MotherReader

The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary

2010-03-19T09:53:00.001-04:00

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie opens today, and in tribute here is a review — of the book. Or more accurately, of the book about the making of the movie, brought to you by TeenReader.

The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary, by Jeff Kinney, talks about the process of making a movie, starting with the earliest discussions, to the casting, and through the entire filmmaking process. While Kinney comes in with little quips and lots of cartoons, overall the book is more interesting than funny. The best thing, from my perspective is the main point: It’s hard to make a movie. Being involved with our short films so much, it drives me crazy when people dismiss the hours of work it takes to make even a short film. Most people just don’t get it.

However, we don’t judge books based on how much we agree with them. I feel that this book still embodies the “Wimpy Kid” style without the wimpy kid story. You can tell that Kinney is enthusiastic about the topic, and his writing conveys the subject in a way kids will understand. He also focuses heavily on the actors for Greg, Rowley, and the other child characters. These actors allow kids to relate to the book, as well as the process of filmmaking. It also helps that the actors are actually the right age range for these books and the characters they are portraying. Brilliant concept, Hollywood.

The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary explains the “glamorous” process of filmmaking to kids, and they don’t even know they’re learning (an overly-clichéd and often inacurate statement that I feel truly is relevant in this case)! I think that this will be a very enjoyable movie, if not Oscar-worthy, and the book itself is a fun, quick — and yes, educational — read.

MotherReader here. I also read and enjoyed the book. TeenReader has it spot on when she says that the value of the title is its detailed description of filmmaking in a way that is accessible and interesting for kids. Or really, for adults too, because I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a book that shows the amazing amount of work that goes into making a movie. I know from experience in our own smaller-scale capacity that it takes an entire day to shoot about five minutes of film. Speaking of which, we’ve just signed up for another 48 Hour Film Project for the weekend of May 1st. Bill would hate it, but I kind of hope we draw Musical.

Review copy provided by publisher. Links to material on Amazon.com contained within this post may be affiliate links for the Amazon Associates program, for which this site may receive a referral fee.

ABC Storytime: R is for...

2010-03-17T09:25:00.002-04:00

Um, I don’t really have an introduction, but a Happy St. Patrick’s Day wish seems in order.

The Letter R

Book: Duck? Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, or Rabbit Ears, by Amber Stewart

Fingerplay: “Five Little Rabbits”

Five little rabbits sitting by the door.
One hopped away, and then there were four.

Four little rabbits moved under a tree.
One hopped away, and then there were three.

Three little rabbits drinking morning dew.
One hopped away, and then there were two.

Two little rabbits resting in the sun.
One hopped away, and then there was one.

One little rabbit isn’t any fun.
He hopped away to find the others,
and then there were none.

Book: Rattletrap Car, by Phyllis Root

Book: Rain Drop Splash, by Alvin Tresselt

Song: “Rain, Rain Go Away”

Rain, rain, go away.
Come again another day.
Little Rosa wants to play.
Rain, rain go away. (Repeat with other names.)

Book: Ruby the Copy Cat, by Peggy Rathman, or Ruby’s Wish, by Shirin Yim

Song: “Ram Sam Sam”

A ram sam sam
A ram sam sam
Guli, guli, guli, guli, guli
Ram sam sam...

Book: Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed, by Mo Willems

Alternate Books: Miss Rumphius, by Barbara Cooney; Hello, Robots, by Bob Staake; How to Hide a Crocodile and Other Reptiles, by Ruth Heller

Links to material on Amazon.com contained within this post may be affiliate links for the Amazon Associates program, for which this site may receive a referral fee.

Alice in Wonderland

2010-03-15T13:02:00.000-04:00

FatherReader here. While I share a degree of MotherReader’s enthusiasm for children’s literature — and have been thrilled to make a few friends in the kidlit world — my bailiwick is more in the area of film (as both a viewer and a successful independent filmmaker, so long as you aren’t too strict in defining “successful”). In any case, it’s rare that I feel I have any particular insight to offer here (and after today’s entry, you may very well concur). But she thought this might be an opportunity to provide a little crossover commentary — specifically, some thoughts on Tim Burton’s latest, Alice in Wonderland.

If ever there were a pair of creative minds well suited to work in conjunction, they would be Lewis Carroll and Tim Burton. That’s not to say that Burton’s film is by any stretch a “faithful adaptation” of Carroll’s work, but more that Burton’s sensibility is uniquely appropriate to interpreting Carroll’s off-kilter imaginings. The film (which is positioned as more a continuation of the Alice stories than a direct adaptation) does fall prey to some of the same flaws that have afflicted earlier works — treating Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There as though they were a single narrative, combining the Queen of Hearts and the Red Queen into an amalgam character, and so on. In fact, one could argue that it owes more to past adaptations than to the original books — though from a filmmaker’s perspective, there may be more to be gained by tapping into our collective memory of the stories than by adhering closely to the stories themselves. Which goes to illustrate the overriding truth of filmmaking (and the bane of literary purists everywhere): For good or ill, filmmaking is a director’s medium, not a writer’s.

There are those who love Burton’s style, and those who abhor it, though for the most part Burton doesn’t often polarize audiences; many find his films enjoyable but are neither enthused nor repulsed. (MR probably falls somewhere in the middle of the latter group — though she was clear that she had no desire to see Alice; while she enjoys the occasional weird-ass picture book, she’s a little more conventional in her movie choices.) I lean toward the fan side of the equation, but several of his films I find merely entertaining. I thought Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands were brilliant, but Charlie and the Chocolate Factory somewhat less inspiring. I loved his Batman films at the time of their release (there are no doubt blackmail-worthy photos floating around somewhere), but find they don’t quite hold up over time. (We will studiously avoid any mention Planet of the Apes, which bears no sign of being a Tim Burton film at all.)

But Burton is certainly a visionary — in the sense that all of his films (with the exception of the film-that-shall-not-be-mentioned) bear his indelible imprint. And in this regard, Carroll’s work would seem to be an ideal jumping-off point for Burton’s particular brand of lunacy. In fact, one can imagine Burton embracing the maxim “We’re all mad here” as his own personal mantra. So the question — from a filmmaker’s perspective — becomes not whether this outing brings Carroll’s vision to the screen, but whether the inspiration of Carroll’s writing serves Burton’s vision. (That said, this audience being a more literarily-minded group, I certainly welcome your thoughts and counterarguments in the comments.)

In that regard, I would answer affirmatively, arguing that Alice stands along with Edward Scissorhands as absolutely emblematic of Burton’s oeuvre. While it may not be possible to translate Carroll’s linguistic brilliance into any other medium, Burton uses that language to at least emulate the feeling of being in a dream world — where things make a vague sort of sense, but remain just bizarre enough to be confusing. Criticisms that Burton takes what shouldn’t make sense and provides too coherent a narrative (providing very clear objectives for the characters, interweaving the “Jabberwocky” poem more explicitly into the main story arc, and the like) may have some merit, but I for one found myself suitably disoriented throughout.

Unlike writing (editorial assistance aside), filmmaking is a collaborative medium, though in this case the director’s hand remains evident across the board. The casting — in terms of both the selection of appropriate actors and the consistent direction of performances — is pure Burton. Johnny Depp is delightfully batty as the Mad Hatter, Mia Wasikowska provides an ideal blend of youthful innocence and post-adolescent defiance to Alice, and Helena Bonham-Carter positively steals the show as the Red Queen/Queen of Hearts — and that’s saying nothing about the stellar turns by Stephen Fry and Alan Rickman as the Cheshire Cat and Blue Caterpillar respectively (of all the performances, I felt only Anne Hathaway’s as the White Queen fell a bit flat). The exaggerated design — while certainly paying homage to John Tenniel’s classic illustration (and Disney’s animated work) — is straight out of Burton’s gloriously askew imagination. And the story — aforementioned coherence notwithstanding — very effectively illustrates Burton’s themes on balancing responsibility and individual choice (and the benefits of a healthy dose of madness).

In all, I found the film eminently watchable, and imbued with far greater intelligence — in no small part thanks to the genius of the source material — than most popular entertainment. The 3D effects are not merely a gimmick (though there are certainly a few “3D shot” moments), but serve the larger goal of immersing the viewer in the dream-like world of Wonderland (or “Underland,” as it’s more properly dubbed in the film). And though it does take substantial liberties with Carroll’s stories, it hardly appears to desecrate the spirit of the originals.

But let’s not leave my word as the final determination — chime in and add your own thoughts. If we get a particularly lively conversation out of it, I may tackle Guy Richie’s more explicitly revisionist Sherlock Holmes.

Links to material on Amazon.com contained within this post may be affiliate links for the Amazon Associates program, for which this site may receive a referral fee.

Gotta Keep Reading

2010-03-14T10:07:00.003-04:00

I’ve been seeing this video all over, but hadn’t slowed down to actually watch it. But this morning I did, and it actually made me a little bit teary. Not because it’s sad or even that explicitly moving, but because these kids will remember making this video for a long, long time, and I’m inspired that there are teachers and principals who would take the time to create an experience that just might make a difference.

Reading Is Boring (Sometimes)

2010-03-12T10:13:00.005-05:00

Sometimes reading to your kids is boring. There, I said it. We like the idea of the day ending with all of the annoyances forgotten as we cuddle on the sofa with our precious children, sharing our favorite books as they listen with adoring expressions on their well-scrubbed faces. But I know the reality is just as often pushing the laundry aside to make room for you and two kids who are still arguing over who got the biggest slice of cake — which apparently one child rubbed in her hair — while handing you the one picture book you can’t stand as the cat vomits a hairball at your feet.

Charming, huh?

There are many motherly myths that make us feel like we’re Doing It Wrong. And the ones that produce the most guilt are the ones that tell us how we should feel. Maybe you’ve heard how you bond with your baby at birth? It’s true that you might surrender to a warm rush of instant love and pure joy. Or you might be like me at my first child’s birth, wondering what you are going to do with squalling mini-person now. (Love came later.)

Certainly nursing your child is a magical experience, connecting you to the spirit of womanhood through all time. That is, assuming that you figure out the latching-on thing and you don’t mind leaking at inopportune moments and you don’t get infections or chafing. And even then you spend this most beautiful experience watching Oprah, or get so blasé that you open the door to the UPS man because you are NOT going to miss out on your Buffy the Vampire Slayer DVD’s just because Little Miss Sucks-a-Lot won’t FINISH UP ALREADY!

And while I was moved by how much my girls looked like angels when they slept, it was generally not a respect for all that was holy that caused me to thank God. It was more likely relief that I wasn’t going to miss yet another episode of Survivor.

So — reading to your kids. It can be a wonderful experience, a chance to slow down in the busy day and share something together. I dare say that often you will find it a nice thing to do. My point isn’t to tell you that reading to your kids is boring, but instead to give you permission to sometimes feel like reading to your kids is boring. Because when we as mothers set ourselves up to a certain expectation to how something Should Be, we can fail to work with How It Is.

Think of reading to your child less as a bonding experience and more like dinner. It could be prime rib or Hamburger Helper, but either way it’s important to eat. At reading time, the stars may align to make it a cozy tradition, or the day’s drudgery may make it another chore. And that’s okay.

While my goal was simply to validate less-than-blissful feelings about reading time, it would be cruel to leave without a little advice on banishing the boredom. Think about varying the routine in terms of the five Ws — Who, What, Where, When, and Why.

Who — If you can switch off on the reading with Dad or an older sister, go for it. You can even have a reading time where Junior reads to the dog as you let your mind turn to thoughts of George Clooney. Ah, Clooney.

What — Just because your child wants to read the same book again doesn’t mean that you have to do so. On days when you are more patient, you’ll be happy to chug through Little Sparkly Fairy Princess again. But reserve the right to say, “Not today, honey.” Look for good book recommendations or ask at the library to add some fresh books to your mix. You’ll be happier for it, I promise.

Where — If you always read by your child’s bedside or on the couch, take it outside. Or stop at the library or bookstore and read there. Change your surroundings just because you can.

When — I am a personal fan of bedtime reading because in my unorganized world, it was hard to forget to do it. The pajamas tended to tip me off. But if you’ve always reached your limit at the end of the day, make reading time in the morning or after lunch or before nap or whenever works for you. Here’s a thought: You can even change it according to what works that day, week, month or year.

Why — Well, this whole post has been about the why. You can read to your child because it is a beautiful way to connect while instilling a valuable skill. But on days when you’re not feeling it, you can still read to your child because it’s just a good thing to do. I’m sure that all the “perfect moms” would agree.

Check out more on today’s Share a Story — Shape a Future topic, Reading for the Next Generation, with Jen Robinson.

Booklights, Share a Story

2010-03-11T11:47:00.001-05:00

Share a Story — Shape a Future continues today with a classics theme, which I’m taking over to Booklights with three classic classics. Come over and pick your favorite — if you can. And check out the linky goodness with Old Favorites, New Classics.

Keeping it short today so I can work on my own Share a Story post for tomorrow, “Reading is Boring (Sometimes).” Plus I’ve got to get outside and experience SPRING! I’m just going to stand on my lawn and watch that last bit of snow melt. I may bring champagne.

ABC Storytime: Q is for...

2010-03-10T09:17:00.001-05:00

Back with ABC Storytime. As always, feel free to name your favorite letter Q books in the comments.

The Letter Q

Book: Little Quack, by Lauren Thompson

Song: “Six Little Ducks”

Six little ducks that I once knew,
Fat ones, skinny ones, fair ones too.

Chorus: But the one little duck
with a feather in his back,
He led the others with a
Quack, quack, quack.
Quack, quack, quack!
Quack, quack, quack!
He led the others with a
Quack, quack, quack!

Down to the water they did go.
Wibble, wobble, wibble, wobble to and fro.
(Chorus)

Home from the water they did come,
Wibble, wobble, wibble, wobble, ho-hum-hum.
(Chorus)

(BTW, the tune is here.)

Book: Stella, Queen of the Snow, by Marie-Loise Gay, or Sally Jean, the Bicycle Queen, by Cari Best

Nursery Rhyme: “The Queen of Hearts”

The Queen of Hearts,
She made some tarts,
All on a summer’s day;
The Knave of Hearts,
He stole the tarts,
And took them clean away

Book: Quiet! by Paul Bright

Song: “What Begins with Q?”

What begins with Q?
What begins with Q?
We all know.
We’ll tell you so.
What begins with Q?

Quack begins with Q…

Queen begins with Q…

Quiet begins with Q...

(This is song to the tune of “Farmer in the Dell” and can be used for any letter — but is probably never needed more than when you get to Q.)

Book: QPootle5, by Nick Butterworth, or Quick as a Cricket, by Audrey Wood

Alternate Books: I don’t know. You tell me.

Links to material on Amazon.com contained within this post may be affiliate links for the Amazon Associates program, for which this site may receive a referral fee.

Calling Dad

2010-03-09T11:28:00.001-05:00

Thanks for the responses to yesterday’s question about calling your mother — and I’d still love to hear from you if you didn’t get a chance to comment. I’m finding the answers very interesting, with my favorite one coming in via Facebook: “Often enough to keep her happy, but infrequently enough to keep me sane.”

A few people mentioned calling or talking to their fathers, and it made we wonder if it is an entirely different thing with dads. See, while I feel obligated to talk to my mother every week and apologize if I don’t, I never have the same sense about my father. They are divorced, so the calls are separate entities and completely different. I might talk to Dad a couple times a week for ten minutes, or maybe a thirty-minute conversation on a weekend. It’s happened that we haven’t talked for a couple of weeks and will spend an hour on the phone catching up. He calls me more, but since I can’t always talk, I call him back much of the time. It’s a very organic thing, without any guilt, obligation, or specific time investment. How about for you?

Like yesterday, I’m keeping the reading light here so that you can give your attention to the wonders of the Share a Story — Shape a Future blog tour. And while my questions may not be book-related, think of what they may add as writing prompts and character development.

Calling Your Mother

2010-03-08T09:26:00.001-05:00

Question: How often do you call your mother?

Okay it has nothing to do with books, but I’m hoping that you’ll take the minute to answer the question. My friend was talking about her husband feeling the need to call his mother every week, and she thought that was too much. I admitted that I call my mom every weekend, and usually another day during the week as well. She was surprised I call so much, and yet I remember feeling like I was a bad daughter after talking to another friend who called her mom every day.

So now I’m curious: How often do you call your mother? Explanations are optional.

I’m also keeping today’s post short so that I can direct you to the beginning of the Share a Story — Shape a Future blog tour filled with interesting posts about reading, literacy, and beloved books. Check it out.

Poetry Friday: “Mud”

2010-03-05T10:08:00.001-05:00

Apparently when almost three feet of snow melts within two weeks, you get a lot of mud. And you get that mud for an extended period of time that seems approximately forever. Not being used to this much mud, it’s been top of my mind — and bottom of my shoes — whenever I go outside. Mud. Mud. Mud.

For Poetry Friday, I found a poem that gives mud a positive spin — one that I will try very hard to keep in mind as I squish and squelch my way to school pick-up.

Mud
by Robert William Service
Mud is Beauty in the making,
Mud is melody awaking;
Laughter, leafy whisperings,
Butterflies with rainbow wings;
Baby babble, lover’s sighs,
Bobolink in lucent skies;
Ardours of heroic blood
All stem back to Matrix Mud.

(The poem continues here.)

Poetry Friday is hosted today at TeachingBooks

Booklights, Book Blogger Convention, and Digging Out

2010-03-04T13:12:00.001-05:00

I’m anxiously awaiting the rest of Fuse#8’s Top 100 Children’s Novels as she finishes her move and arranges her Internet access. Four of my choices have already made the list, and I talk about them over at PBS Booklights. See them there and add your thoughts in the comments. I’m looking forward to the runoff between Charlotte’s Web and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, though I’m betting that the series factor to the Rowling books will split the votes, leaving Charlotte’s Web to take the number one spot. What do you think?

I’m apologetic for not mentioning the upcoming Book Blogger Convention in May. This is not — repeat, not — KidLitCon 2010, which will take place in Minneapolis in late October. It is, however, a fantastic opportunity to stretch your comfort zone and meet other book bloggers perhaps outside our wonderful kidlitosphere community. It is also now affiliated with Book Expo America, so registering for the conference gets you into BEA with a free press pass without having to convince BEA that you are indeed a book blogger, not a “Book Industry Professional.” The keynote speaker is YA Author Maureen Johnson, and you’ll see our peeps Betsy Bird of Fuse#8 and Terry Doherty of The Reading Tub on panels. Check out the Book Blogger Convention website for more information and to register.

I’m astonished how quickly February raced by, dumping me in March with piles of melting snow to navigate and stacks of books to review. And I still can’t find my Shutterfly 2010 calendar. Or for that matter, my living room floor. So excuse me if I’ve been less-than-present online. This too shall pass.

ABC Storytime: P is for...

2010-03-02T10:39:00.001-05:00

I haven’t waxed poetic on Mo Willems since the October National Book Festival, where my daughter got to play Piggie on stage. (Watch it here at the twelve minute mark!) Perhaps being noted at BEA as his number one stalker to another author made me a bit more wary with regard to my attentions. Seriously, I could not have planned running into him at BEA, but try explaining that after three years’ worth of blogging adoration. (By the way, if you’re going to Book Expo America and want to meet up with other bloggers, make a plan. The place is huge, and “See you there” will not cut it.)

But my relative silence on Mr. Willems does not mean that I find him any less Mo-tastic. In just the past month, he subbed on a weekly comic strip (fulfilling his lifelong dream), put out a new easier easy reader in Cat the Cat (I haven’t seen it yet, but I’ve been very busy), won a Cybils Award (not my category — hold all accusations of favoritism), supervised the making of Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical at the Kennedy Center in D.C. (yes, I have tickets; no, he didn’t invite me personally), and still had time to draw on the walls with cool people (not me). So today, in tribute to a man who does more in one month than I can do in ten years, ABC storytime is devoted to Mo Willems’ books, which work amazing well with...

The Letter P

Book: The Pigeon Wants a Puppy, by Mo Willems

Song: “Puppy in the Window”

How much is that puppy in the window? (arf! arf!)
The one with the waggly tail
How much is that puppy in the window? (arf! arf!)
I do hope that puppy’s for sale.
(Yes, I changed “doggie” to “puppy.” BTW, the tune is here.)

Book: Time to Say “Please”, by Mo Willems

Song: “Please and Thank You”

Say please and thank you,
They’re called the magic words,
If you want nice things to happen,
They’re the words that should be heard.
Remember please and thank you,
’Cause they’re the magic words.
Use ’em in the morning, noon, and night,
’Cause it’s a great way to be polite!
Please and thank you,
They’re the magic words.
(Yes, it’s the Barney song. Sorry.)

Book: Pigs Make Me Sneeze, by Mo Willems

Fingerplay: “This Little Piggie”

This little piggie went to market.
This little piggie stayed home.
This little piggie had roast beef.
This little piggie had none.
And this little piggie went...
Wee, wee, wee all the way home.
(Use fingers or toes for piggies.)

Book: Time to Pee! by Mo Willems — or another Pigeon or Elephant & Piggie book if you want to go with the safer choice.

Alternate Books: If you choose not to go with the all-Mo storytime, here are a few other choices: Pssst! by Adam Rex; Mr. Pusskins and Little Whiskers, by Sam Lloyd; Pilot Pups, by Michelle Meadows; A Penguin Story, by Antoinette Portis

Feel free to add other favorite P books — or Mo adoration — to the comments.

Links to material on Amazon.com contained within this post may be affiliate links for the Amazon Associates program, for which this site may receive a referral fee.

Nonfiction Monday: Moonshot

2010-03-01T09:44:00.002-05:00

This weekend I spent far too much time on things that were not the things I needed to be doing, so I’m keeping today’s entry short and sweet so that I can (a) make the family room non-embarrassing, (b) get groceries before we start eating ramen noodles for breakfast, and (c) find my 2010 calendar — in March.

Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11
by Brian Floca
Atheneum Books, 2009

Moonshot is simply the perfect book for young readers interested in space travel and astronauts. The text is simple and slight — more verse style than prose — but covering the essence of this amazing event. The preparation of the astronauts, the countdown and liftoff, the stages of rocket separation, and the landing are all laid out in a way that is easily understood. The end pages give an enormous amount of additional information on both the spaceships and the journey itself. And of course, Floca’s wonderful illustrations bring the reader into each scene with their detail and beauty. While not taking home a Caldecott as some people expected, Moonshot has no shortage of awards and recommendations.

Nonfiction Monday is hosted today at Simply Science.

Links to material on Amazon.com contained within this post may be affiliate links for the Amazon Associates program, for which this site may receive a referral fee.

Booklights, Black History Month

2010-02-26T11:51:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, I reviewed three picture books at PBS Booklights where I shorthanded the title as “Black History Month and Libraries.” Awkwardly worded, but the books are indeed all about kids going to the library in the South before Civil Rights and the place that the library had in the context of African American History.

Two of the books were published this year and nominated in Cybils Fiction Picture Books. The funny thing is that I preferred one over the other until I started to write the review. All of sudden, what had seemed like a deficit in that book — its levity — became a positive. And I’ll tell you why.

At the beginning of this month I saw a number of posts that questioned Black History Month. Some wondered about the benefit of covering the same people without bringing out the achievements of lesser known African American role models. Some questioned the focus on slavery and Jim Crow laws, reinforcing victimization instead of empowerment. Some related the awkwardness of being the only black student listening to books about mean white people. I know that there was far more subtlety and nuance conveyed in these posts, so please don’t call me out on my paraphrasing.

I saw value in all of these concepts, and so I did what I often do when confronted with complicated and intense issues. Nothing. In that I didn’t post about books for Black History Month because I suddenly wasn’t sure what it meant. I haven’t been the only black student in the room during Black History Month, but I have been the only Jew in room during the world history lessons on the Holocaust and know that it is awkward being that kid, and it feels strange to hear about your people as victims. At the same time, I think that the significance of the African American journey is rooted in the context of its beginnings.

So back to those two books. Both were about boys going into a library in the South and checking out a book, against the rules of the state and the mindset of a society. Originally I liked one because the watercolor illustrations appealed to me and the story provided more background on the level of discrimination at the time. But as I reread the books and began to write the review, I preferred the second book because what I had originally dismissed as too light a treatment of the topic — both in the text and in the bolder artwork — seemed to answer some of the questions I had about Black History Month. Here the kid has a mission to check out a book at the library, and while several white folks nicely try to help him, he insists on taking a stand against the law. Within one book, we have a lesser-known African American role model, a focus on an empowering stance instead of victimization, and a portrayal of an unfair law instead of mean people.

I’m not saying that this is the only way that a topic in African American history can be discussed. Obviously that’s silly. But it was refreshing to see this approach in a book for kids, specifically younger kids. What are the books? Head to PBS Booklights to find out. (You’ll also find a bonus classic book on the same topic.)

Into the Wild Nerd Yonder

2010-02-24T10:34:00.001-05:00

My back issues notwithstanding (boy, is that ever appropriate), I have been trying to restore some order to my life outside my blog. It᾿s slow going and less than fun, but absolutely necessary. With that in mind, I᾿m trying to run some things that I don᾿t have to write myself. My teen was able to help me out with a book that I loved and then gave to her thinking that she would feel the same way. I᾿ll say quite honestly that I hesitated before giving her the book, because of an important plot point where the main character᾿s friend gives a BJ to a boy she barely knows. I wondered if my eighth grader was ready to read this. But the friend does suffer consequences both emotional and physical, which made my point for me and allowed us to have an open discussion about the girl᾿s choices. Anyway, enough from me...

Hey! TeenReader here, to review a great book called Into the Wild Nerd Yonder, by Julie Halpern (2009). The basic plot is about Jessie, a “nerd” girl whose friends have gone from prissy to punk in a matter of hours, all to impress the one boy Jessie has had a crush on ever since they met. And when one of her friends takes it too far, Jessie decides that she needs a new crew. But who should she end up with but the nerdiest group of all, the Dungeons and Dragons crowd!

I finished this book and looked back at it thinking it was one of my favorites (which I still think now). At first I thought it was because I identified with the character, being a nerd-girl myself, but I realized that this book is pretty middle-ground and perfect for everyone. There᾿s definitely a message, but it᾿s not preachy. The bad guys are annoying enough that you want to yell at them, but Jessie isn᾿t whiny about it. It᾿s funny, but not slapstick crazy. But the thing I think was most well done was avoiding overemphasis of her being a smart person. The book mentioned her advanced classes, but it was handled very casually. One of the faults of many books starring a nerd is that they make them über-geniuses. This book shows throughout that Jessie is smart, but keeps her identifiable. Also she has none of the cliché family members — the parents who always push her to work, the perfect older sibling that she loves/loathes. This book captured a regular family, with all its warmth and little imperfections. The plot was handled well, the characters were likeable, and the style was engaging, and the story was compelling. Into the Wild Nerd Yonder, FTW! [That᾿s textspeak for For The Win!]

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ABC Storytime: O is for...

2010-02-23T10:50:00.001-05:00

The Letter O

Book: My Very Own Octopus, by Bernard Most

Fingerplay: “Open, Shut Them”

Open, shut them, open, shut them.
Give a little clap, clap, clap.
Open, shut them, open, shut them.
Lay them in your lap, lap, lap.
Creep them, crawl them, creep them, crawl them
Right up to your chin, chin, chin.
Open wide your little mouth...
But do not let them in.
(Act out the hand motions.)

Book: Owl Babies, by Martin Waddell, or Little Hoot, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Fingerplay: “Five Little Owls”

The first little owl has big, round eyes.
The second little owl is of very small size.
The third little owl can turn her head.
The fourth little owl likes mice, she said.
The fifth little owl flies all around,
And her wing hardly make a single sound.
(Count owls on fingers, and then “fly” hands around.)

Book: Over in the Meadow, by Olive A. Wadsworth (I sing it instead of reading it.)

Book: Some “O” name book like Olivia, by Ian Falconer; Olvina Files, by Grace Lin; Otto Goes to Camp, by Todd Parr; Owen, by Kevin Henkes; or Otis, by Loren Long

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Nonfiction Monday: A Young Dancer

2010-02-22T10:17:00.001-05:00

Along with her singing and acting, my fifth grader is also a dancer. While she sings constantly on her own and has a few theater sessions during the school year, it’s actually dance where she exerts the most constant effort, taking three classes a week in ballet, pre-pointe, and musical theater dance. When I started her in Rec Center classes seven years ago, it was just to have Something To Do, but as she continued to enjoy it, I encouraged her thinking that the discipline of ballet would be good for her. She still loves dance, and her interest has kept me on the lookout for good books on the subject. Today I have a title that also works in the context of Black History Month:

A Young Dancer: The Life of an Ailey Student
by Valerie Gladstone, photographs by José Ivey
Published by Henry Holt and Co., 2009

Iman Bright is a thirteen-year-old student at the Ailey School in New York City who has allowed us a peek into her life. We learn about her ballet practice and her toe shoes — the holy grail of beginning ballerinas. She talks about the other styles of dance that she learns including modern, jazz and West African. She shares how she handles the demanding dance schedule along with school and takes us through practices to performance. The photography is wonderful, putting us in each scene and showing the elegance and beauty of the performers. The author’s note contains a history of The Ailey School and Alvin Ailey as a pioneer of African American modern dance. Short segments of text make this an accessible book for early elementary readers, though upper elementary student will better appreciate the dedication of the dancer and the specifics of the dance techniques.

Nonfiction Monday is hosted today at Practically Paradise.

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Poetry Friday: Red Sings from Treetops

2010-02-19T09:51:00.005-05:00

What can I say about Red Sings from Treetops but lovely, lovely, lovely, lovely and oh yes, lovely. And that’s from someone who doesn’t care much for poetry as a rule. After checking out a library copy based on the book’s Caldecott silver medal and Cybils win, I had to buy my own copy. (Which I did through the Cybils site, because every book that you buy there gives a little bit back to that award.) My friend and poetry-lover Sara Lewis Holmes is sharing the winter poems on pink and green, but I have to stick with what can’t leave my mind as I look around our new arctic landscape:

White
whispers,
    f
       l  o
            a
         t
           s,
clumps,
traces its wet finger
on branches and stumps.
White dazzles day
and turns night
inside out.

A wrestle, a romp,
a feast:
Mmmmmmm...
winter tastes White.

Taking us through all the seasons in colors, these short poems by Joyce Sidman pack a velvet-covered punch, while Pamela Zagarenski’s illustrations invite long-lingering looks and sighs. Truly, I want to live in the world that Zagarenski sees.

Poetry Friday is hosted today by Irene Latham.

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Booklights Snow Books

2010-02-18T10:18:00.002-05:00

I’m sharing three snowy picture books over at Booklights and invite you to head over and add your own wintery favorite in the comments. In fact, I may have to go back myself, because after I wrote my post and came back here to give a teaser review, I remembered my own very favorite snow book, and that is Charlie and Lola: Snow Is My Favorite and My Best, by Lauren Child.

This is one of the Charlie and Lola books that was a TV show first and then a book, but no matter. It’s still brilliant. Especially if you read the whole thing with a British accent, which you simply must do if you’ve ever watched the show. Lola — who is small and very funny — is so excited about the coming snow that she can barely sleep, and then wakes up to find that the world has gone all extremely white! Charlie and Lola explore the snowy world with their friends, with Lola and her friend Lotta both proclaiming that “snow is my favorite and my best.” When the snow melts the next day, Lola is disappointed, but Charlie explains that a constant winter might get old. Lauren Child’s illustrations are captivating as always, and the joy and magic of a special snow day are captured most excellently in this wonderful book.

I’ve read lots of picture books about snow in my time, and I like a lot of them, but I have more fun reading this one that any other. It’s the British accent. Take a look at the ones at Booklights and add your own favorites for the PBS readers.

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ABC Storytime: N is for...

2010-02-17T09:52:00.002-05:00

The Letter N

Book: The Gift of Nothing, by Patrick McDonnell, or Let’s Do Nothing! by Tony Fucile

Book: Our Nest, by Reeve Lindbergh, or The Perfect Nest, by Catherine Friend

Rhyme: “Little Birdie”

Little birdie in your nest.
Little birdie it’s time to rest.
When the sun comes out to play.
Little birdie — fly away!

Book: The Napping House, by Audrey Wood

Song: “Brother John”

Are you sleeping, are you sleeping?
Brother John, Brother John.
Morning bells are ringing.
Morning bells are ringing.
Ding Ding Dong, Ding, Ding, Dong

Book: The Longest Night, by Marion Dane Bauer

Book: 1000 Times No, by Tom Warburton (If you’re feeling brave enough to try the numerous ways to say one word in many, many ways.)

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Nonfiction Monday: Yes We Can

2010-02-15T11:01:00.006-05:00

First, for Nonfiction Monday let me give a shout-out to the winner of the Cybils Nonfiction Picture Book winner, The Day-Glo Brothers, by Chris Barton, which I reviewed here. Check out all of the Cybils Award winners and buy yourself a book to support the site. I bought three myself.

Now today, I was wishing that I had a specific biography that would cover Presidents Day and Black History Month. In other words, an Obama biography. I didn’t have a new book on hand, and frankly am not much in the mood to write up a whole new post when today’s chores are looming over me like the five-foot snow piles towering over my driveway. The answer came to me in a book that I reviewed more than a year ago, but that has since been updated to reflect the new developments in Barack Obama’s life. You know, like becoming president.

Yes We Can: A Biography of President Barack Obama, by Garen Thomas, serves as a great biography for kids or a quick overview of the man’s life for adults. Written for older elementary school kids, the book covers Obama’s life story with an interesting narrative. The first two-thirds of the book seem drawn very strongly from his autobiography, Dreams from My Father. The last third fills in the rest of the story, namely his law school and political years. The book includes lots of photos, and chapters are separated by quotes from Obama — including a section of his New Hampshire primary speech, “Yes We Can.” The original book went to press before the Democratic primaries ended, but the newer version is updated with the conclusion of the campaign and of course, the ultimate results of the presidential election. Certainly it doesn’t have the personal depth and elegant writing of Dreams from My Father or the policy implications of The Audacity of Hope, but for kids or adults who want to know who Obama is and where he came from, this title is a great place to start.

Nonfiction Monday is hosted today at The Art of Irreverence.

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Cybils Award Winners!

2010-02-14T12:19:00.006-05:00

Today the Cybils announces the winners in twelve categories of children’s and young adult books. While you’ll see some familiar titles from other big awards, the combination of literary value and reader appeal has brought some fresh books to the mix.

I served as the organizer as first-round panelist for the Fiction Picture Book category, and I can testify — and did — to the amount of work and thought that goes into selecting the winning books. The first round took 175 books down to a shortlist of seven. The second-round judges took those seven books — all very different in story, illustration, theme, and more — and selected one title to rule them all. I am proud to announce the result of our months of work, the ultimate winner for Fiction Picture Book:

All the World
by Liz Garton Scanlon; illustrated by Marla Frazee
published by Beach Lane Books, 2009

Musical text and breathtaking illustrations capture a day in the life of children “from morning sun becomes noon blue” to “crickets, curtains, day is done.” From a quiet beach, to a busy garden, to a rained-out park, the fun and work and disappointment are shared and acknowledged in a way that encourages reflection. Diversity is naturally woven into community life where family, friend and neighbor connections cross age, ethnicity, gender and roles, embracing our distinction and our unity. Young readers will love finding the small stories within the pictures or going back to look at the page before to find the “hint” of the landscape coming up on the next page. This charming, lovely book is a delight to read and share.

Big thanks to the entire judging team for Fiction Picture Book — and an extra shout-out to Andi for working the write-up. I had a blast reading and talking books with the gang, and already can’t wait to do it again!

For all of the winners, visit the Cybils, and you know what — buy a book or two through the site. The referral fee supports the Cybils and the Amazon rankings can show how our award affects sales. Rock on, Cybils!

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Poetry Friday: Dizzy in Your Eyes

2010-02-12T11:14:00.004-05:00

It doesn’t feel like Valentine’s Day is this weekend. I mostly blame the snow, because it has taken up most of my mental energy. The storm also canceled school for the week, meaning no classroom parties with cupcakes, candy, and cheap cards. The sales hype hasn’t gotten to me because the only store I’ve visited in weeks is Ross, where in a fit of snow-crazed boredom I encouraged my teen to try on dresses for a dance in May.

We took home two that both looked amazing on her and spent thirty bucks total. I love Ross.

This outing came back to me as I was looking for a poem to share from Dizzy in Your Eyes: Poems about Love, by Pat Mora. In fact, this is probably the poem that I like best from the collection because it so clearly captures a teen’s insecurity and a relative’s unconditional love.

Mirrors
Grandma makes me mad.
    “You’re beautiful. Tan linda.”
when I’m studying my face,
boring as old bread,
my wide waist,
    “Tan linda,”
my hard-to-hide hips,
my too-flat chest,
my eyes that won’t open wide
and round like my sister’s,
that hypnotize guys.
    “Tan linda.”

What does Grandma see?

This poetry collection features a fair share of romantic love for teens, involves asking for dates, holding hands, kissing and missing, but love is also expressed for Papi, sisters, grandparents, and the family cat. And there are love poems for swimming, writing and music.

I really wanted to love this collection of love poems. But I have to be honest and say that the some wasn’t enough. Some of the poems had Spanish words that gave the work a sense of culture and place. But far too few. Only one poem was translated in Spanish after the English version, and I don’t know why more poems weren’t done this way. Some of the poems had footnotes about poetic structure, but where this could have been a useful learning tool expanding the reach of this book, it wasn’t used very often. Most of the poems were free verse with no footnotes. Some of the poems had engaging phrases, like the above sentiment of the teen seeing her face as “boring as old bread,” or the “dizzy in your eyes” haiku that gives the book its name. But more often I felt like I was reading sentences broken apart in phrases for emphasis.

I was most disappointed by the use of space, or rather the lack of use. Except for the few with footnotes, each poem faced a page with a light gray pattern of circles or rectangles. So the page count is at least twice what it needs to be, making it seem like a more substantive collection than it is. The format was particularly irritating when the poems ran onto the next page, but only for a few lines.

So, I have to say that I’m torn. The book captures a middle-schooler mindset and showcases a variety of types of love. And yet, it didn’t give me enough. As a special offer, I’d be willing to give this book a chance in the hands of another reviewer. If you’d like a nice hard-copy book to read and possibly review, leave me a comment and I’ll choose a winner at random.

Lee Wind has the Poetry Friday Round-Up today, so head over there and see what’s cooking.

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Booklights, Top 100, and Snowpocalypse

2010-02-11T10:43:00.011-05:00

Looking for love (books) in all the wrong places? Well, I’m sharing three picture books with love themes over at Booklights, in case you need a Valentine’s Day book and ain’t gonna find one now.

Don’t miss the amazing, incredible, ridiculously thorough countdown by Fuse#8 of the Top 100 Children’s Novels, where am I quoted as saying, “Because the joy that the girls had in choosing what to spend a nickel on outweighs most of the excitement I could imagine then or now. It made me crave a dill pickle from the barrel, for goodness’ sakes.” For which book? Go see.

We updated our Snowpocalpyse T-shirts and are digging out from our three feet of total snow. Crazy. I couldn’t help thinking of this particular picture book, so I’d thought I’d share it today:

Terrible Storm
written by Carol Otis Hurst, illustrated by S.D. Schindler
Two grandfathers have been friends since they were kids. They grew up in the same town and survived the same big storm. As they sit on the porch now in their old age, they talk about how terrible the big storm was. As it turned out, the shy man was trapped in with lots of people, while the social man was trapped alone in a barn. It was torture for both of them. Great story with lovely detailed illustrations.

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ABC Storytime: M is for...

2010-02-09T10:09:00.004-05:00

No introduction today, just right into...

The Letter M

Book: The Grumpy Morning, by Pamela Duncan Edwards, or Good Morning Sam, by Marie-Louise Gay

Song: “Good Morning Song”

Book: Five Little Monkeys with Nothing to Do, by Eileen Christelow

Rhyme: “Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed”

Five little monkeys jumping on the bed.
One fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said,
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed.”
(Continue with four, three, two, one monkeys.)

Book: Jeremy Draws a Monster, by Peter McCarty

Song: “Horns, Fangs”
(sung to “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”)

Horns, fangs,
knees and claws,
knees and claws.
Horns, fangs,
knees and claws,
knees and claws.
Eyes and ears and tail and paws.
Horns, fangs,
knees and claws,
knees and claws.

Book: The Magical Mystical Marvelous Coat, by Catherine Ann Cullen

Alternate Books: Today Is Monday, by Eric Carle, or Meow Monday, by Phyllis Root

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