Bookworm Buzz

Here it is, my first installment in the #GNCelebration.  I am so excited to be participating in this literacy event.  Thanks go out to Mrs. Landrigan for the "heads up!"

Graphic novels are one of my favorite structures for fiction.  There has been so much done in children’s literature and young adult literature with graphic novels that it is easy to see why students love this structure.  From fantasy, to science fiction, to recreating the classics, graphic novels are here to stay and I couldn’t be happier.  

The first series that hooked me as a lover of graphic novels was the Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi.  This series has captivated 4th graders since the first novel, The Stonekeeper, was published in 2008.  I use this series to introduce the genre of science fiction and the structure of graphic novels at the beginning of the school year.  Every year there is a waiting list for each book and I often find that this is the one series that generally gets borrowed “permanently,” at the end of the year.  Our literacy specialist frequently orders replacement copies each year.Many students are hooked in the first few pages.As they the story continues, they naturally slow down in order read the pictures,which enables them to understand the plot in depth and to follow the sequence of events.  The learning opportunities are endless with this series!

When the second book was due to be released,The Stonekeeper’s Curse, I entered a contest to win a copy from Scholastic.  You can’t imagine the excitement the students and I felt when we learned that we had won!!! We were hoping for Kazu Kibuishi’s signature on the title page, but alas, this was not the case.  We are in luck however, because Kazu Kibuishi will be appearing at, An Unlikely Story, a local bookstore on October 17th at 12:00 p.m!  The 4th grade teachers are planning on being there to meet him and to tell him about the impact that his books have had on scores of children that we have known and that he is still gaining new fans.  It is going to be an exciting day for sure!

In the 7 years since the first book, The Stonekeeper, was published, I have had students come back to tell me that this is one of the books/series that they remember the most from elementary school because it got them to read and to love reading!  Parents tell me that this has been the “hook book,” for their child and the power behind those words and sentiments is humbling.  The power of the Amulet Series is as remarkable as the gifts of the Stonekeeper herself.  Try it and you too will be hooked!