#bookaday

I'm always jealous when the kids at my library come in to sign up for Summer Reading.  Why should the kids have all the fun? My competitive nature makes me a person who is always up for a challenge. This year I came across The Book Whisperer AKA Donalyn Miller's Book-a-Day Challenge.  This is exactly what I needed to get me amped up for summer filled with many, many books! 

It's simple. You start when you want (TODAY!) and commit to reading a book a day.  You track by posting the title of the book read in your blog, facebook or twitter using #bookaday.  Visit this site for more information.

I am having fun participating and because I have a burning desire not to miss a single great book published, I love seeing what everyone else is reading- say it <busybody>.  I have gotten some GREAT ideas and my TBR pile is growing by leaps and bounds. 
Happy Reading!

The Adventures of John Smith Jr. AKA Houdini by Peter Johnson

John Smith (dubbed Houdini due to his obsession with the magician) is inspired to write his own novel after an author visits his school. He is the best writer in his class and feels he is better equipped to write about kids than a grown-up pretending to be a kid. Additionally, Houdini has plenty of real life fodder for his own novel; a brother serving in Iraq, a father on the brink of loosing his job, a bully who is plaguing him and two best friends who have plenty of their own issues to spice things up. Alternately affecting and hilarious. This realistic glimpse into the lives of middle-school boys will surely work its own magic upon readers. Suggested for grades 5 - 8.

Fans of "Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to NOT Reading" by Tommy Greenwald will surely like this one!

Story Time... It's More Than Just Stories!

 I recently had a parent ask me why they should bring their child to a library story time. After gushing about the benefits, I decided it would make a good blog post. Because, sure, on the surface, it may look like typical story times are all fun and games but look deeper and you’ll see that the benefits are serious stuff.  Amidst the excitement, story time is actually a wonderful skill building activity for children.  Sharing stories, conversing, socializing, singing songs, counting and rhyming are all excellent ways to build the foundation for skills children will need later on. 

According to research there are six pre-reading skills that children must develop in order to learn to read. 

 Print Awareness- Knowing how to handle a book and noticing the printed word.

Letter knowledge- Knowing their names, sounds and recognizing letters everywhere.

Vocabulary- Simply knowing the names of things.

Phonological Awareness- Being able to hear and play with the smaller sounds in words.

Narrative Skills- Being able to describe events and tell stories.

Print Motivation- Being interested in and enjoying books.

Each week my programs include activities which help strengthen particular skills.  Story time participants learn how to handle a book by watching me hold the book and point to the words as I read (print awareness).  They start recognizing letters and sounds as they are exposed to them week after week (letter knowledge).  They build vocabulary by socializing and interacting with other children, by hearing new words in stories and experiencing new things. Children have fun and work on their motor skills as we sing and dance our mornings away!   In addition, by singing we break words down into manageable pieces (phonological awareness). Try it now!  The It-sy, Bit-sy Spi-der went up the wa-ter spout.

I engage children in conversation about the books we are reading. By asking a child to predict what might happen in a story or having them retell parts of a story they are developing narrative skills.  I also allow plenty of time for self expression.  Often books we read will spark a memory and children will want to tell a personal story.  The give and take in a group setting helps children learn persistence, cooperation and also how to communicate their wants and needs verbally.  

Children who attend library story times are exposed to fun and engaging activities. By making learning a fun experience, I believe I am encouraging a life long love of stories and the written word (print motivation). I think perhaps that parent got more than they bargained for when they asked that question, but it was a nice reminder to me that while I look forward to story time and have a blast doing it, it is important work that we are doing!  Goooooooo Librarians!

 

 

 

Picture Book Brouhaha

It has been an exciting year for the picture book. With nay-sayers touting the immiment demise of what used to be a childhood staple, it seems that picture book lovers have put on their rally caps in an attempt to educate and inform parents, booksellers, educators (and anyone else who will

listen) about their value.

The New York Times ran an article about a year ago which

detailed the downward spiral of picture book thus kicking off a great debate about the fate of a cherished and treasured format.

Librarians buzzed, publishers defended... in fact Publishers Weekly printed a response to the New York Times piece shortly after it was published claiming that picture books were alive and well. Many librarians, publishers, parents and other defenders have continued their quest to send the message that picture books need to be valued. A few of my favorite responses to the outcry include:

A Challenge!

Children's book illustrator Matthew Cordell issues the following challenge on his blog.

"This is my challenge to you, dear readers. Go into a book store (not a website, but a store with a roof, walls, people, books you can hold and browse over) and spend some time in the children's book section. Find something incredible (it ain't hard). Then, when you're all filled up, buy just one picture book. And in a week's time, repeat. Buy one picture book a week for your kid(s), some other kid(s) you love, or for yourself or some other grown-up you love. I can identify that it's hard to get, at first, but adults can also enjoy reading picture books. And if you absolutely can't swallow that concept, you can't escape appreciating them for the amazing artwork alone. It's like buying amazing art that can sit on your coffee table (or wherever you keep your favorite books with your favorite images) for, like, 16 bucks or whatever. Someone you know needs more picture books in her/his/their life/lives. You need to experience, again, what you loved when you read picture books as a kid.(Okay, okay.... if you absolutely, seriously, truthfully can't get to or find a brick and mortar book store, buy your books online. But try this first.)If you can't do a pic book a week, make it a pic book a month.And if you can't do that (understood, times are tight).... Go into your most excellent local library and check out 10 picture books a week. If you can't do it every week, do it once a month. Challenge issued."

Go to his Facebook page to join in on the fun!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Childrens-Book-Challenge/295366400481033

Picture Book Month -

an international initiative to designate

November as Picture Book Month, encouraging everyone to celebrate literacy with print picture books. Founders of the initiatve believe that with the predicted death of the print book, picture books need love.

As for this picture book lover, I continue to collect and cherish them. I read them again and again. I give them as gifts, I tell my friends about them. Do I worry about the death of the picture book? Not this girl. I believe that the picture book is will be alive and kicking for a good long time. :)

In Search of Sasquatch is an engaging work of non-fiction. The book examines the stories of Sasquatch over the years and compiles the evidence (both anecdotal and scientific) in one slick volume.

Fascinating facts about Sasquatch and background on how that information was obtained will keep readers turning the pages of this well put together book and begging their parents to add plaster of paris to their weekly shopping list!
In addition to legends, footprints and reported sightings, the author adds intresting facts about the "Sierra Sounds" i.e. Big Foot language, a transcript of a 911 call and a story about how actor Jimmy Stewart smuggled a Yeti finger to the United States in his wife's suitcase.

Illustrations, photos, and archival images and add intrigue to the text and make this a book that will be returned to again and again. A glossary and a healthy "learn more about it" section includes books, videos and websites - enough to keep an interested reader busy until the next Sasquatch sighting.

The Unforgotten Coat by Frank Cottrell Boyce

A quiet, contemplative story about 2 boys who have immigrated from Mongolia to Liverpool. The brothers meet and befriend Julie and make her their "Good Guide". She has to show them how to play football, where to sit at lunch and they seem to expect her to help them find a place to keep them safe from demons. Heartbreakingly honest and wonderful. This slim novel was devoured in one sitting.
Recommended for grade 5 & up.

Along with Susan Dee (left) and Diana Mullins (right) and lots of helping hands from parent volunteers. I took a group of students from Biddeford to the Maine Reading Round-Up to book talk the freshly pressed Maine Student Book Award Reading List.

The Maine Student Book Award is designed to expand literary horizons of students in grades 4-8 by encouraging them to read, evaluate, and enjoy a selection of new books and to choose a statewide favorite by written ballot each spring. In order to be eligible to vote, students must have read 3 books off from the list.
This year's winner, announced in April was Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle written by Major Brian Dennis, Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery.

These kids worked so incredibly hard preparing for this conference. The list was published on March 12th which meant the kids had only 1 short month to select and read a book as well as prepare their presentation. They stayed after school, worked through lunch breaks and gave up study halls. They are true ROCK STARS and I am proud of each and every one of them. Care to take a look at the books they discussed? Check out the annotated list here.