Mock Caldecott Contenders - Batch 2

Each January, the American Library Association awards the Caldecott Medal to the artist of "the most distinguished American picture book for children." The 2017 winners were announced last week, but we're still making our way through our list in first and second grade.

Most recently, we've read these titles:

The Typewriter

Written and illustrated by Bill Thomson  

In this nearly wordless book, three children find an old typewriter and discover that any time they type a word, it magically comes to life.Thomson's photorealistic style is vivid and detailed, and the kids reacted with lots of exclamations as we turned each page.

Then they drew what would happen if they typed a word on a magic typewriter:

A Morning with Grandpa

Written by Sylvia Liu,
Illustrated by Christina Forshay

Mei Mei is eager to learn tai chi from her grandfather, and he is willing to try out yoga. They may not be very good, but they encourage and support each other in this sweet celebration of mindfulness, movement, and friendship. 

We did Mei Mei's yoga moves as we read (and I fell over), and then checked out this introductory tai chi video:

Here are some Room 3 students trying some new tai chi moves ... even on crutches!

The Deadliest Creature in the World

Written by Brenda K. Guiberson,
Illustrated by Gennady Spirin 

We read The Most Amazing Creature in the Sea by this team last year; this book is also full of facts and stunning artwork. 

Summarizing Rumpelstiltskin with Room 6

In fifth grade, we practiced the Somebody / Wanted / But / So / Then method of summarizing a story. Here is what the students came up with for Rumpelstiltskin after I read them Paul O. Zelinsky's retelling:

Source: http://www.paulozelinsky.com/rumpelstiltskin.html

The miller

wanted to impress the king,

but he didn't have anything interesting to tell.

So he told a lie about his daughter.

Then his daughter got trapped. - J.T.

The king

wanted lots and lots of gold,

but he didn't know any one that can give him gold.

So the miller told him that his daughter can make gold with straw.

Then the king put the girl into a room with straw. - K.A.

The king 

wanted a girl to spin gold out of straw.

But the girl did not know how to spin gold out of straw.

So the little man helped her and spun gold out of straw.

Then the king thought the girl made the gold, so he married her. - H.D.

The miller's daughter

wanted to survive,

but she had to spin straw into gold to live.

So she got help from R., who could spin straw into gold.

Then, seeing the riches of this woman, the king married the miller's daughter, without the knowledge that she did not spin the straw. - S.C.

The queen

wanted to keep her baby,

but she [had] promised R. that he could take the baby.

So he gave her three days to figure out his name.

Then she told him what his name was, after her servant told her, and kept the baby.  - J.P.

R.

wanted the baby,

but the servant found his name.

So the queen said his name.

Then he ran away on his spoon. - K.G.

What Ms. Moore Was Reading - December 2017

Here are some of the most recent books I've read and thought my students would like. They're all available from the public library, but any donations towards getting them into our collection are most welcome! All cover images and descriptions are from Goodreads.

Picture Books
(Actually, the only ones I liked in December were all picture books)

With just three or four words per page, this story follows a baby owl one night as he leaves the safety of his nest (Home/ Mama/ Brother/ Sister) and explores the starry world around him (Soar/ Glide/ Swoop/ Swoosh). Inspired by reverso poetry, the words reverse in the middle when the baby owl is startled upon seeing his reflection in the pond (Owl/ Sees/ Owl). Afraid of it, little owl takes off toward home, soaring over farms and forests (Swoosh/ Swoop/ Glide/ Soar) until he is finally safely home again (Sister/ Brother/ Mama/ Home).

This is not a book - it's a laptop, a pair of hands to clap, a toolbox! Each spread of this book is actually something else entirely, challenging young readers to see things quite differently! Turning the page and finding a full-sized image of piano keys will invite children to swing the book on its side for imaginative play; turning the page again to find a monster with its mouth wide open will prompt children to use the book to chomp everything around them! The result stretches beyond the pages of this book, prompting readers to think creatively about other objects in their daily lives.

With haunting echoes of the current refugee crisis this beautifully illustrated book explores the unimaginable decisions made as a family leave their home and everything they know to escape the turmoil and tragedy brought by war. This book will stay with you long after the last page is turned.

A young girl tries to teach her robot how to pretend, but how do you use your imagination when you're a robot? Sias's vivid cartoons lend wit and warmth to a funny friendship.

A tiny dog, a kindhearted girl, and a nervous juggler converge in a cinematic book in four acts.

As trees sway in the cool breeze, blue jays head south, and leaves change their colors, everyone knows--autumn is on its way!

Join a young girl as she takes a walk through forest and town, greeting all the signs of the coming season. In a series of conversations with every flower and creature and gust of wind, she says good-bye to summer and welcomes autumn.

Mock Caldecott Contenders - Batch 1

Each January, the American Library Association awards the Caldecott Medal to the artist of "the most distinguished American picture book for children." Who will win in 2017? Well, first- and second-graders are going to make their pick in library, and we'll see how our choice lines up with the national award.

So far, we've read these titles:

School's First Day of School

Written by Adam Rex,
Illustrated by Christian Robinson

Robinson garnered a Caldecott Honor in real life last year (for the same book - Last Stop on Market Street - that also won the Newbery), so I started out with his latest. The activity kit from publisher MacMillan includes a coloring sheet for kids to draw a portrait of a school. Here are a few by Garden City students:

Thunder Boy Jr.

Written by Sherman Alexie,
Illustrated by Yuyi Morales

Morales also received a Caldecott Honor last year for Viva Frida. In this book, she portays a young boy who doesn't like his name; he wants his own name, different from his dad's. It turns out that many Garden City students have ideas for new names for themselves, including:

Bloom
Alex
Explorer Boy
Daisy
Mister Destructive
Pretty Girl
Jack
Shark
DJ
Rose
Scarlet
Dave
Veronica

Little Elliot, Big Fun

Written and illustrated by Mike Curato

This is the third Little Elliot book, and it's my favorite of the series. Poor Elliot is on his first trip to the boardwalk, and he is NOT having fun for the first 2/3 of the book. Finally, his friend Mouse comes up with the perfect activity for them, leading to a pull-out 4-page spread that made the kids say "Wow!"