El Deafo

El Deafo by CeCe Bell is a graphic novel memoir about a young girl who has profound hearing loss.  A memoir is autobiographical in nature, so this book is based on the author's real life and real experiences. This is the first book I have read about a little girl growing up with hearing loss.  I could really relate to this story, because I, too, grew up with hearing loss.  While CeCe had more severe hearing loss than I do, I made so many connections--having meningitis, reading lips, how hard it was to understand teachers sometimes, feeling fearful people were going to make fun of my hearing aid or the way I talked--there is something to be said about reading a book about something you can relate to! Have you ever read a book and thought, "Hey, this is about me!" It makes for a powerful reading experience.  Isn't this what reading is about...finding books that speak to us?

CeCe is four years old when she gets very sick with meningitis (which there is an infection in the fluid of your brain--very serious).  She gets better, but she realizes she can't hear.  CeCe has profound hearing loss.  Her audiologists give her something they call a Sonic Ear.  She wears earphones and her teachers wear a microphone so she can hear what they are saying--directly into her ear.  CeCe doesn't want to wear it because she thinks it makes her different. She soon realizes, though, that her Phonic Ear gives her a great "super power"--she can hear EVERYTHING her teacher says and does.  I love how she spins this so positively; CeCe can do something other kids cannot. Mostly, CeCe is like every kid--what she wants more than anything is a best friend.  This book is about CeCe's experiences through elementary school including issues with friends, how her mom drives her a little bit crazy sometimes, her first crush and finding a true, amazing, wonderful best friend. This book is funny, touching and easy to relate to as you read it.  I would absolutely recommend this book! If you would like to borrow a copy to read, come see me.   Check out the book trailer below.

Winter Illustrated Texts

Today I chose to write about two illustrated texts I recently read that are both about winter.  I know this time of the year (February), most people are ready for winter to be OVER.  My son said to me the other day, "Mom, I am tired of winter. I want it to be summer." Many of us probably feel that way.  Truth is, winter is beautiful and lovely (even if we are ready for warmer weather).  Here are two books that celebrate winter and its beauty.  Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner begins with a young girl cross country skiing with her father.  When she notices a squirrel disappearing down into the snow, her father tells her she may be skiing over the squirrel.  A story of all the creatures who live over and under the snow unfolds.  By the way, Kate Messner has penned MANY, MANY non-fiction books worth taking a look at.  Check her out the next time you are at the library.  The next winter book is Winter Bees and Other Poems of the Cold by Joyce Sidman and Rick Allen. This book is both poetry and informative.  Each two-page spread shares a poem and an informative passage about different animals in winter.  I learned so much about these animals! The illustrations are quite lovely as well.  Both of these books teach us about what happens to many animals during winter...where they go and what they do.

Little Dog Lost

You might be able to relate to the main character in Little Dog Lost by Marion Dane Bauer.  Mark wants a dog more than anything. It's just Mark and his mother; he doesn't have a father, brothers, sisters or cousins around and he is lonely.  A dog would surely be wonderful.  However, his mother, who is the mayor of their town, keeps saying no.  Mark's friends all have dogs, and he loves playing with them, but he would really love his own dog.  One day, Mark meets Buddy, a dog who used to have her own boy.  Could she be the dog Mark needs? Could he be the kid Buddy needs?
This is a sweet story about family, friendship, loyalty, love, life in a small town, and what a kid can accomplish when he puts his mind to it.  The story is told in verse (poetry) and there are delightful illustrations by Jennifer A. Bell.  If you love dogs, or even if you don't--check out this sweet story!

I Want to Read That Book!

I have a fear.  I am afraid I will hear about a wonderful book and I will forget the title before I have a chance to write it down.  So, I keep a list of books I want to read on my iPad/phone that I can access whenever I need to.  I also keep a list of books I want to read on my Goodreads account.  How do you keep track of the books you want to read? Listed below are the latest books I have added to the list of books I want to read.  Check them out!
1. The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes
2. The Swallow by Charis Cotter (a ghost story--VERY outside of my comfort zone!)
3. The Great Greene Heist by Varian Johnson
4. The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher by Dana Alison Levy
5. El Deafo by CeCe Bell (I am most excited for this book; it is a graphic novel and tells the story of a girl who is profoundly deaf.)
Watch for some of these books to be featured in a book talk coming soon to a classroom near you!

The One and Only Ivan

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate won the Newbery Medal in 2013.  It tells the story of Ivan, a gorilla living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade.  He didn't always live there, though.  He used to live in the jungle, and then with humans in their home.  Now, he lives behind glass at the mall, though, he is not alone.  He has his friend Stella, an elderly elephant and a dog named Bob.  He watches TV and he loves to think about art and creating.  When Ruby, a baby elephant arrives at the mall, she begins to ask a lot of questions that cause Ivan to think and wonder about his home, his life and his future.  While this is a work of fiction, it is based on a true story.  Recently, Katherine Applegate wrote an illustrated non-fiction text, Ivan: The Remarkable True Story of the Shopping Mall Gorilla. This is the true story of Ivan and would be wonderful to read after you read The One and Only Ivan.

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Imagine you are ten and have never attended a school; you have been homeschooled since you were old enough to go to school.  Imagine what it might feel like to start attending school with kids you have never met before.  You might feel nervous and anxious, and you just want to fit in.  Now imagine you have dramatic facial abnormalities.  This is what happens to August Pullman.  More than anything, he wants to fit in and for others to see him as the ordinary kid he feels like on the inside, regardless of what he looks like on the outside.

This book follows August as he experiences his first year of formalized school--the challenges and joys that go along with it.  It is easy to connect to August as we have all had times where we didn't feel like we belonged.  This book is about August, his family, his friends and all he learns about himself--and the world and people around him.