Blog Tour: Waiting for Snow by Marsha Arnold

Today is Halloween. The weather where I am is still in the 80s. Thoughts of winter are distant --though some store displays say otherwise.

But now there is WAITING FOR SNOW (HMH Kids, 2016)-- a picture book that may be able to take me to a winter wonderland after all.

I'm featuring Marsha Arnold's latest picture book on my blog today. 

Badger has been hard at work using charts and reasoning to figure out why it hasn't snowed yet. Hedgehog reassures him that snow will come, but, unconvinced, Badger takes matters into his own hands, trying everything from creating noises, throwing pebbles, and dancing to cause snowflakes to fall. Badger's friends Rabbit, Vole and Possum join in, but none of these efforts prove successful. Hedgehog continues to remind Badger of an inevitable snowfall, but joins in with the other animals in trying to fool Badger anyway with a faux snow sugar storm. When snow finally comes, the event itself isn't the main story; the highlight instead is the delightful friendship of these furry creatures, and the lengths they go to help one another. 

Interior image from WAITING FOR SNOW
Image courtesy of Marsha Arnold 

Children must wait for so many things (birthdays, holidays, summer, etc.) Readers will identify with Badger easily, not only in the waiting, but also in the comfort and companionship only steady friends provide.  As with Badger, friends bear with us through our struggles and frets, but because of their loyalty, indulge us and make anxious moments pass. 

Two other features of this book I noted: bite-size text presented in manageable paired or single lines (nestled unobtrusively within Liwska's comforting illustrations) as well as the trim size of the book (perfect width and height for a young reader to hold - big like a picture book, but smaller too like a book for older readers). 

Liwska's pencil-drawn illustrations use an appropriate wintery color palette of muted blue and cottony white, and Badger, Hedgehog, Vole, Possum, and Rabbit appear soft enough to hug. On the cover, the five animals look up expectantly at the sky, waiting for snowflakes, but also invite the reader kindly into the book. Tender details throughout the story add a layer of happiness, such as Vole licking the sugar spoon surreptitiously, or his napping during Hedgehog's engaging science lesson. 

One other very clever detail to notice is the design and placement of the bar code on the back cover. (Lately I have been looking at barcodes on picture books, especially after discussing them with our second graders last week during library time.) The barcode for Waiting for Snow is placed within a television screen broadcasting a weather report! 

As I think about this book, I think of the following questions to discuss with readers: 

What do you do while you are waiting for something to happen? 

What type of weather is your favorite? 

Waiting for Snow is perfect for a bedtime read-aloud (any season) and a lovely addition to a winter picture book reading list. 

To read more about Marsha Arnold's work visit her website here. 

Marsha Arnold
Image courtesy of Marsha Arnold 

To read more about Renata Liwska's work, her website here. 

Waiting for Snow's official publication date is Tuesday, November 1st, 2016. Tomorrow! 

What About a Book Display?

Do you enjoy book displays? I do! I love thinking them up and wondering how others will react to them. 

I was reading online somewhere that a librarian was creating a Charlotte's Web display. I thought it was a fabulous idea! So I asked one of my wonderful parent volunteers to pull spider-themed books for me (fiction and nonfiction). She created this amazing display that I will leave all the way up throughout October. 

Since it's gone up, I have had the best discussion with staff and students both about Charlotte's Web AND spiders. Coincidentally, several of our classes are using this as a read-aloud. 

I think you can tie in several genres of books together if you find one unifying theme. Once a reader loves one book, they might consider reading another if we can find way to connect it. Thinking about these possibilities for books is something I really enjoy doing! 

Although I really don't have enough space for every display in the world, I try to make good use of what I do have available.

Another good thing about book displays is that they help readers make decisions. I've seen many this past week browsing endlessly past shelves, putting down book after book --- but then walk by a display, stop, and pick one of the books for checkout. 

I know we use book talks, book trailers, and QR Codes and other tools to help us pass on good books to readers, but I won't forget the power of a simple book display to create wonder AND recommend books. 

JOURNEY by Emma Bland Smith

The cover of a picture book has enormous power. It can drawn in a reader like a magnet. 

And the cover of Journey (Sasquatch Books, 2016) by Emma Bland Smith, (illustrated by Robin James) does just that. I could imagine being on the snow-covered field with this wolf in front of me and feeling an enormous sense of awe - and fear! 

Based on a true story, Journey (a picture book) celebrated its book birthday on Oct. 11, 2016. Today, I am happy to feature my interview with author Emma Bland Smith. (My questions are in red, and the author's are in black.) P.S. Ms. Smith is also a librarian! 

How did you come to write this book? 

Back in 2012, I’d started reading newspaper articles about this rogue wolf who’d made history by crossing the border from Oregon into California and becoming the first wolf back here since 1924. He traveled almost 2000 miles, and did not encounter any other wolves (as far as we know) for about two and a half years. He did hang out with coyotes for a while, which is pretty crazy, too. We know all this because he was one of a few dozen Oregon-born wolves (there are many more now) that wore radio collars, allowing biologists to track him. Biologists figured he was looking for a mate, but it was very unusual for wolves to travel so far from home. I thought this melancholy love story had the makings of a good book to begin with, and when I learned that he had finally settled down and had a litter of pups, the happy ending was in place. The fact that some people were unhappy about his presence, and that his very life was in danger, raised the stakes and made it an even more compelling story. Then I read about the naming contest, how children had played a role in making him safe, and that clinched it. This had to become a picture book!

How did you decide to include Abby's story? 

A group called Oregon Wild sponsored a naming contest, asking kids to send in possible names for this wolf, OR7. Their goal was to draw attention to the wolf in the hopes of making him “too famous to kill” (a phrase that quickly became associated with OR7). Two children in different states sent in the name Journey. I knew this would be a big part of my book: Kids can better relate to big subjects when viewed through a child’s eyes. So I took the two kids and turned them into Abby, a fictitious character. Abby follows the wolf’s progress on the internet and through other media sources, and the reader learns about Journey, and empathizes with him, through Abby.

How did your work as a librarian influence the writing of this book? 

Although I am a reader of fiction, as a librarian, I see a lot of kids who are super interested in nonfiction. Many of these kids will happily devour a Guinness Book of World Records, or check out the whole section on cats, and those books are important. But I also really like to see nonfiction subjects given a more creative treatment, and I was excited to be able to use lyrical language and fiction techniques to write about a real-life topic that would stimulate kids’ curiosity about the world. Another trend I’m a big fan of is picture books for older readers—and this is one of those, I think (although younger kids can appreciate it, too). I absolutely adore reading picture books to fourth and fifth graders. Don’t neglect the big kids! They deserve great art, too!

Can you tell about the back matter you included in the book? I especially appreciated the timeline. 

The back matter is great, because we were able to include all the fascinating info about Journey that we couldn’t fit into the text of the story. There’s so much to learn and be inspired by here, something for everyone! There’s history—the extermination of gray wolves in America, the Endangered Species Act, the resurgence of the gray wolf. There’s geography—the way the wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone, then worked their way, over the next few decades, to Idaho, Oregon, and now California. There are photos of the real wolf OR7 and his pups (so cute!). I’m really glad you liked the timeline, too. It helps to put in perspective how long it’s been since wolves lived here, how long Journey was on the move, and also how closely biologists were able to track him thanks to his radio collar. I would love to hear of kids writing reports using the back matter!

What type of library did/do you work in? 

I work in the San Francisco Public Library system. I’m a roving sub, which means I work at a different branch every day, with different populations. No matter the branch, my favorite shifts are at the children’s desk, because I like nothing better than helping kids find the next good book to read. I also get to do story times, which is always exhilarating! The first thing I do when I get to a new site is check out the New Books shelf and read through all the picture books.

And can you complete this sentence? 

Libraries are a place where everyone is up to good! 

Thank you, Emma Bland Smith, for sharing on my blog today! 

To learn more about Smith's work, visit her website here. 

Two Middle Grade Reads

I'm sharing two middle grades today! 

(Note the appealing covers on both titles. They draw readers in!) 

How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O'Connor was one of my favorite read-alouds as a classroom teacher. As I look back on what I enjoyed about this book, I realize the qualities are similar in O'Connor's latest Wish (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2016).

Charlie is the main character, and her family life is less than ideal, so she is sent to live with an aunt and uncle she doesn't know. As she begins to life this new life, she notices an intriguing stray dog -- and vows to find and keep her. Tenderly and smartly written, Wish is a middle grade story about the importance of home-- no matter where we may find it. 

Love That Dog and Hate That Cat were also two highly circulated titles in my classroom -- especially when we wrote poetry. These novels in verse are two of my go-to titles. 

And now Creech's latest book Moo (HarperChildren's, 2016), becomes another title to add to this list. In this book, the main character Reena and her family have moved to Maine, encountering a very different type of life. An interesting neighbor named Mrs. Falala (who owns a cow named Zora) adds mystery to the story, and their connection plays a part in Reena's adjustment to her new home. Moo  shows us how a change of scenery changes everything - and how the people around us each have their own rich stories to tell. 

I highly recommend both books. And as I write about them here,  I know I will be rereading these for years to come. 

Gertie's Leap to Greatness by Kate Beasley

I'm really drawn to a book by its cover.

And when I first saw the cover of Gertie's Leap to Greatness (illustrated by Caldecott Honor Winner Jillian Tamaki), I knew I would be reading this book.

Image courtesy of Macmillan Kids

The color palette makes the book feel like a trek into the past -- reminiscent of any Beverly Cleary book.   There's a comfort promised from the beginning.

And Gertie takes over from there. In the beginning scene, she rescues a bullfrog with a kitchen tool - on a mission to have the best summer speech on the first day of school.  This opening lets readers see just what Gertie is about: determination, spunk, and a kind of surprising originality that we look for in the people around us.

The main character of of this middle grade work of realistic fiction, Gertie is starting her fifth grade year. She lives with her Aunt Rae while her father is away working on oil rigs. Gertie's mother left their family, and this fuels Gertie's drive to excel, outshine, and compete -- in every way possible in the fifth grade.

The plot moves forward in Gertie's pace -- steady and fast. Beasley's writing is the soundtrack for Gertie's movements, actions, and thoughts. We move forward with her, watching her survive, endure, and rise above all of the daily ups and downs of a fifth grader. But complicating things is the fact that Gertie's mother still lives in their town --- though she is planning on moving and starting a new life with a new family.

This need to show her mother what she's missed out on -- is what motivates Gertie to do what she does.

I admired Gertie's focus. And it makes me think of children who --- despite challenges and setbacks and less than perfect home lives -- continue to go on and strive and do --

Gertie's Leap to Greatness is a rich novel -- skillfully paced, smartly unfolding. And Gertie is that character that we won't forget -- that character that we will see and recognize in those who are themselves -- with joy and resolution.

Gertie's Leap to Greatness by debut author Kate Beasley is set for release on October 4, 2016 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (imprint of Macmillan).

Author Kate Beasley 

Photo courtesy of Macmillan Kids 

Busy Weeks, A Few Books

Beginning-of-the-year and Book Fair have kept me fairly busy lately, so blogging has been last on my priority list. But I have missed it very much. I miss the reflection and the feeling of accomplishment that blogging provides. So with this post I hope to get back in the routine.

I'll start by posting some titles I've been reading lately -- no reviews, just my thoughts:

Middle grade:

Did you love Holms' TURTLE IN PARADISE as much as I did? If so, then you must read FULL OF BEANS which takes us back to this world and introduces us to Turtle's cousin Beans. 

I read this one on a return flight, and was completely swept away in this touching story of a girl and a dog both looking for a home -- both needing one another. Grab your box of tissues before reading! 

Two things attracted me to this title: the fact that Gordon Korman wrote it and the cover. In this book, a boy obsessed with video games goes too far in his singular focus on playing his favorite game and he must cope with the consequences. Great storyline filled with unexpected events! 

I always enjoy reading Byron Barton's picture books -- I love their simplicity, vividness and use of scale. This one is a bilingual book and has a funny twist at the end. 

Recently I tried a new recipe for the second time. It still wasn't great-tasting. But because I read The Cranky Ballerina, I realize that this is okay. I am a better reader than I am a cook. This one's about finding your passion and how when we are doing what we love, we are truly happier.



In my library, I am getting back to my regular schedule after book fair wrapped up last week. This week I will review book care, procedures, and talk about finding books that are "just right" for independent reading. I also plan to get library centers and Makerspace started.

What books are you reading and what are you focusing on in your library?

The Haunting of Falcon House by Eugene Yelchin

Although I do enjoy a variety of genres, I am not as quick to pick up a thriller-- unless, that is,  I know the work of the author.  

I recall Jonathan Auxier's The Night Gardener and Kenneth Oppel's The Nest. Both made me hang on every word (and jump a little). Both were very well-written. But I knew Auxier's work as well as Oppel's so I was willing to push past fear to enjoy the story.

That is the case with The Haunting of Falcon House (Henry Holt/Macmillan, 2016). I know the work of Eugene Yelchin: Breaking Stalin's Nose (Newbery Honor Medal 2012) and Arcady's Goal. Both of these books engaged my imagination and attention, and I would reread both today. Happily. 

The cover drew me in first. The deep red background and gilded font evoke images of royalty -- daunting castles with thick velvet curtains, opulent crowns and gowns, and all that accompanies being a king, queen, or, in this case, Prince Lev, the royal figure in the center of the story. With his eyes turned to see something out of the corner of his eyes, and his and the dark hands reaching up behind him, readers are compelled to open the book and turn to the first page. 

Yelchin begins the story with background: an author's note with a tale from his childhood. The inspiration for the book came from drawings he found as a boy and kept until he was an adult. Yeltsin found the drawings in St. Petersburg, drawn by Prince Lev-- who Yelchin made the main character of the book. The sketches are interspersed throughout the pages, helping carry the narrative Yelchin so eloquently pens. Readers will stare at the pages in hopes of understanding them, wanting answers, and turning to Yelchin to answer them within the story. 

The Haunting of Falcon House is both mystery and coming-of-age novel. Prince Lev has been sent to Falcon House to assume his place as patriarch of the family lineage. But he is greeted with gloominess and uncertainty, and despite his dreams of taking over the bloodline and assuming his place, he must first understand exactly what is happening in Falcon House. There will be many questions, but Yelchin's narrative gives readers a reason to wait for answers. 

At the end of the story, Yelchin provides an afterword, and more notes/references.

Read more about Yelchin's books for children here.