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Kids' Caldecott Club is up and running!

In our first session, we talked about the Caldecott award, and about how the Caldecott committee works. We talked about layers, theme, and tone in story, and what we will look for as we hunt for the most distinguished picture books of 2016.

 
Here's one - Alan's Big Scary Teeth by Jarvis.
I asked the kids to tell me what kind of tone or mood they predicted it might have.
"Funny."

 
The Tree in the Courtyard by Jeff Gottesfeld, ill. by Peter McCarty
shows a different tone - historical, poignant.

 
The Night Gardener by the Fan Brothers
feels mysterious and intricate

Henry and Leo by Pamela Zagarienski
has a soft and ethereal mood.

We're starting with about 28 books this year because we only have so much time.
It would be lovely to absolutely roll in a roomful of books, but considering that we are working with after-school hours, 28 books is perfect. 


Our wonderful librarian Martha helped as we evaluated two books with our ballots this week.

First, we examined the cover, jacket flaps, endpapers, copyright page.
We looked for interesting notes about the making of the book.

Next, we "read" the pictures all through, page by page, without words.
We searched for themes, color, mood, point of view, excellent details.

Then, I read the book aloud.

We asked ourselves what the book was about.
We asked what else it was about.
We looked for details to support our ideas,
nuances in text and art, in layout, in font.
We asked ourselves if the text and illustrations wove well together, or clashed.

We asked if the book would appeal to kids, if kids would be excited about that book.

We filled out our ballots and put them in their matching envelopes.

Exciting!

Here are the books we examined this week:

We All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel


The Music in George's Head : George Gershwin Creates Rhapsody in Blue
by Suzanne Slade, illustrated by Stacy Innerst
Another wowzer!

Kids pointed out that the illustrations are done in browns and blues,
which seemed fitting considering that it's about Rhapsody in Blue.
They liked the playful hand lettering,
and the way the story begins, crescendos, and ends.
We listened to Rhapsody in Blue as we tidied up.
What a jazzy bright delight!

I love my library!



Stay tuned for updates as our Caldecott Club continues.
I'll post notes on our ballot and criteria next time.

If you're a local friend, you're welcome to join us!

We're meeting Thursdays 

at the Jefferson County Library in Port Hadlock

from 3:45-4:45 p.m.

See more info here.

Except on Thanksgiving.
That's reserved for the turkey eating club.

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Kids announced both the ALA winners, and our Mock Caldecott winners.
Our committee results:

Our Mock Caldecott Gold Medal :  Out of the Woods by Rebecca Bond.

And then, honor awards for all eight of our runners up:

The Bear Ate Your Sandwich - by Julia Sarcone Roach
Mango, Abuela, and Me - by Meg Medina and Angela Dominguez
A Fine Dessert - by Emily Jenkins and Sophie Blackall
Thank You and Good Night - by Patrick McDonnell
If You Plant a Seed - by Kadir Nelson
The Whisper - by Pamela Zagarenski
In a Village by the Sea - Muon Van and April Chu

And then, the entire library voted on the People's Choice Award. 
The winner was Sonya's Chickens by Phoebe Wahl. 



In the book "A Fine Dessert," blackberry fool is made by four families, over four centuries, with different implements.
Our children's librarian Martha Ashenfelter had a brilliant idea.
Why not have our committee make the same dessert
using the same implements?
They loved it! 
Delicious!

What a sweet finish to a wonderful party.
Thank you, Martha.
Thank you, Mock Caldecott committee.
I hope we can talk and mock Caldecotts again soon.

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Here's to books that dream,
and to books that spark readers and dreamers!

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Our Top Nine Finalists:

In a Village by the Sea - by Muon Van, illustrated by April Chu

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As promised, here is a link to the ballot. It will be open until 9 a.m. (EST) Tuesday. That’s tomorrow. Around noon Tuesday, Jan. 5 we will post the results of the first ballot AND a link to the second and final ballot.

For those who want to think some more before voting, here (below) is the list again. Please go ahead and lobby for your favorites in the comments. You are also allowed to mourn for the books that didn’t make it onto the ballot. But even if you are mourning, please do go ahead and vote! (And also please remember our plea from last Wednesday not to use social media to drum up meaningless votes.)

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Calling Caldecott 2016 first ballot titles:

Here are the 25 titles we have chosen to appear on our 2016 Mock Caldecott ballot:

1. The Bear Ate Your Sandwich (Julia Sarcone-Roach)
2. Bird & Diz (Ed Young)
3. Boats for Papa (Jessixa Bagley)
4. Drowned City (Don Brown)
5. Drum Dream Girl (Rafael López)
6. Finding Winnie (Sophie Blackall)
7. Float (Daniel Miyares)
8. If You Plant a Seed (Kadir Nelson)
9. In a Village by the Sea (April Chu)
10. It’s Only Stanley (Jon Agee)
11. Last Stop on Market Street (Christian Robinson)
12. Lenny & Lucy (Erin E. Stead)
13. My Bike (Byron Barton)
14. My Pen (Christopher Myers)
15. The Night World (Mordicai Gerstein)
16. Out of the Woods (Rebecca Bond)
17. Tricky Vic (Greg Pizzoli)
18. Two Mice (Sergio Ruzzier)
19. Voice of Freedom (Ekua Holmes)
20. Wait (Antoinette Portis)
21. Waiting (Kevin Henkes)
22. Water Is Water (Jason Chin)
23. When Sophie’s Feelings Are Really, Really Hurt (Molly Bang)
24. The Whisper (Pamela Zagarenski)
25. Wolfie the Bunny (Zachariah OHora)

The post Calling Caldecott 2016 ballot #1 now open appeared first on The Horn Book.

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This year, Calling Caldecott has zoomed by! It’s not just our imagination. Last year there were 22 weeks between Labor Day and ALA; this year, only 18. But it feels rushed every year because there are so many good books out there. Even posting three times a week — and sometimes two books to a post — will leave us with books left out.

After looking back over the comments and at which books made it onto your Top Five lists, Martha and I have come up with a ballot of 25 books. Don’t think for a moment that it was easy. We worry that whatever eventually wins the real Caldecott might not be on our ballot, and we both had moments of sadness when we realized that a favorite wasn’t likely to be a contender. This stage is just as difficult for the Real Committee. I remember those pre-vote moments when it felt as if I was saying goodbye to a best friend who was moving away. The fact that it is inevitable doesn’t make it hurt any less.

Here are the 25 titles we have chosen to appear on our 2016 Mock Caldecott ballot:

1. The Bear Ate Your Sandwich (Julia Sarcone-Roach)
2. Bird & Diz (Ed Young)
3. Boats for Papa (Jessixa Bagley)
4. Drowned City (Don Brown)
5. Drum Dream Girl (Rafael López)
6. Finding Winnie (Sophie Blackall)
7. Float (Daniel Miyares)
8. If You Plant a Seed (Kadir Nelson)
9. In a Village by the Sea (April Chu)
10. It’s Only Stanley (Jon Agee)
11. Last Stop on Market Street (Christian Robinson)
12. Lenny & Lucy (Erin E. Stead)
13. My Bike (Byron Barton)
14. My Pen (Christopher Myers)
15. The Night World (Mordicai Gerstein)
16. Out of the Woods (Rebecca Bond)
17. Tricky Vic (Greg Pizzoli)
18. Two Mice (Sergio Ruzzier)
19. Voice of Freedom (Ekua Holmes)
20. Wait (Antoinette Portis)
21. Waiting (Kevin Henkes)
22. Water Is Water (Jason Chin)
23. When Sophie’s Feelings Are Really, Really Hurt (Molly Bang)
24. The Whisper (Pamela Zagarenski)
25. Wolfie the Bunny (Zachariah OHora)

We’re assuming that you all have New Years events to attend, so this is our last post for the week. When our vote goes live at 9 a.m. Monday morning, this blog truly becomes a Mock Caldecott.

Since Robin is temporarily sidelined, I get to be the heavy who pleads with you all to vote, but please do not make this a popularity contest by sending the ballot link to all and sundry with instructions to vote for your favorites. We want all of our voters to be serious about books. If you haven’t read every single title, that’s okay. But do try to read as many as you can before voting. Please DO send this list to others who know this year’s picture books but haven’t necessarily been following the blog.

As you revisit your favorites, remember that you will vote exactly as the real Caldecott Committee does: you will vote for three books: your first, second, and third choices. When the ballot closes, we will weight them differently. The number of first place vote will be multiplied by 4, second place by 3, and third place by 2. So it’s important to decide not just your top three, but what order you want them to be on the ballot.

Here’s the schedule. All times listed are Eastern Standard Time.

Right now!	Discussion of books on ballot
9 a.m. Monday, Jan. 4	Ballot 1 open for voting
9 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 5	Voting on ballot 1 ends
Noon Tuesday, Jan. 5	Ballot 1 results announced on Calling Caldecott
Noon Tuesday, Jan. 5	Ballot 2 opens
9 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 6	Voting ends
Noon Wednesday, Jan. 6	Calling Caldecott mock vote results posted

 

At this point the Real Committee is busy rereading all their nominated books, making notes on what they appreciate and what concerns them. (Experience tells me that a lot of time will given to the concerns. Each member has to be ready to defend against others’ concerns and to lay out their own concerns in a way that the others can hear. Minds will have to be changed!) The Real Committee starts face-to-face deliberations on Friday, January 8, so they are down to the wire, just as we are here.

And now we would love to hear pleas for your favorite books in the comment section below. Have a happy New Year and we’ll see you Monday when you vote.

The post Pre-voting instructions + ballot 1 choices appeared first on The Horn Book.

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In preparation for the SLJ Pre-Game / Post-Game Show each year I try to collect all the Mock elections for Newbery or Caldecott or Printz or Sibert or Coretta Scott King or really anything that’s out there.  It’s mildly exhausting and you’re always bound to miss someone somewhere.  Last year I dutifully collected the Mocks in a post but it still seemed strange that I was the only one compiling them.  Happily this year ALSC is doing the work for me.  The following message was posted on several children’s literature listservs.  If you’ve a Mock Election coming up (or that has already happened) please note the following (and check out the huge amount of winners they’ve already posted!!).

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Every year, libraries and schools around North America offer Mock Election programs in preparation for the annual Youth Media Awards.  These discussions are a great opportunity for children?s literature aficionados to gather and discuss a topic they love, and to learn more about some of the great, recently published books for kids.

A page is being developed on the ALSC Blog with as many of the results from this year’s Mock Elections as can be found. Check it out here. You can also find this tab on the homepage of the ALSC Blog.

If you are a library, school, bookstore, discussion group, blog, MLIS class, or other group of interested readers, we’d love to include the results of your mock elections of young people’s literature.  Send off the names of your mock winner and honor titles to [email protected] with other pertinent information you would like to share, including the name of your library, your city/state, a url to your library and/or Mock Election site, the number of participants, and a contact name & email for further information. We look forward to posting a wide variety of results!

Check back often to see what titles are being selecting in Youth Media Award Mock Elections, feel free to share this page widely, and stay tuned to find out the real winners as they are announced at the Midwinter Conference on January 11, 2016 in Boston.

Happy reading!  Happy discussing!

Mary

Mary R. Voors

ALSC Blog manager

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Every year libraries and schools around the United States offer Mock Election programs in preparation for the annual Youth Media Awards. These discussions are a great opportunity for children’s literature aficionados to gather and talk about a topic they love and to learn more about some of the great, recently published books for kids.

We are developing a page on the ALSC Blog with many of the results from this year’s Mock Elections around the country. Check it out here. You can also find this tab on the homepage of the ALSC Blog.

So far, we have some results from:

• Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana
• Eastern Shore Libraries
• Lane Libraries, the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, and other nearby schools in southwest Ohio
• Massachusetts Library System

We’d love to include your Mock Election. If you are willing to have us post your results, just send off the names of your mock winner and honor titles to [email protected] with other pertinent information you would like to share, including the name of your library, your city/state, a url to your library and/or Mock Election site, the number of participants, and a contact name & email for further information.

We look forward to posting a wide variety of results. Check back often to see what titles libraries and schools are selecting this year in their Youth Media Award Mock Elections. And stay tuned to find out the real winners as they are announced at the Midwinter Conference on January 11, 2016 in Boston.

The post Mock Election Results appeared first on ALSC Blog.

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 Oh, the yummy books!

Children's librarian Martha Ashenfelter and I created ballots with four voting categories.
I thought it might be fun to share how we're teaching our committee to vote.

1. Excellence

We examine each book - its design, how the pages feel,
the endpapers, the copyright page.

We try to figure out the art medium used,
whether fancy research was done,
if the art is consistent, stunning, unique.

"In a Village By the Sea" by Muon Van, illustrated by April Chu

We noticed the book "A Fine Dessert" by Emily Jenkins and Sophie Blackall, a book about blackberry dessert, is partly painted with blackberry juice. That's a pretty tasty detail.

Nikki McClure's book "In" is made from paper cuts.

Vincent X. Kirsch's illustrations in "Gingerbread for Liberty" are made to look like gingerbread. More deliciousness.

In - by Nikki McClure

2. Appropriateness

We consider how well the art and the text work together to fill up the story.
Is there a tone or mood to the words,
and do the pictures complement it?

We look at layers -
we ask ourselves what that story is really about,
and then, what else is it about?

The Bear Ate Your Sandwich - by Julia Sarcone-Roach

3. Importance

By "reading" the book first without words,
we figure out if the illustrations give us clues, if they tell some of the story.

Then we read it a second time with words, scrutinize how the text is represented,
if the pictures and words are perfectly matched,
or if they give too much away.

We look for details, hints, clues within the story and pictures
that might add to the wow of the book.

If You Plant a Seed - Kadir Nelson

4. Appeal

And then we ask if we'd want to pick the book up,
if we think it would appeal to kids. 
How much do we love that particular book?
 
Voters score books from 1-5 in each category,
and slip their ballot in its book envelope.
I have my favorites, but I have to keep mum.  

Some of our nominees:

Finding Winnie: the true story of the world's most famous bear
    - by Lindsay Mattick, illustrated by Sophie Blackall
Sidewalk Flowers by JonArno Lawson, illustrated by Sydney Smith
It's Only Stanley by Jon Agee
Water is Water by Miranda Paul, illustrated by Jason ChinIn by Nikki McClure
If You Plant a Seed by Kadir Nelson
Gingerbread for Liberty by Maria Rockcliff, illustrated by Vincent X. Kirsch
The Night World by Mordecai Gerstein
The Bear Ate Your Sandwich by Julia Sarcone-Roach

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The fall is whooshing by, and here at Calling Caldecott we’ve just about covered the spring 2015 titles (those published from January thru June) —whew! — and are ready to move on to discussing the fall season’s books. But time feels short.

With ALA Midwinter being so early this year, perhaps you’ve already begun to organize your local school or library Mock Caldecott discussions. We’d love to hear about them — from your shortlists to your process to the outcomes.

Here’s a link, if you’re interested, to a post Robin wrote a few years ago about her own classroom process.

Please share your experiences below. Thank you!

 

The post A Call for Mocks! appeared first on The Horn Book.

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My children’s lit students just met for the last time, and we spent most of our three-hour class in mock book award groups. I had been thinking about trying mock awards in this short six-week module for a few years, but this year Maleka Donaldson Gramling, the terrific course TF, thought it would be worth reconfiguring some tried and true aspects of the course to make room for this lengthy process. I am happy to report that it was worth it. The students had lively and informed discussions and proved that they really have learned a few things over the past few weeks.

In working out the logistics, I relied heavily on advice from Calling Caldecott readers. With 23 students and a handful of auditors, we ended up with four committees: two for Caldecott and one each for Geisel and Sibert. Each student nominated one or two books and tonight they completed the project, meeting in committees (we separated the two Caldecotts into two different rooms), presenting each book, discussing, and voting. You can see a photo of the results above. Here is the full list.

Caldecott committee #1 had an even number of members and after several ballots were still in a dead tie. The final decision was made by coin toss:

• Winner:
  The Adventures of Beekle by Dan Santat
• Honor Book:
  The Iridescence of Birds by Patricia MacLachlan, illustrated by Hadley Hooper

Caldecott committee #2 had a more traditional experience:

• Winner:
  The Noisy Paintbox by Barb Rosenstock, illustrated by Mary GrandPre
• Honor Books:
  - Nana in the City by Lauren Castillo
  - The Iridescence of Birds by Patricia MacLachlan, illustrated by Hadley Hooper

Geisel committee choices:

• Winner:
  You are (Not) Small by Anna Kang, illustrated by Christopher Weyant
• Honor Book:
  Tippy and the Night Parade by Lilly Carré

And the Sibert committee — the largest group — chose:

• Winner:
  Eye to Eye by Steve Jenkins
• Honor Books:
  – The Right Word by Jen Bryant, illustrated by Melissa Sweet
  – The Noisy Paintbox by Barb Rosenstock, illustrated by Mary GrandPre

The deliberations were fueled by snacks and each group had an instructor t0 help keep discussion focused on award criteria. I am so grateful to Maleka for moderating the Geisel group and to Lauren Adams (unofficial discussion facilitator and Adolescent Lit instructor) who oversaw the Sibert group. I bounced between the two rooms and helped the Caldecott groups.

What do you all think? Students? Other blog readers? Do you like their results? After all, part of the real committee experience is dealing with the post-decision social media fallout.

The post Mock book award results | 2015 appeared first on The Horn Book.

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This year my library hosted our first ever Mock Newbery! We hosted it just for staff, but I think it would be great to host one with our patrons someday as well. 

We had a shortlist of six titles that we read and discussed. After much discussion and voting, we came up with our winner and two honor books:

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Here it is: Monday. In exactly a week, all of our Mock Caldecott awards will be a memory, and children’s book chatter will turn to the Real Committee’s books. So, while each real committee member is organizing notes, putting together last-minute arguments, and imagining that the books she or he nominated will wear medals for the rest of their lives, we continue to find out what YOU like. So, whether the books you voted for last week are still on the list or not, we hope you will vote your heart and got back to the voting booth one more time. Will you vote for The Farmer and the Clown and other front runners, or will you boost a book with less support? Check back on Tuesday around noon to see when happens!

For now, I am returning to the discussions with my second graders, who are full of love for their favorites…until someone points out a dreaded concern.

GO VOTE!!

Here’s a link to the second ballot

and here, again, is the list of books under discussion:

The Adventures of Beekle (Dan Santat)
Blizzard (John Rocco)
Draw! (Raúl Colón)
The Farmer and the Clown (Marla Frazee)
Gaston (Christian Robinson)
The Iridescence of Birds (Hadley Hooper)
Josephine (Christian Robinson)
A Letter for Leo (Sergio Ruzzier)
The Right Word (Melissa Sweet)
Sam & Dave Dig a Hole (Jon Klassen)
Viva Frida (Yuyi Morales)

 

The post Calling Caldecott 2015 second ballot is open appeared first on The Horn Book.

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Folks, I’m working on a secret project that requires your help.  Every year Mock Newberys, Mock Caldecotts, and even the occasional Mock Printz meet to cast their votes about what they deem to be the best books of the year.  There is no single source collecting these Mocks, however, so the only way a person might hear about it is if the Mock group has a blog or posts their results on listservs like child_lit and ccbc-net.

I aim to change that.  Friends, ‘mericans, countrymen, lend me your Mocks.  If you’ve a Mock committee out there that you know of, please send me the results when you hear of them.  You can post ‘em here or email me (my email is found my clicking my my name at the start of this post).  I shall duly collect them and maybe even make a nice collected list for this blog, posting the results.  It’s just fun to see what folks around the country feel about the “contenders”, don’t you think?

Mock me!

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Our 2nd graders have loved sharing their thoughts and opinions about what the best picture books have been this year. We've talked lots about how the Caldecott Medal is awarded to the illustrator, and how we need to think about how the pictures add to the story above and beyond the words. We've talked about the color choices illustrators make, the way the convey emotions in characters' expressions, and the perspectives they use and how this brings readers into the picture books.

Above all, they feel part of the process and are excited to find out the winners of the 2013 Caldecott Medal. Are you looking forward to it? Check out this website: ALA Youth Media Awards. You can also check into Facebook for the announcements on Monday morning.

My students passionately discussed three more books today, declaring love and admiration for all three. They're convinced that the Caldecott Committee has a very hard job on their hands, comparing these different illustrations!

Chloe and the Lion
by Mac Barnett
illustrated by Adam Rex
Disney / Hyperion, 2012
reviewed here
ages 4-8
available at your local library and on Amazon

Our second graders thought it was hilarious the way that the author and illustrator argued in this story. But more than that, they argued vociferously that the illustrations add to the humor and pizazz of this story. The love the combination of different media - with the puppet figures for Adam and Mac, the cartoon characters for Chloe, and the stage elements that give the story a 3-D feeling. They laughed at the way Adam's dragon is way-cooler than Mac's lion. And they loved the resolution at the end. This is a smart story that completely hooks its audience. In many ways, it reminds me of Interrupting Chicken, a Caldecott honor book in 2011.

Unspoken
by Henry Cole
Scholastic, 2012
reviewed at 100 Scope Notes
ages 7-10
available at your local library and on Amazon

This wordless book took our breath away when we read it. It's truly a book that makes you think at each step of the way, as you unravel and make sense of the story. As the pieces of the puzzle came together for my 2nd graders, they were amazed at the young girl's kindness and courage, and the runaway slave's daunting challenge escaping to freedom. We talk all the time about "reading is thinking" and Henry Cole asks his readers to do just this. On our first read, some of my students were frustrated that we never see the full face of the African American hiding in the corn stalks. But as we talked about it today, those same students talked about how much this story stayed with them. Cole's pencil drawings evoke the girl's emotions and the setting of Civil War Virginia, creating tension and mystery within this quiet book. It's a book that will stay with us for many years.

Z is for Moose
by Kelly Bingham
illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky
Greenwillow / HarperCollins, 2012
discussed at Calling Caldecott
ages 3-7
available at your local library and on Amazon

With giggles and pointing, our 2nd graders ate up every inch of Bingham and Zelinsky's mad romp in Z is for Moose. They loved the goofiness of the premise, but they also loved the heart of the story - declaring that this is really a friendship story in the end. We talked at length about how the illustrations add to the story. The love the chaos that ensues when Moose disrupts the story, but they also responded to the emotions in Moose's face as he felt left out from all the fun. Just look at Zebra's expression on the cover and you can tell the way Zelinsky adds tension through those angry eyes. Other children noticed the way the color frames contrast with the background and the stage. But mostly, our second graders just loved this silly, funny book and wanted to read it over and over again.

We did not have an official Mock Caldecott vote with our second graders. Over five weeks, I read three classes different sets of books. Maybe next year I'll rotate a set amongst the classes, the way that Travis Jonkers did (see his post here). Whatever the case, the children really developed their ability to talk about picture books they love, support their ideas with clear reasoning, and share their love with other children.

Many thanks to the publishers for supporting our Mock Caldecott unit: Disney / Hyperion, Harper Collins, and Scholastic. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

Review ©2013 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

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There are times I just want to run my fingers over a picture book's page, wondering in the beauty of its artwork. Red Knit Cap Girl, by Naoko Stoop, drew me in right from the start, with the beautiful grains of wood surrounding the sweet little girl. My 2nd graders and I read this as part of our Mock Caldecott unit, talking about some of the best new picture books this year.

Red Knit Cap Girl
by Naoko Stoop
Little, Brown, 2012
ages 3 - 7
Amazon and your local library

Little Red Knit Cap Girl wishes more than anything that she could talk to the moon. She and her animal friends wonder how she can reach all the way to the moon - no matter what they do, it seems so far away. But the wise old owl tells her, “The Moon is too far to reach, but if you want, she will bend down to listen to you … You will find a way.”

My students found Stoop's artwork enchanting in a quiet, soothing sort of way. They noticed the way she uses many different shades and gradations of color. Sometimes the grain of the plywood shows through the soft, transparent paint, and other times the color is rich and vibrant. The story spoke to them, reminding them of other stories they love, like Kitten's First Full Moon, by Kevin Henkes. Young children are enchanted by the moon, the way it changes each night but is always there. The way it seems so close and yet so far away.

I like the way Mrs. Heise notes the way Red Knit Cap Girl's friends all come together as a community to help her. I agree with her that the language is not as fluid as the artwork; the name Red Knit Cap Girl is a bit choppy to keep saying over and over again. Over at the wonderful Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, Jules describes Stoop's artwork as "elegant in its simplicity," noting that she uses simple shapes, comforting curves and minimalist facial details to convey a magical, comforting tale.

This year, I am reading four different books to each 2nd grade class. At the end of the four weeks, they will vote on their favorite book. Then we will share our favorites with the other classes. Throughout the process we will talk about what makes wonderful picture books, how we need to think about the story and the illustrations.

In the meantime, our 1st graders are reading a wide range of Caldecott Medal and Honor books (you can see the whole list here). They are sharing with each other, practicing thinking and writing about books. Then our 1st graders will share their favorites with our Skype buddy class in Lynnwood, Washington through the help of Mrs. Valerie Stein. We're very excited to be reading such wonderful books and having an authentic way to practice our public speaking skills!

The review copy was kindly sent by the publishers Little, Brown. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

Review ©2012 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

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