By Kourtney LaFavre As a teacher, one of my top priorities is to help children retain their innate sense of wonder and develop their thinking skills. I want students to leave my classroom with the abilities to notice the things around them, ask questions, make predictions and observations so that they can think for themselves. So in my early elementary classrooms, you will hear me asking students many questions:
And the second goal was to invite and encourage readers to wonder about the world around them, ask questions, and make discoveries. In the next two spreads, you can see how Saki did an incredible job of incorporating great visuals to represent curiosity and wonder. And the text is inviting readers to start thinking like a scientist. These types of STEM picture books are wonderful tools in the classroom and at home, to spark discussions about the key pieces to scientific thinking: observation, making predictions, forming ideas, and finding possible solutions. And there are so many wonderful books that demonstrate and encourage scientific thinking. Main characters that ask a lot of questions and complete their own science experiments, like ADA TWIST SCIENTIST (and all the other characters from THE QUESTIONEERS SERIES by Andrea Beaty and illustrated by David Roberts) celebrate their characters for their thinking abilities. I hope these examples are helpful for you in writing and creating STEM books that encourage and celebrate scientific thinking. Here's some further reading and more suggestions: https://kidminds.org/books-to-inspire-kids-to-think-like-scientists/ Thank you for stopping by! Happy reading and writing!
35 Comments
by Bryan Patrick Avery It’s summertime! That means different things to different people but, for me, it means I’m setting out on the road. My summers, in addition to being filled with travel, are generally spent on deadline. This summer is no exception. So, how do I make sure I can keep up my writing schedule when I travel? Simple: I use basic, easy to carry tools that get the job done. This month, I’ll open up my backpack and share my travel must have. Blackwing Pencils Every published story or book I’ve written started life in a Blackwing pencil. I still write longhand before typing a word into my computer. The way my hand and brain are connected helps me tap into my creativity. Blackwing pencils have a stories history and have been used by Chuck Jones (of Looney Tunes fame), John Steinbeck, and Shamus Culhane (Walt Disney Co.) among others. These are the highest quality pencils I’ve ever used and they feel amazing. Be warned, if you start writing with a Blackwing pencil, you might not ever want to use anything else. Moleskine Cahier Notebooks What started as an impulse buy at Costco has become a necessity for me. These softcover notebooks are perfect for writing. The paper is smooth and provides the perfect surface for my Blackwing pencils. Everything manuscript I’ve written over the past several years was written, first, in a Cahier notebook. They have different sizes (from pocket size to XL) which allow you to choose the best size for your style and needs. I use the XL size (which is still very easy to travel with. If you’re looking for a sturdy but portable notebook, try the Moleskine Cahier. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II If, like me, you like to shut out the world around you while you’re writing, you’ve probably tried noise cancelling headphones or earbuds. I absolutely love my QuietComfort Earbuds II from Bose. The noise cancelling feature works really well. Plus, you can adjust the level of cancellation if you need to hear at least a little bit of what is happening around you. In addition to that, if you have trouble finding earbuds that fit you (as I do), these come with multiple customizing attachments to help you get the perfect fit. I love them, and I think you will too. Microsoft Surface Pro with Pen At some point in my travels, I’ll need to review a contract, answer an email, or type up a manuscript. That’s where my Surface Pro comes in. On my second Surface Pro over the past decade and I wouldn’t use anything else. It has all the power of a top of the line laptop but takes up half the space (and weight). With the detachable keyboard and Surface Pen, I can do anything I need to do to keep my writing career moving forward. In just the past few months, I reviewed and signed a contract, submitted two different outlines to one of my editors, hosted a webinar, and reviewed and commented on galleys for an upcoming release. I don’t know where I’d be without it. If you’re looking for a versatile computer to meet all your writing needs, I highly recommend the Microsoft Surface Pro. Well, that’s all for this month. Happy writing (and traveling) and have a magical month. Bryan Patrick Avery is an award-winning poet and author of more than a dozen books for children including the middle grade collective biography, BLACK MEN IN SCIENCE, illustrated by Nikita Leanne and THE FREEMAN FIELD PHOTOGRAPH, illustrated by Jerome White. Bryan is also the author of the middle-grade story, “The Magic Day Mystery”, which appears in SUPER PUZZLETASTIC MYSTERIES, the Jake Maddox JV Mysteries OFF BASE and SOCCER SUSPICIONS, the early chapter book series, MR. GRIZLEY’S CLASS, illustrated by Arief Putra, and the picture books EARL LEARNS A LESSON and MAX’S MAGIC CHANGE, both illustrated by Roman Diaz. He is the 2021 recipient of the SCBWI Work in Progress Award for his chapter book mystery THE ROBOT IN THE LIBRARY. Bryan serves on the Board of Directors of the Northern California Chapter of Mystery Writers of America and is an Amplify Black Stories Fellow, a joint program presented by the Brown Bookshelf and the Highlights Foundation. Bryan lives in Northern California with his family. By Melissa Stoller Where I live, June is the start of summer. School is finished for many students, teachers, and librarians, and long, light-filled summer days stretch out, ready for vacations and other adventures. Summer can be a wonderful time to gather inspiration for story ideas. Image from CANVA Here are a few prompts to help you get started:
Now it’s your turn! Happy JUNE! Let me know in the comments how you find ideas this summer. MELISSA’S BIO: Melissa Stoller writes to bring connection, joy, and a bit of magic to her readers. She is the author of the chapter book series The Enchanted Snow Globe Collection - Return to Coney Island, and the picture books Scarlet’s Magic Paintbrush; Ready, Set, GOrilla!; Sadie’s Shabbat Stories; Planting Friendship: Peace, Salaam, Shalom; and Building Bridges: Peace, Salaam, Shalom (co-written with Callie Lovvorn and Shirin Rahman). Melissa is a Blogger and Course Assistant for the Children’s Book Academy, a Rate Your Story Judge, a volunteer with SCBWI/MetroNY, a Book Meshuggenahs member, a Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center Advisory Council member, and a past school and synagogue Trustee. She also interviews authors and offers resources on her blog. In other chapters of her life, Melissa has worked as a lawyer, legal writing instructor, freelance writer/editor, and early childhood educator. She lives in New York City with her family, and enjoys theatre, museums, and Central Park walks. Melissa is represented by Jonathan Rosen at The Seymour Agency. CONNECT WITH MELISSA: https://www.MelissaStoller.com https://www.MelissaStoller.com/blog http://www.facebook.com/MelissaStoller www.twitter.com/melissastoller www.instagram.com/Melissa_Stoller www.pinterest.com/melissa_Stoller By Shirin Shamsi Sometimes a smell, a taste, or even an old song can bring alive a memory that has lain dormant in the deepest recesses of my mind. Moments like this stop me in my tracks. They’re a powerful reminder that we have treasures within us, treasures of memories that can be repackaged and used in our writing. In fact, I believe everything we experience can be used as writing material. I’m not saying we should all be writing memoirs. What I mean is simply that all the rich material, that is stored in our memory banks, can be recycled and used in many ways. An example of this can be found in my current work-in-progress, a middle grade novel (happily I have just finished a rough draft!) I was stuck on a scene. It didn’t quite resonate, and wasn’t working for me. It wasn’t authentic enough, in fact it left me feeling emotionally distant. I figured I wasn’t able to put myself fully into the protagonist’s shoes. After struggling for a while, I dug into my memory banks for the emotional and sensory details of something parallel to what I wanted my protagonist to feel. And Voila! It added layers of emotion to the scene, and brought it to life (I hope the editor feels the same way about it)! I must say, it was a gratifying moment. By using sensory details and emotions from memories of long ago, I was able to bring the character’s experience to life on the page. What gold nuggets will you find in your memory banks?
by Bryan Patrick Avery I became a lifelong reader, and lover of mysteries, thanks to the Bobbsey Twins. I read every one of Laura Lee Hope’s books featuring the crime-solving kids until I ran out of books to read. I turned my attention to other series and authors, but the Bobbsey Twins is where it all started for me. It should be no surprise, then, that I eventually turned my attention to writing for kids and that I spend a good deal of time writing mysteries. Each May, I read the five middle grade mysteries nominated for the Edgar Award for Best Juvenile Mystery and every year, in addition to reading some fantastic books, I learn something that I can apply to my own writing. This month, I’ll share what I learned with you. THE AREA 51 FILES written by Julie Buxbaum illustrated by Lavanya Naidu What I learned: Humor Readers love humor and there’s no shortage of it in this book. On a secret military base filled with aliens there are plenty of opportunities to create funny characters (i.e. the Zdstrammars, little bubbles who talk way too loud) and situations (i.e. car chases in golf carts that can only go 25 miles per hour). If you’re looking for ways to inject a fee laughs into your book, check out THE AREA 51 FILES. MURDER ON THE SAFARI STAR written by M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman What I learned: Pacing Most of us struggle with pacing at some point. The Safari Star is a moving train, traveling through Southern Africa. The story is literally on the move. How do the authors keep the story well-paced? They take actual breaks in the train trip. This is done by injecting safari excursions into the trip which provide a change of pace to the story and gives the reader a break from what could otherwise be a monotonous ride down the tracks. THE SWALLOWTAIL LEGACY – WRECK AT ADA’S REEF written by Michael D. Beil What I learned: Setting Of the five nominees this year, SWALLOWTAIL is to me, the most atmospheric. This is due, in no small part, to how Beil establishes the setting. Set on Swallowtail Island, the reader is giving an engrossed tour of the island which pulls them into the story. This isn’t done through lots of exposition, though. It’s done as the characters interact with one another and the island. The setting truly becomes another character in the story, influencing choices and introducing obstacles. If you need help with establishing setting (who doesn’t?) check out this book. CHESTER KEENE CRACKS THE CODE written by Kekla Magoon What I learned: Emotion I personally struggle at times with character emotions so I loved this book. In addition to being a terrific book, it’s a masterclass in allowing emotion to reveal character. Too often, characters react in ways that make logical sense outside of the story but don’t make much sense in the context of the book. Magoon does a terrific job of helping us understand Chester’s emotional state as the book moves along so that we anticipate his emotions. In fact, readers will wait in suspense for one particular meltdown we know is coming even before Chester does. I can’t recommend this book enough. AGGIE MORTON MYSTERY QUEEN – THE SEASIDE CORPSE written by Marthe Jocelyn illustrated by Isabelle Follath What I learned: Character This year’s Edgar Award winner is an outstanding example of developing a cast of characters for a book. Not only are no too characters alike, their differences drive the conflict we see in the story, further revealing things about themselves, and others, along the way. The disrespectful husband antagonizes his talented and motivated wife. The entitled American businessman fights with the circus owner who’s a man of the people. All of the characters have a story which get revealed, page by page, as we read along. If you’re looking for examples of well developed characters, look no further than THE SEASIDE CORPSE. Well, that’s all for this month. I recommend you check out these books, or other award nominees and winners, to see what you can learn. Happy writing and have a magical month. Bryan Patrick Avery is an award-winning poet and author of more than a dozen books for children including the middle grade collective biography, BLACK MEN IN SCIENCE, illustrated by Nikita Leanne and THE FREEMAN FIELD PHOTOGRAPH, illustrated by Jerome White. Bryan is also the author of the middle-grade story, “The Magic Day Mystery”, which appears in SUPER PUZZLETASTIC MYSTERIES, the Jake Maddox JV Mysteries OFF BASE and SOCCER SUSPICIONS, the early chapter book series, MR. GRIZLEY’S CLASS, illustrated by Arief Putra, and the picture books EARL LEARNS A LESSON and MAX’S MAGIC CHANGE, both illustrated by Roman Diaz. He is the 2021 recipient of the SCBWI Work in Progress Award for his chapter book mystery THE ROBOT IN THE LIBRARY. Bryan serves on the Board of Directors of the Northern California Chapter of Mystery Writers of America and is an Amplify Black Stories Fellow, a joint program presented by the Brown Bookshelf and the Highlights Foundation. Bryan lives in Northern California with his family. |
We are so excited to be mixing things up at CBA, beginning with some delicious additions to the Blogfish. Meet our awesome bloggers!!
Here's our lineup: 1st Mondays begin with awesome Aussie debut author and former student Amanda Lieber who will be focusing on Aussie kidlit. 2nd Mondays will feature super smart Melissa Stoller whose career is taking off with several new books. 3rd Mondays will feature our new blogger coming soon. 4th Mondays features new blogger, the fabulous Brentom Jackson, who has a beautiful approach to blogging. And 5th Mondays we'll be taking a break Archives
March 2024
|