#Road2Reading Challenge: Early Readers to Check Out from Simon Spotlight

Batman is Fast!
by Maggie Testa; Illustrated by Patrick Spaziante
Simon Spotlight, May 23, 2017

Description from GoodReads: 
Now very new readers can reach for the stars with Batman in this book that’s part of an all-new Ready-to-Read level, Ready-to-Go!

Perfect for kids at the beginning of their reading journeys, Batman Is Fast! was written for children who have learned the alphabet and are ready to start reading! And what better way to get kids excited than with a fun story with words they can actually read and starring their favorite super hero?

Each Ready-to-Go! Ready-to-Read includes a note to parents explaining what their child can expect, a guide at the beginning for readers to become familiar with the words they will encounter in the story, and reading comprehension questions at the end. Each Ready-to-Go! story contains no more than 100 words and will feature sight words, rhyming words, and repetition to help children reinforce their new reading skills. In this book, readers will learn seventeen sight words and five words from two word families. So come on and get reading with Batman!

BATMAN and all related characters and elements © & ™ DC Comics. 

I am a fan of the Simon Spotlight Early Reader nonfiction titles. However, today, I wanted to share a couple of titles from their new series of Ready-to-Read New Readers. I really appreciate that both of the titles that I am sharing in this post are much more accessible for very beginning readers. 

In both books, you will notice larger font and limited text per page and repetitive language patterns throughout the pages. This is not typically what you will find with commercial early readers. Often time, I will pick up a reader marked "Level 1" or "Level 2" and think that it is really a book written for students with more skill in navigating text and vocabulary. 

Who Can? Daniel Can! 
by Maggie Testa; Illustrated by Jason Fruchter
Simon Spotlight, May 2, 2017

Description from GoodReads: 
Now very new readers can reach for the stars with Daniel Tiger in this book that’s part of an all-new Ready-to-Read level, Ready-to-Go!

Perfect for kids at the beginning of their reading journeys, Who Can? Daniel Can! was written for children who have learned the alphabet and are ready to start reading! And what better way to get kids excited than with a fun story with words they can actually read and starring their favorite tiger star?

Each Ready-to-Go! Ready-to-Read includes a note to parents explaining what their child can expect, a guide at the beginning for readers to become familiar with the words they will encounter in the story, and reading comprehension questions at the end. Each Ready-to-Go! story contains no more than 100 words and will feature sight words, rhyming words, and repetition to help children reinforce their new reading skills. In this book, readers will learn twenty-three sight words and eight words from four word families. So come on and get reading with Daniel!

© 2017 The Fred Rogers Company

Another feature I appreciate about the books include the addition of a key terms at the beginning of the book and discussion questions listed at the end of the book. Both of these are nice features for parents sharing the book with children. 

Look for these and other titles in the Simon Spotlight New Readers series at your local bookstores or community libraries. 

All journeys have a starting place.
This is a weekly place to find books and tools
that you may use with readers at the start of their reading journey.
Join in the conversation at #road2reading.

Each week, Michele Knott and I post about new early readers and transitional chapter books. 

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: Her Right Foot

Her Right Foot
by Dave Eggers; Illustrated by Shawn Harris
Chronicle Books (September 19, 2017)
Nonfiction * History * Monuments
Audience: Ages
Indiebound | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads: If you had to name a statue, any statue, odds are good you'd mention the Statue of Liberty. Have you seen her?

She's in New York. 
She's holding a torch. 
And she's in mid-stride, moving forward. 
But why?
In this fascinating, fun take on nonfiction, Dave Eggers and Shawn Harris investigate a seemingly small trait of America's most emblematic statue. What they find is about more than history, more than art. What they find in the Statue of Liberty's right foot is the powerful message of acceptance that is essential to an entire country's creation. 

My thoughts on the book...
It is hard these days not to get a little political with some of my nonfiction posts. As I wrote this review, we were waiting to hear whether the president would end the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. A few weeks ago, White House spokesperson Steven Miller and a journalist had a heated exchange about Emma Lazarus' famous poem at the base of the Statue of Liberty. And issues surrounding immigrants and immigration laws have been in the news constantly the past several months. 

Eggers likely envisioned this book and began work on it long before the current political climate and didn't expect how timely it would be, and important. Learning about our history and the symbols that communicate much about what our country stands for. 

In HER RIGHT FOOT, Eggers and Harris have created a book that not only shares the history of one of our most famous statues but also reminds us of the need for diversity and inclusion. 

I hope that as children read through this book they will learn new facts about the Statue of Liberty and her origin and journey from France to the United States. 

And I am thankful for Eggers's focus on "her right foot". I like many others are accustomed to seeing the upper body of Lady Liberty holding her torch up high. It never occurred to me to think about her feet and the sense of movement conveyed by her one leg and foot. 

Though The New Colossus poem by Emma Lazarus was added later, it cemented the role of Lady Liberty as a symbol welcoming immigrants. 

The Engines of Our Ingenuity is Copyright © 1988-2006 by John H. Lienhard.

For more information about the Statue of Liberty, click here. 

HER RIGHT FOOT
Children's Illustration Project

Here's How to Enter:

1. Read this excerpt from the book with a child 12 years old or younger and encourage them to illustrate something inspired by the theme or imagery. We encourage teachers and librarians to share with their students!

2. Take a photo of the illustration(s) and post on Twitter or Instagram (if your profile is public) with the hashtag #HerRightFoot. Please include the first name of the child illustrator and a few words about what the Statue of Liberty means to them. 

3. Don’t want to post on social media? Scan or take a photo of the illustration(s) and upload using the "Enter" tab.

4. Alternatively, you can mail a copy of the illustration with your contact details to:
Dave Eggers, c/o Chronicle Books, 680 Second St., San Francisco, CA 94107

Update: Chronicle Books has extended the submission deadline date until December 31st!

Look for HER RIGHT FOOT (when it comes out) at your local indie bookstore or public library.

Artwork by Sarah S. Brannen ©2017

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews...

#Road2Reading Challenge: Blog Tour - The Adventures of Henry Whiskers

The Adventures of Henry Whiskers by Gigi Priebe; Illustrated by Daniel Duncan
(Aladdin, January 3, 2017 & August 29, 2017) Book I | Book II 
Fiction * Action & Adventure * Animals/Mice
Audience: Ages 7 to 9
Indiebound | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads: 
Henry Whiskers must face his fears and rescue his little sister from the scary Rat Alley in this fun, fast-paced debut chapter book set in Queen Mary’s historical dollhouse at Windsor Castle.

Twenty-five generations of Whiskers have lived in Windsor Castle’s most famous exhibit: Queen Mary’s Dollhouse. For young, book-loving Henry Whiskers and his family, this is the perfect place to call home.

But when the dollhouse undergoes unexpected repairs and Henry’s youngest sister, Isabel, goes missing, he risks everything in a whisker-whipping race against time to save her. His rescue mission will take him to the murky and scary world of Rat Alley, and Henry will have to dig deep and find the courage he never knew he had in order to bring his sister back home.

Thoughts on the series....
What is it about small creatures or tiny individuals living under floorboards or in this case in a doll house that enchant readers? In the new series, The Adventures of Henry Whiskers, readers are introduced to Henry Whiskers and his many family members, who have the good fortune of living in Queen Mary's Doll House. Or at least living in the storage drawers of the dollhouse or below Windsor Castle. 

I was drawn in from the beginning of the story when I imagined Henry, asleep in the doll house library with a book at his feet. The pencil drawing came no where near to how I imagined it in my mind. What would it be like to be small enough to live in an opulent tiny castle? 

Fans of books like The Borrowers or The Littles or The Rescuers will enjoy Gigi Priebi's The Adventures of Henry Whiskers. In book one, Henry finds himself searching for his young sister, Isabel, who has disappeared. Of course a story about mice would not be complete without a few adversaries, and help coming from an unlikely source. 

As I was reading through the story, I was also reminded of that feeling as a child when I would read a story and wished the adventures happening in the book could actually happen in real life. I think that was one of the reasons I loved books. Even when life seemed boring and predictable, a book would take you on an adventure or provide some excitement. 

After reading the first book in the series, I realized that I did not know a lot about Queen Mary's Doll House at Windsor Castle. If you are like me, you may be compelled to learn more about this famous Doll House.

For more information about Queen Mary's Dollhouse, click here. 

Look for The Adventures of Henry Whiskers at your local indie bookstore or public library.

About the author: Gigi Priebe is the mother of three, the founder of Stepping Stones, an award-winning children’s museum in Norwalk, Connecticut and the author of The Adventures of Henry Whiskers, the first in her middle grade series. When she is not writing--or rewriting--she is a philanthropic advisor and community volunteer in Fairfield County, Connecticut, where she lives with her husband, a cat named Tigger, a dog named Clover, and probably some mice. To learn more and to download a free curriculum guide, visit  gigipriebe.com.

Check out the Giveaway: 
One lucky winner will receive copies of both Henry Whiskers books by Gigi Priebe--book 1, THE ADVENTURES OF HENRY WHISKERS, and book 2, THE LONG WAY HOME. (U.S. addresses)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

All journeys have a starting place.
This is a weekly place to find books and tools
that you may use with readers at the start of their reading journey.
Join in the conversation at #road2reading.

Each week, Michele Knott and I post about new early readers and transitional chapter books. 

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: Elephant Pair Ups

After reading a variety of elephant stories and watching several videos, I have fallen in love with elephants. They are truly amazing creatures. There are two elephant books coming out this fall that are worth picking up. 

Katherine Roy is back and this time with a book about elephants instead of sharks. From the birth of a baby elephant to her growth into an adult, Roy takes readers into the lives of elephant families.

How to Be an Elephant by Katherine Roy (September 19th 2017 by David Macaulay Studio)

The illustrations in this book are gorgeous. It feels as if the elephants are coming right off the pages. I love the focus on elephant families and how important they are for the growth of young elephants. There is also general information provided by the author.

Another book coming out this fall is a fictional story about a young elephant that is separated from his herd and nearly drowns when a teen helps to rescue the baby animal igniting a special bond between the two. 

The Elephant Keeper: Caring for Orphaned Elephants in Zambia by Margriet Ruurs; Illustrated by Pedro Cova (October 3rd 2017 by Kids Can Press)

The additional power of this story is how Aaron learns to view elephants differently from how he was raised to perceive them. This story is powerful and can spark deep conversations. 

The end of this book features nonfiction text about Aaron and Zambezi along with other facts and vocabulary.

Other elephant books...

A Passion for Elephants: The Real Life Adventure of Field Scientist Cynthia Moss by Toni Buzzeo; Illustrated by Holly Berry

Natumi Takes the Lead: The True Story of an Orphan Elephant Who Finds Family by Gerry Ellis; Photographs by Amy Novesky

The Elephant Scientist by Caitlin O'Connell, Donna M. Jackson, Timothy Rodwell 

A Baby Elephant in the Wild by Caitlin O'Connell; Photographs by Timothy Rodwell

School Library Journal....

For more information about text sets and going beyond leveled reader when reading nonfiction, check out an article written by Mary Ann Scheuer and myself. 

Baseball Text Set

A couple of years ago, Mary Ann Scheuer and I started talking about reading nonfiction and text levels. When we see each other in person and also over the phone we have amazing conversations about books, children and nonfiction. Mary Ann got the ball rolling with writing an article for School Library Journal. I am thankful that she included me in the process and excited to share with you the published version. If you want to check it out, click here. 

Artwork by Sarah S. Brannen ©2017

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews...

#Road2Reading Challenge: What I wish I was reading!

Every school year starts off at a fast pace but this year has been a bit crazier than the past few years. As a result, my reading life has take a hit. I have been longing to read these four books and have them in a neat stack on the coffee table where I can glance at them longingly. Hopefully you have a bit more time and can add these 4 books to your "to read list". 

My Weird School: Class Pet Mess! by Dan Gutman; Illustrated by Jim Paillot (June 20th 2017 by HarperCollins)

Charlie & Mouse & Grumpy by Laurel Snyder; Illustrated by Emily Hughes (October 3rd 2017 by Chronicle Books)

The Princess in Black: Mysterious Playdate by Shannon Hale, Dean Hale; Illustrated by LeUyen Pham (September 5th 2017 by Candlewick Press)

The Adventures of Caveboy by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen; Illustrated by Eric Wight (August 29th 2017 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens)

All journeys have a starting place.
This is a weekly place to find books and tools
that you may use with readers at the start of their reading journey.
Join in the conversation at #road2reading.

Each week, Michele Knott and I post about new early readers and transitional chapter books.