Hoop Genius

"Hoop Genius: How a Despatate Teacher and a Rowdy Gym Class Invented Basketball" by John Coy and illustrated by Joe Morse tells the story of the origination of the sport of basketball (as the title implies).  The endpapers show the first set of rules created by teacher, James Naismith.  Naismith's flash of genius is explained when he was inspired by a childhood game he played called "Duck on a Rock."  

I found it interesting that the game could spread just by the boys going home for the holidays and teaching their friends, but the Author's Note gives some more pertinent information that the school Naismith taught at was the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts and the YMCA helped to spread the game around the world.  

Hoop Genius

ISBN: 978-0-7613-6617-1

Published 2013 by Carolrhoda Books

I borrowed this copy from my public library to read and review.

Frog Song

Frog Song, written by Brenda Z. Guiberson and illustrated by Gennady Spirin is gorgeous.  Lyrically written, featuring an abundance of onomatopoeia for the reader, Frog Song offers opportunity for teachers to incorporate engaging nonfiction with beautiful figurative language.  Readers will be fascinated with some of the frog behavior surrounding hatching their young.  The Darwin's Frog was also featured in "My First Day" and I was intrigued to learn more about the frogs hopping out of papa's mouth which had protected the tadpoles in a sac in his throat.  Mission accomplished!  I now know a little more than I did before.  Like "My First Day," Frog Song includes information about the habitat, size, and a quick fact about each featured frog (11 in total) in the section titled "Frogs of the World."  The section titled "Frogs in Trouble" helps the reader to draw concrete personal connections between the loss of habitat of these frogs and the impacts on human life as well as the impact humans have on the frog's habitat.  A bibliography and online resources help readers to learn more.  

Spirin's illustrations capture the details of these beautiful creatures and their surroundings.  At first glance, the cover looks photographic as Spirin captures the beauty of a Strawberry Poison Dart Frog and the seeming reflection off its slick skin.  Gorgeous.

Frog Song

ISBN: 978-0-8050-9254-7

Published 2013 by Henry Holt and Company

I borrowed this copy from my public library to read and review.

Nelson Mandela

 Kadir Nelson's artwork is stunning in  "Nelson Mandela."  Kadir always uses the expanse of a spread to convey emotion and depth.  The first illustration of two boys sparring on a hillside above a village features a sun rise.  It seems symbolic to me of Nelson Mandela's rise to lead his country.  His given name, Rolihlahla, translates to "troublemaker" as explained in the author's note.  Never was these a better kind of trouble to make than the fight to end apartheid and inequality in South Africa.  Kadir Nelson does an artful job of summing up a spectacular story to capture its essence.

Nelson Mandela 

ISBN: 978-0-06-178376-0

Published 2013 by Katherine Tegen Books

I borrowed this copy from my public library to read and review.

CYBILS 2013

For the second year, I am honored to be a part of the first round panel for what is now known as Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction for the CYBILS.  Public nominations are rolling in and will continue to until October 15th.  Don't miss your chance to nominate a favorite book published from October 16, 2012 and October 15, 2013.  The categories are:

• Book Apps
• Easy Readers
• Early Chapter Books
• Elementary/Middle Grade Graphic Novels
• Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction
• Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction
• Fiction Picture Books
• Middle Grade Fiction
• Poetry
• Young Adult Fiction
• Young Adult Graphic Novels
• Young Adult Nonfiction
• Young Adult Speculative Fiction

You can click on any of the category links to see what has already been nominated to date.

Make sure to load up my "to read" list!!

Locomotive

What an awesome book!  So, this book sat at the top of my CYBILS list for a long time.  It seemed like a no brainer to me that it should be included in our finalist shortlist.  Several other panelists seemed to agree based on their shortlists.  But some did not.  And their opinions made my own waver.  But don't worry, I'm still "on board".  Get it?  

During our discussions surrounding this book, it was pointed out that it has received wide praise and acclaim as well as seemingly unanimous glowing reviews.  I didn't know.  Granted, I'm on maternity leave.  I'm a little "out of touch". But I didn't realize I was that out of touch.  

I thought I had some clairvoyant ability to spot this amazing book.  Evidently a few other people have also recognized that this one is pretty special.  Full disclaimer, this book got knocked out of my top top spot at the eleventh hour by a book I hadn't gotten my hands on earlier in our reading, but I'm so very happy that Locomotive was included on our final list.  A few terms that I have heard or used but hadn't considered their origin prior to reading this book:

Full Steam Ahead...how many times have you said this?  When a straight path opened ahead of a train, it could pick up speed safely.  In order to pick up speed, it needed more steam or...full steam.

Double Header - I've thought of this expression as two baseball games in the same day.  Is that really even accurate.  Maybe I'm wrong about that, but in reading Locomotive I realize the origin of a double header is when a train needs two engines to climb a steep incline, this becoming a double header.

In addition to those fun facts, this book is full of onomatopoeia and offers great opportunity for teaching this figurative language element.  The book itself seems to naturally read much like a train trip.  I found myself reading as if we were chugging along.

Locomotive

ISBN: 978-1-4169-9415-2

Published 2013 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

I borrowed this copy from my public library to read and review.

Ed Camp Philly

Tomorrow, I'll be headed to UPenn for #edcampphilly.  I attended last year for the first time and loved the un-conference format.  I loved everyone's ability to share.  I find that, as teachers, we learn the most when we teach others and we have the most to learn from each other.  We have invaluable experiences each day and limited time to share with each other.  Through channels like my PLN on twitter, my blog follows on Google Reader (which is going away very soon...what to do about that!?!) and other online sources, I feel pretty well "developed" but I think connecting in real time and in real physical spaces with other educators is such a valuable opportunity.  And...it's free.  Can't beat that.  I'm excited to share more about what I learn at #edcampphilly tomorrow.  Stay tuned.

Last year, I learned about the following tech tools that I don't think I could live without a year later:
Scoop It
Wunderlist
Smore (well, technically some of these I haven't quite used it yet..but I definitely plan to!)
We Video
Nearpod
Reflector App

CYBILS #winning

So, after the first round shortlist for the Nonfiction Picture Book category was announced on New Years Day, I was told I could "lift the curtain" and discuss some of the process, my favorites, etc.  And I meant to do that.  Well, sort of.  I really did mean to do that.  But February was a bit of a hectic month, and so, January was a bit of a hectic month just thinking about February, and tomorrow is Read Across America, which made things feel like they never stopped being hectic and, therefore, blogging was put on the back burner.  Enough excuses.  For entirely different reasons, I have a smidge of time to blog today.  And, as far as CYBILS are concerned, reason to gloat!  So, I shall give you a look at the great and powerful CYBILS and what I have learned this year.

1) When they say it's a lot of work, that's no joke.  I read a LOT of books.  Lucky for me though, I really, really like to read lots of books.  And, it was a professional opportunity to familiarize myself with a number of awesome authors and illustrators and their newest work.  Which, in turn, made me research some of their older work as well.

2) I had no idea what the expectations were...but now I do.  When they say shortlist, they mean shortlist.  There was some confusion on my part where at one point, I thought we, as a panel, were trimming things down to a list of 30.  Which (I thought) compared to 100, was pretty short.  But no, a shortlist is 5-7 books.  Which meant many, many of my contenders had to be dismissed.  Sigh.

3) I had no idea what the timelines were.  Now I do.  First round shortlists are announced on New Years Day and winners are announced on Valentine's Day.  I mean.  Could they make it any easier to remember that?  Now I know.

4) I thought I had to blog about every book.  I started to, but if I had continued to, I wouldn't have had time to read every book.  Reading trumps blogging.  As it should.  Clearly.

So, on to deliberations.  I purposefully did not look at any other panelists short lists as I was building my own.  I didn't want any biases to creep in prior to discussion of the books.  So, I read, and I blogged, and I added books to my personal shortlist that I thought stood head and shoulders above the rest.  Our short lists were to include 10 books and we were allowed an additional 5 in reserves.  After reading 100 awesome books, that was a tricky feat.  I loved many more than appeared on my short list. Here is my short list, in no particular order:

   

 

 

Now, back to deliberations.  I was told that my list was the most "unique".  Of the ten titles on my shortlist, six of those titles did not appear on any other panelists list.  SIX.  The remaining four only appeared on one other panelist's shortlist.  Meaning, most people did not agree with my choices.  Well, that is why a panel is a panel, right?  Lots of different opinions.  Healthy discussion.  But, I felt like I was either on the wrong track, or going to hold things up unnecessarily.  I felt sort of bad.  But...I also felt strongly about the titles I had selected.  I had my reasons.  And I was ready to bring those reasons to the table.  So, I did.

And I'm glad that I did.  With any deliberations, there is some give and take.  If you are familiar with this year's finalists, you'll realize only one of my titles from above made it to the short, shortlist.  And, with that give and take, one title made it to that finalist short list that I disagreed with wholeheartedly, and wasn't afraid to let anyone know how much I disliked it.  One of my fellow panelists insinuated that I didn't dislike it that much...but I did.  I was just kinder in my blog post because I'm all for encouraging reading, even if it's not my favorite.  But...I trusted that the final panel would see reason.  And..they did.  The one title I fought for hardest was the one I "blurbed" on the finalist post: Mrs. Harkness and the Panda.  And...it WON!!!!!

That's me with ALL of the books our library received from my participation on the CYBILS NFPB first round panel.  All catalogued and ready for kids!  Featuring (of course) Mrs. H. and the Panda.

So, Valentine's Day was extra sweet for me this year.  I felt a little like Colby Sharp after The One and Only Ivan won the Newbery Medal.  Though, he did a much better job than I of backing his horse in that race and letting the world know how he felt about.  But, I got my horse in the race.  And, that's a start.

I hope to be involved in the CYBILS on a panel again next year.  Maybe NFPB, maybe something else.  I'm looking forward to diversifying my reading and, in the meantime, reading and blogging about some 2013 titles now to save some time come fall.