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| Authentic Texts Are Best! |
Showing posts with label Fun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fun. Show all posts
A Word About Authentic Texts Used As Mentor Texts
Edgar and the Treehouse of Usher by Jennifer Adams
(Thank you to @ericsmithrocks & @GibbsSmithBooks) for my first BabyLit copy!
My two cents: I had heard of the BabyLit series, but had not held one in my hands. They sure sounded great, but I am a middle school reading specialist so they were honestly kind of low on the TBR stack. When I got an email to take a look at Edgar and the Tree House of Usher
, I thought that I would probably like it. I mean, any bibliophile has to at least like the idea of putting classical readings in children's hands as young as possible, right? And who doesn't love Poe? I mean, c'mon now!
So... if I said that I liked it, no one would really be surprised.
BUT... if you look over at my "highest recommendation" tag, you will see that I am very sparing with that tag. Most of the books in that category have won big prizes or accolades. I stake my reading reputation on that tag.
, I thought that I would probably like it. I mean, any bibliophile has to at least like the idea of putting classical readings in children's hands as young as possible, right? And who doesn't love Poe? I mean, c'mon now!So... if I said that I liked it, no one would really be surprised.
BUT... if you look over at my "highest recommendation" tag, you will see that I am very sparing with that tag. Most of the books in that category have won big prizes or accolades. I stake my reading reputation on that tag.
May the 4th be with us all today
It is May the 4th!
A holy day for us Star Wars geeks!
#maythe4thbewithyou
#maythe4thbewithyou
Here's where you can find some fun:
Serendipity Saturday
Books I want to read ASAP:
Some things just make me smile
-------------------- That's all folks! --------------------
Star Wars Reads Day is finally here!
If you live in one of the following places, you get to experience the "premier" events:
The Harry Potter Generation
Sunshine State Young Readers Award Elementary List 2013-2014
Some days I miss elementary school. My middle-schoolers can be bundles of angst making me long for the simple times depicted in this year's Sunshine State Young Reader Award titles. Yesterday I posted the middle grades list so if you are unfamiliar with the Florida process, look HERE. I thought I would also share the elementary titles today. ESPECIALLY since my favorite book of 2012 (and the Newbery winner) is on the elementary list.
Fake Mustache by Tom Angleberger: "Regular kid Lenny Flem Jr. is the only one standing between his evil-genius best friend—Casper, a master of disguise and hypnosis—and world domination. It all begins when Casper spends money from his granny on a spectacularly convincing fake mustache, the Heidelberg Handlebar #7. With it he’s able rob banks, amass a vast fortune, and run for president. Is Lenny the only one who can see through his disguise? And will he be able to stop Casper from taking over the world?"
Mousenet by Prudence Breitrose: "When ten-year-old Megan helps her uncle invent the Thumbtop, the world’s smallest computer, mice are overjoyed, and they want one for every mouse hole.
The Big Cheese, leader of the Mouse Nation, has orders: follow that girl—even if it means high-tailing it to Megan’s new home on the other side of the country. While Megan struggles as the new girl, the mice wait for their chance. But when they tell Megan the biggest secret in the history of the world—mice have evolved, and they need her help—she isn’t sure anyone will believe her. With all of Mouse Nation behind her, Megan could become the most powerful girl alive, but just how will she create a Thumptop for every mouse?"
Janitors by Tyler Whitesides: "Have you ever fallen asleep during math class? Are you easily distracted while listening to your English teacher? Do you find yourself completely uninterested in geography? Well, it may not be your fault. The janitors at Welcher Elementary know a secret, and it s draining all the smarts out of the kids. Twelve-year-old Spencer Zumbro, with the help of his classmate Daisy Gullible Gates, must fight with and against a secret, janitorial society that wields wizard-like powers. Who can Spencer and Daisy trust and how will they protect their school and possibly the world? Janitors is book 1 in a new children s fantasy series by debut novelist Tyler Whitesides. You ll never look at a mop the same way again."
And, of course, we can't forget: The One & Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate: Read ALL about it HERE
Disclosure: All blurbs are from the publishers and not reviews from moi.
© 2007-2013 Cheryl Vanatti for www.ReadingRumpus.com
The Big Cheese, leader of the Mouse Nation, has orders: follow that girl—even if it means high-tailing it to Megan’s new home on the other side of the country. While Megan struggles as the new girl, the mice wait for their chance. But when they tell Megan the biggest secret in the history of the world—mice have evolved, and they need her help—she isn’t sure anyone will believe her. With all of Mouse Nation behind her, Megan could become the most powerful girl alive, but just how will she create a Thumptop for every mouse?"
Floors by Patrick Carman: "Charlie had his chocolate factory. Stanley Yelnats had his holes. Leo has the wacky, amazing Whippet Hotel.
There's mystery and adventure on every floor.
There's no other place quite like the Whippet Hotel. Each and every floor has its own wacky design--and its own wacky secrets. The guests are either mad or mysterious. And ducks are everywhere.
Leo Fillmore should know everything there is to know about the Whippet Hotel--he is the janitor's son, after all. But a whole lot more mystery gets thrown his way when four cryptic boxes are left for him...boxes that lead him to hidden floors, strange puzzles, and an unexpected friend or two.
Join Leo as he takes the ride of his life, without ever having to step outside. As the hotel starts to falling apart and the mystery thickens, there's only one thing Leo can know for sure: The future of the Whippet Hotel depends on him."
There's mystery and adventure on every floor.
There's no other place quite like the Whippet Hotel. Each and every floor has its own wacky design--and its own wacky secrets. The guests are either mad or mysterious. And ducks are everywhere.
Leo Fillmore should know everything there is to know about the Whippet Hotel--he is the janitor's son, after all. But a whole lot more mystery gets thrown his way when four cryptic boxes are left for him...boxes that lead him to hidden floors, strange puzzles, and an unexpected friend or two.
Join Leo as he takes the ride of his life, without ever having to step outside. As the hotel starts to falling apart and the mystery thickens, there's only one thing Leo can know for sure: The future of the Whippet Hotel depends on him."
The Year of the Book by Andrea Cheng: "In Chinese, peng you means friend. But in any language, all Anna knows for certain is that friendship is complicated. When Anna needs company, she turns to her books. Whether traveling through A Wrinkle in Time, or peering over My Side of the Mountain, books provide what real life cannot—constant companionship and insight into her changing world. Books, however, can’t tell Anna how to find a true friend. She’ll have to discover that on her own. In the tradition of classics like Maud Hart Lovelace’s Betsy-Tacy books and Eleanor Estes’ One Hundred Dresses, this novel subtly explores what it takes to make friends and what it means to be one."
Thomas and the Dragon Queen by Shutta Crum: "A kingdom is at war.
A princess has been kidnapped by a dragon queen.
A brave squire volunteers to set out on a quest to rescue her.
But there's just one small problem. He's Thomas, the shortest of all the squires. With little more than a donkey, a vest, and a sword, Thomas will have to use all of his courage and determination to battle a beast with many heads, reach a forbidden island, and rescue the princess from a most fearsome dragon-and an even more fearsome fate!
Part thrilling adventure and part enchanting fantasy, sprinkled with charming black-and-white illustrations, Thomas and the Dragon Queen will delight young readers from start to finish."
A princess has been kidnapped by a dragon queen.
A brave squire volunteers to set out on a quest to rescue her.
But there's just one small problem. He's Thomas, the shortest of all the squires. With little more than a donkey, a vest, and a sword, Thomas will have to use all of his courage and determination to battle a beast with many heads, reach a forbidden island, and rescue the princess from a most fearsome dragon-and an even more fearsome fate!
Part thrilling adventure and part enchanting fantasy, sprinkled with charming black-and-white illustrations, Thomas and the Dragon Queen will delight young readers from start to finish."
Double Dog Dare by Lisa Graff: "What would you do to win a dare war?
In a humorous and insightful novel reminiscent of her award-winning titles The Thing About Georgie and Umbrella Summer, Lisa Graff tells the story of fourth-graders Kansas Bloom and Francine Halata, who start out as archenemies, until--in a battle of wits and willpower--they discover that they have a lot more in common than either would have guessed.
This dual-perspective novel will appeal to girls and boys alike--and to anyone who has ever wanted anything so badly that they'd lick a lizard to get it."
In a humorous and insightful novel reminiscent of her award-winning titles The Thing About Georgie and Umbrella Summer, Lisa Graff tells the story of fourth-graders Kansas Bloom and Francine Halata, who start out as archenemies, until--in a battle of wits and willpower--they discover that they have a lot more in common than either would have guessed.
This dual-perspective novel will appeal to girls and boys alike--and to anyone who has ever wanted anything so badly that they'd lick a lizard to get it."
Melonhead by Katy Kelly: "Melonhead, the first book in author Katy Kelly's laugh-out-loud chapter book series, is now in paperback!
Adam Melon's friend Lucy Rose gave him a nickname—Melonhead—and it caught on fast. Melonhead is a self-proclaimed inventor. All his life, which is ten years and counting, great ideas have been popping in and out of his melon head. And sometimes they work! This year Melonhead's class is entering an inventing fair, so he and his friend Sam are dreaming up plans. And Capitol Hill has a ton of places to find invention parts. But they have to be sure they find what they need and get home on time with no excuses. That might be hard, because Melonhead and Sam have a way of forgetting. But their work will all pay off if they win first place—they'll be headed to even bigger and better things!"
Adam Melon's friend Lucy Rose gave him a nickname—Melonhead—and it caught on fast. Melonhead is a self-proclaimed inventor. All his life, which is ten years and counting, great ideas have been popping in and out of his melon head. And sometimes they work! This year Melonhead's class is entering an inventing fair, so he and his friend Sam are dreaming up plans. And Capitol Hill has a ton of places to find invention parts. But they have to be sure they find what they need and get home on time with no excuses. That might be hard, because Melonhead and Sam have a way of forgetting. But their work will all pay off if they win first place—they'll be headed to even bigger and better things!"
Touch Blue by Cynthia Lord: "The state of Maine plans to shut down her island's schoolhouse, which would force Tess's family to move to the mainland--and Tess to leave the only home she has ever known. Fortunately, the islanders have a plan too: increase the numbers of students by having several families take in foster children. So now Tess and her family are taking a chance on Aaron, a thirteen-year-old trumpet player who has been bounced from home to home. And Tess needs a plan of her own--and all the luck she can muster. Will Tess's wish come true or will her luck run out?"
Waiting for the Magic by Patricia Maclachlan: "When William’s father leaves, his mother promptly goes out and adds four dogs and a cat to their lives. William’s sure that nothing can fill the hole left by his father, but the new additions to the family are determined to help. With his sister, Elinor, and his mother, William will learn that “family” can come in all shapes and sizes, because sometimes we find love through magic, and sometimes that magic is all around us."
The Candymakers by Wendy Mass: "In the town of Spring Haven, four children have been selected to compete in the national candymaking contest of a lifetime. Who will make a candy more delicious than the Oozing Crunchorama or the Neon Yellow Lightning Chew?
Logan, the candymaker's son, who can detect the color of chocolate by feel alone?
Miles, the boy allergic to rowboats and the color pink?
Daisy, the cheerful girl who can lift a fifty-pound lump of taffy as if it were a feather?
Philip, the suit-and-tie-wearing boy who's always scribbling in a secret notebook?
This sweet, charming, and cleverly crafted story, told from each contestant's perspective, is filled with mystery, friendship, and juicy revelations."
Logan, the candymaker's son, who can detect the color of chocolate by feel alone?
Miles, the boy allergic to rowboats and the color pink?
Daisy, the cheerful girl who can lift a fifty-pound lump of taffy as if it were a feather?
Philip, the suit-and-tie-wearing boy who's always scribbling in a secret notebook?
This sweet, charming, and cleverly crafted story, told from each contestant's perspective, is filled with mystery, friendship, and juicy revelations."
The Five Lives of Our Cat Zook by Joanna Rocklin: "In this warmhearted middle-grade novel, Oona and her brother, Fred, love their cat, Zook (short for Zucchini), but Zook is sick. As they conspire to break him out of the vet’s office, Oona tells the stories of his previous lives, ranging in style from fairy tale to grand epic to slice of life. Each of Zook’s lives have echoes in Oona’s own family life, which is going through a transition she’s not yet ready to face. Her father died two years ago, and her mother has started a relationship with a man named Dylan—whom Oona secretly calls “the villain.” The truth about Dylan, and about Zook’s medical condition, drives the drama in this loving family story."
Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood: "A Mississippi town in 1964 gets riled when tempers flare at the segregated public pool.
As much as Gloriana June Hemphill, or Glory as everyone knows her, wants to turn twelve, there are times when Glory wishes she could turn back the clock a year. Jesslyn, her sister and former confidante, no longer has the time of day for her now that she’ll be entering high school. Then there’s her best friend, Frankie. Things have always been so easy with Frankie, and now suddenly they aren’t. Maybe it’s the new girl from the North that’s got everyone out of sorts. Or maybe it’s the debate about whether or not the town should keep the segregated public pool open. "
As much as Gloriana June Hemphill, or Glory as everyone knows her, wants to turn twelve, there are times when Glory wishes she could turn back the clock a year. Jesslyn, her sister and former confidante, no longer has the time of day for her now that she’ll be entering high school. Then there’s her best friend, Frankie. Things have always been so easy with Frankie, and now suddenly they aren’t. Maybe it’s the new girl from the North that’s got everyone out of sorts. Or maybe it’s the debate about whether or not the town should keep the segregated public pool open. "
Wish Stealers by Tracy Trivas: "Griffin Penshine is always making wishes. But when an eccentric old woman named Mariah gives Griffin a box of shiny pennies, it sets in motion a desperate quest. The old woman was a wish stealer, who stole each penny from a wishing fountain decades earlier. Somehow, Griffin has to redeem the lost wishes, or the opposite of her own wishes will come true--and it could literally be a matter of life or death. Griffin's mission to right Mariah's awful wrongs allows her to meet some extraordinary people, and to do good beyond her wildest imagination. But can she do enough to reverse the curse in time to save the people she loves the most?"
Disclosure: All blurbs are from the publishers and not reviews from moi.
-------------------- That's all folks! --------------------
Sunshine State Young Reader Award Middle Grades Lists for 2013-14
The Beach. Theme Parks. Water Parks.
What do we Floridians really do in the scorching Florida heat? We avoid those places and hunker-down under a shady oak to read our Sunshine State Young Readers Award books, of course.
Most schools in Florida ask (well, really pray) that students to read a number of books from the fifteen Sunshine State Young Readers Award books each summer. This year my school will also be participating in the Scholastic Summer Challenge so reading the Sunshine State Young Readers Award books should be even more fun!
Serendipity Saturday
So many good things popping up in reading and education, I thought it was time for a good old serendipity post.
- It's been 50 years since Where The Wild Things was published, 50 years of children who have been influenced by Max and the Wild Things. Each new baby born to my family and friends gets a copy from me. If a child is going to have a library, and all of the children I have even the slightest influence over WILL have a library, it is going to include Where The Wild Things Are. So it was bittersweet to see the posthumous publication of Maurice Sendak's last finished work, My Brother's Book. It is sad to contemplate, once again a year later, what a great loss Maurice Sendak's death brings to children's literature. There is a good reflection on the brilliance of the man and a comparison of his work to Shakespeare from Harvard humanities professor and forward writer for My Brother's Book, Stephen Greenblatt, in the NY Times, HERE. But perhaps a closer insight on Sendak's final opus might come from his close friend, Tony Kushner, on NPR:
Dancing as a reminder of our bigger selves courtesy of Matt Harding
In case you don't know his story...
Serendipity: education stuff, book love stuff and stuffs I need to read
I am always honored to be invited to work with the excellent folks who are involved with the CYBILS and I sure hope everyone has had a chance to look at the nominees and winners. If not, here's the winner's link!
Serendipity Saturday
Haven't been good with the Serendipity Saturday thing this year. I am here to rectify that! In case you are a newbie to Reading Rumpus, Serendipity Saturday is where I rant about bookish (and sometimes personal) things.....
Here are some books that I have, but need to read:
All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin
Here are some books that I have, but need to read:
Jay Asher interview at School Library Journal
I have been obsessed with it. I recommend it to everyone and wrote extensively about it HERE. Well, author Jay Asher finally has a new book coming out. Here's the scoop on School Library Journal: Check out the interview here____________________________________________________________
© 2007-2011 Cheryl Vanatti for www.ReadingRumpus.com
JOEY FLY Freebies & Contest Reminder
yesterday and posted an awesome cool contest. Seriously, go back a post and enter... But today, I have some great masks for you to print out to add to the Joey Fly fun:
Guys Read: Funny Business - Now that's funny; I don't care who you are
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.
____________________________________________________________
Picture the Dead Live Webcast with special appearance by Lemony Snicket!
I can't wait to get my hands on it!
But, until then....
Win a copy of Horrid Henry - 3 Winners!
Back in May, Henry had just landed on the Reading Rumpus doorstep, but it was instant love. The Horrid Henry
series is aimed toward the early independent reader. However, it's also an excellent resource for struggling readers. Each book contains four tales with a large font style, quick pace and illustrations for excellent contextual support (and also a laugh or two).From the May review, "Horrid Henry
is HUGE. He’s all over Europe with a television series, a play and famous people like Miranda Richardson loving him up. But here, we Yanks have missed out on his mania. Not so anymore! Horrid Henry has jumped the pond and if you have or teach children in the young independent reader age group, you’re going to want to check Henry out.Make no mistake, Henry is Horrible and author Francesca Simon makes no apologies for him. It’s that unapologetic horribleness that allows the reader to escape into a world of naughty without really being naughty themselves (my favorite sort of escape!). There will be no need for moralistic discussion as kids will cover their mouths, giggle and offer their own ideas as to why Henry’s made some mistakes. Francesca Simon's style certainly leans toward a Roald Dahl
slant, and this is further amplified by the Quentin Blake inspired illustrations of Tony Ross. There could be a lot worse comparisons for an author or an illustrator!I can easily predict that US students are going to love Horrid Henry
as much as their European counterparts."
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