Catch That Cookie! - A New Holiday Book

Books about gingerbread men are very popular around the holidays-- especially with kindergarten.  I knew our readers were already familiar with the books we had in our collection, so I started a hunt for a new gingerbread book to read aloud. Thankfully,  didn't have to search too long! I received a copy of CATCH THAT COOKIE! by Hollie Durand and Caldecott Medal winner David Small, and I was quite excited to read it! I know David Small's work, and consider THE LIBRARY (written by Sarah Stewart) to be one of my all-time favorite picture books.

Durand, Hallie. 2014. Catch That Cookie! Ill. by David Small. New York: Dial.

Marshall is the main character of the book, and when we meet him, he's a little skeptical of the "runaway gingerbread men" stories he's heard in school. When I read this part to our kinder students, they couldn't understand why he didn't believe! I love that! 

He helps his classmates bake the gingerbread men in school, carefully decorating his own cookie with six raisins for eyes and a "silver-ball belt". The cookies are placed in the oven, but when his teacher checks them for doneness, the oven is empty! Our readers love this part! In the rest of the story, Marshall uses logical thinking and clues to find the gingerbread men, and gingerbread footprints lead him to the discovery of the cookies' location. 

At the end, Marshall changes his thinking about gingerbread men and their ability to run. 

It's a fun story that really engages young readers! 

My favorite illustrations are the pages where Marshall sits in this car with his dad and his gingerbread cookie at the end of the book. Dad's expression says he's enjoying the secret, too.

This story completely held their attention, and afterward, during checkout, I laid out die-cut gingerbread men, glue sticks, crayons, dot stickers, and cutouts of bow ties and hearts. They decorated them, and it was so wonderful to see their creations:

The activity was simple, but tied it perfectly with the book. The clean-up was easy, too.
I also made this vine of our activity.






One of the most memorable moments for me was when one of the kindergarteners asked for a pair of scissors. I asked her what she was planning to do. She said she was going to show that someone had taken a bite out of the gingerbread man. Here is her cookie:

Isn't that so clever?

I'm thankful for CATCH THAT COOKIE! and I look forward to sharing it again.

Click here to read more about this book!

Makerspace Begins in the Library

Beginning a Makerspace in our library has been a goal of mine for awhile. I'd had the start of one here and there with minor efforts, but after reading about other makerspaces and the possibilities, I knew I wanted to try something more substantial. I worried about the details. What if I didn't have everything? What if I did it wrong?

I decided to just start it and go from there. This is part of my learning this year.

I knew that with the way our library is used every day, putting out all the materials all day long  every day wouldn't work. Just about every grade level visits every day (either in classes or individually), and the space is used in so many ways (collaboration, writing, research, and so on). So, instead I put everything (cardboard, tape, paper, how-to-books, origami stuff, etc.)  on a library cart. I figured I could wheel it out whenever I wanted to, and then wheel it back in the back room anytime. But the cart didn't exactly look very nice.  Scratches, tape residue, and the effects of wear and tear definitely made it not so appealing.  Thankfully, my parent volunteer repurposed it and made the cart look a million times better!  Here's what it looks like now.

This is one side. I love the tape dispenser that happily hands out duct tape or wasabi tape.  

This is the other side. We have cardboard, pipe cleaners, beads, etc. 

This part is my favorite. 

This was beyond what I expected! (Orange is my favorite color by the way.) My volunteer did an amazing job, even stocking the cart with other items, and attaching curtain rods for the tape! She  put side holders for craft books and origami instructions.

I couldn't wait to wheel it out!

I knew that Genius Hour would be the perfect time to bring out the cart. During this time, students are engaged in projects individually or in groups, pursuing topics of interest. Many of them visit the library to do their work, browse, or read.  As soon as Genius Hour began, I put out a sign, placed baskets on the table, and then stood back and watched. Some walked over to the materials, picking things up, and then looking around. They read the sign and some got started. Some felt very comfortable in just trying something out. Others needed to see someone else get started. Eventually everyone started working on something.

It was a busy, bustling hour. Our students were completely engaged. Based on their questions about materials, and my own observations, I can see what I need to have for next time.

It was really wonderful to see the items they created, and to hear them think aloud.

After it was over, I was so glad that I just got started. I realized that our learners would show me everything I needed to know, and that as long as I was giving them space and materials they needed, and the opportunity to to create, everything WOULD be perfect.

An I-Can-Read Holiday Book

Everyone is looking for holiday books this time of year, and I just read one that I wanted to share here. (By the way,  isn't it amazing just how many holiday books there are? My wonderful parent volunteer collected many of them for a display, but still wasn't able to pull all of them because we ran out of shelf space in our seasonal area.)

Now to the book:

Paterson, K., & Brown, J. (1997). Marvin's best Christmas present ever. New York: HarperCollins.

I found this one in my library and decided I needed to read it. First of all, Katherine Paterson wrote it. Second of all, Katherine Paterson wrote it. 

Katherine Paterson won the Newbery Medal in 1978 for Bridge to Terabithia, and in 2013, she received the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award.  I have a wonderful memory of attending the 2013 Newbery-Caldecott-Wilder Banquet in Chicago, IL, where I waited in line (happily) to congratulate Katherine Paterson for the award. I'll never forget that day. 

Honestly, I don't know if I made much sense when I spoke to her. My eyes came to tears with absolute book joy. 

But back to the book! 

This is the story of a boy who really wants to give his family something wonderful for Christmas. Marvin lives in a trailer with his family on a farm that belongs to someone else. Realizing that Christmas is coming, he asks his sister for gift-giving advice. Noting that his gifts haven't exactly been perfect in the past, Marvin sets out to do something really special. He finally decides upon making a wreath to display outside their home. His sister helps him make the large wreath, and the gift is admired and appreciated. But then Christmas passes, and Marvin can't part with the wreath. Other holidays come and go, and each time someone in his family wants to get rid of it, someone else wants to keep it. Marvin's family comes together, and what you realize is that his gift connects them and helps Christmas last longer. At the end, it becomes special in another way. I'll let you read the ending for yourself! 

The plot was completely unexpected - an early reader page turner. Jane Clark Brown's illustrations portray farm and family life with perfect delight: Dad walking home from the barn, Marvin and his sister feeding the chickens, Mom walking in from a shopping trip as playful cats greet her at the door. Details in the illustrations such as Dad's mud-soaked truck, the children's drawings on the refrigerator door, and those cats playing on every other page invite the reader into the family's home and story. The story is about much more than Christmas. It's about compromise, and selflessness, and persistence.

I will reread this one, and make Christmas last longer for me. And I will thank Katherine Paterson again for yet another story she's given me. 

I Want to Share a Book With You!

Sometimes I love a book so much that I carry it around with me. I think I do that because I want to be ready to book talk it to someone on the spot. Or maybe because I want to be able to reread it when I have a minute. I think part of it is that having the book nearby gives me comfort. I love books a lot, you see.

One book I have really been fascinated with lately is this one:

Barnett, M., & Klassen, J. (2014). Sam & Dave dig a hole. Somerville, MA: Candlewick.

Sam and Dave Dig a Hole is about two boys named Sam and Dave -- one wears a blue cap, the other wears a red one. They set out one day -- as some kids do --- to dig a hole. They set out with shovels, animal cookies, and chocolate milk, and then the adventure begins. 

They dig, and rest, and eat their cookies and drink their milk. In hopes of finding something "spectacular", they come across nothing, but readers see what is nearby in the dirt -- a diamond. And the story continues, as the two get so close to the diamond, but keep digging in opposite directions. There is a dog with them -- his treasure is a bone -- and as he digs for it, his story collides with that of  Sam and Dave. 

You will need to pay attention to the story from the very beginning -- in fact the title page! and as you near the end, look closely at every detail.

Young readers will notice, and question, and at one point, they may have faces of disbelief or confusion. Just let them go with that! As I told the readers in my library when I read this aloud, "Books will sometimes leave you with more questions than answers". 

I asked third graders these questions after reading the book aloud: 

"Would you like to check out this book?" 

Every hand went up. 

"Would it be okay with you if someone gave you this book as a gift?" 

Every hand went up.

There is so much to this book, I just may blog about it again. 

Watch the trailer for the book below. Jon Klassen and Mac Barnett are both in it, and the song is now a favorite of mine. 

This is one of my copies of the book. At NCTE, Jon Klassen signed it and included this special drawing. I thought that was so nice of him. I only need Mac's now!

Phil Bildner Author Visit

Last week, I marked a landmark moment as a librarian: my first author visit. Needless to say, it was truly an exciting day for me! 

Phil Bildner, the author of the 2004 Texas Bluebonnet Winner Shoeless Joe and Black Betsy (Simon and Schuster, 2002) was a guest in my library, and he spoke to our 4th and 5th graders. 

Prior to the visit, I had read Shoeless Joe and Black Betsy to classes, and they had visited his website. They also used their iPads to scan QR codes and watch book trailers for Phil's books.

My wonderful parent volunteer helped by making this banner for everyone to sign:

"I'm loving this library!" said Phil when he walked in. Well, that just my day! 

After I greeted Phil for the first time,  he and first talked about BOOKS! A reader to reader connection! We talked about many titles with excitement, and then I showed Phil my Mock Caldecott stack. More conversation ensued! 

Phil then signed books for our readers. When I took this picture I felt so honored to have a real live author sitting in my library!! There is no other feeling like that! 

Here he is signing books for our readers. Please note he brought special pens for this. 

Phill presented two sessions that afternoon. Honestly, there was so much awesomeness in Phil's presentation that I do not think I can capture it all in this blog post. He was engaging, energetic, and connected with our students with his wit, style, and words. I tweeted a lot and so did our teachers. My awesome principal and assistant principal came to listen, too, and that made me so happy! 

Phil spoke about the importance of reading, and challenged students to be an "extreme reader": a reader who reads what he/she loves, but also reads out of their comfort zone, trying other genres, too!  

Phil also talked about writing and the value of keeping a notebook. He showed us his revision work (as pictured below), and told students that they should not complain about having to rewrite a paragraph, as authors do extensive rewrites. Very great comparison! 

Two of my favorite moments of the day:

1.) Phil talking about the importance of consistent reading:

2.) Phil talking about some noteworthy books including Kadir Nelson's book Nelson Mandela (Katherine Tegen Books, 2013). 

In fact, Phil talked about several other books including one of my all-time favorites ever: The One and Only Ivan (HarperCollins, 2012). 

Here are all the other books Phil book talked to my readers that afternoon:





Yes, it was an absolutely wonderful afternoon!

Reflection: The value of author visits is immeasurable. Hearing an author speak face-to-face helps young readers see that there is a world behind the books -- that authors are real people who care deeply about their work, and that they are more than just names on the front cover. Also, an author visit is a celebration about books among readers. That afternoon, teachers, administrators, and students shared a love of books together as readers. We all had one more thing in common that day!

I am looking forward to many more author visits in my library!

Who will visit next? Hmmm. 

A Skype Visit with Sheila Turnage

I'm always interested in the books our teachers are reading aloud to their classes. Sometimes teachers come into the library to ask me for recommendations. I love helping them find one. 

I walked into one of our fourth grade classrooms a few weeks ago and noticed a copy of Three Times Lucky (Dial, 2012).

I noted how awesome this was because I read the book, too, and loved it. Having also attended the Newbery-Caldecott-Wilder Banquet when Sheila Turnage received her Newbery Honor Award for the book in 2013, I have a great memory of this novel. 

As serendipity would have it, I was offered an opportunity the very next day by Penguin Publishers to Skype with Sheila Turnage. What do you think my answer was? Of course, it was a resounding YES!! 

I offered the Skype to the teacher and she jumped at the chance, too!

The teacher has been reading the book aloud to her students.  When the day came to Skype, they were at a very pivotal part in the book, so the timing could not have been more perfect. 

Prior to the Skype, I created a Padlet for the class to post their questions. I also shared Sheila's website so that our students could explore it and have some prior knowledge of the author. 

Students used their iPads to post the questions, and I could view it from home and from the library before the visit. Mrs. M, their teacher, created a Thinking Map for students to post their guesses for who the culprit was! (Read the book to know what I'm talking about!)

We showed it to Sheila Turnage on the screen. I think she liked it! 

During the Skype session, Ms. Turnage talked about the setting's importance to the story. Tupelo Landing is a small town, and Sheila talked about the influence of her own home in her writing.

She also shared with us a wonderful memory of her 1st grade teacher who read one of the stories she wrote as a child. "This is an excellent story and you are an excellent writer," the teacher told her. That was the day she decided to be a writer. "That's how powerful teachers are," Sheila said.

I loved that story!!!

Ms. Turnage also talked about how her love of reading came from her parents, who read to her as a child. Her father read her comics, and she loved the Hardy Boys series!

Our students asked questions about Sheila's next book (which I already want to read), how one gets an agent and editor, and influences on her writing.

I was so proud of our students. Here are some of their reflections after the Skype:

"I learned you can be an author at an early age."

"Sheila Turnage is the best author ever!!!"

"I Skyped with an author!!!"

"I think I can be an author, too!" 

"Most authors rewrite their books to make changes."

"I am glad we got the chance to Skype with Sheila Turnage." 

"I learned that a story goes in your head, and get a spiral notebook and write it while it goes in you head." 

"I think I MIGHT be an author when I grow up." 

I know this author Skype will have long-lasting effects I might never see. An author in this group? Yes! More books read? Yes. The whole thing was more wonderful and beautiful than I could adequately state here.

I can't thank Penguin and Sheila Turnage enough for the opportunity.

And to our 4th grade class and their incredible teacher: Thank you for being awesome and -- 

Read on!!

November is Picture Book Month!

November is Picture Book Month! Along with many other librarians and teacher friends, I am celebrating the picture book by sharing titles and encouraging everyone to do the same!

I love everything about picture books! They accomplish so much in a few pages. The illustrations are always so interesting to look at, and I like figuring out how they work with the story. I buy many picture books a month!!

The Picture Book Month website is the headquarters for it all, and you can click here for a Teacher's Guide.

I'll also be following this calendar posted on the site:

I'll be sharing some new picture books we've received in the library and encouraging our teachers to tweet out titles, too.

It will be such a wonderful time! I wonder how many picture books we'll read together!

Join us and don't forget to use #picturebookmonth when you post!