Nation

Author: Terry Pratchett
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins; Reprint edition (September 22, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9780061433030
ISBN-13: 978-0061433030

Synopsis: Mau is just returning from his rite-of-passage voyage to his island home, Nation, when a great tsunami hits, nearly destroying everything and everyone. Caught between man and boy, Mau must struggle to keep what is left of his home together, and find more strength when he discovers he isn't the only survivor - and has somehow become their chief! Also caught up in the wave is young Ermintrude, an English girl of gentile breeding who was sailing to meet her father in his post of governor of a tropical island. Ermintrude - who rechristens herself Daphne because she hates her given name - is the sole survivor of her ship (or so she thinks) and must quickly learn a new language, a new culture and a new way of life.

Review: I could not put this book down. I've been a fan of Terry Pratchett since I read his collaboration with Neil Gaiman ("Good Omens"), but had read more of Gaiman's works than Pratchett's. The tagline on the book cover reads "When much is taken, something is gained." These wise words were spoken by an old man in Mau's village, and they set the theme for the entire novel. I heartily enjoyed everything about this book - romance, sacrifice, humor, peril, science - as well as the fact that the author states it took place in a parallel universe that had some of the same people in it as ours and many similar features, but not exactly the same. Within a few moments of opening the book, I was hooked and had suspended all disbelief. The characterizations were rich and lush. The animals and scenery were not just backdrops to the story, they were part of the fabric of the book and integral to everything in it. I recommend this book for "children" of all ages!

Awards/Reviews:

§         School Library Journal Best Book

§         Horn Book Fanfare

§         Kirkus Reviews Best Children’s Book

§         Bulletin Blue Ribbon (The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books)

§         Publishers Weekly Best Book

§         Michael L. Printz Honor Book

§         ALA Notable Children’s Book

§         ALA Top 10 Best Book for Young Adults

§         ALA Best of the Best Books for Young Adults

§         ALA Booklist Editors’ Choice

§         Kirkus Reviews Best Young Adult Book

§         Chicago Public Library Best of the Best

§         Horn Book Fanfare

§         Kirkus Reviews Best Children’s Book

§         Bulletin Blue Ribbon (The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books)

§         Publishers Weekly Best Book

§         Michael L. Printz Honor Book

§         ALA Notable Children’s Book

§         ALA Top 10 Best Book for Young Adults

§         ALA Best of the Best Books for Young Adults

§         ALA Booklist Editors’ Choice

§         Kirkus Reviews Best Young Adult Book

§         Chicago Public Library Best of the Best 

"The main characters are engaging and interesting, and are the perfect medium for the author's sly humor. Daphne is a close literary cousin of Tiffany Aching in her common sense and keen intelligence wedded to courage. A rich and thought-provoking read." - School Library Journal, starred review

"Critics praised Nation as a hybrid, deeply philosophical book aimed at young adults, but one likely to appeal to adults as well, much like Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy or J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. With echoes of William Defoe and William Golding, Nation takes the form of a “classic Robinsonade,” notes the Washington Post—that is, a book in which characters on a desert island recreate civilization. As his characters grapple with questions of leadership, humanity, and survival, Pratchett explores fundamental ideas about religion and culture. This might all sound rather heavy, but there is plenty of originality and humor—and cannibals, spirits, and secret treasures—to go around. In the end, Pratchett offers a vision of a deeply humane world." - Bookmarks Magazine review

"It is hard to imagine a reader who won’t feel welcomed into this nation." - Horn Book, starred review

Connections:

After reading the novel, give students print outs of Terry Pratchett's essay on the inspiration for "Nation" at http://www.harpercollins.com/author/authorExtra.aspx?authorID=7848&isbn13=9780061433016&displayType=bookessay. After reading, look up the Krakatoa and Indonesian tsunamis and compare news/history accounts with how Pratchett described it in his book. What was different? What was similar? Turn this into a journal entry.

On page 1, the fable of how Imo Made the World is told. In their journals, have students write prose or poetry of their own creation myth. What would the god(s)' name(s) be? How did the create the world? What did they put in it?

After students have done this, have them write a story of what happens in this imagined world. Is it like our world, or completely different?

Lunch Lady and The Cyborg Substitute

Author: Jarrett J. Krosoczka
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 96 pages
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (July 28, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9780375846830
ISBN-13: 978-0375846830

Synopsis: Lunch Lady is not only serving up meals in the cafeteria, she's serving up justice so she can make sure the students are safe! Follow the adventures of Lunch Lady and her faithful assistant Betty, along with student sleuths Hector, Dee and Terrence as they discover there's something fishy about the new substitute, and it isn't just the daily special they're smelling!

Review: This graphic novel was a quick read, but a very fun one. As would be expected, there's lots of action and humor. I especially enjoyed all of Lunch Lady's weapons disguised as ordinary cafeteria fare and utensils! Although the only colors in the graphic novel are black, white, gray and yellow, this does not detract from the plot line in the book - in fact, it seems to point the reader to where the focus needs to be, without a lot of background "clutter" to get in the way. I especially enjoyed the cliff-hanger ending of the book, sure to send readers scrambling for the next installment.

Awards/Reviews:

- WINNER 2009 Kid's Indie Next List "Inspired Recommendations for Kids from Indie Booksellers"
- WINNER 2010 Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices

"Yellow-highlighted pen-and-ink cartoons are as energetic and smile-provoking as Lunch Lady’s epithets of 'Cauliflower!' and Betty’s ultimate weapon, the hairnet. There is a nice twist in the surprise ending, and the kids’ ability to stand up to the school bully shows off their newfound confidence in a credible manner. Little details invite and reward repeat readings with visual as well as verbal punning." - Booklist review

Connections:

Get students to make their own superhero weapon for Lunch Lady to use. Print handouts of a page from the book at  http://www.lunchladycomics.com/llfinishthestory.pdf and let students write and draw their own dialouge and superhero gadget!

Print out more gadget blueprints for students from http://www.lunchladycomics.com/bettysblueprints.pdf and let students make their own blueprints and gadgets. Then have students write a journal entry about how Lunch Lady uses the new gadget(s). If students are artistically inclined, they can write it in graphic novel form. If not, prose is fine.

Prior to using this book in class, download and peruse the teachers' resource on the use of graphic novels from Random House  http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/teachers_guides/9780375846830.pdf. There are great ideas for integrating graphic novels into the classroom!

Joey Pigza Loses Control

Title: Joey Pigza Loses Control
Author: Jack Gantos
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins (March 5, 2002)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9780064410229
ISBN-13: 978-0064410229

Synopsis: In the second book in this series about mixed up, tumbled-about, hyperactive Joey Pigza, Joey and his dog, Pablo, go to visit his father for the summer - A father Joey doesn't remember. Carter Pigza turns out to be just like Joey, only bigger and in denial that he has problems. Carter insists that Joey doesn't need medication to control his ADD, he just needs willpower. Just when Joey had a handle on his ADD, Carter comes into his life and flushes all Joey's medicine down the toilet. As Joey feels his control slipping away and all his old bad habits coming back, he wonders (as does the reader) if he will ever find his way back to control again.

Review:  As the parent of a child with ADHD (although not nearly as severe as Joey's), my heart hurt reading this book. Carter's insistence that all Joey needs to be "normal" is more willpower is so familiar to me. The fact that my son is medicated to help him focus has been questioned (and re-questioned ad inifinitum) by family, friends, and even people who are virtual strangers. Joey is a fully formed, multidimensional character. He practically leaps off the page; however, the same cannot be said for some of the adult characters. At times, the adults in Joey's life seem more like caricatures than real people. Because the books are aimed at middle schoolers, this is not detrimental to the story. As it should be, the main focus is on Joey and his internal dialogue. While in some parts the book was depressing, it was also by turns uplifting and hilarious.

Awards/Reviews:

 - Newbery Honor Book

 - ALA Notable Book

 - Publishers Weekly Best Book

 - School Library Journal Best Book

 - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Blue Ribbon Book

 - New York Times Book Review Notable Book

 - Booklist Editors' Choice

 - Horn Book Fanfare Book

"Hilarious, harrowing, and ultimately heartening." - School Library Journal, starred review

"A truly memorable read." - ALA Booklist, starred review

"Like its predecessor, this high-voltage, honest novel mixes humor, pain, fear and courage with deceptive ease. Struggling to please everyone even as he sees himself hurtling toward disaster, Joey emerges as a sympathetic hero, and his heart of gold never loses its shine." - Publishers Weekly

"Jack Gantos's second book about Joey Pigza is just as delightful and soulful as his first. Joey's attempts to keep the fragile peace in his life intact are touching, and his intense longing to just be normal will mirror the feelings of most preteens, whether they have ADD or not. Joey Pigza may sometimes lose control, but he never loses his heart. This is an exceptional sequel." - Amazon.com

Connections:

Read students the passage on page 52 in which Joey talks about "becoming two Joeys" — "one Joey for Mom and a different Joey for Dad."

As a class, discuss what Joey means in the above quote. Ask students: Have you ever felt this way? When? Why? They may wish to share their personal stories of feeling like two different people; for example, a student may feel like one person with their friends and a different person with their parents or teachers. What problems does this cause for you? What problems does this cause for Joey?

As a follow-up to this discussion, have students write a journal entry (prose or poetry) about a time in their lives when they felt like they had to be two different versions of themselves.

Ask students to further explore the idea of dual identities. Ask students to imagine the "two Joeys" having a dialogue or conversation. What would they say to each other? What is on the mind of "Mom's Joey"? What is on the mind of "Dad's Joey"? Make a list of the different thoughts, concerns, and opinions of the two Joeys.

Casting the Gods Adrift: A Tale of Ancient Egypt

Author: Geraldine McCaughrean
Illustrator: Patricia D. Ludlow
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 112 pages
Publisher: Cricket Books (May 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0812626842
ISBN-13: 978-0812626841

Synopsis: Tutmose, his brother (Ibrim) and his father (Harkut) are chosen to go work as skilled craftsmen for Akhenaten, the new Pharoah of Egypt. After only an initial reluctance based more on the thought of their father's wrath than any devotion to multiple gods, Tutmose and Ibrim willingly accept the new king's commandment to worship only one God. But Harkut, who was raised in a polytheistic society, cannot do as commanded, and begins to plot ways to kill the king. Will Tutmose and Ibrim make their father see reason, or will Harkut succeed in killing the Pharoah?


Review: For the most part this book was enjoyable, with rich details - many of which I had encountered in my previous amateur Egyptologist studies. The details are mostly rich and the characterizations of Tutmose and Ibrim are highly developed. However, the same cannot be said about the Pharoah and his family. For the most part, though, this book was highly enjoyable and provided a nice, quick interlude into the past.


Awards/Reviews:

No awards for this title

McCaughrean has told a fine story, and though the themes and vocabulary may be advanced for the intended audience, readers will most likely just enjoy the story. The characters are lively, and the plot moves nicely. Budding Egyptologists will savor this title with its historical references and detailed backdrop. - School Library Journal

McCaughrean gives readers a glimpse into Egypt's future (and a reference to an archeological find that could well pique interest in further study). - Publishers Weekly

The author's thoughtful consideration of belief systems in conflict adds depth to Tutmose's lively account of life in Pharaoh's entourage, and the development of his own religious convictions. - Kirkus Reviews

Connections:

For fun, after reading this novel, have students read "Tut, Tut" by Jon Scieszka. (Puffin, 1998). The Trio finds themselves in ancient Egypt where they must outwit the pharaoh's evil advisor. After reading, have students point out what historical elements were similar in both books, what was different, etc.

Study ancient Egyptian history, math and writing at http://www.discoveringegypt.com/hiromenu.htm. After learning about just how ancient Ancient Egypt really is, Egyptian mathematics and more. For fun, allow students to go to the site during computer time and see their name in hieroglyphics, play games and more.

Wednesday Wars, The

Title: The Wednesday Wars
Author: Gardy D. Schmidt
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Sandpiper; Reprint edition (May 18, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 054723760X
ISBN-13: 978-0547237602

Synopsis: In 1967, everyone (read: adults) has bigger things to worry about than one 7th grade boy's problems with his teacher. Holling Hoodhood is the last presbyterian left in his class. On Wednesday afternoons, when all his Jewish classmates Hebrew school to prepare for their bar- or bat-mitzvahs and the other half goes to Catechism, Holling is the only kid left in class - effectively putting a stop to his teacher, Mrs. Baker's, free Wednesday afternoons. In a move Holling is sure is prompted by Mrs. Baker's hatred for him, his teacher decides she will read the works of William Shakespeare with Holling on those Wednesday afternoons. Who knew studying The Bard would help form so much of Holling's character?

Review: There aren't enough positive things to say about this book. At turns it made me cry, laugh out loud, and get angry - sometimes within the space of a few minutes! Holling Hoodhood and Mrs. Baker are fully realized people on the page, not just flat characterizations. The events of the late 1960s are told from a fresh perspective and filtered through the mind and viewpoint of a teenaged boy. Having a teenaged boy myself, I can verify that the events Holling finds so "traumatic" are very true of real teenagers. I have already given the book to my son and told him to read it!

Awards/Reviews:

• 2008 -- Newbery Honor Book
• 2008 -- ALA Notable Children's Book
• 2008 -- ALA Best Book for Young Adults
• 2007 -- Booklist Editors' Choice
• 2007 -- National Parenting Publications Book Award
• 2007 -- NY Public Library, 100 Titles for Reading
• 2007 -- Book Sense Award Finalist

"Schmidt rises above the novel's conventions to create memorable and believable characters." Horn Book, Starred

"[An] entertaining and nuanced novel.... There are laugh-out-loud moments that leaven the many poignant ones." School Library Journal

"An accessible, humorous school story, and at the same time, an insightful coming-of-age tale." Bookpage

Connections:

Prior to reading "The Wednesday Wars", the teacher will create anticipation guides for students to complete before and contemplate during reading the book. A guide to creating anticipation guides can be found at http://novelinks.byu.edu/uploads/Novels/TheWednesdayWars/Anticipation%20Guide.pdf.

Prior to reading the novel, port a laptop to the overhead projector and go to http://jlindabu.glogster.com/The-Wednesday-Wars/. This "glog" gives a pictorial and text overview of the novel. Use to fan interest in the novel.

Read excerpts from the Shakespearian plays "Holling" reads in the book.

Compile research books on Martin Luther King, Jr., Bobby Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Nixon and other historical figures of the time. Assign students to groups and assign each group a historical figure to research and give a presentation to the class on. Students can choose to give a straight stand-up report, create a faux news interview with the historical figure, or any other number of ways to present their assigned historical figure to the rest of the class.

Invite a community member who was in middle school in the late 1960s to come talk about their experiences, what they remember about the days when King and Kennedy (both brothers) were killed and any other recollections of their childhoods in that era.

Game of Silence, The

Title: The Game of Silence
Author: Louise Erdrich
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins (June 13, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9780064410298
ISBN-13: 978-0064410298

Synopsis: "The Game of Silence" tells the story of the Ojibwe living on Lake Superior in the 1850s. One day, "Little Frog" (Omakayas in the native tongue) sees six dots on the horizon out on Lake Superior. Six canoes full of refugees from other Ojibwe camps come to tell a shocking story - the White People are breaking their word and forcing the Ojibwe to leave the lands the White People promised they could keep and to move to a reservation far away. The book tells the story of what happens to the tribe through the long winter as they try to get more information and decide what they must do about the White Man's breaking of his word.

Review: I really enjoyed this book, though it was so heartbreaking to me knowing the history around this and knowing already what happened to so many Native Americans during this period. There are many passages in this book that are funny, some are heartbreakingly sad and others made me so angry I wanted to hit someone. With rich characterization, factual information about the time period and historical events, Erdrich weaves a compelling tale about strength, loss and growing up.


Awards/Reviews:

- Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction
- Kirkus Editor's Choice
- Horn Book Fanfare
- ALA Notable Children's Book
- ALA Booklist Editor's Choice
- New York Times Notable Book
- Parenting Magazine Book of the Year

"Memorable." - Chicago Tribune

"Full of humor, richness and heart." - Wisconsin State Journal
"This meticulously researched novel offers an even balence of joyful and sorrowful moments while conveying a perspective of America’s past that is rarely found in history books." - Publishers Weekly

"Erdrich’s captivating tale of four seasons portrays a deep appreciation of our environment, our history, and our Native American sisters and brothers." - School Library Journal

Connections:

In the story, there is a Catholic priest who works to develop a written version of the Ojibwe language. On the overhead projector ported to the laptop, go to http://www.omniglot.com/writing/ojibwa.htm and learn more about the real-life missionary who was the basis of this character, as well as see written Ojibwe language.

With computer and overhead still ported, go to http://www.tpt.org/?a=productions&id=3 to learn about Native Americans racing against the clock to save the Ojibwe language from being lost forever. After reading and studying the information about lost languages, watch the television program (on the same link) about the people fighting to keep this language from being lost.

Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream

Title:  Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream
Author:  Tanya Lee Stone
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 144 pages
Publisher: Candlewick (February 24, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0763645028
ASIN: B004AYCXCK

Synopsis: When male pilots began training for the fledgling NASA in 1958 in the hopes of becoming the nation's first men to orbit the earth, the nation could not fathom the idea of women ever becoming astronauts. But Randy Lovelace, chairman of NASA's Life Sciences Committee, felt that women were just as (if not more) capable as men to be astronauts. Without approval, Lovelace began testing women pilots to see if they could withstand the rigors of the astronaut training. In fact, he put them through tests even more intensive than those the men faced, just to prove the women were resilient enough to handle the demands of being astronauts. In many cases, the women did better than the men, with 13 women making "the cut." Sadly, the attitude of sexism in America at the time doomed the womens' dreams to failure, leaving them as only a footnote in the history of America's space program.

Review: This book is very well written and presents the story of the "Mercury 13" in an entertaining narrative that will appeal to readers. The book is highly accurrate, well designed and organized to flow well and tell the story succinctly, and the author's distinct voice is clearly heard while one reads the story. The author's sense of outrage at the blatant sexism of the time can be clearly felt by the reader. My only caution to the reader is that they not see all the character's in history in this book through the lenses of modern policy, and instead view their actions in light of the times in which they occurred. This does not make what happened any easier to stomach, but it does serve to help one see their actions in the broader framework of the times in which they lived.

Awards/Reviews:

2010 Robert F. Sibert Medal Award
YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award
Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor

NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor Book

Bank Street Flora Stieglitz Straus Award 

An Outstanding Science Trade Book

CCBC Choices 2010

Kirkus Best YA Books of 2009

Notable Social Studies Trade Book

Horn Book Fanfare

Amelia Bloomer List

Richie's Picks

Chicago Best of the Best Books

Smithsonian Magazine Best Books of 2009

ALA Notable

Best Books for Young Adults (BBYA)

National Science Teachers Association Recommended Book

"This passionately written account of a classic but little-known challenge to established gender prejudices also introduces readers to a select group of courageous, independent women." - School Library Journal, starred review

"The chatty, immediate style (“Picture this”) and full-page photos make for a fast read, and the crucial civil-rights history will stay with readers. The long, spacious back matter is part of the story, with detailed chapter notes and a bibliography." - Booklist

"(A) fascinating, dramatic story...the author offers great insight into how deeply ingrained sexism was in American society...this empowering, impassioned story will leave readers inspired." - Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Connections:

Before even showing the students the book, the teacher should conduct the pre-reading exercise outlined in http://www.tanyastone.com/assets/files/AA%20Reading%20Guide.pdf. Ask the students in the class to draw or write a description of what they think an astronaut looks like. When the students are done, go around the room and look at all their drawings/descriptions. Make a chart of how many showed/described astronauts as women and how many as men. Introduce the book.

Teachers should pass out graphic organizer worksheets to the students before they begin reading the book to help them chart the obstacles to women in space during the 1950s and 1960s.

After reading the book, have students write a letter to then-Vice-President Johnson expressing their opinion of what happened to the "Mercury 13."

The Great and Only Barnum: The Tremendous, Stupendous Life of Showman P.T. Barnum

Author:  Candace Fleming

Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 160 pages
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade (September 8, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0375841970
ASIN: B004NSVEQE

Synopsis: The story of how Phineas Taylor "Tale" Barnum became P.T. Barnum, purveyor and exhibitioner of oddities and animals, and father of "The Greatest Show on Earth!"

Review: I loved this book; in fact, once I started reading it I could not put it down. It offers readers a fascinating look of how a shopkeeper turned himself into a "showman" known the world over.  Candace Fleming has organized the text brilliantly into chunks of information easy for children of all ages to digest, with clever sidebars containing information on Barnum's family, life and career, often in his own words. The information is well-documented, yet the story flows well and reads more like a story than a series of facts.

Awards/Reviews:

YALSA-ALA Excellence in Young Adult Non-Fiction Finalist
WINNER 2009 Kirkus Reviews Best Young Adult Books
WINNER 2009 Publishers Weekly Best Children's Book of the YearWINNER 2010 ALA Notable Children's BookWINNER 2010 ALA Best Books for Young AdultsWINNER 2010 Cooperative Children's Book Center ChoicesNOMINEE 2011 Tennessee Volunteer State Book Master ListSUBMITTED Junior Library Guild Selection
“The material is inherently juicy, but credit Fleming’s vivacious prose, bountiful period illustrations, and copious source notes for fashioning a full picture of one of the forbearers of modern celebrity.” - Booklist, starred review

"Audiences will step right up to this illuminating and thorough portrait of an entertainment legend" - Publishers Weekly
"An outstanding choice for all middle level and secondary collections." - School Library Journal

Connections:

Have students draw or write a description of what they'd include in a circus if they were P.T. Barnum. To incorporate multi-disciplinary subjects, tally up the animals/acts that students would use, then determine percentages of students who would have included each item.

Use the sidebar item "No Black People" on pp. 39 to launch a discussion on the Civil War (still ~15 years away when this item was published in the newspaper). Also discuss the Civil Rights movement to illustrate how little attitudes had changed in the 100 years between when the newspaper item was published and when the Civil Rights Act was passed.

Saving the Ghost of the Mountain: An Expedition Among Snow Leopards in Mongolia

Title:  Saving the Ghost of the Mountain: An Expedition Among Snow Leopards in Mongolia
Author:  Sy Montgomery
Photographer:  Nic Bishop
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 80 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (August 17, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9780618916450
ISBN-13: 978-0618916450

Synopsis: Tom McCarthy, conservation director of the Snow Leopard Trust, returns to Mongolia to see if he can accurately count and see just how many snow leopards are still living in Mongolia. The journey itself is arduous - most of the "roads" leading to the remote regions where snow leopards live are unpaved, and have little to differentiate them from the area around them. Once McCarthy and his team are up in the mountains, their tasks becomes even more perilous, as they will have to scale steep mountains and ridges in the hopes of seeing any snow leopards - a sighting that is rare. In addition to facts about their trip, the book includes interesting facts about Mongolia and chronicles how McCarthy came to work to save these endangered animals, including changing perceptions of the very people who hunted these animals to the brink of extinction.

Review: This book offers a fascinating insider's view of McCarthy's work, including anecdotes from McCarthy and the author and photographer themselves about their journey up and down the mountains of Mongolia in search of this big cat. The book is engrossing not only to those who are animal lovers, but also for those interested in learning more about the culture and geography of Mongolia.  Sy Montgomery relates McCarthy's work in an engaging style that hardly feels like non-fiction and instead feels like a well-written storybook.  Interesting facts about Mongolia's people, other wildlife, history and culture immerse the reader in the country's rich history. A nice bonus is the afterwords by the author and photographer telling of their own personal experiences leading up to and on this particular assignment.

Awards/Reviews:

Named one of the Best Books of 2009 by School Library Journal

One of Booklist’s Top 10 Environmental Titles for Youth published in 2009

Selected as an Outstanding Science Trade Book for students K-12 for 2010 by NSTA/Children’s Book Council

A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Books of 2009

A Junior Library Guild Selection

"Reading this book is an extraordinary experience. It has an elegant layout featuring ornamental lettering, watermarks, and gorgeous photos; were it not for the delightfully exuberant text, it would be a stately coffee table book. But kids will giggle about the central role of scat or, as Montgomery often writes, "poo," in the research of snow leopards' habits." - School Library Journal, starred review

“It’s no easy feat to write a book about one of the most charismatic yet notoriously elusive creatures on the planet without a single sighting, but Sy Montgomery pulls it off with style." - Kirkus Reviews

Connections:

Go online to http://www.authorwire.com/s/sl_fieldjournal.html and read Sy Montgomery's field journal of what occurred while she and Nic Bishop were on the expedition to Mongolia.

Complete the author's suggested map activity (http://www.authorwire.com/s/downloads/MongolianAdventureMapSkills.pdf) with the class. See who can rack up the most points!

Read about some Mongolian ettiquette rules the author and photographer had to learn before visiting the homes of their hosts.  The teacher can also make Buuz for students to sample (check for food allergies first!)  http://www.authorwire.com/s/sl_makeBuuz.html

Spirit Walker

This is a digital trailer for "Spirit Walker" by Nancy Wood. This was my "big project" for the semester.

Hallowilloween: Nefarious Silliness from Calef Brown, by Calef Brown

Title: Hallowilloween: Nefarious Silliness from Calef Brown     Author/Illustrator: Calef Brown

Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (September 6, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0547215401
ISBN-13: 978-0547215402

Synopsis: Welcome to a spooky, silly world of tongue twisters and crazy rhymes all centered around the creatures one might see in a Halloween-themed town. There's the Vumpire to ump the baseball games (but only at night), the Grim Reaper, a werewolf and even a witch or two in Hallowilloween.

Review: Calef Brown's fun, freaky verse is perfectly paired with acrylic illustrations to tickle the funny bone of anyone who loves Halloween. But the book is not only fun for kids; parents who have a broader reading base than their children will enjoy Brown's riffs on classical literature (The Portrait of Gory Rene/The Picture of Dorian Gray) and references to traditional Halloween ghouls and beasties.

Awards/Reviews:

A Junior Library Guild Selection

"A modern master of nonsense verse reaches new heights of giddiness with this Halloween-themed collection. . . . Nefariously silly indeed."-Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Brown's acrylic illustrations add to the creepy silliness: an artful mix of naive and stylized, whimsical details and vibrant color. Young readers will relish the wordplay and find themselves torn to choose a favorite among this wacky menagerie."- School Library Journal, starred review

Connections:

The teacher should connect his/her computer to the projector and go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6n_b8_jN1l4. Here the teacher can show the class a video of Calef Brown reciting nonsense poetry, then reciting poems from "Hallowilloween." Ask the students how the setting the author chose complimented what he was reading/discussing.

So much of the impact of the poems in "Hallowilloween" comes from Brown's illustrations. Ask the students to pick one poem to illustrate their own way. After the students have finished, ask them to answer some questions. What elements and colors did they choose, and why? How do they think this contributed to the mood of the poetry? How would the poems seem different if Brown used bright, happy colors?

Blue Lipstick: Concrete Poems, by John Grandits

Title: Blue Lipstick: Concrete Poems
Author: John Grandits
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 48 pages
Publisher: Sandpiper (May 21, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0618851321
ISBN-13: 978-0618851324

Synopsis: Jessie likes blue lipstick, hates her brother (most of the time), doesn't like trophy-zombie jocks or pep rallies, can get a little cranky and loves her kitty. All these things are revealed in John Grandits' funny, sarcastic splice of high school life called "Blue Lipstick: Concrete Poems."

Review: Grandits uses concrete poetry, poetry in which the words have been arranged in such a way as to form images, to both tell and illustrate the story of Jessie, a high school girl who marches to the beat of her own bagpipes (or cello, as the case may be). Grandits' use of letters and words to create images reveal his sly sense of humor and make the reader want to laugh out loud (especially the way he uses the word "bOObs" to illustrate the cheerleaders' "attributes" in the poem "Pep Rally"). Grandits' use of one long line of flowing, bouncing text to illustrate the movement of a volleyball in "Volleyball Practice" is inspired. His use of unconventional text placement really helps the reader see inside the protagonists head and see what she was thinking as she "wrote" it.



Awards/Reviews:

• American Library Association Notable Books for Children
• Nominated for Beehive Children's Poetry Book Award
• Nominated for Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award
• Nominated for Garden State Teen Book Award
• Nominated for SCASL Book Award

"This irreverent, witty collection should resonate with a wide audience." -  School Library Journal review

"Grandits playfully, and quite effectively, channels a teenage girl's dreams, anxieties, and pet peeves." - The Horn Book review

Connections:

Prior to meeting with the class, the teacher should transcribe "Bad Hair Day" into a regularly formed free-verse selection. Use the projector ported to a computer to show both forms of the poem side by side. Ask students which one they feel is more powerful. Why? How does the text "illustration" help tell Jessie's story?

Have students think about writing their own concrete poetry. What types of things would they want to write about? What images could they use to correspond with their poem?During the class's next computer group time, have students go to http://www.wild-about-woods.org.uk/elearning/concretepoetry/ and create their own concrete poem to print out and turn in. (Don't forget to remind the students to write their names and class periods on the paper!)

One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies, by Sonya Sones

Title: One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies
Author: Sonya Sones
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (October 25, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1416907882
ISBN-13: 978-1416907886

 

Synopsis: Fifteen-year-old Ruby's life has drastically changed. Her mother, the only parent she has ever known, has died of cancer. Now Ruby must leave her life in Boston behind to go live with her movie-star father in Los Angeles. Ruby documents her trials and tribulations in verse, expressing her rage, sarcasm and even humor through poetry.

 

Review: Sonya Sones mostly uses blank verse to tell the story of Ruby, who must leave behind her mother's grave, her friends, her aunt and everything she knew to go live with her famous movie star father - whom she has never met. Her mother and father divorced before Ruby was born. By using verse, Sones allows the reader to look between the linesRuby has written to visualize and feel Ruby's pain and anger. The only time Sones writes in prose is when showing the e-mails Ruby and her friends have exchanged, as well as the e-mails Ruby continues to send her dead mother. By using a free-verse style, Sones gives readers an intimate look into the life (and head) of this very true-to-life teen character.

 

Awards/Reviews:

• winner of the Tennessee Volunteer State Teen Read Award (2006)
• winner of the Iowa Golden Apple Teen Read Award (2006)
• winner of the Rhode Island Teen Book Award (2005 -2006)
• winner of the New Hampshire Isinglass Teen Read Award (2005-2006)
• winner of the South Carolina Mustang Book Award (2005)
• winner of the 2004 Cuffie Award from Publisher’s Weekly for the Best Book Title of the Year
• chosen a Popular Paperback for Young Adults by the American Library Association
• named an International Reading Association Young Adults’ Choice (2006)
• named a 2005 Best Book for Young Adults by the American Library Association
• named a 2005 Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers by the American Library Association
• nominated by the American Library Association to be a 2004 Teens’ Top Ten Book
• named an Honor Book by the Society of School Librarians International (2004)
• chosen a Kliatt Editor’s Choice: Best of 2004 Hardcover Fiction
• chosen a Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Teen Book List (2004)
• chosen a New York Pubic Library Book for the Teen Age (2005)
• chosen for the New York State Charlotte Award Suggested Reading List  2006
• chosen a Westchester’s Choice List: Best Young Adult Book (2005)
• chosen for the Texas Tayshas High School Reading List 2005-2006
• chosen a YASIG Best of the Best (Missouri)
• chosen a Kansas State Reading Circle Senior High School Titles Top Pick  2005
• chosen a Pennsylvania School Librarian Association (PSLA) "Top Ten (Or So)" Young Adult Books  2004
• chosen a PSLA Young Adult Top 40 Fiction List 2004
• chosen an Amazon.com Top Ten Editor’s Pick for Teens (2004)
• chosen a Top Ten Summer Read by Girl’s Life Magazine (2004)

          Nominated for the following state book awards:

• Arizona Young Reader's Award (2005 – 2006)
• Florida Teen Reads Award (2006-2007)
• Maine Student Book Award (2005 – 2006)
• Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award (2005 – 2006)
• Missouri Gateway Readers Award (2006-2007)
• Eliot Rosewater High School Book Award (IN) (2006 -2007)
• Garden State Teen Book Award (NJ) (2007)

"Sones’ novel is an unusual combination of over-the-top Hollywood fairy tale and sharp, honest story about overcoming grief…It’s Ruby’s first-person voice—acrimonious, raw, and very funny—that pulls everything together, whether she is writing e-mails to her deceased mother or attending Dream Analysis class at a private L.A. high school…A satisfying, moving novel that will be a winner for both eager and reluctant readers." - Booklist starred review

"Ruby’s affable personality is evident in her humorous quips and clever wordplays. Her depth of character is revealed through her honest admissions, poignant revelations, and sensitive insights. This is not just another one of those gimmicky novels written in poetry. It’s solid and well written, and Sones has a lot to say about the importance of carefully assessing people and situations and about opening the door to one’s own happiness…Ruby’s story is gripping, enjoyable, and memorable." - School Library Journal starred review

"It is true that the mother dies, but this hilarious and painfully real novel in verse and letters is anything but hideous." - VOYA review

 

Connections:

Lead a round-table discussion on the book. Ask students to speculate on why they think Sones wrote the book in verse. How might the novel have been different if it had been written in prose? Would it have been as effective?

During the class's computer group time, have students go to https://penzu.com/ and click on "try it free". Ask to students to imagine they are Ruby and write what would be the next entry in Ruby's diary. The entry must be in free verse and at least 10 lines. Ask students to image what they think happened after the book ended. Ask students to make sure they title the piece and put their names on their entries at the bottom of the page with their class period, then print out their entries.

During the class's next computer group time, have students again go to https://penzu.com/ and click on "try it free". Ask students to write their own free verse diary entry over something that happened to them recently. It can be sad, funny, scary or angry. Stipulate that it must be at least 10 lines. Tell students to make sure their entries have a title. Have students print out their free-verse diary entries with their names and class periods on them and hand them in to you.

The Three Pigs, Adapted and Illustrated by David Wiesner

Title: The Three Pigs
Adaptor/Illustrator: David Wiesner
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: Clarion Books (April 23, 2001)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0618007016
ISBN-13: 978-0618007011

Synopsis: Once upon a time, there were three pigs. One built a house of straw, one a house of sticks and one a house of bricks. One day, the wolf came to visit and blew the pig with the house of straw right out of the frame. So then the three little pigs wandered around and took a ride on a paper airplane, interfered with some other traditional tales, and sicced a giant dragon on the big bad wolf.... Wait, huh?

Review: In this fractured fairy tale from David Wiesner, the three pigs escape through the margins of their traditional tale and are soon living it up between the pages of some of the most well known fairy tales. Wiesner's rich illustrations, creative use of white space and sly sense of humor make this old tale new and fresh again. Young children will love the unexpected turn of events, while parents and older readers will delight in Wiesner's use of irony and humor to not only let the reader in on the joke, but make them a part of it, as well!

Awards/Reviews:

Caldecott Medal Winner, American Library Association

Prix Sorcières (the French equivalent of the Caldecott Medal)

IBBY Honour Book nomination for illustration

"In his latest flight of fancy, Wiesner uses shifting illustration styles and fonts to startle complacent readers into an imaginary world even as they ponder the conventional structure of story. His trademark crafty humor and skewed perspectives will tickle readers pink (even the nonporcine variety)!" Amazon.com

"Wiesner's brilliant use of white space and perspective evokes a feeling that the characters can navigate endless possibilities--and that the range of story itself is limitless." Publishers Weekly

Connections:

Before reading David Wiesner’s The Three Pigs, ask your students to tell the story of The Three Little Pigs as they know it. Are there variations in the stories they tell? Or, as it says on the jacket of Wiesner’s book, is it a story where, “every time someone tells it the same thing happens”?

After reading the story, ask students to come up with other stories they'd like to see "fractured". Have the students speculate on what could happen in some of those stories.

Compare with students the original version of this story, Wiesner's version and other "fractured" versions that have been published. Ask students what is different and what is the same? Which one do they think the pigs would like best? Have them draw pictures of their favorite parts as a way to connect words and the imagery they depict.

For more ideas, visit http://www.teachingbooks.net/content/Wiesner_activity_guide.pdf 

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, Adapted and Illustrated by Simms Taback

Title: There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
Adaptor/Illustrator: Simms Taback
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Viking Juvenile; 1 edition (September 1, 1997)
ISBN-10: 0670869392
ISBN-13: 978-0670869398

Synopsis*:  An old lady swallows a fly. What on earth will she do? How will she get it out? She tries swallowing a cat to get rid of the spider, but then the cat was stuck. So then the old lady tried swallowing a dog... How on earth is she ever going to get them all out?

Review: Simms Taback uses brightly colored graphics using mixed media and collage on Kraft paper to help illustrate the traditional folk poem "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly". On its own, the story is very amusing; add in Taback's witty art and related extras (a recipe for Spider Soup on the page for the spider; a listing of common birds of the Americas on the birds page) and kids will be downright delighted. The old lady is depicted with kookily crossed eyes and a staggering gait. The pages are die cut with increasingly bigger holes to show all the things swimming around in the old lady's stomach as she tries in vain to get them out. The test is handwritten on brightly colored scraps of paper, making it easy for young readers to follow along with the librarian/teacher/parent/adult reading the story to the children, and it's just silly enough to keep a child's attention.

Awards/Reviews: 

  

Notable Book designation (1998), American Library Association (ALA)

Caldecott Honor Book (1998), ALA

New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book

Children’s Book of the Year selection from The American Institute of Graphic Arts.

"Children of all ages will joyfully swallow this book whole." Publishers Weekly

"The old lady... looks wacky enough to go so far as to swallow a horse." School Library Journal

"It is good fun to watch the old lady bulge and bloat, and the sheer corniness of the verse continues to be deeply gratifying." Kirkus Reviews

Connections:

Teach young students the melody of the song (if they don't already know it) and have them join you on singing the lyrics "I don't know why she swallowed the fly." The teacher will point to the words of this line as she reads it to help students learn to recognize the words on sight.

For classroom use with Kindergarteners, this is a good book to use for sequencing. Ask students to predict what will happen. As the story goes on, ask students to predict what animal the old lady will swallow next. What will happen to her? Ask students to remember the sequence in which the old lady swallows things - from little bugs to big animals. Then ask students to remember the reverse order, from big to little. This is early preparation for learning about sequences. https://home.comcast.net/~leighanne.kraemer/Lesson%20Plans/LangArts/Interactive%20Read%20Aloud%20There%20Was%20an%20Old%20Lady.doc

Have students create their own "Old Lady" using some photocopied old lady heads, arms and legs taped to a sandwich baggie. Then allow students to color and decorate photocopied outlines of horses, dogs, spiders, etc. for them to use to tell the stories themselves. This can be used to reinforce the unit listed above on sequencing.

*It is noted in the back of the book that "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly" is an American folk poem first heard in the United States in the 1940's. Several different versions of the poem were collected and published in Hoosier Folklore (December 1947); the original author is unknown.

The Story of Lightning and Thunder, Written and Illustrated by Ashley Bryan

Title: The Story of Lightning & Thunder
Author/Illustrator: Ashley Bryan
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Atheneum (October 31, 1993)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0689824505
ISBN-13: 978-0689824500

Synopsis*: Thunder was a black Mama Sheep and Lightning was her white Ram son. Lightning and Thunder didn't always live up in the sky. They used to live here on Earth in a little village in Africa.  But when Lightning doesn't want to listen to what Thunder tells him to do, he causes trouble for the villagers and they are banished to the sky!

 

 

Review: Ashley Bryan uses a conversational style that reads as if Bryan were speaking directly to the reader. The text uses vernacular and onomatopoeia to mimic the sounds of lightning and thunder as they roll and crash through the sky. This is complemented by Bryan's vivid, stylized illustrations using geometric shapes and bright colors to draw young listeners' attention to page to tell the story of the consequences of being unruly and that even the best of intentions can go terribly awry. The expressions on the faces of the villagers are often quite humorous, and one can't help but feel sorry for Lightning's bumbling and fumbling that causes so much trouble for everyone.

 

 

Awards/Reviews: 

 

Although this particular work has not won any awards, Ashley Bryan has received several honors and awards in his career.

 

Bryan's books have won several awards in children's literature, including the Coretta Scott King Award, the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award from Pennsylvania State University, and the Lupine Award from the Maine Library Association. Bryan himself also received the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal for achievement in children's literature and the University of Southern Mississippi Medallion from the Fay B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival.

• 1981 Coretta Scott King Award Winner for outstanding illustration in Beat the Story Drum, Pum-Pum
• 1983 Coretta Scott King Award Honor for outstanding illustration in I'm Going to Sing: Black American Spirituals
• 1987 Coretta Scott King Award Honor for outstanding author in Lion and the Ostrich Chicks and Other African Folk Tales
• 1987 Coretta Scott King Award Honor for outstanding illustration in Lion and the Ostrich Chicks and Other African Folk Tales
• 1988 Coretta Scott King Award Honor for outstanding illustration in What a Morning! The Christmas Story in Black Spirituals
• 1992 Coretta Scott King Award Honor for outstanding illustration in All Night, All Day: A Child's First Book of African American Spirituals
• 1998 Coretta Scott King Award Honor for outstanding illustration in Ashley Bryan's ABC of African American Poetry
• 2004 Coretta Scott King Award Winner for outstanding illustration in Beautiful Blackbird
• 2008 Coretta Scott King Award Winner for outstanding illustration in Let it Shine: Three Favorite Spirituals
• 2009  Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal for substantial and lasting contributions to children's literature

 "Joyful in both word and palette... Brilliantly colored and ingeniously patterned, Bryan's illustrations are a playful take on stained glass." Publishers Weekly

 

"A delightful adaptation of a Nigerian folktale. There is one of Bryan's uniquely vibrant, swirling, light-filled paintings on every page." Kirkus Reviews

 

 Connections:

 

Read the story aloud to students. Ask the students if any of them know what really happens to cause lightning and thunder. Using a computer or laptop ported to an overhead projector, go to http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-thunderstorms.htm for a kid-based explanation of what causes lighting and thunder, as well as answers to some questions related to thunderstorms.

 

Explain to the students that this is a folktale - a way people used to explain everyday things so that they won't seem so scary. Ask students to think about the things that scare them. Then call on students to ask them what scares them. After three students have given different answers, tell the students that the class is going to write and illustrate their own folktale about something that scares them. Write the three different scary things on the board. Tell the students they are going to vote over which one they are going to write about. Explain that students will raise their hands when the teacher calls out which scary thing they want to write about. Explain that each student may only raise their hand once. Then call out the different things, and write the number of students who voted for each one below the scary thing.

 

Repeat the above steps with a main animal character, the "explanation" of the scary thing, the setting, etc. The next day, the teacher will bring in old magazines and pictures off the Internet the students will combine with their own drawings to create illustrations to match the story. At the end of the unit, each child will get their own copy of the class folktale to take home, and the classroom will have a copy prominently displayed in the room for visitors to see.

 

*It is noted on the copyright page that this is based on Folk Stories from Southern Nigeria, West Africa, by Elphinstone Dayrell (London: Longmans Green, 1910), 70-71.

Kitten's First Full Moon, Written and Illustrated by Kevin Henkes

Title:  Kitten's First Full Moon

Author/Illustrator:  Kevin Henkes

Publisher: Greenwillow; First edition. edition (January 1, 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0439800560
ISBN-13: 978-0439800563

Synopsis: Kitten sees her first full moon and mistakes it for a large bowl of milk floating in the sky! Kitten tries her very hardest to take a sip of that delicious treat, but instead it always stays just out of her reach. Rather than getting what she desires, she winds up eating a bug, falling on her face, landing in a pond, and getting herself into one scrape after another. Poor Kitten! Will she ever get that bowl of milk that seems to be waiting just for her?

 

Review: Kevin Henkes uses bold lines, humorous prose and richly crafted black-and-white images to tell the adventures of Kitten as she seeks out her bowl of milk in the sky. The monochromatic pictures make the reader feel as though he or she is actually out experiencing Kitten's nighttime world. With a few lines and a wry twist to his words, Henkes conveys Kitten's frustration and determination to get her bowl of milk. Kitten's personality nearly leaps off the page. Children will easily identify with Kitten; this is a great book of encouragement for readers of any age!

 

Awards/Reviews: 

2005 Caldecott Medal Winner ALA Notable Children’s Book Bulletin Blue Ribbon (The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books) Texas 2X2 Reading List Charlotte Zolotow Award Book Sense Pick Publishers Weekly Best Book School Library Journal Best Book New York Times Best Illustrated Book New York Public Library's "One Hundred Titles for Reading and Sharing"

"The narrative and visual pacing will keep children entranced, and the determined young heroine and her comical quest will win them over." Publishers Weekly 

 

"The rhythmic text and delightful artwork ensure storytime success. Kids will surely applaud this cat's irrepressible spirit." School Library Journal

 

"[A]rtful in its gracelessness and naivete, just like a kitten. Simply charming." Kirkus Reviews

 

 Connections: As the book deals with the nighttime sky, talk with the students about what is in the sky. Ask them to identify things they might see in the sky at night. How is that different from what they would see during the day? Ask the students if they know what makes night and day. McGraw-Hill has put together several activites based on the book. The activities can be found at the following URL: http://treasures.macmillanmh.com/california/students/grade1/book5/unit5/kitten-s-first-full-moon

 

Scholastic Lesson Plan contributor Jeremy Brunaccioni shared a lesson plan using the end pages of Kitten's First Full Moon to help students create a moon-themed hundreds chart. He also notes that this can segue into a discussion about patterns - patterns in the hundreds chart and patterns in the text and illustrations of the story. This lesson plan is geared toward Kindergarten students. http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/lessonplan.jsp?id=949

 

TeacherVision has compiled an author's guide for Kevin Henke's books, including "Kitten's First Full Moon". In the guide, TeacherVision suggests several pre-reading activities to help the students become interested in the book, and later tie-in the text with the pictures. There are also suggestions for getting students to do some early critical thinking. http://www.teachervision.fen.com/tv/printables/harpercollins/world-of-kevin-henkes_tg.pdf

Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed, Written and Illustrated by Mo Willems

Title:  Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed
Author/Illustrator:  Mo Willems
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children, New York, NY (January 6, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 142311437X
ISBN-13: 978-1423114376

Synopsis: Wilbur, the naked mole rat, is not quite like the other naked mole rats. For one thing, he isn't naked! While all the other naked mole rats feel free to be, well, naked, Wilbur insists on wearing clothes. In fact, he even opens a clothing store! When the other naked mole rats get angry with him for wearing clothes and try to force him to stop wearing clothes, insisting "Naked mole rats don't wear clothes!" Wilbur's only response is, "Why not?" The other naked mole rats run to their founding patriarch, Grand-pah, "the oldest, greatest, and most naked naked mole rat ever", to try to get him to talk some sense into Wilbur. But Grand-pah's involvement has some unintended results!

Review: Mo Willems uses humor, simple lines and bright colors to tell the story of Wilbur, a naked mole rat who prefers not to be naked, even when all around him insist he must conform and be like everyone else in the community. By leaving the backgrounds of the pages nearly bare, Willems concentrates readers' focus on the characters in his storybook, allowing them to show children it is okay to be different from everyone else, and that we should accept each other - whether we're naked mole rats or clothed ones.

Awards/Reviews: 

• 2009 Parents’ Choice Gold Award 
• NY Times Bestseller  

"Willems’ art follows the simple style of his Elephant and Piggie books, and is dominated in color by (no surprise) naked-mole-rat pink. An ongoing horizontal line lends continuity to most of the pages, occasionally curving to add simple architecture to the scenes. But mostly it is Wilbur’s guileless observations that will have young readers feeling good about individual expression." - Booklist 

"Willems has a talent for creating funny lines, verbally and visually. Beige backgrounds provide an uncluttered stage for his pink creatures with their oversize rectangular heads, each conveying a distinctive personality. Much of the humor resides in the subtle changes in Wilbur's eyes and, of course, in his colorful costumes. Adults will embrace the message of tolerance, happy to have a tale that can be shared with young children. They will also appreciate the hints of Charles Schultz that surface here and there. Kids will giggle-and wish their daily dramas had similar endings. Now, however, they'll have a script." - Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library, in School Library Journal

Connections: Invite students to think about what makes us the same and what makes us different. Discuss whether different is necessarily bad, and whether or not "same" always means "good." Another connection: Use the book as a springboard to talk about animals and do some research on naked mole rats. What do they eat? (Students will probably be fascinated when they discover naked mole rats eat their own feces!) Alternately, teachers or librarians could read this book back-to-back with "The Emperor's New Clothes". Have students compare and contrast the message of the books. Additionally, several educators have posted  lesson plans or ideas to use with this book:

•  http://www.accessola2.com/superconference2009/thu/624/dressed.pdf
• http://colquitt.k12.ga.us/public_lib/book%20pages/Naked%20Mole%20Rat.htm
• http://literacylaunchpad.blogspot.com/2009/03/naked-mole-rat-gets-dressed.html