The Sign of the Beaver

Our class is finishing up our historical fiction genre study and this is the book I've been reading aloud to them during lunch each day. I've been using this in my 4th grade classes for years and every time I read it, I remember all the reasons I enjoy it so much. By time we reached chapter 3, this year's class was completely engrossed and silent as I read (not a state in which they typically exist ;)

1. Elizabeth George Speare - this author has historical fiction chops! This novel won 3 awards: a Newbery Honor Citation, the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, and the Christopher Award. She also received the Laura Ingalls Wilder (pause here for appropriate fangirl dance) for her "enduring and distinguished contribution to children's literature." Other well-known works are The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Calico Captive, and The Bronze Bow.

2. This story absolutely entrances children. I'm never sure how each class will respond, after all, this was published well before 9 year-olds began dressing and behaving like celebutantes. But Speare is a master storyteller who does not indulge in protracted descriptive paragraphs that young readers typically skim or ignore. Using direct language sprinkled with some vivid figurative language, she crafts a tightly woven story of friendship, prejudice, and growing up. Readers will be holding their breath to see how things turn out for our hero, Matt.

Twelve year-old Matt is left in the Maine territory to watch over his family's new home while his father returns to Massachusetts to fetch the rest of the family - mother, sister, and brand new baby.

While he waits, and the expected 6 weeks turn into months, Matt is robbed, has a life-threatening accident, and discovers that the nearby Native Americans - the clan of the Beaver - have been watching him and saved his life. He and the chief's grandson are forced to spend time together and grow from grudging companions into true friends.

The events have led to interesting discussions in our class about differences in lifestyle between then and now, attitudes toward Native Americans (called Indians throughout this novel) at the time, the instinct for survival, and honoring our responsibilities.

If you haven't read this book, check it out of your local library today! It will be well worth your time.

Decisions, Decisions

During the week leading up to Valentine's Day, I read a picture book to my class each day while they eat their mid-morning snack. With one day to go, I have 4 books left and time for one tomorrow. So I brought them home and read them again, and thought I'd write a bit about each one to help me make up my mind.

The Ballad of Valentine, by Allison Jackson, can be sung to the tune of "My Darling Clementine." A man writes letter after letter to his sweetheart, Valentine, and none of them ever arrive. He chronicles the different delivery methods he selects and the ways in which they go haywire. All the while, we see Valentine going about her daily chores, including baking a pie, which she then carries to his home to present to him. Mars and Venus at their best :)

The Best Thing About Valentines, by Eleanor Hudson, is for younger readers. The rhyming text is perfect for letting the little ones finish the sentence with the second rhyming word. An adorable bear makes and delivers valentines, capturing exactly how most children feel about this special day.

I enjoy P.K. Hallinan's work and managed to pick up most of his holiday-themed books at a wonderful children's book shop in Ashland, Oregon years ago. Heartprints is his Valentine's Day offering, but the definition of heartprints on the cover leaves no doubt that this is no ordinary Valentine's Day book.

"the impression left behind by a deliberate act of kindness"

The final book on my list is Roses Are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink by Diane deGroat. This is another in her series of books about Gilbert and his friends. These characters tackle problems that kids face in their families, with their friends, and at school. This one finds Gilbert unable to write something nice on two of the valentines he is making for his classmates, so he writes a mean poem to both of them and signs their names. Of course, everyone finds out and Gilbert has to deal with being ostracized and figure out how to make things right.

Hmmm, I might have to make time for two books.

Update: I could NOT make up my mind, so I did what every 21st century digiphile does and put it on Facebook. Everyone who responded chose Roses are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink. We read it this morning and I must say, my friends have great decision-making skills - the kids loved it and it gave us an opportunity to have a rich discussion about choices, consequences, and looking for the best in people.

I'll save Heartprints for one of our Morning Meetings in the near future. I can't pass up that opportunity!

Mr. Goat's Valentine

I read this story to my class today while they were eating their mid-morning snack. Big mistake. Don't read this book to anyone who is eating ;)

Mr. Goat realizes it is Valentine's Day and scoots off to gather gifts for his first love. So far, so good. But Mr. Goat has different sensibilities than your average human and he purchases...well, never mind, I don't want to spoil the story...or your appetite.

As a mother, I love the ending. It will tug at any mother's heartstrings and we all hope our sons are as thoughtful as Mr. Goat when they are grown and busy with all that life brings their way.

Eve Bunting, who will be 90 this year, often writes about weighty topics - riots, homelessness, the Holocaust, changing families, Japanese exclusion, even serial murder. Given her expert touch with these topics, one might not expect her to have such a well-developed funny bone, but she does, and even though my students were groaning at Mr. Goat's choices, they laughed and enjoyed every bit of the story.

One of my personal favorites is her book How Many Days to America? A Thanksgiving Story. Our team reads it to our 4th graders at Thanksgiving time each year. I have a hard time keeping my tears at bay.

Illustrator Kevin Zimmer has matched Bunting's tone with his clear, bright, completely engaging illustrations. He creates a lovable Mr. Goat in a bright, friendly world.

Mr. Goat's Valentine is a great addition to the Valentine's Day selection of books available for children. Your local library is sure to have a copy.

* I love watching interviews with our beloved children's authors - here is one with Eve Bunting - her Irish brogue is delightful.

Love From the Very Hungry Caterpillar

What a gem! Of course, it's Eric Carle, so gem status is guaranteed, but still.

His trademark collage illustrations once again bring to life reader favorite - the very hungry caterpillar - in the 2015 picture book, Love from The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

This tiny book is short and sweet, telling the reader why s/he is loved. Everyone likes to hear that they make the stars sparkle and the sun shine brighter for someone, right? Little ones will enjoy pointing out our friend the caterpillar on each page. This is a wonderful snuggle up book to read with your child or grandchild (another Grandma's Book of the Month Club pick!) and it's brief enough that the littlest of the littles will sit still for it :)

One of the items on my bucket list is visiting The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA. I was looking for more information about the museum on his website and blog, when I found this:

Very Eric Carle: A Very Hungry, Quiet, Lonely, Clumsy, Busy Exhibit

This traveling exhibition is co-organized by the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh and The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art

• Spring 2018: Discovery Cube, LA, Los Angeles, CA
• Summer 2018: Family Museum, Bettendorf, IA
• Fall 2018: Mississippi Children’s Museum, Jackson, MS
• Summer 2019: Bay Area Discovery Museum, Sausalito, CA

I'm sad that the exhibition won't be in Seattle, but California is doable! To tide you over till you can visit the museum, here are some video links Eric Carle fans will enjoy:

Here's a cute Q&A interview with him from 2007.

On the 40th anniversary of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, he gave this interview.

Here he is reading aloud The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Catching Kisses

Me + this book = love at first sight!

Let me explain: 9 months ago, I became a grandma for the very first time and that girl is the light of my life.

She lives over 2,000 miles away and I only get to see her every few months, so I am grateful for technology. I send her little videos of me telling her that Grandma loves her, we FaceTime, and thanks to Amazon Prime, I started Grandma's Book of the Month Club and she gets a couple new books every month, which she promptly either chews or "reads," depending on her current mood.

Last night, her thoughtful mama sent me a little video of sweet, 9 months old Miss B waving and blowing a kiss. Oh, my heart!

So when I picked this book up at my community library this morning, I instantly connected with the idea of blown kisses traveling around the world to reach whomever they are meant for, and I could picture that sweet little kiss from my granddaughter flying over the miles, weaving around mountains, through cities, and across the Puget Sound to me.

Sound silly? Well, then, this isn't the book for you. But if you believe in the power of love, if you yearn for loved ones who aren't nearby, this book will touch your heart.

Maria Van Lieshout uses a sparse color pallet via Adobe Illustrator and all of the people appear in silhouette. Her chosen technique is crisp, clean, and keeps the focus squarely on the author's message. I enjoyed seeing Seattle, San Francisco, New York City, and you and your little ones will surely recognize many of the locations as you move through the book.

Author Amy Gibson has captured a simple, powerful idea - that love knows no bounds - and turned it into a heartwarming picture books for ALL ages. Some of my favorite phrases:
"Kisses are powerful. No wall can hold them back. No fence can keep them out." "Like thumbprints and snowflakes, no two are the same." "Everyday, everywhere, kisses are flying. They're invisible, but real as the wind in your face." Pardon me while, I wipe away a tear and blow a kiss to my darling little grandgirl.

Catching Kisses is a great book to read with someone you love for Valentine's Day, but I know I'll be reading it more often than once a year (and guess what's going in Miss B's next GBOTMC package?)!

The Mitten

My fabulous 4th grade friend is here to help me convince you to read The Mitten by author/illustrator Jan Brett. If you've ever read a Jan Brett story, you won't need convincing - her books are delightful works of art!

I had the opportunity to attend an author visit in El Dorado Hills, California during her Mossy tour  (I posted a bit about it here) and she was as wonderful as you have always imagined that she would be - she even did a drawing lesson with the children in the audience.

The Mitten is Brett's retelling of a Ukrainian folktale about a boy, Sasha, who insists that his Baba knit him white mittens. She resists, telling him that it is too easy for white mittens to get lost in the snow. He persists, and Baba creates the white mittens. Of course, he loses one almost the minute he walks out the door and that's where the fun begins.

A host of animals, each larger than the last, take shelter inside the mitten. Sasha finds his mitten before he returns home and doesn't seem to notice how much larger it is than the other one, but Baba notices. One of my favorite parts of the final page is Baba holding up both mittens, clearly wondering what Sasha could possibly have done to stretch one out so badly.

As you read the story, take time to examine the illustrations! Each frame hints at what will come next, and children will delight in noticing how oblivious Sasha is when he is right by his mitten. When I read this aloud, I enjoy emphasizing the ways that each animal intimidates the others into making room for him in the mitten.

There is so much colorful detail, packed with opportunities for children to predict, infer, and most of all, enjoy this humorous folktale.

Once you've read The Mitten, go get The Hat, The Easter Egg, Mossy, Town Mouse and Country Mouse, Gingerbread Friends - you get the idea ;) Have a Jan Brett extravaganza!

I've opened a TPT store and have posted several Story Time lesson plans - perfect for Pre-K, Kindergarten, homeschool, library story times, and any other situation in which you find youself with a group of young children. If you would like to see the lesson plan for The Mitten - click here.

Snow Sisters!

Snow Sisters! is a 2018 addition to the world of children's literature. Written by Kerri Kokias and illustrated by Teagan White, Snow Sisters! lets us peek in on  two sisters enjoying a snowy day, each in the way they prefer.

Right off the bat, it's clear that these girls are complete opposites. One is clearly neat and tidy, while the other is...not.

One sister heads out to play in the snow - throwing snowballs, building a fort, hiding to track animals, sledding - while the other enjoys inside activities - reading while wrapped in a cozy blanket and drinking hot cocoa, baking cookies, making paper snowflakes, having a tea party, and watching animals from the windowsill.

Then they switch places and children can enjoy seeing how differently they do the very same things their sister did in previous pages.

The last couple of pages find them enjoying the rest of the afternoon together inside their blanket fort.

The sparse text leaves plenty of time for observing and discussing what is happening in the illustrations (gouache & watercolor), and sibling relationships.

Duck Skates

This adorable book from 2005 is the perfect read for a gray winter day. I picked it up at my public library when I was looking for books about snow. I went through 20 or so books that day, and this one and Snow Sisters! were my favorites of the day.

Author Lynne Berry follows a group of 5 little ducks who decide to go ice skating. We go along as they get dressed to go out in the snow, tromp down the hill to the pond, figure out how to skate, take a break to have a snowball fight, then head home. She deftly covers the excitement of preparing to head out for a day in the snow, the frenzy of playing in the snow, and the inevitable we-have-to-go-home-because-we-are-cold-wet-and-hungry.

The rhyming text makes it easy for little ones to fill in the second word in each pair, a fun technique I often used with my own children and still use with my students.

Example:
Mom: "The first two lead with a duck-skate dash. The last three chase - and the ducks all..."

Child: "crash!"

Children will enjoy wobbling, wiggling, toppling and giggling along with the ducks. There are opportunities for vocabulary development as well - mercy, tramp, peer, romp...

Hiroe Nakata's watercolor illustrations are absolutely darling - bright, colorful, and warm. I love the final page that shows the 5 little ducks in a contented heap on the rug in front of the fire.

Duck Skates is the first in a series of 4 books about these delightful ducks. I'd bet your local library has them. :)

Make a mug of hot cocoa and snuggle up with your little one to enjoy this fun story.

Wild About Books

I read Wild About Books to my 1st & 2nd graders this week. What fun! Author Judy Sierra's way with words kept them listening intently and entertained me through the whole story. The kids didn't understand why a hippo winning a Zoolitzer prize was funny, but I enjoyed the play on words. She truly has a gift for creating playful, "punny" rhymes.

Sierra also avoids focusing on the more common zoo animals and includes bandicoots, skinks, and onyx to keep things fresh and, a bonus - my students had lots of questions about the different animals, zoos, and other things that stood out as being both unfamiliar and interesting.

Bookmobile librarian, Mavis McGrew, mistakenly drives her bookmobile into a zoo and decides to make the best of it. She parks the bus, sets up her lounge chair and check-out system, grabs a book and starts reading. One by one the animals come closer to check things out and become hooked on reading. They read in pairs, in packs, in bunches or solo. They share jokes and poems and plays in trees, on boulders and in tiny shelters made of books. In fact, they become so addicted to reading that they build their own Zoobrary.

 Marc Brown, of Arthur the aardvark fame, has illustrated this fun pro-literacy book in his typical cheerful, friendly style. Children are fascinated by his drawings and I noticed more than one of my students looking through the book on their own later, savoring the colorful artwork. He includes as many treats for adult readers' eyes and Sierra provides for their ears.

Buy this at your local bookstore, order it online, or better yet - check it out at your local zoobrary library.

Amy Beverland's video of children reading aloud Wild About Books
Words Alive Literacy lesson plan for reading aloud Wild About Books

Peanut Butter & Cupcake

Peanut Butter is the new kid in town. Mom is busy unpacking and setting up their new home, so when he asks her to play with him, she encourages him to go into the neighborhood and meet some new friends. His greeting to each potential friend goes like this:

"Hello, I'm new here, and I'd like to play

Maybe now, maybe later - or even all day

I'll make you chuckle deep down in your belly

And we'll go together like Peanut Butter and...(insert potential friend's name here)"

He approaches Hamburger, Cupcake, Egg, Meatball, French Fries, and Soup, but none of them want to engage with him, so he sits down on a park bench, ready to give up. Just in time, a new kid approaches and we finally get to meet the new friend that everyone knew would eventually show up...Jelly! (and the rhyme is finally a rhyme!)

Peanut Butter & Cupcake is written & illustrated by Terry Border, who is best known for his creations involving bent objects. While I found the story line to be prosaic, the photographs will fascinate readers and are the star of this story book.

Border cleverly manipulates 3-D objects to create a fun and funky world for our favorite food characters to inhabit. I laughed out loud at the meatball jumping rope with a piece of spaghetti and my students loved seeing Hamburger out walking his dogs, which are two hot dogs. The girls ooh'd and aah'd over Cupcake building a "sand" castle with sprinkles and I adored the photo of French Fries reading under a tree with a basket of ketchup by his side.

Worth reading just to see the photos!

Dex: The Heart of a Hero

I've been a fan of Caralyn and Mark Buehner since I read Fanny's Dream. When my daughter had a chance to hear them speak recently at the Springville Library (the library where she runs an incredible teen program!) she got a them to autograph copies of Fanny's Dream and Dex: The Heart of a Hero for me, which is like gold in our family!

Dex: The Heart of a Hero, written by Caralyn Buehner, and illustrated by her husband, Mark Buehner, is just plain cute. Dex, the weenie dog desperately wants to be a hero, but he can't even defend himself from tauntings of the neighborhood tomcat Clevis.

But Dex has a rich imaginary life, shared with the reader through comic strips frames that portray Dex as a flying superhero and he decides that he was tired of wanting to be a hero, he was going to start being a hero.

He begins to train by reading every superhero comic book and watching every superhero movie he can find. He starts a vigorous exercise program, and in one of my students' favorite frames, finally discovers his muscles. Dex even orders himself a superhero uniform, which garnered lots of laughs from my class because, let's face it - weenie dogs look comical in superhero get-ups.

The minute he ties on his shiny green cape, Dex begins helping others in any way that he can. His crowning achievement, however, involves rescuing the very tomcat who has been torturing him. All hail Super Dog!

I'll avoid spoiling the ending for you, but it is cute.

Mark Buehner's work is among my favorite in the world of illustrators. My first Mark Buehner book was Harvey Potter's Balloon Farm and I was hooked. His pictures, even when depicting events that take place in darkness, are always bright and vivid. He is great with facial expressions and, in this particular book, has hidden rabbits, cats and T-rexes throughout the illustrations, which motivated my students to scour every picture. Their hidden pictures treasure hunt generated discussions about a number of things they would not have otherwise noticed.

Read this story, heck, make it a dog stories week and add The Hallo-wiener, the Martha Speaks series, Dog Breath, Harry the Dirty Dog, Walter the Farting Dog series and Dogzilla. The giggles are half the fun!

Giraffes Can't Dance

Poor Gerald the giraffe has a bad case of the wish-I-coulds. He's really good at doing the things that giraffes are supposed to do, but what he really wants to do is get down and boogie at the annual Jungle Dance.

He watches all the other animals waltz, rock 'n' roll, tango and cha-cha, but when Gerald walks onto the dance floor, the other animals sneer and jeer and he leaves the dance feeling utterly alone.

Luckily, a clever cricket gives him some good advice and Gerald discovers that "We can all dance...when we find music that we love."

Giraffe's Can't Dance, written by Giles Andreae is delightful. The rhyming text draws in young readers and immediately creates empathy for Gerald. My 1st and 2nd graders couldn't help themselves as Gerald was bullied out of the dance, I heard multiple whispers, "That's so sad," "Why are they doing that?" "That's mean." "Poor Gerald." But when Gerald starts grooving to the music of the violin-playing cricket, they were giddy - giggling, gasping, and cheering for his new moves.

Guy Parker-Rees' bright illustrations were created with watercolor, pen and ink. There are a couple of pages I particularly like - the scene by the bonfire at the dance, all the animals bathed in firelight takes me back to all our Dillon Beach campouts, and the scene with Gerald closing his eyes, listening to the world around him. I can just imagine the effort it took to shut out the voices in his head, the distant sounds of the Jungle Dance, and listen for his own kind of music.

Enjoy this little gem with your little ones!