Word after Word after Word by Patricia MacLachlan

"Some things happen in fours. On the fourth day of the fourth month after the winter holiday vacation, a famous writer came to our fourth-grade class. Her name was Ms Mirabel."

The focus of this story is on five kids - Evie lives with her dad and brother, she misses her mum but thinks the new neighbour might be a good wife for him; Henry lives with his mum and dad and he just wants his family to stay happy; Lucy's mum has cancer but she does seem to be getting better; May is upset because her family are adopting a new baby; and Russell's dog has died. 

Each of these kids does have something to write about and under the gentle coaching of Ms Mirabel each of them writes several terrific poems to share with their parents on the open day.

Here is one from Lucy:

Away

Shut it away!

Sadness.

Lock the door after it!

Sadness. 

Fold tears up and

Put them in a box

So they don't see

Light

Laughter

Joy!

Send sadness far away

So that even if you

Send for it

It doesn't hear you call.

You can hear a six minute audio sample here. And this link also takes you to some teachers notes. 

"Some words may make you happy, some may make you sad. Maybe some will make you angry. What I hope"—a sudden gust of wind made Ms. Mirabel's hair lift—"what I hope is that something will whisper in your ear." "What does that mean?" asked Russell. ... "You will know," she said.

Bookseller blurb: One spring, visiting author Ms. Mirabel comes to Lucy’s fourth-grade class to teach about the power of words and writing—lessons that subtly but powerfully change the lives of Lucy and her four friends. Each of the five is dealing with his or her own small childhood tragedy, such as the arrival of a new baby or the death of a special dog. The young writers discover their voices, and they also find ways to express their hopes and fears to those they love. Sure to inspire new generations of writers and readers, this contemporary novel from a beloved author and Newbery Medalist celebrates the power of words and language, stories and poetry. It also underscores a message that is near to Patricia MacLachlan’s own heart—that becoming a writer can help every person, young or old, to better experience the world. Reading this book is like a visit from Patricia MacLachlan herself!

My friend spied this book at a recent charity book sale. She knows I am both a huge fan of Patricia MacLachlan and also that I have begun a small collection of her books. My obsession began with Sarah, Plain and Tall - I think I have read it over ten times. It is my comfort story. Word after word after word published in 2010 is available but I sure did make a good saving. My copy cost AUS$1 and a new copy costs nearly AUS$35 here in Australia. 

I won't say that Word after Word after Word is MacLachlan's best book, but it's a book you'll like spending time with. All of her books are like that. Book Aunt

At its heart, this book is about the ways that writing and friendships can connect us to our own stories—word after word after word. It is a beautiful, authentic, grounded novel that you won’t want to put down Great Kids Books

Here are a few books by Patricia MacLachlan:

Patricia MacLachlan died in 2022. Here is a list of her books:

• Cassie Binegar (1980)
• Arthur, for the Very First Time (1980)
• Tomorrow's Wizard (1982)
• Seven Kisses in a Row (1983)
• Unclaimed Treasures (1984)
• The Facts and Fictions of Minna Pratt (1988)
• Journey (1991)
• Baby (1993)
• Edward's Eyes (2007)
• The True Gift (2009)
• Word After Word After Word (2010)
• Waiting for the Magic (2011)
• Kindred Souls (2012)
• White Fur Flying (2013)
• Prairie Days (2013)
• The Truth of Me (2013)
• Fly Away (2014)
• The Poet's Dog (2016)
• Just Dance (2017)
• My Father’s Words (2018)
• Dream Within a Dream (2019)
• Wondrous Rex (2020)
• A Secret Shared (2021)
• My Life Begins! (2022)

Plus the five titles of that follow the story of Sarah, Plain and Tall. And nearly 30 picture books. 

Zadie Ma and the Dog who Chased the Moon by Gabrielle Wang

Zadie Ma really wants a dog of her own. She has a magical ability - when she writes a story it sometimes comes true. Zadie writes a story about a stray dog called Jupiter. Yes, she does find and rescue him but owning a dog is not straightforward. Her mother has forbidden Zadie to have a dog. The new family who live over the back fence have lots of pets of all shapes and sizes. The girl in the new family is named Eleanor Elspeth Eaglemont but she prefers to be called Sparrow. Sparrow is happy to look after Jupiter until Zadie can convince her mother to change her mind. 

Interspersed through the book we read short stories penned by Zadie.

Publisher blurb: Zadie Ma has a special talent for telling stories . . . and it seems that some of Zadie’s stories come true. Zadie’s dearest wish is to have a dog of her own and so she starts to write the story of a poor unwanted dog called Jupiter, who’s just waiting to be rescued by a loving girl like Zadie. One morning when she’s supposed to be minding the family shop for her mother, Zadie sets off to look for Jupiter. The scene that unfolds isn’t quite the same as in her story but she does find a real dog, and his name is Jupiter. Once Zadie has rescued him, she realises she can’t just take Jupiter home because her mother won’t let her keep a dog. Luckily her bold new friend Sparrow lets Zadie keep Jupiter at her house till Zadie can work things out. But a series of unlucky events means that Zadie can’t write the happy ending she dreams of for her story, and now she may lose her beloved Jupiter forever. Can Zadie’s most important story of all finally come true?

The book’s structure and style are both unique and refreshing, weaving narrative, allegory (in the form of Zadie’s own stories interspersed throughout) and graphic novel elements.  Reading Time

I loved Sparrow – I loved that she refused to believe in stereotypes and assumptions about people, that even though everyone gravitated towards her, she still chose Zadie over being the most popular girl in school. And I loved the loyalty she had to Zadie, and the loyalty Zadie showed to her – they were true friends. Book Muse

Readers aged 9+ will enjoy this story especially those who also long for a dog. Children with immigrant parents who work long hours in small businesses such as the shop owned by Mrs Ma are sure to identify with Zadie and other readers will gain an insight into different family relationships and cultural expectations.

Listen to an audio sample here.

This feels very autobiographical and so there are moments in this story which are deeply affecting especially the relationship between Zadie and her mum, dad and little brother and the depictions of the milk bar. I don’t usually enjoy books with other stories interspersed between the chapters and some of these work quite well. I especially loved the character of Sparrow and her kindness to Zadie. School has been hard for Zadie. We know she is teased and even bullied and has become quite withdrawn and shy. Sparrow arrives and becomes her friend. I just wanted to hug Sparrow!

Gabrielle Wang is our current Australian Children's Laureate. As I read Zadie Ma and the dog who chased the Moon, as I said,  I was sure this book was autobiographical and now I read these quotes from Gabrielle Wang: 

This book is very different from any of my other novels because it’s part narrative, part graphic novel, part fable. It is also a very personal story that I’ve carried with me almost all my life, well before I knew I would be an author.

There are many themes in this novel: friendship, diversity, Chinese culture, racism, bullying, war, courage, hope and connectedness. But above all, it is about the power of story – how they can change you on the inside and impact the world around you.

In this video Gabrielle talks with the Australian Writers' Centre (40 minutes).

Here are some of her previous books:

The Wishbird

The Beast of Hushing Wood

I remember I really enjoyed The Garden of the Empress Cassia (2002). I haven't talked about it here but perhaps I will find a copy at the next Lifeline Bookfair. 

First the Egg by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

 

"This is a book about transformations - from egg to chicken, seed to flower, and caterpillar to butterfly. But it's also a book about creativity as paint becomes pictures, word becomes story .... and commonplace becomes extraordinary."

This book is so significant it even has its own Wikipedia entry. 

The book comprises a series of die-cut pages that convey various forms of transformation. Seeger uses word play and alters the composition of the illustrations between cut-outs to create unexpected relationships among basic concepts such as time, opposites, and colours. In 2009, the company Weston Woods Studios, Inc. made a video version of the book.

There is a surprise under the dust jacket:

I am not a fan of this video but it will allow you to see how the die cuts work. 

The flower on the page "first the seed" is just such a beautiful image:

A paperback edition of this 2007 book was published in 2018 [9781596437227] but it is sadly out of print. The hardcover is still available but the price is way too high to consider here in Australia. I saw one retailer listed this book for over $47. My friend from Kinderbookswitheverything adores this book but sadly her library copy is in bad shape. I found a copy at Better World Books and I hope it is in slightly better shape so she can have a better copy in her wonderful school library. 

Awards:

• 2008 Caldecott Honor Book
• 2008 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book
• New York Times Best Seller
• New York Times 10 Best Illustrated Books of 2007
• American Library Association Notable Children’s Book, 2008
• Horn Book Fanfare Best Books of 2007
• Oppenheim Platinum Award, 2008
• NAIBA Children’s Pick of the List, 2007
• Arizona Grand Canyon Young Readers Award, 2007
• Michigan Great Lakes Great Books Award, 2007
• South Dakota Prairie Bud Award, 2007
• Eric Carle Museum Picture Book of Distinction, 2007

Take a look here to see other books by Laura Vaccaro Seeger. I have previously talked about Green. 

Sharing books and stories

I have been away from my blog because in the last week I have visited two tiny rural schools - 

Hampton Public School and Capertee Public School

Here are the books I shared:

This is a terrific 'warm up' book. Every child from Kindergarten up to Grade 5 loved the surprise of the little books at the back - each one smaller than the previous one. I was able to talk about Nadia Wheatley and her famous book My Place and we also looked at the original edition of this book which had a different illustrator and slightly different text. 

1 is for One

Then at Hampton we looked at Somebody and the Three Blairs. The children were able to quickly recall the main parts of the 'real' story and the pattern of three. They anticipated the plot of this different version from the title and we spent time looking at the back cover and end papers. Of course the most popular page is always the one where the bear drinks from a pond (the toilet)!

Somebody and the Three Blairs

At Capertee we talked about the CBCA 2022 Honour Book (Picture Book) The Boy and the Elephant. This is the first wordless (IBBY call them Silent books) that the children had ever seen. We spent some time before reading Stormy learning new names for book parts - dust jacket; end papers; half title page; title page; and at the end it was wonderful to remove the dust jacket and reveal the little surprise dog tag.  We also briefly looked at Aquarium. Most of the children did not know the word aquarium but they loved seeing the way the pattern under the dust jacket matched the girl's dress.

Stormy: A story about finding a forever home

Aquarium

One of our morning activities in both schools involved sharing the contents of a treasure box. It is just an old jewellery box I have filled with tiny objects such as a clock key, tiny bottles of 'magic potion', coins, an old medal, a necklace, gold embroidered gloves, a pen nib, a game of knuckle bones, a dog tag, 'fake' jewels and some tiny opals.

After looking and handling all of the treasures I asked one child to pick their favourite (Hampton key and Capertee necklace) and then I told a story loosely based on this book by Jan Mark. Following my story the children selected a treasure and wrote their own stories. Their work was just wonderful. 

Towards the end of the day in both schools we unpacked a box of 2023 CBCA Picture book entries but sorry these are a secret.  We looked at 8 books and I explained around 180+ will probably be submitted. We decided on our 'criteria' - cover, title, illustrations (especially illustrations that show more than the story) and of course a great story. I was able to read one book, selected by the children, at each school. I will give you a tiny hint - one book had collage illustrations and in the other the teacher fainted several times. 

At the end of the day I presented each school with a box of new picture books that can be added to their school library. There are eight students at each of these schools but I was so happy to see they both have separate buildings for their small school libraries. During the day I pulled a small selection of junior and senior novels from the shelves and I did book talks with the Primary children from each school. Hopefully some of these books will be borrowed over the coming weeks. 

Once Upon an Alphabet by Oliver Jeffers

If words make up stories, and letters make up words, then stories are made of letters. In this menagerie we have stories made of words, made for all the letters. 

Our world is filled with letters (although you might think about how different these letters look in China or Russia or Japan or Iran). Working in a school library knowledge of the alphabet is quite essential. Luckily I do enjoy putting things into alphabetical order - perhaps that why I became a Teacher-Librarian. BUT there is so much more to discover in this book. This book takes the concept of the alphabet book to a whole new dimension. 

Blurb: Here you will discover twenty-six short stories introducing a host of new characters (plus the occasional familiar face). From Edmund the astronaut with his awkward fear of heights, via the dynamic new investigative due of the Owl and the Octopus, through to the Zeppelin that just might get Edmund a little bit closer to where he needs to be, this book is packed with funny, thrilling, perilous and above all entertaining tales inspired by every letter of the alphabet.

If you are working with a class as a temporary or casual teacher this book should be added to your repertoire. Every letter in this book has their own story to tell - 26 letters, 26 stories. I think this is a simply perfect book to share with an older group of students - Grades 4-6. You could also visit your school library and borrow all of the books by Oliver Jeffers. You might also borrow all of their alphabet books - head over to the Dewey shelf 421. 

Discussion questions before reading Once upon an Alphabet:

• What do you expect to find in an alphabet book?
• Did you have alphabet books when you were very young? Did they have a theme or topic?
• Watch this video animation of The Hidden Alphabet by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
• Why do you think your parents shared alphabet books with you?
• What are some reasons for writing an alphabet book?
• Which letters might be tricky?
• Do you think there are alphabet books written for older children?
• This book begins with A is for Astronaut. What might come next?
• Take a look at these Burning a bridge; Cup in the cupboard; Danger Delilah - what is happening with the letters?

Now look more closely at the cover:

Is there a hint about the contents of this book in the subtitle - Short stories for all the letters?

Time to read this book: 

Then everyone can grab a letter and you could make a class alphabet book of stories. I would limit the writing to 20-30 words and of course everyone will contribute illustrations!

The silly, spare, slightly surreal text occasionally rhymes and endlessly surprises. Jeffers introduces each letter and story title on a separate, colored page, featuring the letter in childlike lettering. Deceptively naïve pen, ink and watercolor illustrations in subdued blacks and grays on white backgrounds add to the overall whimsy. Reappearing visual elements provide intertextual humor. An utterly delightful alphabet book. Kirkus Star review

One thing that sets Jeffers apart from the pack is his deft wordplay. He has always been as comfortable as a writer as he is an illustrator or artist. SLJ Elizabeth Bird

A delight of an alphabet book, Jeffers has revolutionized the genre with his impressive, surprising and funny work.  Waking Brain Cells

Do make sure you take time to look closely at the end papers of Once upon an Alphabet which provide a resolution to each story. 

I am collecting alphabet books for an IBBY talk I am preparing with Dr Robin Morrow. I have started a Pinterest of Alphabet Books with a Difference.

Here is an interview with Oliver where he talks about this book. 

Aaron Slater Illustrator by Andrea Beaty illustrated by David Roberts

"Words drift like music. Melodious. Mild. A sweet summer song for a sweet summer child who drifts off to sleep as the cottonwoods sway at the end of the garden. At the end of the day."

"But what he loves most - what makes Aaron's heart sing - is to listen to books in the old garden swing. To write stories, he thinks, is the greatest of things."

Aaron loves stories but he finds reading and writing are complex - he can however tell wonderful stories and he can draw his ideas and luckily his beautiful teacher can see his talent. Aaron does not need to feel small - he can shine. And over time reading will become easier but for now art is the way his heart can sing.

"Like the mightiest flames that banish the dark, hope grows in the soul, from the tiniest spark. His art makes a difference. His art leads the way and helps him discover what he wants to say."

The character of Aaron is based on Aaron Douglas, an African American artist, muralist and graphic artist.

When you hold this book in your hands please take time to explore all the lively images on the front cover and back covers. You will see all the wonderful things Aaron holds in his imagination. The art in this book by David Roberts is simply marvellous. I love all these hairstyles.

Empathetic art and lyrical text blend for a touching and empowering tale. Kirkus Star review

One of the true strengths of this book comes from the beautifully composed and carefully constructed rhyme.  Writing a rhyming text requires enormous (ENORMOUS) skill.  In this article from The Picture Book Den the authors make some really important observations about this form. The words in BOLD are my emphasis:

So how do you acquire those skills? And how do you learn to tell the difference between top quality verse and terrible rhyme? The answer is straightforward, but getting there isn’t easy. You work, hard. 

You pick every word with consideration. You edit your own work ruthlessly and tirelessly. If there even might be a better alternative, you chuck out your favourite line and try a new one.

You keep all of the following in mind at every stage: plot, character, sense and logic, age appropriateness, commercial appeal, rhythm, timing, accent and pronunciation, syllables, stresses, emotional arcs, story beats, universality, originality, ...  page turns, potential changes of scene in the illustrations…

Andrea Beaty is a master of rhyme. This book could be used as an exemplar to show aspiring writer the best way to use this form. Read this and think about the genuine emotions that come from these lines:

"And he reads ... well, he tried ... but it's so hard to start with thirty-three eyes peering into his heart."

I am a bit late coming to this splendid series. There are picture books, project books and chapter books oh and even toys. Here are some of the previous titles:

David took that plain text and created a whole classroom of quirky, talented and passionate kids, each with a complete personality and backstory. He did not share that backstory with me. Still, those characters were so intriguing that I started thinking of stories for them. I followed the clues tucked into his art to figure out who these kids were and what made them tick. I wrote more stories and David created even more magnificent illustrations filled with even more clues to those kids and their personalities. Andrea Beaty

Other books illustrated by David Roberts:

The Peacock Detectives by Carly Nugent

There is a lot going on in Cassie's life right now. On the surface two peacocks have escaped from the holiday flats across the road. Cassie knows she has terrific powers of observation and she has also had some success, in the past, as a peacock detective. Cassie enlists the help of her friend Jonas and they set off to look around their town even crossing the bridge to The Other Side of Town.

"I'm not allowed to go over the bridge by myself, because over the bridge is The Other Side of Town."

All of that would make for a simple detective or mystery story but The Peacock Detectives is so much more.

Just as we saw in The Elephant by Peter Carnavas something is wrong with Cassie's dad. He is sad, he spends a lot of time in his study and strangely he keeps buying small china ornaments which are stored in their boxes on every spare shelf in the house. Then to top all of this off mum says she is moving to a flat on The Other Side of Town, Cassie's sister Diana is now sleeping in a tent in the backyard and practicing Buddhism and Grandpa is very ill in hospital and Cassie is not allowed to see him.

Here are a set of Book Club questions. Text Publishing also have a set of teaching notes. Take minute to read the comments by Kids Book Review.   The Peacock Detectives is a 2019 CBCA Notable book (Younger Readers).

Just Dance by Patricia MacLachlan

If you want to find the love of your life, go to the Hideaway Cafe in Cheyenne, Wyoming. When a tall cowboy with a ponytail comes up to you and takes your hand, you don't have to speak. It's better not to speak, actually. 
Just dance.

Mum was an opera singer (see music list below) but then she fell in love with a cowboy who loves Willie Nelson and Roy Orbison. The family live on a farm in Wyoming. There are two kids - Sylvie and her brother Nate. Now mum sings to the chickens and cows and she sings every day in the shower. Sylvie worries her mum is missing her stage career. This has become especially concerning as her mum's old opera partner James is coming to perform and he has invited Sylvie's mum Melinda to come to the show. Sylvie worries her mum might want to leave and return to her stage career leaving them all behind.

Sylvie loves to write. It is the summer holidays so her teacher, who is married to the town sheriff, suggests Sylvie could write a column for the town newspaper. It is called Ludolf's Log and is usually written by Sheriff Ludolf. Spelling and writing are not his forte.

Here are parts of their conversation:

"This is a contract to hire you to write Ludolf's Log this summer."
"You're going to pay me? For writing?"
"Yes. You'll cover the town, like a reporter. You can ride your horse sometimes. Or ride with me."
"You can write the log any way you want."
"Could I write poetry?
"You can do whatever you want. Do it your way. Maybe we can call it Sylvie's Summer Log. All righty then!"

All righty then is a trade-mark saying of the Sheriff. I love it! His real name is Rudolph Ludoff. His mother called him Luddy Buddy. Sylvie decides the best name is Bud and there are smiles all round. And yes Sylvie does write poetry. One day doing their rounds of the area she and the Sheriff come across some boys lighting a fire:

Boys too young to say
Build a fire on windswept day
Sent home, ponder deeds


Have you ever thought to look for threads in the books by Patricia MacLachlan?

Music - Just Dance; Fly Away; The Truth of Me; Sarah Plain and Tall
Dogs - The Poet's Dog; White fur flying; The Truth of Me; Waiting for the Magic; Just Dance
Poetry - The Poet's Dog; Just Dance; Fly Away
Farms and rural communities - Fly Away; Just Dance; Sarah Plain and Tall
Seeking answers to questions - Just Dance; The Truth of Me; Sarah Plain and Tall
Family relationships - Sarah Plain and Tall; Just Dance; The Truth of Me; Fly Away

It is truly special to have a book that deals with small and very personal concerns in an honest way.
In this book, as with all her titles, you will find the lyrical language we've come to expect from Patricia MacLachlan. Here is an example. One of the people Sylvie meets is Tinker. He has a pet coyote and he also writes haiku. They become instant friends.

Tinker: "His eyes were sharp and steady. And a blue I had no name for."
Bernie the coyote: "I slowly turned my head and looked into the very close, yellow eyes ... There were black spots like marbles in the middle of the yellow. He was so close."

The family and community relationships in Just Dance are warm and reassuring. There are no big plot moments or catastrophes. This is just a beautiful quiet book. Sylvie observes her community, makes new and surprising friends and discovers something important about her mother and about love.

Music in this book:
Un bel di by Puccini  Page 7
Caro Nome by Verdi  Page 16
Casta diva by Bellini  Page 22
Plaisir d'amour  Page 86
Con te partino  Page 97

A quiet tale about finding your own voice. Kirkus

The Whisper by Pamela Zagarenski

"There once was a little girl who loved stories. She loved how words and pictures took her to new and secret places that existed in a world all her own. The characters became her friends, and quite often she grew to love them."

The Whisper is a very special book which appears on so many book lists since it was published in 2015. A little girl borrows a book from her teacher but on the way home the words all spill out. Luckily they are caught in a net by a fox.

When the little girl sits down to enjoy her book she is so disappointed to find there are no words but then she hears a whisper.

"You can imagine the words.
You can imagine the stories. ...
There are never any rules, rights, or wrongs in imagining - imagining just is."

Each double page spread has a scrumptious illustration and a title.
Blue Bear's visit
The Secret
The Quest
Tiger's Prayer
A birthday party
The magical clock
The golden key

"Hour after hour the little girl imagined an entire story for each page."  And this is something your students or reading companion can do too.  As the little girl returns to school with the book she meets the fox. He returns the words in return for a favour reminiscent of the Aesop Fable The Fox and the Grapes.

You can see a huge selection of the exquisite art work by Pamela Zagarenski here at Seven Impossible Things.  Here is a video of the whole book.  You should also look for Red Sings from the Treetops a very special book of poetry by Joyce Sidman also illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski.

Here are some more reviews
School Library Journal
Kirkus
The Reading Castle

I would pair this magical book with The Mysteries of Harris Burdick and Phileas's fortune : a story about self-expression.

The ACB with Honora Lee by Kate DeGoldi illustrated by Gregory O'Brien

This is a fascinating book because I am not sure who The ACB with Honora Lee will appeal too.  I enjoyed it as an adult but I think only a very sensitive upper Primary reader will appreciate this gentle story.  I hope to put this book into the hands of a reader this term and we will see their reaction.

If you have read Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge then this book might extend your discussion of this important issue with an older child.  I also recommend Penny Pollard's Diary which explores the theme of visiting older residents in a care facility.  You could also read Heartbeat by Sharon Creech, Pearl verses the world by Sally Murphy and Don't Breathe a word by Marianne Musgrove.  For a different picture book on this theme try Newspaper Hats by Phil Cummings.  I also recommend you take a dip into the Silk family books which have a similar feeling of community to the one Perry creates within the nursing home where her grandmother Honora Lee resides.

Perry is a very special girl.  She is the only child of busy parents who have quite rigid ideas about child rearing.  Every day (except Friday) Perry is sent to an after school activity.  Most of these are actually torture for Perry who has an inquiring mind but no aptitude for music (piano Monday, clarinet Wednesday) or movement (Thursday).  She "found it almost impossible to read the music and count and make her hands do different things at more or less the same time."

Luckily she does like writing (Tuesday with Haruka Holme) and she is reward with origami animals "fashioned from washi paper which was delicate and beautifully patterned."

One weekend Perry and her dad visit her grandmother, Honora Lee, in a nursing home.  When Perry's Thursday movement class is cancelled Perry makes the perfect suggestion.  She will visit her grandmother each Thursday. The parents agree (thank goodness).  Each week Perry walks to Santa Lucia with her babysitter Nina and Nina's son Claude.  They take a container of home baking and it is through the sharing of these treats each week that Perry comes to know some of the other residents. Honora herself is a mystery but every now and then she makes a pithy comment or quotes a classic text and gradually a special relationship between Perry and Honora grows.

"See how the fates their gifts allot" The Mikado Gilbert and Sullivan
"Oh for a muse of fire that would ascend"  Henry V Shakespeare.

Perry decides to make a gift for Honora Lee - an ABC book.  As with all plans this one will need some modification along the way.  Trying to be systematic and work through from A to Z is impossible and so the book becomes the ACB as Perry jumps around the alphabet filling her book with words, concepts, people, thoughts and emotions that she hopes her precious grandmother will appreciate. Perry herself is a beautiful character.  Wise beyond her years, patient and persistent.

Here is a little sample of this writing - Perry recites the alphabet.

"Eh Bee See Dee Eee Eff Gee .. Cue Are Ess Tee You Vee"

One of the most interesting aspects of this book are the illustrations.  I cannot think of any books with a similar style.  Take a look at a video about the illustrator Gregory O'Brien.  If you are reading this blog from New Zealand you might be able to see the stage adaption of this book.  You can read about the author Kate De Goldi here.  Here is an interview with a bookseller who will give you some more details about this very special book.

Clever, poignant and sweetly funny, this will be especially appreciated by those who’ve experienced a loved one with dementia. 

Little Answer by Tim Hopgood

I am making a collection of books that teachers might use as a writing stimulus.  You can see the covers of some I have gathered.

Little Answer is such a special book and will be added to this collection.  I adore the pictures and the voice of the Little Answer himself. He squeaks hopefully, he tries to sound clever and he mutters the answer.

Perhaps you are wondering what is the answer?  Well it is

sausages

Sadly, though,  this is perhaps not the answer to questions such as :

What makes the world go round?
What makes the wind?
What lights up the moon at night?
Where does everything come from?
What are clouds made of?

"Everyone agreed that "sausages!" was probably not the right answer.  
'Don't worry,' said Snail.
'You'll find your question I'm sure of it.'
'You mustn't give up now!' insisted Snail as Little Answer wondered off on his own."

Here are some ideas to extend your reading of this book.  I think it would be fun to think of a little answer and then write a story using the structure here where the final question does match the answer.  Here is a whole unit of work.  I should also mention there are are answers to the deep questions listed above in the back of the book.  Researching and presenting answers to the 'big' questions devised by students could also be an excellent way to develop the themes of this book.

Use your imagination by Nicola O'Byrne

It is always such fun to read a book when you know the outcome but you also know it will be funny and the baddie will be defeated.  Even the youngest child will predict the outcome of Use your imagination (But be careful what you wish for!) where we meet our two characters - Rabbit who is feeling a little bored and Wolf who has his usual wolfish motivation.  I am sure you have already guessed what this is.

"Why don't we write a story?" said Wolf. "I am a librarian, you know, and librarians know a lot about stories."

Perhaps the next page will help you recognize this story as rabbit says "What big ears you've got ... And what big eyes you've got!"  Wolf stops Rabbit thinking any further about these famous words with the repeated refrain 'Use your imagination'.  He tells rabbit to think of a topic such as a fairy tale. To think of a baddie (that's the wolf) and a hero (that's the Rabbit).  A setting (what about the forest) and now the story can begin. Luckily just in time Rabbit realizes he can use his imagination and he can change the predicable outcome of this story into something much better.

You might also enjoy Open very carefully a book with bite by the same author and Do not open this book by Michaela Muntean both of which you will find in our school library.

Inside this book there is a QR Code which allows you to access an audio version of this book.

You can see some sample pages here and I have included one below.

The line between a story they’re writing and a story they’re in is deliciously fluid. Suddenly the chase is on, and only Rabbit’s imagination can thwart the Wolf.

Finding Serendipity by Angelica Banks

It has taken me a long time to actually get my hands on this book. Last year we had a week of competitions in our library for Book Week and one of our talented students modeled her answer on this book Finding Serendipity.  Since then it has been out on loan constantly.

Essentially in this tale we explore the mystical idea - where do writers get their story lines and inspiration. Tuesday's mother Serendipity is a very famous author but one night it seems she has disappeared. Tuesday follows her through an open window. To do this she takes hold of some sliver threads that have appeared while she was writing using her mother's typewriter.  Luckily her dog Baxterr is able to travel with her.  She arrives in a strange land where she meets a boy called Blake Luckhurst and a wild girl, who is a character in her mother's books, called Vivienne Small.   Blake takes Tuesday to meet the librarian.  She is the custodian of stories and it is her job to make sure all authors reach 'the end'.  Tuesday is convinced her mother must be at 'the end' and so she embarks on a wild adventure involving danger, pirates and her dog.  She also makes a terrific friend in Vivienne and perhaps changes the ending of the book her mother is writing.

Here is a lovely description of mothers and special night time rituals :

"They will pull your covers up over your shoulders if it's cold, or fold them at the bottom of your bed if it's hot.  They will turn your light down, or off, and pick up that pair of shoes you've left lying in the middle of the floor.  For the briefest moment, they will watch you sleeping.  They might stroke your cheek, or kiss your head, or whisper a good dream into your ear.  Or perhaps they just stand there and think how lovely you are, and blow you a kiss, and leave you to your sleep."

Here is a web site for the author who is in fact two people.  This link also contains news of the sequel.  You can read more of the plot here.  If you click here you can read some quotes from this book just like the one shown below.  I have also included the US cover which looks quite unappealing to me.

I did not race through Finding Serendipity but it is a gentle story of love and determination.  If you enjoy Finding Serendipity you might also like Inkheart by Cornelia Funke and The Voyage to Verdada.

The 13-storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths and illustrated by Terry Denton

The students at my school will have an opportunity to see this zany book presented as a stage play later this year so last night I caught up on this romp which I missed last year.

Andy (the author) and Terry (the illustrator) are the narrators of this story about life in their 13-storey treehouse.  It is the treehouse of your dreams complete with a see through pool, a bowling alley, a tank of man-eating sharks, a marshmallow machine and a lemonade fountain.

The book publisher is demanding delivery of a new book but our intrepid pair keep getting sidetracked.  Of course as the third participant in this book - the reader - you soon realise that in fact they are writing a new book - their life is a story.

The final pages in the aptly named chapter 13 were my favourite part of this book - where we see the creation of a book within a book.

The 13-Storey Treehouse is a book you can read in one quick sitting.  It is certain to appeal to students who are just beginning to develop reading stamina.  Here is a web site for the author where you will also find the titles of other books that Andy and Terry have collaborated on.