Picture Book - A Poem in Your Pocket by Margaret McNamara

Illustrated by G. Brian Karas
2015 Schwartz & Wade Books

HC $16.99

32 pgs.

Goodreads rating:  3.94 - 355 ratings

My rating:  5, It's a terrific book

Endpapers:  Deinm blue with denim pockets with slips of papers (with words) sticking out of each
  

1^st line/s:  "Mr. Tiffin's class had never had an author visit them before."

My comments: This is a terrific book, telling both the story of a teacher and his class and the cool way he teaches them about poetry - including similes, metaphor, concrete poetry,  acrostic poetry, and haiku.  And, so importantly, that poetry doesn't have to rhyme!  There's a bit of a theme about not trying to be perfect, as one of the clever kids in the class never writes a poem because she doesn't think it's good enough.  (Funny that no one's ever written a book about kids writing really bad poems...)

Goodreads:  Usher in National Poetry Month with Mr. Tiffin and his students, stars of the hugely popular How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? and The Apple Orchard Riddle. 
          Once again, Margaret McNamara sets her playful, child-friendly story in the classroom, and this time, poetry—from metaphors to acrostics to haiku—is the name of the game. The focus here is on Elinor, whose confidence falters as she tries to write something "perfect" for Poem in Your Pocket Day and impress a visiting poet. G. Brian Karas's accessible, adorable illustrations add to the fun.
          Includes a list of Mr. Tiffin's tips for celebrating Poem in Your Pocket Day.
          "A nimble introduction to poetry as well as a sensitive look at the perils of perfectionism." —The New York Times
          "Pair this book with the works of Shel Silverstein, Paul B. Janeczko, Jack Prelutsky, Douglas Florian, or Robert Louis Stevenson." —School Library Journal, Starred

39. The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths

Listened on Audible
read by Andrew Wincott, Esther Wane, Sarah Feathers, Anjana Vason
Unabridged audio (10:32)
2019 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
352 pgs.
Adult Mystery
Finished 4/28/19
Goodreads rating: 4.06 - 2669 ratings
My rating:  3.5
Setting: Contemporary England

First line/s: "If you'll permit me, said the Stranger, I'd like to tell you a story."

My comments:  I've read other Eli Griffiths books and greatly enjoyed them...and I enjoyed this one too, just not quite as much.  There were three major voices in the story, and three different voices narrated it, which was nice.  It kept skipping quickly between those voices and would probably have been a little more confusing without the change of speaker.  A fourth voice was that of a deep, old-fashioned British male voice reading the short story, "The Stranger," divided into four or five short parts, which were inserted here and there throughout the book.  Plot points overlapped, they didn't flow - each speaker didn't pick up and continue in the same place that the previous speaker stopped.  This was disconcerting at times.  And I had deep uncertainties about Claire which were difficult to let go - how many mothers would happily let their 15-year-old daughter date a 21-year-old man, no matter how much of a sweetheart he was?  Having this sort of cloud hanging over the head of one of the protagonists was hard to shake.  And even though everything was wrapped up by the end, it seemed as if something was missing.  Hmmmm.  Oh well.  It was in interesting mystery.....

Goodreads synopsis:  From the author of the beloved Ruth Galloway series, a modern gothic mystery for fans of Magpie Murders and The Lake House.
          Clare Cassidy is no stranger to murder. A high school English teacher specializing in the Gothic writer R. M. Holland, she teaches a course on it every year. But when one of Clare’s colleagues and closest friends is found dead, with a line from R. M. Holland’s most famous story, “The Stranger,” left by her body, Clare is horrified to see her life collide with the storylines of her favourite literature. 
          To make matters worse, the police suspect the killer is someone Clare knows. Unsure whom to trust, she turns to her closest confidant, her diary, the only outlet she has for her darkest suspicions and fears about the case. Then one day she notices something odd. Writing that isn't hers, left on the page of an old diary: "Hallo, Clare. You don’t know me." 
          Clare becomes more certain than ever: “The Stranger” has come to terrifying life. But can the ending be rewritten in time?

34. The Map Trap - Andrew Clements

Audio cd read by Keith Nobbs
2014 Atheneum Books for Young Readers
144 pgs.
Middle-grade CRF
Finished 6/14/16
Goodreads rating:  3.71 (408 ratings)
My rating: 4
Setting: Contemporary small town Illinois

First line/s:  "When the fire alarm began to beep and blink on the Tuesday morning, the first thing Miss Wheeling thought about was her hair."

My comments:  As usual when I read Andrew Clements, I was not disappointed.  I was twice-thrilled to discover that not only did this young many love maps, he was a geocacher, and this was described and mentioned throughout the book.  Very cool!  Geocaching is the next-best-thing to letterboxing (IMHO) and I've never seen it mentioned in a book before.  Alton is a polite, thoughtful young man who instantly drew me in.  The (very) young teacher in this book is so unlike me, but I loved her, as well as Alton's friend (whose name I've already forgotten).  Short, fun read.  This was on just two cds and read by the very talented Keith Nobbs. NOTE:  I think there are some cool illustrations in this book that I missed out on by listening and not reading.

Goodreads synopsis:  This map-tastic middle grade story from Andrew Clements gives the phrase “uncharted territory” a whole new meaning!
          Alton Barnes loves maps. He’s loved them ever since he was little, and not just for the geography. Because maps contain more information than just locations, and that’s why he likes to draw maps as well as read them. Regular “point A to point B” ones, sure, but also maps that explain a whole lot more—like what he really thinks about his friends. And teachers. Even the principal.

The Twelve Days of Springtime - Deborah Lee Rose

A School Counting Book
illustrated by Carey Armstrong-Ellis
2009, Abrams Books for Young Readers
32 pages
$15.95
Endpapers:  Lime/springtime green
Title Page:  Colorful, four of the students outside playing just after a rain shower

"On the first day of springtime, my teacher gave to me . .
. . . a garden to water carefully."

There are eight kids in the class, each with their own separate personalities.  Their outfits and activities change as each day passes.  The teacher's facial expressions are great - they always react to what the kids are doing.  We watch a couple of aquariums in the classroom change as the days pass, one with caterpillars, the others with tadpoles.  There's so much to see in each illustrations, Ella and I poured over each one.

At the back, the artist described how she created the illustrations, first sketching, then outlining in pen and ink, then painting with gouache and detailing with colored pencils.  Very cool book.

Carmen Learns English - Judy Cox

Illustrated by Angela Dominguez
Holiday House, 2010
32 pages
Rating: 3.5
Endpapers: Bright dark pink

When Carmen begins kindergarten, she's the only one who speaks Spanish - with no English at all. And she worries about her little sister, Lupita, who will start school next year and knows no English. But Carmen is blessed with a caring teacher. Mrs. Coski doesn't laugh at Carmen, and has her teach her classmates Spanish. When she goes home each day she teaches Lupita the English that she is learning.

Carmen admires her teacher and enjoys teaching her sister and her classmates. A future teacher, for sure!

Put yourself in another's shoes. How difficult it must be fore kids when they can't understand a word. A new kindergarten student at our school knows not a work of English, only Hebrew. She cries and cries and cries. At first I felt badly for her, but then I got irritated to see (and hear) her crying all the time. Her shyness was also hindering her. Shame on me! And now, three months into school, although I still see her crying, it is very much less frequent. To be so young, alone, and not able to understand what's going on around you or be able to communicate even simple needs....well.....

I picked up this book at the library and put it back down. But as I did I flipped through the pages. Its' written in a cool font, "Providence Sans." I changed my mind - because of the font - and checked it out.

The Junkyard Wonders - Patricia Polacco

Philomel Books, 2010
$17.99
48 pages
Rating: 5
Endpapers Aqua-azure

Patricia Polacco does it again - and of all her books - I do love 'em all - this is at the very top of my list. Why? It's about a very special teacher, which I think (as a teacher) is very cool. It's about a group of kids who are who they are -- they've had no choice in the matter. Whether the've got diabetes, tourettes, visual and/or physical handicaps, learning difficulties, they are all put into the same class. And they bond. They shine. They care about each other. And they're smart and special.

On the first day of school, Mrs. Peterson shares with them the following definition of GENIUS:

"Genius is neither learned nor acquired.
It is knowing without experience.
It is risking without fear of failure.
It is perception without touch.
It is understanding without research.
It is certainty without proof.
It is ability without practice.
It is invention without limitations
It is imagination without contstraints.
It is ... extraordinary intelligence!"

This story is about how five kids - our author; Patricia Polacco, Thom, Gibbie, Jody, and Ravanna, prove the genius definition. It applies to all of them.

At the end - as an afterward - PP tells what became of her "tribe."

Simply wonderful storytelling.

69. Judy Moody - Megan McDonald

Book #1 in the Judy Moody Series
(Judy Moody was in a mood. Not a good mood. A bad mood.)
Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
Candlewick, 2000
168 pgs.
$5.99
Rating: 5

Check out the Judy Moody website!!

Judy Moody was not very happy to begin 3rd grade. She was in a bad mood. But things started looking up when she walked into the room, met her third grade teacher, and saw that everything they were going to do that day revolved around pizza. Of course, she couldn't show her enjoyment, she WAS in a bad mood......

This if a funny, clever story. The book revolves around an assignment that the class has to do in the first month of school, creating a "me" poster. (I'm really glad these kids take their assignments so seriously!) The T.P. Club is created, a highly secret club. And no, it doesn't mean toilet paper. She discovers that the classmate that eats paste is actually not someone to be kept at an arm's distance, but a collector-like-her that was brave enough to eat paste as a dare. She constantly thinks outside-the-box, enjoying a Venus flytrap as a new pet. She aspires to be a doctor like Elizabeth Blackwell and has a huge bandaid collection. She loves to tease her brother, but is always there to make things all right for him, too. She's a really great kid. I love her!

Highly recommended. Would make a great read aloud for third graders, too.

First Year Letters - Julie Danneberg

Illustrated by Judy Love
Charlesbridge, 2003
32 pgs.
For Gr. 2-4 & teachers!

Now here's a great book to give a teacher! It's about a year of teaching, the second book about Sarah Jane Hartwell. (The first was First Day Teacher).

Full of humor and love, written entirely in letters, the story tells of a great school year and a great teacher. It includes science lessons, corresponding disasters, principal oabservations, escaped snakes, museum visits, and student inquisitiveness (hopefully that's a word.....).

This is a great fun read with pictures that beautifully compliment the letters.

63. Miss Daisy is Crazy! Dan Gutman

My Weird School SERIES #1
Illustrated by Jim Paillot
Harper Trophy, 2004
Funny - 2nd grade protagonist
ages 7-10, 700 Lexile, L

Miss Daisy, the second grade teacher, says she can't read, do math, or even know the presidents. (NOTE: She's a very wise teacher!!) She gets the school reading a million pages so they can "rent" the school for a night to play video games. She gets a famous football player to come to visit to prove that football players aren't "dumb." Funny and clever - loved it. (Bought it for Ashley, who's just started 2nd grade.)

12-29-2012 Ella and I just read this book together.  She read some, I read some.  She's in first grade.  She had to be told a little about some of the humor, but totally enjoyed it.  So did I!)

For a list of the books in the series, look here.

The Dunderheads - Paul Fleischman

Illustrated by David Roberts
June, 2009
Rating: 2 (darn!)
Endpapers: illustration of the Dunderheads tacked up onto a blue wall

Big-bosomed Miss Breakbone is a a tyrannical teacher who despises her students -- who she calls "fiddling, twiddling, time-squandering, mind-wandering, doodling, dozing, don't-knowing, dunderheads!" She gives herself a gold star whenever she makes a student cry and confiscates all their stuff to sell.

Then one day the class has had it and decide to retaliate. Using the special, odd skills each of the dozen-or-so Dunderheads individually hold, they create a plan to break into her fortress-like house to get back their stuff.

Told in the first person by one of the Dunderheads, the kid's personalities are well portrayed, and once I (as a teacher and proud of it) got over the hugely negative attributes of Miss Breakbone, I decided she was a hoot.

Now, Paul Fleischman is my favorite author. I actually preordered this book. I'm sure the illustrations are wonderful, but the whole package just didn't work for me. I'm really disappointed - I don't know if it's in myself, the artwork, the story, or the negative portrayal of teachers in general, which is a hugely pet peeve of mine. I'll reread this in a week or two. See how I feel then. (sigh....)

Erika-San - Allen Say

Published: Jan., 2009
Rating: 4.5
For: Any age
$17.00
Endpapers: Dark grey

This is a lovely book with a lovely story and wonderful illustrations. (I can't say lovely three times in a row!) I didn't rate it a 5 because the story seems a little implausible, though who knows, it may even be based on a true story. It doesn't mention that anywhere, though.

When Erika, an American girl, is young, she sees a picture of a lovely cottage perched on the water's edge on her grandmother's wall. She is told the picture was something her grandfather brought home from a visit to Japan. She loves this picture, and as she grows up she studies Japan and learns Japanese, always thinking about the beautiful picture. As soon as she graduates from college with a teaching degree, she heads off to Japan, for she has a job in Tokyo. But when she arrives in Tokyo she is overwhelmed by the crowds and finds a job three hours away. There she is still overwhelmed by too many people and takes the last teaching job available, one on a remote island. She loves it there. She immediately meets a young male teacher and he takes her exploring the island. And guess what. She sees a cottage that reminds her of the picture on her grandmother's wall. It is a tea house. The ending is very, very cute and satisfying, but I loved the good feeling it gave me, so I won't tell it here.

The illustrations are just delicious, showing modern Japan with so many details - people all looking down as they descend the stairs - all sorts of tiny touches that make me look and look. I probably should have given it a five. I enjoyed this book immensely. I can't wait to read it to a kid somewhere to see how he/she would enjoy it. Is it a kid book, an adult heart-tugger, or something in between?

Willow - Denise Brennan-Nelson & Rosemarie Brennan

Illustrator: Cyd Moore
For: Kids, K-1-2ish
Published: 2008
Rating: 4.5
Read: October 22, 2008
Endpapers: Purple that's cooly and completely covered with doodles in white.

Think outside the box. My all-time favorite motto.

Take an uptight art teacher and a free-thinking young girl who loves art and what to you get? This story. I've known a few Willows through the years. And I've known a few Miss Hawthorn's!

The art teacher, Miss Hawthorn, wants all the kids to draw in the same uniform, realistic way. A tree that's a brown trunk and mass of green above. Not a pink tree, or a tree with one big blue apple for the leaves, Willow is the only student to draw what she sees when she closes her eyes. And she brings in her "famous art" book to share with a frowning Miss Hawthorn. Kids aren't allowed to talk or daydream or look out the window in her class. And when Christmas comes, all the other teachers receive presents, but she receives none. But wait! This year, after all the students have left for the Christmas break and the school is empty, she returns to her desk and finds a beautifully-wrapped gift. It's from Willow. And it's her "famous art" book.

Since there's no one waiting fomr Miss Hawthorn at home, she sits down and reads the book. Then she pulls out paper, paint, colored pencils, and begins to doodle. She really gets into it. She must spend the night right there at school, experimenting with color and technique. And when the kids return to school after the break, they return to a completely changed art room....and a completely changed teacher.

Fanciful and fun fun fun. Now let's talk about the illustrations. And the font. Cool font. Artistic but easy to read. Some of teh illustrations are encircled in a water-colory way on the page with the text. Quite a bit of white on those pages, which brings more attention to the story. But the single-page and double-pages that are completely covered in color and detail - such detail- are lots of fun. Lots. This is another book where I'd like to take some of the illustrations and frame them, placing them all over the house and my classroom to make me happy. They're happy pictures.

Great book. The change is Miss Hawthorn is a little unbelievable - most of the art teachers I've met have not been uptight and afraid to think outside the box. But it's a great book to discuss what might have happened to make her this way. Real things happen to real people, and a teacher who loved art enough to teach it would certainly have the creativity and love of color that the Miss Hawthorn-at-the-end-of -the-book had. Yup. This was a good one.

It brings back Fly on the Wall (Lockhart), where the protagonist's artistic style is so disliked by her art teacher, and how that art teacher tries to change her style. Ridiculous.

"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once grown up." -- Pablo Picasso