Winter 2014 - North Dakota Reading Association

Winter 2014
The Prairie Reader
A Newsletter of the North Dakota Reading Association
President’s Message...Stephanie Holtz
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
President’s Message
1-2
NDRA Officers
2
The Core
3
Book Reviews
5
Council Connections
6-9
NDRA Conference
Greetings
from brisk
Bismarck!
I hope you all had a great
break and were reenergized for your return to
work. The Holtz family
break was fast and furious
but it was filled with many
family and friends. As we
are getting settled into the
routine of school again, I
wish you all a fantastic
remainder of the school
year!
4,5
International Projects
Young Writers Project
Enjoying the New Year
8
10-12
15-19
About NDRA
13
NDRA Minutes
14
I don’t know about you
but I am extremely excited for the Winter Olympics to begin. Actually, my
whole family is pumped up
and ready to enjoy a couple of weeks in front of
the television watching
some of the best athletes
in the world compete at
the highest level. We love
the Olympic Games.
When the last Summer
Games were taking place,
we were driving from Colorado to California. We
have DISH Network at
home and we downloaded
the DISH app on our
phones so that we could
watch the games while
driving! The drive went by
very fast as we put miles
behind us while watching
The Games.
I absolutely love what Jenni
Picard has done with the
Young Writers’ Project
this year. I have begun the
project and have actually
stretched it out into an
Olympic Inquiry Study. My
students are getting excited to learn more about
Continued on page 2
Visit the NDRA website at: http://ndreadon.com
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President’s Message (continued from page 1)
exposure to the Olympics. If you did sign-up to
participate, enjoy! Remember the deadline to
submit a class winner to
your local council’s vice
president is February, 14th.
I am looking forward to
seeing the students’ pro-
the Winter Olympics as it
is not as well known to
them as the Summer Olympics. If you did not sign-up
to participate in the YWP
this year, please look into
doing the activities that
Jenni has created. I believe
your students will enjoy the
jects!! The winners will
be recognized at our
spring conference.
I am also excited about
the upcoming spring conference in Bismarck on
April 3-5th. I believe we
have a great line-up and I
am looking forward to
seeing program proposals. I would like to
remind local councils of
the request to find five
presenters for the conference. It is great to see
and hear from people
around the state. We are
all doing great things, let’s
showcase our talents!!
Enjoy the rest of your
winter and let’s all get
together in Bismarck this
spring. Looking forward
to seeing everyone!
NDRA Officers
President...Stephanie Holtz
[email protected]
President-Elect...Chris McCoy
[email protected]
Vice President...Brenda Seehafer
[email protected]
Secretary...Jenni Picard
[email protected]
Treasurer...Dave Marquardt
[email protected]
Past President...Gloria Jones
[email protected]
Membership Director...Cheryl Hagar
[email protected]
IRA State Coordinator...Marlene Srock
[email protected]
Newsletter Editor...Alyssa Gilbertson
[email protected]
Website Coordinator...Paula Rogers
[email protected]
The Prairie Reader is
a nonprofit
publication of the
For phone numbers and addresses, visit the NDRA website.
North Dakota
Reading Association.
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Teaching the Core
Dr. Chris McCoy, Associate Professor at Dickenson State University
In June 2012, Dave Stuart Jr., a public school teacher, set out to understand the Common
Core State Standards, so he decided to blog his way through all 32 standards. This has
turned into the website teachingthecore.com that seeks to provide more teaching and
learning for students and less stress for teachers. The founder states, “I take a nonfreaked out approach to all things literacy. I share what actually works and fails in my history and English classes, and what actually works in the classes of my awesome math and
science colleagues. A lot of what I talk about pertains to the Common Core, but that’s
only because there are parts of the Common Core that make a boatload of sense.”
Teaching the Core community is a group of people who read, comment and interact on
social media. This community of educators work together to help their students develop
a choice-filled life in other words to be college and career ready. Some of the questions
this community asks include:


What do the standards say?
Which of the standards matter most?
Are these standards worthy of inclusion in our curricula?
On this site under the resource tab you will find two ebooks A Non-Freaked Out Overview
of the Common Core Anchor Standards and The Ultimate Non-Freaked Out Guide to Getting the
Classroom Resources You Need. In the book, A Non-Freaked Out Overview of the Common
Core Anchor Standards, you will find a page for each standard that follows the format of
stating the standard, giving the authors interpretation of the standard and examples of
meeting the standard. In addition, Mr. Stuart includes questions that can be asked as you
work with students. In addition to the useful questions that you can utilize in lessons with
your students, there are resources mentioned and learning frameworks like TAP (task,
audience, and purpose) which are presented and that will assist students in deeper learning. In The Ultimate Non-Freaked out Guide to Getting the Classroom Resources You Need you
will find a step-by-step guide on how to utilize the resource DonorsChoose.org to fund
various projects in your classroom. Also, under the resource tab are professional book
recommendations and Article of the Week links. In these links, you will find a downloadable 13 page guide Getting Started with AOW and 50 prepared articles set up as assignments with questions. The AOW guide gives advice on implementing AOW into your
classroom and strategies for grading these assignments.
The archives tab gives you links to all the topics of interest related to the Common Core
and more. Some examples from the archives include: starting the year with debate; a simple, two-paragraph template that will help kids to really argue; and nine complex text
resources I’m pretty pumped about right now. While reading this document I found the
authors interpretation usually starting with, “In other words,” very useful in helping with
understanding the learning targets of each standard. I encourage you to check out the
resources that Dave Stewart Jr. has complied. I know you will come away with new understanding of CCSS implementation.
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Book Review...Marilynn Randa, Chautauqua
Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson
view
Re
Book
Each year when we do our book fair, we try to read as many of the
books as possible.
The children vote on the books, deciding whether or not a particular book would be an
asset to our collection. We discuss the content and the art.
This year our favorite book was Each Kindness, a beautifully written and illustrated book
about kindness.
Maya moves into town in winter. She is shy, of course. The students stare at her because
her clothes look old and ragged and her shoes, also worn, are not meant for winter.
When the teacher asks the student to greet her, they are silent. Maya is seated next to
Chloe who moves her chair and book away from Maya. Everyday Maya comes to class and
tries to be friends. But Chloe just looks away and doesn’t smile back. Chloe and her
friends continue this pattern. Maya brings toys to school and wants to play, but Chloe and
her friends ignore her. The kids look at her and laugh at her clothes, her shoes, her strange lunches, and her toys. Spring
comes and one day Maya comes to school wearing a pretty dress and fancy shoes, Sadly, they look as if they had belonged to someone else before. One of Chloe’s friends gives Maya a new name “Never New.” The children laugh. Maya
has a jump rope but she doesn’t ask if anyone wants to play. After a while, she unfolds the rope and jumps around the
whole school yard without stopping. The next day Maya is gone. The class that day talks about kindness. The teacher has
a bowl filled with water. As the students watch she drops a small stone into the bowl. The little waves ripple out away
from the stone. The Teacher explains that this is like kindness – each little thing we do ripples out into the world. The
students are asked to tell about kinds things they done. Poor Chloe can’t think of a thing.
The question for each of us as we read this book is where do we fit? Are we Chloes or Mayas?
Have there been times when we have played both roles?
This selection presents us as teachers with an opportunity to help our students grow in our relationships with ours. It
also could be used with as part of an in-service with other teachers because sadly I have seen this happen on school
staffs.
There are many lesson plans available using this text especially in conjunction with bullying. We don’t always recognize all
the forms bullying takes and how to deal with them. Check it out.
Local Council Reminder:
Remember to complete the
Merit Award requirements by their deadlines!
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Book Review...Patti Hudson , Wahpeton Reading Council
Escape from Camp 14 by Blaine Harden
Boo
k Re
view
This is a biography of Shin Dong hyuk, the only known prisoner to escape from a North Korean work camp. He was
born and raised in the camp so this was the only world he knew. There was no love, no comfort, no food and cruel
conditions. A life so conditioned by brutality, it was seen as normal. Shin was roasted on an open
fire for not giving information, information he did not have. People are executed for having scraps of
food in their pockets.
I found it a difficult emotional read. It tears at your heart and makes you want to scream for human
rights. The North Korean government denies that these work camps exist, Shin’s story gives you
an inside look into the inhumane conditions that are going on to this day.
In all of his bravery, Shin still fights an inner battle. He sees the excesses here in the United States
and feels great guilt for the people he left behind. He is forever fractured by a country with no soul.
I think this is a great “wake-up” book for all of us in America. We are the fortunate to have been
born in a free and compassionate world.
International Projects...Pam Rettig
NDRA’s major International Project at this time takes place in Nigeria; to the locals it is called the traveling book tent
program. Traveling book tent is the actual name, but it is made of metal and resembles an ice cream truck. That is hardly
what we consider tenting material, but in that area of Africa, little sheds that close up when not in use are called tents.
Book tents were a part of the original Constance McCullough project in 2004, but due to unforeseen complications and
local unrest, that part of the grant had to be altered. Six years later they became a reality for Nigerian children in the
form of a traveling library book trike. Now it is ten years since the Constance McCullough Grant and workshops in Nigeria. The book cart has been fully functional for 4 years!
From the beginning we knew that secure storage would need to be a consideration - and Obi made certain that prior to
attaining the book tent that it would have a safe place to be restocked, and a good crew to take care of the ongoing
needs.
Now that the traveling library trike / book tent is in action, the books reach rural children that would otherwise never
have the opportunity to get their hands on real books... and by utilizing volunteer retired teachers Obi is making good use
of available skills and competent proven professionals.
It is impressive for a project to truly be sustainable
for so long and for reading associations so far apart
in physical distance to be able to work together on
an ongoing basis. The International Project is something all NDRA members should feel really good
about!
I am submitting a proposal to do a session at NDRA
this April that will show off photos from the Constance McCullough project and talk some more
about our NDRA International project. If you are
interested in learning more about the project or
how you can get involved in Foreign Service yourself, it may be a good session to put on your schedule.
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Council Connections
...Local NDRA Council Updates
Chautauqua Reading Council...Brenda Seehafer
Chautauqua News
In November, Chautauqua members met in Cando for a supper meeting to discuss our budget and bylaws. We also shared
information about literacy such as books that members have been reading or excellent websites that members have come
across relating to literacy, as part of our book study. In January, we will be meeting in Cando at the “Cool Beans” coffee
shop and will be offering a free coffee to every member or potential member who attends this meeting, as a membership
incentive. At that meeting, we will continue our book study on books relating to literacy that members have read. In February, the Chautauqua Reading Council will be collecting large print books to donate to local nursing homes for our Community Literacy Project. We would like to remind our members to get their completed Young Writers Project materials to
LaVae Haaland by Friday, February 14th.
Prairie Reading Council...Tammy Strobel
Abundance of Learning
It’s hard to believe that we are well into 2014! The
school year is going by quickly and hopefully the winter
weather will soon stop! Our meetings have been filled
with many learning opportunities for our members.
In November, our guest speaker was Jonathan Friesen
who talked about “Getting below the surface.” He also
presented to the Anne Carlsen Center.
Our January meeting is scheduled for January 28 th at
Roosevelt Elementary School in Jamestown where
Becky Taylor will present an abundance of literature of
North Dakota. This will be a great time to learn about
the Flicker tale books! If you are in the area, come by
and join us!
This year we have challenged our members to donate to
the local library campaign in Jamestown to build or de-
velop a new library.
$200.00.
PRC will match donations up to
Our International project is helping Amazima. Amazima
focus is to provide the opportunity for children to receive
education, nutrition, and medical care that otherwise would
not be available to them.
We look forward to the
Spring Conference
in
Bismarck!
Hope to see
all of you
there!
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Valley Reading Council…Melanie Unser
Young Author’s Banquet
Valley Reading Council has been busy preparing for an upcoming author visit with Allen Kurzweil. Allen has written Leon
and the Champion Chip and Leon and the Spitting Image. He
will be visiting Fargo in early April and presenting at six different schools. We have paired up with the Fargo Public Library
and Mr. Kurzweil will be presenting on his Potato Chip Science Book and Stuff. His visit will be capped off with a presentation for our members at our annual Young Author’s Banquet
at the Radisson hotel. We are very excited to share Mr. Kurzweil’s work with our members and students!
North Central Reading Council…Karen Schelling
Eventful Year
NCRC has been very busy this year. We had another successful year with our annual Reading Connections six-session
class offering. Around 100 participants enjoyed a fall course which included the ever popular “Literacy Lane” along
with hearing experts on nonfiction writing and the Common Core. In addition, Dr. Bill McBride spoke about differences in cognitive development between male and female brains and local experts shared reading/writing ideas and activities with participants in a reading carousel setting. Also, NCRC jumped into a new endeavor along with MDEC (Mid
Dakota Education Cooperative) and together offered a class called, Shifting to Common Core State Standards for English
Language Arts. Marlene Srock, IRA State Coordinator, was the instructor and it was such a success after the first offering that we had a waiting list to take the class. So after wonderful feedback and persistent requests, she is offering the
class once again in January.
Kelly Vigness, NCRC President Elect, and Dawn Bodtke, NCRC Vice President, are offering a book club through
NCRC. They will be reading one chapter book and two picture books. The chapter book is “Wonder” by R. J. Palacio.
The picture books being discussed are: “My Name is Not Isabella” by Jennifer Fosberry and “Interrupting Chicken” by
David Ezra Stein. A variety of ways to use these books in the classroom setting will be discussed and of course, the
ever important aligning to Common Core will be touched upon as well. As teachers we are always reading books; what
a great opportunity to get together to do some reading and have discussions about these books with our fellow colleagues.
Alongside of our classes and credit opportunities, we have remained busy with keeping up with all other affairs. NCRC
has a book fair coming up along with our annual spring event we host in coordination with Minot Public’s Title I coordinator and teachers. The event is a book swap with a theme; students from the entire district are invited to bring in
used books to get tickets to take other books home. It is a family event and always a hit in the community as we always offer a plethora of activities, games, and entertainment along with the opportunity to get books! Anything to promote literacy is a success in NCRC’s book.
Finally, NCRC is gearing up to have Minot be the host of the spring 2015 NDRA State Reading Conference. We have
four fabulous chairs - Melessa Bosch, Tara Jordan, Sara Medalen, and Brittany Upton. They have been working hard to
ensure the conference will be a hit in Minot once again!
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Are you participating in the
ND
Young Writers Project?
Theme: 2014 Winter Olympics
Visit http://www.ndyoungwriters.com/
to access the details and the participation form.

Register online via the link above by November 15. (No late entries!)

Complete the writing project with your students.

Choose your classroom winner.

Submit your (one) winner to your local council by February 14.
March 4...Local council winners submitted for state judging.
March 17...State winners announced.
April 5...State winners invited to Awards Ceremony
Like the ND Writing Project on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/NDYoungWriters
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Lake Agassiz Reading Council…Trish Mohr
Lake Agassiz Gears Up for some Real Rock Climbing
As so many of us in the state are nestling in to warm blankets and a good book, LARC is readying the stage for a
new kind of POETRY Festival! Time to rock and roll. LARC members will join
Yvonne Hanley as she leads us through the study of the following book:
Awakening the Heart:
Exploring Poetry in Elementary and Middle School
by Georgia Heard.
It is an inspiring and practical handbook that celebrates the natural power of poetry to teach the essential tools of all writing.
Awakening the Heart explores how to cultivate the poet in every elementary and
middle school student - through well-drawn examples, detailed exercises, creative
projects, and down-to-earth classroom teachings. Along the way, we will learn
how to: create environments that encourage children to express their innate
sense of wonder; introduce poetry that will engage them; and help children make
the transition from reading and talking to writing.
Grand Forks Public School teachers, who participate for all three sessions, are eligible to earn 6 hours of prism
credit. Sessions are scheduled for January 16, 23, and 30th. Thanks to Yvonne Hanley for leading this book study.
Lake Agassiz Reading Council has DUG up REAL GEMS OF LEARNING!
Badlands Reading Council...Carla Fettig
News from BRC
Reading is social and children learn best within a richly and rigorously interactive community. ~Lucy Calkins
It’s been a busy school year for the members of Badlands Reading Council. We are fortunate to have council members
willing to share their time and expertise.
 September 9: Christa Hofland launched the Young Writers Project
 October 8: Terri Diechert and Chris Hirschfeld facilitated the first session of the Good Choice:
Supporting Independent Reading and Response book study
 October 14: Laura Kelly, Diane Hausauer, and Lane Heid presented The POWER Lies in the
Library!
 November 18: Sheila Hlibichuk presented Unleash the POWER of the Brain
 January 9: Carla Fettig led the second session of the Good Choice: Supporting Independent Reading and Response book study
 January 13: Will Charboneau presented emPOWERing Literacy Through Music
Our generous membership donated over 150 books to our Christmas Book Drive in November. Stark County Social
Services included these books in Christmas gift bags for children in our area. Through membership and local business
donations, we also delivered over 200 gift bags to Saint Joseph’s Hospital in 2013. Each newborn baby and mom received
a gift bag which included a board book and a bib with the message “READ TO ME”.
We look forward to the Spring Conference in Bismarck.
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Click on the
Program Proposal to
view a full-size
printable form.
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Stay Tuned…
NDRA Prairie Reader: Conference Edition
NDRA Goals:

To actively promote literacy locally and globally

To provide a variety of professional development opportunities

To increase partnerships with other organizations

To assist local councils with their services to members

To provide opportunities to become literacy leaders

To use technology to promote literacy
NDRA provides:
Council Support
Professional Development
 Young Writer’s Project
 NDEA Reading Sectionals
 Program Development
 Plains IRA Regional Conference
 International and Community Projects
 45th Annual Spring State Conference
 Teachers As Readers Groups
 Summer Leadership Workshop
 Newspaper in Education (NIE) Week
 Continued Collaboration for Advocacy
 Learning opportunities through grants
Publications
 Prairie Reader Newsletter
 NDRA Advocacy Pamphlet
 Council Image Brochures
Recognition
IRA President’s Cup, IRA Award of Excellence,
IRA Honor Council, IRA Advocacy Award,
IRA Exemplary Reading Award, IRA Literacy Award,
NDRA Merit Award, NDRA Leadership Travel Grant,
NDRA Young Writer’s Recognition,
Local Celebrate Literacy Award
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Want to connect with reading councils from across the state?
Visit the NDRA website at: http://ndreadon.com
Click on Councils to find contact information for local Presidents.
View NDRA Board Meeting minutes at:
http://ndreadon.com/ndraminutes.html
“I can read in red.
I can read in blue.
I can read in pickle color too.”
-Dr. Seuss,
I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!
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Timothy Shanahan is Professor of Urban Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago where he is Director of the UIC Center for Literacy. Tim Shanahan was director of reading for the Chicago Public Schools, serving 437,000
children, and has authored or edited more than 150 publications including the
books, Developing Literacy in Second-Language Learners, Teachers Thinking—
Teachers Knowing, Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Literacy, Reading and
Writing Together, and Understanding Research in Reading and Writing. Tim
Shanahan's research emphasizes reading-writing relationships, reading assessment, and improving
reading achievement, and he is frequently quoted in media outlets such as the New York Times,
Washington Post, and Newsweek, and has appeared on Bloomberg News and the O'Reilly Factor.
Professor Shanahan is immediate past president of the International Reading Association. In 2006,
Tim Shanahan was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve on the Advisory Board of the National Institute for Literacy. Shanahan is on the Advisory Boards of the National Center for Family Literacy and Reach Out and Read, and has served on the National Reading Panel, a group convened by
the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development at the request of Congress to evaluate
research on successful methods of teaching reading. Tim Shanahan has chaired two other federal research review panels: one on the literacy learning of language minority children and one on preschool
and family literacy. He is author of Elements of Literacy: Fluency (Harcourt an instructional program
for Grades 1-3, Treasures, a K–6 core reading program, and the AMP Reading System, an intervention
program for striving readers in Grades 6-8.
Professor Shanahan received the Albert J. Harris Award for outstanding research on reading disability
from the International Reading Association, the Milton D. Jacobson Readability Research Award also
from IRA, the Amoco Award for Outstanding Teaching, and the University of Delaware Presidential Citation for Outstanding Achievement. Shanahan co-developed Project FLAME, a family literacy program
for Latino immigrants, which received an Academic Excellence Award from the U.S. Department of Education. Shanahan received his Ph.D. at the University of Delaware in 1980. His research and development projects have attracted approximately $5 million in funding from government agencies and the
philanthropic community. Tim Shanahan was inducted to the Reading Hall of Fame in 2007, he is a
former first-grade teacher.
http://www.mhecommoncoretoolbox.com/powerpoint-from-dr.-timothy-shanahans-webinar.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdqzTCRYvpE
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Dr. Bill McBride has worked in a variety of public school and university settings
as both a teacher and a consultant. In middle and secondary schools, he has
served as a Reading Specialist, an English, Social Studies and Drama teacher, and
a gifted and a talented instructor. On the university level, Dr. McBride has assisted
in the training and evaluation of middle and secondary English teachers. For fifteen years Bill worked as an editor and National Reading Consultant with McDougal Littell/Houghton Mifflin Publishing Co., developing both secondary Language
Arts and Social Studies materials. He has contributed to highly successful programs that reflect the latest research in teaching reading, literature, and social studies, including The
Language of Literature, The Writer's Craft, Language Network, Power Words, World History, The Americans, and Creating America. He is now Author-in-Residence for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. An exciting
and inspirational keynote speaker, Bill shares his professional beliefs and teaching strategies at conferences and workshops all over the United States and abroad. His workshops are filled with practical,
hands-on activities that teachers can begin using immediately in their classrooms.
http://billmcbride.pbworks.com/w/page/14094960/Welcome%20to%20my%20Wiki
http://www.entertaininganelephant.com/vita.html
Douglas Wood has been called Minnesota’s “renaissance man” — author, artist, musician, naturalist, wilderness guide. As a writer of
books for children and adults he has almost two and a half million
copies in print, including the classics Old Turtle and Granddad's
Prayers of the Earth
Among his many honors and awards have been the Christopher Medal, ABBY Award, International Reading Association Book of the Year,
Minnesota Book Award, Midwest Publishers Association Book of the
Year, Parent’s Choice Award, Barnes and Noble Star of the North, and
Story Telling World Award.
Doug has read his books, narrated, and performed at the White House, New York’s famed Lincoln
Center, and other major performing venues around the country.
Not only an author-illustrator, Doug is also an accomplished musician and composer. He performs
his original, nature-themed music on guitar, banjo, and mandolin, often performing with his Wild
Spirit Band.
In his books, frequent speaking engagements, and far-flung wilderness expeditions Doug continues
to explore the relationship between the natural world and the human spirit. Douglas Wood lives with
his family in a log cabin in the pines by the Mississippi River.
http://douglaswood.com/wordpress/bio/
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/contributor/douglas-wood
http://www.amazon.com/Douglas-Wood/e/B000APFO4C
List of books
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Jerry Pallotta began writing books in 1986 when he was 32 years old. He got the idea for his
first book, Ocean Alphabet, while reading to his own children and remembering all the fun he
had growing up at the beach on the Massachusetts coast. This self-published title established
Jerry’s creative process: Jerry hired his own illustrator, designed the book, directed the art,
researched, wrote and edited the text, bought paper and rented press time. While successfully
selling Ocean Alphabet, inspiration for the next title, and the next, took hold. Information researched in the field, complimented with museum and library study, grew into a series of 22
nonfiction alphabet titles which include Icky Bug Alphabet, Jet Alphabet, Flower Alphabet and Skull Alphabet. More are in
the works!
Along with the alphabet series, Jerry’s stories model an opportunity for both research and creative writing. Dory Story
reveals the Atlantic Ocean food chain with a fictional twist. Who Will Guide My Sleigh This Year? and How Will I Get to
School This Year? inspire
young writers to come up with their own solutions for the yearly dilemma. Get reluctant boys (and girls) reading and writing with Guys Read. Jerry’s story, Dead Body, recounts a grisly boyhood memory at the beach. Set the ground work for
oral or written debate in
Jerry’s new series, Who Would Win, a non-fiction comparison of two potential rivals. The titles thus far are Killer Whale
vs Great White Shark, Lion vs Tiger, Polar Bear vs Grizzly Bear, TRex vs Velociraptor. Four more in this series are underway.
Jerry also brings nonfiction subjects to the field of elementary math in a beautifully illustrated format. His math literacy
books count from zero to zillions, in titles such as Underwater Counting Even Numbers, Underwater Counting Odd Numbers, Count to a Million, and Icky Bug Numbers. Jerry’s Math = Fun series includes the operations of additions, subtraction,
division, multiplication, as well as fractions and measurement.
Jerry has been to over 3500 schools and 350 conferences. He has presented to over two million children, face to face. He
has spoken in all 50 states. From 2005 through 2007, Jerry presented the Read a Zillion Books ® Literacy Conference, an
assembly of nationally recognized educators, authors, and illustrators who promote reading and writing to emerging and
experienced teachers.
Jerry continues to create new books in several genres in his particular style, bringing a finished product to his publishers.
This self-directed model allows Jerry to effectively inspire his audience to read and write a zillion books!
http://www.jerrypallotta.com
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Mary Casanova is an award-winning children's author of novels and picture books. Many
of her books stem from her life on the Minnesota-Canadian border; yet some of her stories
have taken her as far away as France, Norway, and Belize for research. Whatever the setting for her books, Casanova writes stories that matter--and stories that kids can't put
down.
Her book awards include: American Library Association "Notable," Aesop Accolades by the
American Folklore Society, Parents' Choice "Gold" Award, Booklist Editor Choice, and two
Minnesota Book Awards. Her books frequently land on state children's choice book master
lists across the country. "The greatest reward for me," Casanova states, "is when a young reader tells me she or he loves one
of my books. For me, it's all about communicating writer-to-reader through a character and story."
Casanova grew up in a family of ten children in St. Paul, Minnesota. In a bustling camp-like atmosphere, Casanova found that
writing became her voice. "Words are my paintbrush," she explains, "my way of exploring the world around me."
Now, with 31 books published and many more under contract and forthcoming, she divides her time between writing and
traveling. Nationally and internationally, at schools and conferences, Casanova shares her love of writing and reading with
children and adults.
The Klipfish Code, makes use of Mary’s on-site research in Norway. The story explores an important facet of Norwegian history through the experiences of Marit, a 12-year-old Norwegian girl who finds a way to fight against the 5-year Nazi occupation
of Norway. Marit and her brother Lars are separated from their parents (who are working for the Resistance) and sent to live
on an island with their gruff grandfather and school teacher aunt. During the course of the story, Marit’s aunt is one of the
Norwegian school teachers that gets sent to a concentration camp for refusing to integrate Nazi propaganda into her classroom. With potential danger waiting every turn, Marit finds a way to help the Resistance and eventually reunite her family.
Mary’s series, Dog Watch (Simon and Schuster) is based on her northern Minnesota village where dogs are allowed to roam
free—as long as they don't get in trouble. If they get in trouble, they earn a sticker on their page at the village clerk's office;
too many stickers and a trouble-making dog must remain at home. ’I never know where the next story will come from. It’s a
delight when the stories come right from this corner of the world I call home.” She makes her home in a 100-year old
house on Rainy Lake with her husband, Charles, and their three “above average” dogs and spends free time with their horses Midnight, Sable, and Ginger.
http://www.amazon.com/Mary-Casanova/e/B000APV8QU For a list of books
http://www.marycasanova.com/pages/about/