End of the Year: Favorite Picture Books Part II - My Top 10

Yesterday, I posted 15 picture books that were special to me.  Standouts in many ways.  Today, I take it one step further.  Out of all the picture books I read, here are my top ten.

#10 Blackout by John Rocco - I fell in love with the book trailer, the illustrations and the story. This had it all for me.  

#9 Can We Save the Tiger? by Martin Jenkins, Illustrated by Vicky White - Incredible illustrations paired with facts about endangered animals.  A must have book for any library collection.

#8 Won-Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku by Lee Wardlaw, Illustrated by Eugene Yelchin - I am not a big fan of poetry of any kind.  But I am growing in my appreciation the more that I read.  When a book of haiku sticks with me for the whole year, it deserves to be on my top 10 list.

#7 Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson - Anyone who knows me knows that I love Kadir Nelson's work.  This is a beautiful story of history and people.  And the audiobook is a must listen.

#6 Perfect Square by Michael Hall - Some books are simple but incredibly executed.  A square of paper is transformed over the course of the week.  Filled with great concepts and a favorite of young students at my school.

#5 Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet - Illustrations and text that work together to tell the story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade.  A non-fiction picture book at it's best.  This one has affected so many and needs to be shared.

#4 Me...Jane by Patrick McDonnell - Combination of beautiful illustrations and solid text that simply tells the story of the life of Jane Goodall for young children. This one is a winner for me.

#3  Little Chicken's Big Day by Jerry Davis, Illustrated by Katie Davis - I fell in love with the book trailer and then the book.  I want to give this book to every parent with a toddler.  I wonder if I can talk Katie Davis into a print of Little Chicken fussing in his car seat.  "I hear you cluckin' Big Chicken.." will bring a smile to my face every time.

#2 Wonderstruck by Brian Selznik - Brilliant.  Truly one of the most amazing books that I have read this year.  One character's story is told in pictures and the other one in words.  Let me say it again "brilliant". 

#1 Stars by Mary Lyn Ray, Illustrated by Marla Frazee - Last year, I picked up CHALK by Bill Thomson and it was really my book.  The one that touched me more than all others.  This year when I opened up STARS, I knew without a doubt that I had found my picture book of 2011.

So what picture book touched you this year?


*Thank you Alethea (@frootjoos) for the picture book image at the top.

Happy New Year 2012 Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Happy New Year 2012 Giveaway Hop!  It is hosted by Kathy of I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Babs from Babs Book Bistro.  The Giveaway Hop runs from December 30th to January 3rd.  Don't forget to check out the linky below and stop by the over 200 blogs that are participating in this Giveaway Hop.  Great way to ring in the New Year!

To celebrate the New Year, I want to help support everyone's reading goals.  Are you participating in the Newbery Challenge hosted by teacher extraordinaire Colby Sharp and super teacher/librarian Mr. Schu?  Maybe you decided on the Caldecott Challenge hosted by LibLaura5 and A to Z Library?  Or I know many of you often participate in the Debut Author Challenge hosted by Kristi, The Story Siren.  Whatever reading challenge you have set for yourself, I want to help support you by providing you with a book or audiobook that you can use towards your challenge.

Here is the Giveaway:

One lucky winner will receive a book (from Amazon or Book Depository) or an audiobook (Audible) worth $15 or less.  International participants are only eligible for the book (if someone knows if Audible can be gifted internationally, I am happy to consider that option too).  The book or audiobook must be specifically related to a challenge. 

Rules for the Contest:

1. Though comments are very much appreciated, please do not enter any personal information in the comments section (including your email, website, etc.).  If you do enter personal information, you comment will not be posted.  

2.  You must complete the Entry Form to officially enter the contest.

3.  The Contest runs from 12:00 a.m. Pacific Time on December 30, 2011 to 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on January 3rd.

3.  You must be 13 or older to participate in this contest.

4.  If you are selected as a winner, I will notify you by e-mail.  If you do not respond within 48 hours, I will select a new winner.

5.  International participants are welcome to enter the contest.

End of the Year: Favorite Picture Books of 2011 Part I

During 2011, I managed to read around 900 plus picture books.  It was an exciting journey.  Some were good.  Some were just okay.  And some were truly stand outs.  With so many picture books, I could not narrow it down to just 10.  I have decided to do two posts.  Part 1 will include some picture books that are memorable to me and that I would highly recommend.  There are books on friendship, books with humor, books without words, non-fiction books, and books that have special meaning for me.  Part 2 will include my absolute favorites from the year. 

Here goes - Part I (in no particular order):

You Will Be My Friend by Peter Brown - This one inspired my kindergarten teachers to dress as Lucille Beatrice Bear for Halloween.  It is that good.

Stuck by Oliver Jeffers - Is there anyone who doesn't love an Oliver Jeffers' book? 

Jonathan and the Big Blue Boat by Philip C. Stead - Wonderful text and beautifully illustrated. 

Over and Under by Kate Messner, Illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal - Messner had a banner year and this was one of my favorites.  A beautiful look at the world in the wintertime.

Where's Walrus? by Stephen Savage - A wordless picture book that will have children searching for the walrus who has escaped from the zoo.

Cloudette by Tom Lichtenheld - A sweet story about a little cloud who learns that she can make a big difference. 

I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen - I couldn't leave this one off my list.  It inspired great discussion and much fun.  #teambear for me

A Nation's Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis by Matt De La Pena, Illustrated by Kadir Nelson - De La Pena and Nelson need I say more. 

A Dog is A Dog by Stephen Shaskan - One of those fun books that makes you giggle or smile as you read it and the concept is well executed.  A dog is a dog, yes?  Turn the pages to see.

A Pet for Petunia by Paul Schmid - This is one of those "makes me smile" books.  Petunia wants a pet. Yes, a pet skunk.  Or does she?!

Just a Second by Steve Jenkins - Love the way that Jenkins leads the reader through the concept of time in this non-fiction picture book. 

Zombie in Love by Kelly DiPucchio, Illustrated by Scott Campbell - There was no way I could leave this one off my list.  I love Mortimer and Mildred. 

Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature by Joyce Sidham, Illustrated by Beth Krommes - Poems, nature, and amazing illustrations.  Definitely a gift book. 

Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People by Monica Brown, Illustrated by Julie Paschkis - This one holds a special place in my memories from this past year.  I paired this up with The Dreamer by Pamela Munoz Ryan.  Students loved it.

Basketball Belles: How Two Teams and One Scrappy Player Put Women's Hoops on the Map  by Sue Macy, Illustrated by Matt Collins - This book made me feel like I was transported back in time and had a chance to witness the first women's college basketball game. 

Stay tune for Favorite Picture Books of 2011, Part II - The 10 that are my must haves. 

*Many thanks to Alethea (@frootjoos) for designing the image for the post.

End of the Year: Favorite Graphic Novels from 2011

It is that time of the year.  Time to look back on all of the wonderful books that I read and an attempt to select my favorites.  I have decided to kick-off the End of the Year posts with Graphic Novels.  In looking at my GoodReads' shelf for Graphic Novels, I realized that I read a lot of graphic novels in 2011.  In coming up with this list though, I limited it to ones that were released in 2011. 


Here are some of my personal favorites (in no particular order):

Babymouse #14: Mad Scientist by Matt Holm and Jenni Holm - No list would be complete without a Babymouse GN making an appearance and not only is this one a favorite of 2011 but maybe one of my favorite Babymouse books to date.

Squish by Matt Holm and Jenni Holm - Fans of Babymouse were introduced to Squish this year and got a chance to read not just one but two Squish stories.  Yay for Super Amoebas! 

Lunch Lady #6 Lunch Lady and the Field Trip Fiasco by Jarrett J. Krosoczka - Any teacher who has taken a class on a field trip to any place will get a chuckle out of the latest Lunch Lady book. 

Sidekicks by Dan Santat - I am a huge fan of Santat's picture books and was excited to hear that he was doing a graphic novel.  And even more excited when I finally had a chance to read it.  My list would not be complete without adding it here.  This one has become quite popular among my students as well.

Amulet #4: The Last Council by Kazu Kibuishi - This is one book series that I have to wrestle away from students in order to read the latest book.  And book 4 truly delivers.  Boys and girls love this series and I have students in grades 1 to 5 reading it.

Nursery Rhyme Comics: 50 Timeless Rhymes from 50 Celebrated Cartoonists by Various - Nursery Rhymes get a fancy twist as illustrated by some of the most popular cartoonists out there.  First Second puts out some great books and this is one of them.  A fun way to expose older children to common nursery rhymes.

Around the World by Matt Phelan - Phelan writes about the individual accounts of 3 people who ventured out on "around the world" tours in the late 19th century. Full of the personality quirks of each of these adventurers and interesting facts. 

Hera by George O'Connor - The Olympian series by O'Connor is a favorite of mine.  And though I might favor Athena more than Hera, I certainly grew in appreciation for who Hera is/was from this book. The "Geek Notes" at the end of the book help readers connect back to the other books - or provide glimpses of what will come. Great companion to the Percy Jackson Series.

Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge - Newcomer Gulledge snagged me with her amazing artwork and I was particularly taken with how the illustrations perfectly match the emotions of the text. Some of the images were just so expressive on such a visceral level.

Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol - Anya's Ghost manages to be a ghost story with just the right level of creepy with true teen angst about fitting in at high school.  In addition to a great story, I really loved the illustrations in this one.

For our youngest comic book/graphic novel fans, I need to make a special mention of Candlewick's ToonBooks which are a wonderful easy reader series of comic books.  They aren't all published in 2011 but I discovered them in 2011.  The series is perfect for Kinder to 3rd grade and the book apps are also available in multiple language. 

If you are looking to increase your graphic novel collection, and these aren't on the shelves in your library, I would encourage you to add them to your personal or school libraries (*please note - Page by Paige & Anya's Ghosts are both for Middle School and older). 

** Thanks to Alethea (@frootjoos) for the image at the top. 

It's Monday! What are you reading? From Picture Books to YA (5)

It's Monday! What are you reading? is hosted by Sheila of Book Journey.  Jen & Kellee from 

Teach Mentor Texts have adapted this to focus on Picture Books to Young Adult Books.

 

Each week I'll recap what I've read/reviewed the week before 

and then look ahead to what I am planning on reading/reviewing in the upcoming week. 

 

Last week's book adventures:

Though this was a very slow reading week, there were a few books that made it into my reading pile.  

 

First,  I caught up with two picture books from teacher/librarians', Travis Jonkers (100 Scope Notes) & John Schumacher (Watch.Connect.Read), top twenty list.

 

 

Ice by Arther Geisert is a wordless picture book that was brought to my attention from reading Travis Jonker's blog 100 Scope Notes.  This one needs to be looked at carefully in order to catch all of the subtleties of the story about a community of pigs that are suffering from the heat.  A decision is made to search for ice and off they go.  The story is told effectively through images and the creativity and ingenuity of these pigs are impressive.

 

Melvin and the Boy by Lauren Castillo is a beautifully illustrated gentle story about a young boy who discovers what he thinks is his perfect pet, only to learn that maybe the turtle would be happier where he came from.  I especially enjoyed the endnotes with facts about real turtles. 

 

 

Next, I squeezed in the most recent Ivy & Bean early chapter book No News is Good News by Annie Barrows.  Ivy & Bean is a favorite among some of my 2nd and 3rd grade girls.  And the 8th book in the series has these two friends figuring out a way to earn money in order to buy cheese, not just any cheese but low-fat Belldeloon cheese with the red wax.  Probably one of my favorite Ivy & Bean books and sure to make you laugh.

And while on the plane to visit my parents for the holidays, I listened to The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman.  If you are looking for a quick audiobook read, you might want to give this one a go.  Narrated by Kerry Shale, this Newbery Medal Winner written by Sid Fleischman has a touch of humor along with a story of self-awakening and friendship.

 

 

I also read The Night Fairy by Laura Amy Schlitz.  This has been on my list of books to read for a very long time.  I have to confess that I am not much of a fairy fan which is likely why it has taken me so long to pull this out of the pile. However, I can certainly see how all of the little girls at my school who do love fairy stories will love this book.  I will certainly be sharing this with students when I return after winter break.

 

 

And Witches! The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem by Rosalyn Schanzer. This small volume was probably my favorite read this past week.  I haven't read much in recent years about the Salem Witch Trials so it was exciting to find something that was informative and completely engrossing.  The black-white and red scratchboard illustrations add to the text.  

 

Upcoming Book Adventures...

 

My goal for this week is to go to our local library every day until I have read 150 picture books.  Yep, 150 picture books.  I am determined to reach my GoodReads Challenge Goal by December 31st.  

 

So, what are you reading this week?

Please share! And remember to check in at Sheila's or Jen & Kellee's blog to see what they and others are reading!