Literacy, families and learning

What are the 'basics' in the preschool years?

2012-02-10T21:43:00.000+11:00

Creative water play

I am asked constantly by parents of preschool children should they be doing various things. Parents ask, should I:

"Make sure they know their sounds before schools?"
"Teach them the letter names?"
"Teach them to write their name?"
"Make sure they can write neatly?"
"Teach them to read some simple words?"
"Teach them about numbers?"

While the above are genuine questions about knowledge children will eventually need, most overlook the real 'basics' in the preschool years that will have a big impact on school success and later learning. If you want your child to succeed at school and in the workplace, become lifelong learners, be creative people able to solve problems and adapt to varied situations, who have varied life interests and a love of knowledge, then here are the things you want them to be able to do when they are five.

Enjoy playing with language - know unusual words, enjoy finding out new ones, play with rhyme and rhythm in language, love telling stories, jokes and talking with other people.

Creative story making with skills established early

Enjoy new stories with others in all their forms - stories you tell them of your life, stories read to them, stories watched together with others in the form of film and on television.

Have an interest in numbers, letters and words - wanting to learn about them (e.g. "Show me what a thousand is Mum"), trying to write them, including them in their creative play and drawing.

Be able to sit still for up to 30 minutes - being able to play alone or with others, complete a task they're interested in, listen to stories, engage in a play situation etc.

Have an expanding vocabulary - learning new words, trying to invent their own, asking you about words and what they mean.

Learning from experience

Enjoy knowledge and the gaining of it - being curious about some area of interest (e.g. insects, dragons, horses, pets) and having a desire to know more and share it ("Did you know Mum that a stick insect is called a Phasmid, and there are lots of types").

Have a love of books - while I've already mentioned stories above, there is a particular place for the love of books, I'd want my children to see books as some of their most special possessions because of the knowledge, stories and wonder that they hold.

Have an emerging knowledge of words, letters and the sounds associated with them - a five-year-old doesn't need to be able to read before school, but I'd want them to have some knowledge of letter names, some concepts of print and an interest in knowing how to read and write.

Show an interest in technology - not just to play games, or sit for hours transfixed in front of a TV, but a desire to explore their world with computers, an interest in the knowledge and learning that technology can deliver and how it can expand our world.

An ability to be creative and inventive - drawing and making things inspired by a story, TV show, movie or experience. Wanting to dress up and act out characters and experiences. Making shops, cubbies under the table, giving names and characters to their dolls and toys, using toys and other objects for creative story telling or recreation.

Creative play in action, the foundation of imagination & problem solving

Have an interest in problem solving - working out a way to spread the sheet over the table and hold it there for the cubby, trying to see how things work, trying to fix things that are broken, coming up with ideas for how the problems of his or her world can be solved ("Mum, if we could knock off three palings on the fence I could make a gate to Cheryl's house").

Have the ability to listen to, learn and comprehend - stories, lifestyle programs, movies, television shows, stories you tell them, recipes and how they are structured, instructions (spoken or pictorial).

The above are the real basics that children need to know to succeed at school. The problem with them is that you can't cram in the year before school to develop them. These basics are things that take time and effort by parents and preschool teachers. Each requires knowledge of the child, an interest in their learning and interests and the ability to observe our children to scaffold their learning.

Seven New Children's Story Apps

2012-02-02T22:20:00.000+11:00

I recently reviewed a list of my 25 top children's apps in 2011 (HERE); this is my first review of new apps for 2012. Most of these were released late last year and are suitable for children aged 4-8 years. Of the many new releases, the following seven are worthy of consideration. It's pleasing to see that many of the negative things that have been commented on in previous reviews seem to be being addressed in some newer apps. While developers still need to work hard at maintaining a priority on the quality of the story, they have been using more engaging material with rich language and more complex story. There is also more evidence of use of sound, image and word in more effective ways, without simply producing an app with cute and fun interactive elements.

I've used the same rating scale as for some of my earlier app reviews, with four key categories and a 5 point rating scale - 1 (Very Poor), 2 (Poor), 3 (Average), 4 (Good), 5 (Excellent). The higher the score out of 20 the better the rating.

1. 'Cozmo's Day Off' from Ayars Animation

'Cozmo's Day Off' is one of my favourite new story apps. It has a cute story in simple rhyming verse that is complemented by a 'quirky' reader. Ayars Animation developed the wonderful 'Jack and the Beanstalk' app that I reviewed last year (here). It tells of Cozmo the alien who is having a bad day as he tries to get to work.

It also has some brilliant and very funny interactive elements. Children love exploring the many interactive elements on each page, and yet because it's a fun rhyming story they also come back to the text. The quality of the images is high, as is the rendering of every page. The app also has just about every option for reading it. You can listen to the story, read it yourself and record your own reading of the story. A fun device they've added is the ability to speed up or slow down the reading of the story. While this is a bit of a distraction once children discover it, they do come back to the story.

The app is also easy to use. It doesn't have a page swipe function (just a back and forward button) but this isn't a problem. It does have a scroll bar that allows you to move quickly from page to page or back again if you've lost your place. Overall, this is an app that makes good use of all that there is to offer in an eBook, including sound, image, movement, colour, language and text devices. A big pat on the back to the developers for using phrase highlighting in the read along option rather than word-by-word reading as is the case with many apps. This encourages reading for meaning, not just reading words.

Rating

a) Fun & interactivity (5) - Sets new standards for fun and creative elements
b) Ease of use (4) - Complex, with many options, but not hard to work out
d) Benefit for literacy & learning (5) - An enjoyable story, with rich language and an engaging storyline
e) Value for money (4) - at $4.49 US it is excellent value.

Total =18/20

2. 'Ellison the Elephant' by Eric Drachman and illustrated by James Muscarello
Oceanhouse Media

This is a simple and enjoyable story about a little elephant who is different from other elephants because he can't trumpet properly. He is helped by Weasel to find his trumpet and in the process manages to invent jazz music.

Oceanhouse Media has been developing apps primarily for previously published books. This strategy ensures that they end up with some quality stories. There is little animation, but the movement of screen focus across images works well and gains attention and increases interest. In this app they also include some good (and subtle) use of sound to support, rather than overpower the story. The interactive devices are limited, but that doesn't bother me, as it means there is more emphasis on the story. This is supported by the use of multiple voices for the storytelling mode that are excellent. Two minor quibbles. Ellison's mom seems to call her 'Alison' whenever she speaks, but maybe this is her accent. There is also one page with three font sizes for no obvious reason.

Rating

a) Fun & interactivity (3) -The level of interactivity is limited but acceptable (and not distracting)
b) Useability (5) - Very simple and easy to use
c) Benefit for literacy & learning (4) - Great story, rich in language and vocabulary and well written
d) Value for money (4) - Great value at $2.99 US.

Total = 16/20

3. 'The Nutcracker Musical Storybook', artwork by Joko Janaka animator Andy Zibits & music audio Paul Zibits. Developed by Mouse King Media.

This story app is based on E.T.A Hoffman's classic story of 'The Nutcracker and the Mouse King' (1816) and the music from the famous ballet 'The Nutcracker' that was based on the story. It comes in story or movie mode. Each has a single line of text at the bottom of the screen that presents the simple narrative. In the read-only option the user can control page turning and tap pictures for a number of simple effects (mainly sound and some movement). In the movie mode the story moves automatically from one screen to the next. Both modes make use of segments from the opera. The read only page is controlled from an initial Christmas tree image with numbered baubles allowing different paths through the story. The reader can swipe the pages and interact with a number of visual elements on the way.

The images are delightful and capture the mood of the 19th century winter setting with wonderful variations in colour, light, movement, animated figures (puppet-like), sound and of course Tchaikovsky's wonderful music. The well-known scenes are all there with the 'Waltz of the flowers' and the 'Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy' brilliant!

Rating

a) Fun & interactivity (4) - The elements are simple but they fit well with the story and music.
b) Useability (4) - The app is simple, but I found the story sequence that was triggered by touching the right bauble on the Christmas tree a little confusing until I found the reset button.
c) Benefit for literacy & learning (4) - A wonderful introduction to a famous ballet and another period in history
d) Value for money (5) - at $2.99 US this is excellent value.

Total = 17/20

4. 'Monkey Business', by Christopher Cheng and developed by Kiwa Media (New Zealand)

This is a simple story about a runaway monkey and his adventures while free from his confinement. It is in HD format but has unusual images for a young child's app. The zookeepers all look as if they're on steroids. The monkey images are simple and effective, but I wonder how 3-6 year old children will respond. Those I tested it with seemed to enjoy the story more than the images. The language was also adult-like, e.g. "He was checked for injuries but the only visual evidence of Erwin's escape was a grazed foot". The app has many of the common features including ready alone or listen to, record your own reading, and a painting option. This is a cute feature that allows the reader to paint all illustrations on the way through. While children I tested the app with enjoyed the painting option, it does little for engagement in the story.

I can't say this is one of my favourite story apps; I'd encourage the developers to work on better texts for children and to think carefully about the appropriateness of their images for the age group. They might also consider more interactive elements to elaborate on text or enrich story elements and sequences.

Rating

a) Fun & interactivity (3) - Pretty basic with very minor interactive elements, the painting option was fun
b) Useability (4) - Fairly easy to use
c) Benefit for literacy & learning (3) - Limited in my view. The story does offer rich and complex vocabulary, but this seemed strangely inappropriate in places.
d) Value for money (5) - at $0.99 US you can't argue on value, this is a very cheap app

Total = 15/20

5. 'Tacky the Penguin' by Helen Lester and produced by Oceanhouse Media.

I love this little story app. Tacky is a lovable character and the illustrations of Helen Lester are simple pen and wash with vibrant colours. She manages to create images that project different personalities for all the penguins. I like the fun names that Lester chose - 'Goodly', 'Lovely', 'Angel', 'Neatly', 'Perfect' and of course 'Tacky'. The introduction of the story complication (the bear and two wolves) with a repetitive verse adds to the fun of the story. But of course, Tacky, the crazy little penguin manages to confuse them with numbers and then send them packing.

As with other Oceanhouse apps, the use of quality literature means that they have a head start and don't need to use as many tricks and gadgets to engage young readers. The app also allows the reader to tap each image with the name of the object shown in word and sound. I'm not a fan of this feature because it often seems to distracts readers from the storyline as they play with the app trying to look for interactive elements. In my view, this simple app doesn't need this feature, which confuses the purpose of reading whole stories with word recognition drills.

Rating

a) Fun & interactivity (3) - As indicated above, this is a simple app with only minor interactive elements. I'm glad to see sound used in this app to add to the reading experience.
b) Useability (4) - The app works well and is simple in format.
c) Benefit for literacy & learning (4) - The story is rich in language and elegant in plot and structure.
e) Value for money (4) - at $2.99 US it is good value.

Total = 15/20

6. Some more Dr Seuss magic from Oceanhouse Media

(i) 'And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street' by Dr Seuss, Oceanhouse Media

This is another Oceanhouse production to mark the 75th anniversary of the Dr Seuss classic story 'And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street'. This was the first story Dr Seuss managed to have published. It uses the images from the book and is not animated. The template used by Oceanhouse is the same as for the app reviewed above for 'Tacky the Penguin' and has the same basic features.

The simple sound effects work well and add to the experience of the story for the reader. These include music, footsteps, horse hooves, sounds of the wagon and the grand parade. Kids will love this story app.

Rating

a) Fun & interactivity (3) - A simple app with enough to interest the reader
b) Useability (4) - Simple and easy to use.
c) Benefit for literacy & learning (5) - Wonderful and timeless story from Dr Seuss with the usual richness of rhyme and language.
d) Value for money (4) - at $2.99 US it is good value.

Total = 16/20

(ii) Dr Seuss Beginner Book Collection #1

This is a fabulous collection of Dr Seuss classic stories just released by Oceanhouse media. Each story in the set is ideal for beginning readers. The titles come in one app and include:

'The Cat in the Hat'
'The Foot Book'
'One Fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish'
'Mr Brown can Moo! Can You?'
'Fox in Socks'

All these books use the same design template as for 'And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street'. So you can read it yourself, have it read to you, or have auto play. It also uses the same picture tap function that primes the words and name for each separate image on each page. However, while I see this as a distraction in some of the apps in which it is used, it works well in this collection because all are fine examples of how Dr Seuss plays with words and language. Hence, the tapping of images to hear and see the label makes more sense. One other feature in this app is that the sound works so well to support the experience of the story. This is seen particularly in 'Fox in Socks'. I should also add that the reader on the app is brilliant. Try reading '...they call this a muddle puddle tweetle poodle beetle noodle bottle paddle battle' with fluency and interest.

You can't go wrong with this collection; at about $2.50 per story, you should add it to your collection.

Rating

a) Fun & interactivity (4) - A simple app with enough to interest the reader. The word tap option works well with the repetitive language, use of nonsense words and rhyme
b) Useability (4) - Simple and easy to use.
c) Benefit for literacy & learning (5) - Five wonderful stories from Dr Seuss with the usual richness of rhyme, language and silliness.
d) Value for money (4) - at $11.99 US for 5 stories, it's great value.

Total = 17/20

Some previous reviews of apps

'Alice', the iPad and new ways to read picture books (HERE)

'Literacy and the iPad: A review of some popular apps' (HERE)

'Literacy and the iPad: A second review of children's apps' (HERE)

'25 Great Children's Apps to Stimulate Literacy, Learning & Creativity (HERE)

2012 Newbery & Caldecott Medal Winners Announced

2012-01-27T16:12:00.000+11:00

The Newbery & Caldecott awards for children's literature were announced this week (23rd January 2012). The Newbery Medal was named after the eighteenth-century British bookseller John Newbery. It is presented to the author of the book judged to have made the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. A committee of librarians and literary experts is chosen each year to select the winner and the runners up on behalf of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC); this is a division of the American Library Association (ALA). The books can be works of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. The author must be a citizen or resident of the United States and the work written for children up to 14 years of age.

The Caldecott Medal was named in honour of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. It is awarded annually to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. The awards commenced in 1938.

There are also a number of other specialist awards for fiction and non-fiction that were announced on the same day and are outlined at the end of the post.

1. Newbery Medal 2012

The 2012 Newbery Medal winner is 'Dead End in Norvelt' by Jack Gantos and published by Farrar Straus Giroux. This is a very funny story (not that common for Newbery winners) about two months in the life of a kid named Jack Gantos, who accidentally fired a live bullet from his dad's Japanese sniper's rifle. Jack's plans for a vacation are changed when he is "grounded for life" by his parents. But in spite of nose bleeds at every turn, there are plenty of surprises and excitement when his mum 'loans' him to help a feisty old neighbour with an unusual job, typewriting obituaries about the people who founded his town, New Deal. At its core the book is very much about the importance of story and history and the challenges of growing up.

The Newbery Committee chair commented:

“Who knew obituaries and old lady death could be this funny and this tender?”

Two honour books were also announced.

'Inside Out & Back Again' by Thanhha Lai and published by Harper Collins Children's Books (a division of HarperCollins Publishers). It tells the story of Hà and her family who flee war-torn Vietnam for the American South.

'Breaking Stalin's Nose' by Eugene Yelchin and published by Henry Holt and Company. Sasha's world is turned upside down on the eve of his induction into the Young Pioneers, Stalin’s guard arrests his father.

2. Caldecott Medal 2012

The 2012 Caldecott Medal winner is 'A Ball for Daisy' written and illustrated by Chris Raschka and published by Schwartz & Wade Books (an imprint of Random House Children's Books). It is a wordless book that children will love. Chris Raschka presents the story of an irrepressible little dog whose most prized possession is accidently destroyed. The simple illustrations make wonderful use of line, colour and expressive details. Children will relate to its themes of loss and friendship. The Chair of the Medal committee commented:

“Chris Raschka’s deceptively simple paintings of watercolour, gouache and ink explore universal themes of love and loss that permit thousands of possible variants”.

The judges also announced three honour books.

'Blackout', written and illustrated by John Rocco and published by Hyperion Books (an imprint of the Disney Book Group). This tells the story of an urban family that is forced into the street by a summer power outage. Here they throw a block party that attracts many of their neighbours.

'Grandpa Green', written and illustrated by Lane Smith and published by Roaring Brook Press (a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings Ltd). Smith uses elaborate topiary sculptures to visualize memories in a wild and fanciful garden tended by a child and his beloved great-grandfather.

'Me...Jane', written and illustrated by Patrick McDonnell and published by Little, Brown and Company (a division of Hachetter Book Group Inc.). A little girl is watching birds and squirrels in her yard and discovers the joy and wonder of nature.

Other major awards

a) The 'Printz Award' - This prize for the best young adult novel, was awarded to 'Where Things Come Back' by John Corey Whaley and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers (an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing). Seventeen-year-old Cullen Witter thinks he is beginning to understand everything about his small, dull Arkansas town, until one day all is changed when a depressed birdwatcher named John Barling thinks he has discovered a species of woodpecker once thought to be extinct. The rediscovery of the so-called Lazarus Woodpecker changes everything.

b) The 'Coretta Scott King' Award - This award recognises African American writers and illustrators of children's books. It was won by 'Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans' by author and illustrator Kadir Nelson and published by Balzer & Bray (an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers).

c) The 'Young Adult Library Services Association' (YALSA) Award - This is a prize for the best work of nonfiction for young adults aged 12-18 years. It was won by 'The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism, & Treachery' by Steve Sheinkin and published by Flash Point/Roaring Brook Press (an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group).

d) The 'Pura Belpre Award - This is an award to a Latino or Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays the Latino cultural experience in a work of literature for children or youth. The winner is 'Under the Mesquite' by Guadalupe Garcia McCall and published by Lee and Low Books Inc. Writing in engaging free verse, the author gracefully manages to convey the experience of growing up in a bicultural community in Texas. She manages to communicate authentically the experience of a child losing her mother to cancer but also of being surrounded by siblings who embrace and discard their Mexican roots to varied degrees.

e) The 'Theodor Seuss Geisel Award' - This is an award for the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English. The winner is 'Tales for Very Picky Eaters', that was written and illustrated by Josh Schneider and published by Clarion Books (an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company). In spite of the outrageous food suggestions of his Dad, James, the very pick eater, turns the tables on his father

f) The Margaret A. Edwards award for lifetime achievement in young adult literature was awarded to English author Susan Cooper. Her well-known fantasy book 'The Dark is Rising' was named a Newbery Honour book in 1974. This of course was part of the wonderful series of the same name. She also won the Newbery Medal in 1976 for the fourth book in the series 'The Grey King'.

Starting School: Is there a best age?

2012-01-23T22:58:00.000+11:00

In Australia many children will be starting school for the first time next week. I can't remember my first day at school, but I can still remember the mix of emotions that my wife and I experienced when we sent our two daughters off for their first day of formal schooling. As we've watched our grandchildren go off to school for the first time we still feel just as anxious. This year we have two grandchildren who will start in Kindergarten (the entry class for Primary schooling in NSW). One has just turned 5 and the other turns 6 in March. Both sets of parents made different decisions for equally good reasons, and I'm sure that in each case they have made the right decisions for each child.

Two cousins ready to start school, one almost 6, one just 5

In Australia the school year begins in the last week of January or the first week of February and ends in the same calendar year (in mid December). Every year we have media discussions concerning the best age to start. Last week, there was yet another piece of research being discussed on Australian television and radio offering advice. The starting age in Australia varies from state to state. In NSW any child may commence school if they are five years old or turn five prior to the 31st July in that year, but they must start no later than 6. In South Australia children can start in the school term after they turn five. In Queensland there is a non-compulsory Prep year (like preschool) followed by formal school entry if the child turns six before the 30th June in that year. It’s all a bit confusing and the Federal government has been discussing a standard starting age for some time.

In other countries we see similar diversity. In Finland children start formal schooling in the year in which they turn seven. In Germany it is six, in Britain 5 and in the USA it varies (like Australia) from state to state.

Elsie's Mum on her 1st day at school

So is there a best starting age? If there is, few education systems seem to agree on what it is. "Should my child start school at five even though....(fill the blank)?" is one of the most common questions I hear from parents. Today I was interviewed on commercial radio on exactly this topic. The short answer I gave on radio is the same one I give to parents, it all depends. Yes, children need to have reached a certain minimum stage of physical, intellectual and emotional development to cope with school, but variations from four and a half to six years don’t seem to make huge differences to most children’s long term academic achievement.

It would seem that there is little evidence for a universal perfect age for starting school, so there isn't much pointing asking anyone what it is. In reality, we need to make individual assessments for each child. Here are some things to consider if your child has reached an age at which he/she can officially commence formal schooling. Please note that these questions don't all apply to children with disabilities. In such cases parents have to consider many things when making a decision about the right time to start school.

Is my child physically ready

Are they toilet trained?
Do they have the motor skills typical of the average starting aged child? Can they walk, run, jump, throw things, dress themselves (few can tie shoelaces – that’s why we have Velcro! And Kindergarten teachers are good at it anyway). Can they tear paper, apply some stickers, hold crayons and pencils and use them (even if not that well)?
Can they feed themselves (pretty much unpack their own lunch)?
How big is your child? Very tall children often struggle if held back when they eventually go to school. And very small children might struggle if they go early.

Is my child emotionally ready?

Is your child able to cope with separation? Going to school should not be the first time the child has been out of the sight of parents or the primary caregivers.
Have they had at least some experience relating to other children? Can they share, communicate, show some control of anger and frustration?
If your child is keen to go to school there’s a strong chance that they are emotionally ready.
Can they communicate their emotions (frustration, fear, anger, affection etc)?

Is your child intellectually ready?

This is tougher, but in general you would expect that your child can:

Concentrate on activities for extended periods of time (say at least 10-15 minutes on one activity). This might include being able to listen to a story, watch some television, sustaining attention on a game or activity that they like.
Hold crayons and show some interest in making marks or scribble (the early stages of writing - see my post on this topic here), show some interest in print and symbols (e.g. “what does that say Mum?”), complete basic puzzles (maybe 30-50 pieces), try to write their name, count to five, recognise some letters.
Use language sufficient to communicate with other children and the teacher?
Show some interest in learning. This can show itself in many ways such as inquisitiveness, exploration, and observation of things around them.

Ultimately, parents need to make this decision based on what they know about their child. There are some other things worth considering:

What is the school like? Do you know the teachers and do you have confidence that they will be able to understand your child and help them to find their feet at school?
What are your family circumstances like? If you have another sibling just one year younger you might want to make sure that you don’t have them going off to school at the same time.
What was the experience that you had as parents? Did you go to school early or late and what was the impact on you? Given the common gene pool this is a useful consideration.
What are your personal circumstances? Is there major upheaval in the family or some major change coming in the next 12 months (e.g. moving to another area)? If so, holding your child back might be justified.

I find today that there is greater anxiety about starting age than ever before. Unfortunately, much of this is caused by parents worrying unduly about children being successful at school. I have parents who ask me (for example) is it okay that their child can't read yet, even though they are four. This is ridiculous of course; most don't start till they get to school. Others ask if holding their child back a year will disadvantage them compared to others. Overall, if you consider the needs of your child and the broad range of capabilities I've outlined above, I think you'll make a good decision. If you get it wrong, the evidence is that generally children will cope and adapt over time, and that there are few long-term problems for most children.

An interesting postscript to this matter is that the country in the OECD that regularly has the highest school literacy levels is Finland, where the starting age is seven!

Literacy, Families & Learning NEWS

2012-01-19T18:23:00.000+11:00

Above: Part of the front page, showing links and other news categories

Children's author Katherine Paterson

People who read this blog and also follow me on Twitter will know of my daily newsletter that is generated automatically each day based on my tweets as well as the people who I follow. The newspaper typically contains over 100 links to blog posts, literature, videos and images that have a literacy and learning focus. Today's News is out HERE and can be read by anyone even if you don't have a Twitter account. Some of my favourite stories and links today are:

'Katherine Paterson discusses the longevity of paper books and the best of young adult fiction' Washington Post HERE

'Celebrating Winnie the Pooh' on A.A. Milne's birthday (which is today) HERE

'iPhone and iPad apps for children with difficulties' HERE

Mr Schu shared a video introduction to 'Penny and Her Song' as well as the book's Caldecott Medalist author illustrator Kevin Henkes HERE

You don't have to have a Twitter account to subscribe to receive the Newsletter every day. If you have a look at the latest 'Literacy, Families & Learning News' you can go to the subscribe box and add your email so it can be sent to you when it comes out. If don't follow the newsletter in any way you can still click on the link each day in the Twitter links box on the right-hand sidebar of this blog.

The Joy of Books

2012-01-13T15:28:00.001+11:00

If you love books, the way I love books, then please watch this video. In a previous post I reviewed another imaginative creation about a secret world of books - 'The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore'. This new video produced by 'Type' bookstore in Toronto Canada resonates (for me) with the story of Morris Lessmore. The 'Joy of Books' has been produced for the shear joy and fun of it (and of course the free web advertising).

Above: 'The Joy of Books'

Do yourself a favour, watch the 'Joy of Books' video first (it takes less than 2 minutes) and, if you have time, check out Morris Lessmore as well. You can buy 'The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore' as an app or short video story (details below). Both are brilliant.

Above: Trailer for 'The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore'

You can buy the short video of 'The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore' HERE
You can buy the app HERE
My review of the app HERE

Creative Storymaking Made Easy

2012-01-06T08:27:00.000+11:00

I've written many times on this blog about the power of storytelling as a means to stimulate children's language, literacy, learning and creativity. Rarely do I suggest a commercial aid for such creative storying, but there is one that I've come across that deserves a mention.

Rory's Story Cubes are a simple, but powerful tool for story creation. The aid consists of 9 cubes that have images on all sides. Each 'player' takes turns rolling the cubes. They then look at the top image on the 9 cubes, reorder them as they wish and then create an oral story. While some people are better at this than others, once you've had a few turns you get the idea of it and quickly begin to create original stories. I've used it with three of my grandchildren aged 5, 7 & 9 and all were able to create excellent stories and had a stimulating and fun time doing it. We had fun creating individual stories and group stories.

The original Rory's Story Cubes game contains nine 19mm cubes with 54 iconic images, for example, an eye, lock, wand, sad face, star, letter, bee, turtle, key hole, arrow, torch, lightning and so on.

There have now been two additional expansion sets released. The first consists of 9 cubes with 54 action images or 'picto-verbs' that depict common verbs showing varied actions. Another recent set has been released and focuses on the theme of 'voyages'. You can use the sets separately or can mix them up to create even more elaborate stories.

Story Cubes are an ideal activity for children at home or in small group work at school. At $US14.99 a set I think they're great value. You can buy them at good toy stores. I bought my set from one of my favourite toy stores in Sydney, Monkey Puzzle (at Summer Hill) for $16.95. You can also buy them online in varied places, including HERE and HERE

You will also be able to purchase a larger set of cubes soon for children with special needs. 'Story Cubes MAX' has 30 mm square cubes (almost twice the size) making handling easier for children with fine motor or visual disabilities. The expected recommended retail price will be approximately $US30.

Finally, you can download an iPhone version via iTunes HERE for $US1.99. The app works brilliantly. When you shake the iPhone, it even sounds like you're rolling the real thing.

Books: Gifts that keep on giving!

2011-12-29T12:23:00.000+11:00

A birthday gift just before Christmas

We've just celebrated a traditional Christmas in our family. The day started with church and the celebration of Jesus' birth, then our family got together for the sharing of gifts, play (especially the kids) and lots of talk. It was a wonderful day with much joy and happiness.

One thing I noticed was that books are certainly not dead in our family. We gave Kindles to our eldest daughter and our son-in-law, and books of varied kinds to adults and children. And each time there was delight.

A Kindle, books in an instant

I managed to receive four wonderful books (all in paper form), including 'Oranges & Sunshine', the story of Margaret Humphries' fight to reveal the transportation of 150,000 orphans from England to Australia in the 19th century. I also received some historical fiction (Conn Iggulden's 'Empire of Silver'), a book about writers of fantasy ('The Wand in the Word') and Geoffrey Blainey's 'A Short History of Christianity').

Of course, books don't just give once, they keep on giving. They can be re-read to learn new things, or remember old things. You can also revisit a story that has already given us joy, emotional experiences, new knowledge, inspiration, challenge and insights into the human condition. Books, whether paper or electronic, can also serve as a vehicle to other places, times and experiences. Yes, books just keep on giving.

Sam loved his book to help him make paper planes


After lunch some play.

Our youngest family member at play

And then we all had some exercise

25 Great Children's Apps to Stimulate Literacy, Learning & Creativity

2011-12-20T16:44:00.000+11:00

Readers of this blog will know that I've reviewed a number of apps for iPads, iPhones and Android tablets (HERE). I have suggested before that apps for devices like the iPad should be more than just fun games that populate an expensive toy. While I want apps to be enjoyable and exciting, they also need to:

Provide opportunities for learning.
Encourage creativity and problem solving.
Offer knowledge that stimulates further learning.
Use as many of the senses as possible for this is one of the things apps can offer.
Be easy to use and intuitive to follow.
Avoid trivialising any narrative with add-ons that have little to add to the story.
Use quality language, stories and illustrations.

With thousands of people around the world about purchase device like the iPad I thought it might be timely to review some of my favourite apps currently on the market. I've grouped them into three categories: a) creativity & problem solving, b) writing, story making and animation and, literacy and literature.

1. Apps that promote creativity & problem solving

Dr Seuss Band
Price: $US0.99

This is a simple app from Oceanhouse Media allows you to play music associated with a variety of classic Dr Seuss books including 'Cat in the Hat', 'Green Eggs and Ham' and even the latest Seuss book 'The Bippolo Seed'. You can transform a three-piece brass instrument with the flick of a finger and use it to play a variety of melodies or create your own piece. As you play, you can unlock new instruments, and create sound effects and new songs when you've attained higher scores. It contains 120 combinations of sounds that offer many variations and lots of interest. The user plays each note by touching the keys in time to a series of moving 'stripes' of different length that correspond to note length. It's a fun way for non-musicians to make music that takes colour-coded xylophones and keyboards to a whole new level. The app has three difficulty levels and scores your performance on each tune, allowing the user to judge progress.

Animalia for iPad
Price: $4.49

Australian illustrator and author Graeme Base has many wonderful picture books (see my review of his work HERE). 'Animalia' is an award winning book that has been given some new interactive dimensions via the iPad app. Readers can search for hundreds of different things hidden in the artwork, and enjoy engaging sounds while reading words and trying to solve the puzzles and uncover some of the deeper layers of the book.

Lego Creationary
Price: Free

I've never met a child who doesn't like Lego. The brick company has produced a great game based on virtual Lego bricks. It is based on the board game 'Creationary' and is a bit like a 3D version of Pictionary. The players roll a virtual dice and watch as objects based on a theme are created. You need to guess what is being built before it is revealed. There are almost a hundred different puzzles to complete.

Elmo's Monster Maker HD
Price: $4.49

This app allows your children to create different monster friends to play with Elmo. The player selects a body, face and features and so on. When finished the monster comes to life on screen. This is a simple app that allows creative manipulation and stimulates language use and story making. Children love the app.

2. Writing, story making & animation

PlayTime Theater
Price: $US2.99

'PlayTime Theater' is a customizable interactive castle that comes with varied characters, props, and sound effects. The user is invited to create and record short animated features. It is similar in principle to 'Puppet Pals' (see below) but is much simpler and a little more limited in the effects possible. However, its simplicity is one of its strengths, because some apps of this type are complex and detract from the fun of creating your own 'story'. The app provides ample opportunities for free play, creativity and storytelling using image, sound and movement.

ClickySticky
Price: $US1.99

This is a wonderful app that again provides opportunities for creative play and image making. Many children will tell their own stories as they create composite pictures based on a variety of background images, characters, clothes and objects. Each character can be increased or decreased in size, rotated, dragged around the background and embellished to create an individualised scene. It includes ocean, aviation, space, dolls, and safari scenes. It is a cross between a sticker book and a dress up mannequin game. When finished you can remove all stickers from the scene by shaking the iPad. This animated 'sticker book' is ideal for boys and girls aged 3-6 years.

Puppet Pals
Free initial app with add-on themes for purchase

I've written a previous post about 'Puppet Pals' and other animation resources for children (HERE).
This wonderful app is available free for the iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad. Essentially it is a simple way to create an animated movie using 'cut-out' themed characters and a variety of backdrops and scenes to create an animated 'puppet' play.

The free version comes with Wild West backgrounds and actors. However, you can also purchase different themes for $US0.99 or the 'Director's Cut' in which you can access all the themes for $US2.99. These allow you to obtain a range of additional scenarios and characters based on themes such as monsters, space, pirates, arthropod armada, Christmas and so on. You can even make your backdrops and characters.

Puppet Pals is a wonderful resource for supporting story telling, writing, language development, creativity, and problem solving, while at the same time introducing them to film making and animation. I could see myself using a smartboard to collaboratively develop a story with my class before introducing individuals and groups to this smart little app.

3. Literacy & Literature apps

Alice for the iPad
Price: $9.49

Lewis Carroll’s classic children’s book has been enhanced for the 21st century. Children can engage with Alice and her story by tilting the iPad to watch her grow and shrink, help the Caterpillar smoke his pipe, shake the White Rabbit's watch, make Alice's neck stretch and so on. You can read an abridged 52-page version where the animation effects come more frequently or the full 249 original version. This app certainly created a lot of attention when it was released and still sets the benchmark for animation effects. Kids love it, but I still feel the effects are rather distracting from the reading. Expensive, but every app collection should include it.

The Nutcracker Musical Storybook

Price: $US2.99

The Nutcracker Musical Storybook is a wonderful book and musical app that introduces this timeless classic to kids and grown up alike! It can be experienced as a video or in story format. The app presents 27 fully orchestrated musical arrangements of Tchaikovsky's musical. The wonderful illustrations and animations have been hand painted by Yoko Tanaka. It is a wonderful app that engages children at the story level as well as with music, image and creative animation. It can be read and joyed with children, as well as by children aged 6-8 years themselves.

'The Pedlar Lady of Gushing Cross'
Price; $US6.99

'Moving Tales' is a developer responsible for a series of ePicture book apps that present traditional tales in new ways. The organization states that its purpose is to present imaginative interpretations and adaptations, "...inspired by age-old folk tales, archetypal yarns and legends from around the world." In my view they have succeeded in doing this. They have released four stories to date; each is presented in the same format and with similar stylistic illustrations. I will review just one of the stories. The other titles are 'This too shall pass', 'The unwanted guest' and 'Twas the night before Christmas' (see them here).

The 'Pedlar Lady of Gushing Cross' by Jacqueline O. Rogers (Moving Tales) is inspired by the age-old tale of a man who becomes rich through a dream. There are varied older versions of the story with origins in Persia, Israel and Ireland. The story describes the journey of a poor pedlar woman who, guided by the shifting line between the real and the unreal, discovers a surprising and wonderful treasure.

As with all ePicture books you can read it yourself or have it read to you. The reader can also record their own reading if they wish. The storyteller provided has a wonderful Irish accent that works well with the traditional tale. The background music also adds to the haunting nature of the reading of this story. The illustrations are monochrome, with touches of colour and partial animation on each page. It is available in English, Spanish and French.

'The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore'
Price: $US4.99

The producers of this app Moonbot Studios suggests that the book written by William Joyce was inspired in equal measures, by Hurricane Katrina, Buster Keaton, The Wizard of Oz, and a love for books. It is a story about people who devote their lives to books and how books in turn enrich our lives. It is a poignant, humorous allegory about the power of story. It uses a variety of illustrative and animation techniques to create a moving story. It is presented in a style that offers echoes of the great silent films of the past.

The various interactive elements in this app are complex and yet they relate well to the story. The reader can repair books, descend deep into a great storm, learn the piano, become 'lost in a book', and fly through a magical world of words. I could have done without some of the games sprinkled through the reading, but kids will love them. There is a surprise on each page of this app. The sophisticated CG animation, excellent original music, and quality illustrations work well to support the narrative. While I felt that there was just a little too much gadgetry, I don't think children would agree, this is a wonderful app.

Above: Image from the app showing the books coming back to 'nest'

'Timo and the Magical Picture Book'
Price: $US3.99

'Timo and the Magical Picture Book' was written by well-known Dutch author Rian Visser and is illustrated by Klaas Verplancke, one of Belgium's most celebrated illustrators. It is a story app for younger readers (3-7 years). It is about a little boy called Timo who receives an unusual birthday gift, a magical picture book from his uncle. A parcel that was not to be shaken, but... When Timo begins reading his new book he finds himself and his family mixed up into the story. As Timo enters the book, the app reader is able to interact with the illustrations, shaking and touching the images to elaborate on the story.

While the app doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the previous app, it is an appealing picture book that has just enough interactivity to support the narrative. For me, this app does a good job balancing the interactive elements and story. The app plays English or Dutch language and the reader's voice is warm and friendly, although at times the reading is a little staccato.

'The Three Pandas' by Valerie Min (See Here Studios)
Price: $US2.99

I have reviewed another 'See Here' app in a previous post, 'The Wrong Side of the Bed' a 3D app, and I have just discovered 'Twinkle, Twinkle'. What I like about the work of this developer is the desire to put as much effort into the story and illustrations as the interactive elements. 'The Three Pandas' is based on the traditional story of 'The Three Bears' with an Asian twist. It will appeal to younger readers aged 3-7 years.

Reading 'The Wrong Side of the Bed' with 3D glasses

The story is set in a bamboo forest, where a little girl (Mei Mei) enters the house of three pandas. As you would predict, she eats their porridge, sits on their chairs, and sleeps in their beds. But unlike the traditional tale there is a slight twist at the end. The story has been developed in association with 'Pandas International' and so the app provides additional facts about pandas and an external link that enables you to learn more about the Giant Panda. A portion of all proceeds goes toward Panda conservation efforts. The animation is delightful. You can tickle the pandas on each screen shot and be surprised by their responses. As with most apps you have a choice of languages (English or Chinese).

The story is simple and delightfully understated. The illustrations would be a hit in any form of picture book. The animation of Mei Mei and the pandas is photographic in nature while the backgrounds are a mix of drawn and real objects. All in all, the images are wonderful.

'The Wonkey Donkey'
Price: $8.49

This app is based on Craig Smith's wonderful book and song of the same name by Craig Smith and is illustrated by Katz Cowley. The original picture book came with an audio recording of the song. This app can be read or followed as it is sung. It is a funny, predictable and cumulative song, that uses rhyme to great effect. Each page tells something new about the three-legged, one-eyed donkey, who walks down the road. He ends up being a lanky, honkey tonkey, winky, wonky, cranky, stinky dinky, spunky, hanky panky donkey. No child or adult can use this app without smiling! There is much fun to be had by listening to the song and trying to predict the new word for each clue given!

'What was that Noise?' by Iain Anderson
Price: $0.99

"What Was That Noise?" is a simple, original, illustrated, interactive children's storybook. It's a rhyming, noisy book (each page has a sound effect!) that kids will love to read and play with. You can read to your child, or use the "read-aloud" feature to let them read on their own. It has to be the simplest app on the market and is perfect for pre-school children. You can touch the text and it reads the complete phrase or touch the picture to hear the noise that the text describes. The illustrations are beautiful and yet very simple pen and wash. Young children will love this app; it is a good first app for 2-4 year olds.

'The Cat in the Hat' & other Dr Seuss books

Price: $US 4.99

There are a number of Dr Seuss books that have been turned into ePicture books by Oceanhouse Media. These include 'Dr Seuss's ABC' (also available in a free LITE edition), 'Green Eggs and Ham', 'One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish', 'The Lorax' and 'The Sneetches'. I could have chosen any title because they are essentially all the same in design and format. It's hard to go wrong with Dr Seuss books but I have to say that this is a case where the ePicture version does little more than the paper book version. Why? Because the only interactive element in these books is the ability to click on pictures which then leads to an appropriate word appearing. While this focus on individual words might be good for some young children to learn sight words, there is the potential to turn every reading of these books into a lesson, rather than the enjoyment of the book, the fun of the language, meaning, the rhyme and rhythm and so on. The text is also highlighted word by word in the 'Read to me' function as it is read. This could be helpful for some beginning readers, but distracting for others. You can try out the LITE version for free.

'Jack and the Beanstalk'
Price: $US3.99

This is a very amusing little app from Ayars Animation. While it is a well-known version of the traditional fairy tale, the animations have a sense of fun and add to the experience of the story rather than simply trivialising it (like some apps). It can be read in readalong mode or can be read yourself. It has a number of hidden features on each page and has a summary menu that can be accessed showing what features are on each page. The varied forms of interactivity include a variety of elements in the illustrations that speak, move or do funny things. There is also a hidden egg, characters that can be moved, a sun that you can set, a page that you can 'paint' and so on. While some forms of interaction on ePicture books can distract from the story some of these quirky animations add value to the reading experience.

'Wrong Side of the Bed' by Wallace E. Keller
Price: $US2.99

This 3D story has been produced by Seehere Studios. It comes in a 3D version that uses the typical paper glasses that you can purchase for about $1. Both versions work well. It is a delightful story suitable for 3-6 year-olds and tells of a little boy who wakes up one day to find everything is upside down. The book has simple and effective cartoon style pastel illustrations. The level of interactivity is limited except for the ability to zoom in on the images and move the image around a little. Younger readers will enjoy it, but this app does little for me and wasn't that exciting for child readers tested.

'Toy Story'
FREE

You can buy the more recently released 'Toy Story 2' and 'Toy Story 3' based on Disney and PIXAR movies, but the earlier 'Toy Story' app is free!! It is essentially based on Toy Story 1 and includes clips from the movie and some of the songs, pages that can be painted at the touch of the screen and some simple games. It has read to and read alone options as well as an option to record your own version. There is also a fantastic find a page option that allows you to bring up thumbnails of all pages and simply flick from one page to another - brilliant! My only beef with the app is that in the readalong version the text highlighting is word by word. I'd prefer a phrase-by-phrase option for many readers, and would suggest that developers try to incorporate both options.

Toy Story 2 Readalong
Price: FREE

This story app is based upon the Disney PIXAR film of the same name. Andy heads off to Cowboy Camp, and leaves Woody behind. A toy collector steals him, so Buzz Lightyear and the other toys set off to rescue him before he is shipped to a museum in Japan. The app uses the same wonderful images from the film and includes games, movie clips, colouring pages and songs from the movie. Children aged 5-10 will enjoy the app.

'Little Mermaid and Other Stories by H.C. Andersen'
Price: $US11.99

It's hard to go wrong with a Hans Christian Andersen story and Game Collage has done a great job with this app. They also offer a free LITE version that allows you to try it out before spending $11.99 US to buy it. The app includes three H.C. Andersen stories, 'The Little Mermaid', 'The Emperor's New Clothes' and 'The Happy Family'. This app does what the developers of 'Alice for the iPad' wanted to do but didn't quite achieve. Unlike 'Alice' this app manages to add a wide rang of interactive elements that use colour, movement, sound and image to engage the reader, complement the story and even, in places, add value to the experience of the book.

Like 'Alice', at times the interactive elements seem a little contrived, but they work. They have used an ornate style for the print and design (in keeping with the age of Andersen's stories) and have added a mass of varied interactive features. These include swimming through the ocean with the Little Mermaid, travelling to different kingdoms in the 'Emperor's new Clothes', shooting fireworks from a ship, watching ants and snails crawl across the screen, being able to rock and switch on lanterns and many more. Unlike 'Alice' the elements are on virtually every page.

The 'Little Mermaid' is a longish story, with the 'Emperor's New Clothes' medium in length and 'The Happy Family' much shorter. There is no readalong option for any of the stories which some will see as a weakness.

Aesop's Wheel of Fables (for iPad)
Price: FREE

This is a simple collection of Aesop's fables. That can be read by children or listened to. One novel feature is a wheel that is spun to choose the fable. There are also some other games embedded along the way which can be chosen. I could have done without the games and perhaps a little more interactivity but nevertheless it is a good collection of classic fables.

Lazy Larry Lizard
Price: $US4.49

This Australian animated children’s book was created especially for the iPad. Early readers are invited to play an active role in the story and are rewarded with full animation - when they ‘poke’ Lazy Larry on the screen, he wakes up and comes to life. But as delightful as this is for the reader, it’s not so much fun for poor Larry and the reader learns of a better way to make him happy when he plays his favourite game. This is an excellent story and the game is addictive.

My previous posts on story apps & eBooks

'Alice', the iPad and new ways to read picture books (HERE)

'Literacy and the iPad: A review of some popular apps' (HERE)

'Literacy and the iPad: A second review of children's apps' (HERE)

'eBooks, not what they're cracked up to be?' (HERE)

Building Writing Stamina: The importance of writing workshops

2011-12-11T22:52:00.000+11:00

There are many good reasons to implement daily writing workshops in any classroom. Probably most important amongst these is that they offer the opportunity for children to experience writing as process. That is, to understand that writing is something that has to be worked on if it is to communicate with and engage readers. Young writers need to experience writing as craft, something that requires hard work, revision, research, planning, careful use of language and a sense of purpose and audience. But Katie Wood Ray reminds us in this short video that there is something even more basic that writing workshops offer - the chance to develop stamina.

I had the chance to observe this in detail some years ago when team teaching on a Grade 1 class with an outstanding teacher, Inta Gollasch. The language story that I share below also illustrates a number of other good reasons for having daily writing workshops in classrooms.

I spent most of the year in Inta's class observing the literacy behaviour of her children (I have written about this in detail on my book 'Pathways to Literacy'). Inta's approach to writing workshop was simple, she provided:

Time each day when children were encouraged to write about topics of their choosing.
Folders in which they kept their draft materials and lots of writing materials.
Opportunities for the children to share their writing with others when the need arose.
Individual teacher conferences for children when needed (but at least weekly).
Varied opportunities for the children to publish and share their writing with larger audiences.
Help with publishing when the young writers wanted to pit their work into some more permanent form.

On the first day in the classroom I observed a boy named Brock eagerly writing in a "magic cave" constructed as a retreat area. I stopped to ask how he came up with this idea for his story. He replied:

"Well, it was like Chlorissa. (She wrote about) that book (The Enchanted Wood) that had children who moved to the country. I changed it around."

Brock's piece based on the The Enchanted Wood (Blyton, 1939) was primed (at least in part) by the fact that Chlorissa had done this earlier.

I quickly observed a preoccupation with Enid Blyton's Faraway Tree books in Inta’s class. The teacher had read two of these books ('The Enchanted Wood' & 'The Magic Faraway Tree') in the first 4 weeks of school. The third ('The Wishing Chair') was read over a two-week period some two months later.

The teacher's reading of these books had a strong influence upon the writing of children in the classroom. This showed itself in the students' narrative writing, in playground games, in letter writing and even at home. In all, ten 'Blyton type' stories were written in this classroom during the year.

Chlorissa's writing that had inspired Brock and others to write their own Faraway Tree stories was begun in June (mid school year in Australia). She was still writing it at the end of the school year (December). By this time the story was 20 pages long and Chlorissa had stuck each of the pages together to form a scroll, that could stretch almost across the width of the classroom (something she liked to do at the end of sessions).

Chlorissa's writing demonstrates what Katie Wood Ray was talking about; daily writing workshop can help children to develop stamina. This is stamina of two kinds, first, the ability just to stick at a task for a long period of time (30 minutes each day). Second, the ability to keep coming back to the same task day after day. This is one of the key skills of the writer, sticking with the writing task - stamina!

But I think the language story also demonstrates a few other things:

1. Writing workshop can encourage children to learn about the craft of writing.

2. It offers opportunities for young writers to write for 'real' audiences.

3. The sharing of writing can inspire other young writers.

4. Books are an important source of inspiration for young writers.

Other posts on writing

'Writing that Matters' HERE

'When do children start writing?' HERE

'Ten ways to encourage preschool writers' HERE

Choosing Great Toys for Kids

2011-12-03T08:37:00.000+11:00

This is the third time I've written a post on toys - toys that teach, challenge, stimulate and encourage creativity and learning. This is an updated version of a previous post. Before looking at examples of great toys, here are some key principles for choosing toys:

First, children don't need expensive toys to learn. I've written many other posts stressing that play in and, of itself, stimulates learning, problem solving, language development, creativity and so on (see for example my post 'The importance of simple play' here). There are many activities that require few or no bought materials within the child's world. We've all seen toddlers toss the toy to one side and play with the box. So too a pair of your shoes, a coat that quickly becomes a cape, some blocks that become just about anything in an imaginary story, the plastic or saucepan sections in the kitchen cupboards whose treasures can amuse children for hours and outdoor activities.

Second, even a single purpose toy that brings great pleasure but doesn't teach a lot can achieve more if adults are engaged to some extent with the activity. For example, a game like Hungry Hippos besides helping with basic counting, can also help children to learn about turn taking, being gracious as a winner and a loser and so on.

Third, if you were planning to spend significant sums of money on toys I would be aiming for toys that offer multiple purposes and varied areas of learning. My test for many toys would be:

Do they stimulate creativity and learning?
Do they encourage language use?
Do they require varied skills and multiple abilities?
Do they encourage the integration of many forms of learning?
Do they help children to develop interpersonal skills (if it is a multi-player toy)?
Do they require children to collaborate with and, play well with others?
Will the toy last (i.e. not fall apart)?
Is the toy good value for money?
Is the toy fun, interesting, challenging?
Will it sustain your child's attention beyond a few uses?

While you don't need bought toys to stimulate children, in this post I will talk about some of the bought toys that I find interesting and which have worked with our children and grandchildren. I'm not trying to be comprehensive just offering examples of good toys that meet some of the criteria I outline above.

1. Timeless construction toys

No family should be without a couple of toys that encourage children to make or construct things. These toys help to develop good hand-eye coordination, encourage creativity and problem solving and can help to develop mathematical and spatial intelligence. There are many types of construction toys that children can use from a very young age. Here are a few examples:

Above: Father & son play with Knupferli (see below)

a) Wooden blocks of some type - at our house our grandchildren still use the same set of blocks in their original walker that our children did 30+ years ago (suitable for ages 6 months to 3 years).
b) Lego - probably all three types/sizes will be useful. Our children's Lego is now played with by our grandchildren (suitable for age 6 months to 15 years).
c) Mobilo is one of my grandson Sam's favourite toys
d) Other more challenging connector toys - e.g. Knupferli Construction materials (see above). I used the soft plastic Knupferli materials when I was in Kindergarten and only just rediscovered them again (ideal for age 5-10 years). You can use them to make a simple necklace or a complex 3D shape.
e) Meccano - newer meccano sets (see right) are different, but they still combine all the old skills and interest of the metal Meccano I had as a child (age 5-15 years).

You can do many things with construction toys. Yes, you can build simply things like towers or shapes.
You can make houses, cars, anything (in the case of Lego).
In combination with other objects (e.g. plastic animals or people) you can tell stories - zoos can be created, aquariums, farms, space invaders and dinosaurs can invade villages etc.
In some cases your children can learn how to follow instructions and design plans (e.g. Meccano, Knupferli & Lego).

What's great about construction toys is that they:

Help to develop hand-eye co-ordination
Encourage creativity and problem solving
Can help to develop spatial and geometric skills

Above: A family favourite, 'Zoob'

2. 'Toys' that allow you to create

These are not all toys, some are materials, but all allow children to be creative. Here are a few of my favourites:

a) Modelling clay - you can buy cheap multi-coloured modelling clay for $2-3 per pack, or you can make Play Dough. I've written a post on the creative use of modelling clay (here). Suitable for all ages.
b) Magnetic learning boards with letters and shapes (age 12 months to 5 years), see picture to the right.
c) Magesketch (or some other variety) of this magnetic sketching board, age 12 months to 4 years.
d) Felt boards - there are many products of this type on the market (many of these are very cheap), age 2-6 years.

3. Model people, animal and objects

There are many wonderful examples of toys that consist of people, animals, dwellings, and objects that go with them like dolls houses, castles, forts, arks etc. These allow children to engage in creative play either alone or with others for long periods of time. These simple objects can allow children to amuse themselves in a world of make believe and fantasy at home, in the car, at other people's houses etc. They are a wonderful way for children to create (verbally) their first narratives.

Some of the simplest are perhaps the best:

a) Keep a box of animals - depending on the child's interests these might be farm animals (under 12 months), African animals, sea creatures, dinosaurs and people - these can be used alone or with other toys (see the shot of Sam above with his Lego 'zoo').
b) Commercial sets like the Little People series and Sylvanian Families are wonderful for young children - we have a set based on Noah's Ark to which we've added other animals. This has kept all our grandchildren engaged for hours (0-3 years).
c) A doll's house will keep boys and girls engaged in creative play for ages and there are modern variations on the same theme with medieval castles complete within knights and dragons (age 2 -8).

4. Mathematical or Spatial Skill Toys

a) Perpetual puzzles - these are puzzles designed by Makoto Nakamura. They add a new level of creativity by allowing the child to change the shape of the overall puzzle that is based on continuous and interlocking shapes.

b) Blokus is a relatively new puzzle game with simple rules, but it can keep adults and children stimulated for ages. The purpose of the game is for each player to place his/her 21 pieces on the board (or at least the maximum number of pieces) in a continuous span unimpeded by other players' pieces. It can be played by 2 or 4 people.

c) M-Tic

This is a brilliant and simple construction type game that consists of multi-coloured plastic pieces with magnetic ends. The purpose of the game is to create geometric shapes. It is excellent for developing geometrical and spatial knowledge. If you can't find this version there are other similar examples at good toy shops (see the picture below).
d) Puzzles of all kinds - puzzles are brilliant for developing memory, patience and a variety of spatial skills. Young children can start with simply puzzles that require them to insert an animal or shape into a single hole. Later they can move to simply 6-20 piece puzzles then much more complex puzzles as they develop their skills.

5. Other categories

There are many other toys that allow children to have fun, learn, manipulate and develop fine motor skills. Here are just a few examples that I spotted at my local Toy Shop this week. If you live in Sydney Monkey Puzzle Toy Store is worth a look, it's one of the best toyshops I've seen. The owners know and are passionate about toys. Find a good local toy store where the owners choose, sell and enjoy toys.

a) Magnetic (Mudpuppy) Dress up Figures - these come in a metal box and the mannequins vary (e.g. sports model, pirate, ballerina, monster, mermaid etc).
b) Chicken Socks craft sets (Klutz) - These are cheap and have a variety of separate packets including 'Crayon Rubbings', 'Fun Felt', 'Simple Sewing', 'Hand Art' etc.
c) Puppets - every house should have a puppet or two, there are many different types of puppets including finger puppets, hand puppets and string puppets.

d) Card games of all kinds. There are so many wonderful card games today that encourage language and mathematics and also encourage sharing and collaboration. Some recent favourites include 'Rush Hour' and 'Story Cubes'.

There are obviously many great toys that I haven't mentioned. In my home I'd always want to have puzzles, lots of writing implements (crayons, pencils, chalk, varied papers), toys that teach numbers and letters, toys that train hand-eye co-ordination (through threading, putting things in holes etc), percussion instruments, Thomas Trains and cars (especially for boys), a dress-up box and so on.

Ten great non-fiction books for children aged 5-12 years

2011-11-24T21:58:00.000+11:00

I have written before on this blog about the importance of non-fiction books (see some links at the end of the post). In fact, some young readers find non-fiction more engaging than fiction. There have been some wonderful examples published in the last year. This post is simply a quick review of ten recently published books that younger children will find interesting and enjoyable. I have arranged them roughly in order of difficulty.

'Bilby Secrets' Edel Wignel, illustrated by Mark Jackson

This is a delightful non-fiction picture book that teaches us in narrative form about the life of the wonderful bilby, an Australian marsupial. It traces the events of a typical day for mother and baby, and the perils of native and feral animals as the baby Bilby tries to survive life in the Australian landscape. Edel Wignel's story keeps the reader interested, while Mark Jackson's brightly coloured illustrations add drama and detail to this piece of discovery learning in narrative form. Children aged 2-6 will love this book. It is also a great book for classroom-based units and learning.

'Simpson and his Donkey' by Mark Greenwood & illustrated by Frané Lessac

Every Australian and English child who grew up in the 1950s to 70s in Australia would know of the story of Simpson and the donkey he used to retrieve wounded men on the WWI battlefields of the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey. This was one of the greatest of all defeats for the forces of Britain, France and of course the Australian and New Zealand armed forces (the ANZACs). In the midst of the massacre of thousands of allied troops and the eight month siege of this isolated beachhead, a man and his donkey were responsible for saving many lives, before Simpson was eventually killed on yet another mission.

Mark Greenwood offers a moving story of John Simpson Kirkpatrick and how he and his donkey, Duffy, rescued over 300 men during the campaign at Gallipoli. It traces his life from his home in South Shields in Newcastle (England) and his journey from the Tyne Dock to Turkey. Informed by detailed research, the text includes a brief biography of the man, details of his work at Gallipoli and also the little known story of how one of the many he rescued was actually a childhood friend.

Frané Lessac's illustrations are a wonderful complement to the story and have strength of colour that is not controlled by conventions. There are skies of yellow, orange, aqua, purple and all shades of blue. Her unique style draws your eye deep into each plate; no details can easily be missed.

'Kubla Khan: Emperor of Everything' by Kathleen Krull and illustrated by Robert Byrd

Kubla Khan is not well known and has often been mentioned historically only indirectly or in passing. Who was the man who Coleridge described in his famous poem 'Kubla Kahn'? This is the presumed grandson of Genghis Khan who reputedly built the imperial city of Beijing, and fathered a hundred or more children. History and legend suggest that he ruled over the greatest empire of the time, and that it was more advanced than previous civilisations in science, art and technology. The narrative text is engaging and should hold the interest of young readers, and Robert Byrd beautifully illustrates the book. Readers aged 7-9 years will enjoy this 42 page illustrated book.

'The Legend of Moondyne Joe' by Mark Greenwood & illustrated by Frané Lessac

The motivation for this story was a visit by the author to the Fremantle Prison near Perth Western Australia and the cell that was built especially for a bushranger who was difficult to keep incarcerated. Moondyne Joe was not known for gunfights or holding up stagecoaches in the early days of the colony. It was the convict bushranger's ability to escape each time he was placed behind bars that made him infamous. The early settlers admired him as he roamed the wooded valleys and winding creeks of the Moondyne Hills, wearing a kangaroo-skin cape and possum-skin slippers.

As with many of Greenwood's books he adds a glossary of terms and some notes on the convict era that increase the depth of the reader's experience of the book. The simple story is superbly illustrated by the paintings of Frané Lessac. This is another wonderful book that engages and teaches.

'You Can Draw Anything' by Kim Gamble

Kim Gamble is a well-known illustrator of Australian picture books. In this very accessible book he shows you how to draw just about anything you want to. Most how-to-draw books are either simple and recipe like or far too complex. The book offers principles and guidance for drawing many objects, including varied animals, people (bodies and faces), and landscapes including perspectives. He also offers techniques for shading and colouring. He intersperses the many diagrams and drawings with stories, jokes and examples that make the approach lots of fun, engaging and effective. It is ideal for children aged 7-10 years.

'Amazing Grace: An Adventure at Sea' by Stephanie Owen Reeder

This is a story about the courage of 16-year-old Grace Bussell. The year is 1876, when a steam ship, the 'Georgette', runs aground near Margaret River in Western Australia. On shore an ordinary 16 year old girl sees the unfolding drama and heads off on horseback with the family servant Sam Isaacs to try to help the stranded passengers. Grace and Sam head into the water with their horses and rescue many people. Using eyewitness accounts and other historical documents as well as some slight embellishment to fill in details to sustain the narrative, Stephanie Reeder brings this true story to life. This wonderful story is an excellent follow on from Stephanie Reeder's previous book, 'Lost! A True Tale From the Bush'. This previous story was also a true story. It told the story of 3 children who became lost on their way home in 1864 and spent eight days alone. It was shortlisted in the 2010 CBCA children's literature awards.
'The Boy from Bowral' by Robert Ingpen

Robert Ingpen is known primarily as an illustrator but he is also a fine writer with 13 works of fiction and over 20 non-fiction. His most recent book as writer and illustrator is 'The Boy from Bowral' which tells the biographical story of Australian cricketer Sir Donald Bradman who is the greatest cricketer of all time. Bradman is seen as a legend in any cricket playing nation and Ingpen provides a lucidly written and historically accurate picture of Bradman's early life in Bowral, his rise to prominence as a cricketer, and his sporting career. The images are drawings based primarily on existing photographs, so the keen cricket fan (like me) will feel that they recognise some of them. The cover (which wraps around to the back) is a wonderful sequence of images that appear like a series of video frames that capture the classic Bradman cover drive. I loved this book and any cricket following child or adult will also enjoy it.

'Into the Unknown' by Stewart Ross and illustrated by Stephen Biesty

This wonderful hard cover book from tells the story of 14 famous journeys throughout history, including 'Pytheas the Greek Sails to the Arctic Circle in 340BC', 'Admiral Zheng He Crosses the Indian Ocean in 1405-07', 'Neil Armstrong & Buzz Aldrin Land on the Moon in 1969', 'Marco Polo Rides the Silk Road to China in 1271-74' and many more.

Each story has multiple drawings, maps and a giant fold out cross-section. Boys will read and look through this book for hours. You will also enjoy reading this exciting book to boys. There are many other 'cross-section' books by Stephen Biesty and others (here), including 'Egypt in Cross Section', 'Castles' and 'Rome'.

'Movie Maker' by Tim Grabham, Suridh Hassan, Dave Reeve and Clare Richards

'Movie Maker' is another wonderful resource from Walker Books designed for primary school aged children (7-12 years). It is a kit that contains ideas for making movies, and a handbook that shows you how armed simply with a video camera, you can make movies. The handbook talks about techniques like storyboarding, production, equipment, sound and lighting, design, special effects, how to vary camera shots and so on. It also includes some very cute aids such as a binocular mask, an adjustable frame, sample story boards, character props (e.g. glasses, moustache) and even authentic theatre tickets. All it doesn't include is the popcorn.

'The Book of Potentially Catastrophic Science: 50 Experiments for Daring Young Scientists' by Sean Connolly

I wanted this book as soon as I saw it. Well, as soon as I saw the title! The book is all about igniting interest in science. Sean Connolly achieves this with lively, hands-on activities that suggest excitement and "danger". Simple experiments that pop, ooze, surprise and teach will delight boys and girls in upper primary. He also leads the reader through the history of science, and uses simple experiments to demonstrate key scientific principles.

The reader can rediscover the wheel and axle with the ancient Sumerians, or perform an astounding experiment demonstrating the theory of angular momentum. Children can build a simple telescope like Galileo's and find the four moons he discovered orbiting Jupiter. They can experiment safely with electricity and avoid the more risky approach of Ben Franklin with his Lightning experiment. They will also learn how to re-create the Hadron Collider in a microwave with marshmallows, calculator, and a ruler to demonstrate the speed of light. Or they might simply crush a can using Stephenson's steam can experiment. This is a wonderful book for children aged 9-12 years.

Related Posts

'Meet the Author: Mark Greenwood & Frané Lessac' HERE
'Author & Illustrator Focus: Robert Ingpen HERE
'Getting Boys into Books Through Non-Fiction' HERE
'Making Reading Exciting for Boys' HERE

Text Talk - Why talk matters for comprehension

2011-11-16T10:33:00.001+11:00

I first devised the term 'Text Talk' in the 1980s and wrote about it in a number of publications, including my book 'Teaching Reading Comprehension: Meaning Makers at Work' (Continuum). The post is based on what I said in these publications. My purpose in using the term was to stress to teachers and parents that the most vital thing we can do to improve children's comprehension is to talk about text.

What do I mean by 'Text Talk'?

Photo courtesy of Tembari Children Care

Text Talk means more than teachers talking to children about books, or asking them questions designed to elicit information. In essence, Text Talk requires the teacher or parent and children to converse about their understanding or meanings as they read, reflect up the author's intent, tease out the knowledge and meaning an author communicates, and generally tussle with and critique the view of the world that the author presents as well as the effectiveness of the text. The role is varied, but in essence, still simple and requires the teacher to:

a) provide background information if necessary and appropriate;
b) elicit responses from readers to the text;
c) suggest alternative strategies for making meaning;
d) share insights about reading and language;
e) support and assess student efforts to construct meaning;
g) ask questions that expand knowledge and insight, rather than simply testing it;
g) introduce new forms of language and alternative purposes for reading.

Teachers can assume varying roles when talking to children about texts, ranging from those which are heavily teacher-centred and text dependent, to those which are child-centred and reader dependent. Some teachers adopt a questionning role, while others provide support in the form of knowledge, alternative strategies etc. These roles are not mutually exclusive, nor is one approach right and the other wrong (although implementation of both can be good and poor). What is needed is balance and, above all, true conversation about books.

How should teachers talk to students about text?

One of the nicest examples of 'text talk' in action is to be found in the children's novel 'The Great Gilly Hopkins' (Paterson, 1978). This story revolves around Gilly's struggles to adjust to life in yet another foster home, come to greater understanding of herself, and experience love for the first time. Within the story there is a delightful exchange between Gilly, Mrs Trotter (foster mother), Mr Randolph (a blind man who lives next door) and William Ernest, a younger mildly disabled foster child who lives also with Mrs Trotter.

After dinner one evening Mr Randolph asks Gilly to read some of Wordsworth's poetry to him. She reluctantly agrees, and finishes William Wordsworth's 'Ode on Intimations of Immortality from the Recollections of Childhood'. She sits down lost in her own inner anger and frustration. But Mr Randolph interrupts her thought:

'Well, what do you think of Mr Wordsworth, Miss Gilly?' asked Mr Randolph interrupting her angry thoughts.
'Stupid,' she said.....................A look of pain crossed his face. 'I suppose,' he said in his pinched, polite voice, 'in just one reading, one might....'
'Like here' - Gilly now felt forced to justify an opinion which she didn't in the least hold - 'like here at the end, "the meanest flower that blows". What in hell - what's that supposed to mean? Whoever heard of a "mean flower"?
Mr Randolph relaxed. 'The word mean has more than one definition, Miss Gilly. Here the poet is talking about humility, lowliness, not' - he laughed softly - 'not bad nature.'
Gilly flushed. 'I never saw a flower blow, either.'
'Dandelions.' They all turned to look at William Ernest, not only startled by the seldom-heard sound of his voice, but by the fact that all three had forgotten that he was even in the room. There he sat, cross-legged on the floor at the end of the couch, a near-sighted guru, blinking behind glasses.
'You hear that?' Trotter's voice boomed with triumph.
'Dandelions? Ain't that the smartest thing you ever heard? Ain't it?' W.E. ducked his head behind the cover of the couch arm.
'That is probably exactly the flower that Mr Wordsworth meant,' Mr Randolph said. 'Surely it is the lowliest flower of all.'
'Meanest flower there is,' agreed Trotter happily. 'And they sure do blow, just like William Ernest says. They blow all over the place.'

This extract provides a perfect example of people talking about text and in the process increasing the child's knowledge of the world, and their grasp of language. As well, it creates interest and appreciation of an unfamiliar and more complex work than they could encounter and understand alone. Within it we see:

Mr Randolph providing access to a text beyond Gilly's level of "actual" developmental.
How interaction between individual people can facilitate learning.
How a 'teacher' can exercise quiet control through questionning and comment without stifling other voices and views (or just testing knowledge).
That the 'teacher' is not the only person with knowledge and, that insights can come from unlikely places (William Ernest).
Mr Randolph providing new knowledge in response to the Gilly's questions.
The excitement of Trotter as she witnesses the insight of William Ernest, and her affirmation of support for him as a person and a learner.

Text Talk results when a teacher or parent has the sensitivity and insight to spot the teachable moment, to grapple for the right question, to know just when to provide new knowledge, or when to probe and prompt children to grasp new things.

Related Posts

'Guiding Children's Learning' HERE
Other posts on comprehension HERE

Children's Book Reviews - Nov 2011

2011-11-07T07:38:00.000+11:00

This is another of my regular posts on recently released books that have been sent to me for review. The titles in this post are all from British and Australian publishers Walker Books, Bloomsbury and Allen & Unwin.

1. Picture Books (0-6 years)

'All the Way to WA: Our Search for Uncle Kev' Roland Harvey (Allen & Unwin)

Roland Harvey is one of Australia's best-loved illustrators. This new book is a companion to its wonderful predecessor, 'To the Top End' that was shortlisted in the 2011 CBCA Children's Book Awards. The book takes the reader on a journey across the vast territory of Western Australia. It is written as a travel log in narrative form. From Kalgoorlie to the Bungle Bungles it will take the reader, amusing, informing and captivating them along the way. Uncle Kev, a former professor of hydraulics is reported missing on a mission to find the fabled Bearded Night Parrot. We travel along as we find the clues to the Bearded Night Parrot, and hopefully Uncle Kev. The first single dropping from the 'extinct' parrot, a cooking pot and the remains of scorpion curry... and so it continues. There is no better way to traverse WA than with the wonderfully detailed images and amusing narrative, woven into the journey across this wonderful part of Australia. Highly recommended. RRP is $AUS 24.99 with an eBook version available.

'The Scariest Thing of All' Debi Gliori (Bloomsbury)

A little rabbit named Pip has lots of fears. He was scared of "all the usual things...some unusual ones...and some that were just plain weird". There were tree stumps that he was sure were a giant wood troll, bubbles in a pond that he was sure were caused by a gobbler and so on. He kept adding his new daily fears to his list and, it was enormous. How could he overcome these fears? No-one seemed able to help him. Then one day, when things can't get any worse, he flees into the dark woods to escape an unexplained noise, and has to face up to all his fears at once. This delightful book with intricate images of animals and landscapes, all vividly coloured and filled with amazing detail, will keep young children coming back for one more read. RRP $AUS 16.95

'Bilby Secrets' Edel Wignel, illustrated by Mark Jackson (Walker Books)

This is delightful non-fiction picture book that teaches us in narrative form about the life of the wonderful bilby, an Australian marsupial. It traces the events of a typical day for mother and baby, and the perils of native and feral animals as the baby Bilby tries to survive life in the Australian landscape. Edel Wignel's story keeps the reader interested, while Mark Jackson's brightly coloured illustrations add drama and detail to this piece of discovery learning in narrative form. Children aged 2-6 will love this book. It is also a great book for classroom-based units and learning. RRP $AUS 29.95

2. Younger Readers (6-9 years)

'Neville No-Phone' Anna Branford, illustrated by Kat Chadwick (Walker Books)

Neville is the only kid in his whole class without a mobile phone. Well, that's what he says to his parents as he tries to persuade them to buy him one. Neville enlists the help of his mate, Enzo. Surely, they can work out how to get Neville a phone. They are determined to achieve the goal, and an opportunity comes in an unexpected way. But it brings with it equally unexpected consequences. Will Neville sort this out? This is a funny short novel for young readers. Ideal for boys and girls aged 7-9 who have just entered the truly independent stage of reading and are beginning to devour lots of books. RRP $AUS 15.95

'Note on the Door and Other Poems About Family Life' by Lorraine Marwood (Walker Books)

This is an excellent collection of poems about children's lives. The poems are arranged in a number of categories, including family, holidays, school and play. The poetry is deceptively simple, but it is engaging and relevant to children's lives. Whether it's the funny 'There are many lingoes in my house' that is based on over-hearing the repetitive patterns of family members' conversation on the telephone, or the more serious 'Cat Burial', children will be able to connect these poems to the events of their own lives. It is a well designed book with a mix of text, image and lots of white paper. The latter is essential for children not accustomed to reading poetry. This would be a great first book of poetry for any child aged 6-9 or a lovely book to read with and to children of younger ages.

3. Independent Readers (10-13 years)

'The Truth About Verity Sparks' by Susan Green (Walker Books)

Verity Sparks is unusual girl. She has almost perfect memory and is good at finding lost things. But when she goes to live with an unusual family she finds that there is mystery in her past. Verity is a thirteen-year-old orphan who works as a milliner in Victorian London. When she is wrongly accused of theft and dismissed from her job, she goes to live with the Plushes, who run a Confidential Inquiry Agency. Verity helps them solve cases and slowly becomes one of the family. But her own past begins to reveal itself to her. Who were her real parents? Is she the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter? Who is sending poison pen letters about Verity to the Plushes? Who doesn’t want them to learn the truth about Verity Sparks? This is an adventure/mystery with a dash of the supernatural thrown in which most 10-13 year olds will enjoy.

'The Sleeping Army' by Francesca Simon (Allen & Unwin)

Francesca Simon is well known for her very popular 'Horrid Henry' series. Its main character is Freya who lives in Britain and finds herself in another time and place. And these are unusual times when people still worship the Viking gods. Her life has also been disrupted by her parents' divorce. It begins when one night she is with her father on his night shift at the British Museum. As she views the exhibits one by one, she is unable to resist the urge to blow a ceremonial horn from a Viking tribe - Heimdall's Horn. She does so, and in the chaos that follows she finds that her world has changed. She has woken three chess pieces from a state of enchantment - the slaves Roskva, Alfi, and Snot the Berserk. All are summoned to Asgard, land of the Viking gods, and they are sent on a perilous journey. Their mission is to restore the gods to youth. This is a rollicking tale that children 9-12 years will enjoy. RRP $AUS 22.99

'On Orchard Road' by Elsbeth Edgar

Jane’s world has been turned upside down. She has a brand-new sister, and her family has moved to a small town, leaving behind everything she knows. But friendship can emerge in unusual places. A mysterious older lady, a curious boy and an amazing garden prove her wrong. This is story about mystery, romance, friendship and hope. The book deals with many themes, including loneliness, friendship, bullying and, the ability to cope with change in your life. It is novel that girls aged 10-13 will enjoy. RRP $AUS 16.95

'Darius Bell and the Crystal Bees' by Odo Hirsch

This is another wonderful book from Australian Odo Hirsch (who now lives in London). It is the sequel to 'Darius Bell and the Glitter Pool', which won the 2010 CBCA Children's Book of the Year award. In this story, Darius and his friends solve a new problem, the mysterious disappearance of some bees. Curiously, the bees on the Bell estate are dying. There will be many consequences, the most serious of which is that Mr Fisher the gardener and his family, will have to leave the estate. Darius Bell knows that something must be done. This is a story with lots of fun and humour, mystery and problem solving. Children aged 10-13 will love this book. RRP $AUS 15.99.

'The Coming of the Whirlpool' by Andrew McGahan

Andrew McGahan is well known as an author of adult fiction. This is his first novel for young adults and is part of a new series called 'Ship Kings'. Dow Amber is not a sailor, but he is driven by a strange urge to head for the sea. He is drawn to the great grim bay known as the Claw. He hopes to learn there about sailing, but he finds only a fearful people who scarcely dare sail at all. They have been cursed by a monstrous whirlpool that haunts the bay, stealing away their sons.

One day, the rulers of the entire world - the proud and cruel Ship Kings - arrive in the Claw. Their fine, tall ships fascinate Dow, as does a mysterious girl who lives aboard their flagship. This is a dangerous attraction. The question is, does his future somehow lie with the Ship Kings? Or will he be called upon to descend to his death, when the terrible whirlpool rises once more? Older readers 12-15 will enjoy this book of fantasy and adventure. RRP $AUS 22.99

Stimulating language, learning & creativity in the early years

2011-10-29T08:23:00.000+11:00

Meeting Janine Wright

Janine and her 'side kick' Howard

I had the privilege of speaking at the opening of Children's Week at Port Stephens Council this week. The opening included a wonderful display of art from children's services in the region. One of the providers of day care also spoke of her work with children at Boat Harbour (a place as beautiful as the name suggests). It seemed to me that the art and craft of Janine's children, demonstrated exactly what I had just spoken about. My emphasis was that we should create environments that:

Enrich communication and made space & time for it
Are filled with story telling
Allow children to draw, sing, talk, act, make things, dress up and so on.
Provide opportunities for response to things they experience, hear, read and view.
Offer rich experiences that encourage them to find out, seek solutions and solve problems.
Encourage rich use of language, word play, rhyme, song, counting games etc.
Give frequent opportunities for children to read and be read to.
Provides time for children to explore their world within the confines of a safe space that has supervised boundaries.
Offer lots of opportunities for both structured and unstructured play.
Give fantasy an important place through books, film craft and inventive play situations.

Some of the Boat Harbour Art and Craft

What impressed me about the art and craft at Boat Harbour was that:

The children generally initiated it
Each example was associated with a great deal of language
The art and craft was often a response to learning or led to new learning
The children utilized a variety of media and resources, some of which they collected themselves

This is Finn's representation of the world and its diverse people. Finn (aged 5) drew the pictures and planned the world of people. Janine volunteered to cut them out .

Janine & Howard had a meal of mussels; the children used the shells to create this special underwater world


The children made these fish to show what happens if we pollute our seas

A woollen spider web in response to some work with spiders

Visiting Boat Harbour

Janine's Day Care service is in a home rented from one of the parents. It has been made secure and inspected to ensure that it complies with all safety, care and educational requirements. We soon met the children and were shown around. "Come and see our school bus, you steer it from here". "This is my fairy garden that I'm making". "Look I can hide in here". The building was filled with resources and materials that the children could choose pretty much when they wanted to. There was maximum freedom to move from one zone to the next with the children setting much of the agenda for learning. Janine shared, "my job is to listen well, and build on their ideas and interests".

The children's representation of their Centre in Boat Harbour

The children had fun with a 'Good luck, bad luck' framework for story writing

'Boots' - Janine used her daughter's boots to inspire some still life art

The birthday board is used to teach maths with a Montessori idea - black beads for months and red ones to represent year

Summing up

The Day Care Centre at Boat Harbour demonstrated many of the things I had spoken about at the launch of Children's Week. Here was a place for children to feel secure, but also a place to learn and interact with others. Janine had created a learning environment where children challenge and enrich each other with their ideas. This is a place where communication, storytelling, creativity, science, maths, play and fantasy are integrated as children explore things together, and develop confidence and self awareness in a secure and supportive environment.

Author Focus: Colin Thompson

2011-10-26T00:09:00.000+11:00

About Colin Thompson

Image from 'Castles' from colinthompson.com

Like many people born in other lands, Colin Thompson is now a person we Aussies claim as our own. He was born a Pom (the name we affectionately give to people from England) but moved to Australia in 1995 after falling in love with both Australia and a teacher librarian who organised a visit by him to her school in Sydney. He came back to live just two weeks later and eventually married her in 1999. They moved to Bellingen in northern NSW and, eventually Colin became an Australian citizen.

Colin was born in Ealing (London) on the 18th October 1942. He went to boarding school in Yorkshire, grammar school in West London and then had two years at art school in Ealing and Hammersmith, where in his words he '...met people who could draw better than (he) could'. He met his first wife at art school and went on to work in varied ways in the arts field. This included work as a silk-screen printer, graphic designer, stage manager, potter and film maker. He didn't begin writing and illustrating children's books until 1990.

He suffered terrible depression in his early twenties and on three occasions spent up to three months in different 'mental hospitals' (as they were called then). Inexplicably, the depression disappeared when he was aged 25 and has never come back again.

Colin has published about 60 books, including 7 poetry books, 9 novels and as best I can estimate 35+ picture books. In this post I intend to review only his picture books. You can find out more about his personal life on his website HERE.

His picture books

Colin Thompson's picture books captivate children aged 5-12 years and even adults like me. In fact, at times, he could be criticized for playing a little too much to the adult audience. His work is also seen by some as just too 'out there', different. But what I like about Thompson's work is that you never leave it without challenges and questions. At times, I wish he'd produce fewer books and take more time with some of them, but his prolific publishing and risk taking is also a strength. As a result of the unusual nature of some of his work, it is hard to put an age range on his books. But this is something he has in common with many outstanding children's authors and illustrators.

As well, Thompson's work cannot be easily put into a single genre, for he writes varied material including science fiction, fantasy and straight narrative accounts. There are lessons in all his books for adults, teenagers and little kids. It always seems as if Colin has a big point to make. But lest we think Thompson has a set ideology to push, we might note his admission when commenting on his famous character Riley (the mouse), that "Riley's philosophy of not wanting what you can't have is good, but it's difficult to accept. I have tons of things that complicate my life, and I'm constantly on my computer, so I have yet to fully learn Riley's simple ways!" He presents his stories with multiple layers in word and image that challenge us to consider what we might learn from the tales of his characters and their situations. Some of these works have been written and illustrated alone, while others have been collaborations, with Colin as the author and others as illustrator. It is challenging to review his work fully, but I'll do my best to cover some of it.

a) Alone

His first two books were published in 1990 by Hodder & Stoughton - 'Ethel The Chicken' and a 'Giant Called Norman Mary'. They are out of print as separate titles but are available in a collection called 'Wild Stories' (Kane Miller publisher).

'The Paper Bag Prince' was published in 1992. It is the story of an old man who lives in a derelict railway carriage at the edge of the town dump in the company of birds and animals that have come to live there. The local people and social workers think he is mad. But The Paperbag Prince wins out in the end, proving that Nature, left alone, will triumph over man's destructive abuses.

'Pictures of Home' (Random House, 1992) - This is a series of pictures of homes with haiku verses and comments from a group of ten and eleven year old children about what home means to them.

'Looking for Atlantis' (Random House, 1993) - This is a story about a ten year old boy who mourns the death of his sea-fearing grandfather. As he lay dying he leaves the boy a parrot called Titanic and a wooden ship's chest. He tells the boy "Everything you could ever want is in the chest if you know where to look for it". He tells his grandfather that he wants him to be well, "I will be," he said closing his eyes, "when you get to Atlantis". The boy exclaims that he thought Atlantis was just a story. His grandfather replies, only to "...narrow-minded people... Atlantis is right here, all around you". His grandson begins to search through the treasure that is hidden in the sailor's old wooden chest. Gold coins, diamonds and silver stars are all there but the boy is looking for something greater still. Will he ever find it? He makes a surprising discovery. The illustrations in this book have immense detail that can be plumbed for many hours. The real and the metaphysical world are held in a delightful balance throughout with hints along the way to his Grandfather's secret.

'Ruby' (Random House, 1994) - In the roots of an old tree lives a family of tiny contented people. Their peaceful existence is shattered by the arrival of a ruby red Austin 7 and a picnic party. The car proves an irresistible trap that carries the family away to a dangerous adventure and a new life. The book won the 1994 Primary English Best Picture Book Award in the UK.

'How to live forever' (Random House, 1995) - In a library with a thousand rooms are copies of every book ever written. But one book is missing and it is called 'How to Live Forever'. But why it is missing, and how can it be found? At night when the library is closed and all is quiet, the shelves come to life. Doors and windows appear on the shelves and the backs of books and the 'sound of voices drift out between the pages'. Peter discovers the fact that one book is missing when his cat Brian chases a mouse into the filing cabinet, the card is found hidden, but alas, where the book belongs is simply a dusty gap on the shelves. Perhaps, he concludes, if he could find this book the secret of eternal life would be his. He embarks on a labyrinthine journey, in which books are to play a vital part, as he searches for the book and discovers 'The Ancient Child' who holds the secret.

The trademark style of Thompson is here again with dramatic detailed drawings in pen and watercolour and the tension between real and the metaphysical. Winner of the 2004 Aurealis Award for Children's Novels - Short Fiction

'The Tower to the Sun' (Random House, 1996) - Once again Thompson deals with big issues in the most disarming of ways, the future of the world is seen in this tale in the wake of man's foolish misuse of resources. The richest man in the world looks out across the city and sees a yellow sky, dull light and no visible sun. "When I was your age," he says to his grandson, "the sky was so bright you couldn't look at it."

But the boy could not know what he meant, for now there was no blue sky, no sun. The boy suggests that they build a great balloon to float up above the endless yellow cloud that surrounded the earth. His grandfather does so, but after three days and nights the fourth day dawns and the balloon can rise no farther. They return to earth and the richest man in the world decides he has to see the sun one last time. So they begin to build a great tower on top of the world's largest rock. Twenty years pass by and still the tower has not reached beyond the cloud. It must do so before the old man dies. At last, the tower does its job and the old man and his grandson emerge into the sunlight of the old man's youth. His legacy is complete; a means for the whole world to find a passage to the sun has been found.

'The Paradise Garden' (Random House, 1998) - In the quiet of a great garden away from the noise and fumes of the city, Peter finds the peace and contentment that is missing in his life. Yet just as summer turns to winter, so must Peter return home. But his Paradise garden goes with him.

'The Last Alchemist' (Random House, 1999) - A 19th century alchemist named Spinifex, must discover the secret of turning base metals into gold before the dawn of the new millennium or he is finished. His schemes, growing wilder at each attempt, finally result in a monstrous machine, driven by the power of the sun. Will Spinifex succeed where all others have failed or will the secret of gold remain a mystery forever?

'Falling Angels' (Random House, 2001) - Falling Angels is the story of a girl who can fly. Sally could fly even before she could walk and she thinks she's the only one who possesses this power, until she finds out that her grandmother once flew too. The book won the English Association Picture Book Of The Year and was also selected as the UK's nomination for the next IBBY Honour List in 2002.

'The Violin Man' (Hodder Headline, 2003) - Oscar had played his violin outside the theatre for as long as anyone could remember. Every night, as the people queued for their tickets, Oscar filled the air with his music and the echo of his lost dreams. In those dreams, he was the greatest violinist who had ever lived, and his young daughter Marietta, now long gone, was the greatest ballerina. Oscar loses himself in the music of his violin. Colin Thompson uses computer imaging to create a wonderful work that mixes photos, drawings, and images to tell this touching story.

'Castles' (Random House, 2005) - This book has no narrative, just images of fantasy castles and descriptive paragraphs that hint at the inspiration for seeing castles in unusual places. A castle made of musical instruments on a mountain in Patagonia, a castle of pink mushrooms springing up along his shady path, a red castle hidden on the winter side of Mars, a castle in the glowing embers of his fire, a cold potato castle on his plate, and more. Whimsical and creative, and just a tad quirky, as we have come to expect from Thompson. This book is an example of a book that encourages children to imagine in the midst of the ordinariness of life.

'The Big Little Book of Sadness' (Random House, 2008) - George is a sad little orphan, who lives with his grandmother but feels alone. He has a chasm-like gap in his life, left by the loss of his parents. But one Friday as he heads home from school he visits an animal shelter. In the last cage he finds Jeremy, a sad dog as lost and alone as George feels. Jeremy takes him home, and George and his grandmother find that life changes.

'Sometimes Love is Under Your Foot' (Scholastic, 2008) - Kevin is a dog who loves his owner Brian so much that he thinks Brian is God. But Brian usually ignores Kevin, except when he nearly treads on him in his big shoes before sending him outside. This is the story of how George comes to appreciate Kevin and the love that he has been blind to all along.

'Free To a Good Home' (Random House, 2009) - Most people don't like being different, they want the same things as their neighbours, or perhaps, a little more. But the Smiths are not like ordinary people. In their jumbled house of things that might come in handy one day, they are happy and content. But the Smiths feel that there is something missing from their lives before their children go to the shops and find it.

'The Naughty Corner' (Hachette, 2011) - No one likes to spend time in the naughty corner. Little George makes frequent trips for saying a naughty word (57 times in the savoury biscuit aisle alone). His brother Peter gets sent to the naughty corner too for teaching George to say it, and of course it was their Dad's fault anyway. And so it goes, little baby Cleopatra ends up there for eating things off the floor, and the dog for just being smelly. But could Mum ever end up there?

'Barry' (Random House, 2011) - This is Thompson at his most quirky. Barry came to earth in 1952 and unfortunately became stuck down the back of a sofa with no means of escape. His alien friends were terrified of cockroaches so they fled back to their planet. Poor Barry. He might be small, but he has a very large brain (mostly stored on his home planet). While trapped in the back of the sofa, he controls the world. He even controls the sun and rain, floods and drought, war and peace. Weird stuff happens everywhere while Barry is trapped - the Loch Ness Monster, the Bermuda Triangle, Bigfoot and even 'Australia's Got Talent'! Barry survives mice, a baby's grasping arm and then after 50 years a human hand pulls him out, with interesting consequences. Visually, 'Barry' is stunning, and is a tale with a level of silliness that children adore. My only regret with this book is that the text could have benefited from some more editing. It is just a little too sparse in places for me and could have had more impact with more work. The book also seems to play too much to adult readers.

b) His Picture Books with Others

Colin Thompson has also written a number of picture books that others have illustrated. I have tried to present a comprehensive coverage of these books. This has been possible for some, but not others. Where it hasn't been possible I have used the author or publisher's short descriptions.

'Sailing Home' (Hodder Headline, 1996) by Colin Thompson, illustrated by Matt Ottley - Peter's family wakes one morning and discovers their house is adrift in the middle of the ocean. This is the start of a wonderful adventure. Out of Print.

'The Last Circus' (Hodder Headline, 1997) by Colin Thompson and illustrated by Kim Gamble - When the circus where Oscar the Clown has lived all his life closes down, he sets off through the countryside to find his best friend, Rosie the elephant.

'The Staircase Cat' (Hodder Headline, 1998) by Colin Thompson and illustrated by Anna Pignataro - Oskar is a cat who lives with a caretaker and his family. One day war comes to their city. Bombs fall, and tanks rumble along the streets. Everyone begins to disappear, and Oskar waits in the deserted building for the people to return. Years pass and the town gradually returns to life, but Oskar's family does not return, until one day, a young woman walks into the old building. The book was shortlisted for the 1999 Australian Children's Book Council (CBCA) picture book of the year award and the Yabba Award.

'The Puzzle Duck' (Random House, 1999) by Colin Thompson and illustrated by Emma Quay - The Puzzle Duck is always answering questions and has become a bit of a guru. But her advice is more imaginative than accurate! She tells her sister that the trick is to believe the answers yourself even if they're not true. They will make people happy. When a fox comes to her pond, her life is spared when truth is there to save her.

'Unknown' (Hodder Headline & Walker Books, 2000) by Colin Thompson and illustrated by Anna Pignataro - When a ferocious fire breaks out at the dog pound, it is the smallest and most unwanted dog who saves the day.

'The Last Clown' (Hodder Headline, 2001) by Colin Thompson and illustrated by Penelope Gamble - Zippo is a clown and is the oldest person in the circus. When he retires, there will be no more clowns to follow him. Then something happens to Max the circus's youngest tightrope walker, something that makes sure there will always be clowns to make the world laugh.

'No Place Like Home' (Hodder Headline, 2001) by Colin Thompson and illustrated by Anna Pignataro - Every summer, Big Jim takes Max and his family around the countryside to perform acrobatics and a magic theatre show. Big Jim is happy making everyone happy, but he's getting old and all he really wants to do is stay in his green field by the river...

'One Big Happy Family' (Hodder Headline, 2002) by Colin Thompson and illustrated by Karen Carter -
A young boy moves with his family to a new house, but he doesn't count on the spiders, the frog, the ants, the mice, the anteater, the dog, the fleas....

'Round and Round and Round and Round' (Hodder Headline, 2002) by Colin Thompson and illustrated by Penelope Gamble - Mrs Golightly retires, she buys a bike and sets off round the world. Soon, some people want to hop on and join her. They sit in the basket and crossbar and off they go. It's easy going south (for that's always downhill!) but when they reach the south, and go west more people join the ride....

'Gilbert' (Lothian Books, 2003) by Colin Thompson and illustrated by Chris Mould - Gilbert is the world's most nervous cat. He is even scared of his own reflection in the mirror and the only place he feels really safe is inside a brown paper bag...

'The Great Montefiasco' (Lothian Books, 2004) by Colin Thompson and illustrated by Ben Redlich - The Great Montefiasco is the worst magician of all time, until he hires an assistant - The Fabulous Betty - and his life changes...

'The Short and Incredibly Happy Life of Riley' (Lothian Books, 2005) by Colin Thompson and illustrated by Amy Lissiat - Riley is a very happy rat. He was born happy to a short and simple life filled with happiness. He lives his life in the moment enjoying simple things. Thompson's point is obvious. We humans often want more, always wanting something new. Thompson asks the reader, who is smarter? Us, or Riley? Riley like all rats, lives just a short time, and yet he is happy leading the simple life. It's certainly a message for our times.

The book won the 2005 Children's Book Council of Australia Picture book of the Year.

'Gilbert Goes Outside' (Lothian Books, 2005) by Colin Thompson and illustrated by Chris Mould - Gilbert makes a return in this book with more adventures for the world's most nervous cat as his Mum takes him to a scary place - the garden!

'Norman and Brenda' (Lothian Books, 2006) by Colin Thompson and illustrated by Amy Lissiat - While some people are seemingly born popular, successful and beautiful and, can face the world with confidence, not so Norman and Brenda. They need to get these things through determination, talent and cosmetic surgery.

'DUST' (ABC Books Australia, 2007) was written by Colin Thompson and illustrated 13 different illustrators - The book was inspired by a natural disaster in Niger, the starvation of thousands of people. Thompson decided to organise this book to raise money for the Save the Children Fund. 'DUST' is a 32 page picture book with simple story and 14 double page illustrations, each by a different illustrator including himself. It is a confronting book that tells a true story to inspire all of us to action.

It was named as an Honour Book in 2008 CBCA Picture Book of the Year Award. For more information on the fundraising quest visit the site HERE.

'Fearless' (ABC Books Australia, 2009) by Colin Thompson and illustrated by Sarah Davis - When a new baby is born it is difficult to tell if it will grow up to be big or small, or even brave or scared of the dark and spiders. So sometimes babies get the wrong name. It can be the same with dogs. So when the Claybourne-Willments, who should have been called the Smiths, got 'Fearless' as a little puppy, it seemed a good name for him. Except Fearless wasn′t fearless! How will Fearless finally live up to his name?

This book has been very popular with children and has won six awards - The CBCA Junior Judges Children's Choice Award, The KOALA Award, The YABBA Award, The COOL Award and the KROC Award.

'The Bicycle' (ABC Books Australia, 2011) by Colin Thompson and illustrated by 15 different illustrators - This is the second book Colin Thompson has written to raise money for 'Save the Children'. Its illustrators include Shaun Tan and Quentin Blake! While 'DUST' was graphic and sad, 'The Bicycle' is a happy celebration that offers hope.

Other posts

All previous 'Author Focus' posts HERE

Colin Thompson's personal website HERE

Film Making for Kids: Three great resources

2011-10-15T11:46:00.000+11:00

I have written previously about 'Digital Storytelling' (here), but in this post I want to mention several excellent resources that help children to understand and experiment with film and animation as a vehicle for storytelling. Story is important! I talk about this in a series of previous posts titled 'The Power of Story' (here). Narrative is an important part of what it means to be human. Across all cultures, story seems to be a key way that people share something of who they are, how they see themselves, how they envisage the past, present and future. Story can entertain, build community, develop shared cultural understanding, maintain culture and social groups, help to shape identity, and help us to interpret the past, present and future.

A narrative is a story created in varied forms, including writing, speech, song, art and images, sculpture, video, dramatic presentation, dance, mime and so on. While the modes used can vary, what is common is that a narrative describes a sequence of events that can be works of fiction or non-fiction. Story is based on the Latin verb narrare, which means 'to recount', translate or tell. The purpose of story is so enable us to learn, know, remember or share knowledge. We often used the word 'story' to refer to the sequence of events that are the focus, but it can also be used interchangeably with 'narrative'.

Puppet Pals

Puppet Pals is available as a free app for the iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad. It is essentially a simple way to create an animated movie using 'cut-out' themed characters and a variety of backdrops and scenes to create an animated 'puppet' play.

There is a free version that comes with Wild West backgrounds and actors. However, you can also purchase different themes for $US0.99 or the 'Director's Cut' in which you can access all the themes for $US2.99. These allow you to obtain a range of additional scenarios and characters based on themes such as monsters, space, pirates, arthropod armada, Christmas and so on. You can even make your backdrops and characters.

This is a very simple to use app that provides very easy storyboarding. You can record dialogue, move characters around, create some simple effects, change backdrops and settings and characters. Below is an example that my eight year old grandson produced with little instruction and next to no preparation at his second attempt using the app. While ideally, before creating the animation, the writer/producer prepares plot summaries and story ideas, Jacob made this excellent animation as a first take. He used the 'Arthropod Armada' theme from 'Director's Cut'.

Puppet Pals is a wonderful resource for supporting story telling, writing, language development, creativity, and problem solving, while at the same time introducing them to film making and animation. I could see myself using a smartboard to collaboratively develop a story with my class before introducing individuals and groups to this smart little app.

Above: 'Bob & Theodore' Written, produced and directed by Jacob aged 8 years

Movie Maker (Walker Books)

'Movie Maker' was developed by Tim Grabham, Suridh Hassan, Dave Reeve and Clare Richards. It is another wonderful resource from Walker Books designed for primary school aged children (7-12 years). It is a kit that contains ideas for making movies, a handbook that shows you how armed with a simple video camera you can make movies. The handbook talks about techniques like storyboarding, production, equipment, sound and lighting, design, special effects, how to vary camera shots and so on. It also includes some very cute aids such as a binocular mask, an adjustable frame, sample story boards, character props (e.g. glasses, moustache) and even authentic theatre tickets. All it doesn't include is the popcorn.

The Klutz Book of Animation

'The Klutz Book of Animation' by John Cassidy and Nicholas Berger is another excellent aid for child film makers. The book provides step by step guidance to primary aged children to make simple animations using a video camera (as simple as a web cam) and computer and a variety of props, objects, plasticine and so on. The publishers provide a number of videos online that teach children the fundamentals of animation and film making (here). At the publisher's site you can download free instructional videos (here), free sound effects (here) and sample videos made by children (here). Below is a sample using the Klutz methodology. This is a great resource for young film makers. Steven Spielberg would have loved to have this as a child.

Other Related Posts

'Digital Storytelling' HERE

Why 'cross section' & diagrammatic books work with boys

2011-10-06T13:59:00.000+11:00

I was reading one of Stephen Biesty's most recent cross section books with my grandson aged 9 (almost) the other day - 'Into the Unknown' (2011) illustrated by Stephen Biesty and written by Stewart Ross. It is published by Walker Books. It has to be one of my favourite books of this type. The book is a wonderful collection of stories and cross sections of 14 'Amazing Journeys'. The journeys include the epic travels of Marco Polo down the Silk Road to China in 1271-1274, David Livingstone exploring the Zambesi in 1858-1864, Captain Cook mapping Australia and the Pacific in 1768-1771, Umberto Nobile flying over the North Pole in 1928, Jacques Piccard's travels to the top of the Stratosphere by balloon in 1932 and then by submarine to a depth of almost 11,000 metres in the ocean in 1960. It is suited for boys (and some girls) aged 7-14 years.

As a child I loved books with cross-sections, maps and detailed diagrams or drawings - bodies, buildings, vehicles, the Earths' crust, mummies and so on. David Macaulay's books, including 'The Way Things Work', 'Castle' and 'The Way We Work', are other excellent examples in this genre. My recent post 'Making Reading Exciting for Boys' covers some of this wonderful material. But why do they work?

There is something about a good cross section or diagram that got my brain whirring as a child (and still does). And the same thing seems to happen for many boys. Why? I think there are a bunch of reasons:

Cross sections teach you things - A cross section of a mountaineer's clothing and equipment gives an immediate sense that climbing Mount Everest must be VERY cold, heightening the sense of this amazing achievement. Jacob already knew about Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay and the first ascent of Mount Everest in 1953, but seeing Biesty's drawings made concrete many of the things he heard or read previously, and opened his eyes to others he didn't know.

Cross sections and diagrams offer a better sense of size, quantity and significance - You can read about the famous crossing of the Indian Ocean by Chinese Admiral Zheng He in 1405-1407, but understanding the shear scale of his 'Treasure Fleet' becomes a jaw dropper when Biesty's fold out drawing of the largest fleet ever sailed by a single commander is revealed. Seeing 62 nine-masted treasure ships, 47 eight-masted horse ships, 48 seven-masted supply ships, 60 five-masted cannon carrying warships, 40 patrol boats and 20 water tankers helps you to visualize the shear scale and wonder of this phenomenon.

Cross sections stir the imagination - They encourage boys (and girls) to come up with their own ideas and to represent the learning that has been stimulated in new ways. As soon as Jacob finished reading the book with me he raced off to find some cardboard to make up his own board game of the Hillary & Norgay ascent of Everest. We then had to play it and 'relive' the journey through the game. It had many novel elements. For example, if you failed to land on the spot where you received a critical rope you were doomed not to make the descent safely. Spontaneous child-initiated activities of this type enrich the experience of the book, stimulate the imagination and reinforce learning.

Cross section books encourage boys (in particular) to revisit - A good cross section book will be looked at time and time again, and each time it will fire imagination and increase the desire to learn once again. Even at my age, I never tire of revisiting diagrammatic representations of Apollo 11 and the first moon landing. The experience of growing up during the space race and seeing the Apollo 11 landing live, was one of life's great memories, and it floods back with new richness with Biesty's images.

Cross section books also help you to enrich and enliven previous learning & experience - Jacob and I had the chance to see and crawl through an exact replica of Captain Cook's famous ship the 'Endeavour' when he was six. As we looked at Biesty's cross section of the book yesterday we recalled where we had climbed, how low the roof had been and speculated about the exact location of the Captain's cabin.

Summing up

Books that incorporate diagrams, cross-sections and maps have special interest for boys as readers and learners. They encourage them to read and use visual material to reinforce and enrich learning as well as stimulating their imagination and creativity. I would love to hear your recommendations for similar books.

Short video introduction to Stephen Biesty's book 'Stowaway'

For a full description of Stephen Biesty's work visit his website HERE

'Literacy, Families & Learning NEWS'

2011-10-03T10:28:00.000+11:00

Readers of this blog might not know that I have an online newsletter of the same name that brings my various Twitter links to readers daily. You don't have to use Twitter to see and access some of the various tweets I send. You can monitor the tweets and the material they link to in two main ways:

1. Watch the Twitter Boxes - You can simply watch either the Twitter box on the sidebar of this blog or the 'Literacy, Families & Learning NEWS' box that displays the content summary. The downside is that the tweets change daily (I tend to tweet once or twice per day in short bursts) so if you only visit once a week you will have missed lots of links.

2. Subscribe to the Online Newsletter - The second way is simply to subscribe to my daily newsletter that offers a spread of the links as stories in the form of an online newspaper, with sections like 'Top Stories', 'Kids Lit', 'Education', 'Technology', 'Parents', 'Leisure' etc. It also has direct feeds for video and photos. The newsletter includes most of my tweets plus some of those from people who follow me. It is generated automatically each day and can be accessed like any blog or website and read as a newsletter online. The screenshots above and below show just part of the newsletter for today. Each edition has varied sections that reflect tweets in the last 24 hours. It's easy to subscribe by email, or by using the display on the sidebar of this blog. You can also subscribe once you've reached the newsletter just like you do for any blog (HERE).

Getting Boys & Girls into Chapter Books

2011-09-29T08:57:00.000+10:00

I'm asked by many parents just when they start reading chapter books to their children. If he or she won’t sit still long enough to hear a chapter through, then it’s too early. But, then again, you might just be choosing dull books or books that are just too hard and complex as narratives. You might also need to sharpen up your story reading.

Here are some quick questions that you might think about in assessing whether your child is ready:

Can your son or daughter listen for 20 minutes plus of reading aloud from picture books?
Do they seem to enjoy the text as much as the pictures?
Do they seem to relate to the characters and can they follow more complex picture books?
Do they ask you to read favourite books over and over?
Are they showing growing understanding of written language and asking questions about it (e.g. “What does calamity mean?” “Why does it say….?).

If you answer yes to most of these questions then they are probably ready. Children who have been read to constantly during the preschool years are typically ready to listen to chapter books from age 5 years and up (some even earlier). I also add that some children will be ready before 5 years. My two daughters and my two oldest grandchildren all started to love chapter books before 5 years of age. The starting time will reflect their maturity, language proficiency and the depth of the literary and narrative experiences that they have had in the early years.

Why read chapter books to younger readers?

In a post I wrote in 2008 on ‘Guiding children’s learning’ (here) I talked a little about Jerome Bruner’s concept of “scaffolding”. He identified scaffolding as a process where an adult helps children to learn in advance of their developmental level. The adult does this by doing what the child cannot do by themselves; allowing students to slowly take over parts of the process as they are able to do so. In many ways, this is the most fundamental reason to read chapter books to your children once they have become avid listeners to stories and beginning readers themselves. They can listen to more complex stories than they can read themselves as emerging readers.

In practical terms, chapter books offer children:

More complex narrative forms and plot development
Richer and more complex language
New areas of knowledge about their world and the human condition
Different literary devices
They train your children to be able to sustain longer periods of reading

As well as the above, chapter books will enable you to build an even richer shared literary history with your children. Shared books will become part of your shared history within the family, and more broadly, they will help to connect your children to a literary culture that others will share with them.

A couple of warnings

Having said all of the above, there are a couple of warnings that I’d give:

Don’t push your children too quickly; all learning requires periods of consolidation before moving on to more difficult terrain.
Be aware that while your children might be able to follow the story line, relate to the characters and so on, they may not be emotionally ready for some of the content.
Be prepared to offer support - with chapter books you may need to explain new words, discuss new concepts, offer new knowledge etc.
Don’t forget, that reading a chapter book still needs to be interesting and enjoyable and that it will be harder to achieve this without pictures so you’ll need to work harder on varying your character voices (see my earlier post on reading to and with your children HERE).

One final warning. Don't assume that once you commence chapter books that picture books no longer have a place. Young children still need to read picture books and hear them read to them. They continue to have an important role in children's literacy development throughout the primary years of schooling.

Some Chapter Books to try

The list below is not meant to be extensive, just illustrative. It has a particular Australian flavour (but not entirely). I preface the following suggestions by saying that individual children will handle these books at different ages. For the very youngest readers it is best to start with books that have some illustrations to maintain interest until they develop more 'stamina' for harder books. The age guide that I have given is meant to be a ‘group age’ guide for teachers sharing such books with larger groups. Parents reading to a single child will perhaps find that their child can deal with books I’ve listed at an earlier stage. Conversely, your child might not be ready for some of these books as suggested. You may also find that they can handle even more difficult books not on the list (but don’t forget the warnings above).

a) Suitable for 5 year-olds

‘Aurora and the little blue car’, by Anne-Cath Vestly, 1969
‘Arlo the dandy lion’, by Morris Lurie, 1971
‘Charlotte’s Web’, by E. B. White, 1952
‘Fantastic Mr Fox’, by Roald Dahl, 1970
‘Morris in the apple tree’, by Vivian French, 1995
‘Pippi Longstocking’, by Astrid Lindgren, 1945
‘Snugglepot and Cuddlepie’, by May Gibbs, 1940
‘The Complete Adventures of Blinky Bill’, by Dorothy Wall, 1939
‘The Littlest Dragon Goes for Goal’, by Margaret Ryan, 1999
‘Winnie-the-Pooh’, by A.A. Milne, 1926

b) Suitable for 6 year-olds

‘The BFG’, by Roald Dahl, 1982
‘Billy Fishbone King of the kid’, by Dianne Bates, 1997 (Bushranger series)
‘Bud Buster’, by Sofie Laguna, 2003 (Aussie Nibbles series)
‘Dragon ride’, by Helen Cresswell, 1987 (Colour Young Puffin series)
‘Elephant in the kitchen’, Winsome Smith, 1980
‘Grandma Cadbury’s Trucking Tales’, Di Bates, 1987
‘James and the Giant Peach’, by Roald Dahl, 1961
‘Hazel the Guinea Pig’, by A. N. Wilson, 1989
‘Mr. Popper's Penguins’, by Richard & Florence Atwater, 1939
'My Naughty Little Sister', by Dorothy Edwards, 1950
‘Rabbit Hill’, by Robert Lawson, 1944.
‘Superfudge’, by Judy Blume, 1984
‘Tashi and the Genie’, by Anna Fienberg, 1997, (series)
‘The Shrinking of Treehorn’, by Florence Parry Heide, 1971
‘The 27th Annual African Hippopotamus Race’, by Morris Lurie, 1969
‘The Wind in the Willows’, by Kenneth Grahame, 1908

c) Suitable for 7 year-olds

‘Boss of the Pool’, by Robin Klein, 1986
‘Bottersnikes and Gumbles’, by S. A. Wakefield, 1969
‘Boxer’, by Ian Charlton, 1999
‘Boy’, by Roald Dahl, 1984
‘Callie’s castle’, by Ruth Park, 1974
‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’, Roald Dahl, 1964
‘Charlie up a gum tree’, by E. A. Schurmann, 1985
'Darius Bell and the Glitter Pool', by Odo Hirsch, 2009
‘Dear writer’, by Libby Gleeson, 2001
‘Dog tales’, by Emily Rodda, 2001
‘Foggy’, by Allan Baillie, 2001
‘Frog thunder’, by Jill Morris, 2001
‘Hating Alison Ashley’, by Robin Klein, 1984
‘James and the giant peach’, by Roald Dahl, 1961
‘Jodie’s Journey’, by Colin Thiele, 1997
‘Just So Stories’, by Rudyard Kipling, 1902
‘Let the Balloon Go’, by Ivan Southall, 1968
‘Little House on the Prairie’, Laura Ingalls Wilder, 1935
‘Little Old Mrs Pepperpot’, by Alf Prøysen, 1959
‘Matilda’, by Roald Dahl, 1989

'Matty Forever', by Elizabeth Fensham, 2009
‘Mike’, by Brian Caswell, 1993
‘Misery Guts’, by Morris Gleitzman, 1991
‘Onion Tears’, by Diana Kidd, 1989
‘Over the top’, by Ivan Southall, 1972
‘Penny Pollard’s Diary’, by Robin Klein, 1983
‘Selby’s Secret’, by Duncan Ball, 1985
‘Storm Boy’, by Colin Thiele, 1976
‘The adventures of Stuart Little’, by Daphne Skinner, 2000
‘The amazing adventures of Chilly Billy’, by Peter Mayle, 1980
‘The borrowers’, by Mary Norton, 1958
‘The Eighteenth Emergency’, by Betsy Byars, 1973
‘The Iron Man’, by Ted Hughes, 1968
‘The enemies’, by Robin Klein, 1985
‘The lion, the witch and the wardrobe’, by C.S. Lewis, 1950
'The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg', by Rodman Philbrick
‘The penguin friend’, by Lucy Sussex, 1997 (Collins Yellow Storybook series)
‘The Twits’, by Roald Dahl, 1980
‘The turbulent term of Tyke Tiler’, by Gene Kemp, 1977
'The Wish Pony', by Catherine Bateson, 2008
‘Wiggy and Boa’, by Anna Fienberg, 1988
‘Wendy’s whale’, by Colin Thiele, 1999

Book series

I’ve written about book series in another post (here) and offer a detailed lost for many ages. There are a number of book series that children aged 5-7 years will enjoy, here are just some:

Alf Prøysen’s ‘Mrs Pepperpot’ series
Anna Branford's 'Violet Mackerel' series
Arnold Lobel’s ‘Frog and Toad’ books
Astrid Lindgren’s ‘Pippi Longstocking’ books
Dick King-Smith's 'Sophie' series
Donald Sobol's 'Encyclopedia Brown' series
Dorthy Edwards' 'My Naughty Little Sister' series
Emily Rodda's 'Rowan of Rin' and 'Deltora Quest' series
Enid Blyton's 'Faraway Tree' series
Hugh Lofting's 'Dr Dolittle' series
Jeff Brown's 'Flat Stanley' series
Laura Ingalls Wilder's 'Ingalls family' series
Mairi Hedderwick's 'Katie Morag' series
Michael Bond’s ‘Paddington Bear’ series
R.A. Spratt's 'Nanny Piggins' series
Sarah Pennypacker's 'Clementine/ series
'The Chronicles of Narnia' by C.S. Lewis

Some related links

The importance of literature (here)
How to listen to your child reading (here)
Helping children to choose books (here)
The benefits of repeated reading of literature (here)

Improving on 'The Iron Man'?

2011-09-21T18:00:00.000+10:00

"The Iron Man came to the top of the cliff.
How far had he walked? Nobody knows. Where had he come from? Nobody knows. How was he made? Nobody knows.
Taller than a house, the Iron Man stood at the top of the cliff, on the very brink, in the darkness."

So begins one of the great modern fairy stories; or is it science fiction? No matter, 'The Iron Man: A Story in Five Nights' is a wonderful work of fiction for readers aged 6-10 years and has thrilled readers since it was published by Faber in 1968. It is a modern classic which in its 1st edition used the wonderfully simply line drawings of George Adamson. Illustrations stripped bare, as 'miserly' as the text, giving just enough to inflame the curiosity and imagination of readers. Illustrations as intriguing as the words and complementing the masterful text.

Surely, such a work cannot be improved on? Surely, it would be foolish even to try? Warner Brothers tried with an animated film titled 'The Iron Giant' (1999) and it was (in my view) an abomination, in light of the quality of the book. But.... it seems there was a way to improve on the classic work. Laura Carlin is the secret weapon, surprising this reader, with the same killer blows as the Iron Man dealt to the Space-bat-angel-dragon. In her own way, Carlin improves on Adamson's contribution as illustrator in the original edition.

Here is an illustrated junior novel turned into a graphic novel with wonderful success. I have seen the odd review (odd in number, and odd in nature), that have spoken of the 'simplicity of the drawings', 'the child-like figures', the 'imprecise details' etc. Theses comments show neither understanding nor appreciation of the genius of the text. Hughes offers a text with simplicity of vocabulary and sentence structure that helps to create the mood, the intrigue and 'space' for young minds to imagine. This is precise descriptive language that allows the reader to see with equal preciseness, the path of the characters, the events and even the plot. Carlin wonderfully partners Ted Hughes in this new edition from Walker Books (even though he's been dead since 1998).

I applaud Walker Books for its work in recent years producing new editions of classic works. Many publishers attempt to do the same thing. Old books can be reprinted and good profit made for low cost. But Walker has been trying to offer something new and significant in each of its attempts. I have reviewed the Classic Series that Robert Ingpen has illustrated (here) which in their own way add value for new readers to well-known works. The purpose of course, in new editions, is to introduce such works to a new generation. This new edition of 'The Iron Man' will do just that. Can you improve on 'The Iron Man'? I think Walker have succeeded in this new format. The production and the illustrations are superb.

Laura Carlin's illustrations are in rich watercolours that offer a somewhat impressionistic interpretation of Ted Hughes's text, mostly in full-colour, with occasional two-colour stylised images across part and whole pages for dramatic effect. A simple example is an image of the two red eyes of the Iron Man shining in the deep black pit where he is trapped. The images are well integrated with the text, sometimes appearing as almost marginal sketches and, at other times, detailed double-page spreads. The publishers also make good use of other devices such as varied text fonts and styles, paper sculpture holes to slowly reveal the space-bat-angel-dragon, and they use multiple page fold-outs in places, including a dramatic 6 page spread that folds out to the reveal story's conclusion. The sensitivity with which Carlin interprets the text and the clever book design, offers a wonderful example of a graphic novel that improves the reader's experience of the original work. It is brilliant stuff!

Plot summary

The Iron Man describes the unexpected arrival in England of a mysterious giant "metal man" who wreaks havoc on the countryside by attacking the neighbouring farms and eating all their machinery. A young boy called Hogarth befriends him and he and the extraordinary being end up defending and saving the earth when it is attacked by a fearsome "space-bat-angel-dragon" from outer space.

The book was written at a high point of the Cold War and it would seem that the intent of the author was to place a spotlight on the futility of war, violence, and the arms race. Many see the space-bat-angel-dragon as an idealized version of the Soviet Union offering a threat because of the hostility of nations toward one another. It offers a message of hope and peace. A solution to the problems of the world devised by a child who showed compassion and empathy, and was prepared to talk to the 'enemy'.

About the Author

Ted Hughes was born in Yorkshire in 1930. His first book, 'The Hawk in the Rain', was published by Faber in 1957, and was followed by many volumes of poetry and prose for both children and adults, including 'How The Whale Became', 'Under the North Star', 'Tales from Ovid' and 'Birthday Letters'. He was Poet Laureate from 1984 and was appointed to the Order of Merit in 1998, the year in which he died. There has been much written about him and his ill-fated marriage to American Poet Sylvia Plath who died by suicide aged 30 in 1963. But he should be remembered first as a great poet and writer for adults and children.

About the illustrator

Laura Carlin is a graduate of the Royal College of Art and the winner of several awards including the Shelia Robinson Drawing Prize, the Quentin Blake Award and the 2004 National Magazine Award. Laura's work as a ceramic artist and illustrator has featured in publications such as Vogue, the Guardian, and the Independent. Books she has illustrated include 'The Silver Donkey' by Sonya Hartnett and Michael Morpurgo's 'The Kites are Flying!'.

Book details

Title: 'The Iron Man' Ted Hughes, illustrated by Laura Carlin
ISBN: 9781406324679
Imprint: Walker Books
Binding: HARDBACK
Release Date: November 1, 2010
Dimensions: 200 x 270mm, 96pp
Australian RRP: $34.95

Related posts

Author Focus: Robert Ingpen (HERE)
Aussie Book Reviews: Graphic Novels (HERE)

Books for children by Ted Hughes

'The Earth Owl and Other Moon People' (1960)
'Meet my Folks!' (1961)
'How the Whale Became' (1963)
'Nessie the Mannerless Monster' (1964)
'The Iron Man' (1968) Illustrated by George Adamson
'Coming of the Kings and Other Plays' (1970)
'Season Songs' (1976) Illustrated by Leonard Baskin
'Moon-Whales and Other Moon Poems' (1976) Illustrated by Leonard
Baskin
'Moon-Bells and Other Poems' (1978) Illustrated by Felicity Roma
Bowers
'Under the North Star' Illustrated by Leonard Baskin (1981)
'Ffangs the Vampire Bat and the Kiss of Truth' (1986) Illustrated by Chris
Riddell
'The Cat and the Cuckoo' (1987) Illustrated by R. J. Lloyd
'Tales of the Early World' (1988) Illustrated by Andrew Davidson
'The Iron Woman' Illustrated Douglas Carrell (1993)
'The Mermaid's Purse' (1993) Illustrated by R.J. Lloyd
'Collected Animal Poems: Vols. 1–4' (1995)

Using Technology to Develop Vocabulary & Reading

2011-09-13T10:12:00.001+10:00

In a recent edition of the International Reading Association journal 'The Reading Teacher', Bridget Dalton and Dana Grisham discuss the merits of electronic strategies that can be used to increase children's vocabularies. They call these strategies 'eVoc' strategies (i.e. electronic vocabulary strategies)

How important is vocabulary?

The short answer is, very! We know that in spite of the rise of the visual medium that words are still the primary basis of language, communication and learning. Literacy research studies have consistently shown the significant relationship between knowledge of vocabulary and reading and writing ability. Pearson, Hiebert & Kamil (2007) showed that there is a very high positive correlation (0.6 to 0.8) between vocabulary and reading comprehension. This confirms consistent findings that span more than 30 years (see for example Anderson, R. C., & Freebody, P., 1985).

While we know children learn much of their vocabulary through experience of spoken and written language, it also grows as a result of good instruction. There is wide support within the research literature for a varied approach to vocabulary instruction, including:

Language experience
Encouragement of wide reading
Explicit teaching of words
The promotion of active interest in words as a natural part of learning

Some key eVoc strategies

Dalton & Grisham in their excellent article suggest 10 strategies that relate primarily to the third and fourth approaches. I will share just 5 strategies, which I have modified for use in primary classrooms based on the examples provided.

1. Tools for displaying relationships between vocabulary and text meaning

The use of graphic organizers and visual displays has proven helpful in expanding vocabulary as well as comprehension, because they help to show the relationship between words and concepts. An example of this strategy is the creative use of 'Word Clouds'. Using the free application 'Wordle' you are able to create word arrays that display the frequency of words in any text. This can then be used to enhance discussion of the text as students speculate what the word cloud might tell you about key themes, dominant ideas, the relationship between ideas, the central purpose of the text, the meaning of the text and so on.

The Word Cloud above is one that I prepared by taking a Wikipedia description of 'Rock Lobster' and inserting it into Wordle. The display shows the dominance of key words and concepts and their relationship to one another. This display makes it pretty clear that we are not discussing crustaceans but rather the first hit song performed by the rock band the B-52s in 1978. A display like the above based on a relevant passage can be used for intensive discussion of the text, developing and reinforcing vocabulary while increasing text comprehension.

2. Using TrackStar to create a shared research 'field trip' for your class

TrackStar is a free online application similar in many ways to WebQuest. It allows the teacher to identify a topic and collect a series of relevant websites or online sources that can then be shared with the class for individual, group or class use. It also allows teachers to choose previously developed online lessons that are referred to as 'tracks'. The example below is for a topic on Ancient Civilizations and features 4 key sites for children aged 5-9 years. The tracks can be used in varied ways. An ideal format is to use a track in association with a Smart Board for group or class work. Students can be guided through the research process (a 'field trip') and can be asked to record observations, key words or phrases, new learning and so on. The process builds vocabulary as students engage in writing, reading, discussion and shared learning,

3. Using Online Reference Tools

A variety of online reference tools can also help vocabulary and reading development. Dalton and Grisham suggest the use of several tools. One of them is the Visual Thesaurus. The Visual Thesaurus is an interactive dictionary and thesaurus that enables the teacher or child to create word maps elaborate meanings and show relationships to other words. The tool allows you to enter a single word, which is then represented as a visual display web of related vocabulary. The tool can be used to stimulate discussion in relation to a topic as part of the research process in English, social studies, science, history and so on. It can also be used as a tool for writing and reading individually or in groups.

Another example is the 'Back in School' web page of the Dictionary.com site that offers a means to find words and then represent them in varied ways as well as offering some varied strategies to reinforce their meaning. This can include hearing the word spoken, reading word definitions and meanings, creating lists of words, sharing words using social media like Facebook and Twitter, playing games and so on.

Above: 'Back in School' site from Dictionary.com

4. Using Language Translation Devices

There are a variety of language translation devices available for computer and tablet use. One of my favourite tools is the free iTranslate for iPad. But if you don't have access to an iPad there are many other online tools that allow you to input English language text and automatically translate it to a variety of other languages. These also allow the child to type in foreign words for instant translation to English. Google Translate is an obvious and easy choice that once again allows you to input language for instant translation. Yahoo's Babelfish also offers similar functions.

What I like about the translation tools is that as children experiment and explore how text is translated into other languages, they learn how many words are borrowed from other languages, they learn more about derivations, and it offers a way to discuss the subtle changes in meaning as words move from one language into another. This word play is helpful for vocabulary learning. These tools also offer the benefit of stimulating a desire to learn other languages, which we know can have benefit for learning a first language.

5. Using Presentation Tools Like Powerpoint

Another helpful strategy is to capitalize on multimodality to reinforce learning of vocabulary, reading comprehension, writing and learning. Dalton and Proctor (2007) have shown that there are benefits to vocabulary learning if children experience the vocabulary in varied ways. For example, understanding a word by writing it, reading and developing a definition, listening to it, viewing graphic displays, creating captions for pictures, completing word maps etc. Dalton and Grisham suggest using PowerPoint to apply some of these options to the learning of vocabulary. The example opposite is a very simple template than can be used by individual students or can be built up as part of group activities. This example requires just the word, a meaning which students write (or even look up in a dictionary), and images to illustrate the word meaning. There are more complex versions that can be used including the addition of a pronunciation option. They could also have a section for synonyms, opposites, word categories and perhaps even hyperlinks to sites that elaborate on the vocabulary that has been discussed.

Once again this is an ideal group activity for use with Smart Boards. Electronic whiteboards allow you to access the Internet, use existing software and tools to manipulate text, image and sound. It is an exciting way to allow children to use multimodal strategies to acquire deeper understanding of vocabulary and reading comprehension. The video below is a good introduction to some of the ways we can use Smart Boards, including ideas for developing vocabulary and conceptual knowledge.

Summing up

While children develop vocabulary naturally as part of their language experiences there is a place for instruction. My suggestion is that such instruction should adhere to a few basic principals:

Vary the ways in which vocabulary is introduced and discussed
Try always to deal with vocabulary within authentic texts that are being used to learn content not just words
Stress meaning and use, not testing and learning isolated words
Utilize individual, group and class learning contexts but don't over-use class-based instruction
Make good use multimodal methods as much as possible

Related Posts

See my previous post on 'Advance Organizers' HERE
'The Language Experience Approach' (LEA) HERE
'Rethinking Language & Learning' HERE
'English, the Inventive Language' HERE

Indigenous Literacy Day

2011-09-07T10:50:00.000+10:00

Today is Indigenous Literacy Day!

In recognition of the importance of this day I have provided links below to some of my previous posts dealing with Indigenous literacy and education issues.

'Better education outcomes for Indigenous students' HERE

'Indigenous tales of the Dreamtime' HERE

'Indigenous students making literacy progress' HERE

'The Lucky Country: How are the kids faring?' HERE

'Australia Day: A time for storytelling and action' HERE

'Catching a glimpse of our nation through children's literature' HERE

'Requiem for a Beast: A review' HERE

Making Reading Exciting for Boys

2011-09-01T23:27:00.000+10:00

I've written a number of posts on boys and book for this blog. In an earlier post, 'The Challenge of Boys and Reading' I suggested that one of the great priorities when sharing books with boys is to make it interesting, enjoyable and satisfying. Encounters with books should stimulate every boy's imagination, enjoyment, curiosity, knowledge, sense of fun, creativity, sense of adventure, enjoyment of language and offer opportunities to learn new things. For too many boys, encounters with books speak of boredom, inadequacy and separation from fun. This feeds a sense of failure, frustration and lack of interest in reading. Our job as parents and teachers is to break this cycle.

The fundamentals

1. Boys are more likely to be attracted to books and reading when they offer opportunities to discover, experiment, explore, learn new things, make them laugh, consider the curious or unusual, help them to play, see how things work, share trivia, tricks and facts with other boys, explore the unknown, and generally do interesting things.

2. Boys need to understand the value of story and storytelling from an early age. This can be acquired through early books, the stories you share with them (anecdotes, memories, tall tales etc), traditional stories and fantasy. Until boys value story, they will struggle to cope with reading.

3. Fathers and mothers need to learn how to listen to and read with your sons. Reading to and with you should be enjoyable, not boring or a chore. See my previous post on this topic (here).

4. Fathers have a key role to play in boys' literacy and learning development (see my post on research in this area here).

5. Pretty much every act of reading is relational. For boys, if the book is connected with people with whom they share strong relationships, then they will read. If parents, significant community leaders and teachers that boys love and respect value reading then they will too.

6. Whoever reads to them and with them should keep the following in mind:

Choices - Help them to make good choices, including stuff they can read and that they'll find interesting.

Enjoyment - Make it seem important, interesting and fun, not just a task.

Forms - Introduce them to as many different forms of reading as possible.

Model - Make sure you enjoy it too! If you're bored, they'll be bored. If you're having fun, they will too.

Early intervention - Start early and do it often. Don't wait till your boy is seven before you start reading to and with him. It's not impossible by then but it's tougher.

Giving boys support and getting help

For many boys the narrative form is the best way into literacy, but some boys are reluctant to read storybooks. Having said this, all humans love stories, even if only in non-book forms like anecdotes, yarns, ballads, songs, jokes, video games etc. Our aim as parents or teachers is to develop boys who can read every imaginable genre when it is appropriate to their needs. We want them to read in a sustained way written text presented in traditional print forms (e.g. books, magazines, letters), electronic forms, or in fact everyday text found anywhere within the child's world. So we should seek to explore any form of reading available and then gently push them to explore other forms of reading, as well as to read in more sustained ways and for all imaginable purposes.

Varied pathways into reading

I've written before about the need for varied 'Pathways to Literacy', but below I've tried to offer a range of ideas for boys aged from beginning readers to young teenagers. All are meant to offer an alternative pathway for pushing forward reluctant readers. They are roughly in order of increasing difficulty and age appropriateness, but some examples are relevant across all ages.

Introduce them to magazines - boys will love to flick through the pages of magazines on topics that interest them. Something like National Geographic is ideal (or a children's version of this type of magazine like 'Kids Almanac'). If they are expendable (e.g. old National Geographics), let them cut out interesting pictures and get them to make a book by sticking them in and then labelling them. Later you can write words for them that they dictate or you can encourage them from a very early age to try to 'write' (see my previous post on 'When do children start writing' here) words that go with the pictures.

Explore websites together - from about 3 years most boys will love to explore computers with you. Choose some simple websites (I list a few on the sidebar of this blog site), National Geographic Kids is worth a look. The Australian Museum has a great site called 'Wild Kids' where lots of facts and pictures can be found about animals - great fun to explore (and it's reading!). Show them how you open the site. Then explore the pages of the site pointing to and reading words. Don't make this a reading lesson, the text is peripheral to the exploration, images etc. But you are 'warming them up' to print. There are some greats sites to explore on sharks, reptiles etc.

Explore factual books together - boys love to learn new things. Borrow factual books from the library about space, dinosaurs, cars, trains, reptiles, sea creatures, insects, how things work etc. Boys will flick pages and look at pictures for ages. Sit with them and selectively draw attention to words. Perhaps use the book as a springboard to other activities (e.g. craft, drawing) and encourage the use of writing to label or supplement drawings. A brilliant example of this type of book is 'The Way Things Work' by David Macaulay (the author's website is also worth a visit here). This book explains with words, diagrams and pictures how things work, for example, electricity, pulleys, microscopes, smoke detectors etc. This can be flicked through or read. It isn't a simple book but is ideal for an older boy who isn't keen on stories but may respond to a more difficult factual book that will encourage him to read for more sustained periods. And this is one of our aims, to give them reading 'stamina'.

A sub-category of this approach is the use of 'key fact' books. Many boys will love books that offer a mix of drawings and pictures with facts about things that fascinate them. Some of these books use extended text, but others use short 'sharp' statement with good accompanying graphics or images. Popular topic areas with boys include:

Egyptology
Jet planes
Weather
Animals of all kinds
History
Sport
Science
Engineering

Here are a couple of examples:

A recently published book is 'Into the Unknown' by Stewart Ross with illustrations by the incredible Stephen Biesty. This wonderful hard cover book from Walker Books tells the story of 14 famous journeys throughout history, including 'Pytheas the Greek Sails to the Arctic Circle in 340BC', 'Admiral Zheng He Crosses the Indian Ocean in 1405-07', 'Neil Armstrong & Buzz Aldrin Land on the Moon in 1969', 'Marco Polo Rides the Silk Road to China in 1271-74' and many more.

Each story has multiple drawings, maps and a giant fold out cross-section. Boys will read and look through this book for hours. You will also enjoy reading this exciting book to boys. There are many other 'cross-section' books by Stephen Biesty and others (here), including 'Egypt in Cross Section', 'Castles' and 'Rome'.

There is a sub-group in this category that present interesting short facts that boys love dipping into, showing to friends and revisiting again and again

1001 Unbelievable Facts, by Helen Otway (there is a whole series of '1001 Fact..' books, 'Backpack Books' published by DK)
100 Things You Should Know About Ancient Rome, by Fiona MacDonald
Dinosaurs (Pocket Series), produced as part of a series of non-fiction books by DK Publishing

There are also scientific books produced by major organizations like museums. A wonderful example is My Panda Book, by Stuart P. Levine. This is one of a series of books published in partnership with the Smithsonian.

A wonderful example of a fact book that my wife bought for me (and which I've shared with my grandson) is 'One Small Step'. This was produced to commemorate the first moon landing on July 20th 1969. The book is a replica of a scrapbook put together by a 12 year old boy whose grandad was working in the Houston Control Room on the day when man first made it to the moon. It’s a collection of Moon-landing memorabilia (e.g. space menus, certificates, transcript of the first steps exchange etc), photographs and so on. It also has more recent space science information, including the future of space travel.

Joke books - There are numerous joke books that boys will use for hours with family and friends. For some reluctant readers joke books are the place that they will drift to in order to avoid sustained reading. The aim isn't to allow this to happen, but these books if managed well can be a way to get boys reading more difficult material. There are lots of books of this type; the following are just a couple of examples.

Knock Knock Who's There: My First Knock Knock Book by Tad Hills is a great introduction to humour in books with answers under flaps.
The Everything Kids' Joke Book, by Michael Dahl offers Jokes for upper Primary children (aged 7-12 years) plus a second section on how to write jokes.
The Family Joke Book, by Brad Taylor

Books that encourage boys to make and do things - there are many examples of books of this type. They show boys how to make simple things, conduct science experiments and so on. Places like the National Geographic stores can be a good place to look for books of this type. A well-known recent example is The Dangerous Book for Boys. This book offers a range of ideas for making and doing things. For example, how to make the greatest paper plane in the world, building a tree house, all about dinosaurs, making a G0-cart, how to go fishing, juggling, all about Australian snakes, skimming stones and so on. This isn't a simple book (about grade 4-5 standard) but the content will help boys to 'stretch' themselves. It is also a great book for boys to read and 'do' with an adult.

Graphic novels and comics - While this category often uses narrative, there are many good examples that are non-fiction. Whereas the comic is essentially a sequence of pictures with conversation and texts, the Graphic Novel is a more complex text. Graphic novels use a combination of text and varied art. More recent examples also draw on music, sound, related web-based resources and so on. They can include biographies, narratives, memoirs and journals, classic story retellings etc. For example, there are now graphic-novel editions of the works of Shakespeare, and many classics such as 'The Red Badge of Courage', 'Beowulf', 'Greek myths', 'The Adventures of Robin Hood' and even 'The Canterbury Tales'. Nicki Greenberg's 427 page 'Hamlet' offers us one of the most ambitious efforts I have seen as she presents (in fact she 'stages') Shakespeare's play as a graphic novel. Mind you, not many boys will find this accessible.

Most boys will prefer simpler examples of this form. For example, Raymond Briggs has used the format to powerful effect with works like 'When the Wind Blows' (1986) that tells of the impact of an atomic blast on an elderly British couple who approach the impending disaster as if they were simply trying to survive the Blitz of WWII.

Some people lump comics and graphic novels together but they are different forms. Whereas the graphic novel uses more extended text mixed with varied illustrations and images, the comic makes use of sequenced pictures and speech balloons. There is still a place for comic books (see my previous post on this here). There are also an emerging range of electronic comics that boys will enjoy including many classic comic series like 'Archie' but I doubt that this is the future of reading for many boys. Putting traditional comics online simply to read won't appeal in the same way that graphic novels will or gaming.

eBooks - I've written quite a bit in recent times about the limitations and opportunities of eBooks to help get boys into reading. While many of the earliest examples of electronic books are either simply novels for readers or picture books with more gadgets than words, boys like gadgets and some are more likely to look at an eBook than a traditional paper version. Like any book, parents and teachers still need to give boys support in choosing and engaging with the text not just the gadgets.

There are a number of good examples that many boys will enjoy reading that I've reviewed previously (here, here & here). My recent favourite is 'The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore' by William Joyce (Moonbot Studios). It is a story about people who devote their lives to books and how books in turn enrich our lives. It is a poignant, humorous allegory about the power of story. It uses a variety of illustrative and animation techniques to create a moving story. It is presented in a style that offers echoes of the great silent films of the past. It has so many features, but on the whole they don't necessarily distract from the story. The reader can repair books, descend deep into a great storm, learn the piano, become 'lost in a book', and fly through a magical world of words. There is a surprise on each page of this app which boys love.

Gaming - While parents who want their boys to read usually see video and computer games as the enemy of reading, some of the most popular games for boys and effectively games in which they create their own world and narratives. Many have asked whether gaming might have crossover impacts on reading in more conventional ways. You can read a report on this topic that explores the possibilities of gaming for reading here. I'm not yet convinced that encouraging gaming will lead to boys who read books as well, but for some boys it might just act as a bridge. I intend to blog on this at some future time when I think I have more to say on the topic.

Books for Boys - I've written a number of posts on good books for boys (including here, here & here), so I won't repeat them here, except to list just 12 wonderful books to read to and with boys. These books will rarely fail if you read them with boys aged 7-12 years and do it with excitement and passion.

'Boy: Tales of Childhood' by Roald Dahl (1984)
'Prince Caspian' by C.S. Lewis (1951)
'The Hobbit' by J.R. Tolkien (1937)
'Rowan of Rin' by Emily Rodda (1993)
'The Machine Gunners' by Robert Westall (1975)
'Strange Objects' by Gary Crewe (1990)
'The Pinballs' by Betsy Byars (1977)
'Watership Down' by Richard Adam (1972)
'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer' by Mark Twain (1876) 'A Wrinkle in Time' by Madeleine L'Engle (1962)
'The Wheel on the School' by Meindert DeJong (1972)
'Incident at Hawk's Hill' by Allan W. Eckert (1971)

A final comment on literature

As I've stressed above, while it isn't essential for children to begin reading via books or fiction, there is a critical place for traditional forms like children's literature because of the importance of narrative to people. What I'm saying is that while boys might start reading in many different ways, they shouldn't be allowed to avoid the narrative form. As I commented in the third part of a series of posts on the 'Power of Literature' (here) I believe that while it is possible to learn to read without a rich tradition of books and literature, I would argue that it isn’t possible without a foundation of narrative and story. Why? Expert in narrative Harold Rosen offers the perfect answer to my question:

Narratives in all their diversity and multiplicity make up the fabric of our lives; they are constitutive moments in the formation of our identities and our sense of community affiliation.

We build our relationships with one another, share our humanity through the stories we tell about our own lives and those that we have heard from others. So our aim in using factual forms of reading, and alternative forms like graphic novels and factual texts is of worth in it's own right, but it shouldn't completely replace rich narrative forms like literature.

Related posts

All my posts on boys and education (here)
Pam Allyn's excellent book 'Pam Allyn's Best Books for Boys' which I reviewed here.

Why I Love Book Parades

2011-08-25T17:21:00.000+10:00

'Jasmine' (Deltora Quest)

It's Children's Book Week in Australia. This is a time when the Children's Book Council announces its prize winning books (here) and all schools place special importance on books. As well, community libraries and book shops celebrate literature. This is usually the biggest week of the year for Teacher Librarians. It is the culmination of weeks of preparation and increased attention given to literature and in fact, all books.

The recipe is similar. Librarians display books in the library, children are introduced to the shortlist from the CBCA awards, books are read and reviewed, various forms of reader response are encouraged including craft, art, drama, movement, writing and so on. And, if the students are lucky enough, their teachers join with the Teacher Librarian to put on displays, set up a book sale for parents to donate to the school and give to their children, and they plan a parade usually attended by parents and other guests.

'Harry Potter'

The parade is a big event where children and teachers dress in costume to represent a favourite book character, an assembly is held to which parents are invited and there is a general celebration of books.

Yesterday I had the privilege of visiting a school in Sydney (North Ryde) to see some of my grandchildren take part in a parade, visit the library to buy some books and support the cake stall. It was a wonderful event. The children were all dressed in costume, including our youngest grandchild just 9 weeks old.

There were so many highlights, here are a few:

My grandchildren chose their favourite characters and dressed like them.
The teachers at North Ryde school were all in costume and looked fantastic.
The Teacher Librarian was the wonderful host of the event (and was hilarious). She was clearly well loved by the children and showed her love for the kids and for books.
The whole school engaged in the Librarian's creation (and my grandchildren's favourite activity lately), 'What's that shortlister'? The purpose is for the children to guess the name of one of the shortlisted books based on some simple clues. It was a lot of fun.

The whole school playing 'What's that shortlister'?

All in all, this was a wonderful celebration of Book Week and a wonderful reminder of the importance of Teacher Librarians. It was also a positive demonstration of the quality of public education in this country.

I'd love to hear your stories about book week.

Why are Book Week celebrations important?

There are lots of reasons why the work of teachers, students and parents is worth it, here are just two:

1. It reminds everyone that books offer more than just a good story. Literature can act as

a mirror to enable readers to reflect on life problems and circumstances
a source of knowledge
a source of ideological challenge
a means to peer into the past, and the future
a vehicle to other places
a means to reflect on inner struggles
an introduction to the realities of life and death
a vehicle for the raising and discussion of social issues

2. Celebrations of books in this way reminds everyone that books are an important part of multiple communities, including families, classes, schools and the neighbourhood. Books can help to build common ground, and give us stories and language to share. Books are a form of 'glue' that binds people together.

Star of the show, the Teacher Librarian

We must never underestimate the importance of literature in families and schools. Congratulations to all teacher librarians, principals, teachers, parents and children who took part in book week this year.

Other readings and resources

I say much more about the importance of literature in my book Pathways to Literacy.

There are lots of practical posts on Children's literature HERE

CBCA Announces 2011 Children's Literature Awards

2011-08-20T09:00:00.005+10:00

The Children's Book Council Australia yesterday announced the winners of its 2011 book of the year awards. This coincides with the start of Children's Book Week in Australia (20-26 August). The theme for Book Week in 2011 is 'One World, Many Stories'. As usual there are some stunning books recognised and perhaps some surprises. Once again, I stress that all shortlisted books and, in fact the longer list of over 100 books on the 2011 Notable Book List, should be considered (here). We have a wealth of wonderful writers in this country.

Book of the Year for Older Readers

WINNER - 'The Midnight Zoo' by Sonya Hartnett (Viking) Winner
HONOUR Books - 'Graffiti Moon' by Cath Crowley (Pan Macmillan)
'The Life of a Teenage Body-Snatcher' by Doug MacLeod (Penguin)

Book of the Year for Younger Readers

WINNER - 'The Red Wind' by Isobelle Carmody (Viking)
HONOUR Books - 'Just a Dog' by Michael Gerard Bauer (Omnibus, Scholastic)
'Violet Mackerel's Brilliant Plot' by Anna Branford (Walker Books)

Early Childhood Book of the Year

WINNER - 'Maudie and Bear' by Jan Ormerod, illustrated by Freya Blackwood (Little Hare Books)
HONOUR Books -'The Tall Man and the Twelve Babies' by Tom Niland Champion, Kilmeny Niland & Deborah Niland (Allen & Unwin)
'Look See, Look at Me' by Leonie Norrington, illustrated by Dee Huxley (Allen & Unwin)

Picture Book of the Year

JOINT WINNERS - 'Mirror' by Jeannie Baker (Walker Books)
'Hamlet' by Nicki Greenberg (Allen & Unwin)
HONOUR Books - 'Why I Love Australia' by Bronwyn Bancroft (Little Hare Books)
'My Uncle's Donkey' by Tohby Riddle (Viking)

Eve Pownall award for Best Information Book

WINNER - 'The Return of Word Spy' by Ursula Dubosarsky, illustrated by Tohby Riddle (Viking)
HONOUR Books - 'Drawn from the Heart: A Memoir' by Ron Brooks (Allen & Unwin)
'Our World: Bardi Jaawi: Life at Ardiyooloon' by One Arm Point Remote Community School (Magabala Books)

There are so many wonderful authors and illustrators in this list and some remarkable books.

Older Readers Book of the Year

a) Winner

'The Midnight Zoo' by Sonya Hartnett

It is World War II in Eastern Europe and Tomas and his younger brother, Andrej, have escaped Romany that has been overrun by the Germans. They carry Wilma, their baby sister, in a sack and reach an abandoned town where they discover a zoo. In it they find a wolf, monkey, bear, eagle, lioness, seal, chamois and llama with some surprising events as they contemplate what next.

This is a brilliantly crafted story with an unlikely plot that her skill makes work. A wartime fable where animals are abandoned and a group of children lose their freedom, hope and place. War has turned the world of these children and creatures upside down. How will it end? Hartnett's stories are usually full of the unexpected, what will be the fate of the abandoned? Sonya Hartnett is a wonderful writer. Winner of the prestigious Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in 2008 for children's literature, she is a deserving winner of this award for a memorable book.

b) Honour Books

'Graffiti Moon' by Cath Crowley

Lucy has never met him, but she is sure she is in love with Shadow a mysterious graffiti artist whose work is scattered throughout the city. It is the last night of Year 12 and she goes looking for him. Instead she meets the last guy she would ever hook up with, Ed. After a disaster of a first date Ed says he knows how to find Shadow. They spend the night tracking down Shadow’s art and learning a lot about herself and Ed as well.

'The Life Of A Teenage Body-Snatcher' by Doug MacLeod

Why is sixteen-year-old Thomas Timewell in a graveyard in the dead of night, with shovel in hand? 'The Life of a Teenage Body-Snatcher' is set in England in the 1820s and takes the reader into the engrossing world of resurrectionists, people who liberate corpses from the grave for the purpose of medical research. Thomas' grandfather had a final wish, to donate his body to research, but his family denies this after death. Thomas decides to do something about it. He has a chance meeting with a resurrectionist, Plenitude. Thomas is drawn further into the strange and gruesome world of body-snatching.

This is a clever story from Doug Macleod which rather than being a bland horror story is a complex tale filled with suspense, humour, action and even some romance. A great book!

Younger Readers Book of the Year

a) Winner - 'The Red Wind: The Kingdom Of The Lost Book One' by Isobelle Carmody

This is the first book in a new book series for younger readers. Brothers Zluty and Bily live happily in their little house in the desert. They have created their own little world centred on their stone house, but a storm is in the offing. Every year Zluty journeys to the great forest while Bily stays to tend their desert home. Each year Zluty returns with exciting tales of his adventures. But this year a red wind sweeps through their land, changing everything and each boy must fight for their survival.

b) Honour Books

'Just A Dog' by Michael Gerard Bauer

A family is given runt of a dalmatian from a pedigree litter, but it obviously had a non-pedigree father. As a pup it whines until it is taken upstairs to sleep, and as it grows so does its impact on the family. The book shares many stories of the dog through Corey's eyes. Behind each story we see the loyalty of the dog to the family, the background being the disintegration of Corey's family. The dog is always there, and its death has an added impact on everyone. Any reader 9-12 years will enjoy this lovely book.

'Violet Mackerel's Brilliant Plot' by Anna Branford -

Violet Mackerel is a girl with lots of theories, ideas and interests, a family full of love and difficulties, and a longing for a blue china bird she saw at the market, small enough to fit in the palm of her hand.

Violet Mackerel spots a blue china bird at the Saturday markets where her Mum has a stall to sell knitting and she wants to own it. But this will set her back $10 and she doesn't have the money. Violet knows she will have to come up with 'a plot', a brilliant plot! She gives the matter much thought and settles on archaeology as part of the answer to her problem, with a surprising outcome.

This is a delightful short novel for children aged 7-10 years, and will be loved especially by girls. Anna Branford has created a wonderful character in Violet who should sustain interest in the series of books to follow. Sarah Davis has provided excellent watercolour illustrations that appear on monochrome (or greyscale) throughout the book and add to the story, especially the development of Violet's character. The second book in the series - 'Violet Mackerel's Remarkable Recovery' - is out. You can read my previous review of Anna's work here.

Early Childhood Book of the Year

'Maudie And Bear' by Jan Ormerod, illustrated by Freya Greenwood - Jan Ormerod has given us five separate stories in this delicious picture book. Perhaps Maudie is a bit spoilt, at the very least, she is self-focussed as small children can be, but she tests this to the limit and Bear passes the test every time. Maudie's world revolves around Maudie and Bear's world revolves around her too! But like any good friend he is patient and reliable and loves her unconditionally. Maudie is so confident of Bear's love that she makes demands, throws the odd tantrum, lays down all the rules and lets Bear do all the work, knowing he will love her unconditionally. And he does right to the end.

Jan Ormerod is an illustrator herself, so it is an unusual collaboration to 'let go' to another creator. She has chosen well in Freya Blackwood, who won the prestigious 2010 Kate Greenaway medal for her book (written by Margaret Wild) 'Harry and Hopper'.

This is a wonderful book. Ideal to be read to children from as young as you like, or perfect for the young reader who is beginning to read alone. Perfect early reading material for first encounters. This book will be read again and again. A worthy winner!

'The Tall Man And The Twelve Babies' by Tom Niland Champion, Kilmeny Niland & illustrated by Deborah Niland

This is an amusing picture book about babies and silliness. This crazy story is about six baby boys all named Alistair, six girls all called Charlene and a 'Tall Man'. They all live together in a city apartment. The tall man with his six boy babies and six girl babies strikes a problem when he is trapped outside the apartment. Some quick thinking by the Tall Man eventually saves the day with the help of the babies.

This book is a family affair for Ruth Park's twin daughters and her grandson Tom. Sadly Tom's mother Kilmeny (1950-2009) and Ruth Park (1917-2010) died before the book was published.

With simple text, short sentences and many textual devices like bold, enlarged and capitalised letters the early reader is given some leads. Deborah Niland's delightful illustrations capture the mood perfectly. Ideal for children aged 3-7 years.

'Look See, Look At Me' by Leonie Norrington and Dee Huxley

Leonie Norrington and illustrator Dee Huxley visited three northern communities and tested the ideas for the text and illustrations before completing their book. The picture book that resulted is a wonderful insight into childhood within an Aboriginal community. It is a delightful and positive celebration of outback family life in an Aboriginal community.

Leonie and Dee visited three northern communities, Wugularr, Barunga and Manyalalluk, to workshop words and drawings for this book. It has an exuberant style with rhyming text supported by Dee Huxley's superb illustrations that locate the events in a remote community with rich ochre landscapes that add greatly to the narrative. 'Look See, Look at Me' perfectly captures a child's everyday life and will be wonderful for sharing with young children again and again. Love it!

Picture Book of the Year

a) Joint Winners

'Mirror' (2010) by Jeannie Baker - This is one of the most significant picture books to be published for some time. Just when you thought there was no room to innovate further with the picture book (without 'cheating, by using an iPad!), Jeannie Baker manages to surprise us all with her latest book. The concept is brilliant, the quality of the collage images once again stunning and the book design groundbreaking. She has produced another wordless picture book that is challenging at many levels. But it is the concept and design that will first catch your attention.

This picture book comprises two stories that are designed to be read simultaneously – one from the left to right, the other from right to left (see below). As you pick up the book you try to open it from right to left only to have the book open at the middle to reveal two books, one that conforms to English concepts of print and books, and the other that matches expectations for Arabic speakers. Page by page, we experience a day in the lives of two boys and their families - one from inner city Sydney, Australia and the other from a small, remote village in Morocco, North Africa

While the two worlds portrayed couldn’t be further apart, she shows through the parallel images of the lives of the two families a simple and profound truth. While people live in vastly different places, and have different lives, we share much. The families have different food, clothing and family practices, and they travel in different ways to different shops and workplaces, but there is much that is the same. Family members love one another and depend on each other. A mother, father and children do different things each day than in Sydney, but they are more like us than we might imagine. And there is an additional truth - we are connected to them. Jeannie's message is that in many ways we are mirrors of one another even though different. This is a stunning book that will win many awards. You can read my more detailed review of Jeannie's work including this book HERE.

'Hamlet' by Nicki Greenberg -

Since Shakespeare wrote 'Hamlet' over 400 years ago, there have been many interpretations of the story of its tragic hero, a Danish prince torn apart by the murder of his father and the infidelity of his mother.

Nicki Greenberg offers us one of the most ambitious interpretations as she presents the story in graphic novel form. This is a mammoth effort of 427 pages with vibrant colour and silhouettes in inkblot form. But this isn't a simple comic book of predictable simple images. In the simplicity of its form there is great complexity as she uses every device she can to stage this play without sound and physical movement. She embeds images with great symbolism that add to the text and characters, with image used to add depth and interpretation; another layer of meaning to plumb.

There is a playfulness about her work, and yet, it is a veritable block buster! Hamlet fills the stage as a charismatic inkblot. A 'chameleon' whose black form changes shape according to his circumstances and mood. This is another innovative and ambitious work from Nicki Greenberg. It is an imaginative and epic graphic novel. This is not a kid's picture book! Suitable for readers 13+.

b) Honour Books

'Why I Love Australia' by Bronwyn Bancroft - This is a beautiful book in which Aboriginal artist Bronwyn Bancroft explores both her country and the way she feels about it. From the coast to the outback, from cities to plains, from dramatic gorges to rugged alpine peaks, from deserts to rainforests she describes its beauty. Australia is a continent of varied landscapes that Bronwyn Bancroft manages to present in an inspiring way.

'My Uncle's Donkey' by Tohby Riddle - A donkey is allowed into the house and once inside, it gets up to all sorts of things. He talks to his friends on the phone, does hoof stands in the kitchen, cartwheels in the living room, takes long baths and stays up late. This is a funny little book to be enjoyed by adults and children alike. Another wonderful book from Tohby Riddle.

Eve Pownall Award for Information Books

a) Winner

'The Return Of The Word Spy' by Ursula Dubosarsky and Tohby Riddle

The 'Word Spy' is back! In her first book, 'The Word Spy', she shared the secrets of the English language, from the first alphabet to modern texting. In 'The Return of the Word Spy' she continues the story with chapters on language families, how we learn to speak, grammar and written communication. Once again it has an accessible and engaging style with wonderful illustrations by master illustrator Tohby Riddle. It is filled with cartoons, games, facts and puzzles. What can we say about Tohby Riddle, this is one of two awards this year. Greed? No, just extremely good! His involvement has ensured that this book works and will flow off the shelves. A great team and a great fun book.

b) Honour Books

'Drawn From The Heart' by Ron Brooks

Ron Brooks is well known for his award-winning children's books; classics like 'The Bunyip of Berkeley's Creek'. In this wonderful memoir he recreates his life as artist, husband and father. He shares the twists and turns, and the highs and lows. In doing so, he offers some wonderful insights into his 'secret' process of picture making and story-shaping. It is illustrated with roughs and finished art from his best-loved books. Fantastic stuff from a wonderful illustrator. I'm so glad he did this book.

'Our World: Bardi Jaawi: Life At Ardiyooloon' by One Arm Point Remote Community School

Ardiyooloon is home to the Bardi-Jaawi people and sits at the end of a red dirt road at the top of the Dampier Peninsula, 200km north of Broome in the north west of Western Australia. 'Our World: Bardi-Jaawi Life at Ardiyooloon' takes readers inside the lives of the children of a remote Indigenous community; lives that are very different to those experienced by most Australians.

Other posts

My previous review of the entire shortlist HERE
All my previous 'Award' posts HERE

Indigenous Tales of The Dreamtime

2011-08-18T15:03:00.005+10:00

Emily Gap N.T.

An Introduction for non-Australians

Indigenous Australians were the original inhabitants of the continent we know today as Australia. They include Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders. Together they make up 2.5% of Australia's population today. It is believed that they are amongst the oldest races on earth with estimates suggesting that they first arrived on this continent between 40,000 and 125,000 years ago. They are an ancient people with a rich and unique culture. There is enormous diversity across the many nations and clans, with an estimated 250-300 spoken languages with 600 dialects. Sadly fewer than 200 of these languages remain and most are in danger of being lost. Like many non-Indigenous Australians I see the preservation of Indigenous languages and their stories as of critical importance. Recently, while travelling in Central Australia this was brought into sharp focus for me.

An encounter with the 'The Three Caterpillars'

Mparntwe or Alice Springs is home to the Arrernte people, Indigenous Australians who have called this beautiful place home for at least 45,000 years. It is at the geographical centre of Australia. The photo opposite is of a place called 'Emily Gap' that I visited in July while exploring Central Australia. At this place you will find Indigenous rock art that tells the story of how three caterpillars named Yeperenye, Ntyarlke and Utnerrengatye created the MacDonnell Ranges.

The Arrernte people, believe the ranges were formed by giant caterpillars that entered this world through one of the gaps in the escarpment of the area. In traditional stories the caterpillar ancestors, Yeperenye, Utnerrengatye and Ntyarlke are the major creation forces of the Alice Springs area. These stories tell how they arrived from all directions, first stopping at Mparntwe, a particularly sacred site in Alice Springs, where they battled with the Irlperenye (green stink bug).

'Three Caterpillars' - Emily Gap

The Caterpillars fled when the Irlperenye (stink bug) started to kill them. The ranges around Alice Springs are the seen as the remains of the many caterpillars. The gaps in the ranges like Emily Gap indicate where the stink bugs tore the heads from the bodies of the caterpillars. The rock formations around the area are and the few surviving Yeperenye went on to sculpt the rivers and trees along the tops of the ranges.

'The Three Caterpillars' were painted on the cliff face at some point in time. The dark red and light orange stripes were created by red ochre and white lime blended with animals fats and applied to the rock surface.

Indigenous Dreamtime stories are associated with specific Indigenous clans and nations and their lands and these stories are passed on to younger generations by elders and storytellers. They have survived for thousands of years but the loss of traditional languages and the separation of many Indigenous people from their traditional land is a threat to their survival. While some of these stories are secret, or are seen as of such a sacred nature that they are only told by specific people to certain people (e.g. told by men to men, or by women to women), in the last 40 years many Indigenous Dreamtime stories have been shared through children's books.

As a non-Indigenous Australian I love these stories and would like to see more of them written down by the people who own these stories so that others can enjoy them. Thankfully, many are being recorded but just as many aren't. For example, to date I haven't come across a written version of 'The Three Caterpillars' that I learned of when exploring Alice Springs.

Some of my favourite Indigenous Stories

Some of my favourite Indigenous Dreamtime stories have been passed down to all Australian children through the storytelling and wonderful art of Dick Roughsey (1924-1985) or Goobalathaldin to use his tribal name. He was from the island of Langu-narnji in the Gulf of Carpentaria in northern Australia. His first picture book 'The Giant Devil Dingo' received wide acclaim for the richness of the storytelling, the distinctiveness of his painted illustrations, with their vibrant colours, fascinating detail, and the integration of art and word. It tells of Old Eelgin, the grasshopper woman who was evil and had taught her giant dingo Gaiya to kill men for food. But one day Gaiya meets his match in the Chooku-Chooku (butcher-bird) brothers.

Another of my favourite works by Roughsey is 'The Rainbow Serpent' first published in 1975 and still available. It won the Children's Book Council of Australia award for best picture book in 1976. Goorialla (the Rainbow Serpent) travelled across Australia to find his tribe. As he travelled his tracks formed the mountains, the creeks, lagoons and rivers. The Bil-bil brothers plot to kill him. When Goorialla's anger is spent and he disappears into the sea the world is changed.

Dick Roughsey and Percy Trezise (1923-2005) formed a strong partnership to produce many wonderful books together. While Trezise was not Indigenous he became Roughsey's brother in a traditional Aboriginal ceremony and was given the name 'Warrenby'. Roughsey lived with his wife and their six children on Mornington Island, but often spent half the year on the North Queensland mainland. He and Percy Trezise discovered and studied the art of Aboriginal cave galleries in the Laura region of Cape York. The Quinkin gallery inspired the award-winning books 'The Quinkins' and 'Turramulli' the 'Giant Quinkin'.

'The Quinkins' is a wonderful story that tells of the Yalanji tribe of Cape York and their encounters with the Quinkins, spirit people of the land with two tribes: Imjim and the Timara. Imjim were small fat-bellied fellows who stole children while Timara were funny and whimsical spirits who like to play tricks. They were tall and very thin and lived in the cracks of the rocks, and they didn't like the Imjim. This is the story of two children, Boonbalbee and Leealin. This book was an IBBY Honour book in 1980, and was the Children's Book Council Book of Australia Picture Book of the Year in 1979. As I travelled through northern Australia and looked at the crevices in the rocks the echoes of this story made me think, "could these be Quinkin rocks?"

There are so many of their titles that I love and have enjoyed sharing with children. These include 'The Cave Painters' by Percy Trezise (1988) which tells of the experiences of two Bullanji children Nonda and Mayli as they travel to visit their mother's people, the Yalanji who live in 'Quinkin Country'. 'The Magic Firesticks' (Trezise & Roughsey) is another story of the Yalanji people in Cape York and tells how the people discovered the way to light fires, not simply sustain fires once they were alight. After monsoonal fires quenched all their fires two young men (Bandicoot and Curlew) travel to a far off Fire Mountain where it was said Didmunja (a wise man) had magic sticks which could produce fire when you wanted it.

'Banana Bird and the Snake Man' (Trezise & Roughsey) tells of a time when people who were later to become birds, animals, plants and reptiles were still in human form. The snake men of Cape York were cannibals who would kill people and hang them in trees to be collected later when they were hungry. This story tells of the triumph of Coucal the brother of Banana Bird man who avenges his brother's death and destroys the Snake men.

Another wonderfully simple book is 'When the snake bites the sun' told by David (Bungal) Mowaljarlai, which was retold and illustrated by Pamela Lofts. This delightful story of the Ngarinyin tribe of Western Australia, tells the story of the sun and why it is as it is today. This was one of a series of simple picture books for preschool children produced in the 1980s some of which are still available. Other books in the series included 'Dunbi the owl', 'Echidna and the shade tree' and 'How the birds got their colours'. We owe Pamela Lofts (who lives in Alice Springs) a great debt for recording and illustrating many Indigenous stories. You can find a full list here.

Tiddalik Rock (Wollombi NSW)

'What made Tiddalik Laugh' has been produced in various versions of varied authenticity. It is based on the 'Cylorana platycephala' (or Water-holding Frog) that swells as it swallows water. It is sometimes referred to as 'Molok' as well as 'Tiddalik'. The version I first read was Joanna Troughton's beautifully (and amusingly) illustrated version, although this might not be the most authentic traditional version of the story. Tiddalik woke up one morning with an unquenchable thirst. He began to drink all the fresh water he could find till he was satisfied and every creek and billabong was dry. All the creatures and plant life began to die, so the other animals decided to do something about it. But how could they get the water back? Wombat had the answer, make him laugh? But how? The amusing solution involved Platypus in Troughton's version of the story. The story is said to have originated in South Gippsland Victoria but is common along the Eastern seaboard of Australia, so this is unclear. The photo of this rock (opposite) known as Tiddalik rock is located near Wollombi in NSW.

'Enora and the Black Crane', by Arone Raymond Meeks is another fine example of a traditional story being turned into a picture book. Arone Meeks is a member of the Kokoimudji tribe from the Laura area of far North Queensland. This story tells of Enora and how his killing of a crane led to birds acquiring their colours and him becoming the black crane. Winner of Australian IBBY Award for Children's Literature (1994), CBCA picture book of the year (1992) and UNICEF Ezra Jack Keats International Award Silver medal (1992). Arone Meeks also illustrated Catherine Berndt's wonderful book 'Pheasant and Kingfisher' (1987) that was shortlisted by the CBCA in 1988 and won the Crichton Award for Meeks in the same year.

A more recent book which I love is the 'Papunya School Book of Country and History' (2001). This isn't really a Dreamtime story, it is the story of the Anagu people of Central Australia. It offers a balanced telling of the people, their place, their culture and history. It does a good job in speaking of some of the difficult issues arising from the impact of white settlers. It is a wonderful collaboration between well-known non-Indigenous advocate Nadia Wheatley and Indigenous writers, storytellers and artists from the staff and students of Papunya School.

Another more recent community collaboration is 'Our World: Bardi Jaawi: Life At Ardiyooloon' (2011) by One Arm Point Remote Community School. Ardiyooloon is home to the Bardi-Jaawi people and sits at the end of a red dirt road at the top of the Dampier Peninsula, 200km north of Broome in the north-west of Western Australia. 'Our World: Bardi-Jaawi Life at Ardiyooloon' takes readers inside the lives of the children of a remote Indigenous community; lives that are very different to those experienced by most Australians. Worthy Honour book in the CBCA awards for 2011 in the 'Eve Pownall Award' for Information Books.

Yet another wonderful collaborative book is 'Playground' (2011) compiled by Nadia Wheatley with illustrations and design by Ken Searle, has been short-listed for the 2011 Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Awards. This is an unusual book isn't quite a graphic novel, but then again, it isn't simply a reference book. Drawing on the stories of 80 Indigenous Australian Elders, 20 Indigenous secondary students and with Indigenous Historian Dr Jackie Huggins as adviser and critical friend, Nadia Wheatley has created a unique collaborative work. The book offers a wonderful insight into experiences of childhood for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from 1900 to the present.

With stunning photographs and illustrations, it takes us into the daily life of Indigenous children (past and present) who are connected with their land from birth. The stories and drawings help the reader to understand Indigenous life in all its facets - learning, playing, understanding and respecting the earth, the first days of life, relationships in families, what 'home' was, languages, daily food gathering and hunting, the place of song, dance, art and ceremony. With the arrival of European people there have been adaptations, but Indigenous children remain embedded in their culture. Daily life is different, but Indigenous children are still learning from country and community. This book would be a good introduction for readers who want to know more about Indigenous people not simply read their stories.

Some other great resources

Based on an Aboriginal Dreamtime story of Waatji Pulyeri (the Blue Wren)

Lovely example of Indigenous Storytelling, 'How the Kangaroo Got its Pouch' A Wirrajuri tale

Some brief further notes on Indigenous Australians

In Central Australia the Indigenous people are called the Anangu. Within this group there are many different language groups including the Pintupi, Warlpiri, Anmatyerre, Pitjantjatjara and Arrente. All Indigenous Australians come from different 'Ngurra' (homelands or traditional countries) and within their rich cultural traditions have stories, drawings, dances other cultural practices that have been passed down through the generations for millennia. There has been a wonderful balance and 'bond' between people and their land. They see their ancestors as their teachers and for thousands of years they have taught their children the knowledge of ancestors and a history seen within the very rocks, water courses, hills, fauna and flora of their place. This has been passed down often (but not exclusively) through story. Often these stories are told in the context of place and have been oral, but in the last century some of these stories have been written down so that they can enrich all people, even if perhaps not understanding their full significance.

There is a deep sadness that many non-Indigenous Australians feel that there has been some loss of language and stories of these unique people. It was with a mixture of joy and sadness that I caught glimpses of the rich connection between Indigenous people and their land while I travelled across Central Australia. The joy comes from the richness I could see in this connection, but the sadness is that for many Indigenous Australians this connection is made more difficult by their dislocation from traditional lands. My hope is that more Indigenous stories will be captured in written and spoken forms.

Place, Folklore and Play

2011-08-12T21:08:00.000+10:00


The tree where I played as a child

Can you recall a special place where you played as a child? An object, structure or piece of equipment that always seemed to be a point at which children would congregate? As a child I can remember many such spaces. There was a narrow strip of ground between the southern side of our house and a low fence. It was a place to hide, and the site of numerous 'lean-to' cubbies. And it was a place of imaginary play alone, and sometimes a place to share secrets and stories with others in our 'clubhouse'. I can recall a tree over-hanging the creek near my house as a child where we spent hours climbing it, jumping off it and talking under it. The photo opposite taken in recent times show that it still has the same use 50 years later. I can also recall a line of seats around a large gum tree on our school playground which we'd jump, use as balance beams, and use as the walls of a great imaginary fort holding out the enemy forces closing in as part of lunchtime battles.

What games did this site once host?

Have you ever noticed that some spaces attract children and others seem to repel them? Some park playgrounds seem to work and others leave children disinterested? There is a special relationship between space, objects and children's play.

A school Principal and a researcher on play made an interesting discovery at a Melbourne school recently. As part of the development of a new masterplan for the school playground the researcher discovered that an unusual structure near the front gate of Princes Hill Primary School had special significance. It is made of steel and timber, and looks like a long disused bike stand. But while the structure was inconsequential (and probably ready to be removed), at lunchtime it would be the site of an unusual game. A group of pupils would gather around it to begin a ritual that it would seem has been going on in this school, at this place, using this object, for generations.

They call the game 'Cat and Mouse'. The researchers found that while it has similarities to other games of chasey, there are unique elements. The children form a circle and one child chants the traditional counting rhyme "Dip, dip" to see who will be "it". But the game is only ever played around the unusual structure. The structure is well worn, with metal railings polished to a shiny brilliance by generations of children. And yet, the exact purpose originally is now unclear. But for 'Cat and Mouse' the rules are clear. Grade 6 students have been teaching them to the Prep (Grade 1) children for generations.

As I said in a post on the imagination some months ago, imagination and creativity are fundamental to human advancement and are qualities to be valued and nurtured. It is important not to constantly constrain and conform our children with a resultant loss of originality, innovation and discovery. The example at Princes Hill Primary School is a good reminder of why we need to remember this.

I have quoted John Holt before, but I want to do it again, because he expresses this point so well:

What children need is not new and better curricula but access to more and more of the real world; plenty of time and space to think over their experiences, and to use fantasy and play to make meaning out of them; and advice, road maps, guidebooks, to make it easier for them to get where they want to go (not where we think they ought to go), and to find out what they want to find out. (John Holt, 1981)

Other links and posts

You can read the newspaper report on Princes Hill Primary HERE
'Stimulating Children's Imaginations' HERE
Story on June Factor and the Australian Children's Folklore Collection HERE
'Australian Children's Folklore Collection' HERE

Dr Ken Ginsburg & Dr Marilyn Benoit Speaking on Play

Meet the Author: Sandy Fussell

2011-08-08T22:48:00.002+10:00

Sandy Fussell lives south of Sydney (Wollongong) with her husband and two sons. She studied mathematics at university. But it has been history that has been a major inspiration for her writing. She shares in the interview below that she has been interested in history from a very young age. She now works in IT. She is something of an "accidental writer". In her words, "when my eldest son stopped reading in Year 4, I panicked. How could a child of mine not love books?"

Her efforts to work with her son on his reading and writing led her to write for herself. She proceeded to write manuscripts for practice. She wrote nine in quick succession. She showed her eighth effort to a number of people and received good feedback. Her ninth manuscript was 'Samurai Kids' which was accepted for publication in 2006 and was published as her first novel in 2008.

The Samurai Kids series has gone on to be very successful. Book 3, 'Shaolin Tiger' was named as a Notable Book by the Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) for Younger Readers in 2010. It was also short-listed in the Speech Pathology Awards in 2010 (Upper Primary Category). 'Polar Boy', was her first stand-alone novel and was short-listed in 2009 for the CBCA awards for Younger Readers. Her second stand-alone novel, 'Jaguar Warrior' was published in 2010 and has received good reviews.

Interview with Sandy Fussell

1. TC: Could you tell the readers of this blog why you wanted to be a writer of children’s books? Was there a special motivation or someone who inspired you to do it?

I am an accidental writer. When my eldest son stopped reading in Year 4, I panicked. How could a child of mine not love books? After failing to find anything he would read, I asked him to write a story to show me what sort he would like. To my surprise he said yes, as long as I transcribed. I’m embarrassed to admit it but I kept interfering. In the end he became so exasperated with me; I was sent packing to write my own story. I haven’t stopped writing since.

2. TC: Do you find the writing process difficult? Which aspects of your writing are most challenging?

It is hard to juggle writing with family and work. If the words are flowing, I have to force myself to put the manuscript aside to attend to other things – like feeding the troops and paying the bills. For me, the most challenging part of writing is chapter 5. That is the point at which I know what happens right through to the end, and I get a little bored with the process of continuing to put words to paper. I’m always tempted to start something new. But in the end I want to share the story so I keep going. From chapter 6 onwards it’s a downhill ride!

3. TC: You write historical fiction, could you tell us why this genre is important to you? What about the characters, from where do they ‘spring’?

I have been fascinated by early history ever since I was a child. I would imagine what it was like to live in a different place at a different time and in particular, what it was like to a kid then. Children had very different lives, responsibilities and adventures hundreds of years ago. A fourteen-year-old boy was a fully fledged samurai fighting for his lord. Most readers think of Ananasanq (Nana) from Polar Boy as very old. When I visit schools I often ask students to guess her age. They hover around 100 years old! But the life expectancy in the polar north was much less than that and Nana was more likely to be about 32.

4. TC: What is the research process like for the writing of one of your novels?

I love research and spend the first month doing nothing else. Then I continue researching as I write. Most of the information doesn’t make it into the book but it creates a sense of time and place which is absorbed almost osmotically into the story.

I pay close attention to the everyday life of my characters - how they lived, what they wore and what they ate. In terms of context, often my readers find these small details more interesting than the big historical events.

For me it is always thrilling when history validates my storyline. I can’t claim it is deliberate but it just keeps happening. For instance in Samurai Kids book 7 which is set in Cambodia, I did not think there were any Japanese people there at the time. That didn’t mean I couldn’t write them in. But then I discovered there is an inscription on the walls of the Temple of Angkor Wat in Japanese dated to exactly the time period I am writing in!

When I was writing Polar Boy it initially began as the story of a boy facing his greatest fear – the polar bear. I also wanted a cultural confrontation. As I researched I discovered the Vikings were coming down from Greenland at the same time and they were called ‘berserkers’ or ‘the bears’. So the bear in Nana’s prophecy about Iluak was really a person all along! Writing historical fiction is about connecting the research dots to form a story.

5. TC: How do you choose the historical periods and the places that you do?

I choose places I’m interested in. I studied Ancient History in high school and at university so sometimes I have a lot of general knowledge about the period such as Samurai Japan or Aztec Mexico. Alternatively it might be a period that has a magical almost exotic appeal for me – even though I may not know many details. I also like to choose periods that are on the edge of well-known times and have drafted a story set in Nubia. Nubia was a black African civilisation that preceded pharaohonic Egypt so while it is not itself well-known; it has a certain geographic and cultural familiarity for young readers who know a lot about Ancient Egypt.

I like to write about a period that is close to a well researched period because it gives me a solid historical base but also allows room for a wider imagining. Samurai Kids is set in the mid 17^th century which in Cambodia (the setting for book 7) is the Dark Ages. Not a lot of information is known so I can draw imaginative inferences as long as they are plausible.

6. TC: Of your 8 books, which one was most satisfying for you and why?

That question is so hard. I am always pleased with each novel I finish although I don’t necessarily think my latest is always the best. What will be my most satisfying book is probably unfinished at this point. I have been working on it since 2007 and it has been evolving with me as I (hopefully) develop into a better writer.

7. TC: What has been the most memorable experience in your writing career?

In 2008 I was asked to be the Guest of Honour at the Henry Lawson Festival of the Arts, the longest running arts festival in Australia. Guests are usually high profile members of the arts community but when the chosen guest had to withdraw due to family illness, they couldn’t find anyone to come to Grenfell at short notice. My family live there so my sister suggested me!

I crowned the queen, presented prizes, opened the festival and spoke at the reception. But by far the best part, and my favourite writing memory, was when a local school joined the street parade as Samurai Kids. They stopped in front of the official dais, bowed and yelled ‘Sense’i. I cried. I still do when I think of it. The full account and pictures can be found HERE.

The children of Grenfell dressed as Samurai Kids

8. TC: Are there any children's authors that you particularly admire? Adult writers?

There are many, many authors I admire. The children’s book community is incredibly generous and encouraging to new writers. I am hesitant to list names as I would hate to leave anyone out, but I’ll make one exception. When I first began to write I was invited to a writer’s meeting at author Di Bates’ house. She became my writing mentor, guide and good friend. She still is.

9. TC: Were you taught creative writing in school? Did it help?

I don’t recall anything specific although I am incredibly indebted to the teachers and librarians who fostered my love of reading. I had a strict and often unhappy childhood but these ‘angels of the book’ provided me with somewhere wonderful to hide out.

10. TC: What advice would you impart to aspiring writers?

I used to say ‘Write, write, write. Read, read, read.’ And while I still think that is valuable advice, I would now say: Scribbling every idea into a notebook, be continually looking at the world with an imaginative and slightly askew eye. Honing writing skills is extremely important but perhaps even more important is finding unique story ideas.

11. TC: What has been your favourite response to any of your books?

I get a lot of emails from young readers. Their enthusiasm for the Samurai Kids series is inspiring. They often write to me with story ideas for the next book.

A partially blind girl emailed me (via her mum) to say Taji (who is completely blind) was her hero. One mother wrote to say her child was due to have a serious operation which included a skin graft and he would be on crutches for a while. Part of his preparation was practising to be Niya! Another parent wrote to me to say their China travel plans had changed because after reading Samurai Kids, their young son wanted to visit a Shaolin Temple.

12. TC: Do you have a book that you are working on right now?

I am currently working on three separate books but my priority is the seventh book in the Samurai Kids series. It doesn’t have a title. I have always wanted to visit the Temple of Angkor Wat in Cambodia but that doesn’t look likely in the near future – so I am going there in my book instead.

Sandy Fussell's Books

a) Samurai Kids Series (Walker Books)

This is a series about the experiences of a group of samurai children in feudal Japan. Like other stories about Japanese warriors, the narrative is interwoven with the philosophy that is the foundation of their life and training. The diverse samurai kids learn to fight, but always with the noble desire to prevent war. The stories and their characters seek to build just and ethical societies. The books offer a range of characters that represent both genders and children of varied qualities, characteristics and challenges. In the video below you view Sandy talking about her exciting series.

'White Crane' (2008) Walker Books
'Owl Ninja' (2008) Walker Books
'Shaolin Tiger' (2009) Walker Books
'Monkey Fist' (2009) Walker Books
'Fire Lizard' (2010) Walker Books
'Golden Bat'(2010) Walker Books

b) Other Novels

'Polar Boy' (2008) Walker Books

This was Sandy Fussell's first stand alone novel for younger readers (9-12+ years). It is set in a 13th century polar community, a young boy's destiny transforms him from a frightened child into a courageous hero. Iluak, a Too-lee boy, has been told by his grandmother that it is his fate to save his people from a bear. But the mere thought of a polar bear makes Iluak’s stomach churn and he lives in fear of this destined encounter. When Illuak summons the courage to rescue a Northman (Viking) child from a polar bear he realises there is a far greater challenge involved in the prophecy. Two very different cultures are about to collide head-on in this excellent historical .

'Jaguar Warrior' (2010) Walker Books

This is the story of Atl, a young Purepechan slave. It is set in the age of the Aztec empire and a place we know today as northern Mexico. Atl is imprisoned in a box and has been there seven days and awaits death as part of an Aztec ceremony of sacrifice to the Mexican gods. He is not afraid as the anger rises within him and significant twist occurs in his story. A war-party of conquistadors attacks the head temple and Atl’s reputation as the fastest runner in Technotitlan leads the High Priest to set him free to send a message to get help for the Purepechan people. He escapes through hidden tunnels of the temple and heads into the jungles of South America, encountering dangers and collecting companions on the way. It is a fast moving adventure story that 9-14 year old boys will enjoy. It is a well-researched historical narrative that many young readers will find a great read.

Teaching resources

Samurai Kids Website (HERE)
Sandy Fussell's personal site has varied resources and ideas for her books (HERE)

Sandy Fussell's Awards

2009 Short Listed CBCA Children's Book of the Year, 'Polar Boy'
2009 Honour Book CBCA Junior Judges Project, 'Polar Boy'
2009 Short Listed Sakura Medal Chapter Book (Japan), Samurai Kids Book 1 - 'White Crane'
2009 Panda Book Award Middle Readers (China), 'Polar Boy'
2010 CBCA Notable, Samurai Kids Book 3 - 'Shaolin Tiger'
2010 Shortlist Speech Pathology Book of the Year, Samurai Kids Book 3 - 'Shaolin Tiger'
2011 CBCA Notable, Samurai Kids Book 5 - 'Fire Lizard'
2011 CBCA Notable, 'Jaguar Warrior'
2011 IBBY Outstanding Books for Young People With Disabilities, Samurai Kids Book 1 - White Crane

Carnegie & Kate Greenaway Medals Awarded for 2011

2011-08-01T22:44:00.000+10:00

In Great Britain there are two major awards for children's books - the Carnegie Medal and the Kate Greenaway Medal (here). The Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) runs both awards. The winners of both 2011 medals have been announced.

The Carnegie Medal is awarded to an outstanding book for children and young adult readers. Nominated books must be written in English and should have been published first in the UK in the year before the awards. The Carnegie judging panel consists of 13 children's librarians from the Youth Libraries Group of CLIP. Nominated books are also read by students from many schools who send feedback to the judging panel.

The Kate Greenaway Medal is awarded for excellence in illustration. The award was established in 1955 for distinguished illustration in a book for children. It was named after the popular nineteenth century artist known for her wonderful children's illustrations and designs. As if to set the standards very high no award was made in the inaugural year as no book was seen as worthy enough.

The 2011 Carnegie Medal

'Monsters of Men' by Patrick Ness (Walker Books)

This is the third and final instalment written by Patrick Ness in the 'Chaos Walking' trilogy. The two previous books in the trilogy, 'The Knife of Never Letting Go' and 'The Ask and the Answer' were both shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal (2009 & 2010 respectively). It is the first time that all books in a series have been shortlisted.

'Monsters of Men' tells of the power struggles of a world where all thoughts are audible. It is a fast-paced action novel centred on three characters, all with different points of view. The stage for this story is set with the opening line:

"War," says Mayor Prentiss, his eyes glinting. "At last."

Three armies are marching on New Prentisstown. Todd and Viola are right in the middle of the action, with no obvious way to escape. As they face this predicament together, the relationship between them develops. And then another character '1017' enters focussed on revenge, a further complication. This novel will engage readers 14+ as it deals with varied themes including life, death and love.

This fast-paced action is narrated by three individual characters Todd, Viola, and 1017, all with very different points of view, and all on different sides, but all fighting in the same war, a war for power.

Ferelith Hordon, chair of the 2011 judging panel commented at the awards ceremony:

"By any stretch of the imagination – and this is a book which profoundly stretches exactly that – Monsters of Men is an extraordinary achievement. Within its pages, Patrick Ness creates a complex other world, giving himself and the reader great scope to consider big questions about life, love and how we communicate, as well as the horrors of war, and the good and evil that mankind is capable of. It's also an enthralling read that is well nigh impossible to put down...this is a novel that both stands alone, and stands out".

Patrick Ness is an American but has lived in the UK since 1999. The son of a drill sergeant in the US Army, he spent his early years in Hawaii, before moving with his family to the state of Washington when he was six.

The full 2011 Carnegie Medal shortlist (here)

The Kate Greenaway Medal

'FArTHER' by Grahame Baker-Smith (Templar)

Grahame Baker-Smith has won the 2011 Kate Greenaway Medal. A father who had always dreamed of flying went off to war and didn't return. His son decides to make his father's dreams come true. The book tells the moving story of how the boy tries to fulfil his father's unfulfilled dream of flying. The story demonstrates the power of love and ambition when faced with seemingly impossible goals.

The story was inspired both by the author's own father, and by being the father of a son himself. In an interview for 'Kids Book Review' he comments:

"FArTHER is the first book I’ve done that I feel has some real truth in it about the way I think about life and some of the complex relationships we all seem to insist on developing!"

Baker-Smith uses traditional media like watercolour, acrylic, pastel and ink, but he also uses fimo and other materials to create images. He then uses photography and Photoshop to create the unique images that make up this book. His unique style will excite young readers.

Like a number of recent books for children, 'FArTHER' has a metaphysical dimension to it which will also stimulate the imagination of readers. As the Chair of the judging panel, Ferelith Hordon, indicated:

"FArTHER is a beautifully conceived picture book with a dream-like quality that captures the imagination of readers of all ages. Its wealth of detail conveys both dark emotions: the storms of war and weather, and a powerful sense of loss and bereavement; but also a great sense of hope, particularly as vested in future generations".

Grahame Baker-Smith lives in Bath and has worked as an illustrator for over 30 years. Throughout the 1980s and 90s, he made a living as an illustrator of other people's work, doing book jackets, covers, and even advertising. He then wrote 'Jo-Jo's Journey' (a comic-style story), a version of 'The Velveteen Rabbit' and later, 'Little Pilot.' None of these sold in any great quantities. He thought his career as an illustrator and author was over before it truly started, but then just five years ago, he evolved a new style. The first book in this style was 'Leon and the Place Between' and it was immediately shortlisted for the 2010 Kate Greenaway Medal. 'FArTHER' is the second book in this wonderful new style. This wonderful new book will stimulate the imaginations of children aged 7+.

Full 2011 Kate Greenaway Shortlist (here)