Happy New Year Reading

         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.  

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         Happy New Year! I have some catching up to do in the books I've read, and books I hope to read. I've had a terrific holiday time with my family and friends, and hope all of you did, too. 

        Hurrah! You can see my #MustReadIn2017 above, and I've finished my first book on the list! Review today! Carrie Gelson hosted our sharing of our lists here this past week. Take a look at everyone's lists!


          

          Quite a few bloggers have shared how wonderful this book is, and now I know! Ben Coffin knows well how to say goodbye to homes and people. A "drop-off" baby, he spent 10 years in foster homes until he got his "mom". And then a little mutt followed him home, Mom said "yes" and the days, even with a bully at school, became even happier, until they weren't. Ben is lucky to have a good, good friend, Chucky, and also he's lucky because of the dog's charm he meets another who becomes a good friend and happens to be his local librarian's daughter. He calls her the "diva" for the wild and crazy colors she wears. Ben is super smart, loves books and manages his mixed-up life and his school work with grace. Sometimes that "grace" gets him into trouble because he gives in too much, and says what he believes others want him to say instead of telling his real feelings. The strength of all the characters makes this a page-turner. Many people believe middle-schoolers are challenging and thoughtless. I taught them for a lot of years, and know they are capable of deep feelings and kind acts. Just give them a chance, and get to know them better by reading this story. 
         There is a thread throughout the book that shows a love of books by Ben and others that I think everyone will enjoy since we all love them, too. Here is one quote when he is hiding out in his library: "I think if there's a heaven, it'll be my own private library. I walked along row after row of books and dragged my fingertips over their spines. In the twilight I felt the magic in them. They whispered to me, Pick Me. Do you want to know an awesome secret?"

          In this older book, William Steig offers a lesson in kindness and friendship with little hope of reciprocation. We learn that animals (or people), this time a whale and a mouse, do what is helpful when it's needed. I love that Steig does not talk down to children in his stories. He uses the words needed to tell a story, this time "phosphorescence" and "luminous" are needed to describe a beautiful sea, and when Boris the whale was beached, he was not "covered", but "breaded" with sand. There's a bit of miracle in every story William Steig gives us, and that gives hope that everything will eventually be okay in life.

If you don't know this book by Roald Dahl, you should find it and read. It's a great start to the year, would be a sweet read-aloud if you have the audience, and might serve as a mentor text for personal writing. In it, Dahl speaks to us readers and it's rather like a nice conversation. He shares his thought about each month, and observations both inside and out. His love of nature lies at the forefront. Dahl names January a "miserable month" and if he had his way, he'd eliminate it from the calendar and have an extra July instead. The illustrations by Quentin Blake are pen and ink dashed with a bit of watercolor. It's a lovely book from the past.

      I chose to share the title page instead of the cover of this book because it shows the main character David in his disappointment and longing for the "big snow". It is a repeating story where David asks his mother if it's going to snow, and she diverts his attention in various ways. The first time, he is invited to make cookies, but the flour makes him think of snow so he abandons the task as flower rises around the table, and runs outside to "check the weather". This occurs several times even more fun, but not so much for Mom. In the bathroom while cleaning, bubbles flow and remind him of snow, and there David goes again. It's a cute book, just perfect for reading on a day when "big snow" is coming. The ending shows David out on a quiet snowbound evening, walking down a snow-filled street after his yearned for "big snow".

 I'm trying to read a few more easy readers so that my granddaughters can read to me. This one seems to be a bit too easy for the older one, but it might be a fun read aloud for a one-time sitting. These two characters are new to me, but Bramble the horse clearly is part of this neighborhood. It reminds me of those small country places where people have a few acres with a few horses and chickens. Snow is on its way, and the family, including Maggie, have to get ready. They need supplies, to fill the bathtub with water in case the power goes off, and to make extra precautions for the animals' warmth. By the time it's evening, snow is coming fast and Maggie hurries to close the stable door with Bramble safe inside. After the night of snow, the adventure begins because that door was not safely closed, and Bramble did not stay in. It's just enough of a mystery for young children to love, and what happens after he's found is about everyone helping each other in the neighborhood, what people do when there's a need. It will bring good discussions as the scenes take place. 



For the youngest ones, for bedtime, or almost bedtime, this will be a new favorite. With repetitive language, the young boy continues to say "not quite" to different queries about sleepiness. Until certain things are done--dinner, play with a dog, bath, reading a book, and on, "it really is not time for sleeping". Lisa Graff manages to sneak in a bit of Where The Wild Things Are when the boy, dressed in bear pajamas with feet, roars to his dog, just like that other boy, Max Lauren Castillo used her colorful and black-outlined, simple illustrations to bring life to the text. It's a book you won't want to miss.

Now Reading - The Bicycle Spy by Yona Zeldis McDonough

Next - The Girl Who Drank The Moon  by Kelly Barnhill and The Best Man by Richard Peck (Newbery buzz books I haven't read!)