Henry Franks by Peter Adam Salomon

 

A monster hurricane is approaching…the power goes out…panic ensues. Is it Frankenstorm?

No! It’s HENRY FRANKS,  debut author Peter Adam Saloman’s young adult novel, released last month from Flux.  Booklist gave HENRY FRANKS a starred review, calling it “The thinking teen’s horror novel of the year.”

Here’s the blurb from the author’s website:

Four thousand, three hundred and seventeen stitches, his father had told him once. All the King’s horses and all the King’s men had put Henry Franks back together again.

One year ago, a terrible accident robbed Henry Franks of his mother and his memories. The past sixteen years have vanished. All he has now are scars and a distant father—the only one who can tell Henry who he is.

If he could trust his father.

Can his nightmares—a sweet little girl calling him Daddy, murderous urges, dead bodies—help him remember?

While a serial killer stalks their small Georgia town, Henry unearths the bitter truth behind his mother’s death—and the terrifying secrets of his own dark past.

Sometimes, the only thing worse than forgetting is remembering.

As a librarian and teacher, there are a few things I’m particularly excited about with this book:

* First, the format–chapters are short with doctors’ notes and newspaper articles sprinkled in. This makes varying points of view accessible particularly for reluctant readers. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if HENRY FRANKS makes the YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers list.

* The writing is spare with description that is both powerful and accessible to struggling readers.

* Yes, it’s a horror novel. And yes, I’m usually a scaredy-cat when it comes to horror. Yet this is a book I would hand to even the most squeamish of teen readers. The story and the setting, especially, are indeed creepy. But it doesn’t have any slasher gore, even though there’s a serial killer in the mix.

* The ending. Is. A Shocker. And with those last lines in the book,  your classroom will explode with discussion–about ethics, science, true human nature.

I asked author Peter Adam Salomon about how HENRY FRANKS fits into classrooms and libraries, and here’s what he had to say.

HENRY FRANKS Author Peter Adam Salomon, who was hopefully not standing on any beach near the Atlantic Ocean as Frankenstorm approached, because we want him to write more books!

Biblio Links: A student walks into my library and I think: That kid needs a copy of HENRY FRANKS. Who is this kid?

Peter Adam Salomon: Henry himself is a loner who is struggling to fit in and figure out who he is, but he has a tremendous capacity for love and ends up completely overwhelmed by his friendship with Justine. That’s similar to how I was in high school and, I’d imagine, similar to most teens. I think that Henry’s struggles are relatable to most people,  and therefore every kid needs a copy of HENRY FRANKS.

On a more serious note, I think that Henry will appeal to any reader looking for something with that haunting, creepy sensation that maybe not everything is quite what it appears to be.

Biblio Links: If we were to peek into a classroom where a teacher is using your book in a lesson or with a small group, what might we see or hear?

Peter Adam Salomon: There are a number of ethical dilemmas touched on in the book: how do you define who you are? How important are memories? And, of course, the greatest of all: If something is possible to do in science, should it be done?  I think discussing subjects such as identity and figuring out how each individual fits into society as a whole would be tremendously interesting.

Biblio Links: Where can teachers, librarians and students learn more about you and your book?

Peter Adam Salomon: The book has its own website: www.henry-franks.com which includes an excerpt of the opening scene as well as some extra scenes, a photographic tour of the book (where readers can even submit their own photographs that they feel reflect different scenes in the book!) and will also include the discussion questions. I have my own website: www.peteradamsalomon.com which includes my blog, photography and poetry. And, of course, Twitter and Facebook.

Peter Adam Salomon: Thanks for joining us, Peter!

Katerina’s Wish by Jeannie Mobley

Up next in my series on middle grade books that reflect the immigrant experience in the US is a middle grade historical fiction debut from author Jeannie Mobley. I read the advanced reader’s copy this summer and adored Katerina (“Trina” to her friends and family). The book has just been released in stores,  and has already received two starred reviews from Kirkus and Publisher’s Weekly.

Today I’m thrilled to have author Jeannie Mobley here to talk about ways that Katerina’s Wish can be used in classrooms and libraries to connect with students and the curriculum.

From the author’s website: Katerina’s Wish tells the story of a Bohemian family who comes to America in 1900, hoping to work a year in the coal mines of southern Colorado and then buy a farm. After a year, they discover they have no more money than they came with, and much less hope. Then young Trina sees a strange fish and remembers the folk story of a carp that grants wishes. When her sisters make wishes that come true, Trina makes the biggest wish she can, for a farm in America. But is a wish enough to fill a dream so big?

Biblio Links:  Welcome, Jeannie, and congratulations on the release of Katerina’s Wish!

A student walks into my library and I think, That kid needs a copy of Katerina’s Wish. Who is this child?

Jeannie Mobley: It’s funny, but I never really thought of my book as one that a kid
would “need.” I don’t think of my book as one that will help a child cope with their current problems or understand their own confusing life circumstances. But I do think there are many kids who will enjoy my book, and who will find in it food for thought about what really makes
dreams come true.

I would wish my book into the hands of kids who love historical fiction and daydream about living in the past.  In weaving fairy-tale elements into my book, I created a tone that I hope appeals to kids who are still holding onto the idealism of their childhood, even as they approach the pressures of contemporary teenage life, and I want them to feel comfortable and safe in holding on to that optimism of youth. I hope also that my book will encourage kids to feel empowered–to know that by holding on to their dreams and working toward them, they can make their own lives better. I think that’s true of all kids, whether they have
advantages in life or not. But I think my book will appeal most to the quiet kids who have big dreams, but maybe fly beneath the radar of the peer pressure-driven measures of success that so often fill kids’ lives in their formative years. Then again, maybe I think that because that is the kind of kid I was, and I would have liked this book.

Biblio Links: The Middle Grade me would have loved this book, too! 

If we were to peek into a classroom where a teacher is using your book in a lesson or with a small group, what might we see?

Jeannie Mobley: I think you might see many things. Historical fiction has the potential to teach many different lessons in the classroom. For one thing, we, as
a society, keep coming back to many of the same issues repeatedly in our history–things like immigration, racism, labor movements, stereotypes of other ethnicity or nationalities. Sometimes, it is easier to talk about these issues by viewing them in a different, less politically or socially charged context. KATERINA’S WISH is set in 1901, but deals with many of these issues that contemporary people deal with, and I hope could start some of these conversations that have relevance both in understanding our history and understanding the situations we face today. I think the book could also be used as a tie in to history lessons, math (there is a lot of discussion of prices for goods throughout the story), and in creating an interest for students in their own family histories. After all, we here in America, are largely a nation of immigrants.

Whatever the lesson, I would hope you would see students excited to learn about the past and inspired to talk about the social issues that are so ingrained in the American experience.

Biblio Links: Where can teachers, librarians and students learn more about you and your book?

Jeannie Mobely: My website (www.jeanniemobley.com) would be a great place to start. I’ve got an FAQ there that tells a little about the book and why I wrote it, but I always welcome other questions from teachers and readers through the email contact there. I also have some ideas to inspire writing, and a detailed teachers’ guide to KATERINA’S WISH that includes discussion questions and activities across the curriculum. But of course, the best way to learn more about my book, is to read it for yourself!

Biblio Links: Thanks for stopping by, Jeannie!

The Nitty Gritty~

Click here for reviews.

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books, A Division of Simon and Schuster

Publication Date: August 28, 2012

ISBN:  978-1442433434

Number of Pages: 256

Interest Level:  Ages 8 and up

Thanks to Teach Mentor Texts for hosting today’s What Are You Reading?

Thanks to Shannon Messenger for hosting Marvelous Middle Grade Monday!

Back to School with Audrey Vernick’s Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten

Today Biblio Links welcomes back one of my favorite authors, Audrey Vernick!

As kids head back to school, I thought this would be the perfect time to introduce (or reintroduce) readers to the charming picture book Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten?

In tongue-in-cheek style, Vernick advises buffalo owners everywhere  how to prepare their buffalos for that all-important first day of Kindergarten. My own kids and students laugh out loud at the buffalo’s antics, but the true message  of acceptance shines through. Although diversity is never mentioned in the text, Daniel Jennewein’s illustrations of the students in the buffalo’s classroom reflects a variety of ethic backgrounds.

My son gave this book to his Kindergarten teacher last year when we met her for the first time at Open House in August, and I think it would make the perfect gift for the newly-minted Kindergartener in your family or neighborhood.

I asked Audrey about ways in which readers connect with Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten?

Biblio Links: A student walks into my library and I think: That kid needs a copy of  Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? Who is this kid?Audrey Vernick: The  year this book was published, I heard from a kindergarten teacher who had a student who was having a very hard time at the start of the year. Inexplicably, the only way he could get through those first few days was if the teacher let him hold my book. That touched my heart–the kind of response you can’t even conceive of when writing a book. So I guess you could say the child who needs a copy of Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? might be one who, at the start of the year, has not yet found her way. Of course, it might also be a child who likes a silly book. Or one who wonders, as I did, what chewing cud really means.

Biblio Links: If we were to peek into a classroom where a teacher is using your book in a lesson or with a small group, what might we see?

Audrey Vernick: This is another one of those things that I never came close to envisioning during the writing/editing process–but this book really lends itself to classroom use. You might see anything from hoof painting to hula hoop Venn diagrams to cave drawings to the creation of a class guide just in case a buffalo happens to show up one day. Or, you might hear a whole classroom, as one, moaning “Eeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!” when you reach the page that describes what cud chewing is.

 Biblio Links: Where can teachers, librarians and students learn more about you and your book?

Audrey Vernick: Cover your ears, Natalie. There’s an incredible, brilliant, superfun discussion and activity guide for using IS YOUR BUFFALO READY FOR KINDERGARTEN? on my website created by the divine Natalie Lorenzi. (http://audreyvernick.com/BUFFALO_KINDERGARTEN_curriculum_guide.pdf).
And this page has a bio and a link to recent interviews: http://audreyvernick.com/Bio.html.
My website also has information about my school visits, other books, reviews, and there’s a page (with link to a free downloadable buffalo door hanger coloring sheet) for this book’s sequel, TEACH YOUR BUFFALO TO PLAY DRUMS.

Biblio Links: I’ll also add the Buffalo’s Facebook page here. Thanks for stopping by, Audrey!

Check out Audrey’s middle grade novel, Water Balloon, and her other picture books, Bark and Tim,  Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? and Teach Your Buffalo To Play The Drums, and picture book biographies She Loved Baseball: The Effa Manley Story and Brothers At Bat.

Click here for some buffalo love, including a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly.

I’d love to hear from other teachers and librarians, parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles…what book(s) do you recommend to ease first day of school jitters?

The Nitty Gritty~

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Publication Date: July 2010

ISBN-13: 978-0061762758

Interest Level: Ages 4 and up

Number of Pages: 32

Thanks to the fabulous bloggers at Teach Mentor Texts for today’s meme!

Shooting Kabul by N.H. Senzai

This is the next book up in my series on middle grade books that reflect the immigrant experience in the US.

When Fadi’s family flees from the Taliban in Afghanistan, his 6-year-old sister, Mariam, is accidentally left behind. As Fadi and his family try to adjust to life in San Francisco, Mariam is never far from their thoughts. At school, Fadi enters a photography contest, hoping to win the grand prize—a National Geographic photography trip to India. If he wins, Fadi plans to slip over the border into Afghanistan to find his sister. But after the events of 9/11, Fadi’s Pashtun family is fearful in their new home, and fearful that they’ll never be able to get Mariam out of Afghanistan.

Many of my students’ parents who were doctors or engineers in their home countries have to take jobs in the US where they aren’t able to utilize their training and talents. The only job that Fadi’s educated father can get in the US is a taxi driver, and his older sister works at McDonalds as the family struggles day-to-day. I know that many of my students will connect with Fadi and his family’s struggles.

Hand this book to the kid:

* who recently emigrated to the US

* who had to leave family behind in the home country

* whose parents struggle with a career change in the US

* who is going through culture shock

* who is learning English

* who is interested in photography

* who has experienced bullying

* who has immigrated to the U.S. and into your heart

Use this to teach:

* Empathy–While Fadi and his community endure acts of hate after the events of 9/11, this story introduces readers to the innocent victims of racial profiling.

* Photography--Middle School Art teachers, this is your book! Fadi’s saving grace at school is the photography club, and there are several details about what makes a good photo–composition, lighting, subject, etc.

*World Events–The story provides a straightforward explanation of the rise and fall of the Taliban in Afghanistan, and the fear and hope that Afghanis experienced with the US invasion of their country.

Curriculum Guide here.

The Nitty Gritty~

Click here for reviews.

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Publication Date: 2010

ISBN:  978-1-4424-0194-5

Number of Pages: 272

Reading Level: 5.4

Interest Level:  ages 8 and up

Thanks to Teach Mentor Texts for hosting today’s What Are You Reading?

Thanks to Shannon Messenger for hosting Marvelous Middle Grade Monday!

Lowji Discovers America by Candace Fleming

Hard Cover

Paperback

This is the next book up in my series of reviews of middle grade books that reflect the immigrant experience.

When Lowji and his parents move to America from India one summer, Lowji finds himself without friends and with nothing to do. He’s always dreamed of having a pet, but the no-nonsense landlady, Mrs. Crisp, does not allow pets in her building. But Lowji doesn’t give up, and finally convinces the hard-working Mrs. Crisp that she needs a mouse-catching cat, a friendly guard dog, and a lawn-trimming goat. In the end, Lowji befriends a girl in his neighborhood who helps him take care of Mrs. Crisp’s newly-acquired menagerie.

While many immigrant families struggle economically after settling in the US, this story offers a refreshing reminder that not all newly arrived families struggle financially. Lowji’s mother has a high-tech job, and his father does the cooking at home.

With its sparse text and humor, Lowji Discovers America makes a good read-aloud and is recommended for kids who are moving into chapter books.

Hand this book to the kid:

* Who recently emigrated to the US

* Who is beginning to read chapter books

* Who loves animals

* Who is going through culture shock

* Who is learning English

* Who needs to know that there’s a “silver lining” to some obstacles in life

* Who has immigrated to the U.S. and into your heart

Use this to teach:

* Empathy–Immigrant children will certainly identify with Lowji, and for children who have never been the “new kid” at school, readers will empathize with Lowji’s bewilderment as he’s introduced to American culture and slang.

* Letter Writing--Lowji’s letters to his best friend back in India are sprinkled throughout the text.

*Voice and Humor–Although Lowji learned English in school back in India, his voice is distinct and reflects the cadence and grammatical patterns of a second language learner. His voice would also make a good study in humor for student writers.

Curriculum Guide here.

The Nitty Gritty~

Click here for reviews.

Publisher: Aladdin

Publication Date: 2005 (paperback version 2008)

ISBN: 978-1-416-95832-1 (paperback) 978-0-689-862991 (hard cover)

Number of Pages: 160

Reading Level: 3.1

Interest Level:  ages 7-10

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: Water Balloon by Audrey Vernick

Today Biblio Links welcomes back prolific author Audrey Vernick! 

Although Audrey’s middle grade novel, Water Balloon, is the perfect summer-time read, it’s the kind of book kids will want to dive into at any time of the year. As a school librarian at a K-5 elementary school, I always have a faction of 10-year-old girls who sidle up to me and whisper, “Do you have any, you know, romance books?” Water Balloon is the book I recommend because Marley, the main character, has an innocent, wholesome crush on the boy next door . But it’s not just the middle grade romance that makes readers want to take this book home; Water Ballon is a lovely, coming-of-age story about a girl dealing with the separation of her parents (both nice people, by the way) and the loss of her best friends as they all grow their separate ways.

Here’s the jacket flap summary:

Marley is stretched as tightly as an overfull water balloon. Her parents have separated and her relationship with her forever best friends is disintegrating. To top it all off, she is forced into what must be the worst summer job in history. She is trying hard to hold onto everything she loves, but if she squeezes any tighter, something’s going to burst. Luckily, there’s also a boy in the picture with amazing light blue eyes and the ability to make baseball actually seem interesting…but young romance, too, has lots of opportunity for humiliation and misinterpreted signals. As everything changes around her, can Marley loosen her drop on the past long enough to embrace the present, and maybe even the future?

I asked Audrey about ways in which readers connect with Water Balloon.

Biblio Links: A student walks into my library and I think, That kid needs a copy of Water Ballon. Who is this child?

Audrey: That child is probably someone whose parents recently separated or divorced–a situation new to Marley, Water Balloon’s narrator. She may also be someone facing a difficult time with her friends. When I hear from readers, they are often ones perplexed by the end of what they expected to be a lifelong friendship–a situation so common in that transitional middle-school age, and so deeply painful and hard to accept. They often ask about a sequel–they seem to feel a need to know if Marley’s fractured friendships ever heal. 

Biblio Links: I can see why readers want to be reassured that Marley will be okay! I was 100% invested in this character, and she felt as real to me as one of my students.

If we were to peek into a classroom where a teacher is using your book in a lesson or with a small group, what might we see?

Audrey: If the classroom were of the outdoor kind, and the teacher was a gamer, you might encounter a brilliantly-conceived water balloon fight, but that’s not altogether likely. If you were to peek at just the right time, you might find yourself privy to a very frank discussion about adjusting to newly separated and/or divorced parents. Or perhaps a thoughtful, delicate conversation about being aware of the way friendships evolve and change over time, and what to do when a friendship goes bad.

Students might also discuss the joys and horrors of baby-sitting, as Marley spends her summer caring for a pair of slightly crazed five-year-old twins, who provide a bit more horror than joy.

Biblio Links: Another place where I can see Water Balloon being used is in a book club or friendship group that guidance counselors often run.

Where can teachers, librarians and students learn more about you and your book?

Audrey: My website contains information about my books and school visits and provides discussion guides for a number of my titles:www.audreyvernick.com.
On my (occasional) blog, I interview authors and illustrators: http://whmp.com/pages/8875192.php
The teaching books website offers links to many interviews I’ve done: http://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?aid=14457

Biblio Links Thanks for stopping by, Audrey!

Audrey: Thanks so much, Natalie!!

 Check out Audrey’s picture books, Bark and Tim,  Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? and Teach Your Buffalo To Play The Drums, and picture book biographies She Loved Baseball: The Effa Manley Story and Brothers At Bat.

Click here for smashing  reviews (including two starred reviews!) of Water Balloon.

The Nitty Gritty~

Publisher: Clarion Book (Houghton Mifflin)

Publication Date: September 6, 2011

ISBN-10: 0547595549

ISBN-13: 978-0547595542

Interest Level: Ages 9 and up

Number of Pages: 310

Thanks to Shannon Messenger for hosting another Marvelous Middle Grade Monday!

The Great Wall of Lucy Wu by Wendy Wan-Long Shang

Today Biblio Links welcomes middle grade author Wendy Wan Long Shang!

Our school was lucky enough to have Wendy come and visit last summer to lead some writing workshops, and her book doesn’t stay on our shelves long (we’ve got several copies). I teach in a very culturally diverse school, and I’m always eager to hand our students books that reflect their multicultural backgrounds. Many of our families have grandparents and other extended family living with them, and those kids immediately connect with THE GREAT WALL OF LUCY WU. Although this book first caught my attention because of its multicultural appeal, it has tons of heart that all kinds of kids will enjoy. Lucy’s story is about dealing with bullies, navigating two cultures, and pursuing her dream of basketball stardom.

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Here’s a summary of the story from Indie Bound:

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In this humorous and heartfelt debut about a split cultural identity, nothing goes according to plan for sixth-grader Lucy Wu.

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Lucy Wu, aspiring basketball star and interior designer, is on the verge of having the best year of her life. She’s ready to rule the school as a sixth grader and take over the bedroom she has always shared with her sister. In an instant, though, her plans are shattered when she finds out that Yi Po, her beloved grandmother’s sister, is coming to visit for several months — and is staying in Lucy’s room. Lucy’s vision of a perfect year begins to crumble, and in its place come an unwelcome roommate, foiled birthday plans, and Chinese school with the awful Talent Chang.

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Wendy was kind enough to stop by and talk about how LUCY can be used in the classroom.

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Biblio Links:A student walks into my library and I think, That kid needs a copy of The Great Wall of Lucy Wu. Who is this child?

Wendy Shang: I think I wrote LUCY in part because I needed a story like this one.  When I was growing up, it was very rare for me to find a modern Chinese-American character in books or popular culture.  (Hence my undying love for Judy Blume and her Tracy Wu character, the best friend of Jill, in BLUBBER.)

There is so much more diversity in today’s children’s literature scene, thank goodness, but I’d like to think that LUCY is perfect for a kid who feels that everyone else’s family is so much more supportive, fair and well, mainstream, than his or her own.  I hope that kids who read LUCY realize that their own families can be amazing sources of strength and inspiration.

Biblio Links: If we were to peek into a classroom where a teacher is using your book in a lesson or with a small group, what might we see?

Wendy Shang: I would love to see LUCY used in a discussion of how characters change and grow over the course of a book.  Having just completed a series of writing workshops with 4th, 5th and 6th graders, I think that’s a challenging thing to get kids to think about, though it’s so essential to storytelling.  It would be great to hear the teacher ask, “How does Lucy’s outlook change from the beginning of the book to the end of the book?”

Biblio Links: Where can teachers, librarians and students learn more about you and your book?

Wendy Shang: They can go to wendyshang.com, where they can learn about my childhood and my (slight) gummi bear obsession.

Biblio Links: And who doesn’t like gummy bears?? Thanks for stopping by, Wendy!

Click here to read the glowing reviews and awards bestowed upon THE GREAT WALL OF LUCY WU.For teachers and librarians, Wendy’s website has discussion questions and activities for readers. Check out Wendy’s advice on how kids can find their writing voice in this Scholastic’s Instructor magazine article.

The Nitty Gritty~

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Publication Date: January 1, 2011

ISBN-13: 978-0545162159

Number of Pages: 320

Ages: 8 and up