Pass it on . . .

A friend and colleague invited me to attend the Association of Marquette University Women annual Leadership Luncheon. Being with a group of successful women--whose scholarship and networking efforts have paved the way for four generations of women--was INSPIRATIONAL. 

Bonus? Hearing HarperCollins Children's Books editor Molly O'Neill share her love of children's literature. 

Molly O'Neill

10blockwalk.blogspot.com

@molly_oneill

Think the big publishers are all in it for the buck? After hearing Molly, I heartily disagree. Molly ADVOCATES for the reader. Certainly she wants a blockbuster publication, but she looks for the books that help children ask questions and find their place in the world. In no particular order--and paraphrased--here are a few of Molly's comments:

What if someone had not put the right book in her hands as a child?

When selecting books for children, it's important to retain 
honesty and validate how it feels to grow up.

Good children's literature is open ended 
in that it allows children to find answers for themselves.

Children's literature has a core of hope.

What age is your inner reader?

So, I put books in the hands of children. I'm a Gatekeeper. (Okay, trying to shake the "Ghostbusters" images. This might take a moment or two.)

Ahem. Mostly it's an process that has become instinct. I build a relationship with a student, figure him out, and match him to (I pray) the ONE BOOK that changes everything. Sometimes the process is habit. I don't much care for those moments. I'm not proud of them. Don't you think I should be ATTENTIVELY putting the ONE BOOK into her hands? Yeah, me too.

Here's the thing about hearing another passionate Gatekeeper: it jump starts my battery. The end of a school year leaves me with a battered, broken down attitude. Man, I'm tired. It's not that I'm dispassionate, I'm depleted. Thanks to Molly, I am able to get my engine running and store up energy. GALVANIZED.

That's energy I'm going to put into matching the ONE BOOK to each student.

It's a good day, Friends, and I have a dream job.

Time Travel . . . I mean, book club.

Yesterday I spent some time discussing with a group of fifth graders the merits and complications of time travel. No, we weren't holding a monthly Doctor Who fan club, we were discussing the When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead.

Bogged down by the changing nature of her friendship with Sal, her intelligent but fashion challenged mother, and the strange goings on with new friend Marcus, Miranda changes in this novel from young girl to young woman. ("They" describe this as a coming of age novel, which I've always found to be a goofy expression.)

It's hard to describe all that takes place in this story without giving away the ending--which is fabulous and comes together in the final twenty pages--so I just tell students to trust me and read the book. (It does have a great connection to Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time. Spoiler.)

Readying for the discussion, I realized I wanted to "shake it up" and try something other than my regular Twizzlers-while-we-talk-routine. So, I pulled out book making supplies and we set to work making paper bag books while talking about THIS great book.

Thanks to Carol Ruth Carlin and Madeline Huston I've had a lovely introduction to book making.

Image from Amazon

Check out The Book Making Experience: An Educator's Guide for Student Made Books for great ideas you can use in both classroom and library.

Here are my supplies:

Image from Liberty Library Lady

Here is my (unfinished) example:

Image from Liberty Library Lady

Here are some of the (unfinished) results:

Image from Liberty Library Lady

Image from Liberty Library Lady

Image from Liberty Library Lady

This worked out SO well. We enjoyed working with our hands while talking about Miranda and Sal. We discussed ways Miranda could have been a better friends to Julia, Colin, and Annemarie. We talked about Miranda's mother. And Miranda's mother's crazy bright tights. (She works at a law office, for goodness sake, bright magenta tights are a no-no!) We figured out Marcus and The Old Man's role in the story.

In addition, all technical problems and moral dilemmas involving time travel were solved. We created a TARDIS and reenacted our favorite scenes from last season's Doctor Who. Wait. That didn't happen. I just wish it had happened. I really want to meet a Time Lord.

I'm the winner for a happy Wednesday book club with a super group of fifth graders!

It's a good day when . . .

. . . Phil Bildner comes to visit and he's just as AWESOME as you anticipated. 

It's a great day when, one week later,

 you're still "high" from his visit!

Extremely Grainy Pic from Liberty Lady

I used to think, "Author visits, take em' or leave em'." Authors, I thought, share their craft and work ethic, but their words are often lost on young students. I witnessed many students (boys, mostly) tune out during an author talk.

Then we hosted Trenton Lee Stewart, Toni Buzzeo, and Patricia MacLachlan. All in one school year. GAME CHANGERS!

Students recently shared with me their love of this yearly event. One boy told me it's the highlight of his year. Who knew? (Not me, I'm the dope.) Obviously, I get bogged down by the planning and then hold my breath until presentations are made--meanwhile forgetting to ENJOY the visit.

Phil rocked our library world this year. Boys were cheering for books. Girls were cheering about writing. Teachers were cheering for Phil! Phil's energy is contagious and his message was clear: you CAN write, you SHOULD read, and BE yourself.

Image from TitlePeek

Image from TitlePeek

My favorite is the "Sluggers" series by both Phil and Loren Long. I suppose it took me by surprise. Expecting a "boy" book, I was taken instead on a family baseball journey that was written with warmth and humor. Suddenly, I was barnstorming with Griffith, Graham, and Ruby. Magically, I was holding that special baseball.

Image from TitlePeek

Be sure to check out Phil's books, they are the real deal. Know that author visits make an impact on students . . . and me too, if I slow down and listen.

Librarian Sucked into Wormhole!

I'm not cool enough to write for an authentic newspaper, so I created my own headline:

Thanks to The Book Chook (@BookChook) I can be as cool as I want. Plus, I get to make crazy stuff up using this newspaper generator at fodey.com

Newspaper treats to share with a friend:

The Daring Nellie Bly by Bonnie Christensen

Image from TitlePeek

Fearless Nellie Bly bucks the system when she becomes a newspaperwoman. After a challenge by a leading editor, Nellie becomes the first female to use her given name and revolutionizes newspaper journalism. 

Henry and the Paper Route by Beverly Cleary

Image from TitlePeek

Paper newspapers might be vintage in today's world, but readers will still enjoy Henry's efforts toward independence gained through his paper route.

Max's Words by Kate Banks

Image from TitlePeek

Max learns all about storytelling when he creates a collage of words from newspapers, magazines, and other print materials.

Do you have any favorite treasure books about words, newspapers, or publishing?

TEACHthinking

I have big questions. They'll not be answered in my lifetime, but I keep asking. Why am I here? What is my purpose? What gives my life meaning? What is the right thing to do?

It's my opinion that all people in all walks of life ask these questions. In fact, children ask these questions. I've been reading the following books to help me help children ask questions--usually in response to literature--and seek kernels of truth.

The If Machine by Peter Worley

Image from The Philosophy Foundation

Philosophy for Kids by David White

Image from Barnes & Noble

A great place for ANYONE to start:

Zen Shorts by Jon Muth

Image from TitlePeek

“A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feeling as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.”

― Albert Einstein

Lady Liberty

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

~"New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus

Photo by Liberty Library Lady

Oh, how I loved Emma Lazarus' poem and the Statue of Liberty. (Still do!) My fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Nighsonger, must have impressed upon us the peril Lady Liberty faced after a century in New York's harbor. She must have explained well what the statue meant to thousands of immigrants arriving to America. Mrs. Nighsonger must have inspired us well--I still appreciate the symbol of freedom for which Lady Liberty stands.

As a class, we saved pennies to send for the statue's restoration. Just like schoolchildren a century before us, we contributed to Lady Liberty's existence in New York's Harbor. The photo above is a picture of the penny bank Mrs. Nighsonger gave to me 30 years ago. (Thanks, Mrs. Nighsonger. Your teaching changed my life.)

Liberty's Voice by Erica Silverman

Image from TitlePeek

The story of privileged Emma Lazaras, who grew up to advocate for the poor and oppressed.

Building Liberty: A Statue is Born by Serge Hochain

Image from TitlePeek

The building of Lady Liberty is chronicled in this book, which follows the part four fictional craftsmen take in her creation.

Looking at Liberty by Harvey Stevenson

Image from TitlePeek

Recounts the creation of the Statue of Liberty from inspiration to installation in New York's Harbor.

Liberty! by Allan Drummond

Image from TitlePeek

From the perspective of the young boy selected to signal sculptor Bartholdi, this book tells about the 1886 dedication of the Statue of Liberty.

First lines . . . the third

"I hadn't seen this photograph since the day it was taken, UNTIL NOW."

The Unforgotten Coat by Frank Cottrell Boyce

Image from TitlePeek

First lines . . . the second

"Troy knew IT WAS WRONG."

Football Genius by Tim Green

Image from TitlePeek

First lines . . . the first

"GRAMPS SAYS I AM A COUNTRY GIRL AT HEART, and that is true."

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

Image from Titlepeek

American Civil War

Today I'm substituting in a fifth grade classroom. It's been many years since I taught fifth grade and I must say, it's coming back easily. Fifth graders have a special place in my heart.

Image from Reederbooks.com

Students are reading Shades of Gray by Carolyn Reeder. In this story, we learn about Will's journey as a Southerner to a Northerner's world. Will has lost his entire family and must now navigate through emotional and situational transition. Along the way, he learns that the world is not black and white--that there are shades of gray.

During our snack, I grabbed a picture book from my library to share with students. Along with this book, any of those listed below will enhance a study of the American Civil War.

The Blue and the Gray by Eve Bunting

Image from Library Thing

Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco

Image from Titlepeek

Freedom Ship by Doreen Rappaport

Image from Titlepeek

Making a Difference

The world is so big and humans are so small. I am frequently overwhelmed by the need in my community, state, country, and the world. How to make a difference when I am but one? Well, as Desmond Tutu says, "Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good together that overwhelm the world."

In honor of doing a little bit of good, take a look at the following books:

One Hen by Katie Smith Milway

Image from Novelist

Through a community loan program, Kojo is able to purchase one chicken which helps lift him, his family, and his community out of poverty.

Wangari's Trees of Peace by Jeanette Winter

Image from LibraryThing

Wangari Maathai left her forested homeland to pursue education. Upon her return she realized that thousands of acres had been cut down. This book shares the story of her efforts to replant these trees with the help of women's groups. 

More Christmas Stories

Christmas stories for the middle grades that reach beyond the basic to a deeper message can be hard to find. Here are my two picks for the season:

The Christmas Rat by Avi

Image from TitlePeek

Eric meets Anjela Gabrail while stuck at home alone. Anje, as he's called, is a large man with white-blond hair who wears wing emblems on his ball cap.  (An allusion to the Angel Gabriel, found in Christian, Jewish, and Islamic stories.) 

As a building exterminator, Anje recruits Eric to help him kill the lone rat living in the basement. In this suspenseful story, Eric struggles with good vs. evil and comes to a surprising conclusion about the "Christmas Rat."

The Last Holiday Concert by Andrew Clements

Image from TitlePeek

Evan Hart, tasked with running the school holiday concert after an unfortunate rubber band incident, learns that being popular is not the same as being a leader. Who knew getting kids to sing could be so tough? And who knew that Evan's efforts would become so earnest?

I can't resist including the quote below from Andrew Clements. Happy Reading!

"Sometimes kids ask how I've been able to write so many books. The answer is simple: one word at a time. Which is a good lesson, I think. You don't have to do everything at once. You don't have to know how every story is going to end. You just have to take that next step, look for that next idea, write that next word. And growing up, it's the same way. We just have to go to that next class, read that next chapter, help that next person. You simply have to do that next good thing, and before you know it, you're living a good life."

Oddballs

Everyone remembers the oddball in his or her school--the kid who never quite fit in, the student with a disability, the kid with family problems. As we age, we learn to show compassion and kindness to others (I hope!), but it can be hard to do this as a young person.

I've recently witnessed both criticism and compassion on the part of students--both part of learning to be a better person. These events reminded me that literature is a great way to bring home the lesson: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." 

(By the way, this lesson of reciprocity is a global moral extending back to ancient civilizations. It is taught in all major faiths as a manner of recognizing the image of God in all people.)

Here are my picks for helping middle grade students empathize with the oddballs among us:

Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick

Image from Novelist

Mad Max, aka that "retard", is a giant, dumb eighth grader struggling to overcome the terrible reputation of his father. His life begins to change when Kevin, suffering from a disease that stunts his growth, moves in down the street. Kevin is brilliant and, with the locomotion Max provides, the two are able to take quests around the neighborhood as "Freak the Mighty." As the story progresses, Max's father kidnaps him and Kevin dies. These events lead to an epiphany for Max that forever changes his life course.

Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead

Image from Novelist

Georges must tackle the struggles that accompany a social and economic downturn in his life. Suddenly abandoned and tormented by his lifelong friend, Jason, Georges befriends Safer, a home schooled boy with an endearing family. The boys bond while spying upon the mysterious tenant in their building, Mr. X. Of course, nothing is as it seems and the revelations the boys encounter reveal the secrets they keep, their potential to become leaders, and their ability to see the forest for the trees.

POGO STICK Books

Image from reboundair.com

Friends, there exist in my library realm POGO STICK books. (Not a technical term--a Liberty Lady creation.) These books have cover art and titles that make a grown up roll her eyes. These books include an element of the ridiculous. These books seem dumb.

Kids know better. These same books make them laugh, don't require intense cognitive effort, and occasionally involve a little bathroom humor. These books are POGO STICK books--they help the reader pogo to another type of story.

Image from Barnes & Noble

Gary Paulsen is one of my faves. He's my go-to author for wilderness adventure books. Here's the thing: not all scholars love to read a coming of age story set in the forest. Let me tell you, they are missing out BIG TIME. Gary's work is vast and varied. 

I hand wilderness adverse students Lawn Boy. Gary wrote Lawn Boy, but it's a different kind of book. The cover art is mischievous, the story clever. While this book contains no bathroom humor with it's carefully crafted message of independence and self-reliance, it appeals to the same crowd. Lawn Boy is a pogo stick book to Hatchet,Brian's Return, Brian's Hunt, and Brian's Winter. 

More POGO STICK authors? Jim Benton. Andrew Clements. Dan Gutman. Megan McDonald.

Boys and Books

"To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life." 
~W. Somerset Maugham

Has reading changed your life? It has changed mine and I wish the same experience for children. In our home, we read together almost every day. I've read every kind of book you can imagine to my kids. I've mastered the voice of Yoda. Man, I have the reading force. 

So much has been written about boys and the trouble they have finding great books to read. You might find that your son eagerly listens to stories, but won't pick up a chapter book and read on his own. There are two books I recommend to grown ups that address boys and reading:

Best Books for Boys by Pam Allyn

Image from Library Thing

Great Books for Boys by Kathleen Odean

Image from Library Thing

In addition, I find these websites to be useful resources in the hunt for the perfect "boy" book:

Guys Read

Read Kiddo Read

Browsing my library for books, I am reminded that the series listed below are excellent for ALL students. I often recommend these books to boys .

Image from Library Thing

Carole Marsh Mysteries are superb. Her tag line is "Real Kids, Real Places." I like these books for the location--National Parks, famous sites, places families might visit together. Check out Carole's website--phenomenal. 

Image from Library Thing

Bruce Hale writes about the detective, Chet Gecko. These books play on words with titles like Murder, My Tweet and Bruce's storytelling is superb. Bruce's website doesn't disappoint.

Image from Library Thing

Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black have written a fantasy adventure series called "The Spiderwick Chronicles." If your reader likes fantasy this series is complete with field guides, character guides, and more. 

Let me know if you try out these books . . . I'm eager to hear what works well in your house.

Hugs and Shrieks (aka, historical fiction)

Recently a student asked me for some historical fiction/non-fiction book combinations. Sweetie, your request was right up my alley. (Really, I just about grabbed you in a crazed hug and shrieked with joy.) 

At the bottom of this post, I'll list the FIRST of these combinations. For now, read a little about an author I admire: DEBORAH WILES. She rocks my library world and rocks it hard.

Ever since I read Each Little Bird That Sings, I've been a fan of Deborah Wiles. Perhaps it's her southern voice? Maybe it's the humor? I'm not sure it matters--her characters and tight plots draw me in and keep me recommending her books for years.

Last year I read Countdown. Um, A-MAZ-ING. This genre is called "documentary fiction" and readers experience history as they read the story of Franny Chapman. Check out her Pinterest board for both Countdown and the upcoming sequel. Yeah, I'm salivating. I love me some history AND fiction!

Countdown Book Trailer

Countdown Ideas

Historical Fiction/Non-Fiction Combo Numero Uno:

Cold War

Image hosted by Library Thing

Breaking Stalin's Nose by Eugene Yelchin 

Check out Yelchin's website for great explanations of socialism and Stalin. This site is so complete and completely written for young people. 

Image hosted by Library Thing

The Wall by Peter Sis

This book is a graphic memoir of Sis' childhood behind the Iron Curtain in Czechoslovakia. Wowsa. It's lovely. Here's a great site for the book from Macmillan. (Super YouTube videos--I had to stop myself from putting them here or you might never get to the actual books!)