Wonderstruck

Selznick, B. (2011). Wonderstruck: A novel in words and pictures. New York: Scholastic. Waking to a nightmare and seeing how his life has turned upside down, Brian leaves sets out to find his father. Parallel to his personal journey is Rose’s, as she sets off to find her way. Set years apart, each begin their journey to find what they hope to come across, a non-existing father and a dream of meeting an actress with such mystery.

Selznick provides another of his enormous books filled with a combination of text and illustrations to convey a story that young readers will captivate themselves in. The story is detailed in the following two children as they search for the one thing they long for, finding the absent parent in hopes of a rekindling, to the fantasy of meeting the obsession. Although the size of the book can put off young readers, the text is easy to read and grasps. One impact on the story will have readers wondering and wanting to read to find out how being deaf interferes with daily interactions.

The illustrations, filled with numerous shades of whites to deep grays and blacks, Selznick conveys his story of Rose. His illustrations provide simplistic lines and formations of the story, that older elementary students are able to identify the characters and the surroundings, understand what is happening within the story itself. Even though text is not in the illustrations, they are done well that children can analyze the images to understand what is happening.

Reviews

Amazon Best Books of the Month, September 2011: In a return to the eye-popping style of his Caldecott-award winner,The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Brian Selznick’s latest masterpiece, Wonderstruck, is a vision of imagination and storytelling . In the first of two alternating stories, Ben is struck deaf moments after discovering a clue to his father’s identity, but undaunted, he follows the clue’s trail to the American Museum of Natural History, in New York City. Flash to Rose’s story, told simultaneously through pictures, who has also followed the trail of a loved one to the museum--only 50 years before Ben. Selnick’s beautifully detailed illustrations draw the reader inside the museum’s myriad curiosities and wonders, following Ben and Rose in their search for connection. Ultimately, their lives collide in a surprising and inspired twist that is breathtaking and life-affirming. --Seira Wilson

KIRKUS REVIEW

Brian Selznick didn't have to do it.

He didn't have to return to the groundbreaking pictures-and-text format that stunned the children's-book world in 2007 and won him an unlikely—though entirely deserved—Caldecott medal for The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Weighing in at about two pounds, the 500-plus page tome combined textual and visual storytelling in a way no one had quite seen before. In a world where the new becomes old in the blink of an eye, Selznick could have honorably rested on his laurels and returned to the standard 32-to-48–page picture-book format he has already mastered. He didn't have to try to top himself.

But he has. If Hugo Cabret was a risky experiment that succeeded beyond Selznick and publisher Scholastic’s wildest dreams (well, maybe not Scholastic’s—they dream big), his follow-up, Wonderstruck, is a far riskier enterprise. In replicating the storytelling format of Hugo, Selznick begs comparisons that could easily find Wonderstruck wanting or just seem stale. Like its predecessor, this self-described "novel in words and pictures" opens with a cinematic, multi-page, wordless black-and-white sequence: Two wolves lope through a wooded landscape, the illustrator's "camera" zooming in to the eye of one till readers are lost in its pupil. The scene changes abruptly, to Gunflint Lake, Minn., in 1977. Prose describes how Ben Wilson, age 12, wakes from a nightmare about wolves. He's three months an orphan, living with his aunt and cousins after his mother's death in an automobile accident; he never knew his father. Then the scene cuts again, to Hoboken in 1927. A sequence of Selznick's now-trademark densely crosshatched black-and-white drawings introduces readers to a girl, clearly lonely, who lives in an attic room that looks out at New York City and that is filled with movie-star memorabilia and models—scads of them—of the skyscrapers of New York. Readers know that the two stories will converge, but Selznick keeps them guessing, cutting back and forth with expert precision. Both children leave their unhappy homes and head to New York City, Ben hoping to find his father and the girl also in search of family. The girl, readers learn, is deaf; her silent world is brilliantly evoked in wordless sequences, while Ben’s story unfolds in prose. Both stories are equally immersive and impeccably paced. The two threads come together at the American Museum of Natural History, Selznick's words and pictures communicating total exhilaration (and conscious homage to The Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler). Hugo brought the bygone excitement of silent movies to children; Wonderstruck shows them the thrilling possibilities of museums in a way Night at the Museum doesn't even bother to.

Visually stunning, completely compelling, Wonderstruck demonstrates a mastery and maturity that proves that, yes, lightning can strike twice. (Historical fiction. 9 & up)

I had a hard time getting into this books, unlike Selznick’s other novel, The Invention of Hugo Cabret. I enjoy the back in forth of text and illustrations in Selznick’s novels, but it can seem overwhelming in its size to a young reader. That being said, I was able to read it within one sitting.

I would recommend this to my struggling readers who like to read, but still need the illustrations to view when needing a break. This novel allows them to continue the story through the illustrations and take that break many of them need. I could use this for practicing in making predictions and inferences, comparing the two stories of Ben and Rose, as well as find the theme of each story and as a whole.

Does My Head Look Big In This?

Abdel-Fattah, R. (2007). Does my head look big in this? New York: Orchard Books. Living in Melbourne as a Australian Palestine, Amal has made a major life decision in wearing a hijab full time. While attending a private high school, Amal comes across hatred due to her religion and must face and deal with her obstacles appropriately, such as friendships, dedication to her faith, respecting the elders, and breaking down barriers.  

Young adult readers will “walk the path” with Amal as she begins a right of passage of wearing her hajib, the mark of becoming a woman within Islam. The language within the text is easy to read and follow along with. Momentarily throughout the text, Arabic is presented to the reader, but Amal translates for the readers the meaning and how it impacts the story. Amal is able to express her concerns as well as stand up for herself throughout the book and is very reassuring of who she is.

Adbel-Farrath does an excellent job describing the clothing that Amal, as well as other women, wears, anything that covers her body. From teh silkiness of Amal’s hair, to describing the process of wrapping her head in the hijab. Religion is present in the story as Amal and her family stop to pray during the day. Readers will notice a shift between Amal and her extended family as some are more modern and Americanized in not following the traditional family values, such as praying and fasting.

Abdel-Farrath presents to the readers what many immigrants and persons similar go through in dealing with rejection. She provides this example through Amal going to school and wearing her hhijab that was out of uniform. It is demonstrated the right and the wrong way to handle situations and what actions should be taken when not treated fairly in an appropriate manner.

Reviews

School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up—Australian 11th-grader Amal is smart, funny, outspoken, a good student, and a loyal friend. She is also a devout Muslim who decides to wear the hijab, or head covering, full-time. The story tells of her emotional and spiritual journey as she copes with a mad crush on a boy, befriends an elderly Greek neighbor, and tries to help a friend who aspires to be a lawyer but whose well-intentioned mother is trying to force her to leave school and get married. Amal is also battling the misconceptions of non-Muslims about her religion and culture. While the novel deals with a number of serious issues, it is extremely funny and entertaining, and never preachy or forced. The details of Amal's family and social life are spot-on, and the book is wonderful at showing the diversity within Muslim communities and in explaining why so many women choose to wear the hijab. Amal is an appealing and believable character. She trades verbal jibes with another girl, she is impetuous and even arrogant at times, and she makes some serious errors of judgment. And by the end of the story, she and readers come to realize that "Putting on the hijab isn't the end of the journey. It's just the beginning of it."—Kathleen E. Gruver, Burlington County Library, Westampton, NJ

Booklist

*Starred Review* Like the author of this breakthrough debut novel, Amal is an Australian-born, Muslim Palestinian "whacked with some seriously confusing identity hyphens." At 16, she loves shopping, watches Sex and the City, and IMs her friends about her crush on a classmate. She also wants to wear the hijab, to be strong enough to show a badge of her deeply held faith, even if she confronts insults from some at her snotty prep school, and she is refused a part-time job in the food court (she is "not hygienic"). Her open-minded observant physician parents support her and so do her friends, Muslim, Jewish, Christian, secular. Her favorite teacher finds her a private space to pray. The first-person present-tense narrative is hilarious about the diversity, and sometimes heartbreaking. For her uncle who wants to assimilate, "foreign" is the f-word, and his overdone Aussie slang and flag-waving is a total embarrassment. On the other hand, her friend Leila nearly breaks down when her ignorant Turkish mom wants only to marry her daughter off ("Why study?") and does not know that it is Leila's Islamic duty "to seek knowledge, to gain an education." Without heavy preaching, the issues of faith and culture are part of the story, from fasting at Ramadan to refusing sex before marriage. More than the usual story of the immigrant teen's conflict with her traditional parents, the funny, touching contemporary narrative will grab teens everywhere. Rochman, Hazel

I enjoyed reading this book. When I began reading it in early June, I felt like I was Amal’s internal conscious. I laughed with her, at her, and her friends. She was very descriptive in her events and telling her readers her story. A few times throughout the book, I felt as though I was back in high school, the cruelty of it and what it does to an individual in growing up to the person they set themselves to be.

Students from various backgrounds would enjoy this book as they could relate to other individuals. No matter race, ethnicity, gender, and religion, the reader will see that peers also go through such difficulty and must make the right decision and maneuver though such obstacles. 

October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard

Newman, L. (2012). October mourning: A song for Matthew Shepard. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. It’s Gay Awareness Week in Laramine and tragedy has this the small town. Twenty one year old Matthew Shepard is found tied to a wired fence out in the middle of nowhere hanging on for his life all because he was gay.

Through the pages filled with poetry, Newman is able to capture different points of views of those who lived in the same town, Laramine. As she struggles with the event of Matthew Shepard, Newman expresses her reaction of his death through the form of verse. From the bartender, to the police involved in the case, to the actual individuals who were responsible for his horrific and gruesome death, Newman brings to life the story of one individual who suffered at the hands of hatred due to sexuality to the readers.

The poetic touch of each encounter, surfaces emotions that the reader and “character” can make a connection to, whether it is anger for behaviors, sadness for the actions of hatred, or disgust at those who caused this event to reach its national appearance. The text is so well written that the reader can visualize each poem and hear the “character” tell their story of Matthew and his terrorizing death.

Reviews

Booklist

*Starred Review* On October 6, 1998, 21-year-old Matthew Shepard, a gay student at the University of Wyoming, was lured into a truck, driven into the country, savagely beaten, tied to a fence, and left to die—which he did, five days later. In the 68 poems that make up this novel-in-verse, Newman re-creates the events and circumstances surrounding this unspeakably vile hate crime and offers a moving tribute to a young man she regards as a martyr. Her poems are told from multiple points of view, including that of the fence, the rope that bound the boy, and a doe that stood watch over him. The beautifully realized selections are also written in a variety of forms, ranging from haiku to villanelle, from concrete poetry to rhymed couplets. Each form (discussed in an appendix) matches the tone and mood of its content, creating an almost musical effect that is both intellectually and aesthetically engaging. Written with love, anger, regret, and other profound emotions, this is a truly important book that deserves the widest readership, not only among independent readers but among students in a classroom setting, as well. Most importantly, the book will introduce Matthew Shepard to a generation too young to remember the tragic circumstances of his death. Grades 8-12. --Michael Cart

I remember this event making the news as I was a sophomore in high school. I grew up that “batting for the other team” was not accepted at all. This was something we did not watch or pay attention to as it was not something that was seen as appropriate. As I read this book of verse, I was sadden and angered that such an event happened, that no one stepped in to stop something, that an individual lost his life because of ignorance and hate.

This book will definitely be a recommendation to my students as they leave for high school as a resource of humanity at a weakness. The different points of views throughout the book, will be able to show them the different mindsets of individuals and how thoughts and actions do have an impact on what we do in our lives.

Screencast

Jing, Screencaster, Screenr, Screen-O-Matic

Just a few weeks ago, I tod myhusband that I wanted to know how to make the videos you see on YouTube all the time, the "How To" videos to help when I am in a rut and trying to figure things out. I told him I wanted to figure it out for this coming school year for my students to use when I am out fo my Practicum hours.  This week hit the nail right on the head. I was so excited for this task knowing I wanted to do this and want to use it in the future.

I looked into several sites that would assist me in making such videos. Most had their advantages, while one site was a complete bummer.

The first site that I looked into was Jing. When create a short video, I found Jing to be user friendly. I decided to do a video on accessing our school library catalog from our school district website. Our campus is a one to one campus and all students have access to a tablet or desktop. Because our campus does not provide lockers to students, they are required to carry their tablets home. Sharing this video will allow students to search the catalog for books of interest in various formats that theyfind suitable for their needs.

I like that Jing was available to use whenever I needed it. The "sun" sits in the upper right hand corner of my computer screen and I am able to access it at any given time. I like that I can take a video or an image of my screen. I do like Skitch when taking images and manipulating the images with highlighting words or phrases, but I was no able to take videos and share it from the site, I was able to do so with Jing.

One complication I came into was trying to embed the video. When I entered teh embedded link, this is the result.   2016-07-28_1345

When needing to open up the Jing video, I had to connect with Screencast. Here I am able to share my video by embedding the link, providing the URL link, or emailing it to anyone. This site was user friendly as well. I have not purchased the subsrciption. I will definitely look into for future ideas.

I was disappointed to find that Screenr was not longer available for anyone to create videos. I was no longer available after November of 2015. Previous users are still able to access their videos that they have created through a hyperlink to another page.

Screen-O-Matic was the last site that I looked at. I had some issues getting the program to work on my Mac and had to dig out my husband Window's laptop to work on. After downloading the program, I was finally able to move forward with the activity. After some trial and error, I finally made a video manuvering the learning mangament system our district uses, Schoology.

Once the video was made and reviewed it, I knew this was the site for me. I found the site to be very easy to use. I liked how the curser was identified with a yellow circle to draw the viewers eye to the screen and follow along with the speaker.  I liked how "in time" the video was with the actions as I manuvered through my video.
 


Out of the several screencasting sites I visited, I would use Screen-O-Matic. I felt it was more professional and easy to manuver. I was able to share my video is a variety of ways, select what channel I wanted the video to be under, and provide details about what the video was about as well as provide a password if I wanted to do so. I think my students and co-workers would appreciate the curser and videos that would assist them in navigating a task.

Cartoons and Comics

I can remember opening the Houston Chronicle and grabbing the comics every Sunday morning, being careful not to crinkle or mess up the rest of the paper for my grandparents. I would read my favorites and clip them to save. I remember using the Sunday comics to use a wrapping paper for birthday parties. There were birthdays thatI received presents wrapped in comics and I knew exactly who it was from, my Aunt Deirdra. I think at one point I used comics for my textbook covers.

Now, I view comics digitally through the Chronicle, random sites, and Pinterest. I even use comics in my classroom the traditional way, paper and pencils. When we finish a novel, my students pick a scene that they favored and they create that scene within a comic strip. They must provided dialogue, illustrations, color, and a minimum number of slides when doing this project.

As our campus moves to its second year as a one to one campus, having students create their comic strips digitally is the next step in their presentations. I looked at three different sites and each have their pro's and con's that I found.

ToonDoo

 The first site I looked at was ToonDoo. There are many features that students can use when creating comic through ToonDoo. Different figures, items, and sceneries are available for the user to produce into a storyline. Figures can be manipulated to change positions, directions, rotate, or experssions to meet the need of the comic. Characters can include celebrities, animals, anime, cartoons. Students can opt to post their comic on Facebook, Twitter, or print it to post within the classroom, home, binders, or locker. Students can download their creations to save as well. Others online can respond to the comic strip, whether or not they liked it and communicate with the author of the comic strip.


I did not find many issues with the site when creating the comic. Once students understand the icons and images they want to use, they will be able to easily create their comics and publish them. I think the only thing I came into was remembering where I found an image.

I thik this site would b good to use for my ESL/LEP students with practicing vocabulary and practice writing a complete sentence. I think if they see their work, they will feel accomplished.

By amouton34 | View this Toon at ToonDoo | Create your own Toon

Pixton

The second site that I looked into was Pixton. I must admit, I liked this one the best out of the three. I was able to manipulate the positions of the characters more, add more facial features and emotions, and was offered premade backgrounds. I was also offered more slides to create either a comic strip, story board, or a graphic novel. My students would love this. I could take advantage of this site with having the students create story boards for short stories we read throughout the year to creating a graphic novel for a narrative or maybe even for incoming 7th graders. I can see it right now, identifying the parts of the plot diagram for Langston Hughes, "Thank You, M'am" and laying it out into a story board or a graphic novel during the first six weeks of school.

The only thing I thought was a minor issue was having to upgrade if I wanted to download my comic., but it was easly to save and share it.

Make Beliefs Comix

The last site that I looked at was Make Beliefs Comix. This one was not very appealling to me. Although the images and scenery were simplistic, the images and characters provided were very limited. I felt like I could not be as creative with this site and not manipulate my characters and scenery as needed. I found it hard, if not impossible, to add color to the scenery or characters. If I wanted to save the comic, I could do so by emailing it or saving it to my USB. This site did not allow me to come back to it later.

I do not see my students using this site. They would find it boring and I feel like I woul dspend more time trying to motivate them then actually creating a comic strip. I could have the students practice with creating a comic strip before moving on to Pixton or ToonDoo.

Tellagami

Using the basic app, I was able to create a short gami on a book I read yesterday for another class. The site was very easy to use, but with the basic app, very few options were available when changing the character's clothing, scenery, and emojis. I am sure if I were to upgrade it or even use the educators edition, I would be able to use so much more, like more time to record and appearance of the character. I liked the idea of creating a character and recording my own voice.

It was easy to share, email, or get the ebedded link. I think my students will like this app on their tablets. We could use this type of presentation to practice vocabulary for ESL/LEP students, stating the main idea of a passage, giving book talks that could be made into a QR Code in the library (definitely going to do this). I might even have my students try this when they are working on presenting their case on which death theory Edgar Allan Poe died of (they really get into this each year).

 

Above is an example of a quick 30 second book talk of October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard by Leslea Newton.

Many of the options presented are great ideas for students to present their understandings and final results of an assignment. It will be interesting to see what the creative minds of 14 year olds will come up with using these means of digital comics and cartoons.

Online Book Communities

Spreading the word about the mass amount of good books can be done in so many ways. There is the traditional word of mouth, book displays at the bookstore and library, online sellers, and what is known as online book communities. With technology rapidly expanding and reaching almost every inch of the globe, online book communities are becoming more popular from the book lover to those seeking how to do something to the educator. 

I looked into four online book communities. Each offered similarities and many differences and some advantages and disadvantages. Considering the age group of students I teach, I had to condsider which community would be beneficial for my students and myself as well.

Goodreads

 
 
 

Why use online book communities?

Today's digital age offers so much at our finger tips. With online book communities, individuals can  create their own personal bookshelves that they can share with their peers online, browse other memebers reviews, see recommendations, and search for anything in particular in regards to books. The individual can also offer insight of a book, make recommendations, offer other books that can be paired to certain books, and see what others had to say about a book. 

As the owner of an account with Goodreads, I am able to see recommendations, view updates, create challenges, and create as many bookshelves as I would like. A screenshot of my homepage for Goodreads is below. 

With Goodreads, I can look at what shelves I have created, see what the site recommends by putting my curser over "Browse"dropdown, as well as the "Community".  Unfortunately, if you remove the curser, you lose the dropdown menu, it only will dropdown while the curser is hoovering over it.

With Booklikes, I am only able to select one item at a time with the dropdown menu. While in Shelf, just like Goodreads, I can see my bookshelves. Same applies for the curser when selecting dropdown menus. The curser has to stay over the dropdown menue to view all the items to select from.

Unlike Goodreads and Booklikes, Librarything's dropdown menu stays once you click on it. You can then select what you are looking for to move on to what you need to accomplish. Only disadvantage is you do not see the bookshelves on the side like Goodreads and Booklikes. You have to select the dropdown menu to find the shelf you want.

One advantage of Booklikes is that I can use it as a blog as well to post reviews or anything regarding my books that I want to read or have read. Goodreads and Librarything does not offer a blog on their sites. 

Of all three sites (Goodreads, Booklikes, and Librarything), they all offered groups to join, discussions to participate in, and links to purchase books. Booklikes offers book clubs for members to join. Each set a time frame to read a particular book and discuss it with one another through posts online. All three also offer events that are happening for you to participate in.

Online Book Communities in the Classroom

Although each of the previous sites can be used in intermediate and high school classrooms, I found that BiblioNasiom was suitable for the elementary and middle school classrooms. There is so much an elementary and middle school teacher can do with this website. But it is not meant for all students. One disadvantage is the site only recognizes childrens books, so some intermediate and high school reading mateirals are not found in the "children's" books to choose from.

Besides bookshelves, a teacher can monitor Lexile levels, view reports, add individual or a group of students into a class, view rotating recommended readings, find resources and create a parent letter to send home to assist them in logging in to monitor their child. Just like readsquared and Xtramath.

The books I selected for my bookshleves on BiblioNasiom were for late elementary and middle school students. Knowing that I will have intervention students this year, this would be a great tool to set up for my students and help monitor and offer suggestions for them to read. 

Advantages

All of the sites that I mentioned provide the same thing, some offer more, but in general they offer ways to display a digital bookshelf, interact with others online, and see what recommendations there are as well as purchasing the reading material of choice.

Many of the sites offer publisher information, ISBN, reviews of both publishers and readers, and many retail options for purchasing the book or links to navigate you to another site.

Educator

As our students become more dependent on technology and use it to research before doing or, purchasing (yes my students to do this), online book communities are a great way to share what you like to read, have read, and want to read. Just like this blog, my students can go to my online book communities and see what I had to say about a book they are interested in or look for recommendations.

Individual

Online book communities offer ways for me to look at recommendations, read and write reviews, join online discussion, book clubs and so much more. I am able to interact with other book lovers like myself. It allows me to research and see if a particular book is what I am looking for based on reviews and if so, I can move forward with purchasing or checking it out from the library.

Disadvantages

Not everyone likes the idea of going online to search or read a book, but would rather spend time in a bookstore browsing (I'm guilty of this). Some may not have the technological devices or knowledge to use such sites when looking for books to read. 

The different sites

If you are looking for something that is colorful, has a lot to look at, then Librarything is not one to use. I personally did not like the site. I felt like I had to maneuver the site over and over to find what I wanted. I am also that person who likes visuals to look at when working online. 

Also, not having a side bar or automatic dropdown menus may deter some individuals. I know that Ilike to be able to find what Ineed easily and want to be able to select or dropdown to see instantly what I am needing. I had this issue with Librarything.

The Winner Is?

I personally liked Goodreads. I liked how I was able to navigate easily and my homepage was visually appealing to me. I also thought my students would be able to navigate this site easily as well, as many of them have used Goodreads before. 

If I taught or worked with elementary and middle school students, I would definitely use BiblioNasiom if I didn't already have one from our district. This site could go along with Accerlerated Reader if the teacher wishes to do so.