The January Carnival of Children's Literature is up. Lots of good stuff there!
(I missed the deadline. Next time!)
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Kidlitosphere Central
Wow, wow, wow. Fellow Virginian and blogger Mother Reader has created a truly amazing website. Go check out Kidlitosphere Central right now. Pam, you are awesome (thank you for including The Kiddosphere). I see quite a few blogs that I need to investigate. Go, go, go!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Speaking of Awards/Lists for 2008 Books
I am proud to tell you about the 2009 Capitol Choices list. As a member of the 10-14 reading group, I think this is a fantastic list. While we did hit quite a few of the award winners, that is not the main purpose of the group, for we also look for books that might fly below the radar. We're not looking to predict or copy the awards lists.
We're taking a little break until March, but we'll be raring to go for the 2009 publishing year! I picked up a few ARCs that look promising (much of the stuff I picked up were fantasy/romance/adventure YA books, and after I read them, I use them for summer reading prizes...I'll see more of the award hopefuls at the annual conference). It's a lot of work to constantly seek out books to nominate and to keep up with submissions, but it's a terrific experience. I can't wait to find my next major favorite(s) of 2009.
We're taking a little break until March, but we'll be raring to go for the 2009 publishing year! I picked up a few ARCs that look promising (much of the stuff I picked up were fantasy/romance/adventure YA books, and after I read them, I use them for summer reading prizes...I'll see more of the award hopefuls at the annual conference). It's a lot of work to constantly seek out books to nominate and to keep up with submissions, but it's a terrific experience. I can't wait to find my next major favorite(s) of 2009.
The Cuffies
Now that the majority (probably all) of the awards for the 2008 publishing year are out, I'm going through them to see which books I've neglected in the previous year. One of my favorite lists is the unorthodox Cuffies, from Publishers Weekly. PW asks children's booksellers their opinions on a variety of topics, including Best Sequel (I totally agree) to Book You Wish Everyone Would Shut Up About (bwaaahaaahaa), Book You Were Sorriest to See Out of Print (I completely agree, but I'm hoping the issues between McCloskey's estate and the publisher can be worked out). Take a look and see if you agree.
(For the record, I loved Masterpiece as well, and I absolutely agree that Isabel is one of the best characters from last year. I bumped into a member of the Newbery committee and was so tempted to ask her WHYYYY was Chains neglected, but they're not allowed to give many details. Oh, well...perhaps for the sequel? Hearing Laurie Halse Anderson speak at the Margaret Edwards luncheon this summer will be some comfort!).
(For the record, I loved Masterpiece as well, and I absolutely agree that Isabel is one of the best characters from last year. I bumped into a member of the Newbery committee and was so tempted to ask her WHYYYY was Chains neglected, but they're not allowed to give many details. Oh, well...perhaps for the sequel? Hearing Laurie Halse Anderson speak at the Margaret Edwards luncheon this summer will be some comfort!).
The Excitement Builds
The ALA Youth Media Awards also recognize authors' works over a lifetime. The Wilder Award, named for Laura Ingalls Wilder, was awarded to Ashley Bryan. Mr. Bryan (named when Ashley was still considered a boy's name-remember Gone With the Wind?) is the author and illustrator, best known for his African folktales.
There was a big eruption when Laurie Halse Anderson was named the winner of YALSA's (Young Adult Library Association) Margaret Edwards award, which honors a young adult author's select body of work. Frankly, I was amazed that she hadn't already won. Although she writes primarily for teens (Speak), I regularly recommend her historical fiction novels (Fever 1793 and her latest, Chains) to middle schoolers. She is an amazing and engrossing author (I've already made plans to attend the luncheon-cannot wait to hear her speak).
The other awards are important and appreciated, but the two biggies are saved for last: the Caldecott and Newbery. I didn't really have a major favorite for the Caldecott (if anyone asked, I usually said that In a Blue Room was my favorite). However, The House in the Night is a beautifully illustrated book using black and white scratchboard technique.
A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever is a delight, so I was happy that it was named as an Honor book. If you were fortunate enough to enjoy parent-free summer vacations at your grandparents' home (as I was!), you'll love this book.
And for something completely different, How I Learned Geography recounts the author's childhood as a World War II refugee. It's probably not something that most children would opt to read on their own, but it's a distinguished and worthwhile read.
I haven't read A River of Words, but I'm looking forward to it.
Don't get me wrong. I enjoy fabulous picture books as much as anyone else(especially if it's a fine read aloud). However, there's a reason why I joined the middle grade fiction reading group (10-14) for Capitol Choices and why I avoid reviewing picture books. I lack the knowledge and vocabulary to talk about a picture book at length. Fortunately, for the majority of patrons I work with, this isn't necessary. Parents (the ones that usually pick out the picture books) usually only want good read alouds when looking for picture books. They don't really care about the specific techniques used by the illustrator. They'll appreciate anything that's unique or interesting, but they aren't interested in me talking to them about it while they have a toddler hanging off on one arm and they need to get home in order to drive kids to Scouts or ballet class. However, when discussing picture books with librarians and reviewers who know what they are talking about, I tend to do more listening than talking. It's a different story with chapter books, children's nonfiction, or teen literature. But for picture books, I can't really carry the conversation beyond, "Wow. Those are some really beautiful/unique/amazing illustrations." Now, granted, I'm not alone. Critiquing illustrations is not something that is regularly taught or emphasized in children's literature classes for library school students. If you come from an art background, you have a definite advantage. Otherwise, it's something that you have to teach yourself, and it's something that takes time.
Which is why I had more anticipatory excitement over the Newbery. Oh, I could go on and on about my Newbery picks. Which NEVER EVER win. I'll sometimes get lucky and pick an Honor book. There was one book that I really hoped would not win the Medal (a mean thought, but it's true), and it didn't.
I was a bit surprised that Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book won (not that it hadn't been named on prediction lists and blogs, but this was a very strong year). There was a hugely positive reaction when it was announced. Now, I haven't read the blogs yet, but I'm thinking that there might be some that think it's a squarely YA book (we do shelve it in YA). It's important to remember that the Newbery includes books for readers up to 14 years of age. While I do think that the medal might be trending toward the older end of the spectrum (now that we have the Geisel, I don't think we'll see a book on the reading level of Frog and Toad Together be considered), The Graveyard Book still meets the criteria of the Newbery Medal. It's definitely a creepy book at times, so it's not for younger readers.
Now...about the Honor books...
Younger readers, however, will love Savvy. It's a deliciously funny fantasy by a first time author. Lots of fun.
The Underneath is a very quiet, poetic, and lyrical tale.
After Tupac and D Foster was one of my favorite reads for Capitol Choices. This is also definitely a YA novel, and one that appeals to many teens.
I am looking forward to reading The Surrender Tree, which was also named as an Honor book.
Later on, I'll blog about the Printz. I've only read one of the named books, so I don't have that much to talk about....
There was a big eruption when Laurie Halse Anderson was named the winner of YALSA's (Young Adult Library Association) Margaret Edwards award, which honors a young adult author's select body of work. Frankly, I was amazed that she hadn't already won. Although she writes primarily for teens (Speak), I regularly recommend her historical fiction novels (Fever 1793 and her latest, Chains) to middle schoolers. She is an amazing and engrossing author (I've already made plans to attend the luncheon-cannot wait to hear her speak).
The other awards are important and appreciated, but the two biggies are saved for last: the Caldecott and Newbery. I didn't really have a major favorite for the Caldecott (if anyone asked, I usually said that In a Blue Room was my favorite). However, The House in the Night is a beautifully illustrated book using black and white scratchboard technique.
A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever is a delight, so I was happy that it was named as an Honor book. If you were fortunate enough to enjoy parent-free summer vacations at your grandparents' home (as I was!), you'll love this book.
And for something completely different, How I Learned Geography recounts the author's childhood as a World War II refugee. It's probably not something that most children would opt to read on their own, but it's a distinguished and worthwhile read.
I haven't read A River of Words, but I'm looking forward to it.
Don't get me wrong. I enjoy fabulous picture books as much as anyone else(especially if it's a fine read aloud). However, there's a reason why I joined the middle grade fiction reading group (10-14) for Capitol Choices and why I avoid reviewing picture books. I lack the knowledge and vocabulary to talk about a picture book at length. Fortunately, for the majority of patrons I work with, this isn't necessary. Parents (the ones that usually pick out the picture books) usually only want good read alouds when looking for picture books. They don't really care about the specific techniques used by the illustrator. They'll appreciate anything that's unique or interesting, but they aren't interested in me talking to them about it while they have a toddler hanging off on one arm and they need to get home in order to drive kids to Scouts or ballet class. However, when discussing picture books with librarians and reviewers who know what they are talking about, I tend to do more listening than talking. It's a different story with chapter books, children's nonfiction, or teen literature. But for picture books, I can't really carry the conversation beyond, "Wow. Those are some really beautiful/unique/amazing illustrations." Now, granted, I'm not alone. Critiquing illustrations is not something that is regularly taught or emphasized in children's literature classes for library school students. If you come from an art background, you have a definite advantage. Otherwise, it's something that you have to teach yourself, and it's something that takes time.
Which is why I had more anticipatory excitement over the Newbery. Oh, I could go on and on about my Newbery picks. Which NEVER EVER win. I'll sometimes get lucky and pick an Honor book. There was one book that I really hoped would not win the Medal (a mean thought, but it's true), and it didn't.
I was a bit surprised that Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book won (not that it hadn't been named on prediction lists and blogs, but this was a very strong year). There was a hugely positive reaction when it was announced. Now, I haven't read the blogs yet, but I'm thinking that there might be some that think it's a squarely YA book (we do shelve it in YA). It's important to remember that the Newbery includes books for readers up to 14 years of age. While I do think that the medal might be trending toward the older end of the spectrum (now that we have the Geisel, I don't think we'll see a book on the reading level of Frog and Toad Together be considered), The Graveyard Book still meets the criteria of the Newbery Medal. It's definitely a creepy book at times, so it's not for younger readers.
Now...about the Honor books...
Younger readers, however, will love Savvy. It's a deliciously funny fantasy by a first time author. Lots of fun.
The Underneath is a very quiet, poetic, and lyrical tale.
After Tupac and D Foster was one of my favorite reads for Capitol Choices. This is also definitely a YA novel, and one that appeals to many teens.
I am looking forward to reading The Surrender Tree, which was also named as an Honor book.
Later on, I'll blog about the Printz. I've only read one of the named books, so I don't have that much to talk about....
Youth Media Awards
The ALA Youth Media Awards were announced last Monday. Of course, this would be the day that the shuttle buses were running late! Fortunately, the only award we missed hearing were the Schneider Family awards. The Schneider awards are given to books that "emphasize the artistic expression of the disability experience for children and or adolescent audiences. The book must portray some aspect of living with a disability or that of a friend or family member, whether the disability is physical, mental or emotional." I haven't read Piano Starts Here, but I was lucky enough to review Waiting for Normal for School Library Journal.
There were many cheers when Kadir Nelson won the Coretta Scott King Author Award (and the Illustrator Honor citation) for We Are the Ship. It's a fantastic and fascinating look at the Negro Baseball Leagues. Definitely one of the highlights of the previous publishing year. I was very pleased that Joyce Carol Thomas won an Honor citation and that Floyd Cooper won the Illustrator Award for The Blacker the Berry.
I'm a big fan of the Pinkneys, so was very happy that Jerry Pinkney was named an Honor recipient (The Moon Over Star) for the Illustrator award.
The Batchelder awards are given to books originally published in a language other than English and subsequently translated into English. I haven't read one of the winners, Tiger Moon, but I'm looking forward to doing so.
Not only did We Are the Ship win the CSK Author award, but it won the Sibert Medal, which is awarded to children's nonfiction titles. The two honor books are wildly different but equally fun to read: Bodies From the Ice and What to Do About Alice?
It was no surprise that Mo Willems won the Geisel (for beginning readers) for Are You Ready to Play Outside? Children's librarians and teachers love him, parents love him, and more importantly, children love them (I can name any number of award-winning books that collect dust on our shelves). Don't miss One Boy, which won an Honor.
The Pura Belpre Medal is given to books that portray Latino culture. Yuyi Morales won the Illustrator award (and an Honor citation) for Just in Case. It's also a Spanish counting book, which is pretty cool.
Next up: the awards for an author's body of work, and the major two awards.
There were many cheers when Kadir Nelson won the Coretta Scott King Author Award (and the Illustrator Honor citation) for We Are the Ship. It's a fantastic and fascinating look at the Negro Baseball Leagues. Definitely one of the highlights of the previous publishing year. I was very pleased that Joyce Carol Thomas won an Honor citation and that Floyd Cooper won the Illustrator Award for The Blacker the Berry.
I'm a big fan of the Pinkneys, so was very happy that Jerry Pinkney was named an Honor recipient (The Moon Over Star) for the Illustrator award.
The Batchelder awards are given to books originally published in a language other than English and subsequently translated into English. I haven't read one of the winners, Tiger Moon, but I'm looking forward to doing so.
Not only did We Are the Ship win the CSK Author award, but it won the Sibert Medal, which is awarded to children's nonfiction titles. The two honor books are wildly different but equally fun to read: Bodies From the Ice and What to Do About Alice?
It was no surprise that Mo Willems won the Geisel (for beginning readers) for Are You Ready to Play Outside? Children's librarians and teachers love him, parents love him, and more importantly, children love them (I can name any number of award-winning books that collect dust on our shelves). Don't miss One Boy, which won an Honor.
The Pura Belpre Medal is given to books that portray Latino culture. Yuyi Morales won the Illustrator award (and an Honor citation) for Just in Case. It's also a Spanish counting book, which is pretty cool.
Next up: the awards for an author's body of work, and the major two awards.
Back From Midwinter
I'm (finally) back from the American Library Association's Midwinter conference, held in sunny Denver.
Ha. It snowed every single day we were there, and it was 4 degrees below zero on the morning I left Denver. However, life moves on in Denver. Denver's a pretty cool town. Public transportation (including a free shuttle down the 16th street pedestrian mall and a light rail around parts of the city) made it easy to get around the city. In between meetings, my friend and colleague from Chesapeake Public Library (where I hear it is 70 degrees today) were able to explore a bit of the city, including eating buffalo steak at Denver's oldest restaurant (Sasha also had elk, which we weren't too fond of....the buffalo was very good). We really got a feel for Denver's (and Colorado's) old western heritage there (not a place to take your vegetarian PETA friends). We sat by several folks who were attending a sportsmen's conference at the same time and place as the ALA convention, which was fun.
We also wandered around the 16th Street pedestrian mall, making a stop at Denver's famous Tattered Cover bookstore. Lo and behold, there was the latest volume in the shamefully addicting Luxe series. Yes, we do have it on order, but I wanted to read it right away!
(It's still a very fun read, but certain elements of the story could be seen tap dancing their way down Fifth Avenue. More on it later.)
In addition to all this fun were all the committee meetings and discussion groups that I was there for in the first place. Unlike the annual conference, there are no sessions or workshops. Basically, if you aren't on a committee or anything like that, you will be hard-pressed for something to do. Midwinter is primarily a business meeting. Very important and very useful for making contacts, not to mention mandatory for committee members, but it's very much a business meeting.
(Tip for those attending conferences...when you receive invitations to breakfast/lunch/dinner receptions, accept them! Worldcat and EBSCO gave particularly good receptions.)
For some foolish reason, I thought that advanced reader copies/galleys wouldn't be as plentiful as they are at the annual conference. Hardy-har-har. I eventually collected three boxes full of advanced reader copies (you can ship them directly from the exhibit floor).
(Tip for those scouring the exhibit floor looking for ARCs...don't just pick up an ARC and move on. First of all, that's rude. Asking a publishing representative about an ARC in your hand or "What are you really excited about for this spring/summer?" will probably get your ear talked off and ARCs that haven't yet been displayed. They want to tell you about their books. Let them-and thank them. It's a long day for them. Yes, they are providing ARCs in the hopes that you order the books, so it's not a charitable endeavor. Still, it's always nice to be appreciated. Of course, if he/she is sitting at a table reading a book and not looking to engage attendees, that's a completely different story.)
One of the highlights of the convention was attending the ALA Youth Media Awards! Next post, coming up.
Ha. It snowed every single day we were there, and it was 4 degrees below zero on the morning I left Denver. However, life moves on in Denver. Denver's a pretty cool town. Public transportation (including a free shuttle down the 16th street pedestrian mall and a light rail around parts of the city) made it easy to get around the city. In between meetings, my friend and colleague from Chesapeake Public Library (where I hear it is 70 degrees today) were able to explore a bit of the city, including eating buffalo steak at Denver's oldest restaurant (Sasha also had elk, which we weren't too fond of....the buffalo was very good). We really got a feel for Denver's (and Colorado's) old western heritage there (not a place to take your vegetarian PETA friends). We sat by several folks who were attending a sportsmen's conference at the same time and place as the ALA convention, which was fun.
We also wandered around the 16th Street pedestrian mall, making a stop at Denver's famous Tattered Cover bookstore. Lo and behold, there was the latest volume in the shamefully addicting Luxe series. Yes, we do have it on order, but I wanted to read it right away!
(It's still a very fun read, but certain elements of the story could be seen tap dancing their way down Fifth Avenue. More on it later.)
In addition to all this fun were all the committee meetings and discussion groups that I was there for in the first place. Unlike the annual conference, there are no sessions or workshops. Basically, if you aren't on a committee or anything like that, you will be hard-pressed for something to do. Midwinter is primarily a business meeting. Very important and very useful for making contacts, not to mention mandatory for committee members, but it's very much a business meeting.
(Tip for those attending conferences...when you receive invitations to breakfast/lunch/dinner receptions, accept them! Worldcat and EBSCO gave particularly good receptions.)
For some foolish reason, I thought that advanced reader copies/galleys wouldn't be as plentiful as they are at the annual conference. Hardy-har-har. I eventually collected three boxes full of advanced reader copies (you can ship them directly from the exhibit floor).
(Tip for those scouring the exhibit floor looking for ARCs...don't just pick up an ARC and move on. First of all, that's rude. Asking a publishing representative about an ARC in your hand or "What are you really excited about for this spring/summer?" will probably get your ear talked off and ARCs that haven't yet been displayed. They want to tell you about their books. Let them-and thank them. It's a long day for them. Yes, they are providing ARCs in the hopes that you order the books, so it's not a charitable endeavor. Still, it's always nice to be appreciated. Of course, if he/she is sitting at a table reading a book and not looking to engage attendees, that's a completely different story.)
One of the highlights of the convention was attending the ALA Youth Media Awards! Next post, coming up.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Off to ALA Midwinter
I will be at the American Library Association's Midwinter conference in Denver. I'll be back next Wednesday. I've been slow with the updates-that will change!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Edit to Previous Post
The White House's kids' section has been (temporarily, I'm sure) removed. The site contained video of the former president's pets and visits with youth groups, so that is obviously not there any more. I'm guessing that non-agenda pages will be relaunched after some retooling. It's usually a fun site to visit, so stay tuned.
Inauguration Sites
Hello, everyone. Sorry about the lack of updates-it's been very busy here. We had a patron looking for inauguration sites for children, and since I thought this might be a question asked several times today, I thought I would do a post about it. It's easy to find books on presidential history, but not so much with websites just for children. I couldn't find anything specifically on the inauguration (that are any good) just for children, but there are several excellent sites on presidential history. Here are a few of them:
PBS Kids has a good presidential history site.
The Smithsonian has a great presidential history site just for children.
The History Channel has an excellent presidential history site as well, including information on Barack Obama.
Bartleby's has the text of past inauguration speeches.
Older children and adults should look at the Library of Congress's overview of past inaugurations.
PBS Kids has a good presidential history site.
The Smithsonian has a great presidential history site just for children.
The History Channel has an excellent presidential history site as well, including information on Barack Obama.
Bartleby's has the text of past inauguration speeches.
Older children and adults should look at the Library of Congress's overview of past inaugurations.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
The Not-So-Random Shelf: Nonfiction
I love “children around the world” books, so reading A Ride on Mother’s Back was a real treat! Each page introduces us to a mother (but sometimes a father or grandparent) and her baby. We learn how mothers carry their babies while they are cooking, working in the fields, or gathering food. This lovely book contains further notes and explanations about each mother’s country and culture.
Ever heard of a steamboat getting stuck in a cornfield? That’s exactly what happened to the Virginia in 1910. The Ohio River’s tides were tricky to navigate before locks and dams regulated the river, and the steamboat found itself on dry land. Fortunately, all’s well that ends well, and the steamboat is back into commission (after a brief stay). Steamboat in a Cornfield almost reads like a ballad poem (it was written by country singer John Hartford) and would make an unusual read aloud. Newspaper clippings and photographs capture the period.
Monday, January 12, 2009
In a Blue Room
It’s very common for children to develop an obsession with a particular color. Only items with that coloring are approved; everything else is not worthy of their attention. This is the situation we find in In a Blue Room. Alice loves the color blue. Everything in her room must be blue. It’s nighttime, and just like many children, she’s fighting sleep. Mama brings tea, flowers, a quilt, and even a blue lullaby; all must be blue. The task seems impossible, but new swirls of color appear when the light is turned out and the pale moon glows. In a Blue Room is a gentle understanding of a child’s desire to control their uncontrollable world; it’s a lovely bedtime read aloud story. Very sweet. I’ve seen it mentioned on Mock Caldecott lists, so keep your eye out for this one.
Thursday, January 08, 2009
The Not-So-Random Shelf: Nonfiction
Not only do our 200s collection include children’s books on modern day religion, they also contain our collection of mythology adapted for children. Two picture book retellings of Greek myths recently caught my attention.
The story of Hercules is splendidly retold by the wonderfully prolific Kathryn Lasky. Hercules himself narrates his early childhood, his famous twelve labors, and his eventual ascension to Mount Olympus. Mark Hess’s striking illustrations bring this mighty Greek god’s strength to life. Hercules: The Man, the Myth, The Hero is also well-suited for a read aloud story.
The Olympic Games are a recent memory, so it was fitting that I picked up Shirley Climo’s Atalanta’s Race. Atalanta refused to marry any man who could not outrace her. Many tried, but just couldn’t outrun this incredible racer.
The Greek myths often contain warnings about the repercussions of ignoring the gods, and Atalanta’s Race is no exception. Atalanta neglected to thank the gods for her gifts and had no use for them; of course, this meant that it was time to teach her a lesson!
Not only is Atalanta a determined and athletic young woman, but her relationship with her husband, Melanion, is one of mutual respect. Alexander Koshkin’s masterful illustrations add to the ethereal charm of this story.
The story of Hercules is splendidly retold by the wonderfully prolific Kathryn Lasky. Hercules himself narrates his early childhood, his famous twelve labors, and his eventual ascension to Mount Olympus. Mark Hess’s striking illustrations bring this mighty Greek god’s strength to life. Hercules: The Man, the Myth, The Hero is also well-suited for a read aloud story.
The Olympic Games are a recent memory, so it was fitting that I picked up Shirley Climo’s Atalanta’s Race. Atalanta refused to marry any man who could not outrace her. Many tried, but just couldn’t outrun this incredible racer.
The Greek myths often contain warnings about the repercussions of ignoring the gods, and Atalanta’s Race is no exception. Atalanta neglected to thank the gods for her gifts and had no use for them; of course, this meant that it was time to teach her a lesson!
Not only is Atalanta a determined and athletic young woman, but her relationship with her husband, Melanion, is one of mutual respect. Alexander Koshkin’s masterful illustrations add to the ethereal charm of this story.
Monday, January 05, 2009
The Not-So-Random Shelf: Picture Book
Happy New Year! Hope you had a great holiday.
It’s a shame that picture books are sometimes neglected when a child begins to read easy readers or easy chapter books. There are fabulous and sophisticated picture books that many elementary children will appreciate and enjoy, such as The Greatest Skating Race and Togo.
The Greatest Skating Race is an exciting and memorable story of Dutch children’s bravery and skill during the Second World War. Piet dreams of participating in the famous Elfstedentocht, a 200 kilometer skating race in the Netherlands. His strong skating skills enable him to help two young children escape to Belgium after their father has been arrested by the Nazis (for listening to Allied broadcasts). An encounter with Nazis nearly leads to failure, yet the children manage to talk their way past the Nazis.
There’s a lot to take in: Louise Borden weaves in information about skating history and the Elfstedentocht along with the story. The length of the story and the vocabulary makes this appropriate for third grade and up.
Balto is famous for running the last leg of the 1925 serum run to Nome, but many Alaskans believe that Togo, who led his team over 350 miles, has been neglected. Robert J. Blake has created a haunting and gorgeous picture book account of Togo. This small and headstrong puppy wasn’t expected to grow into a courageous sled dog, but Togo soon became known as the fastest sled dog in the area. His speed and leadership, along with his master’s skill, were called into play when diphtheria struck Nome.
The stark Alaskan winter and the stamina and eventual exhaustion of the dogs are perfectly evoked through the book’s thrilling text and illustrations. This is a mesmerizing book suitable for K-2 students.
Picture book fans need no introduction to Jan Brett. Honey…Honey…Lion! is a great read aloud for preschool and kindergarten students. Honeyguide and Badger have always been friends in their search for honey. Unfortunately, Badger decides that he’s not in the mood to share. A mad Honeyguide pretends to lead Badger to another hive, but it’s actually a lion’s den! This is a funny read aloud that gets its message across without browbeating the audience.
It’s a shame that picture books are sometimes neglected when a child begins to read easy readers or easy chapter books. There are fabulous and sophisticated picture books that many elementary children will appreciate and enjoy, such as The Greatest Skating Race and Togo.
The Greatest Skating Race is an exciting and memorable story of Dutch children’s bravery and skill during the Second World War. Piet dreams of participating in the famous Elfstedentocht, a 200 kilometer skating race in the Netherlands. His strong skating skills enable him to help two young children escape to Belgium after their father has been arrested by the Nazis (for listening to Allied broadcasts). An encounter with Nazis nearly leads to failure, yet the children manage to talk their way past the Nazis.
There’s a lot to take in: Louise Borden weaves in information about skating history and the Elfstedentocht along with the story. The length of the story and the vocabulary makes this appropriate for third grade and up.
Balto is famous for running the last leg of the 1925 serum run to Nome, but many Alaskans believe that Togo, who led his team over 350 miles, has been neglected. Robert J. Blake has created a haunting and gorgeous picture book account of Togo. This small and headstrong puppy wasn’t expected to grow into a courageous sled dog, but Togo soon became known as the fastest sled dog in the area. His speed and leadership, along with his master’s skill, were called into play when diphtheria struck Nome.
The stark Alaskan winter and the stamina and eventual exhaustion of the dogs are perfectly evoked through the book’s thrilling text and illustrations. This is a mesmerizing book suitable for K-2 students.
Picture book fans need no introduction to Jan Brett. Honey…Honey…Lion! is a great read aloud for preschool and kindergarten students. Honeyguide and Badger have always been friends in their search for honey. Unfortunately, Badger decides that he’s not in the mood to share. A mad Honeyguide pretends to lead Badger to another hive, but it’s actually a lion’s den! This is a funny read aloud that gets its message across without browbeating the audience.
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