Saturday, October 22, 2011

Anything But Typical

Author: Nora Raleigh Baskin
Copyright: 2009
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young  Readers, New York
Age Level: 10-14 and up
Reading Levels:
o        Fountas & Pinnell – X Fiction
o        Lexile – 640
o        Accelerated Reader – 4.1
Pages: 208 paperback
Genre: Fiction/Realistic Fiction


“Neurotypicals like it when you look them in the eye just because you are not looking at someone does not mean you are not listening. I can listen better when I am not distracted by a person’s face: What are their eyes saying? Is that a frown or a smile? How can you listen to all those words when you have to think about all of that stuff?” – from Anything But Typical
Suggested delivery:  Read aloud, small group read, independent read

Links:
·         Reading Group Guide http://books.simonandschuster.com/Anything-But-Typical/Nora-Raleigh-Baskin/9781416963783/reading_group_guide

·         To purchase the book
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=ANYTHING+BUT+typical+2009
  
·         YouTube video Book Talk (Pre Reading/Initiation)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2ggAbYs72I

·         Book Literature Study(During/Post Reading Activities)
http://teacher.usd437.net/js/library/documents/LiteratureTripforAnythingbutTypical_000.pdf

3 teaching suggestions - using the book with students in grades 4-6
1.   Setting up Virtual Pen Pals for communicating and the sharing of ideas
2.   Similes and Metaphor study
3.   Try Storyboarding as a communication and organizing tool/Comic strip

Key Vocabulary:
1.   abstract
2.   disorder
3.   appreciation
4.   confluence
5.   bombarding
6.    convention
7.    grapple
8.    dilemma
9.    facetious
10.  squinched

Before Reading Strategy: KWL about Autism/Text Impressions, First Lines
During Reading Strategy: Directed Reading–Thinking Activity,Prediction Relay
After Reading Strategy:    Sentence/Picture Story board Pre-Writing/Drafting, Question the Author

A writing activity that requires the students to respond to the text to demonstrate inferential comprehension

Awards, Reviews, Honors or Mentions: “As Jason explains, there’s really only one kind of plot: “Stuff happens. That’s it.” - from Anything But Typical
o   Junior Library Guild Selection 2009
o   Indie Booksellers for the Summer 2009 Kids' List
o   ALA Notable Children's Books
o   ALA Schneider Family Book Award
o   Bank Street Best Books of the Year
o   Booklist Editors' Choice
o   CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book
o   CCBC Choices (Cooperative Children's Book Council)
o   Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award Master List (VT)
o   Georgia Children's Book Award Nominee
o   IRA Notable Books for a Global Society
o   Maine Student Book Award Master List
o   NCTE Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts
o   South Carolina Book Award Nominee
o   Tennessee Book award nominee 2012
o   Kentucky book award nominee
o   Nebraska book award nominee 2012
o   Garden State book award nominee 2010 (New Jersey)
o   Maryland Black-eyed Susan nominee 2011
o   2011-2012 Iowa Teen Award nominee
o   Minnesota Youth reading awards 2011-2012  nominee
o   2010-2011 Massachusetts Children's Book Award Master List
o   2004 Newbery Medal Winner
o   A #1 National Bestseller
o   A Junior Library Guild Selection
o   Starred Review from the School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, and Publishers Weekly

Other Books by the Author or that may follow:
o   What Every Girl (Except Me) Knows, 2001
o   Almost Home, 2005
o   Basketball (Or Something Like It), 2006
o   In the company of crazies, 2007
o   The Truth About My Bat Mitzvah, 2008

Topics from the book: Adolescents with special needs, Autism Spectrum Disorders, characters who write, first person narration, point of view and perspective, relationships, self- concept
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The Tale of Despereaux

Author: Kate DiCamillo
Illustrator: Timothy Basil Ering
Copyright: 2003
Publisher: Candlewick Press, Cambridge, MA
Age Level: 7-12 and up
Reading Levels:
o        Fountas & Pinnell – U Fiction
o        Lexile – 670
o        Accelerated Reader – 4.7
Pages: 270 plus After Words
Genre: Fiction/Fairytale, Fantasy, Adventure

“The world is dark, and light is precious. Come closer, dear reader.
You must trust me. I am telling you a story.” – Kate DiCamillo

Suggested delivery:  Read aloud, read independently, literature circles

Links:
·         Literature Circle Questions and Activities http://teacher.scholastic.com/clubs/pdfs/taleofdespereaux_t.pdf

·         To purchase the book
http://www.amazon.com/Tale-Despereaux-Being-Princess-Thread/dp/0763625299/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1311540512&sr=1-1   

·         About the author/book – Post Reading Author Study
http://www.katedicamillo.com/books/tale.html  

·         Teacher’s Guide available at (Pre/During/Post Activities)
 www.candlewick.com

·         Book and Author Literature Study (Pre/During/Post Activities)
http://www.merrybee.info/ba/tale.html

·         Made into a Major Motion Picture from Universal Pictures December 2008/Post Reading-Games, video trailer…
http://www.taleofdespereauxmovie.com/site/

3 teaching suggestions - using the book with students in grades 4-6
1.   Character Study
2.   Comparison of real and fictional mice/ Comparison of Castle life upstairs and downstairs
3.   Author study or comparison to another book by author or to a similar book

Key Vocabulary:
1.   litter
2.   scurrying
3.   dungeon
4.   renounce
5.   solace
6.    illumination
7.    clout
8.    aspirations
9.    olfactory
10.  lair

 Before Reading Strategy: Read-Aloud, Read-Pair-Share, Anticipation Guide
During Reading Strategy: Directed Reading – Thinking Activity, Mosaic of Thought Comprehension Questions
After Reading Strategy:   Opinionnaire, Book Report/Presentation/Reader's Theatre 

A writing activity that requires the students to respond to the text to demonstrate inferential comprehension - Have students write letters of advice or encouragement to any of the characters citing problems then offering solutions…

Awards, Reviews, Honors or Mentions: “Forgiveness, light, love, and soup. These essential ingredients combine into a tale that is as soul stirring as it is delicious.” – Booklist Starred Review
  • 2004 Newbery Medal Winner
  • A #1 National Bestseller
  • A Junior Library Guild Selection
  • Starred Review from the School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, and Publishers Weekly
  • Maine Student Book Award Winner, 2004-2005
  • Golden Archer Award Winner, Intermediate 2005 (Wisconsin)
  • Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award Winner, 2005 (Vermont)
  • Kentucky Bluegrass Award Winner 3-5, 2005
  • Rhode Island Children’s Book Award Winner, 2005
  • Land of Enchantment Winner, Young Adult 2005-2006 (New Mexico)
  • Charlie May Simon Children’s Books Award Winner, 2005-2006 (Arkansas)
  • Volunteer State Book Award Winner 4-6, 2005-2006 (Tennessee)
  • Garden State Children’s Book Award Winner, children’s fiction 2006 (New Jersey)
  • Sequoyah Book Award Winner, 2006 (Oklahoma)
  • The Pacific Northwest Library Association’s Young Reader’s Choice Award, Winner Junior Division, 2006
  • Massachusetts Children’s Book Award Winner, 2007
  • Chapman Awards for Best Classroom Read-Alouds (k-6), 2003 Fiction
Other Books by the Author or that may follow:
Early Chapter Books
  • Mercy Watson Series
  • Bink & gollie
Novels
o   Because of Winn- Dixie, 2000 ( Newbery Honor Book, 2001)
o   The Tiger Rising, 2001 (National Book Award Finalist, 2001)
o   The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, 2006
o   The Magician’s Elephant, 2009

Topics from the book: Character education, fantasy, rich vocabulary, fairytales, mice
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A Single Shard

Title: A Single Shard
Author: Linda Sue Park
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Age Level: 9-12 and up
Reading Levels:
o        Fountas & Pinnell – U Fiction
o        Lexile – 920
o        Accelerated Reader – 6.6
Pages: 168 (paperback)
Genre: Fiction/Historical Fiction


Set in a small village on the west coast of Korea, mid-to late twelfth century
Enter into the world of Tree-ear, Crane-man, and Min “the tortoise potter!”
“Work gives a man dignity, stealing takes it away”

“Did a good deed balance a bad one?”

“…when a monk came to fetch you a few months later, you would not leave. You clung to my good leg like a monkey to a tree, not crying but not letting go, either! The monk went away. You stayed.” – from A Single Shard

Suggested delivery Read aloud, small group read, independent read

Links:
·      Author’s Website
http://www.lindasuepark.com/books/singleshard/singleshard.html

·      Book and Author Literature Study Guide
http://www.merrybee.info/ba/single.html
  • Multiple Study Guide links
http://www.merrybee.info/ba/singlelist.html

  • Publisher’s website
www.randomhouse.com/kids
www.randomhouse.com/teachers
3 teaching suggestions - using the book with students in grades 4-6
1.   Study of 12th Century Korean culture with a comparison of modern day Korea or even a comparison of the apprentice/master done in a two voice poem
2.   Pottery as an art form, especially celadon, can be discussed and studied with an added field trip to a pottery studio or done in Art class at school
3.   Character study/character traits – perseverance, honesty, courageous, loyal, respectful…

Key Vocabulary:
1.   protruded
2.   rubbish (heaps)
3.   glean
4.   oblivious
5.   vessel
6.    emissary
7.    ruefully
8.    (royal) commission
9.     glaze
10.   beckoning

Before Reading Strategy: Anticipation Guide/ Vocabulary Self-Awareness/Read-Alouds
During Reading Strategy: Paired-Partner Reading/Word hunts
After Reading Strategy:  Question the Author/Poem – Haiku, Two-Voice Poem, Create Voki Character/s 
                                                   
A writing activity that requires the students to respond to the text to demonstrate inferential comprehension - write a letter to Tree-ear as a friend and tell him which qualities you admire most about him and cite your reasons using the text.

Awards, Reviews, Honors or Mentions:
  • 2002 Newbery Award Winner
  • Booklist Starred Review
  • Kirkus Starred Review
  • Publishers Weekly Starred Review
  • School Library Journal Starred Review
  • 2002 ALA Best Books For Young Adults
  • 2002 ALA Notable Books For Children
  • 2001 Booklist Editors' Choice
  • 2001 School Library Journal, Best Books of the Year
  • 2001 Capitol Choices Selection
  • 2001 New York Public Library, 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
  • 2004 Sequoyah Book Award (OK)
  • 2006 Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Book Award Master List (IL)
Other Books by the Author or that may follow:
o   Seesaw Girl, 1999
o   The Kite Fighters, 2000
o   When My Name Was Keoke, 2002
o   Project Mulberry, 2005
o   Archer’s Quest, 2006
o   Keeping Score, 2008
o   A Long Walk to Water: based on a true story, 2010

Book Collaboration
o   Click by Arthur A. Levine, 2007
o   The 39 Clues: Storm Warning (Book Nine), 2010

Topics from book: Art, Asian Heritage & Culture, Character Education, Courage, Historical Fiction, Perseverance & Determination, Self Concept, Sentence Fluency 6+1 Traits
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