tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21341451514194575152024-03-13T02:13:12.154-07:00Cheryl's Book NookCheryl writes about the ups and downs of writing to get published. Enjoy the picture book reviews done by her second grade students. If you like what you read please leave your comments and sign up to join us.
Happy reading and writing!Cheryl Velasquezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07665617073360379743noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134145151419457515.post-17105091539040843822013-01-23T16:49:00.001-08:002013-01-23T16:49:53.787-08:00Picture Book Review: A Dress for MeToday's book, A Dress for Me by Sue Fliess and illustrated by Mike Laughead<br />
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<li id="yui_3_7_3_1_1358902589122_1250" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; font: inherit; line-height: 1.65em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span id="yui_3_7_3_1_1358902589122_1252" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; font: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Publisher: </span>Amazon Childrens Publishing</li>
<li id="yui_3_7_3_1_1358902589122_1249" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; font: inherit; line-height: 1.65em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span id="yui_3_7_3_1_1358902589122_1251" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; font: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Publication date: </span>3/20/2012</li>
<li id="yui_3_7_3_1_1358902589122_1248" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; font: inherit; line-height: 1.65em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; font: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Age range: </span>4 - 7 Years</li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 26px;">Book Description from Amazon:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 26px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Should we shop now? I say, Yes! Mom says I can choose a dress! Hippo is looking for a new dress There are so many choices! Dresses with beads and fringe, dresses with shiny sequins, dresses with stripes and checkers, and more! Watch me as I try them all! Will Hippo find the perfect dress? Sue Fliess's rhyming text and Mike Laughead's adorable digital illustrations bring to life Hippo's exciting day at the mall.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 26px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Click here and visit <a href="http://www.suefliess.com/a_dress_for_me__90281.htm" target="_blank">Sue's website</a></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 26px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Why I liked this book:</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I was delighted when Sue ask me if I would read her book " Dress for Me" to my class. The moment I opened the pages and began to read, I knew I was going to love this book... it rhymed! And what girl doesn't like shopping. I actually used this book in a writing lesson. I found not only did the kids love the story but I could use it as a teaching tool. My writing lesson on adjectives and descriptive words was a hit. My favorite line is</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Satin, strapless, for the prom. "Too grown-up for you," says Mom.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I had to explain what a prom was and that made all of the girls laugh! There is nothing better than the laughter of children.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Critique from Room 101</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The girls loved this book. Even though it's suggested age is 4-7 my 8 and 9 year made such a connection to finding the perfect dress. At my school the students do not wear uniforms so don't you know that all my little divas come dressed from head to toe. I ask my class to write a few words to Sue about what they liked about her book and this is what they had to say:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Mrs. Fliess,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you for giving Mrs. Velasquez books to read to us. Please can you make a snickerdoodle book?~Alexis.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Mrs. Sue,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I like the book, "A Dress for Me" because I like books that are made up. You made the hippo with hair and clothes. I like how you put rhyming words in it. It is so cool. I love this book a lot. I am in second grade~ Ti'liyah.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Mrs. Sue,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I like the story called "A Dress for Me." It made me think of when my friend had the perfect dress. It has straps and pink and purple flowers. So she tried it on and it was just right.~ Rickia</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">My students enjoyed this book. They asked if it was going to be put in the box that says" Mrs. Velasquez's favorites. They know if I put it in the box they can read it over and over too! And it was. So the girls from room 101 give it a two thumbs up.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I do have to mention that I also read "Tons of Trucks" to my class. You will have to come back next Thursday and see what the critics from Room 101 have to say about it.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Sue has written many others books so please make sure to stop by her web page and take a look around.</span><br />
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Cheryl Velasquezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07665617073360379743noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134145151419457515.post-50445629568094406712013-01-21T17:02:00.001-08:002013-01-21T17:02:59.551-08:00I AM BACK!It has been 6 months since I have posted a book review. I took a leave of absence to get my health back on track. I am so excited to say that I have lost 40 pounds! I have rebooted and feel amazing. For those of you that have missed my book reviews I am back! 2013 will be a great year. Make sure you stop by Thursday for my latest picture book review.Cheryl Velasquezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07665617073360379743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134145151419457515.post-72273562285820740222012-07-05T02:59:00.000-07:002012-07-05T02:59:33.900-07:00Read to me challenge book 10 : First Day JittersToday's review is First Day Jitters By author: Julie Danneberg Illustrated by: Judy Love<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;"><span class="productAttributesTitle" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold;">ISBN: </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">978-1-58089-054-0 Ages: 5-9</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WQhTSbB2ZjE/T_M58klpZQI/AAAAAAAAAOs/Aps2oaL50W0/s1600/90540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WQhTSbB2ZjE/T_M58klpZQI/AAAAAAAAAOs/Aps2oaL50W0/s1600/90540.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>Synopsis:<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">( Taken from Charlesbridge</span>)</b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-seriff;">Everyone knows that sinking feeling in the pit of the stomach just before diving into a new situation. Sarah Jane Hartwell is scared and doesn't want to start over at a new school. She doesn't know anybody, and nobody knows her. It will be awful. She just knows it. With much prodding from Mr. Hartwell, Sarah Jane reluctantly pulls herself together and goes to school. She is quickly befriended by Mrs. Burton, who helps smooth her jittery transition. This charming and familiar story will delight readers with its surprise ending.<br /><br />Fun, energetic illustrations brighten page after page with the busy antics surrounding Sarah Jane. <i>First Day Jitters</i> is an enchanting story that is sure to be treasured by anyone who has every anticipated a first day of school. </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PbjYso9mxa4/T_M69iSNEdI/AAAAAAAAAO0/gQB7rgW5mSo/s1600/FirstDayJitts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PbjYso9mxa4/T_M69iSNEdI/AAAAAAAAAO0/gQB7rgW5mSo/s320/FirstDayJitts.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-seriff;">"I'm not going," said Sarah, and pulled the covers over her head. "of course you're going honey," said Mr. Hartwell, as he walked over to the window and snapped the shade.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-seriff;">Why I like this book:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-seriff;">This picture book is a must for every teacher. I read it every year on the first day of school. I love how Julie Danneberg tells this delightful story from the perspective of the teacher. When I bought this book I knew that the character was nervous about the first day of school but I had no idea until the end that the character who did not want to go to school was the TEACHER! She imagines the worst but at the end she realizes it was not so bad. I loved how this book explores the feelings that children may feel about going to a school for the first time or maybe moving to a new school and not knowing anyone. This book allowed for great conversation about feelings the first day of school brings out in all of us ... even teachers.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-seriff;">Critique from 502:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-seriff;">First of all, Judy Love did a fantastic job creating the book's cover. The cat on head made them laugh and I hadn't even read the book yet. They loved the interaction between the cat and the dog .As the story unfolds, her hilarious illustrations captures the imagination that is going on in Sarah's head. My second graders were so surprised by the ending. The look on their faces when they found out that Sarah was the teacher was priceless. Wow! This book got a "Will you read it again?" and a clap. When my class claps this is a sign that they loved the book. So critics from 502 give this book a thumbs up! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-seriff;"><a href="http://www.charlesbridge.com/client/client_pdfs/downloadables/FirstDayJitters_ActivityGuide.pdf" target="_blank">Click here for activities for First Day Jitters</a> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-seriff;"><br /></span></div>Cheryl Velasquezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07665617073360379743noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134145151419457515.post-9073919777396922702012-06-28T07:45:00.000-07:002012-06-29T03:58:17.305-07:00Read to me challenge 9: Hop! Plop!A couple of months back I won the book Me Want Pet by Tammi Sauer after visiting Corey Rosen Schwartz's blog. A month later Corey sent me her own book, HOP! PLOP! So I am paying it forward and sharing her book with you. Enjoy!!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mXNUzUP3Ofs/T-xeAMvr4oI/AAAAAAAAANw/W5rGpHKcqTs/s1600/1471181.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mXNUzUP3Ofs/T-xeAMvr4oI/AAAAAAAAANw/W5rGpHKcqTs/s320/1471181.jpg" width="295" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.coreyrosenschwartz.com/HOP!_PLOP!.html" target="_blank">http://www.coreyrosenschwartz.com/HOP!_PLOP!.html</a></div>
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Why I liked this book:</div>
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Corey didn't know it, but her book came during a time I was having an observation done by my principal. I had chosen to do a Math lesson on balanced equations using a balanced scale. I love to sneak in a reading a book whenever I can, with that said, I couldn't find a book. Then HOP! PLOP! arrived. I read the book, yes during my math observation, focusing on the beginning of the book. The kids immediately made real world math connections. The important theme of the book is friendship but it was a great read aloud for my Math lesson. And I have to say my principal loved it!!!!!</div>
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Critique from 502:</div>
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First of all, my class loved the characters. The first thing they noticed was the title. Ok, when 8 year olds say," Look Mrs. Velasquez those are vivid verbs, I was beaming just a little bit. For some reason they had thought that Elephants are afraid of mice... and could never be friend. They loved the fact that they had to work together to overcome challenges. The book is simple but the theme of Friendship is HUGE! I ask my students, "whats was your favorite part of the book." They replied, "when Elephant uses his trunk as a slide for Mouse, he was showing compassion." My second graders are so insightful! HOP! PLOP! gets a thumbs up all around.</div>
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P.S. The very next day my students were using vivid verbs in their writing... thanks Corey!</div>
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Corey also has a new blog co- hosted with Tiffany Strelitz Haber called Meter Maids. If rhyming is your passion, even if you are not good at it... like me, please be sure to stop by. <a href="http://www.themetermaids.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://www.themetermaids.blogspot.com/</a> LOOK for her new book coming out soon SEPT. 2012!! The Three Ninja Pigs<br />
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Happy reading and writing!<br />
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<br /></div>Cheryl Velasquezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07665617073360379743noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134145151419457515.post-80952821317491015612012-06-21T06:14:00.001-07:002012-06-21T06:56:30.287-07:00Read to me challenge #8 :Me Want Pet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Wow! It feels good to be back on track with my Read to me challenge book #8. My picture book this week is Me Want Pet by Tammi Sauer and illustrated by Bob Shea.<br />
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Synoposis: Taken from the book jacket<br />
Cave Boy had lots of things. Rocks. Sticks. A club. But no pet. Will Cave Boy ever find a pet the whole family can agree on!<br />
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Cave Boy gave Wooly a hug. </div>
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"Me wish you could stay, pal."</div>
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Then Cave Boy tried again.</div>
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He searched high and low until...</div>
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a saber-toothed tiger!</div>
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Cave Boy and Toothy raced home.</div>
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Me want pet!"</div>
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"Achoo-ga!" sneezed Papa.</div>
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"Make me sneeze! No can stay."</div>
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Why I liked this book:<br />
This adorable funny book was a gift to me by the gracious Corey Rosen Schwartz. At first I read the title and thought to myself, this is book will probably not make the cut with my class but I will give it a try. What is that old saying? Don't judge a book by it's cover...oh so true! haha. The story line is so simple but the dialogue is hilarious. Truly a funny book that will tickle your funny bone and sure to make you laugh!<br />
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I passed this book on to my daughter Stacy Velasquez to share with her 2nd grade class. They loved it as well. So today's critique comes from some of her students.<br />
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Critique from Calhoon Magnet School<br />
Delaynie writes:<br />
" I like this book because it was funny when he talked like a baby. A text-to-self-connection that I made was when my sister wants something she will talks like the cave boy, me want pet, no can stay, make me sick! My favorite part was when the granny said,"he no potty trained he no stay!"<br />
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Anthony writes:<br />
"This book is about a little cave boy that has everything he needs but what he really wants is a pet. He tries a mammoth, too big. He tries a sabertooth tiger-makes dad sneeze, a dodo bird-not potty trained.<br />
But when a stampede hurts his family the pets come to the rescue. He doesn't have one, he has three. I like this book because the kid gets what he wants. This book made me feel funny because when I was a trying to find out what pet I was going to get I was always told no but I finally got a dog."<br />
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And the whole class chanted," that's the way uh huh...uh huh, we like it uh huh! " ! This book gets double thumbs up from Calhoon Magnet 2nd graders!<br />
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Please stop by Corey Rosen Schwartz blog <a href="http://coreyschwartz.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://coreyschwartz.blogspot.com/</a><br />
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STAY TUNED FOR READ TO ME CHALLENGE BOOK#9 written by Cory. HOP! PLOP!<br />
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Happy reading and writing :)<br />
<br />Cheryl Velasquezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07665617073360379743noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134145151419457515.post-32790039929610359592012-03-29T18:32:00.002-07:002012-03-29T19:20:31.061-07:00Read to Me Challenge book 6- Too Many ToysFor this week's book is Too Many Toys written and illustrated by David Shannon<br />
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ISBN: 978-0-439-49029-0 HC Ages 4 and up<br />
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Synopsis: Spencer has too many toys. His mother has had enough and tries to get Spencer to rid of some of his toys. The Problem is, he loves them all! Spencer has to pick which toys stay and which ones go. What will he do? <br />
Lesson Plans for this book:<a href="http://www.ilfonline.org/clientuploads/YHBA/TooManyToys_with_Activity.pdf"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">activities for Too Many Toys</span></a><br />
Click on this link <a href="http://bcove.me/hwplsoqw"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Too Many Toys</span></a> and hear David Shannon read his very own story! Thank you Scholastic ! <br />
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Why I love this book: First of all, this story reminds me of my life when my three children were younger. Toys everywhere! I was SO the mom in this story. This book brought back happy memories of my children I had almost forgotten. This book is very funny. This week my little ones have been SAT testing. I wanted to read them a book that would make them laugh and lighten the mood of the week. It definitely made them laugh...heck it made me laugh. As always David's illustrations made me linger over every page- not wanting to miss anything. I think the ending is cute.</div>
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My students loved, loved this book. They connected with Spencer immediately. They loved that Spencer had toys spilling out everywhere. They thought it was funny when the grown ups almost had mishaps because of the mountain of toys left everywhere. You could hear echos of " I have that toy, Me too!" "My room looks just like that too! ( Yikes! Now I know what their desks are a mess )And my mom and dad make me get rid of my toys too! The pictures made them tickled. Especially the ones of Mom! Kids love it when parents and grown ups make mistakes or have accidents. The box at the end was a big hit too. The kids from Room 502 rate this book a two thumbs up.<br />
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Happy reading and writing!<br />
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<br /></div>Cheryl Velasquezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07665617073360379743noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134145151419457515.post-24206916272644410892012-03-25T13:26:00.000-07:002012-03-25T13:26:04.752-07:00Challenge AlertThis year I have taken on many new challenges. I have set new personal and professional goals. Even though my blog has only be up since October, I want it to reflect more about becoming a better writer and not just book reviews. Oh yes, for those of you who enjoy reading about my 2nd graders, I will continue to let the critics from Room 502 give you their thoughts on my Thursday book reviews. With that said, I have a Challenge Alert:<br />
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Here is the Challenge: I would like you to give me suggestions for a new blog title. Enter your blog title suggestion as a comment by April 1. If your Blog title wins...<br />
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the winner will receive and a Barnes and Noble gift card. Good Luck and thanks for the help!Cheryl Velasquezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07665617073360379743noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134145151419457515.post-29641756919668365792012-03-17T14:04:00.000-07:002012-03-17T16:12:27.997-07:00I've been tagged with the Lucky 7 MEME<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222;">I am the victim of the Lucky 7 MEME, thanks to the wonderful Jennifer Young. She writes quirky children's stories and will soon be a published author in the fall of 2013! You can follow her at</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"> <a href="http://jennyleeyoung.blogspot.com/">Jennifer Young-Castles in the Sky</a> . </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">These are the rules to the Lucky 7 MEME:</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Crimson Text'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Crimson Text'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Crimson Text'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1. Go to page 77 of your current ms. (Since I write children’s stories I’ll just skip to #2)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Crimson Text'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Crimson Text'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Crimson Text'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2. Go to line 7.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Crimson Text'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Crimson Text'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Crimson Text'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3. Copy down the next 7 lines/sentences, and post them as they're written. No cheating.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Crimson Text'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Crimson Text'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4. Tag 7 other victims, er, authors.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Crimson Text'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Crimson Text'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My seven lines are from my WIP however it does not have a title yet-sorry:)</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">In warm shallow waters,</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">on the bottom, at ease, </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">through the cold winters months, </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">rests a grey manatee.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 24px;">She pushes to the surface, </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">with a calf at her side, </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Nuzzling for his breakfast, </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">as together they glide.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span>Okay I cheated, it had to go line 8 to finish the rhyme. Well now on to the fun part. My victims, er, authors are:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-size: large;"><a href="http://juliemusil.blogspot.com/">Julie Musil</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-size: large;"><a href="http://tinamcho.wordpress.com/">Tina Cho</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-size: large;"><a href="http://joannamarple.com/">Joanna Marple</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-size: large;"><a href="http://loridegman.blogspot.com/">Lori Degman</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-size: large;"><a href="http://cupcakepetrillo.wordpress.com/">Genevieve Petrillo</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.alisonhertz.blogspot.com/">Allison Hertz</a></span><br />
<a href="http://susannahill.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-size: large;">Susanna Hill</span></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">These ladies have awesome blogs. Just click their names. Make sure you stop by and read their Lucky 7. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Jennifer thank you for always thinking of me:)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Happy Writing to you all!</span></div>
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</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Crimson Text'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Crimson Text'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span>Cheryl Velasquezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07665617073360379743noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134145151419457515.post-67360026040119084772012-03-08T20:05:00.000-08:002012-03-10T04:11:33.242-08:00I Just Can't Help MyselfSince I was a little girl, I've been a philanthropist. I remember the days when I use to ride my bike all over town collecting money for "Jerry's Kids"- MD. I begged my older brother to drive me to the tv station so I could put my money in the fish tank. It made me feel like I was making a difference. As a college students I took numerous trips to Mexico to teach kids in villages with no running water or electricity. This compelling drive to help others has followed me my whole life. It was this drive, that lead me down the path of writing. Age the age of 30, I decided to get a degree in Elementary Education---teaching children--you guessed it. While teaching fifth grade, I came across a video on youtube-The Invisible Children that changed my life forever. The need to help the children of Uganda was a strong as the need I felt as a little girl to collect money for MD. I had to tell their story. This was my very first manuscript. With such a touchy subject, it was very hard to tell the reality of thousands of children in Uganda. My 5th graders wrote books and sent them to Uganda through a nonprofit organization called Books of Hope.<br />
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The next year I moved down to 2nd grade. I needed a project...I just can't help myself. I stumbled across another program that collect books to send to isolated villages in Alaska along the Iditarod trail-"Book on the Trail". My second graders saved their pennies and bought 27 books. This year I saw a 20/20 special about the Lakota Indians in South Dakota...heartbreaking. I knew I had to do something. I bought, and collected book donations to send to the children on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. I also crocheted 2 boxes of scarves and gloves to send to the school age children. I am not trying to toot my own horn. I just wanted you to get to know me and the passion behind the stories I write. Recently, the story of Kony, and LRA, has been in the news. It kindled up the passion of that first manuscript. I am currently working revising it- "The Wishing Star" which tries to tell the story of the invisible children of Uganda. Here is a sneak preview...<br />
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0px;"><i>Mama lifted Takari up to the window. She slid down-her feet touched the ground. She ran as fast as she could, never stopping until she reached the tall savanna grasses. She couldn’t breathe. Her head was spinning. She laid down on the ground and covered her eyes. She wanted to cry …but she didn’t want the soldiers to hear her.</i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div>Cheryl Velasquezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07665617073360379743noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134145151419457515.post-64557165551071525222012-03-06T16:34:00.000-08:002012-03-06T19:20:02.257-08:00PIcture Book Challenge Books 4 & 5 Kiana's Iditarod and Alaska's Three Bears By Shelley Gill<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
In honor of the Iditarod dog sled race which started March 3, I have chosen these books for my Read to Me Challenge.</div>
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Book: Kiana's Iditarod <br />
By: Shelley Gill Illustrated by Shannon Cartwright<br />
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Awards :Alaska's best selling children's book about the Last great race.<br />
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Book synopsis: Random House<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28px;">Kiana is no ordinary dog. Born and bred to race, she leads her team of huskies on a journey unlike any other. The Iditarod - known traditionally as Alaska's 'Last Great Race' - spans 1,049 icy miles from Anchorage to Nome. From the treacherous terrain to the bitter, blowing winds, the trail is full of obstacles Kiana and her team must overcome in order to reach the finish line. Along the way, they encounter packs of wild wolves, a mighty moose, and other dog-sled teams fighting for first place. Can Kiana summon the strength of her team and lead them to victory? Author Shelley Gill brings her firsthand experience as the fifth woman to complete the Iditarod race to this crackling adventure story, while Shannon Cartwright's vibrant color illustrations bring Kiana and her team's extraordinary efforts to life for young readers.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px;"><i>the harnesses dry and clean.</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Why I like this book:</u> This book is a delightful book written in rhyme telling about the experience of a dog out on the Iditarod trail. This book definitely had to have a lot of explanation because of the use figurative language. That did not stop my critics from enjoying the book or asking me to read it again.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px;">My 2nd graders were held captive by the flow of the Language. Their inquisitiveness led them to ask numerous questions about the iditarod. Hand after hand went up to ask questions, showing my students were truly thinking, isn't that what reading is...thinking. The figurative language made it a little difficult for them to understand the whole story. They are only second graders after all. Lucky for me, we read this book twice and the second time they chimed in enjoying the reading of good book. It goes to show you how important it is to read to children and make sure they are exposed to all kinds of books.</span></span></div>
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<br />Cheryl Velasquezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07665617073360379743noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134145151419457515.post-18057556201584006172012-02-19T14:33:00.000-08:002012-03-02T17:39:51.258-08:00Read To Me Challenge- Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson<br />
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Bear Snores On</div>
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By Karma Wilson</div>
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Illustrated by Jane Chapman</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Awards: This wonderful picture book has won 19 awards. ( If I posted them all, you wouldn't have time to read my book review. So please visit these links <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><a href="http://karmawilson.com/books/bear/snores.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Bear</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Snores On</span></a> </span>and<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"> <a href="http://karmawilson.com/teachers.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">teacher resources</span></a>.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Synopsis:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc6600; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal;">Amazon.com Review</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On a cold windy night, an itty-bitty mouse "pitter-pat, tip-toe, creep-crawls" into a sleeping bear's cozy lair, looking for relief from the bitter winter weather. Soon he is joined by a veritable menagerie of woodland animals, and the party begins. Popping corn, brewing tea, tweeting, and chatting, the critters enjoy themselves thoroughly while the bear slumbers through it all. Until, that is, an errant pepper flake from the simmering stew wakes him up with a giant sneeze. As the bear goes from ferocious snarls and rumbles to pitiful whimpers, his uninvited guests realize what the problem is.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You've snuck in my lair<br />and you've all had fun!<br />But me? I was sleeping<br />and...<br />I have had none!</span></blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not to worry. Mouse knows just what to do.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Why I like this book:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let me just say Karma is amazing at telling a story in rhyme. This book was so much fun to read. I can't say that it is my favorite, because my 2nd graders and I love them all! As a teacher it sparked great vocabulary lessons and was a great piece to to use in my writer's workshop to focus on the craft of vivid verbs. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Critique for Room 502:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My students loved, loved this book. I think some of my enthusiasm wore off on them. If you were to pole my class, and ask the question, who is one of your favorite bear authors, hands down the winner would be Karma Wilson. We are doing a unit on Alaska and studying the bears that live there. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The kids connected instantly to the book. Besides bear, their favorite little character was mouse. When we reached the ending, they responded "Karma tricked us".They love it when books end in a surprise way. And Yes they know her by name- I have to take credit for that one- They loved the part when bears thinks they are having a party without him. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have one little boy who burst into his infectious laugh...which started others to laugh. Yes , I did too! We were having great time on the carpet. They love to read rhyme. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We have a tradition in my classroom when one of the students is absent we sing a wish you well song, sending them love and hope that they will return soon. My little giggler, said "Bear's friends need to sing him, the <i>Wish you well </i>song."so he can feel better. Out of all the books I have in my classroom library, Karma's bear books are the most worn because they love to sit and read them over and over again. For a teacher, this is a beautiful sight. The critics from room 502 give<i> Bear Snores On</i> two thumbs up and a giggle.</span><br />
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</div>Cheryl Velasquezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07665617073360379743noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134145151419457515.post-50195371124286830552012-02-15T17:02:00.000-08:002012-02-15T18:58:49.858-08:00Welcome guest author Ruth VanderZee<a href="http://www.ruthvanderzee.com/images/ruth_tint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img align="left" alt="Ruth portrait" border="0" height="320" src="http://www.ruthvanderzee.com/images/ruth_tint.jpg" width="216" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please help me welcome my guest author, Ruth VanderZee. Ruth has found her passion writing historical fiction. She has four published picture books which have won numerous awards in the United States, Japan and Great Britain. Please visit <a href="http://www.ruthvanderzee.com/books/books.html"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Ruth VanderZee's website</span></a> to learn more about these touching stories that will pull on your heart strings. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Children are amazing. When hand a fractured world created by some adults who make selfish, bad or even evil decisions, many children respond with courage, wisdom and,hope. I've meet some of these children and they are my inspiration."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ruth VanderZee</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #474f49;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">I am so excited that you stopped by and shared your writing journey with us and answered a few of our questions.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Look for Ruth's latest book. Woman Meets Jesus: How Jesus Encourages, Empowers, and Equips Women on Their Personal Journey of Faith.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3f1c81; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. How did you get started writing nonfiction picture books?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(My books might be more accurately considered historical fiction. I'll talk about that in later answers.)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First of all, let me say that I'm a late bloomer. I didn't get my bachelor's degree until I was 40 and began writing when I was 50. So, as I was teaching my Middle School students, I learned what communicated to them when I taught - and it wasn't all my pearls of wisdom!!! My students responded best when they heard stories. When they were able to connect stuff they thought was old and unimportant to their own lives. Stories have the power to do that. So, when I began writing, I had a Middle School kid sitting on my shoulder asking me to connect historical events to their own lives. And kids do want to connect.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So with that as a bit of history, I went to Israel with my husband who was studying there in 1955. On our way home, we traveled through Germany and Austria. It was then two significant things happened - way out of my control. First of all we went through the concentration camp in Mathausen, Austria. That was a chillingly quiet, impacting experience - on many levels. Later, when we were in Rothenburg, Germany, I "just happened" to sit next to the woman I call Erika in ERIKA'S STORY. I had a five minute conversation with her.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I got home and went to my SCBWI critique group, I began to see that this is a story I needed to tell. And I wanted to tell it in a picture book format even though it didn't seem to be picture book material.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But because that Middle School kid wanted to know more about World War II than what he/she read in history books, I knew they would connect to Erika's Story because it helped them feel something. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. There are so many historical/nonfiction books out there, how did you choose the topics to write about?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Each of my stories came to me through the voice of the people who lived them, except for MISSISSIPPI MORNING. That's why I love to speak to kids about my books because even though I had to fictionalize the stories in order to make them work as stories, they are all based on the real-life experiences of real people. That speaks volumes to a child.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I met the protagonist of ERIKA'S STORY sitting on a curb in Rothenburg, Germany.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The story of MISSISSIPPI MORNING came to me through a homeless black man who visited a friend of mine at his offices in Chicago, Illinois. I had to change that story to being one of a young white boy for it to be authentically a story I could write which would connect to my story.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I co-authored ELI REMEMBERS with a friend of mine. This is the story of Marian Sneider's grandson and the impact it had on her family.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">ALWAYS WITH YOU is the story of a woman who I met when I lived in Chicago. She told me her compelling story as we sat in her living room.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">They all were stories which dealt not only with critical social issues but also are stories of courage and hope.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span>For non-fiction writing, I would recommend you speak with my friend Elaine Landau who is a prolific nonfiction writer. Every company who publishes nonfiction has specific requirements, word count, and subject matter they are interested in.<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span><br />
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</span>My stories are based on true stories which fall into specific historical settings. In order to write them as story, however, I have to find the story within the story. In doing that, and because, in some cases I had to supplement the stories with cultural and historical facts which may or may not have been part of the main character's experience, they are not non-fiction and fall more accurately fall into historical fiction.<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">4.What advice can you give to writers just starting that will help them in the nonfiction writing process?</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span><br />
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</span>Whether your write nonfiction or historical fiction, you have to get the story right. I, as do nonfiction writers, do a lot of <b>research</b>. For example, in ERIKA'S STORY I researched train lines through Europe, read extensively on concentration camps and ghettos. Even if the information is not in the story, it informs the story you are writing. <span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span><br />
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</span>For MISSISSIPPI MORNING I traveled to Mississippi, interviewed anyone who would stand still long enough to listen to my questions, met people who informed me of so many idiosyncrasies of the area of which I was writing which I would not have known if I hadn't been there, read books about the area, about the history, about the issues which were going on in the 1930's.<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span><br />
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</span>For ALWAYS WITH YOU I even had a journal kept by the leaders of the orphanage in which they recorded what Kim called out in her sleep. I had footage of the orphanage taken by film makers. And, of course, I had Kim's own voice who informed much of the story.<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span><br />
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</span>I could not have written ELI REMEMBERS without the intimate family details and cultural sensitivities of his grandmother.<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">5..How do you know when to give credit for factual information in a story?</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span><br />
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</span>In nonfiction, the publisher will require documentation. No one wants to publish a story historical fiction or nonfiction in which there are cultural or historical inaccuracies.<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">6.When writing a fictional story about a real people or event do you call it nonfiction in a cover letter?<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span><br />
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</span></span>I guess that would depend on how you are writing the manuscript. For instance, the real people I wrote about are not well known historical figures. They had real life stories, but I could not tell their stories in the book exactly as they happened because that does not make for good story telling. In order to tell the story, I had to fill in details, find information that was not part of the original story, etc. all within the accuracy factor of the time and place. I would call that fiction.<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span><br />
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</span>If you are writing about a certain time in Abraham Lincoln's life and have researched thoroughly and are presenting the information as fact, it would be nonfiction.<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #474f49; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span></div>Cheryl Velasquezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07665617073360379743noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134145151419457515.post-19653678075836608752012-02-04T09:04:00.000-08:002012-02-04T09:33:26.826-08:00Read to me challenge: Henry's Freedom Box<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad</h3>
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by Ellen Levine<br />illustrations by Kadir Nelson<br />ISBN: 9780439777339</h4>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> Honors: 2008 IRA Teachers' Choices selection. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 10px;">After Henry Brown's wife and children are sold at the slave market, Henry knows he'll never see them again. The only thing left to live for is freedom. With help from a white man named Dr. Smith, Henry mails himself from Richmond, Virginia, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, inside a wooden box. "Dr. Smith begged the clerks to be careful. But they didn't listen. They threw the box into the baggage car. Hours passed. Henry was lifted up and thrown again. Upside down!" </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px;"> Check on this awesome book trailer by clicking on this link</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0px;">The month of February is Black History Month at my school. When teaching writing to my 2nd grader I use the writer's workshop model.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0px;">All that means is I begin every lesson reading a part of a story, that model the writing craft I want my students to use that day. I was reading from the book <i>Escape. </i>In mentions the underground railroad. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0px;">To my surprise not one of my 2nd graders knew what it was.(For the record 12 of my 15 students are Afrian American) So I chose <i>Henry's Freedom Box</i> for my next "Read to me challenge picture book." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0px;">I chose this book because of its inspirational message of courage and determination. Just let me say, you could have heard a pin drop! The thought of Henry loosing his family and putting himself in a box </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0px;">to mailed to freedom was just too much for them. They had so many questions! They wondered why would someone do such a crazy thing. This was the beginning of many books about the Underground Railroad, that I will read to my class. One little boy, ask me, Mrs.Velasquez were your family slaves? At first I thought that was a silly question, but then I realized litte Mottama was from Hatti and knew nothing of slavery in America. I told him no and he reached over hugged me and said, “I’m glad.” Reading historical fiction is so important!! The critics from room 502 gave it a thumbs up. I personally give it 2 thumbs up! I love historical fiction :)</span><br />
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</span></div>Cheryl Velasquezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07665617073360379743noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134145151419457515.post-79281798951396554672012-02-02T17:56:00.000-08:002012-02-02T17:57:25.838-08:00Read to Me Challenge: Quiet Bunny<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Book:</b> Quiet Bunny</div>
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<b>Written and Illustrated by</b>: Lisa McCue</div>
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<b>Theme:</b> Be Yourself</div>
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<b>Written</b> for 4-8 year olds</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Authors Link</b></span>:<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://www.lisamccueillustrator.com/Lisa_McCue/Home.html">http://www.lisamccueillustrator.com/Lisa_McCue/Home.html</a></span></div>
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<b>Synopsis:</b> Quiet Bunny, beautifully depicts sounds of animals in the forest and yes, it includes a particularly wise owl. Quiet Bunny is just that- a quiet bunny. He desperately wants to find his own voice so that he can join the other animals in singing the night song. He tries imitating his forest friends, but fails. Finally, after following some wise advice from an owl, he discovers his very own bunny sound.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OPwp2XtWJrY/Tystx7dKM0I/AAAAAAAAAFw/72GE2vLKlOU/s1600/WM-cricket-13-web.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OPwp2XtWJrY/Tystx7dKM0I/AAAAAAAAAFw/72GE2vLKlOU/s400/WM-cricket-13-web.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PV-L_D4SzgM/TyswLYtRPQI/AAAAAAAAAF4/wTE1qcslbCY/s1600/owl--WM-13-web-.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PV-L_D4SzgM/TyswLYtRPQI/AAAAAAAAAF4/wTE1qcslbCY/s400/owl--WM-13-web-.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>I've been watching you, Quiet Bunny," said the owl. "It doesn't matter how hard you rub your feet together, or flap your ears, or puff up your cheeks, you will never make the sound of a cricket, or a bat, or a frog. You are a Quiet Bunny. Be whoooooo you are, and you will find your own bunny sound."</em> - </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">Critique from Room 502</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">Children love making noises. And that is exactly what my class did through the entire reading of this book. HOW RUDE, you say. It's not rude if the pages you are reading are filled with fun words like...ch- Cheet, like the cricket, ssssssssss like the hissing snake, or o-uuuu like the howling wolves</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1a1a1a;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">! Lisa McCue 's</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> illustrations are fabulous. I wanted to jump in the book and roll in the grass with Quiet Bunny. My students did something at</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 16px;"> the end they have never done before. They clapped. You may think that kids clap all the time. Well let me just tell you my students are very special. For the most part at least one parent is in Jail and they live in a very violent neighborhood. This story made them feel good about themselves. I ask them why they clapped. Right from the mouths of babes," Quiet Bunny never gave up and that is what you always tell us, Never stop trying." I never expected to hear that! Needless to say, the 2nd grade critics from room 502 gave this book TEN STARS and a CLAP!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I also used this book during writing to teach the craft of onomatopias.</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And yes, all this week I have read ch-cheet at least 2o times in their writing. haha. You've got to love them.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Happy Reading Writing:)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div>Cheryl Velasquezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07665617073360379743noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134145151419457515.post-2737814268657694822012-01-30T16:32:00.000-08:002012-01-31T19:10:36.352-08:00MY FIRST LIEBSTER AWARD!<br />
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I feel like I have just won an Academy Award! Thank you Jennifer Young for awarding me the Liebster Blog Award. First off the Liebster award is an award designed to bring traffic to bloggers with fewer than 200 followers That would be me! I am suppose to share 5 things about myself. So I decided to tell you things you would not normally know to keep it fun.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Crimson Text'; line-height: 24px;"> So here they are:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;">1) I love to travel- I have been to 7 countries- My goal is to visit all 7 continents</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;">2) I sing on a Praise Team at a Baptist Church.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;">3) I love hot tea with milk----anytime of day--- during any season.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;">4) I' ve had a broken hip, 2 broken arms and 2 broken legs at the same time- Just call me "Titanium Teacher."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;">5) I love to write in rhyme.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;">Let me end, by quoting from one of my favorite movies Hope Floats, "My cup runneth over."</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Crimson Text';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">And I pass the Liebster Blog award onto......... Please hop on over!</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Crimson Text';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="http://castlereads.blogspot.com/">Jackie Castle</a></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Crimson Text';"><a href="http://lindawriteright.blogspot.com/">Linda Black</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.donasdays.blogspot.com/">Donna Martin</a></div>
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<a href="http://louisesblogtoday.blogspot.com/">Louise Nottingham</a></div>
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<a href="http://creatingcuriouskids.wordpress.com/2012/01/23/12-x-12-x-12/">Kirsten W. Larson</a></div>
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<br /></div>Cheryl Velasquezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07665617073360379743noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134145151419457515.post-1657485570626188282012-01-27T16:05:00.000-08:002012-01-28T13:46:55.766-08:00Read to Me challenge book 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0d0b0a; font-size: 18px; line-height: 22px;">Author</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0d0b0a; font-size: 18px; line-height: 22px;">:</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0d0b0a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 22px;"> Amanda Noll </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0d0b0a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 22px;">Illustrator: Howard McWilliam</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0d0b0a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 22px;">Published in 2009 by Flashlight Press</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0d0b0a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 22px;">2011-2012 GA Book Award Nominee </span></li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0d0b0a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 22px;">Synopsis:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0d0b0a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">One night, when Ethan checks under his bed for his monster, Gabe, he finds a note from him instead: "Gone fishing. Back in a week." Ethan knows that without Gabe’s familiar nightly scares he doesn't stand a chance of getting to sleep, so Ethan interviews potential substitutes to see if they've got the right equipment for the job—pointy teeth, sharp claws, and a long tail—but none of them proves scary enough for Ethan. When Gabe returns sooner than expected from his fishing trip, Ethan is thrilled. It turns out that Gabe didn't enjoy fishing because the fish scared too easily.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0d0b0a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Critique from Room 502:</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0d0b0a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0d0b0a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">My second grade boys are hard to please, but when I pulled this book out to read...</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0d0b0a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">they were hooked. Howard McWilliams's illustrations are creative and entertaining.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0d0b0a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">My squirmy boys sat like statues waiting for me to turn the pages so they could see the next new monsters. ( Note to self: I need to pick more books like this:) This read aloud was very engaging- lots of ewwww and gross! The kids from room 502 gave it a two thumb up and and an all around 10.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0d0b0a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">I loved this book too! It created great turn and talk conversation between my students. It did not stay in the "teacher's favorites" box very long. I actually had to put a waiting list on the board. Now that's when you know you have chosen a good book. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0d0b0a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Happy Reading!</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0d0b0a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>Cheryl Velasquezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07665617073360379743noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134145151419457515.post-35884221068237828882012-01-25T17:10:00.000-08:002012-03-25T12:30:41.387-07:00Read to Me Picture Book Challenge<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tyrqioolo9c/TyCdWH5CovI/AAAAAAAAAEc/jt0m4AV_tU4/s1600/images.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tyrqioolo9c/TyCdWH5CovI/AAAAAAAAAEc/jt0m4AV_tU4/s1600/images.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Picture Book Number 1</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Bats at the Beach</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Written and Illustrated by</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Brian Lies </span></div>
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How delicious-oh, how sweet,</div>
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To feel warm sand beneath our feet.</div>
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<i>Quick, set up-spread blankets on sand!</i></div>
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<i>We want to get going when fun is at hand.</i></div>
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We hurry down to test the ocean.</div>
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Don't forget the moon-tan lotion!</div>
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What's the first thing we should do?</div>
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So many games before night's through.<br />
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This is a delightful book written in rhyme about the adventures bats have at the beach. My students loved this book. The illustrations captivated them and kept them laughing. This is the first time in a read aloud that they did not want me to turn the page. They wanted to look at every detail Brian Lies added to every picture. So did I! On a scale of one to ten, my students gave this book a thumbs up and a big 10. It will definitely be a favorite for your child too.</div>Cheryl Velasquezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07665617073360379743noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134145151419457515.post-13668110609360325312012-01-22T11:06:00.000-08:002012-01-22T14:23:13.180-08:00January Checked Off !I have finished my January draft for 12x12x12 challenge. Actually I did two this month. I have entered one story in the Highlight Fiction Contest. The category: A funny story inspired by an unsual newspaper headline. The headline read Elvis the Crocodile Steals Lawnmower. My story is titled,"Don't Feed the Crocodile."<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 'sans-serif normal';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Let me know if you have entered the same contest and what your headline inspired your humorous story. If you want to still enter this contest make sure your story is postmarked by Jan. 31st. Here is the link.<a href="http://www.highlights.com/highlights-fiction-contest">HIGHLIGHT FICTION CONTEST</a></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 'sans-serif normal';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Happy Writing:)</span></span>Cheryl Velasquezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07665617073360379743noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134145151419457515.post-11115643307734016192012-01-20T17:32:00.000-08:002012-01-20T17:32:20.502-08:00Miranda Paul / Miranda "Sibo" Paul: Focus Friday: RHYME (and perfect picture books)<a href="http://mirandapaulbooks.blogspot.com/2012/01/focus-friday-rhyme-and-perfect-picture.html?spref=bl">Miranda Paul / Miranda "Sibo" Paul: Focus Friday: RHYME (and perfect picture books)</a>: It scares some writers. Others can't write without it. If it's good, it's brilliant. Anything less than perfect, the whole sto...Cheryl Velasquezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07665617073360379743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134145151419457515.post-24385598953136987472012-01-20T17:09:00.000-08:002012-01-21T06:19:52.149-08:00Read to Me Picture Book Challenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SYz8Yy0JwNQ/TxoPwdFSgHI/AAAAAAAAAEA/PHJVaQzYBr4/s1600/danielle-theres-a-book-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SYz8Yy0JwNQ/TxoPwdFSgHI/AAAAAAAAAEA/PHJVaQzYBr4/s1600/danielle-theres-a-book-1.png" /></a></div>
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I have taken on another challenge for the 2012 year. Now I have made the commitment to read 200 picture books( Harvesting Level) this year to a child. I have a wonderful audience, my 14 second graders. They will love this challenge. :) I will post monthly the names of the books I've read and students' delightful comments. Here is the link.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><a href="http://www.theresabook.com/2012-picture-book-reading-challenge/" rel="nofollow nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span>http://</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break" style="display: inline-block;"></span><span>www.theresabook.com/</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break" style="display: inline-block;"></span><span>2012-picture-book-reading-c</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break" style="display: inline-block;"></span>hallenge/</a></span><br />
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Happy Reading and Writing.Cheryl Velasquezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07665617073360379743noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134145151419457515.post-39450432627009793002012-01-14T16:04:00.000-08:002012-01-15T14:13:08.706-08:00It Only Makes You BetterFor Christmas, my supportive husband, paid for one of my manuscripts to be critiqued. I thoughtfully chose the piece that I thought was my most creative. My heart felt like it was in my throat as I pressed the send button. This was the first time anyone other than my critique group would be reading my work. I was to receive my critique back via email. That day I checked my email at least 15 times. Finally it arrived about 8:00 p.m. On one hand I was so excited and on the other hand I was afraid to open it. As I began reading it, my throat tightened, it was beginning to feel like a rejection letter. Paragraph after paragraph of noted things about the development of my protagonist. My first response was disappointment. At one point in Laura's critique she said, "I hope this doesn't make you feel bad", that was the defining moment for me. All the things she pointed out were to make me a better writer. My disappointment turned to encouragement. So thank you Laura Backes!<br />
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<br />Cheryl Velasquezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07665617073360379743noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134145151419457515.post-88522712081889389502012-01-05T14:37:00.001-08:002012-01-05T15:12:10.780-08:00Challenge Alert!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lXH-wyDffEY/TwYrTEq0YpI/AAAAAAAAAC0/INj3J7oOabQ/s1600/12x12-large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lXH-wyDffEY/TwYrTEq0YpI/AAAAAAAAAC0/INj3J7oOabQ/s320/12x12-large.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I just signed up for a new writing challenge. I have to try to write a story a month for the next 12 months in 2012. They do not have to be a final draft but a complete story. Anyone else up for this challenge and wants to join me just check out the link below. The deadline to join in January 29, 2012. I have never done a writing challenge before, it sounds like it is going to be fun.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><a href="http://writeupmylife.com/2011/11/30/12-x-12-in-2012-picture-book-writing-challenge/" style="color: #2a1a22; text-decoration: none;">http://writeupmylife.com/2011/11/30/12-x-12-in-2012-picture-book-writing-challenge/</a></span></div>
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</div>Cheryl Velasquezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07665617073360379743noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134145151419457515.post-55174617090427638632012-01-04T18:58:00.001-08:002012-01-04T18:58:38.092-08:00<br />
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<strong><a href="http://wp.me/pIkHt-zw" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A Good Query Letter is Like a Skirt</a></strong></div>
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Andrea Brown, president of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency won the award at the Big Sur in the Rockies workshop for giving the funniest advice on queries: "It should be like a skirt. Long eno...</div>
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</form>Cheryl Velasquezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07665617073360379743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134145151419457515.post-19821205155591883502012-01-03T15:01:00.000-08:002012-01-03T15:01:29.437-08:00Anxiously Waiting!Tomorrow Laura Backes from Children's Book Insider is critiquing one of my manuscripts. I am so excited to hear from her. This is one of my favorite pieces. Good or bad, I don't care just glad to get a professional opinion. I have been doing a lot of research for my nonfiction book. This is a very fun project. I am even getting my 2nd grade class involved. We are doing a manatee unit and they want to adopt one of the manatees from the Save A Manatee Club. They are helping me and they don't even know it. I am listening to their conversations and the things they are excited about. These are the things I will definitely put in my book!Cheryl Velasquezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07665617073360379743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134145151419457515.post-6986775294671092892012-01-01T10:19:00.000-08:002012-01-01T10:19:50.807-08:00New Year , Fresh Start!Today is January 1st, 2012! I am not one to make New Year Resolutions because I know myself to well. My intentions are commendable but that is just about as far as it goes. My motto for 2012 is "New Year -Fresh Start." There are only 4 things I want to accomplish this year.( not in any order)<br />
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1. Invest more time on me.<br />
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2.Invest more time with my Family<br />
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3. Invest more time studying the Bible.<br />
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4. Write something every day.<br />
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I don't want more money,(you can't take it with you), and don't want more things, (I have too many to keep up with now) If I can do those 4 things, I will be happy! I want to live this year with no regrets.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Happy New Year !</span><br />
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Cheryl Velasquezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07665617073360379743noreply@blogger.com0