from I'm not sure they'd be able to tell you. Sure, they can tell you that apples grow on trees - but what about bread? cheese? chocolate? How Did That Get in My Lunchbox? takes this question and shares the answers in an engaging, fun way for young children.

How Did That Get in My Lunchbox?
The Story of Food
by Chris Butterworth
illustrated by Lucia Gaggiotti
MA: Candlewick, 2011
ages 4 - 8
2012 NSTA/CBC Outstanding Trade Book
available from your local library, favorite bookstore, or on Amazon

How do we get most of the food we eat? That's right, we make a trip to our nearest store. If we're lucky, we have a home or community garden where we can grow some of our own food. But we are far removed from most food production. Butterworth shows readers how each item in their lunchbox makes it from the farm to the table. For some items like an apple or clementine, it's a simple journey growing on a tree, being picked and washed, then traveling to the store. But other items are much more complicated; bread starts as a grain, which is then ground to flour before it can be baked into bread. Butterworth clearly explains how several items in a typical lunchbox are made, providing enough information to help children envision this but keeping it simple enough for young readers to follow.

This book keeps a fun, fresh tone with Gaggiotti's retro cartoon illustrations. The illustrations will draw young kids in to this factual book and keep their interest. Gaggiotti has integrated the text into the illustrations, making each numbered step clear to follow.

Take a look at this Google preview to get a sense of how fun this would be to share with preschoolers or young elementary school children:

The final two page spread shows the four food groups that should be included in our daily diet and how much space they should take on our plate. I especially liked Butterworth's kid-friendly description of the food groups, such as, "Protein: These are 'bodybuilders' (to help you grow those extra inches)." Throughout, this has an informative but encouraging tone perfect for preschoolers, kindergartners and 1st graders.

Head over to Wendie's Wanderings for Nonfiction Monday to find more wonderful nonfiction to share with your children.

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

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.