Holiday Break Reading

One of the best parts of the holiday break is the extended time one has for reading. We have more time to dig into that book we know will require our complete attention. We can digest the book a bit more slowly and fully appreciate it. And while we are reading, we can change our minds about what to read because we have choice! We can try out a genre, pick up a book we meant to read along the way but didn't, or reread a classic or favorite. Put simply for me, the joy of winter break reading comes from knowing that you don't have to put the book down!

I already had stacks of books waiting for me, so I knew I would never run out. Prior to the break, I reminded the young readers in my library to make sure and create their own book stacks.

So --  in this post, I wanted to share with you what I have been reading so far. I really didn't have a plan, other than to try to read a book a day  (to participate in Donalyn Miller's #bookaday) and catch up on some 2015 titles before Jan. 1st.

After looking back at this list, I can see that:

I read some books I had put on my to-read shelf a long time ago.
I read a book that won't be published until 2016.
And I noticed that I was also bridging my own book gaps (a phrase I learned from Donalyn Miller referring to books you missed).

I have read exactly what I needed to read.

Here are some of the books I have read so far:

Brooks, Gwendolyn. Bronzeville Boys and Girls. Illus. by Faith Ringgold. New York: Amistad, 2006. Print.

I love poetry, and I learned about this at #ncte15 this November. I enjoyed the illustrations as well as the rhythm of the poems. I also loved reading this one aloud to myself! I've already reread it several times.

Meyer, Marissa. Cinder. New York: Feiwel & Friends, 2012. Print. 

This one was definitely a book gap for me. I owned a copy of it, but had never picked it up. This young adult novel was a page-turner, and I am going to do my best to read the entire series before break is over!

Moore, Inga. A House in the Woods. Somerville, MA: Candlewick, 2011. Print. 

A pleasant and lovely picture book a fellow librarian recommended to me. I'm glad my public library owned a copy of it! 

Sepetys, Ruta. Salt to the Sea. New York: Philomel, 2016. Print. 

This work of historical fiction (young adult) will be released in early February. I couldn't put it down. I'm still thinking about this one. 

Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. A Shiloh Christmas. New York: Atheneum, 2015. Print. 

This is the fourth book in the Shiloh series, and it was the perfect book to start with my holiday break. Several viable themes here (family, for one), and the story's Christmas setting plays an important part.

Baptist, Tracey. The Jumbies. New York: Algonquin, 2015. Print. 

This one was one of those 2015 titles I needed to read before Jan. 1st.  Based on Caribbean folklore, the main character bravely fights to save her father and her island home from the "jumbies". This one is also a page-turner! 

Mora, Pat. Tomás and the Library Lady. Illus. by Raul Colón. New York: Knopf, 1997. Print.

I'd read this one years ago, but wanted to reread it. Based on a true story in the life of Tomás Rivera, (the late poet, author and educator), it is a beautiful example of how librarians can help readers on their learning journeys. Also, I love to follow the work of author Pat Mora, founder of Día (Children's Book Day, and the 2016 May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Award Lecturer.

Although I did meet my Goodreads Challenge for 2015, I am still reading. And I can't wait to pick up the next book -- although I'm not quite sure what it will be! (That's the beauty of reading during the winter break!) But I also can't wait to hear from the readers in our library and celebrate their winter reading, too!

Miracle on 133rd Street by Sonia Manzano

With the holiday season comes newly published holiday books. For the past several years, I have purchased a book or two to add to my personal collection, and treasure them so very much. (See my previous posts about Santa Clauses.) They go on display on my coffee table and mantel, and each year, I love pulling them out again. And just like my special holiday ornaments, I get reacquainted with them, remember where I acquired them, and relive what they've meant to me.

Last year I was very excited about The Night Before Christmas (Knopf, 2014). I am still excited about it and consider it a lovely new tradition to reread and "re-enjoy" this book. Roger Duvoisin's illustrative work is of particular interest to me, and his classic style is simply lovely. (Duvoisin won the Caldecott Medal in 1948 for White Snow, Bright Snow (Lothrop, 1947).

And this year, I am enjoying this picture book by Sonia Manzano (yes, Maria from Sesame Street!):

Manzano, Sonia. Miracle on 133rd Street. Illus. by Marjorie Priceman. New York, Atheneum, 2015. Print. 

This very colorful picture book tells the story of José's family during the holiday season.  José's mother is trying to cook a roast, but their oven is too small. His father gets the idea to ask the neighborhood pizzeria owner if they can borrow his oven. On the way down the stairs in the building, they meet up with their neighbors, each lamenting their holiday troubles (rambunctious children keeping mothers busy during holiday break, grandparents sad that their families cannot visit, parents dealing with the high cost of gift-buying, etc.) The roast is finally cooked, and in its pick-up and return, their holiday festivities take shape  -- and also bring joy into their neighbors' Christmas Eve. 

Priceman's illustrations are lively, feathery, and playful: José's family in their cozy apartment, bright patterns on clothing, characters floating in the air as they walk down city streets. Wispy swirls in white and light blue represent pleasant scents and aromas one can almost smell. Emotions are shown with on-the-mark facial expressions consisting of closed eyes, rosy cheeks, or a gaping mouth. The pizzeria owner is clearly joyful as he tosses pizza, and we see that through a declarative smile under a curly mustache. Pets are part of the story (look for them in each scene), whether as terrified cats escaping playful children, or a scared dog hiding under a blanket, reflecting his owner's fear of leaving his apartment at night. Tall, bright city buildings are the backdrop for many of the scenes, but only after the neighbors begin to connect; the world opens up to them as they reach out. And as these city dwellers bond on a cold holiday night, the city becomes more welcoming. And so does the world. 

Manzano's story is uplifting, a light fun trail to follow. But José's family is sharing a message, too --  finding joy through friendships, and immediately making everyone's day better with one kind invitation. The pace is bouncy and moves readers along at a perfect speed: we enjoy the adventure, but the treasure of the story stays with us. Readers will fall into a delightful rhythm as they turn each page. In its entire package, Miracle on 133rd Street becomes a holiday experience that readers can enjoy each year and be inspired by as well. 

Read more about Sonia Manzano's books here. 

Marjorie Priceman won a Caldecott Honor Medal for Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin.

Gingerbread for Liberty by Mara Rockliff

I read Gingerbread for Liberty early in the fall, but I didn't share it with readers until this very week: the week before the holiday break. It turned out to be the perfect time to read it, as fifth graders were studying the American Revolution and had just finished some research into the time period.

The curriculum tie-ins were great, but most of all I was happy to share a narrative nonfiction book, and the story of a lesser-known historical figure. 

Gingerbread for Liberty (HMH Kids, 2015) is the story of Christopher Ludwick, a German baker who helped soldiers during the American Revolution.  Told in a picture book format and colorfully illustrated by Vincent X. Kirsch, Ludwick's story is engaging and interesting, and will inspire readers to learn more American history. 

The cover captures the spirit of the book right away: Ludwick is stepping forward with a tray, smiling and himself looking like an iced colorful cookie. The blue/brown color combination work well on the cover art, as well as in the interior of the book. White "icing" trims houses, soldiers, and ships, and makes the entire book "delicious". There are leanings of figures over one another, such as when Washington faces Ludwick in a double page spread and warns of him the dangers he faces. And then there is the part where Washington faces his soldiers as they inform him of trouble in the ranks. 

The composition of the visual elements (faces facing each other, the length of an object across the gutter of the book, and the dominance of the browns and blues) make this book a standout. That some figures are larger than others, while others are much smaller (the Redcoats ships all lined up on a page) give readers more to look at and appreciate -- and still have me thinking. 

Readers connect with Ludwick and his zeal to help fight for the cause of liberty, even if he is no longer in prime condition for battle. Ludwick can bake very well, and this talent is what he brings to General George Washington. But he can also speak German, and this combined with energy, make it possible for Ludwick to indeed assist Washington and his men during the war. The book discusses some of the main conflicts between the two sides, while also celebrating Ludwick. The story itself is a fairly quick read, so there is more than enough time to take in the Author's Note, which offers other interesting details about the baker. 

Indeed, after you read this book, you will want to do two things:

1.) Bake gingerbread

2.) Read more nonfiction picture books. 

To learn more about Mara Rockliff, visit her website here. 

To learn more about Vincent Kirsch, visit his website here. 

"Hour of Code Week" in the Library

Last week, we participated in the "Hour of Code" in our library!

Prior to book checkout and after a few book talks, I talked about coding and how we depend on devices that are programmed with coding.

I introduced the tutorials on the Hour of Code Week website and played the introductory video for the Minecraft version. Our learners loved hearing from one of the developers of Minecraft (Jeb) talk about how he started programming when he was 11 years old. Check out that video here.

In pairs and individually, learners tried out the tutorial with great success. (We used both iPads and desktops to code.) When they faced a challenge or weren't sure about what to do, they talked it out with each other. It was great to watch them collaborate and learn from one another. They persevered and work through each challenge, and I could see the pride on their faces when they reached the next level. I heard "Coding is fun!" several times. (I really like that the tutorials all had a translation feature, too!)

There wasn't enough time to complete the tutorial in the library, but students continued in their  classrooms. Some chose to do it as part of their #GeniusHour projects later in the week. Teachers were just as excited about coding, and I made sure to share more resources with them (apps such as Daisy the Dino and LightBot and my own Coding Symbaloo). Some of our learners had already been using Scratch and Kodable.

The coding will continue in the library -- next week and beyond. I can't wait to participate again next year!

Make sure to check out the #HourofCode hashtag on Twitter to see how others observed this week!

Christmas Poetry -- SANTA CLAUSES: SHORT POEMS FROM THE NORTH POLE

There's something special about holiday books. I can't quite explain it. I think it's the fact that not only are you going to enjoy the holiday, but you will have a great book that goes with it -- illuminating a memory, and creating anticipation for you own celebration. 

And when that book is poetry, that is made even more special. 

So, as the holiday season gets in full swing, I thought I'd share a poetry book I've been rereading recently: 

Raczka, Bob. Santa Clauses: Poems from the North Pole. Illus. by Chuck Groenink: Carolrhoda Books, 2014. Print. 

In this picture book, Santa shares the poetry he has written, inspired by a gift from Mrs. Claus --a book of haiku. Kept as a journal for the month of December, the light, wispy verses give us a glimpse into Santa's busy month. Along the way, he thinks about eggnog, watches Mrs. Claus make a snow angel, helps her untie the Christmas lights, and observes the nature around him. I was struck by the poignancy of the moments caught in each poem, such as on Dec. 19th when Santa takes a moment to enjoy a candy cane -- or when he reads "A Christmas Carol" by the fire to Mrs. Claus. Santa (Raczka) has picked the most simple and perfect of moments to spotlight with text. 

Honestly, Santa won my heart here --by writing crisp, simple, and very authentic verse.

An introduction explains the premise of the book and the haiku form.  The text is appropriately presented as a paper in the typewriter Santa uses to write his poetry. 

Each verse is illustrated by Chuck Groenink, and these pages reveal a quaint and pleasant life: star garland hung over the fireplace, a happy cat sitting by the fire, and an elf checking his cell phone when he's supposed to be asleep. Pages alternate between nighttime and daytime scenes, both outdoors and in Santa's home, and will make readers feel as if they are spending time with Santa -- staying over for the holidays, enjoying his hospitality. Some illustrations are two-page spreads, and some are panels -- framed like windows into Santa's world. Blues are dusk-midnight-glowing-in-the-moonlight-perfect, and the slightest hints of red are warm and classic. Elves are whimsical and lively, and appear as if moving across the page -- and the workshop. 

In these scenes, I noticed Santa's love for books and reading. That won my heart over yet again. 

Excellent mentor texts? Yes -- for anyone wishing to write haiku. For anyone wishing to write about themselves. 

And for anyone who enjoys the spirit of Christmas.

Read more about Bob Raczka's work here. 

Check Chuck Groenink's website here.