November 2013

Volcano Rising

VOLCANO RISING by Elizabeth Rusch, illustrated by Susan Swan (Charlesbridge, 2013). Most people think volcanoes lay dormant or destroy villages with their fiery eruptions, but in this engaging story, Rusch shows readers another powerful side to volcanoes. In a simple layer of text, she reveals how volcanoes create majestic mountains and form new land masses… Read more »

Happy Thanksgiving!

ReaderKidZ wishes all of you safe travels, happy reunions, and if you can’t go where you were planning during this stormy Thanksgiving weekend, we hope you’ll be happy where you are. Stay home. Cook a small dinner. Settle in with a good book and love the ones you’re with. Be sure to check back here… Read more »

Go: A Kidd’s Guide to Graphic Design

Go: A Kidd’s Guide to Graphic Design by Chip Kidd (Workman Publishing, 2013) According to Chip Kidd, graphic design is “Purposeful planning that uses any combination of forms, pictures, words, and meanings to achieve one’s goal.” In other words, design is problem solving. It’s art, yes. But it’s also math (think size and balance,  patterns and… Read more »

A STRANGE PLACE TO CALL HOME

A  STRANGE PLACE TO CALL HOME: The World’s Most Dangerous Habitats & the Animals That Call Them Home by Marilyn Singer, illustrated by Ed Young (Chronicle Books, 2012) Mystery, poetry, bold daring art, and scientific information about strange and weird creatures – what a wonderful mix of science and art! Try this one – what creature is this?  Thousands of these tiny living things are hatched in… Read more »

Librarian’s Corner: Awesome Science Picks

Books about science don’t have to read like dusty encyclopedias. These books reveal intriguing facts about our universe with lyrical language and beautiful art. For the youngest readers: All the Water in the World by George Ella Lyon and Katherine Tillotson (Atheneum, 2011)  Science, poetry, and art swirl together in this gorgeous picture book. All… Read more »

Graphic Organizers – An Educator’s Dream Tool

Graphic organizers are some of the most beneficial tools around to help teach complicated literary concepts such as theme, text structure, chronology, and sequencing – to name just a few. Also known as knowledge maps, cognitive organizers, or concept diagrams – graphic organizers provide a visual opportunity to grasp complex learning and instruction. And, they’re… Read more »

Librarian’s Corner: Outrageous Numbers

No dry worksheets here – these books about math will have readers thinking about numbers in an entirely new way. For the youngest readers: 1 + 1 = 5 and Other Unlikely Additions written by David LaRochelle and illustrated by Brenda Sexton (Sterling, 2010)  1 + 1 = 5 when 1 set of twins +… Read more »