Follow this link to see how one Media Specialist used VoiceThread to make my book, Hiccups for Elephant, illustrated by Hans Wilhelm, come alive for young readers through the use of puppets and children’s own voices.
Again, I apologize for the lack of attribution.
Though I published my first book in 1986, it wasn’t until recently that I experienced book reviews. Despite a crazy assortment of books, plus forty titles in the Jigsaw Jones series, the books were never, to my knowledge, reviewed.
That’s the paperback world. I began to think my name was James “Critically Ignored” Preller. The consoling factor was the books were being read by their intended audience, with titles like Hiccups for Elephant and Wake Me In Spring selling more than one million copies (thanks to the might of Scholastic Book Clubs). Beats a review any day. And yet, and yet. There’s something about the validation that comes from a positive, industry-sanctioned review. I think I longed for somebody to say, “Okay, he’s in the club!”
Things changed when I entered the hardcover world in 2008 with Six Innings. Suddenly my work was deemed review-worthy. The coach tapped me on the shoulder; I grabbed my helmet and raced in from the sidelines: I was a playa! I’ll admit it: the world of reviews represents a confusing, seemingly arbitrary process. While I’m grateful to each reviewer who spends time with one of my books, I’m still afraid to read most of them. Some reviews are perfunctory at best, even when they say decent things about a book. Other reviews are canny and insightful. The whole process feels like a crapshoot. Who are these reviewers, anyway? These strangers who can fill my head with praise or cut me off at the knees (example: for the generally well-received Mighty Casey, a book-lover for Kirkus Reviews snarked: “As a writer of verse, Preller, author of Six Innings, makes an excellent prose novelist.”)
Freaking ouch. I’ll never rhyme again!
And then there are rare reviews that are just incredible, because of the source. That’s how I feel about this latest blog review by Franki Sibberson for Justin Fisher Declares War!
I first learned of Franki when I became a fan of her blog, A Year of Reading, which I discovered on the blogroll over at Literate Lives. I figured that Franki was just another fabulous Ohio-based teacher who loved books (they seem to grow like mushrooms out there). Later I noticed Franki’s name referenced in Ralph Fletcher’s most excellent book, Boy Writers: Reclaiming Their Voices.
I did a little research and soon learned that Franki was an accomplished author herself, co-authoring Beyond Leveled Books (with Karen Szymusiak and Lisa Koch), Still Learning to Read (Karen Szymusiak), Day-to-Day Assessment in the Reading Workshop (again with Karen Szymusiak), and more.
Clearly, Franki knows and cares about teaching reading in the elementary school. She’s invested and dedicated. As a former school teacher told me over lunch earlier this week, “teaching is an act of hope.” My guess is that Franki would nod her head at that comment.
So I’m honored by Franki’s review of Justin Fisher Declares War! A book that has not gotten much attention to date.
Click here to read the review in full — and then be sure to bookmark Franki’s site, because it’s an inspiration and an education. Here’s an excerpt from the review (I confess that it amounts to more than half of Franki’s review, because I didn’t have the heart to cut any good parts):
I am a huge James Preller fan but this may be my favorite from his list. Most of my teaching life has been in grades 3, 4, and 5. I feel very at home in 4th and 5th grade classrooms. I love the age and James Preller must also love this age. He really understands them and the struggles they deal with. Over the years, I have learned what a huge transition this age is for kids. They go from being little kids, to being big kids and it is sometimes a little confusing.
In this book, we learn that since 3rd grade, Justin Fisher has been the class clown. He is always up to something. He has good friends but in 5th grade, that seems to be changing. His friends and classmates have had enough and are starting to keep their distance. For me, this book is about figuring things out. Things that are cute and funny when you are 8, are no longer cute and funny when you are 11. This is a hard lesson for kids and finding their place in the world gets trickier. But Justin finds his way, thanks to an amazing young teacher (one that clearly deserves a spot on 100 Cool Teachers in Children’s Lit!).
If I were in the classroom this year, this would probably be my first read aloud. The first read aloud has always been key and the choice is always a hard one but there are so man reasons that JUSTIN FISHER DECLARES WAR would make a great first read aloud.
<< snip >>
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Franki recently listed some recent raves for middle grade fiction — and I know I’ll be checking them out soon (if not reading every one, at least buying a few for my fourth-grade daughter, Maggie):
Out of My Mind by Susan Draper
Touch Blue by Cynthia Lord
Keeper by Kathi Appelt
Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine (already on my night table)
As Simple as It Seems by Sarah Weeks
Obviously, Franki really likes books with blue covers (goldfish and water optional).
And you know what else? She’s a huge James Preller fan!
On a recent school visit to Middleburgh Elementary, I was handed the day’s schedule by librarian Jeni Friedland. Besides time for lunch, book signings, and the usual author presentations for grades PreK-5, the schedule read:
2:00: Surprise!
I imagined all sorts of things, but real life often far exceeds our imaginings. A first grade class, under the direction of Mrs. Pat Carvin, was all set to put on a play based on my slim picture book, Hiccups for Elephant (Scholastic). It was expanded to include parts for every student, plus all sorts of bonus features — nonfiction elements! dance! song! — thrown in. The cuteness came free with the meal and was overflowing.
I wish I had photos, because it really was a sight to behold. The whole performance was so well done. The acting! The drama! With the permission of Mrs. Carvin, I’ve included the adapted text here. If you’ve got the energy, feel free to use it with your young students.
Just one more comment: Plays offers wonderful ways for students to learn expressive reading. And yet it feels like the classroom play is slowly disappearing. Too many standardized tests? Too much required curriculum for teachers to cover in the classroom? Overworked? Underpaid? I don’t know. But I do know that a good play provides so many positive, creative opportunities for young children. They speak publicly, memorize lines and movements or narrate off to the side, sing and dance, create costumes and scenery, or simply be a part of something fun and wonderful.
I’ve commented before that books are a beginning, not an end. In the hands of a good teacher or parent, a book can lead to remarkable conversations and educational activities. This was exactly such a case, when a fairly simple text served as a springboard for so much active learning. I was honored, touched, and impressed.
So with special thanks to Pat Carvin, and to all the kids in her fabulous 1st grade class, let’s shut off our cell phones, turn down the house lights, and enjoy the show.
PLEASE NOTE:
* Play adapted from the book, Hiccups for Elephant, by James Preller.
* Poem in play, and monkey speeches, based on the poem, “Hiccup,” by Jack Prelutsky, from the book, It’s Raining Pigs and Noodles (Greenwillow).
* There are 20 parts, one for each student.
HICCUPS FOR ELEPHANT: THE PLAY
NARRATOR 1: Welcome to our play. It is called “Hiccups for Elephant” by James Preller. Before we start, I would like to tell you a little about hiccups. Do you know why we get hiccups and what causes them?
NARRATOR 2: Here’s what we know. A hiccup is an unintentional movement (a spasm) of the diaphragm, the muscle at the base of the lungs. The spasm is followed by quick closure of the vocal cord, which produces a distinctive sound. Lots of things can cause hiccups. A very full stomach can cause bouts of hiccups. Eating too much food too quickly; swallowing too much air; a sudden change in stomach temperature such as drinking a hot beverage; or emotional stress or excitement. If you are able to stop the hiccup right away, great! But if you hiccup more than seven times you’d better settle in for the long haul. Once a hiccup starts you typically hiccup 63 times or more. The hiccup record, last time we checked, was 57 years.
NARRATOR 1: Hope you will enjoy our play. We had to change Mr. Preller’s story a little by adding a few extra characters and some common folk remedies people use to cure the hiccups.
NARRATOR 2: It was naptime. All the animals were fast asleep except for Elephant. He had the hiccups.
ELEPHANT: HICCUP!
NARRATOR 2: Chimp woke up.
CHIMP: I can cure those hiccups. Stand on your head and eat a banana.
NARRATOR 2: Elephant gave it a try. KA-BOOM! It only made him dizzy.
ELEPHANT: HICCUP!
NARRATOR 2: Lion woke up.
LION: I can cure those hiccups. Drink lots of water very, very fast.
NARRATOR 2: Elephant gave it a try. He drank and drank and drank and drank.
ELEPHANT: HICCUP!
NARRATOR 2: Zebra woke up.
ZEBRA: I can cure those hiccups. Hold your breath and count to 10 . . . BACKWARDS.
NARRATOR 2: Elephant gave it a try.
ELEPHANT: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, …………HICCUP!
NARRATOR 2: Parrot woke up.
PARROT: I can cure those hiccups. Put this sugar cube in your mouth and eat it!
NARRATOR 2: Elephant gave it a try.
ELEPHANT: HICCUP!
NARRATOR 2: Hippo woke up.
HIPPO: I can cure those hiccups. Eat 1 teaspoon of peanut butter. Yum Yum!
NARRATOR 2: Elephant gave it a try.
ELEPHANT: HICCUP!
NARRATOR 2: Deer woke up.
DEER: I can cure those hiccups. Breathe in and out of this small paper bag.
NARRATOR 2: Elephant gave it a try.
ELEPHANT: HICCUP!
NARRATOR 2: Frog woke up.
FROG: I can cure those hiccups. Suck this nice SOUR slice of lemon.
NARRATOR 2: Elephant gave it a try.
ELEPHANT: HICCUP!
NARRATOR 2: Rabbit woke up.
RABBIT: I can cure those hiccups. Take a few quick swallows of this pineapple juice.
NARRATOR 2: Elephant gave it a try.
ELEPHANT: HICCUP!
NARRATOR 2: Snake woke up.
SNAKE: Ssssssss. I can cure those hiccups. Let me SQUEEZE you around your stomach and diaphragm a couple of times.
NARRATOR 2: Elephant (RELUCTANTLY) gave it a try.
ELEPHANT: HICCUP!
NARRATOR 2: Cheetah woke up.
CHEETAH: I can cure your hiccups. Try eating one teaspoon of delicious honey.
NARRATOR 2: Elephant gave it a try.
ELEPHANT: HICCUP!
I have hiccups,
I’ve had them all day.
They’re persistent (hiccup),
And won’t go away.
I’ve tried water, stood on my head,
Held my breath until (hiccup),
My face turned red.MONKEY 1: He’s tried every hiccup cure he could, but it hasn’t done any good.
MONKEY 2: In fact, I think his hiccups are worse, and he may need a doctor or a nurse.
MONKEY 3: He can feel those hiccups way down in his shoes. I think he has the hiccup blues.
MONKEY 4: I’m afraid his insides are going to pop. Someone has got to get those hiccups to stop.
NARRATOR 2: Mouse woke up.
MOUSE: What’s all the noise? I’m trying to sleep.
MONKEY 4: Poor Elephant has the hiccups.
NARRATOR 2: Mouse looked Elephant in the eye . . .
MOUSE; BOO!
NARRATOR 2: Everyone waited and waited…………. Silence. There were no more hiccups.
MOUSE: WORKS EVERY TIME!
MUSICAL INTERLUDE: The students sing the song “The Elephant,” words and music by Hap Palmer.
NARRATOR 2: All the animals fell back to sleep. Except for Elephant.
ELEPHANT: La, La, La, La, La, AH_CHOO! Oh No!!!!!!
NARRATOR 2: The End!
Wild cheers, applause, but alas, no screams of “Author! Author!” All that remained was to congratulate the cast.
