Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge

 

Alyson Beecher over at Kid Lit Frenzy hosts a Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge and has a roundup every Wednesday. I love the encouragement to explore more nonfiction. My plan is to read at least 100 nonfiction picture books this year. So far, I've read 58 this year.

Yum! ¡Mmm! ¡Qué Rico! America's Sproutings by Pat Mora
illustrated by Rafael López

Summary from author's page: 

Smear nutty butter,
then jelly. Gooey party,
my sandwich and me.

Peanuts, blueberries, corn, potatoes, tomatoes, and more-here is a luscious collection of haiku celebrating foods native to the Americas. Brimming with imagination and fun, these poems capture the tasty essence of foods that have delighted, united, and enriched our lives for centuries. Exuberant illustrations bring to life the delicious spirit of the haiku, making Yum! ¡Mmm! ¡Qué Rico! America's Sproutings an eye-popping, mouth-watering treat. Open it and dig in!

An interview with Pat Mora about this book in particular and the need for diverse books.

My thoughts: This is a beautiful book combining two things I really enjoy - food and poety. The haiku are fun and I really appreciated learning the history of these indigenous foods. The artwork is vibrant and gorgeous. I look forward to sharing this with students.

 

Fresh Delicious: Poems from the Farmers' Market by Irene Latham

illustrated by Mique Moriuchi

Goodreads summary: In these vivid poems, blueberries are “flavor-filled fireworks,” cucumbers are “a fleet of green submarines in a wicker sea,” lettuce tastes like “butter and pepper and salt,” but sometimes “I crunch into a leaf the very same flavor as rain.” The unexpected, ingenious imagery and enticing artwork in this collection will inspire the imaginations of young readers, and show how poetry can be as fresh and delicious as the farmers’ market produce it celebrates.

My thoughts:  Fresh delicious is another wonderful pairing of food and poetry. The poems and illustrations are playful and full of life. The addition of adorable animals is also a plus. I think this book is a great way to get young readers excited about fruits and veggies. I appreciated the inclusion of recipes.

Slice of Life - Gettting Ready for El día de los niños, El día de los libros

The Slice of Life Challenge was created by the people over at the blog Two Writing Teachers. The challenge is to write about some part of your day and share it each Tuesday then give feedback to at least three other bloggers.

Third, fourth and fifth grade students are helping to create papel picado to dress up the library for El día de los niños, El día de los libros (Children's Day, Book Day) next week. We'll be celebrating with our decorations, but also by reading bilingual books, international books, and books that celebrate both children and books. It's fun to do something a little messy in the library for a change though in our small space (less than the size of a typical classroom since were located in a hallway) it's a bit tricky. We have no tables so we used lap boards. Supplies are distributed across the floor in front of the chapter book shelves and on the cart that displays new books. It's more than a little chaotic, but to see and hear students chatting and creating in honor of books is fantastic.

Are you celebrating El día de los niños, El día de los libros? If so, what are some of the activities you'll offer? If not, consider it for this year or next. There are excellent resources on Pat Mora's website, the founder of Día. I met her at ALA Midwinter this year!! Here's a great interview with her about Día on the ALSC blog.

There are also wonderful resources available at the Día: Diversity in Action page. That's where I found the templates for the pastel papel picado above (the sun and book designs posted by my office door). The papel picado the fifth graders created on tissue paper was inspired by the book Making Magic Windows by Carmen Lomas Garza. I reviewed that last week.

With our construction/remodel going on right now, we don't have space for a large celebration, but next year is the 20th anniversary. With our larger space, I am aiming for an expanded program next year to include families and even the community. I love any excuse to celebrate books and I especially enjoy Día because it also honors children and diversity.