Calling All Penguin Fans {book list}

Penguins are a big deal over here.  When my youngest was a newborn I placed a penguin in her crib.  I thought the contrasting colors would be great for her little newborn eyes.  Little did I know that black and white penguin stuffed animal would start an obsession. 

I'm pretty sure we have an entire penguin herd in our home.  She has penguin hats, singing penguins, big penguins, small penguins, medium penguins, tiny penguins, Little People penguins, holiday penguins, penguin necklaces, and penguin clothes.  She loves penguins, and has a deep desire to go see the penguins in their natural habitat.

Since a trip to Antarctica is not possible right now for this little 4 year old we read books.  Lots and lots of penguin books.  Luckily, there are so many great penguin books that she only mentions going to see the penguins (no zoos don't fulfill this little bucket list item for her) about once every other day.

I know there are many people that love penguins, and so you get our favorite aka obviously the BEST PENGUIN BOOKS. These are definitely books to check out, and luckily The Curse of the Werepenguin is a new middle grade fiction.  We got an early read, and my kiddos are all enjoying the story about two awesome kids and a curse of a penguin like monster.  It's definitely a humorous fantasy juvenile/kids chapter book.   

THE BEST PENGUIN BOOKS   

  

Waddle! by Rufus Butler Seder

This scanimation picture book is so fun and full of actions kiddos can do as you read it aloud.  There isn't anything much better than watching your child waddle across the room and then "slip-slide-swoop!"  Teachers will love the fun action words making it a perfect for a Word Choice lesson. 

Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater

This book is the classic penguin chapter book with lots of fun, adventure, and silliness making it great for a classroom (2nd-4th grade) or family read aloud.  There's a reason it won a Newbery Honor; it's good.      

The Curse of the Werepenguin by Allan Woodrow

This newly published middle grade fiction is fun, and it is such a unique story.  Who would've thought to combine a penguin and a werewolf?!?  A fun and funny read aloud about friendship and a werepenguin, that kids in the classroom (3rd-6th grade) or your own kids will enjoy.   Fair warning, this book has monsters, aka a werepenguin or a penguin/werewolf, but it's a not-super-scary monster.  It's more like a funny monster.   

One Cool Friend by Toni Buzzeo

Elliot, a very proper, tuxedo wearing, young man, politely asks his distracted dad if he can bring a penguin home from the aquarium.  The adventures that go along with caring for a penguin makes for some good laughs, and the ending is surprisingly fun. Not only is the story superb, but this Caledcott Honor book has the best pictures. Such a fun read aloud young kids and older elementary kids will enjoy it equally well. 

Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester

Tacky, is an "odd bird but a very nice bird to have around."  This picture book series is the best!  It is loved by the young, but kiddos in 2nd grade through 5th grade will find themselves enjoying the silliness and fun of Tacky.  

Little Penguin Gets the Hiccups and Little Penguin and the Lollipop by Tadgh Bentley

Bentley has a few"Little Penguin" books, and they all are creative and fun.  It truly is hard not to love this fun little penguin that always gets in the silliest of predicaments.

Penguin Problems by Jory John

Being a penguin isn't all it's cracked up to be.  You may not know, but penguins have problems too. You'll enjoy their "problems" and will LOVE the walrus.  This book is not only fun, but it has a good message.  

365 Penguins by Jean-Luc Fromental

This math nerd loves the combination of math fun and penguin silliness/craziness.  With this book you'll enjoy the craziness that comes when a penguin shows up on the same front porch every single day of the year.   It must be an Amazon Prime subscription thing. 😉 

Do you have any favorite penguin books we should add to the list? 

Thank you Penguin Random House for The Curse of the Werepenguin.  All thoughts on this book, and all of the books, are mine alone.  

Long Way Down gets 5 Stars {poetry, newbery, printz, award book, contemporary lit}

Reluctant readers is a term to describe those that don't enjoy reading. Reluctant readers often have reasons for not enjoying reading.  Maybe they have only read for assignments and never found anything that interest them.  Maybe they struggle to read for one reason or another, or they struggle with comprehending what they are reading.  Once upon a time I was a reluctant reader.  I struggled understanding what I read b/c of a learning disability.

Obviously, I'm not a reluctant reader any longer, and I most definitely feel it is never too late to become a reader.  A way to help those reluctant readers become readers is to find books that are fast reads, that grab the readers attention, and keep them turning the page.  Graphic novels and books written in free verse are usually great choices for reluctant readers.  

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds is a young adult novel written in free verse poetry.  Now, don't let the word poetry scare you.  Free verse poetry is basically short thoughts that take out a bunch of the filler words not needed to understand the characters or story.  It's tough to write a great book in free verse, but Reynolds did it well.  Hence, the reason Long Way Down won Newbery and Printz Honor awards.  The two most prestigious awards for an author, Jason Reynolds came in as a runner-up.  Amazing!  That's something that rarely happens.  

Another thing that doesn't happen everyday, but far more often than earning a Newbery and a Printz, is getting 5 out of 5 stars from me in a book review.  Though, I guess it's not super surprising since it's quite the award winning book.  #sogood

Long Way Down is a fantastic book.  The story is interesting b/c the entire story takes place in an elevator.  The story is enlightening into the life of an inner city teen.  The story has depth with great character development and discussions of expectations and revenge.  The story is a fast read many readers and reluctant readers alike will enjoy.  This story would be a great book for high school teachers to use, read, and discuss in the classroom.    

Happy Young Adult Powerful Fast Free Verse Reading!

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Rating: 5/5 stars
Best For: 13-18 years old, 8th to 12th grade. 
Clean Read: Violence.  
Worth a Check Out: Yes. Readers who like The Crossover will like this one.
Buy It or Not: Yes. Definitely a purchase for a library collection, English Teacher, and those looking for a great book.
Read Aloud: Yes. This fast read would make a great classroom read aloud for a high school or 8th grade classroom.    
Lesson Ideas: Inner city, poetry, family relationships, revenge, expectations, obligations. 

Did you read this well deserved Newbery and Printz Honor book?   What did you think? 


A few quotes I loved from Long Way Down b/c they made me laugh, I could relate to them, or there was depth to it. 

"People always love more when they are dead." 

"Laughed so hard I farted." 🤣

"Head lock that felt like a hug." Oh siblings and their special way of showing love. 

"You coming?"  Read the book to get the depth of this last question. 


Did you have a favorite quote?

  

Caldecott 2018 Winners {picture books, nonfiction, book list}

The Caldecott is a prestigious award named after Randolph Caldecott.  The award is given to the artist/illustrator of the best American published books.  

When I was the librarian in Denver, I had a 2nd grader that was fascinated with my "Caldecott Medal Winners" poster and checked out every single winner.  I feel a bit like that little boy b/c every year I check out the Caldecott Medal and Honor (runner-ups) books.  

This year, the 2018 Caldecott  Medal Winner is: 

Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell

The 2018 Caldecott Honor books are: 

Big Cat, Little Cat by Elisha Cooper

Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes

A Different Pond by Bao Phi

Grand Canyon by Jason Chin

Some Caldecott years I completely adore all of the books for their story and illustrations, and some years I think the pictures are cool but the stories are lacking.  This year, I'm probably somewhere in between.  I thought some books were amazing, and I loved the diversity in the books.  

Check out the links above for my reviews on each of the Caldecott books this year.  

Which Caldecott book this year is your favorite? I'd probably vote for Grand Canyon, but maybe that is my Arizona connection.   Though, I really loved A Different Pond as well. 

Happy Caldecott reading! 

Grand Canyon gets 4.5 Stars {nonfiction, caldecott}

Grand Canyon by Jason Chin is absolutely fantastic.  The illustrations are gorgeous.  The details, such as the end paper map shown below, are exceptional and make this book a must addition for any library collection.

The information found in the Grand Canyon book is extensive.  It covers the geology of the Grand Canyon, ecology, biology including insects and animals, and so much more.  Though, the information is not the only thing found in this book, the story of a father and daughter's adventure hiking in the Grand Canyon is a welcome addition.  To be honest, this book could be used as a long picture book for younger students, or a research/fact book for older.  Both audiences/readers will learn something new about the Grand Canyon.

The story aspect and the nonfiction aspect merge together on pages that send the characters "back" in time billions of years ago to what the area looked like.  To be honest, the first time the story went back to the past I was a little confused, but it eventually made sense.  I think this confusion in the book is what made me rate the Grand Canyon at 4.5 out of 5 stars.

The book is fantastic!  It truly is such a great book that I have high praise for.  The very end of the book, when the story is over, there are pages of facts and even more information about the Grand Canyon.  Honestly, the amount of information in this book is quite impressive, and a person that loves Arizona, the Grand Canyon, geology, ecology, or biology should definitely get their hands on this book.  This book should be, I hope it is, sold in the gift shops at the Grand Canyon National Park.

I loved many things about Grand Canyon, but this double fold out page illustrating the entire Grand Canyon is gorgeous!  It's honestly frame worthy, but I love it even more b/c it is in a kid's book.  This double fold out page will be awed and loved by those that own this book, but like many library books with fold-outs, it may be a little beat-up. 

I'm so happy that Jason Chin won a Caldecott Honor for Grand Canyon; in my opinion it is so well deserved.

Happy Fabulous Non-Fiction Completely Entertaining Scientific reading!

Grand Canyon by Jason Chin
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Best For: 8-13 years old, 3rd to 7th grade. 
Worth a Check Out: Yes
Buy It or Not: Great book. Definitely a purchase for a library collection, science lover, or Arizona teacher.
Read Aloud: No, it is far too long.  Though, you could read parts.   
Lesson Ideas: Arizona, The Grand Canyon, history, geology, ecology, animals, biology, maps, Caldecott.

Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut gets 4 Stars {picture book, caldecott, newbery}

Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut written by Derrick Barnes and illustrated by Gordon C. James won all of the awards this year.  This book was definitely the big ALA winner; it came away with 7 awards.  With a Caldecott Honor, aka runner-up for illustrations, Newbery Honor, aka a runner-up for the written story, and a Coretta Scott King Award, an award for the best book by an African-American, for the author and illustrator. Barnes and Gordon seem to be quite the dream team, and even more impressive they are both new to the writing/illustrating world. 

Most people adored this book, and it's not new to me for feeling differently from the majority.  To be honest, I felt Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut is a great book to add to your collection for more diversity.  I felt the concept of taking pride in your appearance, getting a hair cut in this instance, can build self-esteem.  The story and the pictures are unique and beautiful in their own ways.  I thought the word choice was excellent and descriptive with words like magnificent, flawless, and a comparison to royalty.  

My major qualm with the book, and why it earned 4 out of 5 stars was because the storyline and the wording seem more appropriate for 4th through 6th grade, however the concept of pride felt from a hair cut, and the excitement for going to get a cut seems more appropriate for preschoolers.  I think the audience this book is best suited for is off and the reason for my lack of enthusiasm.     

According to Goodreads, I am in the minority with my rating.  What do you think? Where do you rate this Caldecott and Newbery Honor book?      

Happy New Hair Cut Self-Esteem Building picture book reading!

Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes illustrated by Gordon C. James
Rating: 4/5 stars
Best For: 2-7 years old, Toddlers to 2nd grade. 
Worth a Check Out: Yes
Buy It or Not: It's a great diversity book, if your collection is lacking diversity you need this book.
Read Aloud: Yes.  If you are talking about hair-cut or appearance impacting self-esteem.
Lesson Ideas: Hair cut, barbershop, African-American, word choice 6 traits writing, Caldecott, Newbery. 

Big Cat, Little Cat gets 4 Stars {picture book, caldecott}

Big Cat, Little Cat by Elisha Cooper is a Caldecott Honor book, aka it's one of the runner up books.  It is one of the very best illustrated books published in America in 2017.

Big Cat, Little Cat is a simple story about two pet cats.  One "big cat" aka older cat introduces and teaches the new "little cat" aka the kitten about life.

This picture book has a sweet simple story that even toddlers can understand and enjoy, but it has a more complex message that'll pull at the heart strings of older readers.  As an adult, I thought the message was sweet and touching.  If you have a special place in your heart for cats, you most definitely should give this book a check out, if not a purchase.  To be honest, if you have a cat this would make a great gift for your child. 

Have you read Big Cat, Little Cat, yet?  What do you think, worthy gift purchase?     

Happy cat loving picture book reading!

Big Cat, Little Cat by Elisha Cooper
Rating: 4/5 stars
Best For: 2-7 years old, Toddlers to 2nd grade. 
Worth a Check Out: Yes
Buy It or Not: If you love cats and have had cats as a pet.
Read Aloud: Yes. 
Lesson Ideas: Pets, cats, size, opposites, teaching younger, raising a pet, getting a pet, friendship, Caldecott. 

Wolf in the Snow gets 4 Stars {picture book, wordless, caldecott}

Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell is the 2018 Caldecott Medal Winner!  Wahoo!  That's a pretty big deal, so you'll soon be seeing all of these books with a pretty gold sticker on it.   Just so you know, the Caldecott is an award for the book with the best pictures/illustrations that was published in America last year.  

Wolf in the Snow is a wordless picture book which obviously means there are no words.  The pictures tell the story.  I love using wordless books with my toddlers all the way up to 3rd grade.  With my preschooler I first tell her the story, but after we read it a few times she usually begins to take over with the "reading."  This builds her confidence with books, and I get to see that she knows how a story is laid out.  At 3 years old she knows there are characters, a problem, and a solution. This is a reading strategy you can do with young children as well as older students.  

When I was an elementary school librarian I had my 2nd and 3rd grade classes writing "words" aka the story to a wordless book.  Wolf in the Snow would be perfect for a winter time writing lesson.  This picture book is sweet and simple.  All animal lovers will feel a special pull to this book, and parents with young children will feel something reading this book.   It's definitely a book you need to check out. 

Overall, I felt Wolf in the Snow is a good book with good illustrations.  I didn't think the illustrations and story were great, and that's the main reason it lost a star in my book review.  However, the message of helping others and they, or karma, will help you in times of need.  

What did you think of Wolf in the Snow?    

Happy Wordless Caldecott Medal Winning Sweet Story about Karma reading!

Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell
Rating: 4/5 stars
Best For: 2-8 year olds, Toddlers and up. 
Worth a Check Out: Yes
Buy It or Not: If you are an animal lover than definitely.
Read Aloud: No. 
Lesson Ideas: Snow, snowstorms, family, wolves in packs, wolf cubs, write the story/tell the story to a classmate; karma, Golden Rule. 

Banned Books That are Completely Ridiculous {banned book week}

Banned Book Week is almost over.  It's a week to remember that freedom of speech is important.  It's a time to make people aware that banning books is limiting freedom of speech.  It's a time to remind everyone that you can censor books for yourself and your children, but let others have that same choice to censor as well. 

If you missed these other Banned Book Trouble Maker lists, then check them out.  

• Banned Books that cause trouble with the religious crowds. 
• Banned Books that are too depressing, political, or just too much of one thing or another. 

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

I'm reading this book to my kids right now; clearly I'm a book reading rebel trying to raise book reading rebels.  

Dahl is a serious trouble maker; he's got two books on this list.  Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was banned b/c it teaches a poor philosophy of life. 

What am I teaching my kids?!  

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

Silverstein is another multiple book trouble maker on this list.  This book, which makes most people emotional, was banned b/c it depicts an unhealthy one-sided relationship, criminalizes the forest industry, and it is a sexist book.\

Ridiculous.   

A serious trouble maker with multiple offenses. Yet, I loved using The Giving Tree in the library for a read aloud and personification lesson.

Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

This book was banned b/c Harriet spies.  Sure I know you may be thinking, that is ridiculous, the title of the book tells us she is a spy.  I'd say, yes you are correct; it is ridiculous.  

Those wishing to ban this book were also dissatisfied b/c Harriet lies, curses, and sets a bad example for kids.

Ridiculous.  

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

Another Dahl trouble maker here.  James and the Giant Peach was banned b/c the spider in the story licks his lips and that could be taken sexually.  I definitely don't think a sexual when a spider licks his or her lips.  Ridiculous. 

Little Red Riding Hood by Brothers Grimm

The Little Red-Cap version of this fairy tale was banned with Little Red was carrying wine in her basket.  Apparently a wolf eating grandma isn't a big deal; the wine is the troublemaker. 

Ridiculous. 

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

The Lorax is a great Earth Day book, but being appropriate for Earth Day can apparently lead you to be banned.  This book was banned b/c it was severe on the logging industry.

That is the whole point of the book. 

Ridiculous. 

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig

This Caldecott Award book was banned was banned b/c the police officers in the books are pigs.  Granted, the entire town is various farm animals.  His next door neighbor is a pig.  

Ridiculous. 

I understand how some are offended by the whole pig police officer thing, but is there a farm animal people wouldn't be offended with.  A donkey? No. A cow? I don't think so.  

And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson

This book, based on a true story about two male penguins caring for a baby penguin in the NY Central Park Zoo was banned b/c it was misleading. This true story is misleading. How? 

Ridiculous. 

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

Another Silverstein troublemaker here.  This book, full of fun and silly poems, is one of the most loved poetry books of all time.  

This book was specifically banned b/c it encourages cannibalism and breaking dishes.  Apparently, the banners didn't think cannibalism was enough of a reason, so breaking dishes was their next best reason.    

Ridiculous. 

Anyone know of any cases of breaking dishes and cannibalism after reading this book. 

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

Parents of young children, DO NOT READ THIS BOOK TO YOUR KIDS.  It was banned b/c it glorifies Max's tantrums.  

Ridiculous. 

Where's Waldo? by Martin Handford

Search and Find books are so fun, and Waldo books are known for the craziness on every page to make finding Waldo difficult.  I wasn't very good at these books, but they were fun.  Fun isn't enough though. 

Where's Waldo was banned b/c on one small area of one of these pages there was a side shot of a woman's breast when she was laying on the beach.  Just a little side in the craziness of it all caused so much trouble. 

Ridiculous.  

Don't worry,  Handford made a little adjustment to that page so you don't have to worry about it anymore.  

Are you a banned book reader? 

Happy Banned Book Week and Banned Book Reading!