Mrs. Cropper's Books

The Creative Family

2009-04-24T00:11:00.000-07:00

Introducing a new category here at Mrs. Cropper's Books: Parenting Books!

And I am sooooo excited to announce the very first title on the list! It's The Creative Family: How to Encourage Imagination and Nurture Family Connections by Amanda Blake Soule. You have likely seen Amanda's popular blog--SouleMama. Along with gorgeous photographs, she writes all about her parenting adventures--with an emphasis on creating with her children.

Now, in her new book, Amanda imparts all sorts of her wisdom and incredible ideas. From creative play to freezer-paper stenciling to knitting to making fairy houses to making holidays handmade, The Creative Family is exciting and inspiring and beautiful. It makes me want to be a better mother--and gives me the tools and ideas to do so. Brilliant.

Hope you love it as much as I do!

Harold and the Purple Crayon

2009-03-12T21:33:00.000-07:00

I made a resolution awhile back to read more of the classics. I just felt it was a crime to be in the middle of Stephenie Meyer's vampire series when I hadn't ever read My Antonia. (So now Eclipse and My Antonia are sitting on my bedside table collecting dust. Awesome. I so need to get back to reading every day.)

Anyway, I think this applies to children's lit as well. There are just SO many great classics out there that we need to be reading with our kids!

One such classic we've been adoring lately is Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson. Written in 1955, it tells the tale as Harold creates it with his crayon.

"One evening, after thinking it over for some time, Harold decided to go for a walk in the moonlight. There wasn't any moon, and Harold needed a moon for a walk in the moonlight (draws himself a purple moon). And he needed something to walk on (draws himself a purple sidewalk)." And so begins his adventure, that includes a picnic, a dragon, a boat, a hot air balloon ride, and so much more.

I absolutely adore the simplicity of the illustrations and marvel at how cleverly Johnson used them to narrate the story. I love how we sense Harold's young feelings and imagination. This book beautifully captures the magic of a child's mind.

Celebrate with Dr. Seuss

2009-02-27T00:00:00.000-08:00

Monday is March 2nd and do you know what that means? Dr. Seuss's birthday! I'm reminding you now so you can use the weekend to make preparations. Here are some fun things to do to celebrate:

*For breakfast--Green Eggs and Ham, of course!

*For reading--go to the library this weekend and bulk up on some of his greaties. (A catalog of Seuss titles here.) Dedicate a big chunk of the day to reading. Cancel everthing else, let your laundry and dishes pile up, make some fun snacks, snuggle up with your kiddoes, and READ!

*For games--Seussville.

Have fun!!

(I wrote more about Dr. Seuss's birthday and all the fun you can have with it here.)

A Child's Day: An Alphabet of Play

2009-01-02T09:58:00.000-08:00

My sister Elizabeth had our names for Christmas. Along with two of my favorite movies and a new Tyler Florence cookbook, she sent an alphabet book that is absolutely TDF (to die for). A Child's Day: An Alphabet of Play by Ida Pearle is a simple alphabet book with two characteristics that distinguish it from all the other scads of alphabet books.

#1. Pearle's cut-paper collages are absolutely gorgeous. I've told you before--collage is hands down my favorite medium--so naturally I love this book. (Ida Pearle is an artist by trade. This is actually her first book. Go here to see more about her and her beautiful artwork.)

#2. Alphabet books filled with 26 nouns are a dime a dozen. In this book, Pearle uses verbs. BRILLIANT. So J is Jump, L is Listen, I is Ice skate. And each one is illustrated by a child in that action.

This is the first book I've been super excited about in a long time. I love to read it to Blaine over and over because I am so enchanted with each simple yet detailed illustration. I hope you will love it as much as I do!

Finally a new Rainbow Book: How I Became a Pirate

2008-08-11T15:50:00.000-07:00

"Tell me 'bout Jeremy Jay-tub 'gain, Mama!"
That's what Blaine begs from the backseat every day in the car. And happily I comply. "Well, there was this boy named Jeremy Jacob and he was very good at building sandcastles..."

My rendition is not nearly as clever as Melinda Long's. She wrote this endearing tale which is brilliantly illustrated by David Shannon (you know his stuff. Think Duck on a Bike, Alice the Fairy, etc. More on him later. Love him!)

Blaine received this book from his beautiful "auntie" Lisa and has loved it ever since he would sit still long enough to look at the pictures with me. Now that he is even older, he gets it more and loves it more.

The story is told from Jeremy Jacob's perspective and takes you on an adventure with Braid Beard the pirate and his crew. With Jeremy Jacob we learn pirate jargon ("shiver me timbers," "scurvy dog,"), pirate manners (none), pirate cuisine (meat on the bone, no vegetables in sight), and pirate bedtime stories (none--the only thing to read on board the ship is a treasure map). Jeremy Jacob thinks being a pirate is the greatest ever until he realizes he misses the comforts of home and family. And then a storm hits with lightening that breaks the mast of the ship. Will they survive the storm? What will they do with the treasure? Will Jeremy Jacob make it home in time for soccer practice?

You MUST get this book and read it with your children. It is so cleverly written and colorfully illustrated. Blaine adores it at 2, but I would recommend it up to 7 or 8 because, of course, the older they get, the more of the humor they get.

Hope you love it!

2008-03-17T18:30:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Cropper is on maternity leave. She'll be back soon with some great new picture books and some new book club material. Until then...

Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch

2008-02-13T12:46:00.000-08:00

"Mr. Hatch was tall and thin and he did not smile. Every morning at 6:30 sharp he would leave his brick house and walk eight blocks to the shoelace factory where he worked. At lunchtime he would sit alone in a corner, eat his cheese and mustard sandwich, and drink a cup of coffee. Sometimes he brought a prune for dessert."

So begins this perfect-for-heart-day story written by Eileen Spinelli (yes, that's the wife of our beloved Jerry Spinelli) and illustrated by Paul Yalowitz. And so begins every day for Mr. Hatch. Just as drab as the last. But on Valentine's Day he receives a candy-filled heart with a card that says "Somebody loves you," and his whole world changes. Mr. Hatch starts to feel differently about himself and begins to interact with those around him. But what will happen when it turns out that the Valentine's Day gift was delivered to Mr. Hatch by mistake? You'll have to read this gem to find out!

(Some great things about this book: First of all, Eileen Spinelli is clever as can be. She had me from that first paragraph. (I mean, come on, who eats a mustard and cheese sandwich?! I had to learn more about this Mr. Hatch...) Secondly, Yalowitz's colored pencil illustrations are wonderful. He uses color perfectly to capture the mood of each scene. For example, the illustration accompanying that first paragraph is full of dull gray tones. We see warmer colors as the story continues. Brilliant.)

Enjoy this read and enjoy your Heart Day!

Loved Love, Stargirl

2008-02-05T09:48:00.000-08:00

Alright my Book Club friends. I gave you a whole extra week to finish Love, Stargirl. The following are my first thoughts after reading it:

I was so concerned that I wouldn’t like Love, Stargirl as much as I liked Stargirl. In fact, I was quite hesitant to read it. And I was halfway through it before I was enjoying my read, and not just reading to get through it. By the end, though, I was touched and thrilled and excited. I loved it. I loved it just as much as the first book—maybe more. Because in the first book Stargirl is somewhat elusive. We know what she does, but we don’t understand much about who she really is or what motivates her behavior. This book opened up a window to her charming little soul and we came to understand her so much better. I was thoroughly impressed with Jerry Spinelli’s ability to do that. I look at these two books with the same main characters, and am super impressed with his ability to write from both Leo’s and Stargirl’s perspective. Here’s who I adore: Jerry Spinelli!

What did you think??!!

Valentine's Day Suggestions

2008-02-04T09:09:00.000-08:00

I received a request for Valentine's Day book suggestions. I decided now is the best time to do that, so you all have time before the big day to find and read these gems. I actually wrote about several of these last year, so I'm going to send you clicking HERE. Stay tuned for more...

Kevin Henkes Week: Day Four

2008-01-28T20:36:00.001-08:00

Remember back in July when I started Kevin Henkes Week and then fell off the face of the earth? That is no way to treat your tribute to your favorite picture book author! Six months later I am making good on my promise to finish the week. Here we go...

Today's book is Chrysanthemum. Another of Henkes' sweet little mice, Chrysanthemum adores her unique name. "(She) loved the way her name looked when it was written with ink on an envelope. She loved the way it looked when it was written with icing on her birthday cake. And she loved the way it looked when she wrote it herself with her fat orange crayon." But then, she started school. Of course all the other mice have names like Tom, Sam, and Jo. And of course they all tease her that her name scarcely fits on her name tag, and--in the author's brilliant words--"Chrysanthemum wilted." And so the story goes. Every day at school the children tease her about her long flower name, and every evening at home her parents try to cheer her up. Says her darling father, "(Your name is) precious and priceless and fascinating and winsome." Though her parents help her feel better about herself, Chrysanthemum is still heartbroken by the ridicule of her peers. Until the day they meet the music teacher who happens to be named after a flower herself. Delphinium Twinkle. (This is why I love Kevin Henkes. Does it get more clever or charming?!) And of course Mrs. Twinkle is "an indescribable wonder" to all of her little mice students. And suddenly Chrysanthemum doesn't seem like a silly name after all...

This is quite possibly my favorite Henkes title. Clever and moralistic (but without being in your face) as always. Read it, read it, read it!

Martin's Big Words

2008-01-21T09:14:00.000-08:00

I have a great many books about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. They are all wonderful. This, however, is my absolute favorite--Martin's Big Words by Doreen Rappaport, illlustrated by Bryan Collier.

Here's why I love it so:

1. Rappaport has ingeniously juxtaposed her original text with direct quotes from Dr. King's life. For example, after listening to his father preach when he was a young boy, Martin said, "When I grow up, I'm going to get big words, too." I love the way she uses his words and how it makes me feel more connected to him.

2. Collier's art is perfect. I suppose I'm biased because collage happens to be my very favorite medium. Here, Collier has used watercolor and collage to put lifelike images of Dr. King against a background of various textures and images. Like his life and the Civil Rights Movement itself, the illustrations are bold, complex, and multi-layered. I think Collier has captured the feeling of that time beautifully.

If you're looking for great books about Dr. King to read with your child, start with this one. It is geared for young children (I'd say Kindergarten-3rd grade), but it is an inspiring book for all ages.

Back at it

2008-01-14T22:28:00.000-08:00

Holy smokes, bookclubbers. My apologies for dropping the ball. I'm ready now. It's January, after all--a time for new beginnings! Shall we discuss Love, Stargirl on January 31st?

Snowmen at Night

2007-12-21T15:42:00.000-08:00

This year we got a new Christmas book for Blaine--Snowmen at Night by Caralyn and Mark Buehner. The Buehners hail from Salt Lake City and if their name sounds familiar, you have likely read their gem, Fanny's Dream. They have several other wonderful titles as well. I absolutely love the Buehners.

Snowmen at Night is fabulous for so many reasons. First of all, the story is brilliant. It is about a boy who notices that when he makes his snowman, he looks just fine--standing tall, smiling, hat on straight, etc. But the next morning he is drooping just a tad and looks quite dishevelled. The boy concludes that the snowman must go out at night and run around town with all the other snowmen. And so, in clever verse, Caralyn Buehner takes us through those nightly snowmen activities--sledding, throwing snowballs, playing baseball (using snowballs, of course), skating on the pond, and so on. It is hysterical and so imaginative--your child will never look at snowmen the same way again! And, as always, Mark Buehner's pictures are bold and colorful and clever as can be. In this one he even has hidden shapes in every scene for your child to hunt for.

This book is wonderful for all ages. Blaine loves it for its pictures, and your 8 or 9 year-old will still love it for its cleverness. Read it with your family this Christmas!

The Sweet Smell of Christmas

2007-12-20T15:28:00.000-08:00

One of my most favorite Christmas books to read every year is The Sweet Smell of Christmas by Patricia M. Scarry. (You should recognize that last name. Her husband, Richard Scarry is one of the all-time GREATS in children's lit. More on him later.) It is illustrated by J.P. Miller, and it is a scratch-and-sniff! Don't you just loooove those? This one tickled me pink as a child, and just looking through it this year made me so nostalgic and so excited for Christmas!

As Christmas approaches, little Bear gets more and more excited with each new scent that fills the air--the minty candy canes, the piney Christmas tree, the chocolaty hot cocoa, the delicious gingerbread cookies... And, of course, you get to (er, um, I mean, your child gets to) scratch and sniff each of these wonderful smells.

I hope you will find this book for your family. For me it brings back so many memories of little girl Christmases--reading it with my mom and then creating those aromas in our very own home!

Toddlers need Christmas books, too (part two)!

2007-12-19T15:02:00.000-08:00

Here is another fun one for your little, little ones: My First Christmas Touch and Feel. This is yet another great touch and feel book by Doring Kindersly (remember that the big DK on the cover is always a good sign). This particular one has some super fun and varied textures for your little babe to feel: a Santa cookie's sticky cherry nose, a crafted snowman's fluffy body, the silky ribbon on a present, and more. And I love that most of DK's illustrations are photographs. That makes it so real and recognizable for our babes. So find this one and add it to your collection. You will love it!

Toddlers need Christmas books, too!

2007-12-18T16:56:00.000-08:00

You need Christmas books for every age. Here's one that is wonderful for your babes and toddlers. It is called My Peekaboo Fun: Christmas Time. (Yo-Yo Books is the publisher.) I'm a big fan of these Yo-Yo Peekaboo books. (Blaine has one called Learning to Count that is delightful.) Here's why you and your child will love this book:

First of all, simple text: It asks, "Who is walking on top of the roofs at night?" Then, your toddler can answer because a) the 2-page-spread illustration has big, colorful, simple, bright pictures showing the wintry scene and b) every part of that scene is labeled in a good-sized, basic font(cloud, moon, bird, tree, roof, skylight, tower, clock, chimney, sky, smoke, stars, hill, snow). Then, every page has at least one big, sturdy, cardboard flap to open, to reveal something more (peekaboo!).

It's a greatie, I tell ya. And a hint for shoppers: you can often find these Peekaboo books at T.J. Maxx and other similar stores. Enjoy, enjoy!

Christmas is coming!

2007-12-10T14:28:00.000-08:00

It's time to get Christmasy. Today's holiday Rainbow Book is an obvious classic. So widely known that I considered not posting it. But then Mr. Cropper told me he has never read it, which led me to wonder if there are others of you out there who haven't read this greatie, or don't own it? (Because you should. It needs to be in your Christmas stack, just under The Grinch Who Stole Christmas and just on top of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.)

Today's book is The Polar Express, written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg. (He did Jumanji and Zathura as well, if that helps you get your author-bearings.) Of course there has been a movie since, as with Jumanji and Zathura. Movies are visually amazing of course, but in this case I prefer Van Allsburg's illustrations. The Polar Express, in fact, won the Caldecott medal in 1986. The paintings are large and exquisite; rich in color and detail. They make me want to cozy up by a fire and watch the snow fall down outside. Hot cocoa is involved in that wish, too. That's how good Van Allsburg is at eliciting that wintery, Christmasy feeling.

The story is a gem. In it, a boy boards the Polar Express one winter's night, and rides to the North Pole with scads of other children, clad in their jammies. They sing Christmas carols and drink hot chocolate. The train climbs mountains, crosses the Great Polar Ice Cap, and eventually reaches the North Pole, the streets of which are crowded with Santa's helpers. The boy is chosen to receive the first gift of Christmas and humbly asks for one bell from a reindeer's harness. He slips the bell into his pocket, but when he reaches for it back on the home-bound train, he feels nothing but a hole in his pocket. Devastated, he returns home. But don't you worry. This story has the most happy, magical ending of any story you've ever read. It makes me tear up every year! Please read this book! Please own this book! Please give this book to someone who doesn't! You will love it.

A Rainbow Book With Morals

2007-12-03T21:53:00.000-08:00

My fun co-worker, CJ, recently introduced me to a fabulous picture book called Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners. In this creative, funny book by Laurie Keller, we learn that Mr. Rabbit is about to get new neigbors--and they're otters! As Mr. Rabbit wonders if these otters will be good neighbors, he explains what "he would have otters do unto him" and realizes that he could also "do unto otters" these same things. He goes through all sorts of manners from saying excuse me after a burp to asking permission to borrow something.

Here's what makes this book fantastic instead of just one more moralistic book about manners: Laurie Keller is hysterical! Her little asides and clever illustrations will make you giggle, and will make your kids CRACK UP! It's wonderfully creative and smart, and I highly recomment it. So does CJ.

Aunt Sah-ee's Book

2007-11-15T08:59:00.000-08:00

Blaine has an aunt named Sara. But we all call her Aunt Sally. Blaine calls her Aunt Sah-ee. When she was visiting us last month Blaine took an interest in learning his colors. He would hold up his blocks one at a time so that we could tell him which color each one was. But when he would later hold up a block and try to determine its color himself, he got a little mixed up. We determined that his favorite color is yellow, because basically every time he would hold up a block (regardless of its color), he would shout, "Yeh-woh!"

Sadly, Sally left us to visit other family in Texas. But just a few days ago Blaine received a package from her. In it he discovered a book called Colorful World. The enclosed note said:
"To Blaine, Love Aunt Sally. I uh, knew Blaine could maybe benefit from a little color help. I hope I'm not too late. I thought this was just so dang cute...and quite pertinent. :) "

This is a Doring Kindersly book. You know them, they're the publishers with the DK in the upper left corner. Those two letters on the front of a book are a good sign. They publish GREAT stuff from board books to grown-up stuff. This particular book is simple, colorful (duh), and perfect for your toddler's developing little mind.

"This apple is red. (large photo of an apple) What else is red?" (lift the flap to find photos of a strawberry, a fire truck, a heart, a tomato, a poppy, and more.) It's simple and completely fabulous. And Blaine loves it. He asks to read "Book. Sah-ee." His favorite things to point out, of course, are the red fire truck, the yellow dump truck, and the green tractor. And guess what, Aunt Sally? It's helping. Blaine's even moving on to pink, purple, and brown! Those are secondary and tertiary colors!

Dear Bookclub, Shall We Go for It?

2007-11-12T20:47:00.000-08:00

Well we had so much fun discussing Stargirl! I was amazed at the many different perspectives and interpretations brought out! That's what's so fun about a book group. So, I had planned on a particular book for our next read, but there is some talk of reading Love, Stargirl so we can discuss things from Stargirl's vantage point. All in favor??

Let's Discuss

2007-11-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

Here's what I would love to know:

*What did you think overall?

*Could you identify with Leo and/or Stargirl?

*Do you know anyone like Stargirl? (I myself would like to be a bit more Stargirl!)

*What is your favorite Stargirl-ism? (Mine, for example, is how she makes her desk at school a home--tablecloth, flower in vase, and all!)

*What did you think of the ending?

*Did you read the Q&A with Spinelli at the end? What did you think?

*What were the great literary bits?

*What parts of the story did you particulary love or find profound?

Feel free to answer any or all of the above, or just tell us whatever you want! As always, keep checking back to keep this an open, circular dialogue!

Mrs. Cropper's Favorite Halloween Book

2007-10-31T08:45:00.000-07:00

I have a deep and abiding love for The Berenstain Bears--the origin of which I will have to explain one day. For today, suffice it to say that I still love reading these stories, and they now (in my old age) elicit the most fabulously warm memories of my childhood.

The Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat is great for so many reasons. First of all, despite the fact that most of us aren't bears that live in a treehouse down a sunny dirt road deep in Bear Country, it is a very relatable story. It tells of Brother and Sister's excitement for the coming holiday, of deciding what to dress up as, of Mama Bear help with the costumes, and of planning activities with friends for the big night. The main plot revolves around a spooky old house--the owner of which is rumored to be quite scary. But Mama and Papa help the kids see that she is as sweet as Halloween candy (lame simile--sorry, couldn't help myself) and as the cubs develop a relationship with her, they also show the rest of their friends how wonderful she is.

As always, very moralistic. And I love it. It is warm. It is sweet. It reminds me of those best days--carving jack-o-lanterns with my siblings, decorating the whole house with my mother, taking photographs in our costumes, running down the sidewalk for the next trick-or-treat, coming home to a nice warm house to dump the loot out of my pillowcase and make trades with my friends, and enjoying the rest of the evening with my mom and dad.

Stan and Jan Berenstain can bring all of those memories out? Amazing.

Happy Halloween, everyone!

It's Almost Halloween!

2007-10-30T08:26:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is the big day! Let me recommend this:

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams and illustrated by Megan Lloyd. (Remember her? She illustrated Too Many Pumpkins.)

This is a fun (and a teensy weensy bit scary (but in a fun way) if you are around 4 years old) little story about a lady who is followed home one night by all sorts of mysterious sounds--like the clopping sound of boots and the wiggling sound of pants. Once she discovers the origin of the sounds she finds a clever way to solve the problem.

What I absolutely love about this story is its repetition. With each new page we discover a new sound, but then also repeat every other sound that the lady is hearing. And as you well know, repetition is crucial to all learning--and especially important for emergent readers. My students LOVED this story, and had a ball making each and every sound on each and every page! Our librarian read this story to my class as well, and she had all sorts of fun props for the children to use (like big boots to clomp, etc.), so you could make this a very interactive story time.

Enjoy!

Stargirl Countdown

2007-10-28T21:13:00.000-07:00

OK friends, here is your 4 day warning: We will officially begin discussion on THURSDAY. I'm so excited I can hardly wait! Until then...

A Peachy Rainbow Book

2007-10-22T15:30:00.000-07:00

Today's Rainbow Book is Each Peach Pear Plum by Janet and Allan Ahlberg. It is a greatie. An all-time classic. One of my fave authors, Mem Fox, has it on her Top 20 list, which is really saying something. Not that my opinion rates quite like hers, but I am with Mem. It's one of the best books for the lil' ones. Our version is a board book, which makes it great for babes like Blaine.

Each Peach Pear Plum is simple, yet clever. It is based on several nursery rhymes, and is a bit of an "I Spy" book. Here is how it works: "Tom Thumb in the cupboard/I spy Mother Hubbard." In the illustration we see Tom Thumb sitting, in fact, in the cupboard, and then we have to look for Mother Hubbard. Oh! There she is! I see the back of her yellow polka-dotted dress in the corner of the picture! "Mother Hubbard down the cellar/I spy Cinderella." Well I can clearly see Mother Hubbard now, but where is that Cinderella? Oh! There, behind that cabinet I see her arm and her featherduster!

Get it? Isn't that fun?!

And Blaine--at only 18 months--loves it. Here's why: it is simple, it is colorful, it rhymes, and it is full of pictures of animals and objects that are familiar to him. He will love it even more when he is a couple years older. Here's why: by 3 or 4 he will recognize those fun nursery rhymes, and will love playing "I spy" to find those familiar characters.

So whether a babe, toddler, or pre-schooler, I think your child will love this book!

Just Another Reason I Love Costco!

2007-10-12T20:33:00.000-07:00

Dear friends,

Mr. Cropper, Blaine and I were at Costco this afternoon picking up some huggies, ornamental gourds, and what-not, and--as always--I had to scan the book aisle. I almost had a heart attack when I saw a bunch of Robert Sabuda (don't remember him? click here) greaties for $15! That's right, $15!! That is about 1/2 of the typical price! So if you have a Costco near you, go see if they've got some Sabuda in stock. You cannot get a better deal than that! You could buy it now and stash it in your closet for a Christmas gift. Also, as a side note, they had The Dangerous Book for Boys at our Costco as well, also at a fabulous price. Just had to share the great news!

P.S. Don't forget to scroll down and read up on the newest Book Club choice--Stargirl. And let me know when you want to discuss it. Have a great weekend!

Bookclubbers, I Give You Stargirl

2007-10-11T12:30:00.000-07:00

Well I thoroughly enjoyed reading Rules, and the discussion was wonderful. If you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend that you do. It is so prevalent in our world today and you will love the way it makes you stop and think. So many relatable characters and so many touching themes--absolutely a must-read.

The next book on the book club agenda is Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli. First of all, I love Mr. Spinelli. If you haven't read Maniac Magee, you must. Secondly, I have heard raving reviews of Stargirl from many friends, so I cannot wait to read it. I hope you will join me. Here is a thorough and intriguing review from Amazon.com:

"She was homeschooling gone amok." "She was an alien." "Her parents were circus acrobats." These are only a few of the theories concocted to explain Stargirl Caraway, a new 10th grader at Arizona's Mica Area High School who wears pioneer dresses and kimonos to school, strums a ukulele in the cafeteria, laughs when there are no jokes, and dances when there is no music. The whole school, not exactly a "hotbed of nonconformity," is stunned by her, including our 16-year-old narrator Leo Borlock: "She was elusive. She was today. She was tomorrow. She was the faintest scent of a cactus flower, the flitting shadow of an elf owl."
In time, incredulity gives way to out-and-out adoration as the student body finds itself helpless to resist Stargirl's wide-eyed charm, pure-spirited friendliness, and penchant for celebrating the achievements of others. In the ultimate high school symbol of acceptance, she is even recruited as a cheerleader. Popularity, of course, is a fragile and fleeting state, and bit by bit, Mica sours on their new idol. Why is Stargirl showing up at the funerals of strangers? Worse, why does she cheer for the opposing basketball teams? The growing hostility comes to a head when she is verbally flogged by resentful students on Leo's televised Hot Seat show in an episode that is too terrible to air. While the playful, chin-held-high Stargirl seems impervious to the shunning that ensues, Leo, who is in the throes of first love (and therefore scornfully deemed "Starboy"), is not made of such strong stuff: "I became angry. I resented having to choose. I refused to choose. I imagined my life without her and without them, and I didn't like it either way."
Jerry Spinelli, author of Newbery Medalist Maniac Magee, Newbery Honor Book Wringer, and many other excellent books for teens, elegantly and accurately captures the collective, not-always-pretty emotions of a high school microcosm in which individuality is pitted against conformity. Spinelli's Stargirl is a supernatural teen character--absolutely egoless, altruistic, in touch with life's primitive rhythms, meditative, untouched by popular culture, and supremely self-confident. It is the sensitive Leo whom readers will relate to as he grapples with who she is, who he is, who they are together as Stargirl and Starboy, and indeed, what it means to be a human being on a planet that is rich with wonders. (Ages 10 to 14) --Karin Snelson --

Please comment if you would like to participate, and let us know when you'd like to discuss...

Note: If you click on "Best Price" and then "Return to Product Information," you can find copies of the book for a penny.

An Autumn-time Rainbow Book

2007-10-08T20:04:00.000-07:00

It's Autumn! It's almost time for Halloween! It's pumpkin time! It's time to read fun holiday books! Today's Rainbow Book is Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White (illustrated by Megan Lloyd).

Rebecca Estelle hates pumpkins. Growing up poor, she had little but pumpkins to eat. No matter how you boil, steam, bake, or mash them, Rebecca Estelle wants nothing to do with them. As she grows up, she lives peacefully in her home with absolutely no pumpkins until one day a pumpkin falls off a truck driving by her house and lands, or rather SPLATS in her yard. Disgusted, Rebecca Estelle cleans up and buries the mess. Oops. As you might guess, Rebecca Estelle ends up growing a ridiculously successful crop of pumpkins. Though she loathes them at first, Rebecca Estelle learns to conquer her distaste as she uses her pumpkins to benefit her whole community.

This story is so much fun and the illustrations are bold, detailed, and fabulous. My second-graders adored this story, and you and your children will too!

Let's Talk Rules

2007-09-25T12:06:00.000-07:00

The time has come, bookclubbers! I hope that waiting until now has given all of the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and Eclipse readers adequate time! I really enjoyed Rules and am so curious to find out what all of you think. Here are some questions I have:

*What did you think of the use of present tense?
*Do you think she captured the voice of a twelve-year-old?
*What good literary bits did you find?
*What did you think of it overall?
*How do you think it compares to The Higher Power of Lucky? Do you think it's better?
*What personal chords did it strike?
*What else?

Remember that this is a dialogue--please keep checking back and adding your comments!

Another Fancy Rainbow Book

2007-09-16T21:09:00.000-07:00

This weekend I had the privilege of attending a baby shower lunch for my friend, Heidi. First I met up with my friend, Kate, to carpool to Mimi's Cafe, and-as Kate pulled her basket of baby presents out of her car-I realized that I had forgotten Heidi's present! No, that makes it sound like I had a present for her and forgot to bring it. The actual fact is that I had forgotten to get her a present! What was wrong with me? There is nothing I love to shop for more than a baby shower! What was I thinking (not thinking)?! I lamented my embarrassment and stupidity to Kate all the way to Mimi's. But don't you worry, because as we pulled into the parking lot to Mimi's (7 minutes early), there stood Barnes and Noble, like a shining star in my darkness! (Cheesy metaphor--maybe that's why I'm not a published author myself.) I dropped Kate off at Mimi's, threw Blaine on my hip, and jogged over to B&N for some baby gift salvation. (Note: I am a big fan of Barnes and Nobles' children's department. I like the way it's organized soooo much better than Borders.) As Blaine and I walked in I decided immediately what I would do. See, our darling Heidi is about to birth her 3rd child. And I decided that her older 2 children deserved to be showered with gifts, too. So I picked up a wonderful book for Cole (which I will write about soon) and a gorgeous, lavender, sparkly greatie for Halle. And it's our Rainbow Book this week. It's...

Remember this utterly fabulous protagonist, as created by Jane O' Conner? (If you want a refresher, click here.) In this second installment, Nancy wants a posh puppy. "Posh," Nancy teaches us, is a fancy word for "fancy." Unfortunately, Nancy's family wants a different kind of dog than she does--and it's not nearly as glamorous. But, as you might guess, Nancy learns that being fancy is about much more than looks. You will love Nancy all over again!

The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round...

2007-09-05T19:31:00.000-07:00

For Blaine's first birthday, his dear little friend, Lucy, gave him this greatie. Published by Scholastic, it's a super fun version of The Wheels on the Bus. Here's why Blaine and I love it: it has a sturdy die cut of a bus and a wheel you turn on the side, which makes the wheels actually turn while a scene of the town revolves around. Very fun, very interactive.

Of course, the words to the song make up the text of the book. So your child can learn the song and have a fun visual and tactile experience at the same time. Enjoy it!

This Week's Rainbow Book--The Flower Man

2007-09-03T21:00:00.000-07:00

(Can't remember what a Rainbow Book is? Click here.)

In the past I wasn't a big wordless picture book fan. But I have come to appreciate them for both their entertainment and educational value. Think of it--a young child can infer a story from pictures long before he can read. And when the child is the one telling the story, think of how much he can use his imagination to add more details to the tale.

And so, I give you one of my most favorite wordless picture books--The Flower Man by Mark Ludy. It is the story of an elderly man that moves to a new town that is desperately dark and dreary. Throughout the story, we begin to see the impact one person can have in a community. As the Flower Man shares his talents and his light, the town is transformed.

What is particularly fun about this story is that you can really tell a different story each time you read it, as you follow each particular character throughout the course of the book. Also, I cannot say enough about the phenomenal use of color and detail in Ludy's illustrations. You simply must get your hands on this book!

Book Club Update

2007-08-20T22:12:00.001-07:00

Dear bookclubbers,

I have recently recruited some new reading friends, which I am thrilled about. Remember, everyone is always welcome to join our little cyber club! As a reminder, we are reading Rules by Cynthia Lord. (For a summary, click here.) We are going to discuss the book around the last week of September (my apologies to those who may have already finished and are waiting for the rest of us slow-pokes).

Sincerely,

Mrs. Cropper

A Beloved Canadian Author

2007-08-19T21:54:00.000-07:00

Don't you know that one of the great perks of being a teacher is summer vacation? Even though I didn't teach last year, I still took great joy in our summer getaways! We have been busy in Oregon and Canada (not to mention that we moved into a different apartment-two thumbs down to moving!), so I apologize for my lengthy absence. I also apologize for cutting Kevin Henkes Week short. I can't believe I would do such a dreadful thing to my favorite author! Rest assured, dear friends--there will be a continuation!

For today I thought it would be appropriate to highlight an author from whence I've just come--Canada. His name is Robert Munsch, and I bet you've all read this book of his:

You know, "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always. As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be." It's a tender one, with a particularly sweet ending. I won't say much more, because I'm just positive that you've all read it and probably half of you have it memorized. If you haven't read it, you should. Truthfully, though I like and recommend it, it's not my favorite of his.

My favorite title by Munsch is called The Paper Bag Princess.

Elizabeth, the protagonist, is not your average princess. As the story begins, Munsch describes her as a beautiful princess with expensive clothes set to marry a prince named Ronald. But then a dragon smashes the castle, takes Ronald, and leaves Elizabeth with her clothes burned off and all alone. The only thing around is a paper bag, which becomes her new outfit. She determines to find the dragon and save Ronald. When she finds the dragon, she is not intimidated, and promptly outsmarts him, leaving her to rescue Ronald. The ending of this book is not your average princess-story ending, and I shall not spoil it for you. But it is HYSTERICAL and you will love it! (And you will LOVE Elizabeth!)

While in Canada last week, my cousin Christina introduced me to this new book of his, called Zoom!

It's a great story about a girl who is in a wheelchair, and convinces her mother to get her a new, faster, more powerful chair. But it's not powerful enough for her, so she gets the bigger one. But that one's not fast enough either, so she gets the better one, and so on and so on. It's rather comical and what Mr. Cropper and I love about it, is that for once the handicapped (is that term still PC or not?) character isn't some slight, sad little thing where the moral of the story is "Aw, that's so nice that the kids were nice to the poor girl in the wheelchair."* Instead, she's got a feisty personality, and zest for life and loves the power and exhilaration of these machines. Very cool. Christina and I recommend it.

*Blogger's note: That's not a bad moral to have! I just rather enjoyed Munsch's different take!

Get to know this clever author--Robert Munsch. You will love him!

Kevin Henkes Week: Day Three

2007-07-18T22:00:00.000-07:00

Meet Wemberly. As you can tell from the title, she's a worrier. She worries about the tree in her family's yard falling on their house. She worries that her doll, Petal, needs a carseat. She worries because she is the only butterfly in the Halloween parade. But the biggest worry of all comes when Wemberly starts school. But don't you worry. Wemberly's teacher, Mrs. Peachum, introduces her to a little mouse named Jewel. These two darling, shy, anxiety-laden mice find strength and calmness in each other as they play all day together. At the end of the day Mrs. Peachum calls "Come back tomorrow." And Wemberly's reply? "I will. Don't worry."

Here's why I ADORE this book: Besides the fact that Wemberly is completely darling and a totally relatable character, I love this book because it is so darn funny! True to form, Henkes has sprinkled hilarious nuances throughout this book.

Favorite nuance #1: Wemberly's little comments. Sitting in the bathtub, "Mama, what if I shrink?" Looking at the crack in the wall, "What if it gets bigger and something comes out of it?"

Favorite nuance #2: Wemberly's grandmother. She is seen throughout the book saying things like "Worry, worry, worry. Too much worry." Best part about Grandmother? She's got dangling earrings hanging from her mouse ears, rectangular spectacles, and a purple T-shirt that says "Go With The Flow." She's got roller-blades on, and she's using a cane. Come ON! How much do we love Kevin Henkes?!

Kevin Henkes Week: Day Two

2007-07-17T21:08:00.000-07:00

You've been properly introduced to Lilly. Let me tell you about two other books she stars in.

First, Julius: The Baby of the World. True to form, this Henkes title is an absolute crack-up. In this story, Lilly gets a new little brother. She is not so fond of Julius (sound familiar, parents?).

"But her parents loved him. They kissed his wet pink nose. They admired his small black eyes. And they stroked his sweet white fur. Lilly thought his wet pink nose was slimy. She thought his small black eyes were beady. And she thought his sweet white fur was not so sweet. Especially when he needed his diaper changed. 'Julius is the baby of the world,' chimed Lilly's parents. 'Disgusting,' said Lilly."

And so she uses her magic wand in an attempt to make him disappear, teaches him his letters and numbers in the wrong order so he can't be as clever as she is, and tells him a story called "Julius, the Germ of the World." As you can imagine, there is a full page spread hilariously depicting Lilly's numerous sessions in the uncooperative chair. But can you guess what happens when Cousin Garland comes to the house and insults new baby Julius? Oh, just wait until you read the scolding Lilly gives Cousin Garland!

Here's why I love this story: It is real. Who can't relate to this family dilemma? But Lilly's parents continue to show love for her and praise her and remain patient with her until she realizes how much she loves Julius. Once again, I think Kevin Henkes is a genius at writing moralistic stories that aren't sappy.

Second, Lilly's Big Day.

In this fairly new title, Lilly appoints herself to be the flower girl at the wedding of her teacher, Mr. Slinger, and the school nurse, Ms. Shotwell. As she practices her slow walk and holding a bouquet, her parents try to help her understand that Mr. Slinger and Ms. Shotwell may have different plans in mind. Undaunted, Lilly writes a note to Mr. Slinger declaring herself "the world's best and most famous flower girl." Catching on, her sweet teacher asks her to be a special assistant to his niece (the actual flower girl). But, in a surprise ending, Lilly ends up saving the day. And you know Lilly. She saves it with style.

Kevin Henkes Week: Day One

2007-07-16T20:35:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of theme weeks, I decided we simply must devote a week to Kevin Henkes. If you are new to the blog, or have forgotten who this wonderful man is, rest assured. Day one is review. Click HERE to read about Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse.

Blaine's Weekend Reminder

2007-07-13T21:41:00.000-07:00

Blaine says: Don't forget to spend some time reading this weekend! Read for your own pleasure. Read to your child.
READ, READ, READ!

A Soap-box and a Fresh Start

2007-07-12T14:01:00.000-07:00

Well I, for one, think we had a very fun and successful first Book Club Cyber-Meeting. (You may have missed some of my late rantings and some of the wise comments made by other commenters--scroll down if you wish to read them). Thank you all for participating.

NOTE: My friend, Emily, told me, "Even though I didn't participate, I enjoyed reading the comments." I hope others are doing that as well. Here's why: It is imperative that we, as parents/future parents/good citizens, make ourselves aware of what is out there. I think it's fairly easy to learn whether a certain movie is appropriate or not--through word of mouth, websites, etc. What is more difficult, however, is making sure our children and teens are reading things we are comfortable with. While I'm not worried about my kids reading The Higher Power of Lucky, you might be. So it's important to be informed. While I'm on this soapbox, let me take the opportunity to warn you about a highly acclaimed young adult novel. It is Looking for Alaska by John Green, and it won the 2007 Printz Award, which is the equivalent of the Newberry Award, but for Young Adult literature (Young Adult meaning 13 and up). So you're thinking, "Great, it's got a gold medal on it, and it's here in the children's section at Barnes&Noble just 10 feet from the Dr. Seuss hardbacks. It must be a greatie." Think again. Looking for Alaska contains horrid language and explicit descriptions of oral sex. Yuck. I can't believe I just wrote those two words on my blog. But it's important to me that you know. And that you remember how important it is to be informed.

Now, safely off the soapbox, let me introduce you to the next Book Club novel. Like I said before, many thought The Higher Power of Lucky was undeserving of the Newberry gold medal this year. In fact, many thought our new book, Rules by Cynthia Lord, should have captured the gold. Instead, it was awarded a silver Newberry medal. I think it will be fun for us to read it and decide amongst ourselves which we think is better. (Note: Don't worry if you didn't read the first novel with us--feel free to join us now!)

So what is Rules about? I found this great review on Amazon:

Twelve-year-old Catherine has conflicting feelings about her younger brother, David, who is autistic. While she loves him, she is also embarrassed by his behavior and feels neglected by their parents. In an effort to keep life on an even keel, Catherine creates rules for him (It's okay to hug Mom but not the clerk at the video store). Each chapter title is also a rule, and lots more are interspersed throughout the book. When Kristi moves in next door, Catherine hopes that the girl will become a friend, but is anxious about her reaction to David. Then Catherine meets and befriends Jason, a nonverbal paraplegic who uses a book of pictures to communicate, she begins to understand that normal is difficult, and perhaps unnecessary, to define. Rules of behavior are less important than acceptance of others. Catherine is an endearing narrator who tells her story with both humor and heartbreak. Her love for her brother is as real as are her frustrations with him. Lord has candidly captured the delicate dynamics in a family that revolves around a child's disability. Set in coastal Maine, this sensitive story is about being different, feeling different, and finding acceptance. A lovely, warm read, and a great discussion starter.-Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME

I am very eager to read this book--I hope you are too! Please let me know when you'd like to discuss it. I was thinking the end of August, but we can push it back if you like. Also, if you would like to purchase this book through Amazon, just click on the link below.

Book Club Cyber-Meeting

2007-07-05T20:47:00.000-07:00

OK Bookclubbers, it is time to discuss The Higher Power of Lucky. My hope for this forum is that it can be more dynamic-like a chat room, and less static-like everyone makes one comment and is done. Please continue to check back and respond to other readers' comments, so it can be an ongoing conversation.

A while ago I made some suggestions about what to take note of--plot, character development, good literary bits, etc. Tell us what you think about all that. Also, tell us what you thought generally of the book. Do you think it deserved the Newberry Medal this year (declaring it the best book in American children's lit for 2007)? What do you think about the controversy?? (Let me tell you, there was quite a conversation about it in the class I attended last month, so I'm super curious about what all of you think.) I'll let y'all begin the commenting and I'll add my two cents here and there.

Let the fun begin!

Haven't You Heard?

2007-07-05T20:00:00.000-07:00

The Dangerous Book for Boys. This reference book first caught my attention several months ago when Taylor read me an article about it from the Wall Street Journal. Originally published in England, where it was wildly popular, the book had now been slightly altered for an American audience, and was gaining popularity here. Last month, it was brought to my attention again in my Children's Lit class. The instructor commented that he was giving it to all his grown sons for Father's Day. What a marvelous idea, I thought. But even if you don't read the WSJ or attend Children's Lit classes, you may have still heard of it. I've seen some talk of it throughout the mighty blogosphere, and noticed that Father's Day weekend, it was on the top 10 bestseller lists at Borders, Barnes&Noble, and Amazon. Sheesh!

Why didn't you recommend this before Father's Day, silly Mrs. Cropper?! My apologies. Truth be told, I was procrastinating. In fact, Blaine and I snuck out the Saturday afternoon before Father's Day only to discover that it was sold out at our local Borders. So Taylor got his gift 2 weeks late, courtesy of Amazon. (By the way, I believe Amazon was inspired by God.) So although this suggestion is too late for Dad's Day 2007, I highly recommend it as a birthday, Christmas, or anytime gift for the men and boys in your life.

After all that babble, let's talk about what this book is all about! The authors, Conn Iggulden and Hal Iggulden sum it up beautifully on the back cover: "Recapture Sunday afternoons and long summer days. The perfect book for every boy from eight to eighty." Essentially, it's a reference book for boyhood. Page 35--Making a Bow and Arrow. Page 136--Map of the United States. Page 79--Making a Go-Cart. Page 146--The Golden Age of Piracy. Page 171--Skipping Stones. Page 18--How to Play Stickball. Page 39--Understanding Grammar-Part One. Page 250--Role-Playing Games. Page 139--Extraordinary Stories-Part Two: The Wright Brothers. Page 89--Juggling. Page 163--The Declaration of Independence. Page 238--Hunting and Cooking a Rabbit. Page 73--Making Crystals. Are you getting the idea? And it's chalk full of pictures, diagrams, intructions, charts, etc. Taylor's favorite section? Page 21--Building a Treehouse.

My boys love it--and so will yours!

A Long, Round-About Story About My Experience With a Teenage Love Story Involving a Vampire

2007-06-24T21:08:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I received an email from my friend, Mindy, asking for suggestions of books that her 14-year-old daughter, Kate, would like. I easily came up with a few titles, but being more of a children's literature connoisseur than a young adult literature connoisseur, I went to the good ol' internet to do a bit more research. I found a great top-10-for-teens-list. One of the titles on the list was Twilight. After reading a synopsis of the book--something or other about a vampire--I decided not to recommend it to Mindy. I mean, let's get serious, who wants to read a book about a vampire?

About a month later, I was visiting my friend, Julie. Her 16-year-old daughter, Caitlyn, was there. There was a knock on the door. It was Caitlyn's friend, Lindsay, returing a book she had borrowed. It was Twilight. Not yet remembering my internet research about this book, I began questioning the girls about it. The conversation went something like this: Me: "What's that book?" Girls: "Twilight." Me: "I haven't seen that book before. What's it about?" Girls (in a state of utter shock and disbelief): "You haven't heard of Twilight?!!!" They then proceded to tell me all about it--how it's soooo good, and how the sequel is soooo great too, and how I HAD to read it, and how it's sooo romantic. Julie had read it as well, and told me it was really quite good. I was now officially curious, but not yet compelled to rush out and buy it. After all, it was a book about a vampire.

A couple more months passed, but suddenly, Twilight was all around me. It was brought up in the children's lit class I attended 2 weeks ago. The teacher talked about how hot it is right now (he ought to know, as the library director), and how the author, Stephenie Meyer, a fellow alumna of my alma mater, has already been approached about a movie. A few days later, my friend, Lori, somewhat abashedly revealed to her blog-audience that she--having received a tip from her librarian mother-in-law--was now reading Twilight. A few days later I was in Borders, and I overheard a girl talking to the store manager, as they stood next to a large display with dozens of copies of Twilight. "Oh yeah," he said. "It's very popular. We're selling about 70 copies a week." Whoa. I was starting to feel more compelled.

That week was my birthday. Do you know what is great about birthdays and other special occasions when you're a self-declared book enthusiast? People give you books!! That same lovely friend, Lori, gifted me with my very own copy of Twilight. And if you'll pardon the cheesy pun, I sunk my teeth right into it! Twilight is definitely a page-turner. It's mysterious and intriguing, and the kind of book you absolutely don't want to put down. Here's the basic premise: Bella, 17, transfers to a new school, and falls in love with Edward, a vampire. I know what you're thinking--come on, a teenage love story about a vampire? But even I, who swears off all fantasy except Harry Potter, LOVED IT. Here's why--it's something we can all relate to. Well, not the blood-thirsty vampire part, but the part about being an awkward teenager, just trying to fit in. And the part about having challenges in your family. And the part about being completely smitten with that dreamy boy (or girl) in Biology class. Here's what Meyer says about it: "I've always admired the ability of some authors to create situations of impossible fantasy, and then add characters that are so deeply human that their perspective makes the situation believable. I hope Twilight offers readers the same experience." And, Mrs. Cropper says, IT DOES. I wouldn't say it's amazing writing, but it's really good writing. Meyer uses foreshadowing well, introduces a fair amount of new vocabulary (remember, this is intended for a teen audience), and serves up a great big helping of character development. That is what I love most about it.
Here's why I am recommending this book: It's a great, entertaining, fast read. A great escape--for adults and teens alike. It is especially perfect for teens--partly because it's fairly good literature, partly because they love the romance (OK, I guess we're looking at a mainly female audience here--and by the way, the romance is clean and appropriate), and mostly because it gets them reading! So, yeah, let's get serious--I am whole-heartedly recommending that you read Twilight, a teenage love story about a vampire.

P.S. The sequel, New Moon, is also out. The third book, Eclipse, will be available August 6th.

Give Me Grace

2007-06-20T21:22:00.000-07:00

"Give me grace" is what I was saying today. Poor little Blainey was burning up with a fever and soooooo sad about it. Wouldn't eat. Wouldn't play. Just whimpered. And whimpered. Days with a sick child are hard for two reasons. 1) You have a whimpering child all day. 2) Your child is miserable and you feel totally helpless about it. The latter is by far the worst part.

Give Me Grace is also the only thing that seemed to interest Blaine today. It's a great little book and Blaine brought it to me multiple times today to read it to him. This sweet little board book is by Cynthia Rylant--a prolific and talented author--and is subtitled "A Child's Daybook of Prayers." It's a non-denominational prayer book with a little prayer for each day of the week. Since it's Tuesday, I'll tell you what Tuesday's prayer is:

"Tuesday teach me faith and caring, teach me wisdom, teach me sharing. Raise me up and make me strong. Be with me the whole day long."

Here's why I love this book: It is simple and sweet and teaches good things. And its pictures are fabulous. They are bold in color, very childlike, whimsical, and imaginative (did you notice that the tree on the cover has pink foliage and green fruit? I love that!). Plus the pages have gold edges, which means it's basically scripture. So there you go!

We were blessed to receive Give Me Grace from our friend, Lorraine. But if you don't have a friend named Lorraine to give it to you, you can find it at most book stores, and I've even seen it at T.J. Maxx for a discounted price. Wherever you find it, I hope you'll love it!

Eric Carle Week: Day 5 (Your Turn)

2007-06-15T21:27:00.000-07:00

Well friends, the problem with having "Eric Carle" week is that he has published just a few more titles than 5. So, it's your turn. Please add a comment and let us know of another Eric Carle book that has not been mentioned. Tell us what you or your children like about it. Thanks for sharing!

Eric Carle Week: Day 4

2007-06-14T21:32:00.000-07:00

Eric Carle's stuff is just SO fabulous for the small ones. I've mentioned before that his illustrations are very appealing to young children. Also, his use of repitition is extremely valuable to an emergent reader. Today's book has both of those qualities and is also a great example of the way he teaches simple concepts through stories. It is called The Very Busy Spider and is about--well--a very busy spider. She hangs out in the corner of the barn spinning her web. As each of the barnyard animals ask the spider to do something else, she doesn't answer--as she is too busy spinning her web.

Each page goes something like this: "'Oink! Oink!' grunted the pig. 'Want to roll in the mud?' The spider didn't answer. She was very busy spinning her web." Simple as that. But think of everything we've learned from that simple exchange. We've been introduced to a picture of a new animal and know what the animal is called. We know what kind of sounds the animal makes and a characteristic or behavior of the animal. Pretty great, huh?

In the end the spider finishes her web and we learn a characteristic of spiders-- "And the spider caught the fly in her web...just like that!" And now we know what spiders look like and what spiders do. Just like that!

Eric Carle Week: Day 3

2007-06-13T21:35:00.000-07:00

Here's one that I just read for the first time:
"Slowly, Slowly, Slowly," Said the Sloth

First of all, I love how Eric Carle's illustrations are so him. You could recognize his stuff from a mile away. And while it is beautiful, and NOT easy artwork, it is something that children can imitate, which is one thing that makes him so popular with the little ones. This particular story is about a sloth who hangs out in his tree day and night. The other animals passing by mock him and ask him why he is so lazy. He doesn't answer for a while. And then, he announces that while he may be slow and even lackadaisical (and a whole slough of other perfect adjectives that Carle uses), he is not lazy.

There are several "teaching moments" in this story. There's the alliteration moment. The "what on earth is a sloth?" moment. The many new vocabulary words moment. The "how should we treat those who are different than us?" moment. The "let's make some watercolor pictures of our own" moment. Read it with your child and take those moments. You will both love it!

Eric Carle Week: Day 2

2007-06-12T21:38:00.000-07:00

The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Everyone knows it. Everyone loves it. All I have to say is that if you don't have this book in your personal children's library, you should. It's a must! And it's as low as $1.29 on Amazon. So there you go!

A Gift Book for the Mister

2007-06-11T21:40:00.000-07:00

Although I have no idea when I'll be back in a classroom as Mrs. Cropper, I've decided to keep up on my teaching license rather than let it lapse. That means attending workshops and such, which is SUCH a treat. I spent the last 2 days in an incredible children's literature class at our local library. Our instructor is the director of the library here and besides having decades of experience with children's literature, he has a passion for it. He also served on the Caldecott committee in 2000, which is big. (Note: I'll have to do a post describing the process these committees go through to choose Caldecott and Newberry winners. It's fascinating.) Anyway, you can bet that after a whole weekend of this, Mrs. Cropper is feeling rejuvenated and more excited than ever to share her findings. One thing I decided during class yesterday is that we need to have theme weeks on this here blog. So, without furthur ado, I give you...

ERIC CARLE WEEK

Today's Eric Carle book is quite timely. In fact, you have exactly one week to rush out and buy it because I think it makes a most tender gift for the father figures in your life. The book is entitled Mister Seahorse.

Yes, it is all about seahorses, fishies, and other under water creatures. And, of course, it is rich with Carle's watercolor and collage illustrations. He also uses super neat plastic overlays to show the way these creatures camouflage themselves down there in the depths. All of that aside, however, this book is about daddies. And it is sweet and delightful. Here is what Mr. Carle says about Mister Seahorse:
"Dear Friends, In most fish families, after the mother has laid the eggs and the father has fertilized them, the eggs are left on their own. But there are exceptions such as the seahorse, stickleback, tilapia, Kurtus nurseryfish, pipefish, bullhead catfish, and some others. Not only are the eggs cared for by a parent but--surprise--that parent is the father. And this is my story about them. I hope you enjoy my story."

Mrs. Cropper hopes you enjoy it, too! Come back tomorrow for more Eric Carle...

Dear Bookclubbers...

2007-06-03T22:00:00.000-07:00

Hi friends. First of all, remember that the book club is always open to anyone. Please feel free to join at any time! Second, for those of you who have expressed interest in reading The Higher Power of Lucky--let us begin! I thought June 30th would be a good deadline. It is only 134 pages of 4th grade reading, so even if you don't have much spare time, I figured a month would be sufficient. Please let me know if you'd like more time (like if it's taking forever to arrive from Amazon...).

Here are some things to note while you are reading that I think will make for fun and interesting discussion:

1) Plot development

2) Character development

3) Things you do/don't like about the story

4) What side of the controversy you are on

5) Good literary bits/clever writing

6) Anything else you want to talk about

I've been having a ball jotting down the "good literary bits." Here's one of my favorites thus far (from page 6):

"Lucky thought of a question that Short Sammy's story had lodged into one of her brain crevices. She figured she had so many crevices and wrinkles, almost all of them filled with questions and anxious thoughts, that if you were to take her brain and flatten it out, it would cover a huge space, like maybe a king-size bed."

READ ON!

Cloth Books for Your Babe

2007-05-28T22:02:00.000-07:00

Blaine recently turned one. We have marveled at the many changes in him in the last few weeks. After testing out his feet for a while, walking is suddenly his main form of transportation. Food he spit out just a week ago he is now devouring. He loves to play with other children and has learned to touch them gently instead of gouging their eyes out. And, whereas for the last several months he has squirmed away when I attempted reading to him, he is finally starting to sit with books for an extended period of time (like five minutes!) and explore them. He has even started choosing a book from the shelf and bringing it to me. Once we get to the third page he's usually done, but still! Right now, Blaine's favorite books are cloth books, so I thought I'd suggest them to you for your babes and toddlers.

1) Fuzzy Bee and Friends

This is a Priddy book. You've probably seen a lot of their stuff before--they have a lot of great products. You can look at their website here. I picked this one up at a yard sale a few weeks ago--in mint condish--and it's a winner. Here's why I love it: It is soft and therefore squishes nicely into my diaper bag, even when it's full of tons of other junk. It's colorful. And it's a touch and feel sort of book, in that the insects' wings stick out so your child can pull on them (but since they're made of cloth, they don't tear). Most importantly, Blaine likes it.

2) Let's Get Dressed

This is a Lamaze Book. True--it's not just a breathing technique that I used until I freaked out and demanded that someone call the anesthesiologist. Lamaze makes a lot of great books and toys. Their website is here. Blaine's Nana sent him this particular book, and we LOVE it. Here's why. Again, it's soft, durable, and colorful. Even better--it's an activity book. Blaine gets to help Bear zip up his jacket, put on his shoes, and place his hat on his head. Blaine is having fun learning to do these things, and I love that it's helping him develop his fine motor skills (I mean, you should see this kid's pincer grasp!). The bonus is that all of these miniature clothing items are attached to the book with chords, so Blaine can't lose them. Fabulous book.

3) My Busy Book

You can learn about this company and where to find the book by clicking here. This was another gift to Blaine (Thanks, Candy and Brian!), and it's AWESOME. Here's why: It's full of fun, fine-motor-skill-developing, detailed, colorful pages. Your child can learn to button, zip, lace and tie, weave, and more. It's a ball! For liability's sake (you know, so no one sues Mrs. Cropper), let me issue a small warning. This book is not recommended for children under 3 years because it comes with a LOT of small, your-baby-could-choke-on/they-could-get-lost-pieces. I think if you were right there helping your child, he could do the activities in the book at a younger age than that. Blaine can't quite figure it out right now, but I think in a few months he'll be loving it.
So those are some recommendations from Mrs. Cropper and Blaine. Even as infants and toddlers, it is so crucial to have books around. Even if all Blaine does is rub the soft books on his cheeks and open the flaps on his board books, he is getting exposure to books--they are becoming a part of his life. I think these soft activity books are particularly helpful because in addition to introducting young children to concepts of print, they are helping them develop motor skills. I hope you and your babes will enjoy these!

Novel of the Month and Book Club Challenge

2007-05-23T22:37:00.000-07:00

A couple of my friends told me the other day that they would like me to recommend novels for grown-ups (my word, not theirs). They even suggested a bloggy book club, which I thought was a clever idea. Well, here's the thing. I think every adult needs to read the classic children's and adolescent books as much as they need to read grown-up classics. Partly because it will help you be a better parent. And partly because there are a lot of greaties that you should not be living without!

So I'm challenging you all to read this month's Novel of the Month. (Which month, Mrs. Cropper? It's the end of May for heaven's sake! Well, I'm counting it for May AND June, so there you go!) The unique thing here is that I'm going to read it along with you for my first time, as I've yet to read it. Therefore I cannot now say, "You'll love it! This is a must read!" like I usually do. We'll be exploring together. The book is the 2007 Newberry Medal winner, and is entitled The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron. It is highly acclaimed, but has stirred up a bit of controversy as well. If you want to read about that to make sure you want to read it, click here.

So here's what I'm envisioning. You read this post and take my challenge. You leave a comment to say "I'm in!" You rush out to your local library or Barnes&Noble, or click my link to Amazon to obtain the book. We choose a date to be finished by and have a cyber book club meeting about the book. What do you think??!!

This Week's Rainbow Book--Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse

2007-05-09T22:40:00.000-07:00

Introducing-my favorite children's author: Kevin Henkes. I know! A favorite? What? How can I pick one favorite? But alas, it's true! I think Kevin Henkes is absolutely the man. Everything he does is magic. I love his unique little rodent-characters and all their nuances. I love his simple, perfect-for-his-stories artwork, and I love how he loves what he does. Here's what he says: "I used to live with my parents and brothers and sister and work at a card table in my bedroom. Now I live with my wife and son and daughter in our own house and work at a drawing table in my own studio. I never thought I'd be lucky enough to be a real author and illustrator. I wouldn't trade it for anything." Do you not love him already?

I will feature many of his books in the near future, but today I start with my favorite (using that word again?!) of his characters and the first of his titles I discovered.
Meet Lilly. She is the snazziest rodent you ever did see. She wears red cowboy boots and everything! She is excited, she is loud, and sometimes she is sassy. SASSY. I actually like this about her because she gets in trouble for it (and has to sit in the uncooperative chair). And as a result, she learns. Without cheesiness (well, actually, there usually is cheese involved, as a lot of Henkes' stories are about mice...but it's actual cheese, not the sentimental stuff) or hitting you over the head with it, Kevin Henkes brilliantly teaches morals-even to the sassiest of mice and children.

But we're getting off track. Lilly stars or co-stars in several of Henkes' books, but I think Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse is her best. In it, we read the story of how dearly Lilly loves school, particularly because of her teacher, Mr. Slinger. "Mr. Slinger was as sharp as a tack. He wore artistic shirts...Instead of 'Greetings, students' or 'Good morning, pupils,' Mr. Slinger winked and said, 'Howdy!'" Lilly loves Mr. Slinger so much that she decides to be a teacher when she grows up (instead of a surgeon or an ambulance driver or a diva--her prior ambitions). But then one day Lilly comes to school with some new treasures from her Grammy. "Lilly had a new pair of movie star sunglasses, complete with glittery diamonds and a chain like Mr. Slinger's. She had three shiny quarters. And, best of all, she had a brand new purple plastic purse that played a jaunty tune when it opened." As you can imagine, Lilly becomes quite disruptive with all her new wares, and Mr. Slinger takes them from her for the day. In her sassy SASSY rage, Lilly draws a terrible picture about Mr. Slinger and slips it into his bag...

I will let you read it to find out how things turn out. (Don't worry! Kevin Henkes' stories have happy endings!) But promise me that you WILL read it! If you don't, you'll miss learning what the Lightbulb Lab is (I copied Mr. Slinger and set up one in my classroom--it was a hit!), you'll miss all of the clever dialogue, and you'll miss Lilly, Mr. Slinger, and all the other rodent-students doing interpretive dance. There--that seals the deal. I'm sure you'll read it now.
Enjoy Lilly and stay tuned for more Kevin Henkes Rainbow Books.

Pop-Up Magic

2007-04-27T22:44:00.000-07:00

Are you familiar with Robert Sabuda? If not, get excited. And even if you are, I bet you'll learn at least one new thing about him today...

Robert Sabuda is the man! He creates pop-up books which--in my opinion--are totally unrivaled as the best pop-up books available. Today I'll share: #1) Some cool tidbits about Robert Sabuda himself, #2) Some of his greatest titles and what I think you should do with them and #3) How you and/or your child(ren) can become pop-up artists, too!

FIRST: It was rather a fluke how Robert got into making pop-ups. As a child, his mother took him to the dentist. Having had previous terrifying experiences at a dentist's office, Robert was very nervous as he sat in the waiting room. His mother picked up a book out of a basket near their seats and Robert discovered that it was a pop-up book. He says of the experience, "I was so excited I forgot all about the dentist!" Ever since then he loved making his own pop-ups. His mother worked in an office and would bring him home manila filing folders which he says were perfect for making pop-ups. And that's how it happened! After studying art at the Pratt Institute in New York City and working as a children's book illustrator for a time, he began creating the pop-up books that have since made him famous.

SECOND: You will not be disappointed by any of Sabuda's work. I promise. Here are my two favorites: Encyclopedia Prehistorica Dinosaurs: The Definitive Pop-Up (A-MAZ-ING! We're talking cooler special effects than Jurassic Park!) and America The Beautiful: A Pop-Up Book (gorgeous, awe-inspiring). Here are two that I am excited to read: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: A Commemorative Pop-Up and The Chronicles of Narnia Pop-Up: Based on the Books by C. S. Lewis (I think you should read them, too, and let me know what you think!) Here's what I think you should do with these books (besides reading them!). I think these books should be considered a special treat. They are fairly expensive ($20-30) and obviously a bit fragile. So I think we should teach our children to treat them like a newborn baby or our Grandmother's china. All books need to be treated with respect, and these ones are particularly deserving. In my classroom library I had a "special collections" section that contained all of my pop-ups and other fragile texts. My second-graders knew they had to ask permission to look at them and that they had to wash their hands first. It was so delightful to watch them gingerly turn the pages and marvel wide-eyed at the amazing, special books. I think we should all have a "special collections" section in our home libraries. Then it can be a parent-child-togetherness experience to read such fun books as these by Robert Sabuda.

THIRD: You can be a pop-up prince or diva just like Robert Sabuda! And so can your children. On his fabulous website, robertsabuda.com, Robert gives oodles of instructions and shares templates so you can make your very own pop-ups. They vary in difficulty and make awesome greeting cards! (My second-graders made the ones with Christmas trees quite easily, and had a ball!) So check that out and wax creative the next time you need a card instead of giving $4.25 to Hallmark or American Greetings.
Oh, I hope you love Robert Sabuda as much as I do! ENJOY! p.s. Come ON! How incredible is that?!

Novel of the Month--The Devil's Arithmetic

2007-04-15T22:54:00.000-07:00

The Novel for April is The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen. First of all, if the author's name seems familiar, it's because she's a prolific writer--and a fabulous one. She has written loads of picture books and novels, as well as lots of beautiful poetry. I've never read anything of Jane Yolen's that I haven't thoroughly enjoyed.

The Devil's Arithmetic is marvelous. Historical Fiction, it tells the story of a Jewish girl named Hannah growing up in present-day New York. In the car on the way to a Passover Seder with family, Hannah laments having to participate in so many Jewish holiday celebrations. As her mother reminds her that Passover is for remembering, Hannah replies, "All Jewish holidays are about remembering, Mama. I'm tired of remembering." But then, at dinner, when Hannah opens the front door of the house to sybolically welcome the prophet Elijah, she is transported to a Polish village in 1942. Soon Hannah finds herself amidst Nazi soldiers and struggling Jewish families, and only she knows the terrible things that await them. Only after experiencing these things for herself does Hannah appreciate the importance of remembering.

I first read this book in college. It reminded me of reading Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry in elementary school. (Have you read that one? It won the Newberry Medal and is also a must-read!) Like Number the Stars, The Devil's Arithmetic does a beautiful job of helping us, as readers, understand and feel the significance of the attrocities done to the Jewish people by the Nazis. What I find especially impressive is that both novels are deep and serious and thought-provoking, but still appropriate for children (both novels are about 3rd grade and up). They aren't dark or violent or grim. Instead, they educate, lift, and inspire.

I often comment to my husband that the worst thing in this world is man's inhumanity to man. More than anything else I want to be kind. And I want my children to understand that nothing is more important than being kind. Though it can be sobering to read about, I feel it is so important and necessary to know what happened to the Jews in Poland (and elsewhere), to the Tutsis in Rwanda, and what is happening now in Sudan. As we were always taught in history class, we have to make sure we don't repeat the mistakes of others. Stories like The Devil's Arithmetic remind me of the importance of friendship, hope, and courage. They remind me to be kind and to fight for that which is good and true. And just like Hannah learns, it is so important to remember.

On a Personal Note...

2007-04-15T22:52:00.000-07:00

A few things:

*As requested, I finally posted a picutre on the "Meet Mrs. Cropper" page. Now you know what I look like.

*I've added some links on the blogroll. One is my new personal blog. It's called anne with an 'e'

*A quote to live by: "Children are made readers on the laps of their parents." --Emilie Buchwald

p.s. Don't forget to scroll down and read about the new Novel of the Month!

The Fanciest Rainbow Book Yet

2007-04-11T22:57:00.000-07:00

The Easter Bunny brought me a real treat! Thanks to some hot tips (thanks Liz, via Martha Stewart and Katie, via Emily's blog) I learned recently of a book entitled Fancy Nancy by Jane O'Conner (illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser). I put it on my LONG "to read" list. Last week Taylor and I walked up to the bookstore to have a look around, and I (predictably) meandered, no-more like beelined-to the children's literature section. After perusing the sale bin for a few minutes I went to find Fancy Nancy. She is glorious. Here's what she looks like:

I know they say you can't judge a book by it's cover, but I couldn't help myself! There I was, standing in the bookstore, oogling over this fabulous girl! (What you can't see on this screen, is the very fancy glitter which adorns the title and title character.) I didn't care what was inside, I already loved this book. I read the first few hilarious pages (which were reminiscent of Eloise) to Taylor and said, "I have to have this book!" But, feeling very poor having just written a check to the IRS (oh, glorious tax season!), we decided to leave without Nancy. I didn't feel fancy. I felt glum.

Which takes us back to the dear Easter Bunny (AKA my dear husband). On Easter Sunday I discovered 2 things on my bed. The first was a basket filled with delicious chocolatey things and the second was a glittery, hardback book. "Fancy Nancy!" I squealed with delight. I read the story aloud to Taylor...

"I love being fancy. My favorite color is fuchsia. That's a fancy way of saying purple. I like to write my name with a pen that has a plume. That's a fancy way of saying feather. And I can't wait to learn French because everything in French sounds fancy." And so begins the delightful story. Feeling frustrated that her family is so totally plain, Nancy decides she will teach her family how to be fancy. She trains and tutors them on how to dress and talk more like her--more fancy! She takes them out to dinner and they do everything fancily. They even "eat with their pinkies up and call each other 'darling.'" But Nancy discovers that even the fanciest girls can lose their fancy. And that her family loves her even then.

OOOOHHHH you absolutely must read this book! You will love the ending, you will love the detailed illustrations, you will love the charm of this little girl who loves to think big. You will love Fancy Nancy.

Where I Was and What I Hope Your're Reading

2007-04-05T14:14:00.000-07:00

Remember that funny scene in You've Got Mail where Tom Hanks' character, Joe Fox, is trying to write an explanation for not showing up to meet Kathleen (Meg Ryan) at that coffee shop? (Of course, he did show up, but didn't reveal that he was, in fact, her cyber-friend.) And as he sits at his computer he comes up with this convoluted story about a business trip in Vancouver and being stuck in a building during a power outage and the phones were out too, etc. etc...

I know that was a random intro to this post, but roll with me. I was thinking it has been so long since my last post, that I felt like I owed some sort of an explanation for my absence! (Not that you're all just chomping at the bit for Mrs. Cropper's next amazing post, but still...) So I thought of how we've been busy with family in town and with things at our church, etc., but none of those are the real reason. See, usually I blog at night when Blaine has gone to bed and Taylor is doing his homework. But guess where I've been lately during that quiet evening time? I've been deep inside Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! A couple of weeks ago I realized that if I didn't hurry and read books 5 and 6 of Harry Potter, I wouldn't be ready for book 7 on July 21st! And so I dove in to book 5 and have been almost as bad a Harry Potter junkie as many of my friends are 24 junkies! Taylor keeps asking me, "Who do you love more--me or Harry Potter?" And the other day as he was commenting on something about the book I sassily snapped, "Taylor--you have only seen the movies! You don't even know Harry Potter!" At this he chuckled and said, "You're right, Anne. I don't!" I'm sure in his head he was thinking "And neither do you, because he's not real!"--as he so often has to remind me about Lorelai and Rory Gilmore. :)
So now my question for you is, are you ready for book 7--Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows?

If you haven't read any of J.K. Rowling's series, I am here to say, READ IT! I was super late getting on the bandwagon. I was just sure I wouldn't like it because I don't generally like fantasy. I didn't see what all the fuss was about. I really only read book 1 because I figured every elementary school teacher needs to be well-versed in Harry Potter. But then, like my friends predicted, I became totally enchanted by the unbelievably magical, ingenious, complex world that Rowling has created. It really is wonderful literature, and the writing gets better with each book.

If you think, "Well, I've seen the movies--that's about the same"--I am here to politely correct you. It isn't the same! The movies barely cover the basic plot and all the action scenes. But without reading the books you miss all of the excellent foreshadowing, character development, clever side-plots, etc.

If you are like me and aren't up to date in the series, I am here to cheer you on and remind you that you still have 108 days to prepare for book 7!

If you are wondering at what age your child could read it or have it read to him, here's what I have to say: Book 1 is rather simple and easy to follow. You could read it to your first grader. Some second graders can read the first book or two independently. They won't get all the vocabulary and such, but will be able to comprehend it quite well. I think book 2 is really scary though, so you may want to check it out first. As the series progresses, the books become more mature and complex--both literarily and content-wise. She has brilliantly aged the literature along with Harry, so the older he gets, the older the readers get. (So you can use Harry's age as a guide.)

I LOVE HARRY POTTER! Read it! Read it! Read it! I hope you are as excited as I am about reading the 7th and final installment. I know Taylor is excited--once I'm done reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows he just might get his wife back!

A Very Fitting Rainbow Book

2007-03-26T14:19:00.000-07:00

This week's Rainbow Book is my all-time favorite book about rainbows (I have several, of course!). It is The Rainbow Goblins by Ul de Rico. Interestingly enough, this rainbow baby had never been introduced to The Rainbow Goblins until my freshman year in high school. I grew up dancing (ballet, tap, jazz, you name it) under the direction of a very talented and incredibly creative teacher. She didn't just choreograph little dances to popular songs and costume us with what was available in dance catalogs. She put together enormous productions, and in addition to her choreography, designed elaborate sets and costumes. Now, I'm not claiming that our little dance studio put on shows to rival Broadway. But for a small studio, with a small budget, in a small town, I think what we did was pretty neat.

My teacher's 4 children grew up with The Rainbow Goblins. It was a classic in their family. And so in 1996 she created a ballet entitled The Rainbow Goblins. Set to the beautiful and stirring music of Edvard Grieg, it followed Ul de Rico's story perfectly. I was cast as the Red Goblin (appropriate, for those of you who know that "Ann(e) Likes Red.") Of course I fell in love with the story, and my mom gifted me with a hardback copy of it that I have since shared with my students and will read to my children. So now, as you imagine me dancing around the stage in a red unitard, a tight, red hood to cover my head (picture a bobsledder), red gloves, and red point shoes, I will share with you the beginning of the story...

"Once there was a land that lived in fear of seven goblins. They were called the Rainbow Goblins and each had his own colour, which was also his name: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet. Yellow, being the craftiest, was their chief. The goblins lived on colour--they prowled the valleys and climbed the highest mountains looking for rainbows, and when they found one, they caught it in their lassoes, sucked the colours out of it and filled their bellies with its bright liquid. Only one place in the land had never known goblin-fear--the hidden valley called the Valley of the Rainbow, where the great arches of colour were born. There the animals still lived in paradise. But the Rainbow Goblins had heard tales of this Valley, and their mouths watered whevener they thought of the feast that awaited them there; and so they gathered up their lassoes and their pails and set off..."

What follows is a delightful story of goodness and beauty prevailing over selfishness and greed. The illustrations are oil paintings by the author and are absolutely exquisite. (It's worth reading the book just to see the gorgeous artwork.) So go find this gem and read it! You will love it!

Some Book-Buying Tips

2007-03-20T14:21:00.000-07:00

A weekend trip to T.J. Maxx inspired this post. Not only is it the greatest place to get sassy designer pumps for 1/5 of the "suggested retail price," but it is also a perfect store to find children's books for cheap. Thus inspired, I give you my favorite places to shop for children's books...

*T.J. Maxx, et al. Greaties like T.J., Ross, Marshalls, etc. are ideal for book-buying. They have lots of your favorite authors' titles at discounted prices. At T.J. this weekend I was drooling all over the many Sandra Boynton board books available for $3.99, and Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat (hardback, of course!) was only $5!

*Have you become friends with the Dollar Spot at your local Target yet?? I am slightly obsessed with Target, and always browse the Dollar Spot before I check out. Twice now I have found some great board books there. Our favorites are this little series, Fun With Shapes, Fun With Numbers, Fun With Colors, etc. They have little lift-up flaps that Blaine enjoys playing with. And they were a buck each! Taylor and I cannot figure out how they can put that all together and ship it to the U.S. and still make a profit by charging us ONE DOLLAR! (Gotta love China!) Anyway, of course the stuff in the Dollar Spot changes frequently, but don't forget to check it out.

*Thrift Stores. When I was collecting hundreds of books for my classroom library, I cleaned out Goodwill, Deseret Industries, The Salvation Army, etc. You can often find classic titles, slightly worn, for a quarter.

*Yahoo for yard sale season! It is just about time for everyone to do their spring cleaning and display all their unwanted belongings on their front lawns. I have found some serious winners at yard sales. Two summers ago I got 4 or 5 brand new Roald Dahl novels for a dollar or two (total, not each!). What a score!

So those are some hints from me to you. If you have more suggestions or ideas, please post a comment. I love and SO appreciate all of your wonderful comments and feedback. Happy shopping and happy reading!

A Delightful Addition to Your Nighttime Routine

2007-03-15T14:26:00.000-07:00

Have a little one who has a hard time winding down and getting ready for bed? Of course singing quiet songs, telling stories, and reading books of any kind are all great tricks. Some parents find it especially helpful to read books about going to bed. Everyone loves the classic Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd, and Sandra Boynton's The Going to Bed Book is wonderful as well. Today though, I'm going to feature the nighttime book Time For Bed, and its author--Mem Fox.

Time For Bed is a charming, gentle book about momma animals preparing their little ones for sleep. "It's time for bed, little mouse, little mouse, darkness is falling all over the house." The illustrations (by Jane Dyer) are beautiful and sweet, and the whole book just makes you feel cozy, snuggly, and ready for a snooze. (Oh, and your child feels those things, too! :) ) Try adding this greatie to your child's bedtime routine--you will both love it!

Now, a note about Mem Fox. I was familiar with her name and some of her picture books, but didn't know anything else about her until I spent some time on her website http://www.memfox.net/. Mem hails from Australia, and is one of the most popular children's authors in that country. She is also a professor of literacy, and she now travels the world teaching teachers and parents how to better teach children how to read and write. She is clever and passionate and lovely. I have so enjoyed reading about her and what she is doing to promote literacy. On her site she offers advice for teachers, tips for hopeful authors, and words of wisdom for parents. If you have a minute, check out the site. I found it delightful.

Hooway for this Wainbow Book!

2007-03-12T14:29:00.000-07:00

"Poor Wodney. Wodney Wat. His real name was Rodney Rat, but he couldn't pronounce his r's. To make matters worse, he was a rodent. A wodent."

So begins Helen Lester and Lynn Munsinger's delightful story about a little rat with a speech impediment. Of course Wodney's classmates tease him so incessantly that he gnaws his cheesy lunch alone and hides his head in his jacket during recess. Then one day, big, mean, smart Camilla Capybara shows up and torments all the rodents in the class. But guess who saves the day not in spite of his speech impediment but because of it?

This book is funny and charming as can be. You will laugh out loud and your children will be giggling uncontrollably. And you will be oh, so proud of Wodney...

Novel of the Month--The Bronze Bow

2007-03-10T14:31:00.000-08:00

In elementary school I enjoyed Elizabeth George Speare's The Witch of Blackbird Pond and The Sign of the Beaver, but did not read her 1962 Newberry Medal winner, The Bronze Bow, until it was introduced to me in college. Admittedly, when I learned it was historical fiction, set in the time of Jesus Christ, I felt a bit skeptical. As a Christian who had only read about Jesus in the scriptures, I wasn't sure I'd be comfortable with a fictional portrayal of Christ. But I ended up loving it, and whole-heartedly recommend it to you.

Here is a synopsis, directly from the book cover, to give you a taste: "After witnessing his father's crucifixion by Roman soldiers, Daniel bar Jamin is fired by a single passion: to avenge his father's death by driving the Roman legions from the land of Israel. Consumed by hatred, Daniel joins the brutal raids of an outlaw band living in the hills outside his village. Though his grandmother's death slows his plans by forcing him to move home to care for his sister, he continues his dangerous life by leading a group of boy guerrillas in spying and plotting, impatiently waiting to take revenge. In nearby Capernaum, a rabbi is teaching a different lesson. Time and again Daniel is drawn to the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, only to turn away, disappointed and confused by Jesus's lack of action in opposing the Romans. Devoid of tenderness and forgiveness, headstrong Daniel is also heedless of the loyalty of his friend Joel; the love of Joel's sister, Malthace; and the needs of his own disturbed sister, Leah, dragging them down his destructive path toward disaster."

I thought this a nice choice for March--the month leading up to Easter. I think it would be a perfect book to read in preparation for that holiday. Regardless of your religious or spiritual leanings though, this book is a great read. It is a beautiful, poignant story of love overcoming anger. Well-written and thought-provoking, The Bronze Bow is a book that will move you.

Happy (one day late) Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

2007-03-03T14:33:00.000-08:00

Well this post was going to be up by yesterday morning (March 2nd, the birthday of Dr. Seuss), but Blaine had a sleepless night followed by a whiny day (mostly Blaine whining, but then I joined in) so...

By yesterday evening I said, "what's the point of writing about Dr. Seuss's birthday now?" But I am the boss of this blog, so we're going to have a belated birthday celebration.

Dr. Seuss's birthday is a hoot at school. We read all sorts of his stuff, make red and white striped hats out of paper, and talk about his life and career. My favorite thing to do on his birthday is to have a read-a-thon (in fact the National Education Association has dubbed March 2nd, "Read Across America Day"). The kids get to bring pillows and blankets and one healthy snack and then we spend the entire morning reading. You'd think they'd get bored or restless, and of course a few kids do (and have to take a walk or two), but for the most part they just plop down with their pretzels and giant stacks of books and read read read! It's such a ball. Do it at home with your kids--they'll die about it.

I learned yesterday that it was not only Dr. Seuss's birthday, but also the 50th birthday of The Cat in the Hat. This classic is a perfect example of why we love Dr. Seuss so much and why his books are so great for emergent readers. His characters and stories are inventive and comical, and the writing is phonetic and simple, yet very clever and memorable. Even all of his nonsense words are completely phonetic, so a child learning to read can use the rules he knows to pronounce them correctly. All the rhyming and repetitiveness is perfect for beginning readers as well. That is the sort of thing that helps them learn "sight words"--those words that don't always make sense phonetically but are frequently used and crucial to reading fluently. Actually, Dr. Seuss didn't just happen to write books that help emergent readers. He wrote The Cat in the Hat in response to a complaint by a man named John Hersey that the reading primers being used in schools (this was 1954) were full of "insipid illustrations" of "abnormally courteous children." Hersey said, “Why should [school primers] not have pictures that widen rather than narrow the associative richness the children give to the words they illustrate — drawings like those of the wonderfully imaginative geniuses among children’s illustrators, Tenniel, Howard Pyle, “Dr. Seuss,” Walt Disney?” Dr. Seuss responded to this challenge by writing a book that came from a 223-word list of vocabulary words for school children. Because the list was so limiting, it took him 9 months to complete. The finished product--The Cat in the Hat.

And of course, Dr. Seuss's books are chock full of life lessons and morals. From friendship to the true meaning of Christmas to learning to try new things, his morals are clear but not sappy, which I find refreshing.

So here's what you've got to do. Read all of the classic Seuss titles with your kids. You know--The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, Oh The Places You'll Go, etc. THEN, get to know some of his less commonly known greaties. Our favorites are The Lorax (I'll dedicate an Earth Day post to this poignant and clever story) and The Sneetches (an absolute must read which I'll write about another time). You've also got to check out http://www.seussville.com/. It's got a biography of Dr. Seuss, a list of all of his books, and super fun games for your kids to play.

Enjoy a day with Dr. Seuss and remember to wish him and his cat a Happy Birthday!

Oooooooo I Absolutely Love This Week's Rainbow Book!

2007-03-01T14:42:00.000-08:00

Meet Eloise. She is 6. She is a city child. She lives at The Plaza.

This perfectly written character was created by Kay Thompson and illustrated by Hilary Knight back in 1955, but I have a feeling many of you have never heard of her. I have that hunch because even I, who grew up in a very literary family and made a career out of this stuff didn't get to know her until my husband Taylor gave me the book for my college graduation present 2 1/2 years ago. As Taylor read it out loud to me that night (just the way his mother had for years, as it was a classic Cropper book) I fell in love with Eloise. Then I shared her with my students and now they all adore her. (Actually, I love her so much that I dressed up like her for Halloween at school and all the kids died about it!) And now I share her with you.

Here's what we love about Eloise:

- It's written in first-person, from Eloise's perspective of course. So there are grammar errors ("She is my mostly companion") and made up words (Sometimes I sklonk him in the kneecap"). And she, like any good 6 year old, mimics all of the grownups in her life ("Our day maid's name is Johanna She has earrings with garnets and is going to take her Social Security to Bavaria on her birthday"). You may have noticed some punctuation errors in these quotes. That's yet another brilliant way Kay Thompson helps you hear Eloise's voice. (Can't you just hear a 6 year old you know rambling on and changing the topic every 9 seconds?)

-The supporting characters are perfect. Nanny the nurse "always says everything 3 times like Eloise you cawn't cawn't cawn't." Skiperdee is a pet turtle that "eats raisins and wears sneakers." Weenie is "a dog that looks like a cat." Not to mention all of the snooty adults Eloise interacts with at the Plaza.

-The Eloise-isms (referred to as "Eloisiana" by Kay Thompson) have become a part of the Cropper family language and became common phrases in my classroom as well. Things like: "Here's what I like," "Here's what I can do," "Charge it please," and of course, "Ooooooooo I absolutely love _____."

Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight also did Eloise in Paris, Eloise at Christmastime, and Eloise in Moscow. These are all wonderful, but the original is the best. There are also Eloise books by other authors (see my Valentine's Day post) that are clever but don't hold a candle to the genius of Thompson and Knight.

In my opinion, you simply must must must have Eloise in your family library. Make it a family tradition. Always read it aloud and do all the voices. So look it up on Amazon or rush out to Borders and "charge it please Thank you very much!"

Blaine Loves Boynton!

2007-02-24T21:25:00.000-08:00

You know, it's funny. Blaine is not quite 10 months old, and at this point, let's be honest, books are just one more teething device. Occasionally he'll allow me to read him a story, but getting through the whole book is rare. And although he doesn't generally distinguish between most of our board books (to him they all seem equally good for chewing and/or pulling off the shelf and dumping on the floor), he does seem to have one favorite. No, I have not conducted any sort of scientific study, so my evidence is purely anecdotal and hardly conclusive, but I have noticed that if Blaine plays with a book for an extended period of time it is usually Barnyard Dance! by Sandra Boynton. If you have babies or toddlers, make sure you are familiar with this author. Her books are simple and fun, and quite often sing-songy. Here's what I mean:

"Stomp your feet! Clap your hands! Everybody ready for a barnyard dance!" It's more than just clever rhyming--you will find yourself singing it in rhythm to your babes, which they of course love!

She's got about 10 titles that I'm aware of, and they're charming as can be. Some of them come in a bigger board book size too, which is fun. So take it from Blaine and get some Sandra Boynton in your life!

The Giver gives you something to think about

2007-02-23T21:29:00.000-08:00

Ooh! I am so excited to recommend this novel to you. This Newberry winner by Lois Lowry is outstanding. It tells the story of Jonas, a boy who lives in a futuristic, utopian existence. (Think Brave New World, only less disturbing.) His world is devoid of poverty, divorce, inequality, even bad manners. When he turns twelve, he, like his friends, receives his life assignment. But instead of becoming a Caretaker of the Old or a Director of Recreation like his friends, he becomes The Giver--an assignment that opens his eyes to so much more than his "perfect" world has ever revealed to him.

The Giver is inventive and poignant and will make you think about the world in which you exist. If you are like me, it will remind you of what a blessing it is that we have opposition in all things. After all, without pain, how can we know joy?

This Week's Rainbow Book--George Washington's Teeth

2007-02-20T21:33:00.000-08:00

February was my favorite month as a teacher. There's Chinese New Year, Groundhog Day, Valentine's Day, the 100th day of the school year, Black History Month, and Presidents' Day. It was so fun to incorporate all of those events into our class discussions, reading, writing, art, etc. But, did you know that February is also National Children's Dental Health Month?! Oh yes, in our classroom we heard from special guest speakers (dental hygenists), celebrated how many teeth we'd lost, and read this week's rainbow book--George Washington's Teeth. I know what you're thinking, "A book about dental hygeine and George Washington? That's perfect for February!" Exactly. And this book is an absolute gem. The authors, Deborah Chandra and Madeleine Comora (with illustrator Brock Cole) present this absolutely true account of how and when George Washington lost all of his teeth--in verse--and it's hysterical! Kids laugh and laugh--and you will too! Here's a little teaser...

"Poor George had two teeth in his mouth the day the votes came in. The people had a President, but one afraid to grin."

Chandra and Comora include a timeline in the back of the book that tells more of the specific details of President Washington's dreadful dental woes. This comes in especially handy when the children ask, "Is this for real?!" Indeed...poor man. (By the way, the story that George Washington had wooden teeth is as much a legend as the story of him chopping down the cherry tree. His dentures were made of ivory.)

Make sure to read this book! And don't forget to brush your teeth!

Hail to These Books!

2007-02-17T21:39:00.000-08:00

Happy Presidents' Day everyone! Here are some of my favorite books on Washington, Lincoln, and all...

So You Want to Be President? is absolutely phenomenal! Judith St. George cleverly presents scads of presidential trivia accompanied by David Small's outstanding and hilarious caricatures of all 43 (42 really, since we had Grover Cleveland twice!) presidents. In fact, Small's illustrations were so good that this book received the Caldecott Medal in 2000. What I love so much about this book is that it's full of fascinating information, and absolutely hysterical at the same time (which makes it popular with both children and adults). We learn everything about our presidents from their children and pets to their musical and athletic talents to their idiosyncrasies and foibles in the office. We hear about John Quincy Adams skinny-dipping in the Potomac River and William Howard Taft bathing in his specially-made extra large bathtub. We learn the pros and cons of being the commander in chief. For example: "Another good thing about being President is that the President has a swimming pool, bowling alley, and movie theater. The President never has to take out the garbage. The President doesn't have to eat yucky vegetables. As a boy, George H. W. Bush had to eat broccoli. When George H. W. Bush grew up, he became President. That was the end of the broccoli!" Well, I've gone on long enough! Read this book! You will laugh out loud!

Lincoln: A photobiography by Russell Freedman is a fabulous read. This Newberry Medal winner is intended for an older audience--I'd say 6th grade and up, and is a really great book for adults. Here are some things I love about this biography: it is comprehensive yet succinct, it is organized in a very reader-friendly way, and it helped me learn many things about President Lincoln that I'd never known before. For example, did you know that he didn't like to be called Abe? And did you know that he struggled with depression for much of his life? The photographs are the icing on the cake. This is an excellent biography of one of our most beloved American Presidents--read it!

A Picture Book of George Washington is one of David A. Adler's (with John and Alexandra Wallner as illustrators in this case) many picture book biographies. They are all excellent. He packs in a lot of content and nice detail, while keeping it simple and enjoyable for a young child (around 3rd grade and up). In fact, Adler does a lot of non-fiction for children, mostly historical. His books are fun to read and a very informative.

Our Country's Presidents by Ann Bausum is a fabulous resource. As a rule, you can count on anything published by National Geographic to be well done, and this is no exception. Two features I particularly love: 1) Besides the several pages of informative text about each president, there is a section of quick facts about each one (including nickname, political party, number of terms, etc.). 2) In typical National Geographic fashion, the book is full of wonderful photographs. I think this would make a great "coffee table" book that would interest the children (about 5th grade and up) in the family as much as the adults.

Enjoy the holiday and make some time to read!

Old McDonald has never looked so cute!

2007-02-16T16:09:00.000-08:00

My good friend Lori found this DARLING (yes, I think it deserves all caps!) book for her little Lucy. Cartwheel Books makes this little board book with finger puppets for each finger! Essentially, it's a glove you put on your hand while you read (or sing, I hope!) this classic with your babe. Lucy loves it, Blaine loves it, your babe will love it too! (I found it on Amazon for $11 new and as low as $3.50 used.)

Novel of the Month--Bridge to Terabithia

2007-02-15T16:11:00.000-08:00

As you likely know, Disney's movie version of this beloved novel comes out this Friday, February 16th. I've chosen it as my novel of the month for two reasons.

Reason Number 1: I read this book in 5th grade and it became my favorite book.
Bridge to Terabithia tells the story of Jesse and Leslie, two social outcasts who become best friends and rulers in their own magical kingdom--Terabithia. One of the reasons I love this book so much is that Katherine Paterson is an amazing writer (she won the Newberry Medal for this book in 1978 and again for Jacob Have I Loved in 1981. The Great Gilly Hopkins is another greatie as well and is one of my personal favorites). She uses incredible imagery and really gets you into the minds of her characters. Just pages in to Bridge to Terabithia you feel Jesse's frustration of being in the middle of 4 sisters, his sadness surrounding his less than great relationship with his father, and his determination to prove himself at school. I also love this book and Paterson in general because she tackles tough, real-to-life issues. If you've ever felt unappreciated by your family, unaccepted at school, or devastated by the loss of someone dear, you can relate to the characters in this book. It is definitely a must read. (Please note that this book does deal with mature content--not inappropriate, just mature. There are also a few instances of less than refined language, so I wouldn't recommend it for anyone younger than 5th grade, and you might want to read it first to make sure you're comfortable with your child reading it.)

Reason Number 2: So I can get up on my soapbox and say, "READ IT BEFORE YOU SEE THE MOVIE!"
Don't we all agree that books are always better than movies? Now don't get me wrong, I love movies, and I'm excited to see this one, but there are three problems with movies based on novels.
1) Content is cut. Obviously to make a good film, this is often necessary. But is kills me. Take Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire for instance. They had to cut so much of the actual plot that I found myself asking, "Wait? Did I check out the right movie?" All of J. K. Rowling's amazing foreshadowing and character building and fabuous detail...gone.
2) Your imagination is better than even the most amazing technology. Certainly moviemakers do WONDERS these days. Anything like Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, etc. is visually impressive, to say the least. But don't you find yourself saying, "That's not the way I pictured it?" This is not to be disparaging of these movies. It is to say--your mind is limitless.
3) You miss out on the deliciousness of the literature! The metaphors, the descriptions, the imagery, the character building... Just listen to these examples from Bridge to Terabithia, "Those girls could get out of work faster than grasshoppers could slip through your fingers. " (page 6) and "Momma would be mad as flies in a fruit jar if they woke her up this time of day." (page 1)

So my recommendation is to see the movie, but after you've read the book. I'm reading it again right now and just oohing and ahhing about how well written it is. It is such a literary treat! So enjoy Bridge to Terabithia and remember, always read the book first!

Valentine's Day Selections

2007-02-14T16:02:00.000-08:00

Olive, My Love stars Olive the dog (first seen in Olive, The Other Reindeer), a charming character created by Vivian Walsh and illustrated by J. Otto Seibold. When her canine pal Dexter drops an enormous heart on her doorstep, she (not realizing it's for her) goes to great lentgths to return it to him. Endearing characters, vibrant images, and clever writing make this story a heart-day favorite.

I Love You the Purplest by Barbara M. Joosse, Mary Whyte illustrator. This is a great story about a mother who helps her two sons understand that she loves them both equally, but for different reasons. She loves exuberant Max the reddest and quiet Julian the bluest. Together she loves them the purplest. This is a well-crafted story with such a universal lesson. As a side note, my friend Alicia read this book to her 2nd-graders and then, on the last day of school, sent them each home with a special bookmark. Each bookmark was unique, with a photograph of the child, his or her name, and a message from their teacher: "I love you the ____est because..." They loved it, of course. I mention this because I think it's a fantastic idea not only for teachers but for parents. You could do something like this on a Valentine for your child or make something like a bookmark that they would see often and keep forever.

Unlovable (by Dan Yaccarino) may seem like a funny choice for this particular list. I guess you'll just have to trust me! This book is about a little mutt named Alfred without any friends. (In fact, the cat tells him, "You've got the ugliest mug I've ever seen. No one could love you!" Ouch!) After countless insults from the neighborhood animals, Alfred really believes he's unlovable. Then one day a new family moves in next door...

Now I'll be frank with you. I think this book is cute and fun, but I don't find it particularly clever or outstanding. My students, however, ADORED it! They begged me to read it over and over and then would ask to read it during their Reading Workshop time. I'm not sure why they enjoyed it so much, but they did. So--read it to your kids. They'll love it!

Junie B. Jones and the Mushy Gushy Valentime. Does it get any more fun than exchanging valentines (or valentimes if you're Junie B.) with your classmates? In yet another greatie from Barbara Park, Junie B. receives a mystery valentine from a secret admirer and then sets out to discover who it is! Reminder: Kids love Junie B. Jones. Girl, boy, doesn't matter. They can't get enough! (Junie B. is perfect up until about 3rd grade. It is one of the best series for readers who are transitioning into chapter books.)

Love & Kisses, Eloise. I post this with some reservation. We Croppers are true-blue Eloise fans. And the real Eloise is written by Kay Thompson and illustrated by Hillary Knight. They are the ingenious creators of our favorite little girl who lives at the Plaza, and no one else can help us hear her distinctive voice so clearly, nor illustrates her and Nanny so perfectly. However, admittedly Marc Cheshire and Ted Enik do quite a nice job of portraying Eloise and Nanny as they celebrate Valentine's Day by eating extra boxes of chocolate, playing cupid at the hotel, and telling Mr. Salomone to be happy happy happy!

So, have a most wonderful Valentine's Day! I will attempt to read these favorites to Blaine (hopefully they will escape un-torn!) and I hope you will read them too. With red and pink and hearts and flowers and chocolate...I get pretty giddy in February. As Eloise would say, "Ooooooooooooo, I absolutely love Valentine's Day!"

This Week's Rainbow Book--Fanny's Dream

2007-02-12T15:58:00.000-08:00

Today a friend reminded me of this marvelous book and I thought it perfect for our Rainbow Book this week. Why? Because this week we celebrate love. In this story, with echoes of a familiar fairy tale, Caralyn and Mark Buehner tell us about Fanny--a sturdy farm girl who dreams of marrying the Prince Charming type. Since her Fairy Godmother doesn't seem to be showing up, she accepts the proposal of Heber--a short, kind farmer (who doesn't exactly live in a palace). But Heber shows Fanny what real love is. He raises children with her, works hard for her, makes her laugh, and every night he soaks her tired feet in hot water. One night Fanny goes out to pick a melon and her Fairy Godmother shows up (just a little late!) and offers her the chance of a lifetime...

I'll let you read it to find out what Fanny decides. This story is a MUST READ! I'm practically tearing up just writing this post! Fanny and Heber remind us what REAL LOVE is.

What's a Rainbow Book?

2007-02-02T22:33:00.000-08:00

I'll explain it to you the way I explained it to my students. My mom always called me a "Rainbow Baby." I was born on a rainy Saturday in June (my older siblings suggested my name could be Raindrop). Of course, the sun came out and a rainbow appeared. So Mom always collected little rainbow things for me and when I got older I kept collecting. I had a little rainbow suitcase I took on trips, a rainbow windsock, rainbow stickers, a Rainbow Brite doll of course (it was the 1980s after all!), rainbow candles, a rainbow-covered journal...you get the idea. Well, right before I began my official teaching career, my mom gave me this woven, rainbow colored tote bag. (I'm sure she saw it on one of her weekly T.J. Maxx excursions and thought, Anne has to have this!) I loved it. She suggested I use it in my classroom, but I wasn't quite sure what its place would be...

Despite what much of the work force believes, teachers work very hard during the summer. We attend workshops, collaborate with other teachers, set up our classrooms, buy and prepare materials, make curriculum maps for the year, plan lesson after lesson, and are constantly thinking about how we can be better teachers, how we can make this year more successful than the last. One summer I attended what proved to be a life-changing literacy workshop. By the end of the week I was more excited about teaching reading than I'd ever been--and--I knew what I wanted to do with the rainbow bag.

One of the greatest ways to get children excited about reading is to show them your passion for it. If you think Eloise is the most fabulous character ever created, they will too. If you think Kevin Henkes is a comic genius, they will laugh hysterically when you read his books with them. Model, model, model! And so, I decided that each Monday I would bring the rainbow bag to class and during our daily read aloud time, I would reveal its contents--one of my favorite picture books. I usually tried to connect the book with a holiday or special event (you'll find I'll often do that here on the blog) or with something we were currently studying in another subject. Another exciting part about Rainbow Book day was that I gave each child one skittle to eat while I was reading ("taste the rainbow!"). Of course, that one skittle, per child, per week was about the extent of the candy consumption in my classroom, so it was a real treat! On Tuesday-Friday I read aloud from whichever novel we were currently on, but Mondays were something truly special.

And now I get to share these favorite "Rainbow Books" with you...I hope they become as near and dear to you as they are to me. Enjoy!

Meet Mrs. Cropper

2007-02-01T22:30:00.000-08:00

I'm Anne Marie Cropper. After teaching 2nd grade for a couple of years I decided to stay at home with my new baby, Blaine, who is now 14 months old. I love spending my day with Blaine, and wouldn't have it any other way, but OH, how I miss my 2nd-graders! I'm passionate about teaching and I love each subject for a different reason. Teaching literacy is the best there is. Once a child learns to read he or she can go anywhere, learn anything, become anyone. I love books and I am so excited to share my favorites with you! Have fun poking around my blog and then go to your local library or fave bookstore and find these greaties! Even if you don't have children or if your children are too little for some of these books, you should read them! (Truthfully, I don't really even know what adults read! I always have a list a mile long of children's novels that I want to devour, so I've never in my life cracked a John Grisham, Tom Clancy, or Nicholas Sparks. I'm more interested in Jerry Spinelli, J. K. Rowling, Katherine Paterson, Tomie dePaola, Kevin Henkes, and Dr. Seuss!) Good literature can enrich our lives in a way nothing else can. It helps us learn, imagine, and dream. My hope for this blog is that it will introduce you to new books and authors, and that it will spark more enthusiasm about reading. Read by yourself, read with your family, read with your bookclub friends! And please-share your comments! Tell me what your faves are, what books inspired you as a child, what fabulous books I should be highlighting on this blog...

You can email me at mrscroppersbooks@gmail.com.

Some Fun Facts About Me:

Favorite Human: My husband, Taylor

Favorite Color: Red, though green has been my fetish for about two years

Favorite Food: Pretty much all things Mexican. I lived in Guadalajara for a while so in my book you can't beat Tacos al Pastor. Also pasta. Taylor makes AMAZINGLY delish Italian food.

Favorite City: San Francisco. The architecture, the streets, Chinatown, Pier 39, the seafood, the shopping, the seals, the memories of family trips, dance competitions, and my honeymoon....

Favorite Movies: Dead Poet's Society, Moulin Rouge

Favorite TV shows: The Office, Gilmore Girls

Favorite Books: Yeah, right! I could never choose...

Favorite Subject to Teach Besides Literacy: ART. I don't just teach crafts (though there is a place for that). I teach art theory and criticism. All year we try to answer the question, "What is art?" My favorite thing is teaching about various artists. We look at their work, learn about their lives, and then create our own work after the style of that artist. And the kids just die about it! They eat it up. It's awesome.

Favorite memories: Picking blackberries in my yard in Oregon (where I grew up), being a missionary in Ohio, my long and complicated courtship with my husband, having a baby wriggle inside me, hearing things like, "This is fun, Mrs. Cropper!" during a lesson or "Mrs. Cropper, I wish you could be my teacher for 3rd and 4th and 5th and 6th grade!"