These prestigious awards were announced last Thursday.

The Newbery Medal honors the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

This book is written at about a fifth grade reading level and will appeal to students in grades 6-8.

I just listened to an interview with Mr. Gaiman on NPR and he said he wanted to write a book where the only scary things were alive. When he was a child, he was terrified of graveyards. There was a particular tombstone of a woman believed to be a witch that would scare him and his friends when they passed by. He has also written the last Batman comics that Marvel will ever release and has a new movie based on his book, Coraline, coming out soon.

For more information on Neil Gaiman, visit: http://www.neilgaiman.com/

Newbery Honor Books

The Underneath by Kathi Appelt, illustrated by David Small
The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba’s Struggle for Freedom by Margarita Engle
Savvy by Ingrid Law
After Tupac & D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson

Caldecott Medal honors the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.

The winner this year is The House in the Night by Beth Krommes (written by Susan Marie Swanson)

Caldecott Honor Books
A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever, written and illustrated by Marla Frazee
How I Learned Geography, written and illustrated by Uri Shulevitz
A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams, illustrated by Melissa Sweet, written by Jen Bryant

Geisel Award
honors the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished contribution to the body of American children’s literature known as beginning reader books published in the United States during the preceding year.

As a reading teacher, I am often asked by frustrated parents, “Where do you find good quality books on the first grade reading level?” Because there is only a span of a few months when children NEED to read at this level, the list of tradebooks at this level is pathetically short.

However, the Giesel award is a good indicator of books that are at a low reading level that beginning readers can read without sacrificing the richness inherent in good literature.  These books are far more rewarding to read than Dick and Jane and give our youngest readers a tantalizing taste of the world of fine literature.

Mo Willems is the winner for Are You Ready to Play Outside?

Geisel Honor Books
Chicken Said, ‘Cluck!’ by Judyann Ackerman Grant, illustrated by Sue Truesdell
One Boy, written and illustrated by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Stinky, written and illustrated by Eleanor Davis
Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator by Sarah C. Campbell, with photographs by Sarah C. Campbell and Richard P. Campbell

Enjoy,Rebecca

 Helping Your Child to Enjoy Books

by  Dr. Dorothy G. Singer
 A parent is the first role model who conveys to a child that reading is a joyful, enriching experience.  When a child sees a parent reading, and if there are books around the house, and visits to the local library, a child learns that books are a special part of the environment, and contain the  material  that  nurtures  a child’s  imagination. More  than that, a child  will learn that the mysterious squiggles a child sees on the pages  in a book, in a newspaper, or in a magazine are actually  discrete letters that  form into words that communicate meanings.

 What are some simple things a parent can do to promote an interest in books? First and foremost, be sure to talk to your child often.  Your child then learns that language is a tool to transmit ideas,  to  share  information about the world,  and  to  help a child to express her concerns, and  emotions. Your child will also learn that these thoughts can be written down on paper. And we can read them.  We are not advocating teaching reading to preschoolers, but we do think preschoolers can be exposed to  emergent literacy by

1.  giving them familiarity with books;

2.  learning that we read from left to right in English;

3. continuing down  to the next line when we finish with one;

4.  learning  that a  book has a front and back cover;

5. that letters  have particular sounds;

6. that an author  writes a book and; 

7. that a story or book has a title.

Research studies in our lab at Yale University with preschool children in daycare centers, home care settings, and in children’s own homes  in five states used guided pretend play approaches   involving  five imaginative games, such as playing store,  searching for a lost puppy, a visit by a Martian, a  hunt for underwater treasure,  and a birthday party. These games were presented to the children  through videos of children and adults engaged in these pretend games, and then the children  were given the  opportunity to  play the games themselves with the guidance of the teacher or parent.

After just  two weeks of such play, there were significant gains made by the children  in  an understanding of  new vocabulary, increases in rhyming, use of compound words, and in concentration and cooperative play. Many children  did pretend reading and  joined the local libraries,  The results  also indicated that the children  played more of their own games after the study  was completed, and that the teachers and  parents  stated that they now had more ideas for how to approach beginning  reading.

Specifically, here are  five  games a parent  and child can play together to promote  emergent literacy through play:

1. Puppet Play – Use puppets and have your child act out a simple  poem that you read to her.  It can be a favorite nursery rhyme such as Jack and Jill.

  2. Story Time – Tell your child  a story  about your own childhood. Ask your  child to tell you a story about a trip  you took together. You can write down the words, and even draw one thing on the trip he especially liked.

  3.  A  Journey – Take a  trip  around the house, and pretend you make up names that rhyme with the objects you see.     Chair can be  stair,  bed  can be  red, toaster  can be a  roaster,  spoon a can be moon. Write these rhymes  down  and read them together. You read the word  first and have your child  repeat it. 

4. The Merry Monster Book -  Each day you play this game, the Merry Monster does something silly.  Have your child make up a silly stunt such as putting a  pot on his head for a hat, putting  his shirt on backwards,  wearing his sock on his hand . Write down the pranks in a Merry Monster book that you and your child  make with plain paper and staples. You  can begin to read this together as you point to the words.

  5.  Computer Time – Let the child write a funny story to grandparents using  e-mail. Help with the words and then send it off. This give a child practice finding alphabet letters and gives a child a sense of empowerment.  
Author Bio:

Dorothy G. Singer is Senior Research Scientist, Department of Psychology, Yale University and Co-Director, with Jerome L. Singer, of the Yale University Family Television Research and Consultation Center.  She has focused  on early childhood development, television effects on youth, and parent training in imaginative play. Recent books  include Handbook of Children and the Media; Make-Believe: Games and Activities for Imaginative Play; Imagination and Play in the Electronic  Age, and  A Mandate for  Playful  Learning in Preschool. She co- edited  Play =Learning, and Children’s Play: Roots of Reading,  which was selected for CHOICE’s Outstanding Academic Title list. Singer received the award for Distinguished Scientific Contributions to the Media by Division 46 of  the American Psychological Association in 2004 and the  Distinguished  Alumni Award from Teachers  College, Columbia University  in 2006.

Name:  Dorothy G. Singer, Ed.D.

Title:  Co-Director, Yale University Family Television Research and Consultation Center, Senior Research Scientist, Department of Psychology, Yale University
Physical Address:  Department of Psychology, P.O. Box 208205, New Haven, CT 06520-8205

Phone:  203-432-4565 and 203-393-3933

E-mail:  dorothy.singer@yale.edu

(Permission granted for Rebecca Wolf to post this article on www.SibleyCenter.com given on January 11, 2009.

Thank you for sharing your article with us, Dr. Singer!)

Beginning readers don’t usually have a lot of known words they can use to give them “visual anchors” when reading books. However, most kids at this level known their name very well. So I use this to our greatest advantage by making personalized books that have the child’s name.

You can create your own stories with some blank index cards stapled together, or you can use special software that lets you enter the names you want and then it prints out a personalized book. I have used the Bookbuilder Software from Pioneer Valley at http://www.pvep.com/software/ with great success. Levels 1, 2 and 3 are very easy with just a few words to a page, lots of picture support and repetitive text — perfect for those little ones who are just starting to crack the reading code.

There’s nothing like a book with your child’s name in it to garner enthusiasm for reading!

All the best,

Rebecca Wolf

A parent asked me, “My son still doesn’t know most of his letters. He’s getting better, but for some reason it just isn’t clicking for him. Any suggestions? I’ve mainly just used a kind of abc book – except it’s up on a door with pictures I’ve drawn of things he’s interested in that represent each letter. Like a gorgon for Gg, dragon for Dd, etc.”
I’ve posted my response here, so other parents can benefit:

Sometimes kids need to get the hang of the process of “how to learn a letter” before they can start accumulating more. The same is true for learning/memorizing written words too. So just start with ONE letter or word so the child can focus on the process of learning as well as the product. These children typically need very clear, direct instruction and lots of opportunities to practice what they’re learning.

My suggestion is to concentrate on one important letter — like T for Thomas — and go for broke with it. Be sure when you are drawing Ts that you use the SAME verbal instructions every time, like, “Straight line down and straight line across.” The exact wording you choose doesn’t matter as long as it MAKES SENSE to your child and you use the same wording consistently, so it helps develop the memory trace for that letter in the brain.

Now make and find Ts everywhere: write them in sand, snow, chalk, sandpaper, use bathtub crayons, rugs, shaving cream, chocolate pudding, dry erase boards — you name it, go crazy. After about a week, see if he starts to pick up on the letter on his own. If he still doesn’t have it, give him another week. This first letter is crucial.

How do you know when he KNOWS it? It usually happens in this order:

1. First, you point to the letter and name it for him.
2. If you ask him to find the letter, he’ll be able to point to it correctly.
3. Finally, he’ll be able to find and say the letter by himself (in a letter sort, for example).

If he’s got all of these down, then you can pick another “meaningful” letter, like M for Mom, or whatever he wants, and do the same thing. You probably won’t have to spend as long on the second letter, and even less time on the third, etc.

The idea of a personalized ABC book is very effective. Once your son starts learning more letters, fill in the ABC book with the known letters so you can keep track of them. This book is also great for reviewing learned letters so they don’t fade away!
Let me know how it goes!
Rebecca

Have you ever wondered why some of the Magic School bus books are excellent and others are, well, not so fabulous? I discovered that the original books written by Joanna Cole are the true gems. The other ones are just carbon copies of the TV show and lack the author’s touch, although her name has to be mentioned in the book title since the Magic School Bus is her creation.

The original titles to look for, as you frequent book shops and garage sales, are The Magic School Bus:

AT THE WATERWORKS

INSIDE THE EARTH

INSIDE THE HUMAN BODY

LOST IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM

ON THE OCEAN FLOOR

IN THE TIME OF THE DINOSAURS

INSIDE A HURRICANE

INSIDE A BEEHIVE

AND THE ELECTRIC FIELD TRIP

EXPLORES THE SENSES

Joanna Cole has also branched out into social studies with the Ms. Frizzle’s Adventures:

ANCIENT EGYPT

MEDIEVAL CASTLE

IMPERIAL CHINA

I hope you enjoy the originals as much as we do!

Rebecca

In Unconditional Parenting, Alfie Kohn states, “The way kids learn to make good decisions is by making decisions, not by following directions.”

As a parent, I find that I often run into the worst problems when I am trying to control my children, or make them listen to me. As an adult, I know how I like things to be done and it is often difficult for me to sit back and let my child figure it out for  herself or to provide endless reasons as to why it’s preferable to do something a certain way.

But as I remember my own childhood, I got so frustrated with my mother because whenever I offered to help her do the dishes or cook, she would say, “It’s easier for me to just do it myself.” And I was devastated. I was capable. I was confident I could help and do a good job. I just needed time to practice. And perhaps the opportunity to watch an expert first. So, it wasn’t really a surprise when I had no interest in cooking or cleaning later. I was routinely denied the opportunity to learn by doing it myself.

Encouraging children to engage in useful activities ranging from practical life, to reading, to manners and courtesy, I strive to give my students the gift of practice until each is satisfied with his or her own mastery.