Literacy Now

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The Common Core State Standards call for a substantial increase in the sheer volume of informational texts students read. This means we need to put into action creative ideas for motivating and encouraging all our students to read more of the “real” genre.

Here are five easy ways to help unlock the power of informational text for all of your students.

#1: The Pillowcase Lesson: Modeling everyday informational text reading

It is estimated that in our adult lives, 85-90% of our reading is informational. The Pillowcase Lesson is a hands-on demonstration and modeling session where the teacher totes a pillowcase from home loaded with his or her informational text reading material. I first heard about this fun lesson from Kathy Au, former International Reading Association President. Sharing your informational text reading will get their attention as you help demonstrate a variety of purposes for reading informational texts.

Fill the Pillowcase: To prepare for this lesson simply take a pillowcase from your hall closet and have fun walking around your home filling it with informational texts that might include recipes, newspapers, magazines, maps, menus, advertisements forms, directions, and more. 

Show the Pillowcase: At school hold up your lumpy pillowcase loaded with informational texts and ask your class if they’d like to see what you’ve been reading at home.

Create a Chart: Pull out each item one at a time as you build a three column chart with the headings: Text, Purpose for Reading It, and Strategies I Used.

Electronic Option: Some teachers admit to reading absolutely everything on their iPads. If you want, show the pillowcase but pull your tablet or phone out of it and look up directions, recipes, or other informational texts you read.

Table Team Option: If you go the route of rounding up your actual hard copies you might even pass out one item per table (cookbook, newspaper ad, etc.) and ask the teams of students to tell three things about the text: the type of text, why you probably chose to read it, and one or two strategies you used to read.

Everyday Reading Station: Bring in “everyday” reading for students and keep it in a bin in the independent reading center or classroom library. Include brochures to local venues, restaurants, game directions, letters, maps, newspaper articles, and any other texts you think your students might like to read.

#2: Job Interviews: Modeling  career informational text reading

In order to prepare our students for careers and college in the 21st century, they need to understand the ways people use literacy on the job. In this lesson, students study literacy use in careers and also interview parents, friends, and other adults about how they use informational text on the job.

Invite students to discuss how people in different careers or jobs might use literacy by brainstorming a list of careers and jobs. Ask students to think about what types of informational texts each of the workers reads while on the job. Then, create a chart that lists each job or career, the reading material required, and the purpose for reading.

Consider asking students to interview family members or friends at home and add to the chart. Students may include photos of the people they interview and or photos of their reading material. Students may ask, “What kinds of reading material do you read on the job?” Interviewees should give examples and tell the students why they read each. Students may follow up by asking questions such as, “What is the hardest reading material you have to read? What do you enjoy reading the most at work?”

Optional Video Interview (Skype/Google Hangout/FaceTime): Schedule a possible video interview for your class with an adult who can discuss and show some of the reading material he or she uses on the job. Allow students to ask questions.

#3: The Seven-Times-a-Day-Read-Aloud Challenge

Reading aloud to students continues to be one of the most important activities we can offer in our classrooms to build the skills and background for success in reading. Here is a creative way to use read-alouds to motivate your students to read informational text all year long. The goal is to read aloud seven different times throughout the day with six of the read-aloud spots lasting only a few minutes. This gives you the opportunity to expose your class to a wide variety of interesting informational text snippets. Of course, you’ll want to make sure you secure an uninterrupted 15-minute read-aloud time each day to make your way through a longer text such as a novel.

Start a read-aloud bin and include informational texts. Keep a stack of read-aloud materials on your desk. Include poetry, the fiction book you are reading for 15–20 minutes to students, along with a variety of informational texts. During transitional times, such as between subjects or when lining up, consider filling the time with a one- to two-minute read-aloud.

Encourage rich talk. Allow students to turn and talk about what they learned or to ask a question. Use text dependent starters to get at main ideas, details, or author’s craft. Compare and contrast and share opinions about the texts.

Assign a student monitor. One student can be in charge of the bin and check off the seven readings as well as select what you read to the class.

Share the reading. Move the materials into the class library so students may read the entire text or reread it.

#4: Read for Real: Reading informational text during independent reading

Researchers tell us the time students spend in independent reading is one of the best predictors of reading achievement. Try encouraging your students to add informational texts to their independent reading logs in the following ways.

Invite students to fill out an interest inventory. Encourage students to reflect on their interests and need to read informational texts by using an interest inventory or topic bank.

Use the inventory to conference with students. Invite students to keep a copy of the interest inventories in their independent reading folder along with a list of books they’ve read. Encourage students to keep a steady diet of informational text reading as well as fiction. Encourage students to read texts that are increasingly challenging.

#5: Literacy Centered Project-Based Learning

In the real world, we read informational text to take action. Students jump into texts with more motivation when they have a purpose for reading. Project-based learning projects can provide hands on opportunities as students share online reports, write letters to pen pals, interview senior citizens, or make brochures for local museums or historical societies.

One to investigate: the Read to Feed project from Heifer International. Read to Feed is a wonderful way to not only involve your students in a community service project but also to encourage them to read. Register your class online to track students’ reading and at the same time collect quarters to save up for an animal to donate to a family in a third world country.

From now until June 15, if your class raises $600.00 for Read to Feed, the class will receive 30 copies of one of the Read to Feed picture books. Students can also upload their essays and quotes for possible publication in the magazine “World Ark.” The Read to Feed project offers opportunities for your students to read and write for a purpose!

Inspire Your Students to Read Informational Text

Whether you tote a pillowcase full of informational text from home, try interviews, keep informational text book logs, read seven times a day, or sign up for the project-based Heifer reading program, your students will thank you for engaging them in meaningful experiences with informational text.

End your year strong by inspiring your students with the power of informational text!

Attending IRA's 59th Annual Conference in New Orleans? See Lori Oczkus present "The Art of Ending Your School Year Literacy Strong," with Timothy Rasinski, Valerie Ellery, and Danny Brassell on Saturday, May 10th at 10 a.m. in the IRA Theater. If you don't make it into that session, catch Lori at 11 a.m. that same day, when she presents "25 Best Ever Informational Text CCSS Lessons That Promote Close Reading and Engagement!" in Rooms 271-273.

Lori Oczkus is an independent literacy consultant and author. Her most recent book with IRA is Best Ever Literacy Survival Tips: 72 Lessons You Can't Teach Without. Lori's new book, Just the Facts: Close Reading and the Comprehension of Informational Text (Shell/IRA, 2014) will be released this month.

photo credit: murdelta via photopin cc

For decades, teachers have incorporated song lyrics into their instruction. Most often, the intent with song lyrics is to "analyze meaning." But what hasn't already been done with song lyrics? Here is a new twist on an old trick.

The learning sequence typically spans a week, but may take longer depending on the class.

Day 1: Students are introduced to the text. The teacher reads the song aloud, giving students a chance to focus on clarifying and comprehending. After reading, students may write down questions or predictions. The reader may try to clarify new or unknown words, including words that may carry a different or metaphorical meaning. When using "Buffalo Soldiers" by Bob Marley, many students try to clarify the lyric "analyze the stench," which forces them beyond literal interpretation (smell) into the "ulterior motive" interpretation. Students, then, read the song and further apply strategies by writing in the margins of the paper and preparing for small-group discussions. At the end, a paragraph summary is written consolidating the learning acquired. This confuses some students as they have yet to "learn" about the topic. Summarizing "where we are at" is necessary to show day-to-day meaning making.

When using Paul Kennerley’s "Story to Tell," two short texts are offered. One is a primary source document from the 1850’s describing Southern values, written by a Southerner. Another is an excerpt from "Daily Life on a Southern Plantation, 1853." The primary source is often read aloud. Writing in the 1850’s differs starkly from today. The exposure to the writing is necessary for students to gain understanding of the time. Modifying documents to reflect today’s writing styles—making a text more accessible—steals the authenticity of the document. The secondary source is more accessible to students; however, they are quick to note the quality change in information. Most prefer, despite complexity, the primary source.

Day 2: Readers are provided primary documents that align with the song. Meaning is made through a whole class effort and interpretations are recorded on an anchor chart. Students have the text to refer to and cite later in the process. After the anchor chart is made, students carry out a reciprocal teaching discussion before revisiting the song lyrics. To conclude this lesson, students refer to their predictions and questions from the previous day, initiating clarification of the song lyrics. As a ticket out, paragraph summaries are collected.

Day 3: Day two is repeated with a second text. Students strategically and independently read this text. Students discuss the reading before revisiting the song lyrics and further clarifying.

Day 4: Stanzas are assigned. Students are asked to clarify a stanza using text evidence. Most of the ideas to clarify concepts are present at this time, turning students’ attention to closely reading and locating text evidence. This reading period is longer and has two defined parts, one for each text. The primary source is read in small-groups as a scaffold for those who need or desire support or encouragement. The text read independently is conferred upon between the teacher and the student. Evidence is collected in a graphic organizer.

Day 5: After modeling an argument essay, through a think-aloud, students begin to draft a response that clarifies the song lyrics using text evidence. For the most part, basic drafts are completed and shared. The idea at this time is not perfectionism, but the organization of an argument and sentence construction that incorporates text evidence. The next week may be devoted to enhancing the writing, if so desired.

Using lyrics in this manner creates the following learning opportunities.

Common Core State Standards would like teachers to abstain from providing extensive background information before reading. Song lyrics used to introduce a topic. Using Paul Kennerley’s "Story to Tell," from White Mansions, readers use reciprocal teaching strategies (Palinscar & Brown, 1984; Ozckus, 2010) to read and discuss their initial understandings and interpretations. Song lyrics alleviate pre-teaching because there is plenty to infer and wonder within a songs’ ambiguity. By creating a scenario where readers must draw on any level of background knowledge and collaborate to share perspectives create schema and become prepared to read specific content related material, aiming to clarify and expand knowledge base.

Readers consider possible viewpoints, biases, and stances from a variety of writers. The song used may or may not have a stance. What is certain, by reading associated short text from varying perspectives, student will learn stances or biases within related texts. Afterwards, students may ask and clarify what influences the song writer’s viewpoint

The rewarding aspect of this study is students can chart their learning from the start to the end. Many students already know facts about the Civil War. This study launches a study into the emotions and people behind the war and invites interpretations. When the song is revisited after reading primary sources and essays, the meaning changes! How real life is that?

Readers, in this activity, are breaking critical literacy ground. Reading content-related documents to clarifying the song lyrics, students discover lyrics have multiple meanings and that "facts" do not contain multiple interpretations. This dissonance creates the thinking and learning. With respect to the Civil War, students learn about clash between cultures, ethics, and principles between the two sides. Students, throughout the study, also begin to consider the war’s ramifications. The questions they ask, the conclusions they draw, the learning that is composed all melds into one idea students begin to ponder, how different is today from yesterday. Critical literacy is off and running.

The everlasting effect appears down the road. For example, if students study "Buffalo Soldiers," what comes to mind when they hear the song later? For most the link back to African-American units battles with Indians, during Westward Expansion or the Indian Removal Act, and the slave trade. Most importantly, when hearing the song again, the learning rushes back. The historical concept attaches to the song in the way many of us relate to a life event through song.

In the end, really, this is a new spin on an old idea. Song lyrics remixed, so to speak. The model of instruction can be applied with poetry or other short texts, not just lyrics. Like in the classroom, the lyrics define the starting point, a hook to invite students exportation of profound topics and ideas in history.

Coming to IRA 2014? See Justin Stygles present "Close Reading and Critical Literacy: Song Lyrics—The Ultimate Teachable Moment, Grades 4–8" on Saturday, May 10th, at 4:45 PM to 5:45 PM.

Justin Stygles is a gr. 5/6 teacher at Guy E. Rowe School in Norway, Maine. He is a member of the IRA's Advisory Committee of Teachers and is a liason for the Maine Reading Association.

We met Dana Reisboard at a recent International Reading Association (IRA) event and were immediately impressed by her enthusiasm and dedication to literacy education. In this Member of the Month interview, she shares her path from a special education teacher to an assistant professor at Widener University in Pennsylvania, how to engage students in reading, and of course her excitement for the IRA 59th Annual Conference in New Orleans! 

How did you begin your career, and what led you to your current position?

I began my career as a teacher at the Benchmark School, a primary and middle school devoted to teaching students who learn differently. It promotes reading development through research based best practices. Since I have two Masters Degrees, one in applied psychology and the other in special education, Benchmark provided a great opportunity to practice what I had learned in school and to develop new reading instruction methods that I’ve incorporated into my critical literacy teaching as an assistant professor of education.

What are you reading (personal, professional, or even children's/YA)?

I read a lot of children’s books. I regularly go to my favorite children’s bookstore and select books that demonstrate good character development and critical literacy. For example, I presented R.J. Polacio’s Wonder to my adolescent literature class at Widener University. We discussed how August Pullman, a 10 year old boy with facial deformities, coped with school bullying and social ostracism. These are issues which my students will have to address in their careers as teachers. I have two young children, 10 and 8. They are valuable book critics. The key to teaching reading is to find books that are authentic and engage the student while they access critical literacy skills. Personally, I’m re-reading One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Teacher Man by Frank McCourt, a book that has been on my “must read” list for years.

What do you consider to be your proudest career moment?

I have been fortunate to work with great educators at Benchmark School and to be a ninth-grade reading teacher in a public school in an urban area. As a teacher, I had proud career moments when I saw my reading methods having real success in practice. I would apply cognitive strategy instruction pedagogy and saw my students succeed. I always knew I would be a teacher, and earning my Ph.D. at Rutgers University was certainly a proud moment. However, my proudest career moment occurs every time when I see my students applying what I have taught them with success. Now, as an education professor, I enjoy seeing students learn how to be great teachers. When my student teachers win awards for being great teachers, this will be my proudest career moment. I am still early in my career and cannot wait to see that happen; I know it will.

At Widener, our students are teaching at an urban charter school. I experience proud moments when I see how we are both helping our community while learning how to be great teachers together.

What can literacy educators do to motivate kids to want to read?

Dana Reisboard with her students and their
"literacy polyannas"

We must engage students with authentic literature that highlight reading as a powerful transformative tool that can change their lives and views of the world. We are reading specialists who have learned how to teach literacy strategies. Our work and methods are constantly evolving. Through professional associations, like IRA, we can learn new practice methods and developmental tools to help us motivate kids to want to read.

Motivation starts with recognizing student diversity. Engagement occurs whenever students have the opportunity to read books that speak to their unique situation or others where they have personal interests. Classrooms provide the best learning environment where we can engage students to learn from one another and about the world we share together. Providing access to an engaging learning environment requires group teaching methods, such as read arounds, which provide a great way to introduce a new text.

What do you believe is the biggest challenge in literacy education today?

Providing access to education to children who learn differently and others who are economically disadvantaged is the biggest literacy challenge today. The news is filled with facts demonstrating that America’s income stratification is an impediment to literacy education. For example, today’s newspaper presented a story about how America’s middle class has, for the first time, lost economic ground when compared to other developed countries. Literacy education is a key ingredient necessary for America’s economic development. As educators, we possess the power to evoke real change by teaching effective reading methods. Public policies promoting preschool education and full day kindergarten are also steps which will help to bridge these social and economic gaps.

As literacy professionals, our biggest challenge is to engage students to master phonics when they enter the formal primary literacy environment. This is the key to their learning through our society’s text-based education pedagogy, used in secondary education and through professional development. The inability to access text content because of underdeveloped literacy skills is an achievement gap that presents our biggest literacy challenge.

The longer I am in the field, the more convinced I become of the need for affordable, high quality, early childhood education. An enormous challenge educators at all levels face is that children arrive to kindergarten and/or first grade without the prerequisite emergent literacy skills needed for reading. Without these skills and emergent literacy experiences, children enter school at a significant disadvantage to their peers who have engaged in early childhood education programs and have been exposed to the prerequisite concepts and experiences to facilitate reading.

How long have you been a member of IRA? How has membership influenced your career?

Delivering books on World Book Day, April 23, 2014

I have been a member of IRA for fourteen years. Dr. Lesley Morrow was my primary faculty advisor and chair of my dissertation committee when I attended Rutgers as a Ph.D. student. She encouraged me to attend the annual conference. I am grateful for this suggestion and also for her sharing her professional relationships with me. My experience with the IRA has had a profound impact on my career.

Fourteen years ago, at the IRA conference in New Orleans, I met Dr. Michael Pressley. He became my “unofficial” advisor and helped craft reading lists and guided me as I learned more about reading comprehension instruction. At an IRA conference in San Antonio, I met Dr. Gerald Duffy. Like Mike, Gerry provided ongoing and substantive support during my doctoral education and helped me to better understand and use direct explanation methods. He also served on my dissertation committee.

IRA supports a great professional learning environment. It has helped me to achieve professional goals and has provided many examples of great student teacher relationships.

We hear you're attending the IRA Annual Conference in New Orleans. What are you looking forward to doing there?

Apart from eating delicious food and enjoying New Orleans culture, I am looking forward to two LEADER-SIG events. I am the President of this IRA special interest group. We have exciting events planned in New Orleans. The LEADER-SIG Awards and Reception on Friday, May 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the Marriot Hotel will be a great opportunity to meet new people, including IRA LEADERS, past and present. At this event I will happily present the well deserved, Distinguished Service Award to a colleague who is also mentor, and friend.

I am also looking forward to participating at the LEADER-SIG symposium on Sunday, May 11 at 3:00 p.m. in the Ernest N. Morial Conference Center, facilitated by LEADER Vice President Jenny Roca Mills. Notable reading scholars Patricia Edwards, Kathy Headley, David Monti, Elfrieda Hiebert, Rita Bean, and Bonni Botel-Sheppard will share their teaching experiences.

What do you like to do when you’re not wearing your educator hat?

I enjoy being with my family. My kids are very active. My son does karate and soccer. My daughter does gymnastics. Together, we travel, go to the beach, ride bikes, play tennis, garden, and cook. We like to laugh a lot. Personally, I also enjoy meditation and yoga.

What’s the best advice you could offer someone new to the profession?

Teaching is a hard profession, but the rewards are great. Don’t compromise your ideals or belief in a better tomorrow. Be yourself and keep working towards this goal.

During this process, take care of yourself. Self-care is often overlooked, yet it is an essential characteristic of all happy and healthy educators. Keeping yourself physically and mentally healthy and personally inspired is imperative if educators are to convey these qualities to our students.

Sara Long is a content manager at the International Reading Association. 

One of the favorite children’s authors of every generation, Dr. Seuss authored 66 books in all, and only four of these were in prose. Dr. Seuss was a wonderful illustrator and poet with a heart for rhythm (which he acquired from his mother) and a prodigious imagination which helped him create wonderful books for children. He invented animals (the Dawf, the Kweet, Wogs [Scrambled Eggs Super, 1953]), alphabets (On Beyond Zebra, 1955), and rhythms that keep his books fresh and alive even today. There are plenty more fascinating facts to be found at the Dr. Suess official website.

This week, the International Reading Association's Children’s Literature Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) presents reviews of selected new books that are inspired by Dr. Seuss. The titles are imaginative, creative, and rhythmic. Their effervescent energies are certain to inspire the child in you to get dancing or dreaming!

Grades K-3

Byous, Shawn. (2014). Because I stubbed my toe. North Mankato, MN: Capstone Young Readers.

If your students need a smile, this is a great book to read. The story, narrated in first person, opens as a young boy stubs his toe. The impact of his toe shook the chair noisily and scared the dog. The dog scared the cat and the cat jumped out of the window. It landed on the head of girl, who dropped her ice cream cone that caused a biker to slide off the sidewalk and into a hive of bees. The bees attacked an old man who jumped into the pond. The splash surprised a woman, who tripped on a teeter-tooter. One unfortunate child got tossed high into the air and luckily landed on a crowded bouncy house. It sent the kids running and screaming straight into the zoo. It scared the elephants out of their cages and they were soon trampling down the street, and knocked over an ice cream truck. And guess whose window was open to grab the ice cream? A hilarious book, sure to get kids giggling!-

-Rani Iyer, Washington State University Pullman

Ering, T. B. (2014). The almost fearless Hamilton SquidLegger. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

If you want to engage your students in making up words and gently introduce them to the art of exploring the world on their own, this book is a great aide. During daylight hours, Hamilton has no problem slaying all the frackensnappers, skelecragons, or bracklesneeds in the swamp where he lives. However, at sundown, Hamilton has to escape into his secret hideaway!

That is until his father tempts him with his absolute favorite treat—a double-decker grasshopper worm-cake, with a snake-belly frosting. Hamilton had to stay in his mud all through the night to win it. At night, there is another downpour in the swamp, but Hamilton, shivering and nervous, stays in this mud. In an elaborate dream sequence, brilliantly illustrated, Hamilton meets other creatures, who take him on a ride over the ocean, an airship from where Hamilton can see the whole world—mountains, forests, animals, meadows, oceans, and rainbows! Excited and tired, Hamilton is ready for bed. And all his friends brush up and huddle to hear Hamilton’s dad read to them. Soon, they all sleep in their own mud, fearless at last!

-Rani Iyer, Washington State University Pullman

Hoberman, Mary Ann. (2014). You read to me, I’ll read to you: Very short tall tales to read together. Illus. by Michael Emberley. New York, NY: Little, Brown & Company.

Celebrating Dr. Seuss would be incomplete without the inclusion of the work of past Children’s Poet Laureate Mary Ann Hoberman. The thirteen short stories in this volume retell stories of America’s heroes and heroines. Their deeds are amazing and larger than life.

The book presents the tall tales of Annie Oakley, Davy Crockett, John Henry, Slue-Foot Sue, Mike Fink, Casey Jones, Don-Jose Love-mad Lopez, Johnny Appleseed, Paul Bunyan and many more in rhymes. The rhymes are meant for two voices, each portion indicated in different color. The rhymes present great opportunities for young students to practice early reading theatre activities, and even put up plays based on these rhymes. The characters presented are of various nationalities that settled the United States during the pioneer era, although there is a paucity of Native American and Asian characters in this volume. This is a wonderful volume for English language learners to practice their reading skills.

-Rani Iyer, Washington State University Pullman

Kennedy, Anne Vittur. (2014). The farmer’s away! Baa! Neigh! Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

The happy hours for the barnyard animals begin when the farmer leaves. They go rafting and picnicking, ride on a roller-coaster and a hot air balloon, and dance on the meadow during the sunset while everyone is dressed up. The dog’s cry, the signal to indicate farmer’s return, seems just like the striking sound of a clock for Cinderella. It reminds the animals to return to reality and they rush and dash back to the barnyard where they are supposed to be. Everything is like what it used to be.

The story primarily relies on the illustrations of the happy anthropomorphized animals to tell the story, while all written text is composed of onomatopoeia. The endpapers show the animal-sound index with which readers can consult. By following the animal rhymes, readers will enjoy the rhythmic lines!

-Ying-Hsuan Lee, Washington State University Pullman

Levy, Janice. (2014). Thomas the Toadilly Terrible bully. Illus. by Bill Slavin and Esperança. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.

Moving to a new town, Thomas the Toad is craving attention. He dresses up to impress and acts as a bully in a hope of getting everyone’s eyes on him. However, no one cares because he isn’t scary and mean enough. When Gomer arrives, Thomas thinks that he has found a target he can bully. After making Gomer cry, Thomas feels guilty for what he’s done. However Gomer has bigger problems. He confesses that he has a bigger, stronger, and fiercer bully chasing after him. Thomas decides to help Gomer fight back against the bully. This story reminds readers that there are better ways to make friends instead of being a bully. Show your big heart and lend a hand to someone in need.

-Ying-Hsuan Lee, Washington State University Pullman

Morris, Richard, T. (2014). This is a moose. Illus. by Tom Lichtenheld. New York, NY: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

An animal crew is filming the life of Mighty Moose, who wants to be an astronaut in the wood by the riverside. As the leading actor, Mighty Moose is always ready to fly to the moon in his space suit, but Duck (the director) asks the animal actors to behave like animals. Ignoring director Duck’s request, the animal crew launch Mighty Moose safely in outer space, and then the whole filming team follows Mighty Moose to space to shoot the movie there.

This is a humorous and hilarious story with anthropomorphized animal narrators and actors. The two-page, colorful illustrations created in ink, pencil, and gouache vividly capture the motion of animals with the use of movement lines, which is also featured in Dr. Seuss’s illustrations, to provide visual effect. The pleasure of reading this book is augmented by the endpapers and a glossary of filmmaking terms introduced in the book.

-Ying-Hsuan Lee, Washington State University Pullman

Parenteau, Shirley. (2014). Bears in the bath. Illus. by David Walker. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

Although dusty, muddy, sweaty and stinky, the four little bears don’t want to take a bath! Getting dirty after a wrestle with four little bears, Big Brown Bear decides to jump in the tub first! Splish, Splash, Sploosh! How happy he is! Tempted by the big bear, four little bears finally hop into the tub and have a fun moment with bubbles and giggles.

The furry bear illustrations with warm colors invite young readers to read about an experience that many of them may share in their daily routine. The text is meant to be read aloud. The reverberating sound of the words adds to the joy of reading this story!

-Ying-Hsuan Lee, Washington State University Pullman

Rissman, Rebecca. (2014). A dog’s day. Illus. by Becka Moor. Chicago, IL: Raintree.

Introducing young readers to point of view is difficult. In this lovely, upside-down book, the readers read the story from the perspective of Rusty the dog and Rosie the girl, who walks and plays with him every day. Rusty, without his leash and owner, decides to walk into the stores and jumps into the fountain in the town square. He is surprised and sad when nobody welcomes him. Sometime later, Rusty realizes that he is hungry and lost when he hears a familiar voice calling his name. At this point in the story, Rosy and Rusty meet and the reader must flip over the book to read Rosie’s part of the story.

The book is a great way to introduce characters and POV. The storyline is really simple and even the youngest readers can actually ‘see’ where the characters meet and the two strands ‘twine.’ This is a great book for the youngest readers.

-Rani Iyer, Washington State University Pullman

Spires, Ashley. (2014). The most magnificent thing. Tonawanda, NY: Kids Can Press.

In this story, a little girl decides that she will make the most magnificent thing in the world. She gathers few things and puts them together with the help of her pet dog. She knows how it will look, and she also knows how it will work. Easy-peasy! However, things are not the same when she starts working on the project.

It is not as magnificent as she wanted, it is not good, and it does not even work! She tries hard to make it better—change the shape, give it legs, maybe the antennae would do the trick, or maybe make it fuzzy. They are all different, but not magnificent. Her assistant helps her cool off her anger with a walk. And she comes back to create the most magnificent thing ever! Young readers will love the surprise ending. Readers learn that not everything comes out “just the right way” instantly.

-Rani Iyer, Washington State University Pullman

These reviews and resources are submitted by members of the International Reading Association’s Children’s Literature and Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) and are published weekly on Reading Today Online.

The CL/R SIG will host a special session entitled Children's Literature: The Perfect Teachable Moment on Saturday, May 10 at 3:00 p.m. at the International Reading Association 59th Annual Conference in New Orleans. The session celebrates award-winning children's and young adult books and authors. Author Nancy Bo Flood is the keynote session speaker. Her work encompasses more than a dozen books. Her recent historical fiction "Warriors in the Crossfire" is set in Saipan during WWII, and was selected on the 2011 Notable Books for a Global Society (NBGS) list. The NBGS list represents selections and authors from all genres K-12, with a focus on understanding of and appreciation for the world's full range of diverse cultures, ethnic, and racial groups. The session will also include presentation of the 2014 Notable Books for a Global Society (NBGS) list by members of the selection committee. Visit http://www.iraconference.org to learn more about IRA 2014 or to register. 

My superintendent recently asked me why I needed to go to New Orleans, so I prepared something for him and for all of you who are still on the fence about going to New Orleans. 

Top 10 Reasons to Go to the International Reading Association Conference in New Orleans:

Rafe Esquith


Gail Boushey and Joan Moser


Mary Pope Osborne

1. I am a “PROFESSIONAL.” As a professional elementary teacher, it is important for me to know the latest research and trends to better help me teach my students. I have learned so much from my attendance at the conference that I can share with my fellow teachers. I’ve brought back with me tons of ideas to share and books I have purchased or gotten free. The school needs to support a teacher willing to take time for their professional growth.
2. General Session speakers are very motivational. I am looking forward to hearing Rafe Esquith (who was dubbed by Washington Post as “the World’s Most Famous Teacher”), authors Jeff Kinney (Diary of a Wimpy Kid series) and Dav Pilkey (Captain Underpants series), and literacy researcher P. David Pearson.
3. Featured Speakers—The two “Daily Five” sisters, Gail Boushey and Joan Moser are back. Yeah! I always enjoy listing to MaryEllen Vogt (English Language Learners), and Timothy Rasinski (reading strategies).
4. Teaching Edge workshops with Debbie Diller (literacy work stations), Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey (Close Reading and Writing), and Kelly Gallagher (“Teaching Students to Read Like Writers”).
5. The Exhibit Hall—It takes me at least a half a day and many short trips to go through the Exhibit Hall, talk to vendors, get as many samples as I want, and sign up for door prizes and samples. Free books are abundant. Authors autographing my favorite books is a must. Mini-workshops are available on various subjects by the top vendor presenters. Demonstrations are going on for new technology. I love to talk to the spokespeople that publish the texts I use to find out what is new and how to better teach the material.
6. Workshops, institutes, symposiums, and poster sessions—My fellow Advisory Committee of Teachers (ACT) members will be presenting a workshop on Saturday, May 10. Stop by for a meet and greet, learn what we are doing in our classrooms, and find out what ACT is all about. There are lots of other sessions on any and all subjects. I want to go to some on technology. Use the iPlanner (a great tool) and plan your day accordingly.
7. Meeting lots of teachers from all over the globe. I got to meet my good friend and fellow ACT member from Kenya, Africa, Margaret Muthiga.
8. Come on, it’s New Orleans! I want to taste beignets, po-boys, and maybe (NOT!) gumbo and crawfish. I want to go on a swamp tour, a tour of the cemetery, and see what the French Quarter is all about.
9. Author luncheon—I am going to listen to one of my favorite authors, Mary Pope Osborne (Magic Tree House series). I remember turning my second grade students on to her books. Boy, were they excited!
10. Summer of 2015 and the next International Reading Association Conference in St. Louis. It is summer, and I won’t be missing any school. We are planning and packing a big van with lots of teachers and road tripping to St. Louis.

The International Reading Association 59th Annual Conference will be held Friday, May 9 through Monday, May 12, 2014 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. Visit www.iraconference.org for conference details or to register. 

Mary Lou Benesch, a member of the Advisory Committee of Teachers, is a Title 1 teacher at Howells-Dodge Consolidated Schools. She is past president of the Nebraska State Reading Association, and currently serves as president for her local, East Central Nebraska Reading Council, mbenesch@esu7.org. 

Teaching in ACTion is a series from the Advisory Committee of Teachers (ACT), an International Reading Association committee comprised of exemplary reading and literacy teachers from around the world. Educators who best exemplify the mission of IRA are chosen from a pool of applicants to serve a three-year term. Among other responsibilities, the main charge of ACT is to be the conduit between IRA’s members and the board of directors. 

ACT invites member to engage in the conversation by sending responses to us. ACT’s goal is to get a feel for how members feel about current hot topics, so that we may better serve members by sharing their concerns with the board of directors.