LOOK! I WROTE A BOOK! (AND YOU CAN TOO) by Sally Lloyd-Jones & Neal Layton

 As a person who loves reading and writing, I was drawn to this book by the title. I loved all the funny ideas in drawings and the explanations of the writing process (including revising). The cartoony crayon style illustration adds to the fun.

 

Summary from the publisher:

 Want to write a book? Well, the spunky, know-it-all narrator of this side-splitting story can tell you just how to do it. She walks readers through the whole process, from deciding what to write about (like dump trucks or The Olden Days) to writing a story that doesn’t put everyone to sleep and getting people to buy your book (tips: be nice, give them cookies, and if all else fails, tie them to a chair).

 

Look! I Wrote a Book! was written by Sally Lloyd-Jones, illustrated by Neal Layton, and published by Schwartz & Wade Books in 2019.

 

Opening:    

When you want to write a book,

first you need a Good Idea.

 

My Thoughts as a Writer:

Check out this book for a humorous example of a how-to text. It would be interesting to compare this one to Kate Messner’s How to Write a Story and think about the choices that the authors made about what to focus on.

 

My Thoughts as an Educator:

This is a great book for an elementary classroom! I loved how it explains the process of writing a story. It will likely motivate some children to get to work on their own.

 

Ages: 5-9

Grades: K – 4

Themes: writing, story structure

Activities:

List:  Make a list of topics you might like to write about. Think about who might like to read a story about your topic.

Draw: Design your own book cover. Make up a title and then draw a cover illustration to go with it.

Plan: Get a big sheet of paper and draw a beginning, a middle and an end for a story. Make sure it’s not boring. If it is, then add some obstacles to get in your character’s way. Reading the book again will help remind you of ways you can make your story more interesting.

Write: Imagine you are a famous author. Write your own About the Author page with important facts about you.

THE BENEFITS OF BEING AN OCTOPUS by Ann Braden – a powerful and emotional story about choosing the right path

This is a book worth taking some time to read and think about. I really liked how the teacher helped encourage the main character and helped her figure out how to participate in the debate club.

Why read this book?

It’s a powerful story with a lot of emotional depth that will get you thinking. I loved the determined spirit of the main character Zoey and the strength of her caring for her family. I really enjoyed the way the main character learned to think about her life differently and to speak up and choose. Even though Zoey didn’t have a chose to join the debate club, it was interesting how it helped her think about her life differently and to speak up. The story had a hopeful ending, despite the fact that her family situation continued to be challenging. I also really enjoyed the octopus facts included in the story!

 

Here’s the summary:

Some people can do their homework. Some people get to have crushes on boys. Some people have other things they've got to do.

Seventh-grader Zoey has her hands full as she takes care of her much younger siblings after school every day while her mom works her shift at the pizza parlor. Not that her mom seems to appreciate it. At least there's Lenny, her mom's boyfriend—they all get to live in his nice, clean trailer.

At school, Zoey tries to stay under the radar. Her only friend Fuchsia has her own issues, and since they're in an entirely different world than the rich kids, it's best if no one notices them.

Zoey thinks how much easier everything would be if she were an octopus: eight arms to do eight things at once. Incredible camouflage ability and steady, unblinking vision. Powerful protective defenses.

Unfortunately, she's not totally invisible, and one of her teachers forces her to join the debate club. Even though Zoey resists participating, debate ultimately leads her to see things in a new way: her mom’s relationship with Lenny, Fuchsia's situation, and her own place in this town of people who think they're better than her. Can Zoey find the courage to speak up, even if it means risking the most stable home she's ever had?

This moving debut novel explores the cultural divides around class and the gun debate through the eyes of one girl, living on the edges of society, trying to find her way forward.

 

The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden was published by Sky Pony Press in 2018. I read an e-version from my local public library.

WHEN EMILY WAS SMALL by Lauren Soloy - A story inspired by the writings of artist Emily Carr

Why read this book?

As a fan of Emily Carr's art, I was intrigued by the idea of finding out about what she was like as a young girl. This book provides is a fun way to share creative inspiration and art with young children. 

Summary from the publisher:

A joyful frolic through the garden helps a little girl feel powerful in this beautiful picture book that celebrates nature, inspired by the writings of revered artist Emily Carr.

Emily feels small. Small when her mother tells her not to get her dress dirty, small when she's told to sit up straight, small when she has to sit still in school.

But when she's in the garden, she becomes Small: a wild, fearless, curious and passionate soul, communing with nature and feeling one with herself. She knows there are secrets to be unlocked in nature, and she yearns to discover the mysteries before she has to go back to being small . . . for now.

When Emily Was Small by Lauren Soloy was published by Tundra Books in 2020.

 

My Thoughts as a Writer:

The lyrical language in this book just begs to be read aloud. Try reading the story aloud to study how the rhythm created by the phrasing and word choices carries you through the story.

My Thoughts as an Educator:

I loved the way this book tells us about the childhood of this famous artist, in way that explores imagination. Discovering the note at the back that explains how this story is based on Emily Carr’s own writing and her own thoughts about her childhood was a lovely surprise. This book would be a great one to incorporate into several lessons to consider the interesting word choices, the art and the connection to nature.

 Ages: 4-8

Grades: K – 3

Themes: imagination, creativity, nature

Activities:

Drama: At different places in the story, Emily felt small, wild and peaceful. Improvise movements or dance to show her different feelings.

 Art Talk: Provide children with some examples of Emily Carr’s work (https://aci-iac.ca/art-books/emily-carr/where-to-see) . Ask them to share their feelings and thoughts about each one. A question for discussion: Where do you see nature in her art work? Why do you think she’s an important artist?

Think & Draw: Have there been any times when you felt small? Draw a picture to show a time when you felt small.

Create: Look closely at the greens you see out the window. Try to see all the different greens. Experiment with paints to create several different shades of green by adding bits of white, black or other colours to a basic green pain. Make your own painting using different shades of green.

 

RED FOX ROAD by Frances Greenslade – An exciting survival story

I'm jumping back in to Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with exactly the kind of book I love to read--an exciting adventure! 

Why you want to read this book…

If you’re a fan of survival stories like I am, you’ll enjoy reading this book. I couldn’t put it down! In this one, the main character’s parents are along for the ride, but Francie ends up on her own. She has to use her own knowledge and smarts to figure out how to get through some scary moments. I really liked her resourcefulness. This story was different than other survival stories I’ve read because Francie had to worry about her mom’s mental health as well as how to stay alive. A great read!

Here’s the summary from the publisher:

A thirteen-year-old girl on a family vacation becomes stranded alone in the wilderness when the family's GPS leads them astray. A compelling survival story for ages 10 to 14, for fans of Hatchet and The Skeleton Tree.

Francie and her parents are on a spring road trip: driving from British Columbia, Canada, to hike in the Grand Canyon. When a shortcut leads them down an old logging road, disaster strikes. Their truck hits a rock and wipes out the oil pan. They are stuck in the middle of nowhere. Francie can't help feeling a little excited -- she'd often imagined how she'd survive if she got stranded in the bush, and now here they are. But will her survival skills -- building fires, gathering dandelion leaves and fir needles for tea -- be enough when hours stretch into days?

Red Fox Road by Frances Greenslade, was published by Penguin Random House Canada and debuts on September 15, 2020. I read an electronic version via NetGalley, provided by the publisher.

Make Mask-Wearing Easier for Young Children

I recently came across this clear and straightforward book about mask-wearing. This independently-published book is a useful resource for opening up discussions about why we need to wear masks. 

As a teacher, I love how it connects masks for playing with the mask that keeps others safe, helping kids with the emotional aspect of mask wearing. It was nice to see that “a portion of proceeds from sales of Lucy’s Mask will be donated to frontline workers and first responders.”

Here's the summary from Amazon:

Suddenly, masks are everywhere. Are your kids confused and anxious about wearing a mask? Lucy’s world turned upside down. She’s bored. She can’t be together with her friends. But when she finds out her mom is making her a new mask her boredom turns into excitement. Lucy loves masks! She dives into her toy box full of costumes and opens a world of imagination and make-believe adventure, far beyond the walls of her room. Of course, she doesn’t realize that the mask her mom is making is not a costume at all but one that will keep her safe and make her a real-life superhero.

I’d pair Lucy's Mask with this classic...

CELEBRATING GURPLE AND PREEN

You may have noticed I haven't been reviewing books over the summer. This is mainly because I was working on writing my own! But I have been doing a lot of reading and have some great books to tell you about in the fall.

For example, I recently read GURPLE AND PREEN by Linda Sue Park and Debbie Ridpath Ohi. It's a fun story with robots and recycling! (Watch for my review in the fall). You can read about the story behind GURPLE AND PREEN here.

There's also a fun challenge related to this book happening now on Twitter and Instagram. (You don't need to have read the book to participate.)

Basically, it involves using recycled materials to create art. The first challenge is to use dryer lint! As you can see below, I've attempted it myself...

I never thought I'd be using dryer lint as an art material!?!  

You can see more dryer lint creations by searching #GurpleandPreenChallenge on Insta and Twitter.

Two Tips for Summer Learning

Are you worried? There's so much talk on social media these days about returning to school and not returning to school. Keeping kids safe at the expense of learning. And there are so many resources for keeping kids learning -- websites, read alouds, online camps. Just thinking about it is overwhelming. Take a few deep breaths. Today I just want to remind you of a couple of easy ways to boost your child's learning over the summer.  

Read Aloud. You've probably heard this before. Reading aloud to your child (at any age) is one of the best things you can do to promote literacy. Not only are you taking time away from the blue light of the screen to do something together, you're also introducing your child to new vocabulary, new ideas and new information. I used to build blanket tents inside or take books outside to read in the backyard. If you can't get to the library, it's okay. Re-reading old favourites is comforting. 

Listen First. As adults, we know more than kids do, and we like to share what we know with our kids. I challenge you listen to your child first before jumping in with your adult perspective. After you read a book together, ask questions - Which part did you like? Do you think that was a good ending? Why or why not? and then really listen to your child's answer. When you go on a walk and discover something new, ask your child to share their thinking about it first. It's hard, I know. We always want to help our children learn by telling what we know. Listening first gives your child space to think things through, to develop their own opinions and communicate them.