Adventures in Library-Land

Field Trip by Recess Monkey

2009-06-25T10:34:00.001-07:00

Length: 41.1 minutes

Target Audience: Pre-school to 2^nd grade

The CD is fun and easy for parents to listen to as well as for kids to sing along with. Featuring songs that are reminiscent of They Might Be Giants and the 4-person bands of the 60s, the songs are lively and fun. Some of the highlight include "Fort," "Marshmellow Farm," "New Shoes," and "Bubble Factory." What a fun CD to add to car trips!

Video Review

2008-12-17T15:19:00.001-08:00

Readeez Volume One, produced by The Readeez Company

Length: Over 30 short, 1-minute video clips, totaling 40 minutes of running time.

Target Age: 18 months and up

Annotation: The Readeez videos are fun, minute-long stories in video. With the text written on the screen, it is easy to read along with the video while it is read aloud.

Review: This is a great video series, perfect for families who already have discovered the good-natured humor of They Might Be Giants. It has the short videos developed by the likes of Sesame Street, perfect for keeping the attention of young viewers. Because the text is displayed on the screen alongside minimal animation, it is like the video is really a story being read aloud to your child. There are even some interactive elements, which will help with staying engaged and reading along. My only complaint is that a series designed to teach literacy uses words like "readeez," "rhymeez," and so forth. Over all, a great video.

Book Review Set #9

2008-11-27T10:47:00.001-08:00

BookHive. http://www.plcmc.org/bookhive/

Genre: reader's advisory; Age: adults who work with children or children

Annotation: Do you need a book that's scary? Multicultural? Sports related? Check out the BookHive, where you'll find subject-divided booklists and more.

Review: BookHive is a service of the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. The flashy bee theme might appeal to children, but the reader's advisory lists are definitely for adults who know what they are looking for, with subjects such as "multicultural," "read aloud," "concept," etc. There are a few subject headings that are readily understandable, such as "scary," but the librarian lingo keeps this from being truly kid friendly. Even so, the lists are great and cover a variety of genres and subjects.

Critical Review: Not available.

Pancakes for Breakfast, by Tomie dePaola, published by Voyager Books

Genre: picture book, wordless; Age: 2-5; Pages: 28

Annotation: A little old woman tries everything imaginable just to have the perfect pancakes. What would you do to get pancakes for breakfast?

Review: How do you describe the process of pancake making without using words? Through a series of pictures, and Tomie dePaola does it flawlessly in this wordless picture book. This is a great book to read with your children; follow it up with making pancakes the old-fashioned way—from scratch!

Critical Review: School Library Journal says that the "optimistic determination of the woman… make this an appealing book for the very young," and this is a true assessment of the book. The book is very humorous, yet subtle in its humor. Similarly, the Children's Book Review Corner at superkidsnutrition.com raves about this book saying, "this is a book that has stood the test of time" and points out that the pancake recipe contained within is easily followed, despite the lack of words. This is a great book to read with children, and to help them get involved with cooking.

The Thieves of Ostia

2008-11-23T19:04:00.001-08:00

Castle

2008-11-23T19:03:00.000-08:00

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Rodrick Rules

2008-11-23T19:00:00.000-08:00

Book Review Set #8

2008-11-23T16:33:00.001-08:00

Castle by David Macaulay, published by Houghton Mifflin Company

Genre: non-fiction, award winner; Age: 8-12; Total Pages: 80

Annotation: Join Master Jim as he builds a new castle in thirteenth century Wales for Lord Kevin, as part of the English plan to conquer the island.

Review: The simple story of Lord Kevin's castle is really a backdrop for showing the process of castle-building and all that it entailed. Macaulay's illustrations are immaculate and the accompanying story wonderfully describes the process of building a castle from start to decay. This is a favorite from my own childhood, and is what instilled my love of the Middle Ages. This would be a great book for boys and girls. It's great.

Critical Review:

Time Magazine raved about this book, saying, "David Macaulay can draw—churches, cities, pyramids—he does better than any pen-and-ink illustrator in the world. Castle once again goes through a brick-by-brick assembly, employing cross-hatches and thin black lines to evoke a medieval place and period." What better praise is there than this? This book is certainly masterful in its illustrations and it is sure to satisfy any child who loves details. Amazon.com Review had similar praise for the book and recommended it for kids who like to know how things work. But, the art is so exquisite that it is not just for the scientific-minded but for the artistic mind as well.

PBS Kids. http://pbskids.org/

Genre: kids website, educational; Age: preschool-first grade

Annotation: For parents and children, PBS kids offers coloring options, music, games, information about shows, as well as parenting resources.

Review: This is a great resource for young children. To support children's use of the website, it has audio features so that when you scroll over a tool, it says it out loud. This would be really great for young children who are not yet readers.

The coloring book pages correspond to some of the popular TV shows, and so do the games and music. This would be a great extension for a child who loves the show. This is a great resource.

National Geographic Kids. http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/

Genre: kids website, educational; Age: kindergarten and up

Annotation: Do you love nature? Science? Hands-on activities? Talking about books? If so, National Geographic Kids is for you. This interactive website features all of the above and more, just for kids. Check it out!

Review: This is a great interactive tool for teaching children a variety of things, including, how to speak Arabic, what happened during the first Thanksgiving, what space-walking is like, and more. But, it's not just educational; there are interactive games and activities as well. This is a great website that should be bookmarked in any parents' kid-friendly bookmarks.

The Harry Potter Lexicon. http://www.hp-lexicon.org/

Genre: kids website, just for fun; Age: fourth grade and up

Annotation: A lexicon is a vocabulary of terms associated with a specific subject, and in this case, the subject is the magical world of all things Potter.

Review: I love this website, but I'm a Harry Potter fanatic. You know the kind; the ones who pre-order the books, the ones who talk about it at any moment, the ones who throw theme parties. If you can identify with that descriptor, this is the place for you. The Lexicon defines important terms, collects all the details about characters (everything you could ever want to know about Dumbledore is found on the "Which Wizard" page), magical items, and more. If you love Harry, then visit the Harry Potter Lexicon.

Fairies World. http://www.fairychildren.com/

Genre: kids website, just for fun; Age: "very young" to "older children"

Annotation: If you love fairies, you'll love this website, with pictures from around the world, coloring pages, puzzles, games and more. Check it out!

Review: This is a really cool site, with many choices for different age groups. Unfortunately, it has prominent ads along the side of the page that look like they could be links within the website that children could mistakenly click on. Because of that (and you don't want your child accidentally installing spyware), adults should visit the website with their children.

Book Review #7

2008-11-16T14:15:00.001-08:00

Spiral-Bound (Top Secret Summer) by Aaron Reiner, published by Top Shelf Productions

Genre: graphic novel Age: 10 and up Total Pages: 178

Annotation: School's out for summer, and everyone's heading off to summer camp. Everybody has something Top Secret to work on, but, will the Pond Monster destroy the town?

Review: The town is peopled by animals of all sorts—even marine creatures in Bubble-Domed cars filled with water. Everyone has a niche and when summer camp rolls around, Turnip doesn't know what to do. Fortunately, Stucky Hound invites him to a concert, and that's when the fun begins.

This story with the vivid characters and bigger-than-life town deal with issues that are familiar: fitting in, losing friends, growing up, overprotective parents, and terrifying monsters. But, the friendships and sense of adventure carry this story and you don't want to leave this place. This is a great read for all of those juvenile sleuths out there who want to know what the REAL story is.

Critical Review:

Booklist raves about this book with its sweet characters which are just like real children: wholesome, but not too sweet. The Booklist review recommends this for fans of Harriet the Spy or Matilda. Those would be great crossovers, but could potentially limit the audience to girls, whereas Spiral-Bound truly is for both boys and girls.

Comicbookgalaxy.com also gave a very favorable review to the book, both for adults looking back upon their childhood, as well as for children actively living it. Comic Book Galaxy's only critique was for the very busy illustration which sometimes provided too much to look at. It's true—the art is very busy. It reminds me of the episodes of Family Circus where the oldest son Billy traces his adventures with the busy map. But, while it could be a negative feature for adults looking for a clean story, the busy-ness of the graphics illustrates the haste of the children in the story. In all, this is a great story about summer adventure.

The Thieves of Ostia by Caroline Laurence, published by Roaring Brook Press

Genre: chapter book, historical fiction, mystery Age: 8-12 Total Pages: 150

Annotation: Flavia just meets her new friends Jonathan, Nubia, and Lupus, when the neighborhood dogs suddenly start dying gruesome deaths. The group must solve the mystery before Scuto winds up dead.

Review: Though completely gruesome in how the dogs die, the book itself is a very pleasant romp through a surprisingly cleaned up Roman empire. Historical fiction in the sense that it takes place in a historic setting, the characters act quite modern—the girls are strong and independent, the parents and nannies are absent, people curl up with scrolls to read, etc. Even so, the book does teach some historical facts such as the practice of slavery, the persecution of religious groups, and the racial diversity of ancient Rome. The book is a fun read and you find yourself cheering on the kids as they race to find the dog-murderer. Because the dogs' deaths are quite disturbing, this would be better for older readers or for children reading along with their parents.

Critical Reviews:

Publisher's Weekly called the story "atmospheric" and praised the book for its description of the "customs, attitudes and class systems of the Roman empire." Similarly, School Library Journal praises the book's description of the attitude and description of the classes in ancient Rome. Both reviews enjoy the mystery and the setting. Publisher's Weekly said the book would be good for ages 9-14, whereas School Library Journal said it would be best for 4^th-6^th grades. The writing is a little too forced for kids above age 12, though the mystery really is a fun read. This is a good book for older kids looking for a mystery or for a book about Ancient Rome.

Sly the Sleuth and the Pet Mysteries by Donna Jo Napoli and Robert Furrow, published by Dial Books for Young Readers

Genre: chapter book, mystery Age: 6-8 Total Pages: 92

Annotation: When things start going wrong with your pets, you need a detective, only it can't be any detective, but one that will sneak, gather clues, and figure out the answer. Call Sly the Sleuth.

Review: The chapters in this book are very short, perfect for children who are transitioning to chapter books. However, the writing is very choppy which can be a deterrent to an older reader. Even so, Sly is a strong female character who tries to solve mysteries that her cat would care about. When three mysteries about pets show up on her front step, she has to figure them out.

Critical Review:

Booklist and School Library Journal both praise the book for its lovable character and the pet-friendly mysteries. Sly is a lovable character and she only solves cases that she thinks her cat would like. This leads her to befriend her neighbors and their pets. It's a sweet book.

Where the Sidewalk Ends: 30^th Anniversary Edition by Shel Silverstein, published by HarperCollins

Genre: non-fiction, poetry Age: 5-12 Total Pages: 183

Annotation: A children's poetry classic, Where The Sidewalk Ends is filled with moral lessons disguised as nonsensical poems and illustrations with favorites such as "The Generals" and "Mr. Grumpledump's Song."

Review: The world encased in Where the Sidewalk Ends is place where imagination runs wild and people do silly things. These poems have become childhood classics and with messages about laziness, dirtiness, greed, fighting, etc., they contain lessons that parents want their children to learn. But, with poems filled with belching contests, baby eating, people flying by their hair, etc., they are poems that kids want to read. This is a great foray into the wonderful world of poetry, and if you haven't read anything by Shel Silverstein, this is a good place to start.

Critical Review:

The Reading Teacher said that this was an ideal book to have handy; The Barnes and Noble Review called this book part of the canon of children's literature, and that is part of the problem with reviewing it. How can you critique a book that has withstood the test of time in a field where books come and go so quickly? It has endured and the silliness that resonated with current adults as children, continues to resonate with new generations of children.

What Kinds of Seeds Are These? By Heidi Bee Roemer and Olena Kassian, published by Northword

Genre: non-fiction, seeds Age: 4-8 Total Pages: 28

Annotation: How many kinds of seeds can you think of? In What Kinds of Seeds are These?, the authors introduce many different types of seeds with beautiful illustrations and rhythmic text.

Review: This beautiful picture book introduces children to the many varieties of seeds, including some seeds that might be a surprise: coconuts and blackberries come to mind. The pictures are beautiful and the book is worth reading just to enjoy them.

Critical Review:

Both School Library Journal and Booklist praise the book for its riddle-style text that keeps kids guessing and interacting with the text. They also point out that the book has extension activities, which would make it a good book for a unit on seeds or plants. Booklist suggests that this book might be more appropriate for urban kids who might not understand the relationship between seeds and plants. This is a good suggestion and the rhythm of the text would make it a great read aloud.

Book Review Set #6

2008-11-07T20:54:00.001-08:00

The Giver by Lois Lowry, published by Dell Laurel-Leaf

Genre: chapter book, award-winner (Newberry) Pages: 179 Audience: fifth grade and up

Annotation: When Jonas was an Eleven, his life was filled with Sameness. But, as a Twelve, he faces Assignment and that's when he meets The Giver.

Review: I have heard so much about this book from various students over the years. This comes up in class conversations nearly weekly for some reason or another, and I now see why.

The Giver is a book that sticks with you and lingers. As Jonas learns about Feelings in his newly assigned role, the reader becomes painfully aware of how necessary it is to be an individual and cherish your memories—even the bad ones. This is a powerful book, more appropriate for mature readers as it deals with issues of infanticide and euthanasia, but transcends those issues to deal with what makes us unique.

Critical Reviews: School Library Journal writes about the "tightly plotted story and believable characters" that will linger with the reader. Kirkus Reviews calls it a "richly provocative" story. The New York Times Review says that it is "powerful and provocative." What's clear is that The Giver is a story that lingers with the reader. It reminds me of a passage of Fahrenheit 451, where Faber describes good books as ones that get into your pores and lingers. The Giver seeps into your pores. The dystopian story is truly haunting, as only two characters in the book realize that anything is wrong at all. Everyone else is convinced that the world is perfectly ordered and functions as it ought to. All of the sources say that this is a book for older students (12 and up), and with issues of infanticide and (prescription) drug use, that is quite appropriate. Overall, this is a fabulous book for mature readers.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret, by Brian Selznick, published by Scholastic

Genre: graphic novel, award winner Pages: 525 Audience: fifth grade and up

Annotation: Alone and lonely, Hugo Cabret struggles to rebuild his father's Automaton, keep his secrets, and stay alive in the bustling Parisian train station. But will the station inspector or the grouchy toy seller turn him in?

Review: A "novel in words and pictures," this book seamlessly brings to life the power of this story: an orphan struggling to stay alive in early 20^th century Paris, clinging to the hope of bringing his father's Automaton to life. It is a fabulous story, dealing with magic and reality, secrets and truth, isolation and friendship. The drawings and the story are wonderful. I have never read a graphic novel in a similar structure, and thought it was an excellent format for telling this tale.

Editorial Reviews: Publishers Weekly said that this was a masterpiece and describes the book as "sumptuous" and a "standout achievement." Similarly, School Library Journal says that The Invention of Hugo Cabret is "characteristic intelligence, exquisite images, and a breathtaking design" and further praises it as "a masterful narrative." I think "sumptuous" was exactly the adjective for this book. It is something to savor, like a decadent piece of chocolate. The plot is powerfully done, and the illustrations are truly magnificent. This is a must-read for any reader.

CON-fidence by Todd Strasser, published by Holiday House

Genre: chapter book, realistic story Pages: 154 Audience: fifth grade and up

Annotation: After going to middle school, Lauren looks longingly at the "Don't You Wish You Were Me" girls and is shocked to learn that the new girl, Celeste, is already sitting with them. How far would you go to sit with them too?

Review: The book says its target age is 10 and up, but despite dealing with middle school issues, the book is more appropriate for children anticipating middle school, as opposed to those who are actually there. The writing is a bit forced, and the characters' choices are so obvious to anyone who's been in a similar situation, that it is rather painful to read. Celeste is more of a caricature than a character, as is Lauren's other friends. In fact, the only character that shows depth is Lauren. Perhaps this is because the story is told in the first person point of view. Regardless, the stiff storytelling and forced characters make this a painful read.

Editorial Reviews: Both Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal praise this novel for its realism and for Strasser's clean writing. Frankly, I thought the book was barely tolerable. I wouldn't recommend it at all.

Lady of Palenque, Flower of Bacal by Anna Kirwan, published by Scholastic

Genre: chapter book, series (The Royal Diaries) and historical fiction Pages: 204 Audience: fifth and up

Annotation: Join ShahnaK'in Yaxchel Pacal, Princess Green Jay on the Wall, as she travels from her treasured home of Lakamha to Xukpi to marry her family's ally. With dangerous weather, wild animals, and enemy warriors around, will she make it safely?

Review: I admit it, I was very skeptical of a series entitled "The Royal Diaries" that featured nothing but princesses from around the globe. But, this was a great historical fiction book about Mesoamerica. Told entirely in the first person (it is a diary after all), the reader experiences firsthand the dangers that Princess Green Jay on the Wall experiences as she travels from the safety of her home to her new husband's city. The descriptions of ceremonies, animals, plants, and traditions are wonderful. The use of Mayan language is a bit cumbersome, but once you discover the glossary at the end, it is totally fine. The Mayan names can be confusing in the story, but by midway through the book, you settle into the usage and spelling. Personally, I just skipped them. This book requires a lot of prior knowledge about the ancient Mayan culture, but the heroine is strong, which is quite admirable.

Editorial Reviews: School Library Journal says the book is for grades 4-6, whereas Booklist says the book is for grades to 6-9. Quite a difference! In terms of style of the novel, Lady of Palenque is more suitable for 4-6 graders, but the difficult subject is much more appropriate for 6-9. The foreign subject (Ancient Mayan culture) and the complex names and traditions make it suitable for middle schoolers, though ninth grade is too old for this book. Both reviews praise the strongly independent female characters, but complain about the glossary and scanty historical notes. I don't think it was that cumbersome, but it could be difficult for a fourth grader to read and understand. This would be very well suited for a class studying Ancient Mayan culture so that the necessary pre-knowledge could be taught. I enjoyed the book, but can understand the difficulty within. Overall, though, I would recommend this book for readers who enjoy strong heroines and exotic locations. This one has them both!

Book Review Set# 5

2008-10-31T11:06:00.001-07:00

Madeline Says Merci: The Always Be Polite Book by John Bemelmans Marciano, published by Viking

Genre: early reader; Total pages: 45; Target Age: kindergarten-2^nd grade

Annotation: Madeline is back, and this time, she and her classmates learn basic rules for how to be polite in Madeline Says Merci. As always, they learn with panache and style.

Review: As I read this book, I thought that the pictures seemed a bit different from other Madeline books. Then, I realized: this is not the work of the original author, but of his grandson. Of course there's going to be differences! Despite the differences, the book is a pleasant read. You actually barely notice that the book is teaching manners because the rhymes in the text work so flawlessly with the illustrations. In fact, the few two-page spreads that say the upcoming topics seem to be out of place because the story flows so well. At times, the rhymes are a bit awkward, but Madeline is as lovable as ever in this new(ish) book.

Critical Reviews:

Amazon.com's critical review recommends this book for teaching about manners "without feeling like Miss Clavel is shaking a finger at them." School Library Journal has a similar sentiment in that the book is for those who "wish to begin a discussion of manners in a slightly humorous way." However, SLJ says that the book is rather disappointing to see Madeline, the girl who said "pooh, pooh" to a tiger, now transformed into a "Mini Miss Manners." It is a bit of a departure of character, but if your child likes Madeline, this is a good book for the teaching of manners.

Dr. Seuss's ABC by Dr Seuss, published by Beginner Books

Genre: early reader, phonics; Total pages: 63; Age: 3-kindergarten.

Annotation: Learn to read with Dr. Seuss. His zany ABC book teaches early readers about the different sounds the letters make as he creates whimsical sentences and characters to teach about the alphabet.

Review: Like other alphabet books, this book seems to be stretching to unite the text with the alphabet. For all of the pages, the words in the sentences all begin with the letter of focus, except for the letter "x" which is evidently only good for spelling "extra fox." But, the book does do a good job of teaching about the sounds each letter makes and in connecting the text with the pictures.

This would be a good companion for the G is for Gzonk! book.

Critical Review:

It is hard to find a review for a book this old! I guess the fact that it has continued to endure is a testament to its quality. But, amazon.com's critical reviews said that the rhythm and repetitive use of each letter would get your child to read to you. They recommend this book for baby-5, which seems a bit young for this book. I think it's more appropriate for 3 year olds. The book definitely makes it fun to learn your ABCs.

Fancy Nancy at the Museum By Jane O'Connor, published by Harper Collins

Genre: early reader, simple sentences, whole-language; Total pages: 32; Age: 4-8

Annotation: Fancy Nancy enters the world of leveled readers as she goes to the museum with her class. Along the way, she makes the day extra-fancy!

Review: I've never before read a Fancy-Nancy book, and I loved the illustrations. They're so cute! I liked that the new vocabulary was explained in-context and also in a glossary at the back of the book so that your reader could review the new words. It is fabulous! (That's a fancy word for great.)

The story does touch on vomiting, so if you don't want your child to read about being ill, this is not appropriate for them. However, it is very tastefully done, and it teaches children that sometimes, accidents happen.

Critical Review:

Children's Literature said that this book is sure to boost the reader's vocabulary because the book is so lively that kids are sure to read it often. School Library Journal says that the book, with Fancy Nancy's first journey into the I Can Read books, is slightly disappointing and has less energy than the earlier series. But, both reviews agree: Nancy is lovable and the illustrations are beautiful. I'd have to agree that the illustrations are great. What little girl wouldn't want to read a book that beautiful?

Airy Fairy: Magic Mischief by Margaret Ryan, illustrated by Teresa Murfin, published by Barron's.

Genre: early reader, short chapter book, fairies; Total pages: 74; Age: 1^st-3^rd grade

Annotation: Poor Airy Fairy is not what a fairy should be: she's klutzy, forgetful, scraped up, and constantly getting into trouble. But, during Christmas, she has six spells to work some fairy magic on the Grimms and redeem her chances of going to the Christmas party.

Review: This is a very low-level chapter book, great for a low-reader, and emerging reader, or someone who just likes to escape in a good book. There are illustrations on nearly every page, so it really would be a great book for someone transitioning from early readers to chapter books.

Most people can understand the feeling of being picked on without other people realizing, and this story accurately depicts what that feels like. The story pulls you through as you want to know what's going to happen to Airy Fairy and whether or not anyone else realizes that Scary Fairy really is bad-news.

Critical Review: There are none available.

The Stinky Cheese Man and other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, published by Scholastic

Genre: picture book, Caldecott; Total pages: 47; Age: 5-8

Annotation: There are Fairy Tales and there are Fairly Stupid Tales. These are Fairly Stupid Tales, and don't get those two mixed up. Thus warns Jack in his introduction to the book, setting the stage for the fairy tales told firmly with tongue-in-cheek.

Review: This book is hilarious, though adults will get more enjoyment from the book than children due to the sarcasm and irony present throughout the book. This would be appropriate for children with a strong sense of humor and an initial understanding of fairy tales. In fact, the humor would not be appropriate for people who don't have a basic understanding of fairy tales because all of the jokes are at the expense of pre-existing stories. This is a truly silly book, and is loads of fun.

The pictures and the typeset throughout the book are not traditional for a picture book. The pictures are goofy and have an Americana-collage feeling. The typeset is rather crowded on the page because all of the characters are yelling the entire time. They are great assets to the silly tales in the book.

Critical Review:

Kirkus says that it is "zany fun." School Library Journal raves about the fractured fairy tales, which have been shortened to one-liners that zing. Publishers Weekly also praises the book, but is the only review to have mentioned that some of the jokes have a cruel edge. The book is every bit as fun as the reviews claim, and the pictures are interesting to-boot. For those who understand fairy tales, this is a fabulous read.

Book Review Set #4

2008-10-26T15:26:00.001-07:00

Eyewitness Books: Ancient Greece by Anne Pearson, published by Alfred A. Knopf

Genre: non-fiction, history of Greece; Total pages: 63

Target Age: 6 and up

Annotation: Eyewitness Books hits another home-run with this book on Ancient Greece. It is a wonderful, concise overview of ancient Greecian culture where the picture and the text work together to make learning fun.

Review: This book covers the overview of ancient Greece through totally annotated color pictures and a brief textual description on each page. This book covers many different topics, each on a two-page spread, including the role of women, a history that often is ignored. This is a great resource for a research project, though perhaps lacks a bit in textual details. I love this book!

Critical Reviews: School Library Journal also raved about the beautiful illustrations and two-page treatment of each subject. They said that this was a must-have for any collection as it is such a stimulating treatment of the subject. Amazon.com's critical review said that the book was, "Extremely informative, intriguing, and entertaining." These two reviews sum it all up: this is a fabulous book for a general overview of Ancient Greece.

All the World's A Stage by Michael Bender, published by Chronicle Books

Genre: nonfiction, biography; Total pages: 15; Age: 7 and up

Annotation: Shakespeare's life and works pop to life in this 3-D and colorful journey through Elizabethan England.

Review: While most people would think of a pop-up book as a book for young children, this book is ideal for fifth grade and up due to its vocabulary and sentence structure. It would even be great for a ninth grader and their first journey into Shakespeare!

All the World's a Stage has a comfortable approach to learning about Shakespeare and his plays. Each of the different plays is categorized and condensed to a few sentences and illustrated via pop-ups. The few details of Shakespeare's life of are told chronologically and interwoven with details about the plays. The book contains a brief glossary in the back to explain the content-specific vocabulary that are bolded throughout the text.

Critical Review: School Library Journal called this book a "mediocre example of both biography and pop-ups," saying that it lacked "ingenious paper engineering." While the pop-ups might not be spectacular (how many pop-ups can have light sabers that light up like the Star Wars pop-up book?), they are pretty and show the context of the story very well. Los Angeles Times and Boston Globe both said that the book is "A pleasant, three-dimensional glimpse of the Elizabethan era." I think people expect Shakespeare and works about Shakespeare to be more than they are, because we've historically said that the Bard is suitable for all generations and audiences. This book is not appropriate for under fifth grade due to its vocabulary. The pop-ups are simple like Shakespeare's sets. It is an understated book that's a fun approach to Shakespeare.

Pajama Time! By Sandra Boynton, published by Workman Publishing

Genre: board book; Total pages: 19; Age: 2-4

Annotation: Pajama time is party time. Your kids will beg you to read this book before bed due to its fun rhyme and sing-song story.

Review: This is a fun book for teaching about going to bed. Pajama Time! Shows that going to bed is not something to be avoided, but embraced. The catchy rhythm will make this a bedtime favorite for both kids and parents. The board book will encourage child interaction with the book and the rhythm will have your children reading along with you early and often. Soon you'll learn how to "Pajammy to the left! Pajammy to the right! Jamma jamma jamma jamma P!J!"

Critical Review: This book is just plain old fun, and that's what School Library Journal says in their review: "Boynton's characters are as lovable as ever, all with expressions sure to win over toddlers." This review points out that the all of the characters parade by in a variety of different pajamas to party before settling down for bed. This is such a fun book that it's hard to say anything else.

beetle bop by Denise Fleming, published by Harcourt, Inc.

Genre: picture book, concept (bugs); Total pages: 28; Age: 4-8

Annotation: beetle bop is a fun frolic through the world of beetles. It shows the many different types of beetles with beautiful and bold illustrations.

Review: This is a fun read, even if you're not interested in beetles because of the beautiful pictures and the onomatopoeia throughout. Beetle bop mentions several different types of beetles and it is fun to try to find them in each picture. The relentless rhythm throughout the story would make it a fabulous read-aloud book and will get your kids chanting along with you. This is a good book for all your kids interested in the crawly things. J

Critical Review:

Booklist wrote about the beautiful illustrations and the pounding rhythm throughout the book as those are the two driving forces for this book and its joyful celebration of all things beetle. Similarly, Publisher's Weekly writes that the book is "Part boisterous read-aloud, part field guide for entomology enthusiasts, this arresting volume has something for everybuggy." Despite its buggy subject, this is not just a book for nature lovers. This is a book for those who like gorgeous illustrations and pounding rhythms.

Richard Scarry's Best Mother Goose Ever by Richard Scarry, published by Golden Books

Genre: picture book, Mother Goose book; Total pages: 94; Age: 5-9

Annotation: The iconic Richard Scarry animals dance and work their way through Mother Goose's tales , acting out the different stories. Each story is condensed to about a page, with an additional page for the illustrations.

Review: This is the first time I've ever read this particular Richard Scarry book, and I was initially disappointed. The illustrations were not what I remembered from other Scarry stories, with the busy animals doing a million different tasks. But, the pictures are spot-on with illustrating the nursery rhymes and the whimsical graphics add needed imagination for the much-worn Mother Goose rhymes. At 94 pages, this might be too lengthy for younger children, but the stories themselves are only 1-2 pages, so it is easily broken up for short attention spans. In fact, the large pictures and the brief rhymes would make it a good Storytime pick.

Critical Review: Amazon.com's review states that the pictures are wonderful (with the Cow Who Jumped Over a Moon wearing pearls and a pink dress) and that a 25-year old classic has been charming students and children for decades. This review recommends the book for toddlers. I think it might be more appropriate for older children because the book would seem so intimidating to younger readers due to its length. Overall, Richard Scarry's Best Mother Goose Ever is a great collection of childhood classics and a worthy volume for the collection.

Fund School Libraries!

2008-10-25T15:45:00.001-07:00

I got this e-mail yesterday from the ladies at FundourFutureWashington.org (the 3 moms from Spokane fighting to save school libraries), and I thought as library supporters, you might be interested in this issue. FYI, the district in discussion is the one where I work. Take action and save our school libraries!

Dear Library and Information Literacy Supporters-

Thank you for speaking up for school libraries, teacher-librarians and 21st century skills; we now number over 11,000 who believe this institution, its stewards, and what they teach are vital to our students and our collective future. This effort was launched by 3 Moms in Spokane but is sustained by your willingness to engage — as many of you who have been early supporters may remember, you were dubbed by an Olympia insider as a 'citizens' army.'

The notion that libraries could be headed towards extinction and that teacher librarians remain 'highly endangered' became all too real over the last 24 hours. A parent volunteer in Federal Way recently noticed that plans for the new Lakota Middle School did not include a library. What has been proposed? A 'librateria', a multipurpose area that would serve as both the library and the cafeteria. Why has this happened? Lack of funding.

In 2006, full-time certificated teacher-librarians in Federal Way were reduced to part-time, resulting in some of the worst ratios in the country. Twenty-two of the 23 elementary schools were reduced to half-time librarian services. All 11 middle and senior high schools reduced services of a certified teacher-librarian to only one day a week.   These reductions have led to the following current ratios:

-1 elementary teacher-librarian: approx. 800-1000 students
-1 middle/high school teacher-librarian: approx. 4,000-4,800 students

Due to parent and student concern, a community meeting has been planned for tonight (Thursday, 10/23) at the Lakota Middle School at 6:30 p.m. -- 1415 S.W. 315th Street, Federal Way.   PLEASE PASS THE WORD! As one of our Senate champions told us over the session, 'Keeping this issue alive in the public eye is the most important thing you can do.'

Where does this issue stand with the state? So many of you have taken the time to email the Joint Task Force that is redefining basic education (we know because the staff for the Joint Task Force have talked about it!). What has resulted? Recent proposals have 'recommended' that local districts fund school libraries/librarians. The bad news? Proposals haven't recommended school libraries/librarians be considered 'basic' or that information
literacy be included as a 21st century goal for the state of Washington. As one lawmaker put it recently, "these are issues of local control." Based on your 1,000's of comments citing equity, democracy, literacy, and so on, we think you disagree. It is important to be on record responding to proposals before they are final.

WE NEED YOU TO SPEAK UP ONE LAST TIME before a final report is issued in 6 weeks —- collectively we can make the case. Libraterias, part-time custodian/librarians and collection averages that are twenty years out of date have been the result of the state's decision over 30 years ago to not define school libraries as a part of basic education—this opportunity won't come again soon.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?    TAKE ACTION ! (Each takes less than 5 minutes)

1. VISIT whatittakesforkids.com to read the Joint Task Force's legislative members' proposal (under documents) and weigh in. Puget Sound we need you; ALL of the authors hail from metro-Seattle, so it is crucial that West-siders engage on this. They have opened a blog for comments; please be thoughtful, specific and constructive.

2. EMAIL THE TOP EDUCATION OFFICER OF THE STATE and Joint Task Force member, Dr. Terry Bergeson, directly and ask her to specifically add language that makes information literacy an educational goal. Her email address: Terry.Bergeson@k12.wa.us. If you believe every child deserves a well-funded, 21st century school library program, then please tell her you believe it is 'basic' for all children and ask her to fight for it. Please cc her opponent, Randy Dorn, at robert@randydorn2008.com. The race is a close one and will be decided prior to final recommendations.

3. PLEASE EMAIL THE GOVERNOR'S EDUCATIONAL POLICY HEAD and Joint Task Force member, Judy Hartmann at judy.hartmann@ofm.wa.gov (you can use the same email text you used above). It is crucial that at the gubernatorial level it is clear that Washingtonians see this issue as a part of 'world-class education' and a priority of government.

It was said that the $4MM in 4 months that we fought for in the spring would be impossible, but WE DID IT because collectively we created a tsunami of will. Please take your 5 minutes and weigh in at this crucial juncture, and please forward us your notes to info@fundourfuturewashington.org. We will send them to your legislators if you put your zip code in the re:

Does this kind of engagement work? YES! A district's delegation recent made this issue a platform priority. A recent talk with a Senator who is also a professor at the University of Washington yielded the following: "I'm concerned that our collection averages are 20 years out of date for the gender images being fed to our children." The cultural and technology images are just as scary — remember the Yakima Indian Reservation school? Some of the texts pulled this summer were 'The Red Man's Cookbook' and the book announcing the launch of DOS. If we don't speak up, 1MM Washington kids stand to remain divided between the information-rich and the information-poor.

Thank you so much.

Lisa, Susan and Denette

Book Review Set #3

2008-10-19T15:39:00.001-07:00

What Does Baby See? By Begin Smart, published by Sterling Publishing

Age: newborn-6 months Genre: board book Pages: 10

Annotation: Start reading to your child early with What Does Baby See?. Using simple black, white, and red pictures (the colors your baby sees first), this book focuses on early literacy and parent-child interaction.

Review: Designed for babes aged newborn-6 months, the book only uses black, white, and red graphics and has not text. While it lacks a "story," it has instructions to the parent: talk to your child about the book and let them handle the book while you do so. This is a very interesting concept. It might be intimidating to parents who are not used to a lack of narrative structure, but the point is to encourage an early familiarity with books, and this seems like it will accomplish that goal.

Critical Reviews: none available

Counting Cockatoos, by Stella Blackstone and Stephanie Bauer, published by Barefoot Books

Age: 6 months-4 years Genre: board book, counting Pages: 29

Annotation: This board book focuses on counting and on identifying animals. The simple concept is illustrated by very beautiful and bold pictures. Very cute!

Review: The bright oil paintings in Counting Cockatoos add whimsy to the simple counting story. Through it all, a child focuses on counting the animals, but there are two cockatoos hidden on each page. Can you find them?

Critical Review: School Library Journal is favorable to the book, though says that because there are so many counting books on the market, it is ok to not purchase the book because the story has nothing new—it's the illustrations that make this book so good. On the other hand, Children's Literature says that this book would be a good purchase to flesh out a classroom or library collection as there is always a need for counting books and adults need variety. I'd agree with both of these reviews; the illustrations are what make this book so fun and it is important to not become board by a book. This would add variety to the collection.

Little One Step, by Simon James, published by Candlewick Press

Age: 2-4 Genre: board book Pages: 24

Annotation: Three ducklings get lost in the woods, but learn how to not give up and get safely home.

Review: Little One Step, a book about learning to not give up, teaches children to take life one step at a time. Originally published as a picture book, the board book edition was released in 2008. The delicate watercolor illustrations might be too faint for translation into a board book, and the story might be more suited for older children.

Critical Review: The New York Times says that this is a book that quietly charms with its simple illustrations and text. Kirkus Reviews say that this is a favorite for "lap sharing and…kids demonstrating their own steps." Both reviews talk about the delicate illustrations and understated text. But, both reviews are relevant to the picture book, not the board book, and say that the age range is 4-7. This book seems to be too complex for the board-book crowd, as it deals with complicated themes that might be too advanced for the 2-5s.

Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd, published by Harper & Row:

Age: 2-5 Genre: Picture book, rhyme Pages: 30

Annotation: A classic child's book, this would make a fantastic bedtime story as the narrator goes through the process of saying goodnight to all around.

Review: What to say? It's a classic and deservingly so. With pages alternating from black-and-white to color, the story begins by listing all things that are present in a room and then says goodnight to all of those items in order. The rhyming and predictability of the pattern build story anticipation and help with early literacy.

Critical Review: Both Christian Science Monitor and Children's Literature talk about the rhythmic words and the simple and predictable illustrations that make this book such a childhood classic. In a book that was originally printed in 1947, this is a childhood classic that still is used to read children to sleep. That durability is a testament to its quality as a childhood book. The whimsical illustrations and rhyming text work together to create a lyrical whole that continues to have power.

Here come the 123s, by They Might Be Giants, produced by Disney Sound and Idlewild Recordings

Age: 2-7 Genre: children's music Running Time: 44.5 minutes

Annotation: They Might Be Giants have produced a phenomenal kids' album focusing on numbers, though not necessarily on counting. The silly lyrics and upbeat rhythms will be fun for the whole family, whether it's doing the hustle for "High Five!" or enjoying the burlesque-style sound of "Number Two."

Review: This is a great CD. If you're already familiar with They Might Be Giants, you know that they have a penchant for silly and educational lyrics ("James K. Polk" or "Istanbul was Constantinople") so the transition to releasing a children's CD is a great fit for them. It's a fun disk and while it has an educational focus, it is still fun to listen to. It just proves that kids' music doesn't have to be obnoxious.

Critical Review: Jennifer White of Suite101.com said that this was a CD to have Indie-rock fans begging for more. The music on the CD doesn't condescend to its audience as it maintains the edgy humor that makes They Might Be Giants so distinctive. Geekparenting.com also wrote that this was a must-have album for parents and children—a merger of kids' music and adult humor. I whole-heartedly agree. In fact, I'm listening to it now for the 4^th time!

Book Reviews Set #2

2008-10-12T14:40:00.001-07:00

Brisingr by Christopher Paolini, published by Alfred A. Knopf

Genre: Tween fantasy; Total pages: 748

Target age: 10 and up

Annotation: Alagaesia totters on the brink of utter destruction; only Eragon and his dragon Saphira can rescue the land before the evil king Galbatorix subverts the entire empire to his evil will. First, they need to secure the dwarf alliance and secure the fragile peace with Urgals before all comes unraveled.

Review:

With so much time between the release of ERagon, Eldest, and Brisingr, it was wise of Paolini to include a synopsis of what has already happened in order to refresh yourself with the plot. He has matured much as a writer since the beginning of the series (or "cycle" in fantasy-land speak…a la Le Guin), and the plot devices in this installment are much fresher than in the other books.

Brisingr opens right after Eldest ends—the end of the epic battle when it is revealed that Murtagh is Eragon's brother and that he too is a rider. Fruthermore, Roran's betrothed Katrina is still in the hands of the evil Ra'zac and needs to be rescued before they decide to make a midnight morsel out of her.

Critical Reviews:

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer writes that Paolini has grown into his writing and that it has matured along with him. I whole-heartedly agree. Anyone following this series will recognize that the writing style has improved tremendously over the previous three books and that he has acquired an ease in his writing that makes this book much easier to read, with much fewer dialog exchanges that cause an experienced reader to wince. In all, this book is a delight.

Goldie and the Three Bears by Diane Stanley, published by HarperCollins

Genre: picture book, fairy tale; Total pages: 30

Target Age: K-3^rd (5-8)

Annotation: Goldie knows exactly what she likes…and what she dislikes. In her search to find a friend that's just right, she winds up at an unfamiliar house.

Review:

Stanley brings a fresh twist to this classic tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, as Goldie searches for the perfect friend who understands her. In her search, she inadvertently winds up at a house, which turns out to be inhabited by a bear family.

The illustrations make the story shine and the comments that Goldie makes in the pictures really add dimension to the text. This story's a winner.

Critical Reviews:

Both Booklist and School Library Journal rave about this modern adaptation of the well-worn story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. They both point out that the story is very modern, which makes it accessible to modern children, and humorous. They both mention that the child is very doll-like (which she is) and the illustrations are beautiful (which they are). They also agree that the twist in the end makes a refreshing ending to the story. I agree with both reviews. Great rendition of a famous story!

The Last Snake in Ireland: A Story About St. Patrick by Sheila MacGill-Callahan and illustrated by Will Hillenbrand, published by Holiday House

Genre: picture book, fantasy; Total pages: 29

Target Age: 4-8

Annotation: Everyone knows that St. Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland, but not everyone knows what happened to that very last, sneaky snake.

Review:

This adaptation of the story of St. Patrick combines magic with wisdom, as St. Patrick has to find a way to beat the sneakiest of all the snakes and drive him out of Ireland. The snake nearly outwits the saint, but the ending is not-to-be-missed. The beautiful pastel illustrations not only illustrate the text, but they also add to the magic of the story.

Critical Reviews:

Publisher's Weekly praises the book for its depiction of the famous Irish saint as "a religious figure at his most human" as St. Patrick refuses to be outwitted by a snake. School Library Journal is less otherworldly in its praise, saying, "This delightful read-aloud is full of tongue-tickling language that will accommodate a wee bit of a dialect. Hillenbrand's mixed-media illustrations engulf the pages with humor, texture, and exuberant color." Both publications praise the author for the introduction to Irish and Scottish legends. This is a great story and a worthy read for an Irish-themed storytime.

Thomas and the Magic Railroad, directed by Britt Allcroft, starring Peter Fonda, Mara Wilson, and Alec Baldwin, produced by Columbia Tristar

Genre: children's film, fantasy; Total running time: 84 minutes

Target Age: 8 and under

Annotation: When the Island of Sodor begins to run out of gold dust, thinks go very, very wrong: evil Diesel #10 tries to destroy the steam engines and Mr. Conductor can't travel between Shinytime and Sodor anymore! It's up to Lily, Thomas, and friends to sort it out.

Review:

Baldwin did an admirable job in this movie, and he's rather fun to watch. Fonda, on the other hand, could not have delivered a more lackadaisical performance, and you find yourself wanting this character to just disappear as he saps every bit of energy out of any scene that he's in. Wilson was great and brought warmth to her character. That being said, the whimsical world of Thomas the Tank Engine had a hard time transitioning to a full-length film. I found myself losing concentration and the thin-plot struggled to make sense as it was stretched out to a full 84-minutes.

Diesel #10 was very scary and tried to kill, or at least bully, the other trains and Mr. Conductor. This might be too intense for very young viewers.

Critical Reviews:

School Library Journal says this film is a must-have for public libraries because of its positive messages of being useful and responsible. The reviewer does point out that the plot is convoluted and twisty, but argues that young viewers, who are after all, the target audience, wouldn't notice.

Us Weekly says that the movie is pleasant-enough, but critiques Fonda's performance for being "as light-hearted as a train wreck." Over all, I'd say both reviews are pretty accurate. But, for the sake of parents viewing alongside their children, if your kids are not already fans of Thomas and company, don't bother with the movie.

Apples to Oregon, by Deborah Hopkinson and Nancy Carpenter, published by Scholastic

Genre: picture book, realistic story; Total pages: 30

Target Age: young readers, 4-8

Annotation: A fruit-loving pioneer and a wagon full of fruit trees journey across the Oregon Trail. Will they make it safely?

Review:

This is a fresh retelling of the Westward journey from Iowa to Oregon. Told from the perspective of an orchardist's daughter, the reader is more worried about the safety of the fruit, because that is what Delicious (the narrator) cares about. The text mimics the style of a tall-tale and has a few of those characteristics (a cyclone blows their shoes off), but very realistically describes the jouney west. The watercolor illustrations also add dimension and vitality to the story.

Critical Reviews:

From School Library Journal, "This exuberant tall tale has a resourceful young heroine, thrilling adventure, and high-spirited oil paintings. " The New York Times Book Review raves about the exuberant story loosely based on the real-life adventure of pioneer Henderson Luelling. Both of these reviews capture the feeling of adventure that resounds within this book. It would be a wonderful companion to any Washington State or Oregon State history class, or for anyone learning about life in the West.

Book Reviews Round 1

2008-10-04T15:12:00.001-07:00

G is for One Gzonk! An Alpha-Number-Bet Book by Tiny DiTerlooney (Tony DiTerlizzi), published by Simon & Schuster Books

64 pages; Genre: alphabet book, picture book

Intended age/audience: children learning the alphabet and numbers, parents

Annotation: G is for One Gzonk! is a creative journey off-the-beaten path of alphabet books. Replete with Gzonks, Acks, and Uggle-Unks, this book is not your average ABCs.

Review:

G is for One Gzonk! is a zany adventure in the world of alphabets and numbers. While more appropriate for children who know the alphabet due to its occasionally non-sequential letters, the book is a fun read. The animals in the books are more reminiscent of Lewis Carrol's Jabberwocky or Dr. Seuss's whimsical creatures. The rhyming is enjoyable and adds to the predictability of the story. The coloring is reminiscent of picture books from the mid-twentieth century.

Critical Sources:

The School Library Journal said it is sure to "Wow Woos of all ages" and that is certainly quite true. The review very clearly illustrates the most important parts of the book and doesn't gloss over any of the silliness which is joy of this book.

Here Comes the Big Red Car by the Wiggles, produced by Koch Records

37:10 minutes; Genre: kids music

Intended age/audience: children under 8

Annotation: Here Comes the Big Red Car is sure to get the kids moving and learning through song. The tunes are enjoyable for adults and children alike, but be sure to bring your silliness!

Review:

Here Comes the Big Red Car contains silly songs, movement songs, and learning songs, but is non-stop fun. The songs are short, about a minute and a half, which is perfect for your child's attention span. It might be too much for parents to listen to non-stop, but for keeping kids entertained on a car ride, this would be a good choice of tunes.

Critical Sources:

Scholastic reviewed the CD as being appropriate for ages 3-5, which is about right. The songs are so young that anyone older would likely loose interest. The reviewer stated that the songs were "short and sweet" and they are probably more correct about them being short. They are a bit annoying, but much less so than I expected.

Book Crush by Nancy Pearl, published by Sasquatch Books

261 pages; Genre: Reader's advisory reference source for parents

Intended age/audience: parents or other adults to assist in book selection for the Teen and lower age range.

Annotation: Book Crush is a collection of reading lists for children from baby to teen, spanning a multitude of genres and styles. With catchy booklist titles, there will be one to help refer books for your reluctant or zealous reader alike.

Review:

Book Crush does what it sets out to do: provide books that would inspire the love of reading. Containing not just books chosen for educational reading, but for pleasure, Pearl's lists will help you find the right book for your student.

Critical Sources:

School Library Journal was not as favorable for this volume saying that librarians wouldn't need it and would immediately enter into squabbles with colleagues and fill it with sticky-notes adding to the lists. Even so, if the target is for people having a hard time thinking of books to refer to the under-18 crowd, this serves its purpose: recommend books on many topics to all ages.

Booklist, on the other hand, said that this was a must-have for all libraries and that they should buy two: one to circulate and one to keep on hand. It seems as though this illustrates that recommended reading is an intensely personal preference and that it is important to know what sources are out there.

Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems, published by Hyperion Books for Children

31 pages; Genre: award winner, Caldecott Honor

Intended age: 2-5

Annotation: Trixie's daddy takes over for the day…and it's a disaster.

Review:

Knuffle Bunny's suspenseful story shows children that even though parents might make a mistake, and that it can be frustrating to not be understood, it works out. The creative juxtaposition of black-and-white photography with whimsical colored illustrations bring the story to life and allow imagination take over.

Critical Sources:

Booklist raved over this story, saying, "Even children who can already talk a blue streak will come away satisfied that their own strong emotions have been mirrored and legitimized, and readers of all ages will recognize the agonizing frustration of a little girl who knows far more than she can articulate." This is very true of the story and show just how much is conveyed in the book's brevity.

NCTE (National Council for the Teacher's of English) praised the book for its depiction of language in all forms, from pre-speech sounds "Aggie flaggle Klabble!" to body language (going boneless). The review summarized all the nuances of the text and leave the reader wanting to read more.

Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher by Bruce Colville, published by Harcourt

150 pages; Genre: fantasy

Intend age: 8-12

Annotation: Just when Jeremy Thatcher thought sixth grade couldn't get any more dramatic than an upcoming art contest, having a note read out loud by the art teacher, being chased by boys who make fun of him for Mary Lou wanting to kiss him, and having to mow the lawn, a mysterious egg shows up.

Review:

Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher is a riotous journey through the sixth grade as Jeremy Thatcher has to wrestle with issues of growing up AS WELL AS raise a dragon. But, he must do exactly what the note says or things will go very, very wrong.

The plot is fast-paced and moves the reader quickly through the story line. The issues Jeremy faces are common to all children (issues of raising a dragon aside), and kids will see themselves in his drama. If a child likes the idea of Eragon, but is not quite up to that reading level, this would be a great segue into that book.

Critical Sources:

The Reading Teacher wrote about Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher's enticing plot, "filled with humor and suspense." This is a fair assessment of the story, but doesn't quite do justice to the many themes in the book, ranging from responsibility, respecting others, and boy-girl issues, as well as the joy of raising a dragon and partaking in a magical world.

What The Reading Teacher lacked in its perception of the book, School Library Journal more than understood. The reviewer recognized that Jeremy Thatcher has all of the normal problems of a 12-year old, as well as some new ones (top secret dragon, anyone?). This review is effective in that it presents a book that a middle school reader would want to read again and again.

Ok, Now then...

2008-10-04T15:09:00.000-07:00

So, This is a new quarter--summer has come and gone and I'm back into the fun library classes: children's literature and information literacy. (hooray for the 560s!) I'm going to post my book reviews to this page as well.

One last story

2008-06-03T17:03:00.001-07:00

http://students.washington.edu/ksw5/haiti/DHSvshunger/Presentation_Files/index.html

This is one last story--this is what I've been up to this month, in addition to working full time and going to school. :-) This is about the project that we call Operation Haiti.

The Mormon Dance.

2008-06-01T19:17:00.001-07:00

This is a story about my adventures at the National Undergraduate Literature Conference in Ogden, Utah, and culminates with a dance at the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City.

Let's hope this one works as well!

The Jabberwocky.

2008-06-01T19:11:00.000-07:00

Here is the story of the Jabberwocky by Lewis Carrol.

Let's hope that this works...Had to use a different video host.

Storytelling Set

2008-06-01T14:41:00.001-07:00

Ok, so while my epic struggle against Google video rages on, I do have my story set. Here it is and enjoy!

This is a short series of stories about my family and growing up. Some are amusing (at least to me) and some are not, but that's my family.

I just want to try this!

2008-05-31T11:41:00.001-07:00

Ok, so I'm just wanting to see how this works—it's the creation of a blog post through MS Word. Pretty spiffy, I must say. J

Now, I'm testing to see if my DANTE stuff is working properly--need to get it figured out before I post my story set!

video upload issues

2008-05-31T11:17:00.000-07:00

So my last two story videos are not uploading properly and I can't view them! Dagnabit! I've contacted google and we'll see what's going on.

Just for fun

2008-05-29T17:23:00.000-07:00

So, yeah, as you know, I teach history. I love it and I love finding stuff that I can use in my class. I think that They Might Be Giants are great at turning history into songs (and stories). Here's one that I just found out about:

Enjoy!

The Schwenkfelders

2008-05-27T09:47:00.000-07:00

This is my family story (or, more accurately, my husband's family.). You may use or adapt this story if you wish.

The text that I wrote for the story is as follows:

Schwenkfelder Migration

Until 1517, if you were a Christian, and you lived in Europe, you were Catholic. That’s the way it was. But, in 1517, with one hammer stroke, a single act calling for church reform changed the face of European—and church—history. Martin Luther began the Protestant Reformation, splitting the European Catholic church in half, mostly along nationalist lines. But, in the Holy Roman Empire, fragmented in feudal kingdoms, each kingdom faced off, divided in terms of ethnic pride and religious affiliation. The whole of Europe was choosing allies: Martin Luther or the Pope. Who would come out on top?
One Silesian, Caspar Schwenkfeld, initially sided with Martin Luther, but as he began to study the Bible more and more, split from Luther and formed the Middle Way. Not surprisingly, in this time of religious and political turmoil, Schwenkfeld was persecuted for his seeking an alternate path to the teachings of Luther and the Church. As he sought refuge in various safe houses, he amassed a group of followers throughout Germany and Silesia, who became known as the Schwenkfelders. This group, a paltry 1200, eventually settled in lower Silesia. The government, alternatingly Lutheran or Catholic, took turns persecuting the Silesians. By 1700, persecution was a matter of course for this group of tenacious followers.
The Catholic church ordered a pair of Jesuit priests to convert the Schwenkfelders. Finding this difficult, they made life difficult—refused baptism in the church, refused the Schwenkfelders to leave, and others. Quietly, 500 Schwenkfelders snuck out of town under the cloak of darkness, fleeing to Saxony and the hope of a safe life. When the Baron of Saxony was alive, the followers lived in relative peace; but, seven years after arriving in Saxony, he died. The Jesuits saw the opportunity to demand the return. Fearing for their way of life, the Schwenkfelders began to prepare to flee again. This time, they decided to try Pennsylvania because it already sheltered many German immigrants and other religious groups fleeing persecution in Europe.
They contacted the Dutch government, who paid for the transportation of the group. In 1734, the largest wave of Schwenkfelders landed in Pennsylvania. All men over age 16 took a loyalty oath to the British government and the group settled in America. Among that group were my husband’s ancestors, the Meschters (who were evidentally called Meyster prior to immigration).

http://www.schwenkfelder.com/
http://www.centralschwenkfelder.com/exile/schwenkfelder_immigrants.htm

Why, oh, why?

2008-05-27T09:19:00.000-07:00

Why do I have such difficulty in telling these stories live? I get so nervous to tell them to people (or, perhaps it's more accurate to say I become self-conscious) and get tongue-tied. Bah.

Poetry in Storytelling

2008-05-27T09:01:00.001-07:00

Here is a great video presentation of "The Lady of Shalot" by Loreena McKennet.

I love this story! :-)

Picture book to story

2008-05-24T23:05:00.000-07:00

This is the story of the Lorax, used with flannel board.

story thoughts

2008-05-21T14:50:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I have two thoughts as I'm working on my upcoming stories:

1.) Way over my head with my picturebook adaptation. too late now to switch. dangit!

2.) My husband's family (for my family story) is very interesting! We don't really know any of my family's stories, so it's really cool to find out about his family. (though, he thinks it's boring since he grew up with these stories.). His family totally immigrated to the US to escape religious persecution. It's cool. http://www.schwenkfelder.com/

Parent-Teacher Conferences...

2008-05-16T06:52:00.000-07:00

This week, we had Parent Teacher Conferences (or SLCs-Student Led Conferences--as they are known in my district) until 7:00 PM Wednesday and Thursday. Talk about a brutal day! But, it was really interesting. While I didn't have very many parents visit, the few that did told stories of their families. It was a great reminder that while we might not all be "Storytellers" per se, we all have stories to tell. A dad told me about his life growing up in Puerto Rico; a mom about her son's continual battle to do his work and how it's not his fault; a parent about how the daughter comes home and asks questions about love (very common for those 9th graders!); a student about her plans for the weekend; and me, about what we're doing in class at the moment.

Storyteller's Critique

2008-05-11T14:27:00.000-07:00

Here is my critique. In all, the stories were so different, that the differences between them all are quite evident. The things that I would take away from these tales would be:
1.) Enjoy what you're doing.
2.) Singing, movements, props, etc. need to be natural for you.
3.) Tell lots of stories!
4.) Tell stories with friends.

Mother's Day Story

2008-05-11T14:03:00.000-07:00

In honor of Mother's Day, I thought I would post this hilarious video about moms and all the advice that they say in any given day. Enjoy!

storytime

2008-05-07T18:49:00.000-07:00

This morning, a local YA librarian came to my classes and did a series of booktalks. How much fun is it!?! My 9th graders enjoyed themselves (most of them, at least) and they saw how to actually talk about the books with enthusiasm. We've been working on oral book reports all year, and they don't get any better. Grr. The best part was that the librarian brought books to give away, and brought 2 per student! It was a great experience. It was also great to get another experience seeing someone talk about stories (even plot synopses)with an audience. It was a fun afternoon.

I botched it up

2008-05-07T16:52:00.000-07:00

Ok, so here is my story of the twelve men sent to spy on Canaan (sent by Moses). I tried telling a story through song, and I think I was just too self-conscious. I guess that that's not my style. But, here it is after all.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7435981936121167979&hl=en

Storyteller Numero Quatro

2008-05-04T16:56:00.001-07:00

This afternoon, my husband and I trekked down to Olympia (a 1 1/2 hour drive from Redmond!) for a storytelling event. I found the posting on the South Sound Storyteller's Guild website, and thought that this was something I could attend. Online, the event was titled "An Afternoon of Story and Song," and was a fundraising event for the 23-year old granddaughter of one of the guild members, who was recently diagnosed with follicular lymphoma.

I was a bit nervous going into the event because it as a fundraiser for someone that I didn't know, in a church that I was unfamiliar with (which means that most of the attendees of the event were most likely attendees of the church), and I was not feeling well. (In fact, I left early, at the intermission following the free-will offering.)

The event opened with brief introduction of the MC, Billie Mazzei, and then proceeded into a folk-song, "This land is my land..." This set the stage for the cooperative nature of the afternoon, as audience participation was not just recommended, but demanded by the performers (good-naturedly, of course). Then, another member of the South Sound Story Tellers Guild, Randi Moe (or Queen Randinka as she was referred to) told the story of Noah and the flood. This was not the normal Bible story, but was a rhythmic story accompanied by a small drum with the frequent refrain, "You wanna hear, hear the story?" She referred to herself as a griot from Biblical Africa and used the sing-song of her story to reinforce that allusion throughout. It was a great twist on a classic tale, replete with critters and storm.

After the tale of Noah, the singer, Ric Zassenhaus, led the audience in the story of the Exodus in song, "Pharoah, Pharoah." This is an adaptation of the story of the people of Israel fleeing Egypt, set to the tune "Louie, Louie." It's fun and has great movements. It works well with children, and the seniors in the audience seemed to enjoy themselves as well.

Next, Billie Mazzei told the story of her parents' honeymoon in Ireland and her father's inability to drive a stick, and then Randi returned to tell the story of long ago, when a tall tale teller needed to find a replacement. This was unaccompanied, but was humerous and involved several tall tales in one. Next, there were some gospel songs, and another story. This time, the story was about the Tailor and his new coat of wool. There was some more singing, and Billie told the story of her husband's magical piece of wood.

It was a fun afternoon, and people were in a generous mood. It was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Accidental Story Hour

2008-04-26T15:42:00.000-07:00

Today there was an educator event at Barnes and Noble. I always go to these if it can work with my schedule simply because the discounts are so substantial. Today, I went in time to actually be there for the event, which included a raffle (I won the onyx edition of Monopoly), free stuff (I got the Nancy Pearl action figure!), and a story time.

The story moment was fabulous. A local writer, Suzanne Williams, came and spoke about her writing process, how she discovers her story-fodder, and then proceeded to read a couple of stories. Suzanne Williams had been an elementary librarian in the Kent and Auburn school districts before becoming a children's author, and came ready to tell stories. She was dressed in a princess costume and engaged very clearly with her audience.

The first book Williams read was Mommy Doesn't Know My Name
which was quite cute. She began by explaining how she came up with the concept and what inspired the story: she called her own 3 year old daughter "pumpkin," and her daughter indignantly told her, "My name is not pumpkin; it's Emily!" This inspired her to list all the pet-names she called her children, and then served as the inspiration for this book. She said that when she was a librarian and would read the book to children, she would give seven different children a mask and have them wear it when she got to that part of the book. (The mother in the book calls the daughter seven different names; the daughter, Hannah, imagines herself as each of them.)

Next, she explained about her Princess Power series (and that explained the princess costume!). Williams explained how she wanted to write about adventurous princesses, not ones who just pined away for boys. She talked about how she read a lot of fairy tales to get ready to write the 6-book series and tried to come up with new magical powers for each of the princesses that would correspond to their needs for adventure--a blue lotion that could heal bruises or cuts, a never-empty coin purse, a magical carpet--all of which would come in handy when out adventuring!

Then, she ended the time by reading her book Ten Naughty Little Monkeys. This books is a retelling of the old rhyme, "Ten little monkeys, jumping on the bed..." She retold it so that they do more than just jump on the bed and truly were mischievous. The illustrator for this book was great! Anywho, Williams explained how she used to tell that rhyme to her children while they were growing up and got tired of the monkeys simply jumping on the bed. She wanted them to do something else, and so wrote about it!

In all, this was an interesting performance. She wasn't very lively, but was a bit soft-spoken. Nevertheless, she was entertaining and engaging. Why? Probably because Williams maintained eye contact throughout the entire time. She didn't really read the books, but used them as aids to jog her memory as to what came next. (AFter all, she wrote the books.)

Great storyteller example

2008-04-24T16:57:00.000-07:00

This was posted to the 561 discussion forum, but I thought I'd add it here as well. It's great. (From Smoke Signals)

my first storytelling experience

2008-04-21T18:40:00.000-07:00

So, here's my first storytelling experience. It's the story of "Mines, Unions, and the Battle of Bunker Hill," one of my favorite PNW history stories. I found the story originally in a really boring textbook that I had while an undergrad, but the story was so fascinating and funny that I've really adapted it. When I tell this story in class, I usually have overheads and it's way more boring because I am making students take notes. But, it's one that I love to tell, because when my friends complain about labor unions, I try to remind them of why unions were developed in the first place. I told this one at a game night event (I told my friends that they needed to listen to a story for my storytelling class first).

Go here: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2041065144829580644&hl=en

Testing, 1, 2, 3.

2008-04-20T19:33:00.000-07:00

While this has nothing to do with my storytelling journal, I am testing to see how the digital camera works and how it works with my blog.

Storyteller Numero Tres

2008-04-15T18:15:00.000-07:00

Ok, one of the stories on the January podcast of storyteller.net is HILARIOUS; the story is "Bargain Shopper" by Kendra McGrane. It is FABULOUS. She makes use of a variety of storytelling styles, including the repetition of ideas such as "tall, dark, and handsome man" throughout the story to keep the ideas flowing. (ok, I know that there's a term for that, but I forgot.)

Storyteller.net

2008-04-15T18:04:00.000-07:00

Check out this podcast by Storyteller.net! The Grimm tale is FABULOUS. :-) The podcast is available in mp3 format.

New January 2008 Podcast!
Posted: 2008-01-04 By SNStaff

It’s a brand new Podcast at Storyteller.net! You can use the link below to hear our latest. Features storyteller K. Sean Buvala telling the Grimm tale of "The Willful Child" as well as providing a coaching moment on "finding your niche". The coaching moment comes from an interview that Sean did with the "Art of Storytelling With Children" podcast. Also on this January 2008 podcast is Kindra McGrane of Arizona telling her lively, fun personal tale of "The Bargain Shopper" recorded live at one of our http://www.storytellingatborders.com/ events. Come and enjoy. Find all our past podcasts at this link now.

Storyteller Numero Dos

2008-04-15T17:44:00.000-07:00

Debra Morningstar on storyteller.net tells the story of "Grasshopper Song." This story is told with wind instruments and traditional Native American song (though it's not clear what is the particular origin of the song). According to this story, the Grasshopper Song is a prayer to make the grass grow. The Coyote wants to learn the song and tries; he forgets and tries to force the grasshopper to teach him. Eventually, the story tells the tale of how the coyote has short front teeth and how people learned how to save grass seeds and plant them in order to make the grass grow.

Her voices for the different characters are entertaining and different. she makes the coyote seem slightly menacing (and he is the villain in the story) and the grasshopper sounds very happy. When she has the characters sing, they do not sing zany tunes, but rather sings the Native American song. (Again, I don't know what the particular Nation is, but it is from the Americas).

She keeps the story going by threading in wind instruments, whose music sets the tone for the story. The story was very interesting and quite different from others I'd heard.

Storytelling in my daily life

2008-04-13T16:54:00.000-07:00

I have been pondering how storytelling is present daily in my life. I don't listen to NPR (or at least, not for the story shows; only for the news while commuting), don't listen to books on tape, and don't even generate wild tales of my own life. When I was in college, I tried to turn my adventures in to epic stories, but seem to lack follow-through. I do, though, attend church, and while a sermon is not the same as a story, the pastor uses stories to illustrate points in the sermon.

Today, our pastor began the sermon with a few short stories (maybe 45 seconds long each) about children's prayers and their assumptions in their lives. He then preached on the topic of prayer, but continued using stories to illustrate his point. Our pastor always uses sports analogies (which I usually tune out), but today, he used a You Tube video to illustrate the way Little League baseball players' attitudes and outcomes change when they were "in the Big Leagues" (part of an every-day Improv program).

The storytelling elements that seemed evident were the use of props (the PowerPoint and the video), the hook to listen to the story, and the modulation of voice.

Thinking about stories

2008-04-09T16:44:00.001-07:00

I was thinking about the stories in my own life and was reminded of my sister. She's always telling stories or jokes, and you can always tell when she's about to start. She ALWAYS starts by saying very definitively, "So." Her stories/jokes follow this same format: "So, I heard" or "So, let me tell you" or "So, she said..." It's really funny. We make fun of her regularly, but it reminds me of the Anglo-Saxon griot tradition for starting a story with the word "Hwaet" which is usually translated as "so" but more closely means "shut up and listen to me." :-) That is, effectively, what my sister says when she begins a story with "So."

Storyteller Numero Uno

2008-04-06T19:39:00.001-07:00

Ok, my favorite poet, Billy Collins, came to the Pantages Theater in Tacoma on April 4th. I have loved this poet since I first discovered his poetry in 2000, while an English major at Whitworth College in Spokane. My favorite poem of his involved a cello and young love. Other favorites include his poem "Another Reason Why I Don't Keep a Gun in the House" and "Victoria's Secret." I was excited, then, when I saw that he was coming to town, and immediately called my husband and told him that we had to go.

When we got to the Pantages, we discovered that we were there for a particularly special night. No, evidently it was not enough that the former national Poet Laureate was there, but Tacoma was establishing its own poet laureate post in an effort to promote poetry, and the 4th was the evening when they were promoting and honoring that poet. The honor went to a professor from the University of Puget Sound, whose name I have forgotten, but he opened the evening by reading two of his poems.

Then, it was time for Billy Collins. He entered the stage looking just as one would expect for a man who wrote poetry and taught college creative writing: black pants and sweater, eyes cast down, stage lights shining off the bald head fringed with tufts of hair. He entered, and without much elaboration, began reading his poetry. Occasionally, he introduced the poem by explaining how he was inspired: a quote here, a poorly written poem (by another poet, of course) there. He was humorous and engaging, joking with the audience, and while he was fully aware of the presence of the crowd, was completely occupied with reading his poetry. He read poetry spanning a wide array of topics: dogs, sex, poetry, the reader's role in poetry, other poets. He let the poems speak for themselves and the focus was on the poetry. It was fabulous.

He ended as inauspiciously as he began, and exited to go sign books and theater tickets. In all, he was very delightful, and my husband who had never heard of Billy Collins before left feeling enlightened, uplifted, and entertained. I couldn't stop talking about it all evening. It was great.

Adventures in Storytelling

2008-04-06T19:32:00.000-07:00

As we left class on Friday, I was jazzed about storytelling, and began brainstorming what sorts of stories I could tell and to whom I could tell them. I immediately called my mom and asked her to pull out my favorite childhood book, Just the Thing for Geraldine, so that I could try to figure out how to use that as one of my stories. (For those of you that haven't read this fabulous tale of a possum who tries to find her perfect thing to do, just wait until I figure this out!) I think I'll try to find a stuffed possum for that one. And, I really like flannel-graphs and always have; if there is a way to use a flannel-graph, I'll be a happy woman. I did, though, decide that I should get a digital video recorder, because with trying to find live audiences for the story, it will be too difficult to cart around my computer and microphone and try to strategically arrange everything perfectly. (Thanks for the suggestion for the Flip Camera!)

Ok, stories await!

Adventures in Library-Land

Field Trip by Recess Monkey

Video Review

Book Review Set #9

The Thieves of Ostia

Castle

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Rodrick Rules

Book Review Set #8

Book Review #7

Book Review Set #6

Recommended Reads Lists

Book Review Set# 5

Book Review Set #4

Fund School Libraries!

Book Review Set #3

Book Reviews Set #2

Book Reviews Round 1

Ok, Now then...

One last story

The Mormon Dance.

The Jabberwocky.

Storytelling Set

I just want to try this!

video upload issues

Just for fun

The Schwenkfelders

Why, oh, why?

Poetry in Storytelling

Picture book to story

story thoughts

Parent-Teacher Conferences...

Storyteller's Critique

Mother's Day Story

storytime

I botched it up

Storyteller Numero Quatro

Accidental Story Hour

Great storyteller example

my first storytelling experience

Testing, 1, 2, 3.

Storyteller Numero Tres

Storyteller.net

Storyteller Numero Dos

Storytelling in my daily life

Thinking about stories

Storyteller Numero Uno

Adventures in Storytelling