Recommended books from the SCBWI Winter Conference

Last month, I attended my first writers' conference in New York. I'm working on a post about it for my other blog. Here's a quick list of some of the authors and illustrators from the conference and links to some of their wonderful books I brought home with me (signed!):

Middle Grade/Young Adult

The Fire-Eaters (Whitbread Children's Book of the Year), by David Almond. This is the first YA book I've read since I was a YA. :) Wow. There is a lot happening - bullying, parental illness, abuse, justice, redemption, poverty, class, isolation, spirituality, the Cuban missile crisis, and mental illness as a result of war - in this deceptively simple, lyrical story. I plan to re-read this together with my 5th grader.


Picture Books (for all ages)

Encyclopedia Prehistorica: Dinosaurs, by Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart. Robert Sabuda's pop-up books are amazing! I hear so many parents (and teachers - even librarians!) say, "Oh, they're beautiful, but the kids would destroy them in a minute." How tragic! These are exactly the books that should be shared with kids. The amazing illustrations jump out of the book at kids and then draw them into a different world. "Look!" I say, "Touch! Explore! Experience! Enjoy!"


Jamie O'Rourke and the Big Potato, An Irish Folktale, by Tomie de Paola. Okay, so I didn't get this one at the conference. But Tomie was there and he was just fabulous! I read this to the 3rd graders in my children's school in honor of St. Patrick's Day.

Rosa, by Nikki Giovanni and Bryan Collier (illustrator). A powerful, beautifully illustrated telling of Rosa Park's personal story and summary of the Civil Rights movement. Nikki Giovanni's keynote was one of the most powerful I have ever heard. Brilliant and totally unexpected for a conference of children's writers and illustrators. She shook us out of our seats. I plan to seek out more of her work.


Wild About Books(Irma S and James H Black Honor for Excellence in Children's Literature), by Judy Sierra, illustrated by Marc Brown. Written in Seussian rhyme in honor of Theordore Geisel's birthday, this book is a joy to read aloud. (Marc Brown read it to us at the conference!) Find out what happens when librarian Molly McGrew accidentally drives her bookmobile into the zoo!



Picture Book (for the little ones)


Party Animals by Katie Davis. Ant is watching all of the farm animals open their party invitations. Will he be invited, too? This book is perfect for the little ones, and even my 7-year-old twins - as we struggle with birthday party invitations coming for only one or the other from their classmates. And Katie Davis personalized it for the girls so adorably! You have to see it to appreciate it. I'll try to scan and post it as a comment here later.


There were so many talented authors and illustrators at the conference: Francine Pascal, Pat Cummings, David Diaz, Elizabeth Levy, and so many others I missed. I can't wait until next year!

Welcome!

Each day at school, my kids get to drop everything and read. It's their DEAR time. For few precious moments each day, the students are encouraged to put away their school work, choose a book and read - just for the pleasure of it. There will be no formal class discussion about the book, they will not be asked to interpret what they've read, no report, no quiz, no test - just reading for reading's sake.

The best part is that DEAR time is spilling over into our home life. The kids are reading more, and - guess what? - since there are no formal discussions about their books at school, they are discussing them at home!

I hope to update this blog on a regular basis, sharing what my children are reading and including links to some of our favorite books. I'd love to hear from you. What are your kids reading?

Is there DEAR time at your children's school? If not, you may want to print out the Education World article linked below and share it with their teachers.

In the meantime, try DEAR time at home. Surprise your children during chore time by encouraging them to "drop everything and read!" The chores can wait while they begin a lifelong love of reading.

For more information: Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) in Education World