Tag: Mo Willems

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Activities for Kids While Sheltering at Home

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Activities for Kids While Sheltering at Home

Posted on by Jaymie

I may be late to the party here. Maybe, after 6+ weeks at home with your kids, you have the perfect schedule for your family. Maybe you have already searched out every feasible activity known to man to keep your kids occupied so you can work and not lose your minds. Perhaps you are a teacher, and you have got this online learning/Zoom thing completely under control. If that is you, you probably don’t need this post.

BUT, if you are looking for things to keep your kids or your students engaged in the waning days of the school year while they are schooling from home, here are a few links I have found thanks to some of my favorite people in Kids Lit online.

Jarrett Lerner

Jarrett is the author of the Enginerds series, and almost from the first days of schooling from home, he has posted links to his website where kids can find drawing activities and other things to keep them engaged. You can go here to read an entire previously unpublished book, Knights of the Kids’ Table.  Then you can go to the activities tab on his website to find TONS of fun drawing activities and prompts (only for educational or private use).

Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Jarrett Krosoczka has been one of my favorite authors since my son and my students were reading his Lunch Lady graphic novel books. He endeared himself to me even more in his interactions with my son several years ago at an ALA conference when the Platypus Police Squad books were coming out. He’s one of my automatic-buy authors, and he’s won scads of awards for his graphic novel memoir Hey, Kiddo.  During the pandemic he has been hosting Draw Every Day with JJK on YouTube. Be sure to check out his whole channel for tons of great content.

Mo Willems

Mo Willems is the author of the Piggie and Elephant books, Knuffle Bunny, and Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, among others. He is also one of my must-buy authors.  He’s also been on my list of top 10 favorite illustrators AND his books are on my list of picture books I miss reading to students. He has been hosting Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems through the Kennedy Center. You can watch these videos here.

Peter H. Reynolds

Another one of my favorite illustrators is Peter H. Reynolds. He does the illustrations for the Judy Moody and Stink Moody books as well as some of my favorite picture books like The Dot, Ish, and So Few of Me. Peter has been posting video of himself reading some of his books aloud on Facebook. You can watch him read So Few of Me here.

Two More Resources

Publisher’s Weekly has a list of authors, illustrators and other professionals in Kids Lit who have activities or resources for parents, teachers and kids to use during the pandemic. You can take a look at their full list here.

Also, Jessica Purvis has produced an outstanding infographic for parents and teachers about copyright law and how publishers have temporarily relaxed the rules in order to help people out during this season. If you are a teacher who wants to read aloud to students during your class meetings, be sure to check this resource out here.

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Top 10 Favorite Illustrators

Posted on by Jaymie

I am crazy about picture books! And the illustrations are a large part of a picture book grabbing my attention. Certain illustration styles immediately catch my eye. And when you are reading with kids who don’t read on their own yet, the pictures are a HUGE part of the child’s engagement with the book. Here are some of my favorite illustrators, and links to some of my favorite books that include their amazing art work!

dan-santat

Dan Santat – Dan Santat has a great illustration style. I can usually pick out a book he has done from across the book store. I like his work so much. If you want to see great examples of his work, check out his award winning book, The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend, or his illustration work on the Dav Pilkey Ricky Ricotta series ( Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot ).  The Three Ninja Pigs is an outstanding story by Corey Rosen Schwartz. The illustrations by Dan Santat work perfectly with this awesome story!

 

mo-willems

Mo Willems – The Elephant and Piggie books are a huge hit with the preschool and early reading crowd. The language is simple, the stories are funny and the illustrations are a major component of the humor. He is also well known for the Knuffle Bunny series and the Pigeon books. A few of my (many) favorite books by Mo Willems are Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, Let’s Go for a Drive! (An Elephant and Piggie Book), and I Will Surprise My Friend! (An Elephant and Piggie Book). If you are looking for something for slightly older readers, try The Story of Diva and Flea. Lovely illustrations of Paris in this book.

 

ashley-spires

Ashley Spires – I fell in love with Ashley Spires’ work when my son and I discovered the Binky the Space Cat (A Binky Adventure)  graphic novel series. As cat people, we thoroughly enjoyed the jokes, many of which were in the pictures. The Most Magnificent Thing  is an amazing book about ideas and perseverance. Ashley’s style speaks to me, and I sit up and take notice any time she releases a new book.

 

 

lauren-child

Lauren Child – Lauren Child is the author/illustrator of the Charlie and Lola books. Disney turned these into a cartoon several years back. We watched it all the time. The writing was smart and fun. The illustrations have a paper piecing feel to them that have fun texture. My favorite Charlie and Lola story is We Honestly Can Look After Your Dog (Charlie and Lola). The New Small Person  is a clever story about a boy who gets a younger brother that he refers to as the “new small person.”

 

kadir-nelson

Kadir Nelson – I wish I could show you the illustrations inside this book because they are stunning! I used to show this book to students while letting the accompanying CD of Dr. King’s speech play. The words and pictures were a perfect  compliment to each other. Check out I Have a Dream (Book & CD)

 

 

don-tate

Don Tate – I met Don Tate at a conference a couple years ago. I was so excited to meet him because he wrote about and illustrated stories of African American history I had never heard before. I love Ron’s Big Mission, a book I would read a lot during Black History Month. It is a stirring story of a boy pursuing his right to a library card. I also like The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch and Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton. The covers are lovely and reflect the illustrations within.

 

alex-latimer

Alex Latimer – I discovered Alex Latimer through the American Library Association conference when I saw a cover and it pulled me out of traffic on the exhibit floor into the publisher’s booth. Lion vs Rabbit is my favorite story of his because of the clever rabbit’s solution to bullying. When you read it the second time  (and you will want to read it again), really explore the illustrations! I also loved to read The Boy Who Cried Ninja  and Penguin’s Hidden Talent  to students.

 

troy-cummings

Troy Cummings –  More Bears! cracks me up every time I read it. And Troy Cummings had an interesting job of illustrating such an unusual story. He did a bang up job at it! Wait until you see all the bears! I also love his work in Little Red Gliding Hood. Lovely pictures and lots to look at and enjoy as you read this one!

 

 

peter-h-reynolds

Peter H. Reynolds – I got to meet Peter H. Reynolds at a conference after I discovered his books and it was a highlight of the conference. I love the message of his books The Dot and Ish (Creatrilogy)  about embracing your art, no matter how imperfect you think it might be. My favorite book of his is So Few of Me which I think could be modeled on my life.

 

 

kazu-kibuishi

Kazu Kibuishi – I have loved the Mary Grand Pre’ illustrations in the Harry Potter books since I first read them. The covers are lovely and so iconic at this point. So when Scholastic said they were releasing the books with new covers, I was not interested. But then I saw them. They are gorgeous! (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Book 1)) The illustrator, Kazu Kibuishi, is the author/illustrator for the Amulet graphic novels ( The Stonekeeper (Amulet 1) ). His work is exquisite. If we didn’t already own three sets of the Harry Potter books, I would totally get this new set. I love the pictures!

 

So, who are your favorite illustrators?

 

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: 8 Authors I Buy Automatically

Posted on by Jaymie

 

I do an incredible amount of “book work.” I read magazines about books, I read web posts about books. I read book reviews. I track book release days. I do a lot of reading.

There are a few authors that I will buy almost without even bothering to read a blurb about the book. These are my “go-to” folks. These are the ones who have written new series and I have followed them merrily along without hesitation. Here they are:

Jen Hatmaker Jen Hatmaker

I will read anything Jen Hatmaker wants to write – books, Facebook posts, Instagram posts, emails. You name it! She makes me laugh while “telling it like it is.” She is an encourager and an affirmer. If you’ve never read her stuff before, I’d recommend starting with For the Love.

 

 

Jennifer Lynn Barnes Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The book, The Fixer was my favorite book of 2015 – and I read over 300 books in 2015! The sequel, The Long Game: A Fixer Novel is shaping up to be my favorite for 2016. I tried her series, The Naturals, from the library after eyeing the covers in bookstores over and over. I fell in love with that series, too. There’s a smart, sassy quality to both series that I adore. Jennifer Lynn Barnes is my go-to recommendation when I am talking to people about books for teens.

 

Kate Messner Kate Messner

Capture the Flag was probably my first encounter with Kate Messner’s work and it remains my favorite book of hers to this day (although there is stiff competition!). I’ve also loved The Seventh Wish, All the Answers, and the Ranger in Time series (Rescue on the Oregon Trail – think Magic Tree House with a dog). She writes books – and characters – that connect with readers’ hearts. When she puts out a new book, I pay attention!

 

Jenn McKinlay Jenn McKinlay

The Library Lovers series (Books Can Be Deceiving) is the only one of hers I have read from start to the latest installment. But I like her writing style so much, I’ve picked up and started her cupcake bakery series and her hat shop series. I haven’t had time to really dig into those series, but I love her writing style. Her books click for me no matter what series she is writing.

 

Mo Willems Mo Willems

Knuffle Bunny. The Pigeon. Piggie and Gerald. Diva and Flea. Leonardo. Edwina. Amanda and her alligator. If you’ve read these, you know what I am talking about. Funny, clever writing. Endearing characters. If you don’t know what these books are, get to a bookstore immediately! I recommend starting with I Will Surprise My Friend! or I Am Invited to a Party! . I’ll say “you’re welcome” now. I know you’ll love them!

 

Donalyn Miller Donalyn Miller

Donalyn Miller is known in teacher and literacy circles as “The Book Whisperer” (also the title of her first book). When Donalyn talks – about how to conference with readers, about what real readers do, about great books you should read – people listen. The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child and Reading in the Wild: The Book Whisperer’s Keys to Cultivating Lifelong Reading Habits were my two favorite books when I was a teacher/ librarian. I love the practical advice given in them for teachers who want to build a classroom that celebrates reading. I recommended these to every teacher who talked to me about ways to improve the reading culture in their rooms. I attend any and every presentation she gives at a conference. I follow her recommendations on GoodReads and Twitter. She is the real deal for teacher resources. Even if I am not teaching when her next book comes out, I would buy it without hesitation.

Jarrett Krosoczka Jarrett Krosoczka

We were first introduced to Jarrett Krosoczka’s work with the Lunch Lady graphic novel series (Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute). Then we checked out his picture books. When he released the first Platypus Police Squad middle grade novel, I hesitated, wondering if he could handle a longer form like this. I should not have hesitated! I remember being delighted at the intricate mystery in book one (Platypus Police Squad: The Frog Who Croaked). We loved the whole series. When Jarrett said he was picking up the Jedi Academy series (started by Jeffrey Brown), I was completely on board. I have seen Jarrett present at conferences, and I will forever be a fan after the way he interacted with my son several years ago when we met him in person.

Rick Riordan Rick Riordan

I don’t remember how we discovered the Percy Jackson series (The Lightning Thief ). I just remember our whole household fell hard for this series about a kid with ADHD who finds out he is the son of the god Poseidon. We have read them multiple times and have the books in multiple formats – physical, audio, graphic novel. We have read Riordan’s Egyptian series (starting with The Red Pyramid ), his crossover books between Percy, Annabeth, Carter and Sadie. We have started the Trials of Apollo series and are currently reading book 2 in his Magnus Chase series,Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, Book 2 The Hammer of Thor . The books are funny and completely engaging. The characters are kids you love spending time with. As long as Rick Riordan keeps writing them, our family will keep reading them.

 

So, what do you think of my list? Who would be on your “Must Buy” list of authors? Leave a comment below.