Recent Book Favs (3)

Hey all! I have to admit that I am usually nursing during story time at night these days...so my hubby has been reading with our 3yo. We're still enjoying Vera's New School (from my last post), a real winner with my daughter. Here's another recent fav:

Pumpkin Jack,  by Will Hubbell

My daughter chose this one at the library a couple weeks ago. Who picks a pumpkin book in March? I love that preschoolers have no preconceived notion of what is in or out of season...reading though this book right now made me think that it is a great any-time-of-the-year book...despite this not being pumpkin season!

Pumpkin Jack has great, quality writing. And the book is moving-- you almost become friends with this pumpkin that is alive, dies slowly, then brings new life again. I'm not sure why my daughter likes it so much (she's asked for it night after night recently)- but the story is quite compelling. It unravels some of the mysteries of the life cycle and shows how a seed creates a new (pumpkin) plant.

A boy carves a pumpkin. He is captivated by the light the pumpkin casts on the wall of his room and the smell it makes when a candle is placed inside of its carved shell. He's reticent to throw out the pumpkin when it starts to mold, so he puts it out in the dead winter garden- "with the brown ghosts of last summer's plants." The pumpkin completely decomposes. The boy is delighted to see pumpkins grow the next summer and fall from the seeds of his dead pumpkin. He shares the pumpkins he's grown with his friends.

This would be a great book to read in the spring, to show kids how seeds grow into something amazing. Here's to my daughter! So glad she chose this out of season book- what a great read, any time of year!

Hope you're well!

Recent Book Favs (2)

Little man is 7 weeks old today. I feel like life is becoming more routine. Sadly, I have to return to work in a couple of weeks. I'm feeling horrible that I have to leave my baby so soon! He's starting to smile and have a sweet personality. We just purchased a Woombie and he only woke up one time last night (at 1am) to nurse! WOW! That's the first time I haven't been up in that 2-4am window in 7 weeks!! Okay...on to literacy...

These favs are all library books. These were the 4 that my daughter chose to check out for a second time. I concur with all the choices, except the Caillou book. It's a satisfactory counting book, but my daughter is in love with the PBS Caillou show, and loves the book for this reason alone.

Recent Book Favs:

Vera's New School, by Vera Rosenberry

I thought this book was a little over my 3 year old's level (the character laments her pet chicken dying from ingesting dry cement {there's a picture of this}), but she loves it. We even picked up more in this series because she enjoyed it so much. Vera does't fit in at school, but she makes a new friend quickly. During a school presentation outdoors, Vera sits on an red ant hill, as does another little girl. They are sent to the bathroom and strip down so the nurse can tend to their bites (see below)- which I found a bit odd, but my daughter loved this part. This tough experience brings these two girls together as friends. My daughter had all sorts of questions after studying the illustrations in this book. This book is different than most children's book- it seems more like real-life (maybe that's why it feels a bit odd at parts) and strays away from some standard children's book conventions. I enjoy reading this book to my daughter. It would be a great book to read in a classroom, if your students can handle the girls having to strip to their undies to deal with the ant bites. Fun fact: Rosenberry's husband is a Noble Laureate, with a Noble Prize in chemistry. Best for kids in preschool- grade 2.

Of course my daughter that these girls love strip down to their undies!

Tiny Little Fly, by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Kevin Waldron

This book is playful, with large illustrations and colorful writing. A great read. this book has energy, created by rhyme and repetition. It's also a fast read- perfect if you're looking for a quick read for class (for teachers), or if you've had a long day and need to get the kidlets to bed quickly (for parents). Best for kids age 2-1st grade.


Oh, No!, by Candance Fleming and Eric Rohmann

This one is really fun! Go out and get it for your home or class! The illustrations are great, and the writing is fun and perfect for early literacy learners. Here's a sample, "Frog fell into a deep, deep hole. Ribbit-opps! Ribbit-opps! Frog fell into a deep, deep hole. Ribbit-opps! Frog fell into such a deep hole, he couldn't get out to save his soul. Croaked Frog, 'Help! Help! I can't get out!' Oh, no!" And so on...animals keep falling into the said deep hole. Tiger is pacing near the hole, getting ready for a mouth-watering dinner! Elephant comes to save the animals, and tiger gets trapped in the hole. The plot isn't anything new- the writing and illustrations make this book exceptional. Best for kids preschool- grade 2.

These books went back to the library. Good, but not favorites! Adios libros!

Recent Book Favs (1)

I know...It's been a long while. Does life get busy, or what? I'm actually supposed to be grading right now, but I said, heck with it!, I'm gonna do some blogging instead!

My husband tells me not to lament about a busy life, that it's a tired complaint. I agree! But here I go anyways- September was a rough and tumble month in my little world! I started a new job as the Director of Education at a local non-profit ministry, Harbor House. I'm 60%, which means I get to spend more time with my almost 3-year-old, but I'm definitely kept busy, even with more mommy-daughter chill time (surprise, surprise!!). Also we started my daughter at a local co-op preschool. So fun! But, also a lot of work! Also my hubby and I teach an online literacy development and assessment class for a credential program. The class runs August-October, so we're online quite often managing the class. WOW! Online teaching is rewarding, but also very time consuming.  Oh, I also joined a fab book club last month!! And, a big joy for us, I am 25 weeks preggars. I'm incubating a little baby boy- which we all are thrilled about.  My toddler is especially thrilled, and interacts with the baby a lot. So, that's where I've been!

I had to share some books we've been enjoying as a family lately. My daughter loves reading before bed each night, and definitely has book favorites. She tends to like to read library books over the books we already have. We have some good books, but the library books win out every night!

Recent Book Favs:

One Naked Baby, by Maggie Smith
This book has stolen my daughter's heart. What can be a better than a naked baby's adventures? I love that this book counts up to ten, and the counts back down to 1 again. My daughter's vocabulary is very development, but her number sense is not quite as strong. So, I'm all for a book that my daughter likes that is also a counting book. Here's some of the text, "ONE naked baby,/ TWO fat cats,/ THREE laundry baskets,/ FOUR silly hats,/ FIVE toes for tickling..." Each one of these lines of text has a page devoted to it, with very detailed illustrations. The baby is on each page being fun and silly- this is what my daughter loves. She can sit with this book for 20 minutes+ just studying the pictures, and that is not something she'll do with most books. And of course, my daughter loves that the book starts and ends with the baby naked in the bath...it makes her smile with glee every time!

Caps for Sale, by Esphyr Slobodkin
Who doesn't love this one! We got it from the library, and now I know why it's a classic. my daughter instantly felt bonded to this book: the refrain of "Caps for Sale", the silly monkeys up to monkey business, and the Tsz, Tsz Tszing of the peddler. I have gotten a kick out of my daughter randomly taking the phrase, "Caps for sale!" and making it her own. We were at a cafe, and we passed the trash can, and she said, "Trash for sale!" Don't you love how books and good writing weasels its way into all aspects of you little one's talk!

Five Little Ducks, Illustrated by Ivan Bates
This is another fav! We all know this preschool song. This gets such a high rating from my daughter because it is a book that we sing with her. She loves it, and sings most of it herself. The illustrations are soft, warm, and lovely.

This is the House that Was Tidy & Neat, by Teri Sloat, illustrated by R.W. Alley
This is a super big hit in out house, and my daughter has memorized large sections of it in the few weeks that we've had it. I am amazed that her comprehension is so spot on too- because when she makes a mistake when she's "reading" it with us, her mistakes always make sense. I love the rhythm and flow of the text in this book: "This is the house.../At the end of the street, That was tidy and neat, When mom left./ this is the mouse, Who lives in the wall, Twitching his whiskers, And watching crumbs fall, In the cozy old house, At the end of the street, That was tidy and neat when mom left." And so on... The illustrations are also lively, which I am finding are just the kind of illustrations that my daughter adores.

Do you have experience with these books? Are they your favs too?

Reading + Pinning + Doing (14)

Reading

Personal

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak: This is a slow read, and I'm still working on it. I've made it to about page 400 out of 550 pages. I'm still enjoying it, but wish ot was a quicker read.

With the Family

Well-Loved Books/Authors:

My Friend Bear, by Jez Alborough: This series is one of my daughter's favs. She asks for it every time we read together. I try to avoid reading it (without success), not because it's not an excellent book for toddlers (it is), it's just not also targeted to my demographic. It's a little quirky, but has a good rythm scheme.

Hit the Ball Duck, by Jez Alborough: A group of animal friends is playing baseball when the ball gets stuck in the tree. They have to work together to get the ball out of the tree. This is an enjoyable book with a good cadence.

Snowballs, by Lois Elhert: Elhert is a well-loved author and this book gets good reviews on Amazon. I am not a fan of this book. This book is missing a little depth and background. It seems more like an informational how-to book, when I was expecting a narrative.

Millions of Cats, by Wanda Gag: The refrain in this book is great (Hundreds of cats, Thousands of cats, Millions and billions and trillions of cats), probably the reason why it is so well-loved.  But the cats fight over who's the prettiest, start clawing at each other, and they end up eating each other.

All in all- these picks are all slightly odd, but my daughter seems to like them...and they are well-loved for some reason or other.

When Stella Was Very, Very Small, by Marie-Louise Gay: My daughter is taking a lot of big girl steps this month, including potty training. She has started to say that she is not little, but big- a kid. This book is about Stella who is little, at first. This book is sweet and shows how Stella grows up through how she plays (When Stella was very, very, small, she explores the great tropical jungle behind her house). In the end, she becomes a big sister to Sam, and teaches him how she used to play when she way very, very small. This would especially be a great gift to a big sibling of a little sibling. Or a great book to a mom expecting a 2nd child. Or a great book for my little girl, who now see herself as a big kid!

Grandma's Pear Tree, by Suzanne Santillan: A sweet bilingual (English/Spanish) book. The plot is identical to the duck book, where a ball gets stuck in the tree and everyone works together to get it down. A great plot device, indeed.

A Hippo's Tale, by Lena Landstrom: This book is a fine bedtime story, but I won't be checking it out from the library again. The main character lives in a Hippo community. A Hippo gets thrown when her daily routine is disrupted. She learns to be a little flexible, but doesn't learn to live/work with others in the community.

Louella Mae, She's Run Away!, by Karen Beamont Alarcon: This is a fun-spirited ryhming book. Louella Mae is a pig that's run away.

In the Garden: Who's Been Here, by Lindsay Barrett George: I love this book. We just planted veggies out in the garden. In this book, two kids go out to the garden to pick veggies for dinner, and they discover that other animals have been in the garden too.  I love that it can start a dialogue between my daughter and me about the life in the garden.

Pinning

I pinned this a couple of days ago....an awesome reading site the Teach 21 Strategy Bank from the West Virginia Department of Education. It has a lot if useful teaching resources.

The Teach 21 Strategy Bank is designed to be a dynamic resource for educators. It contains a multitude of research-based strategies teachers can use to make their classroom instruction more effective, and to address the needs of their diverse students. These strategies have been collected from a variety of sources, including the standards-based units available on Teach 21.

Doing

I have 3 weeks left of school, which means it's assessment time! I have to do a bunch of end-of-year assessments on my students starting next week.

So, I am planning on not returning to my position next year. I love being a reading specialist, but the demands of a charter school schedule have taken away from the QT I get with my 2 1/2 year old.

I've taken a part-time position (60%) at a faith-based non-profit that I used to work at, Harbor House. I'll be the Director of Education. I'm excited for this transition. It means that I'll get to learn new management skills and I'll get to work with all ages- which I look forward to.

I've also enrolled my daughter in a co-op preschool. So, I'll get to help out there one morning per week.

I know I've been MIA this last month. I've been terribbly busy. I look forward to summer, and not having to start work until Septermber!

I'm linking up to these fab blogs---

Learning All The Time!!

Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns

September Read Alouds: Everyday Animals

I read aloud to my reading intervention students every Thursday. My main instructional goals for these read alouds is to build students' background knowledge/schema, teach new vocabulary, and to build students' fluency. I strategically focus on building schema and vocabulary because many of my students are English Language Learners whom can benefit greatly from being exposed to new vocabulary through natural language experiences.

 

This year I decided to have a theme to my read alouds, so we are building a store of knowledge though out the year. This year we'll be reading about animals of the world. Each month we'll cover a different region of the world with its respective animals. I tried to find a topic that is appealing to students in grades 1-4. I also work with 4th-5th graders, but I have a different read aloud focus with them.

 

Here are the books we read in September. We started first learning about animals close to home. Before I read each book, kids shared what they knew about insects, ducks, or bees. During the reading they asked questions or fixed misconceptions about prior knowledge. After reading, they shared out what they learned. I only have about 20 minutes for the read aloud, so we move quickly.

 

Insect Detective, by Steve Voake, illustrated by Charlotte Voake

Students enjoyed learning these new words:

• dragonfly
• moth
• wasps
• earwigs
• scuttle

Facts learned:

• Insects have 6 legs
• wasps are different than bees
• wasps make their own paper nests
• insects use camouflage protect themselves

Ducks Don't Get Wet, by Augusta Goldin and Helen K. Davie

 

Students enjoyed learning these new words:

• oil glands
• preening/to preen
• bill
• waterproof

Facts learned:

• Ducks have feathers (not fur)
• Ducks migrate to warmer places in the winter
• Some ducks eat fish, other ducks eat dragonflies or other insects
• Ducks can be different colors
• Duck have bills, not beaks

The Magic School Bus Inside a Beehive, by Joanna Cole, illustrated by Bruse Degen

Students enjoyed learning these new words:

• pollen
• nectar
• beekeeper
• beehive
• guard bees

Facts learned:

• There are guard bees outside of the hive, that do not let in bees that don't belong to the hive
• The queen bee mates with the worker bees
• Bees communicate to each other by "dancing"

All in all the students enjoyed the Magic School Bus book a lot. They thought it was silly!! But each week a student brings up a connections they had to one of these read alouds, outside of the read aloud time. This month we'll be learning more about the animals of Africa!!

 

I'm linking up at Hope is the Word. Visit the link to check out other awesome read aloud posts!

Be well! Read on!

Book Love: Bears on Chairs Learn to Share

I picked this book, Bears on Chairs by Shirley Parenteau, up from the library this week for my 23 month-old. After the 3rd-4th reading she's following the plot, and interacting with the characters, especially Big Brown Bear. When the Big Brown Bear tried to share a chair with a little bear she said, "NO!" Then I asked her if the bears should share their chairs, and she said, "Yes!"  I love that this book shows how these little bears problem-solve in several different ways in order to share their chairs. This books teaches our young ones the value of cooperation and sharing.

Book description from Booklist:
Four round little bears. Four straight-back chairs. That works—until Big Brown Bear enters the scene looking for someplace to sit down. Using plenty of repetition and the simplest of rhyming couplets (“What a stare / from Big Brown Bear. / That big bear / wants a chair!”), the text follows the travails of Brown Bear as he tries to find a place to sit down. Along with the visual treat of watching softly colored bears and chairs on expanses of white pages, this book cleverly melds words and art for several other purposes. New readers will find this an inviting place to start picking out words, while budding logicians can sharpen their skills trying to figure out how five bears can sit in four chairs. The bears do it (after some trial and error), and the happy ending is the perfect finish to a sweet exercise. Preschool-Kindergarten. --Ilene Cooper

My Reading Teacher Perspective:
This book is packed full of goodness for your early readers. Yes it encourages sharing (a very important lesson, indeed!), but it also manages to do these wonderful things:

• Rhyme builds phonemic awareness (awareness of sound in letters/words). This book is packed to the brim with rhyme: Look!/Calico Bear/shifts his chair/over there/near Big Brown Bear./Big Brown Bear/helps Calico Bear/make one double chair/for three to share. The rhyme in this book is so repetitive and simple that it feels like a chant/song. My daughter laughed when I was reading. I can tell she loved the sounds the words were making.
• This books builds critical thinking skills! These little bears try several ways to solve a problem. In order to build comprehension later on in life, we have to make sure our wee ones are critical thinkers! Reading=thinking.
• Repetition builds fluency, builds phonemic awareness, and (in this case) encourages vocabulary development. This book is chock full of repetition!! I can guarantee that your child will know the words chair, bear, share after reading this book!

Be well! Read on!

Crusin' Through the Cozies: Cover her Face

I am in a mystery reading frenzy. Maybe that's what summer is for? I've been a fan of PD James for a while now. My mother-in-law introduced me to her, and I've been hooked ever since. I scored with Cover her Face: it was on my TBR, doesn't have a Kindle version (come on folks, get with it!), but was on the book shelf of the beach house I stayed at last week. I dove into it right away.

Since this was James' first Dalgliesh book, I knew I wanted to read it at some point. It does not disappoint, especially after reading a plot-driven Agatha Christie book. I really love the characters in Cover Her Face, especially the conniving young mother and house maid, Sally Jupp. What I love about P.D. James' mysteries in general is that I get so wrapped up in the characters and events in the book, that I never stop and try to figure out who the murderer is. Besides, she usually gives every character a potential motive to clash with the victim. I always welcome the surprise of finding out who-done-it at the end.  If you like murder mysteries, you'll enjoy Cover Her Face. And of course, PD James using sophisticated words and makes little comments about her characters lack of grammar, which I just eat up!!

From Good Reads:

Cover Her Face (Adam Dalgliesh #1)

by P.D. James

 3.70  ·   rating details  ·  2,167 ratings  ·  184 reviews

Headstrong and beautiful, the young housemaid Sally Jupp is put rudely in her place, strangled in her bed behind a bolted door. Coolly brilliant policeman Adam Dalgliesh of Scotland Yard must find her killer among a houseful of suspects, most of whom had very good reason to wish her ill.

Cover Her Face is P. D. James's electric debut novel, an ingeniously plotted mystery that immediately placed her among the masters of suspense.

What's Next?
I'm currently about 33% into The Daughters of Cain by Colin Dexter on my Kindle. And a friend just passed me a hard copy of The Book Thief (YA book), by Markus Zusak. This is a book I've wanted to read for a while.

My personal reading will probably slow down as I head back to teaching next week (so soon?), and begin teaching a class for incoming teachers starting in August. The next few months will be crazy busy, but filled to the brim with lots of teaching moments, and with probably less time for cozies (but we shall see!)

I'm linking up at Socrates' Book Reviews:

Be well! Read on!

Read Aloud Thursday: Night Night

I've been staying with my husband's family at a beach house in Michigan. There is a gaggle of people around- cousins, grandparents, aunts, and uncles. My social toddler is in heaven. Every morning when she gets up she says, "people, people. go, go." And every night before bed (and before each nap), she makes her rounds saying "night, night" to all of her people, hamming every second of this up, of course.  Being at a house with the possibility of continuous interactions excites my extroverted 20 month old. There is always someone to be silly with, go to the beach with, or pick up a book and read to her and her other cousins.

Her cousin brought with him a new favorite of ours, Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann. My husband and I have read it to our daughter several times. Young ones will enjoy the emphasis on zoo animals, and everyone, young and old, will appreciate the sneaky antics of the escapist gorilla.

My sister-in-law mentioned that its' a great book for free-styling and embellishment. I agree. There are few words on each page, but a lot of drama is created with the illustrations. It would be a great book to practice inferential thinking with preschoolers ages 3-6. Even though my daughter at 20 months isn't ready to verbalize her inferential thinking, I try to use cognitive modeling, or speaking my thoughts, to help her along.


It's been a fun treat to be around so much family, especially for my daughter to have the opportunity for multiple read alouds every day!

Watch the embedded video below:



And check out this link at First School for printables and activities for Good Night, Gorilla.

I'm linking up at Hope is the Word. Cruise over are read the other Read Aloud Thursday posts.


Be Well! Read On!

Llama Llama I Miss My Mama!

I'm adding The Children's Book Review to my blogroll. I especially like the read alouds of Llama Llama by Anna Dewdney (See video below).


Their Quest for Literacy sections has good tidbits and general information for parents about teaching reading.


This site is especially good for parents looking for a good book for their kidlets.



What good sites have you come across lately?

I'm Linking up to Learning All The Time. Please visit and check out the other posts from this week!

Be Well Read On!

Non Fiction Monday: We the People

HAPPY 4th of July! I've ran into People by Peter Spier several times in the last couple of months, so much so that I thought it was a new book! Now, as I write this, I realized that it was written in 1980. I think this is a great book for an elementary-aged student. They'll like reading the facts, but they'll LOVE meandering through the illustrations- they're just lovely, even 30 years later!


If you're a teacher, get this book for your classroom. It could be a wonderful discussion starter. And you're students will enjoy having it around!




If you haven't seen this book, check out some of the book's contents:

From Good Reads:

In this encyclopedic picture book, Spier celebrates humankind in all its diversity-how we are similar and how we are differnt; in what we wear, eat, play, and how we worship. Small vignettes fill each page, illustrating the wonderful variety that exists among peoples of different cultures and races.

I'm linking up:

Scoot on over to Book Muse to see other Non Fiction Monday book choices.







Be Well! Read on!

Summer Teaching Tipster: Video Book Review

We're always looking for a new way to give a book report, right? These video book interviews may seem fairly obvious, but I'll give you a run down on how and why I used video book interviews with some students. And, if you scroll down, you can watch the end product.

I working with a couple of my students this summer on their reading. It's all very low key. I wanted to give them time and space to discover the joys of readings. Our school is very standards focused, so there usually isn't a lot of class time for projects or the arts- even if it is literature based. With these two girls, also best friends,  we've done partner reading, read alouds, multiple trips to the library, and a couple of  hands-on projects in response to their readings.

The girls recently finished Elisa in the Middle and Jigsaw Pony. They did a video review of these two books (see videos below). These were books they chose on their own. They partner read Elisa in the Middle. They checked out 2 copies at the library and switches off (2 pages at a time) reading it aloud to each other. And one of the students read Jigsaw Pony independently. She likes horses, so this book was a natural choice for her.

I think video reviews make for fun summer projects, but I can also see them being used in the classroom (or home school) setting. Every body has a quick way to video themselves nowadays (phone, flip camera, computer camera).  Videos lend  themselves to deeper comprehension. I didn't give much direction before the girls made these videos because I also want to use this as  an assessment to see how well these two students are able to synthesize information after reading. It definitely gives me valuable insight on how to tweak their instruction in the future. Distilling information to find the main idea will be one of our big focus's in the weeks ahead.

Why use Video Book Interviews with your students?

• Students will syntheses book material, which is high up in Blooms' Taxonomy
• Students learn how to perform (and write) for an audience
• Students practice purposeful writing when creating interview questions and their responses
• Students practice public speaking
• Students evaluate the video of themselves post-interview, encouraging meta-cognitive thinking
• Students will understand that reading books is a (fun) social event, and hopefully this will encourage reluctant readers to read 
• Repeated practice readings encourages reading fluency

Video Interview How-to

Pre-teach:

• Discuss how to write open- ended interview questions
• Brainstorm which type of questions would work best for a book review
• Discuss the nature and length of the responses to the interview questions
• Discuss performing for an audience and what that would entail (expressiveness, voice projection, non-verbal communication, etc...)

Before you shoot the video:

• Have the students create cue cards or notes to read responses from
• Create a rubric together, or review the rubric you've created, especially of you're doing this for a class
• Have the students practice their responses several times
• Brainstorm ideas for students to make it their own. The two students I work with wanted to title  the interviews The Joy of Literacy, because they knew we were going to post them on this blog. I loved seeing them coming up with their own ideas and having fun with it.
• Get dressed up and set the stage! The girls wanted to wear my heels for the interview (very fun of them). They also got coffee cups (filled with lemonade, of course!), set up interview chairs, and filled a basket of books on the table behind the interview.

After you shoot the video:

• Watch it together. Pause to ask clarifying questions
• Assess according to a rubric, especially of you're doing this for a class
• Share with family, classmates, or community to get their feedback

Elisa in the Middle:

Jigsaw Pony Part 1


Jigsaw Pony Part 2


Let me know if you have any feedback for the girls, I'll make sure to share it with them!

Also, I'd be interested how you might use this with your own kids or in your classroom. Leave comments below.

I'm linking up at Teach Mama:

Be well! Read on!

Hi/Lo Book Bag: Almost Zero

When reading we all come to the table with our experiences, background knowledge, otherwise known to educators as schemata or schema. All of these experiences we've had inform how we read what we read.  I work with struggling readers usually 2 years behind (or more), and my experience of working with these low readers day in and day out shapes my perception of most kid's books. I'm always hoping to find books that would be interesting to my reluctant readers, but not too far above their reading level.

So, in light of this, I decided to start a new series of posts about hi/lo books. Hi/lo books are books written at a high interest level for lower readers. [You can by sets of hi/lo book for reluctant readers. I haven't been too impressed with these book sets though.] If I come across a book I think would work well as a hi/lo book, I'll review it as a part of this series. I'll also include books that my reading intervention students enjoy reading as well.

I ran across this Nikki Grimes' book, Almost Zero, the other day at the library. Grimes' is a prolific children's author. I read the entire 96 page book while my husband was getting dinner ready. It was a fast read.

I really like the main character Dyamonde. Her personality reminds me of many of mt students'- trying to be tough and play her mom, when she's just a big insecure sweety on the inside. Dyamonde learns lesson the hard way in this book. She has a good mom that know what she needs most in life (and it's not fancy red sneakers!). Grimes really knows how the mind of an older elementary works, and I think a lot of kids will connect with this book. 

Here's an excerpt from the book: 

       Wednesday morning, Dyamonde stomped and banged doors as loudly as she could, hoping to make her mom as mad as she was. But it didn't work. Her mom pretended not to notice. "Big deal," Dyamonde muttered to herself. "So what if I have to wear the same stupid clothes I had on yesterday. I don't care." Dyamonde's lie sounded pretty weak, even to herself.
       Dyamonde pulled on her red T-shirt, which had a quarter-size mustard stain on it from the bite of hot dog Free gave her at lunch the day before.
      "Shoot!" said Dyamonde.

Here's why I'd think it would work as a hi/lo book:

• Colorful, inviting, and fresh cover: This gets major points, really! Don't you gravitate toward the book with the cool cover?
• Graphics on every page: This is inviting for lower readers.
• Inviting illustrations: This helps lower comprehenders follow the plot and feel more confident while reading. It also helps them understand the book better.
• Bigger text: This is less intimidating for struggling readers.
• Less text per page: Nuff said!
• Lots of dialogue: Usually dialogue usually uses a vernacular that kids understand, so it makes the book easier to comprehend.
• Shorter sentences: This will help with comprehension for lower reader. The longer a sentence gets, the more complex it gets.
• Font style changes on title, body, and on sections throughout: This brings more energy and movement to the text, which motivates students to keep reading! 
• It has chapters! This helps lower reader to feel more confident in what they're reading, making it feel a lot less babyish.

Scholastic's Teacher Book Wizard places another book in this series at 3.5 grade reading level and a 3-5 grade interest level. However, I could see a 6th grader reading at a 2nd grade level enjoying this book, so I'd stretch scholastic's numbers a bit.

From Good Reads:

Dyamonde really wants red high-top sneakers. Too bad they're so expensive! A classmate tells her it's her mom's job to give her what she needs, but when Dyamonde tries that argument, her mom teaches her a lesson by literally only giving her what she needs. Now Dyamonde is down to almost zero outfits! But then she finds out one of her friends has it much worse, and she's determined to do what she can to help.

Coretta Scott King Award winner Nikki Grimes' third book starring the unstoppable Dyamonde Daniel will delight fans and new readers alike, with energetic storytelling, relatable situations and Dyamonde's spitfire personality.

Hardcover, 96 pages

Published October 28th 2010 by Penguin Group (USA)

Be Well! Read On!

New Reading Challenge: Cruisin' Thru the Cozies

It's June, so what better time to start a 2011 reading challenge?!! Since I'm new to blogging about reading, teaching, and books this spring, I didn't sign up for any challenges in January. I just couldn't resist joining in the fun and wait until next January.

I was inspired by another fashionably late blogger, Irregular Silsbee (check out her awesome book blog), to give it a go mid-year.

This challenge is right up my alley! I wasn't sure what the cozies were. But Socrates Book Reviews has a nifty link that explains it all.

According to Cozy-Mystery.com a Cozy mystery is:

• Many cozy mystery readers are intelligent women looking for a “fun read” that engages the mind, as well as provides entertainment 
• The crime-solver in a cozy mystery is usually a woman who is an amateur sleuth. Almost always, she has a college degree, whether she is using it or not. Her education and life’s experiences have provided her with certain skills that she will utilize in order to solve all the crimes that are “thrown her way.” The cozy mystery heroine is usually a very intuitive, bright woman. The occupations of the amateur sleuths are very diverse: caterer, bed and breakfast owner, quilter, cat fancier/owner, nun, gardener, librarian, book store owner, herbalist, florist, dog trainer, homemaker, teacher, needlepoint store owner, etc.
• The cozy mystery usually takes place in a small town or village (click here to read more on the village setting). The small size of the setting makes it believable that all the suspects know each other. The amateur sleuth is usually a very likeable person who is able to get the community members to talk freely (i.e. gossip) about each other. 

Well that just describes every guilty pleasure mystery that I read- PD James being my go to and absolute favorite! Hmmm, I think this challenge may be easier than I think!

I am going to try Investigator level. I am not a fast reader (as compared to many in bloglandia), so I am hoping I can do this! Wish me luck- I know it will be a fun ride!

Investigator Level:

1. And Then There Were None, by Agatha Christie

2. Cover Her Face, by PD James

3. Daughters of Cain, by Colin Dexter

4.

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Be Well! Read on!