1 Dec
Star Trek Book of Opposites
by David Borgenicht (Author)
Booktalk: Explore strange new words! With the help of Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and two dozen colorful pictures from across the galaxy, teach your children the meaning of big and little, hot and cold, apart and together, and much more!
Snippet: appear (and then, of course on the facing page…) disappear
My NEW picture book is Road Work Ahead (Viking)
Copyright © 2011 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
28 Nov
Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite
by Anna Harwell Celenza (Author) and Don Tate (Illustrator)
Booktalk: It’s a challenge to transform the Nutcracker Suite’s romantic orchestra into jumpin’ jazz melodies, but that’s exactly what Duke Ellington and his collaborator, Billy Strayhorn, did.
BONUS! CD recording included.
Snippet: “I want to challenge myself…create music that can’t be categorized,” answered Duke. “Got any ideas?”
**Don is one of my former students!**
This week’s Nonfiction Monday Round-up host is A Curious Thing
My NEW picture book is Road Work Ahead (Viking)
Copyright © 2011 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
18 Nov
When I Woke Up I Was a Hippopotamus
by Tom MacRae (Author) and Ross Collins (Illustrator)
Booktalk: A little boy transforms into different creatures as his moods change throughout the day, until finally he goes a little too far and discovers his parents have transformed too!
Snippet:
When I woke up I was a
Hippopotamus!
Yawning in the morning, I raised up my sleepy head,
then took one look out of the window
and got straight back into bed.
This week’s Poetry Friday Round-up is hosted by The Opposite of Indifference
My NEW picture book is Road Work Ahead (Viking)
Copyright © 2011 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
16 Nov
Joha Makes a Wish: A Middle Eastern Tale
by Eric A. Kimmel (Adapter) and Omar Rayyan (Illustrator)
Booktalk: On his way to Baghdad, Joha discovers a wishing stick. But how does it work? Joha makes some wishes–and the opposites come true.
Snippet: Joha held the wishing stick in his hand. He closed his eyes. “I wish I had a pair of red leather slippers.”
My NEW picture book is Road Work Ahead (Viking)
Copyright © 2011 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
15 Nov
The Boy from the Dragon Palace
by Margaret Read MacDonald (Adapter) and Sachiko Yoshikawa (Illustrator)
Booktalk: One day, a poor flower sellers drops his leftover flowers into the sea as a gift for the Dragon King. What does he get in return? A little snot-nosed boy–with the power to grant wishes!
Snippet:
“He will bring you luck!” said the beautiful lady.
“But you must make shrimp for him every day.
Put in vinegar. Put in sugar.
He likes it like that.”
My NEW picture book is Road Work Ahead (Viking)
Copyright © 2011 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
11 Nov
Acoustic Rooster and His Barnyard Band
by Kwame Alexander (Author) and Tim Bowers (Illustrator)
Booktalk: When a jazz-loving rooster sets his sights on winning a barnyard talent show, he realizes he can’t do it as a solo act. He’s up against the talents of Mules Davis’s cool duo and Ella Finchgerald’s singing group. (Music glossary and jazz timeline in the back matter.)
Snippet:
Acoustic Rooster’s band performed
a bossa nova tune.
“The Hen from Ipanema” made
the barnyard chickies swoon.
This week’s Poetry Friday Round-up is hosted by Teaching Authors
My NEW picture book is Road Work Ahead (Viking)
Copyright © 2011 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
9 Nov
Without You
by Genevieve Cote (Author, Illustrator)
Booktalk: Two friends disagree…
Snippet:
I don’t want to play with you anymore.
Fine! I won’t miss you at all.
My NEW picture book is Road Work Ahead (Viking)
Copyright © 2011 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
8 Nov
Socksquatch
by Frank W. Dormer (Author, Illustrator)
Booktalk: Socksquatch has lost one of his socks, so he looks around the castle for another one.
Snippet:
Got sock?
Foot cold.
My NEW picture book is Road Work Ahead (Viking)
Copyright © 2011 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
4 Nov
I’m Sure I Saw a Dinosaur
by Jeanne Willis (Author) and Adrian Reynolds (Illustrator)
Booktalk: A dinosaur is coming ashore! Tell everyone you know! Gather at the beach to see the dinosaur appear! But there’s more to this story than meets the eye. Is there really a dinosaur lurking by the seashore? Or is something funny going on?
Snippet:
One foggy, groggy morning
by the salty, splashy sea,
I’m sure I saw a dinosaur
and I’m sure that he saw me.
This week’s Poetry Friday Round-up is hosted by Writing the World for Kids
My NEW picture book is Road Work Ahead (Viking)
Copyright © 2011 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
1 Nov
The Woods
by Paul Hoppe (Author, Illustrator)
Booktalk: When a boy can’t find his favorite stuffed bunny, he bravely heads into the woods to look for it. Instead, he finds a big, scary brown bear!
Snippet: Every night before bed, I turn on my night-light, read a story, curl up under a blanket, and give my bunny a hug. But last night, I couldn’t find my bunny anywhere!
My NEW book, The Zombie Project (The Boxcar Children Mysteries #128)
Copyright © 2011 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
Anastasia Suen is the author of 160 books for children and adults, a literacy blogger, a children's literature consultant for several publishers, a former K,1,5, & 6 teacher who visits schools to teach the six traits of writing, and a former Staff Development for Educators, UNT and SMU instructor who teaches writing workshops online for adults who write for children.
