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Ten to try: Readers recommend

by Book Reviews and RecommendationsBooksVolunteer Readers

Each year, we ask our volunteer readers for books that worked well in their classrooms. Here are some of their favorite titles:

You know you have found a good book when you finish it, and they yell, “Again!” That is what they always do with I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More by Karen Beaumont. (PreK-K)

— Jackie Thompson, Kanawha County

There’s a Mouse About the House
by Richard Fowler

I found that asking each child on the first day of Read Aloud what their favorite stories are about helps tremendously with my book selections for the year (as well as their attention span). (PreK-K)
— Margaret Tennant, Marion County

When I was Young in the Mountains
by West Virginia’s own Cynthia Rylant

Each week I asked who had read or who had been read to outside of school. It seemed the show of hands and enthusiasm continued to improve during the school term. (Grades PreK-2)

— Jane Cooper, Fayette County

The Day the Crayons Quit
by Olivia Jeffers

Another colorful choice. This time, each crayon in the box writes a letter to Duncan letting him know what is going on. (Grades 1-3)

­ — Catherine Slonaker, Berkeley County

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig is about a rock gathering donkey. Our wonderful teacher tells me what they are studying, and I bring in books and things on the topic. (Grades K-1)

— Lee File, Raleigh County

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
by Lucille Collandro

Holds listeners with folksy illustrations, rhyming and repetition. (Grades K-1)

— Bob Sylvester, Kanawha County

Lon Po Po
by Ed Young

A Chinese version of Little Red Riding Hood. (Grades 3-5)

— Sandra Summers, Jackson County

Because of Winn-Dixie
by Kate DiCamillo

This book follows Opal at a particularly difficult time in her life as she finds a dog that she needs as much as the dog needs her. (Grades 3-5)

— Synthia Kolsun, Tucker County

The Telltale Lilac Bush and Other West Virginia Ghost Tales by Ruth Ann Musick is all in the title. A spooky, local classic. (Grades 6-9)

— Linda D. Mitchem, Raleigh County

Awkward
by Svetlana Chmakova

It was my first experience with reading a graphic novel with the use of the overhead camera and “smart board.” It went well enough that I would do it again with the right book, but it takes some getting used to. (Grades 6 to adult)

— Gary Grosso, Preston County

— Compiled by Raney Exline

2018-03

‘Find the right book’ at the WV Book Festival, Oct. 4-5

by Book Reviews and RecommendationsBooksEventsParents and FamiliesReading

Looking for your next favorite book? The West Virginia Book Festival’s got you covered. With a used book sale, writing workshops, and a line-up of authors including James Patterson, Salina Yoon, Orson Scott Card, and more, this gathering of readers and writers will have something for the whole family.

Orson Scott Card
James Patterson

Read Aloud is particularly excited about the opportunity for cross-generational interest in authors. Headliner James Patterson, for example, a well-known adult author, also has several successful young adult (YA) series, including Maximum Ride, Middle School, and I Funny. Orson Scott Card, author of the popular sci-fi novel, Ender’s Game, also has a YA series called Pathfinder. This is a great opportunity for parents to foster and/or bolster a love of reading with their children through the shared experience of meeting or discovering an author they both enjoy.

James Patterson claims to have set a mission with his writing career that we heartily agree with – “to prove that there is no such thing as a person who ‘doesn’t like to read,’ only people who haven’t found the right book.” We hope to see this message resonate through all aspects of this year’s book festival and awaken the reader in everyone.

Join us on October 4-5 at the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center to celebrate our favorite thing – books!

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10 to TRY — Good pairings

by Book Reviews and RecommendationsUncategorized

Our volunteers regularly pair books that go well together during a single read aloud sitting. Last summer, Christy Schwartz of the West Virginia Campaign for Grade Level Reading told volunteers at the Read Aloud conference that reading multiple texts on a subject helps students to improve their reading skill. Just for the fun of it, here are some of our volunteers’ listener-tested combinations:

The Bad Seed by John Jory and Rude Cakes by Rowboat Watkins are two charming, upbeat narratives all about teaching children about being kind and considerate to others. They pair well together with their complementary art styles and similar, silly takes on how one can be “A baaaaaaaaaad seed.” In each, the main character decides to change his ways from bad or rude and try (though they might not always succeed) to be nicer to those around them. Pre-K – 1 — Amanda Schwartz, Communications and Development Director

The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak is agreat book to pair with any book that is too short to fill your allotted time. The children ask over and over for me to re-read this book. I have read it to kindergarten and second grade and it is without question the favorite of every child. I have great fun reading it, too. — Aletta Moffett, Marion County Chapter President

Book of Animal Poetry edited by J. Patrick Lewis, U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate. The poetry is easy to understand for elementary students, the National Geographic photos are beautiful, and students learn about familiar and unfamiliar animals. The highlight is that a couple poems are rap poems (e.g., “Polar Bear Rap”) with the students participating by stomping their feet to the beat. There are always requests to do them second and third times!

A little dose of poetry gives the students something different and pairs well with other animal books. — Tom Tinder, Bridgeview Elementary, Kanawha County

Based on the undocumented notion that the boys prefer “fact” books and the girls prefer “fiction” books, I open with Bats by Elizabeth Carney, a National Geographic Kids Book, full of bat facts. I follow with Stellaluna by Janell Cannon, a beautifully illustrated story of a baby bat that gets separated from its mother and is raised by a bird family before reuniting with the bat mother. It’s a great story that comingles bat facts with bird facts. The whole class really enjoys both aspects of the reading and it makes for a good session. — Casey Willson, Gerrardstown Elementary School, Berkeley County

The Rabbit Listened by Cory Doerrfeld, a favorite of Executive Director Mary Kay Bond. One day Taylor concentrated hard and built something amazing with his blocks. Then disaster struck. The way different characters react to little Taylor’s setback will be recognizable to everyone. I read this along with Odd Velvet by Mary Whitcomb, the story of Velvet, who is thought to be so strange in her kindergarten class because her teacher gifts and birthday party games don’t come from a store. It’s a message kids really need to hear. K-3 — Bob Pepper, Sissonville Elementary, Kanawha County

Camille and the Sunflowers by Laurence Anholt tells the story of painter Vincent Van Gogh and the postman’s family in Arles, whom Van Gogh painted, along with his famous sunflowers and Starry Night. Then we read the short rhyming book No One Saw by Bob Raczka, featuring a full-page example of a different artist on each page. When we get to, “No one saw stars like Vincent Van Gogh,” students are thrilled by their recognition, and usually curious about other artists in the book. 3-5– Dawn Miller, Piedmont Elementary, Kanawha County

Have a title to recommend to your fellow Read Aloud volunteers? Tell us about it: newsletter@readaloudwv.org.

If you purchase a book through one of the affiliate links on this page, Read Aloud will receive a small percentage of the proceeds. This in no way impacts our recommendations.

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Fall in Love with Reading this Valentine’s Day

by Book Reviews and RecommendationsNews

Check out these book recommendations for Valentine’s Day!

Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch by Eileen Spinelli. Mr. Hatch “keeps to himself.” That’s what everybody says. Then one day he gets a surprise package, and a note: “Somebody loves you.” Good for kindergarten through third grade.


Nate the Great and the Mushy Valentine by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat. Who has left an anonymous note for Nate’s dog Sludge: “I love you, Sludge, more than fudge”? Kindergarten and first graders can puzzle out the answer alongside Detective Nate the Great. 

Looking at Lincoln by Maira Kalman. OK, not a Valentine’s book, but one for the birthday of Abraham Lincoln, who, among other accomplishments, signed West Virginia into existence. The book is a short, readable biography, but also a thoughtful look at the places Lincoln’s image appears in today’s world. Enjoyable throughout elementary school.

Saint Valentine by Robert Sabuda. Famous pop-up picture book artist Robert Sabuda, who appeared at the 2015 West Virginia Book Festival, created paper mosaics to evoke third-century Rome in his story of the original St. Valentine, a healer who sent a secret message to a little girl. Good non-fiction for upper elementary.

A snowy day to read

by Book Reviews and Recommendations

Here are a few old Read Aloud favorites when the weather turns wintry: The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. This book has been a winter favorite since today’s parents and grandparents were out exploring in the snow. PK-1

Axle Annie by Robin Pulver. No matter how hard it snows, Axle Annie will get the students to school and home again. PK-2

Snow by Cynthia Rylant captures that kid surprise that even adults sometimes still feel when they wake up to the altered world. 1-5

Nate the Great and the Snowy Trail by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat. Few Nate stories live up to the first, great kid-noir classic, but this one is pretty good. A real mystery kids can solve if they watch for clues. 1-3

Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin is the true story of the 19th-century Vermont man who figured out how to photograph individual snowflakes, allowing people to marvel at their beauty and uniqueness. Suitable for a class that can handle a longer read aloud session. It’s also nice if your library has one of W.A. Bentley’s books, such as Snowflakes in Photographs, just to see some more of his work. Listeners will not look at that sole flake briefly caught on their cuffs the same way afterward. 3-6 Of course, you can always find many more recommendations at our Book Lists and Reviews page.

10 to TRY: Successful books suggested by our volunteers in 2018

by Book Reviews and RecommendationsChaptersVolunteer Readers

“Bring a book to recommend,” participants in Read Aloud’s annual conference were instructed. Then at a good pausing point (or technical glitch, because books don’t glitch, right?) a volunteer would offer a quick show-and-tell. This issue’s book reviews include some of those favorites from around the state:

1. The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak. You may know the author better as Ryan from the TV show “The Office.” Don’t be daunted by the hilarious video online of Novak reading it to a school in New York. But be warned. Here’s a sample: “Everything the words say, the person reading the book has to say.

“No matter what.”

Young listeners wisely get the foreshadowing here and anticipate with giggles.

2. The Big Jump and Other Stories by Benjamin Elkin. This one, originally published in 1958, was recommended by Berkeley County volunteer Casey Wilson because it is one of his wife’s favorites. He read the first of the three stories in the book to a first-grade class, and then closed the book.

A student raised his hand and said, “There are more pages in that book.”

Caught holding out on them, Wilson re-opened the book and read all three stories to the class in that one sitting.

“It’s as different from what’s coming out that’s new and contemporary as it can be, but the kids love it. Don’t be hesitant to pull out the old-timers,” he said.

3. Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina. Speaking of old-timers, this folktale was first published as the beloved picture book by an avant-garde artist in 1940. It has sold millions and makes a great board book because of the repetitive language suited to small children. If you read it, though, make sure you know what monkey noise you’re going to make when the time comes.

4. What Do You Do with an Idea? by Kobi Yamada and illustrated by Mae Besom. A national bestseller this all-ages story and light, inviting drawings explore something anyone can recognize — what do you do with that idea? Sequels include What Do You Do with a Problem? and What Do You Do with a Chance?

5. Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13 by Helaine Becker and illustrated by Dow Phumiruk. This beautiful new picture book traces West Virginia’s recently discovered hero Katherine Johnson, of Greenbrier County, educated at West Virginia State University and WVU, who then worked quietly behind the scenes at NASA doing the math that made space travel possible. It’s aimed at younger students, but it has something to inform and inspire all ages.

6. Henry Builds a Cabin by D.B. Johnson. This is the first in a short series of picture books drawing on specific stories and imagery of Henry David Thoreau. This Henry is a bear who sets about building a cabin in the woods. The sentences are simple enough for little ones to follow, but the book is even better in fourth and fifth grades, where students kick off discussion with  “Why is he doing that?” Or someone insists that no one can build a house for 28 dollars, 12 and a half cents, and we discover the word inflation.

7. Cendrillon by Robert D. San Souci and illustrated by Brian Pinkney. This is another picture book that grows with the students. It’s the Cinderella story, so easily recognizable, but set in the French West Indies, with all the color, imagery and a peppering of French Creole language. Also, it is told from the point of view of the Fairy Godmother, or nannin’.

8. Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School and Other Scary Things by Lenore Look and illustrated by LeUyen Pham. A chapter book, this features second-grader Alvin Ho, aka his superhero alter-ego Firecracker Man, who does everything you would expect, except that as soon as he steps off the bus at school he can’t talk. The characters inspire laughs and compassion in listeners. It’s not too young for third grade, where students begged for the next one in the series.

9. Monsters in West Virginia by Rosemary Ellen Guiley. There is something even more suspenseful about allegations of monsters and fantastic beasts just out of sight, if the places they were supposedly spotted are places you know — Grafton, Point Pleasant, Braxton County, for example. A good lure for older listeners.

10. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo. “I love the connections we can make between how the author explored different kinds of love, friendship, family love, betrayal, all of these rich ideas and plot twists and things that we can look at together when we read those books,” said Christy Schwartz, literacy specialist with the West Virginia Department of Education’s Campaign for Grade Level Reading.

“There’s a really powerful moment at the end. Every time my students saw me tear up at the end, they thought, ‘Wow.’ They fell in love with the characters, with the author, and they tended to read more books by that author.” This is another one for upper elementary students.

Looking for your next Read Aloud hit? Need to freshen your repertoire?

Scroll through and click around our helpful booklists.

Book Review

by Book Reviews and RecommendationsNews

Fallingwater: The Building of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Masterpiece by Marc Harshman and Anna Egan Smucker 

Reviewed by Dawn Miller

In a discussion with an out-of-town visitor some time ago, several of us at the Charleston Gazette-Mail tried to convey that our readers have a strong sense of place. The visitor, having listened carefully, nodded: “I think it’s safe to say you love West Virginia.” The emphasis was his.

I thought of that exchange while reading Fallingwater: The Building of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Masterpiece by West Virginia authors Marc Harshman and Anna Egan Smucker, who also have a love of place, and know how to appreciate it in others.

Their poetic words, and somehow moving illustrations by LeUyen Pham, tell the story of Edgar Kaufmann (as in the old Pittsburgh-based department store formerly anchoring the Charleston Town Center), who wanted to build a house at a special place, near a waterfall on Bear Run in western Pennsylvania.

“Campfires have been built on that big rock for hundreds of years,” Kaufmann told Wright, a famous architect whose best years and projects were behind him, or so people believed.

For 34 dynamic pages, Harshman, Smucker and Pham make even the thinking that goes into the design of Wright’s most famous house suspenseful.

“No house should ever be on a hill or on anything….,” Wright wrote in his autobiography. “Hill and house should live together each the happier for the other.”

Most adults coming to the book will already know that Wright builds Kaufmann’s house over the water, so that the campfire rock becomes the hearth of the house. Yet it is a revelation as it emerges from drawings, rock and scaffolding.

There’s a page where Wright stands out on the farthest point of the terrace, extended out over the creek.

I think of it every time I drive by the Charleston Civic Center’s ongoing renovations, where an inviting bowsprit has emerged over the Elk River.

I tried the book recently in Martha Barnes’ and Sarah Woody’s third-grade class at Piedmont Elementary School in Charleston. Here’s how it went:

“That’s beautiful.”

Can you imagine going to bed in a house where you could hear the waterfall in every room, I asked.

“I would go right to sleep,” one girl said, and closed her eyes.

“How does it not block the waterfall?”

“How do we know that people have camped at that rock for centuries?”

I asked if anyone has a special place like this. The quick answers were big, the places of exciting family memories: Myrtle Beach. Las Vegas. China.

The slower answers were closer, and quieter: Fayette County. My grandma’s front yard.

Dawn Miller, a 26-year Read Aloud West Virginia volunteer and former board president, is the Gazette opinion editor at the Charleston Gazette-Mail.

 

 

Gaston-Life

When children drive the boat at story time

by Book Reviews and RecommendationsBooksReading

I’ve often said that the best learning and most meaningful experiences with children happen unexpectedly. And it happens all the time, especially with picture books. You just have to seize the moment and be ready to let go of the scripted text, the one that’s in your head.

I’d like to tell you about two outstanding books where this happened, each with very different experiences:

Fi-Fi, Foo-Foo, Ooh-La-La and Gaston. Yes, reading those words from Gaston, by Kelly DiPucchio to the children started it all. They cracked up (it really was funny), so I read it again. More laughing, and I laughed, too. The words in the text repeated the dogs’ names. I paused, looked at the children, and read the names again—this time with a voice and an accent. Well, we roared, together. I couldn’t stop laughing. My tears blocked seeing the words in the book.

Was this planned? Of course not. It just happened. Why was this important? It made their teacher (me) more human. It was a class bonding moment. If anyone was having a bad day, they weren’t any longer. Laughter is the best medicine. Next, we finished reading the book, and we learned a few impromptu words in French. Oui, oui.

The story is about Gaston, who is clearly not at all like his sisters, Fi-Fi, Foo-Foo, and Ooh-La-La. The dogs meet another family, Rocky, Ricky, Bruno, and Antoinette, who is not like her brothers. The two mother dogs discuss what appears to be the obvious, a dog in each family that doesn’t belong:

It seems there’s been a terrible mistake. Whatever shall we do? I guess we’ll let them decide.

What happens next is a story of diversity, belonging, and love. Laced with humor, the book appeals to children and adults. It certainly appeals to my children! Belly laughing made it a memory. Oh, we now sing “Fi-Fi, Foo-Foo, Ooh-La-La and Gaston” as a catchy tune.

Sometimes a simple text can be powerful. I discovered just that when I read aloud Life, by West Virginia native Cynthia Rylant.

The book starts with these words:

Life begins small. Even for elephants. Then it grows. Beneath the sun. And the moon. Life grows.

Powerful, indeed. I read the words slowly, taking time to stop and let the words sink in, and show the illustrations. Children were silent. The story depicts not only the elephant, but many other animals. In a matter-of-fact way, it tells the tale of how things are not always easy. Life. Yet, there is always hope and wonder ahead as we go through life. The book ends with these words:

And it is worth waking up in the morning to see what might happen. Because life begins small. And grows.

When I finished reading to this silent group, I clutched the book to my chest and paused. I said, “I love life. What do I like the most?”

Long pause and thinking.

“Singing! I love singing. Everyone knows Jennie loves singing.”

And then I looked at all those little faces, looking at me. I knew what I needed to do; I asked each child what they love about life. I was stunned. I never expected to hear these answers:

“Hearts and love. Legos. Trees. The moon. Dancing. Santa. Hearts. Rainbows. Big hearts. My big sister. Playing with Alex and Hunter. My big brother. My Mom and Dad.”

My goodness!

No wonder this book has been recommended as an alternative to Dr. Seuss’ book, Oh the Places You’ll Go, as a graduation gift.

If you think books and words and stories aren’t powerful, think again. When you seize the moment as you read a book aloud, and follow your instinct and heart, you will make that book far more meaningful for children. Whether it is filled with humor or worldly advice, it really doesn’t matter. You will make that book come alive. You will make a difference.

Jennie Fitzkee, a West Virginia native who lives in Massachusetts, has been teaching and reading to preschoolers for 30 years. Her blog, A Teacher’s Reflections, chronicles lessons that extend far beyond the classroom.