Binky the Space Cat

I am so thrilled to have discovered Binky!

"He's BOLD. He's ADVENTUROUS. He's going WHERE NO OTHER CAT HAS GONE BEFORE!"

Binky has never been out of the HOUSE before. This makes Binky's plan to go into outer space even more humorous.

Binky may be a stay-at-home cat, but he is out-of-this-world when it comes to protecting his humans from 'alien invaders'...bugs! And when Binky is notified by F.U.R.S.T. (Felines of the Universe Ready for Space Travel) that he has become Space Cat qualified, there is no looking back for Binky.

With Binky the Space Cat, author Ashley Spires has me hooked! I can't wait to find and read the second and third adventures, Binky to the Rescue and Binky Under Pressure.

Fantastic feline protagonist + Humorous story + Wonderful illustrations = One sure fire hit of a graphic novel that kids will want to read again and again.

I will be adding these graphic novels to my classroom as soon as possible.

Happy Reading!

Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

Sidekicks

Hello, little bloggity-blog! Nice to see you! And nice to see you, dear readers! It has been a busy back-to-school time. I have missed posting great books. So let's get the action started!

ACTION! SUPERHERO ACTION!

Dan Santat brings his new graphic novel, Sidekicks, to a Scholastic book order near you. Located in the September issue of Scholastic Arrow magazine, Sidekicks is a book I have already booktalked to my sixth graders.

The vivid illustrations packed with action and excitement are so colorful that readers will be drawn to this graphic novel. Watch the book trailer HERE and you, too, will want to pick up a copy of this book without even hearing the plot!

"Captain Amazing, superhero and savior of Metro City, is getting old. He's out all hours battling arch-villains, catching thieves, and helping little old ladies cross the street. He doesn't even have time for his house full of pets. He needs - a SIDEKICK!

Captain Amazing's four pets agree. But each one of them thinks HE should get the sidekick spot - and a chance for one-on-one time with the Captain. Get ready for sibling rivalry royale as pets with superpowers duke it out for the one thing they all want - a super family."
Do I really need to say more? Calling all fans of the Amulet series! While you are impatiently waiting for Amulet 5, take Sidekicks for a spin. I promise a nonstop, rip-roaring, crime-fighting adventure that will activate the SUPERHERO in you!

Click HERE to visit the book's webpage. You can learn all about Fluffy, Shifty, Manny, and Rosco as well as download the 275 page PDF of The Art of Sidekicks. Wow!

Welcome back to school!

Happy Reading!
Mrs. T :)

Wonderstruck

I am...WONDERSTRUCK. and I know my students will be as well when they put their hands on this masterpiece.

Thanks to a wonderful librarian at Worch Library, I was able to read an ARC of Brian Selznick's new book due out September 13, 2011. In a letter included with the book, Selznick writes, "Over the course of nearly three years, Wonderstruck evolved into a book that tells two separate stories, one in words, which takes place in 1977, and the other in pictures, which takes place fifty years earlier in 1927. The two stories weave back and forth and ultimately come together. Each story echoes and informs the other one; so in essence, you will find yourself reading three books--the one with words, the one with pictures, and the one created by their intersection."

Indeed, while reading this book, I was enthralled with Ben's story (1977) as well as Rose's story (1927). Selzinck did a superb job creating each one of these tales while masterfully weaving them both together.

This will be one book in the fall that I will not have to push my sixth graders to read. Many a student has been lured into reading by Selznick's The Invention of Hugo Cabret (including my own daughter--see below). I have always pulled The Boy of a Thousand Faces and The Houdini Box for those students who enjoyed Selznick. I will now have another go-to book in Wonderstruck.

With over one hundred more drawings than The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Wonderstruck is indeed the kind of book that after reading, you want to go right back to the beginning and read it again.

Older readers will want to read the Acknowledgments at the end of the book as Selznick offers insight into the writing of the book. In this section, he gives me reason to read Wonderstruck again AFTER reading From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg. Selznick says, "Of course, any story about kids who run away to a museum owes a debt of gratitude to E.L. Konigsburg's From the Mixed-up Files of Basil E. Frankweiler. In order to pay back that debt, Wonderstruck is filled with references to Konigsburg and her book. How many can you spot?"

Visit the Wonderstruck website HERE.

Happy Reading!
Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

P.P.S. I credit Brian Selznick and Hugo Cabret for turning my daughter into a reader. It was Hugo that turned her on to books and what they had to offer. She quickly grabbed up Wonderstruck and devoured it! Here is what she had to say...

"I decided to read Wonderstruck because I read The Invention of Hugo Cabret when it came out and LOVED it. When I heard that Brian Selznick had a new book coming out with the same format as Hugo Cabret, I wanted to read it and have the book that second!

"Brian Selznick does it again! His new book Wonderstruck is two stories in one. One in the words, and then one in the pictures. But there is also a third story within the words and pictures. When I was reading it, it was like a silent film on paper. My favorite part was when the two stories turned into one. I will be recommending it to readers who liked Hugo Cabret and who like other graphic novels." (Thanks, Taylor!)

Zebrafish

"Vita Escolar is ready to rock. She's got a band name, a used guitar, and three chords under her studded belt. All she needs are a few bandmates to complete the picture. Instead, an activist, two gamers, and an artist show up to her audition. None play a lick of music. But when she can't shake 'em off, she resigns herself to join 'em. After all, a virtual band is better than no band...er, right? With a little help from Walt, Tanya, Plinko, and Jay, Vita learns that you can't always get what you want--but you might get what your friends need. And that's way better. Oh yeah!"

Here's the deal...my sixth graders will like Zebrafish by Peter Reynolds, Sharon Emerson, and Renee Kurilla. Why? Reason #1...it's a graphic novel. Reason #2...it's about music. Reason #3...because "the end of a story can actually be the start of something BIG."

And there is something BIG waiting for the reader on the end pages of the book...

"Change happens in 2 ways--to you or by you. You can wait around for other people--adults, politicians, college students--to make the world a better place or you--YES, YOU--can decide to DO SOMETHING."

"Think about it--school teaches us to read, write, and problem solve. Big deal. So what? What are you going to DO with these skills? How are you going to use your talents to change the world?"

Believe me, kids like it when adults acknowledge that they DO have something to offer to the world. Grown-ups don't know it all, and kids CAN make a difference. And that is why my students will eat up this book. It's more than just a story. It is a call to action!

Click HERE to see how other kids are MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

Click HERE for a trailer of Zebrafish and HERE for more information behind the making of Zebrafish.

Thanks to the publisher for a review copy of this book!

Happy Reading!
Mrs. T

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

Trickster

"Meet the trickster, a crafty creature or being who disrupts the order of things, often humiliating others and sometimes himself in the process. Whether a coyote or rabbit, raccoon or raven, tricksters use cunning to get food, steal precious possessions, or simply cause mischief."

I have just finished reading Trickster: Native American Tales: A Graphic Collection by Matt Dembicki. What a fantastic collection of Native American trickster tales by various storytellers and illustrators.

I know this book will be appealing to a wide range of readers because it took FOUR DAYS to get my hands on this one! Thanks to The Picnic Basket, this gem came in the mail only to be grabbed by my eleven year-old daughter. She started reading it immediately, being the lover of graphic novels she is. I then saw this book in my husband's hands. He is drawn to anything Native American. When I finally asked for my chance to read through this book, I was intrigued.

Each Native American tale is told by a different storyteller. Each tale is illustrated by a different artist. Such an interesting collection of tales and styles of artwork! For a younger reader, this format will work well as they won't get 'stuck' in a story or a form of artwork that they do not enjoy. (See example pages below.)

My favorite tales were "Coyote and the Pebbles", "Azban and the Crayfish", "Rabbit and the Tug of War", and "Giddy Up, Wolfie".

Find a copy of Trickster and let me know which tales you enjoyed!

Happy Reading!

Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

Coraline

Interested in a weird graphic novel? Try Coraline. Based on the novel by the same name, this is one strange story! Coraline lives with her mom and dad in a very large old house. The other tenants of the house, an old man who lives upstairs and two former elderly actresses, can never get Coraline’s name quite right. “Caroline,” they say. Coraline’s own parents seem far too busy with their own lives to pay much attention to Coraline.

So when Coraline finds a locked door with a brick wall behind it one minute and a passageway the next, she is drawn to what may be beyond this dark space. Coraline finds herself in another world much like her own...right down to her ‘other’ parents. Her other parents want to please Coraline very much and want her to stay with them...that is, if it weren’t for the other parents’ button eyes!

Coraline goes back to her real apartment only to find her real parents are missing. Upon finding out that her other mother has trapped her real parents and hidden them somewhere, Coraline is desperate to find them and return things to normal.

This is one strange story! After reading the graphic novel, why don’t you pick up the original novel and read that one. How do the two compare? I’ll be waiting to see who takes me up on this challenge!

Happy Reading!
Mrs. Tyo :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

The Secret Science Alliance

The Secret Science Alliance and the Copycat Crook by Eleanor Davis is one cool graphic novel! Ever since I read this one and book talked it, I have not seen it on my shelf! You guys are passing this one around like crazy!

Eleven year-old Julian Calendar feels like he never fits in at school. So when his parents announce that they are moving which means a new school, he is thrilled beyond belief. A new start! He will have a chance to start fresh...to be ‘normal’ like everyone else. Soon, he befriends Greta who always wears her bicycle helmet and Ben who never seems to stop playing basketball. These three end up having a lot in common.

Julian, Greta, and Ben are all interested in science and creating their own wild inventions. They even have a hideout which at first seems like a plain wooden shed. Wait until your eyes feast on their real secret lair! The three of them form The Secret Science Alliance and begin to create their wild inventions.

But then a revered scientist steals their inventions. The Secret Science Alliance must use their smarts and science knowledge to stop the Copycat Crook.

This story is funny, inspiring, and filled with science and wacky inventions. I thoroughly enjoyed the most detailed drawings in the book. There were several that were so intricate that I spent several minutes looking and reading and finding the pertinent information located in each one.

I think this book will be one that will fall into the hands of readers of all interests. It is one that makes the reader root for the underdog…and don’t we all love an underdog!

Happy Reading!
Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

The Stonekeeper (Amulet, Book 1)

Oh! WOW! I just finished The Stonekeeper (Amulet, Book 1), and I LOVED it! My daughter, Tessa, bought this graphic novel from the book fair at her school. I think she knew I would enjoy it, too!

The illustrations are vivid and sharp. So colorful! My eyes took in every scene in this action packed story. With this graphic novel, you will find not only incredible artwork but an equally incredible story.

This story by Kazu Kibuishi begins dramatically with Emily and Nevin losing their father in a terrible accident. Fast forward two years later...Emily, Nevin, and their mom are moving to a new town to a house that has been in the family for generations. It's a house that will need a lot of love (and cleaning!) but this family is determined to make a fresh start. While looking around the house, Emily stumbles across her great-grandfather's study where she finds a hidden amulet with special powers.

Emily needs these special powers desperately since it is soon up to her and her brother to save her mother from an awful fate. What has happened to Emily and Nevin's mother? Will they be able to save her? How will the amulet help them in this quest? Who else will they meet on their strange and dangerous adventure?

READ this book! You'll love it! And then prepare yourself for The Stonekeeper's Curse (Amulet, Book 2) that has just been released! I don't have it in the classroom yet, but you can be sure that I'll be getting it soon!

Happy Reading!

Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

Into the Volcano

Wow! What a graphic novel! Don Wood tells a riveting story of two brothers, Sumo and Duffy. They are swept away on an adventure into the underground lava tubes of an erupting volcano!

I have never read a graphic novel with so much intense action shown in the illustrations. I felt like the author took me on one gigantic amusement park ride! What an artist Don Wood is!

I enjoyed the character of Duffy at the beginning of Into the Volcano. I liked his take-charge attitude. Although I didn't begin with a fond feeling about Sumo, by the end of the book I loved him! What a dynamic character! I liked how his character underwent changes. By the end of the book, it was Sumo that I liked the best!

For a super cool look at how Don Wood researched his book, go to this website: http://www.audreywood.com/mac_site/into_the_volcano/into_the_volcano_01.html

Happy Reading!
Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

The Dopple Ganger Chronicles The First Escape

What a unique book! I loved G.P. Taylor's The First Escape. It is the first book in The Dopple Ganger Chronicles.

This book is different because it is a mix of traditional text, illustrations, AND graphic novel! All three mesh together in this book to tell the story of two sisters. Here is the blurb from the book:

"At Isambard Dunstan's School for Wayward Children, life is trouble for fourteen year-old identical twins Sadie and Saskia Dopple and their friend, former thief Erik Morrissey Ganger. But what starts out as a perfectly normal day of food fights, rioting classmates, and (yawn) threats of expulsion goes suddenly and horribly wrong when a mysterious, wealthy woman appears at the school and adopts Saskia...without her sister.

On her own in a mansion full of dark secrets, Saskia stumbles upon a conspiracy that threatens her very life. Meanwhile, desperate to find Saskia, Sadie and Erik escape from the orphanage with a gang of enemies in hot pursuit. Faced with perils beyond their imaginations, the trio must decide who to trust--and what to believe--if they are to survive long enough to find each other again."

What a cool book! The second book in the series has just been published...The Secret of Indigo Moon. Go to http://www.dopplegangerchronicles.com/ to view the book trailer for the second book. I can't wait to get my hands on my own copy! I will read it FAST and then put it in the classroom for YOU!

Happy Reading!
Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

A big THANK YOU to Maddie C. for loaning me her copy of The Secret of Indigo Moon! I read this second book of The Dopple Ganger Chronicles, and it did not disappoint! A good mystery with Saskia, Sadie, and Eric again! Pick it up!