MotherReader

Listing the Comment Challenge participants turned out to be harder than I thought. Some people had profiles that didn’t lead back to their blog. Some people had multiple blogs and I had to choose one. A few I never could figure out.

So, if you are not on the list and want to be, comment with the url for your blog. If you would prefer I list a different blog, comment with that url. If you’d like to be part of the Comment Challenge and aren’t yet, comment and join us now. If you’re mad that I shortened your blog name or dropped your “The,” I’d really rather not hear about it.

I didn’t code the blogs, so you can copy the urls and use them yourself. [Edit: Consider them coded. — Ed.] I was excited to find some new blogs in my reading, and I’ve only made it through about a third of them so far. There are some great blogs out there. Read. Enjoy. Comment.

• Abby (the) Librarian  (abbylibrarian.blogspot.com)
  
• Aquafortis  (aquafortis.blogspot.com)
  
• Archimedes Forgets  (sarahrettger.blogspot.com)
  
• Audiobooker  (audiobooker.blogspot.com)
  
• Bees Knees Reads  (beeskneesbooks.blogspot.com)
  
• Best Book I Have Not Read  (bestbookihavenotread.wordpress.com)
  
• Bildungsroman  (slayground.livejournal.com)
  
• Blog From the Windowsill  (bunnyplanet.blogspot.com)
  
• Book Advice  (bookadvice.net)
  
• Book Bench  (thebookbench.blogspot.com)
  
• Book Dads: Fathers That Read!  (www.bookdads.com/blog)
  
• Bookie Woogie  (bookiewoogie.blogspot.com)
  
• Book Nut  (melissasbookreviews.blogspot.com)
  
• Book Scoops  (bookscoops.wordpress.com)
  
• Bridget Zinn’s Blog  (www.bridgetzinn.com/blog)
  
• Brimstone Soup  (brimstonesoup.blogspot.com)
  
• Carol’s Corner  (carolwscorner.blogspot.com)
  
• Carrie Jones  (carriejones.livejournal.com)
  
• Charlotte’s Library  (charlotteslibrary.blogspot.com)
  
• Check It Out  (maclibrary.edublogs.org)
  
• Cheryl’s Musings  (cherylreifsnyder.blogspot.com)
  
• Christine Fletcher  (www.christinefletcherbooks.com/blog)
  
• Confessions of a Bibliovore  (bloodyyank.blogspot.com)
  
• Corey Schwartz  (coreyschwartz.blogspot.com)
  
• Cuppa Jolie  (cuppajolie.blogspot.com)
  
• Dejah View Book Review  (dejahview.blogspot.com)
  
• Finding Wonderland  (writingya.blogspot.com)
  
• Grow Wings  (growwings.blogspot.com)
  
• Here in the Bonny Glen  (melissawiley.com/blog)
  
• HipWriterMama  (hipwritermama.blogspot.com)
  
• Jama Rattigan’s Alphabet Soup  (jamarattigan.livejournal.com)
  
• Jen Robinson’s Book Page  (jkrbooks.typepad.com)
  
• Just One More Book!!  (www.justonemorebook.com)
  
• Kelly Polark  (kpolark.blogspot.com)
  
• Kim Kasch  (kimkasch.blogspot.com)
  
• Lee Wind  (www.leewind.org)
  
• Lessons from the Tortoise  (tortoiselessons.blogspot.com)
  
• Librarian Mom  (scholasticparents.typepad.com/librarian_mom)
  
• Library Stew  (librarystew.blogspot.com)
  
• Library Voice  (libraryvoice.wordpress.com)
  
• Literate Lives  (literatelives.blogspot.com)
  
• Liz in Ink  (liz-scanlon.livejournal.com)
  
• Market My Words  (faeriality.blogspot.com)
  
• Maw Books Blog  (blog.mawbooks.com)
  
• Michele M. Thornton  (michelemthornton.blogspot.com)
  
• Miss Erin  (misserinmarie.blogspot.com)
  
• The Miss Rumphius Effect  (missrumphiuseffect.blogspot.com)
  
• MotherReader  (www.motherreader.com)
  
• Ms. Yingling Reads  (msyinglingreads.blogspot.com)
  
• My Truth: Stranger Than Fiction  (nothingrhymeswithemily.blogspot.com)
  
• Needle and ThREAD  (jenfunkweber.com/blog)
  
• 123OLeary  (123oleary.blogspot.com)
  
• Original Content  (www.gailgauthier.com/blogger.html)
  
• Paper Tigers  (www.papertigers.org/wordpress)
  
• Peaceful Reader  (peacefulreader.blogspot.com)
  
• propernoun dot net  (www.propernoun.net)
  
• Readergirlz  (readergirlz.blogspot.com)
  
• The Reading Zone  (thereadingzone.wordpress.com)
  
• Read Write Believe  (saralewisholmes.blogspot.com)
  
• Ready When You Are, C.B.  (readywhenyouarecb.blogspot.com)
  
• rhcrayon: The Blog!  (rhcrayon.livejournal.com)
  
• The Scratching Log  (www.rathascourage.com/scratchlog)
  
• Scrub-a-Dub-Tub  (thereadingtub.blogspot.com)
  
• Semicolon  (www.semicolonblog.com)
  
• The Shady Glade  (theshadyglade.blogspot.com)
  
• Short Stuff  (shortsf.blogspot.com)
  
• Suzanne Casamento  (suzannecasamento.blogspot.com)
  
• Suzanne Young  (suzanne-young.blogspot.com)
  
• Talkworthy  (talkworthy.blogspot.com)
  
• Tara Lazar  (taralazar.wordpress.com)
  
• TeacherNinja  (www.teacherninjas.com)
  
• A Tuesday Story  (atuesdaystory.blogspot.com)
  
• Under the Covers...  (underthecoversblog.blogspot.com)
  
• Wagging Tales  (waggingtales.wordpress.com)
  
• The Well-Read Child  (wellreadchild.blogspot.com)
  
• What Adrienne Thinks About That  (www.watat.com)
  
• Worducopia  (worducopia.blogspot.com)
  
• Write About Now  (solvangsherrie.blogspot.com)
  
• Write for a Reader  (writeforareader.edublogs.org)
  
• Write Time  (ldkwritetime.blogspot.com)
  
• A Wrung Sponge  (awrungsponge.blogspot.com)
  
• A Year of Reading  (readingyear.blogspot.com)

When my dishwasher needs to be emptied, it always seems to happen when I don’t have the time to deal with it. So, one day I timed the unloading process. Four minutes. I was groaning and letting dishes stack up because I didn’t think I had four minutes. Now I try to keep that experiment in mind so I can enjoy the reward of clean dishes in the cabinets and dirty dishes off the counter. What a concept.

That’s kind of what commenting is like. We don’t think we have the time to do it, and we build it up to be more involved than it really is. But when we make the effort we’re rewarded with a feeling of connection and perhaps increased comments back on our own site. Also like my dishwasher story, we have to keep reminding ourselves of this fact over and over again.

We’re hoping that the Comment Challenge can help our fantastic community to take the time and reap the rewards. Basically, we’re taking the much-noted twenty-one days to form a new habit, running the Comment Challenge from Thursday, November 6, through Wednesday, November 26, 2008. The goal is to comment on at least five kidlitosphere blogs a day. We’ll keep track of our numbers, report in on Wednesdays for support, and have prizes awarded at random to bloggers who’ve passed the 100 Comment Mark. Here are some questions I’ve received and my answers.

Where do I sign up?

Sign up at the original post, either here at MotherReader or with Lee Wind, my co-conspirator.

Is it too late to start?

No. You can either up your number of comments per day if you want to make the 100 Comment mark, or you can set your own goal and join us for the support and camaraderie.

Does Young Adult blogging count as kidlitosphere?

YA Lit is totally included in the kidlit world. We just haven’t been able to come up with a catchier term than Kid Lit Bloggers or Kidlitosphere.

Do you have to be an exclusive kid lit blogger?

No, you don’t have to be exclusive to kid lit. We’re only pushing the Comment Challenge within the kidlitosphere to boost the energy among our own. We don’t want the knitting blogs to get the fruits of our commenting labor.

Do the k7-line (i.e., voice-mail) comments count toward the comment score?

I don’t know what the k7-line even means, but voice-mail makes sense to me, so sure.

Are there bonus points for branching out in your blog reading and commenting?

That’s giving Lee and me far more credit for tracking this thing than we deserve. So, uh... no. But personally, I find it easier to spread my comments around among lots of blogs because I find I have more to say.

Five comments a day! How can I do that?

Feel free to set your own goal. Maybe start smaller and build up. Maybe aim for one thoughtful comment and two “I can’t wait to read that!” comments a day.

Why isn’t anyone coming back to my blog?

Make sure that your profile links back to your blog. I’ve often tried to follow comments on my own blog back to the writer only to find that the profile is blocked.

Is there a special tracking system?

Well, mine is a Post-It note. We’re on the honor system here, so track your own comments however you see fit. However, I don’t recommend tattoos.

What are the prizes?

I’m working on it. If you have something special you’d like to donate — signed books, original art, crafty ventures — send me an email.

Do we get extra points for commenting at blogs that are more successful and high-toned than our own?

Only if you consider mine more successful and high-toned than your own. Otherwise, no. (Kidding.)

How is it that you and Lee are so awesome?

Aw, thanks. We think it happened at the Portland KidLit Conference when we touched fists and activated our separated-at-birth Wonder Twin powers.

First order of business: The Comment Challenge. It’s totally rocking! If you haven’t signed up yet to join us in spreading the wealth in terms of words, it is not too late. I repeat, it is not too late. Okay, you won’t have the whole twenty-one days, but we’d rather a little late than not at all. Story of my life there.

Now, on to Poetry Friday, hosted today at Check It Out.

I wasn’t sure how to introduce this, but since I saw Barack Obama’s words made into a found poem at Carol’s Corner, I’m feeling better about my choice. It was a quote from Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, at an event to support Obama’s candidacy.

Rosa Parks sat,
So Martin Luther King could walk.
King walked,
So Barack Obama could run.
Obama ran,
So we all can fly.

I love this so much. This week I’ve been very moved by the outpouring of emotion about President-Elect Obama, but I admit that Jesse Jackson crying at his victory speech got to me most of all.

(I’ve tweaked the wording. Here’s the exact quote: “Rosa Parks sat so Martin Luther King could walk, and Martin walked so Obama could run. Obama is running so we all can fly, so let’s fly.”)

Edited to Add: Apparently, this quote/poem has been going around with slight differences and, as far as I can tell, no direct credit. There’s even a T-shirt already. Which, by the way, I want.

What if I told you that for the cost of a few extra minutes a day, you can boost your blog readership, foster a feeling of connection, and make someone’s day? I’m talking about commenting. (Wow, with all the boosting, connecting, and making someone’s day, it’s like Viagra for blogs.)

At the KidLit Bloggers Conference, my-new-best-friend Lee Wind and I came up with an idea to get the community moving and grooving with a Comment Challenge. We held off to give you time to participate in the Cybils, to obsess about the election, and to Blog the Vote. But now it’s time to join us in The Comment Challenge.

Since it is said that it takes twenty-one days to form a new habit, we’re going to run the Comment Challenge for the next three weeks — from today, Thursday, November 6, through Wednesday, November 26, 2008. The goal is to comment on at least five kidlitosphere blogs a day. Keep track of your numbers, and report in on Wednesdays with me or Lee. We’ll tell each other how we’re doing and keep each other fired up. On Wednesday, November 26, we’ll have a final check-in post for the Comment Challenge. (Actually, it will go up on Tuesday night to catch all you Thanksgiving travelers.) I’m thinking that a prize package will be involved. Perhaps awarded by drawing from the bloggers who reached the 100 Comment Mark (five comments a day for twenty-one days with one day free of comment charge).

Seriously, this is the perfect time to make commenting a habit. Think about it. We have all this free time now that we’re not following CNN. We have writer friends doing National Novel Writing Month that could use our support. Maybe we are writers doing National Novel Writing Month who could benefit from supporting others. We have a series of author interviews coming up during the Winter Blog Blast Tour. Oh, and there were some amazing posts written for Blog the Vote that still deserve your attention.

Every comment doesn’t have to be insightful and intellectual. I know sometimes it’s hard to think of something to say. But what I’ve found is that when I’m in the habit of commenting, the words do come easier. I find myself reading posts with a bit more focus because I’m thinking about what is connecting with me.

Also, when you make yourself heard, that blogger may check out your blog. Can’t hurt your stats. Plus, you’ve made that blogger’s day a little bit brighter. Maybe you’ll make a new BFF — Blog Friend Forever.

I know, the whole thing sounds awesome. Ready to join us? Then get started by commenting on this post. And tell all your friends, because that’s kind of, like, the point.

I was surprised that I didn’t explode with happiness when it was announced that Barack Obama would be the next President of the United States. Or when Virginia went blue on the map — an amazing event. It couldn’t sink in. But when President-Elect Obama spoke tonight... wow. It felt real. It felt great.

This is from my email tonight and it says more at this moment than I can.

Pam —

I’m about to head to Grant Park to talk to everyone gathered there, but I wanted to write to you first.

We just made history.

And I don’t want you to forget how we did it.

You made history every single day during this campaign — every day you knocked on doors, made a donation, or talked to your family, friends, and neighbors about why you believe it’s time for change.

I want to thank all of you who gave your time, talent, and passion to this campaign.

We have a lot of work to do to get our country back on track, and I’ll be in touch soon about what comes next.

But I want to be very clear about one thing...

All of this happened because of you.

Thank you,

Barack

I’ve got to say, besides the beautiful message of history, dedication, and gratitude, I totally love that we’re on a first-name basis.

Last night my family attended Obama’s final campaign rally, held here in Virginia. The rally turned out to be a little more involved than I had thought. Getting 100,000 people in a rural fairground will do that. After an hour creeping along the one road in, we pulled into a neighborhood, parked the car, and walked the rest of the way. Two miles. Inside, we waited an extra ninety minutes beyond the scheduled start time for Obama to speak. Afterwards, we had to take baby steps with the tightly packed crowd to get out of the fairground and then, at midnight, walk the two miles back to our car. Along the way we saw that drivers had simply abandoned their vehicles all along the road to the venue. Cars were on the shoulders, the paved walkway, even the median strip as far as we walked and beyond.

The verdict is out on whether we were in “real” Virginia at the time. Driving to Manassas, we saw signs proclaiming the area “McCain Country.” Inside the rally, however, I saw the real America that I know in the variety of people and colors and cultures. There on the fairgrounds all people — black, white, Asian, Hispanic, Indian, Muslim, young, old — were doing the same thing. Trying to see Obama through the freakin’ blinding lights focused out on the audience.

His speech wasn’t new, but it was inspirational. Even though we were cold and tired, it was exciting to be there with my family making history. But perhaps most important for me in looking around at this diverse crowd was the validation of an inclusive politics. This is where we belong. Change is coming. Hope is here.

My daughters and I canvassed the neighborhoods for our candidate and were given a short form to chart our progress. I took care of the talking and my seventh grader took care of the marking. After our second house with two cars in the driveway and no answer at the door, my daughter quipped, “We’ll have to check off Not Home because Hiding isn’t an option.”

In this election, hiding isn’t an option. Because with the economy, the war, climate change, health care, energy independence, and pending Supreme Court nominations all at the tipping point, each person needs to make his or her voice heard on the issues. Yes, the issues — this election can’t be about who you’d like to have a beer with or who you’d want to coach your daughter’s soccer team. It’s certainly shouldn’t be about who is most like you. (Really, in what other capacity would we select someone based on them being most like us? “I’m not sure he’s a great brain surgeon, but he’s so like me.”) If you haven’t done so at this point, stop listening to party lines or following decades of loyalty, and check yourself on the issues. I’ll suggest this very good Washington Post article comparing the positions of the candidates.

I’ve made no secret of my politics, but today’s Blog the Vote round-up is based on issues. I feel comfortable with most of the ideas of my party, but today I’ll talk about one that isn’t on the checklist but has been an undercurrent throughout the campaign: It’s time to stop fighting the cultural wars of the sixties and to start addressing the cultural shift of the new millennium.

Andrew Sullivan has been instrumental in forming my thoughts on this issues, and I’ll paraphrase him now. Talking about whether there were racists who wouldn’t vote for a black man, he broadened the topic. There are some people whose racist views are specifically targeted against African Americans, but what he saw more was a general fear of approaching a minority-majority population in America — and the embodiment of that concept was coming together in the candidacy of an African American president. This idea resonated with me like no other, so let me make a few points about the cultural shift in America.

First of all, it is inevitable. Unless you want to literally divide up the country — and I’ve provided a somewhat tongue-in-cheek way to do so — this change is coming. Minorities as a group will reach majority population by 2042. By 2023, more than half of all children will be minorities. It’s time to stop fighting it and to stop fighting over it.

Secondly, I’m here on this side of the cultural shift and I can say... it’s okay. Overall, Northern Virginia is a 40.4 percent minority, so going to the Ross up the street can feel like visiting the United Nations. And I like it. My kids are exposed to all sorts of people and cultures. I can’t think of a better education they can have for living in a global society than seeing it work in their schools, their libraries, and their chain-discount stores.

My third point is that I’m living it. I’ve accepted into my family and into my heart my biracial niece. Before she blessed our lives, I thought that I was living in a diverse nation. Since she broke into my soul, I realized how little I really saw. Children’s books and Disney princesses don’t represent her color. The American story isn’t necessarily her heritage. Racism still exists. But not if I can have anything to so with it. Even if the steps are small, I can speak out, I can write, and I can vote. Hiding isn’t an option.

I owe it to my girls. Sometimes the big picture is in the small picture.

(Let’s just pretend it’s Thursday, because I could not finish this post yesterday with my head full of cold.)

With the election just days away, let’s see who’s running for office in fictional picture books.

Grace for President, written by Kelly DiPucchio, illustrated by LeUyen Pham
When Grace wonders why there haven’t been any women presidents (sorry, Hillary), her teacher uses her question to teach about presidential elections with a school-wide election. Grace runs for president against a boy in another class. Even though Grace works hard on her campaign, the boy relies on the Boy Vote to put him in office. The children represent states with the all-important electoral college votes. In the end, the election comes down to one kid — a boy. Will he follow the Boy Vote, or will he look at the best candidate? C’mon it’s a children’s book. Of course the best candidate wins. (America can only hope for so much.) This is a great book to talk about campaigns, elections, and the electoral college. The message that women and African Americans can be president is perfect and ridiculously timely.

Max for President, written and illustrated by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
Max and Kelly both want to be class president. They both make signs and buttons and promises. Kelly wins. However, “Kelly knew that she needed a good vice president to help get work done.” Taking that responsibility seriously — unlike some candidates — Kelly picks Max and they work together to make the school better. The book is simple in text and concept, but would be a nice preschool introduction to elections, cooperation, and the importance of picking a great vice president.

Duck for President, written by Doreen Cronin, illustrated by Betsy Lewin
The animals at the farm decide that they don’t like their chores and hold an election to get rid of Farmer Brown. Duck helps with voter registration, and wins the election by a landslide! But he finds running a farm is hard work, so he puts his new campaigning skills to work for a higher office. And then still higher! Of course, as you might expect, he finds running the country very hard work, and so he leaves the vice president in charge (again, the vice president’s office seems pretty important) and takes another path. Kids will love the silliness of the book, but the basics of campaigns and elections are represented. Adults may chuckle at Duck playing the saxophone on late-night TV à la Clinton. Lots of fun.

I’m not going to take long on the Obama thing, but I have to mention the three references to reading or children’s books in the informercial last night. Yes, three.

In a speech segment Barack says, “No government program can turn off the TV set or put away the video games or read to your children.” The emphasis was his, as well as mine.

Then Michelle Obama talks about how Barack has his thing that he does with each of his daughters, “and for Malia it was reading through every single Harry Potter book, and they got through all of them.”

Then the segment about the family in Kentucky starts with showing the dad reading a bedtime story to his little girl.

Not bad for books and reading, huh?

(Okay, I have to add something. I went to find the video where Michelle and Barack talk at a party about reading Harry Potter, which I found. But it led to another video titled — I kid you not — “Barack Obama Reads Witchcraft to His Children.” You have to laugh, right? The video features Michelle talking about Barack reading the books, but starts with a text statement, “Does Barack Obama oppose Harry Potter like most Christian parents?” Most Christian parents? Really? So I suppose that the huge Pottermania that has spurred on the children’s book industry for almost ten years can all be credited to Jews. You’re welcome.)

My daughter won Adam Rex’s Kaiju Haiku contest!!! She doesn’t know yet, being at school, but she’s going to be thrilled! She loves his books, as I mentioned, and who doesn’t love winning stuff?

With the variety of entries, two grand prizes were awarded in a younger and older age category. You’ll see the other winner and illustration, plus the runners-up over at today’s post.

(Congratulations, my angel!)

Halloween Storytime! Now with annotations!

In my ABC Storytime series, this is my break for Halloween. These are books I’ve read in the classroom and for preschool programs, so they are on the upper end of the picture book age range. Songs and fingerplays are all over the Internet, so I’m not putting them here. Personally, I tend to use “Spider on the Floor,” “Five Fat Pumpkins,” and “Ten Little Witches.”

Boris and Bella, by Carolyn Crimi, takes us into the land of vampires, mummies, and monsters. But just because they’re spooky or undead doesn’t mean that they don’t have problems too. Bella Lagrossi is very messy, and Boris Kleanitoff is too neat. They are neighbors, but don’t get along. When they both try to have competing parties for Halloween, everyone goes to the house of a more congenial host instead. As Bella and Boris go to yell at Henry Beastie, they find all the flaws in the party — like maggot muffins with too much muffin and not enough maggot — and refuse to have fun. When the dancing starts, they do come together and have a good time. Of course, they learn to accept each other, and also each to make little changes for the other. It’s a funny story with great wordplay, phrasing, and puns. Kids love all the gross-out references in the text and illustrations. Great fun.

The Scariest Monster in the Whole Wide World, by Pamela Mayer, is not a monster story, despite the title. Instead, it’s about finding the right costume when kid and parents disagree. Thea Dewlicky had won second prize last year at her costume parade with her fairy costume. This year, her parents are planning the costume that is sure to win, but Thea has other ideas. She wants to be the scariest monster in the whole wide world, with scales and claws and an ax in her head. Her parents are horrified, and take her shopping to find a suitable outfit, but Thea cannot be swayed. Along comes Grandma, who lets the kid be a kid, but finds a way to make the parents happy too. Along with being a fun Halloween story, it’s a good message for over-involved parents. Who will probably totally miss the point.

This one is always a winner: The Hallo-wiener, by Dav Pilkey. It’s the story of a dachshund who is always teased by his doggie classmates, but especially after his well-meaning mother gives him a hot-dog costume for Halloween. But when his doggie friends are spooked by a ghoul, it’s the little dog who saves the day. It’s a funny book, but you can add a little spooky suspense when the ghoul comes into the picture.

The Ugly Pumpkin, by Dave Horowitz, is about a pumpkin that isn’t picked for Halloween because he looks so strange. As he travels through November, he comes upon more like him and realizes that he’s not a pumpkin at all. He’s a squash! And he’s just in time for Thanksgiving! Cute twist on the ugly duckling story with a nice transition to the next holiday on the calendar.

I don’t usually participate in Nonfiction Monday, mostly because I’m generally not organized enough to do so. But today I’ll start my week of politics, elections, and um... Halloween with a biography.

First, let me say it makes no sense to me when people — or campaigns — say that we don’t know Barack Obama. With two books, numerous articles, twenty-two months on the campaign trail, and umpteen episodes of The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, what’s left to know?

But for people who may want a quick version of the man, let me recommend Yes We Can: A Biography of Barack Obama, by Garen Thomas. I won this from the raffle drawing at the Kidlitosphere Conference. Greg got the picture book Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope, but I like my book better anyway. (Nyah-nyah!) Written for older elementary school kids, the book covers Obama’s life story with an interesting narrative. The first two-thirds of the book seem drawn very strongly from his autobiography, Dreams from My Father. The last third fills in the rest of the story, namely his law school and political years. The book includes lots of photos, and chapters are separated by quotes from Obama — including a section of his New Hampshire primary speech, “Yes We Can.”

Having gone to press before the Democratic primaries ended, Yes We Can misses most of 2008 in its coverage. And, of course, it will also miss the result of the election, now eight days away. It doesn’t have the personal depth and elegant writing of Dreams from My Father or the policy implications of The Audacity of Hope, but for kids or adults who want to know who Barack Obama is, this title is a great place to start.

I know only yesterday I said that I was moving my Obama Love to YA for Obama, but I have to share this video from a rally in my home state of Virginia. It is inspirational, energizing and 100% positive. It actually gave me goosebumps and a lump in my throat. Please take the five-and-a-half minutes to watch it and pass it on to your friends. Please.


Let me note this line, from the five-minute mark: “Everyone in this auditorium, at some point, somebody stood up for you... They might not have been able to vote, but they marched and fought so you could vote.”

Because that’s what it all comes down to — voting. In that vein, I hope that you’ll be participating in a online event to Blog the Vote. I’ll let my new-best-friend Lee Wind explain:

Blog the Vote is a one-day Kid and Adult Lit Blogger Event, where we all blog on Monday, November 3rd, about the importance of voting on Tuesday, November 4th. Blog the Vote is about sharing WHY it’s important to vote. It’s about the issues that will be decided by whoever wins this election.

He hatched this plan alongside the amazing Colleen Mondor, who has agreed to track and keep a master list of posts. Here’s what she has to say:

The plan is to run a One Shot event on Monday, November 3rd, where all participants blog about why they personally think voting matters this year. You can write a post that touches on historical issues or policies of significance today. Anything you want to write about that expresses the idea that voting matters is fair game. The only hard and fast rule — and this is very hard and fast — is that you do not get to bash any of the four candidates for president and vice president.

Go to Chasing Ray for the official announcement and to get your post on the master list. As an example, Little Willow has the right idea already with this intensely moving post that incorporates voting issues and books. A winning combination in anyone’s... um, book.

If I didn’t do this, the next twelve days would be all election, all the time at MotherReader. So I’ve accepted an invitation to join and post at YA for Obama. I’ve put up a new post today and uploaded two videos. (Not my own — don’t be silly.) Anyway, come on by if you need a place to read, talk, vent, and connect. You’re invited.

After two weeks of nominations and behind-the-scenes work, the Cybils nomination lists have been posted. In my category, Fiction Picture Books, we have 175 books to read and narrow down to the top five titles. Or seven. Let’s say seven. I’m already aware of at least seven fantastic books among the selections, and I’ve only seen about a fifth of them.

This is going to be tough.

For the letter H, you could do a whole program on horses or houses. Depending when you start in the school year, a Halloween program often lines up quite nicely. I’ll take an ABC break next week to post a Halloween storytime, but for now let’s stick with...


Book: Harry’s Home, by Catherine and Lawrence Anholt

Fingerplay: “Houses”

Here is a nest for robin
(Cup your hands.)
Here is a hive for bee
(Put your fists together.)
Here is a hold for bunny
(Form a circle with hands)
And here is a house for me.
(Form a peak with hands)

Book: Happy Bees, by Al Yorinks

Song: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”

If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands.
If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands.
If you’re happy and you know it
And you really want to show it
If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands.

(Repeat with... stomp your feet, shout hooray, do all three.)

Book: I Call My Hand Gentle, by Amanda Haan

Fingerplay: “Open, Shut Them”

Open, shut them,
Give a little clap, clap, clap.
Open, shut them,
Open, shut them,
Put them in your lap, lap, lap.
Creep them, creep them,
Creep them, creep them,
Right up to your chin, chin, chin.
Open wide your little mouth
But do not put them in!

(Follow the directions of the song and you can’t go wrong.)

Book: Hamsters to the Rescue, by Ellen Stoll Walsh

Rhyme: “Hickory Dickory Dock”

Hickory, Dickory Dock
The hamster ran up the clock.
The clock struck one
And down he run.
Hickory, Dickory Dock.

(I tell them I’m replacing the traditional mouse with a hamster.)

Alternate Books: Little Hoot, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal; Hiding Hoover, by Elise Broach; Hungry Hen, by Richard Waring

I didn’t get back to update yesterday’s post with my seventh grader’s entries to Adam Rex’s Kaiju Haiku Contest. I think she did an amazing job, especially considering that she just sat down with a piece of paper and tossed off about seven choices. These were the two she tweaked for the maximum impact.

Scaly, green monster
Sleeps under my bed at night.
What a freeloader.

The monster glowered
With bloodshot, watery eyes.
Allergy season.

I love the wit in these. Another related example of her sense of humor is how she named her fish. Yes, he is a Siamese Fighting Fish named Koobish — after the creature in The True Meaning of Smekday. But the funny thing is that since I warned her how... disposable these fish can be, she’s decided to keep the name Koobish for all of the subsequent fish and use subtitles. So we’ll have:

• Koobish
  
• Koobish II: Judgment Day
  
• Koobish III: Revenge of the Fish
  
• Koobish IV: A New Hope
  
• Koobish V: Koobish Harder

Man, she rocks.

Can I use my Poetry Friday spot to highlight the last day in Adam Rex’s Kaiju Haiku Contest? Today is the LAST DAY to submit entries. The Grand prize for a kid includes an illustration of the winning haiku, a signed copy of Frankenstein Takes the Cake, and a Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich lunchbox. Adults or kid runners-up will receive a signed copy of Frankenstein Takes the Cake with his or her haiku illustrated on the title page. The judges are ready to look over the entries, but there isn’t much time left, so think up something quick.

I forgot to mention this to my daughter, who loves Adam Rex’s The True Meaning of Smekday. In fact, she named her new fish Koobish, after the creature in the book. She’s going to kill me. Though, now that I think of it, she still has this afternoon, and she works best under deadline. Just like her mom. If either of us think of something, I’ll update this post with our entry.

Poetry Friday is hosted today by Becky’s Book Reviews. I suspect she’ll have lots links to actual poems for you to read.

By the way, thanks to Kelly for introducing me to online sand art. Until I saw it I didn’t realize I could waste even more time online and avoid cleaning the house.

OMG, now I know where McCain/Palin came up with their “Who is he?” campaign concept! The Penguin! I think Palin even got the wink from him. It all makes so much sense.

I know most of the kidlitosphere bloggers don’t like to talk about politics on their blogs, but I gave up that high ground long ago. Um... sorry? Anyway, I’m offering a safe space to comment about the debate last night because I feel that some of us — and by that I mean me — need to talk about it.

Now my motto is, “If you can’t say anything nice, at least make it funny.” Based on that, I searched the opinions for a good bit about the debates that rang true, but was also funny. This is the only one — so far — that made me laugh:

McCain came off as sour, agitated and petulant. Obama — man, nothing rattles that guy. But McCain was two tics away from a vein-popping “You can’t handle the truth!” Jack Nicholson moment.

Gotta love movie quotes. And this was from Crunchy Con, a blog about conservative politics and religion. Makes you wonder what the liberals are saying! Oh wait, that’s me.

I found that quote in a round-up of opinions from Andrew Sullivan’s blog, a great place to find out more about the debate if you’re so inclined to do so. Or you can read the transcript at the New York Times. Like you’ve got that kind of time.

My main thought watching the debate was that Obama was calm, cool, articulate, and... presidential. McCain was like the angry old guy at the homeowner’s association meeting sniping about untrimmed hedges on the neighbor’s lawn.

Now there were times I got mad. McCain’s assertion that talking about horrible things shouted at rallies equals slandering all Republican rally attendees is a ridiculous diversion from a serious issue. I don’t think “health” of the mother should be put in finger quotes, no matter what you think the “pro-abortion movement” (my quotes are deliberate and derisive) is doing.

I was baffled by the rising celebrity of Joe the Plumber. Anyone else think that maybe Joe just needs a good accountant? Oh, and there were moments of amusement. The crowd actually laughed at the question of the moderator, “Why would the country be better off if your running mate became president rather than his running mate?” Obama talked about why Biden would be good president if need be. McCain instead talked about Palin like she was his feisty kid, even saying that he was proud of her. Gee, thanks, Dad. One of the best examples of Obama’s coolness, and his way of turning the topic around, was at this point in the debate.

SCHIEFFER: Do you think she’s qualified to be president?

OBAMA: You know, I think it’s — that’s going to be up to the American people. I think that, obviously, she’s a capable politician who has, I think, excited the — a base in the Republican Party.

And I think it’s very commendable the work she’s done on behalf of special needs. I agree with that, John.

I do want to just point out that autism, for example, or other special needs will require some additional funding, if we’re going to get serious in terms of research. That is something that every family that advocates on behalf of disabled children talk about.

Personally, I wouldn’t have been able to hold back a laugh at that question. This would also have been an ideal time for Obama to make sure that McCain understands that Palin’s son has Down’s Syndrome, not autism. I would have paid money to see that correction by Obama with a pointed and yet totally cool look. Awwwk-ward.

Overall, I thought it was certainly a more interesting debate than the other two. I do wonder if McCain realizes that going completely negative during the debate gave Obama the opportunity to answer all the criticism with his actual policies and the actual truth. In some ways, the whole debate came off more like the world’s angriest interview of Obama.

So, what did you think?

Oh, computer! I missed you sooo much!

My computer needed a little adjustment and left me stranded with Bill’s laptop hooked up to the Internet. Honestly, it was only a step up from using an Etch-A-Sketch and smoke signals. Good news for Bill, though, since I am totally on board with him getting a new computer. In fact, I’m surprised at the depth of his patience for having waited so long. He’s a good man.

Anyway, now to the letter G. There aren’t great songs for this letter, as far as I know, and I’m not sure if the fingerplay rhymes are in public domain. Hmmm. I’ll just give you extra books.


Book: Giraffes Can’t Dance, by Giles Andreae

Book: The Three Silly Girls Grubb, by John and Ann Hassett

Book: Gorilla! Gorilla! by Jeanne Willis

Book: The Great Gracie Chase, by Cynthia Rylant

Book: Goldilocks and the Three Bears, by James Marshall

Book: The Gruffalo, by Julia Donaldon

Book: Grandmother Winter, by Phyllis Root

(Okay, here’s one rhyme I’m pretty sure is common knowledge.)

Action Rhyme: “Grandma’s Glasses”

These are Grandma’s glasses.
This in Grandma’s hat
This is the way she folds her hands.
And lays them in her lap.
Here are Grandpa’s glasses
And here is Grandpa’s hat,
And here’s the way he folds his arms
And takes a little nap.

(Add motions to the rhyme — dainty for Grandma, bigger for Grandpa.)

It wasn’t easy making a new America that we could all enjoy in our own political ideology. It wasn’t easy, but it was fun. And you can do it too!

First I had to put Maryland, the District of Columbia, Vermont, and Hawaii in the blue — which was a given for all states concerned.

Next, we had to make some tough state trades. We’re giving up New Mexico for Idaho; North Carolina for Indiana and West Virginia; and Colorado for Kentucky (this is clearly the most painful). But most importantly we need a land bridge to connect the East and West coasts, so a big sacrifice needs to be made. We’re giving up Florida for Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, and South Dakota. It’s unfortunate, but necessary. You know what? Given global warming, Florida isn’t going to be worth much soon anyway. Sorry about Disney World though.

There you have it. Welcome to the Divided States of America. Let each section run itself as it sees fit. Lately, it seems like the only option.

(Another well-written article has come out on the disgrace of the McCain campaign attacks, this one stating, “[H]e is attempting to resurrect the threadbare narrative which holds that Obama, by dint of color and heritage, is something foreign, something scary, something not of us. It’s an offensive argument, yes. But in a nation as riven and fearful as ours, it is also a dangerous one. After all, it is a short leap from toxic words to toxic deeds.” The article also notes something that I saw as I watched McCain trying to talk around the angry mob, that “McCain seems ashamed, and he has good reason.”)

Okay, we admit that the comments sections of the Cybils nominations are hard to read. They go on forever with duplicates and page turns making it hard to see if your favorite book is listed. Well, now we’re asking what good books haven’t been nominated. Give us some of your favorites that you’d like to see there, and maybe someone will agree and make the suggestion. There’s already a round-up of posts started at the Cybils, and you can add your Missing in Action list too.

Mine is only picture books, at least for now. I haven’t decided which one of these to nominate, but maybe one of them is a forgotten favorite of yours that I can share.

1. Ladybug Girl, by David Soman and Jacky Davis
   
2. M is for Mischief, written by Linda Ashman, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter
   
3. It’s Not Fair!, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld
   
4. Katie Loves the Kittens, by John Himmelman
   

I’ve seen my absolute favorites on the Early Reader, Middle-Grade, and Young Adult lists, but that doesn’t mean that your best-loved books are there. It’s only a couple of days until nominations close, so be sure that you’ve put in your two cents.

Originally, I thought that John McCain had sold his soul to the Republican Party. Now I think it’s possible that he has sold his soul to the devil. Lately it doesn’t seem like a big distinction, but it is. It really is.

I disagree with the ideology of the Republican Party, and think that cutting basic social services to undocumented immigrants is wrong. I am appalled with the political strategy of the campaign, and think that wasting the time of the American people on stupid issues like “lipstick on a pig” is wrong.

However, I am absolutely horrified by the current approach of McCain/Palin, and think that inciting angry mobs with insinuations and lies is wrong. Not just wrong in ideology or wrong in politics but morally wrong. Like God-Should-Smite-You-Down Wrong.

Who’s with me? Khaled Hosseini, author of The Kite Runner, says in a Washington Post editorial that not only is the jeering use of Obama’s middle name insulting to Muslims, but more importantly, “The real affront is the lack of firm response from either McCain or Palin... [to] denounce the use of Obama’s middle name as an insult.” He goes on to note that the most recent attempts to change the level of disrespect have been small.

Along with middle-name teasing, which we should have been done with in grade school, we hear that we don’t really know Obama. This message coming after two books he wrote and twenty months on the campaign trail — and delivered by someone who apparently doesn’t read and has been on the campaign trail for barely one month. We hear that Obama “pals around” with terrorists and felons. Of course, Ayers bombed buildings before Obama was an adult, and the University of Chicago and two nonprofit boards seem to have vetted him into society, but somehow Obama should shun him. Now Rezko was convicted after Obama had dealings with him over his house and property, but somehow Obama should have predicted that and shunned him too. The Wright controversy won’t be coming up, because Palin has her own preacher issues. Plus, it’s a lot of work to paint someone as both a radical Muslim and a racist Christian — but looking at the campaign, it was still worth a try.

Now McCain and Palin take all this crap on the road and get people really, really angry. The party line is that they can’t control what the people in the rallies say, things like “terrorist” and “get him.” Oh, or what people do, like threatening the media after Palin slams the media. Bullshit. If they’re going to rile up the people, they have to take the responsibility. Or, as said in this New York Times editorial, “The McCain campaign has crossed the line between tough negative campaigning and inciting vigilantism, and each day the mob howls louder.” The writer, Frank Rich, begins his article starkly and bluntly, noting our biggest fear with an African-American candidate.

And I swear, if some angry, idiotic person takes this sewage and does something stupid, unmentionable, unconscionable, then John McCain is going to hell. And at that point, the country’s going to hell in a handbasket with him.

After I got back from the Kidlitosphere Conference at 6:00 a.m. on Monday morning, and after a full week of work, blogging, and activities, I got to go to Girl Scout Camp. Oh joy.

Now I like nature, but mostly as viewed through a screened window — as God intended it.¹ However, I make sure our troop goes camping because I believe that we should all stretch our comfort zones.

The first word I heard about the camp was not promising, but the trip was a wonderful experience. We kept a laid-back approach and gave the girls freedom to explore and fall — literally, in the actual creek water. Here’s our weekend in a series of haiku. (Oh, Anastasia’s got today’s Poetry Friday round-up.)

Mice? In the cabins?
You have to be kidding me.
Should have picked the tents.

Finally let loose.
teens buck sophistication
to play on the rocks.

Into our silence
the creek babbles, birds chatter
the forest leaves speak.

Taking off our shoes
The cold water feels so good
On our tired feet.

Nine middle-school girls
and three leaders in one room.
Sleep proves elusive.

Morning hike reward
a sun-dappled waterfall
Complete enchantment.

What a brilliant idea! Three Montgomery County Libraries wrote to the “House Calls” column of The Washington Post for design help for their teen sections. The designers offered wonderful and economical suggestions to make the YA sections more teen-friendly. I like this Bethesda makeover best, but that’s probably based on my fondness for Ikea (note the chairs). It also looks like the only one that has made it past the concept stage. You can read the article here, with links to the specific makeovers.

F is for What the...?

Sorry, still thinking about the election and debate. I’ll only say one thing about the debate last night: High Def is not McCain’s friend. Honestly, the man looked like the crypt-keeper.

Anyway, back to the letter F. Yet again there are so many good picture books to use for this letter that I’ve done whole programs on just fish, farms, or friends. Oh, and food is a good one too. Here is a nice combination.


Book: Ten Little Fish, by Audrey Woods, or The Three Little Fish and the Big Bad Shark, by Ken Geist

Song: “Once I Caught a Fish Alive”

One, two, three, four, five.
Once I caught a fish alive.
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
Then I let him go again.

Why did you let him go?
Because he bit my finger so.
Which finger did he bite?
This little finger on the right.

Book: Punk Farm, by Jarrett Krosoczka, or Farm Flu, by Teresa Bateman

Song: “Old MacDonald Had a Farm”

Old MacDonald had a farm
Ee-i-ee-i-oh
And on this farm he had a cow
Ee-i-ee-i-oh
With a moo-moo here
And a moo-moo there
Here a moo, there a moo
Everywhere a moo-moo
Old MacDonald had a farm
Ee-i-ee-i-oh.

(Continue with farm animals and sounds until you get sick of it.)

Book: Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend, by Melanie Watt, or Ned’s New Friend, by David Ezra Stein, or Bear’s New Friend, by Karma Wilson, or if you want to do a British accent — and who doesn’t — a Charlie and Lola book, You Can be My Friend, by Lauren Child

Song: “Make New Friends”

Make new friends, but keep the old.
One is silver and the other’s gold.
A circle is round. It has no end.
That’s how long I want to be your friend.

Book: Fox and Fluff, by Shutta Crum

I wouldn’t do this, but I feel you may be looking to me to provide you with these latest Saturday Night Live Tina Fey sketches, and I dare not disappoint. As a compromise, I’ll just provide the link. Okay, the link and two of my favorite bits:

Palin: “Can I call you Joe?”
Biden: “Of course.”
Palin: “Okay, cause I practiced a couple of zingers where I call you Joe.”

That one actually explains a lot.

Ifill: “Governor Palin, would you extend same sex rights to the entire country?”
Palin: “You know, I would be afraid of where that would lead. I believe marriage is meant to be a sacred institution between two unwilling teenagers.”

Ooooh. Snap!

I found this interesting article in The Washington Post that helped me understand why so many people thought Palin did well in the debate. In “Artful Dodging Trumps Evasion, Studies Show,” it’s noted that:

... most people are extremely poor at spotting even dramatic discrepancies between questions and answers. They found the failure was especially acute when answers were semantically linked to questions... The psychologists found that irrelevant answers delivered fluently and with poise scored higher with audiences than answers that were accurate, on-topic, but halting.

Another editorial opinion blames, quite scathingly, the press for letting Palin off the hook. Me, I blame Joe Six-Pack. Mainly because I can’t believe that we can now use that expression as an endearing reference to the down-home, regular American in the political arena.

The Cybils are totally rocking! Bloggers in the Kidlitosphere is going above and beyond to let teachers, librarians, writers, publishers, and parents know about the Cybils. Go team! Head to the individual category on the Cybils website to leave your nomination in the comments section of each post. Nominations are open in all categories for nine more days.

Remember that there is a one-book-per-category rule for nominations, and that multiple nominations of a book don't help its chances. I’m organizing the category of Fiction Picture Books and serving as a first-round panelist. Right now there are about seventy books in this category! Keep those nominations coming!

Okay, okay, one more day of politics. Sarah Palin actually did well in the debate in that she spoke in a folksy way that people seem to enjoy (“doggone it”), she looked directly in the camera like a trained newscaster (or a celebrity), and she recognized her audience as the people watching on TV (Ifill who?). It was an... interesting approach to the debate to just ignore the questions posed if she didn’t like them. I wouldn’t have guessed one could do that. And apparently any trace of substance was totally off the table in favor of generalities, slogans, and jingoism. I read a comment somewhere that compared the debate to her cramming for a test and then padding the exam questions. My thoughts? “You betcha.” In case you missed it, here’s a short video of debate highlights that sums up the style pretty well.

In honor of her victory over low expectations, here’s a little something from Slate on The Poetry of Sarah Palin. They note, “It’s been barely six weeks since the arctic-fresh voice of Alaskan poet Sarah Heath Palin burst upon the lower 48. The poems collected here were compiled verbatim from only three brief interviews. So just imagine the work Sarah Palin could produce over the next four (or eight) years.”

On the Bailout

Ultimately,
What the bailout does
Is help those who are concerned
About the health care reform
That is needed
To help shore up our economy,
Helping the —
It’s got to be all about job creation, too.

Shoring up our economy
And putting it back on the right track.
So health care reform
And reducing taxes
And reining in spending
Has got to accompany tax reductions
And tax relief for Americans.
And trade.
We’ve got to see trade
As opportunity
Not as a competitive, scary thing.
But one in five jobs
Being created in the trade sector today,
We’ve got to look at that
As more opportunity.
All those things.

(To K. Couric, CBS News, Sept. 25, 2008)

Already from last night we have, “I may not answer the question / The way you want to hear / But I’ll talk straight / To the American people / And let them know my track record.” What more is there to say? Oh, Poetry Friday is hosted at Two Writing Teachers.

Okay, I’m trying to avoid politics, but today, with the Vice-Presidential debate, it’s gotta be fair game. Right?

So I find myself fairly amused that Sarah Palin might do well tonight simply because expectations are so very, very low. How low?

Several members of the media, including MSNBC anchors and guests and an NPR reporter, have asserted that Gov. Sarah Palin faces “low” or “lowered” expectations in the upcoming vice-presidential debate and that she therefore faces a lower bar for victory than Sen. Joe Biden. They have made these assertions — that she will win if she simply beats (lowered) expectations...

Basically if she doesn’t freeze up, giggle uncontrollably, or drool on herself, she could be seen as doing fine. You have to laugh.

I was heartened by the Washington Post article that noted, “Six in 10 voters see her as lacking the experience to be an effective president, and a third are now less likely to vote for McCain because of her.” What the poll fails to state is that the other four voters are in comas. Or at least that is the only explanation I can discern after hearing Palin’s response to Katie Couric’s question about what newspapers she reads.


Reading? What’s that all about? The video is even funnier in its own way than the new Saturday Night Live sketch. Though, that said, I did totally crack up at “Katie, I’d like to use one of my lifelines.” That line wasn’t from the real interview, but parts of the skit were actually word for word. You have to laugh.

So with all of this, why does McCain think Obama is gaining in the polls? Here is McCain’s exchange on  Fox & Friends, as released by the Fox News Channel:

HOST BRIAN KILMEADE: Right now a recent study says and the polls reflect that Barack Obama is gaining ever since this crisis has landed in everyone’s kitchen table, why is that?

McCAIN: Because life isn’t fair (laughs)... He certainly did nothing for the first few days. I suspended my campaign, took our ads down, came back to Washington, met with the House folks and got on the phone, and also had face to face meetings.

Because life isn’t fair. What a great slogan that would be for their campaign. McCain/Palin: Because Life Isn’t Fair.

I mean really, you have to laugh. Because I’m not — I am NOT — going to cry.

The Cybils are here! The CYBILS are here!!! Nominations open today for all categories and remain open for the next two weeks. Go to the individual category on the Cybils website to leave your nomination in the comments section of each post. 

Anyone 13 or older — authors and publishers included — may nominate a book in one of nine genres. But note that there is a one-book-per-category rule for nominations. Books published in English between January 1 and October 15, 2008, are eligible. (Books that come out later than October 15 will be eligible next year.) The books will go through two rounds of judging. Finalists will be announced January 1, 2009. Winners will be announced February 14, 2009.

I’m organizing the category of Fiction Picture Books and serving as a first-round panelist. Hey, I’m even profiled! I feel so America’s Most Wanted. Of course, today I’m highlighting the picture book category with my brilliant — okay, brilliantish — introduction:

A good picture book is a pleasing merger of text and artwork. A great picture book is a celebration of story and illustration, with lasting appeal for kids and/or adults. The best picture books completely excel in art, story, kid-friendliness, and adult appeal.

A Cybils-winning picture book adds that special “It Factor.” In message, in world-view, in connection, in humor, in reach, a book with “It Factor” rises to a higher level. These are the picture books we bring home to show our seventh-grade daughter. These are the titles that we recommend repeatedly to everyone who will listen. These are the ones we buy even if we have no preschool children, and the ones we pull out to read again and again. And at the end of the Cybils judging, these are the books that we hope to share with you.

When I first checked, there were already ten nominations in this category by 10:00 a.m. EST. Keep ’em coming!