May Storytime Briefly 2014

Yesterday was the last day of the school year.  While I am ready to have my kids home for summer break, I will miss the first graders and second graders who shared so many stories with me this year.

In May, we talked about siblings.  We read

• Maple by Lori Nichols
• "Brother" by Mary Ann Hoberman
• Flora's Very Windy Day by Jeanne Birdsall, illustrated by Matt Phelan

I love the illustrations in Maple--they remind me of summer afternoons, resting in the park and listening to my mom read Mary Poppins.  (I'm waiting for the red maple in my backyard to grow bigger so we can enjoy its shade.)  The first-graders were delighted to make the connection between the trees and the sisters' names.

A couple of days after I listened to the second graders read their own fractured fairy tales at the Second-Grade Book Bonanza, we talked about the gift of story.  We read

• Clever Jack Takes the Cake by Candace Fleming, illustrated by G. Brian Karas
• Hansel and Gretel illustrated by Sybille Schenker

The first graders went to the zoo, so we read books about zoos and zoo animals:

• Xander's Panda Party by Linda Sue Park, illustrated by Matt Phelan
• My Side of the Car by Kate Feiffer, illustrated by Jules Feiffer
• How to Hide a Lion by Helen Stephens

After we read My Side of the Car, the second graders told me about their first-grade bus breaking down on their way to the zoo the previous year.  (I got to hear the same story from the first graders who were relieved their bus had made to the zoo without mishap.)

We talked about hats (because I wanted an excuse to share these books.)  We read

• I Want My Back by Jon Klassen
• Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
• Milo's Hat Trick by Jon Agee

We talked about names and read

• Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
• My Name Is Elizabeth by Annika Dunklee, illustrated by Matthew Forsythe
• Nelly May Has Her Say by Cynthia DeFelice, illustrated by Henry Cole

When I took my kids to the library to meet Kevin Henkes, I realized that we hadn't read any of his mouse books for storytime this year.  It was time to fix that! 

And then for our final storytime of the school year, we read books about things to do during the summer:

• Roller Coaster by Marla Frazee
• At Night by Jonathan Bean
• Step Gently Out by Helen Frost, photographs by Rick Lieder
• Wolves by Emily Gravett

Okay, I admit that Wolves by Emily Gravett was a small stretch for a summertime activity but it sure was a fun way to end the year.

tara recommends The One Safe Place by Tania Unsworth

The One Safe Place is an unexpected and engaging dystopian novel set in a world where the rich rule and the poor stay out of their way.  More than the larger social commentary, however, this story explores the life of homeless orphans and a society that exploits them.  Slightly reminiscent of The Lord of the Flies or Among The Hidden, children take matters into their own hands when they discover the truth behind their isolated world.

Devin is a boy who lives on a secluded farm with his loving grandfather.  When his grandfather dies, however, he isn't able to maintain the farm by himself and sets off to a city he has never seen to find help.  Unfortunately, he  quickly realizes he has lived a very sheltered life and the security he has known is tenuous for a city orphan.  A kind act attracts the attention of an older boy, Roman, who invites Devin to live in a special home for children.  Devin and his new friend, Kit, eagerly trust Roman and travel to the Gabriel H. Penn Home for Childhood.

At first glance, the Home has everything a child could ever want or imagine.  But, after the initial sparkle has worn off, Devin realizes something is not quite right and nobody is allowed to leave.  While he and his new friends at the Home search for a way out, they also try to solve the mysteries surrounding the sinister Administrator and the "Visitors" that observe the children.

This gripping adventure is also somewhat creepy, but will keep you turning pages looking for the happy ending.  While geared to a YA audience, I would recommend The One Safe Place to anyone looking for a good read with a grim twist.

The One Safe Place
by Tania Unsworth
published by Algonquin Young Readers
April 2014
recommended for ages 12 and up

April 2014 Storytime Briefly

Since April is National Poetry Month, I took the opportunity to share a poem each week.  I have so many favorites that it was difficult to choose just a few, so perhaps I'll have to start sharing a poem a week in March next year.

We discussed similes and metaphors with the following poems and books:

• "Umbrellas" by Barbara Juster Esbensen
• Quick as a Cricket by Audrey Wood, illustrated by Don Wood
• Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes
• "The Toaster" by William Jay Smith

I found a big red umbrella to pop open for "umbrellas bloom" in the poem, and when the red tulips in my flower beds bloomed a couple of weeks later, my daughters were quick to point out that the tulips were holding their "umbrellas upside down."

After discussing metaphors, I asked the children to guess the title of William Jay Smith's poem.  It took a couple of tries, but they guessed it.

We talked about color, and we read

• "Crayons" by Marchette Chute
• Blue Chicken by Deborah Freedman
• Bridget's Beret by Tom Lichtenheld
• The Noisy Paintbox by Barb Rosenstock, illustrated by Mary GrandPre

One of the first-graders refused to believe that Vasya Kandinsky could hear colors.  He just kept shaking his head and telling me that someone just made it up.  I suggested that he look it up when he got home, and he told me he would do just that.  He did enjoy looking at slides of Kandinsky's art, though.

We talked about the Beehive Book Award winners.  We read

• Twosomes by Marilyn Singer, illustrated by Lee Wildish
• The Princess and the Pig by Jonathan Emmett, illustrated by Poly Bernatene
• Mrs. Chicken and the Hungry Crocodile by Won-Ldy Paye and Margaret H. Lippert, illustrated by Julie Paschkis

Only the first two books were Beehive Book Award winners, but I've been looking for an excuse to read Mrs. Chicken and the Hungry Crocodile, and the switched at birth theme fit nicely with The Princess and the Pig.

When You Can't Write About It . . . Show Pictures Instead

Even though I haven't posted recently, it does not mean I haven't been reading.  It just means that school, piano lessons, a very busy preschooler, and graduations have kept me away from my blog.  I will never get around to reviewing all my favorite books this year, but here are three book trailers for  picture books that I love:

Maple by Lori Nichols

The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors of Sounds of Kandinsky's Abstract Art 

written by Barb Rosenstock, illustrated by Mary Grandpre

Peggy: A Brave Chicken on a Big Adventure

by Anna Walker

And here is an interview with Shaun Tan where he talks about his upcoming picture book, The Rules of Summer, that I'm looking forward to seeing when it comes out next week:

The Rules of Summer by Shaun Tan

tara recommends Nightingale's Nest by Nikki Loftin

Can a book be both heavy and lift you up?  Is it possible to deal with very hard, serious issues, yet be lyrical and beautiful?  Nightingale's Nest by Nikki Loftin does just that.

Twelve-year-old Little John has some real problems, including dealing with the death of his sister, working alongside an alcoholic father, and trying to negotiate a mentally unstable mother.  To top it off, he also befriends and tries to protect an abused foster child, Gayle, who lives across the street from his father's employer, Mr. King.

Gayle is an unusual child who likes to sing while perched in a self-made nest, high in a sycamore tree.  She is delicate and alone, but when Little John finds her, she lets her guard down and brings him into her world.  When her birdsong voice attracts the attention of creepy Mr. King, the richest man in town, Little John is forced to make some difficult choices.

This strangely beautiful and heartfelt story has some unanswered questions that will leave readers wondering, and there are elements that force you to suspend reality to fully appreciate the journey.  However, responsibility, trust and ultimately forgiveness are expertly woven through a unique narrative that will stay with you and pull at your heart.

Nightingale's Nest
by Nikki Loftin
published by Razorbill
February 2014
recommended for ages 10 and up

February and March 2014 Storytime Briefly

Battle of the Books craziness kept me busy in February and March as students at our elementary school read and engaged in friendly (and sometimes, fierce) competition.  And somehow, I let February get away from me without a post for storytime, so today it'll be a double.

We spent another week reading Beehive Book Award nominees.  We read

• Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems
• It's a Tiger by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Jeremy Tankard
• The Princess and the Pig by Jonathan Emmett, illustrated by Poly Bernatene

I love that the students are excited about this award--someone asks each week when the winner will be announced.

We celebrated Valentine's Day by talking about love and friendship.  We read

• Snowy Valentine by David Petersen
• Brimsby's Hats by Andrew Prahin
• Paul Meets Bernadette by Rosy Lamb

The kids laughed at Bernadette's way of looking at things, and they spent a lot of time after we had read it saying, "Go back to the page where . . ."

We talked about monster with these stories:

• Bedtime Monsters by Josh Schneider
• The Girl Who Loves Danger (a storybox by Steve Light)

I've said it before, but I can't say it enough: Children love Steve Light's storyboxes.  The Girl Who Loves Danger is my favorite.

We talked about the different medium choices artists make.  We spent time looking at pictures and read

• The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson, illustrated by Beth Krommes
• A Home for Bird by Philip C. Stead
• RRRalph by Lois Ehlert

We talked about Lois Ehlert.  We read

• RRRalph by Lois Ehlert
• The Scraps Book: Notes from a Colorful Life by Lois Ehlert
• Mice by Rose Fyleman, illustrated by Lois Ehlert

Since it was our second reading in as many weeks, I let the students read the dog's part in RRRalph which they really enjoyed.  We went through The Scraps Book at a leisurely pace, stopping to talk about our favorite books along the way.

We talked about pets.  We read two books and a poem:

• The Birthday Fish by Dan Yaccarino
• "Mother Doesn't Want a Dog" by Judith Viorst
• Sparky! by Jenny Offill, illustrated by Chris Appelhans

"Mother Doesn't Want a Dog" has long been a favorite poem at our house (ever since my now adult son convinced me he couldn't be a "real boy" without a dog).

We read about dragons:

• The Crocodile Who Didn't Like Water by Gemma Merino
• The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Michael Martchenko
• Dragon Loves Tacos by Adam Rubin, illustrated by Daniel Salmieri

The Crocodile Who Didn't Like Water wins points in my book for the not-what-I-expected resolution.  The students liked the detail on the end papers.

tara recommends Mitosis by Brandon Sanderson

The projected release date for Firefight is fall of 2014, but if you are itching to get back into the world of Steelheart, I would suggest reading Brandon Sanderson's novelette, Mitosis: A Reckoners Story.  At a mere 35 pages, Mitosis is a quick read that takes you back to dystopian Chicago with the Reckoners and a new Epic.  

As a caution, there are definite spoilers in these chapters, so read Steelheart first to set up the characters.  With just enough details to refresh your memory, this story provides a nice gateway to the series sequel and the inventive new Epic reminds you what was great about Steelheart.  The only thing that would make this better? - not having to spend $1.99 for the five chapter story.  This seems like the perfect release as a fan-favorite bonus gift.  But, in the meantime - definitely a fun read and a nice companion to Steelheart.

Mitosis: A Reckoners Story

by Brandon Sanderson

published by Delacorte Press (as an eBook)

December 2013