#13 Ebooks About Kids Who Move

     We live in an increasingly mobile society, but moving from place to place is not really a new phenomenon.  Today, I will recommend some excellent chapter books on this subject. They are all available as Ebooks at barnesandnoble.com for Nook reading devices and on amazon.com for Kindles.  

     Free apps are also available so that these books can be downloaded to home computers, ipads, some smart phones, and many other devices. 

     My first two recommendations were published in the last ten years.  One of them is usually read by (or to) children in the early grades and the other is more suitable for middle-grade readers.

*****  

     Gooney Bird Green, first published in 2004 by Lois Lowrey, is about a new second-grade student.  Something of an expert in the art of story telling, Gooney Bird Green insists that all of her amazing stories are completely true.  Then she surprises her new classmates by explaining how it is possible.  The Ebook is available for Barnes and Noble's Nook at $9.99 and Amazon's Kindle for $5.69.

*****

     The Green Glass Sea was first published in 2006 by Ellen Klages.  Set in 1943 in Los Alamos, New Mexico, it is the story of kids who might have moved there with their families at the time the Manhattan Project was being developed. B&N sells it for the Nook for $8.99 and Amazon sells it for Kindle for $8.99.

*****

     Teetoncey (Book 1 of the Cape Hatteras Trilogy), published in 1974, is another wonderful book by Theodore Taylor whom you may recognize as the author of The Cay and The Trouble With Tuck (see the previous post about animal stories).  The setting for Teetoncey is the Outer Banks of North Carolina in 1898.  A shipwreck leaves one lone survivor on the shore, a comatose young girl with no identification. This book sells for $9.30 on B&N for their Nook and $7.99 on Amazon for Kindle.

*****

     I like to recommend one classic in each of my lists, and my recommendation of a book that has stood the test of time and fits into our theme about kids who move to a new place is Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery, first published in 1908.  Set on Prince Edward Island, it is the story of an elderly brother and sister who request a boy to help with the farm work, but receive a girl, instead.  Barnes and Noble and Amazon both sell it for $.99.

*****

     Next time I will recommend three Ebooks about time travel, one of which is a children's classic.

     Please feel free to visit my other blog at www.jumpup2chapterbooks.blogspot.com.  I currently have published a post that explains the source of the ideas for my book entitled Margaret's Christmas Cookies. Just click on the link above to transfer to this site.

     And please keep reading...      





          

        

#12 Animal Fiction in eBooks for Kids

     How can I possibly recommend only three animal books for kids?  There are so many!

     Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo was a Newberry Honor Book in 2001.  It is a sweet story about Opal and her stray dog, Winn-Dixie.  The eBook is available for Nook on BN.com and Kindle on Amazon.com for $3.50.

     The Trouble With Tuck by Theodore Taylor was first published in 1981and is also a dog book.  When Tuck begins to loose his sight, his young owner finds a wonderful solution to his problem.  The eBook is available for both Kindle and Nook from their respective web sites for $5.99.

     Curious George was written and illustrated by H.A. Rey and Margaret Rey in 1941.  It eventually became a series of pictures books about George, the monkey, and his owner, the man with the yellow hat.  It is available on Amazon.com for Kindle for $5.24 and on BN.com for Nook for $6.99.  The illustrations will be black and white unless your device displays color.

     Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel was published in 1970, and is an illustrated beginning reader.  It is available as an eBook for both Nook and Kindle at $4.99. 

   (Woops! I think that was already four books, and I still have one more)  Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey is a classic picture book first published in 1941.  Amazon has an Audible Audio Edition for Kindle that sells for only $2.95.  I have not actually tried it, but if you are interested in these audio versions, you might want to consider it.  The price is especially good.

     Next time I will recommend some books about kids moving to new places.  Please join us.

     On my other blog, I have written a post about the sources of my ideas for Monkey Tales, a little beginning reader.

     Please check it out by clicking on the following link:

        www.jumpup2chapterbooks.blogspot.com.


     And then keep reading...   

#11 Historical Fiction in Ebooks for Kids

     In this post I will be recommending some historical fiction in ebooks for kids--stories that focus on three different times in history.

     The first is Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohata.   Shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, twelve-year-old Sumiko's Japanese American family is forced to move away from their home on a flower farm in California and into an internment camp near the Colorado River in Arizona until the end of World War II. Weedflower is available for both Nooks (Barnes&Noble) and Kindles (Amazon) for $5.99.

     My second recommendation has a similar theme, but takes place more than a hundred years earlier.  Soft Rain: A Story of the Cherokee Trail of Tears was written by Cornelia Cornelissen. In 1838 the Cherokee people were relocated from their homes in North Carolina to Oklahoma. Soft Rain is a 9-year-old girl who becomes temporarily separated from some of her family members on the long and dangerous walk. This ebook is also available for Nook (Barnes&Noble) and Kindle (Amazon) for $5.99. 

     For my third historical fiction ebook, I am recommending Johnny Tremain by Esther Hoskins Forbes.  This book was the winner of the 1943 Newbery Medal, and is the story of a fourteen-year-old boy who becomes involved in the events leading up to the American Revolutionary War, including the Boston Tea Party and the first shots fired at Lexington.  Barnes&Noble's ebook for Nook sells for $5.87, and Amazon's ebook for Kindle sells for $4.99.

     I have one more recommendation which, though not a piece of fiction, is worthy of your notice.  

     Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordical Gerstein, the recipient of the 2004 Caldecott Medal for outstanding illustrations, is an amazing picture book. It shows and tells the story of French aerialist Philippe Petit who, in 1974, walked a tightrope between the two towers of the World Trade Center. (Yes, those same towers!)  Amazon offers it for Kindles at $5.99. 

     Feel free to visit my other blog at www.jumpup2chapterbooks.blogspot.com.  I am discussing where the ideas for my published stories originated, and my picture book Circles in the Wind is the current topic.

     Please keep reading...

         

#10 Three Wonder-ful Ebooks for Kids

     I intended to recommend some Ebooks of historical fiction for kids in this post.  I even announced that I would do so.  I still plan to do it--next time.


     You see, I became distracted by a very special new piece of literature for children and felt compelled to adjust my schedule to make room for it right this minute. 


     R.J. Palacio's Wonder is wonderful, and two other books  fell nicely into place beside it.  In the classroom, we called it the "teachable moment".


     So today when I recommend another trio of books published in various time periods, you will find that they all share the word "wonder" as a part of their titles.


     They are all available for Kindle devices from Amazon.com and for Nook from Barnes & Noble.

*****

     Wonder by R.J. Palacio was published earlier this year.  Told in first person by six of the main characters, the story reveals Auggie's realistic experience as he enters school for the first time with the facial deformity he's had since birth.


     Palacio's writing rings true and honest, and I look forward to seeing this author's name listed as awards are announced later this year.  I also hope to read more of her work in the future.


     Wonder is available for both Kindle and Nook on Amazon.com and B&N for $10.99, and is also offered in audio formats.

*****

     Tony DiTerlizzi's The Search for WondLa was published in 2010.  A futuristic piece of science fiction, the story's presentation is enhanced by the author/illustrator's liberal use of his own very creative illustrations.

     This ebook is available at $8.99 for the  Amazon and Barnes&Noble reading devices.   

    (Diterlizzi has recently published a sequel called A Hero for WondLa, but you should be aware that the story plots are sequential, and better understood when read in order.)

*****

     Just as I did in post #9, I am again recommending a classic as my third ebook.

     Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland was first published in 1865 by Charles Dodgson who wrote as Lewis Carroll.  Many versions of this story exist, including a popular animated movie by Walt Disney.


     Amazon and Barnes & Noble each offer versions with the author's original and complete words for the Kindle devices (free) and the Nooks ($.99).

*****

     I hope you will forgive me this little side trip.  Next time I will follow through on my promise to recommend historical fiction.

     Recently I finished publishing the last of my seven ebooks for Barnes & Noble's Nook eReader.  They are all seven available for Amazon's Kindle as well.  Lucky Alana (Agent C Series) by Lynda sells for $3.99.

     

     My other titles are:

         Tiny Others (Agent C Series) by Lynda, $3.99

         Pomegranate (Agent C Series) by Lynda, $3.99

         White Rabbit Time (Agent C Series) by Lynda, $3.99

         Margaret's Christmas Cookies by Lynda, $2.99

         Circles in the Wind by Lynda, $2.99

         Monkey Tales by Lynda, $2.99

     These ebooks are all illustrated, and have various reading levels.

     You may be interested in my other blog, at www.jumpup2chapterbooks.blogspot.com. Its purpose is to encourage reading in students who have the skills, but haven't yet found the joy in choosing to do it.


     
     ...And I will recommend three eBooks of historical fiction for kids next time.  It's a promise. 

              

    

#9 Three Recommended Ebooks

   
     Let's consider three ebooks for kids about tornadoes. The first is new (2012), the second is older (1986), and the third was first published in 1900.  I have no illustrations to offer here without violating copyright laws, but please look these up on Amazon.com or BN.com.

*****  

     The Storm Makers (2012) by Jennifer E. Smith is a children's science fiction tale about a boy who as the power to control weather.  It is illustrated by Brett Helquist who also illustrated Blue Balliett's Calder Game, Chasing Vermeer, and The Wright 3.   


     The Storm Makers is available from Amazon for their Kindles, and Barnes and Noble offer it for their Nook devices.  Both companies sell the ebook for $9.99.


     I liked it.  The subject of our changing weather patterns is a current one, and one that is worthy of some thought and discussion.

*****

     Night of the Twisters: The Most Dangerous Night of Their Lives... is based on a 1980 disaster in Nebraska.  The book was first published in 1986 by Ivy Ruckman.  


     It also offers you the opportunity to try Amazon's Audible Audio system for some of their Kindles, iPhones, and Androids, and Amazon.com sells it for $9.95. The text is unabridged (complete and not a summary), and it is read to the audience by a professional who sounds like the main character.  


     I find this is a legitimate reading experience considering the fact that I did "Read-aloud" nearly every day in my fourth-grade classroom, and many of my students liked to read along in their own books as I read to them.

     Night of the Twister: The Most Dangerous Night of Their Lives... is a powerful story and very well written.

*****     

     My last suggestion is a classic.  The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was published by L. Frank Baum in 1900.  Some of the Amazon Kindle editions are free because it is now more than one hundred years old and is a "public domain" book.  I noticed that both Barnes and Noble and Amazon also offer a Complete Wizard of Oz Collection for less than a dollar.  L. Frank Baum wrote about fifteen "Oz" books. 


     It is always interesting for children to read the original words of a story with which they are familiar from a movie.  


     I strongly suggest keeping a list of things that are the same and those that are different from these two art forms.  This supports a critical reading/thinking skill called "compare and contrast".

     Next time I will recommend some historical fiction for kids.


     Until then, keep reading...

#8 Parental Controls for Ebooks

     My ebook Pomegranate (Agent C Series) is available for Amazon's Kindle and Barnes & Noble's Nook.  It sells for $3.99, and contains a strong message for young readers about the importance of using technology safely.


     Would you, as a parent, happily invest in a digital reading device for your child if you were more comfortable about controlling its easy access to inappropriate reading material and internet sites?


     I was teaching fourth grade in the '90's when our school district presented the students with a new math series.  The first week of school I was leading my class in a Scavenger Hunt of each of their textbooks when we discovered that the math book had a math practice site for their home computers.  


    Suddenly, the hand of one of my new students flew into the air, and his troubled voice blurted out, "But teacher, there is some really nasty stuff on the internet."


     Most kids know about that "stuff", and it's difficult to offer the good "stuff" without exposing them to the bad.


     I understand that Amazon's Kindle, Barnes & Noble's Nook, and Apple's iPad have optional password protection.  Use a search engine (Google, Bing, etc.), and do some research about it.  


     If you are concerned, you really should be.  


     Also, be aware that if you have downloaded adult reading materials on one device, it might be automatically available on a second device of the same brand.  I have two Kindles, one a keyboard Kindle, and the other a Kindle Fire.  When I purchase a Kindle ebook for Kindle 1, it is also available for my Kindle 2.  


     Would I want my ten year old reading those top three books on today's best seller list?  (You probably know which ones I mean.  They have been the subjects of many television talk shows lately.)


     And another thing, ordering books usually requires the use of a credit card, but does that reassure you?  Until the billing arrives, isn't it possible that the adult card holder might not even be aware of some purchases?


     So how else can we protect our young readers from their own curiosity?  Talk about our issues with them, of course.  


     Make rules?  Quite possibly.  


     The devices might have to be stored in common areas of the home where their use could be monitored--similar to the use of a laptop computer.  


     Should the Ereaders ever leave the house for sleep-overs or taken to school?  Should they be taken to libraries or malls where free wireless service (WiFi) is available?


     Each and every family has its own set of concerns.  The Ereaders are a new tool for entertainment and learning, and kids love that kind of thing.  


     That is good, isn't it?  


     I hope so.  By establishing some deliberate practices and sharing good ideas, I hope we can find ways to use the Ereaders safely.


     As Percy's mother says in Pomegranate, "This is not a toy!"



   


      


     

#7 A Link to a List of Free Classics

     I have just discovered a new (at least to me) list of free classic books for Amazon's Kindle.


     Just click here on Kindle Classics for Kids and discover the list of 39 titles!  It is also labeled "Part 1" so there must be at least a Part 2.


     One word of caution about classics, however.  Be aware that cultural norms have changed since these books were written a hundred or more years ago.  It is important that the author's own words be shared in the company of an adult who is prepared to discuss any of the young readers' concerns about these older words or concepts.


     As a fourth-grade teacher, I made it a rule to always read the entire book first before I used it for a read-aloud.  It can be confusing for members of a young audience to sort out who is speaking--the teacher, the character, or the author.


     I am currently in the process of publishing my seven ebooks for Barnes & Noble's Nook.  Margaret's Christmas Cookies is listed for $2.99, and Monkey Tales 
will likely be listed in the next couple of days.

     (And all seven of the following titles are listed for either $2.99 or $3.99 on Amazon.com for their Kindle.)

     Please keep reading...summertime is reading time.