May 2012 – Page 2 – Booktalking #kidlit

Young Readers

Picture Book of the Day

Baby Animals At the Zoo
by Editors of Kingfisher

Booktalk: With playful text, and beautiful close-up photography this board book features baby animals in their natural habitats.

Snippet:
Golden lion tamarin
I am a tiny monkey with a golden mane like a lion. My long fingers help me find yummy insects. Munch munch!
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Comic of the Week

Chick and Chickie Play All Day!
by Claude Ponti (Author, Illustrator)
32 pages

Booktalk: Chick and Chickie love to play in their very own way, whether scaring each other silly or tickling the letter A. As young readers eagerly turn the pages of the story, they’ll look forward to spotting all the witty side jokes and hilarious details.

Snippet:
Chickie, let’s make masks!
Good idea, Chick!
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Free Comic Book Day

The first Saturday in May is Free Comic Book Day!

See the video and visit the Free Comic Book Day website find out more!

[youtube=http://youtu.be/1pHAG2ClVKU]

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STEM Friday is coming!

STEM Friday is coming! (STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

If you blog about science or math books tomorrow,

come share your link!

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Children’s Book Week

Today is the LAST day to vote for the Children’s Choice Book Awards

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Read and Write Sports: Readers Theatre and Writing Activities for Grades 3-8

Great Books

Picture Book of the Day

I Will Try
by Marilyn Janovitz (Author, Illustrator)

Booktalk: Ella is in awe of Jan, the star of her gymnastics class. Jan can spin and leap on the balance beam. Can Ella? (This I Like to Read picture book is also a Level D easy reader! It has one short line of text on each page.)

Snippet:
I pack my bag.

TURN THE PAGE

“Time to go,” says Dad.

“Have fun,” says Mom.
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Chapter Book of the Day

Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip
by Jordan Sonnenblick (Author)
304 pages

Booktalk: Meet Peter Friedman, high school freshman. Talented photographer. Former baseball star. When a freakish injury ends his pitching career, Peter has some major things to figure out. Is there life after sports? Why has his grandfather suddenly given him thousands of dollars worth of camera equipment? And is it his imagination, or is the super-hot star of the girls’ swim team flirting with him, right in front of the amazing new girl in his photography class?

Snippet: If I had known it was goind to be the last baseball game I’d ever play, I would have asked my mom to bring the video camera or something. But you never know that kind of stuff in advance. All you can do is play every game like it’s your final shot at the World Series, and hope that for you, it isn’t.
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5 Great Books About Soldiers for Armed Forces Day

Armed Forces Day is May 19th, 2012.

D-Day Landings: The Story of the Allied Invasion
by Karen Wallace and Richard Platt (Authors)
Find out more about this famous World War II event. Level 4 easy reader

From Slave to Soldier: Based on a True Civil War Story
by Deborah Hopkinson (Author) and Brian Floca (Illustrator)
A slave boy runs away and joins the Union army. Level 3 easy reader

Hero Dad
by Melinda Hardin (Author) and Bryan Langdo (Illustrator)
A young boy talks about his father, the soldier. Picture book

Pearl Harbor
by Stephen Krensky (Author) and Larry Day (Illustrator)
See how and why the U.S entered the World War II. Level 3 easy reader

Sam the Minuteman
by Nathaniel Benchley (Author) and Arnold Lobel (Illustrator)
A boy helps his father fight the Battle of Lexington. Level 3 easy reader
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Literary Links

Last call! May 2-June 20 (online) children’s book writing workshops begin today!

Study Links Dyslexia to Visual Attention Problems in Preschool (via Education Week)
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Read and Write Sports: Readers Theatre and Writing Activities for Grades 3-8

Summer Reading

Baby Born in Collaborative Summer Library Program

I’m pleased to announce that Baby Born is on the Early Literacy list for this year’s Collaborative Summer Library Program. This summer reading program is used in 48 states!

Baby Born
by Anastasia Suen (Author) and Chih-Wei Chang (Illustrator)

Booktalk: “The soothing verse follows a year in the life of a newborn…”
~Kirkus Reviews

Snippet:
Baby born
in winter’s sleep
snowflakes fall
snuggle deep

See inside this board book!

Also available in Spanish

For toddler time:
Craft: Make a baby in a blanket (just like the book cover!)
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Picture Book of the Day

Hey Little Baby!
by Heather Leigh (Author) and Genevieve Cote (Illustrator)

Booktalk: A little baby has found his hands, his tiny toes, his lovely voice, and his sweet nose—what else will he find in his world, his cozy, wonder-filled world? (A perfect baby gift!)

Snippet: Hey, little baby,
you’ve arrived in our world.
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Chapter Book of the Day

Marco’s Cinco De Mayo
by Lisa Bullard (Author) and Holli Conger (Illustrator)
24 pages

Booktalk: Marco loves the food, parades, and fun of Cinco de Mayo. This year he’s one of the dancers. (This short “faction” chapter book has facts about the holiday and a simple fiction story. Try the “Make Your Own Maracas” activity in the back of the book.)

Snippet: Hi, I’m Marco. See my costume? It’s for Cinco de Mayo!

That’s a holiday that started in Mexico. People there speak Spanish. “Cinco de Mayo” means the “5th of May” in Spanish.

**Holli is one of my former students!**

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Literary Links

Ready to write your children’s book? May 2-June 20 (online) children’s book writing workshops begin tomorrow!

How to Write a Book When You’re Really, Really Busy (via WritersDigest.com)
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Read and Write Sports: Readers Theatre and Writing Activities for Grades 3-8