The One and Only Ivan by Katheryn Applegate

This book is a John Newbery medal  winner.  This book was picked because of being one of the most distinguished in American Children’s Literature.  It was also on the New York Times Best Seller list. The illustrations brought to us by Patricia Castelao spark emotion in their simplicity.

The theme of this book is that of animal cruelty and isolation.  There are 4 main animals characters and 3 main human characters in this book. Barring the Owner Mack all the characters are trapped in on way or another.  Despite their situations they all find a way to trust, love and because of friendship  find a way to help each other.  The Big top Mall at Exit 8 seems like it may have been around a lot  longer than animal rights activist have been.   Ivan suffers many years in his dwelling (cage)without anyone noticing.  I wonder is Applegate is trying to remind us readers of the need for us to care for animals and not exploit them?

Ivan in this story is reminded again again by his friend Stella the elephant that there is hope for a better home.  Ivan’s friend Bob the dog also reminds Ivan of Ivan’s own lost affections that he had with his sister and parents in the jungle.   However, Ivan needs more than hopeful words and gentle reminders to breath life back into him after his family is murdered and his sister dies of heartbreak in a box while being transported out of the jungle. What Ivan needs finds him when a young elephant new to Exit 8 Big Top Mall arrives as a captive and her name is Ruby.  After Stella dies of an untreated infection Ivan feels protective of the baby elephant Ruby. He begins to feel emotionally connected to Ruby similar to what a Silverback in it’s natural environment would feel toward offspring of it’s own.  So, when Ivan sees Ruby  abused and made to perform for the mall audience several times a day he keeps his promise to Stella to protect Ruby.  Ivan finds a way for Ruby  to be moved to a zoo and by default he and Bob both find new homes as well.

In this fictional book Mack the owner of the mall who is driven by the mighty dollar lacks what all the other characters have and that is compassion.  The Stella has compassion because she remembers her own treatment and does not want history to repeat it’s self  in Ruby’s life. Bob and Ivan have  compassion most strongly  each other but also for Stella and Ruby.  Julia and George have compassion for the animals.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I think children can learn a few valuable lessons from this story those are, do not tolerate animal cruelty and be kind to each other.

CybilS awards in connection with KidLitospher  have been in motion for nearly 10 years.  This award strives to locate and to recognize children and young adult authors and illustrators who submit books with special literary merit and mainstream appeal.

“Jennie a previous judge will come back this year to the CYBILS for the  7th time . She’s been a panelist and now looks forward to a new role in CybilS.  She is the one organizer I left a question/comment for asking, “Where can we students find a complete organized list of genera’s for children, mid level readers and young adults?” I am hoping for a timely response to a burning question I have. Maybe even one my class mates may have the answer, please share if you do.  I think if I had a list the visual tangible list would help me to organiz my logged books in Goodreads, mentally.  I also think that when I post here in this blog or in Goodreads I would feel more confident in describing all books. This question in the #1 reason why I this is my  Friday Meme.

Back to the CybliS Award, new authors and published authors of non-published books can submit to the judges of this award to be considered for review.  The judges who vary from year to year will accept paper copy’s or e-versions. The judges certainly have the ideal season to read through being that it is winter.  I can only image the coffee and tea that will be drank while imaginations are ignited.  Hats off to those established and those upcoming authors! -Good luck to your stories in the upcoming judging rounds of The CybilS 2016.  The CybilS judging begins in Mid -October and award winners will be announced on Valentines Day 2017.

I have recently been introduced to a second local Nebraska author and wonder if she has been a part of CybilS awards in any capacity.  Have any of you known an author who have submitted a book for judging?

Hi again fellow Lit. Mates!

Its Monday I have been reading take a look maybe you have read some of these titles?

This week I especially liked

Knight History’s Greatest Warriors

• This children historical book is about Sir Camelot and Charlemagne’s Cavalry’s story in  high detail and for the most part was explicit with out being scary. The pictures are high pixel pictures and are on every page.

The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog by Mo Williams

• Not one of my favorites this week, I had a difficult time focusing on this short simple picture book. It is a story of a pigeon who finds a hot dog and is out witted by a crafty Mama bird who eats the hot dog.

That is not a good Idea by Mo Williams

• This is a Golden Sower award winner from 2015-2016. This is story that I will add to my personal library!  It tells a tale of a Mother duck who makes dinner out of fox who tries to make dinner out of her!

Leonardo the Terrible Monster  by Mo Williams

• Fun read about a  not terrible monster.  In the end after the reader feels incredibly sorry for this very tender monster who wants nothing more than to be scary and cannot be, the monster is able to find his true calling and that is helping others.

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Williams

• Another of his greats this story won A Caldecott Award.  In this the pigeon of his other books in a comic story fashion every way it can to drive a bus.  Thank heavens the bird is not able to find a way to drive off into the sunset!

Knuffle Bunny Free by Mo Williams

• Yes Another Mo Williams book.  This one I actually enjoyed reading more than all the rest of his books so far.  It is a larger children’s picture book filled to the brim with colorful pictures.  It is a story of a bunny who is lost, found and given away again by his owner, to comfort a different child.

I am finding time to read by sacrificing something else.  That something else changes day to day but there is always a sacrifice.  For instance yesterday I chose to give up visiting with my husband during a beautiful Nebraska sunset.  Today I gave up time with friends, my bucket is running low in this 3 week so I needed a small dose of friends but not the extended time I am used to spending with them.

It has been difficult to find the time as I have read in other blogs.  I now carry my charged kindle with me and tap into Nebraska Overdrive it seems daily.  I have other classes that I am interested in and find that I have to set this class aside purposefully in order to honor the commitment I made to them.  Like many others I have family,  work and feel pulled in many directions.

S.H.

Last week I used edge time to read, while in line I read while I waited for my turn.  I have read while my family watched a game on TV.  The bigger blocks of time that I find are the most productive for me.  I can read, comprehend and find pleasure in a story during those periods.  Those blocks of time last week were in the morning.  I hope to find time next week to sit outside in the fall weather and read.  I have also found that if I read to my grandson I have interaction time with him and get some reading done.  I hadn’t thought of how much I love that time with him, next week I will spend more evening time with him.  I am sure my daughter will love that as she will be able to get somethings accomplished of her own.  One other thing I would like to try is to listen to an audio book while exercising, I am not sure I can make that work this week but in the future maybe?

PF 

Hi everyone, This week I bring you a new Meme from, ‘KidLitosphere Central The Society of Bloggers in Children’s and Young Adults Literature”. click to follow link

Poetry Friday Roundup

I wanted to learn more about Kidlitosphere after visiting with a local high school Literature teacher who is truly gifted.  Mrs. R. is able to deliver stories to her children in theatrical ways that captures and holds their attention, so I thought a good place to find ideas and knowledge would be here in a new Meme to help me be a little more like her.  I hope you enjoy reading what I have learned in “Poetry Friday Roundup” the Friday Meme.

1. The site much like our Lit. instructor has cautioned highly recommends that we adhere to copy-right fair use.  This blog recommends that only a few lines of any poem being posted and a link to the full poem.
2. I learned that this blog uses one blogger, Mary Lee Hahn to “round up” poetry from all around.  A list is complied by her within the blog for poetry enthusiast around the world.  I wasn’t aware one person could tact so much information but if you click this link you will find her work well organized.
3.  I was surprised to learn that this site is connected to an annual conference that attracts librarian, educators, authors and those who are new to literature.  I was also surprised at the central United States location.  I wander if any one out there can help me understand why Wichita, Kansas was choose over say San Diego or Orlando? Date of this years upcoming conference;KIDLITCON 2016Friday October 14

   Well, as you noticed I didn’t find what I was looking for in the Meme instead I found a wealth of information on Poetry.  The past few weeks of blogging are proving to be very exciting and UNPREDICTABLE.  I regret that I do not have time to make the trip for the annual KidLitCon, and I am still searching for ways to develop my ability to be an awesome teacher, we will see what helpful tips find me next week.

This weeks reading in both  blogs and traditional books was really pleasant. I found time to read to myself and to my grandson.  Now here are a few of my favorites form this past week. Maybe some of you have read one or more?

This is picture book for young readers by Barbara Williams. Albert has an impossible toothache, well what Albert has is a limited child’s vocabulary and therefore isn’t able to tell his family what part of his body hurts.

When I found you by Catherine Ryan Hide

This non-fiction young adult book is about an abandoned baby boy who was found on cold morning by a childless man while hunting with his dog. This is story about unconditional love and that is what captured my heart. Though I have not finished reading is completely I can relate to the character willingness grow found of a child.  The surprising part of this book is that the main character, Nathan the man who fond the baby in the woods is able to love this growing child despite the dishonorable behaviors the boy has.  This book would be valued by young adults and likely even seasoned readers.

Hot Chocolate in June, by Holy  Mthethwa a Nebraska author is an autobiography for young adults. It tells her story of falling in love with “wrong man” and how she was able to follow that lord while reconciling the difference of her own families culture and that of the man she loves.

Vikings History’s Greatest Warriors, I was drawn to this book after watching several episodes of The Vikings on the History Channel.  This is children’s picture book about the culture and historical events of the the Vikings.

This book is part of the collection I started in the above mentioned book, Vikings.  This book Ninjas is part of a History’s Greatest Warriors collection.  The pictures are real images most likely taken recently while the models are in costume but the pictures  give the reader a feeling of realness. I look forward sharing the history with students .

I hope everyone is able to spend today reading and doing what ever else you like best.  What is it you like second to reading?

 

This week in my Children’s Literature class, I have invited my students to design their own reading plan for the rest of the semester. Last semester as I tried to transition this course to a …

Source: Reading Challenges in Children’s Literature

This post is a way to motivate you self to read you way to goals!  Lots of ideas here if you hit the link above!

 

 

D.M.

The words that Donalyn Miller choses to describe her student readers are powerful.  She chooses to describe her week readers as “Developing” or “Dormant”.  In this way she helps them to understand that they have potential to become strong readers and that though they cannot read at the same level as others, they are learning to do so.   While reading this article I am reminded that we as future teachers can benefit our students by sharing our struggles with students. In my past shared my struggles with children in relation to math and also when helping them to build friendships.  Now I see how sharing about our past hurdles we experienced when we were learning to read can be used to strengthen the hope to read in developing and/or dormant readers.

Donalyn Miller allows children the freedom of choice with a genre, I agree with her this is powerful.  I can see how a boy or girl may choose to read different books based on gender or how race may play a major role in a book a child chooses. Giving a student power to “walk away” from a book as she suggests empowers her students.  One other powerful activity is to allow a student to share a few details of a story they have read, I know this absorbs precious time in a jam packed day but they may be offering another child a recommendation to a book that otherwise would not get made.

Shared Reading is new to me and I fully agree with this concept.  The introduction and pronunciation of new vocabulary is smoothly delivered in shared reading.  This is vital when teaching to a diverse class of students.  In the schools I am currently working in, have ELL students sprinkled in each class along with students who have a wide variety of learning disabilities. Independent reading is difficult for many students and being an active part of the reading experience like Donalyn is in Shared Reading saves time and does not shame a child. She puts herself in the game of reading with her students.  She also has the children journal much like what we are doing here in WordPress.  Having my fellow classmates here has been helpful to me as an adult.  I can see how a written history of reads and written goals would benefit all readers.

I want to leave this post by asking, what tool out of the Creative Readers article will you use in the classroom?

 

This is a link to

Slice of Life: Finding Time to Read

Elisabeth Ellington / January 14, 2014