Melody's comments (member since Jan 29, 2009)

Melody's comments from the Spring 09 LLED, Altoona group.

THE WINNER OF THE "STOP, THINK, & SPEAK AWARD is.....STUTTERING STAN TAKES A STAND by Artie Knapp.

Artie Knapp
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
3333 Burnet Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039

Dear Sir:
Congratulations on winning the award, “Stop, Think, & Speak.” This award was given to the author who portrayed speech, hearing, or mental impairment in a book designed for children from Kindergarten through third grade. Your book, Stuttering Stan takes a Stand has won this award.

First let me start with a little background on this award. I, Melody Kephart, made this award. I am a junior at Penn State University majoring in Elementary Education. For my language and literacy course, I needed to make an award and give information about the qualifications that I expected to receive in a book. My eleven classmates were then to find a book with my specifications and nominate them for this award. Out of all the books nominated, I chose your book.

My reasons for making this award were due to my best friend in school who had a stuttering problem and would get mercifully picked on. When I read your book, I knew it was the winner because it described what my friend went through and the challenges he faced.

In order to better understand my award and possibly clear up any misunderstanding that you may have, you can view the award and the nominations on www.goodreads.com. The group to look for is Spring 09 LLED, Altoona.

We had an awards ceremony on Thursday, March 26 at the Altoona Public Library, Altoona, PA, where I presented the “Stop, Think, & Speak” award to the student who nominated the book for you. Her name is Amanda Casteel, also a junior in Elementary Education at Penn State University.

Please accept this award for your outstanding performance in writing on speech impairments. I am deeply thankful for your time and effort in researching and writing this book. God Bless.

Sincerely,
Melody Kephart

I nominate the book, "Historic Pennsylvania" by our very own fellow Penn Stater, Jared Frederick. Jared is the author and illustrator of this fabulous book which was published in 2008 by History Matters in Bellwood, PA.
This book should win the award not only because Jared attends school at our campus but because it is a great read! Jared has covered so many interesting facts about Pennsylvania, some you may not have even heard before. The drawings in this book are phenomenal with each page telling a unique detail about our wonderful state.
Please consider this book for the award. It is a great asset to any classroom. Jared designed this book for younger students but it would also work for middle and high school readers. This book is an excellent choice as a informational research book.
Any reader will come to learn about the numerous people, places and events that have made Pennsylvania what it is today. Once you look at this book, you will agree that it should be picked for the Penns Woods History Award.

I nominate "King Bob's New Clothes" by Dom DeLuise. 1996. This book was illustrated by Christopher Santoro. This is a spin-off of "The Emperor's New Clothes" with a hilarious twist. In this story, King Discombobulated (they call him Bob for short) buys into the promises of smooth-talking tailors, Wear and Tear Kannive, until a peasant lad opens his eyes. King Bob finally realizes that he has been walking around naked. This is a superb book with such a comical side. It is hilarious yet still teaches a valuable lesson which is why this should be chosen for the award.
Santoro gives each detail and personality an evenly, brightly lit perspective. The facial expressions are so amusing, you will laugh on each page. When you read this book, make sure you have a tissue ready because you will laugh so hard, tears will start to fly!
This book deserves the Wiggle N Giggle Award because it is truly a comedy worth cherishing.
Please consider this book for your award. Once you read it, you will want to share it with everyone. But again, I remind you, have a tissue handy!

This book was designed for ages 4-8 and would be ideal for a teacher in the classroom because it has a great moral at the end. Although it is a comical book, it still tells a heartfelt story that leaves a good message in the reader's mind.
Again, please consider this very laughable, fun-loving book for your award!

I nominate "Where's My Teddy" by Jez Alborough. In this bedtime story, a young boy, Eddie, is in for a surprise when he discovers that his teddy bear has grown too big for him to cuddle with. In the end though, Eddie finds his teddy and snuggles with him as he goes to bed.
Children will be reassured to find that creatures big and small need their steady comforts. This is a great bedtime story and one that deserves being awarded! the pictures throughout are great but do not allow for the children to get overly excited. It is a relaxing, interesting story that will have the children wanting to grab their own teddy bear and fall asleep holding on tight! You must read this book and when you do, you will fall in love with it. This book has such interesting and awesome illustrations.

After this book is read to a child, you will have them begging, "please just five more minutes!" which is why it should win the award.
This book is geared toward preschool to second grade but can be continued throughout childhood as a tradition.
A teacher would be able to use this in a classroom as a read aloud because the children would be able to insert themselves into the book. It also can be bought with a CD so that it can be used to help children read while they listen to it. Just one more reason why it should be chosen!

I nominate "A Perfect Snowman" by Preston McDaniels. He is also the illustrator of this fabulous book! This book is about a snowman who receives the most perfect gifts of all: humility, compassion, and love.
This book is a great seasonal book and allows the children to place themselves into the book. The boy in the story wakes up to find out that snow has fallen so he heads outside to make a snowman. The snowman comes to life and is not very nice to the animal friends that live around him. As the story progresses, the snowman finds himself learning how to be humble, to have compassion, and to love.
This book should win the award because a teacher could use this book to teach a lesson on any of the three things that the Snowman finds in himself.
The illustrations in this book are amazing. There are only two colors used throughout the book which allows the reader to focus on the facial expressions and the details rather than getting lost in color. With such ingenuity, this author/illustrator deserves this award.
This book would be great for preschool thru third grade. Readers would need to be Transitional to Fluent level.

I nominate "Magpie Magic" by April Wilson. This is a tale of colorful mischief. In this wordless picture book, a child's two hands open a packet of colored pencils and get down to work drawing a magpie that is visible through a window. The child draws red cherries to entice the magpie down, but the bird soon makes itself a nuisance by popping a balloon and then, with powers of creation equal to the child's, gets down to a little drawing of its own. This is a great book, a must see!
This book would be great for any age but is targeted toward preschool to second grade. The best reason to choose this book for the award is that students will pick it up again and again while teachers will use it to introduce colors or creativity.
Please consider this terrific wordless book for the Napoleon Bonaparte award because it not only is a great picture book but it also tells an interesting story. It fits your description well and should be chosen!

Magpie Magic A Tale of Colorful MischiefApril Wilson

I nominate the book "Tinka" by Rainy Dohaney. Rainy is also the illustrator!
Tinka is the smallest sheep anyone has ever seen, she is the size of a cupcake. This causes some disadvantages for her. However, she has a friend who helps her see that being small isn't all that bad.
This is the best book for you to choose to win the Picture It! Award.
This book is tremendously illustrated. It has soft edges which draws you into the text. The illustrator used watercolor and colored pencils to give a cuddly warmth to the book. This is a must-see book. You will fall in love with the illustrations each time you turn the page. You don't even have to open the pages of this book to know its a winner. The front cover is beautifully illustrated. Please take a look at it and consider it for the award. It will not fail to satisfy you. Once you look it over, you will want to choose it and not look at anymore choices. Its that amazing!
This book is good for a read aloud for preschool to first grade. Readers would need to at least be in the Early Transitional stage.


Tinka

I nominate "Kate and the Beanstalk" by Mary Pope Osborne with illustrations done by Giselle Potter.
This clever twist on a classic fairy tale stars a smart girl instead of traditionally lazy, not-so-bright Jack. Osborne's telling (aside from the gender switch) remains fairly faithful to the original: the hungry mother sends her child out to sell the cow, the cow is traded for magic beans, the angry mother tosses the beans out the window, a beanstalk grows, the hero climbs it, and vanquishes the evil giant, winning treasure in the process. A surprise ending gives the tale an extra jolt of happily-ever-after.
Potter's remarkable illustrations make this version stand out which automatically makes this the best possible solution out of the award choices. The rich, yet muted tones, invite the eye to linger over the flat pictures of oval-headed Kate. Potter even did an excellent job depicting the creepy looking giant. However, it is a child's book so although she made the giant creepy, it is not scary looking.
Take one look at this amazing book and you will not need to look at another one. Your choice will be made because this book fits your description perfectly and pleasantly. This is a must read and when you do, you will be hooked! Please consider this book to win the Shake-It Award. It is so deserving!

this book was designed for ages 4-8 and can be used as a read aloud or guided reading.

I nominate "The Windy Day" by G. Brian Karas. Illustrations were done by the author as well. This book is about a boy named Bernard who finds out just how wonderful and exciting the world can be. As you turn the pages of this book, you will be excited over the wonderful child-like illustration. Each page has a picture that looks as though a child did the illustrating. With such technique from the author/illustrator, its no wonder that this book should be chosen for the award!

This book has been given a grand review by The Center for Children's Books. It also won the 1997 Boston Globe-Horn Award. This reward clearly depicts the book as one of the finest written and illustrated which is why it should be chosen for the Zoe Award.
This book is for an early reader. It uses sight words which will help the young readers.

I nominate "The Little Match Girl" by Hans Christian Andersen. Illustrated by Rachel Isadora. Putnam Juvenille Publisher. Andersen's story is about a little girl who's afraid to go home because she hasn't sold enough matches. The little girl is barefoot and cold so she curls up in a corner, lighting match after match to warm herself. She sees visions as she looks at the flames. With her final match, she sees her grandmother appear and take her up to heaven. The little girl has died there in the corner.
This is truly a sad tale but in the end, you feel happy for the little girl because she is in a wonderful place where she will never be cold again. Andersen has created this great book which can be used in a classroom to talk about feelings, death, or social issues. It is diverse in use which makes it the best book to win this award. It deserves the Murder Most Foul Award over all the other books nominated because it deals with a very tragic situation.
Not only that but the the Illustrator, Isadora, used muted blue, gray and brown colors to capture the mood of a snowy Victorian winter reminiscent of Dickens's A Christmas Carol. You must see this book and read it to appreciate the fine work done. Once you have read it, it will own your heart and will own the award!
This book is designed for ages 4-8 but it will touch the hearts of any older child or adult.
The Little Match Girl

I nominate"I Love You So Much" by Carl Norac. Illustrations by Claude K. Dubois. this book is about a hamster, Lola, who wakes up and has words on the tip of her tongue but can't say them. Finally she is able to speak them and receives a wonderful response from her parents. You must read this book, it is simply adorable! This book is for second or third graders. You could read it to younger grades as a read aloud but need higher grades for guided reading. Read this book to find out what the words are and you will be hooked on it!!I Love You So Much

I nominate "Hug" by Jez Alborough. He is the author and illustrator of this fabulous book, which was published in 2001. This story is about Bobo the chimp seeking hugs among various jungle friends but he does not always get what he wants until he is reunited with his parents. The expression on the chimp's face tells the story without saying more than one word. WIth the facial expression and body language, this book will immediately allow children to understand it.
This book has excellent illustrations and would be great for a preschool or kindergarten read aloud. Children will love all the colorful animals. Once you look at this book, you will realize that it should win the Rocky Lenyerd McCracken Award.
This book would be a good read during Valentine's Day. It would also work during a time of sorrow for a child, its a great pick-me-up which is even more reason to vote for it!
Hug

I nominate "David Gets in Trouble" by David Shannon. In this third picture book by Shannon, it's David's turn to talk back. What does he say when he gets in trouble? "I didn't mean to." as he skateboards into a table. "It was an accident!" when he hit a baseball into a window. "I forgot!," "But Dad says it!" and on and on he goes getting himself into more trouble.
This book should win the award because it satisfies the requirements listed. It is quite entertaining to watch this boy and all his crazy shenanigans.
As far as the illustrations, Shannon's expressive, childlike paintings of the round-headed, shark-toothed David-in-trouble perfectly capture the manic joys of early boyhood.
This book is for pre-school and up. There is no age limit on this great book which is just another reason that this book should be chosen for this award.

Choose this book for the award and you will not be disappointed!

For this award, the book needs to be based on children with speech, hearing, or mental problems. The book should be geared for Kindergarten thru third grade students. The book can deal with various speech problems as in stuttering, pronunciation, or speech impairment;It can deal with any type of mental disorder but would prefer it be a child with the disability; or, you can choose a book dealing with hearing impairment of any kind.
As Graff & Birkenstein say in their book, "They Say I Say," this book can summarize a point that is not "directly stated in what they say but is implied or assumed"(23). An example of that statement is a book that has a child with a speech problem yet does not necessarily discuss the problem. The book could have a character that has an impairment with a comment or two about that character but not be the basis of the story.

The deadline for this Award is March 5, 2009

This Award is dedicated to one of my best friends who had a stuttering problem throughout his school life.


Resource:Graff & Birkenstein. 2006. "They Say I Say." The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing. New York, NY:Matrix Publishing Services, Inc. p.23.