Francisca Goldsmith on Multimodal Literacy & The Alex Awards

A sneak peek into the books that will be discussed at Ready to Launch: a Panel of YA Lit and The Alex Awards on January 28, 2017 at Bear Pond Books:

Seventeenth Summer, by Maureen Daly (originally published 1942, current edition Simon Pulse, 2010)

Imani All Mine, by Connie Rose Porter (Houghton Mifflin, 1999)

Stiff: The curious lives of human cadavers, by Mary Roach (WW Norton, 2003)

My Jim, by Nancy Rawles (Crown, 2005)

My Friend Dahmer, by Derf Backderf (Abrams, 2012)

Bellweather Rhapsody, by Kate Racculia (Houghton Mifflin, 2014)

Those Who Wish Me Dead, by Michael Koryta (Little Brown, 2014)

The Terrorist's Son: A story of choice, by Zak Ebrahim (TED Books, Simon & Schuster, 2014)

The Book of Unknown Americans, by Cristina Henriquez (Vintage, 2014)

The Unraveling of Mercy Lewis, by Keija Parssinen (Harper, 2015)

Says librarian and panelist Francisca Goldsmith:

"There are two themes running through here. First, they represent a range of adult high interest for teen on which the Alex Awards are posited. Second, these specific titles speak to the flexibility of enjoying books, as some of these have been recorded as really excellent audiobooks, others have become movies, and there are fiction, nonfiction, and graphic novel (in this case, nonfiction) among the 10. I'll be talking to both these points."

She will also talk about multimodal literacy, and will note two audiobook initiatives, SoundLearning APA, and AudiobookSYNC, both of which she is deeply involved in developing and coordinating.


Goldsmith is the author of half a dozen professional books including, for this audience's possible interest, The Readers' Advisory Guide to Graphic Novels, which is coming out in its second edition next month (ALA Editions).

Pre-Review - Early Chapter Books

It's a pre-review, not a preview, because these are some books that aren't on our list to for the Early Chapter Book materials review next Friday - so we reviewed them early.

Check out the pre-review books below and then join us on October 2nd at 9:30 am for an Early Chapter Books materials review with reviews, updates on popular series, refreshments, giveaways, and a bit of the author's perspective from panelist Doug Wilhelm (Treasure Town, Choose Your Own Adventure). Event details are here. These are always a fun event, lots of time for conversation and to check out new and upcoming books. We hope you can join us upstairs in the Children's room next Friday!

~~~~~~

Humphrey’s Really Wheely Racing Day by Betty G. Birney

published by Puffin, paperback series, $4.99

Friday is always an exciting day for Humphrey, the class hamster. That's when he finds out where he will spend the weekend away from his usual home at Longfellow School. This time it will be Mandy's house, and her own hamster, Winky, has his very own hamster-size car. Humphrey falls in love with driving the first time he's behind the wheel --with a familiar nod to some of our favorite literary characters-- and wishes he had his own car to race Winky. Lucky for him, the teacher in Room 26 is able to make his dream a reality. Humphrey is a sweet protagonist who makes amusing observations about the students. This title has the same characters, humorous action, and gentle tone of the original Humphrey books for older kids, but the large print, short chapters, and numerous cartoon-style illustrations make this series perfect for readers brand new to chapter books.

Leroy Ninker Saddles Up by Kate DiCamillo

published by Candlewick, paperback series, $5.99

DiCamillo has incorporated characters from her popular Mercy Watson series into this slightly lengthier spin-off. Leroy Ninker is a concession stand worker at the local drive-in movie theater with dreams of being a real-life cowboy. (“Yippee-i-oh, that is the life for me! A cowboy is who I was meant to be.”) One day he discovers a horse for sale-- Maybelline, a horse who responds to generous and poetic praise. Part cowboy story and part pet love story, this multi-layered tale beautifully balances comically exaggerated details and true spirit. DiCamillo is a master of creating fully developed characters and plotline while retaining accessibility for emerging readers. Yee-haw!-- we give it a definite thumbs up.

The Princess In Black by Shannon Hale

published by Candlewick, paperback series, $6.99

The authors of "Rapunzel’s Revenge" and "Calamity Jack," writing here for a slightly younger audience, successfully turn the typical princess genre on its ear, offering beginning readers a clever, adventurous, and self-reliant heroine who is equally at home in black or pink. Princess Magnolia’s superhero identity is top secret; Duchess Wigtower must not find out. The Duchess snoops around her castle, always looking for evidence of the princesses' imperfections. Short sentences, a simple vocabulary with the occasional challenge, a manageable length, and a near picture-book level of illustrations give this chapter book immense accessibility-- for boys and girls both.

Space Taxi-- Archie Takes Flight by Wendy Mass & Michael Brawer

published by Little Brown, paperback series $5.99

This sci-fi adventure introduces an engaging character, Archie Morningstar, who can’t yet appreciate his last name, even though ‘Morning Star’ is the nickname for the planet Venus. When the action begins, it is Take Your Kid To Work Day and Archie doesn’t know about his father’s secret identity as an intergalactic voyager who pilots a space taxi. Soon Archie himself is being tested as a navigator who can expertly spot wormholes, with the help of a furry deputy named Pockets. A zippy plot propels the reader through a galactic adventure that never overdoes it-- the surprises are gentle, and the humor is always on target for a young demographic.

Summer Post #2 - Children's Summer Reading Recommendations

Early Chapter Books

• The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes
• Operation Bunny by Sally Gardiner
• Frank Einstein series by Jon Scieszka
• Arnie the Donut-- the Bowling Alley Bandit by Laurie Keller
• Princess in Black by Shannon Hale
• The Adventures of Sophie Mouse series by Poppy Green
• Ranger In Time series by Kate Messner
• The Whodunit Detective Agency series by Martin Widmark
• Lulu and the Hedgehog in the Rain by Hilary McKay

See also our Essential Library of Early Chapter Books on Pinterest.

Middle Grade Books

• The Boundless by Kenneth Oppel
• The Great Greene Heist by Varian Johnson
• The Island of Dr. Libris by Chris Grabenstein
• A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd
• Pip Bartlett’s Guide To Magical Creatures by Maggie Stiefvater and Jackson Pearce
• Under the Egg by Laura Marx Fitzgerald
• Loki’s Wolves by K.L. Armstrong
• The Spy Catchers of Maple Hill by Megan Frazer Blakemore
• Loot by Jude Watson
• The Meaning of Maggie by Megan Jean Sovern
• Return to Augie Hobble by Lane Smith

Graphic Novels-- middle grade and up

• Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
• Lumberjanes by Noelle Stevenson and Grace Ellis
• The Underground Abductor by Nathan Hale
• In Real Life by Cory Doctorow

Young Adult Books

• I Am Princess X by Cherie Priest
• An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
• We All Looked Up by Tommy Wallach
• Black Dove, White Raven by Elizabeth Wein
• The Truth Commission by Susan Juby
• We Are All Made of Molecules by Susin Nielsen
• Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
• The Game of Love and Death by Martha Brockenbrough
• Vango by Timothee de Fombelle
• Denton Little’s Deathdate by Lance Rubin

Summer Post #1 - Book List for Grown Ups

As with every year, we take a summer posting break when schools get busy with end of year work. But summer break isn't hibernation - here's the first of our occasional summer posts. 

You know the first thing (reportedly) that Grace Greene did when she retired as Youth Services librarian? Read a book written for grown ups. It's true. And Helen's Mom (former Vermont school librarian) has read nothing but books written for grown ups during her own retirement. A pattern is emerging.

For every school librarian who is not content waiting for their chance to read outside the children's genre, who may be planning a radical reading departure this summer, we've got a few suggestions. Some new, some not new, all relatively fun (if you consider a post-Apocalyptic dystopia fun, which the readers of Station Eleven do). Links will take you to their descriptions.

The New Books Your Neighbors Are Most Likely to Have on Their Shelves:

• Vermont Waterfalls by Christy Butler & Russell Dunn
• Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee

Good Grown Up Books Jane Has Read Recently:

• The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai
• Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel  
• The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters 
• Leaving Before the Rains Come by Alexandra Fuller 

And because she cannot help herself, the YA graphic novel This One Summer by Mariko and Jillian Tamaki

Books From Helen's Ongoing (If Quixotic) Quest To Encourage Cookbook Reading:

• Make the Bread, Buy the Butter by Jennifer Reese
• Vegetable Literacy by Deborah Madison
• My Paris Kitchen by David Lebovitz

Books in Mystery Series that Aren't Written By Louise Penny:

• The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde
• One for the Money by Janet Evanovich (don't watch the movie!)
• O' Artful Death by Sarah Stewart Taylor
• The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
• Dying for Chocolate by Diane Mott Davidson
• Cold Dish by Craig Johnson

And in case you've missed her, Louise Penny has a new book coming out August 25th, The Nature of the Beast

Humor Writing:

• Skinny Dip by Carl Hiaasen
• Them by Jon Ronson (if you want to be more recent, his new book is So You've Been Publicly Shamed)
• Thank You for Smoking by Christopher Buckley  
• How I Became a Famous Novelist by Steve Hely

Mavericks or Unusual Stuff that Actual People Actually Did:

• Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder 
• The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean
• H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald 
• The Wright Brothers by David McCullough  
• Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife by Mary Roach

We'll keep you apprised of any new ideas that surface. Next up: Jane's kids & YA summer reading picks. 

 

Short Version of the Fiction Book Review

How would we summarize the books discussed in last Friday's Material's Review in just a sentence or so? Here's how.

Note that these are just the books we talked about, there were some that were mentioned but not reviewed and for everything please refer to the full lists found here.

Also note, at the event Jane identified the Dorothy Canfield Fisher books that skewed towards the younger end of the age range, and would be appropriate for some kids not yet in 4th grade. You can find that list over at an updated Dorothy Canfield Fisher post.

These books are listed in the order in which we discussed them at the event. Thank you to the panelists (left to right) Deb from Candlewick Press, and Jane, Carrie, and Helen from Bear Pond Books

Smashie McPerter & The Myster of Room 11 by N. Griffin: A search for a classroom's missing hamster in highly styled writing with a sophisticated vocabulary - for fans of Kate DiCamillo. Younger middle grade, grades 2-5. 

Cody and the Fountain of Happiness by Tricia Springstubb: A strong writer with a story similar to the Clementine books, following Cody through her summer vacation in the start of a new series. Young middle grade, grades 3-6. 

Ruby Redfort - Catch Your Death by Lauren Child: Book #3 in this kid-detective series, for kids interested in intrigues and codes. Grades 5+

Paper Things by Jennifer Richard Jacobson: The young narrator leaves the home of her guardian to live with her 19 year old brother, who is homeless. One of top books of the season, deals with serious issues of kids and homelessness. Grades 5+

Half A Man by Michael Morpurgo: In this semi-autobiographical book, a grandson, Michael, tells the story of his grandfather who was badly burned in WWII. Illustrated. Grades 5+

Vango by Timothee de Fombelle - A Bear Pond Books pick for the holiday season, good for teens and also adults, a romantic (in the classic sense) espionage escapade that one reviewer calls "steampunk without fantasy." The sequel will be published in August.

The Great War by Jim Kay: Authors were given items from WWI and wrote stories around them, a very useful classroom book. Grades 5+

Into the Grey by Celine Kiernan- Could be an adult book, a ghost story about a displaced family and a possessed twin. It's very scary. Mature teen readers.

Eden West by Pete Hautman- Dystopian fiction about an insular cult (we'll let you know when there's a book about a not-insular cult). If you liked Godless check this out. Mature teen readers.

Read Between the Lines by Jo Knowles: A story from multiple narrators, all involving the middle finger. Jo spoke at Bear Pond about writing this book last spring, see the article here. Grades 7+

Tight Rope Walkers by David Almond - A complicated coming of age story in the shipyards of northern England. For older teens, or even adults. Many starred reviews.

X by Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon - A novel about Malcolm X's youth by his daughter and co-writer Kekla Magoon who lives in Montpelier, what more could you want? Grades 9+

Sign of the Cat by Lynne Jonell - An "old fashioned romp" with secret princes and princesses, evil villains, and a scene where the villain eats cats that upset Carrie, but her kids (ages 9 and 11) thought she was overreacting. Grades 3-7

Moonpenny Island by Tricia Springstubb - An isolated island where first the narrator's closest companions move away and then a mysterious geologist arrives. Strong sense of place, gently addresses topics like abandonment and alcoholism. Grades 4+

Fuzzy Mud by Louis Sachar - Story of a scientist who creates a replacement for oil that comes with its own ecological disasters. Carrie didn't love it, thought it was a little pat, but suspects that Louis Sachar knows his middle grade audience spot on and they will like it. Good for kids who are ready for the content, but are not necessarily strong readers.

Question of Miracles by Elana Arnold - Iris' best friend dies in a car accident, after which she moves to a new state with her family and befriends Boris - an odd kid who should have died as a baby but "miraculously" recovered. His Aunt is now petitioning for full miracle status. Rebecca Stead-esque. Ages 9-12.

Cartwheeling In Thunderstorms by Katherine Rundell - By the author of Rooftoppers. A true wild child in South Africa is sent to British boarding school and has to make the best of the situation. Boys will like it if they can get past the girl-centric cover. Ages 9+

Like A River: A Civil War Novel by Kathy Canon Wiechman - A story of two young teens enlisted in the civil war - one a boy and one a girl pretending to be a boy. Told first from the boy perspective, then the girl. It's cheesy, but in an enjoyable way. It's not too graphic, so would work for younger kids. Strong author's notes and photos to go with the fiction story. Good to use in the classroom after learning about Civil War. Grade 6+

When My Heart Was Wicked by Tricia Stirling - For readers who like Raven Boys, Alice Hoffman. The narrator had an evil (both in a fairy tale evil sense and also abusive) mother who taught her wicked spells, then she was abandoned and learned good spells, then the mother reclaims her. It does have cutting. Otherwise, not much mature content. Grades 9+

Jackaby by William Ritter - Sold well at Bear Pond over the holidays. A young woman abandons society life in London and lands in colonial Massachusetts. She starts working with Jackaby, an eccentric detective with an interest in the occult. Funny, smart, will appeal to anyone who likes Sherlock. Ages 13+

Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir - Getting a lot of buzz, written by a journalist based on some of her experiences. It's a fantasy, Roman world. The protagonist couldn't save her brother when soldiers came to take him and so she joins the resistance movement. Meanwhile, the son of the woman who leads the martial rulers wants out of his life as a soldier. And you can probably guess they fall in love. It's violent but not graphic. Ages 14+

Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton- A sci-fi, fantasy book with a decent dose of realism that follows the intersecting stories of 3 teenagers in Scotland and Hong Kong. There will be a sequel. It's expected to be a top seller. Ages 14+

Return to Augie Hobble by Lane Smith - Illustrator Lane Smith's debut novel, very funny and endearing narrator Augie Hobble is working in an amusement park that's seen better days when weird things start happening. Fast moving. Pictures play an important part. Grades 3+

Unusual Poultry for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones - Narrator writes in letter form about her new life on a farm where she discovers, and cares for, magic chickens. It's not the strongest writing - a lot of set up without follow through (why are the chickens magic, for one thing) and pictures that don't add much, but kids probably won't care. Recommended because it's a more modern look at being a farm kid, not nostalgic, feels like it's 2015 not 1955. Lots of tie-in potential for classroom lessons. Grades 3-6

All the Answers by Kate Messner - Solid book with a straightforward plot, easily read and enjoyed by a wide range of reading levels. The simple set up is that the narrator finds a pencil that answers any question she writes. We had an earlier article with Kate Messner on using this book to teach writing, linked here. Grades 4 - 7

Listen, Slowly by Thanhha Lai- A Valley Girl-ish 13 year old is sent to Vietnam for the summer with her grandmother, who hasn't returned to her home country since the war. Fresh look at rural Vietnamese life, feels current and interesting. The writing has some glitches, it could have used another edit, kids who aren't strong readers or don't feel comfortable skipping over the dull parts might get hung up on that. Ages 11 - 14 (the publisher says younger, but we're not sure why)

Good Bye, Stranger by Rebecca Stead- Three friends enter Junior High School at different stages of development, particularly in their relations with boys, and navigate staying friends. That sounds cliched, but it doesn't read that way. Rebecca Stead continues to be a great writer with unique, fully fleshed out characters. This book lacks the mystery element of her earlier books and (to be honest) probably won't appeal to boys. Some reviewers have bumped this up to YA, but we're standing strong that it's 6th - 9th grade.

Glory O'Brien's History of the Future by A.S. King - Wish we could recommend this. A.S. King is wonderful, the starting concept is intriguing: the narrator and her best friend drink a powdered bat and can see all the ancestry (moving backward and forward) of other people. King doesn't spend much time on the interesting bits, though, and a lot of the plot isn't plausible (even for those of us happy to go along with the premise). Read other A.S. King books! Read her next book! We feel bad being lukewarm here.

We All Looked Up by Tommy Wallach - Oh it has the trifecta for teenage angst - teenagers, teenagers with "labels" (as the uninspiring publisher's blurb explains), an asteroid with a 66% chance of destroying all life on earth in 10 days. What makes this book great is the writing - a debut by a super smart, funny author who will undoubtedly have many a great book over the rest of his career. Yay. Ages 14+, probably would need to be a mature 14.

My Near Death Adventures! (99% True) by Alison DeCamp - Stanley's mother brings him to his uncle's logging camp in 1895 where he really wants to learn to "be a man" like he imagines his long lost father is, but he's scared of everything. Scrapbook entries heighten the level of amusement. Strong boy narrator, strong girl character opposite him, highly entertaining. Grades 4+

The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart - Debut book that will probably get a lot of attention. The set up is a boy who has cancer who runs away to climb Mt. Rainier with his dog, while his best friend who stays behind struggles with whether to tell the adults where he's gone. To an adult reader, it's pretty hokey. Kids probably won't mind. Grades 4 - 7

Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt - The story of a girl who doesn't realize she has dyslexia, just feels "stupid" and uses her other strengths to hide the fact that she can't read. A new teacher helps figure out what's going on. There aren't a lot of great books about dyslexia, so this should be an excellent addition. Grades 5+

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson - Two (if not more) thumbs up. A solid girl power story about growing apart from a best friend and joining roller derby. Will be compared with Raina Telgemeier. Grades 4-7

Chasing Secrets by Gennifer Choldenko - Intriguing historical fiction story about the bubonic plague in San Francisco - includes medical mystery, quarantines, social / economic / ethnic stratification, political cover ups, and vaccines. Ages 9-12

War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley- We love it. A lot. Another solid historical fiction, this time about a girl who has a club foot and has never been allowed out of the apartment by her abusive mother. She runs away when children are being evacuated from London to the countryside. Another book with a resiliency theme, not overwritten and not as bleak as it sounds. Ages 10+

Bone Gap by Laura Ruby- Summarized as "feminist magical realism", sort of a Persephone story set in an Indiana small town. For older readers, wouldn't recommend below 9th grade.

And, this just in. . . 

We didn't have a copy in time for the review, but local author Linda Urban has another chapter book en route to bookstore shelves near you (September 1st): Milo Speck Accidental Agent. There's a magic sock, there's a land of ogres, there's a plot against children everywhere, and giant turkeys. Basically, it's a funny and fun book for the 4th - 7th grade age range. Linda's previously-new book The Center of Everything is a Dorothy Canfield Fisher nominee. And Linda will be at the store doing a book signing on Saturday, May 2nd, at 11:00 am, for her other new book, a picture book: Little Red Henry.

Young Adult / Middle Grade Fiction Materials Review

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Friday's Materials Review. We had a great time and talked about a lot of books.

And now for the summary.

Here is the list of the books that were read / mentioned as part of this review - including both the books from Bear Pond staff and Candlewick (as personified by Deb):

• Fiction Materials Sorted by Author
• Fiction Materials Sorted by Title
• Dorothy Canfield Fisher Master List 2015/2016

And, at Morgan's suggestion, we've got a bonus list of popular early reader chapter books. These were a little too young for the ages we covered in the full review, but still highly recommended:

• Pinterest Board of Jane's Favorite Series (feel free to suggest others you love!)
• Google Docs Version of Series (+ Notable Single Books) 

And here is our one sentence (or so) quick takes on notable books:

• Short Version of the Fiction Book Review

We're keeping track of all our Materials Reviews in the Author-Educator Series speakers list, under Bear Pond Staff (ie. the end of the list). 

Have an area of publishing where you'd like to know more about the latest and greatest books for classroom / library use? Let us know. 

Books in Series - New and Upcoming

On Friday, April 10th, from 9:30 - 11:30 am, we're hosting our semiannual materials review. There will be books to look at, giveaways to enjoy, and a panel of Bear Pond staff, plus our rep from Candlewick Publishing, talking about particular Titles Of Note. The focus will be on middle grade and YA fiction. We know from our fall review that there is not enough time for everything everyone wants to say. . . so here is another preparatory blog post to start the conversation. 

One request we received from our last materials review was to give a quick run down of popular series about to have another installment that we expect will sell well in the store (and, presumably, lend well in school libraries). Okay. We will and also highlight a short list here:

Seeker	Dayton, Arwen Elys	Delacorte	2/10/2015	YA
Island of Dr. Libris	Grabenstein, Chris	Random House	3/24/2015	MG
The Golden Specific	Grove, S.E.	Viking	7/14/2015	MG
The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate	Kelly, Jacqueline	Henry Holt	7/7/2015	MG
Clariel	Nix, Garth	Harper Collins	10/14/2015	MG
Completely Clementine	Pennypacker, Sara	Disney-Hyperion	3/3/2015	MG
Magnus Chase & Gods of Asgard: Sword of Summer	Riordan, Rick	Disney-Hyperion	10/6/2015	MG
Guys Read: Terrifying Tales	Scieszka, Jon	Harper Collins	9/1/2015	MG
Gone Crazy in Alabama	Williams-Garcia, Rita	Harper Collins	4/21/2015	MG

These are all recommended reading.

Here's the missing book: Return to Augie Hobble by Lane Smith, coming out this May. It's not listed in any of our booksellers materials as the first in a series, but surely that's an oversight. As Smith himself said in a Publisher's Weekly interview:

“This book doesn’t end on a cliffhanger; it works as just one book, but it can continue and I would love to do another one.”

Presumably he's already working on it.

Lane Smith may not be established as a middle grade fiction writer yet, but he's already well-known for his picture books like Kid Sheriff and the Terrible Toads, Lulu and the Brontosaurus, and It's A Book (for which this worth-a-watch video made the social media rounds a few years ago). Now he has bumped his spirit and style into an older reading group without any hiccups - at least, not ones apparent in the final book.

Return to Augie Hobble is an illustrated middle grade novel. It's about a kid, working at his family's struggling amusement park, failing his creative arts project, and trying to explain weirdness in the world around him. It's one of those books that's hard to explain because it moves fast and if you give away a plot point, it ruins the magic. So, don't read other reviews, other reviewers might not be so careful. Just buy the book.

Without any plot-like discussions, two noteworthy things about the book:

1.) The illustrations are whimsical, funny, and integral to the plot of the book, not just tacked on as a nod to the author's picture book history (in case you worried). 

2.) This kid Augie may be the most endearing narrator ever. He's likable in the way Olivia of the Olivia picture book series is - you slap your forehead, you think "Oh boy, kid, what are you doing?" and you ultimately wouldn't want him to change. If he were real, you'd describe Augie as A Character (in this context, he's a character and A Character).

Lane Smith is being a little coy when he says Return to Augie Hobble doesn't end in a cliff hanger - it doesn't, it stands on its own, but it's obviously also assembling the team for a longer series. So go ahead and look for Book #2 sometime in the near future.

Want a tour of noteworthy new books in middle grade and young adult fiction? Join us Friday, April 10th at 9:30 am in the Children's Room. Free, with snacks and coffee. 

Historical Fiction Titles

On Friday, April 10th, from 9:30 - 11:30 am, we're hosting a materials review. There will be books to look at, giveaways to enjoy, and a panel of Bear Pond staff, plus our rep from Candlewick Publishing, talking about particular Titles Of Note. The focus will be on middle grade and YA fiction. We know from our fall review that there is not enough time for everything everyone wants to say. . . so here is another preparatory blog post to start the conversation. 

Last week Jane wrote about some of the considerations behind choosing the Dorothy Canfield Fisher list, including finding a balance of different types of books. The same is true for our materials review. When Jane read the Top 10 Historical Fiction Titles post on Nerdy Book Club recently, it reminded her of how many great historical fiction titles are not going to fit into our review session. To remedy that, here is a round up of Historical Fiction links:

• Top 10 Pulse Pounding, Nail Biting Historical Fiction Titles from the Nerdy Book Club blog
• Epic Reads' YA Historical Fiction List - arranged as a timeline (which makes sense when you think about)
• A list of lists: librarybooklists.org compiles libraries' book lists for different topics. Here is their list of lists for YA Historical Fiction and here is one for Children's Historical Fiction.
• The final installment of Dorothy's List for this year features Prisoner 88, Leah Pileggi's account of a ten year-old prisoner in the Idaho territory in 1885. Historical fiction on the 2015/2016 DCF list:
• The Badger Knight 
• Running Out of Night 
• Actual & Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher 
• Madman of Piney Woods.
• Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan on the Classroom Bookshelf Blog - A combination of fairy tale and history tells stories of children in different eras connected by music. A popular book that's on the watch list for possible awards in 2015. Full disclosure: Helen was assigned to read this book for the Materials Review and is just not getting through it. You should probably read this other blogger's post instead of waiting for it to be covered Friday.
• Remember in 2013 when Natalie Kinsey Warnock came to the store to talk about historical fiction? (If you don't, it was great and here's a write up). CLiF recently posted an article about her Storykeepers project that you can read here. 

Dorothy Canfield Fisher List & Materials Review on April 10th

We're back for another Materials Review next Friday (April 10th) from 9:30 am - 11:30 am. This time, we're focusing on middle grade and young adult fiction.

This materials review in some ways replaces our Dorothy Canfield Fisher list review (see notes on last year's event here). Jane, who was on this year's nominating committee, will do a quick update on what's happening in the DCF world then we'll move on to new titles. If you're worried you won't get enough DCF (and really, it's a common worry) here are some resources:

• The 2015/2016 Master List with short summaries.

• Some 2015/2016 DCF listed books that have won national recognition this year:
• The Crossover by Kwame Alexander won the Newbery Medal, leading to no shortage of coverage, but did you catch this ESPN Interview with Kwame Alexander?
• "Why Everyone Should Read this Graphic Memoir" - Washington Post on El Deafo, with link to Cece Bell on the Let's Get Busy podcast. El Deafo was a Newbery Award finalist
• Port Chicago 50 by Steve Sheinkin on The Classroom Bookshelf blog - this book was a finalist for the National Book Award.

• Two of the authors on this year's list are graduates of the Vermont College of Fine Arts (our apologies if we missed any others, please tell us):
• Julie Berry, The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place
• Robin Herrera, Hope Is a Ferris Wheel 

• Some authors provide a lot of additional information to go with their books online, like:
• Jordan Romero, his blog is full of mountaineering resources
• Lynne Rae Perkins has a blog and site of extras, largely related to her illustrations
• Laura Marx Fitzgerald provides complementary resources for her novel (including separating the facts from the fictional elements)

• Dorothy's List series on Vermont Public Radio, students discuss selected books on the DCF list (2015-2016 segments will start after May)

• From 2014 - you can see Tanya Lee Stone and Linda Urban speaking at the 2014 DCF conference here.

We will provide DCF list order forms at the April 10th review, or e-mail jane@bearpondbooks if you'd like to order from us. We'll be posting some more middle grade and young adult book materials over the next two weeks. In the meantime, mark your calendars for next Friday's materials review!

Post-Review Update: At the Materials Review we had a request to identify DCF books on the new list well-suited to younger readers, including those interested in DCF but not yet in a voting grade. Here's the list:

• Misadventures of the Family Fletcher by Dana Alison Levy - A "day in the life" snapshot of three boys, plus their Dads, in the style of the Penderwicks books.
• El Deafo  by CeCe Bell- Graphic novel memoir recognized by the Newbery Committee this year.
• 14th Goldfish by Jennifer Holm - A science caper after the narrator's grandfather reverses aging and becomes a teenager. Possible pairing with Tuck Everlasting.
• Actual and Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher by Jessica Lawson - The story of Becky Thatcher loosely based on Mark Twain's books, a good teaching book for origin stories.
• Seven Stories Up by Laurel Snyder - A bit of time travel helps the narrator understand her grandmother.
• Nuts to You by Lynne Rae Perkins- A fun read aloud in the world of squirrels, possible ecology tie-in for classroom.

Another Look at Fairy Tales

Yeah, we'll start this post by typing the words: Frozen Two.

Also, Cinderella.

Upcoming movie re-tellings of very old fairy tales are part of the context that's inspired authors to hold forth on the relevance (or not) of fairy tales today. For example, Alan Cummings last week in the Globe and Mail "Great Stories, Like Cinderella, Need to Be Rebooted"and recently on NPR "A Girl, A Shoe, A Prince: The Endlessly Evolving Cinderella". The Guardian noted this fall that retelling fairy tales for different audiences is "very much in vogue".

Of course, it's not only the world of cinema and in vogue retellings that prompts us to ponder these stories that have lasted for generations. The essay "Strange Birds" by Kelly Barnhill, posted on Nerdy Book Club, discusses how fairy tales formed her as a writer and reader. The Scottish Book Trust, a source of many interesting resources, posted these 5 Reasons Why Fairy Tales Are Good for Children over the summer. Scholastic has brought together contributions from multiple authors in their Myths, Folktales and Fairy Tales project for educators.

Last spring local librarian Meg Allison gave us a tour of France, Italy, and Fairy Tales in her workshop Why Fairy Tales Still Matter. Check out this Pinterest Board of fairy tale books that we made to go with the workshop. The books are also below (they link through to a full page that's easier to read).

We'll keep our eyes open for more fairy tale discussions.

Review of "The Organic Artist"

I admit that when I first picked up a copy of Nick Neddo's The Organic Artist and it fell open to the page where he lays goat hairs into paintbrush formation with a pair of tweezers I thought "You have got to be kidding me" (the revelation that a painting not included in the book is a portrait of a cat rendered by a cat whisker brush didn't help the cause).

To be fair, I started on a particularly unlucky page where even the uber-patient author warns "this is tedious." The book had plenty of other options, grinding rocks for mineral-based paints, making drawing charcoal (that I can do!). . . even the papermaking, while delicate, involves enough maceration action for the fibers to keep me entertained. The books gives instructions for dozens of projects to turn natural materials into art supplies.

Here is where I, and other fans, caught onto the spirit of The Organic Artist: we remember being kids, playing outside, with hours to fill and a fascination with making pictures from what we found around us. It's an intersection of the natural world and our early ability to craft something from that world.

I'd forgotten about playing with gathered material to make images until Nick reminded me. I didn't think of it as budding artistry so much as being really bored. Now that it's clicked, I can remember all sorts of games: making paper from grass clippings, taking sharp rocks from the driveway to flat rocks on our stonewall to scratch out lines, taking charcoal from campfires to draw on the trunks of birches, a fascination with plants that could dye my hands different colors (we had a black walnut tree - that was good for a lot of staining), acorn caps laid out in patterns, even just making black raspberry "stamps" on the back of my hands. Starting from a similar instinct, Nick went on to create detailed art from carefully designed tools. From black raspberry stains he's advanced all the way to having his own exhibit at the Vermont Arts Council.

An image from the book, showing different inks made from common plants

Nick came to Bear Pond Books on February 6th as part of the Montpelier Art Walk. Fans of every age came to look at his array of homemade pens, brushes, crayons, ink rollers, ink pots, and inks to go in them. They also got to see Nick working on a picture of staghorn sumac drawn with sumac ink and a pen made with a sumac twig. The infamous cat drawing was there. And you can see other examples of Nick's work at his website www.nickneddo.com

Nick says that he sees how older children quickly lose the creative instinct to make art from the natural materials surrounding them. Perhaps because they get frustrated when their pictures don't look the way they imagine, or maybe because they start to sift out into "artsy" kids and "outdoors" kids - one group hunts deer, the other draws them. One goal of the book, and classes he teaches, is to get kids who are interested in art also interested in nature, and kids interested in exploring nature interested in art . . . and for the ones already interested in both, so much the better. 

The Organic Artist taps into an impulse to blend nature and art that a lot of us have forgotten was there to begin with. It's an intriguing source of inspiration for art classes, history classes, and environmental studies. Nick may also be expanding his workshop offerings for folks who want instruction beyond the book. Learn more at www.nickneddo.com.

(Review by Helen)

Top 10 Books for Making Lunch

We're excited that the Nerdy Book Club featured a Top 10 List that was a joint collaboration with Helen & Jane this past Saturday:

Top 10 Books for Making Lunch

This post is based on our 2013 November Educators event for Agriculture in the Classroom Month, when we were joined by Abbie Nelson (of VT-FEED) and Gail Gibbons (picture book author). You can read an article on their workshop here.

The Nerdy Book Club offers a new post every day on the topic of books for children and young adults. It's maintained, and contributed to, by people who love reading! (That sentence felt like it needed an exclamation point, for no particular reason). Today they turned three and have a new post about the experience of the last three years that's a good introduction to the site if you've never visited before.

We'd like to point out that local author Linda Urban's book Hound Dog True helped inspire the creation of the Nerdy Book Club blog. The blog's founders thought that Linda's book, like many books they personally recommended to readers, didn't receive the recognition they deserved . . . so they set up a place to talk about those books. They also award the Nerdies every year to favorite books. And it's time now to nominate books for the next Nerdies. The ballot is open until December 20th if you have titles you'd like to nominate!