Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday - #nf10for10 event


Thank you everyone for signing up for the Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge 2014.  It is going to be an amazing year of sharing nonfiction books with one another.
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Today, I am joining with Cathy Mere, Mandy Robek, and Julie Balen for #nf10for10 event. 


Here are the rules:
  • What:  10 nonfiction books you can't live without
  • Hashtag:  #nf10for10
  • Who:  Anyone interested --- educators, media specialists, librarians, parents, etc.
  • When:  Wednesday, February 19th 
  • Where:  All posts will need to be linked at Write at the Edge.  Then I will move them into a jog resource during the week of the event.  
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For my post, I decided to pick 10 of my favorite nonfiction picture book writers or illustrators and list my favorite nonfiction picture book that he or she has written.  The books listed below are listed in no particular order.   And there are so many wonderful authors and illustrators that were left off this list because I only had 10 slots. Here are my #nf10for10 for 2014...
 

Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade by Melissa Sweet (Houghton Mifflin Books for Young Children, 2011)


Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson (Balzer & Bray, 2011)


Frog Song by Brenda Z. Guiberson; Illustrated by Gennady Spirin (Henry Holt & Co., 2013)


The Day-Glo Brothers by Chris Barton; Illustrated by Tony Persiani (Charlesbridge, 2009)


Island: A Story of the Galápagos by Jason Chin (Roaring Brook Press, 2012)


Down, Down, Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea by Steve Jenkins (HMH Books for Young Readers 2009)

No Monkeys, No Chocolate by Melissa Stewart, Allen Young ; Illustrated by Nicole Wong  (Charlesbridge, 2013)

The Hive Detectives: Chronicles of a Honey Bee Catastrophe by Loree Griffin Burns; Photographer Ellen Harasmimowicz (HMH Books for Young Readers, 2010)


Can We Save the Tiger? by Martin Jenkins; Illustrated by Vicky White (Candlewick, 2011)


Who Says Women Can't Be Doctors? The Story of Elizabeth Blackwell by Tanya Lee Stone; Illustrated by Marjorie Priceman (Henry Holt & Co., 2013)

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews below, and if you participated in #nf10for10, please remember to link it up with the jog as well.

Slice of Life - Affirmation Through TED Talks #slice2014

Last summer, I was hoping to participate regularly in the Slice of Life challenge at Two Writing Teachers.  Then life got in the way.  I keep hoping to post regularly.  At this point, I seem to post when I have something that feels important.  If you want to participate, you can link up at their Slice of Life Story Post on Tuesdays or you can just head on over there to check out other people's stories. For more information on what a Slice of Life post is about, you can go here.
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When I was a child, I quickly learned that being an extrovert was preferred over being an introvert.  Not only preferred but that it was somehow better to be outgoing than introspective and that there was something inherently wrong with me as a result of my personality.  At the time, it wasn't that anyone specifically commented to me that being an extrovert was better, but it certainly was something I could sense being communicated by those around me.  And surprisingly, the subtle message from childhood became a much more explicit message at various times in my career. 

Over the years, I would watch extroverts in social situations and truly felt pangs of envy. I discovered that if I had a very specific role or task I could manage in a large, unstructured setting.  If I could create a smaller community within a larger one then I could be more successful.  And despite, years and years of experience, I still dislike large social situations.  Give me a small dinner party with a few friends over a large social mixer any day. 

Recently, while I was having dinner with Donalyn Miller (The Book Whisperer, and Reading in the Wild), she mentioned that she was reading Brené Brown's The Gifts of Imperfection and suggested that I also watch the TED Talk by Brown entitled Listening to Shame.  This led me to watch Susan Cain's Ted Talk about The Power of Introverts.

Take a minute to watch Brené Brown's Ted Talk - Listening to Shame.



Now take a few more minutes and watch the TED Talk - The Power of Introverts by Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking 


These two TED Talks resonated with me.  They also made me think about the types of messages that we send to students on a daily basis. Are they messages that affirm or messages that convey that a child is inadequate or broken because of how they approach life or process information? Do we lift up or tear down?

One of the things that jumped out of Cain's talk was the following:

"And the vast majority of teachers reports believing that the ideal student is an extrovert as opposed to an introvert, even though introverts actually get better grades and are more knowledgeable, according to research." 

Now let's couple it with a quote from Brown's talk:

"Shame is a focus on self, guilt is a focus on behavior. Shame is "I am bad." Guilt is "I did something bad."

 Listening to the two presentations back to back made those statements fall into place in a way that they might not have if I listened to them at separate times.  As teachers, are we communicating a message of shame to students who have a different learning style or preference?  We need to remember that for all of our students it is important to communicate that they are valuable and that their personalities and preferences are not wrong.  In a world where cooperative work is prized, can we create a place for both introverts and extroverts in the process? Can we celebrate that all personalities and learning preferences are valued?

Thank you Donalyn for recommending The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown.  I have downloaded the e-book and look forward to reading it.  And thank you Jen Vincent for sending me a copy of Quiet by Susan Cain. Your recognition and affirmation of my personal style is much appreciated.

Happy Valentine's Day - Celebrate with A Few Good Books

Happy Valentine's Day!  Instead of a Valentine's Day Card, I am sharing some of my favorite (new and older) books to celebrate the holiday. 

Here are just a few titles to celebrate the holiday, and since Valentine's Day is more than cards, and flowers and candied hearts, I have included some of my favorite friendship books, too.  Because isn't Valentine's Day really about telling a friend how much they mean to you?



Mouse and Mole, Secret Valentine by Wong Herbert Yee 
(HMH Books for Young Readers, December 2013)


Penguin in Love by Salina Yoon (Walker Children, December 2013)


Zombie in Love by Kelly DiPuchio; Illustrated by Scott Campbell 
(Simon & Schuster, 2011)


Love Monster by Rachel Bright (Farrar, Straus, & Giroux, December 2013)


Herman and Rosie by Gus Gordon (Roaring Brook Press, October 2013) 


Love Is In The Air by Jonathan Fenske (Penguin, 2012)


Forsythia and Me by Vincent X. Kirsch (Farrar, Straus, & Grioux, 2011)


Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers (Penguin, 2005)


(Disney-Hyperion, 2012)


Oliver by Birgitta Sif (Candlewick Press, 2012)


 What are your favorite Valentine's Day books or books about friends?

The Magic Mistake (Oh My Godmother #2) Giveaway


by Barbara Brauner and James Iver Mattson
Illustrated by Abigail Halpin
Disney-Hyperion, February 4, 2014


Description from GoodReads:
After becoming the most awkward fairy godmother ever, twelve year old Lacey Unger-Ware thought that her magical duties were done for good. In fact, she's just getting started. When Lacey is invited to attend the Godmother Academy it should be a dream come true. But to Lacey it means the total opposite: she'll have to be separated from her friends and family for a hundred years. Um, no thank you!

But this is an offer Lacey can't refuse. The fairy godmother Katarina knows that Lacey will be cursed forever if she doesn't complete the magical test. Now Lacey must find the true love for one special lady and arrange the perfect wedding before time runs out. With her best friends Sunny and Paige along to help, there's a glimmer of hope. But where's a fairy godmother to save the day when you need one? Oh, wait...

The second book in Barbara Brauner and James Iver Mattson's middle grade series is full of heart and charm, and Abigail Halpin's black-and-white illustrations are irresistible.


For a chance to win a copy of The Magic Mistake on GoodReads, enter here until February 17th.

Just for fun, I asked a few friends what they would ask from their fairy godmother:

"I would love it if my Fairy Godmother would help me keep me organized -- I used to be great at cleaning my room and staying on top of assignments (ok, maybe not really that last part--that was more my mother!) but now I am a complete disaster." - @frootjoos 


"That's a good one Alethea. Is this fairy godmother around all the time? Because I'd totally ask her to do my laundry every week if I could. Oh and do my dishes."  - @fishgirl182

"I think I would ask her to teach me how to ice skate. And sew and cook. I could go on......." - @kimberlybuggie

 "And make me a cake - preferably something with chocolate in it." - @fishgirl182

And a few more wishes...

"I would ask her to take me to the Bahamas and babysit.  By the way, does she have an assistant?" - Kathy, mom & social worker

"I would ask her where has she been all my life? And would she be my life coach, and personal assistant." - Myra, mom and drama educator

Here were the responses I got from my facebook page - a mix of light-hearted wishes to some very serious ones:

 

I then asked the resident kids at my house what they thought:

"I would ask for help with school work, and buying gifts for my family."  - Jax, Age 13

"I would ask her to help me clean my room and also, to find me some panda things." - KK, Age 7

In the comment section, let us know what you would ask of a fairy godmother.

If you live in the Los Angeles area, stop by Once Upon a Time this Sunday, February 16, 2014 at  2 p.m. for the Launch Party of The Magic Mistake. 

For more information about Barbara Brauner and James Iver Mattson check out the links below:



Enter to win one of two copies of The Magic Mistake (Oh My Godmother #2) by using the rafflecopter form below.  Winner must have an US or Canadian mailing address and be 13 years or older.
 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday - Presidents' Day


Thank you everyone for signing up for the Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge 2014.  It is going to be an amazing year of sharing nonfiction books with one another.

Monday is Presidents' Day and though there are a lot of picture books that feature various presidents, I only had space to share a few.  Here are 12 informational picture books that feature US Presidents.  The first three listed are recent releases.


Thomas Jefferson: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Everything by Maira Kalman (Nancy Paulsen Books, January 7, 2014) - This is the second presidential biography from Kalman and she does a nice job dealing with Jefferson's life on multiple levels.


To Dare Mighty Things: The Life of Theodore Roosevelt by Doreen Rappaport; Illustrated by C.F. Payne (Disney-Hyperion, December 17, 2013) - Doreen Rappaport always does a nice job with picture book biographies.  I really enjoyed how she portrayed Theodore Roosevelt.


Rutherford B., Who Was He?: Poems About Our Presidents by Marilyn Singer; Illustrated by John Hendrix (Disney-Hyperion, 2013)- Singer and Hendrix have teamed up to provide readers with a poetic look at each president.


The President's Stuck in the Bathtub: Poems About Presidents by Susan Katz; Illustrated by Robert Neubecker (Clarion Books, 2012) - Katz provides a humorous and informative look at the presidents through poems that feature unique facts.


Worst of Friends: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and the True Story of an American Feud by Suzanne Jurmain; Illustrated by Larry Day (Dutton Juvenile, 2011) - There are a few picture books that focus on Jefferson and Adams.  This one can be paired with Those Rebels, John and Tom by Barbara Kerley and illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham (Scholastic Press, 2012).


A Boy Named FDR: How Franklin D. Roosevelt Grew Up to Change America by Kathleen Krull; Illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2010) - A nice introduction to FDR for young readers.


Looking at Lincoln by Maira Kalman (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2012) - Kalman's first presidential picture book biography.


Jack's Path of Courage: The Life of John F. Kennedy by Doreen Rappaport; Illustrated by Matt Tavares (Disney-Hyperion, 2010) - Rappaport provides young readers with a strong introduction to JFK.


George Washington's Birthday: A Mostly True Tale by Margaret McNamara; Illustrated by Barry Blitt (Schwartz & Wade, 2012) - Through humor, readers learn facts and myths about George Washington.


Big George: How a Shy Boy Became President by Anne F. Rockwell; Illustrated by Matt Phelan (HMH Books for Young Readers, 2009) - Rockwell and Phelan provide young readers with a solid introduction to George Washington.


Lives of the Presidents by Kathleen Krull; Illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt (Harcourt Children's Books, 2011) - Krull's Lives of... series is always informative and in this installment, she provides readers with a brief introduction to all of the presidents.


So You Want to President? by Judith St. George; Illustrated by David Small (Philomel, 2004) - A humorous and entertaining way of providing facts and information about the presidents.

For more book recommendations, you may also want to check out Edward Sullivan's GoodRead Page for US Presidents.  I started following Sullivan on GoodReads because he reads amazing amounts of children's literature and I find that his ratings are often very in-line with my ratings, which means I will often check out new books that he has positively rated.

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On a separate note, Cathy Mere at Reflect & Refine and some friends are hosting Nonfiction Event #nf10for10 next Wednesday, February 19th.  They are asking everyone to post 10 nonfiction books you can't live without.   I am planning on joining in and hope some of you will too.  Click here for more information.
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Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews and thank you for participating in the challenge.