Through the arts children can express, communicate, explore, imagine, and learn about culture and history. Drama, music, dance, and the visual arts strengthen students problem-solving and critical thinking skills, add to overall academic achievement and preparation for the work world. This week the International Reading Association Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) shares recent titles around the theme of the arts.

GRADES K-3

Costanza, Stephen. (2012). Vivaldi and the invisible orchestra. New York: Henry Holt.

Antonio Vivaldi was the music master at the Ospedale della Pieta, an orphanage in Venice in the eighteenth century. Each day the young orphan girl, Candida, copied and transcribed Vivaldi’s work from his written scores onto sheets of music for his musicians. His musicians were the orphan girls from the school and they played behind a dark curtain during performances above the audience thus giving them the impression of an invisible orchestra. One day, Candida accidentally leaves one of her poems written along the sides of Vivaldi’s work in the sheets of music. On the following day when she picks up her daily scores to transcribe she discovers Vivaldi’s new concerto, The Four Seasons, based on the thoughts in her poem. The jewel-tone pastel illustrations add to the richness of this fairy tale-like story. Author notes at the end provide the back story about this little known incident in the life of the famous composer. Teachers might like to use the information about Vivaldi on Classics for Kids with a piece of the composition “The Four Seasons.”

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Danneberg, Julie. (2012) Monet paints a day. Illus. by Caitlin Heimerl. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge.

In the fall of 1885, Impressionist painter Claude Monet was staying at the coastal resort of Etretat, France. Told in first person and taken from his own writing and letters to his fiancée Alice, Monet talks about gathering his easels and paints and art supplies and hauling them all to the oceanside to paint. He uses local children to help with transporting all the painting materials that he needs. He is especially concerned with the light and the absolute correct time of day for the perfect lighting conditions. However, on this particular day, he fails to note the tides and he is completely washed up in the incoming high tide, supplies and all! Small, boxed paragraphs at the bottom of each page provide factual information about Monet, his life and work. Additional information about the artist is found appended at the end of the book. Teachers will find activities to extend this book at Kids Study Art. ReadWriteThink offers a lesson plan idea entitled “Artistic Elements: Exploring Art through Descriptive Writing.” Also, read Julie Dannenberg's posts "Teaching Tips: In Writing, Nothing is Wasted" and "Teaching Tips: The 'Fast and Furious' First Draft" on the Engage blog.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Geist, Ken. (2012). Who’s who? Illus. by Henry Cole. New York: Feiwel and Friends/ MacMillan.

Based on the poem Over in the Meadow, this picture book will certainly be read and sung multiple times. Instead of a mother and child, this version has six sets of twins where the animals are from the barnyard, garden, jungle, pond, cave and sky. For example, “Over in the garden where the flowers grew and grew, lives a jumpy bunny sister and her twin brother, Lou.” On the next page the siblings are jumping over a log as they race other animals. The page contains speech bubbles with simple text for young children to read and sing along, “Hop!” Cole’s vibrant artwork is appealing and fun. The illustrations were created with acrylic paints and colored pencils. Visit www.henrycole.net to learn more.

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

Greenwood, Mark. (2012). Drummer boy of John John. Illus. by Frané Lessac. New York: Lee & Low.

Based on the real life story of Winston “Spree” Simon, this story brings to life how determination and the spark of an idea can bring pleasing results. The book opens just weeks before Carnival in Trinidad. The Roti King has offered free rotis—tasty fried pancakes filled with chicken, herbs, and spices—as the grand prize for the best band in the Carnival parade. Winston dearly loves a good roti and is trying to figure out a way to win the grand prize but this is especially difficult because he does not belong to a band. As he is thinking he tosses his mango pit into the junkyard and it “pings” off a can. When Winston hears that sound, he tries other cans and lids to hear the different tones and sounds different sizes make. He continues to experiment with pots and pans and tins of all sorts. As neighbors and friends come out of their homes to listen, his friends join in and their band is formed. Author notes at the end of the book tell more about Winston Simon and his creation of the famed steel drums of Trinidad. Lessac’s gouache paintings resonate with the vibrant life of the Caribbean. Listen to the steel drum music of Trinidad.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Hopman, Philip. (2012). Valentine and his violin. Translation by Claudius Translations, Dave Cooper and Vincent Janssen Steenberg. Honesdale, PA: Lemniscaat/Boyds Mill Press.

Valentine is learning to play the violin. As he attempts such classic pieces as “Ode to Joy” or “Water Music,” his music is actually more noise than melody. Everywhere he goes his audiences run from his cacophony; a dragon runs away, a horse bolts, a constipated wolf finds relief and more. Through it all, Valentine is confident and proud of his performances and is undeterred by audience reaction. However, the knight that watched the dragon flee asks Valentine to go with him to a battle where his castle is besieged and thinks Valentine might be able to help. When his music blares into the ears of the attacking soldiers they all run away to escape the deafening pain in their heads. The king and queen are grateful for his efforts to defeat the opposing army and so ask Valentine to perform at court. The illustrator has worked wonderful pen and ink and watercolor scenes of chaos into all this musical mayhem. Teachers might like to share with students some beginning violin music to hear what violins are supposed to sound like.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Markel, Michelle. (2012). The fantastic jungles of Henri Rousseau. Illus. by Amanda Hall.  Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

Henri Rousseau is a toll collector and he is 40 years old, but his dream is to become a painter. No one has ever told him that he could paint. It is simply his desire to become an artist. So, at age 40, he reinvents himself and begins to paint. He buys all the necessary art supplies and lets his imagination take flight. He paints gardens and jungle animals in a style that came to be known as naïve. His flattened shapes and the perspective that he brings to his canvas are unique. However, as he tries to win acceptance into the Parisian art world, he is ridiculed. His art is never really accepted in his own lifetime, though at one point Picasso honored him at a banquet in 1908. It was not until after Rousseau’s death that his style became renown. The illustrator has tried to recapture the essence of Rousseau’s exotic animals and naïve style using watercolors and acrylics to paint his jungle scenes. A discussion guide is available at the author’s website. Book trailer available at the publisher’s website or the extended five-minute trailer.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Moses, Will. (2011). Mary and her little lamb: The true story of the famous nursery rhyme. New York: Philomel Books.

Almost every English-speaking child knows the famous nursery rhyme about Mary and her school-going lamb. But surprisingly, the rhyming lines are based on fact, not fiction. A little girl named Mary did, indeed, have an affectionate lamb that followed her everywhere, even to school. Most popular nursery rhymes have roots in the rhymes of Mother Goose or European folktales, but in this case, Thomas Edison immortalized Mary when he recited the lines that became the first words to be recorded in a phonogram. Mary was Mary Elizabeth Sawyer who lived on a farm with many kinds of animals to love. When she found and befriended a frail, newborn lamb, the two bonded, playing together during the summer. When the lamb followed her to school, and sat under her desk, John Roulstone, a school visitor, was inspired by the reaction of Mary’s classmates as she recited a poem in front of the class, lamb by her side. The students whistled, laughed, and clapped at the sight. Amused by the incident, he wrote the now-famous poem about Mary and her lamb. According to most sources, the rhyme was written in the 1810s. In the 1830s, a version with four stanzas (three were added to the original version) was published. Those who are interested may visit Mary’s red stone school in Sterling, MA. Read more information about the school and rhyme. The illustrations by Will Moses (a direct descendant of Grandma Moses) and the book’s simple text makes it an excellent cross-over for history and music units.

- Rani Iyer, Washington State University Pullman

Polacco, Patricia. (2012). The art of Miss Chew. New York: Penguin/Philomel Books.

Once again, this gifted storyteller mines her formative years for an inspiring story about the impact of two supportive teachers. When her teacher Mr. Donovan notices that Trisha struggles while taking tests, he finds ways to accommodate her particular needs. Although Trisha is not proficient when it comes to reading and writing, she has no problem expressing herself through drawing. Mr. Donovan also takes note of her artistic talents and makes sure that she attends art classes at the high school. But when he must leave to return to Ireland, Trisha’s substitute teacher has no sympathy for the girl and blames her preoccupation with art for her poor schoolwork. This beautifully illustrated and carefully written picture book describes how Trisha’s art teacher, Miss Chew, nurtures her talents and how both she and Mr. Donovan bolster Trisha’s self-esteem. Essential reading for anyone who works with children or teens, this heart-rending story vividly illustrates the impact one person can have on another.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Reynolds, Peter. (2012). Sky Color. Somerville, MA: Candlewick.

Reynolds has returned to his earlier The Dot (2003) and Ish (2004) with the newest companion in the set, Sky Color, to encourage young artists to paint what they see. Marisol and her classmates are excited to begin painting the mural in the school library. As each class member claims a different part of the mural to paint, Marisol wants to paint the sky. She is anxious to do this but then is dismayed to learn that there is no blue paint in the art box. When school is over, she ponders this problem as she looks out the window on her bus ride home that night. As she gazes out the window and observes the end of day sky she sees the vivid oranges and reds and yellows of late afternoon. That night she has a very colorful dream. When she wakes the next morning the sky is gray and it is raining but she has the solution to her sky problem. When she arrives at school she mixes the paints and designs a swirling spotty mixture of color across the sky in the mural. When one of her classmates asks her what kind of sky is that, she answers, “it’s sky color.” Reynolds illustrated the story using lots of gray and very little color until the scene where Marisol is looking out the school bus window. His subtle intent for children is to discover the colors in life and nature as observed through that window when Marisol realizes the sky is not always blue. See the detailed classroom guide. Learn more about the author and his book projects at his website or his new project to inspire the creativity in every child, The Dot Club. The Engage blog has a "Putting Books to Work" column featuring Reynolds’ Sky Color. Teachers might find this lesson at ReadWriteThink helpful as well: “The Natural World as Inspiration: An Outdoor Art Show.”

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Rockliff, Mara. (2012). Me and Momma and Big John. Illus. by William Low. Somerville, MA: Candlewick.

Momma used to work in a factory but now she is a stonecutter working on Big John, the cathedral in New York City called St. John the Divine. Each night, covered in dust, she tells her son John and his two siblings about her work at the unfinished cathedral and how excited she is to be part of this artistic sculptured work. When John and his sister and brother finally get to visit the cathedral, John is surprised that his mother’s sculpted stonecutting is not labeled or marked with a special sign for her contribution to this colossal monument. Momma explains how the work is her reward for being part of this wonderful architectural feat. The author’s message of pride in one’s work resonates through this project and Momma’s small but important part in the construction of the cathedral. The illustrator’s use of light and dark are effective in bringing out the features of the cathedral. An author’s note at the end fills out a little more of the back story explaining the apprenticeship program and the woman that inspired this true story. Learn more about the author and her books at her website or visit the Cathedral of St. John the Divine website.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Saltzberg, Barney. (2012). Andrew drew and drew. New York: Harry N. Abrams.

Like so many budding artists, young Andrew just can’t get enough of drawing. He starts with a simple line or sketch and follows it wherever it takes him, even across one page and onto another. Each page in this cleverly-designed book is filled with a line, a loop, even a stair step that Andrew has doodled on the paper, and the beginnings of his drawings often lead to something that even the artist himself doesn’t expect. The illustrations get more complicated and detailed throughout the book's pages as readers lift flap after flap to see where Andrew's lines have led. This simple yet inspiring book will delight young readers while reassuring them that it’s perfectly fine to go outside the lines and reminding them of the wonders of imagination. All they need is paper, a surface, and a pencil or two. A little bit of imagination and creativity keep Andrew from ever being bored.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Scanlon, Elizabeth Garton. (2012). Think big. Illus. by Vanessa Brantley Newton. New York: Bloomsbury.

Young children are excited as they begin to prepare for their upcoming theater production of “When We Grow Up.” The assignment sheet is posted and the kids get busy. Illustrated in mixed media digital collage, charcoal and gouache each page features a different artistic contribution to the production. Children practicing dance steps, painting scenery, cooking, printing tickets and programs, rehearsing musical numbers, singing, sewing, crafting – all the multitude of tasks it takes to make a production ready for its audience. The variety in the vibrant illustrations and the sparse text on each page portray the hustle and bustle and many talents necessary to make a successful and entertaining show. The author has created a detailed teacher guide at her website.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Schubert, Leda. (2012). Monsieur Marceau: Actor without words. Illus. by Gerard DuBois. New York: Macmillan/Flashpoint.

Appropriately enough, given the subject, this picture book biography is filled with simple but expressive full-color illustrations of gestures and facial expressions showing a wide range of human emotions. Because Marcel Marceau was known for his ability to tell stories through miming, the illustrations follow suit as they help tell his life story. Not only does the book describe how Marceau learned to mime, but the author also includes information on Marceau's secret efforts against the Nazis during the Holocaust when he helped lead Jewish children hidden in an orphanage to freedom. It also briefly notes his decision to change his last name from Mangel to Marceau to avoid prejudices against the Jews. This introductory book about a man who became a mime master also includes directions on first steps to begin miming, something sure to delight readers and teachers.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Stanbridge, Joanne. (2012). The Extraordinary Music of Mr. Ives: The true story of a famous American Composer. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

The ocean liner, the Lusitania, sank in 1915 and people in the United States were shocked. Charles Ives composed a song that reflected the shock, sadness and grief at the loss of lives when this ship went down. Several wordless pages direct the dramatic impact at the sinking of the Lusitania however one panel focuses on the rescue of a young girl and her mother that offers some hope. Author’s notes, source lists, and lists for further reading and listening are included at the end of the book to help fill in the historical significance of this tragic event and how Ives’ work inspired other composers in later years. Read more background information on Mr. Ives can be found. ReadWriteThink offers a lesson plan entitled: “Read a Song; Using Song Lyrics for Reading and Writing.”

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Zalben, Jane Breskin. (2012). Mousterpiece. New York: Roaring Brook Press.

Janson the mouse lives in a corner of the art museum. Each night she explores. One night she comes upon a part of the museum she has never seen before that contains the modern art wing. She is amazed at the art work and a whole new world opens up for her. Shortly, that wing is closed for renovation and she is cut off from her new discoveries. However, this spurs her to create her own art. Soon we see paintings from Janson that look unsurprisingly familiar – spinoffs from the masters she observed in the modern art wing. When the director of the museum finds her artwork he arranges for an exhibit of her work, especially those pieces that are actually her own original style. The end of the book features thumbnail pictures and information of all the artists that Janson enjoyed during her tour of the modern art wing. Check out the activities the author has prepared on her website. Teachers will enjoy the article by T. Lee Williams from Reading Teacher (2007) entitled: “'Reading' the painting: Exploring visual literacy in the primary grades."

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

GRADES 4-6

Burleigh, Robert. (2012). George Bellows: Painter with a punch! New York: Harry H. Abrams.

This biography shares the life of realistic painter George Bellows. During the early 1900s George wandered the largest city in America, New York, using all of his senses to observe and capture the lives of ordinary people. He noticed chaotic and congested streets, grungy saloons, overcrowded tenement buildings, filthy alleyways, and busy construction sites. In art school he learned that an artist could disturb, upset, and enlighten by painting what struck them as worthy. He decided to paint the city as it really was, from unusual points of view. For example, during this time boxing was an illegal sport because city leaders felt it was too violent. George was able to capture the gritty underworld in Stag at Sharkey’s, with two fighters battling it out in a ring and spectators intensely watching. George committed these scenes to memory and then returned to his studio to a blank canvas. In addition, he painted landscapes, portraits, and the horrors of war. George Bellows’ paintings are considered contributions to American art history. The back matter in this book includes where his works are displayed across the United States, sources, bibliography, illustration credits, and an index.

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

Greenwald, Tommy. (2012). Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to Extra Credit. New York: Roaring Brook Press.

Still not a fan of reading, Charlie Joe must come up with a plan to avoid being sent to a summer reading camp once his grades slip again. In this follow-up to last year's Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading the world’s most reluctant reader negotiates a compromise with his parents. There will be no summer reading camp for him if his grades improve during the next marking period. Since Charlie Joe is fearful of relying on studying and having help from his friends, he follows his sister's advice to ask his teachers for extra credit. His pursuit of extra points leads to hilarious scenes in which he poses in a pair of exceptionally tight and brief shorts for his art teacher, tries out and wins the male lead in the school play, and even joins the student council. Naturally, all of this extra credit translates into extra trouble for Charlie Joe. There are many amusing scenes surrounding Paper Tiger, the school musical, as well as considerable drama about affairs of the heart. While much of this book will appeal to boy readers, the female characters are equally interesting, especially new girl Zoe who sticks up for herself and calls bullies to account for their actions. Even those who hate to read may see themselves in the book and having decided to read a page or two, just may keep on reading. Readers should be forewarned, though: This book will produce embarrassing guffaws and snorts of glee.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Mack, Lorrie. (2012). Dance: From ballet to breakin’—step into the dazzling world of dance. New York: DK Books.

For all dance enthusiasts and/or novices, this book will amaze and astound, because of the bright photographs and detailed information. The book begins with dancing around the world where dance has helped people celebrate and express their national identity throughout history. Other chapters highlight strictly ballroom, classical ballet, barefoot and full of feeling, the magic of musicals and conclude with breakin’ and street. Each page contains bold headings, subheadings, textboxes, photographs, captions, and sidebars making this an educational feast of material. For example, one page titled “Ballroom class” shows the elegant lines dancers make with their bodies titled: oversway, throwaway, contra check, and hinge. Each of these lines are described in a paragraph with accompanying photographs. A sidebar discusses the unique ballroom holds from closed to tango. Another text box discusses baby ballroom dancing. Finally, 16 small photographs displayed in a timeline, show the basic steps of the rumba routine in order. Young dancers could easily follow these steps to recreate this form. The final section discusses street dance inspired by disco, funk, and hip-hop. One full page spread outlines how break dance began in the 1970s to how it is addressed in movies today. Pop performers are highlighted showcasing some of their different dance styles. A glossary, index, and acknowledgments page closes the book.

- Deanna Day, Washington State University, Vancouver

Nobleman, Marc Tyler. (2012). Bill the boy wonder: The secret co-creator of Batman. Illus. by Ty Templeton. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge.

The Batman featured in today’s comic books and films is not the Batman he started out to be. In fact, the man credited for the character and story of this heroic figure is not the sole creator of the comic. Tantalizingly, there is a story behind the story of the birth of Batman that is every bit as intriguing as the caped wonder. This partial picture book biography describes the influence of Bill Finger, one of the men who, along with Bob Kane, helped create Batman. Although the two worked together on Batman’s storylines and image, Bob received all the recognition and most of the money for the comic. In fact, Bill's name never even appeared on the comic book stories that he wrote. Not only is this thoroughly researched story of artistic injustice intriguing and almost worthy of a comic itself, but the description of how hard the author worked to uncover details about what happened decades ago, is inspiring. He even managed to locate Finger's granddaughter by following every possible trail, even the most unlikely ones. Reminiscent of the pages in a comic book, the illustrations in the book were created with artist pens and colored in Photoshop. Fans of Batman will be thrilled to see justice served as Bill Finger finally gets a small share of the attention he deserves for bringing Batman to life.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Vaughan, Carolyn. (2012, 2011). Invitation to ballet: A celebration of dance and Degas. Works of art by Edgar Degas. Illustrations by Rachel Isadora. Abrams Books for Young Readers. Honesdale, PA: Lemniscaat/Boyds Mill Press.

This beautifully illustrated book is an introduction to ballet enhanced by the accompanying paintings of Edgar Degas. Each chapter explains this delicate dance from preparing for class and learning what to wear to the descriptions of steps and leaps explained for better understanding of the overall ballet performance. The history of ballet as well as biographical information on the artist, Edgar Degas and the numerous paintings of ballerinas in various moments of the dance create a visual treat to complement the text. Learn more about Degas and the ballerinas he paints at The Philadelphia Museum of Art or view this YouTube video of the Degas ballerinas.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

GRADES 9-12

Tashjian, Janet. (2012). For what it’s worth. New York: Henry Holt.

The lives of many teens revolve around music, but for fourteen-year-old Quinn, nothing else matters more than discovering, collecting, playing, and writing about rock and roll. He even revels in the artistry of the album covers for the records he loves so much. Since the story is set in 1971 and 1972 in Los Angeles's Laurel Canyon, where many musicians hung out or lived, Quinn has grown up knowing or seeing many of them. When he starts falling for new girl Caroline, he thinks twice since she knows so little about the music he loves. But he tutors her in music, and they grow closer despite his doubts about her faithfulness, in part because of messages he receives from his Ouija board. Against his will, his social consciousness is raised by through the intense class discussions of current events and provocative news photos shared by Mr. Woodrow, a substitute teacher in history class. As Quinn is drawn into political activism because of his older sister's friendship with a draft resister heading to Canada rather than Vietnam, conflict escalates on the home front. Interspersed amid all this drama are Quinn’s "For What It's Worth" columns containing written sketches of the musicians of the time--Cass Elliot [his mother’s childhood friend], Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Pete Townshend, Frank Zappa, and more. As first loves and possible betrayals simmer in the background, the author brings the time period to life through authentic details such as the still-pulsing paranoia about the murders committed by Charles Manson’s followers a few months earlier as well as the emerging news stories about the Watergate break-ins near the story's end. The power of music and art to encapsulate a time period permeates the book’s pages as one photograph in particular moves Quinn in an unexpected way. In the similar way that some song lyrics refuse to be banished from your head, this book will prick at your conscience long after it finished playing. Here’s betting few readers can’t resist listening to Quinn’s favorite music while reading it.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Telgemeier, Raina. (2012). Drama. New York: Scholastic/Graphix.

This graphic novel by the author of Smile (2010) focuses on an aspect of the theater world that receives little recognition--the hard-working, creative stage crew. The book's seventh grade protagonist Callie is integral to Eucalyptus Middle School’s theatrical program. As often happens during preparation for a new show, there is just as much drama off stage as there is on stage during rehearsals for the school musical, Moon over Mississippi. Callie's crush on a classmate's older brother is unrequited, and she finds solace in her work on the set, her best friend Liz, and talented thespian twins Justin and Jesse. Justin wins a role in the musical, but Jesse prefers to help out backstage, and Callie imagines romantic possibilities with him. When an unexpected break-up right before the final show prompts the lead actress to flee the stage, someone must step into her role. The author depicts these complex middle graders perfectly, complete with the drama that occurs outside school lockers or during school dances. As Callie endures humiliation after humiliation sparked by misunderstandings and at times by classmates in search of sexual identity, her backstage work provides sustenance. Filled with humor, special moments and interesting, sometimes surprising characters, Drama may spark interest in set design in teen readers impressed with the creative contributions and swiftness with which the stage crew moves parts of the set and props onto and off the stage.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

These reviews are submitted by members of the International Reading Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) and are published weekly on Reading Today Online. The International Reading Association partners with the National Council of Teachers of English and Verizon Thinkfinity to produce ReadWriteThink.org, a website devoted to providing literacy instruction and interactive resources for grades K–12.

One of the most fiercely guarded—and most fiercely debated—freedoms that citizens of our nation have is the right to read. As long as books are published, there will be titles that offend someone. From talking animals in some fairy tales and folktales to books in which characters explore their sexual identity to titles in which questions about religious beliefs are raised or certain expletives are used, no book can ever be considered safe from offending someone. In honor of the thirtieth anniversary of Banned Books Week—celebrated September 30 to October 6—this week members of the International Reading Association Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group look back at books that have raised the ire of some readers, particularly during the last year. Teachers may be interested in using some of the excellent lessons for different grade levels on examining challenged books at ReadWriteThink.org. The American Library Association also has several useful resources for teachers and librarians and a list entitled Books Challenged or Banned in 2010-2011 compiled by Robert P. Doyle. The ALA websites offer suggestions for how to become involved during Banned Book Week, including writing letters to the editor on behalf of books and reading or rereading a book that has been banned or challenged. Additionally, ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom has provided a list of 326 challenges to books during the past year. Among the top ten most challenged books are the ones that appear below.

GRADES K-3

Butler, Dori Hillestad. (2005). My mom’s having a baby: A month-to-month guide to pregnancy. Illus. by Carol Thompson. Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman.

Five-year-old Elizabeth is excited about the arrival of her unborn sibling and is full of questions. Using a nonfiction format, the author has created a month-by-month look at the development of a baby within the mother’s uterus as told by its narrator, Elizabeth, from her childlike perspective. Since older siblings are always curious about a new baby, the book provides accurate and straightforward explanations as to how a baby is conceived and how it grows as a fetus until the baby is ready to be born. The illustrations complement the text in their variety and form from cartoon-like panels to speech balloons or full page spreads. Mother explains how her body is changing to allow for the baby to grow. The love and excitement as well as the anticipation of a new baby brother or sister permeate the book while factual details are woven throughout the months. This book was named a Top Ten Sci-Tech Books for Youth 2005. Teachers can find guides for parents and siblings from the author at her website. Interested readers can listen to the author discuss her book with an adult and a Fox news commentator.

One of the top ten most challenged books reported to the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, the book’s frank and open discussion of how a baby is created disturbed some critics. Many adult readers liked the month-by-month description on the development of the baby and how it grows, but felt uncomfortable with the detailed explanation about conception to a five year old. Arguments swirled around the right age for children or teenagers to learn about the basic facts of “where babies come from.” Many librarians maintained that the book belongs in the nonfiction section of libraries and parents/adults/caregivers have the responsibility of making the choice as to when and if the books will be useful within their family units. On the blog, She Scribes, a lively pro and con discussion of this book reflects the nation-wide controversy can be found. Projects such as The Uprise Book Project state that their goal is to end the cycle of poverty with banned books and proclaim: “We think that parents have a right and an obligation to monitor their own child’s access to literature they feel might be inappropriate, but they can’t control another child’s access. By banning and challenging books in schools and libraries, though, they’re doing exactly that."

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

GRADES 5-8

Harris, Robie H. (2009, 3rd Edition). It’s perfectly normal: A book about changing bodies, growing up, sex and sexual health. Illus. by Michael Emberley. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

The year 2009 celebrated the 15th anniversary edition of It’s Perfectly Normal. Intended for intermediate and middle school-aged tweens and teens, the book offers answers to the myriad kinds of questions that young people ponder as their bodies change during puberty. The author offers frank and factual information in a straightforward fashion. The introduction, “Lots of Questions,” sets the open tone for the book. Part One launches this format with “What is Sex?” The cartoon-like yet anatomically accurate illustrations serve to lighten the tone and create pictures that can be observed and invite discussion. Throughout the book, his cartoons of the bird and bee discussing the featured topics add a touch of levity to subjects that are often difficult to discuss openly. Other chapters that continue the discussion are: Our Bodies; Puberty; Families and Babies; Decisions; and Staying Healthy. Some of the topics included within these chapters deal with sexual reproduction, sexual desire, sexual intercourse, heterosexuality, homosexuality, sex organs, changing feelings, puberty, birth control, taking care of babies, the cells, sex abuse, STDs, HIV and AIDS, staying healthy, and responsible choices. The most recent edition includes chapters on the Internet and safe use of the Internet and evaluating websites. The publisher has provided an in-depth information sheet on the website that includes notes from the author, talking points for teachers and caregivers using the books with tweens and teens, and comments from doctors and experts in the field of sex education. The author discusses her books on her website. Companion titles from Robie Harris include It’s So Amazing: A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies and Families (2008); It’s NOT the Stork! A Book about Girls, Boys, Babies, Bodies, Families and Friends (2004), and her newest title Who’s in My Family? All about Our Families (2012). The controversy surrounding the book deals with the opinion of some that the book is pornographic. Some critics consider the illustrations too graphic. Other challenges refer to the discussions on intercourse, masturbation, and homosexuality. A school district in the state of Washington removed the book from the school library stating, “The book is an act of encouragement for children to begin desiring sexual gratification…and is a clear example of child pornography.” Challenges have come from schools and public libraries around the country, making this title the American Library Association’s most challenged book in 2005 even though it was supported by such groups as Planned Parenthood. Another type of question surrounding the use of this book is the concern that it is written for children rather than older teens or adults. The ageless argument among parents and adults is the question dealing with age appropriateness as to when the explanation of sex and sexuality should be introduced. (Reference: The American Library Association.)

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

GRADES 9-12

Alexie, Sherman. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian. Illus. by Ellen Forney. New York: Little, Brown.

Filled with humor and pathos, this title describes the decision made by Arnold Junior (or Arnold, his white name) to leave the Spokane Indian Reservation for a better education in the nearby town of Reardon. The author’s description of the poverty, alcoholism, and depression that fill the lives of those around Junior make it easy to understand why he chooses to attend school in a place where he is the only Native American. In some cases, just getting to school is a challenge by itself, and once Arnold settles in, of course, he must navigate the confusing high school social order while fending off accusations of betrayal by the friends he left behind. The author describes the beauty of the area of Washington State where Junior lives and dreams of a brighter future. The pages resonate with cultural awareness and respect for the past and for family amid the certainty that Junior must leave what is familiar if he hopes for more than the bleak lives he often sees around him. Few who have read the title can remain untouched by its clear depiction of the inequities in this nation. Despite its popularity and National Book Award, the title has been challenged due by parents due to what they consider to be offensive language, racism, its religious viewpoint, and its sexually explicit nature.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Collins, Suzanne. (2008-2010). The Hunger games trilogy. New York: Scholastic.

The three books that recently sparked something of a reading craze rivaling that of the Twilight series among teens have come under fire as being anti-family, anti-ethnic, insensitive, violent, and containing offensive language and dealing with the occult or satanic themes. The trilogy centers around Katniss Everdeen, a sixteen-year-old who volunteers to take her younger sister’s place in the annual Hunger Games. Each district selects a male and a female tribute to represent them in a televised fight to the death with only one survivor. Katniss is sure that she stands little chance of surviving, but as it turns out, she has more survival skills than she realized. Sexual tension is provided by her growing attraction to Peeta, the male tribute from her district. The first book is filled with surprises about the post-apocalyptic world in which the story is set, and all three books feature difficult, almost impossible choices about life, death, and survival faced by the book’s characters. At many points, it’s virtually impossible to know who to trust or who to believe. The author weaves a skillful, riveting page-turner that still has many readers thinking about how the series ends.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Huxley, Aldous. (1946). Brave new world. New York: Harper & Row.

Despite the creation of a perfect society in the world of the future described in this literary classic often read in senior English classes, not everyone is content. One man in particular, Bernard Marx, is bored by the promiscuous, pleasure-seeking aspect of the world in which he lives, and longs to be left alone. Citizens are kept in line through the use of drugs that numb their minds and keep any questions or critical thoughts at bay, and Bernard has grown increasingly uncomfortable with the society he sees around him. For many readers, this early dystopian novel foretold the focus on consumerism that exists today and seems to insist that we buy more, more, more when we really need less, less, less. The book, a perennial title on the list of books that are challenged or banned, earns its place on the list because of insensitivity, nudity, racism, religious viewpoints, and for its sexual explicitness.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Hwa, Kim Dong. (2009). The color of Earth series. New York: First Second.

This graphic novel series set in Korea focuses on love, a first love for young Ehwa and a second chance at love for her mother. In the first title, The Color of Earth, Ehwa, the daughter, on the cusp of puberty, is torn between growing affection for a monk-in-training and a wealthy landowner's son while her mother experiences sexual ecstasy with a traveling artist who leaves a brush behind each time he visits. The characters are refreshingly honest about their feelings, and the storyline is engaging and filled with descriptive language that accompanies the softly drawn and painted illustrations whose subtle tints and tones mirror the blush on a young girl’s cheek as she explores the mysteries of her own body. In classic romantic fashion, both females long deeply for love or sexual fulfillment, their feelings a counterpoint against the often vulgar remarks of some of the men in the village and the curiosity of the village children, who are learning about their own bodies in a playful fashion. The relationship between mother and daughter is deep and honest, and no question is too intimate to be asked. The book has been considered too sexually provocative by some and inappropriate for its intended audience.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Lee, Harper. (1960). To kill a mockingbird. New York: J. P. Lippincott.

Another ubiquitous title found in the middle and high school literary canon, this book has been challenged frequently for its offensive language and racism. Set in small-town Maycomb, Alabama, in the 1930s, the story centers around the Finch family: Scout, her brother Jem, and their father, Atticus. The storyline involves a mystery or two, a fight for justice, and the unfair laws that existed at the time. Scout must come to her lawyer father’s defense when he defends a black man accused of raping a white girl. She and Jem find it difficult to understand the attitudes of the adults around them when it comes to race and class. In the end, a society heavily mired in decades of prejudice and a double-tiered system of justice is shaken by the words, deeds, and quiet dignity of the heroic Atticus Finch. For many readers, this book represents their coming of age about the topic of social justice and civil rights and has prompted much reflection on the assumptions we make about those around us.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Myracle, Lauren. (2004-2007). Internet girls series. New York: Abrams/Amulet Books.

This young adult trilogy is written completely in the style of instant messaging with teen vocabulary. The first title, Ttyl, is internet slang for “talk to you later” and introduces readers to the winsome threesome—Madigan, Zoe, and Angela—who help each other through the ups and downs of high school and young romance. Next in the series are Ttfn “Ta-ta for now” and finally L8r, g8r “Later, gator,” two titles which continue the girls’ friendship as they explore alcohol and drugs and begin sexual relationships. These titles have topped the ALA list of challenged books for offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group. Myracle is available on Twitter and Facebook to talk to fans about the books, their topics, and her characters.

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. (1985-2013). Alice series. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Young girls and women across the world have read one, a couple or all of the books in the Alice series. There are 27 titles that follow the main character, Alice McKinley, from third grade all the way to college. Besides featuring a character to whom readers can easily relate, the books discuss topics such as family, friendship, moving, bullies, prejudice, and body image. When Alice is in high school the books explore themes about identity, first jobs, relationships, dating, and sex. The series has made the ALA most challenged book list for several years for the books’ sexual content. The movie Alice Upside Down is based on the series. In May 2013 the final Alice title, Always Alice, will be published, chronicling Alice’s life from age 18 to 60. Naylor keeps a blog where she answers readers’ questions.

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

Sones, Sonya. (2004). One of those hideous books where the mother dies. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Challenged but then retained at the Theisen Middle School in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, in 2010 despite a parent’s concern that the book’s “sexual content was too mature for eleven- to fourteen-year-olds,” this title has won several awards, including being named a 2005 Best Book for Young Adults by the American Library Association. A superficial reading of the book might validate the parent’s concern. Explicit references to sex and the desire to have a sexual experience is a chief preoccupation for 16-year-old Ruby Milliken. But that is only a part of who she is and her life experience. As the book opens, Ruby’s mother has just died in Boston, and she is on a plane to start her life with her father she doesn’t know, the famous movie star Whip Logan. Ruby believes that her father doesn’t love her because of what her mother told her about him. Instead, she finds Whip to be a caring and concerned human being and seemingly delighted to have his daughter with him. While Ruby worries about her boyfriend Ray staying faithful to her, she is also drawn to local boy Wyatt. Relying on freestyle prose-poetry, the author paints a vivid picture of pain, teenagers, feminine awareness, and challenges of life in an honest fashion. As the story progresses, Ruby transitions from ignoring her father to accepting him, and even admitting that she is proud to be his daughter. Discovering that he was in a monogamous relationship with another man does not matter to her. She survives both natural and romantic disasters and ultimately realizes that her supposedly uncaring father has kept tabs on her all along.

- Rani Iyer, Washington State University Pullman

This week members of the International Reading Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) share recent books all around the theme of math. Each title takes a different mathematical perspective from counting, adding, subtraction, graphing to multiplication. Building math skills through literature can create confidence and make learning fun. Literature could be used as a way to introduce new math concepts, review math theories and/or have students independently explore math ideas.

GRADES K-3

Armstrong-Ellis, Carey F. (2012). Ten creepy monsters. New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers.

This fiendishly clever counting book features characters not typically found in books introducing math concepts—monsters. The endpapers are covered in spider webs with spiders dangling from the threads, and the book opens with an oceanside graveyard scene in which monsters are rising from their burial mounds. One of them clutches a bag filled with something. After all, it is Halloween night. Ten different  monsters—a ghost, a witch, a zombie, a werewolf, and a vampire among them—gather together on the first pages of this book written in rhyming text, before setting out on their journey. But before they can wreak any havoc, one by one, bad things happen to them. By the end of the night, only one monster remains, and his identity will surprise some young readers. The acrylic illustrations showing the expressions on the monsters' faces as they lurch toward town add another layer of hilarity to the story. The illustration of a zombie clutching the foot he lost along the way and the artistic depiction of a swamp brew-splashed toad wearing a witch's hat and glasses are hilarious. A perfect Halloween read-aloud but a great way to relieve malaise on any day, this picture book also helps young readers learn to count as the monsters fall by the wayside in gruesome fashion. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Brown, Margaret Wise. (2012). Count to 10 with a mouse. Illus. by Kirsten Richards. Bath, UK: Parragon.

From the author of Good Night Moon (2005) and Runway Bunny (2005) comes another engaging book that is filled with adventure, rhyme, and fun. Children may even forget that they are learning to count while reading this title.  The book opens with the rhyme, “There was a little mouse no bigger than a mole, who lived in a round place that he called a hole” (unpaged). This particular small grey mouse is very friendly and familiar, inviting readers to turn the page to see what happens. The mouse does everything with style. He finds a book with one hole, and then runs inside the hole in order to see the different creatures on the pages. His adventures become exciting when he discovers fish, monkeys, butterflies and other creatures, but they take a dangerous turn when he meets six pussycats. Thankfully, they are busy untangling themselves, and the mouse escapes. Phew! After the mouse encounters a clock, the author reminds readers of the nursery rhyme, “Hickory, Dickory, Dock,” before nimbly moving the story back to its original focus. Readers will enjoy finding out what happens when the mouse reaches the number ten. Perfect for reading aloud, this title provides a place to begin conversations about numbers. The book would also be useful as a mentor text to teach writing to older students.

- Rani Iyer, Washington State University, Pullman

Formento, Alison. (2012). These bees count! Illus. by Sarah Snow. New York: Albert Whitman.

This is a counting book and so much more. Mr. Tate takes his class on a field trip to visit Busy Bee Farm. Farmer Ellen is ready to give his class a tour of the farm and gives each student beekeeping gear so they are safely protected to take a close look at the bees and all the activity surrounding the hives. As the children approach the bees and hives the counting begins. The author has included a detailed note at the end providing even more information about the lives of bees and the work they do. Detailed teacher’s guide, book trailer and resources at the publisher’s website.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Gershator, Phillis and Mim Green. (2012). Time for a hug. Illus. by David Walker. New York: Sterling Children’s Books.

Any time is time for a hug. Watching the clock throughout the day, two little bunnies go through a typical day for any young child. Starting at 8:00 in the morning the bunnies wash their faces, get dressed, brush their teeth, play with puppets, read books, ride bikes, climb trees until it is time for bed. With clocks on every page indicating the passing hours, each hour has time for a hug. Be ready for National Hug Day on January 21. Also visit the author’s website or use the “Draw a Math Story” lesson from ReadWriteThink.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Holub, Joan. (2012). Pumpkin countdown. Illus. by Jan Smith. New York: Albert Whitman.

Farmer Mixenmatch is giving a tour of his farm and especially the pumpkin patch to Ms. Blue’s first grade class. He shows the children his petting zoo, gives them a ride on the tractor, shows them the corn make and also the education center at the farm. Holub has used rhyming verse to travel around the farm and have readers count things on each page that they discover on the farm. Answers are upside down at the bottom of the page. Her countdown actually starts and 20 and works the numbers down as children explore the farm and readers explore for answers. The endpapers of the book have many more facts about pumpkins. This will be a fun book to use before any fall field trips. Teachers will find a math related lesson plan idea entitled “Exploring Sets through Math-Related Book Pairs” at ReadWriteThink.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Holub, Joan. (2012). Zero the hero: A book about nothing. Illus. by Tom Lichtenheld. New York: Henry Holt and Company.

Although this is a book literally about nothing, it’s a book dealing with a very important mathematical concept. The book’s focus is Zero, the place holder in our numbering system. But despite the other numbers’ disparaging remarks about his value, Zero is much more than a place holder, and this book tells why. Although Zero is sure he has value, the other numbers taunt him because he is useless when it comes to counting. Knowing that he has heroic characteristics, Zero develops a self-identity crisis since he only acquires value when placed next to another number, say a “1,” to make a “10.” He’s also frequently mistaken for other round objects such as the “6” or even a doughnut or the letter “O” and is useless when it comes to addition, subtraction, and division. Once the other numbers recognize that multiplying themselves by Zero makes them equal to nothing, they flee from him, and in shame, Zero rolls away and hides. After some challenging story problems and a round-off game make them miss their friend, the numbers become distracted and are captured by Roman numerals. Zero saves them with his ability to reduce anything to nothing through multiplication. As in last year’s E-Mergency!, the book brims with delightful word play and ink, pastel, and colored pencil illustrations that provide distinct personalities for each numeral. Math never has been so much fun.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University, Pullman

Long, Ethan. (2012). The wing wing brothers math spectacular! New York: Holiday House.

The Wing Wing Brothers, five hilarious duck brothers, present a circus-like show that has fun with math concepts. In three acts, the brothers try to outdo each other with their laugh-inducing tricks like spinning plates, juggling and throwing pies. Each acts presents a different math concept including greater than and less than, addition and subtraction while creating math problems within the reading circus acts. The final act includes a disappearance the readers will have to ponder and figure out the solution. This book offers such a fun approach to not only these math concepts the story problems to be solved. Teachers will appreciate the page at the end that relates Common Core State Standards to this book.  “Writing and Math with Shopping Lists” can be found at ReadWriteThink. The author’s blog/website is filled with fun for young readers.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Marzollo, Jean. (2012). Help me learn subtraction. Photographs by Chad Phillips. New York: Holiday House.

Marzollo’s popular “I Spy” books are favorites among children. She has turned that same style of book making to the math arena and this is the third book in the Help Me Learn Math series. Chad Phillips’ photographs add the actively visual appeal of this book and each math problem as a wide variety of real objects displayed to create the math problem written in rhymed text. For each subtraction problem the author has created the vertical and horizontal setup of the math problem and in some cases a basic little word problem presented as dramatic play. Explore some “Math Center Activities” at ReadWriteThink. The author discusses why she wrote this book on her website.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Menotti, Andrea. (2012). How many jelly beans? A giant book of giant numbers. Illus. by Yancey Labat. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books.

Learning about big numbers should be portrayed in a big book and the oversize format of How Many Jelly Beans does just that. Aidan and Emma are offered some jellybean and so Emma says she will take 10. Aidan quickly comes back with his response that he wants 20 … and the jellybean battle begins. Each child asks for more and more jumping their requests by hundreds and thousands until they are realizing really big numbers! Emma challenges Aiden with the questions, “You can’t eat five hundred jelly beans.” This prompts the concept of dividing into so many per day and how many over a year’s span. The exaggerated fun spins off ending the book with a huge fold out page depicting a million jellybeans. This will be a great companion book to use with “Lucky Beans” by Becky Birtha to give this introduction to counting jellybeans a context. Teacher resources for this book are available at the publisher’s website. ReadWriteThink offers the lesson plan, “Giant Story Problems: Reading Comprehension through Math Problems.”

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Weill, Cynthia. (2012). Count me in: A parade of Mexican folk art numbers in English and Spanish. Figures by Guillermina, Josefina, Concepción and Irene Aguilar. El Paso, TX: Cinco Puntos Press.

Told in English and Spanish, this beautiful counting book celebrates the Mexican July festival, Guelaguetza. The Aguilar sisters have used their craft to illustrated this book in the traditional folk arts of Oaxaca, Mexico. Balloons, firecrackers, musicians, and giants are all part of the festivities depicted in the figurines crafted to bring this festival of sharing to the printed page for both English and Spanish readers. Learn more about the world famous women artists, The Aguilar sisters. For a little deeper look into Mexican folk art, visit the Deep Space Sparkle website or another lesson idea comes from the Brooklyn Children’s Museum.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Zullo, Germano. (2012). Sky high. Illus. by Albertine. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books.

Keeping up with the Joneses is taken to extreme heights in this clever book about greed and proportion. With very little text, this title tells the story of two competitive neighbors who embellish their already attractive abodes in an attempt to outdo each other. The respective two-story houses of Agenor-Agobar Poirier des Chapelles and Willigis Kittycly Junior are impressive enough on the book’s opening pages. But what they have is not enough, and page by page, they add embellishments to their dwelling places. One adds a solid gold door, and the other counters with a Carrara marble column inlaid with diamonds. After that, the competition is on, and each one hires highly-priced architects who create mosaics fashioned from emeralds, rubies, and sapphires, design billiard rooms and rooms that can accommodate 8,000 guests, even attaching an antiques gallery, a wave pool, and a tennis court. Glimpses of what’s being brought into the inside of the houses—a stuffed Bengal tiger and a library of rare books, for instance—reveals even more of their excess to readers. Eventually, enough is enough, and once both buildings tower into the air at 4,025 feet—a line on the side of the right-hand page indicates this height—one structure topples since it can’t support all the rooms at its top. Although the other building still towers into the sky, its owner isn’t necessarily the victor since even the simple act of having a pizza delivered ends up being impossibly complicated. Readers will shake their heads at the two men’s greed and consider this an adult game of Jenga, the tumbling block game. The very black and white illustrations are exquisitely detailed and fascinating to examine.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

GRADES 3-6

Adler, David A. (2012). Perimeter, area, and volume: A monster book of dimensions. Illus. by Edward Miller. New York: Holiday House.

A cast of monsters set out of their 3-D movie to invite the little monsters in the audience on an explanation of the movie set and several math concepts along the way. The monster characters measure each other demonstrating their height and weight. They measure the movie screen and talk about perimeter. They even measure the volume in the popcorn box. A detailed teaching guide/lesson plan is available at the publisher’s website. Read more about this prolific author on his website.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Beaumont, Holly. (2012). Multiplication made fun. New York: DK Publishing.

When children need to learn their times tables this beginner’s guide with a wise owl calculator will help make multiplication fun. The book begins with a basic review of what numbers are and discusses the importance of counting. Then it moves into the difference between addition and multiplication, showing how we can count larger amounts by multiplying. Next, the book explains each number two through twelve on individual pages sharing the different multiplication problems. If children get stuck with a multiplication problem they can spin the wheels till the numbers appear in the owl’s eyes and the answer shows in the beak. Throughout the book are tips for grown-ups with suggestions about helping children. This would make a great addition for teachers and families.

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

Kelly, Jamie/ Jim Benton. (2012). School, hasn’t this gone on long enough? New York: Scholastic.  

Jamie hates math and writes all about this hatred in her diary. Her best friend, Isabella, is good at math and is willing to help her and in exchange Jamie can help Isabella with language arts. Summer school is threatening on the horizon if Jamie does not bring up those math grades and Isabella’s house is getting a pool! Check out the author’s website for more on The Dumb Diary series including the book trailer for this new Year 2 series. 

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Mahaney, Ian F. (2012). The math of baseball. New York: Powerkids Press/Rosen Publishing.

This is part of the series Sports Math from Powerkids Press. Read aloud or individually various aspects of the sport of baseball are explained through the use of mathematics. From the dimensions of a baseball field, to batting averages, hitting distances, strikeouts, scores and statistics the entire sport is covered with figures that deal with addition, subtraction, measurement, percentages and more. Photographs, charts and diagrams add to the appeal of the book and bring a real-life use of math to young readers. Find more math and baseball ideas at The Teachers’ Corner.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Morrisette, Sharon. (2012). Toads and tessellations: A math adventure. Illus. by Philomena O’Neill. San Franscisco, CA: Charlesbridge Publishing.

Set in Renaissance Italy, young Enzo is a hoping to become a magician like his father. The cruel castle housekeeper approaches Tessel, the local shoemaker that she needs 12 pairs of dancing shoes for the princesses in the castle and demands the shoes must be made from a single piece of leather. Tessel turns to Enzo for help. His father is away so Enzo must step up to help his friend but his magic goes awry when he turns Tessel into a toad. With Tessel’s daughter Aida for help, they discover a mathematical way to geometrically cut the 12 pair of shoes from one piece of leather. Notes at the end of the book provide some history of mathematics and tessalations. Over twenty tessellations are sprinkled throughout the book for young readers to discover. 

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Slade, Suzanne. (2011). Multiply on the fly. Illus. by Erin E. Hunter. Mt. Pleasant, SC: Sylvan Dell Publishing.

Even in nature numbers are an important part of our world. This picture book combines insects and multiplication together to make learning much more exciting. Each double page spread shares a rhyming multiplication story with a new insect. For example, “Five lonely grasshoppers / sound their mating song. / Each strums two shiny wings. / How many play along?” Then the mathematical equation is shared with a question mark inviting students to figure out the answer. Other insects highlighted include fireflies, luna moths, dragonflies, soldier ants, honey bees, ladybugs, pirate bugs, walking sticks, monarch butterflies and spittlebugs. The back matter includes information about insect body parts, the life cycle of insects, information about comparing and contrasting insects, and a multiplication table.

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

GRADES 9-12

McKellar, Danica. (2012). Girls get curves: Geometry takes shape. New York: Hudson Street Press/Penguin.

Danica McKellar, actress and mathematician, has written her fourth book for girls. Her earlier books, Math doesn’t suck, Kiss my math, and Hot X: Algebra exposed worked at removing the math “nerd” stereotype for smart girls. Her latest book deals with geometry. NPR interviews author Danica McKellar in addition to the website devoted to this book.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

by Judith Hayn

Stewart, Trenton.  (2012).  The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict.  New York, NY: Little, Brown, and Co.

The Mysterious Benedict Society series, launched in 2007, introduced young readers to a intriguing set of adolescent fighters of injustice. Their mentor Nicholas Benedict is the brilliant mastermind who organizes and directs the group, but who is he really? This prequel provides the answer. Nicholas is indeed an orphan, and this tale begins with his incarceration in a new orphanage at age 9. He is an odd lad with disconcerting narcolepsy that will dog him all his life; he falls asleep when emotionally bombarded.

At Rothschild’s End, a wealthy magnate bequeathed that an orphanage be maintained in honor of his saintly wife. The Manor has fallen on hard times, and Mr. Collum, the new director, is determined to rectify financial chaos. Nicholas arrives to become the brunt of teasing and torment by a fiendish group of bullies called the Spiders, but he also finds friendship with John Cole, another orphan. Nick manages to survive by his wit and cunning while the tension surrounding each encounter with the Spiders is spellbinding.

Stewart includes essentials of the enthralling adventure story—a dark, foreboding Manor that is literally crumbling around the orphans; a locked room for imprisoning Nicholas to contain the impact of his sleeping disorder; a secret treasure that could save everyone; and a spooky, undiscovered observatory. All combine to provide Nicholas with plenty of impediments as he races to find that treasure ahead of Mr. Collum. Along the way, he discovers the value of true friendships and the inner strength that he will need as the future patriarch of the Mysterious Benedict Society. As the others in the series, this book displays Stewart’s witty and charming style as the suspense mesmerizes readers.

Read an excerpt from the book at the Little, Brown and Company website.

Dr. Judith A. Hayn is an Associate Professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

This article is part of a series from the Special Interest Group Network on Adolescent Literature (SIGNAL).

Summer’s days are fleeting with fall just around the corner, and teachers have returned to their classrooms rejuvenated after vacation days spent recovering from a hard nine months of teaching and then relaxing and recharging their batteries. Sometimes time away from the classroom affords extra time to read books for pleasure and catch up on the latest book award winners. But it also provides teachers with the luxury of uninterrupted time to catch up on some professional reading that might prompt new approaches to literacy instruction or encourage radical changes in how we define literacy. Professional reading might also be the kick-start we need to make simple changes in our daily routines; for instance, spending five minutes on a poem every day or once a week or considering the effects of the CCSS on daily instruction. The International Reading Association (IRA) and other publishers released many insightful texts this year. This week the members of the IRA Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) share our thoughts about some professional texts that caught our attention and nudged us to reflect on our own pedagogy. 

Appleman, Deborah, & Graves, Michael F. (2012). Reading better, reading smarter. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Although the authors themselves may come from two different disciplines, their recognition that English teachers are also literacy teachers responsible for teaching literature but also responsible for teaching reading led to this book. They propose that teachers use what they call “scaffolded reading experiences” so that students are able to “read successfully, enjoyably, and purposefully” (p. xv). Subsequently, they provide 22 specific activities that support student readers before they read the texts assigned for class, while they read the texts, and after they have completed them. In the book’s six chapters, the authors provide tips for teaching students to use different lenses as they read as well as advice for text selection and how to evaluate student performance. After teachers digest the sample activities provided here, they will be able to create their own similar activities to accompany the texts their students read. Naturally, the authors address issues of motivation, relevance, and building background knowledge throughout the book. Most notable, though, is that the texts for which reading activities have been created are books or short stories with which teachers are already familiar, offering ways to refresh their approaches, as well as some, lesser known texts that promise to provoke rich classroom discussions. Since the books the authors discuss in the text are listed in the back matter, teachers can slowly start to transform their classrooms so that their students learn to become smarter readers.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Bromley, Karen. (2012). The next step in vocabulary instruction: Practical strategies and engaging activities that help all learners build vocabulary and deepen comprehension. New York: Scholastic.

Former IRA board member Karen Bromley has written a very practical book filled with ideas that teachers can use to help their students approach new words independently. In a teacher-friendly manner she masterfully weaves cutting-edge research into her text to build a strong rationale for each strategy and activity while addressing the following questions:

• How can I become a word-conscious and wise vocabulary teacher?
• How can I teach in ways that help students become independent word learners?
• How can I develop and deepen the vocabulary of struggling students and English language learners?
• How can I promote electronic and online word learning via the Internet?
• How can I build my students’ enjoyment of language through wordplay?
• How can I use children’s literature to build word knowledge and language appreciation?

Each chapter provides ideas for direct instruction, guided practice, and independent learning. Teachers will find this an excellent resource for enriching students’ vocabularies across the curriculum.

- Terrell A. Young, Brigham Young University Provo

Calkins, Lucy, Ehrenworth, Mary, & Lehman, Christopher. (2012). Pathways to the Common Core: Accelerating achievement. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

In this useful book that could serve as a primer for the latest education reform movement, the authors explain exactly what the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are and how they are impacting what is taught in schools today as well as how what is taught is being assessed. After addressing the criticisms of naysayers as well as the laudatory remarks of supporters of the CCSS, they provide some suggestions as to how to implement the Standards within the existing structure of classrooms. The book contains eleven chapters intended to demystify the Standards themselves and possible pedagogical applications. After providing an overview of the CCSS for Reading, the authors examine Standards 1 and 10 Literal Understanding and Text Complexity. Chapter 4 and 5 look at Standards 2-9 with their emphasis on Reading Literature and Reading Informational Texts. Chapter 6 provides an overview of the Writing Standards with more specificity offered in the next chapters. Chapter 7 hones in on Composing Narrative Texts, Chapter 8 discusses composing Argument Texts, and Chapter 9 looks at Composing Informational Texts. Chapter 10 focuses on Speaking and Listening and Language Standards, and the final chapter ties up loose ends, reminding teachers of the link between assessment and instruction. While the book may not make readers into proponents of the CCSS, it certainly does clarify many points while also acknowledging that the route to this particular change is not clear. The book is not intended as a blueprint or a roadmap that must be followed assiduously, but it does provide a place for teachers to begin examining their instruction and a way to begin conversations about curriculum. This is essential reading for today’s teachers and would be a perfect book for a teacher book club.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Fletcher, Ralph. (2011). Mentor author, mentor texts. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Savvy teachers realize that there is a strong link between reading and writing. If student writers hear and read examples of good writing--texts that can serve as mentors for their own writing--they are likely to become better writers. In this book, the author provides 24 pieces of his own for teachers to use as mentor texts in writing instruction. There are stories, poems, essays, picture books, novel excerpts, and memoirs among the selections, some short, some longer. The author includes his own writer’s notes about each text so that student writers can peek inside his thinking process and follow along in understanding his own writing decisions. For some pieces, he points out specific things he wants young writers to notice while essentially opening the text and the creative process for them. There are also places in which the author explains his revision process and shows some of the revisions he made on these published pieces, something that will reassure beginning writers since they may expect their own writing to need no revision. Not only does the author provide materials to teach writing, allowing his own writing to serve as an example, but he explains how this book can be used in the classroom, complete with testimonies from teachers who offer their suggestions about where it might fit within a mini-lesson on as the focus of one aspect of writing, in a writer’s workshop or unit on writing. Best of all, readers will have the chance to marvel at Fletcher’s own writing while also learning ways to bring it and his craft into their own classrooms.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Laminack, Lester L. and Wadsworth, Reba M. (2012). Bullying Hurts: Teaching kindness through read alouds and guided conversations. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

The authors introduce this important book by describing several incidences of bullying that might surprise readers and then offer a rationale for a book that seeks to address bullying through literature and discussion. They write, "We believe focused read aloud experiences with carefully selected children's literature followed by guided conversations is one way you can create a climate in your classroom, school, or district where bullying is not an accepted or rewarded behavior. A climate where an individual's humanity and human dignity trump any difference(s) and kindness is the order of the day" (p. xii). Using the Common Core State Standards as connections to the read aloud selections chosen for this book, the authors explain how the use of read aloud experiences starting from the first day of kindergarten and continuing through the elementary years will develop a framework to help children understand bullying. Looking at character analysis, comprehension strategies, reflection techniques and critical thinking and problem solving strategies, teachers can guide critical thinking discussions about bullying with young and emerging readers. The book’s seven chapters discuss commonalities and differences and offer ways to change bullying behavior. Back matter also includes activities to build community and resources for teachers. Teachers will want to learn more about one of the authors through his website. See CL/R SIG reviews K-12 books about bullying here. 

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Newkirk, Thomas. (2012). The art of slow reading. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

In today’s highly-distracting world and amid today’s rush to insure that all students are proficient readers, able to handle increasingly complex texts and types of text, this book touts the merits of reading more slowly. The author suggests that there is something to be said about savoring text rather than rushing to the book’s end. By slow reading, the author has in mind “the relationship we have with what we read, with the quality of the attention that we bring to our reading, with the investment we are willing to make” (p. 2).  In an age where there are so many distractions and calls on our time, the author is concerned that everything moves too fast for much appreciation of the writer’s craft or for ideas to be digested. To his way of thinking, readers who slow down are able to hear the voice of authors and appreciate the way sentences flow while those who read too quickly may miss the writer’s craft. Consequently, he provides six ways to slow reading down: performing, memorizing, centering, problem finding, reading like a writer, and elaborating. The book’s eight chapters are filled with ways in which students—and their teachers—can adjust their reading pace and sip, rather than gulp, the nourishment found in the books they read. Reading should not be something that is timed for speed but an experience that allows the words being encountered to have some effect on those who are reading them. Consider reading this way to be akin to water gently bubbling from a fountain contrasted with a tsunami of words. What a brave and inspiring counterpoint to the current rush toward skimming and finishing everything quickly!

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Owocki, Gretchen. (2012). The Common Core lesson book, K-5: Working with increasingly complex literature, informational text, and foundational reading skills. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

This very practical and teacher-friendly book is a “must have” resource for teaching the Common Core State Standards in K-5 classrooms. For each standard, Owocki begins by placing the standards in the context of meaningful, research-based best practices. She provides teachers with a clear description of each standard and helps them see what each standard expects from students. Moreover, teachers are able to make note of grade expectations so that they know the expectations for students in the grades before and after their own. For each anchor standard, Owocki provides teachers with guidelines and strategies to teach the standard through the gradual release of responsibility model that includes teacher demonstration, collaborative engagement, and independent application. She even provides prompts at various grade levels for teachers to use. Moreover, the instructional decision trees included in the text effectively connect assessment to planning and provide teachers with additional techniques for intensifying instruction for readers needing additional support. Classroom teachers especially will appreciate the many graphic organizers for student use. This book is the ideal tool for helping teachers in enhancing and extending adopted curricula to meet the CCSS goals.

- Terrell A. Young, Brigham Young University Provo

Silvers, Penny and Shorey, Mary C. (2012). Many texts, many voices: Teaching literacy and social justice to young learners in the digital age.  Portland, ME: Stenhouse.

The book’s authors collaborated in a college classroom and an elementary school classroom in order to explore critical literacy and critical thinking. The book enables them to share ideas and activities with other teachers interested in implementing critical literacy concepts developed around the ideas of social justice to children. They comment, "Critical literacy requires that the reader/consumer examine multiple perspectives and ask, 'Whose interests are being served?' and 'Whose voice is heard—or silenced?' (p. 12). Rather than an addition to a lesson or curriculum, critical literacy is a way of thinking, communicating, analyzing, and living a literate life. Critical literacy also implies the possibility of taking some kind of social action in order to support a belief, make a difference, or simply help during a time of need." This professional book offers teachers specific books to use, lesson guides for implementation, assessment tools, text set lists, student checklists, graphic organizers, diagrams, technology tools, a detailed index and more. In addition to the plethora of reading ideas, the authors go a step further in the call for action to guide students to become involved in the support and/or aid of people and causes not only within their local communities but also in a global perspective. Using literature as a starting point, they guide students into the stages of critical thinking and evaluating possibilities for action and then to develop the plan of action to conclusion. Their suggestions and lesson ideas for embedding the concepts of social justice into each of these lessons in an authentic format is accurately expressed in the Foreword by Dr. Linda K. Crafton, “By using the twenty-first century multimodal tools of learning, they show explicitly how teachers can bring curriculum to life by grounding the daily experiences of their students in authentic questions that thrill kids the most."

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Vardell, Sylvia M. (2012). The poetry teacher’s book of lists. Seattle: CreateSpace.

If you are looking for one book to help improve your teaching of poetry, then this is the one for you! This book is a treasure trove containing over 155 different lists and featuring over 1,500 books of poetry for children and teens. Interested in award-winning poetry or books of poetry considered notable?  This book contains 27 of those lists. Vardell has also includes 19 holiday and seasonal poetry booklists, 7 multicultural and international poetry booklists, 6 thematic or topical poetry booklists, 21 poetry booklists across the curriculum, 20 booklists highlight the form of poetry, 19 booklists for creating a poetry-friendly environment, 12 lists for sharing and responding to poetry out loud, 15 lists of teaching poetry writing resources, and 9 general poetry teaching resources. She also includes a poetry glossary, prompts to guide meaningful discussions about poetry, a poetry history timeline, blogs for children, blogs for teachers, and so much more. It would be hard to imagine a better resource for teachers and librarians. Anyone anxious about including poetry in the classroom will have all fears alleviated by this thorough book.

- Terrell A. Young, Brigham Young University Provo

Vardell, Sylvia, & Wong, Janet. (Compilers). (2012). The Poetry Friday anthology: Poems for the school year with connections to the Common Core, K-5 Edition. Princeton: Pomelo Books.

If there is one thing most teachers seem to be afraid to teach, it has to be poetry. Well, they need fear no more, thanks to this wonderful new poetry anthology put together by two former members of the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children Committee. This visually-appealing collection features 218 original poems written by 75 poets specifically for the anthology. Arranged by grade level, from kindergarten to fifth grade, the book features one poem on each page as well as poetic connections to the Common Core State Standards. Each poem has a "Take 5!" section with many suggestions about how to perform each poem, including simple props, and ideas about how to introduce poetry to children. The compilers have even provided references to poems or other poetry books with similar themes so that if students love one type of poem or one subject for a poem, they can easily find another similar one in this book or in another volume of poetry. Back matter includes a mini-glossary of poetry terms and a list of 25 websites and blogs devoted to children's poetry. There are memorable poems from some of the stalwarts of this type of writing: Arnold Adoff, Nikki Grimes, Julie Larios, J. Patrick Lewis, Jack Prelutsky, Laura Purdie Salas, Eileen Spinelli, Janet Wong, and Jane Yolen. While many of the poems feature familiar names, verses by others, such as Guadalupe Garcia McCall and Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, show that the future of poetry is in good hands.  Be careful when reading this highly-addictive anthology.  You may find yourself nodding vigorously in agreement at a poet’s sentiments about a topic or chortling in glee. Find a place for this book on your desk since you’ll be turning to it time and time again. You may even want two copies, one for your students and one for your own use.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Also, IRA's new and forthcoming book list includes:

• Best Ever Literacy Survival Tips: 72 Lessons You Can't Teach Without by Lori Oczkus 
• Literacy and Learning Lessons From a Longtime Teacher by Regie Routman
• Guided Comprehension for English Learners by Maureen McLaughlin
• Text Complexity: Raising Rigor in Reading by Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, and Diane Lapp
• The Literacy Jigsaw Puzzle: Assembling the Critical Pieces of Literacy Instruction by Beverly Tyner
• The Common Core: Teaching K—5 Students to Meet the Reading Standards by Maureen McLaughlin and Brenda J. Overturf
• And more!