A FEW CHRISTMAS TITLES FOR YOUNG READERS

I am not going shopping on Black Friday. I hate shopping on regular days. And shopping on Black Friday is like shopping on regular days times a million. But…if I was going shopping, and was buying presents, I would most likely be buying books. Here are a few new ones I would need to buy for someone…

I'd definitely be buying Eric Littwin's newest, PETE THE CAT SAVES CHRISTMAS, for the primary grade readers in my life. A take off on Clement Clark Moore's TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, it's a little more text than most of the other Pete books, but it's still lots of fun.

Twas the day before Christmas and Santa was ill
In the cold winter wind he had caught a bad chill. 

Our good friend Pete, in a red minibus which is eventually pulled by reindeer, steps in to save the day.

"I'll do it," said Pete.
"And although I am small,
at Christmas we give, 
so I'll give it my all."

And then one of Littwin's famous repeated refrains

 "Give it your all, give it your all,

At Christmas we give, so I'll give it my all…"

This PETE THE CATE would also be a great gift for anyone who collects different versions of 'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

 SANTA ON THE LOOSE, by Bruce Hale, illustrations by Dave Garbot, is not a book for read aloud. Instead, it's a kind of "Where's Waldo?" (do you remember that series?) does Christmas. On the first page, we learn that the North Pole is in a tizzy, because all of the Christmas toys have been stolen. There are six possible suspects. On each of the next ten two-page spreads, the reader has to find Santa, then figure out what clue he is holding. When all of the clues are pieced together, the guilty party can be identified. And then, as an added bonus, there are nine other objects the "reader" can go back and find on each page. This would be a perfect present for the week/night before Christmas, when everyone is excited and needs something to stay busy.

TOGETHER AT CHRISTMAS, by Eileen Spinelli, is a counting book. Ten little mice are huddled together in the snow on Christmas Eve. One by one, each mouse finds a warmer place to sleep. But…

Though every mouse is snug alone
on feather bed, in nest, by stone--
somehow it doesn't feel quite right
to be without one's friends this night.

And so all of the little mice come back together to celebrate Christmas.

I'd buy this book for Bin Lee's beautiful illustrations. I think kids are going to love them.

IT'S CHRISTMAS by Jack Prelutsky, is not a new book, I think it was first published about twenty years ago. It's been reissued, however, as part of the "I Can Read!" series, with new full color illustrations. First and second graders love the "I Can Read" series- there's enough text and content to make the books interesting, but there is not so much text that they are intimidating. IT'S CHRISTMAS is twelve rhyming poems about various Christmas traditions-- mailing cards, standing under the mistletoe, writing a list for Santa, getting a sled when there is no snow, etc. And there's just enough naughty- Auntie Flo who gives underwear for Christmas, and a puppy who piddles, to grab the attention of kids who are not totally sold on reading yet.

IN THE SEA- David Elliott, illustrated by Holly Meade

For those, like me, who like a little science with their poetry, and gorgeous language besides, here is a  perfect new poetry book for you. IN THE SEA, by David Elliott and Holly Meade, is a collection of  25 poems about sea creatures- seahorses, coral, blue whales, octopus, sharks, puffer fish, moray eel, mackerel, starfish, herring, sea turtles and more. The poems are short- most are between four and ten lines, but they are filled with terrific information.

"The Sea Turtle"
Swims the seven seas
for thirty years
then finds the beach
where she was born--
by magic it appears.

How can she know to come upon
that far and sandy place?
Rare instrument of nature,
fair compass in a carapace?

 And in case you didn't notice, Elliott also fills his poems with gorgeous, gorgeous words for kids to wrap their mouths and brains around. Take a look at this poem…

"The Moray Eel"
Ferocious. Cunning.
Belligerent. Brave.
A sword without its sheath
a dragon in its cave.

Other words you will find in these poems include apparition, briny, jester, cunning, and belligerent. 

And Holly Meade's woodcut print/watercolor (I think?) illustrations are absolutely gorgeous-- beautiful combinations of tans and aquas and blues and greens and golds, and sweeping lines that capture the movement of the sea perfectly.  I want to share this book with the art teacher at my school, because I think she would love using it with kids.

I could see lots of uses for this book. I might just put it in a poetry basket, or an ocean basket, for kids to enjoy. I might use the poems as mentor texts in a multi-genre unit- I could see studying Elliott's work, then writing our own poems embedding facts about animals we were studying (for people who are interested in doing that, Elliott has also written two companion volumes- ON THE FARM and IN THE WILD). I might have kids study Meade's illustrations, then try something similar. I might also use this book when I was talking with writers about word choice.

For teachers who like a little science with their poetry, this book is a perfect choice!

I'VE LOST MY HIPPOPOTAMUS- Jack Prelutsky

There are some authors that kids are always just plain glad to see. And Jack Prelutsky is definitely  one of those authors. The newest (or at least I think it's newest) book from this very prolific poet, is classic Prelutsky. There is a lot of silliness…

 "THANKSGIVING MATH"
I swallowed a third of the turkey,
A tenth of the carrots and peas,
A quarter of half the potatoes
A fifth of a ninth of the cheese,
A sixth of an eighth of the pudding
A seventh of all of the cake,
And so I am now doubled over,
With triple a whole bellyache. 

 There is a lot of word play…

"MY SNAKE CAN DO ARITHMETIC"
My snake can do arithmetic
My snake is far from dumb
My snake can take two numbers,
And come up with a sum. 

She can't subtract, which makes her sad,
And two things make her sadder…
She can't divide or multiply--
My snake is just an adder. 

Prelutsky employs a variety of formats- everything from free verse to haiku to limericks, to concrete poetry. And, as always, he's a master at tools like repetition and alliteration. I taught both of those in intermediate grades this week, and am wishing now that I had started each day with humorous poem, then gone on to more serious examples.

I was also struck, in reading I'VE LOST MY HIPPOPOTAMUS,  by Prelutsky's use of  rich and interesting vocabulary-- talk about text complexity! Here's a sample from a random two-page spread--fortunate, discern, gem, pity, commonplace, hard-pressed, strain, manufactured, insufferable, detect, odor, sniff. And in case you think I'm making it up, here's another randomly selected two page spread--crochety, miffed, appearance, cosmetics, strategically, perfumed, festooned, bangles, inexpressible.  I'm not big on "vocabulary" lessons where teachers find the interesting/difficult words and have kids look them up in dictionaries, but I do think this book would lend itself to lots of interesting discussions about how carefully poets/authors choose words.

Prelutsky is a hall-of-famer when it comes to poetry for kids. And this is another classic!

POETRY FRIDAY

A found poem from Lin Yutang…  

I like spring, 

but it is too young. 

I like summer, 

but it is too proud. 

So I like best of all 

autumn, 

because its tone is mellower, 

its colours are richer, 

and it is tinged 

with a little sorrow. 

Its golden richness 

speaks not 

of the innocence of spring, 

nor the power of summer, 

but of the mellowness 

and kindly wisdom 

of approaching age. 

It knows 

the limitations of life 

and its content.

-  Lin Yutang

POETRY FRIDAY is at Anastasia Suen's Booktalking.

THE QUILT WALK- Sandra Dallas

Last week at the library, I found THE QUILT WALK, the first children's novel by author Sandra Dallas (her best known novel is probably THE PERSIAN PICKLE CLUB). I was excited because Dallas is a Colorado author. And the family in the book, set sometime shortly after the Civil War, is moving west from Quincy, Illinois, to begin a new life in Golden, Colorado. Our third grade class is starting Colorado history next month, and I was hoping it would be a good read for some of that class.

Dallas has written about ten adult novels, most (maybe all?) historical fiction. She is a researcher who knows her stuff. Readers will come away knowing a great deal about pioneer life. Emmy Blue's father, for instance, is concerned that the wagon is too full, tells his wife and daughter that they can only take the clothes they can wear. Emmy and her mother wear three layers of clothes throughout most of the book. The book title comes from a bag of quilt square that Emmy's grandmother, who wants her granddaughter to grow up without domestic  skills,  gives to her as they are leaving. Emmy Blue makes the quilt squares throughout the journey. The family dines on typical pioneer fare, including staples like beans and dried apple pie.

The family face many typical pioneer challenges. They leave behind family and friends, realizing that it will be a very, very long time (if ever)before they see them again. They cross the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. Emmy's friend, Joey, is bitten by a rattlesnake. Another settler accidentally shoots himself and dies, leaving a wife and three children. Celia Bonner, another traveler,  is struggling with the challenges of an abusive husband.

This is not a book I will recommend as a third grade read aloud. But it's a terrific read for kids who like historical fiction, or want to know a little more about what it might be like to be a pioneer traveling west in the late 1800's.  I'm thinking probably kids who liked the American Girl or Little House series, or maybe just kids who are ready to try historical fiction will enjoy this one.

I like a few facts with my poetry…

I love it when poetry and science collide. You know, those books that include not only poetry, but also have a few facts thrown. One of my favorite 2011 CYBILS Poetry nominees was COUSINS OF CLOUDS, a book of poems and facts about elephants. This year's CYBILS nominees also include a couple of poem/fact books.

unBEElievables, one of Douglas Florian's newest books, is classic Florian- interesting information, clever word play, and gorgeous illustrations. Each two-page spread includes a poem, a paragraph of factual information, and then a gorgeous collage-type illustration. Here's a sample:

"Bees Buzz"
All day we bees
Just buzz and buzz
That's what we duzz
And duzz and duzz.
Why are we full
Of fuzz and fuzz?
Bee-cuzz bee-cuzz
The fuzz the fuzz
Helps pollen stick
To uzz to uzz.

Then the accompanying factual paragraph:

Bees beat their wings rapidly when they fly. This causes the air around them to vibrate, and the vibration causes bees' signature buzzing sound. The fuzzy hairs on bees' bodies have an electrostatic charge, which helps attract a flower's pollen grains.

Thirteen additional poems teach readers about bees' body parts, jobs (queen, worker, drone), dances, pollination and Colony Collapse Disorder. A BEEbliography includes books and websites where readers can find additional information.

TAKE TWO: A CELEBRATION OF TWINS is another poem/fact book. Two literary powerhouses, J. Patrick Lewis (a twin) and Jane Yolen (the niece, sister-in-law and grandmother of twins), have joined forces to write 45 poems about twins. There are sections  about "Twins in the Waiting Womb," "Twinfants," "How to be One," and "Famous Twins." And each two page spread includes at least one twin fact. Did you know that the study of twins is called gemellology? Or that identical twins have the same brain wave patterns? That there were 2,038 sets of twins at the Twins' Day Festival in Twinsburg, Ohio?

"Pairs"

We are not 

The only twos:

Socks come in pairs

As well as shoes.

Eyes are double

Hands and feet

Legs are twosome,

Ears repeat

All the best things

Come in two"

You with me

And me with you.

Don Graves used to always say that poets were a lot like scientists. Both have to observe the world very, very closely. Generally, I agree with just about anything Don Graves said, but I especially agree with that. It's great to find a few other authors that agree.

A PERFECT DAY- Carin Berger

So I am thinking about all of my friends in the Northeast. Many were without electricity and heat all week, had power restored over the weekend, and are now probably facing the same situation again this week. My heart goes out to them.

I also remember, however, how much I loved snowstorms. I grew up in Colorado, and we didn't have lots of snow days, but at least once or twice a year, the call would come that school was closed, and we would have the day to play outside, to sled on the hill on a cul-de-sac behind our house, to build snow forts and angels, and then to finally, to clump home, with frozen fingers, toes, and cheeks, and drink hot chocolate with miniature marshmallows.

A PERFECT DAY by Carin Berger, perfectly captures those kinds of days. The first few pages remind me of somewhat, of Ezra Jack Keats' A SNOWY DAY.

It snowed
         and snowed
and snowed
        and snowed

The whole world was white.

Emma got to make the first tracks in the snow…

Author Carin Berger follows Emma, her friends, and Otto the dog, as they skate, build snowmen, and make snow angels. One girl even sets up an icicle stand.

I loved, loved, loved the collage illustrations in this book. Carin Berger uses old catalogs, books, recipes, and ledgers to create the snow, a million shades of white and gray against a turquoise sky. And if I had a million dollars, I would be contacting Ms. Berger to ask if I could buy the picture of the snow angels, or the page when night falls, to hang in my living room. Gorgeous illustrations.

This is definitely one to add to your winter basket! Not only is it a perfect capturing of a winter day, but I'm guessing that it would draw writing out of a lot of kids. A PERFECT DAY is a perfect picture book!

REVIEW COPY PROVIDED BY PUBLISHER