Author Jeff Kinney - The Third Wheel Book Giveaway

leaving school early + take out pizza in the car + a brand new book + meeting and interviewing Jeff Kinney + touring his travel bus...

It all adds up to a 3rd grade dream and the perfect inspiration for his next personal narrative!

Are you familiar with the Diary of a Wimpy Kid book series?  On November 13th Jeff Kinney released his 7th book, The Third Wheel. On the 19th he was touring through our hometown in his own amazing wheels.

The following excerpt from my son's journal is a recap of the interview and a glimpse into the man behind the wildly famous series for upper elementary age students.

...

How did you get started in your writing? I always wanted to draw cartoons, but could not find a newspaper who would pick them up. I ended up putting my cartoons into books and they were picked up by a publisher.

How long does it take for you to write each book? About 9 months

How many more books will be in this series?  Hopefully 3

What is your favorite book in the series so far?  This new book.  The Third Wheel is my favorite because it is my best writing so far.

Would you ever consider writing a series about Greg when he was a very young child? Well, have you read this new book yet?  It starts out with Greg as small as a child can be.

In what ways are you most like the main character in the book?  In all the bad ways I guess.  The naughty things he does are most like my childhood.

Do you have an annoying brother? I do have a brother.

What advice would you give to a student who wants to get published some day?  (paraphrased) Find someone who will offer you constructive criticism about your writing even at a young age.  I always heard about how great I was and it made it difficult to grow my talent and accept rejection later in life.

...

As a parent I think the vague answer about the annoying brother is especially hilarious.  

As a teacher I think the advice Jeff Kinney would offer young writers is very important for us to consider.  Are we just teaching writing or are we really training young writers in all areas of the craft?  Our kids need to learn to gracefully accept feedback and use it to grow. Food for thought this Thanksgiving weekend!  

If you have a Wimpy Kid fan in your family, are looking for a silly book for a reader on your holiday shopping list, or you are looking to add a fun title to your classroom library, enter to win a copy of The Third Wheel! A winner will be chosen using Rafflecopter on Tuesday, November 27th!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Dr. Seuss Snacks

Coolest Family on the Block has 10 Easy Dr. Seuss snack ideas to share.

Kristy Makes threw a party special enough for Seuss himself.  I especially love the Star Belly Sneetches' Oreo Truffles and Green {Deviled} Eggs.

Me Likey Food put together an amazing Seuss menu with dishes to match many of our favorite books.

How Does She has packed up a green eggs and ham lunch to go in honor of Dr. Seuss.

The Girl Who Ate Everything made a sweet Green Eggs & Ham treat.

Good Life Eats also has a collection of Seuss snacks including Cat in the Hat marshmallows.

Two Plus Jilly took One Fish, Two Fish to a level higher than goldfish:) 

 If you are looking for lesson plans, movement lessons, and more related to Dr. Seuss please enjoy a few of our archived posts!  There was also a great link from Princess and the Tot in last week's Show and Tell sharing many Seuss themed center activities.

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Author Spotlight: Ron Clark

Not Every Child Deserves a Cookie
By Ron Clark,

Author of The End of Molasses Classes: Getting Our Kids Unstuck -- 101 Extraordinary Solutions for Parents and Teachers

Last year one of our new fifth graders was really struggling. He entered RCA below grade level in every subject and he was failing several courses. When I met with his mom she defended her son by saying, "Well, he made all A's at his other school."  When I told her that was shocking, she explained that he had done so well because he had a really great teacher. Urgh!


There is a misconception in our country that teachers whose students make good grades are providing them with a good education. Parents, administrators, and the general communiry shouldn't assume good grades equal high academic mastery. In fact, in many cases those teachers could be giving good grades to avoid conflict with the parents and administration. It's easier to fly under the radar and give high grades than to give a student what he or she truly deserves and face the scrutiny of the administration and the wrath of an angry parent.


I have attended numerous awards ceremonies where practically every child in the class received an honor roll certificate. Parents always cheer, take pictures, and look so proud. I just sit there and think, Ignorance is bliss. Are these kids really being challenged, or are they only achieving mediocre standards set forth by a mediocre teacher in an educational system that is struggling to challenge even our average students? Yet, all of the parents look so proud and content.


The worst part about it, however, is that I am afraid most parents would rather their child get a good education where they received straight A's and praise than an outstanding education where they struggled and received C's.


At the beginning of every year, I give my fifth graders an assignment. They have to read a book and present a project on one of its characters -- specifically, they have to figure out a way to cleverly show such details as what the individual kept in his heart (what he loved the most), saw with his eyes (his view of the world), "stood for" with his feet, and held to strongly in his backbone (his convictions). I encourage the students to "bring it" and to use creativity and innovation to bring the body of the character to life.


Most of the students will bring a trifold where they have drawn a body and labeled the locations. Some will use glitter, and some will be quite colorful. I am sure in most classrooms the projects would receive high grades, mostly A's and B's. I, however, hand out grades of 14, 20, 42, and other failing marks. The parents and students are always upset, and many want an explanation.


I ask them to trust me, and I explain that if I gave those projects A's and B's, then the students wouldn't see a reason to improve their efforts on their next assignment. Some staff members have even said, "Ron, but you know what that child is dealing with in her home, and you know she did that project all by herself." I quickly tell them that society isn't going to make excuses for their home situations, and we can't either. If we make excuses and allowances, it will send the child the message that it's okay to make excuses for his or her performance based on circumstances, too. We just can't do it. We must hold every child accountable for high standards and do all we can to push the child to that level.


I recall giving one fifth-grade student a failing grade on her first project. She cried and cried. She had never made less than an A on her report card, and her mother was devastated, too. I explained that the low grade would be a valuable life lesson, and I gave the young girl, and the rest of the class, tips and strategies for receiving a higher score in the future. I showed them an example of a project that would have scored 70, a project in the 80s, and a project that would have earned an A.


I was pleased to see that her next project came to life with New York City skyscrapers that were sculpted from clay, miniature billboards that contained academic content, and streetlights that actually worked. The project was much, much better, and it received a 70.


As a final project, the students were instructed to create a time line that would contain a minimum of fifty significant dates in the history of a specific area of the world. The same young lady brought in her final assignment wrapped in trash bags. Removing it, I saw a huge, four-foot pyramid, a replica of the Great Pyramid of Giza. The student had made it out of cardboard and apparently had used sandpaper to make it feel like a real pyramid. It was beautiful, but it didn't contain a time line, so I told her the grade would not be passing.
She grinned at me, walked over to the pyramid, touched the top point, and suddenly three sides slowly fell open, revealing the inside. She had carved her outline on the inside, using detailed pictures, graphs, and descriptions of 150 major events. She even had hand-carved Egyptian artifacts and placed them throughout the inside of the pyramid, just as you would find in the tomb of a great pharaoh. She had handmade mummies that she had learned how to make on the Internet. She looked at me and said, "Mr. Clark, I have worked on this for weeks. I wanted it to be good enough. I wanted it to be an A." It was miraculous and spectacular. I looked at her, full of pride, and said with a smile, "Darling, it's an A."


If her initial project hadn't been an F, she never would have walked in with that pyramid. That child is about to graduate RCA, and she is ready to compete with any high school student across the country. She knows what high expectations are, she understands the value of a strong work ethic, and she knows how to achieve excellence. If we continue to dumb down education and to give students A's and B's because they "tried," we are doing them a disservice and failing to prepare them to be successful in the real world. That young lady couldn't walk into an elite high school and compete with a glitter-filled trifold. However, she can walk into any high school with that pyramid and her overall knowledge of how to achieve that type of excellence and stand high above her peers.


I often bake cookies for my students. I tell them it is my great-greatgrandma's recipe and that she handed it to me in secret on her deathbed. (Okay, a stretch.) As I pass out the cookies, the kids who are working hard receive one with delight; the students who aren't working as hard do not. Parents will call and say, "Mr. Clark, I heard you gave every child in the class a cookie except my child. Why are you picking on my child?"


Why does every child have to get the cookie? The parents claim that I will hurt the child's self-esteem. Has it really gotten to the point that we are so concerned with our children's self-esteem that we aren't realistic with them about their performance and abilities? If we give "cookies" when they aren't deserved, then we are telling our young people that they don't need to work hard to receive rewards. We are sending a message that the cookie will always come. That is why we have so many young people in their twenties who have no idea what it means to work hard. And that is why they are still looking to their parents to provide support (and to give them the cookie).


I tell my students who don't receive a cookie that I will be baking cookies the following week. I tell them that I will watch them until that time and that if they are trying hard they'll earn their cookie. It is shocking to see how much effort kids, regardless of their age, will display to get a cookie. And when it is earned, it means something. The students will glow with pride, and they will explain how they are going to eat half the cookie then and save the other half for later. Also, it tastes better than any cookie they have ever eaten, and it sends the message that with hard work comes rewards. If parents and teachers are just rewarding our kids without cause, we aren't teaching the value of personal effort.
We all need to teach our young people that not everyone deserves a pat on the back just because we are attempting to make everyone feel good. Giving praise that isn't earned only sets up our students for more failure in the long run.


If you are a teacher who wants to increase expectations but is afraid of the backlash from giving failing grades on assignments that will cause your parents and administration to freak out, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself When you give an assignment, show your students beforehand what you expect. Show a detailed description of what would earn a failing grade, a passing grade, and an outstanding grade. Share that with your administration as well to make sure it meets their approval, and then make your parents understand the expectations. Letting everyone know what is expected beforehand will leave no opportuniry for complaints after the grades have been given.


If you are going to give rewards, such as cookies, let the parents know the classroom behaviors that will earn the reward and the behaviors that will not. When students are struggling, let the parents know specifically the areas that need to be addressed. If the child still does not meet the criteria, you have been clear about your expectations and therefore negative conflicts can be avoided.


The above is an excerpt from the book The End of Molasses Classes: Getting Our Kids Unstuck -- 101 Extraordinary Solutions for Parents and Teachers by Ron Clark. The above excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print. Although this excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may appear due to the scanning process. Please refer to the finished book for accuracy.
Copyright © 2011 Ron L. Clark, Inc 



Ron Clark, author of The End of Molasses Classes: Getting Our Kids Unstuck -- 101 Extraordinary Solutions for Parents and Teachers, is a New York Times bestselling author of The Essential 55, has been named "American Teacher of the Year" by Disney and was Oprah Winfrey's pick as her "Phenomenal Man." He founded The Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia, which more than 10,000 educators from around the world have visited to learn about the extraordinary ways that teachers and parents of RCA have helped children achieve great success.



For more information please visit http://EndofMolassesClasses.com and follow the author on Facebook and Twitter

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Eric Carle Activities and Lessons

Welcome! New to ABC and 123? Please check out our FAQ in the sidebar.

We sure hope you have had a wonderful month of reading and celebrating books! It sure was fun to put our posting focus into one area for a few short weeks! There are so many great authors that we would have loved to feature and more books that a year's worth of blogging could hold. Hopefully, you discovered a new favorite during your March reading adventures. Today we will end our celebration with a few great favorites from Eric Carle.

My (List Maker Katie) children put together a simple, yet cute Very Hungry Caterpillar craft with their Gram. The used paper strips to create the links of the caterpillars body and decorated a giant leaf for it to sit on. I thought it was cute that they punched holes in the leaf to show the caterpillars little nibbles. My daugther, who loves to craft and create, also wanted to make the other foods and did so with a pile of construction paper scraps. Perfect for scissor practice and story retelling props.

Planted by Streams put together cheerful sunflowers inspired by Carle's book The Tiny Seed.

Art Smarts 4 Kids explains the step by steps to making Eric Carle inspired Valentine cards.

Deep Space Sparkle displays the work of an art teacher who is also an Eric Carle fan. This first link explains an Eric Carle inspired Snowman project used with Kindergarteners.

For a small fee, Deep Space Sparkle, also shares a downloadable file of Eric Carle Lesson Plans that inspire creativity.

This blog is a fun resource for Eric Carle themed lessons to accompany many of his famous books.

The students impacted by MaryMaking put together colorful Eric Carle inspired City Scapes.

Feels Like Home put together a wonderful post full of Eric Carle links in celebration of his birthday.

Adventures in Homemaking used magazine cut outs to create Carle inspired insects.

My littlest boys enjoyed watching and listening to this YouTube video featuring Carle's I See a Song.

Apology: We have fun pictures to highlight each of these links, but for some crazy technical reason today none of them will publish in the post. Sorry!

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Happy Birthday Author: Robert Frost

Welcome! New to ABC and 123? Please check out our FAQ in the sidebar. Robert Frost was an American poet who was born in 1874 and is still remembered today for his realistic poetry about rural life. He is still quoted often. Since I was very young I have had the lyrics of Stopping By The Woods on a Snowy Evening committed to memory. It is my Gram's favorite poem and she would recite it for us often. "...The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep." Today, we challenge you to find a Frost poem to read with a child in celebration of his special day. Perhaps choose a poem or two to add to your favorites list. Favorite Poems and Poets provides an extensive link list of Frost's poems. Spend some time in rhyme and verse as inspiration for planning some National Poetry Month activities for April, which is right around the corner.

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Show and Tell #50

Happy Spring!

Tons of Fun linked up with a quiet box full of math activities. Fun for a rainy Spring day.


Creekside Learning put together a forsythia tree craft - a sure sign of Spring!

Craftionary shares a step by step tutorial for making a message board. Perfect for organizing the family's busy Spring schedules.


We would like to tell you about one of our new sponsors, Too Busy Moms. These two homeschooling moms create adorable handmade outfits and accessories. We hope you'll take a minute to check out their site, or their facebook page, to say hello!

Now, it's your turn!

<a href="http://www.abcand123learning.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="abc button" src="http://i596.photobucket.com/albums/tt46/meyeringk/ABCGraphics-Page003.jpg" /></a>

Please remember these rules:

~Post an "Ah Ha Moment," favorite lesson, experiment, learning game, field trip, whatever you're currently working on, your child's fridge worthy artwork, handmade gifts, or anything holiday related.

~Direct link to your post, not your home page.

~Include a link back to us or our link button in your post.

~If you come back and your link is missing, double check to make sure you've followed the directions!

~Most importantly, please try to visit and comment on at least three links. Spread the comment love and make someone's day!

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Happy Birthday Author: Lois Lowry

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Today, novelist Lois Lowry is celebrating her 73 birthday. Perhaps best known for her Newberry Award Winning books, The Giver & Number the Stars, Lowry has written many books enjoyed by children and young adults.



Lowry has spent time introducing her readers to well developed characters such as Anastasia, Sam, Gooney Bird, and The Tates to name a few!

Lois Lowry keeps up her own blog if you are interested in reading her updates.

Check out this link for a complete list of Lowry's books, including short synopses of each.

Jennifer had the priveledge of sharing a sneak peek of Lois Lowry's creative spaces.

Indiana Literacy Specialists have put together a list of resources intended to provide an introduction to Lois Lowry.

The LiteraBuss suggests an activity for introducing the book, The Giver, to adolescent students.

Reading Rockets features several of Lowry's books in a round up post.

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Happy Birthday Author: Ezra Jack Keats

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Ezra Jack Keats was a Caldecott-winning author. The award winning book, The Snowy Day, is earned Keats acclaim as one of the most important authors and illustrators of the 20th Century. Keats, who died in 1983, is remembered today for his quality children's literature.

Check out the official Ezra Jack Keats foundation site for books, characters, awards, activities, and more.

Teaching Across the Curriculum Using Books by Ezra Jack Keats shares links to several activities and internet resources.

AALBC.com has put together an introduction to Ezra Keats, as well as an introduction to some of his books.

Calico Cookie has put together a great author study for primary grade students focusing on Keats.

Mary Making put together a tribute lesson to Keats for her art class.

Going Crunchy shares a craft that accompanies Keat's book Snowy Day.

A Homeschooling Momma put together a first grade author study of Ezra Jack Keats.

Mrs. Connolly in the Classroom put together an author study of Keats for her second grade classroom. The wax harmonicas look like fun!

Storytime Sparks explains a Pet Show game/activity.

Books Authored and Illustrated by Keats:
A Letter to Amy
Apt. 3
Clementina's Cactus
My Dog is Lost!
The Snowy Day
Whistle for Willie
John Henry, An American Legend
Jennie's Hat
God is in the Mountain
Peter's Chair
Goggles!
Hi, Cat!
Pet Show!
Skates!
Psst! Doggie!
Dreams
Kitten for a Day
Louie
The Trip
Maggie and the Pirate
Louie's Search
Regards to the Man in the Moon
One Red Sun

Read more about the honors earned by, and memorials for, Ezra Jack Keats.

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Happy Birthday Author: Chris Raschka

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Happy Birthday Chris Raschka: author, illustrator, adapter, and photographer
Read more about Chris at Children's Literature Network or at A Bebop Life!

A listing of Chris Raschka's books, including a Caldecott Medal & a Caldecott Honor:
Arlene Sardine
Can’t Sleep
Charlie Parker Played be bop
Elizabeth Imagined an Iceberg
Five for a Little One
John Coltrane’s Giant Steps
Like Likes Like
Mysterious Thelonious
New York Is English
Chattanooga Is Creek
R and (R): A Story about Two Alphabets
Ring! Yo?
Simple Gifts: A Shaker Hymn
Talk to Me about the Alphabet
The Blushful Hippopotamus
The Purple Balloon
Waffle
Yo! Yes?
A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms by Paul B. Janeczko (Editor), Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
A Poke in the I: A Collection of Concrete Poems by Paul B. Janeczko (Editor), Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Another Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Armstrong by Claude Nougaro and Maurice Vander, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Be Boy Buzz by bell hooks, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)

Best Shorts:

Favorite Short Stories for Sharing by Avi (Compiler), Chris Raschka (Illustrator), Carolyn Shute (Contributor)
Boy Meets Girl/GirlMeets Boy by Chris Raschka
Fishing in the Air by Sharon Creech, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Frisettes en fête by bell hooks, Chris Raschka (Author, Illustrator)
Good Sports: Rhymes about Running, Jumping, Throwing, and More by Jack Prelutsky, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Granny Torrelli Makes Soup by Sharon Creech, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Grump Grown Growl by bell hooks, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Happy to Be Nappy by bell hooks, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Little Tree by e. e. cummings, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Movin’: Teen Poets Take Voice by Dave Johnson (Editor), Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
I Pledge Allegiance by Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Skin Again by bell hooks, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Table Manners by Chris Raschka, Vladimir Radunsky
The Four Corners of the Sky: Creation Stories and Cosmologies from Around the World by Steve Zeitlin, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
The Genie in the Jar by by Nikki Giovanni, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
The Grasshopper's Song: An Aesop's Fable Revisited by Nikki Giovanni, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
The Owl and the Tuba by James H Lehman, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
The Saga of Shakespeare Pintlewood and the Great Silver Fountain Pen by James H. Lehman, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)

THE “THINGY THING” BOOKS:

Snaily Snail
Goosey Goose
Lamby Lamb
WhaleyWhale
Moosey Moose
Doggy Dog
Wormy Worm
Sluggy Slug

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Happy Birthday Author: Mem Fox

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Happy Birthday Mem Fox!

Mem Fox is Australia’s most highly regarded picture-book author

Read Mem's life story here.

Follow along with some Mem Fox read alouds.

Teaching Challenges did an author study with her students and Mem Fox.

Timmons Times used Fox's Shoes from Grandpa for a lesson in sequencing.

The Narrative Causality reviewed Mem Fox's book Possum Magic.

Ten Kids and a Dog used Mem Fox's Tough Boris to kick off a pirate themed adventure.

Learn more about this birthday gal with her video interview on Reading Rockets.

Mem's Children's Books:
Possum Magic
Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge
Zoo-Looking
Arabella, the Smallest Girl in the World
Hattie and the Fox
Patricia Mullins
Just Like That
Sail Away: The Ballad of Skip and Nell
The Straight Line Wonder
A Bedtime Story
Goodnight Sleep Tight
Koala Lou With Love at Christmas
Night Noises
Feathers and Fools
Shoes from Grandpa
Sophie
Time for Bed
Tough Boris
Wombat Divine
Boo to a Goose
Whoever You Are
Sleepy Bears
Harriet, You’ll Drive Me Wild!
The Magic Hat
Where Is The Green Sheep?
Hunwick’s Egg
A Particular Cow
Where the Giant Sleeps
Ten Little Fingers & Ten Little Toes
Hello, Baby
A Giraffe in the Bath

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A March Challenge: Dr. Seuss

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Please check out our FAQ in the left sidebar.

Early in March we celebrate Read Across America Day. An event meant to both honor Dr. Seuss's birthday and inspire young readres to read! The internet is full of wonderful reading acitivites and Seuss-inspired resources for parents and teachers alike. Yet, we know that you are full of some fantastic ideas of your own that we'd love to see and share!

Even though Read Across America Day 2010 has passed, we'd love to challenge you this month to Seuss-ify your learning activities. Enjoy the whimsical rhyming stories with your students. Put together some silly and satisfying follow-up suggestions. Post them to your blog and link them to our Dr. Seuss author party on March 26th!

Meanwhile, here is a short list of warm up information and activities!

Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known to the world as the beloved Dr. Seuss, was born in 1904 on Howard Street in Springfield, Massachusetts. Ted's father, Theodor Robert, and grandfather were brewmasters in the city. His mother, Henrietta Seuss Geisel, often soothed her children to sleep by "chanting" rhymes remembered from her youth. Ted credited his mother with both his ability and desire to create the rhymes for which he became so well known....
To read more of his biography check out Cat in the Hat.org

Do You Know Dr. Seuss? Take this Seuss-sational quiz!

Visit Seussville from some interactive fun!

This Read Across America site has loads of Seuss interactive games and additional links.

Anne from Teaching Two explains her Dr. Seuss Day. Along with this cute art project she has a fine motor and large motor activity you will want to check out.

Have Fun Teaching Blog has a Dr. Seuss lesson plan that includes a readers' theatre, crossword puzzle, and book list.

Skip to My Lou put together some funny looking Thing 1 & Thing 2 pencils. They also have a fun Cat in the Hat snack suggestion.

Mom Talk Radio has put together a blog post filled with Seuss-ilicious recipe ideas.

For some fun lessons for YOU (the mom, the teacher, the blogger) check out the advice from Dr. Seuss compiled on Blogging in the Rain.

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Author Challenge: Joy Cowley

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Please check out our FAQ in the left sidebar.

We'd like to start of this month's Author Challenge, by thanking Hameray Publishing Group for sponsoring this month's Author Challenge, we hope everyone entered to win the five readers by Joy Cowley, that they generously provided! 

Now on to the the Joy Cowley inspired ideas, we'd like to share with you!

Teacher CyberGuide has put together an interactive lesson for K-1 students using Cowley's book The Hungry Giant.

Learn NC has posted a Kindergarten Language Arts lesson using the book Mud Feels Good.

Lara, from Play Explore and Learn, prepared a lesson using Cowley's book titled Big Moon Tortilla.
She shares a recipe for making homemade tortillas with your children.  They also used watercolor paints to depict the books setting.  Lara has also written a helpful review of the book to give you a better idea of the storyline and its' target audience.

Play, Explore, and Learn also planned a day of learning around the farm favorite by Joy Cowley: Mrs. Wishy Washy's Farm.  Again, you will appreciate her parent tested review of the text.  The children appear to have had lots of fun with the hands on dirty farm animal science experiement they explored.

Thank you Lara for participating in this month's author challenge.  In appreciation we have chosen you as our next featured blogger! Congratulations!

Stay tuned early in February for the announcement of our next featured author.

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Author Challenge: Joy Cowley & Giveaway

Welcome! New to ABC and 123?
Please check out our FAQ in the left sidebar.

Today we are pleased to be kicking off a new Author Challenge!  This month the works of acclaimed children's author Joy Cowley will be feaured.  Joy Cowley is a multi-award-winning New Zealand-based author of more than 800 titles. She is widely recognized for supporting literacy programs and writing materials for struggling readers in the primary grades.

For her services to children’s writing, Cowley was awarded the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire by Her Majesty the Queen of England in 1992. Other honors include an honorary doctorate from Massey University, and a Dame Order of Merit from the Royal Crown in her native New Zealand. 

Well known titles by Cowley include the Boston Globe/Horn Book winner Red-Eyed Tree Frog, Mrs. Wishy-Washy, Big Moon Tortilla, and Gracias, The Thanksgiving Turkey.  You can learn more about this popular author at her personal website: The Official Joy Cowley Website.

This month's Author Challenge is sponsored by Hameray Publishing Group, who are:

Dedicated to publishing innovative literacy materials for today's educators. Combining a sound research-based method for boosting literacy with cutting-edge classroom solutions, Hameray develops literacy materials, including leveled books and teacher resources, targeting the needs of struggling readers, early readers, English Language Learners, special needs students as well as those reading at grade level in kindergarten to eighth grade.

To publish best-in-class educational materials, Hameray collaborates with top authors and leading educators. All Hameray product lines are evaluated by well-respected educators and teacher trainers prior to launch.

We're excited to share with you that Hameray Publishing Group recently announced:

The release of 15 all-new children’s books by award-winning author Joy Cowley. The highly anticipated return of Cowley’s famous characters - Mrs. Wishy-Washy, Dan the Flying Man, the Hungry Giant, the Meanies and Smarty Pants – promises to captivate today’s generation of early readers.

“Recently, many letters came from teachers telling me they learned to read with my books, and are now sharing that experience,” explains Cowley. “This truly warmed my heart! Within many of the letters were requests for further stories about student’s favorite characters. For this reason, I decided to revisit the special characters teachers already know well.”

Cowley introduced the much-loved Mrs. Wishy-Washy character in 1980, which quickly gained a strong following among educators. The character’s initial success led to the release of eight additional Mrs. Wishy-Washy titles between 1993 and 2005. Collectively, these titles sold over 40 million copies worldwide, and have been translated into many languages. While Mrs. Wishy-Washy remains Cowley’s most popular, all five of the revisited characters are celebrated by educators, critics and students alike.

The value of Cowley’s children’s books is seen not only through their popularity, but also by the support received from parents and educators.

Dr. Adria Klein, Professor Emerita and educational staff developer, endorses the all-new Joy Cowley Collection as effective reading material for students learning to read and write.

“Joy Cowley is one of the world’s most acclaimed authors of children’s books and her characters are beloved by generations,” affirms Dr. Klein. “It is great news that she returned to writing children’s books. These new stories about favorite characters will certainly be welcomed by children and teachers in the early grades.”

Cowley’s renewed energy for writing children’s books stemmed from constant interaction with her grandchildren and great-grandchild. Cowley explains, "the day I'm no longer with children is the day I stop writing for them, because the energy flow comes from them and goes back to them."

The all-new Joy Cowley Collection is written for first and second grade reading levels, and is of interest to students in kindergarten to second grade. To further engage students in the joy of reading, selected big book versions are also available. Meanwhile, Cowley is completing 30 additional early reader titles for release within the next two years.

The all-new Joy Cowley Collection is specifically written for early readers. The Guided Reading Levels of the titles within the series range from H to M, and the Early Intervention Levels range from 14 to 20. Teacher notes are included in the back section of each book. 

Review:
I have read and used many of Joy Cowley's picture books in my classroom previously, so I was excited to receive five of the fifteen new titles to review.  My three year old really enjoyed hearing the stories!  The fun rhyming, repetition, silly stories, and colorful illustrations caputured her attention right away. 

I realize that many of our readers are homeschoolers.  These are fantastic titles at a great price, less than five dollars apiece, that a wide range of learners will enjoy.  Your younger children will enjoy them as read alouds and older siblings will get a lot of use out of them as quality early readers.  Classroom teachers, these would be great to use as leveled reader for instruction.

The text is accessible with plenty of rhyming throughout.  The storylines are simple enough for quick retelling to check for comprehension mastery and I like how they are leveled for quickly matching up with abilities.  The handy teacher notes at the back of each provide good ideas for utilizing the books for punctuation, tenses, program solving, vocabulary, predictions, tying into prior knowledge, etc.

These readers, with a stapled binding, are a good size.  At over eight inches tall and seven inches wide, they are a larger than many readers I've utilized in the past.  Each one has a glossy cover and full color illustrations to engage readers.  The text is a nice and big and a basic san serif font is used, making the story easy to read.

Giveaway!

Hameray Publishing Group is giving one of our readers a set of the five books pictured in this post:

Dan and the Parrot: Grandma Fay has lost her parrot. Can Dan the flying man get it back?

Word Count: 230
Intervention Level: 18
Guided Reading Level: K

Mrs. Wishy-Washy and the Big Wash: No water! Mrs. Wishy-Washy takes the animals to town.
Word Count: 225
Intervention Level: 16
Guided Reading Level: I

Those Yucky Meanies! What do Meanies eat for lunch? It is yucky!
Word Count: 153
Intervention Level: 14
Guided Reading Level: H

Smarty No Pants: Smarty Pants washes his pants on a windy day. Will the wind blow them away?
Word Count: 210
Intervention Level: 20
Guided Reading Level: M

To Enter:
Visit Hameray Publishing Group's Giveaway Page and sign up to be sent the Joy Cowley Collection brochure.  Fill out the form provided.  ONLY entries through the Giveaway Page are valid.

Giveaway is open to US residents and closes in two weeks on Friday January 22nd.

Author Challenge Submissions:
We'd also like you to submit your learning activity links incorporating any titles or other learning materials or that are based on the works of Joy Cowley to us by the 22nd .  Please email us so we can feature you in the January Author Challenge post!  Look for our reader spotlight fom last month's challenge this weekend.

Disclaimer: Thank you to Hameray Publishing Group for providing the reviewers and giveaway copies of the books.  This review relates the genuine and unbiased opinions and experiences of Katie from Katie's Nesting Spot and yours may differ.  Materials provided by the publisher were used in this post.

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Author Challenge: Tomie dePaola

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Tomie dePaola

Here's a bit of an introduction to Tomie dePaola, taken from his official website.  (pronounced Tommy da-POW-la) is best known for his books for children.

He's been published for 40 years and has written and/or illustrated over 200 books, including 26 Fairmount Avenue, Strega Nona, and Meet the Barkers.

Tomie dePaola and his work have been recognized with the Caldecott Honor Award, the Newbery Honor Award and the New Hampshire Governor's Arts Award of Living Treasure.

He lives in New London, New Hampshire with his new Airedale dog, Brontë.



In the Heart of my Home has put together a fantastic resource for homeschool families, it is a literature unit that integreates many of dePaola's holiday books.  She, by the way, was the winner of a homeschool blog award for 2009.

Good Reads has an extensive list of Tomie dePaola's books.

A Day of Wonders has written a review of a dePaola Christmas favorite, The Legend of the Poinsettia.

The Christmas Season has posted a Children's Christmas Literature Unit called :Have a Tomie dePaola Holiday.

Find out more about Strega Nona from a mom's perspective at flipflops and applesauce.  This review includes a free coloring page.

Bibbidi bobbidi Boo has written a review of The Art Lesson.

Murray Hill 5~In My Kitchen write about Tony's Bread.

Margo Dill's Read These Books and Use Them has done a review of dePaola's Meet the Barkers.

Thank you to The Adventures of Bear for taking us up on the challenge.  She submitted a book review of dePaola's Watch out for the Chicken Feet in Your Soup.  In this second link you will find the follow up baking project she put together to go with the story.  Because of her participation, Julie will be our Saturday Spotlight blogger in January!

Update: We got a last minute submission from Sandra at Monkey See Monkey Do, they read The Legend of the Pointsettia.  See her post for a nice review of the book and to find out how they made their own pointsettia for the tree out of toilet paper rolls.

Update #2:  Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns has sent us a review of dePaola's Country Angel Christmas and pictures of the activity they did to follow up the reading.

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Author Challenge: Laura Numeroff

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This month's Author Challenge was to share an activity or lesson based on one of Laura Numeroff's books. The If You Give...series were by far the favorites of our readers. Thank you to everyone who participated! Before we share their contributions, here are some online sources we want to share with you.

Visit Laura Numeroff's website, be sure to check out the links she provides at the bottom of the teacher's page.

To see a list of all of the books currently available from Numeroff, click here.

Decorate your own cupcake with Cat.

Mouse Cookie Books, is a great tie in website. Each book in the series has a page where you can meet the main character. Click on activities for each one to see links for games, printables, etc. You can also play a counting game with Mouse, a beginning letter game with pig, or a complete the picture shape game with Moose.

Starr at examiner.com sent us lots of activities to go with Numeroff's holiday book featuring Mouse! Besides suggesting you trace and make a template for a Mouse ornament,

you can also: "Cut a tree and ornaments from construction paper. Write out numbers on the tree and on the ornaments. Kids can match the numbers and glue on the ornaments to decorate the tree."

"Write out key story events in a circle on poster board or construction paper. Use drawings, cutouts and magazine clippings to go along with each event. Kids paste the cutouts in the correct location according to the diagram."

"If kids are too young to string popcorn with a real needle, string packing peanuts on pipe cleaners or yarn." This is a good way to work on prewriting fine motor skills. "

You could also create "popcorn" numbers and have your child string them in number order.

Make your own fun alliteration book: If you give a Moose a ___________ and think of as many M words as you can to give the Moose. Write the sentence at the bottom of the page and have your child fill in the blanks with "kid writing" (their own phonetic spelling) and illustrate the picture. Staple to create a silly book you can read over and over.

Silly Eagel Books made this delightful Moose sock puppet, based on the illustrations in the book and her daughter has really enjoyed playing with him and the Mouse sock puppet she also made.

A fun way to start the day would be to make letter pancakes and spell out PIG.

Vanessa from Silly Eagle Books and her daughter had a fun time reenacting part of the book, the picture/letter writing segment of the book which comes right after a tap dancing session.

"Then she'll want you to take her picture. So you'll have to get your camera. When she sees the picture, she'll ask you to take more. Then she'll want to send one to each of her friends. You'll have to give her some envelopes and stamps and take her to the mailbox."

They went out and took pictures of their stuffed pig and then really sent their pictures off in the mail, how fun!

Cindy at Izzie, Mac & Me created two math games for her daughter based on If You Give a Pig a Pancake. Check out these fun learning experiences she created for her!

"I made 20 pancakes (Microsoft Word), 10 pancakes with numbers 1-10 and then 10 pancakes with different amount of dots (1-10). The concept is to match the pancakes (number with the correct amount of dots). For more drama, I put the pancakes on a baking sheet and gave Izzie a spatula to use."

"I wanted to create a game that would reinforce taking turns. I made 2 large pancakes and game cards (Microsoft Word) that included the following toppings, 1 chocolate, 2 strawberries, and 3 blueberries. For the game pieces, I used the velcro chocolates, strawberries, and blueberries from Izzie's Just Like Home Cake Decorator Set. We took turns picking game cards and then attaching the correct topping to our pancake. It's a simple game, but it really encouraged Izzie to practice taking turns."

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Announcing the Author Challenge - Second Edition

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Please check out our FAQ in the left sidebar.

Thank you so much to all of you who participated in our first Author Challenge Feature for October. The author was Eric Carle! It was fun to see the many activities that you put together to enjoy Carle's books with your children and students. As promised, we have chosen one of our participants at random to be featured in an upcoming Saturday Spotlight.

"Confessions of a Homeschooler made a two great activities you can download! The graphing sheet you can fill out as your read the story. The lacing cards are twist on the usual activity, as you read the story you add the things the caterpillar eats onto the lace. What a creative way to incorporate fine motor skills and story retelling! These are just two of the caterpillar activities Erica has made and shares with us, there are lots more downloads..."

Erica we will be in touch with you to gather some information from you about you, your blog, your family, and your interests to be used in our spotlight.

Now to announce the November author challenge...
Laura Numeroff

Use one or more of Laura's titles during the month of November and post your activity or lesson on your blog. Send us the link, a picture, and a short explanation of what you did with the book before November 19th when we will be featuring all of the collected author challenge suggestions.

Here are a few of the possibilities:
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
If You Give a Moose a Muffin
If You Give a Pig a Pancake
If You Take a Mouse to School
If You Take a Mouse to the Movies
If You Give a Pig a Party
The Chicken Sisters
If You Give a Cat a Cupcake
What Mommies Do Best/What Daddies Do Best
Two for Stew
Dogs Don't Wear Sneakers

and more...


Numeroff's books are especially good for preschoolers and kindergarteners, they'll love the fun stories and how one thing leads to another. Many children head to kindergarten being able to recite her tales. Katie, from Katie's Nesting Spot, used to do a writing activity with first graders, where they had to model a story in the same format as Numeroff's. It was always very popular with the kids and even the ones who had trouble with writing liked creating elaborate tales about If you give a ______ then s/he'll probably ______. It is also easily modifiable into a collaborative kindergarten class book.

Here is a list of Teacher Links and Activities Matched with Educational Standards to get your wheels turning!

We thought this would be a great time to feature Laura Numeroff because we noticed that she's currently Kohl's Care's for Kids featured author. If you're not familiar with her books, it's a great time to add her to your household library. You can purchase one of her popular titles in hardcover or a plush animal characters to go with each book available, for only five dollars. Kids always love retelling the story and going on new adventures with book characters they are familiar with. They make great gift combos too, since you can get a book and toy for ten bucks.

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