The Jumpstart literacy organization is once again co-sponsoring with the Pearson Foundation the Read for the Record Day! The organization's mission is to help young children have more exposure to books and reading. There are volunteers who participate in reaching out to low-income communities to support families in cultivating a love of reading. The official website for Read for the Record Day reports that there were 2.2 million known participants in the special day! Since the day's inception in 2007, the site reports that they have been able to raise over 7 million dollars to go towards its programs. That is an astonishing feat! The beauty of the day is that when you participate online through the Pearson Foundation's site We Give Books, a book is donated every time the book is read. That is a win-win situation! You can check out more about We Give Books through its website, on Facebook, and Twitter. Jumpstart can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.
This year's featured text for Read for the Record Day is Ladybug Girl and the Bug Squad written by Jacky Davis and David Soman (Dial, 2011). It is part of a popular series of books starring a spirited girl named Lulu. The books in the collection are stories that hit a chord with young children because the issues Lulu deals with are very identifiable for kids. Her stories explore themes of compromising, using your imagination, responsibility, and being a good friend.
If you you need a copy of the book, you can read it online for free courtesy of the Read for the Record Day website. Just click here for Ladybug Girl and the Bug Squad. If you have a laptop/projector hookup in your classroom, you'll be all set to share it on the screen with your students. :)
There is also a certificate available on the website for children after they read or listen to Ladybug Girl and the Bug Squad on the special day of October 4. You can explore the Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy series through their official website. On the site, you can read more about the authors. Other books in the series that you might be interested in exploring include:
There are some "just for fun" activities kids can do at home when exploring the kid-friendly website. They can enjoy doing some of the free printables or games, too. Lulu's sidekick, Bumblebee Boy, has his own site that boys and girls would like to check out as well. Have fun!
I really enjoy the annual showcase of August 10 for 10 Picture Books from a wide variety of fellow bloggers! This event is virtually co-hosted on the Internet by bloggers Cathy Mere and Mandy Robek. Mandy's blog is called Enjoy and Embrace Learning, and Cathy's blog is called Reflect and Refine: Building a Learning Community. Three years ago, they started this event and shared their recommendations for picture books that you can't live without via the Blogosphere and fellow Twitter users. I posted for the August 10 for 10 for the first time last year, and I gave my post a focus of ten great picture books that had come out within the past year. This year, I decided to highlight nature-inspired picture books that had come out in the past twelve months. I adore both fiction and nonfiction texts which have nature woven within the story. Like so many other topics, I love that an appreciation for nature can be supported through the talent of finely tuned words from a crafty writer and the gorgeous illustrations from a creative artist. As you can imagine, picking just ten books is a challenge. :) Here are ten of some of my favorite nature-inspired picture books from the past year:
1.In the Sea Written by David Elliott and Illustrated by Holly Meade (Candlewick, February 2012)
This book is part of a collaborative series of animal-inspired text by David Elliott and illustrator Holly Meade. They have authored several other books together, includingIn the Wild(Candlewick, 2010) and On the Farm (Candlewick, 2008). The book In the Sea is written about various animals of the ocean habitat through short poems. The illustrations are created through wood block cut prints and create a bold visual. Reading all three of these selections are a distinct style of writing. This collection can also be used to illustrate the writing traits of voice and presentation.
2.The Beetle Book Written and Illustrated by Steve Jenkins (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2012)
I have blogged on several occasions about my appreciation of author and illustrator Steve Jenkins. I enjoy his works so much because of his talent to write about nonfiction in an engaging manner. Like his other books, there is nothing dry or stiff about how he imparts knowledge on these six legged creatures. Here is an excerpt: "The mottled tortoise beetle uses its oversize wing casings like a turtle's shell, tucking its head and legs underneath when danger threatens."
This book can be used in a variety of ways for teaching. The sample sentence given above shows how Jenkins is quite talented with his uses of comparisons and analogies in order to help the young reader visualize a specific breed that they are most likely not familiar with. The text lends itself well to teaching examples of the writing trait of word choice, with the use of words like "threatens," "casings," and "tucking." You can also use the book to highlight how to have an effective lead in writing. He opens up his book with this powerful idea: "Line up every kind of plant and animal on Earth, and one of every four will be a beetle." That opening is effective in illustrating the impact beetles have in our lives, whether we realize it or not! :)
3. Outside Your Window: A First Book of Nature Written by Nicola Davies and Illustrated by Mark Hearld (Candlewick, 2012) Nicola Davies is a noted author of numerous highly appealing nonfiction trade books, including Bat Loves the Night (Candlewick, 2001) and One Tiny Turtle (Candlewick, 2005) You can read more about her work one of my previous posts. In this offering, Davies provides a collection of nature-inspired poetry that will perk the interests of any creature-loving child. The poems are presented by grouping them with appropriate seasons.
This book would be wonderful as an example of a hybrid nonfiction text (a text that is nonfiction, but in a format that is not cut and dry.) Also, the traits of word choice and presentation could be nicely supported with this picture book. Being able to write about nature and observations through poetry certainly exemplifies how to carefully select choice words to support written expression. I would also recommend using this book as a mentor text for "making the ordinary extraordinary" and "exploding a moment." Davies would make for a fantastic and engaging author study as well! Here is the link to Nicola's blog and her website for you to further explore her work. Also, here's a bonus clip that you can share with students straight from Nicola Davies herself. She shares about the magic of discovery and exploring!
4.
Secrets of the GardenWritten by Katherine Weinder Zoehfield and Illustrated by Priscilla Lamont (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2012)
This book by Zoehfield layers information in an engaging way! There are aspects such as speech bubbles and very scientifically speaking chickens which give more facts beyond the central story line. It lends itself to be read more than one time, once as a story and again as an informational reference. It is fantastic to use with studies of food chains, life cycles, and school garden habitats.
Be sure to check out the Google books preview of the text. You can visit Katherine Weinder Zoehfield's Amazon.com author page here to see the more than 60 books that she has authored. I bet you will find some familiar favorites here! Also, you can explore the official website for Priscilla Lamont here. 5. Over and Under the Snow Written by Kate Messner and Illustrated by Chris Salas Neal (Chronicle Books, October 2011)
Messner's book Over and Under the Snow shares "a secret kingdom under the snow" with readers. The book starts out as a wondering of a child as her and her father go skiing in the snow. This
book can be used as a text which provides an example of comparing and
contrasting things in a story. Children can easily think of what visibly
happens above the ground when winter and snows arrive, but this book
opens children's minds to what happens in what scientists call the "subnivean zone" underground.
This text is the winner of the Golden Kite Award from the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI.) You can read their interview with Kate Messner on the official SCBWI blog here. She shares how she brainstormed about this book on the back of an attendance sheet while on a bus going home from a field trip with her 7th graders when she was a teacher. That is the perfect kind of antidote to share with budding young authors about how seed ideas are everywhere, just waiting to be cultivated and grow! You can follow Kate Messner is a variety of ways online. She can be found on Twitter, Facebook, email, or snail mail. Messner also Skypes with groups and schools, and maintains a page on her website where she gives information on authors who will Skype for free to schools and classrooms! How wonderful is that? She keeps a current blog as an author where you can find out more about her thoughts and work. Be sure to check out her advice for writing on her website as well. It is wonderful to share with students when investigating of her author's craft skills. 6. Creep and Flutter: The Secret World of Insects and SpidersWritten and Illustrated by: Jim Arnoksky (Sterling Children's Books, 2012) Author and illustrator Jim Arnosky has been a prolific author and illustrator of books about nature for many years. This book is fourth in a series for Sterling Children's Books, and there are over 200 spiders and insects featured throughout the book. The books in this series are in a larger format and have fold out page spreads. Previous books in the series include: Thunderbirds: Nature's Flying Predators (Sterling, 2011), Slither and Crawl: Eye to Eye with Reptiles (Sterling, 2009) and Wild Tracks: A Guide to Nature's Footprints (Sterling, 2008). These larger, highly appealing illustrators are great gateway books into Arnosky's collection as an author. He has a variety of books, most of which appear as if you are looking directly in his sketchbook. Arnosky makes for a great author study to review the traits of presentation, organization, and voice in nonfiction writing.
If you haven't explored Jim Arnosky's Crinkleroot books, check out the website devoted just to this character and his nature adventures. Arnosky's cleverly drawn books are a feast for any young naturalist!
7. Nasty Bugs Poems Selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins and Illustrated by Will Terry (Dial, 2012)
In this latest collection of poems, Lee Bennett Hopkins showcases the sometimes yucky (but always intriguing) world of creepy crawly bugs. There are 16 poems from authors such as J. Patrick Lewis, Douglas Florian, and Marilyn Singer.
Lee Bennett Hopkins keeps a blog and a wonderful, comprehensive website that will show you to more of his fabulous compilations. You can read more about Lee Bennett Hopkins in a previous post from my blog as well. In that post, I highlight his work with poetry and how you can explore his work with your students.
Here is a sampling of a poem Hopkins penned himself entitled, "Ode to a Dead Mosquito":
8. Sounds of the Wild: Forest Written and Illustrated by: Maurice Pledger (Silver Dolphin Books, 2012)
This book is an installment in a series by Maurice Pledger. He is a renowned nature artist who does extraordinarily realistic drawings. The series includes titles on other topics such as birds, the jungle, nighttime, bugs, and the ocean. This book on various forest habitats is extra special because it is a wonderful pop up book that includes animal sound effects! That makes this book appealing even to the most reluctant reader. There are five different types of forest habitats showcased in full panoramic spreads throughout Europe and North America.
Author and illustrator Molly Bang, in partnership with friend-scientist Penny Chisholm, created a vibrantly illustrated picture book. This book can be shared as a companion text to Living Sunlight: How Plants Bring the Earth to Life (Blue Sky Press, 2009). Since Chisholm's scientific passion is studying phytoplankton, that gave this book its niche topic. Bang shares on her website that this book took about a year and a half to complete and they made 134 drafts of the book! I think sharing such struggles with students shows them that determination with revision is worth the effort because everyone needs to polish their first attempts. Check out the starred review of Ocean Sunlight on Publishers Weekly and a fantastic interview with Bang and Chisholm which was featured on the Horn Book website in July.
10. Gem Written and Illustrated by Holly Hobbie (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2012)
Holly Hobbie is well known for her Holly Hobbie artwork, as well as the seven book collection of Toot and Puddle picture books. With the book Gem, Hobbie introduces the main idea of the book on the book cover preview: "Look carefully. There may be a gem in your garden." From the inside flap, Hobbie discloses how she found the inspiration for this idea and concept. She wondered about the journey a frog had to take in the spring time. That is a great example to illustrate the trait of ideas and how to zoom in on a topic.
I hope that you have discovered a few books that have peeked your interest! :) I look forward to delving into the other blogs that have also participated in this annual blog round-up. Currently, there are over 60 other bloggers who have posted lists as well! You can follow people that are sharing about August 10 for 10 by searching Twitter with the hash tag #pb10for10. You can also find Mandy and Cathy's compiled collection of August 10 for 10 on their Jog the Web collection for 2012. Bookmark this Jog the Web list to quickly refer to the over 60 blogs that have generously shared their book recommendations to help rejuvenate your use of children's trade book literature. Enjoy the 2012-13 school year everyone! Here's to a wonderful, inspired start to your year!
Read Across America Day is here! The birthday of The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss will be celebrated across our country on March 2. It is officially sponsored by the National Education Association (NEA.) You can visit the link here for ideas. If you are on Facebook, there is a page from NEA dedicated to the day as well. You can find the official Dr. Seuss Books page on Facebook, too. Also, Read Across America Day from the NEA is on Twitter.
Do you have a special person coming to read to your class? It can be
anyone from a parent, a fellow teacher, administrator, a regular
volunteer, or a special member of the community. Our Mayor, Clyde
Haulmanm and our Vice-Mayor, Paul Freiling, are among 15 special visitors scheduled to
visit our school on March 2! We are so happy to host them all! I will take plenty of photos (that do not identify children) to share after the event. I will also show pics of cute Dr. Seuss themed projects, writing pieces, and decorations.
More To Explore:
Be sure to follow me on Pinterest and check out my board for Dr. Seuss projects, websites, and creative ideas for Read Across America and Dr. Seuss's birthday! (pinterest.com/wmsbg301)
Dr. Seuss Official Website: Visit Seussville for fun inspired by the classic books from Dr. Seuss. The teacher page also can give you a fun inspiration or two during these cold winter months. :)
For older kids, you can share Hooray for Diffendoofer Day(Knopf
Books for Young Readers, 1998). This text was created from work of Dr.
Seuss and completed by the duo of Jack Prelutsky and Lane Smith. A neat
feature of the text is the additional information provided about the
book's creation after the end of the story. Here is a lesson plan
of ideas to use with this book provided on the Dr. Seuss site. I have a
copy available to borrow! Of course, I have a big collection of Dr.
Seuss's classics that I'm happy to lend out, too. :)
Happy Read Across America Day everyone!
Dr. Denise Johnson of the College of William and Mary Shared Hooray for Diffendoofer Day in 2011.
