New Book: The Tushy Book

I was hopping around the web and came upon this adorable trailer for The Tushy Book by Fran Manushkin and illustrated by Tracy Dockray.

It's true! I can't say the word "tushy" without a smile. And the Tushy book website includes downloadable activities, greeting cards and more booty fun.

Perhaps something to add to your summer reading list?

Friday Blog Round Up

Congrats to Eric Carle on the big 80!  The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art will be celebrating this event in a number of ways, including a Birthday Bash and Children's Book Festival with the Western Massachusetts Illustrators' Guild, on June 13th. If you can't make it, be sure to check out their online gift shop. The bath spout is one of my favorites.   

Oh, the Places You'll Go!, that Dr. Seuss classic, is the focus of a new scholarship sponsored by Random House. President Chip Gibson announced Random House Children's Books, "will award one 2010 graduating high school senior $5,000 toward post-secondary education." Visit www.ohtheplaces.org for details.

Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast has yet another interesting interview, this time with illustrator Amy Ackerley. I still haven't stopped laughing from seeing her illustration of Patrick the penguin with a plunger on his head.

If you're in the market for some picture book illustrations you need to check out the R. Michelson Galleries. They have a terrific selection; everything from Dr. Seuss to Mo Willems. They even had a show for one of my favorites, Thomas Locker. If you're in the Northampton, MA area, this jewel of a gallery is worth a visit. You can even pick up an autographed copy of one of Mr. Michelson's picture books.  

Have you signed up yet for Scholastic Mini Books?  Now's the time my book-savvy friends. There is quite a selection, including resources on favorites like The Grouchy Ladybug and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

Hope you have a super summer folks. If you're looking for some summertime books reviews, be sure to visit me on TeacherShare. Until then, keep reading and enjoy the sun!

Picture Book Thursday: Art for Everyone

Fly, Kit Fly!: A Story of Leonardo and a Bird Catcher
Written and illustrated by John Winch
Little Hare
Ages 4-9

A Is for Art: An Abstract Alphabet

Written and illustrated by Stephen T. Johnson

Simon & Schuster

Ages 5-9

The Vermeer Interviews: Conversations with Seven Works of Art

Written and illustrated by Bob Raczka

Millbrook

Ages 8-16

Fly, Kit Fly!: A Story of Leonardo and a Bird Catcher

This book was published a year or two ago but it's a good one to have for your classroom. This bit of historical fiction is based on the real meeting of Leonardo da Vinci and his life long friend Giacomo. Challenged to capture a red-tailed kite for the prince, the young boy completes his mission by offering a model built by da Vinci. Combined with rich red infused illustrations, this book is a fun tale and visual treat.  

A Is for Art: An Abstract Alphabet

This has to be one of the most interesting alphabet books on the market. Filled with truly abstract artwork and accompanying alliterative text, this title is well suited for old and young students alike. I think my favorites are "Fast Food Frenzy" featuring french fries and "Hoopla!" every Slinky aficionado's dream. Nice job Stephen T. Johnson!

The Vermeer Interviews: Conversations with Seven Works of Art
What a innovative way to help children to appreciate art. Bob Raczka "interviews" a number of the figures found in the paintings of Vermeer, allowing him to comment on artistic style and symbolism as well as everyday life in the 1600s. You're going to enjoy reading this as much as your students will.

Activity

After having a class discussion about Leonardo da Vinci, students can draw pictures of their own inventions. Bind the drawings together to create a class book or display them on a bulletin board.

For more book reviews during our summer hiatus, be sure to hop on over to TeacherShare.

Friday Blog Round Up: Duck! Rabbit! and an Olivia poster

Cathleen at Chronicle Books tipped me off to a bunch of cool book features they have online. They include teacher guides, printable posters and videos. Check out the links for the following: Duck! Rabbit!, Little Oink, and Horse Crazy.

Chris Gall is currently being featured on the Little Brown Books You Tube channel. Hear about his inspiration behind Dinotrux! or check out another video to hear Patrick McDonnell, Stephenie Meyer, or James Patterson.

Over at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, there's an interview with one of my favorite illustrators, Christopher Denise, as well as author Kristy Dempsey. It's also worth taking a look at his Web site; you'll get a full sense of his artwork. Keep up the good work Christopher!

With all the festivities around last week's Children's Book Week, there are still so many fun resources out there. I'm assuming this poster of Ian Falconer's Olivia is still available and worth the 60 cents for your classroom.

There's something about Mir that makes me want to pull a chair up to the table at Kitchen Table Reviews. This week she's blogging about Tedd Arnold's Super Fly Guy -- and fly he is!

You know the drill folks. Have a happy weekend and we'll see you back here next week!

Picture Book Thursday: Chicks

The Missing Chick
Written and illustrated by Valeri Gorbachev
Candlewick Press
Ages 4-8

Little Chick

Written by Amy Hest

Illustrated by Anita Jeram

Candlewick Press

Ages 4-8

Tough Chicks

Written by Cece Meng

Illustrated by Melissa Suber

Clarion Books

Ages 4-8

The Missing Chick

I have to admit, right off the bat, that I am a Valeri Gorbachev fan. His artwork has always reminded me of that of Garth Williams, another of my all-time favorite illustrators. He once again delivers with The Missing Chick, a Richard Scarry-esque mystery about a missing chick. With good-hearted help from the police, firefighters, neighbors, and a detective, the chick is found safe and sound in a laundry basket. The cute characters and simple plot will keep children engrossed. 

Little Chick

I honestly was not expecting this book to be able to pull off three entertaining stories, but they're all very sweet. Children will find them affirming as Little Chick struggles with life's wonders. "The Carrot That Would Not Grow," "The Kite That Would Not Fly" and "The Starry Night" all feature the nurturing relationship between Little Chick and Old-Auntie.  

My favorite tale has Old -Auntie offering some words of wisdom: "'A tall carrot is certainly nice,' agreed Old-Auntie. 'But sometimes,' she whispered, 'a small carrot is just what you need.'"  This book could easily become a beloved classic.

Tough Chicks

Are they tough? Well they're certainly not punks, but tough in more of a resourceful and inquisitive way. Much to the chagrin of their barnyard buddies, they also know how to have a good time, diving after barn flies, roping the roosters, and rolling in the pigpen. When it's time to save the day, they jump into action, stopping the tractor from hitting the hen house -- and then going so far as to repair it. These are some chicks I'd want watching my back!

Activity

Take a white paper plate and cut it in half in a zigzag fashion. Attach the two halves with a brad fastener to create a "cracked egg."  Cut out a chick from yellow construction paper and glue it to the back of one half of the plate.  When the egg "cracks" the chick should peek out.

Nonfiction Monday: Travel

Get ready for summer travel with this fiction/nonfiction book pair and activities for K-2.

Facts First

Follow That Map! A First Book of Mapping Skills
by Scot Ritchie

Reading level: Grades 1-3
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Kids Can Press

Follow Sally and her friends as they search for Max the dog and Ollie the cat while traveling across different types of maps.

Pair With

The Journey of Oliver K. Woodman
by Darcy Pattison (Author)
and Joe Cepeda (Illustrator)

Reading level: K-2
Hardcover/Paperback: 52 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

In this story told in postcards and letters, different travelers take a life-sized wooden man across the country.

Activities...

Participate in the Oliver K. Woodman Map Project and geo-tag Oliver's travels.

Plan ahead for the next school year with these Travel Pal Scrapbook lesson plans.

Print and perform this mini-book, A Play: Follow the Map and make the map center in the lesson plans.

If you're blogging about nonfiction books on this Nonfiction Monday, go to ACPL Mock Sibert blog and add your blog to this week's Round-up.

Friday Kid Lit Round-Up

According to PBS, Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat is coming to TV this fall in the new animated series "The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!" With comedian Martin Short giving voice to the whacky feline, "the world's most beloved cat will whisk preschoolers off on a voyage of scientific discovery for the first time ever as an animated TV series..."

I'm guessing any number of you Twilight fans would have loved to trade places with beauty salon owner Casey Ray. She found the script for New Moon laying in the trash and went to lengths to return it to the studio. Nice job Casey!

Have you taken a look at the handy summer reading book list that's part of the Summer Reading Challenge? Which titles are new to you? I bet you'll find a few fun selections to share with your favorite young friends.

I'm not sure how I missed it, but Jennifer posted a list of class made ABC books that looks just super. Ideas include photographing students as they shape their bodies into letters and finding objects in the classroom that begin with each letter.

While I'm bringing this to your attention too late to win a copy, you'll still definitely want to check out the reviews for Chicken Butt. I'm trying not to judge a book by its title but it's a struggle people. Let me know what you think.

OK folks, you know the drill. I'm off to write a lesson plan or two and I want you to have a super weekend. I'll catch up with you next week.

Picture Book Thursday: This Little Piggy

Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for Baby?

Written and illustrated by Barney Saltzberg

Candlewick Press

Ages 4-8

Being a Pig Is Nice: A Child's-Eye View of Manners

Written by Sally Lloyd-Jones

Illustrated by Dan Krall

Schwartz & Wade Books

Ages 4-8

Ping Pong Pig

Written and illustrated by Caroline Jayne Church

Holiday House

Ages 3-6

Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for Baby?

Any child adjusting to a new sibling at home will easily relate to this story. When mom brings home Cornelius' baby brother, Cornelius becomes discouraged by what the newest piglet can't do and is ready to send him back.  

(My brother tried the same thing when my sister arrived home. He added the additional flourish of locking himself in his room. Thirty years later he's made the adjustment.)

With some reassurance from mom and some quality time with his new brother, Cornelius is more than willing to welcome home his new brother.

Being a Pig Is Nice: A Child's-Eye View of Manners

This fun and goofy take on a child's book of manners features a variety of creatures and their topsy-turvy ideas on what it takes to be polite. Being a quiet owl? That's a no-no. A racing snail? Another bad idea. My favorite is a non-splashing elephant, being frowned upon by his dad. "I won't say it again, mister! Splash me this instant, do you hear? -- or ELSE!" Dan Krall's illustrations only add to the fun.

Ping Pong Pig

Ping Pong Pig is one resilient porker who wants to fly but doesn't like to help the other farm animals as he bounces about. Chaos ensues as he knocks over hay, ruins apples, and splashes mud on the barn. With a little help from his friends, in the form of a trampoline, Pig "flies" and attempts to pull his weight with the chores. This quirky tale is bound to have your students laughing at Pig's antics.

Activity

After enjoying Being a Pig Is Nice, have students create paper lunch bag puppets based on their animal of choice. Using the puppets, they can take turns acting out "bad manners" for their classmates.

Video Wednesday - Blueberry Girl by Neil Gaiman

I was traipsing around YouTube the other day and nearly tripped over this beautiful trailer for the book Blueberry Girl, read by Neil Gaiman. Normally, I have to admit, I'm a little creeped out by Gaiman, Newbery medal or not, but the beautiful prose and bright illustrations in this picture book may have won me over.

Such a sweet and tender story about a prayer for a little baby girl growing up.

New Review Tuesday: Mouse Was Mad

The wonderful thing about picture books dealing with anger and other difficult emotions is that they offer kids such a relatable experience to their own lives, and usually a way of coping with those emotions as well.

In Mouse Was Mad, by Linda Urban, illustrated by Henry Cole, Mouse tries to hop, stomp, scream, and roll around through his anger, but those are the strategies used by other animals (Hare hops, Bear stomps, Bobcat screams, and Hedgehog rolls), and they just don't work for poor Mouse. It's only when Mouse stumbles on his own coping mechanism—standing very, very still—that he begins to feel better.

Students in grades K–3 will no doubt have sympathy for Mouse, but also laugh out loud at Henry Cole's illustrations, which show Mouse falling into mud puddle after mud puddle after each unsuccessful attempt at dealing with his anger.

Urban, author of last year's charming middle-grade novel A Crooked Kind of Perfect, has found a unique lens into a universal problem, offering a surprising resolution that readers may just want to try out themselves!

Read Mouse Was Mad along with Molly Bang's fantastic When Sophie Gets Angry—Really, Really Angry, Lisa Jahn-Clough's Alicia Has a Bad Day, Judith Viorst's Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day and even Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are.

Compare and contrast Mouse's actions with the actions of the main characters in the other stories and make a list of the different ways they end up feeling better. Which are ways that kids might use when they're feeling grumpy?

Did I miss your favorite picture book about anger? Share in the comments.

Nonfiction Monday: Children's Book Week

Celebrate Children's Book Week May 11-17 with these books and activities for Grades K-8.

That Book Woman
by Heather Henson(Author)
and David Small (Illustrator)

Reading level: Grades K-3
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: Atheneum

Cal is not the readin' type, but that Book Woman keeps coming up the mountain and Cal learns to read so he can find out what the words say. (Inspired by the Pack Horse Librarians, the "Book Women" who carried books on horse or mule into the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky in the 1930s.) 

Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Journey to Change the World…One Child At A Time Young Reader’s Edition
by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin (Authors), Adapted by Sarah Thomson

Reading level: Grades 4-8
Hardcover: 240 pages
Publisher: Dial

Rescued by villagers in Pakistan while mountain climbing, Greg Mortensen returned their kindness by building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Activities...

Download the Children's Book Week Bookmark and print one for each child in your class.

Visit Scholastic's Professional Development Articles and Curriculum Ideas for National Children's Book Week 2009.

Students can write their own books with these Author Activities for National Children's Book Week.

If you're blogging about nonfiction books on this Nonfiction Monday, go to Book Scoops and add your blog to this week's Round-up.

Friday Blog Round Up

Leanne Italie has created an interesting list of famous moms and their favorite kid-lit lines. See if you can make the match for this quote from Charlotte's Web: "You have been my friend. That in itself is a tremendous thing. I wove my webs for you because I liked you." Was it Cokie Roberts, June Lockhart, or Lori Loughlin?

Now is the time of year to get your students geared up for summer reading. Check out the Summer Challenge, where kids read, play, and get the chance to win prizes all summer long.

And I know how much you all enjoy a good contest. Throw in a chance to win a copy of Meg Cabot's Airhead and you've got yourself a bucket load of fun!

Librarian Approved recently got me turned onto the idea of playing with books. On the one hand, I think it would drive me somewhat loopy to see books bandied about during play but some good points are made.  After you read the list, I'd love to hear your comments.

If you're not familiar with Bridget Zinn, DeoWriter describes her as, "a YA public librarian and YA writer. Lots of energy and sweetness."  She is currently battling cancer and her treatment is "aggressive and expensive." A number of folks in the kid-lit world have gotten together to help raise funds for her, starting with an online auction. This is a perfect chance to make a donation yourself, or hold a fundraiser with your school or students. Send me a note if you need some ideas.

Alrighty, I'm off to read up on what's new in poultry-themed picture books. Have a super weekend and I'll see you back here next week.

Picture Book Thursday: And For My Next Trick...

Moon Rabbit

Written & Illustrated by Natalie Russell

Viking

Ages 3-6

This Little Bunny Can Bake

Written & Illustrated by Janet Stein

Schwartz & Wade

Ages 4-8

Miffy the Artist

Written & Illustrated by Dick Bruna

Tate

Ages 4-8

Moon Rabbit

Wow!  This book had me rooting for Little Rabbit to find a soul mate. After falling asleep at the park, this city-loving rabbit meets a brown rabbit with the same taste in music. In fact, he plays the guitar. After dancing, picnics, and fun, Little Rabbit begins to pine for her life in the city. When she returns, it's with the knowledge that there is a kindred spirit out there and they can keep in touch by visiting. Combine this sweet story with Natalie Russell's use of color and printmaking skills and you have a book your students will enjoy.

This Little Bunny Can Bake

I make it a policy not to skip the endpapers when I'm reading a book, so when I saw these endpapers included recipes, I was intrigued. They all look yummy. When you get to the recipe for "Chocolate Salami" don't worry, there's no actual salami involved.

If you want to learn how to make some of these desserts, and you happen to be an animal, you might consider Chef George's School of Dessertology. Bunny does, along with a host of goofy animals. The back story told through the illustrations is as likely to keep you laughing, as it is your students. (The picture of the mouse raising his hand in the measuring cup is priceless.)

Miffy the Artist

You can take the rabbit out of the museum but you can't take the museum out of the rabbit. When Miffy gets back from a visit to the museum, she is inspired to create her own works of art and then posts them to create her own exhibit.  

Dick Bruna's use of primary and secondary colors and simple shapes makes for an endearing and straightforward title. Simply put, this is THE perfect book to read to young students preparing for a museum visit.

Activity

This is an activity I just completed with my class. I downloaded color copies of famous works of art and had my students choose one to reproduce. They used markers for the outline and then filled in with colored pencils. Once they were mounted on construction paper "frames," I hung the artwork in the hall alongside the color copies. Students from neighboring classrooms continue to comment on how much they enjoy our museum.

Friday Blog Round Up

All the talk of Jacques Cousteau at GreatKidBooks has me reminiscing as well.  Although I only have vague recollections of watching his specials as a tot, to me he was the Jeff Corwin of the ocean. You don't want to miss Manfish, the new book about his adventures.

So I was checking out some top 10 picture book lists on BookLights when I came across this tidbit: Can you guess which funny man and picture book author/illustrator used to write for Sesame Street?

I'm with Christine at the BookBench. Our recent record breaking heat wave had me ready to pull out every winter-themed book I could find, but she saved the day for me with a favorite Poppleton book.

Are you interested in winning a copy of Janet Halfmann's new Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea? Then pop on over to ReadingRumpus for numerous ways to enter the contest.

Newsflash! "Mir gives her son the week off to do some birthday bonding with her daughter over a great book." Now you know how much I enjoy KitchenTableReviews. It's worth a peek to see which book was birthday worthy.

Alrighty folks. I'm off to find the latest on bunny picture books for next week's review. Have a super weekend and we'll see you then.

Picture Book Thursday: Springtime Holidays

Cinco de Mayo: Celebrating the Traditions of Mexico
Written by Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith
Photographs by Lawrence Migdale
Holiday House
Ages 6-12

Book Fiesta!

Written by Pat Mora

Illustrated by Rafael Lopez

HarperCollins

Ages 3-7

That Book Woman

Written by Heather Henson

Illustrated by David Small

Atheneum

Ages 4-9

Cinco de Mayo: Celebrating the Traditions of Mexico

I wouldn't expect anything less than a quality book from Holiday House and this title is certainly no exception. In depth text, great color photos, and skillful graphic design make this book a must have for celebrating Cinco de Mayo in the classroom. Students will enjoy Rosalba Rosas and her family's celebratory traditions. The glossary of Spanish words is the icing on the cake. 

Book Fiesta!

You can't judge a book by its cover, but I won't blame you if you're smitten with the colorful artwork by the time you open to the endpapers. When you reach the two-page spread of "reading to the moon," you'll wonder if Rafael Lopez has the artwork available in poster form.  

Author Pat Mora has done a fine job crafting a book that celebrates reading and nods to the April 30th Mexican celebration "Day of the Child." Written as a bilingual picture book, both English and Spanish speakers will enjoy the celebration that this book has to offer.

That Book Woman

According to the author's note, "This story was inspired by the true and courageous work of the Pack Horse Librarians, who were known as 'Book Women' in the Appalachian mountains of Kentucky." Told from the point of view of a poor farmer's son, Cal goes from disinterest in reading to asking his sister to teach him after he observes "that book woman" and her dedication to her readers. Author Heather Henson does a nice job capturing Cal's voice, while David Small uses his beautiful illustrations to keep the focus on Cal.

Activity

Distribute large index cards to students to make book lists they think the "book woman" should share. Make copies of the cards and bind them into books for students to take home. They'll be able to refer to their friend's book lists when they're choosing what to read.

New Review Tuesday: Squawking Matilda

I'm beginning to think I have a problem when it comes to picture books about chickens—I love them all! Some recent favorites include Kate DiCamillo's Louise, The Adventures of a Chicken, Terry Golson's Tillie Lays an Egg, and Janice Harrington's The Chicken-Chasing Queen of Lamar County. Oh, and Michael Ian Black's Chicken Cheeks, as well as Jacqueline Briggs Martin's Chicken Joy on Redbean Road. See? I do have a problem.

Nonetheless, I found myself charmed once again by Lisa Horstman's new book Squawking Matilda. Matilda is a "chicken with attitude" that the enterprising Aunt Susan sends to her young niece Mae. Mae is a problem solver and at first delighted to take on Matilda, but then gets distracted by her other pets. Poor Matilda loses her feathers as a result of this neglect, and Mae then has to come up with a creative way to keep Matilda warm.

For grades K–2, pair Squawking Matilda with the non-fiction Tillie Lays an Egg, and then compare and contrast Matilda's behavior with that of a real chicken. You might keep track of the similarities and differences in an egg-shaped Venn diagram. Students will also have fun brainstorming their own solutions to Matilda's feather problem.

I can't be the only chicken lover out there, so share your favorite henhouse tales in the comments.

Friday Blog Round Up

OK, I have to admit it, I have not weighed in on the whole Duck! Rabbit! debate. Now that Chronicle has released this video on YouTube, we can all make an informed decision.

Now that your mind is at rest about Duck! Rabbit! you can devote some more time to wondering, "Who knitted Coraline's little sweater for the movie?" That would be miniature knitter extraordinaire Althea Crome.

Margaret Peterson Haddix has a new title out and Achockablog offers a review. I'm not sure how the rating system works but The Missing appears to have earned 4 green chicks.

The folks at PaperTigers are celebrating Earth Day with Jan Reynold's Cycle of Rice, Cycle of Life: A Story of Sustainable Farming. They describe it as a "fascinating photo essay." Sounds like one to add to your classroom bookshelves.

Here's a tip for you as you finish celebrating National Poetry Month with your students. Check out Jack Prelutsky, Karla Kuskin, and Jean Marzollo -- and their writing tips -- on Scholastic's Writing with Writers.

As always folks, have a great weekend and we'll see you back here on Monday.

Picture Book Thursday: Pop Ups

Pets Go Pop!
Written and illustrated by Bob Staake
Little Brown Kids
Ages 4-8

 Pop-Up House of Inventions

Written and illustrated by Robert Crowther

Candlewick Press

Ages 5-11

Earthly Treasure

Written by Kate Petty

Illustrated by Jennie Maizels

Dutton

Ages 6-10

Pets Go Pop!

If you're planning on teaching about pets, you need to get a hold of this book. With a Dr. Seuss like text and over-the-top pop-up animals, your students will get a kick out of the comic goings on. My favorite is a bystander reading a copy of The Catcher in the Rhino. Oh, it even comes with an activity poster that makes a nice addition to your classroom.

Pop-Up House of Inventions

This title is so loaded with interactive pop-up flaps and folds, I'm certain I haven't found them all. A suit of clothes hanging in a closet, a moving shower curtain, and a cookie sheet of gingerbread men in the oven are just a few of the interactive features that even I was having a blast with. Combine these with facts like, "Romans used candles as early as the 1st century A.D. They were made of animal or vegetable fat, and sometimes hungry soldiers would eat them" and you have a hit. A super book to use when teaching about changing technologies.

Earthly Treasure

I've never been one to get excited about teaching about rocks and minerals. Then again, I didn't have a fun pop-up book like Earthly Treasure as a resource. One pop up scene depicts what a house would be like without metal, while another page features an erupting volcano, complete with lava. If this book doesn't get kids excited about rocks and minerals, I don't know what will.

Activity

OK, so this activity is a tad obvious, but I'll make it a bit more intriguing. Pick a theme and have students create a pop-up card. Bind five or six of the cards together to make classroom pop-up books.

Video Wednesday: Monkey and Me Author Reading

I just love listening to authors read their own words -- especially if the author is also the illustrator. 

Watch British author/illustrator Emily Gravett as she reads from her picture book Monkey and Me and explains that it's based on a friend's "wiggly" daughter. It's absolutely charming!

 

Watch the interview with Emily Gravett. 

New Review Tuesday: Monsters the New Pirates?

For the past couple of years it seemed like I couldn't open a publisher's catalog without finding a new pirate-themed picture book. (Insert obligatory "Arrgh!" joke here.) For the record, some of my favorite pirate tales include David Shannon's How I Became a Pirate and Pirates Don't Change Diapers as well as June Sobel's hilarious alphabet book Shiver Me Letters.

But lately there's a new picture book hero: the monster. Perhaps it's the appeal of movies like Monsters Versus Aliens. Or maybe pirate books are taking a back seat because of very real and scary current events, while monsters still rule the world of imagination.

Whatever the case, keep an eye out for a slew of monster picture books hitting book shelves in the coming months. One of the first to arrive is How to Potty Train Your Monster, written by Kelly DiPucchio and illustrated by Michael Moon. This is one of those books where the kid appeal is obvious without even having to open the front cover. Potty humor plus colorful monsters? Check.

At the same time, this tongue-in-cheek guidebook is entirely classroom appropriate and would be a great model for "how-to" writing for first- through fourth-graders. DiPucchio clearly spells out each step in the potty-training process and you can use that as a launchpad for talking about the importance of clarity in writing instructions.

Other monster books on the horizon include Ed Emberley's latest There Was an Old Monster! (July 1), based on "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly," as well as Dian Curtis Regan's Monster Baby (June 15) and Barbara Jean Hicks' Monsters Don't Eat Broccoli (August 11).

Do you have a favorite monster picture book? Share in the comments!

Nonfiction Monday: Dogs

Learn about life with a dog in this fiction/nonfiction book pair and activities for K-3.

Facts First

May I Pet Your Dog?
The How-to Guide for Kids Meeting Dogs
(and Dogs Meeting Kids)
by Stephanie Calmenson (Author)
and Jan Ormerod (Illustrator)

Reading level: Grades K-3
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Clarion Books

Practical advice for kids meeting a new dog.

Pair With

Little Dog Poems
by Kristine O'Connell George (Author)
and June Otani (Illustrator)

Reading level: Grades K-3
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: Clarion Books

The dog is little and so are the poems as a girl narrates a day in the life of her dog.

Activities...

Have your students write a "mask poem" to welcome Bo to the White House (and send them to the author of Little Dog Poems.)

Watch Bo at the White House.

Learn about dog care from the ASPCA.

If you're blogging about nonfiction books on this Nonfiction Monday, go to Mommy’s Favorite Children’s Books and add your blog to this week's Round-up!

Friday Blog Round Up

If you're interested in attending a The North Star book release party with Peter H. Reynolds, you should drop him a note. The event is Saturday, April 25th and sounds like a great time. Or if you'd like to simply order a copy of the book and have it personalized you can do that too.

After reviewing baseball books last week, I thought you might like to find out about one more.  Anokaberry Annotated reviewed The Brooklyn Nine: A Novel in Nine Innings and it sounds like another home run.

This news has been floating around in the blogosphere for a month or two now. Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke is officially on board to direct If I Stay, which was released on April 2nd.  It's definitely worth a peek as there has been a lot of buzz surrounding the title.

"#19.  Write a ballad or song about the characters and events in your story.  Set the words to the music of a popular song and sing it to the class."  This is just one of 25 book report alternatives found in Karen Sevaly's November! Idea Book.

Easter at the White House involved the President and First Lady reading from two of their favorite picture books. It sounds like President Obama would have made a good teacher. 

OK folks.  Go order a copy of The North Star and have a super weekend.  We'll see you back here on Monday.

Picture Book Thursday: Spring Has Sprung

Oh, What a Beautiful Day!: A Counting Book

Written by Jeanne Modesitt

Illustrated by Robin Spowart

Boyds Mills Press

Ages 2-6

A Garden of Opposites

Written and illustrated by Nancy Davis

Schwartz & Wade

Ages 3-8

The Twelve Days of Springtime: A School Counting Book

Written by Deborah Lee Rose

Illustrated by Carey Armstrong-Ellis

Abrams

Ages 4-8

Oh, What a Beautiful Day!: A Counting Book

How can you not enjoy a book depicting hugging hamsters, flipping ferrets, and a prancing pig? Young readers will enjoy the simple counting and fun rhyming. Combined with illustrator Robin Spowart's simple color palette and color pencil-like strokes, spring is in the air. Sitting under a tree is the perfect place to share this book with students.

A Garden of Opposites

Printed on heavy paper with young readers in mind, this title features illustrations reminiscent of Lois Ehlert's work. With bold shapes and colors, Nancy Davis features opposites like asleep and awake, plain and fancy, and short and long. As a special treat, there is a fold-out at the end, where children can search for more opposites and check their finds by reading the butterfly's trail on the endpapers.  

The Twelve Days of Springtime: A School Counting Book

Any teacher who reads this book is going to immediately recognize that the creators have done their homework. The tank of tadpoles, easel board displays, craft projects, and writing on the chalk board are all familiar scenes to anyone who has spent in an elementary classroom. Combine this attention to detail with the humorous goings-on of the students and the teacher trying to hold it all together and you have one heck of a fun read aloud.

Activity

Using construction paper, students can create a set of opposites to be featured on a class bulletin board. Choose a theme like gardens, the ocean, or space and list the opposites on the side.

Nonfiction Monday: Earth Day

Prepare for Earth Day next week with these books, one for K-2 and one for grades 3-9.

Facts First

Keeping our Earth Green
by Nancy Castaldo

Reading level: Grades 3-9
Paperback: 128 pages
Publisher: Williamson Books

The subtitle says it all: "Over 100 Hands-On Ways to Help Save the Earth."

Pair With

What Can You Do with an Old Red Shoe?
by Anna Alter

Reading level: Grades K-2
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Henry Holt

This "Green Activity Book About Reuse" has 12 activities for young readers.

Activities...

Celebrate Earth Day with Scholastic's activities for K-8.

Stop by EarthDay.gov's kid's pages for games and activities.

Visit Larry Ferlazzo's blog for The Best Earth Day Sites for ELL, ESL, AND EFL.

If you're blogging about nonfiction books on this Nonfiction Monday, go to Abby (the) Librarian and add your blog to this week's Round-up!

Friday Kid Lit Round-Up

Baseball, Snakes, and Summer Squash: Poems About Growing Up is just one of the good books Angela Bunyi suggests on her blog. A big fan of Ralph Fletcher, Angela shares some of his (and her) tips on how to encourage boys to enjoy reading and writing.

More and more I'm hearing about Three Cups of Tea activist Greg Mortenson. With his picture book, Listen to the Wind, recently released, more students will be encouraged to hold their own fundraisers to help support those less fortunate than themselves. My class is currently raising funds to build floors in the mountain schools of India.

Readers of Collecting Children's Book were the first to see, "Graveyard Book to be Stripped of Newbery?" What followed was an in-depth and humorous article. Astute readers noticed it was posted on April 1.

The week of April 13th is on its way and School Library Journal's Battle of the Books is about to begin.  With matches like The Graveyard Book vs. The Trouble Begins at 8 and The Hunger Games vs. The Porcupine Year, this is one smack-down you're going to want to follow.

If you're hoping for a chance to win a trip to Disney World, you need to visit RIF and learn about their Read with Kids Challenge. Every participant who logs time reading will be eligible to win prizes from Candlewick and LC Creations. It's well worth a look.

So while you go log in to win a sunny vacation, I'm off to read a book or two. (I'm always looking for leads, so send me a title or two I may have missed.) Have a super weekend and we'll see you back here next week.

Picture Book Thursday: Hey Batta Batta Swing!

Rules of the Game: Baseball Poems

Written by Marjorie Maddox

Illustrated by John Sandford

Wordsong

Ages 9-14

Change-up: Baseball Poems

Written by Gene Fehler

Illustrated by Donald Wu

Clarion Books

Ages 6-11

You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?!

Written by Jonah Winter

Illustrated by Andre Carrilho

Schwartz & Wade Books

Ages 4-10

Rules of the Game: Baseball Poems

National Poetry Month is the perfect time to celebrate the opening of the season with baseball poetry. Marjorie Maddox, grandniece of former Brooklyn Dodgers manager, has written a compilation that includes Choking Up on the Bat, Beanball, and my favorite, The Line Drive.  This is a book of baseball prose that all student sports enthusiasts will want in their classroom library.

Change-up: Baseball Poems

Wow!  Another comprehensive book of baseball poetry.  Gene Fehler sets forth a series of poems that flow from February, through baseball season, and back to February, covering topics like parents playing ball, superstitions and bench warming.  The combination of picture and poem for Snow Baseball had me feeling like I was in Cooperstown. Fellow Kid Lit Kit blogger Hannah Trierweiler also featured this book in her New Review Tuesday post.

You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?!

If you can stop playing with the lenticular cover of Sandy pitching, you'll learn everything you ever wanted to about this talented ball player.  By the end of 1961, "Sandy had broken the National League record, with 269 strikeouts."  His repeated pitching led to his elbow swelling to the size of a grapefruit after each game.  Readers will enjoy reading about his carer in baseball, as well as the facts sprinkled throughout the work.  This book is a home run.

Activity

Compare "Bench View" from Change-up and "The View from the Dugout" from Rules of the Game.  Have students illustrate the poems, without having seen the original illustrations.  Mount the pictures as a bulletin board display, being sure to include copies of the poems and accompanying artwork.

New Review Tuesday: Change-Up

Last week I blogged about a baseball/poetry twofer; Gene Fehler's Change-Up is another collection of baseball poems, this one for readers in grades 2–5. With 38 free-verse poems on topics ranging from Grandpa's tough pitches to baseball superstitions to rained-out games, this anthology really gets at the heart of the sport.

If you're covering poetry this month, I would use Change-Up to talk about conveying different emotions as well as point of view and perspective. Indeed, the poem "Perspective" compares what it's like to stand in the outfield versus the batter's box, with the words spaced out and floating in the first half of the poem and tightly packed in the second half.

Try challenging kids to write a similar poem about a different sport—the difference between playing soccer midfielder and goalie, perhaps, or what it's like to stand in the diving board versus swim laps. Encourage writers to switch up the physical look of words on the page, as Fehler does.

For more poetry picks, check out my column in this month's issue of Instructor.

Nonfiction Monday: Eggs

Eggs are on the menu for both Passover and Easter this coming week, so here's a fiction/nonfiction book pair and activities about eggs for K-2.

Facts First

An Egg is Quiet
by Dianna Hutts Aston (Author)
and Sylvia Long (Illustrator)

Reading level: Grades K-2
Hardcover: 36 pages
Publisher: Chronicle Books

Explore the world of eggs as you see how they are alike..and different...in many ways.

Pair With

First the Egg
by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

Reading level: Grades PreK-2
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

This die-cut book cleverly shows the life cycle of several creatures, and ends with a creative process kids can participate in...making a book! 

Activities...

This Passover for Kids guide has games, activities, recipes and multimedia stories.

Decorate eggs online.

Find out why eggs and rabbits are an Easter tradition.

If you're blogging about nonfiction books on this Nonfiction Monday, go to Scrub-a-Dub-Tub, a Reading Tub Blog and add your blog to this week's Round-up!

Friday Blog Round Up

If you haven't checked out TeacherShare lately, now would be a good time. If you type "lesson plan" into the search box above "resources" on the left, you'll find a treasure trove of picture book related lesson plans. While not all of the hits will be picture books, the majority of them will. They should pop up with the picture book title, followed by lesson plan.

One of my favorite publishing folks, Karen Walsh at HMH, clued me into this fun online resource. The Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Poetry Kit offers classroom activities, downloadable stickers, a Poem-A-Day calendar and a letter from award-winning poet Joyce Sidman. Rhyme on folks!

Our own Anastasia Suen is putting her poetry powers to great use, showcasing a poem a day, from K-12 students.  Keep an eye on PencilTalk this month and you'll be treated to a variety of poems. 

All this poetry talk is making me hungry and I can't help but look back to March, being National Noodle Month and all. Jama Rattigan's AlphabetSoup  serves up a host of pasta related books. Nora Dooley's Everybody Eats Noodles is just the tip of the iceberg.  

By now you're probably rubbing your growling tummy and asking yourself how I could have forgotten to mention Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs?  Well don't despair!  If your "appetite for adventure" is in full swing, you're going to want to check out the movie trailer over on Sony's site. (My favorite is the ratbirds.)

Now that I'm ready for Prince Spaghetti Day, I'll bid you all a super weekend and I'll see you back here on Monday. Oh, and send me a note people!  Let me know what interests you in the Kid Lit World.

Picture Book Thursday: April Poems

Soup for Breakfast

Written and illustrated by Calef Brown

Houghton Mifflin Co.

Ages 5-12

Steady Hands: Poems About Work

Written by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer

Illustrated by Megan Halsey and Sean Addy

Clarion Books

Ages 8-12

Stampede!: Poems to Celebrate the Wild Side of School

Written by Laura Purdie Salas

Illustrated by Steven Salerno

Clarion Books

Ages 4-9

Soup for Breakfast

According to the book jacket on Soup for Breakfast, Calef Brown tries to write a poem a day. "Believe it or not, I was once very averse to verse, but now all my nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs go forwards and backwards, riffing and rhyming. It's all about the timing." And that they do. With fun poems like "Painting on Toast" where butter is used as a primer and "T.P.L.T.T.F." (The Parking Lot That Time Forgot) that imagines "rumble seats and window fans, classic coupes and vintage vans," students are sure to find some new favorites.

Steady Hands: Poems About Work

Who would have thought that a welder, retail clerk, and programmer would make for good poetry? But they do, along with a host of others. Tracie Vaughn Zimmer does a wonderful job of capturing the nuances of these careers. With descriptive prose found in poems like "Camp Counselor," she holds a magnifying glass to the sensory experiences that might easily be overlooked. "They roll out sleeping bags and -- too tired to speak -- point out shooting stars and listen to the tink tink tink of the flag hook against the empty pole, the restless crickets, the bullfrog by the riverbank."

Not to be forgotten are the collages Sean Addy has created to accompany the poems. His artwork adds a whole new layer to the poems.

Stampede!: Poems to Celebrate the Wild Side of School

One look at the frenetic, animal and alphabet infused endpapers lets readers know they

are in for some fun. Laura Purdie Salas and Steven Salerno make a super team as they romp through a series of school inspired poems like "Tomorrow Is Picture Day," "Printer Problems" and my personal favorite, "Turtleneck."  Laura does a super job of connecting with students and their school day experiences, while Steven offers up a retro series of illustrations that are just plain fun. Great job guys!

Activity

Based on Soup for Breakfast, cut paper in the size of a soup labels and have students write poems on them. Don't forget to add some illustrations. Wrap the poems around cans and create a display to share the poems.