All In A Summer

While it's true the Internet provides users with untold amounts of resources, the ability to converse with people on the other side of the world and endless networking possibilities, exchanges of information, I still hold the belief that inside the pages of a book, the same is true.  Sometimes the most wondrous happenings then or now are closer than you think.  When these secrets are revealed to you, it's like opening a geode.

I was born and have lived in the state of Michigan for my entire life.  Walking through the botanical gardens at Michigan State University, spending days at the Henry Ford Museum, Greenfield Village, Mackinac Island and other parks, zoos, lakeshores, woodland trails and museums have enriched my sense of history and appreciation for our natural world.  In all those adventures, though, I have yet to do more than pass through Muskegon, Michigan.  Little did I know what happened in the nearby neighborhood of Bluffton in the summers of 1908, 1909 and 1910?  Illustrator and author Matt Phelan knows.  His newest title, Bluffton: My Summers With Buster (Candlewick Press), opens up possibilities, blending history and fiction in a pictorial journey back in time.


It's not every day a train rolls into the town of Muskegon, Michigan filled with vaudeville entertainers, an elephant and a zebra, but on a summer day in 1908, that's exactly what Henry Harrison saw.  The troupe has come to vacation in the cottages at Bluffton; the heat having caused the closure of all the theaters.  Henry decides to explore the next morning along the western shore of Lake Muskegon.  Crashes and flying bodies introduce him to Jingles, Louise and Buster Keaton.

Leaving for home with the promise of a baseball game the next day, Henry (and readers) get the inside scoop on vaudeville and the people at The Actors' Colony from a man on the porch.  For the next three months Henry and Buster play baseball, fish, swim, pull pranks and talk, reveling in all the peaceful bliss of summer.  Each can't help but hopefully wish for what the other has; Buster, a normal boy's life, Henry, a life on the stage.

Henry attends school, helps out in his father's hardware store and juggles away the months, longing for the companionship of his summer pal. Another boy who is part of the traveling group, Lex, keeps him informed with the latest news through letters, including problems the Keaton family have had with authorities about their knockabout act.  When they return Henry is more determined than ever to learn an act, to be on stage.

During the second summer more of the two boys' personalities and lives are revealed in their continued conversations and in the events experienced by both; boarding house fires, train wrecks, elaborately rigged contraptions, Harry Houdini, baseball and the presence of Sally, a neighborhood friend of Henry.  Regardless of an initial failed attempt and caution urged by Buster and Lex, an incident teaches Henry more than one lesson during their absence before the third summer in 1910.  Only three sentences are spoken throughout the pages of the last summer shared by Henry Harrison and Buster Keaton.  But the visuals speak loudly and clearly of glorious memories made.


In an Author's Note at the book's conclusion Matt Phelan writes about his admiration and love of all things Buster Keaton.  Keaton's autobiography, My Wonderful World of Slapstick, is the source of his inspiration for this title.  Phelan's knowledge is evident in every word.

His use of text is minimal but deliberate, providing contrasts and tidbits of information.  It acts as a main thread upon which all the conversations written and pictured are tied and woven together. Every verbal exchange provides insight into what it might have been like to experience those three summers.


Using watercolor Phelan illuminates the past for his readers.  It's as if we are peering through a looking glass watching the days of those three summers, the months in between for Henry, unfold before our very eyes, panel by panel.  We are given clues as to the time and its passage with details in the inside and outside surroundings.

There is a delicate intricacy to Phelan's work.  He might be giving us a panoramic view of a particular scene or a close-up of a facial expression, conveying much through his deft skills as a graphic artist.  One example early in the story is Henry, apple in hand, casually leaning outside against the train station building.  In the next panel from behind we watch him as the train arrives at the station.  He lifts the apple to his mouth for a bite.  The view shifts to the train, a ramp being put to the open door of a car. Henry looks startled, apple still in hand.  In the final panel we see the apple falling, bouncing up as it hits the ground.  Without a word Matt Phelan has told us that something extraordinary has been seen by Henry.

I feel fortunate that Matt was able to answer some questions I recently asked him about his work on this book.  My questions are in black, his replies are in gray.  Thank you so much Matt for making the time to do this and for including some artwork, the completed watercolor of Buster and a thumbnail of their first game of baseball.

When you were working on Bluffton, did the script (narrative) come first or did you visualize the story first?

I always write a complete script first and that goes through the usual editorial process. I don't start drawing until everyone feels the story is as tight as it can be. That said, the writing process for me is basically describing what I see in my head, panel by panel.

I am no artist at all (pitiful is the word that comes to mind) so I am wondering when you work on your illustrations is the entire book mapped out like a storyboard first in pencil?  Thumbnails?  What comes next after the first step is done?  Is it done again in pencil or is ink used? Are more details added this time?  Is the watercolor the final step? Was watercolor all that was used in the final work of Bluffton?  Do you enlarge the illustrations or is that done in the publishing process? 

Thumbnails always come first. Very small, very loose. Those are scanned in to the computer and the words are added. From those, I make a second round of layout sketches which are in some ways even looser, but clearly place the dialogue and composition elements. Then I draw the final art on a new sheet of watercolor paper in pencil and paint it with watercolor. The final art is 100% larger than the size in the book.

I am also wondering if you have ever visited Muskegon or Bluffton?  After reading your book, I sure hope to visit myself. J  When you consider I’ve lived in Michigan my entire life, it’s sad I have never done anything but pass through there before now.

I spent a week in Bluffton in 2010 before I wrote the script. It was well worth it. I really gained the necessary feeling that I needed to do the book.

Were the characters of Henry and Sally based upon anyone real in or near Bluffton during that time period or are they entirely fictional? (I know you said they are fictional in your author’s note but where did Henry and Sally come from?)  I love how you created this story around those three summers. 

Henry and Sally are entirely fictional. For Henry, I basically just imagined how I would react if I met Buster as a kid. Three years is quite a lot of time for that age, and part of the challenge in writing the book was to age the kids physically and emotionally from summer to summer.

I remember reading in your author’s note how you and your brother watched the Buster Keaton movies projected on the bedroom wall.  What sparked the interest in those movies?  Did your study of film and theater in college increase your passion for this master actor?

As a kid, I just responded to how hilarious those movies are. They really haven't dated. Growing up in my family, we never had a stigma against black and white movies. Some kids do (or think they do) today but I'm pretty certain that a few minutes of a Keaton film could change that. As I got older and learned more about film and acting, my admiration for him grew exponentially. I believe he was the finest filmmaker of the silent era and certainly one of the greatest film actors. There isn't a single moment of overacting in any of his films.

Bluffton:  My Summers With Buster written and illustrated by Matt Phelan is an outstanding tribute to some of the best times in the life of Buster Keaton as a youth.  It is also a story about finding your niche in life; discovering how to best use your gifts.  Even after reading it three times, I continue to find enjoyment in the illustrations, noticing a detail missed previously, and in the conversations between the characters.  This book is a historical fiction treasure.

To access Matt Phelan's website follow the link embedded in his name.  Here are two links to articles on his blog, The Road to BLUFFTON, Part One: Buster Keaton and The Road to Bluffton, Part Two: Vaudeville.  For a peek inside the book, more visuals, this link takes you to the publisher website.  Here is the link to a post Matt Phelan did recently at the Nerdy Book Club about a researcher's dream come true.

This link will take you to an introduction to the title and a Q & A with Matt Phelan.  This link is to an interview with Matt Phelan at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast with Julie Danielson.
Here is a video interview which was conducted during the American Library Association Annual Conference & Exhibition in Chicago this summer




Here is a trailer for the book.




Here are three videos Matt Phelan recommends watching to learn more about Buster Keaton.

You Say You Want A Pet?

You have to wonder if we are somehow genetically wired to desire the companionship of creatures, large or small, in our homes as part of our daily lives.  From an early age gals and guys most certainly not only want but feel they need a pet.  Maybe it's as simple as desiring to nurture being a part of our inherent nature.

From experience I know most parents have a long, detailed list of reasons for not getting any kind of a pet.  But even mine would have looked with admiration and in stunned silence at the parents of this pigtailed prodigy.  You'll feel a grin begin to grow from as early as the jacket flaps when reading The Pet Project: Cute and Cuddly Vicious Verses (Atheneum Books for Young Readers) by Lisa Wheeler with illustrations by Zachariah OHora.

I asked my parents for a pet.

My parents answered, "Not quite yet."

The parents of this girl have responded with a requirement of  research; what kind of pet she wants, all the associated costs and to personally observe each possibility.  As proof of these endeavors, they've requested she write everything down.  Her first stop is the farm.

A rather cranky cow, a  haranguing hen, a persnickety pony, a dove who delights in dropping doo-doo and stinky sheep have our gal making a hasty retreat to another animal residence, the zoo.  Her findings there are equally frustrating; a monkey with disgusting habits, a tiger who tastes humans (gulp), a penguin with no mind or mannerisms of his own,  a hippo who is much too large and a polar bear with dietary requirements a tad on the gross side.  Reflecting on her possibilities, she decides to head closer to home.

Into the woods the smells of a skunk cement her original thoughts on the species, the bustling of squirrels have her dreaming of their handiness as landscapers, and the garden marauding of bunnies let her know there's another place she needs to go.  Now in her home she wonders about a gobbling goldfish, ambitious ants, a too small dog and a turncoat cat.  No...no...no...and no have her exploring once more.  Her frustration is growing as her hope of finding the perfect pet gets smaller.

A stop at the pet store is disheartening; from the slow-moving turtle to the multiplying gerbils to the unpredictable guinea pig to the parrot with no social skills to the why-are-there-so-many mice and the hungry snake, our traveling investigator is left in a quandary.  With the precision of a career scientist, with all possibilities exhausted, there is only once conclusion that can be drawn.  These twenty-seven plus poetic thoughts written with care will lead readers to a surprising last line. ( I can hear the exclamations now--"She wants a what!")

Our elementary school was fortunate enough several years ago through our generous PTO to have Lisa Wheeler spend a day in our building.  The wit and wisdom, rhythm and rhyme, and playful use of language found in her books is part and parcel of her bubbling personality.  In this title the poetry simply rolls off your tongue with pacing creating a catchy beat.  With the honest, no-holds-barred notes of the girl, readers will find it hard to not burst out laughing.  

Rendered in acrylic paints the illustrations in this title roar out at readers beginning with the double-page matching jacket and cover.  Zachariah OHora's use of heavy black lines to accentuate the elements in his visuals draw readers' eyes exactly where they need to go.  The jacket flaps cleverly align with the opening and closing endpapers; a row of thirteen different animals all cheerfully facing us in the beginning but showing us the backside of each in the end.  One animal does seem to be missing though...and the snake slithering off the page has a huge lump in its middle.  A limited color palette, shades of green, red, gold, orange and tan heighten focus.

The close-up of the top of the girl's head, pigtails sticking out, spread out across both the title pages is the first hint of numerous touches of humor.  It's easy to see with pictures featuring varying but distinctive perspectives exactly how the girl feels about her latest inquiries.  OHora's interpretation, his extension of the text, is downright clever.  While I like the pony appearing in a beauty salon chair under the dryer, getting a pedicure, my favorite is the illustration accompanying the bunnies rhyme.  We get to see the furry fiends in action underground. 

The Pet Project: Cute and Cuddly Vicious Verses by Lisa Wheeler with illustrations by Zachariah OHora is a riotous, romp, an exploration brimming with humor, not to be missed.  The poems beginning on the jacket flap, continuing with an introductory warning and filling the remaining pages are fun...fun...fun.  This title is sure to be a favorite with readers and listeners alike.

For more information about the author and illustrator follow the links embedded in their names to their websites.  Follow this link to Zachariah OHora's blog for a look at the process involved in the cover development.  Here is a link to an interview of Zachariah OHora at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.

A Community Promise

As far back as I can remember, I can't think of a time when I have not spent spring, summer and fall working in a garden.  When growing up, every spring, the large garden behind the garage at our home was hand spaded and raked over and over to get ready for planting.  A tape measure, stakes and string made sure all the rows were straight and even.  Each seed and plant was carefully set in the dirt, covered and patted in place.  Watering, weeding and watching were done with devotion.

On more than one occasion my Dad had his picture in The Lansing State Journal for his tomato plants which stretched as high as the roof edge of our garage.  To this day, I've never tasted tomatoes like his tomatoes.  With all this being said, it was with a sense of anticipation I opened the cover of It's Our Garden:  From Seeds to Harvest in a School Garden (Candlewick Press) by George Ancona.

The school bell sounds...
and the classrooms explode with the
noise of books closing, chairs sliding
on the floor, and kids chattering.

Recess! Unlike students in other schools, the students at Acequia Madre Elementary School in Santa Fe, New Mexico spend part of their time working in the school garden.  From a dream held by one teacher to assistance from another and her husband along with college student volunteers, the land behind the school building was transformed.  Every season engages students, teachers, parents, and other community members in activities revolving around the garden.

Spring is filled with promise.  Seed catalogs are scanned for ideas, scraps from the cafeteria are taken to the compost pile which is then mixed into the dirt, seeds are planted inside the greenhouse first, and finally the planting outside is done in rows, beds and under tepees of bamboo poles.  Everything is protected from the sun with a mulch.

Gathering water, harnessing the energy from the sun and protecting the plants is completed through inventive techniques.  The small ecosystems living with the garden are explored and studied, bees, butterflies and bugs.  Students are invited to paint, draw and write about the garden.

The work continues with mixing ingredients to make adobe bricks, spreading a new layer of adobe on the outside oven for baking bread (horno), and harvesting early herbs and vegetables.  On weekends, the garden becomes a meeting place for the students, their families and community members; each contributing to the care of the garden.  When school closes for the summer, the garden is still open for activities and upkeep.

In fall as school resumes, harvesting begins in earnest with students learning the different methods.  To commemorate the end of the growing year, students are served lunches prepared with ingredients from their garden.  With the approach of winter one final day is spent by all getting this small but vital corner of the world ready for the cold, quiet change.


George Ancona discusses in the introduction how he spent a year photographing the activities of the children in the garden.  With simple, understandable text readers are given an insider's take on the happenings and studies throughout the months.  When a possible unfamiliar word is introduced Ancona defines it in terms of its place in the school garden; the components of compost, rain water collecting in a cistern, plastic tubes around the tomato plants, nectar and pollen and bees, the making of adobe and a three-sisters garden.

It's easy for readers to visualize everything taking place in this garden at Acequia Madre Elementary School through the extensive photographs displayed on every page.  George Ancona has taken great pains to give us a bird's eye view of the entire garden combined with numerous shots of the children, teachers, parents and volunteers working together.  Sometimes he brings us even closer, capturing a hand holding a worm, snake, bugs or a handful of seeds.

The layout and design of the book alters the picture sizes assuring us of the lively efforts and education evolving each day.  Drawings and paintings made by the children, grades kindergarten through six, are interspersed among the photographs.  Even the opening and closing endpapers done in shades of spring green feature a tiny pattern of butterflies, bugs and bees created by the students.


George Ancona in It's Our Garden: From Seeds to Harvest in a School Garden shows readers of all ages the riches to be gleaned from not only the garden itself but from all the relationships formed between the people and with the natural inhabitants within the garden.  It's a book highlighting the accomplishments of a community and this school but also an invitation for others to do the same.  It's a book filled with possibilities.  Wouldn't it be wonderful if every school had a garden?


Here is a video from Reading Rockets about George Ancona.

Twitterville Talk #109

There's no question about the power of Twitter as a professional development tool, a means of connecting with people all over the world but sometimes it's more.  Time and time again personal joys, frustration and sadness are shared with followers who began on one level but have shifted to another. This week saw many people sharing good announcements for readers with new publications on the horizon, #bookaday, #summerthrowdown and other challenges continuing along with the posting of pictures about summer activities and vacations.  At the center of everything though, at least with the people I follow and who follow me, is books and reading, one big swirl around this fascinating core.  I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.  Take time for reading.  Look for the giveaways.  Enjoy.  Relax.



Are you ready for the July #SharpSchu Book Club?  It will be here in eleven days.  Follow this link for all the information.

Thanks to educator, one half of the #SharpSchu team, co-host of #titletalk with Donalyn Miller, co-founder of the Nerdy Book Club and blogger at sharpread, Colby Sharp for this tweet.




One of the most fun, neatest blog post events is returning this August.  It's the Picture Book 10 for 10 (#pb10for10).  Follow this link for participation information.

Check out all the great links on the #cyberPD 2013 board on Pinterest.

Thanks to educator, co-host of this event and blogger at Reflect & Refine: Building a Learning Community, Cathy Mere for these tweets.



Have you ever heard of a Tom Swiftie?  I had not either but I can see using this as a writing exercise in the classroom.  Check out the Star Wars examples on the Origami Yoda blog.

For your Saturday morning (or any day or time of the week) watch these new Mickey Mouse cartoons.

How did I miss this last week?  A Profile of Jon Klassen by Mac Barnett.
To the first person who can tell me the city and country in which Jon Klassen attended high school I will send a copy of In The Tree House by Andre Larsen with illustrations by Dusan Petricic.  DM me the answer on Twitter or leave it in the comments below. (This title has been won.)

Follow this link for a happy surprise for fans of the Origami Yoda books.  And check out this link for a video on how to fold Jabba.  

Many thanks to author Tom Angleberger for these tweets.



Several more dots were posted at Celebri-Dots this week.  Dots by Florence Minor, Hazel Mitchell, and Steve Light.

Thanks to Terry Shay, educator, college adjunct, Fablevision Learning Ambassador and blogger at TJ on a Journey for these tweets.






In case you missed it, the secret is out.  J K Rowling has written another book for adults, an apparent hit was released in April of this year under a pen name, Robert Galbraith.  The Cuckoo's Calling, by 'Robert Galbraith': J K Rowling's secret bestseller

Get ready to make a list, check it twice and open up your wallet, Link Du Jour: Extreme Preview: Spring 2014 Edition.  This just about shorts a circuit in my mind when you consider spring 2013 has only been over for a month.

Thanks to teacher librarian, 2014 Caldecott Medal Award Committee member and blogger at 100 Scope Notes, Travis Jonker for these tweets.




Nine days ago 160 plus people gathered in Battle Creek to celebrate literacy through morning and afternoon sessions at the first #nErDCampBC.  Educator and blogger at Read, Write, Reflect , Katherine Sokolowski, posted an essay about the event plus she is gathering in other posts by other participants.

Add this virtual publication to your resources for promoting reading, Raising A Reader! How Comics & Graphic Novels Can Help Your Kids To Love To Read!

Thanks Katherine for these tweets and this post.




I know that I will be reading this Nerdy Book Club post, Fangirl by Donalyn Miller,  over and over.  It summarizes beautifully what the reading life means to so many.

Thanks to the Nerdy Book Club for this tweet.




I had no idea until I read this blog post about the making of the Disney Mary Poppins movie concerning the treatment of author, P. L. Travers.  There is a new movie being released, Saving Mr. Banks, which I intend to see.

This is a tribute to Barbara Robinson, Barbara Robinson's The Best School Year Ever

Thanks to educator and blogger at educating alice, Monica Edinger for these tweets and posts.





There is going to be a virtual book discussion about Rump:  The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff on Twitter at 9:00 PM EDT on July 22, 2013.  Join in!


Thanks to educator and blogger at Daydream Reader, Niki Barnes, for this tweet.






In a tweet about Book Boot Camp a link was given to a great beginning infographic and video about the use of Twitter.


Thanks to educator Sue Sheskey for this tweet and post.  




The finalists for the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award were announced this week.  Follow the embedded links for more information about the award and the revealed titles.
To the first person who can list the four finalist titles I will send a copy of Kindred Souls by Patricia MacLachlan.  DM me your answer on Twitter or leave it in the comments below.


Thanks to educator, author and blogger at The Goddess of YA Literature, Teri Lesesne for this tweet.





If you are looking for a good overview, a good post, about Read for the Record day, head over to Van Meter Library Voice.  

What's All This Change About In The Library? is a chance to make your voice heard.

How many of these tools have found their way into your classroom, professional or personal life?  Region ESC Symbaloo

Thank to teacher librarian and blogger at Van Meter Library Voice, Shannon Miller, for these tweets and these posts.






Check out the 2013 Final Ballot The Harvey Award nominees.  Do you see any you have read?


Thanks to author/illustrator Raina Telgemeier for this tweet and congratulations on her nomination.






Recommended listening by fellow teacher librarian, Laura Given, is Comics Are Great! 81 Pacific Rim and the Analytic Eye, a podcast by Jerzy Drozd and Dave Roman.


Thanks to Laura Given, blogger at LibLaura5 for this tweet.









For those entertaining thoughts of hosting a Mock Caldecott election in the classrooms this year, stop by and read, Caldecott 2013 by Robin Smith.
To the first person who can tell me the top title talked about in this discussion I will send a copy of Bone Dog by Eric Rohmann.  DM me your answer on Twitter or leave it in the comments below. (This title has been won.)

Thanks to picture book guru, author, educator, and blogger at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, Julie Danielson for this tweet.




Two major names in children's literature, Suzanne Collins and James Proimos talk about how they put together A Year in the Jungle.




Thanks to Scholastic for this tweet.










There are many memorable highlights from the Caldecott Newbery Wilder banquet.  Here is an interview of the Wilder Award winner, Katherine Paterson.






Here come the book trailers.  Sit back and enjoy!  Two of these made me burst out laughing.














So many of us enjoyed following Mr. Schu and his teacher librarian friend, Donna, on their #LGNE13 Road Trip.  Here is a link to the more than 900 photographs they took and for more Vines, highlights and posts follow this link.


Thank to John Schumacher, teacher librarian, member of the 2014 Newbery Medal Committee, 2011 Library Journal Movers & Shakers, one half of the #SharpSchu Book Club and blogger at Watch. Connect. Read. for another wonderful week of tweets.





You might want to print this out and hang it in your classroom---A Great Digital Citizenship Poster For Your Class

Debbie also share three outstanding videos in her Wednesday post about Simple Story Creation.

50 Multicultural Books Every Child Should Know

Tuck away this author interview for a future author study, David Lubar.  

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

Here's another delightful addition to International Dot Day---Mark Your Mark as sung by Emma Wallace.

Thanks to WES Media Center (K-5 Media Specialist) for this tweet.




Of course, every home should have one of these!  Reading Nest

Thanks to Walden Pond Press for this tweet.







Author, Holly Black, talks about her latest title The Coldest Girl in Coldtown.

Thanks to Children's Bookshelf of Publishers Weekly for this tweet.




Give a listen to the latest podcast at Let's Get Busy.  It's all about International Dot Day!


Thanks to teacher librarian, blogger at The Busy Librarian, 2103 Library Journal Movers & Shakers, Matthew C. Winner for this tweet.

Great news for readers this week from the beautiful state of Maine, Julie Falatko's book is going to be published!

Thanks to Julie Falatko, author, reviewer at Katie Davis's Brain Burps and blogger at World of Julie for this tweet.




Don't forget this book challenge---Try Something New: BookDare, a Kidlit Reading Challenge

Thanks to author Adam Lehrhaupt who tweeted, posted and is hosting this challenge.

Wouldn't it be fun to incorporate at least one of these into your classroom space (or your home)?
Favorite Reading Nooks

Thanks to educatoracademic coach and blogger at Finding Ways for All Kids to Flourish, Joan Young, for this tweet.




Here's another author interview, Bruce Hale, which would be a great addition to an author study.

Thanks to Mary Ann Scheuer, teacher librarian, Cybils Book App award coordinator, and blogger at Great Kid Books, for this post and tweet.




Children's literature lost another giant this past week, Marc Simont.  Here are the tweets and links about his passing.  Every time this happens our world is a little less than it was.

RIP Marc Simont. A lovely&talented man. http://t.co/hTGAibTF4n
— Florence Minor (@minorart) July 17, 2013

"If I like what I’m doing, the kids will like it, too": remembering Marc Simont (1915-2013). http://t.co/9Vnk8KH4nA
— Philip Nel (@philnel) July 17, 2013

Thinking about how much The Stray Dog by Marc Simont taught me about picture book structure. That book is PERFECT.
— Marla Frazee (@MarlaFrazee) July 18, 2013

Here is a gathering of some of my favorite quotes and thoughts posted on Twitter for this week.

My 6 YO son was blown away by @Jon_Scieszka and @macbarnett's BATTLE BUNNY. Watching him closely today. He keeps eyeing our old books.
— Colby Sharp (@colbysharp) July 13, 2013

Who would I be/what would my life be like without my library card?
— Ryan M. Hanna (@rantryan) July 13, 2013

A fully clothed man wearing a helmet just walked out of the pool showers. This is a danger I did not foresee.
— Adam Lehrhaupt (@Lehrhaupt) July 13, 2013

Have worked on MS almost all day... but all of it on my porch. What a great job!
— OrigamiYoda (@OrigamiYoda) July 14, 2013

pic.twitter.com/IEQE36do3W
— Ryan M. Hanna (@rantryan) July 14, 2013

We HAVE to let the dog play in the kid's football team now! There's no rule against it! There's NOTHING we can do to stop it! #AirBud
— Dan Santat (@dsantat) July 14, 2013

I seem to use the words amazing & awesome a lot in tweets….that's how I see the world.
— Terry Shay (@tjshay) July 15, 2013

A public service announcement from Babymouse http://t.co/XMTbeYofYQ
— John Schu (@MrSchuReads) July 15, 2013

I love when I'm reading a book with an interesting main character. I love hearing their voice & getting to know them. It keeps me reading.
— Cynthia Alaniz (@utalaniz) July 15, 2013

I enjoy Twitter because it helps me connect w/ a diverse group of colleagues who teach and support me. #EDU639
— Donalyn Miller (@donalynbooks) July 15, 2013

Twitter has helped me find the resources I need from teachers I trust when I couldn't find them elsewhere. #EDU639
— Brian Wyzlic (@brianwyzlic) July 15, 2013

Just had one of those moments were you click "send" and maybe you are changing your whole life, maybe history is made... or maybe not.
— OrigamiYoda (@OrigamiYoda) July 16, 2013

Thought for the day: it seems to me kids in movies are snarky & snotty. Kids in books are dreamers & adventurers. Books are more real.
— Terry Shay (@tjshay) July 16, 2013

This sounds feigned for effect, but everyday I'm truly astonished that it takes a lot of time to make something good.
— John Hendrix (@hendrixart) July 16, 2013

Just got the final jacket for WAKE UP MISSING & now I'm swooning from more than the hot weather. *LOVE* pic.twitter.com/Py6IADblOY
— Kate Messner (@KateMessner) July 16, 2013

Also... WAKE UP MISSING might have the most unconventional author photo ever. pic.twitter.com/aY4ZHTFFdH
— Kate Messner (@KateMessner) July 16, 2013

Getting up each morning is like revising a poem, a story, a book: you have a marvelous new chance at making something better. Don't blow it!
— jane Yolen (@JaneYolen) July 17, 2013

Wouldn't it be fun to have students create Burma Shave signs to communicate a signpost they've found within story? @KyleneBeers @BobProbst
— Paul W. Hankins (@PaulWHankins) July 17, 2013

closing the book on some people is the only way to keep writing your own story.
— kellylight (@kellylight) July 17, 2013

I went to the library. They say I can check out more books than I can carry. Challenge accepted.
— Adam Lehrhaupt (@Lehrhaupt) July 17, 2013

When they leave us, our students don't take with them what we taught. They take with them what they've learned. @iChrisLehman #wsraresearch
— Jillian Heise (@heisereads) July 18, 2013

While reading a stack of pictures books I felt my stress melt away. #picturebooks
— Colby Sharp (@colbysharp) July 18, 2013

Today was one more reminder of how grateful I am to have good writer friends.
— Linda Urban (@lindaurbanbooks) July 18, 2013

Juggling 3 book deadlines and a newborn baby. Pop in a couple of bowling pins and a flaming torch and I'm charging admission for this, bro.
— Matthew Cordell (@cordellmatthew) July 19, 2013

Excited to share the news of award winning,multi-platinum country music star @TraceAdkins recording audio for the #Otis books! @penguinkids
— Loren Long (@lorenlong) July 20, 2013

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/k7Cn6udQid
— jon klassen (@burstofbeaden) July 20, 2013

GO TEAM BABYMOUSE!!! #sdcc2013 #fb pic.twitter.com/AxkRxEKTbM
— Matthew Holm (@mattholm) July 20, 2013

Living, Breathing Art

What makes a legend a legend?  They are an interesting branch of the folklore tree. They are a mirror of the people, place and customs from which they originate.  By definition they are part of an earlier oral tradition, handed down over the generations, based upon a combination of known and unverified historical fact.

It is true that one of the most famous painters in Chinese history is Wu Daozi.  It is true he lived during the T'ang dynasty.  Brush of the Gods (Schwartz & Wade Books, an imprint of Random House Children's Books) written by Lenore Look with illustrations by Meilo So imagines what his life and more importantly, his death, might have been.

Wu Daozi looked at the brush in his hand and felt the soft hairs.  They tickled.

Wu is seated with other students learning the fine and honored art of calligraphy.  There is a precise way to make the ink with pebbles, another stone and water.  Holding the brush centered with their nose, careful strokes are made to create numbers.

As the other students copy the lines made on a tortoise shell by their teacher, a monk, Wu's brush seems to have a life of its own.  His brush does not make the necessary characters. His brush makes objects, flora and fauna native to his country.

Wu can't stop painting; his creations are getting bigger and better.  Walls in buildings and surrounding his city are his preferred surface.  His hands move quickly; perhaps the images are forming with such speed in his mind they are spilling out through his brush.  Over time his skills increase even more; to the point one day the inexplicable happens.

His painting of a butterfly is so intricate, so lifelike, as he watches, it takes wing and leaves.  Thinking his mind must be playing tricks, he paints another.  It too flies up and away.

Nothing he makes with his brush stays, everything comes to life.  People no longer give coins or food for his work.  The walls are bare.  The crowds who used to come and watch have left except...for the children on the streets.

They gather and their numbers grow.  Time marches on; those children bring their children to watch Wu Daozi paint.  What comes forth from his brush not only looks real but is real.

Such unearthly skill does not go unnoticed by even those in the highest ranks of society.  Wu is commissioned to paint a masterpiece by the emperor himself.  Years and years and years pass as Wu Daozi works to complete his finest piece, a piece which will reveal the the best mystery of all.


In an author's note as part of the verso, Lenore Look informs readers of her sources for information on which to base this book.  Her command of language beautifully brings his youth, his growth as a painter and the legends to life.  It's as if the soul of Wu Daozi's work has found its way into her words.  The story is told with a rhythmic flow of narrative mixed with possible conversations.  Here are a couple of passages.

With one eye wide open, the other in a dream, he painted so much that he knew not whether the sun was up or down or whether he was standing or sitting.  

Tattered and shoeless, they formed a hedge around their friend.

Using watercolor, ink, gouache, and colored pencil Meilo So 's fine lines, delicate details and blend of colorful hues with blacks and grays take readers back in time.  Her initial illustration spread across the front and back jacket and cover portrays the marvelous magic people felt when looking at the art of Wu Daozi.  It was compelling, captivating and full of life...more than they ever knew.  It's interesting to note the color difference in the opening and closing endpapers; the first, a golden hue of morning, the second, the tranquil blue of twilight.

With the first page, a picture of Wu Daozi holding a brush staring out at the reader, we are as compelled and captivated by the work of So as those in Chinese history were by the frescoes and scrolls of Daozi.  Her pictures are fluid moving around the text creating a single impression, a stunning blend of the two.  Breathtaking two page spreads capture the brilliance of this master's work and the time period in which he lived.  One of my favorite illustrations is of Wu painting the first butterfly which flies away.  It is a beautiful example of Meilo So's adept use of varied mediums.


Brush of the Gods written by Lenore Look with illustrations by Meilo So is a stellar portrayal of an artist and his art.  It's one of those books which bridges the gap between then and now, bringing the best of one culture into many more.  It's about a little boy who allowed his heart to direct his brush leaving riches for the world to enjoy.  This title has already garnered four starred reviews.  I am hoping that even more honors will follow.


To read more about Lenore Look follow the link embedded in her name above.  Debbie Alvarez hosted a visit by Lenore Look at her school this year.  Follow a link to her blog, The Styling Librarian, and John Schumacher's blog, Watch. Connect. Read., to gain more insight about this visit.  Colby Sharp interviews Lenore Look here.  Julie Danielson, features the book at Kirkus and interviews Meilo So on her blog, Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast (and more artwork here). For a pronunciation of Meilo So's name follow this link.  For additional information about the work of Meilo So follow the link to her website embedded in her name.  If you would like to see more images from this title follow this link to the publisher site.

She's One Feisty Bundle of Fur

Rarely do I see squirrels scampering across either the front or back yard of my home.  They prefer to stay among the tops of the trees, but I know they've been busy.  This spring I had multiple, more than ever, small hickory trees growing everywhere, sprouting from purposefully planted nuts.  I'm pretty sure there isn't even a hickory tree in the entire neighborhood!

The other morning, when working in the large back garden, before the sun came up, a fierce chattering started and continued for nearly an hour.  Whenever you hear excited squirrel speak, you know trouble is afoot.  David Ezra Stein has cleverly caught, with boundless humor, the persistence, protective passion of a fearless parent in Ol' Mama Squirrel (Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.).


Ol' Mama Squirrel had raised many babies. 

With all this experience comes wisdom.  Deep in her heart she knows baby squirrel is a delicacy for more than one critter. But woe unto anyone or anything that comes near her little ones.

At the slightest encroachment near her happy hole you can hear---

"Chook, chook, chook! 

Cats, owls, and dogs are no match for her ferociousness.  In fact, the panicked pooch thinks she's a nut case.

She does not limit her endeavors to the living either.  A wayward kite and the latest flight between airports passing overhead receive her most verbal contempt.  One day though, an intruder challenges Ol' Mama Squirrel.

Her normal antics for striking fear in the hearts of her adversaries is not working on this wayward grizzly bear.  Pitching old nuts at him elicits laughter from this menace.  There's only one thing left for Ol' Mama Squirrel to do...and she does it well.


When you visit David Ezra Stein's website, it says:

Funny, With Love

which is the essence of all his books.  In this title the tone generated by his word choices of Ol' Mama Squirrel is laid-back country.  Readers can't help but feel a kinship with and an appreciation for her bravery and determination.  Stein's use of repetitive phrases when danger approaches (and leaves) are an open invitation for participation.


While the matching jacket and cover on the front show a contented familial moment, the back names the three babies sitting in a row on a branch with the fist shaking Mama below shouting out her word challenges.  Light lime green opening and closing endpapers usher us into the leafy realm of the squirrels' world.  The title page zooms in on Mama and her chargers inside the hole with an acorn between oak leaves beneath.  The verso and first page give a more wide angle view of the tree within the surrounding city, cracked and broken acorns in the far left corner.

This is the description of how the illustrations were rendered as read on the verso.

The black lines in "Ol' Mama Squirrel" were created with a pencil dipped into ink.  The lines were copied onto Strathmore Aquarius II watercolor paper, and watercolor and crayon were added.  No squirrels were harmed in the making of this book.

There is much to love about the layout of this book; liberal use of white space to frame characters and action, items in a picture bleeding out the loosely drawn frames, small circular insets for emphasis, close-ups to intensify focus, and double page spreads to enhance a moment.  Mama with her arm and paw motions, grumpy looks and open-mouthed tirades is guaranteed to induce outbursts of laughter.  I think one of my favorite illustrations in the book is Mama charging full-speed ahead through the tree branches with two of the babies clinging to her back while the third rides behind her ears using them like reins.  You should see the look on her face.


Ol' Mama Squirrel written and illustrated by Caldecott Honor winning David Ezra Stein is a peek at the lengths one mother goes to protect her children told with insight and laden with the fun he loves.  Readers and listeners alike will be repeating the refrains as she frightens away each and every foe.  She's a hero in any world.

To access David Ezra Stein's website follow the link embedded in his name.  This is a link to a recently published article Not On My Watch! he authored.  This is an interview about this title at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast with lots of artwork.  Did you know he had the completed book turned in at his publisher's but asked to do it all over?  Get that story and more from his interview at Pen &Oink.  

Giving Them Books And Voice

Last week when I attended a session offered at the first #nErDCampBC , brainchild of educator, Colby Sharp, titled Motivating Reading and Writing Through Technology moderated by Donalyn Miller (@donalynbooks) and Suzanne Gibbs (@Suz_Gibbs), they offered up a variety of resources and examples of how they were used in their classrooms.  As the time drew to a close, I couldn't help but wonder if a website I remembered seeing on the new
2013 American Association of School Librarians Best Websites for Teaching and Learning might also be useful.  This website falls under the category of Manage & Organize, Standards for the 21st-Century Learner, 2.1.2 Organize knowledge so that it is useful; 2.1.4 Use technology and other information tools to analyze and organize information; and 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.

LitPick is the result of the then fourth grade Seth Cassel and his father, Gary Cassel, creating a site called Flamingnet.com. It gave readers the chance to write the reviews.  Now a senior at Harvard College, Seth has founded LitPick.  Books, courtesy copies, are given to the site by publishers and authors who in turn gives them to student reviewers.

LitPick's mission is to help preteens and teens develop a lifelong love of reading by empowering young readers to share their opinions in a social community.  We hope to change the way students interact with literature and become a leader in the growing intersection of education and technology.


Upon accessing the home page a tool bar across the top offers opportunities for exploration.  From left to right users can connect to LitPick on their blog, their Facebook and Twitter accounts and through on RSS feed.  The search bar is for entering in titles which leads to the reviews.


When selecting the Student Reviewer/Member Login a box drops down.  You can login, sign up as a member or student reviewer, and access a forgotten username and password.  It is recommended that you use either FireFox or Google Chrome as your browser when coming to this site.







I elected to sign up as a member.  The registration form is more lengthy than usual because of the nature of the site.  You are asked to provide:

• Username and password
• First and last name
• Website/blog address (optional)
• Date of birth and gender
• Email and postal address
• Upload a profile picture and something you wish others to know about yourself
• You are asked to read the terms and privacy policy.

A confirming email is sent listing all the data you provided upon registering.

A new window opens informing you of the benefits of being a member such as book giveaway offers, access to free book downloads, and author interviews.  You have the chance to read reviews of books before they are even released into the wild.  There are forum discussions where publishers, publicists, authors, student reviewers, parents and educators can converse.  

Beneath the top toolbar users can investigate further into LitPicks (About Us) discovering the members of the team, how the site evolved, how it works and testimonials of users.  In the Forum section registered users can start a thread which appears in a list showing the title, username of last post by, and the number of replies and views.  To start a thread click on Create a topic.  A new window appears with a variety of word processing options as shown in the image below.   The second image shows a single entry in the Forum.

When choosing All Books the titles reviewed appear in a list by publication date, newest to oldest.  You can search by genre, age or a combination of the two.  Each review contains an image of the book jacket, the summary, the option to add it to your wishlist, a tally of votes, the genre, age level and the opportunity to tweet about it on Twitter or post it on Facebook.  Below this the reviewer's username is shown along with the number of stars assigned to the title and content rating (age appropriateness).  Registered users can also leave a comment. 

The heading Submit Your Book for Review is informative for those wishing their title to be reviewed and for those wishing to read more about the process.  The FAQ section answers the most asked about questions such as these (and many more):

• Who can become a LitPick student book reviewer?
• Is parental permission needed for students to participate in your program?
• Do LitPick student reviewers get to keep the book that they review?

Finally an easy form is provided to contact LitPick should you have any questions, concerns or comments about the site.

The Home page is loaded with information.  On the right is your profile picture with your username, the ability to edit or view your profile, your wishlist, membership date and the number of comments left in the Forum.  In that same column are the recently reviewed titles with book jackets and an option for signing up for a newsletter.  

To the left is a scrolling screen of book jackets with partial reviews with a link to the full review.  The red box with a link for educators allows the enrolling of students as book reviewers with lots of suggestions and help.  An additional column showcases top reviewers, top books and new releases.  And another column highlights the top topics on the Forum and the most talked about books.

If you are interested in enhancing your students' reading and writing through the use of online technology, then LitPick is a definite must.  I give the site high marks as well as the AASL for including it on their 2013 list.  Students will be attracted to a site specifically for them with reviews written by their peers.