But It’s Not My Fault (Julia Cook)

Title: But It’s Not My Fault

Author: Julia Cook

Illustrator: Anita Dufalla

Target Ages: 3 and up

Genre: Realistic Fiction

First Lines:  

“My name is Norman David Edwards…but everyone calls me ‘Noodle.’ Sometimes things happen to me that get me in trouble.  But it’s not my fault.”

Publisher Summary:

“This first book in the new Responsible Me! Series, follows Noodle through a very rough day at school. It just isn't his fault that his brother's game ran late and he didn't finish his homework. Or that his mom forgot to remind him to turn in his library book. Or that Mary Gold got in his airspace and hit his arm with her head... Join Noodle on his journey as he learns not to blame others or try to find fault; but instead practices accepting responsibility, and turns his very rough day into a very good NEW day!”

Evaluation:

As Noodle goes through his day, he has an excuse for every poor choice and behavior. He consistently blames someone or something else. When he gets in trouble, he exhibits a “poor me” persona. 

At the end of the day, he has a talk with his teacher. She tells him:  “I’m not talking about whose fault it is…I’m talking about whose responsibility it is.” This response is perfect!  I love how she changes the focus to get at the heart of the problem. 

She goes on to tell him, “You are responsible for the things that you do….Blaming others is a reason, but it is not an excuse.  If you keep playing this game, you surely will lose!”  Wow!  More excellent insight for children as well as the parents and educators guiding them.  The game metaphor is effective because children tend to love to play and to win at games.  It is a concrete way for them to understand the consequences of their choices.

When Noodle gets home, his mother reinforces the guidance his teacher offered him. She separates the behavior from the person.  He made some mistakes, causing him to have a rough day.  However, he is in charge of his body and mouth, so he must “own up and become more responsible for the choices” he has made. However, it is clear that he is not a “bad” kid. 

Finally, his mother focuses on teaching him to be a problem solver. She explains that mistakes can be used as a learning experience. Blaming others robs him of a chance to learn.  She tells him to say, “I did that! Now what can I do to improve my situation?” 

The next day when Noodle runs into a problem, he takes responsible.  He learns there are both consequences and benefits of doing so. 

Rounding out this book is a list of 9 effective suggestions for parents and educators to help them teach children to avoid the blame game and take responsibility. 

It’s Not My Fault is an excellent teaching tool for home or the classroom.  I HIGHLY recommend it as a means to help refine and refocus your approach as well as a springboard for discussion with your child. 

Boys Town Press has dozens of books and resources to help parents and educators.

Activities and Extension Ideas for Lesson Plans:

• Book Talk:  Discuss each one of Noodles problems and ways he could take responsibility. For instance, he could leave himself a sticky note to remind him to put his library book in his book bag or complete his homework before the game begins.
• Cause and Effect:  Introduce or reinforce cause and effect.  Make some causal chains or maps to show how one choice impacted many others. 
• Dramatic Play: Role play common issues of “blame” your child tends to display. For instance, you can be the child (person) blaming others.  Have your child “teach” you about taking responsibility.  OR Use 2 dolls, action figures, or stuffed animals to play scenarios out. 
• Problem Solving Slogan:  Come up with a way to help you child remember to take responsibility. With older children, have them help you. For instance, make up a snappy saying like “Stop. Drop. Solve.”  Stop talking/whining/complaining.  Drop the blame game.  Solve the problem.
• Reward Jar: Instead of penalizing a behavior (think swear jar), create a reward jar.  Each time you see your child taking responsibility, allow them to pick out of the reward jar, which can include favorite activities or treats. 

The Crossover (Kwame Alexander)

Title

The Crossover

Author

Kwame Alexander

Ages

Middle Grade and Teens (YA)

Sample Poem

“Conversation”

Dad, this girl is making

Jordan act weird.

He’s here, but he’s not.

He’s always smiling.

His eyes get all spacey

whenever she’s around,

and sometimes when she’s not.

He wears your cologne.

He’s always

texting her.

He even wore loafers to school.

Dad, you gotta do something.

Dad does something.

He laughs.

Filthy, talking to your brother

right now

would be like pushing water uphill

with a rake, son.

This isn’t funny, dad.

Say something

to him. Please.

Filthy, if some girl

done locked up JB,

He’s going to jail.

Now let’s go get some doughnuts.

Publisher Summary

"A bolt of lightening on my kicks...

The court is sizzling.

My sweat is drizzling.

Stop all that quivering.

Cuz tonight I'm delivering.

raps basketball phenom Josh Bell.  Thanks to his dad, he and his twin border, Jordan, are kings on the court, with crossovers that make even the toughest ballers cry.  But Josh has more than hoops in his blood.  He's got a river of rhymes flowing through him--a sick flow that helps him find his rhythm when everything's on the line.

As their winning season unfolds, things begin to change.  When Jordan meets the new girl in school, the twins' tight-knit bond unravels.  In this heartfelt novel, basketball and brotherhood intertwine to show Josh and Jordan that life doesn't come with a playbook and, sometimes it's not about winning.

The Good

Alexander creates life-like characters that middle grade readers can connect to.  Josh (Filthy) and Jordan (JB) are typical seventh graders dealing with love, friendship, school, and family issues. They have sensible parents who are devoted to each other and the boys.  Much of the novel involves positive interactions between the parents and the twins. 

Rather than chapters, the narrative is broken into four quarters and overtime. The text is in mostly free style poetry, but there are some rhyming ones as well. Most of the poems are written like short vignettes or as conversations. Sometimes the narrator muses on intriguing words or basketball rules. While some figurative language is incorporated, overall the poems are highly accessible to the target audience. 

While Josh's love for basketball comes to the forefront as the novel begins, I quickly realized he is not a flat character.  He is smart, loyal, and sensitive. Words fascinate and delight him. Josh is devoted to his family, especially JB. There is much more to discover about him.  

The Bad

My attitude. Well, at least at first. After several recommendations, I started listening to the audio book. I will keep it 100%. I rolled my eyes with all the basketball talk and wondered if I could make it through it.  I do not regret sticking it out.  The Crossover defies expectations.

The only “bad” about the text is a couple subtle references to the parent’s sex life. Very subtle, but creeped me out anyway.  No young person wants to put parents and sex together in the same thought.  At least I hope not! 

The Brilliant
The significance of the title is what stands out most to me.  The crossover is a basketball move that Josh is known for.  The books is about basketball, so at first it seems that is the reason for the title.  However, I found that is much more.  First, the boys are crossing over into adolescence.  With that crossover, comes hormones and girls.  JB’s relationship with a girl comes between the brothers.  They are moving into a new phase of their lives and relationships.  Another crossover is in Josh’s attitude.  He begins a bit flippant and arrogant, which leads to a bad decision.  Fortunately, he has good parents and coaches.  Their consequences prompt him to reflect and to grow into maturity.  Finally, a character crosses over into death, impacting the lives, growth, and attitudes of Josh and others.  The multiple layers are rich for discussion and reflection.

Even though I am not a sport’s fan, many tweens and teens are. There is a huge enthusiastic audience for this type of book. Whether a sports lover or not, I cannot more highly recommend this Newbery and Coretta Scott King winning novel.  

It's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday.  Hop on over to Shannon Messenger's blog for other middle grade recommendations.

Loud Lula (Katy S. Duffield)

Title:  Loud Lula

Author:  Katy S. Duffield

Illustrator:  Mike Boldt

Target Audience:  4-10

Opening Lines:

Lula was born smack-dab in the middle of one of the biggest twisters Pryor County had ever seen.  Winds howled.  Trees snapped.  It was bust—your—eardrums loud. But…it wasn’t as loud as Lula.

Publisher Summary:

Lula might be a pint-sized gal, but she’s got a big ol’ voice!  Since her birth, Lula’s loud voice has wreaked tens kinds of havoc across Pryor County, disrupting humans and animals alike.  Lula’s parents are worried:

What’s going to happen when Lula starts school?

Will Lula ever learn to use her “inside voice”?

But when Lula spots something sinister making it’s way toward town, it seems that she may have found just the right use for that big ol’ voice after all.

Evaluation:

Ok. True confession. I completely related to Lula.  When I was a child, I was always being told to speak softer.  To me, I sounded normal.  Unfortunately, I have not outgrown my bellowing voice or lively laugh.  In comes in handy as a teacher.  My students can always find me.  No one ever tells me to speak up, and I don’t have anyone fall asleep in class.  (Well, except for one student who used to sit in the front row!!!!  Talk about being able to sleep through a hurricane!) 

As for Loud Lula, I loved it.  It reads like a modern day tall tale, with lots of hyperbole.  For instance, she calls her kitty home for supper and “every cat all the way from Crowley’s Corner came a-callin’." When she asks, “Where’s the bathroom?”  The schoolhouse shakes “like a big ol’ bowl of boysenberry jelly.”

Duffield incorporates similes.  She describes the storm as “like nothing more than a chicken feather hitting the hen house floor.”  Everyone else is exhausted, but Lula is “spry as a spring chicken.”  

The illustrations are full of drama!  The schoolhouse shaking, kids fainting, and Lula dancing on her desk!  The characters are animated—joyful, exhausted, content, surprised, excited, annoyed, and relieved.  There are many opportunities to discuss emotions. 

At the end of the narrative, Lula uses her loud voice to warn others of danger and save the day: “The way some folks tell it, those firefighters didn’t even have to pull out their hoses.  Lula’s rip-roaring holler ran that wildfire back across the hills!” Lula is a hero and spotlighted in the local paper. She is finally appreciated (well, sort of) for who she is—joyful, enthusiastic, caring, and loud.

Loud Lula is a reminder that we need to appreciate and to celebrate all people, even when their gifts and personality may be different than the norm.  This book is a riot, especially for the loud one in the class/family or for kids who enjoy a good boisterous read.

Ideas for Lesson Plans and Extension Activities:

• Language Arts:  Teach about hyperbole and simile
• Character Education:  Discuss talents, gifts, and special qualities
• Science:  Research tornados and wild fires
• Writing:  Write a newspaper article about a local or school hero
• Field Trip:  Visit a fire station
• Social Studies:  Learn about feelings and emotions

Visit Susanna Hill's blog for other Perfect Picturebooks. 

Locomotion (Jacqueline Woodson)

Title

Locomotion

Author

Jacqueline Woodson 

Summary from the Book Jacket 

When Lonnie Collins Motion "Locomotion" was seven years old, his life changed forever. Now he's eleven, and his life is about to change again. His teacher, Ms. Marcus, is showing him ways to put his jumbled feelings on paper. And suddenly, Lonnie has a whole new way to tell the world about his life, his friends, his little sister Lili, and even his foster mom, Miss Edna, who started out crabby but isn’t so bad after all.

Favorite Passage/Poem

“Mama”

Some days, like today

and yesterday and probably

tomorrow—all my missing gets jumbled up inside of me.

You know honeysuckle talc powder?

Mama used to smell like that. She told me

honeysuckle’s really a flower but all I know

is the powder that smells like Mama.

Sometimes when the missing gets real bad

I go to the drugstore and before the guard starts

following me around like I’m gonna steal something

I go to the cosmetics lady and ask her if she has it.

When she says yeah, I say

Can I smell it to see if it’s the right one?

Even though the cosmetics ladies roll their eyes at me

they let me smell it.

And for those few seconds, Mama’s alive

again.

And I’m remembering

all kinds of good things about her like

the way she laughed at my jokes

even when they were dumb

and the way she sometimes just grabbed me

and hugged me before

I had a chance to get away.

And the way her voice always sounded good

and bad at the same time when she was singing

in the shower.

And her red pocketbook that always had some

tangerine Life Savers inside it for me and Lili

No, I say to the cosmetics lady. It’s not the right one.

And then I leave fast.

Before somebody asks to check my pockets

which are always empty ’cause I don’t steal.

Evaluation

Locomotion is written in free verse poetry through the eyes of a fifth grade boy who is living in a foster home after the sudden death of his parents. I was drawn into this story immediately!  Lonnie’s voice grabs you and does not let go until the last line. 

The story often flashes back to shed light on Lonnie’s life before living with Mrs. Edna while also progressively revealing the mystery of his parents' death. Much of the story takes place in the present as he develops familial ties with Mrs. Edna’s family, connects with his little sister living with another family, and navigates school and friendships. 

There are the layers of his experience that will be enlightening to some children while many will empathize with other parts. Lonnie is African-American and a foster child.  He struggles to fit in at school and to deal with loss.  Fortunatley, Lonnie is able to create new family and community ties which help him with his struggles. 

Woodson does an amazing job capturing this young character’s middle grade experiences.  There are heart-breaking and heart-warming moments.  Overall, I thoroughly enjoy this story. 

Among Locomotion’s numerous honors, it was National Book Award Finalist and a Coretta Scott King Honor winner. I recommend this book for ages 9-13.  However, it is a story that teens and adults will enjoy as well.

For teachers, here is a Literature Circle Guide.

Visit Ramblings of a Wanna Be Scribe for more Marvelous Middle Grade recommendations.  

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (by Sherman Alexie)

Brief Summary:

Arnold Spirit (nicknamed Junior) is a 14 year old Native American boy, living on the Spokane Reservation. He comes into the world with lots of disadvantages—beginning with fluid on this brain which prompted some physical issues.  His family (like most of the others on the reservation) is extremely poor.  Arnold  is a budding cartoonist and stellar student.   He attends an Indian school with outdated textbooks and poor resources.  A teacher urges him to pursue his education in the white community, which leads to complications and obstacles—such as getting to and from school each day (often he must walk miles), being further ostracized by his native community (including his only friend), and learning to fit in his new environment. Through it all, Arnold learns about himself, his culture, and his community (both his white school and his Indian homeland).

Evaluation:

Sherman Alexie has created an amazing voice in Arnold.  I was immediately sucked into his story and his world.  First, I was intrigued by his early life and, then, the story of his dog just got me!  I could not put this book down!  I really felt for Arnold.  He is bullied.  He is poor.  He is largely alone.  Despite all of it, his spirit overcomes even as he deals with personal challenges, family difficulties, and tragic loss.  His depiction of Native Americans is raw but moving. 

Another dimension to the narrative is Arnold’s drawings, which are a creative and emotional outlet for him.  They often reveal further insights into his world and his feelings.   The cartoons also epitomize his character.  Sometimes they are funny.  Other times touching, revealing his tender heart.  They are always honest and entertaining. 

Several complex issues are dealt with, such as alcoholism, poverty, bullying,  and death.  With those awful and often heartbreaking matters, there is always a sense of hope and humor. A couple controversial issues may turn some people off.  There is some occasional profanity.  The biggest concern for many will be the references to physical arousal and self-pleasuring.  They are not graphic and only sporadic.  I would have preferred them not to be a part of the narrative, but I guess it is not entirely out of place since they are facts of life and reflective of the age of the protagonist. 

Despite a handful of unpleasant words and references, I highly recommend The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian for mature audiences (15 and up).  The story prompts insight and compassion.   You will not soon forget Arnold or his friends and family members.