Reading Rumpus

Silverstein and Me: A Memoir by Marv Gold

2009-10-25T20:54:00.001-04:00

Information on the reclusive, but dearly loved, Shel Silverstein is rare. Students seeking information on the author will find few interviews given and little written about him. Shel Silverstein would be happy that this is the case. A man of wildly divergent talents, Silverstein wanted his body of work to do the speaking for him. Enter author Marv Gold.

Gold’s Silverstein and Me: A Memoir begins with a dead Shel Silverstein haunting his boyhood pal via song. From there, Silverstein’s life is recalled from their meeting at six years of age to Silverstein’s death. Though a tiny final hint offers some drama, there are no big reveals for fans who’ve followed Silverstein’s work, be it a Playboy cartoon or a children’s poem.

For someone who knows little about the reclusive Silverstein (shy middle-class Jewish kid, reclusive popular talent of Playboy cartoons, songwriting, and children’s poems), perhaps Silverstein and Me is a good read. Students seeking information on Mr. Silverstein have very few sources to research. But, in reality, one can learn about as much of Mr. Silverstein’s life by reading his Wikipedia entry. The book is more of a stroll down childhood memory lane for Mr. Gold.

Silverstein and Me is a hard book to categorize. It is neither a traditional memoir nor a biography, but an odd mix of the two, with embellished and supposed conversations thrown in for effect. As for writing style, the slapstick-everyman first person voice will either be disconcerting or charming to readers.

Considering the limited information, Silverstein and Me is a possible read for high school students interested in the talented Shel Silverstein, though drug use and sexual content are present.

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Genre: Memoir. Age: High School. Pages: 208.
Thank You to Library Thing for my copy.
Advisory: Sexual situations and drug use.
Publisher: Ren Hen Press. Date: June 2009.
ISBN-13:978-1597091510

Buy Silverstein and Me: A Memoir Here

Mr. Gold lives with five cats and a wife in California. Silverstein and Me: A Memoir is his sixth book. You can read more about Mr. Gold on his website.
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The 13 Days of Halloween by Carol Greene with illustrations by Tim Raglin - book review & teaching ideas

2009-10-24T03:08:00.001-04:00

The Thirteen Days Of Halloween is the perfect Halloween picture book for the little ghouls and goblins in your life. The text follows the same rhyme scheme as the famous Christmas song (12 Days of Christmas) and the illustrations offer wonderfully bizarre scenes of mayhem to support the text.

The Thirteen Days Of Halloween is an excellent book for emergent readers. Rhyme and repetition, as well as predictable language, are important tools in learning the sounds and patterns of language. The Thirteen Days Of Halloween is just the sort of book that should be read over and over as young students eventually chant along and anticipate the next stanza.

The design and feel of The Thirteen Days Of Halloween also lends itself well to the emergent reader. The text is limited to a separate sidebar of white space. The illustrations are funny, not scary, and offer additional opportunities for inference. The gothic love scene is a hoot.

This leads to two small criticisms. The characters are “good friends,” leaving the question: Why not “true love?” This unnecessary change from the original seems forced, as the illustrations clearly depict a courtship styled relationship. Also, the cadence matches the original in all respects except for one syllabic change with “cooked worms” for “golden rings.” Wouldn’t “crooked worms” have worked better? For teaching purposes, reading cooked as two syllables is bad form. Though, both of these criticisms seem picky when considering the fun housed within the pages of The Thirteen Days Of Halloween.

Recommended for emergent readers and Halloween celebrating children in grades K-3.

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Genre: Picture Book. Age: 4-8. Pages: 32.
Themes: Holiday
Thank You to Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
ISBN: 978-1402230967
Buy The Thirteen Days Of Halloween Here

Vocabulary: vulture, wizard, cauldrons, hissing, creeping, whizzing, gobbling, swooping

Activities: Of course you have to have the students guess what is inside the box at the story’s end! It could take the form of an oral discussion or as a written reader’s response.

If you can find an instrumental version of The Twelve Days of Christmas, you can have a little sing along.

Can the students spot the adorable little dog skeleton on each page?

About the author & illustrator:
Carol Greene wrote her first poem when she was six years old (it was about a spider). To date she has published over a hundred books for children. Carol also likes to read, sing, and make teddy bears. She lives in Webster Groves, Missouri, with her cat Dulcie.

Tim Raglin brings his wacky imagination and wonderfully odd cast of characters to The Thirteen Days of Halloween. His previous books include Five Funny Fights, Pecos Bill, and The Birthday ABC. He received a silver medal from the New York Society of Illustrators for his book Uncle Mugsy & the Terrible Twins of Christmas. Mr. Raglin lives in his hometown of Independence, Kansas. You can read more about him on his website.
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© 2007-2009 Cheryl Vanatti (aka: Tasses). www.ReadingRumpus.com

National Geographic Kids Almanac 2010

2009-10-08T07:48:00.105-04:00

Students are going to pour over the fabulously stuffed-to-the-brim National Geographic Kids Almanac 2010. Is it possible to pack any more animals, geography and culture into a book? This book is great for mini-reports or beginnings of further exploration on an amazing array of topics. The only criticism, from a reluctant reader standpoint, is the small text and overwhelming content. Teachers and parents might offer the sections in small chunks to these sorts of readers. 5th - 8th grade readers, especially gifted or strong readers, will have no difficulty, and find the amazing array of facts both fun to read and food for further thought.

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Genre: Nonfiction. Age: 9-12. Pages: 352.
Thank You to Media Masters Publicity for my copy.
Publisher: National Geographic Children's Books. Date: May 2009.
ISBN-13: 978-1426305016
Buy National Geographic Kids Almanac 2010 Here

I began this post hoping to discuss National Geographic Kids Almanac 2010, but I ended up jumping all over the National Geographic websites so I have to include all the goodness here!

National Geographic has long been the leader in the study of the people and creatures of our planet. But do you know about the wonderful resources National Geographic has to offer students? It all begins on their fantastic website, with animal facts, games, quizzes, videos, stories, cartoons, jokes, crafts, recipes, contests, amazing photography and even a club with a personalized Facebook-like page. You can also subscribe to their award winning children’s magazine for $15.

Teachers: scroll all the way to the bottom for an Education Guide link It's a great abundance of teaching support.

There’s also a link to the National Geographic Bee with ten new questions posted every day!

Do you know about the In2Books Community? It’s a group of carefully screened adult volunteer pen pals who will read 5 books and discuss them pen pal style with students.

Most folks have heard of the widely successful ePals, but it’s worth mentioning again. ePals is a global classroom community of pen pals who connect with other classrooms to exchange ideas and discuss current global issues.

Even the little guys have their own site, with Toot & Puddle as their guide! Toot & Puddle rank second only to Olivia in Pig Love with this gal.

Also well worth further investigation is the Giant Traveling Maps. They sure look like fun!

All in all, one could spend a long time exploring the National Geographic National Geographic Website, The place really got this reading educator enthused about geography!

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© 2007-2009 Cheryl Vanatti (aka: Tasses). www.ReadingRumpus.com

Ghost In The Machine by Patrick Carman

2009-10-07T07:37:00.002-04:00

There's a new review of Ghost In The Machine up at my Reading Education post on Examiner.com.

Basically, I just restated my interest in the story and linked to my original thoughts on the fantastic and unique concept by author Partrick Carman. If you missed my review of Skeleton Creek, here's the link.

This series is a great one for lovers of the mystery genre and reluctant readers. Libraries and classroom should add this one to their shelves. It won't stay on them long.

Oh! And don't forget all the wonderful links to additional content:
Author site

Making of Site

Spooky Easter Egg Site

Character Sarah's Website

The Haunted Dredges Site

Scholastic's Book Site
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© 2007-2009 Cheryl Vanatti (aka: Tasses). www.ReadingRumpus.com

Win a copy of Horrid Henry - 3 Winners!

2009-10-04T22:27:00.002-04:00

Back in May, Henry had just landed on the Reading Rumpus doorstep, but it was instant love. The Horrid Henry series is aimed toward the early independent reader. However, it's also an excellent resource for struggling readers. Each book contains four tales with a large font style, quick pace and illustrations for excellent contextual support (and also a laugh or two).

From the May review, "Horrid Henry is HUGE. He’s all over Europe with a television series, a play and famous people like Miranda Richardson loving him up. But here, we Yanks have missed out on his mania. Not so anymore! Horrid Henry has jumped the pond and if you have or teach children in the young independent reader age group, you’re going to want to check Henry out.

Make no mistake, Henry is Horrible and author Francesca Simon makes no apologies for him. It’s that unapologetic horribleness that allows the reader to escape into a world of naughty without really being naughty themselves (my favorite sort of escape!). There will be no need for moralistic discussion as kids will cover their mouths, giggle and offer their own ideas as to why Henry’s made some mistakes. Francesca Simon's style certainly leans toward a Roald Dahl slant, and this is further amplified by the Quentin Blake inspired illustrations of Tony Ross. There could be a lot worse comparisons for an author or an illustrator!

I can easily predict that US students are going to love Horrid Henry as much as their European counterparts."

Not to rub it in or anything, but Reading Rumpus was right! Henry is back with three more titles: Horrid Henry's Underpants, Horrid Henry and the Scary Sitter, Horrid Henry and the Mummy's Curse. Each one as devilishly good as the first!

You can find teaching resources and more information about the series and the author on the original post HERE!

How can you win a copy?

Leave a comment telling me which child/student in your life will love the Horrid Henry series (remember to leave your name and email address too). For a second entry, Tweet (on Twitter) and leave the link in a separate comment. For a third entry, subscribe to or follow Reading Rumpus and leave a separate comment telling me you've done so. For a fourth entry, blog about the contest and leave a separate entry. A Random.org drawing will be held on October 31, 2009 at 9:00PM EST. Good Luck.

A big Thank You to Sourcebooks for the giveaway copies!
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© 2007-2009 Cheryl Vanatti (aka: Tasses). www.ReadingRumpus.com

Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough - book review

2009-09-29T16:26:00.002-04:00

I seem to be reading nothing but supernatural stories lately. First I read, Evermore. Then, Hush Hush. And now, I’ve just finished Once a Witch. Evermore is the story of a teen girl and a cute immortal. Hush Hush is the story of a teen girl and a cute archangel. Once a Witch is the story of a teen witch….. and a cute warlock. It seems the prescription of late is girl + supernatural boy = better girl. I know Twilight is popular, but c’mon!

But today I’m writing about Once a Witch, not beating a dead Twilight horse, and Once a Witch is a respectable young adult read, probably my favorite of the three. So, a fair shake is in order.

Tasmin is a seventeen-year-old girl born into a long line of witches. Unfortunately, Tasmin has managed to be the only one without a Talent. To escape family pressure, Tasmin’s managed to send herself off to a nice, normal boarding school in New York. Lots of teen angst ensues until the bad guy is injected into the story. Then, readers are in for a suspense-styled ride filled with nice bits of romance, humor and peril.

Once a Witch is a coming-of-age tale with a juxtaposed misfit protagonist. Tasmin is a strong voiced and likeable girl, surrounded by supporting characters that could have easily stolen the show. But though I loved the extended hodge-podge of witches, this is where my criticisms begin.

I’m going to say something in a positive review that I never thought I’d say: too much editing! Once a Witch's plotting is mostly solid, but the characters are filled with unexamined potential. This is nowhere truer than in the case of Tasmin’s love interest: Gabriel. The couple’s back-story is a well of unfulfilled dramatic possibility. Perhaps the sequel will offer the richness I so desperately sought.

Characterization lust aside, there is an enjoyable story in the pages of Once a Witch. While reading, I was strongly reminded of one of my favorite stories: Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman. I offer that comparison as the finest of praise.

Recommended for teen realistic-styled fantasy readers, those of the Twilight mindset, older Harry Potter graduates and for high school library purchase.

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Genre: Fantsy. Age: Young Adult. Pages: 304.

Themes: Unique You, Coming of Age, Romance, Suspense

Thank You to The Picnic Basket for my advanced copy.
Advisory: There are some unessential sex, drinking and smoking references sprinkled throughout. Some folks will take offense, some will want to discuss it with their teens and others will simply chalk it up to modern exposures.
Publisher: Clarion Books. Date: September 2009.
ISBN-13: 978-0547223995
Buy Once a Witch Here

Here's the book's website with an excerpt, quizzes and discussion guide.

Book Trailer:

Author Carolyn MacCullough's life changed completely after she sold her first book. It was then that, "my life just turned into a magical fairytale complete with unbelievable wealth, fame, endless cotton candy, and my own personal unicorn," she says. It seems like she's a tongue-in-cheek sort of gal. You can read more about her on her website.
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© 2007-2009 Cheryl Vanatti (aka: Tasses). www.ReadingRumpus.com

Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick - book review

2009-09-18T06:59:00.035-04:00

Part mystery thriller, part romance, part paranormal-fantasy, Hush, Hush, from debut author Becca Fitzpatrick, is going to be snatched up by the Twilight-styled girls of middle and high school and might well fall into the hands of more than a few adult fans of the genre also.

I am not one of those readers. However, I was surprisingly drawn to Hush, Hush.

Synopsis: When high school student Nora Grey gets a new lab partner, it seems she’ll be doing all the work. A newcomer to the school, Patch seems more intent on playing pool than completing assignments. Yet, Nora finds herself attracted to the bad boy and begins noticing him wherever she goes. It doesn’t help that Nora’s recent feelings that someone is watching her have culminated in a supernatural-styled encounter or that Patch seems to know everything about her. Is Patch the bad guy he seems? Is he causing the strange occurrences in Nora’s life? Soon, Nora will learn that she’s caught in the middle of clash as old as the dawn of time.

Writing: Hush, Hush is tightly written, with a good mixture of action sequencing and character development. Protagonist Nora is living in a setting where readers know something bad is looming: absent parents, distracted best friend. Additionally, she's part mystery detective, trying to figure out the good guys from the bad ones along with the reader. Bad boy Patch is Heathcliff reborn as an immortal. He’s not nice and can even be downright wicked. Against the brilliance of Patch, Nora seems a bit flat, but since this is the first in a series, Ms. Fitzpatrick has time to polish Nora.

Thoughts: While Hush, Hush follows the standard boy meets girl, forced teen angst and falling for bad boy themes, it also holds readers rapt. There’s always a concern that poor female decisions at the hands of a cute boy stories will venture into the subjugation realm, but it doesn’t eliminate the fact that many, many teen girls love this sort of thing. Call it hormones or the first bloom of love, assign it any name you’d like, teen readers of the Twilight vein will enjoy this one.

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Genre: Fantasy. Age: Young Adult. Pages: 400. Themes: Love, Suspense, Courage.

Thank you to Barnes & Noble for my advanced copy. Publisher: Simon & Schuster. Date: October 2009.
ISBN-13: 978-1416989417
Buy Hush, Hush Here

Click here for a chance to win a poster on the publisher's website. You can also read the prologue and first two chapters!

Book Trailer:

Author discussing Hush, Hush:

Becca Fitzpatrick has a thing for shoe sale racks and TV crime dramas. She had hoped to be a spy, but had to abandon the career due to her inability to lie. Hush, Hush is her first novel. You can read more about the sequel to Hush, Hush on the author's website or her LiveJournal page.
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© 2007-2009 Cheryl Vanatti (aka: Tasses). www.ReadingRumpus.com

International Reading Association posts second draft of 2010 Reading Standards

2009-09-17T07:39:00.030-04:00

The International Reading Association has posted the second draft of the revised Standards for Reading Professionals. I was lucky enough to graduate from a university with strict adherence to these reading professional standards. In fact, I'm there now working on my PhD!

Developed by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and the International Reading Association, the Standards for Reading Professionals "set(s) forth the criteria for developing and evaluating preparation programs for reading professionals. The Standards describe what candidates for the reading profession should know and be able to do in professional settings."

Current reading teachers, students, prospective students and just about anyone with an interest in what reading professionals have to know might spend a few moments perusing the 92 page document. After reading the second draft, there's a survey that will help shape the finalized standards.

Here's the IRA link

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© 2007-2009 Cheryl Vanatti (aka: Tasses). www.ReadingRumpus.com

Why the New York Times missed the point

2009-09-16T13:54:00.000-04:00

I've written a commentary over on Examiner discussing the dust up over the New York Times article on students self-selecting reading materials.

Basically, I'm worried that in all the tweeting and posting and hip-hooraying over letting students choose their own books, we miss two important points:

1. Most reading educators use a form of self-selection already and without proper training, the Reading Workshop method lacks the sound educational foundation to TEACH someone how to read and write well.

2. The bigger issue is in the prescriptive nature of the current educational climate.

By squabbling over an old-news-method, that almost every teacher I know uses to some effect, we are missing an opportunity to promote the discussion of topics concerning the loss of professionally trained decision-making for our students.

Here are my Examiner.com thoughts for you :-)
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© 2007-2009 Cheryl Vanatti (aka: Tasses). www.ReadingRumpus.com

Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran

2009-09-10T06:31:00.022-04:00

There are three ways of examining Cleopatra's Daughter. One might view the story as an overlooked appendage to the famous story of Marc Antony & Cleopatra. One might also marvel at the novel’s historically significant timeframe. Or finally, one can view Cleopatra's Daughter as an engrossing story of political intrigue and romance. Choose any direction; you will not be disappointed.

Cleopatra's Daughter opens as Octavian of Rome has conquered Egypt. Marc Antony and Cleopatra have committed suicide, leaving three orphaned children. Octavian decides it wise to keep the children alive for future bartering, especially in view of their being the remaining heirs to the throne of Alexander the Great. As the three children set sail for Rome, readers join the perilous journey that will follow the first-person narrator, daughter Selene, to adulthood.

Cleopatra's Daughter is one of those first rate historical fiction novels where the strong setting is merely a footnote to the story of the people. While the reader is busy falling in love with the characters, she forgets all the rich culture and historical fact, only later to contemplate the significance and wonders of an epoch in both Egyptian and Roman history.

Because it is a coming-of-age tale, Cleopatra's Daughter works for both adult and young adult readers. While Cleopatra's Daughter definitely has the chops to hold an adult readers attention, especially those of us who love historical fiction, it is the strong voice of Cleopatra's only daughter, Selene, that makes Cleopatra's Daughter an excellent choice for teens searching for a tale rich in both history and romance. The Latin and Greek wording is kept to a minimum and the author provides support with both an opening cast of characters and a glossary of terms and author’s note at the tale’s end.

Teachers in high school might well recommended this tale to students interested in the historical context of the novel or those seeking more than the supernatural love stories of late.

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Genre: Historical Fiction. Age: Young Adult. Pages 448.

Themes: Coming of Age, Courage, Loss

Thank you Pump Up Your Book Promotion for my advanced copy
Publisher: Crown. Date: September 2009. ISBN:978-0307409126. Buy Cleopatra's Daughter HERE

There are couple really great contests going on over on the author's website. You can enter by simply clicking here.

You can also read an excerpt HERE.

Michelle Moran's love of travel and archeology inspired her to write historical fiction. She lives in California with her husband. You can read more about her on her website.
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© 2007-2009 Cheryl Vanatti (aka: Tasses). www.ReadingRumpus.com

September is Library Card Sign-up Month

2009-09-07T14:59:00.011-04:00

I've got a new post up as the National Reading Examiner featuring 10 reasons you should get and use a library card. Click over to read it: HERE.
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© 2007-2009 Cheryl Vanatti (aka: Tasses). www.ReadingRumpus.com

Bran Hambric by Kaleb Nation - Book Review

2009-09-02T05:41:00.009-04:00

Bran Hambric is a boy without a past. He was found inside a bank vault at the age of six and now lives with the Wilomas family, basically acting as their servant. They all live in the town of Dunce where no magic or gnomes are allowed. Bran is a unique boy with powers he doesn't understand and a past he'll soon have to face.

Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse's prologue begins in the past as Bran’s mother magically sends him away from a scene of death and violence. The story begins quick, with the promise of an action-filled tale. We’re uncertain as to who is good or bad and we gather that we’ll be figuring that out along the ride. Chapter one switches to the modern day where Bran Hambric is living with the Wilomas family. When a burglar tries to invade the Wilomas home, Bran and the eccentric Mr. Sewey Wilomas stake out a trap.

However, this encouraging opening quickly begins to wander. Until part II, at page 123, the interesting story is a bloated look at an angry family of unappealing and stereotyped characters. But, if readers can hang in there until page 123, Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse returns to its action-filled promise. There’s a good deal of foreshadowing and some new, and finally interesting, characters introduced. Bran begins to learn about himself and the story begins to follow a more traditional bildungsroman format. The premise is an interesting one, with a few well-done literary devices, like the use of the overheard conversation and repetitive language used to good effect. It would be remiss to ignore the obvious borrowings from Harry Potter, but perhaps this is not a fault of Mr. Nation so much as a characteristic of the next generation of writers who’ve devoured the series and encapsulated the masterful Rowling stylings in their own writing.

Still, there’s really way too much running around in Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse that leads to nowhere. An editor could have alleviated this with a sharp pen that cut much of the extraneous garble mucking the tale. The freshman effort of Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse shouldn’t take away from the possibility of Mr. Nation’s future odds. He has some good ideas (see more about his Twilight guy site below); he thought up a good story. With a few more writing lessons and an editor with a mightier pen, he’s certainly got the potential to offer a better sophomore effort, be it a Bran Hambric sequel or a new idea waiting to pop forth from this wunderkind.

Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse seems suited for strong readers who are willing to stay with a long-winded fantasy tale. Reluctant readers could lose focus and have difficulty with awkward wording and redundant content.

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Genre: Fantasy. Age: 9-12. Pages: 464.

Themes: Coming of Age, Prejudice, Action-Adventure
Thank You to publisher Sourcebooks Jabberwocky for my advanced copy. Date: September 2009. ISBN: 978-1402218576
Buy Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse Here

Read more about the book on the Bran Hambric website.

Book Trailer:

Publisher Giveaway:
BUY the book BEFORE 9/9/09 and WIN!-- (US ONLY) Any person who pre-orders Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse, and sends their e-receipt or scanned receipt to sbpublicity@sourcebooks.com will be entered into a drawing to win one of the following prizes:
- Personalized first-edition copy of The Farfield Curse (give your copy to a friend!)
- Personalized early reader copy of Book 2
- Personalized Bran Hambric poster
- Half Moon Necklace
- Signed CD of soundtrack
- $25 gift certificate to local bookstore
- Kaleb Nation event at local bookstore (fall 2010)
One entry per book ordered (so as many entries as books ordered). Receipts must be dated prior to pub date – September 9, 2009 and bear the subject heading “Bran Hambric Pre-Order Competition.” Winners to be announced September 30, 2009!

Kaleb Nation a blogger of some notoriety. He's been featured in Entertainment Weekly, Business Week and on MTV for his blog Twilight Guy. He began writing Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse at the age of 14 and wrote it over most of his teen years. You can read more about him on his personal website.
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© 2007-2009 Cheryl Vanatti (aka: Tasses). www.ReadingRumpus.com

Travels with Tarra & Just For Elephants by Carol Buckley - Book Review, Teaching Support and Fabulous Giveaway

2009-09-01T06:00:00.005-04:00

I don't usually go into the personal realm on Reading Rumpus as I consider this a professional site where teachers and parents can find good books and reading ideas. However, when Travels With Tarra and Just for Elephants came to me from publisher Tilbury House (a publishing house I’ve had happy experiences with before), I felt a need to explain why I was so touched by these titles.

Those of you who know me personally, know that my daughter is currently in veterinary medical school, so the subject of animal care and protection
is very close to my heart right now (even though we've always joked about where she got her love of beasts from as I'm generally scared to death of any animal!) What you may not know is that I recently lost my aunt and namesake. She was a huge supporter of animal care and rescue.

So I'm very excited to offer Reading Rumpus readers not only the review and teaching activities for Travels With Tarra and Just for Elephants, but also a contest to win a book stamped by elephant Tarra!

Travels With Tarra and Just for Elephants are two books that educators or home school parents would be well served to begin units on elephant study, friendship or even Africa. Not only are the books engaging, but the supporting materials are amazing. The Elephant Sanctuary website has a downloadable K-3 curriculum guide of 35 pages and a 4-8 guide of 72 pages. Both feature activities and discussion points covering health, social studies, math and language arts.

Travels With Tarra tells the nonfiction story of how elephant Tarra and her trainer Carol became friends and built an amazing elephant sanctuary in Tennessee. It’s for independent readers, but would also work very well as a read aloud for younger students.

Just for Elephants tells the nonfiction story of how Shirley comes to live at the elephant sanctuary and makes friends with Jenny. This book follows a picture book format and is accessible to all ages with teacher support. I had an issue with the sluggish narrative choice (part omniscient and part first person), but this minor writing stylistic choice shouldn’t overshadow the benefits of the story.

Most importantly for YOU: The publisher is offering Blog Tour Prizes !!!!
- Copy of Just for Elephants signed by Sanctuary co-founder Carol Buckley
- Copy of Travels With Tarra signed by Carol and stamped by Tarra the Elephant
- Package of Tilbury House Animal Books— The Goat Lady, Thanks to the Animals, and an advance copy of Bear-ly There
Simply leave a comment at the bottom of this post with your email address so we can get in contact with you if you win!
The publisher will draw 3 lucky winners from all of those who comment on the tour posts from Sept. 1-9, and announce the winners on Sept 10th. Sorry, but they only are able to ship to the US/Canada.

Other stops on this tour are:
Tuesday, Sept. 1: Reading Rumpus (you are here)
Wednesday, Sept. 2: Sacred Elephants
Thursday, Sept. 3: Read These Books and Use Them!
Friday, Sept. 4: Maw Books
Saturday, Sept. 5: Shelf Elf
Sunday, Sept. 6: Bees Knees
Monday, Sept. 7: Through The Looking Glass
Tuesday, Sept. 8: Bri Meets Books

But even if you don't win, think about buying these books because Tilbury House Publishing is offering some wonderful news: "...we're also doing our part to support the Sanctuary, offering a "Trunk Sale" promotion from now through December 31. For every 100 copies of the elephant books that we sell, we will sponsor an item from the Sanctuary's wish list (from 100 lb batches of peanut butter to land for the elephants to roam)...." You can buy the books by clicking on the titles above or by clicking on these links: Travels With Tarra / Just for Elephants

-------------------- Teaching Resources --------------------

Travels With Tarra: Genre: Nonfiction. Age: Young Adult, but can be read aloud with support. Pages: 40.

Themes: Science & Nature, Friendship, Care of Animals
Thank You to Tilbury House Publishing
Date: November 2006.
ISBN-10: 0884482413 / ISBN-13: 978-0884482413

Just for Elephants: Genre: Nonfiction. Age: 9-12 but can be read aloud with support. Pages: 32.
Themes: Science & Nature, Friendship, Perseverance, Care of Animals
Thank You to Tilbury House Publishing Date: July 2002.
ISBN-10: 0884482839 / ISBN-13: 978-0884482833

Teaching Support:
Classrooms can sign on to The Elephant Sanctuary website to take a webcam tour or teachers can arrange teleconferences! I perused the pdf files of the extensive curriculum support, but didn’t find any specific reading comprehension questions nor vocabulary (although there is a glossary, it’s not specific to the book).

Reading Activities for Travels With Tarra: The pages are not numbered so vocabulary and comprehension questions are chronological.

Vocabulary:
Asian, Burma, trumpeting, mascot, prehistoric, wooly mammoth, security, investigate, exotic, limp, permanent, nurse, sensitive, bonded, socializing, wallow, whisk, grind, agility, audience, curtsy, bellowed, sequels, squirmed, prop crew, chirped, accompanied, captive, content, instincts, antics, uninhabited, buffer, pampering

Comprehension Questioning:
1. Why was the baby elephant taken from its mother? ( a man bought her from an animal broker to be the mascot of his tire store)
2. How much did the baby elephant weigh? (700 pounds)
3. Why does the baby elephant run back & forth? (she thinks the children are playing a game with her)
4. Why do baby elephants scream? (to bring their family to them to protect them)
5. Why does the author think the baby elephant must have missed her mother? (because in the wild, baby elephants are never left alone)
6. How did the author first meet Tarra? (she saw a man walking a tiny a baby elephant down her street)
7. Why does the baby elephant grab Bob’s hand? (she wants to suck his thumb until she falls asleep)
8. Why does the author spend every moment with the baby elephant? (possible answers include: she is her friend, she’s interested in elephants, she likes her, she wants to take care of her)
9. Why do elephants throw wood shavings on herself? (they protect against insects and sunburn)
10. Why does the baby elephant grab the author’s nose? (that’s what elephants do when they greet each other)
11. How does the author learn how smart the baby elephant is? (by watching her play)
12. How does the elephant grow up to love dogs? (because she made friends with the author’s dog, Tasha)
13. What is the elephants name now? (Tarra) What did it used to be? (Fluffie) Which name do you prefer? (all answers acceptable)
14. Where did the author and Tarra get a job? (a them park)
15. Which animals fascinated Tarra the most? (the dolphins)
16. Why does the author decide to take Tarra on the road? (she thought traveling would be good for them)
17. How would the author know that Tarra was asleep? (the trailer would stop rocking and she could hear Tara snoring)
18. Why does the author put skates on Tarra? (because Tarra was agile and liked to play)
19. Tarra becomes quite famous. How do you think she felt about this? (all answers with examples from text- she squels, she chtters in excitement, seems to feed off the excitement…)
20. Why does the author decide Tarra needs another change? (she seems bored with skating)
21. The author takes a job at a zoo in Canada, but she has to leave there. Why? (the other elephants kept chasing and picking on Tarra)
22. What happens at the Wisconsin zoo? (Tarra makes friends with Rasha)
23. Why do Tarra and Rasha go to an animal park in Canada? (to have a baby)
24. Why doesn’t Rasha stay there? (the zoo could no longer afford two elephants)
25. What happens to Tarra and her baby? (she has a baby, it dies and she mourns with the author and Scott)
26. How does Tarra help the author and Scott? (she kept her sense of humor, covered them with hay, and was excited to see them each morning)
27. What is the author’s dream? (a place for elephants from circuses and zoos to roam free)
28. What does Tarra think of the sanctuary? ( she must like it because she dances, chirps and trumpets before going off to explore it)
29. Once the sanctuary is built, what happens next? (sequencing – Barbara comes, needy Jenny, Shirley, Bunny, Sissy & Winkie, they get along well and act like a family
30. How does the author know Tarra will be happy? (she loves the attention of the older elephants because she is the youngest and they all care for her)

Reading Activities for Just for Elephants: The pages are not numbered so vocabulary and comprehension questions are chronological.

Vocabulary:
Sanctuary, zookeeper, patience, cab, roam, familiar, recognized, trumpeted, affectionately, acres, herds, graze, pastures, eagerly, ventured, redtail hawks, screeching, persimmons, river cane, china grass, troughs

Comprehension Questioning:
1. Why did some of the zookeepers cry? (they will miss their old elephant friend)
2. Why might an elephant need a special truck? (all answers – size, weight, air holes, etc…)
3. Why did the circus decide to sell Shirley (she broke her leg and could no longer perform tricks)
4. Why did the elephants at the sanctuary reach out their trunks to Shirley? (that is how elephants greet each other)
5. Why was Shirley kept in a separate area of the barn? (elephants sometimes need time to get used to other elephants)
6. Why does Solomon, the zookeeper, have tears in his eyes? (he has been Shirley’s keeper for many years and was sad to leave her)
7. What happens when Shirley sees Jenny (sequencing – Jenny walks right up to Shirley, she reaches through the fence, she tries to climb the bars, Shirley recognizes Jenny & they trumpet and cry big tears, she tries to open the gate, the keepers open the gate, the two elephants stand together and link trunks)
8. How do Jenny and Shirley begin their first day together? (bathe in the creek)
9. What does Jenny do when Shirley takes a nap? (stands over her in a protective way)
10. What do the other elephants think of Shirley? (they begin to make her a friend)
11. How do female elephants live in the wild? (in herds with their relatives)
12. What happened at the pond? (sequencing – elephants stood at edge and splashed water on their backs, then they step into the pond ankle deep, then they go in further, then they dunk their faces, then they spray each other, they play elephant games, they have a wonderful time)
13. Why do elephants cover their skin with mud and dirt/ (to protect against insects and sunburn)
14. How do you think Shirley feels about her new home? (all acceptable)

Links for further support:

The Elephant Sanctuary: The site offers too many wonderful wonders to list. Just GO Here to See.

Releasing September 8th: Tarra & Bella: The Elephant and Dog Who Became Best Friends, further adventures of Tarra and her dog friend Bella.

National Geographic Kids will feature an article on The Elephant Sanctuary in October, with more content on their website as well as another book giveaway.

Time For Kids article here

PBS Nature article here

CBS did a feature on The Elephant Sanctuary and plans to do a follow-up this fall. You can subscribe to The Elephant Sanctuary's YouTube channel HERE.

Wouldn't adopting an elephant, or something of the like, be such a great classroom activity?
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© 2007-2009 Cheryl Vanatti (aka: Tasses). www.ReadingRumpus.com

My ten tips on how to raise a reader from Examiner.com

2009-08-29T13:58:00.005-04:00

I wrote a new article on my experienced tips on raising a reader over at my gig as the National Reading Examiner. Go check it out HERE.
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© 2007-2009 Cheryl Vanatti for www.ReadingRumpus.com

Back to school for me

2009-08-27T15:54:00.002-04:00

A little nervous,
even after all the classes I've plunked down in.
Tonight is my first class toward a PhD.

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© 2007-2009 Cheryl Vanatti (aka: Tasses). www.ReadingRumpus.com

Undiscovered Gyrl by Allison Burnett - Book Review

2009-08-16T06:07:00.003-04:00

It’s so much better when you have low expectations for a novel. I didn’t really think I’d like the premise of Undiscovered Gyrl, thought it would be forced metafiction. The worst. But Undiscovered Gyrl hooked me quickly and didn’t let me go. Like a train wreck, or better yet - an accident waiting to happen, I stared, unblinking, until the last page.

Katie is 17 and (as the book jacket says) a modern-day Lolita. One minute she’s a young woman on the cusp of adulthood, struggling with growing up, boyfriends, sex and normal teen worries. The next minute she’s a seductress, cold and unapologetic in the recounting of her quests. Through her blog, we watch. We sign on each day to read her next post. We watch her unravel, sense a terrible climax coming. A train wreck. A car crash. Then, one day, she’s gone.

Excellently executed, Undiscovered Gyrl leaves us wondering. The epitome of an unreliable narrator leads the action, with Katie wanting her readers to be denied no excitement. Author Allson Burnett does a fine job dropping hints, but until the final blow, we just keep gawking. Upon reflection, we wonder why we didn’t see this coming a mile away.

Undiscovered Gyrl is being marketed to a young adult crowd, but the strong sexual content might be too much for some. Scary? Yes. Sexually explicit? Yes. Impossible to look away. Yes.

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

Genre: Realistic Fiction. Age: Young Adult. Pages: 304.

Themes: Sexual Awakening, Making Choices, Coming of Age, Moral Dilemmas, Metafiction
Thank you to Shelf Awareness & Vintage for my advanced copy.
Advisory: Strong sexual content, but also a non-sanctimonious cautionary tale.
Publisher: Vintage. Date: August 2009.
ISBN-13: 9780307473127.

Buy Undiscovered Gyrl HERE

Book's Website HERE

Katie's Blogspot Blog HERE

Here’s a great LA Times review where I learned the author was a male!

Trailer:

Author Interview:

Allison Burnett is a man who wrote a book using the voice of a teenage female. This reader would never have guessed - a great compliment for an author. He has been a high school tutor and a screenplay writer. He has recently returned to his fiction writing roots. You can read more about him on his website.

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© 2007-2009 Cheryl Vanatti (aka: Tasses). www.ReadingRumpus.com

Evermore: The Immortals by Alyson Noel - Book Review

2009-08-15T05:45:00.004-04:00

Evermore: The Immortals, begins with seventeen-year-old Ever having just lost her entire family in a horrible car accident. Now she can see people’s auras and psychically know their life story at the slightest of touch. She used to be a popular, blonde, cheerleader type, now she’s the withdrawn sulky hooded figure trying to make her way in a new school. Then, of course, she meets the boy. Damen Auguste, immortal.

While Evermore: The Immortals suffers the romance craze tiredness of current teen reads, it does offer diverse supporting characters in a realistic high school setting, sprinkled nicely with some endearing ghosts. Author Alyson Noel does a nice job of effortlessly moving the fantasy in and out of Ever’s teenage life. However, the plot is a bit slow on the action front, with some editing needed; and while Damen is a frustrating character, this may be Noel’s point as Evermore: The Immortals is the first in a series. And it looks like we'll be seeing even more of Ever and Damen as the book has been sold for a future television series (via author website).

All in all, a decent mix of standard teen angst mixed with a unique premise of reincarnation and everlasting, but unrequited, love. Recommended for teen paranormal romance readers, readers looking for something different in the fantasy-fused modern setting and Twilight fans who want a break from all the vampire craziness plaguing our shelves.

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

Genre: Fantasy. Age: Young Adult. Pages: 320.

Themes: Romance, Difficult Decisions, Love and Family
Thank you to Library Thing.
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin Date: February 2009.
ISBN-10: 031253275X / ISBN-13: 978-0312532758

Buy Evermore: The Immortals HERE

Book Trailer:

Author Alyson Noel had eclectic taste in authors when she was younger. She cites Judy Blume and JD Salinger as her writing influences. She's a mean Rock Band player and believes in silver linings. You can read more about her on her website.
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© 2007-2009 Cheryl Vanatti (aka: Tasses). www.ReadingRumpus.com

Books to help elementary children get back into the school spirit

2009-08-14T01:58:00.009-04:00

Picture books and easy reader going-back-to school titles for beginning readers:

Pinky Dinky Doo: Back to School Is Cool by Jim Jinkins

Mrs. Watson Wants Your Teeth by Alison McGhee, Harry Bliss, and Paul Colin

Meet the Barkers: Morgan and Moffat Go to School by Tomie dePaola

A Very Full Morning by Eva Montanari

Dancing Dinos Go to School by Sally Lucas and Margeaux Lucas

My Name Is Yoon by Helen Recorvits and Gabi Swiatkowska

It's My School by Sally Grindley

Tomorrow is the First Day of School by Maureen Macdowell and Max Hergenrother

Miss Mingo and the First Day of School By Jamie Harper

Arthur's Back to School Day by Lillian Hoban

The New Kid at School by Kate McMullan and Bill Basso

Back to School for Rotten Ralph by Jack Gantos and Nicole Rubel

Little Witch Goes to School by Deborah Hautzig

Moses Goes to School by Isaac Millman

Max & Mo's First Day at School by Patricia Lakin and Brian Floca

Arthur's Back to School Surprise by Marc Brown

Amanda Pig, School Girl (Easy-to-Read, Puffin) by Jean Van Leeuwen and Ann Schweninger

Morris Goes to School by B. Wiseman

Brand New School, Brave New Ruby by Derrick Barnes

Pippi Goes to School by Astrid Lindgren and Michael Chesworth

Cam Jansen & First Day of School Mystery by David Adler and Susanna Natti

School Days Around the World by Catherine E. Chambers

Miss Malarkey Doesn't Live in Room 10 by Judy Finchler and Kevin O'Malley

I've Got the Back-To-School Blues by Gail Herman and Stacy Peterson

The Class from the Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler and Jared Lee

Junie B., First Grader (at Last!) by Barbara Park and Denise Brunkus

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Back to school for independent readers (list gets progressively older themed):

Judy Moody was in a mood. Not a good mood. A bad mood. by Megan McDonald

*** Butterflies in My Stomach and Other School Hazards by Serge Bloch

Gooney Bird Greene by Lois Lowry

Back to School, Mallory by Laurie B. Friedman

Stuart Goes To School by Sara Pennypacker

First Year Letters by Julie Danneberg

*** Wayside School Series by Louis Sachar

Littel House: School Days by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Back to School with Betsy by Carolyn Haywood

Muggie Maggie by Beverly Cleary

My Weird School Daze #3: Mr. Granite Is from Another Planet! by Dan Gutman

Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little by Peggy Gifford

Main Street: September Surprises by Ann M. Martin

Raymond and Graham Rule the School by Mike Knudson

The Best School Year Ever by Barbara Robinson by Barbara Robinson

Fourth Grade Rats by Jerry Spinelli

Jack Adrift: Fourth Grade Without a Clue by Jack Gantos

Top Ten Ways To Ruin The First Day Of School by Kenneth Derby

The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by by Jeff Kinney

Tripping Over the Lunch Lady by Angela Johnson, David Lubar, James Proimos, and David Talbot Rice

Schooled by Gordon Korman

The Trouble with Rules by Leslie Bulion

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things by Lenore Look

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Over! Can't think anymore! Please expand this list by adding any back-to-school stories in the comments!

For PreK - 2nd grade first-experiences-with-school books: An exhaustive list about getting ready for school.
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© 2007-2009 Cheryl Vanatti (aka: Tasses). www.ReadingRumpus.com

An exhaustive list of books about getting ready for that very first day of school

2009-08-14T01:46:00.016-04:00

Scared? Anxious? Excited? All normal feelings for a child entering a classroom for the very first time. Parents can help their child overcome these feelings by talking and sharing a good book or two (or ten).

Here's a list of picture books that might help young children (preschool to 2nd grade) get into the school mood (all titles link to descriptions):

Blue Goes to School by Angela C. Santomero and David B. Levy

Starting School by Allan Ahlberg and Janet Ahlberg

Welcome to Kindergarten by Anne Rockwell

The Twelve Days of Kindergarten: A Counting Book by Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis

My First Day at Nursery School by Becky Edwards and Anthony Flintoft

Maisy Goes to Preschool by Lucy Cousins

***D.W.'s Guide to Preschool by Marc Brown

Monsters Get Scared of School, Too by RH Disney, Melissa Lagonegro, and Atelier Philippe Harchy

Oh My Baby, Little One by Kathi Appelt and Jane Dyer

Vera's First Day of School by Vera Rosenberry

Mommy in My Pocket by Carol Hunt Senderak and Hiroe Nakata

***Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten by Joseph Slate

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn

I Love School! by Philemon Sturges and Shari Halpern

***Don't Go! by Jane Breskin Zalben

Sesame Street Ready for School by Jodie Shepherd and Christopher Moroney

Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for School? by Barney Saltzberg

Kindergarten Countdown by Anna Jane Hays

Countdown to Kindergarten by Alison McGhee and Harry Bliss

My Kindergarten by Rosemary Wells

***The Berenstain Bears Go to School by Jan Berenstain and Stan Berenstain

Sesame Street: S Is for School by P. J. Shaw and Joe Mathieu

Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney

It's Your First Day of School, Annie Claire by Nancy White Carlstrom and Margie Moore

***Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes

First Day by Dandi Daley Mackall and Tiphanie Beeke

Spot Goes to School by Eric Hill

Kindergarten Rocks! by Katie Davis

Franklin Goes to School by Paulette Bourgeois and Brenda Clark

I Love You All Day Long by Francesca Rusackas and Priscilla Burris

When You Go to Kindergarten by James Howe and Betsy Imershein

The Night Before Kindergarten by Natasha Wing and Julie Durrell

My First Day of School by P. K. Hallinan

***David Goes To School by David Shannon

Clifford's First School Day by Norman Bridwell

Mouse's First Day of School by Lauren Thompson

Dora Goes to School by Leslie Valdes and Robert Roper

Annabelle Swift, Kindergartner >by Amy Schwartz

***Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes

First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg

My Teacher Sleeps in School by Leatie Weiss

Will I Have a Friend? by Miriam Cohen and Ronald Himler

How Do Dinosaurs Go To School? by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague

Curious George's First Day of School by H. A. Rey

Marley Goes to School by John Grogan

***Little Critter: First Day of School by Mercer Mayer

Little School by Beth Norling

Little Rabbit Goes to School by Harry Horse

Froggy Goes to School by Jonathan London and Frank Remkiewicz

First Day, Hooray! by Nancy Poydar

***I Am Too Absolutely Small for School by Lauren Child

I Don't Want to Go Back to School by Marisabina Russo

I Don't Want to Go To School! by Stephanie Blake

***Mr. Ouchy's First Day by B. G. Hennessy and Paul Meisel

***Splat the Cat by Rob Scotton

Yellowbelly and Plum Go to School by Nathan Hale

19 Girls and Me by Darcy Pattison and Steven Salerno

Amelia Bedelia's First Day of School by Herman Parish and Lynne Avril

Jake Starts School by Michael Wright

Enrico Starts School by Charlotte Middleton

Lunch Bunnies by Kathryn Lasky and Marylin Hafner

***The Hair of Zoe Fleefenbacher Goes to School by Laurie Halse Anderson and Ard Hoyt

First Grade Stinks! by Mary Ann Rodman and Beth Spiegel

Ham and Pickles: First Day of School by Nicole Rubel

Brand-new Pencils, Brand-new Books by Diane Degroat

Keisha Ann Can! by Daniel Kirk

What a Day It Was at School! by Jack Prelutsky and Doug Cushman

First Grade, Here I Come! by Nancy Carlson

Off to First Grade by Louise Borden and Joan Rankin

***Little Miss Spider At Sunnypatch School by David Kirk

Off to School, Baby Duck! by Amy Hest and Jill Barton

The Night Before First Grade by Natasha Wing and Deborah Zemke

Chicken Chickens Go to School by Valeri Gorbachev

Yoko & Friends School Days: Mama, Don't Go! by Rosemary Wells and Jody Wheeler

It's Back To School We Go! by Ellen Jackson and Jan Davey Ellis

Seymour Slug Starts School by Carey Armstrong-Ellis

Tucker's Four-Carrot School Day by Susan Winget

Don't Eat the Teacher by Nick Ward

Little Bunny's Preschool Countdown by Maribeth Boelts and Kathy Parkinson

Sam and Gram and the First Day of School by George Ulrich

It's Time for School, Stinky Face by Lisa Mccourt and Cyd Moore

Timothy Goes to School by Rosemary Wells

Edward Unready for School by Rosemary Wells

Three-Star Billy by Pat Hutchins

Tiptoe Into Kindergarten by Jacqueline Rogers

Sumi's First Day of School Ever by Joung Un Kim and Soyung Pak

Penelope at School by Anne Gutman and Georg Hallensleben

Go Home, Mrs. Beekman! by Ann Stampler

Molly Rides the School Bus by Julie Brillhart

Corduroy Goes to School by Don Freeman

Go to School, Charlie Brown! by Charles M. Schulz and Judy Katschke

On the Way to Kindergarten by Virginia Kroll and Elizabeth Schlossberg

School by Emily Arnold Mccully

When An Elephant Comes To School by Jan Ormerod

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Okay! I'm spent! Please add to this list with any first-experience-at-school stories in the comments!

Note:*** comes with a recommendation from me

For 3rd - 6th grade titles visit: Help elementary students get back in the school spirit with these books.

For more on calming the back to school jitters: NBC/Today Show article - Tips to calm your child's first day jitters.

Lists also published as National Reading Examiner.

Photo credit AP: Toby Tolbert
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© 2007-2009 Cheryl Vanatti (aka: Tasses). www.ReadingRumpus.com

13 reasons to use Thirteen Reasons Why in your classroom

2009-08-07T10:30:00.011-04:00

Thirteen Reasons Why Website Synopsis: “Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker--his classmate and crush--who committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.”

And here are 13 reasons to use Thirteen Reasons Why in your high school classroom:

1. It’s one of those rare books that appeal to both males and females (It uses alternating voices of Hannah, the dead girl, and Clay, the boy who might have prevented her suicide).

2. It’s an excellent example of well-structured literature (Voices are unique, plot moves at a perfect pace, rising action, climax and resolution are wonderfully executed).

3. It offers oodles of opportunities for high-order discussion (See 13 discussion starters below).

4. It features timely topics for teens. (bullying, date rape, suicide)

5. It has a unique multiple-person narrative mode (tape voice Hannah = epistolary narrative mode / Clay’s interior monologue = stream of consciousness mode).

6.It offers opportunities to teach several literary devices (foreshadowing, point-of-view, interior monologue, tragic flaw, foil, sarcasm).

7. There are 13 unique antagonists to dissect (there are actually 12 - really more like 15 if you count 3 extraneous characters - see story extenders below).

8. It’s entertaining (Though it covers a very dark topic, it’s tempered with enough humor and suspense to keep it from falling into a depressing read).

9. It’s won several literary awards (Best Books for Young Adults - Quick Picks for Reluctant YA Readers - Selected Audiobooks for Young Adults ( all YALSA), Borders Original Voices finalist, Barnes & Noble - Top 10 Best for Teens, Chicago Public Library Best Books, Association of Booksellers for Children - Best Books, Heartland Award, California Book Award Silver Medal, Florida Teens Read Award, Kentucky Bluegrass Award, IRA Young Adults' Choice and for 16 state award lists).

10. I’ve provided you with enough links and discussion ideas to last a month (look below this post).

11. Author Jay Asher will send your class a cassette tape answering their questions about the book (see the resources links below).

12. Teachers might stop to consider if they are choosing their words wisely enough (like poor Mr. Porter didn’t).

13. Students might stop to consider how their seemingly inconsequential actions affect another (“everything affects everything”).

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

Genre: Realistic Fiction. Age: Young Adult. Pages: 320.

Themes: Teen Depression & Suicide, Friendship, Bullying, Date Rape, Loss

Advisory: Because of the topic and the honesty in the telling, educators might want to notify parents
Publisher: Razorbill. Date: October 2007.
ISBN-10: 1595141715 / ISBN-13: 978-1595141712

------------ 13 Discussion Starters ------------

1. Is there one specific event that would have changed Hannah’s mind?

2. Do even our smallest actions have a “butterfly effect?” (look that up if need be: here’s a refresher)

3. Did you like the alternating narrator device? How did it hurt or enhance the story?

4. Why is Mr. Porter “lucky #13”? Was his advice so bad as to warrant his position Hannah says, “can, take the tapes straight to Hell“ (p. 9) or is it something else? Why did Hannah record their conversation? Did she give him sufficient time to answer? Why do you think she kept interrupting him?

5. Rumors. Gossip. They sell. Discuss the TMZ, Perez Hilton, Enquirer, and People magazine mindset. Why do we gossip? How does it feel to be talked about? How would it feel if the rumor being spread was untrue?

6. Was Hannah powerless? Why or Why not? How could she have been more in control of her own life when everyone around her seemed to be pushing her down?

7. Was Hannah overly sensitive? Could this have been a result of depression?

8. Why is Clay on the tape? Do you think he deserves to be there? Do you think he thinks he deserves to be there?

9. There are several symbolic elements: The man at Rosie’s letting Clay leave without paying, the stop sign, the Lost-N-Found Gazette, Hannah’s poem,. What roles do they play in the story?

10. Hannah’s parents were absent from the story. How do you think they feel? Are they responsible? At what age are we responsible for our own actions?

11. Did you like the ending? How is Skye a symbolic element? What will become of Clay & Skye?

12. Will Clay be permanently changed? How? Why?

13. Should Hannah have made the tapes? Why do you think she did?

------------ 13 Story Extending Activities ------------

1. Have students make their own videos similar to the trailer video link above, discussing suicide warning signs, the dangers of bullying or gossip, etc…. Brainstorm personal ideas.

2. Have the students write questions for author Jay Asher. His website says that he will make a unique author-less event - "Here's how:
- Collect questions for author Jay Asher from the members of your store's reading group. Jay suggests members submit questions anonymously in a paper bag, like Hannah and her classmates do in Thirteen Reasons Why.
- Email us at least one month before the date of your meeting with your questions for Jay Asher.
- Jay will personally answer the questions on a cassette tape, which we will send to you in time for your event.
- Play the cassette tape at your meeting and let the discussion flow. Don't have a cassette tape player? We're confident that if Clay could find a tape player in Thirteen Reasons Why, so can you!
- To make your event more special, invite a school counselor, crisis hotline worker or teen psychologist to the meeting to help answer some of the tough questions that might come up. "

3. Make a list of 13 reasons Hannah had to live.

4. Make a list of 13 things Clay could have done to save her.

5. List the character traits for Hannah’s antagonists (reasons from WikiAnswers Here)

6. Make a Venn diagram of Hannah and Clay’s characters. Include physical appearance, life facts and character traits. Examine how they’re alike / different

7. Show students various optical illusions or odd, random pictures. Have them anonymously write what they saw on a piece of paper and drop it into a hat. Read the answers aloud. Discuss differing perceptions.

8. Make personal paper lunch bags for anonymous encouragement notes like the ones Hannah made in peer communications class (Teachers: make sure everyone gets at least a couple notes per week by keeping a checklist before class begins – if none are there, write one. This is a tricky activity, I know, and would depend on the type of class)

9. Bring in several gossip magazines (People, TMZ printouts, Enquirer type). Have the students site examples of gossip based upon conjecture vs. fact. Discuss why these magazines lack journalistic integrity.

10. Play a good old-fashioned game of telephone. Begin by saying something innocuous into one student’s ear. (EX: "The class will be reading the play The Crucible tomorrow. I know we’ll all enjoy it so much that we’ll end it by eating ice cream outside on Thursday") In other words, it has to be long enough to get jumbled. The last person says the rumor aloud and the teacher tells what was actually said.

11. Read the children’s picture book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Have students write their own “everything affects everything” story. It can be for children or an adult version.

12. Brainstorm a list of the unique contextual aspects of the book (Hannah’s voice is italicized, there are play – pause- stop symbols delineating sections, chapters are labeled with tape number and side) and discuss how these help or hinder a reader.

13. Research the suicide links (above). In small groups, have students make posters listing the warning signs. Ask the principal for permission to hang them in the halls during National Suicide Prevention Week.

------------ 13 Supporting Resource Links ------------

1. Author Blog

2. Author MySpace Page

3. The Thirteen Reasons Why Website: HERE

4. Penguin Publishing's Teacher Guide

5. New York Times Review March 2009

6. New York Times Teaching Guide

7. Author Interview at Cynsations

8. Author Interview with the Hartford Books Examiner

9. The First Book interviews first time authors: Mr. Asher's Interview

10. MP3 audio from Jay Asher on how he developed the story

11. Jay Asher on Youtube with readergirlz

12. Well-done reader/fan made book trailer:

13. Suicide prevention links: Hopeline, American Association of Suicidology, American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, American Academy of Pediatrics, and target="_blank"Center for Disease Control 1-800-suicide

--------- 13 facts about author Jay Asher ---------

1. Thirteen Reasons Why is his first novel.
2. Mr. Asher had 11 manuscripts rejected before he sold Thirteen Reasons Why.
3. His favorite line from the book is “everything affects everything.”
4. He lives in California.
5. He plays guitar.
6. He likes to camp.
7. He is married.
8. He has worked in libraries and bookstores and believes this helped make him a better writer.
9. His first writing award earned him free fruit smoothies every day for a year.
10. In college, he took a children’s literature course and “found his calling.”
11. He began writing Thirteen Reasons Why the winter of 2002/2003 and sent it to agents in 2006.
12. He is working on his second novel.
13. He came up with the unique idea of a voice on a cassette tape after taking an audiotour through a King Tut presentation that used recorded narration. He added the teen suicide subject matter because a close family member had attempted (and thankfully lived through) suicide.

------------ 13 Other Books About Teen Struggles ------------

1.Looking For Alaska
2. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
3. Drowning Anna
4. Cut
5. Impulse
6.After the Moment
7.After the Death of Anna Gonzales
8.Story of a Girl
9.Damage
10. Wintergirls
11. Speak
12.Twisted (ok, ok... so I have a thing for Laurie Halse Anderson)
13. Don't forget these classics of teen angst: The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, Go Ask Alice, The Bell Jar, Anna Karenina, Romeo & Juliet, and (of course) The Catcher in the Rye

13 personal qualms:
1. Tony was a Deus ex Machina
2. Sometimes I wanted to tell Hannah to quit being so overly sensitive
3. I felt sorry for Mr. Porter
Ok…. I don’t really have 13 because this is a really tight, well-written book!
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© 2009 Cheryl Vanatti (aka: Tasses). www.ReadingRumpus.com

Aint Nothing But A Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry by Scott Reynolds Nelson - Book Review & Teaching Activities

2009-08-05T12:24:00.020-04:00

Ask a kid what he wants to be when he grows up. What will you hear? Race car driver? Ballerina? Doctor? Astronaut? Historian… Huh?

In Ain't Nothing but a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry, Scott Reynolds Nelson has done for historians what Indiana Jones did for archeologists. While the book appears to explain whether a real John Henry, the steel driving man of folk legend, actually existed, it slyly tells a first person story of Scott Reynolds Nelson, historian.

Reynolds’ personal quest starts as a small kernel of wonder while researching the men who built the railroads. He looks up from his computer screen and a clue pops out at him. From there, Reynolds is off to find out if there was a real John Henry.

Ain't Nothing but a Man describes the journey, dead ends and all, Reynolds had to mount in order to get proof, one way or another. That journey, in another’s hands, might have been made of stereotypical stuffy old textbooks and kids nodding off to sleep. But Reynolds wrote it in first person, sort of like a detective novel. That choice, along with a step-by-step narrative and a storyteller’s sensibility, makes me speculate that a few kids might answer my opening question with “historian” after reading this book.

Oh! And was there a real John Henry? I’ll not tell you the conclusion, it’s just too much fun to spoil, I’ll just recommend you go pick up Ain't Nothing but a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry for both your classroom or library. You won’t be able to put it down.

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Genre: Nonfiction. Grades: 4th through secondary. Pages: 64.

Themes: History, Research Methods, Racial Tensions
Awards: Jane Addams Children’s Book Award, Publishers Weekly Best Children's Book of the Year, Booklist Books for Youth Editors' Choice, ALA Best Books for Young Adults, ALA Notable Children's Book
Thank You: Karen @ Media Masters
Publisher: National Geographic Children's. Date: December 2007.
ISBN: ISBN-10: 142630000X / ISBN-13: 978-1426300004

Buy Ain't Nothing but a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry Here

Note: Ain't Nothing but a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry also features old photographs, song lyrics, and various historical artifacts as well as appendices, a blurb on the birth of Rock & Roll as related to railroad men, a map, a note about research sources, an index of topics, suggestions for further reading and links where readers can find versions of the songs. It also includes the essay "How to be a Historian" by writer Marc Aronson. He also writes Nonfiction Matters for School Library Journal.

Lesson Plan & Activities

Pre-reading activity: Read or listen to the original song before reading the book to provide background knowledge on the subject. The New York Times has a review with a picture slideshow from the book which would also work well as a story starter activity. You can also listen to a recording of the song from the Smithsonian (left side) there.

Vocabulary (with page found): research 7, locomotive 7, trawling 9, scavenger 11, ammunition 13, impulse 13, jostles 15, archive 16, evidence 19, steam drill 23, nitroglycerine 24, wagered 26, anvil 31, penitentiary 35, contractor 37, archeologist 37, gully 38, theory 38, archivist 39, scholars 39, census 39, convicted 41, embankments 43, siege 43, midst 44, improvised 44, gnashing 44, barbaric 47, trove 52.

Discussion Questions:
Chapter 1:
Predict what Mr. Reynolds might have seen with “the clue that changed everything.” (try to get students to back-up predictions with textual clues from Mr. Reynolds’s writing in Chapter 1. Example: “Mr Reynolds said that he was researching men who worked on the railroad so maybe he saw a picture that reminded him of how John Henry might look”)

Chapter 2:
What is “making the grade?” (Answer: p. 9 photo caption)

Why does Mr. Reynolds become a historian? (Answer: whole chapter gives examples of his love of finding the undiscovered clues to how people lived)

Chapter 3:
Who were trackliners? (Answer: p.15 men who go out day after day to realign and maintain the tracks)

How would singing a song help the trackliners? (Answer: p. 17 -18 They would be able to sing the song in a way to create a rhythm between the men realigning the track)

Is Mr. Reynolds really trying to find John Henry to prove his existence? (Answer: p. 19 No, he is trying to find out information about the 40,000 missing men)

Chapter 4:
Discuss the steam engine illustration technology vs. technology today. How must people have felt when a mechanical device could do their job? Do you think people today feel the same way about computers and robotics? (own ideas)

Chapter 5:
Mr. Reynolds begins his quest at Big Bend Tunnel. Why? (Answer: p.29 many versions of the songs mention the name Big bend and there is even a statue there of John Henry)

Why does Mr. Reynolds believe that Big Bend is the wrong place to look for John Henry? (Answer: p. 29-31 The rock is too soft there, there was evidence of men working – not machines, the tunnel was not large enough for a steam engine)

Chapter 6:
What do you think? Could Mr. Reynolds be on the right track? (Answers that might disprove research = size wrong, name common, no death listed, criminal…)

Chapter 7:
Remind students of the Civil War and the freeing of slaves. Let students discuss how uneasy the country must have been with distrust, prejudice and fear motivating the legal system.

Chapter 8:
Mr. Reynolds gets his proof about Big Bend. How does he get it? (Answer: p. 51-52 A library in Ohio has railroad records that state that only men where used on the Big Bend Tunnel)

Where does the report lead Mr. Reynolds? Why? (Answer: p.52 to the Lewis Tunnel where the old reports state that men were tested against machine and from old newspaper reports)

How does Mr. Reynolds piece this all together? (Answer: conclusion - No machine at Big Bend + Machine & contest at Lewis tunnel + John Henry at Lewis Tunnel)

Chapter 9:
How does Mr. Reynolds believe the legend/song got passed to Big Bend? (Answer: p.56 there was a cook and a waterboy who transferred from Lewis to Big Bend)

Did Mr. Reynolds find his original answer? Do you believe him?
(Answer: p.57 He believes that the song was a warning about the hardships of working for the railroad, not a literal John Henry died-right-then tale.)

Extend the book further with:
Art: Research the painter Palmer C. Hayden p.8.

Wikipedia lists two other possible theories, both by historians, as to the origins of John Henry. Do a compare and contrast Venn diagram of the theories.

Research folksongs: Mr Reynolds tells us that one way historians trace history is to listen to the songs of a specific time period for clues (p.16). He mentions three songs: The Big Rock Candy Mountain, Ring around the Rosy & Bingo. Research the origins, dates and relevant information of these songs.

A study of folklore: Compare to books/stories on folk legends like Paul Bunyan, Johnny Appleseed, Pecos Bill, Mike Fink, etc… Here are a couple good websites to help: American Folklore and The American Folklife Center.

This is the US postage stamp honoring John Henry. Have students make stamps honoring other book or folklore characters that have inspired them to learn more.

Some book recommendations?

From Sea to Shining Sea: A Treasury of American Folklore and Folk Songs

American Tall Tales

Or what about the Steven Kellogg series?
Johnny Appleseed, Paul Bunyan, Mike Fink,

Pecos Bill

And don't forget these two titles to accompany the fun:
John Henry by Julius Lester with illustrations by Jerry Pinkney

John Henry: An American Legend by Ezra Jack Keats

Scott Reynolds Nelson is a professor of history at the College of William and Mary. He was recently awarded a Newberry Library fellowship to research the history of financial crashes. Ain't Nothing but a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry grew out of his adult research book on the same topic, Steel Drivin' Man: John Henry, the Untold Story of an American Legend. You can read a bit more about him on his website or read an interview transcript on Sound Authors.
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© 2007-2009 Cheryl Vanatti (aka: Tasses). www.ReadingRumpus.com

Sendak gives his two cents on Spike Jonze's vision of Where The Wild Things Are

2009-07-31T17:59:00.007-04:00

Also worth checking out:

We Love You So: Spike Jonze's artistic blog, mostly about making Where The Wild Things Are.

Terrible Yellow Eyes: Artwork inspired by the book.

And my own thoughts a few weeks back... HERE

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© 2007-2009 Cheryl Vanatti (aka: Tasses). www.ReadingRumpus.com

Summer literacy activity: A photographer remembers

2009-07-27T10:32:00.005-04:00

In the previous summer literacy article, we examined the importance of field trips for building vital background knowledge. An extension on the summer field trip is to buy the child a cheap disposable camera (or even a cheap digital in today’s tech-savvy world) and let them take lots of pictures during their summer excursions.

The key to turning the simple act of taking a picture into a literacy activity lies in developing the photos and planning for more than a shoebox full of half-remembered shots.

What to do with all those shots?

1. As you enjoy your summer trips, encourage children to take lots of photographs. Make sure to point our science and nature themes like birds, flowers, rocks, etc…

2. Paste these photos into a summer journal (previously discussed in the first part of this series here).

3. Add souvenirs from the trip, like small rocks, shells, flowers, etc.. to the summer journal pages. Hint: tape seems to work better than glue.

4. Have the child write a fond remembrance of the day or something they observed (scientific discovery) next to the photograph. They can even cut out the photograph's focal point and illustrate their own version of its surroundings.

5. Remind them to use the senses in their writings. Examples: “When we went to the beach the sand felt all hot and scratchy under my feet.” Or “The boardwalk had lots of food stands. The hot dogs smelled so yummy.” Or “We heard this bird chirping and I just had to snap his picture. He sounded like a tea kettle getting ready to boil”

6. As always, a book makes an excellent addition to this activity. Visit the local library or bookstore to find books that match the photographs your child has taken. Or even check out a book on photography.

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© 2007-2009 Cheryl Vanatti (aka: Tasses)
www.ReadingRumpus.com
Also posted as National Reading Examiner.

Mother Osprey: Nursery Rhymes for Buoys & Gulls by Lucy Nolan with illustrations by Connie McLennan - Book Review

2009-07-22T20:07:00.029-04:00

I had a chance to read Sylvan-Dell Publishing‘s Little Skink's Tail from author Janet Halfmann back in February and thought it was great. So when Sylvan-Dell offered another title in their series, I was happy to look.

Mother Osprey: Nursery Rhymes for Buoys & Gulls takes traditional Mother Goose rhymes and slants them toward the nautical. Living in Florida I found the Key West & Biscayne Bay rhymes especially enticing, but there’s also Hatteras Light, Nantucket, Lake Huron, The Mississippi, Puget Sound and even the rolling grass of the Oregon Trail. There’s a great map and several comprehension questions added at the end.

Pop over to the Sylvan Dell Publishing site and you'll find an amazing array of titles. Sylvan Dell specializes in picture books with a science/nature theme that are generally fictional; yet hold a wealth of information and opportunities for discussion. The fictional story format makes for a highly engaging science read. The end of each story holds supplemental fact and activity sections, and there are a ton free activities and learning resources online. Better still, the books have all been aligned to Science and Math Standards and vetted by experts in each field, including some from NASA, NOAA, SeaWorld and the Houston Zoo.

If my two Sylvan Dell books were any indication, parents and teachers would be well served to pop over to the site and investigate.

Recommended for Pre-K – 3rd grade classrooms and libraries. With the strong online support, I think parents and homeschoolers would also love these.

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Genre: Picture Book. Age: PreK-3rd grade. Pages:32.

Themes: Nursery Rhyme Comparison, Humor
Publisher:Sylvan Dell. Date: June 2009
ISBN-10: 1607180413 / ISBN-13: 978-1607180418

Buy Mother Osprey: Nursery Rhymes for Buoys & Gulls Here
Sylvan Dell Main Page
Mother Osprey Site with info on the author and illustrator.

eBook For Creative Minds / (en Español)
Teaching Activities
Quizzes: Reading / FCM / Math
Related Websites
Alignment to Standards
Book Flyer
Author Interview

Here are a few additional titles that looked especially engaging to this educator:

Water Beds: Sleeping In The Ocean from Sylvan Dell: "The story invites children to drift into a peaceful sleep on the gentle waves of imagination."

Saturn for My Birthday from Sylvan Dell: "Jeffrey wants Saturn for his birthday, and he wants the moons too—all 47 of them. "

Octavia And Her Purple Ink Cloud from Sylvan Dell: "Octavia Octopus and her sea-animal friends love playing camouflage games to practice how they would hide from a “big, hungry creature.” Octavia, however, just cannot seem to get her colors right when she tries to shoot her purple ink cloud."

Moose and Magpie from Sylvan Dell: "It isn’t easy being a moose. You’re a full-grown adult at the age of one, and it itches like crazy when your antlers come in! In Bettina Restrepo’s Moose and Magpie, young Moose is lucky to find a friend and guide in the wisecracking Magpie."

Kersplatypus
from Sylvan Dell: "When a strange little creature appears out of nowhere after the big rains, Australian animals wonder what in the world he could possibly be!"

One Wolf Howls from Sylvan Dell: "Spend a year in the world of wolves in One Wolf Howls. This adventurous children’s book uses the months of the year and the numbers 1 through 12 to introduce children to the behavior of wolves in natural settings."
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© 2007-2009 Cheryl Vanatti (aka: Tasses). www.ReadingRumpus.com

Tooting my horn

2009-07-22T16:19:00.008-04:00

I'm going to toot away here:
I am now the National Reading Examiner for Examiner.com. I'm also revamping some things around here, so please check back often.
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© 2007-2009 Cheryl Vanatti (aka: Tasses). www.ReadingRumpus.com