To celebrate Picture Book Month I am continuing to share conversations I have about particular picture books. This isn’t so much a conversation as an ooh and ahh fest I had with my own two children while exploring this nonfiction title.
The Open Ocean by Francesco Pittau and Bernadette Gervais is an oversized title that invites the reader to guess, read more, lift flaps and absorb amazing information. This title kept my two 12 year olds completely interested and engaged as we interacted with this gorgeous book. Our favourite 2 page spread was the section that showed closeups of shells, scales and other textures on various sealife. We didn’t guess any correctly! So much to interact with in this title.
Our favourite facts?
The compass jellyfish changes gender over its lifetime (“That’s just too strange,” remarked my son.)
The blue whale is one of longest living creatures.
The sea urchin is named after a hedgehog.
An octopus is super smart! It can open jars.(“But what are those scientists doing having it be in a lab to do experiments on? Terrible! Unless it is just tests? Do they release them after?” – this from my daughter.)
A sunfish can weigh over 500 pounds!
The swordfish is one of the fastest fish.
No one really knows how long lobsters live. They can live to be over 100 and they always seem to die for other reasons before perishing from old age.
Thanks to Alyson fromKid Lit Frenzy for the inspiration to read and share more nonfiction picture books in 2014. Follow the link to Alyson’s blog to read about more nonfiction books you need to read!
My goal is to read 65 nonfiction picture books for 2014. Progress: 120/65 complete!
To celebrate Picture Book Month I have been sharing a variety of picture books and the conversations I am having about them with my students, my children and others. This post is a kind of conversation with my self. I am reading the novel Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt to my own children and it often comes up that Doug, the main character, has to be brave in so many ways.
How do picture books depict bravery? Courage? Conviction? Strength?
In, oh, so many ways . . .
Each of these titles features a character who comes face to face with fear, who takes a risk, who stands up or stands out. Each book is full of inspiration.
Ten of my favourites:
And ten more:
Twenty Picture Books that celebrate courage:
Those Shoes written by Maribeth Boelts and illustrated by Noah Z. Jones
Pete and Pickles by Berkeley Breathed
Ruby’s Wish written by Shirin Yim Bridges and illustrated by Sophie Blackall
Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown
Willow Finds a Way written by Lana Button illustrated by Tania Howells
Bird Child written by Nan Forler and illustrated by François Thisdale
The Story of Fish and Snail by Deborah Freedman
Sheila Rae, the Brave written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes
Spuds written by Karen Hesse and illustrated by Wendy Watson
Soccer Starwritten by Mina Javaherbinand illustrated byRenato Alarcão
Across the Alley written by Richard Michelson and illustrated by E.B. Lewis
Black Dog by Levi Pinfold
The Lion & The Mouse by Jerry Pinkney
Creepy Carrots written by Aaron Reynolds and illustrated by Peter Brown
The Dark written by Lemony Snicket and illustrated by Jon Klassen
Hello, my Name is Ruby by Phillip C Stead
Desmond and the Very Mean Word written by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Douglas Carlton Abrams and illustrated by A.G. Ford
Suki’s Kimono written by Chieri Uegaki and illustrated by Stéphane Jorisch
Freedom Summer by Deborah Wiles and illustrated by Jerome Lagarrigue
Singing Away the Dark written by Caroline Woodward and illustrated by Julie Morstad
What picture book titles on this theme would you share? I would love to hear your favourites!
My favourite reading photo of the week is of these boys who discovered that I changed the books displayed in one of our picture book shelves and immediately plopped themselves down to begin reading. Book love!
Join Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from Unleashing Readers and share all of the reading you have done over the week from picture books to young adult novels. Follow the links to read about all of the amazing books the #IMWAYR community has read. It’s the best way to discover what to read next.
A celebration of sharing Any Questions? by Marie-Louise Gay
A conversation with a little guy about some nonfiction: Talking Spiders
I am late getting this post up as I was away for the weekend so I am only highlighting a few titles from the week:
The Conductor by Laëtitia Devernay
This book is an incredible wordless title to share with a group of creative and observant children. Nothing is as it seems and the pages fill with imagination, movement and music. It was magic in my room. My favourite exchange:
Child 1: “He can conduct birds because birds make music. They make beautiful sounds.”
Child 2: “Not crows. Crows just yell.”
Once Tashi Met a Dragon written by Anna Fienberg and Barbara Fienberg with illustrations by Kim Gamble
This isn’t a book that I would have picked up to read but I loved watching my students respond when a guest reader brought it to my room. They were intrigued by the folklore elements of dragons bringing rain, the detailed illustrations and the humour of the dragon family interactions. A lovely, longer read aloud.
Cloudwalker by Rob Henry Vickers and Robert Budd
What a beautiful book! This is the ancient story of Gitxsan hunter who is dropped into the clouds by a group of swans. Stumbling on his walk through the sky, he spills water from his cedar box (a guloonich) and new lakes and rivers are created on the land below providing life producing waters for his people. This book highlights how nature interacts and our responsibility to respect it.
The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm
I loved everything about this title. There are so many layers to this book and so many reasons to rave about it. The characters! Wow. The themes of science, family, friendship and the struggles of age and aging. Perfect middle grade literature. A must read.
Up next? I am in the middle of Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson and will likely finish it today. I then plan to read Nest by Esther Ehrlich
Reading Goal Updates:
2014 Chapter Book Challenge: 71/100 novels complete
To celebrate Picture Book Month I am continuing to share conversations I have with students about picture books. Sometimes, I learn a lot.
Today I had a visit at recess from a Grade 1 student all dressed up for photo day.
He checked out some Lego and told me about his outfit.
Then he wandered over to where I was putting away some nonfiction titles. And we started to talk about the books
Me: “What do you notice about all of these books?”
Mr. Dressed Up: “They’re all insects and stuff. They’re good because they help you breathe and make stuff. Like honey.”
Me: “Which of these books looks the most interesting?”
Mr. Dressed Up: “Hmmm. Spiders. I like them. They have 8 legs and well, they’re creepy. I like creepy stuff.”
Me: “What do you think you might find out in this book?”
Mr. Dressed Up: “Well you’ll be knowing about spiders. How they spin. Can they help you out in a haunted house?”
Me: “Interesting. What are you noticing when you look through the book?”
Mr. Dressed Up: “Well they have one eye in this picture. And 8 legs (counts to confirm) No, 11. Hold on (counts again) Maybe 10. Some of these might not be legs?”
Me: “Do you notice anything else?”
Mr. Dressed Up: “Well this orange part here is a big round circle. Kind of like a bum that we have. But we have two big circles.”
Indeed! 🙂
Me: “So do you think you might like to read these books when you are in my classroom?”
Mr. Dressed Up: “Yep.”
Judging from the popularity of the Creepy Creatures series with my current Grade 3/4 students, I think he will!
Spiders by Valerie Bodden (published 2011) has information about a spider’s life, how webs are made and the parts of a spider’s body. Close up photographs are intriguing. There is a glossary in the back and new vocabulary is bolded throughout the book. My primary/early intermediate students can easily manage this series with independence.
Thanks to Alyson from Kid Lit Frenzy for the inspiration to read and share more nonfiction picture books in 2014. Follow the link to Alyson’s blog to read about more nonfiction books you need to read!
My goal is to read 65 nonfiction picture books for 2014. Progress: 119/65 complete!
Yesterday, we ran out of time to do our afternoon picture book read aloud. But . . . I had already showed the trailer for Any Questions? by Marie-Louise Gay and students were eager to read it.
“Aww!” they exclaimed when I announced we didn’t have time. “Tomorrow?”
Tomorrow was today and we had an all day field trip to Science World, but I thought we might be back in time and put Read Aloud in our day plan pocket chart.
“That book? Will we read it today, Ms. Gelson?” I was asked many times.
We returned to school with 23 minutes before the bell. Coats away. Carpet. Mindful breathing. Time for a read aloud. But just! Within minutes, the room was quiet. Students were captured. We entered Marie-Louise Gay‘s imagination, learned about her story conjuring process and heard a wonderful story . . .
I read the last word at 2:59 p.m. and students rushed to tell me favourite parts:
“I like the giant because he is so huge. And the purple beast!”
“I saw Stella and Sam I think.”
“It was funny that the monster’s name was Fluffy!”
“I like all of the details and speech bubbles. I know she wrote it but it kinda seemed like kids wrote it.”
“I spotted a little Stella! I did.”
Rushing kids out the door heading out to do afternoon supervision, I still had the book in my hand. Near the playground, talk about the book continued:
“My favourite part was the end pages – it looks like she dipped markers in water.”
“I like all of the little stories inside of the book.”
“Do we get to read it again tomorrow? I want to look at all of the answers in the back.”
I used the book to cheer up someone who had fallen.
“Do you want to see a purple beast?”
Look at this smile!
Then I started getting requests.
“Can I see that book too? What was the page you just showed?”
I, of course, was happy to share. But when I asked for the book back, others were not happy to return it 🙂
However, after the book love could be shared with some others . . . I got my book back. Isn’t that how it should be? Stories are meant to be shared and shared and shared.
Got it? Because if you have any questions, here’s the book for that:
Any Questions? by Marie Louise Gay is a perfect book to celebrate for Picture Book Month
Same of Different? featuring The Hueys in The New Jumper by Oliver Jeffers.
Picture Books to Help you Giggle 20 titles to read aloud (and laugh along with) to little listeners (Kindergarten/early primary and beyond)
But back to sharing my reading from the week: Join Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from Unleashing Readers and share all of the reading you have done over the week from picture books to young adult novels. Follow the links to read about all of the amazing books the #IMWAYR community has read. It’s the best way to discover what to read next.
The picture booksthat stood out:
The Girl who Heard Colors written by Marie Harris and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
I have been quite curious about synesthesia after reading A Mango Shaped Space by Wendy Mass. I had no idea there was a picture book about it that could introduce synesthesia to children in a way that makes sense. I think this book does a brilliant job. Highly recommend this as a read aloud in primary/early intermediate classrooms.
Some Bugs written by Angela Diterlizzi and illustrated by Brendan Wenzel
The text is delightful and the illustrations, divine! I see why this title is getting Caldecott buzz. I want to shrink down to insect size and crawl about this insect world.
Fall Walk by Virginia Brimhall Snow
Wow. What a simply gorgeous title. Lyrical and full of wonder. A beautiful book to highlight the magic and vast variety of falling leaves. I found myself searching the ground for diverse leaves on my walks all last week after reading this book.
The Cat, the Dog, Little Red, the Exploding Eggs, the Wolf, and Grandma written by Diane Fox and illustrated by Christyan Fox
Hilarious. This one is going to haunt me until I am able to read it aloud – such a craving! Funny, funny, funny – kind of like having a backseat driver “helping” tell a story. Annoying for the narrator. Amusing for the readers.
I saw this trailer on KidLit Frenzy this week and immediately sought out the book.
The Very Inappropriate Word written by Jim Tobin and illustrated by Dave Coverly
So very clever. I love the word collecting. The power of the “inappropriate” word and how a word lover is intrigued by the sounds, the images and the impact!
The trailer is quite amusing:
Miss Brooks Loves Books (and I don’t) written by Barbara Bottner and illustrated by Michael Emberley
After reading Ms. Brooks’ Story Nook(where tales are told and ogres are welcome!) last week, I realized I hadn’t read this title yet. How was that possible? LOVE this book. Love Miss Brooks. I covet her book piles. Her inspired outfits. Her lounge about and read moments. And of course this book is worth reading just for the stick on warts page.
The Monsterator by Keith Graves
Mixed reviews on the story in my classroom but the mix up a monster flaps at the end got lots of attention.
When a Monster is Born written by Sean Taylor and illustrated by Nick Sharratt
I book talked this title early in the week and heard it be read over and over during buddy reading. Lots of fun to read aloud. Has the “if – then quality” of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
I also read:
The Misadventures of Salem Hyde: Spelling Trouble by Frank Cammuso
I have a thing for witch characters with lots of spunk. Maybe because they aren’t the stereotypical pink girly girl? Not sure. But Salem will be popular in my room. I am sure about that.
The Mark of the Dragonfly by Jaleigh Johnson
Like others, I am hoping there will be other books to follow this title because these characters and this world are just too intriguing to say goodbye to. As I was reading, I kept thinking how great this title would be as a read aloud – mystery, adventure, suspense, fantastical characters. I could also put it in the hands of so many previous students and know that it would be loved. But it also has wide appeal – I know both my 12 year old daughter and son would fall into this book. It hooks you quickly and keeps you intrigued throughout. Perfect middle grade fiction.
Up next?
This is a challenge! I have so many great titles that just came in at the library. But I think The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm is the one calling loudest to me!
Reading Goal Updates:
2014 Chapter Book Challenge: 70/100 novels complete
Goodreads Challenge: 508/650 books read (continue to remain 36 books behind, now under 40 titles! Take that you 55 from a month ago!)
#MustReadin2014: 21/30 complete
Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 118/65 complete
To celebrate picture book month, I am sharing peeks into the wonderful conversations I get to have with children about particular picture books. When I thought about writing a picture book post today, no conversations leaped out at me to share. I have no students here at home on a Sunday morning and I have been reading my own children the amazing novelOkay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt. But . . . just yesterday evening, I was talking to Vancouver kindergarten teacher Sharon Hales about how great Elephant & Piggie titles are. She is a huge fan! (Great taste!) And, of course, I asked a few times – “Have you read . . . ?” “Do you know author . . . ?”
Hmmm, this was a conversation about picture books . . .
So I started thinking, if I were a kindergarten teacher, what would be must own picture books for my classroom library? Books guaranteed to inspire giggles and choruses of “Read it again”? Quickly, I started a list on a scrap piece of paper. I ran out of room! This post is the result. 🙂
Grab one of these, grab a child or a kindergarten/early primary class and prepare for smiles and giggles!
And because once you start laughing, you need to laugh some more:
Picture Books to help you giggle:
Count the Monkeys written by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Kevin Cornell
Z is for Moose written by Kelly Bingham and illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky
I’m Bored written by Michael Ian Black and illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi
Prudence Wants a Pet written by Cathleen Daly and illustrated by Stephen Michael King
Brief Thief written by Michael Escoffier and illustrated by Kris Di Giacomo
Warning: Do not Open this Book! written by Adam Lehrhaupt and illustrated by Matthew Forsythe
Let’s Do Nothing! by Tony Fucile
Shh! We Have a Plan by Chris Haughton
Stuck by Oliver Jeffers
This is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen
The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli
Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld
Don’t Play with Your Food by Bob Shea
Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great by Bob Shea
Interrrupting Chickenby David Ezra Stein
Chester by Mélanie Watt
You’re Finally Here by Mélanie Watt
Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems
The Pigeon Needs a Bath by Mo Willems
Hooray for Hat! by Brian Won
Such a joy to share these favourite titles – perfect for the younger set but appealing to happy readers of all ages!
Are you in the picture book mood? Share some favourites! It’s Picture Book Month!
I am excited to participate in Picture Book Month– thanks to Jen at Teach Mentor Texts for alerting me to this celebration! I am hoping to share a picture book title every day or every few days via this blog and twitter using the hashtag #PictureBookMonth.
I love picture books for endless reasons. I do not even dare to begin a list. But, one of the best? I love picture books for the conversations that they inspire. I will be sharing adored picture books I am reading with my students (or they are reading to me) or to my own children and snippets of what we talked about. Listen in . . .
A little mad scientist (it was Halloween after all) read a book to me from our beloved books shelf: The Hueys in The New Jumper by Oliver Jeffers. I love this book for the message about daring to be yourself and not always having to be the same as everyone else around you. It also reminds us that we do not need to be afraid of those “rule breakers” who aren’t worried about being unique and standing out.
Summary from Goodreads: The Hueys are small and mischievous, unique compared to the world’s other creatures–but hardly unique to one another. You see, each Huey looks the same, thinks the same, and does the same exact things. So you can imagine the chaos when one of them has the idea of knitting a sweater! It seems like a good idea at the time–he is quite proud of it, in fact–but it does make him different from the others. So the rest of the Hueys, in turn, decide that they want to be different too! How? By knitting the exact same sweater, of course!
The Hueys in The New Jumper by Oliver Jeffers inspired a thoughtful discussion mid book.
Mad Scientist: Is it better to be the same or different?
Me: Big question. Do you have an answer?
Mad Scientist: I don’t really know. I’ve talked to my Mom about it before.
Me: What did you come up with?
Mad Scientist: Well it’s both kind of. It’s good to be the same as everyone because you can feel comfortable. But we also don’t want to be just the same because we want our own style and thoughts and stuff. I really didn’t know which is the right one.
Me: It’s kind of great that this book makes us wonder about that. We’re actually talking about a really big question – one of those questions that you can keep adding to- both to your answer and to your question.
Mad Scientist: Oh. Yeah. Let’s keep reading.
Me: Great idea.
Are you in the picture book mood? Share some favourites! It’s Picture Book Month!
As an Elementary teacher and a Mom, I am always hoping for extra doses of calm on October 31st as much can go sideways with Halloween celebrations. Lots of candy, excitement, costume drama and big expectations often lead to meltdowns, minor catastrophes and just a general sense of, to borrow from the brilliant Kate Dicamillo, “holy unanticipated occurrences.” However, on the morning of November 1st, I can truly say Halloween 2014 was smooth. Smooth and full of “Phew” moments. At least eleven worth celebrating.
1. Everyone is my household was up without nagging to ensure that face painting with the talented Dad/Artist could happen. No fussing. No complaining. Out the door early in fact. Phew.
2. My students came in the door (some with fluttering wings) smiling and went out the door smiling. Phew.
3. No costume drama. All costumes stayed together. No pieces were lost. Everyone agreed to keep fangs and false teeth in little (labelled) plastic cups during learning time. Phew.
4. My own early in the week costume change decision worked out wonderfully thanks again to my husband’s face painting brilliance. (I am the witch on the right not the beautiful princesses) Phew
5. My students happily settled into an academic morning designed to keep routine and lots of calm. Phew.
6. When we attended special events like potion making in the library with our little Kindergarten buddies, everyone listened. Nobody fussed if they didn’t get to drop in wonderfully icky ingredients like white rats, tarantulas and slithery snakes. Phew.
7. Afternoon yoga led by our resident yoga expert and for the day, pixie, Miriam was focussed and fun and paved the way for more calm for the rest of the day. Phew
8. Choices time was full of creativity and cooperation, not grumpy, over excited moods. It looked a lot like this. Phew.
9. When checking in with other staff throughout the day, calm and happy seemed to be the general theme. An all around successful day. Phew.
10. The rain that seemed torrential and endless all day ended in the afternoon. Trick or treating was warm, dry and not too muddy. Phew.
11. My own children, now in Grade 7, went trick or treating on their own with friends for the first time. I handed out candy at home, fretting. But both returned on time rosy cheeked under all of the makeup. Big smiles. Rules followed. Maturity and responsibility demonstrated. Biggest phew.
All of these things I celebrate. It was wonderful to be pleasantly surprised at the calm and the ease of a festive Halloween!
Thank you also to Ruth Ayres, for the inspiration and her Celebration Link up that she hosts each week. I love how being a part of this #celebratelu community reminds us weekly to look for the positive and take some time for gratitude.
There's a Book for That 