EDRG 3321 Author

I usually prefer children's picture books but today I decided to go a different direction. I think this is a great author and holds a lot of potential. I heard him speak this past Friday at a library resource. Matt de la Pena has two books out and one should be released soon. He has a great story which allows young teens/adults to relate and may encourage reading. I have not read his books but bought two and will start reading soon. I'll keep you posted and let you know what I think. His personal story allowed me to connect with him. I think it is great to see the struggles of a Hispanic young man turn to triumph and become a great role model for young Latinos who have many similar struggles.

Matt de La Pena

http://www.mattdelapena.com/index.html

"A sad, sweet book about a young foster kid growing up on basketball and the streets." --Newsweek

Ball Don't Lie is now a motion picture and should be released soon!

"In this first-rate exploration of self-identity, Danny's growth as a baseball pitcher becomes a metaphor for the conflicts he must overcome due to his biracial heritage. Dialogue written in a coarse street vernacular and interwoven with Spanish . . . starts to feel familiar and warm, and their subtle tenderness becomes more apparent. This book a great pick for reluctant readers." --School Library Journal

EDRG 3321 Chp. 4

Responding to Literature held many truths. Our influences trigger the way we will respond to what we read. Many times our students may not have the background knowledge to connect with the book. It is vital on our presentation, the information we give to setup the story. As professor Pickett mentioned in class just giving them a book to read without a reason will not encourage a child to read. They have to have a reason or maybe a connection. I think it is also important for there to be commitment by the reader. Many times, especially middle school or high school, don't finish a book. I meet so many young students read part of a book and turn it in before they finish it. Why? I went to hear an author speak and he said give a writer a chance. Every writer is different and you should give the first 20 pages to get use to the style of writing. I also notice we stop reading to the kids after 5th or 6th grade. I think they need us the most at that time. We should be the example in our reading and continue to motivate them. The author I heard speak also mentioned adolescent do not want to work hard to picture what is in a book. They are use to the TV doing it for them. They have to learn how to get involved in a reading where you imagine every single character and the settings. The mind is beautiful and better then any movie director.

EDED 4310 Is Writing a Thing of the Past?

Call me old fashion but I will never think writing and reading will be a thing of the past. Regardless if technology continues to advance there will always be a need for reading. Writing I think may be a preference but in order for it to become obsolete; I think years and years will need to pass. Reading on the other hand is a must. How can anyone read what is on a computer screen? How will research be done? What about instruction based manuals for computers? In our textbooks it states expanding the definition of literacy not minimizing it. Yes, literacy is changing because new alternatives to communicating and educating is changing.
Technology is the main contribution to a change in literacy. We must be able to read, write, and be computer literate in order to function well in this world. To remove computer literacy will hinder an individual but can still function. If you remove writing an individual will really struggle but an individual can still mark an X for their signiture. Never to be taught how to write or spell is truly sad. To miss out on expressing ones views or feelings to another by writing is to be robbed. If reading is removed than individual will be lost and will always need to be dependent on another individual. I can't imagine not being able to read. To miss out on picking up a book and reading to your child is a bond which can never be replaced.
If one chooses to type instead write is an indviduals choice. To not allow an individual to choose is an injustice. To not require an indivdiual to learn to read is death of knowledge.

EDRG 3321 Chp. 3

Chapter 3 was fun in class. I enjoyed the group project in retelling the story. Comprehension is important to pick and can be tough. Children when first learning to read break up each word that by the time they reach the end of the sentence they have already forgotten what the read. I think this is the reason it is OK for children to read a book more than once. They become familiar with the words and understand what they are reading. We should want our students to feel comfortable and have feelings of achievement. Some books that are repetitive are nice because the first few words are the same but the last word in the sentence changes. The child will learn those few words and will recognize them each time they see them. A teacher once told me first we learn to read and then we read to learn.
Story maps, sketching, and writing to learn can make comprehension fun as mentioned on page 48 of the text. Allowing the child to express themselves in different ways is important to the type of learner they are. It also may encourage another child to read the book. It reminds of the show Reading Rainbow, which I loved, because they always had a child give a review of a book they read. Then they would follow by saying don't take my word for it. Reading needs to be enjoyed we should have the kids read and we should also read to them. We must be the example of how a sentence should be read and eventually they will mimic our expression when they read. Enjoyed the chapter and the tips.


FLY GUY


Synopsis
Fly Guy returns home to discover that Buzz has gone on a picnic without him! Sad and hungry, Fly Guy takes off in search of his favorite food. He gets shooed away from a hamburger, a pizza, a dog's bones, and even roadkill--leaving readers to guess what Fly Guy's favorite oozy, lumpy, smelly, and brown food could possibly be! Why, it's shoo-fly pie, of course! Using hyperbole, puns, slapstick, and silly drawings, bestselling author/illustrator Tedd Arnold creates an easy reader that is full of fun. With an eye-catching holographic foil cover, this is the third in a series of four books.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Shoo-Fly-Guy/Tedd-Arnold/e/9780439639057


AUTHOR

Ted Arnold has a great series for early readers. These groups of books introduce chapter reading and allows for the children to get hooked on series reading. Fly Guy has a funny story line along with a lesson to learn. Boys love this series and they really feel like big kids because they are reading "chapter books".

http://www.teddarnoldbooks.com/

Synopsis
"Flies can't play football," says the coach. But Fly Guy and Buzz are determined to prove him wrong. New readers will experience both pride and delight as they read the simple text and look at the funny pictures of Fly Guy trying to kick a football, go out for a pass, and tackle his friend Buzz. In the end Fly Guy scores and gets to do his hilarious touchdown dance.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Hooray-for-Fly-Guy/Tedd-Arnold/e/9780545007245/?itm=1&usri=h


Makes me want a pet fly!

EDRG 3321 Authors

After reading the chapters there were a few things I want to mention about the chapters before I mention some favorite authors. I must say the book looks really nice. I love the colors and all the cute designs. It makes it fun to read.
Chapter one really had some good points. I like the the whole examining your beliefs. I think we really need to know where we stand and think about the the type of teacher we are going to be. I think we'll probably change with time because knowledge does that. Just like parenting, there are things we learn as we go along and we tend not or do with our second child. I know I'm going to fail at times but I'm going to try really hard not to. If do I want to make sure I fix it.
I LOVE believing in the children portion. We can go no where if we don't believe in our students. Might as well not teach if this isn't #1.
Chapter 2 had something that I believe the whole book is going to have, an intro to authors and a pic of different children's book. It is great to learn about different books which can be used in the classroom. Chapter 2 also brings up a great point about bringing a diverse selection of books. I loved when my elementary teachers would read us books with recipes and then we would cook the food and EAT it! It was fun and we were exposed to different cultures.

So this brings me to my favorite picks. I love children's picture books. Here are just few:




Istvan Banyai


Has COOL books. Zoom allows you to think of the "bigger" picture. This can also help children think of their part in the world and we all play a role. This book is fun for all ages. It is colorful and no words. It allows the imagination to go wild.

Jaime Lee Curtis
She has such funny books. Kids love to see the silly pictures and of course they pick up on the message. It is ok to be themselves.
We are all different and we need to be happy with who we are.

http://www.jamieleecurtisbooks.com/iglm.html

Jan Brett

Her books are beautiful. She must love animals because she uses them so much. Her

pictures are classic and the stories are heartwarming. My favorite book is The Hat.

http://janbrett.com/bookstores/hat_book.htm

Hope you enjoyed my selections