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  • Members of the Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group continue to savor their favorite chapter books from 2013.
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    Top Chapter Books of 2013

    by the CL/R SIG
     | Jan 13, 2014

    Books of the YearMembers of the Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group continue to savor their favorite chapter books from 2013. If you haven’t read these titles, you might want to add them to your to-read pile. 

     

    Carson, Rae. (2013). The bitter kingdom. New York: Greenwillow Books.

    The Bitter KingdomIn this third and final volume in The Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy, Rae Carson has concluded the series most satisfactorily. Her strong female lead character, Queen Elisa, learns more about the power of her God-stone and how to wield this power for her country. Fraught with adventure and danger, Elisa faces off with the evil sorcery of the Invierne and travels deep into their enemy territory to save, Hector, the man she loves. Political allegiances are not what they seem so Elisa has to sort out just whom she can trust along the journey. Readers will find a compelling multi-layered story under the strong leadership of Elisa and her band of friends and companions for the arduous travel. Visit the author’s website for more information about the trilogy.

    - Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

     

    DiCamillo, Kate. (2013). Flora & Ulysses; the illuminated adventures. Illus. by K.G.Campbell. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

    Flora & UlyssesUsing an interesting illustration style, the author and illustrator work together to create this novel that includes the graphic novel style interspersed throughout this tale of a squirrel that is sucked into the Ulysses Super Suction Multi-Terrain 2000x vacuum cleaner and comes out a different person, rather, squirrel. Next-door-neighbor Flora, a natural-born cynic, rescues the squirrel using CPR, and when he comes around, she names him Ulysses. Comic-book loving Flora soon notices that Ulysses has developed super powers, and the two become friends in spite of the fact that her mother dislikes squirrels and is trying to get rid of Ulysses. Flora and Ulysses embark on adventures as they discover the power of friendship. Teachers can download this conversation with the author about the “story behind the story” at the author’s website.

    - Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

     

    Engle, Margarita. (2013). The lightning dreamer: Cuba’s greatest abolitionist. New York: Harcourt.

    The Lightning DreamerAs only Margarita Engle can do, writing in her popular free verse form, this author brings another cultural hero from Cuban history to readers in the United States. Using the voice and life of Gertrudis Gomez de Avellaneda (1814-1873), the author presents thirteen-year-old Tula, as Gertrudis is known, disagreeing with her Mama’s decision to have her enter into a prearranged marriage and settling into a life as wife to a slave owner. Rebelling against this decision as well as the entire concept of slavery, she runs off to the protection of a convent. There, the nuns shelter her and she discovers the writings of the rebel poet Jose Maria de Heredia. She finds within herself that these words have deep meaning and she begins the yearning to become a writer, too. Her mother and grandfather treat her as if she as lost her mind but through a few relationships she builds at this point in her life, including the family house servant, Ceridad, and her love interest, Sab, a former slave, Tula discovers who she really is. Working as a writer, a feminist and an abolitionist, Engle has loosely based this novel in verse on the life of this brave Cuban woman.

    - Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

     

    Frost, Helen. (2013). Salt: A story of friendship in time of war. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux/Macmillan.  

    SaltFrom master novel-in-verse author, Helen Frost, this novel delves into the friendship of two twelve-year old boys in 1812 Indiana Territory. Anikwa is Native American of the Miami tribe, and James Gray is a white settler and the son of a trader. The two boys alternate the poetic narration as the War of 1812 approaches and the Native Americans plan to join with the British forces to fight against the newly organized Americans. The boys’ friendship is strained as the two sides line up against each other. James’ family is dependent on both factions as a trader and supplier of local settlers but trade goods with the local tribes, especially the precious commodity of salt. Entwined between the two boys’ thoughts and fears about the coming war are poems about salt, the necessary substance that both the Miami and the settlers have come to depend upon. In Frost’s unique style of poems take meaningful shape within the story line. Anikwa’s story unfolds through verses in the shape of patterns based on Miami ribbon work while James’ story is told in a more linear style fashioned after the stars and stripes of the American flag. This sensitive and beautifully written story about cross-cultural similarities and differences is an outstanding contribution to this period of history. The author’s website offers more information on the book including a link to the Online Myaamia Dictionary which offers pronunciation help with the Native American words.

    - Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

     

    Hughes, Shirley. (2013). Hero on a bicycle. Somerville, MACandlewick Press.

    Hero on a BicyclePicture book author Shirley Hughes has ventured into her first novel for middle grade readers. Set in 1944 against the backdrop of Nazi-occupied Florence, Italy, teenage brother and sister Paolo and Costanza Crivelli want to do something to assist the resistance movement. Their father is away working with the Partisans, and their English-born mother is under suspicion by occupying German forces. Violating curfew, Paolo often sneaks out at night to ride through the streets of Florence to seek out adventure as well as information, always careful to avoid the soldiers guarding the city. He dreams of ways to become a hero as so many aspects of war surround him. He soon discovers that his mother is aiding the Partisans by hiding Allied POWs in their cellar. As the suspense mounts and the small family group is unsure whom to trust, the realities of war are exposed. The narration moves from one family member to the other so readers discover how each character feels and reacts to the clandestine operations they find themselves a part. This excellent presentation of World War II and the efforts of people involved in resistance is an exciting addition to the list of books during this period of world history.  The author has created a wonderful website devoted to the background of this story that includes photos, video, sketches and detailed information.

    - Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

     

    Kadohata, Cynthia. (2013). The thing about luck. New York: Atheneum.

    The Thing About LuckCareers and jobs start with a work ethic, and Newbery author Cynthia Kadohata has written about just how those ethics are established in children. Set in Kansas, Summer and her Japanese American family have had a year of bad luck. First, Summer comes in contact with a diseased mosquito and contracts malaria. Recovering from that, her parents are called away to Japan to assist with elderly family members. On top of that, Summer’s younger brother, Jaz, has personality problems of his own that include no friends. Summer and Jaz have been sent to live with their grandparents, Obaa-chan and Jii-chan who are forced to come out of retirement to work for the custom harvesting company in order to make their mortgage payment. Summer narrates the story through journal entries, diagrams, and often humorous dialogue with her grandparents. Hard work and love of family are strong themes in this new book from an award-winning author. Visit the author’s website for more information and background on her writing.

    - Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

     

    Larson, Kirby. (2013). Hattie ever after. New York: Delacorte Press/ Random House.

    Hattie Ever AfterThe sequel to Newbery Honor Book, Hattie Big Sky (2006),Larson’s new book continues Hattie’s story in 1919 as she leaves the Montana homestead to travel to San Francisco. Kirby Larson’s research into the politics and fashions of the time set the tone as Hattie tries to become a newspaper reporter, a job that traditionally has not been for women. Hattie is willing to work her way up to reporter and that includes cleaning the offices at the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper office, which leads to becoming a researcher and a stringer before getting to actual reporting. She is on the search for a big story that will establish her career. With nods to the fame of Nellie Bly and Ida Tarbell, Hattie has her mind made up. She also wants to find out more about her deceased and mysterious Uncle Chester. Though she still questions whether she made the right decision to come to San Francisco and especially her decision to postpone thinking about Charlie Hawley’s marriage proposal and moving to Seattle to settle down with him, she is determined to have a career in journalism. Hattie experiences both the ups and downs of big city life, and her small-town adjustments and interpretations of urban life as she is swindled by a con artist and jostled by the crowds of people. On the other hand, opportunities wait, especially when she is trapped on an elevator with President Woodrow Wilson. For fans of the first Hattie adventure, readers will enjoy reading about Hattie’s next steps. Read more about author Kirby Larson in ""Digging for Details that Make Historical Fiction Delicious".

    - Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

     

    Littlewood, Kathryn. (2013).  A dash of magic: a Bliss novel. New York: Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins.

    A Dash of MagicIt’s all about the Bliss Cookery Booke as book two in the Bliss series takes off where book one (Bliss, 2012) ended when Rosemary’s (aka Rose) evil Aunt Lily Le Fey steals the magical cookbook. In this new volume, Rose and her eccentric family dash off to Paris where Rose has challenged Aunt Lily to a bake-off known as the Gala des Greaux Grand and the winner gets the Cookery Book. The trick is that Rose and her family must find all the magical ingredients to make the special recipes. This leads them on a romp around Paris visiting such world famous sites as the Eiffel Tower, the Palace of Versailles, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre Art Museum, the Catacombs, and more. After the bake-off, conditions are ripe for Book 3.

    - Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

     

    McMann, Lisa. (2013). Crash. New York: Simon Pulse/Simon and Schuster.

    CrashFrom the author of the popular Wake trilogy, Crash is Book #1 in her new series titled Visions. This first volume introduces readers to Jules and the DeMarco family. They own an Italian restaurant, and Jules is resigned to the fact that if she wants to drive to school she has to take the double-meatball-shaped food truck. Jules is starting to have visions, and everywhere she turns she is picturing a terrible crash with a snowplow hurtling toward a building; an explosion follows and nine body bags result. Finally, after one vision she recognizes the face on one of the bodies and it is someone she knows and cares about deeply, Sawyer Angotti. With a history of mental illness in her family, Jules is reluctant to tell anyone about her visions. Though the visions are appearing everywhere—billboards, road signs, and television—she has to figure out a way to prevent this horrible accident from happening. McMann adds a bit of levity throughout this suspense-filled action novel as Jules is always creating her lists of five – things she needs to think about and maybe act upon. This supernatural thriller is a great way to begin her new series.

    - Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

     

    Nazario, Sonia. (2013). Enrique’s journey; the true story of a boy determined to reunite with his mother. New York: Delacorte Press.

    Enrique's JourneyThis adapted edition from the author’s adult book, Enrique’s Journey (2006), brings the story of a young teen from Honduras as his immigrant journey to the United States to find is mother comes to fruition. Enrique’s mother went to the U.S. to find work, and she left her young son to travel unencumbered because of the many dangers in making her way across the border. Now 17 years old, he wants to find his mother. Mostly traveling on the rooftops of trains, his journey takes four months to cover the 12,000 miles to reunite with his mother. Detailing the dangers from smugglers or gangs and the drug business particularly in Mexico, there are also people who offer kindness, food, and water for illegal immigrants knowing they are trying to find family. Nazario is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and her journalistic quick style of writing provides the fast pace of Enrique’s narrative. Endnotes provide current information about illegal immigration dangers, statistics and legislation that will offer information for compelling discussions in classrooms today.

    - Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

     

    Parry, Roseanne. (2013). Written in stone. New York: Random House. 

    Written in StoneAs the story opens in 1999, the old Makah Indian woman named Pearl recalls her childhood and the tragedies that sent her life in an unplanned direction. Living on the coast of the Pacific Northwest, it was the flu pandemic of 1918 that took her mother and sister when Pearl was five years old. She and her father survived through his whaling trade. A final whale hunt ended his life when Pearl was thirteen, so she went to live with members of the tribe as her extended family. Difficult times were ahead for the Native Americans as modern technology harvested the whales with steam-powered harpoon cannons, leaving little for the canoe whalers of the Makah. One day a New Yorker arrives at the tribe and wants to purchase Native artifacts and artwork. Pearl is immediately suspicious of this man and discovers that his real agenda is to obtain the mineral rights of their rich oil deposits on Native land. Pearl struggles without her family for guidance and turns to her Aunt Susi who has adopted some of the ways of the new century like driving a car and working at the post office. The author taught school on the Quinault Indian reservation and developed a sincere appreciation of the customs, traditions, and art of the natives of the northwest. A coming of age novel set against an actual historical event will bring this part of the country to readers not familiar with this group of Native Americans. From the author’s website, she links readers to her Pinterest board that extends many of the concepts in her new book.

    - Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

     

    Phelan, Matt. (2013). Bluffton. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

    BlufftonScott O’Dell Award-winning author (The Storm in the Barn) Matt Phelan brings another historically significant era to the graphic novel format. The star of his new book is Buster Keaton. It opens in the town of Muskegon, Michigan, in 1908 when young Henry Harrison learns that a troupe of vaudeville performers is spending the summer in the small town of Bluffton, just outside of Muskegon. Henry is enthralled with the idea of performing and is in awe of the actors. When he happens to meet young Buster when Buster and his brothers and sisters tumble out of a window, Henry begins a friendship that places him in baseball games, fishing antics, and more trouble and fun than he ever imagined. Buster’s fame is growing, and his nickname “the human mop” comes from the fact he can do the most amazing slapstick routines as his body bends and twists and tumbles in all directions. Phelan’s soft watercolor illustrations, inspired by Winslow Homer and Carl Larsson, make shining in the summer sun and warmth of budding friendships come to life. Read more about the graphic artist and his work at My3Books. Teachers might also like to download this Q & A with creator Matt Phelan for more background information.

    - Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

     

    Rhodes, Jewell Parker. (2013). Sugar. Little, Brown and Company.

    SugarSugar is a 10-year old girl living on a sugar cane plantation in 1870 Louisiana during post Civil War Reconstruction. Her father was sold away while he was a slave, and her mother died two years ago. The community of former slaves, now sharecroppers living on the same River Road Plantation where they worked as slaves before the war, are now the village that looks after Sugar. She hates her name as it represents too many of the awful aspects of sugar cane work including the razor-sharp leaves that cut and leave scars. As more and more of the sharecropper families move north to find a life in their newly found freedom after the Emancipation Proclamation, Sugar finds herself without young people to play with and loneliness. Though she has been forbidden to play with Billy, the plantation owner’s son, the two become good friends in spite of the ban on their friendship. From Billy, Sugar learns about the new workers that are coming to the plantation to work the cane. They are Chinese immigrants, and author Jewell Parker Rhodes has brought a little-known piece of American history to light as these workers were encouraged to come to America to help with the labor shortages in the South as a result of the freed slaves. Sugar is the one to reach out to these newly arrived people and learn about their seemingly strange customs yet offer friendship and understanding. The author’s website offers numerous resources to accompany the book.

    - Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

     

    Sheinkin, Steve. (2013). Lincoln’s grave robbers. New York: Scholastic Press.

    Lincoln's Grave RobbersAuthor Steve Sheinkin, award-winning author of Bomb (2012), brings another little-known piece of history to intermediate readers. He writes about the 1876 plot to steal President Abraham Lincoln’s body from his burial site in Springfield, Illinois. The facts unfold as a counterfeit ring under the leadership of James Kennally plan to steal Lincoln’s body and hold it for $200,000 ransom and the release of their partner in crime and skilled engraver, Ben Boyd. Counterfeiting is big business after the Civil War, and Sheinkin’s research points out that half the money in circulation at the time was counterfeit. He also discusses how the Secret Service is created and becomes involved, more to capture the counterfeiters than the realization of the grave robbers’ plan. Written as a fast-paced crime thriller, Sheinkin has brought to life an interesting piece of criminal history. A very detailed index and source notes are found at the end of the book. Download this discussion guide from the Scholastic website, and read more about the author in this interview.

    - Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

     

    Stiefvater, Maggie. (2013). The dream thieves. New York: Scholastic Press.

    The Dream ThievesRonan, Gansey, Noah, Adam, and Blue are back in the second volume of The Raven Boys story by Maggie Stiefvater. The mysterious energy of the ley line discovered in the first volume is back to haunt the troubled boys, each with their own demons. In this rural Virginia setting of a school for privileged boys, townie Blue has added her mystical presence to their obsessions. Now the Cabeswater forest has disappeared. A strange character they call the Gray Man appears to be stalking them as he searches for the Greywaren, an object of magical power that can steal from dreams. Although their search for the Welsh king Glendower continues, more dark secrets and foreboding accompany the search as the electricity in the community plays havoc with their lives. Ronan’s dark and violent character brings tension to the friendship in this volume. Intriguing and foreboding, this will leave readers hanging as they await the final volume. Visit the author’s website for her playlist and a video on how to graffiti a car.

    - Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

     

    Vanderpool, Claire. (2013). Navigating Early. New York: Delacorte Press.

    Navigating EarlyWorld War II has just ended, and thirteen year-old Jack Baker’s mother has recently died. His Navy captain father has to return to service, and so he places Jack in a boarding school in Maine, far from their home in Kansas. Jack has a very rough time accepting all that has happened in addition to the adjustment of boarding school. Early on at Morton Hill Academy for Boys, Jack meets another new misfit named Early Auden. Early is a savant and fascinated with numbers and especially the infinite possibilities of pi. Early is in mourning, too, as his older brother Fisher was reported dead from a battle during the war. Early convinces Jack to leave school and embark on a journey on the Appalachian Trail and the Kennebec River. Their escapade has the boys encounter a great white whale, a volcano, a 100-year-old woman, pirates, caves, bears, and rattlesnakes. The detailed descriptions of Maine in addition to the ways the boys work through their grief and emerging friendship is an adventure that middle readers will enjoy. Enjoy more about the book at this Newbery Award winning (Moon Over Manifest, 2010) author’s website or read an interview with her.

    - Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

     

    Vawter, Vince. (2013). Paperboy. New York: Delacorte Press.

    PaperboyIt is the summer of 1959 in Memphis, Tennessee. Eleven-year-old Little Man has agreed to take over his friend’s paper route for the month of July. This is a brave thing for him to do because he does not talk to people because of his severe stutter. Debut author Vince Vawter tells this story from his own experience and writes directly from the heart as he presents the narrator/character of Little Man. The month of this paper route presents challenges as he has to ask his customers for payment. He meets Mrs. Worthington, who drinks too much, and Mr. Spiro, a retired seaman who likes to talk and ask questions, but Little Man also encounters the scary junk man Ara T, who is also a thief and a bully. Little Man’s parents are often out of town, and so he is left in the care of his beloved housekeeper, Mam. Little Man and Ara T have a confrontation, and both he and Mam are in a position of potential danger. Through his stuttered speech Little Man, who readers find out at the end of the book is Vincent Vollmer III, readers will anguish over this young man and take great pride at how he stands up for Mam and himself. An interesting book trailer is available along with a discussion guide for teachers at the author’s website.

    - Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

     

    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.

     

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  • On Valentine’s Day we pause to think about love. Well, there are many kinds of love, and only some of them romantic. Every day in cyberspace, I post a love letter to a book and author on the Children’s Book-a-Day Almanac.
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    The Season for Love

    by Anita Silvey
     | Feb 13, 2013
    On Valentine’s Day we pause to think about love. Well, there are many kinds of love, and only some of them romantic.

    Every day in cyberspace, I post a love letter to a book and author on the Children’s Book-a-Day Almanac. Some I found decades ago (old love). Some I’ve only know for a short time (new or young love).

    For this season of love, I wanted to offer up some of my most recent discoveries. They can be shared on Valentine’s Day—or any other day of the year!—to help spark a love of books and reading in children.

    Picture Books

    UNSPOKEN: A STORY FROM THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD (Scholastic, 2012) by Henry Cole
    “In UNSPOKEN, Cole decided he wanted to tell a different kind of Civil War story than the ones he had heard about battles—one about the quiet courage of individuals. So he developed the saga of a girl and a runaway slave who never speak but show amazing bravery.”

    HOMER (Greenwillow, 2012) by Elisha Cooper
    “It is rare to find a successful picture book where the protagonist observes rather than participates in activity. Yet in the watercolor and pencil art, Homer looms as the focal point of each piece…. He reminds us to take pleasure in the simple things of life, such as an old dog’s enjoyment of each day.”

    BOY + BOT (Knopf, 2012), written by Ame Dyckman and illustrated by Dan Yaccarino
    “Everything in this book, from the front cover to the final ISBN notice on the back cover (seconding as a battery for the robot), has been carefully constructed to make an enjoyable reading experience. This is one of those wonderful books where all three elements—design, text, and art—combine to make a whole greater than any of the parts.”

    THE TREE HOUSE (Boyds Mills, 2010) by Marije Tolman and Ronald Tolman
    “This wordless picture book, which won the BolognaRagazzi Award for the most beautiful picture book in the world in 2010, brings readers into a magical world created by the Tolmans. In a large, oversized format, the artists use the space to create a world that begs to be entered....The intensity of the color, the animation of the animals, and the bold graphic composition of each page distinguish this book.”

    Novels

    CHICKADEE (HarperCollins, 2012) by Louise Erdrich
    “This saga, which explains a great deal about the [Chippewa} communities and trading patterns around the St. Paul, Minnesota area in 1866, reads like a survival story. Chickadee proves that, indeed, small things have great power; he uses his understanding of the woods to stay alive. And in this slim volume of under two hundred pages, he keeps readers turning the pages to find out if he and his family will be reunited.”

    STARRY RIVER OF THE SKY (Little, Brown, 2012) by Grace Lin
    “Lin’s text can stand alone as a read aloud. But the physical beauty of the book merits special attention. The author’s sketches in different colors of ink and her glorious full-color paintings have been skillfully incorporated into the book…. Writing, art, and design combine to make the reading experience one to be savored and enjoyed.”

    ROAD TRIP (Wendy Lamb Books, 2013) by Gary Paulsen and Jim Paulsen
    “Few authors write as well for this age group as Paulsen, whether he is telling survival stories like HATCHET or urban adventures like LAWN BOY. Because the chapters are short and punchy, ROAD TRIP would make an excellent choice for a read-aloud.”

    A CROOKED KIND OF PERFECT (Sandpiper, 2009) by Linda Urban
    “Urban’s first novel, published in 2007, provides easy reading for ten-year-olds on up. In it she has gathered one of the most eccentric casts of characters to grace a recent novel.”

    Nonfiction

    THE LINCOLNS: A SCRAPBOOK LOOK AT ABRAHAM AND MARY (Schwartz & Wade, 2008) by Candace Fleming
    “As Fleming moves with grace from Lincoln’s log cabin birth to the final days of his widow Mary Todd Lincoln, she not only reveals fascinating details of his life but illustrates them as well. Hence this book can be browsed and read in small sections.”

    LITTLE WHITE DUCK: A CHILDHOOD IN CHINA (Graphic Universe, 2012) by Na Liu
    “Both exotic and daring, the book takes readers to another place, time, and culture radically different from our own, and yet one presented with dignity and respect. Because the story appears as a graphic novel, it seems much less a polemic than it would if it were presented as a straight text.”

    MONSIEUR MARCEAU: ACTOR WITHOUT WORDS (Flash Point, 2012) by Leda Schubert
    “There are so many reasons to love this book—the poetry of the language, the expressiveness of the art. For me MONSIEUR MARCEAU demonstrates what the perfect picture book can accomplish: words and text working together to provide a unique reading experience. Marceau and his performances come alive in this slim volume.”

    BOMB: THE RACE TO BUILD—AND STEAL—THE WORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS WEAPON (Flash Point, 2012) by Steve Sheinkin
    “Just as he did in THE NOTORIOUS BENEDICT ARNOLD Sheinkin plays up the drama, develops characters, and takes readers to the heart of the action. In the process he makes the evolution of the atomic bomb seem like one of the most amazing stories every told.”

    BALLOONS OVER BROADWAY: THE TRUE STORY OF THE PUPPETEER OF MACY'S PARADE (Houghton Mifflin, 2011) by Melissa Sweet
    “In BALLOONS OVER BROADWAY, author and illustrator Melissa Sweet takes readers behind the scenes of the parade as she presents the story of Tony Frederick Sarg (1880–1942).”

    With a unique career in children's books, Anita Silvey has served both as the editor of THE HORN BOOK MAGAZINE and publisher of a major children's book imprint. She is the author of several books, including HENRY KNOX: BOOKSELLER, SOLDIER, PATRIOT and I'LL PASS FOR YOUR COMRADE: WOMEN SOLDIERS IN THE CIVIL WAR. Her latest project, THE CHILDREN'S BOOK-A-DAY ALMANAC (Roaring Brook Press, 2012), began as an interactive website. The entries serve as a "daily love letter to a book or author," with each one offering a glimpse into the story behind the story.

    © 2013 Anita Silvey. Please do not reproduce in any form, electronic or otherwise.
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    • 5 Questions With...

    5 Questions With... Eric A. Kimmel (Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins)

    by Eric A. Kimmel
     | Dec 07, 2012
    This post originally appeared on the Engage/Teacher to Teacher blog in December 2011.

    Eric KimmelEric A. Kimmel is the author of over one hundred books for children, including such well-loved classics as Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock and the Caldecott Honor Book Hershel and the Hannukkah Goblins. 

    Your newest picture book, The Golem's Latkes, is based on a traditional folk story from Prague. How did you come across the tale of the Golem, and what gave you the idea to remix the story into a Hannukkah book?

    First of all, despite what most people think, the classic golem story is hardly traditional.

    The usual versions of the story, which show up every few centuries, are little more than brief statements: "Rabbi So-and-So replicated the act of Creation by making a man out of clay." Some versions mention keeping the golem around to do odd jobs. That's all.

    The main episodes of the classic tale (The Creation of the Golem/The Golem as Sorcerer's Apprentice/The Golem Defends The Community/The Golem Runs Amok/The Golem is Returned to Clay) originate with a novella written in the 1920s by a Czech writer named Chaim Bloch. It owes as much to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and the tale of The Sorcerer's Apprentice as it does to any Jewish source. Block crafted his tale using the romantic background of the Prague Ghetto and its most prominent figure, Rabbi Judah Leib ben Bezalel. Rabbi Judah Leib was a major scholar and kabbalist. However, nothing prior to Bloch’s book links him with any golem. Even more interesting, the creation of a golem is traditionally linked to another rabbi, Elijah of—of all places!—Chelm!

    Can you imagine The Golem of Chelm? That has possibilities. Maybe I ought to think about it.

    Bloch’s tale became a Jewish classic. It was made into a movie. It had become a very well-known story when I was growing up in the 1950s. Our Hebrew school library had an English version of Bloch’s novella. I came across it one day, checked it out, and read it in an evening. I must have been in the fifth grade at the time. I was a great reader. I loved the story from that moment because it was so wonderfully creepy. It literally is the Jewish Frankenstein.

    The idea of retelling it as a Hanukkah story wasn’t my idea at all. My dear friend and editor, Margery Cuyler, suggested that I think about writing a golem story. I didn’t think that was a good idea. That story had been retold many times. I.B. Singer wrote a version. As far as I was concerned, the definitive golem is David Wisniewski’s. He nailed it with his text and amazing illustrations. What a genius! I couldn’t do better than that. So I told Margery, “Why bother?”

    She persisted. I decided that if I was going to do the story, I’d have to come up with a different angle. A warm, fuzzy golem, perhaps? I began playing around with ideas. Maybe do it as a Hanukkah story? Thinking of The Sorcerer's Apprentice and especially of Tomie de Paola’s Strega Nona, I started mapping out a simple plot. The golem starts making latkes. Nobody’s around to supervise. The golem keeps making latkes until they flood the city. Then they have to eat them all to get rid of them.

    Once I had that outline, the rest was easy. Rabbi Judah Leib actually was an associate of the Habsburg emperor, Rudolf. Basha, the maid, is a kewpie doll. She does not intend to work any harder than she absolutely has to. Aaron Jasinski’s golem looks like Gumby. He’s perfect. I love the way the book turned out. It was lots of fun to write.

    In addition to Golem's Latkes, you’ve written several stories about Jewish holidays, including the Caldecott Honor Book Hershel and the Hannukah Goblins, Even Higher!: A Rosh Hashana Story, and the Story of Esther: A Purim Tale. You’ve even got The Mysterious Guest: A Sukkot Story, about the lesser-known Jewish harvest festival. What draws you to write about these celebrations and traditions?

    Hershel coverI write about them because I love them. I went to a fine Hebrew school where we received a thorough grounding in Jewish traditions. Bible stories, legends, folktales were an important part of the curriculum. Also, the immigrant generation was still alive. My grandma lived with us. She could easily carry on a conversation in five languages. English, however, wasn’t one of them. I was bilingual as a child. I heard lots and lots of stories from my grandma in Yiddish. You might say I got them from the source.

    Good stories are meant to be shared. Since I’m a writer, why not share the stories I love best? However, stories are never static. They intertwine. That’s what happens when I’m writing.

    Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins owes as much to Dickens’ A Christmas Carol as it does to the Hershele Ostropolier stories.

    Even Higher! is a classic story by the Yiddish master I.L. Peretz with a bit of tweaking at the end that I owe to Trina Schart Hyman, whom I will always adore and admire. “Eric,” she once said to me, “I need something to draw.” It’s not much of a story if I end it with an old lady lying on a pile of rags as she does in Peretz’s original version. So I pulled her out of bed and made her dance. 

    I came up with The Mysterious Guests one night when I was stranded in a hotel room in Cherry Hill, PA. There was a power outage and all the lights went out. The elevators weren’t running. I had nothing to do but sit in the dark and look out the window. It was in the fall, shortly after the Sukkot holiday. I began with a famous story about two brothers who exceed each other in kindness and went from there. The two brothers in the story are actually me and my brother Jonathan. Total opposites. I’ll let you guess who was the model for the good brother. Jonny may disagree.

    The Story of Esther is right out of the Bible. The idea of doing it came from my editor at Holiday House, Mary Cash. Mary was invited to a Purim party. Being a book person, she looked for a book to bring as a gift. She thought a picture book version of the story of Esther would be perfect. Unfortunately, she discovered that she couldn’t find one in print! There wasn’t one to be found in New York. Mary called me up immediately and suggested I write one. Fast!

    I had always assumed that there were several versions around. I was as surprised as Mary was to find there were none available. I sat right down and got busy. I didn’t have to work out the story, so it didn’t take long to write. Maybe a day. It’s one of my favorite stories. It has everything: sex, violence, a damsel in distress, and a villain who gets just what he deserves—which, unfortunately, hardly ever happens in real life.

    We have to ask: what is your favorite holiday book?

    That’s easy. Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. I’ve loved it since I was seven years old and saw the Alastair Sim movie. I’ve read and reread it countless times. Dickens takes the trite and sentimental and makes it dark and creepy. It’s scarier than Twilight. “I wear the chains I forged in life!” Think about it.

    Folk tales factor strongly in your work. Do you have any tips for teachers looking to incorporate traditional stories into their lessons?

    The best advice I can give is to focus on the story. It’s a story, not a lesson. Stories are about characters who interact. How do they treat each other? How do they face difficulties? How do they solve problems? What do we learn from them that we can apply in our own lives? Let’s talk about that after we listen to the story.

    I didn’t write Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins to teach children about Jewish customs and ceremonies. I wrote it because I want them to recognize that there is real evil in the world. How do we deal with it? How do you recognize it and respond to it when it shows up in your own life? Because I guarantee that sooner or later it will.

    Here’s another way to look at it. A young man in the marching band just died in a hazing incident at Florida A&M. Bullying is finally being recognized as a real problem among school age children. Nobody can haze you or bully you unless you and others cooperate by going along with it; by not taking measures to stop it; and by looking the other way when you see it happening. When you confront the goblins and refuse to play their game, their power disappears. The only power they ever had was the power our own fear gave them.

    What just happened in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and now Syria are similar examples. One by one, within a span of months, we’ve seen entrenched dictatorships totally collapse once people stopped being afraid and began using the power they always had.

    Was the king of the goblins really that terrifying? Or did he just pretend that he was? Maybe he had no more power than the little goblin who shows up at the beginning. He just made a bigger noise.

    Dig deep. A good story will always give you plenty to talk about.

    You have to love the story. That’s the key. Which stories should you share? The ones you love. It’s your love of the tale that makes it come alive for the children. If you don’t know where to begin, start with the old favorites: Cinderella, Snow White, Puss in Boots. Don’t assume that children know them. They don’t, or if they do, they only know them through movie or cartoon versions. Disney’s Pooh is not Milne’s Pooh. The recent film Puss in Boots, as much fun as it is, is not Perrault’s Le Chat Botte. Don’t believe me? Read the real Milne or the real Grimm or the real Perrault and we’ll talk.

    There’s a “Hear a Story” section on your website, where kids can look at the illustrations of your books while you read them aloud. What are the most important elements in crafting a good read aloud?

    It’s all in the language. A book has to read well. Words have music. A well-written book sings. The best compliments I’ve ever received about my writing comes from teachers who tell me that they enjoy reading my books “because they sound so good!” If you’re not sure what I mean, read a few stories aloud. You’ll hear the difference. Good writing has grace, elegance, wit, style. Bad writing lies flat on the page. You might as well be reading a tax form.

    Good books are those you want to read again. Good stories are those you want to hear again.

    It’s that simple.
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  • During the recent Olympics, many observers commented on the incredible display of American girl power at the events. Over the years children’s books have supplied a lot of portraits of strong girls and women. In honor of Women’s Equality Day on August 26, here is a list of books that showcase “girl power” from The Children’s Book-a-Day Almanac.
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    Girl Power: Top Picks for Women's Equality Day

    by Anita Silvey
     | Aug 15, 2012
    During the recent Olympics, many observers commented on the incredible display of American girl power at the events. Over the years children’s books have supplied a lot of portraits of strong girls and women. In honor of Women’s Equality Day on August 26, here is a list of books that showcase “girl power” from The Children’s Book-a-Day Almanac.

    Picture Books

    INDEPENDENT DAMES by Laurie Halse Anderson

    “This short text lends itself to all kinds of activities or acts simply as a supplement for more traditional texts. Anderson’s research is thorough and her understanding of young readers, as always, is profound. When I conducted an informal poll of school librarians and teachers, INDEPENDENT DAMES emerged as their favorite book for Women’s History Month. Writing with passion and humor, Laurie Halse Anderson is on a mission to set the record straight. And she does!”

    THE DARING NELLIE BLY by Bonnie Christensen

    “In THE DARING NELLIE BLY: AMERICA’S STAR REPORTER, Bonnie Christensen creates an exciting portrait of the journalist who at the age of twenty-five captured the world’s fancy.”

    YOU FORGOT YOUR SKIRT, AMELIA BLOOMER! by Shana Corey

    “The picture book, YOU FORGOT YOUR SKIRT, AMELIA BLOOMER! by Shana Corey, focuses on Amelia’s rebellious nature… When she spied Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s cousin Libby wearing a costume that was not a dress—but pantaloons with a skirt over them—Amelia…used the power of the press to advocate for what became known as the ‘bloomer.’”

    IMOGENE’S LAST STAND by Candace Fleming

    “As Imogene says of her own adventure—‘That was totally fun!’ Celebrate local history by sharing this great read-aloud book with budding historians. After you do, you will probably agree with the words of an eight-year-old boy who loved the book—‘Wouldn’t it be great if everyone had at least a little Imogene in them?’”

    ME…JANE by Patrick McDonnell

    “September 1 has been set aside to celebrate International Primate Day. I can think of no better way to mark this day than look at the life of Jane Goodall, who has devoted herself to the study and the conservation of chimpanzees.... This message that your childhood dreams can, and do, come true will be welcomed by both parents and children.”

    Novels

    LITTLE WOMEN by Louisa May Alcott

    “Jo March may have inspired more women over the years—including Hilary Clinton and French philosopher Simone de Beauvior—than any other character in a children’s book. As actress Julianne Moore says in EVERYTHING I NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED FROM A CHILDREN’S BOOK, ‘From Jo I learned that a woman could choose…[and] that she has a choice about her career.’”

    THE MIDWIFE’S APPRENTICE by Karen Cushman

    “THE MIDWIFE’S APPRENTICE is filled with the sights, sounds, and smells of a medieval village. Beetle, who has a single companion, a cat named Purr, makes a great protagonist. She has the liveliness, the spirit, and the determination to make a better place for herself. Ideal for fourth and fifth graders, the book has frequently been taught in classrooms and naturally leads to discussions of medieval villages and life—their fairs and inns and customs.”

    THE EVOLUTION OF CALPURNIA TATE by Jacqueline Kelly

    “Living in Fentress, Texas, in 1899, eleven-year-old Callie Vee doesn’t excel in sewing or cooking, but she has a passion for science. Not really an acceptable calling for a girl in the nineteenth century, but her penchant truly makes her crotchety grandfather happy.”

    PIPPI LONGSTOCKING by Astrid Lindgren

    “Pippilotta Delicatessa Windowshade Mackrelmint Ephraim’s Daughter Longstocking, or Pippi for short, lives without parents. Pippi dictates her own rules and nags herself about going to bed at night. With endless money, time, and freedom, she certainly fulfills the fantasy of most children who often think about what life would be like if they had no one to boss them around.”

    CLEMENTINE by Sara Pennypacker

    “The daughter of an artist, Clementine is a true independent spirit. She cuts off all her best friend’s hair—and then destroys her own as well. A cyclone, she spends more time in the principal’s office than in her classroom. Everyone keeps telling her to ‘pay attention’ and she does—to all the things occurring outside the classroom window. But if you need someone with an out-of-the box idea, Clementine will come to the rescue.”

    Narrative Nonfiction

    ELEANOR ROOSEVELT by Russell Freedman

    “As Eleanor Roosevelt began to find the causes of her life—the plight of minorities, the poverty of the disadvantaged—she turned from a shy person into a firebrand, the conscience of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Russell captures this complex marriage—its betrayals and its strength. He shows the final years of Eleanor Roosevelt as she worked in the United Nations and became, as President Harry Truman called her, ‘the First Lady of the World.’”

    A BALLET FOR MARTHA by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan

    “Of all art forms, dance, which depends on movement, remains the hardest to convey in a book—particularly a book for children. Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan took on this task in BALLET FOR MARTHA: MAKING APPALACHIAN SPRING and succeeded brilliantly.”

    CLAUDETTE COLVIN: TWICE TOWARD JUSTICE by Phillip Hoose

    “In CLAUDETTE COLVIN: TWICE TOWARD JUSTICE, winner of the National Book Award, author Phillip Hoose presents the life story of this unsung heroine of the Civil Rights Movement. In his fascinating account, told mainly in Claudette’s own words, readers get to see the events of 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama, from a different perspective—as they were experienced by a young girl.”

    ALMOST ASTRONAUTS: 13 WOMEN WHO DARED TO DREAM by Tanya Lee Stone

    “With extensive research into the period and interviews with the Mercury 13 women— who thought they might actually get to travel into space during a time when only men were considered fit to do so—Stone explores little-known events of the NASA space program. In ALMOST ASTRONAUTS she brings to life the 1960s, a time when women had to think and act outside the box if they wanted to do something other than be a housewife.”

    Looking for ways to use these books in your classroom? Check out the ReadWriteThink lesson plans Females in the Spotlight: Strong Characters in Picture Books and Girls Read: Online Literature Circles.

    With a unique career in children's books, Anita Silvey has served both as the editor of The Horn Book Magazine and publisher of a major children's book imprint. She is the author of several books, including HENRY KNOX: BOOKSELLER, SOLDIER, PATRIOT, I'LL PASS FOR YOUR COMRADE: WOMEN SOLDIERS IN THE CIVIL WAR, and, most recently, THE PLANT HUNTERS (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2012). In October, the print version of The Children's Book-a-Day Almanac will be published by Roaring Brook. Anita continues to add entries to the Almanac's interactive website, which she describes as a "daily love letter to a book or author." 
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