Literacy Now

by Judith Hayn

Lange, Erin Jade. Butter. New York, NY: Bloomsbury, 2012.

Butter weighs 423 pounds, and his nickname originates from a particularly repulsive act of bullying his freshman year. He narrates this cautionary tale of the first semester his junior year in a Scottsdale, Arizona, high school. He wants desperately to fit in and to have the girl of his dreams even notice him. The first goal appears to be possible when he sets up a website vowing to eat himself to death online on New Year’s Eve. The scheme to get the girl involves the assumption of another identity as he connects, again online, with his lovely classmate Anna; only she has no picture of him and accepts his fake persona of a rich, athletic student at a private local prep school. The popular kids latch onto the eating to death scheme as a way to amuse themselves at Butter’s expense as he becomes a large pet for the “in” crowd. The whole scenario is doomed from the start while Butter is in denial about the impending catastrophe.

While the reader roots for him to wake up to what is happening and take action, the feelings of self-hatred are too enmeshed in Butter; not even his amazing talent on the saxophone can save him. The discussion of options for obese teens offers avenues of hope, but Butter cannot seem to accept these; even the concerned advice from his therapist and music teacher, along with his mother’s misguided manipulation with food, meet resistance. Donna Cooner’s 2012 book Skinny deals with the same theme although her protagonist is a girl who chooses gastric by-pass surgery. Both are powerful texts and uncomfortable reads for those who struggle with weight and those who don’t but need to understand—many teen reviews of these books on the Internet reveal a disturbing bias about overweight people.

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).

As children we often have aspirations for what we want to be when we grow up. For me, I knew I was going to be an actress and live in New York City—I was born with greasepaint running through my veins. Then, as I got older (16 to be exact), I told my mom I was going to medical school and find the cure for cancer. Many years of formal education later, and none of them spent studying drama or medicine, I am finally doing what I was meant to do—teach.

I had many careers prior to becoming a classroom teacher. I worked in Hollywood for a major production company, rubbing shoulders with celebrities. Life was good but something was missing. I moved to San Diego where I met my husband, got married, and studied for my paralegal certificate at the University of San Diego.

The day after graduation we moved to Seattle. For twelve years I worked as a paralegal in major law firms. I enjoyed the work and the people I worked with but still, something was missing. At the end of the day, a big question hovered over my head: what had I truly accomplished in the big scheme of the world? Had I provided the escape of entertainment from the worries of the world? No. Had I provided a cure for anything more serious than the common cold? Not even close.

It was time for me to move on and actually do something. This required that I figure out what I truly needed in my next career.

First and foremost was passion. A close second was meaning. Lastly, but equally important as the first two, was flexibility. I have my husband to credit for the brilliant idea that I consider being a teacher. That profession had never crossed my mind, but once it did, it seemed so obvious. Immediately I thought of my paternal grandmother, who taught in a one-room classroom in the middle of the farm lands of North Dakota. My mind was set and as with everything I do, once I set my mind to it, I run with it!

I started by conducting informational interviews and researching programs at the universities in Seattle. Eventually, I made the plunge. I chose Seattle Pacific University for their rigorous curriculum, certification, small student to professor ratios, and the caliber of their professors.

Five semesters later, I finished the baccalaureate program and was ready to begin my master’s degree in language and literacy with an emphasis as a teacher of reading. I had been discouraged by most of my professors from going on to graduate school. I was told I would price myself out of a job, it would be a waste of my time and money if I planned to only teach elementary students, and the debt would far outweigh the paychecks. My response was, “Why shouldn’t young students have the benefit of a teacher with a higher degree and specialty?” After all, one of the items on my career changing list was “meaning.” I chose to attend Wheelock College in Boston for their intense literacy program, credibility in the teaching field, and their dedication to children, not to mention the opportunity to live on the East Coast for a year.

The process of interviewing for a teaching job began well before I completed my master’s degree. I interviewed in Seattle during spring break and via conference calls. By the time I graduated, I had a job teaching fourth grade.

I worked for five years in a socioeconomically challenged school district. The majority of the students were on free or reduced breakfasts and lunches, spoke English as their second language, and were well behind the state standards in all subjects. Yes, I had my work cut out for me. But I also had excellent training in similar demographics. I felt prepared and ready to put all my hard work to work for my students.

By now I felt I had accomplished the first two items on my new career list—passion and meaning. But one was not quite at 100%—flexibility. As a writer working towards getting my novels and picture books published, I needed more than summers to write. My evenings and weekends were still devoted to my classroom teachings. It was time to make another plunge off another high dive.

I decided to retire from teaching in the classroom, and started my own business of tutoring from my home office.

Once again, I ran with my new career direction. I had all my teaching resources gathered over the years. I also had an awesome classroom library of books that I accumulated over the years. And my practicum in graduate school gave me the resources I needed to perform my own student assessments in literacy. I had everything at my fingertips that I would need to teach—except for the students.

I designed my brochure and started a marketing and advertising blitz. Most elementary schools allowed me to leave brochures in the front office. The local independent bookstores and coffee shops have community boards that are perfect for free advertising, and I was able to advertise on our local township website as well.

I also turned to my teacher colleagues for student referrals, which is how I acquired my first student. He was a fifth grader struggling with the writing process. I worked with him for two years—first on writing, then on reading and math and other special projects. It was very rewarding to be a part of his academic progress. Recently, I received an email from his mother letting me know how much she appreciated my work with her son. He is now a freshman in high school and doing quite well.

Over time one student led to another and another and another. Most of my referrals have been from word of mouth and I have been able to maintain a workload that allows me to have all three items on my list checked-off: Passion. Meaning. Flexibility.

Three years have passed since I made the plunge to go out on my own and I have loved every minute. My students have ranged in age from Pre-K to middle school, both boys and girls. Sometimes they come to me with a specific goal in mind and other times I am their weekly academic booster, supplementing the classroom teachings, filling the gaps made ever wider by budget cuts and changes in the traditional home dynamic.

However, working from home as a private tutor is not for everyone. To be successful you need to be very organized, disciplined with your time, and be able to take the lean times along with the flush times. Not to mention that marketing your services is a constant endeavor.

But if you think you have what it takes or would at least like to give it a try, here are some tips:

• Contact your homeowners or renters insurance to confirm you have the coverage necessary to have clients in and out of your home. You will probably want to increase your liability coverage.
• Have a professional brochure designed that outlines your education, expertise, teaching philosophy, and lists memberships in pertinent organizations (such as International Reading Association or NCTE). In your absence, your brochure will be your one and only marketing tool that will make or break the first impression upon prospective clients.
• Purchase professional business cards. Don’t let the age of your students direct the look of your cards. Avoid a card that is laden with cutesy graphics, that’s too glossy, or that’s printed on flimsy stock. Remember, your audience first and foremost is parents.
• I highly recommend you have formal policies and “house rules” written up that you give to each family upon initial communication about tutoring. Having these in place will help avoid awkward situations later regarding public and private parameters of your home, payment policies, and scheduling, just to name a few.

photo: donovanbeeson via photopin cc

• Create a spreadsheet on Excel or similar program to track payments and sessions by students.
• Prepare file folders for each student that includes the assessments you prepare, lesson notes, and student work.
• Purchase or create lending library cards. I am very old-school about books. I love the actual books and I love to share them with my students. I use library cards to list each book a student borrows, the date they borrow the book and the date it is returned. I also supplement my inventory with books from the public library. (Have a policy about charging for books borrowed if they are not returned within a designated number of days or lost).
• Research the various online teaching resources for additional materials and resources to have at your fingertips. I use the practice pages, booklets, and online manipulatives depending on the student. I have chosen to use ReadWriteThink.org, Scholastic.com, edHelper.com, and Sadlier-Oxford.com. (Some sites require a nominal annual fee.)
• Have a professional website, a professional Facebook page, and a Twitter account that you actually use on a regular basis. I stress the professionalism of all of these social media platforms. One picture says a thousand words and you don’t want those words to portray you in a negative light.

My journey to working as a private tutor was long and by no means direct. Although I have not worked as a professional actress, lived in New York City, or found the cure for cancer, what I have done with my career has and continues to be very rewarding. I have found my passion, with meaning and flexibility.

Going out on one’s own is not for everyone. It takes guts and a certain amount of financial security already in place. However, if you are even slightly considering the big dive I highly encourage you to start with some informational interviews and see where they lead you.

Happy Teaching!

Kathleen A. Hunter, MS is a literacy tutor and aspiring children's book author. You can visit her online at www.KathleenHunterWrites.com.



Using Music to Inspire Young Writers

Teaching Tips: Bringing Children, Dogs, and Books Together

ANNIE SULLIVAN AND THE TRIALS OF HELEN KELLER (Disney-Hyperion Books, 2012)
Written and illustrated by Joseph Lambert
Grades 5–12

ANNIE SULLIVAN AND THE TRIALS OF HELEN KELLER by Joseph Lambert is a graphic novel about the early relationship between Helen Keller and, her teacher, Annie Sullivan. The graphic novel format provides a unique perspective on Helen’s world without sound and sight, which is portrayed as dark and shapeless. However, as Helen learns more words from Annie, her world becomes more colorful and defined. Many of the panels include images of hands finger spelling words, which adds another dimension to the text.

The other unique aspect of this graphic novel is the focus on Annie’s life before Helen. Often when the relationship between Helen and Annie is discussed, Helen is seen as the one who overcame many obstacles before achieving success. However, Annie’s life was quite difficult as well and she, too, had innumerable hurdles in her life even before becoming Helen’s teacher.

For example, after the death of their mother, Annie and her brother were abandoned by their father at a poorhouse. Annie’s brother, who was already sick, later died at the poorhouse and left Annie to grow-up alone in the frightening surroundings of the State Almshouse in Tewksbury, Massachusetts. Annie later attended the Perkins Institution for the Blind in Boston, but she struggled there as well, as her feisty personality often got her in trouble.

Finally, this text is a testament to the power of learning and teaching. Helen was considered to be dumb and incapable of learning or living a normal life. However, through Annie’s dedication and persistence Helen became a Radcliffe graduate in 1904.

Passages from Annie’s own writing are included throughout this graphic novel; one passage in particular speaks to Annie’s approach to teaching and is a good reminder to all educators. She writes, “It seems to me that the teacher in a classroom spends much time trying to dig out of the child only what she has put into them. I am convinced that is self-indulgent and a waste of time” (p. 43).

Cross-Curricular Connections: History/Social Studies, Language Arts/English, Visual Literacy

Ideas for Classroom Use:

A World Without Color

As Helen couldn’t see the world around her, Annie had to describe everything to her, including colors. Annie describes brown for Helen as “the color of your dog. And the color of earth, and mud. Some horses are brown. A tree’s trunk and branches are brown. Your hair is brown too” (p. 54).

As a creative writing activity, students could describe colors using their other senses. While this could be a fun activity at any time, it could be particularly helpful in writing poetry. THE BLACK BOOK OF COLORS (Groundwood Books, 2008), written by Menena Cottin and illustrated by Rosana Faria, was created for those without sight. Their book could serve as an example and an interesting discussion piece.

Multiple Viewpoints

There are numerous books, articles, movies and other texts about Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan. Each of these different texts is written from a different perspective. Decisions are made about what information to include and exclude. As a result of these choices, each text provides a different story about these two women. Some of the texts may be more accurate than others, while some texts may focus on emotions rather than events.

Critical readers are able to identify multiple viewpoints in a story and to recognize the impact of these nuances on the information. In this activity, collect as many books, images, movies and other texts about Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan as you can. Picture books, like Deborah Hopkinson’s ANNIE AND HELEN (Schwartz & Wade Books, 2012, illustrated by Raul Colon) would be great for this activity as they are quicker to read and provide different sources of information via the text and the images.

Working in small groups, students should read and explore multiple texts about Annie and Helen. This should then lead into group discussions about the information provided in each text, the decisions made by the author and the illustrator, and how these choices impacted the reading of the text. Students should/could consider the following questions:

• Which text seems the most accurate and why?
• Which text did you like the most and why?
• Does one text seem to provide the entire story of Annie and Helen? Why or why not?
• How does reading multiple texts about the same topic influence your knowledge about or impression of the topic?

Ideally, students will come to realize that there are multiple ways to tell a story and that it is important to seek multiple sources of information when exploring any topic. This is an essential component of critical literacy, and critical media literacy in particular, and is becoming increasingly more important in our sound bite dominated world.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

The purpose of this activity is to develop and hone students’ visual literacy skills. Many theorists in the field of comics and graphic novels, including Scott McCloud (UNDERSTANDING COMICS), discuss the importance of “reading” and understanding visual images. As discussed in the summary above, Lambert makes interesting choices in how Helen’s world is portrayed before and after her learning with Annie.

Select several “before” and “after” panels and encourage students to analyze and compare the artistic and compositional changes and what these reflect about Helen’s changing world. For example, in many of the “before” panels Helen is shown surrounded by black space, but in many of the “after” panels the space surrounding Helen is no longer black and empty, but rather, it is filled with items from her world and in addition to the inclusion of these items in the panel they are also labeled or named.

What do these differences indicate about the changes that Helen is undergoing?

Additional Resources and Activities:

Helen Keller International
Helen Keller International is an international nonprofit organization that was founded by Keller in 1915 in an effort to prevent blindness and reduce malnutrition worldwide. In addition to including information about the organization, this site provides links to additional resources about Helen Keller and her life.

The Annie Mansfield Sullivan Foundation, Inc.
The Annie Mansfield Sullivan Foundation is dedicated to “preserving and honoring the memories of Annie Sullivan and Helen Keller.” Their website provides extensive information about Annie Sullivan and Helen Keller, as well as links to additional information. Many photographs can also be found on the site, which can provide a deeper and/or different understanding of both Sullivan and Keller.

National Braille Press
January is National Braille Literacy Awareness Month. This site is a fantastic source for additional information and resources regarding Braille. The site includes a video about Braille technology as well as a downloadable Braille alphabet card and a biography of Louis Braille.

Aimee Rogers is a doctoral student at the University of Minnesota studying children’s and adolescent literature. Prior to her return to school, Aimee taught high school students with special needs, in a wide variety of settings, for ten years. She misses working with adolescents but is developing a passion for working with undergraduate pre-service teachers. She has a growing interest in graphic novels for children and young adults and is hoping to make them the topic of her upcoming dissertation.



Putting Books to Work: Jacobson and Colon's ANNE FRANK: THE ANNE FRANK HOUSE AUTHORIZED GRAPHIC BIOGRAPHY

Putting Books to Work: Taylor and Towle's AMELIA EARHART: THIS BROAD OCEAN

When the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, announces the recipient of the 2013 Caldecott Medal later this month, it will mark the award’s seventy-fifth anniversary.

Named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott, the prestigious medal is awarded annually to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. Many libraries and classrooms make sure they have these award-winning books on their shelves. In honor of the anniversary and to celebrate some of the best picture books published in the past, members of the Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group have chosen to highlight some of their favorites. This week’s reviews cover the early decades of the award, beginning in 1938 and ending in 1970. Next week’s reviews will focus on the more recently honored titles. ReadWriteThink offers a wide variety of lesson plans to accompany a study of the Caldecott winners.

1938 Medal Winner:

Lathrop, Dorothy. (1937). Animals of the Bible: A picture book. Illus. by Dorothy P. Lathrop; text selected by Helen Dean Fish. Philadelphia: Lippincott.

Animals of the Bible, for which its illustrator won the first Caldecott Medal Winner, is actually a collection of Bible stories about animals from both the Old and New Testaments. The original book contains black and white illustrations depicting the earth’s flora and fauna through beautifully detailed drawings. The text that accompanies each picture is from the King James Version of the Bible. There are 27 illustrations including the Creation with Eve’s serpent, some of the animals from Noah’s Ark, Abraham’s ram, the lions from Daniel in the Lions’ Den, the great fish of Jonah, the beast and the Good Samaritan, the pigs of the Prodigal son, Balaam’s ass and many more. In the Foreword, Helen Dean Fish comments:  “… animals so frequently play a part in the most dramatic and beautiful happenings [in the Book] and are often referred to with appreciation and gentleness… creatures to command both awe and admiration.” In 1998, HarperCollins released a special deluxe 60th anniversary edition.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

1942 Medal Winner: 

McCloskey, Robert. (1941). Make way for ducklings. New York: Viking.

Mr. and Mrs. Mallard are looking for a safe place to make their nest to raise a family. Unlike Mr. Mallard who thinks the Boston Garden is the best place to do so, Mrs. Mallard fears the swan boats there, prompting them to compromise on a spot near the River Charles. Mrs. Mallard says she will meet Mr. Mallard at the Public Garden when the ducklings are trained and ready to travel. When that time comes, the dutiful ducklings line up behind their mother and begin the trek to the park. Mrs. Mallard tries to get her eight little ducklings safely across the busy streets of Boston for their reunion with their father. However, it requires the help of a friendly Boston policeman to get the job done, and the ducklings, spearheaded by their mother, eventually cross the busy streets of Boston to join Mr. Mallard. This lively tale makes for a timeless read aloud for young learners. Deservedly, it is a classic in every way and one that still holds high appeal for today’s young readers. “Follow the journey of Mr. and Mrs. Mallard as they find a safe home to raise their family” on Google Lit Trips using Google Earth to plot the journey by using Google Lit Trips. Born in Ohio, author Robert McCloskey is one of the authors featured in the Choose to Read Ohio where a complete Robert McCloskey toolkit is available. Enjoy the Weston Woods video production of this book, and use the teacher’s guide to accompany the video. Additionally, visitors to Boston can enjoy a stroll in the Boston Public Gardens and view the bronze sculpture dedicated to McCloskey and his memorable ducklings.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

1948 Medal Winner:

Tresselt, Alvin. (1947). White snow, bright snow. Illus. by Roger Duvoisin. New York, New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co.

This award-winning book opens with a popular poem, “Softly, Gently in the Secret Night.” Snow forms the central theme of this book and starts with the preparation for the first snow. Around the village, the farmer, the postman, the policeman, and his wife prepare for the first snowflakes. When it arrives, the children are delighted and the animals scurry into safer places. Through winter, people fall sick, landmarks become buried, ice ferns form on the window panes, children make snowman, snow house, a snow fort, and then have a snow ball fight. But each day, the sun grows stronger, and the water gurgles until there is no more snow on the ground. People look forward to a glimpse of snowdrops and crocuses to announce spring. The colorful illustrations earned the illustrator the Caldecott Medal in 1948. Teachers can learn more about the illustrator at http://eclipse.rutgers.edu/goose/zam/duvbio.aspx. 

- Rani Iyer, Washington State University Pullman

1957 Medal Winner:

Udry, Janice May. (1956). A tree is nice. Illus. by Marc Simont. New York: Harper & Row.

Trees offer so many gifts to the world around them. Their leafy branches fill up the sky, creating wood-filled panoramas with whispering leaves fluttering in the breeze. Trees are nice because children can climb up and down in them, hang swings in them, and use their sticks to draw in sand. They provide shade and shelter for people and other animals. Trees are everywhere; there are trees in the park, in the yard, in the field, in the forest, on the hills, by the rivers, and near the farms. Although this title is perfect for anyone who loves trees, enjoys shade, and lives in big cities and misses trees, it is also a book for those who appreciate the beauty of nature and have happy memories playing with and around trees. The green-filled illustrations of trees, children, and animals in the book are vivid; tree-lovers are likely to identify the different kinds of trees that are portrayed in the book’s pages: pines, oaks, willows, apple trees, and even bare trees. Reading this book is like walking in the sunshine with light breeze. The book evokes a peaceful and comfortable atmosphere that readers and nature-lovers will savor. Clearly, trees are so much more than being simply nice.

- Ying-Hsuan Lee, Washington State University Pullman

1959 Medal Winner:

Chaucer, Geoffrey. (1958). Chanticleer and the fox. Retold and illus. by Barbara Cooney. New York: HarperCollins.

Readers will delight in turning to this Caldecott Medal-winning book over and over because of its animal characters, its ornate artwork and the book's important messages about being wary of flatterers and taking care not to become too proud. The story revolves around the proud Chanticleer, who delights in his plentiful feathers and distinctive voice. When a fox spies him by himself, he knows he can’t catch Chanticleer without some trickery. He compliments him and then plays to Chanticleer’s desire to be known as for his crowing. As he throws back his head and crows, the fox seizes him while he’s on his tiptoes. All the other barnyard animals and humans try to rescue him, but it is Chanticleer who manages to turn the tables on the fox. When the fox opens his mouth in order to get rid of the others, Chanticleer falls from his grasp and flies to an overhead branch. By opening his mouth when he shouldn't, the fox loses his succulent meal. Both rooster and fox learn valuable lessons and aren’t likely to be fooled again. It’s impossible not to love the black and white colors and the touches of red, green, and gold that are found throughout the book’s pages. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

1961 Medal Winner:

Robbins, Ruth. (1960). Baboushka and the three kings. Illus. by Nicolas Sidjakov. Nashville: Parnassus.

In search of the newborn Christ child, three kings in a sleigh ask the elderly Baboushka to help them. Since it is cold and she is tired, she is reluctant to accompany them and asks that they wait until the next morning. Unable to wait, they press on, and she figures she can follow their tracks the next morning if she decides to do so. Her conscience bothers Baboushka during the night, prompting her to collect a few small presents and look for the baby the next day. But the travelers' tracks have been covered by the snow, and no one has seen the baby for whom she is searching. From then on, she continues her search for the Christ child. The artwork is quite interesting, filled with stylized figures and bright colors with dark tones that contrast with some of the white and black shapes. The images are reminiscent of stained glass windows in some respects and become more attractive with repeated readings.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

1962 Medal Winner:

Brown, Marcia. (1961). Once a mouse...: A fable cut in wood. New York: Scribner.

Can a mouse become a tiger? Impossible! Well, read Once A Mouse before jumping to conclusions about the possibilities of shape-shifting. Protected by an old hermit with mighty magic, a mouse is changed into a stout cat, a big dog, and finally a handsome, royal tiger in order to stay safe from other, larger creatures. Proud of being a strong tiger, he walks around the forest with a cocky air. The old hermit cannot bear seeing the tiger showing off and scolds the beast, reminding him of what he once was. Feeling disgraced, the ungrateful tiger threatens him. The hermit understands the tiger’s intention and turns the grand, arrogant tiger back into a timid little mouse. Retold from an India fable in Hitopadesa, Once a Mouse has a simple plot but contains multiple-layered meanings, making it a story that can be enjoyed by both children and adults. The multicolored woodcut illustrations provide an engaging artistic reading experience for readers as each page is turned. 

- Ying-Hsuan Lee, Washington State University Pullman

1963 Medal Winner:

Keats, Ezra Jack. (1962). The snowy day. New York: Viking.

Ezra Jack Keats broke new ground with The Snowy Day when he created the first American picture book with a positive depiction of an African American child as the main character. In addition to winning the Caldecott Medal for this book, he is credited by some for beginning the real impetus for multicultural children’s literature. This book marks a turning point in the world of children’s literature. The story of a young child going out to play in his bright red snowsuit and how he enjoys the new snow is heart warming. He finds it great fun to make tracks in the snow and whack a stick against the snow-laden branches of a tree great snow. Making a snowman and sliding down piles of snow add to his merriment. Trying to hold onto some of the day’s pleasures, he stuffs a snowball into his pocket for tomorrow. After going inside to get warm and head off to bed, he gets up the next morning to find that yesterday’s snowball has melted, but outside, another glorious snow day awaits. The 50th anniversary deluxe edition of the book published in 2012 includes many extra pages of information about the author. Teachers can listen to the entire story read by LaVar Burton and a recent interview at NPR dealing with breaking the color barrier at the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation offers a plethora of resources to educators including the beautifully animated rendition of The Snowy Day. ReadWriteThink offers a “Creative Problem-Solving with Ezra Jack Keats." Read more about the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation in this article.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

1964 Medal Winner:

Sendak, Maurice. (1963). Where the wild things are. New York: Harper.

As do all of us at one time or another, Max gets carried away with his antics, and his annoyed mother sends him to his room as punishment. But he continues with his wild play, and his room becomes the place where the wild things are, and his imagination runs wild. Naturally, Max becomes the leader of the wild things. The author/illustrator captures perfectly what it’s like to be boisterous, imaginative, and with plenty of excess energy. While the wild things look somewhat frightening with their over-sized heads and facial features, they are also funny in some respects. Most appealing of all for young readers is the fact that these scary creatures can all be tamed by Max. Even the mighty, out-of-control Max runs out of energy too and is ready for a peaceful end to the day. This title is another one of those perfect read aloud titles that children clamor to hear again and again.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

1966 Medal Winner:

Leodhas, Sorche Nic. (1965). Always room for one more. Illus. by Nonny Hogrogian. New York: Holt.

Sorche Nic Leodhas (pseudonym for LeClaire Gowans Alger) borrowed from an old Scottish nursery tale and penned a humorous tale where the kindness shown to strangers backfires a wee bit. Written in authentic Scottish brogue, the story begins when a storm erupts on a cold and windy night in the hills of Scotland, and kind- hearted Lachie MacLachlan calls out to all who pass by on the story night, “… There’s room for one more, always room for one more” (p. 3) although he and his wife and ten “bairns” have the house quite full as it is. As the night ensues there are many who accept the invitation, including a tailor, a sailor, a tinker, a lass, an “auld” wife, a bagpiper, four peat cutters and a few others. But now the house is exploding with people as it fills up to the dancing and merriment of the guests until … it collapses around them! Not to worry, the guests all band together and build Lachie a new house, a bigger house, where there is indeed room for one and all. Teachers can read more about two-time Caldecott winner, Nonny Hogrogian, in this School Library Journal article or at her website. 

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

1967 Medal Winner:

Ness, Evaline. (1966). Sam, Bangs, and moonshine. New York: Holt.

The daughter of a fisherman, Sam is prone to telling tales that don’t just stretch the truth a little bit. She tells whoppers of tales that are bigger than any fish a fisherman ever claimed got away. She insists that she has a baby kangaroo and that her mother is a mermaid. But her lying is a way of avoiding the truth about her mother who died when she was younger. Her father insists that she learn to distinguish between fact and fantasy—or what he calls moonshine. But Sam keeps telling her made-up stories. Still, the yarns Sam spins almost result in a tragedy when she thoughtlessly sends a neighbor boy in search of her kangaroo and mermaid as the tide is coming in and a storm is on its way. Her cat, Bangs, heads out to find the boy while Sam remains at home. Only luck and her father’s quick response save the day. As a result, Sam realizes she must stop blurring the lines between what is real and what is not. The illustrations are memorable, filled with gold colors peeking out amid soft swirling greens and grays on the book’s pages. Although the title has more text than some readers might like, it also describes a coping skill to which many children resort when they don't want to face reality—lying or weaving their own version of the life they wish they had.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

1968 Medal Winner:

Emberley, Barbara. (1967). Drummer Hoff. Illus. by Ed Emberley. New York: Prentice-Hall.

Filled with ample white space and richly-colored woodcut illustrations, this cumulative tale describes several members of a military unit responsible for bringing all the various parts to make a cannon fire. The men are dressed in ornate uniforms and some, such as Sergeant Chowder, struggle with the things they carry. As something is added to the store of military materials, stoic Drummer Hoff quietly stands by and bides his time. The explosive red, orange, and yellow double-page spread near the book's conclusion makes it clear what the result of all that toting of materials and preparation is. The final page filled with birds building a nest and a spider building a web concludes the book with a thoughtful visual reflection about how Nature always reclaims her own despite the ills done to her by humans. This title is great fun to read aloud because of the soldiers’ names and the rhymes and the repetitive nature of the text. Plus, it’s simply delightful to consider the illustrations.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

1970 Medal Winner:

Steig, William. (1969). Sylvester and the magic pebble. New York: Windmill Books.

William Steig, author of Shrek and many other wonderful stories, won the Caldecott Medal for his story of a young donkey and a magic pebble. Sylvester is out walking one drizzly day when he picks up a pebble. While examining it, he wishes it would stop raining and magically, it does stop! Thinking he has discovered a magic pebble, Sylvester hurries home to tell his parents when a lion emerges from the bushes. Frightened, Sylvester wishes he was a rock and could hide from the lion, and he instantly becomes a rock. As time goes by, his parents, friends and police search and search for Sylvester but with no luck. Time passes, and a year later his family goes on a picnic, selecting as their picnic spot the very rock where Sylvester is trapped. His father notices an interesting pebble on the ground, the same magic pebble Sylvester had found. Just as Sylvester wishes he were himself again, his father places the pebble on the rock. In that instant, Sylvester is reunited with his family and the picnic is an occasion of great joy. Some of the original watercolor artwork of William Steig was rediscovered as an exhibit of Steig’s art was being prepared. In 2005 Simon and Schuster released a deluxe edition of this 1970 Caldecott winner with the color reproductions exactly as Steig intended them to be. That volume also includes his Caldecott acceptance speech. Readers may enjoy the Weston Woods video production of Sylvester read by John Lithgow. A teacher’s guide accompanies the video.

- 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. 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.

Stop for a minute and think about all the different ways you use your cell phone beyond making calls throughout your day. Do you use it to read and answer email? Schedule appointments? Get turn-by-turn directions? Calculate the size of a tip you should leave at a restaurant? Send a photo? Look up the meaning or spelling of a word? Log onto Facebook or Twitter?

Now, think about all of the different ways your students use their phones on a daily basis.

The fact is, multimedia changes the ways in which people interact with the world. It also changes the ways your students learn. The trick is to maximize their interest in these pocket-sized computers, and guide students to become analytical and critical consumers and creators.

Educators can (and should) provide explicit instruction for multimedia technology embedded within curriculum in order to equip students with the critical mind they need to make smart decisions about the use of such technology. When given the right environment, with guided and purposeful instruction, students ultimately see the device as a tool from which they can learn, and not a secret they try to hide under their desk.

To increase engagement, connect students’ real-world experiences to classroom instruction, and teach key content material, think about modeling and facilitating the use of cell phones in the following ways:

Get functional. You no longer have to worry about a shortage of equipment, because cell phones have a built-in calculator function. This is an exciting way to work on math problems. Other common functions allow you to utilize most phones as a stop watch, compass, calendar, or voice memo recorder—all of which lend themselves to math, science, social studies, and language arts classes.

Take a picture—it lasts longer. Students can record class discussion for later reference (with teacher and class permission). Lessons can be uploaded to YouTube or the more classroom-friendly TeacherTube, or even your school’s web page. Encourage students to take pictures of important notes, assignments, or group work, essentially creating a “permanent” record they can refer back to.

E-share files. Teachers can send students electronic files to save on photocopies. There are several ways to do this for no cost, and most programs will allow sharing between cell phones and computers. Check out Evernote, Dropbox, or Schooltown to select a free sharing method and start giving and receiving important content information with your students.

There’s an app for that. When it comes to reference guides, there are many free applications students can get for their cell phones that are very helpful—everything from dictionaries to translators. Using these applications can often make the reference process much more desirable.

Make research more fun. Most cell phones have the capability to access the Internet, which affords students instant retrieval of key information during independent, small group or partner work. You no longer have to disrupt class with hall passes or transitions to the computer lab—cell phones can do it for you.

Extend and refine learning. Students and teachers can go deeper or refine knowledge using the free Khan Academy application. Topics such as algebra, chemistry, and more are covered in short mini lessons. These resources can be used to provide one-on-one individualized instructional help/guidance.

Expand your teacher tool chest. Shake things up by trying out some of the cool new teacher tools, such as Poll Everywhere, which gives students opportunities to text answers to you and for you to receive instant feedback. There is also LocaModa, which allows instant feedback but in a social media format using multimedia forms. Another website that supports student responses in real time is Socrative.

Let them go social. Students can text, tweet, or blog responses to questions. They can text the teacher, each other, or just simply analyze, synthesize, evaluate, or criticize content text. This can be accomplished with little hassle and security using Class Parrot. You can also check out Google Voice for additional ways to stay in written contact with your students.

Continue to think outside the box. There are also several activities that become media-based using cell phones, such as a “take-a-picture” scavenger hunt, Geocaching, or representing learning by visual or dramatic representation captured with cell phone capabilities. Invite students to use their phones for homework fun by creating questions that were not answered during learning, and visiting ChaCha to explore answers to share with the class the next day.

photo: Johan Larsson via photopin cc

You may be thinking, “This is all well and good, but what about the students who don’t have cell phones? Or those who did but cannot use them to their full functionality due to cost?” After all, either scenario can cause a digital divide amongst learners.

The first solution to the gap requires you to think beyond a phone. Most of the functions on a cell phone are also available on an iPod or tablet, including texting. But let’s say your school cannot afford to purchase a class set of Kindle Fires. There are ways to obtain them through alternative means, such as by writing a grant.

If you have never written a grant before, then the National Education Association (NEA) offers educators tips for writing grants to educators. You can find the right grant by asking the grants department in your district, or by visiting a site like Teachers Network.

Another way you can get these devices to use in your classroom is to write up a plan, just like you would for a grant, and explain to local businesses what and how you plan to use the electronic devices. Remember to mention the participatory gap and how we all need to work together to close it. Offer advertisement options with the donation of a device, such as their logo or business card on your school website, or a cover for the device with their business logo. You can make affordable custom covers at sites like SkinIt. Be creative!

You could also help close the divide by purchasing classroom devices slowly. For instance, you could get one with department funds and/or teacher lead money. Remember that Apple offers refurbished iPads for a discount.

Cell phones in the classroom can be a powerful resource across the curriculum for both teachers and students in middle and high school classes. Whether students send, find, take, or create with their cell phones inside or outside of the school environment, teachers need to think about the role they want to play in this multimedia literacy. Keep in mind that the use of these digital devices affords benefits beyond measure—especially when used with the right lessons, for the right outcomes, and with the right instruction.

Lisa Fisher is a passionate literacy advocate. In addition to her experiences of being an intensive reading teacher for struggling readers, a literacy coach for middle and high school, and former adjunct instructor at Pasco Hernando Community College, Lisa has written several books, including SURVIVING THE MOVE AND LEARNING TO THRIVE (2011) and READ, DISCUSS, AND LEARN: USING LITERACY GROUPS TO STUDENT ADVANTAGE (2010).

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