Currently

This post was inspired by Bev Baird, a fellow Slice of Life Story Challenge, or SOLSC, participant.

CURRENTLY

Listening: To “I Could Not Ask for More,” which is my wedding song over and over. Isabelle has recently become obsessed with this song and she requests to hear it several times a day (i.e., in the car, while brushing her teeth). Even though Isabelle is at preschool while I type this blog post, I can still hear the song playing in my head, even though my house is technically silent.

Eating: Gluten-free! I miss chocolate chip cookies, cupcakes, bagels, and so much more. I have been feeling better since I started it so I guess it’s a good thing. Isabelle keeps asking me why I don’t eat pizza or cereal anymore.  I’ve had to teach her that certain foods have gluten in them.  She says “goo-ten” with her voice getting higher in pitch by the end of the word. It’s like she’s asking a question every time we discuss my gluten-free diet.

Drinking: Green iced tea. Not because I love it, but because I’ve been trying to cut back on my caffeine intake.

Sweater Selfie (sans face)

Wearing: An old cashmere sweater I bought 10 – 15 years ago.  It’s warm and soft. It has a few holes around the neck and is pretty ugly.  BUT, I love it anyway.  It’s the perfect sweater to wear at home for a day of writing.

Reading: Lots of Slice of Life Stories since we’re on day four of an ultra writing marathon, otherwise known as the SOLSC.  In terms of books, I am planning to start The Nightingale this evening. It was recommended by several friends who helped me out with book suggestions since nothing in my TBR pile was speaking to me.

Feeling: Tired of winter, which isn’t like me since the cold usually doesn’t bother me.  This winter is the exception.  It’s been just too much!  Springtime can arrive any time now since I’m sick of bundling myself and Isabelle up.  (Did I ever mention she detests the cold?) It’ll be so nice to get rid of the boots and the jackets!

Wanting: I love to cook, but I wish someone else could make dinner tonight.  Isabelle refuses to eat chicken.  Guess what I’m supposed to make tonight?  Chicken.  (Maybe what I really want is for her to  eat what I make without protesting…)

Needing: My daughter to go to bed a little earlier and to sleep a little later now that she’s no longer napping.  She’s so tired by the end of the day, but just fights sleep.  I don’t know how she does it. By the end of a day with her, I’m exhausted?  She’s like the Energizer Bunny.  (Lucky her!)

Thinking: I’m so glad I had the foresight to lighten my workload this month. I’m not going out of town and pre-planned to do a little less writing this month so I could spend more time focusing on the SOLSC. We have a record number of new participants this year.

Enjoying: I recently bought Yasso’s Sea Salt Caramel Greek Frozen Yogurt Bars.  They’re 150 calories and gluten-free.  It’s the perfect way to get my chocolate fix without feeling guilty.

Head over to http://twowritingteachers.wordpress.com for more slices of life.

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10 New Works of Nonfiction I Hope My Daughter Embraces

I’m excited about today’s Nonfiction Picture Book 10 for 10, which is hosted by Cathy Mere from Reflect and Refine, Mandy Robek of Enjoy and Embrace Learning, and Julie Balen of Write at the Edge. I’m practically giddy awaiting the nonfiction picture books other bloggers will recommend. Last year I created a list of ten picture books I hoped Isabelle would embrace as she got older. Since she’s much more into narratives these days (She’s three!), I decided to create another list of ten picture books I hope she’ll embrace as she becomes more interested in nonfiction books.

Believe it or not, I’ve been keeping a stack of nonfiction books in my home office for the past few months in anticipation of this challenge. Here are the ones I decided to share today:

Feathers: Not Just for Flying by Melissa Stewart and Sarah S. Brannen (Charlesbridge) — If we have to take on roles for homework help once Isabelle hits middle school, then my husband will be the math, science, and Spanish guy and I’ll be the language arts, social studies, French, and Hebrew gal. However, that doesn’t mean I’m exempt from providing my daughter with math and science experiences right now.  This is why I love books like Feathers since it makes learning about the ways birds’ feathers are useful to them. Once I read this book to Isabelle (It’s a little too advanced for her right now.), we will be able to talk about the way feathers are used by the birds (e.g., blue jays, hawks, and herons) we see in our backyard, which is part forest and part wetlands. This is so exciting since it will expand our conversations beyond, “Look at the cute birdie.” (Seriously, I’m not a science person! See why I need books like this!)

Flight of the Honey Bee by Raymond Huber and Brian Lovelock (Candlewick Press) — If you read this blog last summer, then you may remember my daughter’s phobia of bees and butterflies. I bought a bunch of books to get her over those fears. She triumphed over the fear of bees, but not of butterflies. Therefore, I will be trying to rid her of her fear of bees before springtime.

Enter Flight of the Honey Bee.  I will use this book with her since it will help her understand the helpful role bees play in our world. It is the story of Scout, a honeybee who has “spent her whole life in the crowded hive. Now it is time for her to fly out and explore the world…” I’m hoping that having Scout to reference when we’re out and about in the world this spring and summer will help to eradicate some of Isabelle’s fear when she sees a bee.

Founding Mothers: Remembering the Ladies by Cokie Roberts and Diane Goode (Harper) — A few weeks ago, “Morning Joe” had Cokie Roberts on as a guest to talk about her new book. They showed a couple of interior spreads from the book, which looked as fantastic as it sounded.  Once I had the book in my hands, I discovered I loved reading since it contains the stories of women who were integral to the start of the United States. Other than the story of Dolley Madison rescuing the portrait of George Washington when the White House was burning, I was unfamiliar with the tales of many of the women featured in the book. Seeing as I pride myself on raising a strong girl, I want to make sure I incorporate the stories of this nation’s women into our conversations about history as she gets older. That means I will keep Founding Mothers close at-hand.

JFK by Jonah Winter and AG Ford (Katherine Tegen Books) — I’ve been interested in the Kennedy Family since I took a spring elective about their role in American History in high school. When I was in college I did an independent study on the JFK, LBJ, and the Civil Rights Movement with Professor Berkowitz at GW. Therefore, when a review copy of JFK was sent to me, it went to the top of my book stack. Isabelle saw President Kennedy’s smiling face on the cover, picked it up, and began flipping through it. I read several pages to her, but it was too text-heavy for her three year-old brain. Therefore, I let her go back to looking at the lifelike illustrations.

I know I will want to teach her about President Kennedy’s life: his courage and his accomplishments. This book will be a fantastic way to start… once she’s a little bit older.

Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker by Patricia Hruby Powell and Christian Robinson (Chronicle Books) — As you know from reading my description of JFK, I’ve spent a lot of time studying the Civil Rights Movement. Therefore the story of performer Josephine Baker interested me immediately since she was a Francophile (So am I, but not to the extent she was!). Baker rose up from poverty to become a dancer and actress. But she wasn’t just another pretty face. She was active in the Civil Rights Movement.

Powell tells Baker’s story in verse. It is accompanied by Robinson’s illustrations, which are appealing to children.  Therefore, once Isabelle gets a bit older (I’m thinking about third grade!), I will look forward to sharing the story of Baker’s rich life with her in Josephine.

Maps by Aleksandra Mizielińska and Daniel Mizieliński (Big Picture Press) — I had a huge map of the world hanging over my desk ’til my parents had my room painted when I was off at college. Nowadays, I keep maps in my car since I never want to be reliant on a GPS. My husband and I always get two maps of museums and amusement parks since we both want to know where we’re headed. Therefore, if Isabelle follows in our footsteps, she, too, will love maps. This book will be one of those gems I want her to treasure since it features exquisitely illustrated maps of countries from all seven continents.

The maps in Maps don’t just pinpoint locations, they teach about each country. Some examples from the United States of American map include:

• A picture of a sequoia is featured in California with the explanation that “Sequoias are the world’s largest trees.”
• An illustration of Mount Rushmore with a sentence “The presidents’ heads carved into the cliff are seven stories high.”
• Cape Neddick Lighthouse, which is in the town next door to where we our family goes in the summertime, is featured on the map of the USA!
• Route 66 is featured and it says “The legendary Route 66 runs between Chicago and Los Angeles.” A dotted line shows the route crossing 2/3 of the country.
• There are pictures of famous Americans like Louie Armstrong, Thomas Edison, Abraham Lincoln, Marilyn Monroe, etc.

The Food Parade: Healthy Eating with the Nutritious Food Groups by Elicia Castaldi (Henry Holt & Co.) — We eat healthy about 90% of the time when we eat at home.  Our house is one of those no-soda, no-ice cream, no-potato chips kind of homes. It’s not that we don’t like those foods.  No, no!  We love them a little too much!  Therefore, we’ve eradicated them from our pantry in favor of as many whole foods as possible.  Therefore, I love the way The Food Parade introduces children to the idea of healthy eating.  This adorably illustrated book provides kids with information about the five basic food groups. While it’s classified as a work of fiction (Because a book with fruits and vegetables that have faces and clothes cannot be a work of nonfiction!), I put it in this list because it’s a fun way to get my three year-old engaged in a conversation about the food pyramid and portion sizes.

Thomas Jefferson: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Everything by Maira Kalman (Nancy Paulsen Books) — Last year I had Kalman’s book Looking at Lincoln on my NF10for10 list. As a history buff and a long-time Maira Kalman fan, I couldn’t resist Thomas Jefferson.  This book is an informative look at Jefferson’s life and his role in writing the Declaration of Independence. However, it doesn’t mince words. It holds Jefferson accountable for owning slaves at Monticello by stating  things like “The monumental man had monumental flaws.” Kalman’s message about Jefferson is one I want to teach my daughter when she begins to learn about this nation’s history. She says, “If you want to understand this country and its people and what it means to be optimistic and complex and tragic and wrong and courageous, you need to go to Monticello.” Seeing as Monticello is only a few hours away from our home, I know we’ll be taking her there sooner rather than later. This book will certainly be read several times before that visit happens!

Under the Freedom Tree by Susan VanHecke and Landon Ladd (Charlesbridge) —  Under the Freedom Tree is the story of the first contraband camp during the Civil War. Just as Josephine Baker’s story was one I was unfamiliar with until recently, I don’t remember learning about the contraband camp at Fort Monroe despite the fact quite a bit of my history coursework focused on the Civil War. It’s important to me to put stories that don’t make it into most American History textbooks into my daughter’s hands.

Go to Two Writing Teachers tomorrow to check out an interview I did with author Susan VanHecke. 

With a Mighty Hand: The Story in the Torah (adapted) by Amy Ehrlich and Daniel Nevins (Candlewick Press) — I had A Child’s Bible: Old Testament when I was growing up.  Truth be told, I didn’t love it. I found it kind of drab. Thankfully there are books like With a Mighty Hand on the market now. This version of the Torah is a visually appealing and accessible version of the Old Testament. It’s written in as plain of English as you can get for the Bible. This is important to me as a parent and as a learner since I struggle with interpreting the Torah. Too many commentaries in the sidebar can be confusing.  With a Mighty Hand is written with kids in mind, which makes it accessible for people who are new to Torah study to enjoy.

10 Nonfiction Books I Hope My Daughter Embraces

I’m very excited about tomorrow’s Nonfiction Picture Book 10 for 10, which is hosted by Cathy Mere from Reflect and Refine and Mandy Robek of Enjoy and Embrace Learning. I cannot wait to see all of the nonfiction picture books other bloggers will recommend. Until then, here’s my list of nonfiction picture books I want my daughter to embrace as she flourishes as a reader:

A Seed is Sleepy by Diana Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long: We have an herb garden in our backyard. We plant flowers and trees. Our next door neighbor has an extensive garden, which she’s invited my daughter to sit in and taste from this-coming summer. We’re part of a CSA. Therefore, knowing where our food and plants come from is important. This book is packed with information, but it’s presented exquisitely. I’ve never seen a book on seeds as beautiful as this one. Therefore, it’s going to be one I explore with Isabelle as she gets older and can understand how seeds turn into so much more.

Ann and Liv Cross Antarctica: A Dream Come True! By Zoe Alderfer Ryan and Nicholas Reti: Ann Bancroft and Liv Arnesen: two women who dreamed of crossing Antarctica. Many people told them they wouldn’t be able to do this because they were women. The naysayers were wrong. As the mom of a daughter, I know she may come up against sexism at some point in her life. Therefore, I want her to hear stories like this one so she knows anything is possible regardless of the fact that she’s a female! Each page spread has a heading that frames the information and the picture, which are exquisite paintings. The final page of the book invites young readers to “Draw Your Dream!” Typically, I don’t advocate my daughter drawing in books, but I cannot wait for her to illustrate whatever her dream is once she’s old enough to draw pictures that are more than crayon scribbles.

Brick by Brick by Charles R. Smith Jr. and Floyd Cooper: I lived five blocks away from the White House (and volunteered there, but that’s another story!) when I was in college. Therefore, when we took my daughter to Washington at the tender age of four months old, we strolled by the White House to take a photo of her there. However, I never really gave much thought to who constructed that great building until I received a review copy of Brick by Brick last month. This book is written in poetic verse and details the “black hands/white hands/free hands/slave hands” that worked together to create the president’s home. Through rhyme and beautiful illustrations, readers empathize with the slaves who worked so hard, without earning a wage, to build an ornate house. The author’s note gave me a pang of sadness when I was reminded of the fire in 1814 that burned down the first White House. After all of that sacrifice, nothing remained. Even though we cannot see the original White House, I believe it’s important for my daughter to know its history. After all, the present day White House was rebuilt to look like the original and is a reminder of the involvement slaves had in creating one of our nation’s landmarks.

Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin and Leslie Evans: This book features cut-outs that help young readers picture the moon’s phases in a concrete way. My daughter has been fascinated with the moon for a few months now and this book has helped me learn a lot more about waxing moons, waning moons, and gibbous moons. (Stuff I’m sure I learned in science class, but have long since forgotten.)

Looking at Lincoln by Maira Kalman: A humorous, yet touching, look at one girl’s fascination with our 16^th President. This book has a distinct voice and lots of fantastic craft moves one might teach young writers to emulate. Therefore, it’s one I recommend when I speak to teachers about using mentor text to enhance writing instruction.

Nelson Mandela by Kadir Nelson: Nelson Mandela was in the news so much when I was growing up. I can remember him in prison. I remember the day he was released. And I remember the day he became the President of South Africa. He was a man I heard so much about on the news, but I never really knew much about his early life until I read Kadir Nelson’s book. The book doesn’t overwhelm with text. It includes only the most important details about Mandela’s life, which makes it an accessible biography for a young reader. I loved the spreads of the beach before and after apartheid. Those beach images provide a strong image about what it really meant when the “European Only” signs came down. The visual depictions of Mandela were so lifelike that readers will have a clear picture in their mind of what Mandela looked like at all stages of his life.

Seeds, Bees, Butterflies, and More! Poems for Two Voices by Carole Gerber and Eugene Yelchin: Any time a book can do double duty, I’m a happy camper. This book exposes kids to poetry and teaches them about nature. I long for the day when my daughter can read these poems aloud with me since they are meant for two voices. Until then, I will read them aloud to her on my own, changing my voice when the color on the page changes (i.e., every page is color-coded so you know when to change readers). This book is a nice companion to A Seed is Sleepy for teaching about the plant world.

The Train of States by Peter Sis: This book introduces young readers to all 50 states in their order of admission. (BTW: There’s a special page for Washington, DC.) Our state, the Keystone State, was the second one to be admitted. Its ornately decorated antique circus wagon car includes the state’s motto, nickname, flag, tree, dog, and bird. It also includes sketches of famous people like Benjamin Franklin, President Buchanan, and Betsy Ross. There is so much information packed on to this page that each page can be a springboard to a discussion into further investigation about a given state. Finally, page after page this book is a delight for the senses, especially if you’re sharing it with a child who loves trains.

Who Says Women Can’t Be Doctors? The Story of Elizabeth Blackwell by Tanya Lee Stone and Marjorie Priceman: The title sucked me in immediately, especially after I couldn’t find a doctor’s costume for my daughter this past Halloween. Once I started reading it, I was immediately drawn in thanks to the narrator’s conversational tone throughout the text. The author’s note in the back includes valuable information and the resource list on the final page encourages readers to learn more about Dr. Blackwell.

You Never Heard of Willie Mays?! by Jonah Winter and Terry Widener: We’re big baseball fans in this house. This book shares the story of William Howard Mays Jr. with young readers. While it’s written as a narrative, it includes text boxes with facts (e.g., about Joe DiMaggio, Mays’ inspiration, and The Negro Leagues) and tables with statistics (e.g., “Best All-Around Hitters in Major League History,” “Great Players Whose Careers Were Interrupted by Military Service,” “Best Defensive Center Fielders in Major League History). These nonfiction text features really enhance the story, as does the author’s note that can be found across from the title page of the book.

More Books That Show Love!

This meme was started by Sheila at Book Journey and the kids’ version has been adapted by Jen and Kellee at Teach Mentor Texts.

Last month I posted about a couple of books that convey love to a child.  Valentine’s Day is coming this week and I realized I hadn’t posted any additional titles.  Therefore, I’m posting two more today.  (While I’d like to post more, we’ve had some drama relating to a new router that we installed that’s been misbehaving.  During the router trouble, my keyboard tray broke off from my desk. Hence, I can’t sit at my desk to work on the computer for long periods of time since it’s just not comfortable.  My new keyboard tray cannot arrive fast enough.)  But I digress…

First, Mommy Hugs by Karen Katz is a giant board book I’ve enjoyed reading with my daughter for months now.  This book accounts for ten different times of day that moms and babies can exchange hugs with each other.  My daughter loves to read this book with me while snuggled on my lap.  (NOTE: Katz has a book especially for Valentine’s Day, Where Is Baby’s Valentine? A Lift-the-Flap Book, too.  I haven’t personally seen it, but as someone whose kid loves Katz’s books, I’m figuring it’s another good pick!)

Second, Betsy Snyder’s I Haiku You contains 20 haiku poems that focus around childhood friendship and things kids love.  It’s adorably illustrated and can serve as an inspiration for kids to craft their own Haiku poems.  Betsy wrote a guest blog post over at my other blog, Two Writing Teachers, last week.  She talked about how I Haiku You went from an idea to a project to a book.  Click here to read what she wrote and for a chance to win a copy of her book.

A favorite finger puppet book

This meme was started by Sheila at Book Journey and the kids’ version has been adapted by Jen and Kellee at Teach Mentor Texts.

Isabelle selected a few books to have me read to her this afternoon: The Alphabet with Wild Animals by Mélanie Watt, Discover Opposites, which is a Smithsonian Institution board book, and Trucks, which is a Bright Baby Book. But perhaps the one she loves the most (that she selected) is The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Finger Puppet Book by Eric Carle. It contains an endearing, 3D caterpillar who can wiggle (& talk when impersonated by yours truly). We read the book several times with more and more giggles on every subsequent read. It may be a basic counting book, but there’s a lot of ad libbing one an do to add-on to each page, which contains illustrations of fruits, to make it a more enriching read.

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

This meme was started by Sheila at Book Journey and the kids’ version has been adapted by Jen and Kellee at Teach Mentor Texts.
When Maribeth came to dinner last month she brought a gift for Isabelle.  One of the items she brought was Where’s Spot?.  This book lift-the-flap book written and illustrated by Eric Hill has become a fast favorite of Isabelle’s.  She can spend an elongated period of time lifting the flaps to try to find Spot.  She loves searching for Spot so much that she’s already bent the piano (which reveals a hippo and a bird, not Spot, hiding there) and the dust ruffle of the bed (an alligator is beneath the bed).  She doesn’t care about the bent flaps so therefore I shouldn’t either.  What I really love about reading this book with Isabelle is listening to her make the familiar animal sounds when she discovers an animal hiding in the place where Spot should be.  She especially loves to make the sound of the monkey, who is eating a banana, inside of a free-standing closet.

I have to admit, I knew very little about the Spot books, other than the fact that I had recently received a review copy of Spot Loves Sports from Hill’s publisher (G.P. Putnam’s Sons).  I’m not sure how I missed the Spot books considering they’ve been around since 1980!  (Maybe my mom read them to me and I just forgot about them once primary school began.  Yeah, that’s gotta be it.)

Anyway, back to the Spot books.  On the back of Spot Loves Sports I noticed there was a website listed.  Once I checked out the Fun with Spot website I scratched my head wondering how Isabelle made it through a year and a half of her life without me knowing about all of Hill’s incredible Spot books.  After all, Spot has many adventures, such as visiting his grandparents, going to bed, celebrating holidays, and so much more.  The books are adorable, as is the interactive kids’ website.

I’m afraid that I’m going to have to exercise some restraint when it comes to purchasing them from Amazon later this week.  Therefore, if you’re more familiar with the Spot books than I am, please tell me what your favorite ones are.

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

This week I’m participating in Book Journey‘s “It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?” Meme.  Last week I did the one over at Teach Mentor Texts, which I plan to do a lot.  However, since I just finished a non-children’s book that I’m longing to blog about, I figured the Book Journey Meme would be more appropriate.

Several months ago a like-minded mom tagged me in a post on Facebook with a link to Peggy Orenstein‘s book Cinderella Ate My Daughter: Dispatches from the Front Lines of the New Girlie-Girl Culture.  I pre-ordered it on Amazon and then let it sit on my bookshelf for way too many months.  I finally had made the time to read it last week and I’m thankful I did because it’s armed me with the information I need to guide my daughter through the things she’s going to encounter as she matures.  When I say “things” I mean things like princess mania, making sure she plays with girls and boys so she develops healthy friendships with members of both sexes, everything surrounding the color pink (e.g., toys, clothes), body image, the way girls are portrayed in the media, consumerism, navigating cyberspace and social networks, etc.  That list, which is not inclusive of everything Orenstein discusses, can make one’s head spin!  However, I have come to believe that the only way I can help my daughter make smart choices as she navigates through all of these things is by understanding what’s coming down the pike.

Right now Isabelle is a “toddler.”  I put toddler in quotes since I learned that toddler is not a term that deals with the psychological development of children.  “[A]ccording to Daniel Cook, a historian of childhood consumerism,  it was popularized as a marketing gimmick by clothing manufacturers in the 1930’s.  … It was only after ‘toddler’ became common shoppers’ parlance that it evolved into a broadly accepted developmental stage” (36).  So really, I still have a baby on my hands!  A baby my husband and I must guide through this ever-changing, complex world where she will encounter provocative messages and images.  Some people might say, “Don’t worry about cyberbulling and the effect of the way Miley Cyrus dresses now.  She’s just a baby!”  And you know what, they’re partially right.  I don’t really have to worry about it now.  However, princess mania is going to start between the ages of two and three, which is just ’round the corner, so I’m thinking about how to deal with it before the madness begins.

Throughout the book, Orenstein shares excerpts of conversations with her daughter, Daisy.  I noticed Orenstein often asked Daisy open-ended questions and got her thinking more deeply about the messages and reasons behind the way someone acted, why someone said something, or what something could mean.  Their conversations reflect thoughtful discussions and are similar to the work we teach students to do under the umbrella of critical literacy.  (Here’s a link to a PDF I used with my fifth graders, who are finishing 11th grade this month, to help them ask questions of texts.  It was compiled using a articles by Barbara Comber and a book by Stephanie R. Jones, that dealt with critical literacy.)  What I took from the constant conversations Orenstein and her daughter had is that you have to do more than just keep the lines of communication open between yourself and your child.   Part of my job in raising a literate human being will be to constantly push her to think critically about things she encounters in her daily life.  As Orenstein says in the final chapter, “Girl Power — No Really,” of the book that “involves staying close but not crowding them, standing firm in one’s values while remaining flexible” (192).

Cinderella Ate My Daughter should be mandatory reading for every mother of a girl.  To me, it’s like a manual for raising a strong, healthy, confident girl in the 21st century.  It’s a book I’ve discussed with my husband and would like him to read. (Right now he’s reading Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, as well as Derek Jeter’s new book.  Next up I want him to read Blessing of a Skinned Knee.  After he finishes that, I’m certainly having him put Cinderella Ate My Daughter on his Kindle!)  This book is one  my mother and mother-in-law want to read after hearing me talk about it so they, too, can help Isabelle on her journey towards being a self-reliant and happy woman.  Cinderella Are My Daughter is the kind of book I foresee myself returning to again and again as I guide Isabelle through the various stages of her life.