Sleeping Bear Press Part II: Silly Picture Books and a Skype Giveaway

Congratulations to Gail Hurlburt who won the Skype visit with Sophia Gholz. 

As I mentioned last week, I'm donating the books I recently received from Sleeping Bear Press to an impoverished Eastern European classroom. As I handle each book, I picture it in the hands of happy children delighted to receive these additions to their classroom.

OINK-OINK! MOO! Cock-a-Doodle-Doo!

Board books are usually found in the hands of toddlers, but English language learners will enjoy this silly, simple story. Each animal in Jennifer Sattler's book, OINK-OINK! MOO is shown "saying" it's sound --even when doing something entirely un-dog, un-pig, or un-cat like. I can only imagine the delight a child will have in pointing out how silly these animals are acting! 

Chip and Curly: The Great Potato Race

We go from talking animals to...talking potatoes. Chip and Curly by Cathy Briesacher, with cute illustrations by Joshua Heinsz, is full of every potato pun you can imagine. Are you a secret coach potato watching from the sidelines? Or, are you more like a waffle fry who can't decide who to cheer for?  Check out this fun story that also demonstrates the power of friendship because, as Curly tells Chip at the end, "No matter how you slice it, we'd make a great team." What a fun book to share with a young reader --and also to demonstrate some of the idiosyncrasies of the English language!

Ollie on Stage!

Talking animals. Talking potatoes. What's next? Talking ogres--of course! Ollie on Stage by Keith Brockett and illustrated by Ashley King (with bright, silly pictures) is a story in verse about an ogre who decides to try out for a talent show. He attempts to dance, sing, and perform magic but whatever he tries, his humongous strength ruins his act. In the end, Ollie uses a talent he didn't know he had, saves the cast from doom and destruction, and proves that he really did belong on stage after all. This is a story about self-acceptance and hidden talent. It's fun thinking that these ESL readers will add "ogre" to their vocabulary!

Little Yellow Truck

Here's another personification story to add to your "To-Be-Read" pile, Little Yellow Truck by prolific author Eve Bunting. Adults as well as children have had experiences in which they've felt unimportant or left out. In this sweet story, Little Yellow Truck (personified nicely by illustrator Kevin Zimmer) is worried that the other trucks have important jobs to do when constructing a children's park--but he doesn't. He's thrilled when he discovers a special job that is perfect for a little truck like him. Young children will identify with Little Yellow's joy when he's picked to help complete the park. 

GIVEAWAY

Once again, one of these authors has stepped up and offered a SKYPE (or Google Hangout) author visit. Even if you no longer have children in school, this is a great gift for your local school's library. Media specialists love talking up books! This time, Cathy Briesacher will "come" to one of your schools. Leave me a comment and your email address if you are new to my blog and I'll enter your name. Giveaway ends May 16. 

 

Wheels of Change: A Review, Autographed Giveaway, and Free Skype Visit!

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a good title is worth at least as much.

WHEELS OF CHANGE (Creston Books, 2014), Darlene Beck Jacobson’s debut middle grade novel, is exactly what it purports to be: a novel about change. And of course, about wheels. 

The story, based loosely on Jacobson’s grandmother, shows 12-year-old Emily Soper in the middle of personal, family, and societal changes. Set in Washington, D.C. in 1908, WHEELS OF CHANGE is an ideal book for girls who loved the historical American Girl series and are now ready for meatier fare. 

Emily loves everything about her father’s carriage shop: the sounds, smells, and even the “pulsing waves of heat [which] make it feel like summer year round.” (p. 2). The following quote not only shows Emily’s affection, but foreshadows troubles to come:

I stare into the fire’s belly, watching it move and change colors as if it were a living thing. Some folks might think the forge is dark and dreary, with only one small window. But the fire is like a beacon that lights up the whole barn and makes it shimmer. Papa’s barn without the forge would be like Mama’s house without the kitchen. The heart would be gone. (p.2)

In truth, Emily wishes she could be a blacksmith—but of course, that’s not a fitting trade for a young woman in the beginning of the twentieth century.  As a result of her friendship with Henry, the Negro blacksmith who she enjoys watching, she learns first hand about racism and loyalty. 

Whereas impetuous and worry-wart Emily feels more at home in the forge than in her mother's kitchen, her mother has other plans for her. She wants Emily to learn domestic skills including how to host a tea for the neighborhood women. Emily surprises herself by enjoying baking, but the tea proves disastrous when Emily violently disagrees with one of the guests. Without spoiling the book, let's just say that Emily's courage saves the forge when a disgruntled employee, angry over Henry reclaiming his job, attempts to destroy it.   

After the tea, her teacher muses, 

".....Mr. Lincoln must be rolling over in his grave with grief to think that after all these years since the war, people still act this way. The war was supposed to change things." 

There's that word again. Change. Even after a horrible war, people still hold on to their old ideas about folks like Henry. The truth of it makes my insides churn and ache. 

Maybe folks can do without physical changes like cars and electricity. But old ideas about colored people and women should change. They must. (pp.153-4). 

When her father's business starts failing because more people are buying motorcars, she suggests a new idea to her father:

"All this time, we liked everything to be just as it is. But some changes can bring really good things, Papa. Like colored folks living peacefully next to white folks and women getting to vote. What if you changed carriage making into something else?" 

"Like what?" 

"Maybe folks still need other things that horses pull. Wagons, carts, surreys, and coaches." My eyes open wider as more ideas pop into my head. "Baby buggies will never need motors. Sleighs and sleds for winter..." (p. 188-9)

And with that, Emily becomes an agent of change.

Grateful American Book Prize 

Honorable Mention, 2015

I am giving away my autographed hard cover copy of WHEELS OF CHANGE plus curriculum materials. Jacobson has volunteered to provide a SKYPE visit if the winner is an educator; if you prefer you can donate this visit to a school of your choice. If you are a media specialist, teacher, or home school parent, please let me know and I'll enter your name twice. If I don't have your email address make sure you leave it.  Giveaway ends on Saturday, April 8. 

BEING FRANK: Five Free Skype Visits with Author Donna Earnhardt

I don't want to overload anyone's inbox, so I rarely blog twice a week. But every once in awhile I want to pass along information in a timely fashion and this post is an exception to my once-a-week blog rule. 

Donna Earnhardt is no stranger to the Carolina's SCBWI region and to this blog. I first blogged about Donna's picture book in 2012 when Being Frank was new to the world. Now, she has a special offer that I wanted you to know about. Without further ado, here is Donna!

Kindness is needed in today’s world… lots of it!

In an effort to share Frank, and his message of sharing truth with kindness, Donna is hosting a “Being Frank: More Sugar, Less Pepper!” contest!

To enter:

1. Post a picture of your librarian, students, or teachers reading Being Frank on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

2. Use the hashtags #MoreSugarLessPepper and #BeingFrankIn followed by your state’s initials (example: BeingFrankIn NY) PLEASE NOTE: BOTH hashtags are required!

3. Donna will choose the post she likes best, so be creative! She wouldn’t be opposed to seeing your principal in a Mrs. Peacock hat!

4. The FIVE winning schools will earn a free Skype visit with Donna Earnhardt, author of Being Frank.

Each individual post is counted as its own entry, so the more posts, the better!

Contest ends November 12, 2016.

Winners will be announced on November 13 in honor of World Kindness Day!

SHARE FREELY! SHARE WIDELY!

Find more Being Frank info and handouts at Flashlight Press.

********

Librarians and teachers--this is an opportunity you don't want to pass up. Donna is hilarious and will give a great Skype lesson for your school. Please let me know if you win!

P.S.

Ever press "send" on an e-mail and then think of what else you wanted to say? That happened to me when I read two articles in the October issue of the Journal Of Adolescent & Adult Literacy and found more websites to help teachers who are integrating technology into their classroom instruction.

First of all, for safety on the internet go to: Safekids.com. Better yet, have your students go there first and ask them to comment on one of the many articles posted there. (Perhaps on your classroom blog or wiki?)

For more information on podcasts, try one of these:

1. a Apple-sponsored website on podcasts.

2. The Education Podcast Network

3. The "How To Podcast" website

4.Create & share podcasts

Imbee: a social networking + educational site for young people.

Finally, if you want to try something that will really knock the socks off your students, Brenda Dyck has a great article in this month's issue of Middle Ground on using Skype in the classroom.
Technorati Tags:
internet safety, podcasts, Skype, Brenda Dyck, Middle Ground
Add to: | Technorati | Digg | del.icio.us | Yahoo | BlinkList | Spurl | reddit | Furl |