Choosing My Next Read

When you have so many reading choices, selecting your next book isn't easy -- especially when you want to read everything and you only have a certain amount of time.

When I do finally pick the book, if it is definitely the right book to read right then, I know before or by the 10th page. (Note: This is an approximation and there are exceptions!) If I don't know right away, it doesn't mean it isn't right at all. It just means it isn't right at that moment.

Sounds a little confusing, right?

Sometimes it is for me, too.

But when I do find the right book -- the one that keeps my attention and interest, the one where the main characters are interesting and I want to see how it all turns out for them -- Well, then that is truly wonderful. These four books did just that! (Some or all may be subjects of future book reviews on this blog. Just sharing the titles here and a few notes for myself about them.)

The Girl Who Could Fly. By Victoria Forester. Feweil & Friends/MacMillan, 2008. 328 pages. $16.95.

The second book in this story is The Boy Who Knew Everything (Macmillan, 2015) is soon to be released. I will be writing a blog post soon about both books.

Another Kind of Hurricane. By Tamara Ellis Smith. Schwartz & Wade, 2015. 336 pages. $16.99. 

I've read several books with the setting of Hurricane Katrina (Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere, Zane and the Hurricane) so I was very interested in this one. With the upcoming 10th anniversary, this one was high on my to-read list. 

The Truth About Twinkie Pie. By Kat Yeh. Little Brown, 2015. 352 pages. $17.00. 

Do you like books with recipes? I do! But this book also has plot twists and interesting characters. I am now trying to figure out which recipe to try first. 

Riding Freedom. By Pam Muñoz Ryan. Illustrated by Brian Selznick. Scholastic Press, 1998. 144 pages. $17.00. 

After attending Scholastic's fabulous event for The Marvels (Scholastic, 2015) at ALA Annual in San Francisco, and reading the book, I naturally reached for Riding Freedom: a book where two of my favorite authors come together -- Pam Muñoz Ryan and Brian Selznick.  I'd read the book long ago, but knew I needed to revisit. (P.S. I've already read Echo.) 

Hopefully, it will be easy for you to choose YOUR next read. I hope my little post here helps in some way. 

The Skunk by Mac Barnett

Wow! Summer has flown by. I have memories of ALA San Francisco and ILA St. Louis, and some hot weather days in between.  And when I look back on June and July, I mostly remember books. Is that surprising?

One book I will forever connect with the summer of 2015 is:

The Skunk. By Mac Barnett. Illustrated by Patrick McDonnell. Roaring Book Press/Macmillan, 2015. 40 pages. $17.99


In this latest book from Caldecott Honor Winner Mac Barnett, a skunk appears on a man's doorstep. Not quite sure what to make of this, the man leaves his house. The skunk follows. After failed attempts to escape, the man confronts the skunk, but receives no reaction. Attempts to appease the skunk with gifts are also unsuccessful, and in a last ditch effort, the man takes refuge in - of all places- an opera house. The skunk proves to be very persistent, and soon the man is trekking all over the city with the skunk in tow.  Realizing he must do something truly drastic to escape the skunk, the man moves to a new home, beginning a new life. In the end, however, the two find each other once more, leaving readers to contemplate their fascinating connection.

McDonnell's black and white striped endpapers suit the story perfectly, particularly at the end of the story.  (Patrick McDonnell won a Caldecott Honor in 2012 for Me. . . Jane.)  The use of red connects the two characters - the man's bowtie is red and so is the skunk's nose -- and with dashes of pink and beige, the palette is cheerful and, when needed, a bit dark. (This is a good thing.) Movement is shown with lines, and roses and red doors are important details. Watch for them! Negative space highlights unspoken conversations between the man and his pursuer, and emotions are shown through saucer plate eyes, hands in pockets, and bursts of red atop the man's head. The world Barnett and McDonnell create here is classic big city, but metropolitan and homey at the same time. 

The text consists of first-person narration giving  the story a sense of appropriately paced suspense. A tale sure to bring about wonder and discussion. 

Much of the book cannot be predicted. (This is part of its appeal.) Readers will wonder if the skunk keeps following, and though cheering the man on, will also hope it does! 

Other points to notice are the city spots: the opera, a sculpture garden -- two artistic places, and yet, along with it -- a carnival. The juxtaposition of these locations show the reader that the man in this book has depth! And though he runs from a skunk, he is also unafraid -- walking into the sewers and even the alley. The other things we know about him: he dances after dessert, has friends who bring him presents, and can buy a new home at a whim. Notice also that he wears a tux with tails during the day. 

There's a quality to this book that keeps drawing me to it, and even with multiple readings, that quality really is indescribable. It could be the quirkiness, the scarlet red appearing on every page, or the fact that a skunk would follow a man around relentlessly. Perhaps it is all three!

As I read it aloud to myself, here at home during my 2015 summer months, the mystery only deepens for me. The Skunk fascinates me much in the same way that Sam and Dave Dig a Hole did, and I predict it will have the same positive reaction from the readers in my library this fall.

The Skunk:  A must-have if you love picture books as much as I do. And also if you wonder what you would do if a skunk followed you.

Read more about this book here.

Books I'm Talking About at ILA 2015

P. Zonka Lays an Egg by Julie Paschkis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

P. Zonka is a dreamer. She's also a preoccupied hen -- much too busy to lay eggs. Instead she spends her time observing the beauty around her, noting the colors of the flowers, and admiring the blue of the sky. Her hen peers question her constantly about her refusal to lay eggs. Does P. Zonka give in and do what everyone else does?

This brilliantly illustrated picture book is filled with swirls, curved lines, and vivid flourishes reminiscent of Ukranian decorated eggs. Each two page spread swims beautifully in pastel shades of yellow, blue, green, or orange. The artwork perfectly personifies the creativity and freedom P. Zonkas enjoys.

A picture book about creativity, being true to self in the face of opposition, and finding beauty in one's surroundings.

Meet the Dullards by Sara Pennypacker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Dullards have three children, and they have raised them to be boring in a boring environment complete with gray walls and a dull neighborhood. But one day they catch their children reading books! After they replace the books with plain paper, Mr. and Mrs. Dullard decide a change of scenery is in order to ensure the continuing "dullness" of their children. But when they arrive, they encounter a few challenges. Do the children continue to be dull? Or do they rebel? This comical, clever picture book entertains and inspires rereads for details of boredom.

Even the endpapers are gray in this picture book, and readers will appreciate the reason. Use of color is a part of the story, and emotions such as surprise, disdain, and want are shown with expressive eyes.

A must-have picture book for both ingenuity and humor.




Special Delivery by Philip C. Stead
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sadie has an elephant she'd like to mail to her Great-Aunt Josephine. But when she finds out how may stamps are required, she imagines other means of delivery (including by train and alligator). When she finally delivers the elephant, readers discover another surprise about Aunt Josephine. Delightfully and colorfully illustrated by Matthew Cordell, this picture book is imaginative and playful - and readers will come to love Sadie for her determination, sense of adventure, and the way she keeps her promises.

Note the book cover resembling a stamp, the outdoor post office, and emotions shown in elephant eyes. Under the dust jacket, the casing reveals another wonderful surprise from Matthew Cordell.

The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly

The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate. By Jacqueline Kelly. Henry Holt/Macmillan Children's, 2015.  320 pages. $16.99

When I taught fourth grade here in Texas,  I enjoyed teaching our state symbols, history, geography, wildlife, etc. With each year, my appreciation for my native state grew - especially with more visits to the Alamo, the Capitol, and other Texas historical landmarks.

So, understandably, when I come across books with a Texas setting, I take note!

This is where Calpurnia Tate comes in. 

I'd read the Newbery Honor Winner The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate (Henry Holt, 2009) years ago, and enjoyed it. When I received a copy of the sequel, The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate (Henry Holt, 2015), I could hardly wait to see what Calpurnia had been up to!

It's 1900 in Fentress, Texas, and Callie Vee Tate still has to contend with her brothers' antics, piano lessons she's less than fond of, and every wild creature young Travis wishes to sneak into the house. Granddaddy continues to feed Callie's passion for science with books and insightful discussions. But the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 has hit the coast, displacing relatives, and Callie's cousin Aggie comes to stay with the Tates. Aggie keeps to herself, holding secrets, frustrating Callie, but eventually the two find commonality in their need for independence - albeit on different terms. Told in Callie's engaging, storyteller voice, the book is both historical fiction and a coming-of-age story. Fans of the first novel will be pleased, and readers new to Callie's world will be equally charmed.

Note that Calpurnia's brothers (Lamar, Sul Ross, Jim Bowie, Sam Houston, and Travis) are named after Texas historical figures. There is also mention of Texas locations such as the San Marcos River, Austin, and Beaumont. And of course, as is in the first installment, science topics abound, with reference to animals, veterinary medicine, and scientific work.

To read more about the author and Calpurnia, click here.

My Podcast with Matthew Winner

Awhile back, my friend Matthew Winner, a school librarian in Maryland (better known as THE BUSY LIBRARIAN) asked me to be on his Let's Get Busy podcast. Matthew and I met on Twitter, and most recently in real life at the Texas Library Association Annual Conference in 2015. Matthew was the keynote speaker at TLA's awesome Tech Camp 2015. 

We like to talk about books! And libraries!

And we've connected our students via Skype for events such as Dot Day 2014. 

So when it came time to record the podcast, I said yes!

And then I realized that I don't really like the sound of my own voice.

But I did the podcast anyway.  And, I had a lovely time! We talked about some of the kidlit standouts of 2015 because there wasn't enough time to talk about all of them. As we talked, my appreciation for these books grew even more.

In this 40-minute podcast, I proved something to myself about what I can do! And hopefully, I will do something like this again. I know I did a lot of critical thinking as I spoke, and I even made myself go back and reread some parts of the books AFTER the recording. Why? I think it was because I was processing the book in a different way, and asking and answering my own questions.

If you'd like to listen to the podcast, click here to go to Matthew's Let's Get Busy Blog. Go to Best Books Ever to listen to our book discussion.

And - of course - be sure to get copies of all of these books at your local library!

A HANDFUL OF STARS by Cynthia Lord

Lord, Cynthia. A Handful of Stars. New York: Scholastic Press, 2015. Print. 

This post is a long time coming. I read this one in the spring right before TLA 2015. I even took it with me on the trip. Not sure why--  I just knew I had to have it with me. Do you know that feeling? Do you carry around books you've already read just in case you want to share them?

First, the cover is quite distinctive! A blueberry on a dog's nose = Memorable and cute. And second: Cynthia Lord's Rules (Scholastic Press, 2006), Touch Blue (Scholastic Press, 2010),and Half a Chance (Scholastic Press, 2014) are already permanently part of any book list I send out when someone asks for middle grade recommendations. If you've been reading kidlit for awhile, you are probably familiar with Lord's work. Her books are a staple for my fourth grade teachers -- especially when it comes to book club titles. 

Lily - the main character- lives with her grandmother and grandfather in Maine. Her dog Lucky is blind. One day Lucky runs off, in danger of being hit by a truck. But luckily, and for Lucky's sake, he is saved by Salma, the daughter of one of the migrant families that travel to Maine to pick blueberries. With this happenstance meeting, Lily and Salma begin a friendship. Though they live different lives and have different backgrounds, they are connected through a mutual love of art - and a hope that Lucky's vision can be improved with surgery. And when Salma decides to enter the Maine blueberry pageant, the story begins. Salma dreams of going to college, and since the top prize in the pageant is a savings bond, her goal is to enter and win. 

One of the strength's of this book is Lord's style of bringing the reader into Lily's world. Lord describes the community and the people surrounding Lily in a way that makes the setting an integral - and rich - part of the plot. Maine, the blueberry barrens, the town where everyone knows everyone - where traditions are important. 

And most definitely, this is a book about friendship. Lily becomes a friend to Salma and the two help each other.  But  Lily changes most from the connection. In Salma, Lily sees someone with confidence and purpose. As they prep for Salma's appearance in the contest, Lily learns a lot -- as we usually do from good friends. 

Salma is an unforgettable character, and she gives readers a glimpse into the hard life of migrant farmworkers and their families.  She becomes for me a sort of beacon character -- a character much like Hattie from Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson - a character that illuminates aspects of real life and shines light on our own. And definitely, Salma is a character readers will remember long after they finish the book.  

This book was released in May, so it is available now. 

I know I'll reread A Handful of Stars-- as I have done with all of Lord's other books. 

Read more about A HANDFUL OF STARS here.

Teacher - Author Skype

At a recent district literacy conference, my fellow librarians and I presented to elementary classroom teachers. Under the leadership of my fabulous district librarian, we talked about our databases, how to use and access e-books, and ways to collaborate with their own school librarian. The experience was very rewarding, and I enjoyed connecting with these dedicated educators. I especially enjoyed working with my fellow librarians!

I presented two portions of the presentation. In one (working with a fellow librarian), I recommended some nonfiction picture books. (See previous post.) I tried to pick some titles that I knew their library already would have, while also giving a few new recommendations. 

In the second part of my presentation, I talked about using Twitter and Skype to connect readers with authors and bring the world into your library. I've used both many times to connect my library with the kidlit community, so this was not hard for me at all! 

My district librarian had the wonderful idea to Skype with an actual author DURING our presentation. And she immediately thought of one of our state's wonderful authors, Chris Barton. Chris is the author of Shark vs Train and his latest book is  The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch -- two books I highly recommend.

We were so grateful to Chris for being willing to join us that day! Although we had a bit of technical difficulty at first,  the experience was absolutely wonderful. Chris talked to teachers about his books, his research, and his process.  It was a short but very powerful experience. The teachers enjoyed listening to Christ talk about his work, and his talk couldn't have been more perfect. 

Prior to the Skype, we had brought out copies of Shark vs. Train, and even made hats. We all had to choose a side! (This was, again, my district librarian's idea and I thought it was a wonderful one!)  We surprised Chris by wearing the hats during our Skype.

We also had a wonderful discussion about who actually won: Shark OR Train.

On a side note, I mentioned to the teachers that Chris's next book (set for release on Sept. 1, 2015) is called THE NUTCRACKER COMES TO AMERICA. I am fortunate to have an early copy and I will be blogging about it soon:

Barton, C. Nutcracker comes to america: How three ballet -loving brothers created a holiday tradition. Illus. by Cathy Gendron. Minneapolis, MN: Millbrook Press, 2015. Print. 

Check out Chris's other books here.