What We Are Reading at Our House - Award Winners

And now I present the Award Winner section of my post.

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

AKA 2013 Newbery Award Winner
I'm not naturally drawn to talking animal books, but this one is really special. Coincidently, I'm located not too far from where this story's real life inspiration resided. This would make a terrific read aloud and I am pleased that the Newbery went to such an accessible and younger audience novel. As Patti said, she's come a long way from the Animorphs!

And I officially read all the Newbery award books! I'm rather amazed that this was the only one I had not read before the announcement. Unlike the Printz, where I only read Code Name Verity out of the five. Until..




Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
AKA 2013 Stonewall Book Award, 2013 Printz Honor, 2013 Pura Belpre Author Award

A fast read and deserving of its accolades. I loved Ari, his voice, and his family. I also checked out the winning Printz title, In Darkness, but I just never got around to reading it.





In addition to the YMA there were our two state awards this spring.

Florida Book Awards:

The children's winner this year was the excellent, wordless GN/picture book Unspoken: a Story from the Underground Railroad by Henry Cole. This got quite a bit of Newbery buzz so I'm glad to see it acknowledged here in Florida.






Bluebonnet Award:

The school children of Texas voted on their favorite Bluebonnet titles and chose Sim Taback's Postcards from Camp as the winner. It's hard to compete with a picture book about fun camp adventures that includes interactive letters in envelopes that kids can take out and read. Not much fun for libraries, but a terrific father/son story. Good choice! Runners up were Zita the Spacegirl (9 year old loves this series) and Being Audrey (which was nice, but rather surprising that it came in 3rd.)

What We Are Reading at Our House - Kid Edition

Friends, I have been reading and enjoying books (and so has my voracious reader 9 year old) but have neglected to muster the energy to write. Since there's so much to cover I'm breaking it up into 3 parts: Kid Edition, Awards, and YA/Adult.

The 9 Year Old:

Discovered and loved Dan Gutman's Genius Files and N.E.R.D.S.
Finally received The Familiars books 2 & 3 from the library holds. He loves this series of animal magic. If you are unfamiliar, check it out. It has been optioned for a movie.

For his historical fiction project I brought home a selection of titles and while he leaned towards Avi's True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, he went with The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg.
For his required non-fiction reading he read and loved Escape!: The Story of the Great Houdini by Sid Fleischman. For his poetry requirement he read Love That Dog. Three of my all-time faaaaavorites.













The 4 Year Old:
"Does it have Batman? Or Superman? Or Wonder Woman or Super Friends or The Flash or Green Lantern or Legos? Or Kipper? Because that is all I like to get these days. I know exactly where these books are kept in all three of my storytime libraries so I will just go and help myself."


Children's Books I Picked Out:
3 terrific early chapter book series!
Lulu series by Hilary McKay, Penny series by Kevin Henkes, Bink and Gollie #2 by DiCamillo, McGhee, & Fucile









Picture Books:
Exclamation Mark by Amy Krouse Rosenthal & Tom Lichtenheld.
Holy  moly, I love these two. AKR is back with another playful look at ordinary things. She is the master of quirk, pun, and double meaning. A must for classrooms! The 9 year old thought it was great.

Oliver by Birgitta Sif
I finally got this book in at my library and thought it was very charming. Oliver is an introvert. He's completely content to play make believe with his toys and shy of company. He accidently meets another child and realizes that playing with another child can be fun, too. Sharp readers will see that we have seen this new friend all along - on the street, in the library, at the pool. Very clever and very sweet. And Oliver wears glasses, another plus in my house. Both boys thought this was terrific.

Summer Lull

We are in full summer lag here at our house. In the ultra hot mid-day you'll find us all inside reading, playing games, and just hanging out.  It's how summer should be.

There's less than one month before school starts and 2 weeks until the 8 year old becomes 9.  As summer '12 slips by I am happy to have days where we slow down and enjoy it.*

Here are my recent reads.

Drowned Cities - Finally finished this. I started before our vacation and had to turn it back in before we left. The story, while excellent, embraced so much sadness that it was almost a chore to read. I would see the book on the table and pass it by for later. What more could happen to Mahlia? Some pages I just didn't want to know. Tool also came off as too perfect. Yes, the ending amazed me and yes, I'll be waiting for book 3 where I will hope and pray that something decent happens to Mahlia or anyone. For once.

The Year of the Beasts - I'm not with Patti in the Printz Camp, but it is a unique and compelling read that I hope gets all kinds of attention. The graphic novel/text back and forth worked very well as did the mythology storyline. Cecil Castellucci always delivers wonderful storytelling.

Bon Appetit!: The Delicious Life of Julia Child by Jessie Hartland - Oh I liked this. Almost a graphic novel biography and it reminded me of Maira Kalman. I'm not sure the 2 page spread for galantine will resonate with young readers, but I do plan on making crêpes with my boys just like we made waffles for Everything On a Waffle earlier this year.

The Great Molasses Flood: Boston, 1919 by Deborah Kops - Molasses? The stuff used to make cookies?  Yes. Two million gallons of molasses unleashed on a neighborhood leaving utter devastation in its wake. Molasses was used to make rum and in the winter of 1919 alcohol suppliers were trying to make as much as they could before prohibition. Also, because of poor inspection standards so many buildings and structures collapsed or were destroyed in the molasses flood. Really rather interesting. Plus, the lawyers for the molasses company tried to pin the disaster on a little girl (who died in the event) who could have been a terrorist bomber for the Italian anarchists. Really! The book highlights other historical events like immigration, anarchists, and women's suffrage.

Currently reading: Home by Toni Morrison. And loving it. And it's only 144 pages! Genius.

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*and then I have the Olympics! I love the Olympics. And this Voldemort vs. Poppinses business just increases my adoration. Please let it be true. Perhaps throw in a Tardis? Or Hobbitses?

Flesh & Blood So Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Its Legacy by Albert Marrin

Please note that this is posted for our Mock Printz discussion.

I find it incredibly hard to discuss non-fiction. Maybe because I don't read it often? Regardless, here are my thoughts, disjointed though they may be, on Flesh & Blood So Cheap.

Very good narrative non-fiction. The author manages to write not only an incredibly interesting and historically accurate story, but infuses it with an appropriate level of drama. You want to keep turning the pages to see what happens next.

I was very impressed with how he started with the setting of the day of the fire as well as a major player and then backed up to give the fantastically interesting historical background to the Triangle Fire. Never during this portion does the reader loose sight of the goal, which is the understanding of how something like the Triangle Fire happened.

The photos were really well done. They related to the text and the blurbs underthem helped to tie them back to specific paragraphs. The photos were clear and helped to underscore important facts, people, and events.

I enjoyed how the author went some extra steps to include the origins of sayings that were pertinent to the story. Such as "beyond the pale" (p.15). He did this quite a bit with colloquialisms too, which was very enjoyable.

The writing after the scene of the Triangle Fire was perhaps a bit anti-climatic. How could it not be? It was about laws that came into place. I think the author's writing fell apart a bit during this portion. Or maybe it is just a drier subject.

My biggest complaint? Sweatshops were catagorically wrong and bad for people in the first part of the book. When explaining that sweatshops still exist in America the author was sort of factual, and when he got to sweatshops in other parts of the world he turned downright apologetic. They were no longer categorically wrong - they were written about as not totally awesome, but still pretty good. Better to work in a sweatshop than in the hot, hot sun in a rice paddy! Really? Are you serious?

It was a bit sickening. I think instead the author should have spoken about how western consumerism and weak international laws create situations where sweatshops not only still exist, but are allowed to flourish. This, to me, is why the book probably won't win any major prizes.

My other major complaint is the use of "for" to start waaaay too many sentences. For when authors use for, the reader can get annoyed.

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Mock Printz Titles:



A Monster Calls - Patrick Ness
(Patti's 1st review)
Between Shades of Gray - Ruta Sepetys
(Patti's review)
Berlin Boxing Club - Robert Sharenow
(Patti's 1st review)
Blood Red Road - Moira Young
(Patti's 1st review)
Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor
(Joanna's review)
Divergent - Veronica Roth
(Patti's 1st review, 2nd review)
Everybody Loves the Ants - A.S. King
(Patti's 1st review)
Flesh and Blood so Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Legacy - Albert Marrin
Imaginary Girls - Nova Ren Suma
(Patti's review)
Where Things Come Back - John Corey Whaley
(Patti's 1st Review, 2nd review)

Strange Dees, Indeed

Taking a break from books for a moment. I'd like to talk about music. Music for kids, specifically. Music that grown-ups will also rock out to.

I'll also add that the band, Brooklyn-based The Deedle Deedle Dees, are friends of mine so this is more than just a professional recommendation. 

That being said, Holy Cow Readers, check this album out! The cover alone should spark your interest.

If you are a teacher or librarian this CD, like their others, is an excellent addition to your classroom or library. The Dees often write about history, science, famous people, nature, and current events. Pair the songs with books or offer them as a supplement to your lesson plan. Or listen along with your kids and together take the time to learn more about a song's inspiration. Or just listen and enjoy. There's not another band like them writing or performing for kids.

The new album, Strange Dees, Indeed, is now available as a physical package and as a digital download at CDBaby, Amazon, iTunes, and many other outlets.  You can find the band on Facebook and follow them on Twitter. Here's a very informative press release for Strange Dees, Indeed. The band tours often to schools, libraries, and museums close to NY, but also travel down here to Florida with stops along the way. Last year they played for my son's entire elementary school.

But back to books! Here's a brief list of books to read along with the new album.

Cool Papa Bell - We Are the Ship by Kadir Nelson
Penny Farthing - Around the World by Matt Phelan (and video of The Dees singing about Nelly Bly, also in the book!)
Birds of American Don't Care-Oh - Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt*
Phineas Gage Has Something to Tell These People - Phineas Gage: A Gruesome But True Story About Brain Science by John Fleischman
Sojourner Truth - Only Passing Through: The Story of Sojourner Truth by Anne Rockwell and R. Gregory Christie

***Nov 17 Update: Just saw Betty Carter's review of SUBWAY STORY which is perfect for the song "Bluebird>Redbird, Redbird>Reef"!

*It's killing me. I feel like I came across another book for kids featuring Audubon's birds earlier this year. Any ideas?

What We're Reading at Our House - 3

I'm reading more than I have in ages, but nothing really to blog about yet. Patti and I both read Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Little, Brown 9/11) and will chat about it later...ONE HECK OF A CHAT.

So here's what we are reading at our house.

Almost-8-year-old:
Still on his Geronimo Stilton kick and added Thea Stilton to the mix. I also introduced him to Big Nate by Lincoln Peirce and he's a big fan. Also, before Big Nate Strikes Again (#2) came through on his library holds, he was reading Ramona and Beezus. I'll have to hide the 3rd Big Nate from him until he finishes that one. Girl books rarely make it into his hands.

Picture books:
Purple Little Bird by Greg Foley (Blazer+Bray, 2011)
Greg Foley's Bear books are some of my favorites. I saw this one on the shelf and did a happy dance. Purple Little Bird looks for a new place to live. Colors, animals, and gentle sweetness.

That's How! by Christoph Niemann (Greenwillow, 2011)
Fun for both my boys. I love its over-the-top silliness and imagination.

Let's Count Goats! by Mem Fox and illustrated by Jan Thomas (Beach Lane Books/S&S, 2010)
Saw this just hanging out on the library shelf and grabbed it immediately. Mem Fox AND Jan Thomas?! Yeah, it's hilarious. It is reminiscent of one of the greatest picture books of all time - Where is the Green Sheep? also by Fox.

If Rocks Could Sing : a discovered alphabet by Leslie McGuirk (Random House Kids, 2011)
We all love this one. Fascinating, whimsical, and funny. As if collecting rocks wasn't fun for my boys as is, now we can try and find some that look like letters. Thanks to Bookends Book Blog and Book Moot for the tip.

My books:
All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin (Macmillan 9/11)
We love GZ here at Oops. When I went to TLA I beelined for Macmillan only to be told they were out of ARCs but they would send me one. I declined thinking how much better it would be to wait for its release. Nice thought. When Patti went to ALA in June she snagged one for me. I'm not finished with it yet.

The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai (Viking, 2011)
Well looky here. An adult book. My cousin pointed this one out to me. It's about a children's librarian! I'm 1/2 way and so far I'm not sure what I think. Have any of you read it?

Lemonade and Other Poems Squeezed from a Single Word by Bob Raczka

Between Fuse, 7-Imp, and 100 Scope Notes, I had to read this poetry collection. I can't add anything new to their reviews, so just count me as one of the many fans of this fantastic book o'poems.

The slim volume of 22 poems also doubles as word puzzles. While each poem does indeed get all its words from the single word title, readers sometimes have to piece the letters together to make the words. It takes effort. If you get stumped, turn the page. A more familiar format for the poem is provided. (See my excerpt below.) My 2nd grader had to read them in the easier format. I think he's a little young, but he still liked the idea that the poems came from one word.

 It reminded me of the playful CDB by William Steig. The patient reader is rewarded.


One of my and my 2nd grader's favorites is "Halloween"

all
alone

an
owl

a
howl

oh
no

The poems are illustrated by Nancy Doniger.

book source: checked out from my local public library

Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland by Sally M. Walker

First Impressions of Written in Bone.

This second review comes after a much needed dentist visit which was a direct result of reading this book. Call it inspiration, if you will, to avoid a colonial style death.

Basically, everything from the first review stands. I still enjoyed this book immensely even on the second read. I was still extremely impressed with the overall quality of this book and very happy with the variety of stories and the depth of investigation into the lives of Colonial people.

What struck me more on the second reading (and truly I probably picked up on this issue because I’ve been reading SLJ’s Heavy Medal blog entries on A Season of Gifts) was that in the Walker did not include Native Americans in her exploration of Colonial bodies. The forward contains an explanation that they were not included because of respect for Native American customs and that it wasn’t an attempt to erase them from history. I found it to be a reasonable and respectful explanation.

I can’t help but compare the writing style to Almost Astronauts, simply because the tone was so different in both books. One senses that Walker is intrigued and obviously enthused for her subject, but there is none of the editorializing that was so prevalent in Almost Astronauts. It was much more of an expositional nature, the reader understands that Walker isn’t invested in a particular outcome or judgment, but is simply wanting to explore a subject to its furthest conclusion. Forensic Anthropology offers many insights, but Walker is quick to point out that it is not unfailing. There are many variables at play and the only conclusions Walker makes seem to be ones where she feels the evidence is conclusive enough to stand behind.

I loved the layout of this book – it was fabulous. From the font, to the colors, to the pictures/graphics to the captions, it was top notch. The writing was exciting and easy to understand. This is definitely one of my favorites of the year.

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Book Source: Tayshas Review Copy

Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream by Tanya Lee Stone

Almost Astronauts is about 13 women who in the 1960s underwent the same tests that the Mercury astronauts did, but because they were women they were denied entry into NASA’s space program. It is about the women who were pioneers in the movement to get women into space.

What I appreciated most about Stone’s book is that she has a wealth of evidence to back up her argument – that sexism and sexist societal norms prevented qualified women from entering space. I valued the obvious depth of research because Stone isn’t writing in the usual detached non-fiction one usually picks up. Instead, this is an impassioned book where the author’s voice often intrudes into the narrative. When discussing an article which portrayed the ‘ideal’ female astronaut as married with a masculine body type, Stone asks “would anyone ever suggest that a male astronaut ought to be a married man with little sex appeal?” Stone also often answers her questions, in this case with a “No. He would not.”

I can see how this obvious belief in her viewpoint might grate, I can see others questioning her impartiality in building her case (did she only gather information that supported her viewpoint, many may ask). To this I can only say - have you taken a look at her sources listed in the back of the book? Impressive to say the least, the evidence in this case certainly seems to back up her position.

Her passion for her subject made this an extremely compelling read. It was truly fascinating and the pictures that were included were excellent and always complemented the text. Not to mention that there was a nice variety ranging from vintage military posters to photos of the women undergoing testing, to magazine articles, to other primary documents such as Lyndon B. Johnson’s opinion on a female space program (oy!).

I thought Stone clearly took this particular story and placed it into a greater societal context. She showed how these women’s experiences did not occur in a vacuum, how they fit into the women’s movement as a whole, and what came after.

I enjoyed this book very much and found it to be a well-written and persuasive piece of non-fiction.

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Book Source: Tayshas Review Copy - ARC

Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland by Sally M. Walker

I'm not a big non-fiction reader, but I couldn't help but pick this one up. Written in Bone explores Colonial America through human remains found during anthropological digs. The author explains how the process occurs. Starting with how an excavation site is found, how the dig occurs, what processes occur after bones are found, right to the forensic science used to help discover what happened to these people. It is fascinating every step of the way.

I especially enjoyed the variety of stories the book contained. The author clearly went to great trouble to find a wide breadth of colonial lives. We are introduced to indentured servants, Captains, gentlemen, and slaves. We learn about what their lives were probably like, the work they did, the food they ate, the illnesses they suffered, and how they died. We've got natural deaths and unnatural (read: murder!).

The pictures and graphics were outstanding. There are photos from the digs, there are closeup studio images of bones and teeth, diagrams of graves, and recreated scenes of what they might have looked like alive. The images all complement the text and help to illustrate the point that the author is making.

The book really appealed to me both for its topic, clear writing, as well as its fantastic layout and photos. I've obviously been missing out, I need to read more non-fiction.