Literacy Now

Teachers looking to bring some excitement into writing poetry need look no farther than Theme Poems, an interactive computer tool on ReadWriteThink.org .

Theme Poems uses colorful shapes to inspire students to write about subjects they love or topics that align with classroom lessons. The interactive is also a fun way for parents to keep creative writing skills fresh after school or during the summer.

The Theme Poems interactive begins with a lively animation that asks students to type in their name. When the students click on “Continue,” they are instructed to select a theme. Theme Poems features 32 objects divided into five categories: nature, school, sports, celebrations, and shapes. The objects include sun, raindrop, flower, tree, leaf, fish, cloud, moon, apple, book, bus, computer, bell, softball, football, pom-pom, basketball, tennis, soccer, volleyball, sneaker, heart, balloon, flag, gift, cake, square, circle, triangle, diamond, rectangle, and star. Students can click “Back” to redo a step at any point.

After students select a theme, they are asked to type words that remind them that this object inspires. This step encourages students to develop brainstorming and planning skills used in creative writing. 

When students click “Continue,” the Theme Poems screen shows a picture of the object, the words that they entered on the previous screen, and spaces to write the poem text and title. Students simply type in these fields to write their poems. 

When finished, Theme Poems creates an 8 ½” by 11” document with the students’ name, poem title, and poem in the object that the student chose. The magnifying glass icon enlarges the image of the document for previewing ease. This document can be printed, downloaded, shared via e-mail, or saved for later. ReadWriteThink produced an instructional video about saving files for those who need assistance. 

Theme Poems offers many lesson ideas for teachers interested in including poetry in their plans or incorporating poetry into other subject areas. The shapes can be used to write poems about geometry for math units. Nature objects can be used for science units. Sports objects can be used for Field Day, and the flag object can be used for Memorial Day, Flag Day, and the 4th of July.  Teacher and parents can use celebrations objects such as the balloon, heart, or cake for birthdays, Father’s Day, anniversaries, or Valentine’s Day. As mentioned before, it is a fantastic interactive for fighting the “summer slide” along with the Poetic Memories of Summer activity from ReadWriteThink’s Bright Ideas for Summer initiative. 

Lessons:

ReadWriteThink also offers lesson plans from teachers using poetry interactives. Illinois teacher Janet Beyersdorfer shared a lesson entitled “Theme Poems: Writing Extraordinary Poems About Ordinary Objects,” and Michigan teacher Lisa Domke posted her “Theme Poems: Using the Five Senses” lesson. 

Teacher Jennifer Altieri presented many ways to use ReadWriteThink poetry activities in interesting ways in her session entitled “Creating Powerful Poetry Using Mathematical Concepts” at the 2012 IRA Annual Convention. 

To produce poems in the shape of a diamond, visit ReadWriteThink’s Diamonte Poems interactive.

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. ReadWriteThink presents teachers with effective lesson plans and strategies, a professional community, and engaging online interactive student tools. 

by Tammy Ryan

Summer is the perfect time to collaborate with co-workers to hone important instructional techniques. Learn how Lynn and Cassie, two second grade co-teachers, created informal, internet professional development journeys to deepen instructional understandings on effective ways to bring robust vocabulary into their classroom environment. 

First, Lynn and Cassie joined Delicious to collect and share vocabulary links found during their Internet journeys. For instance, they found and bookmarked Literacy Essentials and Reading Network (LEaRN). The site offers opportunities to read research on vocabulary, hear expert commentaries, and view movies on vocabulary instruction, such as Lisa Worthy demonstrating how she uses Text Talk to teach robust words. The teachers also discovered ways to create and use interactive word walls to nudge their students into producing targeted words. 

Because Cassie and Lynn wanted to bring digital technologies into the classroom experience and use photographs to capture students engaged in hands-on activities that depict instructed words, they found, read, and discussed Digital Language Experience Approach located on Reading Online. Then to acquire funding to purchase digital cameras and printers, they completed a Best Buy Program Store Donation application.

During later sessions, Lynn contributed a lesson plan she found on ReadWriteThink titled Blast Off! Vocabulary Instruction Using a Virtual Moon Trip. It uses virtual field trips to authenticate word learning experiences. Cassie shared a site she discovered on Florida Center of Reading Research called FAIR Student Activities Search Tool. The site offers numerous grade-level vocabulary games and activities to nurture word learning during literacy stations. Also, the teachers used Pinterest to view photographs, charts, and ideas on creative ways to bring vocabulary experiences into the classroom environment. 

Later in the summer after learning through Internet discovers, Lynn and Cassie used Google Docs to collaboratively compose plans meaningful to everyone’s word learning experiences the following year. In sharing these experiences, we hope you, too, create and learn from Internet Journeys this summer. 

Tammy Ryan is from Jacksonville University, Jacksonville, Florida. 

This article is part of a series from the Technology in Literacy Education Special Interest Group (TILE-SIG).

To teach a reader means you have to be a reader.

As a teacher, it is essential to share your reading life with your students. It's important to lead by example, showing students that reading is fun and an important aspect of daily life. It's about creating a reading culture in the classroom that extends beyond the four walls. And, it's crucial that students learn that reading is a social activity too.

I wish I could eat, breathe, and smell books all day long. I seem to know a few friends who enjoy this lifestyle. But how in the world can a busy mom/teacher keep up with the latest and greatest books? And what about keeping track of all the books I read or the books I can't wait to read?

Social networking sites are taking over the Internet and I will admit, I spend the majority of my online time checking Twitter, Pinterest, and educator blogs. Several times a day, I also visit Goodreads: the next best thing to chatting with your friends about the latest book that you read and you're dying to share!

A Reading Community

Goodreads is a social networking site that allows you, the reader, the opportunity to:

1. Follow reading friends and see what books they are reading
2. Keep track of the books you have read by creating virtual bookshelves
3. Share the books you are currently reading
4. Keep track of the books in your To-Be-Read (TBR) pile
5. Set personal reading goals for the year
   
   Figure 1: Reading Accountability—I need to pick up the reading pace!

    

6. Rate a book, write a review, and comment on books
   
   Figure 2: "Edit My Review"

    

7. Look for recommendations based on the books you have read
   
    
   
   Figure 3: Recommendations by Shelf, Genre, and Friends

    

8. Compare your reading lists with other readers
9. Follow authors' reviews and blogs
10. Enter giveaways
11. Create book discussion groups
12. And so much more! (For more information, see "How It Works.")

Classroom Connections

I realize that most of us already spend way too much time with our eyes glued to screens. And I'm sure you're wondering, "With so many social media options available, why should I add another site to my rotation?" I get it. (No, really. I completely understand.)

But, I also understand the power of Goodreads in my classroom. Goodreads is the cornerstone of my reading community. I can easily walk into my local library and select books off a shelf that I think I might enjoy and want to share with students. But there are so many books from which to choose! Now I can find out what other great teachers are reading and sharing in their classrooms just by following the update feed. That way, I learn about books that I may never have picked up—and all because my reading friends are talking about them on Goodreads.

As a teacher creating a reading community in my classroom, I want to be able to share all kinds of books to meet the needs, interests, and curiosities of my students. And guess what? Once you start talking books, the students start talking books. Now more students are reading more books, new authors, different genres, and series of books. The conversation around books becomes a daily ritual. Talking about books increases the appreciation of books, and students also develop a deeper understanding of what they read.

So, what are you waiting for?

Signing Up

As with any social networking site, you need to sign up. Create a free account with your name, email, and a password.

Find the search catalog located in the top center of the webpage and start searching for books that you have read, books that you want to read, or books that you are currently reading.

Organizing Your Books

A book can be added to your current default bookshelves by hovering over the "add to my books" button. The default bookshelves will pop up: read, currently-reading, and to-read. If you would like to create another bookshelf to tag or label a book to help with the organization of all your books, click on the "add to my books" button and a pop-up window will be displayed. Now you have the opportunity to select an additional bookshelf or add a new bookshelf/tag. This pop up window allows you to rate a book, write a review, and more. (See Figure #2.) Share your title on the Goodreads update feed and on Twitter.

I love creating bookshelves to organize all the books I read. I have created basic bookshelves, including: picture books, middle grade (MG) books, young adult (YA) books. In addition, I have an abandoned bookshelf with titles I started reading, but did not finish; an audio bookshelf; a mentor text bookshelf; and a professional development bookshelf. You can also shelve (or tag) your books on multiple bookshelves.

Reading Friends

Next up, you need to find some reading friends to swap and share and gush over books together. This is the ultimate reason to be a part of the Goodreads reading community.

There are so many awesome and resourceful teachers, librarians, and authors who are all readers sharing great titles, new books, and classics from picture books to middle grades to young adult and professional reads. (As a reminder, all of the following reading friends are also on Twitter and blog about reading and books.) Goodreads is just another way to grow your professional learning network (PLN) exponentially!

A few reading friends you may consider following to get you started:

• Alyson Beecher—A principal, reader and reviewer of children's, middle grade and young adult books at Kid Lit Frenzy. Her passion is encouraging her students to get excited about books and reading.
• Laura Given—K-8 Library Media Specialist who is an avid reader and leader of the Nerdcott Challenge. Her goal is to read every Caldecott Medal winner and honor book this year.
• Donalyn Miller—A reader, teacher, and author of THE BOOK WHISPERER: AWAKENING THE INNER READER IN EVERY CHILD. She is a proud member and co-founder of the Nerdy Book Club (not to mention an avid Tweeter!).
• John Schumacher—Need a book suggestion? Ask Mr. Schu! He uses book trailers to help put the right book in every reader's hand. He's a K-5 teacher-librarian who reads every book in sight. Seriously, he has logged over 6,000 books on Goodreads.
• Colby Sharp—A fourth grade teacher and fervent reader who is crazy wild about books! (Check out this video for proof!) He's also a co-founder of the Nerdy Book Club blog.
• Katherine Sokolowski—A fifth grade teacher that is passionate about reading and has been known to provide book suggestions anywhere, even at her local pool that is located in the same town she teaches.
• Jen Vincent and Kellee Moye—Both are teachers and enthusiastic readers who blog about books to promote literacy @ Teach Mentor Texts.

What's Next?

Your next step is to read. Be the reader to inspire your students. Be the reader to share a book with a student because "I thought of you when I read this book." Be the reader who can't wait to read this book aloud to your class. Be the reader who creates a community of readers who talk about books because reading is social.

Maybe you are participating on Twitter in the summer #bookaday challenge created by Donalyn Miller, or following the notorious #titletalk chats (last Sunday of the month at 8 PM EST) with Donalyn and Colby Sharp. If so, you will want NEED Goodreads to keep track of all the great title recommendations shared!

Teachers can create a class account on Goodreads to keep a log of the books read together over the course of a year. It's amazing to see your booklists grow, not to mention showing your students the true power of the reading community you created! You can also add a widget to your class blog to share the books you're reading with families and other classrooms.

Another little secret: I keep two tabs open in my browser, Goodreads and my public library. If a book is recommended via Twitter or Goodreads, I click over to my public library's page and reserve it for pick up immediately. Sometimes the book is too new and not yet published or available at my library, but I still mark it on my Goodreads account "to read." I will continually check back with my library, until finally, the book is "in processing." If I'm lucky enough, I'm usually the first patron to check out newly published books.

Ahhh…to crack open a new book—the binding still stiff, the pages still crisp, the words waiting to be read. And then shared with others!

Happy reading this summer! I hope to talk book titles with you on Goodreads!

Michelle Nero is a reading specialist at a K-5 elementary school in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. She has been teaching for 12 years and has been a member of the IRA for just as many. As she continues to engage in learning, she professionally tweets (@litlearningzone) and writes about teaching and practicing her craft on her blog (Literacy Learning Zone). Michelle is reading, writing, and reflecting to be the best she can be in the classroom, all the while balancing life at home with a supportive husband and two year old twin daughters. As she says, "Balancing is oh-so-difficult and oh-so-important!"

From a quiet smile to a laugh out loud guffaw, who doesn’t like to laugh? Sometimes laughter means surprise. It is often said  “laughter is the best medicine.” Laughter makes us feel good. Interestingly, from HowStuffWorks 2, “Laughter is actually a complex response that involves many of the same skills used in solving problems.” This month’s column from the International Reading Association's Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) is about humor. Kids love funny books so this list is designed to help teachers find some new laughs for their classrooms. In addition, watch for Last Laughs; animal epitaphs (Charlesbridge 2012) coming in July by Children’s Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis and Jane Yolen for more smiles. Teachers may also want to add to their professional collections for background on some of the great children’s humor authors, Funny Business; Conversations with Writers of Comedy (Candlewick, 2009) by Leonard S. Marcus.

Teachers will enjoy the ReadWriteThink podcast of “Tickle Your Funnybone” or for older students, looking for the humor in newspaper articles through the eyes of Erma Bombeck. 

GRADES K-3

Buzzeo, Toni. (2012) One Cool Friend.  Pictures by David Small. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. 

Elliot’s somewhat eccentric, green plaid suit wearing father invites him to Family Fun Day at the aquarium. Prim and proper Elliot is actually not enthusiastic about going but agrees to accompany his father and politely says “thank you for inviting me.”  In trying to escape the crowds, Elliot discovers the penguins and is immediately impressed with their black tuxedo look and their proper postures. Totally taken in by the penguins, Elliot asks his father if he can have one to take home. Oblivious to what Elliot is really asking, father agrees. So hidden away in Elliot’s backpack is the newly acquired penguin he names Magellan. Once they get home, the fun begins as Elliot turns their mansion of a house into a home for a penguin, including lying around on bags of ice, flipping goldfish crackers into his mouth, skating on the ice rink Elliot makes in one of the bedrooms with the air conditioner and a water hose. Follow David Small’s use of white and blue to create an Arctic-like color palette for background. The reader will be glued (“frozen?”) to the illustrations, creative layout and typography as the penguins’ antics unfold living in a real house. For a reader’s theater script and curriculum and activity kit, visit the author’s website: A sly little way to incorporate some library research waits!

- Karen Hildebrand, Library and Reading Consultant

Going, K. L. (2012). Dog in charge. Illus. by Dan Santat. New York: Dial. 

As do most canines, Dog savors his family’s words of praise whenever he does something good. Plus, the dog treats they use as rewards are mighty savory themselves. But everything falls apart when he is left in charge while his human family goes to the store. As he makes plans for the family’s five cats to sit and stay where they are, lined up sedately on the couch until the door closes, he causes havoc, startling the felines and making quite a mess. When he drags out their cat treats as an enticement, he ends up eating them and falls asleep in exhaustion.  His feline friends save the day by cleaning up everything. Pet lovers will adore this story since its creators clearly draw from their own experiences with the mischievous habits of felines and canines, especially when their human companions are away. The cartoon-like illustrations of cats lapping up milk, looking in mirrors, leaping from clothes hampers, knocking over flowerpots, and then curling up next to dog are delightful. Despite his best efforts, it isn’t Dog that is in charge of anything. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Jeffers, Oliver. (2012). The Hueys in The New Sweater. New York: Philomel. 

Apparently cast from the same mold, not only do all the Hueys look the same, but they sound and act just alike. When Rubert show a little free thinking by knitting and wearing a bright orange sweater, he stands out from the others. Although most of the other Hueys criticize him for being different, another Huey, Gillespie joins him, starting a trend. All of a sudden, orange sweaters are cool, and Rupert comes up with another idea in order to show his originality. The pencil illustrations bring the book's simple message about daring to be a little bit different home. The text and illustrations contain subtle aspects that show the herd-like thinking of the Hueys; for instance, several scenes show one Huey using a microphone to keep them all in line while praising their sameness. Not only is it healthy to embrace one’s uniqueness, but it can be fun to baffle others about what come next. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Mack, Jeff. (2012). Good news bad news. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. 

Bunny and Mouse are two friends with very different perspectives on life, and their attitudes are evident on a picnic they take. Ever the optimist, Bunny tends to see the bright side of life while the pessimistic Mouse sees only the bad in situations. For Bunny, things will keep getting better, and for Mouse, they will only get worse. The author only uses four words ("Good news! Bad news!") in the story, but he uses those four words quite effectively. In the end, Mouse frightens Bunny so badly that the two friends will have to switch roles, and he will have to bring good news to Bunny. The clever use of simple words, the book’s characters, which will remind readers of individuals they know, and the mixed media illustrations all combine for a fun-filled read. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Macleod, Mark. (2012). Wrong way. Illus. by Judieth Rossell. Tulsa, OK: Kane Miller. 

A little duckling, named Wrong Way, likes to do things differently from his mother and siblings. For example, he sometimes forgets to listen or pay attention when his mother is talking. No child would ever do this—right? This is a perfect read aloud for young children because they will smile and giggle as they hear about little ducks antics. Mother duck decides to teach her ducklings how to swim. All of her other children flip-flop along behind her in a nice straight line, but not Wrong Way. He sits down in the middle of the path and says he wants to be carried. Later Wrong Way detours into the bushes for a big juicy snail and then stops to play in a puddle. Finally, at the pond the mother gives a quick swimming lesson and the ducklings paddle away, except for Wrong Way. He quacks, flaps, summersaults and splashes into the water. Some ducklings (and kids) just do things differently! 

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

Sadler, Marilyn. (2012) Pass it on! Illustrations by Michael Slack. Blue Apple. 

When Cow gets stuck in a fence and calls for help, Bee is quick to help and spreads the word that Cow is in trouble. From Bee to frog to kitten and mouse and more, somehow the message gets mangled and a totally different concept is getting spread around the barnyard. Illustrations and speech bubbles add to the urgency but continue to spread the misinformation. Reading this book aloud is sure to bring laughs and have kids begging to play the “telephone” game. Or teachers can get their electronic white boards ready and use with the interactive The Telephone Game at Reading is Fundamental. In addition, there is an app for that.

- Karen Hildebrand, Library and Reading Consultant

Sauer, Tammi. (2012). Bawk and roll. Illus. by Dan Santat. Toronto, Canada. Sterling Publishing.

Two hens, Marge and Lola, are touring with superstar singer Elvis Poultry as dancers. At their first concert when the lights go down and the curtains go up the two hens tremble and wiggle their wattles. They have never seen such a large crowd and they faint from fear. Later Elvis tells them the next gig will be better, “Just chill, chicks.” Marge and Lola decide to picture the crowd in their underwear, but unfortunately the next shows are the same and the chicken dancers chicken out. The hens try different things to calm their jitters from knitting to meditating to painting. Elvis tells them that if they can’t rock, he is going solo. The bewildered chickens aren’t sure what is wrong until some familiar friends attend one of their concerts. Having a fan club in the audience helps them face the barnyard crowd. Children will definitely be able to relate to how these two hens feel. The colorful illustrations and the chicken talk will give everyone something to talk about too.

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

Stoeke, Janet Morgan. (2012). Pip’s trip. New York: Dial. 

In another installment of the Loopy Coop Hens series, the hens, especially Pip, long for adventure and to see what the rest of the world is like. When they notice a red truck in the yard, Pip bravely climbs aboard, but the others make excuses for why they can’t join her.  Pip’s courage deserts her, and despite her yearning for adventure, she, too, grows frightened by the truck's noisy engine, and hides under a blanket in the truck bed until the noise stops. Exhausted from the trip, Pip steps down once the engine is silent and regales the other hens with her experiences. However, although Pip has had an adventure, it's not quite the one she imagined since the truck never went anywhere. The simple text and brightly hued illustrations portray barnyard animal fun along with a hint of wisdom about the adventures that lie in everyone’s backyard. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Tricarico, Christine. (2012). Cock-A-doodle dance! Illus. by Rich Deas. New York: Feiwel and Friends/ Macmillan. 

At a gloomy, grouchy farm in Texas the animals work overtime and life has lost its charm. Another words it is “Cock-a-Doodle DULL!” One day the rooster begins to jitterbug, shimmy and scream, “Cock-a-Doodle DANCE!” And that is exactly what the barn animals do. The milking cows, chickens, pigs and goats doodle-dance round the clock. They pivot, pounce and prance, neglecting their farm work. Eventually the animals come to their senses because the chickens’ eggs are scrambled and the cattles’ buttermilk is curdled. The rooster makes the decision that the farm animals must complete their barnyard jobs during the day and wait to doodle-dance at dusk. Throughout the picture book the dance vocabulary words are highlighted in color and bold lettering. The end pages contain the definitions of each dance term from polka to hula. This book will certainly get children jumping the jitterbug or skipping the two-step. 

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

GRADES 3-6 

Fleischman, Paul. (2012)  The Dunderheads behind bars.  Illustrated by David Roberts. Candlewick Press.

Start your summer with this new Dunderheads (2009) adventure and sequel. School is out and the Dunderheads think they are finished with their evil teacher Miss Breakbone … but not to be! Not only have the kids signed up to be extras on a movie being filmed in their town, but also so has Miss Breakbone. Ugh! Meanwhile, a cat burglar has been breaking into houses in the neighborhood and when a particular necklace turns up missing, Miss Breakbone accuses Spider of the theft because of his amazing climbing skills. Convincing her brother, the police chief no less, that Spider is capable of this crime, he is thrown in jail. Einstein and the kids create a plot to get him out. The narrator of the story, as before, is Einstein. Fleishman has named his characters after their unique skill sets: Clips, Wheels, Spitball, Junkyard, Spider and Einstein. Roberts’s watercolor and pen and ink illustrations add to the humor of these characters. When they try to create a way to get him out that involves all of their special skills, it fails. Plan B, however works and the fun begins anew. Keep up with this Newbery award-winning author at www.paulfleischman.net. 

- Karen Hildebrand, Library and Reading Consultant


Foley, Lizzie. (2012)  Remarkable.  New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.

A remarkable new book from debut author Lizzie Foley about ten-year old Jane Doe from the town of Remarkable where everyone is gifted or extraordinary in some way … except Jane. She is the only child in town who does not attend the School for the Remarkably Gifted until the raucous Grimlet twins enroll after being expelled from the Gifted School. Now add in some very interesting characters who have come to town like the pirates Rojo Herring, Jeb, Ebb and Flotsam or other colorful locals like Mrs.Belphonia-Champlain and her dog Asta Magnifica or the psychic pizza maker and the lake monster (cousin to the Loch Ness monster?). The adventure begins when the composer for the bell tower goes missing, in addition to the ropes for the bells. Lots of crazy characters create the laughter in this whimsical town of talents. Only Jane’s grandfather, John Doe, helps her bring it all into focus and reveals a secret that helps Jane feel good about herself and her town. Get to know this new author at her website: www.lizziekfoley.com.

- Karen Hildebrand, Library and Reading Consultant

McKay, Hilary. (2012). Caddy’s world. New York: Simon & Schuster/McElderry Books.

In the sixth title in this series about the Casson family, Caddy and her siblings try their father’s patience while their mother is in the hospital with a new baby born prematurely. She has a penchant for naming her children after colors since she has an artistic eye, but this baby has no name yet since it may not survive. Twelve-year-old Caddy and her younger siblings Saffy and Indigo do their best to keep things running smoothly at home, but things are a mess. Their father is clueless about how to handle them for any extended amount of time, and their decision to bury their stuffed bear in the backyard graveyard results in poor Dad having to search for the animal in the middle of the night when they change their minds. Amid all the family mishaps, Caddy's world is shaken to the core, both because of the baby and because her three best friends are changing. Although there are heartbreaking passages concerning Beth's food restriction and use of the so-called “Norman diet” to stay small enough to ride her pony, there are also amusing ones that describe her gorging on Mars bars, candy that makes her sick. Handsome but careless Dingbat, the class Lothario, provides comic relief as he dates three of the girls at the same time and breaks up with them through a messenger. This book is balm for wounded hearts while providing hilarious examples of the imperfections of other families.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Reich, Suzanna. (2012). Minette’s feast: The delicious story of Julia Child and her cat. Illus. by Amy Bates. New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers. 

This yummy and hilarious introduction to chef, Julia Child focuses on her cat, Minette. Despite the fact that Minette could smell and taste all the dishes Julia tried out when she lived in France, the feline preferred mice over most of Julia’s early culinary efforts. Minette's antics and personality are amusing, her preference for mice over many of Julia's creations. The author's use of Julia's actual words, including some French, adds to the story's flavor. Minette finally comes to appreciate Julia’s cooking after waiting days for a taste. So much does she relish the treat that she even rolls all over the leftover bone. The pencil and watercolor illustrations are quite appealing as are the savory words the author uses to describe Julia's transition from ordinary cook to an extraordinary one. Readers can learn about the interesting lives of Julia and her husband Paul in the back matter. An Author's Note explains how the author crafted this story of such an unusual woman. Filled with descriptions of Paris and "delicious smells of mayonnaise, hollandaise, cassoulets, cheese souffles, and duck pates wafting from the pots and pans" (unpaged), this is a delectable, amusing, and cleverly written book. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Rosenthal, Amy Krouse. (2012). Wumbers. Illus. by Tom Lichtenheld. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. 

This gr8t book is filled with word and number play 4 those who never get tired of the originality and cleverness of its cre8tors. Although there is no real storyline here, the pages are filled with words that rely on letters and numbers to communicate. Readers will shake their heads, laugh and cer10ly try their hands at cre8ing a few of these on their own after reading examples such as these tuba instructions from a teacher to her student to "Tigh10 your mouth...then 4ce out the air" (unpaged). Although some of the letter and number partnerships are harder than others and not as easily noticed; for instance, "I think you'll sur5" (unpaged), they make sense with a little practice. Even the endnotes with philosophical ponderings about “what the path is 2 true enligh10ment” and dedication contain these wumbers, combinations of letters and words for the creative-minded. The ink and PanPastel illustrations are just as delightful as the text. Readers will clamor for more. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

GRADES 9-12


Rosoff, Meg. (2012). There is no dog. New York: Putnam Juvenile. 

This title imagines that God is a teenage boy named Bob, who is hard to like because he is self-absorbed, lazy, and intent on bedding as many females as he possibly can. There are Biblical references about the creation of the heavens and the earth interspersed with the storyline, which involves the indolent Bob who spots the voluptuous but virginal Lucy, who works at the city zoo, and decides he must have her. This bothers his assistant, the long-suffering Mr. B, who does most of Bob’s work. From centuries of experience, he knows that Bob’s love affairs with mortals never end well. Earth suffers each time as natural disasters follow in the wake of his romances. But this time, Bob is sure that Lucy is the one with whom he wants to spend the rest of his life. Or is she? Not only do ponderings about the nature of God elevate this one from most of today’s titles, but readers who can ignore their annoyance at the nature of God as a teenager will chortle at the spot-on depiction of an adolescent who doesn’t remember to pick up after himself being in charge of the world. Patient readers may glean a bit of hope for the future, not to mention laughing at some of the book's characters and the situations in which they find themselves. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

ANNE FRANK: THE ANNE FRANK HOUSE AUTHORIZED GRAPHIC BIOGRAPHY (Hill and Wang, 2010)
Written by Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon
Seventh Grade and Up

ANNE FRANK: THE ANNE FRANK HOUSE AUTHORIZED GRAPHIC BIOGRAPHY is the familiar story of Anne Frank in a new and compelling format. Jacobson and Colon tell the complete story of Anne Frank from her birth on June 12, 1929 to her death in March 1945 at Bergen-Belsen. Anne’s own immortal words, from her diary, are used to describe her life in hiding in the “Secret Annex.”

Her words are paired with illustrations that provide readers with a visual representation of the eight hiders and the events in their lives. Anne’s zest for life is captured in her broad, and often mischievous, smile; her moments of struggle during hiding as she grows and develops into a young woman who yearns for freedom are also reflected in her expertly rendered facial expressions.

Jacobson and Colon’s dedication to accuracy is documented in their acknowledgements to those that aided in their research, particularly the Anne Frank House, the chronology provided at the end of the book, and in reproductions of the actual photographs used as the basis for the graphic representations. Anne’s life—and death—are situated within history through “snapshots,” which are descriptions, both verbal and visual, of the historical events that occurred before and during Anne’s life that ultimately lead to her death and the deaths of millions of others.

The power of this graphic novel is in its wide appeal and its ability to capture the essence of Anne Frank. Those who are intimately acquainted with the story of Anne Frank and her diary will no doubt discover additional depths to Anne’s story through this work. Readers who are less familiar with Anne Frank will gain insights into the heart of a young woman and an understanding of the events leading up to and during a dark time in the world’s history.

Cross-curricular Connections: history/social studies, visual literacy, math, writing, art

Ideas for Classroom Use:

Living and Hiding in 700 Square Feet (Grades 6-8)

The dimensions of the “Secret Annex” at 263 Prinsengracht in Amsterdam are provided on page 73. For example, Anne and Margot’s room was 16.57 feet by 6.86 feet. The entire annex was less than 700 feet and housed eight people for more than two years.

In order to provide students with a sense of the size of the annex and an opportunity to practice skills in both measurement and mathematics, have groups of students measure out and mark the dimensions of each room in the annex. If a large space is available, this can be done in a way to accurately reproduce the space by placing the rooms exactly as they were in the annex. A cutaway of the annex building is provided on page 51.

An extension of this activity could involve a comparison between the students’ living spaces and those of the secret annex. This could be extended even further by calculating the percentages of the differences in sizes between the students’ living spaces and that of the eight hiders. For example, a student might discover that her bedroom is 33% larger than the room shared by Anne and Margot and later Anne and Mr. Pfeffer.

Historical Snapshots (Grades 6-12)

Throughout this graphic biography of Anne Frank’s life, Jacobson and Colon provide “Snapshots” of historical events that lead to WWII and that occurred during Anne’s lifetime. Students can research and create their own historical “snapshots” of additional events during this time period. The events could be related directly to Anne’s life or more broadly to WWII.

As Jacobson and Colon provide both written and visual information in their “snapshots,” students could also be required to provide visual information in the form of illustrated panels or some other visual means as well.

Conveying Moods and Emotions through Illustrations (Grades 6-12)

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. Jacobson and Colon convey numerous moods and emotions in their illustrations through a variety of techniques including color, line, and shape.

Ask students to identify two sections in the graphic biography that show different emotions. Guide students through an examination of how the emotions are conveyed in the two sections. Pose such questions as:

• Are particular colors used to illustrate this emotion?
• How do the selected colors make you feel?
• Do the lines vary based on the portrayed emotion (for example, big, bold, long, short, thin)?
• Are particular shapes used to convey the different emotions?

This activity could be extended by having students use some of the methods they uncovered in their examination to illustrate an emotion or mood.

Additional Resources and Activities:

Macmillan Teacher’s Guide to ANNE FRANK: THE ANNE FRANK HOUSE AUTHORIZED GRAPHIC BIOGRAPHY Macmillan, the publisher of ANNE FRANK: THE ANNE FRANK HOUSE AUTHORIZED GRAPHIC BIOGRAPHY, has created a teacher’s guide for use with this text. The guide includes additional information about Anne Frank, the authors, and the text itself. In addition, the guide provides questions that can be used to facilitate discussions about the text and the events of WWII. Classroom activities are also suggested.

The Secret Annex Online One of the highlights of this website is the ability to take a 3D tour of the secret annex. Visitors can explore the various rooms of the annex from all angles while a narrator provides information about each room and occupant. Each room also provides opportunities to follow further links to information about additional events both inside and outside of the annex.

Anne Frank Received her Famous Diary in 1942 This ReadWriteThink calendar event marks Anne’s birthday, June 12, 1942, as the date she received her diary, which she named “Kitty.” The site includes links to activities and additional resources regarding Anne Frank, the Holocaust, and sources for eyewitness accounts.

We Remember Anne Frank This online project, created by Scholastic, provides students and teachers with an opportunity to learn about Anne Frank through the eyes of two people that knew her, Miep Gies and Hanneli Pick-Goslar. Miep Gies was one of Otto Frank’s employees who helped to hide those in the secret annex. Hanneli Pick-Goslar was a childhood friend of Anne and later encountered Anne at a work camp. “We Remember Anne Frank” provides links to photo-stories, time lines and interviews. In addition, this online project provides lesson outlines and suggestions.

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 adolescences 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 dissertation.

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