Blog Tour & Giveaway: What If...? Then We...

What If…? Then We…: Short, Very Short, Shorter-than-Ever Possibilities
by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Illustrated by Fred Koehler
Boyds Mills Press (February 12, 2019)
Fiction * Imagination & Play
Audience: Ages 5 to 9
Indiebound | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads:
Two polar bear friends have a thrilling adventure as they imagine solutions to a variety of possible situations; their story will show readers how to create their own tales in response to the question "What if...?" in this ingenious picture book.

"What if . . . we got lost far, far, far away, and couldn't find our way home? Then we would become the bravest explorers in the world." So begin the adventures of two intrepid polar bears. Traveling on a ship imagined from an iceberg, the bears encounter magnificent sights and scary situations. When a city made of crayons melts, the bears use pencils to create a beautiful gray world. When all the words in the universe disappear, the bears invent their own language. When something really big and really scary happens, they whistle and hold hands until it's not as big or scary anymore. And when they find their way back home, they're ready to imagine a thousand more possibilities.

This companion title to the Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book One Day, The End. is ultimately a book about imagination, friendship, and finding possibilities in the smallest moments.

Thoughts on the book:
In 2015 I was introduced to Rebecca Kai Dotlich and Fred Koehler and their wonderful book, ONE DAY, THE END.

I remember opening the book and simply falling in love with the format and the possibilities for use as a writing mentor text. My first lesson with the book was with a group of kindergarteners. I loved that they could write their first shorter-than-ever stories and have so much fun writing.

Back in January, I had a chance to read the companion book, WHAT IF…? THEN WE… and had that same feeling again. The feeling of falling in love with possibilities, which seemed even more appropriate this time around.

At the end of January, I loaned out my F&G of WHAT IF…? THEN WE to a teacher. It has been a busy few weeks and I am excited to see what she and her students have done with the book.

As I thought about sharing the book with students, I pondered how I would use it. Though I would not usually suggest reading only certain pages of the book, I considered the possibilities of starting with just the “What If” pages and having students come up with their own “Then We” pages. The format and style of the book perfectly lend themselves to creative exploration. I can see partners working together on both their own text and illustrations for the answers to “What If”. I suspect that there would be some equally fabulous suggestions to rival the actual “Then We” pages.

Dotlich and Koehler are the perfect team for this series and they have created a new book that will spark imagination and possibility. I am looking forward to a chance to see the new stories that students create as a result of this fun book

Look for WHAT IF…? THEN WE… at you local indie bookstore and while you are at it, pick up a copy of ONE DAY, THE END.

Check out the other stops in the blog tour:
Monday, 2/11 Simply 7 Interview

Tuesday, 2/12 Storymamas

Wednesday, 2/13 Librarian in Cute Shoes

Thursday, 2/14 Mrs. Knott’s Book Nook

Friday, 2/15 Miss Marple’s Musings

Monday, 2/18 Bridget and the Books

Tuesday, 2/19 Radio, Rhythm and Rhyme

Thursday, 2/21 Kid Lit Frenzy

Friday, 2/22 Unleashing Readers
Book Seed Studio

About the author: Rebecca is a children’s poet and picture book author of titles such as What Can A Crane Pick Up? which received a *starred* review from Publishers Weekly, What is Science? (an AAAS Subaru SB&F prize finalist), Bella and Bean (an SCBWI Golden Kite Honor) and Grumbles From The Forest; Fairy Tale Voices with a Twist (co-authored with Jane Yolen.) She gives poetry workshops, visits classrooms across the country, and speaks at conferences, retreats, libraries and schools to teachers, aspiring writers and students of all ages. Find her at: www.rebeccakaidotlich.com

About the illustrator: Fred Koehler is an artist and storyteller whose real-life misadventures include sunken boats, shark encounters, and hurricanes. Whether free diving in the Gulf of Mexico or backpacking across Africa, Fred’s sense of adventure and awe of nature overflow into his characters’ stories.

​Between book projects, Fred also runs a highly-sought after design studio, helping brands across the US tell their own stories. Find him at: www.ilikefred.com

Giveaway:
Thank you to Boyds Mills Press for offering one lucky reader a chance to win a copy of What If…? Then We… Please complete the Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. Winners must have a US mailing address.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 2018 CYBILS Winners and 2019 Green Earth Book Award

Last week the 2018 CYBILS winners were announced. I was thankful to have an opportunity to be a Round 2 Judge for the Elementary/Middle Grades Nonfiction category.

The 2018 CYBILS Nonfiction Winners:

Elementary NF Winner: Joan Procter, Dragon Doctor by Patricia Valdez, Illustrated by Felicita Sala (Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers)

Middle Grade Nonfiction Winner: Death Eaters: Nature’s Decomposers and Scavengers by Kelly Milner Halls (Millbrook)

Junior High Nonfiction: Boots on the Ground: America’s War in Vietnam by Elizabeth Partridge (Viking Books for Young Readers)

Senior High Nonfiction: The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler by John Hendrix (Amulet)

Congratulations to all of the winners. To read the full list of winners, click here.

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Recently, I learned about the Green Earth Book Award thank you to Melissa Stewart.

2019 Green Earth Book Award Long List Announced

From the website:
“We have announced the long list for the 2019 national Green Earth Book Award, which we bestow annually to children’s and young adult literature that best convey the message of environmental stewardship. Over 150 books were nominated this year in five categories: picture book, children’s fiction and nonfiction; and young adult fiction and nonfiction.

This is the 15th year environmental nonprofit The Nature Generation has bestowed the award in order to bring national recognition to important works and their authors with its highly qualified “seal of approval” for environmental literature. The winners are chosen by a panel of literary, environmental and educational professionals.

“This long list of environmental stewardship books brings educators and parents top quality, well-vetted choices to give our next generation the gift of the love of nature—and the gift of understanding facts and science about the environment, ” said The Nature Generation founder and president, Amy Marasco. “These gifts are the tools they’ll use to solve the critical environmental issues the world is facing.”

The short list will be announced in March and the final Green Earth Book Award winners will be announced at the Salisbury University Children’s and Young Adult Literature Festival in April.”

Congratulations to all of the finalists. I look forward to the short list announcement. To check out the full list of books, click here.

Don’t forget to link up your nonfiction reviews…

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: What are you reading? - 2/13/19

About once a month, I do a “What are you reading?” post. Here are some of the picture books that I read recently. I am still working through a stack of books and will share those titles soon. Since some of these books won’t be released until March or even later, I have included the release date next to each book.

Sweet Dreams, Sarah: From Slavery to Inventor by Vivian Kirkfield, Illustrated by Chris Ewald (Creston Books, May 1, 2019)

Yogi: The Life, Loves, and Language of Baseball Legend Yogi Berra by Barb Rosenstock, Illustrated by Terry Widener (Calkins Creek, February 5, 2019)

Popcorn Country: The Story of America’s Favorite Snack by Cris Peterson, Photographs by David R. Lundquist (Boyds Mills Press, April 16, 2019)

I am Farmer: Growing an Environmental Movement in Cameroon by Miranda Paul, Baptiste Paul, Illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon (Millsbrook Press, February 5, 2019)

Just Right: Searching for the Goldilocks Planet by Curtis Manley, Illustrated by Jessica Lanan (Roaring Brook Press, January 29, 2019)

Along Came Coco: A Story About Coco Chanel by Eva Byrne (Abrams Books for Young Readers, March 19, 2019)

Guitar Genius: The Legendary Les Paul and His Electrifying Inventions by Kim Tomsic, Illustrated by Brett Helquist (Chronicle Books, June 1, 2019)

From 2018:

The Eye That Never Sleeps: How Detective Pinkerton Saved President Lincoln by Marissa Moss, Illustrated by Jeremy Holmes (Harry N. Abrams, November 2018)

Look for these books at your local indie bookstores or public libraries.

Tomorrow, Thursday, February 14, 2019, CYBILS will announce the winners. I am so excited to share the winners of the Elementary Nonfiction category and the Middle Grades Nonfiction category.

Don’t forget to link up your nonfiction reviews….

Happy Book Birthday: How I Became a Spy by Deborah Hopkinson

How I Became a Spy: A Mystery of WWII London
by Deborah Hopkinson
Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers (February 12, 2019)
Fiction * Historical * Mystery
Audience: Ages 9 to 12
Indiebound | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads:
Bertie Bradshaw never set out to become a spy. He never imagined traipsing around war-torn London, solving ciphers, practicing surveillance, and searching for a traitor to the Allied forces. He certainly never expected that a strong-willed American girl named Eleanor would play Watson to his Holmes (or Holmes to his Watson, depending on who you ask).

But when a young woman goes missing, leaving behind a coded notebook, Bertie is determined to solve the mystery. With the help of Eleanor and his friend David, a Jewish refugee--and, of course, his trusty pup, Little Roo--Bertie must decipher the notebook in time to stop a double agent from spilling the biggest secret of all to the Nazis.

From the author of The Great Trouble, this suspenseful WWII adventure reminds us that times of war call for bravery, brains and teamwork from even the most unlikely heroes.

Quick Thoughts on the book:
At the end of How I Became a Spy, Hopkinson includes a “question & answer” section. She shares her inspiration as being her love for “mysteries, spy stories, history, and anything to do with London”. Hopkinson combines all of her loves into an engaging, fast-paced novel for young readers.

Blending references from Sherlock Holmes and quotes from the Special Operations Executive (SOE) Manual (a “British Organization that recruited ordinary men and women to conduct espionage”), Hopkinson places readers into World War II London in 1944. Bertie Bradshaw is a Civil Defense Volunteer and during an air raid discovers unconscious young woman. When he returns with help, a short time later, the young woman is gone. With the discovery of a special notebook, the assistance of Eleanor, an American, and his dog Little Roo, Bertie investigates the disappearance of the young woman, deciphers several coded messages, and stops a double agent.

How I Became a Spy takes the reader on an adventure into a world of secrets and mysteries. Though at times, the adult reader in me wondered how realistic it would be for two 13 year olds to actually get caught up in the world of espionage, my inner 11 year old said to ignore it and just enjoy the journey, which was good advice. I suspect that the book will appeal to a wide range of readers. The short chapters and the action keeps the story moving and will appeal to readers who like fast-paced writing. Others will enjoy the inclusion of ciphers and the opportunity to test out their own decoding skills.

One of my favorite aspects of the book is the inclusion of Spy Practice with actual ciphers. The first cipher is a Simple Substitution Cipher.

Additional ciphers include:
Caesar (Shift) Cipher
Atbash Cipher
Cipher Wheel
Mixed Alphabet Cipher

The answers to the ciphers can be found at the end of the book with some additional back matter including an author’s note, roster of terms, events & historical figures, notes, and a short question and answer.

To read an excerpt of the book, click here.

Check out the interview with author, Deborah Hopkinson on Read & Shine here. Hopkinson talks some about her writing and research process.

Look for How I Became a Spy at your local indie bookstore or community library.

About the author: DEBORAH HOPKINSON has written more than 40 books for young readers. She is the author of the middle-grade novels The Great Trouble: A Mystery of London, the Blue Death, and a Boy Called Eel; A Bandit’s Tale: The Muddled Misadventures of a Pickpocket; and Into the Firestorm: A Novel of San Francisco, 1906. Her picture books include Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt; Sky Boys: How They Built the Empire State Building, an ALA-ALSC Notable Children’s Book and a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book; Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek, an ALA-ALSC Notable Children’s Book and a Junior Library Guild Selection; A Boy Called Dickens; and the ALA Notable Book Apples to Oregon. Visit her at DeborahHopkinson.com and follow her at @deborahopkinson

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: Fact or Fiction

During one of the panels at NCTE ‘18, I asked the nonfiction authors about the process they go through in fact-checking their books. Each author assured attendees that they do rigorous fact-checking and that their editors and publishers also check the facts in their books. There was a confidence, an assuredness in their responses. Knowing who the authors were and what their backgrounds consisted of, I shared their confidence.

However, what happens when you discover that the information in a book is not correct? And I don’t mean just an accidental typo where the text mentions one date and the back matter references another date. Those kind of things happen. What I worry about are the bigger things that reinforce commonly believed information that might be outdated or simply false.

For example, if I were to ask the average adult or most 4th graders if all spiders spin webs, I would guess that they would say “yes”. I know I would have. Sure, those with a background in arachology, would know that hunting spiders or spiders that are members of the wolf spider family use other methods to capture prey, but that wouldn’t be me. A book mentioning that all spiders spin webs would be accepted by many without raising any questions. And yet it should be challenged.

In a recent conversation with a friend, with a science background, I discovered that this so-called trait about spiders that I had accepted as fact was indeed false. Now, let’s take this one step further, what happens when an author writes in a book that all spiders spin webs? If I were the reader of the book, I would accept what I read about spider making webs. My students would also accept it and together we would continue to propagate a myth. Do I believe that the writer intentionally tried to disseminate false information? No. There are some things that we think we know and don’t need to research. Just as I am certain that the author was not trying to pass off false information, I believe that most editors would accept what the author wrote without giving it a second thought. And yet, a nonfiction book containing this detail would be inaccurate.

As I thought about this, I struggled with what to do. Most elementary teachers that I know are generalists. Some may have a specialty area based on their own interests but we are trained to teach mostly language arts and math and a little of everything else. How do we know that what we are reading is accurate? Teachers are busy. It is hard enough to carve out the time to read lots of books each week. To add fact-checking books to my to do list seems a bit overwhelming, especially since I want to believe that all of the authors, editors, and publishers who create nonfiction for children also recognize how critical their roles as researchers and fact-checkers are to teachers, librarians, and students.

Currently, I am working on a series of lessons on deserts and forests. I am close to pulling out my hair. I am not working in my wheelhouse. As I work on these lessons, I am double and triple checking everything because these lessons will be implemented in multiple classrooms with dozens of children. Since this isn’t an area that I am a specialist, I am not accepting anything and questioning everything. The tricky areas come with what may be seen as generally accepted or commonly accepted facts that most people believe about deserts or forests. This is the blindspot. And this is the area that all authors, illustrators, editors, and publishers will need to address before sending a nonfiction book out into the world.

Don’t forget to link up your nonfiction reviews…