The Many Faces...

Storyteller John Weaver manga-fied by Alan Bosco Ocampo

Two Greats on NPR: Jon Scieszka & Dave Barry

NPR’s “Weekend Edition” is always a great listen, but the Saturday, November 29 broadcast was especially so—at least for lovers of children’s literature. The program featured two of my favorites, Jon Scieszka and Dave Barry.

Scieszka is the Library of Congress National Ambassador to Children's Literature, and of course the author of “The Time Warp Trio” series, “The True Story of the Three Little Pigs,” “The Stinky Cheese Man,” the new “Truck Town” series for little ones & so much more.

Humorist Dave Barry has been reinventing himself as a talented children’s author over the last few years as co-writer of a new and exciting series of Peter Pan adventures. His new book for middle-schoolers is called “Science Fair.”

The “Weekend Edition Saturday” pieces were funny & informative, and you can listen to them online—as well as read excerpts from their new books—at www.npr.org.

Author Spotlight: MO WILLEMS

I’ve been a big Mo Willems fan since well before I ever heard his name.

Watching “Sesame Street” in the late 90s with my son, we’d laugh at the “Suzy Kabloozy” cartoons, so hilariously voiced by Ruth Buzzi. Willems (Suzy’s creator) was a writer on the program at the time—an Emmy-award-winning writer. He went on to create still more TV cartoons before leaving the field to pursue his career as an author.

This year, Mo Willems won another honor: the American Library Association’s Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for “most distinguished American book for beginning readers.” The medal honors “There is a Bird on Your Head,” a new entry in Willems’ “Elephant and Piggie” series, a hilarious line about two very good friends.

The Elephant & Piggie stories are indeed great beginning reader books, as they contain simple, large text, repeated ideas, and very appealing cartoony illustrations. The books are also fun read-alouds, giving parents and teachers the opportunity have a great time giving voice to these two silly characters! What’s more, free teachers’ guides are available online, with discussion questions, extension ideas & activity sheets, at http://www.pigeonpresents.com.

I hope you already know that pigeon from that URL—he’s the star of the Caldecott Honor-winning book “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus,” the first of a growing number of comic Pigeon adventures, and certainly another home & classroom must-read! Read the books together, create voices, and let the children talk back to the books—they’ll love it.

While you’re looking up Mo Willems’ books at your library, don’t forget to pick up the “Knuffle Bunny” books, “Leonardo the Terrible Monster,” “Time to Say ‘Please,’” and whatever else you can find. You’ll have as much fun reading them as the kids will have listening—and that’s why I present them here. Happy Reading!

Author Spotlight: Margie Palatini

Here’s an author for you to look up on your next library visit—in fact, click on the library website right now & have them put a few of her books aside for you!

Margie Palatini has been making readers laugh for years now, with picture books loaded cover-to-cover with humor designed to appeal to adults as much as their kids—just like I like it! Zoom Broom, for instance, has a long riff on the classic Abbot & Costello “Who’s on First” routine (parents, if you don’t get the reference, hand the book to Grandma & head immediately to YouTube). The Web Files deserves a deadpan, “Dragnet”-style delivery. Classic characters get new twists, everyday situations spin out of control, and silly wordplay is the norm!

By the time you’ve taken home several library copies of Palatini’s books, I’m sure your family will have found some real keepers. To add something extra to your experience of the stories, download the activities and study guides at www.margiepalatini.com.

Hey DIYers: Here's how to fill your family activity calendar!

A few simple tips:

1) Get event calendars from the libraries in your area.

2) Pick up Bay Area Parent and Parents’ Press, the free publications generally available at supermarkets, libraries & preschools. They have monthly family event calendars, sometimes also available at their websites.

3) Visit http://www.bayareakidfun.com/.

4) The newspaper! Pick it up and read it every day.

4) Think about where you might like to see an event: a particular city? A certain zoo, museum, or shopping center? Look the place up online (for cities, enter “visitors bureau” and similar terms). Your own city likely has an online event calendar.

Simple! Before you know it, people will be asking you where you find all the great local events!

Catch the Reading Bug? Looks Like the Reading Bug's Caught ME!

John with Peter Rabbit, Children's Fairyland, Oakland

The latest buzz:


“You have a way of bringing literature to life in a way that makes your audience part of the story. Our students always have a great time watching, and listening, and never get tired of seeing you perform.”
--Croce Elementary PTA, Livermore


“I just wanted to thank you again…you did an AWESOME job! I could’ve listened to stories for a lot longer. Looking at the children while they were listening…they were having a blast. They had huge smiles on their faces and a twinkle in their eye! …(the) parents I talked to all thought you were great…and we had a fantastic turnout.”
–Krey Elementary, Brentwood

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream...a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

(Image from the book "Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr." by Doreen Rappaport & Bryan Collier, published by Hyperion)

Martin Luther King, Jr.: The Legacy of a Leader

http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/mlk/news/index.asp?article=mlk

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service

http://www.mlkday.gov