The Jumble and my Mom - #SOL 12/20/16

It's Tuesday and time for Slice of Life! Thanks so much to the entire crew at Two Writing Teachers for  hosting this group every Tuesday!

My mom loved to do the Jumble in the newspaper. Every day when she lived at her home, she would cut the Jumble out of the paper, and put it on the end table between her chair and my dad's chair. This prevented her from cheating and looking at the answers when words got difficult, and it was easy for her to hold as well.

During the year of her 3 hip replacements, when she spent a great deal of time near us in Columbus either at a surgery center, or at a rehab facility, the Jumble became "our" thing - I would bring the Life and Arts section of our local paper to the rehab facility each night, and if it was just the two of us, we would settle in, and try to figure out the words, and then answer the riddle as well.

I initially started doing it with her to help keep her mind sharp; she wasn't as active as she used to be, and the three surgeries and the anesthesia required for each took away some of her mental acuity. But then the Jumble became so much more than that - it became an opportunity for mother/daughter bonding over words. It was "our" ritual - sometimes when we both got stuck, we'd ask for help; but we really tried to figure it out between the two of us.

As can happen, the adult daughter became a caregiver, and that was true when we worked the Jumble as well. After a few weeks, I began to easily see patterns in letters and words that Mom, who had been successful at the Jumble her entire life, could not. But Mom was a competitive person, so I never let her know I figured it out first; I would just guide her to finding it out by giving her different sequences of letters that more closely approximated what the real word was.

I so cherished those moments we had together, puzzling over words and talking about the days' events at the same time.

She died two years ago last week, and you want to know what section I still look at first when the paper comes? That's right - the Life and Arts section so that I can cut out the Jumble for later. On the days the answers come really easy for me, I know my mom is sitting over my shoulder helping me out even now. It's still a time each day we get to spend together.

Nonfiction Picture Books - #IMWAYR - 12/19/16

A huge thanks to Jen Vincent at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee Moye at Unleashing Readers for hosting the kid lit version of "It's Monday, What Are You Reading?"!!

One of my favorite posts all year is the one I do for the Nerdy Book Club to announce the Nerdy Awards for the Nonfiction Picture Book categories. I volunteered to do it again this year, but at NCTE in November, I realized I was woefully behind in my reading in this genre/format. So, I started checking in with friends, reading blog posts about nonfiction picture books that people loved this year, and then began to reserve a HUGE pile of books at my local public library.

While it would take forever to share everything I've read in the past 2 weeks in detail, I thought I would give you a glimpse of some of my favorites. And I also want to remind you that tomorrow, Tuesday, December 20, is the last day to nominate your favorite books of the year for a Nerdy award in several categories - check out the Nerdy nomination link here.

A quick disclaimer - I am not privy to the voting tally until the nominations are closed; this post just reflects what I am really loving right now. And a second disclaimer - I am not done reading my piles yet, so there may be other favorites I haven't found yet! :)

My absolute favorite of what I have read so far is Ada's Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay. Making a better life for yourself, perseverance, and the ability of music to transcend even the most difficult of situations - these are just a few of the reasons I love this book:

For lovers of the musical, Hamilton, here's a great book for you:

Inventors and perseverance and high interest inventions for students:

Strong females who made a difference in so many ways:

Gorgeous nature books (and in addition, I ordered my own copy of Animals by the Numbers: A Book of Animal Infographics!!):

Building for a Sustainable Future (and I loved Drummond's previous book, Energy Island):

So what are the nonfiction picture books you are loving from 2016? Please share those titles here, and then head on over to Nerdy to nominate your favorites by tomorrow night!!!

Reflections about #NCTE16 - #SOL 11/29/16

With all the activity of the Thanksgiving holiday, it's hard to believe that just 2 weeks ago this Wednesday evening, I was arriving in Atlanta for the 2016 NCTE convention.

As I reflect back on my time in Atlanta, I can't help but think the convention was just one HUGE family reunion.

Like a reunion, there were the initial hugs when seeing friends for the first time, there were the hugs that happened sporadically throughout the weekend, and then there were the bittersweet goodbye hugs.

There was a great deal of time spent in social gatherings, complete with food, beverages, and lots and lots of laughter, tears, and conversations. And in this family, there were books - lots of books - and conversations about books as well!

But my biggest take-away from NCTE 2016 is what a brilliant "family" I belong to!! I spent the last two days reading through my notes, looking at tweets (#NCTE16), and scrolling through the pictures I took; I am overwhelmed at the generosity of this NCTE family! The people I spend time with play a huge role in how I grow as a professional, and I so appreciate the time this group puts into sharing with one another.

Here are just a few of the thoughtful statements I heard from various "family members" at the reunion:

• Jen Allen - If everything is the same, we risk losing the identity of teachers and students.

• Cris Tovani - We need to have engagement time for practice, wipe-outs, and do-overs for students as they are learning.

• Franki Sibberson - Be careful that the story students tell about themselves is not just a test score.

• Ann Marie Corgill - Relationships and deep conversations about important books matter.

• Katharine Hale - With technology, we create windows to what students are thinking.

• Kristin Ziemke - Be careful that we don't judge a child's story but the chapter we walk in on.

• Ellin Keene - Reading synthesis is how our comprehension changes as we read; we revise our thinking.

• Matt Glover - Important for students to read unfamiliar books. The thinking they do is different.

• Terry Thompson - Let's reframe the gradual release model. Focus on 4 conditions for scaffolding: focus, flexibility, feedback, responsibility.

• Clare Landrigan and Tammy Mulligan - We are trying to do too much in each lesson; we need to give students time to learn and trust their wisdom.

• Dorothy Barnhouse - We need to start complex thinking by using simple text; leading to complex thinking in complex text. This is a form of gradual release.

• Barbara O'Connor - I start with the title, and then I really get to know my characters. It is important that the characters have flaws.

• Augusta Scattergood- Read each chapter and look for small astonishments.

• Kirby Larson - As a writer, I'm a beachcomber. I never know if I'll use the treasures, but I keep them anyway.

• Sara Ahmed - We must make all kids visible in our learning communities. Identity webs are one way to do so.

• Laura Robb - Choice allows kids to invest in the books they are reading.

• Kylene Beers - The best questions are to be explored, not answered. If you already know the answer, it's not a real question.

• Jeff Anderson - The most important parts of conversation are listening and trust.

• Donalyn Miller - How can we guarantee that all the kids we serve have access to books 365 days a year?

I'm so grateful all these people and thousands more came to the reunion to celebrate who we are as a family. I loved every hug, every conversation, the food, the drink, the books, the learning. Looking forward to our reunion next year in St. Louis! Hope many of you can join us there!

In the meantime, a huge thanks to the gracious team at Two Writing Teachers who host Slice of Life each week. Thanks so much!!

In the meantime, a huge thanks to the gracious team at Two Writing Teachers who host Slice of Life each week. Thanks so much!!

#IMWAYR - 11/28/16

A huge thanks also to Jen Vincent at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee Moye at Unleashing Readers for hosting the kid lit version of "It's Monday, What Are You Reading?"!!

#NCTE16 in Atlanta ended 8 days ago for me, and I am just now making the time to process all the learning.  Which leads me to today's post for It's Monday, What are You Reading? Actually, a better title for me this week should be: It's Monday, What are You Planning on Reading in the Near Future? ;)

Publishers at NCTE are so kind - each year, they give away copies of upcoming books so that educators can share them in the classroom with their students. Who doesn't love a free book?!! But through the eight years I've been attending NCTE, I realize I've gotten a bit more selective in taking free books.

What I've come to realize is that I love talking to the representatives at the different publishing companies, asking them what books they are most excited about in the near future. This leads to conversations between two book lovers about why an upcoming book is a "must read." I found myself caught up in these conversations, in awe of different writers' talents, many of them new names to me, but some "old friends."

I'm sharing a picture of the stack that made it home with me. Some of them were generously shared in the exhibit hall; others were generously shared at publishing house events. These will be the books I look forward to reading in 2017. In fact, I wasn't going to read any of them yet, but I just couldn't resist one, in particular.

I loved Counting by 7's by Holly Goldberg Sloan, and her latest is SHORT, due out in January of 2017. I will review it more in depth later, but let me say I loved this book, also!

Just a few books on my
reserve list

Just a few books on my
reserve list

My other reading, to begin tomorrow after a trip to the library, will be focused on informational picture books. I am woefully behind in reading the latest in this genre, so after the suggestions of friends who have read considerably more than me, I started to reserve books at the library.





After tomorrow, I will be curling up with piles of informational picture books. I know the Nerdy book nominations will open soon, and I hope to be an informed voter!!

I'm looking forward to what others are currently reading, as well as planning to read. Happy reading week to all!

Celebrating both Balance and Unbalance - #celebratelu 9/17/16

I've been absent from this celebration community for quite awhile, but I want to thank Ruth for so graciously hosting this platform for celebration each and every week.  Check out all the celebrations at Ruth's blog.

Saturdays are usually the day I work with my trainer, but today she was out of town, so I decided to investigate a yoga class I had never attended in place of training.

The yoga instructor started our class by reminding us that this week will be the fall equinox, and how that reminds her of balance because there are only two days in the entire year that have a balanced number of daylight and non-daylight hours. The fall equinox and the spring equinox.

She went on to say that, if only two days are totally in balance on our planet, then we shouldn't be so hard on ourselves when our own lives aren't perfectly in balance. This was a huge aha! moment for me.

I've strived for balance through the recent years and when that didn't happen, I just assumed I needed to work even harder at getting to balanced living. But what if life isn't meant to be totally balanced? What if parts of my life take precedence at times, only to have the pendulum swing at some point to a different focus? I like that idea a lot.

In fact, as I reflect back on the first few weeks of this school year, I realize that daily, my life shifts from a balance leaning heavily toward school to a balance leaning heavily toward time with family and friends, to a balance of taking care of myself physically, emotionally, and spiritually. No one day or week has been the same.

So, today I'm celebrating the balance and the unbalance of my life. My goal will be to focus on and totally enjoy whatever activity is currently taking most of my attention, knowing that eventually, the pendulum will swing another direction.

The Courage Test - #IMWAYR - 9/5/16

I can't speak for all blogs, but here at Literate Lives, back when we were just launching our blog (and yes, back when we were writing more regularly!), we had two authors who befriended us early on because of reviews we had written about books they had written.

I love that life has come full circle: we now have reason to celebrate these two amazing authors again, 8 years after this blog started. So, "Happy Book Birthday Year" to two authors who found our reviews of their books 8 years ago, commented, and became our friends and regular readers of our blog over the years! Congratulations to two of our favorite authors - Barbara O'Connor and James Preller!!!!!

I already reviewed Barbara's latest, and today it's time to share Jimmy's latest book with our readers.

The Courage Test by James Preller is a great read that starts with the front cover. I have an ARC, so I'm not sure what the final cover art will look like, but what a great opportunity for a reader to look at the illustrations on the front cover, and begin thinking about what the story might be. So many clues live there - in some ways, it reminds me of the clues on the cover of another favorite, When You Reach Me. It's a cover you would come back to time and time again as the story unfolds.

I say "the" story, but truly this is a book with multiple story lines contained within the adventure the main character, Will, goes on with his father.

There is the story of Will and his father, somewhat strangers to each other after Will's dad left him and his mom for a "shiny new life" complete with a new girlfriend. In the story, Will's dad takes him on a trip to replicate the adventures of Lewis and Clark. Will's dad is a college professor, a fan of American history, and is trying to write a book about the Lewis and Clark expedition. Will would rather stay home and play baseball than go on a trip with a dad that he feels is no longer a real part of his life. The main story line follows them and their rocky relationship as they try to follow in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark.

There is the summer assignment writing Will has - writing about something interesting that happened to him that summer. (To help the reader discern the different story lines, the summer assignment is the part written in italics.) I found myself mesmerized by all the historical detail Will puts into his writing assignment. So many, many facts about Lewis and Clark about which I had no idea! And having those facts written from Will's perspective was brilliant on James Preller's part - it makes reading history so interesting, and in some cases, quite surprising. I think student readers would enjoy the perils they faced as much as I did! This would be a perfect read for a student interested in history, adventure, and survival.

There is the relationship between Will and his mom. They became quite a team once Will's dad left, and now she is practically pushing him out the door to take this summer trip with his dad. Will feels a bit hurt by that, but we learn even more history in the postcards Will continually sends his mom, with great details about places on the Lewis and Clark trail they've seen. In addition, we hear the voice of a boy who just wants contact with his mom.

In addition to these story lines, there are additional supporting character story lines that help move the story along:

• A friend of Will's dad, Ollie, shows up at one point on the trail, and stays with them awhile.
• Will and his dad find an "illegal girl" - in fact, that is the name of the chapter where they first encounter her.

I tend gravitate toward reading books where relationships are explored, and that could not be truer with this book than its examination of the relationship between Will and his dad. James Preller had each new situation, each new adventure, each new moment of survival share just a bit more about that relationship. It was like slowly peeling back layers of an onion to get at what's really inside. I thought it was masterfully done, especially when, by the end of the book, Will and his dad grow to know and understand each other, but everything is still not perfect. That felt incredibly real to me, and I appreciated it as a reader.

All these stories, slowly but surely, wrapped themselves around my heart and tugged at my heartstrings. I found myself caring a great deal about Lewis and Clark, Will's mom, Will's dad, and most definitely, Will. But, I also have to say, there were some breath-taking, scary moments as well - think bears and white water rafting. I have experiences with both, so I found my heart pounding at these intense moments.

Finally, I'm a sucker for a circular story, so I loved that this story began and ended in the same place, with the same words. 

Be on the lookout for this gem - it is due out next Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2016. If you're a teacher, I guarantee there will be readers in your room that will be very thankful you added this book to their reading choices!

Thanks so much, Jimmy, for sending this my way. Happy almost-book birthday to you!!

And a huge thanks also to Jen Vincent at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee Moye at Unleashing Readers for hosting the kid lit version of "It's Monday, What Are You Reading?"!!

3 Middle Grade Titles to Know!

It is quite rare that I read 3 middle grade chapter books in a row, and love all 3 of them. But that is most definitely the case with the three books I'm reviewing today.

As I thought about how each of these books drew me in, and had me expectantly turning each page, I wondered what elements exactly made these reads so enjoyable. After pondering for awhile, here are the commonalities that I think appealed to me:

• Point of view - two of the books are told from a different character's point of view, shifting the point of view frequently. The third one (Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story) shifts between characters, but the character is not the narrator, as in the other two.
• #WNDB - each of these books will provide a "mirror" for many students in our classrooms. In each book, diverse characters are the focus.
• Great stories for grades 4 - middle school (in my humble opinion). I love these kinds of books that involve the transition from one level to the next. That plot feature alone could be explored forever, but in these books, it is the perfect backdrop.

So, what are the books I'm loving right now?

Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story by Nora Raleigh Baskin

The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary by Laura Shovan

Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan

Nine, Ten is a story about four different characters living in four different places. Naheed is in Columbus, Ohio; Sergio lives in Brooklyn, NY; Will lives in Shanksville, PA; and Aimee is in Los Angeles, CA. Their stories begin on September 9, each working on a transition of their own when their lives overlap at Chicago's O'Hare Airport. Will's father has died, Aimee has moved to California because her mom has taken a new job that involves her being all the way across the country during the move, Sergio's dad disappoints him once again, and Naheed is trying to embrace her Islamic heritage in midwest Ohio.

Already knowing that 9/11 is coming, I found myself racing through the book to find out the effects this tragic day had on each of these characters.  Baskin does a brilliant job of making each child's story matter, and I love how, much like in the beginning where lives intersect at O'Hare, the ending find these 4 lives intersecting once again.

The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary has eighteen very diverse characters/narrators, and one fabulous teacher who really makes a difference. For their entire fifth grade year, these characters write poems about their thoughts and feelings. Through these poems, the reader learns so much about each character, and how they evolved over the course of the year.

This is a story about friendships and how they change. It is a story about finding a passion and becoming an advocate for that thing. It is a story about finding your voice. It is a story that embraces poetry on each and every page. It is a story about transitions and dealing with them.

Shovan has added to the back of the book some great reference materials for all readers - the first is a list of the types of poems found in the story - both descriptions and the pages to find examples. The other thing I love was that the teacher in this story kept a "Poetry Prompt Jar" in the class if needed - some of those prompts are found in the back as a resource. I could see this being incredibly helpful when working on stamina with students throughout the year.

My favorite excerpt from this book celebrates teachers:

fifth grade was the best

and you are my all-time

favorite teacher.

Think about it. Some poor kid

is packing up his house,

getting ready to move,

nervous about starting

fifth grade at a new school.

Please don't retire.

Out there, there's someone

like me who needs

a teacher like you.

And in addition to all of this, I LOVE the front cover illustration!!!

Save Me a Seat is a two author collaboration that again is told from different points of view - this time only two characters. Ravi and his family are new to America; he excelled at many things in India, and is having difficulty with the transition to his new school and having people understand his gifts. Joe is a big guy, bigger than most in his grade, and he has an auditory processing disorder - outside noises interfere with his ability to understand things being said. He gets support from Miss Frost this year. But in addition to feeling different from others, his mom is now working at his school as the lunchroom monitor. It adds another layer to the teasing he gets already.

This is a story of two boys who learn to embrace and celebrate who they are; it is a story of growing up, and some of the hardships and joys that go with that process.

And another brilliant cover design that makes more sense after reading the book.

Wish - #IMWAYR - 6/13/16

A huge thanks to Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee at Unleashing Readers for hosting us for the kid lit and YA version of #IMWAYR!!

I read a book this past week that made such an impression on me I want to devote my entire #IMWAYR post today to the upcoming book, Wish, by Barbara O'Connor (due out August 30, 2016 from Farrar Straus Giroux)

Wish is the story of Charlie, a girl that is thrust into situations she didn't want - her dad is in jail and her mom won't take care of her. It becomes so bad that social workers become involved and take Charlie from her home in Raleigh to the small town of Colby, North Carolina, in the Blue Ridge Mountains to live with her aunt and uncle.

The storyline captivates, but for me what Barbara O'Connor does in this book with characters, setting, language, and insight into humanity are the real reasons this book is such a delight.

When Charlie gets to Colby to live with her aunt and uncle what she sees are "... the sorry sights of Colby. A gas station. A trailer park. A laundromat." And at her neighbor's house what she noticed  - "Next to the front door was a ratty-looking couch covered with a bedspread. Wilted yellowing plants and dried-up flowers planted in coffee cans lined the edges of the porch." Charlie considers all the people in Colby beneath her, nothing more than hillbillies. Sights like these just support her thinking.

As Charlie's time in Colby continues, she comes to see these same things in a different light. The subtle language shifts about the environments and settings through Charlie's eyes is truly masterful. It reminds me a little of the saying about not judging someone until you've walked a mile in their shoes. Charlie began the judging game early on, and had a hard time letting go of being judgmental because letting go might make her see Raleigh and her "home" life more clearly. But when she does let go of that judgment, her eyes see her surroundings differently.

The simplicity of the book tugged at my heart as well, bringing back so many fond childhood memories, and not one having to do with being glued to a screen of some sort. Designing fort plans, gathering materials for the fort, riding bikes everywhere, working crossword puzzles, playing games, selling things from the end of the driveway, learning to crochet, going fishing. The list goes on and on, but this book really celebrates those small moments of childhood pleasure. In that way, Wish reminds me a bit of The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis, and why I love that book so much. The simplicity of life is celebrated.

And then, there is the title of the book. Wish is an apt name as Charlie makes it her job each and every day to make a wish (and the same one each time). It reminded me again of my childhood, and how we got to make our wishes - seeing a white horse, getting the long part of a chicken wishbone, first star of the night. I wasn't as persistent as Charlie with my wishes, but I did love having the opportunity to make a wish. I would love to know how Barbara O'Connor came up with all the different ways Charlie got to make her wishes. I tried to tally the different ways, and had to give up because counting was getting in the way of the story. But I do know she's listed at least 30 (at my last count before giving up) different ways of wishing. What a delightful thread to weave throughout the story!

I could go on and on about the language I love in this book, but I am going to focus on just three things that really stuck with me - one phrase and two words. When Charlie first meets her neighbor, Howard, at school, she noticed he had an "up down" walk. That phrase comes back multiple times in the story. Two such simple words, but put together, quite descriptive. One of the other words I enjoyed was "Scrappy", her dad's nickname because he gets in so many fights, landing him in jail eventually. It's a great word for an unfortunate circumstance. And then there is the word "pineapple." Charlie is a bit of a hothead also, so Howard tries to convince her to say "pineapple" when she gets upset instead of lashing out physically or with other inappropriate/unkind words. I chuckled at how many times Charlie tried to make "pineapple" work for her, not always with the greatest of success.

And we can't forget Wishbone, the name of the dog that also connects with the title. Without giving too much of the story away, I will say that as humans, we all need someone to love us unconditionally. That is what Charlie gets when Wishbone becomes part of her life. With that said, it brought me great delight when Charlie realized that unconditional love can also come in many different packages.

As I reflect on some of the horrific things that have happened this past weekend, I find that reading Wish came at a good time for me. I think about how Charlie stereotyped the people of Colby, North Carolina, as hillbillies until she got to know them personally, spending a great deal of time with them. How time and effort can shift a perspective. How I wish more people could take the time and effort to understand those "different" from them.

But mostly, I love the simplicity of this book. While I'm sure it wasn't at all simple to write, reading it was like dangling my feet in a cool mountain stream or sitting on my screened porch - effortless and delightful.

#IMWAYR - May 16, 2016

A huge thanks to Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee at Unleashing Readers for hosting us for the kidlit version of #IMWAYR!!

With a huge apology to my favorite independent bookstores, recently, my favorite place to look at books for a first read is the public library. The new book shelves for chapter book fiction, picture book fiction, and nonfiction are some of my first stops when walking in the door, and they are always brimming with titles I want to read.

Two of my favorite children's books in the last few weeks are incredibly different in the audience they would have, but I loved them both.

Paper Wishes by Lois Sepahban is a wonderful story that has Japanese internment camps as its historical backdrop. It's the story of Manami, a ten year old girl, and her family. Like Japanese families in many places, Manami and her family are uprooted from their beloved home on Bainbridge Island and sent to an internment camp during WWII in an arid desert area of California. 

When Manami tries to sneak her dog into the camp with her and fails, she becomes "mute". This is a story of the strength of human nature, and it will tug at your heartstrings. 

It would be wonderful to pair Paper Wishes with a book like Baseball Saved Us.

The Last Boy at St. Edith's by Lee Gjertsen Malone has an entirely different feel to it.

St. Edith's is an all-girls' private school that tried to increase enrollment by expanding their student population to include boys. However, for multiple reasons, over the past few years, the boys have been dropping out of St. Edith's like flies. Every boy hoped he would not be the last boy left on his own, but that wasn't going to be the case for Jeremy Miner.  He has become the "last man standing", and he is now on a campaign to get himself kicked out of the school.

On the flap, it says this book is about "fitting in, standing out, and finding the place where you belong." I couldn't have said it better. One of the threads of this book I enjoyed the most is noticing the natural friendships that can occur with boys and girls before the hormones get in the way.

I hope you have a great week of reading!

#IMWAYR - May 2, 2016

A huge thanks to Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee at Unleashing Readers for hosting us for the kidlit version of #IMWAYR!!

Dumplin'

I was recently listening to a podcast Penny Kittle did with Donalyn Miller. I love to hear Donalyn talk about books she loves, so when Penny asked in this podcast what Donalyn has read and would recommend, she immediately shared about Dumplin', a book by Julie Murphy.

Donalyn shared many reasons to read this book in the podcast - Texas beauty pageants, friendship, can the big girl get the cute guy, tiaras, quirky characters, just to name a few. She was spot on. It was a delightful romp - at times funny, at times poignant, at times infuriating. But at the center of it all was Willowdean, known as Dumplin' to her mom, a former beauty pageant winner.

I took a personal day this past Thursday, so knowing that I could sleep in a bit more than usual, I went to the library to pick up the copy of Dumplin' I had reserved Wednesday night, I began it after dinner, and I didn't put it down until about 1:30 AM when I finished it. What a lovely evening that was!


Audacity Jones to the Rescue

I love Kirby Larson's writing, and her fascination with embedding history in what she writes. The period she focuses on in this book is when President Taft lived in the White House.

I like the character of Audacity because she is spunky, willing to take on challenges, and has a never give up attitude, which must be difficult at times because she is an orphan.

Part of this reminded me of a female version of The False Prince - an orphan taken to help a bad person trick others for their own personal gain. And like Sage in The False Prince, once the plot is discovered, Audacity does her best (with the help of some friends) to rectify the situation.

This was a fun, fast-paced read, and the last line leads me to believe there will be more fun from Audacity in the future!



Have a Look, Says Book

This fun picture book written by Richard Jackson and illustrated by Kevin Hawkes is a playful look at how a read aloud time with a dad and his daughter leads into a journey inside a book. Great describing adjectives accompany each sentence.

What a fun way to play with words and adjectives as the dad/daughter pair make their way through the book. A wonderful opportunity to enrich vocabulary with children and appeal to their tactile sense.