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Posts from July 2015

Links I Shared on Twitter this Week: July 31

TwitterLinksHere are highlights from the links that I shared on Twitter this week @JensBookPage. Topics this week include the Amelia Elizabeth Walden award, book lists, growing bookworms, World Read Aloud Day, Read Where You Are, book donation, Legos, summer learning loss, KidLitCon, time management, schools, libraries, reading, publishing, bookstores, and parenting. 

Book Lists and Awards

Congratulations to @AS_King - 2015 Amelia Elizabeth Walden award winner for GLORY O'BRIEN'S HISTORY OF THE FUTURE from @lbkids 

Everybody into the pool! Two Picture Books about Swimming in Swimming Pools @randomlyreading http://ow.ly/Q9rYj 

Suggestions from @kateywrites | #RaisingReaders Monday: 5 Fantastic Picture Books to Give College-Bound Kids http://ow.ly/Q9pXs 

Picture books that draw the line against pink stereotypes of girls | @GuardianBooks http://ow.ly/QiVoM  #kidlit

Nice categorized picture book list by @lisagkropp @sljournal | A #Diverse #BookList for the Under-Five Set http://ow.ly/QiVyf 

New #BookList from @mrskatiefitz | Story Time Secrets: 10 Picture Books About Ducks & Geese http://ow.ly/Qf2Ye 

Downloadable #BookList compiled by @ImaginationSoup | The 50 Best Books for 5- and 6-Year-Olds @ReadBrightly http://ow.ly/QfCYU 

New #BookList from @CBCBook #WeNeedDiverseBooks | 7 Books About Growing Up Asian-American I Wish I’d Had As a Kid http://ow.ly/Qf4qi 

Best Children's Books of the Year So Far according to @Amazon editors, lists by age range http://ow.ly/Qf3xc  via @100scopenotes #kidlit 

A selection of books that are about, in, or around Brooklyn | We got your Brooklyn #booklist right here @HornBook http://ow.ly/Qf2yK 

Another #BookList from @TesseractViews A Tuesday Ten: Speculative #GraphicNovels for 2015 http://ow.ly/QcBQV 

Stacked: Prima Ballerinas: A #YALit Reading List from @catagator http://ow.ly/Qi3fH  #BookList

eBooks and Apps 

From @Kschwart @MindShiftKQED | Teacher Recommended: 50 Favorite Classroom Apps http://ow.ly/Qi0wl 

Events + Programs

LitworldWRAD15logo-webRT @MrsPStorytime: It's on the calendar! "@MrSchuReads: Save the Date! February 24, 2016 is World Read Aloud Day! http://litworld.org/wrad/  #ReadingSummit

RT @NCFL: Open a book, turn on your eReader & #ReadWhereYouAre w a loved one! Join our day of action → http://www.ed.gov/readwhereyouare  http://thndr.it/1LInhyD 

Update to story on sending boy books w/ mailing info Boy Who Couldn’t Afford Books Asks Mailman For Junk Mail To Read http://ow.ly/QeVMZ 

I love programs like this: Washington D.C. Vending Machines Free Books for Kids by @dianapearl_ @people http://ow.ly/Q3dxv 

An interesting event for aspiring picture book writers (Oct. 3) | @PictureBkSummit | Picture Book Summit 2015 http://ow.ly/Qj1p8 

Growing Bookworms

From audiobooks to the library to family movie night: 9 Family #Literacy Activities from @growingbbb http://ow.ly/Q3hh5 

Legos are a huge hit in my house, too: 26 Lego Activities that Build Reading and Writing Skills @growingbbb http://ow.ly/QcBi1  

Teachers: "If we are going to instill a love for reading in our students, we have to" ... Read for Fun http://ow.ly/Q9rMS 

Bedtime Stories: The Key to a Better Night’s Sleep for Both Kids and Parents | @ReadBrightly http://ow.ly/QfDGr 

Great new resource from @cybils category chair @mrskatiefitz Review Round-Up: Books for Beginning Readers, July 2015 http://ow.ly/Qi2cj 

Adventures in #Literacy Land: Five Reasons Poor Children Suffer More from Summer Learning Loss http://ow.ly/Q9pBp 

"Choice is critical" | Avoiding the Summer Slide: Pain or Pleasure by @vrkimmel @nerdybookclub http://ow.ly/Q3hRo 

Kidlitosphere

2015-KidLitConLogoSquareHey there #kidlit + #YALit bloggers. Have YOU registered for #KidLitCon 2015? Early registration discount ends 8/15 http://ow.ly/QbV5E 

Friday night at #KidLitCon, we’ll be hosting a birthday party for @Cybils | Come to @KidLitCon - We Have Cake! http://ow.ly/Q8J3A 

Kudos to our first bowling lane sponsor for the @Cybils 10th birthday party at #KidLitCon | Thanks @ChronicleKids http://ow.ly/Qf1iC  

For #KidLitCon attendees who can stay an extra day, we’re planning a tour for Sunday, October 11: Tour Baltimore http://ow.ly/Qi18i 

For a laugh: Children’s Lit Commish: All New Picture Books Must Be Illustrated With Spirograph — @100scopenotes http://ow.ly/Q9q8j 

Miscellaneous

Top Ten Lessons Elephant & Piggie Have Taught Us by Jen Terry & Jacquie Eckert @NerdyBookClub http://ow.ly/Q9shb  @The_Pigeon

Rather than say, "I don't have time," say, "This isn't a priority" Time Management Tuesday: What's My Priority Today? http://ow.ly/Qc3PL 

Some valid points here (via @fairrosa ): No, It’s Not Your Opinion. You’re Just Wrong @jefrouner http://ow.ly/Q3cmN 

On Reading, Writing, Blogging, and Publishing

Nice to see @wimpykid 's new store is doing well ‘Wimpy Kid’ buys author Jeff Kinney his dream bookstore @BostonGlobe http://ow.ly/QcFg1 

Strong releases plus #CommonCore | Is Children's Nonfiction Having Its Moment? asks Judith Rosen @PublishersWkly http://ow.ly/QcExW  

Nice @FastCompany article about benefits of reading more | How Changing Your Reading Habits Can Transform Your Health http://ow.ly/Qc17G 

With challenge for @100scopenotes ? Finding the Funny: The Newbery Award + Various Works of Hilarity — @fuseeight http://ow.ly/Q9qHu 

Writing Picture Books. Or Not. Interesting tidbits gleaned by @gail_gauthier from article at @katmhawthorne http://ow.ly/Q9rhz 

Nine Blogs I Visit For Book Recommendations (For Me) from Amy @SunlitPages Where do you go for recs beyond #kidlit ? http://ow.ly/Q3gsg 

Parenting

Some good general advice in: 6 Things I Wish I Had Never Told My Children | @ravishlydotcom @HuffPostParents http://ow.ly/QeYf3  

Schools and Libraries

RT @RosaIsiah: Why a 'Growth Mindset' Won't Work. Could it be the adults? Link via @educationweek great article @PeterMDeWitt ! #WeLeadEd

When Students Design Their School: If You Give a Kid a LEGO, He's Going to Ask For... http://ow.ly/Q3cey  @KleinErin

All Those Techies Who Predicted the Demise of the Public Library Were Wrong | @Alternet http://ow.ly/Q3dL5  via @tashrow

From a teacher: Why I Will NOT Pick My Students' Books For Them Anymore http://ow.ly/Qi3Js  #SummerReading

Today’s Exhausted Superkids: @FrankBruni in @NYTimes responds to new book "Overloaded and Underprepared" about teens http://ow.ly/QhZF5 

© 2015 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook


Piper Green and the Fairy Tree: Books 1 and 2: Ellen Potter

Books: Piper Green and the Fairy Tree and Piper Green and the Fairy Tree: Too Much Good Luck 
Author: Ellen Potter
Illustrator: Qin Leng
Pages: 112 / 128
Age Range: 7-9

Piper Green and the Fairy Tree is the first book in a fun new illustrated early chapter book series written by Ellen Potter and illustrated by Qin Leng. Piper is a second grader who lives on tiny Peek-a-Boo Island, which is apparently off the coast of Maine. Because there are only eight K-8 kids on Peek-a-Boo island, Piper rides a lobster boat every day to attend school on the slightly larger Mink Island. She also has a Fairy Tree in her front yard. 

Piper reminds me quite a lot of Clementine. She gets funny ideas in her head, and doesn't hesitate to speak her mind. Her enthusiasms sometimes get her into trouble. Her trials in the series opener include her sadness over the departure of her older brother, who has gone to live on the mainland to attend high school, and her adjustment to having a new, slightly crabby, teacher. But the Fairy Tree, discovered via the guidance of a quirky elderly neighbor, offers a significant consolation. 

Here are a couple of snippets, to give you a feel for Piper's voice:

"I tried not to look over at the empty chair. It's the chair that Erik usually sits in. But my eyes have a mind of their own. They peeked.

It was the saddest-looking empty chair I had ever seen." (Page 10)

And:

"Leo (Piper's little brother) tells everyone that he is married. His wife is named Michelle and she is a piece of paper. Their children are three yellow Post-it notes that he stuck on Michelle." (Page 16)

Qin Leng's black and white illustrations show Piper as tow-headed and a bit dirty, with (at least at times) a stubborn set to her posture. There are lovely maps of the islands at the front of the book, sure to fascinate young readers. 

I think that the romance of Piper's island life, combined with the magic of the Fairy Tree, make Piper Green and the Fairy Tree highly kid-friendly. There are also delicious baked goods, adorable kittens, and comfortable friendships. As a special bonus for me, a New England transplant, there are people who say "wicked" (meaning "excellent"). (All that is missing is references to watching the Red Sox. Perhaps in later books...)

Book 2, Piper Green and the Fairy Tree: Too Much Luck picks up shortly after Book 1. Piper thinks that she is having a great day when she has not one, two, or three but FOUR pieces of good luck. Unfortunately, her friend Jacob tells her that according to his dad, "four lucky things is TOO MUCH good luck. And too much good luck equals bad luck." 

New trials include the finding of only one earring (vs. a pair) in the Fairy Tree, and, more importantly, the arrival of a new student who is allergic to Piper's beloved class pet. Piper's attempt to scare the new student away does not go well, but it all turns out ok in the end. As a parent, I like that all of Piper's authority figures come down hard on her - reasonable punishment and profuse apologies are a given.

Here's my favorite quote from Book 2:

""Ruby, Ruby! Guess what?" I ran right up to her and did a binky. A binky is this thing that Nacho does when he's happy. Nacho is our class bunny and he is the sweetest, most adorable bunny you have ever seen in your life. When he does a binky, he pops right up in the air and kicks out his hind legs. Ruby and I started doing binkies, too, whenever we're happy. It makes you look like a total madman, but we don't care." (Page 28-29)

Side bonus_ a cheerful illustration of Piper and Ruby doing binkies, while a younger boy hides under the slide, watching. Incidentally, small islands off the coast of Maine are not likely to be bastions of diversity, but as another small bonus, Leng has rendered Ruby Asian-American. 

I think that the Piper Green series is a promising addition to the ranks of early chapter books. Librarians serving new readers will definitely want to take a look at these. The setting is inherently interesting, and there's just the tiniest hint of magic to add an extra thrill. Piper is not a very "girly" girl, and I see no reason why boys wouldn't enjoy this series just as much as girls do. There are boats, and smelly fish, donuts, and class pets. What's not to love? Recommended for newly independent readers, age 7 to 9. 

Publisher: Yearling Books (Knopf Books for Young Readers) (@RandomHouseKids)  
Publication Date: August 4, 2015
Source of Book: Review copies from the publisher

© 2015 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through affiliate links (including linked book covers) may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).


Growing Bookworms Newsletter: July 29

JRBPlogo-smallToday, I will be sending out a new issue of the Growing Bookworms email newsletter. (If you would like to subscribe, you can find a sign-up form here.) The Growing Bookworms newsletter contains content from my blog focused on children's and young adult books and raising readers. I usually send the newsletter out every two weeks.

Newsletter Update: In this issue I have four book reviews (picture book and YA). I also have two posts with literacy and reading links that I shared on Twitter recently, and one post about a new literacy milestone for my daughter (giving books to others as gifts).

Reading Update: In the past two weeks I finished two middle grade titles and one adult title. I read/listened to:

  • Linda Urban: Milo Speck, Accidental Agent. HMH Kids. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed July 19, 2015. Review to come, closer to publication.
  • Annie Barrows: Magic in the Mix. Bloomsbury USA Children's Books. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed July 28, 2015. Library copy. Review to come. 
  • Tana French: In the Woods. Penguin Books. Adult Mystery. Completed July 24, 2015, on MP3. This was a re-listen, after about 7 years, after having more recently listened to the others in the series. It held my attention despite my remembering the ending. 

I'm listening to Land of Careful Shadows by Suzanne Chazin, reading Loyalty by Ingrid Thoft on my Kindle, and reading Piper Green and the Fairy Tree by Ellen Potter in print. Despite the appeal of summer reading in concept, I don't seem to be prioritizing reading as much as usual. And when I do make the time, I have difficulty staying awake. So my reading totals have been a bit lower than I would like. [For some thoughts on admitting that you aren't prioritizing vs. just saying that you don't have time, see this post by Gail Gauthier.]

The books my husband and I have been reading to our daughter can be found here. She was sick for a week or so with a virus. She's fine now, but for the first few days, all she wanted to do was have someone read to her. Her babysitter basically read to her all day -- too many books for me to even document. They read mostly picture books, but also some Arthur chapter books and a couple of Critter Club books. My daughter recently declared her favorite book to be A Fine Dessert by Emily Jenkins and Sophie Blackall

What are you and your family reading these days? Thanks for reading the newsletter, and for growing bookworms. 

© 2015 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook


Rico the Brave Sock Monkey: Fiona Rempt & Noelle Smit

Book: Rico the Brave Sock Monkey
Author: Fiona Rempt
Illustrator: Noelle Smit
Pages: 24
Age Range: 2-5

Rico the Brave Sock Monkey is a lovely Little Golden Book by Fiona Rempt and Noelle Smit. It was originally published in Amsterdam in 2009, and brought to the US in 2013 by Golden Books. It's the story of a stuffed sock monkey who becomes the best friend of a brown-eyed boy. Rico is brave through various adventures (being shipped to the toy store, brought home to the boy, etc.), but does become scared when the boy, growing up, puts him on a shelf in a closet. There is a happy ending for Rico, however, and he ends up "the happiest sock monkey in the world, and ... afraid of almost nothing."

Rico the Sock Monkey is a straightforward story, told from the third person perspective of Rico in moderate detail. Like this:

"One day in a faraway toy factory, a sock monkey was born.

As he was being stuffed and s stitched
loud noises crashed around him, and
machines swung and rocked him back
and forth. The factory looked like a 
haunted house, but the little sock
monkey was not afraid."

Young readers will feel for Rico when he is placed in the dark closet, and rejoice when he comes out again. Rico is interested in everything around him, and, like all toys in children's book, just wants to be loved. Rico the Sock Monkey is reminiscent of the movie Toy Story 3, with a similar theme, but is, of course, a quieter story. 

Smit's illustrations add to the warm feel of the book. They have that flat, Gold Book look. and an old-fashioned feel despite the fact that the book is fairly recent. The scene in which Rico is hugged by the boy for the first time would make anyone smile, as will Rico's happy scene at the end of the book. 

Rico the Sock Monkey is a quiet little book that celebrates the bond between child and toy, from the perspective of an appealing little toy sock monkey. I hope that this book, like Rico, finds its way into homes where children will love it. I know I do. 

Publisher: Little Golden Books (@RandomHouseKids
Publication Date: August 6, 2013
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

© 2015 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. This site is an Amazon and iBooks affiliate, and purchases made through affiliate links (including linked book covers) may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).


Literacy Milestone: Giving Books As Gifts

LiteracyMilestoneAMy daughter has been receiving books as gifts for her whole life, of course. And she has occasionally suggested books as a birthday gift to one of her friends. But this morning she wrapped up two books, separately, and gave them to me as presents. I believe that this is the first time she's given a book as a gift, completely on her own. Of course they were books from her own bookshelves, but still, the thought was there. And she knew that books are my favorite things to receive as gifts. 

Ironically, the first package contained a book that I wrote about in an early post called: A Tip for Growing Bookworms: Avoid Bookshaming (in which I had criticized a book that my daughter liked, and then felt badly about it: Barbie: My Fabulous Friends). Now, 18 months later, she admitted that she was giving this one to me because she finds the story (or lack thereof) a bit boring. So, not the most selfless of gifts. 

But the second package was a different story. She enlisted my husband's help to find a particular title from her many shelves. And what she came up with was a book called Just Like Mama, by Leslea Newman and Julia Gorton. She taped her own label onto the outside of the package, and shyly pointed out that the mama on the cover has brown hair like me, and the daughter has lighter hair, like her. She was very pleased with herself. 

I'm pretty sure that my daughter was motivated at least in part by a wish to practice her gift-wrapping skills (there was pink wrapping paper with cupcakes on it involved). But she understands that books make fine gifts, and that books are something that I value. And I think she even learned, between package 1 and package 2, something about how much better it feels to give a more thoughtful gift than otherwise. I'd say the whole exchange was well worth getting a late start on my exercise today.  

Wishing you all a book-filled, present-filled weekend. 

© 2015 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook.  


Links I Shared on Twitter this Week: July 24

TwitterLinksHere are highlights from the links that I shared on Twitter this week @JensBookPage. Topics this week include book lists, gender, fantasy, realistic fiction, ebooks, apps, literacy programs, growing bookworms, reading, publishing, authors, kidlitcon, parenting, and teaching. 

Book Lists

Fun new #BookList from @mrskatiefitz Story Time Secrets: 10 Picture Books About Alligators and Crocodiles http://ow.ly/PXbjL  

Picture Books to get young kids read for the start of school by Meghan Cox Gurdon @WSJ Back to the Blackboard http://ow.ly/PMZJK 

New #BookList @ReadBrightly 8 Books That Teach Kids About the Fluidity of Gender and the Importance of Acceptance http://ow.ly/PKUsJ 

Favorite Middle Grade Realistic Fiction Heroines of @brandymuses #kidlit http://ow.ly/PKX1j 

Top Ten Sci-Fi/Fantasy Villains by @bkuhl2you @NerdyBookClub http://ow.ly/PN031  #YALit #kidlit

Book Nut: 11 #QuietYA Books Worth Checking Out http://ow.ly/PRAZy 

eBooks, Apps, and Social Media

Warren Buckleitner Curates a Starter Set of Apps for kids @sljournal http://ow.ly/PUxhc  

Interesting paradox | Netflix-Like Book Services Would Be Happy if You Read Less | http://ow.ly/PKWzK  @wired via @tashrow

How Can We More Effectively Manage Multiple Social Media Networks? asks @cathymere http://ow.ly/Q0jUi 

Events + Programs

Texas Children’s ‘Read to Me!’ March Celebrates 24th Year | @sljournal http://ow.ly/PUxuR  

Growing Bookworms

A parent/tween virtual book club sounds to me like a good idea for growing bookworms. Details: http://ow.ly/PRyu3  via @StaceyLoscalzo

From teacher @PernilleRipp 6 Simple Ideas to Get Kids to Read (e.g. Public Display of Book Affection) http://ow.ly/PXrvu 

First on list: "Read to your child" #Literacy & Numeracy activities to prepare your child for school from @cjfriess http://ow.ly/PXkLE  

"I love reading ... because my mom read to me all of the time when I was a kid." Growing Up Gifted by @gibookgal http://ow.ly/PRyOk 

Delightful eye candy here for bookworm-growing parents: Favorite Reading Nooks for Kids @growingbbb http://ow.ly/PKXzf 

Kidlitosphere

Two more good reasons to plan to attend @KidLitCon | Get graphical at #KidLitCon with TWO free books from Papercutz! http://ow.ly/PRLEK  

On Reading, Writing, Blogging, and Publishing

Food for thought for #kidlit fans @FuseEight Second Novels We Wish We Could Read http://ow.ly/PXbWN  

Press Release Fun @FuseEight | @TeachingBooks Author Name Pronunciation Guide Reaches 2,000 Audio Clips http://ow.ly/PU175 

Interesting thoughts on Private Readers (who don't care to discuss their books) from @SevenImp @KirkusReviews http://ow.ly/PRAmh 

Books "that seek to challenge young minds and the status quo" | The Wildest Children’s Books of 2015 — @100scopenotes http://ow.ly/PU1BC 

Fat Phobia and Overcoming Fat Stereotypes in #YALit by @catagator @bookriot http://ow.ly/PKYEh 

Thoughts from @catagator at Stacked On Becoming A Re-Reader http://ow.ly/Q0kJi 

Parenting

Control our own devotion to media. Parenting advice from @TrevorHCairney 9 Tips for Managing Children's Media Time http://ow.ly/PU0Nb  

Schools and Libraries

Five Truths of Reading from @PernilleRipp | I like: "We must be reading to read. Not for rewards, not for points" http://ow.ly/PRAAo  

What Can Librarians Do to Support Student Literacy? @ReadingShanahan has ideas, including for "encouraging reading" http://ow.ly/Q0lUf 

© 2015 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook


My Teacher Is a Monster! (No, I Am Not.): Peter Brown

Book: My Teacher Is a Monster! (No, I Am Not.)
Author: Peter Brown
Pages: 40
Age Range: 4-8

My Teacher Is A Monster! (No, I Am Not.) by Peter Brown is about how we may perceive others when we don't understand them (and how our perceptions can change with understanding). Bobby, the boy in the book, see his teacher, Ms. Kirby, as a monster. She roars and stomps around and generally impinges on his enjoyment of school. But when he runs into Ms. Kirby outside of school, a series of quiet adventures brings the two closer together. Gradually, Ms. Kirby starts to look less like a monster, and more like a real person. 

The text in My Teacher Is a Monster is brief and to the point, with a slight nod towards the dramatic (as one would expect from a boy who sees his teacher as a monster). Like this:

"There was an awkward silence.
And then a gust of wind changed everything."

When I read this aloud, I put a lot of emphasis on "everything."

A fair bit of the story is told in the form of stilted yet humorous dialog between Bobby and Ms. Kirby. For example:

(Bobby, sitting next to Ms. Kirby on a park bench, staring straight ahead, raises his hand.)

"Robert, you don't need to raise your hand out here."

(Bobby lowers his hand.)

"What were you going to say?" (asks Ms. Kirby)

"I was going to say "Hello, Ms. Kirby."

"Hello, Robert."

The illustrations for this entire exchange (shown as small panels on a single page) are hilarious, with a wide-eyed Bobby, hair sticking straight up, looking tiny besides the grouchy, green monster. The illustrations ("made with India ink, watercolor, gouache, and pencil on paper, then digitally composited and colored") are vintage Peter Brown, with a similar color scheme to those in the The Curious Garden, and similar backgrounds to those of Mr. Tiger Goes Wild. There's a lovely illustration of the path of "the single greatest paper airplane flight in history" that had my daughter tracing her finger along the looping dotted line. 

My Teacher Is a Monster! (No, I Am Not.) would make a wonderful classroom read-aloud for first or second graders. It's funny, but with a point, and with particular relevance to the school-going audience. The message about how we perceive people is relatively subtle (and there's some backsliding at the end of the book, to keep things light). Recommended for home, school, or library use. 

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (@LBKids) 
Publication Date: July 1, 2014
Source of Book: Personal copy, purchased for Round 1 Cybils consideration in Fiction Picture Books. All opinions are my own. 

© 2015 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. This site is an Amazon and iBooks affiliate, and purchases made through affiliate links (including linked book covers) may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).


Damage Done: Amanda Panitch

Book: Damage Done
Author: Amanda Panitch
Pages: 304
Age Range: 14 and up

Damage Done is a brand new young adult thriller by Amanda Panitch. It's told from the first person viewpoint of Lucy Black, who used to be known as Julia Vann. Julia's life changed forever when her twin brother Ryan killed 11 people in their school's band room. Due to intense media scrutiny (and very unhappy neighbors), Julia and her parents changed their names and moved from northern to southern California. As Lucy, Julia is managing pretty well, with a best friend and a possible love interest. But everything threatens to unravel when a figure from her past appears outside of her new high school. Danger ensues.

Damage Done is both fascinating and disturbing. I couldn't put it down, reading it over a day or so, and staying up late to finish (something I hardly ever do these days). Lucy reveals details about her brother through her memories, indicating that his tendencies as a sociopath were apparent from a very early age. She expresses guilt at having defended him for earlier incidents (one involving the death of a puppy), but her love for Ryan is also clear. Less clear, but endlessly intriguing, are hints about Lucy herself, and about their rather dysfunctional parents. Panitch also intersperses sections from the unofficial journal of Ryan's psychologist (dating back to the puppy incident). These are revealing in a different way, particularly of Dr. Spence's gross incompetence.

I did find some of the details of Damage Done implausible or ill-defined. What does her father do for a job after he changes his own identity? What about school and immunization records? The family is not in an official witness protection program - just trying to stay under the radar. And ... some other details that I won't share, in the interest of not spoiling the story for anyone. 

Still, Panitch does a nice job of balancing retrospective analysis of the events leading up to the school shooting against current action, as Lucy faces new threats. There is even a rather sweet love interest to lighten the tone a bit. 

Damage Done is compelling, but because of violent and disturbing content, I would only recommend it for high school and adult readers, and not for younger teens. [And I'm not sure if I would personally put a book about a school shooting in a school library, but luckily I don't have to make such decisions.] People who enjoy puzzling out events from clues, and enjoy suspense, will want to give Damage Done a look. It won't leave you with an upbeat feeling, but it is certainly not a book that you'll forget in a hurry. 

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (@RandomHouseKids
Publication Date: July 21, 2015
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

© 2015 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through affiliate links (including linked book covers) may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).


Links I Shared on Twitter this Week: July 17

TwitterLinksHere are highlights from the links that I shared on Twitter this week @JensBookPage. Topics this week include The Eisner Awards, the Guardian Children's Fiction prize, book lists, diversity, first book, gender, growing bookworms, reading comprehension, Nancy Drew, parenting, reading, schools, and libraries. 

Awards

It's a great year for teen #GraphicNovels says @tashrow #kidlit 2015 Eisner Award Winners http://ow.ly/PBqU3

The longlist for the Guardian children's fiction prize announced @GdnChildrensBks #kidlit | Kudos to @CeceBellBooks http://ow.ly/Ps8pP

Book Lists

Some of our faves here: Top 5 meta picture books to teach print concepts - Teddy Kokoros @HornBook http://ow.ly/PFch7

12 Picture Books About Sheep & Goats, a #BookList from @mrskatiefitz http://ow.ly/PFbZu

#BookList from @carriegelson A Year of Nonfiction Picture Books (read in the classroom) Revisited http://ow.ly/PED51

We Are Family: 10 Picture Books About Adoption + Families of All Types by Wendy Falconer Gassaway @NerdyBookClub http://ow.ly/PyY6X

Fun in the Sun | Great Picture Books for Summertime Sharing | @sljournal http://ow.ly/PC0g1 #kidlit #BookList

#kidlit #BookList Recommended Chapter Book Series for Early Readers by the two kids of @ReadByExample http://ow.ly/PyYZw

Fun stuff for new readers! Jean Little Library: Beginning Chapter Books for Animal Lovers http://ow.ly/PyrRu

Celebrate Science: 75 Great Science and Nature Books for Kids Under 6 selected by @mstewartscience via @gail_gauthier http://ow.ly/PsauQ

This week @TesseractViews | #BookList | Unorthodox Princesses in Speculative #KidLit http://ow.ly/PyYKR

Female characters in #kidlit who have stayed with @carriegelson In the world of books: 25 girls who stand out http://ow.ly/PyX8T

These 25 boys, in the pages of the #kidlit books where they live, impressed @CarrieGelson in notable ways http://ow.ly/Ps985

Another @Cybils #BookList! On the #Cybils Blog: List Fun: Middle Grade American Historical Fiction by @DebWatley http://ow.ly/PIOCU 

New YA Fiction about teens who conceal their identities for deception, profit, or human connection| @sljournal http://ow.ly/PC015

Diversity + Gender

To A Happier Year: LGBT Stories for Children, Teens and YA, by Tess Berry-Hart @AwfullyBigBlog http://ow.ly/PFcTC

"Those kids who are hungry for books aren't always going to be straight, able-bodied, white males." @jacobhoodwrites http://ow.ly/PsbLd

"just because a book is reflecting the times in which it was written..." @FuseEight When Clothing Approximates Sexism http://ow.ly/PyqVj

Events + Programs

300,000 Books for Kids from a Rochester School District to Take Home - @FirstBook http://ow.ly/PFdjN #SummerReading

New Nationwide French Festival Encourages Children to Read @PubPerspectives via @PWKidsBookshelf http://ow.ly/PINFS 

JetBlue's Free Book Vending Machines Bring #SummerReading To Kids In Need @HuffPostGoodNews via @PWKidsBookshelf http://ow.ly/PINPf 

Growing Bookworms

"Both grown-ups and children are missing something when there is no reading aloud." The Great Gift of Reading Aloud http://ow.ly/Pyklu

How To Travel With Books! Take them with you, or let them take you on an adventure @JenniBuchanan @ReadingRainbow http://ow.ly/PBqo7

"Stop diminishing children’s literature by commandeering it for teaching purposes." Patron of the Arts @DonalynBooks http://ow.ly/PyWNs

Post w/ link to comprehensive @ReadingRockets article @kateywrites #RaisingReaders Monday: Fluency Makes it Fun! http://ow.ly/Pyptg

3 ideas for fun, active summer book reports @ReadingTub Book Reports - Literacy + Life for Summer • Family Bookshelf http://ow.ly/PyogT

8+ reading comprehension resources that can help you get started with teaching comprehension from @ThisReadingMama http://ow.ly/Ps9E8

On Reading, Writing, Blogging, and Publishing

"The campfire story of the reading world" | Why I Will Never Stop Reading Picture Books with My Kid @ReadBrightly http://ow.ly/PFbkm

Does reduction in picture book word counts Pander to or Presume Shorter Attention Spans? @ehbluemle @PublishersWkly http://ow.ly/PEBJw

Nancy Drew ghostwriter Mildred Wirt Benson flew airplanes, explored jungles, + wrote hundreds of kids' books. http://ow.ly/PEvi6 @slate

So true about Knuffle Bunny Free! One Weird Trick Any Kids' Book Can Use to Make Parents Cry @slate @pwkidsbookshelf http://ow.ly/PIO75 

Teens relate to characters @GdnchildrensBks Dystopia is done, fantasy is finished: why realism is on rise in #YALit http://ow.ly/Pylhq

"Documenting (what we read) is like carefully preserving a key ... to knowing more about ourselves" @NerdyBookClub http://ow.ly/Psa0L

The #Kidlit Swap Method: Children’s Literary Equivalents of Popular Adult Titles — @fuseeight http://ow.ly/PIOMw 

Parenting

How to talk to kids about prejudice w/ the help of 12 favorite books (+ general tips) from @coolmompicks via @tashrow http://ow.ly/PsaPm

Food for thought for parents from Jane E. Brody @NYTimes How to Cut Children's Screen Time? Say No to Yourself First. http://ow.ly/PBnhu

"We need to be intentional about making space for family time." The benefits of slow parenting - The Boston Globe http://ow.ly/PyjqM

Schools and Libraries

"Early exposure to STEM ... supports children’s overall academic growth" @lisagkropp Surprise—It’s STEM for Toddlers! http://ow.ly/PC1ea

Making Learning Visible: Doodling Helps Memories Stick | Katrina Schwartz @MindShiftKQED http://ow.ly/PFbPy

Brooklyn Public Library’s Texting Initiative, sending texts to parents w/ ideas for Early #Literacy | @sljournal http://ow.ly/PC1vO

© 2015 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook.


I Will Take a Nap!: Mo Willems

Book: I Will Take a Nap! (Elephant & Piggie)
Author: Mo Willems
Pages: 64
Age Range: 5-8

We are huge Mo Willems fans in my household, reading everything from the Knuffle Bunny books to the Pigeon books to Willems' standalone titles. Willems was, in fact, the first author that my daughter could name. As in, "let's read a book by Mo Willems now". She loves, loves, loves the way that Willems gives his series characters cameos in other books.  

The Elephant & Piggie books are a fabulous and multiple Cybils Award-winning series of early readers. Although they are meant for new readers to read themselves, my daughter and I frequently read them together. These days she'll have me do most of the reading, but will chime in herself with the occasional word. The books are so fun that this is not at all boring for me as an adult reader (unlike some early reader series). 

The latest Elephant & Piggie book is I Will Take a Nap!. In this installment, Gerald the Elephant decides to take a nap (with his stuffed animal, a Knuffle Bunny). He lies down, all comfortable and sleepy. And the next thing you know, there's his friend Piggie, interrupting him. Gerald's cranky response makes Piggie cranky, too, and she also decides to take a nap. But it turns out that someone snores, making napping together very difficult. Then, a surreal twist arises, which led us to go back to see the twist telegraphed from the beginning. The twist makes this a particularly enjoyable installment to the series. 

As in the other Elephant & PIggie books, much of the fun lies in the way Willems conveys the characters' emotions through both their expressions and postures and through fonts. When Piggie is interrupting, Gerald proclaims: "I am NOT napping!". His eyes are red. His forehead is wrinkled. His body is twisting in agitation. And his words are shown in large letters. Kids get Elephant and Piggie. And they love them. As do I. 

I Will Take a Nap! has some cute details, like Piggie's security stuffed animal being in the form of an elephant (to Gerald's blushes), and the turnip-headed Elephant and Piggie (and Pigeon) on the end pages. The crankiness that telegraphs the need to nap and that escalates when a nap is interrupted are universally relatable. I Will Take a Nap! is a must-purchase title for libraries, and a fine addition to anyone's home collection of early readers. Highly recommended! And now, I'm off to take a nap. 

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion (@DisneyHyperion)
Publication Date: June 2, 2015
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

© 2015 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through affiliate links (including linked book covers) may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).


Growing Bookworms Newsletter: July 15

JRBPlogo-smallToday, I will be sending out a new issue of the Growing Bookworms email newsletter. (If you would like to subscribe, you can find a sign-up form here.) The Growing Bookworms newsletter contains content from my blog focused on children's and young adult books and raising readers. I usually send the newsletter out every two weeks.

Newsletter Update: In this issue I have three book reviews (picture book to YA), plus a post with three mini reviews of books about kids wanting pets. I also have two posts with literacy and reading links that I shared on Twitter recently, and one post about a new literacy milestone for my daughter (creating signs to express her preferences).

Reading Update: In the past two weeks I finished one middle grade and four young adult titles. I read/listened to:

  • Maryrose Wood: The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book 5: The Unmapped Sea. Balzer + Bray. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed July 10, 2015, on MP3. Beware. This installment ends in a sad place with a "to be continued". Still great, but I wish I had waited for book 6 to listen to this one. 
  • Julie Berry: The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place. Roaring Brook Press. Middle School/Young Adult. Completed July 2, 2015, on MP3. I didn't like this one quite as much as I had expected, though it did hold my interest. 
  • Shari Becker: The Stellow Project. Skyscape (Amazon). Young Adult. Completed July 4, 2015, on Kindle. This one was interesting, but I had some issues with it (including an unresolved ending left for another book that I wasn't expecting). I'll likely read the next book, and will review if my issues are resolved. 
  • Carey Wallace: The Ghost in the Glass House. Clarion Books. Young Adult. Completed July 7, 2015. Review to come. 
  • Amanda Panitch: Damage Done. Random House Books for Young Readers. Young Adult. Completed July 11, 2015. Review to come. 

I'm listening to In the Woods: Dublin Murder Squad #1 by Tana French and reading The Homework Myth by Alfie Kohn. I'm still in a bit of a reading slump, but it's getting better. 

The books my husband and I have been reading to our daughter can be found here. She's been on a bit of a chapter book binge lately, listening to several Arthur Chapter Books (mainly each in one sitting), as well as Toys Go Out by Emily Jenkins and The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling (the latter with thanks to a review from Sunlit Pages). You'll notice that these books do not show up on my own reading list. This is because she tends to have big chunks of time for reading chapter books either when she's with her babysitter or right before bed (when my husband usually reads to her). I tend to get in more picture time during meals. She also will, understandably, get interested in a book, and ask whoever is handy to read her the next chapter.

I feel a tiny bit envious, not being the one to read these longer books with her. But I know that the only thing that is really important is that she's hearing and enjoying books. Still, as she gets a bit older, I think she'll have to be able to keep track of three different books at a time, so that each reader can stick with a single longer story. And eventually we will do a family read of the Harry Potter books, I hope. 

What are you and your family reading these days? Thanks for reading the newsletter, and for growing bookworms. 

© 2015 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook


Three New Books About Wanting a Pet

The desire for a pet is a frequently-covered topic in picture books. Two of my favorites on this theme are Prudence Wants a Pet by Cathleen Daly and A Pet for Petunia by Paul Schmid. (Links go to full reviews.) Three new titles on this topic recently crossed my desk, two from HarperCollins and one from Chronicle Books, that I thought were worth sharing.

1. Two Girls Want a Puppy, written by Ryan and Evie Cordell and illustrated by Maple Lam (HarperCollins). This is a pretty straight-up story about two sister who desperately want a puppy. Their father says no. Undaunted, they come up with a four-part plan to convince him. The plan involves showing him that they can be persistent (asking over and over again), super responsible (sitting for a neighbor's dog), super smart (doing research on puppies), and super creative (writing a book about dogs).

All four of the traits that they exemplify in their plan are traits that they know that their father values. Thus, when he gives in at the end and agrees that they are ready, it feels plausible. I liked the message that you have to earn responsibility, and I appreciated the father's quiet resolve and sense of humor. Bonus points for him being, apparently, a single dad, and for them going to a shelter to pick out the dog. 

Lam's watercolor and colored pencil illustrations add heart (the joyful expressions on the girls' faces) and gentle humor throughout (when the girls hold their nose while cleaning up after the neighbor's dog).  

2. Itty Bitty Kitty, written by Joan Holub and illustrated by James Burks (HarperCollins). In Itty Bitty Kitty, a little girl named Ava wants a cat. Her parents say no, "maybe when you're older." But then the girl finds a tiny purple striped kitten with sparkly green eyes in a cardboard box, with a "Free Kitten" sign. She sneaks him home and hides him, naming him Itty Bitty. Ava has all kinds of fun times with her secret kitten.

Things get a bit tricky, however, when Itty Bitty starts to grow. And grow. And grow. He ends up bigger than Ava, and becomes much more difficult to hide. When Itty Bitty is discovered, all seems lost. But when Itty Bitty's extra-big ears enable him to notice something, and save a vulnerable member of the family, well, things turn out ok. 

I found the notion that a five year old could conceal a kitten from her parents to be more unrealistic than the notion of an enormous purple cat. And the ending, well, it was a bit convenient, of course. But I was won over by the sheer joy of this book. Ava adores Itty Bitty. He adores her. The two of them are just so hopeful. You can't resist them. Burks bright, digitally-generated illustrations lend considerable appeal to the story. Ava and her dad have big blue eyes, while Mom and baby brother have matching green eyes. Ava has bouncy, curly hair and freckles. The household is full of cheerful chaos. Itty Bitty Kitty is just a book that, however implausible, brightens the reader's day. 

3. Land Shark, written by Beth Ferry and illustrated by Ben Mantle (Chronicle Kids). In Land Shark, a morbid-looking boy named Bobby desperately wants a real shark for his birthday. He launches a campaign to inform his parents of his wishes. However, he somehow neglects to make it clear that the pet he wants is actually a shark. He is thus devastated when, instead of a shark, he ends up with a puppy. 

His family tries to convince him to accept the puppy, but "shark lovers cannot be converted to dog lovers. EVER!" Well, unless it turns out that untrained puppies are capable of wreaking destruction, eating garbage, and biting things. Just like sharks... Perhaps there will be a place in Bobby's heart for the puppy after all.

What I like about Land Shark is that, although the puppy does eventually win over Bobby, she does it through mess and chaos, rather than through cuddles and affection. As Mantle's watercolor, pen, and pencil illustrations (retouched digitally) make abundantly clear, a puppy can make a lot of mess, and leave an entire household feeling grumpy. I think that kids will find this hilarious, even if Bobby is a bit too odd for them to really relate to as a character. 

© 2015 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through affiliate links (including linked book covers) may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).