5th Grade Novel Ideas for a Friend: also known as finding a needle in a haystack

So, a very good teacher friend of mine is heading back into the classroom after several years as an instructional coach and she asked me to compile a list of 5th grade novel ideas for her.... talk about sending me into a giant haystack.

Just to give you an idea... here is my current bookshelf, made up of 90% children's literature. Mind you, that doesn't include four other bookcases of 'to-be-read' and professional books. Yes, I admit to having a problem... Considering the Lexile band of 770L-1080L for 5th, while also thinking about topics and standards in social studies and science, I have a small list of quick ideas...

Richard Peck, a loss to children's literature

A teacher friend, switching back into the classroom from coaching for many years, asked me to compose some 5th grade title ideas for her. As The Teacher's Funeral would always be HIGH on that list, I googled around for ideas and found that Mr. Richard Peck had passed away yesterday (silly coincidences - send us for a loop, don't they?).

His loss made me nostalgic for that book, set so closely to my hometown. Further unhelpful to my psyche was the fact that we just did a short two-day jog through said hometown and I am missing it terribly (in that nostalgic sort of way that Indiana springtime makes you miss the Hoosier state and forget why your live in sunny Florida).

Author Spotlight: Lynda Mullaly Hunt of One for the Murphys and Fish in a Tree

Today I had the great fortune of meeting Lynda Mullaly Hunt as she so kindly had breakfast with our Sunshine State Young Readers Book Club. Her upcoming book looks wonderful (and especially appropriate for my struggling readers!).  It is called Fish in a Tree. I will discuss it first and then add a small review of her first book, One for the Murphys.

Remembering a great one: Maurice Sendak

Today is the anniversary of Maurice Sendak's birth. Because it SO AMAZINGLY COOL click over to the Google Doodle from June 10, 2013 and watch it again!

The Harry Potter Generation

       All over the news I have been reminded that fifteen years ago this week Scholastic brought U.S. readers Harry Potter & Company. I very vividly recall my first interactions with Harry & Co. The summer I began teaching sixth grade, Scholastic offered Sorcerer's Stone as their 99 cent Arrow Book Club pick. Based on glowing reviews and good sense, I quickly purchased a class set. That decision made for three amazing years sharing Harry with eager sixth graders. Well before all the hoopla started, I watched kids literally race to my classroom to continue the story, moaning when I made them stop to complete a lesson.

Sea Monster and the Bossy Fish & Sea Monster's First Day by Kate Messner with illustrations by Andy Rash

Reading Rumpus is so excited to welcome guest poster and author extraordinaire Kate Messner! She is here to talk about read-aloud books for the first days of school, including her wonderful titles: Sea Monster's First Day and Sea Monster and the Bossy Fish.


Great Read-Alouds for the First Days of School
by Kate Messner

 I’ve gotten a lot of emails from teachers and librarians this summer, letting me know that SEA MONSTER’S FIRST DAY and SEA MONSTER AND THE BOSSY FISH are on tap for read-aloud time during the first days of school. Nothing could make me happier.

 In SEA MONSTER’S FIRST DAY, Ernest the Sea Monster faces the challenge and anxiety of starting a new school (of fish!). Like all students, he worries about getting lost, where to sit at lunch, and making new friends. Teachers have told me that this book is a great way to launch classroom discussions about all those first-day jitters, while SEA MONSTER AND THE BOSSY FISH lends itself to conversations about bullying and exclusion in the classroom and on the playground.

In his second adventure, Ernest the Sea Monster encounters a new fish whose behaviors range from mildly bossy to downright bullying. When the new fish decides to start his own club and invite only some of the fish to join, Ernest has to be creative. He finds a way to include everyone – and to teach the new fish how to be a better friend. This title invites kids to consider how they would react in similar situations. Role playing activities are a natural extension, and kids can even take the special “Friend Fish Pledge” and promise to make their own classrooms friendly, inclusive places. What other titles should be in the read-aloud pile as we start the 2013-2014 school year?

Here are some recent reads that are also great conversation starters:

 ❏ READY FOR PUMPKINS by Kate Duke is a fresh take on the traditional fall pumpkin harvest story. Narrated by a classroom guinea pig named Hercules, this book not only shares a fun story but is also a perfect springboard for inviting students to write in the voice of their own classroom pets.

❏ HAPPY LIKE SOCCER, written by Maribeth Boelts and illustrated by Lauren Castillo, opens with the bright, vivid action of a neighborhood soccer game – familiar scene for so many kids – but goes beyond that to explore one player’s home life and her longing for her busy-at-work aunt to see her play. This is a great book for building empathy and reminding kids that their classmates come from all different backgrounds.

❏ BECAUSE AMELIA SMILED by David Ezra Stein is the perfect book to launch a classroom conversation about acts of kindness and how much of an impact they can have on a classroom community. In this story, a little girl’s smile as she walks down the street has a ripple effect that stretches all around the world.

❏ STUCK WITH THE BLOOZ by Caron Levis and illustrated by Jon Davis reminds young readers that not every day can be the brightest day of the year. In this story, a girl is visited by the Blooz, a glum, lumpy, and charmingly literal representation of a blue mood. The creature follows her around the house until she takes it outside to play and then, finally, going over a bump on her bike, it flies off and away. It’s a great book to make kids aware of feelings and give them ideas for what to do with a bad day.

❏ THINK BIG by Liz Garton Scanlon and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton is a book that celebrates the arts. Its bold bright colors and strong, simple rhymes (“Thick paint…Deep hue…Bow stroke…One, two…) represent everything from cooking and photography to pottery and theater. It’s short and sweet – a perfect read-aloud to inspire kids on the first day of art class.

-------------------- Resources --------------------

Genre: Picture Book/ Animal Tale
Age: 3 and up (to about 2nd grade)
Themes: Friendship, Bullying, Sticking Together/Cooperation
My Two Cents: Great illustrations, character development, and fun! A must read for kindergarteners and first  & second graders will like it too.
Thank You to Chronicle Books for my copies! They were donated to a primary classroom of a new teacher when I finished. She, and her students, thank you also :-)

Have your students take the pledge to be a "friend fish." 

Just click to enlarge the picture below and print!

Publisher's Blurb for Sea Monster & the Bossy Fish: "Being kind is a big job, but nothing's too big for a sea monster. Not even taking on the new fish in school, who's great...except when he's pushing people around. This funny, charming twist on dealing with a bully will reassure and delight the smallest children and the biggest sea monsters alike." 

Publisher's blurb for Sea Monster's First Day: "Sea monster Ernest is starting his first day of school. But starting school is a big job! Fitting in when you’re a sea monster is tough enough, and there’s so much to learn and do—reading, singing, playing hide-and-seek with the fishermen, lunchtime in the algae patch….This funny, charming twist on the worries and joys of starting school will reassure and delight the smallest children and the largest sea monsters alike."

Not enough? You can find more good stuff on the "Making Fishy Friends Blog Tour"

To top it off, Chronicle Books is celebrating the blog tour with 30% off and free shipping until Sept. 26th, 2013. Use the code SEAMONSTER.

Kate Messner is a National Board certified teacher who taught middle school for fifteen years. Her award-winning writing includes novels, chapter and picture books. You can read more about her on her website or on Twitter.

For more info on illustrator Any Rash you can visit his blog or website. You can also read more about the picture book creation process between Kate & Andy on the Chronicle Blog.

-------------------- That's all folks! --------------------

© 2007-2013 Cheryl Vanatti for www.ReadingRumpus.com

Author Spotlight: Stuart Gibbs - For readers of mystery, action, adventure

I should have written about Belly Up when I read it two years ago as a CYBILS finalist and now, with author Stuart Gibbs' Spy School and Spy Camp additions, I have decided that an author feature is probably just the motivation that I needed! I will start by saying that I am not all that cracked up with "funny"stories, especially gratuitous humor. The great thing about Mr. Gibbs' writing? Authentic, quirky humor, not forced or center-staged humor, his is a 'smart' humor. All of his stories are mystery/adventure, great for both boys and girls, and solidly middle grade.

Belly Up: Still my favorite, Belly Up begins with a dead hippopotamus, floating 'belly up' in his zoo pond. Teddy Roosevelt Fitzroy & Summer McCracken, aged twelve, don't believe it was an accident like the zoo management contends and they very quickly realize lots of people wanted Henry the hippo dead. This book has TONS going for it and even the most reluctant reader will be enticed. The action is fast-paced, with all sorts of who-done-it possibilities. The humor is so smart, almost farcical. Add in the random animal facts that flow naturally within the story and this is perfect for just about ANY reader!

Son by Lois Lowry - The conclusion to The Giver

If you read my 'about me' page or if you've even barely read a bit of this blog, you know that I adore Lois Lowry. I adore Anastasia. I adore Gooney Bird. I adore Annemarie. I adore Jonas and Gabriel. Lowry's writing, even when her tale wanders a bit (Messenger & Gossamer), is golden - tight and descriptive all at once.

So, even though I was one of those folks who absolutely hated to see the ambiguity of The Giver shattered when she wrote Gathering Blue and Messenger, I will be running to my local bookstore on October 2nd. And since they have redesigned the other three books in the quartet to match this fantastic cover, I guess I am going to have to donate my old copies and buy the set!

Guys Read: Funny Business - Now that's funny; I don't care who you are

I have long been a follower of the Guys Read website, a literacy initiative to light a literacy fire by matching boys to the right books and by providing positive male reader examples. It was started by guy author extraordinaire: Mr. Jon Scieszka. Author of .............. well, I was going to list a few favorites, but there's just too many to name!

I've been excited to get my hands on a copy of the new book Guys Read: Funny Business. Alas, I can't say that I've seen it, but if the book trailer is any indication, we're in for a treat!




Here's how Amazon describes the book: "Ten stories guaranteed to delight, amuse, and possibly make you spit your milk in your friend's face, from the following esteemed writers:

Mac Barnett

Eoin Colfer

Christopher Paul Curtis

Kate DiCamillo

Jon Scieszka

Paul Feig

Jack Gantos

Jeff Kinney

David Lubar

Adam Rex

David Yoo"

It is dismaying to see that there are no Florida chapters of Guys Read! I may have to add that to my plans ........

For more info. on Mr. Scieszka, begin at his website and make sure to stop by Guys Read.
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© 2007-2010 Cheryl Vanatti for www.ReadingRumpus.com

Neil Gaiman's Blueberry Girl

This book trailer had me the minute the wind chimes began. Can that man do no wrong?


(via Cheryl Rainfield)
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© 2007-2009 Cheryl Vanatti for www.ReadingRumpus.com

Great series over on NPR made even better by my favorite children's literature author :-)

Having previously expounded on my love of all things Lois Lowry, I happened upon a wonderful article today which featured Ms. Lowry. NPR's You Must Read This series is wonderful in its own right; but today, it's even wonderfuler because of Lois Lowry's presence.

Her choice for NPR's You Must Read This is Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings' The Yearling, the 1939 Pulitzer Prize winner. I have to be honest and say that I've never read the book, though I've thumbed through it a few times in effort. Of course, Lowry's recommendation may change that.
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© 2007-2009 Cheryl Vanatti for www.ReadingRumpus.com