Check It Out

Tomorrow, October 1, 2009 is a very big day in the Kidlitosphere.  Tomorrow is opening day to nominate your favorite titles in many categories for the 2009 CYBILS.

Last year, I was on the Nonfiction Picture Book committee. Oh my, what a grand experience.  This summer I was honored when contacted to be the organizer for this category.  The panelists and the judges will be announced soon and we are all looking forward to our work.

A title can only be nominated once in a category so be prepared with perhaps your top five  favorites.  You may only nominate one title per category. Be sure to nominate by October 15, 2009.  That’s when nominations close.

Look here for updates.  On February 14, 2010, the winners will be announced.

Happy Reading.

MsMac

This week sitting in meetings has been the order of the day. Next week the students arrive.

I discovered this wonderful poem in Naomi Shihab Nye’s collection, This Same Sky, a Collection of Poems from Around the World:

The Pen
Take a pen in your uncertain fingers.
Trust, and be assured
That the whole world is a sky blue butterfly
And words are the nets to capture it.

–Muhammad al-Ghuzzi
Tunisia

Translated by May Jayusi and John Heath-Snubbs

We should all be fortunate to have students arrive thinking that words are the nets to capture the sky-blue butterflies.

ANNOUNCEMENT:  Do you blog about YA and Children’s books?  The CYBILS Awards are in their fourth year and are looking for judges and panelists for the myriad of categories.  If interested, you can find out more here. 

This yer I am the organizer of the Nonfiction Picture Book (NFPB).  Am excited to serve in this capacity.

Poetry Friday is over at Book Aunt. Thanks, Kate.

Happy Reading.

MsMac

Just yesterday, I checked in the hardcover copy of Blackbringer. It has seen great circulation.  Was it just yesterday that I met Laini? Planned a book party for her?  No,two years ago! Time flies.  Now on May 14, Blackbringer arrives as a paperback in stores.  Yippee!! Here is a re-post of my review:

Faeries of Dreamdark: Blackbringerby Laini Taylor

One word: WOW!! Laini Taylor has delivered a knock out punch with her first novel.

I am a historical fiction type girl. I always want to know about the spark, the event that led the author down the path to write the story.

This is funny because I was all about the faeries, fairy tales, and make believe worlds as a child. I read and re-read Tolkien. Then I switched to a more eclectic approach in my book choices and fantasy got left behind for the most part.

Faeries of Dreamdark: Blackbringerbrings me back to the world of fantasy. I thought that I would read it lickity-split (and I wonder if Laini has been thinking, why is she taking so long to read it). It is a book to savor. And that is exactly what I did. Savor. I didn’t allow myself to rush my reading.

Magpie Windwitch, the faerie, chases after devils that “mannies”or humans have released from bottles. She travels with crows who are both funny and protective of their Magpie. The troop heads to the forest of Dreamdarkwhen the fiercest of the devils, the Blackbringer, must be caught. He really is creepy. I have to tell you, I was at the edge of my seat as I finished the book this afternoon.

Laini’s writing is tight, flowing, and the language rich. From the prologue, when baby Magpie, is blessed by the animals to the end as she and her family of crows and other friends head to the next adventure (can’t wait for the sequel), you, the reader, are mesmerized.  Jim Di Bartolo’s art work and cover conveys a faerie you just don’t want to mess with.

If I hear students saying “flummox me”, “jacksmoke” or “skived”, I won’t be alarmed. I will know they have pick up some great vocabulary from this book.  

Happy Reading.

MsMac

 A big box of books arrived on my doorstep a couple of weeks ago.  Among a new poetry book by Lee Bennett Hopkins, the sequel to The Library Mouse, and others was a new nonfiction book on dinosaurs.  What is it about dinosuars that children love the subject so?

Dinosaurs in Your Backyard The Coolest, Scariest Creatures Ever Found in the USA is written by Hugh Brewster and illustrated by Alan Barnard. The book is chock full of interesting facts about dinosaurs only found on the North American continent.

Did you know that more than 85 different kinds of dinosaurs have been found in North America? Do you know what New England state has fossilized footprints called Eubrontes? (Connecticut) Have you heard of the Gorgosaurus? This dinosaur matched the viciousness of T.rex.   The book details many dinosaurs from  the sea monster types to the  bird types.

The book has a nice combination of text, illustrations, charts, and photos.  Bernard’s illustrations draws the reader along with the photos of the fossils and skeletons from a variety of Canadian museums.

The book includes a timeline, a pronunciation guide (I need that), glossary and index.  A bonus is a listing of where readers can visit to see dinosaurs.  Plan your summer trip now.  Dinosaur books never sit on the shelves for any length of time.  They do not collect dust.  Neither will this one.

Title: Dinosaurs in Your Backyard The Coolest, Scariest Creatures Ever Found in the USA
Author: Hugh Brewster
Date Published: 2009
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Dinosaur lovers of all ages
Publisher: Abrams Books
ISBN: 978-0-8109-7099-1
Source of Book: Sent by publisher.

Pam at Mother Reader is rounding up the nonfiction today.
Happy Reading.

MsMac

“I want to do it because I want to do it.  Women must try to do things as men have tried.
When they fail, their failure must be but a challenge to others.~~Amelia Earhart

March is Women’s History Month. What better way is there to celebrate than to take a look at a book that was nominated for the CYBILS in the Nonfiction Picture Book category (and I believe we ended up moving it because of the text difficulty to middle grade nonfiction)?

Amelia Earhart, the Legend of the Lost Aviator by Shelley Tanaka is a great addition to the biography section of any library. The main focus of the book is her career as an aviator from her first flight to her disappearance in the South Pacific.

The book is rich in archival photos, quotes, time lines, and an extensive resources at the end including the index.  The color illustrations are an added bonus and bring the text to life.  It is a book that will appeal to those readers in the upper elementary grades and beyond.  I can see teachers using portions with students to model think alouds and determining importance. 

This book demonstrates to readers of all ages the importance of following your dream despite the challenges.

Title: Amelia Earhart,The Legends of the Lost Aviator
Author: Shelley Tanaka
Date Published: 2008
Pages: 48
Reading Level: Upper middle grades and beyond
Publisher: Abrams Books
ISBN: 978-0-8109-7095-3
Source of Book: Sent by publisher for CYBILS consideration.

L.L. Owens is hosting Nonfiction Monday here.  See what else is available in the nonfiction world.

Happy Reading.

MsMac

What do these three things have in common?
1. The 2009 Newbery Award: The Graveyard Bookby Neil Gaiman.
2. Email chatter about the Newbery Award winner.
3. “A Dirty Little Secret: Self-Censorship” by Debra Lau Whelan, School Library Journal, February.

They intersect one another. Gaiman’s book, a Newbery winner, once again could be self-censored from elementary school libraries. Why? Because of the opening scene. A scene in which the reader discovers the main character has escaped being murder while he rest of his family does not. A scene that includes a knife.
Shortly after the ALA announcement that The Graveyard Book won the award, emails started flying. Many of which stated, the book would not be purchased for their school. I had not read the book but immediately got my hands on it and devoured it cover to cover.

It seems that many recent Newbery Awards are for middle or high school. But this year, the committee was brave in selecting a book that not only has kid appeal but is masterfully written. Have you read Gaiman’s book? If not, it must go on your “to-read” list.
The timing of the SLJ article could not have been more perfect. Do we as school librarians self-censor? Do I self-censor? I think it is food for thought. My library does not have And Tango Makes Three or Uncle Bobby’s Wedding. Interestingly, I check our district, seven schools (four elementary) have And Tango Makes Three and there are no copies of Uncle Bobby’s Wedding in our district. This requires further examination on my part. ( I am in the process of putting an order together).
Last year, I had a parent visit me about Harry Potter. I explain she could censor her children’s reading but not others. I gave her all the paper work to file a challenge but it never happened.
What is the criteria for selecting The Graveyard Bookfor my school library? I am good at considering the reviews and the suggested ages for a book. Many reviews say ten years old or fifth grade for this title. I am always on the lookout for those “edgy” fifth grade reads. Having read the book, I think it is an excellent choice for elementary. Gaiman’s book fills a void in the scary/horror genre of the school library. It is a difficult genre at elementary beyond the Goosebumps series. (which the cover is often more scary than the text). And paired with the classic Jungle Book, wow, let the discussions begin.
This past week at the conference, we talked a lot about providing mentor text for students. The Graveyard Book will make such a great mentor text for those students trying to write a scary story. The reader can be scared and yet, most of the scary parts are nuanced. The reader is not reading about gore beyond the words “bloody knife” and that will send the imagination off, won’t it?
I have to agree with Pat Scales, a former librarian and First Amendment advocate, who says, “Children will put down what they can’t handle or what they aren’t ready for.” I know this will be true for Gaiman’s book and I also know it probably will not stay on the shelves much. By the way, yesterdy it was announced that The Graveyard Book also won the CYBILS for best book in the “Middle Grade Sci-fi/Fantasy” division. Congrats on that.

Happy Reading.

MsMac

The judges for the short list of CYBILS nominations have been hard at work. Decisions have been made and valentines delivered to the books considered best for 2008 by the kidlitosphere blogging world.  Ta-da!

The 2009 Cybils Winners

Easy Readers
I Love My New Toywritten by Mo Willems

Fantasy & Science Fiction
Middle Grade
The Graveyard Bookwritten by Neil Gaiman (MsMac’s editorial note: Yay! This book will be featured in an upcoming post about great elementary stories and self censorship)
Young Adult
The Hunger Games written by Suzanne Collins

Fiction Picture Books
How to Heal a Broken Wing written and illustrated by Bob Graham

Graphic Novels
Elementary/Middle Grade
Rapunzel’s Revenge written by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale, illustrated by Nathan Hale
Young Adult
Emiko Superstarwritten by Mariko Tamaki illustrated by Steve Ralston

Middle-Grade Fiction
The London Eye Mysterywritten by Siobhan Dowd

Non-Fiction MG/YA

Non-Fiction Picture Books
Nic Bishop Frogs written and illustrated by Nic Bishop (MsMac’s editorial note: YAY!!)

Poetry
Honeybee written by Naomi Shihab Nye (MsMac’s editorial note: Loved this book)

Young Adult Fiction
Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, The written by E Lockhart

You can find more information about the winnders here.

Happy Reading.
MsMac

The snow is all gone. The rain and wind are here!  I just read an email about the dismal state of affairs for education in Washington and am trying to stay focused and positive.

If this were Monday, I would be talking about the CYBILS Nonfiction Picture Books shortlist.  The first day back was rather wild so Nonfiction Monday did not get written.  I do want to share about the CYBILS and the process.

First:  My team: Tricia, Debbie, Beckie, Dave and led by Fiona were fabulous.  We seemed to work well together.  Our biggest challenged appeared to be getting copies of all the nominees. This brings me to my second point

Second: In fact, I received two books after our finalist list was sent in and I know another team member received books too late as well.  It is a shame that some nominees could not be fully considered.  I looked and looked within the public library systems and my own district for some of the new titles to no avail.  I hope the publishers will really consider sending nominees to the panel members next year in a timely manner.  The CYBILS does such a great job of promoting books.

For the past two years, I have served as a poetry judge which I loved doing. What I noticed about being on the panel to decide the shortlist for the NFP Books was less stress. I wonder if that is the way others feel.  It felt good to be able to nominate five -seven titles and not just say definitively, “This is THE one. This is the best!”  I mean they are all great books. 

I found for me drawn to books with engaging information for readers of all levels.  Kid appeal and saturated with information were two important criteria for me.  Almost all the books were filled with lots of information but some more than others really smacked of kid appeal, the kind of book that is likely to be on student hold lists.   The judges will have their work cut out for them as they decide CYBILS Award for the Nonfiction Picture book from the following list:

Astronaut Handbook, written and illustrated by Meghan McCarthy
         If any one book will spark the curiousity about becoming an astronaut, it it this book!  The illustrations are bold and engaging.  The text is written at a level that explains some pretty difficult concepts.  I thought immediately of a few students who are interest in the space field.

Duel!: Burr and Hamilton’s Deadly War of Words, written by Dennis
Brindell Fradin and illustrated by Larry Day
           I doubt that this title will stay on the shelves.  If a teacher doesn’t have it check out, it will be in the hands of students eager for information about some pretty famous characters of early America.

Fabulous Fishes, written and illustrated by Susan Stockdale
       Playful and yet nonfiction, the line-up begins now with Fabulous Fishes for those marine biology scientists.  The illustrations are spectacularly colorful.

Nic Bishop Frogs, written and photographed by Nic Bishop
        Anyone who has read Nic Bishop’s Spiders knows that he is brilliant behind the camera.  This new addition does not disappoint.  I am left wondering where to sign-up for photography classes by this author.

A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams, written by Jen
Bryant and illustrated by Melissa Sweet
    The story behind one of my favorite poets.  Bryant has made more of his poetry accessible to the younger students and Sweet’s illustrations are a major compliment to the text. I cannot wait until April to pair this with last year’s CYBILS for poetry: This is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness by Joyce Sidman.
Wanda GÃg: The Girl Who Lived to Draw, written and illustrated by Deborah
Kogan Ray
    This book charmed me with a quiet story of Wanda Gag who wrote Millions of Cats(always a favorite). The author pulled from Gag’s own journal entries to tell the story of a remarkable person.

Wangari’s Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa, written and
illustrated by Jeanette Winter
       I loved the illustrations in this story.  And Winter tells anincredible slice of life about 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner. Wangari Maathai.  In this time of environmental concerns, this story brings to the forefront the power of one person’s actions in the world.

So if you have not had an opportunity to read any of these, head to your own library and check them out.  You can also check out other finalists here.

Happy Reading.

MsMac

Do you know a budding artist? Why not wrap up a copy of Millions of Cats and Wanda Gag; the Girl Who Lived to Draw by Deborah Kogan Ray?

In this book, readers are treated to the words from Wanda Gag’s diaries, letters, and papers.  Deborah Kogan Ray has written a biography which will introduce those readers not familiar with the creator of Millions of Cats  (A favorite book for me).

The combination of quotes from Gag and information about the her give readers a sense of a time long gone. Wanda Gag was born in 1893 in New Ulm, Minnesota.  Her family loved the arts and encouraged all seven children to either draw, write, sing and/or dance.

Wanda received much of her encouragement from her father, an artist.  “Always look at the world in your own way, Wandachen.,” were words frequently used by her father.

As much as her childhood was immersed in fairy and folk tales from the old world, her own life mirrored a fairy tale itself.  Her father died when Wanda was only 15.  Through perseverance and dedication, She set out to make good on her father’s dying words, “What Papa couldn’t do, Wand will have to finish.” 

Finish she did through scholarship, art school,working in the fashion industry, and helping her family make ends meet.  In 1929, her book Millions of Cats was awarded the John Newbery Honor by the American Library Association.

Deborah Kogan Ray provides readers with a wonderful companion piece to Millions of Cats.  We also learn a bit about the world of fine art that was also Gag’s world.  Her illustrations are compliment the text with wonderful vibrancy and detail.  They are the kind of that readers will spend time looking at before turning the page.  The book can be used at many levels: as a biography, an inspiration story and a story of persevere through life’s challenges.

The book concludes with an author’s note and bibliography.

Title: Wanda Gag: The Girl Who Lived to Draw
Author: Deborah Kogan Ray
Date Published: 2008
Pages: unpaged
Grade: K-5
Publisher: Viking Press
ISBN: 978-0-670-06292-8
Source of Book: Publisher sent for CYBILS consideration.

As always a list of great nonfiction blog posts can be found here.

Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas.  Happy Reading.

MsMac

I am snowed in today while my district (25 miles to the north) is open for business. Funny thing about the weather around here.

So today is the perfect day to talk about Winter Trees by Carole Gerber. (after a reminder at 7-Imp yesterday about this book).  A boy and his dog discover the magic in winter as they take a walk  in the wintry forest. 

Leslie Evan’s bold yet simple illustrations makes it easy for even the youngest readers know what someone walking in the winter might see.  The illustration are a combination of linoleum block prints, watercolor and collage.  This book could also be used as a primer for how to draw trees in winter.

Gerber’s text brings the reader along on the walk in a playful way. Yet, within the text is lots of information to uncover about trees in winter. For example:

“They stand distinct as skeletons,
We clearly see the form of each:
the egg shape of the maple tree:
the taller oval of the beech…
The V formation of the birch;
the yellow poplar, wide and high;
the spreading structures of the the oak,
its branches reaching toward the sky.”
The illustrations compliment the text presenting a way to recognize trees in winter.

 A guide for identifying trees is available at the end of the book.

The book is as quiet as the snow keeping me home today.  I have a fascination with winter trees and the fractals they create against the sky.  This would be a terrific book for any young nature lover.

Title: Winter Trees
Author: Carole Gerber
Date Published: 2008
Pages: unpaged
Grade: K-5
Publisher: Charlesbridge
ISBN: 978-1-58089-168-4
Source of Book: Publisher sent for CYBILS consideration.

For more great nonfiction books, visit Picture Book of the Day. To see my house in the snow, visit here.

Happy Reading.

MsMac