SUMMER IS BETTER WITH BOOKS - 

WHAT I READ IN JUNE 

 

 

 

    

     

Noodle and the No Bones Day by Jonathan Graziano

Pink is NOT a Color by Lindsay Ward

Llama Llama Back to School - an Anna Dewdney book by Duncan Reed

Fallingwater: The Building of Frank Lloyd Wright's Masterpiece by Marc Harshman

The Tide Pool Waits by Candace Fleming 

The Mystery Monster: Paige Proves It, Volume 1 by Amy Marie Stadelmann (Beginning Reader Mystery)

The Story That Cannot Be Told by J. Kasper Kramer (tween/YA historical fiction - Romania)

The Golden Swift (Silver Arrow #2) by Lev Grossman (tween eco-fantasy)

Cold Clay by Juneau Black (Shady Hollow Mystery #2) - Adult mystery

Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade (Enola #8 coming in September) YA mystery

Jennifer Chan is Not Alone by Tae Keller - Tween realistic

Those Kids from Fawn Creek by Erin Entrada Kelly - Tween realistic

The Inheritance Games #1 by Jennifer Lynn Barnes - YA Mystery/adventure

 

The One Thing You'd Save by Linda Sue Park; illustrated by Robert Sae-Heng -published March 16, 2021

Another great book for poetry month! A teacher asks her students what they would save if the place where they lived was destroyed. All the living things are safe and you don't have to worry about money. So what means the most? What one thing would you save?

Linda Sue Park explains in her author's note at the end that she borrowed from the line structure for sijo (pronounced SHEE-zho), a 14th-century Korean syllabic verse form, to create the poems for this book. Sijo usually has three lines of thirteen to seventeen syllables but there are variations. As Park says, "Using old forms in new ways is how poetry continually renews itself, and the world."

I enjoyed reading the thought process behind the choices of the students. I also really liked that the teacher admits that she had chosen one thing but has changed her mind after listening to what her students selected. Using this book could spark some great discussions in a classroom -- or for your next Zoom meeting! Just be sure to give the participants plenty of time to think about their response. It isn't easy! But the students in the book do offer a lot of great ideas.

Also - don't overlook Robert Sae-Heng's lovely illustrations. They add a lot of context to the poetry and the different choices made by the students.

 

Ain't Burned All the Bright 

by Jason Reynolds; artwork by Jason Griffin

 "And freedom to play without worry about the rules being rearranged."
 

It seems the rules get rearranged a lot.
What is your oxygen mask?
Don't forget to breathe.

This is a beautiful book - with a poem by Jason about -- everything happening right now. And amazing art to accompany it by his best bud, Jason Griffin. Be sure to read the short dialogue at the end of the book that explains how they came up with the idea to create this amazing book. 

This is a blurb from the publisher -- 

"...300 pages of art, this piece, this contemplation-manifesto-fierce-vulnerable-gorgeous-terrifying-WhatIsWrongWithHumans-hope-filled-hopeful-searing-Eye-Poppingly-Illustrated-tender-heartbreaking-how-The-HECK-did-They-Come-UP-with-This project about oxygen. And all of the symbolism attached to that word, especially NOW.

And so for anyone who didn’t really know what it means to not be able to breathe, REALLY breathe, for generations, now you know. And those who already do, you’ll be nodding yep yep, that is exactly how it is." 

 

Happy Poetry Month!

Today has been an interesting day! Do you Wordle? I Wordle. And today's word was also the theme of today's NYT Crossword Puzzle. I thought that was intriguingly coincidental. AND - we found a baby turtle in the parking lot of the library! We relocated her to a safer place. 

Since it is poetry month, I am going to post a few of my favorite poetry books; novels in verse; books about poets; etc.over the next few days. Today I will highlight a book I just read  - Chester Van Chime Who Forgot How to Rhyme by Avery Monsen; Abby Hanlon (author of the Dory Fantasmagory series) contributed. (published March 22, 2022).

 

This is a perfect book for poetry month! One morning, Chester wakes up and - gasp! - he has forgotten how to rhyme! The couplets in the book are all set up for an easy rhyme but Chester replaces the rhyming word with a different set of words - a definition of sorts of the missing word that should be there. At school, the class thinks they will solve his problem by reciting a familiar nursery rhyme about a spider but that doesn't work. They try a series of words that rhyme and that doesn't work either. Chester is a bit despondent about his sudden inability to rhyme but then realizes that everyone has off days. The candle maker might mess up a wick. The baker might burn some bread. But Chester - and anyone - can overcome those not so great days and persevere. 

There are lots of allusions to nursery rhymes in both the the text and illustrations throughout the book and (obviously) tons of rhymes. I think this would be an excellent read-aloud for elementary-aged kids because they will enjoy filling in the missing rhyming word - and then hearing the words that Chester puts in place of the word that should be there.
You could also have a great mixed-up nursery rhyme story time and use books like To Market, To Market by Anne Miranda; Each Peach Pear Plum by Janet Ahlberg; and/or Interrupting Chicken: Cookies for Breakfast by Davide Ezra Stein. Or one of the many, many other books available that turn nursery rhymes topsy- turvy. Since it is National Poetry Month, I would encourage having kids share their favorite familiar rhymes and then have fun trying out other rhymes - maybe trying to find something that rhymes with their name - like Chester!

          

 

May Your Life Be Deliciosa - Warning - you will probably want tamales after you read this one. It's like a warm, tamale-scented family hug. And Before the World Wakes is a celebration of siblings and an early morning hug.

Speaking of hugs - Slug In Love features a slug who wants a hug! Would you hug a slug? I might if it was as cute as The Mysterious Sea Bunny which is, in fact, a sea slug. Learn more about the oceans in Ocean! Waves for All.

Powwow Day will teach you about the importance of powwows and the support of friends and family. Tiny Cedric and Not Enough Lollipops address sharing and thinking of others. Rodney Was a Tortoise stresses the importance of empathetic friends during times of grief. Bathe the Cat is a silly look at cleaning the house before grandma comes for a visit (hint - the cat does not want a bath and does his best to sabotage efforts.)

 

         

  

Aster (Graphic novel fantasy) and her family move to a magical valley. Aster thinks they are just there for a short visit while her mom - who is an ornithologist - handles the migration of marauding birds. But Aster manages to get herself into quite a mess by making some wishes on an ancient totem. Just Roll With It (graphic novel memoir/realistic) handles middle school fears and anxiety with the help of a D20. It's cute and deals with some serious anxiety issues in a relatable way. Temple Valley Summer is a wonderful ghost story set in Japan. Enola Homes #7!? and #8 is in the works. I an currently reading Frankie and Bug. Ten-year-old Bug thinks her summer is ruined because her brother Danny has outgrown hanging out with her. But then Frankie shows up. Along with a serial killer. I'm about halfway through but I can already sense this one is going to be challenging to classify.

Dear Mrs. Bird is an adult historical fiction set in London during WWII. Yours Cheerfully is the sequel which I am currently reading. Noor is an adult Dystopian sci-fi set in Africa. It's very good and a relatively quick read.

 What are you reading?

AND WE HAVE A WINNER!

Wow! That was fast! The Texas Bluebonnet winner was announced today and I am thrilled with the results. 63,331 students voted and first place was a clear winner with 11.99% of the vote!

 

 The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read 

by Rita Lorraine Hubbard; illustrated by Oge Mora is the winner! This inspirational biographical book proves you are never too old to learn. In 1848, Mary Walker was born into slavery. At age 15, she was freed, and by age 20, she was married and had her first child. She was given a Bible at a young age but could not read it. She did look at it and had friends note special life events in it. By age 68, she had worked numerous jobs, including cooking, cleaning, babysitting, and selling sandwiches to raise money for her church. At 114, she was the last remaining member of her family. And at 116, she finally learned to read by taking classes in her assisted living home.

 

You can hear the book read out loud here.

 

 

 

Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera by Candace Fleming; illustrated by Eric Rohmann came in second with 10.14% of the vote.

Act (Click #3), a graphic novel by Kayla Miller came in third with 9.61% of the vote. 

Congratulations to the winners - though it's the kids, teachers, and librarians who read the books that are the true winners.

 

Voting ends today, I think, for the 2021-2022 Bluebonnet winner. Each year, more than 100,000 third-through-sixth graders from across Texas vote for their favorite title from the master list.They must read at least five books on the list and then they can select their favorite. Which book would you choose?

I have highlighted the books I read. I think Act has a good chance because it is a graphic novel. But Honeybee might win. It is a gorgeous informational picture book.  But it could be one of the books I didn't read! I really liked The Oldest Student, The Elephant's Girl, and Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky. The winner will not be announced until March.

1. Act by Kayla Miller.
2. The Best of Iggy by Annie Barrows, illustrated by Sam Ricks.
3. Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes.
4. The Canyon’s Edge by Dusti Bowling.
5. Efrén Divided by Ernesto Cisneros.
6. The Elephant’s Girl by Celesta Rimington.
7. Follow Those Zebras: Solving a Migration Mystery by Sandra Markle.
8. A Hatful of Dragons: and More Than 13.8 Billion Other Funny Poems by Vikram Madan
9. Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera by Candace Fleming, illustrated by Eric Rohmann.
10. The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter by Aaron Reynolds.
11. Lexi Magill and the Teleportation Tournament by Kim Long.
12. The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read by Rita Lorraine Hubbard, illustrated by Oge Mora.
13. Our Friend Hedgehog: The Story of Us by Lauren Castillo.
14. Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker, illustrated by Junyi Wu.
15. The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver by Gene Barretta, illustrated by Frank Morrison.
16. Sharuko: el arqueólogo Peruano Julio C. Tello / Peruvian Archaeologist Julio C. Tello by Monica Brown, illustrated by Elisa Chavarri.
17. Someplace to Call Home by Sandra Dallas.
18. Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia.
19. Ways to Make Sunshine by Reneè Watson, illustrated by Nina Mata.
20. Words on Fire by Jennifer A. Nielsen.