We are now flush with books … as if we weren’t before ;-) I was pretty proud of myself for bringing home a record-low 45 books from BookExpo America this year.  HOWEVER, after the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference … well, it is an embarrassment of riches: 60 ARCs/chapter books; 21 picture books/PB galleys; and 2 audio books. This picture includes just the end-of-month incoming from publishers (on the shelf) and ALA (the floor).

Neither the numbers nor the picture include the dozen or so books I got autographed for my personal collection, including Where The Mountain Meets the Moon (this year’s Newbery Honor Book) and The Red Thread by Grace Lin; and The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney (this year’s Caldecott Medal winner).

We have been busy reading – mostly library books – but are way behind on reviewing. I expect to remedy that in the coming weeks. If you have read and reviewed one of the books, please feel free to add it to the Website; add a link in the comments here; or send me an email at thereadingtub [at] gmail [dot] com with “book review” in the title. By linking back, I can send traffic your way, and I am happy to do it.

Received: 41 (+ 128 from conferences)
New Reads: 18
New Reviews: 3 (with 5 on their way)

Note: Our book widget includes links to Indie Bound (you can mouse over “Indie Bound” to get more info), Amazon, and Tapestry Books. Covers with links go to amazon.com for general literature and Tapestry Books for titles with adoption themes.

Favorite Re-Reads (kid picks)

nonfiction Ant Attack! (Science Solves It)
by Ann James and Anthony Lewis

Reading Beyond the Books

nothing new this month

Bilingual Books (All Audiences)

xxxx

Picture Books (All Audiences)

our book talk

Easy Readers (for New and Developing Readers)

nonfiction

review coming

Illustrated Short Chapter Books

Middle Grade Chapter Books (Fiction and Nonfiction)

Beyond Freedom
by Patricia Q. Wall
our book talk

by Victoria Bond

Young Adult Chapter Books (Fiction and Nonfiction)

review coming The Dreamer
by Pam Munoz Ryan

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Note: Book cover images link to Amazon.com; per title bookseller links go to Indie Bound and Amazon.com. When you buy a product via one of our links, we earn a small commission from the sale. You are under no obligation to purchase through them.

Technorati Tags: American Library Association, bilingual books, BookExpo America, books for new readers, children's book reviews, high-low books, illustrated chapter books, libraries, middle grade readers, picture book reviews, summer reading

This year, our weekly trips to the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library will be on Wednesdays … swim meet day. It is the perfect opportunity to get out of the house, and yet have a low-key activity. This year the American Library Association (ALA) theme for summer reading centers around water, which is an added bonus!

Imagine my shock when we were at our swim meet and my DS-loving daughter asked “Mom, did you bring a chapter book?” Truth be told, she wanted a chapter book because the (older) brothers of her best friend were sprawled on the lounge chairs reading. [Even at 50 paces I could tell it was was Rick Riordan's The Red Pyramid!] I promise, next week, I’ll have a chapter book!!

So here’s what we picked up this week …

Cool Crime Scene Basics: Securing the Scene by Esther Beck – You-know-who wants to be a detective, so when I saw this on the new arrivals shelf, it was a must-pick. The bonus: it helps with nonfiction reading.

The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan – This one’s for me. When I mentioned on Twitter that it was pathetic that I hadn’t read any of the Horn Book Award winners, Carol Rasco (@RascoFromRIF) said to start with The Dreamer … so I am.

A Horses Tale:  A Colonial Williamsburg Adventure by Susan Lubner – One of our reviewing families submitted this and loved it, so I thought we’d read it, too.

How Do You Wokka Wokka? by Elizabeth Bluemle – This one is on my wish list/virtual TBR shelf.

In a Dark, Dark Room and Othe Scary Stories retold by Alvin Schwartz – Catherine and her best friend checked out both copies of this book so they could read it together.

Little Wolf’s Book of Badness by Ian Whybrow – This is an illustrated chapter book that looks like it has the kind of humor Catherine would like.

Second Grade Rules, Amber Brown by Paula Danziger – I’m trying to include books of different lengths.

Stompin’ at the Savoy by Bebe Moore Campbell – Catherine loves When Louis Armstrong Taught Me Scat and

Under Alien Stars by Pamela F. Service – Recommended by Jennifer Wharton at Jean Little Library

Walter Wick’s Optical Tricks by Walter Wicks – In my search for variety, I wanted to find some books that are just for exploring, not reading.

What Can You Do with a Rebozo? by Carmen Tafollo – This is on my virtual TBR shelf/wish list.

When You Meet a Bear on Broadway by Amy Hest – Found this on the new arrivals shelf.

With a hot weekend on tap, I’m sure we’ll get lots of reading in.

___________

Note: Book cover images and titles link to Amazon.com, with which we have an affiliate relationship. The Reading Tub can earn income from purchase made through these links.  You are not obligated to purchase the books nor buy through these links.

Technorati Tags: American Library Association, elementary readers, kidlit blogs, libraries, read aloud books, summer reading

In late April I turned into this uber-nesting cyclone who was bent on clearing the desk of stuff that’s been “hanging around.” Maybe I wanted to get the piles down as far as possible before heading to BookExpo America and recreating the mountains.  Whatever the spark, we got a lot done these past 30 days. We now have more than 1,800 completed reviews in our book bag! [There are still another 200 on the shelf, though ... not counting the soon-to-arrive box from BEA.]

If you have read and reviewed one of the books, please feel free to add it to the Website; add a link in the comments here; or send me an email at thereadingtub [at] gmail [dot] com with “book review” in the title. By linking back, I can send traffic your way, and I am happy to do it.

Received: 36
Read: 42
Reviewed (new): 39

Note: Our book widget includes links to Indie Bound (you can mouse over “Indie Bound” to get more info), Amazon, and Tapestry Books. Covers with links go to amazon.com for general literature and Tapestry Books for titles with adoption themes.

Favorite Re-Reads (kid picks)

Reading Beyond the Books

Bilingual Books (All Audiences)

none this month

Picture Books (All Audiences)

The Bickleby’s Birdbath

__________
Houdini’s Gift
by Jeanne Gehret, MA; illustrated by Michael LaDuca (Verbal Images Press, 2009)
our book talk
__________
nonfiction

Rufus and Friends: Rhyme Time

Easy Readers (for New and Developing Readers)

Amy’s Travels
written and illustrated by Kathryn Starke
Creative Minds Publications, 2006
our book talk
__________

Illustrated Short Chapter Books

Middle Grade Chapter Books (Fiction and Nonfiction)

Katy’s New World (The Katy Lambright Series)

Young Adult Chapter Books (Fiction and Nonfiction)

Crossing
Andrew Xia Fukuda
Amazon Encore, 2010 our book talk

Book Talks Updated with Teen Reviews

(Links go to Reading Tub website review.) This month we also have reviews of books we have previously mentioned. None of these books is counted in our totals.

Coconut’s Joke Book by American Girl Publishing – our book talk
Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa by Erica Silverman – our book talk
Judy Moody Goes to College by Megan McDonald; ill by Peter H. Reynolds – our book talk
Keena Ford and the Second-Grade Mix-Up by Melissa Thomson – our book talk

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Note: Book cover images link to Amazon.com; per title bookseller links go to Indie Bound and Amazon.com. When you buy a product via one of our links, we earn a small commission from the sale. You are under no obligation to purchase through them.

Technorati Tags: audio books, beginning reader reviews, children's book reviews, elementary readers, Mo Willems, picture book reviews, read aloud books

I’ve spent the past few days browsing the 2009 Cybils finalist lists. With each list, I got more and more excited!  For once, there is a list with books I know and have read. I even nominated a short-chapter book finalist. What are the odds?

Serving on the Easy Reader/Short Chapter Book panel was a blast. I was already a fan of Sarah Neal (In Need of Chocolate); Anastasia Suen (Picture Book of the Day among others); Jennifer Wharton (Jean Little Library); and Melissa Young (Sweet On Books). But having the chance to talking books with them was just too cool.

There were a number of the books that I wasn’t initially familiar with, and I am glad to have had the chance to read them. It is nice to see such a variety of choices for new and developing readers.  I’ve got the covers and nomination data for the finalists, here, but I would HIGHLY recommend that you head over to the Jean Little Library, where Jennifer reviews all the nominated easy readers and short chapter books.

Easy Reader Finalists

Dinosaur Hunt (Max Spaniel)
by David Catrow
Orchard Books
Nominated by: Becky

Good Dog, Aggie
by Lori Ries
Charlesbridge
Nominated by: EM

Mr. Putter & Tabby Spill the Beans
by Cynthia Rylant
Harcourt
Nominated by: Tara Lazar

Shampoodle (Step into Reading)
by Joan Holub
Random House Children’s Books
Nominated by: Barbara Eppenger

Watch Me Throw the Ball! (An Elephant and Piggie Book)
by Mo Willems
Hyperion
Nominated by: Melissa

Short Chapter Book Finalists

Alice’s Shooting Star
by Tim Kennemore
Eerdmans Books for Young Readers

Bad to the Bone (Down Girl and Sit)
by Lucy Nolan
Marshall Cavendish Childrens Books
Nominated by: Jennifer Wharton

How Oliver Olson Changed the World
by Claudia Mills
Farrar, Straus & Giroux
Nominated by: Elizabeth Bird

Mercy Watson: Something Wonky This Way Comes
by Kate DiCamillo
Candlewick Press
Nominated by: Alyson

Roscoe Riley Rules #7: Never Race a Runaway Pumpkin
by Katherine Applegate
HarperCollins
Nominated by: yours truly

Whittling these lists to one book in each category is not going to be an easy task for the Round II Judges.

Heather Acerro, ACPL Kids, ACPL Mock Geisel
Amanda Blau, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
Sharon Hrycewicz, Bend in the Road
Cynthia Lord, Cynthia Lord’s Journal
Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

These are great books, all, with a lot of diversity in presentation and audience reading level.

More on other categories in the days to come.

___________

Book titles link to Amazon.com. The Cybils has an affiliate relationship with Amazon, and may earn income from purchases made through those links.

Technorati Tags: Anastasia Suen, beginning reader reviews, Cybils, developing readers, illustrated, illustrated chapter books, Mo Willems, read aloud books

Updated to add Classroom Literacy project link.

One of my projects this week has been to load the reviews we received from North Junior High School, Saint Cloud, Minnesota. Ms. Johnson’s class [Language Arts 2] participated in our Use Your ABCs program, a classroom literacy project that is designed to give readers-in-need a chance to practice their reading and comprehension skills, and also get books to classroom libraries.

I’ve already written a note to Ms. Johnson about how great these reviews are.  There are several things that are clear:

• Covers matter, and so does the blurb on the back. More than two-thirds of the students commented that the cover and/or summary influenced their decision to pick Book X from the pile.
• First chapters need to be strong.  One of our questions for reviewers is whether/not their perception of a book changed after the first chapter. Some students were won over after a “boring first chapter,” but it was clear that in many cases that initial experience influenced the rest of their reading.
• They know the audience – and when they’re being talked down to. There were a few books where the students complained that the vocabulary was at their level but the content beneath them, and vice versa. These weren’t the high interest/low readability books, but books whose portrayed audience didn’t match the content.

The quality of the reviews themselves are excellent, even for books that weren’t to the students’ liking. Here are some of the insights they offered.  To read their complete input, click the book title. It will take you to our website. It is interesting to see how their recommendations weren’t always in sync with what the adult (librarian, teacher, parent) thought the target audience would like.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. “I picked [this book] because of the name and the cover. The cover looks funny and the name is great. Borrow this book. It was really good, but I wouldn’t waste my money buying it. It is a one-hit wonder.”

After Gandhi: 100 Years of Nonviolent Revolution by Anne Sibley O’Brien and Perry Edmond O’Brien. “[This book is] filled with great stories and information. I learned so much from this one book. After the first chapter, I was wanting to learn more about Gandhi and the things that he did.”

Cousin John by Walter Paine. “Buy [this book]. All schools should have this for a fun book to read for kids who are all caught up with their work and for fifth graders to read for a class project.”

Discovery of Glow by Jennifer Jazwierska and Candice Bataille Popiel. “[The first chapter] was very boring, but then I kept on reading and it got really good. It was a very good book, but easy to read. I liked the pictures and the ending was very good.”

Dodger and Me by Jordan Sonnenblick. “After the first chapter I was beginning to love the book and wanted to NOT stop reading. I liked this book because it was super funny and kept me entertained.”

The Dragon’s Child by Lawrence Yep. “I started enjoying the book from the beginning. I got hooked on the book and wanted to keep reading it. It is about real life, which is pretty cool to me. If you don’t pay very much attenchen (sic) to the book, you could get lost.

The Illustrated Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett. “I thought [the book] might be for younger readers, and the vocabulary got more advanced later on. [I liked it] because it twists old classic fables and makes a funny book for older readers.”

The Legend of Willow Springs Farm by Jan E. Culbertson. “[This book] was very annoying to read because it kept saying ‘Alyssa said’ or ‘Bianca said.’ It was a good story idea. After the first chapter I wanted to be done reading the book. I learned to keep searching til you find what you need and don’t give up.”

Listen! by Stephanie S. Tolan. “This was an alright book. It was kind of easy but the story line was good. The book could be more exciting or harder.”

Little Leap Forward by Guo Yue and Claire Farrow.  “I liked this book mostly because it was from a child’s perspective, so it made more sense than it probably would have if it was from an adult’s perspective. I would buy this book because it has information about China in the 1960s. It would be something I would want my grandchildren to read to see how different the world was or if it has always been that way.”

Mudd Saves the Earth by Linda Salisbury. “[This] was pretty funny and the characters were rather crazy. [One of the cons is that] some of Mudd’s ideas were not made clear and I did not understand what he was trying to do until afterward.  I liked that when there was a tougher word in the context, a definition was given.”

Peeled by Joan Bauer. “I would recommend it to anyone from the age of 13 to 16; some older people may enjoy it as well. [I learned] a few new words here and there, but nothing major.”

The Return of Skeleton Man by Joseph Bruchac. “After the first chapter of the book I was kind of confused but I was starting to like the book slowly. This book [has] a lot of action that made me not want to put the book down during the last couple chapters.”

The Secret of the Sacred Scarab by Fiona Ingram. “I liked how there was adventure and with adventure came excitement and suspicion. The author also did a very good job explaining all the scenery and things around Egypt. There was lots of detail and I liked how everything just kind of flowed together.”

Notes like “I learned so much from this one book” and other this-book-got-me-hooked comments are a wonderful testament to the attention authors give to crafting stories to engage middle-grade readers.

Thank you all. You helped make this a great week!

Technorati Tags: classroom literacy, literacy projects, middle grade readers, teen readers, Use Your ABCs

If you ask Rana, she will describe herself as a writer first. THEN she’ll tell you about all of her career … as a lawyer, an investment banker, and private equity investor. That journey – and her passion for stories – ultimately led her to continue to explore and grow as a published author and entrepreneur.

When she realized that a traditional publishing model wouldn’t work for her goals, Rana created Little Pickle Press. Rana describes it as a “21st century children’s media publisher dedicated to helping parents and educators cultivate conscious, responsible little people by inspiring our readers to help children in need, celebrate diversity, and protect the environment.” They walk the talk, too, and work diligently to minimize their own footprint. LPP prints and distributes its materials in an environmentally friendly manner using recycled paper, soy inks, and green packaging. In addition, Rana – and the other authors to be published through the company – donate a percentage of the proceeds of their books to a children’s non-profit. Rana is donating a portion of the proceeds for first book to the Starlight Children’s Foundation.

Just as Rana’s first book What Does It Mean To Be Global? was arriving from the printer, she got word that the book was named a 2009 National Best Books Award winner in the Children’s Picture Book – Hardcover Nonfiction category. USA Book News sponsors this annual award. The next two books in the series are due to be released in 2010.

RT: Hi Rana! Thanks for your interest in jumping in the Reading Tub®. As I was preparing for our interview, I was fascinated about how you launched Little Pickle Press and your books, literally, within a six month window. And now, What Does It Mean to be Global? just won the 2009 National Best Books Award (USA Book News) for a children’s hardcover nonfiction picture book. How did it feel to open the box and hold your first book three weeks ago … and to know it is already-winning awards?

Rana: It was thrilling! It represented the net result of a very rewarding collaborative effort and a lot of hard work on the part of our whole team.

RT: Over the course of your career, you followed a path that looks at the world from different angles: political scientist, lawyer, investment banker, and private equity investor. Now you are a publisher and author … what was the “aha” moment when you realized you wanted to use those experiences to refine your path?

Rana: Shortly after writing my first three manuscripts, I attended a workshop to explore how best to get them published. The veteran author/illustrator who was presenting warned me not to collaborate with my illustrator before approaching a traditional publisher, as that was frowned upon. Well, it was too late. I had already started working with Chris Hill. Then, my first reader suggested that (1) I might not want to tell a publishing house that I wanted to print on recycled paper with soy inks, and (2) my content was over the heads of my intended audience. That was the “aha” moment. I knew at that point there had to be a better way to get high quality, eco-friendly content to our children. I promptly founded Little Pickle Press to apply my experience to create a new, interdisciplinary, dynamic approach to an industry I perceived to be in need of change.

RT: Since you’ve brought it up, let’s talk about the concepts for a moment. Each of your first three picture books are designed to bring big concepts to little people: globalization, conservation, and being “present.” Was it difficult to parse these broad themes into stories kids could comprehend without over-simplifying them?

Rana: Getting the messages across in an accessible manner is certainly a challenge, but at the same time, it is an opportunity. I believe that children are capable of a lot more than we give them credit for. I know that most children, mine included, appreciate when we take the time to have engaging discussions with them, especially about topics that are perceived to be “out of their reach.” It is with this spirit and respect for children that I wrote my first three books.

RT: Although these are the first three books you will be publishing, do you see other gaps in the “conscious kids” market that have yet to be addressed?

Rana: The potential for meaningful content that promotes “conscious kids” is vast and exciting. Not only are there entire categories of topics yet to be addressed fully (e.g., accountability, awareness, gratitude, philanthropy, respect, responsibility, etc.), but there are also opportunities to address other meaningful topics in a new way. Moreover, we plan to turn all of our books into feature-rich media that engages children and makes their learning experience fun and interactive.

RT: In the back of What Does It Mean To Be Global? you include an environmental benefits statement. I have never seen this before. Do you foresee this as something we could see industry-wide? And if so, how long do you think it would take?

Rana: Corporate consciousness is on the rise. Consumers are gravitating towards products that reflect their values (i.e., protecting the earth, giving to others, etc.). Consumer forces will lead to constructive changes in the publishing industry, being more environmentally aware just one of them. Because producing media in an eco-friendly manner is more costly than the alternatives, it will take some time for publishers to adjust their practices. The shift, however, has already commenced, and emerging publishers of children’s media, like Little Pickle Press, are on the vanguard of this positive industry development. All facets of our business operations – production, distribution, marketing, sales, etc. – are designed to minimize the impact on the environment.

RT: Do you think that being a published author is important to running Little Pickle Press? Do you think there are benefits that come from knowing the business?

Rana: The fact that I am a published author is important for two reasons. First, I wanted to develop our business model and refine our best practices using my content initially. In so doing, we created a platform that has been vetted and proven to produce the works of other authors and illustrators. Second, I needed to learn the publishing industry before I could hope to succeed in it. What better way to do so than to write and publish my own material? My experience has helped me to be empathic, resourceful, and open-minded.

RT: In looking at the website, it appears that you are leveraging resources and have a symbiotic relationship with a number of partners. For example, when Little Pickle Press begins accepting manuscripts, it will be through a specific, already-established manuscript review company. How did you come to decide on that model?

Rana: My decision to work with established partners emanated from my desire to produce high quality content for our children and to provide a suite of best-of-breed services for our artists. Our extended team comprises professionals who are experts in their respective fields. As an emerging publisher, forging relationships with and relying upon industry specialists gives us credibility and positions us well to succeed.

RT: In describing Little Pickle Press, you explain that it fills the gap in the conscious kids book market. Your first three books will be picture books. Do you see this group (kids ages 4 to 9) as your principal audience?

Rana: Initially, our target audience will be young children, ages 4 to 9. There is so much opportunity in this category. Little Pickle Press intends, however, to expand its scope to develop content for children of all ages as the Company itself grows.

RT: You have released What Does It Mean To Be Global? in hardcopy and also as an eBook. Will you do this for all Little Pickle Press books? Why did you decide to simultaneously release the books with both formats?

Rana: We intend to use our books as the foundation for all types of feature-rich media for children, eBooks among them. We want to develop talking eBooks, interactive stories, content for popular children’s learning devices, animations, music, etc. that excite and engage children while delivering the meaningful messages in our books. The decision to release the hardcopy and eBook simultaneously stemmed from our desire to reach as many children as possible as soon as possible and to appeal to a broader spectrum of customers (those who like the traditional hardcover and those who want to download an eBook to read to their child as they wait for their food in a restaurant).

RT: Although What Does It Mean To Be Global? just arrived from the printer, you have been building the business and promoting the book for several months. A book trailer is ready to go, you’ve got a blog, and you’re building your networks with industry peers. What has been the most useful platform (or platform strategy) for you?

Rana: Finding and appealing to our customer on the Web has been the most useful means to promote and sell our books. From updating our Facebook profile, to Tweeting milestones and industry developments, to reaching out to our LinkedIn network, to raising awareness in relevant blog communities, we have been hard at work reaching our customers online and encouraging them to learn more and to consider buying our differentiated content.

RT: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Rana: Yes, thank you. I wanted to add that ten percent (10%) of the purchase price of our What Does It Mean To Be…?™ series of books is happily donated to the Starlight Children’s Foundation, brightening the lives of seriously ill children and their families. As a thank you for this opportunity, I would also like to offer your readership a 10% discount off books purchased on our site through the end of the year. To receive the discount, they will need to enter RT2009 at checkout.

Ways you can connect with Rana and Little Pickle Press

Technorati Tags: Author Showcase, Rana DiOrio