Gratitude and Resolutions December 23, 2011

This will be my last post of 2011 so I want to take a minute and look both ways – behind and ahead. If I imagine each year of my life as its own book, the 2011 volume was a good one.

First, a look back:

- I am grateful to the men and women who write for The New York Times. I know that sounds crazy, but my appreciation is sincere. Because the New York Times continues to commit resources to having people in every corner of the world, we have a broader lens. There are lots of things competing for our attention – books and magazines and blogs – but every morning, thanks to the Times, I have the world on my kitchen table or on my computer screen. If you have time over the holidays, watch Page One, a documentary about the news business and the New York Times. It made me so grateful for their commitment to the news – and their daily book reviews.

- I am grateful to work in a school where I spend my days talking about books and reading and writing. To be one of a group of dedicated professionals who help to expand a child’s view of the world and themselves is truly an honor – not to mention entertaining and inspiring.  

- I am grateful for my family and friends – and to all of you who read my blog.  I know how much there is to read (see above!) and the fact that you include Sommer Reading on your list is deeply appreciated.

- Books. I don’t think there’s been a day of my life (since I learned to read) when books did not give me comfort, escape, knowledge, empathy and a never ending desire to learn more. I’m grateful to the amazing authors and illustrators who enrich my student’s lives – and my own.

Looking Ahead…

I’ve already started a list of books to purchase in 2012….here are a few I’m particularly looking forward to:

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (a new young adult novel by the author of Looking for Alaska)

And Then It’s Spring by Julie Fogliano and illustrated by Erin Stead (Stead is the Caldecott-winning illustrator of A Sick Day for Amos McGee so this is an automatic purchase)

The Duckling Gets a Cookie!? by Mo Willems (I can think of about 50 kids who will be waiting for this on April 3! Already on order.)

Infinity Ring (a seven-book series on time travel that will have an online game componet – I’m curious…)

The Moon Over High Street by Natalie Babbitt (a new novel by the author of Tuck Everlasting)

May B. by Caroline Starr Rose (middle grade novel about a girl abandoned during a snowstorm in Kansas)

Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood (First there was Ida B. and now May B. and Glory Be – what’s going on? At any rate, this novel about 1964 Mississippi sounds like a good one)

I’m also looking forward to spending time with my family and friends, reading more books, having fun with my students and colleagues, and of course, writing more blog posts.

Happy New Year!

A Christmas Classic December 20, 2011

I wish I could tell you that my favorite Christmas book is something like A Child’s Christmas in Wales or A Christmas Carol, or another equally respected title.  Those are really good books, but to be honest, my favorite Christmas book is The Sweet Smell of Christmas by Patricia M. Scarry, the wife of Richard Scarry. The Sweet Smell of Christmas has cool scrach-n-stiff strips where you can “smell” pine cones and candy canes and apple pie. When I think of the stories I loved most as a child, this is one of them. It makes me think of my sisters who both loved the little bear and makes me laugh to remember how much we loved scratching the orange and passing it around. I can still remember the words on the first page without looking: ”One morning little bear woke up and sniffed and sniffed with his nose. Something wonderful is going to happen today, he said. My nose tells me so.”  The words may be different in the newer (2003) edition, but that’s how the story began in 1970.

I love looking at Christmas books, and a few new ones enter the school library’s collection every year, but as wonderful as they are, none of them will replace Patricia Scarry’s little bear in my heart – or my nose.

My Favorite Books of 2011 December 19, 2011

For the past fifteen years, I’ve written down every book I read. It’s just a list. No memorable quotations. No thumbs up or down. I write them down primarily because I have a bad memory and usually can’t remember what I ate for lunch yesterday. The list is incredibly helpful when people ask for recommendations, but the best part is looking back and seeing how many books I’ve read over the course of the year. I read fewer books per year when my son was young. When I was in graduate school, the list was impressive, but I was reading so fast that I’m not sure it’s fair to count some of them! Now, I’ve kind of leveled out at about 60 books per year. 

I just looked at the 2011 list which currently stands at 58. But…the next couple of weeks look promising. I expect to add a few more.  Below are the five best books I read this year. I don’t distinguish between books written for children or adults.  A good book is a good book. 

1. Radioactive: Marie & Pierre Curie by Lauren Redniss (a biography-in-collage of the famous husband and wife. It is simply one of the most stunning books I’ve ever read. I didn’t think I was interested in radium until I began reading Radioactive. A love story, a dual biography, a beautiful piece of art. I love this book.)

2. The History of Love by Nicole Krauss (I was late getting to this one, but it was well worth the wait.)

3. You Know When the Men Are Gone by Siobhan Fallon (interconnected stories about the lives of military wives at Fort Hood, Texas)

4. Drawing From Memory by Allen Say (the picture book author and illustrator uses photographs, comics, words, and drawings to tell his inspiring and moving story.)

5. Secrets at Sea by Richard Peck (I told you this would be included on every list for a while. Talking mice. Romance. Adventure. What else could you want?)

My favorite picture book of the year was Blackout by John Rocco. This brilliant book even made me wish for a – very temporary – power outage!

Books for 6th Grade Time Travelers December 17, 2011

Yesterday was the last day of school before the holiday break. So after the carols were sung, the homemade cookies were delivered to teachers, and lots of holiday greetings, a parent stopped by the library. She was planning her weekend shopping and asked me to recommend historical fiction for her 6th grade daughter.  This is truly a challenge because there are so many good books that bring history to life and spark a reader’s curiosity.  The fifteen novels listed below are just the beginning. There are hundreds of engaging historical novels for kids this age.  Choosing one only depends on where you want the magic carpet to land!

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson (New York City during the American Revolution)

Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson (the yellow fever epidemic in the late 18th century)

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi (a brave girl, a perilous transatlantic crossing, an accusation of murder!)

Catherine Called Birdy by Karen Cushman (the diary of a girl living in medieval England)

Alchemy of Meggy Swann by Karen Cushman (the story of Meggy, who arrives in Elizabethan England with her friend, Louse, who happens to be a goose!)

The Ballad of Lucy Whipple by Karen Cushman (jumping ahead many years….this one takes place during the California Gold Rush)

The Year We Were Famous by Carole Estby Dagg (a mother and daughter walking across the United States in 1896)

Nory Ryan’s Song by Patricia Reilly Giff (the story of a brave girl trying to protect her family during the Irish Potato Famine)

Willow Run by Patricia Reilly Giff (life on the homefront during WWII)

Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse (winner of the 1998 Newbery Medal, life during the Dust Bowl in Oklahoma written in verse. Grim subject. Beautiful book)

Stowaway by Karen Hesse (Captain James Cook’s three-year voyage around the world through the eyes of an 11-year-old stowaway)

Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson (I love this book so much! the story of 16-year-old Hattie Brooks who leaves Iowa to live on an inherited Montana homestead in 1918)

Lyddie by Katherine Paterson (story of a “Lowell mill girl” during the mid-1800s)

Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith (1940s Louisiana and a young black woman who wants to be a pilot. Incredible story of the Women Airforce Service Pilots) 

A Faraway Island by Annika Thor (the first book in a series about two Austrian sisters who are evacuated from Vienna to two separate homes on a Swedish island during WWII)

Make that 16 – how could I have forgotten The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare – Kit Tyler, Hannah Tupper and, of course, Nat – one of the greatest historical novels (for any age) ever written – in my opinion!

Books for An Eight-Year-Old… December 14, 2011

A friend asked for a book  recommendation today. Her eight-year-old daughter is a good reader. She has read the entire Judy Moody series and is ready for the next step. But here’s the thing: she’s eight. Her mother is looking for fun and interesting novels that will challenge – but not overwhelm – her daughter with concerns that are a few years away.

After consulting with my library colleague who is the mother of 3 daughters, we came up with a list. They are not all new books, but they are all good ones.

The Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. (I know the books have a lot of cultural baggage attached to them, but they deserve to be read for their “wide open spaces,” if that makes any sense. They feel big – like the prairie – and they allow their reader to enter a world that is as cozy as sleeping in a log cabin. The first one is Little House in the Big Woods.)

The Ramona books by Beverly Cleary (Ramona Quimby is the quintessential 8-year-old. Energetic and adventurous, no child should grow up without visiting Klickitat Street!)

The Doll People by Ann M. Martin and Laura Godwin (Little dolls and big adventures. It would be fun to read The Borrowers, Stuart Little, The Tub People and The Doll People and then compare the delights and risks of being small in a big world.)

The Humphrey books by Betty G. Birney (Speaking of being small…each installment in the Humphrey series is from the school hamster’s point of view!)

The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall (Like many readers, I love the old fashioned mood of the Penderwick books. Read them curled up in a comfortable – preferably old – chair.)

Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls by Meg Cabot (This was my co-worker’s suggestion – her daughter loves Ali Finkle!)

Secrets at Sea by Richard Peck (The only book on the list that is not part of a series. I just read it though, and I’m a bit obsessed right now. I’m putting Peck’s whimsical novel on every list. For example, if I recommend books about Queen Victoria or 19^th century ocean liners, this book will be included – read it and see why!)

The Year of the Dog by Grace Lin (The adventures of Pacy, a Taiwanese-American girl. Her story continues in The Year of the Rat. I love Grace Lin’s books. She is a warm and wise writer, and the stories feel like classics right out of the gate.)

Don’t forget The Moffats by Eleanor Estes and The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright…

Clearly, the books listed here are not only for eight-year-old children. Many of them will make readers between the ages of 7 and 97 quite happy!

Good News for Real Books – and Fans of Toad, Ratty, Mole and Mr. Badger December 13, 2011

I seldom wake up expecting to be cheered by the headlines in the New York Times, but I was this morning. Here it is…proof that “real” books have not been replaced by e-readers and other mechanical tablets.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/13/books/steve-jobs-biography-and-other-hot-titles-bookstore-lures.html?_r=1&src=rechp

And even though there is no opening date yet, here’s something to look forward to – The Wind in the Willows is coming to the stage!  The very promising part of this is that the musical is being written by Julian Fellowes, the creator of Downton Abbey.  I’d be worried about the prospect of Kenneth Grahame’s beloved characters singing on the river bank, but if you’ve watched the BBC’s Downton Abbey, you know we are in good hands. If you can’t wait for the play, there are many beautiful versions of The Wind in the Willows available. I have a few illustrated versions, but one that I especially love is the version illustrated by English illustrator, Michael Foreman.

John F. Kennedy: President and Reader December 11, 2011

When I was writing my biography of John F. Kennedy, I was naturally drawn to the stories about the role of books and reading in Kennedy’s life. He was a dedicated reader. One of my favorite stories is about a day during his 1960 presidential campaign when, after a full day of campaigning, he sat down on the plane and began to read Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography. That’s commitment.

That story came to mind the other day when I visited the Kennedy Library with our middle school students. I was looking at a small new exhibit focusing on Jacqueline Kennedy’s recently released 1964 oral interview when this quote caught my attention:

“He’d read in the strangest way. He’d read walking, he’d read at the table, at meals, he’d read after dinner, he’s read in the bathtub…He’d really read all times you don’t think you have time to read. He was always reading – practically while driving a car.”

It makes the President so human, doesn’t it? Here’s this man with the fate of the world (literally) in his hands and he makes time to read. I thought of all those people who say they don’t have time to read. Really?  It also makes me think about reading as necessary. Not a luxury, but as something vital to the way we view ourselves and the world. Think of all the books President Kennedy must have read in his brief life and how they formed his understanding of people and places. He wasn’t taking time away from anything. His love of history gave him perspective so that he was able to take a long view when it was necessary.

Most of us don’t face such urgent and potentially life-changing decisions every day, but we do make choices about how to treat one another, how to approach our work, and what to have for dinner. Making time to read something good not only enriches our lives, but it’s also a workout for our brains and makes us more empathetic. Of course, a good (and easy) cook book can help with the decision about dinner!

Friday Round-Up December 9, 2011

A few items to make your weekend bright…

1. Mark your calendar now for Monday, January 23 for the announcement of this year’s Newbery and Caldecott Medal award winners.

2. There’s a terrific article in today’s New York Times about the Ezra Jack Keats retrospective which is now at the Jewish Museum in New York. Thanks again to the generous reader in NYC for sending me a copy of the exhibit catalog. Here’s the link to the story:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/09/arts/design/the-snowy-day-art-of-ezra-jack-keats-at-jewish-museum.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=ezra%20jack%20keats&st=cse

 3. In yesterday’s post, I mentioned reading a picture book that contained a reference to a game played by Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends – Pooh Sticks. The book is Stick Man by Julia Donaldson. How did I miss this holiday book? It’s been in our school library for a couple of years, but yesterday was the first time we’ve read it to a class. So clever – which is to be expected from Donaldson and illustrator, Axel Scheffler.

Have a happy weekend!

Five Good Stories December 8, 2011

An 8th grade girl said something very interesting today. During a conversation about why parents are so often “missing” from young adult novels, the conversation turned to Harry Potter. We talked about the reasons why authors might decide that their young protagonists would be better off without parents.  We also discussed other thematic elements of the Harry Potter novels and what they meant to the story.  

“I liked the novels better the first time I read them – when they were just about the story,” said the student. As I thought more about it today, I think her point was a good one. Other students agreed that, while it was nice to learn about Rowling’s influences and to understand the symbols, it was even more fun not to know and to just read the series oblivious to the way things work.

There is that special time in a reader’s young life when they aren’t burdened by figuring things out or understanding the scaffolding of the story. That’s when reading is most magical. It’s why picture books are so enchanting to very young children or, as my student pointed out, why they remember the first time they met Harry Potter and Hagrid.  Here are 5 middle grade novels that are guaranteed to add a touch of whimsy – and magic – to the holidays.

Secrets at Sea by Richard Peck (I just finished this book today and think I laughed on every page. An adventure story with mice. It’s 1887, and the mice are sailing to England to help “their” human find love. Need I say more? It’s excellent.)

The Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester by Barbara O’Connor (I’ve written about this one before. I love Barbara O’Connor’s novels for middle grade readers. They are charming, well-written and have memorable characters – no easy task, but O’Connor makes it seem effortless)

The Flint Heart by Katherine Paterson and John Paterson (An updated version of the 1910 fairy tale)

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick (If you read The Invention of Hugo Cabret, you know why this one is on the list. A triumph of the imagination)

Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne (I saw a reference to the excellent game of Pooh Sticks today and was reminded how timeless the Pooh stories are. Not new, but absolutely necessary in any conversation about fun and whimsy)

List Mania Continues! December 6, 2011

I love this time of the year. I read end-of-year book lists like some people follow the NFL. This one isn’t necessarily a “best of” list, but it is a list of books featured in the Briefly Noted section of the December 5 issue of The New Yorker. That’s noteworthy in itself. The New Yorker seldom dedicates that whole column to books for young readers. These are the books on the list:

Wildwood by Colin Meloy

The Man in the Moon by William Joyce (the first book in Joyce’s Guardians of Childhood series)

The Chronicles of Harris Burdick by many authors

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

Grandpa Green by Lane Smith

Squish Rabbit by Katherine Battersby (the first book by an Australian author and illustrator. The cover is so great that this one will go on permanent display in the school library!)