Monday Reading

             Thanks to Ricki and Kellee at Unleashing Readers and Jen at Teach Mentor Texts for hosting this meme. Your TBR lists will grow longer, but you will find books to love and to share. 

               

             There are those who dismiss board boards as only for toddlers, and yes, numerous ones published are wonderful for toddlers, but I have had the pleasure of receiving a copy of Charles Ghigna's newest board book, Who Can? and the first time I read it was with my granddaughter in kindergarten, a beginning reader. The book is a 'just right' one for her, with repeating text in rhyming riddles and enough 'new' words to get her excited about reading them, too. Riddles like "Who can fill his bill with tasty fish? Who Can? Pelican"  and 
"Who stirs the wheel in their playground? Who stirs? Hamsters?" make reading fun with clever rhymes, bolstered by Vlasta van Kampen's bright, bold illustrations. Not only does Charles offer the clues in the beginning questions, but Vlasta gives a bit of a hint in the corner of the same page. Here's one example:

 Charles' rhyming riddles with help from Vlasta's art create a book full of fun for younger readers as they learn about riddles and rhyming, guessing from hints in the words and the pictures. The plus is that this learning is what readers do all the time. It's a terrific new book!

           Thanks to Candlewick Press for the advanced copy of the following book. 

In 1775, the British Army occupied Boston in order to subdue and discourage the colonists. At this poignant story’s beginning, told in different forms of poetry in order to give each a unique voice, George Washington (the ‘General’) was named the Commander-In-Chief of the Continental Army, and so with a rag-tag military in disarray, little equipment (almost no cannons), he took that challenge. As the story realated, he could have refused and gone home to his beloved Mount Vernon or could

           Roxanne Orgill tells the ‘story’ of the siege through different characters’ points of view. Even the “orders” are given a part, with a repetitive ending that shows the control Washington has begun over his army: “Lapses will be noticed,/Consequences severe.” Thirteen voices tell the tale, including Washington’s slave/servant William Lee; Washington’s aide-de-camp, Joseph Reed; A Boston bookseller, Henry Knox who has been written of before because of his monumental feat of bringing many cannon and other needed weaponry 300 miles through forest and over mountains from Fort Ticonderoga; Sir William Howe, commander of the British forces; and Martha Washington, George’s wife.  Some ‘lesser’ folk are shown from Orgill’s research, words from their diaries. Other writing comes from letters saved.

           It is a poignant story showing feelings of defeat, but struggling on, sending heroes out to do a job that seems impossible, sending for the company of wives that seems for solace, and stern discipline to help the rank and file from despair.  There are words from a young boy who gives the directions for loading a Brown Bess and there are words of letters to a wife “from your loving husband until death”. It cannot fail to show readers the mixed-up work of people who go to war, especially so long ago, ill-equipped but determined to gain freedom.

          I imagine this can stand as a terrific beginning to a study of American independence. It would be interesting to do further research about each part the author has included. The backmatter holds a glossary, source notes and a bibliography where Orgill shares that “the poems are the result of both study and imagination. A single poem may have a dozen sources.” There is also a map of Boston and its environs. It’s a great book.

         This book would be better shared in early January, one to begin the year and use every month all year! It was published over ten years ago, and I saw someone share it, finally got it from the library. What beautiful pages LeUyen Pham has filled with scenes of happy kids doing the wonderful things you can predict for every month of the year. Bobbi Katz' poetry delights in clever poetic images every.single.month. The opening double title page spread from left to right, from winter snowman-building, spring kite-flying, summer-ice cream cones and autumn - leaves falling is a lovely invitation to view all the rest of the year. January's poem "slides" down the page in words all about sledding. March is "when your hands begin to dream. . . about being a fist/thumping/into the soft leather cup/of a baseball mitt." July "when the Milky Way doesn't seem so far away" and September, "when yellow pencils/in brand-new eraser hats" remind us of those special times in those months. Every month can hold a variety of things in memories but Bobbi Katz has beautifully captured the essence of each one.

          This, too, is a book published a while ago, but worth remembering and sharing with children. It's a folktale about a girl who dreams of touching the moon and works hard to fulfill her wish, despite being teased by everyone for being the littlest and unable to do much of anything! Based on several folktales from the Maasai people in Tanzania and Kenya, the story takes Imani in several directions to touch the moon, till she finally finds the right one. There are lovely illustrations of the setting of a village, the children and of the folk stories.

   

          "Best laid plans oft go awry" and it's this wolf's journey, all set to find a well-groomed and well-fed "city" rabbit, and neighbors in the elevator manage to change his plans, one by one by one. With mixed media illustrations, it's definitely a "big and bold" story, with a nice surprise at the end.

        This is a heartbreaking book about Shi-shi-etko, a young native girl, this time in Canada, who must leave her home and family to go to a residential school. As she spends the few days before she must leave, she gathers memories during each, first with her mother and father, then with family and her grandmother. The introduction by Nicola J. Campbell tells that it was the law that all native families had to send their children at about age five or six, sometimes not seeing them for at least a year, perhaps two. This is about Canada, but the United States, New Zealand and Australia also did this. I imagine this is for older readers who are learning this part of history of their countries practices for the native populations. 

         I might say this, an adult book, is another one of heartbreak, but there is goodness in it, too, the goodness where someone gives up her own tiny meal ration to help another whose life is saved with that crust of bread. Different family, friend and enemy relationships show the complexity of life during war and recovering from those horrors. I enjoyed it, and like always, wondered how people did manage to survive in those terrible times. 

Now starting three books I need to catch up with: the Newbery winner, Hello Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly;  Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes; and Emily Windsnap and The Falls of Forgotten Island.