Reading Rumpus

Sunshine State Young Readers Award Elementary List 2013-2014

2013-05-07T09:00:00.000-04:00

Some days I miss elementary school. My middle-schoolers can be bundles of angst making me long for the simple times depicted in this year's Sunshine State Young Reader Award titles. Yesterday I posted the middle grades list so if you are unfamiliar with the Florida process, look HERE. I thought I would also share the elementary titles today. ESPECIALLY since my favorite book of 2012 (and the Newbery winner) is on the elementary list.

Fake Mustache by Tom Angleberger: "Regular kid Lenny Flem Jr. is the only one standing between his evil-genius best friend—Casper, a master of disguise and hypnosis—and world domination. It all begins when Casper spends money from his granny on a spectacularly convincing fake mustache, the Heidelberg Handlebar #7. With it he’s able rob banks, amass a vast fortune, and run for president. Is Lenny the only one who can see through his disguise? And will he be able to stop Casper from taking over the world?"

Mousenet by Prudence Breitrose: "When ten-year-old Megan helps her uncle invent the Thumbtop, the world’s smallest computer, mice are overjoyed, and they want one for every mouse hole.
The Big Cheese, leader of the Mouse Nation, has orders: follow that girl—even if it means high-tailing it to Megan’s new home on the other side of the country. While Megan struggles as the new girl, the mice wait for their chance. But when they tell Megan the biggest secret in the history of the world—mice have evolved, and they need her help—she isn’t sure anyone will believe her. With all of Mouse Nation behind her, Megan could become the most powerful girl alive, but just how will she create a Thumptop for every mouse?"

Floors by Patrick Carman: "Charlie had his chocolate factory. Stanley Yelnats had his holes. Leo has the wacky, amazing Whippet Hotel.
There's mystery and adventure on every floor.
There's no other place quite like the Whippet Hotel. Each and every floor has its own wacky design--and its own wacky secrets. The guests are either mad or mysterious. And ducks are everywhere.
Leo Fillmore should know everything there is to know about the Whippet Hotel--he is the janitor's son, after all. But a whole lot more mystery gets thrown his way when four cryptic boxes are left for him...boxes that lead him to hidden floors, strange puzzles, and an unexpected friend or two.
Join Leo as he takes the ride of his life, without ever having to step outside. As the hotel starts to falling apart and the mystery thickens, there's only one thing Leo can know for sure: The future of the Whippet Hotel depends on him."

The Year of the Book by Andrea Cheng: "In Chinese, peng you means friend. But in any language, all Anna knows for certain is that friendship is complicated. When Anna needs company, she turns to her books. Whether traveling through A Wrinkle in Time, or peering over My Side of the Mountain, books provide what real life cannot—constant companionship and insight into her changing world. Books, however, can’t tell Anna how to find a true friend. She’ll have to discover that on her own. In the tradition of classics like Maud Hart Lovelace’s Betsy-Tacy books and Eleanor Estes’ One Hundred Dresses, this novel subtly explores what it takes to make friends and what it means to be one."

Thomas and the Dragon Queen by Shutta Crum: "A kingdom is at war.
A princess has been kidnapped by a dragon queen.
A brave squire volunteers to set out on a quest to rescue her.
But there's just one small problem. He's Thomas, the shortest of all the squires. With little more than a donkey, a vest, and a sword, Thomas will have to use all of his courage and determination to battle a beast with many heads, reach a forbidden island, and rescue the princess from a most fearsome dragon-and an even more fearsome fate!
Part thrilling adventure and part enchanting fantasy, sprinkled with charming black-and-white illustrations, Thomas and the Dragon Queen will delight young readers from start to finish."

Double Dog Dare by Lisa Graff: "What would you do to win a dare war?
In a humorous and insightful novel reminiscent of her award-winning titles The Thing About Georgie and Umbrella Summer, Lisa Graff tells the story of fourth-graders Kansas Bloom and Francine Halata, who start out as archenemies, until--in a battle of wits and willpower--they discover that they have a lot more in common than either would have guessed.
This dual-perspective novel will appeal to girls and boys alike--and to anyone who has ever wanted anything so badly that they'd lick a lizard to get it."

Melonhead by Katy Kelly: "Melonhead, the first book in author Katy Kelly's laugh-out-loud chapter book series, is now in paperback!

Adam Melon's friend Lucy Rose gave him a nickname—Melonhead—and it caught on fast. Melonhead is a self-proclaimed inventor. All his life, which is ten years and counting, great ideas have been popping in and out of his melon head. And sometimes they work! This year Melonhead's class is entering an inventing fair, so he and his friend Sam are dreaming up plans. And Capitol Hill has a ton of places to find invention parts. But they have to be sure they find what they need and get home on time with no excuses. That might be hard, because Melonhead and Sam have a way of forgetting. But their work will all pay off if they win first place—they'll be headed to even bigger and better things!"

Touch Blue by Cynthia Lord: "The state of Maine plans to shut down her island's schoolhouse, which would force Tess's family to move to the mainland--and Tess to leave the only home she has ever known. Fortunately, the islanders have a plan too: increase the numbers of students by having several families take in foster children. So now Tess and her family are taking a chance on Aaron, a thirteen-year-old trumpet player who has been bounced from home to home. And Tess needs a plan of her own--and all the luck she can muster. Will Tess's wish come true or will her luck run out?"

Waiting for the Magic by Patricia Maclachlan: "When William’s father leaves, his mother promptly goes out and adds four dogs and a cat to their lives. William’s sure that nothing can fill the hole left by his father, but the new additions to the family are determined to help. With his sister, Elinor, and his mother, William will learn that “family” can come in all shapes and sizes, because sometimes we find love through magic, and sometimes that magic is all around us."

The Candymakers by Wendy Mass: "In the town of Spring Haven, four children have been selected to compete in the national candymaking contest of a lifetime. Who will make a candy more delicious than the Oozing Crunchorama or the Neon Yellow Lightning Chew?
Logan, the candymaker's son, who can detect the color of chocolate by feel alone?
Miles, the boy allergic to rowboats and the color pink?
Daisy, the cheerful girl who can lift a fifty-pound lump of taffy as if it were a feather?
Philip, the suit-and-tie-wearing boy who's always scribbling in a secret notebook?
This sweet, charming, and cleverly crafted story, told from each contestant's perspective, is filled with mystery, friendship, and juicy revelations."

The Five Lives of Our Cat Zook by Joanna Rocklin: "In this warmhearted middle-grade novel, Oona and her brother, Fred, love their cat, Zook (short for Zucchini), but Zook is sick. As they conspire to break him out of the vet’s office, Oona tells the stories of his previous lives, ranging in style from fairy tale to grand epic to slice of life. Each of Zook’s lives have echoes in Oona’s own family life, which is going through a transition she’s not yet ready to face. Her father died two years ago, and her mother has started a relationship with a man named Dylan—whom Oona secretly calls “the villain.” The truth about Dylan, and about Zook’s medical condition, drives the drama in this loving family story."

Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood: "A Mississippi town in 1964 gets riled when tempers flare at the segregated public pool.
As much as Gloriana June Hemphill, or Glory as everyone knows her, wants to turn twelve, there are times when Glory wishes she could turn back the clock a year. Jesslyn, her sister and former confidante, no longer has the time of day for her now that she’ll be entering high school. Then there’s her best friend, Frankie. Things have always been so easy with Frankie, and now suddenly they aren’t. Maybe it’s the new girl from the North that’s got everyone out of sorts. Or maybe it’s the debate about whether or not the town should keep the segregated public pool open. "

Wish Stealers by Tracy Trivas: "Griffin Penshine is always making wishes. But when an eccentric old woman named Mariah gives Griffin a box of shiny pennies, it sets in motion a desperate quest. The old woman was a wish stealer, who stole each penny from a wishing fountain decades earlier. Somehow, Griffin has to redeem the lost wishes, or the opposite of her own wishes will come true--and it could literally be a matter of life or death. Griffin's mission to right Mariah's awful wrongs allows her to meet some extraordinary people, and to do good beyond her wildest imagination. But can she do enough to reverse the curse in time to save the people she loves the most?"

Janitors by Tyler Whitesides: "Have you ever fallen asleep during math class? Are you easily distracted while listening to your English teacher? Do you find yourself completely uninterested in geography? Well, it may not be your fault. The janitors at Welcher Elementary know a secret, and it s draining all the smarts out of the kids. Twelve-year-old Spencer Zumbro, with the help of his classmate Daisy Gullible Gates, must fight with and against a secret, janitorial society that wields wizard-like powers. Who can Spencer and Daisy trust and how will they protect their school and possibly the world? Janitors is book 1 in a new children s fantasy series by debut novelist Tyler Whitesides. You ll never look at a mop the same way again."

And, of course, we can't forget: The One & Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate: Read ALL about it HERE

Disclosure: All blurbs are from the publishers and not reviews from moi.

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Sunshine State Young Reader Award Middle Grades Lists for 2013-14

2013-05-06T08:00:00.000-04:00

Ah, summertime......
The Beach. Theme Parks. Water Parks.
What do we Floridians really do in the scorching Florida heat? We avoid those places and hunker-down under a shady oak to read our Sunshine State Young Readers Award books, of course.

Most schools in Florida ask (well, really pray) that students to read a number of books from the fifteen Sunshine State Young Readers Award books each summer. This year my school will also be participating in the Scholastic Summer Challenge so reading the Sunshine State Young Readers Award books should be even more fun!

Sunshine State Young Readers Award Middle Grade Titles:

The Dead Boys by Royce Buckingham: "In the desert town of Richland, Washington, there stands a giant sycamore tree. Horribly mutated by nuclear waste, it feeds on the life energy of boys that it snags with its living roots. And when Teddy Matthews moves to town, the tree trains its sights on its next victim.

From the start, Teddy knows something is very wrong with Richland-every kid he meets disappears before his eyes. A trip to the cemetery confirms that these boys are actually dead and trying to lure him to the tree. But that knowledge is no help when Teddy is swept into the tree's world, a dark version of Richland from which there is no escape . . ."

The Girl Who Threw Butterflies by Mick Cochrane: "For an eighth grader, Molly Williams has more than her fair share of problems. Her father has just died in a car accident, and her mother has become a withdrawn, quiet version of herself.
Molly doesn’t want to be seen as “Miss Difficulty Overcome”; she wants to make herself known to the kids at school for something other than her father’s death. So she decides to join the baseball team. The boys’ baseball team. Her father taught her how to throw a knuckleball, and Molly hopes it’s enough to impress her coaches as well as her new teammates.
Over the course of one baseball season, Molly must figure out how to redefine her relationships to things she loves, loved, and might love: her mother; her brilliant best friend, Celia; her father; her enigmatic and artistic teammate, Lonnie; and of course, baseball."

Circus Galacticus by Deva Fagan: "Trix can deal with being an orphan charity case at a snotty boarding school. She can hold her own when everyone else tells her not to dream big dreams. She can even fight back against the mysterious stranger in a silver mask who tries to steal the meteorite her parents trusted her to protect.
But her life is about to change forever. The Circus Galacticus has come to town, bringing acts to amaze, delight, and terrify. And now the dazzling but enigmatic young Ringmaster has offered Trix the chance to be a part of it.
Soon Trix discovers an entire universe full of deadly enemies and potential friends, not to mention space leeches, ancient alien artifacts, and exploding chocolate desserts. And she just might unravel the secrets of her own past if she can survive long enough."

Free Thaddeus by John Gosselink: "Designed like a case file, chock-full of notes, journal entries, letters, e-mails, illustrations, and more, Free Thaddeus! is an uproarious middle-grade novel that argues why the irreverent Thaddeus should be released from his in-school suspension and explains the unbelievable circumstances that led to his punishment. Soon readers will be chanting, “Free Thaddeus!”

Chomp by Carl Hiaasen: "Wahoo Cray lives in a zoo. His father is an animal wrangler, so he's grown up with all manner of gators, snakes, parrots, rats, monkeys, and snappers in his backyard. The critters, he can handle. His father is the unpredictable one.
When his dad takes a job with a reality TV show called Expedition Survival!, Wahoo figures he'll have to do a bit of wrangling himself—to keep his dad from killing Derek Badger, the show's inept and egotistical star, before the shoot is over. But the job keeps getting more complicated. Derek Badger foolishly believes his own PR and insists on using wild animals for his stunts. And Wahoo's acquired a shadow named Tuna—a girl who's sporting a shiner courtesy of her father and needs a place to hide out.
They've only been on location in the Everglades for a day before Derek gets bitten by a bat and goes missing in a storm. Search parties head out and promptly get lost themselves. And then Tuna's dad shows up with a gun . . .
It's anyone's guess who will actually survive Expedition Survival. . . ."

One For The Murphy's by Lynda Hunt: "Carley uses humor and street smarts to keep her emotional walls high and thick. But the day she becomes a foster child, and moves in with the Murphys, she's blindsided. This loving, bustling family shows Carley the stable family life she never thought existed, and she feels like an alien in their cookie-cutter-perfect household. Despite her resistance, the Murphys eventually show her what it feels like to belong--until her mother wants her back and Carley has to decide where and how to live. She's not really a Murphy, but the gifts they've given her have opened up a new future."

Legend by Marie Lu: "What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets."

Cinder by Marissa Meyer: "Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .
Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future."

The False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen: "In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king's long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner's motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword's point -- he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage's rivals have their own agendas as well.
As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner's sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that, in the end, may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together."

Wonder by R.J. Palacio: "August Pullman was born with a facial deformity that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. WONDER, now a #1 New York Times bestseller and included on the Texas Bluebonnet Award master list, begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance."

Starters by Lissa Price: " In the future, teens rent their bodies to seniors who want to be young again. One girl discovers her renter plans to do more than party--her body will commit murder, if her mind can't stop it. Sixteen-year-old Callie lost her parents when the genocide spore wiped out everyone except those who were vaccinated first--the very young and very old. With no grandparents to claim Callie and her little brother, they go on the run, living as squatters, and fighting off unclaimed renegades who would kill for a cookie. Hope comes via Prime Destinations, run by a mysterious figure known only as The Old Man. He hires teens to rent their bodies to seniors, known as enders, who get to be young again. Callie's neurochip malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her rich renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, even dating Blake, the grandson of a senator. It's a fairy-tale new life . . . until she uncovers the Body Bank's horrible plan. . . ."

Okay For Now by Gary D. Schmidt: " As a fourteen-year-old who just moved to a new town, with no friends and a louse for an older brother, Doug Swieteck has all the stats stacked against him. So begins a coming-of-age masterwork full of equal parts comedy and tragedy from Newbery Honor winner Gary D. Schmidt. As Doug struggles to be more than the “skinny thug” that his teachers and the police think him to be, he finds an unlikely ally in Lil Spicer—a fiery young lady who “smelled like daisies would smell if they were growing in a big field under a clearing sky after a rain.” In Lil, Doug finds the strength to endure an abusive father, the suspicions of a whole town, and the return of his oldest brother, forever scarred, from Vietnam. Together, they find a safe haven in the local library, inspiration in learning about the plates of John James Audubon’s birds, and a hilarious adventure on a Broadway stage."

Milo, Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze by Alan Silberberg: "Loveable thirteen-year-old geek Milo Cruikshank finds reasons for frustration at every turn, from the annoying habits of his neighbors to his futile efforts to get Summer Goodman to realize his existence. The truth is, ever since Milo’s mother died, nothing has gone right. Now instead of the kitchen being full of music, his whole house has been filled with Fog. Nothing’s the same. Not his Dad. Not his sister. And definitely not him. Milo achieves a rare and easy balance of poignancy and awkward, natural humor, making it deeply accessible—this is the kind of book that can change lives."

Under the Green Hill by Laura L. Sullivan: "Rowan, Meg, Priscilla, and their little brother, James, are off to the English countryside to stay with relatives at the Rookery. The children are looking forward to exploring the ancient mansion and perhaps discovering a hidden secret or two. Little do they know this is a seventh summer. Every seventh summer, a fairy war is fought on the Green Hill—to the death—with a human champion. And Rowan has been chosen as one of the champions. Meg is desperate to save her brother. But the Midsummer War is far more than a battle between mythic creatures: Everything that lives depends on it. How can Meg choose between family and the fate of the very land itself?"

Warp Speed by Lisa Yee: "Entering 7th grade is no big deal for Marley Sandelski: Same old boring classes, same old boring life. The only thing he has to look forward to is the upcoming Star Trek convention. But when he inadvertently draws the attention of Digger Ronster, the biggest bully in school, his life has officially moved from boring to far too dramatic . . . from invisible to center stage."

Disclosure: All blurbs are from the publishers and not reviews from moi.

I am off to a great middle school start! I have read 11 of the 15 middle school titles (most of them for the CYBILS)! My district hosts a "Battle of the Books" where middle schools compete to see who can remember the most details about each of the fifteen middle school books. It is a lot of fun and a ton of hard work for the kids.

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Book Review: Two solid picture books to add to the shelves = Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and Mary Walker Wears the Pants

2013-05-04T14:28:00.000-04:00

I have been reading so many ebooks this year that it was nice to wrap my hands around some actual paper-based books this past week. Albert Whitman sent me Mary Walker Wears the Pants, Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, and In Search of Goliathus Hercules (to be reviewed later). I am trying to let these titles soothe my sadness at having to miss Book Expo America (someone please tell those folks that us educators would like to attend too and that the end of the school year is impossible!).

First off....... Mary Walker Wears the Pants: The True Story of the Doctor, Reformer, and Civil War Hero is a nice title to add to the stacks. The nonfiction picture book biography uses the feminist issue of wearing pants as a jumping point to discuss suffrage, the Civil War and equality. The story's telling is somewhat narrow, but it would serve as a good beginning to investigate these topics further. A nice afterword is included for teacher read-aloud or to challenge advanced students. However, the book's simplistic style makes it a bit unchallenging for students above 5th grade so I recommend this one for elementary library purchase and for teaching units that include women's rights, suffrage and/or the Civil War.

Next..... Lincoln's Gettysburg Address is a visually stunning depiction of The Gettysburg Address. It is a title that I would recommend for middle grade students, not only because the depth of understanding needed to comprehend the message of Lincoln's speech itself, but also because of the wonderful interpretive writings by illustrator James Daugherty and Professor of Civil War Studies Gabor Borritt. Daugherty does a fantastic job explaining each of the mural-like illustrations that accompany the speech. His interpretations are perfect for art and social studies educators to incorporate interdisciplinary standards. While I can see some elementary libraries purchasing this title, I would recommend it for all middle grade libraries as well as visual arts and social studies classrooms.

-------------------- Resources --------------------

Genre: Nonfiction
Age: Mary Walker = Elementary, Lincoln = Middle Grades
Pages: Mary Walker = 32, Lincoln = 48
Thank You: Publisher: Thank you to Albert Whitman for my review copies!
Date: Mary Walker = 3/1/2013, Lincoln = 2/1/2013
ISBN Mary Walker = 978-0807549902, Lincoln = 978-0807545508

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House of Secrets by Chris Columbus and Ned Vizzini - Book Review

2013-04-21T12:43:00.000-04:00

Publisher's Synopsis: "Brendan, Eleanor, and Cordelia Walker once had everything: two loving parents, a beautiful house in San Francisco, and all the portable electronic devices they could want. But everything changed when Dr. Walker lost his job in the wake of a mysterious incident. Now in dire straits, the family must relocate to an old Victorian house that used to be the home of occult novelist Denver Kristoff—a house that feels simultaneously creepy and too good to be true.
By the time the Walkers realize that one of their neighbors has sinister plans for them, they're banished to a primeval forest way off the grid. Their parents? Gone. Their friends? A world away. And they aren't alone. Bloodthirsty medieval warriors patrol the woods around them, supernatural pirates roam the neighboring seas, and a power-hungry queen rules the land. To survive, the siblings will have to be braver than they ever thought possible—and fight against their darkest impulses. The key may lie in their own connection to the secret Kristoff legacy. But as they unravel that legacy, they'll discover it's not just their family that's in danger . . . it's the entire world."

My Thoughts: My last three reviews have been less than glowing. Lately, I have been disappointed by so many promising ones so I really wanted to give House of Secrets a good review. After all, Chris Columbus wrote Goonies. Who doesn't LOVE Goonies?

And that's where it all starts to make me go, "Ah, Ha!" My issues with House of Secrets are mostly that it reads like a screenplay. How Ned Vizzini's other books read are a mystery to me. I have to honestly say that I haven't read them. But this one? It's all action and no development. The fast pace may play well into the hands of fidgety middle schoolers, but it does so by creating a fragmented and underdeveloped plot. Things just move too swiftly.

The thing I was most annoyed with was the lack of caring on the part of the three protagonist siblings. Mom & Dad might be dead, but they are off on the big adventure without an eye blink. I get it: standard children's lit. formula = get rid of the parents. However, they JUST might have died. Even though the siblings have to go into survival mode with the advancing doom, wouldn't they even pause at some point? Yeah, yeah, we all know the parents will emerge at the end, but this sort of nonexistent character development is exactly why this book is a screenplay disguising itself as a story.

Here is a Q & A with the authors on USA Today, along with a video trailer/interview. After I watched it, I felt even more disappointed that House of Secrets didn't have the intended effect on me. What a cool idea the author's had... sort of like a Pagemaster theme (loved that movie too!) I know J.K. Rowling must be friends with Columbus, offering him a nice blurb for his cover, but I can't even put House of Secrets in the same sentence as (insert The-Book-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named here).

-------------------- Resources --------------------

Recommended for kids who like adventure, fast-paced writing and books that read like a movie. Library purchase worthy (especially since the certain to be a movie and sequels will entice). Not a quality classroom purchase.

Genre: Fantasy/Adventure

Age: 8 and up
Pages: 496
Themes: Tenacity, Sibling Interactions,
Character Development: Very little, perhaps more in sequels
Plot Engagement: Non-stop action
Originality: Idea strong
Believability: Execution as a movie might work better than children's "literature"
Thank You to Balzer & Bray a division of Harper Collins Childrens for my advanced eBook edition
Date: April 23, 2013
ISBN: 978-0062192462
BUY House of Secrets HERE

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The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani

2013-04-14T18:14:00.001-04:00

Publisher's Synopsis: "At the School for Good and Evil, failing your fairy tale is not an option.

Welcome to the School for Good and Evil, where best friends Sophie and Agatha are about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime.

With her glass slippers and devotion to good deeds, Sophie knows she'll earn top marks at the School for Good and join the ranks of past students like Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Snow White. Meanwhile, Agatha, with her shapeless black frocks and wicked black cat, seems a natural fit for the villains in the School for Evil.

The two girls soon find their fortunes reversed—Sophie's dumped in the School for Evil to take Uglification, Death Curses, and Henchmen Training, while Agatha finds herself in the School for Good, thrust among handsome princes and fair maidens for classes in Princess Etiquette and Animal Communication.

But what if the mistake is actually the first clue to discovering who Sophie and Agatha really are . . . ?

The School for Good and Evil is an epic journey into a dazzling new world, where the only way out of a fairy tale is to live through one."

My Thoughts:
When you read the "about" page for author Soman Chainani, you will be impressed and it will make you think that writing anything critical about his work is futile. The School for Good and Evil already has a three movie deal (although the first book doesn't even hit the shelves until May 14, 2013). Mr. Chainani has an MFA in Film from Columbia (my personal dream school), but that's not really enough....... He graduated Harvard with an English Lit. degree too! Wait, not enough? His bio. page lists all sorts of awards and throws the likes of Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard and Lady Gaga out as peers (Read for yourself: HERE). So, saying what I initially planned to say is difficult. I write for fun, not a job. I'm a reading specialist, a teacher, a lover of children's literature. I'm not a professional reviewer. What in the world do I have to add when the likes of Gregory Macguire (Wicked), R.L. Stine (Goosebumps), and the queen of fairytales, Harvard professor Maria Tatar have all sung this book's praises?

The School for Good and Evil is a nice enough book. It has a great premise and the characters are quite likable. I can think of many students and colleagues of which to recommend it. However, something was always "missing" in the story. It started strong, with a great background foundation, but once the protagonists are whisked into the fairytale world the story starts to tumble. The story idea itself is sound, but the execution seems more like a screenplay. It lacks a cohesiveness. Little details are missing. The final section is especially convoluted; I felt like I was reading in CG, waiting for the next big boom/crash/bang. I looked back several times to see if I had missed something, the plot moved so abruptly. Just when I thought we were headed to a tidy ending, this new scene is thrust upon us and the action starts all over. Again, more screenplay than literature.

So, though I lack the Columbia/Harvard advantage, I do make up for it in kidlit-superpowers. I will still recommended The School for Good and Evil for both middle grade library and classroom purchase, for fans of fairytales and for girls who like some action/adventure with their princesses. This is a book that will be both popular and engaging, but lacking in the literary merit to make it an education tool.

-------------------- Resources --------------------

Genre: Fantasy - Fairytales
Age: Middle Grade
Pages: 496
Themes: Friendship, Overcoming Adversity, Stereotyping, Strength of Character
Character Development: Fair to good, probably more developed in the sequels to come
Plot Engagement: Very engaging, action packed ending
Originality & Believability: Original in idea, Lacking in literary execution, weak development
Thank You: Harper Collins for my advanced egalley
Date: May 14, 2013
ISBN: 978-0062104892
BUY: The School for Good and Evil >>> HERE

Of course with all BIG releases there is a fancy webpage HERE and a fancy book trailer:

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Divergent by Veronica Roth. What am I missing?

2013-04-11T16:07:00.000-04:00

As much as I try to read those "next big thing" novels, I sometimes miss reading the hot commodities before they grow cold. I also very rarely buy books, borrowing from the library or waiting for a good used sale. But Divergent by Veronica Roth has so much buzz that I felt inadequate by not having read it. So when it called to me from the Target bookshelf on Friday, I tossed it into my cart. Friday night it started off good; Saturday I began to ponder its uniqueness; Sunday I wondered if I would ever invest in any of the characters. On Monday, I threw in the towel and skipped from mid-book to last chapter so I could just get it over.

My problem? It's prescriptive and not unique. Prescriptive in the formula of adolescent breaks away from parents, faces adversity, meets romantic interest, becomes an adult. This I could give a pass, after all we can assign this formula to many kid lit classics. However, there isn't a unique page in this book. The protagonist, Beatrice, is underdeveloped. Her cohorts off-putting by their very nature. Big themes are never really developed and opportunities to expand either character or theme are brushed aside in favor of moving on to the next scene.

The New York Times' Review by Susan Dominus probably said it best, "For a book that explores themes about the right to be individual and the importance of breaking away from the pack, “Divergent” does not exactly distinguish itself"

This is a genre book for students who like dystopian stories. But make sure they've read The Giver or The Hunger Games before you send them off with this formulaic rip-off.

I should have been a library specialist rather than a reading specialist

2013-03-30T17:22:00.002-04:00

It has been abundantly clear to me for some time that I might be headed in the wrong professional direction. I am angry at the state of educational "reform," find the teaching of phonics to be monumentally boring, get very angry when I have to force politically-motivated state mandates on unsuspecting children and just, generally, am miffed with so many things that I feel powerless to change.

What gets me excited? Books.
Books + children.
Books in the right hands at the right moments.
Books that compliment other books, books that build a vast knowledge of our world and our selves.

Who are my favorite feed-reading rock stars?
Betsy Bird, Abby the Librarian, Jonathan Hunt, Ms. Yingling, Sondra Eklund, Shelf Elf, Bookshelves of Doom's Leila Roy, Julie Danielson at 7-Imp, John Shu, Travis at 100 Scope Notes, ..... Oh, I have to stop (and I am certain that I have forgotten some); my RSS reader is stocked with librarians!

Maybe I ought to forget the PhD in Reading Curriculum & Instruction and head over to the Library Science Department? Or maybe I should just put the dusty media specialist certification (that I paid $50 bucks for) to good use? Hmmmmm...... A plan might be hatching for 2013-14........

The Runaway King & The False Prince (first two in The Ascendance Trilogy) by Jennifer A. Nielsen

2013-03-17T16:00:00.000-04:00

When The False Prince took the top spot on the CYBILS 2013 SciFi-Fantasy list, I was very happy. Although my personal favorite was The One & Only Ivan, I really felt that The False Prince was probably a better representative for the award. It had wide appeal and at least two sequels to add to the stacks.

Last night I finished The Runaway King and was made even happier that we had chosen The False Prince (though the surprise ending at False Prince's end makes it hard to beat). The characters stayed true to their nature. There's a new mystery/adventure to redress. Fans of The False Prince will be happy.

This series works well for students who like fantasy, mystery, and adventure. I believe it appeals to both boys and girls. I also feel this is a strong series for reluctant readers as the dialogue and quick plotting will hold their focus. The books both end with strong cliffhangers so the ability to keep them reading will be easy!

This series is recommended for all upper elementary and middle school classrooms and libraries.

-------------------- Resources --------------------

Genre: Fantasy
Age: 10 & up
Themes: Overcoming adversity, friendship, staying true to oneself
Character Development: Very strong multi-dimensional characters
Plot Engagement: Quickly engaging, constant action, keeps them reading!
Originality: For young readers there will be a few surprises, but I wouldn't call it unique
Believability: No problem buying in due to quick action & strong characters
Awards: 2013 CYBILS winner!
Thank You: NetGalley
Publisher: Scholastic
Date: Both books are currently available by clicking the links above you will be sent to Amazon

Here's the Trailer for The False Prince. I couldn't find one for The Runaway King .......

Jennifer Nielsen has always loved reading and writing. Some of her favorite childhood series were The Hardy Boys and Encyclopedia Brown. You can read more about Jennifer Nielsen on her website HERE.

-------------------- That's all folks! --------------------

Serendipity Saturday

2013-02-16T17:23:00.000-05:00

So many good things popping up in reading and education, I thought it was time for a good old serendipity post.

It's been 50 years since Where The Wild Things was published, 50 years of children who have been influenced by Max and the Wild Things. Each new baby born to my family and friends gets a copy from me. If a child is going to have a library, and all of the children I have even the slightest influence over WILL have a library, it is going to include Where The Wild Things Are. So it was bittersweet to see the posthumous publication of Maurice Sendak's last finished work, My Brother's Book. It is sad to contemplate, once again a year later, what a great loss Maurice Sendak's death brings to children's literature. There is a good reflection on the brilliance of the man and a comparison of his work to Shakespeare from Harvard humanities professor and forward writer for My Brother's Book, Stephen Greenblatt, in the NY Times, HERE. But perhaps a closer insight on Sendak's final opus might come from his close friend, Tony Kushner, on NPR:

"There's a lot of consuming and devouring and eating in Maurice's books. And I think that when people play with kids, there's a lot of fake ferocity and threats of, you know, devouring, because love is so enormous, the only thing you can think of doing is swallowing the person that you love entirely."

You can read or listen to it on NPR's Morning Edition. And it seems fitting that NYC will name an elementary school after Sendak ( HERE).

It's been awhile, but I don't think I will ever find a Google Doodle I love more! Just in case you missed it: 200th anniversary of Grimm's Fairy Tales Google Doodle

Educator & read aloud proponent Jim Trelease tells us once again why we all need to be reading aloud to lots of kids at greatschools.org: (found via Jen Robinson's Book Page)

CYBILS winners were announced on Valentine's Day and the winner for Middle Grade SciFi & Fantasy is The False Prince. I enjoyed the book very much, was happy it went on our short list to the final judges and am happy that it won the whole shebang. Since I haven't reviewed it, I will send you over to fellow first round panelist Charlotte of Charlottes's Library for a great look at it: HERE.

Has it been 15 years??????? Time for a new cover for Harry & Hagrid. Squee!

Always interesting viewpoints on Educating Alice. This time it is a look at the introverted student's needs: HERE.

Even though I am late to the party, once again, I am so glad I found Shawn Cornally's blog: ThinkThankThunk. He sees education reform very close to my own thoughts. It's REALLY time for educators to become activists. Watch his TEDx talk. It gets really good around 11:10.

A book that I want to read SOON:

The Boy Who Cried Bigfoot
(from a great post on 7-Imp)

-------------------- That's all folks! --------------------
© 2007-2013 Cheryl Vanatti for www.ReadingRumpus.com

Author Spotlight: Stuart Gibbs - For readers of mystery, action, adventure

2013-02-06T06:49:00.000-05:00

I should have written about Belly Up when I read it two years ago as a CYBILS finalist and now, with author Stuart Gibbs' Spy School and Spy Camp additions, I have decided that an author feature is probably just the motivation that I needed! I will start by saying that I am not all that cracked up with "funny"stories, especially gratuitous humor. The great thing about Mr. Gibbs' writing? Authentic, quirky humor, not forced or center-staged humor, his is a 'smart' humor. All of his stories are mystery/adventure, great for both boys and girls, and solidly middle grade.

Belly Up: Still my favorite, Belly Up begins with a dead hippopotamus, floating 'belly up' in his zoo pond. Teddy Roosevelt Fitzroy & Summer McCracken, aged twelve, don't believe it was an accident like the zoo management contends and they very quickly realize lots of people wanted Henry the hippo dead. This book has TONS going for it and even the most reluctant reader will be enticed. The action is fast-paced, with all sorts of who-done-it possibilities. The humor is so smart, almost farcical. Add in the random animal facts that flow naturally within the story and this is perfect for just about ANY reader!

Spy School: I came to this one later and found it to have the same writing quality as Belly Up. This time the middle grade kid dreams of being a super-cool spy one day. Before you know it, and in a plausible but convoluted way, he soon finds himself in a special school for future CIA agents. While dodging attempts on his life, he even finds time for a little romance (what spy worth his weight doesn't?). Spy School will appeal to the lower end of the middle grades and hold most reader's attention. It lacks the universal appeal of Belly Up, but kids interested in spys, adventure & mystery will be hooked and look forward to the April 2013 release of Spy Camp.

Spy Camp: I was lucky enough to get an advanced look at the sequel via eBook from the publisher (thanks). Fans of Spy School will be happy to know that the adventure and smart humor are once again present as agent-in-training Ben's story continues right where it left off in Spy School. All the great writing is still there: an evil nemesis, the cute girl, smart situational humor, and a walloping adventure/mystery. This series, and I predict there will be at least a third book, is going to be a winner with the 8-10 crowd, and a few 11-12 kids might pick it up too.

Releasing in March 2013 is the final book in The Last Musketeer series. I haven't managed to read Mr. Gibbs' The Last Musketeer duo, but will guess (from reading reviews) that they hold the same exciting adventure-packed reading. School Library Journal said, "A good choice for older reluctant readers" so I am thinking, with my day job as a Reading Specialist, I better check those out!

Stuart Gibbs also writes movies and TV shows. He likes to do dangerous things like 'canyoneering' in his free time. He lives in LA with his wife and two children. You can read more about him on his website.

2013 Newbery: The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

2013-01-28T18:47:00.000-05:00

Today was one of those days. I got up early to make a casserole for a work luncheon. I hit the snooze button three times. I had to skip the shower so my hair was kind of greasy (ponytail day!). The minute I stepped out of my car a teacher stopped to ask me a favor. I had 20 students to test so I had to start-up all the computers (Monday), log-in with the "secret" account and load the test website on to each of them. I barely made it as they walked through the door. As the last student left, I could hear my office phone ringing. It was time to work on the School Improvement Plan. After an hour laboring over the 50 page document, I had a collaboration meeting with a teacher to look over her curriculum for the next quarter. I ran out of there to heat the casserole and sing Happy Birthday to my boss (and one of my best friends). After the clean-up, we returned to the School Improvement Plan once again and finished it just as I realized that I hadn't sent the testing schedule out for tomorrow. I ran to my office, typed the schedule at lightening speed, and sent it just as the dismissal bell rang. As I walked to my car, I thought, "Oh! Today was the Newbery announcement!" But my phone rang, it was my aunt, discussing 'family' stuff and then my son beeped in and then I was home. My mother and husband were waiting with hungry eyes. Hoping to get out of cooking dinner, I told them that I had a tummy ache (I didn't share that it was probably because I had eaten a big slice of birthday cake). As my husband offered to make dinner, I remembered, "Oh! Today was the Newbery day!" I grabbed the phone and nearly passed out.

I started to tweet @colbysharp (fabulous teacher, tweeter, blogger and lover of Ivan) and author @kaauthor (author Katherine Applegate). "Maybe I read it wrong," I thought. I googled again. It was there. In the NY Times! My absolute favorite book of 2012, one I have been passing along to EVERY SINGLE kid I can get my hands on, one which came along with a wonderful signed copy of Animorphs (for my - now 24-year-old - Animorphs-loving son) when the author so graciously let me read it early, had won!!!

HERE is my original review from December 2011 with a few teaching links and such :-)

-------------------- That's all folks! --------------------

Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool - review

2013-01-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

Publisher Synopsis: At the end of World War II, Jack Baker, a landlocked Kansas boy, is suddenly uprooted after his mother's death and placed in a boy's boarding school in Maine. There, Jack encounters Early Auden, the strangest of boys, who reads the number pi as a story and collects clippings about the sightings of a great black bear in the nearby mountains. Newcomer Jack feels lost yet can't help being drawn to Early, who won't believe what everyone accepts to be the truth about the Great Appalachian Bear, Timber Rattlesnakes, and the legendary school hero known as The Fish, who never returned from the war. When the boys find themselves unexpectedly alone at school, they embark on a quest on the Appalachian Trail in search of the great black bear. But what they are searching for is sometimes different from what they find. They will meet truly strange characters, each of whom figures into the pi story Early weaves as they travel, while discovering things they never realized about themselves and others in their lives.

My Thoughts: I am a character driven reader. I can forgive many writing flaws, but if I can’t get inside the character’s mind, I am out. At first, Jack, the overly-introspective protagonist, left me unaffected. He is pretty much a ‘normal’ thirteen year-old boy. Sure his Mom died, his Dad’s distant and cold, and there’s ‘something more’ lurking about his mother’s death circumstance, but those are life situations, not personality. When Early enters the story, he steals the show. His double entendre name is only a small part of his appeal because Jack does, in fact, have to learn how to navigate Early. He’s quirky and brilliant, filled with hope and wonder. His stories are intricate foreshadowing marvels. He makes Jack more interesting. Just like many we meet make our lives richer; Early will change Jack’s life for the good.

And Early will change Jack’s life not because we can now put a label on his special uniqueness, not because we can diagnose and pigeonhole him, not because I can utter the “A” word and all sorts of preconceptions will spring to mind, but because of the interactions between the boys. So many children’s books are being written to illustrate labeled, perceived disabilities when we should be looking at the characters, and by greater measure human experience, through their singleness. Giving names to Early’s quirkiness detracts. I haven’t seen a finished copy, as I read from an advanced one, but I hope the Author’s Note has been excluded. It detracted from the story's beauty, was unnecessary and took some of the polish off of Early’s glow.

And glowing is one way to describe Navigating Early's powerfully built setting which creates a beautiful, yet lurking, unknown to the tone and pacing. The picturesque Maine wilderness is a perfect location for the era in which Jack and Early make their adventure. Vanderpool has used the same vivid brushstrokes that earned her a Newbery in Moon Over Manifest and given ELA teachers an excellent title to instruct mood/tone.

All in all, it may be that Jack’s a bit too adult-like, the topics are a bit too weighty and specific situations may tie up in a bit too tidy bow, but Vanderpool pulls is all off magically with her story building skills that will leave readers sighing when they close the last page.
Strongly Recommended for elementary and middle classroom and library purchase.

-------------------- Resources --------------------

Genre: Historical in setting, Adventure in plot
Age: 10 and up
Pages: 320
Themes: difficult relationships, loss, grief, friendship, life’s journey and the power of faith
Character Development: Excellent, good first person narration in Jack and great, fantastical stories told by Early
Plot Engagement: Tad bit slow to start, faster once we get to know Early
Originality: Not unique, but strong enough elsewhere to not matter
Believability: At first it is hard to see where Early's stories are headed, but once we learn about his connection to the Fish, we start seeing them in a different light
Thank You to the publisher for my advanced copy
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Release Date: 01/08/2013
ISBN 13: 978-0385742092
Buy Navigating Early Here
Supporting texts would include:
Investigations, both mathematical and scientific, on pi
WWII and era oriented synopses
Appalachian Bears and Timber Rattlesnakes
Comparisons of Maine and Kansas
Rowing crew
The Appalachian Trail

Clare Vanderpool won the prestigious Newbery Medal for her debut novel Moon Over Manifest. She lives in Kansas with her family. She did lots of jumping up and down in January of 2011. You can read more about it on her website.

-------------------- That's all folks! --------------------

Hokey Pokey by Jerry Spinelli

2013-01-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

I don’t do negative reviews. I subscribe to the John Updike school of thought on reviewing. However, I am going to write about a book that I didn’t really like. I am going to write about it because the author is a big deal and I like his other books. Besides, my little review isn’t going to hurt his superstar status. He has won a Newbery and trumped it with a Newbery Honor. I liked his other books so he gets a pass for Hokey Pokey.

Hokey Pokey is a western-styled amusement park of a place where kids ride the range on wild bicycles and where adults don’t exist (except the Hokey Pokey Man who doles out treats). Kids play, watch cartoons and generally do whatever they want. But one day our protagonist, Jack, wakes to find that his bicycle has been stolen by a (gasp) girl. During the search for his beloved bike, Jack begins to notice changes that lead toward his leaving Hokey Pokey. He will learn that it is okay to grow up and leave childish things behind.

Spinelli has once again formed a well-written tale. It is visually descriptive, filled with symbolism, invented language and recollections of Peter Pan. However, I have some issues. Hokey Pokey is not only needlessly abstract; it is didactic. It is way too metaphorical for his intended audience (not us adults, folks). It has a nostalgic feel to OUR childhoods, but I don’t think it represents most of the 2013 children’s desires (would it have been that hard to throw in an X-Box?). In the end, I think Hokey Pokey will be recommended by adults who like children’s literature, but I can only guess which kids will pick it up unprovoked. My guess for our middle school library? Dust gatherer.

Genre: Speculative Fiction/Fantasy (but like a modern fable)
Age: 10 and up
Pages: 304
Themes: Coming-of-age, friendship, adversity, facing life's challenges and changes
Character Development: Good
Plot Engagement: Abstract and fragmented for average 10-13 year old children
Originality: Very Unique, save for Peter Pan
Believability: Suspension of disbelief difficult, kept being pulled out of story
Thank You to Random House for my advanced copy.
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Date: 01/08/2013
ISBN 13: 978-0375831980

Jerry Spinelli has been many things in his life. He doesn't care if you call him a writer or a grandpa (he has 21 grandchildren!). You can learn more about him on his website.

-------------------- That's all folks! --------------------

I am already sick of resolutions.

2013-01-01T23:25:00.001-05:00

For many years I joined the resolution party. Diet & exercise, read more, give more, laugh more, write more.... Today's bundle of rss feeds were all about resolutions. I am already sick of resolutions. Day one & done.

The fact is, I am super busy. My job is demanding. I am trying hard to get motivated about a doctorate in a field from which I have lost faith. My aging mother has moved in with me. My husband is probably getting laid-off. My house is 3700 sq. feet and five toilets of nonstop cleaning. I am not going to post more. I read a book every couple days, but writing about it is another task in a long line of tasks. I can resolve all I want; there are just so many hours.

So...... even though I should be resolving to write more here, I am not going to do that. I refuse to lie to you. I adore children's literature, love to talk about it, jump at chances to read with students, but I just can't be a daily, or even weekly, writer.

P.S. You know this is a reverse psychology post, right?

-------------------- That's all folks! --------------------
© 2007-2013 Cheryl Vanatti for www.ReadingRumpus.com

CYBILS finalists are up! My reflection on the process.......

2013-01-01T10:13:00.001-05:00

This is my third thrilling year being asked to judge for the CYBILS and I can't begin to tell you how much I love it. This year I had the pleasure of working with an amazing group of DEDICATED bibliophiles. Reading 151 books over the busiest holiday season takes some juggling, but we were very happy to do it!

It is important to remember that the CYBILS judges are volunteers and no amount of free books can motivate that much dedication. There is a great post by Aurora Celeste on Young Adult Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog detailing not only how overwhelming this volunteer gig can be, but more importantly, how serious we all take it. Since I couldn't say it better myself, I will just quote her: "The books we're reading were all nominated by someone who thought they were the best book of the year. While that makes for a lot of books, it's all good books. It's so humbling to read a book critically yet keep in the back of your head "someone loved this book."

I am waiting for the day (and I don't believe it is that far down the road), when the CYBILS award will merit a reprint by publishers to add the shiny CYBILS seal. It is a very different award because we keep the READER along with the merit of the story. We (librarians, teachers, home-schoolers, parents and bibliophiles) know that lots of other award titles sit on the shelves gathering dust because the readers (children) got left out of the process. Sadly, not many young readers walk around with those books in their backpacks.

And after three years of doing this, I can tell you that many really well-written books don't make the CYBILS shortlists. To be a CYBILS judge, you have to divorce yourself from being a bibliophile. Foremost, you have to look at the literary merit of each title, picking apart the writing, characterization and plot all the while considering the broad appeal across your representative age category (since you are partially chosen for having a working knowledge of those readers). You then have to think about diversity, representation within the genre and oh so many things that kept our panel up until almost midnight a couple of nights over the holidays (in addition to daily mass emails for two months!).

I hope you like our list. I think it is filled with fantastic tales kids are going to adore!

So, without further ado: The 2012 CYBILS finalists are here!

And HERE are the middle grade Science Fiction and Fantasy finalists. Believe me when I say that it wasn't an easy task.......

-------------------- Happy 2013! --------------------

Olivia and the Fairy Princesses by Ian Falconer - Olivia Rules!

2012-09-26T18:28:00.000-04:00

Olivia Pig. Opinionated. Creative. A girl with an attitude. A role model. Here are a few scenes from my office:

When I first read Olivia, all those years ago, I was mesmerized. I found my kindred spirit! I had collected little porcelain piggies for years so it was natural that my family started buying me all sorts of Olivia swag. I have every book and numerous stuffed versions, but my favorite item, aside from the books themselves, is my "Reading never wears me out" bookmark.

The New York Times Book Review published a great review on August 23rd by Bruce Handy: "But even rugged individualism can turn sappy in the wrong author’s hands... I’m thinking especially of the increasing legions of celebrities who, when writing children’s books, seem compelled toward themes like “Free to be having a snit if that’s what I feel like today” and “Do not hate me because I am distinctive looking.”......

Thank God for Ian Falconer and his Olivia. She is the popular school-age pig, the latest in a line of independent, high-spirited young ladies that goes back at least to Madeline and Eloise, and also includes Frances the badger and Lilly the mouse. Her seventh full-fledged adventure, “Olivia and the Fairy Princesses,” is, to my taste, her best since her introduction 12 years ago as a fashion-conscious, Degas-loving heroine with a thing for Maria Callas and a talent for “wearing people out.” She has since saved the circus, formed a band, lost a toy and visited Venice, where even the globe-trotting Eloise never set foot."

I could not agree more with Mr. Handy. This is the best one since the first. It has the attitude and positive influence girls need to break away from the 'princess mindset' of late. It's not a trendy attitude either, with head bobbing and fingers clicking whilst you say, "you know girl" in some uncommon vernacular. Olivia just simply has confidence. Period. It's not forced on us. It's not hype. Olivia is unique because she is unique, not because she wants to be unique, or expects you to mimic her. In fact, if you mimic her, she will change her mind and go another direction.

And don't get me started on what Nickelodeon did to her!!! This preview link will give you an idea why this book is right on track with the "real" Olivia, not that CG version on Nickelodeon! Disgusting.

If you have somehow managed to miss Olivia in her "real" form. Start with the first, but also check this book out. Even though it is a simply worded picture book, there are some great possibilities for intermediate study also. I would use it to teach the effects of bandwagoning techniques, discuss what being an individual really means and maybe even what "princess" means to various cultures.

BUY Olivia and the Fairy Princesses HERE

© 2007-2012 Cheryl Vanatti for www.ReadingRumpus.com

Son by Lois Lowry - The conclusion to The Giver is coming October 2, 2012

2012-09-24T23:56:00.000-04:00

If you read my 'about me' page or if you've even barely read a bit of this blog, you know that I adore Lois Lowry. I adore Anastasia. I adore Gooney Bird. I adore Annemarie. I adore Jonas and Gabriel. Lowry's writing, even when her tale wanders a bit (Messenger & Gossamer), is golden - tight and descriptive all at once.

So, even though I was one of those folks who absolutely hated to see the ambiguity of The Giver shattered when she wrote Gathering Blue and Messenger, I will be running to my local bookstore on October 2nd. And since they have redesigned the other three books in the quartet to match this fantastic cover, I guess I am going to have to donate my old copies and buy the set!

Publisher's Blurb: "They called her Water Claire. When she washed up on their shore, no one knew that she came from a society where emotions and colors didn’t exist. That she had become a Vessel at age thirteen. That she had carried a Product at age fourteen. That it had been stolen from her body. Claire had a son. But what became of him she never knew. What was his name? Was he even alive? She was supposed to forget him, but that was impossible. Now Claire will stop at nothing to find her child, even if it means making an unimaginable sacrifice.

Son thrusts readers once again into the chilling world of the Newbery Medal winning book,The Giver, as well as Gathering Blue and Messenger where a new hero emerges. In this thrilling series finale, the startling and long-awaited conclusion to Lois Lowry’s epic tale culminates in a final clash between good and evil."

-------------------- Educator's Resources --------------------

Preorder Son Here

Teacher's Guide Here

A Question and Answer session regarding the book HERE

An interview in the LA Times Here

A video of Lois Lowry talking about the book:

Go to the Lois Lowry website. Make sure to take her quiz. It's fun!

Website for The Giver Quartet

-------------------- That's all folks! --------------------

Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead - book review

2012-09-19T07:00:00.000-04:00

Publisher's Synopsis: "The instant New York Times bestseller from the author of the Newbery Medal book When You Reach Me: a story about spies, games, and friendship. Seventh grader Georges moves into a Brooklyn apartment building and meets Safer, a twelve-year-old self-appointed spy. Georges becomes Safer's first spy recruit. His assignment? Tracking the mysterious Mr. X, who lives in the apartment upstairs. But as Safer becomes more demanding, Georges starts to wonder: what is a lie, and what is a game? How far is too far to go for your only friend? Like the dazzling When You Reach Me, Liar & Spy will keep readers guessing until the end."

I love When You Reach Me and was excited to begin Liar & Spy. I grabbed it the minute it came and headed for my favorite reading spot. I made it to about page 20 before I was nodding off. I chalked that up to a long work day and tried again the next afternoon. Snooze. Long story short, it took me a long time to get through it. I stuck with it out of respect for the fine writing and the desire to see if Stead could pull off the twist ending again (she did).

Liar & Spy just doesn't have that kid appeal that held my interest with When You Reach Me. Stead's an excellent writer with a tight story and well developed characters. Even though they were very well-drawn, I just wasn't interested in them. There was an undercurrent of melancholy, a sadness, that permeated the whole thing. When you get to the ending, you see that Stead did this on purpose (as part of that surprise ending), but it just created a depression in the story that left me flat.

I hated when I saw reviews like this with regard to When You Reach Me. I wanted to point out all the amazing things that Stead does in her writing; and she does it again with Liar & Spy. Due to the strong writing, there will be many readers who enjoy the tale. I'm just not certain the average 10 year old will be engaged with this one.

-------------------- Resources --------------------

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age: 9 and up
Pages: 192
Themes: Family Life & Challenges, Friendship, Honesty, Difficult Choices, Bullies
Character Development: Interesting group of children and adults with a few quirks
Plot Engagement: Develops slowly and methodically, strong readers needed
Originality: quirky family + economically challenged family = Eh, so so
Believability: Nothing that takes it out of the norm
Thank You to publisher for my advanced copy
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books ( a division of Random House Books)
Date: August 7, 2012
ISBN-13: 978-0385737432
Buy Liar & Spy HERE
Book Site
Trailer
Lesson Activities

Rebecca Stead is a Newbery winning author. Thinking that writing was "impractical" she became a lawyer. I LOVE her advice on using parentheticals. You can read more about it on her website (HERE).

-------------------- That's all folks! --------------------

Introducing my fellow Middle Grade Science Fiction and Fantasy CYBILS judges

2012-09-18T19:34:00.001-04:00

For the round one judges we have:
Anamaria Anderson of Books Together
Sherry Early of Semicolon
Sondra Eklund of Sonderbooks
Melissa Fox of Book Nut
Jessalynn Gale of Garish & Tweed
Charlotte Taylor of Charlotte's Library
and ME

For the round two judges we have:
Hayley Beale of From the Children's Room
Kristen Evey of Bookends (and Beginnings)
Rosemary Kiladitis of More Coffee, Please
Gina Ruiz of AmoXcalli
Amelia Yunker of Challenging the Bookworm

-------------------- That's all folks! --------------------

It's CYBILS time again!

2012-09-18T09:36:00.001-04:00

This year I have switched from mg Fiction to mg SciFi and Fantasy. I am so excited! The round one panel looks to be a fabulous group. I will be posting more about them tonight....

As for me, I am already lining up books at the library anticipating what will probably be nominated and blocking out chunks of time to tackle the stacks. MG fiction usually had about 125 nominations so I'm thinking that it will be about the same for scifi/fantasy. But seriously, what constitutes too many books? I don't think there is such an answer.

Game on!

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Dancing as a reminder of our bigger selves courtesy of Matt Harding

2012-07-18T16:38:00.000-04:00

While this may be a bit off topic for a children's literature and reading education website, I can't help but post about the latest video from Matt Harding. I have followed Mr. Harding's simple rise to fame for years and was sorely disappointed to have missed dancing with him in Miami (I had to work that day!).

In case you don't know his story...
Mr. Harding and a buddy were on a walkabout when his buddy asked him to do his goofy dance move at various landmarks whilst his buddy filmed it. The video went a bit viral and Mr. Harding gained a sponsor to fund another trip. In the subsequent videos he figured out that it was more fun to dance with others than alone. The 2008 video was great (look it up here!) with inspirational music and smiling global faces tugging at our hearts.

The 2012 video shows that the twenty-something who went on a walkabout with a buddy has turned into a 35 year old grown-up with the gained insight of his years and travels. If there is a poster child for the "ONE simple idea" campaign, Matt Harding is that guy. I dare you not to smile!

Some quick teaching thoughts:

Have students research one of the places where Matt went to dance. HERE is a link to his website with the places listed.
Have students research various forms of traditional dance
Discuss how/why the video makes us smile.
Write about something that surprised you in the video.
What are some universal ways that humans express their emotions, feelings and joy?
Look at a the various charities Matt supports. What is it about Mr. Harding that leads you to believe he would support global charities? Why is it important, as a global member of planet earth, to give back to our fellow humans? Are there ways, other than financial, that we can help others across the planet? Give examples.
Here is his FAQ page in case your students have some questions.

And, yes, YES.... I know Mr. Harding has a curse word in his website title. Use it as a teachable moment.

Do you have any additional ideas? Please add them in the comments section :-)

-------------------- That's all folks! --------------------

Wonder by R. J. Palacio - book review

2012-06-24T12:00:00.000-04:00

In my typical late-to-the-party fashion, I am going to gush about Wonder. You will find all sorts of glowing reviews and pronouncements of 2013 Newbery contention across the bibliosphere. I doubt I have much to add. It's good, REALLY good. It's important, especially given all the needed focus on bullying, REALLY important and timely. It probably does have a decent Newbery chance for 2013 (although I will argue that it is a bit too anchored in modern vernacular and cultural reference to fit Newbery and also because I really want The One and Only Ivan, which is better in the timeless writing category though equal in the authentic voice category, to have a chance too).

It is everything you have read about: poignant, realistic, well-written, authentically voiced, truly a fantastic addition to children's literature. I bought 25 copies for our school....

Since I have nothing to add to the Wonder lovefest; I guess I will do what I do here and post the linky stuff one will need for classroom assistance!

-------------------- Resources --------------------

Publisher's Synopsis: "August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?"
The author's website precepts (rules about really important things). EXCELLENT for teaching!!!
The author's annotations of cultural reference you may want to keep handy. There are A LOT!
Discussion Questions.
Author interview on her own site.
Author Interview on NPR.
Author website.
Reviews? You Ask? New York Times, The Guardian, School Library Journal, Telegraph, Kirkus Reviews, Publisher's Weekly, Booklist, The Independent,...............
Or, even better than a review,... How about this story from a teacher with a student in a similar situation as Auggie: Jen @ Teach Mentor Texts, you rock teacher!
2013 Newbery prediction list @ GoodReads. Note that The One and Only Ivan is in second place :-)
Are you a Twitter user? #thewonderofwonder will help you find others who are in love with this book
AWESOME Pledge to Choose Kind website where you can find tons of additional resources on anti-bullying and just being kind!
The Book Trailer:

Here is the author reading the first chapter of the book:

Here's a author interview on how she came up with the idea:

found via Mr. Schu at Watch. Connect. Read.

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age: 8 and up
Pages: 320
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Date: February 2012
ISBN 0375869026
Themes: Tolerance, Disability, Family Life, Friendship, Kindness
Character Development: Good Plot Engagement: Very good, motivated by wanting kindness to prevail!
Originality: Like similar 'disability themed books recently, but with unique and authentic voices
Believability: Very believable
Thank You: NetGalley & Random House for my eBook time-limited read

-------------------- That's all folks! --------------------

Darth Vader & Son by Jeffrey Brown = perfect Father's Day gift

2012-05-28T20:58:00.000-04:00

There's a lot of buzz all around the biblio-web concerning the geeky goodness of Darth Vader and Son. The premise is a simple one: What if Darth Vader & Luke were just a normal boy and his dad? Well, how normal Darth Vader would be is a bit of a stretch, but we aren't talking Anakin as a Daddy. We are talking full-on Sith Lord Daddy. Whimsical, fun and an absolute MUST for any Star Wars Daddy. I can't think of a better gift for either of my two sons and am ~~patiently~~ waiting on grandmotherdom so I can gift them with a copy.

Here's a cute trailer if I haven't already convinced you:

A big THANK YOU to Chronicle Books for the swag! Look at all the great stuff you can get over on the Chronicle Books website. Well, except for the pins... they sent me those and I am soooo posting that READ poster in my office!

The world is a little less wild - RIP Mr. Sendak

2012-05-08T10:57:00.001-04:00

Just a few resources for an author study or just to celebrate this amazing man's life:

Great NPR audio interview!

Hilarious Colbert Nation interview with Mr. Sendak

Rosenbach Museum & Library - holds majority of Sendak's work with many resources available :-)

Lots of PBS past interviews and articles

Lesson Planet lesson plans for various Sendak books

PBS lesson on art and imagination

@ Web English Teacher lessons

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Reading Competitions, Accelerated Reader and Extrinsic Motivations

2012-02-29T07:00:00.000-05:00

Don't know where I stand on the issue of using competition to encourage reading. All five of our reading teachers use Accelerated Reader and I argue how much I hate the low-level complexity and extrinsic motivation involved with it, but they are unyielding and it is still in use at my school.... What do you guys think?

From BBC: Reading: Competition to encourage love of books

© 2007-2012 Cheryl Vanatti for www.ReadingRumpus.com