What Is Real?

As readers of fiction we place our time, minds and hearts in the hands of those authors whose books we choose to read.  As soon as we open the cover of a book we suspend our reality, replacing it with, stepping into, a world formed by words.  Depending on real life and previous reading experiences, we will either be entertained, informed, changed or a combination of the three.

Let's pretend you've never heard of the author, Rebecca Stead.  Let's pretend you've no knowledge of her winning the Newbery Medal in 2010 for her title, When You Reach Me.  Let's pretend the only knowledge you have of her new book, Liar & Spy (Wendy Lamb Books) is the first sentence.

There's this totally false map of the human tongue.

I don't know about you, but learning there is a map of the human tongue (Did we learn that in school?) and it's not the truth, all in a single sentence, has got my attention.  Georges (silent "s"), the main character of this story, is sitting in science class.  Within the next two paragraphs, I'm in for good.  A unit being studied in class is the stuff of legend at this middle school.  Along with the initial sentence, this subject of study is a key focal point around which a significant part of the story revolves.

In my mind learning about Georges's days at school, the strategy of surviving gym class and lunch hours in the cafeteria, the loss of a friend to the "in" crowd which includes a couple of aggravating bully types, the growing friendship with Bob English Who Draws and a PE teacher everyone wishes they had, makes the reader feel as though they are in his skin.  As the weeks progress the verbal taunting, the jabs and bumps, escalate but so does Georges's determination to ignore and avoid.  His strength is more of a magnet for friendship than even he can understand.  This is but only one of several strands in this seventh grader's life to which we are privy.

Georges's Dad has lost his job.  As a result they have had to sell their home, move into a nearby apartment building and his Mom, a nurse in the intensive care unit at the hospital, is now working double shifts.  This altering of family dynamics, his father's distraction with finding new clients and long whispered phone conversations with his mother during the evenings, has left Georges feeling adrift even though it's more than obvious both his parents care for him deeply.  Despite the occasional phone chats and Scrabble message exchanges with his Mom, Georges misses her more each day.

Safer, his younger sister, Candy, and his older brother, Pigeon, live in Georges's apartment building with their pleasant, rather laid-back, parents.  Georges is introduced to them when his Dad jokingly responds to an old-appearing note tacked on a basement doorway---Spy Club Meeting---Today.  Safer, Georges's age, invites and enlists his help in monitoring the movements of Mr. X, another tenant in the building.  Why snoop and sneak?  Safer believes Mr. X may be a murderer.

Georges finds himself in increasingly frightening situations with Safer as the bonds of friendship are tested.  Events at school are racing toward a day which could alter much for many.  His Mom's absence becomes something tangible.  These strands of Georges's life are twisted together so tightly the ending will surprise and astonish you.

Rebecca Stead draws a picture so vividly of this slice of life in present day Brooklyn you believe you are there; Bennie's variety store,  DeMarco's pizza place, Yum Li's Chinese restaurant, the nooks and crannies within the apartment building, the classic areas at the middle school.  All the characters with their finely detailed personalities are laid before us through distinctive dialogue, inner thoughts and the exchange of notes in some form.  Stead's meticulous use of language gives one a sense of unease running just beneath the surface of the story, the characters and setting despite pockets of warmth and humor.

Here are a couple of passages from the book.

First period. Science.
We file in, Dallas and Carter walking close behind me.
"Beep, beep, beep, beep," Dallas says. "Beep-beep-beep-beep."
"What's that noise?" Carter asks.  "Dallas, is that your freak alarm going off?"
"Yeah, it's going crazy. I wonder why.  Oh, look, it's just Georges."
They shove past me, laughing.

Mom calls before bed and doesn't sound that tired.  She asks me all about Safer's family. When I tell her Safer doesn't go to school, she says they sound like really nice bohemians.  When I tell her Safer plans to teach me the secret of truly excellent scrambled eggs, she says they sound like really smart bohemians.  Dad calls them progressive.  Nobody wants to say they're weird.

The meaning of family, what defines a friend, the value of individuality, perception and truth are blended with care and excellence much like the Georges Seurat poster hanging on the wall of Georges's home, all those tiny dots making a breathtaking whole.  Rebecca Stead's Liar & Spy is memorable, timely and uplifting.  I recommend it without reservation.

Birds Have The Words

About the same time birds were returning to herald in spring this year, two books were released with our feathered friends as central characters.  Each of these books uses text sparingly but to great advantage.  Highly expressive illustrations in each reflect and extend meaning.

Up! Tall! and High! (but not necessarily in that order.) (G. P. Putnam's Sons) is written and illustrated by Ethan Long.  Three short tales tell of birds wondering about who's the tallest, who can fly the highest and who would rather be up than down.  The technique of surprise is used in all the stories.

In the first one bird is quite proud of his height until another comes along. To his chagrin this bird is taller.  Then readers see a long, long leg extending off the page with the attached foot placed squarely between these two.  Clearly this newest member is taller.  But is he really tall or rather small or...POOF?  POOF???

Next we see a quartet of these winged beauties gathered, testing their flying abilities.  The problem is one of the group is a penguin.  His sadness is alleviated as he is elevated by a brilliant idea.  After all, what are friends for?

The final story has a small bird resting in the top of a small tree.  Along comes a much larger bird who also wishes to be up among those upper branches.  With a flap of his wings he is there but wait...oh, oh...  Up or down, it's good to have help around.

Ethan Long is short on words but tall on repetition, rhyme and rhythm.  Even without the illustrations the snap, vigor and humor of his language choices soar off the pages.  The final sentence in each ties everything together with warmth and a sense of accomplishment.

Drawing in ink and brush, Long then scanned in and colored his illustrations digitally.  The endpapers introduce the stories' characters as they parade across the pages.  Stick legs, round wide eyes, infectious grins, a slight shift in facial features and those delightfully shaped bodies in bold, complimentary colors burst with emotion.  Sturdy, shiny paper with flaps invite participation until the closing endpapers picturing the gang taking a bow as they leave.

Ethan Long has created a book for all ages where smiling is not an option, laughter is guaranteed.  All you have to do is open the cover of Up! Tall! and High! (but not necessarily in that order.) to enter his particular view of words we use everyday.  Please follow the link embedded in his name above to go to his website.  There you will find fun activities for kids and informative videos about his books and his art.

More (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children) written by I. C. Springman with illustrations by Brian Lies is an inspiring fable, a glimpse of what could be, should be.  Magpies, a part of the Crow family, are known to be an intelligent bird, with similar habits; collecting or attraction to shiny objects.  Mice, on the other hand, seem to make do with what is at hand. (as evidenced by their occupation in various parts of my garage and basement from time to time)

Endpapers looking much like brown-toned, textured grass paper begin and end this story.  Turning to the title and verso readers can see the beginning pictured before them, a tall tree, branch extended, with a mouse peering into a nest as a magpie bends toward the branch.  Single words start the narrative.

Nothing.
Something.
A few,
several,
more
and more
and more.

These first words are spread through eight pages as we watch how a single gift, a marble, from the mouse to the magpie becomes a collection obsession.  All to soon one nest is not enough.  Eight more are filled to overflowing.

The mouse pleads with the magpie, enough is enough.  A habit once formed is hard to break.  The weight of magpie's wanting is almost his undoing.

I. C. Springman takes forty-five words, carefully chosen words, to guide readers through magpie's desire to have not what he needs but what he wants.  Her text, in and of itself, is the lesson she wishes magpie and her readers to learn, less is truly more.  In the end, giving is receiving.

Using acrylic paint and colored pencils on handmade paper, Brian Lies wraps and weaves his realistic, rich illustrations around the text.  How he chooses to depict or interpret a word is exquisite.  For the very first word, Nothing, he places it in the upper left-hand corner of the creamy blank two page spread, picturing the lone magpie head bowed in the lower right-hand corner.

He alters the size of his visuals on pages or within panels, along with the focus.  At times we see a wide view, at others a close-up such as only the magpie's feet with some treasures in his nest.  His details are nearly photographic.  He adds personality to the mouse and magpie with extra touches, a piece missing from the mouse's ear, a band about the magpie's leg.  They are both irresistible.

According to an interview here readers gain a greater understanding of the ideas which prompted both I. C. Springman and Brian Lies to combine their efforts in More.  Oh, yes, you come away knowing the difference between nothing, something, more, less, plenty or enough but what's important is you realize their significance in our individual lives and how it impacts others.  At Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast Brian Lies shares more of the process for his artwork in this title.

I highly recommend both these books, definitely as a read alouds, for one-on-one and as great discussion starters.  And for some inexplicable reason these two titles started this song playing in my head.  Perhaps, because the words and illustrations in each of them are so upbeat, so perfectly perfect.

Hoist The Jolly Roger!

Help celebrate the tenth anniversary of Talk Like A Pirate Day with this latest Prezi I have created.  It's a simple list of books with a single sentence description of pirate-like/high seas adventure books.
Enjoy. If you have any others you recommend, I would be happy to include them along with your name.
Thanks, mateys.

Talk Like A Pirate Day on Prezi

Learning In A Flash

Most people will agree that learning takes place at different rates through different methods; reading, listening, seeing something demonstrated, writing about it, practicing it or teaching someone else.  What works for one might not work for another.  The key for learners and teachers is the discovery of what works best for each individual.

In the summer of 2012 at their annual convention the American Association of School Librarians selected their Top 25 Websites for Teaching and Learning.  I have been highlighting them on a fairly regular basis.  Using the Standards for the 21st-Century Learner as a guidepost under the category of Curriculum Collaboration 1.3.4 Contribute to the exchange of ideas, 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 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 selected is StudyBlue.

StudyBlue according to their about section is a free tool for online and mobile use.  Designed specifically for student use, it allows them to place in a Digital Backpack created flashcards to study and share.  These flashcards can hold images and audio.  Other tools offered on site are cloud storage for notes and personalized practice quizzes.

Across the top of the home page users can explore the About, Online Flashcards, Mobile Apps, For Teachers, and the Blog sections.  The Online Flashcards tab takes you to a page that explains the advantages of the digital flashcards, giving a sample size.  You can keep score for rights and wrongs, restudy only those you need to master and set reminder times.

Mobile Apps has links to downloads for iPad, iPhone, iPod and Android.  On the For Teachers page you can join by entering in your first and last name, email address and password.  (It is requested in the Terms of Service that users be 13 or older.)  When you have joined, a screen pops up informing you that your Digital Backpack is ready for use.  You are also asked to name what school you attend or whether you attend.

Along the top of your backpack screen on the right-hand side you can alter your profile information (connect to StudyBlue via Facebook, Google, Twitter and Evernote), preferences (updates, privacy settings on email, phone and address), check out the benefits of sharing StudyBlue, upgrade or logout.  Notifications, inbox, sent, archive and new message, can be viewed as well as toggling between backpack home and archives.  To start storing information in Digital Backpack click Add a class (folder).

Once you have named your class a new feature appears, Add study materials.  Two more options appear, Flashcards and Upload.  I selected flashcards.

When the first card appears you type in a term in the top section.  The term can be a bulleted list, superscript, subscript or special characters.  An image or audio file can be added to this space by uploading from your computer, copying and pasting a URL or dragging and dropping if you are using a HTML5 browser. (Click on the little paper clip.)

When adding an image using a URL make sure any other words on the URL line have been selected and deleted before pasting in the URL.  Then you must click on the little arrow to add it to the flashcard.  You can choose two sizes for your image.

If the term matches any other previously created flashcards at the site, a list appears on the right.  You can choose to add one of those definitions on the bottom or write in your own. When the card is done click the gray + Add card (tab) button in the upper left of the working area to continue adding cards to your deck.

When you have added all the cards to your deck, click on the done arrow.  At the next screen on the left you can print, export or import your deck.  You can post it to Facebook, tweet about it on Twitter or email a link.

On the right you can flip the cards in order, randomly, hardiest to easiest or by the least studied.  All, 20, 10 or 5 cards can be viewed.  When flipping the cards you can view either the definition or the term first.  StudyBlue will track your right and wrong answers.

If you want, StudyBlue will generate and grade a five question quiz; multiple choice, true/false or type in the answer.  A five term review sheet can be made by this tool also.  If you select Study Later you can have a mobile or email reminder sent to you with ten different times from which to choose.

Note:  At anytime the entire deck or individual cards can be edited or deleted.  Searches can be done for materials, classes or people when you are logged in but on the home page it's for cards.  There is an extensive Help-FAQ section.

I can see students designing their own decks for study or creating cards for others to study.  As an educator this tool could be used for introducing a new topic, checking for understanding or for review. StudyBlue puts the pace, the need, for studying certain terms in the hands of the learner.  How fortunate for learners the American Association for School Librarians gave it the attention it deserves.

I designed a deck of twelve flashcards titled Elements of Mystery.  By typing in one of the terms at the home page, Alibi, you can see all the cards but to use the deck you need to sign up.  Even using this link your viewing is limited without signing up.

Wishes? Tears? Friendship Found

Sometimes when you read a book and the final page is turned, you flip the front cover back and read it all over again.  You read the words aloud instead of in your head.  You study all the little extra details in the pictures.  You do this because there was a connection, a combination of the two, that drew you into the story.

Finding a true-blue friend can be difficult especially if you're a girl longing for a dragon or a dragon longing for a girl.  When one lives in an isolated castle and the other a cave in the snowy mountains, what are the chances of the two ever meeting?   Author Barbara Joosse and illustrator Randy Cecil tell readers exactly how it's done in their new collaboration, Lovabye Dragon (Candlewick Press).

Once there was a girl
an all-alone girl
in her own little bed
in her own little room
in her own little castle
who didn't have 
a dragon
for a friend.

What this little girl cannot know is a dragon asleep in his mountain haven has the exact wish for friendship.  In her loneliness the girl cries and cries and cries.  Her tears become a stream leaving her room, winding through the castle.


Past the mouse, past the moat, past the bog, past the glen and yes, readers, right to the mountain, the very mountain where the dragon lay dreaming, those tears do flow.  Special tears from a special girl wake her longed for friend. The watery trail leads him to his heart's desire.

Oh, the joy of them finding one another knows no bounds.  These two are unstoppable now.  Marching, singing, hiding, comparing and sharing their day passes into evening.

Having a dragon for a pal has its benefits in the chilly darkness, warmth and protection.  Having a little girl for a companion has its benefits as quiet wraps around the two, little songs to shepherd in sleep.  On the next starry night look upward, you might (because wishes do come true) see a shadow pass overhead, a shadow with a rider singing sweetly.

Lilting, lyrical language tells the tale of desires fulfilled.  Barbara Joosse employs the technique of repetition of words to invite readers into the characters' realm, zooming out with her descriptions and taking them on the trail.  Mixed in with the repeated phrases are rhyming words adding to the song quality of the narrative.  Like the silver stream bringing the friends together, the text gently moves through the pages.

Dusty plum front and back endpapers set the tone for the regal setting.  Four times within the story artist, Randy Cecil, frames his illustrations in golden scrollwork, reminiscent of medieval times, to begin, end and introduce.  His oil paintings in shadowy shades of blues, browns, purples, grays and greens give readers, despite the wanting of the two characters, a sense of peace.

The size of the pictures vary to accommodate the storyline, using oval or circular insets to heighten interest, to instill a sense of comfort.  The shapes of his faces, the body proportions, are interesting, funny, lovable and huggable, especially the bug-eyed, thin-necked plump dragon with the toothy grin.  Including tiny details provides a certain symmetry to the story; there are three castle guard toy figures on the girl's bedroom floor, three live castle guards search for her and the dragon.

Lovabye Dragon written by Barbara Joosse with illustrations done in oil by Randy Cecil is an ode to single lonely hearts becoming one in unbridled happiness, soaring among the stars.  This would make the best bedtime story with a snuggly stuffed dragon on hand or as a group read aloud anytime of the day.  Howling winds and pounding rain have been on hand here all night.  I'm taking this with me to bed, reading it for the...hmmm...fourth time.

Ahoy! Batter Up!

I will readily admit it was the cover that caught my eye.  Two groups of men, who should not be seen together, yelling at one another over a large baseball centered between them was intriguing to say the least.  The title was the final irresistible element.

What could the great American pastime of summer have to do with pirates and cowboys?  Pirates at the Plate (Creative Editions) story and illustrations by Mark Summers, written by Aaron Frisch, is one of those books where history is blended with the glories of imagination.  It's where the improbable will have readers wondering if such an event could, or in fact, did happen.

Welcome to the ballyard,
fans.  We're in the bottom of the
22nd inning, score knotted at 47
runs apiece, Pirates at the plate.

The pitcher for the cowboys is none other than Wild Bill but believe it or not, Hopalong Cassidy is warming up in the bullpen.  The Cowboys are in a tad bit of trouble.  Long John Silver is at bat, Calico Jack is on second and (shiver) Blackbeard is next up.

Oh, oh...Long John Silver swings and hits a blazer hard and long into center field.  Giving it all he's got the Cisco Kid is reaching, reaching and reaching.  Will he get it?  He snags it and throws it to the infield.

The tide seems to have turned.  Calico Jack is in serious trouble with Long John Silver running around the bases like a freight train, stealing them as he goes.  This game is clearly getting out of control.

The umpire calls a halt, managers from both sides leave the dugouts.  Before you can say, "You're out!", the two teams engaged in a name-calling contest, are chasing each other around the field.  Wait!  Did you hear something?  Dinner?

Aaron Frisch is a well known name in children's and young adult nonfiction having authored books about sport teams which are rarely on the shelves, depending on the season.  Reading his narrative is like gathering around the radio listening to a favorite team playing baseball on a hot summer day. There is a rhythm to his words, an easiness that reels the reader in immediately.

He has a definite command of the lingo not only for the sport but also for terms associated with the members of the respective teams; throwing heat, windup, hoosegow, bow-legged landlubber.  Cadence is created with the occasional use of alliteration; big-bopping Blackbeard.  Skillful wordplay brings fun and humor to the tale.

The work of illustrator Mark Summers has garnered him numerous awards.  One, the Hamilton King Award for Best Illustration of the Year 2000, was given by the Society of Illustrators, New York. His medium is engravings in scratchboard.

In this title, not only are his illustrations stunning, they extend the text brilliantly.  When we read, warming up in the bullpen, Summers gives us a picture of a cowpoke next to a campfire, hands extended over the flames, surrounded by bulls in a pen.  His single page visuals, framed in white, are a study in a particular character, Wild Bill, Long John Silver, Captain Hook.

Every turn of page gives readers a new marvelous view of his artistic capabilities.  Sometimes his two page spreads will extend just over the center washing off into white space.  At other times the full two pages are used.  He varies placement of text using it as an element in his design.  When you believe he uses white space liberally to highlight his engravings, he throws in another pleasant surprise.

Illustrator Mark Summers' textured, realistic scratchboard engravings teamed with the language of author Aaron Frisch light up the scoreboard in Pirates at the Plate.  With International Talk Like a Pirate Day on the schedule in two days (September 19th every year), this title is guaranteed a grand slam.  Getting into the swing of the words, adapting the attitude of the players, as a read aloud this is a sure winner.

(The ending is top-notch.)

If you want to see more of the outstanding work of Mark Summers, follow the link attached to his name.  The link to the book's title, above, will take you to the publisher's site so you can see inside the book.

Twitterville Talk #66

Lots of wind, little rain, leaves scattering across the lawns, roads and fields, clearly announce autumn is around the corner.  Twitter is buzzing with talk between authors and illustrators, educators and people from every corner of the world who love reading, books, libraries and the phenomenal uses of technology for personal and professional needs.  Enjoy everyone.  Happy weekend.  Happy reading.

12 Things Students Should Never Do on Social Media is a must read for educators, parents and of course, students.

Thanks to Joyce Valenza, teacher librarian and blogger at NeverEndingSearch.


We all must be vigilant in informing our students about crediting sources.  Here is A Magical Guide to Avoiding Plagiarism a la Harry Potter.

Thanks to Debbie Alvarez, teacher librarian and blogger at The Styling Librarian.

Notable YouTube videos came over the wire from the master at Watch. Connect. Read., teacher librarian, John Schumacher.  Thanks for these.









Mr. Schu and Mr. Colby Sharp will also be hosting another book club on October 3, 2012.  Follow this link for further details.


For all those teacher librarians here is a shout out from a classroom teacher--Teacher/Librarian Collaboration--From a Teacher's Perspective.

Thanks for this tweet goes to Jennifer LaGarde school librarian and blogger at The Adventures of Library Girl.


Students cannot get enough of the Origami Yoda books.  They literally fly off the shelves.  Check this out--A Literacy Tree Teaching Sequence for 'Origami Yoda' by Tom Angleberger.

Thanks to the author himself for this tweet.

To celebrate the release, book birthday, of his newest title, Lunch Lady and the Picture Day Peril, Jarrett J. Krosoczka creates this fun match up of author/illustrators to their school pictures.

Krosoczka is also hosting a free comics workshop online on September 18th.






Well-written first lines can hook you and never let you go until the final sentence is read.  What do you think about these? 100 Best Opening Lines From Children's Books

Thanks to Julie Faltko, kidlit fan and blogger at World of Julie.




You can never have enough support for the use of and enjoyment of storytelling.  Here are some new Good Storytelling Resources.

Thanks to Larry Ferlazzo educator and blogger at Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...




How much do you really know about the Harry Potter books, Narnia, The Lightning Thief or for that matter, The Lord of the Rings?  This is a great way to see what you do know. Quiz Yourself On A Monday Morning

The ingenuity of people never ceases to amaze me.  Massive River of 10,000 Discarded Books Rages Through Melbourne

Thanks to Jennifer Nielsen, author of The False Prince, for these tweets.

Author, illustrator and creator of the Mal and Chad book, Stephen McCranie, draws a comic about his thoughts on art, You Are Not Your Art.

The Call Me Maybe parodies are everywhere.  Here are a couple slanted toward the books, reading and library world.  The first is thanks to a tweet from Sarah Ducharme, elementary school librarian in Budapest and blogger at Try Curiosity.  Here is that link.

The second was linked in a tweet from Mary Ann Scheuer, elementary school librarian in California and blogger at Great Kid Books.




As the final months of 2012 approach, talk of books in the running for awards gets pumped up.  Here is a list of book titles receiving starred reviews from professional reviewers.  The Stars So Far, 2012

Thanks to Jess Ferro, blogger Alice in Baker Street for this tweet.


I can hardly wait for the Calling Caldecott discussions to begin again.  This is the list--Here We Go Again!

Thanks to The Horn Book for hosting this event and for the tweet.




This looks to be a fantastic resource---Race to the Ballot: The Our White House Presidential Campaign and Election Kit for Kids!

Thanks to Reading Rockets for this link.





That someone would take the time to create this is absolutely amazing; The World's Largest QR Code, You'll Need A Helicopter To Scan It.

Many thanks to Fun London, writer for posting this tweet.





Here is an interesting, illustrated look at Where Letters Come From.

Thanks for this tweet, Page-Turner, literary blog of The New Yorker.





Here are a few of my favorite thoughts or quotes on Twitter this week.

Art is not only what happens in art class @ 11am Tuesday, it is a way for students to think visually in all subjects, all grades - all day!
— Peter H. Reynolds(@peterhreynolds) September 7, 2012

"The library is every child's lighthouse. It’s every person's sanctuary & fortress in the face of ignorance" —Amy Bloom ow.ly/dvCNd
— NY Public Library (@nypl) September 9, 2012

4th grader: "Where is Sarah Palin and Tall?" Me: "I think you mean Sarah, Plain and Tall."
— John Schu (@MrSchuReads) September 10, 2012

"A picture's worth a thousand words? A library card's worth millions." — Roy Blount Jr. ow.ly/dvDvh #GetALibraryCard
— NY Public Library (@nypl) September 10, 2012

“Literature is a textually transmitted disease, normally contracted in childhood. ” ― Jane Yolen
— Rebecca Kai Dotlich (@Rebeccakai) September 12, 2012

Is there any better title in the world than "Let's Get Lost"?
— Patrick Ness (@Patrick_Ness) September 12, 2012

Every good story in the world could be called that.
— Patrick Ness (@Patrick_Ness) September 12, 2012