Charlotte Zolotow Award Announced

The winner of this year's Charlotte Zolotow Award has been announced by the Cooperative Children's Book Center. This award is given annually to the author of the best picture book text published in the United States in the preceding year.

The Winner!

Thank You, Bear
by Greg Foley (Viking)

The Honor Books

At Night
by Jonathan Bean (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

Pictures from Our Vacation
by Lynne Rae Perkins (Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins)

Dragon Dancing
by Carole Lexa Schaefer (Viking)

Other books that were cited by the committee as "Highly Commended" include:

• The All-I'll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll, written by Patricia C. McKissack and illustrated by Jerry Pinkey
• The Chicken-Chasing Queen of Lamar County, written by Janice N. Harrington and illustrated by Shelley Jackson
• A Good Day, written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes
• Granddad's Fishing Buddy, written by Mary Quigley and illustrated by Stéphane Jorisch
• Jazz Baby, written by Lisa Wheeler and illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
• Only You, written by Robin Cruise and illustrated by Margaret Chodos-Irvine
• Pierre in Love, written by Sara Pennypacker and illustrated by Petra Mathers
• Those Shoes, written by Maribeth Boelts and illustrated by Noah Z. Jones
• The Trouble with Dogs . . . ? Said Dad, written and illustrated by Bob Graham
• What Happens on Wednesdays, written by Emily Jenkins and illustrated by Lauren Castillo

Recognize any Cybils nominees and/or finalists here? I'll bet you do.

Adventure in Kids Books?

Ann Giles asks in The Guardian today, "Whatever happened to the classic, rip-roaring adventure books I read as a child?"

Granted, these books were old even in the 1960s, but we read them because there wasn't the profusion of children's books that there is today. I lived and breathed The Three Musketeers and The Scarlet Pimpernel, as well as anything by Jules Verne - of whom there appears to have been more translations into Swedish (my childhood reading language) than into English. I devoured Scott and Stevenson, albeit mainly in abridged versions. When did children stop reading the classic adventure stories?

Giles mentions some current books that now fill the adventure gap, including one of my favorite's, The Diamond of Drury Lane by Julia Golding. I bought mine as a Christmas gift to self in 2006 from Amazon UK. You still can't get it in the US, even though it was on the shortlist for last year's Costa prize. Several books follow Cat Royal as she continues her adventures.

My other new favorite in the adventure series form is Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary "Jacky" Faber, Ship's Boy. Mary Faber is an orphan who lives a life of begging and petty crime on the streets of London. After her gang's leader is killed, she strips his clothing, cuts her hair, renames herself Jack and takes to the high seas. This is a rip-roaring good book. The ones that follow are just as much fun.

Poetry Friday - A Song From the Suds

Perhaps you're wondering where I've been lately. I am spending every waking minute preparing for an on-site review of our Teacher Preparation Program. Since this is for national accreditation, it's a very big deal. So, this work is sucking up all of my time. What I really need right now is a Calgon moment. Until I can steal a few minutes for myself, this will have to do.

A Song from the Suds
by Louisa May Alcott

Queen of my tub, I merrily sing,
While the white foam raises high,
And sturdily wash, and rinse, and wring,
And fasten the clothes to dry;
Then out in the free fresh air they swing,
Under the sunny sky.

I wish we could wash from our hearts and our souls
The stains of the week away,
And let water and air by their magic make
Ourselves as pure as they;
Then on the earth there would be indeed
A glorious washing day!

Along the path of a useful life
Will heart's-ease ever bloom;
The busy mind has no time to think
Of sorrow, or care, or gloom;
And anxious thoughts may be swept away
As we busily wield a broom.

I am glad a task to me is given
To labor at day by day;
For it brings me health, and strength, and hope,
And I cheerfully learn to say-
"Head, you may think; heart, you may feel;
But hand, you shall work always!"

The round-up this week is at The Book Mine Set. Before you head over there to read all of the great poems, be sure to check out this week's poetry stretch results. Happy poetry Friday, all!

Poetry Stretch Results - Inspired Image

This week's challenge was to write a poem to accompany this image.

I wrote the Fib below.

one
small
blossom
holding fast
to this well-worn place
sun-drenched and reaching for the sky

The picture seemed to inspire lots of folks this week, including quite a few newcomers, so welcome! I'm always amazed at how different the results can be, even when we're all focused on the same thing.

Sara Lewis Holmes gives us a poem entitled Flower in Tibet.

Laura Purdie Salas shares a poem entitled Just Breathe.

sister AE at Having Writ gives us Pink.

Ms. Mize shares an acrostic poem called Bloom.

M.F. Atkins at World of Words shares a haiku.

Daisybug at Things That Make Me Say ... gives us her brave attempt.

Paisley at Just Paisley has written a poem entitled desert{ed} flower.

Over at Words are My Life, the author shares a haiku.

Diane Davis shares an untitled poem.

Chelle at Snowshoe Diaries has written a series of haiku.

Cath at little cool shallows hasn't written a poem in a while, but is in big time withBlaspheme. She writes, "Warning: this poem does mention Jesus, Sex, Blaspheme, and a Vagina. If this sentence was offensive, do not read on." I read it, and so should you.

It's not too late to play. Does this image inspire you? If so, leave me a comment about your poem and I'll link it here. Feel free to post this image with your poem.

Open Wide, Look Inside - Change of Address!!

Okay, one thing I despise about relying on the University servers is that they are always moving things around (The powers that be call this migrating.). So yes, you guessed it. Less than one week after launching my new blog--they have moved it on me! ARGHHHHHHH!

Sorry for this. Here is the new info.

Open Wide, Look Inside
http://blog.richmond.edu/openwidelookinside/

Let's hope this one's permanent.

2008 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Winners Announced

The winners of the 2008 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books were recently announced. They are:

Children's Science Picture Book
Where in the Wild? Camouflaged Creatures Concealed and Revealed
David Schwartz and Yael Schy, with illustrations by Dwight Kuhn (Tricycle Press)

Middle Grades Science Book
Dinosaur Eggs Discovered: Unscrambling the Clues!
Lowell Dingus,Luis M. Chaippe, and Rodolfo Coria (Twenty-First Century Books)

Young Adult Science Book
The Wild Trees: A Story of Passion and Daring
Richard Preston (Random House)

Hands-on Science Book
Exploratopia: More than 400 Kid-friendly Experiments and Explorations for Curious Minds
Pat Murphy (Little Brown & Company)

These titles were selected from a strong group of finalists. In fact, a number of Cybils nominees and finalists from the categories of nonfiction picture books and middle grades/YA nonfiction are on this list. Can you find them?

Monday Poetry Stretch - Inspired Image

One of my loyal readers and partners in crime on the crown sonnet project (cloudscome) has suggested that we tackle some stretches inspired by photographs. I've been a bit shy about doing this, as Laura Purdie Salas does such a great job with this in her 15 words or less challenges each week.

I propose to devote the first Monday poetry stretch each month to writing poems inspired by images. I had many ideas for the photo today, but since I didn't have time to request permission for the one I really wanted, I've decided to start with one of my own. The photo below was taken on top of a mountain in Tibet. At 5000 meters (over 16,000 feet), I was a bit surprised to see it.
What say you? What kind of poem will this image inspire you to write? Leave a comment about your creation and I will link the results here later this week. Feel free to reproduce the photo on your blog to accompany your poem.

Nonfiction Picture Books - Cybils Finalists!

After weeks of reading books and discussing their merits, the shortlist for nonfiction picture books is in. HURRAY! I am so pleased to have been a part of this process. Working with Andrea (Just One More Book!!), Emily (Whimsy Books), Fiona (Books and 'Rocks), and Jennifer (Kiddosphere) was amazing. I also can't forget to mention our fearless leader, Eisha (Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast). Thanks, Ladies!

I was convinced that getting from 46 books to 7 would be a difficult task, but in the end, there was little to debate. All seven titles in my top ten made the shortlist. In fact, two panelists had all seven books in their tops tens, one had six, and two had five. If anything, this should tell you that there was great consensus in choosing these books. To learn more about the work of the nominating panel, listen to this podcast over at Just One More Book!!

I am happy to hand this list off to the judging panel, confident that they will have much to discuss in the days ahead. The folks who will work together to make the final decision are:

• Chris Barton (Bartography)
• Jackie Merchant (Tiny Treasury)
• Adrienne Mason (Tough City Writer)
• Becky Bilby (In the Pages)
• Adrienne Furness (What Adrienne Thinks About That)

Without further ado, here are the finalists in the Cybils nonfiction picture book category.

Guess What is Growing Inside This Egg
Written and illustrated by Mia Posada
Millbrook
Buy From Amazon | Buy from BookSense (your local independent)

Let's Go!: The Story of Getting From There to Here
Written by Lizann Flatt; illustrated by Scot Ritchie
Maple Tree Press
Buy From Amazon | Buy from BookSense (your local independent)
Read my review.

Lightship
Written and illustrated by Brian Floca
Atheneum / Richard Jackson Books
Buy From Amazon | Buy from BookSense (your local independent)
Read my review.

Living Color
Written and illustrated by Steve Jenkins
Houghton Mifflin
Buy From Amazon | Buy from BookSense (your local independent)

One Thousand Tracings: Healing the Wounds of World War II
Written and illustrated by Lita Judge
Hyperion
Buy From Amazon | Buy from BookSense (your local independent)
Listen to the podcast review.

Vulture View

Written by April Pulley Sayre; illustrated by Steve Jenkins
Henry Holt
Buy From Amazon | Buy from BookSense (your local independent)
Read my review.

Where in the Wild?: Camouflaged Creatures Concealed ... and Revealed
Written by David Schwartz and Yael Schy; illustrated by Dwight Kuhn
Tricycle Press
Buy From Amazon | Buy from BookSense (your local independent)

In closing, I should mention that there were a few books that never received full consideration by our panel, simply because we weren't able to obtain copies. I was luckier than most in that I was able to find a few titles in my local library and others through interlibrary loan. I know my top ten would have looked a bit different if some of these titles had been available. I was particularly fond of Meghan McCarthy's book City Hawk: The Story of Pale Male and Sawdust and Spangles: The Amazing Life of W.C. Coup by Ralph Covert and G. Riley Mills.

I will continue to post reviews of Cybils nominated books in this category, as I've found a number of great new books to add to my teaching collection.

Before you head out, be sure to take a look at the finalists in the other Cybils categories. You can also read the full list of nominations.

• Fantasy/Science Fiction
• Fiction Picture Books
• Graphic Novels
• Middle Grade Novels
• Non-Fiction Picture Books
• Non-Fiction MG/YA
• Poetry
• Young Adult Novels

Winners will be announced on February 14th.

Poetry Stretch Results - Rhymed Couplets

The most recent poetry stretch asked folks to write rhymed couplets in iambic pentameter. Here's what a few creative people came up with.

sister AE at Having Writ shares a sonnet she wrote for her Dad entitled I'm an Artist. Since she was thinking in couplets, she also wrote a poem called Dear Editor.

Laura Purdie Salas turned her couplets into The Pencil's Plight.

Tiel Aisha Ansari of Knocking From Inside shares a story poem (read the news article first!) called The Fish's Tale.

It's never too late if you want to stretch with us. Create your own poem and drop me a line. Then I'll add your work to the list.

New Blog - What You'll Find There

I thought it might be helpful to give folks a sense of what you'll find on my new blog. Currently, I'm setting up the site so that it will be useful to my students, classroom teachers, homeschoolers and others with an interest in integrating children's literature across the curriculum.

The first thing you will find is a series of posts with links to online resources. I don't want the blogroll on this site to be outrageously long, so all my resource links have been placed in these entries, with the entries linked to the blogroll. One day I'll try to annotate them, but for now, you'll just find links. If you have an idea for a resource list you'd like to see, please let me know. I'll do what I can to put one together.

Thematic lists will appear on both blogs, though they will vary a bit. Since the new blog will have more of a teaching slant, the lists will probably be more tightly focused and divided by grade level or learning objectives. They will also contain ideas for using the books in instruction.

I will continue to include book reviews on both blogs, however, book reviews on the new blog will be based on instructional evaluative criteria. This means that books written specifically for instruction will appear here. The new blog will also feature podcasts about specific books, and their instructional potential.

This blog will remain as the site for poetry, general musings on teaching, book reviews, personal stuff, and more. Don't think because I'm starting a new blog that you can get rid of me that easily. I'm here to stay!

New Blog - I'm On My Way!

My new blog will launch in a few short days. After much thought, I've decided to go with a title inspired by a poem/book by Kristine O'Connell George, called Book!

The title of the new blog is Open Wide, Look Inside. I hope you'll come visit.

Poetry Friday - Sandburg and Math (More Than Just Arithmetic)

I know some readers saw math in the title and ran. What do math and poetry have in common? Since I've been working on a sonnet, I'm counting syllables and looking at rhyme patterns. If that isn't math, I don't know what is. I suppose I see connections between math and poetry the way I see connections between math and music, math and art, math and science and on and on. Math is simply everywhere.

Since I'm still planning my math class for spring (classes start in just 10 days), I do have math on the brain. So today I'm sharing some mathematically oriented poetry by Carl Sandburg.

How Much?
How much do you love me, a million bushels?
Oh, a lot more than that, Oh, a lot more.

And to-morrow maybe only half a bushel?
To-morrow maybe not even a half a bushel.

And is this your heart arithmetic?
This is the way the wind measures the weather.

Child Margaret

The child Margaret begins to write numbers on a Saturday morn-
    ing, the first numbers formed under her wishing child fin-
    gers.
All the numbers come well-born, shaped in figures assertive for a
    frieze in a child’s room.
Both 1 and 7 are straightforward, military, filled with lunge and
    attack, erect in shoulder-straps.
The 6 and 9 salute as dancing sisters, elder and younger, and 2 is
    a trapeze actor swinging to handclaps.
All the numbers are well-born, only 3 has a hump on its back and
    8 is knock-kneed.
The child Margaret kisses all once and gives two kisses to 3 and
    8.
(Each number is a bran-new rag doll … O in the wishing fingers
     … millions of rag dolls, millions and millions of new rag
    dolls!!)

I'm also quite fond of Sandburg's Arithmetic. It begins this way.

Arithmetic is where numbers fly like pigeons in and out of your head.

Arithmetic tell you how many you lose or win if you know how many you had before you lost or won.

Arithmetic is seven eleven all good children go to heaven -- or five six bundle of sticks.

Arithmetic is numbers you squeeze from your head to your hand to your pencil to your paper till you get the answer.

Alkelda the Gleeful highlighted this poem quite a while ago. You should read it in its entirety. (Sadly, the video link is no longer working.)

If you want to learn more about math and poetry, read this entry.

The round-up today is at A Year of Reading. Do head on over and check out the great poetry this week. Happy poetry Friday, all!

New Blog? Absolutely. Now if I Only Had a Name ... CONTEST!

Yes, you read that right. I am about to launch another blog. Back in November I wrote about planning for the spring semester and an iPod grant I was pursuing. I found out just before the end of finals that I was awarded the grant! HURRAY! While I try to contain my excitement over my new 80GB video iPod, I must begin the real work of preparing for this new addition to my class.

I am currently writing a series of lectures that I will record and upload to the new blog for my students (and anyone else interested). They will explore the development of mathematical understanding and ask listeners to consider how children come to learn math. In addition to the podcasts, I will be writing about ideas for teaching math. One major focus will be the use of children's literature as a means to increase student motivation for learning math, provide interesting introductions to mathematical topics, and make learning fun.

My students will be contributing podcasts that highlight children's books for use in teaching mathematics. They will do a little booktalking, describe some ways the book can be used in instruction, and provide related titles.

If this experiment works, I will continue the blog into the fall and add science and social studies to the mix.

So, here's what I need from you. I need a title. ASAP! Since you folks in the kidlitosphere are so clever and creative, I'm going to hold a little contest. I have two gift certificates here in my hot little hands, one for Starbucks ($10) and one for Barnes and Noble ($10). To the victor goes the spoils. Leave your title ideas for a blog about using books across the curriculum (in math, science and social studies) and I'll send both gift certificates to the winner. Put your thinking caps on. Ready? Set. Go!

Mathematically Inclined - Part 2

Encouraging and nurturing the love of mathematics can be a challenge both at home and in the classroom. Here are some of the things I do to support reluctant math lovers of all ages.

Read about math.
There are lots of great books that include mathematical content and encourage readers to explore mathematical ideas. Some of my favorites include:

• The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster - Take a journey with Milo, a young boy who drives through a magic tollbooth into the Lands Beyond and embarks on a quest to rescue the maidens Rhyme and Reason from exile and reconcile the estranged kingdoms of Dictionopolis and Digitopolis. This is a great book for kids enamored of words and/or numbers.

• The Number Devil: A Mathematical Adventure by Hans Magnus Enzensberger - With full color illustrations, this book tells the story of a twelve year old boy and math hater named Robert, who meets the Number Devil in his dreams. Over twelve nights the Number Devil introduces Robert to the exciting world of math.

• Brown Paper School Math Books - Don't let the publication dates fool you into thinking these are out of date (one was first published in 1975!). These are great books for helping kids see that math is fun and for everyone.
  
• The I Hate Mathematics! Book by Marilyn Burns
• Math for Smarty Pants by Marilyn Burns
• The Book of Think: Or How to Solve a Problem Twice Your Size by Marilyn Burns

• Books by Greg Tang - Greg Tang has written a series of books that encourage children to look for patterns in math and find more "economical" ways of solving problems. These picture books can easily be used in grades K-5.
• Grapes of Math: Mind Stretching Math Riddles
  
• Math for All Seasons: Mind-Stretching Math Riddles
  
• The Best of Times: Math Strategies That Multiply
  
• Math-terpieces
• Math Appeal
• Math Fables: Lessons That Count
  
• Math Potatoes: More Mind-Stretching Brain Food
  
• Math Fables Too: Making Science Count

• Books by Theoni Pappas - Written in the same vein as the Brown Paper School Books, Pappas has written many books about math, my favorites of which are those where a cat explores the math in and around his house.
• The Adventures of Penrose the Mathematical Cat
  
• Further Adventures of Penrose the Mathematical Cat

Play board and strategy games.
Playing games is a great way to develop problem-solving skills as well as practice skills in arithmetic. I had a game corner in my classroom where students could play games when their work was finished. We also had game day on Friday for 20-30 minutes if we'd had a good week. While I know most of these can now be played electronically, there is something to be said for actually sitting down on the floor with some kids and rolling dice and moving pieces around a board. Some of the games on my shelf included:

• Dominoes
• Yahtzee (Download the rules of play and score sheets.)
  
• Monopoly (For younger kids consider Monopoly Junior.)
• Shut the Box
  
• Battleship (You can also play a paper and pencil version. Here is a strategy guide.)
• Mastermind
• Pente (Download the original directions.)
  
• Othello
• Mancala
• Connect Four
  
• Checkers
• Chinese Checkers
• Chess
• BINGO (In addition to traditional bingo, try making boards to practice addition and multiplication. Here are some additional ideas.)
  

Solve puzzles.
By puzzles I mean not only logic puzzles and Sudoku, but jigsaw and geometric puzzles. Jigsaw puzzles help develop skills in orientation and visual discrimination. Puzzles like tangrams also help students to think deeply about the orientation of shapes in space and how they can be put together to make new shapes. Here are some of the puzzles I like to provide.

• Tangrams - The linked site provides a good description of tangrams. When I use these I actually solve the puzzles, trace the outline of the finished shape on cardstock and then laminate. For younger students, these outline shapes help them fit the pieces into the puzzle. Once students are comfortable with using them, I use the shapes to teach area, fractions and angle measure. Try them out online. Then make your own set and try to build some shapes. Here's another good resource.

• Pentominoes - A pentomino is a polyomino composed of five congruent squares connected edge to edge. Can't picture them? Download a set. While you're working with them, try reading Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett with your kids. You can even play online.

• Sudoku - If you like puzzles and numbers and haven't tried sudoku, you're missing out. For kids who may need some concrete help, try a sudoku board. If you want something more kid-friendly (less abstract way) to develop reasoning skills, try a version with pictures.

• Logic Puzzles - You know the ones I'm talking about here. John, Karen, Tim, Ellen and Sam attend a party. The gifts they bring include a car, a giraffe, a watch, walkie-talkies and blocks. The information keeps coming and it is your job to figure out what each person wore, brought and ate. Phew! These can be great fun!

• Geometric Puzzles - I own a number of puzzles created by Kate and Dick Jones, owners of Kadon Enterprises. They are all challenging and extremely well made. You can even try some online before you buy. All puzzles come with books explaining the math and offering many variants on play.

Connect math and art.
Using art in math class is one way to develop visual and spatial skills, as well as pattern recognition and basic geometry skills.

• Origami - Paper folding is a great way to develop spatial reasoning abilities. It's also fun! You can get great paper at Origami Corner. Try making this origami crane. If you have trouble reading origami directions in print, try following along with the videos on this site. Since we connect math and reading around here, think about using Fold Me a Poem by Kristine O'Connell George and Lissy's Friends by Grace Lin.

• Spirograph - If you haven't seen a real spirograph, look here. Kids love making art with these kits. Restoration Hardware sold a simple one last year. Once a few designs are made, consider the ways to color the design so that a pattern emerges.
  

• Tesselations - If you like the art of M.C. Escher, you know all about tesselations. Creating them from cut paper or drawn shapes can be challenging and fun. Why not try tesselating some lizards? Here's a great lesson plan.
  

Alright, that's it for now. I will continue this in part 3, where I'll talk about problem-solving and offer some suggestions for making homework more interesting and manageable.

Monday Poetry Stretch - Rhymed Couplets

My poetry princesses (you know who you are) are probably wondering if I've dropped off the face of the Earth. Well, I have in a way, being all wound up in the holidays and at home with family. William goes back to school on the 2nd (as do I), so I hope to have some time soon to finish up my sonnet. I've written a few versions (3!) and am still unsatisfied. To help me think through some ideas, I've taken to writing rhymed couplets in iambic pentameter.

That's your challenge for this week. Write a series of rhymed couplets in iambic pentameter. You don't need to put a sonnet together, but if you're so inclined . . .

So, will you join me? I'll share some of the lines that don't make it into my sonnet. Leave me a comment about your poetry and I'll post them all here later this week. In the meantime, happy writing and best wishes for 2008!

Mathematically Inclined

I go back to work in a few short days, so in my free time I am reading like mad for spring courses. My current book selections are all about math. Even though I teach the same math class year after year, it's never exactly the same. Sure, I need to help my students understand how children learn math and how best to teach it, but I seem to approach it differently each go-round. I suppose this keeps me and the material fresh.

I just finished reading The Glass Wall: Why Mathematics Can Seem Difficult, by Frank Smith. A whole lot of circular reasoning at the outset had me quite frustrated and wondering why I was reading, but I did press on and found some really interesting ideas in the end. Chapter 12 begins with this idea.

Is mathematics something we know or something we do? The answer is both--mathematics is part facts and part act. And there is no clear dividing line between the two.

I generally talk about the difference between procedural and conceptual knowledge and the need for children to develop both. I'd like to begin with this question on the first day and use it to frame our conversations throughout the semester.

Smith makes several important points in Chapter 13. They include these ideas.

Many teachers have little choice about the materials they use and the curriculum they follow. Yet their most critical practical concern must always be to the understand the mathematical situation the student is in. The issue is not so much what the teacher (or the textbook) is trying to teach as what the learner is learning.

Being a mathematician is a state of mind rather than a repertoire of skills and knowledge. Becoming a mathematician should be an initiation, an affirmation, an induction into a club that is open to all learners, no matter how limited their experience.

Anyone can learn to understand and enjoy mathematics provided nothing goes wrong. And nothing will go wrong provided four essential conditions are met. They are:

1. The mathematics must be interesting and comprehensible.
2. There's no fear of mathematics.
3. Inappropriate things aren't learned.
4. There's sufficient time.

These are all important ideas I try to convey to my students. I think the most difficult thing for them to accept relates to the notion of time. Classroom teachers have limited amounts of time, but learning can't be forced. What happens when the pacing guide only allows a teacher to devote 2 weeks to teaching fractions, but at the end of these two weeks the students still don't understand? What then? Do teachers move on, or take more time to ensure students understand the material? Overwhelmingly, the response is move on.

One change I ask students to make to develop the notion that all children can do math, is to use the word mathematician on the top of worksheets and tests (instead of name). This is such a small thing, but it really makes a noticeable difference in the attitude of students toward their work in math. I do the same thing in science and social studies, using the titles scientist, historian and geographer.

As I work on my syllabus, I am going to think more about the four conditions and how I can use them in helping students think about essentials of instruction.

Poetry Friday - Auguries of Innocence

I'm not sure why, but the end of the year always brings this poem to mind.

Auguries of Innocence
By William Blake

To see a World in a grain of sand,
And a Heaven in a wild flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand,
And Eternity in an hour.…

The bat that flits at close of eve
Has left the brain that won’t believe.
The owl that calls upon the night
Speaks the unbeliever’s fright.…

Joy and woe are woven fine,
A clothing for the soul divine;
Under every grief and pine
Runs a joy with silken twine.…

Every tear from every eye
Becomes a babe in Eternity.…

The bleat, the bark, bellow, and roar
Are waves that beat on Heaven’s shore.…

He who doubts from what he sees
Will ne’er believe, do what you please.
If the Sun and Moon should doubt,
They’d immediately go out.…

God appears, and God is Light,
To those poor souls who dwell in Night;
But does a Human Form display
To those who dwell in realms of Day.

The round-up today is at Check it Out. Here's wishing you a happy Poetry Friday, and even happier New Year.

Back Page Reading

While I won't ruin the reading of a good book by starting on the last page, my magazine reading generally starts here. If it's Newsweek, I start with The Last Word, particularly if Anna Quindlen is on. When The Horn Book Magazine arrives, I go straight for the Cadenza. In my post-Christmas haze, what should arrive to my exhausted delight? Yes. The Horn Book Magazine, and a funnier Cadenza I've not seen in a while. Looking like a page of classifieds, Alicia Potter offers up services rendered, for sale, real estate, and personals. They all made me laugh, some out loud, and figuring out the book references was the best part. Really, who wouldn't laugh at this?

SWING SET. Discreet, unconventional
couple seeks same for friendship,
maybe more. Serious inquiries only.
Email georgeandmartha@hip
hippos.com

Go get yourself a copy and have some fun. While you're at it, revel in the the words and ideas in the speeches delivered by the 2007 Boston Globe-Horn Book award winners and read reviews of some terrific new books.

Books and Toys, Toys and Books, and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

It was a lovely, chaotic Christmas day. There were lots of books to be unwrapped. There was the package from Anastasia Suen, that included Air Show, the book I won in her 12 days of Christmas contest and a few I ordered online. Anastasia generously signed all of them for William.

That's a copy of Olivia Helps with Christmas peeking out from the pile behind William.

Several months ago William walked into our local library, marched up to the librarian and said, "Do you have 365 Penguins? My Mom won't buy it for me." Since then, we've borrowed it out more times than I can remember. The librarian finally suggested I just buy it for him. Well, I didn't, but one of his Aunt's did.

There were some Mr. Putter and Tabby books (Stir the Soup and Toot the Horn) and The Little Red Train Storybook. There were also lots of toys, including trains and train track, board games, puzzles, art supplies, a tattoo studio, and more.

Yes, I'm ashamed to say that an obscene amount of presents were piled under the tree this year. Every time I opened a closet or drawer I found something else I had purchased and stashed away. Some of it will not see the light of day until February, when William celebrates his 7th birthday.

All in all, we had a wonderful and exhausting day. Even the dog was worn out from playing with her new toy.
I hope your day was just as joyous and full.

No Stretch Today - Enjoy the Season

There is no poetry stretch today, just some encouragement to enjoy the poetry of the season. Here's some Thomas Hardy to get you in the mood.

The Oxen
Christmas Eve, and twelve of the clock.
"Now they are all on their knees,"
An elder said as we sat in a flock
By the embers in hearthside ease.

We pictured the meek mild creatures where
They dwelt in their strawy pen,
Nor did it occur to one of us there
To doubt they were kneeling then.

So fair a fancy few would weave
In these years! Yet, I feel,
If someone said on Christmas Eve,
"Come; see the oxen kneel,

"In the lonely barton by yonder coomb
Our childhood used to know,"
I should go with him in the gloom,
Hoping it might be so’.

I also recommend a reading of John Milton's Hymn on the Morning of Christ's Nativity. For all of you celebrating this Christmas season, best wishes for a joyous holiday.

Gifts for Literary Lovers and Others

I hope those of you celebrating Christmas have finished your shopping and are enjoying time with family and friends. I am spending some quiet time looking over the catalogs that have been piling up. Funny, but this is the time of year when everything I see appeals to -- well, ME! Here are some of the things that have caught my attention. I'm going to keep them in mind for my literary friends come next year.

Bookopoly - I know that there are all sorts of Monopoly take-offs out there, but how many trade Park Place and Boardwalk for books (can you guess which great American novels get the honors?) and passing Go for passing Read?
Woodgrain Plates - Aren't these animals the cutest things you've ever seen? They'd make great hors d'ourves dishes.
Poetry on Record: 98 Poets Read Their Work - This collection of CDs contains nearly 5 hours of poets reading their own work. Includes readings by Tennyson, T.S. Eliot, Langston Hughes, Robert Frost, Dylan Thomas and more.
Small Meadow Press Journals - Okay, this one is actually a gift I already bought for myself, but hey, you can NEVER have too many journals. If you've never seen the stuff that Lesley makes at Small Meadow Press, you are really missing something. There are notecards and journals made of thick and flecked and beautiful papers. You can also find gorgeous book plates, calling cards, and more. This is the journal I bought for myself. A quote by Thoreau graces the cover. Did I mention it's bound with ribbon? I also own the one shown below.
Punctuated Page Markers - Yes, I'll admit to wanting to mark up my books as I read them, but I just can't do it. These markers would definitely solve that problem.
Hookmarks - A friend of mine recently got one of these bookmarks and is raving about it. Since I have a son who is prone to opening my books and dropping the paper bookmarks, this might not be a bad idea. I love this one.

Book Gift Baskets - Alright, these are just downright cool. Pick a book, get some tea and cookies, or music to go with it. What a great idea.

Poetry Friday - An Original

The poetry stretch this week was to create a poem that used these words.

snow, frozen, wind, evening, woods, lake, village, farmhouse

All of these words came from Frost's Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. For a real treat, you should listen to him read it. I am on a Frost kick these days, but in writing my poem I was thinking about Thoreau and how much I dislike snow, even though I haven't always felt this way. It is, as yet, untitled.

She walks slowly
past village and farmhouse,
leaving tracks along
the dusted lane.

Dreaming of Thoreau,
she longs for a simple life,
communing with nature
in all its grandeur.

But it is winter,
and the arctic wind
has burned her cheeks
and dampened her desire.

Her feet carry her forward
around the lake,
where she steps lightly
on its frozen edges.

She smiles
as thoughts turn to
to sharpened skates,
a soft muffler
and steaming cocoa.

This evening she will
sit by the fire
and remember youthful winters,
where enthusiasm for snow
was unbounded.

The round-up this week is being hosted by Gina at AmoXicalli. Before you head on out to read all the great poetry being shared this week, do stop by and check out this week's poetry stretch results. Happy poetry Friday, all!

Poetry Stretch Results - What Words?

For this week's stretch I challenge participants to use a list of words to write a poem in any form. The words were:

snow, frozen, wind, evening, woods, lake, village, farmhouse

These may conjure up images of a familiar poem. Ruth wrote "This really suggests Robert Frost to me." She's right. All these words come from this poem.

Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

You can read the rest of the poem here.

Here are the poems folks came up with using the above list.

Elaine at Wild Rose Reader gives us an untitled poem.

Ruth at There is no such thing as a God-forsaken town shares one called On Grading Essay Tests on Robert Frost. It doesn't contain all the words on the list, but fits the spirit of the poem nicely.

cloudscome at a wrung sponge shares Sock Knitting Woman, a poem that uses the words on the list as ends words.

sister AE at Having Writ was thinking Train Ride.

Blink, a third grade teacher with a blog called Bridges, left this one in the comments.

Village Evening
Winds, woods, and lake howl
As the frozen evening sets
And snow covers snow

I'm still working on my poem, but will have it tomorrow for poetry Friday. For the rest of you, it's not too late to stretch with us. Create your poem using the words above and drop me a line. Then I'll add your poem to the list.

What Are You Doing Here?

Yup, I'm still grading and revising a big report. Move along now, as there isn't anything here to see. What you need to do is head on over to Big A little a and check out the fabulous December Carnival of Children's Literature that Kelly has put together. If you are one of those last minute gift buyers (not me, I'm done, done, done!), you'll find plenty of great ideas for your book loving kids.

Monday Poetry Stretch - What Words?

I am still in the midst of finals and grading, with no end currently in sight. However, grades are due by 9 am Friday, so at least I know where the finish line is. I thought it might be fun this week to try and write a poem using a specific list of words. You can choose any form you like, but you must use the words in the list. You may use them more than once and in any order. Here they are.

snow, frozen, wind, evening, woods, lake, village, farmhouse

So, will you join me? What kind of poem will you write? Leave me a comment about your efforts and I will post the results here later this week.

Just Arrived - Sock Fairy Extraordinaire!

I have been panicking a bit this week, as the crown sonnet I am participating in has wound its way to me. I have some very big shoes to fill and need some serious good vibes in the writing department. Just in the nick of time to help me out, this lovely lady arrived today! We picked out our Douglas fir this morning, so she is the first thing to adorn it. (Thanks to Adrienne and pigeon for the idea!)

I hope she'll bring me some "good writing juju," as Vivian put it. Thanks oodles to HipWriterMama for making her (she's lovely) and sending her all the way to Virginia.

I will be taking her to the office with me this week, but until then, I guarantee she won't be lonely. William made sure she has a friend.

Book Review - Vulture View

We've all seen them, with their dark plumage, featherless heads and hooked beaks, circling, circling something in the the distance. Road kill for breakfast? Don't mind if I do. Yes, I'm talking about vultures, and so is April Pulley Sayre in her informative and poetic (absolutely) book Vulture View.

I know that right now some of you are saying, "Gross! Why would I want to learn about these disgusting birds?" Here's my response. First, vultures are incredibly clean birds, bathing and preening regularly. Second, and more importantly, vultures are a vital part of our natural environment, cleaning up dead carcasses and decreasing the spread of some diseases. Third, they're just plain interesting.

In rhythmic, precise text, Sayre teaches us much about the amazing turkey vulture. Here's an excerpt on how they find their food.

Vultures smell the air.
They sniff, search, seek
for foods that . . .
(turn the page)
. . . REEK!

Those fragrant flowers?
No, no.

That spicy smoke?
No, no.

That stinky dead deer?
Yes, yes!

Readers learn that vultures soar on thermals, taking to the air as it warms, returning to roost in the trees as air cools. The book ends with a section entitled Get To Know Vultures, with the Subsections: (1) Soaring Up, Up, Up!; (2) The Vulture Family; (3) Nature's Cleanup Crew; (4) Family Life and Range; and (5) Heads Up, Young Scientists. It is packed with information and even includes a link to the Turkey Vulture Society's web site, as well as information on festivals that celebrate vultures/buzzards.

The book works on many levels, not only because of the strength of the writing, but also the beauty of the illustrations. Steve Jenkins has done a masterful job portraying the world of the vulture. The paper used for the collages are handmade gems that add depth to the images. I can't say enough about how lovely this book is. Elementary kids of all ages will appreciate the book, and teachers will find it makes a wonderful addition to lessons on the food chain. I highly recommend this title.

Book: Vulture View
Author: April Pulley Sayre
Illustrator: Steve Jenkins
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
Publication Date: October 2, 2007
Pages: 32
Grades: K-5
ISBN-10: 0805075577
ISBN-13: 978-0805075571
Source of Book: Personal copy purchased for Cybils consideration

Poetry Stretch Results - Seasonal Offerings

This week I asked my friends to write seasonal poetry. Here's what you creative folks have come up with.

Mad Kane wrote a limerick on Weathering New York Weather.

Laura Purdie Salas shares a bouncy rhyme with The Fastest Month.

sister AE describes how many of us feel with her poem, Modern December Taffy-Pull. Stretched indeed!

cloudscome shares an advent Fib.

Elaine Magliaro offers up something sweet in Candy Cane.

It's not too late to play. Share your thoughts about the season and drop me a line. Then I'll add your poem to the list.

Poetry Friday is the Place to Be!

Welcome one and all to Poetry Friday here at The Miss Rumphius Effect. Please leave me a comment about your entry and I will add your poems throughout the day. In the meantime, I am in with some Robert Frost.

Dust of Snow
The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree

Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.

Here are this week's wonderfully diverse entries.

Becky (Becky's Book Reviews) shares the lyrics from an Emmet Otter song and a very funny video of outtakes. Boy, do I miss Jim Henson.

Gina Ruiz is in with a bounty of great stuff, including a video poem in Spanish honoring the la virgen de Guadalupe, the lyrics to the traditional Mexican birthday song, and much more! (You gotta love it when we all feel a little bit of guilt about missing a poetry Friday or two! Gina's making up for it today.)

John Mutford appeals to the teacher in all of today by offering up a little quiz of famous opening lines of poetry. How many can you name?

Kelly shares Ruth Lily's poem A Little Book, in honor of all the great books she'll have a chance to read during the upcoming break.

Sherry is getting into the spirit of the season and sharing poems by Walter de la Mare and Hilaire Belloc, entitled Mistletoe and Lines for Christmas Card respectively.

Stacey is also in a snowy mood, sharing Snow Aldo by Kate DiCamillo.

Mary Lee shares the Reading to the Children by Herbert Morris. I'm sure teachers, librarians, authors and parents alike have all faced these questions when reading aloud to kids. His responses are wonderful!

Sara Lewis Holmes asks the question, can a speech be poetry? Read the speech given in 1588 by Elizabeth I at Tilbury to her troops, and see if you can't be persuaded.

Laura Salas shares a review of a book on how to write poetry and her weekly 15 words or less challenge. The photo this week is gorgeous, so stop by and leave your own concise bit of poetry.

Jama Rattigan is celebrating Sara Lewis Holmes today with The Bones of January and cookies!

Elaine gives us a review of Do Rabbits Have Christmas?, a posthumous collection of Aileen Fisher's poetry. She also shares Nancy McCleery's poem December Notes.

Shelf Elf shares an apt poem for kids at this time of year, Snowy Sunday with Homework by Loris Lesynski.

TadMack is thinking Plath today (why does that admission always make me nervous?) and shares the amazing poem Black Rook in Rainy Weather. She even includes a link to the audio of Plath reading the poem.

Little Willow shares a poem by A.S.J. Tessimond, entitled Flight of Stairs.

The Cole Mine reminds us that today begins the 2007 Christmas bird count and shares some bird poetry by Linda Pastan and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Susan writes shares a poem that conjures up some interesting images. See what comes to mind when you read Sheep, by C. Kennett Burrow.

Karen Edmisten has some very practical Christmas haiku.

Sylvia Vardell is enjoying some new digs, and in doing so, shares a poem that evokes memories of the first night in a new house. Go read Betsy Rosenthal's poem My House's Night Song.

Kelly Fineman shares the sweet and melancholy poem The lowest trees have tops, the ant her gall, by Sir Edward Dyer.

Wizards Wireless is also celebrating the end of the semester with an original poem entitled Freedom. (I'm not celebrating yet, just procrastinating!)

Liz in Ink is yet another celebrator of semester endings. (Drat! When is it my turn?!) Her last class of the semester retired to a coffeehouse for a final reading. In the spirit of reading poetry aloud, she shares a link to some mighty good poetry reading.

Becky (Farm School) shares a lovely poem by Phillip Booth entitled North.

This week's Monday Poetry Stretch participants wrote seasonal poems for your enjoyment.

Crispus Attucks is feeling the love and thinking Whitman, as in A Song of Joy.

Lisa Chellman shares a short but appropriate poem for this time of year. It is Season Song by Judith Nicholls.

Seven Imp is in today with The Stolen Child by William Butler Yeats.

Alkelda the Gleeful shares the translation of the Santa Lucia song, Night Walks with a Heavy Step.

Blog from the Windowsill is enjoying Cybils reading and has posted an original poem in the form of an ode to Joyce Sidman's nominated book. The poem is entitled This is Just to Say.

LiteracyTeacher shares a poem I would have loved as a kid, Dave Crawley's I Will Not Tease Rebecca Grimes.

cloudscome shares a little e.e. cummings with little tree, and let's us know about a picture book related to the poem.

Miss Erin shares a lovely lit bit of Emily Dickinson.

Book Buds reviews the new book based on the Wordsworth poem, I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud.

HipWriterMama is also in a snowy mood and gives us The Snow Storm by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Lindabudz has started a Renga. Stop by and leave a few lines of poetry.

Sarah also gives us snow with Robert Louis Stevenson's Winter-Time.

MotherReader shares a link to threadless, which has poet-trees and other funky t-shirts.