Bird and Little Bird

Library Monday: A Reading Round-Up.

I originally had a couple of titles that I thought I might talk about in depth this morning, but then I realized that I'm kind of just in the mood to share a little about what everyone is reading around here, and maybe find out a bit about what you all are reading while I'm at it. That is always good, clean fun.

Mariam and I just began reading A Wind in the Door, by Madeline L'Engle as our new read-aloud selection. We are only about thirty pages in, but I can already tell that it is going to have the same depth and addictive pull of its predecessor in the series, A Wrinkle in Time. More and more I'm finding that the tendency Mariam had when she was smaller to listen to anyone read absolutely anything, anytime, is fading a bit. Now that she reads so well on her own, she doesn't really need an adult to help her access reading material anymore. Read-aloud is no longer about having help getting through a trickier text, it is about a shared experience, and she wants it to be a really good one. This, of course, means that I will need to be giving a different level of attention to choosing books for us to read together as we go forward if I'm going to keep her on board.

On her own, she is reading My Life with the Chimpanzees by Jane Goodall, which I gave her as a literary valentine this year.

Zak is still proving to have more enthusiasm for using books to hit things or sit on than to read, but we've managed incremental progress with Hug by Jez Alborough. I hate to be the one to say so, but it is probably because it has almost no words, and the one it does have over and over is one of baby Z.'s favorites. The kid is a hugger, for sure.

For my part, I'm continuing on with the reading of Anne Lamott books downloaded to my Kindle and read during small fry nap times. In the last week or so, I read through Help, Thanks, Wow and really enjoyed it. I think that even if you don't consider yourself a "churchy" person per se, but just like to spend a little bit of time here and there contemplating your small place in the big universe, there are some nice reflections to be found inside.

And, although they are admittedly not a book, I've also been spending a lot of my time reading through the recipes from the Whole Family Kitchen meal plans. I had debated signing up for months, but just recently decided to go for it when I saw that they were having a special on annual memberships (and when we were in the midst of a particularly challenging food week at our house). We've come a long way on our food journey since Mariam's celiac diagnosis, but there have been some rough patches lately in terms of what she is eating, when she is eating it, and making sure that it is well-balanced enough for her body as she simultaneously heals and grows. I was in serious need of a plan. More about all of this later, I think.

Oh, and Dan is reading about a hundred different things right now. At least as far as I can tell.

What about you? Who is reading what at your house?

p.s. Visit Small Things today to download a sample activity (pinhole viewboxes!) from Volume Eleven and to see the project in action through Ginny's lovely photos.

Alphabet Glue: Volume Eleven and a Super Giveaway!

Good Monday, friends! I am quite happy to announce to you all that Volume Eleven of Alphabet Glue is officially ready to take up residence in your virtual laps.  This news actually comes as a bit of a surprise to myself (and the people who live with me) because somehow, this particular issue of the magazine just came together so easily and so naturally and so very well, that the usual last minute panic about whether or not I could manage to get it done on time was suspiciously absent. Indeed, I finished days ahead of schedule. Apparently, wonders truly never do cease.

Volume Eleven has a little bit of each of the things that have made past issues of Glue such great bookish fun for families. Inside this newest installment you will find instructions for simple scientific experimentation, imaginative inspiration for young writers, and paper crafts that manage to toe the line between whimsical and practical.

I suspect that the reason this issue pulled itself together almost without my noticing is, simply put, because it is really a pretty good one. The projects complement one another nicely, and they are pretty much all of the easy, seat-of-your-pants variety.  You could decide to throw them together on a whim, using only materials readily available around your house and yard on a quiet Saturday afternoon.

 

To read up on the newest issue of Glue and to find out more about what you can expect to find tucked inside its bright and shiny pages, visit the brand new Volume Eleven page here.

 

And, in recognition of the continued enthusiasm that you all have shown for my beloved little publishing project, I thought we should get a little celebratory giveaway action going. Because I do like to say thank you. Volume Eleven has five new booklists inside, including a list of our family's very favorite books ever. For a chance to win a bundle of five books (a well loved title from each list in this issue), use the widget below to enter. I'll notify the winner on Friday afternoon.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

That Time of Year.

Yarn Along (Here and There).

Thoughts About Very Little (and Giveaway Winners, too).

Library Monday: The Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester.

Eleven Below.

Alphabet Glue Vol. 10 Now Available!

Alphabet Glue Guest Post: How To Make Comic Books or Graphic Novels!

Library Monday: Press Here.

I was doing a bit of digging around in the living room book bins this morning, trying to  locate our love-worn copy of a particular Eric Carle book when I ran across Press Here, by Herve Tullet.  And then I remembered that I have been meaning to share this book with you all for the last many months, but somehow keep getting distracted by things like books about submarines or snow.  But Press Here is a brilliant little book, absolutely worthy of having its Library Monday in the sun, so to speak, and so it shall.

I suppose that the first thing to know about Press Here, is that it is very likely a complete departure from any picture book that you've read before.  Indeed, Press Here reads more like an interactive instruction manual than a typical narrative tale, with each successive page appearing to change for the reader based on the following of directions on the previous page.  For example, one page tells you to press the pictured yellow dot with your finger, (which, of course, being a dutiful reader, you do) and when you turn the page, you might find that the dot has turned red.  Or multiplied. 

Flipping through the book this way- reading the instructions and following them before turning the page- the reader is given the impression that the book itself is an active participant in the process of reading, changing with each new page, magically responding to the actions of the reader's finger.  Very young readers find this amazing, and may even be slightly bewildered at first as they try to figure out just what is going on.  Older readers, even if they quickly figure out just what is really happening, will be amused at the unique and clever approach Tullet takes with this book.  And grown-ups? They will be massively relieved to encounter a children's book that is unpredictable, unexpected, and absolutely delightful. I have as much love for anthropomorphized animals and their need to learn to make friends, or have good manners, or find lost things as the next girl. Believe me I do.  But this book is a big breath of fresh air all the same.  You can bring home a copy of this one guilt free, because I promise that you don't already have anything like it.

Oh! And Ginny has a fantastic post up today with all sorts of great pictures of her kids putting Volume Ten to good use.  Definitely check it out. Makes a girl feel proud, I tell you.  And since there have been so many new visitors here and to the Alphabet Glue website as a result, I'm extending the January sale a bit longer.  Enter "twenty" at checkout for 20% between now and next Monday. 

Related articles

Library Monday: The Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester.

Library Monday: Houndsley and Catina and the Quiet Time.

Library Monday: Workshops Work! (and a Giveaway, too).

Library Monday: I Want My Hat Back.

Library Monday: The Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester.

For the last couple of months, Mariam and I have been casually reading our way through The Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester by Barbara O'Connor.  My girl has been pretty interested in spending her couch time engaged in independent reading lately, and with Dan being gone for most of November and December, I'll admit that read-aloud time has been tricky to find consistently.  Which is exactly why it took us until today to finish this book.

The Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester is the story of a boy named Owen, and a summer spent living with his parents at the home of his ailing grandfather in a small, presumably rural, southern town.  The titular "fantastic secret" lands in his world when it falls from a freight train one evening, and before the end of the book it has turned his restless summer into a proper adventure and even helped him to make friends with his former adversary, a know-it-all neighbor girl named Viola.

As is the case with another of O'Connor's books, The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis, this novel might draw some small objections from parents of particularly sensitive readers.  The dramatic tension is not overly intense, but our kid characters here do defy adult edicts on occasion and are not particularly kind to one another in their lead-up to learning to work together.  I did find myself doing a bit of on-the-fly editing of some of the the insults that get traded during dialogue scenes. That being said, my impression from Mariam's reaction to all of this is that it is simply a realistic approach to writing about the way that kids interact with one another when grown-ups aren't looking over their shoulders.  Plus, all of this conflict leads into some reasonably triumphant cooperation. As in Popeye and Elvis, the reader's invitation to witness the eventual formation of unlikely new friendships, in cooperation with O'Connor's knack for an ending so pitch-perfect it is almost luminous, makes for a book that you can just really and truly enjoy. 

The Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester is a book that speaks to the importance of approaching friendship with openness and of following your heart when it tells you that something is right- even when right doesn't mean easy.  And I love that the book expresses these messages in a way that doesn't feel heavy-handed or preachy but instead just feels like the natural course of action.  There is always something satisfying about a character doing just what you hoped that they might.

Oh, and if you are an Alphabet Glue family and want a hint about just what young Mr. Jester's secret is, check out which booklist this title landed on when I included it in Volume Nine. 

And don't forget- the January Alphabet Glue sale is still on. Enter "twenty" at checkout for 20% off!

Related articles

Library Monday: Workshops Work! (and a Giveaway, too).

Library Monday: I Want My Hat Back.

Thoughts About Very Little (and Giveaway Winners, too).

Library Monday: Houndsley and Catina and the Quiet Time.

Yarn Along (Mittens for Everyone and a Knit Along).

Library Monday: I Want My Hat Back.

Our family is, I believe, somewhat late to the Jon Klassen party.  We first happened upon him as the illustrator for the wholly fabulous and not to be missed picture book, Extra Yarn by author Mac Barnett. Both Mariam and I immediately found ourselves completely taken in by Klassen's quirky and incredibly clever illustrations, so when we came upon  I Want My Hat Back, a title both written and illustrated by Klassen, it only made sense to get our hands on a copy right away.  I Want My Hat Back appears to be a simple book about a bear looking for a lost hat. But for readers with an eye for detail and a mind for finding the story within the story, this book makes for a very fun read indeed.  I did not intend for that last sentence to rhyme, but let's go with it.

There are at least a dozen reasons to thoroughly enjoy I Want My Hat Back, but perhaps foremost among them is the fact that the book works so well on so many levels. The smallest of the small can just enjoy the animals parading by with each turn of the page, while slightly older readers will begin to pick up on some of the hints that Klassen drops about just where this story is headed.  And, the more astute kid readers (and their associated grown-ups) will get a good chuckle out of the fact that the story boasts a suprise ending that demonstrates a slightly wicked sense of humor.  Mariam was both mock-horrified and unable to stop giggling at the final moments of the story. "Wait!" she said, "He didn't eat the rabbit did he? No. He didn't. Oh, I think he did. That bear ate the rabbit!"

Which brings me to another reason why this book landed itself on our list of favorites for this year: it is one of those rare picture books where the words and images work together seamlessly in telling the story.  The dialogue between the animals is that much more clever and humorous because of the wry expressions on the animal faces gracing the pages, and in return, those expressions give the dialogue an entirely different meaning than it might otherwise have.  This book doesn't feel written, or even drawn, it feels like a three-dimensional creation and I love that it manages to be multi-layered, even though it is still short enough to be a super quick read on those nights when you are behind schedule on bedtime.  Like in Extra Yarn, Klassen's unique illustration style makes the book a visual joy and the fact that the pictures here are expressive enough to change the meaning of the story altogether only gives further evidence that more than just an illustrator, Klassen is very much an artist.   

Related articles

Library Monday: Houndsley and Catina and the Quiet Time.

Library Monday: Under the Snow.

Library Monday: Workshops Work! (and a Giveaway, too).

Some of you may remember that a couple of weeks ago I mentioned that my friend Patricia had just published her first book.  Workshops Work! A Parent's Guide to Facilitating Writer's Workshops for Kids is a remarkably well-done and tightly woven how-to manual for parents (and in my opinion, teachers as well) who are looking to teach writing through the use of workshops.  And, after having spent some time reading and rereading Patricia's book, I will say this: if you are a homeschooling parent and have hopes of raising a writer, this is one book that you absolutely need to have on your shelf.

Workshops Work! begins at the obvious beginning, and at the place where so many other books on teaching through workshops unfortunately end: by explaining what they are and how to set them up.  However, Workshops Work! continues on from there, going through the nuts and bolts of running a workshop on an ongoing basis and having it be a functional, important and enjoyable part of the educational process for parent and child alike.  Patricia does an excellent job of laying out the workshopping process from beginning to end, and writes with a clarity and sense of organization that enables the reader to truly envision how writer's workshops could become a sustainable part of a family's educational routine.  Plus, she spends time addressing important issues such as giving feedback and drawing in reluctant writers, giving the book a sense of being incredibly practical and useful.  Those who have read other manuals on various aspects of education and felt that they were all theory and no practice will find Patricia's book refreshing in every way. Patricia writes like a writer, and this makes it so much easier to trust in her experience and to feel open to her advice on writing.  She knows what she's talking about and you can feel it in every paragraph.

Indeed, when I first read through Patricia's book, my first thought was about how different it was from other educational theory books that I have read, both as a graduate student and as a teacher.  Because really, although Workshops Work! has sound educational philosophy at its core, it is not really a book about the theory of writing.  It is a book about the practice of writing, and about how parents can raise talented, passionate and skilled writers who will become lifelong lovers of the purpose, and ultimately, the craft of writing.  My immediate next thought when reading this book? It is absolutely indispensible for anyone working to help children become enthusiastic writers.

You can purchase copies of the book from Patricia via her website here.  I have a PDF copy of the book myself, but am planning to get a print copy as well so that I can write in the margins, add sticky notes where needed and tuck bookmarks into important sections. 

I'm also happy to say that Patricia is offering three Bird and Little Bird readers the eBook/PDF version of her book. Recipients will receive three files: a .mobi file and a .epub file for reading the book on Kindle, Nook and other e-readers, as well as iPads and other devices, and a PDF file for reading the book on computer and for printing. To enter to win, leave a comment on this post. I'll pick a winners on Friday afternoon and notify them via email. 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Related articles

Alphabet Glue: Volume Ten and a Great Giveaway, Too!

Library Monday: Houndsley and Catina and the Quiet Time.

Thoughts About Very Little (and Giveaway Winners, too).

Library Monday: Houndsley and Catina and the Quiet Time.

The thing that always surprises me about the first real snow is how quiet the outside world becomes.  Even though it is the same feeling of surprise each year, I never quite get over it.  And I suppose that there is some physics-based explaination that includes sound waves and what not, but I'm not really interested in all that.  To me, it just seems like magic.

Which brings me right along to our Library Monday title for today: Houndsley and Catina and the Quiet Time by James Howe.  Mariam and I both wholeheartedly loved this book from the very first read, and we have read it over and over again each winter since then.  Sometimes in the summer too. 

Ostensibly a somewhat funny story about two snowbound friends and their need to get to an evening concert on time, Houndsley and Catina is really quite a bit more than just that.  It is also a story about finding the beauty in the stillness of winter, about the slowing down of the world outside and about the good that it does for us when we slow down a bit too.  Plus, the book has wonderfully expressive illustrations by Marie-Louise Gay that really bring the characters off the page and add subtle details that allow the book to be enjoyed again and again. 

And, I do have to make a special mention of the ending to this story.  The concert scene that finally does take place at the ending of this book is perfectly written, and in some ways, the entire meaning of the story shifts when you read it.  It isn't overly sweet and doesn't take itself too seriously, and yet, it is thoughtful and has just the right amount of depth.  It leaves you feeling as though you have happened upon the quiet time yourself.

The first real snow of the winter, Frog Pond

A couple of other notes on this snowy Monday:

:: Patricia's new book is here! If you are hoping to raise a writer, you absolutely need a copy of Patricia's book. I had a chance to read a review copy and as a writer, a teacher, and a parent, I can say with complete confidence that it is truly fantastic. And so practical. I love practical.  We will be talking more about this soon!

:: There are just a few hours left to purchase the e-book bundle! It disappears from the landscape of the interwebs at midnight GMT, which is 7 p.m. East Coast time.  Which is soon. You can download it here.

:: Imagination, creativity and inspiration are on sale today in honor of this Cyber Monday nonsense! Enter "monday" at checkout for 25% off issues of Alphabet Glue. Today only (expires at midnight Eastern time)!

Some Days...

Some days, there are well-laid plans for an early naptime.  These plans may include (but are certainly not limited to) such undoubtedly enjoyable and productive things as catching up on a bit of work, maybe even casting on for a new knitting project.

But then again, some days there are small people awake at 5:30 in the morning, who are miraculously still awake and quite busy at nearly 11.  So, so busy. And knitting gets set aside, replaced by some early day dinner prep in the event that the baby never sleeps again but people still want to eat. I like to plan for any and every contingency.

In other news, Melitsa from Raising Playful Tots invited me to do an interview for her podcast recently.  You can hear me ramble on about a wide variety of topics from the challenges of being The Play Dough Lady to our clear inability to limit our library haulings.  Plus, I always think that after reading someone's words, it is kind of fun to hear their voice too.  You can listen to the podcast here.

And, today's theme on the Picture Book Month calendar is "imagination." Here are a few Library Monday posts about books that I think are particularly well-positioned in the imagination department. Enjoy!

- The Runaway Dinner

- The Purple Kangaroo

- June 29, 1999

- Emma Kate

Library Monday: Under the Snow.

I do know that it is only the beginning of November, I promise that I do.  And, I know that technically, this means that it is still very much autumn in the Northern Hemisphere.  But right at this moment, as I sit at my desk facing the living room windows and do the clickety-clackety thing on my computer keyboard, while the baby naps and the husband studies and the big girl searches for Waldo, right now, it is snowing outside.  Just a little sprinkle of the fluffy, big flakes (the kind that don't stick), but snow all the same.  Therefore, I vote that we all indulge me a little bit and make a little foray into the world of winter themed picture books today. 

Under the Snow, by Melissa Stewart, is actually a perfect picture book for both late autumn and early winter, because more than being just an inventory of which creatures are doing what out there in the wide world during snowy weather, it is an introduction to the basics of hibernation.  Who does it, where they do it, how they do it.  Stewart herself is both a biologist and a science journalist, and this knowledge of animal life together with a background in writing about it results in a picture book that is both an enjoyable read and a great introduction to basic scientific facts. Indeed, paired with bright and textured watercolor illustrations by Constance R. Bergum, Stewart's descriptions of various animals and their winter survival strategies are well-composed little teasers that would make great starting points for inspiring deeper investigations into the lives of the animals that they discuss.

Through the exploration of different habitats and their animal residents, Stewart gives the reader a compelling peek into the winter workings of the natural world, and it is one that will both satisfy and pique curiosity in small and big people alike.  If you are feeling at all ready to broach the subject of the coming winter at story time at your house, this book would be an excellent place to begin. 

As promised, I'm going to run Alphabet Glue specials here and there all month long in celebration of Picture Book Month.  This week, all issues are buy-two-get-one-free.  When you purchase any two issues, just leave a "note to seller" mentioning the third that you would like me to email to you for free.  This deal applies to the multi-issue bundles as well and is good through Saturday 11/10!

Library Monday: Starry River of the Sky.

I generally wait until we've finished reading a book before I give it a place in the Library Monday annals, but we are enjoying the new novel by Grace Lin so very much that I thought I should share it sooner rather than later, in case anyone finds themselves in need of a great read with some urgency.  Starry River of the Sky is the title of Lin's newest work, and I think I almost injured my clicking finger when it popped up in my Amazon recommendations a couple of weeks back, I added it to my cart with such lightning speed.  As you all know, I am generally a big fan of library borrowing, especially for books that are new to us.  But I knew from our experience with the last book of Lin's that we read, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, that ownership was probably the more realistic route here.

Starry River of the Sky, like Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, is the story of a child who has travelled away from home, in hopes of finding a fate better than the one left behind. In this case, our hero is a boy named Rendi, who has run away from home to escape the rage of his father, widely known as Magistrate Tiger.  Those who read Where the Mountain Meets the Moon will recognize that name, and although it isn't clear that Lin is revisiting the same character in this newer book, the mythology of the two books clearly intersects in interesting ways throughout.  Fans of the earlier book with likely pick up on this and enjoy it. 

The main action of this book takes place when Rendi finds himself stranded in a small, drought-stricken village named the Village of Clear Sky.  There Rendi meets an unusual cast of characters ranging from an inn keeper and his young daughter to a confused but possibly clairvoyant old man and his friend, a kind, mysterious woman who seems to be the only other town resident who can hear the strange sound that keeps Rendi awake at night: the crying out of the dark sky for the moon, which seems to have gone completely missing. The missing moon is perhaps the central mystery of the book, but there are a number of other questions outstanding as well, and as the story moves along, it becomes increasingly clear that all of these questions are intimately tied to one another, turning the story into an intriguing narrative full of "ah-ha" moments for the reader.

Although I cannot yet say how this engaging and well-crafted tale will end, at three-quarters of the way through, a number of things are already clear to me.  The first is that yet again, Lin has done a masterful job of tossing out a number of story threads that at first appear to be unwinding in different directions, but as the story develops, the strands begin to weave into one another in a way that feels like literary magic. It is the hallmark of an author who is not only a good writer, but an accomplished storyteller, intertwining the Chinese folktales of her youth with the more modern tale of her own imagining.  It is also clear that as in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, the story within the story here is one that underscores the importance of growth, redemption, kindness and friendship.  It is a story about community and the restorative power of our relationships with other people. It is, in short, completely enchanting. 

I know that at least a few of you out there had a similar response when you saw that there was a new Grace Lin book available and snapped it up like that. I'd love to hear what you thought of it as well if you've had a chance to read it already!

 p.s. Oh a whim, I just posted a discount code on Twitter for 20% off issues of Alphabet Glue and thought it was probably nice to post it here too... So, the first 50 people to enter "tweet" at checkout will get 20% their entire purchase.