NEW CLOTHES FOR NEW YEAR'S DAY and CHINESE CLASSROOM ZODIAC

PICTURE BOOK
NEW CLOTHES FOR NEW YEAR'S DAY by Hyun-Joo Bae (Kane/Miller)

A girl prepares for Solnal, the South Koran Lunar New Year, by the meticulous dressing into hanbok, a glorious traditional princess-worthy costume complete with embroidered socks, rainbow-striped jacket and crimson skirt, a warm furry vest, embroidered shoes, lucky charm, red and gold hair ribbons, bag and black satin hat. Dressed to the nines, the girl opens to discover that the world around her has also dressed up...in new snow! The delicate illustration style is evocative of the masterful work of Demi (for a sample, check out her recent release, THE BOY WHO PAINTED DRAGONS, a dazzling, golden-gilded tale of a boy who faces his fears), but Bae is clearly a talent in her own right. Strong figurative drawings really capture the palpable frustration and accomplishment of a young child getting dressed. The final garb really is so stunning, and rendered with lots of red jumping off the page, a symbolic color of good luck. Indeed, any child would be lucky to have this strong multicultural pick included in a storytime, any time of year. (4 and up)

Also of interest:
February 7th starts the Lunar New Year celebrations for many Asian cultures! Though I am not Chinese, my family does something every year to celebrate this festive, firecracker-filled holiday, because the dancing dragons, paper lanterns, red envelopes full of money given to the children, and a reason to order out the Mongolian Combo from the lovely take-out place on the corner make this holiday just too fun to miss.

There are many great children's books about Chinese New Year and Chinese culture, but there are a couple that are an absolute necessity in the collection of any grown-up who wants to share the holiday with their class or family. MOONBEAMS, DUMPLINGS AND DRAGON BOATS: A TREASURY OF CHINESE HOLIDAY TALES, ACTIVITIES AND RECIPES by Nina Simonds, Leslie Swartz and the Children's Museum, Boston, illustrated by Meilo So (Harcourt) is one of these. Every teacher I showed this book to gave a gleeful shout upon receiving it in their hands, as if welcoming someone they hoped would stop by. I gave the shout myself when I saw this title, a much-needed resource and long-awaited addition to any multicultural collection. This book spills over with crafts, recipes, stories and fascinating general information pertaining to Chinese New Year and the lantern Festival, as well as Qing Ming and the Cold Foods Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival and the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. Intriuged? You should be, this stuff is more delicious than a Five-Treasure Moon Cake (yes, a recipe for that is included, too!). A guide to Chinese pronunciation, internet resources and a compass to the Chinese Zodiac are a few of the handy extras that you'll find. Some of Meilo So's illustrations are so brightly colored and energetic, I wonder if she didn't dip her paintbrush into a firecracker to make these pictures! Phenomenally festive and just plain fun, both children and adults will love poring over it, and every teacher absolutely needs it. Non-fiction fit for a dragon!

The other book that is an absolute must-have is HAPPY NEW YEAR!/KUNG-HSI FA-TS'AI! by Demi, who has been notorious for using art supplies like a mouse's whiskers in order to create her illustrations. But exquisite artwork aside, this book is the most complete and engaging compendium of information about Chinese New Year that I have come across, including information about the animal zodiac, read Chinese writing and learn all of the kindest Chinese greetings for the New Year, watch a parade of Chinese guardians and symbols go by (each clearly explained), learn what all the dishes served on New Year's represent, what role different trees and flowers play, and so much more. Informative for kids and grown-ups alike!

I also turn annually to Ying Chang Compestine's RUNAWAY RICE CAKE, illustrated by Tungwai Chau (Simon & Schuster), an altruistic tale of a hungry family who shares food with the needy. While the message is lovely, I have to admit that my favorite part is the recipe for the unique and authentic rice cake nian gao in the back of the book. A far cry from the Styrofoam discs we can buy at the supermarket, this is a damp and sugary cake you can slice into and that is a delight to make as part of a yearly tradition. No wonder Ms. Compestine is so successful as the author of cookbooks as well as children's books, though she consistently combines both talents; THE REAL STORY OF STONE SOUP, illustrated by Stéphane Jorisch (Dutton), adds some fresh Chinese flavor to an old trickster tale, and also includes a recipe in the back of the book.

Also check out librarian/author extraordinaire Toni Buzzeo's latest, FIRE UP WITH READING illustrated by Sachiko Yoshikawa (Upstart), in which a school librarian helps her patrons to "scale" new reading heights with the help of a dragon dance promotion that's fun to replicate (lots of firey and fetching support materials available from Upstart). More suggestions for celebrating the culture during every month of the calendar may be found at the article I wrote forTeachers.net, Dim Sum and Then Some: Celebrating China Through Children's Books. Plus, you can make something fun by visiting the Chinese New Year Crafts at Kaboose, and be sure to get on the mailing list for the cool Asia for Kids catalog so you can enjoy the continent all year long. You can even get a purse that looks like a Chinese food take-out container, to carry all of your good fortune!

Happy Year of the Rat!
This pretty print was done by willlovelogic at the Etsy on-line artist collaborative!
Don't you think this person would be a dandy book illustrator?

On a personal note: Chinese Zodiac Classroom Horoscopes!
For a long time I was a Chinese astrology "junkie" and studied their zodiac, in which each year was represented by a different animal, repeating in cycles of twelve years, and a person had particular traits based on what year they were born (like how the Western zodiac has Libra, Sagittarius, Pisces, etc. representing the months). This year belongs to the clever and resourceful rat; wouldn't Templeton be pleased!

When I was a new teacher, it always struck me as funny listening in the teacher's lounge to the veterans complain that classroom dynamics alternate; if you had a "bad" class one year, the wives' tale seemed to dictate that you would have a "good" one the next, and teachers with "good" classes shivered over what the next year would bring. The scary thing was, it seemed to be true! Why would that be? It struck me that nearly all of the children in a class would have been born in the same year, and according to the Chinese zodiac, would probably share certain qualities. According to Chinese horoscopes, a "Ying" year is followed by a "Yang" year, and so it stands to reason that the challenges of the classroom would either rise or ebb, depending on the teacher's own place in the chart. In the interest of all classes being "good" classes at heart, a few years ago I compiled all of my limited but enthusiastic knowledge of the Chinese zodiac to create this guide to help teachers anticipate the needs of the animals in front of them. Teachers, you'll have to tell me if it rings true or not for your class! This information is for entertainment purposes only; I hope you have as much fun reading them as I had writing them!

If your class was born in 1996, your classroom is Year of the Rat!
What a well-rounded, clever group! These children can pick things up in a flash, so be sure to assess their abilities regularly and mind your pacing. This bunch loves to collect things, and has many outside interests. How about a classroom museum, or regular show-and-tell? Rats have artistic and literary flair, and this is a great year to let the children run the class newspaper (they are very creative writers), or create a library of books on tape read by the children. Be flexible in your routine; these kids feel bogged down by schedules, and once they get rolling with something, you'd be better off to let them roll. People born under this first sign in the Chinese zodiac are adventurers, and sensualists; incorporate multi-sensory experiences whenever possible, whether sniffing spices that Marco Polo might have encountered or rubbing hands in a piece of fur that might have been traded by the pioneers. Reward them in a classroom economy, they will just love keeping track. You may want to initiate some conflict-resolution ground rules for your class, as this energetic group can become aggressive towards each other at times. Also, this group loves responsibility, but the lesson of not biting off more than you can chew will be valuable in the long-run for these children. Although this group will grow up to be leaders, while they are children they have a need to feel comforted and protected, so give them plenty of hugs (no matter what your administrator says). When they come back to visit you, they will be entrepreneurs, breaking ground in whatever they choose to do.

If your class was born in 1997, your classroom is year of the Ox!
You have a classroom full of hard workers! Strength is the hallmark of oxen, both in character, constitution and ability. Physically robust, you will have good attendance this year. Appeal to the oxen with the practical side of things; this is a good year to teach about simple machines and money skills, and read lots and lots of folktales. Oxen can stick to tasks that require repetitive attention, or attention over time; measure those bean plants, dig for dinosaur bones in plaster, learn those time tables, work on handwriting. Build, build, build wherever possible; early childhood educators should invest in another set of blocks. There is something kind of old-fashioned about ox children; they are polite, sticking to the rules and self-reliant. Though calm and amicable, the ox child might struggle with shyness and veer into the land of the lonely. Refer to your classroom community as "a family" to help them feel like they belong, even if they don't do things to stand out. Oxen build their futures in construction, on the farm, in academics or in the corner office of a corporation.

If your class was born in 1998, your classroom is year of the Tiger!
Tigers love a challenge, so this may be a year to raise the bar a little bit. Even though tigers can be extremely competitive and approval-seeking, they value friends above all else, so accentuate the need for sportsmanship while creating opportunities to excel; the idea that we all can be winners may be a new one to a Tiger. Tigers also passionately throw themselves into tasks to the point of burn-out, so alternate exciting projects where their leadership qualities can shine with intervals of calm review practice where they can relax and pull themselves together. Try weekly poetry memorizations and oral presentations with this group (How about William Blake's "Tyger, tyger burning bright"?) for something to look forward to that gives each child a chance to shine, maybe even a poetry slam or two? Field trips will have this group roaring for more. Intelligent, far-sighted and with a dramatic streak, these children often earn their stripes in the military, on stage as actors or comedians, or behind the wheel as chauffeurs and pilots.

If your class was born in 1987 or 1999, your classroom is year of the Rabbit!
Like the sheep (1991), this is a sensitive and artistic group. Be sure to create an organized, tidy environment with plenty of routine to help your bunnies thrive. Rabbits also have a strong social streak, and if you can invite children into the subject matter with "clubs" or other groups, they will be extremely receptive. This attentive group will tune in to read aloud, and their prowess as mini-administrators make for great reading groups as well. Though no child likes sarcasm, take special care to avoid it with rabbits, as it cuts them especially deeply. Music is their special gift and it can permeate your day without creating a distraction; get out those classical albums and watch them whistle while they work. Rabbits grow up to be attentive therapists, diplomats, fare well in public relations, and shine in the arts. This diverse spread of talent makes them effective teachers, too!

If your class was born in 1988 or 2000, your classroom is year of the Dragon!
The dragon is one of the most charismatic of the Chinese signs, so you have a classroom full of irrepressible personalities that will need your most acute attention to bring out the best in them. Energy and ideas percolate, sometimes manifested in hyperactivity and other times these children seem to withdraw into a world of their own invention. Maybe because they are so good at solving problems in creative ways, these children are not particularly good at taking advice, and you may hear a lot of "I know, I know!" when trying to teach. It stands to reason, then, that one of their favorite sayings might also be "I did it all by myself." Help dragons learn to organize and plan, so that their many dreams can come to fruition. Science and invention fairs will go over very well this year. The best ways to get dragons to open up and hear other people's ideas is through many classroom discussions, structured to insure that everyone's ideas get the respect they deserve. Dragons may also demonstrate specialized talents that are not necessarily academic; go out of your way to encourage parents to support them with outside classes. Unusually loyal and ethical, a good teacher will help prepare these straightforward souls for a world that might take advantage of their trusting natures. These children grow up to live by example in business and politics, and also thrive in fields like engineering and computer technology.

If your class was born in 1989 or 2001, your classroom is year of the Snake!
Intuitive, enigmatic and even Machiavellian, you have a classroom full of children who like their own space or they get rattled. Manage your classroom with special care to avoid boisterous and chaotic situations, as these children respond especially well to order and calm. Keep your eyes peeled also for cliquish behavior. These children may have unusual organizational skills and are good, ponderous problem solvers. Try activities involving logic and patterns, read lots of mysteries together, and if you can sew, make a quilt. They are also good at research, so give them plenty of opportunities to look things up on their own. While this group may be sometimes slow to start, take care to explain things more than one way and make yourself available for further questions. Once they get going, though, they attack their work with imagination and precision and bask in the sunshine of your praise. This group may have an almost mystical quality about them; pretend you are teaching at Hogwarts this year and you'll do all right. They grow up to become skilled craftspeople, surgeons, politicians and yes, magicians.

If your class was born in 1990 or 2002, your classroom is Year of the Horse!
You'd better make sure you have the children's input in creating classroom rules, or they will buck big-time. It's all about independence with this group, and they have a tendency to rebel, even have tantrums, if there are too many rules or expectations to conform exactly. Share lots of adventures and survival stories with them, and make sure they have plenty of opportunity to physically let off their steam. Explore world geography to help their minds run wild and free, and give them oral reports through the year, as this is a group of great communicators. Foreign languages may also entice them. Careers in journalism, air travel and hotel management may be in the cards for this bunch who will experience life at a full gallop.

If your class was born in 1991 or 2003, your classroom is Year of the Ram!
Oh, these children are so sweet! They have excellent fine motor skills and are an artistic bunch, and should have art and music integrated whenever possible. Their tendencies give them a special interest in the human face of history. Share lots of biographies of artists and peacemakers to inspire them, and to help them gain confidence. These children will also respond well to gardening activities and creating maps. Don't be shy about asking them to help with your bulletin boards, they are great at making visual displays! Socially, your students are sensitive and kind, but they can also be clingy and quick to cry. Work hard to make the physical environment of your classroom as cozy and domestic as possible to make the herd feel school is home away from home. They may grow up to build some pretty impressive homes of their own, as architects or interior designers, or they will carry their calm into the wider world as peacemakers.

If your class was born in 1992 or 2004, your classroom is year of the Monkey!
Be on your toes! Monkeys have a sharp wit and a naughty sense of humor and are known to start a bit of mischief just for the fun of it. These children also are intensely curious, imaginative and good at problem solving. Language is a great outlet for their world of questions and answers; journaling will be prolific. Regale them with trickster tales and allow them to explore using technology whenever possible. Books must abound in their environment, and learning centers will be a big hit. In fact, with monkeys the more resources the merrier, because they need plenty to keep these energetic minds on their work instead of plotting some diversion. If you use a project-based approach, Monkeys eventually come down from their trees to become super scientists and winsome writers.

If your class was born in 1993 or 2005, your classroom is Year of the Rooster!
Cock-a-doodle-doo, your class excels in all things dramatic, so break out those reader's theater scripts whenever you can! Besides being born performers, these little charmers have strong social skills and interact well with adults, so intergenerational projects will go over well. Be sure to accentuate the practical applications of subjects to avoid laying an egg; the straightforward algorithms of math will speak well to this brood. Though not famous for academic achievement, they tend to be perfectionists, so be generous with praise whenever you can to avoid classroom melodramas. Competitions are motivating for them, but with this group's effervescent sense of humor, the teacher will be the real winner this year. These students continue to be in the spotlight as they grow up and become performing artists.

If your class was born in 1994 or 2006, your classroom is Year of the Dog!
Lucky you, you have a classroom full of helpers! Make sure each child has a special responsibility in the class, or reach out into the community to lend a hand and watch them wag their tails. But beware, these dogs bare their teeth at busywork; feeling what they are doing is important to them, and this fact will be imperative towards motivating your pack. Try to find special interests and hobbies for each of your puppies, they are independent learners with a stick-to-itness that will make the passions you introduce now last a lifetime. These honest hard-workers grow up to be lawyers and judges, so all that arguing in class and insistence on fairness is just preparation for the future!

If your class was born in 1995, your classroom is Year of the Pig!
You have a very self-confident class with an indulgent streak. Average grades are satisfactory for this happy-go-lucky group, and character education is of greater interest than academic achievement. Feed their appetite for learning with plenty of activities that integrate cooking (and eating), and small group activities that satiate their need to socialize. Have plenty of joke books on hand, because when it comes to laughter, this group likes to give as well as receive! Many pigs respond well to extrinsic motivators, since pigs like special treats. Don't give up on them if they socialize a bit at first. Instead, enjoy their smiles and their willingness to roll with the punches; their laid back ways will make them receptive and eager as you try lots of new hands-on ideas in the classroom. Besides, you'll be a model; many piglets grow up to be teachers and boar classrooms of their own!

The zodiac images are papercut art from Artistic Chinese Creations. These are little treasures, how on earth do they cut such intricate designs from tissue? I like to get a bunch and read aloud TIKKI TIKKI TEMBO by Arlene Mosel, illustrated by Blair Lent, and give the cuttings as special prizes to the children who have the shortest name and the longest name (get extras, sometimes there is a tie!)

Gung hay fat choy...peace out and happy reading in the New Year, everyone!

"Chinese Classroom Horoscope," copyright 2003-2008, PlanetEsme.com. Please do not reproduce without attribution.
Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.

FIVE NICE MICE (PICTURE BOOK)

PICTURE BOOK
FIVE NICE MICE by Chisato Tashiro (Miniedition/Penguin)
"Frog Concert, Frogs Only" reads the sign, but a band of music-loving mice sneak in anyway. Despite their enthusiasm, they are escorted out, and the only choice they have left is to make their own instruments and host a more inclusive concert. This book risks being a sleeper, or a "squeaker," as the case may be, since it's hard to tell from the title what this book is really about. Inside, it truly embodies the spirit of Vivian Gussman Paley's preschool philosophy, YOU CAN'T SAY YOU CAN'T PLAY, as sharing and asking people to join in a circle of play are what makes this story hit such a high note. This book also captures a proactive spirit of inventiveness as the mice seek and find everyday items to create their instruments, and will inspire children to do the same. Best of all are the expressive, detailed and very sweet illustrations: a lone mouse peeking out from behind a velvet curtain, into the shadowy double-page spread of an awaiting audience; little mice hands aligning pencils like keys of a xylophone and stretching cheese cloth over a tomato can to make a drum; a joyful choir of wide-mouth frogs and euphoric mice making beautiful music...together! (4 and up)

Also of interest:
Music, music, music, in words and pictures!

GERSHWIN'S RHAPSODY IN BLUE by Anna Harwell Celenza, illustrated by JoAnn Kitchel (Charlesbridge) (nonfiction) American composer George Gershwin discovered by reading the newspaper that he was scheduled to debut a jazz concerto at a concert to be attended by the world's musical elite in a matter of five weeks, a publicity stunt pulled by an ambitious promoter. It seems like an impossible task, until George tunes in to the tempo of New York. "Klezmer, foxtrot, ragtime and blues. My concerto will be a tuneful kaleidoscope--a rhapsody about the music that surrounds me!" This is a wonderfully readable picture book biography celebrates how an artist synthesized what was around him in order to create a masterpiece; as George heard music in the train moving on the track, can children hear the music that surrounds them? This book also includes a CD recording of Gershwin performing Rhapsody in Blue in 1925! Everyone in America needs to know this piece of our cultural heritage outside of the commercial ditty co-opted for American Airlines, and this sure is a delightful way to receive it. (6 and up)

PUNK FARM and PUNK FARM ON TOUR by Jarrett J. Krosoczka (Knopf) (picture books) Those with less erudite musical tastes might enjoy rocking out to "Old MacDonald Had a Farm," yeah yeah YEAAAHHHH, complete with electric guitar and microphone to scream into, or follow the barnyard band like a groupie as the wheels of their tour van go round and round. These books are a scream in more ways than one, just the ticket if you know a toddler with a mohawk, or want to add a contemporary beat to your storytime. "Thank you, Wisconsin!" (4 and up)

FOOTWORK: THE STORY OF FRED AND ADELE ASTAIRE by Roxanne Orgill, illustrated by Stéphanie Jorisch (Candlewick) (nonfiction) Before becoming tap-dancing king of the silver screen, Fred Astaire was on toe shoes atop a wooden wedding cake, playing the role of best friend and brother in his Vaudevillian family. Sensitive ink lines and watercolor washes capture the grace of the dancers and the tin-pan alley feel of the era. Hard knocks and high points mark the lesser-known part of Astaire's career, lending a new appreciation of the man leading Ginger Rogers, climbing staircases in slow motion, dancing with brooms, performing origami with his feet and dancing on the ceiling. Read, and then watch THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT to choreograph a few good steps toward a knowledge of Hollywood musicals. (7 and up)


MEET THE MUSICIANS: FROM PRODIGIES (OR NOT) TO PROS by Amy Nathan, featuring members of New York Philharmonic (Holt) (nonfiction) Virtuosos make performance look easy, but this book goes into all the sections of the orchestra to show the years and hard work and even a little whining that went into these successful careers. Full of great advice, "practice tips" in the sidelines to keep young musical hopefuls on track, photographs of the musicians as well as data (age they started playing, pets, favorite books as a kid, things that show they have outside interests and were children once, too), and "concert watch" insider items to look for as an audience member. This book is really a jewel for any child who has dreamed of being a professional musician, or has complained about having to practice their instrument. They'll find they are in very good company! (9 and up)

PIANO PIANO by Davide Cali,illustrated by Eric Heliot (Charlesbridge) Having her own dreams of being a concert pianist thwarted, Marcolino's mom generously imposes her ambition on her son, who would rather watch cartoons and dream of other occupations like magician, pirate and karate champion. When Grandpa sees that the piano is not Marcolino's forté, will an old photo album be the key to his daughter's balance, and helping his grandson find the instrument that suits him best? Funny, stylized illustrations underscore this poignant story that reminds us each child marches to his own drummer, prances to his own piano, or trots to his own tuba. (5 and up) Follow with the bizarro THE 5000 FINGERS OF DR. T, a surrealistic retro live-action tribute to all the long-suffering young piano-practicers, orchestrated by none other than Dr. Seuss. (7 and up)

JUKEBOX by David Merveille (Kane/Miller) Perhaps, as a child, you remember going up to a jukebox, putting in a coin and choosing a song that really reflects your taste (or like me, skittering away before anyone could see it was I who chose "Saturday Night" by the Bay City Rollers). This excitement is well-captured in this near-wordless picture book, as each person walks across a white background, chooses a song, and has the musical genre celebrated in a full-color page. Hip-hop! Country! Hawaiian music! Marching bands! Disco! Blues! Children can do their own artistic interpretations of their favorite musical style. Conceptually unique and a celebration of musical diversity, it's fun to turn the page and discover who is up next on the playlist. (5 and up)

JAZZ ABZ: A COLLECTION OF JAZZ PORTRAITS by Wynton Marsalis and Phil Schapp, illustrated by Paul Rogers. From Louis Armstrong to Dizzy Gillespie and every hep cat in between, this book gets it's bass beat from trumpeter Marsalis's true passion for the subject. The poetry calls out for reading while wearing a black turtlenecks and the playing of music by the featured artist in the background, and for those squares who still can't dig it, short, straightforward biographical notes are in the back. Art inspired by record covers boasts a bold, enigmatic palette and lines so crisp, they snap along with the music. Heavy and handsome, this book is a great gift for an adult jazz enthusiast, but also a solid pick for Black History Month. (8 and up)

All this tuneful inspiration, just in time for the new season of American Idol! And be sure to check out the article "Rock 'n Read Library Idol" by Carol Thompson in the "Keep 'em Reading" section of my favorite trade magazine, Library Sparks (sorry, no direct link to the article, but you can request a sample copy of the magazine). I loved the musical reference questions (such as what are the four groups of musical instruments, what years make up the classical music era, who were the members of The Beatles?) musical jokes (What did the guitar say to the guitarist? Stop picking on me!) and party menu (featuring treats like Ruben Studdard teddy bear cookies, and Simon Cowell sour tarts). Great job, Carol!

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.

PUPPET PANDEMONIUM (FICTION)

FICTION
PUPPET PANDEMONIUM by Diane Roberts (Delacorte)

The move from Seattle to a small town of Franklin, Texas is suspect to Baker, who was well settled in and quite comfortable, thank-you-very- much, with a best friend and a baseball team and a tony job as Grandma's apprentice puppeteer. With the help of a ventriloquist's dummy given as a going-away gift, Baker works on building his confidence and talents he will have to offer his new community, hopefully in time for the big Franklin Fall Festival, in which a long-lasting rivalry between two small towns peak in the form of performance. The description of the fair, replete with Frito Pie fried Oreos and Tilt-A-Whirl, is rich with regional warmth and detail. Clearly, the Lone Star state is far from the lonely star state, as every child gets a chance to shine and a small town proves just as good as a big city for making friends.

I must say, my enthusiasm for this book may have some bias; getting me to like a book about puppetry and Texas is about as hard as shooting fish in a barrel (shout out to Buda and Kyle...would someone there please adopt me?!). In fact, there are editorial aspects of the storytelling that could use strengthening; problems are solved with a pinch of Pollyanna predictability, the pacing is a bit harried and the pat endings brimming with blue ribbons insinuate more of a 1950's television show than a puppet show. That said, the chummy, upbeat tone of this book offers a dose of "positivity" many children could afford and appreciate, and the inclusion of a highly active and influential grandparent is realistic and refreshing. Children who are about to make a major move will have their hopes bolstered by the fast friendships Baker makes in his new town. Best of all, this is the sort of book, like Megan McDonald's STINK or Suzy Kline's freaking brilliant HORRIBLE HARRY (which, incidentally, if you are a second/third grade teacher, you must have and read all of them in the series) that has a high level of confidence-building readability and depicts kids taking a ton of initiative, inspiring readers to do the same. Who could read this book and not want to get together with friends and make a puppet show of their own? (7 and up)

Also of interest:
KAMISHIBAI MAN by Allen Say (Houghton Mifflin)
Kamishibai, or "paper theater," is an art form popularized during an economic depression in Japan during the 1930's. The kamishibai storyteller would be surrounded by children, eager to hear his tales and see the hand-painted illustrations, and buy the candies from his cart. But with the advent of the television, the unique form of street performance loses its audience. What's an old kamishibai man to do? This touching story chronicles what happens when an artist once celebrated ventures out into a modern, urban world, filled with traffic and television, for a final performance. Will he find his audience once more? Sophisticated ideas of aging and cultural change make this ideal for discussion with older children, and young artists may also enjoy trying to create their own kamishibai. (6 and up)

This past year, I had the very good fortune of learning how to give a kamishibai show under the guidance of master early childhood educator Carolyn Tripp. She let me use her authentic theater for library storytimes; it took me a long time to find out where to get one just like hers, but you can write a grant and find one here! It's a lot of fun; the story is written on the back of the a series of pictures on stiff paper, and as you read the story as the children view the image inside the frame, offering the lure of television without the electricity. The last picture has the first text to be read, so as you change the picture by moving the first picture behind the others, the text changes in progression. The traditional kamishibai story cards are exciting, but they are expensive; I found it worked even better to make our own kamishibai-style stories by drawing on paper that fit the screen, and typing out the text and attaching it to the back for reading.

"Goldilocks and the Three Bears" kamishibai-style!
I drew some of the pictures, and the four-year-olds drew the rest.
Play some jaunty background music as you read, and you're off!

And at the risk of feeding consumer frenzy, on the subject of storytelling theaters, I do have to let you know about one of the most beautiful and extraordinary things I came to own in the past year, A Grand Little Theater of Puppets, in the hopes you can have one, too. When a teacher friend and I took it out of the box, we both practically had to reach for our inhalers, it so took our breath away! We couldn't stop sighing and shouting! What an heirloom! Inspired by popular European toy theaters from the 19th century and the vision of educator and puppeteer Judith O'Hare, these sizeable tabletop theaters have an elegance and attention to detail that is from another time altogether. The theater came with five gorgeous little rod marionettes from Hansel and Gretel, and a book of pop-up scenery that the puppets play on. I loved the first set of puppets, but the Three Billy Goats Gruff story set was even better (so much fun to make the little guys trip-trop!) and there is a shadow puppet accessory pack for a whole different effect. This is a well-crafted treasure for any child with gentle hands, or a great way to say an extravagant thank you to a favorite teacher or librarian.

Lastly, let's wave goodbye with puppets on our hands, with the help of YouTube and puppets by Folkmanis: check out The WitchyPoo Story Hour (which is really only about two minutes), and you can join Volfy and me as we lip-sync to Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson singing "Wunderbar" from KISS ME KATE, goofing around at the PlanetEsme Bookroom. (Clearly, I'm no Jim Henson...thanks for loading anyway, JesusMom39).

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.

DINOSAURS (NON-FICTION)

NON-FICTION
DINOSAURS: THE MOST COMPLETE, UP-TO-DATE ENCYCLOPEDIA FOR DINOSAUR LOVERS OF ALL AGES by Dr. Thomas R. Holtz, Jr., illustrated by Luis V. Rey (Random House)

"The world doesn't need another A-to-Z list of dinosaurs!" said the author, and that is why he created this new and important illustrated compendium, covering not only the entire Dinosauria of 800-plus named species of Mesozoic dinosaurs, opinions and insights from thirty three of the world's preeminent paleontologists, and answers to pretty much every question a child could think about: how are dinosaur bones put together? Why do dinosaurs have such long names? How do we know how old a dinosaur is from the bones? What does dinosaur dung have to tell us? How can you tell the difference between a boy dinosaur and a girl dinosaur? With sections like "The Fighting Dinosaurs of Mongolia," "Dinosaur Detective," "Will Jurassic Park Ever Happen?" and "The Science of Dinosaur Art," this ain't no fooling around. The passion for the subject comes through on every page, and with the heft of an adult book and but the voice that speaks to the young, it reads like a dream textbook for the School of Dinosaurs. If your library's dinosaur encyclopedia was printed before 2000, oh my, how you need this book on the shelf. And if you know a child who dreams in the days of the deinonychosaurs, we need it in that child's hands. (9 and up)

Also of interest:
Well, there certainly seems to be a propensity to put eyeballs on the covers of dinosaur books; thank you, Steven Spielberg's scary Tyrannosaurus peeking-in-the-car scene from Jurassic Park, I guess! That said, you'd do well to eyeball these recent additions to the shelves on this ferociously popular topic.

EXTREME DINOSAURS by Robert Mash, illustrated by Stuart Martin (Atheneum) Dinosaurs come jumping off of the page thanks to pop-ups, pull-tabs, fold-outs and posters. Amidst all the action is a ton of information, photographs and fetching natural illustrations, all broken down into chunks of appealing dino-trivia. This wild museum-in-a-book approach assures that kids come away knowing something they never knew before, and makes it an extreme winner with relctant readers. (7 and up)

UNEVERSAURUS by Aidan Potts (David Fickling Books) If dinosaurs could debate, they might argue, "you never saw us, so how do you know what we look like?" U-never-saur-us? Get it? It took me a minute, but once I got it, I was glad I did...and the same goes for this book. Could dinosaurs really have been pink, with feathers like their birdie cousins? How did the environment and survival of the dinosaurs really impact how they looked? Funny, imaginative, and with a splash of the rarely celebrated imagination that goes into science, this book will have readers looking at the past in a whole new way. (6 and up)

DINOMUMMY: THE LIFE DEATH AND DISCOVERY OF DAKOTA, A DINOSAUR FROM HELL CREEK by Dr. Philip Lars Manning (Kingfisher) The great strength of this book is that it captures the real-life excitement of being a scientist; any child who has dreampt of being a paleontologist will thrill to the excavation of Dakota, the most complete mummified dinosaur fossil ever found. The present-tense narration in this book gives the telling a startling immediacy, even as it moves between the age of battling dinosaurs to sixty-five million years later, when a teenage enthusiast makes a remarkable discovery. The computer-enhanced illustrations are so realistic, it may take some explanation to younger children that these are not photographs, and a reminder that the dinosaurs, apart from their tamer modern cousins, no longer walk among us (phew). This book has a definite "WOW" factor, not from gimmicks but from a real story of discovery that was supported by the National Geographic Society and contained such sensitive scientific information that the title was under worldwide embargo until December. Now's your chance to have a look. (9 and up) Kids who are interested in DINOMUMMY may also enjoy the novel MY DANIEL by Pam Conrad (HarperTrophy), the page-turning tale of children on a Nebraska farm whose desperation compels them to become involved in unscrupulous dinosaur fossil hunting on the prairie, with tragic results. (9 and up)

DINO-PETS by Lynn Plourde, illustrated by Gideon Kendall (Dutton) How do you choose which dinosaur to get? Would the longest or the strongest make the best pet? The scariest? Fastest? Softest? Smallest? All pets have their pros and cons, and the boy in this book gets a lesson in superlatives the hard way. A happy ending and illustrations from the Mark Teague school of dino-drawing silliness will earn lots of chuckles at storytime. (4 and up)

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.

LITTLE HOOT (PICTURE BOOK)

Uh-oh! The owls got jealous of the penguins featured in the last post, so to make up for the courtesy that poor Kucinich never received in the debates, I'm giving them equal time.

PICTURE BOOK
LITTLE HOOT by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrated by Jen Corace (Chronicle)

"If you want to grow up to be a wise owl, you must stay up late," said Papa Owl. "And besides, I don't give a hoot what time your friends go to bed. In this family, we stay up late. Rules of the roost."

Little Hoot, an otherwise happy little owl, goes through the looking glass of human toddler tribulation at bedtime when forced to stay up and play. With very few lines, the illustrator communicates the many moods of our nocturnal nay-sayer: a slightly sassy eyebrow lift when disagreeing with mommy, the sedate visage while practicing pondering and staring (owl skills, you know!), growing sleepy on the skateboard, and the ultimate snuggly comfort of being tucked into the nest at break of day. My very favorite illustration must be Little Hoot playing on the jungle gym in the park, with a bat friend hanging upside down alongside. This author/illustrator team would be hard-pressed to out-do the Sweetness Quotient and the cleverness of their last escapade, LITTLE PEA, in which a pea has to eat all of her yucky candy before she can have broccoli for dessert, but with this latest offering, they proved they were just wise enough to do it. "When I grow up, I'm going to let my kids go to bed as early as they want," Little Hoot bemoans, but I'm afraid human children are going to be up later than ever, asking for repeated readings of what is sure to be a favorite bedtime story. (3 and up)

Also of interest:
COCK-A-DOODLE HOOOOOO! by Mick Manning, illustrated by Brita Granstrom (Good Books) A forlorn owl wanders amidst some deprecating fowl, but earns the honorary title of resident rooster after a deliciously politically incorrect (but naturalistically accurate) run-in with a rat. Particularly jouncy cartoon art add to the barnyard jubilance of this story of a stand-out who finds his place in the group. (4 and up)

Thanks to my former fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Schultz, for insisting in 1978 that I read Farley Mowat's classic OWLS IN THE FAMILY (Dell, 8 and up), despite my wheedling and fervent complaints that 1) "I don't like animal stories," 2) "this book has too many boys in it," and 3) I couldn't read words like "Saskatchewan." I know the trend nowadays is to present children with books that have characters and situations to which they can closely relate. While that is inarguably important, I consider myself very lucky to have had teachers who also encouraged me to read to meet others so very different than myself (even boys!), and to use reading to expand my world, not just to affirm it. Today, dear booklovers, in your effort to be a supporting character in a child's reading life story, recommend a book outside of the box, and send out a thank you to a teacher who did it for you!

On a personal note:


A huge thank you to young adult literature guru, author and blogger extraordinaire Cynthia Leitich Smith for awarding (or is it a-roar-ding?) The PlanetEsme Plan a "Lion Award" from the Shameless Lions Writing Club . The award is in honor of "those people who have blogs we love, can't live without, where we think the writing is good and powerful." Award recipients then give the award to five other bloggers. In fact, the best part of the award is that it did come from Cynthia Leitich Smith, who would have been first on my list to nominate. Her own website, Cynsations, is a gold mine of information, interviews and inspiration for anyone involved in the field of children's literature, and in fact, it is she who inspired me early on to recognize the internet as a potent way of getting the word out about the power of children's books. Though she is a professional cyber-mentor, privately, I enjoy her personal blog SpookyCyn; although she has lots of juicy insider writing stuff there and updates on her gothic fantasy TANTALIZE , I must confess I mostly bookmarked it because I savor her gem-like descriptions of meals she eats around Texas! Even a children's book maven like me needs variety on the menu, and Cyn's posts always hit the spot.

Well, it seems then I am at bat to recognize five more bloggers, which is hard to do when I consider my own blogroll of favorites, but here's a few I check regularly:

THREE SILLY CHICKS Created by children's authors Andrea Beaty, Carolyn Crimi and Julia Durango, this blog never lets us forget that kids wil keep reading if they are laughing. Regularly updated, it also features offbeat interviews and contests.
VINTAGE BOOKS THAT KIDS LOVE I believe the average children's book goes out of print in about two years. This lovely site, replete with sample illustrations, keeps books in our hearts for much longer than that.
MIMI SMARTYPANTS Not for kids. Oh no no no no no. But sometimes I want to read about being a grown-up, even if it's in a world that could clearly be better run by kids. Snarky voice, but voice with a capital "V." Plus lots about Chicago. Bless you and your bad, bad mouth, Mimi Smartypants.
BELLA DIA: SIMPLY HAPPY PRETTY THINGS I lurk here regularly to be reminded that life is about making stuff, and also that life, she-is-a-beautiful! Juicy, vibrant photographs, and sometimes there are crafts that tie into books. (Clearly a cousin to another favorite blog of mine, GROW WINGS by Laini Taylor.)

Just one more? Well, okay. It would have to be BIG A, LITTLE A, because Kelly Herold does a Herculean journalistic job of making sure anyone who wants to know about goings-on in the children's lit "blogosphere" stay in the loop every single week, and her blog contains links to all of my other favorites, including but far from limited to Welcome to My Tweendom and MotherReader and A Year of Reading and Jen Robinson's Book Page. (OOOooo, I know I snuck in a few other links there, sorry. That's just the way I roll.)

All right, bloggers, if you were pretty in pink above, congratulations on entering the den of Shameless Lions. Now it's your turn to "pick five." Thank you again, Cyn Smith...that was fun! I am practically motivated to read Blogger's manual-like how-to's of creating a permanent sidebar of links for the PlanetEsme Plan, a New Year's Resolution of mine. (I'll get to it, I'll get to it. It's only January.)

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.