April, Poetry Month - Day 27 - Books!

 

        The bookmark, on top of the picture above, came into the bookstore at the end of March. Often people do donate books and leave 'treasures' in them. This time, it became my own treasure and I knew what I would do for April's poetry, write about found treasures, perhaps find new places to look? Happy April!

Plus! Check each day for the added line to the Progressive Poem, created by Irene Latham, now hosted by Margaret Simon! The link is to the right!  

How could I not write about. . . 

        BOOKS!

 

I call it book, others might

name it opus, primer, scroll

 

nevertheless, for each

 

enticing, like cake icing

leaflet, treatise, omnibus

no matter what, they reach

 

satisfactory paperback,

tract and periodical  

 

                                                                              no matter what, they teach

                                                                                                        Linda Baie ©

Celebrating Courage

      Celebrating today with Ruth Ayres and others who share. 

           It was a bookish kind of week. Actually, I guess most are! I helped a friend choose many used books at the bookstore to finish decorating her house for listing on a 'vacation' site. It was fun! We chose books that might be interesting for someone from out of town, short stories that they might enjoy reading just one, and some 'just right' picture books for kids visiting, too. The grand girls came on Tuesday together and we made a first stop at the library to choose a few books they wanted. Imogene found two books she already knew from school: Here Comes Teacher Cat and Niko Draws A Feeling. Ingrid is very into graphic novels and found a short one she had time to read in the brief time they were with me: The Amazing Crafty Cat, full of ideas for projects! I always celebrate books!

          But today, I'm celebrating courage. I had cataract surgery Thursday morning. My daughter took me and spent the rest of the day and night, and I had the first post-op Friday am. Perhaps I've never admitted it, but I don't like being ill at all. Yes, I do all the required appointments, but I've put this off for a couple of years. It still wasn't very bad, I could have waited again, yet I knew it was a needed thing and the doctor said it would be better earlier. So I gritted my teeth and planned it. And it's over, and I'm celebrating. I have some things to do this week like drops, etc. I will have more post-op appointments. It is already improving. I'm elated that it's behind me instead of in front of me. Whew! Celebrating feels very good indeed! 

No matter when I'm always imagining. I
don't know what this machine is for, but
took a picture because it reminded me
of R2D2, thought it might just wake
up and start beeping at me!

Celebrating Good Times

          Celebrating with Ruth Ayres at Discover Play Build.  and connecting with others who share their celebrations, too. It's fun to see the week through these eyes, finding what is wonderful each day.  

         My son, daughter-in-law are here this weekend, but spending the day with friends today so I have time to write. The good to celebrate this week including fun, family, a surprise book and lovely flowers blooming in my garden. I'm writing every day, and enjoying that, too. I hope you're having a great holiday weekend however you spend this particular time. 

Found at the bookstore, a surprise story of a mouse
and her survival from the poet Wendell Berry, whose
poetry I love, but didn't know about this lovely story.

Imogene and I went to our museum of nature and science
to experience the robot exhibition. Below shows her
built robot. She is guiding it by keeping her hand close.
I was amazed that she figured it out, needing certain parts,
like a battery and a transformer, she used the pictures
given to construct it. This and other hands-on parts were
amazing. She and I even played tic tac toe with a robot!

It's Monday!

          It's Monday! What are you Reading? is hosted by Jen at TEACH.MENTOR.TEXTS, and shared with Ricki and Kellee at UNLEASHING READERS.   

         And, also visit Sheila at BOOK JOURNEYS for more reviews. 

 Tweet! at #IMWAYR

         I finished a few books this week, all great reads, and others are waiting.  I'm going to the NCTE convention this Wednesday, and while I may not finish many books, I imagine I'll add to the TBR pile!

           I reviewed this book last Friday.  

Look here for my review last Friday.

Pieces of Georgia – written by Jen Bryant

           I won this book from Jen Bryant weeks ago.  I knew Jen’s work from her wonderful picture book biography  A Splash of Red, so was excited to receive another book by her.   Published in 2006, sorry I missed it, but I enjoyed this thoroughly.  It’s a verse novel, a ‘Just” thirteen year old girl named Georgia whose mother died years ago, and who lives with her construction worker dad in a trailer parked on a ranch.  In exchange for chores around the farm, they are allowed to live there.  This book is one of the quietest books I’ve read in a long time, a marvelous story to savor.  The story is told through Georgia’s eyes, to her deceased mother, written in a journal given by a counselor at school.  Georgia is already a gifted artist and that important gift weaves itself into the story because sometimes she has to hide it!  Her mother too was an artist and it makes Georgia’s dad sad to see her drawing too.  There are so many good relationships, Georgia’s  time with the counselor, the art teacher and the school nurse, her best friend Tiffany, with the horses and her dog on the ranch, her newfound discovery of the Wyeth art at a local museum, and of course, with her dad.  Slowly, they learn to mend their grieving in good ways “together”.   

Recent Good Reads!

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is hosted by Jen at TEACH.MENTOR.TEXTS.  And shared with Ricki and Kellee at UNLEASHING READERS.  These sites host a meme where many link up to share the book's reading the week previous.  It's always fun to visit other's sites to hear what they're reading!  And, also visit Sheila at BOOK JOURNEYS that offers more reviews of all kinds of books, adult and children. 
           Don't forget to tweet!  #IMWAYR

Announcing!  Cathy Mere (Reflect and Refine) and Mandy Robek (Enjoy and Embrace Learning) host a favorite PB(picture books) 10 for 10 sharing on Aug. 10th-amazing sharing, your lists will grow!


And-Kellee and Ricki (of Unleashing Readers above) served on the award committee for 2013 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Book Award for Young Adult Fiction.  You can read about the winners and the honor awards here on the ALAN site.  The winner is The Fault In Our Stars by John Green.  I'm happy to say that Endangered by Eliot Schrefer (reviewed below) is a finalist!

Chapter Books

            Beholding Bee – written by Kimberley Newton Fusco

            It’s not an easy thing to tell about a story without telling you ‘all’ of the story, especially when it’s as sweet and satisfying as this one was.  For all the children who feel “different”, who are ridiculed even by those who only stare, this is a book to treasure.  We follow the strong protagonist, Beatrice (Bee), who lives with Pauline in the back of a hauling truck as they work for a traveling carnival during World War II.  And Bee is allowed to stay because she has a diamond-shaped birthmark that covers a big part of her face, and Ellis the carny owner has big plans to ‘show’ her when she gets older.  Pauline is caring for Bee because her parents were killed in a car accident when she was very young. For an eleven year old, Bee has already had a number of tough things happen to her, but also some good things.  Pauline is a thoughtful young woman who makes you feel good that she actually decided to take the responsibility for raising a child.       

Blog Launch-Celebrate Unleashing Readers!

        It’s Launch Week!  I’m here to celebrate a new blog, Unleashing Readers, created by Kellee Moye and Ricki Ginsberg.  They have such great plans for us readers:  to have a varied literature focus, helping teachers find books for specific purposes in the classroom.  As the blog adds information, it will be easy to search for exact needs, to find helpful ideas for a variety of goals.  Today, I’m going to add my thoughts in the categories Unleashing Readers will share with their readers in the future.  One thing you need to know is that I taught gifted middle school students in a mixed classroom of 11 to 14 year olds.  I now am the literacy coach in the school, but today will focus only on my experience with the middle-schoolers.

          Since we’re doing favorites today, I’ll also share a favorite reading quote:

        I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves.

                                                                          ~ Anna Quindlen

Love The Library!

I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.      Groucho Marx

         It's Monday! What are you Reading? is hosted by Jen and Kellee at TEACH.MENTOR.TEXTS.  Lots of great books here, as well as in another meme hosted by Sheila at BOOK JOURNEYS.

         REMEMBER:  Use the hashtag #IMWAYR to share on twitter!

        I love the library one block from my new home.  I can drop in on my way home from anywhere to discover what's new, along with having books from other libraries sent over within a few days.  We are lucky to have libraries and I'd like to give a big shout 'HURRAH"  for mine!

Starry River of The Sky – Grace Lin

         A beautiful story of a young boy Rendi who has run away from his unhappy home and finds himself working at a small village inn, the small village of  Clear Sky.  He observes that all is not exactly okay there, like the moon is missing.  Rendi keeps saying he will leave as soon as a guest comes so he can sneak a ride on the guest’s cart.  Well, a mysterious guest does come, a storyteller who, throughout the book, relates stories to help all who are there understand what is going on.  Grace Lin weaves/re-tells Chinese folk tales in between telling about the inhabitants of the inn.  The illustrations, also by Lin, are gorgeous.   This would be a terrific read aloud.  

Fabulous Books This Week!

Jen and Kellee host this kidlit meme at TEACH.MENTOR.TEXTS.  Join us to see what we're all reading.

          It's Monday! What are you Reading? is another meme hosted by Sheila at BOOK JOURNEYS that offers reviews of all kinds of books.  

        If you’re on Twitter, use the hashtag #IMWAYR when sharing your link!

        Charles Dickens said, "There are books of which the backs and covers are by far the best parts."   This week, however, it isn't true at all, and I'm only trying to catch your attention to the gorgeous covers on the books I read.  They really are pretty.  

Bear Has A Story To Tell – by Philip C. Stead, illus. by Erin E. Stead

This has to be one of the most beautiful picture books I’ve read in a while.  Bear is getting ready to go to sleep and goes to his friends to tell them a final story before hibernating.  He meets a mouse, a duck, a frog and a mole, all too busy to listen.  What happens next will be left to discover.  The illustrations are beautiful, spare watercolors, giving the animals such sweet expressions.  Each whimsical spread shows both the friendships and the waiting for spring.

Variety Is The Spice of Books, Too!

This post connects to TEACH.MENTOR.TEXTS hosted by Jen and Kellee.  Here you will find many books to put on your TBR lists.  

          It's Monday! What are you Reading? is another meme hosted by Sheila at BOOK JOURNEYS where many others share Kidlit and adult books read.          

           If you’re on Twitter, use the hashtag#IMWAYR when sharing your link!

Poopendous! – Artie Bennett, illustrated by Mike Moran

            This seems to be my year for examining poop, as I discovered and loved the book Poop Happened by Sarah Albee a few weeks ago.  This time, I have had the pleasure of reading a picture book by Artie Bennett, writer of The Butt Book, about “rear ends in all their variety”.  It appears that Artie thinks often that the ends of things are just as good as the beginnings.  His latest book is funny, interesting, and beautifully fits younger children’s interests (and giggles) about poop. 

Busy Week-Good Books Kept Me Entertained

 Jen and Kellee host this kidlit meme at TEACH.MENTOR.TEXTS.  Join them and the other bloggers who are sharing what they are reading.

          It's Monday! What are you Reading? is another meme hosted by Sheila at BOOK JOURNEYS that offers reviews of all kinds of books.  

        If you’re on Twitter, use the hashtag #IMWAYR when sharing your link!

       It's been such a crazy busy week.  As I posted last Tuesday, I am trying to buy a new house.  Although I have been thinking about it, I really wasn't planning this day to find this wonderful place close to work, close to a library (hurrah) and close to my daughter and her family.  Now I've made the offer, applied for the loan, had the inspection and am proceeding...  Paperwork, paperwork!  I should be in by the holidays.  I've been in my current home for 34 years and have quite a lot to do before putting it up for sale.  Choices, choices!  So, now, I will be on the lookout for the absolute best books in both de-cluttering and feng shui, for just the right touch.  Any recommendations?

       Finally, once all this is over, and I manage to get to January, I will spend the rest of the winter reading, reading, reading!  

       Here is what I managed last week:  

Mr. Putter & Tabby Pour The Tea – Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Arthur Howard

       I'm reading my way through some early readers, and picked this one up because it's written by Cynthia Rylant. It is a lovely story of a lonely older man and his slow move toward cat ownership. This Mr. Putter has a nice life, but no one with whom to share special everyday things, like muffins or tea. He does finally choose an old shelter cat, and the rest of the book tells of a relationship that becomes closer and closer. In the end, Mr. Putter realizes that he has someone to share his life, not just muffins. Sweet story!

Who I Saw - And What I Read

 This post connects to TEACH.MENTOR.TEXTS hosted by Jen and Kellee.  Come check out all the terrific reviews by others.  

          It's Monday! What are you Reading? is another meme hosted by Sheila at BOOK JOURNEYS where many others share Kidlit and adult books read.          

           If you’re on Twitter, use the hashtag#IMWAYR when sharing your link!

          It doesn't get much better than to meet the author of amazing books, one of which just published and which I'm already reading.  Yes, I had the wonderful privilege of seeing Maggie Stiefvater with one of her writing group partners, Brenna Yovanoff (author of The Replacement and The Space Between.)                   

Good Discoveries This Week!

This post connects to a kidlit meme hosted by Jen and Kellee at TEACH.MENTOR.TEXTS.  Come link to their blog to check out all the terrific reviews by others.  

          It's Monday! What are you Reading? is another meme hosted by Sheila at BOOK JOURNEYS where many others share Kidlit and adult books read.

           If you’re on Twitter, use the hashtag#IMWAYR when sharing your link!

     I didn't find time to finish a long book this week because of time and because I received The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater and stopped reading my other books to start it.  So far, good beginning!  I did manage one audio book and some picture books, new and old, some fun and some maybe's.  

True (…Sort Of by Katherine Hannigan 

          All right then… Those words are used so sweetly in this book that I needed to begin with them.  They wrap the story around us, the readers, like a hug.  And then there is a whole new vocabulary, like Deli-icious and Chisel (an un-cuss word), or SurPresent, a gift one is surprised by.  I listened to this book during the past two weeks. The main character, Delly Pattison is a pre-teen with a temper who is constantly getting in trouble, and it seemed to be a long while before things started to move.  The Boyd family comes to town, and that is when different things happen, most often good.  Perhaps if I had read the print book, I would have hurried through those early pages in order to find the real story, which involved another girl who didn’t speak, a boy with a stutter, Deli’s sweet little brother CB, and a bully.  One crisis happened and then a final one, but this young woman, Deli, who was so mischievous, turned out to be a lovely and thoughtful person whose words brought tears.  It is a book that could be a good read aloud, so that the early mischief could be discussed and then those subtle turnings--that the author wrote beautifully--could be a good experience for the class.  Much to discuss in all the book! 

Book Discoveries- Um, um, good!

This post is part of a kidlit meme hosted by Jen and Kellee at TEACH.MENTOR.TEXTS.  Come link to their blog to check out all the terrific reviews by others.  

          It's Monday! What are you Reading? is another meme hosted by Sheila at BOOK JOURNEYS where many others share all kinds of books they are reading.

           If you’re on Twitter, use the hashtag #IMWAYR when sharing your link!

My Name Is Bilal      by Asma Mobin-Uddin, illus. by Barbara Kiwak

There aren't many picture books that I have found that include background cultural history of Muslim children and the challenges faced today by doing things different than the other kids in school. This is a book that does just that. It is a good story of two US born kids who change schools and find they seem to be the only Muslims. There is a bullying incident, a lesson learned and a good ending. I am less positive about the ending because it seemed too quick to be realistic. Yet, the book offers good opportunities for conversation and learning. The illustrations are well done, realistic acrylic painting I think.

Stitchin' and Pullin': A Gee's Bend Quilt - Patricia C. McKissack, illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera

I recently read and loved Leaving Gee's Bend by Irene Latham, a book that shows a different background than the usual discovery and resulting museum displays about the community of Gee's Bend. This picture book, illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera, is beautifully done, giving just enough of the story to help us become more interested in the intriguing story of the people of Gee's Bend and of the quilts they created. It tells of rites of passage as well as traditions, of loving homes and legacies.

Good Books Make My Days

Jen and Kellee host this kidlit meme at TEACH.MENTOR.TEXTS.  If you want to read about good books, come look.

          It's Monday! What are you Reading? is another meme hosted by Sheila at BOOK JOURNEYS where many others share all kinds of books they are reading.

If you’re on Twitter, use the hashtag #IMWAYR when sharing your link!

Dead End In Norvelt by Jack Gantos

       I listened to Jack Gantos read this, his Newbery winner that treats history like a winner, too. It took me a while to enter into the story, but I soon realized the deeper meaning Gantos was telling us readers. It's a coming of age, pay-attention-to-the-past, crazy story about a boy named Jack, his neighbor down the road charged by Eleanor Roosevelt herself to take care of the town and Jack's Parents so at odds with each other, but still so loving. Spicy mixtures make good stories, and this will make the taste buds tickle.

Anne Frank, The Anne Frank House Authorized Graphic Biography by Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon

 

       It's hard to believe one can like a book that offers information I've already known. This graphic story brings everyone to life differently, from the artist's view, and I loved how each frame revealed another aspect of this family's story, and also more about Anne. A favorite book is still the one by Miep Gies, who served as the link to the outside, but this is now number two.

Books Rarely Disappoint

Jen and Kellee host this kidlit meme atTEACH.MENTOR.TEXTS.  If you want to read about good books, come look.

          It's Monday! What are you Reading? is another meme hosted by Sheila at BOOK JOURNEYS where many others share all kinds of books they are reading.

        If you’re on Twitter, use the hashtag #IMWAYR when sharing your link!

Small As An Elephant by Jennifer Richard Jacobson

        The story is similar to One For The Murphys by Linda Lullaly Hunt.  It is poignant, about eleven year old boy Jack whose mother cannot care for him, yet does love him very much. It is also filled with danger, and a constant reader’s anxiety for Jack.   His mother makes bad parental choices because she is bi-polar, and evidently has during much of the boy’s young life, we learn as he tries to figure out the memories he has during what he calls her ‘spinning’ times.  The story shows that this time, however, she has gone too far, and leaves him in a campground while they’re on vacation.  He is determined to return home (Massachusetts from Maine), but through his mis-adventures, actually is able to figure out some truths about his life.  The elephant connection threads its way through the story in different events that have been memorable to Jack.  If only children in crisis could figure out that they are not alone, as these words say in the final pages of the book:  “All along the way, Jack realized, he had never really been alone.  He had been part of a makeshift herd, one that had spread out over miles.  They had communicated with heart sounds that were sometimes so soft, they weren’t always discernible to the ear.  But they had found one another, and they had helped one another.  Just like a true herd.”

Declaration of Interdependence – Janet Wong  

         I was fortunate to have won this book sometime in the summer, but admit that I have not read it all the way through until recently.  The coming election has me looking for good texts to share, and these poems by Janet Wong will certainly be one source for lively discussions and writing in the coming weeks.  She covers so much political territory, both about the importance (We The People) and the craziness of voting (The 2012 Iowa Caucus), the challenge of all working together (The Whole Team) and a favorite (Winners and Losers) which begins “I was excited for a minute--/I thought my guy could win it!”.  And when the poems end, there are numbers of pages with quick-write ideas to craft one’s own poem, and a call to share ideas on the blog site for Declaration of Interdependence.  It’s a terrific anthology for this, our election year.

The Arrow Finds Its Mark, A Book of Found Poems – Georgia Heard, editor, illustrated by Antoine Guilloppé

        I finally read through this cover to cover and found so many ideas to share with students.  What a great idea to empower their observational skills when they read, anywhere!  Wonderful poets that we know and love have used their creative powers to find poems in such places as Facebook (Charles Waters), a lasertag results report (Robyn Hood Black), the book, Drawing On Both Sides of The Brain (Amy Ludwig VanDerwater), and a road sign (Laura Purdie Salas).  Other poets like Georgia Heard,  add their own creative powers too in addition to these wonderful poets who contribute to Poetry Friday.

Books for All Ages!

          Jen and Kellee host this kidlit meme atTEACH.MENTOR.TEXTS.  Join them and the other bloggers who are sharing what they are reading.

          It's Monday! What are you Reading? is another meme hosted by Sheila at BOOK JOURNEYS that offers reviews of all kinds of books.  

        If you’re on Twitter, use the hashtag #IMWAYR when sharing your link!

The Boy Who Loved Words – Roni Schotter, Illus. by Giselle Potter

       "Upon my word!" you may say. "How lucky I am!" are words you would hear from me after reading this book, and you will also see those words a number of times in the book. Roni Schotter tells the story of a young boy who collects words, and notices things for much of his life. He is lonely and feels set apart, but carries on with his word gifts! Words-both beautiful and intriguing-float around the man, pleasing, but not without experiencing loneliness still. At last he hears a lovely song, and thus begins a new part of life, with his wife, but that's the last of the story which I'll let you read. It's a great story, whimsical too, with numerous uses in the writing workshop.

Reading for Others Now!

Jen and Kellee host this kidlit meme at TEACH.MENTOR.TEXTS.  It’s a wonderful group of readers who blog and tell, what they’re reading lately. 

        It's Monday! What are you Reading? is another meme hosted by Sheila at BOOK JOURNEYS that offers reviews of all kinds of books.  There are more reviews to help find that next great book here!

        If you’re on Twitter, use the hashtag #IMWAYR when sharing your link!

And: if you still haven’t looked at the blogs who wrote the 10for10 picture books posts, go to Cathy’s blog Reflect and Refine: Building A Learning Community or Mandy’s at Enjoy And Embrace Learning to find the lists

    Here’s what I’ve read and/or listened to this week, lots of good reading for me this week.  I'm reading as fast as I can so I'll have lots of good recommendations for teachers!

The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall is the beginning of a series I will booktalk and share as much as possible for all those readers who love a good story that includes numerous memorable characters, some loved and some disliked.  Birdsall manages to keep readers on the edge often.  Because I listened to this book read expertly by Susan Denaker, who managed to pull off voices so real I thought there was more than one reader, I found myself sitting in the car more than once until the “dangerous situation” was resolved.  It is a wonderful story for middle readers.

      I was loaned a couple of books by a new teacher I’m working with this year.  Lucky me! 

Planting The Trees of Kenya by Claire A. Nivola is an inspiration, especially for those who are working to make a difference in first steps.  When Maathai returned to her Native Kenya after college in the U.S., she was troubled by the amount of land that had been stripped of trees in order that farmers plant crops to sell.  The result was becoming an economic and personal disaster.  No longer was there good land to grow small gardens to feed one’s family, or close trees from which to gather fallen wood for cooking fires.  Starting with a few trees, Nivola walked the land teaching how to plant trees, especially the sacred fig, and teaching why.  This wonderful story is one that children can easily understand, the beginnings and the resulting successes.  The illustrations are breath-taking.