Un-Boggle Your Mind With Coggle

Several months ago Richard Byrne of Free Technology for Teachers featured a mind-mapping tool, Coggle in a post on his blog.  Coggle is a free web 2.0 application released in January of this year.  There is no registration.  You sign up using a Google account.

Features noted on the home page include:

• real-time collaboration
• unlimited amount of images using a simple drag and drop method
• go into history mode to re-do previously made edits
• when collaborating you can see who did what  and
• for visual thinkers branch colors can be changed easily.

If you have a Google account select the big green button and you are good to go.  At the next screen click the green CREATE button.

In the upper-right hand corner of your work space are four icons representing from left to right, collaborators, download, view history and chat.  In the center of the screen, to begin choose the gray New Coggle space by mousing over it.  An arrow (+ sign) on either side will appear.  The arrows allow for the addition of branches in your mind map.  Click and type in the title of your Coggle. 

As you work helpful hints appear on the screen; keys to use to delete, undo, redo, etc.  The entire working area screen can be moved by dragging so you can focus on a particular section.  You can zoom in and out by using control + and control -.  You can also select the question mark icon in the lower left-hand corner for more assistance.

A branch can be dragged to a desired position.  A single click on a branch causes a color wheel to appear allowing for a change in shades.  For each branch that is added a plus sign appears allowing for "a child to be added to the parent" branch.  When you choose a branch name again, you are allowed to edit your text.

At any point you can choose the share (collaborators) icon to provide a link via Facebook or Twitter.   This allows anyone to see the work on your Coggle.  (Here is the link for my Coggle, Book A Day Challenge Summer 2013)  You can also add in readers and writers with their email addresses.

By choosing the download icon you can save your Coggle in PDF or PNG format.  Any hyperlinks added to your Coggle will be functioning in the PDF format.  Adding hyperlinks is easy.  In the text box type the name of the link surrounded in brackets followed by the URL surrounded in parenthesis.

When you select the view history icon a list of times appear.  Click on any to create a copy of your Coggle.  This allows you edit your work from that particular point.






To exit your Coggle simply close the browser link.  Your work in continuous saved.  If you are logged in Google as soon as you go to the Coggle home page your account information (list of your Coggles) will appear.

For more help Coggle has a blog (linked here).  The blog further explains specific features of the application.  There are many how-to narratives offering more sophistication to the look of your Coggle.  

When you desire to quickly collaborate, brainstorm, or make a list, this application is exactly what you need.  I can't begin to stress enough the ease of use.  I recommend putting Coggle in your virtual toolbox.  You, your students and your colleagues are going to really enjoy using this mind-mapping web 2.0 application.

Here is the image of my Coggle.

Here is the embedded PDF file.  I was able to embed the PDF file by uploading it into Scribd.  In Scribd when you click on Preview one of the available options is HTML code.

Book a Day Challenge Summer 2013 by Xenasmom

Watch, Wait And Wonder

More than fifteen years ago at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago was the first and only time I've seen whales.  My group went on to other parts of the aquarium but I was mesmerized by the belugas; their size, color and grace in the water was a thing of true beauty.  Even understanding the care given to them at Shedd Aquarium (and other animals in zoos and aquariums throughout the world),  I long for a planet where all living creatures could live their lives safely, as they were meant to, in the wild.

To catch a glimpse of a whale while traveling by boat or even from the shore, would be one of those unforgettable moments you carry with you forever.  The collaborative team of author, Julie Fogliano, and Caldecott illustrator, Erin E. Stead, first brought readers And Then It's Spring (A Neal Porter Book, Roaring Brook Press, February 14, 2012); a quiet tribute to possibility and promise.  This month their newest work, If You Want To See A Whale (A Neal Porter Book, Roaring Brook Press), follows another little boy and his dog as they practice the fine art of patience.

if you want to see a whale you will need a window

Well, not just a window but an ocean and time for thinking about "whale-ish" shapes.  Maybe it is a whale and maybe it is not a whale.

You can't very well see a whale either from the snuggly comfort of your favorite spot at home.  You will have to ignore other distractions like roses, ships in the distance on the water and the people on those ships.  There is no time to be thinking of pirates.

Don't let pelicans, tiny creepy-crawlies or clouds lead you astray with their smiles, movements or fluffy forms.  No, you need to stay the course.  You need to keep both eyes open, watching the water, and waiting for the wonder of a whale.


When reading the words of Julie Fogliano you find yourself entering a special world; a world of the everyday transformed but her writing.  She makes a simple statement but builds upon it, layer by layer until you not only have an image in your mind but a sequence of events leading to that point.  In this story those things to be enjoyed when not whale watching, the chair and blanket, the roses, the ship, the pelican, inchworms and clouds, are described in such a way as to nearly become characters themselves.  Every single passage plays a quiet song in your mind when read.


There is a quality to the art of Erin E. Stead, her use of space and color, that is stunning in it's simplicity.  When opening the jacket, the image of a whale swimming upward on the back is replicated in an engraving on the blue cloth front cover.  Moving from page to page the shift of white, to a subtle blue or green and then back to white, the interplay of opposites, is design genius.  On her boy, his dog and other items in the illustrations on a given page the fine lines, the tiniest of details, are a delight to behold.

Using linoleum block printing and pencil Stead weaves a kind of magic drawing her reader's eyes into a day dedicated to whale watching; a day following a young boy, his dog and the smallest of birds she includes in every two page spread.  We silently observe their explorations and musings marveling at her interpretation of Fogliano's narrative.  The same shade of yellow in the comfy chair is found again in the dinghy the three companions row out onto the sea.  The hair coloring on the boy is a variation of the same hue in the dog's spots.  The sky highlighting the cloud patterns appears again in a series of three pages that will literally take your breath away.


If You Want To See A Whale written by Julie Fogliano with pictures by Erin E. Stead is picture book perfection.  Readers will wish they could join the curious boy, his faithful dog and the sweet bird as they wait and watch and wonder.  I can't stop reading this again and again.  It's one of those books to cherish and share.

To see more illustrations from this title visit the publisher website linked here.  For an outstanding visual display of the artistic process with supporting conversation from Erin E. Stead visit Julie Danielson's Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.

She's The Hero!

It started last summer.  I've always read book after book during June, July and August but the summer of 2012 was different.  I was participating in the #bookaday challenge.  I will be this year too; Donalyn Miller wrote about it yesterday on the Nerdy Book Club blog.

I was reading so fast I could not keep up with posts about them on my blog.  Then too, there were a handful of books so powerful I could not begin to express in words their meaning for me or for others readers. They are still in a small stack waiting for me to have the courage to write about them.  One of those books was by Lynda Mullaly Hunt, One for the Murphys. 

Summer ended, school started and the year was off and running.  In the middle of January Lynda Mullaly Hunt posted this tweet on Twitter.  It was a game changer for my students, their teachers and me.

Author's Confession Post--Huge giveaway for teachers and librarians. ARC, Skype, signed copies of One for the Murphyslyndamullalyhunt.wordpress.com/2013/01/18/ful…
— Lynda Mullaly Hunt (@LynMullalyHunt) January 19, 2013

It was followed by a series of tweets back and forth between Lynda and I.  Again, I can't stress enough the connections made on this social network between authors and illustrators and the people who wish to bring their work to readers.  This ability to converse with writers and artists still amazes me.

@loveofxena Thanks so much for the RT, Margie! Happy, happy Saturday :-)
— Lynda Mullaly Hunt (@LynMullalyHunt) January 19, 2013

@loveofxena & what a lovely, sweet comment it is--thanks so much, Margie. Do wish I could actually join you for hot chocolate. Some day!:-)
— Lynda Mullaly Hunt (@LynMullalyHunt) January 19, 2013

@loveofxenaIndeed It would.
— Lynda Mullaly Hunt (@LynMullalyHunt) January 19, 2013

When the deadline for the offer arrived, Lynda sent out this tweet to her followers.  Readers of her book already knew about her huge heart.  What she did for so many nearly leaves me speechless.

I just couldn't choose ONE!! The giveaway winners are:lyndamullalyhunt.wordpress.com/2013/01/18/ful…
— Lynda Mullaly Hunt (@LynMullalyHunt) January 24, 2013

When her original tweet was followed by this tweet, I literally started dancing.  I could not believe it.  I called one of our fifth grade teachers immediately.  We were like two kids laughing and talking a mile a minute; so excited by this opportunity for our students.

@lynmullalyhunt What!?Walking the dog, came in and saw this.Scurrying to the web site.
— Margie Myers-Culver (@Loveofxena) January 24, 2013

A literacy grant was already in place allowing for the purchase of a paperback copy of One for the Murphys for every fifth grade student.  In the months following the "win" all three classes read the book; the conversations between the students and their teachers were some of the best.  I reread the book, liking it even more, and wrote a review linked here.

Lynda and I continued to stay in touch via email planning for the Skype visit.  As the library filled with students eager to meet the author of a book they had shared together, anticipation was high.  I don't think any of us were prepared for how truly special April 25, 2013 would be.  As soon as I could I sent out a tweet, thanking Lynda Mullaly Hunt for one of the best author visits I have ever experienced.

@loveofxena Thanks, Margie--very sweet. :-)I loved your class--lot of enthusiasm and personality. Loved their reactions and questions. :-)
— Lynda Mullaly Hunt (@LynMullalyHunt) April 25, 2013

@loveofxenaWell, that foundation--enthusiasm-was laid before I met them #kudostoyouI like this mutual admiration society we have going
— Lynda Mullaly Hunt (@LynMullalyHunt) April 25, 2013

@loveofxena Well, it isn't every day you get perfect! :-)
— Lynda Mullaly Hunt (@LynMullalyHunt) April 25, 2013

I wish I could have recorded the event.  The personal level of information Lynda included in her presentation, how the story (One for the Murphys) came to her and how she developed it, her use of photographs and the possible covers for the book, her ease in speaking with the students and answering their questions thoughtfully and going to get her dog for part of the Skype was "one for the books".  It wasn't until I received an envelope filled with student letters two weeks ago that the full impact of her Skype was abundantly reinforced.  Here are some of the comments.

• I really liked the Skype. I had no idea you could not pick your own cover for the book.  The best part was when people read their questions and she really thought.
• I liked the Skype visit for One for the Murphys because we got to ask some really good questions about the book like for example "Why did you pick a girl to be in foster care instead of a boy?"
• My favorite part was when she told us about her next book and how it's about Toni's point of view.
• I really liked when she told us about her childhood.
• It was so cool to learn how she came up with the book. 
• What I really liked about the book was that it was all kinds of mixed emotions, like, happy, sad and tears of joy. 
• I love how she plays with words because it just makes you think harder about things.
• My favorite part was when she showed pictures of her house.
  

I know sixty plus people who will never forget April 25, 2013.  I know sixty plus people who will never forget reading One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt.  These are the moments to treasure; an author connecting with her readers.  You are our hero, Lynda and we thank you with all our hearts.

Twitterville Talk #100

Despite the fact the school year is quickly drawing to a close for many, Twitter was as busy as ever this week.  I hope everyone has a relaxing weekend.  Take time for reading and look for the giveaways.


How lovely to begin this week with another video from Candlewick Press in their continuing celebration of We Believe In Picture Books!  The talented author/illustrator Helen Oxenbury speaks about some of her latest works.

Thanks to Candlewick Press for this tweet and for providing these videos during this year.

Here we go with the array of book trailers courtesy of the master gatherer extraordinaire, Mr. Schu.










Here's a great short video with author Meg Cabot---Five Questions with Meg Cabot.




Kids Reads Comics is coming to Michigan on June 22nd and 23rd in Ann Arbor.  Follow this link to get the total scoop and to help spread the word.

Have you cast your ballot for the Kids' Comics Revolution! 2013 Awards?  

Did you miss watching the live stream of The Children's Choice Book Awards?  I loved watching it; similar to the Academy Awards but for books.  It has been archived here.

Don't miss the Scholastic Fall 2013 Online Preview!



Thanks to John Schumacher, teacher librarian, 2011 Library Journal Movers & Shakers, 2014 Newbery Medal Committee member, and blogger at Watch. Connect. Read. for another week of wonderful tweets.




You might want to check out some of the free songs that author/illustrator Stephen Shaskan has available; follow this link.
To the first person who can name one of Stephen's songs I will send a copy of Pug and Other Animal Poems by Valerie Worth with pictures by Steve Jenkins.  DM the answer on Twitter or in the comments below. (This title has been won.)


Many thanks for posting this tweet on Mother's Day, Stephen Shaskan.







Here is a better than best resource for younger students doing animal research; a National Geographic Symbaloo.

Thanks to Sarah Ducharme, teacher librarian currently working in Budapest and blogger at Try Curiosity!  for this tweet.






Author/illustrator Jan Brett has two new items on her website to use with The Three Little Dassies; a reader's theater and matching masks.

Thanks to Jan Brett for providing these resources to go with her book and for the tweet.






I think my credit card just ran away and hid.  There are so many good titles in this 2013 Preview Interview: Kids Can Press.  


Thanks to Travis Jonker, teacher librarian, 2014 Caldecott Committee member and blogger at 100 Scope Notes for this tweet.








This is a must read--A Librarian's Response to "What's a Library?"

Thanks to Book Riot for this tweet.




There are several items in The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression Children's Book Art Online Auction that would look fine and dandy hanging on any of the walls in my home.  Head over to the gallery.

Thanks to educator and blogger at educating alice, Monica Edinger for this tweet and post.




Did you know for a very small fee you can have middle grade and young adult authors send letters to anyone over six years old twice a month? Letters For Kids sounds amazing.  Wouldn't it be fun to surprise someone with this?


Thanks to Jennifer Laughran, literary agent and blogger at Jennifer Represents... for this tweet.





Check out these amazing From Rapunzel to The Little Red Riding Hood, Beloved Children's Classics as Minimalist Posters.  These would be a good starting point for a discussion/unit on fairy tales.  To the first person who can name the book represented by the last poster I will send a copy of Chicken Little by Rebecca Emberley and Ed Emberley.  Post your answer in the comments below or DM me on Twitter. (This title has been won.)



Thanks for this tweet goes to Maria Popova of Brain Pickings.





It seems there is a contest going on at A Fuse #8 Production; The Mighty Lalouche Contest (which I don't normally do but this one is sort of too cool to ignore)  Whether you decide to enter or not is up to you but the comments I could read over and over.

Thanks to Julie Falatko, blogger at World of Julie, author and reviewer at Brain Burps Podcast for this tweet.



Have you read the books yet?  Does your calendar have a big red circle around the date?  Get ready for the #SharpSchu book club ASAP.

July 11, 2013 is going to be one of the best days for book lovers and readers in the State of Michigan.  Check out this post with information about nErD Camp Battle Creek.

Many thanks for these tweets goes to Colby Sharp, teacher, co-founder of the Nerdy Book Club, co-host of the monthly #titletalk and blogger at sharpread.





Have you seen The Summer '13 Kids' Indie Next List Preview?  There are some really excellent titles on this list.

I really enjoyed looking at In Pictures: The 2013 Children's Choice Book Awards

7 Reasons Why You MUST Read Aloud To Your Kids Of All Ages
To the first person who can name the first reason on this list I will send a copy of Wag! written and illustrated by Patrick McDonnell.  Put your answer in the comments below or send me a DM on Twitter. (This title has been won.)


Thanks to Children's Bookshelf of Publishers Weekly for these tweets.






For fans of author Patrick Ness's Chaos Walking series it does not get any better than this. Chaos Walking Short Stories



Huge thanks to author Patrick Ness for this tweet.




Here is yet again another article about Why Reading Aloud To Older Children Is Valuable.

Thanks to teacher librarian and blogger at The Styling Librarian, Debbie Alvarez, currently working in Hong Kong for this tweet.









If you loved The Open Book piece author/illustrator Bob Staake did last week and wished it could be made into a poster to purchase you are in luck.  Here is the link to buy a copy.  I ordered two!

Thanks to Bob Staake for making this available and for this tweet.






I said it on Twitter and I'll say it again now---This is why I love Twitter.  Thank you: An Open Letter to Sharon Creech  To think I might have never read this...

Thanks to author Kate Messner for this post and this tweet.





I cried when I read this---B95, the Moonbird, spotted on Delaware Bay  Here is a link to my review of the book.

Thank you so much to Donalyn Miller, educator and author of The Book Whisperer:  Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child for this tweet.








Here are some of my favorite quotes and tweets of the week.

A kid who wants to write and tell about something he/she wants to share is a special person in a class.
— Seymour Simon (@seymoursimon) May 12, 2013

"No significant learning can occur without a significant relationship." -James Comer #ntchat
— Oakland Schools ELA (@OaklandELA) May 12, 2013

There is nothing quite so intimate as the space between a page and the reader’s eyes. pinterest.com/pin/5093290390…
— Claire Legrand (@clairelegrand) May 13, 2013

Photo: Question: Is today going to be a good day? Answer- tmblr.co/ZCMl-skuJcK3
— Colby Sharp (@colbysharp) May 13, 2013

Children's Book Week is this week! But don't panic like Bear! ruzzier.com/childrens-book… #childrensbookweek @disneyhyperion @sterlinglordlit
— Sergio Ruzzier (@SergioRuzzier) May 14, 2013

So as not to arouse concern over the volume of ice cream sandwiches I'm eating, I'm holding them to my ear like a phone between bites.
— John Hendrix (@hendrixart) May 14, 2013

When I catch a falling thing, I feel like a ninja princess sparkle warrior.
— Julie Falatko (@JulieFalatko) May 15, 2013

Sometimes my car automatically drives itself to @vromans bookstore.
— Marla Frazee (@MarlaFrazee) May 15, 2013

Just heard the 1812 overture. Very well done by 4th-5th graders. But it’s not the same without the cannons.
— Adam Lehrhaupt (@Lehrhaupt) May 15, 2013

RT @juliadraw: Sometimes stories need to be put away for a while to grow on their own.
— John Schu (@MrSchuReads) May 16, 2013

Favorite quote today: "I read on the bus on the way home because I know how much you like it when we read." #2ndchat
— Niki Ohs Barnes (@daydreamreader) May 16, 2013

I want to live in a world where all children have books that are their own, ... @ericaperl reading.org/general/Public… @iratoday
— Colby Sharp (@colbysharp) May 17, 2013

How did I not know that @rjpalacio is coming to #mra14? #nerdybookclub
— Colby Sharp (@colbysharp) May 17, 2013

I'm thankful that nobody gives me a list of books to read over the summer.
— Colby Sharp (@colbysharp) May 18, 2013

I have a kid going to the prom. How could this be when I'm SURE he was 5 years old, like, last year? They let 6-year-olds go to prom now?
— Kate Messner (@KateMessner) May 18, 2013

Puppy Pal

There is nothing that makes me want to roll around on the floor as much as a passel of puppies.  Even the presence of one will draw children (and adults) to it like metal to a magnet.  There's something about their eyes, ears, too big paws, little cold noses, chunky bellies and the wobbly way they walk and run, that's hard to resist.

Apparently humans are not the only ones who find them to be perfect pals.  The champion of charm, humble and heartwarming little red tractor, Otis, is putt puff puttedy chuffing his way back into our reading lives with his newest title, Otis and the Puppy (Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.) written and illustrated by Loren Long.  It seems the change in seasons is bringing more than usual to the farm.

It was springtime on the farm where the friendly little tractor named Otis lived.  The flowers bloomed, the trees were filled with leaves, and the farm buzzed with the joy of a new season.

During the day he and the farmer prepared the fields for planting but when their work was done the fun began.  Otis and his barnyard friends liked nothing better than a rousing game of hide-and-seek; especially when Otis was it.  Like a group of neighborhood children they played until just before dark.

As they made their way to the barn one evening the farmer had something special to show them, a burlap bag.  As they watched it move and make sounds their curiosity mounted.  When they saw a puppy pop out, planting puppy kisses all around, their happiness grew and grew.

After everyone was in their places fast asleep Otis was awakened by puppy-in-distress noises.  Otis, clicking on his light, left the barn to investigate.  His new friend was not comfortable alone in the dark in the old doghouse.

Each night from then on, one little puppy would be snuggled up with one little tractor in the barn.  One day during a fun-filled game of hide-and-seek with Otis being it, the puppy forgot to hide being distracted by a new thing.  The puppy forgot all about playing.  The puppy got lost.

Otis found everyone but the puppy.  All the animals and the farmer looked in every nook and cranny for the little guy until it was past bedtime late.  Back at the barn Otis could not sleep knowing how afraid of the dark his pooch pal was.  He understood that fear; Otis was afraid of the dark, too.

What Otis wants to do is find his friend.  Otis wants to shine his light in the darkness, moving through the woods to rescue the puppy.  Otis wants the strength of friendship, his desire to do the right thing, to overcome his own fear.  Hide-and-seek skills, for one loving to be it, can come in handy in the nick of time.


Four years ago when Loren Long introduced readers to a friendly little tractor, barn red in color, who putt puff puttedy chuffed his way through a story full of heart, he gave us an enduring character, a home-grown hero you can't help but love.  Using simple, descriptive, almost lyrical, sentences with a pacing gently unfolding the story, readers enter life on the farm with Otis and his friends.  Word choice deepens the mood of the moment, the sense of emotions and the readers' attachment to the friendly little tractor.  Here are a couple of examples.

And then, as quickly as he had jumped out of the sack, he wobbled over to Otis, leaned on his tire, yawned, slouched, and plopped off to sleep.

Otis finished counting, peeled out, and motored here and there, putt, puff puttedy chuff, swerving and darting and skidding as fast as he could to find his friends.

Just inside the forest, Otis stopped dead in his tracks.  The sounds of the night crackled, thumped, and croaked all around him.


Unlike the two previous titles, Otis and Otis and the Tornado, with a more subdued color palette, this title's matching jacket and cover, a cloud for the highlighted background, is surrounded in a pale sunny blue; a sense of lightness, laughter even, shines forth.  The deep silver opening and closing endpapers showcase a single image of Otis on the move in white. The initial single title page, in white, shows the puppy stretched out curiously looking at a blue butterfly.  In contrast the two page illustration for the second title pages foreshadows the fears to be met with a night scene of the barn on the hill opposite the edge of the forest.

Using pencil and gouache Long's illustrations seem to have a luminous deep silver (of the endpapers) quality to them.  He shifts perspective and size fashioning a companionable flow with his narrative; single page, double page, smaller groupings with portions breaking outside the frame, or singular visuals unframed, surrounded by white for emphasis.  During the hide-and-seek game when the puppy becomes lost the narrative never states the distraction or what the puppy is doing; the illustrations tell a parallel tale.  There is a definite classic richness to Loren Long's work in the Otis books.


Whether you are a fan of the Otis books or not, Otis and the Puppy written and illustrated by Loren Long will have you falling in love with this friendly little tractor again or for the first time and quickly seeking out the earlier titles.  Everyone needs a friend like Otis.  When they read these books, he is not just the friend of the calf, the bull or the puppy but their friend too.

Be sure to visit Loren Long's website for lots of Otis extras; the link is embedded in his name.  Follow this link to the publisher website for a sneak peak at a few pages.  Loren Long visited teacher librarian John Schumacher's school this year.  Follow this link to his blog, Watch. Connect. Read. to share in the delights of the day.

Standing Strong For Right

There is nothing that restores your faith in humanity as when a group of people band together to do the right thing.  A specific moment may prompt an individual of courage to rally others to the cause.  The lifestyle of an entire community can reflect bravery in the face of laws which dictate they act otherwise.

On September 18,1850 The Fugitive Slave Law was passed by the United States Congress as part of a compromise between free and slave states.  If a slave was found in a free state, it was a matter of law they be returned to their owners.  The Price of Freedom: How One Town Stood Up To Slavery (Walker Books For Young Readers) by Judith Bloom Fradin and Dennis Brindell Fradin with illustrations by Eric Velasquez is a nonfiction picture book that speaks volumes on the commitment of people, their willingness to break the law, to help their fellow humans.

One frigid January night in 1856, John Price and his cousin Dinah took two horses from their master's barn.

They had a friend, Frank, on another farm who was to join them.  The three left Kentucky to make their way to Ohio, a free state.  Although the Ohio River was frozen it wasn't until daybreak when they found a way to climb the river bank.

Taken in by a Quaker man until they were well after their harrowing escape, they eventually split up; the two men going one way, Dinah another.  John and Frank knew they needed to get to Canada to be truly free.  Making their way along the Underground Railroad, they reached Lake Erie only to discover it was not yet safe because of ice.

Oberlin, Ohio , the site of Oberlin College and then, an active community in helping runaway slaves, is where the two decided to wait out the winter.  Nearly two years later, having felt welcome and living in the company of other African Americans (close to 400), John and Frank were still there.  But trouble had followed and found them in the form of Anderson Jennings, a slave hunter from Kentucky.

Jennings had been promised $500 per man to return John and Frank.  He found a family in Oberlin who supported The Fugitive Slave Law.  Their son, Shakespeare Boynton, was given $20 to betray the two men.  As their plot unfolded John Price was taken against his will.

A seemingly uninterested Oberlin college student, a wagon ride to nearby Wellington, the attic of Wadsworth Hotel, a train bound for the southern states and hundreds of men and women, of all ages, of differing occupations and color, changed the fate of John Price.  When verbal negotiations failed, the heroic actions of men prevailed.  While John, Frank and Dinah disappeared like so many ghosts of the past, hopefully finding freedom, many of the men who aided them were not so fortunate, eventually serving time for their defiance.  The Oberlin-Wellington Rescue of 1858 is permanently affixed in history

What makes this title excel is the obvious thorough research on the part of authors Judith Bloom Fradin and Dennis Brindell Fradin.  Interwoven in the narrative are personal accounts, names and occupations and dialogue of rescuers.  That day in September 1858 is heightened by the listing of the hour and minutes before each specific passage.  The recounting of the arrest of one of the rescuers and the subsequent trial add to the gravity of the undertaking.  Here is an example passage.

Oberlin student William Lincoln was in his room when some classmates pounded on his door.  He was the man to rescue John Price, they told him, offering him a gun.  Lincoln hated slavery, but he also hated violence.  Unsure what to do, he knelt on the floor with his Bible and asked himself:
"If it were your own brother, what would you do?"


The matching jacket and cover support the heart of this historic event, the front visualizing the people willing to stand up for John Price, the back showing one adult hand dropping a $20 coin into a younger outstretched hand with the words, How much is one man's life worth?  Opening and closing endpapers show a darkened river landscape.  Wood-grained planking provide the background for the title pages.

Rendered using mixed media with oil paints on watercolor paper, the illustrations of Eric Velasquez are brimming with atmosphere and emotion.  Many are spread across two pages to capture the intensity of a given situation.  Wood-grained framing is used repeatedly on single pages, a double page picture and on two smaller visuals to provide a sense of the past.  You can't help but feel that any minute the pictures might come to life allowing you to step into the world of 1856-1858.  One painting in particular stands out:  John and Frank looking around a large tree near a fence with the moonlit sky in the background as they make their escape.


Even though I've read The Price of Freedom: How One Town Stood Up To Slavery by Judith Bloom Fradin and Dennis Brindell Fradin, illustrated by Eric Velasquez, several times, the power of the story is still the same.  The combination of the writing and pictures is captivating, compelling the reader to turn the pages as quickly as possible.  I am thankful for these authors and this illustrator, for the time they committed to keeping this portion of history alive, for calling attention to the bravery of many.

At the back of the book are a short explanation of the Underground Railroad, a bibliography, recommended sources for further reading and a list of websites.  

A Singular Presence On The Web--Striking.ly

Making The Best Web 2.0 Applications for Education in 2012 list by Larry Ferlazzo, educator and blogger at Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... and receiving a recommendation on Twitter by Heather Moorefield-Lang, Education Librarian at Virginia Tech and former and new chair of the American Association of School Librarians Best Websites for Teaching and Learning, plus favorable reviews in notable tech news, Striking.ly is a web 2.0 application designed to create

gorgeous, mobile-optimized sites in minutes. 

It features ease of use with one screen for all your work and a simple click for editing.  Other options are:

• search engine optimized so your site can be easily found
• your page can be quickly connected to social media
• page analytics and
• comment form and email form to your page.

To register for this free service enter in your email address, a password and your first name. Click on the green GET STARTED. IT'S FREE! green button.  You are then taken to a new screen, your Striking.ly dashboard.

On the left-hand side of your dashboard,  the column allows you to view your sites, go to your account (edit profile, change email/password, view invoices, change plan and close account, upgrade ($8.00 and $16.00 per month plans), rewards (ways to go Pro for a week by promoting Striking.ly in social media) and logout.  In the center are three categories from which to chose your template for your site; Your Business or Project, Your Personal Site and Your Portfolio.  In the far right lower corner is a small question mark where you can access help in the form of browsing articles, browse ideas and sending a message or feedback.  

The first category on the left contains five templates, the next, three and the final one, four.  For educational (classroom), professional purposes, the personal site or the portfolio site templates appear to have the most potential.  But for personal use, creating a presence quickly, they would both work well.  The personal site templates could be used to create a biographical page for a person from history.  To keep track of or showcase books read during a specific time period, I can see using one of the portfolio templates.

To experiment with the application I decided to use one of the portfolio templates for some of my favorite picture books (potential Mock Caldecott candidates) read to date.  When you mouse over a template the design name is shown, you can immediately begin to edit or see an example.  Upon clicking edit, you are taken to your work space.

On the left is your toolbar. At the top you have the choices of save, publish, exit or settings. You have the option to preview your site on the screen, tablet or phone.  Beneath this you can alter section by section; renaming them or deciding to hide them from the web site header on the upper right.  A new section can be added to the template along with a link to a blog or other links.  Every item in the template, when moused over, can be edited. 

When I moused over and clicked on the Echo Rocket logo and clicked Edit, my options were to upload, effects, remove, add link and add description.  Upon selecting Upload, a new screen appeared with eleven places from which to obtain images.  The Effects tab yielded a similar array of choices for altering the selected image.  At this point I am beginning to be amazed at the sharp-looking single web page which can be created using this application.  I added a link and a description to the image I choose.

When you mouse over and click edit for any of the text portions, you can make it bold, italics or underlined, add or remove a link, use two types of bulleted text and justify your margins four different ways.  You can choose to have heading or text font size.  Continue editing the template until you have the site you desire.  Make sure to save and preview before you publish.

Clicking the Publish button gives you a chance to share on Facebook or Twitter, and copy the URL link.  You can always change the last portion of the link to make it more personal.  When finished here click exit to go back to your dashboard.


Striking.ly has enough options within the templates to personalize a single page site.  The design and layout of all the templates within the three categories are clean and sophisticated.  Once you have the elements you wish to add to your chosen template, the page can be created quickly with ease.  I highly recommend this new web 2.0 application.

Here is a screen capture of a portion of my page after editing the Echo Rocket template shown above.

Here is a link to my created web page for Mock Caldecott 2014.  By clicking on the images they can be enlarged and scrolled through as if in a slide show.

Follow this link to my review of Tackk which lists links to all the other web page creation tools I have reviewed.