I am going to be sneaking a lot of cupcakes under my mask today. It is a BIG book birthday day.
In any other year, planning a party for the 4th day of school would not have phased me. I don't want my new fixed schedule to dictate what I can and cannot do. It just may take me a little while to figure out what I can do.
Until then, you and I can raise our glasses and savor the frosting for the following books (my cupcakes are in my lunch box):
I am One: A Book of Action by Susan Verde and Peter H. Reynolds
I am totally just going to download this book today and share with everyone. Two years ago Susan Verde was our gala visitor and our theme for the whole school year was "I am Me." I can't wait to read this book. Period. Happy book birthday, Susan and Peter. (And Happy International Dot Day, too!) Susan--I hope you will be celebrating your birthday mark with roasted cauliflower and broccoli!
PS: If you are remote or get home early, here's an event for you (personally, I will be teaching a second grade class at this time still)
I admit, I don't know much about this book except that it was blurbed by Jeff Kinney, Brian Selznick and Max Brailler. It must have triggered interest during some Fall books webinar this summer as I put its birthday on my calendar. It's a highly illustrated middle grade novel that I'm sure we will all find fans for quickly and easily.
Nothing in Common by Kate Hoefler and Corinna Luyken
This book was mentioned at at least two fall book previews. I have loved Corinna's illustrations since her debut, The Book of Mistakes came out in 2017. This one looks beautiful as well with a great message. If I was having an in person book birthday party, I would print out these pages for the "goodie bags" and maybe eat doughnuts (any excuse for doughnuts). You know--doughnut binoculars of course!
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Three Keys by Kelly Yang
Is there anyone who didn't love Front Desk a couple of years ago? Kids and adults. We all did. The sequel comes out today! I can pretty much guarantee that it will be on my Newbery 21 list and I haven't even read it yet! Check out this offer from Kelly:
I’m giving this video for FREE to all Title I school. If you’re not a Title I school, you can get this video for FREE with a minimum purchase of THREE KEYS through your local indie bookstore—email me at kellyyangauthor@gmail.com! #ThreeKeys#FrontDesk#OutTomorrow#ShopIndiepic.twitter.com/gnotKESQsX
It seems like just yesterday that we were reading Karina's debut Vanderbeeker novel and now there are four! Happiest of book birthdays to the newest addition to this fun loving family series. Are you new to the Vanderbeeker world or just need a refresher? This one's for you:
I'm sure there are many more birthdays today but my stomach can only handle five cupcakes and two doughnuts (with a side of a Samoa during the I am One event). Happiest of book birthdays to all! 🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂
As we continue to be quarantined with our immediate families, I'm missing my extended family. Last night we had a Zoom seder with relatives from South Carolina, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania and of course, New York. It was so great to see everyone. It goes without saying there were some muting issues and I felt like I was in a Seinfeld episode while we sang "Dayenu" in unison but nevertheless, my heart felt good. It was great to see everyone. My 95 year old grandmother was there through my FaceTime and her brother and his wife (married 71 years!) called in. Even my cousin, a doctor in Manhattan, had the time off to be with us. At 7:00 we were still going and she brought her device to the window so we could hear the New Yorkers out on their balconies cheering for the health care workers.* How could this not be the best seder ever?
That said, today's post is about FAMILY.
Only Nine Chairs: A Tall Tale for Passover
The one good thing about the Zoom seder is that we had a chair for everyone. This book, by Deborah Uchill Miller and illustrated by Karen Ostrove (published by Kar-Ben Copies, Inc.), is one of my favorites for Passover. It's hardly fancy or old but it's fun and has the lovely message of inclusion, how to problem solve, and, that no matter what, there is a place for everyone During any other time, we most likely need to limit our guest list, but not last night. Way more than nine were sitting and I loved it so much.
All the World
One of my favorite books, which also happens to be a poem (Happy 10th day of National Poetry Month!), is All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon and Marla Frazee. I love the beach and especially Long Beach Island, New Jersey. My extended family has been going there since my grandmother was a little girl. In fact, because of that, I wore a ratty, oversized reunion t-shirt from 2001 to our seder last night. We still go and it is a very special place for all of us.
Back to All the World. I have always loved it but it means something entirely different today. I know we are all eager to see the world outside of our zip codes. We must keep reminding ourselves by staying inside, all the world will be ours again soon.
If you can get a hold of the book (and even if you can't), here are some ideas of things you can do, inspired by Weston Woods:
Choose 3-4 different places in the world to study and
compare. What things are the same all over the world?
Discuss how families are the same around the world. This is so relevant today because all over the globe people are staying inside and coping with the effects of the virus.
Create a collage of families from different parts of the
world. On the collage, write some of the ways families are the same.
Make a collage or write a poem about what you look forward to when we can be out in the world again.
Going Down Home with Daddy
This gorgeous book (it won Caldecott Honor this year!) by Kelly Starling Lyons and illustrated by Daniel Minter is about a family renuion. "Soon, I will see my grandma, granny and hang out with my cousins." That's what it is all about, right? #Cousins
Fry Bread
We all have foods we love to enjoy with our families at holidays or just ice cream at the beach. A couple of summers ago our favorite ice cream shop closed. We used to walk to 6th Street every night and get our favorite flavors. I waited all year for my Vanilla Peanut Butter Swirl. I'm still adjusting without Aunt Ollie's.
I love Juana Martinez-Neal and I love her illustrations in the Sibert winning, Fry Bread written by Kevin Noble Maillard. I made fry bread last fall for all of my 3rd graders. It was quite yummy. Here are some questions to ask your family tonight:
What foods or traditions are important in your family?
What foods do you eat that has a special sound, shape or taste? (Matzah is usually square, unless you get the Shmura kind that is round. And it is VERY crunchy sounding!)
I know Jews have been eating certain Passover foods for centuries. What food or dishes have been passed down through the generations in your family?
Todd Parr
Woah! I just discoverd Todd Parr's website. It's FILLED with stuff to keep you occupied for hours. I went there initially because I love his The Family Book and found a treasure chest of activities for you. He actually has a new book coming out this Tuesday, The Birthday Book. Here he is on Instagram reading from it a bit and sharing that even if you have a birthday now and may not be able to celebrate it with all your family and friends, maybe you can celebrate it again in July?
If you are looking for a great chapter book series about a big family, look no more.
There are three books already in the series by Karina Yan Glaser and Book 4 is slated to be released in September! Start reading and you will be busy for awhile! Here is a link to Karina's resource page from her website, including songs (which you know I love!).
The Relatives Came
I've been wracking my matzah filled stomach (and brain) about another book about family and it took all day to come to me. I could picture it on the shelf but I just couldn't think of the title. I finally figured it out! It's The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant and Stephen Gammell. Again, it's another one of those books where family comes from far and wide to be together. 💗
Last but not least...
My family and I had to say goodbye to one of our favorite TV families this week during the "Modern Family" finale. I was disappointed in the actual finale but we all enjoyed the documentary on the mockumentary, the hour before. It was the only show where all four of us could sit down as a family and watch, laugh and even cry (well, me, at least). I always looked forward to Wednesday nights. Any suggestions for another sitcom for a 13, 17 and two 50 somethings?
Enjoy your families today and always. xo
*Please check out Jarrett Lerner's site for more pages like this to thank the people keeping us safe today and every day. If you want to color one and don't know who to send it to, I'd be happy to pass it to my cousin, Elena.
My to-do list has dozens of things on it. I have to stick things on there that are easy (Email X, Y and Z) and others that will happen no matter what (Take Zack to the orthodontist) otherwise I will be so overwhelmed that absolutely nothing will get accomplished.
So in the past week:
My students Skyped with four authors.
The Patriots won the Super Bowl. I'm not a fan but Mrs. Kelliher is and I snapped a photo with her and as many other fans as I could find on Friday. Notice that I got her leaping now, too!
I attended a NYLA Council meeting.
I surprised myself and put the "E" and "M" into a literacy related STEM lesson
Sibert Smackdown projects began and will be ready to present tomorrow
We began Newbery debates.
I heard a second grade boy offer Matt de la Pena and Loren Long's LOVE to a fellow student when she expressed that she really wished she could check out the book (Why do I only have one copy?)
AND I had to reschedule THREE Skypes for today because of a snow day.
You will definitely hear my EXHALE in Denver Monday evening. This award season is exhilarating and as much as it is exhausting.
So who did we meet?
The Sweetest Sound's Sherri Winston was delightful Thursday morning. We could have sat and chatted with her for hours. Mrs. Warland joined us (with fortune cookies) as she was the book group leader and was probably its first big fan since we received galley copies back in early 2016. "I wanted to make a story that felt like childhood to me. You want something bad enough that you cave." Henry and Austin made a Lego book trailer and who knew that Sherri loves legos, too!
Ali Standish
Because Emma was sick the morning we Skyped with Ali Standish, the author of The Ethan I Was Before she couldn't come to school and cried. When I shared this with Ali, she was kind enough to offer to answer Emma's questions separately. How sweet! The kids asked such detailed questions about the plot and characters and Ali happily answered them all.
Yesterday we met Karina Yan Glaser (and her beautiful cat), the author of The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street. Mr. Reischer was that book group leader so I'm glad he was able to be a part of it. Evan, who wasn't in the book group, stayed up till past 9 the night before just so he could finish the book for the Skype.
Then as a totally last minute request, I contacted Jonathan Fenske, author and illustrator (and 2016 Geisel Honor winner) to see if he would be able to give a shout out to my first graders when I shared his 2017 Geisel contending books. He was up for it! Jonathan's A Pig, A Fox and a Box is one of the funniest books and I can never get through a read aloud without laughing out loud! I read A Pig, A Fox and Stinky Socks and We Need More Nuts then he read to us Please, No More Nuts! Yes, a week after World Read Aloud Day but my kids didn't know that! Thanks, Jonathan!
The "E" and "M" in STEM
I surprised myself last week when after we read Triangle by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen and then we designed houses for Triangle and Square using tangrams and legos. Such a fun activity to do on a Friday afternoon, especially when the STEM Fair was that evening.
Sibert Smackdown Part I
This is just a preview of the Sibert Smackdown projects. Fourth graders will begin presenting tomorrow and it's going to be awesome! Kids exclaiming, "I love this book so much!" Group work, collaboration, creativity, passion, all for the love of nonfiction.
Newbery Debates
The final stretch of our Newbery project is our debates. Kids pick their favorite book, we come up with a bracket and then they go at each other. Well, we hope for that and friendly, of course. Honestly, yesterday was the first day and we had one really intense debate: Scar Island vs. Orphan Island. I was biting my finger nails on that one. It was so close. I would almost put my money on Orphan Island going all the way.
Thursday, Friday and of course, MONDAY are going to be packed days! Voting, debating, project sharing (with cookies!) and then the AWARDS! Needless to say, sleep is not on my to-do list.
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