Inspiring Resources and Love that Dog

Since I wanted to add in a few favorite resources and begin my blogroll, I decided my post could also relate to this topic.  I appreciate every email, Facebook post, and Tweet posted by these brilliant inspiring people.  They help me feel up to date, excited about books, my profession, and inspired to get a jump on the day.

A Fuse 8 Production
http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/afuse8production/
Read amazing reviews, thoughtful book related articles, and watch some incredible book trailers.

Anita Silvey’s Children’s Book-A-Day Almanac
http://childrensbookalmanac.com/
Wonderful books from past and present are celebrated daily, what more could you ask for?

The Unquiet Librarian
http://theunquietlibrarian.wordpress.com/
Prepare yourself to be overwhelmed with thoughtful, brilliant online resources.

The Book Chook
http://www.thebookchook.com/
Australian writer’s blog which has online resource ideas for the preschool age.  I always find those resources to be interesting for K-5 as well.

Watch. Connect. Read.
http://mrschureads.blogspot.com/
Explore children’s literature through book trailers.  And also find inspiration in every post for librarians and book lovers!

books4yourkids.com
http://www.books4yourkids.com/
Wonderful book reviews with great ideas in every post!

Poetry for Children
http://poetryforchildren.blogspot.com/
About finding and sharing poetry with young people.

I am lost in books
http://imlostinbooks.blogspot.com/
Ready for brilliant categories of books and inspiring ideas related to books?  Here’s a terrific blog I enjoy!

And now to follow through on my book postings:

In honor of both Walter Dean Myers being named national ambassador for young people’s literature today I thought taking a picture with Love that Dog by Sharon Creech was in order.  I adore this book and read it to numerous library classes.  I connect this beautiful piece of poetry with other brilliant books throughout the library and also follow up with Hate that Cat, the sequel.  In the book, the main character is quite inspired by a poem that Walter Dean Myers wrote.  See review for details below.

Also, I love the additional resources that are available for the book Love that Dog:

Book Discussion Questions from my favorite resource Multnomah County Library’s Talk it up! http://www.multcolib.org/talk/guides-love.html

Beautiful webpage by Sharon Creech which includes explanations on her inspiration:
http://www.sharoncreech.com/novels/01.asp

If you have a subscription to TeachingBooks.net, you can enjoy a smattering of brilliant inspirations but additionally watch a video Sharon Creech AND Walter Dean Myers, along with Avi and other terrific authors, read from Love that Dog- wow what a video that is!  Here’s a link to Sharon Creech reading aloud from Love that Dog:
http://www.teachingbooks.net/slideshows/creech/ReadsDogLetter.html 

Article from New York Times about Walter Dean Myers being named: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/03/books/walter-dean-myers-ambassador-for-young-peoples-literature.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2

–“On Tuesday Mr. Myers, 74, will be named the national ambassador for young people’s literature, a sort of poet laureate of the children’s book world who tours the country for two years, speaking at schools and libraries about reading and literacy.”

Amazon.com Review:  Newbery Medal winner Sharon Creech’s Love That Dog, a funny, sweet, original short novel written in free verse, introduces us to an endearingly unassuming, straight-talking boy who discovers the powers and pleasures of poetry. Against his will. After all, “boys don’t write poetry. Girls do.” What does he say of the famous poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”? “I think Mr. Robert Frost / has a little / too / much / time / on his / hands.” As his teacher, Ms. Stretchberry, introduces the canon to the class, however, he starts to see the light. Poetry is not so bad, it’s not just for girls, and it’s not even that hard to write. Take William Carlos Williams, for example: “If that is a poem / about the red wheelbarrow / and the white chickens / then any words / can be a poem. / You’ve just got to / make / short / lines.” He becomes more and more discerning as the days go by, and readers’ spirits will rise with Jack’s as he begins to find his own voice through his own poetry and through that of others. His favorite poem of all is a short, rhythmic one by Walter Dean Myers called “Love That Boy” (included at the end of the book with all the rest of Ms. Stretchberry’s assignments). The words completely captivate him, reminding him of the loving way his dad calls him in the morning and of the way he used to call his yellow dog, Sky. Jack’s reverence for the poem ultimately leads to meeting the poet himself, an experience he will never forget.
This winning, accessible book is truly remarkable in that Creech lets us witness firsthand how words can open doors to the soul. And this from a boy who asks, “Why doesn’t the person just / keep going if he’s got / so many miles to go / before he sleeps?” (Ages 8 to 12) –Karin Snelson –This text refers to the Hardcover edition.