The Center of Everything

The Center of Everything
The best things in life have a delicious center:  cream filled doughnuts, Reese's Cups, Oreos, King Dons (oh, I miss them).  It seemed to make sense to begin my #nerdlution with a book I've been hearing so much about from my book-loving friends, The Center of Everything by Linda Urban, which is a finalist for this year' Nerdy Book Award.

Urban's character, Ruby Pepperdine, has made a mess of things.  Her best friend, Lucy, is no longer speaking to her.  She's not sure Nero will ever be her friend after what she has done.  In a few moments she'll be reading her essay that won this year's Bunning Essay Contest in front of the entire town.  Nothings been right for Ruby since her grandma died.  Ruby makes a wish to make things right again, but "greedy wishers always have things backfire on them."  Hopefully her wish will come true and she'll be able to make everything right.

"There are two schools of thought about the secrecy of wishes.  One is that you should always tell, because you never know who might be able to help you get what you wished for. [...] The other school holds the birthday candle philosophy:  to tell a wish is to ruin its chances of happening."                                                           -Linda Urban, Center of Everything (p. 121)

This story which centers around a friendship, a broken heart, and a wish is delightful.  Linda Urban had me thinking a lot about wishes in her beautiful story that moves effortlessly back and forth in time.  Being a "grandma girl" like Ruby, made the story even better for me.  If you haven't read The Center of Everything yet, what are you waiting for?

More About Center of Everything
Nerdy Book Club:  The Center of Everything by Linda Urban, A Not-Quite-a-Review by Kate Messner

Teach Mentor Texts:  The Center of Everything and Poetry Friday

Otis and the Puppy

One of my favorite things about NCTE's annual convention is getting down to the exhibits.  Though finding time to get there is challenging, it is interesting to have time to visit the booths of publishers to see what new picture books are on their way to the world.  This year one of my favorite finds was at the Penguin table.  There I found Otis and the Puppy by Loren Long scheduled to arrive on shelves March 12, 2013.

Our class had just read, Otis, before I left for NCTE.  When I arrived with a sneak peek at the newest book about Otis my students were absolutely thrilled.  Young readers enjoy seeing the same character return in new picture books.  My class had fallen in love with Otis in his first book, and couldn't wait to see what adventures were ahead in this new story.

In, Otis and the Puppy, Otis lives happily on a farm where he busily helps the farmer and plays with his friends.  One day the farmer introduces a new puppy to everyone.  The puppy is supposed to be living in his doghouse in the front of the barn, but he is sad and lonely being there all by himself.  Otis the tractor comes quickly to the rescue.  The puppy and Otis become fast friends.

Days later the two are playing hide-and-seek near the woods.  The puppy becomes distracted by a butterfly and is soon lost.  Everyone is looking for the puppy, but he cannot be found.  When night falls, Otis is worried about his friend being out in the dark all alone so he decides to leave the barn to find him.  Will Otis be able to help puppy this time?  Will Otis be able to overcome his own fears of the dark to help his friend?

As you would expect, the illustrations in Long's book complement the story.  Long's story moves from full page illustrations to small scenes arranged within the text.  I always think these small pictures sprinkled within the text move the story along nicely and work well with the longer pauses of larger illustrations.  The way he moves from the bright colorful pictures of two friends playing together to the darker colors of night creates an unsettling feeling as young readers hope these two friends find one another again.

Our class loved this book, and cannot wait until it's March arrival so we can get a copy everyone can check out to read at home.  We also look forward to being able to add it to our Shelfari shelf of books we've read.  (You should have heard the students when the book wasn't even on Shelfari yet.)

A Note:  What?!?!  So I'm busily writing this post and linking to sites when I realize Loren Long has another Otis book recently released.  How did I not know this?  Do I live under a rock?  Anyway, I am on my way to search for a copy.  I think I'll surprise my students with it.  Oh, I can't wait!  #nerdybookclub comment for sure!

Penny and Her Song

Recently I was given an ARC for Penny and Her Song by Kevin Henkes to be released February 28, 2012.  I was pretty excited when it was placed in my hands.  Kevin Henkes is one of my favorite authors.  His books are always a hit in the classroom.  The children in my classroom can easily identify with his characters who have many of the same experiences and feelings they have.  We love that, like the young writers in our classroom, Kevin Henkes writes his stories AND creates his illustrations.

Of course, immediately I noticed that Penny and Her Song is the size of a beginning chapter book.  When I opened the book I found that is exactly what Henkes has done.  He has written this story in two chapters about Penny who wants to share her song with her family.  Penny goes to her mom to her share her song, but her mom is worried she'll wake the babies.  She goes to her dad to share her song, but he is worried she'll wake the babies.  Finally in chapter two Penny gets to share her beautiful song and a dance party ensues.

Young readers who have been eagerly awaiting their entry into the chapter book club will be happy with this book.  Kevin Henkes has used a story structure young readers will be able to understand.  The repetition of the phrases throughout the story not only make it easier for young readers to read independently, but also add an irresistible rhythm to the story.  Most of all, young readers will love Penny.  She's delightful as she waits patiently to share her song (a lesson Lilly, Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, might be able to use).  Penny is the perfect big sister!

I'm not going to lie, I love Kevin Henkes in picture book format where his illustrations dance on the pages around his words.  He is such a talented storyteller and illustrator.  However, kids everywhere excitedly wait to move into chapter books and this is the perfect bridge to joining that club.  I'm hoping Kevin Henkes will continue to create his magic in regular picture book formats, but in his spare time I'm happy to see him send these beginning chapter books to young readers who love his work.  There will always be plenty of room on our library shelves.

Penny and Her Song will be released at the end of the month.  I can't wait to add it to our classroom library.  (I suppose it is unlikely, but I'm hoping soon we'll be able to find it in reader format as I think the book lends itself nicely to that.)

Kevin Henkes talks about Penny and Her Song here.

I just had to share this video of Kevin Henkes sharing his thinking as an illustrator.  My students will love peeking into the process of his storytelling.

You're Finally Here!

You're finally here.  Thanks for stopping to read my post about a new book by Canadian author, Melanie Watt.  This was among my purchases as I wandered the shelves of Cover-to-Cover after our recent bloggers' breakfast.   This year my students found Watt's characters, Scaredy Squirrel and Chester, irresistible so I had to pick up this newest book by one of our favorite authors for our classroom shelves.

I am certain this will be one of those read-alouds students will not be able to resist.  In You're Finally Here, rabbit is glad his reader has finally decided to join him, but wonders what took so long.  He begins being a bit grumpy about the fact that it took so long for the reader to come to the pages of his story.  Then he decides it might be better if he were a bit more celebratory about the arrival.

The changes in font size, use of speech bubbles, and double page spreads, in which rabbit explains how keeping him waiting has made him feel, are all worth a peek inside this new picture book.

A Word About "Levels"
The teacher in my can't resist a little soapbox sidebar about levels.  When I stopped by KidsCanPress, I couldn't help but notice that the book is listed with a grade level of 2, a Fountas & Pinnell level K, and a Reading Recovery level of 18.  Once I got over my sadness that levels are so quickly placed on books for young readers, I thought about all the PK-1 classrooms that might think, "This book is too challenging for my young readers."  I thought about all the parents who might say after looking at the font (without really reading, noting the vocabulary, and thinking about the story), "This book is too easy for my child."

The format of the book could be a bit tricky for emergent readers.  Not only do they need to know to move left to right, top to bottom, but they will need to understand how to navigate the pages with four picture/text boxes on a page.  However, that being said, I believe after a few times of hearing this story in read-aloud it is one a variety of young readers will be able to revisit and reread.  To me the opportunity to be able to reread this book after a few times hearing the story will help develop vocabulary, word recognition, and book handling skills of emergent readers.  I have a feeling this book will be one of those in which students are highly engaged while reading.  It is a must for my shelves.  Thanks to Melanie Watt for writing about another character my students are sure to enjoy --- no matter where they are in their reading journey.

Other Links of Interest:
A glogster of Melanie Watts
Check out Scaredy Squirrel on YouTube