Review: Crankee Doodle by Tom Angelberger

 

Image and Summary from Amazon:

“Yankee Doodle went to town / a-riding on a pony / stuck a feather in his hat / and called it macaroni.” Many know the song “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” but few understand it. This unapologetically silly picture book reveals that the legendary ride to town (and the whole macaroni thing) was all suggested by Mr. Doodle’s overeager pony. This just makes Mr. Doodle cranky: “I do not want macaroni. I do not want a feather. I do not want any other clothing, any other pasta, or any other parts of a bird. I do not want anything that they have in town!” A historical note ends this colorful, comical take on a nonsensical old song.

This standard really has never made any sense.  Why would Yankee Doodle call the feather in his hat macaroni?  I understand the riding a pony part, I understand the sticking a feather in his hat bit.  But naming it, and naming it after a delicious cheese-covered pasta?  Odd.  Of course, now I realize that in 18th century England, the term "macaroni" was slang for "fancy", but still.  Even that doesn't really make sense.  

This hilarious book, as told from the pony's and a cranky Yankee Doodle's perspectives, gives a better explanation for the song.  

Cece Bell's hilarious illustrations only add to the story.  

And a shameless plug, this book is on the 2014-2015 Virginia Reader's Choice Primary Book List.  You should check it, and the Elementary, Middle and YA lists as well. 

It's Monday! What are you reading? From Picture Books to YA

It's Monday!  What are you reading?  From picture books to YA is a weekly feature hosted by Jen of Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee of Unleashing Readers.

Shocker, I haven't been keeping you guys updated.  I'm thinking of changing the focus of my blog, to not just book reviews, but a slice of my life---so dog stuff reviews, home and beauty reviews, TV reviews, talking about apps and technology.  My life.  But, I haven't decided yet.  I want to write, I want to blog, but I don't always want to write book reviews.  I have a hard time coming up with new things to say, and I hate when all my reviews are like "oh I loved it" blah blah blah.

Anyway, here is a picture of my TBR pile.  I can thank the Nerdy Book Club "Nerdies" for this.  I'm reading them in hopes of finding a few to add to my Virginia Reader's Choice nomination list.  I'm pretty sure I will.

What are you reading?

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 6

Day 6:  Describe how you shop for books

If it's a book for my classroom, I go by recommendations from my NerdyBookClub friends on twitter.  And then I'll scoot over to amazon and price shop.

If it's a book for Virginia Reader's Choice, I'll first hit up the Green Valley Book Fair to see if they have it, otherwise, again price shop on amazon.

I'm more likely to buy my books off of amazon than at Barnes and Noble (no independent bookstores around here that I know of besides GVBF mentioned above) as it's just cheaper and I get overwhelmed and want to BUY ALL THE BOOKS!

yeah, I totally made that and now it's on pinterest.  I rule.

Unless it's a book that I CANNOT wait for (looking at you BITTERBLUE) and then I'll go straight to the bookstore as soon as it opens.  

The 15 Day Book Blogger Challenge is hosted by April of Good Books and Good Wine.  And don't forget to head over to Andi's ABC's to find out Andi's book related confessions!  

It's Monday! What are you reading? From Picture Books to YA

 

Its Monday!  What are you reading?  From Picture Books to YA is a weekly feature hosted by Jen and Kellee of Teach Mentor Texts and inspired by Its Monday!  What are you reading by Sheila at Book Journeys.

I have to admit, I have my blog on my iGoogle homepage (along with my email, calendar, and other favorite blogs/websites).  When I logged in this morning, I saw my It's Monday post had already posted.  I though, "Wow, I'm better than I had thought.  I don't remember scheduling this one at all."  That's because I didn't.  It was last week's Monday post, and I hadn't posted for the rest of the week!  Whoops.

I was able to pick up a bunch of books at the library to read for Virginia Reader's Choice.  I'm impressed that the little library system in the county I teach has more books on the list than the larger library where I live.

I read and finished Eight Keys by Suzanne LaFleur.  It was such a beautiful book.  The beginning was a little slow for me, but when we got to the second section, I was hooked.  Up next is Capture the Flag by Kate Messner (and since it's a workday and my classroom is pretty much packed up already, I think I'll have time to read it!)  Again, I'm not allowed to say which books are on the Virginia Reader's Choice nominations list, but, just watch what I'm posting on Goodreads and what books I talk about here if you're interested ;)

What are you reading?

Sunday	Monday	Tues.	Weds.	Thurs.	Friday	Sat.
						1 Armchair BEA Day 6
2	3 It’s Monday!	4	5	6	7 Last day of school!	8
9	10 It’s Monday!	11	12 Review on Bookalicious	13	14	15 If I had $100
16	17 It’s Monday!	18 Happy birthday to me!	19 Using Pinterest in School: {Summer School}	20	21	22 If I had $100
23	24 It’s Monday!	25	26	27	28	29 If I had $100
30

Virginia Reader's Choice Recap

 

I'm so proud and happy to be a member of the Virginia Reader's Choice book selection committee (for elementary readers.  There are 4 subcommittees: primary, elementary, middle and high).   I learned today that the Virginia Reader's Choice is the 3rd largest state book committee in the country, behind California and Texas!  Over 100,000 children vote (or something super close to that, I didn't write it down in my notes). 

So what happens is, in April, everyone meets and nominates books.  On our committee, we each nominated 6.  Over the summer, you read all the ones you can get your hands on.  We meet again in October to whittle the list down to 10.  Those are then the nominated books (this year, for coting in 2014-15).  I'll be honest, I don't read them all.  Some I can't find in our school library, the library in the town I live, or the library in the county I teach.  But I try!

I joined this committee for the same reasons I started this blog:  to become more knowledgeable about children's books.  I didn't expect children in my school to ask me about the committee and the books we read, or how the process works.  Or suggest books.  Or just talk to me about books they're reading or have read.  Or to ask for hints about what will be on the new list.  It's amazing.

I'm in awe of the ladies that I'm on the committee with.  There are 10 of us, and there are only a few books that get double nominated.  Where do they find all these good books?!?!?  

Of course, another surprise bonus is the books that we get at the meetings.  Our chairperson has contacts in various publishing houses and comes to meetings with boxes of books to share with the group.  

  

Here is a peak at what I came home with on Saturday.  From left to right, top to bottom:  Amelia Bedelia, ART2-D2 (the finished copy!), Bird and Squirrel (which I say in my horrible Boris and Natasha voice), The Mark of Athena, The Dark Unwinding, Into the Glass Grimly, Santa Retires, Five Lives of Our Cat Zoosk, and Zigzag Zoom. 

I cannot share the list we came up with as a whole.  But I can say, check out what I'm reading on Goodreads (I have a VRC board!)  

For more information on VRC, click here.

Review: A Wrinkle in Time The Graphic Novel

 

I don't know why I never read Madeleine L'Engle's A WRINKLE IN TIME as a child.  Probably the same reason I've never read THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH or THE HOBBIT.  I tried, but they didn't interest my pre-teen self (and then, once I hit teenager-dom, it was all murder mysteries, romance novels, and historical fiction.  Bonus, if it was all three at once.  I'm looking at you, Nora Roberts and Danielle Steele.)  

But, back to A WRINKLE IN TIME.  I really enjoyed the book.  I don't have the original to compare it to, but I understood the story and didn't feel like anything was missing.  Of course I have questions, but if you've seen my {Deep Thoughts} posts, you know I often have questions about what I read.

I really liked Hope Larson's illustrations.  Once I figured out the format (top panel, middle panel, bottom, then the big one on the right), the book made total sense.  I like that it was only 3 main colors:  blue, black and white.  The illustrator really has to make their illustrations mean something when they can't rely on color to do it for them. 

I am adding this book my my (growing) list of books that I'll be sharing at our May (preliminary) Virginia Reader's Choice meeting.  It's a great book for the list for two main reasons: 
1.  Kids love graphic novels (I love graphic novels), they think its a fun format, but I know that struggling readers can pick this up and feel successful because there aren't as many words and the illustrations really help you understand.
2.)  I think it will draw children into reading more classic books. 
A WIN WIN FOR ALL INVOLVED!
 
Here is the book trailer that I found on youtube:

Review: Here Come The Girl Scouts! by Shana Corey

When I think of nonfiction and especially biographies, for some reason, I think of these big, horrible dusty old books that nobody has checked out from the library in years.  That the librarian only bought because he or she had to.  And I tend to shy away from them.  I don't know why, because there are so many great nonfiction books, especially biographies, out there now!  Take Here Come the Girl Scouts! by Shana Corey and illustrated by Hadley Hooper for example.....

 

 Image and summary by Goodreads:

The amazing, all-true story of the first Girl Scouts and their visionary founder.

Juliette Gordon Low--Daisy to her friends and family--was not like most girls of the Victorian era.

Prim and proper?

BOSH!

Dainty and delicate?

HOW BORING!

She loved the outdoors, and she yearned for adventure! Born into a family of pathfinders and pioneers, she too wanted to make a difference in the world--and nothing would stop her.

Combining her ancestors’ passion for service with her own adventurous spirit and her belief that girls could do anything, she founded the Girl Scouts. One hundred years later, they continue to have adventures, do good deeds, and make a difference!

Again, I picked this book up from the library because of the Nerdy Book Club "Nerdies".  At the time that I wrote this post, the nonfiction picture book winners hadn't been announced (so fingers crossed that it makes the Top 5!).  I had heard (read?) some great stuff about it on twitter before that, but the nomination really made me want to read it, in case I wanted to suggest it for the Virginia Reader's Choice.

Yes, not all the books I read are for my classroom, for fun, because I was asked to review.  I read some books to see if I'd like to nominate them for Virginia Reader's Choice.  But then, it turns into "I read it for fun", "will use in my classroon" and "will write a review" in the end!  

But, back to Here Comes the Girl Scouts!   Like it said in the summary, it is a biography of the founder of the Girl Scouts of America, Daisy Low.  From page 1, we learn that Daisy is different, she wants to do something with her life, she likes being outdoors, she likes going on adventures, she wants to make a difference.  

And, it wasn't a boring biography!  It gave fun tidbits.  The type was wavy and interesting.  The illustrations were great.  I wish all biographies were this fun yet informative.  

And yes....I'm nominating this for Virginia Reader's Choice elementary readers as I can see many girls, especially those in the Girl Scouts reading this.  Or, girls not in GS reading it and wanting to join. 

Review: Meanwhile by Jason Shiga

 

Summary and image from Amazon:

Chocolate or Vanilla? This simple choice is all it takes to get started with Meanwhile, the wildly inventive creation of comics mastermind Jason Shiga, of whom Scott McCloud said “Crazy + Genius = Shiga.” Jimmy, whose every move is under your control, finds himself in a mad scientist’s lab, where he’s given a choice between three amazing objects: a mind-reading device, a time-travel machine, or the Killitron 3000 (which is as ominous as it sounds). Down each of these paths there are puzzles, mysterious clues, and shocking revelations. It’s up to the reader to lead Jimmy to success or disaster.

Meanwhile is a wholly original story of invention, discovery, and saving the world, told through a system of tabs that take you forward, backward, upside down, and right side up again. Each read creates a new adventure!

 I was so excited to get this book from the library because I thought the idea was so cute!  I love the thought of a choose your own adventure graphic novel.  The pages themselves were a slick plastic, very durable, and the illustrations were simple but really eye catching.

That being said, the book was really stinking hard to follow!  I got the arrows to the other pages, but the little ones on each page and the kind of bubble one that linked panels were REALLY hard to see and follow.  Because of that, I'm not sure my kiddos would be able to follow and enjoy the book. 

*I read this book as it was a nominated title for Virginia Readers Choice.  My opinion in no way reflects the opinion of the committee.*

In My Mailbox 35: Its October and it SNOWED!

 

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi, The Story Siren, in which we post about the books (or bookish swag) we were sent, bought, borrowed, stole out of baby carriages, etc.

As for the snow, we got about 4-5 inches here in the Shenandoah Valley (Virginia).  Many of my friends were without power on Saturday.  The roads weren't bad, but I suspect that if this had happened during the school week, we would have had the day off because of so many power outages.

My car about 7:30 Saturday morning, and as you can see, the lot isn't that bad.  It was just slushy.

Just a tree in our backyard.  I thought it looked pretty.

This week was a banner week at Maestra Amanda's Bookshelf.  Not only was I sent Clatter Bash: A Day of the Dead Celebration by Richard Clemenson Keep by Peachtree Publishers (muchas gracias!)

but I also attended the second meeting of the year for the Virginia Reader's Choice selection committee that I'm on, and picked up these books:

 *Zorgamazoo by Robert Paul Weston
*Liesl and Po (ARC) by Lauren Oliver
*EllRay Jakes is NOT a chicken! by Sally Warner
*Zapato Power, Freddy Ramos Takes Off! by Jacqueline Jules
*3-D Thrillers!  Bugs and the World's Creepiest Microbugs by Paul Harrison
*Anna Hibiscus by Atinuke
*Bad Kitty Meets The Baby by Nick Bruel
*Marty McGuire by Kate Messner
*Invisible Inkling by Emily Jenkins
*Shark Wars by EJ Altbacker
*Peter Nimble and his Fantastic Eyes (ARC) by Jonathan Auxier
*The Book of Elsewhere by Jacqueline West
*Dragonbreath: Lair of the Bat Monster by Ursula Vernon

 *Jingle Bells: How the Holiday Classic Came to Be by John Harris
*I am Tama, Lucky Cat: A Japanese Legend by Wendy Henrichs
*The Unforgettable Season: The Story of Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams and the Record Setting Summer of '41 by Phil Bildner
*Just Being Audrey by Margaret Cardillo
*Back of the Bus by Aaron Reynolds
*My Uncle Martin's Words for America by Angela Farris Watkins, PhD
*The Ice Bear by Jackie Morris
*We Are America: A Tribute from the Heart by Walter Dean Myers
*The Story of Emma Lazarus: Liberty's Voice by Erica Silverman

*Worst of Friends: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and the True Story of an American Feud (Galley) by Suzanne Tripp Jurmain

They were sent to our committee chairperson by publishers as books they felt we should consider.  A huge thank you to all the publishers and to our chairperson for bringing them.

What was in your mailbox?

The Song of the Whales

The Song of the Whales was originally written in Hebrew by Uri Orlev and translated into English by Hillel Halkin.  I read this book as it was one of our nominated books for the Virginia Reader's Choice Committee (and therefore any opinions expressed are my own and not of the committee).

Here is the summary from Goodreads:
 Michael’s grandfather has a secret—a secret that’s almost too strange to share . . .

When Michael moves to Israel, he leaves loneliness behind and steps into the light of his grandfather’s magic. Like a sorcerer’s apprentice, Michael learns how to blur the lines between dreams and reality when his grandfather hands down the most precious of gifts—a gift that allows Michael passage into his grandfather’s dreams.

Written with a quiet simplicity that wins the reader over at once Uri Orlev writes in a style so sure and yet so unassuming that it is certain to linger in reader’s minds long after turning the last page.

If I can be honest with you, I really don't know what to say about this book.  I didn't dislike it, but I also didn't think it was that fabulous.  I can see how others might like it, but I don't think it was for me.
The characters had depth, even though it was a short book.  The story was interesting and not as confusing as I thought it would be (though there were parts that I had to reread), and I did get a little misty-eyed when Michael (or Mikha'el's) grandfather started getting sick, but I really just didn't get into it.  So I really don't know what it was, I just wasn't "hooked".

I think what I liked the most was the cover....its just so calm looking....

I'll gladly have it in my classroom and talk about it with my students if they ask my about it, but I'm not sure if I'd do more than that.