Los Gatos Black on Halloween

Montes, M.  (2006).  Los gatos black on halloween.  New York:  Henry Holt and Company.
This book received the Pura Belpre Award. (2008)

October is my favorite month, so I became very excited when I came across this book.  This picture book is also a wonderful rhyming book. When I began reading this book, I was thinking how this book would be wonderful to use when discussing context clues.  Marisa Montes has incorporated Spanish words into this Halloween book.  The illustrations give a lot of support to students who do not know what the words mean.  Students should also be able to figure out what the words mean by using their context clues.  Marisa Montes has included a Spanish glossary at the end of the book.  

I teach at an extremely diverse school.  My classroom has a high percentage of Hispanic students.  I could already hear them getting excited about them already knowing what many of the words already mean.

I loved this book and I have already added it to the list of books I need to buy before the beginning of the school year.

Mirror Mirror

Singer, M.  (2010).  Mirror mirror.  New York:  Penguin Group.
Bluebonnet Book.

WOW!!  This book is super fun!  I found myself amazed and wondering, "How did she do that?"  Marilyn Singer created reverso poems about fairy tales.  One character's perspective is told when a reverso is read going down, but when you read it going up it changes the point of view.  For example, the Sleeping Beauty reverso had the princess speaking first.  When it is reversed, it is the prince that is talking.  The author has written both verses on one page.

The illustrations in this book are also a lot of fun.  The illustrator used bright and brilliant colors.  The illustrator was also able to make two illustrations into one.  This way both verses were illustrated.

This book really is quite impressive to see and read.  I tried to do my own reverso poem and, to put it mildly, was extremely unsuccessful.  I may not be doing the best job with describing the book, I just hope that you will go out and read it for yourself.  You too will marvel at the writing.

14 Cows for America

Deedy, Carmen Agra.  (2009).  14 cows for america.  Atlanta, Georgia:  Peachtree Publishers.
Bluebonnet Book (2010-2011)

Kimeli is heading back to his village in Kenya.  He has been living in New York where he received a scholarship and is studying to be a doctor.  His people are nomadic cattle herders called the Maasai.  Cows are of the utmost importance to the Maasai.  Kimeli tells his people a story about New York where the fire burned hot, and smoke and dust blocked out the sun.  An elder feels sorry for the people of New York.  Because the cow is a symbol of life for the Maasai, Kimeli offers his only cow to the people of New York.  A diplomat is summoned and goes to the village where 14 cows are presented.  The story Kimeli told to his people is the story of 9/11.  At the very end of this picture book, there is a note from the real Kimeli telling how he witnessed the dramatic events of that day.

Tears welled up in my eyes when I read this picture book.  To think how people so far away could care so much.  They gave the greatest gift they could to people they have never met.  This book had me remembering where I was when 9/11 happened and the feelings I possessed at the time.  It is an emotional book and touching.  The illustrations only add to this book.  They are done with beautiful and rich colors.  A book to add to your collection.

A Single Shard

Park, Linda Sue.  (2001).  A single shard.  New York:  Clarion Books.

This book received the Newbery Medal.

Set in 12th century Korea, twelve year old Tree-ear is an orphan that lives under a bridge with a gentle and wise man named Crane-man.  Crane-man has raised Tree-ear since he was 2 years old.  Tree-ear goes to work for a master potter named Min and learns the many lessons that Crane-man has been teaching him throughout the years.  Tree-ear learns courage along the way to Songdo, the city where Emissary Kim, to show the emissary the work of his master.   

Crane-man gives Tree-ear advice and together they ponder many moral and ethical questions.  The questions they examine have their place in today's day and age.

I was completely enthralled with this book.  I could hardly put it down.  This book read like poetry.  It was beautiful, smooth, and lovely.  The writing style of the book reminded me of Memoirs of a Geisha.  Memoirs of a Geisha also read like poetry and had many beautiful moments.  I highly recommend this book.

Dark Emperor & Other Poems of the Night

Sidman, J.  (2010).  Dark emperor & other poems of the night.  New York:  Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.

This book received the Newbery Honor Award

I will be going to the bookstore promptly and purchasing this lovely book of poems.  It will go nicely with my unit on nocturnal animals.  My students receive a poem every week that we read together.  I will definitely be sharing these poems with my students during my nocturnal animals unit.  The page opposite the illustration contains the poem, but next to the illustration are some fun facts and information regarding the animal or plant the poem is referring to.

The poems are beautiful and my students will benefit from the vocabulary that is used.  I like to "harvest" words with my students and these poems will provide many opportunities. 

I was not the biggest fan of the illustrations.  I felt that it was difficult to see, what should have been, the main focal point.  For instance, there is an enchanting poem about an owl.  The illustration that accompanies the poem had a mouse as the focal point.  The owl seemed like an afterthought.  The illustrations contain dark colors, but in some of the illustrations it was difficult to see where one object began and another ended.

Regardless of the illustrations, the poems are ones that I will share again and again with my students.  I really did enjoy this book and am excited about sharing them next year.

Out of My Mind

Draper, Sharon M.  (2010).  Out of my mind.  New York:  Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

This is a Bluebonnet Award Nominee.

Out of My Mind is an incredible and emotional read.  Sharon Draper has written a beautiful, and at times poetic, novel about an eleven year old girl, Melody, that has cerebral palsy.  Melody cannot talk or walk, but is extremely intelligent and challenges strangers, teachers, and students to finally see that there is more to her than a wheelchair. 

At times I found myself feeling ashamed.  How many times have I made assumptions about someone who is disabled even though I know better?  How many times have I diverted my eyes as to not make myself uncomfortable?  Definitely not something to be proud of.

I also found myself becoming upset and mad at the teacher, Mr. Dimming.  To say the things he did in front of his class are unforgivable.  The embarrassment it caused Melody.  The elation I felt when Melody was finally able to communicate with her family and friends.  I cried when Melody was able, after so many years, to tell her parents that she loved them.  I cheered when Melody's mom did not allow doctors or teachers to treat Melody like a second-class citizen.  I rooted for Melody when she tried out for the Whiz Kids quiz team and was nervous anytime she answered a question.  I was devastated when Melody's plane was cancelled and she was not able to compete in Washington D.C., and I was extremely proud of her when she got the last word at the end of the book.

I admire and respect how Sharon Draper was able to write a book that can cause so many emotional reactions and a create a character that will be remembered. This is a book that I will highly recommend to teachers and students. 

Eclipse

Meyer, S.  (2007). Eclipse.  New York:  Little, Brown and Company.

This book was on the New York Times bestseller list.

This is my absolute favorite book from the Twilight Saga series.  I was torn between Team Edward or Team Jacob, so I decided that I was Team Both. This book actually had me fist pumping.  This is the book where Jacob fights for Bella's love and tries to prove to her that she not only loves Edward, but that she loves him too.

I fist pumped when Jacob kissed Bella unexpectedly.  I even let out a little squeal.  He got clocked by Bella, but he's a werewolf and he didn't really feel it.  Actually, Bella hurt her wrist pretty badly.  I must admit, I was tiny bit happy that she hurt herself a little.  I'm not Bella's biggest fan.  Does she really deserve these two great boys?

The vampire coven and Jacob's werewolf pack have to all get along to fight an army of vampires that has been made, by Victoria, to kill Bella.  Victoria still wants to avenge her mate's death.  Everyone is going to risk their lives for Bella...again.

I fist pumped again when Bella finally realized she does love Jacob too and she asked him to kiss her before he was about to go and fight the army of vampires.  Okay, I did more than fist pump, I screamed out loud.  What a kiss it was!  Stephenie Meyer described it well.

I love everything about this book, but what I love most is how this book makes me feel.  It just makes me happy, giddy, and feeling like a school-girl again.