The Marvels Blog Tour: You Either See It Or You Don't

The Marvels
by Brian Selznick
Scholastic Press (September 15, 2015)
Website | Social Media #TheMarvels
 

About the book: 
From the Caldecott Medal–winning creator of The Invention of Hugo Cabret andWonderstruck comes a breathtaking new voyage.

In this magnificent reimagining of the form he originated, two stand-alone stories—the first in nearly 400 pages of continuous pictures, the second in prose—together create a beguiling narrative puzzle.

The journey begins on a ship at sea in 1766, with a boy named Billy Marvel. After surviving a shipwreck, he finds work in a London theatre. There, his family flourishes for generations as brilliant actors until 1900, when young Leontes Marvel is banished from the stage.

Nearly a century later, Joseph Jervis runs away from school and seeks refuge with an uncle in London. Albert Nightingale’s strange, beautiful house, with its mysterious portraits and ghostly presences, captivates Joseph and leads him on a search for clues about the house, his family, and the past.

A gripping adventure and an intriguing invitation to decipher how the two narratives connect, The Marvels is a loving tribute to the power of story from an artist at the vanguard of creative innovation.

Quick thoughts on the book: 
At the American Library Association Annual Conference, I was able to pick up an advance copy of THE MARVELS. I read it as soon as I got home. Brian Selznick has taken his art and storytelling to new heights with his latest book. Though I love all of his books, this may have earned a special place in my heart and emotionally moved me the most. If you are like me, you may even need a pack of tissues for the end of the book. Definitely pick this up from your local indie bookstore and create time to read this book when it comes out on Tuesday, September 15th. 

Artwork #1

Artwork #2

Artwork #3

Artwork #4

Check out the official book trailer: 

Photo Credit: Jamey Mazzie

About the Author: 
Brian Selznick is the Caldecott Medal-winning author and illustrator of the #1 New York Times bestsellers Wonderstruck and The Invention of Hugo Cabret which was adapted into Martin Scorsese's Oscar-winning movie Hugo. Selznick's books have garnered countless accolades worldwide, and have been translated into over 35 languages. He has worked as a set designer and a puppeteer. He lives in San Diego, California, and Brooklyn, New York.

Piece together the mystery of THE MARVELS.

Join Joseph, a young boy in 1990 London, as he pieces together clues found in his uncle’s mysterious house. Who are the Marvels? And how are they connected to Joseph?

Follow the YOU EITHER SEE IT OR YOU DON’T tour to hear mysterious recordings by Brian Selznick, get a sneak peek at artwork from the book, and discover souvenirs from inside THE MARVELS house. What do they mean? You either see it or you don’t.

September 7th - The Book Smugglers
September 8th - Hypable
September 9th - Super Space Chick
September 10th - The Reading Room
September 11th -  Pop Wrapped

Enter to win a copy of The Marvels and The Marvels Jigsaw Puzzle.

Giveaway open to US addresses only.  Prizing and samples provided by Scholastic.

Please complete the rafflecopter below to enter for a chance at winning these special prizes.

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Why I believe every teacher must be a reader!

Finding the right words can be hard at times. I have started and deleted this post several times over the last few days. For most of you who read this blog on a regular basis you will likely agree with what I have to share. However, there are others that will come by this post and think that I am just being fanatical and what I am saying is impossible to do.  Yes, I have heard the excuses with, "I'm too busy" leading the pack.

However, over the years, I have truly come to believe that if you want to teach reading and writing and develop a love of reading and writing in children, then you need to love to read and write. It is just that simple and just that hard. One piece of good news, if you love to read and you read a lot, then the writing piece will be a bit easier. Readers often make good writers. Writers are often voracious readers. Reading and writing are two sides to the same coin. 

Let's start with reading.  

“The single factor most strongly associated with reading achievement, more than socioeconomic status or any instructional approach, is independent reading.” - Stephen Krashen

Several years ago, I realized that if I wanted students to love reading and to see children grow as readers. I needed to love reading and be transparent about my reading with students. If I wanted to hold children accountable to reading each day, then I needed to read each day, and not just the emails that came into my inbox. I was fortunate that I have always loved reading but where I struggled was remembering to share my reading life with others. Quickly, I learned that when I shared about a book with students, then they wanted to read it. Yet, I had to be reading regularly and diversely if I was going to share books with students and make smart recommendations. 

Here are some of the changes that I made:

• I made reading a priority in my life. This meant that I had to change some of my routines so I could spend more time reading - less television, more books & audiobooks, new weekend routines.
• I started picking books beyond the genres that I loved so that I could recommend books to all different kinds of readers.
• I reached out to various communities of readers both in real life and on-line. I would never know about enough books if I did not seek out the support of others. 

As I talked about books with children, they began to see me as someone who cared about what they read and how they felt about a book. They learned that they could tell me if they liked a book or didn't like a book and that we could disagree on books and still be part of the same community.  Also, our connection as readers continued beyond the time I had them at school. I still have many students that come up to me years later and say "let me tell you what I am reading" even without my asking about what they are reading.  They identify with me as a reader.

Just this past week, I had one parent come up to me to say that her daughter loved all of my recent book suggestions (the child and I have not been at the same school for 3 years but I still get asked to make recommendations) and that her teacher was so pleased with her level of writing. (Remember when I said readers often make great writers.)  

At a birthday party on Saturday, the parents of one of the girls at the party came up to me to say that the book I recommended to their daughter was a huge hit and she is now on book 2 in the series and did I have more suggestions.

And my niece who is now in high school came to me with a list of books she wanted to read and left with a stack (see below).  

Yesterday, my niece and I went to Vroman's Bookstore. At one point, as she was browsing books and asking about titles and I was commenting on which ones I had at home. She blurted out sarcastically, "Are there any great books here that you don't have?" To which, I provided her an equally sarcastic eye-roll. Somehow we managed to still find a few books to buy. (see below)

You may still believe that all this reading is great for me but it isn't possible for you. However, I know enough teachers and librarians to know that it is possible and that it does produce dramatic changes in the reading lives of our students.  Below are a few tips to encourage you on this journey of reading.

What are five habits that you can do this school year to make reading more a part of your life and part of your classroom:

1. Set a personal reading goal, make it fun, and don't beat yourself up. Can you carve out twenty minutes a day to read a chapter book over the course of a week, or pick a time on the weekend to read through a stack of picture books? Can you aim for one or two books a week? 

2. Connect with an on-line reading community to hold yourself accountable. Goodreads is one way that I have connected with other readers and also kept track of what I am reading. Following and participating in the #bookaday community on twitter is another great way to keep accountable and learn about books.

3. Recognize that even if you read for hours every day you cannot read everything out there. Make friends with other readers. I know that my local indie bookstores have great staff in their children's sections and I can ask for recommendations at any time. Other readers that I have met through Twitter and blog communities like #IMWAYR or #NFPB2015 or #nerdybookclub post what they are reading each week. I get lots of books suggestions from taking time to read those posts. 

4. Book talk about the books you are excited about with your students and ask them to do the same. When I listen to a friend tell about a book that they loved, I immediately want to go out and get the book. There is something infectious about their enthusiasm around a particular story. When you share about a book that meant something to you, students listen.

5. Spend time on reading and sharing books and not on busy work like one page book reports. This last one is more of a reminder to teachers that you would not read if you had to write a book report for every book that you read, so please don't do that to your students. I record what I read on GoodReads but if I had to write even a one line review for every book, I would probably stop reading. Writing copious notes about each book sucks the fun out of reading and leaves me with less time to read. If students want to know if you read a book, they will ask you for your thoughts. So, in some ways, why is it different for them? If you really want to know if a child read a book, confer with them or have them share a book they loved with a classmate who might also like the book. 

And finally, don't forget to have fun.  

Blog Tour & Giveaway: That's (Not) Mine

That's (Not) Mine
by Anna Kang; Illustrated by Christopher Weyant
Two Lions (September 1, 2015)
Audience: Ages 3 to 6 years
Fiction * Sharing * Friendship
Curriculum Guide
Amazon * WorldCat
 

Description from Publisher:
Two fuzzy creatures both want to sit in the same comfy chair. The trouble is, they can’t agree who it belongs to. They get madder and madder, until…

With expressive illustrations and simple text, this giggle-inducing tale about (not) sharing and (not) being a good friend features the endearing characters from Theodor Seuss Geisel Award winner You Are (Not) Small.

My thoughts on the book:
Early on Monday morning, February 2nd, I sat with the other members of the Schneider Family Book Award jury having breakfast as we waited for the Youth Media Awards to begin. Since we already knew our winners, we were taking guesses at what books would win other awards. Some of our members had previously served on the Geisel Award Committee and as we chatted about criteria for the Geisel Award, I boldly proclaimed that You Are (Not) Small would win. I did not have any insider knowledge. I just loved the book and felt that it was the perfect choice. When the announcement came that You Are (Not) Small had indeed won the award, my committee members turned to smile and give me a "thumbs up". I had called it. Maybe luck, but the Geisel committee had great taste in books. 

Of course, I was excited about another book from husband and wife team, Weyant & Kang. Could they deliver as they had with their debut book? Sometimes picture book sequels fall horribly flat. The wonderful concept and characters in a first book may seem fresh and new but when done again leaves you wanting more. However, I am here to report good news. Kang & Weyant have brought back their lovable animal characters (Are they bears? Who cares...they are really cute.) and this time a chair is the center of their attention. Is it yours or is it mine? No worries.  Everyone is a winner because as readers we have a follow-up that is just as delightful as its predecessor. 

Themes of friendship and sharing are front and center and the exclamations of "That's mine." and "Mine" will resonate with both the child and adult reading this book.  The perfect read aloud look for young readers to request this one over and over again.  Also, kindergarten students will celebrate being able to read this one aloud without help as they learn to read the individual words that comprise this text. 

If you loved You Are (Not) Small, then you will want That's (Not) Mine.  And on January 11, 2016 in Boston at the next Youth Media Award announcements, I am hoping for another shiny sticker for team Kang & Weyant. 

Look for this book at a local bookstore or at your public library.  

About the author and illustrator: 
Husband-and-wife team Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant are the creators of You Are (Not) Small, which won the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award and was named a Notable Children’s Book by the American Library Association. They live in New Jersey with their two daughters, Kate and Lily, a guinea pig named Athena, and a hermit crab named Olaf.

Anna, a native New Yorker, grew up believing everything was hers until one day she realized it was her brother’s, too. She received a master’s degree in fine arts from the USC School of Cinematic Arts, where the visual storyteller in her was awakened, forever changing the way she saw art, life, and everything in between. In addition to writing, Anna loves to read, travel, laugh, eat, and nap. Visit her online at www.annakang.com      Twitter: @annakang27  

Christopher is a cartoonist and illustrator. His work can regularly be seen in the New Yorker. His cartoons are syndicated worldwide and have been featured on the Today Show, Meet the Press, and World News Tonight. Christopher likes to share everything but his personal space on the subway. Visit him online at www.christopherweyant.com    Twitter:  @chrisweyant05 

Check out the other stops in the blog tour:

August 31, 2015           Watch.Connect.Read
September 1, 2015       Jean Little Library
September 2, 2015      Teach Mentor Texts
September 3, 2015      Kid Lit Frenzy (that's here)
September 4, 2015      Unleashing Readers
September 7, 2015      The Children's Book Review
September 8, 2015      proseandkahn
September 9, 2015      The Library Fantatic
September 10, 2015     Sharpread
September 11, 2015      Bluestocking Thinking
 

Don't miss the giveaway: 
One lucky winner will receive a copy of THAT’S (NOT) MINE plus an adorable full-color poster. (U.S. addresses; allow 6-8 weeks for delivery.)

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Lizard Radio by Pat Schmatz - Guest Post & Giveaway

Lizard Radio
by Pat Schmatz
Candlewick Press (September 8, 2015)
Audience: Young Adult
Fiction * Dystopian * Gender Identity
Reviews: SLJ | Kirkus
IndieBound * WorldCat

About Lizard Radio: 
Fifteen-year-old bender Kivali has had a rough time in a gender-rigid culture. Abandoned as a baby and raised by Sheila, an ardent nonconformist, Kivali has always been surrounded by uncertainty. Where did she come from? Is it true what Sheila says, that she was deposited on Earth by the mysterious saurians? What are you?people ask, and Kivali isn’t sure. Boy/girl? Human/lizard? Both/neither? Now she’s in CropCamp, with all of its schedules and regs, and the first real friends she’s ever had. Strange occurrences and complicated relationships raise questions Kivali has never before had to consider. But she has a gift—the power to enter a trancelike state to harness the “knowings” inside her. She has Lizard Radio. Will it be enough to save her? A coming-of-age story rich in friendships and the shattering emotions of first love, this deeply felt novel will resonate with teens just emerging as adults in a sometimes hostile world.

We are excited to welcome Pat Schmatz to Kid Lit Frenzy.  Thank you Pat for sharing your creative process during the writing of Lizard Radio.

It was winter in Wisconsin, snow-deep and long dark days. I was grinding my way through the third draft of Lizard Radio – or maybe the fourth. I had the characters and the setting down (the fun parts) but the plot was elusive. I had decided that for once in my life, I was actually going to follow advice and have a book with rising action, a crisis and climax and denouement, just like you see in the graphs. I was using Martha Alderson’s book The Plot Whisperer to help fit my mish-mash of characters and scenes and feelings and dialogues into a story with a shape and a resolution. I found it very, very difficult.

I was at my very small town’s local library working on a computer. Well, not really working. More like staring at the screen. I don’t even remember why I was there. But in my staring, I noticed the row of CDs stacked on the shelf above the computer desk. One of them was John Coltrane. I’d never listened to any of his music, but on a whim I checked the CD out and took it home with me.

It was an odd whim, because I’m fairly ignorant when it comes to music, and not particularly adventuresome. But I did it without thinking. I couldn’t even tell you which album it was, but that CD immediately spoke to the lizard in me and I played it constantly for a few days. Then I downloaded Coltrane’s A Love Supreme and put it on my iPod.

For weeks, I followed the same routine. I went outside at daybreak to cross-country ski. Then I came inside, put on Coltrane, and played solitaire. I might do that for an hour before I started writing. His music is so non-linear and such a breakaway from predictable form that it set something loose in the depths of my brain. I felt like it was carrying out a secret subterranean design while the front of my brain was busy with linear questions about plot and my hands were busy with black-red and numbers. Then when I’d sit down at the computer, the words and images flowed.

Sometimes I’d put Coltrane on at night as I was going to sleep and listen to him all night. The sheets of sound, the rise and fall, the struggle and beat were in my head all the time as I worked through that revision, and by spring I had an actual story with a plot.

The process reminded me that the world is full of art, and each new creation enters the world by riding the waves of those who have come before – whatever the medium. As a writer, it’s my job to stay open to the world and move with the currents that connect me to the other arts. They fill my stories out and give them depth and flavor.

I don’t know what Lizard Radio would have been without John Coltrane, but it would not have been the same book. 

About the author:
Pat Schmatz is the author of Bluefish, which garnered three starred reviews and about which School Library Journal said has “all the hallmarks of a classic.” About Lizard Radio, the author says, “I keep a notepad with sketches and ideas, and one day, a lonely lizard wearing headphones came out of my pencil. When I tuned in, I found this story.” Pat Schmatz lives in Wisconsin. 
Website: www.patschmatz.com  Twitter:  @schmatz5

Check out the other stops on the blog tour:

Monday, August 31, 2015                   YA Book Central
Tuesday, September 1, 2015              The Pirate Tree
Wednesday, September 2, 2015        Teen Reads
Thursday, September 3, 2015            The Children's Book Review
Friday, September 4, 2015                 Kid Lit Frenzy
Saturday, September 5, 2015             The Book Rat
Monday, September 7, 2015               Swoony Boys Podcast
Tuesday, September 8, 2015              Gay YA

Enter to win a copy of Lizard Radio - You must be 13 years old or older and have a US mailing address to enter. 

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Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday: Recent and New Releases

As part of the Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge, one of my favorite things is to round-up as many new quality nonfiction books for children and share them with readers of this blog.  Some months, I miss the release of books and add them to the next month's post.

Last month, I skipped a new release post because some months are a little light or I just don't fill a post. In today's post, there is little bit for everyone here including picture books, and some longer-form nonfiction. Since I have not seen every book listed, I cannot always confirm if they are truly a nonfiction book or more of an informational fiction text or a bit of historical fiction. 

Links to the previous 2015 release posts: January | February | March | April Part I | April Part II | May | June | July  

August 4, 2015

Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer: The Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement by Carole Boston Weatherford; Illustrated by Ekua Holmes (Candlewick Press)

August 18, 2015

Alphabet Trains by Samantha R. Vamos; Illustrated by Ryan O'Rourke (Charlesbridge)

Fab Four Friends: The Boys Who Became the Beatles by Susanna Reich; Illustrated by Adam Gustavson (Henry Holt & Co.)

August 25, 2015

Becoming Maria: Love and Chaos in the South Bronx by Sonia Manzano (Scholastic Press)

Courage and Defiance: Stories of Spies, Saboteurs, and Survivors in World War II Denmark by Deborah Hopkinson (Scholastic Press) 

Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras by Duncan Tonatiuh (Abrams)

September 1, 2015

How to Swallow a Pig: Step-by-Step Advice from the Animal Kingdom by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page (HMH Books for Young Readers)

The Nutcracker Comes to America: How Three Ballet-Loving Brothers Created a Holiday Tradition by Chris Barton; Illustrated by Cathy Gendron (Millbrook Press)

September 8, 2015

The Inventor's Secret: What Thomas Edison Told Henry Ford by Suzanne Slade; Illustrated by Jennifer Black Reinhardt (Charlesbridge)

Thomas Jefferson Grows a Nation by Peggy Thomas; Illustrated by Stacy Innerst (Calkins Creek)

September 22, 2015

Jump Back, Paul: The Life and Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar by Sally Derby; Illustrated by Sean Qualls (Candlewick Press)

Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War by Steve Sheinkin (Roaring Brook Press)

September 29, 2015

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

Rhythm Ride: A Road Trip Through the Motown Sound by Andrea Davis Pinkney (Roaring Brook Press)

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews: