The Inly Summer Reading List – Part Three May 31, 2011

The next category on Inly’s Summer Reading List is the Developing reader. According to Bonnie Campbell Hill’s continuum, these are the characteristics of a child who might enjoy the titles listed below:

-         straightforward and fairly simple vocabulary

-         story reflects common experiences

-         begins to make meaningful predictions

 When Dinosaurs Came With Everything by Elise Broach

The Curious Garden by Peter Brown

Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown

I Lost My Tooth in Africa by Penda Diakite

Olivia books by Ian Falconer

Lightship by Brian Floca

A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever by Marla Frazee

Police Officers on Patrol by Kersten Hamilton

The Dog Who Belonged to No One by Amy Hest

Duck and Goose and Duck, Duck, Goose by Tad Hills

Rosie’s Walk by Pat Hutchins

The Road to Mumbai by Ruth Jeyaveeran

That New Animal by Emily Jenkins

Meet the Dogs of Bedlam Farms by Jon Katz

“The large, full-color photographs are totally engaging and capture the animals’ distinct personalities. . . . The writing is crisp and clear, and the stories (each dog gets its own turn) are sweet and filled with gentle humor. This gorgeous, heartwarming book, great for quiet reading and storytimes alike, stands out from the pack.”  (starred review, School Library Journal)

Whistle for Willie by Ezra Jack Keats

Farfallena and Marcel by Holly Keller

Swimmy by Leo Lionni

Adele and Simon in America by Barbara McClintock

Little Red Riding Hood by Jerry Pinkney

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

Come Along, Daisy! by Jane Simmons

Heat Wave by Eileen Spinelli

A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead

Pouch! By David Ezra Stein

The Apple Pie That Papa Baked by Lauren Thompson

Lizette’s Green Sock by Catharina Valckx

Circus Ship by Chris Van Dusen

Queen of France by Tim Wadham

Super Guinea Pig to the Rescue by Udo Weigelt

Originally published in German, this book is “a refreshing visual romp, with oversize trim and bright, boisterous acrylic and watercolor paintings by Nina Spranger.”  (originally published in Germany)  (New York Times Book Review, November 11, 2007)

Cherries and Cherry Pits by Vera Williams

The Inly Summer Reading List – Part Two May 30, 2011

Today’s focus is the “emergent” reader, a reader who is emerging like a butterfly from a cocoon.

According to Bonnie Campbell Hill’s reading continuum, the characteristics of an emerging reader are:

-         text reflects common experiences or familiar objects

-         patterns change only slightly

-         1-3 lines of print per page

-         illustrations clearly support text

 Here are the books from Inly’s summer reading list, but keep in mind that I also include books that children enjoy hearing read to them -not only books they might read themselves.

Watermelon Day by Kathi Appelt

Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing by Judi Barrett

A Visitor for Bear by Bonnie Becker

Duck Tents by Lynne Berry

All of the Biscuit books by Alyssa Satin Capucilli – the newest one is Biscuit and the Lost Teddy Bear

Pedro’s Burro by Alyssa Satin Capucilli  (I Can Read, My First Reading)

Books by Eric Carle

The Black Book of Color by Menena Cottin

 Books by Donald Crews

Thunder-Boomer by Shutta Crum

Mother Goose Numbers on the Loose by Leo and Diane Dillon

Personified numerals join hands with elaborately costumed characters in this inventive, visually dazzling interpretation of favorite nursery rhymes that feature numbers.  (Publishers Weekly, Best Children’s Books of 2007)

Books by Lois Ehlert

Chicken Little by Rebecca Emberley

Thank You Bear by Greg Foley

Don’t Worry Bear by Greg Foley

Where is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox

 My Heart is Like a Zoo by Michael Hall

Little White Rabbit by Kevin Henkes

“A quiet gem of a picture book about a small bunny with a big imagination. “When he hopped through the high grass, he wondered what it would be like to be green.” Each burst of curiosity is followed by a spread of envisioning. For example, when he wonders what it would be like to be tall as a fir tree, readers are treated to a depiction of a huge rabbit leaning on the upper boughs of a hemlock, communing with the birds. In the tradition of Eric Carle’s The Mixed-Up Chameleon (Crowell, 1975) and Margaret Wise Brown’s The Runaway Bunny (HarperCollins, 1942), Little White Rabbit is perfect for preschoolers. The colored pencil and acrylic illustrations in cheery springtime pastels have fuzzy textures and broad outlines that are enormously appealing. Henkes often manages to combine the static and kinetic so that his protagonist seems frozen in mid-leap. And just when you think this little rabbit has settled in for the night with his loving family, that lively curiosity reappears, ready to begin another adventure.” (School Library Journal)

Old Bear by Kevin Henkes

“Henkes has created a thoroughly delightful character filled with curiosity and sweetness and placed him in a simple tale that unfolds with a natural, rhythmical pace…Old Bear will enrapture young listeners for years to come.”  (School Library Journal, starred review)

A Good Day by Kevin Henkes

“Award-wining author and illustrator Kevin Henkes’s latest book reminds us that even at a tender age, days can be challenging.  With watercolor paintings outlined in bold ink and simple text, Henkes provides a reassuring, perfectly balanced circular tale.  (Politics and Prose, Favorite Children’s Books, 2007)

Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes

My Garden by Kevin Henkes

Firefighters! Speeding! Spraying! Saving! by Patricia Hubbell

Books by Pat Hutchins – Recommended titles are Rosie’s Walk and The Wind Blew

The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss

Please, Puppy, Please by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee

“Two young children celebrate the joy and challenges of life with their new pet. Puppy is exuberant, energetic, and as undisciplined as can be. The kids are thrilled with their uncontrollable new friend, chasing him, playing with him, and trying to get him to behave. In the spare text, the authors’ repetitive dialogue rings true, echoing the sounds of children’s excited screams and squeals. Nelson’s illustrations are full of movement, switching perspective often to create a frenzied atmosphere. The children and puppy are appealing, dominating each page and keeping the focus clearly on the action. This book would be fun to read to a group, small or large, and the text is easy enough for beginning readers.” (School Library Journal)

At Night by Jonathan London

Albert the Fix-It Man by Janet Lord

Bears by Ruth Krauss

Books by Bill Martin Jr. (Brown Bear, Brown Bear and others)

Higher! Higher! by Leslie Patricelli

Not a Box by Antoniette Portis

Not a Stick by Antoniette Portis

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen

Dinosaur v. Bedtime by Bob Shea

Mittens by Lola M. Schaefer

The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson

            2008 winner, Caldecott Medal

I Went Walking by Sue Williams

Books by Mo Willems, including the Elephant and Piggie books

The Inly Summer Reading List – Part One May 29, 2011

As I wrote yesterday, I will post one section of Inly’s summer reading list each day – along with the characteristics of the kind of reader who might enjoy these books.  There are places where a case could be made to move a book to a category above or below where it landed, but it’s the kind of book a reader at that stage would enjoy.  In other words, if you subscribe to a strict interpretation of  Bonnie Campbell Hill’s continuum, there may be places you disagree with my list!

I hope you enjoy some of these books with a young child sitting on your lap…

Today: The Pre-Conventional Reader

-         illustrations provide strong support

-         wide spaces between words

-         few words per page

Look What I Can Do by Jose Aruego

Ten, Nine, Eight by Molly Bang

Books by Byron Barton

Across the Stream by Mirra Ginsburg

Who Took the Farmer’s Hat? by Joan Nodset

Books by Tana Hoban

Peekaboo Morning by Rachel Isadora

Blue Sea by Robert Kalan

“On a deep-blue background, the words ‘blue sea’ appear…and then the first of Crews’s eye-filling paintings….The author and illustrator of Rain have invented another winner.” (Publishers Weekly)

Look at the Animals!  by Peter Linenthal

How Many Baby Pandas? by Sandra Markle

A Closer Look by Mary McCarthy

Fire Engine Shapes by Bruce McMillan

Tom and Pippo (many books in the series) by Helen Oxenbury

Moon Glowing by Elizabeth Partridge

White is for Blueberry by George Shannon

Tippy-Toe Chick, Go! By George Shannon

Have You Seen My Duckling? by Nancy Tafuri

In this Caldecott Honor winner, a mother duck loses her eighth duckling, and asks the other pond animals for help (though the missing one is never lost, only cleverly concealed in each picture). “Children will giggle as they glimpse the hider, a feature that makes the book a game as well as a story and a series of lovely paintings.”  (Publishers Weekly)

Blue Goose by Nancy Tafuri

What Will Fat Cat Sit On? By Jan Thomas

“Fat Cat’s sheepish grin is the running punch line in this cheerful, boldly designed picture book. Fun to read aloud, it would also make an effective early reader for preschoolers. . . . By the end, the cow, a pig, a dog and a chicken can be thankful to a mouse for providing a nice fat chair.” (New York Times Book Review)

Fiesta Babies by Carmen Tafolla

Bonnie Campbell Hill’s Legacy May 28, 2011

When I began working at Inly ten years ago, I was introduced to a reading continuum used by our teachers. The continuum was based not on a reader’s age (as in – “Johnny is reading at a 4th grade level”) but on a student’s ability. I embraced it immediately because it’s good for kids and alleviates parental stress.Every teacher knows that there are as many different kinds of fourth grade readers as there are fourth grade students in a class. Although they are meant only as guidelines, parents are often anxious about those numbers on the back cover of a book. The ones that say something like: ages 8-10.  Kids will tell me that they love a certain book, but are either ”too old” or “too young” for it. To me, that’s just too bad. A book is a book. Often my response is something along the lines of: “Well, I’m clearly not the age listed on the back of this book, but I loved it.” 

Our teachers use a reading continuum based on the work of literacy specialist Bonnie Campbell Hill.  Hill uses characteristics of readers to help teachers determine a child’s ability. A few years ago, I began to write our school’s summer reading list using Hill’s categories. Of course, our use of the continuum has been modified to fit the needs of our community, but Hill’s work is where it began. Over the next few days, I’ll post Inly’s summer reading list beginning with the first category on the continuum. I hope parents will use it to get ideas for summer reading that are defined by what their child will enjoy.

On a sad note, I went online this morning to read more about Hill’s work and learned that she died earlier this month at the age of 56. Her legacy continues at Inly where her insightful work has benefited countless students.

Below is a summary of Hill’s continuum. For more information about her work, visit: www.bonniecampbellhill.com

 Pre-Conventional

-         illustrations provide strong support

-         wide spaces between words

-         few words per page

 Emergent

-         text reflects common experiences or familiar objects

-         patterns change only slightly

-         1-3 lines of print per page

-         illustrations clearly support text

 Developing

-         straightforward and fairly simple vocabulary

-         story reflects common experiences

-         repetitive sentence patterns

 Beginning

-         developed storyline with little or no use of patterns

-         texts include simple plots and only a few characters

-         illustrations often represent sequence of events

-         vocabulary primarily consists of familiar words

 Expanding

-         more challenging vocabulary

-         more developed characters

-         illustrations provide less support

-         may include multiple paragraphs per page

 Bridging

-         more fully developed plots

-         more challenging content

-         more descriptive and memorable text

 Fluent

-         many books include a central theme

-         challenging vocabulary

-         fully developed plots and characters

 Proficient

-         text has fully developed plot, often touching upon issues such as death,

          prejudice, poverty or war

-         settings are often in other time periods or unfamiliar or imaginary locations

-         texts begin to include multiple perspectives on an issue

-         text includes complete sentence structure and literary devices

 Connecting

-         the characteristics listed above, but using more sophisticated language

-         text addresses complex issues from multiple perspectives

 Independent

 -     all of the characteristics of a proficient and connecting reader, but issues may

                   be more controversial

-         text may have adults as central characters

-         text requires deeper levels of thinking

-         text may employ flashbacks or changes in sequence

The Romeo and Juliet Code by Phoebe Stone May 25, 2011

After reading several enthusiastic reviews of Phoebe Stone’s new middle grade novel, The Romeo and Juliet Code, I moved it a little closer to the top of my “to read” pile. A few weeks later, I read Liz Rosenberg’s review in the Boston Globe, which began with this sentence: The Romeo and Juliet Code is ”quite simply the best novel for young readers I’ve read since Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.’’  Clearly a call to action was in order – I was at the bookshop a few hours later. A few work-related books put the brakes on my intention to read Stone’s novel immediately, but I opened it to the first page a few days ago and read: ”I was always told that my dad, Danny, loved danger.” After that, I was hooked. Although I might not go quite as far as Rosenberg, I think Stone’s novel should definitely find a place on summer reading lists for students in grades 5-7. 

It’s a story for people who love books. There are references to Frances Hodgson Burnett and settings reminescent of old English novels – whispered conversations, a big house overlooking the ocean, characters straight out of a PBS miniseries, and of course, a code to crack.  The story opens in 1941 when, because London is being bombed, Felicity is sent by her parents to stay with relatives in Maine.  Over the course of the novel, she uncovers family secrets and solves a mystery. One of the best characters in a novel full of interesting people is not a person at all. It’s Felicity’s teddy bear, Wink. 

But…I have an issue with the book based on something completely superfluous to its story. This is a shallow confession, but every time I picked up the novel, my mind played a trick on me, and I expected to open a book set in the 21st century. The Converse sneakers. The way the feet are positioned . The overall mood of the jacket photo says – 2011. Not 1941. So when I began reading, it took me a minute to adjust to 1941. It shouldn’t matter, but it did. It’s like having an album (remember those?) in the wrong sleeve. You think you’re going to hear Duke Ellington. No, it’s Adele. Whole different vibe, right?  I hope the paperback version features a rocky Maine coast!

Don’t let my cover problems discourage you from reading this book. It’s on Inly’s summer reading list, and I plan to recommend it to a few young friends this week.

What Happened on Fox Street by Tricia Springstubb May 23, 2011

The whole thing I love about reading is this. Just when I start feeling the teensiest bit anxious because nothing is really grabbing me, something does. Tricia Springstubb’s middle grade novel What Happened on Fox Street had me hooked from the first page. It’s a generous book. That’s truthfully the best word to describe it. The book is about an eleven-year-old girl named Mo Wren who has lived in one place her whole life – Fox Street in Cleveland, Ohio. Mo’s family includes her father and her younger sister, Dottie, who is regularly referred to as the Wild Child. Mo’s mother died when Dottie was just a toddler, and now Mo is often responsible for her little sister while their father works long hours for the water department.  Everything begins to change when Mo’s best friend, Mercedes, who has moved to Cincinnati, arrives to spend the summer with her grandmother who also lives on Fox Street. Fox Street is magical. If there really was a street so full of charm and kindness in Ohio when I was growing up, I missed it. Not that we didn’t know wonderful people, but Fox Street is like something out of a book.  I wanted to sit on one of the character’s front porches and watch the action from there.

As wonderful as Fox Street is though, it is not paradise. Times are tough in Cleveland and many of Mo’s neighbors are suffering. What hurts Mo the most though is that her dearest friend Mercedes doesn’t love Fox Street the way she used to – and the way Mo still does. After I finished reading What Happened on Fox Street, I sent an e-mail to the teachers in our Upper Elementary program asking them to save a space for this one in next year’s reading plan. They might suspect that I’m biased towards books set in Ohio, and that may be a fair assumption. The fact of the matter is that this one would have made the list wherever it took place.

What Happened to the Word: Library? May 22, 2011

The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines a library as:  ”a place in which literary, musical, artistic, or reference materials (as books, manuscripts, recordings, or films) are kept for use but not for sale.”  I don’t see any mention of a library as a place exclusively for books printed on paper. It’s a collection of materials, correct?  The way I understand the definition is that a library can have Nooks, Kindles, and iPads and still be a library. So why are so many people dumping the word “library” in favor of cold sounding terms like: The Media Center or the IMC? IMC, by the way, stands for Instructional Material Center. The word Kindle is more inspiring than IMC!

For the past few years, there have been numerous occasions when I’m talking with another librarian about his or her school and they refer to their library as the media center or the IMC. I’m sure there were good intentions when making the change. The administrators probably thought IMC sounded more tech-savvy and up to date. But I don’t know why the word “library” can’t be an umbrella for the new purposes libraries serve. The word itself is just so much nicer.  A “library” connotes curiosity and imagination and searching. When I hear IMC, I think of a cold sterile place where I search for data in an efficent way. When I think of libraries, I think of a search that begins in one place, but includes many detours.

This is a perfect time to celebrate the word “library.” Tomorrow, Monday, May 23, is the 100th anniversary of the New York Public Library’s Schwarzman Building – the one with the lions. Like many readers, I will never forget the first time I saw them. If there is a tangible symbol of what reading and knowledge are, then surely it is Patience and Fortitude, the lions who guard all of those treasures. 

“ At the moment that we persuade a child, any child, to cross that threshold, that magic threshold into a library, we change their lives forever, for the better.”
 –Barack Obama

More Time to Read! May 21, 2011

I haven’t posted in a few days, but I was busy reading as many books as possible in case the world ended.  Just in case there was even a remote chance that “they” could be right, I began reading faster.  Unless I missed something though, nothing happened, and I can resume my regular pace.

Although it’s not technically the end of the world, I did hear some news today that qualifies as the end of an era. A friend who teaches in Ohio told me that the school libraries in her district have officially lost funding and that the librarians would be “reassigned.” As she explained the district’s financial challenges, I could understand how complicated it is. When there’s no money, cuts must be made. It’s like a household budget. And, as my friend said, everyone argues passionately for “their” worthy program. School libraries are in a difficult position. Although there are countless studies that prove the value of professionals in school libraries, it’s not something that can be measured by a test score. There are no grades that go along with finding just the right book for a student. It makes a difference, but not a visible or immediate one. Connecting students with words and ideas is an investment in the future.  As much as I read about the importance of teaching kids to be innovative,creative and collaborative, I just don’t see those skills being prioritized in many schools. Students understand what’s important by watching us. When their school decides that the person who works in the library is no longer considered “essential,” that sends a message.

So, no, today wasn’t the end of the whole world. But for some kids in Ohio, they lost a professional showing them how to access its wonders.

Little Owl Lost by Chris Haughton May 17, 2011

I like this book. It’s a simple sweet story, that no matter how often it is told, kids love to hear. You know the one. This is about a little animal (in this case, an owl) who can’t find his mommy. You also know how the story ends. But…don’t judge this book by its plot. It’s routine to us, but not to a three-year-old. And look at that owl. How cute is he!  I learned about Little Owl Lost by Chris Haughton when I checked Booktrusts’s 2011 list of the best new illustrators. Booktrust is a terrific English web site which includes all kinds of fun things to read that distract me from whatever work I should be doing.

Little Owl Lost, which across the pond is called A Bit Lost, is the story of an owl who falls off a perch he shares with his mother. A search follows. Owl, with the help of a friendly squirrel, describes his mother to other animals, and he keeps being misdirected. It’s the colors that make this book so wonderful. They are so deep and intense on the page. I wish I could show all of the pictures to you, but since I can’t, I’d recommend taking a young child to the library.

To read more about the Best New Illustrators Award – follow this link:

http://www.booktrust.org.uk/Prizes-and-awards/Best-New-Illustrators-Award

Summer Reading in the New York Times May 15, 2011

It’s Special Section Sunday – one of the two best Sundays of the year! Today’s New York Times Book Review has eight pages devoted to reviews of children’s books, including an enthusiastic review of  Me…Jane by Patrick McDonnell which I posted about yesterday.  The book that sent me to the “shop” tab on my Nook is Fallen Grace by Mary Hooper. Amanda Foreman’s review of this British import is glowing.  Foreman writes: “Set in Victorian London, Fallen Grace unashamedly revels in all the tropes and flourishes of the 19th century novel, all the while speaking directly to a generation that knows the words to every Lady Gaga song.” 

Another article that added a book to my “to read” list is Whitney Joiner’s review of Beauty Queens by Libba Bray. As Joiner describes it, Beauty Queens is an “updated, female version of Lord of the Flies.” The novel (for readers ages 13 and up) sounds like a cautionary tale about corporate America and the ridiculously unrealistic expectations placed on teenage girls.

Check out all the reviews:

http://www.nytimes.com/indexes/2011/05/13/arts/artsspecial/index.html