Imagine having dozens of ice cream flavors lined up in front of you and only being able to spoon out a single scoop. Learning magazine’s children’s book reviewer, Kim Minafo, says her job is like that: “I review many wonderful children’s books for each issue of the magazine, but I have to narrow the field to just a half-dozen selections. For some issues, I pick my books right off the bat. For others, I change my mind countless times; I’m adding and subtracting titles right up until the final deadline. I always wish there were a way to fit in just a few more books!”

We have good news for Kim and all the other literature lovers out there: through our Tools of the Trade blog, we can share reviews of terrific titles that didn’t make it into the magazine. It’s not quite an ice cream smorgasbord, but it will give you the scoop on a few more new releases! Plus if you post a comment on our blog by Tuesday, November 3, you could win a copy of Come to the Fairies’ Ball by Jane Yolen. One lucky reader will win! (Update: Congratulations to Eliza, who is our winner! Keep watching our blog for most contests and chances to WIN!)

Spells
By Emily Gravett

Can a lonely green frog, supplied only with torn pages from a book of spells, cast himself into a magical future? In a kiss-and-spell book that’s sure to be “ribbiting” for students, the would-be prince’s plight is determined by an unexpected twist—and a few lines of fine print. Grades 1–5, $16.99. Simon & Schuster.

Come to the Fairies’ Ball
By Jane Yolen

With Cinderella-like familiarity and a dose of fairy magic, this story enchants across grade levels. Young students will happily listen to the rhyming text that depicts the troubles of a fairy who lacks formal wear on the night of the ball. Meanwhile, older children will enjoy the book’s challenging vocabulary and lyrical lilt. (Eliza, post a comment to let us know what your students think of the book!) Grades 1–4, $17.95. Wordsong.

Mystery Vine
By Cathryn Falwell

Perfect for reading during harvesttime (and rereading as the seasons progress), this story helps students appreciate the life of a garden as they wonder about the identity of a mystery vine. The book is complete with recipes, a garden craft, and plans for a classroom book display. Grades K–2, $16.99. Greenwillow.

The Blue Shoe: A Tale of Thievery, Villainy, Sorcery, and Shoes
By Roderick Townley

In a town where begging is a crime and the mayor’s wife shops without ever paying, everyone covets a single, blue bejeweled shoe. But no one, not even the mayor’s wife, can do more than admire it in the shoemaker’s window, waiting for the shoe’s buyer to claim it. When the shoemaker’s apprentice takes a single jewel from the shoe, the dazzling gems go gray. Can the shoe—and the village—be saved? Grades 4+, $16.99. Knopf.

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Stay tuned for another serving of book reviews—and another chance to WIN—in the days to come!

PS: Have you heard about the Elmer’s Glue Crew Recycling Program? Recycle your empty glue containers and win prizes! To learn more about this free program, click here now.

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Did you know that Thursday, October 22, is National Color Day? I’m sure you can think of dozens of creative ways to celebrate, from writing prompts about favorite colors to “dress in your favorite color” activities to classroom polls to, of course, art projects galore! If you’re looking for bright and bold color choices for art projects, bulletin boards, and classroom communications, check out the 23 attention-grabbing colors in Wausau Paper’s Astrobrights collection. You’ll find everything from Lift-off Lemon to Rocket Red at www.wausaupaper.com.

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Here’s another upcoming event to note: Walden University is giving away three grants of $5,000 to schools hosting Educator for a Day programs on Thursday, November 19. The events are designed to help aspiring educators and the public learn more about the rewards of teaching. Applications are due Wednesday, October 28. Visit www.WaldenU.edu/educatorforaday.

And one final item: There’s still time to WIN one of five $50 gift certificates from Learning Resources! Click here now to enter. Good luck!

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Here’s a quick rundown of events coming up next week. These are too important to miss!

The week of October 19–24, 2009, is Stand Up for Kids: National Safe Schools Week. You’ll find lots of child and school safety resources at InvestigationDiscovery.com/StandUpForKids.

Did you know that Tuesday, October 20, 2009, is the National Day on Writing? Sponsored by the National Council of Teachers of English, this event celebrates the integral role writing plays in our daily lives. Submit a piece of your students’ writing—or your own writing—to the National Gallery of Writing or find out how other classrooms will mark the day. It’s all at www.ncte.org/dayonwriting.

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Mark your calendar for Homework Day on Wednesday, October 21, 2009. That’s the day that a live, interactive Web event will showcase a new Web-based tool called Wolfram|Alpha. The site is different than a search engine: it’s a computational knowledge engine. To find out more, visit http://homeworkday.wolframalpha.com/ and see the difference!

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Enter to win a classroom technology package, valued at over $5,000, from the Turning Foundation. The package includes products from Turning Technologies, Study Island, and Performance Matters. Teachers of grades 3–8 are eligible. The contest ends October 25, 2009. Enter at www.TurningTechnologies.com/K12Grant. Fifteen classrooms will win!

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PS: My office is overflowing with new children’s books! Post a comment on this blog and be entered for a chance to WIN a prize pack of five new hardcover books. Hurry; the contest ends Monday, October 19!

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