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Book Reviews

Last Stop on Market Street: A Book Review

Last Stop on Market Street by Matt De La Pena

market

We received a free copy of this book back in February of this year.  I remember hearing about it from an interview on NPR radio so I was excited when there was a book reading taking place in my area.  Free copies of the book were given to all attendees so that’s how we snagged our copy of this awesome book.

Even though we received this book months ago, it wasn’t until recently that I really started reading it aloud to the kids.  Now it’s in our rotation of books we read often.  I truly love this book as it reminds me of a lot of my childhood and my Nana.

Every Sunday, CJ and his grandmother (Nana) ride the bus together, but CJ wishes they had a car instead. That is, until Nana points out why riding the bus is so much better.

As he and his Nana take the bus across town, observant little CJ is full of questions and more than a little wishful thinking asking: “Nana, how come we don’t got a car?” Nana gently chides him, really just planting seeds for how she sees the world. “Boy, what do we need a car for? We got a bus that breathes fire and old Mr. Dennis, who always has a trick for you.”

You see, it’s really how you look at the world, the magic you can see there, and the people you meet along the way. When CJ asks why a blind man on the bus can’t see, Nana tells him, “Boy, what do you know about seeing? Some people watch the world with their ears.”

Rather than telling CJ about what community means, his Nana shows him that he’s a part of it. After an event-filled bus ride, they arrive at their destination, the soup kitchen. “I’m glad we came,” CJ says looking at the familiar faces in the window of the soup kitchen where they both volunteer every Sunday.

I adore the fact that CJ’s Nana helps him see beauty in his surroundings, whether it’s on the bus or the soup kitchen they head to every Sunday afternoon. As Nana said, “Sometimes when you’re surrounded by dirt, C.J., you’re a better witness for what’s beautiful.”

In my opinion, this picture book has it all.  Wonderful descriptive writing, beautiful, rich illustrations and it’s full of abundant, child-centered details.  I love it when picture books can capture a small moment–and help us hold onto the small moments in our own lives.

This book makes me smile and think of my Nana every single time I read it–it’s so filled with love, friendship and an appreciation for life, in such a real way.  Many ideas are touched upon in this book: poverty, music, manners, volunteering, helping, caring, family and gratefulness.

I love the overall message of this book: being grateful for what you have.  Little CJ is so lucky to have a grandmother who teaches him to see things from a different perspective.  If only all children could be so fortunate to have someone like CJ’s Nana in their lives.

Want to learn more? Check out the original NPR radio interview I listened to:

NPR Interview with Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson

Your turn:  Have you read this book to your little ones before?  Feel free to let me know in the comments.

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What the Kids are Reading (in July 2015)

Here’s a roundup of the books I’ll be reading aloud to the kids this month.  We’re exploring everything from colors to animals and bugs to chocolate!  What’s on your reading stack?

Dog’s Colorful Day by Emma Dodd

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Dog starts off the day with one black spot on his left ear. But it seems that wherever he goes, he runs, rolls, and trots right into colors. As he wanders around town, Dog collects spots made of red jam, blue paint, pink ice cream, and more. When he finally arrives back home, Dog has ten different colored spots. And then it’s bath time for this colorful canine, who makes learning colors and numbers easy, messy, and fun!

You Are My Baby: Ocean by Lorena Siminovich

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This board book is adorable!  It’s part of a series written by the author Lorena Siminovich.

Readers will find a little book nestled inside a bigger one: Turn the pages to match the baby animals to their parents, and learn some early concepts along the way.

You Are My Baby: Safari by Lorena Siminovich

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This book is from the same series of board books as the one mentioned above except it’s all about safari animals. So cute!

The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins
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Each ring of the doorbell brings more friends to share the delicious cookies Ma has made. This terrific and suspenseful read-aloud picture book about friendship, sharing, and cookies can also be used to introduce basic math concepts to young children.

Bug detective : amazing facts, myths, and quirks of nature by Maggie Li
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This book is so fun and interesting! The kids have really taken an interest in nature and bugs this summer so this book is perfect for helping them to learn more about bugs. From creepy-crawly beetles and scary spiders to beautiful butterflies, this playful guide will reach out and grab bug-crazy kids! Funny, picture-packed pages provide tons of information on bug habitat, feeding rituals, predators, and more, while each spread focuses on one creature-like bees or centipedes—with a brief introduction and facts scattered brightly everywhere. Plus, the book comes with a magnifying glass embedded in the cover, so budding “detectives” can complete the “missions” they’ll find throughout, along with additional activities in the back.

The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling

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This book came highly recommended so we’re reading it. In a laugh-out-loud hilarious twist on the legend of King Midas, a boy acquires a magical gift that turns everything his lips touch into chocolate. Can you ever have too much of your favorite food? John Midas is about to find out….

First published in 1952, The Chocolate Touch was an instant classic—and has remained a timeless favorite with kids, teachers, and parents.

Egg: Nature’s Perfect Package by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page
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Hatching a plan for survival isn’t always easy in the wild. And how animals lay, protect, and even use each other’s eggs as a food source help reveal the life cycle of the natural world. Eggs come in all shapes and sizes. The ostrich’s is the largest, but some are so small, you need a microscope to spot them. Animals hide them and disguise them in smart and surprising ways, too. Some abandon their eggs, while others protect them fiercely and carry them wherever they go. There are as many kinds of eggs as there are animals that depend on them, because in the animal kingdom, the fight for survival begins with the simple, but extraordinary, egg.

Where Does Kitty Go in the Rain? by Harriet Ziefert
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A lilting kitty mystery combines with rain-centered facts to create an utterly charming fiction/nonfiction picture book. As kids are invited on the search for Kitty, they’ll also discover what different animals do to enjoy, or avoid, a rainy day. Harriet Ziefert’s rhyming couplets pair beautifully with Brigette Barrager’s lush art to make a combination that is sure to please young readers and adults alike.

What makes a duck waterproof? Where do butterflies hang out to stay dry? What serves as a built-in umbrella for a squirrel? Created especially for younger readers, here’s a unique title that’s part mystery, part science, and all curiosity-inspiring fun!

Alphabet Adventure by Audrey Wood
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I love finding great alphabet books to read!  After working hard all summer with their teacher, “Capital T,” the lower case letters of the alphabet are on their way to the first day of school. But they’re held up when the letter i loses her dot. The letters come up with a plan, and race around to find a substitute for Little i to wear s offers a star, h a heart but at the last moment the mischievous dot returns (anxious about being replaced).

One Too Many: A Seek & Find Counting Book by Gianna Marino
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In this boisterous barnyard, the fun grows with each turn of the page. One bouncing flea is joined by two cows, then three horses, and so on, all the way up to twelve swooping bats. Children will delight in following the shimmering path of the flea, counting each bounce along the way to find the new arrival. Older readers can take the challenge further, counting all the animals on the page, or hunting for their favorite. And a surprise ending reveals which animal is just one too many!

Time to Eat by Steve Jenkins

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It’s time to eat! Which animals eat bamboo, can gulp down a whole deer, or swallow rocks to help them eat?

Frindle by Andrew Clements
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I recently started a ‘Summer Stories’ story time for kids that live in my neighborhood. We read books outside two nights a week for half an hour and then have a brief discussion afterwards. The kids are really enjoying it! I let the older kids alternate who reads the books and then we all listen while eating our snacks. This is one of the longer chapter books we’ll be reading aloud during our ‘Summer Stories’ story time this month.

Is Nick Allen a troublemaker? He really just likes to liven things up at school — and he’s always had plenty of great ideas. When Nick learns some interesting information about how words are created, suddenly he’s got the inspiration for his best plan ever…the frindle. Who says a pen has to be called a pen? Why not call it a frindle? Things begin innocently enough as Nick gets his friends to use the new word. Then other people in town start saying frindle. Soon the school is in an uproar, and Nick has become a local hero. His teacher wants Nick to put an end to all this nonsense, but the funny thing is frindle doesn’t belong to Nick anymore. The new word is spreading across the country, and there’s nothing Nick can do to stop it.

Your turn:  What are your kids reading this month?  Have you read any of these books?  Feel free to let me know in the comments.

children's literacy

Literacy Expert Spotlight: Kathleen Odean

Starting this month, I will be featuring a literacy expert on the blog each month!  Exciting, right?  This is one of the “secrets” I’ve been working on behind the scenes in an effort to keep bringing you fresh content and new literacy ideas.

For now, these posts will only last through the end of this year.  If they prove to be popular and if I’m able to feature more people I’ll keep it going.

This month’s literacy expert is Kathleen Odean, an expert on children’s and adults books.   Kathleen has spent the last thirty years steeped in books for young people as a librarian, workshop presenter, reviewer, university instructor, and author of four guides to children’s books. All her work is aimed at helping young people connect with books that will enrich their lives and add to their happiness.

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Q: Kathleen, please tell us a little about yourself.
A: I spent seventeen years as a children’s librarian in public and school libraries. Now I give workshops to educators on new books for young people and do a lot of reviewing. My mission is to connect kids and teens with good books, whether I’m doing it directly or through their teachers and parents. I’ve written four guides to children’s books, published by Random House: Great Books for Girls, Great Books for Boys, Great Books About Things Kids Love, and Great Books for Babies and Toddlers. I also had the wonderful privilege of chairing the 2002 Newbery Award Committee.

Q: Do you have any literacy rituals that you practice in your family?
A: Growing up, I was lucky enough to have a mother who read to me and took us five kids to the library a lot. My husband reads to me now when we have time, mostly nonfiction. He and I have been in a nonfiction book group with other adults for about 7 years, which is sheer pleasure.

Q: If you could give parents one piece of advice about reading with children, what would it be?
A: Make it fun. You don’t have to teach your children to read, because that’s what schools do. You need to give them positive associations with reading, which means having a good time together around reading and choosing books you both enjoy. Let them see you read for pleasure, too—that makes a big difference.

Q: What were some of the favorite children’s board, picture, or chapter books you’ve read or come across this year?
A: A picture book I like a lot is A Poem in Your Pocket by Margaret McNamara with pictures by G. Brian Karas. I love Jerry Pinkney’s new version of The Grasshopper and the Ants. I’m a big fan of Mo Willems’ Elephant and Piggie books, the latest of which is I Will Take a Nap! All three are 2015 publications.

Q: What are some of your must-have children’s books for a home library?
A: Two categories come to mind.  One is your children’s favorite books that they will want to re-read and cherish. Another is poetry anthologies like The Random House Book of Poetry for Children selected by Jack Prelutsky, with pictures by Arnold Lobel. A love of poetry is a gift parents can give to their children, and having anthologies at home is a large part of that.

Q: Hardcover or e-book (when reading a book on your own)?
A: Actually, paperback is my favorite but I use e-books when I’m traveling.

Q: Fiction, non-fiction or some other genre (when reading a book on your own)?
A: Everything. I love fiction including literary fiction and mysteries, narrative non-fiction, and poetry.

Name an adult book that:

a) Inspired you: I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai with Patricia McCormick (a young adult memoir)
b) Made you laugh out loud: Anything by Terry Pratchett.
c) You recommend to others often: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.

Q: What books are on your nightstand or e-reader right now?
A:
I give workshops to educators on new young adult books, so I’m busy reading the newest ones.

Q: How can people get in touch with you on social media or on your website?
I blog about YA (Young Adult) nonfiction at greatcommoncorenonfiction.com. I can also be reached through my website, kathleenodean.com.

Check out Kathleen’s Books!

Great Books for Girls
Great Books for Boys
Great Books for Babies and Toddlers
Great Books about Things Kids Love

Your Turn:  Did you enjoy this post?  Are you interested in being featured?  Do you know someone who might want to be featured?  Feel free to let me know in the comments or send me an e-mail.

children's literacy

Five Children’s Books to Read for the 4th of July

The Fourth of July is a day to reflect on the history of our country, and to celebrate the things that make it unique. It is also a time in which many of us celebrate with our family and friends, have cookouts, watch parades, and end the day with fireworks bursting in the sky.

I hope you’ll take a moment to read a book about the holiday with your children in spite of the racial tensions going on in the world today.  We still have so much to be thankful for and celebrate.

There are so many good books available that explore the history of our great country and many are geared to children.  Below are a few to choose from.  Happy 4th!

ABC USA by Martin Jarrie
Apple Pie Fourth of July by Janet S. Wong
Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems by Paul B. Janeczko and Melissa Sweet
Your turn:  What’s on your reading stack for the 4th of July holiday weekend?  Feel free to let me know in the comments.
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