Final Textbook Reflections

Chapter 1-Why Do We Share Books? 

I've always believed in the power of sharing a book.  A mom reading to a child and a teacher to her students.  I am thrilled to be learning about sharing books from a librarian's point of view.  I could have easily guessed the first reason why we share books is because it is fun.  There is nothing better than sharing your favorite book with a child or a friend.  I could read Stephanie's Ponytail by Robert Munsch a million times and still think it is fun!  When a librarian thinks it is fun, students will want to read and come back to the library for more.  Then second reason is it helps children acquire language.  The more books children read and listen to, the more words they are exposed to.  That is why as a future librarian at a Title 1 school with many ELL students it will be my job to make sure that students are bathed in the English language with books.  The next reason is books help develop children develop empathy.  Students learn lessons in books and become kinder people.  Every year, I read Don't Laugh At Me!    Another reason we share books is to develop lifelong readers.  I can help do this by getting children hooked on series and serial reading.  I know personally, I was hooked on Little House on the Prairie, Nancy Drew, Beverly Cleary, and Judy Blume.  I can acknowledge that students will find delight in books.  Also, books can help students see themselves and they can have vicarious experience.  Furthermore, books can help develop imagination.  As we encourage our students with science and engineering, we need students to think, "What if..."  I have been teaching in a program called the New Arrival Center in which all my students are new to the United States and are beginner English language learners.  I have students from all around the world.  It is important for children to read books that transmit culture.  As a librarian, I will make sure that my collection has award winner multicultural books and we will celebrate all year, not just during one month.  I am looking forward to spreading my love of reading and sharing books with not just my one class as a classroom teacher, but a whole school of children!

Chapter 2- Divisions of Young People's Literature 

There are a four categories of literature-one more that I thought! The first category is children from ages 0-8 years old.  This includes wordless, picture, easy readers, chapter books, early chapter books, and books like Ramona Quimby.  The next division is Middle Readers, ages 8-12.  The books in this age group include Roller Girl and George.  This is the confusing part.  One can't confuse these Middle Readers with Middle School.  Middle School is ages 11-13.  Students in Middle School are old enough to read Drama which includes romance and Lily and Dunkin which deals with transgender issues.The problem is  middle school students often want to read books that have subject matter that is too advanced for them.  This leads them having a hard time finding a book to read when they visit the library.  The third category is Young Adult, ages 13-18.  For a librarian to see if the book belongs in a high school library, she needs to look at the subject matter.  For example, Grasshopper Jungle has inappropriate language and Firsts has sexual content so both books would need to be placed in a high school library.  The last category if New Adult, ages 18-30.  This division was first started in 2009 with a writing contest.  These New Adult books after deal with college experiences or first relationships.  Two good examples of New Adult books are Sweet Home and November 9.  It is good to know these divisions of young people's literature so you can help direct readers to the best book for them.  

Chapter 3- Genres & Formats

There are two main genres:  fiction and nonfiction.  Fiction is divided into "Realism" and "Fantasy."  Under "Realism," you will find Realistic Modern and Historical.  There are many divisions under Fantasy.  Under "Traditional Fantasy,"  there are Fairy tales, Myths, Legends, Fables, and Folk tales.  Under "Modern Fantasy,"  there is Hard Science Fiction, Hard Science Fiction, Low Fantasy (talking animals, fairies), High Fantasy (Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones).  Non-fiction is information.  Informational's first category is biography, autobiography, and memoir.  Informational's second category is narrative fiction.  The third category is expository nonfiction like Tornadoes by Seymour Simon.

It is important for us to teach our students that genre is not the same as categories or formats.  Formats are poetry, drama, novels, chapter books, short stories, picture books, graphic novels.  

For example, Drowned City is a narrative nonfiction in a graphic novel format.  Meet the Dullards is a low fantasy in a picture book format.  It is a low fantasy because of the dog doing human things. Slasher Girls and Monster Boys is low fantasy in a short story format.  Ender's Game is soft science fiction in novel format.  The reason it is soft science fiction is because the importance the character has in the story.

It is important to think about whether or not you as a librarian what to genrify your library.  A pro is that some people report an increase in circulation.  A definite con is that you are categorizing people as well as books.  If you put a book on the "Chick Lit" shelf, will a boy want to read it?  

Chapter 4-What Is YA Literature? 

Young adult literature has a young protagonist.  It has an adolescent's point of view and there is a major change in the main character's life.  The protagonist is very independent.  You will also see contemporary issues.  The main character will have to face the consequences of his or her actions.    In young adult literature, there will be a short time period, brief setting, few characters will develop.  

Chapter 5-How Do Adolescents Develop?

It is important to know how adolescents develop so we as librarians know how to match books to readers.  We need to think of how they develop in these ways:  intellectually, morally, developmentally, and physically.

Adolescents are changing physically.  They are going through puberty and they are thinking "Am I normal?"  During this big time of physical change, look for books that help them see that they will survive.

Adolescents are also changing intellectually.  Piaget says at this time they are able to change from "concrete" to "abstract" thinking.  It is now thought that this happens around the age of 14 years of age.  It is important to provide students scaffolding so they can understand abstract material in books.  "Themes" can be an abstract concept for this age group.   

Havighurst discusses the developmental stages from childhood to adolescence.  Adolescents have a different relationship with their peers, the opposite sex, and their parents.  They want to work for money and are interested in what job they want to have when they grow up.  They are developing morals and are adapting to their changing physical bodies.

Kohlberg's Theory discusses morals for adolescents.  There are three stages:  Pre-conventional, Conventional, and Post-conventional.  The Pre-conventional stage has to do with reward and punishment.  The Conventional stage is when you follow rules.  The Post Conventional stage is when you recognize laws but you understand that life is more important, which is civil disobedience. 

A librarian can help students by looking for books at higher level.  

Maslow put needs in a hierarchy chart.  From top to bottom: physiological (food, shelter), safety, love/belonging, esteem, self-actualization.  Schools help with the physiological by having free breakfast/lunch programs.  Librarians can help with safety by making sure that there is not bullying, can show belonging by showing interest in each student and calling students by name, show esteem by demonstrating respect and asking for opinions, and self actualization by making sure all students feel they can be anything they want to be.  There should be books that reflect this.

There is a Birthday Cake diagram that shows development as readers.  There is reading for "unconscious delight".  This is serial reading, like Junie B. Jones, 1 author, or mysteries.  The next layer is "Reading Autobiographically."  This is reading about people like me, which is considered like a mirror.  If you are from a single parent home, reading Dear Mr. Henshaw.  It is important that librarians make sure they have books that reflect their student's lives in their collection.

"Vicarious Reading" is like a window because you read about a life that is very different from yours.  If you are from a city, you read about living on a farm.  The next layer is "Philosophical Speculation" which can be nonfiction or a book like The Giver.  The top layer of the cake is "Aesthetic Experience."  This can make you realize the beauty or make you cry when a character dies.  When you experience the layers of the birthday cake, you will become a lifelong reader.  

Chapter 6-Literary Elements

Literary Elements

·         Antagonist-opponent, competitor or rival

·         Character-a person who appears in a story, book, play

·         Conflict- a struggle between two opposing forces usually a protagonist and an antagonist

·         Mood and Tone-mood is referred to as the atmosphere of a literary piece, as it creates an emotional situation that surrounds the readers. Mood is developed in a literary piece through various methods. It can be developed through setting, theme, tone and diction.  Tone, in written composition, is an attitude of a writer toward a subject or an audience. Tone is generally conveyed through the choice of words or the viewpoint of a writer on a subject.

·         Plot- the events that make up a story or the main part of a story. These events relate to each other in a pattern or a sequence. The structure of a novel depends on the organization of events in the plot of the story

·         Protagonist- the central character or leading figure in poetry, narrative, novel or any other story. A protagonist is sometimes called a “hero” by the audience or readers

·         Setting- an environment or surrounding in which an event or story takes place.

·         Themes-a main idea or an underlying meaning of a literary work that may be stated directly or indirectly.

Literary Devices

• Allegory-a figure of speech in which abstract ideas and principles are described in terms of characters, figures and events

• Allusion-a brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing or idea of historical, cultural, literary or political significance. It does not describe in detail the person or thing to which it refers. It is just a passing comment and the writer expects the reader to possess enough knowledge to spot the allusion and grasp its importance in a text.

• Archetype-a typical character, an action or a situation that seems to represent such universal patterns of human nature

• Deus ex machine-refers to the circumstance where an implausible concept or a divine character is introduced into a storyline for the purpose of resolving its conflict and procuring an interesting outcome

·  Hyperbole-a figure of speech, which involves an exaggeration of ideas for the sake of emphasis.

• Imagery-use figurative language to represent objects, actions and ideas in such a way that it appeals to our physical senses

• Metaphor- a figure of speech which makes an implicit, implied or hidden comparison between two things that are unrelated but share some common characteristics. In other words, a resemblance of two contradictory or different objects is made based on a single or some common characteristics.

• Motif-can be seen as an image, sound, action or other figures that have a symbolic significance and contributes toward the development of theme. Motif and theme are linked in a literary work but there is a difference between them. In a literary piece, a motif is a recurrent image, idea or a symbol that develops or explains a theme while a theme is a central idea or message.

• Point of view-the angle of considering things, which shows us the opinion, or feelings of the individuals involved in a situation. In literature, point of view is the mode of narration that an author employs to let the readers “hear” and “see” what takes place in a story, poem, essay etc.

• Simile-a figure of speech that makes a comparison, showing similarities between two different things. Unlike a metaphor, a simile draws resemblance with the help of the words “like” or “as”. Therefore, it is a direct comparison.

• Symbolism-use of symbols to signify ideas and qualities by giving them symbolic meanings that are different from their literal sense.

What is Theme?  

Theme is a message and it is in a complete sentence.  It is a truism.  It is not necessarily singular.  It can be demonstrated from the text.  Examples of a theme is: Family is a place of a refuge.  Memories will fade, but feelings do not go away easily.  

What Is Not a Theme?

Theme is not a main idea, a topic, a summary, or an old saying.

How Do You Teach Theme?  

A good way to teach theme is to start with a picture book.  A great book to use is one loved by many, Where The Wild Things Are.  The themes for this book include: Your imagination can take you places.  A mother's love is unconditional. Ask yourself what message is the author trying to convey?  I the message universal?

In elementary school, we spend a majority of time discussing character, setting, and the conflict may be called problem and solution.  Students understand these because they are concrete and something they can relate to.  When we try to teach "theme" for STAAR reading passages or for expository writing, we can lose some children because it is more abstract.  If it is something they have experienced, it is easier for them.  So, students with wider experiences, more reading opportunities, more vocabulary may do better.  I know that my ESL students have a hard time with this. 

My ESL students do have an advantage because their reading book is called "Macarena and the Magic Duck."  It is in a play format.  So my students are exposed to audience, narrator, characters in a different kind of text.

Chapter 7-Awards

AWARDS and LISTS

Printz- an award for a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature. It is named for a Topeka, Kansas school librarian who was a long-time active member of the Young Adult Library Services Association.  The award is sponsored by Booklist, a publication of the American Library Association.

**The books I recently read from this list are Book Thief, I Am The Messenger, Eleanor & Park, Looking for Alaska.  Book Thief is my all time favorite book. It is beautifully written and is a true classic.  Then, Eleanor & Park is a book about a boy and girl from two different world who become friends. I didn't want to put the book down.  I have recommended this book many times.  John Green's Looking for Alaska is very popular among young adults.

YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction- YALSA's Award for Excellence in Nonfiction honors the best nonfiction book published for young adults (ages 12-18) during a Nov. 1 – Oct. 31 publishing year

Great Graphic Novels for Teens- a list of recommended graphic novels and illustrated nonfiction for those ages 12-18, prepared yearly by YALSA.

Best Fiction for Young Adults- YALSA’s Best Fiction for Young Adults Committee presents fiction titles published for young adults in the past 16 months that are recommended reading for ages 12 to 18. The purpose of the annual list it to provide librarians and library workers with a resource to use for collection development and reader’s advisory purposes.

**I recently read two books from this list.  I read Saint Anything and Everything, Everything. I have passed Everything, Everything on to my mom and to the librarian at my school.  It is an amazing book about a girl who lives in a "bubble" because she has a disease.  It is a love story with many twists that will captivate readers!

Margaret A. Edwards Award- honors an author, as well as a specific body of his or her work, for significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature. The annual award is administered by YALSA and sponsored by School Library Journal magazine. It recognizes an author's work in helping adolescents become aware of themselves and addressing questions about their role and importance in relationships, society, and in the world. 

ALEX Award- given to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18. The winning titles are selected from the previous year's publishing. The Alex Awards were first given annually beginning in 1998 and became an official ALA award in 2002.

The award is sponsored by the Margaret A. Edwards Trust. Edwards pioneered young adult library services and worked for many years at the Enoch Pratt Library in Baltimore. Her work is described in her book Fair Garden and the Swarm of Beasts, and over the years she has served as an inspiration to many librarians who serve young adults. The Alex Awards are named after Edwards, who was called “Alex” by her friends.

Odyssey Award- This annual award will be given to the producer of the best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults, available in English in the United States.  The selection committee may also select honor titles. The Odyssey Award is jointly given and administered by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), divisions of ALA, and is sponsored by Booklist.

The selection committee consists of nine members: four members appointed by ALSC; four members appointed by YALSA; a chair, whose appointment alternates between ALSC and YALSA divisions; and a consultant from the staff of Booklist magazine who works with audiobooks.  The consultant may participate fully in all book discussions but may not participate in voting.

Morris Award- honors a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens and celebrating impressive new voices in young adult literature.  The award's namesake is William C. Morris, an influential innovator in the publishing world and an advocate for marketing books for children and young adults. Bill Morris left an impressive mark on the field of children’s and young adult literature. He was beloved in the publishing field and the library profession for his generosity and marvelous enthusiasm for promoting literature for children and teens.

Outstanding Books for the College Bound- The books on this list offer opportunities to discover new ideas, and provide an introduction to the fascinating variety of subjects within an academic discipline. Readers will gain an understanding of our diverse world and build a foundation to deepen their response to that world. This list is developed every five years.

A YALSA committee of public, secondary school, and academic librarians selects the list.  Revised every five years as a tool for several audiences (students preparing for college, educators, librarians, and parents) it offers opportunities for independent reading and lifelong learning. Use it to round out your reading as you prepare for college entrance exams and courses, to strengthen your knowledge in a variety of subject areas and enhance appreciation for different cultures and times.

Popular Paperbacks- Each year, the Popular Paperbacks committee creates lists of books to encourage young adults to read for pleasure. The lists of popular or topical titles are widely available in paperback and represent a broad variety of accessible themes and genres.

Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers- The Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers list identifies titles aimed at encouraging reading among teens who dislike to read for whatever reason. The list selects both fiction and nonfiction.

**I found Skink by Carl Hiaasen on this list.  This is a great book for reluctant readers because the main character is a boy going on an exciting, dangerous adventure.  It also has great wildlife that boys will like.

Readers’ Choice- YALSA’s Readers’ Choice list seeks to engage a wide audience of librarians, educators, teens and young adult literature enthusiasts in choosing the most popular teen titles in a given year, as organized by broad genres.  The list will also provide librarians with a timely means of identifying popular teen titles on an ongoing basis.  Nominations will be posted monthly, with a final vote taking place each November.  Any individual, provided he/she is not the author or an employee of the publisher, or a current member of the Readers’ Choice List Committee may nominate a title via an online form, while only YALSA members are eligible to vote for the final ballot, which is sent in the November issue of YALSA E-News.

Teens Top Ten- The Teens' Top Ten is a "teen choice" list, where teens nominate and choose their favorite books of the previous year! Nominators are members of teen book groups in fifteen school and public libraries around the country

Amazing Audiobooks- Each year, YALSA's Amazing Audiobooks committee selects and annotates an annual list of notable audio recordings significant to young adults from those released in the past two years. The name of the list became Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults with the 2009 list and was previously known as Selected Audiobooks for Young Adults.

YA Choices- Since 1987, the Young Adults' Choices project has developed an annual list of new books that will encourage adolescents to read. The books are selected by the readers themselves, so they are bound to be popular with middle and secondary school students. The reading list is a trusted source of book recommendations, used by adolescents, their parents, teachers, and librarians.

Lone Star Reading List- The Texas Lone Star list is a recommended reading list developed by public and school librarians from the Young Adult Round Table. The purpose of the list is to encourage students in grades 6, 7, or 8 to explore a variety of current books. The Lone Star list is intended for recreational reading, not to support a specific curriculum. Due to the diversity of this age range, Texas librarians should purchase titles on this list according to their individual collection policies.

TAYSHAS Reading List- The Tayshas Reading List was developed to motivate young adults, grades 9-12, to become lifelong readers and to participate in the community of young adult readers throughout Texas.

Maverick Reading List- Maverick Graphic Novels Reading List was created and approved in 2009 to encourage young adult readers, grades 6-12, to explore a variety of current books in graphic novel format. The name, “Maverick” was chosen for this reading list because Texas was the first state to create a graphic novel reading list- we were the Mavericks in the field.

Edgar Award for Mystery- Each spring, Mystery Writers of America present the Edgar® Awards, widely acknowledged to be the most prestigious awards in the genre.

NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children- NCTE established the Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children in 1977 to honor a living American poet for his or her aggregate work for children ages 3–13

Orbis Pictus- established in 1989 for promoting and recognizing excellence in the writing of nonfiction for children. The name Orbis Pictus, commemorates the work of Johannes Amos Comenius, Orbis Pictus—The World in Pictures (1657), considered to be the first book planned for children.

Batchelder Award- given to the most outstanding children’s book originally published in a language other than English in a country other than the United States, and subsequently translated into English for publication in the United States.

Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction- In 1982, Scott O'Dell established The Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction. The annual award of $5,000 goes to an author for a meritorious book published in the previous year for children or young adults.  Scott O'Dell established this award to encourage other writers--particularly new authors--to focus on historical fiction. He hoped in this way to increase the interest of young readers in the historical background that has helped to shape their country and their world.

Pura Belpre Award- The award is named after Pura Belpré, the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library. The Pura Belpré Award, established in 1996, is presented annually to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth. It is co-sponsored by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), and REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking, an ALA affiliate.

Schneider Family Award- The Schneider Family Book Awards honor an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences.

Sibert Award- awarded annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished informational book published in the United States in English during the preceding year. The award is named in honor of Robert F. Sibert, the long-time President of Bound to Stay Bound Books, Inc. of Jacksonville, Illinois. ALSC administers the award.

Stonewall Award- The first and most enduring award for GLBT books is the Stonewall Book Awards, sponsored by the American Library Association's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table. Since Isabel Miller's Patience and Sarah received the first award in 1971, many other books have been honored for exceptional merit relating to the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender experience.

**I'm glad I discovered these lists.  Sometimes it's hard to know what to read next.  This is a great place to start.  There are books on multiple lists, so you know you can't go wrong.  Also, you will find great authors. 

Chapter 8-Poetry

Poetry is a format, not a genre.  Educators often neglect poetry because we don't feel comfortable reading it aloud.  We need to just have fun with it, and read it to our students.  If we had teachers that traumatized us with dissecting poems, we need to get over it and have fun reading and writing poems with our students.  Many students like writing poetry because there are no rules. 

 Research shows that elementary students like certain elements about poetry.  First of all, they prefer narrative poetry.  This make sense since they are used to reading stories.  Next, they dislike free verse and haiku's. Also, they enjoy the rhyme and rhythm in poetry.  Students like playing with language using alliteration and onomatopoeia. Furthermore, kids this age like funny poems, poems about animals, and poems dealing with familiar experiences.  This is why poems by Jack Prelutsky, Shel Silverstein, and Judith Viorst are so popular.  Finally, research shows that students prefer contemporary poems.  The language is recognizable and they feel more comfortable when reading these kinds of poems.

There are some criteria to use when reading and selecting poems:

• Visual images
• Don't bring reading down to their level
• Allow kids to interact with the poem
• Poem should be good enough for repeated readings, the enjoyment is familiarity

Recommended Poetry Books:

• If You're Not Here, Please Raise Your Hand
• Grimericks
• Technically It's Not My Fault
• More Luscious Lollipops

Award Winner Poets:
Barbara Ebensen
Valerie Worth
Lee Bennett Hopkins
J. Patrick Lewis
Paul Fleischman
Douglas Forian




Resources:
Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong have books and blogs to help you teach poetry.

Criteria for Evaluating Poetry for Children

"Every Time I Climb A Tree" is a concrete poem for elementary students. Many students have climbed a tree or can understand what it is like. The poem contains familiar items like insects, bird nests, and skinning your knee. The poem uses imagery. Readers will have a picture of the child shooing away a bee, tearing pants, and getting covered with ants. Readers may picture themselves as the person up in the tree and see the fields from way up high. The poem rhymes and we know from research that students prefer that in poems. Rhythm is created by the repetition of the line "Every time I climb a tree." I think the only time the reader may need help is with the questions in the second stanza.

"Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take The Garbage Out" is a funny poem by Shel Silverstein. This is a poem that all students can relate to because it is about smelly garbage. It is big on imagery because the reader can picture the stubborn girl Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout. Also, there are great descriptions of the rotten food that makes your stomach turn like "Green baloney, rubbery,blubbery macaroni." The poems rhymes so it has a funny content and it sounds funny when it is read aloud. The rhythm fits the poem and there is great alliteration not only in the title, but in lines like "prune pits, peach pits, orange peel." Readers will want to read this over and over again and share with friends.

**When I first started teaching, we would read chorally every day. It seems that we have pushed that away because of time. Students definitely can use poems to play with words and language. I know I am guilty of just doing poetry for a month or a unit. Students love to reread the same poem and that helps build their fluency. Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky are definite favorites! I know I need to do everyday poems. I am glad to be inspired to do it again and now I have some new resources!

Chapter 10-Historical Fiction

     Historical fiction is a story that takes place in the past.  Because some consider September 11 history and some of us think of it as an earlier time such at the 1963 story of The Watsons Go to Birmingham, we need to understand that it is any story that will let the reader experience living in a previous time and place.

Criteria for Evaluating Historical Fiction:                           

• ·       Book should tell about history and tell a good story
• ·       Facts should be accurate
• ·       Values of the times should be brought to life
• ·       Clothing, music, speech, architecture should match time period
• ·       Theme should be universal

I have been happy when I teach historical fiction, that there are many historical fiction picture books. This makes it easier to teach for my ESL students. One of my favorite books is The Hallelujah Flight by Phil Bildner.

Chapter 10-Realistic Fiction

 Realistic fiction are believable stories, consistent with the real world. The stories consist of real characters, settings, and events.  There is contemporary realistic fiction and modern realistic fiction. This is my favorite type of book to read. I like to make a personal connection to the character or to live a totally different kind of life. For example, I enjoyed recently reading Winger and Looking for Alaska because I liked the setting of a boarding school.

Criteria for Evaluating Realistic Fiction:

·       Consistent with the real world.  It’s important to select books that avoid stereotypes about cultures, gender, etc.

·       The theme should develop gradually and usually there is more than one them in a good book.

·       Many books address sensitive topics like death, sexual orientation, changing family structure, etc.  These topics are no longer avoided.  When reading our Young Adult books like Anne on My Mind and Lily and Dunkin, one can see topics like homosexuality and transgender are not taboo anymore. 

Chapter 11-Nonfiction

Nonfiction is defined by what it is not- it is not fiction.  It can be told as a narrative or an expository.  Nonfiction can be a biography, autobiography or a memoir.  A great resource for teachers is Delight to Wisdom.

Criteria for Nonfiction:

1.  Qualification of Author

It is important that the author be qualified to write on the subject.  One may check the author's website for the research completed on the subject or look at the author's notes.

These authors are highly respected:  Kathleen Krull, Steve Jenkins, Don Brown, Loree Burns, and Seymour Simon.  I know that I always turn to Seymour Simon or Nic Bishop.  Their information is wonderful, and the readers are captivated by the photographs. 

2. Accurate Facts
We rely on our authors to provide accurate facts in their books.  We can feel good about sharing books from quality series and reliable authors with our children.  There are resources like the book council that recommend nonfiction books based on accuracy.  Also, educators can have students look at books on a topic and have the students look for facts that might be in disagreement across resources.  Then, this would be an opportunity for students to do research on the topic.  I think students, as well as teachers, like it when books have websites at the end of the book so students can do further research.  Elementary students can depend on series like Time For Kids and National Geographic.



3.  Scope and Purpose 
The scope and purpose can be broad or narrow when looking at nonfiction.  It's Perfectly Normal has a broad topic of sex and changing bodies.  It's So Amazing, for younger children, has a more narrow scope of sexual reproduction. 


4.  Organization
The organization of a nonfiction book can assist readers finding information easily.  It is important that readers can do this without wasting too much time.  

Good Organizational Tools:

• Table of contents
• Index
• Suggestions for further reading
• Timeline
• Glossary
• Bibliography

Teachers and librarians need to spend time teaching this reading skill to children.  Many teachers prefer reading fiction books and the skill of reading nonfiction text takes a backseat.  These organizational tools are very important during tests, research, and pleasure reading.  As a mom of three boys, and a classroom teacher of  ESL boys, I remember that many boys prefer nonfiction and make sure that I teach this skill!

5.  Role of Visuals
Visuals elaborate the text and help break the text into chunks.  When the text is divided, it allows the reader not to become overwhelmed with too many words.  

Examples:

• Archival photos
• Graphic organizers
• Maps
• Charts
• Photographs

Questions To Ask About Nonfiction Books:

What would this book be like if it was written 50 years earlier or later?

What is your favorite illustration?

Would this be a good documentary?

Explain what the author did to research for this book.

What kind of teacher would this author be?

What would you ask the author during an interview?

What does the title tell you?

I had never thought of these questions before.  I plan on using these in my next nonfiction book discussion!

Chapter 12-Fantasy & Science Fiction

There are two types of Science Fiction:  Hard Sci Fi and Soft Sci Fi.  Hard Sci Fi has more science than story.  Soft sci fi is more story than science. There are the similar subjects and conflicts in science fiction as there are in other genres.  If I had realized this, I might have been reading more of the genre.  Until Hunger Games and Divergent, I didn't read much science fiction. 

First of all, there is a great resource to use to recommend science fiction books to your students.

See below:

There are 9 categories of science fiction books.  I will describe the category and list books in each category for you to read.

1.  Apocalyptic/Post Apocalyptic-  These books

will describe times during or many years after the catastrophe.  There is a primitive setting with survival skills.  I like the quote "Will you be a survivor or a statistic?"  My son is in 7th grade and he had to take a written survival test and he learned that he would be a survivor.  I wouldn't last a day if I didn't have my cell phone so I could call my mom.  What a baby!

Titles:

The Testing

Tumble and Fall

A Matter of Days

Monument 14

The Rule of Three

Ashfall

Life As We Knew It

The 5th Wave

Grasshopper Jungle

Phil Bildner, children's author, came to visit my elementary school.  He told us what books he was reading.  He was reading Grasshopper Jungle, so I bought and read the book.  I love getting book ideas from others.  I think that is important for teachers to remember!

2.  Steampunk-technology, Cyberpunk-hacking, computers, Biopunk-genetic engineering, DNA, putting things into your brain.

This would be something I would watch in a movie, but I didn't know this book category existed.  As an elementary teacher, I think I've been sheltered.

Titles:

Killer of Enemies

Etiquette and Espionage

Little Brother

BZRK

Dearly, Departed

I think the topics are frightening, but the titles are intriguing.  I know I don't want anything in my head, but my own brain!

3.  Dystopia-  In this kind of story, you will see propaganda to control citizens, citizens under constant surveillance, individuality discouraged, resistance to government, character is disillusioned and joins rebellion.

This is where I got hooked into reading Hunger Games and Divergent.  As soon, as I read these books, I understood the meaning of dystopia and wanted to read more.




It is also necessary to point out that sometimes a dystopia book might also have characteristics of a post apocalyptic book.  Many of these subcategories do that. 

Titles:
Legend
The Declaration
Bumped
Scored
Under the Never Sky
Article 5

I am putting these on my must read list!



4. Extra-Sensory Perception (ESP)-  I had to laugh because it took me a minute to figure out the initials ESP.  These books have to do with second sight, telepathy, being clairvoyant, and knowledge of the future.  The first thing I thought of was Edward and his family's powers in Twilight.  Yes, I am a fan!


Titles:
The Diviners
*Dr. Perry book talked this and it is too scary for me.  My mom would love it!  Happy Mother's Day!
Soulless
Clariety
Eat Brains Love
Freakling
Wake
Dead is The New Black
Vibes
Bruiser
* He takes on other people's pain.  I want to read this one!!!
Hidden Talents













5.  Robots, Androids, Cyborgs, and Artificial Intelligence

This is an interesting category. The books have characters that are half human/half robot and clones. The only cyborg I know of is on the Justice League.  

   
                                  

   Titles:
Eve and Adam
Beta
Girl Parts
Cinder
Skinned
Partials





6.  Space, Aliens, Extraterrestrials- books have alien invasion, colonization, and first contact.

The book that I recently read in this category is The Knife of Never Letting Go.  The story is about a boy who has to flee his town to save his life.  Everyone can hear each other's thoughts and it is called "Noise."  When running to a new town, he meets a girl whose spacecraft has just crashed.  This is book was different that what I normally read, but I enjoyed the story line of the friendship between the girl and the boy and I was rooting for his safety.

Titles:
Black Hole Sun
Rules
Tune
These Broken Stars
Mothership

I have Mothership on my must read list.  It sounds like it has a lot of humor and drama in it.  It is about a spaceship school for pregnant moms and the teachers are aliens who want to steal the babies.  Wow!




7.  Time Travel/ Parallel Universes-  Characters time travel because they are taken by force, to escape death, or to save someone.

My son and I love to watch the Flash every Tuesday night and I have learned a lot about time travel by watching that show.  Going back in time, can really mess things up!  I just read When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead.  Time travel saves someone's life in this book.

Titles:
Waterfall
The Here and Now
Tandem
The Power of Un

8.  Virtual Reality/Gaming- The character in this book could be lost in the gaming world, have a chip implanted, could die in the virtual world and in the the real world.

Titles:
Feed
The Eyes of Minds
Doomed
Ready Player One
Epic
Z
Awaken



This seems like a category that would get more kids to read.  My son is a good reader, but a reluctant reader.  I always think we need to find the right author or right series.  I'm going to show him these books and see what he might like!





9.  Miscellaneous-There are some books that don't fit into any category.

Titles:
Dull boy
The Originals
Turnabout
Hunt
The Memory of After
Things Not Seen
Sick
In The After
Starters
Undead
When We Wake
Noggin
What's Left Of Me


Evaluating Science Fiction and Fantasy:
1.  Characters must be consistent and believable.
2.  Fantasy world must have rules.
3.  Author has to create a way for readers to suspend disbelief
4. Themes should have universal truths. 

Chapter 13-Graphic Novels

What is a graphic novel?

A graphic novel is a format.  It is a story, sequential art,  that can be written for elementary, middle school, high school, or an adult.  I love this description-it is where "art and text unite."

It is an extension of a comic book.  A graphic novel tells a story using pictures.  These are gaining more credibility as they win awards such as Newbery and Printz.  I would point this out to teachers and parents because many still believe it is not "real" literature.

How To Use In The Classroom:

• teaching tool
• more concrete so it is easier to teach symbolism, flashbacks, etc.
• visual literacy
• independent reading
• book talks
• just for fun

Great Resource:

I am so excited about this resource.  Chip Kidd worked on Jurassic Park and in this book he teaches about graphic design.  I have many artistic children in my class who would love this book.  I've already emailed our librarian to see if she'll order a copy for our school!

2016 Graphic Novel Reading List:

http://www.ala.org/alsc/graphicnovels2016 

I love lists!  This list is by grade level so it is super easy to use!

This is a list started in Texas.  Little Mavericks K-6:
http://www.txla.org/groups/little-mavs-nominees

Major Types of Graphic Novels:

1. Manga- Japanese style comic

These are extremely popular.  I have friends with middle schoolers who read these non-stop!  Then, they buy t-shirts and practice drawing like the artists.

2.  Superhero Story-Marvel, DC, Darkhorse

My elementary students read these books.  I feel I can easily talk to the boys about these books since I am familiar with the characters.  It is a good graphic novel for my students who need more picture help.

3. Personal narratives- autobiographical stories

This is the kind of book that I normally read. I am looking forward to trying to read this "perzine" and introducing it to my students.

4. Non-fiction- autobiographical but a greater social issue

 

When I read the memoir Persepolis, I kept thinking about Mari's hardships growing up in a warring country.  I teach in an ESL program where many of my students have left countries because they are not safe.  This book really touched home.  It is amazing that a graphic novel could be so moving and make me think about social issues very deeply.

Parts of A Graphic Novel:

• Cover
• Inside page
• Panels
• Gutters (white space between panels)
• Dialog balloons (points with speech)
• Thought balloons (round with words)
• Captions( rectangular/Ex: Later that day)
• Sound effects (Rrrumble!)

I've been guilty of thinking that graphic novels are for pleasure reading.  I now know how to use them in the classroom.  I'm glad I have the correct vocabulary to use as I teach the parts of a page.  Also, I love the idea of using an e-book so students can see how to read from left to right and top to bottom.

Common Core Standards-E/LA

Texas is not a common core state, but we can use these to look at graphic novels.  CCR shows how we can get students as young as kindergarten ready for college.

Grade 3- These books can be used for CCR to describe character:

Babymouse

This is a hugely popular graphic novel with the girls.  The colors are pink, black, and silver  Babymouse is so likable and is a good introduction to graphic novels.

Squish

Once again, you can see that this book has just 3 main colors.  This is an important element in graphic novels.

Lunch Lady

When I was a teacher at Francone Elementary, many years ago, the author of Lunch Lady visited our school.  He was so amazing that I have been a big fan ever since!

Other popular graphic novels for this age group and this CCS:

Cleopatra In Space- puts Cleopatra in a different setting

Hilo-multicultural

Lumberjanes-challenges stereotypes

The Nameless City

Last of the Sandwalkers

Nimona

This is on my must read list.  It is a National Book Award Finalist.  I love that the girl character is full figured!!!

Grade 7-CCS- Determine Word Meaning

Students can have an easier time with word meaning when reading a graphic novel because the illustrations provide scaffolding.

Little Dee and the Penguin

Lucy and Andy Neanderthal

These books are multicultural.

More books:

Space Dumplins

Gettysburg-The Graphic Novel

The Silence of Our Friends

Olympian Series:

Hades

Ares

George O'Connor includes lots of research and includes author notes.

There are graphic novels that take a higher level story and make it easier for lower level readers to understand.

For example:

Macbeth

The Odyssey

The Merchant of Venice

The Golden Compass

If a student reads this, he will still be able to participate in class discussions.  I think this is a valuable tool for ADHD, Special Education, and ESL students.

I am especially excited to see that The Graveyard Book was changed into a graphic novel.  This is one of my favorite books and I can't wait to read the graphic novel!

Grade 5-Compare and Contrast 2 or more Characters

These are two graphic novel fairy tales:

Calamity Jack and Rapunzel's Revenge

I enjoyed reading this book!  She uses her braids as a lasso.  I teach ESL students who just moved to the United States.  They need to read fairy tales, but they don't want to read a baby book.  These graphic novels are perfect for them!

Comics Squad Recess!- This is a collection of graphic novel stories.  It is written by top name authors.  It's fun to recognize who did the artwork.  I like that there are multiple styles in one book.  Students can find a favorite author and then find more books by that author. 

Grade 9-10:  Non-fiction

Here are some examples of non-fiction graphic novels:

Steve Jobs

Feynma

Dinosaurs

Paleo

One Dead Spy

Big Bad Ironclad

Donner Dinner Party

Treaties, Trenches, Mud, and Blood

This is one of my favorite non-fiction graphic novels:

It has great information about three women scientists who research primates.  I enjoyed the section about Jane Goodall.  It is inspiring!

Grade 8-Points of View

Trashed

Students will get a kick out of all the facts about garbage.

My Friend Dahmer- This graphic novel contains author notes and research.  It states that the kids that grew up with Dahmer knew that there was something wrong with him, but the adults didn't do anything. 

Howtoons- I emailed this to the science teachers at my school.  These graphic novels contain science experiments.  This looks like a super fun book!

Grade 3- Compare and contrast

Fable Comics

Compare graphic novels by same author:

Faith Erin Hicks

Gene Luen Yang

It is exciting to note that many authors of Graphic Novels are WOMEN!!!  See the following list:

Roz Chast

Emily Carroll

Maggie Thrash

Raina Telgemeier

Sveltlana Chmakova

Noelle Stevensen 

Lucy Knisley

What do you do if you need help finding good graphic novels?  

• review journals
• comic book shops
• review websites (noflyingnotights)