New Valentine Book

It is always a happy day when a new book arrives at my office...especially when it is a gift directly from an author or illustrator. Today I was greeted with Jerry Pallotta's new book, Who Will Be My Valentine This Year? Pallotta and David Biedrzycki team up again to create this fun book. The two have done several similar books together prior to this one: Who Will Guide My Sleigh Tonight?, Who Will Help Santa this Year?, & Who Will Haunt My House on Halloween?

Like the others, Pallotta's humor is clearly present throughout the book. My favorite line is when the protagonist, a pink hippo, asks three pigs to be her valentine.

"Pigs, please, let's be valentines!"

"Burp!, Bad idea. We eat like pigs. You have manners."

Biedrzycki's illustrations are colorful and creative. Make sure you take time to look at all the extras he has added.

The book is just off the Scholastic press. It will be a fun read for many Valentine Days to come.

Thanks Jerry!

Happy Reading,

Dr. Quinn

Newbery & Caldecott

Today the real winners of the Newbery and Caldecott Award were announced:

Newbery Award

The Graveyard Book
By Neil Gaiman

Honor Books: The Underneath, The Surrender Tree, Savvy, & After Tupac & D Foster

Caldecott Award

House in the Night
By Susan Marie Swanson & Ill. by Beth Krommes

Honor Books: A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever, How I Learned Geography, & A River of Words

Congratulations to the winners and the honor books

ALA Press Release with all award winners

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Mock Caldecott Winners (Senior Capstone)

Here is the medal winner and honor books for our Mock Caldecott
(Senior Capstone Class)

Medal Winner

Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation
By Andrea Davis Pinkney & Ill by Brian Pinkney

A sample of posted statements from some of my students prior to the event:

"This was my favorite book not only for the illustrations but also for the plot and the way it was written in verse. I know we are supposed to focus on illustrations but I have to say that the book is amazing and I definitely want to incorporate it into the classroom. It tells the story of Rosa Parks in a powerful way. Most of the power lies within the illustrations. I liked how the endpages were wispy and overlapped the color. I also enjoyed the way the illustrations were abstract and really focused on the use of color to convey meaning. Like Lindsey said, my favorite part of the colors was the dark, deep black that loomed over the capital building or the rest of the picture to display the suppression of the Jim Crow laws. During times of hope when the people were gathered together the scene lightened up and become hues of yellow and orange. Most of the book is shades of blue. I just LOVED the symbolism in the colors. This book was so powerful."

"I loved the way that the story was actually written to the child. I could almost hear a grandparent telling this story to their grandchild. The use of color in this book was incredible. I love how Jim Crow was sumbolized as the black scribbles... you could almost see his wings and talons sticking out. I also really enjoyed the accent colors in the book. The bright colors accented the background and really drew your attention to the object which was usually a beacon of hope in some way. I really liked the scene of all the empty dark buses and all the colorful people walking on the sidewalks."

Honor Books

Friday My Radio Flyer Flew
by Zachary Pullen

We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball
by Kadir Nelson

Silent Music: The Story of Bagdad
By James Rumford

Abe"s Honest Words: The Life of Abraham Lincoln
By Doreen Rapaport, & Ill. by Kadir Nelson

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Endgame

Last year I was introduced to Endgame by Nancy Garden. Several students and I decided to use it as a part of our small book club. I was impressed immediately!

This year I decided to assign it to my seniors as a part of their capstone class, the culminating education class at Taylor. After reading the book we did had two hours of discussion (only one hour was planned). It was absolutely amazing to see the emotions that this book evoked in myself and my students. By the time class was over there were tears, heartache, prayer, and a genuine determination to seek out those students that are bullied, different, loners, etc.

If you do not know the book. It is a YA book about a 14 year old boy that is bullied at school and treated unfairly by his father at home. Ultimately he takes the situation in his own hands by taking a loaded gun to school. I'll just leave it at that for now.

I know there are plenty of fantastic books that touch this subject, but I must admit I found this one to be very powerful. I am embarrassed to admit that eyes were opened!

Rating:

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

New Friends

While at NCTE's Annual Convention in San Antonio I had the opportunity to meet several children's authors. This is a photo of Roland Smith, Jerry Pallotta, Deb Marciano-Professor at Washington College, Pam Munoz Ryan, & myself outside a wonderful restaurant, Azuca Nuevo Latino Restaurant, where we had some fun and fellowship

Each author was generous enough to give me a signed book. Jerry went out of his way to connect me with Michael Shoulders and a publishing house. Thanks for a great time everyone.

http://jerrypallotta.com/
http://www.pammunozryan.com/
http://www.rolandsmith.com/index.php?page=home
http://www.michaelshoulders.com/
http://books4children.blogspot.com/ Marciano's blog

Happy Reading,

Dr. Quinn

A Taste for Red

I was recently sent a copy of Lewis Harris' new book titled A Taste for Red. I believe this book will be released in June of '09. It is always nice to have an opportunity to read a text prior to the release date...thanks Marjorie.

First of all, I would like to share what a fun read this was for me. I enjoyed listening to the protagonist, Svetlana Grimm, share her story. She kept me engaged, and I was excited to turn the pages.

Svetlana believes that she is a vampire and to confirm this theory she shares her reasons: she likes to sleep under her bed, she has a taste for red foods (red peppers, red potatoes, tomatoes, red velvet cake, etc.), she has ESP, she is fair skinned, and her senses are perfectly attuned after hours. By combining her sharp senses and her ESP, Svetlana discovers that one of her teachers, Ms Larch, is a vampire as well. However, Svetlana has difficulty discerning if her teacher is good or bad. With the help of an unique elderly neighbor, Ms Bones and Svetlana's new friends, a discovery is made that will impact the all their lives.

In this book, Harris integrated the hot topic of vampires with friendships, self identification, and the thrill of suspense to create a engaging mystery for children.

Rating:

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Stuck in Neutral

I just finished Terry Trueman's Stuck in Neutral, and I am a big fan. I love the third person voice of the 14 year old protagonist, Shawn McDaniel. Shawn was born with Cerebral Palsy which limits him from any voluntary movement. No one in Shawn's life believes he has the ability to learn or even understand; however, this is far from the truth. According to Shawn, he remembers everything that he hears. He just can't communicate that with anyone, so they all think he is profoundly developmentally disabled.

Another big problem is that Shawn believes his father wants to kill him. He thinks that his father is so sad and his heart hurts so much for Shawn that the best thing for Shawn would be euthanasia.

Where did Trueman come up with such a book? After reading the Author's Note at the end of the book I found out. Trueman has a son, Sheehan, who is diagnosed just like Shawn.

Rating:

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Mock Caldecott Winners (9:00 Class)

Here is the medal winner and honor books for our Mock Caldecott

(9:00 Class)

Medal Winner

My Friend, the Starfinder
by George Ela Lyon & Ill.by Stephen Gammell

A sample of posted statements from some of my students prior to the event:

I really liked this book when I read it! The illustrations are vibrant and colorful in a way that sets the whimsical feeling of the book. I also love how the illustrator separtated the past and future stories so that the reader can understand what's going on in the story if he or she isn't looking at the text. He made the past stories black and white at first and then added color as the stories went on. This is definitely Caldecott material in my opinion.

I absolutely loved this book! It is my favorite one that I have read. The illustrations are so unique and create a magical feeling, which definitely coincides with the story being told. I thought it was very creative how there was the shape of a star on every page and that it was located somewhere other than the sky. I also loved how when the Starfinder was telling stories from his past, there was a lack of color. It makes the story seem old. I just think this book is excellent and definitely deserves a Caldecott!

Honor Books

We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball
by Kadir Nelson

Silent Music: The Story of Bagdad
By James Rumford

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Mock Caldecott Winners (8:00 Class)

Here is the medal winner and honor books for our Mock Caldecott
(8:00 Class)

Medal Winner

Friday My Radio Flyer Flew
by Zachary Pullen

A sample of posted statements from some of my students prior to the event:

"Wow! I loved this book! I love the medium in which it was done and the way it brings texture to these incredible pages. The different views and perspectives were also interesting and made this book fun to read. I think this a great book overall and I would highly recommend it for the award!"

"So far, this is probably my top choice for illustrations. The pictures in this book are amazing and they are often the main emphasis on the page. The pictures seem larger than life, which goes along with the whole theme of the book. The details throughout the book are fantastic--from the cracks in the ground to the reflections in his father's glasses. I definitely recommend this one for the Caldecott."

Honor Books

We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball
by Kadir Nelson

Too Many Toys
By David Shannon

Scoot
By Cathryn Falwell

Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation
By Andrea Davis Pinkney & Ill by Brian Pinkney

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Mock Caldecott: Allotment #5

Lincoln Shot
By Barry Dennenberg & Ill. by Christopher Bing

Rating:

· Wow!
· Oversized book with an aged look to it
· The story is told through various newspaper articles
· An abundance of information…may seem overwhelming to some
· Each section (topic/chapter) has a new heading
· Authentic photographs, letters, and wanted signs are integrated into the newspaper
· Time Line, Index and credits are provided at the end of the book




Madam President
by Lane Smith
Rating:
· A young girl shares here fantasy of being Madam President
· Typical Lane Smith illustrations filled with humor
· Mixed media and computer usage to create the illustrations
· Fun, engaging, and educational

The Day Leo Said I Hate You
By Robie Harris & Ill. By Molly Bang

Rating:

· A young boy is tired of being told “no” and out of frustration he tell his mother he hates her
· A lesson for all young children
· A nice mix of media
· Bang does a wonderful job with the fonts
· Text and illustrations blend well

Hogwash
By Arthur Geisert

Rating:

· Complicated machine is used to wash hogs
· Wordless picture book
· Imaginative
· Lots of detail, yet the illustrations are not overwhelming
· Take your time with this one

Cool Daddy Rat
By Kristyn Crow & Ill. by Mike Lester

Rating:

· Cool Daddy Rat travels around town to scat & play his jazz while Ace, his son, tags along by hiding in his father’s bass case
· Watercolor, pencil, and a Mac
· Creative use of language...scat
· The scat could get old to some, but others will enjoy the language throughout the whole book




My Friend, the Starfinder
By George Ella Lyon, Ill. by Stephen Gammell

Rating:
· Once there was a man that found a falling star and was at the end of a rainbow
· Watercolor, pastel, colored pencil, and gouache
· Gammell’s illustrations were fantastic
· The abundance and/or lack of color worked great

There is Nothing to Do on Mars
By Chris Gall

Rating:

· A boy and his dog are bored while living on Mars until they discover…
· Hand creating-clay coated board
· Fantastic pictures
· Space-age look and feel
· Would be stronger as a wordless picture book
· Fun endpages



Wild Boars Cook
By Meg Rosoff & Ill. by Sophie Blackwell

Rating:

· Four hungry pigs make a Massive Pudding
· Chinese ink and watercolor
· Illustrations mix well with the white-space on the pages
· Fun and messy
· Recipe for Massive Cookie is found at the end f the book

Big Bad Bunny
By Franny Billingsley & Ill. by G Brian Karas

Rating:

· Baby Boo-Boo transforms into Big Bad Bunny (in his mind)
· Big Bad Bunny gets lost and Mama Mouse searches for him
· Mix of Gouache, acrylic with pencil
· Two formats of pictures: Big Bad Bunny & Mama Mouse
· A variety of fonts are used

Mock Caldecott: Allotment #4

Old Bear
By Kevin Henkes

Rating:

· Old Bear dreams of the seasons during his winter hibernation
· This book could easily be a wordless picture book
· Fantastic colorful water color and ink paintings
· The color vividly sets the mode for each season in Old Bear's dream
· Loved this book



The Pigeon Wants a Puppy
By Mo Willems

Rating:

· As always Willems sets up extends the book with its endpapers
· Traditional Willems Pigeon book, but just as good as ever
· A slight twist to the climax and ending of this story






Too Many Toys
By David Shannon

Rating:

· Spencer has too many toys and his mother is making him get rid of some.
· Another great book by David Shannon
· Shannon’s paintings are consistent with many of his latest books, such as Alice the Fairy & Good Boy Fergus
· A variety of perspectives and layouts are used throughout the book
· Readers will find classic toys as well as toys of the day
· Classic ending!



Not a Stick
By Anoinette Portis

Rating:

· A follow up book to Not a Box
· Creative uses for a stick
· Every child can relate to this one
· Very simplistic in text and illustrations






The Little Yellow Leaf
By Carin Berger

Rating:

· A leaf is not ready to leave his tree until he finds support in another leaf
· A story of apprehension and friendship
· Illustrations are done in collages
· Several collages use notebook, graph, chart paper
· Love the colors




Bees, Snails, & Peacock Tales
by Betsy Franco & Ill. by Steve Jenkins

Rating:

· A creative informational book about animals and insects
· Franco uses a rhythmic meter to share the information
· Jenkins created the collages that absolutely extend the text
· The text is creatively oriented several different ways throughout the book





Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation
By Andrea Davis Pinkney & Ill by Brian Pinkney

Rating:

· “Blues infused tribute to the men and women of the Montgomery bus boycott”
· Great illustrations
· Colored inks on clay board
· Mode and tone are a strong point of this book




A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever
By Marla Frazee

Rating:

· Two boys spend a week at nature camp by day and at grandparents house by night
· Typical boys having fun together
· Illustrations were done in black prismacolor and gouache
· Illustrations definitely extend the text




Drive
By Nathan Clement

Rating:

· A young boy tells about his father’s day as a truck driver
· Simple text; usually one sentence per page
· Colorful pictures probably created with photoshop
· Unique perspective in the illustrations





The Dog Who Belonged to No One
By Amy Hest and Ill. byAmy Bates

Rating:

· A stray dog and a young girl find companionship together
· Two stories combine into one: story of the dog, story of the girl
· The text seemed a bit trite to me
· Warm watercolor pictures support the text.
· Nice detail in the paintings