Candace Fleming is Coming to Woodstock!

This past spring, Zion was fortunate to host the incredibly talented author Candace Fleming. Candace talked about her scrapbook biography of Abraham and Mary Lincoln, titled appropriately enough, The Lincoln's (read my review of the book here). Our junior high students were in awe of the amount of work Candace puts into her books, especially as she showed us the number of rewrites she accumulates as she works to make the book perfect.

At that time, Candace shared the title of her forthcoming book about P.T. Barnum. The book has been released recently, and now she's coming to Woodstock to talk about it! This Saturday, September 19th, you can visit with Candace again when she comes to Read Between the Lynes bookstore on the Square in Woodstock to promote The Great and Only Barnum: The Tremendous, Stupendous Life of Showman P.T. Barnum. Candace will discuss both this book and her Lincoln book at 3PM at the store. This is a great opportunity to hear Candace speak again about how she brings these historic figures to life in such incredible detail. You can be sure I'll be there. Will you join me?

Where's My Mummy?

By Carolyn Crimi

Illustrated by John Manders

Most enjoyed by Kindergartners through 4th graders

Only one week left until Ms. Crimi comes to Zion! We are so excited! This is the last of Ms. Crimi's books that we'll be reading to get ready for her visit. This is another title perfect for Halloween, especially for the younger set.

Baby Mummy is not ready for bed. He wants to play one more game of 'hide and shriek'. As Baby Mummy goes looking for Big Mama Mummy, he meets all sorts of characters who tell him that the woods are too scary for a little guy like him, but he assures them he isn't scared. At least, not until he meets up with the scariest creature of the forest!

Ms. Crimi has created a charming bedtime story that's not too scary. The creatures are all getting ready for bed and doing the things little ones do, like brushing their teeth and washing their face. When the 'scary' creature is revealed, little ones will laugh at Baby Mummy's fright. The ending is just right for one more bedtime kiss before turning out the lights. Illustrator John Manders has a knack for creating silly characters; just take a look at the pirates in 'Henry and the Buccaneer Bunnies' and you'll see what I mean.

Read this one with the littlest in the family and get ready to hear 'Read it again!'.

Boris and Bella

By Carolyn Crimi

Illustrated by Gris Grimley

Most enjoyed by Kindergartners through 4th graders

Boris and Bella are neighbors who don't get along. Bella Legrossi is a slob, plain and simple. Boris Kleanitoff, on the other hand, can't stand a speck of dust. Both go out of their way to make the other miserable. When Halloween rolls around, Bella plans a party and invites everyone but Boris. When Boris hears this, he plans a party, too, and invites everyone but Bella. Soon the RSVP's start coming in, leaving both mad. Seems everyone is going to Harry Beastie's party to avoid getting bitten by Bella's dust bunnies or nagging by Boris about scuff marks. Bella and Boris crash Harry's party ready to give him a piece of their minds only to find the party in full swing and no one paying attention to them. When the music starts, Bella and Boris can't resist the urge to take a turn on the dance floor, leading them to realize that a little dust and a clean punch cup aren't so bad after all.

Another title by Carolyn Crimi, this one is just right for a Halloween read-aloud. The illustrations are perfect, showing just what a mess Bella is (does her room look like yours?) and how ultra-clean Boris is. The monsters partying away are a hoot, too.

Enjoy this one just before you head out trick-or-treating and see if you can spot Boris or Bella!

Don't Need Friends

By Carolyn Crimi

Illustrated by Lynn Munsinger

Most enjoyed by Kindergarten through 4th graders

Rat's best friend has moved away from the junkyard and his heart is broken. He's sure he'll never have a friend again so he decides that he doesn't need any friends at all. No matter how nice the other animals in the junkyard are to him, Rat turns them away. One day, a big, grouchy dog moves in on the other side of the junkyard. The dog and Rat spend their days telling each other to stay on their own sides, which they do, until winter comes. As the temperature drops, Rat and Dog shiver alone in their own homes. But when a foot-long sub sandwich appears, the chance to step outside their own homes opens up a window to friendship.

This is a wonderful story about the highs and lows of friendship. Lynn Munsinger's illustrations show Rat and Dog's emotions so well. In fact, just when Rat's words on the page say 'Don't need friends, don't need 'em at all!', one look at Rat's face and the reader isn't fooled by Rat's words. A great reminder that friendships aren't always perfect but they're better than no friends at all!

The Louds Move In!

Written by Carolyn Crimi

Illustrated by Regan Dunnick

Most enjoyed by Kindergartners through 4th graders

This is NOT a bedtime story! As a matter of fact, it's not a quiet time story either. It is LOUD! Earmuffle Avenue is populated by Miss Shushermush, Mr. Pitterpatter, and Miss Meekerton who, as their names imply, are very quiet. But the neighborhood changes when the LOUDS move in. The LOUDS do everything loudly, from walking to eating. And no matter how friendly they are, the residents of Earmuffle Avenue want no part of them. Until the LOUDS go on vacation. Then things change, but is it for the better?

This is a fun read-aloud because it is so noisy! The size of the text changes when the Louds talk, reminding the reader to change the volume level, too. The illustrations are silly and make the Louds look as outrageous as they sound. Enjoy this one when it's time for a few laughs!

Henry and the Buccaneer Bunnies

By Carolyn Crimi

Illustrated by John Manders

Most enjoyed by pirates in Kindergarten through 4th grade

Two years ago, when our current 3rd graders were in first grade, Mrs. Jones, teacher extraordinaire, read 'Henry and the Buccaneer Bunnies' to her class. They had finished reading all of the Monarch Award books for that year and were still in the mode of evaluating good books. After reading this one, they asked Mrs. Jones if it could be an award book, too. So Mrs. Jones nominated it and here, two years later, the book is a candidate for the 2009 Monarch Award and is the reason we're going to meet the author in a few weeks! The power of a good book in a child's hand!

Henry is not like the other pirate bunnies on the ship. Instead of pillaging for treasure or making prisoners walk the plank, he'd rather read. His father, Captain Black Ear, orders the books thrown overboard but Henry saves them just in time, agreeing to swab the deck in the hopes that it will make him see reason and give up reading. But when the pirate ship is caught in a storm and wrecked, the crew is cast on a deserted island. Who will come to their rescue and save them? Might it be a little bunny who knows a thing or two from books?

Kids and pirates go together. A pirate is brave and fearless, just like a kid ready to devour a plate of peas. A pirate can swash buckle with the best, just like a kid trying to avoid homework. And pirates can learn lots from books, just like kids do with great teachers like Mrs. Jones who introduce them to awesome bunnies like Henry!

This is our favorite Carolyn Crimi book, although we're growing quite fond of a few others. Keep checking back here to find out about Ms. Crimi's other books!

Get Busy, Beaver!

Written by Carolyn Crimi

Illustrated by Janie Bynum

Most enjoyed by Kindergartners through 4th graders

On Friday, October 3rd, Zion will host a visit from Illinois author Carolyn Crimi. Ms. Crimi writes wonderfully fun books for young readers, including one of our favorites which I'll blog about tomorrow (sorry, you have to wait to find out what it is!). To prepare the kids for Ms. Crimi's visit, we're reading all of the books she's written. Today, we start with 'Get Busy, Beaver!', the perfect story for the dreamer in your house.

Pa, Ma and sister Babs Beaver are hard at work building a new house for the winter. Thelonious is supposed to be helping but he'd much rather spend the time looking at the clouds or watching a leaf spin on the water. Even the neighbors are hard at work on a den of their own, which worries Pa and Ma even more. If only they could get Thelonious to help out! But he does help, in a way no one expected and in a way they all enjoy.

Ms. Crimi has written a tribute to free thinkers everywhere. As one of our 3rd graders said today after listening to 'Get Busy, Beaver', since you 'can't judge a book by it's cover', we'd better not judge people by how they look!