Mock Newbery 2013 - Finalist Reads

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

 See You at Harry's by Jo Knowles
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Devastatingly heartbreaking. Fern's voice is authentic, the dialogue is believable, and the grief is crushing. I lost it at the answering machine.




The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow. I loved it. Not sure if kids will appreciate its somber tone, but I sure did. Killer comments close out many of the tiny chapters: "Old age is a powerful disguise." ... "I always tell the truth although I sometimes confuse the facts."

Actually, now that I think about it, it's almost like a novel in verse, even though it's written as prose. Applegate's writing is a hell of a lot more poetic than so many of those "verse" novels out there that just seem to have returns sprinkled randomly through sentences.

And it's based on a true story.


Wonder by R.J. Palacio
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I completely second Brandi Rae's review, and rather than trying to paraphrase, she said I could just use it for mine:

"For the most part I really enjoyed this. Auggie was born with many extreme facial deformities. After extensive surgeries, he is starting 5th grade; attending a public school for the first time. This was thoughtful, funny, touching ... the rotating points of view were varied enough that upper elementary would like it as well as lower middle school (good 5-7 book). There were some flaws (I did find the ending ridiculous). But overall, a good book ...."


The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well-crafted story that sucked me in immediately - a page-turner with a twist that I appreciated. Kind of annoyed that it's already set up to be a trilogy, though. I hope Nielsen continues to write well and doesn't phone it in by the end.

Speaking of trilogies and similar plotlines, I wonder if I could push "Westmark" to my students.


View all my reviews Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lin does a lovely job weaving together traditional stories with an original plot (that still feels very traditional ... in a good way). Most of the questions that arise as you read get answered, but the ending confused me. I'm still not exactly sure how the moon fell from the sky ... the timing seemed off. Anyways, I did enjoy it, and I was surprised by how much I came to care for the characters.


 The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm glad I stuck with this one. At first, I was kind of turned off by Marlee and her assigning people drink personalities and her loving math and her not speaking. But I grew to really like her, especially when she began making her first few acts of defiance.

I also liked that I learned about a facet of the Civil Rights Movement that I wasn't aware of before. The hypocrisy and bigotry made me want to scream, and the hatred that went into threats against children ... wow.

Some stock characters, some unlikely events, but a good book.


Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An engaging read, but at the end I felt let down. Other reviewers have stated that feeling manipulated fits in with the overall theme. And I guess I should have thought a little more about some of the things that made me say "What?" Anyways, good parts included smile therapy, big picture v. dots, and spelling reform via Bob Edwards Who Draws. And I always did find the taste bud map suspect.


Kepler's Dream by Juliet Bell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I started off really liking this book. I didn't have time to read most of the books on our December list, so I read a bunch of first chapters, and this was the only one I wanted to keep reading. It started in medeas res, Ella had a great sense of humor, the writing was fresh, and I always like mysteries. "We have to find the missing book!" reminded me of the Peggy Parish novels I read back in elementary school (haven't revisited, so I don't know if they hold up).

Unfortunately, my enthusiasm waned as I made my way to the end. After a relatively slow pace, too much happened all at once, and the solution to the mystery was kind of ridiculous. It made me say "(expletive deleted)."


Goblin Secrets by William Alexander
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Who is voting for the National Book Award? Because I was not terribly impressed. What's up with the coal? And the river flooding? Don't leave me hanging just because you have a contract for a trilogy. The "resolution" with Rowan was stupid. Pfffft.

That said, I did enjoy the goblin troupe members.

Ideas from Nov/Dec 2012 American Libraries

EveryLibrary.org: Interesting ... a PAC for library-related ballot initiatives. According to their site, "Many library associations – both at the national and state level – are organized as 501(c)3 educational associations. Current law and regulations prohibit these associations from engaging in direct voter advocacy or funding political campaigns. As a 501(c)4 organization, EveryLibrary can act where these associations cannot."

How-To Festival: One of my schools is looking for more activities for next year's fall festival. I am going to suggest recruiting parents and community members to teach mini-lessons on subjects ranging from yoga to BBQ. Thanks for the idea, Louisville Free Public Library!

Excellent quote: "Here's the thing about librarians: They are the only people in the world I know who are incredibly excited TO DO YOUR WORK FOR YOU. ... As online resources become more complex, we need wise humans to help act as guides. Librarians know how to do that better than you do. Ask them for help. They also, typically, are warm, curious, helpful people." - Justin Reich, "Librarians Are Completely Awesome," Education Week: EdTech Researcher, Aug. 16.

Personal Branding: Five questions to ask yourself:

• What would an employer learn if he or she googled me?
• What kind of job amI looking for?
• What's my personal mantra?
• If I asked my friends to describe me, what would they say?
• How can I make myself stand out in a crowded field?

Telling your library's story to the community: Two quotes of note from the OCLC report Geek the Library: "Perceptions of the librarian are highly related to support." and "Library support is only marginally related to visitation."

I have started blogs for my two schools - Garden City and Stadium. Now I need to promote them. I think a personal growth goal for next year will be to get coverage in the local paper ... or at least Patch ... for some activities/events. Like our National Game Day celebration! The Great Librarian Write-Out contest pays the author of an article published in a print-based nonlibrary publication between the 2012 and 2013 ALA Midwinter Meetings.

RI Mock Newbery 2013 - November Reads

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

 See You at Harry's by Jo Knowles
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Devastatingly heartbreaking. Fern's voice is authentic, the dialogue is believable, and the grief is crushing. I lost it at the answering machine.




One Year in Coal Harbor by Polly Horvath
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am always buying copies of "Everything on a Waffle" when I see it, and giving it to people, but I couldn't clearly remember why I loved it so much. Then I read the first page of "One Year in Coal Harbor" and it all came flooding back.

Delightful.

Loved it.

I read the entire thing in one sitting while waiting for my car to be fixed, and the dealership employees got to watch me laugh, grin, shake my head, and, finally, cry.

THIS is Polly Horvath! (I was so disappointed in the bunnies last year.) There are so so so so many quotable quotes.

12: "All your worry should be able to be traded in for a good result. i know that's superstitious but somehow I can't help thinking I can save the things I love with the force of my feelings."

33: "I liked everyone at that table and I couldn't believe how wrong they were all getting it. I felt I should hand out scripts."

72: "You know none of us can stay entertained with just our own life. We gotta be kept up to date with a bunch of different lives and what's happening in them. That's why TV's so popular, I guess."

75-6: "They didn't improve the ice cream but they didn't hurt it either and I thought that was what you could say about most things. Although I couldn't quite get to the kernel of that idea, the feeling of it made me happy because it meant in a way you didn't have to sweat and work so hard to improve things and you couldn't much ruin them either. You could change them but that was the most you could do. It kind of took the pressure off your time on earth. Mini marshmallow theory of life."

88: "This was to ward off any of the attempts they might make to throw us into burlap bags and drown us in the river. I knew this was probably just a flight of my imagination but I think it is better to be prepared in such instances than not. Then I wondered why burlap bags? ... was it because guys who looked like these were usually very environmentally conscious and wouldn't even think of using plastic?"

Vegetarian war orphans

167: Poem by Miss Lark:
Pussy pussy on the hill
Why so quiet, why so still?
Why no movement for so long?
Was it something I did wrong?
Are you just a peaceful cat?
Meditating this and that?
On your tranquil grassy bed.
Oh, my goodness, you are dead!


View all my reviews Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An engaging read, but at the end I felt let down. Other reviewers have stated that feeling manipulated fits in with the overall theme. And I guess I should have thought a little more about some of the things that made me say "What?" Anyways, good parts included smile therapy, big picture v. dots, and spelling reform via Bob Edwards Who Draws. And I always did find the taste bud map suspect.


What Came from the Stars by Gary D. Schmidt
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I am sad that I didn't really like this book. I saw Gary Schmidt speak at the Lincoln School Festival of Children's Authors and Illustrators, and he moved me to tears. I hadn't been able to find my copy of "The Wednesday Wars" to bring with me, so I bought this one for him to sign. Now I really wish I had found "The Wednesday Wars."

I was very confused by a lot of things. How did Tommy create an O'Mondim? How was Mr. PilgrimWay able to trick everyone? Etc. Etc. By the end, I was just glad it was over, and I couldn't even finish the Valorim history section.


View all my reviews The Boy on Cinnamon Street by Phoebe Stone
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Ugh. Terrible. Slow reveals were super annoying. THUMB's obliviousness got old quick. "Oh, why is he looking at me like that while I prance about in my dress?" Naive and traumatized does not have to equal cluelessly dumb.

And she decided on PAGE 151 that she is STARTING to crush Benny? Who even says "crush" like that? Who goes to writer's camp in the middle of spring semester? Who gets to randomly show up at a different school for lunch? Why didn't Reni know where she lived before if they were so close?

Also, the voice just didn't ring true. And enough Justin Bieber references.

I HATED THIS BOOK and I wish I hadn't bothered finishing.

RI Mock Newbery 2013 - October reads

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


Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Convoluted mystery set in a small town with kooky residents, written with fantastically vivid language. Examples:

- "I wouldn't say stole, but I did borrow it pretty strong." (later referred to as a "surprise borrowing")

- "The cafe relaxed."

- "I hear whispers the way a knife-thrower's assistant hears knives."

- Rumors "swirl like ink around an octopus."

- He looked "like time had grabbed his face with both hands

- "My earth found its axis and my starts found their sky."

I will be voting for this one to stay on the list for now.


 The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm glad I stuck with this one. At first, I was kind of turned off by Marlee and her assigning people drink personalities and her loving math and her not speaking. But I grew to really like her, especially when she began making her first few acts of defiance.

I also liked that I learned about a facet of the Civil Rights Movement that I wasn't aware of before. The hypocrisy and bigotry made me want to scream, and the hatred that went into threats against children ... wow.

Some stock characters, some unlikely events, but a good book.


The Year of the Book by Andrea Cheng
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sweet depiction of a bookish girl experiencing growing pains, including a friendship crisis and an "embarrassing mom." Would be interesting to see if students made the inferences to figure out what's happening at Laura's house before it's spelled out. I have read almost every book Anna refers to ... will have to put "My Louisiana Sky" on the list.



May B. by Caroline Starr Rose
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Not as "poetic" as I think a book in verse should be (otherwise you're just kind of sticking returns into the middle of your sentences). But would be great to hand to any Little House fans, especially those who are reluctant readers. Were the plum trees on a creek bed a shoutout? I was surprised the hay and flour lasted as long as they did ...



Summer of the Gypsy Moths by Sara Pennypacker
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I had a really hard time getting over the premise.






The Fairy Ring: Or Elsie and Frances Fool the World by Mary Losure
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Meh. A somewhat interesting episode written crisply, but it just kind of lies there. I'm still fuzzy on motivation. I did find it interesting that the "authorities" could only conceive of tampering after exposure, not that what was actually in the photos might be pretend. And that class attitudes meant that they dismissed Elsie and Frances' ability to successfully execute any tricks.

Complaint: I think that ANY photo mentioned in the text should be included as a visual, not just described. The entire book is about photos, so show them to us!!

Gee, We Should Be Playing More Games in School

What He Said 

The latest #levelupbc read was What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy by James Paul Gee. I have to admit, it was a slow read ...which I didn't finish. However, I did manage to get through a few chapters, and these quotes resonated with me:

p. 36: "The game encourages him to think of himself as an active problem solver, one who persists in trying to solve problems even after making mistakes, one who, in fact, does not see mistakes as errors but as opportunities for reflection and learning. It encourages him to be the sort of problem solver who, rather than ritualizing the solutions to the problems, leaves himself open to undoing former mastery and finding new ways to solve new problems in new situations."

p.61: "The learner must be enticed to try. ... The learner must be enticed to put in lots of effort. ... The learner needs to be sucked in."

p. 62: "For learners of all levels of skill there are intrinsic rewards from the beginning, customized to each learner's level, effort, and growing mastery and signaling the learner's ongoing achievements."

p. 68: "Indeed, for many learners it is these times, when they are operating at the edge of their regime of competence, when learning is most exciting and rewarding."

p.114: "Educators tend to polarize the debate by stressing one thing (telling or immersion) over the other and not discussing effective ways to integrate the two."

p. 122: "A good video game adapts to the level of the player, rewards different players differently (but rewards them all), and often stays at the edge of the player's regime of competence."

p. 134: "Players make choices that allow them to play the game according to their own favored styles or explore new ones. There are multiple routes to solve problems."

p. 136: "This is just-in-time and on-demand information, situated in the sorts of contexts in which it makes sense and can be used."


What We Said 

We discussed several topics during a Twitter chat on August 2. Here are some of my thoughts:

• Assigning roles can help kids break out of their comfort zone and surprise others by coming from a different perspective.
  
• Idea that ties into advocacy: ask community for research topics... what info do they need? They can "hire" students to find, evaluate, and report.
  
• Getting kids to think about different perspectives is important ... both for basic empathy and for good research habits.
  
• Strategy, curiosity, cooperation are more valuable skills than writing a citation.

And those of other #levelupbc members:

• @mistisikes :To be more "game-like" and engaging, our learning spaces should incorporate opportunities for groups to collaborate.
  
• @SEMSLibraryLady: Presentation: THINK, CREATE, SHARE, GROW: SETTING THE STAGE FOR COLLABORATIVE INQUIRY.
  
• @MatthewWinner: Mastery learning. Make the time to let your students master content and everyone wins.
• @jenniferlagarde: Interesting that classes where kids get their hands dirty creating (art, industrial tech, etc) are all a) separate & b) elective.

RICBA Nominees 2013

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

Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

This is how you do a novel in verse.

Fuse8's review pretty much sums up my thoughts as well: http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/...



Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ok, so the plot was not the most earth-shattering genius of the world, but it was interesting and engaging. And after forcing myself to finish some other Mock Newbery nominees, it was so nice to WANT to keep turning the pages and find out what happened. I couldn't wait to see how the stories intertwined, and I kept going back to the picture of the special exhibit that Rose explored.

Also, the change in movies from silent to talkies made me think about the current sea change ... Red Boxes and streaming Netflix. You don't even need to wait for the DVD to be mailed to you anymore!


When Life Gives You O.J. by Erica S. Perl
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a funny, sweet story. Cranky grandfather + fake dog + early adolescent angst = charming. And the touches of grief and understanding elevate it beyond quirky. Very nicely done.




Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I did not expect to read this all in one sitting. Or to sob through the entire second half. Wow. There's a little bit of cheesiness, a little bit of predictability. But it's still done very well. I think this could be a life-changing book for a kid, because it drives home the point (again and again) that who you see in class is not necessarily the whole person. And that speaking up is necessary. And that being a kid is hard. And that it's probably not your fault.


Pie by Sarah Weeks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Started off a little slow, but turned into a charming old-fashioned mystery complete with red herrings.





Worst of Friends: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and the True Story of an American Feud by Suzanne Jurmain
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Chock full of facts and written in a slightly arch tone ... I will break this out when my students hit the American Revolution.



Sidekicks by Dan Santat
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Dan Santat, have you seen the movie "Mystery Men"? Because your plot makes me think so. I was yet again confused by fight scenes, and I am not sure where that peanut came from, but I did enjoy this RICBA nominee. Predict that I will need to buy extra copies in the fall to keep up with demand.



The PS Brothers by Maribeth Boelts
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was going to say that this is much darker than other RICBA nominees, but then realized the ones I've read already deal touch on the Vietnam War, bullying, and racism. Nonetheless, this one has crime and violence on top of poverty. Which you really wouldn't expect from the cover. Luckily, it also has resourceful kids and a happy (if a little too neat) ending.

I did like it, but I don't know that I will be reading it to the students.


Jake by Audrey Couloumbis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Simple and sweet.






My Life as a Stuntboy by Janet Tashjian
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Oh, the conflicts! And a monkey! Much appeal for reluctant readers. Who may start illustrating their own vocabulary words.

Parkour! http://www.nbc.com/the-office/video/p...



Marty McGuire by Kate Messner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Cute. Will recommend to Judy Moody fans.





Fractions = Trouble! by Claudia Mills
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Cute story that introduces fractions and the scientific method (loved that Josh brought the baked pickle to the science fair). Also can make struggling kids feel better about needing a little extra help and realize that different people learn in different ways. Need to figure out when which grades cover fractions so I can do the readaloud then ... hopefully before RICBA voting!


Balloons over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade by Melissa Sweet
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Will probably read this the week before Thanksgiving and have the kids design their own balloons/floats. For older grades, maybe try and tie in to marketing somehow ... pick a product/service/company and come up with a visual? Or even just do a "can you ID this logo" game to show how these things get stuck in our brains.

http://desktoppub.about.com/od/logoco...

Which could lead to a unit on fonts! Ooh, now I am excited.


Won-Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku by Lee Wardlaw
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Great artwork, okay poetry. I remember learning somewhere along the line that in a haiku, the last line should offer some kind of contrast from the first two. The beginning poems do this, and I think they're more effective.

Regardless, I will be using this in class (not sure which grade(s) yet) and having the kids write their own haiku. Maybe about pets. Maybe about library rules. Or give them the choice. I'm trying to embed more choice in my lessons this year.

And from the "it's funny 'cause it's true" department: Letmeoutletme / outletmeoutletmeout. / Wait - let me back in!

A Nation's Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis by Matt de la Pena
My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

Anything Kadir Nelson does is going to be beautiful. Reading the book to students is going to require a lot of context, though. I'm surprised there was no author's note. And the proofreader in me had fits about the lack of periods.



Tortilla Sun by Jennifer Cervantes
My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

I was totally on board until the visit to Socorro and the gobbledygook about seeing the truth. Then there was just too much schmoopiness and annoying fatalism.

I did like the idea of Izzy's story cards ... could have students write their own beginnings and then have others continue them? Could also develop a lesson on famous first lines, the power of a hook ... relate to music as well. Although I am now so decrepit, the kids probably won't recognize any of the songs that would first come to mind.


Small as an Elephant by Jennifer Richard Jacobson
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I did not enjoy this at all. If it weren't a RICBA nominee, I would not have finished it. The entire premise pissed me off ... I realize that Jack wanted to protect his mother, but come on. Just call your grandmother already. Also, I didn't get much of a sense of Jack's personality. He loved his mom and he loved elephants. The end.

And the narrator should not have bothered with attempting different voices ... his female ones made me want to punch the CD player. I don't remember Bob the Builder being so annoying.

It's All Fun and Games

Finally getting around to reading the September/October 2011 issue of Knowledge Quest, and guess what ... it's about educational gaming! I'm so behind the times. Actually, you know what? I was super AHEAD years ago. At least when it comes to actual games (versus gamifying lessons). Check out this snazzy collection development guide that I and a classmate put together for our Children's Lit class back in 2006: It’s Your Turn: Best Board Games for Your Children’sRoom

For the last day of school, I brought in Uno and Taboo. They're related, respectively, to math and ELA! I definitely want to plan for International Games Day in November this year.

Anyways, here are some ideas/resources from KQ:

• School Library System of the Genesse Valley Educational Partnership Game Library - They aligned all of the games in their collection to AASL standards! I need to get a copy of Mayer and Harris' Libraries Got Game.
  
  
• "Board games promote collaboration, inquiry, and critical thinking." (p.10, Annalisa Crews)
  
  
• 7Ate9 = math card game
  
  
• "[A]ctive learning through playing games allows the school librarian to deliver differentiated instruction. The nature of games enables students to use different learning styles, such as kinesthetic or auditory modes, to be successful in demonstrating mastery of information or library skills." (p. 20, Jennifer Siderius)
  
  
• starfall.com =  free phonics
  
  
• Three recommended online MYTH resources: The BigMyth; Thinkquest; and Myths Brainstorming Machine
  
  
• Gamestar Mechanic lets kids learn about game design and then create their own.
  
  
• Play science, math, social studies, and health games at Brainpop.
  
  
• Why not offer the option for students to design a game about the topic they're studying instead of a presentation or paper? (Alan Gershenfeld)
  
  
• When Mary Fran Daley taught a class in creating games with Scratch, her "'difficult' students were the learners of my dreams because they were having fun."
  

NPR YA TBD

NPR is collecting votes for "Best Ever Teen Novels." You can only pick 10. I chose these from the list they gave:

• Before I Die 
• Before I Fall 
• The Book Thief 
• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time
• The Hunger Games 
• I Am the Cheese 
• Make Lemonade 
• Nation 
• A Northern Light 
• Thirteen Reasons Why 

Some of the comments bring up the differences between middle-grade and young-adult fiction. And strongly disagree with the rating committee's delineations. And have fits that "Ender's Game" was left out.


Here is NPR's response.

Reality Is Broken

I finally finished Jane McGonigal's Reality is Broken as part of the Level Up Book Club, and I think that every education administrator needs to read it too! And probably a lot of people in the corporate world as well.

Source: realityisbroken.org

Choice quotes:

p. 48: "As long as we're focused on intrinsic and not extrinsic reward, we never run out of the raw materials for making our own happiness."

p. 67: "The right kind of failure feedback is a reward. It makes us more engaged and more optimistic about our odds of success."

p. 68: "Being really good at something is less fun than being not quite good enough ... yet."

p. 113: "We want to be esteemed in the eyes of others, not for 'who we are,' but rather for what we've done that really matters."

 p.127: "And that's why today's born-digital kids are suffering more in traditional classrooms than any previous generation. School today for the most part is just one long series of necessary obstacles that produce negative stress. The work is mandatory and standardized, and failure goes on your permanent record."

p. 129: Re: secret assignments at the Quest to Learn charter school: "Obviously not all schoolwork can be special, secret missions. But when every book could contain a secret code, every room a clue, every handout a puzzle, who wouldn't show up to school more likely to fully participate, in the hopes of being the first to find the secret challenges?"

p. 131: Re: expertise exchange at Q2L: "By identifying your strengths and interests publicly, you increase the chances that you'll be called on to do work that you're good at. In the classroom, this means students are more likely to find ways to contribute successfully to team projects. And the chance to do something you're good at as part of a larger project helps students build real esteem among their peers - not empty self-esteem based on nothing other than wanting to feel good about yourself, but actual respect and high regard based on contributions you've made."

p. 268: "Collaboration isn't just about achieving a goal or joining forces; it's about creating something together that it would be impossible to create alone."

p. 272: "Co-op games deliver all the emotional rewards of a good game, while helping gamers avoid activating the negative emotions that can come with highly competitive play: feelings of aggression, anger, disappointment, or humiliation."

Games to play:

ChoreWars

The Extraordinaries is now called Sparked

Free Rice

Gamifying Dewey

Yeah! Using manipulatives, technology, and their brains, my fourth graders investigated Dewey categories, made their argument for when they disagreed with the system, and had fun.

Step 1: Investigate Categories

I set the students loose in the 500s, 600s, 700s, and 900s, the sections with the most books and the most nonfiction circulations. Working in groups, they selected a variety of books on different topics from their assigned 100s ... and then tried to figure out just what their category was. We entered some of the topics into Wordle for visual hints.

Step 2:  Assign Categories to Topics

The next week, we reversed the process. Each table received a stack of cards* with information like "You want to find crafts to make at your birthday party" and "You want to find a map of Japan." Students worked together to figure out where they'd go to find the information and paste them into the correct column of their "gameboard."

There were some heated discussions. Where would cats go versus tigers and lions? What about the history of dinosaurs? Even if students didn't put a card in the right column, they got credit for having a good reason for choosing the one they selected. We don't all think the same way as Melvil Dewey!

Step 3: Review and Learn the Rest 

The final week of the unit, students played a variety of games to test their knowledge and stretch to learn more 100s categories. The name the numbers game, pictured below, was scored and timed, which spurred the kids to try and beat other people's scores. One student came back the following week and asked if he could try and make up for his "epic fail" the time before. Another student remarked, "If you're going to fail, you might as well do it epically." I am happy to say that T. blew away everyone else's stats his second time around. I wonder if he was practicing at home??

http://www.purposegames.com/game/1410

Review Quiz

Bingo

Matching Books to 100s - Easy
Matching Books to 100s - Medium
MatchingBooks to 100s - Hard

Name the numbers

Multiple Choice





* Sources: Anne Oelke via LMNet for the cards in Step 2 and mediaspecialistsguide.blogspot.com for some of the links in Step 3.

It's Good to Be Curious

This makes me so happy. If I end up with elementary students again in the fall, I may use it to kick off the year.

Added to test from school computer and see if it will play:

Watch Mister Rogers Remixed - Garden of Your Mind on PBS. See more from PBS Digital Studios.

Kids' Graphic Novels 101

The Mock Newbery group is taking a break from 2013 contenders this time around, and we're getting a crash course in kid-friendly (with a couple YA thrown in) graphic novels from Emily Brown. I'll be adding to the list below as I get through her list; favorites are at the top.

Bake Sale by Sara Varon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I LOVED THIS SO MUCH I CRIED. I was so proud of Cupcake's entrepreneurship and so touched by his sacrifice for his friend. And then his little blueberry hat ...




Fangbone! Third-Grade Barbarian by Michael Rex
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My students would LOVE this ... fresh words, fighting, camel gloobers, poop. I enjoyed it myself. Laughed out loud at the "magic word," "It's my culture," and "Evil is stupid."




Nursery Rhyme Comics: 50 Timeless Rhymes from 50 Celebrated Cartoonists by Chris Duffy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This will now be the book that every new baby I know receives as a gift. I loved the variety of art styles.



Binky the Space Cat by Ashley Spires
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved the graphic style right off ... it was kind of Goreyesque. And the onomatopoeia on every page was awesome. Super cute story, although my logical brain was hurt by the fact that Binky's little box was just NOT big enough to hold a rocket! There is some disbelief I cannot suspend.

The Flying Beaver Brothers And The Evil Penguin Plan by Maxwell Eaton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Very cute ... I felt like I was watching a silly cartoon. The sound effects are the best: Flarp! Boosk!



Meanwhile by Jason Shiga
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I would have liked it better if I didn't keep getting stuck in infinite loops!




Sidekicks by Dan Santat
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Dan Santat, have you seen the movie "Mystery Men"? Because your plot makes me think so. I was yet again confused by fight scenes, and I am not sure where that peanut came from, but I did enjoy this RICBA nominee. Predict that I will need to buy extra copies in the fall to keep up with demand.


Hamster and Cheese by Colleen AF Venable
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I guess I do better with early elementary graphic novels! This was easy to follow, dialogue-driven, and funny. The fish were my favorite characters. Or were they zebras? I did find Mr. V's complete lack of animal knowledge kind of unnecessary.

The Shark King by R. Kikuo Johnson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have to say the story itself is a little creepy. But I loved the art ... it looked "Hawaiian" ... and I look forward to checking out more Toon Books. Thanks, Candlewick!



Hades: Lord of the Dead by George O'Connor
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

O'Connor packed in A LOT ... maybe too much? Or maybe not ... it lends itself to rereading, especially after you go through the notes at the end. Very well researched with interesting back matter. And a twist that I kind of liked but also found slightly distasteful. But not as gross as all of the incest! I kind of wish I hadn't studied the family tree in the front. I will definitely read other volumes in the series.

Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I have trouble appreciating graphic novels, because I find the graphics distracting, and this one was especially so. I couldn't tell who was who in some of the panels.

The topic is sobering. I learned that because at the time (1990s) kids couldn't be convicted of felonies, gangs would send their youngest members out to do a lot of the dirty work. Kids. Like 10 year olds. Kids who slept with teddy bears at night. And of course, a lot of those kids came from shitty homes, and joined the gangs because they wanted to have some semblance of a family.

I wasn't crazy about the book, but I do think it has value and could lead to some interesting classroom discussions, especially the part where different people around the neighborhood gave their different opinions based on what they knew about Yummy. That aspect reminded me of the testimony in "Monster" by Walter Dean Myers.

Leo Geo and His Miraculous Journey Through the Center of the Earth by Jon Chad
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The layout was "groundbreaking" (get it?), but overall this book is an odd mix of random science facts and monsters.

Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Reminded me of both The Wizard of Oz and Doctor Who. I have trouble following graphic novels ... the fight scenes were very confusing.




Around the World by Matt Phelan
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Kind of dry and detached. Unclear where he was using verbatim quotes ... I would have liked some more notes at the end. The last story was the most unfocused; the wife dreams were too conceptual for me. But randomness was everywhere. For example, on p. 135, Nellie Bly went to a leper colony and then had a headache. WTF?

One thing I learned: bikes costs #110 in the 1880s! That's crazy!

Giants Beware! by Jorge Aguirre
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

In the words of Blaine and Antoine ... HATED IT! Claudette is a bloodthirsty liar. There is too much dog mess and foot stinkiness ... Fangbone did grossout humor way better. I was not charmed. I was not amused. I want to know more about Juliette the mom, how Augustine knew the hag, and where Zubair came from ... but not enough to read any more of the Chronicles of Claudette.