RICBA Nominees 2015

I will be adding to the list as I make my way through the nominees ... favorites closest to the top.



Nelson Mandela by Kadir Nelson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

All of my students think this book is about Morgan Freeman when they look at the cover. Sigh. One girl has read it, though, and said it made her cry. It's well done.
 



Gone Fishing: A Novel in Verse by Tamera Will Wissinger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The actual story was nothing special, but I am giving Wissinger an extra star for using so many poetry forms and explaining them at the end. Will be recommending as a RICBA readaloud to 3rd- and 4th-grade teachers.



Doll Bones by Holly Black
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

So this is more of a feelings novel, about putting away childish things and navigating changing relationships, than a scary adventure book. Not that there isn't adventure - bus rides and piracy and breakins - or scariness - creepy doll that may or may not be a dead girl. But it wasn't what I expected.

Black writes well; the prose pulled me along effortlessly (as opposed to a couple of other books I started this week). And the plot has a mix of elements that my kids will like. So I will plan to add to the collection when I can. But I will also be on the lookout for a cheap copy of "A Drowned Maiden's Hair" by Laura Amy Schlitz for those who prefer more Gothic, less realistic (and fewer cell phones).

p. 75: "He wondered whether growing up was learning that most stories turned out to be lies."

The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A classic Curtis novel. Which is to say that it includes a certain kind of family dynamics and certain quirks in the narrator. Set during the Depression, which seems to be a popular choice for authors lately. Liked it but didn't love it, although I did enjoy the Manipula Mobile explanation and the line "Hoping is such hard work."


Mountain Dog by Margarita Engle
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Super quick read. I think my kids will love it.


 



The Blessing Cup by Patricia Polacco
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It's a Patricia Polacco book.
 

Island: A Story of the Galápagos by Jason Chin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I read this to my 5th graders at the end of the school year to get them started on the list, and it led to some good discussion about natural selection and geologic cycles.



Hiding Out at the Pancake Palace by Nan Marino
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I could have done without the references to the Jersey Devil and the song of the pines. They were kind of jarring, since the rest of the book was so realistic.

 



Bats: Biggest! Littlest! by Sandra Markle
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The layout took away from the content for me. However, said content was clear and easy to understand. I had both a first-grader and a third-grader read it this spring and report back a ton of facts, so it's definitely a hit with its audience.

Gaby, Lost and Found by Angela Cervantes
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Sweet but simplistic. I - not an animal lover - teared up at the end, so it did have an emotional impact, albeit a somewhat syrupy one.





Legend of the Ghost Dog by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

All of the kids who circled this on their RICBA list at the end of the year may be disappointed by the lack of true creepiness. Will recommend to a 4th grade teacher who does an Iditarod unit.
 



Charlie Bumpers vs. the Teacher of the Year by Bill Harley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

We elementary librarians need more books like this! Simple, sweet, small, slim. Boys will read it. Most kids will bother to finish because it's not hard to get through or overwhelming to look at ... there are pictures on almost every spread. Not a fantastic work of literary import, but I find my students aren't willing to put in the work to read those.

Odessa Again by Dana Reinhardt
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Not my favorite, but may recommend to teachers looking to read RICBA nominees because it could lead to some good discussions about making choices.



Athlete vs. Mathlete by W.C. Mack
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Meh for me. However, I think a lot of my students will like it. Too bad I ordered "Double Dribble" by mistake instead of this one for the RI Children's Book Award shelf!




Wild Born by Brandon Mull
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Obviously calculated to be a moneymaker, what with the online tie-ins and different authors for different volumes. But I don't want to read any more of them, because I don't really care what happens. The narrator of the audiobook didn't help, but I don't feel attached to a single character. They were cardboard cutouts.


Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Vanderpool's writing is great, but as the chapters unfolded, it couldn't save the plot from becoming COMPLETELY ANNOYING. I really didn't like the Pi story, and I really really didn't like the way it had parallels during the trek through the woods. Glad to be done.



The 14 Fibs of Gregory K. by Greg Pincus
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I
am
tired
of books with
one-note characters,
dialogue that makes my eyes roll.

And
stop
moaning
over pie.
We get that Kelly's
mom is a good baker. Enough.

Show,
don't
tell us
his writing
is so prize-worthy.
We'll be the judge of that. OK?

I
do
think some
of my kids
will enjoy, and an
extra star for Fibonacci.

You
should
check out
"Blockhead: The
Life of Fibonacci"
by Joseph D'Agnese for more.

Kelsey Green, Reading Queen by Claudia Mills
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Too bad, because I usually like Claudia Mills. But I have a problem with the reading being turned into a competition ... and thereby a chore. I did like how she referred to so many other books, though. Will probably set up a display with the ones we have and steer my kids to them.

The Secret Garden
Sarah, Plain and Tall
Frindle
Dear Whiskers
The Mouse and the Motorcycle
Amber Brown is Not a Crayon
Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things
Mr. Crumb's Secret
Frog and Toad Together
Stuart Little
Henry and Mudge
Junie B. Jones
Ramona the Pest
Biographies
Emily Dickinson poetry
Harriet the Spy
The Mouse of Amherst
A Little Princess
Charlotte's Web
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Magic
Farmer Boy


Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I so wanted to love this. I love books and I love puzzles. But I also love strong characters (not caricatures) and crisp writing (not constant puns and lame dialogue). Disappointing.




Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I returned the audiobook to the library after the first disc. Maybe I'll retry with a print copy. One fourth grader liked it, one fifth grader did not.

"Doing School"

I'm reading "Doing School": How We Are Creating a Generation of Stressed Out, Materialistic, and Miseducated Students by Denise Clark Pope (Yale University Press, 2001), and it's making ME stressed out! Pope brings up a myriad of issues, most of which can't be solved by a 30-minute elementary library class. However, I have starting thinking differently about a couple of things:

Opportunity v. chore

Passage from p. 4 - Instead of thinking deeply about the content of their courses and delving into projects and assignments, the students focus on managing the work load and honing strategies that will help them to achieve high grades ... As Kevin asserts: "People don't go to school to learn. They go to get good grades which brings them to college, which brings them the high-paying job, which brings them to happiness, so they think."

Essential question: How can I help my students to see school as an opportunity v. a chore?

Thoughts: As a school librarian with 700 students, I only see classes once a week for 30 minutes, alternating lesson weeks with checkout weeks for a total of 10 instructional hours a year. I just went through our district curriculum and counted up 102 concepts that my kids are supposed to know by the time they leave for middle school. 7 years x 10 instruction hours = 70 hours total to introduce and reinforce 102 concepts. It's impossible.

It's a chore for ME to try and squeeze as much as I can into my lessons. So I'm trying to reframe my thinking: I have the opportunity to introduce my kids to the world around them via activities that will also (hopefully) impart some information literacy.

Instead of panicking over a quota, I want to concentrate instead on providing access to materials that make kids choose reading as a viable entertainment option alongside TV and videogames; on finding resources to support classroom curriculum and inspire nonfiction requests (see below ... setting facts to music helps you to remember them!); and on letting my students know that whatever they're interested in, there's a way to find information about it.

My mission statement is starting to change.

 

Depth v. breadth

Passage from p. 41 - Here, as is typical with these students, the focus is on getting good grades, rather than on actually learning the material.
and 
p. 156 - An A grade, therefore, did not necessarily mean that the students learned and retained content area knowledge and skills or that they understood important concepts or theories; rather, the grades proved that the students were adept at providing the teachers with the information required on tests and quizzes, and that they had memorized these facts and figures (or copied them from peers) just long enough to "ace" the exams and then move on to the next set of tasks.

Essential question: How can I help my students truly understand and remember the concepts I teach?

Thoughts: The last week of school was a real eye opener for me. With the list of topics covered by each grade on a clipboard, I asked my kids simple questions; correct answers meant a trip to the prize box.

Me: "What is a call number?"
Student: "A phone number?"
Me: "I mean in the context of the library ... we use call numbers to do what?"
Student: "Check out books? It's, like, on the back of the book and you put it in the computer?"
Me: [silently] Oh, dear.

Me: "What is a bibliography?"
Student: "A story about a person?"
Me: "I think you're thinking of a biography. Any other ideas?"
Students: Blank looks.

source: mrlibrarydude.wordpress.com

Me: [silently] Oh, dear. 

I was shocked that basic, basic concepts weren't sticking. However, a few weeks ago I met some colleagues for lunch. The conversation turned to TV, and I mentioned that my boyfriend and I had started the second season of "Orange is the New Black."

Me: "We're so confused on some plot points. We can't remember how they left off. Which is sad, because we only finished the first season a few months ago."
Friend 1: "That's what it's like for kids coming back from summer vacation."
Friend 2: "That's what it's like for kids coming back to something you taught them last month."
Me: "Oh my god, you are right!"

I realized that not only do I have to build in a lot more review at the beginning of the year (including information as - to me - obvious as where to find the Wimpy Kid books), but I have to repeat and reteach concepts at multiple grade levels. I'm going to have to pick and choose among those 102 concepts and focus on the ones I think are most important for my kids. Luckily, I can point to the Common Core principle of depth v. breadth to support this approach.

After mulling over my curriculum for a few days, I came up with two overarching themes:

1. Find stuff
2. Use it responsibly

I feel like these pretty much sum up everything, from using the online catalog to reading a chart to crediting your photo sources to managing your digital footprint.

Common Core v. common sense

But speaking of Common Core, I started fretting when writing up my 4th-grade "Where in the World?" unit, which encompasses geography, cultural studies, text features, comparing sources, and math. Why? Because I couldn't find a satisfactory Common Core ELA or Math standard for Grade 4 that fit my lesson about the continents.

The best I could do for labeling a map was "SL.4.2: Paraphrase … information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally."

I actually considered scrapping the lesson and just giving the kids maps with the continents already labeled. Even though last year they had a great time doing the lesson, which incorporated music and online games, I had an anxiety attack over not being able to officially align it with Grade 4 Common Core Standards.

Then I realized that the Common Core does not address Social Studies for elementary school students. It does not address the arts. It does not, unlike the American Association of School Librarians' Standards for the 21st-Century Learner, address teamwork, perseverance, or curiosity.

Who cares if I can't cram my round lesson into a square box? Part of my job - according to my mission statement revision that's in the works - is to give my kids a sense of their place in the world around them. And part of that is seeing quite literally where we fit in on a map of the continents. It aligns with MY core curriculum goal of "Find it." And that's good enough.

RI Mock Newbery 2014 - Voting List

(I will be adding to this post as I make it through the list ... favorites at the top)


Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I LOVED THIS BOOK. I loved Nate, I loved the silliness, I loved the rollercoaster plot, I loved the ending phone call (spoiler: there's a sequel in the works). The absolute perfect book for all the misfits who want to make it to Broadway. As well as anyone who enjoys middle-grade fiction. I laughed out loud so many times, I am now following Tim Federle on Twitter.

My one reservation re: buying for school is the use of the word "fag" (and variations thereof). I feel like it's reaching the forbidden status of the R and N words - even if it's only used by jerkface characters. In fact, a Google search on the topic just brought up articles about a UFC fighter named Nate who got suspended for using the word. Any advice from other school librarians?


View all my reviews Paperboy by Vince Vawter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had thought I was sick of coming-of-age novels, but then I read this one. SO GOOD. Reduced me to tears several times. The narrator wants so desperately to understand everything and to be understood. He types up a list of questions for Mr. Spiro (p.66):

1. Why do most grown-ups treat me like I'm not a real human being?
2. When does a kid become a grown-up?
3. What can I do to be smart like you?

Killed me. As did "So both of us ended up doing something we didn't really want to do so we could make the other feel good."(p. 212)

I feel like there were no wasted words or actions in the book. Perhaps a vestige of Vawter's newspaper days? RIYL Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt.


Far Far Away by Tom McNeal
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am not entirely sold on the singing, but other than that, what a great way to do Grimm.



 


The Water Castle by Megan Frazer Blakemore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Blakemore pulled me in right from the start, and I ended up reading this all in one day. I liked the way she weaves in the stories of the race to reach the North Pole as well as mentioning the work of some of the scientists of that time (like poor Tesla). And I LOVED the thought that maybe what we consider to be magic is just science that hasn't been discovered yet. A classroom teacher could create an entire interdisciplinary unit or three using the novel as a jumping-off point.

I do have to say that I was surprised at how abruptly it ended. As I was nearing the last several pages, I kept wondering how all the loose ends would be tied up. They weren't. Not sure if this is for mysteriousness/discussion purposes or as a lead-in to a sequel.


Locomotive by Brian Floca
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I initially read this book as a potential Mock Caldecott readaloud and crossed it off the list immediately for being too long; I generally try to read two or three titles per 30-minute class. But then it showed up on the RI Mock Newbery list, so I decided to give it another try. And I'm so glad I did.

Through his artwork, Floca manages to make you feel like you're on a train while feeding you bits of incredibly interesting information. Running a steam engine without wrecking the train and/or killing anyone was really hard work!


The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What I loved most about this book is that Billy is so normal, and his stressors are so mundane. Unless, of course, you are in second grade and have a hint of generalized anxiety disorder.




Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I laughed, I cried, I adored this book ... until about the final quarter when it got a little too philosophical and then got a little too far-fetched. Really, Pattie? After just a couple of months you are ready to go into a joint custody relationship with someone? Who happened to win $20,000? To go with your secret fortune that was stashed away while your kids had to sleep on the floor of a garage? What?!?

I did really love Willow, though, and her observations about other people as she strove to understand them. The first 200 pages were delightful, if also tragic and stressful.
 

One Came Home by Amy Timberlake
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars if that were an option. The writing is glorious. The plot is mostly linear, with some confusing flashbacks. The very end seemed unnecessary. I will definitely consider purchasing for some of my kids who request "adventure" books.




P.S. Be Eleven by Rita Williams-Garcia
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

If you haven't read One Crazy Summer, you may be very confused at the beginning of this book. But stick with it if you like coming-of-age novels with likeable main characters.

As the oldest of three girls whose mom left years ago, Delphine parentifies herself and is shocked when her dad's girlfriend calls her (in Delphine's mind) an "oppressor" of her sisters. She so wants to be grown up, but in a series of letters, her mother keeps telling her to "Be eleven."

Which she is when screaming over the Jackson Five or pouting over the dorky clothes her grandmother (Big Ma) buys her. But not when she is struggling with questions of identity and realizations about the adults in her life.


Doll Bones by Holly Black
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

So this is more of a feelings novel, about putting away childish things and navigating changing relationships, than a scary adventure book. Not that there isn't adventure - bus rides and piracy and breakins - or scariness - creepy doll that may or may not be a dead girl. But it wasn't what I expected.

Black writes well; the prose pulled me along effortlessly (as opposed to a couple of other books I started this week). And the plot has a mix of elements that my kids will like. So I will plan to add to the collection when I can. But I will also be on the lookout for a cheap copy of "A Drowned Maiden's Hair" by Laura Amy Schlitz for those who prefer more Gothic, less realistic (and fewer cell phones).

p. 75: "He wondered whether growing up was learning that most stories turned out to be lies."


Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is the kind of book that should be required reading in middle and high school, not doorstop "classics." Not that I don't personally like Dickens and poor old Tess of the D'Urbervilles. But if you want to get kids thinking about characters' motives - not to mention their own when it comes to the social horrors of adolescence - and participating in a discussion, then you need to assign relevant plots with easily readable prose.

Really hope the title doesn't lead to school library censorship attempts.


The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp by Kathi Appelt
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I resisted this for a while because of the premise ... talking raccoons? And a swamp creature? Really? However, fellow librarians talked it up at our October meeting, and it's on our list of finalists, so I gave it another try. It helped that Lyle Lovett read it to me.

All in all, a mildly entertaining tale reminiscent of Carl Hiassen's books but with some fantasy thrown in. It was ok. Not sure I'd be able to get anyone to read it, though, with the exception of one preschooler (if when he hits 3rd grade he is still obsessed with raccoons).


Zebra Forest by Adina Rishe Gewirtz
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Zzzzzzzz. Well written, but not much happens besides reading "Treasure Island" a bunch of times. I am most sympathetic with Rew.






Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Vanderpool's writing is great, but as the chapters unfolded, it couldn't save the plot from becoming COMPLETELY ANNOYING. I really didn't like the Pi story, and I really really didn't like the way it had parallels during the trek through the woods. Glad to be done.

RI Mock Newbery Reads - December 2013

I will be adding to the list as I make my way through the nominees ... favorites closest to the top.


Far Far Away by Tom McNeal
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am not entirely sold on the singing, but other than that, what a great way to do Grimm.



 

Locomotive by Brian Floca
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I initially read this book as a potential Mock Caldecott readaloud and crossed it off the list immediately for being too long; I generally try to read two or three titles per 30-minute class. But then it showed up on the RI Mock Newbery list, so I decided to give it another try. And I'm so glad I did.

Through his artwork, Floca manages to make you feel like you're on a train while feeding you bits of incredibly interesting information. Running a steam engine without wrecking the train and/or killing anyone was really hard work!


View all my reviews The Real Boy by Anne Ursu
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

What does it take to be a person? Do our memories define us? What if society's memories are altered by historians? Would you rely on magic v. yourself if it were available to you? Heady themes for a kid to ponder.




Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

At first I loved it, but as I made my way to the end, I shed a little bit of that love each time DiCamillo piled on each additional quirk. I did maintain my positive feelings, however, towards drama queen William Spiver and the excellent squirrel poet Ulysses.


Listening for Lucca by Suzanne LaFleur
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Huh? What the heck was that horrible ending? I felt like I was reading the script for one of the recent, incredibly lame Doctor Who episodes. SPOILER ALERT:

"I will just will myself into your body in the past! I will talk to your brother - after miraculously snapping him out of his PTSD - like a self-help author! I will LITERALLY FIND THE KEY to unlocking Lucca's muteness! I will get confirmation from the elderly neighbor that I have changed the past!"

What started out as a standard realistic family problem book with a supernatural twist turned into something ludicrous. So disappointing. It seems like the majority of books I'm reading lately start strong and then taper off to blah. Where are all of the editors?

Blooming Orange

Here's a nice graphic from Smart Tutor that gives seven action verbs for each level of Bloom's taxonomy.

Mock Newbery Reads - October 2013

I will be adding to the list as I make my way through the nominees ... favorites closest to the top.


Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I LOVED THIS BOOK. I loved Nate, I loved the silliness, I loved the rollercoaster plot, I loved the ending phone call (spoiler: there's a sequel in the works). The absolute perfect book for all the misfits who want to make it to Broadway. As well as anyone who enjoys middle-grade fiction. I laughed out loud so many times, I am now following Tim Federle on Twitter.

My one reservation re: buying for school is the use of the word "fag" (and variations thereof). I feel like it's reaching the forbidden status of the R and N words - even if it's only used by jerkface characters. In fact, a Google search on the topic just brought up articles about a UFC fighter named Nate who got suspended for using the word. Any advice from other school librarians?


Paperboy by Vince Vawter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had thought I was sick of coming-of-age novels, but then I read this one. SO GOOD. Reduced me to tears several times. The narrator wants so desperately to understand everything and to be understood. He types up a list of questions for Mr. Spiro (p.66):

1. Why do most grown-ups treat me like I'm not a real human being?
2. When does a kid become a grown-up?
3. What can I do to be smart like you?

Killed me. As did "So both of us ended up doing something we didn't really want to do so we could make the other feel good."(p. 212)

I feel like there were no wasted words or actions in the book. Perhaps a vestige of Vawter's newspaper days? RIYL Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt.


The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What I loved most about this book is that Billy is so normal, and his stressors are so mundane. Unless, of course, you are in second grade and have a hint of generalized anxiety disorder.




Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I laughed, I cried, I adored this book ... until about the final quarter when it got a little too philosophical and then got a little too far-fetched. Really, Pattie? After just a couple of months you are ready to go into a joint custody relationship with someone? Who happened to win $20,000? To go with your secret fortune that was stashed away while your kids had to sleep on the floor of a garage? What?!?

I did really love Willow, though, and her observations about other people as she strove to understand them. The first 200 pages were delightful, if also tragic and stressful.


Beholding Bee by Kimberly Newton Fusco
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

2.5 stars. I finished this book a week ago, and I can't really remember much now; it didn't have much of an impact. I remember being dismayed by the carnival and mean old Ellis, annoyed by the otherworldliness of Mrs. Swift and Mrs. Potter, and disgusted at the way that anyone who was different - even if only physically - was hidden away in the "special" class with no supplies. But I never felt very connected to Bee.


Zebra Forest by Adina Rishe Gewirtz
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Zzzzzzzz. Well written, but not much happens besides reading "Treasure Island" a bunch of times. I am most sympathetic with Rew.





Hokey Pokey by Jerry Spinelli
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Has Mr. Spinelli earned a completely free pass from editors? I found this to be ghastly. Granted, I only made it through disc 1 of 5. The grating narration didn't help. Certainly there was imagination poured into the work. But it felt dystopian (even as it was developing a kids' paradise) and creepy. I didn't like any of the characters. I didn't care about Jack finding his bike. Or growing up. I just wanted it to end.

Mock Caldecott 2014 Reads - Batch 2

My second-grade Mock Caldecott unit doesn't quite follow the exact criteria of the official award, because I'm also reading for how much I think the story will entertain my students. Here are some that made the cut:

source: us.penguingroup.com

The Day the Crayons Quit
Author: Drew Daywalt
Illustrator: Oliver Jeffers

Really, what else can you do for a related activity but set the kids loose with crayons? Well, I guess you could have them write complaint letters. Hmm. Not sure I want to go that route. Maybe we'll talk about the color wheel and do that trick where you use opposite colors, stare at them, and then look at a white surface and see the correct colors in the afterimage.

Here is that optical illusion and some others.

source: hachettebookgroup.com

The Dark
Author: Lemony Snicket
Illustrator: Jon Klassen

When I saw these two had teamed up, I almost fainted. Which is why I already read this book to my kids last year, when they were first graders. I loved the range of predictions as to what would happen when Laszlo went into the basement: from "I think it's his parents playing a trick on him!" to "I think he's going to be dead!" And then I got to show them these videos:

Grr, the other one is coming up as Not Found in Blogspot, even though I can view it on Youtube. It's the "Light / Dark" song with the guy cutting a hole in the wall ...

source: missmoorethought
otherwise.com

Miss Moore Thought Otherwise
Author: Jan Pinborough
Illustrator: Debby Atwell

Even if this book were terrible, how could I not want to read it? It's about a Miss Moore who believes in libraries for children! Luckily, the book is great. I've read several picture-book biographies this summer, and I think this is the best of the bunch. Kid-friendly, but fairly complete in its storytelling of a life. And the title tag line just works so well.

Take a look at Nicholas Knickerbocker's treasures!

source: us.penguingroup.com

Time-Out for Sophie
Rosemary Wells

I anticipate many dramatic stories of younger siblings and their bad behavior. Open to any ideas for accompanying activities.

source: disney.go.com

Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great
Bob Shea

Goofy but with a message ... get to know people (or, in this case, animals) before you judge them. Will pair well with Bear & Bee.

I'm trying to incorporate music into my lessons this year, so I think I will teach the kids The Unicorn Song. Although I do remember being very sad when I heard it when I was little. Those poor frisky unicorns. But hey, they weren't listening or following directions ... see what happens, kids?? Consequences!

The World is Waiting for You

source: randomhouse.com

Author: Barbara Kerley
Photographers: Various

I am not sure if this book would qualify for the official award, not because it is illustrated with photographs (see Betsy Bird's 2010 post about this), but because the photos weren't taken specifically to go with the text. Regardless, they are gorgeous and inspiring. I loved this before I even realized that it alternates between kids having fun and adults doing the same activities as a career. This may be the new go-to graduation gift!

Play the Virginia Career View game.