Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday - New Releases for April

Thank you everyone for all of the great posts each week for the Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge 2014.  At the beginning of each month, I like to try to do a post to spread the word about recent releases or upcoming nonfiction/informational titles.  It is not comprehensive, but I do try to include a variety of titles that might be of interest to readers.  Some of them I have read and some I have yet to read.  Often I include reviews in later posts. 

Here are some April titles that I missed posting last month.  April is a huge month for nonficiton.  I also found some additional titles that came out earlier in the year.  If you missed the posts from the past three months, I have included them below.

Link to January & February Releases Post
Link to February & March Releases Post
Link to March & April Releases Post

Releases this month...
April 1, 2014

Beneath the Sun by Melissa Stewart; Illustrated by Constance R. Bergum (Peachtree Publishers)

Eye to Eye: How Animals See the World by Steve Jenkins (HMH Books for Young Readers)

Mysterious Patterns: Finding Fractals in Nature by Sarah C. Campbell; Photographed by Richard P Campbell (Boyds Mill Press)

Tooth & Claw by Jim Arnosky (Sterling Children's Books)

April 3, 2014

A Mom for Umande by Maria Fasal Faulconer (Dial)

April 8, 2014

Galápagos George by Jean Craighead George; Illustrated by Wendell Minor (HarperCollins)

New Releases for Older Students...
April 1, 2014

Every Last Drop: Bringing Clean Water Home by Michelle Mulder (Orca Books)

Secrets of the Sky Caves: Danger and Discovery on Nepal's Mustang Cliffs by Sandra K. Athans (Millbrook Press)

Schools of Hope: How Julius Rosenwald Helped Change African American Education by Norman Finkelstein (Calkins Creek Books)

Underworld: Exploring the Secret World Beneath Your Feet by Jane Price; Illustrated by James Gulliver Hancock (Kids Can Press)

April 15, 2014

Bugged: How Insects Changed History by Sarah Albee; Illustrated by Robert Leighton (Walker Children's)

Past 2014 Releases...

Benny Goodman & Teddy Wilson: Taking the Stage as the First Black-And-White Jazz Band in History by Lesa Cline-Ransome; Illustrated by James Ransome (Holiday House, January 2014)

It's Raining! by Gail Gibbons (Holiday House, January 2014)

Plants Feed Me by Lizzy Rockwell (Holiday House, January 2014)

Sea Turtle Scientist by Stephen R. Swinburn (HMH Books for Young Readers, January 2014)

Swamp Chomp by Lola Schaefer; Illustrated by Paul Meisel (Holiday House, January 2014)

Do You Know Leeches? by Alain M. Bergeron; Michel Quintin Sampar (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, March 2014)

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

Slice of Life - Couch Potato to Marathon Reader: Building a Reading Community

Slice of Life is hosted by Two Writing Teachers on Tuesdays.  Join us each week and come to love this awesome writing community.
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For the past three years, I have had the opportunity to serve on the Scholastic Book Fair's Principals' Advisory Board (PAB).  I have met principals from across the country with an enthusiasm and passion for connecting children with books.  I have also met some wonderful Scholastic Book Fair staff during this time as well.  However, I have developed a very special relationship with my local Book Fair Reps.

In February, I attended a PAB meeting in Orlando, Florida.  While there, we talked about reading communities, and helping children become independent readers, classroom libraries, and summer reading plans. I wasn't sure how I would apply what I was thinking about to real life, but I knew I wanted to do something.  Currently, I am working with about eight elementary schools and it means I need to be a bit more creative when implementing plans.

When I arrived home, I emailed one of my local reps, Heather Biggs and asked to get together. As we put our heads together, I thought it would be fun to bring together teams from each school that I work with and share with them some of what I learned.  Heather was up for the challenge.

Heather and I came up with the idea of using the Couch to 5K model as a theme for our meeting. We called it Couch Potato to Marathon Reader.  We also thought it would be fun if our presentation followed along with the theme.  We created a game board, and pieces to use as we talked about each area.

It is not easy getting everyone to attend a meeting afterschool, even when you offer food and goodies, but we did have a few schools show up.  The smaller number of participants allowed us to provide each school team with more individualized attention.

Each participant received smile stickers to indicate things that they have done or are trying to do in their classrooms or at their schools.  Items ranged from showing interest in developing a reading community (coming to the meeting) to bigger things like having a classroom library with more than 300 books or hosting a Family Literacy Night at the school.

After going through our presentation, we provided teams with a form that they could use to set some goals towards creating a reading community.  We asked them to work in their school teams.  Since it was a bit late, I really did expect teams to want to rush out.  However, I was super thrilled when they stayed and engaged in some very meaningful dialogue with one another and asked Heather and I about possible support.

When Heather and I took time to debrief after the meeting, we recognized that there were things that could be strengthened.  Yet, at the same time, we were thrilled for how the evening went and in the potential for future meetings. Though we have a ways to go, I will continue to bring this group together in a Literacy PLC to explore what it means to be a reading community. 

Book Review: Soccer Star by Mina Javaherbin

Soccer Star

by Mina Javaherbin; Illustrated by Renato Alarcão

Candlewick Press (April 8, 2014)

ISBN: 978-0-7636-6056-7

About the book: 
When Paulo Marcelo Feliciano becomes a soccer star, crowds will cheer his famous name! Then his mother won’t have to work long hours, and he won’t have to work all day on a fishing boat. For now, Paulo takes care of his little sister Maria (she teaches him reading, he teaches her soccer moves) and walks her to school, stopping to give his teammates cheese buns as they set out to shine people’s shoes or perform for the tourist crowd. At day’s end, it’s time to plan the game, where Givo will bounce, Carlos will kick, and Jose will fly! But when Jose falls on his wrist, will the team finally break the rules and let a girl show her stuff? Set in a country whose resilient soccer stars are often shaped by poverty, this uplifting tale of transcending the expected scores a big win for all. 

Just in time for the World Cup, an inspiring story of a Brazilian boy who dreams of being a soccer star -- and the sister who steps in to help his team win a game.

Thoughts on this book: 
On the title page of Soccer Star, I had to pause over the author's note. Javaherbin shares the following...

In Brazil, some children work hard for a living to overcome a stubborn opponent: poverty. This experience of life's hardship, being engaged in the survival arena from childhood, has helped shape Brazil's solid team of stars shining atop the world of soccer.  My story is an homage to all soccer stars who have risen and continue to rise up from poverty.

Children and poverty. A combination that we are all too frequently aware of and too often afraid to address.  However, Mina Javaherbin brings readers a story of children with a passion for life and soccer despite the poverty surrounding them.  

Told from the perspective of Paulo Marcelo Feliciano, a young boy with dreams of being of soccer star, readers learn of the lives of children in Brazil.  Paulo lives with his sister and mother in a small home. His mother has job, and works very long hours. He and his sister, Maria do what all children do.  They play, and help each other.  However, whereas Maria goes to school, Paulo spends the day fishing and helping Sehnor da Silva.  Throughout their neighborhood, each member of Paulo's soccer team also has a job. Javaherbin ties those jobs into their soccer dreams and contributions. Despite the poverty surrounding them, there is a sense of hope and playfulness in which this story is told.

Soccer Star has an additional layer woven into the story.  The story of Maria who wants to play soccer with her brother and his team. However, the boys keep shutting her out.  The team is only for boys.  When one of the players is injured, Maria has an opportunity to prove herself and to show that girls can play as well as any boy. 

Soccer Star is a special story to share with children.  Javaherbin's text is enhanced by the beautiful paintings of Renato Alarcão.  Look for a copy of Soccer Star at your local library or independent bookstore.

About Mina Javaherbin:
I was born in Iran and moved to the United States many years ago. I live in Southern California with my husband who has played soccer all his life, and nowadays volunteers as a coach at AYSO. We have two children, who also play soccer among many other sports. I believe that even though I have an architectural education, even though I write books, I seem to really be my children’s chauffeur and “food manager” a term they use to make me feel important and in charge! I like to add laundry manager, homework manager, and entertainment manager to the list as well.

Where to find her? website | blog | facebook | twitter  

It's Monday! What are you reading? From Picture Books to YA - 4/7/14

It's Monday! What are you reading? is hosted by Sheila of Book Journey.  Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from Unleashing Readers have adapted it to focus on Picture Books to Young Adult Books.

During March, while I was participating in the Slice of Life March Challenge, I was just not able to keep up with my Monday posts and the Challenge. I loved the March Challenge, but I am such a slow writer that it really made it hard to keep up with my reading time.  Since I was learning a lot about myself as a writer, I understood the need to temporarily suspend some reading.  However, I am back. This weekend, I read a huge stack of picture books and eager to get back to some novels.

Despite the stack of books I read recently, there were not as many that really stood out for me.  I have saved several of the nonfiction picture books for Wednesday. 

Here's what jumped out of the pile...

Firefly July and Other Very Short Poems - compiled by Paul B. Janeczko; Illustrated by Melissa Sweet (Candlewick Press, March 11, 2014) - A beautiful collection of short poems that are organized around the four seasons. I love Melissa Sweet's illustrations for this book.

Poem Depot: Aisles of Smiles by Douglas Florian (Dial, February 20, 2014) - Florian writes some wonderful poems for children, and he has done it again with this book. I really enjoyed each of these accessible, fun, and nonsensical poems.

Found by Salina Yoon (Walker Children's, April 1, 2014) - A sweet story that young children will relate to and celebrate.

Picture Day Perfection by Deborah Diesen; Illustrated by Dan Santat (Harry N. Abrams, September 3, 2013) - Ah, picture day! Definitely a few chuckles with this story. 

Stella's Starliner by Rosemary Wells (Candlewick Press, March 25, 2014) - A young girl lives in a trailer home with her family. She considers her home almost magical until some boys insult her. Wells handles the situation wonderfully.

The One-Eyed People Eater: The Story of Cyclops by Joan Holub; Illustrated by Dani Jones (Simon Spotlight, March 1, 2014) - I like the way Holub has created a series of easy readers around Greek Myths. Readers interested in Greek tales will enjoy these books.

Bad Bye, Good Bye by Deborah Underwood (HMH Books for Young Readers, April 1, 2014) - This story of a young boy moving to a new home will allow beginning readers to have success, as well as, provide others with a chance to work through the feelings of moving to a new home.

So, what are you reading?

Celebrate This Week - 4/5/14

This year, I am trying to increase my awareness of the many good things that happen, which are frequently overlooked by me.  To help me, I am joining Ruth Ayres' Celebrate This Week.

Here's what I am thankful for this week...

1.  District Professional Development Presentations - I presented on two different topics this past Monday at our Professional Development training.   Both presentations went well, and I was very appreciative of Cathy Potter and Cynthia Alaniz for taking time out of their busy schedules to skype in.

2.  My work with First Graders - I was excited to continue my work with first graders on comprehension and writing. Even in just one week, we have made progress.

3.  Literacy PLC Meeting - On Wednesday of this past week, I led a meeting for whatever principals and teachers could attend on independent reading, classroom libraries, and summer reading.  I was thankful for the support from my Scholastic Book Fair rep who planned and presented with me and who also provided food for the meeting. It was not a large group, but it was certainly a group who was interested in learning and applying what they learned.

4.  Author Visits - On Thursday, we had fun welcoming authors, Rohan Gaven (Knightley & Son) to Jackson School and Shannon Messenger (Keeper of the Lost Cities ) to Marshall Fundamental and San Rafael School.  I love watching how students respond to authors and how excited they become to read the book after meeting an author.

5.  Meeting up with an on-line friend - Over the past 4 years, I have had the opportunity to meet up with a number of my twitter and facebook teacher and librarian friends.  What started out initially as on-line professional encouragement and support has moved to real friendships and working collaboratively on projects and presenting at professional conferences.  Mary Ann Scheuer (Great Kid Books) was visiting the Los Angeles area for spring break.  We had a chance to meet up for dinner and work on our presentation for ALA Annual this June.

6.  Literary Orange - Today, I had a chance to moderate the Young Adult: The Awesome Age Panel, which featured Kendare Blake, Jessica Brody, and Maurene Goo.  The time flew by and everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves.

So, what are you celebrating?