Sunday, December 4, 2016

It's Monday! Hurrah!



         Visit Jen at Teach MentorTexts and Kellee and Ricki at UnleashingReaders to see what they've been reading, along with everyone else who link up. I'm still reading for the Cybils poetry, round one. I'm sharing some of those nominees today and a few more.

         It's a verse novel, not-to-be-missed read aloud about bullying! Jason Parker, Japanese-American lives in a small seaside town with his parents who teach. He has to do sixth grade again because of different rules, but his age doesn't help him be any safer from bullies who want the power over him. This verse novel with a strong voice leads us into Jason's story with so many tense moments, showing Jason's courage and strong wish to learn to be calm. I kept wanting help the teacher "see". Jason keeps quiet and hopes too that the teacher notices how terrible he's being treated. He has friends, but they only can help after school. The book gives a glimpse of this culture and traditions, the wise and the different ways from here in America. There are good developed characters that Jason counts on, too. The poetry/prose tells just what the reader wants to know in lean wording and both lovely and harsh images. Here is one sample from a night experiencing a typhoon: "Cora comes up to my bunk/and in the typhoon night/things rattle, crash/smash, slam/and groan." There’s a glossary, a cultural guide & further resources about bullying. Reading aloud with a group will bring questions and conversation that hopefully will help those who feel alone and unsafe
         Read carefully, preferably out loud! And you will love the wonder and celebration of this new discovery. My granddaughters speak their own language all the time and love this book. Maybe it's really for the young ones, or for others if you remember your own secret languages?



       There are surprises in store in this story and in its presentation. Good to see conflict solved so beautifully!

      Everyone needs to read the 'hat' books, but this one needs some teasing out of the message, and perhaps there is more than one? It's wonderful, no surprise, and I adored the use of just the eyes to hint at what's really going on.

            From “Jack and Jill” to “Old King Cole”, Jane Yolen and Rebecca Kai Dotlich offer new points of view of characters from fourteen well-known nursery rhymes. The poems are short and long, cleverly written in different forms, using free verse and rhyme. The poems fit the old stories cleverly with new points of view, like learning the loving comments from the shoe or the delights of summer living in the shoe in “There Was An Old Woman Who Lived In A Shoe”. Also, both poets’ words show a sweet and sympathetic Old King Cole on that rhyme’s pages, one from his daughter and one from the fiddle. And haven’t all of us always felt this character was happy and jolly? It is a book that may serve as a mentor text for examining point of view. Children might need to re-read the original nursery rhymes in order to more thoroughly love these poems. The original rhymes each are given at the back of the book, plus brief summaries of their history. Finally, Angela Matteson’s illustrations splash around the poems with lovely emotions and action. Whether happiness or anger or surprise, she helps us SEE the poems as we read the poets’ words. 
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I also want to share a few books I've received thanks to the generosity of Candlewick Press. These seem destined to be marvelous gifts for just the right person! I shared non-fiction books last Wednesday here!

 


      Very sweet, the perfect gift for a new baby. This is the twentieth-anniversary edition and it is gorgeous, of course with all those Rosemary Wells illustrations.


       And, another new expanded anniversary edition of A Monster Calls includes the original book with its amazing story and illustrations, plus interviews and information from the making of the movie.




       It's a gift edition just published in the U.S. Inspired by Marius Petipa’s sets for the original production of the ballet. It has a surprise pop-up finale.






     For those of you who might have grown up with Where's Waldo books, here's a new way to look, through coloring the pages and looking for Waldo! It's a different look from other coloring books I've seen, and looks like lots of fun.



This is one gorgeous pop-up book that wows on every page. It's the traditional story, special to read, and amazing to see Sabuda's pop-ups. Below is a video of the work. 



Next: More books for the Cybil's nominees and I've started The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald, an adult book just for me!

26 comments:

  1. CYBILS reading! Phew! Lots and lots to read!!!!! I haven't read DRAGON'S MOUTH yet. I'm looking forward to break, hoping I can spend a day reading picture books!

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    1. I'm plugging away, but it's challenging, don't see how you all who are working full time are managing. They're all good, too! Enjoy Dragon's Mouth!

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  2. I am very curious about Du Iz Tak. I haven't been able to get my hands on it yet. I have heard only good things about it, but it seems so unusual to me. I guess I'll have to read it for myself! Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Du Iz Tak? is very interesting, Lisa. If I didn't know about my granddaughters talking in their own silly language, I'm not sure I'd "get it" at all. Will be interested to see what you think!

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  3. That is some cover on Falling into the Dragon'S Mouth. I will definitely add it to my TBR list. I loved We Found a Hat and all of Robert Sabuda's books are so delightful. I will need to add Grumbles from the Town to my traditional and fractured tales unit. Thanks!

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    1. Reading a new story of a different way that bullying happens was interesting in Falling into the Dragon'S Mouth. This time it's the American in a classroom of another country. Hope you enjoy it!

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  4. There's a Where's Waldo coloring book?!? My mother who is an avid colorer will probably die laughing about this one. Falling into the Dragons Mouth sounds like something I will have to pick up to read. You've got a really great list!

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    1. Thanks, you may have just found a great gift for your mom! Falling into the Dragon'S Mouth is well worth reading! Hope you find some here to enjoy!

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  5. Thanks for the heads up about the mother goose book. I'm creating lists of books for when I am finally a grandmother. I think I'm going to have to collect all of Klassen's Hat series and reading them at the same time. I have a copy of A Monster Calls, but haven't read it. I guess I better find it...

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    1. This Mother Goose is a terrific one for your list, Cheriee. I would also add Lullaby and Kisses Sweet. It's another good one. A Monster Calls is sad, but a story that needs to be told, too. I hope you like it. Thanks!

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  6. This is definitely my favorite Flora book--maybe because of that crazy gorgeous fold-out spread. I'm looking forward to getting my hands on Du Iz Tak. I saw it on display at NCTE and should have stopped to read it but I was so loaded down by bags of books, I just couldn't manage it. Ah well. I was worried that the last hat book wouldn't live up to my ridiculously high expectations, but it did--even though it was very different than I was expecting. I'm looking forward to sharing with students next semester.

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    1. My granddaughter loves that Flora book, and the end is spectacular, I agree. It'll be interesting to see what you think of Du Iz Tak! It is certainly innovative! Thanks, Elisabeth!

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  7. Thanks for letting us know about The Mother Goose Book - Sounds like a great text to add to our collection of nursery rhymes. Falling into the Dragon's Mouth also sounds like an important book to foster conversations about kindness. Thank you for sharing so many powerful titles.

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    1. You're welcome! This Mother Goose book has large illustrations, just fun by Rosemary Wells. Falling into the Dragon's Mouth is well worth a look!

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  8. Falling Into The Dragon's Mouth Looks awesome! I'll have to check it out sometime soon! You've got a fun round-up of picture books this week!

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    1. Thanks, Jana. If you do a read aloud with Falling into the Dragon's Mouth, I hope you'll share how it goes.

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  9. Just added Falling into the Dragon's Mouth to my TBR. I hadn't heard of it, and it sounds awesome! I spy some really beautiful picture books on your list!

    Happy reading this week :)

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    1. Thanks, Kellee, hope you enjoy Falling into the Dragon's Mouth. I liked it a lot. We are lucky to have so many pbs available to us!

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  10. Really curious about Falling into the Dragon's Mouth, thanks! A Monster Calls wrecked me - not sure I could handle it as a movie.

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    1. I hope you enjoy Falling into the Dragon's Mouth. I agree about A Monster Calls, but thought it was very well done. I'm not sure about the movie, but this edition is a beautiful one.

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  11. We Found a Hat is on my desk, and I'm so intrigued by Du Iz Tak? Falling Into the Dragon's Mouth sounds like a must-have for middle school. Thanks so much for sharing these, Linda!

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    1. You're welcome, Catherine. All are tantalizing in their own special way I think. Hope you find some favorites among them.

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  12. I love the look of the Special Collectors Edition of A Monster Calls. I haven't watched the movie yet, hopefully soon.

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    1. Maybe someday I will watch. I loved the novel, but it wasn't an easy read. This edition is very nice, Myra. Thanks!

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  13. Falling Into the Dragon's Mouth is one I will have to get. I have read other books by Holly Thompson and enjoyed them. So many great books!

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    1. I enjoyed it a lot, Crystal. It's a terrific turnabout of who's the bully, who's being bullied. Thanks!

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