Styling Librarian: What are you reading? 5/14/12
Here’s the inspiration behind this post: http://www.teachmentortexts.com/
Thanks to Jen and Kellee for the inspiration!
Limiting myself in terms of talking about books is difficult! Couldn’t keep myself to three titles this week. Also, I created a movie showing all my April reads.
New blog posts are coming soon, especially about life in preparation of moving to Hong Kong to be a Teacher Librarian there!
House Held Up by Trees by Ted Kooser, illustrated by Jon Klassen
Beautiful picture book that set me back on my heels, wow. What a beautiful book showing how life goes on, grows, changes. One of my favorite books this year. Also, the illustrations created in connection with this book are inspiring. There’s a touch of Jon Klassen’s other books throughout but it is quite a gorgeous rendering of the story as well. I look forward to reading this at the end of the year with my students for our discussion on changes in life.
Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin
Feel so honored to read this book. Thank you to Grace Lin for sending me the ARC! Jumped up and down in joy holding it in my hands on Thursday. Looking forward to sharing it with students and friends for years to come. Perfect stand-alone story with rich folktale mixture intertwined with the most beautiful story with rich character development. Cannot wait to read it again when it is officially published with all the illustrations richly in color as the treasure of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon!
Ellray Jakes is a Rock Star by Sally Warner
Wonderful book that celebrates a child solving his own problems with bullies and others. The book also shows how children might justify stealing something in order to be more popular and fit in, how peer pressure sometimes leads to tough situations, and also how even “nice” kids with good intentions can lie and get into trouble. Nice to read a book with that type of celebration of solving problems without helicopter parents swooping in to the resolve the problem. I’ve dealt with a few “nice” kids who get into trouble through the years and appreciated how this book approached the issues that can crop up. I think that some terrific discussions can be developed either in a school library read aloud situation or in the classroom. Also, I know many children who will be tickled pink that there is a new Ellray Jakes book to read as I’ve had numerous teachers enjoy reading aloud the first book Ellray Jakes is not a Chicken.
Betsy ~ Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace
Simply loved reading this book with my son. The time period, celebration of imagination (before technology impact) and creativity of the girls was wonderful. Sometimes I tired of the stereotypes but overall I thought this book one of the richest friendship books I’ve read in years. My son wants us to buy a piano so that he can have his own piano box to play in. He also thinks that wandering around the neighborhood and chatting with neighbors is just a given as was life in Betsy and Tacy’s time. Love his innocence and also how he helps me also go back to innocent days! Cannot wait to read the sequel with him!
The Great Cake Mystery by Alexander McCall Smith
Really enjoyed reading this mystery as I’m a fan of Alexander McCall Smith’s adult mystery books. I found it to have a great plot and interesting mystery case. Wonderful components naturally embedded into the story from the African culture to how children treat one another. I think it would be a fabulous quick read aloud in first or second grade that would lead to some “deeper” discussion questions in addition to being a terrific mystery genre book example. It reminded me of some folktales such as Gail Hadley’s Caldecott Book A Story A Story– there is a semblance of the gum baby story integrated in with how the mystery was solved. information on A Story A Story here: http://booksforkidsblog.blogspot.com/2007/03/top-trickster-adventures-of-anansi.html
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These three books were fabulous. I felt lucky having the time to read these with my son this week. What a fun read aloud time it was with each one. I asked my son to read them to me which he was quite excited to do successfully.
Robot Zombie Frankenstein! by Annette Simon
Sea Monster’s First Day by Kate Messner, illustrated by Andy Rash
Is Everyone Ready for Fun? by Jan Thomas
I find that all three of these picture books are the perfect read alouds for Preschool and Kindergarten. (And other grades as well!) Robot Zombie Frankenstein has simple text but appealing, hilarious imagery with two funny characters trying to outdo one another. Reminded me of Tadd and Todd (link is to an audio recording of the story) in Dr. Seuss’s book The Bippolo Seed. But in that story, one character is trying to be different than the other but the other continues to copy him, but similar theme. Sea Monster’s First Day mixes in a “how do I fit in?” message that is cute/touching. Is Everyone Ready for Fun? is a riot with a poor chicken’s sofa being smooched by a bunch of happy, energetic cows. I never am disappointed by ANY book by Jan Thomas. Her picture books always have fun voices, great stories, and beg to be re-read- which I don’t mind to do at all!
Robot Zombie Frankenstein book trailer:
Tadd and Todd read aloud:
Want more book ideas and reviews? – Yes, I’m quite brief, but a prolific reader! Please visit me at Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1941055-the-styling-librarian
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Your books look fantastic! Have a great week
Thanks, always enjoy a reading week…
So jealous that you have Starry River of the Sky! I adored Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and am thrilled to hear that her new novel is excellent as well.
Tickled pink to have it, can’t wait to share with students and librarian colleagues. It is brilliant.
You certainly are a prolific reader….love the book trailers, I find that the kids get so much through creating these, too. I just bought the Ted Kooser book, and can’t wait for it to arrive.
Thanks, I love book trailers when I can find them. My students love when I sneak them in during a book talk or at the beginning/end of a library class for a transition.
You had a great reading week! I love how you included so many trailers to peek at! I’m definitely adding The House Held Up By Trees to the TBR list and I didn’t realize that Alexander McCall Smith had written things for kids, too. Thanks for sharing!
I was excited to find out about Alexander McCall Smith’s book too! Learned from another wonderful blogger. Having fun reading other bloggers “Monday Reading” posts and automatically putting holds on new treasures.
So many great books! I love House Held Up By Trees but hadn’t seen this video with Ted and the house that inspired the book. I love it. I love old houses like that. Very cool. As I was watching it, it made me think of Ray Bradbury’s short story “There Will Come Soft Rains”. I remember being so confused by that story when I read it as a student and then last year I had to help a student who was reading it for his English class. I understood it much more as an adult but it’s still a confusing story if you ask me. This book kind of helps me make sense of it though because i think it carries the same message that nothing beats nature. As hard as we try to control it or as technologically advanced as we can get, nature will still prevail and we need to appreciate it. I’m going to have to go e-mail that English teacher now and tell her I have House Held Up By Trees for her to read. (Maybe she doesn’t have to torture…I mean expose her students to the Bradbury text…)
AND – you are moving to Hong Kong?! With your family? That sounds awesome and adventurous. I’m not sure I could do that. I wish you the best!
I was really excited about finding that video. Put it in perspective for me. Chuckle to a different option instead of Bradbury.
YES Hong Kong! We’re moving there near the end of July, I’ll be a teacher librarian there. With budget cuts looming the past few years, made me more open-minded to new opportunities and my husband is thrilled and my son is 6 years old, good age to be exposed to life in a new place/different points of view, etc. Thanks. I’m anxious but excited.