Children's Books For Storytime and Beyond

Snowflake Bentley by Jaquiline Briggs Martin

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 06:23:00 +0000

Reading level: Ages 5 and up
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Sandpiper; Reprint edition (December 28, 2009)
ISBN-10: 0547248296
Themes: Perseverance, Nature, Love

Last week I read Snowflake Bentley, the biography of Willie Bentley to a number of my classes, and then had the students make snowflakes. Some of the teachers think that my reading of the story brought on the snow. Tuesday no one really minded the two-hour delay, but the story may have worked a little too well for this week - 19 inches in two days! Mr. Bentley would have been in snowflake heaven. :)
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Willie Bentley loved snow from the time he was very young. While other children or adults were playing in the snow or keeping warm by the fire, Willie was out collecting snowflakes. He tried many various methods over the years, but it wasn't until his 17th birthday when his parents purchased him a camera with a microscope, that he was finally was able to begin to achieve his dream. Sharing the wonders and beauty of snowflakes with the world.
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The story is told in two parts. The main part (which is good for reading aloud), and then the extra asides with information that is best read by an individual reader. The artwork is simply beautiful. In fact, the book was the Caldecott Medal winner in 1999. All in all this is a wonderful way to introduce the idea of biographies to students, as well as possibly induce a couple snow days. :)

Tikatok Books - Share Your Child's Books!

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 03:09:00 +0000

When I was a teacher, I had Student Author Night two times a year. The students worked very hard on their chosen book(s) getting ready to publish. Of course, the students were limited to sharing their books with those who attended that night and nearby friends and family. If a website like Tikatok had been around back then (back in the old days of the early 2000's) then they would have been able to share with a whole lot more people!

Tikatok provides the tools for your child (with some adult help) to create their very own illustrated book. Images are provided, or you can upload your child's artwork. Once a book is completed, you then have three options:

Purchase a hardbound copy for $25; and/or
Share a link to it on Facebook or Twitter (will cost $1 to verify adult identity) and/or
Embed it on a blog post (example below)

Qwiki About Author Kevin Henkes

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 01:54:00 +0000

I've mentioned before that one of my favorite children's authors is Kevin Henkes. In my classrooms over the years, his books were the most requested for storytime or free reading time. This evening I had some time to begin catching up on a librarian listserve I belong to called LM_Net. One of the posters mentioned a website called Qwiki. On this website you can type in a topic and it will show a list of possible articles. When you click on an article, it then shows a picture slideshow along with a computer narrated article. Since it is a variation on a Wiki, it is possible to add pictures or other information.

Below is a Qwiki about Kevin Henkes.

Poetry Spotlight: The Crocodile's Toothache by Shel Silverstein in Wordle

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 18:48:00 +0000

One of my favorite poems by Shel Silverstein is "The Crocodile's Toothache." It's a fun poem, but is also a lesson on the importance of considering the feelings of others - even if it is a crocodile!

A fun website I was introduced to in one of my classes is wordle.com. At this website you can create word pictures called "Wordles." Once you have made one, you can then play around with the font, color, word directionality, choice of what words to leave in, etc. Here is the Wordle I created for "The Crocodile's Toothache." The poem can be found in the book Where the Sidewalk Ends. I've also included a link to a youtube video of it. Enjoy!

A Day in the Life of a Soon To Be Librarian

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 18:55:00 +0000

This week my normal tutoring schedule is canceled. All but two of my students (who I only see once a week) chose to take the week off. So, on Monday I decided to spend the day at my church's school. As a student I don't have a lot of money to donate, but once in awhile, I do have time.

Near the end of the day the students were all in the library for silent reading time. A sixth-grade boy came up to me and started asking me about the Jewish people. He was reading The Diary of Anne Frank and wanted to know more. Our school's library leaves a lot to be desired, so I didn't have an easy way of directing him to good resources. However, there were about 5 sets of encyclopedias of varying ages. I told him that he would most likely have the most luck finding information under Judaism. He then asked me what language they spoke. I told him that they speak Hebrew and Yiddish. I also told him that many ministers take Hebrew and Greek. He thought that was pretty awesome. :)

After a good bit of searching, we found one article on Judaism, and one on the Hebrew language. He asked me if I knew any good websites for learning more. Off the top of my head, the only one I could think of was Rosetta Stone. When I mentioned it, he said, "That's so expensive!," which I agreed about. At one point he looked up at me and said, "Miss Laura, you know everything!" I just smiled and told him that there is a lot I don't know, but I do know how to find information on most things. I told him that I would look into it this week, and bring him a list of good resources at church this weekend.

When I arrived home, I sent my first message to the LM_Net - an email listserve for librarians. Unfortunately, since it was my first post, it was sent to moderation. Today, I spent about an hour researching different websites and books which would be appropriate for him. I think I came up with a pretty good collection.

What books or websites would you suggest for an eleven-year old boy interested in the Jewish history and language?

Book Talk with Laura and Dan: Julius, The Baby of the World by Kevin Henkes

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 11:00:00 +0000

I'm playing around with a little bit different of a format for my reviews. I'd love to hear what you think of it!

Julius, the Baby of the World
Publisher: Greenwillow Books (September 21, 1995
ISBN-13: 978-0688143886
Paperback: 32 pages
Themes: Jealousy, Loyalty, New Baby, Sibling Rivalry, Family

Book Review: Melonhead and the Big Stink by Katy Kelly

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 00:56:00 +0000

The following is the book review I wrote for one of my classes. It is slightly different in style than most of my other reviews. I hope you enjoy it!

Kelly, Katy. Melonhead and the Big Stink
ills. by Gillian Johnson. 224 pages. CIP. Delacorte Press. 2010. ISBN 978-0385736589 ; hc. 14.99. ISBN 978-0375845277; pap. $6.99. LC 2009020078.

Melonhead and his friend Sam really want to go to New York City to see the titan arum “bunga bangkai” - a real stinker of a plant. To get there, they devise a plan on how to convince Melonhead's dad to take them to see it; B.I.G F.A.R.T.S.S., a Boys' Improvement Guide for Acting Responsible Till Stink Sunday . Only things don't go so well …

In this hilarious tale of the summer before fifth-grade, Melonhead and Sam try to stay out of trouble. Unfortunately, Melonhead doesn't always think before he acts. His mom creates the Remind-O-Rama to help him. Before even a day passes, a ball thrown by Melonhead sails over the fence into Mrs. Wilken's yard, destroying a very special plant. He thinks his summer is ruined when he is told to “volunteer” for Mrs. Wilkens, who is “at least 100 years old.” In a somewhat predictable manner, Mrs. Wilkens turns out to be really likable. Melonhead learns to deal with disappointment when his dad is forced to break a promise, and when someone he thought was a friend turns out to be slightly different. When a storm destroys his mom's backyard the night before the annual garden contest, Melonhead shows real maturity in being willing to put her needs before his wants.

This is good, clean humor which would be enjoyed by children in grades 3 and 4 especially. Boys in particular will appreciate the “stink” humor. Information about making a floating fountain, as well as the information about the tatum arum could make for an interesting science discussion. I highly recommend this book.

Book Review: Wartville Wizard by Don Madden

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 04:32:00 +0000

The Wartville Wizard
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Aladdin (March 31, 1993)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0689716672
ISBN-13: 978-0689716676
Themes: Recycling, Environment,

      Have you ever been driving down the road and seen someone ahead of you throw out trash? Does that aggravate you? Do you ever wish that the person who threw the trash would somehow learn that throwing trash out the window is not a good idea? If this sounds like you, then The Wartville Wizard is the book you need to read!

      In this humorous tale of an old man who became fed up with the littering habits of the people in his town, the point of being responsible for the environment around you is cleverly made. I used this book as part of my Earth Day unit for many years with both first and second graders, although I think the point of the story, and the story itself, is applicable and enjoyable by people of all ages. Depending on your sensibilities, there are mentions of cigarette butts, beer cans, and of course the "magic" of what happens with the trash ... so user beware.

ASL Storytime: Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Mon, 03 May 2010 02:34:00 +0000

The following is a video I made for my technology class. I've been taking American Sign Language classes since late January, and when I saw I had to do a technology project, I decided to do this. :) Kevin Henkes is one of my very favorite children's authors and illustrators, and this story, Kitten's First Full Moon is fantastic. There are not any subtitles, but the full text of the story is included in the description below the video. (If anyone knows how to make paragraph breaks work in youtube descriptions, please let me know!) Below my video, I also included a video someone posted of the actual book, so you can enjoy the pictures as well. :D

Enjoy!

Book Review: The Deaf Musicians by Pete Seeger

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 00:19:00 +0000

Title: The Deaf Musicians

Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (October 5, 2006)
Language: English
Themes: Deafness, Music, Friendship
ISBN-10: 039924316X
ISBN-13: 978-0399243165

Lee plays the piano in a jazz band. He loves to make music with his friends. He and his band mates play a part and then answer each other back. One day though, Lee doesn't answer his band mates music - he's stopped being able to hear it. His bandleader sadly has to let him go. Is this the end of Lee's music playing? Or is Lee going to find a way to still make music, just in a new way?

Book Review: Black and White by David Macaulay

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 03:34:00 +0000

Title: Black and White
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Sandpiper (October 24, 2005)
ISBN-10: 0618636870
ISBN-13: 978-0618636877
Themes: Caldecott Medal, Perception, Imagination, Ages 4 - 8

When more than one person experiences something, be it a train wreck, a snowstorm, or even a drive out in the country, each persons story is going to be slightly different. Their story will depend upon a number of factors, including where they were during the event/trip, their previous knowledge base, and how much they were paying attention at the time.

What the book Black and White does is to take the idea of how the same event can be perceived in many different ways, and places 4 different views on each page. Each view is an individual story, which when combined with the other three stories (or viewpoints) creates a fifth story. The individual stories are: Seeing Things, Problem Parents, A Waiting Game, and Udder Chaos.

This is an amazingly inventive and creative way to tell a story. It is a book which can be read numerous times, and each time will be a little different from the last. I wouldn't recommend reading this to a large group of children, but it would be a fantastic book to read with one or two children.

Although the recommended reading level is 4 - 8, I think this could be a fantastic book for older students to teach about point of view and perception.

Book Review: Penny From Heaven by Jennifer L. Holm

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 19:20:00 +0000

Title: Penny from Heaven
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Yearling (December 26, 2007)
ISBN-10: 0375836896
ISBN-13: 978-0375836893
Themes: Prejudice, World War II, Death, Family, Italian-Americans

Eleven-year old Penny lives with her mother, Me-Me and Pop-Pop in New Jersey in the early 1950's. Her late father's Italian-American family love to give Penny gifts, and Penny greatly prefers Nonny's cooking over Me-Me's!

Penny's two favorite people are her mother and her Uncle Dominic. Uncle Dominic is a bit different, but he and Penny share a love of the Dodger's. Although all her uncles love to give her gifts, Uncle Dominc's are her favorite.

Frankie, an older cousin, is Penny's best friend. He talks Penny into escapades which aren't always good ideas. This summer, one of Frankie's escapades takes a tragic turn. One that ultimately brings family secrets into the open, and changes the lives of both sides of Penny's family.

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Penny from Heaven is one of those books which grabs you from the beginning and makes you not want to put it down until you are finished. It will make you laugh, cry, gasp in horror, cringe, and rejoice. This book deals with a little known aspect of World War II in the United States. Most people know about how the Japanese-Americans were treated during that time, but not so much has been written about the treatment of Italian-Americans. Just one innocent incident, and two families lives changed forever.

I would suggest reading this book with your child - especially a 9 or 10 year old. It will certainly spark many thoughtful conversations on the effects of prejudice, the importance of family, and learning how to forgive.

Book Review: Best Friends and Drama Queens (Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls) ; by Meg Cabot

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:17:00 +0000

Title: Best Friends And Drama Queens (Allie Finkle's Rules For Girls)
Series: Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls
Volume: 3
Author: Meg Cabot
Publisher: Scholastic Press (February 1, 2010)
Reading Level: Ages 9 - 12
ISBN-10: 0545040442
ISBN-13: 978-0545040440
Categories: Bullies, Friendship, Boy-Girl relationships, Family

Eleven year-old Allie Finkle looks at life with a sense of humor and wisdom beyond her years. In each of the books in this series, Allie makes a "rule" that she thinks is good for girls, based on events in her life.

In Best Friend's and Drama Queens Allie and her best friend's are coming back to school after winter break. There is a great deal of excitement due to the new girl joining the class from Canada. Cheyenne, the new girl, quickly becomes popular with the students of Room 209, mainly due to her apparent lack of timidness and how she dresses.

At first, Allie and her friends think that Cheyenne is pretty great, and they try to befriend her. But soon enough they find out that Cheyenne's way of dealing with people is to belittle and demean. Allie questions whether or not she and her friends are being immature for enjoying the games and activities they do, and which Cheyenne makes fun of.

The troubles in Room 209 threaten to end the friendships of several of Allie's best friends. Can Allie stand up to the bully like behavior of Cheyenne? Will her friends forgive each other and find the strength to stand up to Cheyenne?

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I read this book because the series was listed on the syllabus of the Children's Lit class section I thought I was going to be in. (I'm however in a different section, and this book isn't on that list.) I listened to it while traveling on various planes over the holidays, and many times had to stifle my laughter. Recently, I recommended this series of books to my mom for one of her tutoring students who is a reluctant sixth-grade reader. They both are now addicted to the books. :)

I've read many other books by Meg Cabot (Princess Diaries) and I feel that she has really outshone herself with Allie Finkle. If you know of a child who is having trouble dealing with a bully, or is wondering about whether or not they are "too old" to be playing different games, and they love to laugh ... then I suggest checking out this book series!

Starting a New Semester

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 04:10:00 +0000

Today a new semester has begun. One of the classes I am taking is all about Children's Literature. An ongoing assignment in that class is to make blog posts about a certain number of books each week. We also will have five journal entries. So, this blog is going to see some activity again. :)

I am very much enjoying the classes I have taken so far to become a school librarian, and am looking forward to my classes this semester.

(I am also trying out something new to me - emailing a post. If this works well, then I might just be able to be more active on ALL my blogs.) :)

Book Review: Being Jacob - First Day of School

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 23:42:00 +0000

Title: Being Jacob: First Day of School
Author: Suzy Koch
Illustrator: Willow Raven
Publisher: 4RV Publishing; 2009
Pages: 24
ISBN: 978-0-9840708-1-7
Ages: 3 - 6
Themes: First Day Jitters, School, Family

This is a sweet story of a little boy named Jacob who is very nervous about starting pre-school. His family all come along to send him off into his new adventure. Once he sees a familiar face, he becomes much more comfortable with the idea of going to school.

If you have a little one who is nervous about starting their first day, this would be a good book to help alleviate some of their fears.

Book Review: Benny and Penny In Just Pretend

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 14:46:00 +0000

Title: Benny and Penny: Just Pretend
Author: Geoffrey Hayes
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Raw Junior, LLC (April 7, 2008)
ISBN-10: 0979923808
Themes: Sibling Relationships, Bravery, Graphic Novel

Benny likes to pretend that he is a brave pirate. His little sister Penny wants to play with him too, but Benny isn't very excited about that idea. After getting Penny to leave him alone, he finds out that playing by himself may not really be what he wants.

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This is a classic story of a little sister who looks up to her older brother and wants to be like him, but he doesn't want anything to do with her. Then by the end of the story, he learns a lesson about the value of his little sister.

The comic book layout and the repetition of words both help the young independent reader to be able to enjoy the story on their own. The story itself is one which would be good for group sharing, and many repeated readings. It reminds me somewhat of Kevin Henkes book, Julius, the Baby of the World.

To Dance: a ballerina's graphic novel By: Siena Cherson Siegel

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 01:43:00 +0000

Title: To Dance: A Ballerina's Graphic Novel
Author: Siena Cherson Siegel
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 64 pages
ISBN: 0689867476
Themes: Non-fiction, Biography, Dance, Graphic Novel

From the time I was in Kindergarten until the fourth grade, I had the opportunity to take ballet lessons once a week. I absolutely loved it. My parents put me in ballet to help me with my lack of coordination. I ended up choosing to give it up so I could continue my piano lessons, because I thought piano would be a better skill for a teacher to have than ballet.

Siena, at a very early age loved to dance. She felt that everywhere she went with wide open spaces called to her to fill the space with dance. After being diagnosed with flat feet, her parents put her in dance classes. Her family at that time lived in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

As the years went by, her love of dance never waned. She eventually was accepted into the School of American Ballet in New York City. Though it was a lot of hard work and sacrifice, she loved what she did. Dance.

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This book does not have a lot of words. It doesn't really need it. The pictures and the words work together seamlessly to tell the story. The beginning and the ending tie in together in a magical and heartwarming way.

If you have a child, or know of a child, who loves to dance, then this is a book that they will treasure.

Branching Out Into a New Genre

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:39:00 +0000

Two weeks from today I will be starting my first class towards my Master's of Library Sciences. Since I am starting during a 5-week summer term, I am only able to begin with one class. That actually suits me quite well since it has been a few years (8?) since I've had to do any college level coursework.

I was told that I would have to start with my elective. The main option available for this particular term is about Grapic Novels and Comics for Youth and Adults.

While looking at the course requirements, I noticed that it listed quite a few books which we would read. All but a few of them were comic books. Personally, I enjoy some of the short comic strips such as Cathy, Peanuts, or even Garfield, but I've never really understood the appeal of reading an entire book written in comic strip form.

However, I am more than willing to stretch my mind, and even get graduate credit for reading Spiderman 3, and then watching the movie of Spiderman 3. :) There were also a number of other comic book/movie options, such as Iron Man, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, and Fantastic Four. I considered choosing Iron Man, because, well ... I've seen it twice already and wouldn't mind seeing it a third time. But instead, I decided to expand my horizons by choosing American Splendor: The Life and Times of Harvey Pekar which was in the genre of Non-Fiction/Independent.

Some of the other books I will be reading (and have picked up from the library already) include: Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood, Watchmen, Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History and Pedro and Me.

Remember how earlier I mentioned that I had never really understood the appeal of reading a full book written in the form of a comic strip? Well, last week as I was stacking my books by my desk, I just so happened to open up Pedro and Me. I started reading it from about the middle, and could not put it down.

Pedro and Me definitely is not a book for the ten and under set, but it is an extremely powerful book. It is written and illustrated by Judd Winwick, who along with Pedro and 5 other people appeared on the show The Real World: Los Angeles. Telling Pedro's story through using comics I think made a story which was already powerful, even more so.

If the other comic strip based books are even half as good as Pedro and Me, I may just have to add a new genre to my reading repertoire.

Book Review: Now One Foot, Now The Other by Tomie De Paola

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 19:40:00 +0000

Title: Now One Foot, Now the Other
Author: Tomie De Paola
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback: 48 pages
Publisher: Puffin (June 1, 2006)
ISBN-10: 0142401048
Themes: Grandparents, Illness, Love

This is a beautiful story of the love between a grandfather and a grandson.

When little Bobby was born, his grandfather, who also was named Bobby, decided that he should be called Bob.

Bob spent lots of time with Bobby. Eventually Bobby said his first word, "Bob." As Bobby grew, Bob taught him how to walk. "Now one foot, now the other," Bob would say.

Bob and Bobby enjoyed playing with a set of 30 wooden blocks. They would work together to stack them. Sometimes they could get half of them stacked, and other times all but one. The elephant block would always go last.

Shortly after Bobby's fifth birthday, Bob had a stroke. At first Bobby was scared because Bob wasn't the person he remembered. Then one day Bob showed Bobby that he did recognize him.

Bobby then tirelessly worked with his grandpa. He remembered how Bob had taught him how to walk, and did the same for his grandpa. "Now one foot, now the other."

Illustrator Interview: Rachel Henson and The Angry Thunderstorm

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 23:20:00 +0000

Rachel Henson, the 17-year old niece of Carol Keesee who wrote The Angry Thunderstorm, took some time out of her summer vacation to help us get to know her better.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

1.When did you know that you wanted to become an artist?

It was only in the past two or three years actually. I started drawing in the eighth grade and it just sort of spiraled on from there.

2. What was your inspiration for the drawings in the Angry Thunderstorm?

My little sister Sarah. She's deathly afraid of thunder and lightning, so I wanted to draw a character who could look mean but still be cute and fluffy at the same time.

3. Were you frightened of thunderstorms when you were younger?

I think I was, but only because of tornadoes. Storms frightened me because I associated them with tornadoes. If it was just rain and thunder I would have probably been outside playing in it, worrying my Grandma to death. Any mention of a tornado and I was laying on the bathroom floor with every blanket in the house reading books to my dollies.

4. What is your favorite medium to express yourself?

It really depends on what I'm drawing, but I always start with pencil & pen outlines then I make copies so I can experiment with other mediums without messing up the original drawing. Pastels are fun. I hate charcoal with a fiery passion, but only because I have no patience. I like pretty much everything.

5. What advice would you give to others who may want to become an artist?

Just go for it, even if you don't think you're good enough. Rome wasn't built in a day and artistic skill doesn't just happen overnight. It takes practice and passion and accepting that sometimes you're going to mess up. You have to keep at it if it's what you want. At the risk of sounding like a Disney movie, you have to follow your dreams because even if you aren’t that good in the beginning (like me). If you keep practicing and wait awhile you can churn out some masterpieces that will blow all previous attempts out of the water.

6. What do you like to do when you're not drawing?

Playing X-Box or Nintendo, depending on my mood; or hanging out with friends discussing serious things and completely random things.

7. What subject(s) do you like best in school?

I like Chemistry and English (and art of course) the most. I would like math, but it's basically memorization and I don't do that well. Plus, I'm one of those obnoxious kids who wants to know why the rules exist instead of just accepting that A x A + B x B = C x C just because some dead guy ( no offense Pythagoras) said so.

8. What was one of your favorite books as a child and why?

Dr. Seuss is still my all time favorite just because I love the pictures and the stories are so cute, quirky, and they rhyme! What more can a child ask for?

Book Review: Alejandro's Gift by Richard E Albert

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Title: Alejandro's Gift
Author: Richard E Albert
Illustrator: Sylvia Long
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback: 40 pages
Publisher: Chronicle Books (March 1, 1996)
ISBN-10: 0811813428
Themes: Friendship, Environment, Gifts, Animals, Gardens, Deserts

A lonely man lives in the desert. He didn't have very many visitors, and even when he did, he'd still feel lonely after they left. To help pass time he decided to make a garden.

As he made his garden a curious thing began to happen. First he had a visit from a ground squirrel. After the squirrel left, Alejandro realized that his loneliness had left for a little while, and he hoped that the squirrel would return.

Eventually, as the garden continued to grow, more and more animals came to visit. Time passed more quickly for Alejandro, and he realized that he didn't feel so lonely anymore. One day he was thinking about whether there was anything more important than making himself less lonely. He realized that there was, and then he began to take measures to accomplish it.

In the end, Alejandro realizes that when you do something for someone else, or for something else, that the gift you receive back is so much more than what you give.

Poetry Spotlight: Shel Silverstein's The Missing Piece

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Fri, 29 May 2009 09:00:00 +0000

The Missing Piece by Shel Silverstein is the story of a circle who is missing a piece. It is sad because it feels that the only way to find happiness is to acquire the missing piece. So the circle begins a journey to find what it is missing. Along the way, it learns many lessons as it finds various missing pieces. By the end of the story, the circle learns a very important lesson about the value of being happy just as you are.

This story can be enjoyed by all ages, but I think the deeper meaning of it would be more appreciated by older students.

This is a song that the circle sang as it looked for it's missing piece:

Oh I'm lookin' for my missin' piece
I'm lookin' for my missin' piece
Hi-dee-ho, here I go,
Lookin' for my missin' piece.

Shel Silverstein wrote a companion book to the Missing Piece, called The Missing Piece Meets the Big O. This is the story of one of the Missing Pieces that the circle met. The Missing Piece is looking for it's perfect fit. It wants to roll like others. Finally one day it meets the Big O who teaches the missing piece how to achieve his dream.

National Center for Children's Illustrated Books

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Thu, 28 May 2009 09:00:00 +0000

This past March I had the opportunity to visit the National Center for Children's Illustrated Books (NCCILL) located in Abilene, Texas. I had never heard of it until I started researching for ideas of things to do while I was in Abilene to take my GRE (Graduate Record Exam.)

Needless to say, seeing as though I am wanting to become a Children's Librarian, I was quite excited to find out that there was something like that where I was going. It also helped that the admission was priced just right, free.

The NCCILL is divided into two parts. Part of it is comprised of a bookstore. All of the books in the bookstore are by authors/artists who have had their books displayed at the museum. I found out that there are many books available for purchase which are signed by the author.

I was quite excited to see books by Kevin Henkes. Unfortunately, they did not have any copies of his books which were signed. However, they did have a selection of William Steig's books, alas, no signatures, but on sale. So, of course, I had to pick up a copy of Brave Irene .

The second part of the NCCILL is comprised of a showing of one author/illustrator's work. On display when I was there was Ashley Bryan. There were about 15 of his books located on podiums around the room, along with numerous displays of the illustrations. I found it very interesting to see some of his sketches and compare them to the final product.

Each author/illustrator's work remains on display for approximately 10 weeks.

If you are ever in the Abilene area, I would highly recommend a visit here, especially if you have children.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of NCCILL

Author Interview: Carol Henson Keesee

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Wed, 27 May 2009 05:13:00 +0000

Carol Henson Keesee, the author of The Angry Thunderstorm was kind enough to answer some questions to help us know her better.

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What inspired you to write the story of the Angry Thunderstorm?

When my children were small, they were frightened by storms. They would run into my bedroom in the middle of the night and crawl into bed, between my husband and I. We would lay in bed and their little bodies would tense at the sounds of the wind whipping about, the rolling thunder and the crashes of light. To calm them, I told them that the winds were blowing so hard because they had to clean the air we breathe. The lightning helped animals find their way home when the clouds grew too dark. The thunder gave us a warning to find shelter. Instead of focusing on the nastiness of the storm, I tried to help them focus on all the nice things the storm was doing for us; only using the intensity that was necessary for him to do his job. One stormy afternoon, I went to pick up my son from pre-school and I overheard him telling a little friend that the storm wasn’t really angry, he was just very busy. It was that moment that prompted me to write the story of The Angry Thunderstorm.

2. Have you written any other stories?

I have written other stories that we hope to publish in the near future.

One story is about a Texas landmark, a great oak tree that has stood for hundreds of years. He has witnessed many events in Texas history, including the signing of treaties. In fact, that is how he got his name, Treaty Oak. The story is told through a conversation among other trees native to Texas - the Cedars, the Pines, the Willows and the sweet Magnolias. They have heard rumors in the breeze that’s come from all the whispering from the other trees that their legendary friend has fallen victim to a tragic misdeed. They recount stories of many historical events the tree has witnessed, the Texans that who found shade beneath his branches and the symbol that Texas will lose if he indeed perishes. This story encourages us to consider the environment, to appreciate nature and to treasure our heritage.

There are two others stories that have been produced but not yet copyrighted. I cannot share many details about them at this time, other than to say that they have been well received by children we have shared them with.

3. Have you heard from any of your readers? What do they say?

Our biggest response has been from teachers and reading specialists across the country. We have a wonderful relationship with Reading Instruction Co., based in Austin, Texas. Ann B. Fiala, the Founder, is a wonderful friend and reading mentor to teachers across the country. She read The Angry Thunderstorm and loved it so much that she provided the blurb on the back cover and created a vocabulary study, graphic organizer and Reader’s Theater focused on the book. Ann seizes every opportunity to read the book aloud to educators; then brainstorm with them the many ways this picture book can be used as an instructional resource.

The Angry Thunderstorm is currently being used in classroom settings that range from reading instruction in elementary levels to creative writing in high school English classes. Teachers appreciate the rhyme & rhythm included in the book language, its robust vocabulary, and personification. Teachers are delighted to find multiple ways to use The Angry Thunderstorm as excellent tool to teach many different reading dynamics, including the literary elements of a short story.

Very young children have embraced the book as well. I wrote an article not long ago about the measure of a truly good children’s book and the three little indicator words that are telling of a book’s success. I always listen for, “Read it again.” I have yet to do a read aloud when I am not asked to read the book again. As an author, that is truly a great feeling.

4. What do you like to do when you are not writing?

I do not make my living by writing. I work for a large advertising agency in Austin, Texas and I love my career. So, writing is really my escape. When I’m not working or writing, I love the outdoors. I like to walk every morning. My morning walk is when I get a lot of ideas for new stories. I also like to explore new trails and cooking and entertaining my friends. And… I love Texas Longhorn football. Hook ‘Em Horns!

5. What was one of your favorite subjects when you were in school?

My favorite subject in school was English and Creative Writing. One teacher in my high school was so passionate about writing that her love of writing spilled over into the classroom. Every other day, she would put a simple sentence fragment on the blackboard, i.e. “The old woman sat by the fire…” At the end of class, we would turn in our completed stories. The next day, we would read the different tales that had been spawned from that one sentence fragment. It was really interesting. That class truly ignited a passion for writing.

6. Were you frightened of thunderstorms when you were younger?

As a child, I was frightened by thunderstorms. I witnessed the fury of a storm and associated it with something unseen – and much bigger. That fear later turned into resentment during my teen years. The rain was never welcomed because it always seemed to put a damper on plans that I had made. As I reached adulthood, I began to look at storms differently. I realized they were a necessity and their presence became calming – even relaxing. Today, for me, there is nothing better than to see a dark cloud on the horizon and hear the low grumble of a thunderstorm in the distance. I always know that after the storm, everything will be clean and recharged – including my spirit.

7. What would you suggest to someone who would like to become a writer?

My suggestion to other writers is, “Don’t hold back.” Write from the heart and with purpose. The purpose for The Angry Thunderstorm was to help children deal with their fear of storms by providing an alternative and positive way to look at them. My purpose for writing any story is to provide a medium for addressing topics in a manner that is honest, understandable and encouraging or inspirational.

8. What was one of your favorite books when you were a child and why?

I always loved Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes. Goosey Goosey Gander. Little Jack Horner sat in a corner. Sing a song of sixpence a pocket full of rye... Nursery rhymes were short and melodic, nonsensical – and always fun. Perhaps Mother Goose shaped my love of poetry ; I have always been drawn to stories that use rhythm and rhyme. Now that I am an author, using rhythm and rhyme to tell my stories, I can honestly say that I have a new appreciation for both Mother Goose and Dr. Seuss. There I go with the rhyming again...

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Thank you Carol for letting us know a little more about you and the story behind The Angry Thunderstorm. I for one, am quite interested to see what your next books are like.

Book Review: Wump World by Bill Peet

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Tue, 26 May 2009 07:00:00 +0000

Title: The Wump World
Author: Bill Peet
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback: 48 pages
Publisher: Sandpiper (April 27, 1981)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0395311292

The Wump World by Bill Peet is the story of a gentle and gracious species called Wumps.

The Wump World was a small world, very much smaller than our world. There were no great oceans, lofty mountains, giant forests or broad sandy deserts. The Wump World was mostly grassy meadows and clumps of leafy green trees with a few winding rivers and lakes. But it was perfect for the Wumps who were the only living creatures there.

Everything in Wump World was peaceful, really quite a pleasant place to live. Until one day a new group invaded their world -- The Pollutians.

The Pollutians were from the planet Pollutus. Their planet had become worn out, so they were in search of a new place to live.

In a very short while, Wump World is no longer the beautiful and peaceful world the Wumps had always known. The Pollutians completely took over their world. Would Wump World ever be the same again?