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Abayomi: The Brazilian Puma, The True Story of an Orphaned Cub is a second picture book from the team, author Darcy Pattison and illustrator Kitty Harvill. (The first was Wisdom: The Midway Albatross.)  In Abayomi, Pattison explores what happens when civilization takes over wildlife’s home, and a mother puma is hungry and desperate to feed her cubs. She goes to a farmer’s chickens, which, of course, does not make the farmer happy. In this true story, the mother puma is killed accidentally during a struggle, leaving her cubs. One cub is rescued, Abayomi, and scientists are trying to nurse it back to health, without touching or taming it, so they can return him back to the wild. The paintings by Kitty Harvill are beautiful and add to this touching story, which doesn’t actually have an ending yet, because Abayomi is not ready to go back to the wild as of the writing.  This story may be heartbreaking for younger children; heck–it’s heartbreaking for me. But it’s important for children to understand how our growth and civilization affect wild animals. Pattison and Harvill treat the subject with gentleness–there’s no preaching here!

Pattison also includes some wonderful resources in the back of the book to find out more about this subject and how scientists are trying to help wild animals.

• ORDER NOW from wholesalers or education distributors Ingram, Baker & Taylor, Follett, Mackin, and Children’s Plus.
• Order directly from Mims House.
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If you are using this book in the classroom, you could do a KWL chart–what do kids know about pumas before they start reading the book? Then ask them what do they wonder. Finally after reading this, what have they learned?

Students may also feel motivated to brainstorm ways to help wild animals in their own neighborhoods or to visit some of the resources listed in the back of the book!

Great news! I have a copy of the book to giveaway! Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter.

 

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I am a dog lover! Any of you, who know me in real life or have seen photos of mine on Facebook or even on this very blog, can tell I love being a dog mommy! So, when WOW! asked if any dog lovers would like to review the following book, I raised my hand. Although the book I am about to tell you about is for Lab owners or wannabe Lab owners, and I have a boxer, I’m still excited. And don’t forget to enter the giveaway for a free e-book all about this popular breed. You do need to fill out the Rafflecopter form even if you comment or tweet about it–it won’t count unless you fill out the Rafflecopter form. The contest goes until August 16, 12:01 EST. If you have any questions or problems, please let me know!

This book is appropriate for my blog audience for two reasons: 1. I know there are a lot of parents and teachers/librarians who read my blog. You probably have children and a dog–often a lab since you have children–and this book will help you understand your dog, its breed, and how to care for it in the best way possible. This book will also help you (and it’s really short so it helps you fast!) decide if this is a good breed and fit for your family. (In my opinion, this is very important–find a breed that fits you and your family BEFORE purchasing a dog–if possible.) 2. If you have a student doing any research on a Labrador Retriever, this book will be very helpful! It’s short and to the point!

It begins with the history and overview of the Labrador. Although this is not really a practical chapter for a dog owner, the author, a vet named Lorie Huston, presents interesting facts in a clear, writing style, which again may help if preparing a report OR if you are trying to decide if the breed is for you.

Next comes a chapter all dog owners SHOULD read before purchase: “Choosing the Right Lab.” This chapter has a very valuable resource in it: a long list of reputable resources for pet adoption is included in the chapter. Then Chapter 3 talks about what all new owners have mixed feelings about: coming home! They are excited to bring their new puppies home; but if you are not prepared, disaster can occur! This book can help with the essentials. The rest of the book focuses on owning one of these fihe animals and even going for a vet visit. Anyone who is interested in owning a Labrador Retriever and leaving a comment or question for Lorie, please do. If you are looking for information on how to plan for a trip with a dog, use this book to help you, too! It’s a great resource for dog owners.

Don’t forget to enter the contest. Here’s the Rafflecopter form for the drawing.

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*Picture book, non-fiction, humorous, rhyme for preschoolers through 3rd graders
*Topic is Poop!
*Rating: Poopendous! is a hysterical look at a bodily function everyone can relate to from the smallest bird to the largest human. It’s a clever way to show children that pooping is no big deal and can actually be quite helpful.

Short, short summary:

Artie Bennett, author of The Butt Book, has written a new book, in rhyme about poop! He starts out acknowledging that poop is gross, especially when we step in it. But then he shares that everyone poops from “aardvarks to the humped zebu” and that it is “simply part of life’s routine.” After assuring readers that it’s natural to poop, he goes on to state all the ways it is used–this is the best part of the book and surely to get some “EWWWW!” out of readers. He talks about manure, which most of us know, but what about people in other countries that actually build their houses out of it? Love it! In the end, he sums up his feelings on poop–it’s, of course, “Poopendous!” Mike Moran’s illustrations are super cute. If you have a preschooler who is reluctant to go number 2 in the potty, get this book!

So, what do I do with this book?

1. There are sure to be giggles abound when you share this book in a classroom. It goes perfect with a unit on digestion with a health curriculum or even in science with a plant unit. You can try to answer questions after reading the book and do further research, “Why does manure help plants grow better? Why does everyone poop?” This book will catch children’s attention; and from it, you can teach these objectives in health and science!

2. For younger children, you can list all different materials that houses are made out of and you could create a “house” book. Start with the materials listed in Poopendous, and this sentence for a shared writing activity: “Houses can be made out of ___________________.” You can even bring the story of the three pigs into the discussion and ask children if they think a house made of poop could be blown down. (In Bennett’s book, he shares that a Mongol yurt (shack) is often sealed with yak dung and that a Masai tribesman has cow-dung huts.)

3. For a very silly activity at home or school–what other words could you make into “poop” words like the author did with stupendous? Poop-riffic, etc.

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*Non-fiction chapter book for kids 7 to 10 years old
*8-year-old girl is the focus of the book
*Rating: What an inspirational book! Kids will love Katrina and Winter: Partners in Courage. It’s one of those stories that teachers/parents can use to help children who are struggling with almost any self-esteem issue. Besides, who doesn’t love a dolphin story?

Short, short summary:

Katrina and Winter: Partners in Courage by Nancy Stewart is the true story of a young girl, Katrina, who was born with a birth defect and therefore had a “helper” leg. She felt self-conscious about it and about being different than other kids her age. When the book begins, Katrina is on her way to Disney with her family. But before they go, her parents take her to an aquarium where rescued sea animals live. One of the animals is a dolphin named Winter, who has a prosthetic tail after losing his in a fishing accident. Immediately, Katrina is drawn to Winter and realizes they have a lot of similarities. But even better, Winter motivates Katrina to try activities she would have NEVER tried before. Instead of having an “I-Can’t” attitude, she does an almost 180, and she has an I CAN DO ANYTHING attitude. Katrina credits Winter as being her inspiration. For anyone who has seen the movie Dolphin Tale, Winter is the subject of that movie with Morgan Freeman, Harry Connick Jr., and Ashley Judd. (Winter did her own stunts in the movie! LOL) Nancy Stewart’s book focuses more on Katrina than on Winter, but it’s interesting that Winter is again “starring” in a story.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. After reading this book, ask children to journal about something that bothers them about themselves and how they can face this head on like Katrina and Winter did. What is something children have been afraid to do, but they did it anyway? Or what is something they are going to try? Children who are not good writers can use pictures to explain their thoughts.

2. Explore The Pier Aquarium website, which is where Winter lives. If possible, ask someone with a prosthetic leg to come to your classroom and speak about it. Bring the world of the book into your classroom.

3. Ask students to write a letter to Katrina and/or Winter, explaining what they liked about their stories and what children now feel inspired to do.

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*Picture book for preschoolers through third graders, history?–you’ll see what I mean. . .
*Man’s best friend as main character/topic
*Rating: Do You Have a Dog? is one of those books I wish I would have written. Brilliant!

Short, short summary:

This book starts out asking the reader if he/she has a dog and lists (in poem/rhyme) some qualities dogs might have. Then it goes on to tell about famous historical figures and their dogs. I love this idea. Included in the book are the dogs of Empress Josephine Bonaparte, Annie Oakley, Orville Wright, Billie Holiday, Admiral Richard Byrd, and of course that famous dog, Seaman who belonged to Meriwether Lewis (and more!). Each page gives a few facts about the dog and the person–the illustrations also help immensely to tell what each person is “famous” for and to show us their dog.

So what do I do with this book?

1. Use the poems and illustrations in this book as a starting point for students to research more about each individual. Give them extra points or some kind of bonus if they can find out any more about the person’s dog or other pets.

2. Try to find out other famous people–either historical or contemporary–and their dogs. When students find someone and do a little research, have them write up a page about the person and their dog. They can also illustrate it. Or do pets of presidents–our current president has a dog.

3. For younger children, talk about the characteristics of a dog. Compare and contrast dogs and cats using a Venn diagram. Allow children to choose which one they would rather have for a pet.

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*Picture book for preschoolers through 2nd graders
*Sweet, little chickadees as main characters
*Rating: Chickadees At Night is a super cute picture book, where author Bill O. Smith wonders what those little, secretive chickadees are doing. I love the creativity and illustrations, too!

Short, short summary:

Bill O. Smith asks “Where do chickadees go at night?” He goes on with a beautiful and cute poem that answers this question–wondering: “Do they climb to the clouds? Do they scrub in the showers?” He wonders if they play, such as using a spider web as a chickadee trampoline, or maybe they play hide and seek? (BY the way, there is a full two-page illustration with no words, where children can search for the chickadees playing hide and seek! So cute!) The book goes on asking questions about what chickadees do–some of them are personification if you are looking for good examples of this literary technique. Smith wonders what they do in different seasons, too. At the end of the book, he includes “Chickadee Nuggets,” which are several true facts about chickadees that answer many of the questions raised during the rest of the book. Kids will LOVE this book–my daughter LOVES birds and ADORES books, so this is a perfect combination for her.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. Why not do a KWL chart with this book? What do children know about chickadees before you begin reading this book? What do they wonder? What did they learn when you finished?

2. Assign one fact to each child in your class (or at home, let children choose which facts they want to do). Students should copy the fact and illustrate it. Bind these into your own class book or hang them on the wall for a display. For further research or older kids, let them research a different species of birds, such as cardinals, and compare/contrast cardinals and chickadees.

3. Let children answer the question: “What do chickadees do at night?” themselves–either before or after reading Bill O. Smith’s ideas. Encourage them to be as creative as possible!

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*Concept book, preschool to kindergarten
*Forest creatures as main characters
*The layout is one of the best parts of this concept book. It’s a cute idea and well executed!

Short, short summary:

Each pair of pages asks, “Who is in the forest, dark and deep?” and then there is a circle cut-out previewing the next page and animal. For example, there’s a bird, squirrel, and fox. Each animal has a page with a rhyming answer, such as: “Foxes on the prowl–creep, creep, creep.” The end talks about nocturnal animals. There’s a lot to look at and explore with this book–especially for young children.

So what do I do With This Book?

1. You can talk to young children about the forest habitat and what plants and animals they would find there. You can also ask questions like, “Would a penguin belong in this book?” You could even do a KWL (Know, Wonder, Learn) chart if you wanted to further the study of this habitat.

2. Ask children to predict what the next page will say based on the cut-out circle pictures and the predictability of the repeating text and rhyming words.

3. Talk about the difference between nocturnal and diurnal animals after reading the last page of the book. What animals do children see in the last illustration? Are all of those nocturnal animals? What does this mean?

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Bugs Galore! is a cute picture book with rhyming verses about bugs–such as, “Freaky, sneaky/shiny flat bug./ Hairy, scary–what was that bug? The verses are catchy and easy to read, and there’s some general verses for all bugs. And then some specific for just a bug or two.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. It is perfect for the 6 + 1 traits of writing strand–word choice. Talk about the different word choices that the author chooses and how much poetry is affected by word choice. Have children pick out some of the words they really like.

2. Peter Stein describes BUGS in here. After reading this as an example, you can take anything–bugs, cars, playing outside, and come up with as many describing words (or adjectives) that you can to describe your word.

3. Use this book to start a unit on bugs. You can also use it to start research on a certain subject such as spiders.

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*Picture book, contemporary, preschool through second graders
*Young girl as main character
*Rating: This is a cute book for young children. It can help them learn about different veggies and about making friends. The illustrations are FANTASTIC!

Short, short summary:

Adelita is starting school and wants to make friends, but she’s worried and nervous as all children are when they start school. Her teacher begins class with a basket of vegetables. Each student takes one–some are familiar such as sweet potatoes and cucumbers. Others are less familiar such as calabacitas, cassavas, and malangas. Each child in the class chooses a vegetable out of the basket, and they talk to each other about them. Adelita finds a girl who also has a squash, and they eventually become friends. Then they talk to other children in the class about their vegetables, and everyone feels better in the end. This book is bilingual, as it has a full English and Spanish text (from Pinata Books).

So, what do I do with this book?

1. Re-enact the book. Bring in a basket of veggies–some well-known and some lesser known. Have each child choose one. Then do different activities. For example, have any student with a green vegetable stand by the door and a brown veggie by the window. Students could try to find out more about their veggie also–a mini research project.

2. Make a Vegetable A to Z book with students. In a shared writing activity, make a list from A to Z of different veggies. Each student gets at least one veggie to make a book page with. They can draw a picture, write a sentence, or even a fact like where they grow.

3. What makes a good friend? How do you make friends? Have you ever felt like Adelita when you started at a new place? You can ask students these questions and more with this book. It’s a great discussion starter.

(BONUS: There’s a recipe for vegetable soup at the back of the book you can make with children!)

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I am excited to be giving away Stranger Moon and doing it with Rafflecopter for the first time! I would love it if you tried out Rafflecopter with me by doing as many of the tasks as you can below and then getting all the possible points to win this AWESOME book. The contest goes until Sunday, March 11 at midnight (so enter on Saturday or before), and it is open to anyone–(Canada and U.S.–you can get a hard copy; overseas–you can get an e-book). So, here we go. . .

Stranger Moon by Heather Zydek
*Middle-grade novel, contemporary fiction
*12-year-old girl as main character
*Rating: I loved Stranger Moon! I think middle-grade readers will, too. It has several boy characters that are friends with Gaia, and it has bugs (LOL), so I think it will appeal to both boys and girls. If you have a child being bullied, this book is great conversation starter.

Short, short summary: It’s summer break, and Gaia is searching for a Luna moth after she finds a Luna moth wing pressed between the pages of an old insect guide. When she convinces her friends to go with her to search for the moth, they encounter a strange woman in the woods who EATS bugs. She freaks them out, of course, but she also peaks their interest, and they go on a hunt to find out whom she is. In the meantime, they pick up another misunderstood classmate, encounter the bullies– THE EMMAS, and deal with their own issues. Gaia has a father who pays NO ATTENTION to her since her mother died, and she is tired of feeling like she’s invisible in her own home. So, as you can see, there’s a lot going on in this book. As more information is revealed about the mystery woman, readers can try to guess her identity. Once it’s discovered, they can debate what they would do with the info. The author does a great job of moving the story forward and tying up all these subplots in the end.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. This is a terrific book to open up conversations with children about how they are feeling at home, about bullying, about friendships, and so on. Use the characters in the book. How did you feel when Gaia and her friends got into the big fight? What do you think about the Emmas? and so on.

2. Your young readers may or may not be into insects. If they are, then ask them to find out about Luna moths on their own. If they aren’t, what are they passionate about? What would they spend their summer vacation searching for? Have them write a journal entry about this and compare themselves to Gaia.

3. The characters in this book are complex and well-developed–they are perfect for character studies. You could teach character motivation, character feelings, and even problem-solving (how characters solve problems in the story). Allow students to choose their favorite character and then write a letter as if they are that character. They could also write a journal entry.

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway below! Please email margo (at) margodill.com if you run into any problems.

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We are lucky this February and have an extra day in the month. It’s a leap year, and we’ve got Leap Day. I am a member of the St. Louis Zoo, and they sent the cutest postcard with frogs on it to tell everyone about the leap day activities online. I never thought about dedicating the day to frogs when I was teaching in the classroom, but it is so clever and makes perfect sense.

The St. Louis Zoo actually had to send out these cute postcards because they left Feb. 29 off the February calendar. They remembered it on the top of the March page, but not February. So, they sent a Feb. 29 sticker with the cute frog postcard. At the same time, the zoo said that all over the world, people are celebrating the Amphibian Ark, which is a consortium of zoos and aquariums worldwide joining together to fight the disappearing amphibian species. Currently on their home page,you can find out information about FrogWatch USA. On the postcard, they state they will have frog activities and puzzles starting on Leap Day. So be sure to share these FREE resources with your children or students.

My daughter has a super cute frog picture book, perfect for preschoolers to second graders. Your hand can become the frog in the book–so there’s a hand puppet with it. It’s called Wendy the Wide-Mouthed Frog by Sam Lloyd. It’s perfect to share with kids to teach about manners, being a good friend, having humility, and just plain having fun. There’s a lot going on in this book–perfect for a fun day like Leap Day.

Do you have a favorite frog book? Are you celebrating Leap Day?

And remember. . .it’s not easy being green.

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*Author: Eve Yohalem *Publisher: Telemachus Press
*Chapter book for readers 6 to 10 (actually it’s a collection of humorous short stories)
*Bird and Grandpa as main characters
*Rating: Kids will LOVE Grandpa Hates the Bird!. The stories have a great voice and are full of humor–a blessing in today’s kids’ lit!

Short, short summary:

“Every February, my family takes a one-week holiday some place warm. Mother and Father, Joseph and Maya pack their bathing suits, sunglasses, and good books and head south. I do not join them because I am the bird.

Instead I go to Grandma and Grandpa’s house where they have an extra cage for me, one with a
particularly jaunty bell I like very much and some braided string and beads I don’t like at all.”

So starts the short story collection. . .Grandpa Hates the Bird The bird goes on to tell the reader that Grandma has a business trip at the same time as the family’s trip some place warm, and so the bird and Grandpa will be left ALONE. And as dear, young Joseph says, “But Mom, Grandpa hates the bird!” See you’re hooked, aren’t you? What’s going to happen when these two are left alone? Will they both survive? You’ll have to read to find out. The short story collection involves the bird and attempts to explain some of the mysteries began in story one!

(only $2.99)

So what do I do with this book?

1. The voice is strong in this book. Use it as a good example of voice when you are teaching the six plus one traits of writing.

2. Write the story from another character’s perspective. Would it be a different story if written from Grandpa’s POV? What about one of the children? It might be too much for one student/ child to write the whole story form a new pov, so divide the work in half.

3. Use this short story collection to teach some character education, too. Does he really hate the bird? How can these two solve their problem with conflict resolution skills.

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*Picture book for preschoolers through first graders
*Baby wombat as the main character
*Rating: Another cute book by Jackie French, who wrote, Diary of a Wombat too.

Short, short summary:

When baby wombat is finally finished sleeping, he goes out to play. He finds a friend–a baby human. Soon mother decides they need a bigger hole, and baby tries to problem solve. Eventually their little friend finds that bigger hole. Told in a cute style, such as: Later morning: Ate. Afternoon: Slept.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. If your students/children don’t know what a wombat is, then talk about this and also read them DIARY OF A WOMBAT. You can do a K-W-L chart before reading this book–what do you know about wombats? What do you wonder about them? And then when you are finished reading, what did you learn about wombats?

2. Let students keep a diary of their week. What I like about this book is it makes it look so easy to keep a diary/journal. You don’t have to have large, flowing paragraphs. You can just write: Morning: got on bus, talked to best friend. Got to school, turned in homework, picked as line leader. etc. Students can even include illustrations as part of the journal.

3. Students/children can work on their prediction skills with this book. You can do a day-by-day prediction, such as: “What do you think the wombat will be doing tomorrow morning?” You can also do a prediction when they are digging the big hole. Where are the wombats going to end up at the end of the book? Students should use the illustrations as a guide to help them figure out where the wombats are going to end up.

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*Picture book, fantasy (talking animals), for preschoolers through second graders
*Young shark as main character
*Rating: Gilbert the Hero teaches kids a lesson in a subtle way and in the spirit of Finding Nemo. Shark lovers will REALLY enjoy this book!

Short, short summary:

Gilbert the shark must take care of his younger brother, Finn, one day when he and his friend, Rita Remora, are going out to play. The problem is all the games Gilbert and Rita usually play are too scary for Finn. They finally find something he likes and something they like, too. Then a Killer Whale has to ruin all the fun! Will Gilbert be able to save the day (and his little brother, too)? This is truly a deep-sea adventure!

So, what do I do with this book?

1. This is the perfect book to use with children who have younger siblings and are always complaining about them–tagging along or getting into their stuff. That’s how Gilbert and his friend feel, but when push comes to shove, Gilbert really does love his brother and wants to protect him. You can use Gilbert the Hero at home or school to start a discussion about siblings. Children may relate to either Gilbert or Finn, depending on their situation.

2. Let children discuss if they have ever felt the way Finn did while doing some of the activities with Gilbert. He was scared and he didn’t like it! What did the children do? Did they cry? Did they ask to stop? (If they are having trouble thinking of something, ask if any of them have ever been to an amusement park. Did they ride a ride they didn’t like?) Talk to students about what it’s like to be scared and how to speak up when they don’t feel comfortable. Let them write or draw about the discussion when it’s over.

3. This is a fun book to do during an ocean unit in the classroom. What do students know about Great White Sharks or Killer Whales? Did the author use any of these characteristics in the story? Ask students to find out one more fact–in a book or on the Internet–about one of these animals that they didn’t know before and share it with the class.

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Hello Readers! I am holding a book giveaway contest for this super cute picture book, Pelly and Mr. Harrison Visit the Moon from Kane Miller Publishing. Please leave a comment below for your chance to win–it’s a perfect book for any kid who loves space or wants to explore. (Only U.S. or Canada mailing addresses, please.) Contest goes until Sunday, March 27 6:00 p.m. CST. Winner will be announced on Monday, March 28.

I also wanted to let you know who won the contest last week for WOW!’s blanket tour. Here’s the scoop from WOW!:

Kim G. who commented on A Ponderance of Things, http://rcponders.wordpress.com, won the Everybody’s Talking About Surprises Grand Prize! Her prize includes a personalized copy of Letters from Home by Kristina McMorris, a Big Band CD, Victory Garden seeds, and a few surprises (of course!).

Our Surprise blogger winner was Mason Canyon who wrote about her favorite surprise: envelopes of books being delivered to her mailbox at Thoughts in Progress. (http://www.masoncanyon.blogspot.com/)

We hope you’ll join us for our next mass blogging event and tell your readers about a chance to win The Literary Ladies Guide to the Writing Life by Nava Atlas on our latest WOW Blog Tour.

Now on to Pelly and Mr. Harrison Visit the Moon by Lindsay Ward.

*Picture book, science fiction for preschoolers through second graders
*Young girl as main character
*Rating: Every child will be looking at her/his bathtub differently after reading this book! It’ll spark imaginations for sure.

Short, short summary: Pelly is brushing her teeth, and she notices a rocket engine on her bathtub. So, her dog, Mr. Harrison, jumps into the tub, and they take off for the moon. When they land on the moon, they meet an alien who is very friendly. She takes them to her house, where another alien is making none other than–moon pies! They learn about gravity and about making s’moons. When they get back home, it’s like no time has passed at all–Mom wonders if Pelly is almost done brushing her teeth.

So what do I do with this book?

1. Pelly and Mr. Harrison Visit the Moon can really spark children’s imagination. Ask them, “What could you travel in to the moon from your house?” or “What could you attach a rocket engine to and take off?” Younger students can illustrate their response. Older students can write about it. This is a great home activity for parents and children, too.

2. Use this book to discuss the 6 + 1 traits of writing trait, word choice. Ask students what special words they notice while you read the book and make a class list. Encourage kids to use this list when they are writing.

3. Use this book to open up a science discussion about the moon. What do children know about the moon? Could this story really happen? For fun, bring in some moon pies!

Okay, leave a comment below for a chance to win this book. If you want, tell us what you would travel to space in (a bathtub?) and where you would go.

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*Picture book, realistic fiction, for preschoolers through third graders
*Young girl as main character
*Rating: Our Shadow Garden is a beautiful book for a beautiful cause. You don’t want to miss sharing it with children.

Short, short summary:

When Nana gets sick and can’t garden in the sun anymore, her granddaughter gets a marvelous idea. With the help of her Poppa, they create a shadow garden–plants that grow and bloom with the moonlight. They keep it a surprise until it’s already, and then they take Nana out to the garden. Of course, she loves it so much she tears up, and adults reading the book probably will, too. Besides this beautiful and touching story, the illustrations in this book are created by children who are in the Children’s Cancer Hospital at the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. Proceeds from the sales of the book help to fund activities at the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. Besides this, the book also has an extensive non-fiction section about shadow gardening–on the sidebars and at the back of the book. Love this book!

So what do I do with this book?

1. Children can draw their own illustrations to go with the words in the book like the children in the Children’s Art Project did. Compare and contrast the different artistic styles in the book. Talk to kids about why children drew the illustrations for this book and how buying a copy of the book helps them and other cancer patients. It is important for children to know about these type of issues in a positive light.

2. Try making a small class shadow garden by using information in the book or going to www.shadowgardenbook.com.

3. Poppa and his granddaughter are making this special surprise for Nana. Students could write about a variety of topics based on this: they could write about something they did for their grandparents, about a surprise they planned for someone, or about things they like to do with their grandparents. Any of these would be great topics and could turn into a descriptive or narrative paper.

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*Funny, realistic picture book for preschoolers through first graders
*Preschool boy as main character
*Rating: Parts by Tedd Arnold can easily become your favorite book–as a kid and as an adult.

Short, short summary:

This poor boy thinks the glue that is holding him together is not working. He find pieces of hair in his comb. Something fell out of his nose, and he is sure it is his brain. Then there’s the skin on the bottom of his foot, and the last straw–his teeth–how will he eat? He gets some masking tape to try to hold himself together; but finally, his parents remember to tell him that this is a normal part of growing up!

So, what do I do with this book?

1. The first time you read it to children see if they think something is really wrong with him or if this is just the body’s way of growing. Ask children if these similar things have happened to them, and give them a chance to tell their stories (so allow for some extra discussion time when reading this book aloud!).

2. We all know at the end of the book that the boy has found ear wax, but can your students make a creative story about what he really found in his ear? For preschoolers, you can do this as a shared writing activity and each student can draw their own illustration. For first graders, they can write a short ending to the story. Encourage them to be creative with what the boy found in his ear!

3. Use this book in a health unit to talk to students about what is really holding our body together–bone, muscles, skin, blood vessels, etc. etc. For younger students (such as two or three-year-old kids), you can talk about the parts they can see!

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I would like to welcome, Patti Wheeler, co-author of the Travels with Gannon and Wyatt adventure series to my blog today. Patti is giving away a copy of the first book in the series, Botswana. To win a copy of this well-written book in “journal-style” that kids will just eat up, please leave a comment or question for Patti by next Sunday, January 30 at 8 pm below in the comments section. One winner (who lives in either the United States of Canada) will be chosen and a book will be mailed to her. Middle-grade readers, boys and girls, will love this book!

On to the interview. . .

Patti Wheeler feels her greatest accomplishment is being the mother to twins Gannon and Wyatt. Her priority has been to educate, nurture, and to help the boys develop the important qualities of generosity, leadership, and compassion. For years, it has been Patti’s goal to create a children’s book series that instills the spirit of exploration in young people. Travels with Gannon and Wyatt is the realization of her dream. (Future books include adventures in the Great Bear Rainforest, Egypt and the Serengeti.) In addition to the book series, Patti is the founder of Claim Stake Productions/Publishing, executive producer and director of the TV pilot Travels with Gannon and Wyatt Off the Beaten Path: Egypt and co-wrote, with Keith Hemstreet, the screenplay Botswana, which was an official selection of the 2010 Beverly Hills Film Festival. Patti lives in Aspen, Colorado with her husband and sons.

The first book set in Botswana introduces you to Gannon and Wyatt and the journal format as the brothers find themselves faced with a poacher while on an African Safari. Will Gannon and Wyatt stop the poacher in time? A perfect book for boys (and girls!).

Margo: Welcome, Patti, thanks for visiting with me about Travels with Gannon and Wyatt. Where did you get the idea for Travels with Gannon & Wyatt: Botswana?

Patti: I got the idea one year while traveling with my family. I was thinking about all the fascinating and wonderful places we were visiting each year. We wanted to share our incredible adventures with the world, and what better way of doing that than through books and video.

Margo: I completely agree. What other books are planned for the series?

Patti: The books that are already planned for the series are Great Bear Rainforest, Egypt, Greenland, Iceland, Tanzania, and there are six more being discussed (including possibly China, India, the South Pacific, and the American West).

Margo: WOW! Sounds awesome! Who are the perfect readers for this book and the sequels?

Patti: 4th-12th graders who are interested in travel or adventure–our sweet spot is grades 4 through 8.

Margo: What can children learn from reading Travels with Gannon & Wyatt?

Patti: Children can learn that the world is their classroom, and “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” (Mark Twain). Children can also learn to explore, help their communities, and embrace diversity through philanthropy.

Margo: I love that Mark Twain quote! What are two or three activities children can do that come from reading this book?

Patti: This book offers students the opportunity to read and turn in book reports in school. Children are introduced to the Youth Exploration Society (Y.E.S.) in the book, which promotes giving back to communities, encourages exploration, and supports a clean and healthy environment. Also, reading this book encourages readers to ge

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Mama Miti by Donna Jo Napoli with illustrations by Caldecott Honor Winner, Kadir Nelson, is about the great Nobel Peace Prize winner, Wangari Muta Maathai, from Kenya. I have written about her on my blog before because this is one woman that I just REALLY admire, and I think her story is important to share with children. She helped Kenyan women and children by suggesting they plant trees and getting back in touch with nature. She educated herself and then went back to her country to show girls that they can too educate themselves and work for the common good. If anyone deserves a Nobel Peace Prize, it’s certainly Wangari.

This book is a little different than Seeds of Change by Jen Cullerton Johnson

in that Mama Miti focuses mostly on how women came from all over Kenya to ask Wangari for help. Her advice was to plant certain types of trees to take care of the problems the women were having. If the woman complained of a lack of food, Wangari told her to plant a tree and gave her seeds. If the woman complained of the cattle being sick, Wangari told her to plant a certain type of tree with leaves that cure disease. Mama Miti shows how nature can really provide and make a difference, and how strong women can also take care of themselves–especially with a little guidance from someone as knowledgeable and loving as Wangari Maathai.

This book also has wonderful illustrations by Kadir Nelson and resources and author’s notes in the back as well as a glossary of Kikuyu terms, which are used throughout the book.

Why share Mama Miti with your students or children? Use this book to start a discussion about how people can take care of themselves and maybe with a little help–it reminds me of the organization, Heifer International. You can also talk about the importance of planting trees and taking care of nature as well as going green tips. This book can also bring up a history lesson about how much people used to rely on nature, crops, and so on in the past when there weren’t grocery stores to visit or farmers growing food for all of us. You can also use this book to teach about a strong and wonderful woman who can be a role model for young girls all around the world.

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*Picture book, fiction, for preschoolers through 2nd graders
*Two superhero boys as main characters
*Rating: Boys will L-O-V-E Michael Recycle Meets Litterbug Doug, which teaches the importance of recycling without preaching. Great idea!

Short, short summary:

A clean, little town has a big problem–Litterbug Doug, his rotten trash, and his rat friends. Litterbug Doug doesn’t care about his neighbors or the earth until Michael Recycle shows him the error of his ways. Once Litterbug Doug changes his habits, he becomes the litter police. Told with rhyme and bright illustrations, children will love listening to and looking at Michael Recycle Meets Litterbug Doug. The end of the book provides “green” tips for kids and facts about trash.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. After reading about Michael Recycle, allow students to create their own “green” superhero. Students should write about the superhero and draw a picture. Children should also make up a new name.

2. In so many classrooms and even at home, we talk a lot about recycling around Earth Day–but we shouldn’t wait until April to talk about this important subject. Children can take the green tips from the back of the book and create posters for the classroom. Then whenever a child or adult “catches someone being green,” shout it out. For example, you could shout out, “I just caught Alissa being green. She remembered to turn off our light switch on our way out of the classroom. Thanks, Alissa!”

3. Michael Recycle Meets Litterbug Doug is a great example of a picture book you can use to teach word choice, one of the six plus one traits of writing. Ellie Bethel’s word choice really sets the scene and shows readers just how gross Litterbug Doug is.

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*Picture book for preschoolers through third graders, realistic fiction (based on a true story)
*A nice tugboat driver and the garbage barge as main characters
*Rating: Here Comes the Garbage Barge! is a great book to share with students during any recycling lesson–they’ll laugh but get the point!

Short, short summary:

Jonah Winter has written a picture book based on a true story about the Garbage Barge (1987) that traveled up and down the east coast–trying to find a place to land and dump almost 3200 tons of garbage. Basically, Long Island’s landfills were full and polluting the groundwater. So, some businessmen decided that they should ship the garbage to farmers in the south and pay them to bury it on their land. Burning garbage was expensive, so a city called Islip (near New York City) decided to take the businessmen up on their offer and put their trash on the barge to ship south. In the picture book, with wonderful illustrations by Red Nose Studio, a little tugboat named Break of Dawn driven by Cap’m Duffy St. Pierre, set out to pull the garbage barge from Islip to North Carolina. But when the captain and his smelly barge got to North Carolina, he was turned away–the same thing happened in New Orleans, Mexico, Belize, Florida, Texas, and so on. Finally, with a REALLY smelly barge behind him, Cap’m St. Pierre had to take the garbage back to Long Island. The courts got involved, and finally, the garbage was taken off his hands. But as the author points out, the moral of the story is: “Don’t make so much garbage.” He also tells us that Islip now has a recycling program.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. Many teachers and parents will read Here Comes the Garbage Barge! in connection with Earth Day or even at the beginning of the school year to talk about the importance of recycling and being good to the environment. This book can also be used with a science lesson on “green” living. It has a lot of practical applications to today’s science curriculum and could start a great class or home school discussion as well as classroom or home recycling program.

2. This is a great book to discuss problem solving! Poor Cap’m St. Pierre has a huge problem–how to get rid of the garbage. Long Island and Islip have a huge problem, too–too much garbage. Ask students to use their problem solving and brainstorming skills to come up with solutions to the problem BEFORE you read them the end of the story. When looking at students’ solutions, evaluate each one to see if it is a good solution or not through class discussion. Even though this happened in 1987, students today might have a better idea of what SHOULD have happened to all that garbage.

3. You could use this book to help you teach the six plus one traits of writing. It is a great book for organization–the beginning grabs the readers’ attention with all the garbage and then it is organized by the barge’s trip down the river–trying to stop at different states–before the story and the barge circle back to the beginning–to right where they started–garbage in Long Island. The circle format is one form of organization that many authors and essayists use.

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*Picture book about volcanoes–found in non-fiction section–told in poem form
*Subject matter: A volcano erupting and how it affects life around it
*Rating: Volcano Wakes Up! is a wonderful book to teach kids about volcanoes and the life around them. Love it!

Short, short summary: In Volcano Wakes Up!, Lisa Westburg Peters uses poetry to tell the “story” of a small volcano. She follows the volcano’s activity throughout one day, and also includes the perspective of the ferns growing around the volcano, a lava flow cricket, a small black road on the active volcano, and the sun and moon. This book presents a very creative way to tell about an erupting volcano along with wonderful cut-paper illustrations by Steve Jenkins. Volcano Wakes Up! is a great book for use with science curriculum in the classroom or in a home school program.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. Let students research the facts they learn from the poems in the book to find out more facts about volcanoes, ferns, and so on. The author provides more detailed notes in the back of the book that you can share with your students. Students can create presentations of their facts with illustrations styled after Steve Jenkins work.

2. Not only can this book teach your students or children (if you home school) about volcanoes, but it also exposes them to different forms of poetry. What are the poems like in this book? Challenge your students to write a similar poem–maybe instead of a volcano, they can use a mountain as their subject. Instead of a fern–they can use a tree and so on.

3. Study with students what other effects volcanoes have on the land, plant life, animal life, and even human life when they erupt. You can do a lesson on cause and effect with this activity, also.

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Recently, I was sent some books by an exciting educational company, Rubicon. Their slogan is “A Bold Approach to Literacy.” I think kids would really like these books, which can only be ordered by educators, but the lucky things is I have three samples to give away. Let me tell you about the samples, which are all part of their Boldprint series. (To find out more about their BOLDPRINT series, you can go here.)

• Banana Ninja: This is a graphic novel for fourth graders. It’s the story of Banana Ninja and his toughest mission ever! From the book cover: “The legendary hero has to stop an army of rats from taking over the grocery store. But there are hundreds of them and only one of him. Will he be able to stop the rodents in time?” The illustrations in this book are fun and bright, and kids are really into graphic novels these days. I can see boys especially in a classroom excited to read this as part of their curriculum!
• It’s About Science: This is from the Boldprint Talk series at Rubicon. Each Boldprint Talk book is thematically linked to a student book from the Boldprint series. They are designed to get kids thinking and talking. This book is on a 5th grade level, and it’s sooooo cool! It reminds me of a kids’ magazine with the graphics and fact boxes and sidebars. It has articles on athletes, the respiratory system, idioms, the science behind superheroes, and more. It has projects and graphic stories. Any kid would love to study science from this while working on literacy skills. They won’t even know they’re working on literacy skills.
• No Bullies Allowed: This is for junior high, and it’s another Boldprint Talk book from Rubicon. It gives kids a chance to read, think, and discuss bullying. There are story starters, short graphic stories, a quiz, articles about dealing with bullies, and more. Again, this reminds me more of a magazine than a “textbook” you would use in school, and I think kids would really like it and get into it. Nice design and idea by Rubicon!

So, I’m giving away all three of these books. They would be great for home if you have kids or to donate to a classroom. All you have to do is leave a comment below and tell why you would like to win any one of these books. Or you can leave a comment and tell a memory about any book you studied/read in school and why you liked it. Contest goes until Sunday, July 18 at 8:00 p.m. CST. The three winners will be picked randomly from comments, and the first winner will get first choice and so on.

Happy commenting!

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photo by b1ubb www.flickr.com

*Picture book for infants to preschoolers, realistic fiction
*One little lamb as main character
*Rating: One Little Lamb by Elaine Greenstein is a book of few words but it tells a complete story that children will enjoy with lovely illustrations.

Short, short summary:

Elaine Greenstein starts her story with one little lamb and goes on to tell how the lamb’s wool is cut, combed, and cleaned. Then she writes how it is changed into yarn and finally knitted into mittens for the young girl who can wear them when she goes to visit the lambs. This entire story only has 53 words (if I counted correctly), and the youngest children will love to look at the illustrations over and over again. I personally want a pair of the red and green mittens, pictured in the book, made from the lamb’s wool.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. You can work on sequencing with very young children with One Little Lamb by Elaine Greenstein by asking them to tell you what happens first when wool is made into yarn. (The wool is cut from the lamb.) What happens second? (It is cleaned and combed.) And so on. If possible, you can have pictures of the steps, laminated on construction paper. Children can help you put the cards into the correct order, using the book to help them.

2. Preschool children LOVE guest speakers who have a lot of props to show them. If possible, invite in a sheep farmer or someone who spins wool into yarn–the old-fashioned way. ( I have actually worked at a school where one of the parents, who was an artist, did this; she brought her spinning wheel in–it was SO COOL!) If you have wool mittens, you could also bring some in for your students to feel.

3. Ask children to draw pictures of their favorite part of the book. If possible for their ability level, ask them to write the step of the process from the story that they drew.

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photo by digipam www.flickr.com

On Saturday, I was at a nature writing workshop presented by Jen Cullerton Johnson, who is the author of the upcoming book, Seeds of Change, a picture book about Wangari Maathai. I don’t want to tell you too much about this book because I hope to review it on here soon (which by the way it has received a starred review), but I want to tell you about some of the information that Jen passed out to us.

I didn’t find an official definition of green literacy but basically it is books, poems, magazine articles, and so on about the “green movement” or about helping the environment and so on. Jen calls her list of books that she included in a packet for workshop attendees: “Environmental Books for Kids.” She has listed about 100 books for kids that deal with the environment and going green. From Lynne Cherry’s The Armadillo from Amarillo to Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax to Tracking Trash by Loree Griffin Burns, kids can learn about their environment and how to take care of it. Green literacy can also help answer the question of why it’s important to care about the earth.

For teachers, Jen also had a great idea of including five pages of environmental quotes that teachers could use as writing prompts for several different age levels. Here are a couple of the quotes:

Every day is Earth Day. ~Author Unknown

(This one I have hanging in my office:)
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtfully committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. ~Margaret Mead

When the well’s dry, we know the worth of water. ~Benjamin Franklin

So, if you are interested in green literacy whether you are a teacher, parent, or home school parent, then check out Jen Cullerton Johnson’s website or her blog and look for her new book coming out soon from Lee and Low, Seeds of Change. Be creative–find quotes and start discussions or give writing assignments that challenge your students to think green.

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