Raz-Kids

Another picture book app that I have come across that I would recommend for students would be Raz-Kids. The animated books and interactive quizzes are but two aspects of this award winning site that makes it popular among students.

Raz-Kids boasts to having more than 400 titles on its website, and that it adds more books every month. Each of the books can be listened to so fluency can be modeled for the students. Even better, the students can record themselves reading the books. What a great learning tool! The teachers can go on each student's account so they can monitor student's progress.

In order to aid comprehension, each title is coupled with an eQuiz for that particular book. Again, teachers can go into that student's account to receive skill reports on each student, as well as online cumulative records.

Raz-Kids has made its app kid-friendly, which makes it easier for students to understand how to interact with the digital picture books. This makes for an ideal situation, since once students have this understanding, they are able to derive a beneficial relationship with reading and, ultimately, literacy.

Raz-Kids is always available on the internet and can be accessed on nearly any mobile device. That means that kids can take their reading with them anywhere, anytime. A little summer reading, anyone?

Reading Eggs

Digital picture books can be some pretty useful tools, and I'm not just talking about just downloading books onto iPads and Kindles. There are many digital picture book apps available for beginning readers in order to enhance literacy learning.

Reading Eggs (www.readingeggs.com) is a digital picture book app that my elementary school utilizes for its students. The app has many online reading games and activities for the younger
readers. As the students get older and learn to read, they can move on to Reading Eggspress, which has digital books available for students to read and utilize.

Reading Eggs will send students through a series of activities that are supposed to help their fluency and vocabulary, as well as their comprehension. There are rewards along the way for the students to motivate them to continue learning. For the younger and older students, Reading Eggs and Reading Eggspress is fairly simple to navigate. Nearly everything is 'clickable.' I've found it to be a good program for the younger and older.

As the younger students progress to Reading Eggspress, however, they get avatars. In order to make it more personal, students can create their avatars however they like. While a great concept, many of my kids will spend an entire session dressing their avatars in different clothes, as well as changing their looks.

While Reading Eggspress does have titles available from which to choose, the number of titles is limited. The books on screen look like books and the students click to turn the pages. The students are able to listen as they read along, but the interactivity between the reader and the program seems to be somewhat limited.

The important thing, though, is that the students are able to progress at their own pace. It's easy for them to go back and reread (and hear) pages if needed. I have also found that, despite shortcomings, Reading Eggs holds students' attention well, even those who tend to be easily distracted.

Overall, I would say that Reading Eggs seems to be a good program. If you're looking solely for interactive books, I would suggest that you keep looking. However, if you're looking for engaging activities and reading, Reading Eggs would most likely be a good fit for you.

Monarch Butterfly

Sometimes, the best books come through suggestions. I had a classmate suggest I try a Gail Gibbons

title, and Monarch Butterfly (1989) found its way into my hands. Like many of her books, Monarch Butterfly is an informative, straightforward text that delves into the life cycle of the monarch butterfly.

Gibbons does an artful job of illustrating the butterfly's life cycle through text and illustrations. One of the wonderful things about her books is how they dive right in to the text on the first page. In Monarch Butterfly in particular, her opening illustrations are double framed, and look like a photograph within a picture. However, Gibbons likes for her illustrations to stray outside of their frames sometimes. Gibbons writing sets a warm, inviting tone for the reader. Her use of detail almost personifies the butterflies that she passionately writes about.

Monarch Butterfly would be an excellent text for kindergarten through second grade. The illustrations are well labeled and the difficult words are illustrated and explained for the reader. After going through this book, I feel certain my kindergartners would be able to fill out (with some help, of course!) a graphic organizer with their own illustrations mapping out the life cycle of a butterfly!

Any Gail Gibbons titles are a welcome addition within my own personal library. I would strongly suggest Monarch Butterfly, or any other Gibbons titles, for your personal and classroom library!

An Egg Is Quiet

There are not many informational informational non-fiction books that I would consider creative.  An Egg is Quiet (2006) by Dianna Hutts Aston and illustrated by Sylvia Long, however, I consider to be one of the most creative that I have read. The overall tone of the book is quiet, almost comforting and soothing, as we read about and discover all sorts of information about eggs and the animals that laid them.

An Egg is Quiet is all about eggs. And it is not just about bird eggs, either. It includes shark eggs, insect eggs, reptile eggs, turtle eggs, fish eggs, frogs eggs and everything in between. The main text is simple and straightforward and tells the reader what eggs can be. However, it's the captions and the photos throughout that give the reader the most amazing amount of information on all these eggs.

A fascinating, fun read, An Egg is Quiet utilizes a formal script type font for the main storyline of the book. The font used in the captions, however, is less formal, giving the book a friendly, 'let's talk about eggs' feel to it. The unframed illustrations exquisitely capture the amazing detail and color of the eggs, giving the reader as much detail as the text does.

An Egg is Quiet would be a wonderful hook into a science unit on animals. During a second read through, we could work on comparing and contrasting eggs of different birds, or eggs of different animals. With my kindergartners, we could do a graphic organizer labeling the parts of an egg, or the stages an egg goes through as the animal inside develops and is born.

Simple, but incredibly informative, An Egg is Quiet should have a place on the shelf of any classroom library.

Bone: Out from Boneville

Graphic novels are a relatively new phenomenon. I've never given them much thought, but that was before I read Bone: Out from Boneville (2005) by Jeff Smith. Having never read any of the books in the Bone series, it was a little unusual. However, I find the graphic novel aspect refreshing, as it is a different type of read since it is a change from the norm.

Out from Boneville is about three cousins -- Fone Bone, Phoney Bone and Smiley Bone -- who have been cast out of Boneville because of Phoney's financial indiscretions. The cousins get separated in the desert and each finds his way to the same large valley, which is filled with people and all sorts of creatures. After several misadventures, the three cousins manage to reunite on a farm deep in the valley. Being part of a series, the reader discovers some dark, behind the scenes characters who are out to get the three Bone cousins, and have future plans for the trio.

Graphic novels exercise a different set of reading skills. Because it is made up of a series of panels, the reader has to determine the order of the panels. Given that it has copious amount of illustration, the reader can and must use visual cues in order to fully understand the story. The reader doesn't need details in the text since many of those details can be given visually. Also, the graphic novel reader can "see" sounds. In Out from Boneville, for example, we see Phoney yelling at the other two through large, bold words in his text balloons. A page later, we see the "ZZZZ" of a cloud of locusts descending upon our hapless trio.

While Out from Boneville may not be appropriate content-wise for my kindergartners, it might be just about right for third-graders. I feel like we would do a read through together, so that I can help them get the hang of following panels in the correct order. However, we could also do some of the same things we do with other stories, such as comparing and contrasting the characters using Venn diagrams, as well as B-M-E organizers.

I've seen several students at my current school reading several books from the Bone series. I feel like any of these from this series would be good titles for a classroom library.

Woolvs in the Sitee

Of all the picture books that I have read, none have had as much of a lasting, profound effect upon me as Woolvs in the Sitee (2006) by Margaret Wild (illustrated by Anne Spudvilas). This award winning, yet controversial book sends the reader on a wild, heart pounding ride of an adventure. By the time you get to the end, you have to re-read it to make sure you didn't miss anything!

Woolvs in the Sitee is a brief, terrifying story a boy, Ben, who is trapped in a single room in a basement by himself. He is trapped by the "woolvs" who have taken over the city where he lives. In this first person narrative, Ben doesn't tell us who or what the "woolvs" are, but he lets us know they are there. His only ally, Miss Radinski, goes missing one day and Ben has to face his fears and the "woolvs" and go out to rescue her, the same way she had rescued him once.

The spelling and dark colors on the cover of Woolvs in the Sitee set an ominous tone for the story. The reader can't help but wonder what has gone wrong. The edge to edge dark illustrations and childlike spelling of the actual text create a dark textured story. Throughout the story, the images are either what Ben sees looking up, or views looking down on Ben. Ben is always looking off somewhere else, except on the last page where the illustrator uses demand. On the last page, Ben is looking directly up at us, the readers, and saying, "Joyn me," as he goes out to face the demons that he fears and that have taken Miss Radinski.

While not appropriate for kindergartners, Woolvs in the Sitee would be better suited for third grade students and up. I would have my students retelling the story through B-M-E organizers. I would also have them do some character work, telling me how Ben changes. This exercise has them telling me how he feels at the beginning and at the end of the story and how he changed. Through this exercise, they would also tell me what the catalyst was that caused this change. And of course, we would discuss who or what the "woolvs" in the story represent.

Woolvs in the Sitee is a profound, thought provoking story. I feel like it might be a good book for an upper grade classroom library. I feel like the story is powerful enough to interest and hook students who claim they don't enjoy reading.

Gone Fishing

Big brothers prove bothersome, but little sisters are the worst! Don't believe me? Read Gone Fishing, a novel written in verse! I honestly couldn't have NOT read Gone Fishing (2013) which was written by Tamera Will Wissinger and illustrated by Matthew Cordell. It's a children's novel. It's poetry. It's fishing. Need I say more, except that you should read it?

Gone Fishing is mostly about Sam, a young boy who is very excited to be going on a fishing trip with just his father. However, Lucy, Sam's younger sister, manages to wriggle her way into the trip with her brother and father. Sam, who has been dreaming and planning for this trip, is not happy about this new development. The story takes place in the course of one day -- the actual fishing trip. Dad keeps the peace while Lucy causes trouble, has fun and out fishes her brother. While I don't want to give away a good ending, I will tell you that by the time of the fish dinner that evening, the story ends with fond memories for everyone involved.

The illustrations in Gone Fishing are nearly as fun as the story itself. Each illustration is an inset picture with no frame (except for two that are supposed to look like photographs taken and a frame around the dinner menu) that are scattered about the pages. Many stretch from one page to the next and several actually go "through" the text itself!

Gone Fishing's text is broken up by a multitude of different types of poetry. The story contains quatrains, cinquains, list poems, concrete poems, and more. Each different poetry style accentuates the point the author is trying to get across, such as the concrete poem, The Night Before Fishing, written in the shape of a fish above Sam, laying in his bed, dreaming of the upcoming trip. The author tells us whose poem is whose so that we, the readers, know whose point of view we're reading.

Where to start with my lessons?! I most certainly would read this to my kindergartners. Gone Fishing would be a wonderful introduction to different styles of poetry. Many of the poems rhyme and we could make anchor charts with rhyming words. We could practice some of the dramatic poems for three and perform them in class. There are list poems included, such as What To Pack? I think my kindergartners would enjoy creating their own list poems.

Additionally, Gone Fishing has a wonderful sequence to it. Some of the individual poems, such as What To Pack? do as well. My kindergartners and I would be creating timelines of the story, noting what comes first, next, then and last. We would make our own lists of what we would take on our own fishing trips...

I would definitely include Gone Fishing in my personal library. I would have to have a second copy to include in my classroom library. When you luck into a fun book like this, it's good to have a back up copy somewhere!

In the Night Kitchen

There are few books that both intrigue and perplex me at the same time. In the Night Kitchen (1970) by Maurice Sendak, an older book, still manages this after numerous years. It perplexed me in that I never understood why, or how, Mickey (the young boy and main character) fell out of his clothes. It also intrigued me because the bakers refer to Mickey as milk.

This controversial book is a rhyming story about Mickey, who has a dream. In his dream, Mickey falls out of his clothes and down into the Night Kitchen. In fact, he falls, naked, into a batch of cake batter. Three identical bakers mix him into the batter and try to cook him, thinking he is the milk for the batter. Mickey pops out of the cake, now dressed in batter, explains that he is not the milk, and sets off to retrieve milk for the bakers' cake. He loses his batter clothing in the bottle of milk. After climbing out of the bottle, he slides down the side until he lands safely back in his bed.

As stated previously, the text rhymes. The illustrations, created in Sendak's incredibly recognizable style, make incredible artwork that parallel the text being read. Together, the artwork and text create a kaleidoscopic cornucopia for the readers' senses.

Despite the image of Mickey naked, In the Night Kitchen could be a marvelous read and good teaching tool for teachers. Using the rhymes and during the second read, I would stop before each rhyming word and ask my kindergartners what word is next? What would make sense there? Afterwards, we might read it a third time and create an anchor chart showing the different rhymes used throughout the book.

Classroom library material? Perhaps. I'll leave that up to you. In the Night Kitchen has a great story, but it does have images of a young, naked child...

When Gorilla Goes Walking

When Gorilla Goes Walking (2007) by Nikki Grimes (illustrated by Shane Evans) is one of the most refreshing picture books I have read in quite some time! However, readers should be warned... Firstly, Gorilla is not an ape, but a cat. Secondly, if you don't like cats, you will after this book. If you do, you'll either cry or laugh by the end. Maybe both!

When Gorilla Goes Walking is a series of poems, not all the same, that tell the story of how Cecilia, the character and narrator, got her cat, Gorilla. After Cecilia's mom got the cat, the girl and the cat became best friends, though in the poem titled "Learning the Rules," we see who the boss really is! Cecilia and Gorilla have some misadventures, as well as some spats, but the story shows us that the girl and her cat are inseparable and how they comfort each other. The very last poem gives us a little reminder as to who the boss really is!

The illustrations seem simplistic at first glance. However, a second look shows that Gorilla is often illustrated toward the "front and center" of the page, with Cecilia off the side of the same page or next page. She is nearly always looking at Gorilla. Gorilla is often in a position of power, which parallels the message the texts sends us. When he's not, he is usually even on the page with Cecilia, implying a mutual closeness. The only exception is the very first page, where it's implied that Cecilia got Gorilla and she is with her best friend, whose name just happens to be Cecilia as well. All we see on that double page spread is the top of Gorilla's head and ears.

A fun read, When Gorilla Goes Walking could be used as a launch for all sorts of activities in our kindergarten classroom. I actually have five sets of students in my current class whose names rhyme. We could do a name walk around the class and try to pair them up. We would follow this up with an anchor chart and a rhyme walk through the book, looking for rhyming words. I would love to read this book in April (national poetry month) and go over the different types of poetry in the book, as well as try to create some poetry of our own.

You can't go wrong with Nikki Grimes and I would highly suggest adding When Gorilla Goes Walking to your own classroom library!

Seedfolks

Looking for a different kind of read? Seedfolks (1997) by Paul Fleischman has a large cast of
characters, drama and suspense. So what is it about? It's about a community garden that has been created in the middle of an urban area, and how that garden brings members of a community together to become a family.

The most interesting thing about Seedfolks is that it is a series of stories. While no two stories are directly related to one another, they're all interrelated in that each one is centered around a community garden in the inner city in Cleveland. Previously, the garden was a junk lot where people threw all sorts of trash, until someone got the idea to try to plant something there. All it took was one person with the idea to get the garden started.

While this hasn't been one of my favorite reads, Seedfolks shares some interesting insights in human behavior, as well as teaches us things about ourselves that isn't always pleasant or pretty. For example, in the chapter about Amir, the character runs into another character in his store, and she called him a "dirty foreigner." He runs into her again in the garden and asks her if she remembers that day. She apologized over and over, telling him "'Back then, I didn't know it was you...'"

While my younger students wouldn't understand the story, third through fifth-graders should. I would enjoy doing a character study with them. I would have students broken up into different groups. Each group would take one character and research that character's background. Then, we would come back together with our findings so each group could tell the class what they discovered about each character. I would also like to pair this with a gardening activity of our own, having the classroom work on a small garden together.

While I'm still unsure about the book, I will admit that it makes you stop and think, and not just about yourself. It makes you think about others. It makes you think about how well we know the people that we see, but don't necessarily interact with daily.

Tar Beach

Tar Beach (1991) by Faith Ringgold is about a young girl who dreams she can fly. She likes to fly above her Harlem home, where she claims all she sees for herself and her family. The story, in fact, is based on a family quilt that the author made. The story quilt is also called Tar Beach and has the story sewn into the quilt itself.

The story itself is a mixture of autobiography, fictional narrative, painting and  quilt making. The title, Tar Beach, refers to the rooftop of the building, where the author and her family would get together on hot summer nights. They would go up there to spend time together and eat, both parents and children alike.

The young girl in the story (the author) called the George Washington Bridge "hers" due to the fact that it had been part of her view for her entire life. In fact, the author claimed that anything she flew over, she claimed as being "hers."

Tar Beach, however, also speaks of the social injustices of the time period. In the story, the young girl's father, a construction worker, isn't able to join the union due to the fact that he's "colored or a half-breed Indian." However, the author wants to right this injustice by flying over the building, claiming it as her own, and giving it to her father.

I found this story unique because the author used her own paintings to illustrate the story. Also, the author uses images of the actual quilt to frame the bottom edges of the pages. Additionally, the text is printed on a seeming textured material -- the same visual texture as it's printed on upon the quilt. Each of the images seems to look down on all the characters, as the reader is in the sky flying along with the author.

While my kindergartners would not be able to understand the social injustices of the story, they would be able to understand what is happening. I think this would be a wonderful opportunity for them to make their own "story quilts." They would be able to draw their own pictures for the center, then create a "quilt" of scrap pieces of paper to surround the story picture. Then the students would tell the story so someone could help them by writing it on the back of each individual quilt.

An award winning book, Tar Beach is a must have title for any teacher's personal classroom library!

Star Seeker: A Journey to Outer Space (2006) by Theresa Heine and illustrated by Victor Tavares is a delightful, most imaginative romp through the solar system that I have ever read. Written by German Heine, this poetic journey through the solar system touches on myths and legends behind the planets names, as well as facts about each of the planets.

Heine dedicates a single quatrain to each feature (whether constellation or planet) that rhymes the second and fourth line. Her fresh, clean style makes Star Seeker an incredibly fun read, though it includes facts about each feature as well. The poem is written in first person narrative, with the author telling us what she'd do to that planet or constellation.

The illustrator deserves kudos as well. All of the illustrations from cover to cover grab the readers imagination as much as the text does. One of my favorite images is that of a young boy using a giant spoon to stir Venus' volcanoes until they start to boil. He portrays Mercury as a planet being hurtled through space by the Greek god of the same name. None of the pictures are framed, which is fast becoming one of my favorite types of illustrating style. Some easily stretch from the edge of one page to the edge of the other!

What makes this book even better is the information at the end of the story. The author explains a little history of astronomy and includes a solar system picture glossary. Then the author tells you the planets in order from the closest to the sun to the furthest, giving a brief explanation of each one.

Instead of using this text for a lesson, I would actually use it to launch a week long unit on outer space. The information in the back of Star Seeker makes a great reference for the students to refer back to as we make our own play dough planets, marshmallow constellations and moon phase moonpies.

If you don't have Star Seeker: A Journey to Outer Space, I strongly suggest you get it. In fact, get more than one! You'll want one in your classroom, one in your personal library, one for your own kids and...

Tony Baloney

Tony Baloney (2011) by Pam Munoz Ryan (illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham) is a fun picturebook that tells a story about a macaroni penguin. Throughout the book, Ryan peppers the story with words one wouldn't expect in a picturebook. Bothersome, parmesan, exasperating and duffel are some of the words included. Some are explained by the pictures, but some are not.

One can't help but almost feel sorry for Tony, who is the middle penguin in his family. Tony suffers the wrath of Big Sister Baloney and has to tolerate the Bothersome Babies Baloney. Tony Baloney tells us about a day in the life of Tony who seems to fall into as much trouble as he causes. In the story, Tony deals with his feelings by confiding in Dandelion, his stuffed animal buddy. Through Dandelion, Tony finally makes a good choice, only to fall in trouble with Big Sister Baloney
yet again!

The illustrations for the story are quite unique. Every page in the Tony Baloney is decorated with either circles, squares or both. Many pages use colorful circles as frames for the illustrations themselves. As for the characters, the illustrator uses offer for each, having them looking at one another. Except for Dandelion, who is drawn almost always using demand. It's as if Dandelion is keeping tabs on your reaction to the story, asking you what you think about what is happening.

The alliteration that Ryan uses throughout the book, stressing the letter B, gives the text a cadence and makes it easy to read. In places, that rhythm almost overwhelms the text, but Ryan always manages to pull it back in time.

My kindergartners and I would first take a picture walk through the book with me asking them what's happening on each page. I would note their comments on sticky notes to see how close they are when we read the story. Then, we would take a word walk, so to speak. I would ask them about certain words and have them guess the meaning. After we get the correct definitions, we would reread once again, noting the words, where and how they are used.

While not phenomenal, and certainly not what I expected from Pam Munoz Ryan, Tony Baloney is definitely worth a read. Should it go in your own classroom library? I'll let you be the judge of that one...

14 Cows for America

14 Cows for America (2009) by Carman Agra Deedy (illustrated by Thomas Gonzales) is a most inspirational and incredible story. Based on actual events, the story depicts how people sometimes come together over tragic events to help each other out.

In the story, the Maasai people of Kenya, Africa, have a person who has gone to the United States in order to become a doctor. While Kimeli was in New York, he witnessed the tragic terrorist attack on the World Trade Center buildings. The attack, he says, "...burned a hole in his heart." Kimeli was moved to give his greatest possession, a cow, to the US, since cows are nearly sacred to the Maasai people.

He tells the elders of his people his intentions. The elders agree and bless the cow and 13 others to offer as a comfort to the American people. These 14 cows are now considered to be "sacred, healing cows," which can never be slaughtered. They are well cared for and "continue to be a symbol of hope from the Maasai to their brothers and sisters in America."

While the story is factual and straightforward, the unframed, colorful images that span from edge to edge draw the reader into the story. Kimeli is often illustrated surrounded by his people, who welcome and embrace him warmly. The illustrator uses demand to show the Maasai people's welcoming caring nature. The illustrator uses demand yet again to show the darkened reaction of the Maasai people learning of the tragedy that took place across the ocean. The use of demand on the last page with the close up of Kimeli's eye somehow shows what he's seen and gets across the depth of his feeling for the atrocity and suffering that he had to witness.

Though 14 Cows for America is a picturebook, I don't feel it is intended for kindergartners. The story is deep and deals with the tragedy of the attack on the World Trade Center. Also, kindergartners may not understand the meaning of offering of the cows and what they symbolize.

However, I would have third through fifth-graders research different uses of symbolism in different cultures. 14 Cows for America would be a great sticky note book, placing questions on each page about which students have questions. Then, we could either individually, or in small groups, pick a note to research and write about and then give a brief report on that aspect of the book to the rest of the class.

I would definitely recommend 14 Cows for America for any teacher's classroom library.

Esperanza Rising

Esperanza Rising (2000) by Pam Munoz Ryan is an exquisitely written story about a young girl's immigration from Mexico to the United States. Ryan is an excellent story teller, using details and facts to spin an intricate web of relationships around a central story line. This multicultural story is a Pura Belpre Award winning book.

I personally questioned the title, until I found out that the word esperanza (also the main character's name) means hope in Spanish. Upon learning this, I looked back on the story, gaining a deeper appreciation and understanding of the text.

Esperanza Rising is about a young girl, Esperanza Ortega, and her family immigrating from  Mexico to the United States. In Mexico, the Ortegas live on a large wine growing ranch and live well. However, tragedy comes to Esperanza's family by other corrupt family members bent on taking the family farm. Esperanza and her family are forced to flee across the border to the US, where they live a poor existence, The family and it's servants work side by side in food camps, picking and sorting seasonal crops and scraping together what money they can from the minimal pay they receive.

In the author interview in the back of the book, we find out that Esperanza Rising is an actual tale recounting Ryan's grandmother's life story. Ryan says her grandmother, whose name was Esperanza, had told her the story many times.

The story Esperanza Rising could easily be tied with other subjects. It deals with immigration, the Great Depression and the farm labor camps in the California agriculture fields in the early 1930's. I would have my fifth-graders take one aspect of the book (immigration, Mexican Repatriation, labor camps, the Great Depression, dust storms, to name some) and do more research on it. They would be writing more information on their individual  subjects and giving a visual display, which they would present to the class as a whole.

This engaging historical fiction should be on any teacher's must read list. I would also suggest keeping within your classroom library.

Love That Dog

If you're looking for a poignant, intoxicating read, Love That Dog (2001) by Sharon Creech should be high on your list of definite reads!

     September 13
     I don't want to
     because boys
     don't write poetry.

     Girls do.

Creech's first page and lines, as shown above, engages the reader immediately. A simple first page. Simple lines. And yet, it conjures up so many questions for the reader and makes you want to read more.

Love That Dog is about Jack, a young boy in Miss Stretchberry's English class, who is struggling with the loss of his beloved dog. Throughout the book, Jack also struggles with personal issues, as well as classroom issues. He is unsure of himself and, especially, his writing. The teacher has assigned the class to keep a journal throughout the school year. Jack struggles to understand the poetry they learn in class. He doesn't feel confident in his own writing and has trouble sharing his work with the rest of the class.

This funny, yet powerful story might scare some readers simply because it looks as though it's written as a series of poems. Many students treat poetry like an enigmatic puzzle that is incomprehensible by mere mortals. However, Jack says it best when he writes "...any words/can be a poem./You've just got to/make/short/lines." Creech's style makes us wonder why poetry should be so hard. The entire book is from Jack's journal, hence from his point of view.

Cross referencing this book with another class I'm currently taking, I would absolutely love to use Love That Dog to kick of my own personal Writer's Workshop class of my own with upper grades, like fourth and fifth-graders and up. It shows the main character's fear of writing, as well as his fear of not writing "correctly." This story is a great example of how there is simply no right or wrong to writing.

As for lessons, I would also enjoy using this book to jump start some poetry projects. There are different types of poetry styles used in the book. There are also some well-known poems utilized, and "explained"  by Jack in the book. It would be ideal to discuss the different types of poetry used in Love That Dog, as well as attempting some poems on our own.

Should this be in your own classroom library? I'll let you be the judge of that. However, I already have two copies -- one for my classroom library and one in my personal library!

Balloons Over Broadway

Who, exactly, is Tony Sarg? And what did this person do? If you've ever watched the Macy's Day Thanksgiving Parade in person or on TV, then you've seen the effect of Sarg's handiwork!
Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade (2011) by Melissa Sweet is an informational picturebook of the life work of Tony Sarg.

This award winning biography gives an amazing visual and textual story of the life of Tony Sarg, the marionette creator who invented the giant balloons you see in New York's most famous parade each year. Sweet, the author, utilizes pictures that seem as if they were taken in Sarg's own workshop. The author even went so far as to study his style and create toys and items the way Sarg would have and include them in the book. The illustrations relay just as much information, showing how Sarg was dedicated to his work, as well as how exciting and colorful his work was to him.

I read Balloons Ovcer Broadway several times, and not because I didn't understand it. The story is very involving and I caught something different each time I read the book. I feel like this picturebook would appeal to my kindergartners, as well as first and second-graders. I would go so far as to say upper grades could use it as well, simply because there was information within the book that I didn't know myself!

For my kindergarten class, we would begin by taking a picture walk through the book. There would be many questions along the way, such as "What do you notice?" "What do you think this says about Tony Sarg?" "How does this make you feel?" Because the book is a straightforward timeline of his life, we could easily do a bubble timeline, placing information about Sarg in the appropriate places on our classroom timeline.

Balloons Over Broadway is a well written picturebook that conveys information on every aspect of each page. It's a must read that should be in every teacher's classroom library!

Once I Was a Cardboard Box... But Now I'm a Book About Polar Bears!

Looking for an interesting informational text in a picture book about polar bears? How about one about recycling? If you're looking for both in one book, you might want to take a peek at Once I Was a Cardboard Box... But Now I'm a Book About Polar Bears! (2009) by Anton Poitier and illustrated by Melvyn Evans.

While it may sound ridiculous, Once I Was a Cardboard Box... is a fun read that is loaded with a lot of information. While the book is mainly about polar bears, the right side of each right page has a vertical story that reads from the top to the bottom. The story is about the book. It tells us about how it used to be a cardboard box and how it became the book that now sits in your hands.

This would definitely be a multiple read book with my kindergartners. The first read through would be to learn about the polar bears. The second would be for the story of the box that became a book. I think the first read through could be coupled with a sticky note activity where we put notes on pages that we either don't understand, or want to learn more about. The cardboard box story lends itself well towards a timeline activity, where the kids will determine what will happen next to the box before it becomes a book.

Whether you're working with kindergarten, first or second, there are plenty of facts and fun in this book to keep their attention and keep students engaged!

A Little Peace

You won't find a more simply written or illustrated informational text than A Little Peace (2007) by Barbara Kerley. Yet, for all its simplicity, the message behind A Little Peace is profound and, quite possibly, put a shiver in your soul and a smile in your heart.

Barbara Kerley pulled off an amazing feat with the book A Little Peace. She coupled the most amazing National Geographic photographs with a single sentence, broken up over 26 pages, telling the reader (as well as showing) how they can spread peace throughout the world.The book ends with a brief description of each photograph and where it was taken, as well as letter, titled "A note on Peace," by Richard H. Solomon, president of the United States Institute of Peace.

What makes this book so intriguing is that none of the pictures are framed. Some take up a double page and seem to go on past the page edges, and some are simply inset photos on a stark, white page. But each photograph tells its own story. Each one shows a moment in time with a person, or people, doing something to make life a little easier, a little better.

A Little Peace is an informational text that I would read to students of any age or grade. The meaning is as simple as the message it gets across. I will most assuredly be reading this with my kindergartners this year. After we finish the book, we will talk about peace and what it means. I will then challenge them to draw, or write, if they can, what they can do to spread a little peace, joy or happiness to family, to friends, to community members and to the world.

If you haven't read it, I highly advise getting and reading A Little Peace. This is sure to be one of the best loved and most read books in your school library!

Sloop John B, A Pirate's Tale

If you're looking for a fantasy picture book, then Sloop John B, A Pirate's Tale (2005) by Alan Jardine (illustrated by Jimmy Pickering) may be just what you're looking for! It's got pirates. It's got sharks. It's got prisoners walking the plank and a brave young boy...

This fantasy picture book is about a young boy and his grandfather who love to sail upon their ship, the Sloop John B. In the story, on their latest trip, they come upon pirates who board their ship. The boy and his grandfather try to hide, but that doesn't work out so well for them. As they battle the pirates, help is on the way, but will it get there in time?

I found the illustrations to be fabulously colorful and exciting. Many span both pages, practically dripping from the page edges! While I enjoyed the actual story itself, the cadence and rhyme scheme tended to throw me off. It doesn't follow any strict pattern, which I expected it to as I read the first two pages of Sloop John B, A Pirate's Tale.

A picture walk and story telling would be a fun, but enriching activity you could do with kindergartners with this story. Prior to reading the text, simply cover the words on each page and have the students "read" the illustrations, telling you the specifics, as they see them. That would be characters they see, where they are, and what's happening. Then go back and read the text with them,
noting what they got right.

While this has not been my favorite text, I feel like some activities would make it a good read for students in your class.

Mr. Wayne's Masterpiece

Patricia Polacco's story, Mr. Wayne's Masterpiece (2014), paints a vivid picture of a brief moment in time for the author herself.

This realistic fiction picture book, it turns out, is an autobiographical account. It tells the story of how young Miss Polacco was painfully shy and unable to read her own writing in front of her class. In order to help her with her fear of public speaking, her English teacher gets her involved with the drama teacher, who, in turn, helps her overcome her fear and perform on stage.

Polacco, who has written and illustrated numerous picture books, is masterful with her full bleed illustrations -- those illustrations that stretch from page edge to page edge. Many of the illustrations that include adults often put the adults in a position of respect or power, meaning the upper half of the picture. Her use of demand to show her absolute shock of having to read in front of people makes you almost nervous for her.

I feel certain that my kindergartners would be able to follow the story line, but I would be doing a story chart with them to help them understand the text more deeply. We do story "windows" on a large white sheet folded in half twice. The students draw out who the characters in one square, the setting in another, the problem in the third and the solution in the fourth.

While the story may be a little more suitable for first-graders, the concept of speaking in front of others, I feel, would be understood by kindergartners.

There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight

We've all heard enough of the old lady who swallowed, well, everything! That, however, was before I found There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight (2015) written by Penny Parker Klostermann and illustrated by Ben Mantle. While the premise of the book follows a well used writing formula, the illustrations and the changes the author makes to that formula (plus a fun twist at the end!) give There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight a fresh feel. As a well read reader, I was delightfully surprised with the ending.


There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight is a fun science fiction picture book about a dragon. The dragon just happens to be hungry and eats a knight. Then the dragon has to take care of the knight's horse. And then... Well, then he goes on to swallow a squire, a cook, a lady (princess, perhaps?), a castle and a moat. All the dragon really wanted, though, was the knight! So he takes matters into his own hand and rectifies the situation in an unusual manner.

I may be reading this fun story soon to my own class of kindergartners. This would be an excellent picture book to introduce cause and effect since it tells us why he ate the horse and all the other things he ate. There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight would also be a great story to use to work on sequencing. A picture chart would probably be a fun activity for my kindergartners, placing the pictures of eaten 'items' in the order of when they got eaten!

I highly suggest this fun read. When you do read it, be sure to share it with your own young students!

Wonder

Every once and again, you read something that simply casts a spell over you, enchants you and leaves Wonder (2012) by R.J. Palacio did just that. Told from different perspectives throughout the story, Wonder is a tale of ugliness and beauty, as well as hatred and kindness all woven into a compelling thread that has you hanging on until the end.

Wonder is the story of a special young boy who is not only going into middle school, but going into public school for the first time after being home schooled for four years. August, the special young boy, suffers from a rare, genetic disorder that has grossly misshapen his facial features. As Wonder chronicles August's fifth grade year, it does so from a myriad of perspectives. Each perspective is told from a narrative point of view, and hence shows each character's personal eccentricities. Justin, Via's boyfriend, utilizes very few uppercase letters in his narrative. He always uses "i" when referring to himself.

Though unsuitable for younger students, Wonder would be an ideal text for older students in fourth through sixth grades. This would be a great book to use to try to get students "hooked" on reading. One way a book can take hold is through the reader making personal connections with the text.
Wonder covers numerous issues that face students daily. And it covers these issues from both a male and female perspective!

While Wonder could easily be used for a timeline project, I would much rather do a character study with the book. I would break my students up into groups and each group would be looking at each character. They would tell me everything they know about that character judging from how that character tells his side of the story, as well as what other characters say about him or her. Characters could easily be compared and contrasted using Venn diagrams.

No matter what you plan to do with this book, Wonder should be a permanent fixture in any classroom library. I'll be getting mine soon!

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

Looking for a powerful and uplifting children's novel to read? You might want to try Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (2009) by Grace Lin. This Newberry Honor Award winning book takes the reader on an arduous journey across China from the Valley of Fruitless Mountain to the Never-Ending Mountain where the Old Man of the Moon resides.

The story itself is about Minli, who lives in the Valley of Fruitless Mountain, and her journey. Growing up listening her father's stories of grand ancient wonders, Minli sets off to find the Old Man of the Moon in order to "fix" Fruitless Mountain, as well as her home. The mountain and the valley she lives in have been besieged with bad luck. Along the way, she gets advice from a goldfish, befriends a flightless dragon and faces an evil tiger. There are other friends she makes and hurtles she overcomes in order to help her village. All along the way, she steadfastly adheres to her beliefs in the seemingly-fanciful stories her father has told her.

A solid piece of work, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon takes the reader on quite a roller coaster as we come along on the Minli's amazing journey. It includes some exciting events to keep a younger audience hooked, while providing some important messages along the way. Throughout the book, Minli's determination and persistence help her to persevere. Her willingness to be open-minded with those she meets along the way help her when the going gets rough.

While I would not recommend this for my kindergartners, I would highly recommend it for fourth and fifth grade students. A timeline activity of the events in the book with sticky notes would help these upper grade students to understand the book and get more out of it. I could also see us doing anchor charts that compare and contrast different character's traits, both human and non-human.

This book could easily be used for numerous different lessons. Regardless, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon should have a home in every teachers' classroom library!

Museum Trip

Where does one even begin to describe Museum Trip (2006) by Barbara Lehman? I could begin with the end, when I felt a sense of satisfaction for the young boy's achievement. Perhaps I could begin with the beginning, where we see the main character getting on a bus with his classmates for a field trip to the museum. Where ever one could start, Museum Trip is an intriguing story of a young boy's trip to a museum with his classmates.

Once at the museum, the young student falls behind when he stops to tie a loose shoelace. While looking for his class, he steps into an unlabeled room, where he finds several small mazes. He manages to jump into the mazes and make his way through all of them, stepping into an unmarked door in the last one where he receives an honor of some kind. The medal is interesting, as another one just like it appears in a most unlikely place at the end.

Throughout the story, the author uses different types of framing. The framing techniques help to convey the young boy's emotions. No where is this more apparent than on the page where he realizes he's alone. The author couples demand (the young boy staring at the reader) with no frame or background. The reader can't help but feel the young boy's momentary panic.

Museum Trip was simply a fun read. I feel certain my kindergartners will enjoy this wordless picture book. We will have fun analyzing the book as we stop and I ask my students what they see and notice, what's the same and what has changed. Also, all along the way, I'll ask, "How do you think he feels now?" I'll also ask them why they think he feels the way he does.

No!

No! (2009) by David McPhail is a powerfully written wordless picture book for children. It's a statement about how violent our world is and how, in order to change it, we must each stand up for what's right, beginning with the youngest child.

In the story, a young boy has written a letter to the president of his country. He witnesses several scenes of violence on his way to the mail drop. Upon arriving at the mail drop, our young character is confronted with a bully who is ready to beat him up for no apparent reason. The main character stands up to the bully. He says, "NO!" His simple one word message starts the world moving in a better direction, so to speak, and our young character sees a much different world on his walk home.

The framing for this story is interesting in that the only scenes that are not framed are those scenes that depict violence inflicted upon the character by the bully. The scene where he tells the bully a loud, clear, confident "NO!" seems to jump off the page because the author doesn't even shade the background of that particular scene.

While No! would be a great book for my kindergartners any time throughout the year, I feel like it would be particularly suited for the beginning of the year. Without giving away too much, the end of the story deals with rules. This would be an excellent springboard into class rules. It would also be a great teaching point on dealing with bullies. I would love to ask my students how else are young character could have dealt with the bully and, if he had, how might it change the outcome of the book?

Chalk

 What happens when three kids come across a bag of "magic" chalk on a playground on a rainy day? You'll have to read Chalk (2010) by David Thomson in order to find out!

While Chalk is a wordless children's picture book, the story line itself weaves a spell on the reader. Three children just happen upon a playground during a nasty, rainy day. They find a bag of chalk hanging from the mouth of a dinosaur-shaped seesaw. As they start playing, their chalk drawings come to life. All is fun until one draws a dinosaur which terrorizes the children!

The book cover features "demand" prominently, as the dinosaur toy holding the bag of chalk looks straight at you, as though challenging you to take the magic chalk back from his big, plastic mouth. Each page image shows the action and completely lacks framing, meaning the illustrations cover the entire page. The author uses some framing carefully, depicting only individual characters within the frames to give the reader a window into that character's thoughts. You know the boy in the yellow slicker is up to no good by the close up, framed view of his face as he pulls the green chalk stick from the bag.

I loved this book! I will most likely be using it with my kindergartners very soon. The images lend easily to questions like "What does that look on her/his face look like?" "What is she/he thinking?" "What will she/he draw?" and "How will they get out of this mess?" We would also go through the story, deciding and making a list of what is real and what is not real.

Regardless, Chalk is a wordless picturebook that will be a permanent part of my classroom library soon!

Light in the Darkness

Imagine wanting to learn to read, but knowing you're going to be punished if you get caught trying to learn. That's exactly what Rosa has to live with in the book Light in the Darkness: A Story About How Slaves Learned in Secret (2013). Written by Lesa Cline-Ransome and illustrated by James E. Ransome, the picture book Light in the Darkness, takes an honest look at how slaves had to learn in secret.

This story really tugged at my heart. As a Quaker, my ancestors played an integral part in the Underground Railroad and the education of slaves. As a reader, I always enjoy a well written book that utilizes good detail with a strong plot, and couples both with excellent illustrations.

Light in the Darkness tells the story of Rosa, a slave girl, who attends school in secret. The story
takes place over a couple of weeks, giving us a glimpse of the dangers slaves faced. Each time she attends the secret school, she and her classmates have to be extremely quiet, keeping constant vigil for voices or sounds so as not to be caught.

While the story might be a little above my kindergartners, I feel I could have first- through third-graders map the story out through beginning, middle and end. I also feel like a mini-lesson utilizing a timeline, and mapping the story out that way.

Bud, Not Buddy

The book, Bud, Not Buddy (1999) by Christopher Paul Curtis, and I have crossed paths several times in the past. This time, I'm happy to say, I took the time to read this well-written book. Curtis hooked me with the opening line "Here we go again," along with the promise of trouble. It wasn't long before I was cheering for Bud and hoping he finds what he wants.

Bud, Not Buddy is about a young black boy whose mother has passed away. After running away from a foster family, Bud thinks he knows who and where his father is and runs off to find him. Luckily, Bud lives in the north and manages to find help along the way, though the country is in the middle of the Great Depression (1930's).

This chapter book is intended for an older audience. I feel certain that most fourth- and fifth-graders could understand the concepts within the book. Bud faces abandonment issues when his mother dies. He feels the need to belong, hence his search for his father. He also faces potential cultural problems as he traverses the countryside on his own.

The author does a phenomenal job with character development in Bud, Not Buddy. As we read through the book, I would do a "Post-it" lesson with my older students. As they read, place a Post-it note on the page (or two) telling me what they know about Bud and how he's feeling. Once we've completed the book, we can either take the sticky notes and put them on a timeline or on a character anchor chart. If time permits, I'd also like to do a cause and effect anchor chart similarly, and map the book out that way as well.

Henry's Freedom Box

Where does one even begin to describe a book like Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad (2007)? The text, written by Ellen Levine, is masterfully done. The illustrations by Kadir Nelson evoke strong visual emotions. Having never read this classic before, I found myself rooting for Henry, hoping he safely makes it north and finds freedom!

While Henry's Freedom Box is the tale of a singular slave, the story represents the hope and desperation of African-Americans living in the 1800's in the southern United States. In the story, Henry grows up and experiences the harsh life of being a slave. Upon losing his family, Henry comes up with his own plan. He decides to build a box and try to mail himself to freedom. Based on a true story, Henry "Box" Brown did actually mail himself to freedom.

While the concept of slavery may be difficult for young children to understand, Henry's Freedom Box is written simply, plainly and in a way I think kindergartners would understand. Nelson's illustrations support the text, helping younger readers to understand what is happening. This book would be a excellent tool for older children to use to compare and contrast how things use to be to how they are today. I would like to have a mini-lesson citing what's different from then? What's the same?

I also believe it would make an excellent springboard into a discussion on book genre for older students. Well written books like this often make students question how they feel about a particular genre or style.

Busing Brewster

Reading Busing Brewster (2010) by Richard Michelson (and illustrated by R.G. Roth) took me back to a simpler, gentler time. The artfully done images and story at the beginning took me back and culled memories of Bill Cosby's characters of Fat Albert and his gang. The message, however, is anything but heart-warming.

In the story, Brewster and his brother, Bryan, were "force bused" to the closest school, which also happened to be a previously segregated school. In the early 70's, the Supreme Court permitted "forced busing" in order to further integrate schools. While Bryan is pulled from what he knows and is comfortable with, this is all new to Brewster. The two boys and others are not greeted warmly or welcomed at their new school. Bryan protects Brewster the best he can to help his little brother get through his first day of first grade at this new and unusual school.

While my current kindergartners would not get the nuances of the story, I believe first-graders might, but I would suggest second grade and up. I could certainly see using Busing Brewster to raise cultural awareness with students, as well as history, no matter how ugly it may be. While textbooks have their place, stories like this that give children a firm picture of what has happened. Stories give children a real glimpse of life and allow them the chance to feel the fear and anger that was prevalent in our country during this tumultuous time.

Ellen's Broom

Tradition and culture come alive in the story Ellen's Broom (2012). Written by Kelly Starling Lyons and illustrated by Daniel Minter, Ellen's Broom gives us a brief glimpse of a moment in time in Ellen's home. The moment of time is quite significant because it was when former married slaves were recognized "as married in the eyes of the law."

Throughout the story, Ellen's mother recounts how slaves had no elaborate wedding ceremonies, nor did they have any way to show that they were married. Instead, couples would say a few words together, take each others' hands and leap over a broom.

When the family goes to the courthouse to obtain legal proof of marriage, Ellen brings the broom as a reminder of old traditions. Once they reach the courthouse, Ellen adds a new twist to the old tradition, making the moment more special for her parents.

The main problem with the story Ellen's Broom was that I never lost sight of myself as a reader reading a text. The story is historically relevant, teaching the reader about past events and how we, as a nation, changed for the better. It provides the reader brief snapshot of time, when African-Americans were allowed to legally wed and be recognized as such.

One thing I did like about Ellen's Broom was how a majority of the story was carried through the characters' speech to each other. While I most likely would not read this to my kindergartners, I may recommend it to higher grades, like second through fourth grades. It could be a good text to use to compare and contrast the past to the present (the book's present), as well as a jump start for a discussion of how things have changed from the time of the story to today.

Take Away the A

Take away the R and the writer has to write... Okay, while that doesn't really work, author Michael Escoffier and illustrator Kris Di Giacomo DO make it work in their own alphabet picture book titled Take Away the A (2014).

Sure, there are hundreds (probably thousands, or more!) of alphabet picture books out there from which to choose. Escoffier, however, deviates from the usual 'A stands for Apple' format. In fact, no letter stands for anything in Take Away the A. The author, instead, takes each letter away from a word and completely transforms it into another word. As an example, for the letter X Escoffier says, "Without the X, FOXES are FOES."

This cleverly written and illustrated alphabet book does more than teach children the ABC's. It also shows them how they work and how changing one letter in a word can completely change the meaning of the word. By doing this, it introduces some wonderful words into young children's vocabularies, such as foes, faqir and scarf. The poignant illustrations help to make the point as to what happens when you take each letter out of the word in which it is used.

I'm looking forward to reading this one with my own kindergartners. I feel certain that it will garner some discussion as to what changes have taken place, as well as learning some new vocabulary. And learning the alphabet, of course!

The Giant Hug

There aren't many books that make me tear up. Perhaps it was the illustrations. Perhaps it was the incredibly sweet story. Perhaps it was because I recently dropped my only child off at college. Or, perhaps, it was a combination of all of the above! Regardless, The Giant Hug (2005) by Sandra Horning (illustrated by Valeri Gorbachev) is one of the sweetest picture books I've read in a long time!

The Giant Hug unapologetically launches right into the story, which is the best way to start. Hey, call me Ishmael! Owen, the young pig you see on the cover, decides he wants to send his grandmother a hug -- a real hug! But how do you send a live hug through the mail? And what would happen if you were to try? Owen finds out when his mother takes him to the post office. Owen starts out by giving Mr. Nevin, the postman at the counter, a giant hug. Mr. Nevin delivers the hug to the next postal employee in order to get the hug to its destination.

I won't read this book once to my kindergartners. In fact, I'll probably read it several times! This would be a great book to help them with remembering sequence and order. After reading it once, I would go over the steps required to mail a letter. Then perhaps we would go over the order in which the characters got their hugs. We could do it in reverse to find out how Owen got his return surprise. The next time we read it, I'll stop before turning the page and ask, "Who's getting a hug next?"

The Giant Hug will definitely have a place in my own classroom library!

Hot Rod Hamster Monster Truck Mania!

There are two reasons I picked up this book to review. The first is Cynthia Lord. I've read her books with my Battle of the Book students, and enjoyed every one of them. The second reason is the truck with the big tires. It feeds into my slight redneck tendencies that I sometimes exhibit.

Anyway, Hot Rod Hamster Monster Truck Mania! (2014), written by Cynthia Lord and illustrated by Derek Anderson, is a terrific picture book to read to young children. The book is all about a dog and hamster (all the characters are animals) going to the fair together. Hamster wants to go bigger and more thrilling with each ride. Dog, however, doesn't seem to appreciate the faster, scarier rides that Hamster is constantly seeking out. As they stroll through the fair and ride the rides, Hamster lucks upon the last 'ride' -- the ride that gives him his nickname, Hot Rod Hamster. This comes as a complete surprise to dog.

I've always enjoyed rhyming books and feel that rhyming structures are good for younger children. The best part of this book, however, is that it asks questions. That give young readers a chance to interact with the book, telling which ride, car or treat they would choose. The only problem I have with the book is that there are many character speaking balloons that don't rhyme or flow with the rhyming text. That breaks the rhythm of the story.

Regardless, I feel certain that the kindergartners I'll be working with this year will be hearing me read about the adventures of Hot Rod Hamster! Vrrooommm!

Dying to Meet You

There were approximately 20 books spread out on the table from which to pick. I don't remember which I picked, but it was NOT the book with the decrepit old house on the cover. Yet, I kept glancing at that book, wondering who was standing in front of the house. Why was he standing there? I made my choice and wasn't changing my mind, but I felt compelled to at least give it a chance and read the teaser.

It warned that you might die laughing. The next words that filtered in were "best-selling author" and "wicked case of writer's block." I still couldn't tell you what I picked, but whatever it was got tossed back into the pile. It was immediately replaced with the book with the decrepit old house on the cover!

Dying to Meet You (2009) is the first book in the 43 Old Cemetery Road series that is written by Kate Klise and illustrated by her sister, M. Sarah Klise. While Kate is listed as the author, the book itself is written by the characters. It consists of a series of letters written back and forth from best-selling author Ignatius B. Grumbly, house occupant Seymour Hope and Olive C. Spence, the other house occupant who happens to be a ghost.

Ignatius rents the house for the summer, hoping to find some peace and quiet in order to jump start his newest book in a series (Ghost Tamer series) he had started. However, the current house occupants aren't willing to share the house with a grumpy old man who is full of himself. The three of them begin correspondence to each other immediately, making rules and hurling accusations. Ignatius' lawyer, realtor and a private investigator also begin corresponding. Add to this mess stories from the local paper, The Ghastly Times (whose motto is "Your Secrets Are Our Business"), and you've got a great plot to hold young readers' interest!