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July 31, 2011
Book Talk: Okay for Now
I put off reading Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt. because of all the hype- hype kills books for me. So I started reading it and put it down- the dad reminded me too much of my mother. I was encouraged to pick it up and try again- and I did. I started it at 5:00 and didn't go to bed until I finished this morning at 2 AM. The hype? All deserved. As I told Kirby Larson- I'm not lying, this may be the best book I've ever read. I am not going to waste your time with yet another review of Okay for Now. If you want a review, I suggest Betsy Bird's, found here or Travis Jonker's found here. Instead, I give a list of 10 things that you oughta know about before you read this book. Oh- and one more thing, don't be surprised if this book wins the 2012 Newbery Award.
#1 Joe Pepitone: In 1964, Joe Pepitone played first base for the New York Yankees. He won 3 Golden Gloves during his career and played in all three consecutive All Star Games during the first 3 years of his career. He was a homerun hitter and won the 1964 World Series against the St Louis Cardinals with a grand slam. Pepitone was a tough guy from Brooklyn and it's rumored that he spent his entire signing bonus on the drive from New York to Florida- he was said to have bought a Thunderbird, a boat, a dog and a shark skin suit.
#2 Jane Erye: Jane Erye was a book written in 1847 by Charlotte Bronte. It is a coming of age novel about an orphan who suffers physical and emotional abuse as she bounces from place to place. For a book written in 1847, it was ahead of its time. Although Jane was a girl, she was portrayed with strength and strong character. She was a survivor and not a damsel in distress.
#3 John James Audubon: Audubon was a French-American painter and naturalist who came to The US from what is now Haiti in 1803 to avoid The Napoleonic Wars. In 1820 he floated down The Mississippi River to draw all of the birds of North America. By the time he was finished, he had drawn over 435 life-sizeds. It took 14 years, his own money and hard work but his book was finally published in England in 1826. The birds below are by Audubon and play a very important role in the book.
#4 The Vietnam War: I didn't know how much impact The Vietnam War would have on this book... no idea. Long story short: Vietnam is a small country in Southeast Asia. It belonged to France and The USA helped Vietnam gain their freedom. After they defeated France, Vietnam split into 2 parts: North and South. The North was communist (government control of people, resources and information) and The South wasn't. The North wanted to get rid of The US in The South and make all of Vietnam 1 communist country. Although The USA was in Vietnam since 1954, The Vietnam War officially began in 1957 when The USA helped The South fight off the communist regime. 8,744,000 <yes, that is 8 million, 7 hundred 44 thousand> (7,484 were women) personnel had served on active duty. By the time the war ended, 303,704 people were wounded in action. Of those wounded, 75,000 were considered disabled, 23,214 were classified 100% disabled. 5,283 lost limbs (arms or legs), 1,081 sustained multiple amputations (removing their arms or legs). Of the 8 million, 7 hundred 44 thousand sent to Vietnam, 58,156 were killed. Imagine those 303,704 soldiers returning to normal American life... easy? No siree, buster. Not easy at all.
#5 Horseshoes: It would be helpful to know a little bit about the game of horseshoes before Doug & his family go to The Annual Ballard Paper Mill Harvest-Time Picnic.
#6 Orchids: Even though orchids look dainty and fragile, they are actually quite hearty. Orchids will thrive... unless they get a "pest" or they are "over watered". Orchids will bloom and when they do- they are breathtaking. Once their bloom has fallen, it takes a long time for a new one to return. Orchids like to be in the light... but not too much light. Orchids have been known to symbolize beautiful perfection. (Ok, for those of you who have read the book, you know that there are 2 orchids in this book that Doug tends to... one if Lil and the other is his mother. You also know who the "pest" is and how they may have been "over watered" in this book.) Interesting that these are the only 2 characters who receive Orchids from Mr. Ballard.
#7 Apollo 11 Moon Landing:
#8 Coca Cola: In case you didn't know, back in the day, Coca Cola was sold in glass bottles. I am convinced that it tastes better out of a glass bottle and that is why I only drink it out of glass today- not plastic for me No siree, buster! Here are some facts you may not know about Coke: (click to enlarge)
#9 Aaron Copland "Duo for Flute & Piano": Just enjoy this music... and remember it.
#10 1953 Royal Deluxe Typewriter: Like Coca Cola, typing in my day is different than it is now. You use a computer to type your stories, or an iPad... but in my day we used typewriters. Yes, I took typing class in Jr High- not computer keyboarding. We learned how to load the "ink ribbon" and unjam the keys and use white out. In the book, a lady by the name of Mrs. Windermere uses a typewriter (not by choice, it's all there was). I imagine that she uses this typewriter, a 1953 Royal Typewriter, in gray. Why do I imagine it like this? Because the author of this book, Gary D Schmidt wrote Okay for Now on the exact same machine. He says that he likes to use a typewriter because it slows him down and he is forced to revisit the words he types over and over again.
A little bonus for you:
#11 Librarians: Yes. Librarians. Librarians are awesome, as you know and they play a very large role in this book. I would have loved the book without librarians, but I love it even more because of them. My favorite quote from the entire book is when Doug questions whether Mr. Powell the librarian knows what he is doing and he says "I am a librarian. I always know what I am doing."
July 29, 2011
PSA Talking to Your Kids About Star Wars
There may come a time in your life when you have to have a difficult conversation with your child about Star Wars. I hope this video will help.
Comic Book Club?
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| I made my superhero at Marvel! |
I am toying with the idea of starting a comic book club for fifth and sixth graders this year. Kids who like to read them, create them or talk about them will be welcome to become members. I am using this post to catalog my web resources and to encourage my readers to give me ideas!
Here is my "ideal book club":
I would open the club to no more than 15 kids, we would have 2 different clubs a year so double the kids could join. Kids would create a super hero, we'd talk about the journey of a hero and we would put some of our hero powers into action in the community. I'd like to have some experts come in and teach us what they know. I'd love to go on a trip to the local comic book store. I'd love to use some online resources to publish our own comic books and may be even sell them to help support our club.
Here are the sites I've used for inspiration- please share your favorites with me.
And @MaryAnnScheuer on Twitter shared this link with me:
Back to School Clothes Shopping
Check out this cute little number I picked up today... First day of school or picture day? Hmmm...
July 28, 2011
No Reading Tonight
This librarian won't be reading tonight. Project Runway and my homeboy, Tim Gunn will be keeping me occupied.
Librarians ♥ Donuts
It is a little known fact that librarians love donuts. Love them. Bring a librarian a donut and you will get to check out an extra book. Bring a librarian a dozen donuts and she may just overlook the fact that your dog gnawed on the newest copy of 39 Clues. 
I am thrilled, and a little worried for my health, that a former Lemme Family has opened a donut shop 5 blocks from school. I usually don't photograph pastries, but these are so pretty and so delicious! If you are in Iowa City, stop by Daylight Donuts on the corner of Scott and Court. Tell them Mrs. Butcher sent you! May be they will name a donut after me?
July 25, 2011
Book Talk Tuesday
I have been searching the web for a great place to post book reviews for librarians and teachers to use in the classroom. Well, I am going to try hosting my own Book Talk Tuesday! I invite teachers and librarians to link to a recent book talk or book review that can be used by others- to help purchase new books, learn about new books and to help give us book talk ideas.
My rules?
1. All content must be appropriate for children in grades kindergarten through eighth grade.
NEW 2. Please link to your original content, not the content of others.
3. Websites that you link to must be child friendly since lots of kids visit this site and if they click on your link, I want it to be appropriate for them.
4. Positive reviews only, please... we only spread love here at The Lemme Library!
5. Books must be available in The US. (you are welcome to link to ARC reviews)
6. I reserve the right to remove any reviews that don't meet criteria 1-5.
In the link title field, be sure to include the title of the book you are reviewing and your site name. In the URL field, please link to this specific post that contains the book review (That way people don't have to scour your blog looking for it!) ***
For newcomers & visitors: Definition of "Book Talk" from Wikipedia: "A booktalk in the broadest terms is what is spoken with the intent to convince someone to read a book. The booktalker gives the audience a glimpse of the setting, the characters, and/or the major conflict without providing the resolution or denouement. Booktalks make listeners care enough about the content of the book to want to read it. A long booktalk is usually about five to seven minutes long and a short booktalk is generally thirty seconds to two minutes long. |
| Sad Keanu=Me and Samantha & Jake=Summer Vacation |
So, it is the last Tuesday in July, so my back to school depression has set in. I start having back to school dreams, I avoid the school supply section at Target and I start thinking of all the things I SHOULD have gotten done but didn't this summer. Don't get me wrong, I love my job, but I love summer too. This summer has been extra hard since I have been limited to a 10 mile radius and 2 hour outings. My poor husband has spent his entire summer sitting in the blue recliner in the basement. I've had better summers, but all in all, it could be worse! I am always anxious about a new school year- the first weeks are so stressful- and I haven't stepped foot in my library this summer!
In the comments today, tell me how you feel about these last few weeks of summer vacation. Do you feel like you are "walking the green mile" or do you savor every second? Do you dread going back or do you get excited? Do you have back to school dreams?
July 24, 2011
TwtPoll Test
Why am I just now discovering twtpolll.com? I am looking for ways to make this blog more interactive and I thought these polls were a great idea! I get to see what my viewers think and it is very easy for them to interact! So, here is my first ever poll! This question is relevant to me because it happened to me last night. I was reading Trapped by Michael Northrop. I was excited to have this title for my Tween booklist. When I got to page 8, it was not longer a tween (grades 4-8) book, it was clearly a high school book. I wanted to read it, but my to read pile is colossal and my time is precious. So, I put the book away. What do you do in this situation?
I Can Haz QR Code?
I don't have a Smartphone, so I can't even scan this to see if it works! But, I know that this is the wave of the future! People with Smartphones can scan this code and have my website sent right to them! As I researched QR codes to learn a little more, I visited these sites:
Anatomy of a QR Code: I used this so I would know what each part of the code means, what I could change and how much space to leave around the code.
QR Code Generator: I used this site to actually create my code. Very easy!
Picnik: I used Picnik to edit my code and make it a little more unique.
Now, can somebody scan this baby and tell me if it works! : )
July 23, 2011
Career Goals
It is always good to take the time to reevaluate your career goals... take inventory and make sure you are staying on track. I have created this infographic to share my career goal progress:
Book Talk: Bigger Than a Bread Box
Everybody's parents fight, right? It's normal. They disagree, say things they don't mean, forget birthdays and anniversaries- but they forgive each other... right? Well, not always. Sometimes parents don't make up. Sometimes a mom or a dad can only take so much before they just need a break. A break- from being married, a break from the person they married. Does this mean they don't love each other? I guess that's what the break will tell them. But what about the kids? When a mom and dad decide to take a break- what happens to them? Do they get a choice in the matter? Probably not... parents usually make those kinds of decisions without consulting the kids.
But think about it. How would you feel if one morning you woke up and your mom had packed the car and told you that you were going to Atlanta- right this minute. No chance to say goodbye to your friends, or pack your favorite things or turn in your homework. You had to get in the car and leave everything... including your dad. And what if your dad hugged you goodbye and your mom drove away? What if you looked back to see your dad chasing the car and yelling at your mom to come back? How would you feel?Bigger Than a Bread Box, by Laurel Snyder will show you how you might feel. In this book, Rebecca is the girl who wakes up to find that her mom is leaving her dad in Baltimore and driving to Atlanta to stay with her mother (Gran). Rebecca knew that her parents had been having trouble- but enough trouble to leave her dad behind? And what is worse? Rebecca had no idea. Rebecca had no choice.
Rebecca is drawn to a beautiful red bread box that seems to stand out from all of the others. As she sits in the attic, bored and covered with dust, she wishes, out loud, that she had a book to read. Instantly, she hears a thud come from the red bread box. She opens it up and finds an old ratty copy of a Nancy Drew book. Rebecca takes the book and the bread box back to her room. She wishes that she had 20 bucks- again, the box makes a sound, Rebecca opens it and there is a 20 dollar bill. Rebecca realizes that she can wish for anything that will fit into the bread box and it will appear... it's magic.
Rebecca decides to use this box to her advantage- she wishes for things that will help her adjust to her new situation. (new jeans for her, lip gloss for the new girls at school, gravy fries to ease her homesickness). Eventually, her wishes start to backfire on her. Everything she wishes for ends up causing her trouble. But when she wishes for something to get her parents back together, the box sits empty.
What good are wishes when you can't get what you really want? What does Rebecca really want? She wants to go home to Baltimore. She wants her parents to fall in love again. She wants her mom to notice her. She wants the kids at school to think she's cool. She wants to fit it. She wants to make her own decisions. She wants people to listen to her. But can a bread box, even a magical one grant these wishes? May be what she really wants is bigger than a bread box. May be you can't wish for love and have it magically appear... may be love is something that has to appear on its own.
In Bigger Than a Breadbox, Rebecca has a memory of her parents when they were their happiest- they would listen to this song and dance around the living room.
I think this is what Rebecca really wanted to find in that box.
This book will be very popular with kids in grades 4-8. From my experience, it will be the girls who devour this book. Most (or some) boys just can't read a book with all of these emotions and feelings and self discovery. If the bread box turned into a robot that destroyed the city of Atlanta with its laser eyeballs, they would love it. If they give it a chance, they will love this story too. Even though there is a magic breadbox in this book, it still reads like realistic fiction. The times when Rebecca is at her worst- when she is completely devastated by her parent's separation, your heart breaks. You feel every single raw emotion that this little girl feels and you are helpless- you have to watch her go through this storm alone. As a parent, my heart aches to think about how kids take in all of the things that adults do to them, thinking it is for them. They may be kids, but they are little humans who have feelings, desires and opinions. We, adults, are quick to dismiss them because they are shorter than us. I am guilty of this as well. but will be making a concerted effort to change.
Don't be too quick to play biblio-therapist with this book. It would be easy to say "Oh, Kelly's parents got divorced, she needs to read this book." or "Leah's parent's aren't divorced, she wouldn't relate." But this book has greater appeal than "just the divorced kids". All kids (girls AND boys) want to be loved, all kids want their parents to love each other... all kids have a list of things that they would wish for if they had an unlimited supply of wishes... so let them wish, let them be loved, let them be heard and let them read.
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| This is how I picture Rebecca's home in Baltimore |
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| This is how I picture Gran's house in Atlanta |
July 20, 2011
Book Talk: Breadcrumbs
I haven't read any reviews of Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu, and I won't until I hit the publish button at the bottom of this post. I knew this was a much talked about book, lots of Newbery buzz, and I didn't want to be influenced in my reading or my reviewing.
I am sure you know the story of The Snow Queen, by Hans Christian Anderson- right? Well, Breadcrumbs is a retelling of this fairy tale aimed at the tween crowd. Jack and Hazel are best friends and accept each other as they are. Hazel has trouble fitting in and Jack is her only friend. Hazel understands why Jack's mom has distant and sad eyes (she has depression). And Jack understands how Hazel feels about her parent's divorce. He doesn't even ask her what it's like to be adopted. They are soul mates in a sense.
Jack has chosen Hazel over the mean boys at school and the mean boys aren't happy about that. They go out of their way to torment and tease Hazel. One day at recess, a sliver something happens to Jack that turns his heart to ice. He is mean and nasty to Hazel, and then he just disappears.
Hazel can't stand the idea of going on without Jack, so she makes it her quest to find him and save him. She finds out that Jack was taken by a tall, white woman riding a sled pulled by wolves...enter The White Witch (or snow queen as I think of her). Hazel sets off after Jack and endures many setbacks and bad guys along the way. She also encounters many people/creatures who could have helped her but are too consumed with their own troubles to offer her help. Hazel attempts to help each of them and is very tempted to stay where she is- until she is pulled toward Jack by the power of love. As Hazel continues on her quest, she grows and matures but remains innocent through it all. And in the end, it is Hazel's love for Jack that might just save him from The Snow Queen.
As I read this book, I just let it wash over me. The words are so beautiful, almost like a lullaby. I wanted to enjoy the story and not pick it apart and analyze the meaning... so I waited until now to do that. Now, don't take my opinion as the right one, or the only one; I think this book allows the reader to form their own opinions and ideas. I am not a psychology major, so go gentle on me in the comments!
I felt so very heavy as I read this book- I started to become as down as the characters- so it took me longer than usual to finish. I think the Snow Queen (White Witch) is depression... mental illness, perhaps. Jack's mom had depression and it changed his entire life. He was such a young man to deal with something as serious and devastating as having a mother with depression. Jack may have been looking for a chance to hide from it all and forget about his mom- and The White Witch gave him just that: She froze his heart so he couldn't feel anything. I don't think she did this to be mean, she does it because she cares about him and doesn't want him to feel any more pain. (To me, The Snow Queen wasn't a bad guy- just a creature that lived in the woods... no bad intentions).
I thought Hazel was very sad- if not depressed. She struggled with her parents recent divorce, money problems, being adopted, feeling like she didn't belong, a mean teacher and meaner bullies. She wanted to sink into that snow as much as Jack did, but her love for Jack (and eventually her mother) kept her from sinking all the way. As Hazel gets closer to the Snow Queen, her heart starts to freeze (literally) until she stops to smell the roses and remembers what she is after- Jack.
Too much? I hope not! I don't think I would sell this to kids as a fairy tale about depression- but that's what I took away from it... The White Witch was sadness, depression, death and Hazel was love and light and life. Jack had to make the choice between the two.
Hazel makes reference to many well known books and book characters as she ventures on her quest. She thinks about these characters and stories to help her understand her situation. She decides she would have loved the enchanted woods had she read about them, but it was a completely different thing to find herself in the middle of them! Well-read kids will be tickled by all of the references to great books they have probably read- and might want to read after finishing Breadcrumbs. It would be fun to see how many book references students can pick out! This would make a wonderful read aloud for kids in grades 4-6. I see both boys and girls in grades 4-8 enjoying this book. It is a quest, a fantasy and a coming of age story all rolled into one.
I am left wondering why 2 animals that are usually bad end up being quite good in this story. Ravens and wolves have a bad rep, but Ursu has rehabilitated them in Breadcrumbs. If you've read the book- tell me why. What did those 2 animals represent in Hazel's life- who were they? There I go, over analyzing things again! This book will clearly be a front runner in the Newbery race in January.
And if you thought I wasn't crazy enough after reading this post, this is how I picture The White Witch:
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| My apologies to Anne Ursu |
July 19, 2011
I Might Faint...
Updated... I hate embedding things in my blog that make noise- it is so annoying to viewers. So, I have put up a still of the post and you can go to this site to see the real deal!
July 18, 2011
Book Talk Tuesday
I have been searching the web for a great place to post book reviews for librarians and teachers to use in the classroom. Well, I am going to try hosting my own Book Talk Tuesday! I invite teachers and librarians to link to a recent book talk or book review that can be used by others- to help purchase new books, learn about new books and to help give us book talk ideas.
My rules?
1. All content must be appropriate for children in grades kindergarten through eighth grade.
NEW 2. Please link to your original content, not the content of others.
3. Websites that you link to must be child friendly since lots of kids visit this site and if they click on your link, I want it to be appropriate for them.
4. Positive reviews only, please... we only spread love here at The Lemme Library!
5. Books must be available in The US. (you are welcome to link to ARC reviews)
6. I reserve the right to remove any reviews that don't meet criteria 1-5.
In the link title field, be sure to include the title of the book you are reviewing and your site name. In the URL field, please link to this specific post that contains the book review (That way people don't have to scour your blog looking for it!) ***
For newcomers & visitors: Definition of "Book Talk" from Wikipedia: "A booktalk in the broadest terms is what is spoken with the intent to convince someone to read a book. The booktalker gives the audience a glimpse of the setting, the characters, and/or the major conflict without providing the resolution or denouement. Booktalks make listeners care enough about the content of the book to want to read it. A long booktalk is usually about five to seven minutes long and a short booktalk is generally thirty seconds to two minutes long.
I had a great time being involved with The Iowa City Festival of Books this weekend. Although it was 1000 degrees out, I helped set up and run The Hunger Games at Gibson Square. After that, I headed to Hamburg Inn no. 2 where I was lucky enough to sit right in front of Laurel Snyder as she read "Slidy Diner". I then introduced myself, we talked and she gave me a copy of her soon to be released book Bigger Than a Breadbox. Laurel & I have emailed and Tweeted, but this was our first real life meeting. The world of blogging has really opened up the world of literature to me. I have had the chance to read great books, email back and forth with authors and gain new friends. I know I started my blog for kids, teachers and parents, but finally, it is for me and I love it. After you post today, leave a comment and tell us about you as a blogger. How did you become a blogger? How has blogging changed your life? What goals do you have for yourself? Any advice or questions for the group?
July 15, 2011
My Life in Newbery
This weekend I turn 38. I thought I was turning 39, so I am very relieved to have gained 1 year and not gotten closer to the big 4-0! Here is a list of books that won the Newbery Award throughout my lifetime. Have you read any of these? Do you see any that you might want to add to your to be read pile? What book won the Newbery the year YOU were born?
I was born in 1973:
Newbery Medal Winner: Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
I started kindergarten in 1978, and my favorite book of all time, my "desert island book" won the Newbery!
Nebery Medal Winner: Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
The year I turned 10 was 1983. the winner this year makes me cry every time I see a mulbery tree.
1983 Medal Winner: Dicey's Song by Cynthia Voigt
My freshman year in high school (go West High Trojans!) was 1988. The winner this year was a biography, I have it in The Lemme Library, but I haven't read it.
1988 Medal Winner: Lincoln: A Photobiography by Russell Freedman (Clarion)
The 1988 honor that year was Hatchet by Gary Paulsen... the first survival story I ever read.
I graduated from high school in 1991. A classic, much loved book won the Newbery that year!
The 1991 Medal Winner: Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
I graduated from The University of Iowa with a BA in elementary education in 1996. My 2nd favorite book was the winner this year!
The 1996 Newbery Medal Winner: The Giver by Lois Lowry
My first daughter, Kiley was born in 2003. I must admit, I haven't read this book... yet! Don't judge me!
The 2003 Newbery Medal Winner: Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi
My 2nd daughter, Leah was born in 2008. I didn't read this book either! What does that say about new moms? Too busy to read good books (too busy to read bad books too!)
The 2008 Newbery Medal Winner: Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz
This year, the year I turn 28 38, the winner was Moon over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool. I have this book on my to be read pile, but my bitterness has prevented me from reading it... although I've heard it's a lovely book. This is also the year I invented The Bizzaro Newbery!
July 13, 2011
Keep Calm and Comment On!
I present you with my brand new, way too official comment policy. For 99.9% of my viewers, this policy will have no affect on your commenting- so keep calm and comment on! Thanks!
Here at The Lemme Library, we love comments. People who share books with each other must comment on posts to share ideas, make suggestions and ask questions. To make sure that comments help us all have productive and meaningful conversations, I have adopted some rules that I ask you to follow when making comments.
1. All comments are moderated on this blog by Kelly Butcher, Lemme Librarian. She has the final say over all comments that appear on this blog and will delete any comments without notification to the poster.
2. Kids are reading this, so don't write anything that you wouldn't want a child to read. Anything that is inappropriate for young viewers, or offensive to the librarian will not be posted.
3. Respect the thoughts and ideas of others. Use kind words to agree and use kind words to disagree.
4. Don't use the comment area to self promote your blog, your new book or your giveaway. I do understand that bloggers need to get viewers, but this is not the place for advertising or promoting your site.
5. If you share a link to an external site, it must be relevant to the post and help to broaden our understanding, support an idea or help us answer questions. Links to unrelated sites will not be posted.
6. I don't publish spam. I delete spam and report spammers. Don't waste my time, don't waste your time.
7. Respect the copyright of other people.
8. Have fun, be yourself and play nice.
July 11, 2011
Book Talk Tuesday
Ah! Welcome back to the Lemme Library for Book Talk Tuesday! I want to thank my homies who covered for me while I was busy being completely stressed out...
Greg is recovering from his broken leg but is still chair bound, leaving me to run the roost so to speak. I have found that reading and blogging have become my down time, and I look forward to it very much.
On with the show!
My rules?
1. All content must be appropriate for children in grades kindergarten through eighth grade.
NEW 2. Please link to your original content, not the content of others.
3. Websites that you link to must be child friendly since lots of kids visit this site and if they click on your link, I want it to be appropriate for them.
4. Positive reviews only, please... we only spread love here at The Lemme Library!
5. Books must be available in The US. (you are welcome to link to ARC reviews)
6. I reserve the right to remove any reviews that don't meet criteria 1-5.
In the link title field, be sure to include the title of the book you are reviewing and your site name. In the URL field, please link to this specific post that contains the book review (That way people don't have to scour your blog looking for it!) ***
I have really been impressed with all of the books coming out for kids ages 8-12 lately. There are so many amazing titles that I know I will never get them all read before 2012. I am waiting for my advanced copy of Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu to arrive in the mail... I am very hopeful about this one! Possible Newbery title! And, I can't WAIT for for Darth Paper Strikes Back to come out in August! Leave a comment and let us know what books are looking forward to most right now?
For newcomers & visitors: Definition of "Book Talk" from Wikipedia: "A booktalk in the broadest terms is what is spoken with the intent to convince someone to read a book. The booktalker gives the audience a glimpse of the setting, the characters, and/or the major conflict without providing the resolution or denouement. Booktalks make listeners care enough about the content of the book to want to read it. A long booktalk is usually about five to seven minutes long and a short booktalk is generally thirty seconds to two minutes long.
July 10, 2011
Great Idea!
I got a very nice email from a person asking for a Lemme Library button to use on their blog. Why didn't I think of that? Here is what I came up with- please feel free to use it if you have a need. It was fun creating this- thinking of all my favorite book characters... can you place them in their books? Leave a comment and see if you can--- NO GOOGLE-ING! I used Picnik.com to create this button. (I am now wondering if the email was a spam message and I got punked. Either way, I have a cool button now.)
July 8, 2011
Book Talk: Hidden
I am so impressed with the books that are coming out for tweens this year. Tweens (kids 8-12) are a special group of kids. They are pretty much done learning to read and most of them are now reading for pleasure. You can tell that I have tweens in the library because you will see them flocked around me asking me for a great book to read. It's like a pre-game huddle and I am the QB. I grab books from the shelf and give a quick booktalk- then the kids fight over who gets to check out the books. : ) I have been blown away by the quality of books that are available for these kids so far this year. The Newbery Committee is going to have a very difficult time selecting a winner this year. A book that I am sure will be fought over in The Lemme Library is Hidden by Helen Frost.
8 year old Wrenn is sitting in her mom's gold mini-van when she hears a gunshot. She quickly hides in the backseat as a man enters the van and speeds off. The man has stolen the van without knowing that there is a child in the backseat. Wrenn finds herself alone, scared and unintentionally kidnapped. Each time the kidnapper opens the door that leads into his house, Wrenn gets a glimpse of his family- his wife Stacey and 8 year old daughter Darra. When Stacey learns that there is a stolen car in her garage, she gets a black eye. When Darra hears on the news that there was a little girl inside that stolen car, she is told to turn off the news. Darra has a feeling that the girl is hiding in the garage and worries about what will happen if her dad finds her- so she is determined to find her and help her escape. Wrenn does escape and the police are lead to the house and the man is arrested.
Flash forward 7 years and it seems that Wrenn has grown up to be a happy, well-adjusted teenager. She is just settling into camp when she notices a new camper who is not at all happy to be there. When the new girl runs off, her mother calls after her and to Wrenn's surprise and terror, the camper is Darra- the daughter of the man who kidnapped her 7 years ago.
The 2 girls end up in the same cabin and in the same activities. They are forced to deal with feelings that they have been hiding all these years. Darra is angry- angry at Wrenn for getting her dad arrested and causing her parents to get divorced. Wrenn is overwhelmed with emotions from anger to terror- she didn't even know she felt that way until now.
That is all I will tell you about Wrenn and Darra. This story begs to be unfolded by the reader and not the reviewer.
At one time, Darra is out on a glass bottom boat- the kind of boat that you can look through and see right into the water. She sees all of these sunken ships that are resting on the bottom of the lake. She realizes that no matter how calm the water looks, you never know what is hiding just under the surface. That passage sums up this novel perfectly. Children (and adults) are walking around this great big world with a whole lot of stuff on their minds- issues from their past, problems they have now and worries about the future. Just because someone puts on a happy face and looks calm on the outside doesn't mean there isn't a hurricane brewing on the inside. This book will inadvertently teach kids to stop and think about other people before they pass judgement. An example from my experience- I am not quick to judge a rude store clerk because you never, ever know what they are going through. May be they just flunked a test or their grandma died or their parents got divorced today. You just never know- you should give people the benefit of the doubt- and I think that is a message that kids will walk away with after reading Hidden.
Hidden is a free verse novel written in alternating chapters. Free verse novels are great for tweens. The spacing of the text on the page is perfect, providing plenty of white space. Kids tend to get overwhelmed by too much text. The second I open a book with lots of small words, they freak out! I love that a tween reader can pick up a book with great substance and not be impeded by the text. And- lots of kids who can relate to this book may be reluctant readers... I will say that I have to talk to my students about a novel written in verse before I just hand it to them. I explain that it looks a little different, but it reads just like a book. Helen Frost worked extra hard on this free verse novel, because upon further reading, kids will discover a hidden story within the story. I would hand this book to any student grades 4 and up. Because the main characters are girls, boys may hesitate to pick it up, unless you can sell them on the great story. I dare the Newbery Committee to snub this book!
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