Final Post

From this assignment, I learned that many of the genres can be combined or integrated to cover multiple genres at once. I also discovered some genres are difficult to find in elementary level books. Furthermore, I learned that genres are not so specific, I always thought of How-To books as sort of DIY books with steps and instructions. But at the elementary level there is so much more to it. That is what made me choose to study Nancy Carlson and I have really come to love books. I can not wait to fill my class library with them. The first book I learned about and loved thanks to my partner ( yes, you!) was How to Lose All Your Friends. It is a How-To book but more like a how-not-to-do... did that make sense? You get it I'm sure.
Anyway, I loved discovering more of her work and her blog! It's adorable!!.. Go look at it now.. there are cute little drawings she posts that I always check out.. go look now.. seriously. Stop reading this for a minute. http://nancycarlson.com/  .. just click it.
Clearly, I enjoyed the Author Study part of this assignment the most. It was easier to choose from the same author and see all the different books she writes. Especially because I have become such a big fan of her work. Finding science fiction books was not an easy ask for me, or the librarian I asked to help me! But it was great to learn about different genres and how they all work together, and how to use them in the classroom.. now there is an idea for a How-To book!
I enjoyed making texts on a blog instead of discussing it on BB or through emails. It is a much easier way to write and add pictures. It makes your text kind of personal to the writer instead of just having your name and your response in black and white. At first I was a little afraid to let loose and write freely because that is rare in graduate courses. But my partner really made it fun, I never felt like I was doing work when I was on your blog. It was always very entertaining and fun. It made me feel like I could get a sense of your personality through your blog. But not everyone can do that, that is one of the limits of this project. You have to have a certain personality and way with words to express your feelings through an online source. At first I had a different partner( I don't even remember who it was honestly) but I am glad we got partnered up because I feel that we made a good match and learned a lot from each other. I found it easy to communicate my ideas to you and as I already mentioned, I loved reading your posts. I was also excited about the author you chose because I also enjoyed the Andrew Lost series.
In conclusion, I really enjoyed this project. I learned a lot on my own but also from my partner. I have expanded my ideas about what books I want in my classroom library and what books I would like to assign my students or to read aloud. Overall, it has made me even more excited to have my own class and get them excited about reading by showing them how fun it can be. Maybe even creating a class blog. Although, I would want the students to be a big part of it so perhaps this would be done with older students. But for the younger grades I think a teacher's blog would be a great way to communicate with parents and keep them updated about what the students are learning.

Loudmouth George Earns His Allowance- Nancy Carlson

This book was very cute and taught a good lesson, as all of Carlson's books do. The Loudmouth Collection caught my eye because I am often called a loudmouth from my own family! Ha! So this book is about the main character, George, not wanting to do any chores. It was his summer break and he wanted to relax, watch tv, play outside, etc.. Chores were not on his to-do list for the summer. Then when George wanted his allowance so he could go to the movies, his mother refused because he did not earn the money. What a concept!.. children actually earning the money their parents hand out to them??! Today some children are rewarded without doing anything to earn it. It is a good lesson for them to learn, that you have to work for the things you want. George tries to take the easy way out and get his younger siblings to do his chores.. but that quickly backfired when they did not the chores properly. This made me think of our six box assignment. I mentioned something about starting a project to help those less fortunate. This book relates to that lesson because it shows that some people can not afford to get an allowance, and some people don't deserve their allowance because they did not earn it. Maybe it will inspire some children to use part of their allowance to help someone.

A question I would like to address is:   What connections can I make between this author’s life and the characteristics of his/her writing?
I noticed in this book the dedication was to one of Nancy's children. She congratulates them on graduating and then jokes "Now could you please put your clothes away?" This made me connect her books to her own children. I read that her books come from her own childhood experiences, but maybe some also come from her experiences as a parent. This book could be written for parents as well as children. Or maybe this is book that could be read at home to the whole family! 

I have made a boo boo..

It seems as though I made a little mistake (AKA a boo boo) I thought Nancy Carlson wrote a book called Don't Call Me Special.. but now I can not find it anywhere.. not really sure where my brain was at the time.. not really sure where it is most of the time..

Anyway!! I was able to find another Nancy Carlson book easily because there are sooo many great ones!! .. The next one is from her Loudmouth George collection and it is called Loudmouth George Earns His Allowance.

Sit Still!- Nancy Carlson

This book was such a great way to talk about current issues children have with sitting still in school. The book says the doctor doesn't think something is wrong with him. Which I think is very important. Sometimes kids are bit more hyperactive than we would like.. but does that mean they have ADD? No, not always. I think we are so quick to judge a child and worry that something is wrong, go to tons of doctors, and even put our children on medications. I know that some children definitely need to be medicated to protect themselves and those around them and to focus in school if they have severe cases of ADD. My little cousin had a very bad case of ADD, she was not doing well in school and my aunt and uncle just could not keep up with her. The medication she is on has worked wonders for her in school, but it makes her have NO appetite. This is a very difficult issue children and parents face so I am so glad Nancy Carlson wrote a book about it and explained that some children are just hyper! She uses such simple words and explanations but it gets the message to the reader. The book is entertaining because it shows all the ways Patrick can sit on chairs but none of these ways is sitting still. He hears many adults and his sister yell at him to "sit still!" When you are an adult you can get very easily frustrated with a child that behaves like this.. But do we ever think about how that child feels? This book gives you the child's perspective. It is perfect to read to all classes, especially a class that has a hyperactive student.

Some questions I have for the author is:
Where do you get your inspiration for books? Did you ever deal with a hyperactive child? I read that some of your books come from your own experiences, is this one of them?

ABC I like me! - Nancy Carlson

I LOVED this book.. big shock, I know. I just love all of her books.. I love the pictures and the interesting way she takes on classic books. This book is perfect for preschool and kindergarten. It is not your average ABC book.. How many times can a person read "A is for apple.." I read books to my 5 month old twin niece and nephew and they happily sit in their swings and listen and look at the pictures .. until I tried a classic ABC book. I know they are only 5 months old and have no idea what I am saying but they were way more interested in the other books! Anyway, Nancy Carlson made her ABC book one that gives students self confidence. Each letter is something the characters like about themselves!! Every child should be able to say something they think is great about themselves! ( Adults too)

One question I would like to address is:
How would I share this author's work with an elementary school class?
I am picturing an awesome alphabet wall!! This is a GREAT first week of school activity, it is a simple lesson that goes over the alphabet. The students can each get a letter and the teacher can help them write the sentence for it that tells something they like about themselves using their letter. Then the teacher can hang them around the room!! How cute?? I am wayyy to excited for this!!

My Best Friend Moved Away- Nancy Carlson

First off- How cute, yet sad is the cover of this book? Although it seemed like a sad little book, I thought it was important to read. Children can really struggle with moving from one place to another. We see this more frequently now because of military families and with today's economy, parents have to move for job opportunities or to follow their current job. It is yet another difficult time in a child's life that Nancy Carlson makes a bit easier. Nancy Carlson's illustrations, as always, are so wonderful. She shows the two girls playing in the sand in the summer, making snowmen in the winter and then really expresses the sadness when one of the girls moves away. Some of Carlson's books are short but that's what makes children really read them on their own and not always have to be read aloud. I like that she gets the message across without using too many words that would deter a new reader from her stories. I know as a child I would flip through a book and look at how long it was, and how pretty the pictures were. I have no doubt that I would have loved these books as a kid. Carlson lets the reader know that it is okay if a friend moves away, it doesn't mean your friendship is over. The girls can still stay in touch and their are plenty of opportunities to make new friends.

  One question I would like to address for this text is:
Whose voices are typically portrayed in this author’s work? Whose voices are missing or less central?
Typically, the voices portrayed in the authors's work are young students. She doesn't always include adults in the book. In some of her books, there are family members and teachers but majority of the stories are written from the child's point of view. This is one of the many reasons I enjoy Nancy Carlson's work. They are not "preachy" Children seem to understand messages better when they find them on their own in the book, not when it is told to them. Like the first book I discovered from this author on my partners blog, How to Clean Your Room, she makes the book very funny to readers of any age, but still gets the book's message across. Instead of saying things like "you should clean your room like this.." or "clean your room the first time your mother tells you", she lets the reader know that is what they should do, but doesn't order them to do it- What fun would that be?? 

I don't Like to Read! - Nancy Carlson

      

     I loved this book!! Not only are the illustrations so simple yet cute and fun, but the text is so useful and child-friendly. Nancy Carlson really writes from a child's point of view. She relates to children and writes about issues they could be struggling with. This character, Henry, is in many of Carlson's books. In this book Henry is struggling to read. He keeps saying he doesn't like reading, but his teacher soon discovers it is not that he dislikes reading, it's that he is struggling with reading. Henry is in first grade, this is a common issue with first graders that may be a difficult one to admit. Henry talks about how other kids in his class read so easily. His teacher starts to get him extra help, he works on reading at home and at school. I love that Carlson adds in that home-school connection. I would read this book as a read aloud but the home-school connection in the story makes it a fun book to read at home too. 

     

   One question I would like to address for this text is:

      How would I share this author’s work with an elementary school class?

      A better question would be, how wouldn't I share this author's work?! Nancy Carlson has so many books and they are all books young students can relate to. I would use her work all year round. She has books about different holidays. She also has books about diverse students, there is one about a new student that is in a wheel chair. She really tries to cover a lot of difficult things to discuss with children. These days there are tons of texts about every topic, but Nancy Carlson's books really connect with her young readers and her illustrations are just adorable! 

Nancy Carlson

Nancy Carlson was born and raised in Edina, Minnesota. She has written and illustrated more than 60 books which are based on her childhood experiences. She majored in printmaking at Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Before her children's books were published, Nancy Carlson created many works of art that were featured in art exhibitions and are still held in private and public collections. This woman was made to be a children's author. Her passion for children's literature have benefited many students and teachers. She visits over 150 schools each year as a guest author. She is still living in Minnesota today with her husband, their three children and their dog. Her latest book is "This Morning Sam Went to Mars- A Book About Paying Attention." I love that she writes her books in a way that will teach young students valuable lessons without preaching to them! I also love how involved she is with so many schools and still visits today! I would love for her to come to the class I will finally have one day! 

I found all of this information on her blog. Her blog is great! It has a lot of information and this adorable "doodles" section where you can find cute little drawings she does just because! 

http://nancycarlson.com/ 

Ben 10 Alien Force Triple Threat- Tracey West

Two teams of Alien fighting forces battle against various Alien creatures. Their mission is to deactivate the spy transmitter. The two teams race to see who can complete the mission first. It doesn’t take long for both teams to realize they can complete the task faster and more efficiently if they work together.

This book is categorized as science fiction because the characters fight aliens and use futuristic technology such as a spy transmitter. This series is also a television show, this book may attract young students who have watched the show. Although there is a good message in the book (the benefits of teamwork), I was not crazy about this book. It is a good example of science fiction but might lean more towards fantasy or maybe a comic book. I personally would not use it as a read aloud but if it would get students reading, it could be read for fun. 

Ghoul Trip- Peter Bently

Lee, Billy and Bella are students at St. Orlok’s Elementary School but they are not your average students, they are vampires. There has been a series of robberies at all the schools in the neighborhood. The students are going on a trip to the county fair but are worried their school will be robbed while they are away. The three students team up with the students at other schools to try to catch the robbers.

The features of this book that make it science fiction are the schools. Each group of fictional characters has their own school. For example, Lee is friends with werewolves that go to their own school down the street. The book shows some realistic features such as humans that have their own schools and towns. They are referred to as Fangless people. The book creates a world that all different kinds of people live in. This could be the start of a lesson about diversity that is presented in a new way by using characters that are very different but still a bit believable. 

Space Dogs- Adapted by Jamie White

Space Dog Martha must save the planet of dogs from the Space Cats but is mistaken for an alien invader. She must save the Planet of Dogs without getting locked away for being an invader and make it back to earth to help her human friends, T.D. and Helen their class projects on the solar system.

The features of this book that make it science fiction are the aspects that involve space travel and animals in space. The author creates new planets, one for dogs and one for cats. The book has other science fiction aspects such as aliens. While the main characters, T.D. and Helen, help their dog save the Planet of Dogs, they learn about the solar system. Although there are some planets and aliens that make the book science fiction, there is also parts of the book that teach children about the real solar system. 

Andrew Lost in Time- J.C.Greenburg

Andrew and his friend Judy must save Andrew's Uncle Al from an evil doctor. The doctor kidnapped Uncle Al by taking him away in a time machine. Andrew has his own time machine but it does not always work as planned. Andrew and Judy end up traveling to the beginning of the universe. Now they have to fix the time machine in time to save Uncle Al.

The features of this text that make it science fiction are the futuristic inventions such as the time machine that allows them to travel through space. The book has some drama in it because the characters must race to fix the time machine and save a family member from an evil doctor. I think this book is interesting enough to grab students’ attention and keep them interested throughout the story while they are learning about space and science. 

The Bride of Frankenstein Doesn't Bake Cookies- Debbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton Jones

Frank runs the snack bar at the ice skating rink where Melody, Liza and Howie like to hang out. The children have suspicions that Frank is actually the Frankenstein Monster. When Frank is not feeling well, Electra takes over for Frank at the snack bar. The children believe Electra would be the perfect bride for Frank.

The features of this book that categorize it as science fiction are the characters. The children believe Frank is actually Frankenstein and his boss at the skating rink is actually a scientist that created Frank. The book has a bit of romance in it because the children try to set up Frank and Electra. They think Electra looks like the bride of Frankenstein and the two would make a great couple. I thought this was a very cute book and perfect to read with a class around this time to get into the Halloween spirit. 

What is Science Fiction?

Science fiction is a very imaginative genre. Texts that are classified as science fiction often take place in the future, somewhere new and undiscovered. However, this genre does not have stories that are very surreal because that would fall under the genre of fantasy (Readwritethink.org). Many science fiction books feature technological advances that we do not currently have. These advances could be based on current science or technology (Treitel). Some authors create an entirely new world but keep some realities within the plot to make it believable. Some books are difficult to classify in this genre because it borders so closely to fantasy. The realistic and believe elements of a book and its plot is what determines if the book is science fiction or not. Reading this genre can help a young student explore new thoughts and ideas while expanding their imaginations.  

Sources:

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson927/SciFiDefinition.pdf

http://www.treitel.org/Richard/sf/sf.html

My readerly identity

As a reader I am very imaginative. I like to get lost in a text and create my own images in my head from the words the author has written. When reading for pleasure I like to relax and let my thoughts take a break from anything too serious. I notice that I am really not interested in books about history or non-fiction books. This thought concerned me a bit because I would get more useful information from these genres so why do I run from them? I think it could be because those fall into the category of books that I am “forced” to read for a class or project. When I am told I have to read a book and make myself absorb its information I will likely do that and then forget what I read once the assignment is complete. I like to read texts for my own reasons and form my own opinions about them. I admit I have fallen prey to reading popular books that everyone would talk about such as the Twilight Series or Fifty Shades of Grey. But I find that many of these super popular book series actually (forgive my language) SUCK! I am not a perfect writer but come on, who edits these books? How did they get published? There is just horrible writing in many of these books. The other issue with these series is that the authors all allow them to become movies! This takes away from any image I would create about the book because I wouldn’t be able to get the actors and setting that a director created out of my head. It just ruins my personal interest and excitement in reading fiction.

So.. this is what I know about myself as a reader so far…