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Today’s Timeless Thursday book is a classic for sure–Dr. Seuss Cat in the Hat. This book is loved by many–children and adults and even movie producers. Originally published in 1957, The Cat in the Hat was written when William Spaulding, the textbook publisher at Houghton Mifflin, commissioned Seuss to write a book that would get kids reading. And he had to follow one stipulation–they sent Dr. Seuss a 400 word list, and he could only use 225 of those words to write his book. Well, looks like he did a pretty darn good job with that stipulation. Oh, the creativity!

It took Seuss nine months to write this book, (I am getting all this information from a wonderful book titled: Your Favorite Seuss: A baker’s dozen by the one and only Dr. Seuss) and he actually only used 223 words. Go on, go to your child’s bookshelf or to the school library and count–it’s true–you’ll find 223 different vocabulary words.

Dr. Seuss, The Cat in the Hat, has a great message that you can discuss with children, especially children who tend to get bored easily. Be careful what you do when you are bored–as you don’t want to get into trouble or cause trouble. And it is very important to learn to say NO! especially when parents are not home. But of course, Dr. Seuss teaches these lessons in such a fun way that children don’t even know they are learning.

The end is just priceless and can lead even the youngest children in a discussion about right and wrong. The cat in the hat has cleaned everything up, and so their mother would never know what happened while she was gone. Should Sally and her brother tell her? As Dr. Seuss says in his last line: “What would YOU do if your mother asked YOU?”

So, hats off to Dr. Seuss and the cat. And even though, this book started as a limited assignment for Seuss–he worked his magic and turned this story into something that I’m sure will be around for many, many more generations.

Matilda first published in London in 1988, is one of my favorite children’s books for middle-grade readers even though I read it for the first time as an adult in college. (Although, that seems to be happening more and more lately–children’s and young adult’s books are becoming my favorites as an adult!) Anyway, this Roald Dahl classic has been made into a movie (1996) and sold in Scholastic Book Fairs everywhere. So, I must not be the only one who thinks it’s special. And it’s still popular today–twenty-two years later. You know what that means. . .it’s a Timeless Thursday pick for sure.

A quick note about the plot: Five-year-old Matilda is a child prodigy even though her parents couldn’t care less and are frankly quite neglectful. The irony here is obvious especially when Matilda loves reading, and her mother loves watching TV. The librarian befriends Matilda and allows her to read every children’s book in the library. When her parents send her to school, her teacher, Ms. Honey, realizes her brilliance, but still her parents don’t value education or learning. And then as if there could be anyone worse than Matilda’s parents, Dahl introduces us to mean, old, ugly headmistress Agatha Trunchbull. The novel can get a little wild–but we expect nothing less from Dahl–when Matilda discovers that she has psychokinetic powers.

I usually like to talk about how much children can learn from a novel or how teachers and parents can use it for all sorts of lessons and curriculum objectives. But in this case, I just want to talk about how fun Matilda is, how much or a page-turner it is, and how I wish I would have written this book. You can, of course, talk with children about how important reading is, discuss some of the books Matilda read, talk about the problems and solutions in the book, use Roald Dahl’s wonderful writing style to teach about the 6 + 1 traits of writing, and so much more. However, you can also give this book to a child who is a reluctant reader and see if he or she falls in love with this book. You can use it as an read aloud to spark the imaginations of your students and get them interested enough to read more Roald Dahl on their own. Parents can read it with their children as a bedtime story. However you decide to read this book and use it–that’s fine! Just do it. If your students or children aren’t familiar with this wonderful author, then hopefully they will be soon enough!

I recently listened to the audio book of Ender’s Game (20th anniversary edition), and it was sooooo good. I thought maybe I had read the book before because I knew a lot about it; but maybe it was 20 years ago and I don’t have a good memory. Anyway, whether it was the first time or second, listening to the audio book has made me fall in love with the first book of the series and brought back my interest in reading other books in the series. I need to know what happens to Ender!

If you aren’t familiar with this Timeless Thursday pick, Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card is a science fiction story set in a futuristic earth about a very young boy who is recruited by the powers-that-be to command fleets against the Buggers, alien beings called Formics. The young boy is named Ender Wiggins, and he is taken to Battle School where the world’s most talented children are being trained and tested through a series of computer games and “battle” exercises against other children. They are being prepared to fight in the third invasion of the Buggers. Ender’s Game won the 1985 Nebula Award for best novel and the 1986 Hugo Award for best novel.

One of the best parts about the audio book is that the author of Ender’s Game, Orson Scott Card, tells about his writing career, writing process, ideas for Ender’s Game, and struggles to get it made into a movie on most of the last CD. Being a writer myself, I might have appreciated this part more than the average person, but my husband actually found it interesting, too; and believe me, he hears enough about a writer’s struggles. It’s always nice to hear how a successful author started, how he worked on Ender’s Game to get it just right (which was actually first published as a novelette in a magazine), and how he still has to struggle to get his story out into the world the way he wants it. For example, many movie producers who wanted to buy the movie rights to Ender’s Game insisted that Ender had to be 16 years old in the movie version, and he had to have a love interest. Card understands that his book will have to be changed somewhat for the big screen, but changing Ender to 16 will not work for the story. Card explains why and his fight to find someone else in Hollywood who thinks the same way. And he found this person! YEA! This still doesn’t mean we’ll see a movie any time soon, but keep your fingers crossed.

Even if you are not a huge sci-fi fan, I think you’ll love Ender’s Game whether you are a middle school student, high school student, or older. The drama and characters will appeal to anyone! If you teach older kids, this would be a great book for discussion–there are a ton of moral dilemmas to debate. This would also be a great pick for a parent/teen book club.

There’s still a chance to win Book by Book: The Complete Guide to Creating Mother-Daughter Book Clubs until 8:00 p.m. CST tonight. Go here.

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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.

photo by soulshine20_05 www.flickr.com

The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister is the Timeless Thursday choice this week. In looking over some information for this book, I discovered that it was originally published in Switzerland! It was published in the United States by North-South Books just under 20 years ago. Can you believe it? The Rainbow Fish is almost 20 years old. When I saw a copy of the board book this past week, I couldn’t believe that it was so old–that’s what made me think it would be a good Timeless Thursday pick since children are still enjoying it today.

If you aren’t familiar with the story, it’s a about a little fish who is just absolutely beautiful on the outside with sparkly scales. But he’s not such a nice little fish and is actually pretty greedy. Another fish comes up to the rainbow fish and asks him to share one of his sparkly scales, but the rainbow fish is like, “NO WAY. I’M NOT SHARING.” (If you are around any preschoolers, this might sound familiar to you.) Rainbow fish soon finds out that in order to have friends, he has to share; and so he gives away his sparkly scales–keeping one for himself. Since he shared, he now has friends. Oh, and the sea is much more sparkly!

Besides the first book by Marcus Pfister, there are some rainbow fish sequels such as Rainbow Fish Finds His Way or Rainbow Fish Counting and much more. The reason why the rainbow fish is still around, and he has all these sequels is because the concepts in the stories are things that young children are dealing with on a daily basis. They can learn about their world and how to deal with problems through the rainbow fish’s world. When you finish reading this cute book with great illustrations, then talk with children about sharing and friendship, using the fish as an example.

Do your kids or students love The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister?

Millions of Cats by Wanda Gag is near and dear to my heart because I starred as the old woman in a play my first grade class did about this book in 1978. (Okay, now I know you are all adding up my age!) Anyway, I remember my teacher, Mrs. Burney, reading us this book, choosing the parts, creating the scenery–including the old man and woman’s house, dressing up in costumes, and inviting our parents and other classes to the performance. This memory stands out in my first grade year, and so I thought I had to share this book for a Timeless Thursday post.

Here’s a brief synopsis of the book from Amazon.com Review:
“Millions of Cats is a wonderful tale of vanity versus humility, written and illustrated by the singular Wanda Gag. An old man and his wife decide to get a cat, so the old man goes out in search of the prettiest cat of all. When he is forced to choose from “hundreds, thousands, millions and billions and trillions” of cats, he (naturally) brings them all home. When the wife points out their inability to support the legion of felines, it is left to the cats to decide who among them is the prettiest. Anyone who has ever owned more than a single cat can tell you what happens next.

Gag’s simple, appealing black ink drawings are perfect for the story, somehow capturing at least the idea of millions of cats in a single page. Repeated lines and the sing-song title refrain make this a read-aloud natural.(Ages 4 to 8)”

Millions of Cats won a Newbery Honor award in 1929; and according to Wikipedia (so check your sources), it is the oldest picture book still in print.

This book can really get you and your students (or children) thinking. You can ask several questions such as: “What does it mean to be the prettiest?” “Who should decide who is the prettiest?” “Is being the prettiest most important?” “What can be more important than being pretty?” The end of the book is wonderful when the old man and woman find a skinny cat that survived because it didn’t consider itself pretty. Discuss with children why this cat survives, why the man and woman take it back in, and what happens to the cat with some love.

In a world where children are often exposed to the over-importance of material objects and beauty in the media, Millions of Cats, from 1929, reminds us what is really important. It’s great to read a book that can do that!

photo by Arwen Abendstern www.flickr.com

Pippi Longstocking is perhaps one of the most-loved orphans of all time (well, maybe she’s an orphan since she’s still waiting for her father to come back from being a cannibal king), along with Annie and the Baudelaire children. The style of this book reminds me very much of another Timeless Thursday classic, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, and children just love these types of books. No matter whether the books are 10 years old or 50 years old, books like Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren allow children to use their imagination while they read, laugh out loud at silly antics, and maybe even spark their own creativity to create a story!

Here are some adventures to remember that Pippi had in her first book:

*She makes pancakes, and boy does she ever make a mess. Let’s just say eggs go everywhere.

*She has her pet monkey, Mr. Nilsson, which came from her father’s ship and a big suitcase full of gold coins. (Where can I get one of those?)

*Pippi “plays tag” with some policeman.

*She goes to the circus and infuriates the ringmaster and Mighty Adolf.

*Pippi dances with burglars.

Who said children can’t still have adventures and use their imaginations? Share Pippi Longstocking with your class or your children. Allow them to write their own Pippi Longstocking stories. You can also ask students to vote on which of the chapters is their favorite and explain why. This is a great read-aloud book for younger students. Check it out today!

Talk about timeless–how about this book from 1937? It’s Dr. Seuss’s first children’s book, and I thought I’d wrap up this week of celebrating his birthday with talking about one more of his classic books. And to Think that I Saw It on Mulberry Street is, of course, a fantastical version of an actual street from Ted Geisel’s childhood–Mulberry Street in Springfield, Massachusetts. I’m telling you, Dr. Seuss is one of those living-proof legends that wrote what he knew with great success!

So, if you’ve never read this classic Dr. Seuss tale, then here’s a quick summary: Marco’s dad always says to him, “Marco, keep your eyelids up and see what you can see.” So, Marco does, but he’s a bit frustrated because when he tells his dad the things that he has seen, his dad says, “Your eyesight’s much too keen. Stop telling outlandish tales.” So, what kind of outlandish things does Marco see on Mulberry Street? Well, there’s the zebra pulling a wagon–actually a chariot; and oh wait–it’s not a chariot with a zebra, it’s an elephant pulling a big brass band. Marco’s imagination (or keen eyesight) continues to see this wagon pulled by an animal in all sorts of ways, and he just can’t wait to tell his dad until he gets right there with him–and Marco winds up telling him that he saw “a plain horse and wagon on Mulberry Street.”

Children today will love Marco’s imagination and keep turning the page to see what he comes up with next. They’ll also want to see what he reports to his father. Since teachers and parents are often complaining that children don’t spend enough time imagining any more because they are playing video games and watching movies and TV, And to Think that I Saw It on Mulberry Street is an important book to share with children and celebrate imagination.

After reading this book to students or your children, discuss with them what they could turn the wagon and horse into in their imaginations. Ask them to draw their versions and write a sentence about them. You could even do this activity in an art class with older students–especially if you want to study Dr. Seuss’s illustration style.

And next time you and your children (or students) are outside looking at a street, what can you imagine that you see on South Street or Main Street or Green Street? Create your own version of Dr. Seuss’s celebration of imagination And to Think I Saw it On Mulberry Street!

Henry Huggins is the lesser known resident on Klickitat Street, but he’s got a lot to offer kids and their parents even sixty years later! You are probably more familiar or might remember better from your childhood Beezus and Ramona books, but these two lovable sisters show up in Henry Huggins, too! Plus who can resist Ribsy? Okay, some of you cat lovers might be able to resist him; but as we all know, I’m a dog lover for sure!

Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary begins with Henry in the third grade and wishing that something exciting would happen to him. And that’s when he meets Ribsy, a lost and hungry dog, while eating an ice cream cone that the dog wants and eventually gets. Of course, somehow in this same chapter, Henry ends up in a police car, but you’ll have to find a copy of Henry Huggins and share it with your children or your class to remember why! Besides getting a stray dog in this book, Henry also brings home a bag full of guppies, throws his friend’s ball into an open window of a passing car, and has to be Timmy in the Christmas play!

So, what makes Henry Huggins a good read still today? Well, I appreciate Henry’s independence, creativity, and imagination. Won’t your students or your children be shocked at how much fun Henry can have without TV and a Nintendo DS? I also think Henry is funny. Kids need to laugh at books. This is a great chapter book for first through third graders to read who are ready to go beyond picture books. It’s good, wholesome fun! Plus, Henry gets into trouble, and many children will be able to empathize with him and discuss some of the things he could have done to stay out of trouble. These are timeless themes!

What’s your favorite Beverly Cleary book?

Don’t forget, there’s a contest going on until Friday, February 26 at 11:55 p.m. (CST). Click here for more information.

photo by creativedc www.flickr.com

Clifford the Big Red Dog first appeared on the scene in 1963. Now he has appeared in his own book series with more than ninety million books in print. He also has his own television series on PBS, and children around the world love him. So, this Timeless Thursday post is dedicated to Clifford!

One of my favorite Clifford books is the one about Halloween when Emily Elizabeth tries to find a costume for Clifford, which isn’t very easy since he is bigger than a house. But I recently read this first book ever written about Clifford again at the library, and it is just so cute–which is why it is sticking around for 47 years now. Everyone loves dogs. Everyone loves sweet dogs, and many people love big dogs. Although Clifford’s antics are exaggerated, like when he chases cars and catches them (literally), all of us pet owners are nodding our heads and thinking, Oh our dogs have done something like that before. I know just how Emily Elizabeth feels. Like yesterday, when Chester, our 11-month old boxer puppy, chewed up my husband’s Captain Kirk action figure (yes, my husband is a Star Trek geek); I just shook my head at him and said, “You are going to be in so much trouble when your dad gets home.” And Chester had the same sorry look on his face that Clifford has in the illustration with the car in his mouth and the mad, mad driver.

With the Clifford the Big Red Dog series by Norman Bridwell, you can explore all sorts of subjects with your young child. There are Clifford books about Christmas, spring clean-up, good deeds, manners, counting, Halloween, and much, much more. These are also perfect books for your child or your students to read when they are first learning to read independently because there’s simple text that the illustrations support.

So, if you haven’t visited with Clifford the Big Red Dog and Emily Elizabeth lately, then grab some from the library or purchase them on Amazon for less than $4.00! And here’s another plus, if your child is begging you for a pet, read these books to them with the attitude of “look at all the trouble Emily Elizabeth has with her dog. Do you really want to do through this?”

Do you have a favorite Clifford book? Can you believe he’s 47 years old?

photo by cr9245 www.flickr.com

So, today’s my birthday, and I decided to remember a Timeless Thursday book that I had and loved as a child. I still remember my copy with a gold cover and how I wished Winnie, Piglet, and Eeyore would come alive out of my pages like they did on the Disney show. I had an old-fashioned Winnie-the-Pooh doll–maybe even a rip-off come to think of it because his colors were just not quite as bright as the ones in the photo here.

Why do we love Winnie-the-Pooh? Why has he stuck with us for years and years? Why do toddlers today know and love the face in the photo? I mean look at Winnie-the-Pooh–he’s a bear whose obsessed with honey, “a Bear of Very Little Brain” getting confused all the time, and a bear with some dysfunctional friends except for maybe Piglet and Kanga (heavy emphasis on MAYBE Piglet).

Could it be that Winnie-the-Pooh is also a bear who is a TRUE friend to all and has amazing adventures and is just plain cute as a button (inside and out)? Even though Eeyore is the most depressed animal I’ve ever seen (and who wouldn’t be with a tail held on with a nail), you have to love him–I mean, he’s sweet, right? And Tigger is that person in the morning who doesn’t even need coffee to be chipper, but don’t you always appreciate her when she’s there and smiling on even the dingiest winter days?

If you haven’t read Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne and have only seen cartoons or recent picture books, check out the original. Check it out with your children or your students. You’ll find information in this book to answer many of your questions about Christopher Robin and his friends with chapter titles such as: “In Which Pooh Goes Visiting and Gets Into a Tight Place,” or “In Which Pooh and Piglet Go Hunting and Nearly Catch a Woozle,” or even “In Which Piglet Meets a Heffalump.”

What can children learn from Winnie-the-Pooh? I think the biggest lesson to share or discussion you can have with children is friendship. The book is full of examples of what it means to be a true friend and how “real friends” interact with one another. Winnie-the-Pooh is an example of a community working together. Children won’t even realize these life lessons they’re learning because they’ll be having too much fun with Pooh. This is a great read-aloud book for primary grades.

Do you have fond memories of Pooh?

photo from www.peterrabbit.com

Over holiday break, I finally watched the movie Miss Potter, starring Renee Zellweger as Beatrix Potter. It was a sensational movie, and I watched it with awe and amazement. Mostly because it was fascinating to see how Beatrix Potter created her books and fought for her books and didn’t even know how much money she had made from her books! If you are a writer of children’s books, I highly recommend watching this movie (especially if you’re an author/illustrator).

Your children may have a treasury of Beatrix Potter books on their bedroom shelves. These are popular gifts to give when children are born or at their first birthdays. Some of the other volumes besides Peter Rabbit (1902) are:
#The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin (1903)
# The Tailor of Gloucester (1903)
# The Tale of Benjamin Bunny (1904)
# The Tale of Two Bad Mice (1904)
# The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle (1905)
# The Tale of the Pie and the Patty-Pan (1905)
# The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher (1906)
and many, many, many more!

Why do people still love the cautionary tale of Peter and his siblings: Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail, over 100 years after Beatrix Potter wrote and illustrated it? In my opinion, her drawings are wonderful, timeless, and bring her characters to life. Everyone can relate to really wanting to do something naughty like Peter, and sometimes not being able to resist an adventure even when your parents warn you not to do it. Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail provide the “good” example, which children often find themselves also following–thank goodness for their parents. Let’s face it: Peter Rabbit is fun. Beatrix Potter is a wonderful illustrator and storyteller. Those kinds of things are just not going to die.

Parents and teachers have been using Peter and his friends Jeremy Fisher, Benjamin Bunny, and Squirrel Nutkin to discuss right and wrong actions, childhood dilemmas, story elements, and illustration techniques for a century. Let’s hope that this trend continues for another century, at least, Beatrix sticks around! Make sure to check out this great website, The World of Beatrix Potter for more information with a special section for parents and teachers.

BTW, there’s still time to win a copy of Ellen Jensen Abbott’s book, Watersmeet, by leaving a comment on Tuesday or Wednesday’s post until 8:00 p.m. CST.

When I taught remedial reading to second graders in Boonville, Missouri, I loved the week we spent reading this book. Some of the kids had heard it read to them before by kindergarten or first grade teachers or librarians, but many of them were experiencing it for the first time. They LOVED when the monkeys stole the caps from the peddler and how cheap the caps were! After all, this was published in 1938–prices have risen since then.

One of the best things about this book is how easy it is to read once children do a book walk and a read through because the pictures can help with the more difficult words AND there’s plenty of repeatable text. Struggling and beginning readers need fun books like Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina to gain confidence and find enjoyment in reading. After all, reading attitude is at least half the battle.

We used to do a lot of activities in my remedial reading class with Caps for Sale. I would have students sequence the events using pre-made sentence strips that I photocopied and they cut out. Another fun activity was for students to act out the peddler’s and monkeys’ story while one or two other students read the text. Finally, we made advertisements for the peddler’s caps, so he didn’t have to go out, peddle, get so tired, and take a nap. Fun activities that work on writing and reading skills plus a great timeless book equals great reading lessons!

Do you remember reading Caps for Sale as a child? Anyone have an old, old, old copy (as in pre-Reading Rainbow) lying around?

**There’s still time to win one of Clara Gillow Clark’s Hattie books (middle grade historical fiction) by leaving a comment on Tuesday’s post. Contest ends at 8:00 pm CST today!**

I am so excited to have a great historical fiction author and her books on my blog today and tomorrow. I am even more excited about the book giveaway contest. Clara Gillow Clark has donated a copy of all three Hattie books to give away as prizes to lucky winners who comment on today’s post or tomorrow’s post. You can leave a comment about the book or a question for Clara. You can also discuss historical fiction for middle grade or YA and/or recommend any good historical fiction books you’ve read. To get an extra entry or two, subscribe to my RSS feed, and leave a comment that you did. You can also follow me on Twitter or follow Clara on Twitter (or both of us!); and each time, leave a separate comment that you did! Thanks! (If you already follow us, tell us that in a separate comment, too!) So, here’s Hill Hawk Hattie:

*Historical fiction for middle grade (1850s, American east coast: Delaware River: Pennsylvannia, New York, New Jersey)
*11-year-old girl as main character
*Rating: Hill Hawk Hattie is an historical fiction adventure with lovable characters who pull at your heartstrings while making you smile and sometimes even want to cry.

Short, short summary: Hattie and her pa are a mess after Ma dies. Pa drinks too much, hardly talks or smiles, and orders Hattie around with curse words. After having to quit school, Hattie has to do all the work around the house, and she’s not so great at it. She’s turning mean inside and ornery, too. How long can Pa and Hattie go on like this? Then one day, Pa, a “Hill Hawk” (a logger who lives a lonely life in the hills), comes home and tells Hattie that she’s going to work with him the next day to cut trees. When she gets there, Pa introduces her as his boy, Harley, and Hattie wonders what that’s all about. Hattie/Harley soon forms a friendship with Pa’s partner’s boy, Jasper, while they work together at being loggers, including an adventure of taking the logs down the Delaware River. Pa and Hattie both learn about living life after Ma while Clara Gillow Clark sprinkles the text with just the right amount of vivid and historical details. You’ll fall in love with Hattie and want to read more! (Good thing, it’s a series!)

So, what do I do with this book?

1. Since Hill Hawk Hattie is written about the 1850s and the east coast, this is a book you can read with a social studies/history unit that is pre-Civil War. There aren’t many books around that aren’t about slavery during this time, so this is a refreshing look at this period in history. When reading historical fiction, students can keep a separate section in their reading response journals for recording historical facts or details about the time period. For example, while reading Hill Hawk Hattie, students or your children will learn some activities people did at night in the 1850s. Hattie offers to read to her father the Bible or the almanac. There was no TV or radio, and Hattie and her pa don’t talk much, so what else can they do? Readers can also see a lot of details of what it was like to cook a meal as Hattie struggles to take over Ma’s role.

2. Hill Hawk Hattie has a wonderful map of the Delaware River, snaking its way through the east coast. Students can follow Hattie’s logging adventure on the map. They can also compare a modern day map with the map in the book. You can also make a large copy of this map, and st

Whenever I read books like The Giver, I am fascinated with the way the author has created this amazing future world that is so incredibly screwed up. I am a big fan of The Hunger Games series

In The Giver’s world, a twelve-year-old (can you imagine?) receives their life assignment at the annual Ceremony in December. Jonas is scared and wondering what type of Assignment he’ll receive from the Elders. Nobody wants to be a Sanitation Laborer for the rest of their lives. So, when Jonas is given a very special assignment when he’s twelve–he has been selected to be the next Receiver of Memory. He has to spend time with the Giver. It’s a very special honor, but he’s scared and wondering what in the world is in store for him, especially when he starts to learn the truth about the “perfection” in his world.

Although this book isn’t as old as some of my other Timeless Thursday selections (copyright 1993), it’s still extremely popular today and studied in many middle school or junior high classrooms. I also think it’s still going to be around for many, many more years because the plot can be discussed at length, the characters analyzed, and personal connections made with both when readers put themselves in Jonas’s world and ask, “What if this was me? What if I lived in this world? What would I do? What would I believe?”

If your children or students have read The Hunger Games or Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, you could also do a compare/contrast activity with The Giver by Lois Lowry. Students might also be inspired to write their own stories set in a future world where people think they have gotten life right and better, but they haven’t. Heck, I even have a rough draft or two of a beginning of a novel about that very topic!

One last thing. . .The Giver won the Newberry Medal in 1993.

photo by >>>WonderMike<<< www.flickr.com

Today, in East Central Illinois, I am surrounded by snow and wind and chilly temperatures. So what’s a better Timeless Thursday book to remember today than The Mitten by Jan Brett? I remember when I was studying to be an elementary education teacher in the early 1990s, and everybody raved about Jan Brett–especially The Mitten. In one of my classes, we had to do a cross-curriculum unit on a book where we created activities in various subjects such as math, social studies, science, and reading. I did Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco, but one of my classmates did Jan Brett’s The Mitten. And I was smitten.

One of the best things about this book is the art and the border around each page that Jan Brett has become famous for. Not only are her illustrations wonderful and something I could never imagine doing in a million years, the borders are clever and help readers predict which animals might enjoy the boy’s mitten next. For example, the text on one page is discussing how Nicki lost his mitten. The border is showing us mole tracks on one page and a mole on the next. Then the next page’s text is about the mole finding the mitten and resting inside.

This Timeless Thursday Jan Brett classic, which is 21 years old in 2010, can be used in the classroom in so many ways. Many art teachers use her border idea for art projects in elementary art lessons. Teachers use The Mitten to work on predicting or sequencing skills and read tales from other lands (this story comes from a Ukrainian tradition). Parents can share this wonderful book at bedtime, use it to develop an interest in knitting, and even to talk about responsibility with their children. I mean, how many of us have lost a mitten? I have! I should probably have mine tied to my winter coat as we speak.

The Mitten by Jan Brett is a great winter book to share with children at home or at school!

photo by melissaclark www.flickr.com

My favorite Christmas story is How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Is that weird? I just love it when the Grinch has stolen everything from Whoville, and he’s waiting to hear all the boo-hoos. But he doesn’t hear crying, he hears singing–my word! Without any presents? Who would have thought it? And then my favorite part of all:

“Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store.
“Maybe Christmas. . .perhaps. . .means a little bit more!”

And what happened then. . .?
Well. . .in Who-ville they say
That the Grinch’s small heart
Grew three sizes that day!

How the Grinch Stole Christmas was originally published in 1957. In a really cool Dr. Seuss collection that my stepson has (Your Favorite Seuss pictured below), Charles D. Cohen, author of The Seuss, the Whole Seuss, and Nothing but the Seuss, writes that Theodore Seuss Geisel wrote about the Grinch because in 1956 when looking at himself in the mirror, he decided something had gone terribly wrong with Christmas. He wrote the story to see if he could rediscover something about Christmas that he had obviously lost. He wanted to explore anti-consumerism, according to Cohen, but more importantly, the sense and spirit of community that Seuss felt was lost in the world. Think about it: the Grinch is excluded from the Whos–he can’t stand their singing and bells ringing. He’s included when he gets to carve the roast beast at the end. The Whos definitely have a sense of community, which is proven in my favorite scene above!

I like that Dr. Seuss reminds us of the true meaning of Christmas without preaching or hitting us over the head with it. He does it in true children’s writers’ fashion with a great show-don’t-tell picture book. The Grinch’s story is wonderful to share and discuss with children why the Whos are still singing and happy when all their Christmas stuff is gone. This is sometimes hard for children to understand, especially since the number one question they are asked around this time of year is: “What did you ask Santa to bring you for Christmas?” Talk to students and your children about other Christmas traditions they really enjoy besides the presents and compare these traditions to what the Whos do even though all their Christmas gear is missing. When children see how their favorite family traditions, like making s’mores or singing carols around the piano, compare to the Whos singing, they might understand more how Christmas doesn’t really come from a store.

So although I love Jimmy Stewart and angels getting their wings, the Grinch will always have my heart–and he’s been around for fifty-two years, so he must have more hearts than just mine.

What’s your favorite Christmas story/movie/book?

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is an obvious pick for a Timeless Thursday post. A Christmas Carol was first published in 1843, and I’m sure you’ve seen the previews of Disney’s 3-D version, starring Jim Carey as Scrooge in theaters this holiday season. So, this tale is obviously still popular and meaningful for adults and children today.

Critics and literary experts have discussed the reasons why Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is so popular, and everyone has a different opinion. But I think anyone who has read the book or seen one of the countless versions wouldn’t mind seeing their past, present, and possibly future as Scrooge sees in his story. Especially, if it can change and inspire us!

So, why would you want to share Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol with your family or your students this holiday season? (BTW, you can read the original version for free online!) I think because it’s a story about choices. Look at the choices that Scrooge made up until the three ghosts visited him. They were selfish and about material belongings. Your children will have to make choices, especially teenagers and college-age, about their lives–what is their focus? What is most important to them? Can a novel like this actually change an opinion or the direction in someone’s life? Most likely yes, especially if it is a catalyst for a discussion about this very topic.

This novel also explores, of course, the true meaning of Christmas. Christmas is about love and giving and being with family. When Scrooge catches the Christmas spirit, he displays it like no other. How about you and your kids? How about in your classroom? How is your “Christmas spirit?” Can you teach about generosity and kindness during this month? What about reading the final chapter of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol out loud and discussing Scrooge’s change and how he displays generosity? Ask students to write in their writing journals about these themes and how they can be more like Scrooge in their own lives.

Great stories don’t die. And this is especially true for this holiday classic!

I love Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle!

Children love Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle (still after 50+ years) and how can parents and teachers not love her practical ways and advice! I am so very excited about this Timeless Thursday post because I hope if you haven’t shared Mrs. Piggle Wiggle (written by Betty MacDonald and illustrations by Hilary Knight) with your children or students yet, this post will remind you to go to the library and check her out or visit a bookstore and grab her up!

What can we learn today from Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books? Besides being fun (since Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle lives in a mostly upside-down house and she was once married to a pirate), children and parents can learn about manners, responsibilities, imagination, and good old-fashioned fun. For example, in the first one of the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books, Mary Lou Robertson hated doing dishes. She couldn’t believe her mother had the nerve to make her do dishes. So, she is complaining and whining to Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle until Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle tells Mary Lou that she loves to do dishes. She always pretends she is a princess and a mean old witch is coming to inspect her work in the kitchen. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle gets Mary Lou caught up in the creative play; and all of a sudden, Mary Lou doesn’t mind doing dishes so much anymore. And this is only the beginning. As a matter of fact, someone on Wikipedia actually made a chart of the behaviors that Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle tackles in her books. Check it out! Behaviors like talking back, not picking up toys, and bickering with siblings are no match for Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle!

Have fun with this book! (or any of the other Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books) Ask your students or your children what chore they hate doing. Imagine Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle was here, and figure out how she would make it more fun. How can you and your child make the task more fun? Also, you can discuss with your children or your students why it is important to do chores, take a bath, and so on–why it is important to have responsibilities and fun in life–a balance. Why do we have rules? Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books can open up this discussion with your students and children!

photo by catnipstudio www.flickr.com

What a beautiful picture book and one of the most delightful Thanksgiving books I’ve seen– An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving–text by Louisa May Alcott and illustrations by James Bernardin! HarperCollins Publishers have taken this classic tale by the author of Little Women, added Bernardin’s beautiful illustrations, and turned this into a picture book that children today can enjoy. Find this Thanksgiving book at the library or buy a copy of your own.

The Bassett family is preparing for Thanksgiving in nineteenth century New England. Mother and Father are called away to take care of Grandmother, and the children are left to prepare the Thanksgiving dinner. How hard can it be? They don’t do too bad of a job–except for accidentally putting catnip and wormwood in the stuffing. This book shows how Thanksgiving dinner was prepared in the past and some of the traditions families had when celebrating together.

This would be a great Thanksgiving book to show students life in the past and to compare and contrast to life in the present–especially focusing on Thanksgiving traditions. Plus, you know what? It’s just a beautiful book to share with your children or your students during this holiday season.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I love Timeless Thursdays and not just because it is almost Friday. I love revisiting these books that I read when I was younger and that children or teens are still reading today. And how about this series that I thought about while perusing the shelves of the local library? Timeless Thursday is talking Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder pictured here.

Of course, when I was little, Laura Ingalls Wilder was actually Melissa Gilbert, and Pa was Michael Landon. I couldn’t wait to tune into the television show and see what Mary, Carrie, Albert, Laura, Ma and Pa were doing. I even wanted to see Nellie and mean old Mrs. Olsen. Oh, I loved that show.

Then I discovered the books, and there are so many of them. Here are the titles of the Little House on the Prairie series:
Little House in the Big Woods
Farmer Boy
Little House on the Prairie
On the Banks of Plum Creek
Old Town in the Green Groves
By the Shores of Silver Lake
The Long Winter
Little Town on the Prairie
These Happy Golden Years
The First Four Years

And a website where you can find fun and games and notes for teachers about Little House books.

What makes us love these books so much? I’ve decided it has to be the characters. We love the Ingalls and the people they come into contact with. We love hearing how they struggle, celebrate, survive, and live as a family. These are character-driven novels, and they are some of the best for kids–especially if you want them to learn about this period in history.

Do you have a favorite Little House book? If so, please share with us and tell us why.

Timeless Thursdays are usually saved for books, but this week I feel it is EXTREMELY important to talk about this magazine New Moon Girls. It was 16 years old in September, so that might not be timeless–but it is a long time for a children’s magazine! As you are doing your holiday shopping this season, consider buying a subscription to this wonderful magazine for girls. The magazine will have to close its doors unless subscriptions pick up. Here’s a message from the Founder of New Moon Media, Nancy Gruver:

Empowering girls with healthy, positive media is my lifelong passion, and one I know you share. New Moon Girls online community and magazine gives girls ages 8 and up a safe, exciting, supportive space to express themselves and hear from other girls around the world. Girls who could be the next Courtney Martin (a finalist this week in Washington Post’s America’s Next Great Pundit contest) whose first article was published in New Moon when she was a girl, 14 years ago.

Sadly, this will all end on 12-31-09 without your help.

New Moon’s had a tough year like many other businesses. Even with a lot of effort, we haven’t succeeded in bringing in additional investors this fall, and it’s time to add a new strategy to keep New Moon alive. We have until Dec 31 to reach monthly break-even, so that New Moon can grow in the future.

Have we tightened our own belts? You betcha! Right now our monthly expenses are 65% less than they were a year ago. But we still have a gap of $7500 a month to break-even. The good news is that with your help we can close this gap. The gap amounts to only 250 orders a month @ $29.95.

With your help to sponsor memberships for non-profits and to give New Moon as gifts, we can continue to ensure a media that lifts girls’ aspirations, increases their power, and gives them an outlet for their unique perspectives and voices. I’m sending this email to everyone I know and asking you to do the same.

Together, we can fill this gap and save New Moon for girls.

Please act today so the media universe for girls won’t be totally dominated by Stardoll.com, Seventeen magazine, and worse.

You can help by:

* Sponsoring memberships for libraries, schools and programs serving low-income girls. It’s quick and easy to sponsor one, ten or 100 girls-every dollar matters!

* Buying memberships for all girls 8-14 that you know. Our holiday special saves you 50% after the first order.

* Telling everyone what you value about New Moon. Link to us, and follow us on Facebook
and Twitter and share with your FB friends and Tweeps.

Together, we can do it. And, in addition to the above ways to help, if you would like to learn more about becoming an investor in New Moon, let me know.

Thank you,

Nancy

I heard another great idea about this issue from Paula Morrow–she suggested that if you don’t have a young girl to buy a subscription for that you could buy a subscription for the local library if they don’t already receive New Moon.

Let’s save the magazine!

I am sharing my pets with you today (Chester the boxer and Hush Puppy the basset hound) because I am an animal lover. And because I am an animal lover, I also want us to take a trip back and remember the book The Incredible Journey by Shelia Burnford. Many of you have probably seen the Disney movie Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey, starring the voices of Michael J. Fox, Sally Field, and Don Ameche as the animals that make their way back home after an incredible journey. There’s not a dry eye in the room when those three lovable pets make their way back at the end. The movie is based on Shelia Burnford’s book.

The book was published in 1961 by Little, Brown the first time. Then it was re-released by Bantam and Delacorte Press in the 1990s. The movie came out in 1993; and of course, it differs from the book as all movies do. But still both are great and wonderful and a good animal story, bringing tears to the eyes of readers and watchers, like some other old classics: Old Yeller and Where the Red Fern Grows. In this story, we are not dealing with any dead dogs though. (You know, there’s so many dead dogs in children’s literature that Gordon Korman wrote the book, No More Dead Dogs!)

If you have animal lovers at home or in your classroom, suggest to them that they read The Incredible Journey. When they are finished, they can watch the movie, and they can compare and contrast the two. Which one did they like better? Why? You can also ask kids to discuss why they think so many recent kids’ movies are based on books like Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs or Where the Wild Things Are. And why do movies differ from the book? These are all interesting discussions or writing topics for children.

So, do you have a pet? What kind? What name? Have a pet story? Have a favorite pet book? Let us all know!

photo by jelene www.flickr.com

When I was little, I loved my Little Golden Books, and I had a bunch. From The Poky Puppy to The Little Red Caboose to my favorite–We Like Kindergarten, I listened to my parents read me those stories over and over again until I could read them myself. I also remember looking at all the titles listed of those books and thinking, I have to get all the Little Golden Books. They even used to sell them at the grocery store—and they were so cheap. If I am remembering correctly, didn’t they cost between 29 and 49 cents?

In the summer of 2008, I went to the SCBWI-LA conference and learned that Little Golden Books are not dead. An editor from Little Golden Books (now owned by Random House) was there and talking about the new line. Some of the Little Golden Books Classics, reprinted in 2001, are:

So, Little Golden Books are the perfect Timeless Thursday topic because 1. they are still around; and 2. kids still love the stories. My stepson happens to have a Little Golden Book with Simba and his lovable friends from The Lion King. He loves to read this book with us before he goes to bed, and he is in third grade, reading chapter books like Charlotte’s Web for school. There’s just something about Little Golden Books.

And one of the best things–they aren’t 29 cents anymore, but most are $2.99 or less. That’s about 29 cents in today’s economy. WOW!

Happy Reading Little Golden Books!
Margo

Do you or your child have a favorite Little Golden Book?

Amelia Bedelia is still alive and well in spite of the fact that lovable author, Peggy Parish, died in 1988. Thank goodness her nephew and HarperCollins have continued the series with one of my favorite characters in all of literature: good-old, literal, fun-loving maid Amelia Bedelia. The first book, pictured here with a new cover, was written in 1963, and Peggy wrote over 10 books with this main character before she passed away, including my favorite (and the one I always used to teach struggling readers in Title I):

Of course when someone tells you to run home, you have to go all the way to the building where you live–not to home plate on the ballfield. Everybody knows that, right? I have lesson ideas to go with Play Ball, Amelia Bedelia here

If you haven’t checked out Amelia Bedelia lately, then you should. If you are a parent or home school parent, rush to your local library or visit a bookstore, and buy these up for young readers. Peggy Parish actually received a letter from a young reader that said, “I hate reading but your books are changing my opinion.” WOW! All children’s authors, including me, can only hope for a letter like that. If you are a teacher of primary grades, give your students some fun books to read. There are so many Amelia Bedelia books now–one for practically any subject, holiday, special event–check out Harper Collins website page about Amelia. At this site, you can also find information about Peggy Parish, Herman Parish, the illustrators, the story behind the books, games, all the book titles, and information on teaching the books.

So, on this Timeless Thursday, what am I encouraging you to do?

Read Amelia Bedelia books with kids, and use HarperCollins website to help you have even more fun and learning adventures!