Hooray for Flora & Ulysses!! Winner of the 2014 Newbery Medal (ages 8-12)

Wow-oh-wow!! It's been an exciting week telling kids about the news that Flora & Ulysses won the Newbery Award. Our students have loved this story since they first started reading it last fall and they started bounding back to the library exclaiming how fantastic it is.

Flora & Ulysses is just the sort of book that adds a bounce to your step and a smile to your face.

Here are some of the comments our book club made when they first started discussing it:

• "I loved the characters, especially Ulysses. It was so ironic and not-normal--you can only get this from a book. It was unexpected and unrealistic. But also realistic at the same time."
• I asked whether Flora change or develop in the book. Naomi said, "Her love for her mom changes throughout the book. Flora didn’t really know the truth about the situation between her parents. Her dad changed--he was unexpected. Underneath an ordinary businessman was a superhero, in a way."
• Bella E. said, "I liked the fact the squirrel crashed into the window - it makes it more realistic. The author played it for humor as well. The wacky words didn’t bother me because I got the sense it was a wacky type of story."
• Ben said, "Wacky, weird, amazing! One of my favorites I’ve ever read. My favorite moment is when Flora’s dad had a really fat cat on his head -- it was funny & entertaining. It seemed like a point when Ulysses was established as a superhero." 
• Ruby agrees: "INCANDESTO!"
• Naomi added, "My favorite person was William Spiver because he was really important, even though he didn’t have that large part of the story. Without him, it wouldn't be that weird and funny."
• Julia said, "You thought it would be just all wacky and silly, but it was actually deeper than I thought it was going to be. The relationship between Flora and Ulysses--I didn’t really expect it to be like that. It was also mysterious because you didn’t always know exactly who the characters were."

As I write this, I'm drawn back to a wonderful post written by Amy Koester, a friend and wonderful children's librarian, which she titled "On Giving Readers Credit". Amy talked about hearing Jasper Fforde speak about how once a book is shared, it is no longer just the author's creation. When a book goes out into the world, it creates a unique experience within each reader. Amy wrote, 

"Readers are active participants in the world of the book, and it is their participation that makes the story so rich for them."

As we all celebrate the Flora and Ulysses winning the 2014 Newbery Medal, I want to keep in my heart the joy seeing readers bound into the library full of enthusiasm.

Many many thanks to my Mock Newbery book club students for the joy, thoughtfulness and camaraderie they brought to all our meetings. Also thanks to Betsy Bird who gave Emerson kids a shout-out on her Post Game Show over at SLJ's Fuse Eight.

Many thanks to Candlewick and all the publishers who supported our Mock Newbery at Emerson. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

©2014 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

Mock Newbery discussions at Emerson: Final 2014 Results

Kids always amaze me. They come to discussions full of energy and enthusiasm, with fresh eyes. Our final Mock Newbery discussion was rich, thoughtful and passionate. I'll start with our process and discussion, and then move (quickly!) to our voting results.

Emerson 2014 Mock Newbery notes

One of the biggest challenges is comparing such different books--and books we've read over the span of 4+ months. We worked in pairs to fill out a simple chart that helped us focus on the essential literary qualities the Newbery Committee will be considering. Our goal was to think about which book exemplified a distinguished contribution to American children's literature for each quality.

We spoke about each element, citing specific ways we felt the different books were outstanding examples. For example, Ben felt that Swanson developed excellent characters in "The President Has Been Shot!" Ben said,

"I think Swanson really changed perspectives and you could feel like you were Lee Harvey Oswald, having a tough life and then switching to JFK and being the president." 

Bella held firm to her opinion that it was difficult to connect to the characters in this nonfiction book, instead putting forth the example of Serafina:

"The author helped us go inside of Serafina and understand her feelings and emotions."

Natalie agreed, especially noting that she could empathize with Serafina "because she had to go through a rough life, but she still tried to see the happy things in it, not just the miserable."

Julia felt that Kirby Larson kept the plot moving perfectly in Duke:

"I thought Duke was really well paced because it didn’t really drag on about anything, but kept your interest."

Our other Bella noted that Amy Timberlake used the plot and pacing to draw us into understanding the character in One Came Home: "It really laid out the plot so you got to understand the character and why she had to figure out this mystery, and then her personality made the things she did more realistic." Naomi liked the plot twists that kept readers engaged, especially the fiasco involving the counterfeit money.

Our discussion went on to cover setting, language and themes as well. We focused on positive examples, but also brought up examples where we felt the books were weak. This structure helped us talk about the literary qualities in each book, and not just our individual emotional reactions.

Drum roll please -- we all were eager to see how the votes came in --

Emerson School Mock Newbery Medal:

• Serafina’s Promise, by Ann E. Burg

Emerson School Mock Newbery Honors:

• Flora & Ulysses, by Kate DiCamillo

• One Came Home, by Amy Timberlake

• Counting by 7s, by Holly Goldberg Sloan

• "The President Has Been Shot!", by James L. Swanson

Six of our ten members voted for Serafina's Promise as one of their top three books of the year. This title has certainly been recognized by library journals (it's one of Kirkus Review's best of the year), but hasn't made it to other Mock Newbery ballots. For a great round-up, check out Betsy Bird's post at Fuse #8.

So we're all now all-a-twitter over which books will be honored by the Newbery Committee. I'll certainly be watching the ALA Youth Media Awards live broadcast here:

ALA YOUTH MEDIA AWARDS
DATE: January 27, 2014
TIME: 8 A.M. (EST)
WEBCAST: Click here

Many thanks to my terrific book club at Emerson, my intrepid partner Armin Arethna, and all the publishers who supported our endeavor. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

©2014 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

Mock Newbery discussions at Emerson: Part 5

Our students noted three books for their character development: Counting by 7s, The Real Boy and Jinx. The characters in each of these books spoke to our students and stretched their thinking. I also noticed how discussions about the characters often turned into deeper discussions about theme, another important element that the Newbery Committee will consider.

Counting By 7s

by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Dial / Penguin, 2013

ages 9-14

*best new book*

Amazon

your local library

Twelve year-old Willow Chance is a character who bore her way into our readers' hearts. "Ms. Scheuer, Ms. Scheuer! You have to add Counting by 7s to our Newbery list!!"

Willow has trouble making friends and feels most comfortable at home. When we meet her, she's just starting sessions with a hapless school counselor, Dell Duke. Suddenly, a car crash kills both of Willow's parents and she's left totally alone. Willow is with Dell and another one of his students, Mai, when she finds out.

Sloan brings us right into Willow's perspective through first person narrative. This is what we read when Willow hears about her parents:

"My teeth start to chatter.
I want to shut my eyes and make everything stop.
I no longer care if my heart pounds in my chest or if my lungs move."

One of the things I liked best about this novel is how each of the characters changed, and how each person impacted the people around them. They all start off living very isolated lives, but by the end they have come together as a family.

At times, I wondered if Willow actually sounded like a twelve year old child, but she was very convincing to my students. She's a character who will stay with them in their hearts for a long time.

The Real Boy
by Anne Ursu
Walden Pond Press / HarperCollins, 2013
ages 9-12
*best new book*
Amazon
your local library

Oscar is another isolated character who found his way into our readers' hearts, this time in a fantasy setting with many echoes of a classic hero's journey. Oscar's world falls apart when his master, the magician Caleb, is killed and people look to Oscar to continue supplying herbs and potions to cure them.

I wish I had taken more notes during my talks with Julia about The Real Boy. She's a thoughtful, soft-spoken reader who is passionate that "more people need to read The Real Boy!" Her observations deepened my appreciation of this book, especially for Oscar's courage and inner-strength. At times, I had trouble following all of the twists in the plot, but Julia was taken right into Oscar's fully realized world.

Jinx
by Sage Blackwood
HarperCollins, 2013
ages 9-12
*best new book*
Amazon
your local library

Jinx is another character who's an outsider in his world, an orphan who must find his own way. Noticing any themes here? It's a common one in middle grade literature--kids can certainly relate to those feelings. All three of these characters find their inner strength, connecting to a friend who proves an important ally.

Jinx is a more fast-paced fantasy than The Real Boy, and it appealed to our readers who love exciting stories. They loved the magic and danger in Jinx's world, as he battled the evil wizard known as the Bonemaster. I imagine the underlying environmental themes also appealed to our readers, although they did not say that. Instead, they talked about liking a world where the trees could talk to us and tell us how they were feeling.

When I read Jinx, I was struck that some of the dialog seemed too colloquial, but this did not bother any of our students. They were swept away by this exciting fantasy and are eagerly awaiting the sequel, Jinx's Magic.

Each of these books had its champions in our group, and none had enough readers to really engage in a full discussion. In just three months, I could only ask our readers to commit to reading five books. While the Newbery Committee will certainly read each of the titles on their list, I'm sure that some will receive more discussion than others.

Many thanks to Penguin and Harper Collins for sharing review copies with us. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

©2014 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

Mock Newbery discussions at Emerson: Part 4

Our Mock Newbery list stretched readers to try out books they may not have been drawn to initially. Two historical fiction books particularly struck our readers: Duke, set during World War II, and One Came Home, set in rural Wisconsin in 1871.

Duke
by Kirby Larson
Scholastic, 2013
ages 8-12
*best new book*
Amazon
your public library

Hobie Hanson misses his dad who's away flying fighter planes in World War II, but he tries to think about what he can do to help the war effort. Sure, he can buy war stamps and help collect tin and rubber to recycle. But his mettle is truly tested when he decides to donate his beloved German shepherd, Duke, to Dogs for Defense.

Our students often connect to animal stories, especially ones about pets, so I was happy to include Duke in our selection. It was also very important to me to include a story with a boy as the main character. In this video, author Kirby Larson talks about her passion writing this story.




Students noted that the setting is a definite strength in Duke. Larson incorporates historical details in a way that really place you in the time -- from the cookies Hobie ate to the radio shows he listened to. These details helped us understand just why Hobie would do something as difficult as send away his beloved dog.

Some students felt that the characters could have been fleshed out a little more. Bella talked about how she wished the story was written from Hobie's first person perspective (don't you love it the way our kids are talking in these writerly terms!!). We got into a great discussion comparing the perspectives in Duke, Flora & Ulysses and Serafina's Promise. Others also noticed that the secondary characters did not come to life as much as they did in Flora & Ulysses. Mitch was clearly a bully, but he wasn't really distinct as a character. Nonetheless, the plot, setting and themes resonated to keep Duke a real favorite of our group.

One Came Home
by Amy Timberlake
Alfred A. Knopf/Random House, 2013
ages 9-13
Amazon
your public library

One Came Home starts off with punch, but then slowly builds the setting and situation, reeling you in.

"'So it comes to this,' I remember thinking on Wednesday, June 7, 1871. The date sticks in my mind because it was the day of my sister's first funeral and I knew it wasn't her last--which is why I left."

Thirteen-year-old Georgie goes heads out of town to search for her sister Agatha, even though everyone else believes she's dead. After all, they found a body wearing her dress.

Our Mock Newbery club felt Timberlake's plot and pacing were certainly distinguished. As Bella E. said,

"It really laid out the plot so you got to understand the character and why she had to figure out this mystery. Then her personality made the things she did more realistic."

Naomi and Natalie particularly liked the plot twists that kept you guessing. Overall, the kids felt that the setting, with its focus on pigeoning, was a bit confusing at times and didn't add to the story as much as in Serafina's Promise. I remember some had trouble getting into One Came Home and understanding the set up of the mystery. I think they got hooked on the story once Georgie leaves in search of Agatha and has to figure out the mystery on her own.

I particularly like this trailer, made by Melissa McAvoy, a friend and fellow librarian:


Many thanks to Random House and Scholastic for sharing review copies with us. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

©2014 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

Mock Newbery discussions at Emerson: Part 3

We really liked the format of our Mock Newbery book club this year. Each student committed to reading five books from our list of ten books, but we read them at our own pace. We did this because we only had two copies of each book, but I loved the side effects. Kids took their reading suggestions from each other, listening to what others raved about. Some got "buzz" and others fell flat. Our students came back raving about Serafina's Promise, but none really responded to Doll Bones. I would have never predicted that.

Serafina's Promise
by Ann E. Burg
Scholastic, 2013
*best new book*
ages 9-13
Amazon
your public library

Serafina dreams of becoming a doctor, but she knows that she must go to school to reach her dream. This is no easy feat in modern rural Haiti. How can she do this when her mother needs her help at home, especially with a new baby on the way? Ann E. Burg writes in free verse poetry, conveying Serafina's struggles in sparse, effective language.

Teachers and librarians might find these two resources interesting:

• an interview with Burg on the CBC Diversity blog
• a Common Core guide which Burg developed for Serafina's Promise

Our students were immediately drawn to Serafina and could connect with her situation, even though it was so different from their own. Several connected it to Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai, a Newbery Honor book from 2012 -- partly because of the use of free verse poetry, but also because of the way both drew readers into a character's situation.

Ben expressed surprise that Burg "got us hooked on the situation so quickly through poetry." 

Our group agreed that the setting was also a definite strength of Serafina's Promise. Not only could they could imagine being in Haiti, several talked about what an integral part of the story the setting was.

"With some books, it could happen anywhere. With this, you knew it was definitely happening in Haiti." 

I particularly liked the way Burg used Creole phrases throughout, and I know that the first person voice helped kids connect to Serafina's character.

Doll Bones
by Holly Black
with illustrations by Eliza Wheeler
Margaret K. McElderry / Simon & Schuster, p2013
ages 9-12
Amazon
your public library

Best friends Zach, Poppy and Alice struggle to balance their childhood games with new interests in middle school. Holly Black captures the inner emotional journeys of these friends as they come together to solve the mystery of the Queen, an antique doll that Poppy swears is made from the bones of a murdered girl.

I was surprised that this fantasy didn't grab our readers more. It's not that they didn't like it; rather, it just didn't affect them much. I'm guessing that even though the cover is creepy, the story wasn't as scary as something like Coraline. And the emotional aspects didn't resonate with our ten year olds. Perhaps it will connect to a middle school audience more--twelve and thirteen year olds who can relate to the tension between childhood games and adolescent social pressures.

Many thanks to Scholastic and Simon and Schuster for sharing review copies with us. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

©2014 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

Mock Newbery discussions at Emerson: Part 2

You know what's one of the best things? Listening to a kid talk about how excited she is reading a book, and then watching three others want to try it out themselves. Best thing in the world.

Our book club started off in September excited to read "for the Newbery", seeing what they thought of the best books that were published this year. Two early favorites were Flora & Ulysses, by Kate DiCamillo, and "The President Has Been Shot!", by James Swanson.

Flora and Ulysses:
The Illuminated Adventures
by Kate DiCamillo
illustrated by K.G. Campbell
Candlewick, 2013
ages 8-12
Amazon
your public library
*best new book*

Within a week of launching into our Newbery reading, kids came bounding into the library raving about Flora and Ulysses. They loved it from the get-go and convinced friends to try it out. As Flora would say, "Holy bagumba! It was a hit!" But why, we wondered?

Although Flora claims to be a cynic, it's clear that she has a true heart and good spirit from the moment that she rescues the squirrel from its catastrophic encounter with a powerful vacuum cleaner. She is, most certainly, a hero we're rooting for. Kids like her. They like her spunk, her bravery, her observations.

Students loved that it was full of unexpected and unrealistic moments. Bella E. said that she liked the fact the squirrel crashed into the window because it makes the story more realistic. She also noted how well DiCamillo played the scene for humor as well. And yet, others noted, it was full of very realistic relationships and emotions. Julia said,

"You thought it would be just all wacky and silly, but it was actually deeper than I thought it was going to be."

The supporting characters were definitely a highlight for many of our readers. Several mentioned William Spiver, Flora's quirky neighbor. They liked the way he was fleshed out as a character, even though he wasn't a main character.

The big question will be whether Flora & Ulysses stays with our readers through all the other reading they do.

"The President Has Been Shot!":
The assassination of John F. Kennedy
by James L. Swanson
Scholastic, 2013
ages 9-14
Amazon
your local library
*best new book*

Swanson adapted his adult nonfiction account of Kennedy's assassination, End of Days, for a young adult audience. Our readers were very impressed by the balance of facts and drama in this account of this pivotal event. As Bella N. said,

"I felt that even though it was nonfiction, it wasn’t just a list of facts. Usually I really don’t like nonfiction. But this was like a story."

Swanson begins with a relatively brief introduction, encapsulating Kennedy's rise to power and the key moments of his presidency. The focus quickly shifts to Kennedy's final days. Swanson deftly moves from Kennedy's travels to Dallas and desire to ride in an open-top car, to Lee Harvey Oswald's background and how it might have created motive. Throughout, Swanson presents photographs, diagrams and different accounts of what happened to lead to this moment.

All our book club members agreed that the strength of this book was in the different perspectives Swanson considered. One moment, readers are taken right to the window where Lee Harvey Oswald peered out, overlooking the parade route. The next moment, we are standing next to an observer as he is filming the parade on his home movie camera. Swanson brings readers right into these scenes, while keeping the pace of the story going.

We were all surprised how exciting the story was, especially since you know the outcome. Swanson's gripping storytelling hooked many readers. Ben said, "This was really fast paced. I read it super-quickly because I just didn’t want to put it down. It was a really interesting story."

I raised my concern that Swanson clearly admires John and Jackie Kennedy so much that his writing moves away from unbiased reporting to gushing praise, but our fifth graders felt that the dramatic writing was a more important quality to consider. Hmm...

More to come!

Many thanks to Candlewick and Scholastic for sharing review copies with us. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

©2014 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

2014 Mock Newbery at Emerson School, Part 1

We have had a terrific time this fall turning our 5th grade book club into a Mock Newbery group. Over the next ten days, I'll be sharing about the books we've been reading, students' comments, and then our final voting.

Our process:

2014 Newbery list, Emerson School

Each week, we talk about the books we've been reading, sharing the books' strengths and weaknesses. We began our list with 6 original titles and added others as kids raved about current reads. I've really enjoyed meeting weekly -- it's spread the love of reading and kept up enthusiasm for different titles.

Since we only have two copies of each title, we're each reading different books each week. I've asked each student to read five titles from our list. For some, it's been hard to fit these in with their Harry Potter addictions! We've kept track of our reading on the poster that hangs in the library.

We start with a check-in, sharing what we've been reading. I talk with my students about how important it is to recognize that some of us will *love* a book and we need to respect that. Then we move into weaknesses. Throughout, I encourage the kids to think of specific examples from the books that support their ideas.

We end with a reading plan for the week. I really like this way of helping kids think about a reading plan.

Our Newbery contenders:

• One Came Home, by Amy Timberlake
• The Real Boy, by Anne Ursu
• Doll Bones, by Holly Black
• P.S. Be Eleven, by Rita Williams-Garcia
• "The President Has Been Shot!", by James L. Swanson
• Serafina's Promise, by Ann E. Burg
• Flora and Ulysses, by Kate diCamillo
• Duke, by Kirby Larson
• Jinx, by Sage Blackwood
• Counting by 7s, by Holly Goldberg Sloan

There is no way that our small group could read all the books that the Newbery Committee will be discussing. I wanted a representative sample that fell within our 5th grader's range.

In fact, I think I've inspired new admiration from our group about just what the Newbery Committee must do -- from the amount of reading to the hard, hard decisions. Each student has tried to read at least five books from our list. We will only include books with at least five readers in our final vote. Here are the posts on our Mock Newbery:

• Part 1: the process
• Part 2: Flora & Ulysses + The President Has Been Shot!
• Part 3: Serafina's Promise + Doll Bones
• Part 4: Duke + One Came Home
• Part 5: Counting by 7s, The Real Boy + Jinx
• Part 6: OUR WINNER!!

I've been so excited to share this journey with Armin Arethna, a wonderful children's librarian from Berkeley Public Library, and a member of the 2015 Newbery Committee.

Many thanks to all the publishers for sharing review copies with us. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

©2014 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

Wee You-Things, a fun book app with great positive spirit (ages 3-6)

Each of us is special. Everyone contributes their own unique gifts to the group. Celebrate our individuality. These are all values I try to share with my own children and my students. Normally, I don't like "message books", but I have to say that Wee You-Things shares its message in such a joyful, kid-friendly way that it brings kids back to it again and again.

Wee You-Things
developed by Wee Society
2013 Cybils Book App Finalist
ages 3-6
iTunes

In Wee You-Things, a colorful parade of friends celebrates their own special quirks. Ruth has a purple tooth, Royce has a tiny voice and Lamar has a crooked scar a la Harry Potter. Thoroughly silly, these monsters will bring certainly keep preschoolers giggling. As the story says, "You-Things mean that no one in the world is the same."

Every picture is cleverly animated to show off the special You-Things. The bold, colorful patterns, sound effects and rhyming prose are spot on. Some are silly and fanciful, and might be more likely to lead to teasing -- like Brad having two dads. I just love how it includes all sorts of differences.

At the end kids get a chance to create their own You to join the parade of friends. It's a perfect way to let kids know looking or sounding different is okay and these "you things" are what make you special.

If you like Todd Parr's books celebrating diversity, you'll love Wee You-Things. It would make a great addition to a home, preschool or library story time.

The review copy of this app was provided by the developer, as part of the Cybils awards process. The Cybils winners will be announced on February 14th. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

©2014 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

To This Day, by Shane Koyczan -- powerful book app for teens (12-18)

Intense. Gripping. You could hear a pin drop.

Those aren't words you typically hear when kids describe book apps, a medium known more for its flashy interactive elements. But that's exactly how they react to the powerful spoken word poem To This Day, by Shane Koyczan, that's been turned into an amazing app. If you have a teen, definitely share this with them.

To This Day
written by Shane Koyczan
developed by Moving Tales, Inc.
2013 Cybils Book Apps finalist
ages 12-18
iTunes

Shane Koyczan

In To This Day, Koyczan writes of his experience dealing with violence, bullying and harassment in school in a searingly honest way. The app takes Koyczan's performance and adds animation and artwork created by multiple artists, making the anti-bullying message even stronger.

At first I wondered whether the app provided a different experience than watching the video. Only after reading, listening and watching the app a few times did I realize the true extent of the differences. Every time you open the app, different animated clips run with the individual stanzas of the poem. This keeps the reader engaged, thinking about how the artwork develops and extends the meaning of the words.

The animations, crowd-sourced from over 80 different artists, resonate with the material because they communicate the sense that people of all stripes and hues experience problems of bullying. The variety of the illustrations helps take Koyczan's very personal poem and make the message more universal on a visual and visceral level.

Koyczan makes sure readers know that words can hurt more than sticks and stones, but that in the end we all must walk the balancing act in our lives, believing in our own beauty.

“My experiences with violence in schools still echo throughout my life but standing to face the problem has helped me in immeasurable ways.” says poet Shane Koyczan. “I wrote To This Day, a spoken word poem, to further explore the profound and lasting impact that bullying can have on an individual.”

I also love sharing this poem in a book app format because it allows the reader to experience Koyczan's powerful performance, but to bring some of the reading qualities to it. On the app, you can easily reread a stanza if you want it to sink in a bit more. If you're watching the video, you lose control of the pacing and let the poem wash over and sink in.

Please, please -- find a quiet moment. Listen and read this poem yourself. Think about how it resonates with your experiences, or friends you know. And then find someone else to share it with.

To This Day is a finalist in the 2013 Cybils Book Apps Award. The final winner will be announced February 14th. The review copy came from my personal library. But since this is currently free, I strongly believe this is a must-have app for all teens and anyone who's survived high school.

If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

©2014 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

MirrorWorld app, by Cornelia Funke: exploring a fantasy world with transmedia (ages 10 - 16)

I've long been fascinated by the way authors use different types of media to tell stories, whether it's the written word, audiobooks, films or plays. So it's natural that I've been drawn to apps that combine multimedia approaches to tell stories. But I've been truly amazed by MirrorWorld, an app written by best-selling fantasy author Cornelia Funke to build and extend a fantasy world from her new series of novels. This app is a wonderful example of transmedia storytelling, where authors use a variety of media to tell different aspects of the story.

MirrorWorld
written by Cornelia Funke
developed by Mirada Studios
2013 Cybils Book Apps finalist
ages 10 - 16
iTunes App Store

The first thing you'll notice about MirrorWorld is the way it invites you to explore the fantasy world from Reckless and Fearless in a nonlinear way. Once you push through the mirror, you find yourself in the Ogre's Tavern. It's a bizarre place, with a severed arm wrapped in chains, a witch's brew, a treasure hunter's gold coins, and more. Wander through the tavern and choose what you want to read, or use the table of contents to read and watch in a more organized fashion.

These sixteen short independent chapters expand Funke’s fantasy world with original content, seamless integrating beautiful illustrations, audio narration, music, and animation. Whether documenting animated fencing instructions or telling how Jacob Reckless first met the treasure hunter Albert Chanute, this app is both an intriguing introduction for those new to the world and exciting backstory for fans who want more. Check out this trailer for a sense of the app:



MirrorWorld’s art direction is perfectly on tone with the dark and beautiful content. The art is at once sophisticated and simple, never overpowering the story. In "A Bad Substitute Father", readers can either "view the spectacle" and watch a shadow play while listening to Funke read the chapter aloud, or they can read the story themselves. This reinforces the book qualities of this app, while exploring the multimedia opportunities presented by the iPad's interactive features to let readers explore this world.

This app truly grows the reader's sense of this fantasy world, instead of defining it the way so many movies do. Funke and Mirada help readers discover the way they like to imagine this world, whether it's through a shadow play, a narrated story, or a picture book fairy tale. Funke's writing is beautiful, and her narration is lyrical. I really felt like I was glimpsing into her imagination.

I must say that I have not read the MirrorWorld novels, though I am now drawn to them. That's the fascinating thing about transmedia -- each element can be enjoyed independently or as part of a whole.

For a fuller discussion of transmedia, check out this post by Sarah Towle: Transmedia and Crossmedia -- One and the Same?

The review copy of this app was provided by the developer, as part of the Cybils awards process. The Cybils winners will be announced on February 14th. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

©2014 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

Disney Animated: amazing multimedia nonfiction book app (ages 9 and up)

Disney's animated movies have enchanted families for generations. Now, this richly layered multimedia book app takes readers behind the scenes to see all the different aspects that go into creating animated feature films.

Disney Animated
developed by Disney / Touch Press
2013 Cybils Book App finalist
Apple's iPad App of the Year for 2013
ages 9 and up
iTunes App Store

Read about the original development of animation, watch Walt Disney talk about where story ideas come from, zoom in to look at a detailed storyboard from 101 Dalmatians drawn by legendary illustrator Bill Peet. Readers can zoom into look at the detailed drawings and captions, to see how the artists envisioned the story as it developed.

Storyboard for 101 Dalmatians, from Disney Animated

It's absolutely fascinating peeling back the layers of classic animated as well as computer generated (CG) films, seeing how a scene develops from the initial story sketch to rough drawings or computer models, to final colored animation. With the scene from Chicken Little, you can see how the animators matched the drawings to the recorded dialog.

clip from Chicken Little, showing CG animation process

Picture boards for the Wreck-It Ralph characters in the Sugar Rush game show the visual inspirations, including pictures of marble cake swirls and butterscotch candies. Interactive elements let readers stop animated clips, progressing frame by frame, swipe through a timeline with every Walt Disney Animation Studio feature film, and manipulate Vanellope, a CG character from Wreck-It Ralph. A book could never let readers see these animated layers in action!

This book app lets readers progress at their own pace, diving into sections they're interested in. It's a perfect blend of book, animation and interactive features, all designed to help readers explore the many facets of animation.

Yes, this app builds on the appeal of Disney movies. Yes, it starts out with that sweeping music and view of the Magic Kingdom. But from the first page, it's brings you into discovering the art and technique that goes into making these movies. Every time I read it, I'm amazed at the ingenuity of Disney and his colleagues as well as the collaborative effort that animated films require.

For an in-depth look at this app, check out this video review by the Children's Technology Review. CTR is one of the journals I subscribe to for excellent assessment of apps and games for kids.

The Cybils winners will be announced on February 14th. The review code was provided by Disney Studios as part of the Cybils process. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

©2014 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

Endless Alphabet: fresh & fun book app! (ages 3-7)

Cybils book app finalist Endless Alphabet combines all the great features of picture book apps: interesting content, fun animation, clear narration, and engaging interactive features -- all designed with the kid audience in mind. The result is a real winner for young kids, an app that they'll choose to go back to again and again!

Endless Alphabet
developed by Originator
2013 Cybils finalist
iTunes or Google Play
ages 3 - 7

Combining unique words with clever illustrations, adding silly animated monsters and unforgettable sounds, Endless Alphabet is a book app kids will return to again and again. Filled with words ranging from alarm to hilarious to musician, this is no ordinary alphabet book.

Endless Alphabet

Readers start by dragging letters to spell out the word, reinforcing simple letter-sound associations. Then, they hear how to pronounce the word, learn the meaning of the word, and watch a short, very silly enactment of the word. This fun trailer will give you a sense of the app:



Developed by the same team that brought us Sesame Street's Monster at the End of This Book app, Endless Alphabet is perfectly designed for its age group. Kids can choose whether to move from word to word or to repeat a word as many times as they choose. The app draws kids in at each step, but all the interactive features build on the primary focus of learning vocabulary and letter awareness.

If you like this, you'll also enjoy Originator's newest app: Endless Reader, designed to help kids acquire sight words essential to early reading.

Check out all the 2013 Cybils finalists in the book apps category! Many thanks to Paula Willey of PinkMe for nominating this delightful, wacky must-have app!

©2014 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

Announcing the Cybils Awards: Book Apps and more!

I am super-excited to announce the finalists in the Cybils Book App award. This week, I'll be sharing more about each of these apps. These book apps combine the best literary and technical qualities with big kid appeal. They draw children and teens back to them again and again, engaging kids in different ways with each reading.

Disney Animated
written by Disney
developed by Touch Press
iTunes

Disney Animated is a richly layered multimedia book app that takes readers behind the scenes to see all the different aspects that go into creating animated feature films. It's a combination of movie magic, coffee table book, and museum visit rolled into one.

Endless Alphabet
written and developed by Originator, Inc.
iTunes or Google Play

Endless Alphabet is a superb, interactive, picture dictionary app for kids from preschool through early grade school. Combining unique words with clever illustrations and animation, adding silly monsters and unforgettable sounds

MirrorWorld
written by Cornelia Funke
developed by Mirada Studios
iTunes

MirrorWorld is a companion app to Cornelia Funke’s fantasy novels Reckless and Fearless. Whether documenting animated fencing instructions or telling how Jacob Reckless first met the treasure hunter Albert Chanute, this app is both an intriguing introduction for those new to the world and exciting backstory for fans who want more.

To This Day
written by Shane Koyczan
developed by Moving Tales, Inc.
iTunes

Shane Koyczan's spoken word poem To This Day shares his experience dealing with violence, bullying and harassment in school in a searingly honest way. The app takes Koyczan's live performance and adds animation and artwork created by multiple artists, making the anti-bullying message even stronger.

Wee You-Things
written and developed by Wee Society LLC
iTunes

Wee You-Things is joyful celebration of what makes each of us unique. This charming book app simply introduces a colorful parade of friends each with his or her own quirk, but in doing so it conveys a message we all need to hear.

Over the last two months, a team of five bloggers has been diligently reading and evaluating nearly 70 nominated book apps. We bring to our task a wide range of experiences: teachers, parents, librarians. We have noticed the app market is certainly developing; we read many excellent apps, and our final decisions were difficult, indeed. We considered the quality of writing, illustration, narration and interactive design. Each needs to contribute in order to draw kids into these multimedia reading experiences.

Head over to the Cybils Awards to check out all the finalists, from books for early readers to young adult fiction. I love the way these awards celebrate the best of children's literature with a real sense of what appeals to kids. Each year, I seek out these books to share with my own students and they are big hits.

Enjoy exploring all these new book apps. I will be delving into more depth on these apps throughout the next week.

Many thanks to the Cybils book app team: Jen Vincent, Aaron Maurer, Jill Goodman and Jackie Parker. You each brought so much to our discussions.

©2014 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books