August 10 for 10: Favorite Picture Books (For the Time-Being!)

 I am so happy to announce the the second annual 10 for 10 Picture Books blog sharing event is up and running.  Mandy Robek over at Enjoy and Embrace Learning along with Cathy at Reflect & Refine are hosting and you can join along by tweeting at #pb10for10 or by jogging on over.  Last year I jotted down so many titles and useful suggestions for new books or ideas for making "old" titles fresh again.

Here, in no particular order, are my 10 picture books I could not do without (with the caveat "for the time-being).  I can't tell you how many times I read a book to my students and have said, "This is my NEW favorite picture book!!"  They just roll their eyes at me.

I hope you enjoy some of my favorites - and please comment if you have any novel ways that you use these books in your own library or classroom.

My Best Friend 

by Mary Ann Rodman & illustrated by E. B. Lewis

I love this book for so many reasons.  The realistic illustrations in watercolor that make you want to jump right in the pool, the African American families portrayed, and of course, the subject matter:  the difficulty of wanting so badly to be friends with someone who just doesn't seem to want to reciprocate!  I use this book at the end of the school year because of the pool setting and because many children will be in new environments during the summer where making and keeping friendships may suddenly become a challenge.

The Summer My Father Was Ten
by Pat Brisson
This is one of two books this year that made me cry or choke-up while reading to my students.  This story about the narrator's father tells about a vegetable garden in a vacant lot and an act of destruction.  It is interesting to see the differing reactions from different grade levels when I read this book.  Some practically cheer when the gang of boys start throwing the tomatoes while other grade levels will sit in uncomfortable and complete silence.  A wonderful book.

Testing the Ice:  A True Story About Jackie Robinson
by Sharon Robinson & illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Okay, here's the book I cried over while reading it to my third graders.  It was the ending that got me.  This is a true story told by Jackie Robinson's daughter about her father as a father, not as a famous baseball player.  It involves a frozen pond, courage, and dads just doing what dads will often do for their children.

Swamp Angel by Anne Isaacs and illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky
I read Swamp Angel to my multiage classes (grades 1 and 2) and they were completely riveted by the language of this book.  The book was a nice addition to their fairytale/tall tale/pourquoi tale units, plus the illustrations are just magnificent.

Chewy Louie
by Howie Schneider
Chewy Louie is just a great book.  From its humorous illustrations to the poor predicament of Louie's family.  My students love spotting what Louie has chewed in each picture and I can feel the tension build as they wonder if Louie will sent away.  And of course the message could very well be a tear-jerker too:  pets (and people) get older and their annoying but endearing habits often fade away.  SNIFF!

The Gruffalo

by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler

So many elements come together to make The Gruffalo one of my favorite picks.  The rhyming is just perfect, the illustrations are vibrant, and it is useful when teaching animal sounds or habitats.  It also have one of my favorite last lines:  "The mouse found a nut and the nut was good."

Epossumondas

by Coleen Salley and illustrated by Janet Stevens 

This may be one of those books where I get a bigger kick out of it than the kids.  That poor possum wearing a diaper!  That frustrated Auntie!  Those baffling directions!  My only wish is that I could hear some reading this story with just the right accent and pronunciation.  Any leads on that one?

Possum Magic

by Mem Fox

I had never heard or read this book before this year and I don't think I would have liked it as much if it hadn't been read by my high school senior Intern...from Australia.  The words will just never have the same meaning when I read it in my shabby accent (recovering Bostonian slathered with Virginia twang).

Ox-Cart Man

by Donald Hall and illustrated by Barbara Cooney

 I have a soft spot in my heart for this book and I'll tell you why.  Many, many years ago I watched a PBS documentary on the poet Donald Hall and his poet wife Jane Kenyon.  I fell totally in love with the both of them.  When my son was born I mailed a copy of Ox-Cart Man to Mr. Hall - addressing the envelope something like "Donald Hall, poet, New Hampshire".  Sure enough it came back with a typed letter and a wonderful inscription to my son.  When I mentioned this to Mr. Hall after finally meeting him at the National Book Festival he seemed not to understand at first, but then said, after autographing another of his books for me, "I'm so glad I did that." Me too.

Sydney Rella and the Glass Sneaker

by Bernice Myers

Call me nostalgic for the style of the illustrations but I just love this Cinderella spoof - plus the boy twist make it especially refreshing.

And those are my 10 for August 10.  YIPES!  August 10 already!  Enjoy!

Windows into New Worlds - More from Vinalhaven, ME

 

In my last post I grumbled about not having taken better pictures of the lovely stained glass windows in the children's section of the Vinalhaven (ME) Public Library.  Well, grumble and ye shall receive!  Fortunately, my photographer in the field (aka Dad) obliged by taking these pictures for you to enjoy!  Now I only wish I had noted the name of the artist... (grumble, grumble).  To be continued!

A Little Library - Vinalhaven, Maine

We just returned from a mini-vacation where we were able to escape the heat of Virginia and enjoy some truly quiet (but busy) days in New England.

Traveling to Vinalhaven, Maine, 15 miles of the coast of Rockland and accessible by ferry, was no small feat but it was well worth the trip.  And where does a librarian go when she's on vacation?  To the Vinalhaven Public Library, of course!

The original building was completed in 1906 and dedicated in 1907 as part of the Carnegie libraries.  A lovely sunlit (well, in summertime anyway) addition was completed in 2007.  I only wish I had taken a better picture of the beautiful stained glass in the children's room.

Yup, it's a Carnegie!

Beautiful building created, I'm assuming, from granite quarried from the island itself.

From my brief perusal of the children's room and young adult section, I could tell that there was some outstanding collection development going on.  As a youngster I'd be as happy as a clam at high tide to spend the winter months just reading my way through the bookshelves.  Of course, being the nut that I am, I took pictures of just some of the books on display.

T

I'd never heard of this book.  I checked it out, of course!

Cynthia Lord has visited the island's K-12 school's library!

Outstanding use of available space.  There was truly something for everyone!

Droooooool!  My students would DIE for this shelf!

Thank you, Vinalhaven Public Library, for creating a little bit of heaven in not quite the middle of the Atlantic.

Books for Back to School - Plantzilla Goes to Camp

What did YOU do over summer vacation?

Whether you're a teacher or student returning to school, people are sure to ask you this question!

I'm wondering how many of you will have spent at least part of your summer at camp...with a giant plant...that you thought you had left at home.


Plantzilla Goes to Camp, written by Jerdine Nolen and illustrated by David Catrow, is not a new book, but it was new to me when my daughter found it at the public library.  Your public or school library may already have this PLANTastic tale which reminds me a little bit of Dear Mrs. LaRue:  Letters from Obedience School or I Wanna Iguana.  Why?  Because this book is told entirely in letters (ssshhh...don't tell your classroom teacher or your librarian that this is a GREAT book to use when teaching parts of a letter or as a mentor text that inspires students to write their own wacky story in letters)!

Not only do the letters make this an appealing read, but so do the illustrations.  When Mortimer is forbidden from taking his prized plant to Camp Wannaleaveee, it is through David Catrow's detailed drawings that allow us to track Plantzilla's, er, progress.  Will Mortimer be united with his beloved greenery?  Is he able to withstand the bunk bully Buford?  Students, particularly in grades second through fourth, will enjoy this hearing this book read to them to help ease them back into the school routine.

From the Home Office: Guykus and Famous People

Guyku by Bob Raczka and Peter H. Reynolds

This year I discovered a great book by the team of Bob Raczka and Peter Reynolds.

I read this book to my third grade students who are also in the middle of their Famous America + some explorers + King Tut drive to the Virginia SOLs (Standards of Learning).

So although we learned that haikus are traditionally about nature, we decided to mix it up a bit and create our haikus about our famous person.

I found this great organizer from Read, Think, Write.  Using the Haiku Starter, the students first brainstormed the main ideas about their famous person.  The second week they created their haikus.  I tried to get them to title their work something other than the name of their famous person.

My next step is to illustrate them with the famous person's photograph using BigHugeLabs for display at our school.

I've found my students love to haiku...do you?

A Few of My Favorite Books

There just seems to be a slew of gorgeous and fascinating books coming through our Library doors lately.  The are relevant to the curriculum, wonderfully written, pleasures to read aloud and thought-provoking for our students.  Any of these titles on your pick-of-the-list list?

Dad, Jackie and Me by Myron Uhlberg; Illustrated by Colin Bootman

My Best Friend by Mary Ann Rodman; Illustrated by E.B. Lewis

Ruth and the Green Book by Calvin A. Ramsey; Illustrated by Floyd Cooper

Testing the Ice by Sharon Robinson; Illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Touching Texture

I was stuck; thinking about what I could possible read/teach/share when my first graders arrived in the Library.  And then I had one of those casual conversations that occur in the hall or in the copier room or by the mailboxes. 

The art teacher mentioned that she was doing "texture" with the first graders, explaining the difference between texture you can see with your eyes and texture you can actually feel.  Ding!

First I showed the students Lois Ehlert's book Snowballs.  I had recently purchased a new copy because our only other copy was falling to pieces.  The illustrations are so incredibly vibrant!  I read the book and asked the students, "If you could touch the mittens/birdseed/buttons/bottlecaps, how would they feel?".

Then we moved on to The Black Book of Colors.  This is a book that is in Braille as well as in standard text.  The students were able to actually feel the Braille and the raised illustrations.  {On a related note, twitter.com/LizB does a braille storyhour which I cannot wait to hear about once she escapes San Diego.}

What are your favorite textured books and/or what has been your most recent "copier room" lesson plan?