Celebrate This Week - June 14, 2014

This year, I am trying to increase my awareness of the many good things that happen, which are frequently overlooked by me.  To help me, I am joining Ruth Ayres' Celebrate This Week.

As I write this post, it is still Saturday on the west coast.  I find it a challenge to get this post up every week.  Partially due to the fact that I hate working on a blog post on Friday nights.  Too often I am out and by the time I get home it is a bit too late.  And Saturdays are often packed.  Since, I missed the past few weeks, I felt that I had to get something up for today.

So, this might be late but here it is.

Here's what I am thankful for this week... 

1.  Summer Break - I am thankful for some much needed time off to reflect and be creative.

2.  Authors - Have you ever said or heard someone say "authors are rockstars".  It is definitely true, and this week, I had a chance to interact with some wonderful writers and illustrators.

Arree Chung -  Recently, I participated in a blog tour for Arree Chung's new book NINJA. I truly think this is a wonderfully delightful book.  Thank you Arree for this beautiful signed print. I can't wait to frame it and hang it in my office. 

Tracy Holczer -  I love living in Southern California where so many wonderful Children's and YA authors live.  One of those wonderful folks is Tracy Holczer, The Secret Hum of a Daisy.  This past week, Alethea and I had dinner with Tracy.  We had a wonderful evening talking books and writing and more.  As a thank you, Tracy brought us "answer jars".  Read her wonderful debut novel to find out about "answer jars". 

Jillian Cantor - Thank you Bloomsbury Press for inviting us to meet Jillian Cantor prior to her signing at Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego. There were 4 of us who had a chance to chat with Jillian and ask her questions about her new YA novel, Searching for Sky. Jillian was wonderful to hang out with, and I am looking forward to reading this book.

Walden Pond Press & Christopher Healy - Though I have never met Christopher Healy, I recommend his books all the time.  Today, I received from Walden Pond Press a copy of The Hero's Guide to Being an Outlaw with a signed bookplate as a thank you for participating in the recent blog tour.

3.  My friends is home from the hospital. - Yes, after two more surgical procedures, my friend is home.  It is still going to be a long recovery period but we are thankful for how he has pulled through this most recent round of surgeries.

4.  Collaborating with friends - At the end of this month, I will be presenting at the American Library Association Annual Conference.  I am honored to be able to present with Mary Ann Scheuer, Cathy Potter, and Louise Cappizo.  I was also super thrilled when I discovered that SLJ recommended our presentation Common Core IRL: In Real Libraries as one of their staff picks.

5.  Great Tweets & Facebook posts - On Friday, I received some tweets from John Scovill.  He made my day when he shared that teachers that he works with cited me in their presentation on informational text.  It really goes to show that we are connected in so many ways to other teachers and educators and we have no idea about how our work influences others.  I am very thankful for my Nerdy Book Club friends because it is through them that I have come to know so may excellent educators.

Hope you are having a wonderful week and weekend and a Happy Father's Day.

Rethinking the Role of Research - Guest Post by Sandy Brehl

The often-repeated advice to writers is “write what you know”. That’s at the heart of every “small moments” workshop, every “what I did last summer” assignment, and even elaborate memoir projects. Much of fiction has its origins in this approach: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (Judy Blume), Ramona Quimby, Age 8 (Beverly Cleary), and Paperboy (Vince Vawter) are good examples. Quality writing makes them standouts, but the stories themselves have a ring of recognition in readers’ hearts.

The flip side of that is narrative non-fiction. The current emphasis on informational text has increased the presence of biography, autobiography, history, science, and technology texts in classrooms, libraries, and publishers’ catalogs. Extensive research, documentation, specific terminology, and authentication are the foundation of these. In most cases the facts are well-vetted so readers can trust that every detail is true, at least as true as we can know “so far”.

Nonfiction writing typically follows a neat process:

          topic>research>write> bibliography.

Personal narrative often follows a prescribed path, too:

          experience>significance>draft>revise>publish.

One very solid and entertaining bridge between these two genre is historical fiction. Think Hattie Big Sky (Kirby Larson) , May B. (Caroline Rose), and Number the Stars (Lois Lowry) , or Ann Turner’s picture books: Nettie’s Trip South, Katie’s Trunk, and Abe Lincoln Remembers. In each case the authors weave fact and fiction seamlessly throughout compelling stories with rich characters true to their times and places in history.

The blending of fact and fiction in this genre is not unlike a mobius strip. The two sides are not only inseparable, but interchange themselves while traveling along the path of the story. Similarly, it is nearly impossible to detect start- or end- points for the research and storytelling.

Historical fiction defies neat packaging. At its best, that ring of recognition resounds within the fictional lives of its characters, yet their journeys reveal specifics and complexities that can only be found through diligent research. Sorting out fact from fiction allows readers to explore a new purpose for research.

My debut middle grade novel, Odin’s Promise, is the end product of many years of just such a dance between fact and fiction. On a trip to Norway many years ago I heard personal stories of resistance from the war years. Memories of the German occupation were strong. From that time on I worked at writing one particular story, including extensive research about Norway’s war years.

Over time and countless revisions the story changed, the research continued, characters stepped into and abandoned center stage. Only when the right combination of research, revision, and advice came together did the story find its footing and take off. By then the facts were as familiar to me as the fictional elements so they arose naturally within the events of the story. After the book was complete and under contract I read two other recent historical fiction middle grade books set in Norway during World War II: The Klipfish Code by Mary Casanova, and Shadow on the Mountain by Margi Preus. In both cases I recognized quirky details of the occupation years that I had included in my book. A quick check of their resources indicated our stories had been influenced by some of the same titles Despite that, our books are distinctly different.

Historical fiction provides an excellent balance of reading fiction and non-fiction text: complexity, engagement, character development, detail, sequence and consequences. More often than not there will be author notes and other back matter to help describe which elements are based on history and which are not. Online and traditional research can clarify that further, as well as offer answers to questions raised by the stories. Maps, timelines, and biographies become essential tools for both the reader and the writer.

I hope readers will enjoy Odin’s Promise for the fiction it is. I also hope the factual threads throughout the story will make them eager to learn more about Germany’s invasion and occupation of Norway under the false claim of friendship. It’s a story far less familiar than those of concentration camps and battles, but no less compelling. It even has parallels in current events of the world.

Who knows where their research could lead?

About Sandy Brehl: Retired teacher in elementary public schools for almost 40 years. A voracious reader since childhood. Writing for decades. Active in SCBWI-Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) since retiring, which led to major improvements in my writing.

Debut Middle Grade Historical Fiction:
Odin’s Promise, available April 20, 2014, official publication date- May 17.

Odin’s Promise is historical fiction for middle-grade readers, a novel depicting the first year of German occupation of Norway as seen through the eyes of a young girl.

Eleven-year-old Mari grew up tucked safely under the wings of her parents, grandma, and her older siblings. When Hitler’s troops invaded Norway under the guise of “occupying a friendly country,” she is forced to grow beyond her “little girl” nickname and comfortable patterns to deal with harsh new realities.

At her side for support and protection is Odin, her faithful elkhound.

After she witnesses a terrifying event on the mountainside, truths are revealed: the involvement of her family and friends in the resistance; the value of humor in surviving hard times; the hidden radio in her grandma’s cottage.
Odin, not one for quiet resistance, makes an enemy of soldiers who patrol the area.

The year will bring many challenges, as Mari confronts danger, develops her inner strength and voice, and finds she is able to endure hardship and heartache.

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday - Marine Pollution & Environmental Protection For Our Oceans

Have you ever thought about what happens to the plastic that is thrown into the ocean? Two of my books this week, shared stories about how plastic has a significant impact on our oceans.  I am sharing a couple of resources about the impact that trash has on marine life and oceans and more.  Both of these books are extremely informational and I know I learned a lot.  

Check out the books, videos, and links for more resources that you can use with students in grades 4 to 8.

 

Tracking Trash: Flotsam, Jetsam, and the Science of Ocean Motion

by Loree Griffin Burns

HMH Books for Young Readers (March 26, 2007)

IndieBound * WorldCat

Description from GoodReads:
Aided by an army of beachcombers, oceanographer Dr. Curtis Ebbesmeyer tracks trash in the name of science. From sneakers to hockey gloves, Curt monitors the watery fate of human-made cargo that has spilled into the ocean. The information he collects is much more than casual news; it is important scientific data. And with careful analysis, Curt, along with a community of scientists, friends, and beachcombers alike, is using his data to understand and protect our ocean.

In engaging text and unforgettable images, readers meet the woman who started it all (Curt’s mother!), the computer program that makes sense of his data (nicknamed OSCURS), and several scientists, both on land and on the sea, who are using Curt’s discoveries to preserve delicate marine habitats and protect the creatures who live in them. A Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor Book for Nonfiction.

For resources connected with Tracking Trash: Discussion and Activity Guide |  Author Notes

Tracking Trash Multi-Touch Edition  is another resource which includes videos, interactive photo gallery, and web-search enabled text can be purchased here.  

Scientist in the Field Adventure Notes: Message in the Bottle | Tracking Trash and the Common Core | Tracking Trash and Making Art

Loree Griffin Burns: Website | Twitter | Facebook

Video: Gyre: Creating Art from a Plastic Ocean

Plastic Ahoy! Investigating the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

by Patricia Newman; Photographs by Annie Crawley

Millbrook Press (April 1, 2014)
Amazon * WorldCat

Description from GoodReads:
These scientists are on a mission. As part of a research expedition known as SEAPLEX, theyre studying the massive accumulation of plastic in the Pacific Ocean known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. As they use the scientific method to conduct their investigation, their adventures will introduce readers to the basics of ocean science and the hazards of plastics.

Patricia Newman: Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest

Other resources: 10 Ways to Reduce Ocean Plastic | Video Research Project | Activity & Discussion Guide | Algalita's Ship-2-Shore Program | Five Gyres

Watch the Book Trailer for Plastic Ahoy!



Additional Books to begin exploring the topic of "tracking trash" with Younger Audiences:

10 Little Rubber Ducks by Eric Carle (HarperCollins, 2005) - In this poignant and funny story, illustrated with strikingly designed collages, Eric Carle also takes readers on an exciting voyage of discovery. Following the little ducks as they float to all parts of the globe, young explorers can see for themselves the meanings of directional words, and learn simple math concepts such as counting and the use of cardinal and ordinal numbers. Each creature the ducks meet is seen in its own habitat and behaves in a true-to-life manner, offering a very simple first view of biology and geography. (description from goodreads)

Ducky by Eve Bunting; Illustrated by David Wisniewski (HMH Books for Young Children, 1997) - A yellow plastic duck makes a long perilous journey when he is washed overboard with a crate full of bathtub toys during a storm. (description from goodreads)

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews:

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday - Some Musings

Thank you everyone for all of the great posts each week for the Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge 2014.

Several years before the Common Core State Standards decided to try mandating the amount of nonfiction or informational text students should be reading, I realized that I had a serious book gap.  Though I went through phases when I did read nonfiction related to things I was interested in as an adult, I realized that I focused on very little nonfiction for children. Frankly, I saw it as boring and not particularly worth my time. Yes, I needed an attitude adjustment.

However, I can tell you when my attitude changed and by which book.  It was January 18, 2010, and I was listening to the ALA Youth Media Awards curled up in bed at 5 a.m.  The awards were in Boston that year and in order to hear them live, I had to get up early.  As they announced the awards, I was intrigued by several of the Sibert Medal Winners, particularly, The Day-Glo Brothers by Chris Barton.  Shortly, after the announcements were made I tracked down a copy of the book and from that moment on I have been on the search for creative, informative, and interesting nonfiction picture books for children.

My interest in nonfiction picture books has lead me to starting this challenge and to getting to know all of you.  I have felt good about the amount of nonfiction that I have been able to feature on my blog, especially through this weekly challenge.  However, I have been playing with some ideas, and will probably be adjusting my posts.

Once a month, usually the first Wednesday of the month, I feature new nonfiction picture book releases.  From the feedback, I have received readers really seem to enjoy this post. So, I am going to keep doing it.  I am going to try and find ways to keep improving it but overall, it seems to be working.

Next, I might start doing a What are you reading? type post to share all of the great nonfiction I find.  Often, I don't have time to review everything I read, but I would like to give more attention to books that I have enjoyed and want to share with others.  I will share these separate from my Monday What are you reading? posts, especially when I have a lot of titles to talk about.

Finally, I want to do more posts that feature a collection of books around a similar topic and include links to various resources or ideas of how to use them in the classroom.  I tried it recently with the post for The Sea Turtle Scientist.  It seemed to work.  So I am trying it again.  Let me know with these new posts what is helpful and what you would love to see more of as a teacher or librarian or parent.

If you are looking for the link to the Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday Widget please go here, and check out my post about Tracking Trash, and Plastic Ahoy!

It's Monday! What are you reading? From Picture Books to YA - June 9, 2014

It's Monday! What are you reading? is hosted by Sheila of Book Journey.  Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from Unleashing Readers have adapted it to focus on Picture Books to Young Adult Books.

This week was a good reading week, though not quite to the same level as the previous week.  I continued with book-a-day with a focus on reading as many picture books and some other things off of my very long TBR list.

          11 - nonfiction or informational text
            2 - Early Readers
           25 - picture books
            2 - Adult graphic novels
Total: 40 books 

As with last week, much of what I read this week has come from checking out the What are You Reading? and Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday posts from all of you.

Here is what jumped out of the stack...

The Herd Boy by Niki Daly (Eerdman's Books for Young Readers, 2012) - A young boy has dreams of becoming a great leader. A powerful message.

The Silver Button by Bob Graham (Candlewick Press, 2013) - I love Bob Graham's work.  It is a bit quirky but with an incredible message. A baby takes his first steps and what is everyone else doing at the same time. Great perspective.

Throw Your Tooth on the Roof: Tooth Traditions from Around the World by Selby B. Beeler; Illustrated by G. Brian Karas (HMH Books for Young Readers, 1998) - Enjoyed this book about "tooth fairy" traditions around the world. 

Windblown by Édouard Manceau; Translated by Sarah Quinn (Owlkids Books, 2013) - A few shapes and a concept that is pulled off marvelously.

Mister Bud Wears the Cone by Carter Goodrich (Simon & Schuster, June 3, 2014) - Dogs and the cone. A fun story that pet lovers will enjoy!

The Red Book by Barbara Lehman (HMH Books for Younger Readers, 2004) - Wordless but filled with perspective. Love this book.


Adult (or  at least 16+)...

Pride of Baghdad by Brian K. Vaughn; Illustrated by Niko Henrichon (Vertigo, 2006) - I am a fan of Vaughn's work with Runaways and his new series Saga.  So, when I was at a comic book store recently and saw this one discounted I knew I had to pick it up. It is based on a true story of 4 lions who escaped from the zoo in 2003 after a bombing.  Definitely has adult content/references.

So, what are you reading?

Interview with NINJA! author & illustrator, Arree Chung

Thank you Arree for stopping by Kid Lit Frenzy to talk about your new book NINJA! and share something about the process of making it and also in answers some questions.

I just read NINJA! to a group of K/1 students and they really seemed to enjoy the story. Since many of my students are English Language Learners, we spent some time working on understanding the text and also how the visuals may tell a bit of a different story. One of the things the students wanted to know was if you pretended to be a ninja when you were a child? 

I didn’t pretend to be a Ninja but I did pretend to be Bruce Lee a lot. He could be a ninja, no problem! I still think he's really cool. I was always sneaking up on my dad and others. Oh, and I loved playing hide and seek with my friends in the parking lot.

On your website, you have character bios for Maxwell and Cassandra and even “Goldie” the Dragon. Were these based on children you knew or something you just created as part of the story? 

Maxwell is channeling the kid in me. Design wise, I love kids with long busy hair. His design is inspired by a lot of different influences. As for his personality, it's a lot of how I acted like when I was a kid.

Cassandra is loosely based on my niece.

I love her expressions. She's also the kind of girl who wants to do everything. I'm the youngest in my family, and I always wanted to do all the things my brother did. So there's a little bit of me in Cassandra as well.

When developing he characters, imagined Maxwell and Cassandra to be mixed race kids. There's been a lot of recent discussion about the need for diverse books in kid-lit and I am in complete agreement. I didn’t want to make it a big deal though. It’s just a matter of fact. So if you look closely, you can see that Mom and Dad have different racial backgrounds.

When designing the characters, I didn’t want them to look like specific kids; I wanted them to look cartoony so that every kid could relate to them. I still wanted to make specific enough; finding the right balance can be a little tricky.

Goldie the Dragon came much later in the process. I didn't discover Goldie until I was painting the book. I knew I wanted Maxwell to go into "ninja" mode and that I wanted to change the color palette to red. When I did, I felt something was missing. That's when the idea of a dragon appeared! I named her Goldie, the dragon that represents Maxwell's wild imagination. I felt the story gained more depth when she was added.

Along similar lines, did the ideas for the scenes in the story come from personal experiences? 

Well, I did sneak up on my dad a whole lot and I still sneak up on my mom. She still gets mad at me for doing that! At night, I still go on secret missions for milk and cookies but I feel much more guilty about it now.

I tried deciding, which was my favorite illustrative spread in the book. I realized that I had too many favorites (Maxwell surprising his father, Maxwell celebrating his accomplishments, Maxwell dishonored – just to name a few). Do you have a favorite illustration in the book?

I think my favorite spread, if I had to pick one would be the "I’m dishonored” spread. I think every kid can relate to that feeling, of “oh man.” It’s dark and lonely place to be and you know you shouldn’t have done it.

My second favorite would be the “mission accomplished” spread. Looks like we think alike!

When you are working on a book, do you have a particular process that you follow?

Yep!

1. SKETCH STAGE: Loose sketches. Don’t be precious. Everything is a mess. Especially when you start. Play, be messy. It’s ok.

Take the best ideas and reduce.

Scribble lots. Be messy, then reduce.

Work on the words. Sometimes I write the words down on index cards to simulate page turns and test how it sounds out loud.

Tie it all together.

Take a nap. Look at it with fresh eyes. 

2. DUMMY STAGE: Make a dummy with loose sketches. Revise.

Show people you trust. Show kids. Show kids you don’t know. Revise. Make as many dummies as you need until you the story works.

3. DESIGN PHASE:

Draw the character. Look at references. Dream. Have fun.

I like to look at lots of art and photos when designing the scene. I make inspiration boards and print them out.

Do research for the environments. Find photo research. Make lots of loose paintings. Practice.

Make a color script. Collect lots of interesting things.

4. FINAL ART:

After making a few sample illustrations, I get into production mode. At this point, I generally know how the book is going to look like. Most of the planning of the book is already done at this point so the final art shouldn’t be too difficult. It’s actually a lot of fun at this stage. You can just focus on making each illustration as awesome as possible.

Now that NINJA! Is about to be released, do you have any other projects that you are currently working on that you can share with us? 

I am doing a lot more books!

I’m illustrating a couple of inventive potty training books titled, “How to Pee.” They are hilarious.

I have lots of picture book ideas and more stories starring Maxwell. One of them is a ghost story that I’m really excited about.

And I’m also working on a middle grade novel about my experience growing up as an ABC (American Born Chinese.) 

What was your own book journey like as a child and teen or did you find books later? Do you have particular books that acted as the backdrop to your life as a child and teen?

My journey to books is a long and windy one. I drew a lot as a kid but never took it seriously. Like a lot of Asian families, my dad wanted me to be a doctor, lawyer or engineer. I went to college and studied economics. I even worked in the business world for four years before deciding to be an artist. Quitting and going back to school to be an artist was scary but it was also the best decision I made in my life. In art school I fell in love with picture books. It’s where I belong. You read about my path to publishing on my blog: http://arreechung.blogspot.com

What is in your TBR pile currently? 

I’ve been reading the Ivy and Bean series, lots of Judy Blume and Jack Gantos recently. Here’s a picture of my TBR.

I also enjoy biographies, economic books and good fiction.

What is/are your favorite indie bookstores and why?

Oh so many! I love Keplers, Books Inc in Alemeda. My favorite people are Jerry and Elizabeth. We talk books all day long there. Books of Wonder in NY and Vroman’s in Pasadena are great places too.

Thank you!

 Once again, thank you for stopping by and sharing more about NINJA! with us. ~ Alyson

Watch the Official Book Trailer for NINJA!

About Arree Chung:
Arree Chung makes picture books but he didn’t always do so. Once he made spreadsheets all day long and he decided that he wanted to make pictures instead. Arree learned how to draw, paint and think a little bit differently at Art Center College of Design.

In the past decade, Arree has worked in the games industry as a designer and Art Director. Arree’s first debut picture book, “Ninja!” publishes June 3rd, 2014. When Arree is not practicing his Ninja moves, you can find him playing basketball or riding his bike.  

Where to find Arree: website | blog | facebook | twitter | tumblr

Check out how to Ninjafy yourself at Ninjafy Me!

Check out Arree's journey to becoming an author and illustrator.  Don't miss the interview on Design of a Picture Book.

Reviews for NINJA! - Kirkus | Publisher's Weekly

Common Core IRL: Life in Colonial America (Primary Sources)

This month, my librarian buddies and I are focusing on another installment of our Common Core IRL series.  I have truly enjoyed putting these posts together and collaborating with my fellow educator/librarian/bloggers.

Normally, as part of this series, I concentrate on students in the primary grades and how teachers can adapt a topic to younger students, and what books might be effective while integrating with the Common Core State Standards.  Imagine my surprise when I really could not find the right informational text books for student in Kindergarten to Second grade. What I was able to find was often culturally insensitive and particularly portrayed Native Americans in a negative light.

What can a teacher or librarian do if they are unable to find books about a topic? Aside for letting publishers know that we need more books for a particular topic, we can also focus on other sources of information.  One area that the CCSS stresses is the use of primary sources. Here are a few to explore: 

If you have not discovered the Library of Congress website for educators, you need to check it out and plan to spend some time exploring the features and materials available for educators.

One section to check out is the section for Teaching Using Primary Sources.

• Using Primary Sources
• Why Use Primary Sources
• Citing Primary Sources
• Copyright and Primary Sources
• Finding Primary Sources
• Teacher's Guide and Analysis Tool

When you have finished exploring the section on Primary Sources, click on any of the Primary Source Sets to explore actual materials.  Since this month's Common Core IRL is on Colonial America, I went to the section on Jamestown.

Jamestown Primary Sources
From there you can check out the Teacher's Guide for Jamestown.

Another section that relates directly to our topic this month is Colonial Settlement (1492-1763), which of course then led me to a link to PBS's Colonial House.

As you can see, there is a wealth of resources that you can utilize in creating lessons or exploring life in Colonial America including images, video, and more.

Once you have explored the Library of Congress site, you may want to head over to the Smithsonian's Educator site.

One feature on the Smithsonian site is a drop down menu that allows you to indicate a standard, grade and subject as related to the Common Core State Standards.  You can enter in a curricular area and grade level and it will pull up the standards and resources related to that topic and grade.

You can also search by topic.  When I searched for Colonial America, I was able to locate Elementary School Lesson Plans, Primary Source Materials, and High School DBQ's.

Other Sources to Explore:

Digital History Website

America's Story from America's Library Website

The Newberry/Chicago's Independent Research Library

Though there are many more websites to explore, I wanted to just give you a taste of what is out there.

Check out these great posts this week for more Colonial Resources:

• The Nonfiction Detectives - Comparing perspectives (grades 4-6)
• Great Kid Books - Life in Colonial America (grades 3-5)
• Kid Lit Frenzy - Primary sources (grades 4-6)
• The Show Me Librarian - Historical fiction (grades 1-6)
• Great Kid Book: Digital resources (grades 4-6)

Thank you to Mary Ann Scheuer at Great Kid Books, Amy Koester at The Show Me Librarian, and Cathy Potter and Louise Capizzo at The Nonfiction Detectives for all of their work to pull the various resources together.  I am honored to collaborate with such a great team of librarians.