Bluebonnet Voting: Mock and True!

On Monday, we held our class Mock Bluebonnet Vote.

Most of the students had read at least 5 of the 20 nominees. (Two had read all 20 of the nominees! The most of any class!)

This was the winner:

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger

I knew this book was very popular among my students. Now we will wait until the announcements of our state results! 

For a complete list of this year's nominees, click below:

Texas Bluebonnet Awards Current Nominees

In honor of Yoda and his recent accolade, my students made some origami yodas and Darth Papers. (We recommend Darth Paper Strikes Back--the second book in this series.) 

Enjoy!  We are off to read now!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday, and I am once again joining the fabulous Jen and Kellee over at Teach Mentor Texts to share what I am reading today!

I am currently reading Dead End In Norvelt by Jack Gantos. Of course, it has that wonderful sticker on the front because it won the Newbery Medal for 2012 just last week! And I was there to hear the announcement! (I can't stop talking about it because it was so great a day!)

I'd heard of the book before it won, but hadn't picked it up. It's in the YA section of my local library. As I write this, I'm on pg. 125. (Although it is very funny and I am enjoying it, I don't think it belongs in my own elementary classroom library.)

This week, I read Blackout by John Rocco. I really enjoyed this book, and I thought the illustrations were wonderful. My students liked it, too.

I also read The Legend of Spud Murphy by Eoin Colfer. This is a quick, easy chapter book that is very funny, and I know some students in my classroom will love it. I know it's a series, too.

Finally, I also read Bad Kitty for President by Nick Bruel.

This week, I hope to finish Dead End in Norvelt and begin The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate.

And maybe I will begin to delve into some of the great titles I picked at ALAMW on Monday!

I hope everyone has a great week of reading!

Mock Bluebonnet

In Texas, our state book award for children is called the Texas Bluebonnet Award. The target audience for these books: students in grades 3-6.
Our students will vote this week in our school library.
We will have our own Mock Bluebonnet before our school votes. Just as we did with our Mock Caldecott, it will be very interesting to see where our class lines up with the rest of Texas.

Two of the current nominees are:

Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm


And:

Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger


Both of these books are very much loved by my students. I have no idea which will win our school vote.  My students are doing some campaigning among themselves, and are even creating their own sticker for the book!

Visitors to Our Classroom

What an eventful week this was in our classroom! We were fortunate enough to host some district visitors who wanted to learn with us!
Since I have made class greeter a classroom job, having visitors to our classroom is a fairly smooth event. Two students guide our guests, entertaining questions or explaining displays.  We created a checklist of features we like to showcase, and the students discuss these features throughout their tour. Although I don't have guests very often, I want the students to be prepared.

This gives students real-world experience, and they love to talk about what we do. It also is great feedback for me because I get to hear the student's perpective on a topic. 

One of the latest wonderful tech tools we've been using is the Bump app.

It allows me to collect images on one device (like these iPod Touches).  Before, I had to upload pics from each device, one by one. This always took so much time!  Thank you again, Tony Vincent (from Learning in Hand), for sharing this app with our staff.

I love this app, and I find new uses for it every day. I also love that it is free!

The ALA Youth Media Awards: An Incredible Day!

On my way out the door this morning, bright and early at 6:15 a.m., I spoke these words to my husband: "I'm off to make a dream come true!"

If you're a Nerdy Book Club Member, it is a dream for you. And it was for me.
I attended the ALA Youth Media Awards.  What an experience! The picture above was the view from my seat!

As my friend Mr. Schumacher said, there was a lot of excitement in the air. Librarians cheered when their favorites won awards, frenetic applause broke out, and oohs and aahs could be heard by all.

Several books were unfamiliar to me, but that didn't bother me. My TBR list grew a little longer. Do I ever want my TBR pile to be short? No.

Every detail of the ceremony was carried out with precision. I learned so much just by watching. (For example, I'd never heard of the Schneider Family Book Award, and I didn't know there were honors for Pura Belpre` illustrators as well as authors.)

My focus, though, was on the two big names of the show: the Caldecott and Newbery winners. When I walked into the theater, I brought my students' hopes with me: namely, hopes for a medal for WHERE'S WALRUS? (by Stephen Savage)--our own Mock Caldecott winner. I had their excitement, questions, and compliments, too. Throughout the entire ceremony, I knew I had to talk about this experience in a way that conveyed its magic appropriately.  (I hope I can do that at 8:30 a.m. in the morning.)

Later in the afternoon,  I headed to my local library to pick up the two winners. The librarians at my public library had just put on the stickers.

A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka

Winner of the Caldecott Medal, 2012

Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos

Winner of the Newbery Medal, 2012

Now, I'm off to enjoy these. . and to savor every bit of this wonderful experience.
This was a day I will never --- ever----forget.

It's Like Christmas Morning!

This past week, I posted a poll on Edmodo to see which book was a Caldecott favorite in my class.

The choices were:
I WANT MY HAT BACK by Jon Klassen
PRESS HERE by Herve Tullet
GRANDPA GREEN by Lane Smith
WHERE'S WALRUS? by Stephen Savage

WHERE'S WALRUS? was the winner by 10 votes!

My students loved this book. I knew this because they coudn't stop talking about it and comparing it to other books. It brought them so much joy (the kind that makes the room light up). We didn't have this book in our school, but I found it at my public library. This proves that it is always RIGHT for me to search in multiple places for these books. An extra drive to another library or another bookstore is always worth the gas money, worth the time, and worth the effort.

On Monday morning at 7:45 a.m. CST, we will all find out the winner together!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday, and I am once again linking up with Kellee and Jen over at Teach Mentor Texts to discuss what we are reading. I thank them for this forum.

Teachers have a lot of deadlines. They come in waves. Last week was an ocean for me!

Fortunately for me, my reading and my teaching went hand-in-hand. I was reading potential Caldecotts to my class and enjoying them very much (Grandpa Green, Little White Rabbit, and Press Here). My students and I had very deep discussions about these books. I was so pleased with the spontaneous comments they made. They were thinking deeply and expressing such clever opinions.

For my own Newbery/Nerdbery Challenge, I read Bud Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis. I am completely disappointed in myself for not having read it sooner. It is an excellent book with such rich characters. I highly recommend it. (But you have probably already read it!)

I have another reason for reading Bud's story. On Twitter, many were buzzing about The Mighty Miss Malone (also by Christopher Paul Curtis) which was released this past week. Deza, the main character, also appears in Bud, Not Buddy.  I wanted to be able to continue the storyline with a fresh memory.

Currently I am reading Miss Malone's story, and by the time this post is published, I might very well be finished with it. I'm on page 194 at the moment, and I am finding it to be such a heartbreaking, rich, and incredible book. I have 5 stars for it. I know Miss Malone is worthy of them. (I'm hoping to have enough words in me to review it soon.)

This week will be another busy one with its own tides and waves. But hopefully, I will take the time to treat myself to a good book each night. My teaching will no doubt benefit. Of this I am sure.

(Coming in Tuesday's post: My recaps of Monday (a PD day with Tony Vincent from Learning in Hand), and Tuesday (our classroom Babymouse Celebration).

Our Own Mini-Mock Caldecott

This was a week of learning for me, especially since all my after-school meetings were basically PD. The best session was on Tuesday.  On this day, my Tech Integration Specialist interviewed me via Skype on ways I ways I connect with teachers outside my school.  I enjoyed sharing even though I was a bit nervous about being interviewed! I learn so much from other teachers, and I always want to pay it forward. 

In class, my students and I read a different Caldecott potential winner every day, and then discussed their chances of winning this prestigious award. We compared them to other books and ranked them.  (Students even started polling each other on their favorites. That was a wonderful moment for me!)

We read:

Press Here by Herve Tullet
(My students LOVED this fun, interactive book!)

Grandpa Green by Lane Smith


A beautiful book about memory and the past. My students still talk about this book. 

Little White Rabbit by Kevin Henkes

This book is about a rabbit who wants to be green.
It's a delightful book!







Of these three, my students loved Press Here the most. 

We will continue to add to our ballot next week as I find more great titles. 

Sugar and Ice: A Very Nice Book by Kate Messner

Sugar and Ice by Kate Messner
Published: Dec. 7, 2010
Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers
275 pp


During the winter break, I read Marty McGuire by Kate Messner. It is a sweet, fun book and it is being passed around right now in my class. Both boys and girls are reading it and love it!
Because I enjoyed Marty McGuire so much, I was happy to try Sugar and Ice. This book is more of a middle grade book with a deeper story.
Claire is a great ice skater from a small town. She comes from a close, hard-working family. When she is offered a fabulous opportunity to skate with a famous coach, she must make tough choices about friends, family responsibilities, and school. As she pursues her dream, she learns about who she really is, and about what is important to her. I enjoyed Kate's storytelling, the descriptions of the ice and pond, and the mood of the book. I cared about Claire as she took this journey. As I said in my Goodreads review, I thought the story sent a wonderful message about family and being true to who you are.

I really enjoyed this book. I think I know some students who will enjoy it, too!

(I read to find books for my students. So I must read every day and often!)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

Today I am joining Jen and Kellee from Teach Mentor Texts in their Monday post about what we're reading on Mondays!

Although last week was the first week back after Winter Break, I managed to get into a reading routine! Every day, at the same time of day, our entire school reads silently for 20 minutes. I also read during our Reader's Workshop for a bit so that I can make sure my students see that I am a reader, too. (I read at home as well, but the amount differs each day depending on what projects I have going on!)

Last week I read several Caldecotts:

The Big Snow by Berta and Elmer Hader

The Little Island by Margaret Wise Brown

They Were Strong and Good by Robert Lawson

The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson

Many Moons by James Thurber

Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey

The Rooster Crows by Maud and Miska Petersham

Mei Li by Thomas Handeforth

Prayer for a Child by Rachel Field

I also managed to read these chapter books:

Smile by Raina Telgemeier

Icefall by Matthew J. Kirby

The Fourth Stall by Chris Rylander

Today I am reading The Friendship Doll by Kirby Larson:

I finally found it at the library, and I have my own copy being shipped to me. I'm a latecomer to this book, but only due to lack of availability!

It is a happy Monday for me! 

(Today's shoe choice: My floral Sloggers--rain boots--since it is a wet day and there is a 42% chance of rain.)

The Newbery/Caldecott Fever is Catching On!

Since we returned from winter break, my students and I have been sharing our reading goals for 2012. I told them about my three challenges (Newbery, Caldecott, and 600 book total). Each student came up with their goal. I told my class they could tailor their own goals to fit their preferences and schedules.  One student came up with a page total goal.  Several students are challenging themselves to read 100 books!

As I read the Caldecotts, I share some with my students.  Sometimes I will read the book aloud, or pass the book around during Reader's Workshop. The two titles I shared were The House in the Night (2009 Medal Winner-illustrated by Beth Krommes and written by Susan Marie Swanson) and Make Way for Ducklings (1942 Winner by Robert McCloskey). My students really enjoyed these books.

As we walked past the library one day last week, my students took note of the Newbery and Caldecott posters. In the hallway, we were having wonderful conversations about these awards and the criteria. And then several of my students were inspired to check some out themselves!  We even went on a sort of scavenger hunt around the library, searching for book spine stickers (a great way to find Newbery and Caldecott titles).

This proves something I have always believed in:  If I am excited as a learner, my students will be, too!

Now, I need to be just as excited about reading The Story of Mankind (Newbery Winner for 1922 by Hendrik van Loon). When I finish this, I will be so proud of myself (and so will my students)!

A Nest for Celeste - My Review

 

TITLE: A Nest for Celeste: A Story About Art, Inspiration, and the Meaning of Home
AUTHOR: Henry Cole

PUBLISHER: Katherine Tegen Books (An Imprint of Harper Collins Publishers)

PUBLISHED: March 1, 2010
NUMBER OF PAGES: 342

On our way to a bowl game in California last week, I should have been thinking about my team and bringing home a win.  But I was doing great with my winter break book-a-day, and I was determined to get in my daily titles (packing 3 books for a 3-day trip). Sitting in my window seat on the plane before takeoff, I opened my first book and from then on, I didn’t hear the usual sounds or feel the usual inconveniences that one encounters when flying. I didn’t think about our quarterback or the weather on the field at game time.  At some point during the trip, I think the flight attendant brought me a diet Coke, but I hardly remember that. I also didn’t chat with my husband  (who flew with me). He ended up taking a well-deserved nap.

Why was I so oblivious to my surroundings?
I was reading A Nest for Celeste by Henry Cole.

From the beginning, I was completely captivated by Celeste, a crafty and responsible little mouse separated from her family.  Alone under the floorboards, she weaves baskets expertly, and navigates her environment with cleverness. Despite the rats that bully her, she is content. But after an encounter with a cat, she is forced from her home and all that she has known.  Navigating her way in the plantation house, she settles into the boot of a young apprentice named Joseph.  Joseph is an assistant to John James Audubon (who also lives in the house while he paints Louisiana birds).  From this place, Celeste learns to trust, form friendships, and even plays a part in assisting in one of Audubon’s works.  She risks her life for her friends and faces her fears with courage. The story is told simply, but in a way that causes the reader to very much adore this little mouse.  With every turn of the page, I was more impressed with Celeste’s artistry, her consideration for others, and her wit.  Her ultimate goal is a permanent home.  We all want to belong somewhere, and we all want someone to care for us, so you (the reader) begin to hope for her, too. Nestled in the story is a view of Audubon's  work and methods. (Some of Audubon's methods in securing his bird subjects would be illegal today, and they will merit some discussion. The author mentions this in the afterword.) Having just read Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt, I was very interested in this part of the book.  Henry Cole has created a treasure in A Nest for Celeste. (Another beautiful part of this book: Cole’s illustrations-- perfectly drawn and precisely placed.)

There is plenty of adventure in this book to entertain young readers, and I’ve already tagged it as my next read-aloud in my classroom (Celeste’s new home).

I finished the book just as we landed, and my husband tells me it was a pleasant flight. I believe him.

 In a way, I felt this book helped carry me way just as much as the plane did.  (By the way, we won the game, too.)

(Note: This review was cross-posted on the Nerdy Book Club blog on 1/4/12.)

Winter Break Book-A-Day: It's a Wrap!

My winter break book-a-day was a success (31 books), and I read some wonderful titles! Here's some of what I read last week:

Birthday Room by Kevin Henkes

Junonia by Kevin Henkes

Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm (a current nominee for the Texas Bluebonnet Award)

Sugar and Ice by Kate Messner

Of these books, Turtle in Paradise and Sugar and Ice were my favorites. 

When I returned to school with my students today, I brought my reading fervor into our Reader's Workshop, sharing my book total challenge of 600 books.

I began conferences with my students today about their reading over the winter break and their reading goals.  One-on-one conferences help me get to know my readers. It's a great time to catch up and assist with book choice or vocabulary. I also was able to share a couple of new books I bought on winter break.

I also began our new read-aloud:

A Nest for Celeste by Henry Cole    (I will post a review of this book this week.)

The writing is amazing. I'm using it to highlight word choice, conflict, and theme.

I hope my students love this book just as much as I do!

If you participated in Winter Break Book-A-Day, what were your favorites?

(My shoe choice today: comfortable black Rockport ankle boots.)

Looking Back, Peeking Ahead

LOOKING BACK:

The year 2011 was the year I took charge of my own professional development as a teacher. Even though it took a month of my summer, taking part in the National Writing Project's Summer Institute was a milestone moment for me. And by blogging with my classroom, and connecting with other teachers on Twitter, I have gained more knowledge than I could ever find  in any training module or speaker's notes. I've realized that my own PD needs can best be met if I seek the answer myself. I don't have to wait for a session or a speaker (although I've heard some wonderful ones). I can find the book, I can find the expert (most of the time it's another teacher), and I can learn by doing (and redoing, in some cases).

PEEKING AHEAD:
Now, I've taken charge of my own reading. I've always been a reader, and Goodreads tells me I've read a lot of books (29 on winter break #bookaday).  Reading has ALWAYS been a major part of my life; I've always had a book on hand, and I've always had a stack of books waiting for me at home. But I was meandering down the reading road without a map.

In 2012, however, I am taking part in three reading challenges: The Newbery Challenge (hosted by Mr. Schu and Mr. Sharp), the Caldecott Challenge (hosted by LibLaura5 and Anna Z), and my own 2012 Goodreads book total challenge (daring myself to read a total of 600 books this year). I will be intentional about my reading. I have a destination.

I'll read to become a better person and a better teacher. Now, I will also read to recommend, and I'll share my reviews on this blog. I am even more excited about sharing these books with my students and my school.

And, I will also keep track of my latest shoe purchases. . .

It's Jan. 1, 2012. Isn't there a shoe store open somewhere?