The Christian Science Monitor has posted several articles about children’s lit. The books covered include Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson and Where’s the Cake by T.T. Khing. There are also picture book recommendations, pirate books, an audio book, and mysteries. Enjoy!
The Telegraph offers a list of a twelve books to read before you are twelve year old. The list was reviewed by Ingrid Hopson, librarian of the year for the School Library Association, and it is WONDERFUL!
Freak the Mighty, by Rodman Philbrick
Cloud Busting, by Malorie Blackman
Dream On, by Bali Rai
Evil Inventions (Horrible Science), by Nick Arnold
Framed, by Frank Cottrell Boyce
A Dog Called Grk, by Joshua Doder
I, Coriander, by Sally Gardner (Hurrah! This was a favorite of mine!)
Journey to the River Sea, by Eva Ibbotson
Mortal Engines, by Philip Reeve
The Ring of Words – An Anthology of Poetry, selected by Roger McGough
Saffy’s Angel, by Hilary McKay (YES! Loved this one and the others in the series!)
Unbelievable!, by Paul Jennings
Ginger Bear by Mini Grey.
One can’t go wrong with a picture book by Mini Grey, author of The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon and Traction Man Is Here!
Ginger Bear was published in Great Britain in 2004, but has just made its debut here in the United States. The story is about Horace who gets a lump of dough from his mother and a bear-shaped cookie cutter. Horace gives the bear eyes and a nose out of currants and plans to eat it right away. But things keep delaying him eating the cookie until finally he has to put it next to his pillow and plan on eating it the next morning. But in the night, Ginger Bear wakes up. He heads to the kitchen and makes an assortment of friends out of dough and decorations. They create a circus right in the kitchen but disaster strikes and Ginger Bear is forced to find a place that is safe for a cookie to be.
I loved this book. Like the other picture books Grey has done, this one has humor that is spot on. I laughed out loud at what Horace usually does with dough his mother gives him. When he brings it back “it was deep gray and fluffy (and quite a lot smaller.)” Grey’s illustrations are also wonderful. I especially enjoyed the horror of Ginger Bear looking down at the disaster in the kitchen. Tragic but also very funny.
I would recommend this picture book for slightly older readers. Kindergarteners and first graders will enjoy it, but second and third graders will get all of the sly wit. If you are doing a cooking unit in your classroom, I would have this ready to read as they munch afterwards. It also makes for a very un-Christmasy holiday read. Definitely one you want to seek out and read. It’s a real treat.
School Library Journal has an interview with Lois Lowry in their latest magazine (it is also available online.) Lowry is one of my favorite authors, as I have probably mentioned here before. Her Giver and Gossamer are both truly stunning novels that open young readers up to new worlds. The interview focuses primarily on The Giver, which is a real treat.
Stephen Hawking, author of A Brief History of Time, is writing a novel for middle-graders. The book, George’s Secret Key to the Universe, will be published this fall. I look forward to handing this one to my son who is fascinated by quantum physics.
Whole World by Christopher Corr and Fred Penner.
Just look at that cover and you will know how bright and vibrant this book is. It shouts out with the various skin colors, places on earth, and the joy of the earth itself. Perfect match with the song.
I always enjoy picture books based on songs. I think they offer a perfect bridge into books for children. So get your singing voice warmed up and you can get even the wiggliest kids to pay attention and even join in. On the accompanying CD, you get the song sung by Fred Penner and also a version with only music so you can sing along if you choose. I always prefer to just sing aloud myself, because then the kids feel free to make their own mistakes. 😉
Share this one with toddlers and preschoolers who will enjoy the bright colors and the music.
My Dog Is as Smelly as Dirty Socks: and other funny family portraits by Hanoch Piven.
It all starts with a family portrait that a child draws which she thinks doesn’t really portray all of the qualities of her family. So instead she creates pictures out of objects that show a special quality of that family member. The father is as jumpy as a spring, the mother as soft as the softest fluff, her younger brother is as sneaky as a snake, the dog is as stinky as an onion. This is a winning concept. The final portraits of each member are silly and fun, but also demonstrate an artistic concept as well as the use of metaphors.
I would share this book with elementary age children working on metaphors and similes. I would also recommend it for a jumping off point for art projects, perhaps family portraits made with found objects? A gateway to folk art? All sorts of options here.
You may want to take this quiz to see which Peanuts character you are. I found it scarily accurate! My husband has always said that I have Lucy’s personality. And I must admit that it’s true…
I tend to be bossy (hence the director job).
I tend to enjoy rather cruel jokes (and would have pulled the football away from my younger brothers given any chance at all).
I am very opinionated (hence the book reviews).
Embrace your inner Lucy!
Thanks to Liz for the link!
The New Jersey Star-Ledger has a great article about the power of fantasy books for children. They interview professor Michael Levy from University of Wisconsin Stout, who specializes in YA lit.
The article is full of good quotes and thoughts that will make you cheer. Here’s my favorite:
“People talk about it as escapist, but it is also a
way of dealing with real problems,” Levy says.
“Harry Potter is every kid who’s ever been
picked on by a bully, who’s had to deal with someone
of the opposite sex. It helps them feel they’re not
alone, that they can find solutions. They can’t find
magical solutions, but they can find solutions.”
Waking Brain Cells 