Martina & Chrissie: The Greatest Rivalry in the History of Sports by Phil Bildner, illustrated by Bret Helquist

Phil Bildner writes about the rivalry between Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert with the enthusiasm of the sports lover that he is. This book reads in a conversational way that makes you feel like you're talking to your friends around the watercooler instead of reading a picture book biography.

This book also has the added benefit of having a demonstrable thesis statement to show students as an example of what it means to make a thesis and then support your argument. The thesis being this:

"...these two women formed the greatest rivalry in the history of sports. No, not the history of women's sports -- the history of ALL sports."

I can't wait to share this book with students. I may even challenge them to create their own thesis to argue whether they agree with Phil's or not. I'm sure there will be many students in my neck of the woods who would say that Michigan/Ohio State football is the greatest rivalry in sports, but as long as they can back up their thesis, at least I got them fired up and ready to argue. 

So not only is this a great picture book biography that gets students talking, but it is one that a teacher can approach as a mentor text in a variety of ways. I love when picture books give me easily identifiable writing lessons. 


Martina & Chrissie: The Greatest Rivalry in the History of Sports by Phil Bildner, illustrated by Bret Helquist
Expected publication: March 14, 2017
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Pages: 40
Format/Genre: Picture book biography
Audience: Middle Grade
Disclosure: Advance copy provided by publisher

If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound. 

It's Monday! What are you reading 2-27-17

It's Monday! What are you reading? Is a wonderful community of readers, teachers, and librarians. Hosted by Jen over at Teach Mentor Texts along with Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers, participants share their reading adventures from the past week along with their reading plans for the week ahead.

My Monday posts are generally just a highlight of what I've been reading during the week so if you'd like to see all that I've been reading, follow my Goodreads page.

Hi, friends. It's been a few weeks since I've done and It's Monday! post. I'm up to my eyeballs in Walden committee reading so it's difficult to navigate that along with maintaining a blog. So this week's post will be a small snippet of what I've been reading over the past few weeks.


I recently reviewed:

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds


Recent favorite picture book reads:

Leave Me Alone! by Vera Brosgol
An old grandmother just wants to be alone with her knitting but her grandkids won't leave her alone. She must go to extreme measures to find some peace and quiet. Hilarious and charming, this Caldecott honor is sure to be a read aloud hit. 


The House That Jane Built: A Story About Jane Addams by Tanya Lee Stone, illustrated by Kathryn Brown
A beautiful picture book biography about a woman who chose to move to a destitute part of Chicago to better the community. A true social justice heroine. 


Martina and Chrissie: The Greatest Rivalry in the History of Sports by Phil Bildner, illustrated by Brett Helquist
Full review coming soon


Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets by Kwame Alexander, Chris Colderley, and Marjory Wentworth, illustrated by Ekua Holmes
This is the ultimate mentor text. Not only is it a tribute to some amazing poets, but the style of each poem embodies the poet to whom is being paid tribute. You can be sure I will be pulling this book out during Poetry Month.


I finished reading:

Up from the Sea by Leza Lowitz
An intriguing novel in verse about a young man who loses his family in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan

Advance Review: Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

When Will's brother Shawn is killed, Will knows that he must avenge his brother's death. So he grabs the gun out of Shawn's dresser drawer, gets on the elevator to leave his apartment building, and over the course of the next six floors and 60 seconds, Will is stunned by who gets on the elevator with him at each floor.

The fact that this novel takes place over a single minute AND is a novel in verse is both innovative and gusty. Major props to you, Mr. Reynolds. However, I'm sure there will no doubt be people who read this book and spend their time overanalyzing the time frame,  saying, "This couldn't possibly have happened over a single minute." I was certainly temped to do that very thing. And who knows? Maybe those overanalyzers are right. But here's why I chose not to overthink Reynolds's stylistic choice: If I did, I'd be missing the point. The point is that Will has only six floors convince himself that he's doing the right thing by following "The Rules" of his family and neighborhood. In a single minute, he is on his way to enacting vigilante justice for his brother and possibly ruining his own future. This complex moral crisis is not the time to nitpick on timelines. It's a literary convention. As readers, let's just appreciate how it helps move the story forward.

I was elated that a friend of mine who works for Simon & Schuster and knows what a huge Jason Reynolds fan I am sent me the bound manuscript of his newest YA novel. I can't go too long without getting my Jason Reynolds fix, you see. But here is the downside of getting to read such an early copy of the book: I HAVE NO ONE TO TALK TO ABOUT IT! And I need to talk to someone. What the heck happened at the end?! I guess I'll just have to wait until someone else reads it before a consensus can be reached (or perhaps a spirited disagreement. Who knows?)


Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Expected Publication: October 17, 2017
Publisher: Atheneum
Pages: 240
Genre/Format: Realistic Fiction/Novel in Verse
Audience: Young Adult
Disclosure: Bound manuscript provided by publisher

If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound. 

It's Monday! What are you reading? 2-6-17

It's Monday! What are you reading? Is a wonderful community of readers, teachers, and librarians. Hosted by Jen over at Teach Mentor Texts along with Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers, participants share their reading adventures from the past week along with their reading plans for the week ahead.

My Monday posts are generally just a highlight of what I've been reading during the week so if you'd like to see all that I've been reading, follow my Goodreads page.


Currently reading:

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
A friend of mine at Simon & Schuster who knows how much I love Jason Reynolds sent me the bound manuscript of his newest YA novel. It's in verse  The premise is that it takes place in only a few seconds as the main character is going down an elevator on his way to shoot the guy who killed his brother. Did I mention it's in verse? It is amazing, y'all. Getting boxes of books for the Walden Award committee makes for some pretty awesome book mail, but I gotta say, this is the best book mail I've ever gotten. :)


Still reading with my ears:

Anna and the Swallow Man by Gavriel Savit
This has been a great book to listen to on my commute to and from work every day. I'm really enjoying the 2017 Odyssey winner.
  

Picture books I enjoyed last week:

Boo Who? by Ben Clanton 
Sprinkles, Gizmo, Wild, and Rex are back. This time, Rex is behaving himself and the foursome lets a new friend join their group. But Boo doesn't seem to fit in-- because, well, he's hard to see. If you loved Rex Wrecks It (and if you didn't, we can't be friends) then don't miss Boo Who? It hits bookstores in August.   


XO, Ox by Adam Rex illustrated by Scott Campbell 
Clever, funny, and adorable. Adam Rex is a longtime favorite author of mine and his recent picture books have been home runs.  


We March by Shane W. Evans  
This book is stunning. Spare in text but full of meaning and emotion.  
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