It's Monday-End of Year Books!

         Visit Jen at Teach MentorTexts and Kellee and Ricki at UnleashingReaders to see what they've been reading, along with everyone else who link up. Sheila at Book Journeys began this sharing, and it's now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.
           Because this is the group where I first knew her and admired her passionate reviews, I want to share my sadness over the death of Debbie Alvarez, The Styling Librarian.  Even ill, she continued to read and share about the books she loved. I won't forget her, and loved reading about all the things she's accomplished in her too short life. She will continue to be an inspiration.

        I've tried to find and read more of the books that have been loved by others (and I've loved them, too). Here they are, plus one older one discovered at the library. 

The Firekeeper’s Son - Linda Sue Park and Julie Downing

         This book caught my eye because it was by Linda Sue Park. It's the time of year for traditions, and while this is a "needed, not a celebratory" one, tradition it is from the country of Korea. Lighting a fire on the highest peak is what Sang-hee's father does each night, proclaiming that all is well in his village by the sea. When the next mountain's fire keeper sees that fire, he lights his own, on succeeding mountains until the king sees the final fire and knows no enemy is coming to attack. Linda Sue Park has fictionalized the history by telling of a young boy who must go to his father's aid because his father fell on the way to making the fire. Full color pages make the story come to life in this story of responsibility and pride. Children might be interested in the extra back matter Park shares. She could not find the date for the beginning, but did write that the fires were still being lit in the late nineteenth century.

Two White Rabbits - Jairo Buitrago and Rafael Yockteng

          A personal story of a young girl traveling with her father to cross the border. She doesn't know where they're going, but counts animals, people, clouds along the way. It is a long journey, showing the danger of the crossing, in a boat, on top of a train, running away from soldiers. It's hard to see how Buitrago does it, but in the story, these two, even drawn among many, seem so isolated as they go. In this time of many migrants traveling to what they believe are better places, the book will make a good beginning to studying the huge issues facing the people leaving their own homes, and of those receiving them. Yockteng's illustrations show much detail of the travelers and adds a coyote on nearly every page.  (The coyote is the name given those who help people cross for large fees, but who sometimes betray their passengers).

       

Written and Drawn By Henrietta - A Toon book by Liniers

          Every primary classroom creating stories should have this wonderful book. Sweet Henrietta takes all the steps writing her story, adds "sudden" action, big surprises, and the characters change! In small boxes, Henrietta speaks to her cat Fellini, and on occasion, a stuffed bear. In the larger part of the illustrations, the story is drawn with speech balloons, looking just like children's drawings. They'll be so appealing to young children. Coupled with the book by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, One Day, The End, Short, Very Short, Shorter-Than-Ever Stories and Kate Messner's How To Read A Story, they're all one needs for writing workshop.

Boats for Papa - Jessixa Bagley

         Little Buckley, a beaver, and his mama live by the sea. Buckley loves the sea, and finds many wonderful things on the beach. He makes boats from the driftwood, and decides to send a boat with a note to Papa because he misses him so much. Softly telling this sweet story in watercolors,  Jessixa Bagley tells this story as time passes, and Buckley receives a set of paints to make his boats even better. There is a surprise at the end, and I imagine children will wonder about it, and about Papa. It's a story of love and loss both from the mother and the son.

Out of The Woods, A True Story of an Unforgettable Event - Rebecca Bond

       In lovely pen and ink and watercolor, Rebecca Bond tells a story handed down from her grandfather, who lived in Ontario deep in the woods in a hotel that his mother ran. He made friends with those who stayed at the hotel, the workers and those woodsmen and lumberjacks who worked in the woods and stayed on the top floor of the hotel. Most of all when he walked through the forest, he wished he would see the animals living there. He never did until one day, a terrible fire struck the forest, and to survive, the people waded into the lake. And then, with amazement, they watched the animals, enemies side by side, wade in too. It's a wonderful story to read, making me wish I had witnessed this phenomenon myself, but Bond's pictures help the story come to life.

       Too much company has kept me from finishing Winger by Andrew Smith so will continue to read, hopefully finish for the round-up with Carrie Gelson at There's A Book for That on Dec. 31st, our TO BE READ lists for this year.  
        I received a wonderful bookmark for Christmas. It says: Reading is just like dreaming with your eyes open. 

Happy Dreaming!