onthechildrensshelf – On the Children's Shelf

Writing through writer’s block

I’ve tried to write here multiple times lately but just had nothing profound to say. Everything I wrote seemed blah, even about books that I was excited about. I just wasn’t presenting them in a way that did them justice.

I couldn’t figure out why I had such writer’s block. I think we often keep thinks like this quiet and it’s silly because every person who writes feels this way at some point. By talking about it, we realize every writer goes through it. I was telling a dear friend this morning and she reminded me of the importance of continuing to try to write to work it out. As we chatted, I thought of a favorite book that addresses exactly this.

“Some Writer! The Story of E.B. White” by Melissa Sweet is an incredible read. “Charlotte’s Web” is one of my all-time favorite books. It is filled with important life lessons and recognizes the incredible value of a great friend. In “Some Writer!” we learn about E.B. White’s experience writing “Charlotte’s Web.” E.B. White wrote the story based on a real spider. He struggled with the first line for over a year. Read that line again…. he struggled with the first line for over a year.

As anyone who has attempted to write anything finds some comfort in knowing that even greats like E.B. White struggled with writing at times. He wrote and rewrote the start of Charlotte’s Web for a year. A YEAR. It’s easy to assume writing comes naturally for the writers we admire because we see all these incredible books that they wrote. We don’t see the discarded pages, the pages with lines crossed out and notes in the margins. We don’t see the many attempts to rewrite the story. We just see the pretty shiny finished copy.

I highly recommend “Some Writer” for several reasons. If you love “Charlotte’s Web” or anything by E.B. White, it’s a fascinating read. We all have to write, whether it is papers for school or something for work. Sometimes it’s really hard to do and easy to think we just aren’t good at it. Writing is like anything else…it takes a lot of practice and some days we are just off our game but need to keep trying.

Encouraging reading through music

*image from MrMCGrammar’s instagram page

A love of reading starts with a love of stories. Young children (pre-reading), love hearing the story. Many children love hearing fictional stories. Many children love hearing facts from books….information on dinosaurs or trains or whatever their interest in. The love hearing the words. The love hearing what happens next (fact or fiction).

When children learn to read, finding books that they will love is so important because the more interested in the subject, the more interested they are in reading. Children’s books combine words and pictures to draw children in. Parents, teachers and older siblings read stories aloud to draw young readers in. The more ways we can present books to children, the more ways for them to fall in love with reading.

I recently discovered Mr MC Grammar on social media and I’m obsessed because he presents children’s books in a whole new way to draw young children into the stories. Mr MC Grammar makes reading fun through music and rap. He raps some of our favorite children’s books while showing the illustrations and words on the page.

Children’s books often have a certain cadence to them that adapts well to music and rap. What Mr MC Grammar does is brilliant and another fabulous way to introduce children to books. Be sure to check out him out on social media.

Youtube – Mr MC Grammar

Instagram – Mr MC Grammar

The Hotel Balzaar

After “Ferris” I decided to dive into another very different Kate DiCamillo book. “The Hotel Balzaar” is a lovely hopeful magical fairytale. Like other Kate DiCamillo books, you are pulled into the story from the first page.

Young Marta lives in the maids quarters of the Hotel Balzaar with her mother. Her father, a solider, went off to fight but has not returned and no they have not received a letter from him in over a year. Marta is instructed by her mother to be quiet, stay out of trouble, and never speak to the guests. This is easy for Marta to do until a countess with a parrot checks in and tells Marta she has a series of stories to tell her. As she listens to the stories, Marta begins to wonder if there are somehow telling her about her father’s return. Does he come home? Do the countess’ tale somehow show Marta the future? Read the book to find out.

The illustrations are beautiful. The story is captivating. I opened this book to read on a train ride home and couldn’t put it down. Literally walked off the train still reading. I’ve recommended many Kate DiCamillo books here over the years and this one is definitely one you should read.

“Ferris” by Kate DiCamillo

I recently found Kate DiCamillo’s “Ferris” at the library. I don’t know how I missed when this book came out, but I’m glad I found it. I love Kate DiCamillo books because she is such an incredible storyteller, and her each story is unique and not a repetition of a past book.

“Ferris” is filled with an eccentric group of characters. Pinky, Ferris’ younger sister, wants to be an outlaw. She terrorizes the town, trying to hold up a bank, and her own family. Ferris’ Uncle Ted is living in the basement while painting the history of the world. Ferris is especially close to her grandmother, Charisse, who also lives with her family. Charisse sees a ghost in the house and tells Ferris the ghost has a very specific wish. Ferris and her best friend, Billy Jackson, try to help Ferris’ grandmother fulfill the ghost’s wish but quickly realize they can’t do it alone. They need to ask the whole family and some friends for help.

This book is so well written, the characters are unique and captivating. Ferris’ sister Pinky is challenging, and her antics are funny to readers (not to her parents who are trying to deter her from her wish of being an outlaw). Every character plays a significant role in the story and readers will find themselves invested in each individual character’s story.

Often when reading a good book, I find myself texting my reader friends photos of pages of the book. The read the passage I loved and end up reading the book as well. This book was no exception, and I texted the photo above because it was one of my favorite parts of the book. Ferris and Billy Jackson often refer to the vocabulary words their teacher had them learn in school. They define them, use them in sentences. The words are an important part of the story and an excellent way to teach young readers so many great new words.

I highly recommend this book for readers of all ages. This story would make a great family read aloud as it would give young readers a chance to hear how so many new vocabulary words are pronounced. Definitely check out “Ferris.”

Big Tree – the journey of two Sycamore seeds

Happy New Year everyone! I’m excited to be back after a little holiday break to talk books with you.

I love Brian Selznick books. Over the holiday break, I dove into “Big Tree.” Selznick has this magical way of using words, the blank space on pages, and illustrations to tell his story. It’s both complex in the multiple ways the story comes to life, but easier to follow the story through this unique combination he weaves.

“Big Tree” is the story of Louise and Merwin who are two Sycamore seeds. Yes, the story is told from first person seed and while that sounds strange when I write it here, it makes complete sense when you read the book. A fire spreads through the forest and the seeds are sent out into the unknown far sooner than they expected. Scared and only with each other to rely on, their story is their journey into the world, their communication with other plants of the forest, their quest to find good soil and their goal to set down roots to become trees.

I loved the way the story was told but had no idea if this is really how a seed potentially becomes a tree. Since this is not my area of expertise, I was thrilled to read the afterword titled, “The Science”, at the end of the book. Selznick explains “everything in the story you just read is based on scientific fact” and then goes on to further explain the specific parts of the book and the science behind it. I was fascinated. This is the most beautiful and brilliant way to explain “how does a seed become a tree” to a child.

Readers of all ages will love this story because it is so beautifully illustrated. When you read it, pay attention to the use of white space on the page. Selznick tells part of the story in that space. It is significant. Take time to really look at the illustrations. Aside from being beautiful, more of the story resides there too.

I highly recommend this book. To read about some other awesome Selznick books, check out my previous review.

“Yes,Virginia, there is a Santa Claus”

“Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.” This is probably one of the most famous lines ever written. It first appeared in an editorial in response to a reader question in the “The Sun” newspaper in 1897. Virginia O’Hanlon, an 8-year-old who lived in New York City, was told by friends that Santa might not be real. Unsure what to think about this, she asked her father who encouraged her to write in to the newspaper. She wrote in to “The Sun” newspaper and awaited a reply. Francis Pharcellus Church, one of the paper’s editors, wrote a reply that has become one of the most famous editorials ever written and most reprinted. This editorial has since been the inspiration for books and movies and the answer is just as important today as it was over 100 years ago.

I love this piece for many reasons. First, Church points out that there is so much that we can’t see that still exists. Church explains “Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see…Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.“

Secondly, while Church is answering the question of an 8-year-old, his answer is thought provoking, deep and something readers of all ages can appreciate. I’ve always believed the best children’s books are written for readers of all ages in a way that is appropriate for but not limited to children. The same can be said for this editorial. It is written for a child but really, it is written for readers of all ages while being appropriate for a child.

Third, I love this because the answer is so much more important because of the impact it had on young Virginia. She had a question she was wrestling with. She reached to an adult to help her sort through it. She wrote out her question and read the reply. She was heard, her question was validated, and she received a wonderfully well written answer. What you might not know about young Virginia…she grew up and continued to ask questions. She wrestled with big ideas. She read. She explored. She pursued finding the answer. In 1930, at a time when many women did not go to college and even fewer pursued advanced degrees, she earned her doctorate degree from nearby Fordham University. Being heard and being taught to look for answers, is so important for a child. She didn’t receive a quick yes or no answer. The reply gave her something to think about. Those moments for a child, when they feel heard and validated, are so significant and can truly be lifechanging. The fact that she wrote and read a reply are of course, so significant. She didn’t know the answer, so asked questions and she read.

While books are so important for so many reasons, reading can be so much more than simply enjoying a good story. Reading answers questions, reading gives us new questions to ponder, reading introduces readers of all ages to new things. Reading helps us grow.

* You can read the full text of Church’s editorial here.

* Learn more about Virginia’s education, doctoral dissertation and role as an educator here.

Keeper of the Lost Cities, book 9.5

I love a good series. Once I’m invested in the character, knowing there will be another book with more story makes the book ending so much easier. I love introducing young readers to a good series because they too get so excited for the next book.

Last week I waited impatiently for the latest book in Shannon Messenger’s “Keeper of the Lost Cities” series. Book 9.5, “Unraveled,”(yes, this book follows book 9 and comes before book 10 because it parallels book 9) detours from the usual narrator, Sophie, to her friend Keefe telling his story of the time he is away from the Lost Cities.

A little background on the “Keeper of the Lost Cities” series…in book 1, we meet 12-year-old Sophie, who always felt different than other children and even her own family. She has a photographic memory, but what really makes her different…she can read minds. She keeps this secret hidden until she meets Fitz, who shares something so big, mind reading seems small in comparison. Sophie is an elf, as is Fitz and there is a whole secret elf world that humans don’t know about. Sophie leaves her family (whose memories of her are removed by another elf) and moves to the elf world in the lost cities.

The series follows Sophie as she learns there are secrets buried in her memories and that she has a much larger purpose in the elf world. She was hidden in the human world for a reason and now that she has been found, Sophie and her friends will need to battle evil, while manifesting other special skills and being normal teenagers who attend elf school.

This series has all sorts of twists and turns, adventures, betrayals, battles, family challenges, friendship challenges, and unicorns. While being an elf and meeting unicorns might make the story seem especially childish, it isn’t. It is written in a way that it feels very real and believable. Shannon Messenger weaves a complicated tale while keeping a myriad of big personalities on their interwoven journeys. It’s a good read for tween, teen, and adult readers.

What Messenger does best…she gets her readers excited for the next book. If your young reader enjoys the “Keeper” series, be sure to follow Shannon Messenger on social media. She talks about the characters, does count downs and give aways for preorders of the next book. Young “Keeper” fans count down the days to the next book. Anyone who can get young readers that excited about the next book in a series gets a big recommendation from me. I highly recommend this series. If your tween or teen likes fantasy, be sure to introduce them to Sophie (definitely start with book 1, this isn’t a jump in the middle of the series kind of book).

A Recorded Story – the Best Gift

Recently, while cleaning, I found on a shelf one of those record yourself reading books. I had forgotten we had this book. My mom recorded it many years ago when my children were small.

I opened the book and heard my mom narrating it with my children chiming in. I’ve talked before about books being portals to different points in time, but none compared to this moment. I was swept into the book listening to their little voices and my mom’s patience while they interrupted the story. Time was frozen inside those pages.

When my mom recorded that book, I thought it was sweet. In this moment finding it, that book became one of the most priceless gifts. I got to travel through time. While we remember being read to and reading to our children, those aren’t usually the moments we record. We tend to record the big moments…. school talent shows, sports, recitals, holidays. This recorded book was one of those moments that fell in between those big moments. It was a regular afternoon, it was reading a book, and I’m so lucky my mom recorded it.

As I listened to it, I took phone video of the pages and started texting them. My family loved reliving the story as much as I did. It was like a hidden gift inside the pages of a book. This book will be carefully tucked away with our holiday decorations this year, so we can take it out each year and listen to story again and again. My mom gave my children a book, but really, she gave us so much more through a book that lets us travel back in time.

If you are looking for a priceless, inexpensive gift, record a book with the child you love. You are not only giving them a story, you are associating love with reading. You are giving them a memory and years from now, they will revisit those pages and be transported back in time. That book will be a portal to years gone by filled with so many good feelings and memories.

Balloons Over Broadway – a Thanksgiving Read

Thanksgiving parade balloons are mesmerizing. They are giant and they are somehow maneuvered around buildings and light posts by a group of people with giant ropes. When I was small, I was so excited to see the Big Bird balloon in the parade, that I took photos of the television screen with our family polaroid. The pictures were blurry but that’s ok, it matches the memory…a bit fuzzy but still special to me.

As a child someone told me that many years ago, at the end of the parade, the balloons were released. If you found one, you could return it for a reward. I imagined walking outside my house and seeing a deflated giant parade balloon in our backyard. It never happened (as they stopped releasing the balloons many, many years before my lifetime, but I still loved to imagine finding one). Since I couldn’t find a released balloon, my next idea….someday being a balloon handler. A few years ago, I got to live out that childhood dream and take a giant dragon for a walk through city streets and it was just as awesome as I imagined it would be.

So my Thanksgiving book recommendation this year….Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade by Melissa Sweet. I love this book for both the story and the illustrations. In this beautiful picture book, we meet Tony Sarg, who invented the giant ballons we see in the Thanksgiving Parade. Sarg had a determination and enthusiasm for his idea of creating these giant balloons that is contagious. Young readers will cheer him on as he works on his idea and it’s exciting to see it come to life.

While this book is geared towards children, it was delightful to read as an adult. I learned new things about the parade, and I look at the parade in a new way after reading this. I highly recommend this book!

The Princess Bride

*Note: This as originally published November 16, 2018.

“He held up a book then. “I’m going to read it to you for relax.”

“Does it have any sports in it?”

“Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Poison. True Love. Hate. Revenge. Giants. Hunters. Bad men. Good men. Beautifulest Ladies. Snakes. Spiders… Pain. Death. Brave men. Cowardly men. Strongest men. Chases. Escapes. Lies. Truths. Passion. Miracles.”

“Sounds okay,” I said and I kind of closed my eyes.”

― William Goldman, The Princess Bride

There are very few books and movies that I love equally. I often read a book with the movie I would like to see in my mind, except I’m not a filmmaker nor do I imagine any filmmakers are interested in the very specific details I hoped to see. I usually wish that instead of being turned into a 2-hour movie, that they could simply make the 12 hour extremely detailed version I pictured in my mind while reading. I would guess that most filmmakers don’t think viewers would sit there for 12 hours watching that movie…I totally would.

There is however one exception, the book and movie I love…The Princess Bride. I love this book. I love this movie. It would be inconceivable to love one and not the other. The story has something for everyone…romance, fencing, a giant (played by Andre the Giant in the movie), rodents of unusual size, and so much more….in both the book AND the movie. Obviously, they aren’t exactly the same, but they are similar enough and yet distinct enough that they are both amazing.

In 2017, my mom gave me the coolest gift ever…a signed copy of The Princess Bride. She knew it was my favorite and when she met William Goldman, she knew a signed book would be the most amazing gift ever (and it definitely was).

Last night (in 2018), William Goldman passed away at the age of 87. Today, I will revisit some amazing characters in my beloved copy of “The Princess Bride,” and I will watch the movie again this weekend. If you haven’t read the book or seen the movie, please join me. This epic fairy tale should be enjoyed in both book and movie.