#Road2Reading Challenge: The Princess in Black and the Mysterious Playdate

The Princess in Black and the Mysterious Playdate
by Shannon Hale, Dean Hale; Illustrated by LeUyen Pham
Candlewick Press (September 5, 2017)
Fiction * Superheroes * Friends
Audience: Ages 5 to 8
Indiebound | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads: 
Noseholes and elephants! A pet-eating monster interrupts a perfect playdate with Princess Sneezewort . . . but who is that new masked avenger?

Princess Magnolia and Princess Sneezewort have plans . . . mysterious plans, like a princess playdate! They dress-up slam! They karaoke jam! They playhouse romp and snack-time stomp! But then a shout from outside Princess Sneezewort's castle interrupts their fun. It’s a monster trying to eat someone’s kitty! This is a job for the Princess in Black. Yet when the Princess in Black gets there, she finds only a masked stranger and no monster in sight . . . or is there? Action and humor abound in this ode to friendship that proves that when shape-shifting monsters intrude on your plans, two heroes are better than one.

Quick thoughts on the book:
When Michele and I started this challenge, it was partially to explore less familiar early readers and chapter books. However, there are some series that are popular for a reason and I couldn't resist sharing. The Princess in Black series is a favorite of mine and one that I look forward to reading each year when there is a new release. 

In the 5th book of the series, we get to see more of Princess Sneezewort. I think Princess Sneezewort is one of my favorites. We met Princess Sneezewort in The Princess in Black and the Perfect Princess Party, and I been keeping my fingers-crossed that there would be more of her in future books. And good news...there is more Princess Sneezewort. 

 Princess Sneezewort as the Princess in Blankets joins the Princess in Black and the Goat Avenger in battling monsters and making the kingdom safer for all. As I was reading through the book this time, I realized that one of the things I love about this series is how is captures heroes in the most perfect way for readers in the 5 to 7 year old age range. As much as the stories are fun and the superhero element is celebrated, there is something that perfectly captures the actions and mindset of five and six year olds. The celebratory dance, with bum wiggling, at the end of the book distinctly captures the enthusiasm and playful nature of this age group. 

And I have to say, the monster in this book is probably my favorite in the whole series.

Look for this and the others in the series at your local bookstore or public library. 

All journeys have a starting place.
This is a weekly place to find books and tools
that you may use with readers at the start of their reading journey.
Join in the conversation at #road2reading.

Each week, Michele Knott and I post about new early readers and transitional chapter books. Link up your early reader reviews. 

Blog Tour: Flashlight Night

Flashlight Night
by Matt Forrest Esenwine; Illustrated by Fred Koehler
Boyds Mills Press (September 19, 2017)
Fiction * Imagination & Play
Audience: Ages 4 to 8 years old
Indiebound | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads: 
Flashlight Night is an ode to the power of imagination and the wonder of books. Three children use a flashlight to light a path around their backyard at night; in the flashlight's beam another world looms. Our heroes encounter spooky woods, a fearsome tiger, a time-forgotten tomb, an Egyptian god, a sword-fighting pirate, and a giant squid. With ingenuity, they vanquish all, then return to their tree house--braver, closer, and wiser than before--to read the books that inspired their adventure.

Thoughts on the book:
Some books are magical. Magical books have enchanting stories and beautiful illustrations that take the text to the next level. And most importantly magical books compel us to create an experience for students that transcend the page and become real. Esenwine and Koehler have created just such a book with FLASHLIGHT NIGHT. 

This is the kind of book that makes me want to purchase a copy for every teacher in a school and use it as a one book, one school event. I am already searching for mini-flashlights and the best deals so I can purchase enough for every student in the school. I am thinking about the pitch to the PTA to recruit volunteers to help with a nighttime school event. Can you see it? I can. 

I can see the imaginative writing assignments inspired by Esenwine's story. And let's talk about the illustrations and how students can design their own images from the beam of their flashlights?! 

I wish I currently had a school or library to make this happen but if you want to brainstorm ideas for how to make this real, I would be happy to be a thought-partner.  

Look for a copy of this book at your local indie bookstore and community library.

About the author: 

Matt Forrest Esenwine’s poetry has been published in Highlights™ as well as in anthologies selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins, Carol-Ann Hoyte, and J. Patrick Lewis. He lives with his family in Warner, New Hampshire. Visit mattforrest.com.

About the illustrator: 

Fred Koehler is an artist and storyteller whose real-life misadventures include sunken boats, illegal border crossings, and fighting off robbers in the dead of night. Whether free diving in the Gulf of Mexico or backpacking across Africa, Fred’s sense of adventure and awe of nature overflow into his characters’ stories. Fred is passionate about encouraging young artists, promoting social justice, and conserving our environment. He lives in Florida with his wife, kids, and a rescue dog named Cheerio Mutt-Face McChubbybutt.  Visit ilikefred.com.

Check out the other stops on the blog tour:
Friday, 9/15                  Jama’s Alphabet Soup
Monday 9/18                   KitLit Exchange/The Loud Library Lady
Tuesday 9/19                  Penny Klostermann Book Blog
Wednesday 9/20         Unleashing Readers
Thursday 9/21                 KidLit Frenzy
Friday 9/22                     Mrs. Knott’s Book Nook
Monday 9/25                   Librarian in Cute Shoes
Tuesday 9/26                  Nerdy Book Club

Thank you Boyds Mills Press for the book giveaway. Winner must be 13 years old or older and have a US mailing address.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: Fault Lines in the Constitution Blog Tour & Giveaway

Fault Lines in the Constitution: The Framers, Their Fights, And the Flaws that Affect Us Today
by Cynthia Levinson & Sanford Levinson
Peachtree Publishers (September 1, 2017)
Nonfiction * Government & Politics * Social Science
Audience: Ages 10 to 14
Indiebound | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads: 
Many of the political issues we struggle with today have their roots in the US Constitution. Husband-and-wife team Cynthia and Sanford Levinson take readers back to the creation of this historic document and discuss how contemporary problems were first introduced then they offer possible solutions. Think Electoral College, gerrymandering, even the Senate. Many of us take these features in our system for granted. But they came about through haggling in an overheated room in 1787, and were still experiencing the ramifications. Each chapter in this timely and thoughtful exploration of the Constitutions creation begins with a story all but one of them true that connects directly back to a section of the document that forms the basis of our society and government From the award-winning team, Cynthia Levinson, children's book author, and Sanford Levinson, constitutional law scholar, Fault Lines in the Constitution will encourage exploration and discussion from young and old readers alike.

Thoughts about the book:
Over the last year, I have watched as our Constitution has essentially come under attack and been challenged. Yes, definitely an opinion statement but you can't turn on the TV or read the newspaper without learning daily of events happening in our government that has caused more and more people to sit up and take notice. Over the past year, I have been following Cynthia on twitter and Facebook and seeing regular posts about revisions on this book. Reading her posts about how they needed to update information in the book based on what was happening in our country was further evidence of the timeliness of this topic and the need for this book. It has also reminded me that I have taken our Constitution for granted and that I did not understand it as well as I had thought. 

Cynthia Levison has partnered with her husband, Sanford Levinson to write a book to look at the issues impacting our government today and how these exact same issues have their foundation in the conflicts and challenges that faced our country at the beginning. The conflicts and challenges haven't gotten any easier in 200+ years, and yet, I am often amazed at how much foresight the original writers of the Constitution had when creating the basis for our government. 

What I love about this book is how accessible it is. Though it is written for 10 to 14 year olds, it really can be read by anyone (and should be read by everyone). The topic can be a challenge but the authors do their best to make the subject clear to their readers. There are seven sections to the book with catchy titles like "Hello Can You Hear Me?" (Gerrymandering) and "If America Threw a Party, Would You Be In?" (Voting Rights).  As I read this book, I kept wondering where the book was when I was in high school taking US History?! 

For more information and continued updates, check out the Fault Lines in the Constitution blog.  To check out an interview with the authors, click here.

Look for a copy of the book at your local indie bookstore or community library. 

About the authors: 

Cynthia Levinson holds degrees from Wellesley College and Harvard University and also attended the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs. A former teacher and educational policy consultant and researcher, she is the author of the award-winning and critically-acclaimed We’ve Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children’s March as well as Watch Out for Flying Kids!. She has also published articles in Appleseeds, Calliope, Cobblestone, Dig, Faces, and Odyssey.

Sanford Levinson is an American legal scholar, a professor in the Law School and the Department of Government at the University of Texas, and a frequent visiting professor at Harvard Law School. He holds degrees from Duke, Stanford, and Harvard universities and is the author of several adult books on the Constitution, including Constitutional Faith (1988, 2d ed. 2011); Our Undemocratic Constitution (2006); and Framed:  America’s 51 Constitutions and the Crisis of Governance (2012); and, most recently, An Argument Open to All: Reading The Federalist in the 21st Century (2015).

Thank you Peachtree Publishers for providing a book giveaway as part of the blog tour. Winner must be 13 years or older and have a US mailing address. Please enter the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Artwork by Sarah S. Brannen ©2017

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

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: Bound by Ice Blog Tour

Bound by Ice: A True North Pole Survival Story
by Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace
Calkins Creek/Boyds Mills Press (September 19, 2017)

Description from GoodReads: 
In the years following the Civil War, -Arctic fever- gripped the American public, fueled by myths of a fertile, tropical sea at the top of the world. Several explorers attempted to find a route to the North Pole, but none succeeded. Bound by Ice follows the journey of George Washington De Long and the crew of the USS Jeannette, who departed San Francisco in the summer of 1879 hoping to find a route to the North Pole. However, in mid-September the ship became locked in ice north of Siberia and drifted for nearly two years before it was crushed by ice and sank. De Long and his men escaped the ship and began a treacherous journey in extreme polar conditions in an attempt to reach civilization. Many--including De Long--did not survive. A riveting true-life adventure, Bound by Ice includes excerpts from De Long's extensive journals, which were recovered with his body; newspapers from the time; and photos and sketches by the men on the expedition. The title also includes an epilogue, author's note, bibliography, source notes, and index.

Thank you Calkins Creek and Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace for the interview about your newest book. 

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE BOUND BY ICE?

SANDRA: I’m drawn to stories about people who break barriers and become change-makers, and they often risk their lives for what they believe in—in this case, advancing humanity through science and discovery. I was inspired by the courage of the USS Jeannette explorers and their herculean skills, which helped many of them survive. Their discoveries broke through some pretty serious inaccuracies about the Arctic and changed polar history. But it was their strength to survive and help each other that changed the mindset of future explorers and made me want to write their stories.

RICH: I’ve always been fascinated by polar-survival-type stories--the Jack London genre. When I learned that Commander De Long’s detailed journals of this expedition were accessible to researchers at the U.S. Naval Academy Museum, I couldn’t wait to read them.

HOW DO YOU THINK KIDS OF 2017 WILL RELATE TO EVENTS IN THE BOOK FROM THE 1800s?

RICH: Who hasn’t been cold, wet, exhausted, and hungry? Anyone with an adventurous spirit will be drawn into this story immediately and will be astonished—as we were—by what these explorers were able to endure.

SANDRA: I can’t wait for young fans of survival stories like Hatchet and the I Survived series to read Bound By Ice, because it’s the ultimate true story of adventure and survival.

Fear of the unknown—and that fear factor of getting stranded somewhere, is timeless. Just like the question, “Could you survive the harshest climatic conditions known to humankind?”

For some of the Jeannette explorers, the answer was “yes.” But how did they stay alive? What did their courage look like? And who died? That’s what I wanted to know. Reading how their survival skills were tested and the physical and emotional stamina they developed is what I think young readers will find gripping.

HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO RESEARCH AND WRITE THIS BOOK?

SANDRA: It took us two years to research and write Bound By Ice. The first place we visited for research was the Naval Academy Museum, reading De Long’s forty-five pound logbooks and the ice journals he lugged through ice and slush. That really gave us a sense of just how thrilling, terrifying, and harrowing their search for the North Pole became. But there are always twists along the way. We wanted to know more about the Alaska Native explorers on the expedition, which led us to connecting with tribal elders in the Native Village of St. Michael, and to Rich making contacts at the University of Alaska. As journalists, we feel it’s our job to correct inaccuracies and uncover new facts, even though this takes a lot longer.

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES AND BENEFITS OF WRITING A BOOK WITH ANOTHER PERSON?

SANDRA: Rich may have a much different answer, but I see nothing but benefits co-authoring long-form nonfiction projects with him. First off, we both read the same research materials and choose the sections to want to write about. Then for continuity, we become each other’s editors before the manuscript even gets to the editor of the book. Rich really keeps me on track. We’re also accountable to each other when it comes to deadlines and challenge one another to keep sharpening our detective skills in solving the seemingly impossible 100 or so questions that usually pop up while we’re researching a book.

RICH: Sandra is the most intense researcher I’ve ever seen, so I just try to follow her lead!

WHY DO YOU THINK NONFICTION BOOKS ARE IMPORTANT FOR YOUNG READERS TODAY?

RICH: Many of today’s nonfiction books tell stories that are at least as compelling as a novel. Our primary goal in deciding whether we want to pursue a subject is whether there is a strong central character and an exciting story arc. Bound By Ice has all that plus fascinating secondary characters and an incredible setting. And we were able to tie that era of Arctic history to the present because of De Long’s scientific discoveries: his measurements and other data captured the state of the ice and the fauna. Today’s scientists are using that information to demonstrate how the climate has changed.

SANDRA: When it comes to history, knowing our past gives us an understanding of where we came from and promotes critical thinking. It's vital for young readers to know how our world got to this point and how humans have navigated life before us; often badly but also heroically. What course do they want to chart?

About the authors:
Sandra Neil Wallace had a lengthy career as a news anchor and ESPN sportscaster before writing realistic fiction and nonfiction for young readers. A pioneer in the journalism field, she was the first woman to cover the National Hockey League on network TV. Selected as a promising new voice in children’s literature by The Horn Book, Wallace’s titles have been named to state and national awards lists including Bank Street College’s Best Children’s Book of the Year, ALA-YALSA Quick Picks, and Booklist’s Top 10 Sports Books for Youth. Visit sandraneilwallace.com. 

Rich Wallace has written more than three dozen novels for children and teens. His first novel, Wrestling Sturbridge, was selected by the American Library Association as one of the top 100 YA books of the twentieth century. His recent children's nonfiction includes the acclaimed Blood Brother, co-written with his wife, Sandra Neil Wallace. He lives in Keene, New Hampshire. Visit richwallacebooks.com.  

Check out the other stops on the blog tour: 
Sunday, 9/17     Nerdy Book Club
Monday, 9/18   Mrs. Yingling Reads
Tuesday, 9/19   The Booklist Reader
Wednesday, 9/20 KidLit Frenzy
Thursday, 9/21   Dr. Bickmore’s YA Wednesday
Friday, 9/22       The Nonfiction Detectives

Artwork by Sarah S. Brannen ©2017

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

#Road2Reading Challenge: I Can Read! Series by HarperCollins 60th Anniversary

HarperCollins I Can Read! Series is celebrating their 60th Anniversary. You can check out the 60th Anniversary timeline here and the tips for reading with your child, here. Below are some of the I Can Read! books that I recently read. 

Duck, Duck, Dinosaur: Perfect Pumpkin by Kallie George; Illustrated by Oriol Vidal (HarperCollins, July 25, 2017)

Duck, Duck, Dinosaur began as a picture book and have evolved into an early reader series. Though not as simple in text pattern that I would like to see in the most basic early reader, it does have repetitive language and a simple story line. 

Clark the Shark and the Big Book Report by Bruce Hale; Illustrated by Guy Francis (HarperCollins, June 20, 2017)

Similar to Duck, Duck, Dinosaur, this level 1 early reader also began as a picture book series. Picture book fans of Clark the Shark can enjoy the series in a more easy to read size than a picture book. Clark continues to be his lovable self and his foibles make him more relatable. 

My Weird School: Class Pet Mess! by Dan Gutman; Illustrated by Jim Paillot (HarperCollins, June 20, 2017)

I was certainly curious about this new early reader based on Gutman's My Weird School chapter book series. There are a lot of similarities between the early reader and the chapter book. However, for students not quite ready for the length and more complex language, the new early reader makes for a nice transition text. 

In a Dark, Dark Room And Other Scary Stories Retold by Alvin Schwartz; Illustrated by Victor Rivas (HarperCollins, July 25, 2017)

In time for Halloween is the reprint of In a Dark, Dark Room and Other Scary Stories in a full color version. Though it isn't super complex or scary, it does have an element of quirky scary that children will enjoy. 

Look for these and other titles in the I Can Read! Series at your local book store or community library. 

All journeys have a starting place.
This is a weekly place to find books and tools
that you may use with readers at the start of their reading journey.
Join in the conversation at #road2reading.

Each week, Michele Knott and I post about new early readers and transitional chapter books.