Kids & Books Blog

Having problems motivating your young ones to write? Let them create their own pop-up books! They’re easier than you might think.

And if you’re looking for new ideas on how to get your children writing, visit my Teaching Kids to Write page.

Teach kids to write with workshop approach

ImaginationSoup.net is an education-focused website with a LOT of helpful tips and articles. One of these articles is a great one for parents (whether homeschooling or not) and teachers. It talks about the value of teaching writing to children using a WORKSHOP approach rather than just as a curriculum.

A few days earlier, Melissa Taylor (writer of the blog) posted an article about testing yourself, to see whether you’re able to think divergently, and lists some suggestions on how to introduce more “divergent” types of activities in the classroom. “Quiz Yourself – Examples of Divergent and Convergent Thinking” is fun to read – lots of pictures too!

This book was published over 16 years ago, but is still getting rave reviews on Amazon. I strongly suggest you check it out!

The Lions of Little Rock – future winner of Newbery Award?

WHERE: Hooray for Books (independent bookstore), 1555 King Street, Alexandria, VA

The story revolves around 12-year-old Marlee’s friendship with Liz, who helps Marlee overcome a deep-seated fear of speaking. When Liz disappears, rumors start flying that she was actually a Negro girl masquerading as white. The question is: How far is Marlee willing to go to find her friend and possibly expose herself to danger?

Almost a year and a half ago, Levine’s first book was published: The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had. I won’t go into detail about that book here, except that it’s about two Alabama 12-year-olds becoming friends in unusual circumstances back in 1917. And all nine reviews of this book on Amazon are 5-star!

Celebrating Christmas? Others are too . . . all over the world!

From Albania and Argentina to Vietnam and Wales, you’ll learn how people in each country celebrate this holiday. You’ll also find pages of activities, party ideas, coloring pages, jokes, and clip art – all, of course, centered around Christmas! Links to books and music related to the holiday are here too.

I wish you and your loved ones a VERY Merry Christmas . . . and a FANTASTIC New Year!!

Six more of PW’s Best Picture Books of 2011

And now, details of the last six books I promised I’d share, from a list compiled by PublishersWeekly.com:

Blackout by John Rocco. In the book, a young boy tries to convince his family to play a board game one summer night, but no one’s interested because they’re too busy. But when the neighborhood has a blackout, the family goes up to the roof to see the stars. They have so much fun that from then on, they occasionally create their own “mini-blackouts.” (I won’t give away just how they do that; you’ll have to read the book to find out.)

Where’s Walrus? by Stephen Savage. Like Sea of Dreams, this book is wordless. Young children looking at the illustrations will enjoy “reading” how a bored walrus escapes from the zoo and somehow manages to remain unnoticed by the zookeeper who’s constantly on the lookout for him. The walrus’ funny attempts at blending in with others and the unusual ending should make this a favorite addition to your child’s library.

Grandpa Green by Lane Smith. This amazing and unusual story features a young boy who visits a topiary garden, along with the person who created the garden: his great-grandfather. Through his great-grandfather’s eyes, he sees memories of an old man’s childhood and youth portrayed in beautifully sculpted trees and shrubbery. On each page, youngsters will be drawn into a magical world of “green” and, most likely, will want to return to this book again and again.

Press Here by Hervé Tullet. Each page is filled with brightly-colored dots, with just a few words spelling out simple directions. Watch this video to see for yourself how kids like this book. Out of 61 reviews on Amazon, 59 were 5-star!

Hooray for Amanda and Her Alligator! by Mo Willems. If you’re a fan of Mo Willems’ previous books (including Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and Knuffle Bunny), you’ll want to add this to your collection. Amanda is a little girl who loves books and likes sharing them with her friend, Alligator (who sometimes eats them). The interactions between the two are poignant. Thrown into the mix near the end of the book is another character (rival?), Panda, who eventually becomes Alligator’s friend too.

11 Best Picture Books of 2011 (part 2)

Here’s the list of the other six books I promised you yesterday. I’ll be giving you more information on these within the next day or two.

11 Best Picture Books of 2011

1. Parents prefer old-fashioned paper (“dead tree”) books for their young children. Comments like “a multi-sensory experience” and “as important a rite of passage as learning to eat with utensils and being potty-trained.” (This statistic is true even for parents who prefer reading their own books online.) See article by Matt Richtel and Julie Bosman here.

Mouse & Lion by Rand Burkert; illustrated by Nancy Eckholm Burkert. This re-telling of an old favorite is different from other versions for its casual “tone of voice.” Phrases like “You might need me someday, in a pinch!” and “Sire, I took you for a mountain – honestly!” hint at the flavor of the book. This is Rand’s first book. Not so for Nancy, the illustrator – who also happens to be Rand’s mother!

Everything I Need to Know Before I’m Five by Valorie Fisher. Color photographs of yard sale “stuff” and children’s toys illustrate this book. Kids will love the humor and bright colors. Even abstract concepts like numbers and letters are fun!

I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen. A very funny (in a subtle sort of way) story about a bear who wants his hat back. When he finally finds it (on a certain animal’s head), he figures out a way to get it back.

E-mergency! by Tom Lichtenheld. In the two months since its release in October, this book has already gained five 5-star ratings on Amazon. When the letter “E” falls down the stairs, she’s taken to the hospital. The cure? Everyone needs to stop using the letter “e” for awhile! The letter “O” offers to be her substitute (because he’s so well-rounded). Lots of humor (including puns) on every page.

Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson. An excellent story that captures the history of African Americans throughout the history of the United States, from colonial days through the civil rights movement. The illustrations are incredible, with amazing attention to detail. Click here to see Nelson talking about his new book on video.

Alex Rider series – a huge hit with teens

If you have a middle school-aged boy in your life who struggles with reading (that is, who doesn’t LIKE to read), I’m going to share a secret with you: ask his school librarian to strongly recommend Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz. It’s the first of an 8-part series about a teenaged spy named Alex Rider.

My son’s English teacher says her honors students LOVE this series, and so far, my son is enjoying it too. He read part of it aloud to me, and I’m thinking I might want to read it myself after he’s done!

In addition to his books, Horowitz has written for theater, film and television.

If you’d like to learn more about the Alex Rider series, you can also check out another website by clicking the link below:

Book anniversary celebrations . . . continued

Continuing yesterday’s list of fun ways to celebrate the anniversaries of several famous books this year, I’m finishing up with the last six today.

Mr. Men – Consider buying the Mr. Men 40th Anniversary Box Set, coming out this month in celebration of the series’ 40th anniversary. Forty years ago, in answer to his son’s question: “What does a tickle look like?”, British author (and aspiring cartoonist) Roger Hargreaves decided to write a book about Mr. Tickle – the first of the Mr. Men series. The series also includes stories about Mr. Happy, Mr. Greedy, and Mr. Nosey. Ten years later, Hargreaves started a second series: Little Miss.

Jumanji – Pick up a copy of Houghton Mifflin’s Jumanji 30th Anniversary Edition, available this month. This edition comes with a CD of the book, narrated by none other than Robin Williams himself! (Those who saw the movie Jumanji will appreciate that.)

Magic School Bus – Watch “The Magic School Bus LIVE! The Climate Challenge” – debuting this fall in Berkeley, California and touring over 60 cities during a seven-month period, in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the first Magic School Bus book. (Check out their interactive website too!)

Jamaica – Watch for book giveaways and mentions of the Jamaica series on social media and blogs. Jamaica’s Find was the first in the series. Twenty-five years later, there are now six titles in all.

Two decades ago, a little boy (in real life) wondered if his dog would be able to talk if she swallowed enough letters from alphabet soup. The boy’s mom (author Susan Meddaugh) had a brainstorm for the perfect story . . . and that’s how Martha Speaks was born.

11 favorite children’s books celebrating anniversaries!

Big celebrations are being planned around some major literary milestones both this year and next year – anniversaries! Four of them have reached the half-century mark: The Phantom Tollbooth, James and the Giant Peach, A Wrinkle in Time, and The Snowy Day. Curious George turned 70 this year, but HMH Books decided to celebrate a little early by releasing a 70th anniversary edition of Curious George in summer of last year.

The oldest of the bunch is Babar – turning 80! The youngest is Martha Speaks – a favorite with young readers for the past two decades. Meddaugh even has a Martha Speaks website, with lots of animation, games, videos, and a parents’ section that includes information about a book club and mobile apps!

Fun Ways to Celebrate

Babar – If you happen to be in Europe for the holidays (December), and you’re a fan of the Babar series of books, drop in for a visit at the Toy Gallery at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. You’ll see an exhibition of all kinds of Babar memorabilia, along with some contemporary licensed products.

James and the Giant Peach – Send a “Peachgram” to your favorite person. (See Roald Dahl’s Follow That Peach website for details.)

The Phantom Tollbooth – Watch this recent video clip of author Norton Juster and illustrator Jules Feiffer.

Adam Gopnik of The New Yorker wrote a great article on the book too. You can read it here.

A Wrinkle in Time – Visit A Wrinkle in Time’s Facebook page, and be sure to “like” them if you want to keep up on special events.

The Snowy Day – Visit Manhattan’s Jewish Museum between now and January 29. If you do, you’ll get to see an exhibit featuring more than 80 original works created by Ezra Keats. The name of the exhibit: “The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats.”

Check back here tomorrow for fun ways to celebrate anniversaries for six more books:

Expert shares his secrets for making fun puppets

I still remember the magical world I entered while watching the marionette-style puppet shows they put on at Children’s Fairyland in Oakland, CA when I was a child.

(Apparently, they still do puppet shows there. Check out the puppet theater page on their website.)

Well, I came across a book that does an excellent job of describing how to make all kinds of puppets.

Whether you’re a teacher looking for some fun ideas for classroom activities or a professional storyteller searching for new ideas for making puppets, you’ll love this book.

If you’re interested in learning more about storytelling, take a look at my page on Storytelling.

John E. Kennedy has worked with the Jim Henson Company (as in Muppets) for almost 20 years. During that time, he’s taught puppet making to children at museum workshops and has worked on Dinosaurs, Sesame Street, The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss, and Muppets from Space.

In this book – Puppet Mania! – Kennedy gives detailed instructions (along with lots of color photographs) for making 13 different puppets. Each puppet is accompanied by patterns you can trace (or photocopy) and reproduce yourself.

Kennedy does an excellent job of describing the steps for these, and includes a short personal story with each one. Puppet names like “Dancin’ Chick,” “Banana Buddy,” and “Bowl of a Thousand Faces” add to the fun in this book.

And now for a word from one of Kennedy’s most popular creations (and official mascot for Activity TV): Sock Puppy. (You can watch his video at the link below.)

Sarah Michelle Gellar shares her passion about reading

Celebrities don’t often talk about reading and how important it is in young children’s development. But I came across this video of actress Sarah Michelle Gellar talking about that very thing.

In the video, she also shares how Reading Is Fundamental is making a difference in the lives of children who might not otherwise get a chance to read books.

Win a new pet at Webkinz World!

If you’re into collecting Webkinz pets, you’ll want to take advantage of this month’s contest: Black Cat.

Write about your top 10 favorite school activities and you could win October’s Pet of the Month: a virtual Black Cat.

Five winners will be chosen randomly from the pool of entrants who fill out each field correctly.

Deadline for entries is one minute before midnight EDT (Eastern Daylight Savings Time) on September 30.

Sabuda offers King Arthur book as prize

This month’s prize for Robert Sabuda’s contest is actually NOT one of his famous pop-up creations, but it’s an amazing book all the same.

All of the illustrations in Arthur and the Sword are realistic depictions of stained glass windows, filled with pictures that tell the story of this time-honored legend. The book, published in 1995, isn’t available in bookstores any more, which makes this month’s prize even more special.

Share some classics with your child

What do a bull, a pig, and a rabbit have in common? They’re all main characters in beloved classics.

Help a struggling reader in honor of National Literacy Day!

In honor of National Literacy Day (which is today), try to find some new ways to encourage the struggling reader in your life.

Over the next few days, I'll be posting more ideas to encourage your kids to read.

Start a book club, win a Kindle!

Laura Blum, of Book Club 4 Boys, is sponsoring a contest in hopes of getting even more kids involved with reading – especially boys! (She has four young boys of her own – ranging in age from 2 to 11 – who keep her very busy.)

For details on this offer, take a look at this page, which includes an entry form and descriptions of the prizes. Prizes include: a $40 Amazon gift certificate, a Kindle, and a book club starter kit.

Thinking of starting a book club of your own? Be sure to read Laura’s “FAQ” page on that topic (click link below).

Win a Brava, Strega Nona pop-up book!

Well, it’s been awhile since I’ve mentioned one of Robert Sabuda’s contests here, but when I saw what he was giving away this month, I decided I needed to post about it before any more of August slips away!

Brava, Strega Nona! is a “heart-warming pop-up book” that was published in October 2008. And during the almost three years that it’s been available to the public, 25 reviewers have commented about the book on Amazon. And without exception, from the first review the month it came out to the latest one in March of this year, all reviewers have given this book five stars!!

Tomie dePaola is the author who wrote the actual story about Strega Nona, but Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart were the paper engineers who made the story come alive in a whole new way with their clever pop-up illustrations. The 12-page book is geared toward young children, but parents will love turning the pages and seeing the pop-up figures, too.

For details on how to enter the contest and for a closer look at the book itself, click the link below:

Two fun websites for kids

MUSE

This magazine publisher features “engaging nonfiction about animals, the arts, biography, history, math, nature, science, and technology. It also publishes interviews and crafts.” Part of the Cricket Magazine Group of Carus Publishing, they target children ages 9-14.

The magazine comes out nine times a year for kids who want to “know everything about the past, present, and future.” If their subtitle – “The Magazine of Life, the Universe, and Pie Throwing” – intrigues you, be sure to check them out here. Subscribers to the magazine also get access to their interactive website.

IMAGINATION-CAFÉ

This e-magazine offers children (ages 7 to 12) “the tools needed to discover their talents and passions by providing them with reliable information, resources, and safe opportunities for self-expression.” Their website includes LOTS of pages, some of which are only accessible to subscribers. Examples of pages on their site are: “Open Mic,” “Tip Jar,” and “Game Room.”

Aesop’s Fables – told with stitches and collage

When was the last time you read a fable by Aesop? Most likely, even if you’re familiar with many of them, you haven’t read them all. And even if you HAVE, you haven’t seen all the different ways they’ve been presented by authors and artists throughout the centuries.

I recently came across a beautiful picture book with 13 of Aesop’s well-known fables, illustrated with beautifully colored pieces of fabric stitched in collage format onto other pieces of fabric. Fables from Aesop by Tom Lynch was first published in 2000 by Viking Children’s Books, but is still getting rave reviews. Two of the three 5-star ratings on Amazon were posted within the past year!

One fable I wasn’t familiar with was “A Lesson Learned Too Late,” featuring a conversation between a Songbird and a Bat. My favorite (“The Gentle Art of Persuasion” – about an argument between the Sun and the North Wind) is here too – one I don’t often see in short collections of these fables!

Pre-order 'Chanukah Lights' from Robert Sabuda

It’s been awhile since I posted anything about Robert Sabuda here, but this month, he has three items you can pre-order: two sets of greeting cards and one new pop-up book, Chanuka Lights, scheduled for release in September.

If you pre-order this book in July, you’ll receive a hand-signed copy of the first edition of the book, which arrives in bookstores at the end of September. If you DON’T wish to order a signed version (and save around $17), you can pre-order it through Amazon here.

The text in the book (a poem) was written by Michael J. Rosen, a poet and author/editor of over 90 books. Take the time to look through Rosen’s website – lots of great info and great photos!

Pop-ups in the 16-page book include desert tents, pushcart lanterns, olive trees, and skyscrapers. According to Sabuda’s description, this book is “Sure to be a treasured family heirloom, showcasing the spirit and resilience of people in search of home.”

Greeting Cards

Celebrities read to their kids too!

What do Derek Fisher (point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers) and TV news anchor Gabriela Teissier have in common? They both read aloud to their children on a regular basis and are strong believers in the power of reading to kids from a very early age. Their enthusiasm about this topic is obvious when you hear them speak.

For tips on how to get your own children reading, go to this page and click the link in the lower right-hand corner that says “Click here to get tips on how to get your child to love reading.”

For ideas on activities to encourage speech and language development, click the link below:

Meet Charlie the Ranch Dog!

I recently was introduced to an amazing blog site, written by a former city girl who married a cowboy and now lives on a big ranch: Ree Drummond.

As a writer, she doesn’t just write copy for her website. She’s also a published author of books, including one children’s book – published just two months ago!

Charlie the Ranch Dog is based on Ree’s own dog – a lovable basset hound. Diane deGroat’s illustrations make this book even more endearing to readers – especially those who love dogs. I love her post on “Alliteration” (published just three days ago). And the photos.

To see Ree’s own description of her book on her blogsite, click the link below:

High school writing curriculum excites students AND parents

Are you trying to homeschool your high school student, but struggling to find a writing curriculum that will truly engage them? That will get them excited about writing?

Daniel Schwabauer, a published author of several adventure books for “tweens” and young adults, has created a curriculum for high school-age students called One Year Adventure Novel. In the course of a year, your student will learn how to not only write a novel, but more importantly, how to plan it out (build it, create a “skeleton,” outline it, and revise it).

Schwabauer’s writing expertise spans a broad range of genres: stage plays, radio scripts, short stories, newspaper columns, and comic books. He also has a gift for imparting his knowledge to young people.

Learn more about the course here. Details are outlined in the syllabus. Explore the author’s website to see reviews from students, parents, and schools.

And DEFINITELY take the time to listen to the video of Schwabauer sharing his reasons for creating this course in the first place (see link below).

SUMMER READING CHALLENGE

Less than two months ago (April 25), iVillage.com joined with two leaders in children’s educational media to create a Summer Reading Challenge. Scholastic and PBS Kids are the other two collaborators on this project, which runs for one more month (through July 15).

Online games and activities

At the PBS Kids website, you’ll find some VERY fun online activities to encourage your kids with both their reading and writing. These activities are accessible all year long, not just during the summer challenge!

Storytelling ideas to help you connect with your kids

For a list of 10 fun ideas on ways you can entertain and educate your kids this summer, click the link below:

Celebrate Father’s Day in Webkinz World!

Have you visited Webkinz World lately? If not, and you live in the United States or Canada, be sure to visit today! There’s a contest going on there, and all you need to do is write (in 1,000 characters or less) about what you would give your dad if you could give him ANYTHING – whether real or imaginary.

The deadline for entering the contest is 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, June 19, 2011. Contest requirements and information on prizes can be found here.

To read about two other contests (Webkinz Guide and Clown Fish) going on this month (one of which is also ending today), click the link below and scroll down the page.

‘It’s Time to Sleep, My Love’ board book

“It’s time to sleep, it’s time to sleep,” the fishes croon in waters deep.

This is a sample of the type of poetry you’ll find in a new board book that’s been out less than six months: It’s Time to Sleep, My Love by Eric Metaxas and Nancy Tillman. Filled with hauntingly beautiful illustrations and words that match, this is one book you should definitely take a closer look at.

Illustrator Nancy Tillman is well known for her book On the Night You Were Born, published in October 2006. That, too, is filled with Tillman’s incredible artwork (including the two dancing polar bears on the cover), although she also wrote the text for that one.

The fact that this book has earned 194(!!) 5-star ratings on Amazon should tell you something about its quality.

If you’re interested in seeing more of Tillman’s artwork, take a look at some of her posters here.

"Over in the Meadow" with Barefoot Books

I absolutely LOVE this version of “Over in the Meadow.” I think Barefoot Books did a great job with it. Probably doesn’t hurt that I love bluegrass-style music (which is what this version reminds me of), but the illustrations are perfect too. They look like someone’s patchwork quilt came alive and started dancing! Plus the singing’s excellent.

Two years ago, I became an affiliate of Barefoot Books but have never really promoted them on this website. Well, that’s going to be changing soon. Upon looking through their recent catalogs and at their website, I can see they’re an excellent resource for multicultural children’s books (one genre I plan to focus on through additional pages to my site).

Their site is also very interactive, with podcasts you can listen to each week, and a wide array of books that come with CDs.

I’m making it easy for visitors to my site to learn more about Barefoot Books too, through links to their weekly podcasts and pages that explain more about the philosophy behind their company.

You’ll find a podcast link in the right-hand column on several of my pages, including my Importance of Literacy page. And if you click the image of the girl reading a book in the right-hand column of my Important of Reading page, you’ll learn a lot more about the company.

You’ll even find free downloadable activity sheets at the Barefoot Books website! (See the link below.)

Annual ALA Conference this month!

The world's "largest and most dynamic library conference and exhibit" is being held later this month in New Orleans. See details below:

WHAT: World's largest event for the library community. Over 25,000 librarians, educators, authors, publishers, literacy experts, and illustrators have the chance to advance their careers and improve their libraries.

WHY: Those who work with children in classrooms and libraries deal with all sorts of challenges. Some of those challenges will be addressed in sessions such as:

Sensory Storytime (Preschool Programming that Makes Sense for Kids with Autism)

For more info on the conference, and details on how to register, see the link below:

New picture books for May

Who ever heard of a bicycle bug, a hot air balloon bug, or a speedy race car bug? Only those who’ve read David Carter’s new pop-up book for young children: Bugs That Go! A Bustling Pop-up Book. Following the same “bug theme” featured in several of his other books, Carter focuses on bugs going places in a variety of ways, with fun illustrations to match.

(For information on some of Carter’s other books, along with several other pop-up books, take a look at my Pop-Up Books for Kids page.)

Hide and Sheep, written by Andrea Beaty and illustrated by Bill Mayer, is a rhyming book about some missing sheep. The owner of those sheep (Farmer McFitt) rounds up his sheep by searching everywhere. Mayer’s illustrations are the perfect companion to Beaty’s funny rhymes.

Poindexter Makes a Friend is an excellent book that’s actually a debut for the author/artist, Michael Twohy. Using pastels and watercolor, Twohy describes the life of a pig who’s happy and friendly, but also painfully shy. The book will appeal not only to children who themselves are shy, but will also help those who are NOT shy to better understand their quieter friends.

Teachers’ Study Guides

If you’re a teacher looking for new ideas on how to use picture books to enhance your learning plans, check out the “For Teachers” page on author Andrea Beaty’s website. (See link below.)

Two new apps: one for boys, one for girls

In honor of the upcoming royal wedding this week (between Prince William and Kate Middleton), I’ve decided to post about two new apps that recently became available for children.

Published by Disney, the app first became available on April 20 and can be used on any iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. Cost: $3.99.

The app lets children change outfits, add tiaras, and even send royal portraits to their friends and families! New updates include a new princess (Tiana), seven new stories, and 25 new outfits and accessories.

The second app is definitely more for guys: It’s Tyrannosaurus Rex! This app, released April 19, was published by Oceanhouse Media. It can be used on any iOS and Android device. Cost: $2.99.

This app is based on the Soundprints book by the same name, written by Dawn Bentley and illustrated by Karen Carr. It has three options: Auto Play (for younger readers), which automatically turns pages as they’re read – similar to a movie; Read to Me, allowing users to listen to the narrated story while seeing the words highlighted as they read; and Read It Myself, letting users read the book themselves.

FREE CLASS: Enhance writing skills with Tikatok

“Spark creativity and improve critical thinking.” Two promises made about the FREE webinar being offered by HomeschoolBlogger.com later this month.

Almost six months ago (Oct. 24, 2010), I mentioned a website called Tikatok, where kids could write their own stories and get them published. Well, HomeschoolBlogger.com is now offering a FREE webinar on how to use that site to improve your child’s learning experience.

DATE: Thursday, April 28, 2011

TIME: 4:00 p.m. EDT

WHERE: You choose! Wherever you feel comfortable and have access to the Internet.

WHO: Instructor is Kathryn Cowan Porro, manager of Tikatok’s education market

WHY: To show you how to provide your child with a fun, interactive experience through the use of Tikatok’s innovative website.

Porro will not only show you how to publish books with this tool, but will also share ideas on how to incorporate writing into many other subject areas, including math, science, social studies, art, and digital technology.

It’s National Poetry Month!

Since April is National Poetry Month here in the United States, I’m listing several ideas to help you get your students (or children, if you’re homeschooling) excited about poetry:

• Write your own acrostic poems and rebuses, make a pocket to hold your poems, or make a plaque to display your favorite rhyme using Crayola’s Air-Dry Clay. These ideas and more can be found at Crayola.com.

• Let your 1st graders (or older) create a poetry slideshow with PowerPoint! Teacher Jill White explains the process in this article.

• Download printables like Poetry With a Twist for fun ways to have kids write down their poems.

• Teach teens how to brainstorm for ideas. There are LOTS of ideas on Scholastic’s Write It Poetry page.

Teachers looking for inspiration on how to share poetry in new and exciting ways should check out the link below:

The House in the Night blends poetry with beautiful art

When I checked The House in the Night out of the library a few weeks ago, I chose it because of the illustrations and limited number of words. (I like using simple books like this with even my older students sometimes.)

Once I read the book from cover to cover, though, I realized this book has a lot more depth than I expected. And in the process of looking up information on the author (poet Susan Marie Swanson) and illustrator (Beth Krommes), I discovered that this book actually won the Caldecott Medal in 2009!

The book starts out like many favorite nursery rhymes (“This Is the House that Jack Built,” for instance).

The book continues through an adventure that a little girl has on the wings of that bird, and ends back where it started . . . with the child being tucked into bed for the night.

In addition to writing poetry and picture books, Swanson has been writing poetry with children for more than 25 years, teaching in the COMPAS Writers and Artists in the Schools program, and in the summer arts programs at St. Paul Academy and the Friends School of Minnesota.

Artist Krommes has a great website that makes it easy to get close-up glimpses of the illustrations in this book. The technique she uses is scratchboard – a method resembling wood engravings, but much faster to complete.

You can also read the speech she gave when she accepted the Caldecott Medal in 2009. Just click the link below:

Celebrate Read Across America Day!

March 2 is the National Education Association’s Read Across America Day! In May 1997, NEA decided to designate a day to celebrate reading. So they chose March 2 – Dr. Seuss’s birthday! March 2, 1998 was the first day it was celebrated, and 13 years later, the tradition is still going strong.

Schools, libraries, and bookstores all over the country are holding special events. Why not check out some of these places in your own city or town today?

Here’s an activity idea I saw posted on Facebook, courtesy of Apples4theTeacher.com - a great website full of ideas for teachers and parents of primary-age kids.

3. Read a biography or some facts about Dr. Seuss, and write them on the board as a group activity.

4. Have students pick their three favorite facts, and write them on the back of their puppet!

Bryan Collier wins 2011 Coretta Scott King Book Award

Bryan Collier says that as an early reader, he was drawn to the images, not the text. He shares his feelings about the power of images to tell stories in the first video.

In school, he started developing a unique style of painting that combined watercolor with collage. In the second video, Collier explains how collages are similar to life itself: pieces of puzzles that don’t make sense at the time, but if you hold on to all of them, someday you’ll be whole. (He explains it a lot better than I do.) :-)

Collier wins award for illustrations in Dave the Potter

In Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave (written by Laban Carrick Hill and published by Little, Brown and Company) Dave is a slave in 19th century South Carolina who is able to succeed because of his amazing artistic skills. Although it was illegal at that time for slaves to read and write, Dave’s poetry on his pots rose above the “color barriers” that existed at that time.

Collier lives in Harlem, where he directs mural programs for children throughout New York City.

The McKissacks (part 2): thinking young and Einstein

Here are the third and fourth videos I wanted to share with you. In these, the McKissacks discuss how they’ve had to learn how to think like a 7th grader, yet write as a professional (not always an easy thing to do!).

The second video mentions a couple of comments Einstein once made to an interviewer, on storytelling. Wow . . . what a plug for those of us who already know how important it is to read to our kids!

The McKissacks (part 1): ideas and collaboration

Fredrick and Patricia McKissack make an unusual team, but a great one. Together they’ve been writing books for children since the early ‘80s. Their passion for writing books that African-American children can relate to has resulted in over 100 books, many of which are aimed toward tweens and young adults. Three of those have won Coretta Scott King Awards.

In the first two videos (I’m posting four, but in two parts), the McKissacks talk about:

• where they think ideas come from (Athenian = spring to life spontaneously or mustard seed = grow slowly), and

• how they work together (collaborate) on ideas and the actual writing of the books.

Be sure to watch the other two videos in my next post. I listed a great resource for teachers at the end of that one.

Ashley Bryan makes folk tales come alive with poetry

Ashley Bryan was born six years before the start of the Big Depression, in Harlem. He grew up in the Bronx along with six brothers and sisters and three cousins – a house full of people AND art and music. And birds. (His father loved them. At one time, Bryan said he counted 100 caged birds in their house!)

As with many artists, Bryan was happiest when he was holding a sketch pad and pencil. Even his fellow soldiers during World War II recognized his talent and encouraged him to keep drawing. After the war, he went to college and majored in philosophy, in an effort to understand war. After the war, he received a Fulbright Scholarship to study in Europe.

In 1962, Bryan had the distinguished honor of being the first African-American to publish a children’s book as both author and illustrator. Today, at the age of 87, he lives on Islesford - one of the Cranberry Isles off the coast of Maine - and enjoys creating in a variety of ways: stained glass windows, puppets, collages ....

In the first video, Bryan talks about three popular folk songs that originated as songs created by slaves. The second video explains why the Coretta Scott King Award was created.

Nikki Grimes talks about ‘slipping past the intellect’

Nikki Grimes has been writing poetry since she was 6 years old. In these videos, Grimes shares how important it is for children to be able to read books that include characters they can relate to and how poetry is able to “touch your heart before you even know it’s coming.”

Kadir Nelson encourages aspiring artists

Even though Kadir Nelson was already skilled at drawing and painting by the time he reached college, he credits his mother’s advice on “visualizing his success” as being the real secret to the rapid rise of his career after graduating.

“Wish upon a star, but do your homework” was the message on a poster in one of his classes, and perfectly describes the very thing he was doing. It obviously paid off. Over the past several years, Nelson has painted works that have been purchased by celebrities such as Denzel Washington and Shaquille O’Neal, and has won several awards for his illustrations, including two Caldecott Honors and a Coretta Scott King Illustration Award.

In the second and third videos, Nelson talks to kids who want to someday earn a living as an artist, and encourages teachers to see some of their more challenging students as “diamonds in the rough” who often have the potential to go on someday to become great contributors to our society.

Jacqueline Woodson and reluctant readers

As a children’s author, Jacqueline Woodson is unique in that she writes for several different age groups – young adults, tweens, preschoolers . . . you name it. She’s also very passionate about reaching kids who are reluctant to read, since that was who she once was.

In this video she shares a little of her own history and why she thinks it’s important for kids to feel like it’s OK to go back to picture books once in awhile, even after they’ve “graduated” to chapter books.

Click the link below to see a list of Woodson’s books for children ranging in age from 3 to 12.

Author reads ‘Black Jack’ - tale of world’s first black heavyweight champion

As you listen to Smith read aloud from the book, the rhythm of the words make it easy to picture Johnson’s energy:

As the son of two former slaves, Johnson overcame odds on his way to success that probably would have crushed many. But his persistence paid off, and eventually he achieved the goal he longed for: Heavyweight Champion of the World.

Now, over a century later, Johnson is still an inspiration to those with seemingly out-of-reach goals.

I wanted to share another recording with you – “Summer’s Ending” – in which Lewis talks a little about his philosophy on travel and education, and about a new book he was working on at the time. (I found it on his “Hear Some of My Poems” page on his website.)

Billie Holiday . . . through the poetry of Carole Weatherford

Carole Boston Weatherford is a poet dedicated to celebrating family stories, fading traditions, and forgotten struggles through her writing. Three years ago, she published a book about the famous jazz singer Billie Holiday.

The poetry Weatherford shares in Becoming Billie Holiday is reminiscent of the songs “Lady Day” sang: the blues.

In this video, Weatherford explains what made her decide to write about the singer:

Stories to Tell: Curating an African-American history exhibit

Ever since my husband and I adopted our son (now 12 years old), I’ve been interested in learning more about his African-American heritage. Yes, he’s half-Caucasian too, but the variety of ethnic backgrounds in his bloodline has brought a “richness” to our lives that I never would have known had we not adopted him. (He’s also part American Indian.) My husband and I know we’ve been truly blessed.

Because of this, I feel much more strongly about the recognition given to African-Americans in this country during the month of February: Black History Month.

Today I’d like to share an article with those of you who are teachers. It involves helping students consider the messages they get from artifacts and then helping them develop an African-American history exhibit.

In an article published January 25 at The New York Times’ online “Learning Network,” writers Sarah Kavanagh and Holly Epstein Ojalvo lay out a detailed plan that makes it easy to create a fun learning experience for your students.

Scratching the surface to find treasure: our children!

Just came across a fantastic video of E.B. Lewis discussing his newest project: artwork on lottery tickets, with children being the "winning numbers" people find when they scratch away the gold leaf from the images.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH VIDEOS: E.B. Lewis

E.B. Lewis is an illustrator and educator in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He’s also a fine artist who has some of his work displayed in museums and private collections.

In the first of the two videos shown below, Lewis talks about his transition from a teacher who does his artwork “on the side” to a full-time illustrator. In the second video, Lewis reads a poem by Langston Hughes – “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” – which he illustrated with watercolors in the picture book The Negro Speaks of Rivers.

Take a look at his books, and you’ll see that watercolor is Lewis’s medium of choice for all of his illustrations. You can see close-ups of each book at his website.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH VIDEOS: Christopher Paul Curtis

Today, in honor of Black History Month, I’m starting a series of 10 blog posts (each including at least one video) about 10 different African-American authors and illustrators – one for every other day through the rest of February. The first one focuses on someone I discovered over a year ago, when I wrote about his new book Elijah of Buxton on this blog: Christopher Paul Curtis.

For the past several days, I’ve been reading through another of Curtis’s books: The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963. Wow – I cannot get over the fact that this was Curtis’s first novel! It is excellent (which you would probably guess, since it won both a Newbery Honor and a Coretta Scott King Honor in 1996, the year after it was published).

Fortunately, my son’s English teacher is very good at figuring out the types of books my son would like (she’s the one who suggested The Cay to him). The Watsons is the latest book she recommended.

The book is narrated by 10-year-old Kenny and starts out in his hometown of Flint, Michigan. His family (known to neighbors as the “Weird Watsons”) travels to Birmingham with the intention of leaving Kenny’s older brother Byron with their grandmother for awhile, in an effort to “straighten him out” before he heads any farther down the wrong path. Unfortunately, the timing of their trip coincides with one of the most infamous events in American history: the bombing of a Birmingham church in which four young girls lost their lives.

In the first video, Curtis talks about what this book meant to him. In the second one, he gives four tips to young people who hope to someday become writers themselves (briefly summarized below):

What do ‘Flipped’ and ‘The Cay’ have in common?

My son and I recently watched the movie Flipped together. What an EXCELLENT movie!! My son even made the comment, “This would make a great book!”

Well, in the credits at the end of the movie, I noticed that the movie was based on a novel by Wendelin Van Draanen. An unusual name, but so is the author. When I went to her website, I discovered that she was born in Chicago, Illinois; grew up a tomboy; and uses her experience as a high school computer science teacher to help her write the Sammy Keyes mysteries she’s so famous for.

Flipped follows the lives of a girl and boy who meet as 2nd graders in the mid-‘50s. The story starts out with Juli developing an instant crush on Bryce as soon as his family moves into the neighborhood. Immediately, Bryce realizes he’s going to have to work hard at keeping Juli at arm’s length. As you might guess from the name of the movie, the roles shift when they reach their early teens and begin discovering some deeper truths about each other.

Interestingly, the day before we watched Flipped, my son had finished reading a book for school: The Cay, by Theodore Taylor. He fell in love with it. He said it was the best book he’d read since Carry On, Mr. Bowditch. He even said it would make a great movie. (I told him it HAD been made into a movie – he was very excited about that. Turns out it was a “made-for-TV” movie, though, created back in 1974. Oh well.)

The book focuses on an 11-year-old boy who gets shipwrecked on a small cay somewhere in the Pacific with only an old black sailor and a cat for companions. How they got there and whether they ever get rescued aren't the main focus of the story.

The real story is in how the boy (who becomes blind during his ordeal) overcomes prejudice as his distrust of old Timothy turns to love and respect. EXCELLENT book!

If you’re interested in helping a school in your own neighborhood accelerate interest in reading among students, check out Wendelin’s Exercise the Right to Read website by clicking on the link below. Her blog, Wendelin’s Jog Blog, is great too!