Some of My Memorable Summer Reads

Summer is over, and with the first day of school tomorrow,  I'm doing some reflecting on my reading. I glance over at my bookstack on my side table, and look at the titles I have kept there. Somehow, they didn't make it back to a shelf, or to my personal library upstairs. I know why.

I had a busy summer and really wished I could have read more than I did. But I will not feel ashamed because I am proud of what I did read. I read some great new and upcoming titles, and some published long ago, still loved by many. So when someone asks what I read this summer (and I may not wait for them to ask), the titles that come to my mind quickly are the ones that I know left a big impression. Those happen to be the same books on my table. I can't put them away because I want them near me. I want to be able to look at them, open them, remember the precious words, and mostly, how they made me feel. 

While I won't write at length about them here, or evaluate them at all right now, I will share them with you. And I will tell you that they have become a part of my remembered reading timeline (not every book makes it here) and that even though I have many, many more books to read, I will make time to reread these--although in bits and pieces, in stolen moments on busy fall days.

Nest by Esther Ehrlich:

An unforgettable main character named Chirp. A book dealing with tough issues. A story that will tug and break and enrich your heart. A book you will not be able to put down. Release date: Sept. 9th. Mark it on your calendar. In a really bright color! I have. I have! 

Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin: Available October 7th from Feiwel & Friends. A girl with an obsession for homonyms. Un-put-downable. Does that make sense? I will forever appreciate Ann M. Martin for giving us A Dog's Life: Autobiography of a Stray (Scholastic, 2005). 

Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere: Published April 8th, 2014

I wished I had known about this book earlier in my "reading life".  I would have shared it more. I would have recommended it more. So I'm making up for lost time here. This is a powerful, powerful book. You won't forget what it makes you think and feel. 

Brown Girl Dreaming: available on August 28th! Next week! 

I read this one in April, and since then, I have grown to love it even more. Here's my final copy from Penguin. Some books stay with you. Some books inspire you. Some books beg to be reread. This one does all of those things.

Revolution by Deborah Wiles

I read this one in April, too. Every page is an experience. Nonfiction paired with fiction in a way that makes you say: "Wow! How did she do that?" And then you realize exactly what Deborah Wiles did with this book. And you marvel again. And again.

I'll start the school year with wonderful book memories. And I know I'll make many more with the readers in my library. And more importantly, I'll help them make their own.

Double Reverse: A Football Book By Fred Bowen

I love college football. Yes, this cute- shoe librarian really does! I don't know everything about the sport, but I know enough to enjoy watching a game. I love watching a game in real life or on TV, and I keep up with sports and news throughout the season (which is upon us). 

For these reasons, and the fact that I'm always looking for new books for the readers in my library, I was very interested in reading Double Reverse by Fred Bowen. Also, I am happy to participate in a blog tour for this book. I'm the last stop, but make sure you visit the previous stops here:

Monday 8/11 The Write Path

Tuesday 8/12 Kid Lit Reviews and Geo Librarian

Bowen, Fred. Double Reverse. Atlanta, GA: Peachtree, 2014. Print.

Jesse Wagner plays wide receiver for his high school freshman team. His brother Jay, once a star quarterback for the same high school, is about to start his first season of college football at Dartmouth. Jay and Jesse share a love of football, and practice together, discussing the game and learning from one another. As the season progresses for Jesse, his team loses several games, and their quarterback is hurt. Jesse, always thinking about the team and trying to improve, has a discussion with his brother Jay who gives him the idea of going for quarterback. Jesse is unsure about this because he doesn’t feel like he “looks the part”. Jay, facing his own changing role on the Dartmouth team, convinces Jesse to try (and promises to try a new role proposed by his coach on his college team as well). After a discussion with his coach, and some successful plays, Jesse gets his chance. He practices, tried hard, and already knows the playbook from helping Jay memorize them. He draws up plays like math problems, and is always thinking about football. (Included in the book is a side story about Jesse’s friend Savannah, and how Jesse helps get her on the team.) When the season ends, Jesse has learned a lot about football, and even more about himself. 

Double Reverse is an engaging sports book that will ring true with athletes of any sport, but especially football. Fred Bowen writes paragraphs of football plays authentically, and in a straightforward, clear style. Reading the narrative is almost like watching a football game in real life, and when touchdowns are scored, readers will feel like cheering. 

Jesse's solid relationship with his brother is a plus in the book, and their "deal" in the story shows readers that family members can help each other when they go through challenges together. Also a positive is the inclusion of the character of Savannah, and the fact that Jesse advocates for her being the team's kicker. 

Readers will identify with the sports lesson in the book, and Bowen ties it up nicely in the end. 

The book is short enough (and exciting enough) to keep readers interested, and the sketches of football plays add a layer of "realness" to the book. Another attractive feature is "The Real Story" at the end in which Fred Bowen writes about a similar story to Jesse's that is actually true (from the NFL). This section will fuel more interest in nonfiction and shows readers that the two (fiction and nonfiction) can be paired, no matter your interest.) 

This is a good choice for middle grade readers with an interest in sports! 

You can get to Fred Bowen's website here. Mr. Bowen is a sports columnist for the Washington Post, and Double Reverse is the latest installment in the Fred Bowen Sports Story series published by Peachtree.  

I can't wait for the season to start! 

Rereading a Newbery Winner: The Giver

Lowry, Lois. The Giver. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1993. Print.

I reread The Giver by Lois Lowry this week. It's a soon-to-be-released movie, yes!

Yes, I probably reread the book because it's a soon-to-be-released movie, and because I'd heard so much movie news about it--  but mostly - MOSTLY - I reread it because it is a Newbery winner. (Having attended the most recent ALA Annual and the Newbery Banquet, I think about the Newbery a lot.) The Giver  won the Newbery in 1994, and the Honor Books that year were Crazy Lady (Harper Collins, 1993), Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery (Clarion, 1993), and Dragon's Gate (HarperCollins, 1993).

How I would have loved to have attended that Newbery/Caldecott Banquet! 

I thought back to what I was doing then.  Well, I wasn't watching the book awards (much less attending them like I do now). I was a reader then (as I've always been), but more than likely I was so focused on my first years of teaching that I didn't have time to think about anything else. I read the book, but I think -- I know -- I read it too quickly to process it. And then it became a part of a literary staples list. A solid title. A landmark book.

But I don't remember talking about the book with any other teacher readers.  I thought about the reading community I am a part of now, and I asked myself: "What if I'd had a reading community like #nerdybookclub at the time I read the book? What if I'd had my Twitter PLN back then?"

That would have been a wonderful thing! 

As I was rereading the book. my mind whirled with questions and more "what if" scenarios. But I also thought  about the way the story was told. The narrative is straightforward and easy to follow. The tone is matter-of-fact, making the reader feel as if everything that happens in the book is the right way of happening (when it isn't). You feel completely taken into the world Jonas lives in. But none of it feels right, and every time you hear about one of the customs in the society, you cringe at the wrongness of it. As you get to know Jonas, you know he will do something about the wrongness he sees. You're taken in from the very beginning, and that's exactly what a good book does. Even though I'd read it before, I still couldn't put it down. This book stands the test of time. And rereads.


Now that this book has reentered my "reading life", I see it with new eyes. I see it as a librarian, a writer, and as a children's literature enthusiast. And I become very grateful that we have authors like Lois Lowry: authors that write their best work and make us think.

This video from ALA Annual was helpful and informative for me as I read the book this week:

I may reread parts of the book before I watch the movie, and I know that will add to my experience.

Happy Friendship Day!

Today is August 3rd and it is Friendship Day! I'm celebrating by rereading a special picture book that I am super excited about it:

It is a sweet, sweet book about a friendship, and the cutest little elephant you've ever seen! The release date is set for August 26th!

When I find a beautiful picture book with a good story, I get so happy! I think about how I will share it with young readers in my library.  I think about what they will say when they see the illustrations. (They always see things that I hadn't noticed.) I think about them taking the book home and enjoying it with their families! I think about the happiness it will bring everyone! These are the many reasons I am thrilled about Little Elliot Big City.

I love watching this trailer for Little Elliot:




Make sure you travel with Little Elliot on his blog tour. My blog is the first stop, and I am SO thrilled about that!

Tuesday, August 26           Librarian in Cute Shoes | @utalaniz

Wednesday, August 27     Teach Mentor Texts | @mentortexts

Thursday, August 28         Read. Write. Reflect. | @katsok 

Friday, August 29               Kit Lit Frenzy | @alybee930

Saturday, August 30          Daddy Mojo | @daddymojo

Sunday, August 31             Sharp Reads | @colbysharp 

Watch. Connect. Read. | @mrschureads

Nerdy Book Club | @nerdybookclub

Monday, September 1      Miss Print | @miss_print

When you visit these blogs, you'll have a chance to win some awesome Elliot stuff:

I have a Little Elliot tote and it is so adorable! 

You can also visit Little Elliot Big City to learn more.

Now, I am trying to find a stuffed white elephant for a Little Elliot display.* (I haven't found one yet, but I'm not giving up.)  I want to celebrate Little Elliot's book birthday in my library!

*Note: After publishing this post, I learned from Mike Curato that Merrymakers, Inc. will offer a Little Elliot stuffed plush next year! Isn't this awesome news? Yes! In the meantime, I'm still looking for a stuffed white elephant. 

Sharing Stella's Starliner

Wells, Rosemary. Stella's Starliner. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2014. Print.

When I first came across this book at my local public library, the silver starliner caught my eye. It is silvery enough to make you pick it up, so shiny and pretty.

I picked it up not knowing at all what to expect, never having heard of it before. I was rewarded with the art and the story, both of which are memorable.

First, about the story:
Stella is a sweet, sweet little fox. She lives with her mother and father in a Starliner in the woods. Her father works during the week, then comes home to the little trailer and his adorable family on Saturday, where he brings home "all the money in his pocket", fishes with little Stella, eats pancakes, then heads back to work down the road.

Stella and her mom live a peaceful life during the week and their little starliner has all the comforts! As the author writes, "Stella had everything she needed in her silver home." Their lives are made more perfect when a little bookmobile drops by! You see, Stella and her mom are readers! (That's my favorite part.)

But then -- and I didn't see this coming -- a "band of weasels" comes by, and they turn out to be very mean weasels.  They do a very mean thing: they make fun of Stella for living in the Starliner.  This part broke my teacher librarian heart. And it will probably break yours, too.

Stella keeps this to herself, until she finally tells her mother, who, in a comforting way, helps Stella cope with the cruelty and brings her out into joy again. As Moms and Dads do!

Soon they travel on, and find another place to live, where Stella finds a cute group of bunnies who adore her little Starliner. Those bunnies are adorable, too!

There is so much to that story, isn't there?

Now, about the art:

After the cover, you will notice the end papers. Dotted stars swirl on silver paper. It reminded me of constellations you look for in the sky. Everything has a silver sheen to it, and that is a good thing. Done in watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil on sand paper, the illustrations will literally dazzle you -- but not overwhelm. Even though everything is shiny, it isn't over the top. Frames on silver backgrounds contain homey scenes with Stella and her mama. Trees stand elegantly in lavender, and leaves swirl in  swishes of white and green. The other foxes in the little town Stella lives in are happy and you know this by their bright eyes. Stella's contentment is evident on her face when she looks up at her daddy at the table as he eats his pancakes. Happily.

And the pages where Stella is dealing with her troubles are surrounded by tracings of those menacing weasels. They are on her mind. These illustrations support and add to the story in every way. And also give us so much to enjoy and savor.

Another wonderful part is the round window in the Starliner. Notice the window throughout the book. Mama and Stella look outside at the end and see a stunning night sky.

My favorite art is a double page spread where the trailer is traveling in the air!

You really just need to get a copy of this book to fully appreciate what I am describing.

Rosemary Wells, thank you for this picture book and all its shiny silvery magic. But thank you most for little Stella -- a little fox who reminds us all about the happiness of home and the importance of  being kind with our words.

Visit Rosemary Wells at her website if you haven't already.

I Waited for The Midnight Library

Kohara, Kazuno. The Midnight Library. New York: Roaring Brook Press, 2014. Print.

While attending ALA Midwinter last year, I came across a poster in the exhibit hall. The title and colors caught my eye.  

I walked up to the publishing staff at the booth and asked about the book featured on the poster. (I picked up one of the free posters available and hung it in the library when I returned home. Every day in my library, I walked past the poster and remembered how much I wanted this book). I wondered if they had a galley I could take a look at, but was told there wasn't one available. That didn't stop me from wanting to know more about the book and keeping it on my TBR list (the one I memorize).

I marked down the release date in my phone calendar, but didn't get it until a week after it was released. Late for me! There are always so many books I want to buy. Always. 

So--  when I finally had The Midnight Library in my hands, it was very much a treat. 

I immediately noticed that the book is square-shaped and medium-sized. Not tiny at all. Little ones can hug it tight, and hold on to it well! 

Next, I took a long look at the cover. I think the colors struck me first: gold framed in blue and black, and a tiny bit of white. In trying to think about the artist's choice of colors, I thought that perhaps Kazuno Kohara was using the yellow to convey star light, and the blue/black combo to represent dusk. (If you look at the sky at that time, that's what it looks like.) Also, if you look at the letter i in the title, you'll notice that each of them is dotted with a star! 

I opened the book to closely look at the front endpapers. There's blue and black, and the owl helpers are waiting inside the dark library, probably prior to opening. When you take a look at the back endpapers, you'll see the owls there, too. But this time the lanterns are lit up. Little fun details! 

Now, after leafing throughout the rest of the book to think more about the color, I noticed that the librarian and all of the animals in the book are always in gold, while the books and almost every other object is in blue. 

There is also lots of movement on the pages. This is what a real library is like! There is always something happening in a library! Kohara echoes the movement and the variety in a library by using double page spreads, panels, and centered illustrations. We can see patrons entering the library, using adjacent stairs, or happily entering through the front doors as they chat with friends. 

Also, patrons in this library are little animals! How cute is that? Very cute!! The "little librarian" is a little girl, and she's the only human in the entire book. These animals read and they read just about anywhere: on the floor, or under the trees. (Yes, there are trees in this library.) 

I also loved that the "little librarian" has little owl helpers.  The owls are perfect for this nighttime library as they are, of course, nocturnal! 

This "little librarian" also works really hard! She is always shelving, helping patrons, welcoming them, handing out library cards, and even manning a storytelling corner. At the end, she even solves a bit of a crisis! Librarians are very good at that! 

 After waiting over six months for this title, I have found a new favorite in this sweet book. 

So, if you are a librarian, you will love The Midnight Library. And if you love libraries, you will also love this book. 

I can't wait to share it with readers in the fall! 

I

Schneider Family Book Award Blog Tour & Giveaway

Today,  I am happy to participate in a blog tour with friend Alyson Beecher (@alybee930 on Twitter). Alyson is the chair of the committee for the Schneider Family Book Award given by the American Library Association each year. Actually, the year 2014 marks the 10th anniversary of the award, and we are celebrating this occasion with Alyson this week. At the end of this post, you will find a list of participating blogs.  Make sure you drop by and read about the different books that have won this prestigious award.

To give you some background, you must first know that the award is given annually to "an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences". The book may be either a work of fiction or nonfiction. For more information about this award, please visit the webpage at Schneider Family Book Award. The award winner is announced at ALA's Midwinter conference each year, and it is always exciting to be present to hear which book has won! 

Because I also have been thinking a lot lately about the need for diverse books, I decided to share the following title which happens to be one of my all-time favorites:

Ryan, Pam Muñoz. Becoming Naomi León. New York: Scholastic, 2004. Print. ISBN 0439269695. 

I recently reread Becoming Naomi León (the 2005 Schneider Award Winner) and loved it even more the second time. I saw this book with different eyes (experience and the passing of time make a difference), and parts  of it literally took my breath away. Books do have that effect on me. Does this happen to you?

About this book:
Naomi León Outlaw and her brother Owen first came to live with their great grandmother in Lemon Tree, California when he was a year old and Naomi was four. Their mother dropped them off at Gram's doorstep when she could no longer care for them and decided she needed to find her own life. (Owen faces physical challenges and even after several surgeries, must visit the doctor regularly.) At the start of this book, they live safely with Gram in her Airstream trailer (Baby Beluga) and neighbors Fabiola and Bernardo are close friends. 

Naomi is a bright fifth grader who loves to make lists, and she has a talent for carving figures out of soap. The kids at school make fun of her name, so she takes refuge in the school library where she eats lunch every day. Her librarian, Mr. Marble, is one of my most favorite librarian book characters ever, and Naomi describes him as the "absolute best person at Buena Vista Elementary" (Ryan, 2005, p. 8). This was one of the nice little details I picked up on my second reading.

One day their mother returns, and readers get the sense that their mother has ulterior motives. She shows up with her new boyfriend Clive and lavishes Naomi with gifts but ignores Owen, a smart 2nd grader who always thinks positively. Without giving away any of the story, the rest of the book involves a custody battle, and a search for Naomi's father in Mexico. 

This is a story with so many rich parts. Naomi is an endearing protagonist WE give our hearts to, and in Gram, Fabiola, and sweet Owen, Ryan gives US characters we won't forget. With the trip to Oaxaca and its famous radish festival, Ryan gives readers cultural insight and a better understanding of Naomi's heritage. 

Both a coming-of-age novel and the story of one family's difficult journey, this book will definitely tug readers' hearts.  Ryan's writing style will draw readers in from the very beginning. The characterization will evoke sympathy for Naomi & Owen and all who have cared for them, and the opposite for Skylar, Naomi's mother.  

I appreciated the Spanish language integrated in the book, and the paperback edition has excellent back matter, including an interview with the author, segments on soap carving and Oaxaca's radish festival, and a note about collective nouns (the chapter titles). 

One last reflection: 

How I would have loved to have read this book as a 5th grader! It would have meant so much to me! I am grateful that books like this exist in the world. I extend heartfelt thanks to Pam Muñoz Ryan for this work. 

Besides winning the Schneider Family Book Award, Becoming Naomi León was also named an ALA Children's Notable Book and was the winner of the Tomas Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award (among others). It also received starred reviews from both Kirkus and Publishers Weekly. 

To read more about Pam Muñoz Ryan, visit her website by clicking here. 

Blog Tour Participants and Dates: 
July 6, 2014 Nerdy Book Club July 6, 2014 Kid Lit Frenzy July 7, 2014 Nonfiction Detectives July 9, 2014 There is a Book For That July 11, 2014 Kahtie Comments July 14, 2014 Librarian in Cute Shoes July 15, 2014 The Late Bloomer’s Book Blog July 16, 2014 Read, Write, and Reflect July 17, 2014 Read Now Sleep Later July 18, 2014 Unleasing Readers July 20, 2014 Maria’s Mélange

In continuation of the 10th anniversary celebration, you can enter a Schneider Book Award giveaway here: 

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