DogTown

Posted on September 7, 2024 by Jennie

I just finished reading one of the best books, DogTown, by Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko, and had to share my excitement.

It’s friendship, bravery, loss, humor, and heart.  Oh, is it ever heart.

“Your heart is a muscle,” I told Mouse at dinner that night.  “It grows stronger the more you use it.”

Chance is a dog in a shelter.  How he got there is complicated.  He has to make friends, learn how to live, and get along with the new electronic ‘robot dogs’.  Everyone who comes into the shelter seems to prefer them over real dogs.

When the Reading Buddies from school make their weekly visit, Chance is never picked.  Quinn, one of the kids, just can’t find the right dog or the right book – until he discovers Metal Head, one of the robot dogs.  Metal Head can read, and he reads aloud Green Eggs and Ham, which becomes life-changing for Quinn.

The shelter has many interesting dogs, with characters as big as life, and also a mouse.

When Metal Head is convinced he can find his family, he plans an escape with the help of Chance and Mouse.  Finding his family is truly life-altering, and plants seeds of doubt.  Chase and Mouse try to rally Metal Head.  It comes down to heart – which will grow stronger the more it is used.  So, does an electronic robot dog have a heart?

The arc of the story begins here.  Chance has quite a journey, physically and emotionally.  Can he try to find his home?  How will he get there?

It’s complicated.  It’s wonderful.  It’s emotionally packed in the best of ways, laced with humor and excitement.  It’s life’s ups and downs, and of course dogs.  It’s a beautifully written story.

Jennie

P.S. Picture book recommendations tomorrow.

Posted in Book Review, books, children's books, Dogs, Expressing words and feelings, Heart, Inspiration, literacy, Love, reading, robots, wonder | Tagged , , , , , , | 28 Comments

A Children’s Book in the Sky – Swimmy

Posted on August 31, 2024 by Jennie

And there it was,
flying high like a quiet beauty.
“Swimmy”
My beloved picture book.
The first book I read aloud to my preschoolers,
forty years ago.

Jennie

Posted in children's books, Imagination, Inspiration, Nature, picture books, wonder | Tagged , , | 56 Comments

READ

Posted on August 24, 2024 by Jennie

My two favorite READ posters
from Literary Hub @ lithub.com

Dolly Parton has done more
for putting books into the hands of children
than anyone.
Bless you, Dolly.
Look at the books she is reading!
Every Very Hungry Caterpillar Day
is a good day.
I’m filled with joy.

Yo-Yo Ma is reading Goodnight Moon.
It doesn’t get better than that.
I recite this book to children every day,
just before chapter reading.
It’s a ritual that brings children comfort and language.
Yo-Yo’s beloved cello gets to enjoy the book.

P.S. Stay tuned for my favorite new picture books I read this summer.

Jennie

Posted in books, children's books, Imagination, Inspiration, literacy, picture books, reading aloud | Tagged , , , , | 64 Comments

Winged Victory

Posted on August 17, 2024 by Jennie

The plants and flowers are thriving,
all but the little guy in the back,
spreading his ‘wings’ and trying to grow.


Winged Victory is growing a baby flower.

Winged Victory is the end of summer and summer camp,
watching children thrive and grow,
braving the big water slide.

Winged Victory is nailing the query letter,
with mega kudos from the picky editor,
and immediately knowing the book comps.
It is Harry the Dirty Dog and Guji Guji
riding The Polar Express.


Winged Victory Statue

“The most interesting thing in the world to me has always been a free, spontaneous expression of human nature – whether in a thought, a symphony, a poem, a painting, a statue, or an act of everyday life that shows the qualities of mind, heart, and soul which, in my opinion, are the indispensables in any work of art.”
          ~Letter by Dr. Albert C. Barnes to
         Leopold Stokowski, March 18, 1925~

Jennie

Posted in children's books, Expressing words and feelings, Inspiration, literacy, Nature, picture books, Quotes, Teaching young children, wonder | Tagged , , , | 68 Comments

The Carle, and More

Posted on August 10, 2024 by Jennie

I never tire of visiting the the Eric Carle Museum, because every visit has something new and exciting.  Yes, every visit.

I had no idea his favorite color was yellow.
No wonder he has created so many suns.

This is the first photo I have seen with
the Very Hungry Caterpillar
perched on Eric Carle’s shoulder.

I have read this over and over again.  It’s powerful.
I want to yell and jump up and down, because this is the fundamental way to introduce young children to art and literature.

When Eric Carle died, this was the cover of the New York Times Magazine.  No words needed, his shoes say it all.


One of my favorite authors, Astrid Sheckels, has written a new book.
It is always exciting to listen to an author present their book and having a meet & greet at the book signing.

Walter the sea dog from Astrid’s previous book, Sea Dog is part of this new and wonderful alphabet book, Sea Dog Boats.

Here I am, under an Eric Carle tree.  Lucky me!

Jennie

Posted in art, Book Review, Dogs, Eric Carle, Expressing words and feelings, Giving thanks, Inspiration, literacy, museums, picture books, The Arts | Tagged , , , | 70 Comments

40 Year Bookends

Posted on August 1, 2024 by Jennie

All in a day, I bumped into ‘bookends’, parents of a student in my first class forty years ago, and parents of a child this past year.

Michelle was one of my first students.  The local newspaper came to take photos when the new school opened.  1984.

There I am along with Michelle on the far right of the photo.

She never really left.  As the years went by she became my Summer Camp assistant counselor (we had so much fun), and we even accidentally wore the same clothing.

Michelle visited on occasion to read or do science experiments with the children.  She was always a terrific guest.

School closed for a few years while we (finally) did the big rebuild that we desperately needed.  Fortunately we were able to move into a great space in our local prep school, almost across the street.  By that time, Michelle had been a teacher at the school for many years.  On occasion she would walk to our playground area on the campus to say hello.  Here is the conversation I will never forget:

Hi Michelle!  How is teaching going?

Great.  I’m a Director.

Wait, you’re not old enough to be a Director.

Jennie, I’m 40.

After my shock we laughed.  Well, we laughed our heads off.

My other ‘bookend’ parent belongs to Wren, who had a wonderful year in my classroom.  She was the reader, the Gloria lover, the friend to everyone, ‘sharp as a tack’ and ‘bright as a star’.

We even sang together on YouTube.

Wren’s dad was so excited to see me and share a photo of Wren with ‘the’ magazine.

We talked and talked, remembering the past year.  One day I will hopefully have decades of memories with Wren, as I have with Michelle.

Jennie

Posted in Early Education, Inspiration, preschool, School, Teaching young children | Tagged , , | 71 Comments

Children Helping

Posted on July 28, 2024 by Jennie
Helping Out
Posted in Uncategorized | 19 Comments

The Former Student – On Teaching

Posted on July 15, 2024 by Jennie

Noah was my student, over twenty years ago.
He loved music.
It was my autoharp and singing that helped him adjust to school.
We have stayed in touch.
When he was in high school he came to play the keyboard, drums, ukulele, and other instruments for my class.
His former class.

He connected with children, and they connected with him.
Every day a child would ask, “Is it a Noah day?’
College came next.
Noah kept in touch, and he talked with me about teaching.
He had found his two passions – music and children.
Over the summers he told me he wanted to be a speech  pathologist.
Wonderful!  He had lots of questions.
Now, he has his Masters and is on his way.

The story gets better.

Noah visited me again this week.
We swam together.

And then we talked…and talked.
He told me stories about the children,
little things, funny things, important things,
the things that ‘stuck’ with him.
He was full of life, wanting to tell me what happened.

And then I told him stories about teaching children,
little things, funny things, important things,
the things that still stick with me.
The conversation became deeper.
How is it for teachers today in the classroom?
How can you teach everything you need to teach,
and still be there for so many children,
all of whom are on different levels,
and many of whom have issues?

Noah said to me,
“It’s all about the connection, not the content.”
Yes, yes, yes!!!
Noah, you ‘get it’.  Children will learn from you
because you connect with them.

As the evening wore on, Noah told the dinner group
about his visit to Philly (Philadelphia) to see his sister,
and going to a nightclub where jazz
was played, impromptu.
As he described the jazz,
the other guests went off into other conversations.
Not me!
I was glued as he described the 92-year-old
bass player who could barely walk up to the stage.
He must have performed like James Jamerson.
We talked about the sax, how it is ‘the’ instrument.

Everyone missed the great conversation.

Noah doesn’t miss a beat,
especially when it comes to teaching children.

Jennie

Posted in Early Education, Inspiration, School, teaching | Tagged , , | 87 Comments

Penelope Rex, Classic Books, and Eric Carle

Posted on July 9, 2024 by Jennie

As always, a trip to the Eric Carle Museum is full of the unexpected, with moments that linger long after my visit.  First, I met Penelope in the hallway.

Penelope Rex is the character in Ryan Higgins’ new book.  It is an  outstanding book, and Penelope is a character every child loves.  She’s a T-Rex dinosaur, yet she’s just like the child who reads the book – with worries, adventures, and feelings.

Her new pet is Mittens, the saber-toothed cat.  Yes, Mittens is a big problem for Penelope.  I can’t wait to read this book to my preschoolers in the fall.  This is coming from yours truly, the ‘Mrs. Picky’ of picture books.  I highly recommend this book.

The author, Ryan Higgins, was the big event at the museum, reading the book to a packed house.  I decided to wear my Mother Bruce apron the museum gave to me, as Mother Bruce is one of his first books, and still an all-time favorite.  Ryan was thrilled, and we had our picture taken together.  Of course he signed the apron.

I’m holding a Mother Bruce stuffed bear.  Now, I need a Penelope and a Mittens stuffed animal.

The exhibits at the Eric Carle Museum never disappoint.  I leave feeling exhilarated, with a full heart and soul.  Really.  How can one not be ‘moved’ by Eric Carle’s magnificent art?

This exhibit is all about birds, “Birdwatching with Eric Carle”.  If you like birds, this is an exhibit not to be missed.  I couldn’t stop looking at the rooster.  Being inches away from ‘the real deal’ is humbling.  If you’re in western Massachusetts, the exhibit is there through most of August.

Do you know metafiction, in art?  Metafiction is fiction about fiction – books that contain pictures about pictures and stories about stories.

When crayons go on strike in The Day the Crayons Quit  by Oliver Jeffers, one of the best books, there it was – Duncan’s green crayon and letter.


The classics were there; Little Fur Family, Grover in The Monster at the End of This Book, and Harold and the Purple Crayon.  Mo Willems’ Pigeon books have become the new classic.

Wordless books that take the reader into a new world were part of the exhibit.  Journey, by Aaron Becker and Flotsam, by David Wiesner are two of the best.  These books take the imagination on great adventures, and they spark language and dialogue.


This exhibit ‘has it all’.

I was recently featured in a monthly magazine for our community.  What could be better than me holding a print of The Very Hungry Caterpillar?  The museum was excited to get the publication.

Jennie

Posted in art, children's books, David Wiesner, Eric Carle, Imagination, Inspiration, literacy, picture books, reading, reading aloud, The Arts | Tagged , , , , , | 67 Comments

This says it all. Something as simple as raising the flag is pretty powerful. Celebrate the 4th with pride. Thank you, Steve, for this post. -Jennie-

Posted on July 3, 2024 by Jennie
Why Do I Raise The Flag?
Posted in Uncategorized | 51 Comments