Great Joy
Kate DiCamillo,
Illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline

We had the true pleasure of meeting author Kate DiCamillo in Arkansas at the SW Regional IRA conference in November.  This darling and tiny dynamo (who has more talent in her little finger…well, you know…) has recently published her first picture book, Great Joy. She has once again teamed up with the gifted illustrator, Bagram Ibatoulline. You probably remember them as the duo who created, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. Together they have created another beautiful story, which masterfully weaves together the themes of joy, kindness and compassion. We love this new book and are sure it will become a holiday tradition for many.  

Gail, Kate and Joan at the SW Regional IRA conference.

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John Philip Duck
Patricia Polacco

While in beautiful Little Rock Arkansas, at the SW IRA conference, we had the joy of staying at the famous Peabody Hotel.  What fun it was to speak to hundreds of teachers, as well as to play the ultimate tourists! During our stay, we had the opportunity to witness the famous ducks waddle their way off the elevator, down the red carpet, and in to the pond in the middle of the lobby.  What a delight it was to see Patricia Polacco's book, John Phillip Duck, come to life before our eyes! You must check out this book…What a delight!

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Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little
Peggy Gifford

This little procrastinator captured our hearts as she carried Stuart Little, (her assigned summer reading book) everywhere she went, all summer, yet never managed to actually read any of it.  Now, with school only one day away, and her mother threatening to keep her out of the much anticipated water ballet at their local pool, Moxy finally gets down to more serious attempts at reading.  The black and white photos that her brother takes serve to chronicle all the things that get in the way of accomplishing this goal.  Students will relate and teachers will rejoice when she finally gets down to it, finishes under the covers with a flashlight, and gets so immersed in the tale that she feels as if she is right next to Stuart throughout the adventure.

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A Good Day
Kevin Henkes

You can never really go wrong with a Kevin Henkes book! The illustrations in this book remind us of the style Kevin Henkes used in Kitten’s First Full Moon.  We loved sharing this book to our kids as a way to show that a bad day can turn into a good one!  The illustrations are wonderful and it is a great addition to our classroom library. Another great read to add to an author study on Kevin Henkes, as well!

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We had the pleasure of meeting Michael Donnelly, author of Awakening Curry Buckle, at a book signing at Barnes and Nobel.  If you are looking for a book to read aloud to older students (think Jr. High or High School) or a gift for your older reader  this is a great read!  He also has a web site that has free downloads to go with his book.  You can check it out at  www.donnellybooks.com

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A wonderful book for modeling value

Each time a child is born, the world changes." Using everyday examples, Hennessy demonstrates how young children help, and are helped by, the people in their lives; grow and learn; and teach others. They share toys, feelings, and ideas. These actions create friendships, and friendships around the world create peace. "It might begin…because of you." The tone is tender and warm, and is reinforced by the soft watercolor-and-ink illustrations. Short sentences make the book appropriate for young listeners and beginning readers, who will find the pictures appealing. A good choice for quiet moments, or to introduce the themes of kindness, friendship, and peace.

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Catwings

The city is a dangerous place for wild kittens, especially ones with wings.  Mrs. Jane Tabby wants her children to have a better life, and realizing their wings make that possible, sends them off into the world.  They meet with dangers and finally children whose hands are kind.  Students will find themselves asking questions, making predictions and creating images.

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Cookies Bite-Size Life Lessons
Amy Krouse Rosenthal

As we begin these first weeks of school, we spend as much time working with children on behaviors as we do curricular instruction!  This is a wonderful book to help illustrate for children a series of etiquette vocabulary we all strive to have in our classrooms:  proud, modest, trustworthy, patient…….

We use it as an anchor to talk to kids about their own behaviors as well as the behaviors of others.

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Danny Books
Mia Coulton

It can be very challenging to find books for very young children. Some of our very favorite are the Danny Books by Mia Coulton. 

As a primary teacher, I have taught more kids than I can count to read using these books!  The main character is Danny, a big, beautiful yellow Labrador.  Kids (and adults as well)  LOVE these books!  The photos are beautiful and support the Reading Recovery leveled text perfectly. The books use high frequency words and natural oral language. The author, Mia Coulton, is a Reading Recovery teacher who uses her wonderful knowledge of text and children to create progressive Reading Recovery leveled books kids love! 

There is even a Danny stuffed Dog. We have a Danny dog in our classroom that fits into a backpack along with Danny stories and his very own journal.  Children take him home nightly  returning with a journal entry about the adventures they had with Danny.  Sometimes Danny writes back while they are sleeping! We even have photos of Danny and the students in his journal, chronicling his adventures at home! You just have to go to this website and see some of the wonderful books and hysterical pictures of Danny.

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Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay up Late
Mo Willems

The star of Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!  returns in another hysterical story. Hurrying away to brush his teeth, the pajama-clad bus driver implores readers not to let his feathered friend stay up late.  Once again Mo Willems has done a masterful job with illustrations that lead readers of all ages gently into learning about inference along with side-splitting laughter as they relate to the antics of the pigeon trying to forgo the inevitable:  bed time.  . Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of the illustrations and text, a group of Gail’s 5th and 6th grade boys became raucously involved with this book as she taught a sometimes difficult lesson on inferring.

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Enemy Pie
Derek Munson

We used this book to teach the comprehension strategy of Connections and the Accuracy strategy of Flip the Sound.

Derek, the author of this great book, came to our school as a visiting author and was FABULOUS! — Gail

Kindergarten-Grade 3-What should have been a perfect summer for one young boy is ruined when Jeremy Ross moves in and becomes number one on the narrator's enemy list. Fortunately, his father has a secret recipe for a pie that is guaranteed to help get rid of enemies. While Dad works on mixing the ingredients and baking the pie, he explains his son's role in the plan: "-you need to spend a day with your enemy. Even worse, you have to be nice to him." It sounds tough, but the boy decides to give it a try. Predictably, between throwing water balloons at the girls, playing basketball, and hiding out in the tree house, he decides that Jeremy is not so bad after all. There's still the problem of the pie, however. When his father serves up the dessert, the young protagonist decides to warn Jeremy that it is "poisonous or something." However, it seems that both his father and his new friend are just fine, and what's more, the pie is delicious. This is a clever tale with an effective message about how to handle relationships and conflict. King's stylized and humorous illustrations, done in colored pencil and pastel, will work well with a group.

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First Day Jitters
Julie Danneberg

This is a GREAT book for this time of year.  A wonderful book to help with the teaching of foreshadowing.

Sarah is hiding under her covers as Mr. Hartwell asks, "You don't want to miss the first day at your new school do you?" From under the blanket she replies, "I'm not going." When he reminds her how much she liked her other school and asks her to think of all the new friends she'll meet, she imagines a classroom where a paper airplane is flying, a boy is pulling his neighbor's pigtail, and another is blowing a gigantic bubble. Mr. Hartwell finally gets Sarah to stumble out of bed, eat a bit of toast, and get into the car where she slumps down into her seat. At school, the principal cheerfully welcomes her and takes her to the classroom where she is introduced as "Mrs. Sarah Jane Hartwell," the new teacher. There is a bit of foreshadowing that Sarah is an adult, but as she is always partially hidden, the ending will come as a surprise to most readers. The ink-and-watercolor illustrations are full of action and maintain the lighthearted tone. A little subplot in the paintings shows the family cat and dog having their own contest of wills while their owner is trying to get his wife up and out. The joke provides a good laugh and children may find it reassuring that they are not alone in their anxieties about new situations.

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Hope Was Here
Joan Bauer

“Whenever I leave a place I write this real small someplace significant just to make the statement that I’d been there and made an impact.”

This quote begins this wonderful book from Joan Bauer.  Isn’t it what we all really feel- wanting to leave an impact on this earth?? We love Joan Bauer’s books as wonderful read-alouds as well as fabulous lit circle books because of the dialogue they provoke with kids and adults alike!

Here's a book that's as warm and melty as a grilled Swiss on seven-grain bread, and just as wholesome and substantial. Ever since the boss promoted her from bus girl two and a half years ago when she was 14, Hope has been a waitress--and a darn good one, too. She takes pride in making people happy with good food, as does her aunt Addie, a diner cook extraordinaire. The two of them have been a pair ever since Hope's waitress mother abandoned her as a baby, and now they have come to rural Wisconsin to run the Welcome Stairways café for G.T. Stoop, who is dying of leukemia. But he's not dead yet, as the kindly and greathearted restaurant owner demonstrates when he decides to run for mayor against the wicked and corrupt Eli Millstone. As old-fashioned goodness lines up against the bad guys, the campaign leads Hope in exciting new directions: a boyfriend who is a great grill man, a new sense of herself and her mission as a waitress, and--when Addie and G.T. finally realize that they are meant for each other--the father she has always wanted. And all of it backed up with stuffed pork tenderloin, butterscotch cream pie, and the rhythm of the short-order dance.

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The Invention Of Hugo Caberet
Brian Selznick

We were so impressed by the amazing writing and illustrating contained in this mystery, that we’ve nicknamed Brian, “Brilliant Brian Selznick!” We feel that once you check out The Invention of Hugo Cabret, you’ll find his nickname to be a fitting one. This 500-plus page novel is unlike anything we have seen before in terms of excellent writing and AMAZING illustrations. From the very first page, the illustrations captivate and draw in readers, young and old alike! This is a perfect book to recommend to parents of children who are getting “too old” to cuddle up and share in a good story. The tantalizing illustrations just beg to be shared with someone sitting close! We have also used this book in the classroom to teach children about the important role that great illustrations play in telling a story.

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Lovely black and white illustrations accompany a simple and simply delightful story about a little kitten who wants a drink from the bowl of milk she sees in the sky (the moon).  Her persistence leads to one little mishap after another until she’s safely back home where a real bowl of milk is waiting.  A great read aloud for Preschoolers through first or second grade if you are introducing predictions.  It would also be super for verbs (stretched, wiggled, sprang, tumbled, chased, leaped, etc.

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Among the wonderful “finds” in London, we discovered a book called, Katie in London, one in a series, by James Mayhew. We really enjoyed reading this book, especially since we had just visited many of the places that were highlighted in the story. We even snapped a picture of the huge lion in Trafalgar Square! You will love traveling with Katie and her brother as they adventure through London. We were also excited to learn of a couple of other books by James Mayhew that do a lovely job of teaching children about Impressionist Art and Italian Renaissance Art! How great is that!

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Lionboy
Zizou Corder

This story takes place in the future when fossil fuels are scarce and asthma is epidemic.  Because of something that happened in the jungle when he was a boy, Charlie can understand and speak the language of cats.  Charlie’s parents are onto a cure for asthma when they are kidnapped.  It’s up to 10 year old Charlie to rescue them.  He finds himself on a floating circus where he befriends lions who join him in the quest.  The first in a trilogy, older cat lovers will be intrigued and engaged.  Great for questioning, inference, and imagery.

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Mr Putter and Tabby Pick the Pears

I laughed out loud the first time I read this book about dear Mr. Putter whose cranky legs make it impossible to pick pears using a conventional ladder.  Using poodle boxer shorts he never cared for anyway, Mr. Putter fashions himself a slingshot and endeavors to shoot the pears out of the tree using fallen apples as ammunition.  Though his attempts aren’t successful, he has a delightful day watching apples soar over the tree, house, yard, etc.  Mrs. Teaberry arrives the next day with a surprise for Mr. Putter that satisfies him and will satisfy readers as well.  It is a fun read aloud and a great introduction to a series for transitional readers who insist on checking out a chapter book.  Before reading aloud, you may tap into schema by asking what can be made with pears.  Stop to give students time to make predictions as well.

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This was a perfect book to read with some of our younger readers! The simple story plays on the well-known fact that children are drawn through imagination to cardboard boxes! The simple pattern of questions and answers has the imaginative rabbit insisting, “It’s not a box!”  Our little ones were able to read the book quite easily after the first reading, giving them confidence as capable readers. They even moved into writing their own “Not a Box” stories. Conversation about the book continued during buddy reading with an older class, when the “big kids” shared their stories of how they used to play with boxes when they were little! A great read for newer readers (and writers!).

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Spring fever: The good, the bad and the ugly…While the flowers are blooming and the birds are chirping, it seems that Spring often includes some challenging times in terms of social relationships among our students (at least, we are hoping that we are not the only teachers who experience this!). Not My Fault, by Leif Kristiansson does a superb job of addressing some of the issues involved with bullying and blaming. Leif’s story is set in a schoolyard where a boy is being bullied and the other children have excuses for not stepping in to help. The book lends itself to thought-provoking conversations about the responsibility to act and to stand up for others. Our youngest learners really took the book’s message to heart, while the elders were prompted to have in depth conversations about the implications of our actions on society as a whole. A great read to launch important conversations about social interactions in a little one’s life.

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This first book in a series has been a huge hit with our middle-level readers!  Seems like we are always looking for a book to spark the interest of those grade 6 and up boys in order to get them “hooked” enough to want to read the others!  This has sure done the job for many of our kids.

Greek gods come to life in real time in this book that introduces us to Percy Jackson a contemporary 12 year-old New Yorker who learns he is a demigod, have human half god.  These modernized gods are hilarious and the parallels to Harry Potter are frequent and obvious.  Percy struggles with life as a dyslexic, ADHD student, who was kicked out of six schools in six years and becomes a reluctant hero throughout the story.  I couldn’t put the book down and can’t wait to read book two.  A great way to start the year…read it aloud to your 5-6 grade students.

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SkippyJon Jones
Judy Schacher

This is one of my favorite books of all time to read aloud to students.  I have read it to over 600 students from kindergarten through 6th grade.  I think my big kids enjoyed it the most because they get why this little kitty is so funny.  First, we tapped into our schema.  “Who has been sent to their room to “think about” how they should have behaved (many hands go up).......who actually thought about it?  Who just played with their stuff? (laughter and many raised hands)  Skippyjon Jones is sent to his bedroom for a time out due to unkittylike behavior.  He is supposed to be sitting in his room thinking “about what it means to be a Siamese cat” when his imagination takes him on a romp into his forbidden closet.  As the fearless Skippito Friskito who fears not a single bandito, Skippyjon faces the bad Alfredo Buzzito (which is actually his birthday pinata).   I love that his poor frazzled mother never loses her temper, and her endearing pet names for her mischievous son endear him to us all the more.  Great for making predictions and inferences!

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We had the pleasure of meeting up with award-winning author Suzanne Fisher Staples in Bahrain. Suzanne’s books have received numerous awards and citations, including the Newberry Award in 1990 for  Shabanu, Daughter of the Wind, This is a powerful story in which a young girl moves into adulthood in the Middle East. This is a must read for middle grade students! Check out Suzanne’s website to browse her books, learn about her well-traveled background, and view the many awards she has received. suzannefisherstaples.com

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This hilarious series features a small frog and his antics.  The language is repetitive making it a wonderful book for young children.  It is one of my class favorites for working on fluency as it is delightful to read over and over,  It has great dialogue and brings uproarious laughter when read aloud.  — Joan

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This is a wonderful book for all levels to begin the year as many of our students return to school with that feeling of “I can’t.”

A frustrated grade school artist, Vashti sits slumped over her blank piece of paper at the end of art class. "I just CAN'T draw!" she tells her teacher. Her teacher first uses wit, then subtle yet clever encouragement to inspire her student to go beyond her insecurities and become, in the words of a younger boy who "can’t" draw either, "a really great artist."

Peter H. Reynolds crafts a quiet, pleasing story in The Dot--one that will strike a chord with children who have outgrown the self-assurance of kindergarten and begun to doubt their own greatness.

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The Goat Lady
Jane Bregoli

My kids LOVED this book – based on a true story, poignant message, amazing illustrations, one of our all-time favorites! — Joan

An elderly French Canadian named Noelie often drew criticism from the Dartmouth, MA, townsfolk because she kept a herd of white goats in her yard. Neighbors complained that the animals were noisy and unruly and that the house was unkempt. The author and her children befriended the old woman and found that she was gentle and kind. When Bregoli's daughter asked her to paint a picture of the Goat Lady, the artist painted a series of portraits and eventually exhibited them in a local art museum. The paintings helped others in the community to look past Noelie's mismatched clothes and odd ways and recognize her humble goodness. This gentle, straightforward narrative is told from the point of view of one of the children and is ideal for reading aloud. The book is illustrated with sharp color reproductions of Bregoli's original portraits done in a soft painterly style. A true story about intergenerational relationships and tolerance that's perfect for sharing.

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We have to confess…we loved this book as much as the intermediate students who read it!  This chapter book is about an orphan and three other exceptionally different children who form an unexpected friendship while working on a very important mission. The Mysterious Benedict Society has more twists, turns and tricks packed into one book than one can imagine. Not only a fun read aloud, this book also addresses more serious issues faced by many: loyalty, friendship, family, and taking on one’s fears.  This book could be one of our favorites!

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The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
Kate DeCamillo

I read this to my K-2 class – a wonderful book that just begs for deep discussions.  It is an excellent book to work on Expanding Vocabulary — Joan

This achingly beautiful story shows a true master of writing at her very best. Edward Tulane is an exceedingly vain, cold-hearted china rabbit owned by 10-year-old Abilene Tulane, who dearly loves him. Her grandmother relates a fairy tale about a princess who never felt love; she then whispers to Edward that he disappoints her. His path to redemption begins when he falls overboard during the family’s ocean journey. Sinking to the bottom of the sea where he will spend 297 days, Edward feels his first emotion–fear. Caught in a fisherman’s net, he lives with the old man and his wife and begins to care about his humans. Then their adult daughter takes him to the dump, where a dog and a hobo find him. They ride the rails together until Edward is cruelly separated from them. His heart is truly broken when next owner, four-year-old Sarah Ruth, dies. He recalls Abilene’s grandmother with a new sense of humility, wishing she knew that he has learned to love. When his head is shattered by an angry man, Edward wants to join Sarah Ruth but those he has loved convince him to live. Repaired by a doll store owner, he closes his heart to love, as it is too painful, until a wise doll tells him that he that he must open his heart for someone to love him. This superb book is beautifully written in spare yet stirring language. The tender look at the changes from arrogance to grateful loving is perfectly delineated. An ever-so-marvelous tale.

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Not only is Steve an AMAZING visiting author, a “must hear” presenter, but a magnificent author as well!  When all of our 6th grade teachers were reading This Side of Paradise to their children, and kids were talking about it everywhere – I decided to read it and find out what all the buzz was about.  When one of the students saw it in my hand she said, “Mrs. Boushey, don’t start that book unless you have a lot of time, because you can’t stop reading once you start.  Good advice!!

Check out other books by Steve Layne including his latest one:  Mergers.   — Gail

High school junior Jack is happy running with his 72-year-old motorcycle-riding, roughhousing grandmother. He is less at ease with his demanding "corporate giant" father, Chip, for whom only the best will do. Mom has been drinking too much lately and his ninth-grade brother Troy is a wrestler who is "handsomer than all get-out." Trouble begins when Dad announces he is moving the family to Paradise, a company town built by his boss, the mysterious Adam Eden. Eden provides his employees with everything-beautifully landscaped and appointed houses, modern high-tech schools- in his carefully gated community. The boys are surprised that Mom is not there to make the move, but that's only one of the mysteries. What does it mean that nobody ever leaves Paradise? Why is everyone so stiff and cold? Who lays out their school uniforms each night and how is it that Grandma has an electric drill in her makeup bag when she needs it? The characterizations are zany, the plot is a straight-out Stepford wives takeoff. Turns out that Dad is psychotic; as split-personality Chip/Adam Eden he has murdered Mom and peopled his community with less-than-perfect clones and androids. When Troy's clone sacrifices himself for Troy, Chip/Adam exclaims, "Not my son! He's the one I chose. He's perfect!" There are too many weaknesses and absurdities in the plot to enjoy even the first half of the book as realistic fiction, and too many internal inconsistencies to enjoy it as horror/science fiction.

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Love this book, written by E.B White.  Not only does it touch on overcoming difficulties, it is a wonderful book to use with developing vocabulary.  I also use it as  a great example of blending a fiction story with facts.  — Joan

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This hysterical picture book is one that all ages will enjoy.  A wonderful way to look at having a different twist on children writing the old-fashioned “animal report.”  Not only could kids write their own book patterned after Prap’s, but each child could contribute a page of their own to a class book, or a power-point slide of their own as part of a whole class power-point presentation.

Lila Prap's "Why?" is a scientifically sound question and answer book disguised as a silly riddle book. Each two page spread features an animal, a question, and several possible answers. "Why do kangaroos have pouches?" One ludicrous answer is "To hide their bellybuttons." The correct answer is marked with a star, always found on the far right of the page. The rest of the ridiculous answers follow kid logic and some adult logic, especially those adults driven quite mad by a little one's unending "Why?" questions. While the illustrations and short text are well-suited to preschoolers, older children will also fully enjoy the book's information and humor.

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