The Journal of Best Practices by David Finch (ISBN-13: 978-1439189719)

One day I was drifting around Barnes and Noble and several books on the memoir shelf just jumped out at me. Memoir and what they call these days "creative non-fiction" are probably my favorite non-fiction genres along with how-to books. (OK, I admit it, I'm kind of addicted to those "I did this totally insane thing for a year and here are all the profound insights into the human condition I got" kind of books. Don't worry--one of those will be coming up soon!) Anyway, it probably helped that this book has a jaunty yellow cover, but the word "Asperger" caught my attention. Let's just say my family has a special interest in the Autism spectrum. It's a sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking chronicle of "one man's quest to become a better husband," after a diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome gives him some insight into why his marriage may be falling apart. You cheer for the depth of love that he shows as he does something so hard, so alien to him. You also groan, or squirm, as he beats the project to death in a typically "Aspergian" way, the final straw being a requirement that his wife give him "performance reviews." The Journal of Best Practices has good insights for both neurotypicals and, (though I can't speak for anyone of course) people with Asperger Syndrome who are married to us.
Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich (ISBN-13: 978-0312626686)
This is the book that was Banned in Bedford. (Or almost. They certainly made sure that kids didn't have to read anything their parents were not comfortable with. I think the protest was because Barbara Ehrenreich uses the words "Jesus" and "socialist" in the same sentence. ) Ehrenreich wanted to know what it would be like to try and live on the wages that people typically make without a college degree, or much work experience. In 2001, this was $6-$7 per hour. In the course of her reporting, she worked as a house cleaner, waitress, Walmart team member and maybe something else I can't remember. She also finds apartments she can "afford," only uses her wages to buy food, medicine and clothing, and limits her outside-of-work activities to things that she would realistically be doing as a low-wage worker (including limiting books and reading-gasp!) Her goal was to be able to pay her bills with the given job for one month before moving on to the the next job. Basically, she found out that it's near to impossible, even going into it with a working car. This book was part of my summer reading on poverty. I will never look at people in Walmart in quite the same way again I definitely recommend this book to anyone who would like to have his/her eyes opened to what it is like to be one of the working poor.
Three Hens and a Peacock by Lester Laminack (ISBN: 978-1-56145-564-5)
"We do all the work around here," complain the hens in this NH Ladybug Nominee. To the peacock's credit, instead of just standing around being admired, he decides that he would like to be more useful. The final message is that everyone has their own way of helping.  I'm not sure I like that Peacock's physical beauty is his most important asset, though. Nice, bold illustrations will work in a group.

Our Eleanor by Candace Fleming (ISBN 978-0689865442)

A biography of Eleanor Roosevelt was a logical follow-up to Dead End in Norvelt. I think I have a new hero. Although decidedly not perfect, Eleanor Roosevelt was astonishingly brave, compassionate, and tireless--in a time when women were often not taken seriously. I've read that Hilary Clinton has seen her as a role model, and I understand why--the parallels are striking. For instance, both women were criticized for having too much influence on the president's policies. Both women felt that government had an important role to play in American society. Both women had well-liked husbands that were philanderers, although you can bet that FDR was never publicly censured for his behavior. This bio is a little hard to follow in that it doesn't follow a strictly chronological, but rather thematic, order. I kept it propped open on the dining table, and read a few pages whenever I was sitting down to eat. There are photographs on every page, copies of newspaper articles, quotes from others about Eleanor, as well as quotes from her own autobiographies. Highly recommended for older readers. I'd like to find a shorter book for Wilson students.  It is balm to my soul to read about a person who wasn't afraid to get in and help people. 

Teaching With Poverty in Mind by Eric Jensen  (ISBN-13: 978-1416608844 )
This book was much more of a slog (read that as more clinical and academic) than A Framework for Understanding Poverty . It definitely begins with that "deficit model" that Payne speaks of, describing how living in poverty can make changes in the brain that hampers students' success in school. This can be pretty depressing, but the second half of the book describes the most powerful research-based interventions that schools can make. Written for administrators, the emphasis on improving teachers and recruiting "better" teachers is a little off-putting. However, there is much to validate things we are already striving for at Wilson. The emphasis on brain research may be valuable in moving people from blame to understanding, so that we can respond to kids' behavior in more ways than punitive consequences--as we are doing with our new homework policy.

Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood (ISBN-13: 978-0545331807)
I have to admit that I rolled my eyes when I saw the promo for this book on the Scholastic Book Fair commercial DVD. "Oh puh-leeze," I thought, "not another southern girl coming-of-age novel!" Glory is even, like Opal in Because of Winn-Dixie the motherless child of a preacher. But the commercial sold this book short,  probably because Scholastic has a tendency to sell their audience short, always. Glory Be is actually another civil-rights story, from the perspective of a white girl who's been sheltered enough to never think about how the black people who are part of her everyday life are treated differently than herself. At the beginning, she's less worried about injustice than the fact that it's Mississippi-summer HOT, the pool has been closed until further notice, people are being mean to her new friend from up North, and no one seems to be thinking about her birthday for gosh sakes. But Glory is fearless once she feels that people she knows are suffering (albeit partly because she just doesn't understand the possible consequences of challenging the status quo.) What makes this book special is that this is so realistic--exactly the level that an eleven-year-old would think about things. Also, there is a hero librarian! This book would make a great companion to Christopher Paul Curtis' The Watsons Go to Birmingham--kids could get both sides of the story without teacher-analysis getting in the way. 

Me, Jane by Patrick McDonnell (ISBN-13: 978-0316045469)
Another NH Ladybug nominee. Introduction to the life of Jane Goodall. Not a biography, exactly, though there is a biographical note in the back. I liked the retro-looking woodcuts mixed in with McDonnell's watercolors and views of Jane's own early sketches. Nice creamy-thick paper. Might not "read" well for a large audience.

Citizen Scientists by Loree Griffin Burns (ISBN-13: 978-0805090628)
Non-fiction describing several real participatory science projects (the Audabon bird count is one example,) that kids can get involved in. The book includes lists of equipment needed to successfully participate in the work, addresses to contact the organizations running the studies, and more science resources. I love the introduction, which makes that case that kids are ideally suited to do science. I'll be trying to get this at Wilson.

The Folk Keeper by Franny Billingsley (ISBN-13: 978-0689844614-print book; audiobook by Listening Library, available through Audible.)
I listened to this one for a project back in library school, and I've been thinking about it ever since. The voice-actor who narrates the audiobook has a beautiful, lilting, and extremely understandable Irish accent. It's fantasy, my favorite genre, and the selchie (seal-folk) legend is at the heart of the story. I've been obsessed with this folk tale since I read Shulamith Oppenheim's The Selchie's Seed when I was in middle school. I listened to this while working on an art project and it was perfect. 

More History

Countdown by Deborah Wiles (ISBN 978-0545106054)

This one was in my to-read pile for a long time. Deborah Wiles calls it a "documentary novel." The narrative is interspersed with historical photographs and short biographies of people important to the events of 1962. It's not exactly multi-media, but almost. Actually, it would be cool if they included a cd of the music of the time, since Franny, the main character talks a lot about it. 1962 was the year of the Cuban Missile Crisis, and since Franny's dad is in the Air Force, the crisis is very real to her. The book is an effective way for kids of 2012 to learn what this was all about, and to marvel at what it must have been like to "duck and cover" in school (maybe not so different from the post-Columbine lock-down drills we do today?) Franny is a realistic kid, trying to work through growing up while being terrified that she'll never have a chance to.

Legend of the Blue Frog by Dianne de las Casas (ISBN 978-1455614592)
This one was disappointing. I always do a kindergarten lesson on the origin of chocolate around Valentine's Day, and I thought this would be a good addition. However, the story is too simplistic, and there is a very significant TYPO that actually changes the pattern of the story!  Can't spend the money on this one.

A Framework for Understanding Poverty by Ruby K. Payne (ISBN 978-1929229482)
Every summer I pick a theme for professional development, read and take notes on the theme, and plan ways to implement what I learn in the coming year. This summer my theme is poverty and how it effects kids in school. This was a great introduction. Payne describes an "additive" model (vs. a "deficit" model) that posits that we all have strengths when we are immersed in the culture we grow up in, but when we move outside that culture we struggle. She describes the techniques teachers can use to add to our students skills, rather than demeaning them or writing them off as hopeless.

A Historical Interlude

Rose and I have just gotten back from a trip to Pennsylvania to see Lehigh University, and also Gettysburg. I hadn't been there since I was little, and Rose never had. We loaded up Molly the Little Red Truck for another camping adventure, and drove 9.5 hours the first day, making it all the way to Caledonia State Park (which is a great place to stay for Gettysburg--a straight shot of about 20 minutes to the park.) It was a good four-day trip, including the thunderstorm and the 2 bears. Of course, I had to keep reading...

Nurse, Soldier, Spy by Marissa Moss (ISBN 978-0-8109-9735-6)

Fascinating story of Sarah Emma Edmonds, one of the many women who dressed, and fought, as men during the Civil War. One of the most curious facts about her was that she was dressing as a man for 2 years before joining up--as a way to escape an unwanted marriage. Bold caricature-like illustrations will read well at a distance. Extended resources and bibliography in the back are great for filling in the details.


Voices of the Civil War (Stories from the Battlefields Series) by Jason D. Nemeth (ISBN 9780-1-4296-5625-2) Brief profiles of real-life participants in Civil War battles. Good-sized print and fairly low reading level will make this book interesting to fourth and fifth graders. Resources in back.
This series would be good to get in library bindings for the boys who want a "war book." While there are some gruesome details in the text, there are no photos of death.
Summer's Bloodiest Days: The Battle of Gettysburg as Told From All Sides by Jennifer L. Weber (ISBN: 978-1-4263-0706-5)  Describes the 3 day battle in some detail, including strategies and troop movements. Main text is suplimented with interesting sidebars and fact boxes. The technique of pulling out "dramatic" moments in the story by putting them in a mix of larger fonts is somewhat distracting. The print is smaller and the reading level higher than the book above. This one would be mostly for 5th graders and up.

Of course, we needed something to do on that long drive, so we listened to this year's Newbery Award Winner,  

Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos (audiobook)

Who do I think I am? One thing about an "expert" reader-alouder (that would be me,) listening to an audiobook is that I am thinking constantly about how I would have said that sentence. In this case, since it's Jack Gantos himself who is reading his own book--who am I to quibble? But really, Gantos does a great job with this book, modifying his voice just slightly for different characters, emphasizing the right words to clarify meaning, strategically pausing at dramatic moments. Some authors, strangely enough, are terrible at reading their own writing. I wonder if it matters how much time has passed between finishing the book and doing the audio? I know that for a good long time after I write something, I can't see the story for the words.
Dead End in Norvelt won the Newbery this year, and I'm cheering to see another "boy book" get the win. (There's a fascinating commentary on Newbery history in this month's Horn Book Magazine) "Boy book" is my shorthand for a book that has something in it to appeal to reluctant (most often boys, lets face it,) readers who can't stomach a book that's all interior monologue. In the case of Norvelt the "something" is blood, dead people, and big moments in history. That doesn't mean that girls wouldn't like this book too--Jackie's mom, and Miss Volker are wonderful characters with strong, clear voices--they might just be turned off by all the gore and not really pay attention to the story. Jackie is about 10, growing up in the small western PA town of Norvelt. Norvelt (real place, lots of real details from Gantos life,) was founded by Eleanor Roosevelt in the 1930's to help poor people "get a leg up." It was founded on the principle that everyone deserves a decent place to live, and a means to make a living. Now Norvelt is (literally,) dying off, and Jack the Everykid is stuck between his Mom, who grew up in Norvelt and believes deeply in its communal values; and his Dad, who is suspicious of anything "commie" and wants a better living someplace else. Jack has just been grounded for the whole summer, but one of the only things he's allowed to do outside the house is help his elderly neighbor, Miss Volker, write the obituaries of the town's founding residents--and they're dying like flies.
This story, like most Newbery winners, is about a kid trying to figure out who he is supposed to be, while only half understanding what's really going on around him. And that's an experience that every kid has. Personally, I found this book inspiring and uplifting, as well as laugh-aloud funny. I don't know if Gantos wanted to make a political statement (since it's semi-autobiographical, I know he's not just pontificating,) but Miss Volker's history lessons are mostly about social justice. About how once-upon-a-time it was OK to help people without judgement, and how everyone has "an inherent worth and dignity" as the UU's would say. That concept gets dismissed as Socialist these days, sadly. Some of this will go over kids' heads. That's OK. They can just enjoy the story's humor, pathos, and mystery. And an awful lot of nosebleeds. I highly recommend Dead End in Norvelt.

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein (ISBN-13: 978-1423152194)

This is a powerful book--definitely high school/adult level, although most of the violence happens "off stage" so-to-speak, so we know the narrator has survived (so far,) with her wits about her. That doesn't mean it's not scary--and deeply chilling when you let yourself imagine the things that are described, especially when you know that these things really happened in Nazi-occupied France. But this book is not mostly about terror and torture--it's about friendship. The narrative is fascinatingly multi-layered, but through it we learned the story of two young British women, incredibly brave, helping to fight the war. We hear the story of how they met, how they made their way in the male-dominated military world of wartime England, the deep love and loyalty they feel for each other. And gradually we piece together the bits to form the story of what happened, as if we too were breaking a code. Read this when you have some time--you won't want to put it down.

Rethinking Homework by Cathy Vatterott (ISBN 978-1-4166-0825-7)
This was for professional development purposes. Mainly Vatterott tries to make the case that homework should be limited in time, tied to clear learning goals, "de-criminalized", and flexible enough to accommodate students that don't have support at home. She contradicts herself at times, but mostly the arguments are valid. Supports Wilson's new homework policy.

Why Do Feet Smell? 20 Questions and 20 Answers About the Human Body by Gilda and Melvin Berger (ISBN 978-0-545-34665-8) 
This one came out of the book fair. Very basic answers to questions young children might have about the body. As usual, I wanted a deeper answer for each question, but maybe kids would be satisfied. Good model for giving information in the Q/A format.

Stars by Mary Lyn Ray (ISBN 978-1-4424-2249-0)
Another great book by NH author Ray, illustrated by Marla Frazee, who did the beautiful All the World a couple of years ago. Her illustrations strongly remind me of Satomi Ichikawa's "Tanya" books, which were favorites of Ruth when she was little. This is a lap-read book, rather than a group read-aloud, I think. This will make it difficult to get across to a big group during NH Ladybug time. Still, it's a lovely book, showing all the ways that stars touch our lives, both real stars, and a paper star you might keep in your pocket. I would read this with Eric Carle's Draw Me a Star and teach them how to make their own shiny paper stars. 

Fablehaven by Brandon Mull (ISBN 978-1-4169-4720-2)
This is for you Kevin! You're right, it is a good book. It's kind of thick, so it lasts a while, but it's not too hard to read. It's an exciting fantasy story about two kids who discover that their grandparents are caretakers of a Fairy preserve. Kendra and Seth's curiosity gets them into a lot of trouble, but their bravery and cleverness helps them save the day.   This story has real danger in it. It's a lot like the Spiderwick books in that way. Should appeal to both boys and girls. I'll try to get copies of the other books in the series.




Pete the Cat--I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin (ISBN 978-0-545-43414-0)
Another Ladybug nominee. I was worried that this one would be too babyish for the 1st and 2nd graders, but I hear that at least one class of 2nd graders love it. The books (I think there are 3 now,) all come with free song downloads. Should make doing storytime easy, if a little rowdy!

Oye, Celia! by Katie Sciurba (ISBN 0-8050-7468-6)
I picked this up from a remainder pile for a couple of dollars. It's a well-done, brief introduction to "The Queen of Salsa" Celia Cruz. Rather than being a biography, it focuses on the feeling of the music, and is sprinkled with words in Spanish. Colorful, energetic chalk illustrations on black backgrounds. Must be read with some of her music to listen to. Great possibilities for collaboration with art and music classes. Glossary and pronunciation for Spanish words in the back.

Before John was a Jazz Giant by Carole Boston Weatherford (ISBN 978-0-8050-7994-4)
Another (sadly) remaindered book.  I thought this was a really interesting way to give the biography of young John Coltrane--through his ears. Every page has a new sound that might have crept into his music, from"hambones knocking in Grandma's pots" to "the sobs of kinfolk at family funerals," with the refrain "before John was a jazz giant" beginning each page. I could see doing a biography-writing unit where kids research their person and then tell the story through sounds. Unlike the book about Celia Cruz, this book includes a full-page biographical note in the back, as well as a bibliography of sources for further reading.

Keeping up with the reading

See review for Neville below

 

With longer books, it's harder to keep up, but there are always books in progress! Here are a few...

Oh Yeah! by Tom Birdseye (ISBN-13: 978-0823416493) This picture book tells the story of two kids camping out in the backyard, who keep one-upping each other in the "I'm not afraid..." department. It is one of those books that I have read a few times, but never got it right until that last week of school when I read it 5 times in a week. It's amazing how much a good read-aloud is like acting. A book can be completely un-funny if your timing is off, but once you get it, you can get the laugh every time.
Science and Children Magazine, Summer 2012 published by the National Science Teachers Association. I'm trying out this new journal to help me work science into library classes. This one issue is packed with good ideas for lessons I could try. I keep thinking that teaching science will benefit kids as we transition to the Common Core, because of the new emphasis on using "evidence" to support thinking. 
The Candy Bomber by Michael O. Tunnell (ISBN-13: 978-1580893374)
This is a non-fiction book about the Berlin Airlift, and the pilot who impulsively decided to drop candy for the German children he met while on leave one day. This small action soon blossomed into Operation Little Vittles. Donations of candy and handkerchiefs for the little parachutes flowed from the United States, while letters of thanks and requests for special treats poured in from our former enemies. This story reminded me of a dim memory that my father was in Germany around this time. A call to Mom confirmed this. He was in Berlin during the airlift (a potentially dangerous time, as everyone was hungry and afraid that Russia would cut off the supply of food.) I haven't figured out what exactly he was doing there, but now my curiosity has been peaked...
Neville by Norton Juster (ISBN-13: 978-0375867651)
Norton Juster plunks us right down in the middle of Neville's head, the way a middle grade novel might be written. Pictures emphasize the feeling of utter alone-ness this boy feels after being involuntarily moved to a new house. Vast stretches of creamy whiteness surround the scratchy-pencilled characters, until--halfway through the book--they end up sprawled together on a green triangle of lawn. Then you know it's going to be OK. If only we all were as brave and resilient as Neville! Another real winner among this year's NH Ladybug Award nominees. I'm going to have a terrible time deciding which book I want to win!

The Leader in Me by Stephen Covey

I think it's funny that you can do a Hero Shot of a book cover. I read this book because we're planning to try some of the ideas at Wilson. The stories told are inspirational, but I remain a skeptic--mostly, I think, because I don't trust the business world to know what's best in helping young children develop into well-rounded people. Also because the book is not particularly well-written. However, the 7 Habits are truly what anyone would want as the basis of good character. They just sound really dorky. OK, I promise I will behave!!

The Serpent’s Shadow: Kane Chronicles, Book 3 by Rick Riordan (ISBN-13: 978-1423140573)

This was the book I set aside for after school ends, my reward for getting through the last couple of weeks. Like many folks, when Rick Riordan  started this new series after wrapping up with the Percy Jackson books, I thought he was nuts. I mean, if you’re going to abandon well-loved characters, you should do it for something totally new. The Kane Chronicles seemed like a re-tread, only instead of Greek Mythology, we had much more complicated Egyptian Mythology and a narrative that switches between two viewpoints. Needless to say, all the gnashing of teeth I was doing distracted me from the story. The second book was better, partly because I had learned who the major Egyptian gods were, and partly because I had let go of my disappointment over Percy. (And I found out that Percy would be returning in the Heroes of Olympus series!) The Serpent’s Shadow brings this series to a satisfying conclusion, with Sadie and Carter fulfilling their destinies and, of course, saving the world as we know it. Great summer read for fantasy fans. Now can we have the next in the Heroes of Olympus series? Please? (News Flash! The Mark of Athena is coming out in October!)

So Many Books, So Little Time...

Well, just so you know, I did cheat a little tiny bit, because a few of these books I read before my "official" start date--but only by a week or two. I also need to fill in with picture books when I have one or two longer things in progress. For instance, right now I am reading The Leader in Me for professional reading, the audiobook of Dead End in Norvelt (when driving or doing dishes,) and I'm about to begin a YA novel called Code Name Verity (can't wait for that one--it got really good reviews!)

So, anyway, recently completed books include:

Small Acts of Amazing Courage by Gloria Whelan (ISBN: 978-1-44240931-6) [This is probably a middle school book on average, though with some understanding of the context, a fifth grader could read it just fine.] I loved Gloria Whelan's National Book Award-Winning Homeless Bird, which was also set in India. That book had a young Indian widow as the main character. The protagonist in this story is English, and the setting is just after WWI. Although Indian soldiers fought alongside English in the war, afterwards the English expected things to go right back to the way they had been before. In this world, English people live in their own sheltered world, struggling to maintain the lifestyles they had in England. But as the story opens, change is brewing. Gandhi is encouraging non-violent resistance to English rule. Rosalind, who has never been good at fitting in, is fascinated by Gandhi, and, because her best friend is Indian, she knows how unjustly people have been treated. Rosalind needs to decide how much she is willing to risk for her beliefs. This book isn't perfect--the journey to England seems like an interruption to the story--and unlike One Crazy Summer, there is some explaining of the history which can distance the reader emotionally. However, this was an amazing time and place in history that most Americans know little about, and if Gloria Whelan decides to write a sequel (Rosalind's story seems to be just beginning,) I'll go out and read that too!

Shark Wars by EJ Altbacker  (ISBN: 978-0-545-44728-7) I pulled this one out of the bookfair this spring, and I read it for my boys. It's another humanlike-animal story, destined to be a series, in the vein of Warriors and Guardians of Gahoole. (To my knowledge there is at least 1 more already published.) Like those other books, this one stars a misfit/outcast male main character, reveals a "culture" based on qualities/behaviors of the real animals, has a bad-guy leader of a bad-guy gang to test the strength of the young hero, and a mystical elderly character who will lead the young (in this case, shark,) to enlightenment. The elements are all in place, and the story is adequate to carry the reader along. There is real peril here, real fighting and death, which some boys will find enticing. An underlying environmental message helps to make the bad characters less black-and-white. My favorite part of this book was actually the shark language. A "shiver" is a group of sharks under a leader and his "five in line." If a shark dies, he goes to the "Sparkle Blue", etc. Certain boys just love sharks, and this book would be right up their alley--with a shark encyclopedia by their side so they can really imagine all the different characters. I'll see how it circulates before I buy more, but the title alone might "sell" it!

Now, 2 of the NH Ladybug Picture Book Award Nominees...

Perfect Square by Micheal Hall (ISBN: 978-0-06-191513-0) This book has a terrifically simple message--make what you can out of life, no matter what life hands you. It's never stated in the book, but as the "perfect" square is transformed by an unseen force on each successive page, it transforms itself into something new and equally joyous. The message isn't stated, but it's not buried--a third grader raised his hand and happily told me "this teaches us to just keep going, no matter what--but the purely graphic representation of this idea is perfect for elementary school kids. I could see pairing it with the activity where a child starts a squiggle drawing that gets passed down the line and changed each time. It would pair nicely with other art-themed books, like Ish by Peter Reynolds. 
Calvin Can't Fly, the Story of a Bookworm Birdie by Jennifer Berne (ISBN: 978-1-4027-7323) I have a confession to make--I dislike most "Isn't reading GREAT!" books, and cringe when there is one on the Ladybug list (which there often is.) There, I said it. Does that mean I'm not a true librarian? Actually, this book has a bit of a twist on the standard fare, in that it turns out to be quite a problem for Calvin that he only reads, but never practices what he reads about. In the end it's clear, both reading and doing are necessary parts of life.