Category: Booktalks

Great Books

Picture Book of the Day

Pickles, Please!: A Dilly of a Book
by Andy Myer (Author, Illustrator)

Booktalk: Alec Smart loves pickles! But no one understands why, and that makes Alec sad…

Snippet: “It isn’t good to eat so many pickles,” said Alec’s Mom. “You’ll grow up to be a small green man who smells like vinegar.”
“I’ll smell PICKLICIOUS,” replied Alec.

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Chapter Book of the Day

Zitface
by Emily Howse (Author)
202 pages

Booktalk: Thirteen-year-old Olivia Hughes has always considered herself a lucky girl. She knows what she wants to do with her life–be an actress. And she’s already on her way. She just

launched a national ad campaign that should get her noticed. Then her luck runs out. A little pimple turns into a full-blown case of acne…

Snippet: Wendy switched gears. “What happened to your face?”

Of course that question was coming, but I wasn’t going to get into it. Wendy means well, but she simply cannot keep her trap shut.

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5 Great New Fall Books

Animals in Fall: Preparing for Winter
by Martha E. H. Rustad (Author) and Amanda Enright (Illustrator)
Five short chapters show how animals get ready for winter. (Do the craft and make “blubber gloves!”) Nonfiction picture book

Fall Apples: Crisp and Juicy
by Martha E. H. Rustad (Author) and Amanda Enright (Illustrator)
Pick the apples and make apple crisp! (Recipe in the back.) Nonfiction picture book

Fall Leaves: Colorful and Crunchy
by Martha E. H. Rustad (Author) and Amanda Enright (Illustrator)
See how leaves change through the seasons in three short chapters. Nonfiction picture book

Fall Mixed Up
by Bob Raczka (Author) and Chad Cameron (Illustrator)
Fun rhymes and silly mix-ups! Can you find them all? Picture book

Fall Pumpkins: Orange and Plump
by Martha E. H. Rustad (Author) and Amanda Enright (Illustrator)
Plant pumpkins in the spring for pumpkins in the fall (and roast pumpkin seeds). Nonfiction picture book

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Literary Links

New @pubperspectives newsletter launched, will focus on children’s publishing (via @galleycat)

LAST CALL! Looking for bloggers with early literacy backgrounds to judge the 2011 Cybils Awards. (Sept 15th deadline)

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Site Meter My NEW book is here!
Read and Write Sports: Readers Theatre and Writing Activities for Grades 3-8
Copyright © 2011 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

I Can Read Carnival, Eat and Play

Picture Book of the Day

Welcome to the September 2011 I Can Read: A Carnival for New Readers

Join us for this monthly meme that celebrates easy readers and illustrated chapter books to encourage kids working to become successful readers.

Around the middle of each month, we’ll collect reviews of easy readers and/or short chapter books. Each host picks a 3 to 5-day window where visitors leave links to favorite easy readers and illustrated chapter books, offer tips or ideas about reading with new readers, or personal stories with memories or experiences with the kids in your life.

Don’t have a post that fits those criteria this month? Not a problem, your review can be from the previous year. So in September 2011, feel free to pull a post going back to September 2010! To learn more about Easy Readers and Early Chapter books, click this link.

Please leave your links in the comments and I will add the to the roundup from September 13-15. (If you have not commented on this blog before, your comment will need to be approved. Thanks!)

And now for my easy reader, yes on this picture book blog! Holiday House has a new picture book series for emerging readers, called I Like to Read Books. These books are for kindergarten and early first grade reading levels. This one is Level E.

Boy, Bird, and Dog (I Like to Read)

by David McPhail (Author, Illustrator)

Booktalk: Boy and Bird can go up to the tree house, but Dog cannot. Boy has an idea…

Snippet:

Boy went up.

He pulled the rope.

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Chapter Book of the Day

The Water Seeker

by Kimberly Willis Holt (Author)

310 pages

Booktalk: What would you do if you knew you had a special gift–a sixth sense–that was passed down from one generation to the next?

Snippet: “When I was a boy, my pa dowsed to earn extra money when we had a lean year. And when he put the branch in my hands for the first time, I felt a burning inside me because I had that gift, too. Just be thankful I didn’t hand that gift down to you.”

Amos figured it was probably best not to tell his father it was too late.

BONUS! See the video!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pBhfoUJwU0]

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My Book of the Week

Look what just came out from Chronicle! I had fun creating the activities for this Eat and Play kit…

Little ones will devour the fun served up in this totable set of 40 place mats, 24 plate sheets, and fork, knife, and spoon crayons. At a restaurant or at the kitchen table, kids will have a blast playing games, drawing their favorite foods, and writing notes to the chef.

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Literary Link

Scholastic & Ruckus Media to target out-of-print kids’ books with new transmedia imprint (via @galleycat)

Need some guidance on implementing the common core #standards? Download our free spotlight (via @educationweek)

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Site Meter My NEW book is here!

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

Copyright © 2011 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Nonfiction Monday

Picture Book of the Day

My Hands Sing the Blues: Romare Bearden’s Childhood Journey
by Jeanne Walker Harvey (Author) and Elizabeth Zunon (Illustrator)

Booktalk: Follow Romare Bearden’s journey as a young boy in North Carolina who travels by train with his parents up to Harlem. This biography was inspired by one of Bearden’s collage paintings.

Snippet:
“I snip a patch of color and add a cut-out face.
Oh! I glue on jazzy blue for sky and add another face.
People walk into my work as if it’s always been their place.

My hands sing the blues when I paint and cut and paste.
I never know what I’ll create when I paint and cut and paste.
I use paper, fabrics, photos, and nothing goes to waste.”

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

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Chapter Book of the Day

U.S. Presidents: Truth and Rumors
by Sean Stewart Price (Author) and Eldon Doty (Illustrator)

Booktalk: Everybody has secrets and former U.S. Presidents are no exception. Discover which stories about America’s past leaders are true and which ones are just tall tales.

Snippet: Ulysses S. Grant got a $20 fine for speeding in a horse and buggy. He was the first president to get a speeding ticket while in office.

True or false? Read the book and find out!

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Nonfiction Monday

Nonfiction Monday

This week’s Nonfiction Monday Round-up host is Wrapped in Foil

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September 19-23 Road Work Ahead blog tour

Road Work Ahead by Anastasia Suen

Coming on September 15th!

Monday 9/19
*revising a manuscript*
*creating art*
Tuesday 9/20
*a literacy connection*
Wednesday 9/21
*students creating art*
Thursday 9/22
*books and children at play*
Friday 9/23
*students writing poetry*

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Literary Link

Looking for bloggers with early literacy backgrounds to judge the 2011 Cybils Awards

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Site Meter My NEW book is here!
Read and Write Sports: Readers Theatre and Writing Activities for Grades 3-8
Copyright © 2011 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Friday Reads

Back-to-School Rules
by Laurie B. Friedman (Author) and Teresa Murfin (Illustrator)

Booktalk: School’s in session! When it comes to surviving school, Percy’s at the head of the class. Just follow his ten simple rules…

Snippet:
Another rule to abide by
(And from this, I never sway):
Do NOT take forever
If you’ve got something to say.

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Chapter Book of the Day

Search and Rescue Dog Heroes (Amazing Working Dogs With American Humane)
by Linda Bozzo (Author)

Booktalk: Search and rescue dogs use their noses to find people. Read about the history, training, what being on the job is like for a search and rescue dog, and what happens when the dog retires.

Snippet: Hundreds of dogs and their handlers, known as K-9 teams, from around the country arrived in response to the fallen towers of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. K-9 teams worked long hours until the list of the missing became shorter and shorter.

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Poetry Friday

This week’s Poetry Friday Round-up is hosted by Secrets and Sharing Soda

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STEM Friday

It’s STEM Friday! (STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)
This week’s STEM Friday Round-up is hosted by Ana’s Nonfiction Blog

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Literary Links

Looking for bloggers with early literacy backgrounds to judge the 2011 Cybils Awards

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Site Meter My NEW book is here!
Read and Write Sports: Readers Theatre and Writing Activities for Grades 3-8
Copyright © 2011 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Young Readers

Picture Book of the Day

Trains!
by Charles Reasoner (Author)

Booktalk: See what the busy train does all day in this board book.

Snippet:
ALL ABOARD!!!
I’ve got a big busy day ahead
and need to be on time.

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Chapter Book of the Day

Piper Reed Gets a Job
by Kimberly Willis Holt (Author) and Christine Davenier (Illustrator)
160 pages

Booktalk: Piper Reed and her fellow Gypsy Club members are in need of a clubhouse. Raising money to buy one proves a challenge. Piper, being the resourceful fifth grader that she is, launches her own party-planning business and gets her first job throwing young Brady’s birthday celebration. But things don’t go as expected…

Snippet: Beep! Beep! Six thirty. I turned off the alarm, threw off my covers, and popped out of bed. My insides did flip-flops. There was something exciting about the first day of school.

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Literary Links

Today is International Literacy Day. Here are some ways to participate via @Life_Literacy + @owlkids

Education Dept. Unveils Resources Page for Teaching 9/11 via @educationweek

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Site Meter My NEW book is here!
Read and Write Sports: Readers Theatre and Writing Activities for Grades 3-8
Copyright © 2011 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Great Books

Picture Book of the Day

The Little Little Girl with the Big Big Voice
by Kristen Balouch (Author, Illustrator)

Booktalk: One loud little girl is on the hunt for a friend. She searches the jungle high and low, but her BIG voice scares all the animals away! Now what?

Snippet:
There was a little, little girl…
with a big, big voice.

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Chapter Book of the Day

It’s the First Day of School…Forever!
by R.L. Stine (Author)
192 pages

Booktalk: On the first day of school, Artie falls out of his bed and hits his head. Hard. He tells his mom he’s dizzy and she says:

“You’re just worried about your first day in a new school.”

On the second day of school, Artie falls out of bed and hits his head. Hard. He tells his mom he’s dizzy and she says:

“You’re just worried about your first day in a new school.”

Huh? Today is just like the day before. Can Artie find a way to change it, before it’s the first day of school…forever?

Snippet: I was so happy to get out of that basement. I ran all the way back to Ms. McVie’s class, holding heavy textbooks in my arms.

The rest of the morning, I kept thinking about Mr. Blister and everything I had seen down there. It was all strange and frightening–not like a normal school basement.

BONUS! See the video!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVMbRygchlQ]

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5 Great Books About School

Miss Mingo and the First Day of School
by Jamie Harper (Author, Illustrator)
Miss Mingo has all kinds of students in her new class. Picture book

Pencil Talk
by Anastasia Suen (Author) and Susie Lee Jin (Illustrator)
These easy reader poems about school are also available in Spanish.

Pinkalicious: School Rules!
by Victoria Kann (Author, Illustrator)
Pinkalicious brings her imaginary unicorn friend to school. Level 1 easy reader

Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes
by Eric Litwin (Author) and James Dean (Illustrator)
Pete the Cat is rocking in his school shoes…all round the school. Picture book

Wow! School!
by Robert Neubecker (Author, Illustrator)
It’s Izzy’s first day of school. Picture book

BONUS! See the Pete the Cat’s video!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUVgSWsyIE8]

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Literary Links

2011 Cybils Call for Judges

Literature connections for teaching the events of September 11

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Site Meter My NEW book is here!
Read and Write Sports: Readers Theatre and Writing Activities for Grades 3-8
Copyright © 2011 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Back to School, Learning to Read and Write

Picture Book of the Day

How to Teach a Slug to Read

by Susan Pearson (Author) and David Slonim (Illustrator)

Booktalk: A little boy explains to Mama Slug how to teach Little Slug to read…

Snippet: When you teach a slug to read, you should:
1. Start out by putting labels on his favorite things.

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Chapter Book of the Day

The Magical Ms. Plum

by Bonny Becker (Author) and Amy Portnoy (Illustrator)

112 pages

Booktalk: Everybody wants to be in Ms. Plum’s class. She teaches the usual things in unusual ways, and she has a mysterious supply closet.

Snippet: On this particular day, the day before the first day of school, Ms. Plum stood inside this closet, talking about her third-grade students. But who was she talking to?

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My Book of the Week

Road Work Ahead by Anastasia Suen

When a family sets out on a trip to Grandma’s, their journey proves to be more like a visit to a construction site. Sidewalks are being poured, streetlights repaired, roads resurfaced. The noise of jackhammers, whistles, and horns fills the air. Boys and girls alike will love seeing the big machines at work. Anastasia Suen’s simple text and Jannie Ho’s bright, up-beat pictures make this one road trip to remember.

Coming on September 15th!

The Road Work Ahead Facebook page has book news and activities.

September 19-23 Road Work Ahead blog tour

Monday 9/19
*revising a manuscript*
*creating art*
Tuesday 9/20
*a literacy connection*
Wednesday 9/21
*students creating art*
Thursday 9/22
*books and children at play*
Friday 9/23
*students writing poetry*

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Literary Link

Time to write your picture book? Intensive Picture Book Workshop Sept 7-Oct 26 (online)

Ready to write your novel? The next Children’s Novels Workshop is Sept 7-Oct 26 (online)

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Site Meter My NEW book is here!

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

Copyright © 2011 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Friday Reads

Animal Naps
by Catherine Ham (Author)

Booktalk: Poems about animals taking a nap!

Snippet:
Snore
A polar bear
Will nap anywhere.

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Chapter Book of the Day

Mathemagic!: Number Tricks
by Lynda Colgan (Author) and Jane Kurisu (Illustrator)

Booktalk: The secrets revealed in Mathemagic will have kids outwitting everyone with their superior computational skills, mystifying friends by plucking secret numbers from their minds and learning the mathematical secrets of the ancients.

Snippet: For these next tricks, your audience will get to use calculators. But there will be no technological aids for you. Instead, outwit everyone with your superior computational skills!

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Poetry Friday

This week’s Poetry Friday Round-up is hosted by The Miss Rumphius Effect

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STEM Friday

It’s STEM Friday! (STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)
This week’s STEM Friday Round-up is hosted by A Life in Books

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Literary Links

Ready to write your novel this fall? The next Children’s Novels Workshop is Sept 7-Oct 26 (online)

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Site Meter My NEW book is here!
Read and Write Sports: Readers Theatre and Writing Activities for Grades 3-8
Copyright © 2011 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Board Books and a Body Switch!

Picture Book of the Day

Big and Little
by Ana Martín Larrañaga (Author, Illustrator)

Booktalk: 4 board books in a boxed set with an animal baby and a parent featured in each rhyming story. In Fun on the Farm, it’s Mommy Hen and Baby Chick…

Snippet:
Then in the yard
we stroll around.
We make a noisy
clucking sound.

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Chapter Book of the Day

Bye for Now: A Wishers Story
by Kathleen Churchyard (Author)
272 pages

Booktalk: After Robin’s eleventh birthday turns into an escalating disaster, she wishes to be someone else–and wakes up as Fiona, an eleven-year-old girl from London with an amazing life: she’s gorgeous, with glamorous parents, and she’s the star of a major theatrical production. Why would Fiona have wished herself out of her own body?

Snippet:
The horrible birthday began with a black eye.

SMACK. Dizziness. Pain. Through her other eye, Robin looked to see what she’d hit–a head of white-blonde hair–Sophie.

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Literary Links

Time to write your picture book this fall? Intensive Picture Book Workshop Sept 7-Oct 26 (online)

3rd Annual Random Acts of Publicity Week is September 6-8, 2011

Books for Launching the School Year (and Ideas for Using Them with Students)

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Site Meter My NEW book is here!
Read and Write Sports: Readers Theatre and Writing Activities for Grades 3-8
Copyright © 2011 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Great Books

Picture Book of the Day

A Storm Called Katrina

by Myron Uhlberg (Author) and Colin Bootman (Illustrator)

Booktalk: It is August 2005, and a hurricane named Katrina is bearing down on the Gulf Coast. See how Louis Daniel and his family cope with this natural disaster…

Snippet:
Finally the rain stopped, and everything got real quiet.
Daddy opened the door. “Water’s rising fast,” he said. “We’ve got to get out of here.”

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Chapter Book of the Day

The Popularity Papers: Book Two: The Long-Distance Dispatch Between Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang
by Amy Ignatow (Author, Illustrator)
208 pages

Booktalk: After spending all of fifth grade studying popularity together, Julie and Lydia are finally ready to put their hard-earned lessons to use in junior high. But before they can, tragedy strikes: Lydia’s mom gets a job in London for six whole months! (A graphic novel journal)

Snippet: Today is the first day without Lydia, and until the Goldblatts hook up their computer I have no idea what she’s doing.

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5 Great Books About Starting Preschool

Maisy Goes to Preschool
by Lucy Cousins (Author, Illustrator)
Maisy has a busy day with her friends at preschool. Picture book

My First Day at Nursery School
by Becky Edwards (Author) and Anthony Flintoft (Illustrator)
As the school day goes by, a girl misses her Mom less and less. Picture book

Preschool Day Hooray!
by Linda Leopold Strauss (Author) and Hiroe Nakata (Illustrator)
A rhyming look at the preschool day. Picture book

The Night Before Preschool
Natasha Wing (Author), Amy Wummer (Illustrator)
It’s the night before preschool and Billy can’t fall asleep. Picture book

What to Expect at Preschool
by Heidi Murkoff (Author) and Laura Rader (Illustrator)
Angus the Answer Dog answers questions about preschool. Picture book

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Literary Links

2011 Cybils Call for Judges

Keeping House in a Literacy-Rich Classroom

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Site Meter My NEW book is here!
Read and Write Sports: Readers Theatre and Writing Activities for Grades 3-8
Copyright © 2011 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.