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Reading Rockets' children's literature expert, Maria Salvadore, brings you into her world as she explores the best ways to use kids' books both inside — and outside — of the classroom.
Many thanks to our good friend (and 2006 Caldecott winner!) Chris Raschka, for his excellent illustration of Maria, Queen of the 'Page by Page' Blog (right).
Where interests lead
Have you ever been interested in one thing and have it lead to something else? I was reminded of that by a fascinating book I've just read (it's coming out in December). It's called I'll Pass for your Comrade: Women Soldiers in the Civil War (Clarion) by Anita Silvey.
In an author's note, Silvey explains how she was intrigued by an old photograph that she found when she was tracking down her own family history. Though her book is for older readers (I'd say grades 5 to 8), it made me wonder where an interest, a picture, or a book can take a young child.
Will the child who reads about dinosaurs become a paleontologist — even of the armchair variety? Gail Gibbons' recent book, Dinosaurs! (Holiday House), provides an accessible introduction to the topic with full color illustrations — and pronunciation for these dramatically illustrated creatures with polysyllabic names.
Can a class of kids be inspired to read Beatrice's Goat (Atheneum), or be propelled to "pass on the gift" after reading another book called Give a Goat (Tilbury House)? Both are about improving the lives of others far away through very doable activities near home.
Where do interests lead? Who knows, but it may well start with a book.
Dog days of summer — gone!
I missed them. Even though they haven't felt much like them, the dog days of summer have come and gone. And I missed them.
I always thought that they were called "dog days" because they were just lazy days or maybe too hot to do much other than laze around…but not so, I learned.
The dog days of summer are when the two well known stars, the Sun and Sirius (the Dog Star), are both at their brightest. Ancient people thought that it must add to the heat (and even create other things like plagues).
The dog days are called the dog days because of a star!
Even though they're harder to see from in and around cities, stargazing is a fine thing to do as the days get shorter. And H.A. Rey's The Stars: A New Way to See Them (Houghton) is a good place for new (and even experienced) stargazers to begin.
Not only was Rey the creator of the Curious George books but he studied natural science. Rey's imagination combines with science for a memorable way to see the stars — even the Dog Star.
Young stargazers and George fans may want to visit the Rey home called the Curious George Cottage. Like The Stars, it combines whimsy and knowledge as an educational and recreational center in Waterville Valley, New Hampshire.
So, look up — and say goodbye to the dog days!
A summer walk
Have you ever been with a young child and watched them take in the world around them? I was recently reminded that the world and everything in it is new to each child as they encounter it.
I walked while my young niece, Michaela, pedaled furiously on her tricycle. She suddenly stopped when she noticed a pinecone on the sidewalk. She picked it up, examined it from all sides, and then put it in the basket to take home. Along the way, we picked up a yellow flower, followed by a purple flower, then a white one.
All the way, she sang the song that we'd shared while reading the Gunniwolf, a book we'd shared about a little girl who sings while collecting flowers for a bouquet for her mother.
A little squirrel we saw reminded her of Scaredy Squirrel, another book character that we'd met earlier. (In some ways, Scaredy is like Michaela, who sometimes needs encouragement to leave her comfort zone but can laugh at the similar behavior of another small creature.)
Interesting to note that books Michaela recalled were just as fresh and new to this precocious four-year old as what we saw on our walk. One story was quite old, based on a folktale; the other book is very contemporary in its approach as well as in presentation.
A simple walk reminded me that books — like the world — are new to each and every child that comes to them. So, I'll continue to share books that I've shared a million times as well as the new ones.
I just hope that I will approach them all with the freshness of children like Michaela. She gave me a fine reminder.
What did you say?
Children absorb what's around them, including — or maybe especially — language. Words are absorbed at an incredible pace, but just look around; you'll probably see how often adults talk at children rather than with them.
We all do it, it's frequently necessary and certainly speeds things up. But I can't help but notice how few words all of us use in daily conversation.
So, how can we introduce children to language is rich and varied? By sharing books with them, of course.
When my son was very young, we were out and about one day when we overheard someone use the word "odiferous." My son exclaimed in his huge four-year old voice: "ODIFEROUS WRETCH!" (The looks around us ranged from amazement to horror.)
He'd heard that word when we read (and reread) one of his then favorite books — William Steig's Amazing Bone (Farrar).
Rich language is a hallmark of Steig's books. Pearl, the heroine of the book, goes out not on a sunny day, but rather one that is "brilliant." The cheerful pig doesn't call her captor, a villainous and hungry fox, simply a bad guy, he becomes an "odiferous wretch."
More than one book for children has sent me to the dictionary to figure out what a word means or how to pronounce a word. And that's a good thing. It means that these books can build vocabulary for adults as well as children while making a time shared memorable.
Let the games begin!
The 2008 Summer Olympics will officially open in Beijing tomorrow. Television and computer screens will be filled with images of athletes and athletics, not to mention the host county.
I wonder how the Olympics can achieve what its slogan advertises: One World One Dream.
Maybe it begins by introducing children to the history and background of the games.
Older readers — even adults — will appreciate the informative tidbits and stunning photographs in Sue Macy's recently updated Swifter, Higher, Stronger: A Photographic History of the Summer Olympics (National Geographic).
Younger readers continue to be intrigued by the Magic Tree House trip to early games in ancient Greece. A more recent Magic Tree House Research Guide: Ancient Greece and the Olympics Random) both satisfies curiosity as well as piques it.
Since Olympiads come from all over the world, an atlas such as the National Geographic World Atlas for Young Explorers, 3rd edition , may encourage kids to look at the world differently.
And of course, there's an opportunity to examine different sports or the lives of individual athletes, past and present. One of my personal favorites is Wilma Unlimited (Harcourt). This picture book presents a downright inspiring biographical sketch of the first woman to win 3 gold medals in spite of huge obstacles.
Maybe, like the Olympics, books can help children envision a world filled with shared dreams.
Vacation...and the learning is easy
We're on vacation this week, visiting my sister in southwest Florida. It's a tropical climate, and we're here during the rainy season. Happily, the tropics — where the energy for hurricanes begins — have been quiet so far.
There's a lot to do here: swimming in the Gulf of Mexico (we saw juvenile stingrays and cavorting dolphins a bit farther out), golf — miniature and non-miniature — and watching different birds in the wild, the suburbs, and in a nearby wildlife preserve, the Ding Darling Refuge, part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
We've seen snowy egrets, osprey, lots of brown pelicans (they look almost prehistoric), a very large wood stork, and even a stunningly beautiful Roseate Spoonbill — (I guess this one decided not to go north for the summer).
I purchased a one-page guide, but still want a book to learn more about these exotic beauties. With a good identification book, we'd be better able to better answer my young nieces' questions and better satisfy our own curiosity.
I think I'll look for a bookstore (or find the local library) now to bone up on Southwest Florida wildlife. I'm sure we'll keep an eye open for birds when we head north. We listen to audio books on the seemingly endless trip home so our eyes remain available to see any unexpected flyovers!
I've learned a ton on this vacation and it's aroused the kids' curiosity.
Summer, don't you love it?
On the road again…
Last summer, we drove to southwest Florida to visit my sister and her family. I give the credit for us getting there to Jim Dale and Harry Potter.
A fine voice reading an exciting story (even though we'd all individually read the books) allowed us to avoid conflict over which kind of music to listen to and to share a different kind of experience.
This year we're planning another road trip, even though the price of gas is keeping us closer to home.
I'm better prepared these days. I try to remind myself of easy games to play in the car (which are also a good way to keep the driver alert). I found a neat website that reminded me of familiar games, organized by age.
And now — even without a family vacation on the horizon — I keep a few audio books in the car. (I borrow them from my library. Many libraries even have downloadable books for MP3s or iPods these days.) They're a great way to enhance reading skills whether your child is a typical or a special learner.
It's always good to have a few tricks up your sleeve to keep everyone engaged and maybe even stimulate a bit of learning, maybe overall awareness of language — all the while sharing some fun.
And just think, you just may not hear that usually whiny question (that is really more of a complaint) — "Are we there yet?"
Books to film, and the learning is engaging
It's summertime. The pace has slowed down, partially because it's too hot to move too quickly but more so because school's out, people are away, and life has generally taken on a slightly more civilized tempo.
But it's a time of learning loss as well.
One recent rainy sultry Saturday, we went to the movies. During the previews, I was reminded just how many films are adapted from books.
A movie of City of Ember (Random), the first book in a series by Jean DuPrau, is forthcoming. Kit Kittredge: An American Girl (Picture House/New Line), based on the ever-popular American Girl series, is already out.
Scheduled for the fall is the movie version of Kate DiCamillo's fantasy, The Tale of Desperaux (Candlewick) as is the most recent of the Harry Potters (Scholastic).
These are just a few adaptations from books for young people.
Watching movies and television shows for children may be just the ticket to encourage reading. There are lots of ideas out there.
A website called F.I.L.M. (Finding Inspiration in Literature & Film) provides ready-made ideas for content — for parents as well as teachers. The approach is adaptable for any age child.
The whole notion of using media, books, and activities is not a new one. Ready To Learn, a PBS model that uses television programs, books, and activities to encourage young children's learning, has been around for some years.
Building out themes from movies or TV shows, reading about the ideas presented (or the book from which the program is based), and accompanying it by some kind of fun activity is a great way to learn.
So, sit back and relax and maybe grab a bag of popcorn!
Tasha Tudor: an appreciation
If I told you that Starling Burgess had died, you'd probably ask who he is.
But I sure have heard many wistful 'ahs' when people learned that Tasha Tudor died this past June at age 92. (She legally changed her name early on.)
Maybe she instinctively knew that Sterling Burgess wasn’t such a great name for an artistic soul.
Tasha Tudor was a prolific author and illustrator who rejected the 20th century to which she was born. Instead, she preferred the 19th century, reflected in the sweet, idealized images she created.
It was interesting to me when I found that her first book, Pumpkin Moonshine (Simon & Schuster) — which depicts a rural autumn in all its glory — is still in print.
A lot of Tasha Tudor's books are still available, not just because she was prolific, but perhaps because her work provides a glimpse into a different, kinder, time and place.
Maybe Tudor's books provide a respite from today's frenzied life — the "real world" and its problems. In any case, Tasha Tudor will continue to live on through her work. And she will continue to be loved.
A remarkable marker
I remember when my son was in preschool. His teacher was very excited when he brought in his favorite book — and then 'read' it (verbatim) to the other kids.
The book was Where the Wild Things Are (HarperCollins), his maximum favorite book for a long, long time — and obviously one that had been read aloud to him innumerable times.
It's amazing to learn that Maurice Sendak recently turned 80 years old.
It's even more amazing to think about the impact that his Wild Things have had on generations of children — and that influence continues to be felt in tangible ways.
A movie of Where the Wild Things Are may be released next year (Fall 2009). The Gene Deitch film (for Weston Woods) is on YouTube. The characters have been on stage, in commercials, and made into soft toys.
Most important, children still respond to the book. (I guarantee that this book is as fresh and timely today as it was in 1963 when it was first published. I read it regularly!)
And all because Sendak and his childhood — presented in this seemingly simple, highly imaginative and satisfying picture book — are truly timeless, ageless.
Amazing. Do you or your children have a recollection of a special book or story? Share with our readers why it's so memorable.
Mother Nature shows off: shake, rumble, and roll
Our normally calm dog turned into Velcro the other night; she became stuck to my side. By the time the thunder and lightning subsided, I was ready to go into a closet with my trembling pooch.
It was a sound and light show provided by Mother Nature.
The weather and other natural disasters have been in the news a lot lately — earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, torrential rains, and now the hurricane season has started.
These events directly impact children in affected areas, but also on children who hear about them. It's almost impossible to insulate kids from this kind of news.
But learning about weather and other natural disasters may prepare kids or at least help develop an understanding of events.
I usually rely on books by Seymour Simon. He's written about Storms, Hurricanes, Earthquakes, Tornadoes, (all HarperCollins) and more — each illustrated with amazing color photographs and clearly presented information. (Adults may need to 'translate' the information for younger children — but it's a great way for adults to get the information.)
For those who'd like a lighter approach to weather, something sillier might be just the thing — like Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs(Aladdin) or the imaginative Hurricane by David Wiesner (Clarion).
You can complain about it, but it can't be changed. It's simply Mother Nature showing her stuff.
Reading IS magic
I have always liked the books by Mem Fox, the Australian author whose stories have been popular among children for a long time.
There's often a spark of magic in Fox's books, sometimes in everyday situations. And sometimes there's "real" magic like in Possum Magic (Harcourt). Here, a young possum and his grandmother search for just the right food to make him visible again (something he ate made him invisible, of course).
There's a special kind of magic in the story of friendship between a young boy (with a big name) and his 96-year old friend in Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge (Kane Miller).
But the greatest magic of all is evident in her chatty, can-do approach to reading with young children shared in Reading Magic (Harvest). Fox creates just what the title says, Reading Magic with her anecdotes and information for adults about reading with children. An updated edition is being released just in time for summer. In this book, Mem Fox describes the magic that reading aloud creates, and makes that magic come alive in the stories she tells.
Mem Fox's passion for reading and children becomes absolutely contagious in Reading Magic. Hope you become inspired and find some summer reading magic, too.
The unofficial start of summer
Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer. It's got a serious side that should not be forgotten: to honor those who have died in service to our country.
But the start of summer represents another important period — when children's learning begins to drop off .
Making books and reading an important part of children's summer activities can prevent reading loss — and may even improve it.
Libraries are a great place to start. They're likely to have a summer reading program — and the materials to support it.
If your child is going to camp, find out if books and reading are built into the schedule — no matter what the camp's focus is. From general to specialized, books fit well into daily activities — even if the camp is in your own backyard.
It's always fun to read about this season and its special goings-on.
I like the humor in A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever and the wild ride on a Roller Coaster (both Harcourt and both by Marla Frazee).
There's humor in the old camp songs that are probably still sung, vibrantly illustrated by Frane Lessac in Camp Granada: Sing-Along Camp Songs (Holt).
And there are sweet memories of summers past in books like Donald Crews' Bigmama's and Shortcut (both Greenwillow) in which the author/illustrator recalls summer visits (and adventures) to his grandparents' Florida home. Lynne Rae Perkins evokes equally warm memories from a very different time in Pictures from Our Vacation (Greenwillow).
No matter where children spend their summer, here's hoping books and reading are a part of it!
Unsettled times for children
The adult world has a way of creeping into children's lives. I meet children and young people whose lives are impacted by the issues adults like to think are exclusively adult problems. But that just isn't true.
A recent report released by First Focus discloses that an estimated two million children will lose their homes during 2008-09 as the mortgage crisis continues. The report goes on to suggest that the impact will be felt in school and elsewhere as these children will demonstrate behavioral problems, health difficulties, and lack of readiness to learn.
The report specifically finds that these children are "only half as likely to be proficient in reading as their peers" (which puts them at risk of dropping out of school).
I wonder how reading and books can be used by teachers and parents to help equip children emotionally — children who are directly experiencing this and children who know others who are.
Beverly Cleary's poignant but funny book, Ramona and Her Father (HarperCollins) in which Mr. Quimby loses his job and times are really tight comes to mind immediately, as does Fly Away Home by Eve Bunting (Clarion). In this picture book, a boy and his father live in an airport as they have no permanent home.
A girl goes from living in a comfortable home to living in a car — and dealing with her conscience — in Barbara O'Connor's affecting and funny How to Steal a Dog (Farrar).
And I wonder if the orphan protagonist in The Invention of Hugo Cabret (Scholastic) could be considered homeless?
Let's hope that books, reading, and maybe the shared experience they can create will lend some relief if not support to children and their families in these unsettled times.
Children's Book Week — twice in seven months?
How can an annual celebration take place twice within seven months? Well, that's what's happening with Children's Book Week (CBW)! First adopted in 1919, CBW has traditionally been held in November, but has now become a spring thing.
One thing hasn't changed; CBW remains based in the belief that books change lives.
And they do.
I remember a boy named Robert who discovered that he could read when he laughed over Oliver Butterworth's The Enormous Egg (Little Brown). How Michelle — a parent who couldn't read — memorized Ezra Jack Keats' Peter's Chair (Viking) so that she could read it to her two sons, and talk with them about being jealous over a younger sibling. I think of Eric who saw a child that looked like he did in Molly Bang's Ten, Nine, Eight (Greenwillow) — and whose grandmother added this book to the one book in their home (which was the Bible).
Books touch people; they change lives. And so it's good to be reminded that they deserve a special time to be celebrated.
The Children's Book Council, the organization that administers CBW, also works with the International Reading Association (IRA) to come up with Children's Choices, lists "with a twist!" The books are selected and evaluated by kids.
It's a great way to fine out what books children like though we may not know until they're older why they do or how the books have touched them.
Check out the 2008 Children's Choice list on May 14 or download earlier lists. It's always interesting to see where adult and children's choices intersect — and diverge.
Celebrate Día all year long!
El día de lost ninos/El día de los libros or Children's Day/Book Day — also known simply as Día — has officially come and gone for the year.
Día celebrates children, books, families, and reading. Though it officially culminated on April 30, this fete deserves the entire year!
Día was the brainchild of author Pat Mora to spark interest in family reading. And that is something that can be done through lots of easy activities that revolve around reading.
You can share ideas as well as gather them — sharing "Bookjoy" on a blog devoted to it. (I like the idea of joy in books — delight in all kinds of books. It's an idea that holds a special place on my shelf.)
I take great joy in cooking. And when combined with a good story and children, it seems that there are two terrific, enjoyable, and even tasty, activities.
One of my favorites is Cook-a-Doodle-Doo by Janet Stevens (Harcourt). It's a take-off on the traditional tale of the Little Red Hen with a pot-bellied pig, an iguana, and a turtle as willing and hungry helpers. Not only is the story clever and quite funny, the directions for strawberry shortcake is clear, easy (with adult supervision, of course), and absolutely delicious. (I know; I've made it.)
So is the recipe in Honey Cookies by Meredith Hooper (Frances Lincoln) in which a grandmother and grandson make honey cookies as the child learns about where the ingredients begin. Good information and another good recipe for children and adults to make together. (I know; I've tried this one, too.)
Other ideas to celebrate books and reading with children? Take a minute to post it to Bookjoy or right here. I'd love to hear from you.
A sound surprise
Not since Eric Carle's The Very Quiet Cricket (Philomel) chirped at me have I been as surprised when I opened a book.
Frankly, I read a lot of books for young readers, so one specific title doesn't usually surprise me…but that changed this week when I opened a book called The Adventures of Cali (Omniscent Corporation).
The book talked to me — literally.
Inside the book was a small device called the "iRead2You Interactive Voice Recorder" which can record up to a four minute message. It can be placed inside a book as it was in Cali or record a message about the book.
Just think of the possibilities!
Books read on video are used to unite military parents and their children , but this device may make that even easier.
It can also help connect incarcerated parents with their children.
Children can practice reading aloud and then listen to themselves.
Young readers can be encouraged to listen for a specific part of a book or make verbal recommendations, sort of a mini-commercial for a book.
What do you think of this little device? Is it a wonderful development or another gimmick? How might you use it with children to encourage reading and connecting with and through books?
I think you may find it a sound surprise!
A yellow frog? In more ways than one!
When I was a kid, a bunch of us would go to the local creek and collect tadpoles. My mother wasn't really keen on the idea, but she always let me watch the tadpoles grow into baby frogs — in the room I shared with my sister. (Now, my sister was another story all together…) Once the babies were developed, we returned them to the same creek.
At some point, I became aware of Earth Day, but surely it was later when I learned that the health of our environment could be determined by the health of frogs. They've been called the canaries of the modern age (harking back to the days when coal miners took the little yellow birds with them to assess the health of the air).
Much more recently become aware that many of the 5000 (plus) species of these amphibians are in decline, some extinct. There are even organizations to help save frogs!
An exhibit at the National Geographic Society introduces museum visitors to a range of real, live, and incredibly interesting frogs. (You can visit them in DC until mid May.) It's a fascinating exhibit (the frogs I raised sure weren't this colorful!).
It also reminds me of what we'd lose if we lost any of these fascinating creatures.
If you don't believe that frogs are fascinating, just take a look at the range of them through the lens of Nic Bishop. His Frogs (Scholastic) will make your eyes pop — as will Sandra Markle's Slippery, Slimy Baby Frogs (Walker) for slightly older readers.
I personally will remember the frogs of my childhood in honor of this year's Earth Day: April 22, 2008…but I'm not sure how else I will mark the 38th Earth Day? Any ideas?
Take me out to the ball game!
What combines a smidgen of science, a bit of biography, a taste of poetry, a speck of art, and even a dash of athletics mixed with a whole lot of outdoor fun and can be inspired by an activity that takes place anywhere?
America's favorite pastime: baseball, of course!
If you can't go to a game or if your children aren't playing T-ball or baseball, here are a few suggestions to get you and your kids into the game.
How Baseball Works by Keltie Thomas (Maple Tree Press) is a fine way to dip into the science of baseball. Slightly older kids will read it independently, while snippets of it are ideal to share with younger children.
Don't miss Kadir Nelson's look at the Negro Baseball League in his extraordinary new book We Are the Ship (Hyperion).
Return to baseball of yesteryear with Casey at Bat, Ernest Thayer's dramatic ballad of baseball in Mudville. Christopher Bing's version (Handprint) was awarded a Caldecott Honor for his illustrations that clearly put readers in the late 19th century.
Did you know that not even a World War could stop baseball? David Adler's Mama Played Baseball (Harcourt) — historical fiction for younger children — tells the story of a girl whose mother played while her father was away during WWII.
Meet Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates (Atheneum) in a handsomely illustrated picture book biography by Jonah Winter.
And younger children will empathize with Froggy as he experiences the ups and downs of sports in Froggy Plays T-Ball (Viking) by Jonathan London.
A bounty of books to share the fun, science, and history of the game are only as far as your local library or bookstore. So open a book — and a box of Crackerjacks — and champion your favorite team!
Big words, tough times
This week marks the 40th anniversary of one of the saddest events in American history during a particularly difficult period: the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Like other momentous incidents, those old enough to remember this probably can recall what they were doing when they heard the news.
For young children though, last week is ancient history; even for older children (like my teenaged son) the 'black and white' days seem to have little impact today. But they do.
Not only is the past is always with us, but we and our children learn from it. Often the world is shaped by regular people who turn into giants because of their convictions and courage — people like Martin Luther King, Jr. History reminds us of the power of one person.
And books allow us to revisit these people again and again.
Martin's Big Words by Doreen Rappaport with stunning illustrations by Bryan Collier (Jump at the Sun) — for which he won a 2002 Caldecott Honor — introduces children as young as five years old to the power of words by MLK, Jr. using the weight of words and image on large pages. It remains a unique introduction to the man and the enormity of his contribution.
Not only can children (and adults) glimpse Dr. King's life and the strength of his words, they have an opportunity to discover a way of self-expression through one author and one illustrator's approach. Both the author and the artist add personal notes about their response to King.
Words can be bigger than the typeface in which they're printed.
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~ Susan O.
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