World Book Night

WooHoo!!!
I saved the big news for the week of Read Across America.

 I was selected to spread the love of reading

on World Book Night, April 23!

This is the first year that the United States will participate.  World Book Night was started in the U.K. last year and was a huge success.  People from the U.S. and U.K. will be handing out a million copies of books to share the love of reading with others who may not already know that love.  Other countries are slated to participate in future years.  I will be finding out what title I will be passing out soon...stay tuned!

Genres

I used Popplet.com to creat this visual representation of the different genres.  I still have a couple book covers to add, but for now...

Take Me to the River

Take Me to the River by Will Hobbs is on the 2012 Texas Lone Star reading list.  It is definitely a book of survival.  Not only do two 14 year boys raft the Rio Grande by themselves, they accidentally do it in a hurricane.  They also run into a very dangerous kidnapper. 

 

While reading this book, I learned a lot about the canyons of the Rio Grande.  Here is some more information for you to explore from the National Parks Service!  They show nice pictures of the canyons and even tell you how to plan for a boat trip. 

Pictures retrieved on Feb. 2 from New Mexico Borders and Adventure Gateway.

Misty Gordon and the Mystery of the Ghost Pirates

  I thoroughly enjoyed this  new 2012 Bluebonnet book by Kim Kennedy.  If you like mystery, magic, or pirates, you will love this one!  Just look at that book cover.  It gives you a sneak peek at all the excitement contained inside.  This one is a "do-not-miss" from our Bluebonnet list this year.

The Grimm Legacy

I loved, loved, loved this 2011 Texas Lone Star book.  It has magic, mystery, and even a little mayhem.  What if all the items from your favorite fairy tales were actually real?  In this book, they are!!  What if you could get a reply when you asked,

"Mirror mirror

on the wall

who will win

the race this fall?"

That's all it takes!  Just ask in rhyme or near rhyme and the mirror will answer...well, sort of answer, you may have to solve a riddle yourself to figure out the answer. 

Here is the Scholastic booktrailer  for The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Here is a fantastic example of a Prezi presentation.  This one uses a timeline format for MLK.  If you keep clicking through, you will even hear his famous speech!  I found it on Prezi's website as a featured education prezi...  What a neat tool for students to use for a culminating activity after reading a biography.

Martin Luther King, Jr. on Prezi

Texas Bluebonnet List

The 2012-2013 Texas Bluebonnet list is complete!  The Texas Library Association creates this list for grades 3-6 to encourage reading.  If you read 5 of the books listed below, you can participate in the big vote. 
Here is their list with annotations.

Read Five Then Decide!

Arnosky, Jim. 2011. Thunder Birds: Nature's Flying Predators. New York: Sterling. Trade: 978-1-402756610.

Jim Arnosky and his wife traveled all over the country, observing and researching these majestic birds of prey. Filled with scale models of the wings, feet, and bills of these beautiful, fearsome hunters, this book is sure to engage readers with chatty, fact-filled text and gorgeous paintings.

Cardillo, Margaret. 2011. Just Being Audrey. Illustrated by Julia Denos. New York: Balzer & Bray. Trade: 978-0-06-185283-1, Library Binding: 978-0-06-185284-8.

Author Margaret Cardillo and illustrator Julia Denos bring the best qualities of Aubrey Hepburn to life for a new generation of readers. Just Being Audrey gives you an insightful and delightful view of the icon as a young girl, an actress, and a celebrity who used her notoriety to do good.

Deedy, Carmen Agra and Randall Wright. 2011. The Cheshire Cheese Cat: A Dickens of a Tale. Illustrated by Barry Moser. Atlanta: Peachtree. Trade: 978-1-56145-595-9.

Carmen Deedy and Randall Wright combine their talents in writing a delightfully British cheese-loving cat and literate mouse “tale.” Barry Moser’s drawings contribute images of the characters and settings that you will have a “dickens of a time” forgetting.

Durango, Julia. 2010. Under the Mambo Moon. Illustrated by Fabricio VandenBroeck. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge. Reinforced: 978-1-57091-723-3, E-book: 978-1-60734-278-6.

On summer evenings, Marisol works at her father's music store. Through the stories and memories shared by friends and family who stop and visit, Marisol experiences the music and dance of Latin America.

Fleming, Candace. 2010. Clever Jack Takes the Cake. Illustrated by G. Brian Karas. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books. Library Binding: 978-0-375-95697-3, Trade: 978-0-375-84979-4.

Jack decides to bake a cake to please the princess, who has everything, on her birthday. Though several mishaps and just plain bad luck ruin Jack's gift, they do not stop him from giving the princess the most clever gift of all.

Hatke, Ben. 2010. Zita the Spacegirl. New York: First Second. Trade: 978-1-59643-695-4, Paperback: 978-1-59643-446-2.

What would you do if you found a strange egg-shaped device with a red button in a meteoroid crater? Zita and her friend Joseph discover it leads to an adventure in an unknown land on the brink of destruction in Hatke’s first full-length graphic novel.

Jonell, Lynne. 2010. Hamster Magic. Illustrated by Brandon Dorman. New York: Random House. Trade: 978-0-375-86660-9, Library Binding: 978-0-375-96660-6, Paperback: 978-0-375-86616-6, E-book: 978-0-375-89672-9.

When six-year-old Celia mistakenly makes the wrong "hamster wish," she and her siblings must go on a journey to find the Great Hamster to reverse the spell. A night of adventure brings the family closer together while convincing them that perhaps having to move to a new house isn't so bad after all.

Kennedy, Kim. 2010. Misty Gordon and the Mystery of the Ghost Pirates. Illustrated by Greg Call. New York: Amulet Books. Trade: 978-0-8109-9357-0.

Life in the town of Ashcrumb is anything but ordinary, especially if your parents own a store called the Dearly Departed Antiques Store and drive a former ice-cream truck with D.E.A.D. on it. Misty stumbles upon a mystery about the town’s secret past that is full of ghosts, pirates, and an adventure into the unknown.

Lupica, Mike. 2010. Hero. New York: Philomel Books. Trade: 978-0-399-25283-9, Paperback: 978-0-14-241960-1 (Puffin), Audio-CD: 978-0-14-242819-1.

                       

A departure from Mike Lupica’s normal sports-going fare, Hero tells the story of Zach Harriman who, after his father’s death, begins to live up to his own potential on levels that he didn’t know were possible or even existed.

McElligott, Matthew and Larry Tuxbury. 2010. Benjamin Franklinstein Lives! Illustrated by Matthew McElligott. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. Trade: 978-0-399-25229-7, Paperback: 978-0-14-241935-9.

Benjamin Franklin never died – believe it or not, he was placed in suspended animation and was just found by Victor Godwin, science geek extreme. Readers will enjoy the mystery and excitement of visiting this futuristic history filled with humorous one-liners and mock 18th century illustrations.

Ramsey, Calvin A. 2010. Ruth and the Green Book. Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books. Library Binding: 978-0-7613-5255-6, E-book: 978-0-7613-6218-0.

Playwright Calvin Ramsey recalls a more obscure part of history in his account of “The Negro Motorist Green Book,” which guides travelers to businesses that serve African Americans. Floyd Cooper’s muted shade illustrations encourage readers to enjoy the trip with Ruth and her family through 1950s America.

Selznick, Brian. 2011. Wonderstruck. New York: Scholastic Press. Trade: 978-0-545-02789-2.

Rose is running away from home – to her mother and brother – while Ben is searching for his father with few clues to go on. Set in two different times and written in two different formats, Brian Selznick merges these parallel stories in a climax that explores deafness and the miracle of family.

Smith, Clete Barrett. 2011. Aliens on Vacation. Illustrated by Christian Slade. New York: Disney Hyperion Books. Reinforced: 978-1-4231-3363-6, E-book: 978-1-4231-4750-3, Audio-CD: 978-1-4558-0134-3.

What a surprise when Scrub realizes that his grandmother’s Intergalactic Bed & Breakfast has some very interesting, yet weird-looking guests. If you liked the movie Beetle Juice, then you will love this book!

Sternberg, Julie. 2011. Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie. Illustrated by Matthew Cordell. New York: Amulet Books. Trade: 978-0-8109-8424-0.

Eleanor is crushed when Bibi, her beloved babysitter, must move away to care for her elderly father. As she adjusts to life without Bibi, to a new babysitter, and to the start of the school year, Eleanor finds that change isn’t always as sour as pickle juice on a cookie.

Swaim, Jessica. 2010. Scarum Fair. Illustrated by Carol Ashley.Honesdale, PA: Wordsong. Trade: 978-1-59078-590-4.

Spooks and monsters and creeps, oh my! Beware…the Scarum Fair has arrived, with poems that will make you laugh or cry. Take a ride on the Scary-Go-Round, and maybe a bowl of cat hair stew may be found!

Sylver, Adrienne. 2010. Hot Diggity Dog: The History of the Hot Dog. Illustrated by Elwood H. Smith. New York: Dutton Children's Books. Trade: 978-0-525-47897-3.

This fast-paced picture book takes the reader on a madcap journey through the hot dog’s history from the ancient Romans to its modern vegetarian reincarnation. Cartoon art and sidebars set a rapid pace for all the fun facts about this popular kid food!



Taback, Simms. 2011. Postcards from Camp. New York: Nancy Paulsen Books. Trade: 978-0-399-23973-1.

Michael’s first experience at sleep-away camp starts out as a very scary affair. He sends out a slew of urgent letters and postcards to his Dad in the hopes he will be rescued from his alien counselor, his prankster bunkmates, and the constant rain. His quick-witted dad replies with cool encouragement, reminding him that he met some of his best buddies at camp. As expected, all ends well!

Warner, Sally. 2011. EllRay Jakes is Not a Chicken. Illustrated by Jamie Harper. New York: Viking. Trade: 978-0-670-06243-0, Paperback: 978-0-14-241988-5 (Feb 2012).

Short on size (no pun intended) but long on personality, EllRay Jakes navigates the pitfalls of 3rd grade, including Jared the bully; and in doing so, he becomes a great example to readers who have ever faced or are now facing similar challenges.



Weinstein, Muriel Harris. 2010. Play, Louis, Play: The True Story of a Boy and His Horn Frank Morrison. New York: Bloomsbury. Trade: 978-1-59990-375-0.

Play, Louis, Play, by Muriel Harris Weinstein is a swinging biography of jazz great Louis Armstrong told from the point of view of Louis' companion – his horn!

Yohalem, Eve. 2009. Escape Under the Forever Sky. San Francisco: Chronicle. Trade: 978-0-8118-6653-8, Paperback: 978-0-8118-7874-6.

Lucy’s mother serves as the United States Ambassador to Ethiopia where she keeps thirteen-year-old Lucy close to home for protection. In Eve Yohalem’s first page-turning adventure, kidnapped Lucy must rely on her courage and knowledge of survival to escape and make it home safely.

Texas 2 x 2 List

The 2012 Texas 2 x 2 list is now complete!

 The Texas Library Association creates this list of 20 books to encourage reading among the 2 year olds - 2nd graders!
Here is their list with annotations.

 Ashman, Linda. No Dogs Allowed! Illustrated by Kristin Sorra. Sterling. ISBN 978-1-4027-5837-9. $14.95. Ages 4-8. Welcome to Alberto's restaurant…unless you're a dog, a cat, a bunny, or ANYTHING with fur, feathers, or scales!

Beaumont, Karen. No Sleep for the Sheep! Illustrated by Jackie Urbanovic. Harcourt. ISBN 978-0-15-204969-0. $16.99. Ages 4-7. A sheep wants nothing but to go to sleep in the big red barn on the farm, but each time he closes his eyes, another animal moos or neighs to come in.

Chabon, Michael. The Astonishing Secret of Awesome Man. Illustrated by Jake Parker. Balzer+Bray. ISBN 978-0-06-191462-1. $17.99. Ages 5-8. A young superhero describes his awesome powers, which he then demonstrates as various foes arrive on the scene.

Crosby, Jeff. Wiener Wolf. Disney Hyperion. ISBN 978-1423413983-6. $15.99. Ages 4-7. Wiener dog’s easy life has lost its luster. So when the call of the wild comes, he answers! Weiner Dog becomes...Weiner Wolf.

Crum, Shutta. Mine! Illustrated by Patrice Barton. Knopf. ISBN 978-0-375-86711-8. $16.99. Ages 2-5. Two young children and a dog learn about the troubles and triumph of sharing.

Czekaj, Jef. Cat Secrets. Balzer+Bray. ISBN 978-0-06-192088-2. $16.99. Ages 3-6. Important secrets about how best to live a cat's life will be revealed only to those who can prove that they are genuine cats.

Ehlert, Lois. Rrralph. Beach Lane. ISBN 978-1-4424-1305-4. $17.99. Ages 2-5. The narrator describes discovering how Ralph the dog can talk, appropriately saying such words as "roof", "rough", "bark," and "wolf".

Gormley, Greg. Dog in Boots. Illustrated by Roberta Angaramo. Holiday House. ISBN 978-0-8234-2347-7. $17.95. Ages 4-8. After reading "Puss in boots", a young dog decides to try a variety of shoes, only to find the perfect footwear is right under his nose.

Hall. Michael. Perfect Square. Greenwillow. ISBN 978-0-06-191513-0. $16.99. Ages 4-8. A perfect square is torn, punched with holes, and crumpled but finds with each transformation that it can be something new and just as happy.

Hoppe, Paul. The Woods. Chronicle Books. ISBN 978-0-8118-7547-9. $16.99. Ages 4-7. Being afraid of the dark doesn't mean being afraid alone. When a boy can't find his favorite stuffed bunny, he bravely heads into the woods to look for it.

Judge, Lita. Red Sled. Atheneum. ISBN 978-1-4424-2007-6. $16.99. Ages 2-8. At night, a host of woodland creatures plays with a child's red sled.

Klassen, Jon. I Want My Hat Back. Candlewick Press. ISBN 978-0-7636-5598-3. $15.99. Ages 4-8. A bear almost gives up his search for his missing hat until he remembers something very important.

Kosteciki-Shaw, Jenny Sue. Same, Same But Different. Henry Holt. ISBN 978-0-8050-8946-2. $16.99. Ages 4-8. Pen pals, Elliott and Kailish discover that even though they live in different countries they both love to climb trees, own pets, and ride school buses.

McDonnell, Patrick. Me…Jane. Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 978-0-316-04546-9. $15.99. Ages 3-8. Holding her stuffed toy chimpanzee, young Jane Goodall observes nature, reads Tarzan books, and dreams of living in Africa and helping animals.

Niemann, Christoph. That’s How! Greenwillow. ISBN 978-0-06-201963-9. $16.99. Ages 2-5. A very imaginative boy answers a girl's questions about how different kinds of vehicles work.

Ray, Mary Lyn. Stars. Illustrated by Marla Frazee. Beach Lane. ISBN 978-1-4424-2249-0. $16.99. Ages 4-6. Explore the wonder of stars, whether they are in the night sky, on a plant as a promise of fruit to come, or in one's pocket for days when one does not feel shiny.

Rinker, Sherri Duskey. Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site. Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld. Chronicle Books. ISBN 978-0-8118-7782-4. $16.99. Ages. 2-8. At sunset, when their work in done for the day, a crane truck, a cement mixer, and other people pieces of construction equipment make their way to their resting places to go to sleep.

Rocco, John. Blackout. Disney Hyperion. ISBN 978-142312190-0. $16.99. Ages 4-8. A boy and his family find magic in a summer blackout.

Stevens, April. Edwin Speaks Up. Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. Schwartz & Wade. ISBN 978-0-375-85337-1. $16.99. Ages 4-8. Before his family leaves the grocery store, Baby Edwin makes sure their grocery cart contains the last ingredient needed to make his birthday celebration complete.

Vamos, Samantha R. The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred. Illustrated by Rafael López. Charlesbridge. ISBN 978-1-58089-242-1. $17.95. Ages 5-8. A cumulative tale of a farm maiden who, aided by a group of animals, prepares "Arroz con Leche," rice pudding.