Innovations in Storytelling

In a post on July 5, 2012 Larry Ferlazzo of Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day, spoke of a new web 2.0 application which makes digital storytelling increasingly easier, especially, as a writer, you desire to give your readers choices.  In a subsequent post, The Best Web 2.0 Applications for Education in 2012-So Far he includes it on his list.  Inkle is the company responsible for the design of that application called Inklewriter.
At the site they state:

We've developed a unique format for interactive literature:  the "inklebook".

When you access the home page the tabs across the top read, left to right, home, about us, creative services, frankenstein, inklewriter and blog.  Frankenstein, under the teachers tab, informs us about their most recent app penned by Dave Morris, published by Profile books, which

provides an interactive retelling of Mary Shelly's classic novel.

This is an exciting tool offering insight and the potential for discussion; for giving readers and writers the opportunity to reflect and imagine possibilities.




Moving down the row of tabs, skipping to the last, blog, you can view all the latest and greatest happenings at the site.  Under the inklewriter tab are the headings of inklewriter, Future Voices competition, getting started and for teachers.  Inklewriter is a free application for designing, writing, interactive stories.  It keeps track of the story paths.  Once a story is completed it can be shared with a unique URL.

Future Voices competition is just that, a writing competition hosted by the site.  If you are a writer, the incentives look very good.  Yesterday on their blog was a post, 10 types of interactivity, which offers ideas for using inklewriter. The for teachers tab highlights the many uses of the application in the classroom, the ease of use and the very real plus of students not needing email addresses to save their work.

The getting started tab supplies answers and information about:

• Start writing
• Write, and add options
• How do I change to another path?
• How do I join different paths back together again?
• How do I read my story?
• What's this about signing up?
• How to I use logic?

When you click on the start writing tab you are taken directly to the app Inklewriter.
You can sign in to continue work on a previous creation, start a new story or view a tutorial story.  I would recommend going through a couple of the tutorials to get a basic understanding.  For me, any more were confusing without actually using the application first.

When you click new the real fun (writing) starts.  On the left-side toolbar are the choices of making your text bold, in italics, running paragraphs together, inserting a new section or inserting a condition to test.  In the upper right-hand corner you can switch from write to read mode as well as view a list of your created contents.

A story title and author name can be added with a mouse click.  Begin typing your story hitting the enter (return) key to create a new paragraph adding options to the story as needed.  A section can only be added when you are working on a particular paragraph.  I found adding section numbers to be a quick way to navigate within the contents. You can change the section numbers to a specific name with a mouse click.

I was initially under the impression that every time you started a new paragraph in your writing, by hitting the enter key, it would allow you to add one or more options.  That is not the case.  If you want to add options to a paragraph it needs to be an option first.  Creating these chains is fun and easy by checking the contents from time to time to see how your story is unfolding.

I wholeheartedly agree with Larry Ferlazzo.  Inklewriter is an excellent tool for creating interactive stories.  It would easily work with students in groups or individually. Here is the link to my story started using Inklewriter.

In introducing the genre of adventure to sixth grade students, in the past, we have added a writing component.  Breaking a class into groups of four, the students generate an introduction.  They then pair up to each create a different path the story might take.  Endings for each of the paths are written by the students individually, thereby finishing with four separate stories.  This activity, usually done using a previously designed paper template, would be better accomplished using Inklewriter.


UPDATE:
Inklewriter posted a trailer for this app on YouTube August 16, 2012.  Here it is.

A World Apart

You know you are completely immersed in a world conceived by an author when, pausing in your reading, you look out the window over the kitchen sink, spot a large black bird silhouetted against the lacy trees as night falls and for two beats of your heart, it's not a raven but a dragon.  You have been visited by the magic of storytelling; pictures in your mind, like a movie, created by the author's vision have completely consumed you.  This is the power of Seraphina (Random House) written by Rachel Hartman, a fantasy that soars on the wings of words.

The anniversary of the treaty, between humans and dragons, reached forty years ago is fast approaching; a treaty with strict rules for all, a treaty with dragons reluctantly assuming human form.  Commemorating the event will be the arrival of Ardmagar Comonot, the ruler of the dragon world.  There are those on both sides desiring the treaty's downfall; perhaps offering an explanation for the sudden murder of Prince Rufus, son of the ruling Queen Lavonda.

Tensions in the capitol city of Goredd, Lavondaville, are running high among the people, fearing a rogue dragon.  Prince Rufus was killed in the style of dragons, decapitation.  None is feeling the strain quite like Seraphina, newly appointed assistant to the court composer, Viridius.

Harboring a secret which could mean not only the death of her beloved father, a lawyer and advisor to the Queen, but also of herself, Phina walks down a precarious path.  Troubled by visions and personalities in her mind, Phina seeks solace in her music and in the tutelage of her mentor, a dragon named Orma.  At her birth, Phina lost her mother, a dragon of uncommon musical talent and beauty.  This marriage between dragon and human, strictly forbidden by all, makes Phina a being which should not exist.

Having both human and dragon traits is a blessing and a curse; being able to sense what others cannot but having been taught to not draw attention to herself.  With her exquisite musical abilities brought to light at Prince Rufus's funeral and her intelligence, wry wit and skills as a tutor to Princess Glisselda gaining notice, Phina becomes a major player in the court intrigue, the murder investigation and in the preservation of peace.  Added tension comes in the form of Prince Lucian Kiggs, Captain of the Queen's Guard for whom Seraphina, against all common sense, develops an attraction.

Hartman's use of language paints vivid pictures of this alternate reality with detail, dialogue and dimension.  We walk among the rooms of the castle, along the city streets and throughout the countryside.  We step inside characters' personalities experiencing their lives as if they are our own.
Here is a single passage illustrating her writing.

"Maybe it didn't expect the knights to risk imprisonment by reporting to the Queen.  Or maybe it assumed the Queen would never believe their story---which also happened, didn't it?  I hesitated, because it felt like giving away something personal, but finally added:  "Sometimes the truth has difficulty breaching the city walls of our beliefs.  A lie, dressed in the correct livery, passes through easily."
He wasn't listening, however; he stared at a second object of intense rookish interest on the floor of the hollow. "What's that?"
"A dead cow?" I said, wincing. ...
...The rooks swirled and dove in unison, screaming, then scattered into the trees.  Kiggs, his arms wrapped protectively around his head, had nearly reached the bottom.
My horse shifted uneasily.  Kiggs's horse pulled at the reins and whickered.  The rooks had all but disappeared, leaving the coppice and hollow eerily silent.  I didn't like this one bit. ...

That Rachel Hartman has a love of music is evident in this writing not just for the vivid descriptions of melody and lyrics but in her art as a writer.  This book reads like a well-written symphony scripted from the heart illuminating a rich tapestry of place, people, and dragons that resonates well after the final page is turned.  Seraphina is a stunning, beautiful, wondrous tale filled with unforgettable characters, flawed but filled with strength for their individual purposes, a world you will not want to leave, life-affirming questions and answers and a heart-stopping plot. 

A link to Rachel Harman's website is attached to her name.  At that site are several other links to interviews but the most recent I am embedding here for you to enjoy.  You will probably want to add a personal copy of Seraphina to your bookshelves (I did.) to be read again at least once before the sequel arrives.

Free To Be

Sometimes it's hard to point out the obvious.  Sometimes it's hard to do what you want to do.  Sometimes it's not easy to laugh at your flaws.  Sometimes children are so much better at this than adults.

Imagine, if you will, an inanimate object, with the will of a child bent on saying whatever it wants, urging someone else to do the right thing, finding someone with the same sense of free spirit.  Author/illustrator, Frank W. Dormer, has grown such an item in the inventive ground of his mind.  His The Obstinate Pen (Henry Holt and Company) has an agenda of its own and nothing is going to stop it.

Uncle Flood unwrapped his new pen and laid it on the desk. 
It promptly stood at attention.
Uncle Flood shivered with delight.

Uncle Flood fancies himself a purveyor of truth, shouting for quiet at his nephew Horace, before he begins to write.  Pen to paper he starts.  What appears on the paper is not

The following story is all true.
but
You have a BIG nose. 

Three times Uncle Flood attempts to complete his sentence but each time, to his disgust the pen maligns his physical appearance.  So out the window it flies promptly landing on Officer Wonkle's person.  Each time Office Wonkle tries to write sweet Miss Glenda Weeble a ticket the pen tells him, in no uncertain terms, to kiss her. 

Landing in the street after Office Wonkle gives it a toss, Mrs. Norkham Pigeon-Smythe has her chauffeur, Druthers, fetch it out of the tire of her car where it has lodged.  She is so delighted with the unconventional, outrageous statements the pen makes, she encases it in glass.  The pen would rather be free; escaping to be found by none other than Horace.

Without the presence of Uncle Flood hovering, Horace looks the pen over carefully, admiring it's finer points.  The park provides the perfect place to pursue one's passion.  And that's exactly what the pen and Horace do.

Frank W. Dormer's characters have been given names right out of the "Quirky, Wacky Dictionary of Names" designed to create a buoyancy to the tale. Word choice combined with pacing give a rhythm readers enjoy reading in their minds or aloud with others.  Insightful and unexpected responses written by the pen generate smiles galore.

Dormer's preferred medium of pen and ink with watercolor shines in this title with loose-lined drawings that flow with the story, colored in a soft palette.  His beginning endpapers show a wall lined with pictures done in shades of light blue but when readers turn to the back those endpapers have been altered to reflect the pen breaking out.  A nighttime scene on the title page shows the pen still in a store window aglow. 

Added details in his illustrations extend the narrative beyond the text; the old style telephone converted into a lamp (a personal piece of his own), all the pen portraits on the wall of Uncle Flood's study, and the placement of frogs in some of the illustrations.  Facial expressions on each of the characters convey anger, frustration, shyness, surprise, delight and finally satisfaction to a  "T"; noses standing out on each. The feeling of fun for the sake of fun permeates each and every one.

One determined writing utensil has his way during this particular day as The Obstinate Pen written and illustrated by Frank W. Dormer is presented to readers with much humor and perhaps, some advice.  Follow this link to see eight illustrations from this book posted at Macmillan.  At the Get To The Point blog, part of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, check out this the inside scoop on Frank W. Dormer's work space and some information about his drawing.  Read this interview at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast about all the steps to making The Obstinate Pen.

Points to Ponder
It might be fun to compare this with The Little Red Pen by Susan Stevens Crummel with illustrations by Janet Stevens.  Or perhaps as a writing exercise students could have the pen visit another character before found by Horace, giving them a special name with the pen writing more hilarious sentences.
Did the pen find Horace or did Horace find the pen?
Why did Horace do something different with the pen?

Twitterville Talk #57

I am sure I have remarked before about the power of connection found on Twitter but the essence of community is a strong force too.  On Twitter like-minded friends, colleagues, professionals, authors and illustrators condense their thoughts, share ideas, retweet others' views and spread news in an instant.  But this week it became clearer than ever how supportive people are of one another (at least the people who follow me and who I follow).  The camaraderie is indeed contagious.  Enjoy my gathering of tweets, have a safe, restful weekend and keep reading.

I think it's safe to say I am a huge fan of Dan Santat.  His special style loaded with hilarity is easy to spot.  His illustrations in The Adventures of Nanny Piggins were top notch.  The sequel has been released and sits on my TBR pile along with the first. 

Thanks to John Schumacher of Watch, Connect. Read. for this tweet.





It's amazing what can be done with technology.  This follows along with a book I reviewed this week, Illusionology:  The Science of Magic.

Thanks to Laura Given blogger and one very special dedicated librarian at LibLaura5.






Seventy-five years ago in the month of July Amelia Earhart vanished. Listen to Amelia Earhart:  In Her Own Words. 

Thanks to Richard Byrne of Free Technology for Teachers for this tweet.





I love to speculate about the possibilities for the Newbery and Caldecott award and honors selections.  Go to A Fuse #8 Production and read Newbery/Caldecott 2013: Mid-Year Prediction Edition.

Thanks to Elizabeth Bird, New York Public Library's Youth Materials Collection Specialist, for her tweets and insights at A Fuse #8 Production.


This is a very powerful post, The Care and Feeding of Middle Grade Readers.

Thanks to Monica Edinger teacher and blogger at Educating Alice.





What do you think about these selections? The 20 Most Beautiful Children's Books of All Time.

Thanks to Scholastic for the tweet.






Candlewick Press is planning a year long celebration of the picture book. Check out this wonderful video.

Thanks to WeLoveChildrens Bks for sending this out over the wire.





Powerful post about the power of words, Words.

Thanks to illustrator and author, Debbie Ohi for this tweet.






Daniel Handler aka Lemony Snicket sings and plays his accordion in honor of libraries.

Thanks to the Children's Book Council for this tweet.





One of the best things I listened to this week was this interview, William Joyce-creator of The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore,  conducted by K-5 librarian, Mary Ann Scheuer located in Berkeley, California who also blogs at Great Kid Books.

Thanks to Scholastic Teachers for the tweet.






Talk about the power of Twitter, Fans Control Cover Reveal for New Cassandra Clare Novel.

Thanks to Publishers Weekly for this tweet.


I always look forward to the lists compiled by Larry Ferlazzo at Larry Ferlazzo's Websites Of The Day.  His most recent list, The Best Web 2.0 Applications for Education In 2012---So Far has some great sites to explore,

Many thanks to Larry Ferlazzo for this newest list.



Here are some of my favorite quotes tweeted this week.

“Books are a uniquely portable magic.” ― Stephen King ... WE AGREE!
— Scholastic Teachers (@ScholasticTeach) July 7, 2012

“Teachers have three loves: love of learning, love of learners, and the love of bringing the first two loves together.” ― Scott Hayden
— Scholastic Teachers (@ScholasticTeach) July 8, 2012

Yee Haw It's Time for Fun

The team that brought readers, Hogwash, has reunited down on the farm.  It seems that once again a group of barnyard critters has decided they would much rather participate in Horseplay! (Little, Brown and Company, June 5, 2012).  Penned by Karma Wilson and illustrated by Jim McMullan this story spins with some similarities to the classic fairy tale, The Twelve Dancing Princesses.

Farmer is ready  to begin his day but he is puzzled by the lackluster and downright sleepy attitude of his horses.  All he hears from the corral is a loud chorus of zzzzzz.  To his utter shock and surprise, hiding that night to observe, no wolves are pestering his herd but their behavior borders on the absurd.

They romp and rollick playing games like children set loose on a summer evening.  The next day Farmer declares this is unacceptable, locking them in the barn that night. Of course, to his amazement, the next morning they are asleep on their feet. 

Hiding among the sheep that night, after locking them in, what should he see but---

The horses shuffled decks of cards,
and passed out poker chips.
They handed out some veggie trays,
and seven-layer dips!

Shouting out his dismay about there being absolutely NO more HORSEPLAY, he ropes them to separate stalls the following evening.  You guessed it.  The next morning they are snoozing on the job and Farmer is fit to be tied.

What's a Farmer to do?  When he catches them wide-eyed and bushy-tailed a third time, he's frazzled, he frets, and gives his beady-eyed stare...all night long; believing he has put these shenanigans to an end. But staying up without rest has consequences and the tables are turned on Farmer for after all; those horses want to play, play and play some more.

Karma Wilson's skillful use of rhyme and rhythm in four-line verse playfully portrays the comical antics of her horses.  Clearly she has a sense of the mischievous manner of equine personalities as well as the frustrations this may cause.  The failures of the farmer pitted against their adaptive pastimes is loaded with her keen sense of humor.

Who can resist those gleeful, cavorting horses on the cover as the baffled farmer watches?  Jim McMullan's watercolor visuals match pictures to words perfectly.  Horses playing Hide-and-Seek and Leapfrog never looked so funny.  Their large eyes following every move of the farmer, goofy grins plastered across their faces, will elicit giggles at every reading.  McMullan's visuals are so colorful and lively you can almost hear the horses clatter and chatter; whinnying the night away.

Horseplay! written by Karma Wilson with illustrations by Jim McMullan is another country cut-up that pairs nicely with its companion, Hogwash. As readers will discover apparently Farmer needs to learn the lesson about "all work and no play" and his horses are just the ones to teach him.  I can see using this title with other books about farm animals with minds of their own such as those in the series began with Click Clack Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin with illustrations by Betsy Lewin.

Now You See It, Now You Don't

There are some titles even if you had ten copies on the shelves, it would not be enough; their popularity is a given.  Sometimes these books have a larger "love life" than a shelf life; being filled with movable parts, bits and pieces.  The books of which I speak are found in the Ology series. 

The most recent title in the series is Illusionology:  The Secret Science of Magic (Candlewick Press) by Albert D. Schafer 1915, edited by Emily Hawkins. I know you can never judge a book by its cover but this one grabs you immediately.  It has the look of an ancient book of knowledge, raised embellishments, and a time piece whose center is filled with objects of magic, one, the rabbit, changes as you move the book's angle, small white bunny or metallic automaton.

The endpapers, front and back, are part of the book beginning with the title verso designed like a performance program.  In the upper left hand corner is a small purple and gold two-page diary beginning in February of 1915 by A. D. Schafer.  Mr. Schafer,  secretary of The Illusionists' Guild, has been asked to write a manual for new members which will reflect the importance of science in magic.

There are so many wonders that lie below the surface, just out of reach, and both magic and science aim to reveal these wonders.

On the right hand page is The Paradoxical Hole, one of many tricks of the eye, with instructions.  It is accompanied by the first of four publisher's notes, large orange circles, with advice for the reader.  Each of the following thirteen (Was that planned?) two-page spreads explains in layered detail types of illusion, magic, and important historical figures from the field.

Topics for perusal are:  The History Of Illusion, The Science Of Seeing, parts one and two, Secrets Of Card Magic, The Power Of Misdirection, The Art Of The Showman, The Science Of Levitation, The Science Of Disappearing, Magic And New Technologies, The Art Of Body Manipulation, The Secrets Of Harry Houdini, Exposing The Spirit Mediums and The Science Of Mind Reading.  For example, on the double page spread for Secrets of Card Magic a small booklet in the left hand corner contains a brief overview.  Beneath that is another two page flip up illustrating the basic shuffle for cards.  A large illustration of the Austrian Johann Nepomuk Hofzinser spans across the center with him holding four removable cards for tricks.

Above Hofzinser's picture is a brief history of his talents along with the importance of storytelling during a performance.  On the left side is another booklet with instructions for three card tricks.  In the lower right hand corner is a small snippet about Howard Thurston: King of Cards who was able to make cards float.

In the upper left hand corner of nearly all the spreads, when opening the introduction, readers will see a continuation of A. D. Schafer's diary.  This diary contains a magical mystery separate from the guide.  On the closing endpapers the final diary entry is dated August 3 of the same year accompanied by a miniature of a secret experimental apparatus.

Minutes will stretch into hours as Illusionology: The Secret Science of Magic is read and the tricks are tried. (Believe me I know from personal experience.)  Whether passionate about illusion's place in the field of magic or not, readers will eagerly enjoy this repeatedly.  The information (with a small bibliography for further reading in the back), colorful illustrations and layout along with A. D. Schafer's story are totally captivating.

By following the link above visit Ology World.  It's a dynamic site; another place to get lost for hours.  At the Candlewick Press website is an eight page event kit linked here.  They also have an old-style, sepia-toned movie showing how the Disappearing Dots trick is accomplished.  This video can be downloaded.

This is one of my favorite books in this series; lending itself to numerous fun educational opportunities.  It makes me want to have a magic show for the neighborhood kids.  It is the recipient of a Parents' Choice Book Award.

Keeping Track Anytime of the Year

Recently the American Association of School Librarians published their 2012 25 Best Websites for Teaching and Learning.   Under the category for Curriculum Collaboration within the perimeters of the Standards for the 21st-Century Learner under 1.3.4 Contribute to the exchange of ideas within a learning community, 3.1.2 Participate and collaborate as members of a social and intellectual network of learners, 3.1.4 Use technology and other information tools to organize and display knowledge and understanding in ways that others can view, use, and assess and 4.3.1 Participate in the social exchange of ideas, both electronically and in person one of the sites listed is Springnote.  At their About section Springnote states:

Springnote is an OpenID enabled web application that combines the elements of wiki, word processing and file organization into an easy, simple, and intuitive experience.

Users under the age of 14 must have permission from a parent or guardian to use the services at the site.  To sign up enter in an ID, password, email address, nickname and agree to the terms of service and privacy policy.  A confirmation registration email will be sent.  A unique URL is assigned to each registered user based upon their ID choice.

When you initially sign in you are taken to your first personal notebook page.  You can create a more collaborative project using group notebook.  Across the top are an amazing array of choices for designing each of your pages.

The tool bar offers:

eight different font styles, six font sizes beginning with 8pt and ending with 24pt, font color, seven highlight color choices, whether to make your text bold, in italics, underlined, or strike through, a bulleted list, a numbered list, an icon list, a series of emoticons, create a link, under style (six heading sizes, superscript, subscript, body, quote, source code or division), alignment, indent, outdent, undo, redo, page background (white or lined), the insertion of an image, file, movie, map, equation, table, template or line and plug-ins including create a calendar, shortcut for paragraph titles, view as slideshow, star rating, create a list of subpages and the ability to create, update or remove a table of contents. Within each of items that can be inserted are several more choices.
For example under insert template the options are: group schedule profile, group member profile, personal profile, monthly calendar, monthly to do list, monthly appointments, monthly schedule, weekly plan, to do list, monthly diet diary, class schedule, weekly report, report, vocabulary list, bookshelf, meeting notes, discussion, guestbook, notification, event, recipe, web clippings, and slideshow.

There is no better way to explore a new web 2.0 application than by developing a way to use it in your respective classroom.  I decided to create a series of pages reflecting the unit of study I have done with third and fourth grade students for many years, The Mock Caldecott.  To begin I added an introductory page.

What I learned is that if you want to add more pages to a single page make sure you are on that page before you click Create a New page.  Then, after you have added the title, click the appropriate page in the tree under which you want it to appear.  If you desire to move pages around you must be in edit mode rather than view mode.

To change from edit mode to view mode click the labeled button.  To go back to the edit mode click on the small icon with crossed arrows or the edit mode pencil.  Clicking on the menu selection gives the user even more options as pictured here.

It was very easy to add a link to whatever you highlighted on any given page.  Uploading images single or multiple was a snap as well as using a URL to insert an image.  What I was unable to do after multiple attempts in IE and Google Chrome was insert a video using the embed code.

To share the pages in your notebook enter in a person's ID or email address.  You can make the pages collaborative or read only.  When you publish your notebook anyone can see it but you have choices about how the content can be used.  You can always switch a notebook back to private, stop the publishing.  I was uncomfortable exporting it to my blog due to the necessity of providing the blog password.

Overall, I give Springnote a high rating due to the array of options, no cost to the user and the short amount of time needed to understand its use.  The one drawback is having questions answered other than those already posted.  The link to my notebook is here.