ReedALOUD: Thunder Boy Jr.

My kindergarten students and I read Thunder Boy Jr. this week. This completely wonderful read aloud was written by Sherman Alexie and illustrated by Yuyi Morales. 

Sherman Alexie's narrative meets Yuyi Morales' art in a beautiful fusion of energy and expressiveness.

Thunder Boy Jr. is a celebration of the individual and that desire to be known, known for what makes each of us the unique individual we are.

Thunder Boy Jr. is a celebration of love, a love that every child, in an ideal world, would experience.

Inspired by Thunder Boy Jr. (aka Lightning), my students shared their name ideas as well as some history behind their names. 

Practicing Inquiry: Questions for Grace Lin

Photo Credit: Alexandre Ferron

We are preparing for our visit from Grace Lin. The students' questions are indicative of how much they love her books. 

Which do you like best, writing words or making art?

When you write books, where do you start?

Why is Pinmei so much like a mouse?

How did you get the idea to connect Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, Starry River of the Sky, and When the Sea Turned to Silver?

What does it feel like to be an author?

How do you come up with your character's names?

How do you make descriptive writing?

How many drafts do you do?

What do you like about being an author?

Why is the Blue Bunny Bowl in all three stories?

How do you come up with your sayings?

Have any other authors inspired you?

Which is your favorite character in one of your books?

How long does it take you to write a book?

Will you make a second book about Minli?

What is your favorite part of Chinese folktales?

What part did you actually get in The Wizard of Oz?

Given the thoughtfulness of these questions, I think it is going to be a great visit!

Encouraging Students to Doodle During a Read Aloud

Grace Lin is coming to our school at the end of the month! My fourth graders have all read Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, and most have read Starry River of the Sky, so I decided to read an excerpt from When the Sea Turned to Silver. I gave each student a pad and a sharpie and asked them to write down predictions, to draw the images that emerged, and to note language that resonated with them. The busy hands let me know how intently they were listening. It was incredible. They then shared their predictions, thoughts, and drawings with each other. Here's a sample of what they created:

ReedALOUD: Are We There Yet?

Today I read Are We There Yet? by Dan Santat with my fourth graders.

Choosing the first read aloud of the year is always difficult. Are We There Yet? meets all my criteria: the book has to set the tone for what lies ahead; the book also reestablishes my relationship with the students; and, as if that was not enough, the book also has to help students stop and reflect on where they are, in this case, the first day of school. 

There is so much that is great to say about this book, but really one word suffices: Brilliant. 

A young boy, on a car ride to visit his grandma for her birthday, gets bored, very bored, and in the way that only a very bored mind can do, creativity flourishes and his imagination takes off. Let me just say this, unlike our young protagonist, my students wished that this car ride would never end. 

Dan must have been very bored himself because this book is incredibly creative and inventive. He has created a book that the reader turns over and begins reading backward reinforcing that time has slowed down so much so that the boy and his family are traveling backward in time. Time and space eventually right themselves and another turn of the book has the reader and the family moving forward again with more fun ahead. The qr codes bring the reader back to the future and add an element of interactivity that further engages the reader as well as explains what is happening in the scene. It's incredible. 

Last year, my fourth graders Skyped with Dan for World Read Aloud Day and Dan talked about the book:

Are We There Yet? is a fabulous read aloud both in narrative and art. Engaging (and nicely hand-lettered) text is paired with detailed art, which had students pointing out changes in clothing, scenery, and expressions. 

Are we there yet? 

How much longer?

I'm bored!

It was easy to get students hooked before even opening the cover. I asked the students to indicate if they had ever uttered any of these phrases on a car ride, and as expected, it was fairly universal. 

Before rushing onto the activity for the day, I heeded the books message and stopped. The students and I talked about being present, in this moment, the excitement and anticipation of our first day of our 180 adventure in learning. As Dan Santat says, "there's no greater gift than the present."

I am not sure where our adventure in learning will take us, but I am glad we are not there yet because I am enjoying the journey.