Zoom! Boom! Bully by Jon Scieszka

Summary from the publisher:

Every time the trucks try to build something, Big Rig comes along, and - ZOOM! BOOM! - knocks it down!  What can they do to stop such a big bully?







In my quest to find new books to add to this blog everyday, I have a variety of types of books that I am looking for.  I keep my eye out for books I can recommend to my colleagues to use as a read aloud.  I look for books to use with my students in an intervention setting.  I even look for books that I might just like to read myself.  But recently, I have taken to looking for books that my oldest son can read.  He has recently really become quite the emergent reader.  He has had an interest in letters from a young age (he used to run to the fridge and come back with the magnetic letters and say "This is Mama's letter," while holding up the letter M.)  Recently, he has started asking how to spell everything and has even surprised us with reading whole books to us that he's never seen before.
Needless to say, I was glad to see this book come home in the library bag on a recent trip there with my husband.  I have this book in my classroom and could use it for interventions as well.  The repeated lines, large font and detailed illustrations would help any emergent or struggling reader have success.  Scholastic does give this a guided reading level of K, so truly emergent readers would need a lot of help.  There are some difficult vocabulary words that they would need a lot of help with (decorates, birthday, crates).  But there is a good theme in this story which is rare to see in a story as simple as this.
Jon Scieszka is known for his books that are geared towards males (not to mention, he is a Michigan born author- I always like to have a few authors in my classroom that I feature that come from Michigan).  He has written many books, most of which have a humorous side or are on a topic which relate to males.  He even has a site, www.guysread.com, which is designed to help motivate boys to become lifelong readers and learners.  I can certainly see many more of his stories crossing the doorway of my home in the years. to come.

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Summary from the Publisher:

Sixth-grader Miranda lives in 1978 New York City with her mother, and her life compass is Madeleine L'Enlge's A Wrinkle in Time.  When she receives a series of enigmatic notes that claim to want to save her life, she comes to believe that they are from someone who knows the future.  Miranda spends considerable time observing a raving vagrant who her mother calls the laughing man and trying to find the connection between the notes and her everyday life.  Discerning readers will realize the ties between Miranda's mystery and L'Engle's plot, but will enjoy hints of fantasy and descriptions of middle school dynamics.

Rebecca Stead's story was the 2010 Newberry Award winner and for good reason.  This fantasy/mystery story for young adult or adolescent readers will reach all types of readers because of its strong story line, plot twists and strong characters.  I am not one to typically like fantasy or science fiction stories.  I have a hard time visualizing the obscure features that sometimes occur in the genre and keeping track of characters.  However, this story immediately drew me in because of its realistic fiction style of writing.  In fact, it wasn't until I was part was through the story that I even realized that it wasn't a realistic fiction story at all.  By that point, I was so drawn into the story line that I needed to finish to reach a conclusion.  This story would again be a great read for any adolescent reader, especially those in a book club.  The chance to talk about what is happening will help to aid in the comprehension of a story that may be quite thought provoking.

Slob by Ellen Potter

Summary from the publisher:
Owen is the fattest- and smartest- seventh grader in his New York City school.  When he's not ducking the school bully or trying to survive the world's most sadistic P.E. teacher, he invents things.  Currently Own has two project- a TV that will show events in the past and a trap to catch the thief who keeps stealing the Oreos from his lunchbox.  There's a lot of middle school banter and adolescent dialogue.  However, what begins as a lighthearted adventure gradually takes on a darker tone.  Owen calls his invention Nemesis and insists that it needs to read exactly two years back.  As the story evolved, readers learn that there are places in town where he feels distinctly uncomfortable, and that he treasures a note that says only SLOB.  Step by step, Owen reveals the tragedy behind his concerns.  Two years earlier, he was hiding in the basement of the family store, listening as his parents were killed by an intruder.  Adopted by the 911 operator who took his call after the murders, he dreams of identifying the perpetrator.  Although Nemesis fails to solve the crime, Owen is finally able to find closure with help from his sister, their friends, and, surprisingly, from the dreaded bully himself.  A sensitive, touching, and sometimes heartbreakingly funny picture of middle school life.

I picked up this story last summer while I was at Teacher's College in NYC for the Reading Workshop Institute.  It was one of the stories that one of the book clubs read and it sounded interesting as I listened to the club talk about it.  This book is aimed at middle school readers, so it surprised me that I got so hooked to this story (okay, maybe not too surprised).  But I picked this book up and finished it quickly (a plane ride home from NYC in fact) because I was drawn into the many different facets of this story and trying to figure out how they all worked together to create a complete picture of the main character, Owen.  I think that I was able to really relate to the character in many ways.  Not so much his story line and the events in his life, but more a connection to his emotions and feelings.  This story would easily allow a middle school student to relate to the story line whether male or female and they too would fall in love with Owen and learn how to face the many challenges that come along with being an adolescent.

Zero's Slider by Matt Christopher

Summary from the Publisher:

Zero Ford wants to be an exceptional pitcher but it is not until he injures his hand that he discovers he can now throw a "slider"- a pitch guaranteed to strike out any batter.  But can he duplicate his success when the bandage is removed from his hand?  And, will the Peach Street Mudders be able to play if the coach is unable to find a substitute for himself while he is on vacation?  Zero finally musters up enough courage to try pitching without the bandage and to ask his uncle to take over coaching the team and all works out well in the end.



I have to admit that I didn't actually come across this book on my own.  My husband and son found them at the library this summer and my son (who is a 4 year old, baseball fanatic) has really taken a liking to this series of books.  My husband read many of Matt Christopher's books when he was a kid, so he is kind of reliving his childhood during their nightly read aloud.  So, I haven't even technically read this book but listened to my husband read it to him.  My son loves listening to it and is excited to be listening to a chapter book.  However, the chapters are a good length and there are black-and-white illustrations in each chapter to help with the visualization of the text for the early chapter book readers (or listeners).  This series would be a great addition to any young readers collection if they love baseball.  Zero is faced with the task of trying to overcome a difficulty which will leave young readers wondering if he'll be able to do it.  Older readers many find a little bit of predictability in the story line, but will still find enjoyment as they turn the pages.

So B. It by Sarah Weeks

Summary from the Publisher:

You couldn't really tell about Mama's brain just from looking at her, but it was obvious as soon as she spoke.  She had a high voice, like a little girl's, and she only knew 23 words.  I know this for a fact, because we kept a list of the things Mama said tacked to the inside of the kitchen cabinet.  Most of the words were common ones, like good and more and hot, but there was one word only my mother said: soof.  Although she lives an unconventional lifestyle with her mentally disabled mother and their doting neighbor, Bernadette, Heidi has a lucky streak that has a way of pointing her in the right direction.  When a mysterious word in her mother's vocabulary begins to haunt her, Heidi's thirst for the truth leads her on a cross-country journey in search of the secrets of her past.  


I picked up this book at our end of the year Scholastic book fair.  Although it looked like a tear jerker, which it was at times, I had to pick it up.  This would be a wonderful read aloud for upper elementary or middle school because of the strong female character who strives to figure out who she really is.  It is really for mature readers but they will really be able to relate to the young teen in this book who is driven by her curiosity.  This book would be great for a social issues book club for students in grades 5-6.   

The Sandwich Swap by Her Majesty Queen Rania AlAbdullah

Summary from the publisher:

Lily and Salma are best friends.  They like doing all the same things- jumping rope, drawing pictures, playing on the swings.  And they always eat lunch together.  Sure, they don't eat the same lunch.  Lily eats peanut butter and Salma eats hummus- but what's that between friends?  It turns out, a lot.





It seems that I've come across books with a theme of understanding and diversity to start off my 365 blog.  I'm okay with that though because many teachers are looking for books like this to start off the new year.  This is yet another winner if that's what you're looking to do.  This book was written along with Kelly DiPucchio and beautifully illustrated by Tricia Tusa.  This story was inspired by a real life experience Her Majesty Queen Rania had in her childhood.  It has been featured on Oprah and has received high praise from many people including former President Clinton and Maria Shriver.  I quickly understood why.

As I read the story to my oldest son (who is 4 years old), he quickly understood what the message of this story was.  He told me that this story "...started out good, but then got bad and then got good again.  The girls learned about each other."  It shares a great message of tolerance and teaches readers to take the time to get to know each other and see a different point of view before judging someone else.  We may learn about them and ourselves as well.  Another great beginning of the year story!

The Junkyard Wonders by Patricia Polacco

Summary from the publisher:

When young Trisha finds out her class at the new school is known as "The Junkyard," she is devastated.  She moved from her old town so she wouldn't be in a special class anymore!  But then she meets her teacher, the quirky and invincible Mrs. Peterson, and her classmates, an oddly brilliant group of students each with his or her own unique talent.  And it is here, in The Junkyard, that Trisha learns the true meaning of genius, and that this group of misfits are, in fact, wonders, all of them.  Based on a real-life event in Patricia Polacco's childhood, this ode to teachers will inspire all readers to find their inner genius.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I absolutely adore Patricia Polacco and all of her books.  I heard her speak at the Michigan Reading Association Conference in Detroit last year and was moved to tears.  She is an incredible storyteller and has the kindest, most gentle heart.  These traits translate into each and every one of her stories.  I don't think that I could choose just one to call my favorite.

This was my most recent find because it is one of her newest additions.  In typical Polacco fashion, she has chosen to write about herself in a personal narrative.  In this story, she again tells a story of her struggles with learning disorders as a child and what she learns along the way through the help of an extraordinary teacher (similar to Thank You, Mr. Falker).  She has managed to bring tears to my eyes in yet another story through the characters and emotions she shares throughout the entire book.

The Junkyard Wonders would not only be a great book to use when teaching about acceptance and understanding of difference, but it would also be a great book to use with teachers.  As a teacher, I began to think about each of my students, especially since the students I work with each have struggles in the area of reading.  How could I help them to read their full potential in a unique way and allow them to see that they are awesome just the way they are?

Alfred Zector, Book Collector by Kelly DiPucchio

Summary from the publisher:

In his warm, weathered house, stuffed in crannies and nooks, were heaps, rows, and stacks of beloved bound books. The only thing that brings Alfred Zector joy is collecting books. And so he sets out on a mission to collect every last one, until his home on the hill is stretched at the seams with books big and small. But what happens when the rest of the townspeople have nothing left to read? In this clever rhyming story, Alfred Zector discovers what it means to find true joy in a good book.

I chose this as my first book because we are going to be using it as our One School, One Book for the year.  I love the theme behind the story.  Alfred collects all the books in town and no one else has anything to read.  He spends years locked up in his home reading the books and the whole town gets very sad.  At the same time, Alfred gets sad as well and realizes that he needs to share the books with other people.  This theme is something that we are going to share with our students throughout the year, especially at the beginning of the year.  We are going to be having the author, Kelly DiPucchio, visit our school and share what she does as an author and reader.  I am very excited and glad that I work with great people who are helping to make this happen.  This is a great story for introducing the reader's workshop in the first few days or weeks of school.

A Book-a-Day Project

As I have been spending far too much time on blogs this summer, I came across Donalyn Miller's blog through Education Teacher Weekly.  She has a great post called Book-A-Day and made a wonderful suggestion for reading a book a day throughout the entire summer.  But this got me thinking, why not read a book a day for the whole year.  This will mean that I most likely won't be reading too many chapter books, but would be spending more of my time diving into possible mentor texts.  I'm going to keep my eyes open for books to be used in all subject areas, not just reading and writing.  Why I'm starting today, July 23, is beyond me and we'll see how this goes with 3 kids under the age of 4 in my house, but it will be fun to look back and see what I find.