Announcing the 2012 Non-Fiction Nerdies by Mindi Rench

Growing up, I was not a fan of non-fiction books.  I loved romance.  I loved sweeping sagas of families facing hardship.  I loved books about girls in itchy dresses.  I did NOT love books about the habitat of parrots or how to build a garden in my backyard.  In a pinch, I would read the encyclopedia if I had nothing else to read, but I didn’t necessarily like it.  This is due, in part, to the types of non-fiction books that were available to me in the late seventies and early eighties when I was developing my love of reading.  They often were something like this:

(Photo from http://awfullibrarybooks.net/.  If you haven’t checked out this blog… do so soon!)

Lately, though, as I’ve pushed myself to read more non-fiction written for kids and teens, I’m seeing that things have changed!  The books are engaging… they’re well written… they’re fun to read.  Good thing, too, with the new emphasis on non-fiction that’s come about with the Common Core State Standards.  Luckily for us, some amazing non-fiction books were released in 2012, and here are five of the best, as voted by Nerdy Book Club Readers like yourself.

Here they are… the 2012 NON-FICTION NERDIE WINNERS!

Temple Grandin:  How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World by Sy Montgomery

In this book, Sy Montgomery describes Grandin’s childhood and shows readers how it was because of, not in spite of, Grandin’s autism that she was able to empathize with the livestock she loves and discover new, more humane ways for handling livestock.  The book includes blueprints from several of Grandin’s projects as well as great photography.  Montgomery is one of my favorite non-fiction authors, and this book did not disappoint.

Bomb:  The Race to Build – and Steal – the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin
With Bomb, Sheinkin opens the door on a piece of US history often glossed over in textbooks.  His fascinating explanation of the development of the first atomic bombs and the spies who were stealing the plans, would be a great addition to any US history course that covers World War II.  It’s a book that takes a complex issue and breaks it down so that middle school readers can understand just what was at stake and the lasting effects in our world today.

Titanic:  Voices From the Disaster by Deborah Hopkinson

2012 marked the 100th anniversary of the Titanic disaster, and there was no shortage of books on the topic. Among the best was this one by Deborah Hopkinson.  Using the voices of the victims and survivors themselves, Hopkinson brings the reader right onto the ship.  I felt as if I were there on that fateful April night, and I couldn’t put the book down, even though I knew how the story would end.  This book is a testament to the power of primary sources.

Guy-Write:  What Every Guy Writer Needs to Know by Ralph Fletcher
Ralph Fletcher hits another home run with this book targeted at, but not just for, boys.  Fletcher emphasizes the power of choice in this guide to writing, encouraging young writers to write about things they are interested in or are important to them, even if the grown-ups in their lives might not agree with the topics.  Like Fletcher’s other books for young writers, the voice in this book is approachable and engaging for middle grade readers.

Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass: The Story of an American Friendship by Russell Freedman
Russell Freedman is another of my favorite non-fiction authors.  His ability to combine photographs and other artwork with words to create a compelling story that draws the reader in is unparallelled. In his latest work, Freedman takes on the friendship between President Abraham Lincoln and abolitionist and former slave Frederick Douglass. He shows how similar these two men really were and how their meetings changed the course of United States history.  This one, also, has a place in US history classrooms.

So there they are… five amazing books, all worthy of space in classroom libraries and all great books for young teens AND adults!  If you haven’t read them, go get them.  I’ll wait for you, and then we can share our thoughts!

Mindi Rench spreads the Nerdy Book Club love as a junior high literacy coach at Northbrook Junior High in Northbrook, Illinois, and as mom to two members of the Junior Nerdy Book Club.  You can find her on Twitter as @mindi_r and read her blog at http://nextbestbook.blogspot.com.

ANNOUNCING THE 2012 POETRY NERDIES by Mary Lee Hahn

Light Verse,

Incredibly Diverse,

Apologies,

Honey Bees,

Contemplation,

Rumination.

Best six:

Classics

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LIGHT VERSE

I’ve Lost My Hippopotamus

by Jack Prelutsky

illustrated by Jackie Urbanovic

Greenwillow Books

Author’s Website

Jack Prelutsky, the inaugural Children’s Poet Laureate, continues to delight children with his poems. Filled with more than 100 poems, I’ve Lost My Hippopotamus includes such silliness as

MY FRIEND PETE

Though I’m impressed with my friend Pete,

Who plays the cello with his feet,

I am dazzled by his sister Rose –

She plays the tuba with her nose.

INCREDIBLY DIVERSE

National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry: 200 Poems with Photographs That Squeak, Soar, and Roar!

compiled by J. Patrick Lewis

National Geographic Children’s Books

Author’s Website

J. Patrick Lewis, current Children’s Poet Laureate, has compiled a must-have collection of 200 animal poems “With favorites from Robert Frost, Jack Prelutsky, Emily Dickinson and more.” Every page in this coffee table-sized book has stunning National Geographic photography and one or more poems about the featured animal. Browse this beautiful book, or search by title, poet, first line, or subject in the indices. Resources also include tips for writing different forms of poetry, and a bibliography of a variety of children’s poetry books organized by poetry form.

APOLOGIES

Forgive Me, I Meant To Do It: False Apology Poems

by Gail Carson Levine

illustrated by Matthew Cordell

HarperCollins

Author’s Website

William Carlos Williams’ poem “This is Just to Say” was the inspiration for this collection of false apology poems. Many of the poems reference Mother Goose rhymes or fairy tale characters with kid-sized literary allusions, but others simply channel childhood sibling rivalry:

THIS IS JUST TO SAY

While you were buying

doll dresses

I sanded off

your Barbie’s face

which

you constantly

patted and praised

Forgive me

her beauty

was only

skin deep

The poems are smart and punny – a ready-set-go mentor text that invites readers to try a false apology of their own!

HONEY BEES

UnBEElievables: Honeybee Poems and Paintings

by Douglas Florian

Beach Lane Books

Author’s Website

Douglas Florian pairs poems featuring his trademark rhyming wordplay with paragraphs of information about honeybees (and whimsical paintings) in an collection that entertains and educates in equal measures. From a welcome to the hive through a wondering about the demise of honeybees, Florian gives readers a complete tour of a honeybee’s world.

CONTEMPLATION

Step Gently Out

by Helen Frost

illustrated by Rick Lieder

Candlewick

Author’s Website

This picturebook-length poem, dazzlingly illustrated by Rick Lieder’s photographs of insects, encourages the reader to “Step gently out, / be still, / and watch / a single glade / of grass.” Guided by Helen Frost’s words, we are still, we look, we listen, and we remember to appreciate all of the creatures that share the world.

RUMINATION

October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard

by Lesléa Newman

Candlewick

Author’s Website

Matthew Shepard was a gay twenty-one-year-old University of Wyoming student who was savagely beaten, tied to a fence, and left to die on October 6, 1998. This cycle of sixty-eight poems (for readers in middle school and up) explores the events of that October night from a variety of points of view — the fence, the killers, Matthew Shepard’s mother, the truck, the road, the moon, the deer who was found lying near Matthew when the sheriff arrived at the scene, and more. Each poem includes an epigraph, which is explained with notes at the end of the book. Also included are an explanation of the variety of poetic forms used, and a variety of resources for deeper understanding of Matthew Shepard’s story, plus LGBTQ and human rights issues. This is not an easy book to read, but it is an important story told with compassion and honesty.

Mary Lee Hahn teaches 5th grade Language Arts in Dublin, Ohio. When it comes to poetry, she really earns her Nerdy Book Club wings: she has a collection of US Poet Laureate and Children’s Poet Laureate signatures.

You can find her blogging at http://readingyear.blogspot.com and on Twitter as @MaryLeeHahn.

ANNOUNCING THE 2012 GRAPHIC NOVEL NERDIES by Katherine Sokolowski

I feel like I should run through the street yelling from house to house, “The Nerdies are here! The Nerdies are here!” 2012 brought us some amazing books and I’m delighted to be sharing the graphic novel winners with you. As a huge fan of graphic novels, I am thrilled with this list. I think it represents the best of the graphic novels released this year. Also, a bit of trivia, it has two authors that have won a “Nerdy” two years in a row. Can you guess who?

So, without further ado, the winners of the second annual Nerdy Book Club award in the graphic novel category:

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Babymouse #16: Babymouse for President

Written by Jennifer Holm and illustrated by Matt Holm

 Authors’ websites:

• Jennifer: http://www.jenniferholm.com/
• Matt: http://www.matthewholm.net/

Follow on Twitter: @jenniholm @mattholm

Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHgqmr1Tciw

My students cannot get enough of this series. When Mr. Sharp and Mr. Schu picked Babymouse as part of one of their Twitter book clubs, my students read the two chosen volumes. For a few students, this was their first introduction to Babymouse and many students went on to read the entire series.
In this installment, Babymouse decides to run for student council president hoping to improve school lunches. Competition for the office will be fierce. Babymouse will be running against: Santiago, Georgie, the evil Felicia Furrypaws and even her locker! But with a campaign slogan like, “Babymouse for president, a cupcake in every locker” how can she lose?

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A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel

Illustrations and adaptation by Hope Larson, written by Madeleine L’Engle

Author’s website: http://hopelarson.com/

Follow on Twitter: @hopelarson

Donalyn Miller talked about our “book gaps” in a post on Nerdy Book Club recently. One of my gaps is that I haven’t read Wrinkle in Time, but I have read the graphic novel. I can tell you that with, or without, reading the original novel – this graphic novel is amazing.

For fans of the novel, I have been assured that Larson stays true to the original story, practically word for word. For those of us who haven’t read the original book yet, this is a fabulous graphic novel on its own. Follow Meg as she, Charles Wallace, and Calvin fight to save our universe against a dark force that is taking over.

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Cardboard

by Doug TenNapel

Author’s website: http://tennapel.com/

Follow on Twitter: @TenNapel

My students are big fans of Doug TenNapel’s work. Bad Island and Ghostopolis were both popular titles in our classroom library. Cardboard was quickly snatched up and became the most popular graphic novel of the three.

The book begins with Cam’s dad searching for a birthday gift for his son. He doesn’t have much money but finds a mysterious man who offers to sell him a special cardboard box for the change in his pocket, 78 cents. The box comes with special rules that Cam’s dad promises to follows, and then, of course, forgets.
Cam and his dad create a boxer out of the cardboard and it comes to life. But a mean kid next door, Marcus, gets his hands on the cardboard and quickly loses control as more and more cardboard items come to life. This is one action packed book as Cam, his dad, Bill (the boxer made of cardboard), and Marcus try and figure out how they can once again gain control of this magical cardboard.

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Legends of Zita the Spacegirl

by Ben Hatke

Author’s website: http://www.househatke.com/

Zita is back! This time Zita is dealing with a public that is clamoring for her – she has become a hero since the ending of the first book and sometimes that attention becomes too much. When a robot comes up and looks just like her, she let’s the robot take some of the spotlight so she can have a moments peace. Things don’t go as planned and Zita and company end up on another romp across the galaxy. A fabulous graphic novel that will have you anxiously awaiting the next in the series.

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Drama

by Raina Telgemeier

Author’s website: http://goraina.com/

Follow on Twitter: @goraina

Smile is one of the most popular graphic novels in my classroom and students are always looking for more from Raina. This book does not disappoint. Callie is in 7th grade and part of the backstage crew of her middle school’s theater department. The story follows the “drama” of folks trying out for the leads, crushes, relationships, dances, friendships, and more. I loved the character of Callie. She knows who she is and isn’t trying to be someone she’s not. A perfect book for middle school readers that shows how to stand by your friends.

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And that’s a wrap! Did you guess the authors that have won in this category both years? Ben Hatke won last year for Zita the Spacegirl and Jennifer Holm and Matt Holm won for Babymouse #14: Mad Scientist. Congrats to all of the Nerdy Book Club Award winners. In my opinion, 2012 was a great year for readers – amazing books across the board!

Katherine Sokolowski has taught for fourteen years and currently teaches fifth grade in Monticello, Illinois. She is passionate about reading both in her classroom and also with her two sons.

Twitter: @katsok

Blog: http://readwriteandreflect.blogspot.com/.

ANNOUNCING THE 2012 NON FICTION PICTURE BOOK NERDIES by Karen Terlecky

I have been happily immersed in nonfiction picture books lately.  I have spent a lot of time looking at many great nonfiction books as I choose the best mentor texts for nonfiction to have in our classroom library. One of the ways I’ve done that is to spend a great deal of time looking at all the nonfiction picture books that were nominated for a Nerdy Award.  What a great place we are in currently with nonfiction – so many amazing titles out there, covering a wide variety of topics.  Then, when I was asked if I would write today’s blurb to announce the Nerdy winners in this category, I got to spend an entire afternoon perusing different websites, searching for the best ones for book trailers and other resources to introduce the amazing winners.  I’m pleased to say nonfiction picture books are alive and doing well.

That being said, we have seven winners in this category.  Four are biographies, one takes a very up-close look at a species prevalent throughout the world, another tracks the birth and growth of an island and its inhabitants, and finally, we have a book to set to one of the most famous speeches ever given.  With no further ado, the Nerdy Awards in the nonfiction picture book category go to…

Here Come the Girl Scouts: The Amazing All-true Story of Juliette “Daisy” Gordon Low and Her Great Adventure

Written by Shana Corey and illustrated by Hadley Hooper

Scholastic Press, 2012

As a former Girl Scout, this book brought back many memories of learning about the history of Scouts to earn a badge, and more recently (okay, 20 years ago), having my daughters be Daisy Girl Scouts.  Our own Nerdy Book Club members, John Schu and Colby Sharp, did a connected study of biographies between Colby’s classroom and the 5th grade students in John’s school, with Here Come the Girl Scouts being an important focus.  But preceding that collaboration, Colby’s class actually had a Skype visit with Shana Corey.  In addition to their cross-collaboration, this link also provides two interviews with Shana.
http://mrschureads.blogspot.com/2012/04/here-come-girl-scouts-by-shana-corey.html

The Beetle Book

Written and illustrated by Steve Jenkins

Houghton Mifflin Books, 2012

Steve Jenkins is an incredibly prolific writer and I’ve come to look forward to each of his new publications.  The Beetle Book doesn’t disappoint.  Who knew there were so many species of beetles?  The text is incredibly informative, and the pictures of each different beetle just pop right off the page.  I found this review by a Denver Post journalist that I really liked, especially since Boulder, Colorado, is the place that Jenkins calls home.
http://blogs.denverpost.com/artmosphere/2012/10/16/beetle-book/7093/

Looking at Lincoln

Written and illustrated by Maira Kalman

Penguin Group, 2012

Looking at Lincoln is a book that has been on many different lists as a possible award winner.   The story gives the reader, especially a young reader, a wonderful look at the ordinary life of Abraham Lincoln as well as some of his historic milestones.  Jama at Jama’s Alphabet Soup blog posted about how Maira Kalman’s New York Times essays became this delectable book – http://jamarattigan.com/2012/02/12/honest-abe-is-a-babe-maira-kalman-looks-at-lincoln/
Then, as an additional resource, listen to Maira herself share how she created the backstory for Looking at Lincoln : http://www.teachingbooks.net/book_reading.cgi?id=7234&a=1

Brothers at Bat: The True Story of an Amazing All-Brother Baseball Team

Written by Audrey Vernick and illustrated by Steven Salerno

Clarion Books, 2012

Though I can grow quite bored watching nine innings of baseball on the television or at the ballpark, for some reason, I am absolutely fascinated by historical baseball books.  I felt that way about Baseball Saved Us and We are the Ship.  Brothers at Bat continues the fine tradition of excellent baseball history stories.  This time, the story focuses, just as the title suggests, on a baseball team made up entirely of brothers.  We get to know the brothers both as a team and also individually as both world events and personal events happen to them all.
I found a great blog where the teacher shared this book with her students and then posted their responses to the story.  This class is the next generation of Nerdy Book Club members!
http://www.foodiebibliophile.com/2012/05/brothers-at-bat-by-audrey-vernick.html

Helen’s Big World

Written by Doreen Rappaport and illustrated by Matt Tavares

Hyperion Books, 2012

What is not to love when this pair teams up?!!  A great biography writer with a wonderful illustrator – we hit the jackpot with this one!  There are several links that really struck my fancy when poking around today.  The first is when Doreen Rappaport and Matt Tavares visited Books of Wonder, an independent bookstore in NYC.  The pictures of them with some of the artifacts from the book and from Helen’s life are great to see!  - http://matttavaresbooks.blogspot.com/2012/10/books-of-wonder.html
Another link that really touched me was one where Matt Tavares shared some of his thinking about illustrating such a powerful story about a person who could not see or hear – http://matttavaresbooks.blogspot.com/2012/10/helens-big-world-publication-day.html
And finally, a review that nicely sums up this incredible story.
http://wakingbraincells.com/2012/10/09/review-helens-big-world-by-doreen-rappaport/

I Have a Dream

Words by Martin Luther King, Jr. and illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Schwartz and Wade Books, 2012

Though only published in October, I Have a Dream has made many “Best of…” lists already.  And now, we can add a Nerdy Award as well!  Kadir Nelson’s illustrations beautifully capture the moments of the day of this incredible speech by Martin Luther King, Jr.  It gives me hope that a book like this will give new life to this amazing man’s legacy to an entire new generation of readers.

And because I am drawn to anything Kadir Nelson illustrates, I had to add this link to an interview with him where he talks about illustrating this book with TFK kid reporters – http://www.timeforkids.com/photos-video/video/i-have-dream-69016

Island

Written and illustrated by Jason Chin

Flash Point Books, 2012

Island is a book I didn’t pick up until two weeks ago.  Life science and the evolution of an island just didn’t make it to the top of my TBR pile.  When I finally did read Island, I couldn’t help but wonder what the heck took me so long!  This is an incredible book that shares an island’s life story, divided into time periods, millions of years apart.  The concept of survival of the fittest when it comes to what species do in order to survive and adapt is a huge part of what makes this book such a spellbinding read.
The following blog post does an amazing job giving the reader a look inside Island, complete with several of the page layouts that are absolutely gorgeous.

http://gotstorycountdown.wordpress.com/tag/jason-chin/
What a wonderful list of nonfiction picture book Nerdy Award winners!!  Congratulations to all seven Nerdies winners!

Karen Terlecky is a 5th grade language arts teacher who has belonged to the Nerdy Book Club her entire life, dating back to her days visiting the weekly bookmobile and collecting all the books in the Nancy Drew and Cherry Ames, Student Nurse series, and rereading Little Women for at least the 20th time.  Today, she continues her Nerdy status every time she has Nerdy friends (that includes her students) recommend a book she just has to put in her TBR pile (it never seems to shrink!), every time she participates in #titletalk, #bookgapchallenge, #bookaday, and other reading memes, and every time she meets and has the good opportunity to talk to an author whose work she loves. Being Nerdy is the norm in her classroom, and she can’t wait to share the Nerdy Award winners with her students.

The 2012 Early Reader and Chapter Book Winners are…

Discovering the perfect early reader or early chapter book can be difficult.  Sure there are wonderfully illustrated books, but to find one that has just the right illustrations and is engaging; yet written in a way that allows developing young readers to have success is much more challenging.

This year, I am celebrating that the Nerdy Book Awards separated out early readers from picture books.  Don’t you agree that this is a great way to recognize some wonderful books?

I am so excited to announce the winners of the 2012 Early Reader and Chapter Book Category:

BINK & GOLLIE: TWO FOR ONE by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee; Illustrated by Tony Fucile (Candlewick, 2012)

In this follow-up to the first Bink & Gollie (September 2010), readers find our two friends at the state fair.   DiCamillo & McGhee provide fans with three vignettes comprised of a blend of humor, a touch of compassion, and a sense that things will continue to move forward for the pair.  Each story stands alone, yet also flows together and builds upon one another. When Bink tries her hand at Whack-a-duck, I couldn’t help but laugh.  When Gollie steps on stage for the talent show, I felt her nervousness.  And when the fortune-teller confirms what we know about Bink & Gollie and their friendship, I cheered.  Fucile’s illustrations provide just the right level of visuals to enhance the text and provide another level of complexity to each chapter.   I am so glad this book made it to the Top 5.

  

Mo Willem’s makes the Top 5 twice with LISTEN TO MY TRUMPET and LET’S GO FOR A DRIVE (Hyperion Books for Children, 2012)

There is a reason that Mo Willems has won four (4) Geisel Awards or Honors.  Willems is a master at simplicity, humor, and a well thought out story line that just works.  In both Listen to My Trumpet! And Let’s Go for a Drive!, beginning readers will revel in the friendship and the hilarity of  the antics between Elephant and Piggie.  When I scanned the reviews of both books on GoodReads, I noticed that everyone finds their own way of relating to Elephant and Piggie.  Additionally, everyone agrees that these two friends crack them up.  Do you think Willems has award number 5 on his hands with one of these?

MARTY MCGUIRE DIGS WORMS by Kate Messner; Illustrated by Brian Floca (Scholastic, 2012)

Yes, Marty McGuire made the top 5!!!  Can you tell that I am a super big fan of Marty’s? Kate Messner perfectly captures the voice of a 3rd grader. Marty is likeable without being annoying.  Annie, and Veronica Grace and the others from the first book are back.  In Marty McGuire Digs Worms, she and her classmates have 5 weeks to create “How to Save the Earth” Projects. Marty’s project (with some help from Annie) is to start a worm-composting project. Of course there has to be some mishaps or this wouldn’t be Marty.

Here some Nerdy Book Club members tell why they love Marty:

Characters like Marty McGuire are why fiction matters. – Colby

Marty McGuire is one of my favorite protagonists ever. I don’t know if it is because she reminds me a bit of myself or because I wish I knew her, but either way, she is wonderful. – Kellee

Seriously, I love anything Kate Messner writes! She has a unique talent for creating characters whose voices ring true. – Susan

Bad Kitty for President by Nick Bruel (Roaring Brook Press, 2012)

In 2012, there was Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, Babymouse and…Bad Kitty all running for president.  Throughout it all, Bad Kitty taught us a thing or two about presidential elections.

I can’t say it any better than our Nerdy Book Club Friend Paul W. Hankins:

“I just love these BAD KITTY books, God help me; I do. I want that cat to throw the two page hissy-fit and I look forward to it.

But more than the fun is a super introduction to the primary system, how a campaign works, and the importance of making sure one is registered to vote. I love how the BAD KITTY franchise has grown to become a non-fiction kind of ladder to items our younger readers may find confusing or ones our young people may not even have looked at yet.

I won’t give away the election results here. . .that just wouldn’t be right, would it?”

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Alyson Beecher is a Program Support Specialist for Reading & Literacy with the Pasadena Unified School District in California.  She has a serious book addiction and celebrates books as part of the Nerdy Book Club.

 

Twitter: @alybee930

 

Blog: Kid Lit Frenzy

The 2012 Picture Book Nerdies Go To…

The day after Christmas is always a little sad. The presents are unwrapped.  Empty bottles of eggnog are in the recycling bin. You know that in the very near future you’ll have to take down your beautiful Christmas tree.

I have the perfect thing to put you back in a festive mood: THE 2012 PICTURE BOOK NERDIES. The votes have been counted and verified.

Without further ado, the 2012 PICTURE BOOK NERDIES  go to…

Boy + Bot. Written by Ame Dyckman; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino. Knopf, 2012.

Boy + Bot and Ame Dyckman (@AmeDyckman) dominated Twitter in 2012. Fine folks expressed their love for this hilarious and sweet friendship story using the hashtags #Bookaday , #Kidlit, #SharpSchu, #tlchat, #nerdybookclub, #titletalk, #Bookaday , and once a hardcore hashtagger used #AmeDyckmanDeservesAnAwardForBeingTheMostPostivePersonOnTwitterAndAnAwardForWritinganEndearingFriendshipStoryThatKidsBegtoHearAgainandAgain.

This Is Not My Hat. Written and illustrated by Jon Klassen. Candlewick Press, 2012.

This marks author-illustrator Jon Klassen’s second Nerdy. As you’ll recall, he received one for the most discussed book of 2011, I Want My Hat Back.

This Is Not My Hat introduces young readers to one of the most honest fish in the history of children’s books. On the first page, he declares, “This hat is not mine. I just stole it.”  Uh-oh! We know all too well what happened to that sticky-pawed rabbit.  What’s going to happen to the little fish when the BIG FISH discovers his bowler hat is missing? Will he find the little fish hiding where the plants grow big and tall and close together? Will the crab tell which way he went?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions, you better run to your local independent bookshop to find out.

Extra Yarn. Written by Mac Barnett; illustrated by Jon Klassen. Brazer + Bray, 2012.

It’s funny, it’s touching, it’s weird. And there’s magic. And an archduke from distant lands. And a pickup truck wearing a sweater. But once the story starts, you don’t think about any of those seemingly incongruous things. Barnett and Klassen use everything but the kitchen sink, but it doesn’t feel gaudy – it feels classic. -Travis Jonker 

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. Written and illustrated by William Joyce. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2012.

What a year for Mr. Morris Lessmore! First an Academy Award, now a Nerdy Award. I cannot think of a more deserving bibliophile. Congratulations!

Each Kindness. Written by Jacqueline Woodson; illustrated by E. B. Lewis. Nancy Paulsen Books, 2012.

Are you looking for a thought-provoking picture book to pair with R.J. Palacio’s Wonder? If yes, Each Kindness is the perfect book for you.

Read what six Nerdy Book Club members posted on Goodreads:

*”A beautifully-rendered story that explores the little ways we exclude people and the regret that comes when we can’t apologize.” -Donalyn 

*”I had a lump in my throat towards the end of this book. You truly feel the emotion of this book as you read it and the regret that the main character feels for not having reached out in kindness and friendship.” -Alyson 

*”A book that goes straight to your heart. Must-read. Gorgeous illustrations.” -Mary Lee

*”Don’t miss this one during October and Bullying Awareness Month.” -Paul

*”This is a book that will speak to a wide range of students. No easy answers, but questions to raise.” -Mary Ann 

 *”Read it, discuss it, and recommend it to every teacher in your building.”  -Me

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John Schumacher (aka Mr. Schu) is a teacher-librarian at Brook Forest Elementary School in Oak Brook, Illinois.  He is a proud member of the Nerdy Book Club. 

Twitter: @MrSchuReads

Blog: Watch. Connect. Read. 

Our Favorite Books of 2012!

How blessed have we all been with the gift of books! Here is a chance for us to say thanks for our favorites from this year.

 

(This was a tough assignment for many – but you all handled it well. Thank you for sharing your photos with us!)

 

Enjoy the video and Happy Holidays!

 

Igniting the Fire by Michelle Copland

As a teacher of young children, I make it my life’s work to induct members into the Nerdy Book Club.  I have a fabulous classroom library stocked with all the most popular titles as well as timeless favorites.  I give book talks, show book trailers, and create eye-catching displays.  I give my students ample time to cozy up and dig deep into self-selected texts. Reader’s Workshop is the highlight of the school day for the majority of my students – a two-thirds majority to be exact.

 

So what about the other third?

 

Eight of my students have been diagnosed with a learning disability which impacts their ability to read.  Their education plans call for explicit instruction in phonics and countless fluency drills.  Frankly speaking, these students have come to consider reading an arduous and joyless task. Of course remediation amounts to very little if students aren’t consistently applying reading skills in meaningful ways.   In other words, these students need to read.  And they need to read a lot, every single day.  In order to build the fluency and stamina needed to become successful readers, they need to read volumes. But here’s the problem: These readers have learned to avoid reading whenever possible, and who can blame them.  Reading is not fun for them. Finding high interest, readable books for 4th graders who are reading well below grade level is not easy.  I scour bookshelves and booklists.  I create a “buzz” in the classroom so that even my high flyers clamor for these titles. Still I watch my developing readers slip books back onto shelves unread.  I lay awake nights wondering how I can help each of these students buy into “The Club” when there’s no obvious and immediate payoff, when Harry Potter and Percy Jackson seem a lifetime away.

 

But sometimes it takes something other than a book itself to ignite the fire.

 

For my son Sam it was his love of collecting. Sam was diagnosed with a learning disability at the end of first grade.  He entered third grade reading nearly two years below grade level.   Then something truly amazing happened, Sam discovered the Magic Tree House books.  Sam read every one – all 48 of them. (My eternal gratitude to Mary Pope Osbourne for writing prolifically!)  Sure, Sam grew to love Jack and Annie and their adventures through space and time, but what hooked him in the first place was his love for (or obsession with) collecting.  Of course as parents we jumped on this bandwagon.  The deal was every time he finished a book, we took him to the bookstore to buy him the next one.  Sam devoured these books.  Over time his fluency and stamina increased.  We were visiting the bookstore three to four times per week (and spending a small fortune, but it was so very worth it).  After completing the Magic Tree House series, Sam went on to read many other series as well.  By the end of the school year, he had read well over 100 books and had managed to catch up with his grade level peers.  But more importantly, Sam had discovered the joy of reading.  Now in fourth grade, Sam always has a book in hand and several more on deck.  A trip to the bookstore is his favorite outing.  Sam had become a full-fledged, card-carrying member of The Club, the fire has been ignited.

 

I have my work cut out for me this year. I have to find the special “fuel” that will ignite that fire for each of my struggling readers.  I know it’s possible – my son Sam taught me that.

 

For some, the social aspect of our reading community is their ticket in.  These students are willing to do the hard work in order to “talk the talk”, to make book recommendations and be active contributors during book discussions.  This is Ben, who loves a good conversation. I marvel at his ability to dig deep in his discussions about Geronimo Stilton and his complicated relationship with cheese.  For Catelyn, having a one-on-one book club with an adult is the key (Yes, I am reading Jade the Disco Fairy – my husband says there is nothing I won’t do).  The passion for helping others is what drives Rianna, who practices reading texts with “Pizazz” in order to create audio recordings for English language learners. For those who love a challenge, completing a personal book goal is the motivator.  Once lacking the stamina to follow through with any one book, Emily is reading several books per week now working toward her 35 book goal.

 

Slowly, one by one, these students are finding their way into the club.

 

 

Who cares how they get there, as long as they get there.

 

 

Michelle Copland is a fourth grade teacher who can be found on Twitter as @mdcopland.

 

 

 

Book Gap Challenge by Donalyn Miller

Marking the end of another reading year seems artificial to me. There isn’t a noticeable difference between my reading life on December 31^st and January 1^st. I am caught in a book on any given day. I suppose the end of the year provides an opportunity to look back at the books I’ve read in 2012 and plan for 2013. According to goodreads, I will meet my 601 book reading goal with a few to spare. I have more than a few friends who outread me, but how many books I read this year isn’t that important. For a moment or forever, the books I read changed me. That’s what matters.

If anything, a new year offers me an excuse to buy more books. While pre-ordering 2013 titles today, I ignored our overflowing bookshelves. We don’t need more books. With three readers in our house, I refuse to consider our shared obsession a problem as long as Don, Sarah, and I keep feeding the pets and running laundry. We give away books. We visit the library. Our friends borrow books. I haul books to school. Nothing helps. When a book leaves our house, two more appear in its place. I suspect fairies, but I read too many fantasy novels.

I tell myself that I need to keep up with the latest releases because of my work with children, teachers, and librarians. Who am I kidding? Don teases me that only Nerdy Book Club members consider a book old if it came out six months ago. I could probably coast on my to-read pile for a year or two. I often sift through my book stacks like a dragon counting its hoard—moving whatever catches my eye to the top of the heap. Friends’ recommendations, great reviews, intriguing covers, or books my students requested, I create my own taxonomies for determining what to read next.

Selecting books by personal criteria, I miss a lot of books that other people read. Some books in our collection remain unread for months or years. I admit that I have never read Shiloh or Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, two beloved Newbery winners. I read The Story of Mankind last year, so I deserve some forgiveness on this account. I never finished Huckleberry Finn or Moby Dick. I would rather read Pride and Prejudice for the fifth time.

No one who reads should apologize for their preferences and reading experiences, but we can aspire to stretch ourselves or fill any perceived deficits in our reading lives. Cindy Minnich and other Nerdy readers on Twitter recently discussed their personal book gaps—titles they haven’t read in spite of popularity or acclaim. Even the most avid, open-minded readers admitted to skipping award-winners, avoiding certain genres, or postponing books for so long they remain unread.

Looking at my groaning bookshelves, my book gap is clear. I have series commitment issues. A devout fantasy and science fiction fan, I can’t keep up with the endless tide of sequels. Bitterblue, Insurgent, Flesh and Bone, and The Mark of Athena glare at me from the closest bookcase. I started Froi of the Exiles four months ago. It sits in limbo on my nightstand—never finished and never abandoned. Maggie Stiefvater’s Forever held a similar spot last year.  I read her new (thankfully stand alone) book, The Scorpio Races THREE times, but it took me six months to leave Mercy Falls.

Instead of finishing series, I endlessly start new ones. I read The Raven Boys, The Diviners, and Shadow and Bone this year—all three launch a new fantasy series. Perhaps, once I fall in love with a new world and new characters, I am reluctant to leave them. More likely, I enjoy falling in love over and over again.

Determined to finish what I have started—and purchased—I embrace the Book Gap Challenge. This year, I resolve to read more sequels. I invite you to reflect on your reading lives and join me in the Book Gap Challenge. What book is glaring at you? Whether it’s books with dragons on the cover (Yes, Mindi, I am talking to you), romance novels, or that Abraham Lincoln biography you bought last summer, we all have personal reading challenges. The Book Gap Challenge differentiates for every reader, recognizing individual needs and goals without competition.

Share your book gaps with other Nerdy readers and publicly declare your goal by posting a comment or linking to your blog post.

I have a copy of Shiloh if anyone wants it. There are two sequels:)

Donalyn Miller is a fourth grade teacher at Peterson Elementary in Fort Worth, TX. She is the author of The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child. Donalyn co-hosts the monthly Twitter chat, #titletalk (with Nerdy co-founder, Colby Sharp), and facilitates the Twitter reading initiative, #bookaday.

Top Ten Reasons We Love Authors by Jillian Heise and Brian Wyzlic

As is seemingly the case with everyone who attended NCTE, great conversations turned into great planning sessions turned into blog posts/new ideas in the classroom/extensive To Be Read lists.
On the very first day, we found ourselves a nice comfy couch and that became our hub for planning over the 6 days we were in Vegas. Even if we weren’t physically on the couch, we could just imagine it, and the ideas started flowing. This blog post was started in chairs at ALAN and finished at our homes, but was written entirely from that comfy couch (if you’re wondering, it was a couch on the first floor, near the end of the hallway, to the left just before the back-side escalator).
It didn’t take long for us to realize that we wanted to talk about how great authors are and share that with others. Our own little version of a gratefulness post. Everywhere we went during NCTE and ALAN, there were authors doing great things: giving away books (thank you, publishers!), signing for free, talking with teachers, hugging strangers, and just spreading the love and joy of all things literary. So we have come up with our Top Ten Reasons We Love Authors.

1) They save lives.
Who hasn’t heard the story (or had the story themselves) of a book changing someone’s life to the point where they stopped bullying someone, or began to look at their eating disorder, or changed their mind when contemplating suicide? Thank you, authors.
2) They Skype with our classes.
Is there anything cooler than having your students enjoy a great book and then talk, face-to-camera-to-computer-screen-to-face with the creator of the book? For inspiring our students to realize being an author is not something unattainable, and for giving and sharing your time with us and coming into our classrooms, we thank you, authors.
3) They’re real people.
They’re on Twitter and in flesh-and-bone bodies and actually talk with us and have personalities and make mistakes and have insecurities and want affirmation and like music and TV shows and do other things besides just hole up and write. They also talk a lot about revision – those amazing books don’t just come out that way. Thank you, authors.
4) They get excited when we love their books.
We like books. A lot. Sometimes to a level that people would consider embarrassing. But authors are right there with us, supporting us in our love for their work. But it’s not self-promoting support. It’s often things like “hey, I’m so glad you like my book! Can I send something to your students to express my gratitude?” or “wow, you like what I wrote? SO COOL! Let’s be friends!” They allow us to share our own and our students thoughts with them. Thank you, authors.
5) They put up with us fangirling over them.
Okay, sometimes we really do like a book a little “too much” (or so we’ve been told; we’re still not sure what that means). [Wait, Brian wrote that sentence. Jillian is interjecting to say she's never been told she likes a book too much, nor would she ever say that to someone...she doesn't believe such a thing is possible.] But authors put up with us gushing about them to their face (and over Twitter, blogs, goodreads, and everywhere else we can spread the word), often with awkward silences because we’re not sure what to say next, without getting [too] freaked out. Thank you, authors.
6) They fangirl over each other as much as we do.
It’s really fun going to author events and seeing other authors in the audience, getting excited. Or authors from other publishing houses/genres/everything Tweeting how excited they are for the next [insert author’s name here] book. We saw and heard this over and over during NCTE. We even gave one of our ARCs of a popular upcoming book to an author who desperately wanted it. It helps validate our obnoxious love. Thank you, authors.
7) They write books that make our students into readers.
“I never liked to read until I read ___________________.”  ”_________________ is actually really good.” “Do you have more books like ___________________?” Comments we are privileged to hear again and again in our classrooms thanks to the plethora of quality books we can put into kids’ hands. Thank you, authors.
8) They write stories that help us get lost and found.
“Who gets lost in a book?” — Teri Lesesne during ALAN keynote address (all hands in the room go up)
“I get found in a book, too.” — whispered by Donalyn Miller
Thank you, authors.
9) They help us know we are not alone.
We all fall into the trap of thinking we’re the only person going through what we’re going through. Teenagers do this nearly every day. Books are often that gentle (or not-so-gentle) reminder that we’re not by ourselves. We are not the first ones to have gone through this. There are ways to cope. We have company, and in that company there is support. Thank you, authors.
9 1/2) They provide the mirrors and windows for us to see ourselves and the world.
Especially for our students, there is a need to see beyond the walls of their own classrooms and hometowns and people they are used to seeing…or to see those people and places represented in books. We’re given those opportunities through the worlds created and stories told in books. Thank you, authors.
10) Without them, the world as we know it would be lost.
Reading books (especially reading good books) has literally changed the world. It has increased empathy, developed our brains, and given rise to ideas that would not have a foothold were it not for reading. Thank you, authors.

Jillian Heise and Brian Wyzlic are Sister Classroom Teachers. No, they are not actually siblings or any sort of in-laws of each other nor have they met or taught each other’s biological siblings. They just connected in one of those magical Twitter-teacher-connection ways, and BAM, the Sister Classroom was born. They have grown, however, to consider each other bonus siblings mostly thanks to their compatible levels of snark and support of each other. More details can be found here. Also, they learned while writing this post that “fangirl” is a word accepted in Google’s dictionary, but “fan girl” as a phrase is not. You can follow more of their antics on twitter @heisereads & @brianwyzlic.