The Reading Year in Review

Hello everyone!

A belated Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to everyone. I hope that you are excited about the upcoming New Year. I have been looking forward to this post for quite a while - a chance to total up all of the reading I did in 2014. I tried to remember to post all of my books, although I may have missed a few, I think it's a pretty good list of the books I've read this year.

Drumroll please...

245 books read this year!

I'm feeling pretty good about that number. A lot of different types of books and genres including: 128 picture books, 97 chapter books (easy readers, elementary, middle grade, and young adult), and 21 grown-up books. Also, of the 245 books, 27 were audiobooks. I love audiobooks for squeezing in reading time!

I've never kept track of the books I've read before, and I have to say I love it. I can look back at the list and think about different times of the year and what was going on in our lives. It helps my rusty memory! I'm already looking forward to starting next year's list tomorrow.

Happy reading everyone and Happy New Year's! Looking forward to lots of literary moments in 2015! Also thanks so much for reading my blog this year - I really appreciate it.

Reading recommendations for 3rd and 4th graders

Hi everyone,

One of our assignments in Youth Programs this year was to come up with a Booktalk Bookmark for 3rd and 4th graders recommending books in a certain genre. My choice was CSI Files (mystery, detective stories). Of our ten selections, eight had to be from the past two years, and only two could be older titles.

I think it's a pretty good list so I wanted to share, especially if you are shopping for someone in this age range. I think you'd find something for every reading level with this group. First I list the titles, as they would appear on a bookmark, and then you'll see a description and the reasons I selected the particular titles.

Enjoy!

Booktalk Bookmark

Theme: CSI Files for 3^rd and 4^th graders

Bookmark titles:

Agatha, Girl of Mystery: The Curse of the Pharaoh written by Steven Stevenson, illustrated by Stefano Turconi

Ballpark Mysteries: The Astro Outlaw written by David A. Kelly, illustrated by Mark Meyers

Capture the Flag by Kate Messner

Case Closed? Nine Mysteries Unlocked by Modern Science, written by Susan Hughes, illustrated by Michael Wandelmaier

The Chicken Squad: The First Misadventure, written by Doreen Cronin, illustrated by Kevin Cornell

Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective, written by Donald J. Sobol

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, written by Chris Grabenstein

Nancy Clancy: Super Sleuth, written by Jane O’Connor, illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser

Platypus Police Squad: The Frog Who Croaked by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Super Sniffers: Dog Detectives on the Job by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent

Descriptions:

Agatha, Girl of Mystery #1: The Curse of the Pharaoh written by Steven Stevenson, illustrated by Stefano Turconi, Grosset & Dunlap, 2013, ISBN 9780448462172

- A young Agatha Christie is on the case in this series of mysteries. In this book, 12-year-old Agatha is an international detective, investigating a stolen Egyptian artifact. I picked this title because of the appeal of series to this age group. I also liked having a girl detective role model. This series is a good choice for kids who enjoyed Cam Jansen. Perhaps it will inspire kids to read the real Agatha Christie novels when they get older.

Ballpark Mysteries #4: The Astro Outlaw written by David A. Kelly, illustrated by Mark Meyers, Random House Books for Young Readers, 2012, ISBN 9780375868832

- In this series, baseball and mystery are combined to guarantee a hit among fans of both genres. Each book in the series is set in a different ballpark across the country, and gives history and facts about the stadiums. In this book, two cousins try and solve a mystery at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. I picked this particular title in the series since it is set in Texas. Also, sports are a big part of a lot of kids’ lives and I thought it would appeal to sports fans. I also liked having a more “boy-friendly” title to balance out the Agatha and Nancy Clancy selections, although this series has a boy and girl main characters, so hopefully it will appeal to both boys and girls.

Capture the Flag by Kate Messner

Scholastic Press, 2012, ISBN 9780545395397

- This fast-paced mystery combines adventure with history. A group of three kids are on a race to save the famous flag that inspired the “Star-Spangled Banner”. I think fans of the National Treasure movies should jump into this story. It is selected on many recommended reading lists, as well as winning the Crystal Kite award for New York. It includes a diverse cast of characters. There are also two sequels, so if the kids enjoy it they can continue in the series.

Case Closed? Nine Mysteries Unlocked by Modern Science, written by Susan Hughes, illustrated by Michael Wandelmaier, Kids Can Press, 2010, ISBN 9781554533626

- This nonfiction selection uses science to try and find an answer to some of history’s unsolved mysteries. There are nine mysteries, including disappearing cities, leaders, and explorers. This title is especially appealing for inquisitive kids and is a great combination of science and history.

The Chicken Squad: The First Misadventure, written by Doreen Cronin, illustrated by Kevin Cornell, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2014, ISBN 9781442496767

- The chicks from the popular J.J. Tully mystery series are heading out on their own to solve mysteries and fight crime. I chose this book because this series is an easy introduction into the mystery genre for independent chapter readers.  I was also trying to have a nice range of reading levels on the bookmark, since 3^rd and 4^th graders can vary quite a bit in their reading ability.

Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective, written by Donald J. Sobol

Puffin, 2007 (reprint), ISBN 9780142408889

- The classic neighborhood detective Encyclopedia Brown never fails to solve a case, and the kids get to try and solve it along with him. Answers to how Encyclopedia solves the crimes are given at the back of the book. I picked this book because it remains a popular series, especially for kids who like to try and figure out puzzles. Whether the kids solve it themselves, or just flip to the back and are amazed by Encyclopedia’s power of deduction, it’s a fun and interesting read. Plus, there are a lot of books in the series, so it lends itself to further reading for those who enjoy it.

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, written by Chris Grabenstein

Random House Books for Young Readers, 2013, ISBN 978-0375870897

- The eccentric Mr. Lemoncello challenges a group of kids to solve the mystery of the town’s newly designed state-of-the-art library. Investigative puzzle clues pave the way to discovering the library’s hidden secrets. It’s an especially good choice for avid readers, who may appreciate all the references to books within the mystery. It is listed on many recommended reading lists, an ALSC notable book, Kirkus and Booklist starred reviews, and a New York Times bestseller.

Nancy Clancy: Super Sleuth, written by Jane O’Connor, illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser, Harper Collins, 2012, ISBN 9780062082930

- Fancy Nancy is growing up and solving mysteries, inspired by Nancy Drew. I included this title to especially appeal to kids who liked the colorful Fancy Nancy picture books, but are ready to move onto longer chapter books. The Fancy Nancy series also includes vocabulary as part of the stories, and the pattern of introducing new words continues with this chapter book series.

Platypus Police Squad: The Frog Who Croaked by Jarrett J. Krosoczka,

Walden Pond Press, 2013, ISBN 9780062071644

- The Platypus Police Squad is on the case. In this nod to classic police buddy tales, the newbie and the old timer team up to try and figure out who is behind the disappearance of a favorite teacher. This book is the first in a new series written by the author of the popular Lunch Lady graphic novels, which should increase the appeal factor. It is also on the Bluebonnet list, which I hoped would create some crossover interest between the two lists.

Super Sniffers: Dog Detectives on the Job by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent

Bloomsbury USA Children, 2014 ISBN 978-0802736185

- In this nonfiction title, kids can learn about how dogs play the role of detective. The colorful pictures and engaging stories are sure to entice animal lovers. I picked this title because it was such an interesting topic for kids to learn about. Plus, animal books are very popular for this age group and will appeal to both boys and girls.

 

App Review for Youth Programs class - Don't Let the Pigeon Run This App!

Greetings everyone!

Many writers and publishers are investigating the potential that Apps have to tell stories with digital media. Some supplement a book, some are digital versions of the book, and publishers are continuing to try and find new ways to catch the attention of young digital natives and their parents (along with their many, many media devices).

While I'm definitely not looking for more time in front of a screen for my kids, it is part of the world we live in today. So, I do like when I find a particularly good app for the kids to enjoy. For my Youth Programs class, we had to review an educational/literature-based app. Here's my review for Don't Let the Pigeon Run this App! based on the books by Mo Willems:

“Don’t Let the Pigeon Run This App!” By Mo Willems (and you!)

This app is based on the character of Pigeon from Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, created by three-time Caldecott honoree Mo Willems. The app is sold by Disney Publishing Worldwide Applications and is compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. The app currently requires iOS 5.1 or later to run, and is 263 MB. It is rated for ages 4 and up. The app is $5.99.

The “Don’t Let the Pigeon Run This App!” is designed for both entertainment and to encourage storytelling and imagination. In the app, children can create their own version of the Pigeon story along with the help of the character of the Bus Driver. For the Create Your Own Story option, there are three developmental levels: Egg, Chick, and Big Pigeon. In the Egg level, the stories are already created and the kids listen to them. In the Chick level, the child is given a choice of responses to choose from to create the story. There is also a Read button, which will let kids read along with the stories in the Egg and Little Chick levels. In the Big Pigeon level, the children are allowed to give their own range of responses to questions by speaking answers into the device’s microphone. Kids can save up to six of the Big Pigeon stories to listen to at a later time.

In addition to the Create Your own Story game, there is also a Draw the Pigeon game. In this portion, kids use their finger to draw a pigeon (or whatever they want). If they want to learn how to draw the Pigeon himself, there is a very easy-to-follow tutorial hosted by Mo Willems. Once finished with their drawings, kids have the option to save the picture to the device’s photo library.

There is also a “Boring Stuff” section. This section includes directions to the apps games, as well as copyright and publisher information, and information on Mo Willem’s Pigeon books. This section is the only one that includes any sort of advertising, and it does offer the option to share an email address to receive information about new mobile apps and offers from Disney books. It does require entering your birth date, as a precaution to keep people under the age of 18 from signing up, but as in many apps, this information could be easily falsified. Tie-ins to Willem’s other characters, such as the Duckling or Elephant and Piggie are also mentioned in some of the games.

This app is very kid-friendly, of professional quality, and easy to use. It fits in nicely with lessons on ways to develop and write stories, and encourages kids to have fun using their imagination and creativity. It receives high reviews from app review sources such as Curious Little Apps, Little eLit, Common Sense Media, and the Apple app store. The graphics are simple, appealing, and done in the style of the Pigeon books, so children familiar with the books will recognize Willem’s drawing style. For those kids who haven’t read the books, this app will most likely compel them to seek out Pigeon’s print stories as well.

The app is interactive in that it encourages kids to come up with their own new versions of the Pigeon story. It requires the kids to shake the device and speak into the microphone, as well as tap the screen. Most of the technical issues seem to stem from customers having trouble getting the microphone to work, but that question is addressed on the app store page.

This app could be easily enjoyed at library storytime, from Toddler to Elementary age, in place of or in addition to any of the Pigeon/Mo Willems storybooks. Depending on the technology available (is there a microphone that works?) and the age of the audience, any of the three levels of the app could be used in a group setting. It can also be used in a classroom or school library. This app could be used on in-house library iPad devices. Although that does bring up a concern in my mind because of the create your own story feature. I am guessing that saved versions would need to be checked from time to time to make sure that no inappropriate or vulgar phrases were recorded and saved on the device. I know this can be an issue with some publicly used apps/games from time to time. So while it could work in a general computer setting, I would think it would be more advantageous in a storytime or small group setting.  

Personal anecdote: Our family discovered this app when my son was four, and he still absolutely loves it at the age of six. I would have thought the novelty of it would have worn out, but the ability to continually create new and original stories keeps the appeal alive. Even my teenagers love to get on this app. It is an especially fun one for multi-age levels to play together and come up with silly stories, so I like that aspect as well.

 References: 

"Don't Let the Pigeon Run This App!" App Store. Apple Inc., updated 1 May 2013. Web. 1 Dec. 2014. <https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dont-let-pigeon-run-this-app!/id459749670?mt=8>.

Healy, Christopher. "Don't Let The Pigeon Run This App! - App Review." Don't Let The Pigeon Run This App! App Review. Common Sense Media, 2011. Web. 1 Dec. 2014. <https://www.commonsensemedia.org/app-reviews/dont-let-the-pigeon-run-this-app>.

Jones, Bradley. "IPads in Storytime: Skokie Public Library Primary Time." Little ELit. Little ELit, 10 Feb. 2013. Web. 1 Dec. 2014. <http://littleelit.com/2013/02/10/ipads-in-storytime-skokie-public-library-primary-time/>.

Stewart, Libby. "Curious Little Apps: Don't Let the Pigeon Run This App." Curious Little Apps: Don't Let the Pigeon Run This App. Curious Little Apps, 19 Aug. 2013. Web. 1 Dec. 2014. <http://curiouslittleapps.com/dont-let-the-pigeon-run-this-app/>.

December SCBWI Houston Book Report

Hi everyone!

We got into the Holiday spirit at the Houston SCBWI meeting this month. I hope that everyone enjoyed the games we played. It was lots of fun coming up with them for y'all.

Here's the book report titles from this month's meeting:

The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson (YA)
Viking Juvenile ISBN 9780670012091

Super Sniffers: Dog Detectives on the Job by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent (NF)
Bloomsbury USA Children ISBN 9780802736185 

Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen (PB)
Candlewick ISBN 9780763662295