School Visit - Author, Tim Federle

About a month ago, I received an email from Once Upon a Time Bookstore asking if we wanted to host Tim Federle at one of our schools. My immediate reaction - well of course!  Then I looked at the date and wanted to cry. It was right at the beginning of testing.  So, after a few more emails and some logistical tweaking, we worked it out that Tim would come after school and meet with the Middle School Drama Class at Marshall Fundamental. Phew! 

By the way, for those of you who don't know, Tim is the debut author of BETTER NATE THAN EVER.  I love seeing all those copies of his book just waiting to be picked up. 

I knew that the fantastic teacher/librarian - Mr. Butler - had read the book and would do his best to prep the students.  Finally, the day arrived and Tim would be visiting.

We met at the library at the school.  Since it was a small group, we just pulled up chairs and hung out.

I had never done an author visit with Middle School students before.  They're a bit different from those elementary kids I normally work with.  But Tim was great with them.

He read some from his book BETTER NATE THAN EVER. 

He shared all kinds of stuff from his dance and theater experience to writing advice.  I think the students really enjoyed it.  A few of the students bought books and had them signed.

And though I don't have any pictures of this, the after event chat with Tim and a few folks was definitely the highlight on my afternoon.

Thanks Tim for coming out and hanging with the students at Marshall Fundamental.  And thank you to Once Upon a Time and Simon & Schuster for making the visit possible.       

Check out Tim Federle talking about BETTER NATE THAN EVER.

Enter to win a signed hard cover of BETTER NATE THAN EVER a Rafflecopter giveaway

School Visit - Fancy Nancy's Robin Preiss Glasser

Last school year, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Robin Preiss Glasser at Vroman's Bookstore.  We chatted and talked about her visiting my school for an illustrator visit.  This past February, I ran into Robin again at the SoCal Independent Bookseller's Association Literacy Dinner.  Over dinner, we reconnected and agreed to work out a time for a school visit.  Well, the wait was finally over this past Thursday.  I had the wonderful honor to host Robin at two of our Pasadena Unified School District Elementary Schools.

Robin kicked off the morning visiting 300+ Kindergarten to Second Graders at Willard Elementary.  I love her boa and tiara.

Kris (Once Upon a Time Bookstore) and Karen (Willard Librarian) organized all of the order forms for books at a very fancy table.  There were a lot of book orders. 

The kindergarteners were dressed up in some very fancy clothes. 

Robin taught the boys the proper way to bow. 

Then she proceeded to instruct the girls in how to curtsy.

The visit ended with a question and answer time. 

Next stop, Cleveland Elementary.  This was their first author/illustrator event.  Damaris Raya the school librarian welcomed some very excited little girls into the library to celebrate Fancy Nancy.

Here is Damaris with Robin.  I think this was a dream come true for Damaris.

Robin is fantastic at explaining her work with author Jane O'Connor, and how she is the boss of the pictures whereas Jane is the boss of the words.

Robin explained to students that she modeled Fancy Nancy's dog after her own dog Boo. 

Robin had the girls work on their posture by balancing a banana on their heads.  It was so cute.

Thank you Robin Preiss Glasser for coming and visiting Willard and Cleveland.  We loved our time with you.  And thanks to Harper Collins for sending bookmarks, and stickers to share with students.

I, also, want to thank Kris from Once Upon a Time for arranging for the book sales and for all the logistics that went into it.

Thank you everyone for giving such a wonderful experience to so many students!!!!

Book Review - Mira's Diary: Home Sweet Rome

Author: Marissa Moss
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky (March 1, 2013)
Source: Copy for Review/Netgalley ARC
Audience: Ages 10 to 13
Fiction * Time Travel * 16th Century Rome

Description from GoodReads:
As if traveling to a new country in search of her missing mother weren't difficult enough, Mira has to do it dressed as a boy. In a different century.

A new postcard from her time-traveling mother points Mira to the 16th century Rome. But before she can rescue her mom, she must follow the clues left around the city to find Giordano Bruno, a famous thinker and mathematician, who discovered something so shocking that important Italian officials don't want it revealed. All the while avoiding the Watchers--time-traveling police who want Mira back in her own time.

It's another whirlwind adventure for Mira, and this time she is determined to bring her mother out of the past.

My thoughts on the book:
Mira's Diary: Home Sweet Rome is a follow-up to Mira's Diary: Lost in Paris.  In book 1, Mira has learned that her mother can time travel and has disappeared into the past.  It turns out that Mira seems to also have the same gift.  In this adventure, Mira's mother has sent her a message that will bring her into 16th Century Rome and an encounter with some very forward thinkers.  

Mira's Diary is certainly a book for Middle Grade readers who are fascinated with history and time-travel. The story is heavily seeped with historical figures and events that actually did occur, though the premise of the book and many of the character are fictional.  Readers are introduced to a number of important individuals from late 1500's to the early 1600's as Mira is brought back and forth between present day Rome to past Rome.  With only a few messages from her mother, Mira has to put the pieces together for herself as to what her purpose is in the past.  

As I read Mira's Diary, I realized that this is one of those times that as an adult reader, I might have more difficulty with the book than the average reader within the targeted audience.  When I considered the book from the perspective of my 12 year old self, I realized that some of the technical questions I had about time-travel (not so much the issue of could you time-travel - I could accept this as part of the story - but more so the rules of time-travel and how it is explained here) as an adult would not have even come up as a child.  Once I could settle that piece in my mind, then the ability to just go with the flow of the story worked.  

The other element that I questioned in the story was related to how Mira's mother seems to be stuck in the past but Mira herself came back and forth between the past and the present at least 3 times in the book.  Again, children may question, but it wouldn't detract from the story.  I won't give anything about the ending away other than to say that Moss has left readers with an anticipation of another book/adventure to come.   

Mira's Diary: Home Sweet Rome is a book that I would select with specific students in mind, particularly those children who enjoy history mixed with a sense of adventure.  For these students with a fascination of past people and events, Moss provides readers with wonderful details and an amazing author note at the end with even more facts and background information.    
     
Check back in on Monday for an interview with author Marissa Moss and a chance to win a copy of Mira's Diary: Home Sweet Rome. 

National Screen Free Week - Almost Here!

National Screen Free Week (April 29 - May 5, 2013) is almost here and Random House Unplugs is celebrating big time.  Check out this cool video featuring Dan Yaccarino, Tad Hills, Bob Staake, and Chris Raschka.



Also, check out the following resources:

Screen Free Week on Facebook

Press Release for National Screen Free Week on School Library Journal

PW shares "Random House Unplugs" Supports Screen Free Week

Huffington Post Unplug for National Screen Free Week

So, how will you unplug?

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday - Gandhi: A March to the Sea

Author: Alice B. McGinty
Illustrator: Thomas Gonzalez
Publisher: Amazon Children's Publishing (April 2, 2013)
Source: Copy for Review
Nonfiction * Biographical * Polictical Activitst

Description from Amazon:
Mohandas Gandhi’s 24-day March to the Sea, from March 12 to April 5, 1930, was a pivotal moment in India’s quest to become an independent country no longer ruled by Great Britain. With over 70 marchers, Gandhi walked from his hometown near Ahmedabad to the seacoast near Dandi. The march was a non-violent means to protest the taxes that Great Britain had imposed on salt-not the salt that the Indians could get from the sea, but the salt that Great Britain forced them to buy. Gandhi believed that peaceful protests were an effective way to challenge British law, and his peaceful but ultimately successful movement became known as Satyagraha.

My thoughts on the book:
In  Gandhi: A March to the Sea, McGinty has written about one of the most significant events in India's history with a special spotlight on the brave leadership provided by Mohandas Gandhi when he embarked on a 24 day march that proved instrumental in India's fight for independence from British rule.  The story is not meant to be a comprehensive biography on Gandhi nor a detailed report of all of his civil rights work in India.  However, with that said, young readers will be able to form some idea of who Gandhi was and what he believed from reading the story. 

I truly appreciated that way this story highlights the important elements of Gandhi's march.  The text and illustrations communicated the power of Gandhi's message as well as the work of others who joined Gandhi. 

Readers will recognize the Thomas Gonzalez' distinct illustrative style from his beautiful work in 14 Cows for America by Carmen Agra Deedy.  His paintings depicting Gandhi's march and the format of the book places this squarely alongside the works of fellow painters, Kadir Nelson and Bryan Collier.    

The end of the book provides readers with a few source notes and some additional books.  Though there are not extensive facts at the end of the book, the curriculum guide mentioned below does contain additional information.

This book definitely earns its place on the shelves of school and classroom libraries, and should be read to children.  

Resources:
Amazon Children's Publishing has created a curriculum guide.  Click here to check it out.

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews below: