How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous

by Georgia Bragg

Bragg, G. (2011). How they croaded: the awful ends of the awfully famous. New York: Scholastic Inc.

From King Tut to Pocahontas to Albert Einstein! The lives and causes of death of nineteen famous people are explored. Most died young and from causes that modern medicine could cure today such as an infection.

Wow! I learned a lot from reading this book. Georgia Bragg included some very interesting, and sometimes a bit graphic and disturbing, little-known facts about a lot of famous people in her nonfiction book. I'm very glad that she included her sources at the end because some of the information is pretty unbelievable. Nineteen famous people who have passed are spotlighted. Each is given an attention-getting introduction and then about six pages of details. Bragg includes humor in her telling and Kevin O'Malley dramatizes each character with a sketch at the beginning of every section. The illustrations and humor work together to lighten the load of the heavy topic of death. Kids will be drawn to this book and it might even lead them to check out additional nonfiction books on one or more of the deceased. 

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Author, Georgia Bragg's website: http://georgiabragg.com/

Book trailer:

El Deafo

by Cece Bell

Bell, C. (2014). El Deafo. New York: Amulet Books.

Cece is a typical four year old until she contracts meningitis and loses her hearing. She starts school and is in a class with other kids who are deaf like she is. Cece is shocked when her family decides to move and she must navigate her way in a new school with all hearing kids. She feels lonely, embarrassed, and ashamed of her Phonic Ear which helps her hear her teacher. She imagines herself as a superhero, who she names El Deafo, to help her cope. Interestingly, it is her hearing aid that helps her connect with the students in her class. Ultimately, she learns that true friends like you for who you are.

El Deafo is an outstanding graphic novel. It is funny and inventive. I think it was an amazingly creative way for the author, Cece Bell, to choose to share her memoir with children. Kids who won't pick up a chapter book are drawn to graphic novels. Somehow, they do not seem as intimidating to read. Because of this, I believe more children will experience what it is like to grow up deaf and to have hearing aids than if Cece had written her memoir in a typical format. In addition, the simplistic drawings of rabbits as the characters will pull in even a younger audience and, thankfully, this story is appropriate for all age groups.

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Author, Cece Bell's website: https://cecebell.wordpress.com/

Book trailer:

Hear Cece talk about her book and life:

Link to information about the Phonic Ear: http://www.phonicear.com/

The Crossover

by Kwame Alexander

Alexander, K. (2014). The crossover. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Josh and Jordan (aka: JB) are twins and the stars of their junior high basketball team. Their father is basketball legend, Chuck Bell. Josh lives and breathes basketball until his world is rocked when he is suspended from playing basketball, his dad begins having serious health issues, and JB falls for the new girl at school.

Written as a series of poems, Kwame Alexander's novel is a breath of fresh air. Some poetry is almost painful to read and even harder to understand. But Alexander's work is smooth, rhythmic, and modern. What a talented writer he is to be able to compose a novel in verse that integrates basketball, family, first love, the bond of twins, loneliness, identity, death, and mourning, seamlessly. The arrangement of the words on the page dance and support the syntax, much like pictures support the text in a children's picture book. Multiple themes appear and are openly displayed throughout the book as Basketball Rules. Each caused me to stop and reflect on the story as well as on life.

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Author, Kwame Alexander's website: http://kwamealexander.com/

Book trailer:

A real, live Chuck Bell: https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bellch01.html

Crenshaw

by Katherine Applegate

Applegate, K. (2015). Crenshaw. New York: Harper Collins.

Jackson is a scientifically minded fifth-grader, so he is greatly concerned when his imaginary friend, Crenshaw, shows up. The last time he saw Crenshaw was right after he finished first grade, which was the first time his family had to live in their van. As his family perseveres through another difficult time financially, Crenshaw helps guide Jackson in understanding his own feelings and in communicating them to his parents.

Crenshaw is recommended for readers aged ten to fourteen. Due to the subject matter of homelessness, financial strain, and dealing with a parent's multiple sclerosis, I think that is a good guideline. Because Crenshaw is imaginary and is a giant talking cat, there is a bit of fantasy woven into this fiction chapter book. A story about being homeless written from the perspective of a child was interesting. However, at times I felt like the story dragged. Much more time was spent developing the subject matter of financial strain than on exploring Crenshaw's purpose which surprised me since the name of the book is Crenshaw. One thing that stood out to me, though, in Katherine Applegate's writing was what excellent transitions she utilized between chapters. Each chapter ended in a way that made me curious about the next. Overall, this book is great for allowing the reader to experience an aspect of life without having to actually go through it.

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Some information about author, Katherine Applegate: 
http://www.mackidsbooks.com/crenshaw/

Book trailer:


An interview with the author:

Bridge to Terabithia

by Katherine Paterson

Paterson, K. (1977). Bridge to Terabithia. New York: Harper Trophy.

Ten-year-old Jess lives in a rural home with his sisters and parents in Virginia. On the first day of fifth grade, he encounters the new girl, Leslie, when she beats everyone in the race he's been training for all summer. Although he resists accepting her, they are destined to become best of friends. Together, they create an imaginary kingdom in the forest across the river called Terabithia. Things seem perfect until an unimaginable tragedy strikes, which changes Jess's life forever.

This coming-of-age realistic fiction chapter book is a true gem. Katherine Paterson masterly develops deep multiple plot lines which connect with one another seamlessly. Her writing is imaginative and invokes various emotions. I laughed out loud multiple times while reading the book and cried a few times, too. This story is about life, love, friendship, family, and loss. It made an impression on me at the heart level, and I am quite sure that I will reflect back on the story frequently in the future. A must read, in my opinion.

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Author, Katherine Paterson's website: http://katherinepaterson.com/

Book trailer:

Movie trailer:

Annotated Bibliography: Geisel Awards

Annotated Bibliography: Coretta Scott King Winners

Annotated Bibliography: Pura Belpré Awards

Annotated Bibliography: New York Times Bestsellers

Annotated Bibliography: Caldecott Winning Books

First the Egg

by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

Seeger, L. V. (2007). First the egg. New Milford: Roaring Brook Press.

Cycles of life are portrayed in clever illustrations containing die cuts -- from egg to chicken, tadpole to frog, seed to flower, caterpillar to butterfly, word to story, paint to picture, then chicken to egg. This is an amazing, thought provoking book which will prompt deep discussions.

This picture book, containing few words by author and artist Laura Vaccaro Seeger, is a thinker. First of all, it is cleverly created. Starting with the egg and ending with the egg, each relationship is linked together conceptually. Chickens, frogs, flowers, and butterflies are all living things. When Seeger transitions to the word/story relationship, she does so by utilizing the previous words of her book as the "story" to which she refers. Then, she masterfully links this to the paint/picture relationship by using the living things from her story in the "picture." Lastly, the chicken in this picture completes the cycle by producing the egg on the last page...which, of course, is cracking open (here comes another chicken!). Genius! In addition, she uses die cuts, which young children will love, to link each relationship together visually as well as conceptually. To top it off, she laces the age-old question of "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" throughout the story.

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Author/illustrator, Laura Vaccaro Seeger's website: http://studiolvs.com/

Meet the author:

Tales for Very Picky Eaters

by Josh Schneider

Schneider, J. (2011). Tales for very picky eaters. New York: Clarion Books.

When James does not want to eat his broccoli, his father offers him other options: dirt, chewed gum, or a sweaty sock. When James does not want to drink his milk or eat either mushroom lasagna or lumpy oatmeal, his father tells him tall tales that change his mind. Later, James agrees to try his fried eggs and gets a surprise!

Each of the five chapters in this book for elementary school-aged children stands alone. When put all together, the result is a hilarious adventure. James's comments about the food that has been placed on his plate are all too common among kids. The expressions on his face in the illustrations add to the fun. Kids will certainly be able to relate, as will parents...which makes this a great read aloud book as well.

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Author/illustrator, Josh Schneider's blog: 
http://mrschureads.blogspot.com/2014/06/author-illustrator-josh-schneider.html

Book trailer:

Mr. Putter & Tabby Turn the Page

by Cynthia Rylant and Arthur Howard

Rylant, C., & Howard, A. (2014). Mr. Putter & Tabby turn the page. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Mr. Putter and his cat, Tabby, love quietly reading their favorite books together over and over. When Mr. Putter signs up to read a book aloud to the children at the public library, he chooses a story about a bear. His neighbor, Mrs. Teaberry, and her dog, Zeke, participate as well and add to the excitement.

I adore the Mr. Putter and Tabby books, and elementary school-aged children do too! With so many available, Mr. Putter and Tabby are like good friends. Watching Tabby sit on books and on the heads of the children is hilarious, but so like a cat. And Mrs. Teaberry always has something odd to contribute...like the crazy library hat and cauliflower cookies in this book. The short chapters are perfect for developing readers who are ready for a bit more independence and complexity in their reading, but still enjoy the creativity of illustrations. This book is particularly nice since it praises the library and encourages reading.

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Author, Cynthia Rylant's official website: http://www.cynthiarylant.com/

Information about Cynthia Rylant:

Other Mr. Putter & Tabby books: https://www.librarything.com/series/Mr.+Putter+and+Tabby

See Me Run

by Paul Meisel

Meisel, P. (2011). See me run. New York: Holiday House.

A dog begins to run and is soon followed by numerous others. Their game of chase ends when they encounter a giant mud puddle, which they enjoy profusely. After bathing in a creek, they decide to dig. They uncover a surprise which causes them to run even quicker than before!

The font utilized in this book immediately made me think of the old Dick and Jane books. The simple sentence structure and repetition of sight words did as well. These characteristics make this picture book great for prekindergarten and kindergarten students, as well as other beginning readers. The story line is simple and easy to follow, but exciting at the end. Fun!

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Author, Paul Meisel's website: http://www.paulmeisel.com/

Book trailer:

Pearl and Wagner: One Funny Day

by Kate McMullan

McMullan, K. (2009). Pearl and Wagner: one funny day. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.

Wagner wakes up late one morning and rushes to school. He is not amused when he is bombarded with April fool's jokes. He decides that it is not his day after a surprise dance contest in gym class. After going to the nurse with a tummy ache, he returns and pulls off the greatest April fool's joke of all.

A joke between Pearl and Wagner appears even before the title page in this laugh-out-loud chapter book for young readers. Kate McMullan wisely continues Pearl's reaction to the joke on the title page and then drops a calendar hint on the versa page...it is April Fool's Day. Before I read a page of an actual chapter, I already knew why it was going to be a funny day as the title suggests. Clever. Readers who are ready for chapter books that are not too complex will feel very successful reading this book. The illustrations support the text, but are not as important as they are in a picture book. With four additional Pearl and Wagner books in the series, readers will be excited to continue their reading.

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Author, Kate McMullan's website: https://www.katemcmullan.com/

Illustrator, R. W. Alley's website: http://rwalley.com/

Other Pearl and Wagner books: 
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/series/DS6/pearl-and-wagner

Waiting

by Kevin Henkes

Henkes, K. (2015). Waiting. New York: Greenwillow Books.

Five animals including an owl, a pig, a bear, a puppy, and a rabbit wait on a windowsill for different reasons. When those events occur, each is especially happy. As they wait, they sometimes have visitors. Then, they wait together, observing amazing things through the window.

This picture book for early elementary children breaches a topic that can be difficult for them: waiting. What a great book to utilize when talking about this subject. It opens the door to asking questions such as:

• To what do you look forward?
• How do you prepare for that?
• What is your favorite time of year and why?
• Is it hard to wait?

In addition, this book would be great for introducing additional topics such as seasons, cycles, weather, disappointment, clouds, nature, holidays, and friendship.

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Author, Kevin Henkes' website: https://kevinhenkes.com/

Meet the author, Kevin Henkes:

Book trailer:

Bink & Gollie

by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee

DiCamillo, K., & McGhee, A. (2010). Bink & Gollie. Somerville: Candlewick Press.

Bink lives at the base of a tree and Gollie lives near the top. Though quite different, Bink and Gollie are marvelous companions who especially enjoy roller skating. Bink loves to wear colorful socks, but Gollie prefers to use them as windsocks outside her home and at the top of the Andes Mountains. Through their adventures and compromises, the girls remain best of friends.

This chapter book contains three adventures between Bink and Gollie. It is chock-full of comparisons and contrasts. The illustrations magnify the differences between the two girls in personality, size, and maturity. They help the reader see that Gollie is more mature in her interests, put together, and even-keeled. While Bink is impulsive, unkempt, and adventurous. It is sweet to see how two very different people can make compromises in order to put their friendship first.

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Author, Kate DiCamillo's website: http://www.katedicamillo.com/

Author, Alison McGhee's website: https://alisonmcghee.com/

Illustrator, Tony Fucile's website: http://www.pippinproperties.com/illustrators/tony-fucile/

Book trailer:

Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator

by Sarah C. Campbell

Campbell, S. C. (2008). Wolfsnail: a backyard predator. Honesdale: Boyds Mills Press.

After a spring shower, a wolfsnail wakes up hungry. It crawls across the ground and up a hosta plant in search of a snail or slug to eat. It locates a slime trail and only pauses in its pursuit when a bird is detected nearby. Finally, the wolfsnail indulges in its meal of a herbivorous snail before returning back to the ground to sleep.

The cover of this nonfiction picture book immediately drew me in with its humongous up-close photograph and title, which included the word "predator." Hmmm, I thought snails ate plants. They certainly ate my marigolds last year! As I read through the informational text, I learned that wolfsnails are carnivores that feed on other snails and slugs. I wonder if I can get some for my garden to take care of the herbivorous snails and slugs that currently reside there.

Sarah C. Campbell definitely did her homework before writing this text. She acknowledges her various expert resources at the beginning of the book, making this a trustworthy nonfiction source. The photographs that she and her husband took to support the text are incredible. They show the details of the wolfsnail and are very clear. Additional information about this interesting animal is included at the end of the book, along with a glossary of "snail words." This would be a great book for any elementary school nonfiction collection. 

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Author/photographer, Sarah C. Campbell's website: http://www.sarahccampbell.com/

Watch a wolfsnail come out of its shell and move around:

Move Over, Rover

by Karen Beaumont

Beaumont, K. (2006). Move over, Rover. New York: Harcourt, Inc.

Rover wants someone to play with. When a storm begins, he sleeps cozily in his doghouse alone. Then Cat, Raccoon, Squirrel, Blue Jay, Snake, and Mouse squeeze in to stay warm. When an unwelcome visitor wants to join them, they suddenly scatter and leave the newcomer with the doghouse all to himself. Rover later decides that being alone is sometimes nice!

Every square inch of each page of this picture book is filled with a beautiful full-color illustration which contributes to the rhythmic rhyming text. Young children will enjoy searching the pictures for each of the animals that appear throughout the story. Intended for children from kindergarten to third grade, this book's pattern and predictability will draw kids in to chant along in a choral reading. Handing out a few animal masks on sticks will encourage students to act out the story while developing language skills.

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Author, Karen Beaumont's website: http://karenbeaumont.com/

Illustrator, Jane Dyer introduces Move Over, Rover: 
https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/videos/teaching-content/move-over-rover-book-trailer/

Illustrator, Jane Dyer's website: http://www.janedyerchildrensbooks.com/

Hi! Fly Guy

by Tedd Arnold

Arnold, T. (2005). Hi! Fly Guy. New York: Scholastic Inc.

When a typical fly goes out searching for food and crashes into a boy named Buzz, his life changes when he's placed in a jar and becomes a pet. At first the fly is angry, but after receiving protection, food, and a name from Buzz, he changes his mind. Fly Guy puts on quite a performance at the pet show which pays off in more ways than one.

This traditional chapter book for early readers (K - 3) starts out with the introduction of an unlikely main character, a fly. In Chapter 1, Tedd Arnold follows a textual pattern when introducing Fly Guy and Buzz. The illustrations are quite expressive and will entertain the reader. Arnold packs the story full of simple sentences containing dialogue, proper nouns, interjections, onomatopoeia, and alliteration. In addition, the book has a wonderful theme: the way you view others impacts their life. What a great book for early readers and writers!

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Meet Tedd Arnold:

A little more about the author, Tedd Arnold: 
https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/authors/tedd-arnold/

Book trailer: 

More Fly Guy books by Tedd Arnold:
http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/collection/more-reading-resources/parent-guide-to-fly-guy